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THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 1

Genesis - Exodus

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

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Contents
[7]
God's Word ......................................................................................................................... 3
1. By Scripture Alone ........................................................................................................................... 3
2. The Authority of the Bible ................................................................................................................ 3
3. Biblical Manuscripts ......................................................................................................................... 6
4. Canonical and Apocryphal Writings ................................................................................................ 8
5. Biblical Criticism ............................................................................................................................ 11
6. Contradictions in the Bible? ........................................................................................................... 15
7. The Unity of the Bible .................................................................................................................... 18
8. Reading the Bible .......................................................................................................................... 22
[53]
Genesis ............................................................................................................................. 26
1. The Book of the "Generations" ...................................................................................................... 26
2. In the Beginning ............................................................................................................................. 27
3. The Toledoth of Heaven and Earth (2:4—4:26) ............................................................................ 28
4. The Toledoth of Adam (5-6:8) ....................................................................................................... 31
[66]
5. The Toledoth of Noah (6:9-9:29) .............................................................................................. 32
[70]
6. The Toledoth of the Sons of Noah (10—11:9) .......................................................................... 34
7. The Toledoth of Shem (11:10-26) ................................................................................................. 35
8. The Toledoth of Terah (11:27-25:11) ............................................................................................ 35
9. The Toledoth of Ishmael (25:12-18) .............................................................................................. 41
10. The Toledoth of Isaac (25:19—35:29)......................................................................................... 41
11. The Toledoth of Esau (36-37:1) .................................................................................................. 45
[94]
12. The Toledoth of Jacob (37:2—50:26) ..................................................................................... 46
[103]
Exodus ........................................................................................................................... 51
1. The Book of Israel's First Deliverance ........................................................................................... 51
3. Deliverance through Divine Judgment .......................................................................................... 54
4. Across the Red Sea and the Wilderness....................................................................................... 56
5. Israel at Sinai ................................................................................................................................. 59
6. The Book of the Covenant ............................................................................................................. 62
7. The Covenant Ceremony .............................................................................................................. 63
8. The Tabernacle ............................................................................................................................. 65
9. The Covenant Broken and Renewed ............................................................................................ 69
[145]
Index .............................................................................................................................. 73

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[7]
God's Word
1. By Scripture Alone

The Book of books.

In Article 7 of the Belgic Confession (1561), we read: "We believe that these Holy
Scriptures fully contain the will of God and teach sufficiently all that man must believe if
he is to be saved." This confession also declares that "The whole manner of worship
which God requires of us is written in them at large."
If this is also our confession, we must live by Scripture alone. The Bible is all we need.
But why? Christianity is not the only religion based on sacred writings. Why do we accept
the Bible and reject the Koran, the Edda, and the holy books of India? Why do we push
aside all those other books, which certainly contain a great deal of wisdom, and focus
our attention on that one "book of books"?
I have no other answer to offer than this: the Bible itself claims to be the sole revelation
of God. And faith accepts this claim. Faith's acceptance is based on the Bible's testimony
about itself.
The Scriptures claim to reveal the will of God to us; they are a lamp shedding light on
[8]
our path. Woe to the man who adds anything to the Scriptures or takes anything
away from them. We live by Scripture alone. Sola Scriptural

The Reformation.
The sixteenth-century struggle between Rome and the Reformation revolved around this
very point. Is the Bible to be regarded as the sole authority, or is there some other
authority in addition? Can tradition or the church fathers or church councils or papal
decrees be accepted as authoritative alongside the Scriptures?
The Roman Catholic Church did in fact put Scripture on a par with tradition. Indeed,
Rome accepted the Bible because it was accepted by the church. Thus the authority of
the Scriptures was made dependent on tradition and the authority of the church.
Yet the Reformation clung firmly to Scripture alone, confessing that the Bible is
completely authoritative, sufficient in itself, clear, and indispensable. When people within
"Protestant" circles began to question this doctrine and chip away at it, the Reformers
stubbornly held their ground.
The Anabaptists, for example, elevated the "inner light" above the "dead letter" of
Scripture. Anyone who received special, direct revelations from God was a prophet,
someone to be listened to. The "Spirit" gives life, it was argued, while the "letter" of the
Bible kills.
The Reformers saw clearly that this way of thinking represents false teaching. Therefore
they rejected it wherever they encountered it. The Canons of Dordt (formulated by a
Dutch Reformed synod of 1618-19) declared that the assurance enjoyed by God's elect
that they will persevere in their faith "is not produced by any peculiar revelation contrary
to or independent of the Word of God, but springs from faith in God's promises, which
He has most abundantly revealed in His Word for our comfort" (V, 10).
[9]
We live by the Bible alone. It is there that we are instructed in "the whole manner of
worship which God requires of us." Is that also your confession? Do you accept the
Scriptures as God's infallible Word? Has the Bible proven itself to you? Do you hear the
Creator and Redeemer speaking to you in the Bible?

2. The Authority of the Bible

The real author.

Scripture is inspired by God Himself (II Tim. 3:16). It comes to us not at man's

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instigation or initiative but because men were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak "from
God" (II Pet. 1:21).
This does not mean that we must regard the writers of the Bible as robots or scribes
taking dictation. No, God uses living human beings in His service. He even allows them a
major role in giving shape to the Word He speaks to mankind. The individuality of the
Bible's human authors comes through clearly, even though God Himself is the real
author of Scripture.
To recognize the role of certain human beings in writing the books that make up our
Bible is not to say that there are errors and contradictions in the Bible. We are not to
declare that God's Word is in the Bible—in and among all those words written by human
beings. The Bible is God's authoritative Word—that's our point of departure.

Authoritative.
Because we have received the Bible from the hand of the King of kings, we must accept
it as authoritative. We must bow unconditionally to the Voice that speaks to us in the
Bible. We may not argue that we live in a different time and a different society—as
though this has something to do with our attitude toward the Bible. And we may not
[10]
declare that the authoritative language of the Bible was binding only as long as
Christ's apostles walked the earth.
The Bible's authority is not time-bound. Scripture is God's Word for a thousand
generations. Even though the people of our time feel uneasy whenever the word
authority is used, we must subject ourselves willingly to the authority of God's Word.

Complete.
The confession "By Scripture alone" means that the Bible is no longer open to correction
through later revelations. There is no continuing Scriptural revelation in our
dispensation. The Lord has already revealed all that we need to know. The Bible is
complete.
We must not try to "go beyond what is written" (I Cor. 4:6). To "go beyond" would be to
depart from the teaching of the Christ (II John, vs. 9). We need not await a "fifth
gospel." What we have already been told about Christ is all we need in order to know
God and serve Him effectively. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has
conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (I Cor. 2:9; Is. 64:4).

The Spirit of truth.

Today there are many Christians (especially in liberal circles) who do believe in
continuing revelation. The Bible is not the only "scripture" they venerate; they find
traces of divine inspiration in other documents and writing as well.
Such views clearly violate Scripture's own intent. God's Word leaves no room for any
other "word" of comparable authority.
There are certain other Christians who make a point of declaring that they accept the
Bible's authority wholeheartedly—but they still wind up undermining it. They like to point
to John 16:13, where Christ tells His apostles: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will
[11]
guide you into all the truth." On the basis of this text they await a new historical
period—a period of the Spirit, which will open with a second Pentecost. (Think of the
revival movements in the nineteenth century and the charismatic movement in our own
time.)
Such expectations are based on the mistaken assumption that the canon is still open.
New revelations through the Spirit are possible, they argue.
Proponents of this outlook misread John 16:13, which provides no ground for such
expectations. In the apostolic period between the years A.D. 30 (Pentecost) and 70 (the
destruction of Jerusalem), the Christ fulfilled His promise to His apostles. The Spirit came
and served as their guide in unlocking "the truth." The abiding result of this process is

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the New Testament!
When John talks about "the truth," he means the actualization of the shadows and
models of the Old Testament. The Spirit made it clear to the apostles and their fellow
workers that Jesus is indeed the Messiah of whom the Old Testament prophesied.
We must not make the mistake of seeking to remake redemptive history, nor should we
try to turn its clock back so that we can relive the period immediately after Christ's
resurrection. The Spirit has already guided us into all of the truth. We are not apostles
who have been promised a special, secret message from the Lord, and therefore we may
not hope for a new, further revelation.
We have Moses and the prophets—and the New Testament Scriptures in addition. We
enjoy the privilege of reading and rereading the Old Testament in the light of the New.
We have the cross and the sign of Jonah—and that ought to be enough for us. We have
seen the fulfillment, the "realization," of "the truth." That "truth" is Christ, who spoke of
Himself as "the Way, the Truth, and the Light."
Don't forget Paul's warning: we are not to go beyond what is written (I Cor. 4:6). The
[12]
canon is not open anymore! We are rich in possessing the Word of God, and it would
be sinful to long for more. That Word, after all, is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17).
One sword should be enough for us.

Interpreting Scripture.
The best way to interpret Scripture is to let it shed light on itself. In other words, the
best guide to the Bible is the Bible itself. We must learn to look for what the text is
actually saying. How? By taking the time to study the context, by not deciding in
advance what the text means, and by looking for themes and expressions on which we
may find light elsewhere in the Bible.
This humble approach to Scripture is difficult for sinful human beings. Whenever we
encounter something in the Bible that strikes at our persistent human pride, our first
impulse is to tone it down or explain it away. In fact, we're experts at interpreting the
Bible in ways that cause us no discomfort.
Sometimes we even try to make the Bible say more than it really says: we look for a
"truth behind the truth." How? One way is by using allegorical methods of interpretation.
Over the centuries such methods have often been applied. Certain passages, it was
argued, cannot be taken literally; a "spiritual" interpretation is needed. This opened up
endless possibilities. Even Luther, before the profound change in his thinking, was drawn
in: the four legs of the good Samaritan's donkey stood for the four "gospels."
The effort to find a symbolic meaning for the facts of redemptive history continues in our
time. Mysticism, spiritualism and horizontalism are applied in ingenious ways that lead to
a perversion of the Bible's meaning.
The Bible is not a book of puzzles and riddles; it is the clear and concrete Word of God.
Anyone can comprehend its message. The Bible itself strongly opposes any manipulation
of its words.
[13]
Clear or murky?
Don't let anyone tell you that the Bible is a murky, dark, or mysterious book. Scripture
calls itself a light, a lamp (II Pet. 1:19; Ps. 119:105).
This is not to say that there are no difficult texts in the Bible. There are. But the Bible's
message for us is fully understandable. It is not a mystery that can be comprehended
only by members of a certain closed circle. Scripture presents us with the "revelation of
a mystery" (Rom. 16:25-6; Col. 1:26). "I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness"
(Is. 45:19; see also John 18:20).
If you read the Scriptures carefully and pray for the guidance of the Spirit, you will

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receive insight. The Lord will repay your efforts as you study His Word. Just try it, and
you'll see for yourself.
Even if some passage leaves you scratching your head the first time you read it,
remember that the Old Testament and New Testament shed light on each other. The
meaning of such a text will soon become clear if we make use of the light provided for
us. An individual text must be read in the context of the entire chapter—and ultimately
against the background of an entire Bible book and of Scripture as a whole.
When we study the Bible, we go "from strength to strength" and become "well versed in
the scriptures" (Acts 18:24). Isn't that a goal worth striving for?

3. Biblical Manuscripts

Hebrew and Greek.

Because the Scriptures originated as a series of documents pertaining to a covenant
made at a certain point in history, they were written in the language used by the people
who lived in covenant with God. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (except for
some parts of Ezra and Daniel which were written in Aramaic).
[14]
The New Testament was written in the language universally understood at that time
in the Roman empire, i.e. Greek.
Of course we do not possess the original manuscripts. The Bible has come down to us in
individual copies made by hand. Until fairly recently, the oldest Old Testament
manuscripts dated back to about A.D. 1000.

The Dead Sea Scrolls.

Since the year 1947, Old Testament books and fragments dating all the way back to the
first century after Christ—and perhaps even earlier—have been found in caves in the
neighborhood of the Dead Sea. These manuscripts were placed there by a sect known as
the Essenes, who had established some sort of monastery at Qumran. When the Jews
rebelled against the Roman empire in A.D. 67, the Qumran community did not escape
punishment. In a book on the Dead Sea Scrolls we read:
It appears that when the enemy approached, the members of this brotherhood tried to
safeguard their most valued possessions, namely, their holy books, which had been
recopied so diligently and were read both aloud and silently for devotions. In Qumran
and the surrounding area, hundreds of scrolls were found, most of them made of leather
or parchment, but some of cheaper, less durable papyrus. They included texts of the
various books of the Bible, especially Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Psalms.... These Biblical
scrolls, together with some other scrolls, were protected by linen wrappers and placed in
bunches of four or five in large pots, each of which was covered with a lid.... Once all the
manuscripts were packed, they were brought to caves in the vicinity so that the costly
treasures could be hidden in the most inaccessible places possible. After the Roman
soldiers had captured the monastery building and burned it, they went on to search
some of the nearby caves. The holy books found in those caves were ripped to pieces.
[15]
The manuscripts that did not fall into the hand of the vengeful Romans were then
1
found many centuries later.
Thanks to the searches of the Bedouins and various scholars, most of the manuscripts
that survived have now come to light.

Textual criticism.
The important thing about the Dead Sea Scrolls is that the text of these ancient Biblical
manuscripts differs very little from the text we already had from scrolls that had been

1
J. van der Ploeg, Vondsten in de Woestijn van Juda: De Rollen der Dode Zee (Utrecht and
Antwerp, 1957), p. 78.

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made later in history. Thus it appears that the Jewish scholars during and after the exile
copied and recopied the Bible in an amazingly exact way.
Of course there was always a certain amount of room for disagreement on how a certain
passage was to be read. Furthermore, a word would occasionally be skipped or
misspelled. Because Hebrew originally did not record the vowel sounds that go with the
consonant letters, there could well be legitimate disagreement over the meaning of a
word. If we take the consonants r-t, for example, inserting different vowel sounds makes
a world of difference as to the meaning of the word: it could be rat, rate, rite, rot, rote,
or rut.
It is the task of the textual critic to examine the differences between various manuscripts
in order to reconstruct the pure text as accurately as possible. Yet, the differences in
readings have not significantly affected the text handed down to us.
The discovery of these manuscripts in the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea shows
that the Lord saw to it that the Old Testament was preserved very carefully as the
centuries went by. What believers of all ages have always been sure of has been
[16]
demonstrated once more by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, namely, that the
Word of God has not been subjected to falsification.

Ancient manuscripts.
This applies to the New Testament just as much as the Old. Thanks to the diligence of
the monks in the monasteries, the text of the New Testament has also been handed on
to us faithfully. If you compare the King James translation with a twentieth century
translation, you can easily see that the more recent version is based on a somewhat
different reading of the original text—but the differences are slight.
Many older manuscripts have been discovered since the time when the King James
translation was made. Excavators in Egypt, for example, have unearthed a number of
papyrus fragments on which passages of Scripture are written.
Seventeenth century translations were based on a Greek text dating back to about the
year 600. Today we have much older texts available. Tischendorf, who made expeditions
in 1844, 1853 and 1859 to a Russian Orthodox monastery near Mount Sinai, managed to
find a manuscript (now called the Codex Sinaiticus) which was probably made in the
fourth century. Some scholars even suspect that Constantine himself had this codex
prepared in 331 for use in the churches. In any event, one can well understand that the
British Museum in London is proud to possess this manuscript, which it purchased from
the Soviet government in 1934 for 100,000 British pounds. In addition to this codex,
others of that time have been found, e.g. the Alexandrinus and the Vaticanus.
In the monasteries of the Near East, there are still many treasures to be found. An
American expedition to 25 countries in the Near East came back with an enormous store
of manuscripts on microfilm, including Arabic, Armenian, Coptic, Gothic, Latin, and
Persian translations of parts of the Bible, as well as liturgies and writings of the church
[17]
fathers in which the New Testament is quoted. By comparing all these materials,
scholars hope to get closer to the text of the New Testament.
The discovery of papyrus manuscripts has also contributed a great deal to the
reconstruction of the original New Testament text. A fragment of the Gospel according to
John dating from the year 200 has come to light. There is even a fragment of John 18
going all the way back to the year 120. Almost half of the New Testament text has
already been discovered in papyrus form (3,380 verses out of 7,957).

Discrepancies.
Once more I must emphasize that the differences between the various ancient
manuscripts that have been discovered do not affect the substance of the New
Testament books. The discrepancies involve such matters as the divisions in the text and
the arrangement of the words into units of meaning.

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Such discrepancies should not surprise us in view of the fact that the older Greek
manuscripts were written in capital letters alone and without spaces between the words.
Thus the first sentence of the Gospel according to John would look something like this:
INTHEBEGINNINGWASTHEWORD. I'm sure you can understand that when the words
were separated—as they are in modern editions of the Greek New Testament—there
were some problems and disagreements between scholars. Consider the phrase
THESEARCHES. Is it to be read as THE SEARCHES or THESE ARCHES?
It was inevitable, then, that copyists would occasionally make mistakes because of the
different readings possible. Sometimes failing eyesight led to the omission of a word or
two. When the text of Luke was recopied, for example, the copyist might make the
mistake of inserting one of Matthew's familiar formulations.
[18]
Recopying books word for word is far from easy. It definitely requires the patience
of a monk. Therefore Biblical scholars must continue the quest for older manuscripts.
Yet, this does not detract from the reliability and trustworthiness of the Scriptures as
divine revelation. Contrary to all sorts of predictions made by scholars, recent
discoveries have confirmed the veracity of God's Word. Even without the results of all
those archeological investigations—which we accept gratefully, of course—the Bible is a
lamp illumining our path. "The unfolding of thy words gives light" (Ps. 119:130).

4. Canonical and Apocryphal Writings

The Hebrew Bible.

Another question we must face is how the writings that make up the Bible came to be
accepted as authoritative. Why are certain books excluded from the Bible, e.g. the set of
books known as the "Apocrypha"? How did the church arrive at the canon, i.e. the list of
books accepted as inspired and authoritative?
The Hebrews had a Bible (the Old Testament), but it differed from our Old Testament in
some respects. First came the five books of Moses, which they call "the Law," "the
Torah." The next set of books was known as "the Former Prophets"—Joshua, Judges,
Samuel, and Kings. Then came "the Latter Prophets"—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the
twelve minor prophets. The two groups of prophetic books were together referred to as
"the Prophets," to distinguish them from "the Law" (see Luke 16:29; Acts 24:14).
Finally, the Jewish Bible had a third section, known as "the Writings" (see Luke 24:27,
44). Under this heading we find certain "festal scrolls," i.e. books intended for reading on
[19]
religious holidays—the Song of Songs (Passover or the Feast of Unleavened Bread),
Ruth (the Feast of Pentecost or Feast of Weeks), Lamentations (the anniversary of the
destruction of Jerusalem), Ecclesiastes (the Feast of Tabernacles), and Esther (the Feast
of Purim). "The Writings" also included Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah,
and Chronicles.

The Septuagint.
In response to the needs of Jews who had emigrated to areas where Greek was spoken
(especially the city of Alexandria), the Old Testament was translated into Greek. Just
how this project got underway and was brought to completion is not clear.
A legend has it that 70 scholars (or 72, six from each of the twelve tribes) were sent by
the high priest in Jerusalem to Alexandria at the request of King Ptolemy Philadelphus
(285-247 B.C.). They are supposed to have translated the five books of Moses in 72
days on the island of Pharos.
Whatever the truth may be, a Greek translation of the Old Testament did come into
being. This translation was called the Septuagint (LXX), after the 70 (or 72) scholars.
(The name comes from the same root as our word septagenarian.) Scholars today
believe that the Septuagint was completed by 130 B.C.

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The Apocrypha.
The Septuagint arranges the books of the Old Testament in the same order in which we
find them in our Bible. Yet it includes more books in the Old Testament than the Hebrew
Bible does. The rabbis spoke of the additional books as "hidden" or "secret" (apocryphal)
books. They were not preserved in the same boxes as the books of the Torah and were
not regarded as normative.
The Roman Catholic Church followed the lead of the Septuagint translators by including
[20]
many of the additional books in its Bible. The King James Bible in turn conformed to
this custom by including these books as well. Yet early Protestant Bibles containing the
Apocryphal books did point out that these books were not accepted as part of the canon.
In Luther's translation of 1534, they are given the following heading: "Apocrypha, that
is, books that are not held equal to the sacred Scriptures but nevertheless are good and
useful to read." The apocryphal books could be used as "edifying" reading material, then,
but they were not to be used as a basis for the teachings of the church.

Apocryphal stories.
Many of the stories in the Apocrypha are not in harmony with the Scriptures and must be
taken with a grain of salt. Consider the fantastic story of Tobias, for example, which we
find in the book of Tobit. Because Tobit has become poor and blind, he sends his son
Tobias to Media to collect some money from a creditor there. Tobias's travel companion
is a man who turns out to be the angel Raphael. When Tobias is attacked by a huge fish
on the banks of the Tigris River, Raphael tells him to catch the fish and kill it but not to
eat the heart, liver and gall. Gall, he is told, is a remedy for blindness, while the heart
and liver, when spread on glowing coals, will produce a smoke capable of driving out a
demon or an evil spirit.
Tobias makes good use of the heart and liver of this fish, for in Media Raphael brings him
to the home of a man whose daughter has lost seven husbands, each one on the
wedding night. Tobias is now given this daughter, Sarah, as his wife. The smoke
produced by the heart and liver of the fish drives the demon Asmodeus out of Sarah.
Sarah's father has already dug a grave for Tobias, but he closes it without burying his
latest son-in-law. The gall of the fish is finally used to cure the blindness of Tobit, the
father of Tobias, and thus the story has a happy ending. You see, then, what sort of
thing goes on in these apocryphal books; we are in the world of fairy tales and Jewish
fables.
[21]
Apocryphal teachings.
When we read in II Maccabees 12 that Judas the Maccabean organized a prayer meeting
to intercede for those who fell in battle with forbidden heathen idols in their possession,
and that he collected a lot of money for a sin offering on their behalf, we frown in
disapproval. The observation by the writer of the book that Judas did so because he
believed in eternal life and the resurrection of the dead is no excuse in our eyes. When
we ponder such passages, we can well understand why the Roman Catholics have always
been so intent on regarding the apocryphal books as part of the canon: it is from such
passages that they derive their Scriptural warrant for the practice of interceding for the
dead.
I suspect you would also be somewhat surprised to read that no farmer, craftsman,
blacksmith, potter, or any other such workman could ever become a Biblical scholar (see
the 38th chapter of Ecclesiasticus or Sirach). This passage reflects the pride of the rabbi
who looks down on working people: he knows that the world cannot get along without
them, but he declares that they are not fit to be leaders in the "church." And when the
author of the Wisdom of Solomon tells us that he was good and therefore received an
undefiled body (8:20), we are left with the impression that there is no original sin, and
that the soul exists before the body.
I have given a few clear examples to show that the books that make up the Apocrypha

9
are not always Scriptural in what they teach. Hence the church cannot accept them as
binding, as part of the canon.
But this is not to say that it is a waste of time to read the Apocrypha. In our time the
Apocrypha is available in a number of different translations. You will find this "devotional
reading" of the Greek-Jewish world of 2000 years ago in seventeenth century English
Bibles, in modern editions separate from the Scriptures, and in Catholic Bibles, e.g. the
Jerusalem Bible.
[22]
The composition of the New Testament.
We now turn to the origin of the writings that together make up the New Testament. At
first there was an oral tradition about the deeds and sayings of Christ. Later various
writers made efforts to put the preaching of Christ, which by then was being handed on
in a rather stereotyped fashion, into written form. The Holy Spirit so directed this
process that we have four "gospels" as well as a fifth historical book, i.e. Luke's Acts of
the Apostles, which chronicles the expansion of the church throughout the Roman
empire as the first evangelists preached the gospel.
That these writings were carefully preserved and later play an important role in the
worship services, especially when the eyewitnesses to Jesus' ministry began to die off, is
readily understandable. It is also understandable that Paul's surviving letters were
collected and circulated (see II Pet. 3:16). It was not long before these letters of Paul
were accorded the same authority as the Scriptures: in them the apostle spoke to the
church after his death. The same sort of thing happened with the letters of some other
apostles and with two letters by brothers of Jesus. These letters possessed such inherent
authority that they were eventually included in the canon, the list of writings officially
regarded as part of the Bible. The anonymous book of Hebrews and the prophetic book
of Revelation were also accepted as divine Scripture.

New Testament apocryphal writings.

The Christian church in the early centuries had a definite problem with apocryphal
writings dealing with the New Testament era. It sometimes happened that the churches
were so foolish as to accept books outside the canon as authoritative. A flood of spurious
gospels, stories about apostles, letters and other revelations was produced. Many of
these writings contained clear heresies.
[23]
The stories in these New Testament apocryphal works are reminiscent of the tales in
the book of Tobit. Let me give you an example. The so-called "Protoevangelium of
James" tells of the miraculous birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Anna, Mary's mother,
was barren and conceived a child only after both she and her husband were visited
separately by an angel. Mary's story parallels Samuel's: at the age of three she was
brought to the temple, for she had been consecrated to God. She spent her childhood in
the temple, living "like a dove" and receiving her food directly from the hand of an angel.
When she reached the age of twelve, the priests wanted to free themselves of the
responsibility of looking after her. Therefore they summoned a number of widowers.
Whoever's staff blossomed in the Holy of Holies would be allowed to take Mary as his
wife. When Joseph's staff was returned to him, a dove came forth from it and flew
around his head. This was taken to be a divine indication that Mary was to marry Joseph.
Later pseudo-gospels made this story even more beautiful by adding to it. Here we have
clearly entered the realm of legends about the saints. If you are acquainted with Selma
Lagerlöf's legends about Jesus, bear in mind that they are derived from ancient
apocryphal gospels.

The decision about the canon.

We can well understand why the church would want to erect a dam against such legends
and speculation by fixing the canon. Yet, there has been some uncertainty about a few of
the books accepted as part of the New Testament canon, i.e. James, Hebrews and
Revelation. There are other books that were once accepted as canonical but are not part

10
of our Bible today, e.g. the Shepherd of Hermes and the Didache (on the teachings of
the twelve apostles).
On the basis of the contents of the writings themselves, a clear line was finally drawn
between canonical writings and non-canonical writings. Such church fathers as
[24]
Augustine, and Athanasius played a role in drawing this line, which At some point,
they concluded, a final editor must have gone to work with "scissors and paste." The
result was the five books of Moses as we find them in our Bibles today.

Projection.
The hypothesis that the Pentateuch received its final form at a relatively late date in
history is tied in with the view that much of what we read in the five books of Moses is
not historically reliable. Scholars argued that the writers of this material had wrapped
the Pentateuch's kernel of truth inside a blanket of their own projections. Legends and
sagas about the patriarchs—and there were many of them in circulation in the time of
Solomon and during the exile—were now given official status and turned into doctrine.
Cultic practices that had arisen during Israel's history were projected back to the
beginning, i.e. the time of Moses.
But the historical unreliability of the Pentateuch is not important, according to these
scholars. What really counts is the message that comes to expression in all the docu-
ments and legends.
The most important of these scholars was Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918). Wellhausen
paid careful attention to the name of God used in any given passage. In some places
God is called Elohim (translated in English Bibles as God) and in others Yahweh
(normally translated as LORD, or even Jehovah). On this basis he distinguished between
two separate authors who contributed material toward the Pentateuch—the Elohist (the
author of the E document, in which God is called Elohim) and the Yahwist (the author of
the J document, so called because the name of God used, Yahweh, begins with a "J" in
German, Wellhausen's language).
In time scholars made more such distinctions. They began to speak of a P document,
which was supposed to be the work of priests who lived during the exile, and a D
[25]
eventually came to be accepted everywhere. At the synods of Hippo Regius (393)
and Carthage (397), both in northern Africa, where there was then a flourishing church,
this decision on the canon received official approval.
The New Testament canon has never been altered since that time. Yet we accept these
books as the rule for faith and life not because the church accepts them but because the
Holy Spirit testifies in our hearts to their authenticity and because they bear clear marks
of authenticity (see Article 5 of the Belgic Confession).

5. Biblical Criticism

The use of sources.

It is clear that some parts of the Old Testament are based on sources (see Num. 21:27-
30). Thus the question of a given book's composition is" not always easy to answer. The
books of the Bible were not all written in as simple and straightforward a manner as a
twentieth century essay for a literary journal.
What about Moses? Did he write the first five books of the Bible himself? Or did the
Pentateuch assume its final form long after Moses' death through the work of some
editor drawing on numerous sources?

The documentary hypothesis.

In the nineteenth century, evolutionistic thinking reigned supreme. It also made its
effects felt in the field of Biblical studies. Some scholars came to the conclusion that the
Pentateuch is a compilation drawing on various independent sources.

11
But the advocates of the "documentary hypothesis," as this view is commonly known,
weren't done yet; there was much more to be said. They started uncovering further
source differences in the four documents they claimed to be able to distinguish. Before
long they were talking about J, J1, J2, J3, E, E1, E2, E3, and so forth.
[26] 2
document, which they attributed to someone they called "the Deuteronomist."
When were these documents composed, according to these scholars? The J and E
documents were assigned to the time of Solomon's reign. The work of the Deuteronomist
was the basis of King Josiah's temple reformation, although it was later expanded. And
the P document was produced by a circle of priests in exile who hoped to strengthen
their own authority as priests by presenting the people with stories about priests who
lived long ago.

The rest of the Old Testament.

The Pentateuch is not the only part of the Bible to be subjected to such critical scrutiny.
The entire Old Testament was examined microscopically by scholars of this persuasion.
Chapter after chapter was read critically. The result? The other Old Testament books, it
was decided, were also compilations from all sorts of sources arranged and reworked by
some editor at a late stage. Some texts, it was argued, have even been altered
deliberately.
As a result of the work of these scholars, the Old Testament was viewed by many as an
anthology, a conglomeration of literature of various types in which numerous conflicting
points of view come to expression. There are various "theologies" to be found in the Old
Testament, it was said. The scholar's task is to unearth the "original" Old Testament,
apart from all the additions and corrections.

The evolution of apostasy.

This historical criticism could not help but undermine and weaken the faith of many. The
masses began to turn away from the church as the advocates of unbelief claimed to
[27]
have unshakable scientific evidence for their dismissal of the Bible as God's Word.
The application of the principle of evolution to the study of Scripture led to the evolution
of apostasy!
The excavations in the Middle East in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries also played
a role in this development. Babylonian stories about creation and a great flood were
discovered. It was quickly decided that the narrative presented in the first eleven
chapters of Genesis is a variation on an ancient Near Eastern theme. The Bible was born
in Babylon!

The New Testament.

The method of distinguishing sources has also been applied to the New Testament. First
of all, the three "synoptic gospels" (Matthew, Mark and Luke) got a careful going over.
The conclusion drawn was that there must have been a document on which all three
drew (a "proto-Mark" or "first edition" of Mark) as well as a source containing the
sayings of Jesus. The latter document is usually referred to as "Q." (This letter was
chosen because of the German word for source—Quelle.)
The first three "gospels" are then supposed to have originated from a reworking and
editing of these two original sources. Luke, it was argued, did not assume its final shape
until some time after the year 70.
As for John's "gospel," we are told that he, too, made heavy use of sources. Moreover,
his "gospel" is supposed to date from some time early in the second century.
Paul's letters were subjected to similar analysis. His authorship of Ephesians, Colossians,

2
There is obviously something missing at the start of page 26 in the original as it starts in the
middle of a sentence.

12
I and II Timothy, and Titus was called into question. The content as well as the style, it
was argued, suggest a different author. The book of Revelation also became the subject
of many curious hypotheses.

Various "theologies".
We must bear in mind that the scholars who produced this array of theories about "sour-
[28]
ces" took a critical stance over against the authority of Scripture. The current
interest in the "form-critical" approach to the "gospels" proceeds from the assumption
that the early church used certain sayings of Jesus then in circulation as the point of
departure for its own meditations. Eventually these meditations took on written form,
and thereby the sayings of Jesus made their way into the "gospels," which were handed
on to subsequent generations of believers. The task of modern scholarship is to uncover
the original words of Jesus under the deposit of tradition, meditation and reflection.
The stories about the miracles were likewise regarded as the early church's way of giving
expression to its own theology rather than as reports of events that actually occurred.
The Old Testament, scholars argued, was produced mainly between the time of Solomon
and the exile, as Israel gave expression to its beliefs via stories about the patriarchs and
its own origin as a nation. The same model is then applied to the New Testament
historical books: the early church gave expression to its own theology, its own set of
beliefs, through its account of Jesus' sayings and doings. This perspective is the key that
unlocks the meaning of the "gospels," according to these scholars.
Thus the New Testament is also to be read as an anthology containing a number of
conflicting "theologies." There is a theology of Jesus, a theology of Paul, a theology of
Luke, and so forth.
It is clear that such an approach could only result in a dismemberment of the New
Testament that left no room for a divine author. Moreover, this perspective on the New
Testament has even been used as a justification for the lack of theological unity within
the World Council of Churches: the same tensions and disagreements are present within
the New Testament!

Rudolf Bultmann.
[29]
One of the most important of all the New Testament critics is Rudolf Bultmann
(1884-1976), who was a professor at the University of Marburg (Germany). In 1941
Bultmann delivered a famous address on the New Testament and mythology. He argued
that the world-picture of the New Testament is in essence mythological. We hear talk of
heaven and hell, of the underworld, of angels and demons. In our day of science and
technology, such talk is unacceptable; it makes no sense to us.
A person who makes daily use of electric light and radios, who looks to modern medicine
for help when he gets sick, cannot believe in the world of wonders and spirits with which
the New Testament presents us. And if he thinks he can, he must face the fact that when
he identifies such beliefs with the Christian faith, he makes the Christian message
3
incomprehensible and impossible for his contemporaries.
According to Bultmann, it is theology's task to free the Bible from the mythological
world-picture. The issue that should concern us is the message — not that outdated
world-picture. And the heart of that message is the appeal to become free of the world.
(That's what faith means for Bultmann.) How are we to become free? By living not by
the material realm or the flesh but by the spirit. (Hence all the talk about "the Spirit" in
the New Testament.) Man must become what he is, which means that he must die with
Christ and rise with Christ.

3
Kerygma und Mythos, Vol. I, ed. H.W. Bartsch, Hamburg-Volksdorf, 1948, p. 18. This work is
available in English: see Kerygma and Myth (Harper Torchbooks, 1961), p. 5.

13
Demythologizing.
Bultmann does not accept the resurrection of Christ as a historical fact. A Christian with
an Easter faith is not interested in the question whether Jesus actually emerged bodily
[30]
from the grave. The important point is that an Easter faith has eschatological im-
plications. We get a glimpse of these implications through the visionary experiences of
the disciples.
If demythologizing is indeed our method, how do we apply it? To begin with, we let go of
the surface content of the New Testament (and the Old as well). Anything that does not
suit modern man or offends him must be stripped away. What is left is a "gospel" that
the heart of modern man will find appealing. There is no need of any confession that
Jesus is the Son of God or any belief in atonement for sin. But there is room for a
"theology" of the church — provided that this "theology" is in agreement with the
analysis of the human situation offered by the leading philosophers of the twentieth
century.
We must be honest—honest to God! With this slogan, Bultmann and his followers hoped
to win modern man for the gospel — by cutting out the heart of the gospel and offering a
false gospel in its place. At bottom Bultmann's approach is the approach already
employed by the Gnostics in the second century: use some of the language of the New
Testament — the Gnostics borrowed their terms from John's "gospel" — and fill that
language with a content of your own.

The place of archeology.

Our belief in Scripture and its authority must be based on Scripture itself. It is not a con-
clusion we reach by studying archeological data.
Archeological investigations will never fully establish the veracity and authority of
Scripture. Scripture has an independent, underived authority. It does not need human
certificates of reliability.
This is not to say that our faith is not strengthened now and then when some disputed
point in the Bible is confirmed by an archeological discovery. As Christians we should
take a keen interest in archeology, for it can deepen our understanding of Scripture.
[31]
Archeological data.
The recent finds with regard to treaties and diplomacy in the ancient Near East show us
that the covenant structure we find in the Bible was already familiar in Abraham's time.
And our growing knowledge of ancient Near Eastern civilization has led scholars not to be
so quick to banish Biblical figures like the patriarchs to the realm of mythology. What the
Bible tells us about the patriarchs and their culture fits in remarkably well with what we
have learned about their times from other sources.
Moreover, the discovery of more and more early Bible manuscripts has led to a growing
respect for the Bible's original text. The discovery of the "Gospel of Truth" (which dates
from about A.D. 150) among the Gnostic scrolls at Nag Hammadi in 1945 has helped to
refute Bult-mann's contention that John drew on pre-Christian Gnostic sources that
speak of a coming heavenly redeemer. It turns out that it's just the other way around:
the Gnostic writers drew on John. Archeological discoveries have also shown that the
situation described in Acts fits in with what we now know about the Greek and Roman
world of the first century.
Thus, a great many objections against Scripture raised in the last two centuries have
been shown to be unfounded. And we may confidently expect that the progress made by
archeologists and the philologists studying ancient, newly discovered manuscripts will
unmask even more of the attacks on the Bible as unfounded.

The starting point.

But we should not lean on archeology as if to say: "The Bible is right after all!" Faith in

14
the truth, reliability and infallibility of Scripture comes first: faith is our starting point. In
the final analysis, this starting point is our only weapon against the advocates of
demythologizing and a "theology of the church" in place of a message from God.
[32]
Faith in the Scriptures brings with it a blessing of its own. That blessing is ours when
we read the Bible prayerfully and grasp its meaning. The blessing is available to anyone
in the modern world—provided he is willing to listen to the Bible respectfully. But anyone
who starts peeling layers of myth and legend away from the gospel will wind up without
any gospel in his hand. He will have no message at all to present to modern man.

6. Contradictions in the Bible?

The "spirit of Jesus".

Critics of the Old Testament like to appeal to the New Testament. They talk about the
"spirit of Jesus" and assure us that Jesus spoke only of love. The "spirit of Jesus," they
argue, is incompatible with the "spirit of the Old Testament," where the Lord is
presented as a God of wrath.
Well, what about it? Why are there two testaments in our Bible? Are there really two
covenants, the second superior to the first and completely different from it?
That's apparently what Marcion, a second century Gnostic, thought. He dispensed with
the Old Testament and published a shortened version of the New Testament, in which
everything that reminded him of the Old Testament was eliminated.

A "Jewish" book?
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, there were many voices in Germany that
dismissed the Old Testament as a "Jewish" book that should be banned from the schools.
The "nonsense and immorality" of the Old Testament, it was argued, has nothing to say
to modern man and can safely be ignored.
But the Old Testament is not a "Jewish" book standing over against the New Testament.
It is clear from the New Testament itself that Christ and the apostles regarded the Old
[33]
Testament as their Bible. Christ is "the end of the law" (Rom. 10:4). Moses was
writing about Christ (John 5:46). Christ came to fulfill the law and the prophets, not to
abolish them (Matt. 5:17). And what did Jesus do when He met the two sorrowful men
walking to Emmaus? "Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them
what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:27 NIV).
Christ did declare repeatedly in the Sermon on the Mount: "You have heard that it was
said ... but I say unto you .... " But He was not taking a position in opposition to Moses.
He was opposing the rabbis who had robbed the law of its power by applying it in the
wrong way.

The new covenant.

The "new covenant" is not a dispensation differing in structure from the old dispensation.
What the gospel of the new covenant proclaims is simply that Christ has fulfilled the pre-
figurations and shadows and types of the old covenant, thereby bringing about complete
forgiveness of our sins. Christ also received the Holy Spirit, who in turn equips the
church for its worldwide task.
In the expansion of the church across the entire earth, we see a fulfillment of what
Isaiah had prophesied so long before (Is. 42:1-7). Thus we are to view the new
covenant as a fulfillment of the old covenant—and not as a break with the old covenant.
In the old covenant the Lord gave promises, but He coupled those promises with a
demand for obedience. And He made it clear that apostasy will not go unpunished. The
new covenant is no different in this respect.

15
New Testament wrath.
It is not correct to picture Jesus as a man of love whose "spirit" is completely different
from the "spirit" of the Old Testament. It is not true that the Old Testament's psalms of
imprecation or cursing are unchristian since the new covenant knows only of grace.

[34]
The element of wrath in the psalms of imprecation also comes through in the New
Testament. In fact, these psalms are often quoted.

Psalm New Testament

2:9 Rev. 12:5; 19:15; 2:27
69:22-3 Rom. 11:9-10
69:24 Rev. 16:1
69:25 Acts 1:20
109:8 Acts 1:20
137:8 Rev. 18:6
137:9 Luke 19:44

God is love (I John 4:16). But He is also a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). We must learn
to take the New Testament seriously—all of it. When we put "Jesus loves you" on posters
and bumper stickers, aren't we promoting an incomplete picture of the Savior, a picture
we should instead be trying to correct? He also cried, "Woe to you!" and He often spoke
of judgment.
The Father of Jesus is the God of the old covenant, who remains the same in the new
covenant. The message is one. When we present it to others, let's present all of it.

Working hypotheses.
The advocates of Biblical criticism like to point to so-called contradictions in the Bible.
The alleged contradictions are then presented to us as proof that the Pentateuch and the
"synoptic gospels" are compilations drawing on many sources, such as the E, J, P, and D
documents, "proto-Mark," the Q document, and so forth.
Sometimes the assertion that the Bible is a human book full of errors is softened with an
afterthought: what should concern us in the final analysis is Scripture's purpose—not all
the details. The fact that there are contradictions and errors should not upset us.
Really? Much depends on your attitude and starting point. If you begin with the
[35]
assumption that the Bible is a fallible book containing errors, that assumption will be
your working hypothesis as you read. You will be eager to justify your starting point, and
you will keep your eyes wide open for discrepancies in the Biblical data.
But if your starting point is the confession that the Bible is the Word of the one who
cannot contradict Himself, even though it was written and handed on by frail human
beings, your working hypothesis will be that the Bible is God's infallible Word. That
working hypothesis can make a world of difference.

Limitations due to sin.

Even though you accept the Bible as God's Word, you may still come across seemingly
conflicting passages, passages that you cannot harmonize. But then you will not look at
such passages in a proud, rationalistic way—"Another mistake!" No, you will say to
yourself: "At this moment I simply don't understand. But my failure to understand must
be due to some inadequacy on my part. After all, my mind, too, has been affected by the
consequences of the fall into sin." And it's entirely possible that the mystery will be
cleared up for you someday when you know the Bible better and study the passage more
intensively.

16
Copying errors.
When you come upon those puzzling passages, there are a number of factors to be kept
in mind. It may be that what looks like a contradiction (e.g. between two numbers) is
simply due to a copying error. Remember that there are no numerals in the original text:
letters were used to stand for numbers. A copyist could easily have confused one
number with another.

Thematic composition.
As citizens of the Western world, we are used to arranging material in a chronological
order. When we read the Bible, we can't help feeling that it's wrong on the part of the
[36]
Bible's authors to place later events before earlier events. What we tend to forget is
that there may well have been a good reason for such a procedure: the event that
comes too soon serves a thematic purpose.
Luke does this, for example, when he places Jesus' appearance at the synagogue in
Nazareth at the beginning of his account of Jesus' ministry (Luke 4:16-30). Matthew
does not get around to this event until chapter 13. This is not an error on Luke's part;
it's simply an example of thematic composition.
Another example is the cleansing of the temple. John places it at the beginning, in
chapter 2, for thematic reasons. The other gospel writers do not mention it until the very
end, just before the Passover at which Jesus was arrested. Moreover, there are
differences between John's account of the temple cleansing and the account we find in
the "synoptic gospels."
What about those differences? Has John distorted this event for thematic purposes? This
conclusion is necessary only if we assume that there was only one temple cleansing. But
the Biblical record seems to indicate that there were two. What John presents us with
here is the first of them, and at the same time he records a statement of Jesus that was
later twisted by false witnesses at His trial (John 2:19; Mark 14:57-9). Thus it's not a
matter of a contradiction at all. There is an explanation—if only we will take the trouble
to look for it.

Paraphrase.
When we read a record of what Jesus said, we must not immediately assume that
someone actually wrote down Jesus' words as He was speaking. Remember: there were
no tape recorders those days!
If you bear this in mind, the discrepancies will not puzzle you so much. In some cases it
is clear that the gospel writer was paraphrasing what Jesus said (compare Matt. 24:15
with Luke 21:20).
[37]
The writers took their readers' background knowledge into account. Not every
statement of Jesus could and would be understood exactly as He uttered it.
But this does not mean that the authors of the "gospels" changed the words of Jesus to
fit their own opinions. For Paul, too, the gospel of Jesus is the background to every
statement. Yet, Paul often uses his own words and figures of speech to present the
gospel message—but without ever meaning to present a "theology" of his own.

Circumstances.
Many of the alleged contradictions can be shown to be spurious once we take a careful
look at the circumstances. In Luke we read that blind Bartimaeus was healed before
Jesus entered Jericho (18:35—19:1). But in Matthew we read about Jesus healing two
blind men when he was leaving Jericho (20:29ff). Critics of the Bible have pointed
triumphantly to this contrast as proof that the gospels do not tell us Jesus' story in a
coherent way.
Now, if we bear in mind that there was an old city of Jericho as well as a luxurious new
city of Jericho that Herod had built a little farther down the road, the difficulties

17
disappear like snow before the hot sun. Matthew was writing for Jews and therefore
referred to the old city of Jericho, while Luke was writing for Theophilus, who would have
been familiar with the new city of Jericho. Luke concentrates on one man (Bartimaeus)
and has an additional reason for concentrating on the new Jericho: he wants to deal
extensively with the story of Zacchaeus, the tax-collector, who lived in the Hellenistic
Jericho.

The authority of science.

I have pointed out only two of these blunders made by the Bible's critics; I could add
many more. When scholars, relying on scientific methods, substitute their own authority
or the authority of science for the authority of the Bible, they come up with some
[38]
strange results in their efforts to prove that the message of Scripture comes to us in
a flawed wrapper.
Just how much authority does science have when it comes to the Bible? Does the Bible
need scientific verification?
In many schools, colleges and universities around the world (in the industrialized west as
well as the mission fields of South America, Africa and Asia), teachers and students have
made it a game to try and destroy any belief in Biblical authority. See to it that you don't
fall for their tricks. Nonsense about what "science" is supposed to have proven is not
much of a replacement for belief in the authority of God's Word.
Remember that we are "more than conquerors" through faith (Rom. 8:37). Therefore we
need not fear the attacks of the Bible's critics. In our hands we hold a powerful weapon—
the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). Paul declares confidently:
"It is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I
will thwart.' Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this
age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (I Cor. 1:19-20; Is. 29:14).
Let's not be afraid to do battle with the Bible's critics, then. But let's not be naive about
the outcome of the struggle either. As soon as we overthrow one of their false criticisms
of the Bible, they will have ten more ready to take its place.
Their stubborn resistance is no reason for us to get discouraged, however. What has
become of all the liberal scholars who tried to undermine our faith in the Bible? They've
gone the way of all flesh. But Scripture continues to stand secure and unshaken.

No cheap arguments.
But this does not mean that we may enter the battle with cheap arguments as our
[39]
weapons. Unfortunately, Bible-believing Christians do this all too often — and then
wind up making the same sorts of mistakes as their opponents.
If Biblical criticism has something to say to us, it is this: we must dig deeper into the
Bible than we have ever done before. If we do, we will be amazed again and again at the
marvelous unity of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, and our doubt will give
way to an unshaken faith in the authority of God's Word. "And we also thank-God
constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us,
you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is
at work in you believers" (I Thess. 2:13).

7. The Unity of the Bible

Bible fragments.
Earlier we saw that certain scholars divide the Bible up into various sources, each with a
voice and viewpoint and "theology" of its own. Such an approach to Scripture is hardly
intended to help us see the unity of the Bible.
We must not forget that many people know only a few fragments of Scripture. They may
be familiar with a number of stories and sayings, but they do not know the Bible as such.

18
Such partial, fragmentary knowledge keeps them from seeing the Bible's unity and
harmony.
You know from experience how people generally pick up their knowledge of the Bible.
Their first contact with it is through a story Bible from which stories are read to them as
children. As the Bible stories are presented, they are accommodated to the children to
make them more interesting. They are dramatized and romanticized, and anything that
might offend the children or upset them is removed. Such a reworking of the Bible
[40]
stories succeeds in capturing the children's interest, but they are left with the
impression that the Bible is a book of stories about interesting people.
When they finally pick up the Bible and start reading it for themselves, they can't help
but be a bit disappointed. First of all, it is not written in the style of a story about the
wild west. In fact, it's written in a sober, concise manner. Some parts of the stories
presented by the Sunday school teacher are not even to be found in the Bible. And
certain other aspects of the stories are ignored entirely in Sunday school. Finally, the
context and background of the story comes through in the Bible's own account.
If you have grown up with Bible characters and special texts that you had to memorize,
you may not know what to make of the Old Testament prophets and the letters of the
New Testament. It will cost you a great deal of effort to figure out how all the laws and
proverbs and "dogmatic" letters form a unified whole that also includes the "beautiful"
stories you were told as a child in Sunday school, when you were placed at the center of
it all.

No loose sand.
You grew up with fragments—stories and sayings. How do those fragments relate to
what you are now reading in the Bible? As a child you may have thought that anything in
the Bible that did not fit in with the beautiful stories was for "grownups" only. But now
that you are an adult yourself, do you know what to make of all those complicated
statements by wisdom poets, prophets and apostles? Or would you rather stick with the
romantic stories and close your ears to all the rest?
Once we realize how important it is to listen to the Bible, we will proceed from the
confession that the Lord is one (Deut. 6:4; Zech. 14:9; Mark 12:29; James 2:19). His
revelation is also one; it is a unified and harmonious whole.
Whether you're a child or an adult, center stage does not belong to you. It belongs to
[41]
the Lord, our King, who speaks His royal Word to us. All of that Word is important,
even if it does not come to you in the form you prefer. You are called to know and
experience more and more of the unity of the Bible.
This demand is laid upon you by the God of the one covenant in Christ. The words of
Scripture are not grains of loose sand that refuse to stick to each other. The Old
Testament comes to us as the harmonious and deeply meaningful canon of the old
covenant. And the New Testament is the canon of the new covenant, which in turn helps
us interpret the Old Testament in a truly Christo-centric way.

The Pentateuch as basis.

The five books of Moses (the Pentateuch) are the basis of the Old Testament canon.
They present us with the redemptive history that led up to the covenant at Sinai—
creation, the fall into sin, the flood, the covenant with Noah, the covenant with the
patriarchs, the move to Egypt, and the exodus from Egypt (Gen. 1—Ex. 18).
In Exodus 19-24 we read about the covenant that the Lord made with Israel at Mount
Sinai. Central to this covenant are the Ten Words, which are followed by the book of the
covenant. From Exodus 25 to the end of Deuteronomy, we read about the years in the
wilderness and the covenant provisions through which obedience to the Ten Words was
made more concrete. The blessings and curses tied in with the covenant are
emphasized.

19
Prophetic history.
From Joshua through Kings we get more of Israel's history, written from a prophetic
point of view. These stories cover the conquest of Canaan, the time of the judges, and
the period when Israel was ruled by kings.
The books of Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah again form a whole and show us that the
[42]
Lord never gave up on His temple project but preserved a remnant for Himself
despite all the apostasy. Even during and after the exile, the Lord remained with His
people.
In all these books, we see that the heroic deeds of men are not made central. The
"historical" books show us how the Lord maintained His covenant, through blessings and
curses, just as He promised He would do. These things were "written down for our
instruction" (I Cor. 10:11).
Again and again it is made clear that the Lord is true to the oath He has sworn. The seed
of the serpent tries to destroy the Church. But God's faithfulness reaches right across
the waters of the flood and the bitterness of the exile.
The "historical" books present us with a moving testimony in which we are shown that
the covenant offices do not have the power to save the people. We are introduced to
false prophets, to priests who are far from spotless, and to kings who go astray. We also
read about true prophets who are rejected by their own people, and kings who want to
do what is right but cannot hold back the apostasy of the people.
In all of this we hear a cry for the great Priest-King, Jesus Christ. All those Old
Testament laws about the tabernacle and the offerings and the cleansings and the feasts
point to the Redeemer who serves as both the priest and the sacrifice.

Poetic writings rooted in the covenant.

The other books of the Old Testament presuppose all of this material. The Psalms and
Lamentations give us a sense of the struggle Israel underwent in its relationship to God
as it sought to win the covenant blessings. As we read them, it's almost as though we
were present in a temple service. We look right into the hearts of the praying believers.
How they plead for the fulfillment of God's promises! How they complain about their
[43]
suffering! How earnestly they confess their sins! How grateful they are for the
deliverance they have received, and how they yearn for the ultimate redemption! We are
shown how deeply Israel believed the words of Moses: "The LORD will vindicate his
people" (Deut. 32:36; Ps. 135:14; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30; Rev. 18:20; 20:4).
Wisdom books like Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are intended to help the covenant
people stay on the Lord's path and accept His leading. The book of Proverbs can be read
as a commentary on the ten commandments. It's not just some wise old man's outlook
on life. In this book we find concrete applications of the fear of Yahweh, which is the
beginning of wisdom.
Thus these "poetic" books are based on the Pentateuch. Their foundation is God's
covenant with His people.

The prophetic appeal to the covenant.

The same can be said of the prophets. As you read their writings, it's just as though you
are joining ancient Israel in a worship service.
You hear the prophets base their plea on God's covenant as they appeal to the people to
serve the Lord. The "major" and "minor" prophets speak of God's promises, demands
and threats. Their words are rich in variation; yet they are emphatic about making the
same points over and over. They cling to the "law of Moses," pointing back to the
provisions of the covenant and the earlier redemptive deeds of the Lord, which are a
guarantee of the Messianic deliverance to come. The prophets also point to the sanc-
tions, the threats contained in the law of Moses. Those threats would surely be carried

20
out, they warned, if the people of the Lord did not repent. Thus the prophets stood on
the shoulders of Moses—and on their predecessors' shoulders as well.

The structure of the Old Testament canon.

[44]
We see, then, that the different types of writings in the Old Testament are by no
means unrelated. The Old Testament canon is built up on the basis of the Pentateuch, as
follows.

Latter Prophets
Warnings and promises rooted in the covenant

Poetic Books
The wisdom and songs of the covenant

Former prophets or historical books

The Lord upholds His covenant

Penteteuch
Early history
The covenant at Mount Sinai
The law of the covenant

The New Testament canon.

In the New Testament we find a similar pattern. In the "gospels"—remember that the
four "gospels" present a single message or story—we find the early history of the
salvation that has come to us in Christ. We are told about His sacrifice on the cross,
through which the blood of the new covenant was poured out to atone for our sins, and
His resurrection from the grave, through which it was proven that His sacrifice was not in
vain.
Thus the four "gospels" correspond to the Pentateuch. Hence we might speak of the
"gospels" as the "Tetrateuch." (This term means fourfold instrument, just as Pentateuch
means fivefold instrument.)
[45]
On the basis of the "Tetrateuch," we are to read the book of Acts as a "historical"
book paralleling the Old Testament "historical" books. In this book we are shown how
the new covenant functioned in equipping the churches (Pentecost) for continuing the
gospel appeal to Israel to accept Christ and ultimately for spreading the gospel all the
way to Rome.
The letters and the book of Revelation correspond to the Latter Prophets of the Old
Testament. Through them we are invited to listen to the preaching in a New Testament
church. The letters as well as the Revelation to John were intended to be read aloud in
church services (Col. 4:16; I Thess. 5:27; Rev. 1:3; see also Jer. 29:lff).
The Lord used these writings to instruct His redeemed people about His promises,
demands and threats. "If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our
Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you" (I Cor. 16:22-3). All of this is
based on the "Tetrateuch."

21
Old Testament and New.
The Old and New Testaments also fit together neatly, just as the respective books within
each are interrelated. The prophets appeal to the "law of Moses," the Pentateuch.
"Cursed be the man who does not heed the words of this covenant which I commanded
your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace,
saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people,
and I will be your God" (Jer. 11:3-4; Deut. 27:26; 4:13,20; Lev. 26:3, 14ff). The psalms
speak the same language: "He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to
Israel" (Ps. 147:19).
We find the same pattern in the New Testament. The apostles appeal to the gospel, the
"Tetrateuch." "If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you have
received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:9).
The entire New Testament is full of references to the Old Testament—the Pentateuch,
[46]
the "historical" books, the "poetic" writings, and the prophets. Thus there are many
cross-connections, making the whole Bible a harmonious, interconnected whole.
Perhaps an illustration will give you a concrete idea of what I mean.

Early history God upholds the Preaching about

covenant in the promise,
Covenant at
redemptive history demand and curse
Mount Sinai
of the covenant
Promise, demand
and threat of the
covenant

Genesis- Joshua-Nehemiah, Prophets and

Deuteronomy Esther songs and wisdom
books
(Penteteuch)

Matthew-John Letters
(Tetrateuch) Acts Revelation

8. Reading the Bible

A shorter Bible?
Christians claim to love the Bible, but sometimes they can't help asking why God has
given us this Bible. Why has He given us such a long book? Couldn't the Bible have been
a little shorter? Is it really necessary for the Bible to tell us at such length how God
wants us to serve Him? Why are so many events recorded in the Bible? Why does it
include so much war and bloodshed? Why does it give us all those genealogies and spicy
stories of harems and womanizing? Why so many laws?
[47]
Why do we need Chronicles in addition to Kings? Why four gospels? Why didn't the
Lord formulate His message in a simpler way?

22
When we read the Bible, we have to work our way through a whole library—indeed, an
archive. Wouldn't a short catechism have served better as God's revelation? Why do we
need such a long—and often dark—Bible? Isn't the very form of the Bible already a
stumbling block for modern man?
To this question I have no other answer than that it pleased God to give us the Bible in
this form. And I must go on to add that the Lord chose to reveal Himself in redemptive
history, the history about which Scripture tells us. The Lord descended into the midst of
human history, as it were. He accommodated Himself to man. After the fall into sin, He
promised deliverance through a certain line of descent. The entire Bible tells us of that
deliverance.
Over against the one seed (the descendants of the serpent, i.e. satan), there would be
another seed (the descendants of the woman). The seed of the woman is the Church—
and ultimately the one who became the deliverer of the Church, i.e. our Lord Jesus
Christ.

The language of redemption.

Try looking at that lengthy Bible from this point of view. Then the detail and length will
no longer be a hindrance, for everything you read will remind you of the grace of the one
who refused to let go of mankind but kept things moving ahead to the coming of the
Redeemer. The Word became flesh. Yet, how would we know this if the Word had not
also become Scripture? Thus every page of the Bible has something to tell us about
Jesus Christ. We don't need the help of exegetes and Bible commentaries to see this for
ourselves.
Since Adam, history has been covenant history. The Lord preserves His Church and
abides by His promises.
[48]
His faithfulness reaches right across the waters of the great flood. He reveals His
salvation to Israel.
Even the laws given by Moses speak the language of redemption. The tabernacle, the
sacrifices, the purifications, and the holy festivals all foreshadow the one who is our
great Priest, the one who sacrificed Himself for us.
The "historical" books of the Old Testament testify in a moving way to the impotence of
the priests and kings; they cry out for the coming of the great Priest and King. This
perspective lays bare the unity of the "poetic" books and the prophetic books.
Can we ever get too much of God's gracious struggles to bring His people back from the
paths of unrighteousness on which they embark repeatedly? Do we find it tiresome or
offensive to read long accounts of how prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah admonished
and comforted the people of God in concrete situations? Anyone who takes offense at
such passages is taking offense at God's grace, which bends down to our level in these
passages.
The length and detail of the Bible is no hindrance to someone hungry for salvation—even
if he is a pampered child of the twentieth century. Instead the very exten-siveness of the
Biblical record is a help to those who apply themselves seriously to the task of getting to
know God. God was so gracious as to allow His Word to become Scripture. Let's be
thankful for all those psalms and prophecies and genealogies. Let's count our blessings
one by one and learn to recognize God's love in all of them. Everything in the Scriptures
points to the Word that became flesh.

A record of covenant faithfulness.

We should not have to ask why there are four gospels. Instead we should be delighted
that we possess these four separate portraits of Christ. As for those profound and often
[49]
difficult letters of Paul, don't they introduce us to the many facets of God's grace?
Actually, we are being shamefully ungrateful when we complain about how scrupulously

23
God has provided us with official written records and reports of His covenant
faithfulness, His struggle to win the hearts of His people, and His patience in the face of
our apostasy. Isn't it wonderful that we can simply read some of the sermons of Haggai
and listen to Paul as he both inspires and criticizes congregations of believers?
Therefore we should be thankful that God did not give us the gospel in the shortest
possible form but rather let us have those 66 books that give us a clear insight into His
redemptive deeds in history. That thick Bible is not wasted on a church engaged in
evangelism. On the contrary, it contains a compelling message for an unbelieving world.
Those who have not grown up with the Bible will surely be all the more stirred by the
song of mercy and redemption it sings—if only they will take the trouble to read it.
It has been argued that uniformity is the curse of modern life. Those who feel this way
should welcome the colorful abundance and variety we find in Scripture. Our deliverance
is sketched in a stunning way that makes a deep impression on us. We are exposed to a
rapid succession of documents, including chronicles, laws, prophecies, songs, and
letters. In all these documents we hear the same Voice speaking to us. Thus says the
Lord! Hear, O Israel! Listen to your God!

Read, O Israel!
There are Christians who never tire of insisting that the Bible is God's infallible Word.
You couldn't pay them to say that the Bible is not infallible. Yet, some of these
enthusiasts don't bother to read the Bible—at least, not all of it. They have their favorite
passages, of course, and they can quote a few texts. But if you were to ask them to
[50]
summarize the contents and main emphases of a certain Bible book, they would be
speechless.
If these Christians were recent converts who had just come into the church, I could
understand it. But some of them have grown up in the church and have been exposed to
the Bible all their lives. They have learned to say that God's Word is the foundation for
our lives, but they have not learned to be curious about that foundation.
When we receive a letter from a friend far away, we do not focus all our attention on one
sentence somewhere in the middle. We read the entire letter through. As we read, we
take into account what we already know from previous letters. If we know the author of
the letter well, we try to read between the lines; we consider his motives and the
background of his thinking. In such a way we come to an understanding of the letter in
our hands. And that's just what we should do when we read the Bible.
I wrote this book for no other reason than to help you approach the Bible in such a way.
I'm well aware that what I have to offer is nothing more than a beginning. My purpose is
simply to show you something of the pattern, the major emphases, and the redemptive
message in each Bible book. At the same time, I have tried to make it clear how each
book fits in with Scripture's dramatic presentation of the whole sweep of redemptive
history.

Customs and tools.

God does not speak to us directly from heaven as He spoke when Jesus was baptized in
the Jordan. He sends His Word to us through human beings and their work. The Bible on
your table came off a printing press, the same kind of press that is used to produce
other books.
Bear that in mind. God wants us to use human customs and manmade tools as we
struggle to gain a better understanding of His Word. There is plenty of assistance
available for those who really want it.
[51]
Take the wonderful custom of reading the Bible at the table after a meal. We must
never let go of this custom. But to make the most of it, each member of the family
should have a Bible open before him. That way no one's thoughts will wander, and
everyone will be able to join in the discussion after the passage is read. Such discussion

24
is necessary if the main point is to sink in properly. Let's not forget that many a
seemingly familiar passage is widely misunderstood.
We should also read the Bible on our own—and not just when we are called on to lead a
Bible study group or give a short devotional talk. And we should make sure that we get
around to all the books of the Bible in our private reading—even the ones that seem
foreign and forbidding.

Bible study.
Let's not overlook the many Bible translations now available. We can get a lot of help
from them. But for our daily Bible reading we should not use too free a translation. Yet,
it may be helpful to consult a free translation now and then to get some fresh light on a
difficult passage.
As you read the Bible, don't be afraid to underline a sentence that strikes you as
especially significant. God gave us the Bible to use—not to put on display. Keep track of
related texts. Watch for the repetition of key words and phrases. To make the structure
of a passage clear in your own mind, put some notes in the margin. Perhaps you could
number the central points. And circle the climax of the passage you are studying.
Remember that the Holy Spirit is the real author of the Bible. Thus you shouldn't be
afraid to admire the beauty of the Bible's composition and structure.
The Book of books is an unalloyed, precious treasure. Be careful how you treat it. Let
yourself be swept up by it so that it gives direction to your life. Even if you study the
[52]
Bible all your life, you'll never exhaust its riches and meaning.
There are more means God has provided to help you get yourself oriented in Scripture—
study Bibles, commentaries, atlases, Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias. Use them
gratefully, but don't be too quick to believe everything they tell you about the Bible. Let
God's Word be your guide!

25
[53]
Genesis
1. The Book of the "Generations"

The beginnings of world history.

The first book in the Bible, which the Greek translators of the Old Testament called
Genesis (i.e. origin or beginning) is one of the five books of Moses (the Law, the Torah).
These five books together are called the Pentateuch.
In Exodus we find an account of Israel's departure from Egypt and a record of the laws
given at Sinai. Genesis, however, gives us the background to Israel's history. Exodus
shows us how God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Ex. 2:24),
while Genesis describes how the Lord first made this covenant with the patriarchs and
started to gather His Church from their posterity, so that one day all generations would
be blessed.
This redemptive event is sketched for us in Genesis against a certain background: the
creation of the world, man's fall into sin, the flood, and the continuing degeneration of
the nations. This picture of the beginnings of world history contains some heavy black
[54]
lines. Yet, light is not entirely absent. When Israel began to read the Torah, she
already came across the promise of the Messiah in the very first book of "the Law" and
was reminded there of God's covenant. That covenant would one day make Israel's seed
a blessing to all the nations.

Redemptive history.
The first book of the Bible teaches us not to separate world history from redemptive
history, the history of the covenant. At once we are given a breathtaking perspective on
all of human history as the Lord reveals something of His purpose in His deeds. Why was
the earth created, and what is its destiny? What is the meaning of human life, and what
is the place of the Church? Genesis gives us answers to these questions. It shows us that
the purpose of the creation of heaven and earth and the genesis of the human race is
the ultimate gathering of God's elect to form the Church. The destructive forces in this
possessed world do not have the last word. Christ is the final Victor. The Seed of the
woman will smash the serpent's head.
The book of Genesis is not a handbook of science or history, although it does in fact
contain some history we need to know. Genesis is a book that gives us comfort. It
reveals some eternal certainties to people living on this cursed earth. It tells us that the
world was created by God, and also that the mighty Creator will not let go of the world—
despite the existence of sin—but has chosen the Church and the covenant as the path to
a new paradise.

Ten "toledoths."
The division of our Bible into chapters was not the work of the authors of the Bible.
There was no such division until it was introduced by a certain Stephen Langton, who
died in 1228. The division into verses first appeared in a 1551 edition of the Bible
published in Paris. These divisions are somewhat artificial and do not always do justice to
the content of the Scriptures. Sometimes a break is introduced into a continuous
[55]
passage, and sometimes two passages are run together when they could better
have been kept separate.
Therefore we would do well to ask whether the original writers of the Bible included any
divisions in what they wrote. In the case of Genesis, there are definite divisions to be
found: we read of ten separate "toledoths" or "generations" or beginnings. Each one of
these toledoths tells the story of a certain generation.
The toledoths give us a way to divide Genesis into sections.

26
The book is made up of the toledoths of:
The creation of heaven and earth (2:4);
Adam (5:1);
Noah (6:9);
Noah's sons (10:1);
Shem (11:10);
Terah (11:27);
Ishmael (25:12);
Isaac, the son of Abraham (25:19);
Esau, i.e. Edom (36:1); and
Jacob (37:2).
Again and again we have a new beginning. Yet, each beginning follows from what came
before. Each time we have a genesis, a birth, a new generation. It is along this path that
the Lord brings His salvation and gathers His people Israel. Thus in the New Testament
we read about the "genesis" of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:1).

2. In the Beginning

A choice.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." When you read the opening
sentence of the Bible, you are already confronted with a choice, a choice for or against
Scriptural revelation. If you choose for the Scriptures, that sentence forces you to ask
yourself whether you regard this revelation about the Creator and Redeemer as a guide
for life with all its difficulties.
Do you accept what God's Word says about the creation as part of the "Christian doctrine
[56]
of salvation"! Do you believe that the God who made a covenant with us is also the
Creator of heaven and earth? Do you believe that He is as faithful as He is powerful? Are
you repelled by the stumbling block of the Christian doctrine of creation which has the
words "unacceptable for our time" written all over it?
Don't forget that just as the first sentence in the Bible forces you to make a decision,
every sentence in the Bible involves a choice. I don't propose to go on repeating this
point in every chapter; that's why I am putting such emphasis on it at the outset. In this
age when the remote nooks and crannies of the universe are being explored, the Bible
claims to be your guide to the truth, the only guide to life with all its difficulties.

The origin of the world.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The Israelites who read this
sentence long ago were surrounded by nations that clung to the strangest myths about
the origin of the world. Those nations worshiped animals and stars as though they were
gods; they believed that there were powerful evil forces at work in the sea and the air.
All these heathen ideas exercised a certain influence on the Israelites; in fact, they
threatened to dominate Israel's thinking. But now God had something to tell His people
at the beginning of the Law, the opening of the book of Genesis. He squarely
contradicted all the idolatrous Babylonian and Canaanite theories about the formation of
the world out of some primordial principle, or a struggle between two opposed powers,
or a cosmic marriage between deities. Heaven and earth, the Israelites learned, were not
made of primordial elements that had always existed. It was the God of Israel who alone
created time and space. Through His Word, the God who ruled the stars called
everything into existence in a creation week that ended with a sabbath.
[57]
The sabbath.
Israel knew the purpose of the sabbath from its worship practices: it was the day of rest
after six days of work. Now then, the story of creation showed the Israelites that the
idea of the sabbath was already based on how God created the world.

27
The Lord reminded them of this at Sinai: "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. In
six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested
the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it" (Ex.
20:8,11).

The crown of creation.

When we read what happened on the various days of creation, we see a certain pattern:

A1. Light. AA4. Sun, moon and stars.

B2. Waters on the earth and the BB5. Fish and birds.
firmament.
C3. The land becomes dry, and plants CC6. Land animals and man.
and trees begin to grow on it.

Man, who came last, was the crown of creation. The world was furnished and made into
a suitable home for man to inhabit. The sun, moon and stars were given to him as a
calendar and clock. The creatures that lived on land and in the sea were to be subject to
him.
Adam (i.e. man) was not just one link in the chain of living creatures or a magnificent
product that nature brought forth by chance. No, the Lord created man after His own
image, that is, as His representative, His regent on earth. Man, created both male and
female, was given the mandate to multiply, to govern the creation, and to cultivate it.
[58]
The description of the days of creation ends with the announcement that God saw
that what He had made was good. After the creation of man we read that it was very
good. The time for the sabbath had come. God would now rest from His creative labors.

3. The Toledoth of Heaven and Earth (2:4—4:26)

Man in Paradise.
After this introduction follow the ten toledoths. Once the creation is an accomplished
fact, the history of the covenant begins. Some Bible translations therefore insert a
heading here. Now we are shown how man was created and placed in the Garden of
Eden.
The "Paradise" of which we read was a garden with many trees, including a tree of life
and a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as well as a river of life. Man was given a
positive task, namely, to cultivate this garden and watch over it.
But there was also a potential danger in this situation: man was given a certain
commandment to "test" him. He was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil. The punishment for breaking this commandment would be death. He was warned to
be on guard against temptation.
Man was given woman to be his helper. He received her with a song. Thus the first song
in the Bible is a husband's song of delight in his bride (Gen. 2:23). It happens that the
last exclamation in the Bible also has to do with a bride; it is the utterance of the bride
of Christ, the Church (see Rev. 22:17). Thus there is a similarity between the beginning
of redemptive history and its end. Paradise was soon to be lost, but it would all be
regained—complete with the river of life and the song of the bride.
[59]
The fall into sin.
Paradise lost! The woman chose to ignore the warning about temptation and allow the
serpent to tempt her. The serpent then poisoned her with the seed of falsehood and

28
doubt. By promising her that she would become like God, he managed to persuade her
to taste the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That fruit certainly looked
delicious. Adam followed her lead and tasted it too.
Suddenly the harmony was gone. The harmony between God and man as well as the
harmony between men was shattered by this act. The man and his wife were ashamed
before their Creator. They covered their nakedness with fig leaves. When the Lord came
down to call them before His tribunal, they turned on each other, each blaming the
other.

Judgment.
Then came the judgment, which would apply to all of Adam's posterity. Genesis 3 begins
by speaking of the serpent, the woman and the man—in that order. But God confronted
the three in just the opposite order. When He pronounced judgment, however, He
reverted to the original order, speaking first to the serpent, then to the woman, and
finally to the man.
He began by cursing the serpent or snake. When we read that the serpent was to crawl
on its belly, we are not to assume that it had not done so before the fall. What this
expression means is that the snake would not be special among the animals but would
be nothing more than a snake.
The same applies to God's judgment on the woman and the man. The position of both
was simply made more difficult. Their life was now to be subject to a cycle: "You are
dust, and to dust you shall return" (3:19).
At the same time the Lord decreed something about their relationship in the future.
[60]
Before the fall woman was already subject to the authority of man. By accentuating
the subordination of woman after the fall had taken place—look what the deed of that
"emancipated woman" had led to—God showed His favor. Within the covenant of grace,
the husband was to remain the head of the wife (see I Cor. 11:3).

A promise.
No, it was not all darkness. The earth had been cursed because of man (see Rom.
8:20ff), but the creation was also to be delivered from corruption's grasp together with
man. Man was not to be cursed as such.
Thus there was still some light to be seen. Instead of a curse, man was given the mother
of all promises:
I will put enmity between you [i.e. the serpent] and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel (Gen. 3:15).
This declaration has rightly been viewed as an allusion to the coming of the Messiah. But
there is more involved in this prophecy. Two "seeds," two peoples, two groups stand
opposed to each other: the children of satan, who follow the "serpent," and the seed of
the woman, that is, the Church, the children of the promise. In Revelation 12 we read of
a vision in which this idea is worked out further.
Man was soon driven away from the tree of life by the cherubs that guard God's throne.
He was not driven out so that he would forever live in misery and failure; he was driven
out so that he would no longer have access to the fruit of the tree that would guarantee
him life.
Despite all the judgment, the light continued to shine: Adam's wife could be named Eve.
She would be the mother of all mankind. The splendor of the "mother-promise" beamed
down on mankind, which had fallen so deeply into sin.
[61]
The "history" of heaven and earth was governed by the God of the covenant. It is
striking that after Genesis 2:4, the name of God used is no longer Elohim (usually trans-
lated as God) but the specific covenant name Yahweh (usually translated as LORD), the

29
name claimed by the God who brought Israel out of Egypt. The Israelites could therefore
regard these events after the creation as the deeds of their redeeming God. That was
something to hold on to. Enlarging our perspective, we could say that the one working
behind the scenes was the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace. If we keep this thought in mind, there is an abundance of grace to be seen in
these first chapters. This strikes us even more when we compare them with other
"creation accounts" and with the theory of evolution.
There is an ancient Babylonian myth in which Marduk, the chief god of Babylon, fights a
fierce battle with Tiamat, the monster of chaos, and kills him. From his body he then
forms the universe. But here we are talking not of creation but of a forming of the world
out of material that existed beforehand. This is a far cry from the creating Word of the
one and only God.
In the Babylonian account there are a number of gods, with the good and evil forces
standing over against each other from the very beginning as powers roughly equal in
strength. Marduk himself is a descendant of Tiamat, the primordial principle.
Actually, this creation account is really an evolution account, for the world develops to its
present state because of powers and forces inherent in it. There is no mention of a
genuine creation. Every year a national god surrounded by other gods overcomes the
forces of winter. Nor do we hear anything of a fall into sin. In fact, "good" is part of the
same family as chaos and evil.
Thus you can see that the original story has been bastardized. There is no mention of a
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"mother-promise" such as we find in Genesis 3:15. Instead we have a myth that
tries to explain the phenomenon of life. Because the "creation" is seen as a devastating
blow against the dragon, because it is not understood as a powerful act of one almighty
God, there is no room for the struggle and triumph of Christ (the Seed of the woman)
over the dragon (satan and his forces). Anyone who refuses to think in terms of a
genuine creation through the Word of God but instead views everything as developing
out of some original cell or chaotic power or cosmic egg closes his eyes to the revelation
of the re-creating God, the God who is busy fashioning a new heaven and a new earth
through Christ's redemptive work. Over against all ancient and modern myths, the
Scriptures teach the creation of the world, the fall into sin, and deliverance or
4
redemption through the work of Jesus Christ.

Without form and void.

There is a so-called "gap theory" according to which an expanse of time elapsed between
verses 1 and 2 of Genesis 1. In this "great interval," the fall of the angels is supposed to
have taken place. As a result of this fall, the earth turned into chaos: "The earth was
without form and void." It is then argued that the days of creation brought about a
restoration of the order that existed before chaos intervened.
This doctrine (which is in essence theosophical) must be rejected. Genesis 1:2 does not
[63]
say that the evil forces of chaos and darkness ruled the earth like a great dragon or
leviathan — a power that Yahweh then had to oppose. This verse only maintains that the
creation was still in need of order and structure. The words "without form and void" do
not mean that the earth was some sort of chaotic force opposed to God.
Here we must be on guard against any Gnostic dualism that would view matter itself as
possessed by some sort of sinful power. Man, too, is "without form and void" at the very

4
Klaas Schilder writes: "That is indeed my greatest objection against the evolutionist principle:
the battle is not about the skulls and origins of apes and men and birds but about the reality of a
distinct and distinctly operative Word of God. That Word presents the complete drama of covenant
breaking and covenant restoration; it already works this out and proclaims it in the case of the
very first man—all of this in a world subject to a divine calling according to the capacity of every
creature" (Heidelbergsche Catechismus, III, Goes, 1950, p. 310).

30
beginning, before he is born. But that's not the sinful thing about man. "Thy eyes beheld
my unformed substance," we read.
Thou knowest me right well;
my frame was not hidden from thee,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately wrought in the depths of the earth (Ps. 139:16, 14-15).

Cain and Abel.

In the first family children were born—Cain and Abel. (Were they twins?) When an of-
fering of Abel's was accepted while Cain's was not, Cain killed his brother out of jealousy.
For the first time, the earth from which man had been formed was drenched with human
blood.
That blood cried out to heaven and would continue to cry out throughout all of human
history (see Job 16:18; Ps. 9:12; Matt. 23:35; Heb. 12:24; Rev. 6:10; 16:5-7). It would
cry out for judgment until it was drowned out by the voice of Jesus' blood, which brought
about the definitive judgment but also testified to complete forgiveness and
reconciliation.
Cain was punished by way of a curse. Yet, there was a tempering of the punishment.
God gave him a sign indicating that he was not to be killed.
From Cain's loins arose a race of people who achieved a great deal in cultural respects.
We read of a "city," of the discovery of metalworking, of music, and of the beginning
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of nomadic life. But we also hear the haughty, boastful song of Lamech, which is an
ode to revenge (Gen. 4:23-24).
Seth. We are told that Seth was born in the place of Abel. In his household the service of
the Lord was not forgotten. It was in his time that men began to call on the name of the
Lord.
Here we find the beginning of two "lines," the two communities—the seed of the woman
and the seed of the serpent, the Church and the apostate church. What we are given
here is not the history of tribes or nations but the history of salvation. God's promises
are fulfilled in the course of history.

4. The Toledoth of Adam (5-6:8)

Genealogies.
The toledoth of Adam gives us a long genealogy. As inhabitants of the Western world, we
don't care much for genealogies. Perhaps you don't even know the name of your great-
grandfather. But such indifference to ancestors is not often found among "primitive"
5
peoples; the small children are already taught to recite the names of their forefathers.
For them a genealogy is a song.
We find a similar love of genealogies among the Israelites: the Bible is full of "family
trees." Yet the genealogies in the Scriptures are not intended to glorify anyone's
[65]
forefathers but only to describe how the Lord has led His Church; they are intended
to help us understand God's way of salvation.

Seth 's line.

We should take note of the fact that the very first genealogy does not mention Cain and
his descendants. Only Seth's posterity is listed. In Seth's line we find Enoch, the man
who walked with God and was taken away directly by Him (see Heb. 11:5 and vs. 14-15

5
This is true of the Bantu tribesmen, for example. In his book Transvaal Ndebele-texts (Pretoria,
1930), N.J. Van Warmelo gives various lists of heads of families, beginning around 1600. These
names have been passed on orally over the centuries. For these people, the family tree became a
song.

31
of Jude).
There is also a Lamech in Seth's family. This Lamech prophesied that his son Noah would
bring relief or comfort—the name Noah is probably related to this word—from the
tiresome work with the earth (Gen. 5:29).
The genealogy ends with Noah. The longing for a comforter was heard in a world
groaning under the curse.

Ripe for judgment.

This world groaning under the curse was becoming ripe for judgment. The worship of
power and sensuality brought about an increasing degeneration and lawlessness. The
"sons of God," who may have been kings, took all the wives they wanted, following
Lamech's example (see 4:19; 6:2). This led to the birth of giants: the race was
improved!
Yet, judgment kept coming closer. The Church seemed to be at the point of disappearing
from the earth. But God gave man a stay of execution of some 120 years. The Church
and the world were fused in a gigantic—and at the same time demonic—culture. God
was sorry that He had ever made man. Only Noah found favor in His eyes.
That's how this toledoth ends. God had to protect man from himself. There were still
believers in Seth's line, but there was no father of believers, no special covenant with a
certain family. Seth's line cried out for such a covenant. And the first world cried out for
a second.

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5. The Toledoth of Noah (6:9-9:29)

Noah's ark.
After the 120-year period of grace during which the world was given time to repent,
there was even more wickedness and depravity on the earth. Then God sent the great
flood.
God showed Noah a way to escape the wrath: He instructed him to build an ark, an
enormous boat in the shape of a box. Assuming that a "cubit" is equal to half a meter,
the length of the ark was 150 meters, its breadth 25 meters, and its height 15 meters.
The volume of such a box would be over 56,000 cubic meters.
This ark was built as a three-story building. It would have to hold not just Noah and his
family but also seven pairs of each clean animal and one pair of each unclean animal. A
food supply and a simple ventilation system made life on the ark possible.

The flood.
After Noah entered the ark with his family and all the animals, a furious storm broke
loose. This led to a flood; all the living creatures on the earth perished. The ark floated
on the swollen waters. Finally the rain stopped, and the ark came to rest on the
mountains of Ararat (in the northeastern part of the country now called Turkey).
By releasing some birds, Noah found out that the earth was habitable again. At God's
command, Noah and company then left the ark. The first thing Noah did was to build an
altar and make the greatest sacrifice of animals that the world had ever seen—a
universal offering. Noah had brought many animals suitable for sacrifice into the ark (i.e.
the "clean" animals). In the name of the entire creation, he now offered a sacrifice to
God to try to calm His wrath. The Lord accepted this sacrifice, which had a "pleasing
[67]
odor." In this way Noah did indeed bring relief from the curse with which the earth
was afflicted (5:29; see also 8:21).

A covenant.
The Lord now proceeded to make a covenant with Noah. Never again would He allow
such a flood. After this there would always be a regular cycle of seasons. The world

32
would be the ground on which the Church could build.
Behind the sacrifice made by Noah we catch a glimpse of the sacrifice made by Jesus
Christ. It is for His sake and for the sake of His kingship, which is dawning throughout
the world, that the world still exists. Golgotha is tied up with the course of history, the
rotation of the seasons, and the balance we find throughout the universe. It is Christ's
return that will finally put an end to the order of things that we call our world. That's
something to hang on to in this age of the atom! Baptism and deliverance are closely
connected in the ark (see I Pet. 3:20-1).
The creation blessing can now be repeated (9:1ff). Man is given power over the animals.
But in order to counteract certain heathen practices, he is forbidden to drink blood.
(Blood was widely regarded as the locus of power and life.) The shedding of human
blood is also expressly forbidden under the covenant with Noah. Man is made in the
image of God.
The rainbow is the sign of the covenant which the Lord made with Noah, his family, and
all living creatures. God would remember His eternal covenant. Never forget that when
you see a rainbow. Remember Noah's sacrifice, which brought us relief from our
affliction. Because of the sacrifice made by Noah, and especially because of Christ's
sacrifice, the farmer today can plow confidently and history can unfold. It's all because of
the grace of God!

Other flood stories.

In this context I would point out that there are other stories of a great flood in ancient
[68]
times; in fact, there are quite a number of them. There is a Babylonian story
definitely reminiscent of what we read in Genesis. The Babylonian Noah, who is named
Utnapishtim (i.e. the one who found life) built a huge ship that protected him, his family,
and the animals. He also sent out birds (a dove, a swallow and a raven). Like Noah, his
"ark" came to rest on a mountain, and he offered a sacrifice after leaving it.
Yet, his entire story is related within the framework of a fairy-tale world, as the truth is
held down in unrighteousness. Utnapishtim manages to build his boat in seven days, and
the flood only lasts a week. The main cause of the flood was a poorly thought-out
decision which Enlil, the chief deity, managed to ram through the council of the gods.
Utnapishtim is alerted to the plan by Ea, another god. Before he enters the safety of his
boat, Utnapishtim makes merry with his fellow citizens. Thus he was hardly a preacher of
righteousness. After he leaves the ship, he does offer a sacrifice—with all the gods
swarming around him like flies. The chief goddess, Ishtar (Astarte), lets the gods know
of her displeasure. Enlil, who was the cause of all the misfortune, then elevates
Utnapishtim and his wife to the status of divinities.
In this story all thought of sin and judgment has been lost. The Babylonian Noah
becomes a "superman," while the gods are left squabbling about the reason for the
flood. We hear nothing whatsoever about a covenant. Utnapishtim is the great
exception, the one who found life.
This contrasts sharply with the picture of Noah found in the Scriptures. Noah was not
invited to join the citizens of heaven. The flood was not the final judgment; after the
flood life continued according to the old pattern. We read that Noah cultivated the earth,
and planted a vineyard, and drank too much wine. This led to a crisis in his household.
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Noah's prophecy.
In the person of Ham, we encounter the same perverse spirit that was later to come to
the fore in his posterity, i.e. Canaan. As you recall, the Israelites were commanded to
wipe out the Canaanites because of their complete and utter godlessness. The sexual
debauchery of these people even carried over into their religion: they worshiped Baal
and Astarte (Ishtar) as gods of fertility.
Noah was granted a prophetic look into the future when he awoke from his drunkenness.

33
It's significant that something of the Messianic promise is again highlighted in the words
he spoke. Shem was blessed, which is an indication that the Messiah would be one of his
descendants. Japheth received a blessing too. But Canaan, one of the sons of Ham, was
cursed. He was to be a slave to his brothers.
These shadows are projected far into the future. Here Israel could read how God
arranged everything according to His plan for His Church. A separate nation was to arise
out of Shem's loins. This nation was to bring forth the Messiah and thereby be a blessing
to all the nations—even to the accursed Canaanites (see Matt. 15:21-8).
There are some people who believe that all the descendants of Ham (by which they
mean all black people) labor under this curse—even after Pentecost. This is not so; we
must not make the mistake of supposing that all of Ham's descendants were subjected
to the curse pronounced by Noah. Only Canaan was cursed. (The effects of this curse are
clearly evident in Israel's history.)
After Pentecost, there is no longer any room for special treatment of particular nations.
God is no respecter of persons. Anyone in any nation who honors God and lives
righteously finds favor in His eyes (see Acts 10:34-5). In this world, where "Shem,"
"Ham" and "Japheth" have intermingled so much, Christ addresses us with His catholic
gospel: the one who is to rule eternally gathers the nations to Himself.

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6. The Toledoth of the Sons of Noah (10—11:9)

The nations in review.

Soon the revelation of the Lord was to be restricted to the circles of Abraham's descen-
dants. But before this revelation bids the nations farewell, all of them pass once more in
review.
Israel was not to forget the nations, despite the fact that the dispensation of salvation
was "narrowed down." This narrowing was necessary to ensure the Church's preser-
vation in the world. The Church would have to exist temporarily within the bounds of a
certain special nation if the covenant was not to be destroyed. Once the Messiah had
come, however, salvation would be for all the nations.
In the period from Adam to Abram, then, the Church was made up of men of all nations.
In the period from Abram to Pentecost, it was restricted to the descendants of Abraham.
But after Pentecost, it would again take in men of all nations. When we read the family
tree of the nations, we must therefore realize that it represents not just a "farewell" but
an "au revoir," a "till we meet again."

Israel as a light.
Israel was placed among the nations to be a light to them. The great flood had wiped out
all the descendants of Cain. All the people left on earth were descendants of Seth and
Noah; they were born within the church, as it were.
There is a clear message in this genealogy. We should note that it pays little attention to
the largely unknown nations descended from Japheth and a great deal of attention to the
descendants of Shem and Ham. Because mankind is one in its origin, Israel may not
pretend that the calling to be a blessing to all the nations is something strange and
incomprehensible.

The tower of Babel.

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The division of mankind into various nations after the building of the tower of Babel
was necessary as part of God's plan for Israel. In the future the people of God would be
surrounded by enemies, but those enemies would be divided and would quarrel with
each other.
The fact that they were scattered all over the world created a balance that hindered the
growth of sin somewhat. The condition of mankind before the flood would not recur.

34
In our day, too, when internationalism is in fashion, centralization is hindered by racial
and cultural differences. This brings a partial halt to the operation of the power of sin.
Thus the differences between the nations in our time should be seen as an indication of
God's favor toward His Church, for it stands in the way of the formation of one,
overwhelmingly superior power. The Church faces not one enemy but many.

7. The Toledoth of Shem (11:10-26)

Israel's genealogy.
Here again we read a series of names, many of which were mentioned in the previous
chapter. But this genealogy has a different purpose than the previous one. The previous
genealogy dealt with the various nations (with Israel as the unseen midpoint), but here
everything starts with the forefather of Israel, the nation God chose as His covenant
partner.
Genesis 10 gives us a "table of the nations"; it describes the great expanse of territory
which the Messiah would claim as His sphere of operation. But Genesis II shows us how
the Son of God forges a path via Shem's descendants, a path that leads to His coming
into the world and ultimately to Pentecost. The holy chain traced for us in God's
revelation begins with Shem.
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Tradition.
Of course there was also apostasy to be found in Shem's line. When Joshua took leave of
the people of Israel, he reminded them how their fathers had served idols in
Mesopotamia (Josh. 24:2, 14-15).
The fact that people lived to be so old those days helped to assure the preservation of
the tradition. (It's possible that this genealogy leaves out some names and covers a
longer period than one might suspect; in other words, it may be that it is not complete.)
When there was reformation in the family of Terah, an appeal could be made to history,
to God's past deeds that had not been forgotten.

8. The Toledoth of Terah (11:27-25:11)

An exodus.
The wide-ranging focus is narrowed again. The toledoth of heaven and earth and all the
nations finally leads to the toledoth of Terah. His small family (especially his childless
son Abram) now assumes the central position.
The genesis of Terah begins with an exodus. He leaves the highly "civilized" yet deeply
heathen city of Ur and keeps moving until he reaches Haran, where he dies. But the
great trek continues. Abram is commanded to leave his father's family behind and go to
the land that Yahweh will show him. At the same time childless Abram is given a
promise: he will become a great nation. Through him all the families of the earth, which
has been cursed, will be blessed!

God's promises.
Here you can clearly see the line of God's promises forming. First we are shown the
misery that has hung over the earth like a heavy cloud since Adam's fall into sin. Thorns
and thistles spring up. Blood is shed and soaks into the earth. There is a great flood to
[73]
wash away all the violence and transgression. From the Church there arises a sign
over the burden of work on the earth cursed by the Lord (5:29).
After Noah's sacrifice, God said: "I will never again curse the ground because of man"
(8:21). The promise to Shem could now be realized as a blessing announced to Abram, a
blessing that bears on all the nations of the earth. "I will bless those who bless you. By
you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves" (12:3).

35
A foreigner in Canaan.
We then see Abram moving on to Canaan, buoyed up by those powerful Messianic
promises that guarantee him his land and the future of his line. Yet he is still without
land and without children. He lives in that thoroughly corrupt land of Canaan as a
"foreigner," as a nomad whose presence is barely tolerated in a region in which every
campsite is at the same time a place where Baal and Astarte are worshiped. Canaanite
idolatry deified the land as well as family and blood.
It is not without reason that we are informed in Genesis 12:6 that the "Canaanites were
in the land" at that time. Abram was severely tempted in that godless environment.
Therefore the Lord appeared to him once he had set up his tents at Shechem, the
unofficial capital city of the Canaanites. Abram had to learn to wait on Yahweh in all
things.
He received a specific promise: "To your descendants I will give this land." Abram's
response to this promise was an amen: he built an altar to the Lord at Shechem, the
place where the Canaanite religion had established a center for the worship of the Baal
of the covenant (Baal-berith). Only through believing obedience would the Lord allow the
unfolding of what He had promised in the way of land and descendants.
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Faith in the promise.
The point to remember as you read Genesis is that God's promise is the dominant
theme. God in His grace chose to preserve a "remnant" in an apostate world. That
remnant (the Church, the new humanity) has a future and will one day claim its full
inheritance. But its future and inheritance will not be won by way of human
accomplishments; there will be no reason for "flesh" to boast. Contrary to man's plans
and deeds, God will realize His promise by way of His wondrous power. The patriarchs
would have to learn to hold on to this invisible promise in faith.
Therefore the history to follow must be read as the history of a promise. Genesis is not a
collection of the biographies of the heroes of faith. On the contrary, it shows how much
sin there was in the tents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I am impressed again and again by the Bible's refusal to disguise human sinfulness or
sweep it under the carpet. The direct language of the Bible includes no euphemisms for
sinful practices—although translators and preachers sometimes introduce them. All the
same, there are indeed many things in the lives of the patriarchs of which the Scriptures
say nothing; we are left in the dark about things that interest us.
The reason for this is that the Bible is not a collection of fables or stories with a moral or
a modern psychological slant. What we find in the Bible is a chronicle about the
beginning of the Church, about God's gracious way with His people, about the approach
of the Messianic future promised by the Lord.
Remember this as you read further. Don't forget to apply it to other Bible books as well.
If you do, you'll be spared many disappointments. You won't have to ask: Why is this in
the Bible, and not that? Instead you will immerse yourself in a very respectful way in the
[75]
history of God's covenant and salvation, knowing that the Lord is the same
yesterday, today and forever. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; He is the God
of all the living. And He wants to draw you into His redemptive history too.

Abram in Egypt.
As we read on in Genesis, we see Abram temporarily moving from the land of promise to
Egypt, because of a famine. The Nile delta, of course, was the breadbasket of the Near
East. As an outsider in Canaan, Abram could hardly rely on the harvests there.
In order not to endanger his life during his stay in Egypt, Abram resorts to a trick: he
pretends that Sarai is his sister rather than his wife. Because of her great beauty,
Pharaoh might want her for his harem and kill Abram to get her. By this trick Abram
endangers the promise made to him and even benefits materially when Sarai is indeed

36
taken by Pharaoh. It is only because of the intervention of the Lord that Abram and his
wife are able to return safely to Canaan.
This episode clearly demonstrates that if the promise is fulfilled, it will not be because of
what any human being—even a "hero of faith"—has done but only because of God and
His decrees. In other words, the promise will be fulfilled only by grace. When Abram
worshiped at the altar he had built earlier in Bethel, he apparently confessed this (13:4).

Abram and Lot.

Abram's nephew Lot had always traveled with him. Eventually they would have to part
company, for Abram was the bearer of the promise. A quarrel between the herdsmen of
the two men led to a peaceful parting of the ways.
Abram proposed that Lot choose an area as his own domain. Lot chose the Jordan
Valley, near Sodom and Gomorrah. The natural surroundings were reminiscent of
[76]
Paradise, but the perverse population was the very opposite of man in his sinless
state (see 13:10, 13). Abram remained behind in the drier hill country—but he was the
bearer of the promise! (vs. 14-17).

Melchizedek.
Before long Lot got into difficulties with the people in the area in which he had chosen to
settle. It was only through the intervention of Abram and his allies that he and his
household were saved (ch. 14).
In the aftermath of the struggle, Abram made the acquaintance of Melchizedek, the
priest-king of Salem (Jerusalem), who blessed him and received a tenth of the booty. In
the Letter to the Hebrews we read a good deal about Melchizedek. Abram, the forefather
of Levi, from whom all the Israelite priests were descended, recognized the office of
priest-king, which was greater than the later Levitic priesthood. Abram's great son Jesus
Christ was also more than a Levitic priest: He was a priest-king after the order of
Melchizedek (see Ps. 110).

God's covenant with Abram.

Although Abram was a man of great power and wealth, he was still an outsider, a
"displaced person," a guest in the land of Canaan. Furthermore, he was childless.
Therefore the Lord came to encourage him by repeating the promise. Indeed, He entered
into a covenant with him to prove that the inheritance was secure and that an heir, a
natural son, would be born.
We already read of a covenant in connection with Noah. We saw that the covenant was
made after Noah offered his great sacrifice. The covenant with Abram would likewise
have to be confirmed by way of a sacrifice.
The patriarch was instructed to slaughter a number of sacrificial animals, cut them in
two, and lay each half over against the other. Then he waited. When vultures descended
to eat the carcasses, he drove them away. The sun went down, and Abram fell into a
deep and troubled sleep, the kind of sleep that precedes a nightmare. A little later he
[77]
saw a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passing between the two halves of the
slaughtered animals.
It is clear from what the Lord said to Abram that this vision symbolized what was to
come. The Lord promised Abram descendants. They would be oppressed for a long time
in a foreign land. (Apparently the vultures and the darkness represented the oppression
of the Egyptians.) In the fourth generation they would return to take over the land of
Canaan and wipe out the sinful Amorites. (The smoking fire pot may represent the pillar
of cloud, the pillar of fire, the exodus from Egypt, and the events at Mount Sinai.)
Contrary to all human expectations, the Lord's favor would result in the realization of the
covenant promise (ch. 15; see also Jer. 34:18).

37
Hagar and Ishmael.
Abram was to become a father, then. This promise led Sarai to give Abram her Egyptian
slave Hagar so that he could have a son by her. She was following a custom of the time:
archaeological investigations have established that a son born to a slave under such
circumstances would in effect be regarded as the lawful son of the slave's mistress.
Now, Hagar did indeed bear Abram a son—Ishmael. Yet, even before the child was born,
there was trouble between Hagar and Sarai; Hagar was ill-treated by her mistress and
fled. The angel of the Lord made her return and gave her a promise: her son would be a
"wild ass of a man," that is, one who would have difficulties getting along with others,
but he would become the father of a nation all the same.
Here for the first time we read about the "angel of the LORD," a messenger who
represented the Lord, acting and speaking in His name. This messenger has sometimes
been called "Yahweh's adjutant."
Ishmael is the father of the Arabic peoples. When we ponder this fact, we can well
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understand the Lord's concern about him. It was God's wish that the Ishmaelites
should come forth from Abram's tent.

The God of Easter.

Ishmael was not the promised seed. Abram's attempt to realize the promise through
Hagar was futile. It was a manmade solution; it was the way of the flesh. Abram had to
learn to believe that God is the God of the living, the God of Easter, the God who makes
the dead come to life. If Sarai was no longer a potential mother, God would make her
fruitful again (see Rom. 4:16ff).
To bring this promise home to Abram, we see how the Lord again confirmed His
covenant with him, this time by changing his name to Abraham: Abraham was to
become the "father of a multitude," the father of nations. Sarai's name was also
changed. She became Sarah and was promised that she would be the mother of nations;
kings of nations would come forth from her. From then on the sign of this covenant
would be circumcision.

Circumcision.
Baby boys were to be circumcised at the age of eight days. Part of the foreskin around
the end of the penis, the reproductive organ, would be cut away—hence the term
circumcision. Through this practice, the nation that was to arise from Abraham's loins
would always be reminded of the connection between reproduction and the covenant
with the Lord.
There were other nations that practiced circumcision. In Egypt, priests and princes were
circumcised. Among some African peoples, circumcision is part of the rites of puberty by
which boys join the ranks of full-grown men and warriors. Even today there are millions
of circumcised men in the world.
For the children of Abraham, circumcision would have a different meaning than for the
pagans. It sealed God's promises of a homeland, of descendants, and of a Messianic
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future; it symbolized the unwavering faithfulness of Yahweh. Since circumcision
involved such a vital organ, it taught the Israelites not to say: "We will build a great
nation." Here, too, God's hand was writing: "By grace alone" and "Circumcise your
hearts!" (see Deut. 30:6; Jer. 4:4; Acts 7:51; Rom. 2:28-9; Col. 2:11).

Sarah's laughter.
It is not easy to live by grace. Therefore the Lord announced the good news once more
to Abraham and his wife. The patriarch was then living by Hebron under the oaks of
Mamre, a place where he had built an altar.
Three men came to visit him, and he received them hospitably. One of them was
Yahweh Himself. Abraham was assured once more that he would have a son by Sarah.

38
Sarah, who overheard this assurance, laughed in disbelief (18:12-15; see also 17:17).
No word of promise would be too much for Yahweh to fulfill (18:14; see also Luke 1:37;
18:27).

Sodom's destruction.
The Lord also revealed something else to Abraham: the area where Lot lived was going
to be destroyed because of its great godlessness. When Abraham heard this, he pleaded
for Sodom in a moving way. The Lord promised him that He would spare Sodom if there
were ten righteous men to be found there.
But when the two angels went to Sodom for Lot's sake, it soon became apparent how
depraved its inhabitants had become. Today we still use the word sodomy to refer to the
homosexual copulation between men that had become so popular in Sodom (see also
Rom. 1:24-7). Abraham and his allies had earlier saved Sodom, but their intervention
had done nothing to bring about moral reform in that wicked city.
It turned out that ten righteous men were not to be found in Sodom (see Gen. 18:32).
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The angels had to evacuate Lot and his family. Lot's wife stopped and looked back
(see Luke 17:28-9, 32). "Remember Lot's wife," Jesus warned. There is no averting
God's judgment. Suddenly it struck the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
It is clear from the Bible's sketch of Lot's family (19:8, 14, 31-8) that it was difficult for
anyone in Sodom to remain free of the "spirit" of Sodom. Moab and Ammon, who were
Lot's children through incest, became the founding fathers of nations living near Israel.
Later they were to cause Israel a great deal of trouble. Yet Ruth, who was a Moabite,
was also one of the ancestors of David and, through him, of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here again we see grace shining through. As long as Christ has not yet returned, there is
still time to break with the spirit of Sodom. Nevertheless, God's revelation undeniably
presents a grim picture of what went on in Sodom (see Is. 1:10; 3:9; 13:19; Jer. 49:18;
50:40; Ezek. 16:48ff; Amos 4:11; Zeph. 2:9; Deut. 32:32; Lam. 4:6; Rom. 9:29; II
Peter 2:6; Jude, vs. 7; Rev. 11:8).

Covenant judgment.
Noteworthy in these texts is that Moab and Ammon are not the only ones who face the
kind of judgment that struck Sodom. The judgment in most of these texts applies to
Abraham's seed, i.e. the Church.
This is a very important point, for it shows us that we have no reason to boast about
being Abraham's seed. The covenant is always conditional in character. As the father of
all believers, Abraham was called to command his sons and his house to follow him in
walking the way of the Lord by doing what is just and right. Then the Lord could give
Abraham all He had promised him (18:19). Sodom and the later judgment on the people
of Canaan must always be viewed in the light of the covenant promises: that's what will
happen to you if you do not repent.

Isaac and Ishmael.

After we are shown in chapter 20 how Abraham again commits the sin of telling only part
[81]
of the truth (this time during his forced stay in the land of the Philistines), chapter
21 tells us about the birth of Isaac, whose name means laughter. This was the
miraculous birth long promised by God.
Abraham became a father and received a "seed"— through faith (Rom. 4). In Ishmael he
received a son "born according to the flesh" (Gal. 4:29), and in Isaac a son born
according to the promise. The line toward the Messianic future would run through Isaac
(17:19).
If Ishmael would only accept the fact that the special honor was reserved for Isaac,
there would be a future for him. But as Ishmael grew up, it became clear that he was
not at all interested in reconciling himself to God's will. At the Lord's command,

39
therefore, the slave Hagar was driven out with her son (21:8ff).
Ishmael was to become a great nation, and the Lord's hand protected him out there in
the wilderness. Moreover, Ishmael remained a factor in the history of the Church. Paul
drew a line from him to the Jewish synagogue of his time, the "present Jerusalem," the
synagogue that tried to lead its children into the slavery of seeking salvation by keeping
the law. He contrasted this "present Jerusalem" with the Church, the heavenly
Jerusalem, which is free. The Church is made up of children "born according to the
Spirit" (Gal. 4:21-31). "Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise." In other
words, we are born out of the power of God's promise.

Abraham's sacrifice.
That promise is even mightier than death. Abraham was called to believe this when the
Lord commanded him to kill his son Isaac as a sacrifice. "He considered that God was
able to raise men even from the dead" (Heb. 11:19). Hence he got Isaac back as a
prefiguration of the ascension of Christ. Again he lived by Easter faith (see Rom. 4:16-
22).
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That's why his faith also counted as righteousness. It was now apparent that his
faith could withstand the test. Abraham's faith was active along with his works and was
completed by works! (James 2:22). Now Abraham could become the father of all
believers.
The angel of the Lord stopped Abraham just as he was about to kill Isaac. He then
spotted a substitute sacrifice nearby—a "lost sheep," a ram caught by its horns in a
thicket. Thus the Lord had provided him with an animal for his sacrifice (22:13, 8).
This shows us again that God's providence is more than a general administration of the
world's affairs: it is closely bound up with the deliverance brought about by the Lamb
standing by the throne, the Lamb who has ransomed the people of God through His
blood (Rev. 5). Because of this providence, Abraham could assure Isaac that a sacrifice
would surely be provided on the mount of the Lord (22:14). The mountain on which
Abraham's substitutionary sacrifice was made was Moriah, where the temple was later to
be built. The point to remember, then, is that God does indeed "provide"—but always
through the covenantal Mediator, the Lamb who rules out of Zion.

Machpelah.
When Sarah died, Abraham showed once more how firmly he believed in God's promises,
which are stronger than death. Although he was a foreigner without the full rights a
native would enjoy, he bought a burial site from the Hittites who ruled Hebron at that
time. He did not want to use someone else's property for a grave.
The cave at Machpelah, which was to become the burial place of the patriarchs, was the
first piece of property to be handed on to successive generations. Thus a grave served
as a pledge of the promise of life (ch. 23). The purchase of the grave at Machpelah
shows that Abraham was not a stranger or foreigner in the sense of a pilgrim disdaining
[83]
the world. He knew that the land had been promised to him.

A wife for Isaac.

If the holy line was to continue, Isaac would have to marry. Abraham must have been
sorely tempted to establish a close relationship with one of the local families by marrying
Isaac to one of their daughters. By virtue of such a marriage, Abraham and Isaac would
no longer be regarded as "foreigners." Yet, such a marriage would involve a Canaanizing
of the seed of the promise. Therefore Abraham found a wife for his son in an area to the
northeast, where some of his relatives still lived. Rebekah, the sister of Laban (whom we
will encounter a little later), was willing to become Isaac's wife.
Once Isaac was properly married, Abraham could die, for his life was complete. He had
lived long enough, and he died at a ripe old age. Under the protection of God's grace, his
holy line of foreigners would be continued. The shining promises were stronger than

40
death.

9. The Toledoth of Ishmael (25:12-18)

Ishmael and his kinsmen.

The angel of the Lord had said of Ishmael that he would live "over against" his kinsmen
(16:12). The next toledoth shows that this Word of the Lord came true: we read that
Ishmael "settled over against all his people" (25:18).
These "kinsmen" were not just the descendants of Isaac but also Abraham's sons
through Keturah, the woman he married after Sarah's death. Before he died Abraham
sent Keturah's sons away to the east (25:1ff).
Ishmael's name means God hears. It is an apt name, for God did indeed fulfill His
[84]
promises to Ishmael. Ishmael became the father of twelve princes, just as the Lord
had promised Abraham (17:20).

A separation.
We should take note of the fact that Ishmael's descendants did not build cities. They
were to live in tents as nomads. As Calvin points out, God so ordered things that
although Ishmael lived near his brothers, he lagged behind them in terms of the kind of
dwelling he lived in. As a result, he did not mingle with them but lived "over against"
them.
Here again we see a separation taking place, so that Isaac's seed will be able to remain
Church and one day take possession of the inheritance. In time the twelve tribes of
Israel, which arose later than the twelve tribes of Ishmael and also lived in tents, would
receive possession of the inheritance preserved for them, i.e. the land and the cities.
After this point Genesis is silent about Ishmael's nation, which quickly attained its
destiny. Attention is focused on the Church instead. The question is raised: How will the
Church receive her inheritance? How will God's covenant promise be realized?

10. The Toledoth of Isaac (25:19—35:29)

Two nations.
For the first twenty years of his marriage, Isaac remained childless. Not until he was 60
did he receive the blessing of children. Thus he suffered the same anguish his father
Abraham had gone through before him.
It appeared that not only the family but the Church itself had entered a blind alley. The
Lord made Isaac wait in order to teach him and us that the Church's future depends not
on human strength but on His sovereign will alone.
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The freely exercised power of the Lord is the leading motif in the stories that follow.
Even when the Lord lets up and Rebekah becomes pregnant, she is told:
Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger (25:23).

Esau and Jacob.

Esau was the ruddy forefather of Edom. (His name means ruddy, whereas Jacob's name
was already an indication of his ambition, his willingness to strive for a goal.) As Esau
grew up, he chose for the life of a hunter and disdained the traditional life in tents, which
his brother Jacob preferred. Yet we must not picture Jacob as a weak, indoor person: we
are shown that he possessed tremendous physical strength (see 29:10; 32:24-5). Jacob
deliberately tailored his "vocation" to the traditional pattern of life within the cultic
community.

41
Furthermore, he stopped at nothing in his efforts to gain the patriarchal birthright, which
belonged to Esau by virtue of the fact that he was the first-born. Esau was not interested
in the birthright, and therefore he eventually let Jacob buy it. Through his own cunning
and trickery, Jacob wanted to make sure the promise to Rebekah ("The elder shall serve
the younger") would be realized.
In chapter 26 we are told that Isaac also spent some time as a foreigner in the land of
the Philistines during a famine. The Lord told him not to go to Egypt, and He confirmed
the promise He had already made to Abraham. After various ups and downs, the promise
was repeated (26:2ff, 24) and Isaac was commanded to build an altar at Beer-sheba.

The blessing of the first-born.

At the age of 40, Esau demonstrated his willingness to give up his alien status: he
married two Hittite women and thereby established ties with the local population—to the
[86]
great disappointment of his parents. Yet Isaac continued to favor him (25:28) and
therefore wanted to give him the blessing due to him as the first-born. Although Esau
had surrendered this right, he was still eager to receive the blessing.
But there was also the Lord's promise to consider. Rebekah, who was always attracted to
Jacob and favored him, managed to win the blessing for Jacob through a trick. She
succeeded in fooling her aged husband, who was blind by then. Mistaking Jacob for Esau,
Isaac blessed the shrewder of his two sons and designated him to rule over the other.
When Esau found out what had happened, he begged his father in tears to change the
blessing, but it could not be done. All Isaac could promise him was a partial lightening of
the yoke his brother Jacob would impose upon him. Esau's posterity would inherit what
Esau had chosen—no birthright, life far from the heritage of the patriarchs, and
dependence on the sword.
In the planning and scheming of people at cross purposes, we see the triumph of God's
sovereign will. God had wanted the greater to serve the lesser.

Jacob's valley of purification.

Of course this did not mean that a golden age automatically dawned for Jacob.
Abraham's inheritance was only to be gained through faith. Therefore Jacob first had to
pass through a deep valley of purification. The one to whom the inheritance was
promised had to run for his life.
Because of Esau's murderous plans, Rebekah sent Jacob away to her brother Laban,
under the pretext of finding a wife there. The one who had received the blessing was
forced to depart in haste. But he took with him Isaac's renewed blessing (28:1ff).
It made quite an impression on Esau that Jacob was sent away with a blessing from his
[87]
father. He changed his ways by taking a wife from his own "family"—a daughter of
Ishmael. Yet we can hardly accept this act as evidence of a genuine conversion, for
Ishmael was outside the line of the Church.

Jacob at Bethel.
How did things go with Jacob? Genesis does not give us a biography of Jacob. We should
not ask: What became of the traveler Jacob? Instead we should ask: How did the Lord
build His Church through Jacob and so fulfill the promises He made?
When we adopt this perspective, the first thing that draws our attention is the mercy
revealed in God's election. When Jacob lay down in Bethel to sleep, the Lord revealed
that He wished to be Jacob's God. In His own time He would bring Jacob back and give
him numerous descendants. Jacob would be allowed to share in the Messianic blessing—
although he did not deserve it. "I will not leave you until I have done that of which I
have spoken to you" (28:15).
That night Jacob saw a ladder on which angels (messengers) ascended to the Lord and
descended from heaven. In this dream "heaven" and "earth" were united, just as they

42
will be fully and finally united through Christ (John 1:51). The whole creation will then be
focused on the fulfillment of the promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
"This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven," declared an
awestruck Jacob (28:17). He named the place Bethel which means house of God.
This name comes up repeatedly in later Biblical history. In the days of King Jeroboam,
the stone at Bethel which Jacob had anointed with oil was replaced by a holy place that
competed with the temple in Jerusalem and was consecrated to the worship of the calf.
Bethel, the house of God, became Beth-aven, the house of iniquity and lies (see Hos.
4:15; Amos 5:5).
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Leah and Rachel.
The prophet Hosea reports what happened to Jacob:
Jacob fled to the land of Aram,
there Israel did service for a wife,
and for a wife he herded sheep (Hos. 12:12).
The issue in the next stage of the drama is clearly the seed of the Church, the posterity
of Jacob. Jacob fell in love with Rachel at first sight and offered to work for Laban to earn
Rachel as his bride. But now the deceiver was sadly deceived. The one who was so eager
to assume the rights of the first-born was given an unwanted woman as his bride—Leah,
Laban's first-born daughter. After a week went by, Jacob was also given Rachel as his
wife, for whom he had to serve another seven years (29:28). These circumstances led to
great competition and jealousy between the two wives of Jacob.
What happened afterwards represents an unsavory story. Jacob's home was poisoned by
jealousy and passion. Don't forget that on the one hand the issue is one of seed or
posterity, while on the other hand the Lord's sovereign will was operative in this
situation. The Lord wanted to make it clear that it is not human preference or beauty
that makes a particular woman a mother of the Church.
Leah, who did not occupy the central place in her husband's heart, bore child after child,
while Jacob's beloved Rachel remained childless. Eventually Rachel followed Sarah's
example—think of the story of Hagar—by giving Jacob her servant as a concubine so
that she could have legal posterity through the children born of the servant. Leah, in
turn, followed Rachel's example.
After a long time, Rachel's prayers were finally heard: Joseph was born of her own
womb. Yet it is clear that Rachel did not have any "right" to special privileges for her
[89]
children: Leah, who was spurned by Jacob, was favored by God. It was Leah's son
Judah who eventually received the Messianic promise.
God chooses what is weak in the world's eyes to put the strong to shame, so that no
human being will be able to boast in the presence of God (I Cor. 1:27-9). Again we see
that grace alone is the decisive factor.
The beginnings of the nation of Israel already proclaimed the grace that was to break
through in Christ. To this day, Genesis continues to testify to the Jewish people that they
must abandon any reliance on rights they claim in virtue of their national origin. Instead
they must bow to the "offensive" sovereignty of God as revealed in the foolishness of the
Word of the cross.

Jacob and Laban.

In his relations with Laban, Jacob showed that he was still the same cunning character
he had always been. He pretended to be meek and submissive, but he knew how to
increase his possessions through all sorts of tricks (30:25ff). Finally he was forced to flee
again. With the help of his wives, Jacob escaped from his uncle and father-in-law.
A certain dream played a role in his flight, but it is not clear whether Jacob reported the
dream entirely accurately. In any case, the Lord commanded him to leave with his

43
household. Laban pursued them and overtook them. There was an argument, but Jacob
and Laban parted on amicable terms after making a covenant.

Peniel.
Then Jacob began to fear an encounter with Esau. Jacob's household and possessions
were threatened, for his brother was approaching with a large band of armed men. At
this point mighty Jacob became like a small child. He prayed to the God of the covenant
and appealed to the promises made: "Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my
brother. But thou didst say, 'I will do you good, and make your descendants as the sand
[90]
of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude' " (32:11,12).
After he had sent a generous present ahead to Esau and divided his household into two
parties, Jacob remained behind at the Jabbok all alone. There he wrestled with a man
whom he held on to until he received a blessing. The man then changed his name from
Jacob, which reflects his constant struggle to get ahead, to Israel which means ruling
with God.
This is not to say that the name Jacob disappears from the record after this point. We
come across it repeatedly in later Bible books. In Isaiah the people of God are referred
to interchangeably as Jacob or Israel (see Is. 48:1, 12, 17, 20). The Lord remains the
God of Jacob (Ps. 146:5), but at the same time He is the God of Israel (Ps. 135:4).
Jacob had long wanted to win the blessing through weapons of the flesh, but now he had
learned to fight with spiritual weapons. The angel of the Lord, with whom he had been
wrestling, put his thigh permanently out of joint. Thus the promise would be inherited by
a weakened Jacob.
Jacob named this place Peniel, which means face of God. He had seen God face to face—
and survived. Hosea declares:
In his manhood he strove with God.
He strove with the angel and prevailed,
he wept and sought his favor (Hos. 12:3-4).
Again it's a question of grace. The Lord broke Jacob so that he would learn not to rely on
the means of the flesh but would instead follow the way of faith and so become the
lawful heir.

Sin in Jacob's household.

We must not make the mistake of supposing that all sin was eliminated from the
household of Jacob after Peniel. Once he had made his peace with Esau, Jacob did not go
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to Bethel to fulfill his promise. Instead he settled down in the vicinity of Shechem.
There he bought land and built an altar.
While he was living there, his family was subject to evil influences. His daughter Dinah
was seduced by the son of the prince of the area. This led to a proposal that Jacob's
family intermarry with the local people. This would at the same time enable Jacob and
his sons to give up their alien status and become fully accepted citizens of the land in
which they lived.
In a deceitful way, Jacob's sons went along with this proposal, making the circumcision
of all males a condition of their agreement. Before the men of Shechem could recover
from their circumcision, Simeon and Levi killed them and plundered the city to avenge
Dinah's disgrace (ch. 34).

From Bethel to Bethel

This episode was the reason why the Lord commanded Jacob to go to Bethel and build
an altar there. Jacob knew that he could not make this journey without preparation. First
he would have to "overcome his old nature."
In his household there were still some idols (see 31:34ff). Jacob got rid of these foreign

44
gods and put on different clothes for his solemn encounter with the God who had an-
swered him in his hour of need and had accompanied him on his travels (35:1ff). When
Jacob reached Bethel, he was granted a new revelation in which he was again given
assurances about his inheritance and posterity. He was even told that kings would be
born of his line.
The journey from Bethel to Bethel was a long one. Now the toledoth of Isaac can finally
come to an end, for this journey is the real topic of these chapters in which Jacob's life is
described.
These chapters show us how the Lord fulfilled His promises to Isaac. The old patriarch,
who had to wait twenty years for children, lived long enough to witness the return of
[92]
Jacob, who was by then the father of twelve sons (35:27, 22). By that time Isaac
had enough of life, and so he, too, died at Hebron, where his father Abraham had lived
as a foreigner. In the cave at Machpelah he was buried by his two sons—Esau, who is
mentioned first, and Jacob. The Lord had kept His promises.

11. The Toledoth of Esau (36-37:1)

Esau's line.
When you first read this chapter, it might strike you as somewhat "dry." What is it doing
in the Bible?
Don't jump to any conclusions. It's entirely understandable that attention should here be
focused on Esau's line. Wasn't Esau Isaac's first-born son? Furthermore, Esau and the
Edomites descended from him played an important role in the history of Israel. The
family of the Herods was descended from Esau. The Edomites rejoiced in the initial
destruction of Jerusalem, and when there was later a rebellion against the Romans, they
did their part to make the confusion in Jerusalem even greater.
Thus Esau is a figure of abiding interest. " 'Is not Esau Jacob's brother?' says the LORD.
'Yet I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau' " (Mal. 1:2; see also Rom. 9:13). The
important thing is what God chooses to do as He determines the destinies of nations.
Genesis 36 is an important part of the Bible, then. We see God working out His purposes
as Esau leaves Canaan, the land of the inheritance. At the same time we see that Esau is
acting freely.
Esau was leaving the land where he had always been a foreigner (36:6-8). He married
Canaanite women and thereby became related to the local people. He also married a
daughter of Ishmael. Thus he went the way of Canaan and Egypt (see Lev. 18:3).
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Esau broke with the land of the promise and chose a place to settle down
permanently. It is clear from the genealogy that his children and descendants
intermarried with the Horite people of Seir and mixed with them. This also meant that
the covenant with God was forgotten more and more, and that the practice of
circumcision fell into disuse.

The Lord's promises to Esau.

On the other hand, we are struck by the fact that the Lord kept the promises made to
Esau. Esau did indeed become a large nation. That nation had its own land and was ruled
by its own king long before Israel's nation.
We can well understand how the blossoming of Esau's nation of Edom, like the
blossoming of Ishmael's nation, must have put Israel to the test (36:31; see also I Sam.
8:5). Esau had kings and a land of its own (36:43) while Israel was still wandering
around in the wilderness.
Yet, if God kept all His promises to Esau, Jacob could be all the more sure that the
promises made to him would be kept as well! Even if the fulfillment didn't come right
away, there was no reason for despair. Calvin points out that the flourishing of the

45
Edomites did indeed make the Israelites look bad by comparison. But time taught the
Israelites how much better it is to have a kingdom with roots deep in the earth than to
shine for only a brief instant. Outside God's Kingdom there is no lasting glory. The glory
of the Edomites was transitory; before long it was gone.
We read at the end of this toledoth that Jacob remained "in the land of his father's
sojournings." These words are of comfort to us. Jacob's deed of believing obedience
would lead to a blessing.

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12. The Toledoth of Jacob (37:2—50:26)

Church history.
The figure of Joseph is central in the history that follows. Don't forget that the issue is
the toledoth of Jacob or Israel, that is, the genesis and growth of the Church. From then
on the Church would be called Israel, the people of Jacob—even in the New Testament.
Therefore we may also call ourselves the new Israel and lay claim to the promises made
to the patriarchs. Around the Lamb are gathered the 144,000 drawn from the twelve
tribes of Israel (Rev. 7 and 14). The New Jerusalem bears the names of the twelve tribes
on its gates (Rev. 21:12).
What follows, then, is Church history; it is prophecy containing comfort for us. The
toledoth of Jacob continues right down to the present.

The lingering spirit of Cain.

In the last fourteen chapters of Genesis, human sinfulness rears its ugly head again and
again. If it had been up to the Church, salvation would never have dawned and the
promise would remain unfulfilled.
There is something of the spirit of Cain in Jacob's tents. Canaan is intent on swallowing
up the Church. Yet God is in control of all that is happening and so arranges things in His
electing freedom that even famine or an attack made on a brother can serve to protect
His Church and make it grow. God uses evil for the purpose of good so that a great
nation would be preserved (50:20).
At the end there is the prospect of the promised land. Dying Joseph declares: "God will
visit you, and bring you up out of the land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob" (50:24). Thus these chapters of Genesis should not be read as an
entertaining novel under the title From Slave to King. Rather, they tell us what God
chooses to do in spite o/the sin of the Church.
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Brother against brother.
The composition of Jacob's family made it unlikely that the twelve brothers would all get
along well together. Jacob's love for Rachel led to a special love for her son Joseph, to
whom he gave a beautiful garment, a long robe with sleeves.
Joseph made use of his special position to keep his father informed about the misdeeds
of his brothers. Furthermore, to his brothers he reported dreams in which he appeared
as ruling over them. This made his brothers hate him so much that they wanted to kill
him.
The opportunity presented itself one day when they were far from home. Reuben, the
oldest of the sons, wanted to spare Joseph by throwing him into a pit. (He planned to
return alone later and rescue him.) But at Judah's suggestion, Joseph was sold to some
merchants, who brought the "dreamer" to Egypt and in turn sold him to the captain of
Pharaoh's guard (ch. 37). Jacob was shown Joseph's robe dipped in goat's blood as
evidence that he had been killed by a wild beast.

Judah's family.
Before the story of Joseph is continued, we are told a few things about Judah and his

46
family. This, too, fits under the heading of the toledoth of Jacob. Princes were to be born
of Judah's line—and ultimately the Messiah. Yet we must not make the mistake of
supposing that this honor paid to Judah's line is a consequence of any noble behavior on
the part of Judah himself. Again we see that God goes ahead with His plans in spite of
man's sin.
Judah drifted away from his brothers and mingled with the Canaanites through marriage.
His son also took a Canaanite woman as his wife. Soon the Canaanite spirit, a spirit that
perverted sexual life, gained the upper hand in his family. The Bible speaks about this
matter in a straightforward, honest way. Because sexuality is a gift of God, sexual sins
must be exposed clearly for what they are.
[96]
Things finally went so far that Judah refused to give his daughter-in-law Tamar
(whose name means palm tree) to his son Shelah in marriage after she remained
childless in her marriage to his older son, who had left her a widow. Tamar eventually
tricked Judah into having sexual relations with her. Judah, who had mistaken her for a
prostitute, then became the father of her twins. Ultimately the deceived Judah had to
admit that Tamar was more in the right than he was in this sorry episode.
This might sound strange in the light of what Tamar had done, but we must bear in mind
that her actions manifested a strong desire for "seed" or posterity, a desire that
represented a response to the promise. Tamar is mentioned in Matthew 1 in the
genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Joseph's elevation in Egypt.

Sharply contrasted with Judah's shameful behavior is the conduct of Joseph in the house
of Potiphar. Joseph's uprightness led to his imprisonment. His life was full of ups and
downs.
Because of his ability to interpret dreams, he was presented to the Pharaoh, who was
having difficulty finding out what two of his dreams meant (ch. 40). Joseph, who had
been hauled out of prison for the occasion, asked God for help. He was then able to
inform Pharaoh that there was a long famine ahead. He also told him what had to be
done to prepare for it. Pharaoh was impressed and elevated Joseph to the position of
ruler over all the land of Egypt (ch. 40-41).
The Egyptian kings were usually very generous when it came to bestowing honors on
someone they favored. Thus the 30-year-old Joseph enjoyed a number of honors. In
addition to the Egyptian name Zaphenath-paneah (which includes the Egyptian word for
life), he was made the keeper of the royal seal (41:42), a father to Pharaoh (45:8), the
lord of Pharaoh's house and ruler over all the land of Egypt (41:40; 45:8), and ruler over
both upper and lower Egypt (41:41; 45:8).
[97]
This does not necessarily mean that Joseph was the only such ruler. Such titles were
bestowed on various highly placed officials. Joseph was only one of these officials, but he
did have a special task: he was commissioned to be the overseer of Pharaoh's stores of
grain (41:34, 40, 43, 56; 42:6). We could say that Pharaoh made Joseph one of his
ministers and gave him complete authority and responsibility in the area of food
supplies.
It is clear from various excavations that powerful Egyptians were often given a number
of titles by the kings, either as a favor or as a way of emphasizing the great
responsibilities they bore. In the light of discoveries that have been made, it now
appears that the honors conferred on Joseph were not unique.
Why was the royal family of Egypt so friendly to Joseph and later to his family as well?
Perhaps it was because both families were Asiatic in origin. Later the friendliness
disappeared, when there was a new dynasty made up of people who had not known
Joseph (Ex. 1:8).
Interpreters and preachers have often made Joseph a "type" of Christ in that- he was

47
humiliated and later exalted, thereby applying allegorical methods to the story of Joseph.
They point out that Joseph was imprisoned with two men (the butler and the baker), just
as Christ was crucified with two men (the penitent thief and the one who refused to
believe). However, any speculation that turns sinful human beings into "types" must be
rejected: at most we can speak of a typological connection between the suffering of the
righteous and the suffering of Christ, who fulfilled all the prophecies.

Joseph revealed to his brothers.

When the famine predicted by Joseph finally came, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy
grain, but he kept Benjamin at home. Joseph's mysterious encounter with the brothers
[98]
who had sold him into slavery is described for us in a vivid way. The lost brother
cast a long shadow: the brothers told Joseph, whom they did not recognize, that one of
their number was no longer alive (42:13). The nomadic visitors seemed unsure of
themselves at court; there was no disguising their confusion and awkwardness. Joseph
forced Simeon to remain behind and told the brothers that the next time they came they
were to bring along Benjamin, who was still very young when Joseph was sold into
slavery.
When the famine in Canaan finally forced them to return—as foreigners, Jacob and his
family could not expect to be included in the grain rationing in Canaan-Joseph put them
to the test by arresting Benjamin on some false charges (44:11-13). Would they now
give up another son of Rachel?
From the mouth of Judah, who had taken the initiative in selling Joseph into slavery, we
now hear a confession of guilt (44:16). Judah had guaranteed Benjamin's safety to his
anxious father before the departure from Canaan (43:9; 44:32). He made good his
promise by saying to Joseph: "Now therefore, let your servant, I pray you, remain
instead of the lad as a slave to my lord; and let the lad go back with his brothers"
(44:33).
Once Joseph saw that there was genuine sorrow about the sin committed against him
earlier, he revealed his identity. And because the famine was far from over, he invited
his entire family to come and live in Egypt (ch. 45).

Jacob in Egypt.
At the end of the book of Genesis we see Jacob, who was an old man by this time,
preparing himself for still another journey. In Beersheba, where Abraham had once built
an altar and Isaac had also sacrificed, he made an offering to the Lord. The Lord
appeared to him again—this time on the border of Canaan! He was given the sure
promise that Yahweh would be with him (and his posterity) and would bring him back
someday to the land of promise (46:1-4).
[99]
The 70 people of Jacob's family who came to Egypt settled down in the land of
Goshen. Because of the measures Joseph had taken to prepare for the famine, they were
well provided for (ch. 46-47).
Settling down in Egypt was necessary for the continued existence of Israel. From the
history of Judah's house and the events at Shechem, it was clear that the "holy seed"
would not survive in the long run in the face of Canaanite temptations. The lure of
worshiping blood and the land, Baal and Astarte, was too strong.
The point of these chapters in Genesis is not to give us the story of a man who was once
a shepherd boy, then was sold into slavery, and ultimately became a high government
official responsible for dealing with the famine. No, what we are shown here is that
Yahweh protects His people and abides by His promises.

Prophetic blessings.
That's why the book of Genesis ends with prophetic blessings in which we are given a
glimpse of what is to come. First Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph, whom he accepts
as his own sons (48:5), although Reuben and Simeon were in fact his first-born sons.

48
Jacob begins by mentioning the promise made to him at Bethel, and he also remembers
the death of Rachel at Ephrath, i.e. Bethlehem (48:3-7; see also 35:16-20).
When Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph, we are given another striking example of
the law of election at work: Ephraim, the younger brother, is given the blessing normally
reserved for the first-born (48:13-20). Jacob's faith is strong as he formulates the
patriarchal blessing:
The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has led me all my life long to this day,
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads;
and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my fathers Abraham
and Isaac;
[100]
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth (48:15-16).
Jacob concludes by speaking of the land. Thus there was no doubt in his mind about the
promise of the land. Later in the Bible we read: "By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed
each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff" (Heb. 11:21).

The promise to Judah.

When Jacob spoke his final words to all his sons, his prophetic faith did not desert him.
Here again we must focus our attention on the sovereign choices made by God. The
blessing was not given to Reuben, the first-born son. Nor did Simeon or Levi receive the
blessing of the first-born. It was Judah, whose record was far from clean, who was told:
"Your brothers shall praise you." Reuben, who had once had sexual relations with his
own father's concubine (35:22), would not be first among the brothers, nor would
Simeon or Levi, who were carried away at Shechem by their lust for revenge (ch. 34).
It was Judah who received the royal promise. In the King James Version we read that
the scepter would not depart from him "until Shiloh come." (This reference to "Shiloh" is
listed as an alternate reading in the Revised Standard Version.) "Shiloh" is to take over
the power in this world once and for all, but it is not clear just what the name itself
means. Does it mean rest, ox peace, ox justice, or perhaps dominion! In any event, it is
a definite reference to the Messiah. The Messiah is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev.
5:5).
The lion motif is still to be found in synagogues today. Yet this promise was already
realized in Christ, who brought the paradisal glory of which Jacob prophesied (49:11-12;
Rev. 19:13, 15). The Messiah was the one who would bring the Messianic deliverance for
which Jacob waited (49:18).
[101]
In the prophecies about the other sons, we are given a sketch of the later destinies
of the tribes. Zebulon did in fact come to live in the far north by the sea, and the mighty
judge Samson did indeed stem from the tribe of Dan (49:13, 16-17). Joseph's territory,
in what was later called Samaria, did turn out to be very fruitful, just as Jacob had
prophesied (49:22ff).
We should note that comparisons are made with plants and animals. (Yet, we can speak
of "totem animals" here only in a secondary, comparative sense.) The creation is
subordinated to God's Word of blessing over the tribes and nations. We must not
contrast "natural" blessings with "spiritual" blessings. God's gifts are one: nature is not
to be separated from grace.

Jacob's death.
After speaking these words rich in promise, Jacob gave the command that he was to be
buried in the old cave at Machpelah. His sons obeyed this order. At the end of Genesis,
then, our attention is once more directed toward Canaan.
Even Joseph, whose brothers once more asked for forgiveness after Jacob's death, gave
orders that his bones were to be carried along to the promised land when the time of the
exodus came. Joseph told his brothers: "God will visit you, and bring you out of this land

49
to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (50:21,24-5). God keeps
His Word faithfully!

The God of Genesis.

The ten toledoths of Genesis have shown us how the electing God of the covenant used
the doctrine of a Messianic future to hold on to His Church in the midst of life's
difficulties. In Hebrews we read:
These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having
seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were
strangers and exiles on the earth. Therefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God, for he has prepared for them a city (Heb. 11:13,16).
[102]
The God of Genesis is the God who will lead us into the new Paradise and the New
Jerusalem. "Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob" (Ps. 146:5).

50
[103]
Exodus
1. The Book of Israel's First Deliverance

A departure.
We now turn our attention to Exodus, the second book of the Bible. Of course we will
focus only on the main lines, for we must not lose sight of the forest as we look at all the
trees.
As children of the new covenant, we should be comforted and strengthened by our
reading of Exodus. It has been argued that Exodus was used by the early Christian
church as the basis for its program of instruction. This should not surprise us, for careful
examination reveals that there are a great many connections between Exodus and the
New Testament.
Exodus means a departure, a going out. It is no coincidence that Moses and Elijah spoke
to Jesus of His "departure" for Jerusalem when they appeared on the Mount of
Transfiguration (Luke 9:31). The blood of the Passover Lamb played an important role in
the deliverance from Egypt. The Passover was then established as a festival to celebrate
[104]
and commemorate Israel's great deliverance from the house of bondage in Egypt.
How is this reflected in the New Testament?

Christ as our Passover Lamb.

Christ is the ultimate Passover Lamb, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the
world (John 1:29, 36). Paul, too, points to Christ as our Passover Lamb (I Cor. 5:7).
Christ died at the time of the Passover festival. He was like a Passover lamb in that He
died without any of His bones being broken. Peter declares that we are ransomed "not
with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like
that of a lamb without blemish or spot" (I Pet. 1:18-19).

The blood of the covenant.

There are still more connections between Exodus and the New Testament. Exodus tells
us of the sealing of the covenant at Mount Sinai. This ceremony involved blood. "Behold
the blood of the covenant," Moses declared (24:8).
When Paul tells us how Christ instituted the Lord's supper, he reports that Jesus pointed
to the first covenant by way of the words He chose. He picked up the cup and said, "This
cup is the new covenant in my blood."
Christ's mission on earth was directly bound up with the history of the covenant people
in the Old Testament. He Himself emphasized this by referring often to the Old
Testament. Furthermore, the letters in the New Testament (e.g. Hebrews) assure us
repeatedly that Christ has brought the redemptive history of the Old Testament to a
climax. Through His blood, He instituted a new covenant.

Provisional deliverance.
From this point of view it quickly becomes apparent that what we read about in Exodus
is the provisional deliverance of the people of God, the Church. In the light of the
revelation that came later, we must read Exodus in the awareness that all was fulfilled
[105]
in Christ. What we read in the second book of the Bible has to do with the
deliverance of the Church—then and now.
At the Passover meal, Jews today still declare: "We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt, and
the Lord our God brought us forth from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched
arm." He brought us forth! Thus the Jews are well aware that the deliverance from Egypt
involves them personally. Because ancient Israel lives on in the Church today (the new
Israel), we may also declare: "We were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought
us forth with His mighty hand."

51
Exodus themes in Revelation.
When you read the book of Revelation, you find that it contains a great deal that initially
strikes you as strange. But if you are familiar with the book of Exodus, you will
immediately sense how much Revelation draws on Exodus.
Jesus Christ (the Lamb) is central to the book of Revelation. The woman (the Church) is
fed in the wilderness, just as Israel was fed for 40 years in the desolate wilderness (Rev.
12). By the sea of glass the song of Moses is sung, just as the children of Israel sang on
the bank of the Red Sea after Pharaoh and his armies drowned in the swirling waters.
Furthermore, the plagues in Revelation bear a strong resemblance to the plagues with
which the tormented king of Egypt was afflicted: compare what we read in Revelation 8,
9 and 16 with the story of the ten plagues as recorded in Exodus.

Exodus and our own destiny.

I have pointed to these connections with the New Testament before going into Exodus
itself in order to make a certain point: at stake in the events recorded in this book is our
own destiny. Exodus is not an account of the history of some foreign nation in which we
[106]
have a passing interest. If we were to study the history of Tibet, for example, we
might well find it interesting. Yet, if we are North Americans or Africans, Tibet's history
does not affect us directly. In a certain sense this could even be said of the history of our
own country. The deeds of all those strange forefathers do not always concern us.
But this should not be our attitude toward Biblical history. The toledoth of heaven and
earth must be read as the history of "our" heaven and earth. The "births" of Adam give
us the history of our ancestors—something that should concern us intensely. This is also
true of Israel's exodus from Egypt and the covenant made with the Lord. The ultimate
issue is our deliverance from the house of bondage and our covenant with the Lord.
He sent Moses his servant,
and Aaron whom he had chosen
(Ps. 105:26).
2. The Struggle Begins

Israel's future leader.

We read first of the difficult position of the Israelites in Egypt. As a minority, these
"displaced persons" were severely oppressed. But the Lord raised up a deliverer—Moses.
If there is one thing made clear to us in Exodus, it is that all salvation comes from the
Lord. Again and again man's plans collapse—but the Lord opens new doors!
The emergence of Moses as Israel's leader illustrates this. His life hung by a slender
thread. Although his parents had devised a clever plan to spare his life in the face of
Pharaoh's edict that all male babies born to the Israelites were to be put to death, it was
really the Lord who made the plan succeed. In Exodus 2 we read the story of Moses in
his basket of bullrushes, which was in effect a little ark.
[107]
When Moses receives a position at the court and is instructed in all sorts of
wisdom, the Lord is preparing him for the task he is later to be given. But he will carry
out his assignment only when God says it is time. Moses makes a premature attempt to
become the deliverer of his people (2:11ff), but he fails and is forced to flee. His own
people do not trust him (Acts 7:23-9,35).
Moses goes to Midian to live and marries a daughter of the priest Jethro. He remains
there for 40 years as a shepherd in the wilderness. This, too, is a preparation for the
office he is later to assume.

The burning bush.

The Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush when he was looking after the flocks at
Horeb, the southern end of the Sinai peninsula. He reminded Moses of the promise made

52
to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (3:6, 15; see also 6:2-7). He explained that He had now
"come down" to deliver Israel from the hand of the Egyptian oppressors and would lead
Israel to Canaan. Moses was to be the means by which the Lord led Israel out of Egypt.
What was Moses' response to this good news? He used all the excuses he could think of
to escape his assignment. He raised all sorts of objections and questions.
His first objection was: Who am I? In other words, Moses was afraid he would not be up
to such a task. The Lord responded by declaring: "But I will be with you; and this shall
be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of
Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain" (3:12).

God's covenant name.

Moses' second question was: Who are You? In other words: What is Your name? What
sort of God are You? God's answer was: "I AM WHO I AM." Moses was to say to the
children of Israel: "I AM has sent me to you." By virtue of this declaration by God, the
[108]
Israelites are permitted to call Him YHWH, i.e. Yahweh (spelled Jehovah in some
translations), which means HE IS.
This name refers not to the Lord's eternity but to His being with Israel, His presence as a
bringer of blessing or punishment. What the name teaches us is that God is faithful. He
does not change, but keeps all the promises made to the patriarchs. Thus Moses was
simply to make his mission known to the elders of Israel and to the Pharaoh.

An unwilling freedom fighter.

Moses argued thirdly that the people would not believe him. God responded to this
objection by giving Moses the power to do wonders. Moses then presented his fourth
argument, namely, that he lacked the eloquence and rhetorical abilities for such a task.
The Lord answered by saying, "I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall
speak" (4:12). Finally, Moses begged God to send someone else instead. God responded
by telling Moses that his brother Aaron would do the talking for him.
Thus you can see that Israel has no right whatsoever to depict Moses as a hero of
superhuman proportions who drew on his immense abilities and dynamic personality to
lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Here, as elsewhere, the Bible is painfully honest in
showing us the weaknesses and shortcomings of its central figures. Even in the very
presence of God, Moses dared to offer one excuse after the other. It was against his will,
then, that he became a freedom fighter. There is no room for boasting, as Paul was to
put it later (Rom. 3:27).

An unwilling people.
But what about the Israelites? Moses was already afraid they would not listen to him.
When Moses and Aaron made an attempt to free them, it quickly became apparent that
the people did not possess the gift of perseverance (see Ex. 5).
[109]
Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh's permission for the people of Israel to go out into
the wilderness to hold a feast to Yahweh. Although they had said nothing about a full
liberation of Israel, Pharaoh responded harshly by increasing the burden the Israelites
had to bear. Pharaoh is an Old Testament Herod; he represents the seed of the serpent,
which seeks to kill the seed of the woman.
Now that the attempt at liberation had failed, the Israelite leaders complained to Moses
and Aaron that they had only provided Pharaoh with a sword to kill the Israelites. It
appeared that the prophet Moses was not being honored in his own land. That's how it
has always gone with the prophets: they are rejected by their own people. We will see
another example of this when we study Jeremiah. And we all know how Christ was
rejected by His own people.

No room for boasting.

No, the Israelites had no right to point to themselves and declare proudly that they had

53
freed themselves from the Egyptian yoke! Again and again there was opposition to the
leadership of Moses—even after the Israelites had left Egypt. There was scarcely any
respite from the grumbling and complaining. Even before they reached the Red Sea, the
tiresome refrain began: "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken
us away to die in the wilderness?" (14:11). As long as the Israelites were in the
wilderness, the complaining continued. You can easily find your own examples by paging
through Exodus.
It was the Lord who led His people out of Egypt. He acted out of sovereign love, for
Israel did not deserve such treatment. "Not because of your righteousness or the
uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land." God would give Israel
[110]
the land of Canaan "that he may confirm the word which the LORD swore to your
fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Deut. 9:5-6). Once more we see that there
is no room for boasting.

A further revelation.
Before we go further and examine the ten plagues and the destruction of Pharaoh's army
in the Red Sea, we must focus our attention on the revelation recorded for us in the
sixth chapter of Exodus, where we find some words that are liable to be misunderstood.
In this chapter the Lord reveals Himself anew to Moses, who has just suffered a defeat at
the hands of Pharaoh. He refers to Himself by the name LORD (Yahweh) and declares: "I
appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty [Hebrew: El Shaddai],
but by my name the LORD [Yahweh] I did not make myself known to them" (vs. 3).
As we read this, we ask ourselves: "What is that supposed to mean?" Much earlier in the
Bible we read that men already began to call on the name of the LORD in the days of Seth
(Gen. 4:26), and that Abram also did so (Gen. 12:8). Could the name Yahweh have been
unknown in earlier times?
Of course not. But when this passage in Exodus speaks of God's "name," the word name
refers to a revelation of an essence. Yahweh was certainly known to Moses as a word, for
his mother's name (Jochebed) was closely related to it. The word was already known,
then, but God would now show that He was and is Yahweh, that is, the one who is
faithful and unchanging. Think of what Jesus once said when He prayed not just as High
Priest but also as King and Prophet: "I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou
gavest me out of the world" (John 17:6).

More objections.
In Exodus 6 we again see Moses raising objections, arguing that he is "of uncircumcised
[111]
lips" (vs. 12, 30). And when Moses brings the Israelites his message of exodus
from Egypt and entry into Canaan, the dispirited people, dejected by all the additional
drudgery imposed on them, refuse to listen. Yet the Lord goes right on encouraging
Moses. Moses must seek another audience with Pharaoh and negotiate with him further.
Pharaoh's heart will be hardened, but the Lord will strike Egypt with great wonders and
judgments so that Israel will finally be able to depart.
When I see the blood,
I will pass over you... (12:13).

3. Deliverance through Divine Judgment

Nine plagues.
Aaron prepared Pharaoh for what was to come by performing a miracle at the court: he
turned his staff into a serpent. Pharaoh's magicians were able to duplicate this feat, but
Aaron's serpent devoured the other serpents. This was certainly a suitable sign for
Egyptians, since serpents always played a large role in their thinking.
When this sign failed to change Pharaoh's mind, the ten successive plagues struck the
entire Egyptian nation. We can see a certain intensification in these plagues. The first

54
two plagues could be duplicated by the Egyptian magicians, but not the later ones (8:18-
19). It appeared that Yahweh was more powerful than Egypt's gods. The plagues as a
whole must be viewed as a judgment on those gods (12:12; Num. 33:4).
We see further that the Lord made the judgment more severe with each plague. But
Pharaoh became ever more stubborn as he hardened his heart. Repeatedly Moses had to
pray for an end to the plagues. A few times Pharaoh admitted that he had been wrong
[112]
and agreed to let the people go under certain conditions. But once the plague
Mopped, he changed his mind. Not even the fact that the Israelites were spared some of
the plagues made an impression on him. He hardened his heart—and the Lord hardened
his heart.

The tenth plague.

Finally the last plague came. The Lord had told Moses to say to Pharaoh: "Thus says the
LORD, Israel is my first-born son, and I say to you, 'Let my son go, that he may serve
me'; if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your first-born son" (4:22-3). This
gives us a proper understanding of the tenth plague. Pharaoh's offense was against
Israel, the son of God. Elsewhere in Scripture God declared: "Out of Egypt I called my
son" (Hos. 11:1). Because the Egyptians would not let God's first-born son go, they
would have to mourn their own firstborn sons.
This last plague did not strike Israel, the first-born son. But we should not say, "Of
course not!" If Israel was called the son of God, it was only because of God's gracious
willingness to forgive sins. If the Lord were to bring His people into court, it would
quickly become apparent that Israel also deserved to be struck by the most horrible
plagues.

The Passover.
To symbolize this, the Lord established the Passover—in commemoration of the time
when He "passed over" the Israelites. In each household, the father was ordered to
sacrifice a lamb (or a young goat). The lamb would have to be a male, about one year
old and without any flaws or blemishes. After it was slaughtered, some of its blood would
be spread on the doorposts and the lintel of the house. On a certain night, the Lord
would then come to Egypt to kill the first-born sons. "When I see the blood, I will pass
[113]
over you" (12:13). We are reminded of the occasion when a young ram was
sacrificed in Isaac's place. In both instances, reconciliation was achieved by substituting
some other blood.
The Lord then decreed that this Passover ceremony was to be repeated each year on a
certain date (the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan). Just as the Reformed churches
recognize baptism and communion as the two sacraments sealing Christ's redemptive
work, Israel had the "sacraments" of circumcision and the Passover. The Israelites were
to eat their Passover lamb together with some biscuits made without yeast as a way of
remembering their hasty departure from Egypt. To this day, the unleavened bread eaten
by Jews is still being sold (under the name matzah). There was to be no yeast in this
bread because yeast or leaven was a symbol for sin (see Luke 12:1; Mark 8:15; and
Matt. 16:11). Paul declares that Christ is the Passover Lamb slaughtered for our sakes
and therefore demands that we do away with the old leaven—malice and evil (I Cor. 5:7-
8).
Each year the Israelites were to celebrate the Passover, so that the great deeds of God
would not be forgotten. The feast was to last seven days. (Seven is a holy number.) The
father, whose task it was to serve as priest in this celebration, would explain the
meaning of the feast (see 12:26-7; 13:8-10). When the Jews of our time celebrate the
Passover, it is their custom to have one of the children ask a series of questions which
are then answered by the father. Through its Passover tradition, Israel obeyed the com-
mand to keep the memory of the exodus alive. What the Jews of our time fail to see is
that Christ is the Passover Lamb who washes away the sins of the world in His blood.

55
The consecration of the first-born.
Before we discuss the exodus further, we must focus our attention on one other
command. The Passover feast was not the only means used by the Lord to make the
Israelites understand that they were to live solely by God's free grace. He gave an ad-
[114]
ditional command intended to make them aware of this: The first-born among men
and domestic animals—if they were males—would have to be consecrated to the Lord.
In the case of animals, this meant that the first-born would have to be sacrificed. If the
animal in question was a donkey, a lamb could be offered in its place. If the donkey itself
was sacrificed—donkeys were not normally used for sacrifices—its neck would have to be
broken. The horse, which was not an animal used for sacrifice either, posed no problem,
for the Israelites had no horses.
What about the first-born human beings? Did they have to be sacrificed too? No, a
payment could be made for them instead. Actually, the first-born sons were to be con-
secrated to the Lord either as a sacrifice or as servants in the sanctuary. Yet, through
the payment of a certain sum of money, they could be freed of this obligation.
Later the Lord designated the tribe of Levi to serve Him in the temple in place of the
first-born. "Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of
every first-born that opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be
mine, for all the first-born are mine" (Num. 3:12-13).
No doubt you're familiar with the story of the presentation of Jesus in the temple (Luke
2:22-4). Rembrandt made a famous painting of this scene. Many people believe that the
ceremony performed on this occasion was Jesus' circumcision. But that's not the case;
the circumcision had already taken place on the eighth day after His birth. No, on this
occasion in the temple Mary was bringing an offering for her purification. At the same
time, five shekels were paid to free Jesus, as the first-born, from the duty of serving in
the temple.
Christ was freed from serving as a priest in the order of Aaron, so that He could become
a priest after the order of Melchizedek. It's an interesting thought that the one who came
to pay for our sins, the one who bought us, first had to pay a certain sum of money to
be freed of duty in the earthly temple.
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Salvation and obedience.
Unfortunately, the Israelites did not always understand the purpose of all these decrees
in which the Lord demonstrated His grace. They faithfully celebrated the Passover and
abided by all the laws connected with it. But they made the mistake of supposing that
their salvation could be based on their obedience to these laws. Thereby they lost sight
of the meaning of the Passover. It was Christ who restored the meaning of the Passover.
There is no room for boasting on our part, then, for salvation comes to us as a gracious
and undeserved gift from God. If we must boast, let us boast of God's grace so freely
bestowed on us. Praise the Lord, who redeems your life from the Pit!
Yet God my King is from of old (Ps. 74:12).

4. Across the Red Sea and the Wilderness

Complete liberation from bondage.

God's way is not always the shortest way. The Israelites found this out when they left
Egypt. Pharaoh had finally let them go. But they did not proceed directly to Canaan, the
land of promise. To avoid a struggle with other nations in the vicinity, they went in the
direction of the Red Sea (also called the Sea of Reeds).
They were equipped for what lay ahead, and they had the bones of Joseph with them
(13:17-19). The Lord went before them like a shepherd, in a pillar of cloud by day and a

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pillar of fire by night.
Despite the Lord's presence, the Israelites soon got into difficulties. They were encamped
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between the sea on the one side and the wilderness on the other. Pharaoh heard
about this and seized on it as an opportunity to force his runaway slaves to return.
It was a horrible moment for the Israelites when they caught sight of Pharaoh
approaching with his army. But at this juncture the Lord demonstrated His faithfulness
and rescued His people. He told Moses to stretch out his staff over the sea. An east wind
opened a path through which the Israelites could cross the sea, with Pharaoh and his
soldiers right behind them.
The chariots of the Egyptians got stuck in the sand. The pillar of cloud then came
between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Yahweh was fighting on Israel's side! Thanks
to His help, the Israelites reached the other side in safety. Moses again stretched out his
staff over the sea. The water rushed back, and Pharaoh and his soldiers drowned.
The Israelites were now free of Pharaoh once and for all and would not have to return to
Egypt after celebrating their festival in the wilderness. The drowning of Pharaoh sealed
Israel's complete liberation from the house of bondage in Egypt. The Lord had given a
demonstration of His kingly power.

The song of Moses.

Israel's deliverance from Pharaoh's army became the occasion for a joyful song sung by
Miriam, the sister of Moses. Moses himself also broke into song:
I will sing to the LORD,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider
he has thrown into the sea (15:1).
Moses concluded his song with the words: "The LORD will reign for ever and ever"
(15:18). We could also translate these words: "The LORD is King for ever and ever." The
latter translation brings out the idea of the kingship of Yahweh more clearly.
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The conclusion of Moses' song is important because the thought expressed in it
was a prevalent theme in Israel's songs of praise. The amazing revelation of the kingship
of Yahweh, the God of Israel, began with the wonders of Egypt and the exodus through
the Red Sea.
This song of Moses could therefore be continued when songs were needed later for
services in the temple. Think of the so-called royal psalms, i.e. 93, 95-99. There we read
repeatedly that the Lord rules, that He is King. These declarations echo the song of
6
Moses.

The basis of Israel's hope.

The exodus from Egypt by way of the Red Sea was fundamental to Israel's hope for the
future. The God who turned the sea into dry land would rule forever (Ps. 66). The
deliverance in the exodus story was an abiding comfort to Israel. Surely the Lord could
deliver Israel again!
Much later, when the Israelites were in exile, they sang:
Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of old,
the generations of long ago. Was it not thou that didst cut Rahab [i.e. Egypt] in

6
Gispen's commentary on Exodus in the "Korte Verklaring" series lists some of these passages:
verse 1 (Ps. 66:6; 68:18; 106:12), verse 2 (Ps. 118:14, 21, 28), verse 3 (Ps. 24:8), verse 4 (Ps.
136:15), verses 5-17 (Ps. 78:52-4), verses 5-13 (Ps. 77:14-20), verses 5-16 (Ps. 106:11), verse
7 (Ps. 78:49), verse 8(Ps. 78:13), verse 11 (Ps. 66:3,5; 78:4,12; 86:8), verses 13-17 (Ps. 44:2,
4; 74:2), verse 17 (Ps. 80:9, 16), verse 18 (Ps. 146:10).

57
 pieces,
that didst pierce the dragon? Was it not thou that didst dry up the sea,
the waters of the great deep; that didst make the depths of the sea a way
for the redeemed to pass over? And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing (Is. 51:9-11).
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Thus the exiles in Babylon proclaimed the gospel of the Exodus: your God is King
(see Is. 52:7).

Baptism and the Red Sea.

These words are reminiscent of the prayers that often precede baptism. In Luther's
prayer book of 1523, Israel's dramatic deliverance at the Red Sea is mentioned explicitly
in connection with baptism: "And drowned the unrepentant Pharaoh and all his men in
the Red Sea, and led Your people Israel through the sea on dry ground, so that in future
this would signify Your holy baptism "
How is it that this connection is made in a baptismal prayer? Paul writes that our fathers
were all "baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (I Cor. 10:2). The waters
opened a path for the Church and at the same time swallowed up its anti-Christian
enemies. Thus baptism in Christ, the Mediator of the new covenant, is a sign of the
washing away of sins and the exodus through which we are saved.
The important point, which is taught both by Israel's history and I Corinthians 10, is that
we must fix our hopes solely on the God of this baptism. We must not forget that
although the Israelites were "baptized" and ate manna in the wilderness, almost all of
them perished on the way to Canaan because of their murmuring. Only those who per-
severe will stand on the shore of the sea of glass, singing the song of Moses and the
Lamb:
How great and wonderful are all your works,
Lord God Almighty;
just and true are all your ways,
King of nations (Rev. 15:3 JB).

Learning to live by grace.

The primary purpose of the wilderness journey is well known—Sinai. But another pur-
pose was to teach the Israelites to live by grace. The wilderness was just the place to
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learn this, for there they would be without the usual comforts. The Lord would put
His people to the test to make them humble and to see whether they were willing to live
by His Word alone.
The Lord made His intentions known in no uncertain terms: "If you will diligently hearken
to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed
to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you
which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer" (15:26). Keep these
words in mind as you read about Israel's ups and downs, such as Marah (15:23), the
sending of the manna (ch. 16), Massah and Meribah (17:1-7), the struggle against
Amalek (17:8-16), and the events at Sinai when the law was given. Think also of the
events described in Numbers 11,13-14, and 16.
Again and again it became apparent that the Israelites did not want to live by grace.
Instead, they rebelled against the fatherly leading of Yahweh and refused to recognize
Him as King and Healer.

A prefiguration of Christ.
To make sure we do not lose sight of the connections between Exodus and other parts of
the Bible, I must say more about the manna and about Amalek. Christ turned a small
amount of bread into a great deal of bread, just as the prophet Elisha had done earlier
(II Kings 4:42-4). But this miracle was not enough for the Jews who wanted a sign. After
they had eaten, they said thoughtlessly: "Then what sign do you do, that we may see,

58
and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the
wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat' " (John 6:30-1). In
other words, if Christ would only give a sign along the lines of Moses' signs, they would
believe in Him.
Christ answered this brutal request for a sign, for a piece of irrefutable proof, by telling
them that the Father gives the true bread from heaven. "Your fathers ate the manna in
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the wilderness, and they died. I am the living bread which came down from
heaven" (John 6:32, 48-51). Here Christ proclaimed Himself to be greater than Moses
and promised that anyone who ate the bread of which He spoke would live forever. The
manna in the wilderness was a prophecy pointing to the work of Christ. Hence Paul
declares that the Israelites ate Spiritual food in the wilderness 0 Cor. 10:3).

The Amalekites.
What about the Amalekites? This nomadic tribe attacked Israel from the rear. When
Moses made an appeal to God's amazing power by holding out his staff, the Israelites
fighting under Joshua's command won the battle. The hand (of Moses and Israel) was on
the throne of the Lord, who helps His people and will continue to help them! (17:8-16).
Because the Amalekites had behaved so treacherously, the Lord told Moses to record
what had happened—he must have been keeping a diary of some sort—so that Joshua
and the coming generations would not forget to make war against Amalek relentlessly
(see Deut. 25:17-19).
Later Saul and David had to defend themselves against this nomadic tribe (I Sam. 15;
27:8; 30; II Sam. 8:12). Still later we find Amalek playing a role in the story of Esther.
Esther and her uncle Mordecai were descended from the same family as King Saul
(Esther 2:5). But their great enemy Haman was an Agagite (Esther 3:1), a descendant
of the royal house of the Amalekites. (The Amalekite king bore the title Agag.) The old
struggle against Amalek here flared up again. Actually, the struggle was between the
seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. If you bear this in mind, you will gain a
much better understanding of the book of Esther.
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He declares his word to Jacob,

his statutes and ordinances to Israel
(Ps. 147:19).

5. Israel at Sinai

The mount of God.

When you travel east across the Red Sea, a mountain becomes visible on the horizon at
a certain point. According to the tradition, this mountain is the Horeb or Sinai of the
book of Exodus. In the Bible it is also called the mount of God. It was there that Moses
saw the Lord in the burning bush, and it was there that a great miracle occurred: the
Lord appeared to His people for a special purpose. When the prophet Elijah was in the
depths of despair during King Ahab's days because of Israel's abandonment of her
covenant obligations, he fled to the mount of God. It was there that he made his
complaints known to God (I Kings 19:8ff).
Sinai is the place where the Lord solemnly entered into a covenant with His people. "I
am the LORD your God." Mount Horeb is the place where the law of the ten com-
mandments was proclaimed, the place where Moses, as a true mediator or intermediary,
spoke to the Lord face to face.
When the Israelites pitched their tents at Sinai, the Lord decreed that no one was to
climb the mountain or even walk on its slopes. The people were commanded to con-
secrate themselves and prepare to meet God, for God Himself would descend to meet

59
them. The Lord revealed Himself to them in an awesome display of power over nature.
The mountain smoked and quaked, and trumpet blasts from a ram's horn filled the air.

The God of Sinai.

We find many allusions to this revelation at Sinai in later Scripture. In Psalm 68:8-9,
[122]
reference is made to the earthquake at Sinai. In the prayer of Habakkuk, the Lord
is portrayed as the God who exercises control over nature (Hab. 3). In Psalm 18 we see
the same thing: deliverance from the hand of the enemy is to come through some
natural catastrophe sent by Yahweh.
The God of Sinai is a terrible God. On Mount Horeb He also revealed Himself to Elijah in
a mighty wind, an earthquake, a fire, and a still, small voice (I Kings 19:1 Iff). When we
read what the prophets have to say about the "day of the Lord," that is, a day of
judgment, their language and comparisons remind us of the revelations at Sinai. Even
the events accompanying the death of Christ (Matt. 27:51) and Christ's description of
the fate awaiting Jerusalem make us think of what happened at Sinai. Finally, the
amazing book of Revelation repeatedly speaks of thunder and lightning issuing from the
throne of God (Rev. 4:5; 6:1; 8:5; 10:3; 11:9; 14:2; 16:18).
The Lord is and remains the God who appeared at Sinai. He is the God who revealed
Himself to Abraham in a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passing between the two
halves of slaughtered sacrificial animals (Gen. 15:17). What Abraham saw was already a
prophecy of the journey through the wilderness—think of the pillar of fire—and the
events at Sinai.
Is the Lord a God of nature, then? Let's put it this way: He is not a nature god like Baal
and Hadad and the other gods of rain and weather worshiped by the Canaanites. He is a
God who stands above nature, who governs the creation, who can call on natural forces
to serve Him as He reveals Himself to man in His Word. The important thing has always
been that the Lord spoke to His people at Sinai (see Heb. 12:18ff).
The people were not destroyed by the sound of His voice: they survived. However
frightening the Lord may be as a holy God, He is also gracious, dealing with His people in
a loving way. Just as Moses heard God speaking in the burning bush at Horeb and
[123]
survived, Israel survived its encounter with God. "Out of heaven he let you hear his
voice, that he might discipline you; and on earth he let you see his great fire, and you
heard his words out of the midst of the fire. Know therefore this day, and lay it to your
heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no
other" (Deut. 4:36, 39).

Borne on eagles' wings.

What was the purpose of the words spoken by God? The purpose is clear from Exodus
19:3-8, which was to be read in the worship service each time the law itself was read.
Blessed is the congregation that sees the connection between the "law" and this "in-
troduction" to the law, in which the Lord speaks some beautiful words full of comfort for
His people. "You have seen how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself,"
i.e. to Sinai, the mount of God. "Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my
covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine,
and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation," i.e. a nation consecrated
to God.
Aren't these beautiful assurances? When we hear the word law, we picture in our minds
a harsh dictator issuing command after command, rule after rule. The word law
immediately makes us think of oppressive restrictions. But to the Israelite, law (Hebrew:
torah) actually meant teaching, something that directs our steps through life. The
teachings and directions for our journey through life come from the gracious God who
delivered us from slavery and saved our lives.
The art of ancient Egypt often included the wings of an eagle, sometimes attached to the
sun. We find this motif in Assyrian art as well. And in the heraldry of both Germany and

60
the U.S.A. we find eagles.
In their years in the wilderness, the Israelites had plenty of opportunity to observe
eagles and vultures giving flying lessons to their young who had not yet mastered this
art.
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The Lord now revealed Himself through this very metaphor. In a song at the end of
his life, Moses declared:
Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,
that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them,
bearing them on its pinions, the LORD alone did lead him [i.e. Israel],
and there was no foreign god with him (Deut. 32:11-12).
This metaphor also occurs in the New Testament. The "woman" in Revelation 12 (i.e. the
Church) is given the wings of an eagle and is thereby enabled to escape the dragon by
fleeing into the wilderness. This shows us what a great role the introduction to the law
plays in the New Testament.

The Lord's possession.

The early Christian church was well acquainted with this section of Scripture. This is ap-
parent also from the fact that other sentences from this "introduction" are cited in the
New Testament. Think of the expression "a kingdom of priests" and Israel's new name—
"the LORD'S possession." How rich in meaning these terms are!
The Church is the property of the Lord, His "possession." In Deuteronomy this theme
also comes up repeatedly (see 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; see also Ps. 74:2; 135:4). When Paul
took leave of the leaders of the church at Ephesus, he spoke of the "church of God,
which he obtained with the blood of his own Son" (Acts 20:28). Thus the Church became
God's possession, according to Paul. Elsewhere he writes that Christ "gave himself for us
to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own" (Titus 2:14).
We also find Peter using such language: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, God's own people" (I Pet. 2:9).

The heart of the Pentateuch.

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God's words introducing the "law" have been called the heart and central theme of
the five books of Moses, a revelation of the essence and purpose of God's covenant.
That's why the Scriptures of the new covenant point back to these words so often. Think
of the salutation we read in Revelation 1: "To him who loves us and has freed us from
our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
The writers of the New Testament were well aware that this introduction to the law,
which gives expression to its essence and central emphasis, is pure gospel. This point is
significant for our view of the law. At Sinai the Lord did indeed reveal Himself in His
overwhelming majesty (see Heb. 12:18ff), but at the same time He made Himself known
as Israel's Deliverer and Redeemer. He is not a grim tyrant or an unrelenting
taskmaster; He is a faithful Father who freed Israel from slavery and accepted him as
His child. That's why the law begins with such evangelical words: "I am the LORD your
God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" (20:2).

Law and grace.

The law is founded in God's grace. We are to obey the law out of gratitude. The Lord
shows His Church how we may and must respond to His love with our love. The Ten
Words or ten commandments can be summed up as: "Love God and love your
neighbor."
The form in which the law was given is indeed bound up with the conditions under which
Israel lived in the ancient Near East. We, who live so much later in history, do not
worship graven images, and we have no slaves. Nor is it likely that we covet our

61
neighbor's donkey. But the sinful inclinations that come to the fore in these examples of
wrongdoing are a definite part of our lives today. Think of such evils as manmade
religion (the graven images of the second commandment), the lack of social awareness
on the part of many people (slaves), and coveting what belongs to others.
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The Ten Words show us how to serve the Lord in a concrete way in the various
areas of life. The prophets and apostles referred repeatedly to these ten commandments
(see Jer. 7:9; Hosea 4:2; Zech. 5:3; Rom. 7:7; 13-9; I John 2:7-11). They form the
foundation of God's covenantal law.

6. The Book of the Covenant

The Mosaic laws.

All of us, no doubt, are well aware that we are to live by the ten commandments. But
what about the laws that follow Exodus 20? Surely all those decrees about offerings and
cleansings do not apply to us today! After all, we no longer celebrate the great Day of
Atonement or the Feast of Tabernacles.

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This question is sometimes answered by declaring that the ten commandments are
valid for us while all the cultic and civil laws apply to Israel alone. Unfortunately, it's not
quite as simple as that. We must not posit such a gulf between the ten commandments
(the decalogue) and all the other laws. On the contrary, there is a close connection
between them. We could illustrate this connection by way of the diagram on the
preceeding page:
The Word of the Lord as recorded in 19:3-6 forms the heart of the law (1). Israel is a
priestly kingdom of the Lord. The Lord in His sovereign grace has carried Israel on His
wings. Now the people are called to show their obedience to God in the covenant.
Closely connected with this central idea, as a circle surrounding it, are the ten
commandments or Ten Words of the covenant (2). But these commandments are in turn
bound up with the so-called "book of the covenant" (3), which we find in 20:22—23:33.
It was on the basis of this book that the Lord made His covenant with Israel.
The important point to note is that this "book of the covenant" is not something separate
from the ten commandments. No, it is instead an application of these commandments to
the Israel of that time. The book of the covenant thus forms a greater circle surrounding
the ten commandments.
Next comes the circle of the second book of the covenant (4), which the Israelites
received after they worshiped the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. And what about
the rest of the laws? They can be regarded as the next concentric circles (5 and 6). In
these laws too, the Ten Words are worked out in a concrete way that bears specifically
on Israel's historical situation. These laws give detailed directions about worship, social

62
life, family life, and so forth.
[128]
The law as a schoolmaster.
Of course we are not to conclude that we are still obliged to live by all those laws today.
That would simply be impossible. Some of the laws apply only to the time when Israel
was in the wilderness on the way to the promised land. Others relate to practices of that
era that have since been given up (e.g. polygamy). We may not follow the ordinances
with regard to sacrifices, since Christ, through His sacrificial death on the cross, has once
and for all done away with the need to offer sacrifices.
Many of the ordinances were intended to help Israel grow up as a nation. The law was to
be a schoolmaster leading Israel to Christ, pointing to the Messiah. Despite these
limitations, the Mosaic laws provide us with a lot of rich material for preaching. They
show us how the Lord expects us to live by His commandments. Even the rules no longer
applicable to our times point to the coming of the One who fulfilled the law scrupulously
and completely (see Belgic Confession, Article 25).

Applying the ten commandments.

But now we return for a moment to the "book of the covenant." I'm afraid that even the
most faithful Bible readers have no idea what this book of the covenant is all about. The
laws it contains are simply not popular.
We have no right to skip over these words of God. We must read them carefully,
preferably with a pencil in hand. The Bible, after all, is a "workbook." When you
recognize one of those laws as an application or elaboration of one of the ten
commandments, you could underline it or perhaps mark the number of the
commandment next to it.
Suppose you were to study 22:21ff with your pencil in hand. How gracious the Lord is to
support widows and orphans in time of trouble and to serve as their protector! What a
beautiful rule we read in 23:1-3! We must not follow the crowd, for the majority is not
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always right. Nor must we allow sympathy to lead us to the conclusion that a
certain person's cause is just or that the poor are always in the right. No, each and every
case must be decided on its own merits.
In 21:32 we read that the price of a slave is 30 shekels of silver. This is exactly what
Judas was paid for betraying Christ (see Zech. 11:12-13). Thus Christ was appraised as
equal in value to a slave!

Laws governing worship.

The book of the covenant deals not only with so-called social and civic matters but also
with worship. The Israelites were to celebrate three feasts each year. We have already
discussed the Passover Feast. The Feast of Weeks or Feast of Pentecost was to be
celebrated after the completion of the wheat harvest. Finally, there was the Feast of
Tabernacles, which came at the end of the Israelite year, in our month of October
(23:14ff). Later laws were to give even more specific directions for these festivals.
It appears that 23:20-33 is part of the book of the covenant; it contains promises that
bear on the rest of the journey through the wilderness and the entry into Canaan. Israel
must trust in the Lord and make no covenants with her enemies.

7. The Covenant Ceremony

The ratification of the covenant.

The contents of the "book of the covenant" were communicated to Moses while he was
on the mountain. Then he came down and passed on to the people what he had been
told. They, in turn, promised to abide by the words and laws of the Lord. He also took
the time to write down everything he had heard. Here the fine education he had received
in Egypt stood him in good stead.

63
[130]
Now an event of great significance took place: at the foot of Mount Sinai, the
people entered into a covenant with the Lord. An altar was erected, surrounded by
twelve pillars. As soon as you see the number twelve, you think of the twelve tribes of
Israel. Twelve was Israel's number. Christ had twelve apostles, and the New Jerusalem
in Revelation has twelve gates. This is also the reason why Elijah built an altar of twelve
stones (I Kings 18:31-2).
Sacrifices were brought. Half the blood of the sacrificed animals was thrown against the
altar. Around the altar stood twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The
altar was consecrated through this blood. By means of sacrificial blood shed for the sake
of reconciliation, the Lord sought communion with His sinful people.

Blood as a seal.
What happened to the rest of the blood? First Moses read the book of the covenant to
the people once more. He had written everything down carefully in a codex. Was Israel
still in agreement? He was given the same answer as before: "All that the LORD has
spoken we will do, and we will be obedient" (24:7).
Then Moses took the rest of the blood and threw it with great force over the people.
"Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with
all these words," i.e. the laws that were given (24:8). The nation was now tied to its God
through those laws. But the blood thrown on the people was at the same time a
reminder that there could be constant communion only because of the blood shed for the
sake of reconciliation. The covenant was sealed with blood!
All of this points ahead to the work of Christ. Through His holy blood, He inaugurated
and sealed a new covenant! In many churches, certain words of Jesus are quoted just
before the wine is lifted to the lips in the communion service: "This is my blood of the
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covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt. 26:28;
see also Heb. 9:18-28). Elsewhere we read of "sprinkling" with the blood of Jesus (I Pet.
1:2). From Sinai, then, a line runs to Golgotha. This makes it clear that under the old
covenant, grace and atonement were already the foundation of Israel's existence.

The glory of the Lord.

On the basis of this symbolic atonement and reconciliation, certain of the Israelites were
permitted to approach the Lord after the covenant had been made. The privileged
representatives were Moses, Aaron with two of his sons, and 70 of the elders.
They encountered the Lord in all His glory. The pavement under His feet was "sapphire
stone, like the very heaven for clearness" (24:10). The most amazing thing of all was
that they had seen the glory of the Lord and lived to tell about it. The grace of
reconciliation protected them.
They celebrated their meeting with the Lord by eating a meal together. Just as we
commune with the Lord in a spiritual way by means of the Lord's supper, they com-
muned with the King of the covenant by eating and drinking (24:11).
Meanwhile, Moses went higher up the mountain all by himself. He was to receive
instructions about the manner in which God wished to be worshiped and also about the
building of a holy place. The Lord spoke with him out of the darkness for 40 days and 40
nights.
I come and I will dwell in the midst of you,
says the LORD (Zech 2:10).

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8. The Tabernacle

The first commandment.

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One way of looking at the building specifications for Israel's sanctuary is to view
them as an elaboration and application of the first commandment. If the Israelites were
to serve God and no one else, they would have to be told where and how He wished to
be served.
The fact that the Lord ordered the building of a tabernacle was also a great
manifestation of His grace. Through this command He was saying that He wished to
dwell in the midst of His people (25:8). This, too, is clearly a prophecy about the Christ.
In Christ God came to His people: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John
1:14). One day the Father and the Christ will be with us permanently: "Behold, the
dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and
God himself will be with them" (Rev. 21:3; see also Ex. 29:45-6; Num. 5:3; 35:34;
Ezek. 43:7; 48:35; Zech. 2:10-11; 8:3; II Cor. 6:16).

A throne room in a tent.

Just what was this tabernacle which the Israelites were to build? To begin with, we
should note that it was only a tent. We use tabernacle, the old-fashioned word for tent,
so that everyone will realize we are referring to the sanctuary used by Israel in the
wilderness.
To get a better idea of what the tabernacle was like, we should think of the type of
chamber in which an ancient king would receive people. The king sits on his throne.
Spices are burned to create a pleasant aroma. Bodyguards are present to protect the
king. There is plenty of light in the chamber as people approach the king. They lay down
their gifts before him. Outside the palace there is a courtyard, and in the courtyard a
fountain. When there is a festival going on, the meals are served in the courtyard. Such
a throne room is similar to the tabernacle in many ways.

The Holy of Holies.

Central to the tabernacle were the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies,
[133]
where the ark was kept. (The word ark actually means chest.) The stone tables of
the law were to be placed in the ark. On top of the ark there was a "mercy seat," which
was somehow connected with the two cherubs in the Holy of Holies.
We already read about cherubs in the story of the fall into sin (Gen. 3:24); they are
angels who guard the throne of God and jealously protect His holiness. We will learn
more about them in Ezekiel and Revelation. The presence of these throne angels
indicated that the Lord regarded the "ark" as His earthly throne. In the ark, the "Magna
Charta" of the covenant was deposited. Above the ark were the symbols of the Lord's
holiness.
The presence of the "mercy seat" would give the nation an opportunity once each year
(on the great Day of Atonement), to sprinkle some blood symbolizing atonement. (This
would be done by the high priest, of course.) Here, too, atonement is the basis for the
Lord's coming together with His sinful people. Again we see that the "law" clearly
preaches Christ. It was by the mercy seat that the Lord wished to meet with Moses
(25:21-2).

The Holy Place.

Let us enter the "Holy Place" now. Although only the high priest was allowed in the Holy
of Holies—and only once a year at that, on the great Day of Atonement—the other
priests were all allowed in the Holy Place. In this part of the tabernacle there was a table
on which bread was laid (commonly called the "showbread" or the "bread of the
Presence"). This bread symbolized the fact that Israel received its daily bread from the
Lord. The gifts of (unleavened) "showbread" were the people's expression of gratitude to
the Creator of life.

65
In Exodus 25 we read that the Israelites were commanded to make a lampstand of pure
gold for the tabernacle. The Lord Himself lived in darkness: the Holy of Holies was sealed
[134]
off from the Holy Place by means of a veil. Yet, in the chamber where He received
His people He wanted light—hence the lampstand, with its seven arms.

Lampstand and the altar of incense.

The lampstand resembled a tree, complete with branches and cups (calyx and petals).
The cups looked like almost blossoms. The almond tree blossoms early, and therefore
the Israelites called it the "watchful tree," which is certainly a good name for it.
The idea symbolized by this lampstand is that the Lord is awake and on guard. He
protects His people and dispels the darkness for His Church. That lampstand must have
been a beautiful sight in the tabernacle—a light-giving almond tree, glittering in its
golden beauty.
The Lord makes His face shine upon His people. Because Israel enjoyed the light of His
countenance, she could be a light to the world. Today the modern nation of Israel
includes the menorah (a candelabrum holding seven candles) in its coat of arms, but it
does not recognize the Messiah Jesus as the Light of the world.
Each of the churches has received its own lampstand in the heavenly temple, with Christ
in the center (Rev. 1:12, 20; 2:5). But if they do not persevere and cling to the Word,
the lampstand will be taken away from them.
There is another object that belongs in the Holy Place, namely, the altar of incense
(30:1-10). It was to be erected right in front of the ark, just outside the Holy of Holies.
Every morning and evening, an offering would be brought before the face of the Lord to
symbolize the prayers of Israel. The day would begin and end with prayer. By means of
the incense offering, the Israelites would symbolically make their needs known to the
King of all the earth and thank Him.

A portable sanctuary.
In Exodus 26 we are told about the tabernacle itself. Because it was the sanctuary of a
[135]
nomadic people, it was constructed in such a way that it could easily be
transported. (In the days of Solomon, it was finally replaced with a temple.) It is clear
especially from the descriptions of the ark and the altar of incense that portability was a
factor to be taken into account. Everything had to be made in such a way that it could be
carried by means of poles. The Lord whom the Israelites were to serve was a God who
moved ahead of His people as their Shepherd.
The material of which the tabernacle itself was built was the same as that used for the
objects within it — shittim wood or acacia wood. We must remember that the Sinai
peninsula was a plain without large trees. There were some small bushes or shrubs to be
found here and there, as well as an occasional thorn tree.
The Israelites must have used the materials available in the wilderness in which they
lived. In addition, they had taken along a great deal of material when they left Egypt.
The passage of caravans through the wilderness gave them the opportunity to acquire
other materials they might need. Thus it should not surprise us that they had gold to
cover the wood.

The beginning of an era.

The building of this sanctuary could perhaps be regarded as the beginning of a new era
in the history of art. But even more important is the fact that it represents the beginning
of a new era in the history of revelation.
However beautiful the tabernacle may have been, the finest buildings in Egypt and
Babylon must have been even more beautiful. In the eyes of the cultured world, the
tabernacle was only the sanctuary of a group of nomads. Yet, the Lord wished to dwell in
the midst of His people. His presence in the tabernacle pointed ahead to His definitive

66
presence among His people in the new creation.
[136]
The outer court.
When we enter the court surrounding the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, the first
thing we encounter is the bronze laver (30:17-21). Its meaning is dear enough: the
priests had to be clean when they performed their services, for the Lord is a holy God.
Finally, there was the altar of burnt offering, which was overlaid with bronze. Actually, it
was a portable casing in which earth or loose stones could be placed. It was on this altar
that the offerings were to be laid.
Each morning and evening, a lamb was to be sacrificed. This meant that the offering of
the Passover lamb and the offering made in Isaac's place were being repeated every
day. There were also other sacrifices that could be made on this altar on behalf of
certain individuals or groups or even the entire nation.
This altar stood in the front of the tabernacle before the Holy Place and the Holy of
Holies—in other words, before the Lord's "countenance." It was there that the offerings
were to be brought each day (27:1-8; 29:38-46).

The priests.
In Exodus 28-29, we are told about the garments worn by the priests and the ordination
of the priests. When we read about the high priest's breastpiece with its twelve precious
stones, we are reminded at once of the twelve foundations of the new Jerusalem (Rev.
21).
The ceremonies involved in the ordination of priests might strike you as somewhat
strange. Yet all these ceremonies make sense—provided we take into account what we
read elsewhere in Scripture. The cleansing and the garments speak for themselves. The
young bull slaughtered in the ceremony was intended as a sin offering; the bull assumed
the sins of the priests vicariously, which is why they laid their hands on its head.
At the same time, we see how imperfect and incomplete this offering was. The priests
themselves were sinful people who needed to ask forgiveness for their sins. All of this
[137]
cried out for the perfect Priest, the Priest who would be holy and without sin. Here
we read the name of Jesus Christ between the lines!

67
 W

Ark

Holy of
Holies
Veil
Altar of Incense

Golden Table of
Candlestick Showbread

Holy Place

S N

Laver

Altar of Burnt
Offerings

Court

E
[138]
Furthermore, a ram was sacrificed as a burnt offering. A second ram was offered as
an ordination sacrifice. The blood of the second ram was put on the ears, hands and feet
of Aaron and his sons: their hearing, their deeds, and the path they walked was thereby
dedicated to Yahweh. The official garments worn by the priests were also sprinkled with
blood and anointing oil—another symbol of consecration to the Lord. Finally, what was
left of the second ram was to be offered to the Lord together with a cake and a loaf of
bread. Yet, we learn later that the priests had the right to eat this food themselves. This
makes sense only when we bear in mind that during the seven-day ceremony of
ordination, the priests being ordained were engaging in the very tasks that would later

68
become their daily work. As servants of the Lord, they were to eat at His table.
Later we will see that there were also offerings in which the people themselves ate part
of the flesh sacrificed in the court of the tabernacle. Even the Israelites who were not set
aside as priests could sometimes come into the Lord's sanctuary to be filled at His table.

9. The Covenant Broken and Renewed

The mediator.
We call Christ the Mediator of the new covenant and Moses the mediator of the old
covenant. A mediator is an intermediary between two parties.
In the section that begins with 32:11, we see Moses serving as mediator. What he
achieved in this role reminds us of Jesus Christ, the greatest mediator of all.
That Moses was a mediator is already apparent from the fact that he was the one to
whom the laws were entrusted on Mount Horeb. The Lord Himself gave Moses the two
tables of the law inscribed by God's finger.
[139]
Disloyalty to Moses.
The people of Israel did not demonstrate a strong loyalty to Moses. Because he remained
on the mountain for such a long time, they gave him up for dead: "This Moses, the man
who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him"
(32:1).
The people also argued that Moses had often spoken to Pharaoh of "the LORD'S feast in
the wilderness." Wasn't it about time to hold this feast? Surely a substitute could be
found to take the place of Moses as mediator.
Aaron would have to make an image for them to worship. And that's just what Aaron
did. A collection was held to gather the necessary materials. Soon the Israelites had a
molten calf to bow before.

A visible god.
According to the Revised Standard Version, the people said: "These are your gods, O
Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" (32:4). But we could just as well
translate this sentence as follows: "This is your God, who brought you up out of the land
of Egypt!"
Aaron declared: "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD" (32:5). Thus it was not the
intention of these revelers to break with Yahweh, their Deliverer. On the contrary, they
were holding the feast for Him. But they did so in a way that conflicted with the second
commandment.
Theirs was a heathen way of worshiping. Pagans cannot worship without something
visible to represent their gods. But the Lord is the God of the Word. He wants to be wor-
shiped as the invisible one who will not allow anyone to make an image of Him.

Intercession by Moses.
It is understandable that the Lord became very angry about what the people had done
and communicated His anger to Moses. He proposed to destroy Israel. He would then
keep His promise to the patriarchs by making a great nation of Moses.
[140]
But Moses, the mediator forgotten by his own people, now took action. Arguing
against Yahweh's proposal, he pointed to the negative impression that the destruction of
Israel would make on Egypt. In the eyes of the nations, wouldn't the exodus from Egypt
then amount to entering the kingdom of the dead? And what about the covenant with
Abraham? Didn't it include some strong promises with regard to this people? (32:11-13).
We read that the Lord listened to the voice of Moses as he interceded for his people.

69
Judgment through Levi.
Then Moses started down the mountain. When he heard all the singing and caught sight
of the calf (perhaps on a banner of some sort), he was furious. He threw down the stone
tablets on which the statutes of the covenant were inscribed, breaking them. After all,
had the people not broken the covenant with the Lord?
It finally dawned on Moses what had happened. He would have to act decisively and
mete out drastic punishment. Therefore he cried out: "Who is on the LORD'S side? Come
to me." And all the Levites went over to him. Moses commanded them to kill all the
Israelites around them, regardless of who they might be. The Levites did so.
As you consider this incident, bear in mind what Levi, the father of this tribe, once did at
Shechem: he committed murder, making evil use of the sacrament of circumcision in the
process. Because of this, Jacob cursed him on his deathbed (see Gen. 34 and 49:5ff). It
was as though Levi had been rehabilitated.
Levi now used his power not for his own interests or for his family with a small "f" but for
his Family with a capital "F"; he did it for the cause of the Lord. He knew how to "hate"
his father and mother for the Lord's sake. Therefore, just before his death, Moses
[141]
blessed Levi, who said of his father and mother,
"I regard them not"; he disowned his brothers,
and ignored his children. For they observed thy word,
and kept thy covenant. Bless, O LORD, his substance,
and accept the work of his hands (Deut. 33:9,11).
The blessing granted to Levi was the priesthood. The Levites were to serve the Lord in
the sanctuary. This they did until Levi was replaced by our great High Priest Jesus Christ.

A covenant of grace.
Even after this drastic punishment, Israel was not completely reconciled with the Lord.
(Moses had burned the molten calf, mixed the powder with water, and made the
Israelites drink it.) At the very outset, then, the covenant had been radically broken. The
bond now had to be restored.
Who would be capable of this other than the mediator Moses? Therefore we see him
ascending the mountain and lying prostrate before the Lord for 40 days to ask for
forgiveness (32:30ff; Deut. 2:25ff). If the Lord wanted a substitutionary sacrifice to
atone for Israel's sin, let Him destroy Moses himself.
The Lord rejected this proposal. Although Moses served as mediator, he could not die for
his people. Only the other Mediator, Jesus Christ, could do that. Moses could do no more
than plead for his people.
The outcome was that the Lord promised to let the people go on. He would not be with
them Himself but would send His angel to accompany them. If He accompanied them
Himself, He would probably have to destroy Israel in His holiness.
But Moses continued to plead for his people: "If thy presence will not go with me, do not
[142]
carry us up from here" (33:15). This prayer was also heard. The Lord Himself
would be with them. With that, the relationship was restored from the Lord's side.
We must take careful note of the implications of this event. It is crystal clear that Israel
had no right whatsoever to the Lord's favor. That the Lord again chose to enter into a
covenant with His people was purely a matter of grace; actually, it was an anticipation of
the work of Christ.
When the Lord fulfills the promises of long ago, He is not under any obligation to do so.
He would be completely justified in not fulfilling them. When He does fulfill them, He
does so in divine freedom and sovereign love. Again and again we see that the Bible is
not a book in which man lays claim to what is his by right. No Israelite had the right to
demand this and that because he was an actual descendant of Abraham. There is no

70
room for boasting. The covenant remains a covenant of grace.

The glory of the Lord.

Moses himself must have been somewhat surprised that the Lord was so gracious.
Therefore he asked for a sign. When the covenant was first made, he was allowed to see
the glory of the Lord. Now he asked to see it again (33:18).
We read in the next chapter that the Lord did show Moses His shining glory. Indeed,
Moses not only saw but also heard. Yahweh passed before him and called out with His
own voice: "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the
third and fourth generation" (34:6-7; see also Num. 14:18; Ps. 86:15; 103:13; Jon.
4:2).
These were the Lord's own words. Therefore Moses fell on his knees and started pleading
for his people again:
[143]
"Let the LORD, I pray thee, go in the midst of us, although it is a
stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for
thy inheritance" (34:9).

A review of the covenant.

The Lord gave an encouraging answer: "Behold, I make a covenant." The Lord would
again do wonders. But at the same time, He bound His people to His law. Therefore He
gave a short summary of what was already contained in the book of the covenant.
It is striking that particular emphasis is laid on the worship service. This shouldn't
surprise us. Israel's sin of erecting the molten calf was a violation of the agreement con-
cerning cultic activities. Thus the Lord once more laid out the rules for worship and drove
them home.
Again the Lord inscribed the "Ten Words," the decalogue, on two tablets of stone. This
time Moses did not have to throw the two tablets to the ground in anger: the people
were fully aware of their guilt and hungered for communion with Yahweh. Later Moses
was to put these tablets, the "testimony," in the ark (40:20).

Moses' veil.
When Moses came down from the mountain, he was so radiant with the glory of the Lord
that the people did not dare approach him. He called the heads of the people to come to
him while he still reflected this glory, and he passed on what the Lord had told him. Then
he covered his face with a veil.
Paul was calling this incident to mind when he declared that the glory of the old
covenant is less than that of the new covenant. In the new covenant, we see the glory of
the Lord without any veil to obscure our view. Our faces increasingly reflect that glory.
That's why it's such a serious matter for the Jews to go on living just as though this were
still the time of Moses. They have a veil before their eyes and do not see that everything
[144]
has been fulfilled in Christ. They do read the Bible, but they place their veil over
everything they read and do not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (II Cor.
3:12—4:6).

Building the tabernacle.

At the end of the book of Exodus, we read how Israel took steps to put the first
commandment into practice: a sanctuary was built. All the objects needed were made by
artists. The garments of the priests were sewn. The tabernacle could now be erected and
the service begun (Ex. 35-40).
The next book of the Bible will tell us more about the place of sacrifice in the service of

71
the Lord. The last thing we see in Exodus is the cloud, the glory of the Lord filling the
sanctuary. The Lord dwells in the midst of His people!

72
[145]
Index
Allegorical interpretation, 12
Almond tree, 134
Amalekites, 120
Ammon, 80
Anabaptists, 8
Angel of the Lord, 77, 82, 90
Apocryphal writings, N.T., 22-3
Apocryphal writings, O.T., 18ff
Archeology, 30-1
Ark of Noah, 66
Ark of the covenant, 133, 135, 143
Astarte, 68-9, 73, 99
Athanasius, 23
Atonement (see Redemption and atonement)
Atonement, Day of, 133
Augustine, 23
Authority of Scripture, 9ff, 18, 22, 27-8, 30-1, 37-8
Baal, 69, 73, 99, 122
Babylonian mythology, 56, 61-2, 67-8
Baptism, 67, 113, 118
Belgic Confession, 7, 24, 128
Bethel, 87, 90-1
Bible translation, 51
Biblical criticism, 12, 15, 24ff, 32, 34ff, 38-9, 52
Blood, 63, 67, 104, 112-13, 130-1, 138
Book of the covenant, 126ff, 143
Bultmann, Rudolf, 28-31
Canaanite religion, 69, 73, 122
Canaanites, 69, 73, 80, 83, 92, 94-5, 99
Canon, N.T., 11-12, 22-4, 44-5
Canon, O.T., 18ff, 43-4
Canons of Dordt, 8
Ceremonial laws, 126-7
Charismatic movement, 11
Church as God's people, 47, 53-4, 58, 60, 64-5, 70-1, 74, 80-1, 84, 88, 94, 104-6, 118,
124
Circumcision, 78-9, 91, 113-14, 140

73
Cleanliness and purification, 66, 114
Communion, sacrament of (see Lord's supper)
Covenant between God and His people, 13, 32-4, 41-3, 53, 58, 62, 65, 67, 76-7, 104,
106-8, 124-5, 129-31, 142-3
Covenant wrath, 33-4, 80
Covenants in the ancient Near East, 31
Creation of the world, 54ff
Crucifixion of Jesus, 122
Curse of Ham, 69
Curse resting on creation, 54, 60, 65, 72-3
Day of the Lord, 122
Dead Sea Scrolls, 14-16
Demons (see Satan and demons)
Demythologizing, 29-30, 32
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 11, 19, 92
Differences between nations, 70-1
Documentary hypothesis, 24ff, 34
Eagles' wings, 123-4
Edda, the, 7
Edomites, 92-3
Egypt, 75, 78, 92, 95ff, 111-12
Elohim, 25, 61
El Shaddai, 110
Ephraim, tribe of, 99
Evolutionism, 24, 62
Exodus command, 72
Feast of Purim, 19
Feast of Tabernacles, 19
Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), 19
First-born, blessing of, 85-6, 99-100
First-born, consecration of, 113-14
Form criticism, 28
"Gap" theory, 62
Genealogies, 64-5, 70-2
Genealogy of Jesus, 96
Glory of the Lord, 131, 142-4
Gnosticism, 30-2, 63
Gospel according to John, 27, 30-1, 36
Greek language, 14, 17, 19

74
Hadad, 122
Hebrew language, 13, 15
Hebrews, book of, 23
High priest, 133, 136
Holy of Holies, 132-3, 136
Holy Place, 132-4, 136
Holy Spirit, 10ff
Horizontalism, 12
Image of God, 57, 67
Immanuel promise, 132, 135, 144
Inspiration of Scripture, 9, 22, 24, 51
James, book of, 23
Jericho, 37
Jerusalem and the temple, 41-2, 82
Jerusalem Bible, 21
Jewish question, 81, 89, 143-4
King James Bible, 16, 19-20, 100
Koran, the, 7
Lampstand, 133-4
Leaven (yeast), 113, 133
Levirate marriage, 95-6
Levites, 76, 114, 140-1
Lord's supper, 113, 130-1
Luther Bible, 20
Luther, Martin, 12, 118
Manmade (self-willed) worship and religion, 125
Manna, 119-20
Manuscripts, Biblical, 13ff, 31, 34-5
Mary (mother of Jesus), 23
Mediator, office of, 118, 121, 138ff
Melchizedek and the priesthood, 114
Mercy seat, 133
Moab, 80
Mosaic legislation, 42-3, 48, 123, 125ff
Mysticism, 12
Nature/grace, 101
New Israel, 94
Numbers in the Bible, 35

75
Offerings (see Sacrifices and offerings)
Oil, 138
Passover, 18-19, 103-5, 112-13, 115, 136
Paul, 27
Pentecost, 11, 45, 69-70
Prophecy, 41-3, 94
Providence of God, 81
Purification (see Cleanliness and purification)
Ram's horn, 121
Redemption and atonement, 112-13, 115, 130-1, 133
Redemptive history, 11-12, 41, 43, 46ff, 53-4, 58, 61-2, 64, 67, 74-5, 104
Reformation, the, 8
"Remnant", 74
Rest, 65-7
Resurrection of Jesus, 29-30
Revelation, book of, 23, 27, 45, 105, 122, 124
Revelation of God, 47
Revised Standard Version, 100, 133
Revival movements, 11
Roman Catholicism, 8, 19, 21
Sabbath day, 57-8
Sacrifices and offerings, 66-7, 76, 81-2, 112-13, 115, 128, 130, 134ff, 144
Satan and demons, 62
Schilder, Klaas, 62
Seed of the serpent, 60, 64, 109, 120
Septuagint, 19
Sermon on the Mount, 33
Seven, 113
Sexuality, 95
Shechem, 73, 90-1
"Showbread", 133
Sign of Jonah, 11
Sin, 59, 65-6, 74, 80, 94
Sinai, 121-3
Song of Moses (Deut. 32) 105
Sovereignty of God, 84-6, 88-9, 92, 94-5, 99-101, 109
Spiritualism, 12
"Strangers" here below, 73, 82-3, 91-3

76
Synoptic question, 27, 36-7, 48
Tabernacle, 131ff, 144
Ten commandments, 41, 43, 125ff, 131-2, 143
"Theology of the church", 28, 30, 39
Tischendorf, 16
Toledoth, 54-5
Torah, 18, 53-4, 123
Truth, 10-11
Twelve, 130
"Types", 97
Unity of the Bible, 32-46, 103-4, 124-6
Wellhausen, Julius, 25
Woman and man, 58-60
World Council of Churches, 28
Yahweh, 25, 61, 107-8, 110

77
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 2

Leviticus - Ruth

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

2
Contents
Leviticus ..................................................................................................................................... 4
[7]
1. Laws for a Holy Nation .................................................................................................................. 4
2. The Offerings Prescribed by the Lord ............................................................................................. 5
3. The Consecration of the Priests ...................................................................................................... 9
4. Laws to Promote Purity and Holiness ........................................................................................... 10
5. Redemption by Blood Alone .......................................................................................................... 11
6. Holiness Required in Daily Life ..................................................................................................... 13
7. Israel's Feasts................................................................................................................................ 14
8. Covenant Blessing and Covenant Wrath ...................................................................................... 17
[35]
Numbers............................................................................................................................ 18
1. Israel's Murmurings and God's Gospel ......................................................................................... 18
2. The Lord's Presence among His People ....................................................................................... 18
3. Consecrated and Blessed ............................................................................................................. 19
4. The Journey through the Wilderness ............................................................................................ 21
5. Years of Wandering and Discontent .............................................................................................. 21
6. The Gospel Message in Numbers ................................................................................................. 25
7. Israel Blessed through Balaam ..................................................................................................... 26
8. Succumbing to the Sin of the Midianites ....................................................................................... 27
9. Preparing for Possession of the Land ........................................................................................... 28
[57]
Deuteronomy ..................................................................................................................... 29
1. The Book of Covenant Renewal .................................................................................................... 29
2. The Lord's Covenant with His People ........................................................................................... 30
3. Redemptive Historical Prologue and Constitution ......................................................................... 32
[66]
4. Israel's Covenant Partner ......................................................................................................... 33
5. Concrete Covenant Demands ....................................................................................................... 34
6. The Covenant's Blessings, Curses and Witnesses ....................................................................... 37
[80]
Joshua ................................................................................................................................ 40
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:57). ............. 40
1. Main Themes ................................................................................................................................. 40
3. A Curse in the Camp ..................................................................................................................... 42
4. Completing the Conquest .............................................................................................................. 42
5. The Last Days of Joshua ............................................................................................................... 45
[95]
Judges ................................................................................................................................ 48
1. Turning Away from the Lord .......................................................................................................... 48
2. Dan's Self-willed Worship .............................................................................................................. 49
3. Punishing Benjamin ....................................................................................................................... 50
5. Gideon's Attempt at Reformation .................................................................................................. 51
6. Jephthah and His Vow................................................................................................................... 53
7. Samson and the Philistines ........................................................................................................... 53
[111]
Ruth ................................................................................................................................. 56
1. Under the Lord's Wings ................................................................................................................. 56
[115]
2. Under the Wings of Boaz ......................................................................................................... 57
[118]
Index ................................................................................................................................ 60

3
[7]
Leviticus
You shall be holy to me;
for I the LORD am holy (20:26).

1. Laws for a Holy Nation

The Mosaic laws.

There is a story about Gandhi, the famous Indian leader, that sheds some light on our
attitudes toward the Bible. While he was studying in London, Gandhi decided to read the
Bible. He found Genesis and Exodus, the first two books, very exciting, but Leviticus put
him to sleep. Not until the Gospel according to Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount
did he find anything else that held his attention.
In our discussion of the Bible, we have now reached the point where Gandhi's interest in
the Book of books began to wane. Professing Christians often show little more interest in
all the Mosaic legislation than Gandhi did. Yet, if we hope to attain a proper
understanding of the message of the Bible, we must work our way through those laws.
We must do so first of all because the entire Bible is God's Word and demands our
[8]
attention. Secondly, the gospel of Christ is also revealed in the laws of Moses. The
fact that the Letter to the Hebrews cannot be properly understood without a knowledge
of the book of Leviticus illustrates this. In the laws about sacrifices and in the regulations
for priests and festivals, we hear the joyful message of the One who was to fulfill all the
requirements better than any priest of the tribe of Levi could ever do. Therefore we must
do our best to get a concrete picture of the practices we read about and to understand
their meaning. Of course we cannot go into every detail. All the same, it is very impor-
tant that certain central points be brought to the fore.

The main idea.

First of all, let's look at the content of the book of Leviticus. Chapters 1-7 deal with
offerings and 8-10 with regulations for beginning the services in the tabernacle. Chapters
11-15 contain laws about purity and impurity, followed by rules for the great Day of
Atonement (ch. 16). Finally, there are more laws, this time about "holiness" (ch. 17-26),
as well as some stipulations about vows (ch. 27).
There is a theme binding all these laws and stipulations together. We find it in 20:26:
"You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the
peoples, that you should be mine." This is a statement of the main idea governing the
entire book of Leviticus. This theme reminds us again of what we identified as the central
theme of the five books of Moses as a whole: "You shall be to me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:6).

A nation set apart.

Israel was a holy nation. This does not mean—as we might be inclined to think, under
the influence of a Roman Catholic conception of holiness—that Israel was somehow a
sinless nation. If you have read the history of Israel, you know better. No, holy means
set apart for the service of the Lord.
[9]
Israel, as a holy nation, was claimed completely by the Lord for His purposes. The
day-to-day affairs of the Israelites, their liturgy, their sexual life—in short, all they did
was to be viewed in the light of His covenantal admonition: "Be holy, for I am holy" (see
I Pet. 1:16).

Descending to Israel's level.

We must not forget that Israel was still a "child" and was still in need of considerable
guidance and training. Israel's thoughts moved on a level comparable to that of the
primitive peoples of our time. Therefore the Lord had to speak in language understand-

4
able to Israel when He revealed Himself.
Scholars have pointed out that the laws of Moses include many regulations that are to be
found in the legislation of other nations as well. This is not to be denied. The Lord
definitely descended to Israel's level, to its intellectual climate and limitations. But on the
other hand, we must not make the mistake of thinking that the "law" was binding for
Israel because it reflected Israel's sense of the divine; it was binding because it came
from the Lord, the God of the covenant.

The uniqueness of Israel's laws.

On many points there are significant differences between the laws given to the Israelites
and the practices and regulations of the pagans in the ancient Near East. To take one
example, the pagans attached great significance to the power of blood. We have already
seen that blood played a great role in Israel's laws as well. But the pagans were inclined
to reason as follows: if blood is the seat of life, we should drink the blood of sacrificed
animals in order to partake of the life of the gods.
Leviticus opposes this line of reasoning. Blood is given by the Lord as a means of
atonement. Therefore it is never to be consumed (see 3:17; 7:26; 17:10, 14; see also
Gen. 9:4; Acts 15:20,29). When a sacrifice was made, the blood was to be poured at the
[10]
foot of the altar, for it belonged to the Lord. Here we have a typical anti-heathen
law.
I can give you another example. Among the heathens, the king was often considered a
son of the gods and therefore served as high priest. This was not allowed in Israel.
Furthermore, Israel's priests were not a class of enchanters elevated far above the
people because of some secret ritual. No, just as the king in later Israel was simply a
man of the people and is described for us in the Bible with all his faults, Israel's priests
were simply instruments in the hand of Yahweh to mediate between Him and His people.
There was no secret teaching or any hocus-pocus involved. The priests were to teach the
people the law.
We should likewise note that the person bringing the offering was himself involved in the
service of sacrifice, for example, by laying his hand on the head of the animal. Moreover,
Leviticus does not hide the fact that the tribe of Levi was subject to the same pitfalls as
the other tribes. At the very first service of sacrifice conducted by Aaron and his sons,
things already went wrong: Nadab and Abihu broke the Lord's regulations as they
brought fire to the altar and were immediately consumed by the Lord's holiness (10:1-
2). The weakness of the priesthood of Levi's order was apparent from the very
beginning.
The imperfection of this order of priests was made especially clear on the great Day of
Atonement. On that day, which came once a year, the high priest sprinkled blood not
only because of the sins of the people but also because of the liturgical transgressions he
and his relatives had committed during the preceding year. Scripture was making it
painfully clear that some day another Priest would have to replace these priests. Levi's
service was only provisional.
Here we see what is unique about the sacrificial customs of the Israelites. The offering of
a sacrifice did not mean that man was elevating himself by being so gracious as to give
[11]
his god a gift. Rather, in this cultic activity the Lord was approaching His people by
showing them a path that would lead to the reconciliation and communion with Him.

2. The Offerings Prescribed by the Lord

A thorough knowledge of God's revelation.

Because we repeatedly come across offerings of various sorts as we read the Old
Testament, we should know something about the different types of offerings. Now, you
might feel inclined to excuse yourself on this score by pointing out that the average Bible
reader knows very little about this matter. What you say is true, of course, but it still

5
remains your task to gain a thorough knowledge of God's revelation, which includes the
different kinds of offerings. What others know and do not know cannot serve as a norm
for you. All too often, we church people play idle games with the riches entrusted to us.
Here is a short survey of the types of offerings. First of all, there are two major types to
be distinguished: (1) freewill offerings, (2) sin offerings and guilt offerings. We will begin
by considering the kinds of freewill offerings.

Burnt offerings.
One kind of freewill offering is the burnt offering (1:17). Someone who proposed to
make such an offering could choose between three possibilities: he could offer a young
bull, an unblemished male sheep or goat, or doves or pigeons (the offering of the poor
man).
This offering clearly reflected consecration to the Lord. The person bringing the offering
would place his hand on the head of the animal being sacrificed. This signified that the
sacrificial animal was taking the place of the person, in accordance with the law of
substitution. The life of the animal took the place of the life or soul of the person.
[12]
Actually, human blood would have to flow in order to atone for sin, but for the
present the Lord would allow the blood of animals to take the place of human blood.
First the person bringing the offering kills the animal. Then comes the "manipulation of
the blood," something that requires our special attention. The priests catch the blood of
the slain animal as it drains out of the body and sprinkle it on the great altar of burnt
offering, which stands in the court of the tabernacle.
Through this action, the blood, as the seat of the "soul" or of life, is offered to the Lord.
Thereby the sin is atoned for and covered in God's sight. The blood in itself is of no
significance—we are not dealing here with a form of magic revolving around blood—but
the Lord accepts the blood of the sacrificial animal as a replacement for the life of the
person bringing the offering.
The person bringing the offering then skins the animal, cutting it into pieces just as if he
were preparing a meal. With his own hands, he symbolically carries out the judgment on
himself. You recall that at an earlier point in the ceremony, he gives expression to his
oneness with the animal by laying his hand on its head.
After this part of the ceremony, the priests enter the picture again. They place
everything on the altar and present it to Yahweh. They wash the unclean entrails and
legs with water, for the offering must be clean. Then they start the fire, and the burnt
offering rises to the Lord in the form of a pleasing odor, an odor that brings rest. (The
latter phrase represents a more accurate translation of the Hebrew.) You recall that
Noah's sacrifice after the flood also brought "rest." In fact, the name Noah means rest.
The offering brings rest, comfort, reconciliation. We are not to assume, as the
Canaanites did, that God takes an actual sensual pleasure in odors. But the Lord does
accept the offering; it meets with His approval.
[13]
Meal offerings.
Another kind of freewill offering is the meal offering (2:1-16). This offering is also
spoken of as a "memorial" offering (2:2). Perhaps this means that the offering called to
mind the Lord's gracious deeds and enabled the person bringing the offering to confess
the name of the Lord in gratitude.
Leviticus 2 contains various recipes for offerings. We should take note of the fact that
leaven and honey—which cause decay and therefore symbolize sin and impurity—may
not be used. But salt, which retards spoiling, could be used (2:11-13). This gives us
some idea why Christ said to His disciples: "You are the salt of the earth." (Matt. 5:13;
Mark 9:49-50).
Provision is made for simpler food as well as more elaborate food. The person bringing

6
the meal offering was giving the substance of his life, his "daily bread," to the Lord.
Because it was given to the Lord, what was left of the offering was not to be eaten by
the person who brought the offering. Only the priests, as representatives of Yah-weh,
were allowed to eat it.
Peace offerings.
A third kind of freewill offering was the peace offering made out of gratitude (ch. 3). The
ritual of this offering begins in the same way as the burnt offering: the hands laid on the
head, the slaughter, and the sprinkling of the blood by the priests (3:1-2). The fat and
the kidneys are then given to the Lord as a burnt offering.
The kidneys symbolize the inner thoughts of man. It is clear that this symbol plays an
important role in the offering. We should also note that the fat and kidneys are to be laid
on "the burnt offering, which is upon the wood of the fire." This is no doubt a reference
to the burnt offering made early each morning.
This makes it apparent that the burnt offering is the foundation of the meal that later
[14]
became part of the "peace offering." Peace or shalom, that is, communion with the
Lord, rests on the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
We would do well to read 7:28-38 as we consider the peace offering. The breast and the
right thigh of the sacrificed animal were to be given to the Lord in a special way. The
priest was to "wave" these parts of the animal in the presence of the Lord. As a
representative of the Lord, he would then be allowed to keep them for himself.
What about the rest of the sacrificial animal? The remains of this "peace offering" were
eaten by the person bringing the offering. This might seem strange to us, but to the
Israelite it was the most natural thing in the world. Hence it is not even mentioned
explicitly in the passage we are considering (see 19:6; Deut. 14:23; I Sam. 1:4). First-
born animals sacrificed as peace offerings were eaten in or near the court of the
tabernacle. Yahweh was the invisible Host who offered His people the hospitality of His
table on the basis of the atoning sacrifice.

Sin and guilt offerings.

The second major type of sacrifice was the sin offering or guilt offering (4:1-6:7; 6:24-
30; 7:1-10). Because sin offerings had a great deal in common with guilt offerings, we
can examine these two types of offerings at the same time.
The sin offering emphasized the presence of sin, which is a destructive power in human
life, and the necessity of atonement. Such an offering was to be brought after an
unintentional transgression. (Such a transgression might well be punishable by death.) It
was also to be brought after incurring uncleanness caused by birth or death, e.g. after a
woman bore a child (12:6,8) or someone was cured of leprosy (14:10ff).
The ritual used for the sin offering is much the same as that used for the peace offering
and the burnt offering. But there are definite differences, especially when it comes to the
sprinkling of the blood. The blood had to be sprinkled seven times in the Holy Place,
[15]
before the veil or curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Blood
was also spread on the horns of the altar of incense. (Horns are symbols of power.) The
rest of the blood was poured at the foot of the altar of burnt offering. In this way the
blood was brought before the Lord.
On the great Day of Atonement (ch. 16), we see the atoning blood laden with the power
of life being put to a further use: it is sprinkled on the ark, which is the Lord's throne in
the tabernacle.
What about the sacrificial animal itself? It was a symbolic bearer of sin. While the fat and
kidneys were burned on the altar of burnt offering, the rest of the animal would be
brought to a clean place outside the camp and burned there. That would do away with
the sin. Because of the hand laid on the head, the animal to be sacrificed and the person
bringing the sacrifice were one. This was how a sin offering for a priest or for the people

7
would be made (4:1-21). The animal sacrificed would be a young bull.
When sacrifices of lesser importance were brought, the blood was smeared on the horns
of the altar of burnt offering, and the flesh could be eaten by priests. Leviticus makes
separate mention of a sin offering for rulers (4:22-6) and for the common man (vs.
27ff). The sacrificial animal would normally be a goat or sheep. A poor man, however,
would be allowed to offer doves.
The guilt offering was brought by someone who was guilty in God's sight in that he had
unintentionally taken something that belonged to the Lord or to someone else. The
animal sacrificed would be a ram. The guilty party would also have to give back what he
had wrongly taken, adding a fifth to it (5:16).
[16]

TYPE OF 1
PROCEDURE MEANING/SIGNIFICANCE
OFFERING
Worshiper's hand laid on head.
A token of dedication, consecration
Burnt Blood sprinkled on altar in court.
to the Lord.
Whole animal burned.
FREEWILL OFFERINGS

Part burned. Expression of homage and

Meal (cereal)
Remainder eaten by priest. thankfulness.

Worshiper's hand laid on head.

Blood sprinkled.
Expression of gratitude and a desire
Fat and kidneys burned. for the maintenance of right
Peace
relations between God, man and
Breast and right thigh given to
one's neighbor.
priests.
Remainder eaten by worshiper.

Worshiper's hand laid on head.

Obtaining forgiveness for
Sin Priest sprinkled blood against unintentional transgressions.
altar in Holy Place and in court.
Fat and kidneys burned; the
remainder sometimes burned
Guilt outside camp. Obtaining forgiveness for social
(tresspass) Parts occasionally eaten by offenses or human injury.
priests and worshipers.

Atonement and forgiveness. In 6:8-7:38 we read various regulations binding for priests
involved in sacrifices and offerings. Now that you know something about the various
[17]
types of offerings, you will realize that Leviticus is not as "dry" as it first appeared to
be. How faithfully the Lord provided for His people and priests in prescribing laws for
offerings! Israel was thoroughly instructed in the necessity of atonement for sin and the
possibilities of a joyful life in virtue of the forgiveness of sins.
Here again we see Christ being preached. Christ is our guilt offering! As a burnt offering,
He consecrated Himself completely to God. He is the one who makes it possible for us to
have communion with God, as the peace offering's meal in the court of the tabernacle

1
Cattle, sheep, goats, doves, or pigeons could be used for the blood sacrifices.

8
reminds us.
If perfection had been attainable through
the Levitical priesthood... (Heb. 7:11).

3. The Consecration of the Priests

The high priest's garments.

After the offerings came the consecration of the liturgical mediators of the old covenant.
Although this subject was already dealt with in Exodus 29, Leviticus 9 goes into it
further. The consecration took a week. On each day of that week, various offerings were
brought. You will recognize the kinds of offerings immediately.
The ceremony began with the clothing of Aaron and his four sons. As high priest, Aaron
wore an undergarment of white linen and a blue outer garment woven as one piece of
cloth. Over the upper part of his body he also wore an ephod, a breastplate covered on
the front side with twelve precious stones, one for each of the tribes of Israel. The
breastplate or satchel held the Urim and Thummim, two precious stones used to
determine the Lord's will. On his head the high priest wore a miter or turban, with the
[18]
words "Holy to the LORD" engraved on a golden plate fastened to the front (Ex.
28:36). This was a case of clothes "making " the man. The clothes pointed to God's
grace in calling the high priest to his most holy office.
After the week of consecration (ch. 8) was over, the day came for the priest to assume
his office. This involved a number of offerings: sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace
offerings, and cereal offerings. After that the people of Israel were blessed by Aaron.
Moses and Aaron then went into the tabernacle. When they came out, they blessed the
people again, after which the Lord indicated His acceptance of the sacrificial service: His
glory appeared (in accordance with the promise of 9:6) and consumed the offering
(9:24).

A liturgical sin.
The glory of the Lord also became manifest in another way that day. Nadab and Abihu,
the two oldest sons of Aaron, who became priests at the same time as their father, hit
upon the idea of adding an extra number to the program of festivities. On their own they
decided to bring an incense offering.
Were these young men suddenly feeling their own importance? They had been on Mount
Horeb after the covenant was made (Ex. 24). Were they perhaps drinking on this great
ceremonial day? Some interpreters assume that they were, basing their conclusion on
the fact that immediately after this unfortunate episode, Moses declared that priests
were to drink no wine or strong drink while "on duty." If they drank, they might lose
their powers of discrimination.
In any event, these two young priests added something to the ceremony that day when
they assumed office. They brought an "alien," i.e. unlawful, fire to the altar. Thereby the
priesthood of Aaron's order was imperiled.
At the very beginning, then, it was clear that Aaron's priesthood would be far from
[19]
perfect. There was good reason for establishing sin offerings for priests. If "Aaron"
was to continue to serve as priest, it would only be by the grace of the Lord. Aaron had
already thrown away the right to be priest.

Total consecration.
This serious offense against the order established by Yahweh could not go unpunished.
The fire of the Lord killed the two priests in the midst of their transgression. A sin
offering would do no good here, for the offense had been committed deliberately.
Furthermore, it had to be clear from the outset that no manmade religion or worship

9
would be permitted. Thus we see that the "glory" of the Lord can consume a burnt
offering, thereby indicating God's favor (9:24), and can also consume priests, thereby
indicating God's wrath (10:3).
It was a horrible day for Aaron, whereas it should have been a wonderful day. His
suffering was made even greater when Moses forbade him to mourn or even attend the
burial of his sons. Let the dead bury the dead! The priest is the keeper of the revitalizing
anointing oil and therefore i must avoid any contact with the uncleanness of death
(10:6-7; 21:11-12). Being an office-bearer also means bearing a cross, being totally
consecrated to the Lord.

4. Laws to Promote Purity and Holiness

The antithesis.
A key concept in Leviticus is "discrimination," that is, the ability to perceive differences.
As a member of a holy nation, the Israelite had to learn to distinguish between the clean
and the unclean. For us, as members of the modern Western world, this may sound a
little strange. Yet, there are factors that make this distinction somewhat understandable.
[20]
First of all, the Lord was taking the actual situation into account. (In Noah's time,
people already thought in terms of clean and unclean animals.) Second, Israel still had
to be brought up and trained. The Lord wanted to impress it upon Israel that He is holy
and therefore hates all sin and death. Third, given the poor hygenic conditions prevailing
at that time, many of the regulations can be explained on health grounds (e.g.
purification, cleansing, destroying the homes of lepers). Fourth, the background to some
of the rules is the antithesis between Israel and the heathen nations. (The pig, for
example, played a role in the worship services of the Babylonians, the Syrians, and the
Egyptians.)

"Ceremonial" laws.
Much later the Lord made it clear to Peter that the wall between the clean and the
unclean was not needed under the new covenant (see Acts 10:9ff; 11:5ff). Today we are
no longer bound by all those regulations in Leviticus. The Church is not in its period of
infancy anymore; it has grown up. Just as the Church is no longer limited to the people
of Israel, it is no longer limited by all those "ceremonial" laws about impurity. Christ
fulfilled them once and for all.
But this is not to say that the laws we find in Leviticus have no value for our time. On
the contrary, they are part of God's revelation and call for our attention. We see how the
Lord brought up His people and instilled in them the notion that they are a holy people
(see Ex. 19:6).
The Church of the New Testament is also sanctified and purified by blood (the blood of
Christ) although this comes to expression in a different way. All the priestly terms (e.g.
cleansing, purification) can be applied to the Church of our Lord Jesus. Baptism, which is
a washing with water, continues a theme found in Leviticus. "Since we have a great
priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
[21]
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with
pure water" (Heb. 10:21-2).

Clean and unclean.

In Leviticus 11 we find regulations about clean animals and unclean animals. To get a
clear idea just which animals are meant, use a fairly recent translation; our knowledge of
the Hebrew names for animals has been advanced tremendously since the time when
the King James translation was made. We note that the animals that crawl along the
earth are generally classed as unclean. Fish that look like snakes are also called unclean.
A guilt offering was to be brought after childbirth (ch. 12). Mary brought such an offering
after the birth of Jesus (see Luke 2:24). She used the usual offering of the poor—

10
pigeons. Apparently the wise men from the east had not yet arrived. This regulation was
intended to drive home the point that without God's intervention, the clean cannot be
born of the unclean. Man is already unclean at birth.

Holiness regulations.
Leviticus 13 and 14 deal with leprosy, a horrible disease that could well be characterized
as a living death. As a holy people, the Israelites had to live by certain regulations and
measures. Offerings were necessary whenever a leper was cured and purified. That's
why Christ later sent the lepers He had healed to the priest. It was the priest's duty to
check and see whether the leper had in fact been healed. He was also the one through
whom the purification offering was made.
If we keep Leviticus 15 in mind as background, the story about the woman who had bled
for twelve years makes sense (Matt. 9:20-2). Because of her ailment, this woman was
actually excluded from the cultic community. Christ restored her to her full position in
life. And this in turn gives us the key to Leviticus 15, which is a difficult chapter. The law
[22]
accentuates the destructive power of sin, which also has its effect on human
sexuality. But Christ delivers us from this power, too, and renews us as sexual creatures.

5. Redemption by Blood Alone

The great Day of Atonement.

That Christ delivers us, redeems us, and purifies us is clearly reflected by the great Day
of Atonement (already mentioned earlier). On this special day there was an extra guilt
offering. Because the Letter to the Hebrews alludes repeatedly to the ritual of the great
Day of Atonement, we must know something about it.
Once per year the high priest was to enter the Holy of Holies for purposes of atonement.
He acted on behalf of himself and his house, but also on behalf of the "congregation of
Israel." For himself and his family he would bring a young bull as a guilt offering, just as
he had done when he was consecrated to the priesthood, and a ram as a burnt offering.
This time, however, he would not wear all his garments and ornaments. He would wear
only his linen undergarment, since it was a day of penitence. For the people he would
bring two goats as a guilt offering and a ram as a burnt offering.

The Holy of Holies.

First the offering for the priest and his household was made. The high priest took the
blood of the bull, entered the tabernacle, took fire from the altar of incense, and used it
to create a pleasing odor by burning some incense he brought with him. Surrounded by
a cloud of incense, he then entered the Holy of Holies and sprinkled part of the blood on
[23]
the front of the mercy seat above the ark. He also sprinkled blood before the ark
seven times. (Seven is a holy number.) He did the same thing with the blood of the goat
offered on behalf of the people. The blood of the bull and the goat was then spread on
the horns of the altar of burnt offering and sprinkled on the ground seven times again.
The sprinkling of blood on the ground was not superfluous, for on the great Day of
Atonement the people were not the only ones purified. Through the blood, the sanctuary
itself was also purified of all unholiness (16:20).

The scapegoat.
What happened to the other goat? Aaron had to put both his hands on its head, "and
confess over him all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all
their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat" (16:21). Thus burdened by
the iniquities of Israel, this goat (called the scapegoat) was brought out to the
wilderness—and set free! That ended the ceremony of atonement.
After the high priest washed, he brought the burnt offering dressed in his full splendor.
The heat of God's anger had been cooled. In a single day, the iniquity of the land was

11
removed (Zech. 3:9). Aaron had been granted the privilege of penetrating to God's
throne and the domain of the holy angels in order to bring about atonement (see Zech.
3:7).
Aaron Christ
Offers surrogate blood. Pours out His own blood.
Performs the sacrificial Sacrifices Himself once and
ceremony repeatedly. for all.
Enters a copy of the Ascends to the holiness of
heavenly temple. heaven itself.
Offers sacrifices out of Sacrifices Himself out of
tradition and in virtue of pure obedience, called by
hereditary succession. the Father.

[24]
Christ's redemptive work.
The Letter to the Hebrews points out that Christ's work represents the last great Day of
Atonement. Consider the contrasts on the preceeding page.
Think of the Roman Catholic mass as you consider all of this. The Catholics proceed just
as though the definitive offering had never been made. Every day is a "great Day of
Atonement," even though the sacrifice brought does not involve blood. They fail to
realize that the sacrifice has already been made—at Golgotha. The blood has already
been sprinkled—offered to the Father.
Do you know when? When Christ ascended to heaven. That's when the last great Day of
Atonement came to an end. As Priest and Lamb, Christ approached the throne of God—
its parallel on earth is the ark—and was then allowed to seat Himself on the throne (see
Jer. 30:21, Ps. 110:1).
Kosher. Perhaps you have seen the word kosher on the wall of a Jewish butcher shop or
hotel. This word means that the institution in question offers meat from animals
slaughtered in the prescribed ritual manner.
Because the temple has been destroyed, the Jews can no longer continue their services
of sacrifice. Yet the orthodox Jew still maintains the torah wherever it can be applied in
daily life. Now, it happens that the torah includes regulations about how animals are to
be slaughtered for meat. Because the blood was regarded as the bearer of life (the
"soul"), and because it played such a great role in the ceremony of atonement, no one
was to consume it (17:10ff).
During the years in the wilderness, the blood had to be poured out at the altar. Every
killing of an animal was actually to be regarded as the bringing of a peace offering
(17:5). The blood of an animal killed on a hunt had to be poured out in the field (17:13).
[25]
Naturally, heathen customs like presenting offerings to the gods of the field were
also condemned (17:7).
Through these decrees, the Lord preserved Israel's distinctness and uniqueness during
the years in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 12, which also has to do with slaughtering
animals, bears more on the conditions in Canaan. Someone who lived too far from the
temple was allowed to pour the blood on the ground.
Jews who slaughter animals under the supervision of rabbis continue these practices to
this day. But they read the law in a mistaken way, blind to the most important factor of
all. The Lamb, Jesus Christ, has been slain in true "kosher" fashion and has fulfilled
Leviticus 17! The Lamb bears the sign of a slit throat (see Rev. 5:6).

12
6. Holiness Required in Daily Life

Life as a unity.
In a certain sense, our Western way of thinking violates the unity of creation by placing
things in "pigeonholes." We do not see life as a totality, for we try to put everything in
some compartment or other.
That's not how the Bible looks at reality. In the Bible, life is seen as a unity. That's why
the law of holiness as we find it in Leviticus includes regulations about sexual life (ch.
18) as well as peace offerings (19:5-8) and the care of the poor and strangers (19:10).
We also find another concrete elaboration of the decalogue — something that we tend to
overlook. Just as in Exodus 20, God begins with the words: "I am the LORD your God."
Those same powerful words crop up repeatedly. (Perhaps you should underline them in
your own Bible.)
[26]
Law and redemption.
The commandments are grounded in the Lord's redemptive acts. We must be careful
never to lose sight of this point, for many of the commandments were specifically
directed against practices current among the Canaanites. The fertility rites of Baal and
Astarte sometimes involved temple prostitution and consequently led to disorder and
upheaval in all of life. "And you shall not profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed
among the people of Israel; I am the LORD who sanctify you, who brought you out of the
land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD" (22:32-3).
Because the Canaanite religions seemed so attractive to the Israelites, we also find an
express commandment forbidding the Israelites to worship the god Molech (whose name
means king) by sacrificing first-born children to him (18:21 and 20:1ff). Wasn't Yahweh
the King who made a path for Israel through the sea (Ex. 15:18) and spared the first-
born that night when the fearsome plague struck Egypt?

Special laws for priests.

Because the worship ceremonies were intended to train Israel to be a holy nation, the
priests were subject to special laws of holiness. They were to have no physical flaws or
blemishes, they were limited in their choice of a wife, and they were not to touch a dead
person (ch. 21-22).
The animals used for sacrifices were also to bear the mark of holiness: animals with
blemishes were not acceptable for sacrifices (22:17-25; see also Mal. 1:6-14). The Lord
2
would not be content with goods that no one else wanted. How could an imperfect
[27]
sacrifice—or an imperfect priest—be a foreshadowing of our perfect High Priest?

Echoes of the law.

Before we finish with the "law of holiness," I must remind you that the prophets
repeatedly point back to it. For example, the declaration about weights and measures
(19:35) finds an echo in Ezekiel 45:10 and Proverbs 11:1. It also forms the basis for the
complaints of Amos (Amos 8:5) and Micah (Mic. 6:10). And didn't our highest Priest and
Teacher point back to the "law of holiness" when He commanded us to love our
neighbors?
When you consider the following incident, you will quickly see how timely and
appropriate this law of Moses was. This story about a temple in southern Italy devoted to
the goddess Hera is worth more than a laugh. It should make us think: "I sit on a piece
of wall and watch the excavators, who examine every fragment as carefully as if it were
a piece of gold. What are the treasures unearthed in their midday diggings? A few

2
The idea of offering an imperfect animal in order to fulfill the obligation with as little expense as
possible must also be condemned as following the world's example. The pagans used to do this to
deceive their gods and goddesses!

13
fragments of a pot, a piece of rusty iron, a bone. To the layman, this refuse of centuries
gone by means nothing, but to the archeologist these small items are pages in an
exciting book that he must try to decipher. Signora Zancani laughs as she tells me the
story of a man who visited this excavation site. This man knew all about the bones of
animals—but next to nothing about human bones. His name was Nobis, and he was a
scholar from Kiel (Germany). He bent over the bones that had been gathered on the
ground near the excavation site, bones from animals that had been offered to the
goddess at the place of sacrifice. Herr Nobis found one bone he simply could not identify,
and thus he supposed that it must be a human bone. To make sure, he asked if he could
take it along to Kiel, in order to look at it further in his laboratory.
"A month later Signora Zancani received a letter from Herr Nobis. The bone had come
from a sheep that had broken its leg. The farmer had set the broken leg, but it failed to
heal properly. Hence the puzzling shape of the bone.
"Signora Zancani laughed out loud. All at once she saw clearly what sort of thing had
been going on 25 centuries ago as the pilgrims came to worship Hera. In order to get off
cheaply, some farmer had offered the goddess a crippled sheep. 'The crippled sheep,'
laughed Signora Zancani. 'Right down to the deformed bone, it sounds like some lost
comedy of Plautus'" (Bertus Aafjes, "Dagboek van Paestum," published in Elseviers
Weekblad, Dec. 8,1962).
[28]
We must not make the mistake of supposing that Christ was giving a new
commandment when He spoke of loving your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37). We
already find this commandment in Leviticus 19:18! The Torah even made the bold
demand: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart"! (19:17).
Gandhi fell asleep when he reached Leviticus and found nothing else exciting in the Bible
until he got to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). If only he had stayed awake, he
would already have found the nucleus of the Sermon on the Mount in the third book of
Moses.
Behold, on the mountains the feet of
him who brings good tidings, who
proclaims peace! Keep your feasts, O
Judah, fulfill your vows (Nahum 1:15).

7. Israel's Feasts

Feast days.
Some of Israel's feasts were already mentioned earlier. Leviticus 23 goes into this matter
of the feasts once more on the basis of the main theme of the book, i.e. holiness (see
also Ex. 23:14-17; 34:18-24; Num. 28:16—29:39; Deut. 16:1-17). The following feast
days are mentioned.
1. The sabbath, which was the seventh day of the week.
2. The Passover, the feast of unleavened bread. The first sheaves were then brought in.
3. Seven weeks later, on the fiftieth day, came the Feast of Weeks, also called the Feast
[29]
of "Pentecost" because it was celebrated on the fiftieth day (Greek: pentecoste).
4. The Feast of Trumpets was held on the first day of the seventh month (approximately
October). This seventh month also included the great Day of Atonement, as well as
the Feast of Tabernacles. The sound of the trumpet can be a signal of judgment, for
it reminds us of the holiness of the Lord. Later this day became the first day of the
new year.
5. The great Day of Atonement (23:26-32), which was a day for people to humble
themselves.
6. The Feast of Tabernacles (23:33-43) reminded the Israelites of their great journey

14
 through the wilderness, a time when they had to live in tents. This feast lasted seven
days. It coincided with the end of the fruit and wine harvest and was marked by
great gaiety and joy. On the basis of atonement—the Day of Atonement had come
and gone—life could flourish. Thus the Feast of Tabernacles was the greatest of all
the Jewish feasts. The multitude of people that could not be numbered, all carrying
palm branches in their hands (Rev. 7), were like the crowd at the Feast of
Tabernacles.

The year of Jubilee.

This cycle of feasts did not only involve days but also years. Every seventh year was a
sabbath year. The land would rest, and there would be no pruning or harvesting. And
just as the Feast of Pentecost was seven weeks removed from the Passover, there was a
year of Jubilee following every seventh sabbath year. Thus this special year came once
in 50 years. The year of Jubilee was the year of the ram's horn and would begin with the
blowing of this horn.
[30] 3
FEASTS, FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL YEARS

Event Scripture When What/How Why

References
Gen. 2:2-3
A day of rest
Ex. 20:8-10; consecrated to Yahweh,
Frequent Celebrations

31:12-17 On the 7th day of each All work stopped Daily in commemoration of
Sabbath
week sacrifices doubled the completion of crea-
Num. 28:9-10 tion, and the
deliverance from Egypt
Deut. 5:12-15

New Moon
Festival and Num. 28:11-15 On the 1st day of each
A day of rest with sacrifices,
Feast of lunar month
offerings and assemblies Consecration
Trumpets Lev. 23:23-25 Only on the new moon
also called In addition to the above, the and Thanksgiving
Num. 29:1-6 of the 7th month,
Day of blowing of trumpets occurred
Tishri (Sept.-Oct.)
Acclamation

Ex. 12:1-27, Passover: 10th day of

Sacrifice of a lamb Sprinkling
The Major Annual Feasts, see Ex. 23:14-16

43-49 first month, Nisan

Passover of the blood Commemoration of
(March-April)
and Lev. 23:5-8 Israel's departure from
Unleavened bread from the
Unleavened Unleavened Bread: the Egypt
Num. 9:1-14; first barley harvest for one
Bread following 7 days (15th-
28:16-25 week
21st)

Feast of
Weeks A joyful celebration of
The day after the 7th First-fruits of the harvest
also called thanksgiving for the
Lev. 23:9-21 sabbath from Passover offered to God and leavened
Harvest completion of the wheat
(the 50th day) bread offered in sacrifice
First Fruits harvest
Pentecost

Feast of Autumn, after the

Tabernacles Thanksgiving for
harvest of fruit and The most important and most
also called completed harvests and
wine; gradually settled crowded of the annual feasts;
Booths Lev. 23:33-43 a reminder of their
down to the 15th-22nd for 7 days they lived in
Tents tent-dwelling days in
of the 7th month, shelters made of branches
Huts the wilderness
Tishri (Sept.-Oct.)
Ingathering

3
Information from Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel. Vol. II, pp. 468-517.

15
[31]

Various rituals for expiation

Day of of the people's sins, among
Atonement them, A time of rededication
Lev.16 10th day of 7th month, through confession,
also called - the entering of the Holy of
Yom Kippur 23:26-32 Tishri (Sept.-Oct.) penance, fasting, and
Holies by high priest
Day of atonement rituals
Expiations - sending the scapegoat into
the wilderness
After the desecration of
Later Feasts

the temple in 168 B.C.

Feast of the by Antiochus
Hanukkah Lamps lit in front of each
Reference in For 8 days beginning Epiphanes, this
also called house—a new one each day
John 10:22 Dec. 25 celebration was
Dedication till the last day of the feast
instituted to mark the
Lights purification of the
temple

13th: a day of fasting

Feast of Purim Esther 9
Commemoration of the
13th-15th of last 14th and 15th: general
Jews' deliverance from
month, Adar rejoicing and
extermination in the
(Feb.-March) the reading of Esther in the Persian Empire
synagogue

Land was to rest (lay fallow)

Sabbatical Year Lev. 25:1-7 Every 7th year
Israelite slaves to be freed
Special Years

Land was to rest To help maintain social

Year of Jubilee Lev. 25:8-34
and economic justice
At the end of 7 weeks Property returned to original
owners
of years (every 50th
year) Israelite slaves freed
Debts cancelled

[32]
The year of Jubilee was an occasion of great joy for any Israelites who had become
slaves or had been forced to sell their homes or land because of bankruptcy. They were
freed and automatically got their land and property back (ch. 25).
As you can no doubt understand, the year of Jubilee had definite consequences for
business. If you bought a piece of land from someone in financial difficulties, you would
pay only for the estimated value of the number of harvests left until the next year of
Jubilee; then the land would have to be returned to its original owner. The price paid
would be for the use of the land to produce food.
The year of Jubilee was a merciful decree of the Lord. Thus it should not surprise us that
the Christ, the servant of the Lord, is depicted in Isaiah as saying, "The LORD has
anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted ... to proclaim the year of the LORD'S
favor" (Is. 61:1-2). The Messiah brings the year of Jubilee! From the very beginning of
His ministry in Nazareth, Christ used this text to proclaim the gospel. The light of the
Messiah burns brightly in Israel's law.

Redemption.
That light also breaks through in the regulations about the redemption or buying back of
property and slaves. The family had the right—indeed, the obligation—to buy back
relatives who had become slaves because of their poverty. The family was also to buy
back the land and houses of such unfortunates. The Messianic light is clear here: Christ
is the great Redeemer. He is our brother, our next of kin, and He buys us and delivers us
body and soul from satan's power.

16
The last chapter of Leviticus also deals with the question of buying back. It was possible
to take back something once promised or vowed to the Lord—provided, of course, that
one paid a certain penalty. We all know what it's like to make a vow. We get into
[33]
difficulty and promise the Lord this or that if He will hear our plea for help. Once the
crisis has passed, however, we start looking for ways to get out of the promise. The
torah was intended to give guidance in this area too. Fulfill your vows to the Lord, O
Israel!

8. Covenant Blessing and Covenant Wrath

Judgment or communion.
Before the section about vows, we read about blessings and curses (ch. 26). We find
comparable material in Deuteronomy 28 (which was to be read aloud at Shechem, in
Canaan).
Israel is free to choose between the way of life and the way of death. Breaking the
covenant means calling forth the powers of judgment, e.g. enemies, drought, epidemics,
famine. I am Yahweh, your God! But covenant faithfulness means a blossoming of life
and communion with the Lord. "And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and
you shall be my people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land
of Egypt" (26:12-13).

The "law" and the "prophets."

What we find in the prophets is nothing but an elaboration of this theme. The prophets
give us a beautiful perspective on God's redemptive activities and speak of Messianic
sabbath rest, but they also tell of hunger, the sword and pestilence. In other words, the
prophets develop further the theme of covenant blessing and covenant wrath (see, for
example, Is. 1:19-20; Ezek. 5; Amos 4:6-11). Even in Revelation, with its seven seals
and seven trumpets and seven bowls, we find an echo of the sevenfold wrath mentioned
in Leviticus 26:18-39.
The Bible is more unified than we realize. If we only keep our eyes wide open, we see
[34]
again and again how many connections there are between the "law" and the
"prophets." Unless we are acquainted with Leviticus 26, we will never gain a proper
understanding of the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets, of Christ (e.g. Matt.
24), and of the apostles (e.g. II Thess. 2 and the book of Revelation).

17
[35]
Numbers
1. Israel's Murmurings and God's Gospel

Hebrew numbers.
The names of four of the books of Moses are derived from Greek words, some of them in
Latinized form. Numbers, however, takes its name from an ordinary English word. (In
the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, it is called Arithmoi, which means num-
bers.) This name is not an accurate reflection of the contents of the entire book,
although it cannot be denied that the book does present us with many numbers.
The meaning of Hebrew numbers is not always as straightforward as one might expect.
Scholars have had to devote much attention to this matter. The number 1000, for
example, does not always mean a numerical thousand. In its Hebrew form (eleph), it can
also mean a clan or a large family unit. Just how many people such an eleph might
include is sometimes hard to determine, but it was usually less than a thousand.

In the wilderness.
The Jews sometimes referred to the book of Numbers by means of the fourth word in the
[36]
book, Ba-midbar, which means in the wilderness. This is actually a much better
name than Numbers, for the book deals with the journey through the wilderness.
Yet we should not look for an exact, detailed chronicle. All the Lord wanted to include in
the record is what is important from the standpoint of redemptive history. This also
applies to the other historical sections of the Bible, of course. The Bible was written not
to satisfy our curiosity about events long ago but to proclaim the gospel.
Just what is the gospel in Numbers? Isn't Numbers full of judgments on Israel's sins? It
certainly is. One of the key words in the book is murmur. Numbers could well be called
"The Book of Murmurings in the Wilderness." But in and through all the complaining, we
see God's patience. He continued to lead His flock like a shepherd. He told them to break
camp at Sinai. He led them through the wilderness, training them for the struggle they
would face later. The generation that entered the wilderness perished along the way.
They did not live to find "rest" in Canaan.
But the nation as such did not perish! More than once the Lord listened to Moses' plea
that the people be preserved. Thus it was a new generation that stood at the gateway to
the land of promise.
Isn't this a concrete example of the mighty gospel of God's goodness? He does not deal
with us after our sins or requite us according to our iniquities.
Let the Lord...
go in the midst of us (Ex. 34:9).

2. The Lord's Presence among His People

An army on the march.

In the church, numerical strength doesn't count for much. David committed a great sin
[37]
by holding a census to see how large his kingdom had become. This is not to say,
however, that any census is wrong as such. The book of Numbers begins with a
numbering of the people commanded by the Lord.
Perhaps this census had something to do with taxation (Ex. 30:11-16). It certainly was
related to the organization of the army, the order of marching, and the order of en-
campment around the tabernacle.
When the Israelites were on the move through the wilderness, the ark led the way;
when they pitched their tents, the tabernacle was at the very center. The Levites pitched
their tents immediately around the sanctuary, and the other tribes around them. Judah

18
camped on the east side and led the way when it came time to break camp and move
on. (The Messiah would be born of Judah's line.) The arrangement of the tribes when
they were camped could be pictured as follows:

Asher Dan Naphtali

Levites
Benjamin Issachar
(Merari)

Levites Tent of Sons of EAST

Ephraim Judah
(Gershon) Meeting Aaron -----►

Levites
Manasseh Zebulun
(Kohath)

Gad Reuben Simeon

Marching Order
Camp of Camp of Levites with Camp of Camp of
Dan Ephraim Tent of Meeting Reuben Judah

[38]
God with us.
In the arrangement of the camp we see the gospel of Immanuel. We hear an echo of the
promise "I will dwell in the midst of you," and are reminded of what we read at the end
of the Bible: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men" (Rev. 21:3 KJV). The throne of
God and the Lamb will be in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:3).
In the book of Numbers, the Levites and priests are still given a place of honor. The
priests are to serve in the sacred tent, and the Levites not descended from Aaron are to
transport the sacred objects (Num. 1:50-1). In the book of Revelation, however, the
differences between the various tribes have fallen away. In their place we find a
universal priesthood. "They shall be priests of God and of Christ" (Rev. 20:6). "His
[temple] servants shall worship him" (Rev. 22:3).

3. Consecrated and Blessed

The consecration of the first-born.

In Numbers we read how the Levites were counted separately. The reason for this was
that when Israel left Egypt, the Lord reserved for Himself all the first-born males of
Israel (3:13). The idea was that all the first-born would have to serve in the tabernacle.
Now, however, things were so arranged that the Levites would take the place of the
first-born (3:41). Because there were 273 more first-born male Israelites than Levites, a
penalty (called redemption money) would have to be paid for each first-born Israelite
that could not be replaced by a Levite. The amount was five shekels (3:46ff).
The payment of this redemption money remained a custom in Israel. In the New
Testament we read of Joseph paying the same penalty to free Jesus of this obligation.
[39]
Here the priest after the order of Melchizedek was free from service in Aaron's
priestly order: the Redeemer was redeemed! (This is related in Luke 2:23; the sacrifice
mentioned in verse 24 was a purification offering on Mary's behalf.)

19
The Nazirites.
In Numbers 5 and 6, we find various regulations connected with the holiness of Israel. In
the light of what we have already discussed, these regulations do not need a great deal
of explanation. Two aspects, however, require our attention.
First, there is the position of the Nazirites. The Nazirites were to abstain from strong
drink. They were not to cut their hair, and (like the high priest) they were not to defile
themselves by going near a dead body.
When we hear mention of Nazirites, we usually think of lifelong Nazirites, such as
Samuel and Samson. Yet the law also provided for the possibility of a man's devoting
himself to God for a limited period of his life (see 6:13). After his period as a Nazirite
was over, offerings would have to be brought. We read in Acts that Paul also brought
such an offering (Acts 21:23ff), which cost him his freedom. (In Acts 18:18 we also find
mention of a Nazirite vow.)

A priestly benediction.
In Numbers 6:22-7 we are told about the priestly benediction. It is familiar to many of
us because it is widely used in churches:
The LORD bless you and keep you: [singular]
The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
In the case of the Nazirites, we are dealing with a consecrated gift that man presents to
God, but in this benediction, we see God's gift to man. Blessing is the reverse side of
curse.
[40]
Of course this blessing is not to be thought of as something magic. The Lord blesses
us through the Word. But the life and energy He imparts are contingent on obedience to
His Word. The Lord will not "keep" us (a term that reminds us of a night watchman and
of "the LORD my keeper" in Psalm 121 and of the shepherds "keeping watch" over their
flocks by night) if we play games with His Word. If we worship other gods before His
face, we need not expect Him to smile down upon us graciously. Instead He will hide His
face from us and turn His back on us (see Jer. 18:17). Through the mouth of Isaiah, the
Lord castigates His apostate people: "JVhen you spread forth your hands [in prayer], I
will hide my eyes from you" (Is. 1:15). We would be better off dead than causing the
Lord to hide His countenance from us (Job 13:24; Ps. 27:9; 69:17; Is. 64:7). If we do
not look to God as the source of peace and complete happiness, we will never be at
peace. The godless have no peace (Is. 48:22; 57:21).
Some scholars have pointed to the harmonic structure of this benediction of the high
priest. In the original Hebrew, the three sentences consist respectively of 2 + 1 (= 3), 3
+ 2(= 5),and4 + 3(= 7) words, and 3 X 5and4X 5and5 X 5 letters. This is not a matter
of chance. The blessing is amplified and increased as it goes on. The hearer is informed
in no uncertain terms that the arm of the Lord is long and His grace unlimited.
The Lord is an overflowing fountain of all good things. Is it any wonder that the psalms
repeatedly allude to this benediction of the high priest? (see Ps. 4:6; 31:16; 43:3; 44:3;
67:1; 80:1, 3, 7, 19; 89:15; 118:26; 119:135; see also Rev. 22:4-5). We must await
the Lord's blessing. That's what really counts.

20
[41]

Arise, OLORD, and go to thy

resting place (Ps. 132:8).

4. The Journey through the Wilderness

The great trek.

After the Levites were consecrated and purified (8:5ff) and the Passover was celebrated
for the second time (9:1ff), the hour of Israel's departure from Sinai arrived. Trumpets
gave the signal (10:1ff)- In a cloud that became a pillar of fire by night, the Lord went
with His people (9:15-23).
Not Israel but the Lord Himself always gave the signal when it was time to continue the
great trek (9:22-3). The ark of the covenant was at the head of the procession. The
words Moses always spoke when the procession began are recorded for us: "Arise, O
LORD, and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee"
(10:35).
These words are included in a well-known psalm (Ps. 68:1; see also 132:8), which was
probably written when the ark was to be transported to Jerusalem. Israel's God was a
mighty God of war, taking His place at the head of His people. It's no wonder that John
Knox's Scottish Confession of 1560 concludes with these stirring words of Moses: "Arise,
O Lord, and let Thine enemies be confounded; let them flee from Thy presence that hate
Thy Godly name. Give Thy servants strength to speak Thy Word in boldness, and let all
nations attend to Thy true knowledge. So be it."
When the ark came to rest again, Moses declared: "Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand
thousands of Israel" (10:36). The New English Bible renders this as follows: "Rest, LORD
of the countless thousands of Israel." The meaning of Moses' words is clear: the Lord's
presence would remain with His people.
[42]
Hobab.
We also read about a certain Hobab (probably the brother-in-law of Moses) who came
along to serve as a guide (10:29-32). Was it human weakness on Moses' part to take
along a guide? The Bible certainly does not conceal the flaws in Moses' character. Yet
this precaution on the part of Moses may well have been justified.
The Lord likes to work through human and natural means. Even if the cloud always gave
the signal to depart or stay put, living in the wilderness did create a number of
problems. Streams and pastures would have to be found. Contacts would have to be
made with caravans and nomadic tribes. Hobab could be of great service in such
matters.
We should not think of the wilderness through which the Israelites passed as a vast
expanse of sandy desert. We could better think of it as dry prairie country like a Russian
steppe or an African veldt. The territory crossed by the Israelites in their great trek was
a land of small bushes and unsightly little trees, but it did have vegetation that sheep
could feed on. As for Hobab, his family later became part of Israel: Jael, the woman who
killed Sisera (Judges 4:11-23), was one of his descendants.
When your fathers tested me...
(Ps. 95:9).

5. Years of Wandering and Discontent

Complaining and murmuring.

God was incredibly gracious to the Israelites, but they stumbled and fell repeatedly.
Numbers 11:1-3 speaks of the general complaining and murmuring.
The Israelites found that the edge of their camp had caught fire. At the request of the

21
 [43]
people, Moses prayed to the Lord and the fire was extinguished.
Later the murmuring began again. Some of the people who had tagged along when the
Israelites departed from Egypt now began to idealize the land they had left behind; they
dreamed of fish and watermelons and other food no longer available. Such talk had its
effect on the Israelites. The manna provided by God seemed like meager fare in
comparison. Soon the Israelites were swept along in this ungrateful nostalgia. They
stood crying like children in the doors of their tents. Who will give us meat to eat? We
had it so good in Egypt!

Seventy elders.
Such talk aroused the wrath of the Lord. At the same time, Moses became fed up with
the attitude of the people. He was ready to throw in the towel and step down as leader.
He complained that it was not fair of the Lord to give him the responsibility of leading
such a people and caring for them.
The Lord answered that He was willing to lighten Moses' task by transferring some of the
Spirit resting on him to 70 elders. Moreover, the Lord promised to provide meat; He
would let the Israelites eat so much meat that they would come to loathe it. Moses did
ask some questions out of unbelief, just as the disciples of Jesus were later to do when
He used a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish to feed thousands of people. But the
Lord was easily capable of doing what He had promised; His hand was not shortened
(11:23).
The elders on whom the Spirit now rested prophesied at the tabernacle. Even two other
men seemed to have the Lord's Spirit in them and began to prophesy. An overly zealous
Joshua wanted Moses to forbid them, but Moses responded with what amounts to a
Pentecost prayer: "Would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would
put his spirit upon them!"
[44]
Graves of lust.
What about the meat promised to the Israelites? It came in the form of quails driven to
the camp by a strong wind. The quails flew just above the camp and could easily be
caught. Some of them even fell to the ground on their own.
This gift again led Israel to stumble. The Israelites devoured the birds as greedily as if
they had been starving to death on their diet of manna. Therefore the Lord sent them a
severe plague. As a result, that place came to be known as Kibroth-hattaavah, which
means graves of lust.

Miriam's jealousy.
That was not the end of the difficulties. Miriam and Aaron got into a dispute with Moses
because of his marriage to a Cushite woman. Did they have something against this
"foreigner"? Or were they defending Zipporah, the Midianite woman Moses had married
many years before? Or was the question of a wife perhaps an excuse to stir up some
trouble for Moses? Whatever the reason, both Miriam (Moses' older sister) and Aaron
(his brother and spokesman) disputed his monopoly as prophet. "Has the LORD not
spoken through us also?"
It turned out that the Lord Himself had to intervene in this matter. He summoned the
three to the tent of meeting, where He made it clear that Moses was to be the leader. "If
there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision, I speak
with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house.
With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in dark speech; and he beholds the
form of the LORD" (12:6-8).
Let there be no complaints about Moses, then! The haughty Miriam was punished: she
became a leper. Moses had to step in as mediator and implore God in prayer to heal her.

22
New Testament and Numbers 12.
In the New Testament there are two references to this story. First of all, Hebrews 3:1-6
[45]
compares Christ and Moses, each of whom was faithful in the house of God (the
church) in his own way. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Christ was faithful as the
Son, keeping the "house" in order and maintaining it.
The other place is I Corinthians 13:12, where we read: "For now we see in a mirror
dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I
have been fully understood." In Corinth there were people who had a high opinion of
their abilities as prophets and prophetesses. What Paul was telling them is this: "That's
all well and good. Yet those forms are only temporary. We must not make the mistake of
thinking that we can know everything. Our existence is fragmentary. Not until Christ's
return will we know the Lord as Moses knew Him, that is, without the mediation of
mysterious reflections in a dim mirror. We shall see the Lord face to face."

Twelve spies.
The story of Israel's murmuring and complaining is not yet at an end. The Israelites were
nearing the promised land. Twelve spies were sent out. They returned with a majority
report and a minority report. The majority recommended against an invasion because of
the military superiority of the Canaanites. The minority (Joshua, of the tribe of Ephraim,
and Caleb, of the tribe of Judah) were in favor of an invasion. They based their
expectation of success on God's promises.
The majority report led to unrest and rebellion among the Israelites. "Let us choose a
captain and go back to Egypt." Such talk aroused the Lord's wrath: He wanted to make a
great nation of Moses instead. But Moses begged the Lord not to destroy Israel. He
pleaded with God for 40 days (Deut. 9:25), the same period of time he spent receiving
the law and repenting after Israel's sin of worshiping the calf (see Deut. 9:9,18).
Moses used two main arguments in his plea. First, what would the nations say? Wouldn't
[46]
they say that the Lord is unable to keep His oath and promises? Second, after the
sin at Sinai the Lord had spoken of Himself as slow to anger and abounding in steadfast
love (see Ex. 34:6-7).

Punishment for unbelief.

The Lord listened to the prayer of Moses and forgave the Israelites once more. But at the
same time He swore an oath that those who would rather die in the wilderness would get
their way (14:2, 28-30). Except for Joshua and Caleb, the entire wilderness generation
would perish before the entry into Canaan.
An attempt was then made to invade Canaan anyway, but because it did not have the
Lord's blessing, it failed (14:39ff). The spies had been gone on their mission for 40 days.
For each of those days, the Israelites would now have to spend a year in the wilderness.
The grace that God showed the Israelites here in sparing them was indeed great. The
New Testament reminds us:
They were unable to enter because of unbelief. Therefore, while the promise of entering
his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. For good
news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit
them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers (Heb. 3:19—4:2).

Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

It did not meet with faith! Isn't this what we see again and again in the story of the
wilderness? Think of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram (ch. 16-17).
Korah was a Levite. He was of the opinion that those who were Levites could also be
priests. Dathan and Abiram were from the tribe of Reuben. (Reuben was Jacob's first-
born son.) They understood the "office of all believers" as meaning that all believers
[47]
could be priests. All Israelites were "holy." Wasn't that what the Lord had declared

23
earlier? (see Ex. 19:6). Wasn't Israel a kingdom in which everyone was a priest?
Now, Korah did not have the very same goals in mind as Dathan and Abiram, but the
three were united in their opposition to Moses and Aaron. (Such unholy alliances have
been made throughout history to this very day, which is part of the reason for the
revolutions in the political arena and the disorder in the church.)
Another factor at work in this rebellion was dissatisfaction at being sent on such a long
journey that seemed to be leading nowhere. Dathan and Abiram even went so far as to
speak of Egypt as a land of milk and honey. This statement must have been galling to
the Lord, for in His promises and in the reports of the spies, Canaan was the land of milk
and honey!
God Himself had to settle the issue. Korah and his followers brought an incense offering.
Aaron did the same (16:16-18). But the fire of the Lord consumed Korah and his
followers (vs. 35). The odor of their incense was apparently no protection against the
Lord's burning wrath.
The Israelites who had gathered to watch were instructed to stay away from Korah's
tents and from the tents of Dathan and Abiram as well. The latter, together with their
families and households, were then swallowed up by the earth (16:25-34). From this it
was clear that Moses had indeed been called by God. The Lord had indicated clearly that
Moses was His servant called to lead the people, and also that Aaron belonged to Him in
a special way, that Aaron was holy and was called to serve as priest (vs. 5).

New Testament application.

At this point we turn our attention again to the New Testament, where we find
references to this story. In a discussion of heretics and their destructive effect on the
church, Paul utters some powerful words: "But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this
[48]
seal: 'The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Let every one who names the name
of the Lord depart from iniquity'" (II Tim. 2:19). This is clearly an allusion to the
rebellion against the leadership of Moses: the Lord faithfully maintains His office-bearers
in the church (16:5). He knows who belong to Him.
On the other hand, the church is called to avoid heretics just as much as Israel was
called to stay away from Korah, Dathan and Abiram when God's judgment was about to
strike them. The Letter of Jude, which also deals with apostasy, mentions the danger of
"perishing in Korah's rebellion" (vs. 11).
Aaron's office maintained. After this dramatic judgment, one would not expect to see
further opposition to Moses and Aaron. But a rebellious spirit is not easily broken. The
next day Moses and Aaron were reproached in "pious" terms for "killing the people of the
LORD." Korah, Dathan and Abiram may have been heretics, but they were apparently well
liked.
The people gathered by the tabernacle. Again the glory of the Lord appeared. Once more
the Lord proposed to destroy the entire nation, but Aaron, as high priest, atoned for the
nation's sin by burning incense.
In order to make it abundantly clear that Aaron was to be high priest, Moses was
commanded by God to invite the head of each tribe to leave his staff in the tent of the
testimony overnight, together with Aaron's staff. When the staffs were examined the
next morning, it was found that Aaron's had produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds!
We already came across the almond tree in connection with the lampstand in the Holy
Place of the tabernacle. This tree, which blossoms early, is a symbol of the Lord's
faithfulness and watchfulness. The staff that blossomed was to be kept in front of the ark
as a permanent token of Aaron's calling.
[49]
Moses as magician.
Later in the book of Numbers we hear more about this staff that was kept in the Lord's

24
presence. For the umpteenth time, there was unrest and discontent in the ranks of the
Israelites. The people complained that there was no water. Moses, with Aaron beside
him, was to call the people together, take that same rod in his hand, and give the
command for water to flow from the rock.
In this situation, Moses made the biggest mistake of his life. Instead of speaking to the
rock and thereby demonstrating the power of the Word of the Lord, he struck the rock
twice with Aaron's rod and asked, "Shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?"
By this course of action, Moses (with Aaron) was presenting himself as a wonder-worker
who could make water flow from a rock. Moses had assumed the role of magician.
For this transgression he did not escape punishment. The Lord decreed that neither
Moses nor Aaron would enter the land of Canaan. Miriam had already died (20:1), and
Aaron soon followed her into the grave (20:22-9). His son Eleazer succeeded him as high
priest. And before the entry into Canaan, Moses was to die on Mount Nebo.
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, so must the Son of man be
lifted up (John 3:14).

6. The Gospel Message in Numbers

The bronze serpent.

At the border of Canaan, after one victory in battle had already been won (21:1-3), the
grumbling began again. The manna which the Lord provided was now called "worthless
food" (21:5).
[50]
The Lord responded to this complaint by sending fiery serpents. The people finally
appealed to Moses for help, and he was allowed to save them by making a bronze ser-
pent and setting it up on a pole where everyone could see it. Anyone who was bitten by
a snake but looked at the bronze serpent would survive.
When Jesus talked to Nicodemus about what it means to be born again, He referred to
this story. Nicodemus wanted to know how a second birth is possible (John 3:9), and
Jesus answered by pointing to the story of the bronze serpent. Just as Moses lifted up
the bronze serpent in the wilderness, the Son of man (i.e. the Christ) would have to be
lifted up (i.e. on the cross and in His ascension into heaven), so that all who believe
could have eternal life and be born again. Haven't we all been bitten by satan, that great
serpent, and hasn't the elevated and exalted Messiah given us a new existence?

Living by grace.
We must live by God's grace. This is the message of the "book of murmuring and
complaining," as Paul's commentary makes clear:
I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate
the same supernatural [Greek: Spiritual] food and all drank the same supernatural
[Spiritual] drink. For they drank from the supernatural [Spiritual] Rock which followed
them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased;
for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did. We must not put the
Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents; nor grumble, as
some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to
them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end
of the ages has come. Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he
fall (I Cor. 10:1-6,9-12).
[51]
The call for a Mediator.
The gospel message contained in the book of Numbers cannot remain hidden from us if

25
we read carefully. All the complaints, all the challenges to Moses' office show us how
difficult a prophet's work is and what a difficult road the great Prophet Jesus had to
travel.
Like Moses, Jesus was mighty in words and deeds; He was the Mediator of the new
covenant. But what opposition He met among His own people! The series of events
described in the book of Numbers reflects the way of the cross. Isn't that gospel?
We also find gospel in chapter 19, where we read about the purification water made from
the ashes of the red heifer. The red heifer—red is the color that symbolizes life—was to
be slaughtered outside the camp as a kind of sin offering. The blood would be sprinkled
seven times in front of the tent of meeting. The rest of the heifer would be burned,
together with some cedarwood, hyssop (probably a sweet marjoram oil) and scarlet
stuff, until there was nothing but ash left. The ash was then used to make purification
water, which would be sprinkled on the third and seventh days over anyone who had
defiled himself by touching a dead body.
In the Letter to the Hebrews we find a reference to this purification ceremony:
For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with
the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more
shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God
(Heb. 9:13-14).

[52]

Remember, my people, what Balak

king of Moab schemed against you,
and how Balaam son of Beor answered
him (Mic. 6:5 NEB).

7. Israel Blessed through Balaam

Two victories.
We also hear gospel in the prophecy of Balaam. The story behind this prophecy is an
interesting one. The Israelites could not pass through the land of the Edomites because
they were refused permission by this brother nation. Sihon, the king of the Amorites,
wouldn't let them pass through his land either. Therefore Israel defeated him in battle
and occupied his territory. Later some of the tribes settled in this area.
Og, the king of Bashan, was also defeated (Num. 21). Israel then camped on the flat
plains of Moab, at the entryway to Canaan. Take a look at a map of the area, and the
situation will quickly become clear to you.

Balak.
The Israelites were perceived as a grave threat by Balak, the king of the Moabites. The
news that Sihon and Og had been defeated made a deep impression on him. With his
own eyes, Balak could see how numerous the Israelites were.
Now, good advice does not come cheap. Whoever is not strong must rely on cunning
instead. Thus Balak resolved to try magic instead of force. Together with the elders of
the Midianites, a neighboring people, he sent for a certain seer named Balaam, who lived
somewhere by the Euphrates River, and asked him to curse Israel.

Balaam.
Balaam was clearly motivated by the love of money. But the Lord overpowered him in
such a way that he could say nothing but what the Lord put in his mouth. The episode of
[53]
the talking donkey (22:23ff) was intended to make it clear to Balaam that he had no
choice but to speak the Word of Yahweh and ignore the wishes of his employer Balak.

26
After much hocus-pocus (23:1ff), Balaam finally spoke, but the words that came to his
lips were words of blessing rather than curses. From the heights, the prophet looked out
over the camp of the Israelites. The promises made to Abraham and Jacob had been
fulfilled. "Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel?" (vs.
10).
Of course Balaam's benediction met with Balak's displeasure. He took Balaam from one
hilltop to the other in an effort to get him to curse Israel. Balaam finally explained
straightforwardly: "Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot
revoke it" (23:20).
It was clear that God was with the Israelites. Theirs was the excitement of a people led
by a king (23:21). Therefore Balak need not expect them to suffer some catastrophic
setback.
Balaam went on to compare Israel to a lion. When he spoke for a third time, he used the
image of the lion again and said of Israel: "Blessed be every one who blesses you"
(24:9).

A star and a scepter.

Balak was most displeased and vexed by this turn of events. Then Balaam spoke a fourth
time—this time without preliminary offerings. The seer focused on Israel's future and
caught a glimpse of a kingly figure:
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not nigh:
a star shall come forth out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel (24:17).
[54]
This appears to be a general vision of the Israelite kingship. The other nations, of
course, had kings before Israel (see Gen. 36:31; I Sam. 8:5). When Israel did receive
David as king, he conquered Moab and Edom.
But this prophecy did not yet reach its fulfillment in David. It was Christ who fulfilled
what Balaam saw. Just think of the wise men who came from the east. In a sense they
were colleagues of this visionary priest Balaam. They saw a new star and perceived a
connection between this phenomenon and the birth of a King in Israel: the star and the
scepter belong together. Christ is the bright morning star who rules the nations with a
rod of iron (Rev. 22:16; 12:5). The gospel as presented in the book of Numbers fits right
in with the gospel as we find it in the book of Revelation.

Then up stood Phinehas to intervene,

and the plague was checked (Ps.
106:30 JB).

8. Succumbing to the Sin of the Midianites

The service of Baal-peor.

The Israelites went astray again as they were camped in the flat plains of Moab. The
nation that had been so richly blessed allowed itself to be misled, falling into idolatry and
apostate religion, the two related dangers that were never far away in the Canaanite
world.
It is apparent from 31:16 that Balaam finally advised Balak to try to break the power of
the Israelites by enticing them into the sensual service of Baal-peor. In the New
Testament, the conduct of Balaam is compared to that of those who misled the church
into spiritual idolatry and the worship of idols, thereby inviting compromise with the
[55]
synagogue of satan (Rev. 2:14). Paul, too, refers to this incident by mentioning the
punishment to which it led (I Cor. 10:8).

27
Phinehas.
The leaders of the people were punished by hanging, while the people themselves were
struck with a plague that the Bible does not describe for us (25:2ff). At this critical point,
Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, intervened by stabbing one of the leaders of the tribe
of Simeon to death, together with the Midianite princess he had taken as his wife.
Not only did this decisive deed bring an end to the plague, it also led the Lord to make a
beautiful promise to Phinehas. Because of his zeal for the Lord, he was promised that the
office of high priest would always be held by someone of his line. The Lord made a
"covenant of peace with him" (25:12-13; see also Ps. 106:30-1; Mal. 2:4-7) and lived up
to this promise. The priest bringing the offering of atonement was always a descendant
of Phinehas—until Christ made this offering unnecessary through His sacrificial death on
the cross.
The sin into which the Midianites had led the Israelites prompted the Lord to order a war
of extermination against them (25:16ff). Like the Amalekites, these dangerous people
would have to be wiped out. In a raid on the Midianites, the seer Balaam was killed
(31:8). Thus his wish of dying a righteous death (see 23:10) was not granted.

He gave their land to Israel (Ps.

136:21 NEB).

9. Preparing for Possession of the Land

Dividing the conquered land.

[56]
It is not difficult to find gospel in the rest of the book of Numbers either. Measures
had to be taken in connection with the land east of the Jordan, which the Israelites had
acquired by defeating Sihon and Og in battle. Preparations also had to be made for
taking over Canaan itself, which had not yet been conquered.
Joshua was named as Moses' successor. He was "confirmed" as successor by the laying
on of hands (27:15ff). Caleb, the other author of the "minority report," was among those
who participated in the division of the new land.
The Levites were assigned a number of cities. Some of their cities were to be places of
asylum for anyone who had killed a person by accident (ch. 35).

Property rights.
If a man had daughters but no sons, his daughters could inherit his property: women
were not to be denied their share in the new land (27:1-11). But they were not to marry
outside their own tribe (Num. 36). Thus the tribes were to remain separate, each with its
own inalienable territory. The Lord guaranteed His people their rights in the land of
promise.
In this we see a foreshadowing of the work of the other Joshua, who was also called
Christ. (Jesus is a later Greek version of the name Joshua.) Because Israel in its sin had
forfeited its right to the inheritance, He has made a new Israel (in the form of the
Church) that will be able to enter the heavenly Canaan, i.e. the new heaven and the new
earth. Because of Him, we have an unshakable right to this inheritance.

28
[57]
Deuteronomy
1. The Book of Covenant Renewal

A perspective on the past.

The name Deuteronomy means second law or repetition of the law. In chapter 5 the
decalogue is recorded once more. Many other familiar laws pass before us again as well.
Yet the book of Deuteronomy is not a word-for-word repetition of the laws already given
earlier. Deuteronomy has a character of its own. When we compare it with the earlier
books of Moses, we find that it differs from them in much the same way that the Gospel
according to John differs from the other three "Gospels."
Such a difference, of course, is not easy to characterize. I could perhaps begin by
pointing out that very little "happens" in Deuteronomy. In effect the book is a long, long
sermon delivered by Moses. In the Gospel according to John, likewise, we read some of
the sermons of Christ.
The words of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy cast a certain light on Israel's history.
They give us a better perspective on the past. The same could be said of the Gospel
according to John. Deuteronomy and John are also alike in that both speak repeatedly of
the love of God.
[58]
A sermon.
What Deuteronomy gives us then, is a sermon delivered by Moses. The very first verse
of the book makes it apparent that Moses delivered this address shortly before his death.
The Israelites were camped on the flat plains of Moab. Canaan was on the other side of
the Jordan, which had not yet been crossed. Sihon and Og had already been defeated,
as we see from the reference to Og's bedstead (3:11), which seems to have become a
museum piece. The sin of Baal-peor described in Numbers 25 had already taken place
(4:3ff). This episode had made it clear how vulnerable the Israelites were to the
seductive religious practices of the Canaanites.
The nomadic nation of Israel was soon to become an agricultural people. The Israelites
would have to change their ways. Would they now be tempted to embrace the gods of
the landl The worship of these gods was exciting and enchanting; the Israelites longed to
join in the feasts of the Canaanites. In the past the Canaanite gods had bestowed rain on
the land and made it fruitful. Wouldn't the Israelites have to pay homage to these gods
as well in order to be successful as farmers?
At Baal-peor it had become clear that Israel was in definite danger of violating its status
as a nation set apart, of casting its uniqueness aside. How would things go in Canaan?
Surely not all the people in Canaan would be wiped out immediately. If not, there was a
real danger that the Israelites might preserve the service of Yahweh in name while
sliding into heathen practices in fact.

The Bantu example.

A look at the Bantu world of our time can illuminate this matter for us. There are a great
many sects among the Bantus in southern Africa. It is typical of many of these sects that
they mix "Christianity" with the old Bantu religion. A vague appeal to the Bible is a
sufficient excuse to justify the old magical purifications and to introduce a complex
[59]
hierarchy of office-bearers such as used to exist in the ancient tribal structure. It is
not to be denied that these people are religious in a significant sense. Yet, despite their
contact with Christianity, they have sunk back into the morass of a false religion.
The same could easily have happened to the Israelites. If you read Judges and Kings, for
example, it soon becomes apparent that the service of the true God was mixed with false
religions in just this way. Israel adapted itself to the Canaanite religion. Wherever there
were heathen places of sacrifice, the name Baal was eliminated and Yahweh put in its

29
place. Once this surface change was accomplished, the old religion continued as before.
To make things simple, it was sometimes even declared: Yahweh = Baal.

"Natural religion."
We should also think of the practices of certain Roman Catholic missionaries as we con-
sider this danger. A holy statue is placed in the heathen cultic centers, and the original
heathen religion is then allowed to continue in a "Christianized" form.
It is not without reason that the Roman Catholics appear to make such progress on the
mission field, for the gospel they present seeks to build on the "natural religion."
Willingly they make use of any points of contact they can find, on the assumption that
the natural man is not as corrupt and depraved as many Protestants seem to think.

An appeal for faithfulness.

We must read the book of Deuteronomy against the background of these dangers. It is a
continuous appeal to remain faithful to Yahweh. The religion of the pagans is worthless!
Have nothing to do with the gods of the land and the Baals of fertility! Maintain the
antithesis! Be intolerant and uncompromising in the face of any false religion. Be
consistent, and show your firmness in your allegiance to the Lord. Don't live by
[60]
manmade religions; live by the torah, the Word of the Lord. Worship Yahweh and
keep His covenant. And treat your neighbor, your brother, as he expects you to.
Long ago the Lord had made a covenant with the patriarchs. Later a covenant was made
with Israel at Mount Horeb. Now a new generation stood ready to enter Canaan, that
heathen land. Therefore the ceremony of entering into a covenant was repeated on the
flat plains of Moab.
The words of Moses as recorded in Deuteronomy form the introduction to this covenant.
They contain the terms of the covenant or agreement, describing the rights and
obligations of the covenant partners and emphasizing the dangers of not living up to the
covenant.
Moses delivered this oration at a very critical moment. Israel, as a vassal, renewed the
covenant with Yahweh, its God and Great King. The words of Moses were to be used as a
criterion to evaluate the events in Israel's later history. Did Israel remain faithful to the
words of that covenant?

2. The Lord's Covenant with His People

Treaties and covenants.

The Lord can control what goes on in the hearts of kings just as carefully as a sprinkler
controls a forced water irrigation system (Prov. 21:1). He guided the course of history in
such a way that when He made His covenant with Israel, there was a certain accepted
way of drawing up a political treaty or agreement between nations.
Thanks to the excavations made by archeologists, various treaties have been recovered
from the time of the later Hittite empire, i.e. 1450-1200 B.C., which is about the time of
Israel's exodus from Egypt. Some of the treaties were between kings who were roughly
[61]
equal in power (e.g. Ramses II of Egypt and the Hittite king Hattusilis III). Such a
treaty could be called a covenant of parity. But it also happened that the great Hittite
king, for example, would make a covenant with subject leaders and nations. In such a
covenant or treaty, he would be the suzerain, the lord to whom homage was due.
A covenant made with a vassal or "protectorate" would be called a suzerainty covenant,
for it was not a treaty between two equal partners. The vassal was a defeated subject
and was allowed to choose between complete extermination and entering into some sort
of brotherly relationship with the great king.
Scholars have unearthed also a treaty made by the Assyrian king Ezarhaddon in 672
B.C., in which the king had his vassals swear an oath that they would continue to

30
recognize his dynasty after his own death and would obey the crown prince once he
became king. This was a covenant that involved the succession to the throne. The terms
of the covenant binding on the vassals were written as commands: "Thou shalt.... Thou
shalt not ... ."
Elements of a suzerainty covenant. When the Lord made His covenant with Israel, He
drew on the forms then current in diplomatic circles. In this treaty or covenant, He
presented Himself as the Great King, the Suzerain, over against Israel, the vassal.
Because it is so important for us to grasp this point if we are to understand God's
revelation in the Bible, I will list the elements or parts that were always to be found in a
4
Hittite suzerainty covenant.
[62]

(1) An introductory section: the great king presents himself as the sun and as a great
hero. The usual stereotyped opening line is: "These are the words of...."
(2) A historical section: the great king explains how good he has been to his vassal,
how he has conferred power and land upon him. Demarcations of borders are
sometimes discussed in this section.
(3) The terms of the covenant: absolute faithfulness and loyalty demanded. The great
king spells out just what this involves. Some attention is also given to the question
of the succession to the throne. There is to be no rebellion against the successor of
the great king.
(4) A list of witnesses: gods are mentioned as well as heaven and earth.
(5) Blessings and curses: if the covenant is broken, certain sanctions are to be put into
effect. This also involves an oath on the part of the vassal.
(6) Provision is made for regular reading aloud and proper preservation of the covenant
document. No part of the text is to be changed. The "tables of the covenant" must
be safeguarded in a temple. On certain specified occasions, the vassal must come to
the court to hear the treaty read aloud and swear his oath anew. The seal of the
dynasty is placed on the official documents.

The Great King.

When you compare this sketch of the parts of a suzerainty covenant with the Lord's way
of dealing with His people, you see immediately that He acts in the style of a great king.
The introductory formula (1) corresponds to the words: "I am the LORD your God."
Both Exodus 19:4-6 and the prologue to the ten commandments give us a (redemptive)
historical prologue (2).
[63]
The Lord identifies Himself as the one who "brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage."
The "law" can then be seen as the stipulations and terms of the covenant (3). There are
blessings and curses (5) to be found at the end of the second commandment, as well as
in Leviticus 26.
The tables of the covenant were to be deposited in the ark (6). The law was to be read
aloud regularly, and the covenant was renewed from time to time (6). The prophets
were authorized by the Great King to call the people to obey the terms of the covenant
and to threaten them with covenant wrath if they did not.
This style of the Great King, the King of kings, continues all the way through the book of

4
Readers who would like to pursue this matter further should consult Meredith G. Kline, The
Structure of Biblical Authority (Grand Rapids, 1972); and C. Vonk, De Voorzeide Leer, I-A
(Barendrecht, 1960), pp. 314ff, 1-B (1963), pp. 504ff, and I-C (1966), pp. 307ff and 403ff.

31
Revelation. At the very end of the Bible we read a stiff warning: "If any one takes away
from the words of the book of this prophecy....

Imperial style.
This style of the Great King comes through especially in Deuteronomy. The Great King
makes a covenant with Israel as His vassal. At the same time, the covenant designates
Joshua as Moses' successor.
Consider the following resemblances between the covenant in Deuteronomy and the
Hittite suzerainty covenants.
(1) Introductory formula: "These are the words...."
(2) The redemptive historical prologue (ch. 1-4) deals with the events from Sinai on.
(3) The terms of the covenant are given in chapters 5-26. The Ten Words form the
point of departure. Both the first part of this section and the second (which begins
with ch. 12) conclude with some words of blessing and curse.
(4) Witnesses are listed in 30:19 and 31:21ff.
[64]
(5) Blessing and curse are dealt with in chapters 11, 27, 28, 32, and 33.
(6) Provision for reading the covenant book aloud and keeping it in a safe place is made
in 31:9-13, 26. Furthermore, 4:2 and 12:32 also deal with the obligation of taking
good care of the covenant in the exact form in which it was originally given. Just as
we saw in connection with the first covenant at Sinai (Ex. 24:4) and also the second
covenant (Ex. 34:27), the emphasis falls on the importance of keeping a careful
record of everything (27:3, 8; 28:58, 61; 29:20ff; 30:10; 31:9, 19, 21, 24). God
will not stand for carelessness or human willfulness. There was to be no "new
morality" in Israel.

3. Redemptive Historical Prologue and Constitution

Historical review.
Within the framework of covenant renewal, Moses reviews the events that occurred after
Israel entered into the covenant at Sinai. In the opening chapters of Deuteronomy,
which come before the reiteration of the Ten Words, he shows how graciously the Lord
dealt with His stubborn people. Thus the phrase "By grace alone" can also be used to
characterize what we read in Deuteronomy.
This grace should lead Israel to hold on to the "peace" and "rest" which the Lord gives to
those who keep His torah. "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as
the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there,
that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law [or better: teaching, torah]
which I set before you this day?" (4:7-8).
Deuteronomy 4 further reminds the Israelites how the Lord revealed Himself at Sinai. He
[65]
could not be seen; only His voice could be heard (4:15,12). Therefore the Israelites
were not to worship any idols or images of false gods, nor were they to make images of
Yahweh. His service is a service of the Word. "Did any people ever hear the voice of a
god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?" (4:33).

The constitution.
When did the people hear the voice of the Lord? When the Ten Words were spoken.
These ten commandments form the constitution of the covenant, as it were. Therefore
we can well understand why Moses would want to go over them once more (5:6-21).
When we read in 5:3 that the Lord made a covenant not with "our fathers" but with "us,
who are all of us here alive this day," we must not take this to mean that no covenant
was made with the patriarchs. No, the point Moses wanted to emphasize was that the
covenant made at Sinai is just as relevant to later generations as to those who were

32
actually present at Sinai. No child could say that the Ten Words and the covenant made
at Sinai had nothing to do with him.
In Exodus 20 the fourth commandment is based on God's rest after the six days of
creation, but in Deuteronomy 5 we find an argument borrowed from the re-creation, the
deliverance from bondage in Egypt. The Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, and
therefore, out of gratitude, they must allow their own servants a day of sabbath rest.
Here we see an example of the social emphasis in the book of Deuteronomy. We will
come across more examples later.

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4. Israel's Covenant Partner
One Lord.
Perhaps you have heard of the Jewish prayer called the "Shema." According to Jewish
tradition, every adult male is to say this prayer each morning and evening. The prayer is
composed of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41. It begins as
follows: "Hear (shema), O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD!"
It is clear from the New Testament how well known these words were. Christ used them
when He summarized the law (Mark 12:28ff), and we find allusions to them in many
other places as well (see John 8:41; Rom. 3:30; Gal. 3:20; Eph. 4:6; I Tim. 2:5; James
2:19). The Lord is the one and only God. He will tolerate no Baals.
This makes a great deal of sense in the light of the central message and emphasis of
Deuteronomy. Hear, O Israel! The Lord speaks through the service of His Word. Yahweh
is one. He cannot be divided into a number of regional Baals.
A unique God. Yet there is more contained in this word one: not only is Yahweh the only
God, He is also unique. His nature and revelation are unique. He, the Liberator and King
of Israel, cannot be compared to the pseudo-liberators of the heathens.
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel
and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
"I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god" (Is. 44:6).
Zechariah informs us: "And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day
the LORD will be one and his name one" (Zech. 14:9).
It is not enough for us to be monotheists, confessing that there is but one God. The
basic confession of the Muslims is that there is no God but Allah. Thus they, too, believe
[67]
in one God. But that does not make their faith a true faith.
The God we must believe in is the God who has revealed Himself in redemptive history—
in Egypt and on Golgotha. We must believe in the one and only Deliverer. There is no
one else like Him. The church of the new covenant also proclaims: "Hear, O Israel: The
Lord our God is one Lord. He is unique. You shall love the Lord your God."
From Deuteronomy 6 on, the Israelites are shown the many ways in which they must
serve the one, unique God—or better: may serve. Little is left to the imagination.
God's sovereign will. Israel did not choose a god but was chosen by the Lord to be His
people. But why did the Lord choose Israel? Was it because the Israelites were so
numerous? "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the
LORD set his love upon you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples" (7:7).
Was it because Israel was such a powerful nation? "Beware lest you say in your heart,
'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' You shall remember
the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth" (8:17-18).
Was it perhaps because the Israelites were so righteous and deservingl "When the LORD
your God drives them out before you, do not say to yourselves, 'It is because of my own
merit that the LORD has brought me in to occupy this land.' Know then that it is not

33
because of any merit of yours that the LORD your God is giving you this rich land to
occupy; indeed, you are a stubborn people" (9:4, 6 NEB).
Why, then, was the LORD SO gracious to Israel? "It is because the LORD loves you, and is
keeping the oath which he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with
a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh
king of Egypt.
[68]
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant
and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand
generations" (7:8-9; see also 8:18; 9:5).
Here Moses is talking about the sovereignty of God's will. The Lord is a slave to His
promised Word. He will always remember His redemptive purpose, the oath He swore to
Abraham long ago, the unshakable covenant He made (see Luke 1:55, 73; 2:14).

Fearing the Lord.

Yahweh tested His people to find out whether they really wished to serve Him (8:2ff),
but the Israelites were stubborn (9:7ff). Moses points to a few specific incidents, such as
the worship of the golden calf. But the Lord was always gracious. His everlasting grace is
the basis of Israel's existence.
And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your
God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I
command you this day for your good? Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and
the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it; yet the LORD set his heart in love
upon your fathers and chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as at
this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn
(10:12-16; see also Mic. 6:8; Jer. 4:4).
We must not be misled by the word fear in this passage. It does not mean being
frightened of God in His sovereign will. Instead it involves taking Him into account,
respecting Him, living by His torah. Deuteronomy is a continuous appeal to return
Yahweh's love in a heartfelt way rather than just an external way.
If Israel will heed this appeal, the Lord will give His blessing. But if Israel is disobedient,
[69]
the Lord will become angry. The people must choose between the path of blessing
and the path of curse (ch. 11). That's why they were asked once more at Shechem to
express their wishes clearly.

5. Concrete Covenant Demands

Covenant renewal.
Because chapter 12 begins a new section of the book of Deuteronomy, I will pause
briefly to sum up what we have established up to this point. We have seen that the book
of Deuteronomy is anti-Canaanite in its overall thrust. It preaches Yahweh, the God who
has freely chosen Israel as His inheritance.
This choice was a matter of His sovereign love; the stubborn Israelites did not become
the object of His love on account of their own merits. In His great mercy, the Lord ac-
cepted the Israelites as His people and led them out of the house of bondage. He was
faithful to the promises He had made to the patriarchs. At Sinai He renewed the
covenant. After the long journey through the wilderness, the Sinai covenant was
confirmed on the plains of Moab.
Deuteronomy gives us an introduction to this renewed covenant, a covenant calling for
the people to return God's love with a total, all-embracing love of their own. The one,
unique Lord demanded service in all areas of life.

34
Worship.
The same emphases are present in the material that follows chapter 12, where they are
applied to the central elements in Israel's life: worship (the priestly aspect), prophecy,
and the courts (the kingly office). The anti-Canaanite emphasis also comes through here.
Heathendom, too, operates with mediators and office-bearers. Balaam, for example, was
[70]
a priestly and prophetic figure. Those heathen office-bearers often had very high
opinions of themselves and their positions. They claimed to have a special relationship
with the gods and declared themselves inviolable.
This applied especially to the king. The king was a son of the gods. He ruled in an
absolute way, as if he actually were a god. Heathendom is liberal in its recognition of
numerous gods and deified people.
But Yahweh is one! (6:4). Therefore Israel was not to take over the Canaanite altars and
places of worship. The cuitic centers dedicated to the male Baals and female Astartes
had to be destroyed. Only the place designated by the Lord could be used for offering
sacrifices (ch. 12). And the Levites had to be accorded official recognition—in part
through the giving of tithes (12:17ff).

Prophecy.
The Israelites were instructed to listen critically to what was said by the "prophets" and
by those who "dream dreams." If an alleged prophet urged the Israelites to serve other
gods, his message was to be rejected. The Israelites were not to assume that whatever
a prophet said must be true. The rule to be followed was that every purported revelation
must be in harmony with previous revelations of the Lord.
Even if a "prophet" predicted some miraculous event as a sign of his calling and his
prediction was borne out, this was still no indication that the Israelites were supposed to
heed his appeal to serve other gods. Through such "prophets," the Lord would test His
people from time to time to see whether they would be faithful to Him (13:1ff).
Therefore the Israelites were always to compare a new prophecy with previous
prophecies—and we should do the same. In I John 4:1 we read: "Beloved, do not believe
every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets
have gone out into the world."
[71]
Israel had to be fully aware of the abiding danger of heathendom creeping into its
worship by means of some "prophet," some preacher seeming to possess authority.
Hence the false prophets were to be put to death (13:5) so that the evil would be
removed from the midst of Israel. Paul speaks the same language when he discusses
church discipline: wicked persons are to be "driven out" (I Cor. 5:13). In the New
Testament, the death penalty is replaced by excommunication: the transgressor is to
have no more contact with the congregation until he repents and turns to the Lord. It is
clear from the rest of Deuteronomy 13 that discipline is to be applied whether the sin
involves only a small circle of people (vs. 6-11) or is more public in nature (vs. 12-18).

Justice.
Deuteronomy goes on to give further instructions about worship and the administration
of justice. Here again we see the elements we noted earlier, namely, an anti-heathen
emphasis and an accentuation of the significance of the emancipation from Egypt.
The instructions on justice manifest an eye for social considerations. We find a beautiful
example of this social awareness in 15:7-11. The Israelites must be generous to the
poor. All the Israelites together form a brotherhood, a community of people with
obligations toward each other. The prospect of an approaching sabbath year in which
debts would be forgiven automatically should not hold back anyone's generosity.
Furthermore, there was to be no bending or twisting of the law. Bribes were strictly
forbidden. All persons appearing in court were to be treated alike by the judges. Later
the prophets harped on the same point.

35
The rule requiring at least two or three witnesses, which we encounter in the New
Testament (Matt. 18:16; John 5: 32), is already to be found in Deuteronomy (see 17:6;
[72]
19: 15). Thus no case could come to trial unless there were witnesses. Moreover,
the witness bringing the accusation was to "cast the first stone" (17:7; see also John
8:7). Since he would be the one to carry out the sentence, he bore a heavy responsibility
when he presented his testimony.

Military regulations.
When we turn to the laws governing warfare, we see that considerable provision was
made for exemptions from military service. We should also note that the enemy is to be
offered peace terms before the attack (20:10).
In a demonstration of ecological concern, even the fruit trees are drawn into the
instructions about warfare: they are not to be chopped down during a war. Thus,
5
"scorched earth" tactics are forbidden (20:19). When Elisha later advised the use of
such tactics anyway, this was "false prophecy" on his part; the tactics did not lead to the
desired results (see II Kings 3:19,25-7).

The conduct of kings.

In 17:14-20 we read some laws that have to do with the choice of a king and the
conduct of kings. The king could not be a foreigner; he had to be one of the Israelites,
chosen by God to serve as king.
We are then given a detailed portrait of the Messianic kingly ideal. Israel's ruler is not to
compete with the surrounding heathen kings as though he were an autocrat or some sort
of son of the gods. Definite restrictions were imposed on him. He was not to buy horses
from Egypt, the land from which Israel had been liberated (see Is. 30:16; 31:1, and
think of Solomon's stud farm). He was not to establish a great harem full of foreign
princesses (think again of Solomon, who got into various difficulties because of all his
[73]
wives), nor was he to set his heart on heaping up riches for himself. The king was
bound to the law of Moses and was not to elevate himself above his brothers. Like them,
he was to listen to the prophets and bow before God's will as expressed in the torah.
In later history we see something of this kingly ideal exemplified. The king, as a man
after God's own heart, is to treasure God's testimonies and seek guidance from the
prophets. This "testimony" later played a role in the coronation ceremony (II Chron.
23:11). The king who was to foreshadow the coming Messiah would have to feel one
with his brothers and separate from the nations and rulers living all around him; he
would therefore have to live within the covenant made with Yahweh.

Fulfillment in Christ.
Christ was the first King to fulfill all of this. He had no silver and no gold. He rode into
Jerusalem on a donkey. He had come to do God's will in all things (Heb. 10:7). Wasn't
He our High Priest and King?
That Christ was a prophet as well as a king is already indicated in 18:15: "The LORD your
God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, for your brethren—him you
shall heed" (18:15; see also John 6:14; Acts 3:22; 7:37; Matt. 17:5). The Jews
condemned Christ as the false prophet of Deuteronomy 13, arguing that He deserved the
death penalty, but the church may proclaim that He is the true prophet of Deuteronomy
18.

Bound to the Word.

Deuteronomy 18 does not apply to Christ alone. The Lord means to say that since there
will always be a prophet in Israel, there is no need to consult heathen soothsayers. In

5
We should also note the concern for the bird in its nest, the ox treading on grain, and anyone
who might happen to be walking from roof to roof (see 22:6-7; 25:4; 22:8). Ecology in the Bible!

36
the words your brothers, by which the circle of the covenant people is meant, we hear
the voice of Yahweh speaking to us through the prophet. Hear, O Israel!
[74]
That voice binds the people as well as the priests and kings to the Word, the law
that has been given. There is no room for manmade religion in Israel. Above Israel
stands the Lord, who, as King, is the supreme lawgiver.
When the covenant was renewed on the plains of Moab, Moses, as prophet and
mediator, declared: "This day you have become the people of the LORD your God. You
shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his
statutes, which I command you this day" (27:9-10).
A nation set apart. All the other incidental laws and regulations in chapters 18 through
26 should be viewed from this perspective. As a holy nation, Israel's feasts and public
life would be subject to the laws of the God who decreed that Israel was to be a separate
nation and was not to mingle with the pagans.
Israel was to be set apart not because it was somehow a better "race" than the other
nations but because it had been chosen by the Lord to honor His name. Hear, O Israel!

6. The Covenant's Blessings, Curses and Witnesses

The opposite of shalom.

What if the Israelites should refuse to listen? Moses decreed that the curses and
blessings of the covenant were to be made known in the heart of Canaan: the curses at
Mount Ebal, and the blessings at Mount Gerizim. It is striking how extensive the curses
are (see ch. 27-28). The words of the covenant, of course, are also lengthy (ch. 29).
Echoes of these curses pronounced by Moses are to be found in the prophets. The gates
of hell are opened in these curses, for they represent the exact opposite of shalom or
[75]
peace (29:19). The destruction of Jerusalem, which took place twice in history, is
already mentioned in this series of curses.

Creation as a witness.
Moses points out that repentance will lead to forgiveness and blessing (30:1-10), but
such repentance must include a willingness to listen to the voice of the Lord. That His
voice should continue to be heard is a matter of great grace on God's part. Prophecy will
not die out, the Israelites are assured. There is no need to cross vast seas or ascend to
heaven to hear the Word of the Lord. "The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and
in your heart" (30:11-14; see also Rom. 10:6-10).
The exhortation "Hear, O Israel" remains a rule for the church. Faith is a matter of
listening, but it is also a matter of grace. What we must listen to is the preaching of the
Word. "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your
descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him;
for that means life to you" (30:19-20).
Just as a covenant between a suzerain king and his vassals required witnesses, the Lord
here appeals to the creation as His witness. The Word is near you (Ps. 19). The spacious
firmament is an accusing witness when the covenant is broken (Rom. 10:18, 8).

The song of Moses.

In case of rebellion on man's part, there was another witness that would make itself
heard, namely, a song impressed upon the minds of all the members of the covenant.
The theme of this song of Moses is: "A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and
right is he" (32:4).
Yahweh was good to Israel. He carried Israel as an eagle carries its young (32:6-14; see
[76]
also Rev. 4:7; 12:14). But were the Israelites thankful to the Lord? No, they

37
returned evil for good (32:5-6, 15-18). Referring to Israel by the poetic name Jeshurun,
Moses declares:
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked;
you waxed fat, you grew thick, you became sleek;
then he forsook God who made him,
and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation (32:15).
Thus Jeshurun did not live up to his beautiful name, which seems to be related to the
word upright. This aroused the Lord's wrath (32:19ff), for He had declared long before
that He would not tolerate such flagrant wickedness as Israel's idolatry. He would have
wiped out the Israelites completely by means of their enemies, but those enemies would
then have drawn the conclusion that Yahweh was powerless to protect His people
(32:26-31).

The antithesis within Israel.

As for the later verses (vs. 32ff) in the song of Moses, the disagreement about their
meaning goes all the way back to the Jewish rabbis. Some believed that God was still
talking about the pagans and threatening them with judgment. Others believed that God
was referring to apostate Israel, declaring that Israel would not escape punishment.
I accept the latter interpretation. Within Israel there would be an antithesis, an
opposition, between those who were faithful and those who fell away. But the Lord would
vindicate His people and deal justly with them (32:36); He would have mercy on His
servants and avenge them (vs. 43). He is, and there is no other besides Him. He kills
and makes alive; He wounds and heals (vs. 39). In New Testament language, we would
say that Christ preserves His Church even against the combined forces of hell.

Echoes of Moses' song.

Later Israelites used this song of Moses regularly in the temple services. Therefore it
[77]
became very familiar. In one of the caves by the Dead Sea, a fragment of a
separate copy of this song was found. It should not surprise us, then, that we find
various allusions to this song in the Old Testament as well as the New.
As you read this song, you will probably notice that the Lord is repeatedly referred to by
the strange name Rock. This comforting image of God also appears in the book of
Psalms (see, for example, Ps. 18:2; 19:14; 31:3; 71:3; 92:15; 94:22). The name
Jeshurun occurs again in the book of Isaiah (see Is. 44:1), which also quotes part of
6
32:39. The words "Vengeance is mine, and recompense" (32:35) are quoted repeatedly
in the Bible (see Rom. 12:19 and Heb. 10:30, where Deut. 32:36 is also cited.) Finally,
in the book of Revelation we find a number of cries that reflect either the theme of the
7
song of Moses (32:4) or its conclusion (vs. 43).

6
Is. 43:10ff. Compare Deut. 32:39 with I Sam. 2:6 (the song of Hanna); Hos. 6:1-2; Matt.
16:21; Luke 24:26-7, 44; John 5:21; Rom. 4:17; 8:11; II Cor. 1:9; 13:4; I Tim. 6:13; I Pet.
3:18; Rev. 1:18.
7
Deut. 32:4 is quoted in Rev. 15:3; 16:7; 19:2. Deut. 32:43 is echoed in Rev. 6:10; 16:5-6;
18:20; 19:2. There are more places in the New Testament that draw on Deuteronomy 32: for
example, compare Matt. 11:16; 12:39, 41; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36; 24:34; Acts 2:40; and Phil. 2:15
with Deut. 32:5,20, where Moses speaks of a "perverse generation."
The Old Testament includes a number of songs in addition to the Psalms. Both the synagogue and
the early Christian church made good use of them. The Roman Catholics still give these songs
some liturgical recognition. The Protestant churches did not restore these songs to the liturgy,
despite the fact that Marnix and Beza prepared rhymed versions of them. Many of these songs do
not fit the tastes of a generation that would rather sing of a "loving" God than of a covenant God
who can become very angry.
The Christian churches would do well to break with this self-imposed poverty and return to the
practice of the synagogue and the early church by using these songs in their worship services.

38
[78]
When we bear in mind that the "enemies" mentioned in this song are not just
heathen opponents but also apostates within the church, we can see what comfort the
song of Moses has provided the faithful Israelites of the old covenant as well as the new.
The Lord will avenge the blood of His servants. The faithful God of the covenant will
uphold His church.

A blessing on Israel.
The blessing given by Moses (Deut. 33) should be compared with Jacob's blessing (Gen.
49). We see that Simeon is not mentioned. (This tribe was given certain cities in Judah's
territory.) Moreover, this time the priestly tribe of Levi, which had firmly resisted
apostasy, is not cursed (see Gen. 49:5-7) but blessed (see Num. 25:6-13; Mal. 2:5-7;
Jer. 33:19-22). Moses speaks at length about Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of
Joseph.
At the beginning of the blessing, an appearance of the Lord is sketched in powerful
words (see Ps. 68 and Hab. 3). At the end comes a prophetic doxology:
There is none like God, O Jeshurun,
who rides through the heavens to your help,
and in his majesty through the skies.
The eternal God is your dwelling place,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD,
the shield of your help,
and the sword of your triumph!
Your enemies shall come fawning to you;
and you shall tread upon their high places (33:26-7,29).

The death of Israel's leader.

Deuteronomy ends with an account of Moses' death. Of course Moses did not write this
section of Scripture himself; the record of this event must have been composed later.
We sense a definite yearning when we read the declaration that there has never been
[79]
such a prophet again since the time of Moses (34:10ff)- There is a longing for the
old days, but also a Messianic yearning for the coming of the One who will be greater
than Moses and will serve as Mediator of the new covenant.
We should also note that the leadership succession is dealt with explicitly at the end of
the book. We are told that the people did indeed follow the successor designated by
Moses—Joshua. Because of the laying on of hands, this successor was full of the Spirit of
wisdom. (The Revised Standard Version does not use a capital letter here for Spirit.)
Regardless of who the office-bearers in the church may be and regardless of how they
may differ in gifts and abilities, obedience to the covenant means standing by the faithful
and lawful office-bearers of the covenant and respecting the covenant's organs and
institutions. As far as this point is concerned, there is no difference between "Mosaic"
and "apostolic" succession. (As you ponder this matter, read Acts 20:24ff and II Timothy
1:6-7.) We are to take good care of what has been entrusted to us.

There are certainly some hymns in our hymnbooks that we could do without. Perhaps we should
replace them with these Old Testament songs. If we did so, we would no longer be disobedient
with regard to God's command about Moses' last song (see Deut. 31:19,21-2,28,30; 32:44ff; Rev.
15:3).

39
[80]
Joshua
Thanks be to God, who gives us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
(I Cor. 15:57).

1. Main Themes

The conquest of the promised land.

The book of Joshua can be characterized as the book of the Lord's wars. It describes the
conquest of the land of promise. The oath sworn to Abraham was no idle promise: after
Abraham became a great nation (the people of Israel), he also received a land (Canaan).
This was a matter of God's free grace.
When Joshua, at the end of his life, pleaded with the people to remain faithful to
Yahweh, he reminded them that their fathers had long ago served other gods when they
lived beyond the Euphrates (24:2, 14ff; see also Deut. 26:5ff). It was only because of
God's sovereign grace that Abram was called and Israel was brought into Canaan.
The book of Joshua makes it abundantly clear that Abraham's descendants did not take
possession of the promised land because of their own strength. It was always the Lord
who gave them the victory.
[81]
Israel's leader.
Joshua may have been a great general and military strategist, but he was always
dependent on the One who fulfills His promises. The book of Joshua does not hide
Joshua's faults.
As we read between the lines, we sense a yearning for the One who would lead the
people to perfect "rest" and fullness of life. This Deliverer bore the same name as Moses'
successor: He was Joshua of Nazareth. (Jesus is an Aramaic version of the Hebrew name
Joshua.) He was the One who made possible the sabbath rest for which the people of
God had been waiting (Heb. 3:7—4:11).

When thou didst go forth before thy

people... (Ps. 68:7).
2. Securing a Foothold in Canaan

God's grace at work.

The first chapters of the book of Joshua show us the free and mighty grace of God at
work. The Lord gave Joshua the great promise that we hear so often in Scripture: "I will
be with you" (1:5, 9). Joshua announced to the people that the time had come to cross
the Jordan. But first he sent out spies.
In the city of Jericho, which was central to Canaan's defense, the spies enlisted the help
of a fallen woman named Rahab. This woman not only hid them from the authorities but
also testified of her faith, declaring that Israel's God would be victorious. He is not a
local deity, she declared, but a universal God who showed through the wonders He
performed in Egypt that He is greater than any other.
In the face of Jericho's crisis, Rahab now sought refuge in this God. The spies assured
[82]
her that because of her faithfulness, she and her family would be spared when the
city was taken. Thus this woman was incorporated into Israel in a wonderful way; among
her descendants were David and Jesus (see Matt. 1:5ff).
The very beginning of the book of Joshua, which is so full of the judgment of God on the
Canaanites, presents this beautiful story of the grace shown to a daughter of degenerate
Canaan. Although she had grown up outside the "church," there was salvation for her!

40
A path through the Jordan.
The spies came back with a triumphant report. Rahab had told them that the inhabitants
of Jericho trembled in fear of the Israelites. It was time to cross the Jordan!
The ark (the symbol of the Lord's throne) was first in the procession. The God who had
dried up the Red Sea so that the Israelites could pass through was still with them: He
made a path through the waters of the Jordan as well. He may have done so through
natural means, but this does not make it any less a miracle.
Joshua saw to it that a pioneer monument was erected at Gilgal, the first resting point.
The monument was made of twelve stones taken from the Jordan's riverbed.
The book of Joshua could well be called the "book of the speaking stones." Later in the
book we will encounter more monuments. These stones served as a children's Bible—or
better: a catechism. They were intended to encourage the children to ask questions. The
parents would answer by telling them about the wondrous deeds of Yah-weh (4:4ff,
20ff).

Circumcision and the Passover.

Before the Israelites could proceed with the attack on Jericho, there was something
important to be done. All the male Israelites were to be circumcised. During the journey
through the wilderness (which most Israelites regarded as a death march, a curse), the
practice of circumcision had been dropped.
[83]
The Passover was also celebrated. This had important implications for future
Passover celebrations. From then on the Passover would not just be a reminder of the
exodus from Egypt but also a way of remembering the crossing of the Jordan and the
entry into Canaan.
Israel crossed the Jordan four days before the day of the Passover, on the day when the
Passover lamb was to be selected (see 4:19; see also Ex. 12:3). The Passover—think of
Jesus Christ—speaks not only of a departure but also of an arrival!

A divine battle plan.

Just as we read in Exodus about Moses and the burning bush, there is an extraordinary
phenomenon recorded in Joshua. Israel's new leader encountered a commander of the
army of the Lord—an angel with a drawn sword. Like Moses, Joshua was ordered to take
off his shoes, for he was on holy ground. The angel assured him that Jericho would fall to
the Israelites. Joshua was also told what military measures to employ.
The plan was a strange one. For six days in succession, the Israelite warriors would
march once around the city without making any noise. On each occasion they were to be
followed by seven priests blowing trumpets, and also by the ark, the throne of God. On
the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times, again with the priests
blowing their trumpets. Then, when a great cry issued from all the people, the walls of
the city would collapse and the city could be taken.
That was the angel's plan of attack. Joshua carried out the plan just as he was told. The
city did indeed fall and was completely destroyed.
Jericho was to remain a pile of ruins indefinitely, as a monument to warn the Israelites:
"Be careful that this doesn't happen to you" (see 6:26). Anyone who rebuilt the city
would be cursed. In the days of King Ahab, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt the city—at the cost of
his oldest and youngest sons (I Kings 16:34).
[84]

41
 Drive out the wicked person from
among you (I Cor. 5:13).

3. A Curse in the Camp

Achan's sin.
Time and again the Bible speaks of apostasy within the church. This motif already occurs
in the book of Joshua, where we meet Achan, who kept some of Jericho's treasures for
himself contrary to the Lord's express orders.
As punishment for this deed, the Israelites lost a battle against the city of Ai. (At, which
may well be a later name, means heap of ruins.) The Lord informed Joshua that the
Israelites' defeat was due to the presence of a transgressor in their midst. By lot it was
determined that Achan was the guilty party. He confessed and was stoned to death with
his family and household.

A "troubler of Israel."
Using Achan's name in a pun, Joshua asked him why he had brought trouble upon the
people of Israel. (Aakar means: bring trouble.) A great heap of stones was set up in the
valley where he was stoned—another monument! This valley was named the Valley of
Achor (i.e. valley of troubles, misfortune). In I Chronicles 2:7, Achan is referred to as
the "troubler of Israel"; he is the man who plunged Israel into defeat. King Ahab applied
this name to Elijah during the great drought (see I Kings 18:17).
Because those who prefer old-fashioned Scriptural language sometimes use the term
troubler of Israel to refer to someone who gets things going or livens things up, we must
be aware of the real meaning and background of this expression. It is a very serious
matter to be a "troubler of Israel." Achan's sin led to the punishment of the whole
congregation. Even today the church regards this event as a reason to insist on the
maintenance of church discipline.
[85]
Otherwise God's wrath would be directed against the whole congregation (see
Answer 82 of the Heidelberg Catechism).

A door of hope.
The Valley of Achor was mentioned by the prophets much later in Israel's history (see Is.
65:10; Hos. 2:15). But to their way of thinking, this episode is not all darkness. The
entryway to Canaan is no longer a gateway to unhappiness but a door of hope. It is
Christ who makes this perspective possible. It is through His subjection to punishment
and the curse that we are saved.
The city of Ai was also punished when it was finally captured after Achan's death. The
king of Ai was hanged on a tree. His body was taken down in the evening, in accordance
with the law recorded in Deuteronomy 21:23. Anyone who is hanged is accursed by God.
This reminds us at once of Christ's death on the cross. Our Savior was "elevated," just as
this Canaanite king was elevated. He, too, was cursed (see Josh. 8:29; 10:26ff; John
19:31; Gal. 3:13). He became someone who defiled the land — so that we could inherit
"the land," the blessed earth.
to your descendants I will give this
land (Gen. 12:7).

4. Completing the Conquest

Shechem.
In Joshua 8:30ff, we read how Joshua built an altar at Shechem, the center of the land,
and then read aloud the covenant's provisions about blessings and curses (see also
Deut. 11:29; 27:12-13). In the heart of Canaan, where Abram first heard the promise
(Gen. 12:7), the Word of the One who demands Israel's heart was heard.

42
 [86]
We can well understand why Joshua also chose Shechem for his parting address to
the Israelites. Once more the voice of the covenant was heard in Shechem at an
assembly of the people.

The Gibeonites.
Joshua and the other leaders certainly did not take the proper position in the matter of
the Gibeonites (one of the Canaanite peoples). The law, the pact with King Yahweh (of
which Joshua had just reminded the people), expressly forbade the Israelites to make
any treaty or alliance with a foreign nation.
Joshua found himself faced with emissaries claiming to come from a faraway land. In
fact, however, they represented a nation in the midst of Canaan. These emissaries
exemplified the old proverb "Necessity is the mother of invention." If the Israelites were
too strong for them, they would have to be defeated by cunning rather than force.
Unfortunately, Joshua did not seek the Lord's advice in this matter. He was flattered by
the words of the emissaries and made a covenant with them. Later he found out that he
had been deceived, but he had to abide by the oath he had sworn (ch. 9). Thus Gibeon
was spared. To neutralize the evil influence that these Canaanites would be sure to have
on Israel, the Gibeonites were made to serve in the house of the Lord (vs. 27).

A coalition in the south.

In the south of Canaan, a coalition of five kings was formed. We can well understand
that these kings would feel compelled to attack the Gibeonites, for when the Gibeonites
made a covenant with the Israelites, they left a dangerous gap in the Canaanite line of
defense.
Israel came to Gibeon's assistance, and the five allied kings were defeated. On that day
Joshua spoke the famous words: "Sun, stand thou still at Gibeon, and thou Moon in the
[87]
valley of Aijalon" (10:12). When evening came, there was still daylight (see Zech.
14:7; Rev. 22:5).
Nature seemed to be intensely involved in the struggle of the Church. Wasn't the
creation cursed together with man? Isn't the creation yearning for the great re-creation,
when man and the creation will together be glorified? (Rom. 8:19-23). Then night will no
longer be an obstacle. The wonderful extension of the daylight during the battle of
Gibeon was a prophetic indication of what is to come.

A coalition in the north.

After the south was conquered and its fortresses captured one by one, the Israelites
turned to the north. There, too, a coalition had been formed. But in the battle at the
waters of Merom, this coalition was routed.
We read that the northern allies had many horses and chariots, which leads us to
suppose that their army must have been very strong. But Joshua had received an
assurance from the Lord that the Israelites would triumph. He was commanded to burn
all the chariots and make the horses lame by hamstringing them (11:6).
This command must be viewed in the light of one of the laws governing the conduct of
kings (Deut. 17:16). The Israelites were not to trust in the military methods and tools of
the pagans; instead, they were to live in complete dependence on the Lord. Hence we
read in a "battle prayer" in one of the psalms: "Some boast of chariots, and some of
horses; but we boast of the name of the LORD our God" (Ps. 20:7).

Cities built on ruins.

As we read Joshua 11, we must focus our attention on another decree by which the Lord
hoped to teach Israel humility. We read that Israel did not burn the cities that "stood on
mounds," except for Hazor. We might wonder why these cities were not burned. The
answer is that the mounds on which they were built were composed of ruins. Although

43
 [88]
the newer cities were burned, the Israelites were not required to burn the cities that
had already been destroyed earlier in history.
The intent was that each of the cities of the Israelites would be built on top of ruins. This
would be a warning to the Israelites that if they did not stay away from the sins of the
Canaanites, their cities would wind up as piles of ruins too. If the Israelites served the
Baals, they would lay themselves open to the same judgment as the Canaanites. Our
God is a consuming fire.

Dividing the land.

In the section on the division of the land (13:1-7), mention is made of territories that
had not yet been conquered. The land divided up between the various tribes had not
been completely purified of enemy military forces yet. The power of the enemy had
indeed been broken, but the last resistance would have to be overcome in mopping-up
operations.
Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh were granted land beyond the Jordan.
Caleb, the spy who (together with Joshua) had earlier submitted a minority report in
favor of invading Canaan, was given Hebron as his inheritance (14:6-15). Hebron was
the area where the dreaded giants lived. That Caleb desired just this piece of land, which
would be hard to conquer, illustrates the power of his faith (14:12). In chapter 15 we
read about the inheritance of Judah, and in the following two chapters about the
inheritance of the two tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh). These three were the
largest tribes. They were to play a dominant role in Israel's history.
The tabernacle was erected at Shiloh. There the remaining seven tribes were informed
what land they would receive. The tribe of Levi, of course, received a special
inheritance—the priesthood of the Lord (18:7; see also Deut. 18:2).
A commission of 21 men was established to survey and describe the rest of the land so
[89]
that it could be divided. The Israelites had delayed long enough in taking possession
of the land of promise. The time had come to seize the prize.
We sense that the tribes were somewhat hesitant about proceeding. Was this a
premonition of the later apostasy? In any event, Joshua went ahead. Once the
commission had completed its work, he cast lots in the presence of the Lord to assign
the various territories to the tribes (18:8ff).
Joshua himself received an inheritance in the hill country of Ephraim (19:49-51). Cities
were assigned to the Levites, and some of them were designated as cities of refuge (ch.
20-21). The chronicle concludes fittingly by pointing out: "Thus the LORD gave to Israel
all the land which he swore to give to their fathers. Not one of all the good promises
which the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass" (21:43,45).

A land of milk and honey.

In the light of this faithfulness on God's part, we see why the book of Joshua includes
the names of so many cities and territories. The passages with all the names are not the
ones we should be reading aloud at the table after the evening meal. (In earlier
generations, such passages were sometimes used to give children practice in reading
aloud!) The names were not included in the Bible to provide us with tongue-twisters;
rather, they are a concrete illustration of God's faithfulness.
The lists of cities give us reason to rejoice. The Lord "gave their land as a heritage, for
his steadfast love endures for ever" (Ps. 136:21). If you open your Bible atlas at a map
of Israel at the time of the conquest of Canaan, you can read all these place names in
their geographical setting. The fulfillment of the promise is reflected even in the meaning
of the names!
Israel's new home was truly a land of milk and honey. It included such towns as
Bethlehem (place of food), Rim-mon (pomegranate), Gath-hepher (wine press of the

44
 [90]
well), Jabneel (God is builder), Naamah (pleasant), Tappuah (apple tree), Beeroth
(wells), and Irpeel (God heals). Israel's feeling of being at home is expressed in such
names as Shamir (thorn hedge), Shaalabbin (jackals), and Socoh (enclosure of thorns).
Sin's consequences had not yet vanished!
All these names must be viewed in the light of the great theme of Joshua—the grace of
Israel's covenant God. These names point to the great Joshua, the Messiah who has won
an eternal, perfect inheritance for us. Through Him, our lot or inheritance is established
in the heavens. The Spirit is a guarantee of our inheritance until we take full possession
of it (Eph. 1:11,14).
If Joshua had given them rest...
(Heb. 4:8).

5. The Last Days of Joshua

The threat of apostasy.

The book of Joshua sketches the dangers of apostasy in clear terms. Think of the story
of Achan, for example. Here and there we are shown that the Israelites were not as
faithful as they should have been when it came to driving all the Canaanites out of the
land (see 16:10; 17:12ff; 18:3). The story of the altar by the Jordan shows us that
apostasy or turning away from the Lord was already considered a definite danger.
Before the people of Gad, Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed the Jordan to
take possession of the land assigned to them as their inheritance, they built a great
altar. When the other tribes found out, they regarded this deed as an act of
unfaithfulness to the Lord. If it really was a case of apostasy, they would have to bring
[91]
the provisions of Deuteronomy 12 and 13 into play and punish the wayward tribes.
Therefore there was a sudden mobilization of soldiers at Shiloh.
Fortunately, the Israelites were wise enough to stop and think for a moment before
attacking. Phinehas, who had already distinguished himself in his zeal for the Lord at
Baal-peor, was first sent with a delegation to the suspect tribes to ask what the building
of the altar meant. As he addressed the two and a half tribes, he reminded them of the
sin at Baal-peor and the curse that had struck all the Israelites after Achan's sin. Were
the two and a half tribes perhaps dissatisfied with the land assigned to them? Was their
land unclean? Why did they have to build an altar before they crossed the Jordan? Surely
this was an instance of manmade religion, which could lead to all sorts of misfortune!
The two and a half tribes answered that the altar was intended as a monument to
remind later generations that the tribes across the Jordan were one with the rest of
Israel in "church" and worship. The altar was never intended to be used for offerings.
Thus there had been a grave misunderstanding. The altar, which was just like the one at
Shiloh, had been erected as a symbol of unity. After this explanation, there was no more
talk of war and punishment (ch. 22).

An echo of Moses.
The danger of unfaithfulness to the covenant was always there, if only in latent form.
When aged Joshua, who had withdrawn to his homestead in the hill country of Ephraim,
felt the end approaching, he called Israel's office-bearers together. (We are not told
where.) To these leaders he again emphasized that what the Lord required of them was
faithfulness to the law of Moses—and especially no fraternizing with the Canaanites. On
the contrary, the remaining Canaanites must be wiped out.
[92]
There was to be no thought of Israel imitating even the style of Baal worship. Just
as the Lord was faithful in fulfilling His promises, He would be faithful in venting His
wrath if the covenant was broken (ch. 24). Moses' words of farewell in Deuteronomy are
echoed in Joshua's final words to his "church council."

45
Covenant renewal.
Just as Moses renewed the covenant with the Lord in the fields of Moab, Joshua saw to it
that the covenant was confirmed before he died. This event took place at Shechem, the
very center of the land.
Earlier Shechem had been a bulwark of Canaanite power. It was also the place where the
Lord first promised Abram that his descendants would receive "this land" (Gen. 12:7).
And it was the place where Simeon and Levi played their shameful trick on the men
involved in dishonoring their sister Dinah. (They asked that the men be circumcised and
then took advantage of their temporary incapacity to kill them.) Finally, Shechem was
the place where Jacob buried his idols before he went to Bethel (Gen. 34 and 35:1-4).

Joshua's parting words.

It was not without reason that Joshua began his address at Shechem by reminding the
Israelites of the patriarchs. Were their gods not buried under the terebinth at Shechem?
"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphrates,
Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took
your father Abraham from beyond the River [i.e. the Euphrates] and led him through all
the land of Canaan" (24:2-3).
Here the grace motif comes to the fore again. Joshua is speaking of the Lord's sovereign
grace, which never lets us down if we live by the Bible.
In a few words Joshua reviews what the Lord has done for the Israelites, how He has led
[93]
them out of Egypt and into the promised land. "I gave you a land on which you had
not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you dwell therein; you eat the fruit
of vineyards and olive yards which you did not plant" (24:13). There is no room for
boasting, then.
Because of this rich background, the question of commitment is all the more important.
What do the Israelites want? Do they want to worship the Mesopotamian gods that their
fathers used to worship, the gods that even Jacob tolerated in his household before
Shechem? Do they want to worship the Baals and Astartes of the Canaanites? Or do they
wish to give their whole hearts to the Lord? Joshua knew what he wanted. "As for me
and my house, we will serve the LORD" (24:15).

Israel's response.
The people answered that they would not forsake the Lord. After all, it was the Lord who
delivered them with a mighty hand. But Joshua did not want them to make a hasty
choice. Were they aware that Yahweh is a jealous God? He would surely punish any
breach of the covenant. The good gifts He had given them in the past were no guarantee
that He would continue to be so merciful and generous in the future. There was also His
covenant wrath to consider.
The people continued to insist that they would be faithful to the Lord. Joshua then
declared himself a witness to their declaration and set up a great stone to serve as a
silent witness of the renewed covenant. "It shall be a witness against you, lest you deal
falsely with your God" (24:27).

Burial notices.
The book of Joshua ends in a somber way. Joshua died shortly after the people at
Shechem renewed the covenant. We are also told about the burial of the bones of Joseph
and the death of Phinehas, the high priest.
The sounds we hear at the end of the book are not just lamentation. Joshua is also called
[94]
the "servant of the LORD," a title that Moses received and that Christ was later to
bear. Joshua was buried on his own land, we are told. Joseph and Phinehas were also
buried in their own territory. Here we see the Lord's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises
to those who were faithful to Him. Yahweh is a God not of the dead but of the living

46
(Mark 12:27).
In these burial notices, the trumpet of life sounds a note of triumph. The book of Joshua
can finally come to an end. Yahweh is a God who keeps His promises.

47
[95]
Judges
[They] turned away and acted
treacherously like their fathers
(Ps. 78:57).

1. Turning Away from the Lord

Two introductions.
Judges has two introductions (1:1-2: 5 and 2:6-3:4). Then comes the main body of the
book (3:5-6:31), which tells us about the various judges. Finally, there are two
appendixes presenting us with a cross section of life in the time of the judges (ch. 17-18
and 19-21). The era is sketched for us by way of some typical events.
The introductions give us a clear picture of the situation. As long as Joshua and his
elders were still alive, the Israelites continued to serve the Lord (Josh. 24:31; Judges
2:7). After Joshua was gone, however, they began to turn away from the Lord.

Agricultural gods.
The Israelites had been nomads, but now they became a nation of farmers. To be sure of
[96]
success in farming, they felt they should follow the lead of the Canaanites and seek
the favor of the agricultural gods. They did not propose to abandon Yahweh completely;
they would simply worship other gods in addition. After all, each "god" would have to
watch over his own domain.
Yahweh was clearly a great god of war, for He had led them in days of battle. But when
it came to agriculture, wouldn't it be wiser to call on the male and female gods of the
Canaanites, that is, the Baals and Astartes? They were the gods to see to it that the
ground was fruitful. The sexual union of these male and female divinities would
guarantee the fertility of the land. This sexual union should therefore be imitated in the
worship services in the sanctuaries, through ceremonies involving the sacred pillars and
poles.
Baal was the god of weather and rain, while Astarte (Mother Earth) was the goddess of
fertility and sex. Many a place had its own Baal or its own Astarte (the Canaanite Venus
and Madonna). Baal was "our dear Lord"—Baal means lord—and Astarte "our beloved
Lady."

Contact with the Canaanites.

Judges 1 shows us that wars of conquest were still being fought, although many of the
tribes neglected the task of eliminating the foreign element in Canaan. What was worse
was that the Israelites began intermarrying with the Canaanites. Instead of antithesis,
then, there was synthesis.
The covenant was neglected (2:1-3), which aroused the Lord's wrath. Enemies invaded
the land, and the Israelites soon had to ask for the Lord's help. He gave them judges
who delivered them from the attacks of the neighboring nations and hostile nomads. But
before long, the danger would be forgotten and the people would fall back into the same
sins again. In the stories about the judges we find a monotonous cycle: apostasy,
judgment sent by the Lord, repentance, deliverance by a judge, and more apostasy.
[97]
The judges.
When we hear the word judge, we think of someone presiding over a court. In the Old
Testament, however, the word has a broader meaning: a judge can also be active on the
battlefield. Judging often means seeing to it that justice is done. A judge, then, is
someone who delivers his people and executes judgment on the enemy.
The book of Judges shows us how the Lord, during Israel's dark middle ages, repeatedly
called individuals to the office of judge, anointed them with His Spirit, and had them

48
fight the Lord's wars. Because there was little unity among the tribes in those days—
apostasy was fragmenting the nation—the judges sometimes worked within the
framework of a single tribe. There was no succession among them, and the good they
did rarely endured after their passing (2:19).
This made the necessity of kingly rule increasingly clear. The period of the judges cried
out for a king—indeed, for the King, Jesus Christ, who brings complete justice for His
people, defending them and keeping them safe from all their enemies. He is the Judge
who truly saves (see Lord's Day 19 of the Heidelberg Catechism).

Israel's enemies.
If you survey the deeds of the various judges, you will see what a series of enemies the
Israelites faced: Othniel (the Mesopotamians), Ehud (the Moabites), Shamgar (the
Philistines), Barak (the Canaanites), Gideon (nomadic Amalekites and Midianites),
Jephthah (the Ammonites), and Samson (the Philistines). Open your Bible atlas to see
where all these people lived, and you will quickly realize that the Israelites were given
little peace by the nations living around them.
The Israelites could not afford to relax in the midst of their vineyards and fig trees. Here,
too, we hear the cry for a Messianic King who would provide true "rest" and safety (see
Matt. 11:28-9; see also Is. 28:12; Jer. 16:6; Heb. 4:8-11).
[98]
The spirit of the times.
The accounts of the lives and deeds of the judges show us that the judges themselves
were influenced by the spirit of the times. They were human beings subject to the usual
shortcomings and failings. Barak was afraid (4:8). Gideon, after the incredible victory
that went down in history as the "day of Midian" (see Is. 9:4; 10:26), fell into the sin of
manmade religion: he ordered an ephod for himself, i.e. a priestly breastplate decorated
with precious stones (8:22ff). Through this sin, he led Israel down the dangerous path of
apostasy. His son Abimelech was proclaimed king at Shechem, the place where the
covenant had last been renewed under Joshua!
It even turned out that the sanctuary there came to be devoted to the service of a
foreign god, Baal-berith (i.e. the Baal or lord of the covenant). Abimelech used the
temple treasures at Shechem to pay his band of followers to kill his brothers. This paved
the way for him to become king. But his "kingship" was a failure, and he died an ignoble
death (ch. 9; see also II Sam. 11:21).
When it comes to Jephthah, who had grown up outside the covenant circle, it could well
be asked whether he was not too quick in making his vow. Furthermore, it appears that
he had picked up a few heathen notions about winning the favor of the gods (ll:30ff).
And then there was Samson! He was a Nazirite dedicated to God, but Judges shows how
far he fell (ch. 16).
Those who say, "As thy god lives, O
Dan"(Amos8:14).

2. Dan's Self-willed Worship

Micah's private sanctuary.

[99]
The final chapters of the book of Judges underscore the degeneration of Israel. A
certain Micah, who lived in the hill country of Ephraim, established his own private
sanctuary, complete with an ephod and teraphim (household idols). By way of ex-
planation, the writer of the book of Judges adds: "In those days there was no king in
Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes" (17:6). This statement occurs
repeatedly in the later chapters (18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The writer points out time and
again that such episodes cry out for a king who would rule in the name of the Lord.
What happened with Micah's little temple? He hired an "unemployed" Levite to serve as
his priest (17:7ff). The arrangement was discovered by spies from the tribe of Dan. This

49
tribe was already finding its assigned territory too small (1:34) and was seeking to
expand its inheritance (18:1 ff). When members of this tribe later passed the house of
Micah in the course of their migration, they took the priest, who happened to be a
grandson of Moses (see 18:30) with them. They also took along Micah's sacred objects.

A holy place in Dan.

Once the migrating Danites settled down in the northernmost part of Canaan, they used
the priest and his "equipment" to establish a holy place of their own in their new city,
which they named Dan (18:30-1). This illegitimate worship center seems to have
flourished for a long time. When King Jeroboam set up his calf worship in Bethel, he also
set up a calf to be worshiped at Dan, apparently incorporating Dan's worship tradition
into his new state religion (I Kings 12:28-9).
Clearly it was not Micah's intention to break completely with the service of the Lord; the
money which he used to establish his own sanctuary and hire his own priest had been
consecrated to the LORD (17:3). Yet, despite the good intentions, Micah and his mother
were in fact transgressing the second commandment, which forbids worshiping images
[100]
and devising any manmade religion. And sinning against the second commandment
can easily lead to transgressions against the first. Think of the Roman Catholics.

From the days of Gibeah, you have

sinned, O Israel (Hosea 10:9).

3. Punishing Benjamin

The Levite's concubine.

In chapters 19-21 we are given a further indication of the ethical degeneration of Israel
and its accommodation to Canaanite ways. Without attempting to mask the ugly facts,
the writer tells us of conditions in the city of Gibeah, in Benjamin—where King Saul was
later to be born! We are also given a portrait of a certain Levite and his concubine, a
portrait not flattering to the Levite. At the time of this episode, the tribes still appeared
to be fairly unified.
What happened was that the men of Gibeah wanted to sexually abuse the Levite, but
settled for his concubine, whom they raped and left to die. Because the tribe of Benjamin
chose to defend the men of Gibeah against the wrath of the other tribes this sorry
episode led to a civil war.
After the Lord was consulted in Bethel (20:18), which was the resting place of the ark
and the place where Jacob had his dream about the angels on the ladder, Benjamin was
attacked. Twice the Benjaminites beat back the attack. The third time they were
defeated through a trick. Then the entire tribe was punished for the atrocity committed
by the men of Gibeah. Eventually there were only 600 men left.

Wives for the Benjaminites.

Because the men of Israel had sworn not to give their daughters in marriage to the
Benjaminites, it appeared that the tribe was doomed to disappear. We read of
complaints raised to the Lord at Bethel, but we do not read that the Lord was consulted
[101]
about the impasse. The Israelites sought a solution on their own — and found one.
The town of Jabesh-gilead had not sent any men when the mobilization took place. The
Israelites would now wipe out the men of that town but spare the young virgins to be
1
wives for the Benjaminites. When this procedure did not yield enough wives, the feast
at Shiloh was raided and more prospective wives were seized. A feast of the Lord

1
Because King Saul was from Gibeah, we can well understand his eagerness to defend Jabesh-
gilead (I Sam. 11). Many of the women of the tribe of Benjamin came from there.

50
(perhaps a Passover) was violated so that the Israelites could live up to their oath!

Self-righteousness.
What strikes us immediately about this disgraceful train of events is that the people
seemed to approach the keeping of the Lord's ordinances in a thoroughly formalistic and
superficial manner. First they could not see past the black sin of the Benjaminites—as
though there were no grave sinners in their own ranks! (Think of the Levite, whose
conduct was far from irreproachable.) Then they shed crocodile tears when it turned out
that they had gone too far in their lust for revenge. Finally, they sought a disgraceful
remedy for the problem. They did not have the courage to admit that they had been too
hasty and hot-headed in swearing an oath not to let their daughters marry Benjaminites.
All of this happened at the beginning of the period of the judges, when Phinehas was still
alive (see 20:28). Thus we see clearly that the groundwork had already been laid for the
later apostasy. Self-righteousness, insensitivity to sin, and superficial formalism never
bear good fruit.
[102]
4. Deborah's Song

Psalms outside the book of Psalms.

If we are to understand the book of Judges properly, we must focus attention on a few of
its other passages. One is Deborah's song. It's a shame that we don't sing the Old
Testament psalms not included in the book of Psalms! These songs, unlike the 150 songs
in the book of Psalms, have rarely been included in hymnbooks.
The beauty of Deborah's song cannot be denied. The first part (5:1-11) speaks
repeatedly of Yahweh (the LORD) and Israel. In verses 3 and 5, the two are bound
together in a kind of refrain: "The LORD, the God of Israel." This is the doctrine
animating the song of Deborah: Yahweh fights for Israel, but Israel must also fight for
Yahweh.

Echoes of Moses.
The beginning of this song reminds us of Moses' benediction in Deuteronomy 33, where
the Lord is also described as the God of Sinai. The Lord follows the same path to come to
the help of His people as He followed in days of old.
Yet Israel is not to be a passive observer of this deliverance: the tribes must come "to
the help of the LORD" (5:23). Meroz, a town that did not respond to the call for
mobilization, is cursed. Reuben is spoken of in sarcastic terms because of his "great
searching of heart." Like Manasseh (Gilead), Dan and Asher, Reuben was so cowardly as
to stay home on the day of battle.
Jael is blessed in imaginative language for her courage. Deborah's song also gives us a
glimpse of the mother of Sisera—Sisera is the captain who died at Jael's hand—as she
waits in vain for her son. In the final verse, we hear the theme of the whole song
reiterated:
So perish all thine enemies, O LORD!
[103]
But thy friends be like the sun as he rises in his might (5:31; see Matt. 13:43;
17:1ff; Rev. 1:16).

5. Gideon's Attempt at Reformation

Gideon's calling.
In Gideon's days, Israel faced the attacks of nomads. That's why Gideon was busy
threshing wheat in the wine press. There, he hoped, he would escape detection.
A prophet had already arisen to remind the people how God had delivered them in the
past. Yahweh had led His people out of Egypt, but He forbade them to worship idols.
Because the Israelites did not listen to the prophet, their situation grew more and more

51
perilous.
It may be that Gideon knew what the prophet had been saying, for when the angel of
the LORD appeared to him and said, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor,"
Gideon was quick to point out that the Lord had always been able to deliver Israel in the
past. If the Lord would be with him now, wonders such as those that occurred during the
time of the exodus might be possible again. "But now the Lord has cast us off," Gideon
complained, "and given us into the hand of Midian" (6:11ff).
The angel encouraged him. "Go to this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of
Midian." Gideon could not yet bring himself to believe, and therefore he asked for a sign.
The angel of the LORD responded by having Gideon place some food on a rock. He then
touched the food with the tip of his staff. Fire erupted from the rock, consuming the
food, and the angel disappeared.

Reformation at home.
Before Gideon could assume the role of deliverer, he had to prove his willingness to
[104]
serve the Lord fully. The reformation would have to begin in his own family's
household. He was ordered to build an altar to the Lord and sacrifice on it "the second
bull seven years old." This way of referring to the animal was typical among farmers of
that era.
The age of the bull (seven years) may have had something to do with the fact that the
Israelites had been oppressed by the Midianites for seven years. (The people in the
ancient Near East were more sensitive to such symbolism than we are.) After seven
years, the Israelites would finally start serving the Lord again.
We read that Gideon had to take down the altar and the sacred pole on his own family's
homestead! Even in the "best" of families, then, the degeneration had gone a long way.

Signs from God.

Gideon mobilized various tribes for battle, but he himself was not yet ready to proceed.
He asked for signs from God and received them. The fleece he had left on the ground
overnight was wet in the morning when everything else was dry, and the next morning it
was dry when everything else was wet (6:36ff).
The Lord also encouraged Gideon by way of a spying expedition: Gideon heard that one
of the Midianites had a dream in which the Midianites were defeated (7:9-14). In this
dream, a cake of barley bread possessing tremendous power came rolling into the valley
where the Midianites were camped. Barley bread, which is the food of the poor, was an
apt symbol for Israel. This "sign" gave Gideon an idea for a plan of attack.

A night attack.
At the Lord's command, Gideon first divided his men into two groups on the basis of how
they drank at a stream. He sent the larger group home. No one could later proclaim that
the Israelites had been saved by their own might. There was to be no room for human
boasting (see 7:2).
[105]
In the end Gideon had only 300 men at his command. By blowing trumpets,
shouting, and breaking jars during a night attack, they frightened the Midianites into
thinking that they were being attacked by a huge army. Once the Midianites panicked,
Gideon and his men were able to win a resounding victory.

Gideon's failure.
When we go on to read chapter 8 of Judges, we see that there was a decline in Gideon's
life. He could not resist showing off the kings he had captured. Although he refused to be
crowned king, he was involved in a transgression of the second commandment;
Scripture calls it "playing the harlot" (8:27; see also Rev. 2:14, 20). Earlier we saw what
happened to Gideon's son Abimelech and the rest of the family after Gideon's death.
There was fratricide, idolatry and revolution—the same old story of apostasy that we

52
read again and again in Judges.
Gideon's age cried out for the faithful Judge and Deliverer Jesus Christ, who completes
everything He undertakes. As Lord's Day 12 of the Heidelberg Catechism points out,
Christ guards and safeguards the freedom He has won for us. That's just where the
judges failed: they could not preserve the safety and freedom they gained for Israel.
Only Christ can do so.

6. Jephthah and His Vow

Jephthah 's daughter.

Much has been written about the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter. Because of a foolish
vow, Jephthah felt bound to offer his daughter, his only child, as a burnt offering to the
Lord.
[106]
Some scholars believe that such a sacrifice did indeed take place, for the Bible
speaks of a burnt offering (11:31). Others maintain that this term must not be taken
literally. They argue that Jephthah's daughter "bewailed her virginity," sacrificing herself
by never marrying. Like any other girl, she would like to have gotten married, but she
did not (see 11:37-9). The sacrifice, then, would be her abstinence from marriage.

A weak instrument.
The history lesson directed by Jephthah toward the Ammonites makes it clear that he
was at home in "the Bible." Although he had grown up outside the covenant (11:2) and
had not gotten the best impression of "the church," Jephthah chose God's people to be
his own people and familiarized himself with the Lord's ways with Israel. Surely he knew
how Abraham took Isaac up on Mount Moriah to sacrifice him to the Lord. He must also
have been aware that the Israelites had been commanded not to make burnt offerings of
their children, as the Canaanites sometimes did. Hence it is not likely that Jephthah, as a
judge, would set a horrible heathen example by actually sacrificing his own daughter.
We must bear in mind that Samuel makes a favorable reference to Jephthah (I Sam.
12:11), and that another such reference occurs in the New Testament (Heb. 11:32).
Jephthah was an instrument of deliverance in God's hand. Even though he was only a
weak instrument, he was still a shadow pointing ahead to the Christ.

7. Samson and the Philistines

An office-bearer.
Samson, too, was a shadow of what Christ would be. If we read his "story" in the light of
[107]
the values of the modern world, we are inclined to think of him as some sort of
"Tarzan." Scripture speaks of him, however, as a "Nazirite to God," a deliverer (13:5),
and a judge (15:20).
It has been suggested that although Samson is one of the "heroes of faith" mentioned in
Hebrews 11, his inclusion could not be based on what we learn about him in Judges. This
line of reasoning overstates the case. Certainly there are dark shadows across Samson's
life. Yet time and again we see how the invincible grace of the Lord is at work in the life
of this amazing man, using him and forcing him down the pathway of faith.
It is precisely because the office-bearer Samson is such a sinner that his life cries out for
Christ. Yet the gracious fact stands: the strange figure of Samson in his office of judge is
a foreshadowing—albeit a weak one—of the One who not only began Israel's deliverance
but will carry it through by delivering the Church and securing a wonderful future for her.

Birth announcement.
In chapter 13 we are told how Samson's birth was announced to his parents. As we read
this story, we must remember that there is nothing wrong with enjoying a Bible story as
a story. We can savor the fine descriptions of Samson's father and mother.

53
The mother makes a strong impression on us as the angel, whom she takes for a
prophet, appears to her. Her husband is most inquisitive when he hears her story. He
wants to make the acquaintance of this "man of God," this prophet. His prayer is heard.
The messenger tells him to prepare a burnt offering. Then, just as in the story of Gideon,
flames erupt from the altar to consume the offering, and the angel vanishes.
When Samson's father finally realizes that it was the angel of the Lord, he is terrified.
Won't he surely die now that he has seen the Lord? But his wife doesn't lose her senses.
[108]
Why would the Lord give them such a revelation about the son to be born if He
planned to kill them?
The name Samson means little sun. (Shemesh is the Hebrew word for sun. The town of
Beth-shemesh—the name means house of the sun—was close to Zorah, Samson's
birthplace.) It may be that Samson's mother—the woman is again the important figure—
gave him this name because she expected that the sun of salvation would now shine on
Israel.

The Philistines.
In those days the Philistines dominated the Israelites and inflicted a number of grave
defeats upon them. Even the ark of the covenant fell into enemy hands at one point.
These Philistines were actually western immigrants who may have come originally from
Crete (see Amos 9:7). Naturally, they had already adapted somewhat to their Near
Eastern environment, but they retained parts of their earlier culture. This was evident in
their military style. When we read about the weapons and conduct of the Philistine giant
Goliath, we are reminded of the stories recorded by the Greek poet Homer.
The god of the Philistines was Dagon. Earlier scholars argued that this god was half man
and half fish. (The Hebrew word dag means fish.) More recently it has come to light that
the name Dagon has something to do with the word dagan, which means grain. Thus
Dagon must have been a Babylonian agricultural god whom the Philistines adopted as
their own.

Betrayed by his brothers.

In his first action against the Philistines, Samson attacks the "blessings of Dagon" by
setting fire to the Philistines' standing grain (15:5). Judges 14 gives us the background
to this event. Although we can hardly grant all of Samson's exploits our approval, we
must not lose sight of the fact that he was driven by the Spirit, as the Bible expressly
informs us (13:25).
[109]
When Samson was forced to hide out in the territory of Judah—he himself was of
the tribe of Dan—the men of Judah were all too willing to hand the troublesome fugitive
over to the Philistines. It appeared that the Israelites regarded resistance to the
Philistines as hopeless. Thus Samson was betrayed by his own brothers. There was little
solidarity or communion of the saints to be found among the Israelites.

The jawbone of an ass.

At that very moment, however, the Spirit led Samson to exercise his office of deliverer.
At Ramath-lehi he broke free of his bonds and killed a thousand men with the jawbone of
an ass (see also Josh. 23:10).
Samson's song of triumph includes a pun that cannot be properly reproduced in our
language, for he plays on a Hebrew word that can mean either donkey (ass) or heap.
James Moffatt has translated the first two lines of Samson's song as follows:
With the jawbone of an ass I have piled them in a mass!
Compare the translation in the New English Bible:
With the jawbone of an ass
I have flayed them like asses;

54
 With the jawbone of an ass,
I have slain a thousand men (15:16).
After the triumph, we see just how small and childlike this "Tarzan" is. He is thirsty, and
there is no water. In a prayer Samson admits that the Lord is the one responsible for
delivering the Israelites. He now asks God to save him in his present predicament. Isn't
[110]
that an expression of faith, the faith of a child? The Lord gives him water. Samson
therefore calls the newly created spring the "spring of the caller." We are reminded of
Psalm 110:
He will execute judgment among the nations. He will drink from the brook by the way;
therefore he will lift up his head (vs. 6,7).

Delilah.
And then there is the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson certainly had to pay a heavy
price for the sin of taking his office too lightly (16:4ff). But at the end of his life, when
his hair had grown back, he was once more a Nazirite and judge and deliverer.
The "little sun" could no longer see, for the Philistines had gouged out his eyes. But the
Lord gave him the strength to put a sudden, unexpected end to the shouts of "Praise
Dagon!" The ruins of Dagon's temple became a monument honoring Yahweh.

Samson's burial.
Samson's family dared to dig his body out of the ruins for a proper burial, which was an
indication that Israel was again becoming aware of its obligations to the Lord. We see a
new day dawning: the fallen hero mobilizes the dispirited Israelites. Later Samuel was to
inflict a decisive defeat on the Philistines (see I Sam. 7).
But what do all these violent deeds have to do with Christ? For one thing, they remind us
that Christ will make His enemies feel His wrath. Samson has shown us something of
what this means. Christ completes the work begun by the judges, who faltered again
and again. He is the beginning and the end of our deliverance. He has finished what He
set out to do.

55
[111]
Ruth
1. Under the Lord's Wings

Another appendix to Judges.

The book of Ruth begins with the words: "In the days when the judges ruled .... " We
saw that the book of Judges had two appendixes containing stories typical of the times.
In chapters 17 and 18 we read about Micah and his priest, while chapters 19-21 describe
the shameful events in Gibeah, where the sin of Sodom had come into vogue, and the
punishment of Benjamin for taking Gibeah's side when the evil led to a conflict. The
second appendix, especially, shows us just how dark Israel's middle ages were.
But there is more to be said about the time of the judges. The book of Ruth forms what
we might call a third appendix to the book of Judges. The light that breaks through in
the story of Ruth contrasts sharply with the darkness in the tales about Micah and
Gibeah.

A chapter of redemptive history.

We need not shrink from admitting that the book of Ruth reads like a novel. There is
[112]
suspense built into this story, which has a happy ending. It illustrates once more
how much beauty there is to be found in Scripture,
Many centuries have passed since the events described in the book of Ruth. Yet the
characters in the book don't seem at all remote: Naomi, with her sharp tongue; Ruth, v
ho apparently needed to be "evangelized" but submitted more than anyone else to the
yoke of the Kingdom; and Boaz, the farmer of few words, a man of solid, reliable
character.
We must not forget, however, that the book of Ruth is part of the Bible. It is not just an
idyllic tale about an agricultural village in the distant past; it falls within the framework
of redemptive history. In this book, the Lord shows us how He was at work in the dark
time of the judges when there was no king in Israel, how He was preparing the way for
the birth of a king after God's own heart.
The book of Ruth ends with David. There was no king in Israel, and everyone did what
was right in his own eyes. Yet the Lord was busy fulfilling the promise of Genesis 3:15:
King Jesus was on the way! The Moabite Ruth joins the Canaanites Tamar and Rahab: all
three are in Christ's line of descent (see Matt. 1:5).

The triumph of grace.

What was a Moabite doing in Israel? Moab has a poor reputation in redemptive history.
Moab was originally born out of incest (Gen. 19:31ff). At Baal-peor Moab had proved to
be a deadly danger to Israel: Moabite women led the Israelites into harlotry and
apostasy (Num. 25). That's why the law stipulated that there were to be no Moabites
present at the assembly of the Lord.
The Moabites were related to the Israelites by blood. For this reason the Lord took steps
to make sure that the Israelites would stay away from the Moabites, who served the god
[113]
Chemosh in shameless sensuality (Deut. 23:3). Yet, Ruth was one of the daughters
of Moab.
The story of Ruth represents a wonderful triumph of God's grace. Pentecost colors come
through strongly in this book, which the Jews customarily read aloud in the synagogue
when they hold their Feast of Pentecost.

Ruth's decision.
Ruth, it appears, was a straightforward woman, guileless as a dove. In other words, she
was not a complicated personality seeking to attain her goals through scheming and
plotting. When she chose for Yahweh and denied Chemosh, she did so with her whole

56
heart.
She made her choice against Naomi's advice; Naomi (whose name means pleasant or
charming) was not about to make the path to the land of Yahweh an easy one for Ruth
to follow. On the contrary, she advised her two widowed daughters-in-law to return to
their own people, expressing the hope that the Lord would be with them and would give
them "rest" (i.e. fullness of life) in a second marriage (1:8-9). What future would there
be in Israel for a marriageable Moabite woman? (1:11ff). Who would want to marry a
foreigner who had fallen on hard times—and a Moabite at that? Furthermore, it seemed
that the Lord had turned against Naomi; everything went wrong for her.
Orpah listened to these arguments and returned to her own people, but Ruth insisted on
staying at Naomi's side. With ah oath and a confession of her faith, she emphasized her
determination that Naomi's people should henceforth be her people.

Bitterness and perseverance.

Once they got back to Bethlehem—the name of the town means place of food—Naomi
made it more difficult and painful for Ruth by declaring that she went away full but the
Lord brought her back empty. Charming Naomi had become Mara, i.e. bitterness.
[114]
But did Naomi really come back empty? She did have Ruth with her as a
determined servant of the Lord. Wasn't Naomi's sarcasm a bitter denial of the
faithfulness of Ruth?
The Moabite woman didn't let Naomi's harsh words drive her from the pathway of faith
she had chosen. We stand amazed at her determined perseverance; we are touched by
it. Despite her difficult circumstances, Ruth chose to live by the law of Yahweh, even in
such practical, down-to-earth matters as seeking food.
The Lord had stipulated that widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people must be
allowed to glean what had been left behind during the harvest. The harvesters were to
see to it that there was a little left over (Lev. 19:9). Ruth made use of this provision of
the law, and thus she "happened" to be gleaning in the fields of Boaz (2: Iff).

Law and blessing.

Keeping the law in daily life leads to blessing. Ruth was not above the lowly task of
following the harvesters to glean whatever they might have left. Of course this was not
the most pleasant kind of work, for there was a definite danger of being molested by the
laborers in the field (see 2:9).
Ruth did not draw any false conclusions from the deplorable behavior of certain boorish
members of "the church." She did not say, as so many others have said, "If that's what
the church is all about, I want nothing to do with it." Ruth had chosen first and foremost
for the Lord of the church—and she stuck by her choice. What Boaz said about her was
true: she had indeed found refuge under the Lord's wings. She sought the protection of
those wings in her life's struggle. Therefore the grace of the Lord was present in her life.

[115]
2. Under the Wings of Boaz

Redemption laws.
Boaz, whose name means strength, was a kinsman of Naomi. You recall that God's law
provided means of assistance for an impoverished family in danger of dying out.
Leviticus 25 raised the possibility of "redeeming" the land: the nearest blood relative
would buy back the land that the poor family had been forced to sell and would then
restore it to the family. Deuteronomy 25 lays down the provisions for levirate marriage:
if a man died childless, his brother was to marry his wife. Their first-born son would be
regarded as the son and heir of the dead brother, which would assure the continuation of
his line in Israel. The man who married such a woman without children was called the
liberator or deliverer or redeemer (goef), for he built up the house of his brother.

57
The custom of levirate marriage was already a factor in the story of Tamar (Gen. 38),
which took place long before the law governing such situations was given to Israel (Deut.
25:5-10). This custom is to be found among other ancient peoples as well, and also
among some of the tribes of modern Africa.

A "love story."
Chapter 3 of the book of Ruth must be read against this background. Of course Naomi,
who was as cunning as a serpent and was well aware of what was going on in Ruth's
heart, played an important role in this story. But Ruth was not someone to get involved
in a plot. In this "love story," she followed the law of the Lord. It was her obedience to
the law that sent her to the threshing floor of Boaz.
When Ruth encountered Boaz, she held him to his own words. Boaz had said that she
had come to find refuge under the Lord's wings. That memorable night Ruth asked Boaz,
as the redeemer, to take her under the protection of his wings. (The same Hebrew word
[116]
is used as in 2:12, but most English translations render it as skirt in 3:9.) She
appealed to him as the kinsman to whom the levirate law applied.
Because she had come under the protection of the Lord's wings, Ruth declared, Boaz
should spread his wings over her by making her his wife (see also Ezek. 16:8). Here,
too, the Lord uses human means to protect His people. Safety is to be sought in
obedience to the law.
When we read between the lines, we sense that Boaz and Ruth were already head over
heels in love with each other. But the bond between them was not just purely "natural."
They found each other in the Lord.
Boaz was amazed that Ruth did not use the usual feminine methods to catch her man
but sought a solution to her problem in the levirate law, even though Boaz was
apparently a good deal older than she was (see 3:10). Respect for the levirate law made
Boaz wait before marrying Ruth. Another kinsman, who would have prior claim to her
according to the levirate law, first had to be asked whether he wished to exercise his
right to marry Ruth.
When Ruth left, she was given six measures of barley for Naomi. Those measures of
barley symbolized their situation. Everything would turn out all right in the end. The
number seven, symbolizing the end of waiting, was near.

Faith's pathway.
Chapter 4 presents the denouement of this drama. The people at the city gate gave their
approval. One of the elders delivered a speech sprinkled with references to Israel's
national history: Rachel, Leah, and even Tamar were mentioned (4:11-12).
At issue in the story of Tamar was the same problem, the problem that the levirate law
was meant to deal with. The Lord had certainly blessed the descendants of Judah and
Tamar! Surely there was some comfort in this for Ruth, the Moabite. Because the
[117]
members of the tribe of Judah were not of the "purest" descent, they were in no
position to point the finger at a descendant of Moab.
We, who have a better perspective on these redemptive facts, can hear the gospel of
God's free grace coming through here. The Moabite woman who clung tenaciously to
faith's pathway is granted the honor of playing a role in the advent of the great
Redeemer (goel) Jesus Christ. The doctrine that there is no salvation outside the Church
is exemplified in her story.

Messianic warmth.
The happy outcome also brought joy into the heart of Naomi. Life had not come to an
end for her. Her bitterness gave way to a Messianic warmth that flooded her life.
What the book of Ruth shows us is love and fate under the blessing of the covenant; it
shows us daily life in the service of the Lord, who fulfills His promises. In the days when

58
the judges ruled, God's work proceeded. One day there would be a fresh growth. A lion
would arise from the tribe of Judah—with Tamar and Ruth in His line of descent.

59
[118]
Index
Almond tree, 48
Amalekites, 55
Angel of the Lord, 103, 107
Antithesis, 19-20, 59, 76-8, 96
Ark of the covenant, 15, 22-4, 37-8, 41, 82-3,100
Ascension of Christ, 24, 50
Astarte, 26,96
Atonement (see Redemption and atonement)
Atonement, Day of, 8, 10, 15, 22ff, 29, 31
Baal, 26, 59, 91-2, 96
Baal-peor, 54-5, 58, 112
Balaam, 52ff, 69-70
Baptism, 20-1
Benediction of the high priest, 39-40
Benjamin, tribe of, 100-1
Bethel, 99-100 Bethlehem, 113
Blood, 9, 12, 14-16, 20, 22-5, 51
Canaanite religion, 12, 26, 58-9,69-71,96
Canaanites, 82, 91,96
Census, 36-7
Ceremonial laws, 20-1
Chemosh, 112-13
Church as God's people, 20,56
Circumcision, 82
Cleanliness and purification, 8, 14, 19ff, 39, 51
Countenance (face) of the Lord, 39-40
Covenant between God and His people, 60ff, 69ff, 85, 92-3
Covenant blessing, 33, 39-40, 62-3, 68-9, 74-5
Covenant wrath, 33, 39, 62-3, 68-9,74-5
Covenants in the ancient Near East, 60ff
Crossbearing, 19
Dagon, 108
Dan, city of, 99
Death, 19-20, 26, 33, 39, 51, 94
Debt in Israel, 31-2, 71
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 31, 75
Discipline in the church, 71,84-5

60
Ecology, 72
Ephraim, tribe of, 78, 88
Fear of God, 68
Feast of Purim, 31
Feast of Tabernacles, 29-30
Feast of Temple Dedication (Feast of Lights, Hanukkah), 31
Feast of Trumpets, 29-30
Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), 28-30,113
Feasts and festivals, 8,28ff
First-born, consecration of, 38
Gandhi, 7,28
Genealogy of Jesus, 81-2, 112,117
Gibeah,100, 111
Gibeonites, 86
Glory of the Lord, 18-19, 48
Gospel according to John, 57
Great King, 60ff
Hanging, 85
Hebrew language, 21
Hebrews, book of, 8
Heresy, 47-8
Hobab, 42
Holiness, 7ff, 19ff, 25ff, 39, 58, 74
Holy of Holies, 22
Horns, 15
Horses, 72, 87
Immanuel promise, 38, 81
Islam, 67
Jabesh-gilead, 101
Jesus/Joshua, 56,81
Jewish question, 24-5
Judah, tribe of, 37, 88, 109,116-17
Judge, office of, 96-8, 107, 110
Justice, 71-2, 97
Kenites, 42,102
Kidneys, 13
Kingship in Israel, 10, 53-4,72-3,97-9,112
Kosher, 24-5

61
Leaven (yeast), 13
Leprosy, 14, 21
Levirate marriage, 115-16
Levites, 10, 37-8, 56, 78, 89, 99-101
Manasseh, tribe of, 78,88
Manmade (self-willed) worship and religion, 19, 59-60,74,91,98-100
Mediator, office of, 17, 51,79
Melchizedek and the priesthood, 39
Mercy seat, 22
Midianites, 52,55,103ff
Military regulations, 72, 87
Miracles, 70, 82, 86-7
Moab, 112-13,116-17
Molech, 26
Money and property, 71
Monotheism, 66
Mosaic legislation, 7ff, 63
"Natural" religion, 58-9
Nazirites, 39, 98, 107, 110
New Israel, 56
New Moon Festival, 30
Numbers in the Bible, 35
Office-bearers, 48, 69-70, 106-7
Oil, 19
Passover, 28-30, 82-3
Pentecost, 43, 113
Philistines, 108-10
Priesthood in Israel, 8, 10, 17ff, 26, 38, 55
Property rights in Israel, 31-2, 56
Prophecy, 34, 70ff
Psalms outside the book of Psalms, 77, 102
Purification (See Cleanliness and purification)
Ram's horn, 29
Rebirth and regeneration, 50
Red, 1
Redemption and atonement, 9, 17, 132, 38-9, 115
Redemptive history, 36, 62ff, 112
Rest, 12, 64, 81, 97, 113

62
Revelation, book of, 33-4, 77
Revelation of God, 9, 70
Revised Standard Version 79
Roman Catholicism, 8, 24, 59, 77, 00
Ruins, 83, 87-8
Sabbath day, 28, 30, 65
Sabbatical year, 29, 31, 71
Sacrifices and offerings, 8ff, 21, 24, 26-7, 30-1, 70,105-6
Salt, 13
Scapegoat, 23
Sermon on the Mount, 7, 28
Servant of the Lord, 32, 93-4
Seven, 23,104,116
Sexuality, 20-1, 6
Shalom, 13-14, 74-5
Shechem, 85-6, 92
Shema, 66
Shiloh, 88
Sin, 21-2
Slavery in Israel, 31-2
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 75ff
"Soul", 12,24
Sovereignty of God, 67-8, 80
Strong drink, 39
Substitution, law of, 11-12
Tabernacle, 8,37-8,88
Ten commandments, 25, 57, 63, 65
Torah, 64
Transgressions, types of, 14-16
"Troubler of Israel", 84
Unity of the Bible, 33-4,77
Urim and Thummim, 17
Vows, 8, 32-3, 98, 105-6
Wise men from the east, 54
Witnesses to the covenant, 62-3, 75
Woman and man, 56
Year of Jubilee, 29, 31-2

63
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 3

I Samuel - Esther

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

Contents
[9]
I and 11 Samuel .................................................................................................................. 4
1. Kings, Priests and Prophets ............................................................................................................ 4
2. The Lord Kills and Brings to Life ..................................................................................................... 5
3. The Lord Is Rejected as Sovereign King ......................................................................................... 7
4. The Rise of David and Decline of Saul ............................................................................................ 9
5. David Becomes King over All Israel .............................................................................................. 11
6. Jerusalem and the Ark................................................................................................................... 12
7. The House of David ....................................................................................................................... 14
[38]
8. The Lord Kills and Brings to Life ............................................................................................... 17
[42]
I and 11 Kings ................................................................................................................. 20
1. Solomon: Builder of the Lord's House ........................................................................................... 20
2. The Splitting of the Kingdom ......................................................................................................... 22
3. The Northern Kingdom: Off to a Bad Start .................................................................................... 23
4. Israel in the Days of Elijah and Ahab ............................................................................................ 24
5. The End of the Northern Kingdom ................................................................................................. 27
[62]
6. Deformation and Reformation in the Southern Kingdom .......................................................... 29
7. The End of the Southern Kingdom ................................................................................................ 32
[71]
I and II Chronicles ......................................................................................................... 34
1. A Messianic Book Comforting the True Church with Old Promises .............................................. 34
2. A Messianic Kingdom of Singing Priests ....................................................................................... 34
3. The Prophets: Servants of the Lord .............................................................................................. 36
[80]
4. The Power of the True Church's Liturgy ................................................................................... 37
[82]
5. Emphasis on the Covenant Relationship .................................................................................. 38
6. Rules and Norms for Covenant Keeping ....................................................................................... 41
[89]
Ezra .................................................................................................................................. 42
1. Historical Background.................................................................................................................... 42
[93]
2. The Archives Are Opened......................................................................................................... 43
3. The Rebuilding of the Temple ....................................................................................................... 45
4. More Exiles Return to Jerusalem .................................................................................................. 47
5. A Threat to the Covenant Community ........................................................................................... 47
[106]
Nehemiah ....................................................................................................................... 50
1. A Deliverer Sent to Jerusalem ....................................................................................................... 50
[110]
2. A Battle against Force and Cunning ........................................................................................ 51
3. Admission of Guilt and Renewal of the Covenant ......................................................................... 52
4. A Cry for the Great Reformer ........................................................................................................ 53
[117]
Esther ............................................................................................................................. 55
1. Does the Book of Esther Belong in the Bible? .............................................................................. 55
[119]
2. The Church Conforms to the World ......................................................................................... 55
3. The Threat to Jewish Existence .................................................................................................... 56
4. Partial Deliverance ........................................................................................................................ 59
[9]
I and 11 Samuel
1. Kings, Priests and Prophets
Three offices.
We confess that Christ (whose name means the anointed one) had three offices—king,
priest and prophet. We know that He did not come into the world until His coming had
been foreshadowed by various Old Testament figures.
Many people had already served in the offices of king, priest and prophet—faithfully and
unfaithfully. Never was their work complete and perfect. Christ, as the Lord's anointed,
took over their work and completed it. That's why the book of Samuel—originally I and II
Samuel were one book—is so full of proclamation about Christ. This book tells us about
the three offices in particular.
The promised king.
Hannah sang her song at a time when there was not yet a king in Israel: "He will give
strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed" (I Sam. 2:10). She opened her
song by talking about herself, about how she had been exalted. God had greatly blessed
her. But that was not a note on which to end.
[10]
At the end of her song Hannah mentioned the promised king, the Messiah. She did
not have a clear and detailed picture of Him before her eyes, but she was firmly
convinced that there would indeed be a king, and that her son would help prepare the
way for Him.
Saul and David.
I Samuel shows us how Israel got its first king—Saul. Saul's rule began well, but in time
he refused to listen to the demands of the Lord's Word. Therefore he was rejected as
king.
While this is going on, the figure of David emerges. David is a man after God's own
heart. In the course of time the throne becomes his. He is given the promise that his
posterity will occupy the throne after him and that his kingship will be established.
Joshua (Jesus) of Nazareth was the eventual heir of David's royal house. He could lay
claim to all the promises made to David's house. There would be no end to His kingship:
He would occupy the throne of His father David forever (Luke 1:32-3).
"The LORD kills and brings to life," Hannah sang (I Sam. 2:6; see also Deut. 32:39; Rev.
1:18). This is the theme of Hannah's song and of the two books of Samuel. Yahweh
killed Saul and brought David and Christ to life.
The meaning of grace.
The Bible makes it clear that David's high calling was not grounded in his character.
Think, for example, of the ugly episode in which Uriah was murdered so that David could
steal his wife. Here, too, the Lord is trying to teach us the meaning of grace. It was
grace that upheld David in his office, regulated the succession, and prepared the way for
Christ.
At the end of Samuel's two books, we hear another song. This time the singer is David,
who was about to die. He sings of the Messiah who was to come after him:
[11]

When one rules justly over men,

ruling in the fear of God,
he dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth upon a cloudless morning
(II Sam. 23:3-4).
From Shiloh to Jerusalem.
The two books of Samuel speak not only of the establishment of David's dynasty but also
of the priesthood'. Consider how I Samuel begins. We are given a look at the tabernacle
at Shiloh and the corrupt conditions prevailing there. The Philistines destroy Shiloh and
capture the ark. After a while the ark is returned to Israel, but it is never given its
rightful place in Israel's national life. Not until the time of David is it brought to
Jerusalem, then a newly conquered city. (The first attempt to bring it to Jerusalem fails,
but the second is successful.) In the city of the king, a dwelling place is now prepared for
the King of kings.
David himself was not allowed to build the temple. But at the end of II Samuel, we do
learn that David bought the ground on which the temple was to be built—from a Jebusite
named Araunah. On Mount Moriah, which had played an important role in Israel's past,
Solomon was to build the temple. Blood would flow there when sacrifices were offered,
just as Abraham had offered a ram there in place of Isaac.
Here we see the line running through the two books of Samuel. It runs from a deformed
style of worship at Shiloh to a reformed worship sanctuary at Jerusalem, the center of
the land. This line continues all the way to Jesus Christ, who came to take over the
liturgy of the priests in Jerusalem. He brings shalom—a word that may be related to the
name Solomon—through His blood.
The role of the prophets.
[12]
Prophecy also plays an important role in the two books of Samuel. In I Samuel
2:27ff we read about a man of God who comes to Eli to tell him that he and his
household will be punished. We read about the calling and work of the great prophet
Samuel. The prophets Nathan and Gad likewise appear in the book. Repeatedly we see
prophets intervening in Israel's national life. In the name of the covenant, they take
action alongside the priests and kings, and sometimes even against them. They, too, are
preparing the way for the great Prophet and Teacher, who at the same time is our Priest
and King.
Taking all these factors into account, one can understand why such large sections are
skipped over in the narrative. The books of Samuel are not intended to give us a
biography of Saul or David or anyone else. No, the goal is to show how the Lord was
busy turning His church into a kingdom of priests and kings (see Ex. 19:5-6).
The Bible was not written to satisfy our curiosity but to proclaim God's faithfulness. The
promise made by God in Genesis 3:15 stands firm. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the
Root of David, is the Victor (Rev. 5:5).

2. The Lord Kills and Brings to Life

Eli and Samuel.
Let's take a closer look at the content of the two books of Samuel. Of course I cannot go
into all the details in a work of this size, but I do hope that my observations will help you
keep sight of the main line running through the two books as you consider the people
and situations described in them.
Samuel is the dominant figure in the first part of I Samuel. We read about Elkanah and
his two wives—Peninnah, the jealous one, and Hannah, the childless one. We also make
[13]
the acquaintance of Eli, at Shiloh, and are given a glimpse of the moral degeneration
there: Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk when he found her praying in the tabernacle
(I 1:14). We see how Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord and personally brought him
to Eli. It was on that occasion that she sang her song, a song that picks up some of the
themes in the song of Moses (Deut. 32) and also parallels Mary's song (Luke 1).
Elevating the lowly.
"The LORD kills and brings to life." That's also what Moses sang (Deut. 32:39). Isn't this
an apt characterization of all God's deeds in redemptive history? And isn't the birth of
Samuel out of a barren mother a striking illustration of it as well? The Lord turns the
natural order of things upside down by elevating the lowly. Mary sang:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
 he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away
(Luke 1:51-3).
Isn't this the major theme of all of Scripture, the theme that comes through clearly in
the two books of Samuel? By grace alone! The Lord does not always confine Himself to
power and strength. He is not impressed with what the human eye is able to see. The
Lord establishes His counsel and works toward the coming of the Anointed One (I 2:10).
Only the eyes of faith are capable of seeing this.
Eli's sons.
The sons of Eli represent the ultimate in apostasy, even though they functioned as
priests. The laws governing sacrifices stipulated that the fat of the sacrificed animal was
for the Lord. The priests could take only certain parts of certain animals for themselves
[14]
(i.e. the breast and the right shoulder). But Hophni and Phinehas did not concern
themselves with such laws. They helped themselves to the best and choicest pieces of
the sacrificed animals (2:12ff).
Moreover, they treated Shiloh as if it were a Canaanite cultic center and introduced
temple prostitution (2:22). Eli did little to stop them. No wonder the prophet accused
him of honoring his own sons more than the Lord (2:29). Therefore there would be
judgment.
All the same, a ray of light breaks through in the words of the prophet: the Lord would
raise up for Himself a faithful priest who would act in accordance with the Lord's wishes
(2:35). This prophecy was a reference to Samuel, but it did not point to him alone. It
was also a promise of a permanent priesthood to assist the Messianic king until the
coming of the King and Priest Jesus Christ.
The capture of the ark.
Young Samuel had to hear words of judgment (I Sam. 3), so that he could see how God
fulfills His words. The judgment was carried out in the drama that unfolded.
At the place later called Ebenezer, the Israelites and the Philistines fought a battle.
Shiloh lay just behind the Israelite lines, and that seemed to be an advantage.
Nevertheless, the Israelites were losing the battle. They hit upon the idea of fetching the
ark, the throne of Yahweh, the "ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts," as it is called
in the text (I 4:4). Wouldn't the God of the covenant, who rules over hosts of stars and
angels, then come to the assistance of His people in the battle against the uncircumcised
Philistines?
There was something drastically wrong with this line of reasoning: the God of the
covenant is also the God of covenant wrath. Israel was defeated, the priests were killed,
and — worse still—the ark fell into the hands of the Philistines. As a trophy of war, it
[15]
would now be hauled triumphantly through the land and five cities of the Philistines.
Hadn't Yahweh been defeated by Dagon?
The return of the ark.
The procession through the Philistine cities did not turn out to be a triumph for Dagon.
Israel had indeed been defeated, but it soon became apparent that Yahweh's power was
unbroken. Dagon's head and hands were mysteriously cut off (I 5:4). The strong hand of
the Lord weighed heavily on the cities of the Philistines (vs. 9). Because the ark had
brought them nothing but trouble, the Philistines finally sent it back.
One day, at the time of the wheat harvest, the ark appeared unexpectedly in Beth-
shemesh, an area assigned to the sons of Aaron. It was on a cart pulled by two cows,
and with it were gifts intended by the Philistines as guilt offerings. There were Levites in
Beth-shemesh, and they placed the ark on a great stone on the farm of a man called
Joshua.
The Revised Standard Version goes on to say that 70 men of Beth-shemesh were killed
because they looked into the ark of the Lord. The New English Bible, which accepts the
Septuagint version of this passage reads: "But the sons of Jeconiah did not rejoice with
the rest of the men of Beth-shemesh when they welcomed the Ark of the LORD, and he
struck down seventy of them" (I 6:19). I suspect that this version is correct. Moreover, it
is likely that the men who were punished belonged to a priestly family.
In any event, the ark was brought to the home of Abinadab, in the village of Kiriath-
jearim. Perhaps this, too, was a priestly family. Twenty years went by. Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas had been struck down by God in judgment, and Shiloh had been destroyed
(see Ps. 78:60; Jer. 7:14ff; 26:6ff).
Ebenezer.
During those twenty years, Samuel had become a true reformer. The eventual result of
[16]
his appeal to Israel to serve Yahweh was that the people assembled at Mizpah,
where a great prayer meeting was held. When a sucking lamb was offered to the Lord,
He answered the prayers of the Israelites by sending a great thunderstorm on the
Philistines and throwing them into a panic. At the same place where the ark had been
captured, another battle between the Philistines and the Israelites was fought. This time
the Israelites won.
To remember this victory, a monument was erected and named Ebenezer, which means
stone of help. Samuel explained: "Thus far has the LORD helped us" (I 7:12 NIV). As we
read this passage, we think of the hands of Dagon, which had been cut off: "And the
hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel" (vs. 13).

3. The Lord Is Rejected as Sovereign King

Like all the nations.
We now come to a turning point in Israel's history. When Samuel got old and it became
apparent that none of his sons was fit to succeed him, the elders of Israel came to his
home at Mizpah and asked him to designate someone as king: "Appoint for us a king to
govern us like all the nations" (I 8:5).
The important point to note is that the Israelites were asking for a king along Canaanite
lines. They wanted a king who would rule as an autocrat, unifying the nation by his
power. They wanted a king who would elevate himself above his brothers, a demigod
who would decree that his will was law. Because the Israelites asked for such a king, the
Lord said to Samuel that their request represented a rejection of His rule. After all,
wasn't Yahweh the King of Israel?
[17]
Theocratic kingship.
Now, it was true that Israel's history cried out for a king. In the time of the judges, each
man did what was right in his own eyes. What the nation needed was some central
authority. Moreover, the Lord Himself had clearly promised Israel a king (see Gen.
35:11).
The law given before the entry into Canaan covered the conduct of kings (see Deut.
17:14-20). But the king promised by the Lord was not intended to be a tyrannical son of
the gods. The office of king in Israel was not to be modeled after the ideals of the other
nations.
Israel's king would be a ruler who subjected himself completely to the Lord's law and
authority; he would be a brother to the Israelites and a servant of Yahweh. Such a king
would establish a new form of kingship, following the lines laid down in the prophetic
Word of the Lord.
Accepting a "theocratic" king would not mean dethroning God; on the contrary, God
would rule through this subordinate king. Given the Lord's clearly expressed intentions,
we can well see why an autocratic, independent king modeled after the heathen kings
could not possibly represent and execute Yahweh's kingship. Israel was not supposed to
desire such a king.
Samuel did his best to make it clear what sorts of demands such an autocratic ruler
would make (I 8:10ff), but the Israelites did not want to listen to his objections. The
Lord then declared to Samuel that He would give them what they asked for.
Israel's first king. The first king was Saul, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, which had
almost been wiped out because of the sin of Gibeah. In I Samuel 9 we read of his calling
and anointing by Samuel. Two chapters later we see him leaving his home to come to
the rescue of the men of Jabesh-gilead.
[18]
From Judges 21 we know of the special bonds between Gibeah and Jabesh-gilead.
Judges also talks about the isolation of the tribe of Benjamin. This casts some light on
Saul's symbolic deed in cutting his oxen into pieces to be sent throughout all of Israel
with the call to mobilize: anyone who dared to ignore the call to serve in the army would
be put to death. Saul's appeal was successful and had a unifying effect on Israel.
The rescue of Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites led to another assembly of the people,
this time at Gilgal. There the covenant with King Yahweh was renewed. Samuel, as the
retiring judge, addressed the people, delivering a long speech reviewing redemptive
history.
Like Joshua in his final speech, Samuel urged the people to follow Yahweh. In the past
Yahweh had shown that He would stand by His people, and now He spoke to them in the
voice of the thunder. "Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for
consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be
swept away, both you and your king" (I 12:24-5).
A violation of the limits.
These words hover as a threat above the rest of the story of Saul. We read that when
Saul had been king for only a year, he violated the law governing the conduct of kings:
he usurped the role of the priest during a wartime situation.
War is a holy matter. Israel could not go to war without first offering sacrifices (see Ps.
20). Isn't sacrifice the prayer of the church? Thus Saul, who hoped to settle some scores
with the Philistines, could not proceed without sacrifices. Yet Samuel, who served as
both prophet and priest, did not show up when expected. The soldiers were getting
impatient, and they started to desert. Saul then decided to take matters into his own
hands and offer the sacrifice himself.
[19]
By taking this step, Saul assumed the style and role of the surrounding heathen
rulers. Israel's neighbors were ruled by kings who were also priests. But this combination
of offices was forbidden in Israel. Only Christ would be both king and priest. Saul's deed
may have looked pious, but in fact it represented a violation of the limits imposed on his
Messianic office by the Lord Himself.
That's why Samuel was so harsh when he finally appeared on the scene. Later he was to
declare that obedience is better than sacrifice; here he made the same point in different
words. Saul had not been obedient to the command of the Lord, and this would have
consequences for his kingship. His dynasty would not endure. The Lord had chosen a
man after His own heart and appointed him to be ruler over His people (I 13:14).
The principle of apostasy.
"Was Saul's offense that serious?" we are inclined to ask. His son would not be allowed
to succeed him on the throne. Since we know what happened to Saul and his family, we
see the figure of David emerging. David would be king after Saul. Was David free from
sin, then? No, not at all. Saul, as sketched for us in I Samuel, is a figure we can't help
liking; the decline and fall of this stalwart warrior seems tragic.
David, of course, was no stranger to cunning and deception. His sinful ways cannot be
excused on the grounds that he had been chosen by God. Yet, in Saul we see the
principle of apostasy at work. He used God to advance his own interests: repeatedly we
see this in his conduct in office. Sometimes he was formalistic, as in the case of
Jonathan's unwitting transgression of his sworn command (I 14:24ff). But his formalistic
approach shows that he had not grasped the meaning of the law.
Another "troubler of Israel."
This is also clear from the story of the war against the Amalekites. When the Lord
[20]
decreed that the Amalekites were to be wiped out, Saul was all for it. Yet, he quickly
stumbled into Achan's sin. He allowed the people to keep some of the livestock of the
Amalekites and even spared the life of Agag, the king. (Agag may be an Amalekite title
for king, rather than a name.)
This made Saul a "troubler of Israel." He plunged the people into misery and called down
the wrath of the Lord. Samuel declared:
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the
LORD,
he has also rejected you from being king (I 15:23; see also Hos. 6:6; Matt. 9:13; 12:7;
Mark 12:33).
Thus there was a break between Samuel and Saul (I 15:24-35). Worse still, they went
their separate ways because of a break between the Lord and Saul. It grieved the Lord
that He had appointed Saul king.
God's repentance in this matter was not like human repentance, which rarely lasts long
(vs. 29). Yahweh is the Unchangeable One. Saul should not have assumed that Yahweh
would go along with virtually anything—even if Samuel, for the sake of the older people,
did maintain the fiction that there was still a certain cultic unity in Israel.

[21]
He chose David his servant, and
took him from the sheepfolds. . . (Ps.
78:70).

4. The Rise of David and Decline of Saul

A Messianic ring. We are all familiar with the "Christmas story" of Luke 2. One of the
interesting things about this story is that the name David appears in it so often. We read
about the city of David and the house and lineage of David. Even the angels speak of the
"city of David." In Luke 1, which describes events before the birth of Jesus, we also read
about the house of David (vs. 27) and the "throne of his father David" (vs. 32).
The name David has a Messianic ring. As we saw, the book of Ruth ends with David.
David is the bearer of the old kingly promises. It was from David's "house" that the
Redeemer would come (II 7:2ff).
From chapter 16 of I Samuel on, the name David dominates the narrative. The prophet
is sent to Bethlehem, "the city of David," to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as king.
Contrary to Samuel's expectations, it turns out that the youngest son is the one God had
in mind.
Hannah had sung:
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor (I 2:8).
These beautiful words can also be applied to the origins of David, Christ's father. Jesse's
youngest son looked after his father's sheep; he was a shepherd in the fields of Ephrath.
After God's Spirit was poured out on him, he became a king after God's own heart.
[22]
David at Saul's court.
From the moment the Spirit came upon David, it left Saul, who was then tormented by
an "evil spirit from the LORD." David was summoned to try to give Saul some relief from
his agony by playing the harp. The shepherd boy later became a hero by killing the
Philistine giant Goliath. David became a close friend of Saul's son Jonathan and made a
covenant with him.
Saul was filled with jealousy toward David, who achieved great successes as an officer
serving in Saul's army. Hence he tried to get rid of him, first by throwing him into battle
against the Philistines and then by throwing his spear at David as he played the harp (I
Sam. 18).
Finally David had to flee. With the help of his wife Michal, who was Saul's daughter, he
escaped (I Sam. 19). Then comes the sad story of David's fugitive period, when he
moved from place to place trying to elude Saul's grasp.
David as a fugitive. Various episodes from David's life as a fugitive are recorded for us.
David received holy bread (i.e. showbread) from the priests at Nob, who later had to pay
for their generosity with their lives (I 21:1-10; 22:6-19). We should note that the man
who betrayed the priests to Saul was an Edomite, a member of the nation that so often
took pleasure in Israel's misfortune (see Ps. 52, 137, and the book of Obadiah). One
priest managed to escape and joined David's men—Abiathar. More men joined him as
time went by, and David became a kind of outlaw leader living by the sword.
Meanwhile, Saul's men were a constant threat. David's own people were also ready to
betray him. The men of Keilah were willing to turn David over to Saul, even though he
had saved their city (I Sam. 23).
What Nabal thought of David is clear from I Samuel 25, where we also see that David
sometimes had difficulty controlling himself. Naturally, David was tempted to strike out
[23]
against Saul's followers—and even against Saul himself. Twice he had an opportunity
to kill the king (see I Sam. 24 and 26), but the Lord kept him from committing the grave
sin of striking down the Lord's anointed. Finally we see David asking the Philistine king at
Gath for asylum and awaiting further developments there.
Saul at Endor. The prophecy that Saul's house would fall came true. As the Philistines
were preparing to do battle with the Israelites, Saul turned to a witch at Endor for help.
He, the anointed king, received no more revelations from the Lord in his dreams, nor did
the Lord speak to him through priestly oracles or prophets (I 28:6). Saul was abandoned
by God, so he turned to the false prophecy of the Canaanites.
The encounter between Saul and the witch may have taken place in a cave with two
chambers. The witch was probably in a separate room, speaking to Saul through a hole
in the wall. She may well have deceived Saul, perhaps through ventriloquy. Thus there is
no need to assume that Samuel's spirit actually appeared. In any event, Saul heard his
death sentence pronounced.
David's lament. Book I of Samuel ends with the macabre image of the suicide of Saul
after the battle in which his sons were killed.
Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
So sang David in his lament for Saul and Jonathan (II 1:19-20). In this song we find no
[24]
resentment of Saul. This song, too, was given a place in Israel's national hymnbook.
Repeatedly we hear the refrain "How are the mighty fallen!" The end of the song touches
on Jonathan, who, to the very end, recognized David as the next king:
 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
dear and delightful you were to me;
your love for me was wonderful,
surpassing the love of women.
Fallen, fallen are the men of war;
and their armour left on the field (II 1:26-7 NEB).
The citizens of Jabesh-gilead "rescued" Saul. They took down the bodies of the fallen
members of the royal family from the wall at Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung
them (I 31:10ff). David appreciated this; in a special message to them, he thanked them
for their service of love (II 2:5ff). Thus the "north" demonstrated its faithfulness to the
house of Saul.

. . . to be the shepherd of Jacob his

people, of Israel his inheritance
(Ps. 78:71).

5. David Becomes King over All Israel

King over Judah. After the death of Saul, David went to Hebron at the Lord's command,
where he was anointed king over the tribe of Judah. Of course the choice of David as
king did not come out of the clear blue sky. To begin with, the prophetic promise made
to David was well known; the people of Israel were well aware that Samuel had anointed
him to be king. This is abundantly clear from the words of Abigail, who confronted David
[25]
when he was on his way to take revenge against her husband Nabal: "When the
LORD has made good all his promises to you, and has made you ruler of Israel. . ." (I
25:30 NEB; see also I 24:21).
When David operated as an outlaw chief at Ziklag, making raids on enemy nations, he
made a point of sending part of the booty back to the elders of Judah (I 30:26). Thus,
before assuming the throne, David developed close ties with the leaders of the tribe of
Judah.
Abner and Ish-bosheth. The other tribes did not follow Judah's lead. Abner, Saul's chief
general, proclaimed Ish-bosheth, one of Saul's sons, king in the north. The result was a
struggle between David and the house of Saul (with Abner as its army commander), a
struggle in which it became apparent that David was the stronger. Because of a quarrel
between Ish-bosheth and Abner, Abner decided to go over to David's side with his army.
Although Abner had switched to the winning side, he met an unfortunate end: he was
murdered. Joab, the commander of David's army, killed him to avenge the death of his
brother Asahel, whom Abner had earlier killed in self-defense (II 3:22ff; 2:18ff).
David made it clear that he had played no part in this ruthless deed. In a lament for
Abner he declared: "As one falls before the wicked you have fallen" (II 3:34). Yet he
kept Joab on as captain of his army, just as he did later when Joab murdered Amasa.
Here we see a weakness in David's character. Was he too afraid of objections from his
own tribe? Was his failure to act against Joab influenced by selfish considerations? Did
he spare Joab because he reckoned that Joab had always helped him and could be
counted on for help in the future?
Ish-bosheth also met a dreadful end: he was murdered in his bed by two of his officers,
[26]
who assumed that David would reward them for their wickedness. Naturally, David
gave them the punishment they deserved. Yet the death of Ish-bosheth did open the
way for David to be crowned king of all the tribes.
Israel's king and shepherd. It is clear that the Word of the Lord was the decisive factor
behind the acceptance of David as king. The leaders of the eleven tribes said to him:
"The LORD said to you, 'You shall be shepherd to my people Israel, and you shall be
prince over Israel' " (II 5:2).
This is a beautiful characterization of the office of king. The king should lead his people
as a shepherd leads his sheep. The figure of the Good Shepherd must be reflected in the
Messianic office of the king.
The later prophets also emphasized this point: the King awaited by Israel would be a
Shepherd to His people. Ezekiel declared: "And I will set up over them one shepherd, my
servant David" (see Ezek. 34:1ff; Jer. 23:1ff).
David's coronation as king over all the tribes represents a high point in his life. This
elevation was a gracious reward for the long period of humiliation and danger through
which he first had to pass. In his period of oppression, he had to learn to look to the
Lord as the sole source of help and relief. (Many a psalm shows that he learned this
lesson well.) Deliverance was to be expected only from the Lord, who would elevate
David in His own time.
The change in David's fortunes was not the result of any diplomatic maneuvering or any
negotiation with the other side. No, the Word of the Lord, the Messianic Word about the
Good Shepherd, brought the twelve tribes together.

[27]
The LORD has chosen Zion; he has
desired it for his habitation (Ps.
132:13).

6. Jerusalem and the Ark

A mysterious victory. Another important event in the life of King David was the conquest
of Jerusalem. This city, which was in the hands of the Jebusites (a Hittite tribe), seemed
invincible—at least, as far as the citadel itself was concerned. Because of its geographical
position, even invalids could defend it.
David somehow found a way to capture it. The text of the Revised Standard Version
suggests that this feat was accomplished by making use of a tunnel dug by Jebusite
engineers to bring water into the city from the pool of Siloam, a reservoir outside the
city walls. (This tunnel still exists.) Other translations differ from the Revised Standard
Version here. One argument against its reading of this text is that David's soldiers would
have had to crawl through the tunnel one by one.
The city of David. In any event, David succeeded in capturing the stronghold and making
Jerusalem his royal capital and residence. Jerusalem became the city of David—a fact of
immense importance for the history of revelation.
From this point on, Jerusalem was the heart and center of Israel in Biblical thinking. This
city was the site of the temple; it was the place where the ark was kept. No prophet
would prophesy without mentioning Jerusalem. During the time of the exile, the
Israelites began to speak of the "New Jerusalem."
Jerusalem was the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her.
Christ was also to reveal Himself in Jerusalem, and there He was condemned to death.
[28]
Jerusalem was likewise the place where the Spirit was poured out and the testimony
of the twelve apostles was first heard. Not long afterward, the temple was again
destroyed. The members of Christ's church know that they are citizens of the New
Jerusalem, the city that will descend from the heavens (see Gal. 4:26; Heb. 11:10; Rev.
3:12; 21:1-22:5).
The Jews continue their preoccupation with the earthly Jerusalem. But we Christians
know of a city with firm foundations on which the names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb are inscribed. "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!" (Ps. 137:5).
The city of Melchizedek. We do not read about any bloodbath or slaughter of the original
inhabitants of Jerusalem. It's likely that they were incorporated into the nation of Israel.
It appears that David was able to take the city by surprise, which means that he must
have captured the archives undamaged. No doubt he looked through them to gain more
knowledge of his predecessor Melchizedek, who had once blessed Abram. Although
David himself was not a priest, serving the Lord was a matter to which he devoted all his
attention. In the distance he saw the outline of his Lord and Son, who was indeed a king
but also a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110).
David was a great king, but his imperfect service cried out for someone greater,
someone who would make the sun of salvation dawn, starting in Jerusalem, the center of
the earth. In Jesus Christ, (Jeru)salem found its last and eternal King.
The throne of the Lord. We know that Saul did not always get along with the priests. He
made no attempt to move the ark of the Lord from Kiriath-jearim. When we read in I
[29]
Samuel 14:18 about an ark in the midst of Saul's camp, what is meant is not the
well-known ark of the covenant but an ephod, something the priests used when they
consulted the Lord.
Saul was content to leave the ark, which had proven to be dangerous in the past, right
where it was. But once David had consolidated his hold on the country, he saw it as his
calling to restore the ark to its central position in the land. The ark, the throne of the
Lord, would have its own resting place in the city of David, where the king also had his
throne.
I will not enter my house
or get into my bed;
I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob (Ps. 132:3-5).
Not in a heathen way. David sent out a military party to bring the ark to Jerusalem from
Abinadab's home. Hadn't warriors accompanied the ark in the old days in the wilderness?
The ark was transported on a new wagon. Was David thereby giving symbolic expression
to the idea that this movement of the ark was a continuation of its return from the land
of the Philistines? The two sons of Abinadab accompanied the ark.
David and many others walked ahead of it, with dancing, music and festivity. Of course
David did not dance the sort of dance we are accustomed to in our modern world; it was
a religious dance, in which people gave spontaneous expression to their joy.
The joy was brought to an abrupt end by an accident involving the animals pulling the
[30]
wagon, which may well have been a two-wheeled cart. The ark was apparently in
danger of tipping over or sliding off the wagon, so Uzzah took hold of it to steady it. This
seemingly well-meant deed cost him dearly: the Lord struck him dead.
Again it was driven home to the Israelites that one cannot deal with the holiness of the
Lord in the same way as one deals with the things of daily life. Moreover, the Lord was
making the point that He wished to be honored in His own way. The pagans often used
wagons to transport idols representing their gods. If David used a wagon to transport
the ark into Jerusalem, would the city's original heathen population get a clear enough
impression of the difference between Yahweh, who led His people in the wilderness, and
the false gods of the other nations?
Yahweh wanted to enter Jerusalem's gates not in a heathen way but in a priestly way,
not in the manner of the Philistines (I Sam. 6) but in a ceremonial procession
reminiscent of the days of Moses, when the ark was carried through the hot wilderness
on poles. That's why David's enterprise ran aground when the harbor was in sight.
Before Jerusalem was reached, David had the ark brought to the house of Obed-edom
(i.e. servant of Edom), who was apparently a Philistine.
A living pathway. After three months, it was clear that the Lord's blessing rested on the
household of Obed-edom. Therefore David made a new attempt to bring the ark to
Jerusalem. This time he didn't use a wagon but had people carry the ark instead.
Sacrifices were offered en route: the throne of Yahweh entered the city of David by way
of a living pathway of blood and flesh (see Heb. 10:19-20).
On this occasion David was dressed like a priest: he wore a linen ephod. He did not
conduct himself like a proud and haughty king wearing an imperial uniform. No, he
played the role of a theocratic king, a king who is one with his people and a brother to
[31]
his subjects. In this way he foreshadowed Jesus Christ, who also put on a linen
ephod once, when He washed the feet of His disciples.
Michal's response. This side of David aroused the contempt of Michal, Saul's daughter
and David's wife. David was showing himself to be the very opposite of King Saul, who
had never concerned himself with the ark and had elevated himself in his heart far above
his people.
After David had blessed the people and distributed food among them in celebration, he
returned to his own house to bless it too. His wife Michal made fun of him in a crude way
for "uncovering himself" before the servant maids (II 6:20). Her behavior on this
occasion was typical of Saul's spirit. But the answer she received was typical of David: "I
will be abased in your eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall
be held in honor" (II 6:22).
Wasn't this attitude a reflection of the coming Servant of the Lord? Isaiah tells us: "He
had no beauty, no majesty to draw our eyes, no grace to make us delight in him" (Is.
53:2 NEB; see also John 13:4, 14).
The high mount. Psalm 68 was probably written when the ark was brought to Jerusalem.
Its opening words remind us of what Moses used to say as a "signal" whenever the ark
set out: "Arise, O LORD ..." (see Num. 10:35; see also Ps. 132:8). When we read, "Thou
didst ascend the high mount," (Ps. 68:18), we are to take these words as a reference to
bringing the ark up to Jerusalem. (Jerusalem was built on land elevated far above most
of the surrounding terrain.)
Paul was later to apply this text to Christ's ascension into heaven (see Eph. 4:8), and
rightly so. Just as the joyful entrance into Jerusalem with the ark symbolized Yahweh's
seating Himself on His throne, so the ascension into heaven further revealed the
kingship of the Lord.

[32]
For he has made with me an ever-
lasting covenant (II Sam. 23:5).

7. The House of David

A temple for the Lord. What is a throne without a palace? David had a beautiful palace
(see II 5:11; 7:2), but the ark of the Lord stood in a tent set up to house it temporarily.
Therefore David wanted to build a temple for the Lord.
The prophet Nathan, who was sympathetic to the idea at first, was instructed by the
Lord to keep David from carrying out his plan. David was not to build a house for the
Lord; rather, the Lord would build a "house" for David.
The house to be built for David, of course, was not a palace but a dynasty; it was the
rule of the "house of David" in Israel. "I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever"
(II 7:13). In a prayer of deep gratitude, David poured out his heart to the Lord (vs. 18-
29).
The Messianic line. Psalm 89 refers to this event as the making of a covenant. The
promise made to David at this juncture occupies a very important place in the divine
revelation as a whole: the coming of the Messiah is now tied to the house of David.
In Paradise the Lord had spoken in a general way of the seed of the woman. Later the
Messianic line became clearer: it included Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah. Now
it was narrowed down still further to the house of David.
Many a prophet was to return to this theme. "There shall come forth a shoot from the
stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots" (Is. 11:1). And when the angel
[33]
Gabriel told Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus, she responded with words
reminiscent of II Samuel 7:
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:32-3).
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of David (see Matt. 1:1; 15:22; 20:30; 21:9, 15; 22:42). Even
in the so-called Nicene Creed of A.D. 325, we hear an echo of Nathan's prophecy when it
is said of Christ that His Kingdom "shall have no end."
Bathsheba. It was during this era that David reached the climax of his life. He conquered
many nations (II Sam. 8) and dealt graciously with the house of Saul (ch. 9). The
Syrians and Ammonites were defeated by his army. But however great David was, he
was not able to lead his people into glory. His great Son Jesus Christ, who would be
sinless, would be the one to do that.
This became painfully clear when David arranged for the death of his Hittite staff officer
Uriah, so that he could take his wife Bathsheba. It took the prophet Nathan to make him
realize that he had committed a great sin. The king could not do without a prophet,
which shows us how far he was from the ideal of a Messianic king.
Yet David, who was unlike Saul in this respect, manifested a genuine awareness of guilt:
"I have sinned against the LORD" (II 12:13). Psalm 51 reveals the depths of his sin and
guilt in the form of a prayer for forgiveness. It may be that Psalm 32 also points back to
this event in David's life, for the assurance of the forgiveness of sin resounds there as
well.
[34]
The Lord made it known through Nathan that He would forgive David's
transgression. He would not be subject to the punishment decreed for the offender in
Nathan's parable (II 12:5). Yet he was told by Nathan that the child Bathsheba bore him
would die, and that the sword would never depart from his house. The future of David's
house did indeed include a lot of violence and bloodshed.
Despite this punishment, we see the Lord's unfathomable grace shining through. When a
second son was born to David and Bathsheba, they were allowed to call him Solomon, a
name in which we hear the word shalom (peace). The good relations between David and
the Lord had been restored. We read expressly that the Lord loved Solomon and sent a
message through Nathan that the child was to be called Jedidiah (i.e. the darling of the
Lord).
This child, who was younger than all the other princes, was to be David's successor. His
mother, who was not of royal or noble descent, was to bear the seed of David's royal
line, which would end in Jesus Christ (see Matt. 1:6). Isn't this a prophecy that the last
shall be first? Even in "Christ's family tree," we hear an echo of the words: "Glory to God
in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased."
Absalom's rebellion. In the matter of the succession, it became apparent that Solomon
was one of those people with whom God was pleased. Michal, David's queen, was
childless. Amnon was the oldest prince, but he tricked his half-sister Tamar and seduced
her. Her brother Absalom used this offense as an excuse to murder him two years later.
Apparently David had not dealt with Amnon as he should have, and in the case of
Absalom he took halfway measures. The intervention of Joab eventually brought about a
reconciliation between David and his lost son, after seven years had passed. It was clear
that David did not have the strength and fortitude to deal with such matters in a decisive
way.
[35]
Absalom, who was now the oldest of David's sons, made use of this weakness. He
strove to win the favor of the people and become very popular. That he was able to
become so popular must have had something to do with the decline in David's popularity
as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. (The Lord knows how to forgive a transgression
completely, but for human beings this is often very difficult.)
In time Absalom increased his strength and popularity to such an extent that he could
rebel openly against the king. In the historic city of Hebron, he was crowned. A great
many Israelites rallied to his side. Even David's counselor Ahithophel, who may have
been the grandfather of Bathsheba and the father of Eliam (who was a soldier, like
Uriah), went over to Absalom's side.
The ranks of the rebels swelled. Therefore David had to act quickly. The king and his
party left Jerusalem. With them went the king's guards, the Cherethites and Pelethites.
His party was also joined by some troops from Gath. (David was not above hiring foreign
mercenaries, like the Swiss bodyguards of the Pope and the German mercenaries used in
the Eighty Years' War.) David sent the priests bearing the ark of the covenant back to
Jerusalem (II 15:24ff). "If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD," he reasoned, "he will
bring me back and let me see both it and its habitation."
Betrayal and cursing. The penitent king then climbed the Mount of Olives. There he
heard the news that his counselor Ahithophel had deserted him. His reaction was: "O
LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness" (II 15:31). Fortunately
Hushai, another of his counselors, remained faithful. Hushai was instructed to form a
"fifth column" inside Absalom's court, to counter whatever good advice Ahithophel might
offer and report Absalom's plans to David.
[36]
Much later one of David's descendants also climbed the Mount of Olives. He, too,
was betrayed by one of His counselors. But His New Testament Gethsemane was much
different from David's plight in Old Testament times. When David fled from Jerusalem
reproaching himself, he was burdened with his own guilt, but when Christ entered
Jerusalem in an excited frame of mind, He was burdened with the sins of His chosen
ones. David brought misery upon his people and plunged the nation into the agony of a
civil war, but Christ gave His chosen ones nothing but grace.
We also think of the contrast between the two when we see Shimei, a member of Saul's
house, cursing David from a nearby hilltop. Christ, who was totally blameless, was also
cursed. Because David knew that the Lord had led Shimei to curse him (II 16:10ff), he
refused to give the order to kill Shimei.
Absalom's defeat. Hushai's success in blocking the good advice offered by Ahithophel
meant that David's men could do battle with Absalom's army under favorable
circumstances. Contrary to David's wishes, Joab killed the rebellious prince, whose army
was destroyed in the battle. So great was David's grief at the death of Absalom that
Joab, the sober, practical soldier, had to rebuke David and remind him to thank his
soldiers and officers for what they had achieved in defeating the rebels (II 19:1ff). "O
Absalom, my son, my son!"
The king had allowed himself to be swayed by his blood relationship to Absalom. He lost
sight of the sovereign favor of the Lord, who had rejected Absalom, the swaggering
crown prince.
Favoritism toward Judah. In the church, spiritual affinities are much more important than
[37]
natural bonds. "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me," declared Jesus (Matt. 10:37). This was precisely the mistake David made when
he returned to Jerusalem.
At the time of his coronation, the other tribes had declared, using a covenantal
formulation: "Behold, we are your bone and flesh" (II 5:1). David now traded his
relationship with all the tribes for a closer relationship with the tribe of Judah alone. To
Judah he said: "You are my kinsmen, you are my bone and my flesh; why then should
you be the last to bring back the king?" (II 19:12).
David was certainly not acting in a Messianic way at this juncture. Whatever Judah's
attitude may have been after Absalom's rebellion—remember that he lived in Judah's
territory—David was king of all the tribes and was not to choose favorites among them.
He was supposed to act without respect of persons.
Naturally, the other tribes were disturbed by his favoritism toward Judah, especially
since they were quicker than Judah to plan for the restoration of David as king (see II
19:9ff, 42ff). It's no wonder that rebellion broke out again before long.
Here we catch a glimpse of the deep rift that was to split the kingdom in two after the
death of Solomon. Sheba, a Benjaminite, blew the trumpet and declared:
We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man
to his tents, O Israel! (II 20:1; see also I Kings 12:16).
Thus the army had to mobilize for more warfare. During this campaign, Joab deceived
Amasa, who had been Absalom's general, and murdered him (II Sam. 20).
[38]
8. The Lord Kills and Brings to Life
The Gibeonites. At the end of the two books of Samuel, we find some appendixes. First
there is the strange story of the Gibeonites and the house of Saul. Saul had left his
house burdened with bloodguilt when he killed some Gibeonites and thereby violated the
covenant which the Gibeonites had made with Joshua long ago (see Josh. 9:19). As a
result, there were three years of famine in Israel.
At the request of the Gibeonites, David agreed that seven members of Saul's family
should be killed and hanged before the Lord at Gibeah, Saul's home town. Rizpah
guarded the dead bodies faithfully. The Lord then had mercy on the land, and rain fell
again.
How can this event be reconciled with David's promise to spare Saul's house and the
Lord's command not to leave a dead body hanging on wood overnight? In considering
these questions, remember that the Lord Himself decided that the children of Saul would
have to be punished for their father's sin. Furthermore, the Lord wanted to free David's
kingdom from any guilt or curse.
David's census. We see the same sort of thing in the last chapter of II Samuel. David
orders a census—against the advice of Joab, who was otherwise not so sensitive to sin.
It was probably pride that induced David to count his subjects. Look at the great Israel 1
have built!
The prophet Gad came to David after the census to admonish him, telling him that he
would have to choose one of three punishments: three years of famine, three months of
flight from his enemies, or three days of pestilence. David chose the epidemic.
The people would have to suffer on account of the king's pride. But the Lord kept the
[39]
angel of death from doing his work in Jerusalem. David confessed his guilt and
prayed: "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they
done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me and against my father's house" (II
24:17).
When David saw the suffering, he became the shepherd of his people again—a shepherd
aware of his own guilt. At the command of the prophet Gad, David built an altar on the
threshing floor he had bought from Araunah the Jebusite. There the king offered a
sacrifice. "So the LORD heeded supplications for the land, and the plague was averted
from Israel" (vs. 25).
Pure grace. With this episode, the books of Samuel come to an end. They include a great
deal that is sinful and human, but they also tell us at length about God's good pleasure,
which came to expression in the work of kings, priests and prophets. The Lord was busy
preparing the way for the coming of Christ.
The theme introduced by Hannah in her song at the beginning of I Samuel echoes
throughout the two books: "The LORD kills and brings to life." Saul and Amnon and
Absalom fall. The Lord kills as the godless perish in the darkness. But He also brings to
life, as the wavering ones are given strength. David, Jesse's youngest son, the man who
could never serve as Messiah, is accepted in favor by God. As the various crown princes
are eliminated, the way to the throne is later opened for Solomon, who was born of
David's marriage to Bathsheba (Uriah's wife). The Lord strengthens His king and exalts
the power of His anointed.
In the two books of Samuel we see sovereign good pleasure. We are given a glimpse of
pure grace as reflected in the sacrifices and the services in the sanctuary—the grace of
the coming Christ.
Isn't the last chapter a proclamation of the coming of the One who was to complete the
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work of all the preceding office-bearers? Consider David's action in buying Araunah's
field: at the command of the prophet, he built an altar and offered a sacrifice at the
same place where Abraham had earlier demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice his son
and where Solomon was later to build the temple.
The question how God could be so gracious to David can be answered when we think of
David's great Son:
Thou didst exalt me above my adversaries,
thou didst deliver me from men of violence.
For this I will extol thee, O LORD, among the nations,
and sing praises to thy name.
Great triumphs he gives to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David, and his descendants for ever (II 22:49-51).
[42]
I and 11 Kings
1. Solomon: Builder of the Lord's House
Prophetic history. The book of Kings continues the narrative of the book of Samuel. (I
and II Kings were originally one.) Kings and Samuel are prophetic books. It is not their
primary purpose to give an account of the history of Israel and its kings, for then they
would have to include much more. No, history is written from a particular standpoint in
Samuel and Kings.
We are shown how the Lord dealt with His people and how the apostasy of the people
and their kings led to judgment. As the fiasco of the throne and the altar, that is, the rift
between the king and the priests, is described for us from a prophetic point of view, we
sense a distinct yearning for the One in whom all three offices are united, namely, the
Word, the heavenly High Priest who occupies God's throne, the root and offspring of
David (Rev. 22:16).
Yes, Kings is a. prophetic book. Watch for the prophetic emphasis in the many
encounters between prophets and kings. "Give the king thy justice, O God" (Ps. 72:1).
[43]
Adonijah's rebellion.
The opening chapter of I Kings does not present an edifying story. Adonijah, the oldest
surviving son of David, schemed to succeed his father by arranging to have himself
proclaimed king. Joab and Abiathar took his side. The prophet Nathan was not invited to
join the rebellion. He would not have supported Adonijah's claim to the throne, of
course, for he knew that David had promised Solomon that he would be the next king.
Working closely with Bathsheba, Nathan persuaded David to have Solomon proclaimed
king before Adonijah could carry out his plans.
Did Solomon succeed David because of scheming at the court? That there were
machinations at the court of the aged king is not to be denied. As the king grew older,
he seemed to lose control of the kingdom bit by bit. Yet, it was the Lord's sovereign will
that passed over David's oldest surviving son and called Solomon to the office of prince
of peace. This will of God in election made use of the prophetic Word (in the form of
God's servant Nathan) to see that the right man occupied David's throne.
Unpunished sins. At the end of his life, David gave Solomon some instructions with
regard to Joab and Shimei. Moreover, it had become clear that Adonijah still had some
rebellious aspirations. Therefore both Adonijah and Joab would have to die. Their fellow
conspirator Abiathar was banished to the priests' city of Anathoth, where Jeremiah was
later to be born. With the removal of Abiathar, the prophecy made earlier about the
house of Eli was finally fulfilled (I Sam. 2:27-36; I Kings 2:27).
It was as though the Lord wanted some old scores settled at the beginning of Solomon's
reign. The prince of peace was not to see his way blocked by unpunished sins. There
could be no innocent blood crying out to be avenged, for Solomon was to be the builder
[44]
of the temple that would foreshadow the unity of the Lord and the people with whom
He was reconciled. The man who had been granted wisdom (I Kings 3) and possessed
great wealth (ch. 10) was the right man to build the temple.
Solomon's temple. The building of the temple is another milestone in the history of
revelation. From that time on, there would be a central sanctuary in the city of the kings.
The ark would finally come to "rest" in the Holy of Holies.
Many years later, a conqueror was to turn Solomon's temple into ruins. A later temple
built by Herod was also to be destroyed, in a sea of flames, but by that time the temple
had performed its function. Christ is more than Solomon and the temple combined; He is
the fulfillment of what the temple symbolized, that is, God's presence with us.
The Lord among His people. The New Testament church speaks of a heavenly temple.
We enter that temple in faith, a faith that has not yet become sight. Yet, some day the
New Jerusalem will descend from heaven. This heavenly city does not contain a temple:
the whole city is a temple — a temple of God and the Lamb. In expectation of that day,
each of us is to regard his body as a temple of the Holy Spirit and the church as a
dwelling place of God, a dwelling place into which we are incorporated as living stones
(see I Cor. 6:19; I Pet. 2:4-5).
Solomon's temple testifies to a great and wonderful truth: the Lord wishes to dwell
permanently among His people. The element of permanence comes out clearly in the
building of the temple, especially when we compare it with the tabernacle.
During the time of the great trek, everything had to be constructed in such a way that it
could easily be transported. Therefore the tabernacle was built of wood and could be
[45]
taken apart quickly and easily. This meant that it had to be relatively small. But
when it came time to build the temple, heavy materials could be used. The prospect of
transport was not a factor in determining the size and components of the temple. The
number of cultic objects could be expanded, and rooms outside the sanctuary itself could
be prepared for special purposes.
Art in the temple. At the front of the temple were two great pillars representing firmness
and strength. These pillars were called Jachin and Boaz. Art was not forgotten in the
building of the temple. The interior walls were inlaid with gold, and many of the objects
inside the temple were made of gold or were gold-plated. On the walls and doors were
carvings of cherubs, palm trees, flowers, and fruits. The temple would remind people of
God's paradise, the Garden of Eden, where the Lord had walked with man.
God now wanted to dwell with His people again—in the temple. Of course He still lived in
a hidden spot—in a room behind a curtain. Even though there were cherubs before the
Holy of Holies, symbolically preventing people from entering, God still wished to dwell in
the midst of His people—thanks to the offerings that atoned for sin.
The temple dedication. When the temple was finished, it was dedicated by celebrating
the Feast of Tabernacles. This feast, which was the final one in the Israelite year, was
intended to remind the people of Israel of the journey through the wilderness and also of
God's kingship. Thus it was an appropriate occasion to celebrate the fact that the Lord
had found His rest and had established His throne among His people.
At the time of the dedication, the priests brought the ark to the temple in a solemn
ceremony. The holy objects followed. The ark was placed in the Holy of Holies, which
was symbolically guarded by the cherubs.
[46]
Then the priests left the temple. A cloud of the Lord's holiness filled the temple
complex, just as it had filled the tabernacle at its dedication. Solomon declared:
The LORD has set the sun in the heavens,
but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.
I have built thee an exalted house,
a place for thee to dwell for ever (I 8:12-13).
The king then turned around and blessed the Israelites who had gathered in the outer
court of the temple. He praised the Lord for keeping His word to David, whose son had
built a temple to house the ark and the tables of the law of the covenant.
These words were followed by an opening prayer made up of seven moving petitions.
Solomon kneeled before the altar of the Lord as he prayed. In his prayer he made it
clear that the Lord is greater than any temple and can never be spatially confined. But
the temple is the place where He is to be addressed. If prayers are uttered in the
temple, the Lord in heaven might well listen and forgive sins. After this prayer, Solomon
blessed Israel. The initial offerings were made, and a joyous celebration began.
If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances. . . (Ps.
89:30).
2. The Splitting of the Kingdom
No guarantee. Right after the description of the liturgy used at the dedication of the
temple, we read of a new revelation to Solomon. This event took place after the building
of the royal palace, that is, some twelve years after the temple was completed.
[47]
In this revelation, which was clearly meant as a threat, Yahweh points back to
Solomon's prayer at the temple dedication (compare I 8:29 with 9:3, and 8:24ff with
9:4ff). If Solomon and his sons turn away from the Lord, Israel will be driven into exile
and the temple ("this house") will be reduced to rubble, something for the nations to
laugh at. If the kings show any inclination toward apostasy, the curses of Leviticus and
Deuteronomy will come into effect. The beautiful temple is no guarantee that Israel will
always enjoy shalom (peace).
Altar and throne. Later the prophets used some strong language against the temple and
the offerings. When we read their biting words, we think to ourselves, "The Lord Himself
established the temple and the offerings. Why, then, these condemnations?" The way to
untangle this puzzle is to remember that while worship activities might not be wrong in
themselves, it certainly was wrong to regard the existence of the temple as a guarantee
that Israel would never slide into apostasy. The Lord had never intended the temple to
be a symbol reassuring a disobedient people that they were in no danger. Therefore His
words of warning to Solomon are worthy of our attention.
In these words we find a major theme of the book of Kings: the altar does not protect
the throne if the king and his house go astray. Christ pointed back to this ancient lesson
when He, too, found that people were dangerously at ease. "Behold, your house is
forsaken and desolate" (Matt. 23:38). Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Solomon's decline. When we read the rest of the stories about Solomon, we see that the
Lord had good reason to warn him. Solomon was prospering—as far as one could see. He
did a lot of building, and his ships brought back gold and other costly materials from
[48]
foreign lands (see I 9:26-8; 10:11-12, 22). He built up an impressive cavalry.
(Excavators have uncovered ruins that may well have been his stables at Megiddo.) The
queen of Sheba was amazed at his wealth and wisdom.
Yet, there is a darker side to Solomon's glory. Solomon did not imitate foreign rulers in
trade and military matters only; he also collected wives and concubines until he had a
huge harem (see Deut. 17:17). Some of these women made his heart turn away from
his own God.
The many marriages to foreign princesses must have had something to do with the
covenants he made with foreign nations. One rule to follow in getting along with
foreigners is to respect their religious beliefs and practices. Hence, before long there
were a number of holy places dedicated to the foreign gods worshiped by the various
emissaries and foreign princesses. These holy places were visited regularly by Solomon's
wives and their servants. When Solomon got old, he was even persuaded to go himself.
Jeroboam and Rehoboam. This idolatry cost Solomon the unity of his kingdom. The Lord
was still gracious to him, but only for David's sake. The kingdom would not be split until
the time of Solomon's son (I 11:12), but signs of the approaching split could already be
seen.
Solomon's heavy demands on the people made the land ripe for rebellion. Outside
Israel's borders the rebels began to flex their muscles. The prophet Ahijah promised
Jeroboam, who was overseer of public works, that he would become king over all the
tribes except Judah (vs. 26ff).
The story of Solomon slowly peters out. He was succeeded by his haughty son
Rehoboam. An assembly of the people was held at Shechem (not in Jerusalem), just as
in Joshua's days. Israel was ready to crown Rehoboam king, provided he would agree to
[49]
lessen the heavy burdens imposed on the people by Solomon. But Rehoboam
refused to budge on this issue. Then some familiar words were uttered:
 What portion have we in David?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.
To your tents, O Israel!
Look now to your own house, David (I 12:16).
The Israelites returned to their tents. Rehoboam was not crowned, and there was no
prospect of saving the kingdom for him. Moreover, he was forbidden to try to subject the
rebellious tribes by military means. "This is my will," the Lord declared through His
prophet (vs. 24 NEB).

Come to Bethel and transgress; for so

you love to do, O people of Israel!
(Amos 4:4, 5).

3. The Northern Kingdom: Off to a Bad Start

A conditional promise. By this time Jeroboam had returned from Egypt, where he had
been hiding. The northern tribes made him king (I 12:20). In Solomon's days he had
"lifted up his hand against the king" (I 11:26). As a member of the tribe of Ephraim and
a former government official, he knew what was going on in the "house of Joseph."
Furthermore, his claim to the crown had the sanction of a prophet. No wonder he was
crowned king at Shechem!
When Ahijah told Jeroboam that he would become king, he held a conditional promise
[50]
before him: "If you will hearken to all that I command you, and will walk in my
ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments,
as David my servant did, I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for
David, and I will give Israel to you" (I 11:38).
The temple at Bethel. Jeroboam did not always walk in the way of the Lord. It bothered
him that the temple in Jerusalem, which was outside the territory he ruled, was a
religious center for his subjects. He would have to do something about that; otherwise
the house of David might someday be able to win the hearts of all the Israelites again.
Therefore he established a worship center of his own at Bethel, a city with a rich history.
Abraham had built an altar in the vicinity of Bethel. The Lord had appeared there to
Jacob in a dream. Bethel was one of the holy cities visited by Samuel when he was a
judge. Wasn't it a gateway to heaven? Well then, Bethel would surely be a good place to
erect a sanctuary.
The temple at Bethel held a special attraction—a golden calf! You recall how Aaron made
such a calf at the foot of Mount Horeb while Moses was on the mountain. For the
Semites (descendants of Shem in the ancient Near East, including the Israelites), the
bull is an excellent symbol of a deity.
Another golden calf was made and brought in a procession to Dan, a city in the north
where idol worship had been going on since the time of the judges (see Judges 17).
Furthermore, the king appointed men who were not of the tribe of Levi to conduct the
cultic activities, and he introduced his own calendar of festivals. The Feast of Tabernacles
would not be celebrated in the seventh month, as in Jerusalem, but in the eighth month.
The king at the altar. The altar at Bethel was to be dedicated at the next Feast of
[51]
Tabernacles. On this great festive occasion, the king himself served as high priest,
which was the custom in the nations around Israel. Thus it was Jeroboam who offered
the sacrifice on the altar. While he was at the altar, he was approached by a prophet
from Judah, who told him that a king named Josiah, to be born of the house of David,
would sacrifice Bethel's priests on that very altar. As a sign that the prophet was indeed
speaking the Word of God, the altar split and the ashes slid off it(I 12:33ff).
Solomon had also used the Feast of Tabernacles as the occasion for dedicating his
temple. A cloud then filled the temple, to signify that the Lord wished to dwell there. But
at Jeroboam's celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Word of the Lord announced
judgment. Although Jeroboam wanted to hold on to the Lord, he proposed to serve Him
in a Canaanite manner. That's why the man of God from Judah had to curse Bethel—
which he did by his words as well as the manner of his death. Israel had been warned
(I 13:4-34).
Two kingdoms. Bethel was to dominate the rest of the history of Israel's kings. They all
walked in the ways of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who "made Israel to sin." This is the
monotonous refrain running through the entire book of Kings. Jeroboam's dynasty was
replaced by another, which was in turn replaced, only to give way to yet another
dynasty, and so forth.
This is not to say, of course, that everything in the southern kingdom was perfect. But a
comparison shows how little stability there was in the north:

Southern kingdom Northern kingdom

Existed 350 years. Existed 210 years.

19 kings. 19 kings.

One dynasty, that of David. 9 dynasties!

4 regicides. About half the kings died violently.

[52]
Jerusalem as constant religious and Separate religious and political centers.
political center.

Various pious kings who introduced Not a single pious king, apart from Jehu,
reforms, e.g. Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, who brought about a partial reformation.
Hezekiah, Josiah.

What we see in the northern kingdom is a sorry spectacle indeed. Throughout the book
of Kings, the histories of "Israel" (the northern kingdom) and "Judah" (the southern
kingdom) are interwoven. For the sake of convenience, I will trace the events in the
northern kingdom first. Then we will examine what the book of Kings reveals about the
southern kingdom.
Therefore I have hewn them by the
prophets (Hos. 6:5).

4. Israel in the Days of Elijah and Ahab

Baasha and Omri. Kings is a. prophetic book, a book by prophets and about prophets.
The Lord in His grace did not let go of the northern tribes but repeatedly sent them His
Word. We saw an indication of this at the dedication of the altar at Bethel. There are
other instances in the later life of Jeroboam. The same Ahijah who told him he would be
king also prophesied that his dynasty would be overthrown and that Israel itself would
be destroyed (I 14:7-16). The reason was Israel's apostasy, in which Jeroboam led the
way.
Baasha plotted against Jeroboam's son and successor, killing him and the whole family
[53]
of Jeroboam. But Baasha followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam, who had caused
Israel to sin. Therefore the prophet Jehu informed him that he and his dynasty would
also be swept aside (I 16:4-7). That's exactly what happened, for rebellions at the court
were the order of the day.
Finally Omri, who turned out to be a strong ruler, became king. He made Samaria his
capital city. His son was the infamous Ahab, in whose time the city of Jericho, which had
been cursed, was rebuilt. The rebuilding of Jericho shows that the dynasty of Omri did
not care at all what the prophets said or thought.
A temple for Baal. Ahab's queen was a Sidonian princess named Jezebel. Because of her
bad influence, Ahab carried his apostasy further than any of his predecessors. Not only
did he maintain the worship of the golden calf at Bethel, he also introduced the worship
of the Phoenician god Baal, building a temple for this idol in Samaria. Under his
leadership, Israel fell back into Canaanite religious practices (I 16:30ff).
But the Lord did not abandon His people. Suddenly His Word was heard in Israel through
the mouth of Elijah, who prophesied that there would be a drought (I 17:1). At this
point, the focus of the book of Kings shifts to Elijah, that amazing man of God who
addressed a powerful appeal to the Israelites to return to the service of Yahweh.
A "troubler of Israel." The Lord sustained Elijah in an amazing way. Outside the
boundaries of Canaan he found a hiding place, where he did wonders, signifying that
God's grace could pass from Israel (see Luke 4:26). This prophet, whom Ahab called a
"troubler of Israel" (I 18:17), an Achan plunging Israel into misery, arranged an
assembly of the people at Mount Carmel.
Carmel was a mountain dedicated to Baal, the god of rain. Apparently Baal had let Israel
[54]
down for three years, for there had been no rain. On Mount Carmel the people were
to see which god was capable of sending rain — Baal or Yahweh.
Yahweh emerged the victor from this dramatic contest, for He consumed Elijah's offering
with fire after it had been thoroughly soaked. The prophets of Baal were put to death, as
Mount Carmel resounded with the cry "Yahweh is God!" At Elijah's command, the rain
finally fell. Yet, it soon became apparent that the enthusiasm of the people was only
temporary. Moreover, the impression these events made on Ahab faded quickly. Jezebel
had plans of her own: she wanted the worship of Baal restored and the man of God put
to death.
Revelations at Horeb. Because of these setbacks, Elijah slipped into a deep depression (I
Kings 19). The same sort of thing happened to other prophets after a dramatic
vindication (see I 13:14; Jon. 4:6ff; Jer. 20:7ff). Elijah went to Horeb, the mount of
God's revelation. There he lamented Israel's unfaithfulness to the covenant and his own
loneliness.
The Lord knew how to instill fresh hope in this man so weary of life by opening new
perspectives before his eyes. The Lord revealed Himself in natural phenomena and gave
an explanation of His revelations. There was a strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire.
These revelations are reminiscent of the revelations at the time when the law was given
at Sinai (Ex. 19:16-18). They point to Elijah's task, which was to anoint Hazael as king
of Syria, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as his own successor.
These three signs symbolized God's judgment on those who abandoned the covenant.
But the last sign also testified of grace: the Lord "was" in a still, small voice. This
corresponds to the promise: "Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that
have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (I 19:18).
[55]
This text is referred to in Article 27 of the Belgic Confession, which deals with the
preservation of the church in the face of the world's angry opposition: "And this holy
Church is preserved or supported by God against the rage of the whole world; though it
sometimes for a while appears very small, and in the eyes of men to be reduced to
nothing; as during the perilous reign of Ahab the Lord reserved unto Him seven
thousand men who had not bowed their knees to Baal."
God's way of counting is different from ours. Even if the church is forced to become
"invisible" for a while, God continues to gather His own. That's the meaning of the
symbolic number 7000 used here and the number 144,000 used in the book of
Revelation.
The role of the prophets. When we read further in Kings, we are struck by the great
influence of the prophets. We see that the Lord did not let go of the northern kingdom.
Elisha was called to prophesy, and Elijah's feeling of hopelessness passed once he gained
the proper perspective on the prophetic Word.
In I Kings 20 we read about a mighty struggle. Here again the prophets are decisive in
the decision to go to war against the enemies of the church (see vs. 13-14, 22 and 28),
but they also pronounce judgment (vs. 35ff) when the antithesis is suddenly replaced by
a false fraternal spirit (vs. 32).
Naboth's vineyard. I Kings 21 and 22 show us how Ahab was finally condemned by the
prophetic Word. The occasion was the famous annexation of Naboth's vineyard, which
Ahab wanted to add to his royal land holdings. We are accustomed to regarding this
incident as an exercise of brute power on Ahab's part—which it was. But there is more to
the story.
[56]
The Canaanites were not familiar with the idea of land belonging to a family as an
inheritance never to be given up. To them, a king had dictatorial powers and could not
be prevented from taking what he wanted. Israel was different in this respect. The free
citizen had an inalienable right to keep his land and could not be compelled to sell it. The
king did not hold office to lord it over his subjects but to serve them. He was to reflect
the coming Messiah, who would see to it that everyone in Israel could safely sit under
his vine or fig tree. That's why Ahab's conduct in this matter is so despicable: he
deliberately chose a Canaanite approach to land and inheritance and tried to set himself
up as an autocratic king, adopting the same style as the kings ruling the countries
around Israel.
Sheep without a shepherd. Because Ahab had turned himself into a caricature of the
Messiah, he found that the Word was against him. The king who had accused Elijah of
being a "troubler of Israel" was himself an Achan who plunged his nation into misery.
The prophet Elijah was not afraid to tell him so.
Later the prophet Micaiah came with a similar message of judgment (I 22:8ff). The
Israelites would be scattered like sheep without a shepherd, for a lying spirit was
misleading Ahab's prophets. Not long afterward, the king was wounded in battle and
bled to death in his chariot, near Samaria.
Under Ahaziah, Ahab's successor, the conduct of the house of Omri did not improve.
When the new king became ill, he decided to go to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, for
advice. Before he could do so, he was stopped and admonished by Elijah. Anyone who
looks to Baal for life will meet death at the hands of Yahweh (II Kings 1).
[57]
Elisha. Prophecy continued. Elijah, whose career reminds us in many respects of
1
Moses, cast his mantle over the shoulder of Elisha. As soon as he "took over," Elisha
demonstrated the life-giving power of the Word as well as its power to destroy. In
Jericho the Word was sought to purify the water, and it did so, revealing the blessing of
the Lord in the city that had earlier been cursed. But in Bethel, which had witnessed so
much grace (e.g. the revelation to Jacob), a mortal curse struck a group of jeering boys
(II 2:19ff).
In II Kings 3 we are taught a remarkable lesson: if a prophet does not abide by the Word
of the Lord, he, too, brings a curse on his people. Consider what happened. Elisha helped
King Jehoram, who, like his father, allied himself in battle with King Jehoshaphat of
Judah. The campaign against Moab went well. But Elisha did not oppose the "scorched
earth" tactics of the two kings, as he should have, since these tactics were a direct
violation of the Lord's gracious laws for warfare (see, for example, Deut. 20:19-20).

1
Think of how both Moses and Elijah encountered God at Mount Horeb; the period of 40 days;
Yahweh passing before the face of each; the struggle of Moses against Egyptian magicians and the
struggle of Elijah against the servants of Baal on Mount Carmel; Moses' dealings with Pharaoh and
Elijah's dealings with Ahab; Moses' passage through the Red Sea and the passage of Elijah and
Elisha through the dry bed of the Jordan.
King Mesha of Moab was driven to a deed of despair by the barbaric conduct of Israel
and Judah: on the wall of the city he sacrificed his first-born son to the god Chemosh.
Then "great wrath" (presumably the wrath of Yahweh) came upon the Israelites, who
withdrew their armies. Thus, even the word of Elisha had to bow before the revelation of
the Lord. The spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets (I Cor. 14:32); they do not
possess any authority of their own.
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The purpose of miracles.
The prophetic Word is capable of great wonders, even in a situation of deformation. This
truth is illustrated by various incidents from chapter 4 of II Kings on. Essentially the
lesson is always the same: it is the Word that gives life.
The miracles performed by Christ have rightly been compared to those performed by
Elisha. The similarity between Elisha's miraculous feeding of the hundred men and
Christ's feeding of the thousands is indeed striking (compare II 4:42ff with Matt. 15:31ff
and John 6:5ff).
The intent of such miracles is never to put on a show; Elisha was not giving a
demonstration of his powers as a magician. His miraculous assistance was intended to
benefit the church of the Lord—then and in the future. Christ's miracles were performed
for the same reason. He refused to do miracles to satisfy the curious, for His purpose in
coming was to be a shepherd to the lost sheep of Israel.
Judgment on Ahab's house. We must not neglect the reverse side of the Word, which is
also able to judge people, and even kill them. We must not play off Elisha against Elijah,
for the thunder and lightning of Sinai were also reflected in Elisha's prophetic activities.
Isn't this clear from the incident at Bethel at the beginning of Elisha's "career" as a
prophet? Consider also what happened to the captain at the gate when Samaria was
liberated (II 7:17). Furthermore, think of the anointing of wrathful King Hazael, who
weakened the Israelites to the point of exhaustion just when the Assyrians were moving
in their direction (II 8:7ff), and of the anointing of Jehu (II 9:1).
Jehu saw to it that Elijah's words of judgment were completely fulfilled. Even though the
house of Omri was so great that Israel was referred to in Assyrian documents as
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Omriland, it remained true that those who followed the ways of the Canaanites
suffered the judgment of the Canaanites. The passionate, vindictive conduct of Jehu
must be seen first and foremost as a judgment brought about by Israel's own apostasy
(II Kings 9 and 10).

Samaria's king shall perish, like a chip

on the face of the waters (Hos. 10:7).

5. The End of the Northern Kingdom

Jehu's dynasty. There were limits to Jehu's zeal for Yahweh. He eliminated the service of
Baal, but he did nothing about the worship of the golden calf at Bethel. He destroyed the
house of Ahab, but in such an eager fighter's way that Hosea later spoke of the need of
punishing the house of Jehu "for the blood of Jezreel" (Hos. 1:4). Because of his zeal,
Jehu did receive the promise that his house would rule for four generations (II 10:30),
but once a century had passed, the rule of his dynasty ended.
This is not to say that Jehu's dynasty did not produce some capable kings. These kings
were in contact with the prophets, as we see at the time of Elisha's death, when King
Joash comes to visit the prophet. Elisha promises him a great victory against the Syrians
(II 13:14ff), a promise that Joash does not seem to take too seriously.
Prosperity and degeneration. Joash's son was Jeroboam II. In accordance with the
prophecy of the well-known prophet Jonah, this king was sent to deliver Israel and
restore the kingdom (I 14:25ff). Jonah's prophecy brings out the fact that Jonah was a
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committed nationalist, which makes it easier for us to understand his reluctance to
preach repentance to the Assyrians at Nineveh and his eagerness to see their city
destroyed.
Nationalism was on the rise in Israel during the time of Jeroboam II. The boundaries of
the kingdom once ruled by David were restored, as Damascus had to submit to the
house of Jehu. Zechariah, the son of Jeroboam II, represented the fourth generation of
the house of Jehu.
The prophets Amos and Hosea sketch the degeneration of Israel in those days of
prosperity. The Israelites continued in the sins into which Jeroboam I had led them:
They made kings, but not through me.
They set up princes, but without my knowledge.
With their silver and gold they made idols
for their own destruction.
I have spurned your calf, O Samaria.
My anger burns against them.
The calf of Samaria
shall be broken to pieces (Hos. 8:4-5, 6).
They set up kings, but the Lord was not consulted. Each usurper was pushed aside by
another.
The fall of Samaria. Meanwhile, the Assyrian threat came closer and closer. First the
Israelites made a treaty with the Assyrians, in which they agreed to pay tribute. When
they later broke this covenant, the Assyrian army turned on them.
Yet the Assyrian takeover was gradual rather than sudden (II 15:29). The outcome, of
course, was that the people went into exile. Israel's last king made another agreement
with Assyria, but because the pro-Egyptian party won out in the internal power struggle,
Shalmaneser put an end to Israel's existence as a nation. The king of Israel was
deported as a captive. After an awe-inspiring siege of three years, Samaria fell. The
entire nation was then subject to deportation and exile in a faraway land.
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The epilogue makes it clear why the Lord allowed all of this: these things happened
because the voice of the prophets was ignored. The religion of the Israelites was
Canaanized, as Molech was served and the golden calves were worshiped. In short, the
Israelites "would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not
believe in the LORD their God. They despised his statutes, and his covenant that he
made with their fathers, and the warnings which he gave them" (II 17:14-15).
The Samaritans. What became of the territory occupied by the tribes sent into exile? The
Assyrians let other peoples colonize it, who quickly intermarried with the few Israelites
that were left. To free themselves of attacks by ferocious lions sent by the Lord, the
people in Samaria called for a priest.
A priest was sent back to Israel from the land of exile. (It must have been someone who
was not regarded as politically dangerous.) This priest made his headquarters at Bethel,
which gives us an idea of the sort of thing he must have taught interested listeners
about "the law of the god of the land."
The old sin at Bethel was reintroduced. Moreover, the people sent to colonize Israel
continued to cling to the gods of their beloved homelands. Should it surprise us, then,
that Ezra and Nehemiah did not want the help of the Samaritans in rebuilding the
temple? Yet, the day of salvation came for the Samaritans too (see John 4 and Acts 8).
[62]
6. Deformation and Reformation in the Southern Kingdom
Hardening in Judah. When the southern kingdom is compared with the northern
kingdom, there are a number of good things to be noted—fortunately. Some of the kings
instituted reforms and knew the secret of all blessing. In those great days, the throne
and the altar went hand in hand—the throne of David and the genuine, legitimate altar
dedicated to Yahweh.
In many ways, however, Judah behaved like Israel; that is to say, it also imitated the
other nations in religious respects. We see a continuous hardening among the people of
Judah. Reformations may have put a veneer on the life of Judah, but prophets like
Jeremiah and Isaiah made it apparent just how far the corruption had gone.
Rehoboam. Things started to go wrong under Rehoboam. The typically Canaanite religion
with its emphasis on blood and the soil seemed to be coming into favor everywhere. The
conduct of Naamah, the king's Ammonite mother, must have had something to do with
this: queen mothers generally had a good deal of influence at the court. But we should
not expect too much of this Ammonite woman, given Solomon's great tolerance of the
religious practices of his many wives. It's not likely that Naamah ever followed Ruth's
example and said, "Your God shall be my God!" Her easygoing husband even let her
have her own chapel!
Once conditions in Judah deteriorated to this point, the last of Solomon's glory faded
away. King Shishak of Egypt went to war against Rehoboam and took Jerusalem. He
allowed Rehoboam to remain king, but he carried off the treasures of the palace and the
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temple, including 500 shields of gold from the House of the Forest of Lebanon, which
Rehoboam later replaced with copper shields.
This episode has given orators and poets something to ponder as they turn their
attention to the dangers and difficulties of keeping alive the glory of distinguished
predecessors. The church parade with copper shields that Rehoboam tried to hold when
he went to the house of the Lord was indeed a foolish show. Rehoboam upheld the state
religion and allowed all sorts of heathen religious practices to flourish alongside it.
Asa. Abijam, Rehoboam's successor, was no better (I 15:1ff). Yet we read: "For David's
sake the LORD his God gave him a flame to burn in Jerusalem, by establishing his
dynasty and making Jerusalem secure" (vs. 4 NEB). Abijam was soon succeeded by his
son Asa, who walked in the ways of his forefather David and did away with the idolatry.
The queen mother, who actually supported the worship of images, was stripped of her
power, and the temple was again furnished with consecrated gifts.
Yet, these holy objects soon disappeared when Baasha, the king of Israel, made war
against Judah. Asa sent them, together with further gifts, to Ben-hadad of Syria, to bribe
him to break his treaty with Israel. (Ben-hadad went along with this proposal.)
The strategy of Asa here reflects a lack of confidence in the Lord, something we see
repeatedly in the rest of Judah's history. The words of Luther's adaptation of Psalm 46
apply to Asa as well as to us: "Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be
losing."
Jehoshaphat. Asa was succeeded by his son, Jehoshaphat. He, too, served the Lord and
continued the struggle against the heathen worship forms of the Canaanites. But this
king, who knew what was right in the eyes of the Lord, followed the wrong path in his
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dealings with the northern kingdom. He put an end to the war between Judah and
Israel and instead undertook extensive cooperation with the godless house of Ahab. He
allied himself with Ahab in war (I Kings 22) and was far from reserved in his declarations
of friendship (see vs. 4).
Later Jehoshaphat allied himself with King Jehoram of Israel (II Kings 3) and even
arranged a marriage between his son, who also bore the name Jehoram, and Athaliah,
the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (see II 8:18). No good came of this outrageous
covenant with the house of Omri. Only the Lord's promise to David made Him spare
Jehoram (vs. 19).
Athaliah. Jehoram's son Ahaziah also took the wrong path. His relationship to Ahab's
family became fateful for him, for when Jehu seized power in Israel, Ahaziah was killed
while visiting the king of Israel (II 9:21ff).
At this point Athaliah saw her chance. As queen mother, she seized power. Following the
lead of many another usurper in the ancient Near East, she tried to murder every last
member of the royal family. Only Joash, a son of Ahaziah, was saved; he was hidden in
the temple complex.
Joash. When the crown prince reached the age of seven, the high priest Jehoiada
organized a coup d'etat, in which the godless Athaliah lost her life. Under Jehoiada's
leadership, a partial reformation took place. The temple of Baal was torn down, and the
Lord's temple was restored, thanks to offerings brought by the people (II 12:7ff).
Joash, who is also called Jehoash, did not end his reign successfully. He was overthrown
in a rebellion. He had given the temple treasures to Ben-hadad of Syria. It is clear from
what we read in Chronicles that the change in the conduct of Joash came after the death
of Jehoiada. Joash turned his back on the service of the Lord.
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Amaziah. Joash's son Amaziah, who succeeded him, did serve the Lord. The worship
services in the central sanctuary continued, but the "separatist" local services offered
heathendom a fine opportunity to infiltrate Judah slowly. As a result, Jerusalem lost its
hold on the people. This eventually led to the fall of the temple, the city, and the whole
country.
The coming catastrophe was foreshadowed in the capture of Jerusalem by the king of
Israel (i.e. the northern kingdom), who had accepted Amaziah's challenge to do battle
(II 14:8ff). Jehoash, Israel's king, had responded at first with a fable, but Amaziah would
not take no for an answer.
Through this chapter in Judah's history and in many other ways as well, the Lord showed
that Jerusalem would only be saved by grace. If the belief in grace disappeared, a
Shishak, a Nebuchadnezzar, a Pompey, or a Titus would come along to break the pride
of the people of Judah.
Ahaz. After Ahaziah and Jotham, the famous Ahaz became king. During his time, Judah
sank to the level of the Canaanites. Ahaz even sacrificed his first-born son to Molech, a
god whose name means king.
When Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel made war against him, he used the
treasures of the temple and the palace to buy the help of the Assyrians, who then
rescued him from his foes. This assistance rendered by a great foreign power led Ahaz to
accept foreign religious influences as well. He made a copy of an altar he saw in
Damascus and placed it in the temple in Jerusalem (II 16:1ff).
Like Jeroboam I, Ahaz assumed the role of priest-king and offered the first sacrifice on
the altar. The copper altar of the Lord was no longer needed and was pushed aside.
Henceforth all sacrifices were to be made on the new altar built along Assyrian lines.
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Judah was moving rapidly toward its destruction. The Messianic king, who was
supposed to foreshadow Christ, promoted and led the continuing deformation. He was a
caricature of the coming Priest-King after the order of Melchizedek.
Hezekiah and the Assyrians. Under Hezekiah and later under Josiah, the light broke
through again. Hezekiah served the Lord and carried out a powerful reformation (II
18:1ff). He broke off Judah's friendship with Assyria, thereby freeing his land from the
unneeded foreign influence that had been so harmful during his father's reign. It was
during his time that Assyria conquered the northern kingdom and carried off its
inhabitants.
Ten years later, Assyria appeared at the gates of Jerusalem. Hezekiah had already tried
to escape the danger by paying the Assyrians the tribute they demanded, but it didn't
work (II 18:13ff). The Assyrians accepted the payment but made war on Zion anyway.
At this point in Judah's history, we are shown once more what the grace of the Lord can
do. Against the proud boasts of the Assyrians, the Word of the Lord now proclaimed
through the mouth of Isaiah:
She despises you, she scorns you—
the virgin daughter of Zion;
she wags her head behind you—
the daughter of Jerusalem.
Whom have you mocked and reviled?
Against whom have you raised your voice
and haughtily lifted your eyes?
Against the Holy One of Israel! (II 19:21-2).
The promise of a remnant. Up to this point in Kings, there is frequent mention of the
work of the prophets in the northern kingdom, but little mention of prophets in the
southern kingdom. Now, however, we see that the prophetic Word lives—and saves—in
the south as well.
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Assyria may have stripped a number of countries bare, and a sea of misery may
descend on Judah, but there will be a remnant, a band of survivors, going forth from
Jerusalem (II 19:31). This promise should provide comfort to the church today, for the
words of Isaiah were borne out: just as on the night of the first Passover, the angel of
Yahweh passed through the ranks of Israel's enemies. Thousands of Assyrian soldiers
were slain, and Jerusalem was spared from Sennacherib's assault.
This event may well have occasioned the writing of Psalm 46. In any event, this mighty
act of deliverance often drew Judah's attention in later years.
Unfortunately, the people of Judah tended to forget about the faith and trust the Lord
requires of His people when they contemplate His acts of deliverance. They reasoned
that since Jerusalem had been spared earlier when Hezekiah was king, the same thing
would happen in their time: there would be some sort of miraculous deliverance. That's
why they did not seem overly worried at the approach of Nebuchadnezzar, and that's
also why the Jews fought with such intense courage to hold Jerusalem when they were
attacked by the Romans in A.D. 68-70.
Their mistake was forgetting that only those who actually keep the covenant are entitled
to sing: "The Lord of hosts is on our side; with Jacob's God we safely hide." Where that
faithfulness is absent, not one stone will be left standing on another.
Hezekiah and the Babylonians. II Kings 20 tells us of Hezekiah's fatal illness and
recovery. The prayer prayed by the king at that time has been preserved for us in Isaiah
38.
Hezekiah's miraculous recovery had political repercussions. Emissaries came from
Babylon to congratulate him. Full of pride, the king showed the representatives of this
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rising world power his glory. He even expressed a willingness to enter into an
alliance with Babylon, hoping to form a counterweight to the power of the Assyrians.
Naturally, Isaiah had to admonish him for the unbelieving attitude manifested in his
willingness: Babylon would one day carry Judah into exile!
During the reign of Manasseh, Hezekiah's son, the prophets also had some dark and
threatening things to say: "And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of
Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab. And I will cast off the remnant of my
heritage" (II 21:13, 14). Manasseh piled idolatry upon idolatry. His son Amon, who was
killed when his own servants conspired against him, did the same.
Josiah. Not until the time of Amon's son Josiah did things take another turn for the
better. Josiah brought about another reformation. The temple was restored. During the
repairs, a book of the law was found (II 22:8ff).
The content of this book, which may have been Deuteronomy, made a profound
impression on Josiah, who now understood that the Lord was angry at His people for
living in violation of the law. The prophetess Huldah confirmed this suspicion on the part
of the king: "Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon its
inhabitants, because they have forsaken me (vs. 16, 17). A careful reading of II Kings
23 makes it clear just how far the decline and degeneration had progressed: every
apostate king had made a contribution to the polytheistic worship of the people of Judah.

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I will remove Judah also from my
presence as I removed Israel, and I
will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose,
and this temple (II Kings 23:27 NIV).

7. The End of the Southern Kingdom

An external reformation. The reformation of Josiah affected even Israel's northern
territory, but it was not enough to change the hearts of the people. It is clear especially
from the prophecies of Jeremiah just how corrupt the nation was. Unfortunately, the
reformation had only been external. The Lord did not soften His fierce anger.
Josiah finally died in battle against the army of Pharaoh Neco of Egypt, who was on his
way to Assyria to support the Assyrians against the growing power of Babylon. Judah's
prospects as an independent nation died with him. On the age-old battlefield of Megiddo
fell the last Davidic king who sought to be faithful to the Lord.
Egypt and Babylon. The circumstances surrounding Josiah's death show us how confined
Judah's position was between such mighty powers as Egypt and Babylon. First it was
Egypt that controlled Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was taken captive by Pharaoh Neco and
replaced by Jehoiakim. During his rule the might of Babylon continued to grow, and
Judah became subordinate to Babylon. Later Judah broke away from Babylon: the pro-
Egyptian party, about which we read so much in the book of Jeremiah, had apparently
won out.
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon then besieged Jerusalem. The new king, Jehoiachin (not to
be confused with Jehoiakim), gave himself up to the Babylonians, presumably hoping for
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gracious treatment. The treasures of the palace and the temple were taken away,
together with the king's court and the leading citizens. Zedekiah was made king to rule
over the "proletariat" left behind. But he, too, disobeyed Babylon by refusing to pay the
tribute demanded.
In July of 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar's troops seized Jerusalem once more, and there was
a second deportation. This time the city, including the temple, was thoroughly
destroyed. The copper pillars and the temple wares were taken away to Babylon. Some
of the Jews who were not deported continued to live in Judah, but many fled to Egypt
because of the uncertainty of the situation.
A future for David's house. Kings ends by telling us that a later Babylonian king
graciously freed King Jehoiachin. Thus David's line was not wiped out but continued to
exist. The Lord was faithful to His covenant with David. Kings points beyond the period
of the exile to the coming of the King who was also a true Prophet, the King who would
restore "the kingship of Israel."
Kings was probably written during the time of the exile. It shows that the Lord was
justified in allowing the northern kingdom to go into exile, for Israel continued in the sins
of Jeroboam and even committed worse transgressions. This book tells of God's
judgment on David's house, but also of His grace toward that dynasty. The portrayal of
such reforming kings as Hezekiah and Josiah is designed to arouse hope: David's house
was not out of the picture yet.
The elevation of Jehoiachin to the position of an honored guest at the Babylonian court
was also a reason for hope. The prophetic Word would be fulfilled: Israel would surely
return from exile. There was a future for David's house!
[71]
I and II Chronicles
1. A Messianic Book Comforting the True Church with Old Promises
A time of reconstruction. The book of Chronicles was clearly written after the time of the
exile. (It was later split into two books by the Septuagint translators.) Since its ending
blends in so smoothly with the beginning of the book of Ezra, it may well be that
Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah once formed a single book.
The author of Chronicles lived during the time of reconstruction after the exile. Therefore
we can well understand that he had a particular message to drive home to his people.
The situation after the return from Babylon was far from rosy. Israel had not been
restored to its former glory. Some of the tribes had returned, but no tribe came back
with all its members. From the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, it is clear how often
deformation reared its ugly head. The services in the temple were restored, but where
was the glory of the restored house of David? Foreign rulers governed Judah; a series of
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world powers succeeded each other in controlling Jerusalem. But that's not all that
was wrong.
An interpretive account. It is against this background that we must view the author of
Chronicles with his interpretive account of the history of the kingdom of Judah. He tries
to comfort his people by placing Judah's history in a worldwide context. The first word in
his book is Adam. What he writes about the people of Israel and the ravaged kingdom of
Judah is history of mankind, that is, history relevant to the lives and destinies of us all.
We could perhaps characterize the beginning of Chronicles as stressing the universality
of the gospel. From Adam it proceeds to Abraham and his descendants. The covenant
with the patriarchs receives strong emphasis: the Lord is spoken of no fewer than thirty
times as the "God of their fathers." It is shown in detail how the covenant with Abraham
received meaning in the covenant with David. Through David, "Israel" had a future, for
David and his great successors maintained the theocracy, that is, God's rule over His
people.
"All Israel. " Where did the Lord dwell but in His temple? The great tragedy of the
northern kingdom was that it had cut itself off from the temple. Therefore, however few
tribes were actually gathered around the temple, Chronicles calmly applies the name
Israel to them (see, for example, II 15:17; 24:16; 28:19). "All Israel" was again to be
blessed through this small congregation.
The same way of thinking prevailed when the repatriated Israelites dedicated the rebuilt
temple. A sin offering of twelve he-goats was made, "according to the number of the
tribes of Israel" (Ezra 6:17). Only some parts of a few tribes had returned, but this
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remnant represented all Israel. Chronicles uses such reasoning to encourage the
repatriated Israelites: "all Israel" gathers around David and the temple. This Israel is the
true church.
Chronicles also shows how the prophets were needed to draw the kings' attention to the
law of the Lord. When the testimony of the prophets was ignored, the house of David
faced a bleak future.
Here the Messianic message of the book of Chronicles comes through strongly. Someday
there would be a Messiah who would keep the law of Yahweh perfectly and completely,
whose work would not be fragmentary but would complete the temple service and usher
in true rest for all Israel. Chronicles cries out for Jesus Christ, the great Priest-King.
Remember that as you read all the genealogies and stories recorded in Chronicles, many
of which are not included in Kings.

2. A Messianic Kingdom of Singing Priests

God's electing grace. On the basis of this general understanding of Chronicles, we will
take a closer look at the text. As we have seen, it begins with a global perspective on
Israel—a genealogy that starts with Adam and leads to Abraham. This genealogy
represents a statement on the unity of mankind.
God's electing grace comes to the fore in this account of Israel's ancestry: Israel is a
descendant of Seth, and not of Cain. The line runs through Isaac, but not through Esau
and Edom (a land explicitly mentioned in the genealogy).
The statistical information about the tribes of Israel (beginning with I Chron. 2) has a
certain slant and emphasis. The tribe of Judah, from which King David came, receives a
great deal of attention. The genealogies of the tribes of Benjamin and Simeon, which
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were also part of the southern kingdom, are described in detail as well. The
information about the priestly tribe of Levi is given a place of honor (ch. 6), while the
other tribes are dealt with more briefly (ch. 7).
Noble descent. Bear in mind that the writer of Chronicles could give genealogies
extending only up to his own time. In I Chronicles 9 there is even a general description
of the population of Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah (as we learn from a comparison
with Neh. 11:3-19).
The purpose of all this information is clear. The writer of Chronicles is trying to show the
Israelites who returned from exile that they are of noble descent or, to put it in stronger
terms, that they have rights rooted deeply in the past.
Israel had a great and glorious past. Despite God's judgments, Israel was able to
continue that history—even during the perilous times in which the writer of Chronicles
lived—through the tribes of Judah and Levi and the remains of the other tribes. Israel
2
still had the temple and the promises made to the house of David.
A singing church. Starting with chapter 10 of I Chronicles, which is introduced by a
genealogy in the preceding chapter, we are given an account of Saul's decline and
David's elevation to the throne — first at Hebron and later at Jerusalem. Lists of heroes
and supporters of David are given. The names on these lists are drawn from all the
tribes.
The moving of the ark receives a great deal of emphasis in this priestly book, which
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sketches the church as a singing and music-making congregation. This
characterization echoes throughout Chronicles. Today's readers must be sure to
understand this point and take it to heart, for a singing church is far from powerless. The
liturgy of the church contains a power that can shake heaven and earth. (This point is
emphasized in the book of Revelation.)
Preparation for the temple. Because the liturgical element is so important in Chronicles,
we are given the text of the worship service celebrating the transfer of the ark to
Jerusalem (I 16:8ff). This liturgy, which draws on Psalms 96, 105 and 106, was also to
be used at Gibeon's tabernacle and altar of burnt offering.
A central theme in Chronicles is the Lord's promise to David regarding his son Solomon,
who was to build the temple (I 17:1ff). David's house existed for the sake of a future
house of the Lord. Once there was rest, once all the enemies had been overcome
(I 22:9), Solomon could begin building.
Therefore the account of David's conquests should not be regarded as dry and dull. His
struggles with the sword and his extensive military organization (see I Chron. 18-19, 22)
served to prepare the way for the future building of the temple. Wasn't Israel in need of
rest, shalom, peace? The temple gives us the proper perspective for grasping the
meaning of these events. This is also true of David's sin with regard to the census.
When David saw an angel on the threshing floor of the Jebusite Oman (elsewhere called
Araunah), he made offerings there, despite the fact that Gibeon was the place to bring

2
For typical passages in the genealogies, see I 2:7 (Achat, like Achan, the name used in the book
of Joshua, means troubler); 2:34; 4:9-10; 5:18ff; 7:21ff.
offerings at that time. From this episode David drew the conclusion: "Here shall be the
house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel" (I 22:1). The Lord
Himself had indicated the place He had chosen (see Deut. 12). It was this fact that made
David eager to gather materials for the temple.
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Reorganization.
The Levites, singers and other temple servants were reorganized and divided into new
groups. We should note that the priests and singers were divided into 24 (2 x 12)
groups. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, belonged to the division of Abijah (see
Luke 1:5; I Chron. 24:10). When we read in John's Revelation of the 24 elders in white
garments, we are not just to think of angels. This number also reflects the number of
orders of priests and singers.
I Chronicles closes with Solomon's commission to build the temple, an account of all the
contributions toward this project, David's song of praise afterward, and the anointment
of Zadok to be high priest. It also records a statement of David in which the position of a
theocratic king is clearly defined: "If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you
forsake him, he will cast you off for ever" (I 28:9; see also I Sam. 12:24-5). The
kingship is made secure by serving the Lord.
We read that Solomon "sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David" (I 29:23).
The king was to be Yahweh's representative: that was the meaning of his office.
If David's house should be untrue to its calling, it would lose its right to the throne. The
second half of Chronicles (i.e. II Chronicles) does in fact end with a house of David that
is driven off the throne of the Lord.
Chronicles and Kings. In II Chronicles, the "priestly" motif is very strong. We are given a
great deal of detail about the building of the temple and its dedication. Solomon's other
deeds as king are given little attention: in Chronicles he appears mainly as the builder of
the temple. His unfaithfulness to the Lord is not even mentioned.
In many places the text of Chronicles is close to that of Kings. If details and incidents are
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left out that are included in Kings, we are not to assume that the historical record is
being distorted. The author of Chronicles refers repeatedly to his sources and
presupposes the content of Kings as already familiar to his readers.
The relationship between Chronicles and Kings is like that between the Gospel according
to John and the three "synoptic gospels." John doesn't include the institution of the
Lord's supper in his "gospel"; he simply assumes that his readers already know about it
from the other "gospels." All he includes in his "gospel" is what he regards as necessary
for his purpose in writing.
The same considerations apply in the case of Chronicles. Its author points to certain
incidents to provide the context and background of the theme of his book, focusing the
attention of his readers on David and the building of the temple. That's why he includes
a lot of material not found in Kings, just as there is much in John's "gospel" that is not to
be found in the "synoptic gospels."

3. The Prophets: Servants of the Lord

Prophets in the southern kingdom. The book of Kings devotes a great deal of attention to
the work of the prophets in the northern kingdom, while telling us little about their
activities in Judah. The book of Chronicles, on the other hand, goes into the role of the
prophets in the southern kingdom.
Even though Chronicles is a "priestly" book, it shows us how important the prophets
were to the kings: they gave them guidance, advised them, checked up on them, and
admonished them. Some of the prophets also recorded the deeds of the kings; the writer
of Chronicles apparently drew on the works of prophets when he composed his written
account (see, for example, I 29:29; II 12:15; 20:34).
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Shemaiah, Azariah and Hanani.
To bring out this relationship between the prophets and the kings more clearly, I will
draw your attention to certain passages in II Chronicles. We already see a prophet
intervening in the time of Rehoboam, when the king proposes to make war on his
Israelite brothers in the north (II 11:1ff). Shemaiah, the prophet who stood in his way,
also called for repentance when Shishak, the king of Egypt, approached with his armies
(II 12:5).
The prophet Azariah encouraged King Asa to continue the work of reformation after his
victory over the Cushites, a people (possibly Arab Bedouins) who rode on camels (II
15:1ff). Later, when King Asa got involved in political treaties with Syria and allowed the
covenant with the Lord to slip more and more into the background, it was Hanani who
admonished him. This deed cost the prophet his freedom. Kings do not like to be
contradicted!
Micaiah, Jehu and Eliezer. In the story of the reign of King Jehoshaphat, we encounter
the prophet Micaiah, who is also mentioned in Kings. Micaiah foretold the death of Ahab,
Jehoshaphat's military ally (II 18:6ff).
When Jehoshaphat returned after he and Ahab had been defeated in battle, Jehu, the
son of Hanani, raked him over the coals: "Should you help the wicked and love those
who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the LORD"
(II 19:2). When this king later wished to join with Ahab's son in building up a fleet for
trade purposes, it was Eliezer who informed him that the proposed expedition would fail
(II 20:37). Jehoshaphat had not maintained the "antithesis"!
Zechariah. We even read of a letter from the prophet Elijah to godless King Jehoram,
who was married to a daughter of Ahab (II 21:12ff). When Joash went astray after the
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death of his foster father Jehoiada, prophets appeared to admonish him, one of
whom was Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada.
Zechariah's boldness had drastic consequences: he was denounced by the people, who
were hostile to his prophecies. The king didn't even object when this prophet was
executed right in the court of the temple (II 24:20-2).
But the prophet's blood was not at rest. As he died, Zechariah declared: "May the LORD
see and avenge!" Later Jesus was also to speak of "the righteous blood shed on earth,
from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah," who was murdered "between
the sanctuary and the altar." Jerusalem, the city that killed the prophets, would one day
have to pay for this innocent blood (Matt. 23:29-39).
Alongside the kings. The Lord also spoke through prophets to Manasseh and his people
(II 33:10), but after a while the people simply refused to listen. That's why the
punishment with which Judah was so often threatened was finally carried out. The Lord's
anger at His people had grown so strong that the punishment could not be revoked
(II 36:16).
I have deliberately followed this line of thought at some length (see also II 20:15; 26:5;
29:25; 32:20) in the hope that you will profit from it as you read Chronicles for yourself.
Alongside the king stands the prophet. The less the king listens to him, the more events
cry out for the King who is Himself the Highest Prophet and Teacher—Jesus Christ.
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4. The Power of the True Church's Liturgy
Pure service. Alongside the king's service, there is the service of the priests with their
offerings and songs. Chronicles is a priestly book, after all. Attention is focused
repeatedly on the lawful, true service of the Lord, as various prophets and kings demand
reformation. Think of Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah, who
were all reformers.
It is shown clearly that the church becomes strong politically only when it serves the
Lord purely. The worship of the church helped to defeat the enemy. Think of the
trumpeting priests (II 13:14) and the singers with their songs of praise on the battlefield
(II 20:21).
These episodes contain a message for the church of our time. We may not beat our
breasts and declare that this is the Lord's temple, where we are safe! Outward service in
itself is no guarantee of safety or deliverance.
Yet, this truth should not lead us to underestimate the significance of serving the Lord.
Much is accomplished through prayer. The liturgy of the church can make the whole
world sit up and take notice. It is not without reason that the book of Revelation depicts
a singing church surrounding the Lamb on Mount Zion, while there is judgment all
around. The song of Moses does not fade away but will be heard eternally.
All of redemptive history resounds with the song of the church. This song is not an idyllic
intermezzo in the midst of the tumult of war, nor is it an impotent sound issuing from
the throats of pale, weak individuals far removed from the mainstream of life. Prayer is
the secret of the church's power; it is prayer that enables the church to overcome its
enemies.
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Enrichment. At the end of his life, David, who was not an autocratic ruler, met with
the leaders of Israel to broaden the service of the Levites in anticipation of the temple to
be built by Solomon (I Chron. 23). He also arranged for the service of songs and for the
music to accompany them (I Chron. 25). He was the author of many psalms himself. In
II Chronicles 29 we hear mention of the "instruments of David" (vs. 26-7). "Hezekiah the
king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words
of David and of Asaph the seer" (vs. 30).
This enrichment of the liturgy introduced by Moses is worthy of our attention. The Lord
was moving events ahead toward the time when the service offerings in the temple
would be dropped but the service of prayers and songs continued. "Be filled with the
Spirit," urged Paul, "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything
giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Eph. 5:18-20).
Elsewhere in the New Testament we read: "Through Jesus, then, let us continually offer
up to God the sacrifice of praise, that is, the tribute of lips which acknowledge his name"
(Heb. 13:15 NEB; see also Ps. 50:14, 23; Is. 57:19).
Thus it's not just a matter of singing a hymn while the collection is being taken. Now
that Christ has made His atoning sacrifice, we are to continue the temple's praise and
thanksgiving in a New Testament setting!
This, too, is included in the mighty message of Chronicles. Now that Christ has placed all
of us in the office of priest, the psalms and prayers of the righteous can have a
tremendous effect. Power has been conferred upon them (see James 5:16).
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5. Emphasis on the Covenant Relationship
The covenant with the patriarchs. In his song of praise after gifts were received for the
building of the temple, David referred to the Lord as "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel, our fathers" (I 29:18). In the temple liturgy, we read the following words:
He is mindful of his covenant for ever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand
generations,
the covenant which he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed as a statute to Jacob, as an everlasting covenant to Israel (I 16:15-
17).
In other words: "He will remember and uphold His covenant made in days of old."
This idea comes to the fore repeatedly in Chronicles. "Didst thou not, O our God, drive
out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and give it for ever to the
descendants of Abraham thy friend?" (II 20:7). Later generations could always point
back to the covenant once made with the patriarchs. "The LORD is with you, while you
are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will
forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching
priest, and without law; but when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of
Israel, and sought him, he was found by them" (II 15:2-4). We also read: "O people of
Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again
to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria" (II
30:6).
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The Horeb covenant. The covenant made with the patriarchs was renewed and
confirmed in the covenant the Lord made with His people Israel at Sinai after their
exodus from Egypt. Chronicles also points this out. The "God of our fathers" is the same
as the God of Israel. David prayed:
And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to
redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and
awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed
from Egypt? You have made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, O LORD,
have become their God (I 17:21-2 NIV).
Time and again Chronicles shows that the Lord upholds His covenant and that Israel is to
maintain the covenant made at Horeb. The Lord even remains open to the northern
kingdom of the ten tribes, despite all the apostasy there.
The prophet Shemaiah referred to those who backed Jeroboam's claim to the throne as
"brethren" (II 11:4; see also 28:11). The prophet Oded spoke to the soldiers of the
northern kingdom of "the LORD your God" (II 28:10). And King Hezekiah of Judah sent a
proclamation to Israel in which he said: "Yield yourselves [stretch forth your hand] to
the LORD, and come to his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever, and serve the
LORD your God" (II 30:8).
The covenant with David. The covenants with Abraham and Israel (i.e. Jacob) were not
the only ones to be remembered: there was also the covenant with David. Great em-
phasis is placed on this covenant.
It is significant that the same characteristics are attributed to this covenant as to the
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others. It is an "eternal covenant," one that extends to the Messianic era (see
I 17:14, 23, 27; 22:10; 28:4, 7). "Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel
gave the kingship over Israel for ever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?" (II
13:5).
This covenant, too, is a covenant of grace. The issue here is divine election (see I 16:13;
28:6, 10; 29:1). Even during the reign of godless King Jehoram of Judah, the Lord would
not allow the house of David to perish, "because of the covenant which he had made
with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons for ever" (II
21:7). This covenant involved further obligations and punishments (see II 6:16).
The house of David did not exist for its own sake. The covenant with David cannot be
separated from the covenant with Israel. David declared that the Lord had made him
king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom highly for the sake of His people Israel (I
14:2). Both Hiram of Tyre and the queen of Sheba declared that Solomon had become
king over Israel because the Lord loved His people (II 2:11; 9:8). Through the kingship
of David's house, the covenant between the Lord and Israel grew and developed.
God's authorized representative. It is in the light of this covenant that we should view
David's interest in the ark and the coming temple, as well as the zeal manifested by
Solomon when he built the temple. This covenant also motivated Asa, who renewed the
altar, Jehoshaphat, who furthered instruction in the law, and Joash, who restored and
repaired the temple, as well as Jotham, Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah, each of whom
promoted the services in the temple in his own way and imposed limits on the idolatry in
Judah.
The word covenant comes to the fore repeatedly. In each reformation, the old covenant
was renewed under the leadership of the Davidic king. This illustrates how the covenant
with David functioned within the covenant with Israel.
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The house of David was called to maintain the covenant between the Lord and Israel
and to restore it to its central position in Israel's national life whenever it was neglected
and forgotten. The king from the house of David was God's authorized representative;
he was the one seated on the "throne of the kingdom of the LORD," that is, the throne of
Yahweh's kingship over Israel (see I 28:5; 29:22-3; II 9:8). The descent of the fire to
the altar after Solomon's prayer at the temple dedication represented divine approval of
the alterations in the form in which the covenant made at Sinai was to be continued (II
7:1; see also Lev. 9:24; I Chron. 21:26).
Confirmations of the renewed covenant. The covenant with the Lord was renewed under
King Asa, as a seal on the temple purification. This renewed covenant contrasted sharply
with the covenant Asa made with Syria (II Chron. 15-16).
Under the leadership of the high priest Jehoiada, King Joash, who was still a child at the
time, entered into a covenant in the house of God (II Chron. 23). In this covenant, Israel
agreed to be a people of the Lord (vs. 16). Moreover, the great Passover feasts that both
Hezekiah and Josiah organized in the context of temple reformation can be seen as
confirmations of the renewed covenant (II Chron. 30).
Chronicles was written after the exile, when there was no longer a king in Israel. Were
the Israelites of that era to assume that God would now forget His gracious promises to
the house of David? Could the Israelites still use the words of Psalm 89 and sing, "Our
king belongs to the Holy One of Israel"? (vs. 18).
Chronicles ends by quoting part of the edict issued by Cyrus in which he allowed the
Israelites to return to Jerusalem, thereby raising their hopes of restoring and rebuilding
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the temple. (This ending ties in neatly with the beginning of the book of Ezra, which
comes next in the Bible.) Thus the Israelite exiles saw a new future ahead of them.
We read that this event took place so that "the word of the LORD by the mouth of
Jeremiah might be accomplished" (II 36:22). Jeremiah, too, had indicated that the Lord
would surely keep His promises to David (see Jer. 25:5-6; 33:19ff). Was the Lord's
promise to David in Psalm 89:36 a lie?
A proclamation about Christ. Because of its emphasis on God's faithfulness to His
covenant promises, Chronicles is a continuous proclamation of the coming era of the
Messiah. Jesus Christ, the great Son of David seated on David's throne and on the
throne of the Lord, has opened this new era; He has established a new covenant in His
blood. Through Him, the old covenant with Abraham, Israel and David has entered a new
phase since Pentecost. The Messianic age has come (see the songs of Mary and
Zechariah in Luke 1:55, 69-73).
The message of Chronicles is highly relevant for us. We, too, live in a time when the
complete fulfillment of God's promises has not yet come. In opposition to the spirit of
accommodation and doubt, the true Israel is exhorted to remain faithful to the God of its
fathers, the God of David.
The dawning of the Messianic era is imminent. "Let them say among the nations, 'The
LORD reigns!' " (I 16:31; see also Ps. 96:10; Ex. 15:18). When that Messianic age
comes, Ezekiel's prophecy will be fulfilled: "And I will set up over them one shepherd,
my servant David" (Ezek. 34:23).
 [87]
He read in their hearing all the
words of the book of the covenant (II
Chron. 34:30).

6. Rules and Norms for Covenant Keeping

God's written Word. In the days when Chronicles was written, prophecy had all but
ceased. If the remnant of Israel had been completely dependant for guidance on the
appearance of new prophets, it would have been subject to every wind of doctrine.
Therefore it is important to note how much attention the written Word of the Lord
receives in Chronicles. Because Israel possessed this written Word, it was not without
firm guidance. There was an established, written norm to appeal to.
David had impressed on Solomon and the various officials the importance of abiding by
the statutes and ordinances which the Lord had told Moses to introduce in Israel (see I
22:13; 28:8; II 8:13; 33:8). Under King Josiah, the finding of the "book of the law of the
LORD given through Moses" (II 34:14), which is called the "book of the covenant" (vs.
30), brought about a renewal of the covenant (vs. 32). Josiah's pious deeds are spoken
of as "good deeds according to what is written in the law of the LORD" (II 35:26).
The keeping of the covenant was not to be a matter of intuition, improvisation or
imagination. There were established rules and norms. Therefore the proper path could
always be found in times of decline and sinfulness, for the people could consult the book
of the covenant.
Perseverance and faithfulness. The law or torah or testimony pointed constantly to the
blessings to be gained through obedience and piety, as well as to the curse that would
result from apostasy. When Joash was crowned king, he was handed the "testimony" (II
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23:11; see also Deut. 17:18). Because he turned away from the Lord later in life,
the curses of the covenant came into effect and he was punished. When King Uzziah
entered the sanctuary to burn incense, which was contrary to the provisions of the law,
he was stricken with leprosy (II 26:19).
On the other hand, Chronicles also gives us many examples of faithfulness to the law of
the Lord. Note carefully how many kings got off to a good start but later went astray
(e.g. Asa, Joash, Uzziah, Hezekiah). They did not persevere in what they had begun!
Here we are shown how important it is for believers to be constant in their faithfulness.
[89]
Ezra
1. Historical Background
King Cyrus. The very first verse of the book of Ezra already speaks of redemptive
history: we are told that the Lord fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah (see Jer. 25:12;
29:10). When the Babylonian empire was overthrown, the Jews were allowed to return
to their own land, after an exile that had lasted some 70 years.
This background information immediately places the return of the exiles in the setting of
world history: it was Cyrus, the king of the Persians, who gave the Jews permission to
return. The first chapter of Ezra quotes his edict in full. (Part of the edict was cited in the
last chapter of Chronicles as a "happy ending" to the book.)
After Nineveh fell in 612 B.C., the position that Assyria had once occupied in the ancient
Near Eastern world was usurped by Babylon. Although the Israelites in the northern
kingdom were deported by Assyria in 722, Jerusalem fell to the mighty hand of Babylon
(in 597, and again 586). Its inhabitants, too, were deported.
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Then along came Cyrus, who put an end to the later Babylonian empire. As the ruler
of the small kingdom of Anshan, Cyrus had succeeded in uniting seven Persian tribes. By
virtue of this accomplishment, he became "king of the Persians." He then incorporated
the Medes and defeated Croesus. In the process, most of the country now called Turkey
fell to him, and he started to expand in the direction of India, which meant that Babylon
was next in the line of march. Because the current Babylonian emperor was on poor
terms with the priests of the god Marduk, Cyrus managed to capture the Babylonian
capital—with the help of the fifth column. In the year 539 B.C., the Persian king entered
the city in triumph.
The anointed servant of the Lord. It is typical of Cyrus's style that he took part in the
new year's feast in Babylon, thus honoring Marduk as the supreme deity. His rule was
not a time in which entire nations were destroyed together with their religion and
culture. Cyrus was content to let everyone seek salvation in his own way, and he even
encouraged the peoples under his rule to hold on to their own mores and religions—
provided, of course, that the king of Persia was recognized as supreme ruler.
Cyrus's sympathetic and conciliatory attitude toward the Jews was nothing exceptional,
then. He encouraged the Jews to return to their homeland and believed that it was in the
interest of the Persian state that the temple in Jerusalem be restored and the service of
offering reestablished.
This policy made him an anointed servant of the Lord (see Is. 45:1ff) whom the Lord
used to bring about a second exodus. His humane rule, which encouraged the nations to
develop separately under Persian leadership, was used by the Lord to make the
continuation of redemptive history possible.
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More Persian rulers. After his death in 529, Cyrus was succeeded by Cambyses, who
was in turn succeeded by Darius, who was not only a great organizer but also stimulated
the various peoples under his rule in their own worship and religion, just as Cyrus had
done. It was during the confused period at the beginning of his rule that the building of
the temple in Jerusalem, which had come to a temporary halt, was successfully
completed (520-515).
Darius was succeeded by Xerxes (486-465), who is called Ahasuerus in the book of
Esther. At the court of Xerxes, plots and intrigues against the Jews and others were the
order of the day (see 4:6). When Xerxes was murdered in 465, Artaxerxes I took over
after the usual period of confusion and rebellion. Egypt, which Cambyses had conquered,
was in rebellion, which made Judah a border province of the Persian empire. Thus we
can well see why the Persian authorities considered it important that there be no chaos
in Judah.
It was for this reason that Artaxerxes sent Ezra to Jerusalem. As religious leader, Ezra
was to see to it that God's law was maintained. Later it appears that the king was
persuaded to turn against Ezra.
Because the situation in Jerusalem remained desolate, Nehemiah, who was employed by
Artaxerxes at the court, informed the king of conditions in Judah and received official
permission in 444 to go to Jerusalem for a temporary period as governor, with the aim of
furthering the rebuilding and restoration. In the book of Nehemiah, we are told of his
work among his brothers during the twelve years he was governor and also during a
second period as governor.
The temporal framework. The following chronology gives us the temporal framework
within which not just Ezra and Nehemiah but also the other books of the Bible dealing
with the Persian period (i.e. Esther, Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah) stand:
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722: The people of the northern kingdom of Israel are deported by Assyria after the
capture of Samaria.
597: Jerusalem is captured for the first time by Babylon. King Jehoiachin, the priests,
and various important figures are deported (including Ezekiel and Daniel).
586: Jerusalem is captured for the second time, and most of the inhabitants are
deported to Babylon.
539: Cyrus conquers Babylon. In 538 the Jews are given permission to return to their
homeland. The altar is re-established, and the foundations of the temple are laid.
Because of plots and intrigue, the work comes to a halt.
529: Cyrus dies and is succeeded by Cambyses.
521: Cambyses dies, and Darius takes over.
515: The temple in Jerusalem is completed under the leadership of Zerubbabel and the
high priest Jeshua, who are encouraged and stimulated by the prophets Haggai and
Zechariah.
486: Xerxes (Ahasuerus) succeeds another emperor named Cambyses. Accusations are
made against the Jews by other peoples living in Judah (see 4:6). Because of the
intervention of Esther and Mordecai, Haman's attack on the Jews fails.
465: Artaxerxes I becomes emperor.
458: Ezra goes to Jerusalem with a group of exiles to bring about a reformation there.
(The building of the walls was being delayed.)
444: Nehemiah becomes governor of Judah. He brings about reforms. Under his
leadership, the walls and gates of Jerusalem are restored.

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2. The Archives Are Opened
Government documents. The Bible is an amazing book containing a great deal of
variety—proverbs full of wisdom, psalms full of feeling, glowing prophecies, and even
some "dry" documents. The book of Ezra quotes and reproduces a number of documents
drawn from archives.
Now, this fact should not scare us away from reading Ezra. Here again the Bible reveals
itself as fully authentic. You don't expect a driver's license or a university diploma to be
written in beautiful poetic language; the issue is the content. In a government document
we expect a certain "official" style. Well then, in the book of Ezra we are confronted with
the style used in Persian government documents. Without relying on the work of
archeologists, we are afforded a peek inside the Persian archives.
Jewish civil servants. Cyrus's "Third Reich" took over the traditions of its predecessors.
The Assyrian and Babylonian archives were preserved, and their chronicles kept up to
date. Any new decisions made were immediately recorded, placed in the archives, and
published in various parts of the empire—thanks to the efforts of a host of civil servants
and an excellent courier service.
In the books of Esther and Daniel we find some examples of the way these things were
done. It appears that there was a "Department of Jewish Affairs" within the Persian
government, in which Jewish civil servants were able to give a certain Jewish coloration
to documents pertaining to Jerusalem.
Cyrus's edict. When we open the book of Ezra, we find Cyrus's edict reproduced in the
first chapter. Now, we should be thankful that today's Bible translations print the poetic
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parts of the Bible in verse form rather than in prose form or in the format used in the
King James Bible. Perhaps something similar could be done with documents and edicts
reproduced in the Bible. If they were indented a certain distance from the left-hand
margin and printed in smaller type, it would be much clearer to the reader that they are
quotations—and not the author's own words. (The recently published New International
Version of the Bible takes some steps in this direction.)
The format in which most Bibles are printed allows for no effective distinction between
the text itself and the documents quoted. Therefore twentieth century people, who are
oriented more to reading and visual appearance than to hearing (in our time,
proclamations are printed rather than read aloud), often have difficulty determining just
what is going on in a book like Ezra. In this respect, our Bibles are old-fashioned.
A petition to the king. The format I have suggested would help us particularly in
understanding Ezra 4:8—6:13. What we find in this passage of Scripture is the partial
text of a certain document—a petition sent to King Artaxerxes by a Jew named Tabeel.
This part of the book of Ezra is written not in Hebrew but in Aramaic, the language
introduced by King Darius I to serve as the diplomatic language throughout his empire,
just as English serves as the international language today. (Daniel 2:4—7:28 is also
written in Aramaic.) It is apparent from II Kings 18:26 that Aramaic was already used as
a language for diplomats in the days of Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria. The
ordinary people did not understand Aramaic, but this had changed by the time the book
of Ezra was written. By the time of the Lord Jesus' ministry, Hebrew had been replaced
in Palestine by a form of the Aramaic language, as we see from such New Testament
phrases as "Talitha cumi" and "Ephphatha."
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Because the people of his time were able to understand the documents in the official
language, the author of Ezra reproduced them just as they were. Within the petition
presented by Tabeel, documents are again quoted. (In a modern edition of the Bible, this
could perhaps be indicated by further indentation.) Tabeel approaches his request
gradually, pointing back to history.
The "good hand" of God. To understand the Aramaic section of Ezra, in which various
documents are quoted, we must keep the following structure and divisions in mind.
(1) In 4:8-16 we have a petition, a protest against the Jews who were busy
strengthening the city of Jerusalem under Ezra's leadership. This petition was
drawn up by the governor of Samaria and was addressed to King Artaxerxes I.
(2) In 4:17-22 we have the king's response. A search of the archives revealed that
Jerusalem had in fact rebelled often. (Here we see the value of preserving the
archives of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires.) The result was that the Jews
were forbidden to continue the work of strengthening the city.
(3) In 5:7-17 we are given the official report of Tattenai, the governor of the
province beyond the Euphrates River, about the building of the temple begun in a
much earlier time, i.e. under Darius. A request is made that the archives in
Babylon be searched to see whether Cyrus did in fact issue an edict permitting
the rebuilding.
 (4) In 6:3-5 the edict of Cyrus permitting the rebuilding is quoted. The scroll was not
found in Babylon, the obvious place to look, but in Ecbatana, which is in Media.
The civil servants and couriers had done their work well!
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(5) In 6:6-12 we are given the decision reached by Darius the Great: the
rebuilding of the temple is not just to be permitted but is to be supported.
When we bear all of this in mind, we see that what Ezra 4:8—6:13 gives us is not a "dry"
story at all. The book of Ezra tells us that the Great King Yahweh worked in the hearts of
earthly rulers and controlled their deeds and decisions as precisely as a computer
controls a rocket in flight through outer space. We are shown the "good hand" of God
mentioned so often in Ezra and Nehemiah. In the light of what the New Testament
teaches, we think of Jesus Christ sitting to the right of that "good hand" of God. Because
He is our King, the church is safe.
Ezra's credentials. In 7:12-26 we have a copy of the letter which Artaxerxes I, King of
kings—note the use of this ancient Eastern title—gave Ezra to take with him when he
returned to Jerusalem. In this letter, which represents Ezra's official credentials, we find
a quotation (vs. 21-4) from a decree to all treasurers of the province beyond the
Euphrates River, instructing them to be of all possible help to the Jewish priests and
temple servants and ordering them not to impose any taxes on them. After this letter
comes Ezra's song of praise to Yahweh, the "God of our fathers, who put such a thing as
this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem,
and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and
before all the king's mighty officers" (7:27-8).
From the use of the word me in this passage, it is clear that the person who composed
the book of Ezra was again quoting from a source, for elsewhere Ezra is referred to in
the third person. He must have been drawing on the memoirs of Ezra, or perhaps his
diary. The same thing happens in the book of Nehemiah: it contains quotations from the
memoirs of Nehemiah.
[97]
The interesting point here is that the Bible lets us into the archives, thereby telling
us more than any carefully prepared story could do. The Bible gives us some authentic
documents to examine, documents that speak to us in unequivocal language about the
recognition of Israel's privileges and the reformation that was undertaken.
Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. It is generally assumed that Ezra and Nehemiah
originally formed one book, a book that is in turn an extension of Chronicles, which ends
just where Ezra begins. The name Nehemiah would then be a later addition.
In the Vulgate, the official Latin translation of the Bible long used by the Roman Catholic
Church, Nehemiah is called II Ezra. The series continues with two apocryphal books,
called III Ezra (which coincides in part with "I Ezra") and IV Ezra, which is an apocalyptic
book. In Article 4 of the Belgic Confession, which deals with the question of the canon,
the book of Ezra is still referred to as the first book of Ezra.
If Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah originally formed one long book, we must rule out Ezra
as the author. Instead we would have to attribute it to a later chronicler, a writer who
drew heavily on the archives to develop his theme, namely, the importance of the
temple services.

I have returned to Jerusalem with

compassion; my house shall be built in
it (Zech. 1:16).

3. The Rebuilding of the Temple

A leader from the house of David. Early in the book of Ezra we are told about the great
[98]
trek from Babylon back to Jerusalem, which Cyrus's edict had made possible. As we
see from the receipt quoted in 1:9-11 (another document from an archive), the Jews
were allowed to take the temple treasures with them as they returned to their homeland.
These treasures would surely be needed, for the temple was to be rebuilt. Cyrus also
called on everyone to assist this enterprise with gifts.
A prince of Judah named Sheshbazzar (elsewhere called Zerubbabel) was made the
leader of the band of returning exiles (vs. 8). This factual detail gives us a better
perspective on the events described in Ezra: the temple and "David" were once again
linked, just as they had been throughout the book of Chronicles.
Zerubbabel, a leader from the house of David, steps into the foreground. Together with
Jeshua, the high priest (also called Joshua), he was in charge of erecting the altar again
on its original site. When this was accomplished, the Feast of Tabernacles was
celebrated, just as it had been when the original temple was dedicated. It was almost as
though the days of Solomon had returned: Phoenicia again assisted in the building of the
temple by sending cedars to Jerusalem by way of the port of Joppa.
In Ezra, just as in Chronicles, great emphasis is placed on temple music. The priests and
the sons of Asaph formed an orchestra and a choir capable of singing responsively. "For
his steadfast love endures for ever toward Israel," they sang. The people shouted their
agreement, but the older ones could not help thinking of all the misery that had come
over Israel in the past (ch. 3).
Samaritan opposition. The rebuilding did not advance without obstacles and difficulties.
After the deportation of the kingdom of the ten tribes, the Assyrians had allowed
foreigners to settle in the area of Samaria. Those foreigners mingled with the remaining
Israelites and later with some Jews left behind in Canaan when Judah was deported. The
[99]
community arising from this mixture of peoples had a mixed religion. Certain
Israelite traditions were maintained, but for the rest it looked very much like the form of
worship that had already been underway at Bethel for a long time.
These "Samaritans" now proposed to join with the exiles who had returned from Babylon
to rebuild the temple, but they were given an unequivocal answer: the Jews did not want
their help. They would rather be without a temple than make the mistake of establishing
a deformed worship center.
Rejecting this proposal for "ecumenical" cooperation had serious consequences. The
building project stagnated. From Tabeel's petition we find out why (ch. 4).
But we also read that King Darius, who had made it his policy to encourage the peoples
under his rule to build temples to their gods, deliberately upheld the edict of Cyrus and
allowed the rebuilding of the temple to continue. In the same way, the Romans later
based their favorable policies toward the Jews on the attitude originally adopted by Julius
Caesar, who was also the founder of an empire.
No compromise. Thanks to the encouraging prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, the
Jews persevered. Zerubbabel, the governor (representing the tribe of Judah), and
Jeshua, the high priest (representing the tribe of Levi), took the initiative in bringing the
temple rebuilding, which had come to a halt, to a successful conclusion.
Offerings were brought when God's "house" was dedicated. What strikes us about the
offerings is that twelve he-goats were sacrificed as a sin offering for "all Israel" (6:17).
Although only a small percentage of the Jews now lived in and around Jerusalem, they
considered themselves to be the true, lawful continuation of God's covenant people, the
people He had led out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan.
[100]
This small band of Jews refused to compromise with the Samaritans—regardless of
the consequences of their refusal. They knew that they represented "all Israel" and
insisted on maintaining the purity of the service of the "God of Israel."
This attitude certainly cannot be called sectarian. Didn't Elijah make his dramatic offering
on an altar of twelve stones? And didn't Christ, who surely did not unite the entire Jewish
people behind Him, choose twelve apostles? The "remnant" of which Isaiah spoke had—
and still has—the right to call itself "all Israel."

Those who are far off shall come and

help to build the temple of the LORD
(Zech. 6:15).

4. More Exiles Return to Jerusalem

Ezra's second mission. Chapter 7 tells us of a later repatriation of Jewish exiles, which
took place under the leadership of Ezra, a priest and scholar. At his own request, Ezra
was commissioned by Artaxerxes to straighten things out in Jerusalem. Clearly there was
confusion among the Jews in Palestine—also in religious respects. The Jews who had
returned from exile were not the unified body forming a "buffer state" that the Persians
had originally envisioned.
The king and his court, as well as the Jews who chose to remain in Babylon, gave Ezra a
great deal of financial support and various gifts to take with him. The continuation of the
temple services in Jerusalem was in the interest of the Persian state.
[101]
The Jews who remained in exile were intensely interested in what went on in
Jerusalem, although the appeals made to them were based on different arguments. The
role of the Jews who chose to stay in Babylon could perhaps be compared to the attitude
of American Jews toward the modern state of Israel. No doubt there were wealthy Jews
in Babylon willing to give Ezra financial backing.
No military escort. Artaxerxes favored sending a lot of Jews along with Ezra. After a
prayer service by the river Ahava, the large band of exiles left for Jerusalem. Because he
trusted in "the hand of our God," Ezra declined a military escort (8:22). Just as he
expected, God heard their prayer and watched over them on the journey (see vs. 23 and
31).
Just as when the first exodus from Babylon took place (2:40), there was not much
enthusiasm among the Levites. Ezra had to make a special effort to recruit some Levites
to come along (8:15ff). Were they perhaps afraid of living under the dominance of the
priests?
Old promises fulfilled. The exiles departed while Babylon was preparing for the new
year's feast. It took four months to reach Jerusalem. Those who went along—including
women, children and slaves—numbered about 10,000.
The distance they covered on their journey—which can be compared to Abraham's
migration to the land of promise—was about 1500 kilometers. Thus they must have
traveled about 15 kilometers per day. We should note that the sacrifices the exiles
offered upon their arrival in Jerusalem included twelve he-goats as a sin offering for "all
Israel" (8:35).
The remnant already in Jerusalem was strengthened by this new infusion of exiles. In
this way the old promises were being fulfilled. The Lord still chose Zion (Zech. 1:17;
[102]
2:12; 3:2). The services in the house of God could be continued and even enjoyed
the approval of the authorities (8:36). Surely the Ruler, the Messenger of the Covenant,
would come into His temple! (Mal. 3:1).

Judah . . . has married the daughter of

a foreign god (Mal. 2:11).

5. A Threat to the Covenant Community

Mixed marriages. The leaders in Jerusalem immediately informed Ezra how badly things
were going. Many of the Jews, from the richest and most powerful to the humblest, had
entered into mixed marriages with heathens. Thus the "holy seed" had been mixed with
"the peoples of the lands." The leaders of the people led the way in this sinful practice.
Of course there were some understandable reasons for this intermarriage. For one thing,
a band of immigrants generally includes a preponderance of unmarried males. Moreover,
by intermarrying with the population already living in Palestine, the Jews made
themselves less liable to attack. They could even look to the people with whom they had
allied themselves for protection.
Whatever one might say about this intermarriage, at least it was to the credit of the
leaders in Jerusalem that they hid nothing from Ezra but called this sinful practice by its
right name. It was unfaithfulness, a breach of the covenant — in short, rebellion on the
part of Israel, Yahweh's vassal, against its lawful Ruler.
A confession of sin. The news made a tremendous impact on Ezra. When Nehemiah
[103]
faced a comparable situation, he pulled out the hair of the people involved (Neh.
13:25), but Ezra pulled out his own hair. He sat alone, appalled at what he had heard,
until the evening sacrifice, the time of prayer (9:3).
Ezra was approached by some people who trembled at the "God of Israel" because of
this breach of contract. During the evening sacrifice, he stood before the people in his
torn clothes (symbolizing mourning) and led them in a confession of sin. The Lord had
given the Jews a "nail or tent-pin within his holy place" (9:8).
In this prayer of confession, Ezra declared his solidarity with the people, with "all Israel,"
for he said: "We have forsaken thy commandments, which thou didst command by thy
servants the prophets. Wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou wouldst consume us,
so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?" (9:10-11, 14). The "remnant"
was in great danger!
As a result of Ezra's penitence and the words he spoke, the Jews came together and
declared by way of Shecaniah that they had sinned. They now wished to enter into a
covenant with God in which one of the conditions would be that foreign wives as well as
children born of mixed marriages would be sent away. Note that the people asked for
this renewal of the covenant on their own, proposing to take definite steps to bring about
a purification.
Ezra had the leaders of "all Israel" swear an oath. Within three days a general meeting
was held at Jerusalem. It was decided—almost unanimously—that a commission would
be established to look into the question of the mixed marriages. The commission did its
work and submitted a report in which it was made clear that the sin had penetrated even
the family of the high priest (ch. 10).
The isolation of the church. Ezra has not always been praised for following this course of
[104]
action. He is accused of lacking the breadth of the New Testament vision of
humanity, of being an unrelenting legalist and Pharisee, and of not taking human
feelings into account. The fact that the same evil came up again later (see Neh. 13:23ff)
is taken as evidence that his purification of the "race" was ephemeral and had no lasting
effect.
The first point to be made in response to these charges is that the issue here is not racial
purity—unless we choose to speak of the "holy seed" (i.e. the church) as the "holy race."
The real issue is the maintenance of Israel's religion, which required the isolation or
separation of the church from other peoples.
Let's not forget that there are some "mixed" marriages in the Bible: think of Ruth, the
Moabite woman who married Boaz (see also Neh. 13:1ff). But the women married to the
repatriated exiles clearly were not cut of the same cloth as Ruth: they refused to give up
their idols. This cast the continued existence of "all Israel" into jeopardy and aroused
God's burning anger.
This historical situation should not be approached on the basis of a New Testament love
commandment and the commission to preach the gospel to all the world. In this instance
priority had to be given to love for the Lord and His Kingdom and future.
What Ezra did in this perilous situation—with the consent of the people—was to cut out a
cancerous sore and thereby prepare the way for reformation. Of course the Samaritans
became even more determined in their opposition, now that they had to do without their
fifth column (see 4:7-23). This slowed down the rebuilding of the walls. Moreover, the
covenant was later broken again, especially in the higher circles of the priests.
Does this enmity and apostasy constitute proof that Ezra was a mad legalist or a fanatic
about racial purity? The antithesis, the struggle between the seed of the woman and the
seed of the serpent, was at work here. The real issue was not the holiness of Israel itself
[105]
but the holiness of the covenant deeds of the Lord. Ezra made it clear in his prayer
that to him the important thing, the thing on which everything depended, was God's plan
for His people. How could the Israelites be God's vessel if they entered into marriage
covenants with subjects of a strange god?
[106]
Nehemiah
We have a strong city; God makes
salvation its walls and ramparts
(Is. 26:1 NIV).

1. A Deliverer Sent to Jerusalem

Jerusalem's walls. The Redeemer was to come to Zion. But what was there left of Zion?
A city in the ancient Near East had to have walls and fortifications to protect its
inhabitants. Lamentations could still be sung over Jerusalem, for its walls lay in ruins.
Because of the activities of certain enemies of the Jews at the Persian court, the walls
had still not been rebuilt, despite all the years that had passed since the first Jews
returned from exile. The words of Isaiah were still as far from fulfillment as ever:
O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in
antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires (Is. 54:11).
[107]
A prominent exile.
The book of Nehemiah now tells us how the Lord raised up a deliverer who was able to
turn the holy city into a strong fortress. Nehemiah, the man chosen by God for this task,
was a highly placed servant at the Persian court. He was not the only Jew in exile to
succeed in gaining a prominent position at the court: think of Daniel and his three
friends, or Zerubbabel, or Mordecai.
The Lord chose this high official, who was the king's cupbearer, to see to it that
Jerusalem again became a city with walls. From his brother Hanani, Nehemiah heard
about the desolate situation of Jerusalem. In prayer he poured out his heart to the Lord.
We should note that Nehemiah first considered the threats made by the Lord. But he was
quick to mention the Lord's promises as well (as we find them in Deut. 30:1-5). Had the
Lord's promises been fully realized? Apparently not, for complete restoration would
involve building up the dwelling place of the name of the Lord, the place where the
temple stood. How could the temple city be in ruins?
A second exodus. Nehemiah's words were shot through with terms from the law of
Moses, especially words drawn from Deuteronomy. Such a phrase as "redeemed by thy
great power and by thy strong hand" (1:10) reminds us of the language used by the
Israelites in a much earlier era. (Remember that redeemed actually means bought
back.)
Nehemiah knew that the return from exile really represented a second exodus—this time
not from Egypt but from Babylon. The people had to cling to the Word of God, which is
"very near" to them (Deut. 30:14). They had to repent and turn to the God of the
covenant—hence Nehemiah's confession of sin. Yet, in all humility the people were to
ask for a complete restoration of the temple city of the God of their fathers.
Nehemiah struggled to take hold of the Messianic inheritance, the breakthrough of
[108]
salvation, the fulfillment of the promise. We must bear this in mind as we read
about his courageous undertaking. The story of Nehemiah is not an adventure that
begins in the winter residence of a Persian king; it is an account of an act of faith by a
child of Abraham.
Inspection by night. Nehemiah managed to persuade King Artaxerxes I to give him full
authority—confirmed in the necessary papers—to rebuild the city where the graves of his
fathers were located. In other words, he was to see to it that there was once again a
strong wall around Jerusalem.
He left for Jerusalem with a military escort (2:9), something that Ezra had declined. We
need not scratch our heads over this contrast: Nehemiah went to Jerusalem as a state
official. Moreover, his escort would give him added leverage with any officials hostile to
the Jews.
As soon as he arrived in Jerusalem, Nehemiah inspected the city by night and called a
meeting of the Jewish authorities. He reported his findings to them and told them about
the changes in the king's attitude. The "good hand" of God was visible in this. The
decision to proceed with the rebuilding of the walls could be made at once.
Combat readiness. Of course this decision stirred up the bitter hatred of the leaders of
3 [109]
the peoples living around Jerusalem. They interpreted the rebuilding project as
rebellion and started plotting and scheming against it. But Nehemiah was not about to
give up because of the opposition he encountered. Boldly he declared: "The God of
heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build; but you have no
portion or right or memorial in Jerusalem" (2:20).
The first part of this statement is sometimes quoted when a church undertakes a new
enterprise. There's nothing wrong with quoting these words—as long as we don't forget
to take the last part seriously: the "holy seed" must always be in combat readiness,
rejecting all alien sects and religions and separating itself from them.
In Nehemiah 3 we are given a summary of what was achieved. It's a shame that we
don't have Bibles with maps printed throughout the text instead of just in the back. A
map and some illustrations would help us understand this chapter better.
In 3:5 we read that the aristocrats of Tekoa (Amos's birthplace) refused to cooperate—
and even sabotaged the work. In those days, too, the middle class bore the brunt of
supporting the church and did most of the work.
[110]
2. A Battle against Force and Cunning
Internal and external difficulties. The restoration of Jerusalem's walls did not proceed
unhindered. First of all, there were external difficulties, as Sanballat and his cronies
plotted and schemed. Moreover, the builders got discouraged (4:10). Nehemiah then
took stern measures: all the workers were armed, and no one was allowed to take a
holiday from the work. The workers took turns building and standing guard, half being
assigned to each task. Using both the sword and the trowel, they built and watched.
"The sword and the trowel" has since become a well-known motif in Christian literature.
There were also internal difficulties, namely, social problems and abuses. Grain was
scarce. Certain Jews took over the mortgaged fields of their poorer brethren or forced
them to pay exhorbitant interest on loans. Some even dealt openly in Jewish slaves.
Money and taxes. In the law, taking interest on a loan to a fellow Israelite was forbidden.
The law also raised the possibility of buying back the land of an impoverished brother, or
his freedom (if he had become a slave). In the year of Jubilee, the impoverished Jews
who had become slaves would be given their freedom again, and their land would be
restored to them.
During the time of the exile, it was customary to buy back Jews who had become slaves,
and Nehemiah may have introduced this custom in Jerusalem as well. Furthermore, he
personally lent money to the needy and provided them with food, later forgiving the
debt. Finally, unlike the other governors in the Persian empire, he did not impose heavy

3
The first of these leaders to be mentioned in this context is Sanballat, of the town of Horonaim.
His name also appears on a piece of papyrus inscribed in Aramaic and found in southern Egypt, on
an island in the Nile. This piece of papyrus was part of the records of a Jewish military colony
there. It appears that during the time of Darius II (424-404), a certain Sinuballit was governor of
Samaria. This Sinuballit is probably the man called Sanballat in the book of Nehemiah. In 1962,
certain documents called the "Samaria papyri" were found in a cave north of Jericho. Among them
is a document about the sale of a slave named Nehemiah to a Samaritan nobleman for 30 pieces
of silver. Among the various scrolls—one of which is even sealed with seven seals—there is a
fragment in which the sons of governor Sanballat are mentioned twice. Because these papyri go
back to the fourth century B.C., we may take it that some later governors of Samaria also bore the
name Sanballat. We can also conclude that there was trading in Jewish slaves in Samaria —even
though the "Biblical" price of 30 pieces of silver for a slave was still used!
taxes—a policy especially beneficial to the wealthy.
[111]
Since Nehemiah's exemplary conduct provided him with great moral authority, he
was able to take some resolute steps in the face of the crisis: he called a meeting to
discuss the problem, demanding that all debts be cancelled immediately. In the presence
of the priests, an oath was sworn (ch. 5).
False prophecy. Sanballat and his allies were still trying to intimidate the Jews. They
accused Nehemiah of harboring the ambition of becoming king, declaring that he had
paid some prophets to declare him king. Nehemiah was then invited to confer with his
accusers. He declined the invitation and avoided the trap, remarking that his accusers
were the ones who had hired prophets, in the hope of undermining his position and
blocking him in his mission.
What happened in the case of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, clearly illustrates the tactics
of the opposition. Shemaiah used talk of a mysterious prophetic revelation to summon
the governor, Nehemiah. That in itself was not so serious. But then he proposed a
strange plan to Nehemiah: they would enter the temple together and close the door to
escape an attack (presumably from Sanballat). Only the priests were allowed in the Holy
Place of the temple, of course, but in such an emergency the law could surely be broken!
Fortunately, Nehemiah saw through this false prophecy. In the first place, his task as
general was to stay at his post. "Should such a man as I flee?" he asked. Furthermore,
he was forbidden from entering the Holy Place of the temple. "And what man such as I
could go into the temple and live?" (6:11). Nehemiah was not a priest. He may even
have been a eunuch. Therefore he was not to defile the temple by entering it unlawfully.
Nehemiah was able to survive this temptation because he looked to the pure light of the
[112]
unchangeable Word of the Lord for guidance. The story of Shemaiah shows that
Nehemiah knew enough to check the word of the prophet against the standard of other
prophecies. The fact that a man wore the mantel of a prophet was no guarantee that he
spoke the pure prophetic Word. Even within our own stronghold, we must be on guard
against the enemy (6:10-14).

Open the gates, that the righteous

nation which keeps faith may enter in
(Is. 26:2).

3. Admission of Guilt and Renewal of the Covenant

Completion of the wall. Despite all the opposition and obstacles, the wall was completed
in the record time of 52 days. In the seventh chapter we are shown the steps Nehemiah
took to look after the growing population. The religious festivals were observed faithfully.
On the first day of the seventh month, the Feast of Trumpets was celebrated, marking
the beginning of the Jewish civil year. Normally this would have been an occasion for
great joy, but this time it was not, for on that day Ezra and his helpers stood in the
square before the Water Gate and began reading the law aloud to the people.
The reading of the law caused consternation, for an obvious reason: the people finally
became aware how far they had departed from it. Just think of all the "social" evils, of
which some examples are given in Nehemiah 5.
A day to rejoice. Conditions in Nehemiah's time looked very much like conditions during
the darkest days of the kings of Israel and Judah (see, for example, Amos 8:4-6; Mic.
[113]
2:1-2; Is. 5:8; Jer. 34:8ff). We can well understand why consciences were
disturbed when the heavy words of the law were again driven home to the people, who
then saw clearly how much they deserved judgment. Would there be another
deportation?
But the leaders, especially Nehemiah, urged the people not to lament. This was to be a
feast day, a day to rejoice in what Yahweh had done for His people.
The Feast of Tabernacles was restored and celebrated in accordance with the instructions
laid down by Moses. The law was read during this feast, which was one of the
requirements in the Mosaic legislation (Deut. 31:11).
A day of repentance. On the twenty-fourth day of the same month (i.e. the seventh
month), a national day of prayer and repentance was held. This gave the people an
opportunity to express their guilt and sorrow in response to the reading of the law.
A beautiful prayer of Ezra was included in the worship service that day (9:5-37). In this
prayer, all of covenant history passed in review: the covenant with the patriarchs, the
exodus from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the legislation given at Sinai, the
worship of the golden calf in Moses' absence, the journey through the wilderness, the
conquest of the land of Canaan, the period of the judges and then the kings, the
apostasy, and so forth. The repeated apostasy of the office-bearers and of the people
themselves was emphasized. Finally, the prayer moved to the present situation and the
pressures from the side of the Persian kings: "They have power also over our bodies and
over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great distress" (vs. 37).
Ezra was pointing to all the sins that stood between the Lord and His people. Those sins
were called to mind so that a covenant could be made "because of all this" (vs. 38).
Representatives of all sectors of the population were to sign it. In future the people
[114]
would live by the law of the Lord, even when it came to such painful questions as
"mixed marriage," the observance of the sabbath and the year of Jubilee, and obligations
toward the temple and the priests.
Dedication of the city wall. The book of Nehemiah lists the names of those who came to
repopulate Jerusalem and also gives us a supplementary list of priests and Levites. The
next matter to be taken up is the ceremony in which the city walls were dedicated.
Jerusalem again had a Jewish population, and the covenant with the Lord had been
renewed after the people confessed their sins. Therefore the new wall could now receive
the attention it deserved.
All the people purified themselves. Walls and gates were purified as well, no doubt
through sacrifices and the sprinkling of blood. Since the dedication would involve a
procession, the path to be followed by the procession was purified with blood, just as
when David brought the ark to Jerusalem.
Along the southern wall went one company, including a contingent of twelve priests,
accompanied by a choir. A procession of twelve priests also went with the other company
along the northern wall to the temple, complete with musical accompaniment. The
festivities were concluded with sacrifices, and the prophecy of Zechariah was fulfilled:
"The LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem" (Zech. 1:17).

4. A Cry for the Great Reformer

More mixed marriages. The Festival of Dedication was a fine note for Nehemiah to end
[115]
his work on. He could not remain governor of Jerusalem forever. After spending
twelve years in the city of the graves of his fathers, he returned to the king he served.
Some years later he came back to Jerusalem, where he discovered that degeneration
had set in again. The priest Eliashib had allowed Tobiah, an Ammonite friend of San-
ballat, to occupy a room in the temple.
Nehemiah saw to it that the temple was cleansed. When he discovered that the people
had not been faithful in giving to the temple—despite their promises when the covenant
was renewed—he set them straight on that score too. Moreover, he had to do something
about the desecration of the sabbath.
Mixed marriages again appeared to be the order of the day. As a result, there were
children who could not speak the language of the Jews but did speak the language of the
Philistines. Nehemiah saw clearly that the trouble in the church stemmed from the mixed
marriages. This sort of thing had led to the downfall of the great king Solomon.
It even turned out that a grandson of the high priest had married into the family of
Sanballat. Could such a man become a leader of Israel? Nehemiah drove him out. We
learn from other sources that this grandson settled on Mount Gerizim, where he devoted
himself to the temple service of the Samaritans.
Deformation and reformation. "Remember me, O my God, for good." With these words
the book of Nehemiah ends. It is a book that describes reformation, but also
deformation. We sense that the deformation could not be entirely halted by any human
force.
Nehemiah was not the Messiah either; he was not able to call a halt to the activities of
satan. Yet, when he saw that his work had been undone, he did not shrink from
proclaiming for the second time that reformation had to be undertaken and continued.
[116]
In the light of the coming of Christ, the struggle to preserve Israel's isolation was
highly meaningful—even if the Pharisees, through their excessive rigidity, did make a
mockery of the law and the measures necessary to ensure that isolation. The Redeemer
was to come to Zion!
Like Nehemiah, Christ would discover great deformation among His people. He, too,
would be tempted. His opponents tried to make Him stumble and cause His mission to
fail; but He recognized false prophecy for what it was.
Although Jerusalem cast Him out from its walls and gates as someone cursed, He laid
the foundation for the New Jerusalem through His blood. Thereby He brought
Nehemiah's partial and imperfect attempts at reformation to completion. "For no other
foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:11).
The impotence apparent in the priest Ezra and the non-priest Nehemiah is overcome in
the power of the great Priest-King of the new people made up of twelve tribes.
[117]
Esther
1. Does the Book of Esther Belong in the Bible?
God's name. Why is the book of Esther, in which God's name isn't even mentioned,
included in the Bible? This question is raised regularly by young people, who often want
to know as well where Cain got his wife.
Now, it's true that God's name does not appear in the book of Esther. But would the
appearance of His name guarantee that Esther—or any other book, for that matter—
belongs in the Bible? Moreover, there are no prayers recorded in the book of Esther
either.
One possible explanation for the absence of God's name was that this book was read
aloud at the Feast of Purim, which was a boisterous occasion in the Jewish year. Perhaps
it was thought wiser not to mention God's name in the midst of all the carousing.
The sinful human element. One could also raise the question whether the content of the
book of Esther is such that it belongs in the canon. The book leads us into a strange
[118]
world, namely, the Persian sphere with which we are acquainted as the setting of
the stories in the famous Thousand and One Nights. We hear about a harem, flattering
eunuchs, intrigues at the court, and the whims and fancies of a king. Furthermore, the
lives led by the book's two main characters are far from exemplary; Esther and Mordecai
are not exactly heroes of faith. Yet a Jewish commentary on the book of Esther published
in Amsterdam in 1902 (the Jewish year 5663) declares: "The chief characters in this
book are true examples of piety." In a note in a seventeenth century Dutch annotated
translation of the Bible, we also find words of praise for Esther and Mordecai: "On the
one hand we are shown Queen Vashti, haughty and rebellious, and on the other hand
Esther, who is humble, good-natured, subservient, and virtuous." Mordecai is described
as an "example of a good and virtuous prince."
These words of praise go too far. As we examine the book of Esther, we will see that the
sinful human element comes to the fore strongly—so strongly that we cannot help asking
ourselves why this book about such indecisive, worldly people should be in the Bible at
all. Is it there only to explain the joyousness of the Feast of Purim? Esther and Mordecai
can hardly be examples for us or our children. Nor would we describe them as "types" or
shadows of Christ. The book of Esther was not passed on to us because it contains
models of conduct.
Why is it in the Bible, then? There is only one answer possible: it shows us how the Lord
preserves His church despite our half-heartedness, our lack of commitment, and the
power of the enemy. Are we to glory in our own deeds? Clearly not. If we must boast,
we should boast about God's free grace.
[119]
2. The Church Conforms to the World
Suspicions about the Jews. The story of Esther takes place in Susa, where the Persian
emperor Ahasuerus lived. In Ezra 4:6 we read that the Samaritans complained to him
about the Jews and their desire to rebuild the temple. Plots against Jerusalem were
already being hatched at the Persian court in the days of Cyrus, who had first given per-
mission for the rebuilding. Keep this background in mind as you read the book of Esther.
The Jews lived at the edge of the Persian empire; their homeland bordered on Egypt,
which was an enemy power. Opponents of the Jews could easily exploit the geographical
facts to cast suspicion on the young settlement. Hadn't Israel allied itself with Egypt in
the past? In any case, feelings at the Persian court were being stirred up against the
Jews.
A beauty contest. In the prelude to the book of Esther, we are shown a glorious banquet
hosted by the king. The king commands that Queen Vashti be brought in to show off her
beauty to the men, who had already had far too much to drink. The queen refuses to
display herself. The king then consults his advisors and decides that the crown must be
taken from Vashti for her disobedience.
Because the decision is proclaimed as an irrevocable edict, the king has to find a
substitute for Vashti, even though he longs for her again later. A beauty contest is
arranged: Miss Universe is to become the new queen.
Among the women who entered the king's harem to participate in the beauty contest
and be presented to the king was a Jewish girl. What was she doing in the harem of this
Persian potentate? Didn't her presence conflict with the demands of the law? Wasn't she
giving up her identity by entering the beauty contest?
[120]
Indeed she was. Her decision illustrated the spirit of half-heartedness to which the
Jews who chose not to return to Jerusalem had fallen prey. They still maintained the
"religion" of their fathers for their own use, but when they were away from home, they
were not afraid to participate fully in whatever might be going on. Instead of going to
Jerusalem, they moved from Babylon to Persia, where there was more money to be
made.
Hadassah and Mordecai. The Jewish girl in question was Hadassah, whose name means
myrtle. The branches of the myrtle, which always remain green, were used in bouquets
at the Feast of Tabernacles (see Neh. 8:15; Is. 41:19; 55:13; Zech. 1:8). Thus
Hadassah's name embodies an element of Jewish tradition.
Her parents died young, so she was raised by her cousin Mordecai. Mordecai's name
goes back not to the festival traditions of the Israelites but to heathendom; it is derived
from Marduk, the name of the chief Babylonian god! Here we see the spirit of adaptation
and accommodation at work, Mordecai was a chameleon, a "quick change artist"!
The fairy-tale atmosphere of this book should not lead us to regard Hadassah's life as a
rags-to-riches story: "Once I was a nobody, but now I am queen of Persia!" Her foster
father Mordecai was not exactly a man to look up to. He was a Benjaminite of the line of
Saul. Part of Saul's family had been kept at the court by David. When Nebuchadnezzar
carried off the aristocracy of Judah together with King Jehoiachin in the first deportation,
the family of Mordecai (and, of course, of Hadassah) was included.
Mordecai apparently thrived in exile. The later elevation of Jehoiachin at the Babylonian
court must have brought with it certain benefits for the other Jewish aristocrats.
Mordecai, at any rate, was able to gain a prominent position at the Persian court: we
read that he sat "at the king's gate" (2:21; 3:2ff).
[121]
Mordecai did not reveal his identity. No doubt people took him for a Babylonian. His
religion, of course, was a "private matter." And he instructed Hadassah not to let anyone
know about her "people or kindred" either (2:10). Her Persian name (Esther) means a
star. Thus the story also has something of a Hollywood flavor.

The LORD is at war with Amalek

generation after generation
(Ex. 17:16 NEB).

3. The Threat to Jewish Existence

Israel's ancient enemy. God's miracles create light in the darkness. Even people like
Esther and Mordecai, who had become worldly and no longer sought His kingship, could
be used in the struggle against the church's ancient enemy, who had some clever moves
prepared. But first it was the Lord's move, and He made Esther queen! Moreover,
Mordecai discovered a conspiracy against the king as he was seated "at the king's gate."
Now it was satan's turn. A certain Haman, an Agagite, became the king's first minister.
Since he is called an "Agagite," we may take it that he was a descendant of the accursed
people who attacked Israel so fiercely during the journey through the wilderness on the
way to the promised land (see Ex. 17:8-16;Deut. 25:17; Num. 24:7; I Sam. 15; II Sam.
1:1-16; I Chron. 4:43). The battle, then, would be fought against Amalek, Israel's
ancient enemy.
Weapons of the flesh. This elevation of "Agag" angered Mordecai and awakened him to
his responsibility. He felt impelled to break with his half-heartedness and divided way of
[122]
life. He had to show his true colors. Fortunately, he was not so far removed from
the Jewish traditions that they no longer had any effect on him.
Prince Mordecai was not blinded by Haman's rising sun. Yet this descendant of Saul
entered the battle with the weapons of the flesh. He let the others at the court know that
he was a Jew and refused to honor Haman by bowing down to him (3:1ff).
The Septuagint (i.e. the Greek translation of the Old Testament made in ancient times)
includes certain appendixes to Esther. This apocryphal material, which is interspersed
through the book of Esther as printed in Roman Catholic Bibles, gives us a more pious
portrait of Esther and Mordecai than we find in the Bible itself. It places a prayer on
Mordecai's lips in which he says that it was not stubbornness or pride that made him
refuse to honor Haman. If it would do Israel any good, he was even prepared to kiss
Haman's feet. He acted out of pious motives, for he wished to worship God alone.
That's what we read in the Apocrypha. Yet, what Mordecai actually refused Haman was
not worship but a simple gesture of respect. He sabotaged court protocol and in the
process jeopardized the position of his people.
Israel's offensive calling. After it became known at the court what Mordecai was up to,
something of the "old-time religion" seems to have been awakened in Haman as well.
We saw earlier that the Jews had certain enemies at the court. Haman now seized on the
offensive behavior of Mordecai as an opportunity to settle the issue of the Jews
throughout the empire once and for all by killing them.
It was decided by casting lots (purim) on which day the slaughter of the Jews would take
place. A date about a year away was chosen. From the king Haman received a charter to
play the role of Eichmann. He was willing to give up a good proportion of his goods and
property to obtain this charter, but the king declined this offer of payment.
[123]
The reason Haman gave for his proposal is striking. It should have caused all the
Jews in exile who followed the path of adaptation, assimilation and integration to feel
deeply ashamed:
There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed
among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their
laws are different from those of every other people, and they
do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not for the king's
profit to tolerate them (3:8).
In these words we hear an echo of all the complaints about the apartness and separation
of Israel. At the same time, the task and calling of the holy seed are described. What
offended Haman was Israel's Messianic calling to maintain its uniqueness as the people
of Yahweh. Therefore his attack was in essence anti-Christian; it was satan's
countermove!
Mordecai's request. Mordecai, who had finally revealed his identity and was the
immediate cause of the deadly peril threatening himself and his people, sprang into
action. The king had given ear to Haman's plan and had allowed the edict about the
annihilation of the Jews to be proclaimed. There was to be a pogrom, and it would look
all the more attractive because those who participated would be rewarded with the
booty.
Mordecai now made it public that he was a Jew. He even appeared at the king's gate
dressed in mourning (4:1ff). The purpose behind his course of action is clear: he wanted
Esther to reveal her identity too. He managed to get a copy of the king's edict about the
slaughter of the Jews into her hands. With the help of the eunuch Hathach, she found
out what was behind Haman's plan. Mordecai then asked her to intercede with the king
on behalf of her people.
[124]
Esther's reluctance.
At first Esther refused to get involved. She would not go into mourning with her cousin,
nor would she agree to intervene in the king's business by taking up the matter with
him. After some more argument, however, she finally heeded Mordecai's appeal: "For if
you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from
another quarter, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether
you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this!" (4:14).
It is true that God's name is not mentioned in this appeal. (The apocryphal prayer of
Esther, in which she declares that she takes no pleasure in her lofty position and does
not enjoy eating at the royal table or drinking the special wines, must be regarded as a
falsified addition to the story.) Yet, the point to remember is that the Kingdom of God
forms the background to this conversation over the harem wall.
When Mordecai spoke of "such a time as this," he meant a period which the Lord Himself
had made a critical hour for His people. "To be or not to be"—that was the question for
Israel. God had so arranged things that Esther could now step forward to speak up for
her people.
No sinless mediator. Esther asked the Jewish community to fast for three days before
she made her dangerous approach to the king. This shows that she had not let go of the
church but joined in the old confession: "Your people shall be my people." Yet her
fatalistic remark "If I perish, I perish" is hardly what we are accustomed to hearing in
church. We would rather have heard her say, "Our help is in the name of the Lord."
We see, then, that Esther is not a sinless mediator either. Her success is a matter of
pure grace on the Lord's part. She wins the favor of the king when she approaches him.
Yet she does not ask him immediately to help her people in their hour of peril. Instead
[125]
she invites the king and Haman to dinner. At the dinner she does not reveal what
she is after either but postpones her appeal to the king until the next evening, when the
king and Haman were to come to dinner again.
Haman's gallows. Meanwhile, satan made another move. Haman, at the instigation of his
arrogant family, decided to have Mordecai hanged on a high gallows even before the day
on which the Jews were to be slaughtered.
The Lord responded with a countermove. Because sleep eluded the king, he had the
chronicles of the empire read to him and was reminded of Mordecai's discovery of the
plot against his life. When he found out that Mordecai had never been rewarded for this
good deed, he decided to make up this oversight. The next day Haman was ordered to
see to it that special honors were conferred on Mordecai.
Now it was Haman's turn to mourn. He returned home deeply disappointed. And when
he went to dine with the king and queen again, the outcome was that he himself was
hanged on the gallows he had constructed for Mordecai, his archenemy.
Mordecai's elevation. Esther knew the text of the king's edict about the Jews from
memory. During the fateful dinner, she chose her words with great care: "For we are
sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to be annihilated" (7:4; compare
3:13). She then went on to warn the king what a great loss he would suffer if the Jews
were killed. Her relation to the king and the dangers of upsetting the economic balance
were both factors in the king's mind as he weighed her words. The result was that he
decided in her favor.
Haman was hanged, and Mordecai became the Keeper of the Great Seal. Another
audience with the king requested by Esther led to an edict that did not revoke the
[126]
original one about the slaughter of the Jews but did have the effect of undoing it.
(The original decree, of course, could not be revoked.) The Jews would be allowed to
defend themselves against their enemies when the fateful day came. Mordecai, who was
a capable financier and organizer, was entrusted with the task of seeing to it that
everything turned out well for the Jews on that day. His elevation was an occasion for
great rejoicing among the Jews. There were even a number of pagans who declared
themselves Jews (8:15-17).
The Feast of Purim. When the fateful day finally arrived, it was made clear to all that the
Jews had the permission of the Persian government to take revenge against their
enemies. At Esther's request, they were even given an extra day to settle scores in
Susa.
This story of revenge on the part of the Jews should not give rise to anti-Semitic
thoughts and feelings, even if the Biblical account reveals just how bloodthirsty these
Jews were. Note that the Jews did not seize the property and goods of their enemies,
which says a good deal about them, since they are a people with a reputation for being
materialistic. Their restraint in this respect makes it clear that the measures they took
when given the opportunity were for defensive purposes only.
Mordecai, who had been elevated by the king to a high position, also introduced the
Feast of Purim. The purpose of this feast was to celebrate and commemorate the
deliverance of the Jews from the hand of Haman. It was never intended as a temple
feast. It was celebrated in the synagogue by the reading of the book of Esther and within
the family circle by special meals and the exchange of gifts. The day before this feast
was always a day of fasting.
In practice this feast became something between a Christmas festival and a carnival. On
this holiday there were more echoes of nationalism (complete with cries of "Hang
[127]
Haman!") than words of humble gratitude for all the Lord did for His people. In an
eighteenth century book we are told that when the name Haman was mentioned as the
book of Esther was being read in the synagogue, "the children and women and even the
older men would strike the benches with hammers, stones and other instruments until
there was a great din. For this occasion they would be provided with two stones, one of
which had the name Haman inscribed on it. The stones would be knocked together so
4
often that eventually the name would no longer be legible."

Amalek was the first of the nations,

but in the end he shall come to
destruction (Num. 24:20).

4. Partial Deliverance
Pointing to Complete Deliverance
The preservation of the church. The degeneration and superficiality connected with the
book of Esther should help us see how this book must not be interpreted. The meaning
of the deliverance of the Jews from Haman's hand was certainly not an occasion for man
to celebrate his own triumph. Preserving the purity of the race was not the issue here:
what had to be preserved was the church. The real issue was God's wondrous work of
redemption.
The fact that the Feast of Purim was not a temple feast, and that Mordecai, with all his
influence, was not able to bring about the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem—or did
not care to—tells us a great deal. In this case the deliverance was partial. It was
achieved through weak members of the covenant people, two cousins who had traveled
[128]
a long way down the road of conformity to the world — Esther, the "star" in the
harem of a Persian king, and Mordecai, who felt too much at home at the heathen court.
All the same, the Lord was willing to use them in grace to frustrate an attack on Israel,
an attack directed against Israel's apartness and isolation, which Israel's enemies had
used as the basis for a false accusation of revolution (3:8; see also Ezra 4:12; Neh.

4
J. Buxtorf, Schoole der Jooden (Leiden, 1702), p. 431.
2:19; Luke 23:2; Acts 16:21; 17:7).
A living temple. This partial deliverance, which represents another battle lost by the
ancient serpent, does point the way to the complete deliverance achieved through Jesus
Christ, who not only saves His people from the wrath of their enemies but also gives
them new hearts, so that they can make the most of the peace bestowed on them. He is
the complete Intercessor. He is deeply concerned about God's temple and builds up His
chosen ones to form a living temple.
Neither Ezra nor Nehemiah was able to correct the inadequate work of Mordecai or bring
it to completion. Yet Christ is the Star out of Jacob who will crush Agag, as a wise man
from the East (i.e. Balaam) once prophesied (see Num. 24:17).
The message the book of Esther leaves with us, then, is not one of carnival fun. Rather,
it is a message that should lead us to confess our gratitude, for we see that God is still
gathering His 7000, His 144,000. Satan loses the match, as all the successors of Haman
go down to defeat.
But the accommodating attitude of a church that has "arrived," a church that tries to
turn religion into a private matter, will also have to come to an end. Christ's deliverance,
after all, is complete. "Instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle" (Is. 55:13).
[129]
Index
"All Israel", 72-3, 99-101, 103-4
Amalekites, 19-20, 121
Antithesis, 104, 109, 122-3,128
Apocryphal writings, O.T., 122,124
Aramaic language, 94
Ark of the covenant, 14-16, 27-32, 35, 45, 74-5
Ascension of Christ, 31
Baal, 53-4
Bethel, 50-2, 57,61,99
Bible translation, 93-5
Canaanite religion, 61-2
Carmel, 53-4
Census, 38
Chemosh, 57
Covenant between God and His people, 82-8
Covenant wrath, 47, 88
Ebenezer, 16
Ephraim, tribe of, 49
Exodus command, 107
Feast of Purim, 117, 126-7
Feast of Tabernacles, 45, 50-1, 113, 120
Feast of Trumpets, 112
Gibeah, 17-18
Gibeonites, 38
Good Shepherd, 26
Holiness, 104-5
Horses, 48
Immanuel promise, 44-5
[130]
Jabesh-gilead, 17-18,24
Jerusalem and the temple, 27-32, 39-40, 44-7, 65, 69-70, 72-3, 75-6, 79, 107,114,116
Joab, 25, 34, 36-7, 43
Jonathan, 22-4
Judah, tribe of, 24-5, 37, 73
Kingship in Israel, 16-19, 26,30,50-1,56,76,79
Levites, 81
Lots, casting of, 122
Marduk, 90, 120
Melchizedek and the priesthood, 28
Military regulations, 18, 57,75
Miracles, 58
Mixed marriage, 102-5, 114-15
Molech, 61,65
Money and property, 110-11
Mount of Olives, 35-6
New International Version, 94
Priesthood in Israel, 17-18
Prophecy, 11-12,77-9, 87, 111-12
Redemption and atonement, 107,110
"Remnant", 67, 72, 100, 103
Rest, 75
Revised Standard Version, 27
Sacrifices and offerings, 30,114
Samaria, 53,60
Samaritans, 61, 98-100, 104, 108-12,115
Septuagint, 122
Servant of the Lord, 31, 90
Shechem, 48-9 Shiloh, 11,14-15
"Showbread",22
Sinai (Horeb), 54
Tabernacle, 44-5
Theocracy, 17, 72
"Troubler of Israel", 53, 56
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 3

Job - Song of Songs

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[9]
Job........................................................................................................................................ 3
1. Translating Ancient Hebrew Poetry .................................................................... 3
[11]
2. The Heavenly Background of Job's Suffering .................................................. 3
3. First Round of Speeches .................................................................................. 5
[18]
4. Second Round of Speeches .......................................................................... 7
5. Third Round of Speeches ................................................................................. 8
6. Elihu against Job and His Three Friends ............................................................. 9
7. Yahweh's Answer and Job's Restoration ........................................................... 11
[31]
8. A Proclamation about the Justification of the Church ..................................... 13
[34]
Psalms .............................................................................................................................. 15
1. Superscriptions and Basic Divisions ................................................................. 15
2. Praising the Lord Responsively ....................................................................... 15
3. Structures Used in the Psalms ........................................................................ 17
4. Complacency in the Psalms? .......................................................................... 19
5. Enmity in the Psalms ..................................................................................... 20
6. Psalms of Imprecation ................................................................................... 22
7. Petition and Thanksgiving .............................................................................. 24
8. Songs of Praise to Yahweh ............................................................................. 25
[60]
9. Jerusalem Psalms ..................................................................................... 26
[62]
10. The Psalms and the Messiah .................................................................... 27
11. The Meaning of Deliverance in the Psalms ...................................................... 28
[67]
Proverbs .......................................................................................................................... 30
1. Wisdom from Above ...................................................................................... 30
2. The Beginning of Wisdom—for the Righteous ................................................... 31
3. Daily Life and the Ten Words of the Covenant .................................................. 32
4. The Fifth Commandment ............................................................................... 33
5. The Sixth Commandment .............................................................................. 34
6. The Seventh Commandment .......................................................................... 34
7. The Ninth Commandment .............................................................................. 35
8. Numerical Proverbs ....................................................................................... 36
9. Equipped for Every Good Work ....................................................................... 37
[86]
Ecclesiastes ...................................................................................................................... 39
1. Background and Authorship ........................................................................... 39
2. Is Life Meaningless? ...................................................................................... 40
3. Back to Genesis 1-4 ...................................................................................... 40
4. The Perspective of Faith ................................................................................ 41
5. Obedience and Government ........................................................................... 42
6. All Things Made New ..................................................................................... 43
[100]
Song of Songs ................................................................................................................ 45
1. Sex and Grace .............................................................................................. 45
2. A Celebration of Love .................................................................................... 46
3. More Than Solomon ...................................................................................... 47
4. The Unity of the Book .................................................................................... 48
[112]
Index .............................................................................................................................. 50

2
[9]
Job
1. Translating Ancient Hebrew Poetry
Dramatic advances. It is easier to understand the book of Job in the translation
presented in the Revised Standard Version than in the King James Bible's translation.
Biblical scholarship has made dramatic advances since 1611, and recent Bible translators
have made good use of its results. Although the translators of the King James Bible are
not to be blamed, they did present an almost incomprehensible reading of certain texts,
as we see from the following comparisons.
KJV RSV
For vain man would be wise, though man But a stupid man will get understanding,
be born like a wild ass's colt (11:12). when a wild ass's colt is born a man.

He setteth an end to darkness, and
searcheth out all perfection: the stones of
darkness, and the shadow of death
(28:3).
[10]
The flood breaketh out from the
inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of
the foot: they are dried up, they are gone
away from men (28:4).
Men put an end to darkness, and search
out to the farthest bound the ore in gloom
and deep darkness.
They open shafts in a valley away from
where men live; they are forgotten by
travelers, they hang afar from men, they
swing to and fro.

I'm sure you will agree that there is quite a difference between the two versions.
Moreover, a good part of the book of Job was written as poetry. Fortunately, the Revised
Standard Version prints the poetry in verse form. (The King James Bible does not.)
Repetition of ideas. Hebrew does not use the rhyme schemes that we often use in
poetry, namely, making certain lines end in the same sound. The poetic works of the
Hebrews are recognizable as poetry mainly in that an idea expressed in a certain line is
repeated and clarified in the next. Consider the following example from the book of Job:
That path no bird of prey knows,
and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
The proud beasts have not trodden it;
the lion has not passed over it.
Man puts his hand to the flinty rock,
and overturns mountains by the roots.
He cuts out channels in the rocks,
and his eye sees every precious thing (28:7-10).
As far as content goes, the first line agrees with the second in each case. We could say
that in Hebrew poetry, thoughts are rhymed rather than words. (This point will be
pursued further in connection with the book of Psalms.)

[11]
2. The Heavenly Background of Job's Suffering
A devilish experiment. Both the beginning and end of the book of Job are written in
prose form. The first two chapters not only tell us about the catastrophes that struck Job
on earth, they also show us something of the heavenly background. They immediately
confront us with the "problem" dealt with in the book.
Job, who lived in the land of Uz, was "blameless and upright, one who feared God and
turned away from evil" (1:1). As far as family and possessions were concerned, he had
been richly blessed.
In 1:6 we are given a glimpse of what goes on in heaven. The Lord is having a
conversation with satan. The devil suggests to God that Job serves Him so faithfully

3
because God has made it worth his while. "Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not
put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? But stretch out your
hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face" (vs. 9-10,
11 NIV).
What happened next? The Lord gave Job's possessions into satan's hands; that is to say,
the devil received permission to conduct an experiment to find out whether Job would
turn his back on God if everything was taken away from him. Calamity after calamity
struck the poor man in the land of Uz. Soon Job was mourning the loss of his
possessions and children. But at the same time he sang: "The LORD gave, and the LORD
has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (1:21).
Covered with sores from head to foot. In all of this Job did not sin or charge God with
wrong (1:22). The outcome of the testing was a great disappointment for satan, but he
was not about to give up: "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But
[12]
put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to
thy face" (2:4-5).
Then we are shown Job as we often imagine him: a man covered with sores from head
to foot, sitting on a heap of ashes as he scratches himself with a piece of a broken pot.
To make matters worse, his wife asks: "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God,
and die" (2:9). The woman speaks here as she once spoke in Paradise: she voices the
serpent's message.
Job rejects her foolish words. He accepts both good and evil from the hand of God.
Satan's attempt fails again, for in all this suffering Job has not sinned in his mind.
Three visitors. This is not the end of the book of Job; in fact, it's only the beginning.
Three friends come to visit him—wise men from the east. Their purpose is to lament with
Job and offer words of comfort. For seven days and nights they sit in painful silence with
Job on his heap of ashes.
Finally Job speaks up. He curses the day he was born. Suffering has not passed him by;
his life is shot through with pain. He doesn't see the meaning of his existence anymore.
The suffering man seated on the heap of ashes takes up the same theme we find in
Ecclesiastes, another book of wisdom, namely, the vanity or idleness or uselessness of
human existence: "Why should the sufferer be born to see the light? Why is life given to
men who find it so bitter?" (3:20 NEB).
Jeremiah and Job. The Bible also tells us about another man who cursed the day of his
birth—Jeremiah. This prophet used language just as strong as Job's. Imprisoned in one
of the gates of the temple, the meaning of his life and his work as prophet seemed to
escape him. No one was listening (Jer. 20:14-18; see also vs. 7ff).
[13]
Now, I'm sure no one would argue that Jeremiah was a mere tool in satan's hand at
that moment. Jeremiah was a human being, a man of the ancient Near East, and
therefore he was inclined to get carried away when he talked.
The same tendency was present in Job's case. He did not turn his back on God—not for a
moment. But he simply could not understand why he had to suffer so much, why he had
to be crushed in the tempest, why his wounds were multiplied "without cause" (9:17;
see also 2:3 on the "cause" of Job's misery).
An outline of the contents. The rest of the book of Job focuses on this issue. After Job's
lament, his three friends speak—Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Each time one of them
speaks, Job answers. There are three rounds of speeches. At the end it appears that the
friends of Job have nothing more to say. The last time Bildad speaks, it is only briefly,
and from Zophar we hear nothing at all the last time around.
When they are all finished, we hear a final speech from Job, in which he swears an oath
that he is not guilty. Then Elihu, a fourth friend, steps forward and makes a speech that
seems to prepare the way for the Lord's answer out of a whirlwind. When the Lord

4
Himself finally speaks, Job is humbled. The final chapter of the book, which is written in
prose form, tells us how the Lord restored Job to his original glory.
On the basis of this survey, we can outline the contents of the book of Job as follows:
Introduction (ch. 1-2)
Job's affliction (ch. 3)
First round of speeches (ch. 4-14)
Eliphaz speaks (ch. 4-5)
Job answers (ch. 6-7)
Bildad speaks (ch. 8)
[14]
Job answers (ch. 9-10)
Zopharspeaks(ch. 11)
Job answers (ch. 12-14)
Second round of speeches (ch. 15-21)
Eliphaz speaks (ch. 15)
Job answers (ch. 16-17)
Bildad speaks (ch. 18)
Job answers (ch. 19)
Zophar speaks (ch. 20)
Job answers (ch. 21)
Third round of speeches (ch. 22-26)
Eliphaz speaks (ch. 22)
Job answers (ch. 23-24)
Bildad speaks (ch. 25)
Job answers (ch. 26)
Job's final speech (ch. 27-31)
Elihu speaks (ch. 32-37)
The words of the Lord (ch. 38-41)
The subsequent blessing of Job (ch. 42)

3. First Round of Speeches

Cyclical reasoning. As you read the speeches in the book of Job, bear in mind that Job
and his friends are not inhabitants of the Western world, that is, people who know how
to spell out their thoughts in a logical order. The speeches we read in the book of Job are
the words of Eastern wise men, of people who elaborate on a theme in a peculiar poetic
manner. If the cyclical way of reasoning engaged in by the three men seems strange and
alien, it will seem less so if you remember that they lived in a much more settled milieu
than we do, a world in which the pace of life was much slower.
The speech of such wise men is characterized by a great deal of repetition and also by
[15]
the use of images. Although the conversation deals with an explosive topic, it seems
to move in a circle. But anyone who pays careful attention will see that the circle is really
a spiral that keeps getting smaller. The question is examined on all sides until a solution
is finally found.
This is what also goes on in the book of Job—except that it is the Lord who has the last
word. After all the meaningful words and empty words have been uttered, the One who
created the world and upholds it, the One who directs and controls human life, the One
who gives real meaning and purpose to the existence of the faithful steps onto the stage.
In a work of this size, it is impossible to go into the book of Job verse by verse. But
there are a number of things I would like to point out to you to help you find your own
way through the book. Keep a pencil handy, and underline whatever moves you
especially or strikes you as central to the reasoning of Job and his friends. The Bible,
after all, is a workbook. The layman must form his own impressions of it.
A moral appeal. Eliphaz is the first to speak. In his words we already encounter the
attitude that the other two friends were to take, namely, that Job could not have been

5
afflicted so severely without reason. He must have something on his conscience.
Think now, who that was innocent ever perished?
Or where were the upright cut off?
As I have seen, those who plow iniquity
and sow trouble reap the same.
By the breath of God they perish,
and by the blast of his anger they are consumed (4:7-9).
Eliphaz thought he was on solid ground in suggesting this explanation. Job, he assumed,
was being set straight.
[16]
Eliphaz claimed to have received a vision. During the night, a frightening form
appeared before him and whispered:
Can mortal man be righteous before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker? (4:17).
At this point I will not go into the question whether Eliphaz received a real vision. The
sermon he preaches on this text is a moral appeal: he presses Job to confess his guilt,
on the assumption that Job had committed some special sin. But this is just what Job
refused to admit.
Rash words. Job was deeply disappointed by the way his friends analyzed the problem.
Naturally, he did not deny that he had uttered some rash words (6:3). No doubt he
thought of how he had cursed the day of his birth. But why was his affliction so great?
The Almighty had shot His arrows into Job—but why? That was Job's problem —why? Yet
his friends refused to see this.
Wilt thou not look away from me for an instant?
Wilt thou not let me be while I swallow my spittle?
If I have sinned, how do I injure thee,
thou watcher of the hearts of men?
Why hast thou made me thy butt,
and why have I become thy target? (7:19-20 NEB).
A man full of talk. Bildad did not base his words on a vision; he appealed to the wisdom
of earlier generations instead. God will not reject a blameless man, he argued (8:20).
And Zophar had little to add to what the other two had said. Why was Job so intent on
being vindicated? Zophar scolded Job:
Should a multitude of words go unanswered,
[17]
and a man full of talk be vindicated?
Should your babble silence men,
and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
For you say, "My doctrine is pure,
and I am clean in God's eyes."
But oh, that God would speak,
and open his lips to you ... (11:2-5).
Job would have to examine his life and conduct thoroughly and then confess his sin.
Since Zophar did not want to be accused of being a "man full of talk" himself, he made
his first speech short. His second was not very long either, and he never got around to
saying anything in the third round of speeches.
Defending God. Job used cutting sarcasm in his answer: "No doubt you are perfect men
and absolute wisdom is yours!" (12:2 NEB). Even if his complaints about God's
arbitrariness were not understood by his friends, Job was not about to be bullied into
confessing some special sin and guilt.
Job's friends wanted to defend God and plead His case. They gave what they thought
were God's reasons for burdening Job with one affliction after the other. But Job did not
answer this theodicy, this justification of God's ways. His friends were poor advocates of

6
God's cause.
Let him kill me if he will; I have no other hope
than to justify my conduct in his eyes.
This very boldness gives promise of my release,
since no godless man would dare appear before him.
You shall see, I will proceed by due form of law,
persuaded, as I am, that I am guiltless (13:15-16, 18 JB).
[18]
4. Second Round of Speeches
Unjust treatment. One thing became unmistakably clear in the first round of speeches:
the issue is one of justice. The friends accuse Job of having committed some grievous
sin. He must have something on his conscience, or else he wouldn't have suffered all
these afflictions. But Job not only feels that his friends are attacking him, he also feels
that God is treating him unjustly. All the same, he cannot let go of God.
In his second speech, Eliphaz returns to the same old refrain. Not even the angels are
pure before God. Hence a mere man can hardly claim to be blameless. Moreover, history
shows that the godless are punished for their wickedness.
Glorious inconsistency. Job cannot contain himself any longer and finally bursts out:
"Miserable comforters are you all" (16:2). On the one hand, he calls God his opponent,
his enemy. Yet, in glorious inconsistency he continues to cling to this same God. He
struggles with God and tries to force Him to act justly!
O earth, cover not my blood,
and let my cry find no resting place.
Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
and he that vouches for me is on high.
My friends scorn me;
my eye pours out tears to God,
that he would maintain the right of a man with God,
like that of a man with his neighbor (16:18-21).
Job's struggle comes to clear expression in these words. He seeks vindication in the face
of the accusations made by his friends, but his struggle is also with God — the God who
[19]
has not dealt justly with him. God must plead his case with God, as it were. Job cries
out for a Mediator, a pledge. He says: "Be thou my surety with thyself, for who else can
pledge himself for me?" (17:3 NEB).
Job's indignation. When Bildad, in his second speech, once again waxes eloquent about
the punishment of the godless, Job refuses to give in:
Suppose that I have gone astray,
suppose I am even yet in error:
it is still true, though you think you have
the upper hand of me
and feel that you have proved my guilt,
that God, you must know, is my oppressor,
and his is the net that closes around me (19:4-6 JB).
Then Job, the man who cursed the day of his birth, becomes indignant. To his fellow
human beings he is as loathesome as a worm; they cannot bear the sight of him. He
seems to have been condemned by God. Yet he continues to cling to the invisible God.
Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
for the hand of God has struck me.
Why do you pursue me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?
Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,

7
 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! (19:21-27 NIV).
[20]
Job clings to the conviction that there will be a Redeemer, someone who will avenge
him. In the midst of death and suffering, he catches a glimpse of the Messiah!
A source of life and resurrection. The beautiful thing about this passage is that Job sees
life issuing from justice. Isn't Christ the ultimate answer to Job's complaints? Christ is
the one through whom God's justice was satisfied; He is the one who made man
righteous before God by bearing our sins. That's why He is also a source of life and
resurrection.
Christ arose from the grave for the sake of our justification (Rom. 4:25). It is not
without reason that Job's words have become widely known in the New Testament
church through Handel's "Messiah": "I know that my Redeemer liveth."
Zophar had no more comfort to offer Job than to say that the godless always perish after
flourishing briefly. Job responds by saying that things don't always turn out that way.
Even after their death, the godless are honored: their graves are cared for and guarded.

5. Third Round of Speeches

Galling words. Eliphaz now proceeds to speak some galling words:
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,
or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you,
and enters into judgment with you?
Is not your wickedness great?
[21]
There is no end to your iniquities.
For you have exacted pledges of your brothers
for nothing,
and stripped the naked of their clothing (22:3-6).
Eliphaz rattles on and on in this vein, but Job does not budge from his position. If only
he could find God! God "knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come
forth as gold" (23:10).
Deeper than mine shafts. Bildad hammers on his old theme again: How could a man, a
mere mortal, be righteous before God? (25:4; see also 4:17; 15:14). This doesn't cause
Job to change his mind either:
I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go;
my heart does not reproach me for any of my days (27:6).
Job's insistence on his own righteousness and innocence doesn't solve his problem. On
the contrary, he confesses that divine wisdom is beyond human grasp. It reaches deeper
than mine shafts.
The Babylonians are wrong in claiming that human wisdom wells up from the depths.
The only wisdom man is capable of is that he must fear the Lord and stay away from evil
(ch. 28). Man is not able to answer life's riddles.
Misery and emptiness. Job finds the course of his own life a depressing subject to
contemplate. In chapter 29 he sketches his former prosperity and then goes on in the
next chapter to describe the misery and emptiness he now faces.

8
Be that as it may, he continues to insist that he is righteous. Not one of the base
accusations made by Eliphaz is justified. Widows and slaves were safe around Job. He is
even willing to raise his hand and swear an oath.
[22]
(Again we seem to be in the courtroom.) Proudly he declares that he is pure:
Oh, that I had one to hear me!
(Here is my signature! let the Almighty answer me!)
Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
I would bind it on me as a crown;
I would give him an account of all my steps;
like a prince I would approach him (31:35-7).

6. Elihu against Job and His Three Friends

Fighting on two fronts. Job 32 is the beginning of a new section. A fresh figure appears
on the stage—Elihu, a younger friend of Job. His relative youth has kept him from taking
part in the discussion up to this point. Now that each man has spoken his piece, he also
feels compelled to say something.
Elihu was angry, for Job made himself out to be more righteous than God and assumed
the role of critic, daring to find fault with God. It was not that Elihu doubted Job's moral
uprightness. On the contrary, he was likewise indignant at the words of the three
friends, who threw the most horrible accusations at Job without proper grounds. In
short, Elihu was fighting on two fronts at once.
New wine. Elihu begins with an appeal to the goodwill of his audience. He is only a young
man, and therefore he has not taken part in the earlier discussion. Yet, he points out
that wisdom is not a fruit of age but of the Spirit of the Lord. Now that the three friends
have nothing more to say, he proposes to speak.
[23]
He feels the need of speaking because he wishes to say something entirely different
from what the others have said. What he feels within himself is like new wine
threatening to burst out of the wineskin. He will show no partiality in what he has to say.
Like the others, he is a mere mortal "formed from a piece of clay" (33:6).
More criticism of Job. The first theme he takes up is Job's claim that he is free of
transgression while God is unrighteous. He cites Job's own words as recorded in
13:24,27.
Surely, you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
You say, "I am clean, without transgression;
I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me.
Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he counts me as his enemy;
he puts my feet in the stocks,
and watches all my paths" (33:8-11).
Elihu cannot agree with such language.
Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you.
God is greater than man.
Why do you contend against him,
saying, "He will answer none of my words"? (33:12-13).
Here Elihu alludes to Job's remark in 30:20 to the effect that God does not answer him.
Isn't Job attacking God's greatness, His superiority to man? Does God owe us an
explanation of His deeds?
An Advocate. Elihu goes on to argue that God does speak to man — through dreams,
[24]
night visions and sickness. He uses these means to teach man not to be proud and

9
also to make him yearn for a mediator, for reconciliation. (This is a very important
point.)
Elihu echoes one of the sentiments already expressed by Job: "There is no umpire
between us" (9:33; see also 16:18-19; 19:25). Job in his suffering finds himself longing
more and more for a Redeemer, a Mediator, an Advocate, the one in a thousand, a
messenger sent out to stand by him: "Yet if there is an angel on his side as mediator,
one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him" (33:23 NIV). In other words,
Job needs someone to show him the right path, someone to preach the necessity of
repentance to him.
A message. Elihu is not one of the faultfinders; he does not join the others in concluding
that Job must have committed some dreadful sin. Instead he allows for the possibility
that Job's suffering has a message to convey. Perhaps it was intended to deepen his life,
to teach Job in his frailty to live by grace.
Perhaps the message is that ransom and reconciliation must be achieved for each of
God's children if they are to share in salvation. Paul writes: "I have nothing on my con-
science; but that does not mean that I stand acquitted" (I Cor. 4:4 NEB). Like Paul, Job
had nothing on his conscience—but he did protest that he was righteous.
Elihu does not find fault with this. Job has to learn not to be so sure of his own
righteousness. We live by God's redemption alone (see 33:28).
Because Job does not respond to his first speech (ch. 33), Elihu continues, citing Job's
words in 27:6.
Job says, "I am innocent,
but God denies me justice.
Although I am right,
I am considered a liar" (34:5-6 NIV).
[25]
He also quotes Job's statements in 9:22 and 21:7-15 about the apparent
meaninglessness of serving the Lord: "For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he
should take delight in God' " (34:9). Elihu objects strongly to this attitude and declares:
"Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should
do wrong" (34:10).
The church's classroom. It appears that we are still in the courtroom. But since no man
can serve as God's defense attorney, it would be better to say that we are in the
church's classroom.
Elihu points out that God is the one who created everything and upholds His creation. In
Him we live and move and have our being. He is in control of our destiny. Is it likely that
He will deal with us unjustly? "Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn
him who is righteous and mighty?" (34:17). God is the Great King who has toppled
proud men from their thrones and elevated the humble. He is the King of kings, and He
will allow no tyrant to go his own way unhindered. Who is Job, then, to say such things
about God?
In his third speech Elihu goes into Job's contention that the service of the Lord is a waste
of time. Naturally, our deeds do not affect God. "Your wickedness touches only men,
such as you are; the right that you do affects none but mortal man" (35:8 NEB). What
could a man possibly give God? Yet, we must not forget about horizontal relationships,
as though they make no difference. Our deeds have a definite effect on our fellow men.
Genuine prayer. As for Job's complaint that God does not answer prayer, Elihu wonders
whether Job has prayed patiently enough. Was he really waiting upon the Lord? Or was
it simply a matter of crying out when he was in need? If it was need that taught Job to
[26]
pray, then his prayer was not genuine. In a genuine prayer we ask: "Where is God
my Maker, who gives songs in the night?" (35:10).
As we read this text, we cannot help but think of Paul and Silas in prison in Philippi.

10
Although they had been arrested in their attempt to establish a church on the continent
of Europe, they sang hymns in the night (Acts 16:25). Was Job singing too?
Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
nor does the Almighty regard it.
How much less when you say that you do not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him! (35:13-14).
Justice for the afflicted. Still Job does not answer. Since silence implies consent, Elihu
continues by taking up a new theme. In 21:7 Job had said that God lets the godless live
and even allows them to grow in strength. Elihu counters this by affirming that God does
not withdraw His eyes from the righteous. No, He deals justly with the afflicted: "He
does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right" (36:6). If the just find
themselves in need, He does something for them—but in His own way: "He delivers the
afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ears by adversity" (vs. 15).
That's what was happening to Job. Therefore Job should not act rebellious (36:18), nor
should he express a longing for death (see ch. 3, 7 and 14).
Do not long for the night,
when peoples are cut off in their place.
Take heed, do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, "Thou hast done wrong"? (36:20-3).
[27]
A song of praise. Then Elihu sings about the Lord's greatness and the rule of the
world's great governor, who cannot act unjustly. The One who directs the clouds and
wind and rain, showing them where to go and when to stop, will surely guide your
footsteps too, Job!
On the horizon, the cumulus clouds of a thunderstorm become visible. Elihu includes a
description of those clouds among his words of admonition (36:27ff). He asks Job a long
series of questions about nature. He concludes by saying:
The Almighty — we cannot find him;
he is great in power and justice,
and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
Therefore men fear him;
he does not regard any who are wise in
their own conceit (37:23-4).

7. Yahweh's Answer and Job's Restoration

A challenge for Job. Finally the Lord responds by speaking out of a storm. His words
contain a challenge addressed to Job. Elihu had already raised questions that Job could
not answer. The Lord now asked him more questions.
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it? (38:3-5).
[28]
The questions rained down on Job's head. What answer could the rash accuser give?
Job said:
Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee?
I lay my hand on my mouth.

11
 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
twice, but I will proceed no further (40:4-5).
But the Lord addresses Job again from a storm. Once more he is challenged. Was God
unrighteous? Was He in the wrong, while Job was in the right?
"African "features of the creation. More questions rain down on Job's head. This time
God asks about the behemoth (hippopotamus) and the leviathan (crocodile). He
confronts Job with some "African" features of the creation, in which His might and
methods are revealed.
We are accustomed to ascribing the ferocity of the wild beasts "after their kind" to the
fall into sin. Despite what we read in Genesis 1:21-5, we refuse to accept the fact that
God saw what He had made and pronounced it very good. There are even some who
blame the existence of sea monsters and wild animals on demonic influences before the
fall. In fact, however, it is because of the fall that we turn the Garden of Eden into an
idyllic Persian paradise along the lines of a honeydewed Hollywood movie. Think, for
example, of all the sentimental pictures of "Paradise" in which it is forgotten that the
Garden of Eden was a special piece of cultivated land within a wild plain—and not a zoo
full of tame animals.
God's imprint. The Lord's words to Job are intended to correct some of our sentimental
thinking about the creation and the Creator. The Lord is the God who created such
strange, gruesome creatures as the hippopotamus and the crocodile. These animals bear
[29]
the mark of His imprint — even though we shrink from recognizing them as the work
of His hands. The Lord is the one who created such natural forces as thunder and
storms, who gave the lion his hunter's instincts and the ostrich his strange habits.
God's thoughts are too deep for us to fathom! His thoughts are higher than ours, for we
would rather concern ourselves with such gentle creatures as cooing pigeons. His
methods in creation and His governing of this world's events do not fit in with our
preconceived ideas.
The last chapters in the book of Job represent a rich lesson in natural history for all of
us. Just as we cannot gain a full knowledge of the Creator from the creation, we cannot
understand God on the basis of His will for our lives. Just as God's incomprehensible
creation with all its conflicting natural forces and overwhelming manifestations of power
is "very good," His kingship and rule over this battered and confused life full of riddles is
"very good."
Job's retraction. Job bows his proud head. Earlier he approached his Creator with the
boldness of a prince, but now he mumbles some of the Lord's words after Him like an
insignificant creature. (The words in quotation marks in Job's response are taken directly
from the Lord's speech.)
I know that thou canst do all things,
and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted.
"Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?"
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
"Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you declare to me."
I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees thee;
therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes (42:2-6, quoting 38:2, 3).
[30]
Naturally Job does not retract everything he has said. The Lord Himself says to
Eliphaz: "You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has" (42:7). But
Job does retract his challenge and his faultfinding attitude. His "knowledge" of God has
been deepened greatly; he now knows that the Creator of all things is not subject to

12
human explanations, and that He delivers His own despite all appearances and obstacles.
A happy ending. Then comes the great reversal in Job's life. Things do not turn out for
him the way his three friends had predicted. In fact, the three are admonished by the
Lord, and Job has to step in on their behalf as mediator and intercessor. Before their
faces Job is elevated and called "the servant of the LORD" (see Is. 52:13-15; Ps. 18:49).
In addition, Job is given twice as much as he possessed before. His relatives come to
him and re-establish their relationships with him. The disharmony between Job and his
1
wife disappears and children are born to them again. Note that ten children died and
ten were born after Job's period of affliction ended. Thus the number of newly born
children is not doubled. The ten who had died still counted as Job's children.
The book of Job has a happy ending, then, as we see the righteous man blessed. It is
made clear to us that Job's blessing is not a matter of what he deserved after all he had
gone through but purely a matter of grace.

[31]
8. A Proclamation about the Justification of the Church
An impatient man. Job knew nothing about the heavenly background of his suffering, i.e.
the conversation between God and satan. He was an impatient man and had to learn
what it means to wait. His faith was tested as he learned to cling to the unseen God:
"Now my eye sees thee" (42:5).
Over against his friends' teaching to the effect that man is merely God's slave, Job was
allowed to see something of the wonder of grace. Although he clung to his insistence
that he was righteous, he realized his need of a Redeemer, someone to bring about
reconciliation and atonement for him.
The restoration of Job's wealth underscores the fact that Paul's words also apply to him:
"They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus" (Rom. 3:24). In other words, we are purchased by Christ.
Job is spoken of in favorable terms in Ezekiel 14:14 and 20 as well as James 5:11. Yet,
despite Job's famous patience and his gift of prayer, we may not elevate him above
other men on the assumption that the book of Job is intended to present us with a great
example.
In this book the Lord shows us how He enables the holy to persevere, how He is close to
His church and vindicates her. If Job is doubly blessed after the suffering he went
through—purely as a matter of grace, for Job first humbled himself—this shows the
church that her way of the cross will ultimately lead to glory. After justification comes
glorification. The way of the cross is the way of light.
God's ways. As for the "problem" of suffering, we must face the fact that we mortals will
[32]
never understand everything here on earth. All the same, we may know that there is
indeed a heavenly "background" to human events and that God stands in satan's way.
And we may also know that God's ways go beyond our understanding. He does not
always do things in the way that we, in our sentimentality, would choose. God has
created various things that are not "to our taste." Yet, what a mighty manifestation of
God's glory we see in the dangerous leviathan!
The cross of Christ is not "to our taste" either; it offends and repels the natural man.
Nevertheless, Christ our Redeemer, our surety of a better covenant, has purchased us
by the strange way of the cross. The sufferings of this Redeemer are greater by far than
the sufferings of Job.
"I know that my Redeemer lives." This means that satan can no longer enter heaven and
complain. With Christ's ascension into heaven, the "accuser of our brethren" is cast

1
Notice the names given to the daughters: Jemimah (dove), Keziah (cassia—see Ps. 45:8), and
Keren-happuch (horn for make-up). Job was no ascetic.

13
down. Christ, as our heavenly Paraclete, our Advocate, defends our interests (see I John
2:2; Rev. 12:5-11). Although we continue to ask why, in Christ we are victorious in
principle.
The world's midpoint. The eye trained by Scripture finds rich comfort in the seemingly
chaotic phenomena of nature. God is constant in the method He chooses to realize His
intentions. We see this in Job on his heap of ashes, in Christ on Golgotha, and in the
church of the last days as it is turned into a theater, a spectacle for the world to behold.
The book of Job is a beautiful piece of prophecy that gives the church reason to sing
about its justification, sanctification, and complete redemption in Christ. Dr. K. Sietsma
writes:
Job stands there before us at the midpoint of God's world, as an embodiment and
[33]
depiction of God's restored world—in short, as God's true world in miniature.
Therefore Job is the world's midpoint in the fullest sense. He represents the justified
people of the LORD, the people whose sins are forgiven on the basis of grace, the people
who are protected against the accuser by God's justifying verdict of acquittal. Job is the
concentration point of the people of Christ, the people who pray and worship, the people
for whose sake the Sodom of this world is not yet cursed and wiped out. But he is also
the incarnation of the meek, who, as Christ informs us, will inherit the earth. As a
prophetic expression of the reality of the promise that the meek shall inherit the earth,
Job receives a double portion of earthly blessing; he receives the portion of the first-born
2
in place of the whole. As you know, the first-born's portion represents the whole.

2
De Zelfrechtvaardiging Gods (Amsterdam, 1939), pp. 125-6.

14
[34]
Psalms
1. Superscriptions and Basic Divisions
Five parts. Psalmos is a Greek word that means song or perhaps song sung to the
accompaniment of a harp. The Hebrew word translated into English as psalms really
means songs of praise.
The book of Psalms includes a number of lamentations and songs of supplication as well.
In the final analysis, however, all the psalms sing the praises of Israel's God. Israel fled
to the Lord in time of need and recognized Him as its helper in time of trouble.
The book of Psalms as we find it in our Bible is divided into five parts. Just as we speak
of the five books of Moses, we could speak of the five books of Psalms. It may well be
that this division has something to do with the division of the Torah (the law); the idea
that the Psalms and the "law" are closely related would then be reflected in the fact that
both are divided into five books. In the division of the Psalms found in the Revised
Standard Version, each "book" ends with a special "doxology":
[35]

Book I is made up of Psalms 1-41, which are chiefly psalms of David. The doxology is
41:13.
Book II is made up of Psalms 42-72 and includes psalms of David as well as some
psalms from Levitic circles. The doxology is 72:18-19.
Book III is made up of Psalms 73-89, which are mainly Levitic psalms. The doxology is
89:52.
Book IV is made up of Psalms 90-106 and includes a psalm of Moses, some psalms of
David, and several psalms by anonymous authors. The doxology is 106:48.
Book V is made up of Psalms 107-150. It includes the "songs of ascents" and a number
of hallelujah psalms by David, Solomon and anonymous authors. The doxology
is all of Psalm 150.
A commentary on Israel's history. Clearly the book of Psalms is a collection that draws
on sources that have since been lost. In the historical books of the Old Testament we
also find "psalms," such as the songs of Moses, Deborah, Hannah, and Hezekiah. It may
well be that some of the psalms in the book of Psalms were originally recorded in other
historical books.
Some psalms of David include a description of the situation in which they originated. If
you compare Psalm 18 with David's psalm of praise in II Samuel 22, you will see that
both were occasioned by the same event: the Lord had delivered David from all his
enemies, including Saul. The circumstances behind other psalms are indicated in the
superscriptions, e.g. the time when David fled from Saul (Ps. 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59) and
later Absalom (Ps. 3).
We should be thankful for the superscriptions, for they enable us to read the Psalms as a
beautiful commentary on Israel's history. The Psalms are even more eloquent and
moving when we know the background and situation and find out more about the
imperiled author as he begs for help.
[36]
The same can be said of the psalms that were clearly intended for the great feasts
and the services in the temple. It would do today's church a lot of good to recall that
Israel sang the hallelujah psalms and the songs of ascents on festive occasions. The
Psalms are by no means colorless songs, for they are deeply rooted in Israel's covenant
history and service of its God.

2. Praising the Lord Responsively

Psalms with worldly melodies. Psalm 22 (the well-known psalm of suffering) and Psalm 9

15
(which was originally joined with Psalm 10) are often sung to "worldly" tunes. This
combination of a holy psalm and a worldly melody should not shock us, for the Psalms as
they originally arose were central to Israel's life.
We must not think in terms of a group of priests solemnly singing a psalm as we might
sing a chorale, complete with the unnatural gestures that some people seem to regard
as appropriate to spiritual songs. In those days things had not yet reached the point
where "church music" was brought into relation with such pieces as Handel's "Largo."
We do not know just how Israel sang. Sometimes we find the word Selah in the text. Its
meaning is not clear. Did it mean that the last line should be repeated? Could it be that it
functioned as a fortissimo for the singers and/or accompanists? In any case, the word
must have something to do with music. There are other references to music in the
Psalms: "To the choirmaster" or "With stringed instruments" and so forth.
[37]
Singing and speech. For the people of the East, speech itself is a form of singing. If
you listen to the singing in Jewish synagogues today (which is not unlike the Gregorian
chant of the Roman Catholic Church and the liturgical recitations of Eastern Orthodox
churches and Mohammedan mosques), you get an impression of how Israel must have
sung. In the temple, the singing was accompanied by a good-sized orchestra.
It is clear that some of the psalms were intended to be sung responsively. In Psalm 24,
for example, various questions are posed by a certain singer or choir, while another
singer or choir answers:
Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false....
Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
The LORD, mighty in battle!
In Psalm 42 and 43, we find a certain refrain repeated:
Why are you cast down, O my soul
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.
Such a refrain was apparently sung by everyone or by more singers than the other parts
of the psalm. In Psalm 46 we also hear a refrain:
[38]
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
This refrain comes after verses 6 and 10, but it may also belong after verse 3, given the
presence of the word Selah in each of these places. Another well-known refrain is:
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever.
3
This refrain occurs in Psalm 118 and 136. The "steadfast love" of which it speaks is
really covenant faithfulness.
Isn't this something to rejoice over again and again? Israel did so when the temple was

3
We find such refrains in Ps. 49:12, 20; 56:4, 10-11; 59:9, 17; 62:2, 6; 80:3, 7, 19; 99:5, 9;
107:8, 15, 21, 31.

16
dedicated (see II Chron. 5:13; 7:3, 6) and in the days of Jehoshaphat during the
campaign against the Ammonites and the Moabites (II Chron. 20:21). Jeremiah declared
that this refrain would again be raised after the destruction of the city and the temple
(Jer. 33:11), and in Ezra 3:11 we read how his prophecy was fulfilled: this refrain was
sung when the foundation of the new temple was laid.
When you hear Gelineau's arrangement of Psalm 136 with its refrain accompanied by
brass instruments ("Car son amour est eternel," i.e. "For His love is eternal"), you realize
what a powerful proclamation this psalm can be. Rarely do we share in the intense joy it
expresses; in fact, we could not possibly express such joy each time we sing this psalm.
Excessive restraint. We are rightly afraid of extravagance and sick sentimentality in
worship, such as one finds among various sects noted for their "enthusiasm." Yet we
[39]
should also be suspicious of any tendency toward excessive restraint, even if it is
based on the argument that we must not allow praying and praising the Lord for His
covenant faithfulness to become tiresome activities.
Responsive singing in church is not forbidden; nowhere do we read in the Bible that we
may not use brass instruments to accompany the singing in the worship services. The
fact that the Salvation Army uses brass instruments should not keep us from doing the
same. After all, we already have the sound of the trumpet issuing from the organs we
use in worship. It is good to praise the Lord!

But everything should be done in a

fitting and orderly way
(I Cor. 14:40 NIV).

3. Structures Used in the Psalms

Prescribed patterns. The presence of all the refrains in the Psalms is significant. Although
it might appear that the Psalms were composed and sung in a spontaneous manner,
they were actually sung according to prescribed patterns. In fact, the entire book of
Psalms is characterized by its orderliness.
The Psalms do not open the door to individualism and the expression of all sorts of
private emotions; they do not lead to the confusion and chaos created by the
enthusiasm of fanatics. Instead they give definite guidance to the individual and
congregation engaged in worship.
The God of the Psalms is not a God of confusion or disorder (I Cor. 14:33). If you ponder
the chaos of heathen festivals throughout the ages, you will gain an even deeper
appreciation of the value of the book of Psalms as a guide to proper worship.
[40]
Don't forget that in heathendom, the ritual is often conducted in a secret priestly
language: the "layman" does not understand the "church Latin" used in the services. In
Israel, by contrast, this was not the case: there was indeed a "clergy," but it did not
speak a language incomprehensible to the "layman." In fact, many of the songs in the
official liturgy were written by "laymen," e.g. David.
Alphabetic psalms. The structure of the alphabetic psalms is indicative of the order we
find throughout the book of Psalms. Open the King James Bible to Psalm 119 and you
will see that it is divided into sections called Aleph, Beth, Gimel, and so forth. These
names are letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Each verse in the section called Aleph, for
example begins with the Hebrew letter aleph. In this way Psalm 119 goes through the 22
letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Remember that we learn in Revelation 1:8 that God is
the Alpha and the Omega. (Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek
alphabet.) In the Revised Standard Version's rendering of Psalm 119, the Hebrew letters
naming the section are left out.
Other alphabetic psalms are 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, and 145. Each succeeding line begins

17
with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Note also that Psalms 33 and 103 have 22
verses, just as the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. The presence of these alphabetic
psalms shows clearly that when it came to songs of praise and lamentation, Israel did
not stumble down some path in a daze but allowed itself to be led from A to Z by the
order of the One in whom "all things hold together" (Col. 1:17).
Rhyming contents. There is also order in the "rhyme schemes" used in the Psalms. In
our discussion of the book of Job, we saw that the Israelites did not use the same
rhyming patterns we use but strove for a rhyming of the content of two or more
successive lines, which gives the successive lines a certain rhythmic form as well. This
[41]
poetic verse style is sometimes called parallelism, for the lines run parallel to each
other.
A good example of this rhyme scheme is found in Psalm 114, in which the second line
repeats the content or meaning of the first. Perhaps we could better say that it "echoes"
the first line. When such poetic sections of the Bible are read aloud at the table after a
meal, they will mean more if the second line is always read by a different person than
the first, just as we use responsive readings in church. Try it once:
When Israel went forth from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.
The sea looked and fled,
Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
The people of the ancient Near East had their own way of thinking and speaking. They
were accustomed to repetition, which was never meaningless to them, for thoughts were
being elaborated and defined more precisely. "The pit was empty, there was no water in
it," we read in Genesis 37:24. This is an ordinary piece of information, but it is
communicated to us in the style of parallel lines of verse. "Alas, I am a widow; my
husband is dead," David was told by the wise woman of Tekoa, the city of the prophet
Amos (II Sam. 14:5). This, too, is an instance of a parallel "rhyme."
I could point to a number of examples from the New Testament as well. (Think of the
song of the angels in Luke 2:14.) Many of the words of Christ recorded in the "gospels"
could likewise be presented on the printed page as lines of parallel verse, as could parts
[42]
of the epistles and the Revelation to John. Consider the following words of Jesus:
Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me,
but weep for yourselves and for your children.
For behold, the days are coming
when they will say,
"Blessed are the barren, and the womb that never bore,
and the breasts that never gave suck!"
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us";
and to the hills, "Cover us" (Luke 23:28-30).
When lines of verse run parallel, the second can (1) repeat the thought of the first or (2)
express an opposed thought or (3) supplement the thought of the first line. We find an
example of each possibility in Psalm 1.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
Here we have the third kind of parallelism: the thought is developed through the verbs
walk, stand and sit.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

18
 and on his law he meditates day and night.
This is an instance of the first kind of parallelism: the thought of the first line is repeated
in the second.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
This exemplifies the second kind of parallelism, for the thought in the second line
contrasts sharply with that of the first.
[43]
A stairway. There are more types of repetition to be noted in this most orderly book.
Psalm 123, which is one of the songs of ascents, has been compared to a ladder or
stairway: it is as though the psalmist, by repeating certain words, is putting down one
foot after the other.
To thee I lift up my eyes,
O thou who art enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he have mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Too long our soul has been sated
with the scorn of those who are at ease,
the contempt of the proud.
In Psalm 121 we find a similar repetition, this time involving the words help, keep and
keeper. Here repetition is the mother of a joyous awareness. In Psalm 122, the words
Jerusalem, tribes and thrones are used twice, while peace (shalom) is used three times.
There is also a play on words based on the fact that the name Jerusalem contains the
word salem (which also means peace). The book of Psalms, then, is like the city of
Jerusalem in that it was constructed with exceptional care and forethought.

4. Complacency in the Psalms?

The "righteous man." At this point we turn our attention to the various psalms and the
[44]
major themes running through them. First I would raise the question whether we
should be willing to sing all the psalms today. Do we wish to echo all the sentiments we
find in the Psalms?
There are indeed some moving and appropriate confessions of sin (e.g. Ps. 32, 51, 130),
but how is it possible that we find such statements as the following in the very same
book?
If thou triest my heart, if thou visitest me by night,
if thou testest me, thou wilt find no wickedness in me (17:3).
I hate the company of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about thy altar, O LORD.
But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me (26:5-6, 11).
All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten thee,
or been false to thy covenant (44:17; see also 59:4; 86:2).
Don't we hear a Pharisee speaking in these statements, a man who beats his breast and

19
boasts about his good works? Shouldn't we be repelled by any attitude of complacency,
by the idea that "virtue" will earn immortality for us?
Indeed, no "flesh" will be justified by works. But what we encounter in such psalms is
not a Phariseeistic reliance on good works but the figure of the "righteous man," which
occurs repeatedly in the Psalms.
Hatred "without cause." To understand what a "righteous man" is, we should think back
to the book of Job. Was Job without sin? Far from it. Yet he clung to his righteousness. "I
[45]
hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go," he declared (Job 27:6). He knew
that the Lord was his Redeemer, that he could count on Him, and that he would win out
in his dispute because of his reliance on the Lord. The righteous know that the Lord
stands up for them when they are tested.
In the Psalms we hear many complaints from people who are persecuted and hated
"without cause" (37:7, 19; 69:5; 119:161). Of course there is some sort of "cause"
behind the hatred—jealousy, hatred of another person's uprightness, and so forth. But
this "cause" is neither defensible nor just. Therefore the person hated or persecuted
appeals to the highest Judge in prayer. The servant of the Lord, the truly pious man, for
whom life is not easy, knows that he is safe with God. God will give ear to his plea and
vindicate him.
The "old days" could be very difficult times, as we see from the words of the poet who
wrote Psalm 71. This psalmist reports that his enemies kept a close eye on him. But in
the midst of his anxieties, this aged psalmist glories in the righteousness of the God who
delivers him.
Our only anchor. This opens the way for understanding Psalm 119. Again, the poet is not
a Pharisee boasting of his own virtue but a man who clings to God's Word and testimony
as his only anchor.
Before I was afflicted I went astray;
but now I keep thy word (vs. 67).
In groups of eight verses, in which each verse begins with the same letter of the Hebrew
alphabet, the psalmist praises God's law, His Word and testimony. In these sections, he
uses eight different words for the revelation of the Lord: commandments, precepts,
statutes, ordinances, word(s), testimonies, promise(s), and laws (see vs. 41-8, 57-64,
65-72).
[46]
When you hear the word law in this context, you must not think of someone piling
commandment upon commandment, rule upon rule. Rather, think of the law in terms of
God's righteousness and gracious deliverance.
Thou hast appointed thy testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness (vs. 138).
Jesus Christ quoted this psalm (vs. 160) in His prayer as "High Priest" when He declared:
"Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). In His hour of need, then, He clung firmly to the
Father's Word. The message expressed so beautifully in the order of Psalm 119 is also
the only comfort for us in our time of existentialism and a "new morality."

Vindicate me, O God, and defend my

cause against an ungodly [covenant]
people (43:1).

5. Enmity in the Psalms

Many "enemies." It appears that the psalmists had a lot of "enemies." Just who—or
what—were these "enemies"?
In some instances the reference is clearly to foreign enemies who are marching on
Jerusalem (Ps. 46, 48, 76) or have been defeated by Israel (Ps. 68). I will come back to

20
this point later, when we take up the Jerusalem psalms and the royal psalms. But in
many other cases, the "enemies" are within the land and even within the church. They
may be people who oppose the king's policies (e.g. King David) or people who bring false
charges against a "righteous" person or start a smear campaign of slanderous whispers.
Such "enemies," then, come from within the church.
[47]
Indeed, they may even be intimate friends, as in Psalm 41, where David talks about
a friend whom he trusted, a friend who ate at his table (perhaps Ahithophel—see also II
Sam. 15:31; Mark 14:18; and John 13:18, where the reference is to Judas).
Mistaken "spiritual" interpretations. Forewarned is forearmed. We should be aware that
the Psalms are often wrongly interpreted and applied in a mistaken "spiritual" manner
because of misunderstandings on this point. The enmity referred to in the Psalms is then
interpreted as the world's evil in general, and the enemy is equated with "sinful
humanity."
Such interpretations leave us with the impression that the evil is ultimately unreal, mere
illusion. Consider the following words written about Psalm 10:
Is that really man? Is he in essence godless, an egoist through and through,
unrelentingly cruel? Is that the true nature of man? We tremble momentarily as
this thought sinks in. Could man's politeness and apparent friendliness be a mask
concealing such a horrible nature? . . . This sketch of man is completely
dominated by the thought of the dialogue between man and the invisible One
whose mysterious Hand is busy intervening in our lives. Man and that Hand. Man
doesn't see the Hand; he doesn't want to see it and cannot see it. The Hand
hesitates and delays for a long time, but then it breaks through suddenly. Isn't
that the deepest meaning of our existence? There lies the earthly city right by the
mountain's slope, and in that city dwells man, the presumptuous one, a horrible
creature who is never alone. Although he has great abilities in reasoning and
thinking, he can never free himself from the grip of that mysterious Hand. Man
4
and his impotence!
[48]
If you now read Psalm 10 for yourself, you will soon see how the truth is
suppressed in such commentaries. The focus of this psalm is not man in general
but David, with whom the Lord had made a covenant. Enemies within the church
attacked David as office-bearer. This psalm is not about the evil that pervades
human life in general; rather, it complains about the activities of the "godless"
(i.e. children of the covenant who have fallen away) and their conduct toward the
downtrodden, the poor in spirit mentioned by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount,
the righteous who choose to stand on the Lord's side. In the end David finds
comfort in Moses' song at the Red Sea, which is one of the psalms of the church:
"The LORD is king for ever and ever" (vs. 16; see also Ex. 15:18; Rev. 11:15, 17;
12:10).
In a seventeenth century Dutch edition of the Bible, we find a summary of this
psalm that hits the nail on the head. At that time, too, Humanism sought to give
the Psalms a general human interpretation. But the men of the Reformation
wanted nothing to do with any such "edifying" interpretation:

4
J. H. Bavinck, Zeven Psalmen, with illustrations by Eekman (published by the Bijbel-Kiosk
Vereniging of Amsterdam). The purpose of this book is laudable, namely, to acquaint people
outside the church with the Word of God. The illustrations are striking. In medieval style, one of
the scoffers is given a tonsure: apparently the artist wanted to indicate that the scoffer is an
"ecclesiastical" figure. Unfortunately, the church is nowhere to be found in the explanations of the
text provided in this book. Nothing is said about the struggles of the church. Such a treatment
does not help people outside the church, for remaining silent about the church when commenting
on such psalms amounts to adapting the gospel to the mentality of modern man. Bavinck's book is
a typical example of the general religiosity that seeks to move in the direction of existentialism
and kills the Psalms in the process.

21
 [49]
David, or God's church, or David in the name of God's church prays in a fiery
way against the persecution and oppression by the godless, vividly describing
their pride, their godlessness, and their cruel, bloody practices. He cries out for
God's righteous wrath, which assures him through faith of what God will do.
Psalm 10 is a prayer of the souls under the altar (Rev. 6:9-10; see also Ps. 10:8 and
9:13, which is in the same vein).

He avenges the blood of his servants

(Deut. 32:43).

6. Psalms of Imprecation
Just judgment. If you read the Psalms under the influence of the spirit of our age, you
will have a hard time with the so-called psalms of imprecation (or wrath). Our egoistic
hearts ask: "Isn't God a God of love? What kind of comfort could we possibly derive from
such militant songs? Isn't their presence a clear indication that the Old Testament is far
below the level of the New Testament?" Answering these questions is basic to our faith in
God's self-revelation.
In Scripture God is not called "our dear Lord" but the "God of the covenant." If you
consider some of the things we read in Deuteronomy, for example, you will realize that
our covenant God approaches us not only with covenant promises but also with covenant
wrath. The Great King judges justly.
David and the other psalmists appeal continually to God's covenant faithfulness. Their
[50]
appeal is a request not for the intervention of some mysterious "Hand" but for the
protection of their Father's hand against those who violate the covenant.
Tabernacle language. In Psalm 10 we read: "Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thy hand;
forget not the afflicted. Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer" (vs. 12, 15). The
word arise is tabernacle language. Whenever God's tent was taken apart so that the
Israelites could journey farther in the wilderness, Moses would say: "Arise, O LORD, and
let thy enemies be scattered" (Num. 10:35; see also Ps. 3:7; 7:6; 17:13; 68:1; 132:8;
Acts 7:56).
When we ponder the fact that Jesus also "arose" from the grave, we realize that He
arose not just to deliver us but also to judge the righteous, that is, to "justify" and vin-
dicate us. The other side of this amazing acquittal, then, is the sevenfold covenant
judgment on those who fall away (see Lev. 26).
The Great King. We should bear in mind that the language of the covenant draws on the
"great king" style. Yahweh is characterized as the Great King who judges all the nations
(7:8; 9:8; 10:16; 56:8; 59:5). We could almost say that these are stereotyped terms.
They represent the language a subject would use in addressing a monarch in the ancient
Near East.
We must not jump to the conclusion that the words of judgment we read in a particular
psalm are directed at pagans who do not know God's name. When David, plunged into
misery because of Saul or Absalom, appeals to God's power over all men, he asks first
and foremost for covenant wrath to strike his enemies within the church.
Curses "fulfilled. " Psalm 69 is a psalm of suffering that comes up repeatedly in the
gospels because the sufferings it describes were experienced by Christ. Yet this psalm,
[51]
too, is full of heavy curses. Its maledictions do not come out of thin air; they are
drawn from the statute of the covenant. Hence they were "fulfilled" in the Messiah.
Not only did Jesus have to drink vinegar and be consumed by enmity because of His zeal
for His Father's house (69:21, 9) and be hated "without cause" (vs. 4; John 15:25), He
also joined in David's curses. Hence Peter applies verse 25 of this psalm to Judas in Acts
1:20, where we read: "Let his habitation become desolate." Paul quotes verses 23-4 and
applies them to the Jews who would have nothing to do with the gospel:

22
 Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a pitfall and a retribution for them;
let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs for ever (Rom. 11:9-10; see also Acts 28:27).
When we read in Revelation about the seven bowls of wrath poured out on the apostate
church (unfaithful Jerusalem), this wrath of the Lamb gives us a visual representation of
what the Jews used to say at the Passover when they raised their glasses:
Pour out thy indignation upon them,
and let thy burning anger overtake them (69:24).
Yahweh avenges the blood of His servants because of the statute of the covenant.
Below the New Testament level? Psalm 137, a veiled song of praise to Jerusalem during
the exile, has long been regarded as offensive. Strong language is used at the very
beginning of this psalm, and at the end we read a powerful cry for vengeance:
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Happy shall be he who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rock!
These words often give rise to feelings of revulsion. It is argued that the poet, despite
his zeal for God's house, remains below the level of what the New Testament asks of
5
us. In any event, that's how we react to this psalm when we approach it on the basis of
our feelings alone.
This reaction is not Scriptural. All the psalmist was doing was repeating the prophetic
curse and testifying to the comforting hope that lived within him. If we were to drop
Psalm 137 from the Bible, we would also have to eliminate many of Isaiah's prophecies
about Babylon.
The New Testament points back to this psalm. Didn't Christ allude to it when He spoke to
the weeping women of Jerusalem? (Luke 23:28). And in Revelation 18:6 we hear a voice
speaking about "Babylon" in the style of Psalm 137: "Pay her back in her own coin,
repay her twice over for her deeds! Double for her the strength of the potion she mixed!"
(Rev. 18:6 NEB).
Thus Psalm 137 is not "below" the level of the New Testament. It would be more
accurate to say that the New Testament continues the lines begun in the Old
Testament—including the line of thought in Psalm 137. "Contend, O LORD, with those
who contend with me" (35:1). This is a prayer that the church of our day must pray as
well.
"Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD?" (139:21). This text, too, applies to
believers living in the days of the new covenant, for what Christ valued in the church at
Ephesus was that it hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which He also hated (Rev.
2:6). When we read the prayer "Search me, O God . . . and see if there be any wicked
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way in me" (139:23, 24), we are not to detach these "edifying" words from the
"hatred" in the preceding verse.
Covenantal hatred. The church that does not learn to hate—in a covenantal way—what
its King hates is on the wrong path. "If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be
accursed," writes Paul (I Cor. 16:22). He also declares: "If any one is preaching to you a
gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed" (Gal 1:9; see also II
Tim. 4:14).
The hatred the Bible requires of us is not a personal hatred. "Beloved, never avenge
yourselves" (Rom. 12:19). It's not a matter of our rights or of what our personal
enemies deserve. The real issue is the rights of the Lord, the God of the covenant. The
enemy we must hate is His enemy! The enemies of Christ must be our enemies as well.

5
See, for example, A. Noordtzij, Het Boek der Psalmen, Vol. II (Kampen, 1935, "Korte
Verklaring"), p. 236.

23
 O keep my soul and deliver me
(Ps. 25:20 KJV).

7. Petition and Thanksgiving

The "soul. " The Hebrew word that is usually translated into English as soul actually has
a much broader meaning; it refers to our entire life, our existence, our personhood.
Therefore, when we come across the word soul in the Psalms, we must apply it not just
to the "soul" or to "spiritual life" but to human existence as a whole. A prayer raised for
the deliverance of the soul is really a prayer for a blessing over all of our existence,
which includes "the body."
In Psalm 66, which is a psalm of thanksgiving, we hear the psalmist tell the story of his
[54]
deliverance (vs. 8-15), after the usual introduction (vs. 1-7). He then moves on to
the "application," that is, the invitation to the bystanders to agree with him, saying:
"Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul"
(vs. 16 KJV).
These words of the psalmist must not be understood as referring to some sort of
"conversion" or "spiritual experience." The psalmist himself says that he already fears
the Lord. What, then, did the Lord do for him, for his "soul"? The Lord delivered him
from great dangers—and all Israel with him.
The suffering of his people was his own suffering: "Thou didst let men ride over our
heads" (vs. 12). The people's suffering was an attack on the psalmist's "soul" and drove
him to prayer. Behold, the God of the exodus heard him (vs. 6).
The militant church. In the psalms we find no individualistic "conversion stories." The "I"
we read about is the "I" of the church; indeed, the Head of the church, Jesus Christ,
expresses Himself in the Psalms. Isn't He ultimately the sole Author of Israel's psalter?
That's why the inscription above the book of Psalms in Bibles printed during the
Reformation era always pointed out clearly that the voice speaking in the Psalms is not
just a pious individual but the militant church. Ultimately, God's Son speaks to us in the
Psalms. If we bear this in mind, we will not make the mistake of declaring certain Psalms
our "favorites." All of them will be deeply meaningful to us.
Psalm 22. As we consider the Psalms, we might want to distinguish between psalms of
petition and psalms of thanksgiving. Yet, various psalms include both these elements.
Think, for example, of Psalm 22, which is both a psalm of suffering and one of petition.
[55]
In some respects this psalm was literally fulfilled in Christ, who was scorned by men,
despised by the people, and forsaken by God. He was tormented by thirst (John 19:28),
His hands and feet were literally pierced, and His clothes were divided. At Golgotha the
sufferings described in this psalm were realized more fully than David could ever have
imagined.
But there is a second section in this psalm, which was also fulfilled in Christ. What strikes
us about the resurrection story is that Jesus declares that its message must be passed
on to His brethren (Matt. 28:10; John 20:17; see also Heb. 2:11), by which He means
His disciples, His church. Here He alludes to the second section of Psalm 22, that is, the
song of thanksgiving that follows the lamentation in the first part. The first words of the
lamentation express the depths of His suffering: "My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me?" But the first words of the song of thanksgiving give voice to His Easter
triumph: "I will tell of thy name to my brethren" (vs. 22). When Christ declared on the
cross, "It is finished," we can regard these words as a reference to the conclusion of
Psalm 22: "He has wrought it."
Songs for all Israel. A psalm of petition always begins with an appeal to the name of the
Lord. Then follows the complaint and the prayer for deliverance. Meanwhile, other
reasons for expecting help are also mentioned, e.g. God's faithfulness in the past, and
the fact that the psalmist is a servant of the Lord. The plea is often accompanied by a

24
promise of thanksgiving after the prayer has been answered.
Check this in various psalms, and you will see again how much order there is in the
Psalms. Nowadays we tend to hold it against a minister if he has "points" in his sermon,
but the psalmists certainly were not afraid to use a definite structure.
[56]
You will also see that the distinction between personal psalms of petition and psalms
in which a petition is presented on behalf of the entire people of Israel is not easy to
draw. When David sends up his prayer to the Lord, he cannot cut himself off from his
people. Therefore his prayers became songs sung regularly by all Israel.
Historical references. In psalms meant as national confessions of sin, the history of
Israel comes strongly to the fore (Ps. 44, 74, 77, 80, 81, 106). The Lord is addressed as
the God of the exodus.
It has sometimes been suggested that when the psalms are rhymed and put to music for
us to sing in church, all the historical references should be removed. If this were done,
however, we would be left with timeless, colorless songs. All too easily we would forget
that the Psalms are songs of the covenant. Don't forget that God also appears in the
Psalms as the God of Jacob.
Think of the comfort Asaph derived from contemplating God's deeds in the past (Ps. 77).
In Psalm 78, which is a didactic psalm, Asaph declares:
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from our children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,
and the wonders which he has wrought (vs. 1-4).
Israel turning to the Lord. In psalms of thanksgiving, we also encounter a certain order.
Such psalms always begin with an announcement: "I will tell of thy name to my
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brethren" or "Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth" (66:1). Others are called on
to sing along: "Sing to him a new song" (33:3). Then follows the story of deliverance,
the words of thanksgiving, and sometimes an appeal to the hearers to join in giving
thanks. "The upright see it and are glad" (107:42).
Here again we can speak of personal psalms and psalms in which the psalmist speaks on
behalf of the entire nation. Yet, the distinction between the two is often hard to draw. In
essence, what we find in the book of Psalms are the psalms of Israel. They illustrate how
Israel turned to the Lord when it suffered sickness, was threatened with death, faced
false accusations, or was attacked by enemies.
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, I beseech thee, save my life!"
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
What shall I render to the LORD
for all his bounty to me? (116:4, 7, 12).

8. Songs of Praise to Yahweh

Witnesses to the covenant. There are some psalms that we could characterize as songs
of praise or hymns. They were not composed because of some recent deliverance but
sing of God's works in creation and re-creation, in the past, the present and the future.
They begin and end with an appeal to sing praises to Yahweh. Hallelu-Jah! Praise
Yahweh! They also give us the reasons why Yahweh is so worthy of praise.

25
First of all, the Lord is praised as the Creator. The inadequate term nature psalms has
sometimes been applied to these psalms of praise (i.e. Ps. 8, 19, 33, 104, 147, 148).
[58]
This term is inadequate especially because it introduces into the Bible the dangers of
the distinction between nature and grace. On the basis of this distinction, Psalm 19 has
been cut neatly into two sections: the first part is about the creation (nature), while the
second part is about the law of the Lord—as though the law (grace) were somehow
higher than "nature."
This approach does not do justice to Psalm 19, for Israel never viewed nature as
something in itself. The Torah (the law) began in Genesis 1 by telling how God created
the world. When Israel looked at the heavens, it did not see the work of a god of nature;
what it saw was the work of the fingers of Yahweh, the God of the covenant (8:3, 1;
33:6; 147:4). Wasn't Abraham told to look at the stars as a guarantee, since his seed
would be as numerous as the stars of the heavens?
The sun, moon and stars (i.e. the heavens) were witnesses to the covenant between the
Lord and His people, between the Lord and David (Deut. 31:28; 32:1; Mic. 6:1-2; Jer.
33:20ff; Ps. 89:36-7). This is what unifies the two "sections" of Psalm 19: the day (sun)
and the night (moon and stars) speak to us in an abundant and overflowing way as
witnesses to the covenant. They are the ones who declare that the torah, the law of the
Lord, is perfect.
The so-called "nature psalms," then, are really psalms of the covenant. In accordance
with the promise of Matthew 24:14, Paul can calmly apply the first part of Psalm 19 to
the preaching of the gospel to the Jewish synagogue: "Their voice [i.e. the voice of the
witnesses to the gospel] has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the
world" (Rom. 10:18). The preachers of the gospel were witnesses to the covenant; they
were colleagues of the sun, moon and stars. (The "testimony to all nations" mentioned in
Matthew 24:14is a "covenant testimony.")
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Yahweh praised as King. What are the reasons for praising the LORD? (Note that I
speak of "the LORD," i.e. Yahweh—and not of a supreme being in general.) We praise Him
for the seven thunderclaps of His voice. (In Psalm 29 the "voice of the LORD" is
mentioned seven times.) We praise Him also because He sustains the world, because He
controls what happens in our lives, because He saves Israel again and again, because He
preserves Jerusalem, because He is King (Ps. 145).
Yes, Yahweh is praised as King! Beautiful hymns are sung about His kingship; we hear
the sort of language we would expect from a throng gathered around the throne of a
newly crowned king (Ps. 93, 96, 97, 98, 99).
A prayer of Moses. The last verse of Moses' song by the Red Sea (Ex. 15:18) is echoed
in various ways in the Psalms. Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses, the man (prophet) of God.
The Psalms that follow it in our Bible repeatedly draw on the songs of Moses. It is
striking that they remind us not only of the first song of Moses (which celebrated the
Lord's kingship) but also of the last (Deut. 32). Just as in Moses' last song, the Lord is
spoken of as a "rock" (92:15; 95:1).
The secret of Israel's liturgy is that it is firmly anchored in redemptive history. Israel's
liturgy confesses the glory and power of its Great King. The Israelites worshiping in the
temple knew that Israel was a great conqueror; in the temple music, they heard all
about God's victory.
However perilous Israel's situation might be, there was always ground for hope. Israel's
future never looked completely black. Yahweh was King; He had become King. "While
thou, LORD, dost reign on high eternally, thy foes will surely perish" (92:9 NEB). He will
come to judge the earth. Praise the Lord!
[60]
9. Jerusalem Psalms
The songs of ascents. That the psalter includes a number of Jerusalem psalms should

26
come as no surprise. The songs of ascents formed the hymnbook of Israel's pilgrims.
These psalms have also been spoken of as the "songs of the steps," on the assumption
that they have something to do with the steps of the temple. It is clear that this group of
songs (Ps. 120-134) played a role in the annual pilgrimage to the temple.
The first of them speaks of a sojourner staying in Meshech (near the Black Sea). In
Psalm 121, the Lord is sketched as the great Shepherd who keeps the night watch with
His sheep. Psalm 122 records the joyous entry into Jerusalem.
After all sorts of songs about the blessings granted by the God of Zion, this group of
psalms closes with a song in which a priestly blessing for the departing pilgrims is heard.
The last thing we see in our mind's eye is the priest stretching out his hands in blessing.
"O that deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion!" (14:7). "May the LORD bless you
from Zion" (134:3; 128:5; 133:3). Israel is to fix its hope on Yahweh—and not on some
deceptive human Pandora's box. In this hope Israel will not be put to shame.
The Immanuel promise. Luther's hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (1529) was
inspired by one of the Jerusalem psalms (i.e. Ps. 46). The background of this psalm was
the attack on the city of God made by the Assyrian king Sennacherib.
Later apostate prophecy turned the Immanuel promise of this psalm ("God with us") into
a reason for false security. Jerusalem, it was argued, would never fall to the enemy. But
Jeremiah made it clear that the Lord might well fight against His own city (Jer. 21).
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For the true church, the promise (which is also reflected in Ps. 48) stands: the city of
the Great King will never be taken by the enemy. Gog and Magog will be defeated (Rev.
20:7-10; see also Ezek. 38-39). "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of
God" (46:4; Rev. 22:1; Ezek. 47:1ff).
From Sinai to Zion. Psalm 68 is sometimes called the "Huguenot psalm." David begins
this psalm with the words spoken by Moses in the wilderness whenever the ark set out
again, although he does not quote them exactly as they appear in Numbers 10:35. It
may be that this psalm has something to do with the entry of the ark into Jerusalem.
From Sinai the Lord went to His mountain of Zion, which He chose above all other
mountains. The purpose of the exodus and the entry into Canaan was to establish
Israel's holy place on Jerusalem's mountain—hence the movement from Sinai to Zion.
This psalm was finally fulfilled in Christ, who ascended into heaven and was seated at
God's right hand, subjecting all opposition and giving rich gifts to His church (Eph. 4:7ff;
see also Ps. 47 and 132).
The "songs of Zion." The New Testament does not include a separate book of Psalms, for
the Old Testament psalms are also intended for our use and edification. Aren't we
children of the promise, children of the heavenly Jerusalem, which is free and is our
mother? (Gal. 4:28, 26). Aren't we on our way to the heavenly Jerusalem (the city of the
living God) and Mount Zion? (Heb. 12:22).
All the "songs of Zion" (137:3) are for us to sing. We should rejoice that redemptive
history has advanced in Christ since these songs were sung in the temple, which was
destroyed and rebuilt twice.

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10. The Psalms and the Messiah
Psalm 2. The psalter opens with two psalms placed there expressly as an introduction.
Psalm 1 tells us about the "two ways," and Psalm 2 is a royal psalm. Then come some
psalms of David, including a morning song (Ps. 3), an evening song (Ps. 4), and another
morning song (Ps. 5). We read a good deal about David's struggles, but also about the
gentle peace that came over him.
Psalm 2 is an excellent psalm to place at the beginning. David walks in the way of the
Lord (see Ps. 1). He is the king chosen by God.
When a king in the ancient Near East ascended the throne, he could count on opposition,

27
especially from his vassals. (Is it any different today?) In Israel there was also
opposition to the lawful king: think of Saul's followers, Absalom, and so forth. But what
does Psalm 2 say about this opposition? "He who sits in the heavens laughs" (vs. 4).
Israel's king was the Lord's anointed. Opposition to him represented rebellion against the
Lord, for it was the Lord who had made David king over Zion, His holy mountain. Of this
king God said: "You are my son, today I have begotten you" (vs. 7).
Provisional fulfillment. In II Samuel 7 we read about the promise the Lord made to David
through Nathan. Psalm 2 points back to this promise. Although David's kingship
represented a provisional fulfillment of the promise, the real fulfillment came in Jesus,
the anointed Son of God, which is why Psalm 2 speaks of "my son" and the Lord's
"anointed."
The Pentecost church can well sing Psalm 2 in its hour of need (Acts 4:24ff). Revelation
depicts Jesus as the King who will smash His enemies with His iron staff as though they
were mere vessels of clay (Rev. 12:5; 19:15; see also Ps.2:9).
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When we read New Testament passages about Jesus as the "Son of God," we should
think of this psalm. And when we use the name Christ, we should bear in mind that it
means anointed, the word used in this psalm. Christ is the anointed King.
Often we are thoughtless and superficial in our approach to Scripture. We fail to realize
that the New Testament also sings the melody of Psalm 2. "Kiss the king, lest the LORD
be angry with you .... Happy are all who find refuge in him" (vs. 12 NEB). The entire
psalter and all of the New Testament are given color by this psalm. "I believe in Jesus,
the anointed One, God's only begotten Son."
Psalm 89. The third book of Psalms closes with Psalm 89, which also mentions the
promise of David. It speaks of the anointing (vs. 20, 38) and of the first-born son (vs.
26-7). But its tone is entirely different from Psalm 2, for it is first and foremost a
lamentation. The reason for lamenting is that the great promise of II Samuel 7 seems to
be coming to naught. David's dynasty has been overthrown by enemies.
In this psalm there is no overweening pride or boasting. It was written by Ethan the
Ezrahite (I Kings 4:31), who was a contemporary of Solomon. It may be that Ethan lived
long enough to see Pharaoh Shishak of Egypt capture Jerusalem and loot the temple (I
Kings 14:25ff), which was a punishment for Judah's sins. "How long, O LORD?" Ethan
asked.
This was a cry for the coming of the true Messiah, who will see to it that the gracious,
trustworthy promises to David (Is. 55:3; Ps. 89:49) and the covenant with Israel are
fulfilled. Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the suffering of David's house, is the
answer to this psalm. "He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom
there will be no end" (Luke 1:33).

[64]
To God, the Lord, belongs escape
from death (68:20).

11. The Meaning of Deliverance in the Psalms

"Earthly" deliverance. In Jesus Christ the meaning of the Psalms becomes transparent.
God's kingship is revealed. There is not one square inch of territory that He does not
claim as His own.
We sometimes hear the complaint that the Psalms speak only of "earthly" deliverance, of
rescue from mortal dangers, while remaining silent about our wonderful future, rarely
mentioning it and leaving the whole matter vague. People who talk this way about the
Psalms — or the entire Old Testament — proceed from the assumption that this life is
essentially an illusion without much substance. Real life is life in heaven, and that's just
what the Psalms seem to be silent about.

28
But who gives us the right to attach so little significance to earthly life? Hasn't this life
been given to us by the Lord? Hasn't He made us responsible for what we do here? What
the Psalms give us is a series of responses to God's Word. Theirs is not the language of
people "in heaven" but of people who live in the midst of the perils and battering of
human existence. From this hazardous existence they cry out to the Lord — and receive
an answer. They know that the Lord will stand by His promises, that He will assume
responsibility for them.
We should not complain that the deliverance spoken of in the Psalms is only
"temporary." This is not a fair evaluation of the Lord's deeds. Deliverance from a par-
ticular peril at a certain point in time is intended as a sign that the Lord provides for His
people and looks after them. In childlike faith we should then be led to conclude that the
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Lord will look after everything else too. Before the eyes of His chosen ones, Yahweh
will shatter every enemy, including death in all its forms.
The problem of life. There are some psalms that devote themselves expressly to the
"problem" of death—or better, the problem of life. Psalm 49 is a "wisdom song" that
reflects on the power of death, the enemy that spares no one. The rich fool also falls. We
read: "But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me" (vs.
15).
Psalm 73 speaks similar language. When Asaph enters the sanctuary, he discovers that
the prosperity of the wicked is only a matter of appearance.
Thou dost guide me with thy counsel,
and afterward thou wilt receive me to glory.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever (vs. 24, 26).
Isn't this a summary of everything unfolded in the New Testament?
Victory over death. David testifies in Psalm 16 that he is sure that his life will be spared
long enough for him to carry out his task as king (see also I Sam. 25:29). Both Peter in
his Pentecost address (Acts 2:25ff) and Paul in his address at the synagogue in Antioch
(Acts 13:35ff) take this to be a prophecy about Christ's victory over death, the enemy
that seemed capable of swallowing everything before it.
David declares: "Thou dost not give me up to Sheol" (16:10). Jesus Christ holds the
"keys of Death and Hades" (Rev. 1:18). His church will not be locked inside the gates of
Sheol. Jesus Christ will do what the Psalms speak of repeatedly, namely, vindicate His
church.
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The meaning of the Psalms is not limited to this life. The Psalms make us sing of
God's promises—both for this life and for the life to come. They help us take our stand in
this life through Jesus Christ and enable us to glory in the deliverance He has won for us.

29
[67]
Proverbs
1. Wisdom from Above
Practical insight. A proverb (mashal) contains practical insight into life; it gives
expression to a universally valid truth. The people of Indonesia say: "The coconut
doesn't land far from the coconut tree." In the Netherlands one often hears: "The apple
doesn't fall far from the tree." Ezekiel declares: "Behold, every one who uses proverbs
will use this proverb about you, 'Like mother, like daughter' " (Ezek. 16:44). When we
think along these lines, we say, "Like father, like son!" or, "A chip off the old block!"
Parallels. Archeologists have come up with many examples of ancient proverbs in their
excavations in Egypt and other Near Eastern countries. Some scholars zealously point
out the parallels between such proverbs and what we read in the Bible. A certain Amen-
em-opet, who lived in the seventh or sixth century B.C., declared:
Do not carry off the landmark at the boundaries of the arable land,
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Nor disturb the position of the measuring-cord;
Be not greedy after a cubit of land,
6
Nor encroach upon the boundaries of a widow.
In the book of Proverbs we read:
Remove not the ancient landmark
which your fathers have set (22:28).
The LORD tears down the house of the proud,
but maintains the widow's boundaries (15:25).
Do not remove an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless;
for their Redeemer is strong;
he will plead their cause against you (23:10-11).
Some time ago, the proverbs of a sage named An-cheshesjonq were published. They,
too, are reminiscent of the book of Proverbs, for the sage declares that it is better to live
in a small house that you own than in a large house that someone else owns, and that it
is better to preserve a small amount of property than to squander a large amount.
The formal similarities between such proverbs and those found in the Bible shouldn't
surprise us, for the Bible itself compares Solomon's wisdom to the wisdom of the wise
men of the East and of Egypt. "Where then are your wise men?" Isaiah asks the land of
the Nile (Is. 19:12), which was famous for wisdom. Jeremiah asks Edom:
Is wisdom no more in Teman?
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Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom vanished? (Jer. 49:7).
An international commodity. Wisdom, then, is an international commodity (see Jer.
50:35; 51:57). At the courts of the ancient Near East, there were teachers who gave in-
struction in practical wisdom for life. They gave good advice to each new generation of
officials by drilling proverbs into them. Once the Israelites got a king and a royal court,
there also appeared in their midst the figure of the teacher of wisdom, gathering and
dispensing wisdom (chokmah). Proverbs is not the only book of wisdom literature in the
Bible: Ecclesiastes, Job, and Psalm 49 also fall into this category.
In considering the parallels between the book of Proverbs and other wisdom literature,
remember that two things that look the same from the outside are not always the same
on the inside. When Ezekiel says, "Like mother, like daughter," he uses a general truth

6
"The Instruction of Amen-em-opet," in Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament,
3rd edition, ed. James B. Pritchard (Princeton University Press, 1969), p. 422.

30
to shed light on a particular incident in covenant history, namely, the rebellion of the
unfaithful covenant people. And when the book of Proverbs speaks about maintaining the
widow's boundaries, it is not making a declaration about universal human rights but is
pointing to definite stipulations in the law of the Lord (Deut. 19:14; 27:17; see also Job
24:2; Hos. 5:10).
God's Word as background. The foundation of the book of Proverbs is the Lord and His
chosen ones, His church. What we read in the book of Proverbs is the wisdom of Israel's
Redeemer; this book gives us wisdom from above (James 3:17), a wisdom that cannot
be equated with general human wisdom.
Tales about the gods form the background of the Egyptian proverbs, but the background
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of the Biblical proverbs is the Word of God. Indeed, we encounter Wisdom as a
person in the book of Proverbs. In the final analysis, the one speaking to us in this book
is Jesus Christ, who is given to us by God as our wisdom (I Cor. 1:30).
He teaches us, poor fools that we are, how to stand firm in the midst of life with its
dazzling variety and how to become wise unto salvation. If we don't listen as He speaks,
we remain fools. "Yet wisdom is justified by all her children" (Luke 7:35).

2. The Beginning of Wisdom—for the Righteous

Main divisions. The book of Proverbs can be divided as follows. (1) Chapters 1-9 form an
introduction. (2) In 10:1—22:16 we find proverbs of Solomon. In chapters 10-15, the
contrast between the righteous and the godless is present in virtually every verse. (3) In
22:17—24:34 are recorded the sayings of certain wise men. (4) Chapters 25-29 give us
more proverbs of Solomon. (5) In chapter 30 we read the words of Agur, the son of
Jakeh. (6) In 31:1-9 we are given the words of Lemuel, king of Massa, "which his
mother taught him." (7) In 31:10-31 we find the alphabetical song of the virtuous wife.
My "son." In the introduction, the teacher of wisdom speaks to his student and calls him
his "son." You may recall that Jesus also addressed His disciples as His "children." In the
ancient Near East, the teacher was always the "father" and the disciple sitting at his feet
his "son." Paul also spoke of Timothy as his "child" (I Cor. 4:17; I Tim. 1:2; II Tim. 1:2;
2:1; see also Titus 1:4).
This does not conflict with Christ's rejection of the title Father (Matt. 23:9), for Paul
points out that he, Paul, is a father by virtue of his work in spreading the gospel. To the
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Corinthians he writes: "You have only one father. For in Christ Jesus you are my
offspring, and mine alone, through the preaching of the Gospel" (I Cor. 4:15 NEB).
There is a similar bond between the teacher and the disciple in the book of Proverbs.
This bond is determined by the Word of God, the wisdom of God, which is justified in its
"children." The teacher declares: "My son, keep my words. Write them on the tablet of
your heart" (7:1, 3; see also Jer. 31:33). The language of the covenant God is the
background of the book of Proverbs.
Respect and childlike obedience. When we examine this introduction further, we see that
the issue in Israel's book of wise sayings is not "universal" wisdom. The wisdom is
intended for the righteous (see, for example, 3:33; 4:18; 11:10, 18-19), that is, the
children of the covenant who wish to live in the fear of the Lord. "The fear of the LORD is
the beginning of knowledge" (1:7).
This "fear" is not "Angst" or anxiety but a respect and childlike obedience. And this
respect is not an awe we feel at the thought of a "supreme being" of undetermined
nature, one who rewards the virtuous, but a fear of Yahweh, Israel's covenant God, who
wishes to inscribe the book of His covenant upon the tablet of our hearts. Moreover, this
"knowledge" is not purely intellectual awareness or rational wisdom but practical
7
knowledge applicable to daily life.

7
Thanks to the efforts of Calvin, an academy was opened in Geneva in 1559. The rosettes in the

31
[72]
The ways of wisdom. Note how often the words way and path appear in the
introduction. Perhaps you should mark those passages in your Bible.
The path of the wicked (4:14) and the way of the foreign woman (7:25, 27) must be
avoided, for they lead to death. Understanding will save us from the way of evil, from
those who forsake the paths of righteousness to walk in the ways of darkness (2:12-13).
The ways of wisdom are pleasant. Wisdom is a tree of life for those who cling to it (3:17-
18).
In the New Testament, Christian teaching is sometimes called "the way" (Acts 9:2;
18:25-6; 22:4; 24:14). And Jesus spoke of Himself as the Way, the Truth (i.e. the
fulfillment of promises), and the Life.
It is Jesus Christ, the eternal Wisdom of God, who speaks to us in the book of Proverbs.
He was with God "in the beginning." When we read this statement in John 1, we must
think of what Proverbs says about the Wisdom: "Ages ago I was set up, at the first,
before the beginning of the earth" (8:23).
Redeemed life. Through Proverbs, too, Jesus Christ leads His chosen ones in the way of
life. Wisdom holds its own feast (9:1ff), where we see what it has to offer. Therefore we
must choose with the heart:
Keep your heart with all vigilance;
for from it flow the springs of life (4:23).
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This text is quoted often, which is a reason for caution in interpreting it. It does not
mean that life or existence— whether in the good or the bad sense—is determined by
the heart. The word life is not to be understood here in the neutral sense of mere
existence but in the fuller sense of redeemed life.
The heart that lets itself be led by wisdom is like a fountain or spring of paradisal life.
Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: "Whoever drinks of the water that
I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a
spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14).

3. Daily Life and the Ten Words of the Covenant

All of life in review. The revelation of the Lord does not fall into our laps out of a clear
blue sky; it is not so "heavenly" that it has no relation whatsoever to ordinary human
existence. We were not given the Bible so that we could lock up God's commands in our
hearts without ever working them out and applying them to the complications of day-to-
day living.
Scripture rejects the idea that the righteous live a "sacred" life as well as a "profane" life,
arranging things in the profane sphere as they please, while always being careful to
leave a bit of room for "religion" as a separate department. No, the Lord makes claims
on all of human existence, including trade and industry, family and marriage, rulers and
subjects. In the book of Proverbs, all of human life with its endless complications passes
in review. In lively succession, a bewildering variety of practical topics is taken up.
Striking comparisons and metaphors are thrown in, drawn from the life of nature as well
as the human social world.
[74]
If the book of Psalms makes us think of Handel or Bach, the book of Proverbs
reminds us of the paintings of Pieter Brueghel and Jan Steen and the poetry of Jacob

roof above the entrance, which was supported by pillars, bore fragments of the following texts: (1)
Proverbs 9:1, in French, (2) Proverbs 5:1, in Hebrew, (3) Proverbs 1:7, also in Hebrew, (4) I
Corinthians 1:30, in Greek, and (5) James 3:17, in German. It is significant that these texts—of all
texts—were chosen to embellish the entrance to an educational institution that had such influence
on the Reformation in Europe. This indicates that Calvin, whose age set very high intellectual
standards, knew how to distinguish between two kinds of "wisdom." Humanism allowed reason a
higher standing than Scripture, but the Reformation insisted that the wisdom of Scripture must
take precedence over rational thought.

32
Cats. For us, as twentieth century inhabitants of the Western world, Proverbs is an
overwhelming flood of sayings in which the topic changes constantly. Therefore we
would do well to take the introduction to Proverbs seriously.
Threatened by dangers. The teacher of wisdom seeks to give leadership to his disciples,
who are threatened by the dangers of wealth, wasteful and elaborate feasts, courtesans,
and other temptations of court life, which are increasing. He seeks to train them in the
fear of the Lord and bind them to the path of the righteous. How else could he
accomplish this than by reminding them of the words of the covenant, that is, by
explaining the ten commandments God gave Israel?
The meaning of the various proverbs as well as the overall intent of the book will become
clear if you bear this in mind. What this book gives us is not general wisdom about life.
Instead, daily life is confronted with the Word of God. The Ten Words are upheld and
applied on the level of "ordinary" human existence. Only when we grasp this point are
we in a position to enjoy Proverbs properly.
Elements of humor. Think of the outstanding sketches of human vices in 25:24, 24:30ff,
and 23:29ff. Could the point be made any clearer? We see the quarrelsome woman in
her "expensive" home, the sluggard taking his afternoon nap and being overtaken by
poverty, and the man enslaved by wine. Instead of immediately trying to deduce
something from these texts, we should allow plenty of time to let the impressions sink
in. Many of the proverbs are paintings in themselves, and many contain elements of
humor. In some we see the tables turned unexpectedly. All that we read in Proverbs
speaks to us directly:
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Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country.
Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
It is not good to eat much honey,
so be sparing of complimentary words.
A man without self-control
is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
a curse that is causeless does not alight.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the back of fools (25:25—26:3).
Could anyone possibly say it in a more pithy way?
Taking up various examples, we will now see how Proverbs gives us an illuminating
commentary on what is involved in God's commandments. You would do well to read
through the entire book of Proverbs once from this point of view, putting numbers in the
margin to indicate which commandment the various proverbs deal with.

4. The Fifth Commandment

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
he will give delight to your heart (29:17).
The rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother (29:15).
If one curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in utter darkness (20:20).
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My son, fear the LORD and the king (see I Pet. 2:17),
and do not disobey either of them;
for disaster from them will rise suddenly,

33
 and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? (24:21-2).
Because proverbs were used so extensively in the training of government and court
officials, we also read such admonitions as:
Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or stand in the place of the great
(see Matt. 20:20ff; Luke 22:24ff);
for it is better to be told, "Come up here,"
than to be put lower in the presence of the prince
(25:6-7; see also Luke 14:7ff).

5. The Sixth Commandment

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
for you will heap coals of fire on his head,
and the LORD will reward you (25:21-2).
This text requires some commentary. First of all, it shows us that the New Testament is
not alone in recommending mercy; in fact, it only echoes what is already to be found in
the Old Testament. Consider the commandment recorded in Exodus 23:4-5, and don't
forget how Elisha ordered that a group of captured Syrian soldiers be given a meal and
not be slain (II Kings 6:22-3). In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught that we must
love our enemies (Matt. 5:44); Paul also quoted the text from Proverbs that we are con-
sidering (Rom. 12:20).
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The idea of heaping coals of fire on someone's head has become a general proverb
8
outside the Biblical context. Just what this expression means, of course, is not easy to
determine. Perhaps this proverb is referring to the agonies of conscience: the enemy
whose evil acts are repaid with good suffers the tortures of self-reproach.
If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, "Behold, we did not know this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not requite man according to his work? (24:10-12).

6. The Seventh Commandment

Sex life. Proverbs sings the praises of the virtuous housewife (31:10-31). A woman who
fears the Lord is to be valued highly. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is vain.
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This is not to say that the book of Proverbs attaches no significance or value to sex
life. On the contrary, we read:
Find joy with the wife you married in your youth,
fair as a hind, graceful as a fawn.
Let hers be the company you keep,
hers the breasts that ever fill you with delight,
hers the love that ever holds you captive (5:18-19 JB).

8
There are more examples of proverbs that have taken on a life of their own in our culture. "A
hoary head is a crown of glory" (16:31). Man proposes, but God disposes (see 16:33). He who
digs a pit for someone else Will fall into it himself (see 26:27). "Go to the ant, thou sluggard" (6:6
KJV). To give to the poor is to lend to the Lord (see 19:17). "Pride goes before destruction, and a
haughty spirit before a fall" (16:18; see also 18:12). Humility goes before honor (see 18:12).
Repay evil with good (see 17:13). We also find well-known proverbs in 11:22; 14:10, 34; 18:19,
24; 20:14; 22:6; 27:7, 17.

34
This is clear language. Proverbs also emphasizes that the wife must love her husband.
Thus "natural" life is not cast aside. Isn't the Lord the Creator of nature and the human
body?
In this age, in which all our certainties are being shaken, we would do well to keep the
Bible's appreciation of life's value in mind. There's nothing wrong with enjoying life; in
fact, man is told to enjoy life with the wife he loves (Eccl. 9:9).
Sex and service. An appreciation of life's value must be based on the realization that
there is a certain order in living. This also comes out in Proverbs (see ch. 5 and 6:20—
7:27). Sex and the service of the Lord belong together. Therefore a man must choose
the right woman to be his wife. Not just any woman—even if she belongs to the
covenant people—is suitable.
Now, there's nothing wrong with a woman being good-looking, charming and attractive.
"A gracious woman gets honor," we read (11:16). Yet, a woman's attractiveness and
charm should be a sign of noble character.
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman without good sense (11:22 NEB).
The important thing, then, is to choose the right woman.
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He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
and obtains favor from the LORD (18:22).
House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is from the LORD (19:14).

7. The Ninth Commandment

Sins of the tongue. This commandment covers sins of the tongue, including such
offenses as arguing, slander and quarreling. What a wealth of wise words we find in the
book of Proverbs!
Today, just as in Old Testament times, people's feelings are quickly stirred up. We still
don't seem to know when to speak and when to remain silent. This leads to all sorts of
problems and unfortunate situations. We could save ourselves so much grief by
restraining ourselves!
There are people who feel they must fight everything out and "stand up for their rights."
If only they would read Proverbs and listen to its sound advice! In Proverbs patience and
tolerance are praised:
Experience uses few words;
discernment keeps a cool head.
Even a fool, if he holds his peace, is thought wise;
keep your mouth shut and show your good sense (17:27-8 NEB).
Better be slow to anger than a fighter,
better govern one's temper than capture a city (16:32 NEB).
We should stay away from quarrels; in fact, we should fear them.
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He who forgives an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend (17:9).
Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all offenses (10:12; see also I Cor. 13:5).
The beginning of strife is like letting out water;
so quit before the quarrel breaks out (17:14).
He who meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears (26:17).

35
 For lack of wood the fire goes out;
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife (26:20-1).
If only we would constantly keep these wise sayings in mind! Then there would be much
less arguing and quarreling—in the church and elsewhere. In I Corinthians 13, Paul sings
a similar song: "Love is patient and kind. It does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the
right. Love bears all things" (vs. 4, 6-7; see also Prov. 11:13).
Neither slander nor flattery. Naturally, there are times when one cannot remain silent.
He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue (28:23).
Better is open rebuke.
than hidden love.
Faithful words are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy (27:5-6).
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We must be upright in our relations with one another (see 26:22ff). There must be
no slander, but no flattery either. Time and again the false witness is raked over the
coals (12:7, 19, 22; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9). Judges must not accept bribes (21:14; 18:16).
We must be trustworthy, which means that we must protect the life and honor of others.
Being trustworthy sometimes means remaining silent for the sake of our neighbor, for
the gossip gives away secrets (11:13). Being trustworthy means speaking uprightly
whenever we speak.
He who walks in integrity will be delivered,
but he who is perverse in his ways will fall into a pit (28:18).

8. Numerical Proverbs
A literary device. No doubt you have noticed that Proverbs was written in the same
literary form as many of the Psalms. The book of Proverbs is made up of couplets in
which the second line repeats the thought of the first, or supplements it, or says
something that contrasts with it.
The numerical proverbs, which we find in 6:16-19 and also in chapter 30, represent a
special style within the book. Certain things that have caught the attention of the
teacher of wisdom are mentioned, introduced by a number that is often replaced in the
following line by the next highest number. This literary device makes the reader more
attentive.
There are six things which the LORD hates,
seven which are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
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a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and a man who sows discord among brothers (6:16-19).
What a wealth of revelation Scripture contains! How sharply it criticizes human society,
which is often laced with evil poisons!
Scriptural insight. The Bible abounds in literary forms and styles. It never ceases to
surprise us. Consider this classic passage:
Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
the ants are a people not strong,

36
 yet they provide their food in the summer;
the badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the rocks;
the locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in rank;
9
the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings' palaces (30:24-8).
What is a Christian who lives by the spirit of the Reformation supposed to do with such
texts if his interest in them goes beyond the beauty of the language? A little sobriety can
be helpful in interpretation. We have all heard it said that those who are not strong must
rely on cunning. Now then, what Proverbs offers us is not the shrewd slyness of the
deceiver but genuine wisdom, that is, Scriptural insight into life; it shows us how to
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make use of the possibilities provided by the Lord. That's what the small animals and
10
insects do, and Agur advises us to do so as well.
Wise unto salvation. The Pentecost church, which is weak, can become powerful. It
cannot boast of an impressive organization, but it fills the earth all the same. We are
called not to hover above the clouds but to take up our position in the midst of life and
grab hold of the opportunities God gives us. That's the meaning of wisdom.
The wonderful book of Proverbs is intended to lead us to practical wisdom for daily life.
Keep on reading this book, for it will make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. Proverbs, too, is "inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work" (II Tim. 3:16).

9. Equipped for Every Good Work

The fruit of long observation. The book of Proverbs teaches us how to live our lives as
wise human beings and not as fools. As we saw earlier, it does this in its own way.
While the prophet always speaks out of a particular situation, in Proverbs we see the
teacher of wisdom breaking through to a universal formulation of the truth he expresses.
The prophet intervenes in a particular state of affairs, but the wise man formulates rules
for human life that remain valid at all times. The advice given in Proverbs on finding our
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way through life's tangles is the fruit of long observation. The covenant people—
especially the youth—are taught righteousness.
11
Faithfulness to the covenant. Although worship is virtually never discussed, we should
bear in mind that the proverbs making up this remarkable book were intended for the
people of Israel, the people of the pilgrimages to the temple and the sacrifices in the
sanctuary. It is in Jerusalem, in the temple, that the church is instructed in true wisdom.
Therefore we may not separate the teachings of the law (the torah) from the book of
Proverbs. The knowledge of human misery imparted in its commentary on the ten
commandments drove people to seek atonement and reconciliation with God in the
sanctuary.
However much the teacher of wisdom may have differed from the prophet in his manner
and method of instruction, he knew of no other "way" than that preached by the
prophet—the way of life! The proverbs, like the words of the prophets, call for
righteousness and faithfulness to the covenant.

9
The lizard referred to here is the gecko, which walks on walls and ceilings, making use
of suction pads on its feet.
10
We know nothing about Agur. Was he perhaps an Edomite?
11
The "priestly" element is not entirely absent in the book of Proverbs. We read an exhortation to
bring the first fruits to the Lord (3:9-10), a warning against bringing offerings out of habit without
repentance (14:9; 15:8; 21:3, 27), a warning against bringing offerings with the wrong intention
in mind (21:27), and a warning against rash vows (20:25).

37
The way of salvation. Next to the prophet and the priest, the teacher of wisdom had a
place of his own within the covenant community: his task was to equip the young people
for "every good work." Man, as the prisoner of his own deeds, was to be confronted with
God's judgment—but also with his own responsibility.
The young people were not told fairy tales or edifying fables. No, they were shown life as
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it actually is, for soon they would have to find their own way through life's tangles.
"Wisdom cries aloud in the street" (1:20). What is its message? "My son, if you receive
my words . . . then you will understand righteousness and justice" (2:1, 9).
Proverbs does not give us lessons in ethics or morality. Wisdom teaches us what life is;
it teaches us the way of salvation. Wisdom was passed on by Israel's Redeemer to make
it easier for us.
"And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways" (8:32). Isn't the
entire Pentecost church composed of nobles at the King's court who are called on to keep
watch at the gate of Wisdom's palace?

38
[86]
Ecclesiastes
1. Background and Authorship
A province of a foreign empire. The "preacher" who speaks to us in Ecclesiastes is often
identified as Solomon. Before we accept this conclusion about the book's origin, we
should note that this preacher refers to "all who were over Jerusalem before me" (1:16).
If Solomon were indeed the Preacher, he could point to only one predecessor of his own
house, i.e. David. (It's not likely that he would have referred to the Jebusite kings who
ruled Jerusalem before David captured it.)
The name Solomon does not appear in Ecclesiastes, and the Preacher's description of his
era makes us think of a much later time. In 5:8 we read about the oppression of the
poor and the suppression of the people's rights in the province. "The high official is
watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." This makes us think of
the time in history when Jerusalem was a province belonging to a foreign power, e.g.
Persia. The Preacher would then be a son of David's house who ruled Jerusalem as
governor in the name of the foreign empire.
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Such a situation is certainly conceivable, for Zerubbabel, who was of David's house,
did in fact occupy such a position after the return from exile. Hence it is not necessary to
assume that an aged, cynical Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes after he had grown weary of
life. Instead we should accept this book with its contents just as it stands.
National depression. The Preacher's time was an era of national depression. Occupation
by foreigners (Persians or Greeks or Syrians) had led the intelligentsia and the younger
generation to doubt Israel's Messianic calling. What were the Jews to think of God's
control of human history if His promises about "the age" were not fulfilled and it began
to look as though the Messiah would never come? How were the Jews to conduct
themselves in the face of tyrannical injustice? How were they to act toward the
occupying forces on a day-to-day basis? Should they be subservient, or should they let
their feelings show? Could they go along with revolutionary movements? Were they to
avenge all injustice?
Since no Messianic era seemed to be dawning, since the very meaning of existence was
being cast into doubt, since experience showed that it is wiser to compromise and cast in
one's lot with the rising forces of a powerful new empire, the Jews could not help asking
themselves whether it still made sense to serve God. What was the right way to live in
such a situation? Was it a matter of eating and drinking for tomorrow we die? Were the
righteous to quietly waste away because of the social and ethical distress of their nation?
Or was there a better way?
The clash of ideas. It has sometimes been argued that the book of Ecclesiastes is the
outcome of a dialogue, a conference, a forum. Its text would then be the report of a
study committee or a commission of inquiry. Now, there is no good reason for us to
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doubt that Ecclesiastes is the work of a single author. This book is not a report
issued by a religious discussion group but the Word of God coming t J us by way of a
retired governor in Jerusalem, a scholar end teacher of wisdom who digs into the
problems of his time.
The teacher sighs as he contemplates the thought that human life is a never-ending
cycle and considers all that is warped and aged and defective. Some 300 years before
the sirth of the One who seated Himself on David's throne, a son of David of the line of
Nathan (a son of Bathsheba) speaks up. His royal testament, in which the Spirit of Christ
speaks to us, helps us along in our struggles in this possessed world.
As we read some of the "strange" statements in Ecclesiastes, we must bear in mind that
there are no quotation marks in the Bible as it comes to us in the original languages. As
a Biblical author weighed ideas suggested to him by others and incorporated them into
his own train of thought, he would put them down on paper without setting them off

39
from his own convictions by quotation marks. Although Ecclesiastes was written by a
single author, we must not forget that it includes the clash of ideas.

2. Is Life Meaningless?
Fear of the future. Our age has an intense interest in the meaning and purpose of life.
Fear of the future is a dominant motif in our time. The inadequacy of human goodwill
has been thoroughly demonstrated by the two world wars.
Although many thinkers and poets have pondered the meaning of human existence, the
[89]
results they have come up with are meager indeed. They maintain that our life is
irrevocably limited by death, and that all existence is essentially tragic, leading only to
misfortune and failure. All there remains for man is to heroically accept this night
without the prospect of a new dawn.
Man is thrown into a life that leads only to death. Only by looking into the abyss can he
be heroic. This conception of human existence can express itself in terms of resignation.
Yet, such an awareness of life's uselessness can also elevate man and even throttle his
Angst about life.
An awareness of man's fall. In literary and philosophical treatments of this theme, we
sense some awareness of man's fall. But that's as far as it goes: we read nothing about
the Redeemer. In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway tells us about a huge fish
caught by an old man after a long, long struggle: most of the fish is devoured by greedy
sharks before he can even get it to shore. While it is only a story, it does express a
complaint about life.
In The Pearl, Steinbeck tells of how an Indian finds a pearl that leads to great
misfortune. Behind this story is an outlook on life, a "prophecy," if you will. Man may
think he has found a pearl of great value, but in the end he is disappointed and his effort
is wasted. The Indian, who promises his newly born child a great future on the basis of
the pearl, has to flee when robbers try to steal it. Finally the child dies after being hit by
a wild gunshot from one of the robbers. Is there anything left to man but his fallenness?
Even if that's what things add up to, there are many who are not satisfied with an
attitude of passivity. Their heroic response to this cursed existence is a frantic freedom
in which they skim the cream off the top of life, losing themselves in its many and varied
[90]
postures. Fallen man is a law unto himself: he makes the best of this life, for it could
have been a lot worse. The disappointment, anxiety, lausea, and flight from reality often
result in a decision to throw oneself away by giving one's desires and passions free
reign.
A philosophy of despair. What about Ecclesiastes? Doesn't this book have a great deal in
common with today's philosophy of despair? Doesn't the Preacher join Heidegger in
declaring that human life is "Being-towards-death" (Sein zum Tode)! Doesn't he join
Jaspers in recognizing that our being-in-the-world will necessarily lead to shipwreck?
The Preacher begins by complaining about the fruitlessness, the vanity, of all existence.
Isn't Abel the first human being to die, a figure we could use to typify the human race in
general? The name Abel (Hebrew: Habel) means a breath, vapor, vanity. We hear this
name echoed when the Preacher says "Habel habalim" (Vanity of vanities). Everything is
vanity (habel). "What does a man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?"
asks the Preacher (1:3). Aren't we dangerously close here to the nausea described by
Sartre?

3. Back to Genesis 1-4

A message to proclaim. At first glance the book of Ecclesiastes does not seem to belong
in the Bible. Isn't the wisdom it gives us the same as the wisdom "the world" offers? Is
"the Preacher" really preaching the gospel? Do we hear God's Word in Ecclesiastes, or is
it the voice of experience speaking? Does the Preacher exhibit the genuine piety and
trust in the Lord that we find throughout the Psalms, for example? Is his book, which

40
 [91]
paints such a dark picture of man and gives voice to such unsparing criticism of
human life, truly edifying? Does it build us up in our faith?
When we take a closer look at this strange book, we find that it does indeed preach to
us. The message it proclaims is what the Heidelberg Catechism calls our misery. The
Preacher is not just describing what experience has shown him about the vanity and
corruption and uselessness of existence. No, he looks at reality in the light of revelation.
The Preacher is well acquainted with Genesis 1-4, that is, with the creation of the world
by God and man's freely chosen fall into sin. "Behold, this alone I found, that God made
man upright, but they have sought out many devices" (7:29). The Preacher also
declares: "He has made everything beautiful in its time" (3:11). In these words we hear
something of God's jubilation in Paradise: "And God saw everything that he had made,
and behold, it was very good."
Judgment and promises. Man spoiled everything, and now his life is subject to the curse
of Paradise. He is dust, and he will return to dust. In the sweat of his brow he will eat his
bread. His cursed existence involves endless labor and drudgery. All this is echoed in
Ecclesiastes:
Naked from his mother's womb he came, as naked as he came he will
depart again; nothing to take with him after all his efforts. This is a
grievous wrong, that as he came, so must he go; what profit can he show
after toiling to earn the wind, as he spends the rest of his days in
darkness, grief, worry, sickness, and resentment? (5:14-16 JB).
But Ecclesiastes does not talk only about man's misery; the Preacher also mentions the
last judgment (11:9; 12:14; 8:8; see also Rom. 2:16; I Cor. 4:5; II Cor. 5:10).
[92]
Furthermore, he knows of the promises made to the righteous. Man cannot fathom
and understand everything; he lacks Ihe "wisdom" for that. All the same, he can accept
life— as long as he remembers his Creator.
Despite all the misery under the sun, he can say: "Light s sweet, and it is pleasant for
the eyes to behold the sun" (11:7). His advice is: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it
with all your might" (9:10 NIV). Thus the Preacher speaks to us in positive terms about
serving God, which is not meaningless.
Something new under the sun. In the light of the New Testament, the meaning of his
message becomes clearer, for in Christ there is something new under the sun. The
oppressive cycle has been broken. When we sigh, we can do so in hope, for the struggles
and labor of the church are not in vain: they are the work of the Lord (I Cor. 15:58).
We must open our ears to the sighing of the entire creation, which is subject to the
Preacher's verdict of vanity. Those sounds are labor pains indicating that birth is
imminent—and not the moaning of death. "For the creation waits with eager longing for
the revealing of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19). Even if experience continues to say,
"Vanity of vanities!", in faith we cling to a hope that will not be put to shame.

4. The Perspective of Faith

A tiresome cycle. The theme of Ecclesiastes is announced in 1:2 and repeated in the last
chapter (12:8). Throughout much of the rest of the book, this theme is worked out.
If man were to depend on experience alone, he would have to admit that life is a
tiresome, never-ending cycle.
[93]
There is nothing new under the sun. All the streams flow out to the sea, but the sea
never fills up. How could there possibly be anything new? What must we do to find hap-
piness? Should we follow the way of wisdom? (1:12-18). Or should we lose ourselves in
the various pleasures available to man? (2:1-11).
We must not pursue pleasure, for that turns out to be vanity and a striving after wind.
Wise men and fools suffer the same fate. It's enough to make one collapse in despair.

41
God's gifts. The Preacher doesn't actually go that far, for he points out that it is God who
has ordered all things. It is not in man's power to simply eat, drink and enjoy himself in
the midst of his toil and misery, for everything comes to us from the hand of God (2:24-
6; 3:11 ff).
Life comes to us as a gift from God. It is God who determines the time and the hour for
everything. God brings back what is past and creates the oppressive cycle of birth,
growth, decline, and death. Why? In order to make man fear Him! (3:14).
Man must understand his own nothingness and misery, his dependence on the sovereign
God. The longing for the coming Messianic "era" is laid in his heart (3:11). Man is driven
to try to find everything out, but he cannot. All there is left for him to do is to confess
God's sovereign power and his own calling to fear the Lord.
Sifting humanity. The Preacher's inquiring eye goes still further. Is there Messianic light
breaking through anywhere? Do we see a new world order emerging? Alas, just where
the judgment seat of David's house once stood, injustice reigns. It is true that God will
judge, but the final judgment is still far away. God is sifting humanity. The lot of all men
is the same: they die like animals and return to dust. When a man dies, we do not see
his spirit ascending to God, who gave it. There is no comfort to be drawn from
[94]
experience, then. Day by day man must live in sheer dependence and gratitude
(3:16-22).
All around us we see injustice and greed (4:1-12); we see how fragile popularity is (vs.
13-16). Things don't look much more promising when we turn to "spiritual life." Just look
around in the temple. People weary themselves and the Lord with their foolish offerings;
they try to hitch God to their own wagons by promises that often turn out to be empty
words. God certainly takes no pleasure in a vain stream of words: obedience is always
better than sacrifice. A torrent of words is not a foundation on which to build one's life
(5:1-6).
What about wealth? Anyone who does not realize that life is a gift of God is a pauper
(5:19-20). This we must bear in mind as we contemplate the figure of the rich fool.
Doesn't Psalm 49 tell us that no man can ransom himself? Who can judge anyone
stronger than himself? (6:10). We can't help thinking of the book of Job as we read this.
What is man, with all his strength and wealth, able to achieve over against God?

Fear God, honor the king

(I Pet. 2:17 NIV).

5. Obedience and Government

A series of proverbs. From chapter 7 of Ecclesiastes on, it's harder to see just what the
Preacher is getting at: we seem to be faced with a long series of more or less indepen-
dent proverbs. Yet, if we bear in mind that the Preacher is speaking out of the political,
social and cultural situation of his time we will catch sight of the line of thought con-
necting all the proverbs.
[95]
Profiteers and collaborators are interested in immediate, short-term gains. Yet, even
the life of a puffed-up opportunist and upstart has its sure limit—death. Judgment will
come afterward. Therefore we should be patient and not complain about how bad our
times are in comparison with the good old days (7:8-10).
Reminders of Christ. In the context of these proverbs, we hear a warning against
excessive righteousness (vs. 16). It is for God to judge; man, in his righteous zeal, must
not make the mistake of thinking that he can ensure that the judgment is favorable. But
this warning is no excuse for an opportunistic attitude either: man is also warned against
excessive wickedness (vs. 17). Even if lawlessness makes the love of many grow cold,
man must cling to the unshaken norms. He must obey the tyrant, the ruler, the king.

42
In Ecclesiastes we are repeatedly reminded of the words of Christ, for instance, in the
comments on the rich man and the call for patience. We have another such reminder
when the Preacher seems to say: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's." The
Preacher offers an argument in favor of this advice: we are to obey the king's commands
because of our "sacred oath" (8:2), which we have sworn before God. True wisdom,
then, is not revolutionary. The non-Israelite ruler also rules by the grace of God.
God's unfathomable ways. The people of the ancient Near East loved repetition and used
it to reach a certain climax in their train of thought. Ecclesiastes gives us an example of
this. Various themes pass in review. It is emphasized that God's control of events in this
world is unfathomable. Because judgment seems to be delayed so long, many seize the
opportunity to do as they please. But the Preacher knows better than that: those who
[96]
fear God will prosper, but it will not go well with the wicked (8:12-13).
There is an equalization of sorts that takes place before our very eyes, for one fate
awaits all—the righteous and the wicked, the clean and the unclean, those who offer
sacrifices and those who don't (9:1ff)- Wisdom is despised. The story of the poor wise
man who saved the city only to be forgotten later illustrates this. A little folly is stronger
than wisdom. That's simply how things go in the world (9:13—10:3). Just look behind
the scenes: study politics and watch governments in operation. People are passed over
constantly and ignored, as snobbishness wins out. The walls have ears. Even a poor
government must be respected (10:4ff).

6. All Things Made New

One day at a time. What, then, is the duty of man? Is he to be outraged at injustice?
Must he seek to fathom God's work? Not at all. Man must face life one day at a time.
Each new day brings enough problems and difficulties without us probing the cosmic
depths of evil.
Yet we must not get stuck in a rut. We cannot get to the bottom of everything. In the
final analysis, we must accept life, dealing firmly with its problems and challenges.
Don't argue needlessly! If you worry too much about the weather, you'll never get
around to sowing—to say nothing of reaping. We should calmly enjoy God's gifts in
marriage, in culture, in our work (9:7ff; 11:1ff).
The Preacher's message is that we must accept life in a world of pain and sorrow. This
message focuses our attention on the two poles of human existence—our origin and our
[97]
destiny, that is, where we have come from and where we are going. Man must think
of his Creator, the one who made him, without forgetting that his Creator is also his
Judge. We must not be led astray by new philosophical ideas, for what it all boils down
to is: "Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For
God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil"
(12:13-14).
Let the young people, the hope of the church, live by this rule. Then the Preacher's
words about the vanity of life will benefit them. They will realize that they must work
while it is yet day. God's gift, the gift of life, must be understood as a task.
A beautiful allegory. The last chapter of Ecclesiastes contains a beautiful allegory in
which the human body is compared to a run-down house. As we read it, we think of the
words of Paul: "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a
building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (II Cor. 5:1).
In Christ, our life, our existence, our body is not in vain. Because of Christ, the refrain
"Vanity of vanities!" is not the last word, for all things are made new.
As a royal testament, the book of Ecclesiastes asks us to accept life. It has become the
testament of the Great King, Jesus Christ, the Son of David. Anxiety about life and con-
tempt for the world have been overcome. Norms are not undermined and destroyed by
doubts about the meaning of existence. Neither a wholly passive spirit nor lawless

43
passion can be tolerated. The youth who wants to recognize no constraints must let
himself be led by the norms of God's salutary commandments.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your
[98]
youth; walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for
all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Remove vexation from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the
dawn of life are vanity.
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and
the years draw nigh, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"; before the sun
and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the
rain; in the day when the keepers of the house tremble [hands], and the strong men are
bent [legs], and the grinders cease because they are few [teeth], and those that look
through the windows are dimmed [eyes], and the doors on the street are shut [ears];
when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the
daughters of song are brought low [voice] (11:9—12:4).
Building during the spring. The book of Ecclesiastes gives us an answer to the weary
questions of our time. Youth is called to build during the spring, in the light of the
coming day of the world's Creator, Judge and Redeemer.
God's Word requires us to be open to guidance from heaven (Phil. 3:20), but it does not
suggest that we are only to nibble at the good gifts God has given. In a refrain that
recurs seven times (2:24-6; 3:12-15; 3:22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-10; 11:7ff), the
Preacher tells us to rejoice, to enjoy life with the wife we love, to indulge ourselves in
the good things of life.
He does not advise us to lead a happy-go-lucky, carefree life, for we are to remember
our Creator and Judge. Neither does he preach a weary acquiescence or an avoidance of
the world or a way of life that involves as little as possible of what the world contains.
[99]
We, as twentieth century Christians, must pass this message on to the hippies, the
uncommitted, and those who live in despair. E. T. van den Born writes:
If we, as Christ's church, actually give up this world and concentrate all our hopes on
going to heaven after we die and also take the other articles of our universal and un-
doubted Christian faith with us on our "pilgrim's journey" only for old times' sake, then
Ecclesiastes will surely remain the least read Bible book for us. Its problems, its
struggles, its tears will no longer move us. After all, aren't we on our way to Jesus? But
when we bear in mind that our deliverance has already begun—Golgotha, Christ's
resurrection, His ascension into heaven, Pentecost—and that Christ must triumph in this
world all down the line if we are to receive the crown of life, we finally begin to
understand the Preacher with his sorrows and joys. What moved him is ultimately what
12
moves us as well, namely, the restoration of all things in Christ Jesus.

12
De Wijsheid van den Prediker (Kampen, 1939), p. 140.

44
[100]
Song of Songs
1. Sex and Grace
A pure part of the creation. In some English Bibles, Ecclesiastes is followed by the "Song
of Solomon" (e.g. the King James Bible and the Revised Standard Version). More recent
translations call it the "Song of Songs," which corresponds to the Hebrew title. It is the
most beautiful, the most sublime song, and therefore Luther called it the "Hohe Lied."
Dutch translations have followed his lead by calling it the "Hooglied." In French Bibles it
is called the "Cantique des Cantiques."
This song deals with the most beautiful thing in God's creation, namely, the love-union
of two people committed to each other in marriage. Paul reminds us: "Everything
created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving;
for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer" (I Tim. 4:4-5).
Sin has left its destructive traces here; in fact, sex threatens to become a primary source
of unfaithfulness. Yet this is no reason to cut sex out of our lives. We must not desert, as
[101]
the disciples once wanted to do (Matt. 19:10). All we need to cut out of our lives is
sin, which is always seeking to trap us. Within the circle of the covenant, the Lord makes
our love life, which is a pure part of the original creation, flourish in His merciful love and
grace.
Greek ideas. The Greeks, who succeeded in drilling their philosophy into their cultural
successors in the Western world, regarded the body as the source of evil and misery. To
them the soul was a beautiful bird in an ugly cage. Their ideas seeped into the Christian
world. Think of the monastic movement and the emphasis on asceticism already present
in the early Christian church.
Even the famous Augustine, after his conversion in Milan, chose to follow the lead of
Antony, the Egyptian monk, and lead a life of sexual abstinence. In his Confessions he
writes: "You converted me to yourself, so that I no longer desired a wife or placed any
hope in this world but stood firmly upon the rule of faith, where you had shown me to
her [i.e. his mother] in a dream so many years before. And you turned her sadness into
rejoicing, into joy far fuller than her dearest wish, far sweeter and more chaste than any
13
she had hoped to find in children begotten of my flesh."
Dualistic theories that crept into the church have given rise to the idea that sex life is
somehow lower in value—if not sinful in itself. If we allow ourselves to be governed by
such theories as we approach the Song of Songs, we will find that we don't quite know
what to do with it. We will then be forced to treat it as an allegory, an extensive
metaphor about the relationship between Christ and His church.
[102]
Marriage as a reflection. There's nothing wrong with drawing a parallel between
marriage and Christ's relationship to the church He bought with His blood. Scripture it-
self does so, speaking of Christ as the Bridegroom and of the church as the bride (Rev.
19:7; 22:17). Commenting on the famous text "The two shall become one flesh," Paul
declares: "This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and
the church" (Eph. 5:31-2).
In order to bring into focus the different perspectives on the Song of Songs, we must
recognize that insofar as this book speaks of marriage itself, it invites us to look at
marriage as a reflection of the relationship between the King of the church and His bride.
Just as an intense, pure love, a strong yearning, ties the two major characters in the
Song of Songs together, so there is a mutual attraction between Christ and His church.
Yet this insight does not give us the right to spiritualize everything in the Song of Songs.
We may not interpret it in a way that suggests that it really has nothing to do with

13
VIII-12, R. S. Pine-Coffin translation, published by Penguin Books, pp. 178-9 (italics
omitted).

45
natural human love but is purely "spiritual" in intent.
Love, which it reveals to us as something sweet, wonderful and powerful, is not a mere
image or an unreal reflection. No, it is a gift, a reality, and it is described for us as a fruit
of God's grace. The natural passion we encounter in the Song of Songs is not intended to
provide us with sounds and colors for constructing an allegory dealing with "grace." No,
this book describes "nature" as redeemed by grace; it describes love life as saved by
Christ.

2. A Celebration of Love
A locked garden. Is it because of the old distinction between "nature" and "grace" (which
[103]
we claim to reject) that the open, straightforward language of the Song of Songs
seems so strange to us? To those who are truly pure, there is nothing impure about this
love song in which the bride and the bridegroom speak of each other's physical assets in
an appealing way and express their yearning for each other. All the same, their thoughts
are phrased in language and images that may strike us as somewhat roguish and risque.
The bride is spoken of as a garden, an orchard. Now then, the owner will have to come
and enjoy the fruits (4:12-5:1).
The glory of the ancient Near East is concentrated in the appealing figure of the bride,
who is not a shy, easily embarrassed young woman who withdraws suddenly. To the
young men she is a locked garden, a covered well, but to one man, her beloved, she
opens herself; she responds to his amorous words (7:8-9). In short, she surrenders and
gives herself to him. She is not an unapproachable, frigid bride, nor does she hide the
fact that she is madly in love with her beloved; she is "sick with love" (5:8). Openly she
confesses: "I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me" (7:10).
Two dreams. How close to us this book comes! The young woman is sketched in truly
human terms, with the result that we form a vivid picture of her in our minds. We know
that when two people are in love, they often dream about each other. The Song of Songs
tells us of two such dreams.
In the first dream (3:1ff), the bride seeks her beloved on her bed one night. Of course
she does not find him. She goes outside and finally tracks him down in the city and
brings him to her mother's house. Isn't that a typical lover's dream?
Her other dream (5:2ff) gives us a different picture. While "she" slept, "he" knocked at
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the door, but she did not feel like getting up to open it. Later she was sorry — after
he had already vanished. She looked for him in the city, with the result that the
watchmen beat her and took away her mantle. Now, you don't need an extensive
knowledge of psychology to realize that in this dream, the bride was admitting her own
capriciousness and reproaching herself for it. Isn't that just the sort of thing that
happens when you're in love?
Togetherness. When two people are in love, they want to experience and do everything
together. The coming of spring, for example, is not something for them to enjoy
separately:
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
for lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away (2:10-13).

46
Here the bride tells us what her beloved said. She, too, is eager to witness nature's
growth and regenerative power. She wants to experience all this in the company of her
lover:
Come, my beloved, let us go out into the fields
to lie among the henna-bushes;
let us go early to the vineyards
and see if the vine has budded or its blossom opened,
[105]
if the pomegranates are in flower.
There will I give you my love (7:11-12 NEB).
What a child of nature!
Home and family. She shows us what kind of girl she is when she talks about her older
brothers, who dealt with her somewhat harshly but were also protective toward her
(1:6; 8:8-9). She is tightly bound to her mother as well: more than once we hear her
speak of "my mother." She wants to take her beloved home to her mother's house (3:4;
see also 8:1ff)- Moreover, it was under her mother's apple tree that the two lovers met
for the first time (8:5).
Theirs is not a love that breaks with the home and the parents in a secretive way. On the
contrary, it seeks to share in the cosiness of the parental home:
Ah, why are you not my brother,
nursed at my mother's breast!
Then if I met you out of doors, I could kiss you
without people thinking ill of me (8:1 JB).

3. More Than Solomon

The shepherd and the Shulammite. How open this child is! How spontaneous and free
she is in her relation to her beloved! But who is she? It appears that she is a girl from
the country, a girl accustomed to hard work, her skin darkened by countless hours spent
outdoors.
And who is he? He is presented to us as a shepherd (1:7; 2:16). Yet there are a number
of expressions in the Song of Songs that might lead us to think that this rustic figure is
[106]
actually King Solomon (1:4; 3:7ff; 6:8-9; 8:11-12). While some scholars identify
the shepherd with Solomon, others naintain that Solomon had taken the Shulammite
(i.e. the bride) into his harem, even though she remained devoted to her "first love" (i.e.
the shepherd).
Two royal children. I believe that the Song of Songs need not be interpreted in a way
that makes Solomon an actual character playing a role in the story. Solomon is
mentioned, of course, but only by way of contrast. The poor shepherd feels happier with
his country bride than Solomon ever was with all his wealth and wisdom. In this respect
he has more than Solomon.
The authentic love of the young man and the young woman who sought and found each
other freely stands far above life in the harem, with its distortion of what God has
created, its hypocrisy, its slavish subordination. Solomon in all his glory was never
arrayed like these two royal children who become one in soul and body in accordance
with the creation order. This comes out beautifully in the passage about the vineyard:
Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
he let out the vineyard to keepers;
each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.
My vineyard, my very own, is for myself;
you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,
and the keepers of the fruit two hundred (8:11-12).
Klaas Schilder comments:

47
 Let wealthy Solomon keep what is his—his thousand pieces of silver, his accretion
of capital, his royal domain. The bridegroom does not begrudge Solomon his
possessions, just as the ordinary church member is not envious of those who
hold a special office. The bridegroom has something that Solomon, a ruler living
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in the public eye, does not have .... King Solomon cannot manage all his
property personally; there are all sorts of strangers coming between him and his
property, his vineyard, namely, his watchmen, guards, pruners, grape-treaders,
and rakers. But there is no one to come between the bridegroom and the bride.
His "vineyard" is for him alone to behold: there is no stranger involved in the af-
fairs of this couple. Property and possession go together here, as do possession
and management. Solomon has to give a good part of his vineyard's produce to
people who work for him—at least one fifth of the thousand pieces of silver. But
the bridegroom has complete possession of the bride. All that she is and
produces is exclusively for him. She is indivisible, and so are her profits, for
everything belongs to him. Yet he is of Christ, and Christ is God's.
A bold bride. The shepherd, then, certainly has more than Solomon. His love life rises far
above the marriage practices at the royal courts in the ancient Near East, where a poor
example was set for the people. This man is no tyrant, and his wife is no slave. In an
idyllic setting we see two people giving themselves freely to one another.
Aren't you amazed at the bride's boldness and comradely manner toward her beloved,
which is hardly what one would expect in the East? He takes her, but it is as though she
takes him. Ruth could perhaps have talked her language.
There is something truly royal about their courtship, with no hint of destructive slavery
in their love. Schilder observes:
Whenever a man who fears the Lord takes a wife and she takes him, they are
king and queen, even if he doesn't play the role of king and she doesn't play the
role of queen. It's not a matter of playing a role at all, for in Christ they are
anointed king and queen. There has always been an office of all believers, even
[108]
in the days of the old covenant. Those who hold this office are at the same
time royal figures .... Anyone who reads the Song of Songs in this light will find it
a source of great joy. He will not have to "spiritualize" it, for it is already spiritual
through and through; all of it is spiritual. Does this mean that it is not natural?
Don't ask such a foolish question: the spiritual is to be sought in the midst of the
14
natural. Nature is brought under the Spirit and sanctified to God by Him.
No subjection or exploitation. This small book of the Bible has always contained a rich
message for us. It is fitting that it should follow Ecclesiastes, where we read an appeal to
accept life. For the believers, the world is not a nest of vipers (Noeud des Viperes,
Francois Mauriac) in the final analysis, and the life of the redeemed is not lived under the
sign of daily misery (Bonjour Tristesse, Francoise Sagan). Christ has defeated the great
viper and has thereby overcome our misery and sadness.
The love between a man and a woman must likewise be lifted up beyond all show and
appearance, all subjection and exploitation. Messianic joy can stream forth from this
often misunderstood Bible book. The game of love is being played in earnest here, for
this mystery has to do with the relation between Christ and His bride, the church.

4. The Unity of the Book

Three refrains. As you read the Song of Songs, you will see that it is actually composed
[109]
of a number of separate songs. Yet we need not assume that this book is really an
anthology. On three occasions a refrain is preceded by expressions of love on the part of
the bridegroom (2:7; 3:5; 8:4). The refrains divide the Song of Songs into four sections:

14
"Meer dan Salomo is hier: Bij net Kerstfeest," in De Reformatie, XXII, Dec. 28, 1946.
Also Schriftoverdenkingen, Vol. Ill (Goes, 1958), pp. 212, 210.

48
(1) 1:1—2:7, (2) 2:8—3:5, (3) 3:6—8:4—note the language used in 5:8—and (4) 8:5-
14.
Various expressions used repeatedly strengthen the impression that this book forms a
unity, a unity of successive love lyrics. The one antiphonal song succeeds the other.
The daughters of Jerusalem. The bridegroom and his bride are not the only ones
engaged in the dialogue; there is also conversation between the bride and some women
of the city referred to as "daughters of Jerusalem" (5:8—6:3). We need not take these
"daughters of Zion" (3:11) to be women from the harem: they are asked to find the
bride's beloved and give him a message, something they could hardly be expected to do
if they lived in the isolation of the harem.
The daughters of Jerusalem are simply the women of the city, who, as it happens, were
not unfavorably disposed toward the bridegroom (1:3). But the author of the song is
quick to point out that "he" is not attracted by other women: "As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among maidens" (2:2). Thus the daughters of Jerusalem do not appear in
this song as competitors; they are a corps of interested and curious observers, as it
were. By playing this role typical of women, they give even more life to this poetic song.
The garden and the city. The images in this song are drawn from both nature and
culture. We read about doves, a flock of goats, a gazelle, the scent of Lebanon, beds of
spices, and budding vines—nature. But we also read about Pharaoh's chariots, the
[110]
curtains of Solomon, his palanquin, the tower of David, and alabaster columns set
upon bases of gold. Doesn't this remind you of the New Jerusalem, where there is no
contrast between the garden and the city?
The modern city pollutes the environment and mutilates what is natural, including
marriage. Culture fights continually against nature, and development against the
"vineyard." Yet, in the Song of Songs culture provides images to describe nature and the
natural. The city and garden are not at war but form a synthesis, as in the New
Jerusalem (Rev. 21-22), where a river lined with trees of life flows through the middle of
the city—Paradise regained.
A holy yearning. The message of the Song of Songs is that life is redeemed by God's
grace, with the result that 'he beginning of eternal joy can already be tasted in sex ife.
In the Garden of Eden, the kingship of man was brought out with regard to marriage:
"Be fruitful and multiply!" Man and woman were allowed to bear God's image.
The Song of Songs shows us that even in this fallen world, we can be God's image-
bearers. We can yearn for each other in a holy way. Everything that disturbs life and
makes it unreal will deliberately be stripped away (see the refrain in 2:7).
The Song of Songs elevates the bond with "my dove, my perfect one" far above the
harem life of queens, wives, concubines, and mistresses. For others she was like a wall,
and her breasts were like the towers of a fortress. But she gives herself completely to
her beloved; she gives him shalom and fullness of life. God saw what He had made, and
behold, this too was very good.
My beloved is mine and I am his,
he pastures his flock among the lilies.
Until the day breathes
[111]
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle,
or a young stag upon rugged mountains (2:16-17).
At the end of the book we hear this cry again in a deliberate repetition:
Make haste, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle or a young stag
upon the mountains of spices (8:14).

49
[112]
Index
Ark of the covenant, 61
Ascension of Christ, 32,
61 Augustine, 101
Covenant between God and His people, 56, 58
Covenant wrath, 49-53
Creation of the world, 28-30, 32, 57-8, 91-2
Curse resting on creation, 91-2
Death, 65-6
Good Shepherd, 60
Government and revolution, 76, 94-6
Great King, 49-50, 59, 97
Hebrew language, 88
Immanuel promise, 60
Jerusalem and the temple, 60-1
King James Bible, 9-10, 40, 100
Marriage and divorce, 102
Mashal, 67
Money and property, 94
Nature/grace, 58, 73, 102-3
Numbers in the Bible, 81-2
Poetry, Hebrew, 10, 14-15,40-3,81-2,95
Psalms outside the book of Psalms, 35
Redemption and atonement, 64-6, 99
Revised Standard Version, 9-10, 34-5, 40, 100
Righteousness, 12, 17-33, 44-6,48-53,71,84-5,95
Schilder, Klaas, 106-8
Servant of the Lord, 30
Sexuality, 77-8, 100 ff
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 59
"Soul", 53-4
Tabernacle, 50
Ten commandments, 74-81
Torah, 34, 58, 84
Witnesses to the covenant, 57-8
Yahweh, 59

50
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 5

Isaiah - Daniel

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[9]
Isaiah ................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Themes from the Prologue (1:1—2:5) ............................................................... 3
2. The Day of the Lord (2:6-5:30) ........................................................................ 5
3. Isaiah's Calling (6:1-13) .................................................................................. 7
4. Prophesying through Names (7:1—9:7) ............................................................. 7
[21]
5. Israel's Remnant and the Shoot from Jesse's Stump (9:8-12:6) ....................... 8
6. Prophecies about Jerusalem and the Nations (13:1—23:18) ................................. 9
7. Isaiah's Apocalypse (24:1—27:13).................................................................. 11
8. Yahweh Rules as King from Zion (28:1—35:10) ................................................ 12
9. Isaiah and Hezekiah (36:1—39:8) .................................................................. 14
10. The God of Genesis and the New Exodus (40:1—48:22) .................................. 15
11. The Servant of the Lord ............................................................................... 18
12. God's Righteousness Revealed (49:1—62:12)................................................. 20
[49]
13. Judgment and Promise (63:1—66:22) ....................................................... 21
[53]
Jeremiah .......................................................................................................................... 24
1. The Prophet and His Times ............................................................................ 24
2. Jeremiah's Calling (1:1-19) ............................................................................ 25
3. An Appeal for Repentance (2:1-4:4) ............................................................... 26
4. Wickedness Crying out for Judgment (4:5—10:25) ........................................... 27
5. Stubborn Opposition to Jeremiah's Prophecies (11:1—20:18) ............................. 29
6. Prophecy Rejected as Treason (21:1—23:8)..................................................... 32
7. True and False Prophecy (23:9—29:32)........................................................... 33
8. Proclamation by Word and Deed (30:1—33:26) ................................................ 34
9. Scandalous Unfaithfulness to the Covenant (34:1—35:19) ................................. 35
10. The Fall of Jerusalem and Exile in Egypt (36:1—45:5) ..................................... 36
11. The Lord Frustrates the Plans of the Nations (46:1—52:34) ............................. 38
[88]
Lamentations .................................................................................................................. 40
1. The Church in Mourning ................................................................................. 40
2. A Book of Great Beauty ................................................................................. 41
[94]
Ezekiel ............................................................................................................................. 43
1. The Prophet of the Exile ................................................................................ 43
2. Ezekiel's First Calling: Prophet of Judgment (1:1—3:27) .................................... 43
3. Hunger, the Sword and Pestilence (4:1—7:27) ................................................. 44
4. Abominations in the Holy Place (8:1—11:25) ................................................... 45
5. False Prophets Promising Peace (12:1—14:23) ................................................. 46
[104]
5. When the Very Best Spoils (15:1-21:32).................................................... 47
7. Complete Abandonment of the Covenant (22:1—24:27) .................................... 49
8. The Nations Shall Know That He Is the Lord (25:1—32:32) ................................ 49
9. Ezekiel's Second Calling: Prophet of Salvation (33:1—37:28) ............................. 51
10. A Fierce Attack on the Church (38:1—39:29) ................................................. 52
11. The New Jerusalem (40:1—48:35) ................................................................ 53
[119]
Daniel ............................................................................................................................. 54
1. Resistance Literature for the Holy War............................................................. 54
2. Seek First the Kingdom of Heaven .................................................................. 56
3. Demonstrations of the Lord's Power ................................................................ 57
4. The Son of Man Ascends His Throne ................................................................ 59
5. A Time of Oppression .................................................................................... 59
6. A Call for Endurance and Faith ....................................................................... 61
Index ........................................................................................................................................ 64

2
Isaiah
1. Themes from the Prologue (1:1—2:5)
The "king" of the prophets. The section of the Bible referred to as the "Latter Prophets"
opens with this book by the "king" of the prophets. We do not know much about Isaiah's
life. Here and there we read a comment about the time of his prophecy. We know the
names of his two sons because their names had something to do with the content of his
prophecy. Beyond this we know little of his personal life: the accent falls completely on
Isaiah's words, his message!
The message he preached was not the fruit of reflection on his own experiences:
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken (1:2; see also Deut.
32:1).
That's how the prophet begins, and that's the basis of his prophetic reproach. Even when
the message he brings conflicts directly with his own feelings, he goes on resolutely, for
the Lord has chosen Him as His representative.
[10]
Moses and the prophets. In Isaiah's prophecies we find a connection with "Moses,"
with the law—just as we do in the other prophets. Some students of the Bible have
dismissed the law as too firm and unyielding: the law bundles man into a tight corset
and allows him no freedom of movement. The prophets, it is then argued, embody a
higher morality; they are heralds of freedom, individualists who break with tradition and
authoritarianism.
This contrast falsifies the position of the prophets (as well as the nature of the law).
When we dealt with the law, we saw that what the prophets were doing was calling the
people back to obedience to the law, which was Yahweh's first revelation. In a powerful
way they emphasized the threats bound up with the covenant, threats that are echoed in
"the law."
The framework of reference. Let's look now at the beginning of Isaiah's prophecies. All
interpreters agree that these prophecies were intended as a prologue or introduction,
which is why they were placed at the beginning. In the prologue many themes taken up
again later are mentioned.
The first thing that strikes us is the reference to Sodom and Gomorrah in 1:9-10, which
is an allusion to a story told in Genesis. It illustrates a truth about the prophets and
about the Bible in general: the references they make are invariably to events and
statements recorded elsewhere in the Bible. Scripture is its own interpreter. This point
could also be expressed as follows: the primary framework of reference for such a book
as Isaiah is the Bible itself.
The psalms, the prophecies, the gospels, and the epistles are not dressed up with all
sorts of extra-Biblical quotations. No, the prophets stand on the shoulders of the
lawgiver, while the authors of the New Testament gospels and epistles cling to "the law
and the prophets."
[11]
References to Sodom occur repeatedly in the prophets (Deut. 32:32; Is. 3:9; Ezek.
16:46). We even find one in Revelation 11:8. Sodom is used as a symbol for the fallen
state of the church and also for the inescapability of the coming judgment. In
Deuteronomy 29:23 we find a prophecy to the effect that abandoning the Lord's
covenant leads to Sodom's judgment. Israel was infected "from the sole of the feet even
to the head" (1:5-6). The apostasy was everywhere.
Echoes of Moses. What we encounter here is a covenantal indictment that echoes the
song of Moses (Deut. 32), the song that testified against Israel. Compare Deuteronomy
32:1 with Isaiah 1:2. In both passages heaven and earth are called on to listen. Note
also that the emphasis falls on the corruptness of the children of Yahweh (Deut. 32:5;
Is. 1:5), who will be struck with judgment because of their apostasy, and that Sodom is

3
mentioned in both passages for purposes of comparison.
Moreover, there is a close parallel between Isaiah 1:24 and Deuteronomy 32:41, for the
former draws on the latter:

Isaiah 1:24 Deuteronomy 32:41

I will vent my wrath on I will take vengeance on
my enemies, and my adversaries, and will
avenge myself on my requite those who hate
foes. me.

Hypocritical sacrifices. The prologue also includes a text that could easily give rise to
misunderstandings:
What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of he-goats (1:11).
[12]
This text could easily leave us with the impression that the Lord declares through the
prophet that He does not care for sacrifices as such.
Some students of the Bible, after hearing Isaiah and other prophets speak out against
the sacrifices Israel brought, conclude that the prophets were enemies of the law of
Moses. But it's not quite that simple, for there is an important distinction to be made.
When Isaiah quotes the Lord as saying "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?",
he is not condemning the worship services in Jerusalem. No, Isaiah, who was in the
temple when he was called to serve as a prophet, has great respect for the temple. He
repeatedly mentions the name Zion in respectful terms. In chapter 2 he prophesies that
the pagans will come to the temple, the mountain of the Lord's house. "Out of Zion shall
go forth the law" (2:3).
It was not Isaiah's purpose to combat "Moses." What he condemned was misuse of
"Moses"; he was against "your" sacrifices. The Israelites were always in the court of the
temple celebrating feast after feast. Yet the sacrifices they offered were hypocritical;
their incense was an abomination to the Lord (1:13). Although their hands were covered
with blood, they raised them to heaven (vs. 15). That would have to change, even if it
meant purification through judgment.
Glimpses of light. Mixed in with all these threats we also find practical prophecies of
salvation:
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow (1:18).
Perhaps you should mark these prophecies of salvation with a colored pencil as you read
[13]
through Isaiah in your Bible. Despite the darkness of judgment we repeatedly catch
glimpses of light reminiscent of Rembrandt.
Later in the first chapter we find another moving promise: Jerusalem will again be called
"the city of righteousness, the faithful city" (vs. 26). In Isaiah's sketch of the abominable
unrighteousness, we read that the city of Melchizedek (whose name means king of
righteousness) will again reflect God's redemptive righteousness in its name.
Haven't these promises become realities in Christ? There is a reason, of course, why
such striking promises of salvation are found at the very beginning of this book of
prophecy. Over the smoking ruins, Isaiah sees the coming Kingdom of peace.

4
All the deception of the priests has vanished. Jerusalem is no longer consumed by
internal strife. The recruiting power of the church reaches its maximum, as many nations
come to the mount of the temple. Swords are beaten into plowshares.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD (2:5).
Isaiah and Micah. You may be aware that this prophecy about the elevation of the mount
of the temple appears in the very same words in Micah 4:1ff. Isaiah and Micah were
contemporaries. The one was apparently acquainted with the prophecies of the other,
which is not hard to understand, given the fact that Judah was not a large country.
What is hard to understand is why scholars make such strange comments about this
parallel, arguing that the one prophet could not cite the other because the prophetic
books did not yet have the status and authority of Holy Scripture. These scholars forget
that Isaiah and Micah undoubtedly recognized each other as true prophets. They
[14]
must have been aware of each other's publications, which their disciples put together
in the form of pamphlets and distributed. Perhaps the two even belonged to the same
prophetic circle. Don't birds of a feather flock together?
It is sometimes argued that the king of the prophets surely would not have quoted a
statement of his lesser colleague Micah, for this would lower him in public esteem. This
argument, too, is to be rejected, for it ascribes to Isaiah far too much pride in his office.
Suppose the prophecy of Micah is the original one. Why wouldn't Isaiah quote his
illuminating statement about the "New Jerusalem"? After all, this song about the "holy
city" was not widely known, and it could well serve as part of the introduction to Isaiah's
collection of prophecies of salvation and judgment. The issue was not Isaiah's prestige or
honor as prophet; the real issue was the honor of the Word of the Lord. Not all the
issues raised by the scholars can be discussed here, but I did feel it necessary to say
something about the relation between Isaiah and Micah to show how important it is to
read Scripture soberly and to avoid turning it into something it is not.
The Holy One of Israel. Before we read further in Isaiah, I would like to point out a
couple of themes taken up in the prologue. First of all, the LORD is called the "Holy One
of Israel" (1:4). This name is found again and again in the prophecy of Isaiah, who
gained a very deep awareness of God's holiness through his calling to serve as a
prophet.
God's holiness is the reason for Isaiah's wrath at Israel's unholiness and his certainty
about the judgment to come. The Holy One of Israel will not tolerate covenant breaking.
The remnant. In the first chapter we also find a reference to "a few survivors," that is, a
[15]
remnant. This, too, is a recurring theme in the book. Isaiah already raises it in
connection with his calling (6:13). He named one of his sons Shear-jashub, which means
a remnant shall return or repent (7:3).
Isaiah's prophetic mission may have seemed a thankless task, but it was not, for there
remained a remnant chosen by God in His sovereign grace. God's Word never falls the
way leaves fall from a tree: there are always the seven thousand. The church will not be
wiped out. Paul wrote: "So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace"
(Rom. 11:5). Paul, who saw the Jewish church stumble over the gospel, derived a great
deal of strength from Isaiah's comforting words about the "remnant" (see Rom. 9:27ff,
where he cites Is. 10:22 and 1:9; see also Deut. 30:1-10; 32:43; Rom. 15:10).

2. The Day of the Lord (2:6-5:30)

"That day." Isaiah chooses his own words and terms. The prophets were not mindless
instruments in God's hand or mechanical mouthpieces repeating the message given to
them. In their prophecy, their individuality came to clear expression.
In Isaiah's prophecy we find one metaphor after the other. This giant among the

5
prophets never wearied of applying his talents in all sorts of ways. Look at 2:10-19, for
example, where he talks about "the day of the LORD," which is one of the themes that
comes up often in Isaiah and in other prophets as well. He speaks of a day of
judgment—"that day" (2:11). Just as prophecies are not always completely fulfilled in
the history of the prophet's own time, so these words about the day of the Lord will
ultimately be fulfilled only on the great day of judgment after Christ's return.
[16]
A host of images. Look at the host of images succeeding each other as quickly as a
flock of migrating birds alighting in a field to feed. Isaiah advises his hearers to "enter
into the rock" and "hide in the dust" because of the approaching "terror of the LORD."
People will beg the mountains to fall upon them (see also Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16). We
read about the "haughty looks of man," the "pride" of men, the cedars of Lebanon, the
oaks of Bashan, hills and mountains, high towers and fortified walls, ships of Tarshish
(which we would call merchantmen), and costly art treasures.
All of this reflects human pride, for man trusts in his idols. The Lord will smash them in
their pride; all who exalt themselves will be brought low. Twice we hear the booming
refrain: "And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day" (vs. 11, 17).
Jerusalem's bloodstains. In dark colors, the decline of Judah's intelligentsia is sketched.
The leaders mis-lead; they confuse the people and send them down the wrong path
(3:12). Therefore the Lord must judge His people.
We are given a vivid picture of the women of Jerusalem, as Isaiah tears into them for
their love of finery (3:16ff)-Just as false leadership leads to wretched defeat, the mun-
dane life of these women will lead to sorrow and misery.
Following these threats is another prophecy of salvation. It is included not to temper the
severity of the judgment but to give faith something to hang on to. Judgment will surely
come, but it will not yet be the final judgment. A remnant will be left (4:3). Through that
judgment, the Lord will wash Jerusalem's bloodstains away (vs. 4).
The sun suddenly breaks through, and it almost seems that the days of deliverance in
the wilderness have returned. Zion is protected by the Lord with a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night. A new Jerusalem rises before our eyes. This image of Zion,
[17]
the city of the church saved by Christ, was to receive new color in the Revelation to
John.
The vineyard. Chapter 5 begins with the song of the vineyard that did not bring forth
good fruit. Here is another theme that resounds throughout the prophets. It finally
culminates in the words of Christ: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away" (John 15:1-2). Isaiah seeks to
warn his people by singing a "popular" song to them:
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts
is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness,
but behold, a cry! (5:7).
There is a play on words here that does not come through in the Revised Standard
Version. The Lord expected good government, but He got blood government; He
expected love of the right, but what He found was sinful might.
Then follows the sixfold cry of woe (5:8ff). Judgment comes near in the form of an
enemy invasion. Just as a man might whistle to summon his dog, the Lord will summon
a well-organized and well-prepared army to attack Israel on "that day" just by whistling
(5:26ff).

6
 [18]
"Whom shall I send, and who will
go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I!
Send me" (6:8).

3. Isaiah's Calling (6:1-13)

The Lord on His throne. Isaiah's calling as a fully authorized minister of God's High
Council is described. ("Who will go for us?") While he was in the temple one day in the
year that godless Ahaz became king, Isaiah saw the Lord seated as King on His throne.
(Ahaz was the king who proposed to trade in the service of Yahweh for eastern religions
and fed his own children to the Canaanite idol Molech, whose name means king.)
It was as though the roof of the earthly temple had opened. Seraphim formed the
bodyguard around the throne and cried out:
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory (6:3).
Earthquake and smoke accompanied this manifestation of God. Isaiah cried out:"Woe is
me!"
The seventh cry of woe was now applied to him. He was painfully aware of his own
unholiness as contrasted with Yahweh's holiness. A burning coal from the altar of incense
purified his lips.
Hardening hearts. Now Isaiah was both ready and willing to undertake his mission, which
was a heavy assignment. His task would be to harden the hearts of the people. (Jesus
Christ and Paul later had the same assignment.) Isaiah was told:
Make the heart of this people fat,
[19]
and their ears heavy,
and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed
(6:10; see also Matt. 13:1 Off; Acts 28:25 ff).
How long was Isaiah to preach this message? Until the coming of judgment. He was not
to stop before then. Still, things didn't look entirely hopeless, for there would be a
remnant left, a stump. The Lord preserves His church, as the rest of the Bible and the
church's subsequent history shows.
Behold, I and the children whom the
LORD has given me are signs and
portents in Israel (8:18).

4. Prophesying through Names (7:1—9:7)

The Immanuel sign. In the days of Ahaz, the Assyrians became a great power. Various
countries sought protection in the face of this rising power by forming an alliance. Aram
(Syria) under King Rezin and the northern kingdom of the ten tribes tried to force Judah
and its king (i.e. Ahaz) to join the alliance by besieging Jerusalem.
The Lord sent Isaiah to Ahaz with a message of deliverance. The king was even allowed
to ask for a sign. But King Ahaz acted indifferent to the Lord and refused. Then Isaiah
prophesied about the birth of a son bearing the name Immanuel (i.e. God with us). He
declared: "Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel" (7:14). This prophecy, which was intended as a sign for Ahaz, was fulfilled in
[20]
Isaiah's own time, but its ultimate fulfillment was the birth of the Immanuel, Jesus
Christ (Matt. 1:21).
Isaiah's sons. Immanuel is not the only significant name given to a child in the book of
Isaiah. As we saw earlier, Isaiah had a son whom he was ordered to name Shear-

7
jashub—a remnant shall repent. And when his second son was born, Isaiah was told to
name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means hasten the spoil, rush on the prey.
The prophet was instructed to write the name of his second son on a large tablet as a
kind of advertising billboard. Before this child became a man, both Damascus (Aram)
and Samaria would be carried away by Assyria as prey (8:1-4).
Promises for the "remnant." Think back to Isaiah's call. It was clear from the outset that
the majority would not listen. Isaiah therefore had to restrict his message to the circle of
his disciples. "Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. I will wait
for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob" (8:16-17).
The politicized people and their leaders, who turned to mediums and wizards in their
fear, would stumble over the Lord (vs. 12ff, 19). Isaiah would only let the "remnant"
hear the promises of salvation. "To the teaching and to the testimony! Surely for this
word which they speak there is no dawn" (vs. 20). Yet the light continues to shine for
some:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder
(9:6).
The Messiah was coming closer. One day there would again be peace on the throne of
David.
[21]
5. Israel's Remnant and the Shoot from Jesse's Stump (9:8-12:6)
The northern kingdom. In 9:8—10:4 we read prophecies directed against Ephraim, i.e.
the northern kingdom, which was hostile to Judah. Notice how the refrain already heard
in 5:25 is repeated four times: "Yet his anger is not spent, still his hand is raised to
strike" (9:11, 16, 20; 10:4 JB).
Despite the Lord's punishing hand, Ephraim did not repent. Therefore it fell prey to
Assyria's soldiers. But Assyrian imperialism was only a rod in the hand of the Lord
(10:5). Consequently, once proud Assyria carried out its assignment, it would also fall
prey to judgment.
The southern kingdom. The Lord permits the small kingdom of Judah to face great
dangers as well. In 10:27ff we read a report from the front. If you open your Bible atlas
to a map of the area, you can see how Jerusalem's position became more and more
perilous: Aiath, Migron, Michmash, Geba, Ramah. The movement is toward the mountain
of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
But Yahweh intervenes and the enemy forces withdraw. The tribes of tall men, like
cedars of Lebanon, are cut down. The ax is laid to the root of the tree, which then comes
crashing down (10:33-4).
Deliverance for creation. Read a little further. Using the same metaphor, Isaiah
announces that a shoot will come forth from the old stump of Jesse, i.e. the house of
David. The sevenfold Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him, for He is the Messiah, the one
anointed with the Spirit. This Messiah will bring shalom (peace).
In images drawn from the new dispensation, the Messianic state of salvation is sketched:
[22]
Then the wolf shall live with the sheep,
and the leopard lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall grow up together,
and a little child shall lead them;
the cow and the bear shall be friends,
and their young shall lie down together.
The lion shall eat straw like cattle;
the infant shall play over the hole of the cobra,

8
 and the young child dance over the viper's nest (11:6-8 NEB).
Of course we should not take this to mean that the lion ate straw in paradise like an ox,
or that there will be animals "in heaven." All this prophecy tells us is that the groaning
creation will be delivered. The images speak to us of the peace to come: "They shall not
hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain" (vs. 9).
The wells of salvation. Then come still more images drawn from the time of Isaiah. The
exiles (from both Judah and Ephraim) return from foreign lands. These two brother
nations that so often harassed each other will no longer be jealous of each other but will
cooperate instead. The new exodus will call for a life of gratitude. Listen to its hymn:
I will give thanks to thee, O LORD,
for though thou wast angry with me,
thy anger turned away,
and thou didst comfort me (12:1).
This prophetic section of the book of Isaiah closes with a psalm. Israel later used this
psalm at the Feast of Tabernacles: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation" (vs. 3). On each day of the feast, a priest equipped with a golden pitcher
would draw water from the pool of Siloam and pour it into silver basins at the west side
[23]
of the altar. As the priest was pouring, the people would repeat Isaiah's words (i.e.
12:3).
On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Christ once declared: "If any one thirst, let
him come to me and drink" (John 7:37). Christ, the root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16), the
Lion of Judah and Lamb of God, fulfills all the promises. Through Him we have peace.

6. Prophecies about Jerusalem and the Nations (13:1—23:18)

The Lord's imperial power. In the early chapters of Isaiah, it is made clear that Yahweh
rules the nations. Then comes a section in which the nations are dealt with one by one.
We read prophecies about the states bordering on Israel (Moab, Philistia, Damascus) as
well as prophecies about the great powers (Babylon, Assyria, Egypt). There is also a
prophecy about Jerusalem, in which we read: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we
die" (22:13; see also I Cor. 15:32).
Were these prophecies preached in foreign cities, just as Jonah once preached in
Nineveh? We have no reason to assume that they were. But they were definitely
proclaimed, and that's the important thing. Through the mouth of Isaiah, the Lord made
known His imperial power. Didn't Isaiah see Him seated in Zion's temple as King?
Babylon. The prophecies about the nations begin with a divine statement about the
nation used in Scripture as a symbol of concentrated worldly power—Babylon. In the
face of the rise of Assyria as a ravenous militaristic power, there were some in Judah
[24]
who looked expectantly to Babylon. Wouldn't there be deliverance from Babylon's
side?
When Babylonian emissaries visited Hezekiah to compliment him after his healing, they
were very warmly received. Then came the prophet with his burning words: Judah need
not rely on any alliance with Babylon, for the day of the Lord was coming relentlessly,
with wrath and searing anger, making a desolate wilderness of the earth. The Medes will
disfigure Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms (13:17). The judgment of Babylon will
even help bring about the restoration of "Israel." Israel will again dwell in its own land,
free of hard slave labor. Yes, Israel will triumphantly mock the king of Babylon in song
(14:3ff).
Isaiah then gives us the text of this mocking song, which takes the form of a funeral
lament. Babylon's king is on his way to the realm of the dead. There his former
colleagues taunt him; they mock him in song:

9
 How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, Son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far north" (14:12-13).
This "mount of assembly" seems to be borrowed from Eastern mythology, which spoke
of a mountain in the north (Phoenicia) where the gods met regularly and cast lots to
determine the events of the coming year. (Think of Olympus, the mount of the Greek
gods.)
What Isaiah presents here are ghosts in the realm of the dead speaking their own
[25]
heathen language (see also Ezek.28:14, where this Eastern idolatrous thought-world
is likewise the background). The inhabitants of this realm laugh at Babylon's monarch for
deifying himself. Ancient exegesis regarded the fall of the "Day Star" or morning star
(Latin translation: Lucifer) as a "type" of the fall of satan.
Assyria and the Philistines. We read prophecies against Assyria in 14:24ff and against
the Philistines in vs. 28ff. It appears that the Philistines sent emissaries to Jerusalem
with an invitation to join an anti-Assyrian alliance. This may have happened when the
Assyrian tyrant Tiglath-pileser died.
Isaiah now prophesies that an adder will come forth from the serpent's root. In other
words, the suffering will be incalculable. From the north, the side where danger often
appears on the horizon, will come smoke, and "there is no straggler in his ranks"
(14:31). Judah must not join any alliances.
What answer should the Philistine emissaries be given? "The LORD has founded Zion, and
in her the afflicted of his people find refuge" (vs. 32). This prophecy was borne out. All
the nations were overrun by Assyria, including Philistia, which had rebelled. But during
Hezekiah's time, the Lord protected Jerusalem.
Moab. In chapters 15 and 16 we read a prophecy about Moab. This prophecy includes a
text that drew a lot of attention in the Netherlands during the second world war: "Hide
the outcasts, betray not the fugitive" (16:3). This text, which hung on many a wall, was
then applied to those who went "underground" to flee arrest by Nazi occupation forces.
Now, the people in the Netherlands did the right thing when they hid fugitives from the
Nazis, but when they used this text from Isaiah as their justification, they were taking it
[26]
out of context. The text talks about Moab, which was being judged and punished. An
appeal was made to Judah to offer shelter to the victims of the war. The text could
better be regarded as a mission text, a Pentecost message: the "church" offers asylum
to the ravaged "world." Isaiah was inviting the Moabites to send their lambs—they had
many sheep—to "the mount of the daughter of Zion" (16:1).
A dark picture. After this comes prophecy after prophecy, as the various nations get their
turn: Damascus and Ephraim (who had together harassed Judah), Ethiopia, Egypt (to
whom many in Judah still looked for help against the might of the Assyrians), Babylon
once more, Edom, Arabia, politicized Jerusalem, and finally the coastal cities of Tyre and
Sidon. These prophecies are not uniform; each reflects something of the color and
character of the land it deals with. Just as lambs and vines are spoken of in connection
with Moab, the prophecy about Egypt mentions the Nile, fishermen, and the wise men at
the court. In the prophecy against Tyre and Sidon, we hear about booming trade and
ships that go to sea.

10
"Watchman, what of the night?" The prophetic answer to this pressing question is:
"Morning comes, and also the night" (21:11, 12). Thus Isaiah paints a dark picture of
the future. Yet, here and there we see a ray of light. We see how Zion gives refuge to
Moab. In 19:18ff some beautiful statements are made in connection with Egypt and
Assyria: Egypt, the ancient enemy, will serve the Lord, and so will Assyria. Thus the
promise made to Abraham long ago was being fulfilled: Israel would be a blessing to the
nations.
The power of the key. Isaiah 22 deals with Jerusalem. Not only is judgment pronounced
on this proud city, it is also proclaimed that Shebna, the steward in Hezekiah's court, is
to be demoted and replaced by Eliakim. Shebna's uniform will be given to Eliakim, who is
[27]
to be entrusted with "the key of the house of David." This means: "He shall open,
and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open" (vs. 22).
Shebna, the king's trusted official, had exerted an evil influence and favored alliances
with foreign nations. He had not exercised the responsibilities of his office properly. The
power of the key is not to be used arbitrarily!
When we think of this power of the key, we are reminded immediately of what Christ
said to Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19). Christ is
"the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts
and no one opens" (Rev. 3:7). Through the offices, Christ allows His church to serve as
steward. Isn't this an awesome policy for a world writhing in pain?
This chapter also preaches Christ as the perfect officebearer in that it prophesies that
Eliakim will also fall because of favoritism shown to his own family:
And they will hang on him the whole weight of his father's house, the
offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. In
that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a sure place
will give way; and it will be cut down and fall, and the burden that was
upon it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken (22:24-5).

7. Isaiah's Apocalypse (24:1—27:13)

Judgment on the land. When we turn to chapters 24-27, the geographic limits in the
prophecies dealt with earlier seem to fall away. Some Bible translations give this section
some such heading as: "The LORD'S judgment on the earth." Although this prophecy does
[28]
bear somewhat on the last judgment, the word earth in such a heading should really
be replaced by land.
Again the judgment is set out in a colorful way. Central to the vision and the songs is not
the wicked world but the covenant-breaking church. The land of Israel is meant. The
"inhabitants" (24:5, 6, 17) are the Israelites, and "this mountain" (25:6, 7, 10) is Mount
Zion. Within the land of Judah, the fortified city is Jerusalem.
The everlasting covenant. First it is shown how the Lord used an enemy attack to punish
the inhabitants of the land because of their transgression of the everlasting covenant
(24:5). This "everlasting covenant" is not the covenant with Noah but the covenant with
Abraham and his seed. The land appears to return to the void and formless condition
mentioned in Genesis 1. Wealth and position do not save anyone from judgment.
The inhabitants of the land have violated the everlasting covenant with God. The result is
"terror, and the pit, and the snare" (24:17). In the Hebrew text these three words begin
with the same letter, which the German Zurich Bible reflects nicely in its translation:
"Grauen und Grube und Garn." We have a grim play on words here. It's almost as
though the world faces another flood, as cosmic catastrophes rear their ugly heads.
Salvation for the Gentiles. At a certain point the tide turns. The "kings of the earth" and
the "host of heaven, in heaven" (probably fallen angels) will be imprisoned and punished
(see also Rev. 20:3). Zion will stand unshakable above the shaken universe. Yahweh and
His elders—think of the elders in Revelation 4—will dwell in Zion. This is the occasion for

11
another psalm. Yahweh is a place of refuge for the weak and needy (25:1-5).
For the peoples, the Gentiles, there is salvation; a meal, a "Lord's supper" is prepared
[29]
for them. The dividing wall is broken down, and the veil covering their faces is
destroyed on "this mountain," i.e. the mount of the temple. Men see the glory of the
Lord, death is overcome, and all tears are washed away (see also Rev. 7:17; 21:4).
Once more we hear the refrain: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls
and bulwarks" (26:1). Moreover, the dead will be made alive again, and their bodies will
rise from the grave (vs. 19).
"In the path of thy judgments, O LORD, we wait for thee" (vs. 8). God's people wait
within their chambers until the fury of His covenant judgment is past (vs. 20). The
"remnant" is saved. The Lord will avenge the blood of His servants. No longer will the
1
earth hide the bloodstains of the slain.
The first resurrection. We read that the fleeing serpent, the twisting serpent, and the
dragon in the sea will be slain. (Think of Assyria, Babylon and Egypt, and also of the
dragon and his two henchmen in Revelation 12 and 13.) Yet Israel will be restored as a
[30]
vineyard (see ch. 5), blossoming and bearing fruit (see John 15). All the earlier
idolatry will be forgotten (27:9).
The "great trumpet" will call back the exiles scattered from Egypt to the Euphrates. In a
world of shattered kingdoms, Israel's sons will march to the palace of their king, to the
holy mountain at Jerusalem. The "remnant" can continue to sing psalms, for there will be
a new and righteous Jerusalem. "Thy dead shall live" (26:19). The church believes in the
first resurrection.

8. Yahweh Rules as King from Zion (28:1—35:10)

A tiresome schoolmaster. Yahweh's kingship at Zion is also dealt with in the section that
begins with chapter 28. After an old prophecy about Samaria (vs. 1-6), attention is
focused on Jerusalem. Like Samaria, Jerusalem will be subjected to judgment. The holy
city suffers from poor leadership: both prophet and priest "reel with strong drink."
Isaiah is regarded as a tiresome schoolmaster. Note that in verses 9 and 10, he quotes
what people were saying about him; that's why the Revised Standard Version encloses
these verses within quotation marks:
"Whom will he teach knowledge,
and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from the milk,
those taken from the breast?
For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little."
Did that great dreamer suppose the people would subject themselves to his
schoolmaster's discipline? Not a chance!
[31]
The words used here in the Hebrew give us the impression of a drunk rambling on:

1
Isaiah 26 was sometimes sung in the synagogue and the early Christian church as a hymn! Verse
21 reminds us of Deuteronomy 32:43, which is also part of a hymn. There are other similarities
between these two chapters as well. This by itself makes it unlikely that Isaiah 24-27 deals with
the world in general rather than God's judgment on His rebellious covenant people (the subject of
Deuteronomy 32).
In the knowledge that God avenges the blood of His servants lies a great comfort—not only when
we consider the blood of the martyrs long ago but also when we think of more recent persecution
and oppression. Personal desire for vengeance should not play a role here. Article 37 of the Belgic
Confession says of the believers who have been wronged: "Their cause which is now condemned
by many judges and magistrates as heretical and impious will then be known to be the cause of
the Son of God."

12
"Sav lasav, sav lasav, kav lakav, kavlakav."
A political back door? The reason for all the foolish talk in Zion was that there was still a
political back door: Egypt would support Zion against the ravenous wolf Assyria. Yet the
prevailing policy also called for appeasement of Assyria, the advancing scourge. If
Assyria drew near, things wouldn't be all that bad, the prophets and priests assured
others and themselves.
Isaiah insisted, to the contrary, that it would be a calamity. The treaty made with the
realm of the dead (Sheol) was wiped out and not ratified by God. The people would be
threshed. Only those who believed would find rest. In Zion the Lord will lay a precious
and tested cornerstone as foundation (vs. 16).
A foundation in Zion. Here we have the emphasis on Zion again (see 2:2ff; 6:1ff; 8:14;
14:32). Ahaz may make his plans and the politicians in Jerusalem under Hezekiah may
make theirs, but the Lord, ruling from His temple in Zion, sees to it that His plans go
through. Even if the earthly temple should fall, the "Jerusalem project" will be realized.
A foundation is being laid in Zion: "He who believes will not be in haste" (28:16). This
text should not be taken to mean that believers should never be in a hurry. The
Septuagint version of the Old Testament renders this text as follows: "He who believes
will not be put to shame." When this verse is quoted in the New Testament, the
Septuagint version is followed (see Rom. 9:33; 10:11; I Pet. 2:6).
One could go on and say that this text is clarified in the New Testament. In Christ, the
[32]
cornerstone at Jerusalem is laid. He Himself is the precious stone (petra), the
foundation of the church. The church was built on Him, although He is a stumbling block
to those who do not believe (see Matt. 16:18; 21:42; Luke 2:34; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; I
Pet. 2:6ff; Rev. 21:14; I Cor. 3:10-11).
When you read the book of Acts and the Gospel according to Luke, bear in mind that
they describe how Christ, beginning at Jerusalem, revealed Himself as the cornerstone
through His fall and resurrection. The "Jerusalem project" is fulfilled in Him.
Proof of full salvation. Yahweh rules from His temple at Zion. But if the leaders are
among the spiritually blind, He will call the peoples to arms against "Ariel," the place of
the hearth and the altar, the city and temple of David (ch. 29). The people should trust
in the Holy One of Israel, who wants to be gracious to His people (30:18). They should
not rely on Egypt, on horses and chariots (ch. 30-31). How could Egypt, the land from
which Israel was delivered on the night of the Passover and the amazing passage
through the Red Sea, now become Israel's deliverer? The Lord would see to it that both
the helper (Egypt) and the one helped (Jerusalem) stumbled and fell.
The people must learn to live by the Lord's promises. He will bring new deliverance, as
on the night of the Passover (30:27ff). Assyria will be defeated. Messianic perspectives
open up: a king will rule in righteousness. There had been many infatuations (29:9ff),
but now the blind would see things for what they were (32:3; 35:5).
Above the need and misery, Jerusalem stands out:
Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts!
Your eyes will see Jerusalem,
a quiet habitation, an immovable tent,
whose stakes will never be plucked up,
nor will any of its cords be broken (33:20).
[33]
Jerusalem will blossom, even after the judgments. Yet Edom will be destroyed once
and for all by the coming judgment (ch. 34). God's D-day is coming:
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing (35:1-2).

13
Judah's exiles will return one day.
When Christ appeared, He fulfilled this final song in this section of Isaiah. As proof that
He brought full salvation for those whom the Lord has redeemed, He made the deaf hear
and the blind see (35:5; see also Matt. 11:5). "Then shall the lame man leap like a hart"
(35:6; see also Acts 3:8).
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God
of Jacob is our refuge (Ps. 46:11).

9. Isaiah and Hezekiah (36:1—39:8)

Sennacherib's invasion. After these prophecies came the proof of what Isaiah was talking
about—Sennacherib's attack and the wondrous deliverance. In passing we see that
Shebna has been demoted to scribe, and that Eliakim is now "over the household" in his
place (37:2; see also 22:15ff). Shebna had apparently advocated a policy of seeking
strength through a nationalistic dependence on alliances rather than through trust in the
Lord. His demotion signaled a change of course on Hezekiah's part.
[34]
On one of his war monuments, Sennacherib recorded for all posterity the following
words about his invasion of Judah:
As to Hezekiah, the Jew, he did not submit to my yoke. I laid siege to 46
of his strong cities, walled forts and to the countless small villages in their
vicinity, and conquered (them) by means of well-stamped (earth-) ramps,
and battering rams brought (thus) near (to the walls) (combined with) the
attack by foot soldiers, (using) mines, breeches as well as sapper work. I
drove out (of them) 200,150 people, young and old, male and female,
horses, mules, donkeys, camels, big and small cattle beyond counting,
and considered (them) booty. Himself I made a prisoner in Jerusalem, his
royal residence, like a bird in a cage. I surrounded him with earthwork in
order to molest those who were leaving his city's gate. His towns which I
had plundered, I took away from his country and gave them (over) to
Mitinti, king of Ashdod, Padi, king of Ekron, and Sillibel, king of Gaza. Thus
I reduced his country, but I still increased the tribute and the kalru-
presents (due) to me (as his) overlord which I imposed (later) upon him
2
beyond the former tribute, to be delivered annually.
Sennacherib went further in his boastful language, relating what glorious treasures of
ivory and gold and so forth Hezekiah let him take back to Nineveh. Yet he did not claim
to have captured Jerusalem—which is significant. Much of Hezekiah's territory was
conquered, and he himself was trapped in Jerusalem. But Assyria's battering rams did
not rip open Jerusalem's walls. Scripture tells us why not.
[35]
The king's amen. It was the Word of the Lord coming to Hezekiah by way of Isaiah
that persuaded him not to listen to the Goliath-like challenge of the Assyrian marshal
(37:6-7). Note that Hezekiah went into the temple, where Yahweh, the God of Israel,
was seated on His throne between the cherubs (37:1, 14-20). The king was thereby
echoing his amen to the theme constantly preached by Isaiah: from His temple Yahweh
will reveal Himself as King over His people and over the whole world.
Those who are acquainted with Isaiah's other prophecies will recognize some familiar
sounds in the answer to Hezekiah's prayer:
Whom have you [O king of Assyria] mocked and reviled?
Against whom have you raised your voice
and haughtily lifted your eyes?
Against the Holy One of Israeli
Because you have raged against me

2
Quoted from "The Annals of Sennacherib," trans. D. D. Luckenbill, in James B. Pritchard, Ancient
Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, third edition (Princeton, 1969), p. 288.

14
 and your arrogance has come to my ears,
I will put my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth,
and I will turn you back on the way
by which you came (37:23, 29).
When the Assyrian imperialists captured a monarch, they would sometimes treat him like
a pig or a horse—by putting a hook in his nose or a bit in his mouth. Here the Lord
speaks of doing the same thing to Assyria's ruler. Isn't He the Holy One of Israel?
The theme of the "remnant" is sounded here, just as in the days of Ahaz: "For out of
Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal
of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this" (37:32). Do you now see the beautiful unity in
Isaiah's prophecy?
Notice that there was nothing left of Sennacherib's boasting in the end: "By the way that
[36]
he came, by the same he shall return" (vs. 34). The angel of Yahweh passed through
Sennacherib's camp and killed thousands of his soldiers (vs. 36-7). Sennacherib himself
was later murdered in a temple devoted to an idol (vs. 38).
Hezekiah 's song of praise. Isaiah 38 tells us about Hezekiah's sickness and subsequent
healing through the mediation of Isaiah. Then follows a song that Hezekiah sang after
his recovery. No doubt this son of David wanted his psalm to be used in the temple.
Beza has produced a rhymed version for use in the churches. It's a shame that the
people who are so eager to sing hymns in church have so little interest in the Biblical
songs that appear outside the book of Psalms, for these songs are genuinely edifying.
Read through Hezekiah's song of praise carefully. The fragility of life comes out clearly.
But this song also deals with redemption—the redemption that consists first of all of
forgiveness. "Thou by thy love hast brought me back from the pit of destruction; for
thou hast cast all my sins behind thee" (38:17 NEB). Now Hezekiah can affirm life
again—in the service of the Lord, living a life full of salvation! "The living, the living, he
thanks thee, as I do this day" (vs. 19). In this repetition we hear Hezekiah's cry ofjoy.
Babylonian emissaries. The story related in Isaiah 39 contrasts sharply with this hymn of
deliverance. Hezekiah basks in the words of the Babylonian emissaries who came to
congratulate him on his recovery. The rising Babylonian state would presumably be a
good ally against Assyria. Therefore Hezekiah makes it clear to the emissaries that Judah
is not a state to take lightly either.
At this point Isaiah intervenes. Earlier he had declared that the danger from Rezin of
Syria and Pekah of the northern kingdom of Israel was not as great as the danger from
[37]
the Assyrian side. Now he points to a new enemy, which would eventually supplant
Assyria. Babylon, which had sent emissaries to wish Hezekiah well, would one day send
an army to subject Jerusalem.
Later, when the Jews were plunged into the misery of life in exile, they could think back
to Isaiah's warning: the prophet had warned that the catastrophe was coming closer and
closer. Yet, Isaiah had also spoken of a remnant and of a stone at Zion. The name Isaiah
means "The LORD is salvation."

10. The God of Genesis and the New Exodus (40:1—48:22)

The question of authorship. Isaiah 40-66 is often referred to in the scholarly world as
"Deutero-Isaiah" (i.e. Isaiah II), for there are many who believe that these chapters
were written by someone else who lived some 150 years after the time of Isaiah. There
are even some scholars who assign chapters 56-66 to a "Trito-Isaiah" (i.e. Isaiah III). I
do not propose to go into this question here, for my real concern is the content of the
prophecy recorded in the book of Isaiah. Yet it must be admitted that the later chapters
of Isaiah do presuppose the destruction of Jerusalem and a Babylonian exile that had
already lasted some years.

15
These chapters make us think of a debate between the prophet and the despondent
exiles. Time and again he quotes their complaints and reproaches directed at Yahweh.
Then he appeals to the promises made to the patriarchs and prophecies about the
coming of salvation.
If these prophecies do come from some prophet other than Isaiah, he must have been
thoroughly steeped in the "spirit" of his great predecessor. Throughout the entire book of
Isaiah, we find the same sort of language, e.g. references to the Lord as "the Holy One
of Israel."
[38]
A refrain. It is striking that a certain refrain occurs twice in the later chapters. The
Lord is quoted as saying: "There is no peace for the wicked" (48:22 and 57:21). The
placement of this refrain argues against the hypothesis that chapters 56-66 were written
by a separate author.
At the end of the book, we find the sketch of the worm that does not die and the fire
that is not extinguished. The meaning of this passage corresponds closely to that of the
refrain mentioned above. This suggests the following division of the last part of Isaiah:
(1) chapters 40-48, (2) chapters 49-57, and (3) chapters 58-66. In all three sections we
hear the same comforting language. The miserable situation of the desolate city of
Jerusalem forms the background.
Let's now read through the second half of the book of Isaiah, which is a book of great
comfort. Today's church will find words of exceptional encouragement there.
A feeling of hopelessness. Doesn't the church find itself in difficulty, in water up to its
neck? What about the promises of God? What can the church hang on to in this
possessed world? The church knows well what the feeling of hopelessness is. Just as the
Jews in exile were separated from salvation by many sins, so our guilt builds a wall be-
tween the Lord and us. Without grace, we will not reach the New Jerusalem either.
This amazing grace is what the second part of the book of Isaiah deals with:
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the LORD'S hand
double for all her sins (40:1-2).
[39]
"Jerusalem" is addressed here, that is, those who have been led into exile from
David's city. It is their guilt that has been paid for, atoned for. Through their own
achievements? Who is the Redeemer atoning for Israel's sins? "I, I am he who blots out
your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins" (43:25). Soon
we will encounter the figure of the suffering Servant of the Lord, who was pierced for the
iniquities of many and offered Himself as a sacrifice (52:13—53:12), the One anointed
with the Spirit (42:1; 61:1; see also Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 4:18).
The prophet's calling. What we are actually reading about here is the calling of the
prophet. He may comfort his people, but he must also prepare the way for the Lord, who
comes to redeem His people—a theme that was repeated later when John the Baptist
appeared on the scene before the public ministry of the Christ began.
The prophetic power may not be broken by a defeatist attitude. "The grass withers, the
flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever" (40:8; see also I Pet. 1:23ff).
Therefore exiled Jerusalem can itself become a messenger bearing glad tidings. Yahweh
will be a Good Shepherd for His people (40:11; see also 49:10; Rev. 7:17).
The Creator. In exile Judah apparently came under the spell of Babylon's gods. Hadn't
Yahweh suffered a defeat when His people went into exile? In a pastoral fashion, the

16
prophet takes up these questions repeatedly, emphasizing two points.
First of all, Yahweh is the Creator. To Him the nations are like drops of water in a bucket,
like specks of dust on a scale. He "stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads
them out like a tent to dwell in" (40:22). It is as though we were reading the final
[40]
chapters of the book of Job again. Lift up your eyes and look. Who do you suppose
made it all?
The prophet argues that the One who assigns the clouds, the wind and the storm their
place in the scheme of things surely has a place in mind for the church. The God of the
church is the God who controls the world, that is, the God of Genesis.
The covenant God. Secondly, Yahweh is the faithful covenant God who revealed Himself
in Israel's history:
But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
fear not, for I am with you,
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand (41:8, 10).
The Lord is also the God of Exodus, the God of the great trek out of Egypt and the
wonderful provision in the wilderness. Is His arm any shorter now?
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water (vs. 18).
On the other hand, the rivers will dry up for the pilgrims going to Jerusalem, just as in
the old days (51:10; 44:7). Whereas the Israelites left Egypt in haste, they will depart
calmly from Babylon, that foreign land:
For you shall not go out in haste,
and you shall not go in flight,
[41]
for the LORD will go before you,
and the God of Israel will be your rear guard (52:12).
Keep these two leading thoughts in mind as you read this impressive prophecy. The
Creator is the Redeemer of His people. As Redeemer, He uses means to carry out His
purposes. He uses King Cyrus to conquer Babylon with his army of Medes and Persians.
This gives the Jews the opportunity to return to their own land and rebuild the temple
(41:25ff; 44:28—45:7).
Yahweh's lawsuit. The gods of the pagans are a "delusion"; they are "empty wind"
(41:29). The prophet speaks repeatedly in terms of a lawsuit between Yahweh and the
gods of the nations.
Set forth your case, says the LORD;
bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob (41:21).
Let them bring their witnesses to justify them,
and let them hear and say, It is true (43:9).
But the representatives of the gods can point to no great deeds accomplished by the
mute images they worship. Therefore the Lord looks for other witnesses.
When Christ told His disciples just before His ascension into heaven that they would be
His witnesses, He was echoing the words of Isaiah (43:10; 44:8). Israel will see who its
God is. Repeatedly God reveals Himself by speaking in the first person:
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel

17
 and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
"I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god" (44:6).
[42]
Once again we see that a famous New Testament text is not "something new." When
we hear the declaration in the book of Revelation about the first and the last, the alpha
and the omega, as applied to God the Father and the Son, we recognize it as an echo of
the book of Isaiah. This is not to deny, of course, that in Revelation this text receives a
further explication and application.
Comforting words. If you read carefully, you will be struck by how often the book of
Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament. From the Dead Sea Scrolls found in a cave in the
neighborhood of the Red Sea in 1947, we learn that Isaiah was one of the most loved
and often read parts of Scripture. (Deuteronomy and Psalms were apparently also very
popular.) This should not surprise us. Wasn't it in the book of Isaiah that the Lord spoke
comforting words to His people about redeeming them from their sins and buying them
back?
"Fear not, be not afraid." We hear the same language at the announcement of the birth
of John the Baptist and throughout the entire New Testament. "Have I not told you from
of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is
no Rock; I know not any" (44:8). Here we cannot help but think of the name Moses gave
his famous song in Deuteronomy 32.

11. The Servant of the Lord

No reliance on grace. It may well be that the Jews in exile made false appeals to the
covenant between the Lord and their fathers. Hadn't their fathers served the Lord? What
about all those offerings and the services in the temple?
[43]
The Lord rejects this reliance on works (43:22-44:5). Jacob/Israel had sinned
against Yahweh. The exile was justified. Because of all the transgressions, Yahweh
subjected Jacob/Israel to exile and abuse. Only His free grace saves and gives new life.
For the sake of His old covenant promises to His "servant" Israel, the Lord uses Cyrus,
His "anointed."
The potter. Babylon's gods sink away into nothingness. They are so impotent that they
must be carried around in processions, while Yahweh, Israel's powerful God, has always
carried His people (46:1-4). All of world history revolves around the servant of the
Lord—not because of any nobility on Israel's part but because of the Lord's sovereign
freedom, which came to expression in the covenant promises made to the patriarchs.
That's why it is emphasized so strongly that Cyrus does not set Israel free because of
any price or reward (45:13). The Lord is the sovereign potter (45:9-13; see also Rom.
9:20-1). He revealed Himself as such in creation (Gen. 2:7). And when He used His
"shepherd," Cyrus, to bring deliverance, He also acted as the one who shaped and
fashioned Israel.
Israel could not bring about its own deliverance. That's why the Lord used a heathen as
His "deacon," His servant (Rom. 13:4). There was no room for Israel, the servant of the
Lord, to boast about its own achievements.
Cyrus. Note that Cyrus is referred to in thematic fashion after Isaiah 40, which serves as
an introductory passage (41:1ff). Cyrus will go about his work of deliverance on behalf
of Israel, the servant of the Lord. But in 42:1-7, thematic attention is focused on another
Servant of the Lord.
At first nothing more is said about this other Servant. In 42:8—48:22, everything
revolves around Israel and its deliverance through Cyrus, God's "anointed," who is to
capture Babylon (44:21—47:15).
[44]
In 49:1-7, the other Servant of the Lord is brought to the fore again and is called a
light to the nations, just as in 42:6. In succeeding chapters He is discussed twice more

18
(50:4-11 and 52:13—53:12). Isaiah 49-57 is dominated by this figure.
A lamb led to the slaughter. Who is this Servant of the Lord? Many suggestions have
been offered—Moses, Uzziah, Jeremiah, Jehoiachin, the prophet himself.
From the New Testament it is clear that this Servant of the Lord is no one other than
Jesus Christ in His humiliation and exaltation. He is the one who took the guilt of His
people upon Himself vicariously. He is the one who was led as a lamb to the slaughter
(53:7; see also Jer. 11:19). In Him all the suffering of the prophets and the righteous is
summed up.
The Servant of the Lord is the one who is exalted by following the path of suffering
(52:13). In His exaltation He takes with Him the "many" for whom He suffered. That's
why we find so many redemptive promises for Israel in the passages that come after the
prophecies about the Servant of the Lord.
Promises for the nations. Those redemptive promises are meant not just for Israel but
for the nations. In Isaiah 58-66, we have a further elaboration of this salvation, with
Jerusalem clearly at the center of things. The nations go to Jerusalem, the city of light
(ch. 60).
It should not surprise us that there are echoes of this widely read book of prophecy all
throughout the New Testament. Think of how Christ was characterized as the Lamb of
God (John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6). When Philip gave instruction to the Ethiopian, the subject
was Isaiah 53 (Acts 8:30-5). Think also of Luke 22:37, Romans 4:25; 10:16; and 15:21.
I'm sure you can find many more such connections on your own.
[45]
A light for the Gentiles. It is noteworthy that the New Testament also applies the
statements about the Servant of the Lord to the preaching engaged in by the church.
The Servant of the Lord is a light to the nations, but He uses His preachers to bring the
light.
The Servant of the Lord came to open the eyes of the blind. That's why it was fitting that
Paul was blinded when he was first called, only to have his eyes opened later. He was
being called to be an instrument in Christ's hand and to open the eyes of others in turn.
The Lord Jesus said to Paul: "I will rescue you from your own people and from the
Gentiles. I am sending you to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light"
(Acts 26:17-18 NIV). And in Antioch, a city in Asia Minor (i.e. in the "coastlands"), Paul
and Barnabas appealed to a prophecy about the Servant of the Lord as their reason for
preaching to the Gentiles once they met with hostility at the synagogue. "For so the Lord
has commanded us, saying, 'I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may
bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth!" (Acts 13:47). This statement echoes
Isaiah 42:6 and reminds us especially of the second of the songs about the Servant of
the Lord:
It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth (49:6 NIV).
No lie in their mouth. We must be wary of any one-sided application of the "servant"
prophecies to Christ. He and His people are one. Therefore Paul can cite the third song
about the servant of Yahweh in his song of victory: "Who shall bring any charge against
[46]
God's elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn?" (Rom. 8:33-4; see also Is.
50:8-9).
When the fourth "song" declares that there is no deceit in the mouth of the Lord's
servant, we apply these words to Christ (53:9; see also I Pet. 2:22). Peter declares that
we must walk in His footsteps and be conformed to His image. That's why it is said of
the 144,000 who follow the Lamb wherever He goes that no lie is found in their mouth

19
(Rev. 14:5).

12. God's Righteousness Revealed (49:1—62:12)

Defeatism and pessimism. I am deliberately directing your attention only to a few main
thoughts, for these mighty prophecies should have a truly "edifying" effect on you. You
have probably noticed that the book of Isaiah is like a symphony in that the same motifs
come through repeatedly, with the major theme emerging ever stronger. The day of
redemption is dawning.
The prophet struggles against defeatism and pessimism. Zion may complain that the
Lord has forsaken and forgotten her, but Yahweh responds:
Can a woman forget her sucking child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me (49:15-16).
As the people gave expression to their despair, all sorts of things were being said about
the Lord. But the prophet smashed all doubt.
[47]
It was said, for example, that Yahweh had sent away Judah, His wife, with a bill of
divorce, and that He was forced by some superior power to sell her children to
foreigners. Thus Yahweh was not only unjust but also powerless. In bold, revealing
language, the prophet puts a stop to this unfair talk: "Behold, for your iniquities you
were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was put away" (50:1).
A universal perspective. Let no one make the mistake of supposing that the Lord's
powers are limited: "Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert"
(50:2). Is the One who made a great nation of Abraham incapable of comforting Zion in
exile? (51:2-3). Is the God of the Exodus unable to lead His people out of exile! (vs. 10-
11).
After the fourth song about the suffering servant who is exalted (52:13—53:12) comes a
description of the mother who is like Sarah in that she will receive a rich posterity (ch.
54). A new Jerusalem rises on a foundation of precious stones (see also Rev. 21). There
will be a new David, who will witness to the nations and rule over them (53:3ff).
The reliable promises of favor made to David do not exclude foreigners or even eunuchs.
If they live in the service of the Lord, they will receive a name and a monument. "My
house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples" (56:7). Here we have a truly
catholic or universal perspective that finds its fulfillment in the New Testament church.
A two-edged sword. The Word is a two-edged sword that cuts sharply. The antithesis is
present here too. There is no universal reconciliation and atonement. Salvation is
promised to the Jews in exile, but it is demanded that they live their lives in accordance
with the will of the Lord.
[48]
It quickly becomes clear that there is a great deal wrong with the Jews. In chapters
57-59, a picture of degeneration is sketched—injustice, idolatry, desecration of the
sabbath. Isaiah speaks for the people: "For our transgressions are multiplied before
thee, and our sins testify against us" (59:12).
The light dims. Where are the people to look for deliverance? Behold! Day is dawning in
the east! In fact, the light is sweeping across the whole world, for the Lord takes the
initiative in redemption. For those who repent in Jacob, He comes as a liberator (59:15—
62:12).
The helmet of salvation. In this context we read a striking statement: "He put on
righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head" (59:17). This
"helmet of salvation" is an indication that the term righteousness has a redemptive
significance.

20
Luther underwent a great struggle to understand this term. God is righteous and
punishes us for our sins, he reasoned. Who, then, can stand when He puts on His
breastplate of righteousness? But Luther's eyes were opened when he read in Romans
1:17 that the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel.
God's righteousness has a redemptive effect for sinners—if only they believe. Thanks to
this righteousness, the light of God's grace can break through despite the darkness of
sin.
Zion becomes the concentration point of all the nations. The year of Jubilee begins, and
everything changes for the better. The daughter of Zion can no longer complain that she
has been forsaken, and her land can no longer be called a wilderness. Her citizens are
now called "the redeemed of the LORD," and her new name is "Sought out, a city not
forsaken" (62:12). As you read Revelation 21, you will find many echoes of these
chapters of Isaiah, for its song about the future of the New Testament church draws on
these poetic images.
[49]
13. Judgment and Promise (63:1—66:22)
The grapes of wrath. Deliverance involves settling scores with enemy nations. Edom had
played a contemptible role in Judah's banishment to exile. In 63:1-6 we read that the
Lord will appear as Edom's grape-treader, with the blood of His people spattered on His
garments.
He is alone in treading the wine press, we read. Exegetes have often applied this text to
Christ in His suffering, but there is no need to do so. What this text is talking about is
simply the wrath of the Lord.
We also find the image of the grape-treader in the book of Revelation. The garment of
the rider on the white horse is dipped in blood. We read that he "will tread the wine
press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty" (Rev. 19:13,15; see also 14:19-20).
We should not be repulsed by this image, for it underscores the great earnestness of the
promises. The Good Shepherd treads the grapes of wrath. Heaven is deliverance from
hellish power.
Clouds in the way. Later in the book it almost appears that clouds are blocking the vision
of redemption. A petition about Zion is sent out: Where is the one
who caused his glorious arm
to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
to make for himself an everlasting name,
who led them through the depths? (63:12-13).
For thou art our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
thou, O LORD, art our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is thy name (vs. 16).
O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down (64:1).
[50]
The Lord then proceeds to answer all the complaints recorded in 63:7—64:12. His
answer does not gloss over the issue of guilt.
He reports that He stretched out His arms to His people "all the day," even though they
continually offended Him with their open idolatry (65:1ff; see also Rom. 10:20-1). The
Israelites had set a table for the gods of fortune and destiny (vs. 11). "Abominations"
were eaten in hopes of purification (66:17). The day of the Lord was turned into a
joke(65:5ff).
A somber ending. The Lord pronounces judgment on these apostate brothers as the book
of Isaiah ends with a dark text about a worm that does not die and a fire that is not

21
extinguished (66:24; see also Mark 9:48). The synagogue found this such an ominous
ending that when the book was being read aloud, the second last verse was read once
more after the concluding verse about the worm and the fire so that the reading would
end on a note of promise.
We should resist the impulse to touch up or rearrange the somber ending of Isaiah, for
this ending, too, is part of the comfort the book provides. The godless have no peace.
The apostates scorn the "remnant" that chooses to be faithful to Yahweh; they scorn the
"servants of the LORD."
Universal salvation. The prophet has a comforting message for God's servants. The glad
tidings about a new heaven and a new earth resound in their ears. In colors borrowed
from our earthly existence, the glory of the New Jerusalem is sketched. Zion's population
is numerous. The typical features of a prophecy of promise are all present.
Salvation is universal; it embraces people of all nations and tongues (i.e. languages). A
colorful procession of foreign nations moves toward the restored temple. In this
[51]
exceptionally beautiful prophecy we read: "And they shall bring all your brethren
from all the nations as an offering to the LORD" (66:20). There will be place for a church
assembly led by priests.
A broadened priesthood. It is striking that Paul sees his missionary activities in the same
light in Romans 15:16. He describes himself as "a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be
acceptable [to God], sanctified by the Holy Spirit."
If we may assume that the word them in 66:21 includes the Gentiles, the priesthood is
promised to "them" as well. The universal priesthood was already promised to all Israel
(61:6), which meant that the opposition between "clergy" and "laity" would eventually
have to disappear. Now this priesthood is broadened out to include all believers.
The eternal sabbath. On the holy mount there is a never-ending festival: "From new
moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before
me" (66:23). This was later worked out in the Revelation to John, where our glorious
future is sketched in terms borrowed from the Passover (the Lamb) and the Feast of
Tabernacles (the palm branches). The great host composed of people of all nations
serves God day and night.
The end of the book of Isaiah, which was written in the midst of deformation, doubt
about the Lord's promises, desecration of the sabbath, huckstering, and participation in
mysterious heathen rites, envisions a new future. Christ Jesus, the Servant of the Lord,
is the one who will bring us this future. He reveals the Father to us, wipes out our
3 [52]
transgressions, calls the distant coastlands to the gospel, creates the eternal
sabbath, gives His church a foretaste of that sabbath, and makes His church into priests,
a light for the nations.
Yet He also creates the outer darkness and judges all apostasy. The old order will pass

3
These "coastlands" — the King James Version has "islands" — are the areas along the
Mediterranean Sea, e.g. the west coast of Asia Minor (Ionia). Unfortunately, modern "prophecy"
has sometimes found a different meaning in this text, namely, that the ten lost tribes went to
western Europe, where they form the population of the Anglo-Saxon countries and some
continental countries. Isn't the Netherlands the Israel of the West? Baruch is alleged to have come
to Ireland with Davidic princesses, one of whom then married the king of Ireland. Through this
marriage, all the royal families in Europe are supposedly related to David. Thereby "David" actually
rules in them. The movement proclaiming these ideas is often called the "British Israel"
movement.
Actually, there was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy when synagogues that arose in Asia
Minor and elsewhere in the "coastlands" attracted some pagans (the so-called "Godfearing"
Gentiles). Later there was another fulfillment, when churches of Christ arose in faraway
coastlands—think of the seven churches of "Asia."

22
away. All things will be made new, as our liturgy and weak voices are replaced by an
eternal liturgy.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hid from the LORD,
and my right hand is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard? (40:27-8).
In accordance with His promises, we await a new heaven and a new earth where
righteousness dwells (65:17; 66:22; II Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1).

23
[53]
Jeremiah
Behold, I make you this day a fortified
city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls,
against the whole land, against the
kings of Judah, its princes, its priests,
and the people of the land (1:18).

1. The Prophet and His Times

Reformation under Josiah. There is a great deal of information available about the
historical era in which Jeremiah preached. He was called to his prophetic office in the
thirteenth year of King Josiah. In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah undertook a
reformation of the temple services. In the books of Kings and Chronicles, we read that
the king consulted the prophetess Huldah in connection with the threats in the book of
the law (which had just been discovered), but we read nothing about Jeremiah. All the
same, we may take it that Jeremiah's words of warning helped prepare the way for
reformation under Josiah and generally had a stimulating effect. In the first six chapters
[54]
of the book of Jeremiah, we find passages drawn from his sermons before the
reformation.
King Josiah fell in battle against Pharaoh Neco, who was on his way to Assyria to make
war there. Josiah had trusted in the Lord's promises to Judah, but he had forgotten that
the same Isaiah who spoke of "God with us" also warned against foreign entanglements:
"In quietness and in trust shall be your strength" (Is. 30:15).
The tangle of world politics. After a period of relative independence under Josiah came a
chaotic period that ended with the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Judah
was swept along in the tangle of world politics. Jehoahaz (also called Shallum)
succeeded his father. He was soon arrested by Pharaoh Neco and succeeded by his older
brother Eliakim (whom the Pharaoh called Jehoiakim). This lover of splendor did not care
to listen to what Jeremiah had to say. No wonder! In blunt language the prophet
admonished him for his tyranny, his shedding of innocent blood, and his collaboration
with Egypt.
Meanwhile, there were major changes underway on the larger political scene. Assyria's
capital city of Nineveh fell in the face of an attack by the allied Medes and Babylonians.
These allies then turned on Egypt. Babylon's supremacy would have to be recognized in
Jerusalem now, for Egypt was defeated at Carchemish and the Euphrates.
Judah's last kings. Jehoiakim did not want to listen to the words of the prophets and the
language of world history. He rebelled against the dominance of Babylon, relying on
Egypt instead. Nebuchadnezzar then besieged Jerusalem, his army looting the
countryside till it was bare. Jehoiakim died in this siege; his dead body was thrown
outside and given no more funeral honors than a donkey would receive (22:19).
[55]
Jehoiachin took his place, but after three months this king capitulated. He and the
other important figures were deported. The best craftsmen were also sent to Babylon.
The finest plates and dishes in the temple were seized as booty of war.
Zedekiah (originally called Mattaniah) now became king. He was a brother of Josiah and
an uncle of the two previous kings. Because he was weak in character, he was unable to
keep the pro-Egyptian faction in check. The result was a new rebellion against Babylon.
A foolish nationalism under the leadership of priests and false prophets looked to Egypt
for deliverance. Jeremiah's warnings were in vain. After a struggle of a year and a half,
Jerusalem was forced to surrender. A final deportation to Babylon followed, as flames did
their destructive work in the city and the temple.
Migration to Egypt. As for the Jews who remained in the land of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar
appointed Gedaliah to rule them. After his murder by a jealous rival, the remaining Jews
decided to migrate to Egypt. Jeremiah was forced to go with them. In Egypt he

24
continued to prophesy against the perpetual apostasy from the Lord. Beyond that we
lose track of this man of God. Legend has it that he was murdered in the land of the
Nile.
This, in brief, is the historical context of the words spoken by Jeremiah on God's behalf.
As you read through his prophecies, you would do well to keep this historical framework
in mind; otherwise some of the implications of his words are bound to escape you.
Not all the prophecies are arranged in proper historical order. That's why it's all the more
important to be familiar with the tragedy of the last kings of Judah. Read through the
relevant portions of Kings and Chronicles once more. Then names like Jehoiakim and
Zedekiah will no longer sound remote and distant.
[56]
A heavy burden. If the history of the era comes clearly to the fore in Jeremiah's
prophecies, we are also told a great deal about the prophet as a person. Sometimes his
words sound like his "confessions," for this office-bearer speaks about his concerns and
struggles in a direct, open and honest way. His office is a heavy burden for him. The task
assigned him is almost too much for a human being. He must oppose false prophets,
priests, rulers, and public opinion.
Jeremiah would happily surrender his office, but the calling of the Lord is too strong for
that; he is keenly aware of the need he is ordered to meet. Therefore he perseveres in
calling for repentance, and later, when judgment has come, in prophesying about
deliverance. The future looks dim, and by nature Jeremiah is not a man with a character
of steel. Everything goes against him, but he carries on anyway. The calling of the Lord
gives him the power to persevere.
Behold, I have put my words in your
mouth (1:9).

2. Jeremiah's Calling (1:1-19)

A priest's son. The first chapter of the book speaks of the prophet's calling. Jeremiah was
a priest's son who grew up in Anathoth, the place where Abiathar had his property.
Under normal circumstances, Jeremiah would have become a priest. But the Lord called
him to serve elsewhere!
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations (1:5).
[57]
Jeremiah did not immediately declare his willingness to accept this task. He surveyed
the future. He was still so young! Then how could he speak authoritatively against the
tide of public opinion?
The Lord touched his mouth, and some promises followed:
To all to whom I send you you shall go,
and whatever I command you you shall speak.
Be not afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you.
Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant
(1:7-8, 9-10; see also 18:7; 24:6; 31:21; 42:10; 45:3).
The almond tree. The young, newly called prophet then had two visions—a branch of an
almond tree followed by a boiling pot. The almond tree blossoms early and is a sign of
spring. Hence the Hebrews spoke of it as the "watchful tree." The Lord was also
watchful: He would see to it that His Word was fulfilled. Jeremiah's words would not be
idle air vibrations but would be realized.
As you read the book of Jeremiah, you cannot help but be struck by this sensitive

25
prophet's practiced eye as an observer of nature and of life in general. He was
acquainted with the descending vulture (49:22), the annual migration of birds (8:7), the
ways of the lion and the leopard (4:7; 5:6; 12:8; 13:23; 49:19). He was familiar with
the work of the cattle raiser and vineyard keeper and was acquainted with wedding joy
and the dance.
The Lord instructed Jeremiah about what to say to the people, making use of his keen
[58]
powers of observation. Whenever Jeremiah would see an almond tree during his
days of depression, it would give him comfort: the Lord watches over His Word and
makes sure it is accomplished. (Hebrew uses the same word for word as for thing, i.e.
dabar.)
The boiling pot. The second vision of the priest's son from Anathoth concerned the
content of his message. To the people of the ancient Near East, north was the direction
of darkness, the direction from which danger and misfortune most often came.
The boiling pot facing away from the north contains a clear message. Although no
specific country is mentioned, it becomes clear that out of the mists of history, some
destructive power will emerge to the north. At the outset it was sufficient for Jeremiah to
know that something was indeed brewing. Misfortune was on its way because of Judah's
apostasy.
Even if the people would not believe Jeremiah, as they did not believe Isaiah, that was
no reason for him to be afraid. Yahweh would transform the young, naive, sensitive
priest's son into an iron pillar and bronze walls. Doesn't the name Jeremiah mean
Yahweh establishes"!
The prophet would encounter opposition. Once more we hear the Immanuel promise: "I
am with you to deliver you." In the days of persecution, Jeremiah was to hear those
words repeatedly (11:20; 15:20; 17:18; 20:11).

Return, O faithless children, says the

LORD (3:14).

3. An Appeal for Repentance (2:1-4:4)

A painful command. Jeremiah was commanded not to get married. (We don't know
[59]
whether he was instructed never to marry.) His life was to symbolize or reflect the
widowhood of his people.
This painful command did not turn him into a man withdrawn from daily life and
despising its pleasures, a man whose eyes were closed to life's beauty. On the contrary,
life continued to excite him, although the command not to marry caused him pain. We
even hear Jeremiah sanctifying marriage by calling it a reflection of the relationship
between Yahweh and His people. (Hosea did the same.)
The Lord's bride. The first chapters of the book of Jeremiah date from the beginning of
his prophetic career. Since the days in Egypt, the Lord had accepted the people as His
bride, caring for her and lavishing attention upon her. But what did the bride do? She
ran after the Baals. The northern kingdom of the ten tribes, the "faithless one,"
committed adultery. Yet the southern kingdom of Judah, the "false one," was not
frightened into obedience by Israel's punishment. No, she committed spiritual adultery
as well (3:6-10).
To make Judah jealous, Jeremiah was told to appeal to Israel to repent. Naturally, this
was a symbolic appeal, for Israel was in exile. To the north the cry went out: "Return to
the LORD, faithless Israel!"
A gracious invitation. Most exegetes apply 3:14ff to Israel, the deported Jews of the
northern kingdom. Yet there are some who maintain that those words were addressed to
Judah. Whatever the intention, they contain a gracious invitation: "I will take you, one

26
from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion."
In certain mystical circles, this text has been assigned a grave meaning: man has little
chance of being saved, since God chooses only a few—one here and one or two there.
[60]
But the actual intent of this prophetic message is just the opposite: even if just one
in an entire city or two in a whole family are faithful, they are welcomed by the One who
does not reproach His chosen and is no respecter of persons.
Note that Zion is seen as the center of things in the time of salvation. The symbol of the
ark of the covenant is replaced by that of the throne of the Lord (3:16-17). All the
nations proceed to Jerusalem. In his mind, the prophet already hears the confession of
the returning Israelites (3:21ff).
But things haven't come quite that far—at least, not in Judah:
Break up your fallow ground,
and sow not among thorns.
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD,
remove the foreskin of your hearts,
O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;
lest my wrath go forth like fire,
and burn with none to quench it,
because of the evil of your doings (4:3-4).

4. Wickedness Crying out for Judgment (4:5—10:25)

Primordial formlessness. Jeremiah was certainly faithful to his calling. How he prophesied
about the misfortune approaching from the north! (The vision of the boiling pot had
indicated that the danger would come from the north.) He declared:
My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh, the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
[61]
I can not keep silent;
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war (4:19).
It's not often that we hear sermons about Jeremiah 4:5ff. Yet, what penetrating
language we read there!
Jeremiah sees the land returning to the formlessness of the primordial time:
I saw the earth, and it was without form and void;
the heavens, and their light was gone.
I saw the mountains, and they reeled;
all the hills rocked to and fro.
I saw, and there was no man,
and the very birds had taken flight.
I saw, and the farm-land was wilderness,
and the towns all razed to the ground,
before the LORD in his anger (vs. 23-6 NEB).
This passage is frightening reading. Hence it should speak to twentieth century man with
all his anxieties and fears.
We should note that Jeremiah's words do not contain the threat of judgment in general,
the kind of threat that we find in many of the earlier paintings of the magic realist Carel
Willink, for example. Modern man interprets the threat of judgment more as a feeling or
projection of something deep within him than as something God actually brings about.
Jeremiah is not recording his own emotions but the Lord's message for a particular
people—the adulterous daughter of Zion (4:30), of the land of the covenant people.

27
Corruption among the office-bearers. Jeremiah presents us with a penetrating analysis of
the situation. The man in the street refuses to repent and turn to the Lord. And society's
leaders, who pretend to know it all, don't repent either.
[62]
Monstrous, horrible things
are happening in the land:
the prophets prophesy falsely,
the priests teach whatever they please.
And my people love it! (5:30-1 JB).
The corruption among the office-bearers, of all people, is the main reason why
Jerusalem's time is rapidly running out. These highly placed people try to put the best
face on the situation by saying, "Peace, peace" when there is no peace (6:14). Luther
quoted this very text at the end of his famous 95 Theses of October 31, 1517,
condemning those who cried, "Peace, peace" in his time when there was no peace.
All who combat the spirit of the times can draw comfort from Jeremiah. His preaching
and his appeal for reformation were rejected in the leading circles by people who prided
themselves on self-sufficiency. All the same, Jeremiah persevered.
A sermon in the temple. A clear example of his preaching is his sermon in the temple,
which is recorded in chapter 7 (see also ch. 26). Jesus later pointed back to Jeremiah's
words: "Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your
eyes?" (7:11; see also Matt. 21:13). Christ thereby took up His position on the same
battleground where His prophetic predecessor had fought.
The struggle was not against the temple services as such but against misusing the
worship center as a gathering place for evildoers and idolaters. At the beginning of
Jehoiakim's reign, Jeremiah entered the temple, perhaps during one of the feasts, and
declared: "Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the
temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.' GO now to my place that was in Shiloh,
[63]
where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of
my people Israel" (7:4, 12). Here Jeremiah goes back to the history of earlier
generations. The God who turned the Shiloh of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas into a shambles
will not shrink from doing the same thing to the temple, now that "Shiloh's compromise"
governs the city of Jerusalem and the temple.
Love and sacrifice. No doubt it strikes you as somewhat strange that Jeremiah declares
in the name of the Lord that no commandments about offering sacrifices were given at
the time of the exodus: the only commandment was that of obedience (7:21ff; see also
6:20; Amos 5:25; Mic. 6:6ff). Isn't Jeremiah guilty of exaggeration here? Weren't there
various laws concerning sacrifices proclaimed at the time of the exodus?
Of course there were. What Jeremiah means to say—and emphasize—is that the bringing
of sacrifices is not the most important thing commanded by the law. The most important
thing of all is to love Yahweh!
If a boy at school fails all his subjects except for physical education, his father can rightly
reproach him by saying: "I don't send you to school for physical education!" By saying
this, the father does not mean to deny that physical education is a legitimate part of the
curriculum; his point is rather that one subject should not draw all the boy's attention.
Israel's situation as a schoolboy was analogous. He did very well in one subject, namely,
Bringing Sacrifices. But when it came to Conduct and Work Habits and National History,
he received failing marks. All the same, he dared to smile and say: "At least I passed
Bringing Sacrifices"—as though the law could be fulfilled through rituals!
Impotent idols. Is there any way of escaping the judgment? Jeremiah would like to have
[64]
withdrawn to the wilderness (9:2), but he had to go on prophesying. Against the
sweetly reassuring songs of the false prophets, he had to raise his lamentation:
Death has climbed in at our windows,
and made its way into our palaces;

28
 it has cut down the children in the street,
the youths in the square.
Men's corpses lie
like dung in the open field,
like sheaves left by the reaper,
with no one to gather them (9:21-2 JB).
Another song issues from Jeremiah's lips, a song mocking the idols, which are as
impotent as a scarecrow in a field of cucumbers. But Jeremiah also raises a song of
praise to the Lord. Although the idols are called kings (e.g. Molech), the Lord is the
Great King. Then comes a sentence that we find in the song of Moses and the Lamb:
"Who would not fear thee, O King of the nations?" (10:7; Rev. 15:4).

Blessed are you when men revile you

and persecute you, for so men
persecuted the prophets who were
before you (Matt. 5:11, 12).

5. Stubborn Opposition to Jeremiah's Prophecies (11:1—20:18)

A murder plot. Under King Josiah, a covenant was made between the Lord and Judah.
[65]
Given the threat of judgment, the people would surely repent. But under Josiah's
successors, they wanted to shake off the burden of the covenant again. Then Jeremiah,
with his priestly spirit, was given a difficult command: "Do not pray for this people, or lift
up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of
their trouble" (11:14; see also 7:16).
No prophet is honored in his own hometown (Luke 4:24), as Jeremiah found out. In
Anathoth, where he was born and raised, a murder plot was hatched against him.
Jeremiah felt that he was being led to the slaughter like a guileless lamb. Thus he had
good reason to pronounce judgment on the men of Anathoth as he faced the suffering
that threatened him as prophet.
The bells of judgment. The important thing for Jeremiah was to hang on to the God of
his calling. Like the author of Psalm 73, he struggled to believe in God's righteousness.
His persecutors would be as sheep destined for slaughter.
Jeremiah should not make the mistake of thinking this would be the last attack. If his
own family was so opposed to the prophetic Word, what could he expect from others?
Surely they would be no more sympathetic to his preaching.
The prophet was not permitted to give up. "If you have raced with men on foot, and they
have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?" (12:5). How could he stand as an
iron pillar in the face of the powerful figures in Jerusalem if he was feeling discouraged
already? Indeed, what happened at Anathoth was only the beginning of his pain (11:18-
12:6).
Jeremiah had to carry on. Read further. You'll get a good impression of his work: the
bells of judgment tolled steadily. The images succeed one another rapidly in Jeremiah's
mind. Israel is a green olive tree (11:15ff), a vineyard destroyed (12:10), a priestly
[66]
girdle that has spoiled just as any cloth girdle spoils when buried (13:1ff).
All the inhabitants of Judah, from the highest to the lowest, will be smashed as a drunk
smashes his flask. Trouble will come from the north; old friends will come as enemies. If
Jerusalem is so eager to live by Babylon's spirit, then it will sink under Babylon's power.
A heavy price. Again, prayer is of no avail—not even the pleas and supplications of a
Jeremiah or a Moses or a Samuel (see Ps. 99:6). Jeremiah is forced into a position of
complete isolation: he travels through the country as a squabbling, contentious man. He
is told to eat the Word of the Lord (15:10, 16) and does so with joy.

29
Jeremiah had to pay a heavy price for serving as prophet. His words of judgment spared
no one:
I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone, because thy hand was upon me,
for thou hadst filled me with indignation (15:17).
It became too much for Jeremiah. He even went so far as to declare: "Thou art to me
like a brook that is not to be trusted, whose waters fail" (vs. 18 NEB). These are grave
words indeed! The office-bearer indicates that he does not trust the One he serves.
Restoration to office. The Lord is patient. He leads an overwrought Jeremiah back to the
time of his first love: "If you return [repent], I will restore you," that is, to the office of
prophet. Here Jeremiah is again called to serve as prophet; he is restored to his office.
The same words are spoken as when he was first called:
And I will make you to this people
[67]
a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you
to save you and deliver you (vs. 20).
Jeremiah must have been very ashamed after this outburst against his only real friend,
but the Lord saw to it that he did not develop a guilt complex because of it. It's almost
like the apostle Peter being told after his denial of Christ: "Feed My sheep."
A dry, fruitless existence. Jeremiah's task was indescribably difficult. In chapter 16 we
read that the Lord commanded him not to get married. Nor was he to enter any house of
mourning or join in any wedding feast.
All this was a sign for Israel that the Lord was about to break up the ordinary course of
life in Jerusalem. Comfort vanished, together with the jubilant voices of the bride and
bridegroom. Judah's sin was written down with an iron pen (17:1). Through his dry,
fruitless existence, Jeremiah, who loved life and his people intensely, was to serve as a
symbol of the dry, brackish plains that Judah's farms would become.
In this moving section of Jeremiah, we read another confession voiced by the prophet.
Mockers ask: "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come if it can!" (17:15 NEB; see
also II Pet. 3:4). Was Jeremiah perhaps proclaiming a message he had made up himself?
For his part, he did not long for judgment:
I have not pressed thee to send evil,
nor have I desired the day of disaster.
Let those be put to shame who persecute me,
but let me not be put to shame (17:16, 18).
[68]
Here we are granted a glimpse of the prophet's heart. He struggles to stay on his
feet and carry out his calling. "Thou art my refuge in the day of evil" (vs. 17).
Bucking public opinion. In 17:19-27 we are given a close-up of Jeremiah's struggle to
maintain the sanctity of the sabbath. Striking are the promises he mentions in this
context. There is still some hope of salvation. Earlier we also came across promises here
and there (see 12:15ff; 16:14ff).
Jeremiah is not a prophet of judgment alone. Behind the dark night of exile lies the
morning of a Messianic future. Later, as judgment comes closer, the prophet of doom
begins to sing songs of deliverance, again bucking public opinion.
But things had not yet gone so far that judgment was already visible. The carefree life
was still being led in Jerusalem. After all, the Lord was in the midst of His people!
Jeremiah tried to smash the people's complacency by using the image of the potter (ch.
18; see also Rom. 9:21; Is. 45:9; 64:8). Isn't the potter able to take a pot that didn't
turn out and reduce it to a lump of clay so that he can make another pot from it? Is it

30
then so strange that Yahweh should punish the apostate maiden Israel?
A cutting curse. These words led to some strong reactions, of course: there was talk of
putting Jeremiah on trial. And there were surely enough corrupt office-bearers to ensure
a conviction. In the next chapter we read how a new round of preaching on Jeremiah's
part did lead to his arrest.
First we read a segment of Jeremiah's memoirs. In his hour of need, he turned to the
Lord:
Remember how I stood before thee
[69]
to speak good for them,
to turn away thy wrath from them (18:20).
In the certainty that the Lord was with him, Jeremiah uttered a cutting curse. When we
consider this passage with its curse—just as when we read psalms in which curses are
uttered—we must not forget that the Heidelberg Catechism speaks of "His enemies and
mine" (Lord's Day 19). We may pray that God will make His justice felt when it comes to
the church's enemies.
The broken flask. The formation of the vessel made by the potter is a symbolic depiction
of the sovereignty of the Lord. The breaking of the vessel is an image of judgment on
something that is a mere creature (see Ps. 2:9).
Jeremiah goes out the Potsherd Gate to the refuse pit Topheth, in the valley of the son
of Hinnom. (Gehenna, the word used in the New Testament for hell, is related to the
name Hinnom.) Topheth is the place where children had been offered to Molech in the
past. At this historical site, which Josiah had turned into a garbage dump, Jeremiah
speaks about the judgment to be poured out over Judah and Jerusalem. He smashes a
flask as an image of the coming destruction. From Topheth he goes to the court of the
temple and repeats his proclamation of judgment.
A night in jail. At this point Pashhur, the chief officer of the temple, intervenes. Jeremiah
has gone too far. The priest's son is locked up in one of the temple gates for the night.
When he is released the next morning, he goes right on with his program and preaches
judgment to Pashhur.
What a night Jeremiah had gone through! Again he was confronted with the difficulty of
his calling. Things had gone so far that he was actually locked up. His enemies were
going a step further each time. What would they do next?
[70]
Wouldn't it be better to give up the prophetic office Utogether? If Jeremiah had only
become a priest, he would not have gotten into all this trouble. Why did he have to go
on protesting in vain against oppression and tyranny? Why did he have to be subjected
to so much mocking and so many taunts when he preached the Word af the Lord?
O LORD, thou hast deceived me,
and I was deceived;
thou art stronger than I,
and thou hast prevailed.
If I say, "I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,"
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot (20:7, 9).
This moving confession shows us again that prophets are not robots but people of flesh
and blood. A series of emotions ranging from despair to triumph swirl around in
Jeremiah's soul. At one moment he knows that the God of his calling is still with him, but
at the next moment he joins Job in cursing the day of his birth. He curses the man who
brought Hilkiah, his father, the news of his birth. (From this we gather that his father

31
was serving in the temple at the time.) Hilkiah must have been glad to hear the news: a
son to serve at the altar! But it turned out that his son became a prophet, a man of
sorrows.

6. Prophecy Rejected as Treason (21:1—23:8)

A delegation from the king. However tormented Jeremiah may have been, he remained
[71]
faithful to his office — both in the face of the common people and in the face of the
rich and powerful. He continued to pronounce judgment in unequivocal language.
When Babylon besieged the city of Jerusalem, King Zedekiah sent a delegation to call on
the prophet. The emissaries represented the power of the world and the church.
Something of this sort had happened before, when King Hezekiah sent emissaries to
Isaiah (II Kings 19). The emissaries who called on Isaiah were dressed in penitential
sackcloth. Isaiah assured them that the Lord would spare Jerusalem from the attack of
the Assyrians.
The delegates calling on Jeremiah, however, were not dressed in penitential garb. Their
request was simply that Jeremiah pray to the Lord, asking Him to perform another of His
wonders or mighty deeds, such as He had performed when Pharaoh and later
Sennacherib threatened His people with destruction.
What was Jeremiah's response? He declared that Yahweh would strike His people with
the threefold scourge of famine, the sword and pestilence. Just as He once led Israel out
of Egypt with His strong arm and outstretched hand, He would now give His people into
the hand of Babylon's king. Covenant obedience leads to blessing, but the apostate
people had no reason to hope that "our dear Lord" would intervene by becoming their
military genius.
National suicide. Jeremiah had some shocking advice for the curious public: Give up!
Continuing the struggle against Babylon, whose vassal Judah had become, was
tantamount to national suicide. The only alternative left was to abandon the city and go
over to the Chaldeans. It was too late for the judgment to be revoked (21:8-10).
I can well imagine that the people did not regard Jeremiah's advice as patriotic. Wasn't
the prophet betraying his country by talking that way? When the siege was temporarily
[72]
lifted, Jeremiah left the city. His departure was interpreted as meaning that he was
going over to the enemy side, and therefore he was arrested (37:11ff). Isn't this
reaction on the part of the authorities understandable?
The norms by which Jeremiah acted were not drawn from some unknown, mysterious
source: he took up his position on the basis of special revelation. He told the people that
they were not obliged to obey a government that went contrary to God's
commandments, a government that led them to the brink of catastrophe. Actually,
Zedekiah had broken the covenant with Babylon. Because he had appealed to the name
of the Lord in making that covenant, he offended the Lord by breaking it.
Jeremiah now showed the people a way to avoid the consequences of their king's double
rebellion, namely, the way of life (see Deut. 30:19). They should subject themselves to
the yoke of Babylon's king (see II Chron. 36:12-14).
David's house. The most horrible thing we hear in Jeremiah's words is a rejection of
David's house. In the following prophecies this also comes to the fore (21:11—22:30).
We read about Shallum (Jehoahaz), who ruled for only a short time, and Jehoiakim, who
probably died during a siege. (Jeremiah prophesied that he would receive the "burial of
an ass" far beyond the city.) We also read about Jehoiachin, who was deported by the
king of Babylon. He was to die childless. Thus, no descendant of his would ever sit on
David's throne. It was just as though Messianic hope was being snuffed out.
Yet, in this same context we read a glorious prophecy about the coming Christ. Before
Jeremiah speaks about the other leaders (the false prophets), he utters a prophecy of
salvation, this time taking up the theme of the Good Shepherd.

32
There will be good shepherds to replace the scatterers of the sheep. Yes, God will see to
[73]
it that a righteous Branch arises from David to rule as King and make the land
flourish.
Righteousness. Although the last kings in David's line did not promote justice but instead
created social disorder and trampled on the rights of the poor and weak, this Branch will
be called "The LORD is our righteousness." This may be some sort of ironic pun on the
name Zedekiah which means "The LORD is my righteousness."
The "righteousness" spoken of here is not just a matter of giving each person his due; it
is much richer in content. It means salvation, the deliverance of the oppressed, rescue,
acquittal. This is what Paul had in mind when he declared that Christ Jesus is our
righteousness (I Cor. 1:30). Through Him we are justified and acquitted. Against the
dark background of the deeds of Judah's last kings, then, stands a glowing prophecy
about the coming Messiah.

What do straw and wheat have in

common? (23:28 JB).

7. True and False Prophecy (23:9—29:32)

Spoiled figs. Some words of judgment against the false prophets complete the setting.
The Lord will put an end to their practice of smoothing over evil and masking judgment.
He will settle some scores with those who joke about "the LORD'S burden" (23:23ff).
What those false prophets preach comes out of their own hearts, and the effect of their
preaching is to confirm the people in their attitudes and ways rather than to call them to
repentance.
[74]
But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words
to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their doings (23:22).
From chapter 24 we learn something of the content of the sermons of the false prophets.
They declared that the exiled Jews were wicked, while those who stayed behind under
Zedekiah were the cream of the crop. Using the comparison of the basket of good figs
and the basket of bad figs, Jeremiah let the people know that the exiles were really the
ones with a future. Jerusalem was like a basket of :'igs that had spoiled.
The cup of the Lord's wrath. Nebuchadnezzar was to subject the world to his rule. The
nations on which Judah fixed its hopes would drink from the cup of the LORD'S wrath.
Here again the prospect of salvation is not completely absent: the king of Babylon would
also have to drink (25:26). This meant that after 70 years, Babylon, too, would be
judged for its iniquities (vs. 12).
When you read the prophecies against the nations in chapters 46-51, you will note that
roughly the same order is followed as in the catalogue presented in 25:19-26. This is no
accident, of course. After the Lord made Judah and Jerusalem drink from the cup of His
wrath, the neighboring nations would get their turn. The judgment was inescapable and
worldwide. The Lord was bringing an indictment against the nations (vs. 31).
Preaching in the temple. Chapter 26 gives us a second report on the preaching in the
temple. (Chapter 7 covers some of the same ground.) Now we see what the reactions
were. The priests and false prophets wanted to kill Jeremiah, but the rulers and elders
[75]
put a stop to their plans. After all, Micah had prophesied against the city and the
temple in Hezekiah's days (see Mic. 3:12) without being put to death by the king.
Instead Hezekiah listened to what Micah said, and the Lord did not carry out the threat.
Thanks to this intervention Jeremiah was spared, escaping with a good scare. But how
long could he go on this way? Uriah, a prophet from Kiriath-jearim, likewise preached

33
against Jerusalem. Although he fled to Egypt, Jehoiakim's secret police managed to track
him down. He paid for his prophecy with his life.
An iron yoke. Chapter 27 records a prophecy from the time of Zedekiah directed against
the false prophets, the ones who declared that Judah would not remain under Babylon's
dominance and that the dishes and bowls from the temple taken to Babylon by
Nebuchadnezzar would be returned (vs. 9, 16). Jeremiah wore a wooden yoke to
represent Judah and the envoys from the neighboring nations who wanted to entice
Judah to rebel against Babylon. But the false prophet Hananiah broke the yoke Jeremiah
wore in the temple: within two years all the nations would be free of the yoke of
Nebuchadnezzar, he predicted.
Taken aback, Jeremiah went his own way, but the Lord summoned him: he was to
prophesy to Hananiah that the Lord would lay an iron yoke on the shoulders of the
nations. That same year Hananiah would die because of his vain lies. Yahweh was
squaring accounts with the false prophets (ch. 28).
False prophets did not appear in Judah only; they were also to be found in the land of
exile, where they misled the people with false prophecies of deliverance. We are warned
that there will be false prophets seeking to lead us astray during the time of the new
[76]
covenant as well (Matt. 24:24; II Thess. 2:9ff; II Tim. 4:3; II Pet. 2:1; I John 4:1;
Jude, vs. 18). Throughout the Bible, we are warned against the lies of the false prophets.
No false hopes. Jeremiah issued a warning to the exiles. They should not be deluded by
false hopes but should "set-t.e down" calmly in foreign Babylon for a period of 70 jears.
Even in Babylon the Lord would manage to track clown the false prophets.
The point to remember as you read these chapters is that Jeremiah's account of the
corruption of the offices forms a background that enhances the depiction of the great
officebearer, i.e. "the LORD, our righteousness" (23:6). This background gives us a better
perspective on the prophecies of salvation (ch. 30-33).

8. Proclamation by Word and Deed (30:1—33:26)

A voice of mirth and gladness. Jeremiah's message was not restricted to words of doom:
chapters 30-33 are full of comfort. Yes, the man who walked around with a yoke on his
shoulders prophesied that Jacob's yoke would be broken (30:8). The man who remained
unmarried because of his office, who announced three times that the voice of the bride
and the bridegroom would no longer be heard (7:34; 16:9; 25:10; see also Rev. 18:23),
also prophesied about a voice of mirth and gladness, a voice of the bridegroom and the
bride that would be heard again in Jerusalem (33:11).
Here we see once more that prophets swim against the stream. When everyone runs
around full of patriotic visions, Jeremiah sees dark clouds. But now that the fall of
Jerusalem is near, he speaks of a glorious dawn.
[77]
The God of his calling is watchful and will see to it that His Word is accomplished.
Just as He is watchful in plucking up and breaking down, He will now build and plant
watchfully (31:28; see also 1:12, 10).
A new covenant. The time had come to stop speaking of the "guilt of the fathers," for the
Lord said He would make a new covenant with His people. The promise on the Lord's
side is that He will write His law in everyone's heart and forgive sins (31:29ff). Whenever
we speak of the "new covenant" (Latin: "novum testamentum"), we are pointing to this
text.
With His blood, Jesus Christ brought about a new covenant. At the last supper,
therefore, He spoke of "the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20) and of "my blood of
the covenant" (Matt. 26:28). The old covenant was dedicated by the blood of animals
(Ex. 24:5ff), and the new covenant by the blood of our great High Priest (Heb. 7:22;
8:6ff; 9:18—10:18).
When we use the term New Testament, then, we should think of these comforting words

34
of Jeremiah. We should also keep them in mind when we celebrate communion and
Pentecost, for the blood of the covenant sanctifies us (Heb. 10:29). Through His Word
and Spirit, Christ inscribes God's law in our hearts (II Cor. 3:3).
Redeeming land. Jeremiah did not preach deliverance by words only; at God's command
he also proclaimed it through deeds. When things had gone so far that Jeremiah was
locked up in prison and Babylon stood before Jerusalem's gates, the Lord told him to buy
a certain field in Anathoth—or better, buy it back—for his impoverished cousin Hanamel
(see Lev. 25:25).
This deed seemed pointless at the time. That was how it struck Jeremiah, and in a
prayer he let his feelings be known (32:16ff)- The Lord revealed to him that the
[78]
catastrophe would indeed come. Yet nothing, no Word of promise, is too wonderful
for the Lord to fulfill. There would be a return from exile, and Yahweh would make an
eternal covenant with His people. Fields would be bought and sold, and deeds drawn up
and signed.
Abundant prosperity. Jeremiah's redemption of his cousin's field while he was imprisoned
and Jerusalem was besieged spoke of great things. The man of God who had moaned so
much about the destruction of the land was now permitted to prophesy about the
blessing of the land and the people. The Lord would take away guilt. Israel, once an
apostate people, would be praised and lauded by all the peoples of the earth. The service
of the tribe of Levi was not over yet, and the promises to David's house were still being
fulfilled.
Here the features of the coming Messiah were made visible. For His sake, Israel would
return from exile and Yahweh would forgive apostasy. Because of the Branch of the
house of David, judgment was not the last word.
However difficult it may have been for Jeremiah to live in the midst of a people who
hardened their hearts and brought judgment on themselves, he still caught sight of a
glorious future through faith in God's promises. The Lord is "great in counsel and mighty
in deed" (32:19). He keeps His Messianic promises and ultimately gives His people an
"abundance of prosperity and security" (33:6).

9. Scandalous Unfaithfulness to the Covenant (34:1—35:19)

The year of Jubilee. Before we get to the prophecies about the nations in chapters 46-
[79]
51, we are given more material from the memoirs of Jeremiah (ch. 34-35). The
degenerating situation is sketched very sharply.
The people no longer cared to listen to the prophetic Word. When Babylon appeared at
the gates, of course, they were frightened. It was then decided that a certain provision
of the law would be obeyed, by letting the slaves go free when the year of Jubilee came.
In a solemn covenant involving both the leaders and the people, the people promised to
let the Lord's grace shine through in "social" matters from then on.
How did this story turn out? Once Babylon lifted the siege, everyone took his own slave
or slaves back. It became apparent that the conversion had been a necessity born of an
emergency.
Through this covenant breaking, the people brought down judgment on their heads.
Speaking on the Lord's behalf, Jeremiah declared in biting terms: "You have disobeyed
me, by not each granting freedom to his brother and his neighbor. Very well, I in my
turn—it is Yahweh who speaks—leave sword, famine and plague free to deal with you"
(34:17 JB). The "rescue" of Jerusalem through the help of the Egyptians would only be
temporary. All of Jerusalem would be laid waste.
The Rechabites. It was scandalous unfaithfulness that caused the people to fall. Jeremiah
made this clear by pointing to the example of the Rechabites. The Rechabites were
Bedouins (i.e. tent-dwellers) as a matter of principle. In Ahab's days, they had been
commanded by their father always to live in tents and to avoid cultivating the ground. In

35
the days of Jeremiah they were still true to this command to avoid culture.
The Rechabites became refugees in the face of the advancing Babylonian army. They left
their tents and fled to the city. When wine was placed before them in one of the rooms
[80]
of the temple, they refused to drink it. These Rechabites, Jeremiah pointed out,
remained faithful to a given command. Why couldn't Israel do the same? What a
contrast between the faithfulness of the Rechabites and the unfaithfulness of the
Israelites! Yet, how could one expect faithfulness if Judah's ruler himself despised the
Word of the Lord?

10. The Fall of Jerusalem and Exile in Egypt (36:1—45:5)

The king's contempt. On a certain fast day, Jeremiah's secretary entered the temple with
a scroll containing prophecies of Jeremiah and read the scroll to the assembled people.
Some princes saw to it that the scroll was taken to the royal palace and read to King
Jehoiakim. The king showed his contempt for Jeremiah's words in his response to the
reading: each time a section was completed, he cut it off and threw it into the fire. He
even ordered that Jeremiah be arrested.
Fortunately, he was unable to locate the prophet, who therefore had time to dictate
another scroll to his secretary Baruch, in which he included even more words of
judgment. Thus the preservation of the prophetic Word was assured.
Desertion? Under Zedekiah, Jeremiah was made a prisoner. The king himself was not
unfavorably disposed toward the prophet. We saw earlier that he sent emissaries to
Jeremiah to ask the prophet to pray for the land (22:1-10). Later, when the Babylonians
withdrew temporarily, Zedekiah repeated this request (37:1-10). In both cases Jeremiah
refused.
[81]
By sending those deputations, Zedekiah showed some respect for the prophet of
doom. The same could not be said of the "princes," that is, the upstarts who assumed
governmental leadership after the deportation of the nobility in 597. Those "princes"
exploited Zedekiah, who was still the nominal ruler.
When Jeremiah left the city gate to go to Anathoth, he was arrested by the guards on a
charge of deserting to the enemy. After all, hadn't the prophet frequently counseled
surrender to the Babylonian army? Despite his protests, he was locked up in a dungeon
cell.
Outline. To get an impression of the rest of Jeremiah's suffering, study the following
survey.
37:17-21 First secret meeting with Zedekiah. Jeremiah is transferred to a better
prison.
38:1-13 Jeremiah continues to counsel surrender to the Babylonians. The princes
receive permission from Zedekiah to put him to death. The prophet is put in a
cistern containing oozing muck. With the king's knowledge, he is hauled out of
the cistern by a black eunuch.
38:14-28 Second secret meeting with Zedekiah. The king is advised to give
himself up freely to Babylon.
39:1-14 Jerusalem is captured and destroyed. The population is deported. Only
some of the poor are left. Jeremiah is treated with respect and allowed to stay in
the city.
39:15-18 The promise to Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian who rescued Jeremiah from
the cistern.
40:1-6 Jeremiah is let go. He attaches himself to Gedaliah, who is appointed
governor, for he wishes to remain in his own land.
40:7-12 Return of the refugees. "Reconstruction" succeeds under Gedaliah the

36
 governor and Jeremiah the prophet.
40:13-41:15 At the instigation of the king of Amnion, one of the Davidic princes
[82]
murders Gedaliah while the Feast of Tabernacles is being celebrated. The
same adventurer, Ishmael, also kills the people in the temple and then heads for
the land of the Ammonites with his captives. His rebellion is broken, however,
and his captives return.
41:16-43:7 The king of Ammon achieves his goal, for the rest of Judah, which
might have become a blossoming population under the protection of Babylon, is
overtaken by a feeling of hopelessness. Jeremiah advises the people to remain
calm and continue with the reconstruction: "Thus says the LORD, the God of
Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplications before him: If you will
remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant
you, and not pluck you up; for I repent of the evil which I did to you" (42:9-10).
Here again we hear words of salvation] Will the Messianic promises now be
fulfilled? (31:28). But it becomes apparent that the people are not ready to
repent yet. They flee to Egypt and take Jeremiah and his secretary Baruch along.
Again Judah rejects the Word of the Lord and seeks deliverance its own way (see
also Deut. 17:16).
43:8-13 Jeremiah prophesies that the land of Pharaoh will not escape punishment
either. Thus the Jewish refugees in Egypt are not safe. "He shall come down and
smite the land of Egypt, giving to the pestilence those who are doomed to the
pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those
who are doomed to the sword" (vs. 11; see also 15:3; Rev. 13:10).
44:1-30 It appears that the people will have to learn the hard way. The "queen of
heaven" is worshiped, just as in the old days (see also 7:16ff; 44:15ff). Alongside
"our dear Lord" they now revere "our beloved Lady," i.e. the figure of Astarte, the
mother goddess. However much Jeremiah warns against this spiritual suicide, the
people refuse to give up their "Mary worship." With specious arguments they
defend the "usefulness" and "comfort" of such worship. This is the last we hear of
[83]
Jeremiah. He announces God's judgment to a people of the Lord who
deliberately go back to an earlier apostasy. Punishment is not to be escaped
through emigration either. The Lord holds His people to the same norms on
foreign soil as in their own land.
Here ends Jeremiah's biography as received through the pen of his secretary Baruch. Did
he die a tragic death? He was a powerless old man who could no longer put his own
stamp on his people. He did enjoy a few periods of "blessing," but even the reformation
under Josiah only touched the surface of things: the seer sensed the superficiality of
those efforts at reformation. The peaceful time under Gedaliah did not last long either.
As the figure of Jeremiah recedes into the mists of history, we ask ourselves whether he
was a prophet who struggled in vain.
Days of breaking down. Baruch must have wrestled with this question himself, for it was
the problem of his own life too. It was not by chance that he concluded his description of
the words and deeds of Jeremiah with a section about himself. He had often complained:
"Woe is me, for the LORD has added grief to all my trials. I have worn myself out with
my labours and have had no respite" (45:3 NEB). What did Jeremiah say to him?
Jeremiah, who had repeatedly been put in his place by the Lord, reminded Baruch of the
great word that he, Jeremiah, had heard when he was called to be a prophet: "What I
have built I am breaking down" (45:4; 1:10). What Baruch had to realize was that he
lived in the days of breaking down. "Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them
not; for, behold, I am bringing evil upon all flesh" (45:5). Baruch's only reward would be
his life, that is, his office, his duty, his calling.
By concluding his sketch with this account of an event in the days of apostate King
Jehoiakim, Baruch points out what it means for him, for Jeremiah, or for anyone called

37
[84]
by the Lord to carry out the duties of his office. The issue is not human happiness.
We enter the Kingdom of God through much oppression.
What matters most is the continued presence and operation of the Word of the Lord.
Jeremiah did not perform miracles, but he did speak. The God of his calling is still
watchful today, making sure that His Word is accomplished.

11. The Lord Frustrates the Plans of the Nations (46:1—52:34)

Egypt. Jeremiah had been called to be a prophet to the nations (1:5). That's why the
book of Jeremiah in its present form closes with a series of prophecies about the nations
already mentioned in 25:19ff.
Egypt is first. Egypt, the land the Jews depended on in their struggle against Babylon,
was also the land where Jeremiah was taken against his express advice and wishes. For
some reason, the Jews long expected deliverance from the people who had once
enslaved them.
Judgment would not pass Egypt by. In poetic, picturesque language, the prophet
sketches the coming judgment and ends with a prophecy of salvation for Jacob, for
Israel, for the people of the covenant made with the forefathers.
Other nations. The Philistines would not be overlooked, nor would proud Moab escape. In
connection with Moab, Jeremiah cites a prophecy of his predecessor Isaiah (see 48:31-3;
Is. 16:7-10). Yet there is still something of a promise left for Moab, just as there is for
Ammon (48:47; 49:6).
[85]
Edom with its wise men will fall prey to Babylon, as will the great city of Damascus,
the center of Syria. Ancient Elam (on the Persian Gulf) and the Arab Bedouins, the
people without gates or bars, will fall to Babylon too. Like a consuming fire and a raging
flood, the Babylonians will sweep over the nations bringing judgment. But idolatrous
Babylon will be judged in turn.
Babylon. We are told in no uncertain terms why Babylon must be judged. Hadn't Yahweh
used this nation as a rod in His hand? Was He now going to break the instrument He had
used? Indeed He was, for Babylon had opposed Him (50:24). In her pride and conceit,
she defied the Lord (vs. 29). In her treatment of God's people, she went beyond the
boundaries He imposed (51:24). Babylon, the "servant of the LORD," continued to live in
the service of Bel — think of the god Baal, whose name means lord — and of Marduk or
Merodach (50:2; 51:47).
The "proud one" (i.e. Babylon) will stumble and fall (50:32). Babylon itself will feel the
edge of the sword (see the "song of the sword" in 50:35-8). At the same time, the
Israelites in Babylonian exile will experience the delivering hand of the Lord (50:17-20,
33-4).
Babylon is incurable, but
The LORD has brought forth our vindication;
come, let us declare in Zion
the work of the LORD our God (51:10).
In the King James Version we read: "The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness."
Here the term righteousness again means the Lord's redemptive deedsl Even these dark
chapters, then, speak of deliverance.
Redemptive righteousness. Just imagine what a comfort these chapters must have been
[86]
to the Jews when they were read aloud in the synagogue. There were always new
oppressors—but Yahweh would bring His redemptive deeds to light! In the New
Testament it becomes clear that the redemptive righteousness by which we are justified
is revealed in Christ.
Therefore the last part of Jeremiah, which is little known even among people well versed
in the Bible, is of exceptional importance for today's church. Note that Jeremiah twice

38
quotes sections of his previous prophecies. In 51:15-19 he quotes 10:12-16, which deals
with the greatness of King Yahweh as compared to the idols, and in 50:41-3 he quotes
6:22-4.
Interchangeable judgment. The latter quotation is especially instructive. In 6:22ff,
Jeremiah speaks of the mysterious "enemy" from the north, in the context of a prophecy
directed against Israel. The Lord is the unchangeable One; He is the King of the nations
(10:7).
Because Babylon has ventured beyond its bounds, it will have to face the "enemy" from
the north! "Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the
inhabitants of Chaldea" (51:1). The Medes, who had once been allies of the Babylonians,
would now defeat them (vs. 28).
Just as the church is judged, then, the world is judged. Hence we could speak of a
certain interchangeability of judgment threats. In Revelation 18 we read about the
judgment of Babylon. There you will find texts that remind you of Jeremiah's prophecy
4
about Babylon's judgment. But this chapter of Revelation also includes expressions
borrowed from Old Testament passages of judgment directed against Israel (see 25:10;
Rev. 18:23).
[87]
We must take this "interchangeability" seriously, for what it means is that a
judgment threat never applies to the "wicked world" alone. If the church subjects itself
to Babylonian influences, she can count on suffering a Babylonian judgment. There is a
definite connection between Jeremiah's talk of casting a book weighted with a stone into
the Euphrates (51:63) and Jesus' talk of casting an offender who causes little ones to sin
into the sea with a millstone around his neck (Mark 9:42) and John's vision of an angel
casting a stone like a great millstone into the sea as a symbol of Babylon's judgment
(Rev. 18:21).
Destruction and elevation. The book of Jeremiah closes with an account of the
destruction of Jerusalem and the later elevation of King Jehoiachin in exile. This account
is borrowed largely from the book of Kings. The appendix about Jehoiachin underscores
what was said at the time of Jeremiah's calling: "I am watching over my word to perform
it" (1:12).
This emotional book about the words and deeds of a prophet who was so much a human
being should strengthen us when we meditate on its main emphasis. However much
things may change, whether it be "2001" or "1984," we know that the God of the
covenant will watch over His Word of promise and judgment. The name Jeremiah means
Yahweh establishes.

4
The last chapters of Jeremiah must have been very well known in the synagogue and therefore in
the early church. John makes extensive use of these chapters in his "prophecy." Compare the
following passages:
Jeremiah with Revelation
50:8 18:4
50:31-4 18:8
50:39 18:2
51:6,9 18:4
51:8 18:2
51:9 18:5
51:63-4 18:21

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[88]
Lamentations
1. The Church in Mourning
The fall of the church. In Israel it was customary that a lamentation be sung in a house
where someone had died. The Bible includes a collection of five lamentations. They deal
with a death—the death of the daughter of Zion! They are lamentations about the
destruction of the city and the temple.
They do not deal only with the disappearance of outward splendor. We must make no
mistake about this point. The reason for the lament raised here is the fall of the church.
Jerusalem was the spiritual center; it was God's residence. There the leaders of Judah
lived, and there the ruler, the priest and the prophet were to be found. The theocracy
(i.e. God's rule over His people) made use of the temple and the officials in it to lead the
people. Through these organs, the covenant relationship was supposed to develop.
But now the enemy had come and destroyed everything. The work of the office-bearers
[89]
in Jerusalem had come to a halt; the sword made short work of them. And the
temple, the place of reconciliation, simply didn't exist after the radical destruction. It
appeared that God had eliminated His people from the row of the nations. The covenant
relationship seemed to have come to an end.
A grim feast. The suffering of the church is the subject of Lamentations:
The roads to Zion mourn,
for none come to the appointed feasts;
all her gates are desolate,
her priests groan (1:4; see also 2:6).
On the other hand, it is as though the Lord had declared a special "day" for the church, a
day of festival celebration. Still, it is a grim feast, for the enemy reigns unchallenged.
The Lord has scorned his altar,
disowned his sanctuary;
he has delivered into the hand of the enemy
the walls of her palaces;
a clamor was raised in the house of the LORD
as on the day of an appointed feast (2:7).
The Lord flouted all my mighty men
in the midst of me;
he summoned an assembly against me
to crush my young men;
The Lord has trodden as in a wine press
the virgin daughter of Judah (1:15; see also 2:22).
This "day of the LORD" was indeed a horrible day for the theocracy. The king, the Lord's
anointed, was captured, despite his attempt to escape (4:20). Both priest and prophet
were murdered in the sanctuary (2:20). In fierce anger, the Lord cut down all the might
of Israel (2:3).
[90]
The strength of the land had disappeared. Jerusalem's king and princes found
themselves lined up among the people of all nations. There was no longer any instruction
in the law, and the prophets received no more visions from tie Lord (2:9).
Confessions. From the depths of this misery, complaints ascended. But the book includes
more than just lamentations; it presents us with confessions as well. Jerusalem had
sinned greatly: "The crimes of the daughter of my people have outdone the sins of
Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, no time for a man to wring his lands"
(4:6 JB; see also 1:8).
The author of this lamentation knows that it was the Lord Himself who overthrew Zion

40
(1:21; 2:6, 17). Thus it would do no good to complain about the consequences of sin.
Instead the people should complain about the sins themselves and repent. Perhaps the
Lord would then be gracious (3:38ff).
Apostate leaders. As this awareness of sin breaks through, there is also a recognition
that the offices functioned in a wrong, anti-Messianic way:
The kings of the earth did not believe,
or any of the inhabitants of the world,
that foe or enemy could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
This was from the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed in the midst of her
the blood of the righteous (4:12-13).
Your prophets have seen for you
false and deceptive visions;
they have not exposed your iniquity
to restore your fortunes,
[91]
but have seen for you oracles
false and misleading (2:14).
The contemporary relevance of Lamentations comes clearly to the fore. Today there is
plenty of reason to lament about apostate "spiritual leaders," misled "laymen," scorn for
the church's confessions, and indifference to the threat of God's judgments. We are all
preoccupied with our individual salvation.
Never forget that the salvation of each one of us is bound up with the condition of the
church. We may not isolate ourselves from the entirety of God's action in gathering His
chosen ones. It should cut us to the quick to hear false, unchristian doctrines being
proclaimed in the name of Christianity and the church. Isn't that something to regret
deeply?

You should not grieve like the rest of

men, who have no hope (I Thess. 4:13
NEB).

2. A Book of Great Beauty

Restoration and conversion. The book of Lamentations is also relevant to our time in
another respect: it sings of the abiding faithfulness of our covenant God.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is thy faithfulness (3:22-3).
Through all the grief shines the awareness that the Lord remembers His covenant:
[92]
But thou, O LORD, dost reign for ever;
thy throne endures to all generations.
Why dost thou forget us for ever,
why dost thou so long forsake us?
Restore us to thyself, O LORD, that we may be restored!
Renew our days as of old! (5:19-21).
This talk of restoration is a reference to the return of the Jews from exile. But it also
means genuine conversion, a renewal of the heart, a renewal of national life, a
restoration of the covenant relationship.
The Lord would have to bring this about. Here the motif of free grace is raised again.

41
There is to be no worldly grief, for such grief leads to death (II Cor. 7:10).
Elegant in diction and style. In the first four lamentations, just as in some of the psalms,
each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Thus these songs were
composed in accordance with a certain model.
Because the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, these lamentations are made up of 22
verses. The third lamentation gives three verses for each letter and therefore has 66
verses in all. Here again we see that the Bible is a book of great beauty.
It may strike you as strange that a book like Lamentations should be composed in such
an orderly, calculated way. Doesn't this conflict with its deeply emotional content?
It is clear from this unique book, from beginning to end, hat its author sings about
experiences he has lived through himself. Yet his laments do not form a wild chaos; they
are presented in an order based on the order of the letters of the alphabet. This adds
greatly to the beauty of the book. In an annotation to a Dutch equivalent of the King
James Bible, we read: "This little book is so elegant in its choice of words and its literary
[93]
style that not a single writing of even the most eloquent heathen author may be
compared to it."
The five lamentations were used by the Jews in worship services in the synagogue, for
example, to remember the destruction of Jerusalem. Isn't there a connection between
holiness and beauty? The number five reminds us of the five books of the Torah and also
of the five books of Psalms.
The book of Lamentations is not very well known in the church of the new covenant.
Why not? Because we have nothing to complain about? Because the church is flourishing
today? In accepting the Old Testament as part of the canon, the New Testament church
also accepted these songs of lamentation. Why don't we include them in our hymnals, as
we do the Psalms?

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[94]
Ezekiel
1. The Prophet of the Exile
Two parts. The prophet Ezekiel was deported in 597, at the same time as King
Jehoiachin. Many priests and aristocrats were carried away in that deportation. The
nation's most prominent citizens formed a community in exile, while the proletariat
remained behind in Jerusalem under King Zedekiah, who ruled under the sufferance of
Babylon. In 586 there was a second deportation, after Zedekiah violated his oath to
Babylon and rebellious Jerusalem was conquered.
The "church" had been separated into two parts—one part in Jerusalem and the
surrounding territory and the other part along the rivers of Babylon. The people in
Jerusalem took a contemptuous view of the exiles. The exiles, after all, were their former
leaders. Surely they deserved the punishment they were receiving! The people in
Jerusalem did not think of themselves as undergoing punishment, for they continued to
enjoy God's blessings. That was how they interpreted events.
[95]
The people in exile did not grasp the full gravity of the situation either. Like the
French refugees who dreamed unrealistic dreams about a Protestant restoration in
France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685), the Jewish exiles cherished the
hope that they would be able to return to the city of their fathers.
Not a defeat for Yahweh. In this situation the Lord sent Ezekiel to proclaim the Word of
God. He was to draw the attention of the Jewish community to the sentence imposed on
Palestine: it was no accident that Jerusalem fell and the Jews were deported. Ezekiel was
to dash cold water on any lingering hope that Jerusalem's independence would be
restored. This sensitive, priestly figure was called upon to open the eyes of the people to
Yahweh's words of judgment, which had been realized in their time. Time and again the
Lord told His people: "You shall know that I am the LORD"!
This declaration could be set as an epigraph above Ezekiel's entire book of prophecy. The
Lord vindicates Himself, especially in the judgment on Jerusalem. He watches over His
own honor.
Ezekiel was to break down all pride and optimism. The people of the exile had to be
shown what was actually happening as Jerusalem was reduced to rubble. The destruction
of the city was not a defeat for Yahweh, nor could it be equated with the destruction of
the church. No, it was the only route by which Yahweh would bring His salvation. It
pleased the Lord to create a new people from the miserable Jews in exile. There was a
bright future ahead—in God's time.
A new Jerusalem. After Ezekiel had preached judgment for a number of years, the exiles
received some bad news: the city of Jerusalem had fallen. This led to a change in the
prophet's emphasis: from chapter 34 on, we find prophecies of salvation. The same
[96]
prophet who first took away all grounds for earthly nationalistic hope now begins to
comfort his people. (We find a similar turn in the preaching of Jeremiah.)
Yahweh, who drove Judah out of Jerusalem for the sake of His name, would now restore
Jerusalem for the sake of His name. Ezekiel had visions of a new temple and a new
Jerusalem. All the enemy powers are defeated. Paradise returns. The name of the city is
"The LORD is there." Thus men will know that He is indeed the Lord.

2. Ezekiel's First Calling: Prophet of Judgment (1:1—3:27)

A heavenly blue throne. In the famous psalm of the exiles in Babylon, we hear some
strong language: "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!" (Ps. 137:5).
This famous oath also dominated the thinking of Ezekiel. Hadn't the Lord identified
Himself with His beloved city? Wasn't Jerusalem the place He had chosen? Wasn't that
where the altars stood? Didn't Yahweh, Jerusalem and the temple form a cord made of
three strands?

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Yet, what did the prophet-priest in exile see? It was as though the cherubs had left the
temple and carried the throne of Yahweh through the land of the exiles. In a great cloud,
four creatures composed of various parts of men and animals approached. Next to them
were wheels that seemed to be able to go in any direction. Above them (1:22ff), above
the firmament over their heads, stood what appeared to be a heavenly blue throne on
which a shining, majestic figure sat.
[97]
"Wheel within a wheel. " Allegorizing and spiritualizing interpreters find a great deal
to work with in such visions. Think of all that has been said about the "wheel within a
wheel," for instance, in a Negro spiritual:
Zekiel saw the wheel of time,
Wheel in the middle of the wheel,
Every spoke was humankind ....
The big wheel run by faith,
Little wheel run by the grace of God,
Wheel within a wheel,
'Way in the middle of the air ....
A Dutch interpreter declares: "The gallows on which Haman himself was hanged is a
wheel within his wheel. The angel who killed the Assyrian soldiers is a wheel within
Sennacherib's wheel."
The one wheel is interpreted as a human wheel, then, and the other as a divine wheel.
But this is an arbitrary interpretation. Try reading this passage in the light of your
knowledge of the Scriptures without relying on any preconceived notions. The passage is
about the wheels of God's chariot throne, which cannot be halted or diverted. By the
power of the Holy Spirit, its wheels can move in any direction. And they know what they
are doing, for they are full of eyes.
An Old Testament crossbearer. From above the cherubs, an imposing voice is heard
(1:25). This voice addresses the frightened Ezekiel. He is called to serve as a prophet in
exile (ch. 2), given a scroll full of lamentation, mourning and woe, and commanded to
eat it. He is ordered to bring the Word—and nothing else—to his unbelieving people
(3:4ff).
Ezekiel is made a watchman over the house of Israel. If he does not warn the godless,
[98]
their blood will be on his hands (3:16ff). "He that will hear, let him hear; and he that
will refuse to hear, let him refuse" (3:27). The Lord, whose throne is above the cherubs,
had called him to his difficult post. And Ezekiel obeyed—even though the task assigned
him was a difficult one. He was an Old Testament crossbearer.

3. Hunger, the Sword and Pestilence (4:1—7:27)

Peculiar commands. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's chief propagandist, once spoke of "playing
soldier in a sandbox" in connection with the battle of North Africa. Ezekiel was now called
by the Lord to "play soldier." On a brick he was to sketch the layout of the city of
Jerusalem and then build miniature siege works around it. Between himself and the city
he was to place an iron plate to signify that an impenetrable "iron curtain" blocked the
city's access to Yahweh.
The prophet was given more peculiar commands. He was to lie on his left side for 390
days and on his right side for 40 days. His bare arm would be a warning about the
punishment the city was about to receive. He was not allowed to eat much during this
period. The small, measured helpings he was permitted were to be cooked on dung
(ch. 4).
A time of woe. All of this was a prophecy about the coming time of woe, the misery of
besieged Jerusalem. The unholy trio of pestilence, hunger and the sword (5:12) would
soon go about its destructive work. Because Yahweh had been offended, He was making
His jealousy and anger felt (5:13). The desecration of the sanctuary had aroused His
covenant wrath (vs. 11). On all the high places, Israel had served idols. Every high place

44
 [99]
would be destroyed in judgment. Only a "remnant" would repent and be converted in
exile, learning the source of all the misery (ch. 6).
Steadily we hear the chant throughout chapter 7: "The end is coming! The end is
coming! Behold, the day has arrived—the sword outside our walls, and pestilence and
hunger within!" Everything collapsed. No one was prepared for battle, even if the
trumpet should be sounded.
The "services" of the prophet and the priest "didn't work" any more (7:26). The
government didn't know what to do (vs. 27). Capital was no help (vs. 19). The idols
were put to shame. "I will deal with them as they deserve, and call them to account for
their doings; and so they shall know that I am the LORD" (7:27 NEB).

4. Abominations in the Holy Place (8:1—11:25)

A visit to the temple. Were things really as bad as Ezekiel said? Was there no way out?
In another vision the prophet was shown that the judgment could not be averted.
On a day when the elders of Judah were consulting him, the Spirit of God transported
him to Jerusalem in a vision. There Ezekiel visited the temple complex. In exile he had
often wished he could enter the temple gates! Now his wish was finally granted: "in the
Spirit" he found himself in the court of the temple. "Our feet have been standing within
your gates, O Jerusalem!" (Ps. 122:2).
International false religion. What a disappointment for Ezekiel when he went inside! He
saw nothing but abominations, that is, idolatrous activities and cultic objects. At the
northern gate there was an image of the Canaanite goddess Astarte (8:3), the goddess
of sex.
[100]
Somewhere in a room in the temple he found 70 elders busy devoting themselves
to an Egyptian mystery religion under the leadership of a son of the reformer Shaphan
(8:7ff). Babylonian worship was going on in the temple as well: women were weeping
over the death of the god Tammuz (vs. 14).
Men even bowed down in the direction of the rising sun in the east, with their backs to
the temple. Thus the temple was being desecrated by international false religion. Didn't
such an abomination in the Holy Place cry out for judgment?
The Lord's departure. Ezekiel was allowed to see the judgment being carried out. First of
all seven men approached. One of them put a mark on the forehead of every person in
the city who was unhappy about the abominations committed in the temple. That mark
was protection against judgment. The other six killed all the people who did not have the
saving sign on their foreheads.
Then Ezekiel saw the Lord's chariot throne again, which he had first seen in exile. This
chariot stood before the temple, to "pick up" Yahweh, as it were. The Lord was leaving
the temple. He departed hesitantly, step by step, but the glory of the Lord was indeed
removed from the temple. "Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate" (Matt. 23:38).
Later in the New Testament we read: "For the time has come for judgment to begin with
the household of God" (I Pet. 4:17). The cherubs accompanying the chariot scattered
burning coals over the city (10:2, 6-8; see also Rev. 8:5). It was too late to save the city
or the temple.
A new spirit and a heart of flesh. In his vision Ezekiel had to prophesy against a
gathering of 25 elders (perhaps the same elders who had earlier been so busy
[101]
worshiping the sun in the Babylonian manner). These men believed they had
nothing to worry about. Confidently they declared: "The city is a stewpot and we are the
meat in it" (11:3 NEB). But Ezekiel let them know that the city was not a pot that would
protect them.
While he was prophesying to them, one of the rulers fell down dead. This led Ezekiel to
pray: "Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?" (vs. 13). Here
Ezekiel was interceding for his people, just as the prophets Amos and Jeremiah had

45
done.
The Lord gave him a clear answer. He must not let himself be influenced by the proud
language of Jerusalem, by the people who despise their brothers in exile because the
Lord and His temple are far from them, by the people who think they are in control of
their own land. The Lord will choose His remnant from the exiles. There He will recruit
His future church.
The Jews in exile will one day be given the opportunity to return, that is, to return to the
service of the Lord, with a new spirit and a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel was then allowed to see the glory of the Lord departing from the temple. He
knew that the judgments were part of God's way of realizing His plan of salvation. God
would again be the Holy One of His people (11:13-25).
No nationalistic dreams. Remember that the Lord showed these things to Ezekiel to
teach the prophet to fix his hopes not on Jerusalem but on Yahweh alone. How clearly
Yahweh speaks in priestly images!
It was Ezekiel's task to direct his words to the leaders and people in exile, discouraging
any nationalistic dreams. Covenant judgment was on the way!
The Lord is also speaking to us through Ezekiel. The use the New Testament makes of
the book of Ezekiel (especially in the book of Revelation) indicates how relevant these
prophecies are to today's church.
[102]
The second destruction of Jerusalem resulted from the same sins as the first. But
even with the second destruction, God's plan for salvation did not perish: the Jerusalem
above will bring forth children. Just as it is certain that all apostasy from the Lord will be
judged, so it is sure that when the end of time comes, there will be a remnant, a people
living in covenant with Yahweh.

5. False Prophets Promising Peace (12:1—14:23)

Public opinion. We can't help but be amazed at the great variety of symbolic deeds
Ezekiel had to perform to convince his fellow exiles of the hopeless position of Jerusalem
and its leaders. Unfortunately, the "they" of "They say ..." paid no attention to him.
Public opinion simply maintained that life goes on. Soon the visions were forgotten
(12:22). Some argued: "The vision that this man sees concerns the distant future; he is
prophesying for times far ahead" (vs. 27 JB). For that very reason, the prophet had to
go on with his work.
One day he was observed leaving his house by an unusual route, carrying all the
baggage an exile would carry (ch. 12). That's what Israel's king would look like when the
time came for him to flee. He would be caught in a net and brought to Babylon.
Whitewashing a split wall. How could the people persist in hoping that Jerusalem would
be spared? Hadn't all the faithful prophets proclaimed that judgment was coming?
Indeed they had, but there were also false prophets who said deceptive things in the
name of the Lord and preached about spurious visions.
It shouldn't surprise us to read that the false prophets were well received. Ezekiel
[103]
compared their activity to whitewashing a split wall. Would their superficial
restoration, their assurance that nothing was wrong, help when the hour of doom finally
arrived?
At the end of his famous 95 Theses, Luther appealed to the words of Ezekiel in 13:10ff.
92. Away then with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace,
peace," and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross,"
and there is no cross!

46
 94. Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their head,
through penalties, death, and hell;
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven through many tribulations
5
rather than through the false security of peace.
No divided loyalties. Let there be no false proclamations of peace, then. Ezekiel, for one,
abided by that rule. Everyone who proclaims the Word of the Lord today must follow it
as well. That's why it's so important for us to see how the prophet made his message
heard in a revealing, unsparing way.
There is no room for divided loyalties or for any attitude that looks to the Lord for help in
time of need only. Woe to the prophet who tailors his message to his audience! (14:1-
11).
The dawn of grace is to be seen even in this section of Scripture: we are told that the
hour of salvation will surely arrive (vs. 11, 21-3). But first the fourfold judgment ap-
proaches unrelentingly. Even the prayers of such men as Noah, Daniel and Job could not
hold it back (vs. 14, 20).
[104]
5. When the Very Best Spoils (15:1-21:32)
Playing the harlot. There's nothing worse than allowing the very best to spoil. Jerusalem
is a vine of high quality. But when a vine brings forth no fruit, not even its wood :an be
used (ch. 15). It is thrown in the fire and burned up! (John 15:6).
When Christ speaks of Himself as the vine, He is drawing on a comparison made by such
Old Testament figures as Ezekiel and Isaiah (see Ezek. 15, 19; Is. 5; Ps. 80). This shows
us again that the Old and New Testaments are one and belong together.
Their unity is also evident when we turn to Ezekiel 16, where the church is depicted as a
young maiden that the Lord found, made His own, and cared for. He entered into a
covenant with her and took her under His protection. She became His. But what did this
young woman do? She played the harlot by running after other lovers, e.g. the
Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians.
In the New Testament we find the same image applied to the church. Christ speaks of
the Israel that lived during His days on earth as an "adulterous generation," and Paul
compares the relation between Christ and His church to marriage. In the book of
Revelation we are given a portrait of the great whore. The church, by contrast, is
presented as a pure bride. Revelation tells us about the judgment of this apostate
woman. What we read there is closely bound up with what we read in Ezekiel 16 on the
same subject.
Forthright language. You will note quickly that the language is far from prudish. The
prophet Ezekiel—like other writers of the Bible—calls a spade a spade. This should not
offend us; what should offend us instead is our hypocritical Western secrecy about
sexual matters—an attitude that keeps us from singing the Song of Songs.
[105]
The Bible can speak forthrightly about the degeneration of sexual life because it has
a Word of grace for this dimension of our existence. Sexual life reflects the best and
most beautiful thing there is—the relationship between the Lord and His people.
Ezekiel is allowed to preach that the Lord will restore the relationship despite Judah's
straying from the path: "I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were
young" (16:60 NEB; see also vs. 62-3). There will be a reconciliation.
Broken covenants. Although there is reason to be hopeful about the future, Ezekiel does
not shrink from pointing out Judah's covenant unfaithfulness time and again. Not only
did Judah break its word to the Lord, Zedekiah and company broke their covenant with

5
Martin Luther's 95 Theses, ed. Kurt Aland (St. Louis and London: Concordia Publishing House,
1967), p. 58.

47
Babylon by their political alliance with Egypt (ch. 17). The breaking of that oath would
lead to destruction.
The Jews tried to shrug off their responsibility for this matter by saying: "The fathers
have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (18:2). But the Jews
would not get away with putting all the blame on the shoulders of their "fathers."
Sin and unrighteousness. Naturally I do not mean to deny that there is a solidarity
between generations. Yet, everyone remains responsible for his own misdeeds. The ten
commandments, after all, use the singular form of the pronoun you. (This is a point we
might easily overlook, since we do not distinguish between the singular and plural forms
of this pronoun in modern English.)
The person or "soul" who has sinned is the one who will die. A son will not share in the
unrighteousness of his father. The sons of Korah did not die with their father. Therefore
it is wrong to say: "The way of the Lord is not just" (18:25, 29; 33:17). The fact of the
[106]
matter is that the ways of the house of Israel are not just. Judgment is approaching
not just because of the sins of the fathers but also because of the unrighteousness of the
children. Repent, and live! Once more we hear the ancient prophetic appeal.
An indignant refusal. But will the house of Israel repent? It is clear that the attitude of
the king's house in Jerusalem has not changed. Therefore the prophet must raise a
lamentation about the princes of Israel. We hear familiar sounds: a lion that is captured
and a vineyard that dries up and is burned (ch. 17).
Even in exile, the nationalistic dreams were not surrendered. Earlier we saw that the
elders of the people in exile came to Ezekiel for advice (14:1; see also 8:1). This
happened once again. Apparently the people still had some hope. But in the name of the
Lord, Ezekiel indignantly refused to advise the elders.
Covenant history. Just as Stephen gave a sketch of covenant history before the
Sanhedrin to prove the guilt of the Jews of his day, so the prophet Ezekiel now holds up
a mirror to Israel's apostate past for the benefit of the elders. In many respects there
were similarities between the exiles and their fathers, who had served wood and stone,
just like the other nations (20:32). Didn't such sin cry out for God's judgment, for His
outstretched arm and burning anger?
As in the time of the exodus, there would again be a period in "the wilderness." We read:
"As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I
will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord GOD" (20:36). Israel's Shepherd would
let His covenant wrath be felt. The new wilderness, of course, was I he land of exile (vs.
33ff).
[107]
Variety of expression. Again we read the sentence that resounds throughout
Ezekiel's prophecy: "And you shall know that I am the LORD" (VS. 42; see also vs. 38).
This sentence however, is here to be viewed as an announcement not of judgment but of
grace, for the Lord was to reveal Himself in yet another way. Again there would be a
return, an exodus.
For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord
GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land.
And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my
name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your
corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord GOD (vs. 40, 44).
Perhaps you find all this talk about judgment monotonous. (There's much more to
come.) If so, note the variety in the prophet's way of expressing himself. Ezekiel's style
of preaching is not drab; in a multicolored way, he pronounces judgment on the temple
city.
A limit to the misery. As he speaks of the two-pronged attack made on Ammon and
Jerusalem, Ezekiel cannot help but sigh about his tidings of misfortune, his lament about

48
the threatening sword of war. The king of Babylon will hesitate. Should he attack
Rabbah, the city of the rebellious Ammonites, or should he go on directly to Jerusalem?
Using an arrow as his oracle, he decides to go to Jerusalem first. Ammon will get its turn
later. Thus Judah's king loses his crown and the city is reduced to ruins. And what could
be worse than the disfiguring of the temple city and the house of the princes?
Night has fallen. Yet it is not a darkness without a dawn, for there is a limit to the
misery. The limit is: "... until the rightful sovereign comes. Then I will give him all"
[108]
(21:27 NEB). The Messiah is on the way, the one who will restore David's house to
glory.
Ezekiel was able to speak words of judgment only because he knew that God would
never change His mind about the coming of the Messianic era of salvation. What a
comfort for us today! As we ponder this assurance, our attention is drawn to the last
part of Ezekiel's prophecy, in which the Messianic promises are spelled out further (ch.
36-48). In the first part of the book, of course, the prophecies of judgment are
dominant.

7. Complete Abandonment of the Covenant (22:1—24:27)

A city of blood. Jerusalem is and remains a city of blood. From the highest circles to the
lowest, everyone transgresses the rights of the Lord—priests, rulers, the people
themselves. Just as Jeremiah once searched for an upright man (Jer. 5:1ff) and could
not find one, so Ezekiel sought someone who could "stand in the breach" and turn aside
the catastrophe about to descend on the land, but he found no one (22:30). Even the
prophets were busy whitewashing the people and predicting a rosy future (vs. 28).
In chapter 23, Samaria and Jerusalem are spoken of as two sisters named Oholah and
Oholibah respectively. Oholibah (i.e. Jerusalem) was even more wanton and adulterous
in her apostasy from the Lord than her sister Oholah. In a realistic manner, Ezekiel
describes how Oholibah conducted herself shamelessly, throwing herself into the arms of
her Babylonian and Egyptian lovers and even giving herself to drunkards "from the
wilderness" (vs. 42). She would suffer the same judgment as her sister Oholah (i.e.
Samaria).
[109]
A rusty pot on a great fire. Jerusalem, the city of blood, is like a rusty pot on a
great fire (see 11:3). The contents of such a pot will burn. Therefore the inhabitants of
Jerusalem should not imagine themselves safe in their city. Fire is the only way to burn
away the rust spots, i.e. the blood guilt. The city would have to fall (24:1-14).
Ezekiel was to illustrate this in his own life. His wife died, and he was not allowed to
mourn her or raise any sort of funeral lament or eat a funeral meal, even though he
loved her dearly. She was the "delight of his eyes." Ezekiel was to be a living sign for his
people.
Dry eyes. The stone temple, which was a delight to Israel's eyes, was about to be
desecrated, and the youth all around would fall. The people were to watch silently, with
dry eyes—and "know that I am the Lord GOD" (24:24).
This sad message, which was so intensely bound up with Ezekiel's own lonesome
existence, would be his last for a while. The siege of the holy city had begun. Soon a
refugee would arrive with news of Jerusalem's fall. Then the prophet would speak
again—this time in words of comfort.

8. The Nations Shall Know That He Is the Lord (25:1—32:32)

Children of Lot. First we read prophecies about seven of the nations around Israel,
nations that had caused Israel suffering, nations that may have encouraged Judah in its
resistance to Babylon but laughed scornfully when Judah was the first to fall in Babylon's
drive to expand. The old hatred became manifest again.
[110]
First of all, there were the "children of Lot," namely, Ammon and Moab. What
malicious pleasure they had taken in Jerusalem's fall! (25:6, 8). Israel's brother nation

49
(if Edom was hungry for vengeance, as were the Philistines. The Lord would stretch out
His hand against the neighboring nations to make sure they were aware that He is the
LORD. What's left of those nations today?
Tyre and Sidon. And then there was Tyre and the nearby city of Sidon. Three chapters
are devoted to them. In the book of Revelation we hear an echo of these prophecies.
The Phoenicians who lived in those two cities could perhaps be compared to the Dutch
and the English in the days of the search for colonies and the establishment of new
global trade patterns. The Phoenicians went everywhere in their ships, establishing
colonies throughout the entire Mediterranean world — in Cyprus, Malta, Sicily, Carthage,
and even Spain.
We can well understand the intense interest of the Jewish exiles in the unfolding of
international affairs. What would become of Tyre and Sidon? The Phoenicians had
rejoiced at the fall of Jerusalem, the city that stood in their way. Its fall had opened a
new door to free trade. "Aha, the gate of the peoples [i.e. Jerusalem] is broken, it has
swung open to me" (26:2). These traders evaluated everything in pragmatic terms,
thinking always of the prospects for profit.
Ezekiel now prophesied about them from his position in exile. Tyre, the coastal city,
would be overrun by a sea of nations. That would mean the end of Tyre as a city. "Then
they will know that I am the LORD" (26:6). Tyre would be washed out in a great flood
(26:3ff, 19ff). The world would tremble and lament her fall.
The prophet himself sings laments for her. Read them carefully. Aren't you amazed at
his tremendous knowledge of foreign countries? Tyre is a great sea castle, a Titanic that
sinks:
[111]
Your rowers have brought you out
into the high seas.
The east wind has wrecked you
in the heart of the seas.
Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,
your mariners and your pilots,
your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,
and all your men of war who are in you,
with all your company
that is in your midst,
sink into the heart of the seas
on the day of your ruin (27:26-7).
The king of Tyre had been placed in a virtual paradise on God's holy mountain. Yet that
was not enough for him: he wanted to be like God. This desire cost him his "Garden of
Eden": the cherub drove him out (28:11-19).
Sidon would also fall some day. This would not be a normal consequence of the course of
events, a regularity of history. No, Yahweh would manifest Himself in judgment as the
Holy One.
Egypt. Ultimately, the message of judgment on the neighboring nations should be a
message of comfort to Israel, which was destined to return from exile one day. "They
[i.e. Israel] shall dwell securely, when I execute judgment upon all their neighbors who
have treated them with contempt" (28:26).
It's true that Tyre was not captured immediately. Nebuchadnezzar's first attempt to take
the city failed (29:17ff). The Lord then gave him Egypt as "recompense" for his labors.
This proud land in the Nile delta, this land on which dying Jerusalem had fixed its last
hopes, was to be broken.
Pharaoh and his army. Again Ezekiel waxes eloquent and demonstrates a great
[112]
knowledge of conditions. He composes a lamentation about Pharaoh (ch. 32). The
realm of the dead, which had already swallowed up the great ones of Assyria and Elam

50
and other ancient nations that terrorized their neighbors, will also swallow up Pharaoh
and his army (32:16-32).
Remember that all of this was written to provide living comfort for the Lord's people.
Over against this field of bones and Jerusalem's destruction stands the valley of dead
bones that came to life (ch. 37). The trumpet announcing the death of the Egyptians
sounds a note of life and triumph here. Didn't the same thing happen at the time of the
exodus? The Lord will again break all earthly power so that the church will believe in the
life-giving power of His Word.

9. Ezekiel's Second Calling: Prophet of Salvation (33:1—37:28)

Watchman over Israel. Earlier we saw that Ezekiel stopped prophesying after the siege of
Jerusalem began (24:27). But he was not destined to remain silent forever, for God
would appoint him anew to serve as watchman over Israel (33:1ff; see also 3:16-21).
Deliverance hung on the faithfulness of his testimony. Thus says the Lord!
Now came the bad news of Jerusalem's fall. A refugee arrived in Babylon to inform the
Jews that God had carried out His oft repeated threat. The Lord confirmed the words of
His prophet: finally the exiles would realize that He is indeed Yahweh.
Now that the Lord had spoken, Ezekiel could speak again (33:21-2). This time, unlike
the earlier occasions, people listened. Yet the prophet should not make too much of the
fact that they were actually listening, for not all hearers are doers of the Word.
[113]
The people took a certain enjoyment in what Ezekiel had to say, but they treated
his prophecy like the latest hit song. The Lord said to Ezekiel: "They listen to your words,
but no one puts them into practice. When the thing takes place — and it is beginning
now — they will learn that there has been a prophet among them" (33:32-3 JB).
The Good Shepherd. The following chapters describe what is "beginning now." Just as
the prophet first sketched a time of misfortune, he now followed the Lord's orders by
using all the colors at his disposal to sketch the time of salvation that God was preparing
and would eventually make a reality.
Ezekiel paints a beautiful picture of the Good Shepherd (ch. 34). Israel knows all about
the misery of being led by a poor shepherd: the misconduct and neglect of its office-
bearers led to the destruction of the flock. The Lord Himself now picks up the shepherd's
staff by giving them a shepherd who would lead them to pasture, namely, "my servant
David."
For His name's sake. The land is restored in paradisal fashion. The enemy land of Edom,
by contrast, turns into a wilderness (ch. 35). "Then they will know that I am the LORD"
(vs. 15).
Thus it is not for Israel's own sake but for the sake of His name that the Lord plans to
restore His people to their former glory. Once more they will be gathered from exile and
converted. The Spirit of God will exchange their heart of stone for a heart of flesh. The
knowledge of their misery will be paired with an experience of deliverance and the exer-
cise of gratitude (ch. 36).
Isn't this an unbelievable transformation? Viewed in purely human terms, it is. How
could anything come of a dead and desecrated people? There would seem to be no
ground for hope.
[114]
Dead, dry bones. To answer these questions, the Lord shows the prophet a valley
full of dead, dry bones. Were those bones left over from a destructive battle in earlier
days? Wasn't Israel just like a field of dead bones?
The Israelites sometimes said: "Our bones are dried up, our hope has gone; we are as
good as dead" (37:11 JB). But Ezekiel was not to be satisfied with such defeatist
language. In the vision, the Lord commanded him to prophesy against the bones and call
the Spirit from all four directions to give them life. It worked. Ezekiel spoke, and the field

51
of bones turned into an enormous, living army.
This vision is an image of Israel's resurrection: there is a rebirth in Israel's future. There
is even hope for the tribes of Joseph. The Lord holds the prospect of a Messianic future
before His people as the old covenant promise is repeated: I will be their God, and they
shall be My people (vs. 27; see also Rev. 21:3).
In the course of history, the vision of the dead, dry bones has often served to illustrate
the necessity and possibility of a Spiritual revival. We also think of this prophecy when
we read about Christ telling Nicodemus that man must be born again (compare John 3:5
with Ezek. 36:25; and John 3:6, 8 with Ezek. 37:9-10). Ezekiel's vision teaches us in a
beautiful way that rebirth is to be sought by way of the Word and prophecy. There is no
Spirit-led revival outside the Word!
The resurrection of all flesh. As you ponder the fulfillment of these prophecies, you would
do well not to limit yourself to thinking in terms of "souls." Time and again we read
promises about how the land and the nation will blossom. A "Garden of Eden" will
replace the desolate wilderness (36:35; see also 35:14-15).
Don't be so quick to seek a "spiritual meaning" in these promises. For those who believe
in the resurrection of all flesh, God's promises concern the restoration of the entire
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creation. Throughout the prophecies of salvation, we are assured repeatedly that
everything will turn out well in the end—the relationship between God and His covenant
people, the relationship of man to his fellow man, and also the relationship of redeemed
man to the creation.
The more you read Biblical prophecies in truly Spiritual terms, the broader their import
becomes. "This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden." That's how
the prophet sees the future.

There was a rallying, once, of kings,

advancing together along a common
front (Ps. 48:4 JB).

10. A Fierce Attack on the Church (38:1—39:29)

Hostile powers to contend with. This glorious future was not to be reached without
difficulties along the way. Before Ezekiel sketches how the Lord sanctifies Israel through
His holy place and takes up permanent residence in the midst of His people, he points
out that there will still be enemies and hostile powers to contend with.
Gog, who comes from the land of Magog, will attack the rebuilt ruins and the nation that
dwells "at the center of the earth" (38:12). His mighty attack will be an international
project. The enemy will approach with flags flying, bearing abominations and deceit as
his weapons in his struggle with the people of God.
Through the Lord's hand, he will be swept away like chaff: the bodies of Gog's hosts will
fill a valley, and vultures will come from every side to partake of the "sacrificial feast"
(39:17ff; see also Rev. 19:17ff). It will take at least seven months before all the corpses
[116]
are buried (vs. 12) and seven years before all the weapons have disappeared (vs.
9ff). At the same time, Israel will be revived; there will be a change in the fortunes of
Jacob. Gog's end will signal the beginning of a reborn Israel.
Sodom's fate. When we ask about the fulfillment of this prophecy, we must be careful
not to be led astray by people who identify Meshech (38:2) with Moscow, or Magog with
the Mongols. This interpretation makes Gog a representative of Russia. Instead we
should note that in Israel's own history, there is a period (167-161 B.C.) in which the
Maccabees succeeded in smashing the Syrians to the north. (This matter is also dealt
with in the prophecy of Daniel.)
Naturally, the struggle of the Maccabees does not exhaust the meaning of this prophecy,

52
which is related in vivid language. The prophecy also shows us that any power that rises
up against the church is doomed to fall. The fierce attack on the church made by satan
and his followers on the day of the Lord will lead to his final defeat, as he is cast into a
lake of fire and brimstone. "Gog and Magog" will suffer the fate of Sodom (see Rev.
20:7-10).

11. The New Jerusalem (40:1—48:35)

A restored temple city. In the book of Revelation, a sketch of the New Jerusalem follows
a description of the destruction of Gog and Magog and of the last judgment. We find the
same pattern in Ezekiel: the conclusion of the book gives us the plan of a restored
temple city. Thus the end brings us back to the beginning.
We read earlier of Ezekiel's tour of the temple when it was corrupted by heathen
[117]
influences (ch. 8). The prophet watched as the Lord abandoned the temple
complex. Now things have come full circle, as a new temple takes the place of the one
that was destroyed.
Minute description. The precise measurements of the new temple are given. This temple
is not a "second temple." No, it is a guarantee that the Messianic age has finally come,
that the Lord will dwell in the midst of His people forever.
The minute description and architectural detail should not bore you, for what you are
reading is symbolic language giving expression to a great promise. "Son of man, this is
the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the
midst of the people of Israel for ever" (43:7).
Paradise regained. Ezekiel is then allowed to witness a great event: the glory of the Lord
returns to His temple (43:1 ff)- The name of the New Jerusalem is "The LORD is there"
(48:35). The promise of the covenant is fulfilled.
Paradise, once lost, is regained. Out of the temple streams a river of life in the direction
of the Dead Sea, which is then able to support life again. The curse of Sodom no longer
hangs over Israel's head. Along the banks of the river grow trees of life (see also Rev.
22:1-2; Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8).
Again, we must resist the impulse to interpret the visions of Ezekiel in an exclusively
"spiritual" way. The entire creation radiates God's glory. From the temple, where God's
throne stands, the river of life flows along its channel (47:1ff; 43:7; Rev. 22:1).
"Nature" and "grace" come together in perfect harmony. Try looking at the world in that
light. One day it will be redeemed!
A broader perspective. Naturally, the images used here have an Old Testament flavor.
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There is still talk of a separate priestly service and of offerings of atonement
(ch. 43-44). The "prince" still has a specially designated place in the midst of his people.
It should not surprise us that the primary focus is on the time after the exile. Ezekiel was
speaking to the exiles of his day; in addressing them, he spoke words of comfort that
applied to their situation.
For us, as New Testament readers, the perspective is even broader. The book of
Revelation takes over various motifs from Ezekiel and works them out. We, too, await
the City of God. Yet there is no more talk of a service of atonement. The living Lamb,
with the Father, is already seated on the throne. There is no temple in this City, but its
absence in no way hinders covenant fellowship: "Its temple is the Lord God the Almighty
and the Lamb" (Rev. 21:22).
The preaching of Ezekiel can be a source of comfort to us today. Thanks to Christ, the
Priest-King, there is nothing standing in the way of the Lord's dwelling in the midst of
reborn Israel. Henceforth the name of this city will be "The LORD is there" (48:35). And
the throne of God and the Lamb will be there, and all His servants will worship (Rev.
22:3).

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[119]
Daniel
1. Resistance Literature for the Holy War
A book for all times. The book of Daniel includes stories (ch. 1-6) and visions (ch. 7-12).
Thus it can be divided into two parts—as long as we do not make the division watertight,
for there is a definite connection between the two parts. The entire book of Daniel is
animated by a single purpose: it is a piece of "resistance literature," a weapon in the
ancient battle proclaimed in Genesis 3:15.
The book of Daniel was written to be of comfort to the church. It appeals to the church
to maintain the antithesis and not to slacken its efforts, regardless of the opposition it
encounters.
Daniel is a book for all times. Like every other book of the Bible, it speaks to us in a
powerful way today. But if it is to be properly understood, we must take into account the
situation for which it was originally intended. That situation is made clear in the book
itself, especially in the visions recorded in chapters 8-12.
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The "time of the end." We read that the vision recorded in chapter 8 bears on the
distant future, the "appointed time of the end" (vs. 19). Daniel is to keep the vision a
secret; he must "seal it up" (vs. 26). At the end of the book Daniel is told: "Go your way,
Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end" (12:9; see also
8:17).
Thus the visions of the book of Daniel are intended for the "time of the end." For a long
time, the first person dreams recorded by Daniel were kept secret. When they were
finally published in "the last days," they helped greatly in the church's resistance.
Antiochus Epiphanes. How could anyone be certain that the "time of the end" had come,
that it was really time to make Daniel's testament public? In 7:25 we read about a king
who speaks against the Most High and wears down His saints. Around the Mediterranean
Sea there were four great empires (the four beasts) at the same time. This king was the
horn that had eyes and a mouth full of boasts, the one that arose from the fourth beast,
making war on the saints and overcoming them (7:20-1).
For people who lived during the "time of the end," it was clear that Daniel must have
been referring to the king known as Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus is also mentioned in
the apocryphal books of the Maccabees. He ruled in Syria over part of the former empire
of Alexander the Great (175-164 B.C.). Antiochus tried to persuade the Jews to adopt
Greek culture and even used violence. He had the temple dedicated to Zeus. For those
who wanted to remain faithful to the Lord, it was a time of severe persecution, as we
read in I Maccabees:
Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth
year, they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering.
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They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah, and burned
incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. The books of the
law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. Where the
book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any
one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death.
They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after
month in the cities. And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered
sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering. According
to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children
circumcised, and their families and those who circumcised them; and they
hung the infants from their mothers' necks.
But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat
unclean food. They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to
profane the holy covenant; and they did die. And very great wrath came

54
 upon Israel (1:54-64).
Antiochus unleashed an "anti-Christian" terror in the land, for he was dead set against
anything Biblical. The temple was converted into its opposite, that is, into a house of
idolatry. There were many Jews who forsook the holy covenant (Dan. 11:30). During this
time of crisis, when the church was in danger of going under, the secret visions of
Daniel, joined to the other parts of the book, made their impact.
Persevering to the end. Clearly this book had an enormous influence in the days when
the idolatrous powers triumphed and many of the covenant people became unfaithful,
days when there was nothing but affliction and temptation facing God's people. This is
apparent from the quotation from I Maccabees: the reference to the "desolating
sacrilege" and "holy covenant" are quotations from Daniel (see 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
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The book of Daniel has helped in continuing the ancient struggle. It shows us that
there was oppression in ancient times, as well as idolatry and compulsory participation in
heathen worship activities. Just as the believers persevered then (while many of God's
people gave in) they will have to hold out now and in the future. Those who succeed in
persevering to the end will be saved.
Apparent defeat. The persecution does not escape God's attention. Hundreds of years in
advance, Daniel recognized that the proud boasts come from a power opposed to God.
At the same time, he saw the judgment to which this power would be subjected. He
witnessed the apparent defeat of the church, but also its ultimate triumph.
This "Revelation to Daniel," this "book of the martyrs," has been of great comfort to the
church in times when the voices of the prophets were no longer heard. Yet we should not
suppose that the book's application is restricted to the Persian and Maccabean eras of
resistance against tyranny and attacks on the church. Daniel is also quoted at various
points in the New Testament, especially in sections dealing with the future.
Expressions like Son of man and tribulation go back to Daniel. The characterization of
the enemy as a "beast" in the book of Revelation makes a great deal of sense to anyone
familiar with the book of Daniel. Before His death on the cross, Christ pointed explicitly
to the book of Daniel when He talked about the "desolating sacrilege spoken of by the
prophet Daniel" (Matt. 24:15).
A second fulfillment. This Old Testament reference on Christ's part gives today's church
an important lesson in how to interpret this Old Testament "book of Revelation," for
Christ foresaw that Daniel's prophecy would be "fulfilled" anew. It was fulfilled not by
any Gentile power like the Roman empire but by the Jews themselves, who turned the
[123]
temple into a bulwark of zealotry and idolatry, thereby introducing a "desolating
sacrilege." The prophecy was fulfilled, then, by the apostate church, which ran after false
prophets and messiahs after crucifying the true Prophet and King. It is this church that is
governed by the "beast." In the Revelation to John, Jesus worked out this motif further.
Daniel need not remain a closed book. It is an abiding warning to the church never to
compromise—better to die than be defiled. There is one word that has no place in the
church's vocabulary—capitulation. Only through the Son of man, Jesus Christ, who
reserves the kingship for the saints He has called, can we persevere to" the bitter end,
relying not on our own strength but solely on grace.
Jewish apocalypses. In characterizing the book of Daniel as "resistance literature for the
holy war," we must not place it in the same category as the resistance literature of the
Jewish apocalypses. The Jewish apocalyptic writers favored armed rebellion against the
Romans in a spirit of zealotry; they fixed their hopes on the efforts of man. Thus they
were ultimately revolutionary in nature.
In both the historical section of the book of Daniel and the visions that make up the
second half, we find a continuing appeal for covenantal resistance, a resistance that
looks to the Lord in all things. The stone that smashed the image was not cut free by
any human hand (2:34, 45). The king who opposes the Ruler of rulers will be destroyed

55
without the intervention of human hands (8:25).
A faithful official. The differences between the book of Daniel and the later Jewish
resistance literature come to the fore clearly when we observe how Daniel is depicted,
namely, as a faithful official of the Persian and Babylonian empires. He and his three
friends are scrupulous in their observance of the law of the Lord, but for the rest they
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devote themselves wholeheartedly to their work in government and never engage
in sabotage (2:49; 3:30; 6:4, 28). Other texts that are significant in this context are
Jeremiah 27, where Nebuchadnezzar is called the servant of Yahweh, and Isaiah 45:1,
where Cyrus is described as Yahweh's "anointed." What we read about Daniel and his
attitude toward the governmental authorities fits in very well with Romans 13:1-7. "Let
every person be subject to the governing authorities . . . ."
The book of Daniel, with its historical chapters followed by visions, is reminiscent of the
book of Revelation, which begins with the "letters" to the churches and then goes on to
present visions in which the message of the first part of the book is explicated. Both
these books have been used at times as revolutionary ammunition, but both proceed
ultimately from the same principle: there is no authority except from God. Both are
antithetical to any revolutionary apocalyptic approach. These two books provide no
building blocks for a "theology of revolution."

2. Seek First the Kingdom of Heaven

Young princes. The book of Daniel begins by telling us something about the initial
capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. As you know, Jerusalem later rebelled twice.
The second time it was captured (597 B.C.), it had to pay the price for rebelling, and the
third time it was totally destroyed (586).
The first time the city was taken (approximately 605), the vessels used in the temple
were sent to Babylon. Some young princes were deported to the Babylonian court at the
same time, to be trained for service in the empire. The ancient line of David, which had
[125]
been promised world dominion, now had to work for the glory of the Babylonian
empire with its global pretentions. It appeared that the Lord had forgotten His promises.
Dietary requirements. The wide-ranging training program which the Jewish boys
underwent naturally conflicted with some of the Mosaic laws by which they were
supposed to live. There was nothing to stop the young Jews from thinking whatever they
wanted about the Babylonian literature they were forced to read, but when it came to
foods prepared in an idolatrous manner, they could not hide their convictions. Therefore
Daniel and his three friends asked for an exemption from the dietary requirements.
They were granted an exemption for a trial period, after which their health and
appearance was even better than that of the other young men in the program who had
eaten the prescribed food. They were not put to shame because of the faith that made
them persevere.
Their refusal to break the dietary regulations was respected. Once their education was
completed, they came to be highly thought of by the king because of their wisdom. The
"application" for the first readers and for us is clear: stand firm in your faith and don't
accommodate yourself to "Babylon."
The world's wisdom put to shame. Babylon was the supreme power on earth. The
presence at the court of Daniel and his three friends testified to this. In a dream of
Nebuchadnezzar, it was made clear that one day there would come an end to the great
world empires. Then the promised kingdom of Israel would rise again.
The wise men at the court of Nebuchadnezzar could not tell him what he had dreamed.
Daniel, however, could—and thereby put the world's wisdom to shame. (We are
reminded of Joseph at the court of Pharaoh.)
[126]
A colossal statue. In Nebuchadnezzar's dream, it was shown how worldly power
eventually collapses. The king saw a gigantic statue. The head was of gold and represen-

56
ted his own kingdom. But as he looked down, the gold made way for silver, which in turn
yielded to bronze, while the legs and feet were made of iron and clay. The empires that
would come after the Babylonian empire (i.e. the empire of the Medes, the Persian
empire, and the Greek-Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great and his successors)
would each be less impressive than the one before. The colossal statue did not stand on
strong legs.
A stone "cut out by no human hand" (2:34, 45) came rolling down the mountain and
smashed the statue. It became a great mountain that filled the entire earth.
We hardly need to ask what this huge stone represents. The book of Daniel tells us
clearly that it symbolizes the kingship of God, which abides forever and does not yield to
any government or empire. This passage prophesies about Christ, the Stone who
smashes all His enemies, who is also the Rock and foundation of the church's temple.
Whereas many want to establish the Kingdom of God through their own activities, or
through the sword, or through good works, we read here that God's Kingdom makes use
of us but is not dependent on us. The stone that smashed the statue was not cut out by
human hands. Christ's Kingdom is not "of" this world, but it is coming anyway. At the
beginning of Nebuchadnezzar's rule, when Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed and
the misery of mass deportation was still ahead, the Lord already revealed the coming
restoration of His kingly power.
The angel in the furnace. Great honors were bestowed on Daniel for interpreting the
dream. His three friends were given high government positions as well. But this led to a
situation where the three had to stand up for their faith in an unmistakable way.
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On the plain of Dura, Nebuchadnezzar had a huge statue built, which not only had a
golden head but was completely covered with gold. A mass meeting was organized, and
all the high officials were asked to attend. At a certain signal from a gigantic orchestra,
all present had to bow down before this 30-meter-high symbol of blind state power.
The three friends stubbornly refused to offend Yahweh by bowing down. They knew they
might be required to seal their confession by dying in the flames. Note that the three
were not counting on a miraculous deliverance, although they did not rule it out (3:17-
18).
There was a miracle, as we all know: an angel joined them in the furnace to preserve
them from the flames. Not a hair on their heads was singed. Even Nebuchadnezzar had
to admit that God had sent His angel to rescue His servants (3:28; see also Acts 12:11).
The first commandment. I'm sure you can understand what comfort this story offered
the Jews in the Persian era of Jewish history and later as well. The Jews lived under the
control of idolatrous rulers and had to cooperate with them to some extent. The book of
Daniel showed that this could be done—provided one did not let go of the "principles of
Scripture." During the time of Syrian tyranny, when Israel was subjected to severe
oppression, this story illustrated and emphasized the importance of the first
commandment.
The church must see to it that she never loses the proper perspective. The next chapter
of Daniel, which includes a proclamation issued by Nebuchadnezzar, shows just how
relative the power of any king is. Only the Almighty possesses absolute power! Therefore
He must be respected above any other power. In our time of superpowers in East and
West, this message is highly relevant.
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He is the living God, enduring for
ever (6:26).

3. Demonstrations of the Lord's Power

A gigantic tree. On monuments Nebuchadnezzar sometimes compared his empire to a
colossal tree giving shade to all the nations. In one of his dreams, he saw such a tree.
Here we see again that God speaks to people in their own language. (Think of Pharaoh's

57
dream!)
It was decided by a council of the gods that the gigantic tree seen by the king of Babylon
in his dream was to be cut down. As for Nebuchadnezzar, he was to be given the heart
and mind of an animal until "seven times pass over him."
Daniel interpreted this dream as a warning addressed to the king. Nebuchadnezzar
ignored the warning and had to pay a heavy price for his pride—temporary insanity.
The king's proclamation. We should note that Daniel 4 contains a proclamation in the
form of a letter, which Nebuchadnezzar issued after he was healed. The glorious
"application" of this story comes at the end of the proclamation:
His sovereignty is never-ending
and his rule endures through all generations;
all dwellers upon earth count for nothing
and he deals as he wishes with the host of heaven;
no one may lay hand upon him
and ask him what he does (4:34-5 NEB).
Jewish scribes in the king's employ, who helped prepare this proclamation, apparently
managed to work in some expressions borrowed from the prophecy of Isaiah (see Is.
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40:17, 26; 45:9). In the background we hear the triumphant strains of the song of
Moses: "The LORD will reign for ever and ever" (Ex. 15:18).
The writing on the wall. In chapter 5 we are given another glimpse of what Yahweh's
kingship means. When the regent Belshazzar, a son of Nebuchadnezzar and also one of
his successors, misuses the vessels from the temple at a profane drinking party, writing
mysteriously appears on the wall. The inscription was puzzling, for it could conceivably
be read as meaning one mina (i.e. a unit of weight approximately equal to a kilogram),
shekel (equals one sixth of a mina), ½ mina. Daniel, using different vowels with the
consonants, read the inscription as follows: "MENE, God has numbered the days of your
kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and
found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians"
(5:26-7).
We are then informed: "That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain" (vs.
30). It almost sounds as though he died in a palace revolution. Other interpreters
assume that he died in an attack by the Persians, who seized the empire at that time.
God, whose temple lay in ruins, had given a demonstration of His majesty.
Windows open facing Jerusalem. When the Babylonian empire made way for the rule of
the Medes under Darius, the Lord gave another demonstration. Daniel was faithful in
praying at the appointed times, keeping his windows open facing Jerusalem. Some
jealous colleagues brought accusations against him during a certain month in which
prayers were to be addressed only to the king of the realm. By praying to his God,
Daniel was transgressing a law intended to promote the unity of the empire. This meant
that he was subject to the death penalty decreed for anyone who disobeyed the king's
command in this matter.
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Here we are given another demonstration of the kingship of the living God: when
Daniel is thrown to the lions, their mouths are closed and he is not harmed. Even King
Darius is forced to sing the song of God's eternal dominion when he sees what has
happened! (6:27).
Precious in God's sight. In the New Testament we hear echoes of this event. In Hebrews,
for example, we read about prophets "who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced
justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire" (11:33-
4). Paul proclaims: "But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the
message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's
mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom"
(II Tim. 4:17-18; see also Ps. 22:22).

58
In Christ, to whom is given all power in heaven and on earth, the prayer of the church is
heard: save me from the mouth of the lion raging against me (Ps. 22:12ff). God's rule
will endure "to the end" (6:26). Jesus said to His disciples: "I am with you always, to the
close of the age" (Matt. 28:20; see also vs. 18). If the children of the Kingdom are
threatened by both force and cunning—and we saw what this means in the book of
Daniel—they may draw comfort from the awareness that their sorrow, tears and
suffering to maintain the true worship are precious in God's sight, especially when
extreme measures are taken against them.

4. The Son of Man Ascends His Throne

Everlasting dominion. When the Lord Jesus appeared before the high priest Caiaphas, He
confirmed that He was the Messiah. Addressing Himself to this Jewish pope and his
[131]
henchman, He added: "But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of man seated
at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:64).
These words must be read against the background of the vision in Daniel 7, the vision of
the four "animals" or beasts or monsters (think of the four horns in 8:8) or demonic
powers. The fourth beast is the most horrible of all: it has a horn with eyes and a mouth
full of proud boasts.
The Most High God appears on His throne, as "the court" sits in judgment. Myriads of
angels stand before Him. Apparently the last of the beasts is being judged, for it is then
destroyed. The power of the other beasts is limited. At the same time, someone "like a
son of man" appears on the clouds of heaven. He is given everlasting dominion over the
entire earth (7:14). He does not descend to the earth on the clouds but seats Himself on
God's throne.
We must be sure to think of this vision whenever we read about the "Son of man" in the
New Testament. Christ confessed before the Sanhedrin that He was the Son of man
mentioned in Daniel 7. Therefore He would have to be crucified and lifted up, like the
serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14; Matt. 27:2, 22). After that He would be enthroned.
Through suffering to glory. This declaration was exceptionally offensive to the Jews.
When they thought of the vision of Daniel, they visualized imminent glory, a shining
breakthrough by the Kingdom of God. But Christ clung to the law—through suffering to
glory. Through much oppression we will enter the Kingdom of God. If we suffer with
Him, we will rule with Him. Like King, like people!
It should come as no surprise that Christ applies the term Son of man to Himself,
whereas in the book of Daniel this expression is bound up with "the saints of the Most
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High" (7:18, 27). Can the people be separated from their King? Of course not—
neither in suffering nor in glory.
The Son of man walks between the seven lampstands (i.e. churches) as the Ruler of the
kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5, 12ff) and makes His chosen ones kings to rule forever with
Him (Rev. 22:5). The sea, that primordial power hostile to God, may disgorge monsters
while the saints appear to suffer a complete defeat (7:21; Rev. 13:7), but the heavenly
tribunal will decide in favor of the saints of the Most High (7:22; see also Rev. 20:4,
which is regularly mistranslated and has roughly the same meaning as this text from
Daniel).

Do not lift up your horn on high

(Ps. 75:5).

5. A Time of Oppression
Antiochus Epiphanes. Another vision, which Daniel had while in the city of Susa (see
Esther 1:2), gives further details. A ram from the east charged westward, northward and
southward—the power of the Persians. Then came a he-goat from the west with a
striking horn between its eyes—Alexander the Great. Although the ram was defeated,

59
the great horn of the he-goat broke off. Four horns arose to replace it. (Alexander's
empire was divided into four parts after his death.)
From one of the four came a horn that grew very great and attacked the "glorious land"
(i.e. Israel), even going so far as to take away the continual burnt offering and the
temple sanctuary (8:9, 11). This last horn represented Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who
introduced a false worship in place of the daily sacrifice and trampled the "host of stars"
(i.e. the church's teachers) underfoot.
[133]
Thus there was to be a time of oppression. But Daniel was assured that this horrible
period would be limited. The "horn" would be destroyed, but "by no human hand"
(8:25). After 2300 evenings and mornings (i.e. 1150 days), Antiochus would no longer
be able to keep the sanctuary from being used for true worship, nor would he trample on
the saints of the Most High (8:14). The sanctuary would again be restored.
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Daniel's prayer. Jeremiah prophesied that once 70 years had gone by in Babylon, the
Lord would consider the plight of His people and bring them back to their own land (Jer.
29:10; see also 25:12-13). Daniel knew about that prophecy. When the Babylonian
empire was attacked by the powerful Medes, he prayed to the Lord for a fulfillment of
the promise (ch. 9).
He prayed a moving prayer in which he confessed the sins of his people while appealing
continually to God's covenant faithfulness:
And now, O Lord our God, who didst bring thy people out of the land of
Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast made thee a name, as at this day, we
have sinned, we have done wickedly. We do not present our supplications
before thee on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of thy
great mercy. O LORD, hear; O LORD, forgive; O LORD, give heed and act;
delay not, for thy own sake, O my God, because thy city and thy people
are called by thy name (9:15, 18-19).
[134]
Seventy weeks. While Daniel was praying, the archangel Gabriel, who had already
appeared in the previous vision, came to tell him that his petition had been heard. He
spoke of 70 weeks (or 70 weeks of years). Thus a much longer period than "70 years"
lay ahead of Daniel.
Jerusalem would indeed be rebuilt and the services in the temple restored, but the
return from exile would not immediately bring back the old glory. The rebuilt temple
would stand for more than four centuries, until another "troubled time" (9:24-5). After
62 weeks of years had passed, there would be a crisis. The high priest (the anointed
one) would be killed, the temple services overthrown, and the daily sacrifice halted.
Multiple fulfillments. Isaiah had already prophesied about such a destruction, which had
been firmly decided on in advance (Is. 10:22-3; see also Rom. 9:27-8). What Isaiah
foretold had come true already. Now Gabriel was letting Daniel know that the Lord would
again let a destroyer loose on His people. The second destroyer referred to must be
Antiochus Epiphanes.
This shows us that according to the Old Testament, more than one fulfillment of a
specific prophecy is possible. It should not surprise us, therefore, that Christ applies
Daniel's words to a coming third destruction of Jerusalem which was to take place not
long after His own time on earth.
In the light of Christ's work on earth, the words of Gabriel take on a new meaning: He
atones definitively for all unrighteousness. It is Christ who finally brings the misery of
exile to an end. He does this by being "cut off" Himself, as the Anointed One, even

60
though He has done no wrong (9:24, 26).
Because His own people are the ones who kill Him and do not recognize Him, Jerusalem
will be turned into rubble. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning
[135]
those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" (Matt. 23:37).
Not a political almanac. There are people who like to speculate about the future on the
basis of the numbers to be found in such books as Daniel and Revelation (which is
similar to Daniel in many ways). They try to uncover a "hidden" meaning that would be
applicable to the current political scene. But such an approach draws our attention away
from what Scripture intends to teach.
We try to apply the prophecies to events in our time, which do indeed bear some
resemblance to what Daniel was talking about, and that's what makes Daniel so in-
teresting. What we forget is that the Bible is not a political almanac; it is a proclamation
of the gospel.
The Jews in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes received strength from the prophecies in
the book of Daniel so that they could stand firm—also in the face of their apostate
countrymen—in the knowledge that God would keep His promises. No matter how dark
things may have looked, they knew God would work out His purposes.
The comfort provided by those prophecies of Daniel first made public during the days of
Antiochus Epiphanes is also intended for us. Nothing can hold back the coming of God's
Kingdom. A remnant will repent and turn to God. Even in the last of the "70 weeks," the
Lord will be near His people (9:27). After the last judgment (the fourth judgment) will
dawn the morning in which the church's exile finally comes to an end.

Do not seal up the words of the

prophecy of this book (Rev. 22:10).

6. A Call for Endurance and Faith

Three weeks of mourning. Daniel knew what it means to pray. Despite his loyal
cooperation with the Persian court, he was first and foremost a member of the church.
When he discovered that the repatriated Jews from Babylon were encountering
opposition in their homeland, he mourned for three weeks. After that a heavenly figure
clothed in linen appeared to him on the banks of the Tigris River (one of the rivers
mentioned in connection with Paradise). Was it the angel of Yahweh?
The heavenly figure revealed that he had spent the three weeks of Daniel's mourning
fighting against the "prince of the kingdom of Persia" (apparently an evil spirit who
stirred up opposition to the Jews in Persia). In the struggle he was helped by the
archangel Michael and thus managed to win the victory. This meant that the
reconstruction of the city and the temple would proceed despite the opposition of the
Samaritans, but it did not mean that all the suffering was over.
A battle in the air. The heavenly servant was now sent to struggle with another "prince"
(demon), namely, the "prince of Greece" (10:20). Greece would replace Persia as the
ruler of the world. In the realm of the angels there would then be another struggle, this
time against the Greek demons. Michael would take part in this struggle (see Rev. 12:7).
Behind the drama of soldiers and diplomats, then, a battle was being fought in the air
between angels and devils (see Judges 5:20). At the same time, we are shown the
[137]
potential power of prayer on the home front (see Eph. 6:10ff, 18ff).
The dream of unity. The purpose of this revelation was to help the church prepare for the
battle. The time of oppression was not to come upon the church unexpectedly (see I Pet.
4:12). The heavenly messenger informed Daniel about what was written in the book of
truth, that is, what God had in mind (10:21).

61
The Greek spirit brought into Israel by the Syrian rulers would prove much more
dangerous than the fads introduced by the Persians. Humanism would unleash on the
church the dream of unity that still holds so many people captive—one empire, one
religion, one world, one church.
The precise characterization of future political developments in chapter 11 must be read
in this context. Through this revelation, the church would realize that nothing happens
accidentally. This development of the forces of unrighteousness is all part of God's plan.
Israel had to be freed of the illusion that things would get better and better, that a brave
new world would be born. The danger signal would have to be given. Be on guard!
The "king of the north." After the Persian kings would come a "mighty king" (11:3). We
recognize him as the horn of the he-goat in chapter 8, namely, Alexander the Great.
After his death at an early age, Alexander's empire is divided between four generals.
Part of it falls to the "king of the north," i.e. the Syrian empire of the Seleucids, and
another part to the "king of the south," i.e. the Egyptian empire of the Ptolemies.
A war erupts between the north and the south. As the battle lines shift, Israel is trapped
in between and becomes a battlefield. Finally the "glorious land" falls under the firm
control of the kings of the north (11:16).
[138]
A "contemptible person" becomes king in the north. Like his predecessors, he
undertakes military campaigns against Egypt — three of them (11:25-9, 40ff). His
expeditions bring him into Israel's territory, where he takes a firm stand against Israel's
worship.
After the first expedition, the king is dead set against i he holy covenant (vs. 28). After
the second expedition, he lakes action in Israel and vents his frustration on the Lord's
temple, with the help of his soldiers and some apostate Jews (vs. 30ff). The result is that
there is a crisis among the people. There are some who fall through flatteries, but there
are others who stand firm and do not embark on the path of apostasy. The faithful ones
pay the price—suffering and oppression.
A "little help" appears on the scene, and many hypocrites turn to it (vs. 32-4). This "little
help" is probably a reference to the resistance of the Maccabees, who aroused a lot of
nationalistic fervor in the Jews but, unfortunately, lost their religious zeal more and
more, according to the Scriptures. There would be some sifting among "those who are
wise."
Destroyed by God's breath. This northern king gives special honor to the "god of
fortresses" (i.e. Zeus, of Mount Olympus) and neglects the other gods (e.g. Tammuz, the
"darling" of the women). He speaks "astonishing things" against the God of gods, the
God of Israel. (Didn't Antiochus Epiphanes dedicate the temple at Jerusalem to his
favorite god, Zeus? See also II Thessalonians 2:4.)
The end comes suddenly for this oppressor: he is destroyed by God's breath (11:45).
When this is told, it appears as though everything has changed: the "time of the end"
has come (vs. 40). But here the careful description of future historical events breaks off.
The people are plunged into great fear. The angel Michael intervenes, and those whose
[139]
names are written in the book of life are saved. Yes, the power of death is broken—
for some to eternal life, for others to eternal perdition. Those who are wise, that is, those
who are obedient to the Word, can shine again as stars (12:1-3; see also 8:10).
Daniel was commanded to seal this vision until the time of the end, a period that would
last a time, two times and half a time (12:7; see also Rev. 12:14). While we read of
1150 days in 8:14, the figure 1290 days is now mentioned. Those who manage to hold
out for 1335 days are praised. In other words, those who persevere to the bitter end will
be saved. Those who are holy will purify themselves even more (12:10; see also Rev.
22:11).
The "last days." John was commanded not to seal up his revelation, for the time of

62
fulfillment was near. Daniel, however, was to seal up his "book of revelation," for only in
the last days would the last part of his book become fully relevant. It has since been
made public, for those "last days" have come.
Together with the earlier chapters of his book, the final chapters speak clear language
addressed to the church in a new day. The church knows that the kingship of God men-
tioned so often in Daniel has come in Jesus Christ. Yet, the time of complete fulfillment
has not yet arrived. The Lord is purifying His chosen ones through a great deal of op-
pression. "Blessed is he who waits" (12:12).
Calvin concluded his treatment of the book of Daniel with the following prayer:
Grant, Almighty God, since thou proposest to us no other
end than that of constant warfare during our whole life, and
subjectest us to many cares until we arrive at the goal of
this temporary racecourse: Grant, I pray thee, that we may
never grow fatigued. May we ever be armed and equipped
[140]
for battle, and whatever the trials by which thou dost
prove us, may we never be found deficient. May we always
aspire towards heaven with upright souls, and strive with all
our endeavours to attain that blessed rest which is laid up
for us in heaven, in Jesus Christ our Lord. —Amen.

63
[141]
Index
Almond tree, 57-8
Ammon, 84
Angel of the Lord, 36, 136
Antithesis, 47, 119-23, 125
Astarte, 82, 99
"Babylon", 23-4, 85-6
Belgic Confession, 29
Blood, 77, 108-9
"Coastlands",45,51-2
Covenant between God and His people, 28, 77
Covenant wrath, 29, 106
Creation of the world, 39-40
Curse resting on creation, 22
Day of the Lord, 15-17, 24, 50, 89
Death, 139
Demons (see Satan and demons)
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 93, 95, 101-2,124, 134-5
Edomites, 85
Egypt, 26, 29, 31, 84, 111-12
Exodus command, 22
Feast of Tabernacles, 22-3,51
Glory of the Lord, 29, 101
"God-fearing" Gentiles, 52
Good Shepherd, 39, 49, 72,113
Government and revolution, 72, 123-4
Great King, 64
Holiness, 14
Immanuel promise, 19-20, 55,58,96, 117-18
Jerusalem and the temple, 30-2, 60, 62-3, 74-5, 88-90, 94-6, 99-102, 108, 116-18,
122-3, 129
Keys to the Kingdom, 26-7
King James Bible, 85
Lord's supper, 28
Marduk, 85
Marriage and divorce, 59
Melchizedek and the priesthood, 13
Moab, 25-6, 84

64
Molech, 15, 64, 69
Nature/grace, 117
North, 58, 60, 66, 86
Passover, 51
Pentecost, 26
Poetry, Hebrew, 92-3
Prophecy, 10, 13-14, 70, 75-6, 108, 134
Psalms outside the book of Psalms, 36, 93
Rebirth and regeneration, 114
Rechabites, 79-80
Redemption and atonement, 76-7
"Remnant", 14-15, 19-20, 29-30, 35, 50, 101
Revelation, book of, 28-9, 42, 86-7, 101, 104, 110, 118, 122, 124, 132,135
Righteousness, 48, 73, 76, 85-6
Sabbath day, 51-2
Sacrifices and offerings, 11-12,63
Satan and demons, 136
Septuagint, 31
Servant of the Lord, 39, 42-7, 50-1, 85, 124
Sexuality, 104-5
Shiloh, 62-3
Sodom and Gomorrah, 10-11, 116
Son of man, 130-2
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 11,29,42
Torah, 10-12
Vineyard of the Lord, 17, 29-30, 65, 104, 106
World history, 43
Year of Jubilee, 48, 79

65
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 6

Hosea - Malachi

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[9]
Hosea ................................................................................................................................... 4
1. A Prophetic Condemnation of the Counterreformation ......................................... 4
2.Prophet of the Lord's Covenant .......................................................................... 5
3. Hosea's Marriage ............................................................................................ 5
4. Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge ...................................................................... 7
5. The Way of Death and the Way of Life ............................................................... 9
[24]
Joel ................................................................................................................................... 11
1. The Approach of the Day of Yahweh ................................................................ 11
2. Repentance and Grace on the Day of Yahweh ................................................... 12
3. The Culmination of the Day of Yahweh ............................................................ 13
[31]
Amos ................................................................................................................................ 14
1. The Prophet from Tekoa ................................................................................ 14
2. An Appeal to the Covenant ............................................................................ 15
3. Prophecies against the Nations ....................................................................... 16
4. A Message of Judgment for the Northern Kingdom ............................................ 17
5. Amos's Apocalypse ....................................................................................... 19
6. Messianic Promises ....................................................................................... 20
[46]
Obadiah ........................................................................................................................... 21
1. Edom and Israel ........................................................................................... 21
[49]
2. Messianic Prophecy—Not Nationalism ......................................................... 22
[52]
Jonah ............................................................................................................................... 24
1. The Sign of Jonah ......................................................................................... 24
[57]
2. Something Greater Than Jonah .................................................................. 26
[59]
Micah ............................................................................................................................... 27
1. Hurling Accusations at the Covenant People ..................................................... 27
2. The Good Shepherd and Messianic King ........................................................... 28
[65]
3. The Lawsuit Continues: Israel in the Dock ................................................... 29
4. The Strange Acquittal .................................................................................... 30
[69]
Nahum ............................................................................................................................. 32
1. Squaring Accounts with the Church's Enemies .................................................. 32
2. Yahweh, the Great Avenger ........................................................................... 33
[76]
Habakkuk ........................................................................................................................ 35
1. The Object of God's Righteous Judgment ......................................................... 35
2. Righteousness and Unrighteousness ................................................................ 36
3. Habakkuk's Psalm ......................................................................................... 37
[84]
Zephaniah ....................................................................................................................... 39
1. The Day of the Lord's Fierce Anger (1:1—2:3) .................................................. 39
[88]
2. Prophecies against the Neighboring Nations (2:4-15) ................................... 40
[89]
3. Promises and Bowls of Wrath (3:1-20)........................................................ 41
[91]
Haggai .............................................................................................................................. 42
1. Delay in the Rebuilding of the Temple ............................................................. 42
2. The Perspective of Coming Glory .................................................................... 42
3. A Spiritual Temple of Living Stones ................................................................. 43
4. God's Kingdom and Church ............................................................................ 44
[98]
Zechariah ........................................................................................................................ 45
1. A Priestly Prophet ......................................................................................... 45
2. The Night Visions .......................................................................................... 45

2
 [104]
3. Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifices .......................................................... 47
4. The King-Shepherd and the Day of the Lord ..................................................... 48
[109]
Malachi .......................................................................................................................... 50
1. Yahweh's Messenger Argues with Israel ........................................................... 50
2. The First Debate (1:2-5)................................................................................ 50
3. The Second Debate (1:6—2:9) ....................................................................... 50
4. The Third Debate (2:10-16) ........................................................................... 51
5. The Fourth Debate (2:17—3:5) ...................................................................... 52
6. The Fifth Debate (3:6-12) .............................................................................. 52
7. The Sixth Debate (3:13—4:3) ........................................................................ 52
8. Concluding Words (4:4-6).............................................................................. 53
[118]
Index .............................................................................................................................. 54

3
[9]
Hosea
1. A Prophetic Condemnation of the Counterreformation
Rebellions and regicides. The section of the Bible known as the "Minor Prophets" opens
with a fair-sized book generally attributed to the prophet Hosea, who, like his younger
contemporary Amos, went about his work in the northern kingdom. To understand the
book of Hosea, we must know something about the period in which this prophet lived.
Hosea tells us that he prophesied during the time of the following kings of Judah: Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1).
Hosea witnessed the last flickerings of the northern kingdom under the great Jeroboam
II but also lived to see a series of rebellions and regicides after the murder of Zechariah,
the son of Jeroboam, who reigned for only six months. Shallum, his murderer, was
crowned king but was murdered himself a month later. Menahem was king for ten years
and paid tribute to Assyria. His son Pekahiah was murdered after a reign of two years.
[10]
Pekah, who ruled for 20 years, was anti-Assyrian. Then came Hoshea. After he ruled
for nine years, Samaria was captured by Assyria and its inhabitants were deported.

Judah Israel
Jerobeam II
Amos
Uzziah
Zechariah
Shallum
Menahem
Pekahiah
Jotham Isaiah Hosea Pekah

Ahaz
Micah

Hezekiah Deportation
(722)

A chip on the waters. The dynasty of Jehu, from which Jeroboam II had sprung, ceased
to exist after the fourth generation. God's Word spoken through the mouths of the
prophets had been fulfilled (II Kings 10:30; 15:12). Hadn't Amos prophesied: "I will rise
against the house of Jeroboam with the sword"? (Amos 7:9).
The murder of Zechariah, the last king in Jehu's line, inaugurated a period of palace
revolutions. Hence the prophet Hosea complained on the Lord's behalf:
They made kings, but not through me.
They set up princes, but without my knowledge (8:4).
There was nothing for Hosea to do but announce the impending destruction of the
[11]
kingdom of the ten tribes, which he was to witness with his own eyes. "Samaria's
king," he announced ominously, "shall perish like a chip on the face of the waters"
(10:7).

4
2.Prophet of the Lord's Covenant
Bethel. Hosea prophesied in a period of decline. His assignment was to announce the
approach of judgment to people who had been given beautiful promises.
Punishment was due because the covenant with the Lord had been broken by everyone
from the king to the lowliest of his subjects. In name, the northern kingdom was still
faithful to Yahweh. At Bethel there was an official state sanctuary where Yahweh was
worshipped in the form of a golden calf. Offshoots of this worship tradition were to be
found in other parts of the country.
The history of the patriarchs and the first settlers in Canaan was not forgotten either. In
fact, the people were proud of their descent from Jacob and Ephraim; they were proud
that their nation bore the name Israel. Didn't they have a right to the gifts of the
covenant with the Lord?
Ritual fornication. If the people had been asked whether they knew "the Bible," they
would have answered with an emphatic yes. Yet their "knowledge" of the Bible did not
involve a true knowledge of the Lord, for their worship of Yahweh was mixed with
features borrowed from the service of the Baals and Astartes: it had degenerated into a
kind of fertility religion. "Blood and the soil" had become their gods: farming was deified.
Attempts were made to stimulate the fruitfulness of the land through feasts that sought
to honor the traditions of the patriarchs and Moses, feasts in which the name of Yahweh
[12]
was used freely. These worship activities even included ritual fornication (4:11-19).
The Israelites sinned in order that "grace" (i.e. the grace of the god of rain) might
abound.
They did not shrink from breaking the other commandments either. There were
rebellions among the princes; there was social dislocation; there were even priests who
formed gangs of robbers (6:9). Truly, there was no "knowledge" of the Lord.
God's moving love. In the face of all this wickedness, Hosea pointed to a great wonder,
namely, that the Lord in His mercy was willing to take His people back again, despite
their adultery and unfaithfulness. He had been their God since Egypt and would bring
back His runaway wife.
Through his own marriage, Hosea was to show Israel something of God's moving love.
The Lord would introduce a new period of salvation; He would lead His people into the
wilderness again:
I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them
(14:4).
The nation called "Not My People" would again become "My People." While this prophecy
was not realized in the subsequent history of the ten tribes, it is indeed fulfilled in the
church of the new covenant (Rom. 9:25-6; I Pet. 2:10), which embraces both Jews and
people from the heathen nations.
Hosea's sketch of God's incomprehensible mercy should speak to us today just as much
as his prophecies of judgment do. Both are part of the Word of the covenant God who
focuses His attention on us. Hosea's words are intended to "hew" and shape us (6:5)
and teach us a true knowledge of the Lord (vs. 6).

[13]
You are now the people of God,
who once were not his people (I Pet.
2:10 NEB).

3. Hosea's Marriage
A wanton woman. It was a strange assignment that God gave Hosea: the Lord
commanded him to marry a wanton woman. This is not to say that the woman the Lord

5
had in mind was a prostitute or a promiscuous woman; all the word wanton means here
is that there were already some evil inclinations present within her. Hosea obeyed and
married Gomer, who then had children.
Some Bible scholars interpret the story of Hosea's marriage as a symbol or allegory. Yet
we have good reason to think in terms of a real marriage through which Hosea was
supposed to communicate a message to his people. What was that message?
Hadn't Israel abandoned her husband, Yahweh, and wasn't she openly committing
adultery? Well then, Hosea's marriage and family life would be a mirror to the nation. A
servant is no better off than his master. Yahweh had an unfaithful "wife," and so Hosea
would have to experience the same agony. "The land commits great harlotry by
forsaking the LORD" (1:2).
Three children. The names the prophet was commanded to give to the children Gomer
bore were related to his message for Israel. The first child was called Jezreel, for the
Lord would avenge the blood guilt of the royal house. This was a reference to Jehu's
bloodbath. Because Jehu had not served the Lord wholeheartedly, his elimination of
Ahab's house amounted to nothing more than political murder. Therefore his dynasty
would fall—contrary to all expectations.
[14]
The second child, a daughter, was named Lo-ruhamah, which means not pitied. The
third, a son, was named Lo-ammi, that is, not my people. These names speak for
themselves. The Lord intended to withdraw His covenant blessing.
Yet, Hosea also proclaimed that there would be better days ahead. Right after the
cutting announcement of judgment, we read tender promises about Judah and also
about Israel. "Great shall be the day of Jezreel" (1:11). The brothers would then be
called Ammi (i.e. my people) and the sisters Ruhamah (i.e. mercy).
A jealous husband. After this opening chapter we read a sharp indictment: "Denounce
your mother, denounce her, for she is not my wife nor am I her husband" (2:2 JB).
Gomer, the wife of Hosea, was apparently running after other men in hopes of becoming
rich. Thus she had become an apt symbol of Israel, the "wife" of Yahweh, who ran after
the local Baals (gods of agriculture) in hopes of assuring a great harvest.
Although Jehu had gotten rid of the Baal of Tyre, which had been imported by Jezebel,
he left plenty of room for the worship of native Canaanite Baals, which were gods of rain
and fertility. Sometimes such worship was combined with the worship of the golden calf
at Bethel, where Yahweh was supposedly honored.
Yahweh was a jealous husband. He was angry that His wife expected flax and oil and
grain from the Baals. Therefore He took her gifts away from her.
The door of hope. Even after all this provocation, we read of more promises,
unbelievably tender promises that go back to the time of "first love" when Yahweh
delivered Israel from Egypt and led her through the wilderness to Canaan.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
[15]
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
And there I will give her her vineyards,
and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt (2:14-15).
Hosea sees a new era dawning. Again the Lord will lead His people as a shepherd
through the wilderness. The source of trouble (Achan) is removed from their midst, and
the door of hope, the door to the future, is thrown wide open. Yahweh will again allow a
development of the covenant along with its gifts—even "blood and the soil."
The Israelites heard the word Ephphatha (Mark 7:34), that is, be healed, be open! Walls
of sin and judgment fall. Just as the curse of the law (Lev. 26; Deut. 28) goes into

6
effect, the promises are fulfilled.
Life in this world. Hosea's talk of grain and oil should not puzzle us. Instead we should
be thankful that God's mercy for "Not My People" and "Not Pitied" has so much to do
with life in this world. After all, by nature we are "Not His People" (see Rom. 9:25-6; I
Pet. 2:10). Yet, in grace the Gentiles are called to be God's people.
All the beautiful promises in Hosea are for us; we can lay claim to them. Hence we
should not look to the Baals of our time to save our earth and our culture. Only in Christ
can we be accepted as God's children, can the creation be redeemed, can the forces of
blessing be released (2:21-3).
Symbolic isolation. How could such a change come about? How could the unfaithful bride
begin to yearn for her lawful husband again? This, too, Hosea had to demonstrate in his
own life.
[16]
He was commanded by the Lord to love a woman who had run after others, just as
Israel had turned to other gods. Again Hosea obeyed. For the price of a slave (Ex.
21:32; Zech. 11:12; Matt. 27:9) he redeemed "her" from the slavery into which she had
fallen and took her to himself.
The slave he purchased was probably Gomer, who may well have been forced into
slavery through her immoral life. At first Hosea isolated his slave-wife: he avoided any
contact with her and would not allow others any contact with her either. In this way he
hoped to train her to be faithful.
This isolation symbolized the coming exile, in which the Israelites would be separated
from the throne and the altar. Through this exile, Israel's yearning for the Lord and the
old Davidic dynasty would be awakened (3:1-5). God's judgments are never without
purpose; they are part of His divine pedagogy.

You are a chosen race, a royal

priesthood, a holy nation, God's own
people, that you may declare the
wonderful deeds of him who called you
out of darkness into his marvelous
light (I Pet. 2:9).

4. Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge

The work of the priests. Even today we often make the mistake of thinking that there is
nothing more to the work of priests than offering sacrifices and so forth. That was never
the intention. "They shall teach Jacob thy ordinances, and Israel thy law," Moses sang of
[17]
Levi (Deut. 33:10; see also Mal. 2:6ff). The priests were called to instruct the people
and bring them to maturity; their job was to inscribe the law on the hearts of the people.
All the services in the temple would be meaningless if the people automatically did
anything asked of them.
The background to worship must be a knowledge of the will of the Lord. The covenant
with Israel would only function well if the priests kept the special covenant with Levi.
In the Israel of Hosea's days, the ten commandments were being broken constantly
(4:1ff). The reason? "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge," lamented the
prophet (4:6). "A people without understanding shall come to ruin" (vs. 14).
False worship and sacrifice. Those who held the office of priest had become officials of
the state; they were civil servants, bureaucrats who "had it made." They "ate" the sin of
the people (4:8). They rejected "knowledge" and did not take the demands of the
covenant God into account. Instead of instructing the people in the torah, the law of the
Lord, they encouraged them in their false worship and taught them to offer their
sacrifices in the Canaanite fashion (4:11-19).

7
The result was that "knowledge," that is, life according to the covenant, was lost—and
the people were well on the way to being lost as well. In their excessive piety they might
go on seeking the Lord with their flocks and herds, but they would not find Him unless
they offered their hearts to Him in obedience (5:6; 8:11-13; 10:1; see also Amos 5:21
ff; Mic. 6:6-8; Is. 1:10ff).
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings
(6:6; see also Matt. 9:13; 12:7).
[18]
Heading for destruction. Should it surprise us that the Lord was angry about this lack
of knowledge, this failure to maintain His law? Because of the false leadership of the
priests, Ephraim, the kingdom of the ten tribes of Jacob, was headed for destruction.
The complaints and accusations rained down like hailstones in Hosea's impassioned flood
of words: Israel is as stubborn as a heifer; Ephraim is joined to idols (4:16-17); Ephraim
mixes with the peoples; he is a cake not turned, a foolish dove (7:8ff). Bethel, with its
golden calf and all those formalistic priests, will soon find out what judgment is. What
about the misguided people? Like Driest, like people (4:9).
Yahweh dethroned. This also applies to the king and the princes. Instead of ruling as God
decreed, the kings are playing games. Nothing is left of the theocratic kingship as
instituted by God. The government is not a bulwark against lawlessness. On the
contrary:
By their wickedness they make the king glad,
and the princes by their treachery (7:3).
Like the services at Bethel (which Hosea calls Beth-aven, i.e. house of vanity), the
conduct of the kings represents a dethroning of Yahweh as Israel's King (8:4). Therefore
the Lord wants nothing more to do with the stream of kings, each one cast aside by a
usurper who succeeds him. The evolution was devouring its own children:
All of them are hot as an oven,
and they devour their rulers.
All their kings have fallen;
and none of them calls upon me (7:7).
Wounded love. Their politics of despair is put to shame, "hey look to Egypt for help, and
[19]
then to Assyria (7:11; 8:9). In this regard Judah is no better. Like Amos, Hosea
refuses to hold Judah up to Israel as a good example:
When Ephraim saw his sickness,
and Judah his wound,
then Ephraim went to Assyria,
and sent to the great king (5:13).
But Israel itself would fall prey to the great king of Assyria and would be carried away as
the spoils of war (10:6). Assyria would be Israel's king (11:5). The people of Israel
would return to the land of Egypt, the land on which they had fixed their hopes, as
slaves (9:3; 11:5, 11). That's the result of ignoring Yahweh, who had been Israel's Great
King ever since the days in Egypt.
In wounded love Yahweh would destroy His people like a lion, an eagle, a moth. All the
festivities at Bethel would be brought to an untimely end (9:1ff). "Ephraim's glory shall
fly away like a bird" (vs. 11).
Pride in Jacob. Hosea's words of accusation struck the leaders and the people like a
series of hammer blows. Ephraim was proud: on their feast days the people of Israel laid
claim to the blessings promised to Israel-Jacob.
In response to the pride in Jacob, Hosea points out that Israel is indeed related to Jacob:
he shares Jacob's sins. Unfortunately, he does not follow Jacob's path of repentance.

8
What was it that Jacob had done?
He strove with the angel and prevailed,
he wept and sought his favor.
He met God at Bethel,
and there God spoke with him—
the LORD the God of hosts,
the LORD is his name:
"So you, by the help of your God, return,
[20]
hold fast to love and justice,
and wait continually for your God" (12:4-6).

Once you had not received mercy, but

now you have received mercy
(I Pet. 2:10).

5. The Way of Death and the Way of Life

Light next to darkness. Here, as at the beginning of the book of Hosea, there is light
next to darkness: again we encounter a voice calling for repentance and conversion.
Between all the prophecies of judgment, promises of salvation can be heard.
It would be a mistake to suppose that the promises are intended to tone down the
announcement of the judgment to come. The Lord never utters threats just to make
people despair. Even when He speaks the language of judgment, He is appealing for
conversion. He sketches the way of death but at the same time shows us the way of life.
Turn to Me and live!
A song of penitence. Hosea puts a song of penitence in the mouths of the people, a song
that reminds us of the song of Moses, which may well have been sung at the feasts in
Bethel:
Come, let us return to the LORD;
for he has torn, that he may heal us;
he has stricken, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
[21]
Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD;
his going forth is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth (6:1-3).
In this song we recognize elements and themes of the song of Moses:
See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
1
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
The people did not take over the song of repentance prepared for them by Hosea, just as
they later refused to accept a confession composed by Jeremiah (see Jer. 3:22-5). Yet,
the text of this song remains relevant to the plight of the church in all ages. Wasn't

1
Deuteronomy 32:39. In various places in Hosea we find echoes of the song of Moses. "When they
had fed to the full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up," says Hosea (13:6). In Moses'
song we read that Jeshurun waxed fat, kicked, and forsook the God who made him (vs. 15).
Hosea, as we saw, compares Israel to a stubborn heifer (4:16; see also 10:11; 11:4). On
"forgetting," see 2:13; 8:14; 13:6; Deut. 32:18.

9
Christ's resurrection literally "on the third day"?
In our Savior, Hosea's words find their complete fulfillment. Through Christ the days of
recompense have come—hence the cries of despair addressed to the hills and mountains
(compare 9:7 with Luke 21:22; and Hos. 10:8 with Luke 23:30-1 and Rev. 6:15-17).
Yet, through His suffering and resurrection ("on the third day"), the love of the Father is
demonstrated. This gives assurance of faith to a church tormented by doubt.
[22]
Repeated appeals for repentance. How glorious that Hosea carried on with his
preaching despite all the opposition! Not only did he preach judgment to priests and
rulers, he also spoke of grace for those who repent and return to Yahweh! In your own
Bible, underline all the promises bound up with the repeated appeals for repentance.
Remember that through Christ, all of this now applies to us.
Break up your fallow ground for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and
rain salvation upon you (10:12; see also Jer. 4:3).
It is the will of the Lord that His church not be lost.
Ephraim, how could I part with you?
Israel, how could I give you up?
How could I treat you like Admah,
or deal with you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils from it,
my whole being trembles at the thought.
I will not give rein to my fierce anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again,
for I am God, not man:
I am the Holy One in your midst
and have no wish to destroy (11:8-9 JB).
In the light of Christ's fulfillment, these words full of feeling come alive for the church in
this age of despair. Where is our earth, our world, headed? Will there ever be another
spring, a rebirth, a new beginning? Do the satanic powers of death and destruction have
the last word?
I will heal their faithlessness;
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned from them.
[23]
I will be as the dew to Israel;
he shall blossom as the lily,
he shall strike root as the poplar (14:4-5).

10
[24]
Joel
1. The Approach of the Day of Yahweh
A locust plague. The first printed Dutch Bible (1477) includes an introduction to the
twelve minor prophets in which we read that the book of Joel is simple at the beginning
and obscure at the end. This is not a conclusion that everyone would agree with, for
there are also many questions raised about the beginning of this small book of prophecy.
We read about a locust plague that strikes the land. But the locusts are described in such
a way that some interpreters think in terms of human enemies and others in terms of
demons. The reference to locusts in Revelation 9 could also be taken as an indication
that Joel was dealing with some mysterious power.
Instead of getting lost in the speculation of the commentators, we should read this
prophet for ourselves. However obscure his prophecy may seem at the beginning as well
as the end, it represents divine revelation. Doesn't the opening of God's Word give us
light?
[25]
Total destruction. Joel addresses himself to both the rulers and the inhabitants of the
land (1:2). He also has something to say to the priests, who serve at the altar (1:13;
2:19).
Joel blows a trumpet to sound the alarm (2:1), for the land is threatened with total
destruction, a destruction that will have drastic consequences for the services in the
temple. For lack of material to sacrifice, it will be impossible to continue the services
(1:13). "Worship" and "farming" will stagnate. A day of judgment, a day of Yahweh, is
drawing near. Joel describes the destruction in compelling language:
What the cutting locust left,
the swarming locust has eaten.
What the swarming locust left,
the hopping locust has eaten,
and what the hopping locust left,
the destroying locust has eaten (1:4).
Listen to the bold, impressive language in which the invasion is announced:
Let all that live in the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD has come,
surely a day of darkness and gloom is upon us,
a day of cloud and dense fog;
like a blackness spread over the mountains
a mighty, countless host appears;
their like has never been known,
nor ever shall be in ages to come;
their vanguard a devouring fire,
their rearguard leaping flame;
before them the land is a garden of Eden,
behind them a wasted wilderness;
nothing survives their march.
On they come, like squadrons of horse,
[26]
like war-horses they charge;
bounding over the peaks they advance with the rattle of chariots,
like flames of fire burning up the stubble,
like a countless host in battle array (2:1-5 NEB).
It is clear that the Lord is leading this advance (2:11). He is the one behind the
judgment.

11
2. Repentance and Grace on the Day of Yahweh
An indispensable condition. The prophet does more than just sound the alarm to signal
danger; his trumpet summons the people to prayer and penitence (2:15; see also vs. 1).
Isn't the Lord merciful and gracious? Who knows? Perhaps He will still turn His anger
aside and allow the services in the temple to continue.
The indispensable condition for mercy is Israel's wholehearted repentance. This applies
to the entire covenant people, from large to small, without exception. All must beg the
Lord for mercy (2:12-17).
Whether Joel is talking about "real" locusts in these first two chapters or symbolic ones,
it is clear that the church (i.e. Jerusalem, the land, the inheritance) is in great danger.
(In Revelation 9, judgment on God's covenant people is also depicted.) Apparently the
people have put their trust in blood and the soil without taking the Lord into
consideration in all their thoughts and deeds.
Repentance is now the only way out for those who seek to escape the misfortune. For
today's church, which often manifests a Laodicean attitude of self-sufficiency, this
passage from Joel contains a timely message.
[27]
The Holy Spirit and "nature." Yahweh is gracious. "Then the LORD became jealous for
his land, and had pity on his people" (2:18). The swarm of dangerous locusts went in
another direction and wound up in the sea. The land heaved a sigh of relief, rain fell
again, and Yahweh dwelt in the midst of His people.
It is in this context, which abounds with "natural" blessings, that we find the famous
Messianic promise quoted by Peter at Pentecost: "And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh" (2:28; see also Acts 2:16ff). We must never
lose sight of the fact that the Bible does not draw a line between "nature" and "grace." It
is also the Holy Spirit who awakens "nature" to life (Ps. 104:30; Gen. 1:2).
"Nature" is not some sort of independent organism; it is simply the creation, the arena in
which God's church lives. Well then, it should not surprise us that when the land
promised to the church is revived, nature itself is seized by the Spirit to be utilized
entirely in His service.
Fully mobilized. Avoid thinking in limited terms when it comes to the fulfillment of
prophecies. No doubt you have noticed that the locust plague is described in terms that
go far beyond the events of those days. This also applies to the description of the revival
that awaits us. What Joel was prophesying about came to pass more fully in the New
Testament.
In the midst of a trembling world stands the church that no longer recognizes any
distinction between the (spiritual) "clergy" and the (natural) "laity." That church is fully
mobilized, ready and willing to serve. A saving name draws people to Jerusalem, where
deliverance is to be found. Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, applies that saving name to
Christ.
[28]
Sealed with baptism. Whenever we witness a baptism, we should think of this
prophecy of Joel. Just listen to Peter's interpretation of Joel: "Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [i.e. of the gift of the Holy Spirit]
is to you and to your children [think of the Spirit-bearing sons and daughters of Joel
2:28] and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him" (Acts
2:38-9). The last sentence echoes the beautiful promise of Joel 2:32: "Among the
survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls." Make sure that you never forget these
words of Joel when you witness a baptism.
The day of the Lord, the entire church anointed with the Spirit, the saving name of Jesus
Christ, the significance of "Jerusalem"—the church may preach all of this in a sinking
world and seal it with baptism, for all these themes belong together. Joel does indeed
give us simple knowledge that anyone in the church should be able to make his own.

12
3. The Culmination of the Day of Yahweh
A day of reckoning. Do we find "obscurities" when we get to the end of the book of Joel?
Not at all: what we find is a continuation of the promises. The deliverance of the church
involves a day of reckoning for its enemies. Joel 3 ends with a repetition of what was
already promised earlier: "The LORD will dwell in Zion" (vs. 21 NEB; see also 2:27).
Another storm among the nations is sketched. No longer can we ask whether locusts or
people are meant. Israel's archenemies are mobilizing. They have forced the Lord's
people to pay tribute; they have plundered the temple and sold the youth.
[29]
Israel's wicked neighbors now band together for a final day of reckoning, but this
time they are in for a surprise. Their day of reckoning turns into a fiasco, for "the LORD
roars from Zion" and offers refuge to His people. They will be safe on Mount Zion (2:32;
3:16-17).
A spiral. The progress in Joel's prophecies is like a spiral: at the end we find the same
motifs as at the beginning, namely, the attack on Zion, the saving hand of the Lord, the
blossoming of the nation, and the abiding presence of the Lord among His people. Thus
the end is not obscure at all—at least not for the reader of the New Testament, for he
knows about the sickle used in the harvest to cut down the grapes ripe for judgment
(Rev. 14:14ff). He also knows about the coming total defeat of the enemy forces in the
valley of Jehoshaphat (the name means Yahweh judges) or the valley of decision. He
knows about Jerusalem, our mother city, which will descend from heaven. Even if we do
not see God's victory today, we believe that He will ultimately be victorious when His day
comes.
That day naturally brings about a reawakening of the creation. When the curtain of
clouds is pulled aside at the time of the final struggle, we will see a new heaven and a
new earth in which "nature" and "grace" are again united. We read that "a fountain shall
come forth from the house of the LORD and water the valley of Shittim" (3:18; see also
Ezek. 47:1ff; Zech. 14:8; Rev. 22:1-2). (In the dry plain of the valley referred to grew
shittim wood or acacia wood.)
"Earthly" description. We should not take offense at such "earthly" description. After all,
the prophet wanted to make it as clear as possible that God was making all things new.
Nor should we be offended that the passage describes not just "heaven" but also "hell."
[30]
Repeatedly it is said that the lands of the ancient enemies Edom and Egypt will be
turned into barren wilderness. We must not pass over such words in silence or try to
ignore them, for words of judgment are part of the preaching of the gospel.
When did the judgment mentioned by Joel take place? We don't even know exactly when
he prophesied. Yet it is certain that subsequent history did include the judgment of
Judah's enemies. All the same, we still await the definitive fulfillment of Joel's prophecy.

13
[31]
Amos
1. The Prophet from Tekoa
Sharing in the Lord's gifts. The situation in Israel at the time Amos prophesied is
sketched by Herman Veldkamp as follows:
Never had the sun shone so brightly on the promised land as in the time of
Jeroboam II and Uzziah. Never did people sit so contentedly in the shade of
fig trees and vines as when Uzziah reigned over Judah and Jeroboam, the
son of Joash, reigned over Israel. It was as though the golden age of
Solomon had returned. The deplorable civil disputes of an earlier era had
ended, and peace was restored within the land. Syria, Israel's traditional
enemy, had been completely conquered by Jeroboam .... It was a time of
glittering prosperity, a great time to be alive. Business flourished, and
people made a lot of money. Many were wealthy enough to maintain both
a winter home and a summer home and could even afford the luxury of
costly ivory to adorn the walls of their homes and decorate the couches on
which they lay to eat their meals.
[32]
In the midst of all this prosperity, the cultic centers at Bethel, Gilgal and Beersheba
flourished—but not the worship of Yahweh. Veldkamp continues:
The entire religion of those cultic centers rested on the heathen principle
that sacrifices are made to win the favor of the gods. Thus the idea in the
minds of these Israelites was to make the Lord indebted to them, to
harness Yahweh to the wagons of their own desires by bringing Him great
offerings. The idea was not to approach the Lord's beloved countenance
but to share in His gifts. That's the kind of religion they considered
2
worthwhile.
Called away from the sheep. In the midst of this self-sufficiency and apparent prosperity
there appeared the rough figure of Amos, a prophet from the southern kingdom of
Judah, with his message of judgment. Originally he was a farmer in Tekoa, a town in the
hill country of Judah. In 1:1 and 7:14 we read that he raised sheep and gathered
3
mulberries. Thus he was not a member of the prophet's guild.
[33]
Yahweh called him away from his sheep—just as He had earlier called David away

2
The Farmer from Tekoa: On the Book of Amos, trans. T. Plantinga (Paideia Press, 1977), pp. 16-
17, 157.
3
Mulberry trees or sycamore trees grow in the wild near Jericho—Zacchaeus climbed such a tree
to get a look at Jesus—and along the coast of the lowlands south of Jaffa. The Revised Standard
Version makes of Amos a "dresser" of sycamore trees. Scholars who never venture out of the
study have assumed that this meant that Amos had a plantation of such trees. It has even been
argued that Amos was a "pricker" who worked seasonally pricking the peel or skin of the fruit to
hasten the ripening process (see, for example, E. W. Heaton, The Old Testament Prophets,
Edinburgh, 1958, p. 19).
When we consider the fact that there were thousands of berries on a single tree, each one not
much bigger than a thumbnail, we quickly realize that the suggestion about Amos "pricking" fruit
must be ruled out. There would not be much left after such pricking! As for setting up a plantation
to grow such fruit, that, too, must be ruled out, for Amos—or anyone else, for that matter—would
be much better off growing figs than the often worm-infested fruit that grows on the sycamore
tree.
If we think our way into Amos's situation, we soon see what the text means. When Amos was
watching over his flocks in the fields far from home, he looked for food in the wild, just like any
other shepherd. Thus he must have had occasion to sample the fruit of the sycamore tree (which
sometimes tasted yeasty). The word translated in the Revised Standard Version as dresser is
related to the Arabic word for fig. In short, the farmer from Tekoa took "pot luck" out in the field,
just as John the Baptist did.

14
from the flock. Amos was to prophesy against Israel. It was a matter of necessity—and
not a matter of Amos's own preference. Amos obeyed and was faithful to his calling.
A great doer. Amos is perhaps the first prophet to give us an extensive superscription
concerning the date and place of his work. From his words we can discern what the
situation was in the northern kingdom of Israel. We are able to share mentally in the
struggles of this great doer, who did not prophesy to earn a living and never beat around
the bush.
That he borrowed images from nature and from life on the land is only to be expected.
We hear the creaking of a heavily laden farmer's wagon (2:13) and the roaring of a lion
(3:4). We read about a net to catch birds (3:5) and the ups and downs and dangers of a
shepherd's life (3:12). Amos talks about the cattle of Bashan (4:1) and crop damage
(vs. 9).
[34]
"Church" and "culture." It is not entirely correct to make Amos a small farmer who
raised complaints about the "culture" of the prosperous cities of the northern kingdom.
Other prophets (e.g. Isaiah, who was not a farmer) also borrowed images from nature
and opposed cultural degeneration (think of Is. 3:16ff). Moreover, Tekoa was not as
isolated a farming village as we sometimes assume. Since the time of Rehoboam, a
garrison had been stationed there (II Chron. 11:6). That there was once a "wise woman"
living there whose help was sought by Joab shows that this border city on the edge of
the mountainous steppes was the home of some capable, reflective people who knew
how to put Scriptural wisdom into practice.
The prophecy of Amos is not a story of "nature" doing battle with "culture" or of a "little
man" taking on the "bigshots." The opposition in this book of prophecy is between the
Word of God and apostasy from Yahweh.
"Church" and "culture" are not opposed as such; we should avoid leaving anyone with
the impression that the church is anti-cultural—although the church is indeed opposed to
cultural degeneration, including the rottenness of many of the developments in our time.
Always bear this point in mind when reading Amos's denunciations.

2. An Appeal to the Covenant

Lingering covenant awareness. The apostate church of the northern kingdom of Israel
was the greatest cause of all deformation. The worship of the golden calf at Bethel was
central to the apostasy. With awesome rhetorical power, Amos attacked this caricature
of religion.
[35]
In the process we see Amos appealing to a lingering awareness of the covenant with
the Lord, an awareness that had never quite died out in the people of the northern
kingdom. (Hosea, Amos's contemporary in the northern kingdom, did the same thing.)
The people of Samaria and Bethel were not completely ignorant of the law and the
history of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
Complacency and distortion. We have every reason to suppose that the people of the
northern kingdom used the same liturgy and "Bible" as the people in Judah and
Jerusalem—at least in part. Yet the people of Israel in Amos's day were like the Jews in
the days of Christ's ministry on earth: they walked around with a "veil" covering their
faces, a veil that made them interpret Scripture wrongly and robbed them of the key to
knowledge.
Amos could still appeal to a "people with the Bible," then. At the same time he had to
fight an uphill battle against superficiality, complacency and distortion of Scripture,
which together threatened to make Israel a "people without the Bible."
Ripe for judgment. For Amos, the covenant relationship came first: he was not speaking
as a missionary to people unacquainted with Yahweh. No, he proceeded from the wonder
of the covenant between God and man: "Hear this word that the LORD has spoken
against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the

15
land of Egypt: 'You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will
punish you for all your iniquities' " (3:1-2).
In its worship, the northern kingdom wanted to attach itself to the traditions of the
patriarchs. Places that had played a role in Israel's history (e.g. Gilgal, Beersheba) were
held in honor (5:5; 8:14). The people even looked forward to the day of the Lord (5:18).
[36]
No doubt the golden age—in the path of evolution—would make way for a diamond
age. The people were waiting for the "coming of the Lord."
Amos announced that Yahweh would never bestow His covenant blessing on a people
that trampled the covenant underfoot. "Joseph's remnant" need not wait for the
fulfillment of the benediction of Jacob and Moses, for the prosperity under Jeroboam II
was illusory. The nation was in fact ripe for judgment (8:1-3). The temple singers would
have reason to lament.
The blessing of Jacob and Moses. In the first two chapters, Amos expresses his message
in prophecies of judgment against Israel and the neighboring nations [Syria, Philistia,
Tyre, Ammon, Moab, and Judah). The northern kingdom of the ten tribes gets special
attention in chapters 3-6. In the final three chapters of the book, Amos reports some
visions about judgment.
At the very end, this farmer who had become a prophet against his own will gives voice
to a prophecy of deliverance. Tekoa, which is not far from the cave of Adullam where
David took refuge from Saul, had been closely connected with the house of David.
The blessing of Jacob and Moses is fulfilled. This farmer-prophet proclaims that the fields
and vines and trees of Israel will flourish again, as David's fallen house is restored. Thus
the words of Amos lead up to Jesus Christ!

The LORD roars from Zion (1:2).

3. Prophecies against the Nations

For three transgressions. Amos begins his prophecies against the nations by saying
[37]
something about the One who sent him. The Lord roars from Zion; He makes Himself
heard from Jerusalem.
Israel is immediately confronted with its sin of man-made religion at Bethel, its refusal to
worship at the designated place, i.e. Zion. Yahweh was abandoned by the northern
kingdom of Israel, for the northern kingdom refused to come to His house. The same
Yahweh now speaks to His lost son in mighty language.
From the first two chapters of Amos, we see that the judgment on the various nations is
always expressed within the framework of a certain formula: "Thus says the LORD: 'For
three transgressions of . . . and for four, I will not revoke the punishment.' " Then comes
a listing of the offenses: "Because they/he . . . ." The outcome is: "So I will send a fire
upon . . . and it shall destroy the strongholds." This repetition is part of the method of
Amos's prophecy. The repetition is like the sound of an alarm bell.
A progression. The Lord is the God of the entire world. Words of judgment are first
directed against the nations that live around Israel—Aram (Syria), with its capital city of
Damascus, the nation that desolated the Israelite province of Gilead; the Philistine
league of cities; Tyre; Edom; and Ammon, which mercilessly carried off Israelites for the
slave trade. The king of Moab is accused of burning the bones of the king of Edom,
thereby acting contrary to all human sensitivities.
We should note that there is a certain progression in the order in which these nations are
mentioned. Edom, Ammon and Moab shared a common ancestry with Israel. There were
fraternal ties between these nations and Israel (1:9, 11), even though the ties were
ignored in practical politics.
Judah's judgment. The Israelites may well have enjoyed hearing the prophet pronounce

16
 [38]
judgment on their enemies. But the condemned nations included related peoples.
The series of condemnations went on and struck not only the descendents of Esau
(Edom) and Lot (Ammon and Moab) but even a nation in Jacob's line of descent.
Judah was guilty of many transgressions. The Lord would not revoke the judgment of
which His prophet spoke. Amos explained why:
because they have spurned the law of the LORD
and have not observed his decrees,
and have been led astray by the false gods
that their fathers followed.
Therefore will I send fire upon Judah,
fire that shall consume the palaces of Jerusalem (2:4-5 NEB).

You only have I known of all the

families of the earth; therefore I will
punish you for all your iniquities (3:2).

4. A Message of Judgment for the Northern Kingdom

Howling atrocities. Now comes the climax Amos was leading up to. After the seven
proclamations of judgment against other nations (including Judah, his own nation)
follows a message of judgment intended for the northern kingdom of the ten tribes.
Aren't there howling atrocities to be found in Israel? Isn't there a lot of opposition to
prophecy there? Haven't the people been playing games with God's covenant gifts since
the days of the exodus from Egypt and the entry into Canaan? (2:6-16).
[39]
Amos's words must have been as unexpected and unwelcome as a bomb. The
prophecies of judgment he had earlier preached against the surrounding nations were no
doubt well received. But why such rough language in the sanctuary? Yet Amos had to
speak; it was a matter of necessity rather than choice.
The trumpet blast. Israel is celebrating a feast at Bethel—the Passover Feast
commemorating the exodus from Egypt, or perhaps the Feast of Tabernacles com-
memorating the entry into Canaan. The prophet seizes on this feast as his opportunity.
It is because the Lord has made a covenant with Israel, he declares, that Israel can now
expect to be punished. Let the throng of rejoicers realize this before it is too late.
The lion roars to announce that he has caught his prey. The blast of the trumpet alarms
the populace. That's how it is with the word of the prophet of the covenant. He preaches
judgment. Israel is indeed foolish if it ignores his words (3:1-8).
The God of exile. Foreign nations are invited to seat themselves on the hills around
Samaria as in a theater to see how corrupt and ripe for judgment Israel is. The horns of
Bethel's altar will be cut off. There will come an end to the luxury of decorating palaces
with ivory. Precisely because God is the God of the covenant, exile is sure to come. The
God of the exodus will be the God of the exile for His apostate people. All the manmade
religion at Bethel and Gilgal will be of no avail (3:9—4:5).
The people refuse to repent, even though the Lord sends all sorts of plagues. He had
hoped to bring His people to repentance through the plagues. Hadn't the law threatened
them already? Didn't the plagues resemble what happened to Sodom and Egypt? (4:10-
11). Couldn't the church draw the conclusion that she was equally godless and ripe for
judgment? (see Rev. 11:8).
[40]
Kingly power. Five times Amos declared: " 'Yet you did not return to me,' says the
LORD" (see also Rev. 9:20-1). Therefore the prophet was finally forced to announce the
following judgment:

17
 Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!
For lo, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind,
and declares to man what is his thought;
who makes the morning darkness,
and treads on the heights of the earth—
the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name! (4:12-13).
The warning "Prepare to meet your God!" is not an invitation to a friendly, peaceful
encounter with the Lord, as people often seem to think when they quote this text out of
context. On the contrary, the Lord of hosts—note the use of the royal name here, which
appears in all the prophetic writings after I Samuel—declares that He will demonstrate
His kingly power against His people.
A lamentation. The people at Bethel still enjoyed singing the song of Moses at the Red
Sea. The same power that saved the people once would now bring about their
destruction. Thus we read a lamentation over the virgin Israel in Amos's book of
prophecy! (5:2).
The perversion of justice (5:7ff) makes a mockery of the pilgrimages and sacrificial
feasts (vs. 21ff). "Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! It is darkness, and not
light" (vs. 18). "Woe to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria" (6:1). The
complacency, the false sense of peace, will lead to death and exile.
The people at Bethel should not make the mistake of supposing that Amos was only
comparing Israel and Judah so that he could argue for the moral and religious superiority
[41]
of his own country. No, in Judah there was the same false sense of peace, the same
accursed mentality: "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion"! (6:1).
A call for repentance. The prophecy of Amos is not all darkness and woe. The ultimate
purpose of his words, after all, is to call for conversion, repentance. This theme is heard
repeatedly in his prophecy:
Seek me and live;
but do not seek Bethel,
and do not enter into Gilgal
or cross over to Beersheba.
Seek the LORD and live,
lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph,
and devour it, with none to quench it for Bethel (5:4-5, 6).
Seek good, and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you,
as you have said.
Hate evil, and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph (5:14-15).
Bethel, the house of God, would become nothing, and Gilgal would go into exile. (Note
the chiastic arrangement of the place names in 5:5: Bethel, Gilgal, Beersheba, Gilgal,
Bethel.) As for the remnant, those who repent, there would still be a future for them.
"Seeking" the Lord means taking Him into account, walking the well-known path laid
down in His Word; it means maintaining the style of His kingship in ecclesiastical
matters. To seek the Lord is not to undertake an expedition to an unknown destination.
[42]
To seek the Lord is to consult Him, to seek guidance from Him—at Zion, where He
chooses to dwell. Do not seek Bethel (see I Chron. 10:13-14).

18
5. Amos's Apocalypse
Three visions. Now come the visions of Amos, which more or less follow the seasons. The
first presents the threat of a locust plague in the spring. The second is a summer
drought that affects both the fields and the water supplies. In both cases, the
intercession of the prophet leads the Lord to retract the judgment on "Jacob."
In the third vision the Lord appears alongside a wall with a plumb line in His hand. This
time the approaching judgment is unconditional and irrevocable:
Look, I am going to measure my people Israel by plumb line;
no longer will I overlook their offenses.
The high places of Isaac are going to be ruined,
the sanctuaries of Israel destroyed,
and, sword in hand, I will attack the House of Jeroboam
(7:8-9 JB).
Amaziah's reaction. Naturally these down-to-earth words spoken by Amos at the national
temple at Bethel led to a reaction from the "ecclesiastical" authorities. The high priest
Amaziah tried to intimidate Amos by telling King Jeroboam that Amos was rebelling, thus
applying the words about the king's house to the king personally. That's what always
happens when sacred cows are attacked.
Amos did not let the state bishop chase him away from the national sanctuary back to
[43]
Judah (which was not part of the domain where the church was subordinated to the
state). He balked at the idea that he was a reactionary disturber of the sacred serenity
of the state. Boldly he declared that Amaziah, that representative of high society, would
be punished together with his family.
The fourth vision. Amos went even further as he prophesied against Bethel (the worship
center subordinated to the state) and against the nation that swore by its descent from
Jacob and its possession of the land called Israel. His fourth vision was a still life, a
basket of ripe fruit. But the ripeness was not a sign of health: the nation was ripe for
judgment] The end was coming—an end that would mean not consummation but
consumption (Albertus Magnus), not a diamond age or a higher realization of the
prosperity and status that Israel enjoyed but a radical destruction. There would be
darkness at high noon! (8:9).
Precisely because Israel was a nation descended from Jacob, the Lord swore by Jacob's
glory that He would not forever overlook the oppression of the poor and the deceitful
practices that had become so common (8:7). In their religious fervor, the people made
pilgrimages to the "pioneer monuments," even to Beersheba, "Isaac's high place," which
was at the very southern tip of Judah (see 5:5; 8:14). But all this patriotic fervor and
"religious" activity would not save the fatherland.
Since the people did not seek the Lord or consult Him, they would be condemned to
seeking without finding. People "looked" everywhere, but could not find what they were
looking for. (Think of our world full of conferences and councils, some of them most
religious, claiming to speak the last word that will save mankind.) Anyone who neglects
the Word when it is near him in a time of prosperity will certainly not stumble across it in
days of crisis (8:11-14).
[44]
The fifth vision. In the fifth vision the Lord gives the command to strike the pillar
supporting the roof of the temple so that it collapses on the worshipers, just as the
heathen temple of Dagon collapsed when Samson pulled away its central pillars. The
temple in Amos's vision was probably the one at Jerusalem, not the one at Bethel.
Amos was declaring that the judgment was inescapable. People did not want to hear
anything about judgment (9:10), for they claimed they were the "chosen" people, the
people God had delivered from bondage in Egypt (vs. 7), the people of the covenant.
This may have been a beautiful theme for a keynote address at one of the festivals, but
Israel really had no reason to trust in "blood and the soil," in the benefits of the

19
covenant. Yahweh, after all, was not just the God of a certain nation. He was concerned
with other peoples: the dark Ethiopians, the un-circumcised Philistines and the hated
Syrians are also exodus peoples (9:7).
The covenant should not lull anyone into a false sense of security. If Israel turns its back
on Yahweh, it will surely be the object of covenant wrath—as His people. The Israelites
were the people "which I brought up out of the land of Egypt," which is why "I will
punish you for all your iniquities"! (3:1-2).

After that I shall return and rebuild the

fallen House of David (Acts 15:16 JB).

6. Messianic Promises
A people drawn from all races. The impending doom of the kingdom of the ten tribes is
[45]
not the last word for Amos. On "that day" the kingdom of David will be re-
established. Messianic notes are sounded.
James, the brother of Jesus, would later use the conclusion of Amos at a gathering in
Jerusalem to defend the position that when the gospel is preached to the pagan Gentiles,
they should not be required to become part of the Jewish people (Acts 15:14ff). Quoting
Amos's statement that David's fallen house would be rebuilt (9:11), James went on to
argue (again quoting Amos) that the intention on God's part is that "the rest of men may
seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name" (Acts 15:17).
James was using Scripture properly here, for the end of the book of Amos again takes up
the continuing theme of the book, namely, that Israel would be judged along with the
other nations. Anyone who knows the path to take but fails to take it will be punished
severely. But on "that day" all the nations of the earth will be blessed in Israel. Christ
chooses for Himself a people drawn from all races.
Total re-creation. The Lord's blessing is felt in all of life. Amos makes this clear by means
of images borrowed from farming. The grain harvest and threshing, which would
normally be finished in April or May, will be so abundant that the harvesters will still be
busy in September and October, when the plowman would normally begin preparing the
soil for the next crop. Thus the harvesters will still be busy when the time comes to sow
the seed again. God's grace redeems the entire creation.
The prophet sees something of the redeemed condition of the church, the new Paradise,
the New Jerusalem, when he prophesies: "They shall never again be plucked up out of
the land which I have given them" (9:15). Amos's book is full of judgment resulting from
covenant breaking. Yet he ends with a proclamation of total re-creation through David's
great Son.

20
[46]
Obadiah
Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites
did, on the day Jerusalem fell
(Ps. 137:7 NIV).

1. Edom and Israel

Israel's "brother." Obadiah's short book of prophecy deals with Edom. To understand it
properly, we must review the history of this nation, which is a "brother" to Israel by
virtue of its descent from Esau.
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers. (They were not identical twins, but they did share
the womb.) Before their birth the Lord made it known that the greater (i.e. the older,
Esau) would serve the lesser (i.e. the younger). Jacob used cunning to take away his
brother's birthright and gain for himself the blessing normally reserved for the first-born.
When the deceived Isaac finally blessed Esau, he acknowledged that Jacob would
dominate his brother. Yet he went on to tell Esau: "When you break loose you shall
break his yoke from your neck" (Gen. 27:40).
After these events Jacob fled to Laban. When he returned years later, he was afraid of
[47]
what would happen when he met his brother, but it turned out that the two were
reconciled. Edom, the nation descended from Esau, went its own way.
Hostility to Israel. Long before there was a king in Israel, Edom was already ruled by
kings (Gen. 36:31). When the Israelites left Egypt, the Edomites would not allow them
to pass through their land, despite the appeal the Israelites made to their common
descent (Num. 20:14ff). Moreover, the law required the Israelites to take a conciliatory
attitude toward Edom, for Edom was a brother (Deut. 23:7). Edom's refusal to let Israel
pass through was probably not an isolated event; it illustrates Edom's hostile attitude
toward Israel.
Saul made war on the Edomites, who apparently joined an alliance of nations against
Israel (I Sam. 14:47). We also find David at war with Edom (II Sam. 8:13-14; see also
Ps. 60). It is apparent from I Kings 11:15-16 that David did not take the struggle against
the Edomites lightly.
Proud and undisciplined. Edom inhabited a mountainous area well suited to guerilla
warfare. The Edomites apparently inherited the rough nature of their founding father, for
they were proud and undisciplined. No wonder that at the beginning of Solomon's reign,
a rebellion broke out in Edom (I Kings 11:14), which had been subject to David up till
then.
The rebellion must have been unsuccessful, for after the division between the northern
kingdom and the southern kingdom, the Edomites remained subject to Judah. The ruler
of Edom was forced to help King Jehoshaphat of Judah in battle (II Kings 3; I Kings
22:47-8).
Under Jehoram of Judah, the Edomites broke free of Judah's domination and were ruled
by a king of their own (II Kings 8:20), who represented a dangerous military threat.
[48]
Amaziah and Uzziah again managed to subject Edom, but in the time of Ahaz, Edom
defeated Judah and deported some of the people of Judah as slaves (II Chron. 28:17).
From that time on, this nation dwelling in the desolate hill country was free of the
dominance of its brother Judah.
Although Edom was later subjected by the mighty Babylonian empire just as Judah was
(see Jer. 27), Edom played an ugly role in the destruction of Jerusalem under
Nebuchadnezzar. This is apparent from Psalm 137, Lamentations 4:21, and Ezekiel
25:12. Obadiah also brings it up.
It was as though all of Esau's bottled-up hatred was released when Jerusalem's hour of
peril came. With malicious glee Esau watched his brother Jacob go under. He even

21
helped the Babylonians by robbing the Jewish refugees (vs. 1 Iff)- Now the lesser would
finally serve the greater!
The law of election. When pondering this history, do not forget about the law of election:
"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" (Rom. 9:13; Mai. 1:2-3). This law finds its fulfillment
here. Even though the judgment of Jerusalem was really the outcome of the sins of the
church, Esau is not allowed to open his big mouth to express his glee when things go
wrong for Jacob on the day of his misfortune.
The Lord has chosen His church, and He hates the pride of haughty Edom. Like the
eagles who build their nests in inaccessible places in Edom's hills, this proud mountain
nation believes itself to be free—free from all judgment and able to defy any storm (vs.
2ff). Yet, because of the "violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you,
and you shall be cut off for ever" (vs. 10). Neither heroes nor wise men—and Edom was
renowned for its wise men—will be able to help then. God's judgment is comprehensive
(vs. 15-16).

[49]
2. Messianic Prophecy—Not Nationalism
Inheritance recovered. In the midst of the raging flood of judgment stands Zion—not the
destroyed city of Jerusalem, of course, but the future one, the new one. The mount of
the temple is a refuge for Jacob; yes, it takes possession of Esau's inheritance. Israel
4
can again claim all the parts of the lost inheritance in the north and the south.
The exiles come back. Redeemers and judges will rule over Edom from Zion. Edom's
house will burn until there is nothing left but a field of stubble (vs. 21, 18). The greater
will serve the lesser.
The real issue. It has sometimes been argued that Obadiah is to be viewed as an
example of strongly nationalistic prophecy. He speaks the language of "blood and the
soil" and dreams about settling some longstanding accounts.
We should not be too quick to accept such conclusions. Read the final words of Obadiah's
prophecy: "The kingdom shall be the LORD'S." That's the real issue for this prophet. The
Lord must reveal Himself as King. Esau has become an enemy of the Lord.
Do you remember how the song sung by Moses at the Red Sea ended? "The LORD will
reign for ever and ever" (Ex. 15:18). That's exactly what Obadiah was saying.
The kingship of Yahweh. We will sing the song of Moses and the Lamb "in heaven." Is it
a nationalistic song, a song about our own power, about the courage of our own
[50]
heroes? Of course not! How could a song about a lamb speak of anything but grace?
The last line in Obadiah's small book of prophecy shows us that the primary issue in the
struggle between Edom and Israel is the kingship of Yahweh. With this his prophecy
reaches Messianic heights. The book of Revelation combines the final lines from the song
of Moses with the main theme of the prophecy of Obadiah: "The kingdom of the world
has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and
ever" (11:15).
Enemies born in the church's womb. In the days of the Maccabees, Edom was conquered
by the Jews. The Edomites were then incorporated into the Jewish nation. We must view
this fusion of two nations as a fulfillment of Obadiah's prophecy. Yet, there is more to
the fulfillment of this prophecy.
The kingship of the Lord is realized in the gathering of the church of all ages and in the
judgment of all the enemies of Zion. We know that many of the most bitter enemies of
the church were born, like Edom, in her womb. But the church will receive justice in the
face of these wolves that arise from her own ranks.

4
Zarephath (vs. 20) was located in Phoenicia between Tyre and Sidon (see I Kings 17:9; Luke
4:26). Sepharad is usually identified with Sardis, in Asia Minor (Rev. 1:11; 3:1).

22
Anger reaching its culmination. There is one more point to note here: Obadiah makes
use of earlier prophecies (compare vs. 3 with Is. 14:13ff; vs. 4 with Amos 9:2; and vs.
10 with Amos 1:11). Especially striking is the similarity with Jeremiah 49:7-22, which is
also a prophecy directed against Edom.
Read the related passages in Isaiah, Amos and Jeremiah carefully as you study the book
of Obadiah. You will then see that Obadiah does not simply repeat what his predecessors
said. He does go back to prophecies about Edom that stem from Amos and Jeremiah, but
[51]
he works them out further and applies them explicitly to Edom's behavior at the time
of Jerusalem's capture and destruction. That's what makes his language so powerful and
effective. God's anger reaches its culmination as Scripture is fulfilled.
That we find Obadiah quoting other prophets and working with their themes is no
indication of intellectual and spiritual poverty on his part. It's not that Obadiah can't
stand on his own two feet. Bear in mind that every prophet stands on the shoulders of
his predecessors. Just as the Old Testament is referred to and quoted repeatedly in the
New Testament, so there are close relations between the various books that together
make up the Old Testament.
Should this surprise us? Remember that the song sung from the Red Sea to the Sea of
Glass is always the same—even though it is sung in "new" versions. What is written in
the Bible will really come to pass one day: "The kingdom shall be the LORD'S."

23
[52]
Jonah
1. The Sign of Jonah
The example of Nineveh. Many people with little knowledge of the Bible do know the
story of "Jonah and the whale." Yet this does not mean that they understand the
message of the small book that bears this prophet's name.
Although the book of Jonah is made up of some stories and a psalm and does not
contain prophecies as the other "minor prophets" do, its overall intent is certainly
prophetic. What a proclamation of God's might and grace! The Israelites who refuse to
repent are put to shame by the example of Nineveh.
Jonah probably lived in the days when Jeroboam II ruled the northern kingdom. In II
Kings 14:25 we read of an expansion of Israel's territory under this king, an expansion
of which Jonah had prophesied. Thus it is likely that Jonah operated in the northern
kingdom, slightly before the time of Amos and Hosea, from whose prophecies we get an
impression of the conditions in Israel at the time.
[53]
Critique of Israel. The people were at ease in Samaria and looked forward confidently
to the day of the Lord. They claimed to know the Lord (Hos. 8:2), but all the while
injustice flourished and the people worshiped local Baals and the golden calf at Bethel.
They looked down contemptuously on the heathen world and no doubt heartily
applauded all the prophecies of judgment against foreign nations. They even thought
they would get off scot-free when the day of reckoning came; they did not seem to fear
judgment at all. Ephraim delighted in his wealth and maintained that there was nothing
sinful about how he had acquired it (see Hos. 12:8; Rev. 3:17).
The story of Jonah and his mission to Nineveh must be seen as a severe critique of
Israel's false sense of security and pride. Israel's basic sin is unveiled—the refusal to live
by grace.
An exceptional mission. The book of Jonah is regarded by some as a missionary story
because Jonah was sent to the heathen city of Nineveh to preach. There are even in-
terpreters who regard this book as nothing more than an allegory. Jonah represents
Israel and is sent to the pagans with a message, but he refuses to preach to them. The
punishment for this refusal is exile, which in Jonah's story is the period in the belly of the
great fish. After Israel is allowed to return from exile, that is, after Jonah is expelled
from the fish, the gospel is reluctantly preached to the pagans. It then becomes
apparent that God wishes to save the heathen world.
I see no reason why the book of Jonah need be reduced to a merely symbolic or
imaginative treatment of God's intentions, for much is lost that way. There are no in-
dications in the book itself that it is not intended as an actual historical account.
[54]
Even though the book of Jonah clearly speaks of preaching to the pagans, its
purpose is not to make Israel conscious of any calling to preach the gospel to all nations.
The sending of Jonah to Nineveh is most exceptional, for the wall dividing Israel from the
heathens had not yet been removed.
A proclamation of grace. What is this book really about, then? First of all, it impresses on
us once more the gravity of the situation, of the judgment to come. Jonah is sent to
Nineveh to preach judgment. The prophecy is threatening in tone.
We are also shown that the Lord, who is no respecter of persons, forgives guilt once
people repent. To put it in Jonah's words, which he borrowed from the Lord Himself: "I
knew that you were a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in
graciousness, relenting from evil," that is, the evil of the approaching judgment (4:2 JB;
see also Ex. 34:6; Ps. 86:5; Joel 2:13).
There is a mighty proclamation of grace in the book of Jonah, a grace that calls us to
abandon our false security and repent. Christ pointed this out very clearly. To Israel's

24
leaders, i.e. the scribes and Pharisees, he said: "On judgment day the men of Nineveh
will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they
repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here" (Matt. 12:41 JB).
The God of grace. It is not necessary to take up the question whether the conversion of
Nineveh was genuine, for this only leads us away from the message directed to Israel.
Nineveh was to be a sign given by the Lord to a stubborn covenant people who hardened
their hearts and refused to repent. Turn to the Lord, and live!
The way the Lord went about this was contrary to the wishes of His servant Jonah.
[55]
Although other prophets had uttered curses meant for Assyria and Nineveh, no
prophet had ever gone to a heathen stronghold to preach.
Preaching is not the same as pronouncing a curse that is sure to be realized. Preaching
to people involves talking about judgment, but the judgment is always conditional in
character. Even if the preacher does not explicitly say, "Repent, for God is gracious," he
does presuppose that his hearers know that God is willing to forgive.
Thanks to forgiving grace, Israel itself could live in the strength of the proclamation at
Sinai (Ex. 34:6; see also Jon. 4:2). But now Jonah is called to preach to Nineveh. He
comes in the name of a God full of grace, a God who changes His mind about the
punishment He has in store once the sinner repents.
Learning the hard way. Jonah's mission in the Assyrian capital involved the possibility of
the heathen city's repentance, which would mean that God might not carry out the
judgment. But this possibility did not fit in with Jonah's way of thinking. Like John the
Baptist, he saw the ax at the root of the tree—Assyria's tree. Grace for Assyria did not fit
in with his theology of revenge.
Yet a prophet must put his own will at the disposal of the One who is Lord over the
entire earth. Jonah was to find this out the hard way. He booked passage on a ship
headed for an entirely different part of the world—Tarshish (probably Tarsus, in Asia
Minor).
Since the sailors on the ship must have been Phoenicians, whose language was very
close to Israel's, there is no basis for arguing that Jonah's story is a legend since there
are no language barriers in fairy tales. Surely sailors who stopped regularly at Joppa, in
Israel, would have been able to communicate with the Israelites.
Fleeing from God. Jonah was fleeing from God. Because of a great storm at sea, he had
[56]
to admit this to the other men on the ship. On his own advice he was thrown into the
sea. The sea then became still as God revealed Himself there, too, as the God of the
entire world, the God who demands the respect of Phoenician sailors.
The Lord likewise manifested Himself as a God who knows how to preserve His prophets,
even in deep waters. A sea monster—perhaps a sperm whale—swallowed Jonah and later
spewed him out on dry land. Then the deserter finally carried out his assignment: the
Lord called him again, and he went to Nineveh.
A psalm of thanksgiving. Jonah 2 gives us a psalm of thanksgiving composed by the
prophet while he was in the belly of the great fish. In this psalm, which reminds us of
various of the psalms (compare vs. 3-4 with Ps. 42:3, 8), Jonah compared himself to
someone who had been buried and then pulled up out of the grave (vs. 6). From the
"belly of Sheol" he cried out to the Lord (vs. 2), who heard him in the temple and saved
him through the fish.
Christ pointed to this story when He spoke of the sign of Jonah. The prophet went to
Nineveh as someone who had been resurrected through the power of the Lord. Christ
would likewise proclaim His gospel to the Jews as someone who had risen from the dead.
The Word of the crucified and risen Christ is the only wonder, the only sign He would
give (Matt. 12:38ff). "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach
Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are

25
called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (I Cor.
1:22-4). Jonah was swallowed up by the fish and preserved as a guilty one, whereas
Christ, the sinless one, died and arose again. There is indeed something greater than
Jonah here.
[57]
2. Something Greater Than Jonah
A great disappointment. Jonah's preaching brought about a reversal in Nineveh. When
the people repented of their sins, God repented of the evil He had in mind for the city:
"He did not do it" (3:10).
This was a great disappointment for Jonah. How could the God who planned to punish
Israel before long show godless Assyria so much grace? Jonah made himself a shelter in
the hills east of Nineveh and sat there sulking. The 40 days after which Nineveh was to
be overthrown had not yet passed. Perhaps God would carry out the judgment after all.
A miraculous tree. While Jonah waited, a miraculous tree shot up to give him shade. This
great plant was probably a fast-growing castor oil plant of the genus ricinus. Jonah
enjoyed the shade provided by its digitate leaves. But a worm destroyed the plant, and
Jonah, whose spirits had been on the rise, became faint, depressed and angry, asking
God to let him die.
God used this plant to teach Jonah a lesson. If Jonah wanted the miraculous tree spared,
was it so strange that the Lord wanted to spare the great city of Nineveh, where so
many people and animals lived? Would the Lord needlessly destroy His own creation?
Worldwide grace. This prophetic story is full of comfort for Israel. God is a God of grace.
If Israel continues to glory in itself and sinks below the level of Nineveh, the Lord will
indeed raise His hand against His own creation. But a desolate earth is never the final
purpose of His deeds. The Lord of the entire world delights in an earth that develops.
[58]
When we look at this story from a New Testament standpoint, we conclude that faith
in the "sign of Jonah," the sign of which Christ spoke, can be the means by which the
world, together with its people and animals, is saved. On the basis of God's promises, we
await a new heaven and a new earth. What the book of Jonah teaches us is that God's
grace is worldwide!

26
[59]
Micah
1. Hurling Accusations at the Covenant People
A prophet from the lowlands. Micah was a Morasthite, a man from the lowland town of
Moresheth-gath (1:14). Thus he was not a city-dweller like his contemporary Isaiah; he
was more like the farmer Amos. He prophesied during the time of the Judean kings
Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, in the days when Assyria was a rising world power under
such rulers as Sargon and Sennacherib.
We read nothing about the calling of this prophet from the lowlands, the area bordering
on the land of the Philistines. But we are told how he felt about his office and the
program he was to carry out:
But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
and to Israel his sin (3:8).
By saying "as for me," Micah was contrasting himself with other leaders, namely, the
false prophets.
[60]
By now we know what sort of people he means—those who are always talking about
God's covenant and promises. The theme of their preaching is: "Is not the LORD in the
midst of us? No evil shall come upon us" (3:11).
Such a slogan is all too simple. "In God we trust," we read on American coins. False
prophets have always been successful, also in financial respects, for they see to it that
they are well paid for their reassuring words.
Standing alone. Like other true prophets, Micah knew what it meant to stand alone and
bear a cross. The message of his enemies was: "Do not preach. One should not preach
of such things" (2:6). They complained that there was no end to all the accusations.
Micah would not let himself be driven from the field of battle. He knew perfectly well that
anyone who gets his prophetic inspiration from wine and strong drink will be hailed as
the prophet (2:11). That's simply the way things go. The one who tells the people what
they want to hear is acclaimed as the "people's prophet."
Concentrations of apostacy. Micah's calling was to go directly contrary to popular opinion
and preference. His job was to tell Jacob about his transgressions and denounce Israel
because of his sins. He had to warn the people that Yahweh was approaching in
judgment. Like Hosea and Amos, he hurled accusations at the covenant people. Listen to
this, all you nations!
Behold, the Lord descends to the earth from His heavenly temple to deal with Jacob's
transgressions and the sins of the house of Israel—especially the chief concentrations of
apostasy in Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom (1:5ff), and Jerusalem, the
capital of Judah. An enemy power will march on Jerusalem (1:9ff). (Micah even uses the
[61]
names of places in his clever plays on words.) Disaster is sure to strike because of
the sins of the Lord's people, for their unrighteousness is great.
Blood and injustice. Like Amos, Micah lashes away at the oppression and corruption and
exploitation. Even the poor widows are driven out of their houses. Judges love bribes.
Priests expect payment for giving instruction. The prophets are ready to cry "Peace!" if it
will get them something to eat.
Do you suppose that the Lord will let this poor stewardship go unpunished? The
inheritance will pass into the hands of foreigners (2:4), and Jerusalem, which is built on
blood and injustice, will become a plowed field or a heap of ruins (3:10, 12).
Repentance unto life. That threat about Jerusalem, which was uttered in the days of
Hezekiah, did not go unnoticed. In the days of Jeremiah, people still remembered clearly

27
what had happened. The first time a prophet ever spoke about the coming destruction of
Jerusalem must have been a painful occasion. But the pain was not a sorrow unto death
but a repentance unto life. Hezekiah and his people humbled themselves before the
Lord, and the Lord repented of the evil He had in mind for Jerusalem (Jer. 26:17-19).
Micah's prophecy of doom had led to good results in Hezekiah's case, at least!
This episode teaches us something about prophecy. A prophet is not a fortune-teller
predicting the future, a seer who foresees events that will happen whether we like it or
not. In other words, prophecy is conditional; it is a proclamation of the Word. And that
Word is the Word of the covenant, which contains both promise and demand—and
therefore also a threat.
When such a threat is put into concrete language, its purpose is to get people to repent.
[62]
Think of Jonah's prophecy about Nineveh's destruction: the Lord "did not do it" (Jon.
3:10). Micah is likewise speaking of Jerusalem's destruction in conditional terms so that
the people will humble themselves and repent. Isn't the Lord a God of grace?

2. The Good Shepherd and Messianic King

Sheep scattered on a mountain. It should not surprise us :hat Micah also speaks of
salvation, of Messianic deliverance. This already begins in the beautiful comparisons of
2:12-13.
Since Solomon's death, there had been a number of deportations of Israelites. The
Israelites were like sheep scattered on a mountain, sheep without a shepherd. To hese
sheep the Lord addressed some glorious words, words :hat beautifully describe the
growth and preservation of the church:
I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob,
I will gather the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture,
a noisy multitude of men (2:12).
Isn't it comforting for the church to know that God continues to gather His own? All this
culminates in the great multitude of Revelation 7, a multitude led by the Lamb into green
pastures. Yes, Micah already speaks of someone who "opens the breach," a "king" who
goes before his sheep.
Here we have the image of a ram with a bell on its neck leading the flock of sheep. The
[63]
Lamb will bring them to the spring of life. The Messiah brings the scattered sheep to
Zion.
Coming glory. Micah does not speak only of Zion's destruction but also of its coming
glory. Zion becomes the destination of many pilgrims—not just Israelites by blood but
even pagans, that is, people from many nations (4:1ff; see also Is. 2:2ff). These
pagans, too, receive instruction in the temple on the mount of the Lord. Yahweh will be
King there (4:7), and the "remnant," which is weak in itself, will again become strong.
This is not to deny that enemy armies will mobilize against Judah. There will even be a
period of exile in Babylon. Yet, in the final analysis the might of the enemy will not
prevail, for in the distance we catch a glimpse of a Ruler, a King from Judah, a Good
Shepherd:
But you, Bethlehem in Ephrathah,
small as you are to be among Judah's clans,
out of you shall come forth a governor for Israel,
one whose roots are far back in the past,
in days gone by (5:2 NEB).
Some interpreters have deduced all sorts of doctrinal truths from this text, e.g. the
divinity of Christ, who had roots "far back in the past," who is "from everlasting," as the

28
King James Version translates it. We must be careful not to jump to any conclusions, for
when the Hebrews used such words as everlasting and eternal, they sometimes meant
nothing more than a very long period of time.
New Testament fulfillment. The text says that this "governor" stems from the ancient
line of David. To interpret the text in this way is by no means to impoverish it. Didn't the
prophecy come true in the One who was born of Mary in Bethlehem?
[64]
How well the Sanhedrin was acquainted with this prophecy of Micah is apparent from
what happened when the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem to inquire about
the birth of the "king of the Jews" (Matt. 2). Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of Micah 5.
Broken by a Messianic power. We must not forget that this prophecy was also
understandable to its original hearers: Micah was talking about the Assyrians and the
land of Nimrod, that is, about enemies in his own time. He was saying that these mighty
powers from the east would be broken by a Messianic power.
Then among the many peoples,
the remnant of Jacob will be
like a dew from Yahweh,
like raindrops on the grass,
putting no hope in men,
expecting nothing from mankind (5:7 JB).
Messianic peace. The image of the conquest of enemies makes way for a proclamation of
Messianic peace (5:9ff; see also 4:3; Is. 11:6-10). Horses and chariots, which in the Old
Testament are always symbols of heathen military might on which Israel was not to
depend, will be destroyed. The heathen religious influence will also disappear, together
with the sacred poles and the soothsayers. God's peace does not leave any area of life
unaffected.
The church of today can seize on this as a firm promise. Christ, the Prince of Peace, the
Good Shepherd, our Deliverer, makes all things new.
[65]
3. The Lawsuit Continues: Israel in the Dock
The Lord's "righteous deeds." Micah 6 opens with: "Hear what the LORD says." Thus, like
1:2 and 3:1, it represents the beginning of a separate section in Micah's account of the
Lord's lawsuit against His people. We enter the courtroom and listen to the advocate
plead his case.
The mountains and hills are witnesses, and the Lord is the accuser. Yet the people also
had a complaint about their God: they were weary of His demands. The people of the
Lord were sick and tired of the covenant!
Did they have any reason to be tired of the covenant? Hadn't the Lord done everything
for His people since the time of the exodus from Egypt? How, then, could they complain?
"O my people, remember," warned the prophet (6:5). Remember the Lord's acts of
righteousness. The issue here is the Lord's "righteous deeds" (Judges 5:11; Jer. 51:10;
Rev. 19:8), His saving acts. How could there be any criticism on that score?
Thousands of rams. In verses 6 and 7, we get the answer of the people. In the fashion of
the pagans, they propose to restore the covenant relationship by means of all sorts of
offerings:
With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

29
Israel had often sought to win the favor of its covenant God through such outward
deeds.
[66]
The law of the covenant. Like the other prophets, Micah rejects all this activity and
fuss as useless (see Is. 1:10-20; Amos 5:21-4; Jer. 7:1-15, 21-8; Ps. 40:7-9).
Obedience is better than sacrifices. Offerings are all right as an expression of
faithfulness, but when the covenant is neglected, offerings are a laughable pretence.
Israel had to learn its ABCs all over. Therefore Micah stated the fundamental law of the
covenant once more—in beautiful language valid for people of all times:
He has showed you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (6:8).
On the inside of a hatch leading to the living quarters of his vessel, a Dutch barge
captain inscribed the words: "No lesson is as fine or great, as Micah 6, verse 8." That
captain apparently understood the covenant's basic law or constitution (see Deut. 10:12,
which is virtually identical in content). This law is likewise the law of all true reformation.
What does the Lord require of you but. . . ?

4. The Strange Acquittal

A song of faith. In the final chapter, Micah once more lays bare Israel's sins—crooked
commerce, the worship of Baal in the style of Ahab, the perversion of justice. The "godly
man" is no more to be found in the land. Won't Yahweh punish Israel for this?
Micah sees judgment coming. Yet judgment is not the last word. The prophet also sings
a song of faith:
[67]
But as for me, I will look to the LORD,
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me (7:7).
Steadfast love. Micah knows that Israel's God is a forgiving God. His own name, after all,
means "Who is like Yahweh?" Thus his prophecy comes to a fitting conclusion:
Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger for ever
because he delights in steadfast love (vs. 18).
"Steadfast love" is one of those characteristic Old Testament phrases that we try to
explain by offering all sorts of synonyms. What its meaning really boils down to is
covenant faithfulness. The church must love God and be faithful to the Lord; it must
show its steadfast love.
But isn't that just where we fall short? Indeed we do, but this glorious gospel tells us
that God is faithful, that His love is steadfast. He abides by His promises and casts all
our sins into the depths of the sea. We can hardly believe this good news when we hear
it! He stands by His oaths and manifests His steadfast love to Abraham and his spiritual
seed.
Sins cast into the sea. The conclusion of Micah's prophecy (7:7-20) lifts us to New
Testament heights. Listen to the song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist:
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath which he swore to our father Abraham . . .
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins (Luke 1:72-3, 77).

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[68]
As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrath, remember that Christ pleads our cause in the
lawsuit (7:9).
When you hear an old-fashioned elder praying about all our sins being cast behind God's
back into the sea of eternal oblivion, don't puzzle over his strange language but think of
the conclusion of Micah's prophecy. What the elder is referring to is a rich promise:
"Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea" (vs. 19).
Indeed, the prophet's name says it all. Who is like Yahweh?

31
[69]
Nahum
1. Squaring Accounts with the Church's Enemies
Incredible devastation. In 1842 the French government sent Paul Emile Botta to Mosul
on the Tigris (in Mesopotamia) to examine the archeological excavations in that area and
see whether they might not contain the hidden ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh. As a
result of his work at Mosul and in the surrounding area, scholars could finally be sure of
the location of this once proud city.
The fact that this was a matter of uncertainty for so long indicates that Nineveh must
have been subjected to incredible devastation at some point. Historians could not even
locate the site where the city had stood.
In Nahum's prophecies, the destruction of Nineveh was foretold. We do not know much
about this prophet. We do know that he came from a town called Elkosh, but not where
Elkosh was located. We also know that he prophesied before the fall of Nineveh,
Assyria's capital (612 B.C.). Since Nahum mentions the fall of the Egyptian city of No-
amon or Thebes (3:8), which was destroyed by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal in 663
B.C., we know that his prophecy must fall somewhere between 663 and 612.
[70]
Jeering at Jerusalem's God. It is striking that Nahum says nothing whatever about
the sins of his own people. He speaks only of the fall of a political enemy, namely,
Assyria, with its capital city of Nineveh. There is no mention of the deformation that
certainly existed in Judah in his time. This has led interpreters to argue that Nahum was
a false prophet, a patriot who told the people just what they wanted to hear and
dreamed nationalistic dreams. If that were true, his book of prophecy would not belong
in the Bible.
Yet the church was right taking this book into the canon, for Nahum was talking not just
about the fall of a political power but about the fall of an enemy of the church, an enemy
who, through Sennacherib, once jeered at the God of Jerusalem. Thus Nahum's message
was not just meant for his own day but also for ours.
A vassal state. Nahum's prophecy was particularly relevant to his own time. After all,
think of all the people in Judah who had been mesmerized by the power of the Assyrians.
And we should not lose sight of the fact that Judah was a vassal state of Assyria for a
long time. Not until the time of King Josiah did this submission to Assyria come to an
end.
Being a vassal has religious consequences as well as political ones. The vassal was
expected to pay tribute not just in monetary terms but also by acknowledging the gods
of the great conqueror. How many faithful believers were there who dared to show their
true colors at such a time? If you consider the magic influence emanating from a world
power—think of today's superpowers—you can see what Judah's predicament was. There
was an Assyrian wind blowing in the land of Yahweh.
Restored glory. When Nahum prophesied about the fall of the Assyrian colossus, he must
[71]
have strengthened Josiah's efforts at reformation and given comfort to the godly in
Israel. His name, like Noah's is related to a word that means rest or comfort.
In the midst of his prophecies of judgment stands a promise of salvation. We hear the
sounds of the gospel: Judah can celebrate festivals, Jacob's glory is restored, and the old
vine in the vineyard grows again (1:15-2:2). Yes, Nahum addressed some timely words
to the church of his day.
"Wiped off the map." His words are the language that we need to hear. Nineveh was
succeeded by another state that glorified itself, namely, Babylon. To this day, history has
been a succession of empire after empire, each with its own unique ideology. But just as
Nineveh was "wiped off the map," the Lord will one day settle accounts with all human
powers.

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The Messianic Kingdom in which Israel's glory will be restored is on the way. The stone
that Daniel saw will smash all the empires and fill the earth. All enemies will be
subjected to Christ. Only when all resistance is broken can the new Kingdom of God be
fully established (I Cor. 15:25; Heb. 2:8; Rev. 19:11-16).

2. Yahweh, the Great Avenger

God's mighty majesty. Nahum begins his prophecy as follows:
The LORD is a jealous God and avenging,
the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his
adversaries
and keeps wrath for his enemies.
[72]
The LORD is slow to anger and of great might,
and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.
Nahum goes on to sketch the coming of the Lord in words :hat remind us of songs
dealing with other appearances of God (Ex. 15; Deut. 33; Judges 5; Ps. 18; Hab. 3).
God's mighty majesty dries up the sea and causes hills to melt. His power of judgment
cannot be resisted.
Nahum sees his God judging Nineveh; it is not without reason that his written prophecies
have been characterized is a book of judgment. In beautiful, imaginative language, he
sketches the inescapable danger.
Unforgettable intervention. This prophet does not present a political survey of the
situation. Nor does he simply foretell what is going to happen, declaring that the
"Supreme Being" will strike proud Nineveh. No, he refers explicitly to Yahweh, the God of
the covenant. That's why he quotes the law (Ex. 20:5; 34:14).
Yahweh is a jealous God. He is willing to use Assyria to humble His people (1:12), but
now that Assyria claims to be self-sufficient and makes vile plots against the Lord (vs. 9,
11), it will have to be obliterated.
The Lord takes up the cause of His people. He knows those who take refuge in Him
(1:7). It might appear that He puts up with everything because He is long-suffering (vs.
3), but at some point He will intervene in an unforgettable way and make His presence
felt. He will remove the Assyrian yoke from the neck of His people. Judah can celebrate
her festivals, for she will no longer be a battleground or staging area for foreign troops.
Here we see something of the Messianic day of salvation and the restoration of Israel's
glory! (2:2). Just think how comforting these words must have been to the godly in
Israel, the ones awaiting comfort for Israel. "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of
trouble" (1:7).
[73]
Elaborate defenses. Nineveh was an enormous city of some 664 hectares. On one
side was the Tigris River. In fact, the entire city was protected by rivers and moats as
well as an outer wall and an inner wall with fifteen gates. But all these defenses were not
enough to hold back the army of the Medes and Babylonians when Nineveh fell:
The picked troops are called out;
the columns clash,
they hurl themselves against the rampart,
the mantelet is already in place.
The gates that give on the river are opened,
in the palace [which was on a branch of the Tigris] all is panic.
The Lady [the queen] is carried off, taken into exile,
her handmaids raise the dirge, with sighs
like the moaning of doves,
and beat their breasts.
Nineveh is like a pool
whose waters are draining away.

33
 "Stop! Stop!"
But no one turns back.
"Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!"
There are endless treasures,
tons of valuables.
Raid and ravage and ruin! (2:5-9 JB).
The alliteration in the last line gives us a distinct impression of all the clamor and
confusion surrounding the fall of the city. In Hebrew this line reads: "Bukah u-mebukah
u-mebulaqah."
The crack of the whip!
The rumble of wheels!
Galloping horse,
jolting chariot,
charging cavalry,
flash of swords,
[74]
gleam of spears...
a mass of wounded,
hosts of dead,
countless corpses;
they stumble over the dead (3:2-3 JB).
A harlot's fate. Excavated art works show that the Assyrian rulers enjoyed improvised
lion hunts, but now their own royal lion's den is being destroyed. The king falls in battle.
"Where is the lion's den, the cave of the lion's whelps?" (2:11 JB). The end has come for
the state that delighted in preying on others.
The end has also come for the immoral religion of Ishtar, which Assyria imposed on
other nations. The prophet calls this religion harlotry—an image that we also find in
Revelation 17. Nineveh suffers a harlot's fate (3:4ff).
There is no "comfort," no consolation, for Assyria. Just as Assyria burned No-amon (the
Egyptian city of Thebes) with all its towers, so it will be destroyed itself. No nation,
feeling bound by a treaty it was forced to sign, will come to Nineveh's defense. Instead
the nations will take delight in Nineveh's destruction.
The reality of hell. Assyria is irrational, unable to figure out what to do next, beyond
saving. Its people and officials may be as numerous as locusts, but that won't make any
difference, for they act like locusts:
Make yourselves many as the locusts,
make yourselves many as the hoppers,
a swarm which spreads out and then flies away.
You have spies as numerous as the stars in the sky;
your secret agents are like locusts,
your commanders like the hoppers
which lie dormant in the walls on a cold day;
[75]
but when the sun rises, they scurry off,
and no one knows where they have gone (3:15-17 NEB).
The old glory of Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal is no help; no new day is dawning. The
reality of hell becomes visible. Yahweh is a jealous God, an avenger. Today's church
should take a long, hard look at Nineveh, for she may well suffer even greater judgment
(Matt. 12:41; Rev. 17:2, 16). Blessed are those who take refuge in Yahweh (1:7).

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[76]
Habakkuk
The wicked surround the righteous (1:4).

1. The Object of God's Righteous Judgment

Jeremiah's contemporary. There's not much more to be said about the question when
Habakkuk did his work as prophet than what we read in an annotation to an early Dutch
translation of the Bible: "We cannot be sure just when Habakkuk lived and prophesied.
Various scholars believe that he prophesied during the time of Josiah's descendants or in
the time of Manasseh, since the sins he condemns are the sins of which Manasseh and
the people of his time were guilty. It is clear from 1:6 that he lived before the time when
Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar."
In this verse the coming of the Chaldeans (i.e. the Babylonians) is predicted. Like an all-
devouring beast of prey, Babylon will carry out God's judgment. Thus Habakkuk
prophesied before the deportation from Judah. Jeremiah, who was probably somewhat
younger than Habakkuk, must have been his contemporary.
[77]
The godless majority. We turn now to the content of Habakkuk's "burden," his
message from God. There are various viewpoints concerning this question. If you
examine the headings supplied for the book of Habakkuk by the editors of various
editions of the Bible in circulation today, you are left with the impression that the
contrast between Judah and Babylon (the Chaldeans) is what dominates his prophecy.
Judah is then the righteous one (1:4; 2:4) and Babylon the faithless one about whom we
hear cries of woe; the antithesis is between "the world" and "the church."
If we bear in mind that Habakkuk prophesied approximately in the days of Jeremiah,
however, we have reason to doubt any such interpretation. After all, Habakkuk lived in
days of deformation:
How long, O LORD, have I cried to thee, unanswered?
I cry "Violence!", but thou dost not save.
Why dost thou let me see such misery,
why countenance wrongdoing? (1:2-3 NEB).
That's how the prophet begins. In this respect he reminds us a great deal of Jeremiah,
who knew what it was to lament (see Jer. 20:8).
What was Jeremiah complaining about? About the abandonment of the covenant, the
apostasy of the people of the Lord. He saw covenant wrath approaching, and that's what
he prophesied about—after clearly exposing and denouncing the sins of his people. Read
Jeremiah 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11 once more with this in mind. The antithesis Jeremiah talked
about is an opposition within the ranks of the church.
Habakkuk was doing the same thing. The people of Judah enjoyed a false sense of
security. In their nationalistic pride, they equated "the righteous" with the members of
[78]
the covenant people. The faithless ones would then be the pagans. The church, with
its blessings, would stand over against "the world," which was cursed.
Habakkuk looks straight at the church and speaks to the godless majority, which he
distinguished from the pious minority. The law loses its power because of all the sins
committed by private citizens and the government, sins sketched in Habakkuk 2. The
Lord will not shrink from judging His church, as the psalm in chapter 3 indicates.
The judgment of the church. If Habakkuk was speaking of Babylon's judgment, we would
expect him to be pleased, but he trembles instead (3:16). The God of the exodus is
coming to judge His own people (see also Jer. 21:1-10). Habakkuk prophesies that God
has decided to let the Jews fall into the hands of the Chaldeans because of their many,
many sins. "The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him"
(2:20).
Judgment always starts with the house of God. Try reading Habakkuk's small book of

35
prophecy from this point of view. Then it will become much more meaningful 1o you.
Klaas Schilder comments: "On the one hand there are God's righteous ones, living out of
faith, and on the other hand there are those who 'withdraw,' those who are doomed to
5
die because God takes no pleasure in them."
Naturally this does not mean that a world power deifying its own might will not feel
[79]
God's righteous judgment. All faithlessness will be judged. Yet the judgment that
"the world" deserves should not lead us to overlook the fact that Habakkuk makes the
judgment of the church central.

My righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back, my soul has no
pleasure in him (Heb. 10:38).

2. Righteousness and Unrighteousness

The waiting church. "How long?" Habakkuk asks, voicing the complaint of the waiting
church that lives in the tension between God's promises and the cruel realities of the
present (Ps. 13:2-3; 74:10; Zech. 1:12; Rev. 6:10). The prophet is aware that the
people are forsaking the covenant in spite of repeated reformations (Hezekiah, Josiah).
The rediscovered law has no grip on them. The "godly" are oppressed.
In the face of this apostasy, the prophet points to some political developments of global
significance. A new power is pressing forward with irresistible might. Under the
dynamism of the Chaldean empire, the current Assyrian hegemony, however amazing it
might seem, will collapse. The demonic power of the Chaldeans, who brag and flaunt
their glory just as imperialistic states so often do—think of Hitler's Third Reich—will
conquer the Near East.
Yahweh's role in this turn of events must not be overlooked. Yahweh is the Holy One,
and it is He who unleashes this horrible power against His people. He is the Rock of
which Moses sang (Deut. 32:30, 18), the one who sells His people into the hands of their
enemies when they abandon Him. But He is also the God who has mercy on His servants
(Deut. 32:36). Therefore Habakkuk, full of faith, declares: "We shall not die" (1:12).
[80]
Unbridled brutalization. After this message from God comes a series of complaints.
Again the issue is the oppression of the righteous by godless people who respect
nothing, the unbridled brutalization of the community of the saints, the glory that fishers
of men (in the evil sense) take in their scandalous plundering and ill-gotten gains (1:13-
17).
The faithless ones in Judah remind the prophet of heathen kings who are immortalized in
a pose with a fishnet, a pose that symbolizes their insatiable appetite for plunder and
conquest. Didn't Christ speak of Pharisees who eat the houses of the widows? Could that
sort of thing be permitted to continue? Would the godless always be allowed to empty
their nets and murder people without showing any mercy?
A prophetic billboard. There is an answer to these complaints, just as the complaints in
1:2-4 are answered in verses 5-11.
The prophet climbs a watchtower to hear what the Lord will say. He does not climb in
vain. The Lord commands him to write down what he is told on large tablets, so that
every passer-by will be able to read it. His written account of God's Word must serve as
a piece of "outdoor advertising," a "billboard." Before long the message of the billboard

5
Heidelbergsche Catechismus, Vol. II (Goes, 1949), p. 415. The Commentary on Habakkuk found
at Qumran in 1947 likewise applies the antithesis to the division within the Jewish people. See also
Hebrews 10:38-9, the introduction to the well-known eleventh chapter, where Habakkuk 2:4 is
quoted in a context where the opposition is not one of church versus world but one of church
members who remain faithful versus church members who desert and flee the field of battle.

36
will be realized: "Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous
shall live by his faith" (2:4). Habakkuk published this word from the Lord just as he was
told to do. Those within the covenant circle were then forced to choose.
The righteous man. It was not by chance that this text from Habakkuk became the
leitmotif of Paul's letter to the Romans and also played a leading role in the Reformation,
[81]
for it is really a short summary of the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17). The righteous shall
live by faith, by their firm trust in the Lord.
When you read the term righteous in the Bible, you must be careful not to equate it with
perfect. The righteous man is the one who abides by God's law. (Think of the contrast
with the wicked man described in 1:4.) The righteous man lives by forgiveness, trusting
in the words of his covenant God in all of life's storms. The righteous man knows what it
means to live by grace alone. He knows there is no room for boasting about our own
works (see 1:15ff).
Despite all the apostasy around us—we sometimes wonder what the world will look like if
Christ still has not returned by the time we reach our three score and ten—Habakkuk's
message contains an element of comfort for the church. The believer can live in the
assurance that he has a firm anchor. It is no coincidence that the Hebrew word for faith
is related to the word amen. We, then, who are justified by faith, have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Cries of "woe. " The rest of chapter 2 gives us a number of "woe" statements. In the
Revised Standard Version we find such statements in 2:5-20—five of them. Some trans-
lations even add a sixth "woe" statement in 2:5. The important thing, however, is not
how many "woe" statements there are but to whom these statements are addressed.
These words are not about an entire nation but about individuals who eat others (2:5),
individuals who become rich through goods taken in pledge (vs. 6) and other ill-gotten
gains (vs. 9). These words are about a government that carries out its will over the
bodies of the dead (vs. 12), about immorality that leads to drunkenness and public
dishonor of others even more shameful than what Ham did to his father (vs. 15), about
exploitation, robbery, and idolatry.
[82]
Building by unrighteousness. We should read Jeremiah 22:13ff as an illustration of
what Habakkuk was talking about. That passage deals with King Jehojakim of Judah,
who built his house by unrighteousness, making people work for nothing, paneling his
house with cedar and painting it with vermilion, making unjust profits, and spilling
innocent blood.
This example shows us just how timely Habakkuk's laments were and how much they
applied to the situation in Judah. Not Babylon but a Jerusalem become like Babylon was
the object of his cutting denunciations. And if the prophet did not speak out about these
matters, the stone would "cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork
respond"! (2:11; see also Luke 19:40).

In the path of thy judgments, O LORD,

we wait for thee (Is. 26:8).

3. Habakkuk's Psalm
The God of Sinai and the exodus. The last chapter of Habakkuk is a psalm. From
notations in the margins of ancient copies, we see that this psalm was used in worship
services in the temple. Hence we should not shrink from using this robust song in our
worship services either. In fact, the church would benefit from singing this psalm and
other Biblical psalms that appear outside the book of Psalms.
In this prayer Habakkuk makes beautiful use of the contents of other Old Testament
songs. The coming of the Lord is sketched in majestic terms that draw on Deuteronomy
33:2. The God who is coming is the God of Sinai, the God of the exodus from Egypt.

37
 [83]
Therefore the psalm also reminds us of Exodus 15, where Moses celebrates the
passage through the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan on the way into Canaan
(3:8, 14-15). Again this God is depicted approaching as a frightening and majestic
figure.
Two key assurances. The Lord will come to judge the house of the godless (3:13), but at
the same time He goes forth to deliver His Anointed and His people. He is the God of
Deuteronomy 32, who destroys those who despise His salvation but has mercy on His
servants.
We can well understand why Habakkuk trembles. He sees Babylon stripping the lands
bare with its scorched-earth tactics. The entire harvest is lost, and there are no more
flocks in the fields. God's covenant wrath is great (Deut. 28:49-51).
Yet the prophet continues to sing, for God's covenant faithfulness is great. At the end of
his book of prophecy, two key assurances are repeated, namely, that we shall not die
(1:12), and that the righteous shall live by his faith (2:4).
Above all the chaos, we hear a proud song of jubilation. What the irreverent Voltaire is
alleged to have said about Habakkuk is all too true: "He is capable of anything"—through
faith. In words reminiscent of Deuteronomy 32:13, Habakkuk ends his book of prophecy
by declaring:
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like hinds' feet,
he makes me tread upon my high places.

38
[84]
Zephaniah
Why do you long for the day of the
LORD? That day will be darkness, not
light (Amos 5:18 NIV).

1. The Day of the Lord's Fierce Anger (1:1—2:3)

Pioneers in syncretism. The time is the reign of Josiah, and the theme is the day of the
Lord. Is there any connection between the two?
Josiah is remembered especially for the two attempts at reformation made during his
time (II Chron. 34:3ff). His predecessors Manasseh and Amon had allowed the land to
be overrun by idolatry, such as the service of Baal and Molech (whose name means
king), the worship of the stars, and adherence to all sorts of foreign fashions. We know
about the situation from Jeremiah, who began to prophesy at about that time.
The elite naturally played a great role in importing idolatrous customs. The "court" and
the priests were pioneers in the area of syncretism (the mixing of the service of Yahweh
with idolatry). Customs like jumping over the threshhold of a house because a spirit was
believed to live 1 here (1:9) were typical of the degeneration in Judah.
[85]
"Seeking" the Lord. The people no longer "sought" the Lord. The prophets did not
speak of the necessity of "seeking" the LORD because He kept Himself hidden. On the
contrary, He could easily be found. But the people failed to seek Him where He could be
found; they did not seek an audience with Him. (That's what "seeking" really means in
this context, as we see from I Kings 10:24, where we read that "the whole earth sought
the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom.")
Zephaniah had to drill it into the people that the Lord must be sought (2:3; see also 1:6;
Amos 5:4, 6, 14). The day of Yahweh was approaching. Who would then be able to
stand?
It is possible that Zephaniah's preaching prepared the way for Josiah's reformation. And
even if he first appeared on the scene after Josiah's temple reformation, there remains a
connection between the times and the theme of his preaching. From the book of
Jeremiah, we learned that the repentance of the people was often only superficial. The
people did not change in their hearts, which is why storms of judgment again rumbled
on the horizon.
Corruption at the court. A certain Hezekiah is listed as one of the forefathers of
Zephaniah. Perhaps the king bearing this name is meant. If so, Zephaniah's work as
prophet is all the more courageous, for he attacks corruption at the court and thus
includes the king and the princes in his condemnations. We can well imagine what effect
such words must have had.
The accusation that the prophet defends his own segment of society could not be used
against Zephaniah, then. This prophet must have had just as hard a time of it as
Jeremiah, who, as the son of a priest, had to attack the men serving in the sanctuary.
[86]
Colorful language. Zephaniah was not the only prophet to talk about the day of the
Lord. What distinguishes him from the others is that he does so in such colorful
language. The Lord will "sweep away" everything He finds on the face of the earth—fish
and birds, the wicked and the godless (1:2-3). The Lord stretches out His hand even
against idolatrous Judah and Jerusalem. He will slaughter them and use them for a
sacrifice (1:7). Yahweh promises to punish those who dispense with Him in their
thinking, those who call the verdict of the judge into question.
The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast.
A day of wrath is that day,
a day of distress and anguish,

39
 a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements (1:14, 15-16).
Zephaniah's words about "that day" inspired Thomas of Celano, a Franciscan monk, to
write "Dies Irae," a well-known song, about 1230:
Day of wrath! that day dismaying;
6
As the seers of old were saying,
All the world in ashes laying.
[87]
An appeal for repentance. With one eye fixed on the coming day of judgment,
Zephaniah calls for repentance:
Come together and hold assembly,
O shameless nation,
before you are driven away
like the drifting chaff,
before there comes upon you
the fierce anger of the LORD,
before there comes upon you
the day of the wrath of the LORD (2:1 -2).
Zephaniah calls for self-examination leading to the death of the old nature and the
awakening of the new. The godless must forsake their wicked ways and seek the Lord
while He is still to be found.
An unrelenting God? Some students of the Bible have argued that Zephaniah preaches
an unrelenting God: the judgment is an avalanche that cannot be stopped. But any such
view is ruled out by the prophet's own words: "Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of
the wrath of the LORD" (2:3; see also Joel 2:14; Jon. 3:9). This "perhaps" indicates that
there may be hope for those who repent.
When the prophets announced that Israel was to be judged, they usually put their
proclamations in conditional form. If the people repented, God might "repent" of the
wrath He had in mind. Our covenant God is not an immovable God of necessity; He is a
merciful God who applies His unchanging covenant promises by turning in favor to those
who humble themselves.

[88]
2. Prophecies against the Neighboring Nations (2:4-15)
Judged by God's hand. Zephaniah, like the other prophets, has some words for the
neighboring nations. And, like some of the others, he inserts them in the middle of his
prophecies.
Surely the Lord will not overlook the sins of the nations that have tormented the church!
The Philistines, those immigrants from Crete, have badgered Israel long enough. Their
cities will be destroyed and fall prey to Judah. Ammon and Moab, who have repeatedly
reviled God's people, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah, the area their forefather Lot
once fled. The great nations of Ethiopia (which may be a reference to Egypt) and Assyria
will also be judged by God's hand.
A desolate pile of ruins. Assyria's capital, Nineveh, will become a desolate pile of ruins to

6
In the original Latin text, these "seers of old" are identified as David and the sibyls. "Dies Irae"
thus presents us with a combined testimony involving both the Psalms (David) and the legendary
oracle of the non-Hebrew world. This shows us again that the Middle Ages did not look down on
non-Biblical proofs. There are also sibyls in the painting "The Lamb of God" by the Van Eyck
brothers of Ghent.

40
be reclaimed by nature:
Herds shall lie down in the midst of her,
all the beasts of the field;
the vulture and the hedgehog
shall lodge in her capitals;
the owl shall hoot in the window,
the raven croak on the threshhold;
for her cedar work will be laid bare (2:14).
If you know anything about the excavations that were necessary to recover something of
what was once Nineveh, you can see how fully this prophecy was borne out. Some
colossal catastrophe must have struck that enormous city—as part of God's plan.
[89]
3. Promises and Bowls of Wrath (3:1-20)
Threatening languages. After this intermezzo come more prophecies against Jerusalem.
At the outset we hear threatening language. In a few bold strokes, Zephaniah sketches
the apostasy of the office-bearers who were supposed to mediate between Yahweh and
His people. The rulers and judges are characterized as "roaring lions," as "wolves"
devouring their prey at night. The prophets are "wanton, faithless men," and the priests
profane what is sacred and do violence to the law.
Through Josiah's reformation, the torah (the law) became central. The people were
afraid of the threats expressed in it. But the office-bearers of the covenant appear to
make the return to Scripture useless because of their conduct. They may well declare
that the Lord is in the midst of His people, but they will discover that the God of justice
has judgment in mind for Judah. Just as the book of Revelation speaks of the pouring
out of the bowls of wrath (see Rev. 16:1ff), so Zephaniah speaks of the Lord pouring out
His burning anger on a nation that wants nothing to do with discipline and restraint (3:7-
8).
A festal gathering in Zion. Yet there is salvation in sight on the horizon. "Wait for me,"
declares the Lord (3:8). In verse 9 He goes on: "I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD." This is pure
Pentecost prophecy.
Israel, too, will repent—even if it is reduced to a remnant, a "people humble and lowly"
(vs. 12). But in that remnant, "all Israel" is preserved. Injustice disappears and there is
no longer any tongue uttering lies.
Now we hear sounds of jubilation. "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion"! The church is
[90]
removed from judgment; the King is in the midst of her. He has not come to judge
her: the Lord is in her midst as "a warrior who gives victory" (vs. 17). Even those who
are mourning far away from the festal gathering in Zion (see Heb. 12:23; Ps. 137; 42:5)
return. Zephaniah's prophecy concludes with a picture of the gathering of the church.
The New Testament church, which awaits the great day of the Lord, also longs for the
realization of these promises. Even though she has already come to the heavenly
Jerusalem, to the festal gathering of the firstborn whose names are recorded in heaven,
she awaits still more—the gathering of the remnant from all races and nations.
Maranatha!

41
[91]
Haggai
1. Delay in the Rebuilding of the Temple
Exact dates. Haggai, together with his colleague Zechariah, began his work as a prophet
in the days after the exile, when the temple rebuilding was delayed. Thus we can well
understand that the main theme of his preaching would be the rebuilding of the temple.
We know the exact dates of his prophecies. The first message (1:1-13) dates from the
second year of the reign of King Darius, on the first day of the seventh month. The
second message (2:2-9) was delivered that same year on the twenty-first day of the
month. Both the third message (2:11-19) and the fourth (2:20-3) were delivered that
year on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month.
Opposition from the Samaritans. To get a good grasp of the background of Haggai's
prophecies, read the opening chapters of the book of Ezra once more. What opposition
from the Samaritans the repatriated exiles had to contend with! The rebuilding program
begun during the time of King Cyrus ground to a halt.
[92]
From Ezra 5:1 we learn that it was through the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah
that the work was resumed in the second year of the reign of King Darius. Haggai 2:1
provides an even more exact date: the rebuilding resumed on the twenty-fourth day of
the sixth month—which was less than a month after Haggai preached his first sermon as
prophet!
Searching the archives. Further study of the book of Ezra reveals the dangers still
present on the side of the Persian powers beyond the Euphrates. The authorities had to
search the archives. They found an edict of Cyrus in which support for the temple
rebuilding was promised. King Darius reaffirmed this earlier edict and gave the temple
rebuilding his own support—which must have been a tremendous relief to the Jews!
We should also note—and this is important for understanding the background of the
prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah—that the work of rebuilding did not stop while the
archives were being searched (Ezra 5:5). The Jewish elders went right on building,
encouraged by the words of the two prophets (Ezra 6:14).
Thus the preaching of Haggai was of great significance. After the work of rebuilding had
been delayed some fifteen years, there was suddenly a revival. A sermon delivered by a
prophet was the lever that got things going again.

[93]
Thou wilt arise and have mercy on
Zion; for the time is come to pity her.
Her very stones are dear to thy
servants, and even her dust moves
them with pity (Ps. 102:13-14 NEB).

2. The Perspective of Coming Glory

Too early. How did Haggai get started as a prophet? First he turned to representatives of
the "church" and the "state" respectively—Zerubbabel, a descendant of David whom the
Persian government had appointed governor of Judah, and Joshua (Jeshua), the high
priest. In speaking to these two, he was speaking to the whole nation. The prophet
began to sketch the misery: "This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the
house of the LORD" (1:2).
I suspect that such an argument will not sound all that foreign or unusual to you. How
often don't we hear that the time is "not yet ripe," that it's "too early to make a move"?
Although the situation is described, it is left just as it is.
No reformation ever got started with a declaration that the time is finally "ripe." Those
who are lazy can always find an excuse to delay.

42
Mitigating circumstances. Yet we must bear in mind that there were certain mitigating
circumstances that played a role in Israel's delay. After all, earlier prophets (Micah,
Isaiah, Ezekiel) had promised a glorious future. The Jews had heard talk of the house of
the Lord on a high mount as the midpoint of a world that feared Yahweh; they had been
told of a miracle of God for a miserable, downcast people. But what had come of this
glorious Messianic future? The day of salvation did not seem to be dawning; in fact, it
[94]
was still night. Judah was only a speck of dust in the scale of world politics.
Can you see why people would conclude that the time had not yet come? The people saw
no mighty signs of the times.
Think of the Jews during the time of Christ's ministry on earth. They also had a Messianic
vision of the future, a most impressive conception of what the future would bring. The
powers of heaven and earth would be moved. When Jesus, an ordinary rabbi, appeared
on the scene, the people didn't believe that the time (kairos), the Messianic hour, had
come (Luke 4:21; Matt. 16:1-4). Their expectations about the future were not applied to
the present.
That was also the outlook of the people in Haggai's day. They waited patiently for God to
perform a miracle and thought of Yahweh's power as something remote and distant.
An impoverished outlook. Haggai exposed the poverty of this outlook. The people
themselves lived in fine homes, but the temple remained unfinished. The people made
excuses by speaking of the critical situation, of poor harvests, of setbacks of all sorts.
The time was not yet ripe, they argued.
They forgot that the reason for their misfortune was Yahweh's displeasure and
punishment because of their laxness with regard to the rebuilding of the temple. The
Lord was very near them—not far away, as they supposed—and that's why there were
poor harvests and so many other disappointments (1:6, 9ff; 2:17-19).
The Immanuel promise. Haggai used this revealing sermon to show that because the
Lord was making His judgments plain to His discouraged people, it was "time" to start
rebuilding the temple. The fear of God's countenance should not paralyze us but activate
[95]
us. Zerubbabel and Joshua and the people listened to what Haggai said, and the
rebuilding resumed. Then the prophet could voice the Immanuel promise: "I am with
you, says the LORD" (1:13). In 2:4 we also read: "I am with you."
But what about that great future that was promised so often? Was it still coming? The
present didn't amount to much compared to the earlier glory of the temple (vs. 3). The
truth cannot be disguised. We must face up to it.
It is true, of course, that the present did not compare favorably with the visions
presented by the prophets. But the eye of faith could still see the light of a Messianic
future. The God of the exodus had not changed. In time He would make heaven and
earth tremble and fill the new temple with His glory.
Firm guarantees. Just as we live in less than ideal circumstances but have the Spirit and
the gospel as an assurance of Christ's glorious future, so the people of Haggai's day had
to learn to look at the shortcoming of the present in the light of the coming glory. We
may never cut the bond between the present and the future by concerning ourselves
exclusively with the "here and now" or by neglecting our present task through an
excessive preoccupation with the future awaiting us.
The promises about the future should stimulate the church to get busy with its task
today. The prophecies themselves as well as our worship are guarantees of the future
realization of all the Messianic promises.

3. A Spiritual Temple of Living Stones

Lifeless liturgy. Rebuilding the temple was a fine thing to do, but the temple exists for
the sake of the liturgy.

43
[96]
What good is a new temple if there is no inner willingness 1o serve the Lord with a
whole heart? A new temple is no justification for arbitrary sacrifice rituals and an unholy
way of life. Without a living worship, the temple remains a dead structure of stone.
Apparently the priests put up with a sloppy, lifeless liturgy. Their main concern was to
have the offerings brought on time and the customary fees paid. But Haggai let the
priests talk themselves into a corner as he debated with them. "Holy" flesh has no power
to make ordinary bread holy, but something unclean defiles what is clean. Well then, the
lesson also applies to human life: the unholy life defiles holy offerings. The Lord takes no
pleasure in a religion of mere ritual and routine (2:11ff).
A royal priesthood. We should not forget the judgments that struck the people before the
rebuilding of the temple was resumed. Those judgments were intended to make the
people repent. They were to repent not simply by returning to the task of rebuilding the
temple but by letting themselves be used as living stones in a Spiritual temple, by
becoming a royal priesthood.
Let Judah draw a lesson from God's judgments. He demands complete service of us—but
also promises to bless us from now on.

4. God's Kingdom and Church

A future for David's house. How else could blessing come than through the Messiah?
Jeremiah had once spoken some harsh words of judgment about King Jehoiachin
(Jer. 22:24). The Lord would cast him aside even if he were the signet ring on His finger.
[97]
The signet ring or seal symbolizes the power of the one who wears it. Both Joseph
and Mordecai became keepers of the royal seal when they were elevated; they became
representatives of the king himself.
In a certain sense, the rulers of the house of David were called to represent and exercise
the royal power of Yahweh. In that regard they were to bear His image and likeness. But
the exile clearly put an end to this "office." Now, after the exile, Zerubbabel is told that
the Lord plans to make a signet ring of him (2:23).
The house of David has a future again! Zerubbabel may represent the Lord and manifest
something of the office of Messiah. The Lord is living up to His promises (see Ps. 89).
Messianic prospects. Yes, the Lord will make heaven and earth tremble, as the nations of
the world are overthrown. But at the same time God will make His Kingdom rise above
the collapsing world powers. The center of His Kingdom will be His church, that Lilliputian
state around Jerusalem, a state that isn't even independent.
What are those feeble Jews up to anyway? Aren't they all destined to die? What's the
meaning of that little temple in the midst of the great Persian empire?
Faith responds that it has caught sight of Messianic prospects. This applies to Zerubbabel
as well as today's church. In the New Testament we have another promise: "He has
promised, 'Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' The words
'once more' indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so
that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom
that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence
and awe" (Heb. 12:26 NIV). In the light of Christ's coming, we see how important the
temple is.

44
[98]
Zechariah
1. A Priestly Prophet
A guarantee of Yahweh's presence. Zechariah, whose name means Yahweh remembers,
was a prophet descended from a family of priests (Neh. 12:4, 16; Ezra 5:1; 6:14). He
was active as prophet after the exile.
Both the time in which he lived and his origin make it understandable why his first
visionary prophecies focused on the temple. From the words of his contemporary Haggai,
we have already seen that the issue was not the rebuilding of a historical monument. No,
the temple was a guarantee of Yahweh's presence among His people, a guarantee and
sign of a great Messianic future.
For the Jews in Christ's day, the temple became a fetish, a mascot, a security blanket,
an almost magic guarantee that Jerusalem would never be overthrown. That's why the
Lord did not leave one stone upon another in that building, which had been used for
essentially idolatrous purposes.
But that was not how Zechariah saw the temple. In his thinking we find no doctrine of a
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covenant that works automatically. No, he preached about both covenant promises
and covenant demands, linking them closely. In the later prophecies we hear rumbles of
the judgment in store for Jerusalem because of its violation of the temple laws.
Strikingly "modern." We begin, of course, with the visions with which the book of
Zechariah opens. Unless I'm greatly mistaken, these visions will not speak directly to all
twentieth century readers, even though they have tremendous suggestive power.
All the same, the visions of Zechariah are strikingly "modern" and fit right in with our
world of abstract art. They are also suitable reading for children. With just a bit of
explanation, children seated around the table after supper will find these visions
stimulating and worth thinking about.
We must get away from the persistent notion that the Bible is only for a certain select
circle. On the contrary, it speaks directly to those whose thinking is on the level usually
characterized as "primitive." Is there an artist somewhere who will paint or draw what
Zechariah saw in his night visions?

2. The Night Visions

An impressive appeal. The prophecies begin with an impressive appeal for conversion.
Hosea and Jeremiah, two earlier prophets, had spoken the same kind of language. John
the Baptist also spoke in such terms when he heralded the coming of Christ, who in turn
followed John's lead in this regard (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand!"
[100]
Zechariah points to Israel's response to the appeals for repentance made by earlier
prophets. The church in his day could see itself reflected in this sorry story. Didn't the
words of the prophets come true? God's Word abides forever. That's why people were
more inclined to listen when another prophet came along to speak to them.
First vision. Horsemen who are sent out come back to a glen of green myrtle trees. They
report to the angel of the Lord, Yahweh's adjutant, telling him that the shaking of
heaven and earth of which Haggai prophesied has not yet begun. The whole land is
completely at rest. The throne of the heathen kings is not shaken, and there is no sign of
the Messiah taking over the throne.
This vision would be disappointing if it did not include a plea on Jerusalem's behalf by
the angel of the Lord. That plea was the Lord's way of answering Zechariah with
comforting words. "I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be
built in it" (1:16).
God is busy working for His people—although we see nothing of it. Thus there is no

45
reason for His people to complain that the time is not yet ripe (Hag. 1:2). Instead they
should get busy with the restoration of the Lord's temple!
Second vision. Is the power of the world empires unbroken? Zechariah sees four horns,
but behind the great horns are smiths standing ready to smash the world powers and cut
them down to size. In this way Zechariah is shown that the powers that scattered the
Israelites are not stronger than God's plan—a plan that speaks of the election of
Jerusalem and a Messianic kingdom.
Third vision. The rebuilding of the temple can proceed, then, and so can the rebuilding of
[101]
Jerusalem. Moreover, we must not underestimate God's plans. A young man full of
enthusiasm who proposes to measure the restored Jerusalem is told that the city will be
a "city without walls, so numerous shall be the men and cattle within it" (2:4 NEB). The
Lord Himself will be a wall of fire around the city.
Appended to this vision is an admonition directed toward the Jews still living in Babylon
(2:6-13). The Lord has established Himself in Judah, the "holy land." He dwells in the
midst of His people. Therefore it's time for the "daughter of Zion" to forsake the
"daughter of Babylon."
Fourth vision. It's not likely that the high priest Joshua was beyond reproach. When
things go wrong in the life of the church, people are often quick to point out that the
conduct of the leaders is not always exemplary. Are we supposed to work with him! Why
doesn't he straighten out his life first? Then we'll accept his leadership! In all probability
the high priest Joshua, one of the leaders in the rebuilding of the temple, was also the
object of such talk.
Zechariah now sees Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord clothed in filthy
garments in which he could not possibly carry out his official functions. Satan stands
ready to accuse him before the highest tribunal. But what happens? The angel of the
Lord speaks up for Joshua, silences satan, and clothes Joshua in clean garments. His
iniquity is removed, and he is justified and upheld in his office as priest.
In the book of Revelation we also find the image of the clean garment. The entire church
receives forgiveness from Christ. The believers are restored to their office and are now
allowed to form a royal priesthood (I Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 6:11; 7:13-14; 19:8).
Joshua is expressly promised that he may continue to serve in his office; indeed, he is
[102]
given a place among the angels (3:7). Thus his service is related to the heavenly
liturgy. At the same time, his service will be a sign of the coming of the Branch, the
Messiah who does away with all our guilt and brings back Paradise (3:8-10).
Fifth vision. On its coat of arms, the modern state of Israel has a lampstand with seven
lamps. This lampstand is flanked on each side by an olive tree. The symbolism, of
course, goes back to the fourth of Zechariah's night visions.
But this vision is not quite as simple as one might suppose from looking at the
lampstand and olive branches on the coat of arms of the state of Israel. The picture in
Zechariah's vision is more elaborate: the lamps are supplied with oil by way of a golden
pipe system connected to a tank kept filled by the two olive branches. Thus the Limps in
Zechariah's vision burn permanently.
Here oil is the symbol of the Spirit. Hence the explanation: "Not by might, nor by power,
but by my Spirit" (4:6). But the Spirit works by way of office-hearers, the anointed ones
who "stand by" the Lord (vs. 14). Here we are to think first of all of Zerubbabel, the
"prince" of the house of David, and also of the priest Joshua. Through their cooperation
and leadership, the lamp will continue to burn; that is to say, the temple will be rebuilt.
God makes use of human office-bearers. Therefore we should not disdain "the day of
small things" (4:10), that is, the minor events and victories through which God realizes
His plan. The two office-bearers stand by "the Lord of the whole earth" (vs. 14; see also
Rev. 11:4).

46
Sixth vision. A scroll flies through the air. It is identified as the "curse" that goes out
over all who sin against the first and second commandments. If the church undertakes a
reformation and the office-bearers discharge their duties responsibly, there will be no
more manipulation of the law of God.
[103]
Seventh vision. The office, the priesthood, and discipline will not bring us complete
holiness. This vision makes it clear that the Lord Himself brings about the purification.
This purification does not affect the sinner only: the power of sin itself is removed.
A woman personifying wickedness seeks to escape imprisonment in an ephah (a large
barrel of about 36 liters in volume). An angel pushes her back into the barrel and
secures the lid. Two women with wings then deport the woman personifying evil to the
land of Shinar, in Babylonia, where she may settle. Thus the "church" and the "world"
are separated. "I will put enmity!" Jerusalem will be free of the power of sin, as opposed
to Babylon, which will be the center of sin's power.
Eighth vision. In the final vision we see chariots being sent out again in all four
directions. Some interpreters identify the various colors of the horses of the first vision,
the ones returning from their patrols, as the colors of the evening sky. The colors of the
horses in the eighth vision, the ones pulling the chariots, have been thought to be con-
nected with the colors of dawn or sunrise.
In any event, we see immediately how much this vision differs from the first vision,
when the patrols returned disappointed. In this vision they go out in triumph, even to
Babylonia, the "north country," where the woman personifying evil (whom we
encountered in the seventh vision) dwells. There, too, the Spirit is brought.
The sphere of action of the God who has chosen Jerusalem knows no limits or bounds.
He will truly make heaven and earth shake. Israel must fix its hopes on Him—and work
while it is yet day.

[104]
3. Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifices
A crown for the high priest. Three pilgrims returning from exile bring a contribution of
silver and gold for the rebuilding of the temple. Zechariah is commanded by the Lord to
melt down their precious gifts and have them made into a crown for the high priest
Joshua. The crown speaks of the One who is coming, the Branch (see 3:8).
Joshua's priesthood is a guarantee that the Messiah, the one who will be both King and
Priest, will come one day. The building of the temple points to the advent of the one who
will bring the offices as established under the old covenant to completion. "And there
shall be a priest by his throne, and peaceful understanding shall be between them both"
(6:13). Those who are far off will be made active members of His Kingdom and church.
Joyous feast days. The next two chapters tell us what Zechariah said to a deputation
that approached him. The city of Bethel, whose golden calf had long competed with
Jerusalem as a worship center, sent some representatives to the temple authorities in
Jerusalem to ask whether the fast days held because of the destruction of the city had to
be continued. Wasn't it time to sing a song of rebuilding instead?
Zechariah answered that fasting is not the primary thing in the covenant. The first thing
the Lord demands is that His law be upheld. Because the fathers did not listen to the
appeal for repentance, the land was turned into a desolate wilderness. Therefore the
Israelites had to practice truthfulness and covenant faithfulness toward each other and
toward the Lord (8:16-17, 19). Then the Lord would dwell in the midst of His people
(vs. 1-15).
This solves the problem of the days of mourning for Jerusalem's destruction: they
[105]
become joyous feast days (vs. 19). Yes, Jerusalem will be a blessing to the nations
(vs. 13, 20ff; see also Gen. 12:3). "Fear not, but let your hands be strong!" (8:13).

47
4. The King-Shepherd and the Day of the Lord
The burning issue. Chapters 9-14 clearly stem from a later period in covenant history.
The building of the temple is no longer central, for the rebuilt temple, the "house of the
LORD," has long occupied its unique place in the life of the people (9:8; 11:13; 14:21).
There are definite differences between the first period dealt with in the book of Zechariah
and the second. Yet Jerusalem, the Kingdom of the Lord, is still the central burning
issue.
In this later section, too, the figure of the Messiah is visible. Is it any wonder that the
New Testament repeatedly refers to the book of Zechariah? In Christ, the great
Shepherd caring for His sheep, this book receives its definitive fulfillment.
An old-style king of peace. We all remember the story of Jesus' joyful entry into
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He rode on a donkey. As Matthew records this story, he
refers to Zechariah:
Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!
Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!
See now, your king comes to you;
he is victorious, he is triumphant,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey
(9:9 JB; see also Matt. 21:5).
[106]
What Zechariah sketches is a king of peace in the old style. The horses and chariots
of war disappear from Jerusalem's streets as the King reigns "from sea to sea."
Yet the "peace" brought by this King does not come without a struggle or catastrophe.
The cities around Jerusalem are punished (9:1-8). Israel itself will be mighty in battle
(9:10-11:3).
Two staffs. Zechariah then uses an image that comes up time and again in the rest of his
prophecy and also occurs repeatedly in the New Testament, namely, that of the flock
and the shepherds. False shepherds have been in control of the church (10:1-2). Yahweh
will therefore take over the role of shepherd Himself; He will "care for" His flock (vs. 3).
Zechariah is commanded in the name of the Lord to lead this flock, which has been
exploited by other shepherds, to pasture (11:4ff). He does this by using two staffs—one
named Grace and the other Union.
Are the sheep thankful for this? Not in the least: the daughter of Zion refuses to rejoice
(see 9:9). Zechariah's lot is no different from that of his predecessors, from Moses on.
The sheep turn away from him. Therefore he breaks his two shepherd's staffs and
refuses to be their shepherd any longer.
When he asks for his wages as a good shepherd, they give him 30 pieces of silver, which
is the price of a slave—or better, the compensation that must be paid for killing someone
else's slave (Ex. 21:32). The disgusted prophet reports: "I took the thirty pieces of
silver—that noble sum at which I was valued and rejected by them!—and threw them
into the house of the LORD" (11:13 NEB).
The price of a murdered slave. At this point we can't help thinking of the events
[107]
surrounding Judas's betrayal of Christ. When Christ was delivered to the authorities
to be crucified, weren't the covenant people again literally assessing the value of the
Good Shepherd at the price of a murdered slave? Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the
prophets . . . !
Anyone who rejects the Good Shepherd hands himself over to evil and foolish shepherds
(11:15-17). Because the sheep "detested" their appointed shepherd, he declared: "I will
not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die" (11:8-9). Whoever rejects grace is
handed over to judgment.

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The Good Shepherd judged. The last three chapters of the book of Zechariah are full of
judgment. There is judgment on the Good Shepherd: "Awake, O sword, against my
shepherd" (13:7). There is also judgment aimed at the sheep, i.e. Israel: "I will turn my
hand against the little ones. In the whole land, two thirds shall be cut off and perish"
(13:7-8). Finally, the nations that attack Israel are subjected to judgment (12:1-9;
14:12ff).
This threefold judgment is gospel. The first judgment, directed against the Shepherd,
explains the others. The light of the New Testament makes it clear what this puzzling
talk of judging the Good Shepherd means. Jesus Christ is the Shepherd who is judged
(Matt. 26:31). He preserves a "remnant" for Himself.
A universal throng. The judgment of Jerusalem has a purifying effect, as people begin to
recognize their guilt. "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom
they have pierced, they shall mourn for him" (12:10). The false shepherds and false
prophets will no longer be listened to. And when all the nations gather around
Jerusalem, the city will not fall (12:6; 14:1ff).
[108]
Jerusalem becomes a center of worship for all the nations that are left in Messianic
times. The great Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated by a universal throng, and the
holiness of the Lord will permeate all of life in a priestly way.
It's no wonder that we hear such sounds repeatedly in the book of Revelation—sounds
that remind us of the last chapter of the book of Zechariah. The prophet has seen the
great future that rises above all the catastrophes and judgments.
A cosmic evening. In our time of cosmic upheaval, we must cling to what is revealed to
us in this prophetic book. What lies ahead of us is not the destruction of the world or the
annihilation of the universe. "At evening time there shall be light" (14:7; see also Rev.
21:23; 22:5).
With our love of proverbs and sayings, we have appropriated this text for our collection
of benedictions to address to the aged (along with Luke 24:29: "... for it is toward
evening"). Yet, what this text actually speaks of is not a peaceful evening coming at the
end of an individual human life but a cosmic evening, the time just before all things are
restored and made new. "On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem," we
read in the very next verse (see also Rev. 22:1, 17).
Cosmic upheaval and radioactive contamination is not the last word. Only those who
refuse to recognize God's kingship will fall prey to catastrophes (14:17-19). "And the
LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name
one" (vs. 9). All of this will come about because of the punished Shepherd Jesus Christ,
whose life was assigned the same value as a slave's life.

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[109]
Malachi
1. Yahweh's Messenger Argues with Israel
Reformation needed. The prophecies recorded in the concluding book of the Old
Testament stem from the time after the exile and the rebuilding of the temple—and
probably also after the reformation under Ezra. It is apparent from these prophecies that
reformation was again the need of the hour.
Both in the "church" and in the life of the family, degeneration had set in. In religious
and social respects, the life of the redeemed church was not in harmony with the rules of
gratitude.
A series of debates. In this situation we encounter the prophet Malachi, whose name
means my messenger or messenger of Yahweh. He comes to his people with a concrete
message which he communicates by disputing and arguing with the "Israel" that had
returned from exile. He holds a series of debates on specific topics.
Repeatedly we see Malachi quoting something said by the people and then taking up the
[110]
point made. This happens six times. These debates give the book a structure and
make it easy for the reader to survey it. The breaks between the debates are clearly
marked.
The book closes with a pair of statements in which both Moses and Elijah are named.
This ending concludes the books of the prophets.

2. The First Debate (1:2-5)

An insignificant province. The situation was not so rosy in "Israel." Yes, Malachi
addressed himself to "Israel" (1:1). How little there was left of her former glory!
Fragments of a few tribes (mainly Judah and Levi) had returned from exile—no more.
Although the temple had been rebuilt, there had been no revival of the glory of earlier
years. The home of the Jews was nothing more than an insignificant province in the
great Persian empire. There was no prospect of a restoration of the Davidic kingship.
Deep doubts about God's love. In this situation the prophet Malachi appears with a
declaration from the Lord: "I have loved you!" Is it any wonder that his hearers respond
by asking, "How hast thou loved us?" (1:2). After all, where was there any concrete
evidence of God's love? If God was faithful, wouldn't this be apparent in Israel's life?
The people harbored deep doubts about the love of God. This was one of the reasons for
their laxness in serving God. Why should they do everything correctly and properly if
they could not even be sure that the Lord would abide by His promises?
[111]
Sure and unshaken. The prophet explores this uncertainty on the part of the Jews.
If "Israel" is again to serve the Lord, it must know that the covenant is sure and
unshaken. "Jacob" should not get an inferiority complex just because Edom (the territory
of Esau) has great plans for reconstruction.
God has shown in history that He has chosen "Jacob" as His people and made a covenant
with Jacob in the process. That was sovereign grace on His part. Jacob could claim no
rights as the first-born. Neither was his conduct such that he could be regarded as
deserving. Yet, the Lord displayed unfathomable love toward His people, whereas He
rejected Esau's people: "I have hated Esau" (1:3).
In the future the Lord will bring both His hatred and His love into play. The destruction of
Edom should be regarded as proof that the Lord does not change but will let His wrath
be felt by the nation that was always hostile toward the church. "Great is the LORD,
beyond the border of Israel!" (vs. 5).

3. The Second Debate (1:6—2:9)

"Emergency measures." This time Malachi addresses the priests in particular. The priests

50
had adapted themselves to the times. They reasoned that a farmer who was struggling
hard to make ends meet could hardly be expected to pay the full price when it came to
offering sacrifices. If they made it too hard for the farmers, they, as priests, would
receive nothing.
Wouldn't it be better to simply make the best of a bad situation? Didn't the priests have
a calling to allow certain compromises "given the difficult circumstances"? Couldn't they
[112]
look the other way when someone presented an imperfect animal that did not meet
the requirements for a sacrifice? Weren't they forced to take certain "emergency
measures"?
Unwanted leftovers. The prophet makes it clear that Yahweh wishes to be served as
father and master. "If I am a father, where is the honor due to me? If I am a master,
where is the fear due to me?" (1:6 NEB). The priests respond by saying: "How have we
despised thy name? How have we defiled thee?" (1:6, 7 NEB). The priests argue that the
Lord's table is polluted and complain that their work is tiresome (vs. 12-13).
The fact that crippled or blind animals were permitted as sacrifices shows how seriously
the priests took the table of the Lord and the sacrifices to which He is entitled. Would
they dare present such gifts to the Persian governor? (1:8). Strictly speaking, even the
best is not good enough for God, who does not care to live off "refuse." Do the priests
think they can meet their obligations to the Great King by offering Him leftovers that no
one else wants? Cursed be the deceiver who does not keep his vows!
A special covenant with Levi. The priests had to understand that in addition to the Lord's
covenant with Israel, there was a special covenant with Levi. The tribe of Levi was
cursed by Jacob but blessed by Moses (Deut. 32:8-11). Yet that blessing accentuated
Levi's task, namely, teaching the Lord's ordinances to Jacob and His law to Israel.
Malachi points back to the blessing of Levi by Moses: "My covenant with him [Levi] was a
covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might fear; and he feared
me, he stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was
found on his lips" (2:5-6).
All God's promises are conditional. Therefore the prophet also points out that the
blessing can become a curse if Levi pokes fun at the seriousness of God's words.
[113]
By allowing compromises, Levi makes the "little ones" stumble.
The service of the Lord always requires exactitude and precision. Levi must understand
that he works in a law-dominated situation. If he continues to accommodate himself to
circumstances and people, it will be said: "You have corrupted the. covenant of Levi"
(2:8).

4. The Third Debate (2:10-16)

The daughters of a foreign god. It is clear from the books of Ezra and Nehemiah that the
church threatened to sink back into heathendom because of the mixed marriages. Jewish
women were sent away, and the men chose to marry "foreign" women instead. These
women are described as the daughters of a foreign god! (2:11).
Should it surprise us that the Lord refused to accept offerings while this sort of thing was
going on? After all, He knew about the unholy motives behind the many marriage break-
ups. He also knew that all this trouble was the result of forsaking the covenant.
However one might choose to translate 2:15, it is clear that God looks to marriage to
provide for Himself a new generation, holy seed, Godly offspring. A compromise
marriage does not build up the church but undermines it. The very fact that we are all
made by one God should drive us to hold on to the one style of the covenant, also in
seeking a marriage partner.
A favorite quotation. "Have we not all one father?" (2:10). This text is found on the walls
of Freemason's lodges and is frequently quoted in synagogues. It is a favorite of those

51
 [114]
who argue for the "brotherhood of men" and the "fatherhood of God." Aren't we all
children of the same Father?
This kind of argument reverses the meaning of the text. When we examine the text in its
context (disregarding the question whether the "father" referred to is Abraham or the
Lord), we see that it is not intended to promote a general mingling at all. On the
contrary, it opposes any such mingling. It is not intended to further the blurring of the
boundaries; it is meant to maintain the striking difference between the faithful church
and the church that follows the path of conformity to the world. "Have we not all one
father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another,
profaning the covenant of our fathers?"

5. The Fourth Debate (2:17—3:5)

Wearying talk. The next complaint to which Malachi turns is: "Every one who does evil is
good in the sight of the LORD .... Where is the God of justice?" (2:17). That was the kind
of talk with which the people "wearied" the Lord.
I'm sure you recognize the argument: every morning the sun rises again, and all the
injustices remain. You know how things go in a time of reconstruction. All sorts of up-
starts suddenly appear on the scene. Those who take the trouble to do things properly
are rudely pushed aside. People can't help asking why the Lord puts up with it. It seems
that the path of the wicked is strewn with roses.
Trumpet blasts. Malachi announces that the Lord will surely punish the corruption and
[115]
oppression. "Behold, I send my messenger [Malachi] to prepare the way before me"
(3:1). Through His prophets, His messengers, the Lord announces judgment. He did so
through earlier emissaries, and now through Malachi. He would also do so through John
the Baptist, in whom this text was fulfilled (Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:76; 7:27). He
continues to do so today through the preaching that goes into the world via His
messengers, the "angels of the churches."
Each proclamation of the Word is a blast of the trumpet preparing the way for judgment.
"Behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts" (3:1). The Angel of the covenant is
approaching in judgment. The Lord is coming to His temple.
Priests and "laymen" will then be purified. Wasn't Christ's purification of the temple a
sign that He was the Angel of the covenant? Sorcerers, those who swear falsely, and all
those who do not know what it is to fear the Lord will stand accused. This will happen
very suddenly. Be on guard!

6. The Fifth Debate (3:6-12)

Blessing withheld. When the people were chastised by Malachi for their sins and told to
return to the Lord, they asked: "How shall we return? How are we robbing thee?" (3:7,
8). In other words, what have we done wrong?
Now, in the ordinary families there was no actual idolatry. Yet, the sin for which Haggai
had already castigated the Jews was still common, namely, the sin of keeping a portion
of the tithes back. Therefore the Lord also held His blessing back.
The people were not to assume that because they were living in hard times, they could
contribute less toward the maintenance of the worship services. In faith they were to
[116]
obey and do what was expected of them. Then the great Creator would open His
storehouses and keep the agricultural plagues away. "All nations will call you blessed, for
you will be a land of delight" (3:12).

7. The Sixth Debate (3:13—4:3)

Audacious words. The Jews still did not give in to Malachi's arguments. Boldly they
declared: "It is vain to serve God. What is the good of our keeping his charge or oi
walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? Hence-fcrth we deem the arrogant

52
blessed; evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape"
(3:14-15).
The usefulness of the reformation under Ezra (and perhaps also Nehemiah) is denied
here. The outlook behind these audacious words is: "Eat, drink, and be merry!"
Fortunately, not all the Jews thought that way. Some of them did fear the Lord and take
Him into account. Malachi brings them into the picture. We read: "A record was written
before him of those who feared him and kept bis name in mind" (3:16 NEB).
A delight rather than a burden. The Lord promises to spare all the faithful ones. One day
the difference between the faithful and the unfaithful will come out into the open —
despite all the mocking of the day of the Lord (see II Pet. 3:4).
For behold, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant
and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up,
says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
[117]
But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise,
with healing in its wings. You shall go forth leaping like calves from the
stall (4:1-2; see also Luke 1:78-9).
Malachi, God's ambassador, speaks words of comfort addressed to believers of all ages.
Those to whom the service of the Lord is a delight rather than a burden (see 1:13) are
promised that all enemies and opponents will be "ashes under the soles of your feet"
(4:3; see also Rom. 16:20).

8. Concluding Words (4:4-6)

Moses and Elijah. When Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah
appeared. In the description of the "two witnesses" in Revelation 11, we find various
features that remind us of these two prophets. John the Baptist embodied the spirit and
power of Elijah. He was the Elijah who was to come. And as for Christ, He was counted
worthy of much more glory than Moses (Heb. 3:3).
We also find Moses and Elijah paired at the end of the book of Malachi, which is the last
of the books of the prophets. Moses makes us think of the torah, the law of the Lord.
And Elijah is the one who announced that God would judge and punish all who
transgress His law.
God's abiding Word. The church of Malachi's days had a future to wait for. Thrones would
be shaken, one usurper would succeed another—but God's Word would abide forever.
Each new generation finds God's electing love revealed in His Word: "They have Moses
and the prophets; let them hear them" (Luke 16:29). The message is clear: we are to
live by Scripture alone!

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[118]
Index
"All Israel", 89
Angel of the Lord, 100-1
Antithesis, 103
Astarte, 11
Baal, 11,14, 84
Baptism, 27-8
Bethel, 11, 14, 18, 32, 34-5, 37,39-44, 53, 104
Canaanite religion, 11-12, 14, 17,32
Church as God's people, 12, 21, 26-8, 34, 45, 48, 50, 70-1, 75, 77-9, 89-90,97, 101,
103
Covenant between God and His people, 34-6, 39, 98-9
Covenant wrath, 44, 77, 83, 89
Day of the Lord, 25, 28, 35,40,53,84-7,90, 116
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 48, 98, 104-5
Edomites, 30, 46-50, 111 Egypt, 18-19, 30, 39
Feast of Tabernacles, 108
Good Shepherd, 15, 62-4, 105-8
Great King,19, 112
Hebrew language, 63
Horses, 64, 106
Immanuel promise, 28-9, 89-90, 94-5, 98, 104
Jerusalem and the temple, 28,37,93-108,115
John the Baptist, 115, 117
King James Bible, 63
Kingship in Israel, 18
Lampstand, 102
Levites, 112-13
Manmade (self-willed) worship and religion, 39
Marriage and divorce, 113
Mixed marriage, 113-14
Molech, 84
Nature/grace, 27, 29
Nineveh, 52-7, 69-75, 88
North, 103
Offerings (see Sacrifices and offerings)
Office-bearers, 102,104 Oil, 102
Pentecost, 89

54
Priesthood in Israel, 16-17,95-6,111-13
Prophecy, 50-1, 55, 59-62, 87,112
Psalms outside the book of Psalms, 52, 56, 82
Redemption and atonement, 29, 45
"Remnant", 63, 89-90, 107
Rest, 71
Revelation, book of, 24, 26, 50, 62, 74, 89, 108, 117
Revised Standard Version, 32-3, 81
Righteousness, 65, 81
Sacrifices and offerings, 17, 65-6, 111-13
Samaritans, 91
Satan and demons, 101
Schilder, Klaas, 78
Sexuality, 11-12
Sign of Jonah, 58
Signet ring, 96-7
Sodom and Gomorrah, 39,88
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 20-1,83
Sovereignty of God, 48, 111
Torah, 89

55
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 7

Matthew - Luke

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[7]
Matthew .............................................................................................................................. 3
1. One Gospel in Four Books ................................................................................ 3
2. The "Gospels" as History.................................................................................. 4
[15]
3. Matthew and His "Gospel" ........................................................................... 6
4. The Genesis and Exodus of Jesus Christ (1:1—4:25) ........................................... 8
[25]
5. The Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:27) ......................................................... 11
6. Signs of the Messianic Age (7:28—10:4) ......................................................... 12
[31]
7. The Messiah's Heralds of Peace (10:5-42) ................................................... 13
[33]
8. Jesus Christ Gives Offense and Causes Wavering (11:1—12:50) .................... 14
9. Jesus Teaches in Parables (13:1-52) ............................................................... 16
10. Growing Alienation between the Messiah and Israel (13:53—17:27) .................. 17
11. On Church Order (18:1-35) .......................................................................... 19
12. Final Encounters with Israel in Judea and Jerusalem (19:1—23:39)................... 20
13. The Son of Man Comes (24:1—25:46) ........................................................... 21
14. The Just and Lawful Shepherd (26:1—28:20) ................................................. 23
[56]
Mark ................................................................................................................................ 25
1. The Author of the Second Gospel .................................................................... 25
[59]
2. Synopsis of the Apostle's Testimony ........................................................... 26
[64]
3. The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ ................................................. 28
4. The Son of God as Hidden Messiah.................................................................. 29
5. The Son of God as Rejected Messiah ............................................................... 30
6. Death and Resurrection ................................................................................. 31
[72]
Luke ................................................................................................................................. 33
1. The Beloved Physician Luke ........................................................................... 33
2. Luke's Purpose in Writing............................................................................... 34
3. Chaos or Order? ........................................................................................... 36
4. Lord and Servant (1:5—4:13) ........................................................................ 37
5. The Inauguration of the Year of Jubilee (4:14-9:50).......................................... 38
[88]
6. Jesus' Final Journey to Jerusalem (9:51—19:27) .......................................... 40
7. The Messiah Rejected by the City of Peace (19:28—23:49) ................................ 42
8. The Victory Begins with Jerusalem (23:50—24:53) ........................................... 43
[97]
Index ................................................................................................................................ 45

2
[7]
Matthew
1. One Gospel in Four Books
The unity of Christ's gospel. Those who are familiar with the Bible know that the New
Testament begins with four "gospels." Yet, in the first chapter of his letter to the
Galatians, Paul tells his readers in no uncertain terms that there is only one gospel.
Cursed be anyone who maintains that there is any other gospel!
Paul is right, of course, and we should take his warning seriously. There is only one
gospel, one joyous message for us. Therefore we would do well not to speak of the
Gospel of Matthew or Mark or Luke or John. Instead we should use the headings above
the "gospels" as we find them printed in our Bibles; in other words, we should speak of
the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Of course we intend no evil when we speak of the Gospel of Matthew, for this Gospel is
"of" Matthew in the sense that it is written by him. But it's better to stress the unity of
the gospel of Jesus Christ when we speak of the Bible books. Thus the first book of the
New Testament is the Gospel according to (the description of) Matthew.
[8]
The one true gospel is contained in the four books with which the New Testament
begins. All four testify about Jesus Christ, who became flesh, was crucified, and arose
from the grave. The framework of the stories narrated is roughly the same in all four,
even though Matthew and Luke include the story of Jesus' birth while Mark and John do
not.
Synoptic gospels. As you read these "gospels," you can't help but notice that the first
three have a lot of material in common, while the one written by John is somewhat
different. In 1774 the German scholar J. J. Griesbach characterized the first three
"gospels" as "synoptic" because they have a lot of material in common that can easily be
surveyed "synoptically" by arranging the material in three parallel columns. (The word
synopsis means survey or overview.) Indeed, parallel editions of Matthew, Mark and
Luke have been published. In any event, since the time of Griesbach, these three
gospels have been known as the synoptic gospels.
The Gospel according to Mark is made up of about 660 verses. Some 606 of them
reappear completely or partially in Matthew, and about 380 in Luke. Scholars concerned
with the relations between these three Bible books therefore like to speak of the
"synoptic question."
It was the Lord's will that our knowledge of the words and deeds of Jesus come to us
from four separate sources. As I pointed out earlier, this is a great advantage. The work
of our Redeemer is illuminated from four sides; we are given different perspectives on it.
Each gospel writer, because of his own individuality, brings different facets to the fore.
Each of the four books follows its own plan and has its own purpose. When we look at
something stereoscopically, the two converging points of view sharpen our perceptual
[9]
judgment. When it comes to Christ, we are allowed to look at Him from four separate
points of view. Doesn't this enrich and deepen our knowledge of Him?
Not collections of unrelated stories. It was not the intention of the gospel writers to
provide a collection of unrelated stories presented in random order. No, they definitely
had their hearers and readers in mind. As they passed on the words and deeds of Christ,
they kept one eye fixed on the questions that had arisen and the heresies threatening
the church. What they told the people of their day was not only of interest and
importance then but has retained its relevance right down to our time.
Each of the four witnesses has his own style, his own way of taking hold of the reader.
Each evangelist, following a well-circumscribed plan, sketches the apostolic witness. As
we study the four gospels in succession, we shall see how the Holy Spirit made use of
the unique nature and past history of each of the writers. Matthew was a Jew and a
former tax-collector. Mark was a Jew from Jerusalem, who kept up contacts with both

3
Peter and Paul. Luke was born a heathen and was a physician by vocation. And John, of
course, was the disciple Jesus loved so dearly.

2. The "Gospels" as History

The critical approach to the Scriptures. C. H. Dodd defends the critical approach to
Scripture as follows:
Biblical criticism means nothing but applying to the biblical documents the
rational or scientific methods of scholarship which are applied in other
fields of study....
Granted, however, that biblical criticism is a legitimate, and even a useful,
branch of scientific study, is it important for the general reader, who has
[10]
no particular interest in matters of archaeology or ancient history? ... I
should be sorry to suggest that the only way to an understanding of the
Bible lies through the latest refinements of critical scholarship. But the
problems with which criticism is concerned are problems that face any
reader who wishes to understand the Scriptures, and the critical method,
as a means of approach to the Scriptures, is acutely relevant to any
1
serious study of the Bible as a religious book.
Anyone in our time who thinks seriously about Scripture cannot dodge the question
whether a critical approach to the Biblical givens about Jesus is permitted. Like it or not,
we are confronted with the question whether everything we read about Jesus in the first
four books of the New Testament is indeed true.
History or a message? Some students of the Bible maintain that what the "gospel"
writers give us is not really history at all but a message about Jesus clothed in a
narrative form, a form that could well be disputed on historical grounds. From a scientific
standpoint, Jesus' feeding of thousands of people with a small amount of food is simply
impossible.
But the issue, according to this school of thought, is not what science will permit. We are
assured that such stories are to be read as proclamations that Jesus is still with His
church and cares for her. The question whether everything happened just as it is
recorded is not our concern—not even when it comes to the story of the resurrection!
[11]
Jesus should be viewed not as a historical figure but as a source of inspiration for
people living in our time. In fact, we should not be talking about redemption and its
history at all. The desire for "redemption" and "eternal life" is a form of egoism.
In any event, we have no solid historical knowledge of Jesus' life: much of what we read
must be regarded as myth, we are told. We must "demythologize" what the writers of
the "gospels" tell us in order to uncover the message embedded in their words.
The testimony of the early church. We are also told by some that what the "gospels"
contain is not the preaching of Jesus Christ but the preaching of the early church. The
writers of these books arose out of the church community. They did pass on to us some
of Jesus' actual words, but they often put words into His mouth and packed a meaning of
their own into the words they attributed to Him. In other words, they transformed some
of Jesus' statements in order to make Him affirm what they themselves believed.
Thus we are advised to regard the "gospels" more as the testimony of the early church
than as a record of the authentic words of Jesus Himself; they represent not a divine
revelation but a theology of the church. The Gospel according to John, for example, is a

1
The Bible To-day (Cambridge University Press, 1962), pp. 23, 27. Dodd proposes to
approach the gospel message in a strictly critical way in order to "recover the earliest
and most trustworthy forms of the Gospel tradition" (The Authority of the Bible, Harper
Torchbooks, 1958, p. 228). According to Dodd, there are contradictions between the four
"gospels."

4
series of sermons delivered by preachers of the early Christian church, sermons
2
interwoven with a certain fixed historical kernel.
[12]
Many scholars of this persuasion will accept Mark as the author of the book
attributed to him while arguing that Matthew, Luke and John are made-up characters
who cannot be identified as authors of any of the "gospels."
Authoritative, eyewitness accounts. To all such arguments, whether they come from
Protestants or Roman Catholics, Scripture has only one answer: "We did not follow
cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (II Pet. 1:16). In the introduction
to the Gospel according to Luke, we read that the events are presented "just as they
were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers
of the word." Luke continues: "It seemed good to me, having followed all things closely
for some time past, to write an orderly account for you . .. that you may know the truth
concerning the things of which you have been informed" (Luke 1:2-4).
Scripture comes to us with an authority of its own and demands to be received as
authoritative. It does not present itself as a hodge-podge of views and writings
stemming from various theologians of the early church or a product of later reflection by
[13]
pious Christians of assorted outlooks. Scripture is not a loose collection of documents
that scholars and computers can analyze into mutually contradictory and historically
unreliable "proclamations." The New Testament brings us a message with great
authority; it tells us what was said and what happened. It does not represent a re-
creation or re-shaping of the words and deeds of a certain radical named Jesus. Instead
it gives us a revelation from God, a revelation that is not to be put on the same level as
purely human books and documents subject to questioning, doubt and—ultimately—
rejection. When we approach the New Testament (including its historical books), we
must proceed from the belief that Scripture is accurate and trustworthy.
God's unbroken Word. We should not be afraid of those who point to alleged conflicts in
the Scriptural record. Many of these "problems" are invented by scholars intent on
proving that Scripture contradicts itself.
God's Word cannot be broken. If you proceed from this rule, you will be in a strong
position over against the suspicions and doubts about the Bible, for in the final analysis
the issue is whether the Bible is really God's Word. Many theories once presented as
scientifically unassailable have since proved untenable.
Let Scripture be its own interpreter. Those who call Biblical history into question are
really sawing off the branch on which they are seated. After all, what good will the
gospel do me if the assurance that this or that actually happened has no more weight
than the familiar "Once upon a time..." with which so many fairy tales open?
Narrative style and historical accuracy. Neither should you let yourself be influenced by
those who argue that in the "synoptic gospels," events and sayings are presented in a
confused order, with later events sometimes preceding earlier events. The conclusion

2
T. Baarda argues that "there can be no talk of historical reliability in the sense in which we
understand this term" (De Betrouwbaarheid van de Evangeliën, Kampen, 1967, p. 83). "At the
edges of the tradition we run into popular legends, rumors, and sometimes also the personal
impressions of those who passed the tradition on. How could an editor ever sort all of this out?
Sometimes a personal interpretation of a story or a word may have played a role in determining
the form in which his gospel was cast" (p. 76). Baarda's argument, then, is that fantasy played a
role in the composition of the gospels, that there was a transformation of material, as often
happens in the case of a rumor. We have a hard time determining just where we stand with regard
to the gospels, for we cannot assume that everything recorded in them actually happened or was
said (p. 80). For Baarda the issue is not who Jesus was; what the proclamation really tells us is
who Jesus is (p. 50). In this existentialist interpretation of the gospel, history is viewed as a
garment in which the proclamation is clothed, a box in which it is contained. By the time Baarda is
finished, there is not much left of the affirmative language in which the gospels were written.

5
 [14]
drawn, of course, is that these three Bible books contain nothing that we can safely
regard as historical fact.
The flaw in this argument is that it imposes our method of recording history on the
authors of these three 'gospels." Were the writers of Scriptural history under an
obligation to present the facts and dates in a chronological sequence? The Old Testament
historical books (e.g. Kings, Jeremiah) certainly did not do so.
What we find in such books is a different kind of order, an order bound up with the
author's purpose in writing. Yet, this is not proof that there is no genuine history
presented in such books. In the case of the Old Testament books, there is a fair amount
of independent, extra-Biblical material to corroborate what we read, but in the case of
the New Testament there is very little. Is that a reason to doubt the historical sections of
the New Testament?
As for the arrangement of the material, which hardly corresponds to what we find in
twentieth century works of historical scholarship, is it really so strange? How do we
proceed when we tell others about the things that have happened to us? First we
describe the predicament we were in: "There I was in the middle of the night, not a
house within sight, with a crying baby in my arms and a car with two flat tires . . . ."
Then we proceed to explain to our hearers how we got into such a predicament.
Is our narrative style any different from that of the "gospel" writers? We would not want
our reports of what happened to us yesterday or the day before to be dismissed as
fantasy because they are not cast in the form favored by historical scholarship. The point
to remember, then, is that we must bear the author's purpose in mind and not take him
for a twentieth century historian.

[15]
3. Matthew and His "Gospel"
A tax-collector from Capernaum. Luke and Mark speak of the calling of the tax-collector
Levi, of Capernaum (Luke 5:27; Mark 2:14), but they do not mention that he is the
apostle Matthew, whose name means gift of God. Matthew does bring this out in his
account of the gospel: he speaks of the calling of a man named Matthew (9:9) and
identifies him as one of the twelve apostles.
Matthew was a tax-collector. Hence the writer of the first book of the New Testament
must have been well suited to the task to which he was called, for his work in the tax
office had given him extensive experience in writing things down. He must have known
at least two languages. Moreover, he must have been capable of recording facts, good at
arithmetic, and able to size up a situation.
The strategic midpoint. For a while Jesus and Matthew lived in the same city—
Capernaum. Thus it is possible that Matthew was familiar with Jesus' words and deeds
before he was called to be an apostle. Perhaps he already believed in Jesus when he was
called.
We must do our work where God places us. Therefore we should not take it ill of
Matthew that he manifests a special interest in Capernaum and speaks of this city
through his entire book. After Jesus was baptized, He
withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in
Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what
was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
toward the sea, across the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles [the nations]—
the [covenant] people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
[16]
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light was dawned" (4:12-16; see also Is. 9:1-2).

6
Capernaum is the strategic midpoint of all that Matthew tells us about Jesus, including
His last journey to Jerusalem. It was in Capernaum that the servant of the centurion,
Peter's mother-in-law, the woman who had bled for twelve years, and the daughter of
Jairus were healed. Matthew even speaks of Capernaum as Jesus' "own city" (9:1).
Just before His dramatic entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was at Capernaum, where He paid
the temple tax in an amazing way (17:24ff). Yet, Matthew also reports that Jesus said:
"And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to
Hades" (11:23).
A Jew writing for Jews. Tradition has it that Matthew, at someone's request, first copied
down the words of Jesus in Hebrew or Aramaic. It is possible that he later translated this
material into Greek and added some narrative sections, thereby producing the Gospel
according to Matthew as we know it.
It is clear that as Matthew composed his "gospel," he was thinking especially of his own
people, the Jewish people of the covenant. Didn't the Old Testament Scriptures already
prophesy that there would come a "ruler" who would be the "shepherd of my people
Israel"? (2:6; Mic. 5:2; II Sam. 5:2).
Jesus was Israel's General, its King. But the heart of the covenant people "grew dull"
(13:15; Is. 6:10); despite the lip service they paid God, their heart was far from Him
(15:8; Is. 29:13). Unlike Mark, Matthew not only mentions the leaders of the people but
explicitly declares that the chief priests and elders of the covenant people rejected Christ
(26:3, 47; 27:1). He alone records the cry for covenant wrath when the mob demanded
[17]
that Jesus be crucified: "His blood be on us and on our children!" (27:25).
Matthew's own attitudes also surface in his repeated quotations from the Old Testament.
On at least ten separate occasions, he points out that this or that passage of Scripture
was fulfilled in Jesus.
Matthew appeals to his readers to recognize Jesus as the King of Israel, the one
promised in Scripture. Jesus has established a new people, a church (ekklésia), a new
covenant community. The Jews who had already become Christians should not return to
the worship of the synagogue, and those who were still hesitating should take the
decisive step, for covenant judgment on the apostate people could not be far away.
Matthew records some stern words of warning addressed to Capernaum and Jerusalem
(11:23; 23:1—24:35).
A carefully organized book. Matthew composed his gospel account with great care. As
one of the despised officials of Herod Antipas, as a tax-collector for the Romans
stationed in the border city of Capernaum, he knew how to keep track of things and
arrange material. He made good use of his skills when he sat down to write about Jesus
and His mission.
The symbolic use of numbers plays an even greater role in the writings of the ancient
Near East than most of us would suspect. The Bible is no exception. The Gospel ac-
cording to Matthew is built around five addresses of Jesus. You can check this point for
yourself.
After the first address, the Sermon on the Mount, we read: "And when Jesus finished
these sayings .. ." (7:28). We read something similar in 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; and 26:1. In
between are stories of healings and other events. These five addresses are spread
throughout Matthew's entire book.
[18]

1:1-4:25: Genealogy, the story of Jesus' birth, His baptism, the temptation in the
wilderness, the beginning of His ministry.
5:1-7:27: First address, the Sermon on the Mount. Seek first the Kingdom and the
Father's righteousness.

7
7:28—10:4: Jesus' work in Capernaum and vicinity.
10:5-42: Second address, delivered when the twelve apostles were sent out.
11:1-12:50: More work in Galilee by the Coming One, the Son of the Father, the Son of
man, the Lord of the sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, the Son of David.
13:1-52: Third address, made up of parables about the Kingdom of heaven.
13:53-17:27: Continuation of the work in the shadow of the rejection by Israel and the
coming suffering, but also in the light of the coming glory and the
establishing of the church.
18:1-35: Fourth address, about the order required by the Kingdom of heaven and
the gathering of the church.
19:1-22:46: Work on the way to Judea, the entry into Jerusalem, and the controversy
there.
23:1-25:46: Fifth address, about the judgment of the Son of man.
26:1-28:20: Suffering, death and resurrection.
Once we are aware of this structure, we see just how much care and effort Matthew put
into the composition of his book. His apologia for Jesus and his appeal to meet the
coming Bridegroom is divided and organized systematically. In earlier times, people were
much more oriented toward symmetry and harmony and watched for it when they read.
[19]
We should try reading right through the Gospel according to Matthew, underlining
freely to get some sense of the unfolding of the whole work. That way we will be sure to
catch sight of its chief divisions.
We should note that there are seven petitions in the Lord's prayer as presented in
Matthew, seven parables in the address recorded in chapter 13, and seven cries of woe
in chapter 23. The Immanuel theme (i.e. God with us) occurs at the very beginning
(1:23) and again at the end, where Christ promises to be with His chosen ones "to the
close of the age" (28:20).
Keep an eye open for these elements in the composition of Matthew. The writers of the
"gospels" were not chroniclers mindlessly copying down one event and saying after
another. As we have seen repeatedly, the Bible was not written by robots. The "gospels"
we are given to read have been very carefully constructed.
Matthew's purpose in writing. Matthew did not provide us with the date of composition.
Given the heavily Jewish flavor of his appeal, we must assume that he wrote his book
when an appeal still made sense, that is, before the drama of the year 70, when
Jerusalem was destroyed in judgment. Could it be that Matthew was already making
notes while Jesus was on earth working among the covenant people, and that soon
afterward he proceeded to write his account of the gospel, perhaps to fill a need in
teaching the youth of the church?

4. The Genesis and Exodus of Jesus Christ (1:1—4:25)

The "toledoth" of Jesus. Matthew begins with the words: "The book of the genealogy of
[20]
Jesus Christ." In the King James Version we read: "The book of the generation of
Jesus Christ." The Greek word translated as generation or genealogy is genesis, the
same word used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word toledoth, as in Genesis
5:1: "This is the book of the genesis/toledoth of Adam." In a Dutch Bible translation of
1560, the book of Matthew introduces itself as the book of the "births" of Jesus Christ. Is
Matthew the book of births in that the first chapter gives us a genealogy, or is the entire
book to be read as the "toledoth" of Jesus?
The New Testament's connection with the Old Testament is already emphasized in the
opening sentence and chapter of Matthew. The two Testaments are related by way of the
torah, the teaching. The first "gospel," which gives us the words of Jesus in the form of

8
five addresses that remind us of the fivefold Torah, formulates the message about the
Messiah in terms the Jews would understand: Matthew begins by speaking of toledoth—
the toledoth of Jesus Christ!
The new David. All of redemptive history leads up to the coming of the one who reveals
Himself as the Son of David (the promised King) and the Son of Abraham (the promised
Seed). Genesis and the books that follow it are given their full meaning in His genesis.
The family tree in Matthew is carefully arranged: 3 times 14 generations. First comes a
period of ascent, from Abraham to David. Next is a period of glory, from Solomon on.
Finally, there is a period of decline, from the exile on.
The number 14 may well have a special significance. In Hebrew, the letters of the
alphabet were used as numerals as well: the first letter of the alphabet stood for one,
the second for two, and so on. Now, the name David is spelled DVD in Hebrew. (Vowels
do not count as letters.) When we turn the letters in this name into numbers, we get:
[21]
D(4) plus V(6) plus D(4) equals 14. ("V," the Hebrew waw, is the sixth letter of the
alphabet.) Could the arrangement of the genealogy into three groups of 14 be a way of
reminding readers that each group speaks of David, and that Jesus is the new David, the
last David?
Jesus' genealogy. Matthew's genealogy does not give us the descent of Jesus' bloodline,
as Luke's does. In Luke's genealogy, we learn that Joseph, who served as Jesus' father,
was a son of David (1:20), but not of Solomon's line. Instead he was descended from
Nathan, another son of David (Luke 3:23ff; II Sam. 5:14; Zech. 12:12). What Matthew
gives us is the line of the rulers, that is, the kings and family heads.
We could perhaps compare the genealogy he presents to the family tree of the House of
Orange, the royal family of the Netherlands. If you trace the actual descent by blood, it
turns out that the ruling dynasty of the Netherlands is not descended from the country's
founding father, William of Orange (i.e. William the Silent), but from his brother John of
Nassau. Yet the succession of the line of rulers runs as follows: William of Orange,
Maurice, Frederick Henry, William II, the childless William III (who became king of
England), William IV, and so on. Matthew's genealogy shows us that Jesus has a right to
claim the kingship, for He is surrounded by the aura of David and his house.
The genealogy in Matthew also points out something else of great interest: it mentions
four women not descended from Abraham, namely, the Canaanites Tamar (Gen. 38) and
Rahab (Josh. 2), the Moabite Ruth, and Bathsheba, the Hittite wife of Uriah. As a tax-
collector, Matthew knew what it was to be despised by people. But Jesus called him
anyway. At the very beginning of his "gospel," then, Matthew opposes the "leaven" of
the Pharisees, which leaves no room for the grace and forgiveness of sins in which
Matthew himself delights.
[22]
Prophecies fulfilled. The "genesis" or birth of Jesus Christ (1:18) brought into the
world the one who was to deliver His people and free them from their sins (1:21; Ps. ]
30:8). He would be Immanuel, that is, God with us. The Branch of David's house was
capable of such things because He was begotten by the Holy Spirit (1:18).
Lured on by some "natural phenomenon," wise men from the east who come to worship
the king of the Jews are advised to move on from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, on the basis
of a passage of Scripture (i.e. Mic. 5:2). Although they have seen only the star, they
already believe in the scepter (see Num. 24:17, which is a prophecy of Balaam, who was
also a wise man from the east). Yet the Sanhedrin does not follow the path of adoration,
even though it consists of the "chief priests and scribes" of the covenant people (2:4).
Herod, the ruling king of the Jews, plays the role of an oppressing Pharaoh. We hear
Rachel weeping for her children, as Jeremiah 31, the famous chapter about the new
covenant, is fulfilled (see vs. 15).
Jesus Christ, the new Moses, is saved from the clutches of Pharaoh/Herod and is taken
to Egypt at the command of a heavenly messenger. Wasn't Jesus to be "like his brethren

9
in every respect"? (Heb. 2:17). Moreover, a prophecy of Hosea also awaited fulfillment:
"Out of Egypt I called my son" (Hos. 11:1).
Matthew never tires of showing his fellow Jews (i.e. his fellow members of the church)
how the necessary fulfillment of the Scriptures has taken place in the life of Jesus. The
same Jesus who has mercy on a tax-collector is also the new Moses of the last exodus,
who wanted to show His solidarity with His people.
A New Testament Elijah. This Moses/Messiah is preceded by an Elijah (Mal. 4:5) wearing
a penitential garment of camel's hair. This Elijah preaches to the leading classes (i.e. the
[23]
Pharisees and Sadducees) about the coming judgment. Drawing on the song of
Moses, he denounces them as a "brood of vipers" because of their apostasy from the
3
covenant (3:7ff; Deut. 32:32ff). Matthew shows his readers that Moses' testament in
his swan song will be fulfilled just as John warned unless the people repent.
The end of Matthew's book points back to the beginning: it appears that Israel's leaders
and people have rejected the King of the Jews. This title for Jesus is used again at the
end of the book (see 2:2; 27:29, 37, 42). Jerusalem will fall because of this rejection. In
His message of judgment (ch. 23-24), Jesus affirms what His predecessor said on this
score.
One with His people. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River. (This river is important in
Israel's history because the people entered Canaan by crossing it.) His baptism is a
fulfillment of righteousness (covenant obedience). By being baptized like any sinner, He
demonstrates His solidarity with His people. But when this Joshua/Jesus emerges from
[24]
the water, He proceeds to carry out the task God has given Him, drawing on the
power of the Holy Spirit, God's righteousness.
Jesus is one with His people. Wasn't Israel earlier called out of the wilderness? Didn't the
Israelites stumble repeatedly and do a lot of complaining? (Think of the history recorded
in Exodus and Numbers.) This Son of God is now tested, just as Israel was tested. Satan
tempts Him in the wilderness for 40 days, just as the covenant people spent 40 years
there. Three times Jesus responds to satan's temptations by quoting from the last book
of Moses (Deut. 8:3; 6:16, 13). Get behind Me, satan! Jesus responds in the same vein
when His disciple Peter becomes a satan, an opponent, someone standing in His way
(16:23).
A new exodus. The Savior's only desire is to do His Father's will. Therefore He will bring
about the definitive exodus. This Joshua—Jesus is an Aramaic form of the name Joshua—
will lead His people to rest. It is for this purpose that He calls His first helpers and leaves
Nazareth to live by the Sea of Galilee, in the despised area that had earlier belonged to
the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali.
The first four disciples were fishermen by calling. The blessings of Jacob and Moses had
established a connection between Zebulun and Naphtali, on the one hand, and ships and
beaches and the affluence of the sea, on the other (Gen. 49:13; Deut. 33:19). Jesus
transformed these four disciples from fishers of fish into fishers of men.
Jesus then started preaching, singing the same melody that John the Baptist had sung
(4:17; 3:2). The Kingdom of God was proclaimed in the synagogues. From far and wide
the sick came to be healed, for the Messianic era had dawned. Matthew was later to give

3
Deuteronomy 32 was familiar because it was used in the liturgy. The fact that some parts of
Deuteronomy 32 were found in the caves by Qumran indicates that special copies of Moses' song
were made for use in the worship services. Compare Deuteronomy 32:18 with Matthew 3:9, where
we read about children being raised up from stones; Deuteronomy 32:22 with Matthew 3:11-12,
where fire is emphasized; Deuteronomy 32:32-3 with Matthew 3:10, where Jesus speaks of the
tree that does not bear good fruit. See also Deuteronomy 32:22ff and 35ff, which deal with the
wrath to come and the impossibility of escape. To understand the New Testament, from Matthew
to Revelation, we must be familiar with Deuteronomy 32, the song that testified against Israel
while at the same time serving as Israel's "national anthem"!

10
examples of the healing, but first he tells us about the Word preached by Jesus.

[25]
5. The Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:27)
The letter of the law. The Ten Words were proclaimed from Mount Sinai. After that the
Israelites tried all sorts of means to dodge the law (torah). The scribes and Pharisees
upheld it in name but robbed the law of its power through numerous additional
stipulations. They imposed a heavy yoke on the people, a yoke no one could bear.
At the same time, they created many loopholes in the law, through which the intent of
the commandments could be dodged. The torah of the Pharisees, those strict upholders
of the law, was a collection of formal rules governing outward conduct; it was foreign to
the Spirit of the one who requires wholehearted love (Deut. 6:5) as a condition for
carrying out His kingly will.
Informal respects, of course, the people did live by the rules—and even went beyond the
demands of the rules. The prayer known as the "Shema," which includes Deuteronomy
6:5, was nailed onto the doorposts. And when the Jews prayed, they had tied to their
heads and arms little containers that included a prayer text in which they were
commanded to "love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your might."
Yet, the real righteousness needed for the Kingdom of God was nowhere to be found.
These Jews hoped to earn salvation by formal obedience to the law. As a result, they fell
prey to the tyranny of slavery.
A restatement of the law. The Lord Jesus now ascended a mountain and stepped into the
role of teacher. Matthew records what this new Moses said to His disciples and to the
crowd of people who had come to listen to Him. After reporting on the beginning of
Jesus' ministry, Matthew, who had felt the deathly effect of the Pharisees' teaching so
[26]
strongly in his own life, gives us the content of this glorious, liberating address—the
gospel for those who appear before God as poor.
There are some who argue that this address was meant only for a certain class of
people, for super-Christians. But do you suppose that the Lord Jesus divides His people
into classes and categories? Other Bible scholars have argued that Jesus Himself was
expecting the world's end to come very quickly and therefore turned all existing laws
inside out for the brief period that was left.
The Anabaptists have used the Sermon on the Mount to support various revolutionary
ideas, arguing that when Jesus spoke out against murder and oaths, He was denying the
legitimacy of authority, judges and any military might. Leo Tolstoy also embraced this
point of view. Gandhi, who claims that reading the law of Moses put him to sleep,
likewise felt drawn to the Sermon on the Mount, thinking that Jesus, too, proposed to
introduce a new society by advocating passive resistance and pacifism.
Such approaches tear the words of Jesus out of their context. Jesus is then turned into
some sort of universal reformer and idealist and is not allowed to be the Christ of the
Scriptures, the Messiah of His church, His new people, as He wanted to be.
Those who argue that Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was meant as an improved edition of
Moses' law are also wrong. They like to point out that Jesus repeatedly declared: "You
have heard that it was said . . . but I say unto you ...." If Jesus did indeed mean to
repeal the laws given by Moses, He would be a true revolutionary, attacking the words of
the Father. But that was not His intention.
The law in our hearts. Like the prophets of old, Jesus was emphasizing that God's
covenant will is absolute. As Messiah, He wanted to write the law in the hearts of His
[27]
people (Jer. 31:33). He wanted to break through the half-hearted service of God that
left as much room for self-seeking as for service. His purpose was to make the meaning
and purpose of the law clear again.

11
Murder is forbidden, He pointed out, but so is cherishing a grudge; adultery is forbidden,
but so are evil desires; perjury is forbidden, but so is the misuse of oaths. Jesus
certainly did not oppose all use of the sword (see John 19:11), and He did recognize
government (see 22:21). He swore an oath before Caiaphas (see 26:64), and on at least
one occasion He refused to turn the other cheek (see John 18:23). He knew what it is to
appreciate luxury (see 26:6ff), and He did not condemn money as such (see Luke 8:3).
Love and grace. What Jesus wanted to show His people is that love for God and
subordination to His kingly will is central: "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness
[i.e. the righteousness promised and given by God], and all these things shall be yours
as well" (6:33). He warned: "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and
Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (5:20). He also spoke the
following sobering words: "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (7:21).
In some situations involving personal matters, obedience might require us not to "stand
up for our own rights" but suffer injustice instead. It may be that we must make heavy
financial sacrifices for the sake of God's rule. We must also learn to hate all dodging of
the law that is paired with an ostentatious pretense of virtue (something in which Israel's
leaders led the way). Neither "liturgy" nor the work of deacons (not even worldwide
missions of mercy) can guarantee us a place in "heaven." Anyone who thinks the
contrary need not expect anything of God; he has already received his reward, in the
[28]
form of public admiration (6:1 ff). To seek God's rule is to live by grace.
The very first sentences in the Sermon on the Mount already speak of grace. Like Psalm
1, this famous address begins with the word blessed. The King speaks to His subjects,
who, like the poor in the Psalms, only wish to live by grace, hungering and thirsting for
God's righteousness, The old promises made to Abraham go with them. Although they
are the King's children and will inherit the earth, they must first persevere "meekly"
during a time of oppression (5:5, 10-12). For them the "seeking" of God's Kingdom is no
uncertain experiment. The Father who is in heaven will let them find Him (7:7ff) and
give them what they need to serve as citizens of His Kingdom (6:25ff).

6. Signs of the Messianic Age (7:28—10:4)

Signs of the times. After this impressive proclamation, Matthew goes on to tell us about
various deeds of Jesus in Capernaum and vicinity, deeds that are also indications of His
full Messianic power. Jesus Himself spoke of such deeds as "signs of the times" (16:3).
These signs gave Him legitimacy in the eyes of others; they showed that He was actually
the Servant of the Lord (Is. 53), the one who has come to bear our diseases (8:17).
Jesus came to bring about the complete re-creation of which the prophets already
spoke:
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
4
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
[29]
then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy
(Is. 35:5-6).
We are used to thinking of the "signs of the times" as signs announcing Jesus' coming
beforehand, but that is a mistaken understanding of this term. The "signs of the times"
are Christ's revelation in word and deed that the Messianic era has come. Although Jesus
will come like a thief in the night and although He warned against relying on signs
(24:4ff), we are commanded in Scripture to regard the wonders He performed as "signs
of the times." Israel had to realize that the Messiah had indeed arrived on the scene. The

4
We read that the eyes of the blind will be "opened" and the ears of the deaf "unstopped," but in
the Hebrew text we find the word opened in both instances. Jesus once alluded to this prophecy,
by using this verb when healing a deaf man ("Ephphatha"—Mark 7:34). Embellishing a translation
for literary purposes by introducing greater variety in the words used can sometimes hinder our
understanding of the connections between the Old and New Testaments.

12
deeds of Jesus were the melody by which the people would recognize the restored
kingdom of David.
Thus the leper who was healed was ordered to obey the law of Moses and report to the
priest in the temple (8:4). Israel would not listen, but the faith of the centurion whose
servant was healed foreshadows those outside the nation of Israel who would indeed
enter the Kingdom. The children of the Kingdom, to whom the promise of divine rule was
originally given, will be cast out (vs. 10ff). Even the waves obey the Messiah, for He is
mightier than the waves of the sea (Ps. 93:4). Since the time of the final reckoning has
not yet come, spirits may enter unclean pigs, but this change in habitation ends with the
pigs rushing into the sea (vs. 28ff).
The Son of man. All power is given to Jesus (28:18; 7:29; 8:27, 32; 9:6), the Son of
[30]
man. We come across this Messianic title in Matthew, a title that points back to
various passages, including Daniel 7:13, where we read that someone "like a son of
man" went to the Ancient of Days on a cloud.
The figure of the "son of man" represents the church or the saints, but at the same time
it symbolizes the Messiah. He is given "dominion and glory and kingdom." Jesus is the
Son of man, the last Adam (Ps. 8:5ff). Thus what this title emphasizes is not His earthly
nature but His power. That power is manifest in the wonders He performs.
His authority is revealed not only in His deeds of healing but also in His words. When He
heals the lame man at Capernaum, He already speaks words of forgiveness. The
restoration of life in deeds of healing presupposes the forgiveness of sins, for sin is the
cause of our hunger and misery. The Son of man is the Deliverer who redeems His
people from their sins (1:21). If the forgiveness of sins is accepted, everything else will
fall into place.
Healing and suffering. It was probably the case of the lame man (9:1ff) that opened the
eyes of the tax-collector Levi/Matthew. This dramatic healing was followed by a festive
meal in which Matthew participated (vs. 10ff). Matthew also saw Jesus exercise His
power over the sleep of death (vs. 18ff).
Jesus, the Son of David (1:1; 9:27), knew what it meant to suffer and could therefore
sympathize with others. At he beginning of Matthew it becomes apparent that the Son of
man will triumph by following the way of suffering. "The Son of man has nowhere to lay
his head" (8:20). Later Jesus would go into this great riddle more deeply: He, the
world's Judge, the heir to the throne, must be rejected by His own people if the price for
the redemption of His church is to be paid. His cross became a sign of the times, the
sign of Jonah.
[31]
7. The Messiah's Heralds of Peace (10:5-42)
Israel confronted with the choice. Jesus chose twelve disciples and gave them authority
to preach the Kingdom of heaven to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and perform
healing miracles. Of course the number 12 had something to do with the twelve tribes of
Israel.
The evangelists sent out were instructed to limit themselves to Israel: there was no
thought of visiting the pagans or the Samaritans. Later, after the ascension into heaven,
there would be time to preach to the Gentiles (10:5; 28:19). But first the covenant
people would have to be confronted with the choice.
The word peace (shalom) was already used as a greeting, but now it took on its full
meaning. The apostles, those who were sent out by Jesus, were to take back this
greeting and shake the dust off their feet if they were not properly received (see Acts
13:51; 18:6). This deed would be nothing more or less than an announcement of
judgment.
Here again the schism in the national community became visible. It appeared that the
"church" and the "people" were not identical.

13
Not peace but the sword. The heralds of peace would unleash warfare. Christ had not
come to bring peace on earth but the sword (10:34). The position of Jesus' missionaries
was that of sheep among wolves. The pupil is not greater than his teacher. There would
be suffering ahead, and the apostles would have to persevere. Yet they were given
promises (10:29-33, 39). "He who receives you receives me" (10:40). Here Jesus
expressed solidarity with His apostles.
Bear in mind that Jesus' remarks to these apostles were really a sermon about the office
they had assumed. As such they bear on the entire apostolic era. Jesus spoke in an ear-
nest way about the persecution to come and declared:
[32]
When you are persecuted in one town,
take refuge in another;
I tell you this:
before you have gone
through all the towns of Israel
the Son of Man will have come (10:22 NEB).
Here we have an allusion to the coming of the Son of man in judgment—a judgment
meant for Israel. Therefore the apostles are exhorted to persevere to the end (10:22),
the consummation of the judgment on Jerusalem.
The choice facing the church. The reason Matthew's book was so timely is that it brought
out the task of the church in the twilight of the day of judgment descending on God's
disobedient people—the judgment of Jerusalem's destruction. Lay the axe to the root of
the tree!
Matthew's relevance for today should not escape us either. In our time the gospel
continues to drive a wedge between real believers and nominal members of the church.
The gospel demands that we surrender our very lives (10:39; Rev. 12:11).
Sometimes Matthew 10 is quoted to support a revolutionary overthrow of authority or of
the church's confession or to defend some experimental venture in the area of politics or
the church. But how could the Savior possibly have exhorted His disciples to let go of His
teaching for His sake in order to find life? This kind of "losing" actually amounts to
confessing a Christ who preaches a false peace. It's like running with the hares and
hunting with the hounds!

[33]
8. Jesus Christ Gives Offense and Causes Wavering (11:1—12:50)
John the Baptist's question. The section of Matthew that now begins shows how Jesus
gave offense, gave others reason to waver and fall. (The Greek word used here is
skandalon, which is related to our word scandal.)
First there was John the Baptist, who was in prison by this time. He had preached
judgment while he was free, but now he heard that there was no Messianic judgment
toppling the tall trees. Instead Jesus was going around helping people and healing them.
From Herod's prison he sent a deputation to Jesus with the question: "Are you he who is
to come, or shall we look for another?" (11:3; see also Ps. 118:26). Apparently they
sought something or someone different in the role of Messiah. Wasn't the Messiah going
to judge the world with righteousness? Even the forerunner wavered.
The Servant of the Lord. In His answer Jesus pointed back to the prophets. At the time
of His baptism by John, the Father had declared that Jesus was His Son in whom He was
well pleased: this identified Him as the Servant of the Lord (3:17; Is. 42:1).
Was it not written that this Servant would go about His work without stirring up a lot of
commotion, as a meek person who would not break the bruised reed before the triumph
of justice was achieved? He would let the signs of the times be seen in healing wonders
(Is. 35:5-6) and bring glad tidings especially to "the poor" (Is. 65:1ff; Matt.
11:5; Luke 4:16ff).

14
Here we have "the poor" again, the ones described in the Sermon on the Mount as "the
meek"! Judgment would indeed come. In time Jesus would wield the axe, but first the
[34]
gospel would have to be proclaimed. The emissaries were sent back to John with a
benediction.
Jesus' forerunner. In this context Jesus was saying something about the meaning of His
forerunner's work. The four gospel writers sometimes make explicit references to John's
position—partly because John, after his death, was transformed by some of his own
disciples into a messiah opposed to Christ's gospel (see Acts 19:1ff).
The gospel had to do battle with John's unfinished reformation. John's position was not
the final one. Through the work of this Elijah, the believers were called 1o press on and
take hold fully of the Kingdom of God in the new covenant (11:12).
Judgment for rejection. Although John had wavered, he did ask for more enlightenment.
But what about "this generation" (Deut. 32:5, 20, 28; Ps. 12:8), that is, the majority of
Jesus' hearers? They had rejected John as too severe and uncompromising, but they also
rejected the Bridegroom Jesus, who was much more gentle than John.
Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, the cities north of the Sea of Galilee where so
many wonders had occurred, put themselves in the same position as Tyre, Sidon,
Babylon, and Sodom. In fact, they had sunk below the level of those heathen cities
(11:16ff; Is. 14:13-15; see also Rev. 18, where the Jewish city of Jerusalem is called
Babylon, and prophecies against Tyre and Sidon are applied to it).
A promise of rest. Thanks be to God, there were still children who did not take offense at
these harsh words, children who shook off the rabbinical yoke of needless burdens and
came to Jesus. Tenderly the Savior called to them: "Come to me, all who labor and are
[35]
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me ...
and you will find rest for your souls" (11:28-9).
The rest Jesus promises here is not a personal rest of the "soul" but a Messianic peace
that goes beyond all understanding, re-creating and restoring everything. When He
made this promise, Jesus was quoting from the prophet Jeremiah:
Thus says the LORD:
"Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls."
But they said, "We will not walk in it."
Therefore thus says the LORD:
"Behold, I will lay before this people
stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble"
(Jer.6:16,21).
I will lay stumbling blocks before them! Jesus also came to bring about the fall of many
in Israel.
The sin against the Holy Spirit. Matthew continues his account of how people took
offense at Jesus. People were deeply offended at what He said; it was not just a matter
of bad humor. Jesus gave offense in the sense that people stumbled over Him as over a
stumbling block. He was denounced for violating the sabbath.
Israel's leaders argued that Jesus was capable of amazing deeds only because He was in
league with Beelzebul, the prince of demons, whose name probably means lord of the
house (12:24; 9:34; 10:25). While undergoing humiliation as the Son of man, Jesus
could still suffer such reproaches and forgive them, but in the time after Pentecost, when
the revelation was clearer thanks to the Spirit, such blatant rejection of Christ could no
longer be forgiven (12:31-2).
[36]
Some people are of the view that the sin against the Holy Spirit can only be

15
committed by incarnate devils, such as "the Antichrist" at the end of time. There are
others who have destroyed their very lives with the painful question whether they may
be guilty themselves of that horrible sin and therefore forever excluded from salvation.
In both cases, the question of the sin against the Holy Spirit is being approached from
the wrong angle. This sin is not something that will happen some day under most
extraordinary circumstances: the first letter of John speaks of antichrists at work on
earth, committing this deadly sin.
The sin against the Holy Spirit represents a definite danger for all who live in the time
after Pentecost. But we should not suppose that this sin is an incidental event for which
there is no forgiveness. No, what this sin really amounts to is perpetual opposition to the
Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). Let's not forget that when Stephen prayed, "Lord, do not hold
this sin against them," his prayer was heard in the case of Paul, at least. Paul, who had
played the role of an antichrist in his zealous opposition to the church and who later
confessed that he was the greatest of sinners, was shown grace. His opposition was
broken by the One who came to save sinners.
The sin against the Holy Spirit occurs more often than we sometimes suppose. Think of
the open attacks made on God's Word and gospel. All the same, no one should allow the
reality of this sin to paralyze him spiritually. On the contrary, the gospel appeal heeded
by the Benjaminite wolf Saul of Tarsus becomes all the more pressing: "Save yourselves
from this crooked generation" (Acts 2:40). Paul's case is a comforting example for all
who have come to trust in Him and find eternal life (I Tim. 1:16).
Hardening and opposition. For the church living after Pentecost, the words of Matthew 12
are full of warning, but they also contain comfort and evangelical power.
[37]
When believers see hardening around them, they remember that Jesus experienced
the same thing before them. Jesus responded by declaring that the charges made by His
accusers were the work of satan, and He depicted Himself in the role of conqueror: "If it
is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon
you" (vs. 28). This gives the church all the more reason to summon others to
conversion.
From the outset, then, the church had been aware that many would take offense, just as
the Pharisees did. The Jews would continue to demand a sign (12:38; I Cor. 1:22), and
the crucified Christ (I Cor. 1:23) would refuse to give them any sign except the sign of
the prophet Jonah (12:39ff). There would not even be a guarantee that one's own family
would be free of offense and would be included in the great family of those who obey
(vs. 46ff).

Seal the teaching among my disciples

(Is. 8:16).

9. Jesus Teaches in Parables (13:1-52)

An appeal to intuition. Because the people took offense at His teaching, Jesus began to
speak to them in the form of riddles and parables, making use of a literary device known
as the mashal. A mashal presents a concrete situation to get at a general truth. The
genius of the mashal lies in its appeal to intuition—and not in logical precision.
If a mashal is applied or analyzed in too literal a manner, mistakes are made. The point
to remember is that a mashal, as a concrete and often cryptic formulation, does not
come equipped with a list of exceptions. The mashal is intended to be a radical
statement, a striking way of pointing to a general norm. It must never be read as a rule
[38]
formulated by a team of lawyers who took every remote possibility into account.
The purpose of the parables. Some people argue that the parables are the easiest part of
the gospel to understand. But after Jesus told the parable of the sower to a crowd of
people (as part of the "sermon on the sea" which He delivered from a fishing boat as His

16
pulpit), He made the interpretation of the parable known only to His disciples.
The purpose of the parables was to harden the hearts of those who did not bother to
inquire further. Isaiah was commanded to speak in such a way that those who saw
would not see and those who heard would not hear. Jesus was merely fulfilling what His
predecessor had begun (13:14ff; Is. 6:9ff).
Parables about the Kingdom. What was the message of the parables in this third
address, which is recorded in Matthew 13? They tell us that the Kingdom of God comes
in a hidden way that offends the Jews. Yet, this hiddenness is part of the character and
nature and mode of operation of the Kingdom.
The Word is like a seed. We all know how many dangers threaten a seed before it
becomes a full-grown plant. But the forces of evil do not have the last word. Over
against the three possibilities for failure stands the threefold fruit. The field is the
world.(Note that the church is not identified as the field.) In the field grow tares that
look so much like the wheat that it is impossible to separate them from the wheat by
uprooting them. Those tares make it difficult for the wheat.
Christ was not using this parable to say that we can dispense with discipline in the
church, but He was sketching the church's situation as seemingly hopeless. The wicked
lead a carefree life. Yet, the time of harvest and sifting will come.
[39]
Jesus was alerting His followers not to expect spectacular things from the
breakthrough of God's Kingdom. The Kingdom is like a grain of mustard seed; it is like
leaven, like a treasure hidden in a field, like a pearl of great value that one must search
for patiently. The fisherman, too, is well aware that not everything he hauls in with his
net is fit to eat.

10. Growing Alienation between the Messiah and Israel (13:53—17:27)

Opposition and isolation. In the next section of Matthew we see the opposition gathering
strength. Jesus still speaks to the crowds, but finally He withdraws with His disciples,
who are in need of a great deal of instruction if they are to take the lead in the work
assigned to the church of the new covenant. Thus this section leads naturally to the
fourth address, which deals with order in the church.
Jesus' isolation becomes more obvious. The people in Nazareth refuse to believe
(13:53ff; see also Luke 4:16ff). The execution of John the Baptist by Herod is a warning
to Jesus: "In the same way the Son of Man is to suffer at their hands" (17:12 NEB).
Hence Jesus withdraws to the loneliness of the wilderness to pray, but first, like Moses
and Elisha (see II Kings 4:42-4), He feeds a crowd of more than 5000 people. After
praying alone on the mountaintop, He walks across the waves to the disciples in their
boat on the Sea of Galilee. This leads them to confess: "Truly you are the Son of God."
Following in Elijah's footsteps. A deputation of scribes and Pharisees from the Sanhedrin
in Jerusalem watched what was going on. They wanted to bring accusations against
[40]
Jesus because He did not observe the ancient tradition regarding clean and unclean
food. This gave Jesus a chance to make it clear what is unclean first and foremost,
namely, the heart—and the words that proceed from man's mouth (15:1ff).
Preaching to the leaders of Israel seemed all but hopeless: they simply did not
understand and believe. Therefore Jesus, like Elijah, went outside the boundaries of
Israel and spent some time in the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. "It shall be more tolerable
on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you" (11:22). There He was
addressed by the Messianic title Son of David, and there He rewarded the faith He
encountered in a daughter of Canaan (15:21ff). Would this make Israel jealous?
Next come some healings and another feeding of a large crowd, this time over 4000
people in Galilee. But these events did not convince Israel's leaders either. The impudent
demand for a spectacular sign from heaven was made again.
Pharisees and Sadducees. By this point Jesus was opposed not only by the Pharisees, the

17
right-wing party emphasizing orthodoxy, but also by the Sadducees, the liberal, "high
church" group associated with the top ranks of the priesthood. The latter group, which
would today be called progressive or left-wing, was clearly in Herod's good graces (Mark
8:15).
The Pharisees and Sadducees refused to recognize the signs of the times. Jesus' warning
to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees remains relevant to the New
Testament church that always faces the anxious question why people who seem to be
thoroughly grounded in the principles of the Christian faith can move to the left so
quickly when they encounter obstacles on life's path.
At issue is the confession of the church. Anyone who joins the Pharisees in taking a
position above the Word and making external matters primary is in essence assenting
[41]
wholeheartedly to the position of the enlightened free-thinking Sadducees.
A new beginning. In order to lead the disciples in the direction of a true confession,
Jesus went with them to a lonely area north of Dan, near the source of the Jordan River.
When we read the section of Matthew in which this is recorded, we get the impression
that Jesus had tried repeatedly to get somewhere with the people but had failed. He was
stuck.
The nation as a whole would not allow itself to be transformed into a new community of
believers. Therefore Jesus decided to concentrate on His own disciples instead. Peter
made his confession about the Son of man: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God" (16:16).
The promise to Peter. It was in the context of this confession about Himself that Jesus
spoke of the "petra," the rock on which He would build His church. Peter, representing
the disciples in this scene, was given the promise that he would be the bearer of the key,
the chief marshal (Is 22:22), the steward of the Kingdom of God. To the extent that the
church holds on to the Word, she also bears the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
We should not think here of St. Peter standing at heaven's gate but of Peter in the
pulpit. At the same time, the promise to Peter is a reiteration of the warning to stay
away from the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. By Scripture alone! The
church also bears the key of David if she lives by the Word and nothing else (Zech. 3:7;
Rev. 3:7ff). If she departs from the Word, she loses her authority.
That this controversial passage does not portray Peter as possessing any "inherent
holiness" or as elevated above the others in virtue of some special office is apparent
from what Peter did after making his declaration about Jesus' identity as the Messiah: he
turned into a satan, an opponent, rejecting the idea that Jesus would have to suffer at
[42]
Jerusalem. Jesus found it necessary to rebuke him sharply: "Get behind me, Satan!"
(16:23). The New Testament church would have to learn that its task was to bring the
gospel of the cross—and not a gospel of self-sufficiency telling us that we must redeem
ourselves. The church must proceed in the assurance that this way will lead to glory.
The coming of the Son of man. This section of Matthew contains another controversial
text: "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before
they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (16:28). We are to read this text as a
reference to an event involving Jesus during the time of the apostles.
Because only "some" would live to see it, it is unlikely that Jesus was referring to His
transfiguration or to the events of Pentecost. What He probably meant was the
vindication of he church that would take place when the judgment on unrepentant
Jerusalem was finally carried out. In the dark days when Matthew wrote, the believers
possessed the comforting knowledge that during their time (even if the apostles would
not all live to see it), Jesus would give a visible manifestation of His power as King.
A foreshadowing of glory. The transfiguration on the high mountain on which Jesus
appeared in glory flanked by Moses and Elijah was a foreshadowing of what would take
place after the cross (see also Rev. 1; II Pet. 1:16ff). In all He did, hadn't Jesus operated

18
within the sphere of these two prophets, and weren't His deeds directly reminiscent of
theirs?
The voice that was heard at the time of Jesus' baptism was now heard again. Jesus was
the one in whom the Father was well pleased (Is. 42:1), the faithful Servant of the Lord.
He was also the Prophet who had come into "the world." The voice declared: "Listen to
him" (17:5; see also Deut. 18:15; John 6:14; Acts 3:22ff).
[43]
No needless offense. Because Jesus was more than Moses or Elijah, He would also
have to suffer more than they did and be rejected by His people. Peter's foolish proposal
that they stay on the Mount of Transfiguration where Jesus was glorified (17:4),
together with the lack of faith Jesus continued to encounter (the stubborn refusal to
accept all of God's promises), demonstrated the nature of the "faithless and perverse
generation" of which He spoke (17:14ff). Yes, there would be suffering to come (vs. 22-
3). All righteousness would have to be fulfilled (3:15). Therefore the free Son of the
Father, the King of Israel, paid the half shekel temple tax for Himself and Peter, using a
fish with a shekel in its mouth (17:24). This payment was made in the month before the
Passover.
Bear in mind that in the time after Pentecost, the question whether to pay the temple
tax became a lively issue for many. If one paid as a Christian Jew, others might well
argue for consistency in such matters and insist that all the other customs and rules of
the Sanhedrin be followed as well, and that Christians should not set themselves apart.
If a believer chose not to pay the tax, he would be attacked as a disturber of national
unity.
Matthew therefore records and passes on this story—it does not appear in the other
three "gospels"—in order to cast some light on this question. Those who paid the tax in
no way surrendered their rights as free men and heirs. They paid only because they did
not want to offend people needlessly.

11. On Church Order (18:1-35)

Like children. The young church was in constant danger of conforming to the world by
applying methods that were really expressions of tyranny and the love of power for its
[44]
own sake. Therefore Jesus emphasized that the church must not rely on the power of
might, like some earthly empire. Instead it must live by the law of self-denial.
Matthew, who emphasizes that the New Testament church would have to break with the
synagogue, now gives us the fourth address of Jesus, which is of great importance for
the church of all ages. The church must manifest a style of its own, the style of the One
who came to serve. Therefore the believers must "become like children" (18:3).
Stumbling blocks. Being childlike has nothing to do with abridging the church's
confession or advocating a simplified, naive Christianity or doing away with all
"knowledge" of our faith. What it means instead is that we must think of ourselves in
modest terms and live purely by grace. Then we will know how to take our "weaker"
brothers and sisters into account and not put any stumbling blocks in their way (see
Rom. 14-15).
Jesus foresaw the host of questions capable of devastating the life of the church,
questions born of self-righteousness, pride and an obstinate clinging to rigid traditions.
Think of all the haughty shepherds who have simply let go of the sheep! How loveless we
often are when confronted with the sins of others in the church, refusing to lift a finger
to save them or even help them! How cruel we often are to a brother, letting everyone
know about his faults!
Admonition. That's why the rule recorded in Matthew 18 is so important. This rule
applies not just to sins committed against someone personally but to sin in general.
Contrary to what many translations suggest, the Greek text does not say: "If your
brother sins against you ... ." The New English Bible renders this text correctly: "If your
brother commits a sin, go and take the matter up with him."

19
[45]
If someone sins, we must first admonish him privately and later, if need be,
approach him in the presence of witnesses. Only after this has been done is the church,
which is able to bind and loose in the name of the Lord, drawn into the matter.
Throughout the entire process, the motive is to save the brother in question.
Even if the keys to the Kingdom of heaven finally have to be used, we must still be
willing to forgive. The church's leaders should not regard themselves as a hierarchy of
priests called to chastise people roughly. Let there be no song of Lamech in the church
(18:22; Gen. 4:23-4). We must forgive people in our hearts (18:35).

12. Final Encounters with Israel in Judea and Jerusalem (19:1—23:39)

Marriage and divorce. In the section that now follows, we see Jesus coming into contact
with the people again. We notice something special about these contacts in this last
week before the Passover: the oppositions and tensions grow even stronger. This brings
out even more of the unique character of the Kingdom of heaven—a point of great
importance for the church.
Jesus leaves Galilee to undertake a pilgrim's journey to Jerusalem by way of Jericho and
the land on the other side of the Jordan. In Jerusalem He will celebrate the Passover.
When He crosses the Jordan, we think of His baptism and also of the people of Israel
crossing the Jordan under Joshua's command. Again there are Pharisees to tempt Him,
this time with a question regarding divorce. By this question they hope to force Him to
contradict Moses, who did permit divorce (19:1-12).
[46]
Through clever reasoning, the rabbis had so stretched Moses' provision that a man
was allowed to divorce his wife if he "found some indecency in her" (Deut. 24:1) that
divorce was available at will. Jesus now combatted this elastic interpretation and placed
Moses' provisions about divorce in the proper light by pointing back to Genesis: marriage
is intended to be a firm bond that can only be broken by unchastity (5:32), which is truly
an "indecency." This statement by Jesus need not drive anyone into needless asceticism.
The birth of children was recognized by Jesus as a blessing on marriage, for He honored
marriage as a creation ordinance of God. Moreover, the guileless ways of children can be
an example to adults.
Glory through service. Matthew 19:12 is often wrongly interpreted in ascetic terms. This
text is actually intended as a statement about the totality of what it means to follow
Jesus; it gives rise to misunderstandings only because it is cast in the form of a mashal,
a mysterious utterance (see p. 37 above and 5:29-30; compare 5:27-32 with 19:3-12).
Following Jesus must take priority over everything else (19:16-30). Neither wealth nor
family may stand between Him and us. There is no reason to believe that we are
justified on the basis of our deeds. (Think of the parable of the workers in the vineyard,
recorded in 19:30—20:16.) Once more Jesus emphasizes that glory is to be sought by
way of service (20:20ff).
The Son of David. Two blind men near Jericho cry out, "Son of David!" And when Jesus
enters Jerusalem, the people shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Hosanna means
give us salvation.) Children take up the chant, and Zechariah's prophecy is literally
fulfilled (Zech. 9:9).
That Matthew, unlike the other gospel writers, speaks of both a colt and its mother in
connection with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem is not to be interpreted as an effort
to make the story agree with the Old Testament prophecy.
[47]
It's simply an instance of accurate description, as anyone can quickly see when he
bears in mind that the colt had never been ridden before (Mark 11:2). The mother's
presence would surely calm the colt the first time it was ridden, thereby rendering it
suitable for its task.
Jesus purified the temple as one possessing complete authority (21:12ff, 23). The
children again cry, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Even Jesus takes up this theme by

20
asking the Pharisees why David calls the Messiah his Son and Lord in Psalm 110
(22:41ff).
Words of judgment. The disputes typify the situation. The temple has become a den of
robbers (21:13). The barren fig tree is used to symbolize Israel (vs. 18ff). The temple
authorities do not recognize Jesus (vs. 23ff). The heir is to be put to death by the
tenants (vs. 33ff). Those who are invited do not come to the marriage feast, thereby
calling down judgment on their city. Others will precede them (22:1ff, 28ff). From one of
the trick questions it becomes apparent that the Pharisees know neither the Scriptures
nor God's resurrection power (vs. 23ff).
No one dares to question Jesus anymore. He is not challenged in the temple, which He
turns into a forum to present His own teaching. But the opposition of Israel's leaders
becomes completely clear. The rigid Pharisees and the flexible Sadducees cooperate in
their opposition to Him. That's why Matthew concludes his description of the last public
encounter between Jesus and the people by recording Jesus' sevenfold cry of woe
directed at the scribes and Pharisees. (23:14 is not present in the most important
manuscripts.)
Those who are called to interpret the Word have taken away the key to knowledge,
Jesus charges. They have tied themselves down in external matters, but they are full of
lawlessness inside (23:28; 24:12; II Thess. 2:3, 7). At the same time they ignore the
[48]
warnings of the prophets and turn Jerusalem into a city of blood. "Thus you witness
against yourselves, that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets" (23:31).
What Stephen was later to say to the Sanhedrin before he was stoned has already been
said by his Savior (Acts 7:52; see also John 8:44). Jesus takes over the terminology of
John the Baptist and speaks of His opponents as "serpents," as a "brood of vipers"
(23:33; 3:7; Deut. 32:33; Gen. 3:14-15).
It is still the time of grace, but the seed of the serpent will surely face the sevenfold
wrath of the covenant (Lev. 26: 18, 21, 24, 28). Isn't this the same theme emphasized
so heavily in the last book of the Bible? All these things will come over "this generation"
(Deut. 32:5, 20). Jerusalem, Jerusalem!

13. The Son of Man Comes (24:1—25:46)

The destruction of Jerusalem. The last discourse Matthew records is addressed to the
disciples only. It deals with Jesus' announcement that the beautiful temple of Herod will
be totally destroyed. More specifically, Jesus talks about the times and signals heralding
the approach of this event.
This last address is also a sermon on the mount—this time the Mount of Olives, which is
the Lord's headquarters as He comes to Jerusalem, according to Zechariah 14:4. This
address is generally referred to as the discourse on the last things.
Interpreters today often describe these two chapters as another example of the
"theology of the church" coming to the fore. The early church, according to this view,
lived in the expectation of Christ's imminent return.
[49]
But when we look carefully at this address, we see that what it takes up in the first
place is the destruction of Jerusalem. As we read Matthew 24 and 25, we must do our
best to immerse ourselves in the thought and outlook of the first hearers. The covenant
wrath announced by Jesus had made a deep impression on the disciples. Hence the
question when this wrath would be manifested quickly came to the fore.
An appeal for perseverance. What the Lord Jesus said in response to this question also
has implications for us, for all those who live after the time of the Messianic judgment on
Israel. Yet, to understand Jesus' prophecy in His fifth address, we must think in terms of
the situation of the original hearers, just as we do with any other prophecy.
Jesus, who sat down as teacher on this occasion (24:3; see also 5:1; 23:2), first warned
against all the false messiahs that would come along. The disciples were not to draw any

21
premature conclusions from the so-called "signs of the times." Jesus told them that there
was no way of determining in advance when He would return in judgment. Even if they
heard about nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom (Jer. 51:46), they
were not to assume that the time had come. The important thing was to persevere. The
preaching of the gospel would continue until the very end.
The desolating sacrilege. The sign of Jesus' coming to judge Israel would be the
desolating sacrilege in the holy place, i.e. the temple (24:15; see also Dan. 9:27; 12:11;
Ezek. 8). This sacrilege referred to by Jesus was a degenerating situation in Jerusalem, a
situation at the beginning of a Jewish rebellion in which Jews turn the temple into a
bastion against the Romans and against other Jews who do not join in the rebellion.
[50]
In Luke 21:20, a parallel passage, we read not about a "desolating sacrilege" but
about Jerusalem being surrounded by armies. It's highly unlikely that this is a reference
to Roman military forces; otherwise those within the city could not very well be advised
to flee, as they are in the very next verse. After all, the Romans were always thorough in
hermetically sealing off besieged cities and cutting off all escape routes.
If the Romans were the ones responsible for the "desolating sacrilege" in the temple, the
advice to flee their armies would do no good. It would be too late. Moreover, once a city
is surrounded by enemy armies, one can safely assume that the countryside has already
been pillaged and stripped bare. Therefore we should think in terms of Jewish troops
instead, rebels who take refuge in the temple with no fear of covenant judgment,
believing themselves safe in their center of idolatry. God is with us! This is the Lord's
temple! (Jer. 7:4; Is. 28:15).
When the church sees such a concentration of troops in the temple, she will know that
the time has come for the exodus from Jerusalem (24:15ff).
Go out of the midst of her, my people!
Let every man save his life
from the fierce anger of the LORD!
(Jer. 51:45; see also Rev. 18:4).
Jesus warns: "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather" (24:28 NEB; Jer.
15:3; 19:7; Ezek. 39:17ff; Rev. 19:17ff). What the sign indicates, then, is that the time
is near (24:32-3; see also Song of Songs 2:13). "This generation" will surely be struck
with judgment, but the church in Jerusalem will be warned of the danger in time.
The task of the church. In the time before the alarm is given, the church must be
watchful (24:36ff). Hence she must keep oil in her lamps and avoid the mistake of the
[51]
five foolish virgins (25:1ff). She must earn more with the talents entrusted to her
and not let her love grow cold (vs. 14ff).
The Lord Jesus delivered a truly prophetic address here, an address that helped the
church greatly in the perilous situation that arose not long afterward, just as He predic-
ted. The church was instructed to continue preaching and appealing to Israel as long as
possible. That's why the signs announcing the end were so important.
A prophetic message for us. But we live in the time after the destruction of Jerusalem. Is
this prophecy outdated for us, then?
The answer to this question is that we must treat Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24 just as
we treat the Old Testament prophecies. First of all, we recognize that the prophecies
have been fulfilled. What Article 5 of the Belgic Confession (in the 1566 revision) says is
true: even the blind can see that the things foretold in the prophecies are fulfilled. On
the other hand, prophecies often have more than one level of fulfillment: they also point
ahead to events still farther in the future. For us the destruction of Nineveh and Babylon
guarantees God's triumph over all enemy powers, and the destruction of Jerusalem
guarantees the definitive, final coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus' words about the sign of the
desolating sacrilege in the holy place should keep us away from any compromise (in the
church or elsewhere) between light and darkness, Christ and Belial (II Cor. 6:11—7:1; II

22
Thess. 2:1—3:5; I John 2:18ff; 5:21).
Bearing this in mind, we should be able to resist the impulse to use the Bible as a
chronology or a handbook to the future. No sign will be given to us beyond the "sign of
Jonah," that is, the amazing gospel itself.
All the same, we may regard the coming of the sevenfold wrath on Jerusalem as a true
"coming" of the Son of man, a coming that gives faith the assurance of His ultimate
[52]
return for the final justification and vindication of the church. At the same time, the
exodus command remains in effect for us. We must be watchful and persevere.
The end of the age. What the disciples actually asked Jesus was: "What will be the sign
of your coming (parousia) and the close of the age?" (24:3). They spoke not of the
world's ending but of the end of the age, by which they meant the age that would come
before the time of the Messiah's appearance. The Messiah would bring the "coming age,"
the last days.
After Pentecost, the Jewish worship in Jerusalem continued, of course. Thus it appeared
that the two "ages" were overlapping. The apostles still went to the temple. But when
Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70, it was clear that the words of Jesus and the
prophets about covenant wrath on Jerusalem had been fulfilled. A new age had begun,
the "acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:19), the day of salvation.
Jews and Greeks alike. Matthew 24 and 25 should not become a basis for speculation.
Instead these chapters should make us press on to a joyful understanding of the time of
salvation in which we live. We are privileged to be children of the new Messianic age; we
are "latter day saints"!
Christ does not give us binoculars to look through; what He gives us is a prophetic Word
as solid as a rock. He also teaches us how to read the prophets. (Hence it would be
worthwhile to look up the text references I have given and to read other related
passages as well.)
Paul declares: "Behold, now is the day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2; Is. 49:8). In another
letter of Paul we read: "God's wrath has come upon them [the Israelites] at last"
(I Thess. 2:16; Matt. 23:32). These are the things that the book of Matthew, the
[53]
"Genesis" of the New Testament, shows us. But Matthew also tells us that the grace
of the covenant is now open to Jews and Greeks alike—as long as they are willing to
listen to God's voice.

14. The Just and Lawful Shepherd (26:1—28:20)

More prophecy fulfilled. Even though the chief priests and elders tried to avoid executing
Jesus during the time of the Passover, the Son of man was put to death during this feast
just as the prophets said (26:24, 2). The anointing of Jesus in the house of Simon the
leper, the Passover meal at which the Lord's supper was instituted, and the struggle in
Gethsemane were all preparations for the great sacrifice according to the Scriptures.
Zechariah, you will recall, spoke of the great prophet-shepherd whose value was
estimated by the covenant people at the slave's price of 30 pieces of silver (Zech.
11:12). Jesus' disciple Judas Iscariot was prepared to deliver his master to the
Sanhedrin for that amount (26:15-16), with the result that Scripture was fulfilled (27:9).
Zechariah also prophesied: "Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered"
(Zech. 13:7). When the disciples fled from Gethsemane, this was fulfilled; they all acted
ashamed of Jesus (26:31, 56). Jesus, the Good Shepherd, puts His life on the line for His
sheep.
The suffering of Jesus. It comes out clearly that Jesus is righteous. The complaints
before the Sanhedrin turn out to be false. Even the statement about breaking down the
temple is presented incorrectly at the trial (26:61; see also John 2:19).
Now Jesus admits openly that He is the Son of man mentioned in Daniel 7, the King-

23
 [54]
Priest of Psalm 110, the Son of God, the one who will come to judge Jerusalem. In
time the Sanhedrin will see His vindication in the destruction of the city and the temple
(26:64).
Pilate's wife characterizes Jesus as a "righteous man" (27:19). Pilate agrees and declares
that he can find no guilt in Him. But Jesus, the Son of David, must now suffer as the
righteous one, the one mentioned in David's psalms.
This King of the Jews is mocked in a hellish way. The words of Psalm 22:1 finally become
His own. Why has God forsaken Him? As He is crucified, He is also tormented with the
words of verse 8 of this psalm: "Where is your God?" (compare 27:43 with Ps. 42:10,
and 26:38 with Ps. 42:11). His hands and feet are pierced, and He is tormented with
thirst. The leader of the soldiers at the cross is finally driven to confess simply, "Truly
this was the Son of God!" (27:54; see also vs. 40,43).
Vindication at last. With the crucifixion begins Jesus' vindication. His death tears the
curtain of the temple from top to bottom. Rocks split and graves are opened. The one
who was regarded as a criminal joins the rich in death: He is buried in a splendid tomb.
Later comes the great vindication of the resurrection, again sealed with an earthquake.
The soldiers assigned to guard the tomb flee. An angel rolls away the rock in front of the
tomb and announces to the fearful women that Jesus has arisen. God has demonstrated
that Jesus was right!
The women are told to bring a message to the disciples: "Behold, he is going before you
to Galilee." This "going before" means that Christ is taking up His shepherd's staff again.
At the beginning of Matthew's book we already Found a reference to Micah's prophecy
about the ruler of Israel who would be a shepherd to His people (Micah 5:2ff; II Sam.
5:2). This prophecy is now fulfilled (28:7; 26:32).
[55]
The new Israel. Listen to what Jesus Himself says about the disciples: He calls them
His brothers (28:10; John 20:17). We may read this statement as an echo of Psalm 22.
The first part of this psalm speaks about the suffering of the righteous one, while the
second part, which deals with his elevation, begins with the words: "I will tell of thy
name to my brethren" (vs. 22; Matt. 28:10; Heb. 2:12).
The Sanhedrin tries to engage in psychological warfare by means of bribes to soldiers
told to declare that the disciples stole Jesus' body. The Good Shepherd, meanwhile,
proceeds to organize His new Israel. In the place where the gathering of the flock began
(i.e. Galilee, a Gentile territory), He now draws His own together as the authorized Son
of man (28:18). He makes them His ambassadors and tells them to preach, baptize, give
instruction in the faith, build, and preserve.
If Israel refuses to listen, the gospel will be presented to the rest of the world, and many
who were last will be first. The book that began with the name Immanuel ends with
Jesus' sure promise: "I am with you always, to the close of the age," this wicked time
dominated by satan.

24
[56]
Mark
He is very useful in serving me
(II Tim. 4:11).

1. The Author of the Second Gospel

Mark's identity. The Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius maintained that the John Mark mentioned
in Acts is not the same man who wrote the Gospel according to Mark. Few scholars have
followed his lead on this point. It is generally accepted that the John Mark of Acts is also
the Mark mentioned in the letters of Paul and Peter, the Mark who was known as the
author of the second "gospel."
The New Testament gives us a fair amount of information about Mark's background. His
mother Mary owned a large house in Jerusalem where the church sometimes met (Acts
12:12). Peter went to this house after he was freed from prison; Rhoda, the maid, was
so excited about his release that she forgot to open the door for him.
Some scholars have speculated that Mary's house was the location of Jesus' last supper
[57]
with His disciples. Mark is then identified as the man carrying the jug of water
(14:13) or the young man in Gethsemane who fled naked after breaking free of the
soldiers who tried to seize him (vs. 51-2). We have no way of determining whether one
of these figures was actually Mark, however attractive the idea might seem. But we do
know that Mark grew up in a family where Peter visited often, which enabled him to pick
up a lot of information about Christ's ministry on earth.
Mark and Paul. Mark was apparently a young man who could be trusted with an errand.
When Paul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem to bring some material assistance offered by
the church in Antioch, Mark caught their eye as a potential helper, so they decided to
take him to Antioch with them. When Paul set out with Barnabas on the first of his great
journeys, John Mark accompanied them to "assist" them (Acts 12:25; 13:5). That he
was a first cousin of Barnabas, who was a Levite, probably played a role in this decision.
Perhaps Mark's assistance consisted of making arrangements for the journey, seeking
lodgings, setting up appointments, and things of that nature. However, he may also
have been used in proclaiming the gospel message, for he knew a great deal about Jesus
and was adept at telling a story.
On this first journey there was some sort of unpleasant incident. After the three men
passed through the familiar territory in which Barnabas had grown up (i.e. Cyprus) and
started out for Asia Minor with its unknown dangers, Mark turned back. Because of this,
Paul refused to take him along on a later journey. Blood ties were a factor in this
situation: Barnabas stood up for his cousin and therefore parted company with Paul as
well. On the second of his great journeys, Paul was accompanied by Silas, while
Barnabas made a journey to Cyprus with Mark.
[58]
Later Paul and Mark were completely reconciled. When Paul wrote to the church at
Colossae, he sent greetings from "Mark the cousin of Barnabas," among others, and
added that Mark and some others had been a "comfort" to him (Col. 4:10-11; see also
vs. of Philemon). During his imprisonment in Rome, Paul appealed to Timothy to be sure
to pick up Mark (who was at work somewhere in Asia Minor) and take him along to
Rome, for Mark could be of great use to him (II Tim. 4:11).
Doesn't it sound as though Mark was much more than a mere "social secretary" to Paul?
Since he had grown up in a home that played a central role in the original congregation
at Jerusalem, he was able to tell Paul all sorts of things about Christ's activities and the
struggles of the church after Pentecost. Paul had to gain his knowledge of these things
through others. And he, too, needed the comfort of the gospel, especially at the end of
his life.
Mark and Peter. At the conclusion of Peter's first letter, which was dictated to Silas
(Silvanus), we read: "She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you

25
greetings; and so does my son Mark." Thus Peter regarded Mark as his spiritual son, and
Mark did indeed maintain close relations with him.
In writings dating from the second century, we find Mark referred to as Peter's
spokesman and his "gospel" as Peter's memoirs. Because Peter played a leading role in
the proclamation of the testimony about Christ, it seems obvious that Mark would rely
heavily on his preaching when he undertook to write about Christ. His book represents
some of the fruit of the church's instruction in the faith (catechism), which had already
assumed a regular form in the mother church in Jerusalem.
[59]
2. Synopsis of the Apostle's Testimony
The recipients of Mark's gospel. For whom did Mark write? The fact that Peter sent
greetings from "Babylon" in the name of Mark and others has led some interpreters to
conclude that Mark was in Rome when he wrote. This view has taken on the status of a
tradition, for "Babylon" is often equated with Rome.
We should not accept this view too quickly. The name Babylon could also be a reference
to Jerusalem. Moreover, it could conceivably refer to the area known on the map as
Babylon. Bear in mind that Peter was writing to the churches of Asia Minor, where Mark
was apparently known.
Mark's style and emphasis. It may be that one of the goals Mark had in mind when he
wrote his "gospel" was to help the churches in their catechism program. In his account of
the gospel we sometimes read Aramaic words, to which he then adds the translation for
those who know only Greek: "Talitha cumi" ("Little girl, I say to you, arise," 5:41), and
"Ephphatha" ("Be opened," 7:34). In those days there were a lot of Jews who spoke
Greek. Mark, who had grown up in the city, was no doubt bilingual.
Mark's "gospel," which is the second book in the New Testament, is not long. It lays
heavy emphasis on the deeds of Jesus. Some scholars argue that Mark wrote it that way
because he was addressing the Romans, who were doers and knew how to express
themselves succinctly. (Think of Pilate's words in John 19:22: "What I have written I
have written.")
It seems to me that we can better account for Mark's style by pointing to the chief
source behind the book—the hasty and spontaneous Peter. After all, Mark gives us
Peter's recollections. Thus we should view his "gospel" as a synopsis of the apostle's
testimony regarding the Christ.
[60]
It was not Mark's intention to write a complete biography of Jesus. He made no
effort to arrange the events he reported in chronological order. Within the framework
that begins with the baptism in the Jordan and ends with the crucifixion and
resurrection, he relates various facts and events that bear on the gospel.
He writes with a precision that we normally expect only in etchings. His precision
becomes obvious especially when we take the trouble to compare a few passages in
Mark with parallel passages in Matthew and Luke.

26
Matthew
4:21-2
And he called them.
Immediately they left the
boat and their father and
followed him.
8:4
And Jesus said to Him ...
Mark Luke
1:20 5:11
And immediately he called And when they had brought
them; and they left their their boats to land, they left
father Zebedee in the boat everything and followed
with the hired servants, and him.
followed him.
1:43-4 5:14
And he sternly charged him, And he charged him...
and sent him away at once,
and said to him....

8:23 4:35-6 8:22

And when he got into the
boat, his disciples followed
him.
On that day, when evening
had come, he said to them,
"Let us go across to the
other side." And leaving the
crowd, they took him with
them in the boat, just as he
was (4:1). And other boats
were with him.
One day he got into a boat
with his disciples, and he
said to them, "Let us go
across to the other side of
the lake." So they set out.

[61]
You see how Mark takes the trouble to include all sorts of details. True, all of Mark
except for about 80 verses appears in some form in Luke or Matthew, but the other two
gospel writers did not just recopy Mark's words. Each shaped his material and decided
what to include on the basis of his own major emphases and the circle of readers he
intended to reach. Perhaps you can find more examples like the ones given above,
showing how the different gospel writers present the same material in entirely different
words. The animation and vividness of Mark's presentation will strike you again and
again.
Mark repeatedly reports that this or that happened "immediately" or "at once." There are
more than 70 such instances to be found in his short book. Is Peter, who was famous for
being eager and hasty, responsible for this? In any event, there is a lot of movement in
Mark's "gospel."
Priestly service. The first part of Mark deals with Jesus' activities in Galilee and with
some trips He made outside that area. But after Jesus' glorification on the Mount of
Transfiguration, there comes a change. Opposition was already evident earlier, but Jesus
now tells His disciples clearly that He will have to suffer. The announcement is made
three times (8:31ff; 9:30ff; 10:32ff).
In this context we cannot help noticing that Mark, who was a cousin of the Levite
Barnabas and therefore may well have been of Levite descent himself, repeatedly reports
words of Jesus that have to do with the priestly service of believers. Jesus' cross is of
great importance for the church; the church should not be repelled by what He had to
suffer. Therefore we should not be afraid to suffer for Him, for we are all servants! Think
again of Peter: after his "conversion" from a rejection of the notion that Jesus would
have to suffer, he was called to strengthen the brothers in their faith—a faith that
accepts suffering (Luke 22:32; Mark 8:32ff; I Pet. 3:14; 4:12ff).
[62]
On to Jerusalem. After a trip to Caesarea Philippi, Jesus went on to Jerusalem. He
was finally "on the way." Mark writes: "And they were on the road, going up to
Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those

27
who followed were afraid" (10:32).
At this point the rapid flow of Mark's "gospel" is suddenly halted. Now the days of the
Passover week are dealt with one by one, as Mark pays careful attention to the calendar.
Matthew gives us a non-chronological summary of the events after the entry into
Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1ff), but Mark deals with them day by day.
We must not play off Mark's account against Matthew's in an effort to cast doubt on the
reliability of the Biblical record, for it is not Matthew's intention to present everything in
diary style. But Mark does keep the days separate in his account.
Day 1: Entry into Jerusalem and inspection of the temple (11:1ff).
Day 2: Cursing of the fig tree and purification of the temple (11:12ff).
Day 3: The fig tree is found to be barren. Debates in the temple (11:20ff). Jesus
leaves the temple and prophesies that it will be destroyed.
Day 4: Betrayal by Judas (14:1, 10ff).
Day 5: The last supper, in celebration of the Passover (14:12ff). Jesus is arrested
and brought before the authorities.
Day 6: Trial, crucifixion, burial.
Day 8: Resurrection (16:1ff).
Mark dedicates one third of his book to showing that the Son of God who was baptized in
[63]
the Jordan is the same Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the grave.
He deliberately deals with the suffering and death of Christ at great length.
An abrupt conclusion. Mark reports on the resurrection in a surprisingly brief way. After
informing us in 16:7 that the angel told the women that Jesus was on His way to Galilee
to meet His disciples—Galilee was also where Jesus started His ministry—he says only
that the women "went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had
come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid."
In and of itself, this abrupt conclusion to the Gospel according to Mark need not be read
as a false note to end on. On the contrary, it points ahead to the spreading of the gospel
- a bold proclamation not restrained by any command to tell no one about the amazing
things that had taken place.
Someone else added to Mark's "gospel" by summarizing the events that came after the
resurrection. Because there are some important manuscripts that do not include this
conclusion to the book, the Revised Standard Version of the Bible relegated it to the
footnotes. However, when the second edition of the RSV translation of the New
Testament appeared in 1971, these verses in Mark were included in the text again (just
as they are in the King James Bible), with their status explained in a note.
From earliest times the church has accepted these verses as canonical. As far as their
form is concerned, they fit the framework of Mark's writing. Fortunately, the trembling of
the women at the news of Christ's resurrection is not the last word.

[64]
3. The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
A messenger preparing the way. Mark's book opens as follows: "The beginning of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 'Behold, I
send my messenger before thy face . . . .'" Some translations leave out the words Son of
God, even though they are found in most manuscripts. In any event, this title fits in very
well with the content of the book (1:11; 3:11; 5:7; 14:61; 15:39).
Mark reminds us of Genesis with his talk of "the beguiling. "The question I raised in
connection with the opening of Matthew can also be raised here: Does the superscription
cover the entire book or only the material that immediately follows it? (In the case of
Mark, the first subject that arises is the work of John the Baptist.)

28
It cannot be denied that Mark shows us how the gospel made its way into the world.
After all, John was not bringing a gospel pointing to himself as Messiah, as some of his
disciples believed. No, he was a messenger preparing the way, a voice pointing to
someone stronger, someone who would baptize with the Spirit. John's work formed the
beginning of what Mark wanted to sketch, namely, the growth of the gospel of God's
Son.
Preaching in the synagogues. Mark immediately tells his readers how the one who would
one day baptize with the Spirit was first baptized Himself and anointed with the Spirit,
while God called Him by name. "You are my son" (Ps. 2:7). God called Jesus "my
chosen, in whom my soul delights" (Is. 42:1). After briefly recounting the temptation in
the wilderness, Mark reports that Jesus went to Galilee after John's arrest and began
preaching the gospel.
After the calling of the first disciples, we see Jesus at work in Capernaum. He also visits
other places to preach in the synagogues. "That is why I came out," He explains (1:38).
[65]
What is the content of the gospel He preaches? The critical hour has come, "and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel" (1:15). This proclamation
is accompanied by many wonders.

4. The Son of God as Hidden Messiah

A cautious beginning. Jesus was busy preaching the gospel. But how is this to be
reconciled with the fact that He repeatedly forbade people to make propaganda on His
behalf? Mark records a number of healings of possessed men. Jesus is the one who binds
powerful satan and plunders his house. Beelzebul (whose name means lord of the house)
is forced to surrender his victims (3:27; 1:26,34, 39; 3:11). The possessed cry out that
He is the Son of God (3:11; 5:7; 1:24, 34); they "know" Him (1:34). Yet Jesus
repeatedly tells the demons to keep silent about Him.
Now, we could conceivably argue that Jesus doesn't want any help from demons (see
Acts 16:16ff). But what are we then to make of His repeated command to bystanders
not to tell others of His healing miracles? (1:44; 7:36; 8:26). Doesn't the gospel have
Jesus as its content?
As we ponder this problem, we must bear in mind that there are sometimes moments
when the whole truth cannot be expressed aloud. If Jesus were to reveal Himself at the
very outset as the Messiah and Son of God, that knowledge would be open to
misunderstanding and misuse. Jesus did not want the people to regard Him as a
miraculous healer or a national hero or a freedom fighter. In His state of humiliation, the
Son of God came in a concealed way and preached through words and deeds that the
new Messianic era had come.
Later He was to speak to His own disciples more openly about His identity, after they
[66]
had expressed themselves about Him and recognized Him as the Messiah (8:29). But
at this point the crowds are still excluded from this knowledge. Not until He is tried by
Caiaphas does Jesus admit openly that He is the Son of God and the Son of man
(14:61ff).
Preachers of repentance. But weren't the disciples sent out to preach long before Jesus
made His identity known? Didn't the echo of their preaching resound in the palace of
Herod, the murderer of John the Baptist? (6:6ff). How is this to be reconciled with the
command to remain silent?
We must remember that the disciples went out as preachers of repentance, calling upon
the people to mend their ways (6:12). People generally interpreted this preaching on the
part of Jesus' disciples to mean that Jesus was one of the prophets (vs. 14-15). For the
moment, the message was central: "Take heed what you hear" (4:24). And that
message was like a hidden seed (vs. 1ff). Yet, the ground brings forth fruit by itself—
that's what the text really says—without the sower knowing how it all comes to pass
(4:27-8). It will be the same with the gospel of the cross, which is an offense to the Jews

29
and foolishness to the Greeks.
The Kingdom's advance. The work of the Teacher who was rejected and misunderstood,
the hidden Messiah and Son of God, will ripen to a great harvest, regardless of how
many there are who do not believe. Over against satan's "immediately" (4:15-17) stands
the "at once" of the lashing sickle and the ripening grain (vs. 29). Mark's repeated use of
the words immediately and at once may be irritating to readers who dislike repetition,
but it shows us something of the movement of the Kingdom of God (1:21, 23, 29, 30,43,
and so forth).
How clearly the powerful, invincible gospel resounds in Mark's book! It is a gospel of
[67]
forgiveness through the Son of man, who possesses full authority to forgive sins
(2:10; Dan. 7:14). It is a gospel for sinners (2:17) and Gentiles (7:24ff).
Consider how the healing of the deaf-mute in the Decapolis area is described by Mark
(7:31ff). This vivid story is recorded only in his "gospel." What a loving, friendly spirit
the Lord manifested as He healed and taught the deaf-mute! Because the man was deaf,
Jesus could not address him normally. Instead He took the fearful man outside and
spelled out the word Ephphatha for him by means of four symbols: He put fingers in
both of the man's ears, spittle on his tongue, and then sighed and looked up to heaven.
The deaf-mute got the message: his eyes and ears were opened, and he was healed
(see Is. 35:5).
Couldn't the word Ephphatha be used to characterize all of Jesus' dealings? Through the
Word, something of Paradise is regained. These wondrous signs showed clearly that the
time of salvation was near!

5. The Son of God as Rejected Messiah

Rejected by the Jewish leaders. Early in the book of Mark (starting at 2:1), we read of
five conflicts between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees. Near the end, after the story
of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and the withering of the fig tree, we are told of five more
clashes with the Jewish leaders. In the second set of clashes, the Herodians and
Sadducees are mentioned as well (12:13,18).
The time between was no idyllic period either, for it also included disputes. Think of the
rejection at Nazareth (6:1ff), Jesus' denunciation of the Pharisees for their hypocrisy
[68]
(7:1ff), the refusal to give "this generation" a sign (8:11ff), and the warning about
the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod (8:14ff).
Opposition from His own disciples. Do you know what is especially beautiful about Mark's
"gospel"? On the one hand Mark gives us the recollections of Peter, while on the other
hand he shows us that Peter did not seek to elevate himself in his preaching. Peter
reported clearly that he had been a satan, an opponent standing in the way of Jesus'
suffering. In Mark's account of this event, we read that Jesus looked at the other
disciples as He rebuked Peter (a detail not found in the other "gospels"). But the Savior's
words of praise for Peter are also recorded, as well as Peter's walking on the water.
Mark likewise records Jesus' prediction that Peter would deny Him before the cock
crowed twice. This shows us how serious Peter's denial was. One warning would not be
enough—that's how far the leader of the disciples had fallen!
Mark does not record Jesus' words to Peter about the keys to the Kingdom, nor does he
inform us that Peter and John were together entrusted with the task of finding a room
for the Passover supper. But he does make it clear that the leader among the disciples,
the man who bore the strong name Peter, was also a leader when it came to forsaking
Jesus. "O faithless generation!" (9:19). If only the church of Rome, which likes to claim
Peter as its first pope, had opened its eyes to the fact that Peter does not present
himself as a hero in "his own gospel"!
Just as Moses and Elijah, who appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration, were opposed
by their own people, a "faithless generation" that made it virtually impossible for them to

30
discharge their respective offices (Num. 14:27; Deut. 32:5; I Kings 19:4), so Jesus had
to "fulfill" their work by encountering opposition and misunderstanding among even His
[69]
own disciples. But just as Moses and Elijah saw the glory of God (Ex. 24:1; I Kings
19), the path followed by the rejected Son of God would also lead from suffering to glory
(8:31; 9:2,31). "For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life
for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (8:35; 10:28ff, 43ff).

The very stone which the builders

rejected has become the head of the
comer (I Pet. 2:7).

6. Death and Resurrection

The hour of suffering. The description of the journey to Jerusalem begins with 10:1, and
especially with verse 32. Mark gives us the name of the blind man who hailed Jesus as
the Son of David—Bartimaeus. Jesus takes Bartimaeus along to the City of David, which
He enters in triumph.
At this point, Mark, who has been so quick to assure us that the events described took
place "immediately" or "at once," slows down and starts attaching dates and times to the
events: "on the following day" (11:12); "in the morning" (vs. 20); "two days before the
Passover" (14:1); "on the first day of Unleavened Bread" (vs. 12); "as soon as it was
morning" (15:1); "when the sabbath was past" (16:1); "on the first day of the week"
(vs. 2). All of these temporal givens, however, must be placed within the framework of
the time Jesus spoke of in the garden of Gethsemane: "The hour has come; the Son of
man is betrayed into the hands of sinners" (14:41).
Jesus' suffering was not a matter of fate or some misfortune that was bound to happen.
God's plan as revealed in Scripture was being worked out. "For the Son of man goes
[70]
as it is written of him" (14:21). The Father reckons His Son as one of the sinners (Is.
53).
In addition to this hour of suffering (13:32), there is talk of another decisive hour. There
will come a time when there is a desolating sacrilege in the holy place; it will be set up
where it ought not to be (vs. 14). Judgment will then be executed on the covenant
people who rejected their own Messiah. "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass
away before all these things take place" (vs. 30). Therefore we must be watchful (vs.
36,14,37).
The ultimate curse. From this point of view, the description of Jesus' betrayal by Judas is
powerful and moving. Which "hour" is chosen? We see the Jewish people choosing for
the sword as they clamor for the release of the Jewish revolutionary Barabbas (15:6ff).
The Passover feast is celebrated under the banner of self-deliverance! The people chose
against Jesus and reject the Cornerstone. The cry "Crucify him!" (15:13-14) fills the
courtyard outside the building where Jesus is being judged, with the leaders of the
priests egging the people on.
Jesus will have to suffer the ultimate curse. His claim to the title Messiah will be proven
invalid once and for all. A dishonored messiah won't mean anything to the Jews
anymore.
The beast called the Sanhedrin throws itself at the Son of man. Egyptian darkness covers
Jerusalem (see Is. 13:10; 24:23; 50:3; Jer. 15:9; Ezek. 32:7-8; Amos 8:9; Joel 2:2, 10,
31; 3:15). Didn't Jerusalem become an "Egypt" when it crucified Jesus? (see Rev. 11:8;
6:12; 16:10). The curtain of the temple is no longer needed and is therefore ripped in
two. Jerusalem has chosen for the hour of judgment.
Resurrection hope. The gospel presses us to make a choice before it's too late. The
message that resounds in Peter's Pentecost sermon comes through here as well:

31
[71]
"Save yourselves from this crooked generation" (Acts 2:40; see also Joel 2:32). By
accepting the hour of suffering as the hour of deliverance, we can escape the hour of
judgment! God has chosen the stone rejected by the builders and made it the
Cornerstone (I Peter 2:4ff; Ps. 118:22).
Jesus of Nazareth has risen from the dead (16:6). The disciples and Peter—Peter is
mentioned separately—must be informed of this. Forgiveness is extended to those who
have rejected and denied Christ. Fear not.
"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." These are the very first
words in Mark's "gospel." From this sudden beginning, Mark moves on rapidly to a
sudden ending: immediately after the death on the cross comes the resurrection. Mark's
gospel is not a biography written to entertain us but a testimony, an appeal to accept
the gospel. Is it marvelous in our eyes? (Ps. 118:23).

32
[72]
Luke
1. The Beloved Physician Luke
Paul's fellow worker. The third and fifth books of the New Testament were written by
Luke, a figure whose name comes up in Paul's letters. When he ends the Letter to the
Colossians with greetings from various people, Paul mentions Mark (the cousin of
Barnabas), Aristarchus, and Jesus (also called Justus) as the only Jewish helpers he had
with him at the time. Then follows a message from Epaphras (Epaphroditus), who was
apparently a Gentile. Finally, "Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you."
In the Letter to Philemon of Colossae, which was written at about the same time, Paul
mentions roughly the same group of fellow workers. We know from II Timothy 4 that
Paul wanted Timothy to take Mark along with him to Rome. Paul writes: "Demas, in love
with the present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone
to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me" (vs. 10-11).
[73]
This short sentence about Luke speaks volumes. The physician Luke, highly regarded
by Paul, stayed with him as a fellow worker till the very end. Luke was a Gentile. Since
Mark, the author of the second book of the New Testament, was another of Paul's
helpers, Luke also knew him very well.
Paul's companion. From the book of Acts, which was intended as a sequel to the Gospel
according to Luke (Acts 1:1), we learn that Luke was not only a fellow worker of Paul's
but also made many journeys with him. Read Acts 16 starting at verse 6. At first the
pronoun they is used repeatedly: "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia .
. . they attempted to go into Bithynia . . . they went down to Troas." But at verse 10
things change: Paul saw the vision, and "immediately we sought to go on into
Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." The we
continues until Philippi, where Luke switches back to they. In chapter 20, starting at
verse 5, the pronoun we is used again: "We sailed away from Philippi." Throughout the
rest of the book, Luke uses we regularly. "The natives showed us unusual kindness"
(28:2).
When we consider this use of the first person pronoun in Acts in the light of the
references to Luke in the letters of Paul, we are driven to conclude that Luke means that
he accompanied Paul on his journeys. Thus Luke himself went with Paul from Troas to
Philippi, where he stayed behind. Later he joined Paul on his last journey to Jerusalem,
where Paul was arrested, and traveled with him to Rome, where he remained as Paul's
companion.
Thus the author of the Gospel according to Luke was one of Paul's fellow workers and
knew him intimately. Because he was an eyewitness to the spreading of the gospel and
its reception throughout the Mediterranean world, Luke was able to write a vivid factual
account of the apostolic era in the book of Acts.
[74]
Gathering the material. As a member of Paul's staff, Luke was in a good position to
gather information about Christ's ministry on earth, even though he had not known
Jesus personally. He was well acquainted with what Mark wrote. Moreover, his stay in
Palestine afforded him a fine opportunity to gather material for his account of the gospel.
With Paul, he stayed at the home of the deacon and evangelist Philip (Acts 21:8) and
also at the house of Mnason, one of the first disciples (vs. 16). While in Jerusalem, he
was present at a meeting between Paul and fames, the brother of the Lord (vs. 18).
During Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem and Caesarea, which lasted about two years,
Luke had lots of time to assemble materials for his history of the gospel in two volumes.
No doubt many who had witnessed the events and heard Jesus speak were still alive;
Luke would have been able to question them. It may be that Mary, the mother of the
Lord, the woman who had stored "all these things" in her heart, was also available for an
interview.

33
Clearly Luke made good use of the time he was forced to spend in the "holy land." What
he writes about the shipwreck in Acts 27 also reads like a firsthand account. Could it be
that Luke had already finished his first book in Palestine, the territory where Jesus had
operated, and that he started his second book there and all but completed it during the
sea journey to Rome?
In harmony with Matthew and Mark. In his account of Jesus' discourse about the
destruction of the temple, Luke speaks of troops surrounding Jerusalem rather than of
the "desolating sacrilege." Some scholars use this fact as an argument against the thesis
that Luke finished his gospel before the destruction of the temple in the year 70.
According to this view, the original expectation of the speedy return of Christ was set
[75]
aside once it became apparent that Jesus did not plan to come back immediately.
People began to think in terms of a considerable delay before He appeared again. This is
then alleged to be the reason why Luke ties Jesus' threatening words to the destruction
of Jerusalem rather than to the second coming, which is thereby made much more
remote. We are assured that this new perspective on the future creates more room for
the establishment of the church on earth: it is no longer necessary for Christians to
distantiate themselves quite so much from the mainstream of life. According to this
view, Luke is guilty of altering and bastardizing the original "eschatological" gospel.
This accusation is completely false, for Luke gives us just what Matthew and Mark give
us (see Matt. 24:10ff; Mark 13:1ff). In our examination of the book of Matthew, we saw
that what Luke writes about this matter is really no more than a paraphrase or
description of what is meant by the "desolating sacrilege" (21:20; see also Matt. 24:15).
It's simply not true that Luke changed a prediction of Jesus that allegedly failed to come
true into a statement about Roman legions surrounding Jerusalem.
Luke does not write that Jesus appealed to those who were in the city to flee once the
enemy succeeded in throwing an iron curtain around the city. All he does is to pass on
Jesus' prophecy to his readers—in such a way that it will be easily comprehended.
Remember that a good part of the city wall also served as the wall of the temple. When
Jewish soldiers took up their positions on the walls of the city and the temple, Jesus was
saying, the Christians were to take this as an alarm signal.
Thus there is no good reason to date Luke's book after the year 70. In time the first
readers could see for themselves that what Luke presented as prophecy had indeed
come true. Neither is there any reason to accuse Luke of having changed the original
[76]
gospel, for such an "eschatological" gospel exists only in the minds of certain
scholars. The New Testament does indeed teach us something about an expectation
concerning the immediate future—the expectation Jesus spoke of when He foresaw the
covenant wrath and judgment that was to descend on the city and the temple before
long.

2. Luke's Purpose in Writing

Commissioned by a Roman official. When we read the introductions to Luke and Acts,
which are written in beautiful literary Greek, we learn something about Luke's purpose in
writing. First of all, Luke dedicates his two-volume work to the "most excellent"
Theophilus. Since Luke also uses the phrase most excellent when governors like Felix
and Festus are addressed (Acts 23:26; 24:2; 26:25), we get the impression that
Theophilus must be a highly placed Roman official.
It appears that this man already possessed some knowledge of the gospel. Luke likewise
presupposes some knowledge of Jewish customs in what he writes. At that time there
were many Gentiles who had not become proselytes to the extent of undergoing
circumcision but attended the synagogue nevertheless. They were called the "God-
fearing."
Theophilus was probably one of those Gentiles who knew the Old Testament via the
synagogue and was acquainted with the gospel in part through contact with Luke.

34
Theophilus then commissioned Luke to look into the gospel events carefully and report
on them. Luke's stay in Palestine helped him in carrying out his assignment.
Since Luke's books were dedicated to Theophilus, we can safely assume that the latter
saw to it that they were reproduced and distributed somehow. In those days, of
[77]
course, there were no printing presses. Books had to be copied out by hand, a
process that sometimes went fairly quickly, for one man could read aloud while as many
as ten wrote.
Think about the situation for a moment. A Roman government official (perhaps in Miletus
or Philippi) commissions Luke, who was about to go to Jerusalem with Paul, to look into
all the events preached about by the Christians, promising to help with the publication of
the results of his investigation. Thus Luke's book represents a "gospel tract" prepared for
and through the higher classes.
The question of the temple. A man like Theophilus must have had his questions. No
doubt one of the first questions to arise in his mind was why it was necessary to go to a
"different church" now. What was wrong with the Jewish religion? Shouldn't the temple
services at Jerusalem, where the true God was worshiped, be maintained?
Luke therefore begins by speaking of the temple—Zechariah, Simeon, Anna, Jesus in the
temple at the age of twelve, Jesus tempted on the pinnacle of the temple, Jesus teaching
in the temple, and so forth. But Luke also points out that Jesus found it necessary to
purify the temple, to foretell the destruction of the temple, and to forsake the temple. He
makes it clear that Jesus was taken prisoner by the temple authorities, who then mocked
Him and condemned Him. At the beginning of the book, Luke shows us a priest who
could not give a blessing in the temple, and at the end he shows us a Priest-King who
blesses His own outside Jerusalem just before He ascends to heaven, after which His
disciples "were continually in the temple blessing God."
When you read the book of Acts, you see that Luke continues there in the same vein,
making the point that Christianity is not a revolutionary movement that rejects the
temple: rather, it is the temple that rejects the gospel.
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We read numerous stories of arrests, as the synagogues throughout the
Mediterranean world all the way to Rome reject the Christ. Because the "temple" will not
listen, judgment will strike. Yet the gospel continues to advance through the world
unhindered, O most excellent Theophilus!
The gospel in two volumes. As we read Luke's works, we must not lose sight of the fact
that they are addressed first of all to Theophilus. What an answer Luke gave in all the
material he presented in his two books! At the beginning of Acts he explains: "In the first
book [logos, which actually means word], O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus
began to do and to teach, until the day when he was taken up." Thus Luke's first book
sketches the beginning, while the second shows how the work was continued. Mark also
started out by speaking of the beginning—the beginning of the gospel.
Luke takes his place right next to those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the
Word. He regards it as necessary to deal once more with the beginning of Jesus'
activities and to tie in this beginning with an account of the continuation of Jesus' work
(the Acts of the Apostles).
A physician's touch. In his writings Luke shows repeatedly how merciful Jesus was, that
He was much more than a rigid, unfeeling rabbi or teacher. As a physician Luke had
been exposed to a great deal of physical suffering and social misery and was sensitive to
the special problems many women had to cope with. And is a Christian he was
acquainted with the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer.
It should not surprise us, therefore, that it is Luke who shows us how Jesus pitied those
who suffered and promised the Holy Spirit to the "poor," to those who prayed constantly
[79]
and wanted to live by grace alone. Luke knew that these sides of Jesus would appeal
to a man of importance like Theophilus.

35
A gospel of grace. This point deserves special emphasis in our time. When Luke talks
about the "poor" and tells us that Christ came to proclaim liberty to the captives, we are
not to think in terms of a "theology of liberation" or a "theology of revolution." The
"poor" are the poor and afflicted of the Psalms, those who wish to live by grace alone.
They are not to be equated with those whose incomes fall below some statistician's
"poverty line."
The gospel is a gospel of grace—not a social gospel. The message Christ proclaimed in
Nazareth was not a social or political program. (That was what His hearers would have
welcomed, of course.) The gospel does have social and political consequences, but it
must be seen first and foremost as a proclamation of grace, of deliverance from sin.

3. Chaos or Order?
An artist with the pen. In his introduction and dedication, Luke says that he will present
his report on the matters he investigated for Theophilus in the form of an "orderly
account." All the same, Luke has been subjected to heavy criticism by certain scholars
who argue that he used all sorts of sources and printed both versions of any story that
was circulating in conflicting accounts. That's why there are two addresses against the
Pharisees and two occasions when the disciples are sent out to preach (11:37ff; vs. 45ff;
9:1ff; 10:1ff). Jesus' appearance at Nazareth does not come in the proper place, we are
[80]
told, for by then Jesus had already made an appearance in Capernaum, which Luke
only gets around to later. More such charges are made.
While Luke's "Volume 1" is criticized for using all sorts of sources uncritically, the
complaint about "Volume 2" (i.e. Acts) is that he edited his sources too heavily. Luke
took too many unjustified liberties, with the result that his second book is not very
reliable historically, according to the critics.
Perhaps you know the story of Rembrandt's famous "Night Watch." When Rembrandt
was commissioned to paint the corporal's guard, he was expected to produce something
along the lines of the traditional family portrait, with the children lined up neatly and the
parents at the center—or perhaps a company of soldiers, with the officers seated in the
front row. But what the 33-year-old Rembrandt came up with was entirely different from
what his bourgeois customers had in mind. He painted his subjects in action, injecting
life and natural movement into the scene; in other words, he chose to depict the
corporal's guard in an informal setting. He even gave a prominent place in the painting
to a girl and a dog who had nothing to do with the corporal's guard and had not paid for
the privilege of being included. The result was a world-famous painting that wound up in
storage: the people who commissioned it did not want it displayed.
There is a bit of Rembrandt in Luke. A later legend has it that Luke was a painter
himself: a Byzantine king is supposed to have acquired a painting of Mary made by Luke.
Whatever the truth of the matter, Luke did become the patron saint of painters.
What is certain is that Luke was an artist with the pen. Skillfully he wielded the pen to
paint beautiful word-pictures. The result is an astonishingly animated portrayal of Jesus
in action—all based on the sources he consulted.
[81]
Thematic primacy. When you read that Luke proposes to write an "orderly account",
a "connected narrative" (1:3 NEB), you should not assume that he means to follow a
chronological order. Luke composed his account of the gospel with the greatest care—
carefully working out the narrative sequence, bringing certain incidents to the fore,
leaving others out, throwing in comments about details that struck him as significant,
and putting events in their context. Luke did not tinker with his text by way of a crude
scissors-and-paste rearrangement; no, he presented the story of the beginning of Jesus'
work in a vivid, carefully thought-out way, often relying on strong contrasts to make his
point.
This can easily be shown through specific examples. One that quickly comes to mind is
his placement of Jesus' rejection at Nazareth at the very beginning of the account of

36
Jesus' ministry—right after the story of the temptation in the wilderness. Luke's point is
not that the events in Nazareth were the first to occur: their primacy is thematic. Jesus'
hostile reception in His home town sets the tone for the response of the covenant
people.
But we should not restrict ourselves to examining the artistic elements in Luke's
composition of his account of the gospel. The book is indeed beautifully done, but the
message is our basic concern.

4. Lord and Servant (1:5—4:13)

Jesus' forerunner. Theophilus may well have heard of John the Baptist, for his disciples
were to be found as far away as Ephesus (Acts 19:1ff). That may be why Luke begins by
comparing Jesus and John, letting his readers see where they were similar and where
[82]
they differed. Here the form determined the "orderly account" Luke presents. First
we hear John's birth announced, then Jesus' birth. Luke goes on to deal with the ministry
of each, often using parallel language.

John the Baptist Jesus

And there appeared to him
[Zechariah] an angel of the Lord"
(1:11).
"Zechariah was troubled. But the
angel said to him, 'Do not bi afraid,
Zechariah'" (1:12, 15).
The angel Gabriel was sent to Mary
(1:26-7).
"But she was greatly troubled. And the
angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid,
Mary'" (1:29, 30).

"He will be great before the Lord"
(1:15).
"How shall I know this?" (1:18). A
sign is given.
Circumcision and naming of John
(1:59ff).
"And the child grew and became
strong in spirit" (1:80).
"And he went into all the legion about "And he taught in their synagogues,
the Jordan, reaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins"
(3:3).
"He will be great" (1:32).
"How shall this be?" (1:34). A sign is
given—Elizabeth's pregnancy.
Circumcision and naming of Jesus
(2:21).
"And the child grew and became
strong, filled with wisdom; and the
favor of God was upon him" (2:40).
being glorified by all" (4:15).

At first Luke talks at length about John the Baptist. However, once the paths of the
forerunner and the King (who has just arrived on the scene) cross at Jesus' baptism, the
emphasis falls on Jesus, the Priest-King who fulfills the ancient promises to David's
house.
[83]
No one may keep his gaze fixed exclusively on John the Baptist, whose light flickered
and died. Jesus, the Son of David, has come as a light for revelation to the Gentiles.
Even the temple resounded with His praises (2:29ff; see also Is. 40:5; 52:10; 42:6;
49:6,9; 25:7; 46:13).
The throne of David. Theophilus must have known something about the ancient
prophecies concerning the comfort and deliverance promised to Israel (2:25, 38; Is.
52:9). The repeated mention of "the throne of his father David" (1:32) and the city,
house and lineage of David (2:4, 11ff) must have been intended to awaken memories of

37
ancient prophecies.
Luke places both the birth of Jesus and the work of His forerunner in a historical
framework that takes its dates from the rule of the Roman emperors (2:1; 3:1). Our age
is a great time, Your Excellency! The events of our time draw in the Jewish temple and
the entire Roman empire.
The Son of Adam, the Christ, the bearer of the Holy Spirit, the Son in whom God is well
pleased—this long-awaited figure has been announced and has actually come. A
forerunner was sent to herald His coming. Jesus, the last Adam, rejected satan once and
for all. Then He began His work on earth (4:11ff). In the light of the grace now offered,
no one can be neutral toward the Christ.

5. The Inauguration of the Year of Jubilee (4:14-9:50)

The Anointed One. Early in his account of the gospel, Luke deals with Jesus' rejection in
Nazareth, thereby giving priority to an event that actually happened somewhat later in
[84]
time (compare 4:23 with vs. 31ff). This is not sloppiness on his part: he had solid
reasons for making this decision.
In Nazareth's synagogue, Jesus read the beginning of Isaiah 61, where it is written that
the Anointed One (the Christ) brings the gospel to the poor and proclaims the acceptable
year of the Lord, that is, the year of Jubilee with its amnesty and cancellation of debts.
"And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down [as teacher];
and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them,
'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing'" (4:20-1).
This is the theme we must bear in mind as we read the rest of the book of Luke. Jesus is
the Christ, the Anointed One; it is in this role that He appears among the people. He is
not a miracle-worker, and He does not come armed with military power. But His words
and deeds indicate that the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25) has come, the "today" of grace
(Heb. 3:13), the day of salvation (II Cor. 6:2).
Glad tidings for the "poor." The wonderful thing is that the glad tidings are proclaimed to
the "poor." We are not to think here in terms of those who are poor in economic terms:
the "poor" Luke refers to are those who await comfort for Israel. All the same, it's not
likely that this group included many of the rich and the nobility. Let powerful Theophilus
be aware that "God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (I Cor. 1:27).
Although Luke himself belonged to the intelligentsia and the economic elite, he warned:
"Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort" (6:24 NIV). He
also recorded the parable of poor Lazarus and the rich man (16:19ff), as well as the
parable of the rich fool who built bigger barns (12:13ff)-
At the same time, he was not opposed to wealth as such; in fact, he even recorded the
names of the women who contributed to Jesus' support from their own money, one
[85]
of them the wife of Herod's steward (8:2-3). No, Luke was not against wealth, but
he definitely opposed its abuse. Before God even the rich man must count himself as one
of the needy and afflicted mentioned so often in the Psalms.
Political interpretations. It is striking that the opening chapters of Luke make much of
the covenant (1:55, 72-3). The rest of the book, of course, also emphasizes the
covenant: "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
For the Son of man came to seek and save the lost" (19:9; see also 13:16).
Sometimes certain phrases in the song of Zechariah are interpreted in political terms:
"that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us"
(1:17). These enemies are identified as the Romans, and deliverance then means casting
off the Roman yoke.
Any such interpretation must be rejected. The song of Zechariah should be read against
the background of the covenant, for it speaks the language of the Psalms. The "enemies"
referred to by Zechariah are unfaithful members of the covenant people; they are

38
oppressors of the "poor," of those who look to the Lord.
Zechariah is not trying to recruit political zealots for a program of revolution. On the
contrary, he is testifying to God's faithfulness and primacy in the deliverance of His
people. As for the opposition, it comes from leaders within the covenant community.
Throughout his book, Luke shows how Jesus opposes the leaders of Israel. His death and
resurrection are part of His program of gathering and building His church as He fulfills
the covenant promises (24:46-7).
The joyful message rejected. Jesus was anointed with the Spirit. Luke, who was later to
describe the events of Pentecost, never gets tired of talking about the Spirit. Christ
[86]
bears the Spirit so that the Word will go out. Here is another important theme in
Luke, a theme he keeps in mind constantly and also emphasizes in Acts. Jesus acts by
means of the gospel. Furthermore, it is a joyful message that He brings. Time and again
the joy motif comes through in Luke.
Unfortunately, the people of Nazareth wanted more than the Word: they hoped for some
amazing miracle from this sorcerer, this famous man who had grown up among them.
They expected more than just a prophet speaking to them. As Luke shows clearly,
Nazareth's rejection of the preaching of the Servant of the Lord was typical of Israel as a
whole.
The problem of Israel's fall. Therefore—and here comes another important theme—the
law of substitution goes into effect. Just as Elijah and Elisha passed by Israel and
reached out to help the widow of Sidon and Naaman the Syrian, so Israel's fall will lead
to the saving of the Gentiles. From the Nazareth that wants to destroy Jesus to the
Gentiles that later accept Him runs an unbroken line. Theophilus may have wrestled with
the problem of Israel's fall, but Luke, a disciple of the apostle who wrote Romans 9-11,
shows him clearly that the continual hardening of Israel prepared the way for the
fulfillment of the prophecy: the servant of the Lord will be a light to the nations! (Is.
42:1ff; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 26:18).
Neither Jewish descent nor good works are decisive. The angels did not sing, "Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men," as the King James Bible
has it in 2:14. A more accurate translation is given in the New International Version:
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." The
true peace of the year of Jubilee is only for those on whom God's favor rests!
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The gospel at work in Galilee. Up to 9:51 Luke gives a vivid picture of the Savior's
work in Galilee. In the process, the themes mentioned earlier are worked out further.
Although much of this material is already familiar from Matthew and Mark, Luke gives it
his own flavor in his arrangement and presentation of it. He does not merely copy what
Mark had written, filling it out here and there with words borrowed from Matthew.
Christ's mercy on sinners comes to the fore in the stories about healings as well as in the
story of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus (7:36ff). Jesus also came to make
despised women full members of His church.
One of the disciples was Levi, the tax-collector. In his joy at encountering Jesus, he
invited his colleagues as well as Jesus and His disciples to dinner. This is another exam-
ple of the joy motif in Luke. Jesus declared, "I have not come to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance" (5:32).
The cross on the horizon. But the Pharisees, the rabbis—types that Theophilus no doubt
recognized from his knowledge of the Jews of the Diaspora—don't want anything to do
with forgiveness (5:21ff; 7:39ff) or joy at the coming of the Bridegroom (5:33ff; 7:32,
34). From the time of John the Baptist on, they have rejected God's purposes (7:30).
Eventually they will go further.
The Son of man will be put to death by the elders and chief priests and scribes, declared
Jesus when He was alone with the disciples to pray (9:18ff). Therefore an exodus

39
awaited Him: the Son of man must go to Jerusalem (9:31). "The Son of man is to be
delivered into the hands of men" (vs. 44). From this point on, we never lose sight of the
cross on the horizon.

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6. Jesus' Final Journey to Jerusalem (9:51—19:27)
A preacher of salvation. At 9:51 a new section of Luke begins, a section that covers the
story of the journey to Jerusalem. Repeatedly we are told that Jesus is on His way to
Jerusalem (9:51-2; 10:1, 38; 13:22, 33; 14:25; 17:11).
This section includes a number of Jesus' sayings not found in the other "gospels." And
when an event is described, it generally serves as an introduction to something Jesus
said. Whereas Luke sketches Jesus in the first part of his book as a worker of salvation,
in this sec-don he presents Him as a preacher of salvation.
A prophetic mission in Jerusalem. Everything recorded by Luke in this section is part of
Jesus' deliberate movement in the direction of Jerusalem, where His exodus was to take
place. "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised" (9:22).
We read that when the time drew near, "he set his face to go to Jerusalem" (9:51; see
also Matt. 20:17; Mark 10:30). Here Luke uses an expression also found in the prophets,
who talked about the Lord turning His face or some prophet turning his face—against
Jerusalem or Israel (see Jer. 21:10; Ezek. 4:3,7; 6:2; 13:17; 14:8; 15:7).
The course was set. Jesus would carry out His prophetic mission in the city of God.
Divine necessity was at work here, as we see from Jesus' answer to Herod, who tried to
scare Him and advised Him to flee:
Go and tell that fox,
"Behold, I cast out demons
and perform cures today and tomorrow,
and the third day I finish my course.
Nevertheless I must go on my way
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today and tomorrow and the day following;
for it cannot be
that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem."
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets
and stoning those who are sent to you!
How often would I have gathered your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
and you would not!
Behold, your house is forsaken [see Jer. 12:7; 22:5].
And I tell you,
you will not see me until you say,
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" (13:32-5).
Luke knew what Jesus' program was and showed how He carried out His fixed plan. Near
the end of this section he records one more statement made by Jesus, a statement
about what He would suffer: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that
is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished" (18:31; compare vs.
32 with Is. 50:6 and 53:1ff).
The Savior of sinners. When we take a closer look at this section, we find all sorts of
motifs that were present earlier in the book of Luke. Jesus is portrayed as the Savior of
sinners, for example. It is Luke who gives us the three parables about things lost—the
lost sheep, the lost coin (which may have been part of a special hat given to the woman
by her husband when they got married), and the lost son (see ch. 15). The last of the
three, the story of the prodigal son, is clearly the climax.
In 19:10 Luke records Jesus' statement that the Son of man came to seek and save the
lost. The sending out of the 70 disciples had salvation as its goal: an appeal was to be

40
made to the children (10:16,21ff).
The Pharisees. The reason Jesus showed such contempt for the actions of the Pharisees
[90]
is that they did not recognize the signs of the times. They did not know how to "work
with" prophecies, and they imposed burdens on the people, burdens that were too heavy
for them to bear (11:14ff, 37ff).
The Pharisees were trapped in laws of their own making and used measures of their own
devising as standards of evaluation (11:29ff; 12:54ff). Thereby they enslaved the poor—
Luke wanted to make sure that Theophilus understood this. Watch out for their tricks,
their leaven, their hypocrisy! (11:54; 12:1). Those Pharisees make it all sound so
Scriptural!
Stewardship and mercy. The motif of poverty and wealth comes to the fore. Why were
many of the disciples and apostles so unconcerned about something as important as
money? Because the Master had given them glorious promises on this score (12:22ff).
This does not mean that the disciples were to be careless about money: they were called
to be stewards (12:35ff). The mandate of stewardship does not apply to "spiritual"
wealth only. Jesus' disciples were instructed to deal prudently with "unrighteous
mammon," i.e. money (16:9), which is the cause of so much evil. This applies to small
sums of money as well as large ones: "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in
much" (vs. 10). How can someone who is careless with the money entrusted to him by
God be given an eternal inheritance?
The mandate of stewardship involves deeds of mercy. Luke's "gospel" is the only one
that includes the parable of the good Samaritan (10:25ff) and the parable of the rich
man and poor Lazarus (16:19ff). Luke is not afraid to tell powerful Theophilus what
Jesus said about seating guests at a marriage feast (14:4ff). In Paul's first letter to the
church at Corinth, the same question is dealt with: even in Corinth, the tendency to form
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groups had led the rich to form a circle of their own, a circle that excluded those who
were not rich (I Cor. 11:17ff).
Jesus breaks through the caste mentality by making the church a community of saints.
Blessed is the man who invites the poor to a feast, for the poor have no way of repaying
him. He will be repaid at the "first resurrection" (Rev. 20:6), the "resurrection of the
just" (14:12-14).
The promise of the Holy Spirit. Luke also tells us what Jesus said about prayer (11:1ff).
In this context, the Holy Spirit is mentioned. The Father will give the Spirit to those who
ask Him (11:13). At critical moments the Spirit will teach the disciples what they are to
say to their persecutors (12:12).
In Acts, Luke gives examples of the Spirit's support by recording various addresses of
the apostles. If you read those addresses carefully, you will be spared the mistake of
thinking that Jesus' promise means that there is no longer any need to search the
Scriptures. The preaching of the apostles is full of quotations from the Old Testament.
Jesus promises the assistance of the Spirit to those who are willing to live out of the
Word.
The Word addressed to women. It is typical of Luke that he also shows how women are
called to listen to the Word. In the synagogue, the women were forced into the
background. There are still eastern European synagogues in Mea-Shearim, an orthodox
district in the Jewish section of Jerusalem, which women are not allowed to enter.
Jesus reproached Martha for not seeing what is central, as Mary did: after Mary had
done her duty, she did not look for other household chores but abandoned her sister—
that's literally what the text says—and sat down at Jesus' feet! (10:38-42). "One thing is
needful," declared Jesus. Now, this story has nothing to do with women's liberation.
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Jesus did not come to uproot people but to point out to them what is central, what
they must put first as they carry out their divine calling.

41
The day of salvation. The healings of which we read so much in this section point to the
arrival of the year of Jubilee, even though Israel's leaders refused to recognize it.
Because of their refusal, they are compared to a barren fig tree (13:6ff) and a dead body
around which vultures gather (17:37).
Despite this refusal, Jesus continues to speak of grace: repeatedly He sketches salvation
in vivid terms. When He approaches the city of Jericho, which is so well-known in
redemptive history, He accepts the praise due the Messiah when a blind man hails Him
as the "Son of David" and is
healed (18:35ff).
Even the despised tax-collector Zacchaeus, who was a superintendent of customs for the
Jericho area, is allowed to have Jesus as a guest at his house. The prostitute Rahab, who
was spared by Joshua, here finds a counterpart. The new Joshua says to Zacchaeus,
"Today salvation has come to this house" (19:9).

If only you had known, on this great

day, the way that leads to peace!
(19:42 NEB).

7. The Messiah Rejected by the City of Peace (19:28—23:49)

Jerusalem's hour of decision. The time of the culmination was nearing—for Jesus and for
Jerusalem. Soon it would become apparent that the people did not want Jesus as their
King (19:27). It would also become clear that His death was no accident. "And when he
[93]
had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem" (19:28).
The city was forced to make a decision about Him. But Jerusalem, the city of peace, was
not interested in the peace brought by Jesus (vs. 42; see also 2:14). Therefore peace
would be taken away from the land (19:43-4; see also 2:14; Rev. 6:4; Lev. 26:6). No
attention was paid to the time of day dawning from on high, the time about which
Zechariah had been so jubilant (1:78; see also the KJV rendering and 19:44).
The destruction of the temple. Is it strange that the temple motif should come up again?
The purification of the temple was at the same time its annexation for the purpose of
preaching the gospel (19:45ff). The temple authorities and the scribes were soon at
work figuring out what to do about Jesus (vs. 47). They did not want to see Psalm 118,
that song of the temple intended for use at the time of the great feast, become
applicable to Him (19:39,38; 20:17).
The rejection of the Cornerstone (see Ps. 118:22) would lead to their own collapse
(20:18; I Pet. 2:4, 7ff). The worship of the temple would become the liturgy of
judgment. The time of recompense (Hos. 9:7) and covenant wrath (Jer. 5:29; Deut.
32:35), the time in which everything that was written would be fulfilled, was
approaching (21:22). The coming kingship of God would not leave one stone standing on
another when it destroyed the house that rejected the Son.
Thus Theophilus was not to think that the coming destruction of that glorious temple
represented some sort of defeat for the Lord. On the contrary, the destruction of the
temple would be part of the coming of the Kingdom. The rejection of Israel would form
the background to the election of the Gentiles.
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Condemned by the Jews. Displaying an impressive knowledge of the facts, Luke
describes Jesus' arrest as well as His hearings before the Sanhedrin, the vassal king
Herod, and the governor Pilate. Now that the power of the Roman empire enters the
picture, Luke satisfies Theophilus' natural curiosity by making it clear that Jesus vas
condemned by the Sanhedrin.
Jesus was condemned on the grounds that He had called Himself the Son of God. Yet the
same Jews accused Him before Pilate of being a rebel, a political agitator (23:2; see also

42
20:20-6). Pilate found no guilt in Jesus, but he gave in to the demands of the Jews
anyway—by releasing Barabbas, a captive rebel, and allowing them to put Jesus to death
(23:25). Thus Jesus was crucified as King of the Jews between two rebels sharing the
mentality of Barabbas.
It is in Luke's "gospel" that we read that one of these criminals—actually they were
political malefactors, terrorists—spoke up for Jesus and recognized Him as long. When
Jesus died, the Roman centurion recognized Him too (23:39ff). Israel, however, had
rejected the just King and chosen the rebel Barabbas in His place.
A prayer for Israel. The women who followed Jesus to Golgotha and lamented Him were
told: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your
children" (23:28). Jesus was bent over not because of the weight of the cross but
because of the judgment that was about to strike the city of God (Hos. 10:8; Rev. 6:16-
17). When He said, "Father, forgive them," He was not just talking about the soldiers
who nailed Him to the cross. He also had the coming judgment of Israel in mind. Jesus
was praying for a period of grace after Pentecost, so that the Jews of Jerusalem would
have an opportunity to realize just what they had done.
The entry into Paradise promised to the man crucified next to Jesus was at the same
[95]
time an appeal to Israel's zealots to stop seeking Paradise by means of the sword
and to recognize the real Messiah before it was too late. How Jesus struggles for His
people, O Theophilus, even when He was on the cross! Those who argue today that
Jesus was actually a political revolutionary are denying the gospel!

8. The Victory Begins with Jerusalem (23:50—24:53)

A catechism lesson. The road leading to glory begins with Jesus' burial. A member of the
Sanhedrin asked Pilate for permission to take down the body of Jesus and bury it. The
women of Galilee also came (23:55; 8:2-3); apparently Jesus' following had not
disintegrated completely.
Then, once the sabbath was over, Jesus arose from His grave. The striking thing about
Luke's resurrection account is that many references are made to the Old Testament and
also to what Jesus Himself had said (24:6-8, 25-7, 44-7). Thus, Easter begins with a
catechism lesson. What Theophilus learns in this lesson is nothing more or less than the
testimony given by Jesus and the angels.
It was not necessary for Theophilus to have been present personally. What the women,
the two men walking to Emmaus, and the eleven disciples saw and heard is still gospel
for us, and it still burns in our hearts (24:32; Jer. 20:9).
A bridgehead for the church. Deliberately and programmatically, Luke places the Word of
the risen Christ at the end of his first book:
Thus it is written,
that the Christ should suffer and on the third day
[96]
rise from the dead,
and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should
be preached in his name
to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things [see also Is. 43:10ff
and 44:8]. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city,
until you are clothed with power from on high (24:46-8).
Thus the Christ was victorious. The Spirit was to be poured out in that same temple city
that was condemned to death. Jerusalem became a bridgehead for the church as it
began establishing itself among the nations.
Jerusalem itself does not listen. Therefore others appear in its streets and lanes to
accept the invitation to the feast (see 14:21).

43
Volume 2 (i.e. Acts) shows how the testimony soon resounded throughout the world.
Theophilus, God is carrying out His plans for Jerusalem. A High Priest with His hands
outstretched in blessing ascended on high.
Volume 1 does not end the same way it began (compare 24:50 with 1:22). But the
temple, the lion's den, resounds with the praises of the disciples. In this respect, at
least, there is continuity with the beginning (compare 24:53 with 2:28-38).

44
[97]
Index
Anabaptists, 26
Antichrist, 36
Aramaic language, 59
Ascension of Christ, 31
Authority of Scripture, 12-14
Baarda. T., 11-12
"Babylon", 59
Balaam, 22
Barnabas, 57-8, 61, 72
Belgic Confession, 51
Bible translation, 28-9
Capernaum, 15-17, 34, 64
Church as God's people, 17,26,32,38
Circumcision, 76
Communion, sacrament of (see Lord's supper)
Countenance (face) of the Lord, 88
Covenant between God and His people, 85
Covenant blessing, 28
Covenant wrath, 16-17, 32, 34, 42, 47ff, 54, 70, 93-4
Demythologizing, 11
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 19, 23, 32, 42, 47ff, 54, 62, 74-5, 77-8, 93-4
Discipline in the church, 44-5
Dodd, C. H. 9-10
Egypt, 70
Ephesus, 81
Exodus command, 22, 24, 50, 52
Galilee, 18, 24, 34, 40, 54-5,63-4, 87
Gandhi, 26
Genealogy of Jesus, 20-1
"God-fearing" Gentiles, 76
Good Shepherd, 53-5
Gospel according to John, 11
Government and revolution, 26-7, 32, 43, 79, 85
Greek language, 59
Griesbrach, J. J., 8
Hardening, 36-7, 86
Herod, 40, 66-8, 88, 94

45
Holy Spirit, 85-6, 91
Immanuel promise, 19,22, 55
Inspiration of Scripture, 9, 19
Jerusalem and the temple, 17, 34, 47ff, 70, 77-8, 83, 87-8, 92ff
Jesus/Joshua, 23-4
Jewish nationalism, 49-50, 94-5
Jewish question, 17, 52-3, 77-8
John the Baptist, 22-4, 33-4, 39, 48, 64, 66, 81-3
Jordan River, 23
King James Bible, 19-20, 63,86
Kingdom of God, 38-9, 93
"Last days", 48, 52
Leaven (yeast), 21, 40, 68, 90
Lord's supper, 53 Luke, 72ff
Mark, 56ff, 61,72
Marriage and divorce, 45-6
Mary (mother of Jesus), 74
Mashal, 37-8, 46
Matthew, 15ff, 21, 30, 87
Melchizedek and the priesthood, 53
Miracles, 29-30, 65, 67, 84,86
Money and property, 27, 46, 84-5, 90-1
Mount of Olives, 48
Nazareth, 24, 39, 79, 81, 83-4, 86
New English Bible, 44
New International Version, 86
New Israel, 55
Numbers in the Bible, 17, 20-1
Office-bearers, 31
Parables, 37ff, 89-90
Passover, 45, 53, 70
Paul, 57-8, 72-4
Penticost, 35-6
Peter, 41-3, 57-9, 61, 68, 71
Pharisees and scribes, 22-3, 25, 39-40, 47, 67-8, 87, 89-90, 93
Pilate, 59,94
"Poor," the, 28, 33, 78-9, 84-5
Prophecy, 51

46
Redemptive history, 13-14
Rembrandt, 80
Rest, 34-5
Resurrection of Jesus, 10-11, 54, 62-3, 71, 85, 95
Revelation, book of, 48
Revelation of God, 13
Revised Standard Version, 63
Righteousness, 23-5,27,43, 54
Roman Catholicism, 68
Sadducees, 22-3, 40-1, 47, 67-8
Sanhedrin, 22, 55, 70, 94
Satan, and demons, 65
Seed of the serpent, 48
Sermon on the Mount, 25ff
Servant of the Lord, 28-9, 33,42
Seven, 19, 51
Shalom, 31
Shema, 25
Sign of Jonah, 30, 37, 51
Signs of the times, 28-30, 49,90
Silas (Silvanus), 57-8
Sin against the Holy Spirit, 35-6
Son of David, 20-1, 40, 46-7, 69, 83, 92
Son of man, 29-30, 35, 42, 51-3, 55, 66-7, 69-70, 89
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 23
Stewardship, 90
Stumbling blocks, 35,44
Substitution, law of, 86
Synoptic question, 8-9,13-14, 60-2, 74-5, 87
Temple, cleansing of, 47, 62, 77
"Theology of the church", 11-13,48
Theophilus, 76-9, 81, 83-4, 86-7, 90, 93-6
Toledoth, 19-20
Tolstoy, Leo, 26
Torah, 20, 25
Transfiguration of Jesus, 42-3
Twelve, 31
Unity of the Bible, 7, 95

47
Wise men from the east, 22
Woman and man, 91-2
Year of Jubilee, 84, 86, 92

48
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 8

John - Romans

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[7]
John ..................................................................................................................................... 3
1. A Disciple's Eyewitness Testimony .................................................................... 3
2. The Old Testament Background of John's "Gospel" .............................................. 4
3. The Uniqueness of John's "Gospel" .................................................................... 5
4. What Does John Mean by "the World"? .............................................................. 7
5. John's Prologue .............................................................................................. 8
6. What is Truth?................................................................................................ 9
7. Early Responses to Jesus (1:19-2:12) ............................................................... 9
8. Cleansing and New Life (2:13 3:21) ............................................................. 10
9. Preaching to Jews and Samaritans (3:22-5:47) ................................................ 11
10. Revelation through Sacramental Symbols (6:1-71) ......................................... 12
11. Jesus Teaches in Jerusalem (7:1-10:42) ........................................................ 13
12. Five Signals That Easter Is Near (11:1-12:50) ................................................ 15
13. Saying Farewell in Deed, Word and Prayer (13:1-17:26) ................................. 15
14. The Elevation and Glorification of Jesus (18:1-21:25) ...................................... 16
[42]
Acts .................................................................................................................................. 18
1. A Book about Jesus ....................................................................................... 18
2. A Chronicle of the Way Chosen by the New Israel ............................................. 19
3. Pentecost and the Appeal to the Covenant People ............................................. 20
4. Christian Communism? .................................................................................. 23
5. Seeds Scattered Far and Wide (8:1 12:25) .................................................. 24
6. First the Jew and Then the Greek (13:1-14:28) ................................................ 26
7. No Needless Burdens for Gentile Christians (15:1-35) ....................................... 28
8. Carrying the Gospel to the Greek Cities (15:36-19:41) ...................................... 29
9. From Pentecost to Pentecost (20:1-21:16) ...................................................... 32
10. The Gospel under Fire (21:17-26:32) ............................................................ 32
11. Paul Preaches Openly and Unhindered (27:1-28:31) ....................................... 34
[81]
Romans ............................................................................................................................ 36
1. Arming the Church in Rome for the Struggle .................................................... 36
2. The Lord Our Righteousness (1:1 17) .............................................................. 37
3. Neither Gentile Nor Jew Righteous before God (1:18-3:20) ................................ 38
4. The Gospel of Forgiveness in the Old Testament (3:21-5:21) ............................. 38
5. Life Renewed by Grace (6:1-8:8) .................................................................... 39
6. Living by the Spirit (8:9-39) .......................................................................... 40
[93]
7. God Remembers His Promises and Threats (9:1-11:36) ................................ 41
8. Transformation Rooted in Salvation (12:1-13:14) ............................................. 42
9. Weak and Strong United in Service and Love (14:1-16:27) ................................ 43
[103]
Index .............................................................................................................................. 46

2
[7]
John
1. A Disciple's Eyewitness Testimony
The disciple Jesus loved. Anyone who reads the fourth gospel carefully can see for
himself that it was written by a Palestinian Jew who was an apostle and an eyewitness of
the events he describes. The inescapable conclusion is that the author must be John. The
writer appears to be very familiar with Palestine (4:6, 11, 20, 35), for he gives us some
surprising details, for example, in connection with time (1:39) and distances (6:19;
21:8). Such details could only have come from an eyewitness.
In 21:20 the author refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Now, Jesus
was especially close to three disciples—Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, i.e. James
and John. Peter could not be the disciple referred to in 21:20, for he is clearly
distinguished from him in this verse: Peter points to the disciple in question and asks
Jesus about him. Thus it must be James or John. Now, James had died in the year 44, as
a victim of Jewish hatred. Thus the eyewitness and writer had to be John, the other "son
of thunder" (literally: noisemaker).
[8]
In the other three "gospels," we find occasional references to John as one of the
disciples. In the fourth "gospel," however, his name is never mentioned. Wherever there
is a reference to "John," John the Baptist is meant—although he is not called "the
Baptist." The author of the fourth "gospel" simply hides behind the description "the
disciple whom Jesus loved."
When he refers to himself in these words, it is not because he wants to exalt himself but
because the story requires some sort of reference to him. We read about this mysterious
apostle at the Passover supper, which was Jesus' last supper with His disciples: "The
disciple Jesus loved was reclining next to Jesus" (13:23 JB), so that he could converse
with Him easily and quietly. This disciple was also at the foot of the cross (19:26) and
followed Jesus after the resurrection (21:20). Furthermore, we may take it that he was
the disciple who was with Peter in the yard of the high priest (18:15ff) and accompanied
Peter to the grave of Jesus on the first Easter morning (20:3ff).
In the context of such testimony, the apostle could not avoid referring to himself. For the
rest, John speaks of himself with the greatest reserve. Because of the nature of the
testimony he presented, it was important to let the reader know that he was an apostle
and an eyewitness. The author of the fourth "gospel" could well have joined his
namesake John the Baptist in saying, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (3:30).
The cup of suffering. According to an old ecclesiastical tradition, John wrote his "gospel"
in Ephesus, where he is alleged to have lived at the end of the first century. There is
another tradition to the effect that the author of the book is not the apostle John but
another John, known as John the Elder.
One argument advanced in favor of the latter view is that Jesus prophesied that the
[9]
apostle John and his brother James would undergo His baptism and drink His cup. Ac-
cording to the proponents of this view, this means that both were destined to die as
martyrs. Hence John, like James, must have died relatively early (see Matt. 20:20ff; Acts
12:2).
As we consider this argument, we should take note of something John says elsewhere: in
Jesus he shared in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance (Rev. 1:9). This is
a beautiful text: the exile on Patmos goes back to Jesus' own words here. John is eager
to sit on the throne next to Jesus in the coming Kingdom (Rev. 3:21; 5:10; 20:6; 22:5),
but he must first drink from the cup of suffering and be baptized with Jesus, to complete
what is lacking in Christ's afflictions (Col. 1:24; Rev. 1:9).
The point to remember here is that a Christian does not only drink from the cup of
suffering when he pays for his faith with his life. We must not elevate martyrdom to a
status that makes us lose sight of the many different forms of crossbearing that result

3
from following the Lamb.
John 21:11, which gave some people the idea that John was immortal and even led to
the later legend that he was still breathing in his grave, does not exclude the possibility
of suffering. John had to live longer than his brother James and longer than Peter—for
the sake of his task in the church and his task as a writer. He was to be the outlet of the
thundering Voice of the Word (Revelation).

2. The Old Testament Background of John's "Gospel"

The "evolution" of the gospel. The theory of evolution has all sorts of interesting uses,
for it is a dogma that can be applied to almost anything, including the Bible. The
[10]
foundation of this dogma is the view that there is always a development going on, a
development headed upwards. According to the evolutionary conception, Israel's religion
grew out of a very primitive form of religion. At the outset there was no new knowledge
of God. The New Testament, in turn, presents many more stages of development; it si
lows us people striving for a "higher" religion.
The fourth book of the New Testament is then accorded the honor of serving as an
example of a higher level of development. John's "gospel," according to such scholars,
stands head and shoulders above the other three and is much more "spiritual" than the
letters of Paul. John is presented as a highly "modern" writer; he comes last, surveys
everything, and strips away the Jewish dress in which the gospel had previously been
clothed, wrapping it instead in a Hellenistic and mystical garment much better suited to
it. That's why this "gospel" is so different, so much more elevated and beautiful and
satisfying than the other books of the Bible, which are more earthy, less serene, less
elevated, less intense.
There is evolution at work here, we are told: the fourth "gospel" is a much later book. It
is a book that will appeal to the people of India, for it speaks to them in their own
language. This "gospel" with its mystical trappings and flavor will not offend them. The
elements in the other "gospels" that would definitely offend them are absent in John.
John, we are assured, speaks a language akin to the language of our own existentialist
era. He "demythologizes" the gospel, taking out the offensive myths and confronting his
readers with higher realities that are really the central issue. In the final analysis, John's
message is indistinguishable from that of the other great religions; they all point to one
and the same higher religion!
The reason I take up this approach here is that you may well run into the evolutionist
outlook on Scripture yourself in something you read or in someone you talk to. It is used
[11]
by a great many interpreters of the Bible, with the result that numerous students of
the Bible fall under its spell bit by bit. The fourth "gospel," we are told, is so strange, so
"different"!
Arguments against the "evolutionist" approach. We may not stick our heads in the sand
in the face of this outlook on the Gospel according to John. Here, as
elsewhere, we must be on guard against the evolutionist dogma. Therefore I must ask
you to keep the following five points in mind.
(1) It is far from certain that John wrote near the end of the first century. It's likely that
he wrote his account of the gospel much earlier. He may even have made some
notes during the time that Jesus was still on earth. The material he offers his readers
provides a very vivid picture of what was going on. (Think, for example, of the
disputes recorded in chapters 6-9.) His account of Jesus' doings is simply not the sort
of thing that one could write 60 years later. After all, the Bible was not inspired by
the Holy Spirit through any mechanical or automatic process.
(2) The argument that John was not concerned with history but threw his material
together rather carelessly because he was really interested in ideas must be rejected
radically. It is not true that when John became an old man, he took up a position

4
 above the historical process. The fact of the matter is that redemptive history is the
foundation for his presentation of the words of the Lord.
(3) Nor is it true that John broke with everything Jewish. He does refer to his
countrymen as "the Jews," but Paul did the same thing (I Thess. 2:14-15). What
John opposes so strongly is the apostate church. Yet, this does not mean that he
denies God's covenantal way of dealing with His people.
[12]
Because of the Qumran discoveries, a number of scholars who once branded the
fourth "gospel" as a philosophical—and even mystical—Greek gospel have been
forced to change their position somewhat. There are Qumran scrolls that contain
terms and expressions that look very much as though they came from the Gospel ac-
cording to John. The ground under the thesis that the fourth "gospel" is a
"modernized" gospel adapted to Greek thinking has always been shifting sand. Now
this has finally become apparent to virtually all scholars.
(4) John's entire "gospel" is anchored in the Old Testament and cannot be understood
apart from it. Unfortunately, many believers have been misled by John's use of such
words as truth, life, light, and Word; they go wrong because they fail to bear the Old
Testament in mind as they ponder the meaning of these words. An example of this
tendency to lose our exegetical moorings is the talk of Christ as the "true vine," a
phrase found in various English translations of the Bible—as though a certain vine in
your garden might turn out to be a mere illusion. Christ's point is that He is the
genuine vine that does not die but brings forth fruit (see Is. 5:1ff). Hence we could
better translate this phrase as "real vine," as the New English Bible and Today's
English Version do.
(5) Andrew addresses Jesus by His Jewish title of Messiah (1:41), and Nathanael calls
Him the King of Israel (vs. 49). This is the portrait of Jesus that John wishes to draw
in his book. Jesus is the Christ of the Scriptures (1:45; 5:46; 12:37ff; 13:18; 19:28).
John, like Pascal, points to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—not to the God of
the philosophers and scholars. The God of the patriarchs is also the God of Jesus
Christ.
Jesus was not a rabbi teaching a universal human religion. What He taught was the Word
we also find in the Old Testament, a Word with a definite Jewish flavor. Although there is
[13]
something to be said for characterizing John as an eagle, he does not take wing and
soar high above the one covenant and the one church of the Lord. He does not preach a
gospel of existential choice but calls us to believe. Nor does he proclaim a mystical
universal atonement; he testifies that deliverance is only through God's Son.

3. The Uniqueness of John's "Gospel"

Fostering faith in Christ. John does not hide his purpose in writing. Out of the mass of
material available, he chose certain events and sayings. These he wrote down—or had a
secretary write them down in Greek—so that "you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name" (20:31). He wants his
readers to be fully convinced, then, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.
Thus he wants to arm his readers against attacks from the side of the synagogue, from
those who deny Jesus these titles. The first readers probably included Jews as well as
"God-fearing" Gentiles who moved in Jewish circles.
In keeping with his purpose in writing, namely, to strengthen faith in Jesus as the
Messiah and the Son of God, John chose his material carefully. Therefore he recorded
many confessions about Jesus: Andrew (1:40-1), Nathanael (vs. 49), John the Baptist
(vs. 27ff), the Samaritan woman and the Samaritans (4:28-9, 42), Peter (6:69), the
man born blind whom Jesus healed (9:38), Martha (11:27), and Thomas (20:28).
"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe " (vs. 29).
To foster faith in Christ, the Son of God, John also recorded seven miracles as signs
pointing to Jesus' identity: changing water into wine (2:1ff), healing the official's son

5
[14]
(4:46ff), healing the lame man on the sabbath (5:1ff), Feeding the five thousand
(6:1ff), walking on the water (6:16ff), healing the man born blind (9:1ff), and
awakening Lazarus from the dead (11:43-4).
Sermons and debates. The miracle performed as a sign is often misunderstood and
becomes the occasion for a discussion of an address by Jesus. Thus John gives us a
number of Jesus' sermons and debates. This is what makes his book so unique. These
addresses and disputes deal with the rejection of Jesus by the Jews, among other things.
They show us how Jesus responded to the growing opposition.
After 12:1 we also find addresses given only to the disciples, as part of Jesus'
preparation for His departure. Jesus was training them for their task after His ascension
into heaven. Thus this section of John focuses heavily on equipping the apostles for the
battles ahead. Christ, as their Advocate (Paraclete) promised to send them another, a
second Advocate, to assist them in the great (legal) battle that the church would have to
fight.
John's chronology. It is significant that John includes a number of dates in his narrative
and that he repeatedly specifies the time of year by referring to the Jewish calendar of
feasts. When he speaks of "a feast" in 5:1—the text should really read "the feast"—he
probably means the final feast of the year, i.e. the Feast of Tabernacles.
If we look at all the temporal references together, we get the following chronological
structure. In Year I of Jesus' ministry, the time of the Passover is dealt with in 2:13-
3:21. There appears to be a reference to the Feast of Tabernacles covering 5:1-46. In
Year II, the time of the Passover is covered in 6:4-71. The Feast of Tabernacles is the
temporal setting for 7:1-10:21. The Feast of Temple Dedication begins at 10:22. Finally,
[15]
in Year III, we again have the Passover, starting at 12:1.
The Lamb of God. We find the Passover at the beginning, at the end, and in between.
Look once more at the beginning. Twice John the Baptist refers to Jesus by a name also
found in the book of Revelation, i.e. Lamb of God (1:29, 36). Does the use of this name
have something to do with the fact that the Passover feast of three successive years is
mentioned by John in his "gospel"?
Here we see again that John composed his book carefully. We also see what a rich
message it contains. John writes about the Messiah and Son of God as the Lamb of God!
(see Rev. 5:6ff). His "gospel" is not a different gospel; it is the old gospel, the same
gospel.
To present his material in an appealing way, John brings to the fore the temporal
framework within which Jesus was working—by referring to the feast to indicate what
time of year it was. This would show the Jews who came into contact with the gospel
that the Savior not only had to oppose the synagogue and the temple but also fulfilled
the Passover in His work—by becoming the slaughtered Lamb. This Savior has
inaugurated the final feast, the new age's Feast of Tabernacles. (Think of Revelation 7:9,
with its white robes and palm branches, and Zechariah 14:16ff.)
In harmony with the synoptic "gospels" While the three synoptic "gospels" present us
with sayings of Jesus and only later sketch His journey to Jerusalem, John gives us an
account of Jesus' deeds and words in the context of regular contact with the holy city
and the major feasts. John's purpose in writing is to awaken faith in Jesus as the Son of
God. That's why he includes so many of the Lord's revelations about Himself as the Son.
Moreover, we must bear in mind that our Lord speaks through John in his book just as
[16]
though John were a stenographer recording what He said. John seemed to have a
special antenna for receiving Jesus' words: the beloved disciple reproduced them very
accurately in his testimony. It's almost as though the style of the Lord Jesus became
John's own style.
From a few examples we can easily see that the Jesus who speaks in John's book is the
same Jesus we encountered earlier in Matthew, Mark and Luke.

6
John Synoptic "Gospels"
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and
born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of become like children, you will never enter
God (3:3). the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3).

He who does not honor the on does not
honor the Father mho sent him (5:23). He
who -ejects me and does not receive my
sayings has a judge (12:48). He who hates
me hates my Father also (15:23).
He who receives any one whom 1 send
receives me; and he who receives me
receives him who sent me (13:20).
Whoever denies me before men, I will also
deny before my Father who is in heaven
(Matt. 10:33). He who rejects me rejects
him who sent me (Luke 10:16).
He who receives you receives me, and he
who receives me receives him who sent me
(Matt. 10:40).

4. What Does John Mean by "the World"?

Not a geographical entity. We live in a global age, an age in which our interest and
attention spans the entire world. We think in terms of continents and even speak of
interplanetary travel. When we read about "the world" in John's "gospel," therefore we
are inclined to think of "this earth"—a geographical entity.
[17]
As we take up the question what John means when he speaks of "the world," we
should ponder the meaning of a certain Hebrew word for world used among the Jews,
i.e. olam. This Hebrew word means world in the sense of age. Thus, when John speaks
of "this world," part of what he means is "this age."
This "world" or "kosmos" was created by God. But sin caused a great upheaval. As a
result, satan has become the "ruler of this world" (12:31; 14:30; 16:11). He has
established himself especially in the Jewish nation, which has thereby become "this
world."
Note how John uses the word world in key passages. "The world was made through him,
yet the world knew him not" (1:10). Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said: "If the world
hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world,
the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hates you. They will put you out of the synagogues"
(15:18-19; 16;2). In His prayer for His disciples, Jesus said: "I have given them thy
word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world" (17:14).
The covenant people. From these texts it is clear that when Jesus speaks of "the world,"
he does not mean the earth or humanity in general, for the disciples restricted their
preaching to Palestine long after Pentecost, coming into contact with their own people
only. When He said He had been chosen "out of the world," He meant out of the Jewish
people. The disciples, like their Lord, came into conflict with the Jews. In John's "gospel,"
then, the term world points in the direction of the (Jewish) covenant people!
You must keep this special use of the word world in mind, or you may well fail to see the
[18]
significance of the famous words of John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
This text receives a deepened meaning when we apply the term world to the apostate
covenant people, to whom the exalted Son of man had been sent.
Life in the new age. The "eternal life" Jesus speaks of in this famous text is not an
endless existence but the life of the coming era, the Messianic age. The "world" cannot
receive the Spirit of truth (14:17). Therefore, despite all the declarations of enmity and
hostility, it is a conquered world, a world overcome by Christ (16:33). Anyone from "the
world" who believes in Jesus Christ ;hares in the joy of the life of the new age and has

7
passed from death to life (5:24). And this, after all, is the purpose of John's book—that
people believe and so receive life, the genuine, full, rich life bestowed in the name of the
Messiah (20:31). The "world" and the "life of the Messianic age" form a sharp contrast
for John.

5. John's Prologue
Another beginning. The Bible opens with the words "In the beginning." Matthew's
account of the gospel starts with the genesis of Jesus Christ. Mark speaks at the outset
of the "beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ." Luke talks of those "who from the
beginning were eyewitnesses." In Acts Luke says that he wrote his first book about what
"Jesus began to do and teach." John opens his book by picking up the same theme: "In
the beginning.... "
We should not let the remarkable style in which this prologue was written escape our
[19]
attention. There is a fair amount of repetition, but new ideas are also introduced
sentence by sentence. John's thoughts are developed in spiral fashion.
A poetic passage. As in some of the poetry of the Old Testament, we find sentences
arranged in pairs, with the second filling out and echoing the first. In the Jerusalem
Bible, John's prologue is printed in verse form. If the second line in each pair is indented,
the parallel with the Old Testament style quickly becomes apparent:
In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.
This remarkable style, in which thoughts are linked together neatly, reminds us not only
of some of the Psalms but also of the letters of John. We find this style in the sayings of
Jesus as well, which should not surprise us. After all, wasn't John the beloved disciple?
Creation and re-creation. Also remarkable is the content of this prologue. The "Word"
(logos) mentioned by John at the beginning has been identified with all sorts of foreign
theories and doctrines, on the assumption that John freely made use of Greek concepts
and filled them with a "Christian" content. But if the first three words of his prologue
already refer to Genesis, don't you think the rest of it might also have something to do
[20]
with Genesis, where we read that God said, "Let there be light"? "You spoke and
they were made," declared Augustine. "In your word alone you created them."
The re-creation is just like the creation. Again darkness covers the earth. But God
speaks through His Son, and once more there is light and life, just as on the morning of
creation (see II Cor. 4:6). Jesus Christ is the Word.
This is the theme that dominates the rest of John's book. That's why we find so many
addresses recorded in it. Jesus is portrayed as the speaker of the Word. The shining
glory and life-giving power of the Word become visible in signs.
The narrative is governed by the tension of one basic question: Do you believe in the
Word that became flesh in Jesus and brought everything to completion, as at the time of
creation? (17:4; 19:30; Gen. 2:1). The Word is the beginning but also the culmination,
the Alpha and also the Omega, the First and also the Last (Is. 44:2, 6; 48:12; Rev.
1:17; 2:8; 22:13). Try reading the rest of the book of John from this perspective!

8
6. What is Truth?
A fulfillment of the Old Testament. At the end of John's prologue we read: "The law was
given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (1:17). Here the
question of "truth" is raised. What does John mean by truth?
In this prologue, as in the Old Testament, truth is God's covenant faithfulness, which has
come to light in Jesus, the Messiah. We should not read 1:17 as positing an opposition
between Moses and Christ, which is exactly how it is read by those who like to
emphasize the difference between the Old and New Testaments. Instead we should
[21]
regard the law of Moses as the shadow and foundation of the salvation to come. The
provisions about the Passover lamb give us an example. The fulfillment of the types
came through Jesus Christ; this is what John means when he says that grace and truth
came through Christ. Thus "truth" is the redemptive historical realization of the Old
Testament blueprint in Jesus Christ.
When we read in 4:24 that "God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in
Spirit and truth," we are not to assume that John was criticizing Old Testament worship.
He does not mean that the worship forms of the Old Testament are low and earthy,
while the New Testament preaches a "spiritual" worship not bound to forms. All John
means to say is that the new worship brought by Christ proceeds from the fulfillment of
what was foreshadowed in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of truth"
(14:17), the one who showed the apostles the path that leads to the whole truth
(16:13), that is, the complete realization of the plan made long ago.
No temple needed. In the discussions between the Jews and the Samaritans regarding
the lawfulness of the temple in Jerusalem, the Jews were right, for "salvation is from the
Jews" (4:22). By fulfilling the Old Testament types, Christ rendered the rivalry between
the temples at Jerusalem and Shechem superfluous. Now that the "truth" has come in
the person of Jesus Christ, there is no longer a task for the temple in Jerusalem. There is
something greater than the temple here.
The "truth" that came in Christ Jesus, therefore, is not a higher supratemporal reality
leaving room for an inward worship only but a fulfillment of the prefigurations. The
Belgic Confession rightly points out in Article 25 that "the ceremonies and symbols of the
law ceased at the coming of Christ... yet the truth and substance of them remain with us
in Jesus Christ" (italics mine).
[22]
Through the Spirit of truth, Jesus led the apostles to the truth and fulfillment of all
the promises (16:13). Thus we wed not pray that God will guide us into all truth.
Through their preaching, the apostles have handed on their testimony about the
realization of all the Old Testament types; the New Testament has been fashioned out of
this preaching and testimony. What we must pray for instead is that we will be able to
understand this "truth."
We saw his glory, the glory that is his
as the only Son of the Father
(1:14 JB).

7. Early Responses to Jesus (1:19-2:12)

Early testimony about Jesus. John, the author of the fourth "gospel," was a former
disciple of John the Baptist, therefore he emphasizes the testimony of his original
teacher, showing that John the Baptist's disciples had no right to stay on the sidelines
and merely watch the battle waged by the church. No, John the Baptist himself had
testified about Jesus (1:15, 23ff, 36; 3:27-36). He had clearly indicated that he was only
the forerunner and that Jesus was the Lord, the Lamb of God, the Bridegroom.
Thus the disciples who followed Jesus were familiar with the teachings of John the
Baptist. When the apostle John later received his revelation on the island of Patmos, the
titles of Jesus revealed to him were familiar: the Lord with feet of burnished bronze, the
Lamb, and the Bridegroom (Rev. 1:15; 5:6; 19:7).

9
The teaching of John the Baptist was confirmed rather than superseded by the revelation
of Jesus. John testified that Jesus was the Son of God (1:34). Because he had seen
[23]
the Spirit descend and had heard the voice from heaven, he could speak on the basis
of experience.
When the author of the fourth "gospel" repeatedly emphasized that Jesus was the Son of
God, he was proclaiming what he had been told by his original teacher at the Jordan.
The followers of John the Baptist had no right to put John on the same level as Jesus.
In addition to the testimony of John the Baptist, we have the testimony of the first
disciples to follow Jesus, including the apostle John. Jesus was recognized as the
Messiah, indeed, as the Son of God.
A limited conception of the Messiah. Does the picture of John the Baptist as a convinced
believer in Jesus and of the first disciples as believers as well agree with the realities as
sketched in the other "gospels"? Earlier we saw that John the Baptist had some doubts
about Jesus when he was in prison (Matt. 11). Moreover, it was not until almost the end
of Jesus' ministry that the disciples first confessed Him as the Messiah. Even then they
still thought of Him in earthly, nationalistic terms. Did John perhaps tamper with the
story when he looked back over it from a standpoint much later in history, a standpoint
governed by his awareness of how things actually turned out?
Matthew did not record John the Baptist's doubts only: he also writes that John realized
that he was much more in need of baptism than Jesus. This recognition on John's part
was ultimately a confession that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world, forgiving the sin of the apostate covenant people (1:29). John's statement
that he was unworthy to even undo the strap of Jesus' sandal is to be found in Luke 3:16
as well as in John 1:26-7. Thus the other gospel writers also record John the Baptist's
testimony about Jesus.
[24]
John's own testimony. What about John? His account of the gospel is the one that
tells us that the disciples, despite their recognition of Jesus (6:68-9), were full of
mistaken notions. Their confusion is clear from the questions they asked when it came
time to part with Jesus (13:36; 14:5, 8, 23).
John does not idealize the disciples by remaining silent about Judas's betrayal and
Peter's denial. Therefore we should not speak of a contrast with the other "gospels," as
though the account John offers contradicts the other three. Yet John does sketch Jesus'
early activities and the impression He made in different terms than Matthew, Mark and
Luke. We have seen His (shining) glory, His doxa! John the Baptist was not the light;
Jesus was the light. That truth was firm and unshaken for the disciples.
Jesus' glory was manifest at Cana in Galilee when He saved a marriage feast by turning
"holy water" into wine. The public, open approach favored by Mary was rejected out of
hand because His "hour" had not yet come, that is, His hour as the Lamb of God.
Here we have a theme that could almost be used as a title for the whole book—"the
hour" (7:6; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1). Mary did not yet understand much about the Messianic
hour. And the disciples? They saw Jesus' glory, and they believed (2:11).

8. Cleansing and New Life (2:13 3:21)

The cleansing of the temple. When a certain Italian painter depicted Christ cleansing the
temple, he put the halo not around His head but around the broom He used to sweep the
temple clean. In this deed, of all deeds, Jesus revealed His glory.
[25]
The cleansing of the temple also reveals something about Christ's suffering. In one
of the Messianic psalms we read: "Zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults
of those who insult thee have fallen on me" (Ps. 69:9). This psalm must have occurred
to the disciples: because of Jesus' zeal for the Lord's house, His enemies would consume
Him.

10
Jesus gave the people a mysterious saying as a sign of the extent of His power: "Destroy
this temple [i.e. the body of Jesus], and in three days I will raise it up" (2:19). Two
years later, when Jesus was again in Jerusalem for the Passover feast and once more put
an end to the buying and selling in the temple, this statement was remembered and
quoted against Him. In a twisted form, it was used as evidence against Jesus at His trial
(Matt. 26:61). It was at a Passover feast, then, that Jesus made a hidden announcement
of the "hour" the decisive events of a future Passover.
The necessity of rebirth. During that same Passover feast, Jesus used some interesting
images as He gave instruction to one of Israel's well-known teachers, the rabbi
Nicodemus. He told Nicodemus of the necessity of conversion or rebirth as a condition
for seeing the Kingdom of God and entering it. "How can a man be born when he is old?"
asked Nicodemus. "Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
(3:4). The teachers of the law had put so much emphasis on gaining salvation by doing
the works of the law that the prophetic call for conversion had slipped completely into
the background. Hence the perplexity of Nicodemus.
How is this rebirth possible? Jesus answered by pointing to the Son of man, who was to
be lifted up. He would be crucified and would then ascend to heaven. Listen to the voice
of the regenerating Spirit. All who believe in the Son will be saved, just as all who looked
[26]
to the bronze serpent in Moses' day were saved.
There has been a great deal of argument and dispute about "regeneration." As you
ponder this issue, remember hat John 3:16, a famous and beloved text, is an answer to
Nicodemus's question how a second birth is possible. Those who believe enjoy the life of
the Messianic age—regeneration!

9. Preaching to Jews and Samaritans (3:22-5:47)

Harvest in Samaria. John shows us how people who believed came to Jesus. First there
was the Samaritan woman, who did not enjoy the best reputation. She met Jesus by
Jacob's well in the vicinity of Shechem and Gerizim, where He addressed His famous
words about the water of life to her.
From Acts 8:14 and 25 we gather that John himself later visited this area and saw to it
that the fields in the land of the despised Samaritans, where "apostate Israel" (Jer.
3:6ff) lived on, were harvested. The revealing words Jesus spoke to a woman—and a
Samaritan at that, which was contrary to the prevailing customs—led to faith in Him as
the Savior of the "world."
In connection with the prologue (1:17), we already talked about worshiping in Spirit—
not spirit—and truth. It is important to note as well that John the Baptist baptized people
at Aenon, near Salim (3:23), and testified about Jesus there (vs. 25-36). This material
comes just before the story of the Samaritan woman. Since Aenon must have been
somewhere in the vicinity of Shechem, we get an idea of what Jesus meant when He
said, "I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you
have entered into their labor" (4:38).
[27]
The activities of John the Baptist, then, were partly
responsible for the harvest in Samaria. The apostles would not be working in a vacuum.
Preparatory work had been done, and they could make use of it and draw on it. (Think of
Paul, whose preaching constantly appealed to what the synagogue had already taught on
the basis of the Old Testament Scriptures.)
Harvest in Galilee. John 4:46-54 tells us what was harvested when Jesus visited Cana in
Galilee for the second time. Again faith led to deliverance. An official in the king's service
in Capernaum came up to Cana to see Jesus. (Capernaum was some 200 meters below
sea level, while Cana was in the hills.) He asked Jesus to heal his feverish son, who was
on the brink of death.
Faith was the uppermost factor in the course of action followed by this servant of Herod.

11
Even though Jesus did not go along with him, his son was healed. The result was that
the large family of this high official came to recognize Jesus.
Jesus in Jerusalem. At a feast in Jerusalem (perhaps the Feast of Tabernacles), it also
became apparent that following a command of Jesus in faith leads to deliverance. This
time a lame man was the one who benefited (5:8; see also 4:50). Come, look what the
Lord is doing!
On the other hand, we see that the attitude in the holy city is not as guileless and
receptive as in Samaria. The Jews take it ill of Jesus that He heals on the sabbath, and
they force Him to say some words in His own defense. As He does so, He stresses
cooperation between the Father and the Son.
The call to believe. Jesus' work at the health resort known as Bethesda was minor
compared to what He was to accomplish later. Judgment and resurrection were to be
[28]
entrusted to the Son, the one who possessed full authority. The healing of a
chronically ill man who had waited 38 years for a cure (roughly as long as Israel's period
of wandering in the wilderness, which was commemorated in the Feast of Tabernacles)
can be viewed as an appeal to Jerusalem to believe.
In three different ways, Israel was called to recognize Jesus as the Son of man and Son
of God. First, John the Baptist had testified about Him (5:33-5). Second, Jesus' works
testified in His own favor. The Father had allowed Him to do these works (vs. 36). Third,
the Father's words testified about Jesus: Moses, on whom the people fixed their hopes,
was their accuser (vs. 37ff). Not believing in Jesus meant believing in another, who
would plunge Israel into misery (5:43).
Now the Passover, the feast of the
Jews, was at hand (6:4).

10. Revelation through Sacramental Symbols (6:1-71)

The Lamb of God revealed. Jesus fed a great multitude during the Passover season.
Soon Messianic passions were aflame: people wanted to crown Him king of the freedom
fighters. Jesus withdrew, later walked across the water to the disciples in the boat, and
then made an appearance in the synagogue at Capernaum (6:59).
Chapter 6 can be regarded as a pyramid, with the Passover Lamb of God alone at the
top. The chapter begins with a great crowd of about 5000 people. Then there was a
crowd on the shore at Capernaum (vs. 22). Part of this crowd must have been in the
synagogue when Jesus spoke there (vs. 59). After He spoke, many of His disciples
[29]
went away (vs. 60ff). This left the twelve, one of whom was to betray Jesus (vs. 70-
1). And we know what Peter did later, despite his confession.
A greater sign demanded. In His preaching, Jesus touched on the miracle of the bread,
the Passover, and surely also the passages of Scripture about the manna (Ex. 16) and
the Israelites' complaints about the manna (Num. 11), passages that would be read
during that part of the "church year." Just as the Jews despised the manna God gave
them in the wilderness, so they now despised Jesus.
The Jews wanted to see a greater sign than the miracle of feeding a large crowd with a
small amount of bread; they wanted bread from heaven. In response Jesus gave them
one of His famous "I am" statements: "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall
not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst" (6:35). Later He explained
what it means to come to Him: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me
draws him" (vs. 44).
There are some interpreters who take this text to mean that salvation must be "given,"
just as we "draw lots" or pick a number at random in a lottery. Yet Jesus goes on to
make it clear that everyone "who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me"!
(vs. 45; see also Is. 54:13). This rules out the idea that salvation is purely a passive
matter on our part. When the gospel is preached, the Father is already busy drawing us.

12
The bread of life. The worst thing of all about this encounter between Jesus and the
hostile Jews was that they simply refused to accept what He said about Himself as the
living heavenly bread. They were not interested in an exodus under His leadership; He
was not impressive enough to fill the role of Son of man. When Jesus said, "My flesh is
food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed" (vs. 55), He pointed to the food through
[30]
which no one will ever die—thanks to His person and work as the one who is greater
than Moses.
Jesus' statement, then, is a mashal; it is one of those mysterious utterances or
comparisons that convinced those who were truly interested to investigate the matter
further but the hearts of those who did not believe. In this Passover season, the Lamb of
God announced His identity.
Looking back at this scene in the bright light of all that happened later, we see a
connection between the Lord's ;;upper and Jesus' words about the bread of life. Yet, we
must steer clear of any inclination to assume that John has somehow put a communion
sermon into the mouth of Jesus. Peter understood the significance of this Passover
sermon very well: "You have the words of eternal life," he said to Jesus, "and we have
believed" (vs. 68-9).

Then he showed me the river of the

water of life, bright as crystal, flowing
from the throne of God and of the
Lamb. And night shall be no more ...
for the Lord God will be their light
(Rev. 22:1, 5).
For the Lamb in the midst of the
throne will be their shepherd (Rev.
7:17).

11. Jesus Teaches in Jerusalem (7:1-10:42)

Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles. The beginning of chapter 7 strikes us as somewhat
strange: Jesus' brothers wanted Him to go to the Feast of Tabernacles to make
propaganda before His disciples, that is, the broader circle of disciples, many of whom
had turned away from Him. Jesus refused, explaining that His "time" had not yet
[31]
come. At a Passover feast He would suffer as the Lamb of God and reveal Himself.
But once the Feast of Tabernacles was underway, Jesus went anyway. Isn't there a
contradiction here? Not at all, for He went there incognito. Furthermore, He stepped into
the middle of a crowd discussing the Messianic office (7:10-13, 25-36, 40-3) and the
growing opposition of the leaders (7:19, 30, 32, 45ff). Jesus appeared in that crowd as a
teacher, as one who comes to the temple of God to defend His teaching with divine
authority (7:14ff).
At an earlier feast, people had wanted to persecute Jesus because He had healed the
lame man at Bethesda on the Sabbath (5:16). Apparently His behavior during that feast,
which may have been the Feast of Tabernacles, had not been forgotten (7:19ff, 25, 30,
45ff; 18:20).
This time Jesus concentrated completely on teaching. His "time" had not yet come; it
was not the third Passover (7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1). But the battle lines were getting
clearer, especially in connection with His "teaching."
Living water. Jesus revealed Himself at the last Feast of Tabernacles before His
crucifixion as the one who fulfills this final great feast of the "church year" and gives it
meaning. Each time the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated, a priest would pour some
water from the Pool of Siloam—the water got into this pool from the spring of Gihon via
a tunnel cut through the rock—on the west side of the altar of burnt offering. The water

13
would be transported in a golden pitcher and poured into two silver basins next to the
altar. That water symbolized the journey through the wilderness, when water flowed
from the rock. At the same time, it symbolized longing for the Messianic future, a future
that involved a number of promises having to do with water (Is. 12:3; 35:6-7; 44:3;
[32]
Ezek. 47:1ff; Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8; Rev. 22:1, 17). In the Court of the Women,
1
giant torches were lighted in memory of the pillar of fire.
On this great feast day, Jesus revealed Himself as the one who pours living water. He
cried out: "If anyone is thirsty let him come to me; whoever believes in me, let him
drink" (7:37 NEB).
The Light of the world. Jesus is the rock from which living water flows (see I Cor. 10:4).
He is also the Light of the world (8:12). After a sharp debate in which Jesus called His
unbelieving opponents the seed of the serpent and denied them the right to call
themselves the Spiritual children of Abraham, Jesus healed a blind man and thereby
demonstrated that He is the Light of the world, the Messianic light sent to the apostate
Jewish community bound by satan (9:5ff).
Note that this man, who had been born blind, was sent by Jesus to the Pool of Siloam,
the pool that played a role in the Feast of Tabernacles. This sabbath miracle casts further
light on Jesus' claim that He fulfilled the Feast of Tabernacles. At the same time, the
antithesis comes through sharply here. We also develop an eye for the hardening effect
of the words and works of Jesus on some people: "It is for judgment that I have come
into this world—to give sight to the sightless and to make blind those who see" (9:39
NEB).
[33]
The Good Shepherd. The discourse on the "Good Shepherd," which comes next,
should not be viewed in isolation as a beautiful passage of Scripture; it is tied in with the
question of the Pharisees. What about those Pharisees? Are they completely blind?
In 10:1-21, we find three comparisons in which Jesus, as the lawful (= beautiful)
Shepherd is contrasted with Israel's foolish shepherds. (1) In verses 1-5 we are assured
that Jesus enters by the King's way with good intentions. (2) In verses 7-10 we are told
that Jesus is the door of the sheep. (3) In verses 11-18 we read that He is a legitimate
shepherd, putting His life on the line for the sheep when the wolf comes along. He does
not scatter the sheep but truly gathers them, also in the continuing work of the
gathering of the church throughout the wide world (7:36; 10:11; 11:52; 12:20ff).
Those who know the truth must live by Scripture and heed His voice. Here Jesus is not
thinking first of all of utter pagans but of Gentiles and Jews in the Diaspora— people who
lived by the Old Testament promises. This is another indication of the audience for which
John intended his book.
2
Jesus then attended the Feast of the Temple Dedication. Once more He picked up the
[34]
theme of the sheep who heed the voice of the Shepherd. Because of what He said,
another attempt was made to kill Him. But Jesus would not die at the festival of
Hanukkah and thereby link His name with the Maccabees, the Jewish freedom fighters.

1
The festivities led to exuberant behavior. What we read in 7:53-8:11 about the woman caught
committing adultery was probably not so unusual. This passage is not present in many of the older
manuscripts. Yet, even if it was added later by someone other than John, we need not reject it as
apocryphal. It was already known around the year 150 as part of the apostolic tradition.
2
The Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Lights. It lasted eight days. In
later ages it became customary to light one of the lamps on an eight-armed lamp-stand each day
of the feast. The lampstand was to remind the Jews of the temple that was desecrated by the
Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C. and then used for the worship of an idol instead.
Under Judas Maccabaeus, the temple was dedicated anew on December 25, 165 B.C. Whereas the
Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated in October, the celebration of the temple renewal (Hanukkah)
occurs in December, around the same time as Christmas.

14
12. Five Signals That Easter Is Near (11:1-12:50)
Lazarus raised from the dead. At the end, Jesus is back where He started: He withdraws
to the Jordan, where His career had begun. Then follows the resurrection of Lazarus, His
friend who lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem.
This event was a signal; it was a revelation of Jesus' glory and a foreshadowing of His
own resurrection from the dead. At the same time, we must take note of the confession
of Lazarus's sister Martha: "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is
coming into the world" (11:27).
This miracle is the occasion for the Sanhedrin to put its plans for Jesus' death into
operation. It is better to let one man die for the sake of the covenant people than to let
the whole nation perish (11:50).
Honors for Jesus. After Jesus withdrew for a short time, He appeared in Bethany again,
to spend His last weekend Kith His friends. Once the sabbath ended at sunset, the
evening was given over to festivities, as is customary among the Jews. Mary, Martha's
sister, seized the occasion to honor Jesus anointing Him with a costly ointment. Jesus
understood this gesture. It was the second signal, a preparation for His burial (12:7).
The triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when Jesus was hailed with shouts of "Hosanna!"
[35]
in the style of Zechariah 9:9, was a signal which Christ did nothing to stifle. Jesus
saw a fourth sign when some Greeks wanted to pay their respects to Him (12:20fl). He
could already envision the eventual harvest among the nations.
This is not to say that these Greeks were pure pagans. They may well have been "God-
fearing" Gentiles who had attached themselves to the synagogue—or even foreign Jews.
Yet, their interest in Jesus was an indication that the wall separating the Jews and the
Gentiles was about to be torn down. However, it could still be said regarding the Jews:
"Lord, who has believed our report?" (12:38; Is. 53:1; Rom. 10:16).
A voice from heaven gave the last signal—in the form of heavenly acclaim! Jesus prayed,
"Father, glorify thy name," and the voice responded, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify
it again" (12:28). The Lamb of Isaiah 53 is without form or comeliness, but whoever
sees Him sees the One who sent Him (vs. 45).

13. Saying Farewell in Deed, Word and Prayer (13:1-17:26)

Parting words. The "hour" had finally come. If we hope to understand the next section of
John properly, we will have to bear in mind that chapters 13 and 14 form a whole and
deal with what happened during the Passover meal. The three chapters that follow are
closely connected with chapters 13 and 14; they give us an account of what Jesus said
after the Passover meal (14:31).
Remember that these words of Jesus were addressed first of all to the apostles. When
Jesus promises to lead them into all truth, we must not assume that this promise is in-
[36]
tended for us as well. The New Testament shows us the establishment of the full
truth, that is, the fulfillment of what was proclaimed. The apostles are branches of the
vine; the fruit of those branches ripens in the church that accepts the Word.
A manifestation of love. First Jesus shows how He loves His chosen disciples to the very
end: He wraps a towel around Himself (see II Sam. 6:14, 20ff) and washes the feet of
His disciples. Whoever wishes to be first must be everyone's slave.
Jesus founded the love commandment in Himself through this symbolic deed, which we
are not to turn into a sacrament or a public display, as the Roman Catholics do each year
on Good Friday when the Pope washes the feet of twelve beggars. In the discourse
following these events, in which Judas's betrayal and Peter's denial are mentioned, Jesus
comes back to this. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another"
(13:34).
The Spirit as Counselor. What Jesus says leads to four questions or requests. Simon

15
Peter asks: "Lord, where are you going?" (13:36). Thomas asks: "Lord, we do not know
where you are going; how can we know the way?" (14:5). Philip says: "Lord, show us
the Father, and we shall be satisfied" (vs. 8). Judas—not Judas Iscariot— wants to know:
"Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" (vs. 22).
In the answers Jesus gives, it comes out clearly that He goes to the Father to serve as
quartermaster for His church. Indeed, He Himself is the "Way" to the Father. Moreover,
He will return to His own by sending them His Spirit.
The Spirit is called the "Counselor" (Paraclete). The King James Version speaks here of
the "Comforter." In I John 2:1, the same Greek word is used in reference to Christ, but
there it is translated as advocate.
[37]
The Spirit is the legal counsel, the solicitor, the advocate of the church. Through the
Spirit, Jesus will reveal Himself to His own (14:21). This will not happen by way of some
secret teaching that automatically excludes "the world" (i.e. apostate Jewry). No, the
way to Jesus, to the Father, to the Spirit as our advocate is open to all who keep Jesus'
words (vs. 23).
Persecution by the "world." After the Passover meal, Jesus had more to say. The
discourses that begin at 15:1 represent an elaboration of motifs that were heard earlier.
Love comes to expression in the command given to the disciples to abide as branches in
the vine that is Christ.
Particular emphasis is put on persecution by the "world." In the face of this persecution,
Christ promises the support of the Paraclete, who will convince the "world," the
synagogue, of the following: (1) its sin in rejecting the Messiah, (2) God's righteousness
in elevating the Messiah, and (3) the judgment in the punishment of satan, who is
expelled from heaven (16:8ff; see also 12:31; 14:30; Rev. 12). When Jesus says that
the Spirit will "convince" the world, He is not speaking of conversion but of persuasion in
a judicial sense; the Spirit will convince the world of its guilt by providing some
compelling proof that cannot be refuted.
When we read Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2, we see that Jesus already took up the
Pentecost theme in John 16. There was no need for the apostles to be disturbed or
thrown off stride by what was about to happen. They are promised that if they abide in
Jesus' words, they will receive rich grace to discharge their office. Only through the
power of the Word and Spirit will the apostles be able to appear as witnesses when the
great case against the synagogue is made.
[38]
Jesus' prayer. These discourses end with a prayer generally referred to as a high
priest's prayer. Yet this
prayer also includes prophetic and kingly elements. It consists of three parts. (1) Jesus
gives an account of His completed work and prays for the promised glorification. (2) He
intercedes for the apostles. He prays that they will not be "of the world," even though
they are "in the world," and He asks that they may remain one by clinging to the Word.
Here we already have the unity motif that is founded in the high and holy unity between
the Father and the Son. In 17:22 Jesus prays that "they may be one even as we are
one." (3) Jesus prays for those who will come to believe in Him through the apostolic
Word. He prays that they 'mill be one with the apostles—a unity anchored in the unity of
the Father and the Son.
Jesus isn't talking about a vague unity not grounded in :he Word, like the false unity of
the "ecumenical" movement! There must be no concessions to the "world." In the face of
this unified confession, the "world" (i.e. the apostate church) will be forced to choose
and will hear an appeal to believe. The final verses in this prayer (vs. 22-6) are again
focused on the apostles, who are the foundation of the church.

14. The Elevation and Glorification of Jesus (18:1-21:25)

An eyewitness account. Because the author of the fourth "gospel" was an eyewitness, he
was not completely dependent on written sources for his material. This is apparent from

16
his description of Jesus' arrest (where Jesus makes one of His "I am" statements) as well
as his account of the hearing before Pilate (where there is another "I am" statement: "I
am a King").
[39]
This does not mean that John was implicitly criticizing the other gospel writers or
correcting their work. Remember his purpose in writing: "that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (20:31). This purpose required that certain things be
reported. Thus we are told the name of the high priest's slave whose ear was cut off by
Peter. But it is Luke, the physician, who informs us that Jesus took the trouble to heal
the wounded slave. We read about the hearing before the former high priest Annas, but
nothing about the hearing before Caiaphas.
Pilate's role. We read a great deal about Pilate's conduct that night. As we consider
Pilate's role we must bear in mind that Jews who wanted to remain undefiled had to
stand on the steps outside the Gentile place of judgment. Therefore Pilate repeatedly
came outside to talk to the Jews, although he was inside the building when he
questioned Jesus. (In 18:29, 38 and 19:4 and 12, we read about Pilate coming outside
because of the Jews faithful to the law.) Each time Pilate came outside, he opened a new
phase in the process. We read about him going inside in 18:33 (19:1) and 19:9.
Pilate first tried to extricate himself from the question of Jesus by having the Jews try
Him themselves (18:31). Then he paired Jesus with Barabbas as candidates to be
released, even though he could find no guilt in Him (vs. 39). When that didn't work—the
people chose to have Barabbas released—he tried to arouse some sympathy for Jesus by
mocking Him with the crown of thorns and the purple robe (19:4ff). Only when the Jews
threatened to bring accusations of disloyalty against Pilate himself did he give in and
pronounce judgment on Jesus (vs. 13ff).
Details reported by John. When you read the story of Jesus' execution, you will be struck
[40] 3
by all sorts of details not found in the other "gospels," e.g. the seamless tunic, the
presence of Mary at the cross, and the piercing of Jesus' side. (The water and the blood
were not an indication that there are to be two sacraments but only a proof that Jesus
was really dead.) John, the disciple Jesus Loved, stood at the foot of the cross as a
witness! He saw Scripture fulfilled: Jesus' bones were not broken, and He was not given
the burial of an ass (19:24, 28, 36-7). The Passover Lamb would be "with a rich man in
his death" (Is. 53:9). The ointment used by Nicodemus to anoint Jesus was worth about
100 times as much as the ointment used earlier by Mary!
As for the facts of Easter Sunday, John reports that he went with Peter to the grave and
that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden as the last Adam. Mary wanted to
hold on to Jesus for herself. John also tells us of the Easter confession of Thomas: "My
Lord and my God!"
The end and a new beginning. After what appears to be the conclusion to the book
(where John reveals his purpose in writing), we find an epilogue or appendix, in which
we read how Jesus appeared to six of the disciples (including the "sons of Zebedee," i.e.
James and John) on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias. The "fishers of man" were fishing
for fish. Peter, who denied Christ three times, was commissioned three times to care for
[41]
the sheep. This opened up the future for Peter and for the author of the fourth
"gospel."
Thus the connection between Jesus' redemptive deeds and later church history is clear.
All of this is recorded for a practical purpose: so that others would believe John's
witness. Those who had followed Jesus said of John: "We know that his testimony is
true" (21:24).

3
The seamless tunic has been used as a symbol of the unity that the church is obligated to
maintain. The Roman cardinal and bishop Sadoleto mentioned this seamless tunic when he wrote
to the citizens of Geneva in 1539 (during Calvin's absence) in an effort to persuade then to break
with the Reformation and return to Rome. It is clear that Sadoleto's use of this text is not an
instance of true exegesis; it represents pure spiritualization or allegory.

17
[42]
Acts
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever (Heb. 13:8).

1. A Book about Jesus

A sequel to Volume I. Volume II of Luke's book about Jesus is also dedicated to
Theophilus, whose name means Friend of God, although he is not addressed in Acts as
'most excellent" Theophilus. Volume I dealt with what Jesus began to do and teach. Luke
now turns to the continuation of Christ's work as the risen and ascended Lord, who gave
clear commands to His chosen ones through His Holy Spirit.
Luke shows Theophilus clearly that the Lord continued to stretch out His arms to His
contrary people. Just as he gave examples of the discourses of Jesus in Volume I, in
Volume II he records discourses of the apostles, discourses that form links in the chain
of the Lord's lawsuit against the people born out of Abraham. The repeated use of the
[43]
word witness points to the existing "legal battle" with "Jerusalem" and its devotees.
Emphasis on Jerusalem. Various motifs from Luke's first volume are present in the
second as well. At the outset great emphasis is put on the place where the activity
starts— Jerusalem! It was in Jerusalem that the apostles were to "wait for the promise of
the Father" (1:4; see also Luke 24:49), that is, the outpouring of the Spirit. They were
to be witnesses of Jesus' resurrection—in Jerusalem and throughout all of Judea and
Samaria (1:8), for they had seen the risen Lord with their own eyes and had heard Him
with their own ears.
It was from Jerusalem that Jesus ascended into heaven (vs. 11). The events of Pentecost
also took place in that city, which Luke not only refers to by way of its usual Greek name
(vs. 4) but also by way of a Hebraic spelling (vs. 8, 12, 19), to emphasize that Jerusalem
was the holy city of the covenant. Jerusalem was where the apostles later testified,
where they were arrested, where a congregation arose, where Peter was imprisoned and
freed, and where James was put to death (ch. 12).
After chapter 12 begins a new section in which Paul and Barnabas go out into the world.
But even then "Jerusalem" is not forgotten. The "missionaries" always begin by
preaching in the synagogues; they do not let go of the covenant people. There is regular
contact with the church in Jerusalem, the new Israel there (15:1 ff; 21:15ff).
Temple and kingship. We also find the temple motif in Acts. The gospel is preached in
the temple after the lame man is healed as a sign of the Messianic era. Then comes the
story of the resistance of the temple authorities (starting at ch. 3). The portico of
Solomon, where Jesus Himself had preached (John 10:23), is now used for worship
[44]
(3:11; 5:12). It is Stephen who announces the destruction of the temple (6:13;
7:48). Just as in Luke, the temple is emphasized not only at the beginning but also at
the end. Paul is arrested in the temple and holds his public address to Israel there
(21:27ff). He winds up in chains for not respecting the temple.
The kingship motif is also prominent in Acts. After the resurrection, Jesus, who occupies
the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32-3), speaks to His disciples about the Kingdom
of God (1:3). When Paul arrives in Rome, the first thing he does is to organize a meeting
with the Jewish leaders. The theme he takes up with them—and not in the manner of a
contemporary dialogue in which everything is made relative—is the Kingdom of God.
He did not mean to speak to them about some abstract article of faith that they would
be likely to agree with but about the rule of God brought about in Jesus. "He expounded
the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and
trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets"
(28:23).
The ascended Lord at work. This is the exciting thing about the book of Acts. The same
Savior acts in Volume II as in Volume I—but now He operates by means of His church!

18
The title of the book is Acts of the Apostles, but it could just as well be Acts of the
Ascended Savior, that is, through His Word and Spirit. Time and again it is emphasized
that Jesus Christ Himself is the one who reveals the majesty of His rule in signs and
wonders, in the Word and in testimony.
At the beginning of the book, the disciples on the Mount of Olives ask Jesus: "Lord, will
you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (1:6). This question is answered at
length in the rest of the book. The ascended Lord pours out the Spirit (2:33), heals those
who are in need of healing (3:6, 16; 4:10; 9:34; 14:3), opens heaven to Stephen
[45]
(7:55ff), opens the prison doors to Peter (12:11), and opens the heart of Lydia
(16:14). It is the Spirit of Jesus Christ that sends Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch and
Peter to Cornelius (8:29; 10:19ff), that calls Paul and Silas (13:2), that lays out the
route for the journey (16:6ff; 20:22ff) and appoints overseers (20:28). The Jesus Christ
of Volume I, who journeyed from Bethlehem through Nazareth and Capernaum to
Jerusalem, is also the Jesus Christ of Volume II of Luke's chronicle.

2. A Chronicle of the Way Chosen by the New Israel

A new path to follow. In the Old Testament we find countless references to the "ways of
the Lord." "Make me to know thy ways, O LORD: teach me thy paths" (Ps. 25:4). The
book of Proverbs is full of admonitions to follow the proper way. Israel's calling was to
continue to walk the Lord's way, turning neither to the right nor to the left by listening to
false prophets (Deut. 5:32-3; 9:16; 13:5; 28:14; I Kings 3:14).
In Acts we also find the service of the Lord Jesus referred to as "the way" (9:2; 19:9;
22:4; 24:14, 22). Anyone who tampers with the way of the Lord is a son of the devil full
of trickery and deceit, an enemy of all righteousness, one against whom the Lord will
turn His hand (13:10-11). Thus the way chosen by the new Israel is in harmony with the
confession about Jesus Christ given by John the Baptist, Jesus' forerunner (13:24-5).
Clinging to this "way" would lead to suffering. "Through many tribulations we must enter
the kingdom of God" (14:22). For Paul, who used to persecute those who followed "the
way," faithfulness to God's calling meant doing a lot of traveling. The Spirit pressed him;
it was a matter of divine necessity (9:15; 13:2; 16:6ff; 19:21; 23:11).
[46]
A strategy for spreading the gospel. Luke describes how the preaching of "the way"
spread, thanks to the faithful labors of those whom God called to this task. A fixed plan
was followed—a plan devised by God Himself. The guiding star was not any human
mission strategy but God's own plan of salvation, which was to present the glad tidings
first to the Jew and then to the "Greek."
In those days there were many people attending the synagogues who were originally
Gentiles. Luke and Theophilus probably came from such circles themselves. In many
instances, the "God-fearing," i.e. the Gentile learners in the synagogues, were inclined to
listen to the gospel even though the Jews in the synagogues turned a deaf ear. Paul saw
it as a divine calling to address the gospel to these "God-fearing" Gentiles. "For so the
Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles [the
nations], that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'" (13:47;
Is. 49:6; Luke 2:32).
Jesus is the Servant of the Lord of whom Isaiah spoke. From heaven He uses human
instruments to continue His work as the "Way" and the "Light of the nations." When Paul
was called, he was given a Messianic task: he was to "open their eyes, that they may
turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God" (26:18; Is. 35:5; 42:7,
16; 61:1).
What is written about the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 4.2, 49 and 61 is fulfilled in
Christ, but in such a way that lie makes use of the church to carry out His task. This in-
volves suffering for the church. The church cannot carry out its mission without doing a
lot of traveling. Repeated disappointments are inevitable, for the "temple," the
"synagogue," the unfaithful church refuses to listen.

19
This is the way chosen by the new Israel—in Jerusalem ch. 1-7), in all of Judea and
Samaria (ch. 8-12), and farther on as far as Rome (ch. 13-28).

[47]
The LORD has a case against his
people, and will argue it with Israel
(Mic. 6:2 NEB).

3. Pentecost and the Appeal to the Covenant People

A different kind of restoration. "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
(1:6). The disciples, then, were still expecting a restoration of the old kingdom. There
would indeed be a restoration—but not in any nationalistic sense such as the Jews had in
mind. The kingdom would be restored in a Messianic, theocratic sense, through the
mobilization of the church.
Luke's chronicle in Acts shows us the disciples whom Christ had instructed returning
from Jerusalem to await the fulfillment of the great promise of the Spirit. Hadn't the
prophets already spoken of special gifts which the church with the Spirit would enjoy in
the Messianic era? (Is. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 11:19; 36:27; 39:29; Joel 2:28f0. Hadn't
Jesus promised that the disciples would be purified with the Holy Spirit before long?
(1:5; 11:16; Luke 3:16). Through the outpouring of the Spirit, they would be all the
more capable of making their testimony heard in Israel.
A replacement for Judas. To prepare themselves for their task, the disciples filled out
their ranks by replacing Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus and killed himself. Two
candidates were proposed, and Matthias was chosen by lot.
Some interpreters have viewed this step as arbitrary willfulness on the part of Peter, who
proposed it. They argue that Paul was really the twelfth apostle. Now, apart from the
fact that Paul did not appear on the scene as an apostle until after the death of James,
[48]
the brother of John, we must respect Peter's Scriptural reasons for insisting that
there be twelve apostles.
The curse of the Messianic sufferer of Psalm 69 had been carried out (Ps. 69:26). Wasn't
Jesus' thirst a fulfillment of this psalm? If so, isn't the judgment of His opponents (e.g.
Judas) to be viewed as a fulfillment of this psalm as well? The restoration of the kingdom
required the fulfillment of the Davidic psalms (Ps. 109:8; see also 41:10-11; Luke
22:21; Mark 14:18; John 13:18) with regard to the suffering of the Righteous One as
well as the punishment of His enemies. Judas's replacement was therefore a frightening
example, a warning to Israel! If you don't repent, Judah, you'll suffer the fate of Judas!
You'll be replaced.
Understanding Pentecost. Pentecost morning is introduced as follows in the Revised
Standard Version: "When the day of Pentecost had come ...." What Luke is really talking
about, however, is a fulfillment rather than a mere coming, just as he later speaks of
the house being "filled" with the rush of a mighty wind and people being "filled" with the
Holy Spirit (2:1-2, 4).
Because of all the misunderstandings in connection with the Pentecost events, I will take
up some of the questions that most often arise.
(1) What is the meaning of the Pentecost signs? In 2:6 we read about a voice. The
sound, the fiery tongues, the speaking in tongues, and the understanding of the
words of Peter by each person in his native language—all of this points to the power
of the Word. These phenomena illustrate the power of the gospel, which began its
offensive that day. It appears that the Spirit announced Himself as the one who
operates regularly through the voice, the Word.
(2) Who were the people who heard Peter's Pentecost sermon? In Jerusalem there were
[49]
many Jews who had lived their lives in other countries but wanted to spend their

20
 last years in Jerusalem and be buried there. Some of these Jews had been so
completely assimilated in the lands where they had lived that they even took over
the language as their own and did not know Hebrew. Therefore they had to establish
their own synagogues in Jerusalem. All the same, they remained Jews. And the
converts or proselytes who associated themselves with the Jews also counted as
Jews. Thus the people who heard Peter's Pentecost message were not pagans but
members of the covenant people.
(3) Was Peter's sermon and what happened afterward so unusual? The sermon was
based on a text taken from the prophet Joel. It was followed by baptism, the
registration of members, the celebration of the Lord's supper, and diaconal work.
Thus "unusual" Pentecost signs served to introduce "ordinary" church life. There were
no strange manifestations of ecstasy, no "testimonials from the heart." The main part
of the service was a very ordinary—and therefore very special— sermon on a Bible
text.
(4) How did Peter interpret his text from Joel? He did not use the text as a motto or a
widely accepted proverb or a takeoff point for some ideas of his own that he wanted
to express. Instead he showed that the signs pointed to a fulfillment of Joel's
prophecy. Joel, after all, had spoken of an outpouring of the Spirit and of fire! Just as
the beginning of Luke tells us about Jesus' proclamation in the synagogue at
Nazareth that Isaiah 61 had been fulfilled in the hearing of His audience that day, the
beginning of Acts tells us about a fulfillment of Joel 2:28ff before the very eyes of the
assembled people and in their hearing.
This fulfillment shows that the Messiah had indeed come! Peter announced that
Jesus, who had recently been crucified, was the Messiah, and that the Pentecost
events were God's mighty sign that Jesus was seated at His right hand (Ps. 110) and
[50]
"has poured out this which you see and hear" (2:33). Peter concluded with a
proclamation and an appeal: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly
that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified" (vs.
36).
(5) What was the reaction to Peter's sermon? Great fear. If Jesus was indeed the
Messiah, then He would come again to vent His covenant wrath on Jerusalem and
Israel.
The signs of Pentecost were understood as premonitions of the Messianic wrath to
come, of blood and fire and a pillar of smoke.
(6) How does Peter apply his text to his audience? Anyone who calls on the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. He will also receive the promised gift of the spirit, for
Joel's promise applies to Peter's hearers. "The promise is to you and to your children
and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our [covenant] God calls to him,
" Peter declared (2:39), again quoting from Joel 2.
Next time you hear this text, which is often used in baptism liturgies, remember that
the "promise" given to us and to our children is not first of all the promise of
"heaven." Those who are called and anointed are promised the gifts of the covenant,
that is the gifts of the Spirit by which we become capable of all sorts of things.
(7) How did Peter sum up his message at the end? "Save yourselves from this crooked
generation" (2:40). Here he goes back to Joel once more: "And it shall come to pass
that all who call upon the name of the LORD shall be delivered" (Joel 2:32; see also
Rom. 10:13). At the same time he points to the last song of Moses, which must have
resounded in the temple not long before:
They have dealt corruptly with him,
they are no longer his children because of their blemish;
they are a perverse and crooked generation
(Deut. 32:5; see also vs. 20; Ps. 12:2, 8).

21
[51]
The choice facing Israel. As you read further in the book of Acts, remember that
Luke is showing us how Israel was confronted with a choice. Israel was on the way up or
on the way down. Either she would seek deliverance and forgiveness from the Savior, or
she would be consumed by the wrath of the covenant.
The gospel is never a sentimental story aimed at stirring our tender emotions. The New
Testament Scriptures show us how God was carrying on His dispute with His people.
A continuing appeal. The formation of the New Testament church represented a
testimony to Israel (2:41-7). The actions of Peter and John when they healed the lame
man must be viewed in the same light.
It should not surprise us that the apostles visited the temple to join in the evening
prayers. As long as there was no clear sign of the "desolating sacrilege," the new Israel
remained inside the Jewish orbit, even though Christ had fulfilled all the ceremonial laws.
The fall of Jerusalem was indeed an important point in the history of the church as it
moved toward its own unique development.
As long as the gospel had not yet called Jews everywhere to conversion and recognition
of the Messiah, the temple had to remain standing. It was in the temple that God would
continue His dispute with His people by way of the apostles. Peter and John spoke freely
to the worshipers in the temple and to the demythologizing, progressive, left-wing
Sadducees about the identity of the crucified One, the One behind the healing of the
lame man.
Note Peter's emphasis on the covenant motif in his sermon in the temple (3:25). He
addresses his audience as "men of Israel" (2:22). Not only does he offer them the
prospect of blessings in the name of the Servant of the Lord (3:26), he also declares
that there will be better times ahead for them if they accept the prophet Jesus (vs. 19ff).
[52]
In the distance we catch sight of judgment. If the gospel is rejected, the measure
will be full.
Growing opposition. Before long, all twelve apostles v ere arrested in the temple. The
conflict grew more intense. Gamaliel's apparent neutrality does not impress, even
though it assisted in getting the apostles released. The apostles were beaten and
forbidden to speak in public. Was this neutrality? No!, the Sanhedrin chose against
Jesus. There is no "third way" possible, it is either for or against.
In its prayer, the church rightly drew on Psalm 2, which speaks of universal revolution
while the Messianic King is seating Himself on His throne. Israel's leaders had sided with
Pilate and Herod. The way to oppose them was to testify boldly about the Servant of the
Lord.
The opposition between the two sides became even more acute. Before long it led to the
stoning of Stephen, whose lame means crown. He was accused of the same offense as
his Savior, namely, violation of the temple. And at the time of his execution, he spoke
words reminiscent of Jesus (7:59-60; see also Luke 23:34, 46; Ps. 31:6). The servant is
not greater than his Master.
Uncircumcised ears. In his speech before the Sanhedrin, Stephen also followed in his
Master's footsteps. He showed how deliverers like Joseph and Moses had been denied by
their own people. Israel, the nation that killed the prophets, was worse than the
uncircumcised pagans: Israel was "uncircumcised in heart and ears" (7:51). This may
strike us as a strange expression, but we also find the prophet Jeremiah speaking of
uncircumcised ears, just before a sermon directed against the temple! (Jer. 7:1ff).
Plainly their ears are uncircumcised,
they cannot listen.
Plainly the word of Yahweh is for them something
[53]
contemptible,
they have no taste for it.

22
 But I am full of the wrath of Yahweh,
I am weary of holding it in
(Jer. 6:10-11 JB; see also 9:26).
The Holy Spirit showed Stephen the continuing line of the dispute: both Jeremiah and
Christ were denouncing a superficial, purely formal temple service (Jer. 7:11; Luke
19:46). The servant speaks the same language as his
Master.

4. Christian Communism?
The spirit of stewardship. In his first book, Luke manifested a special interest in the
words of Jesus dealing with "unrighteous mammon." In his second book he also devoted
a fair amount of attention to financial questions.
The congregation in Jerusalem was made up in part of foreign Jews who had come to the
holy city to live because they wanted to be buried there. Many of them must have owned
plots in which they planned to be buried. But once they accepted the gospel of the
Messiah who had come, the situation changed for them. The rich then attached less
importance to their property and the poor had a harder time of it than before, for the
"diaconate" of the synagogue, which helped support poor people, would no longer help
them once they went over to the "other synagogue," the "Nazarene" sect, the followers
of "the way."
This meant that the church had to take special measures. Those measures have often
been misunderstood. It was not the case that all property became communal in the
[54]
sense that private property was suddenly abolished, with the result that no one had
more than anyone else since all the property was in the hands of the church and was
owned jointly or communally. No, the members of the church in Jerusalem, driven by the
one Spirit, formed a community in which private property was not deified or regarded as
an absolute but was managed in the spirit of good stewardship a id used freely to meet
the needs of the community's poor. Is ever was personal property abolished in the first
Christian community. Luke tells us, for instance, that Mary, the mother of John Mark,
owned a house in Jerusalem (12:12).
Ananias and Sapphira. To Ananias and Sapphira, who claimed that they were giving the
church the full amount of money they had received from the sale of a piece of land, but
secretly kept half of it back, Peter said: "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your
own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?" (5:4). Thus such texts as 2:44-
5 and 4:32ff can never be used to support the view that the early Christians in
Jerusalem practiced a compulsory universal Communism under the motto "What's mine
is thine, and what's thine is mine!" What Luke shows us in connection with these
financial arrangements is how seriously the early church took Jesus' words about money
and property: "Whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple"
(Luke 14:33).
Luke also shows us how carefully satan watched this situation developing, in hopes of
being able to destroy the church from within, as in the case of the behavior of Ananias
and Saphira. The disciplinary measures taken in their case made a tremendous
impression on observers (5:5ff, 13). Once more the Lord demonstrated the purifying
power of His judgment—just as He had done when two of Aaron's sons sinned at the
[55]
initial dedication of the priests, when Achan sinned during the capture of Jericho, and
when a group of boys mocked the prophet Elisha, who had just taken over from Elijah
(Lev. 10; Josh. 7; II Kings 2).
The appointment of deacons. Luke also shows us how the church appointed special
servants called "deacons" to look after the poor when it became apparent that they were
not being adequately cared for by way of spontaneous acts of mercy. Stephen, the man
who was stoned, was one of the deacons, as was Philip (who is not to be confused with
the apostle Philip).

23
Some interpreters maintain that Acts 6 does not deal with the institution of the office of
deacon at all. On the other hand, there is a tendency today to turn the diaconate into an
independent institution devoted to social needs and problems. Whereas in Acts we see
deacons appointed to give close attention to the needs of the local congregation, people
today speak of a world diaconate.

5. Seeds Scattered Far and Wide (8:1 12:25)

A new "diaspora," A certain Saul, whom we later encounter under the Latin name Paul
(which means little one— "Shorty "), had been in favor of the execution of Stephen and
was prepared to persecute other members of the church as well. Now, we must not
regard Stephen's stoning as an extreme case, a highly unusual exception. Numerous
members of the church had to suffer for their beliefs, with the result that many of them
left Jerusalem and took up residence elsewhere.
This "diaspora" or dispersion led to the gathering of a larger flock, for the Christians
[56]
driven out of Jerusalem preached the gospel of Jesus as the Messiah wherever they
went. Luke gives us some examples of their preaching. At the same time he shows how
God Himself intervened to get these preachers going (8:26; 9:1ff; 10:1ff). Yes, Luke
shows us how God allowed the wall separating Israel from :he nations to wobble.
Preaching in Samaria. The first area outside Jerusalem that we hear about is Samaria
(1:8), the home of the heretical Samaritans with their temple at Shechem. The deacon
Philip, who was among those who had left Jerusalem preached there and baptized a
magician named Simon. When Peter and John arrived from Jerusalem as church visitors,
this Samaritan Faust offered them money if they would bestow the power of the Holy
Spirit on him through the laying on of hands. (To this day, the word simony is used to
refer to the buying and selling of ecclesiastical offices and pardons.)
Peter pronounced judgment on his namesake by pointing to the fifth book of Moses. He
said to Simon: "I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity"
(8:23; see also Deut. 29:18; Heb. 12:15). As you consider Peter's course of action,
remember that the Samaritans, like the Sadducees, recognized only the five books of
Moses as authoritative.
The apostles were not in the business of trying to win popularity; their task was rather to
oppose any sort of compromise with heathendom or Gnosticism. Luke knew perfectly
well that there were many heretics trying to infiltrate the church.
Preaching to an Ethiopian. A second example of the preaching of the dispersed believers
is the story of Philip and the "God-fearing" Ethiopian eunuch who was busy reading
Isaiah 53 without understanding it. As a eunuch, this black minister of finance was not
[57]
allowed in the court of Israel's temple (Deut. 23:1). Yet, the Bible contained some
glorious promises for him and for his people. (Think of Isaiah 56:3-5 and Psalm 68:31:
"Let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out her hands to God.") When Philip explained to this man
that Jesus is the Lamb of God, his reaction was: "What is to prevent my being baptized?"
(8:36; see also 10:47). Thus, a baptized Ethiopian traveled to his own land through the
ancient Philistine territory of Gaza and Ashdod. Luke's joy motif comes to the fore again:
we read that the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing" (8:39).
A "ravenous wolf from Benjamin. A third example of the preaching of the dispersed
believers is the "ravenous wolf from the tribe of Benjamin (Gen. 49:27), namely, Saul of
Tarsus, who was called by Jesus when he was on his way to Damascus to persecute
defenseless Christians there. Now, Paul's conversion is a favorite topic of conversation
when we get together to discuss our faith. In our enthusiasm, we often overlook the
majesty of what Luke describes for us; we tend to assume that his purpose in writing
was simply to tell us some conversion stories. Those who regard the transformation of
Saul into Paul as an example of the desired method of conversion to faith in Jesus Christ
have overlooked the main point of the story of Saul on the road to Damascus.
Why does Luke tell us just how the Lord harnassed this ravenous wolf as part of His plan

24
for proclaiming the gospel throughout the world? Paul was to be a witness of Jesus
Christ, someone who had seen Him and heard Him speak (22:15; 23:11). That's why he
was called to his redemptive historical task in such a special way. Paul would be the one
to enter the Hellenistic world with the gospel. That's why he was given his own Easter
vision of the risen Lord. You and I have not been given the same assignment as Paul,
and therefore we need not wait for a special conversion experience in which the risen
Lord appears to us to call us to our task.
[58]
Instruction in the faith. We should note that after the Son of David appeared to this
ravenous wolf, the newly converted Paul received instruction in the faith in a normal
manner: in Damascus he was taught by a Christian named Ananias. In Paul's case, too,
the Lord used the service of the Word to equip His servant for his task. Those who love
to talk at length about a Pauline conversion should talk instead of childlike obedience to
the revealed Word, as the great apostle who preached to the pagans did.
The Lord's message to Ananias, who was to instruct Paul in the faith, can be regarded as
a "theme" for the rest of the book of Acts, just as 1:8 can be read as a theme. Ananias,
who knew Saul by reputation and was reluctant to have anything to do with him, was
told: "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles
and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for the
sake of my name" (9:15-16).
4
The blinding of Saul and his subsequent healing was a symbolic guarantee of the
promise that he would reveal the Servant of the Lord to many as a light (see 13:47;
[59]
26:18; Is. 35:5; 42:7, 16; Luke 18:35ff; John 8:12; 9:5). Paul immediately started
to preach the gospel in Damascus. It wasn't long before the former apostle of the
Sanhedrin found out what it means to suffer for Christ. He also appeared in Jerusalem.
Barnabas, whom we will encounter later, introduced him to the apostles there.
Breaking through Jewish taboos. Luke gives us another example of the activities of the
church outside Jerusalem when he tells us about Peter's work in Lydda and Joppa
(9:32ff). Joppa, the place where Jonah once chose to go to sea rather than obey the
command to preach to the heathen Assyrians, now became the place where Peter had a
vision that prepared him to make a successful visit to a "God-fearing" Roman officer.
Peter was to preach to this Roman and his family.
Still steeped in Jewish taboos, Peter had not yet reached the point where he would enter
a heathen home where the Jewish laws about purity were not observed. But the Lord
forced him to do so, giving Luke an opportunity to record a proclamation of the gospel to
Cornelius, a Roman official who was one of the "God-fearing" Gentiles of the synagogue.
When Luke told this story, of course, he had his primary reader in mind, i.e. Theophilus,
who knew about Cornelius's problem from his own experience. Hence Luke went into the
story at considerable length. He also devoted a good deal of attention to Peter's report
on this matter at Jerusalem, for it would be important to Theophilus to know how the
church reacted.
No partiality in God. Luke was not one to sweep anything under the carpet, for he was
well aware that those whom the church seeks to evangelize will not be won over
properly if the church is idealized and its shortcomings are concealed. Yet he did make it
clear that those who opposed Peter's action came around in the end. Like the Ethiopian

4
In 9:7 we read that those who were with Paul heard the, vice but saw no one. In 22:9 Paul
declared that those who were with him saw the light but did not hear the voice speaking to him. In
the face of this apparent discrepancy, it had been argued that Luke, as an ancient historian,
faithfully recorded ... (some text is missing here) ... would devote a footnote to a conflicting
version of an event or an alternate reading of a text based on some other manuscript. Now, there
is no need to speak of conflicts or contradictions here, although there is undeniably some
variation. What 9:7 tells us is that those who were with Paul heard a sound but did not see
anyone. In 22:9 we are told that they did see a light, which is not the same as seeing a person,
but did not hear any articulated words.

25
[60]
eunuch, they saw nothing to prevent them—from following Peter's lead (8:36;
10:47; 11:17).
There is no partiality in God; He does not recognize any "master race." As Peter put it:
"God does not show Favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do
what is right. This is the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news
of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all" (10:34-6 NIV).
This section of the book of Acts concludes by telling us about the death of James, who
was baptized with Jesus' baptism and forced to drink from the same cup of suffering
from which Jesus drank (Mark 10:39; Col. 1:24). Peter was arrested during the time of
the Passover, but the Lord freed him from Herod's power by way of an angel. James, the
brother of Jesus, took his place in Jerusalem. Peter then went elsewhere since it was
getting too hot for him in Jerusalem. The Lord was using this situation to spread the
gospel further.
Antioch of Syria. In the Syrian city of Antioch (where Luke was born, according to
tradition), there was already a church. Barnabas (who was originally from Cyprus) was
sent to this church. This gave him an opportunity to pick up Paul, who was spending
some time in his native city of Tarsus, which was nearby in Cilicia.
Thus we see that when it came to sending out evangelists to preach the gospel, the
church considered the question who would be most suitable for a certain area. Barnabas,
as a Jew of the Diaspora, knew how to get along with Greeks. Therefore he was sent to
Antioch, where there were already Greeks in the church. Here the wall separating Jews
and Gentiles had been broken through (11:20-1).
It was in this mighty city situated on the Orontes River that the followers of Jesus were
first called Christians, i.e. partisans of Christ (11:26). Antioch was a living church
[61]
that not only felt keenly the necessity of evangelistic work, as we shall see later, but
was also very sensitive to its responsibilities in caring for the poor and needy. It is Luke,
again, who reports that the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem with
gifts when it was prophesied that there would be a great famine there (11:27ff).
The church was not only established in Antioch but also in Phoenicia (Tyre and Sidon—
see 21:1-5 and Luke 10:13-14) and Cyprus. The seed was scattered far and wide, just
as plants use people, animals and even the wind to transport their seeds from one place
to another.

6. First the Jew and Then the Greek (13:1-14:28)

Paul as a "missionary. " The journey described for us in Acts 13 and 14 is usually called
"Paul's first missionary journey." This name is not entirely accurate. First of all, Barnabas
also played a very important role in what was accomplished on this tour. Moreover, was
it Paul's very first undertaking as an evangelist? After his calling, he went to work in
Damascus and Jerusalem (9:19ff). From there he went on to his native city of Tarsus
and preached the gospel (Gal. 1:21, 23). The Letter to the Galatians reveals that Paul
also proclaimed the gospel in Arabia, Syria and Cilicia. Thus, the man who left Antioch
with Barnabas to preach the gospel to the wide world was not an unschooled worker but
a man already trained and experienced in bringing the gospel. Finally, when we speak of
a "missionary journey," we are inclined to think of someone who intends to "win souls"
among the pagans. But that was not Paul's primary purpose.
[62]
When we talk about "missionary work," we think of someone who goes into "virgin
territory," preferably a primitive area covered with dense jungle. If we measure the tour
of Paul and Barnabas by these criteria, we are greatly disappointed; we conclude that it
wasn't a "missionary journey" after all. In 13:5, for example, we read that the wo men
preached the Word of God in the Jewish synagogues when they came to Cyprus. They
did the same in Antioch of Pisidia (not to be confused with the other Antioch, in Syria)
and again in Iconium (13:14; 14;1).

26
Using the Jewish base. First the choice was put to the covenant people: the existing
"church" was called to reform itself. If the Jews refused to listen, then the evangelists
would turn to the "Greeks." Moreover, in many cases these Greeks were not "virgin
territory" either. Many of them were among the "God-fearing" Gentiles who came to the
synagogues. Therefore they were acquainted with the Messianic promises of the Old
Testament Scriptures!
In the time after Alexander the Great, the authorities encouraged many of the Jews to
emigrate to the cities of Asia Minor. The idea was that the Jews, who were faithful to the
state, would form a loyal counterpart to the freedom-loving Greek colonists already
living in Asia Minor. (The native population, apparently, was not considered important.)
The growth of the church followed the path of Jewish emigration and made regular use
of the contacts between the "synagogue" and the "Greeks," contacts that had grown up
in all sorts of ways. The point to bear in mind is that a responsible program for spreading
the gospel and making the church grow involved beginning with Jerusalem and then
following the path where the Word had already been at work. From that Jewish base the
gospel would reach ever wider circles of people. The Word was to be proclaimed first to
[63]
the Jews and then to the "Greeks." The "barbarians" (the name the Greeks used for
non-Greeks) would get their turn in time.
Paul and Barnabas did not raise millions of dollars to assist "underdeveloped countries,"
nor did they preach revolution and resistance to any and all colonial and imperial
powers. Instead they recognized the social patterns created by the Jewish, Greek and
Roman emigration and colonization; they proceeded on the basis of the patterns that
had been developed through the Word in the Mediterranean coastal areas. It was much
later that "missionary work" was separated from "reforming the church" and turned into
a special kind of adventure, thereby encouraging the stubborn misunderstanding that
what the "missionary" does in some faraway land is entirely different from what the
evangelist working in our own neighborhood does.
Paul and Barnabas sent out. In Antioch (Syria), the international opium den of sin where
children and adults were still offered to the goddess Astarte, a flourishing church arose.
There famous prophets and teachers from various areas (including someone who had
been a friend of Herod Antipas in his youth) went about their work. Thus it was an
unusual place and an unusual church. In a service (the same word is used in the Greek
text as is used for the regular temple service in Luke 1:23), the Spirit gave a command:
"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them" (13:2).
Thus the initiative was taken by the Spirit of Jesus Christ!
Luke, in his gentle manner, now relates some of the events of this "missionary journey"
that Paul and Barnabas undertook with John Mark. To get a good idea of the route
followed by this team sent out by the church, you should keep a map at hand.
[64]
Opposition from the Jews. The shadow of Jewish oposition was always present. We
see this in the Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus, whose name means son of Joshua. Like
tie Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses at the court of Pharaoh, Bar-Jesus opposed
Barnabas and Paul at the court of the proconsul Sergius Paulus. As a result, he was
struck temporarily with Egyptian darkness. The shadow of the Jewish presence was
present in Antioch (Pisidia) as well, where Paul delivered a truly redemptive historical
sermon in the synagogue, as well as in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.
In his last letter to Timothy, written in Lystra, Paul thanks Timothy for his sympathetic
support during his suffering in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra and during "all the
persecutions I endured." He goes on: "Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact,
everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (II Tim. 3:11-
12 NIV; see also I Thess. 2:15-16).
The Jews did not give any evidence of a willingness to accept Jesus as the Messiah.
Moreover, they were highly offended when Paul accepted Gentiles as full members of his
sect. Again and again we see the Jews putting obstacles in the way of those who

27
preached the "new doctrine." Paul was even stoned after an incident at Lystra, but he
survived (14:19; see also II Cor. 11:25).
A sermon in a synagogue. Paul's sermon in the synagogue at Antioch has been recorded
for us by Luke as a specimen of Paul's preaching. Notice how he addresses his audience:
"Men of Israel, and you that fear God, listen." Thus Theophilus could regard Paul's words
as addressed to him too.
The content of this sermon is also striking. There is no sensationalism here, and no trace
of a simplified gospel. All Paul does is open the Scriptures for his hearers.
Notice also the effect of his preaching. Not only the Jews but especially the God-fearing
[65]
Gentiles want to hear his gospel again. The following sabbath, when this traveling
servant of the Word preaches once more, the synagogue is packed with Gentiles. This
shows us that watered-down sermons do not make the church's membership grow: only
an explanation of the law and the prophets in the light of Christ will bring light to the
Gentiles.
A sermon in Lystra. Luke gives us a second sample of Paul's preaching. Because of the
circumstances in which this second sermon was delivered—while they were in Lystra,
5
Barnabas and Paul were mistaken for Zeus and Hermes making an inspection tour —it
has given rise to some serious misunderstandings.
[66]
It has been noted that the sermon Paul preached on this occasion was much
different from the one he delivered in tie synagogue at Antioch. It is sometimes argued
that it was a true "missionary sermon," for he began rhetorically with what the pagans
already knew and did not include a single quotation from the Old Testament.
That may be, but what could we expect Paul to do in such circumstances? In Lystra he
happened to be addressing a thoroughly heathen audience acquainted with certain
sagas, but not with the Bible. Thus he couldn't very well preach as he had preached in
Antioch. Yet, if you compare 14:15 and 17 with Psalm 146:6-7 and Jeremiah 5:24, you
will see that even in this critical situation, Paul managed to work in a few echoes of
Scripture. Thus Luke shows us how Paul, with the Old Testament in hand, appealed to
his audience to turn away from the vanity of heathen life.

7. No Needless Burdens for Gentile Christians (15:1-35)

The debate about circumcision. Finally Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch. Some
men from Judea arrived there as well, teaching that circumcision was required for
Gentile Christians. Hence Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem to consult the
leaders of the church.
In Jerusalem they encountered strong opposition from some former Pharisees. Peter
rejected the arguments for circumcising Gentile Christians, and James (the brother of

5
According to an ancient story recorded by Ovid (Metamorphoses, VIII, 610-714), the gods Jupiter
and Mercury (who were called Zeus and Hermes in Greek) went out to visit human beings
incognito but were welcomed only by a man named Philemon (a name we know from a certain
Bible book) and his wife Baucis. (These people even wanted to kill their goose, which was at the
same time their "watchdog," for their guests.) The land of their inhospitable neighbors was turned
into a marsh, but their house remained standing and became a temple. Philemon and Baucis were
spared for each other and eventually became holy trees on the temple grounds (an oak and a
linden).
It's highly probable that such a myth influenced the attitudes of the people in Lystra, who had not
yet been Hellenized to any significant extent. (They still preferred to speak the Lycaonian language
within their own circles.)
That Paul was taken for Hermes, a messenger of the gods, and that Barnabas, who performed no
miracles, was hailed as Zeus, the highest of the gods, is entirely understandable when we bear in
mind that a bearer of authority in that part of the world always spoke through a mediator. This
naturally carried over into the realm of the gods.

28
Jesus) spoke of the conversion of the Gentiles as a fulfillment of God's promise to restore
David's fallen house (Amos 9:11).
It was decided not to impose the yoke of the law on believers from other nations. In
[67]
order not to make contact with Jewish Christians difficult, however, they would be
required to abstain from certain things, namely, eating meat that had been sacrificed to
idols and had not been slaughtered in accordance with the Jewish ritual, consuming
blood (Lev. 17), and engaging in unchaste acts. (This may have included marriage to
people in the forbidden categories outlined in Leviticus 18.) But the Gentile Christians did
not have to be circumcised, and they were not to be discriminated against in case they
were not.
No needless offense. The main point in resolving the conflict was that "weaker" members
of the church were not to be offended in any way. This was to be achieved by having
everyone stay away from unchastity, blood, and improperly prepared meat. The church
was to avoid giving the impression of being a revolutionary or undisciplined institution.
In this way, Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles could sit at the same table to eat. The
Jews did not have to be troubled in conscience at the thought of Gentile Christians living
just as the "God-fearing" Gentiles who attached themselves to the synagogues lived.
And the Christians drawn from the various nations were freed of the needless burden of
circumcision. In this the church upheld its catholic character—starting in Jerusalem!
The bond between the churches. Judas and Silas, together with Paul and Barnabas, were
instructed to go to the various churches with a letter in which this decision was recorded
and explained. Here we see the ecclesiastical machinery at work. Yet, we would not be
justified in characterizing the gathering described in Acts 15 as a "synod." It was actually
no more than a meeting of the elders and apostles of the mother church, with a couple
of representatives from Antioch present for advisory purposes. But this story does make
it clear that some sort of connection was maintained between the churches. The
[68]
individual congregation made a point of staying in contact and showing their concern
for each other.
Through this gathering, the work of Paul was officially recognized. Moreover, the incident
involving Cornelius, through which Peter's attitude about the ceremonial law was
changed, now became the basis for a principle accepted by the church. The decision
made would be applied to further work among the Jews and "God-fearing" Gentiles of
the Diaspora. Led by James, whose devotion to the law was well known, Jerusalem saw
the fruits of the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles as a realization of the Messianic
glory foretold by the prophets.

Listen to me, O coastlands (Is. 49:1).

8. Carrying the Gospel to the Greek Cities (15:36-19:41)

On to Macedonia. On various occasions Isaiah speaks of the "coastlands." (Some
translations speak of "islands" instead.) By this he means the lands colonized by the
sons of Javan (i.e. the Ionians or Greeks).
It is significant that this term comes up a number of times in connection with the servant
of the Lord, who is called to proclaim the Word of the Lord, His torah, to the Diaspora
(Is. 24:15; 51:5; 60:9-10). Now, Jesus Christ is the servant of the Lord. Should it
surprise us, then, that Paul, who was commissioned by Christ to carry out the program
of Isaiah 42:1-9 and 49:1-7, was sent by the Spirit to the western part of Asia Minor and
to Greece? After all, the prophecies had to be fulfilled!
[69]
Because of a difference of opinion with Mark, who had deserted him on an earlier
trip, Paul takes Silas along when he leaves Antioch on his new expedition. (Silas, a
Roman citizen, appears in I Peter 5:12 under his Latin name, Silvanus.) At Lystra
Timothy joins them. The Spirit drives them through the interior of what is now called

29
 6
Turkey all the way to the coast. At Troas Paul sees a vision of a Macedonian crying out:
"Come over to Macedonia and help us" (16:9). After all, the coastlands are waiting for
instruction in the law! (Is. 42:4).
Paul in Philippi. The first city where they went to work was Philippi. Like Lystra and
Antioch (Pisidia), it was a Roman colony where veterans of the imperial army lived. The
evangelists sought to build on the work of the synagogues. Again, the heart of a woman
(i.e. Lydia) was opened to the preaching, and she in turn opened her home to the
missionaries. Luke lodged there as well. When he reported on the events at Philippi,
then, Luke was speaking as an eyewitness. Philippi was a congregation where Paul, who
did not readily accept anything from anyone, allowed the people to provide for his
support.
Thus there was the beginning of a church in Philippi. But satan was also on the scene. No
doubt you've heard of the python, which is a kind of snake. The name is borrowed from
Greek mythology, where a dragon named Python is said to have defeated Apollo.
In Delphi there was an oracle that spoke through a priestess called the Pythia. Now then,
[70]
there was a slave girl in Philippi in whom the ancient Pythian spirit was alleged to
dwell. Whatever the source of her power, she was able to predict the future. This slave
girl followed Paul and his associates crying out: "These men are servants of the Supreme
God, and are declaring to you a way of salvation!" (16:17 NEB). Luke points out how
satan was trying to turn the way of salvation into one of a number of ways of salvation.
Because Paul did not want such satanic advertising, he drove the evil spirit out of the
girl. As a result, her Macedonian owners were no longer able to make money from her
abilities in fortune-telling. Hence Paul and Silas soon found themselves in jail, after
receiving a beating. During the night they sang psalms (perhaps Psalms 18 and 99).
There followed an earthquake, which led to the jailer's accepting the gospel. The next
morning the Roman authority itself corrected the misdeed against Paul and Silas (who
were Roman citizens) and personally escorted the two men out of the city.
In this incident Paul insisted on his rights—for the sake of the church in Philippi. The
whole city took note of his strange departure in the company of Roman magistrates and
officers. For a while the congregation in Philippi had nothing to fear from the Roman
authorities.
If Paul had followed the letter of the Sermon on the Mount in this situation, he would
have acted contrary to its spirit! This incident gives us an example of Paul's forceful
sense of humor and his desire to protect the congregation.
Thessalonica and Athens. The next stop was Thessalonica. Paul later wrote two letters to
the congregation there. To understand those letters properly, we must bear in mind that
the Jews were very hostile to him when he first arrived (see I Thess. 1:6ff; 2:14;
II Thess. 1:4ff; 2:1ff) and even caused trouble for him when he was in other cities.
[71]
In Athens Paul gave an example of how to preach to the intelligentsia of Greece. He
was summoned to appear before the Areopagus, which was probably not the hill of that
name by the Pantheon but a council that met at the marketplace (the Agora). That
council would determine whether Paul would be allowed to preach in Athens.
Many strange views and attitudes have been attributed to Paul because of what he said
on this occasion. It is argued that he accommodated himself to his distinguished
audience by simplifying the gospel and working in some ideas borrowed from pagan
philosophers. It is not to be denied, of course, that this sermon differs from the sermon
in the synagogue in Antioch (ch. 13). Paul did not play the role of the bull in the china

6
It is clear from the ruins that this city, which occupied a strategic position on the coast not far
from the Dardanelles and ancient Troy, was enormous. Julius Caesar and Constantine the Great
both gave consideration to making Troas the capital city of the empire. Could it be that Luke once
served there as physician?

30
shop. Yet, if you read his sermon carefully, you can't help but notice that it is full of Old
7
Testament expressions.
[72]
The wise men of Athens are accused of sinful ignorance. They worship an unknown
God (17:23), an undefined something. Here Paul alludes to the Greek nihilism of the
Epicureans, who believed that God is "unknowable," and of the Stoics, who did nothing
to block all the foolishness of the temples and the images of the gods.
Paul proclaimed to them a God who reveals Himself; he appealed to them to repent and
seek forgiveness, explaining that God "has fixed a day on which he will judge the world
(oikoumené) in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed." Of this God has "given
assurance to all men by raising him from the dead" (17:31).
To these pagans who had "arrived," Paul brought the true Biblical gospel in a flamboyant
way! Dionysius was probably the reporter who filled Luke in on what Paul said in Athens
(17:34).
Paul in Corinth. Paul's contact with the synagogue in the great port of Corinth led to a
conflict that became even more intense when a "church" sprang up next to the
"synagogue." In a vision Paul received the Immanuel promise: "I have many [covenant]
people in this city" (18:10).
Here Luke, who was writing for Theophilus, points out that the proconsul Gallio, who was
a brother of the Stoic philosopher Seneca, did not permit the Jews to discriminate
against "Christianity" and rob it of its status as a tolerated religion. Sosthenes, who
succeeded Crispus as leader of the synagogue when the latter became a Christian, even
received a beating as a result of his opposition to the gospel. "But Gallio paid no
attention to this," Luke reports (18:17), making it clear to Theophilus that the church's
primary enemy was not the state but the apostate church.
To gain a proper understanding of Paul's letters to the Corinthians, we must remember
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that the church there was not entirely made up of Gentiles but actually arose when a
group seceded from the synagogue. Thus the church at Corinth existed in perpetual
antithesis to the synagogue.
Paul in Ephesus. Via Ephesus Paul traveled back to Antioch, returning to this metropolis
in Asia Minor by land. In Ephesus, too, the church was born of a secession from the
synagogue.
Paul worked in this city for a long time. For two years he taught in the school of a man
named Tyrannus, who may have been a teacher of rhetoric. According to an ancient
manuscript, Paul made himself available to those who sought instruction from 11 A.M. to
6 P.M. (These would not be the wisest hours to choose, for the "siesta" fell within this
period.)

7
Compare the following expressions drawn from this sermon with the Old Testament passages
indicated: "made the world" in vs. 24 with Gen. 1; Ex. 20:11; Ps. 146:6; Is. 42:5; 66:2;
"does not live in shrines made by man" in vs. 24 with I Kings 8:27; Is. 66:1;
"nor is he served by human hands" in vs. 25 with Ps. 50:8-12; "gives ... breath" in vs. 25 with
Gen. 2:7; Ps. 104:29; Is. 42:5; Dan. 5:23; "made from one" in vs. 26 with Gen. 1:27; 2:21-2;
Mal. 2:10;
"determined __ the boundaries of their habitation" in vs. 26 with Deut. 32:8; Ps. 74:17;
"seek God ... feel after him and find him" in vs. 27 with Deut. 4:7, 29; Ps. 145:18; Is. 55:6;
"In him we live" in vs. 28 with Dan. 5:23; Ps. 104:27; 145:16; Job 12:10;
"the Deity is [not] like gold, or silver, or stone" in vs. 29 with Deut. 4:28; Ps. 115:4; 135:15; Is.
40:18ff; 44:9-20; 46:5ff; Jer. 10:3ff;
"judge the world in righteousness" in vs. 31 with Ps. 9:9; 96:13; 98:9;
"he has fixed a day" in vs. 31 with Amos 5:18, 20; Joel 2:1ff.

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The Word of the Lord grew and prevailed (19:20). The books of the magicians were
burned. The uproar caused by the silversmith's guild is an indication of how much
progress the gospel had made. The service of Artemis (the ancient goddess Astarte) was
on the decline.

Your gates shall be open continually;

day and night they shall not be shut;
that men may bring to you the wealth
of the nations (Is. 60:11).

9. From Pentecost to Pentecost (20:1-21:16)

The harvest among the pagans. At the beginning of his second volume, Luke tells us
about Pentecost. Near the end of this book we hear about Pentecost again: we are told
that Paul was traveling to Jerusalem in the hope of arriving in time to celebrate
Pentecost (20:16).
[74]
This is a case of the end being better than the beginning, 1 or at the first Pentecost
the harvest was made up of the Jews and their followers only. At the end of Acts,
however, Paul was traveling to Jerusalem with a group of converted pagans who were
bringing offerings that had been gathered for the "saints," i.e. the church in Jerusalem
(24:17; see also I Cor. 16:1ff; II Cor. 8-9).
Paul was accompanied by a deputation from the newly established congregations in the
"coastlands". Isaiah 60 was being fulfilled: the nations traveled to the mountain of the
house of the Lord (Is. 2:2ff; Micah 4:1ff). When Pagans obey the voice of the Servant of
the Lord, will the Jews become jealous?
Paul's travel companions represent the harvest among the pagans, as a survey of their
origin shows. With him Nere Sopater (from Beroea, in Macedonia), Aristarchus and
Secundus (from Thessalonica, also in Macedonia), Gaius (from Derbe, in eastern Asia
Minor), Timothy, from Lystra, also in eastern Asia Minor), and Tychicus and Trophimus
(from the Ephesus area of western Asia Minor).
Another fateful journey to Jerusalem. Luke's second book, like his first, devotes a great
deal of space to a journey to Jerusalem, the city that kills and persecutes the prophets.
Just as Luke reports three occasions on which Christ referred to the suffering awaiting
Him, he reports three references by Paul to his coming suffering (20:22-3; 21:4, 11).
A dark shadow falls over the harvest feast (Pentecost). Paul knows that he must take the
path laid out for him (20:24). The dangers are not just external—from the Jews—but
also internal: heresy rears its ugly head (vs. 29). In the face of these dangers, Paul sets
an example by declaring: "For myself, I set no store by life; I only want to finish the
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race, and complete the task which the Lord Jesus assigned to me, of bearing my
testimony to the gospel of God's grace" (20:24 NEB).
Paul and his companions (including Luke) live by the third petition of the Lord's Prayer:
"The will of the Lord be done" (21:14). In the strength of that will, the deputation from
the coastland churches travels on to Zion.

Woe to her that is rebellious and

defiled, the oppressing city!
(Zeph. 3:1).

10. The Gospel under Fire (21:17-26:32)

Jewish extremists. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the Christians there praised God
when they heard his story about the fruit of the work among the heathens. Because
some people were saying that Paul was advising the Jews not to live by the torah any

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longer, the leaders in Jerusalem asked him to take a Nazirite vow together with four
other Jewish Christians, in order to refute these rumors publicly. Paul yielded to this
request—without thereby sacrificing any of his principles.
There was already mention of such a vow in 18:18. And Timothy, who was Jewish on his
mother's side, agreed to be circumcised for the sake of the Jews (16:3). Thus there was
no difference of opinion between Paul and the elders in Jerusalem. As Calvin points out,
Paul was not acting hypocritically in this situation: he yielded for the sake of the Jewish
extremists. All he did was to free himself from an unfair accusation.
Rejection in Jerusalem. This safety precaution led to Paul's arrest. He was seen in
Jerusalem in the company of Trophimus of Ephesus. When Jews from that area of Asia
[76]
Minor later saw Paul in the temple, they assumed that Trophimus must have been
with him. Now, Gentiles were strictly forbidden to enter the part of the temple known as
the Court of Israel, for their presence there or anywhere beyond would profane the
temple.
The Jews who assumed that Trophimus had indeed been with Paul in the temple
regarded this desecration as the natural outcome of Paul's "revolutionary rejection" of
the law of Moses. This led to a great uproar. Soldiers from the nearby Roman Antonia
barracks appeared on the scene, believing that some terrorist leader was on the loose.
After they rescued Paul from the mob, he was arrested.
Before he was taken away, Paul was allowed to address the people in the temple in their
own language. "Brethren and
lathers, hear the defense which I now make before you" (22:1). The Sanhedrin's former
grand inquisitor talked about the reversal in his own life and revealed that it was in he
temple that the Lord had told him to preach to the Gentiles (vs. 17ff). Again Jerusalem
refused to listen. "Rid the earth of the man! He is not fit to live!" (vs. 22 JB).
Within the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees took Paul's side. Jesus appeared to Paul during the
night and said: "Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you
must bear witness also at Rome" (23:11). Because Jerusalem refused to listen, Paul
would have to appeal to the emperor.
A plot was hatched against Paul. The Sadducees in the highest levels of the priesthood
were involved. Luke was in Jerusalem when these things happened and reported once
more—as he had done so often before—that Jerusalem had not yet renounced the habit
of killing the prophets sent to her.
An appeal to Roman officials. Under heavy guard Paul was transferred to Caesarea, a
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city on the seacoast where the Roman procurator (Felix) had his residence. He
defended his actions before this procurator or governor, who knew a good deal about
"the way" (24:1). The case dragged on for two years, for Felix was not above taking
bribes.
When Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, the Jews tried to arrange for Paul to be
transferred to Jerusalem so that they could attack him on the way. Apparently the con-
spirators had temporarily suspended their oath not to eat or drink until they had killed
Paul (23:12).
Paul's strategy was to appeal to the emperor. A special meeting was arranged to give
him an opportunity to present his case before a number of local dignitaries. Festus, of
course, would have to have some idea what to write about Paul to his master, the
emperor Nero (25:26). The vassal king Herod Agrippa, who had come to greet the new
procurator, was also present at the meeting, accompanied by his sister Bernice.
Paul's "apologia. " It is even possible that Luke himself heard Paul's "apologia." The
magnanimity of the Roman official, which was described at length by the expert reporter
Luke, who seemed to miss nothing of the proceedings, contrasts sharply with the
plotting and malevolence of the Jews. Theophilus would no doubt be interested in what

33
other "most excellent" highly placed officials would do in such a case.
In his speech Paul first addressed Herod Agrippa, the "king of the Jews," who at that
time ruled over part of Galilee and had the right to appoint the high priest in Jerusalem.
We should not regard the content of Acts 26 as a needless repetition of what Acts 9 and
22 already tell us, even though all three chapters deal with Paul's "conversion story."
What Luke describes for us here is a final witness being raised to the risen Lord in the
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land of Israel. For the last time, the authorities heard an appeal to listen to the voice
of God as it comes through in the Scriptures:
It is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.
This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve
God day and night. Your Majesty, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing
me. But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small
and great alike [i.e. to both common people and prominent people]. I am saying nothing
beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer
and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the
Gentiles (26:6-7, 22-3 NIV; see also Is. 42:6; 49:6).
No one in Paul's audience wanted to take the step of becoming a "Christian." But the
general opinion, which may have been communicated to the emperor, was that Paul was
innocent. (Here we can't help but think of Pilate's opinion of the charges against Jesus.)
Festus refused to favor the Jews by turning Paul over to them (25:16). For Theophilus
the conclusion was obvious: it was Jewish resistance to the gospel that drove Paul to
Rome. Soon the measure of their sins would be full.

11. Paul Preaches Openly and Unhindered (27:1-28:31)

Preserved for the sake of the gospel. Luke must have kept a detailed log during the sea
journey to Rome, for he gives us a vivid description of the trip and the shipwreck on he
way. Scholars have checked his use of nautical terms and have concluded that he knew
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what he was talking about, just as when he described the precise ranks and positions
of the various Roman officials.
It is apparent from Luke's account of the trip that Paul had some good advice to give
about traveling during that particular season (27:9ff). The gospel is not blind to practical
knowledge. On this journey, indeed, "the world" (i.e. unbelievers on the ship) is spared
for the sake of "the church."
From the mouth of an angel, Paul had heard: "Do not be afraid, Paul. You are destined
to appear before Caesar, and for this reason God grants you the safety of all who are
sailing with you" (27:24 JB). When the ship ran aground, it turned out that "the world"
was not an ark for "the church" but "the church" for "the world." For the sake of the
gospel, the earth is preserved.
Rejected by the Jews in Rome. After many adventures Paul arrived in Rome, where he
pressed the leaders of the Jews to commit themselves on the question whether to
declare their solidarity with the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. On the basis of Scripture, he
expounded to them the Kingdom of God as it had come in Christ. The Word of the Lord
spoken to Isaiah at the time of his calling seemed to apply to most of these Jews:
although they saw and heard, they neither perceived nor understood (Is. 6:9-10; Matt.
13:14-15; Luke 10:23-4; John 9:40-1; 12:40).
When you read about the calling of Isaiah, bear in mind that he was ordered to preach
so that hearts would be hardened—"until cities lie waste" (Is. 6:11). Because the
synagogues from Jerusalem to Rome refused to accept the Jews as the Messiah, the
judgment on the city and the holy place was set. Bear this in mind, Theophilus!
Christ's gospel unleashed. On the other hand, the preaching of the gospel of the
Kingdom of God continued to advance. In fact, it advanced unhindered! This is the
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note on which Luke ends: he describes Paul in Rome "preaching the kingdom of God

34
and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered" (28:31).
Luke could stop here because there is nothing more we need to know. Some scholars
have expressed the opinion that he actually intended to write a trilogy, with the third
volume to be devoted to the rest of Paul's life (about which we are naturally curious).
But was it ever Luke's intention to write a biography of Paul? Didn't he write his chronicle
instead to describe the progress of Christ's work?
Luke describes how Peter and Paul, as two witnesses of the risen Lord, went about their
work as apostles. He shows us how similar they were (when we disregard some personal
idiosyncrasies), just as Elijah and Elisha were similar—and even Moses and Elijah, for
that matter. That similarity was rooted in fundamental agreement. Peter was not
preaching a special gospel of his own to be distinguished from Paul's gospel or theology.
Both apostles preached the same good news.
No power in the world could hold them back; they did what they had to do, despite the
opposition of various rulers, the nation of Israel, the temple, and the synagogues. Jesus'
prophecy was indeed fulfilled: "But before all this they will lay their hands on you and
persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought
before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be a time for you to bear
testimony" (Luke 21:12-13). How amazing that the testimony could go on unhindered!

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[81]
Romans
1. Arming the Church in Rome for the Struggle
The longest letter. The Letter to the Romans is the longest of the letters in the New
Testament. It contains about 7100 words. When you bear in mind that Cicero's longest
letter is about 4500 words, you can well see that the writing of this lengthy epistle was
an unusual event in those days.
That the Letter to the Romans is placed before any of Paul's other letters in the canon is
due to its length and has nothing to do with the time when it was written. I Corinthians
comes next with 6800 words. Then follow II Corinthians (4600 words), Galatians (2300
words), Ephesians (2400 words), Philippians (1700 words), Colossians (1750 words), I
Thessalonians (1550 words), II Thessalonians (850 words), and finally the letters
addressed to individuals.
Concern for Jerusalem. Paul wrote this extensive letter when he was about to leave
Corinth to go to Jerusalem as part of the delegation sent by the churches of Greece and
[82]
Asia Minor to present a collection for the relief of the mother church in Jerusalem. He
was well aware that going to Jerusalem was a dangerous thing to do. He asked the
church in Rome to pray for him, so that "I may be delivered from the unbelievers in
Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints" (15:31).
Between the lines we read Paul's plea to the congregation in Rome to maintain close ties
with the original congregation in Jerusalem.
As you read the Letter to the Romans, remember that Paul was facing Jerusalem. He did
not want to break the bend with the "navel of the earth," the place from which salvation
had spread across the globe, for this bond had grown and developed throughout
redemptive history. He also hoped that his fellow Jews would become jealous in a
healthy sense when they saw how many Gentiles had been led to faith in Jesus as the
Messiah.
Looking west. On the other hand, Paul was also thinking about Rome, the capital city of
the Roman empire, when he wrote this letter. Not only must the bond with Jerusalem be
maintained, the gospel must be spread throughout the world before Jerusalem is judged
(Matt. 24:14).
Paul's work of establishing churches in the east had been brought to a certain completion
(15:28). Now he wanted to move on the west, to Spain. He hoped he would receive
support and encouragement from the Christian church that already existed in Rome, a
church well known for its faithfulness to the confession. Paul hoped that this church
would serve as a springboard for him on his way to Spain (15:24). Therefore, to
strengthen his ties with the Christians in Rome, he wrote them a letter.
The Jews in Rome. If you bear in mind that Paul was "en route" to Jerusalem, it will not
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strike you as strange that he should devote so much attention in this letter to the
relation between the church and gospel, on the one hand, and the teachings of the Jews,
on the other. Instruction on this point was just what the church in Rome needed.
In the year 50, the emperor Claudius had decreed that all Jews were to leave Rome
(Acts 18:2). But when Nero took over as emperor in the year 54, the Jews were again
free to live in Rome. Paul wrote his letter about three or four years after that, when
Jewish emigration to Rome was already underway. This meant that the Christian church
was being confronted with the question of how to judge the synagogue, for the
synagogue claimed to be the "true church." What was the church to say to those who
maintained that Gentile Christians had to be circumcised?
The Jews must have represented a powerful force in Rome. (Extensive Jewish
catacombs, still in existence today, are an indication of this!) Their presence in Rome
called for some balanced reflection. On the one hand, the church in Rome must not be
overwhelmed by the legalistic spirit of the Jews. On the other hand, it must not forget

36
that "salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22).
The continuing debate with the Jews. The Letter to the Romans, like the book of Acts,
does not have "from Jerusalem to Rome" as its theme, contrary to what some writers
have argued. To the very end, Jerusalem has a strong grip on Paul as well as Rome.
In this calm letter to a church he does not know personally, Paul reports on his
continuing debates with the Jews and those Christians who taught false doctrines under
the influence of the Jews. Thus he arms the church in Rome—and other Gentile
congregations as well—to fight for the gospel and not surrender it in the midst of all the
Jews of the Diaspora. Paul hands out weapons, using solid exegesis to respond to
twisted uses of Scripture. He makes it clear what the real issue in redemptive history is.
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Paul could not be in Rome himself since God's appointed time had not yet come (see
Acts 19:21; 23:11; Rom. 1:13). Therefore he worked out his thoughts in this long letter,
which he wrote at Corinth (halfway between Rome and Jerusalem), in the hope that it
would be helpful to those who were fighting the same old battle.

2. The Lord Our Righteousness (1:1-17)

The major themes. In ancient times a letter would begin with an identification of the
author. Then came the name of the person addressed, followed by a greeting. Each of
Paul's letters begins with these elements, although he does not follow this scheme in a
formalistic way. The way he starts a given letter depends on his purpose in writing.
The opening of Romans is in harmony with the content of the entire letter. Paul identifies
himself as an apostle and declares that his gospel is in agreement with the Scriptures.
Moreover, he points out that Christ has already brought about obedience of faith among
all the nations through Paul's preaching. Thus the letter's major themes are mentioned
at the very outset.
The heart of the letter. Paul declares that he longs to come to Rome to preach the gospel
there, for the gospel is "the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith, to the
Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through
faith for faith " (1:16-17). This sums up the heart of the letter. The first question that
arises is: What does Paul mean by the "righteousness of God"?
When we read the Old Testament, we are struck by how often we come across the term
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righteousness. David prays: "In thy righteousness deliver me" (Ps. 31:1). Jeremiah
gives the Messiah the following name: "The LORD is our righteousness" (Jer. 23:6).
Elsewhere we read that when the Lord intervened to save His people, He "put on
righteousness as a breastplate" (Is. 59:17).
It is apparent from these passages that God's "righteousness" is not some virtue in the
sense of giving "to each his own." When the Bible speaks of God's righteousness, it
means His redemptive deeds on behalf of His people. When God acts righteously, He
acts out of grace. Yahweh avenges the blood of His servants. He stands up for His
people, who are called to believe in Him. God justifies His people and pronounces them
"not guilty."
"Through faith for faith. " The "righteous" man is not the one who deserves to be
acquitted because of his own merits but the poor man or sinner who seeks refuge in the
Lord. During the dark night of judgment, Habakkuk had declared that the righteous shall
live by faith, but the Jews distorted this statement as they made it fit into their own
system of thought. A Qumran commentary explains that it applies to all those in Judah
who keep the law (the torah), for on the basis of their works and their faith in the one
who explains the law, God will preserve them from judgment.
Paul's work was much like the work of people who restore paintings. He removed all the
paint and preservatives added later to expose God's gracious deliverance in Christ to the
clear light of day. Over against the teaching of the Jews (salvation on the basis of works-
righteousness), he placed his "through faith for faith."

37
For Paul, faith is what really counts. By emphasizing this point, he revealed the saving
power of the gospel for all ages.
[86]
The Reformation discovery. In the days when Luther was still a monk, he asked
himself anxiously: Does God's righteousness mean that He will punish all sins? How
could It, Luther, possibly love the righteous God who punishes sinners? He couldn't.
Instead he grew to hate Him—not to the point of falling into outright blasphemy but
enough to murmur against Him.
Luther viewed the situation roughly as follows. First of all, the poor sinner is struck by all
sorts of misfortunes because of original sin and because of his inability to keep the ten
commandments. Then, to make matters even worse, God uses the gospel to threaten
him with His righteousness and wrath.
Against this background, we can understand what a relief it was for Luther when he
finally understood what Paul was getting at in Romans, when he came to see that God's
righteousness is not bad news at all but the good views of His redemptive acts on behalf
of believing sinners. The entire Reformation followed Luther on this point.

3. Neither Gentile Nor Jew Righteous before God (1:18-3:20)

The law trampled underfoot. Paul saw it every day in Corinth with his own eyes: the
pagans suppressed the knowledge they once had and gave themselves over to idolatry.
This aroused the Lord's wrath. Because they closed their eyes to His revelation in
"nature," He let them loose in the realm of the "unnatural."
This was especially apparent in their sexual perversion, but in fact all the
commandments of the "second table" of the law were trampled underfoot by those who
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ignored the commandments of the "first table." They sinned openly and eagerly,
applauding anyone who joined in (1:18-32).
But were the Jews any better? Many of them were materialistic immigrants. They had no
excuse for their wickedness, for they possessed the covenant law, which was written for
their benefit and was intended to be a light in the darkness (2:19). Moreover, they were
proud of being circumcised as a token of their inclusion in the covenant. Yet, all this did
not keep them from breaking every last commandment.
Under the power of sin. God is not a respecter of persons; He does not play favorites.
Won't the Jews, then, be even more subject to wrath than the Gentiles, who do not have
God's law? (2:9-10). "First the Jew and then the Greek" also means that the Jews are
first in line for covenant wrath. They know the way so well.
Paul's conclusion is that "all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin"
(3:9). Paul gives us each a calling card on which we find various statements from the
psalms and prophets. "If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities ...."

4. The Gospel of Forgiveness in the Old Testament (3:21-5:21)

Pure grace. Up to this point Paul has sketched a hopeless situation. At 3:21, however,
comes a great turn: in God there is forgiveness, he announces. God's righteousness,
which redeems us and pronounces us not guilty, has become manifest in Jesus Christ.
Anyone who believes is acquitted and declared righteous—freely, as a matter of pure
grace.
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Hasn't the believer earned God's wrath? Of course he has! Yet, God allowed Jesus to
sacrifice Himself as an offering of atonement. Jesus bore the punishment for us.
Therefore God can justify all who cling to Jesus in faith.
There is no room for glorying in human achievements, Clem Those who wish to boast
should boast about the Lord, who justifies believing Jews and Gentiles alike.
Abraham justified by faith. The Jews believed that their salvation was founded in
Abraham's achievements, and they regarded circumcision as a seal on their

38
righteousness through works. But Paul shows from Scripture that Abraham was justified
by his faith. We read that when Abraham was still uncircumcised, his faith was "reckoned
to him as righteousness" (Gen. 15:6). Not until Genesis 17 was circumcision instituted.
Circumcision, then, is not a seal on righteousness achieved through works but a seal of
"the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised" 14:11). In the
process, Abram became Ab-raham, that is, he father of many nations, the father of all
believers. Humanly speaking Abraham was dead, but he possessed an Easter faith in the
One who gives life to the dead (Is. 26:19; Deut. 32:39) and "calls into existence the
things that do not exist" (4:17).
Easter faith and righteousness. Anyone who possesses this Easter faith shares in the
same righteousness. Christ was "put to death for our trespasses and raised for our
justification" (vs. 25).
Thus Paul has reason to sing. Through one man (Adam), sin came into the world—and,
with it, the curse on all men, the kingly dominion of death. But through the Man (Jesus
Christ), a wealth of grace has been made manifest. Through His obedience, many will be
justified (5:17-21).
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If only the later church of Rome had clung to this gospel instead of allowing itself to
be led astray by a faith in human achievements! How important it is for newly
established churches on the mission fields to take Paul's words to heart, so that they will
not make the mistake of trading in the true gospel for a Humanistic or "social" gospel!
And how dangerous it is when the first Adam is used as a "lesson" for us and is so
presented in preaching! Adam's sin—and our sin with him—is no fable or symbol. It is a
reality, just as our justification through the last Adam is a reality—and not the form in
which a mere moral lesson or example is presented to us.

5. Life Renewed by Grace (6:1-8:8)

No license to live in sin. During the Reformation era, there were people who feared that
the "new teachings" about grace would give rise to a generation of carefree and
ultimately godless people. The Jews who opposed Paul's teaching raised the same
question. If God's grace is manifested in our sin, doesn't this give us a license to live in
sin? Since we are no longer under the law, shall we sin so that grace may abound?
With all his strength Paul rejects the accusation that Christ's teachings amount to a
"comfortable" faith that will succeed only in turning swine into pigs. Anyone who is
baptized is placed in communion with Christ, who died and rose from the grave. This
means that sin (the old nature) is crucified and buried with Christ, but also that we are
resurrected with Christ. Those who are baptized are called to live a new life through the
power of Christ.
Hence those who wish to live by grace will not cut corners but will do all they can to
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place their bodies—indeed, their entire lives—in the service of obedience. Chapter 6
of Romans could well be entitled "I Serve the One to Whom I Belong ?!
Sin and the law. Meanwhile, Paul also declared: "You aye not under law but under grace"
(6:14). Before we draw any hasty conclusions, we should note that Paul introduces this
statement by saying: "Sin will have no dominion over you." Is the law to be rejected,
then? We must be careful not to attribute to Paul views that he never held!
Paul does not mean to denigrate the law: "The law is holy, and the commandment is
holy and just and good" (7:12). It is through the law that we know our sins (vs. 7). At
the same time, we must recognize that sin makes use of tie law in a certain way, just as
it did in Paradise—to activate our evil desires, to mislead us, to kill us. Why does a child
always want to do just what is forbidden?
Paul's experience is that the law of sin defeats him constantly, even though he knows
better (7:13ff). "Wretched man that I am!" he cries out, using a phrase that also occurs
in Revelation 3:17. He then asks: "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (vs.

39
24). What he means, of course, is that the body is still under the influence of sin and is
therefore subject to death.
Yet, Paul's meditation reaches the same climax that we Find in 3:21. In triumph he cries
out: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! There is therefore now no
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death" (7:25; 8:1-2). It's not without
reason that the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) borrows its threefold division into misery,
redemption and gratitude from this passage of Scripture.
Paul does not deny, then, that sin continues to exercise its influence. He speaks of sin as
[91]
"the flesh." Although he does not despise the body or look down on it, he does
maintain that we have sin "in the blood," as it were. Sin is the queen dominating the
man of flesh and blood— and ultimately killing him.
A rule of gratitude. For this very reason, Christ became a man of flesh and blood—to
fulfill the demands of the law and to condemn sin "in the flesh." That's the significance of
Advent: Christ became one of us and gave us the Spirit to help us in our struggle against
"the flesh."
No longer need we fear the condemnation of the law, for we have been freed from the
law. But this does not mean that it is not important to obey the law. In Christ we get the
law back—as a rule of gratitude for living according to the Spirit.

6. Living by the Spirit (8:9-39)

Heirs of the new creation. There are some who make a distinction between two grades of
Christians: those who merely "believe" and those who have "received the Spirit." The
latter, of course, are regarded as superior Christians. This is a false contrast, for Paul
says: "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ (8:9
NIV).
This statement can be inverted and formulated in positive terms: anyone who belongs to
Christ has the Spirit of Christ. This Spirit sees to it that we live obediently, struggling
against "the flesh." The Spirit also ensures that we are resurrected daily and will one day
arise bodily from our graves. There is a new creation ahead!
All who allow themselves to be led by the Spirit in their day-to-day lives are sons of God.
This means that they are heirs—heirs with Christ, heirs of the new creation.
[92]
Hope for the whole creation. All around us we hear the groaning of the creation,
which has been subject to the curse of sin since the time of Paradise—because of us and
against its own will. But this "sighing" of the creation is not a hopeless sighing. Together
with God's children, the creation looks forward to the day when it will be freed from the
oppressive curse.
The creation is not a ruin or a chaos: it is like a woman suffering labor pains. Anxiously it
awaits the rebirth of heaven and earth. Bear this in mind next time you're involved in a
discussion of pollution and the runaway technology of the megalopolis gobbling up the
countryside.
God has promised that He will not give up His creation. The creation lives in hope! The
children of God also sigh in joyful expectation, and they are joined in their sighing by still
another, i.e. the Holy Spirit, who, as a pledge of the coming deliverance, pleads for
them.
More than conquerors. The exalted Savior pleads in heaven and stands up for the
believers in the great case being made against satan. Salvation is more than a mere
possibility or a matter of good luck. God will carry out His plans. Those whom He has
chosen He will surely call.
In the gospel we hear the voice of the God who chooses and redeems us. Through faith
we see our rights firmly established in heaven. After all, could persecution or peril

40
possibly separate us from the love of God? Of course not! Through faith we are more
than conquerors (8:37).

[93]
7. God Remembers His Promises and Threats (9:1-11:36)
Not an inheritance. It's just as though Paul hears someone raising an objection after his
doxology. Although he is writing to the Romans, whom he does not know, in his mind's
eye he sees the Jews with whom he often debates. He also hears the voices of church
members who have questions to raise. If God's calling is so powerful, why does most of
Israel refuse to believe?
The apostle begins his response by declaring that he would gladly give up his share in
Christ for the sake of his brothers in the flesh. (Moses once made a similar offer.) How
painful it was to him that the covenant people formed an "anti-church"!
Yet, their refusal to believe should not lead anyone to assume that God's promises are
not reliable, that they fall away one by one like leaves falling from a tree. The fact is that
many who claim the beautiful name Israel are not part of the new Israel being gathered
by Christ. Being a descendant of Abraham does not guarantee anyone a share in the
Messianic glory. Grace is not something we inherit from our fathers.
God's sovereignty. At the beginning of Israel's redemptive history, the Lord already
showed that He does not bind Himself to blood or descent. Look at Abraham's children,
for example. Think of all the nations that trace their descent to Abraham. Yet, in His
sovereign grace the Lord chose Isaac to be the bearer of the Messianic promise. In
Isaac's tents we see God's free sovereignty in operation again: Esau, the older son, is
made subservient to Jacob, the younger son. "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" (9:13;
Mal. 1:2-3).
God carries out His promises, but He does so for His own sake—because He chooses to
[94]
do so. He leaves no room for glorying in "blood and the soil". The conclusion Paul
draws for his readers is that the Lord's will must also triumph in the case of the Jews. He
remains the God of el action, the God for whom physical descent is not the decisive
factor.
Objection: Isn't this unfair? Answer: Did Israel object wren God hardened Pharaoh's
heart? Not at all! All Israel still remembers the exodus gratefully, for God's righteousness
and mercy were manifest in it. Well then, Israel has no right to complain when the
sovereign God uses the same method and chooses to harden Israel, which has become
an anti-Messianic "Egypt."
Objection: Why complain about Israel, then? If God's purpose is unshakable, why does
He still admonish Israel? Answer: The potter can do as he pleases with the clay. The
Lord has the right to select certain objects of wrath and certain objects of mercy.
Gentiles engrafted. Objects of mercy! That's what we are, Paul exclaims jubilantly. We
are the ones "whom he Ins called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles"
(9:24). God has preserved a "remnant" for Himself. The Jews fall because of the
stumbling block, but the Gentiles become sons of the living God.
God has not left Himself without witnesses. There have been preachers of the gospel
among Jews the world over. These preachers made known the testimony that the people
of the covenant had a right to hear (10:18; Ps. 19:4). But most of the Jews refused to
listen.
Did God reject His people, then? Not at all. God keeps His promises. Isn't Paul himself an
obedient son of Abraham? And he's not the only one. It's just as in Elijah's day, when
God in His grace chose to preserve a 'remnant," the "seven thousand." Covenant wrath
will strike Israel (11:8ff—Ps. 69:23-4). But at the same time, this serves God's
[95]
purposes. A part of Israel does believe, and believers drawn from the Gentiles are
engrafted into the stem. It may even be that the Jews become jealous when they see
pagans bowing down before the Deliverer from Zion.

41
A transition period. Paul finally writes: "And so all Israel will be saved" (11:26). As you
read this text, remember that the phrase all Israel is often used in the Old Testament to
refer to the representatives of Israel or the remnant. Therefore this text should not be
interpreted as meaning that the Jews will eventually be converted one by one in a
millennial kingdom. For the sake of the "full number of the Gentiles" (11:25), a partial
hardening came over Israel. Despite this, the full number of Israel (i.e. "all Israel") will
enter the Kingdom—that is to say, those who are converted in Paul's time.
When Paul goes on to speak of his brothers in the flesh as "beloved for the sake of their
forefathers" (vs. 28), we should think in terms of the situation in his time: the
synagogues had only recently been confronted with the question whether or not to
accept Jesus as the Messiah. Before that, all the Jews had belonged to "one church."
Paul's time was still a period of transition; it was the day of grace. Before long, however,
Christ's judgment would strike Jerusalem.
The later disobedient Jews could not and cannot be regarded as members of the
covenant people. They are descended from the earlier covenant people "after the flesh,"
but they themselves are not within the covenant.
Therefore 11:26 does not give us any reason to expect a future conversion of all the
Jews. This is not to say, of course, that we need not preach the gospel to them. The
point is that we must not say that the Jews today are "beloved for the sake of their
forefathers." Such a statement undermines the covenant.
[96]
Severity and kindness. As you ponder these difficult chapters of Romans, remember
that Paul was on his way to Jerusalem and was writing to the church at Rome, where
people tended to take a dim view of the "Jewish question." Paul wanted the Roman
Christians to realize that he felt called to do as much as possible for his own people. He
didn't want the believers he was addressing to become proud and assume that they
would never make such a mistake (11:20). "Note then the kindness and the severity of
God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you
continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off (vs. 22).
In the new covenant as well as the old, we must reckon with both covenant wrath and
covenant promises. In the final analysis, God's grace in His dealings with the Jews and
the Gentiles is unfathomable!

How can I repay the LORD for all His

gifts to me? (Ps. 116:12 NEB).

8. Transformation Rooted in Salvation (12:1-13:14)

Consequences for daily life. A sermon "application" should not be completely separate
from its explanation of the text. God's gripping message should bear an implicit
"application" within itself. Yet, certain things have to be worked out further and made
more concrete if the consequences for daily life are to be obvious to all. That's just what
Paul does from chapter 12 on.
Note that this "application" is intimately connected with what comes before. Paul does
[97]
not give moral lessons but appeals for faithful obedience on the basis of the salvation
described in the earlier chapters. Just as in other letters (e.g. Ephesians and Colossians),
he first shows what Christ does for us and gives us. On that basis he goes on to tell his
readers what the priestly task of believers is, now that they may bring their offerings of
thanksgiving in "all areas of life."
Salvation and calling. As Paul weaves together "exegesis" and concretization in the
Letter to the Romans, the bond between salvation and calling comes out clearly. He
opens this "practical" section by declaring:
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship [KJV:

42
reasonable service]. Do not be conformed to this world [i.e. do not follow the same
pattern as this wicked age] but be transformed [literally: undergo a metamorphosis, i.e.
a complete reformation] by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the
will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect [to Him].
Paul's concern, then, is not just with offerings or the avoidance of any appearance of
"conforming to the world." There is much more than form or appearance at stake. What
he asks for is a renewal and redirection of our entire existence on the basis of the
salvation brought by Jesus Christ and the "new age" He has ushered in.
Obedience to government and law. As Paul spells out what this reformation entails, he
begins with conditions within the church. The members of the one body must work
together as they use the gifts bestowed on them. It must be completely clear that the
church's attitude toward its opponents is part of its "own way." Christians can put up
with a great deal, for they sing Moses' song about the God who reserves vengeance for
Himself (Deut. 32:35).
[98]
Here we should think especially of the hostility that the Christians in Rome
encountered from the synagogue. The church must not turn into a gang of ruffians
hitting back at the Jews. Instead the Christians should show the Jews what Christ meant
when He talked about being kind to one's enemies.
The church must also stay away from any and all Jewish rebelliousness toward the
authorities. Although the sons of Abraham who were banished from Rome under
Claudius were allowed to return a few years later under Nero, there seem to have been
strong feelings of hatred and a desire for revenge in these world citizens.
No doubt the Jews also engaged in tax-dodging. Paul therefore reminded the Christians
in Rome that Caesar rust be given his due. Those who bear the power of the >word are
servants of God (13:4). A Christian is indeed someone who has been freed by Christ, but
this does not mean that he should become an undisciplined person or a revolutionary.
This message is highly relevant for Christians all over the world today, for there are
many who fail to realize that Paul was appealing for obedience to government on the
basis of Christ's redemptive work. We must obey the authorities not out of a fear of
punishment but "for the sake of conscience" (13:5). How can a theology of revolution
ever come to terms with Romans 13:1-7?

9. Weak and Strong United in Service and Love (14:1-16:27)

Mutual tolerance. Paul now speaks further of the calling to walk as children of the light
and to live by the commandment of love. He works this out especially with regard to
[99]
certain practical problems that the church in Rome encountered because of its mixed
composition of Jews and Gentiles.
There seem to have been differences of opinion on the question whether to observe the
Jewish feast days (14:5). There were also disagreements about the consumption of meat
that came from sacrifices in heathen temples (vs. 2, 15ff). On the one hand there were
the "strong," who permitted themselves to ignore all the ceremonial regulations, and on
the other hand there were the "weak," who were greatly offended by this—to the point
that they might well leave the church over it. No doubt there were others caught in
between who were thrown off balance by this dispute within the church.
In the face of these difficulties, Paul did not have any direct solution to offer, but he did
plead for mutual tolerance: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the
weak" (15:1). The "strong" must not cause the "weak" to stumble into sin by taking the
attitude that they can permit themselves virtually anything! "For the kingdom of God is
not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (14:17). The
Christ was not out to please Himself but became the servant of the circumcised to show
God's faithfulness to Israel, thereby letting the Gentiles share in salvation as well
(15:7ff; see also vs. 16).

43
A common confession. In 15:7, as in so many other passages, the Revised Standard
Version omits the word the, which we find before Christ in the Greek text (see 14:9;
15:3, 19). In such texts Paul is speaking of the Christ, i.e. the Messiah (as office-
bearer), thereby appealing to a confession held in common by Jewish and Gentile
Christians. Hence he speaks repeatedly of the gospel of the Christ or Messiah or
Anointed One (15:19; I Cor. 9:12; II Cor. 2:12; 4:4; 9:13; Gal. 1:7; Phil. 1:27; I Thess.
3:2).
[100]
On this point the church was united in the face of opposition of the synagogue. By
the words "the Christ," then, he is appealing for unity. The word Christ is not just a
name; it stands for an office. The very existence of the church at Rome depended on the
existence of that office (Acts 28:23, 31). The life of the church at Rome was governed by
the confession that Jesus is the anointed Lord. The apostle puts small differences within
a larger context: Jesus Christ is the servant of both the circumcised and the
uncircumcised. Should the church at Rome then allow itself to be split by a refusal of its
members to accept each other, a refusal that would keep them from reflecting the image
of the great Servant?
Don't forget that Paul was on his way to Jerusalem, where he was to give a concrete
demonstration of the unity of the Christian church by presenting the Jewish mother
church with offerings gathered by the believing Gentiles in the Diaspora. The song of
Moses was being fulfilled: "Rejoice, 0 Gentiles, with his [covenant] people" (15:10; Deut.
32:43).
Priestly service. Rome should regard itself as a continuation of the work of Christ. Paul
was allowed to perform a rich priestly service, and the Gentiles presented themselves as
an offering acceptable to God (15:16). This awareness should put an end to the
squabbling in the immigrant congregation at Rome.
With a grand flourish Paul shows his readers the royal high road ("the way") and the
post on the front line that unites him with them: he has preached the gospel from
Jerusalem to Illyricum, and now he is heading back to Jerusalem. Eventually he hopes to
go all the way to Spain, by way of Rome (15:20-8).
Christ's forward march. The Letter to the Romans closes with some greetings. All the
[101]
names in the final chapter are bound together by the one gospel, which calls for
opposition to teachers of false doctrines (16:17). Righteousness is a matter of faith
alone.
Now, when we consider the subsequent development of the church, especially from
Rome as a base, we cannot help wondering at times whether Paul may have written in
vain. But we are also forced to recognize that Christ's triumphant forward march cannot
be halted. The text that is often used as a benediction at the close of a worship service
goes with the church of all ages: "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your
feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you" (16:20).
The problem of chapter 16. Because the Letter to the Romans appears to end at 15:33,
it has sometimes been maintained that chapter 16 is part of a letter sent to another
congregation, namely, Ephesus. In verse 3 Paul mentions Prisca and Aquila, who had
been driven out of Rome. They went to live in Corinth (where Paul wrote Romans) and
later moved on to Ephesus (Acts 18:2, 18, 26: I Cor. 16:19; II Tim. 4:19). The mention
of Prisca and Aquila is not conclusive, however, for Aquila could well have gone to Rome
for a while "on business."
My own view is that we must reject the thesis that Romans 16 represents a completely
separate document that was meant for the church in Ephesus but was later—for some
unexplained reason—attached to the end of the Letter to the Romans. It may be,
however, that Romans 16 was an addition made by Tertius when he made a copy of
Romans for the church at Ephesus. In such accompanying letters, greetings were
normally sent by both the apostle and members of the congregation (see Acts 15:22ff;
Rom. 16:17ff). This hypothesis is at least worthy of further consideration.

44
If this is indeed how Romans 16 came to be written, we can well understand that the
[102]
church at Corinth would keep a copy of Romans for its own use—including chapter
16. We must not forget that Paul's letters were regularly
sassed on from church to church (see Col. 4:16), for they were not purely personal in
character but could be read as divinely inspired explications of the gospel of Christ.

45
[103]
Index
"All Israel", 95
Allegorical interpretation, 40
Antioch (Syria), 60-1
Antithesis, 32
Ascension of Christ, 43-4, 49-50
Astarte, 63, 73
Athens, 70-2
Baptism, 50
Barnabas, 59ff
Belgic Confession, 21
Capernaum, 27
Ceremonial laws, 99
Church as God's people, 33,36
Circumcision, 52, 66-7, 75, 87-8
Cleanliness and purification, 59, 67, 99
"Coastlands", 68-9, 74-5
Communism, 53-4
Corinth, 72-3, 81,84, 86, 101
Covenant between God and His people, 96
Covenant blessing, 96
Covenant wrath, 50, 52, 87, 94-6
Crossbearing, 9
Curse resting on creation, 92
Deacon, office of, 55
Dead Sea Scrolls, 12
Demythologizing, 10
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 33, 43-4
Discipline in the church, 54-5
Ecumenical movement, 38
Ephesus, 8, 73, 101
Eternal life, 18
Evolutionism, 9ff
Exodus command, 29, 55-6
Feast of Tabernacles, 14-15, 27-8, 30ff
Feast of Temple Dedication (Feast of Lights, Hanukkah), 14, 33-4
Flesh, 90-1
Galilee, 27
Gnosticism, 56
"God-fearing" Gentiles, 13, 35, 46, 49, 56, 59, 62, 64-5, 67-8

46
Good Shepherd, 33-4
Government and revolution, 63, 70, 98
Hardening, 32, 79, 94-5
Heidelberg Catechism, 90
Holy Spirit, 14, 21, 25, 36-7, 44-5, 47-50, 63, 91-2
Immanuel promise, 72
Inspiration of Scripture, 11, 15-16
James (brother of Jesus), 60, 66, 68
James (brother of John), 7, 60
Jerusalem and the temple, 21, 42-4, 46, 51-3, 74-6, 81-3
Jerusalem Bible, 19
Jewish nationalism, 23, 47, 98
Jewish question, 11, 14, 17-18,51,62-4,70,72-6, 93-6
John (disciple of Jesus), 7ff, 24, 40
John the Baptist, 8, 13, 22-3, 26-7, 45
Judas Maccabaeus, 33-4
Justification by faith, 85-6,88
Kingdom of God, 44
Lamb of God, 15,22-4, 28, 30, 35, 40, 57
Lampstand, 33
Light of the world, 32
Living water, 31-2
Luke, 42, 46, 59-61, 63, 69, 72, 75-80
Luther, Martin, 86
Mark, 68-9
Martyrdom, 9
Mary (mother of Jesus), 40
Mashal, 30
Miracles, 13-14, 24, 32, 44
"Missionary work", 61-3
Money and property, 53-5
Nazirites, 75
New English Bible, 12
New Israel, 43, 45-6, 51, 93
Order in the church, 67-8
Passover, 14-15, 21, 25, 28ff
Paul, 27, 45-7, 55, 57ff
Penticost, 37, 43-4, 48-50, 73-4
Peter, 7-8,13, 40-1, 47ff, 59-60, 66, 68, 80
Pharisees and scribes, 33, 76

47
Philippi, 69-70
Pilate, 38-9
Poetry, Hebrew, 19
Purification (see Cleanliness and purification)
Rebirth and regeneration, 25-6
Redemption and atonement, 13
Redemptive history, 11, 41, 82-3
Reformation, the, 86, 89
"Remnant", 94-5
Revised Standard Version, 99
Righteousness, 37, 72, 84-6, 88,101
Roman Catholicism, 36, 40,89
Rome, 79-80, 82-4, 96, 98-101
Sabbath day, 27, 31, 34
Sadducees, 51, 56, 76
Samaritans, 26-7, 56
Sanhedrin, 34, 52, 76
Satan and demons, 37
Seed of the serpent, 32
Sermon on the Mount, 70
Servant of the Lord, 46, 51-2, 58, 68, 74
Shechem, 26, 56
Silas (Silvanus), 69-70
Son of man, 25, 29
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 50, 97,100
Sovereignty of God, 93-5
Temple, cleansing of, 24-5
Theophilus, 42, 46, 59, 64, 72, 77-9
Thessalonica, 70
Timothy, 69, 74-5
Today's English Version, 12
Torah, 68
Truth, 20-2, 35-6
Unity of the Bible, 20-2, 71
Word (logos), 19-20
World, 16-18, 37-8, 79

48
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 9

I Corinthians - Philemon

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[9]
I Corinthians ....................................................................................................................... 4
1. Gratitude Comes First (1:1-9) .......................................................................... 4
2. The Foolishness of God (1:10—4:21) ................................................................ 4
3. A Social Reformation (5:1—6:11) ..................................................................... 6
4. The Body as a Temple (6:12—7:40) .................................................................. 7
[21]
5. Stumbling Blocks in the Path of the Weak (8:1—11:1) .................................... 9
[24]
6. Circumspect Conduct in Public Worship (11:2-34) ........................................ 10
7. The Holy Spirit and Church Order (12:1—14:40) .............................................. 11
8. Upholding the Confession of the Resurrection of the Body (15:1-58) ................... 13
9. Concluding Remarks (16:1-24)....................................................................... 14
[35]
II Corinthians ................................................................................................................. 16
1. Background Issues ........................................................................................ 16
2. The Messenger and the Message .................................................................... 17
3. Jewish Christians and False Prophets ............................................................... 19
[45]
Galatians ......................................................................................................................... 21
1. Paul's Purpose in Writing ............................................................................... 21
[49]
2. Paul's Gospel Is the Gospel of Christ Jesus .................................................. 22
3: Justification Not by Works But by Faith ........................................................... 23
[53]
4. Slavery or Freedom .................................................................................. 24
5. Summary and Closing in Paul's Own Hand ....................................................... 25
[57]
Ephesians......................................................................................................................... 27
1. Paul's Intended Audience ............................................................................... 27
[59]
2. A Song of Praise to the Electing Grace of the Triune God (1:1—3:21) ............. 27
[62]
3. One Body, One Spirit, One Lord, One God and Father (4:1—6:9) ................... 29
4. The Whole Armor of God (6:10-24) ................................................................. 30
[67]
Philippians....................................................................................................................... 32
1. Paul's Ties with the Philippians ....................................................................... 32
2. Progress and Joy in the Faith (1:1-26) ............................................................ 33
3. Christian Citizenship and Lifestyle (1:27—2:18) ............................................... 33
4. The Path to Righteousness and Perfection (2:19—4:23) .................................... 34
[75]
Colossians ........................................................................................................................ 36
1. Christ's All-embracing Redemptive Work .......................................................... 36
2. Everything Must Bow before Him .................................................................... 36
3. Dying with the Messiah and Living with Him ..................................................... 37
4. Contact between the Churches ....................................................................... 38
[82]
I Thessalonians ............................................................................................................... 39
1. Follow-up Care for a New Congregation ........................................................... 39
[85]
2. Words of Comfort and Admonition (1:1—4:12) ............................................ 40
[88]
3. The Coming of the Christ (4:13—5:11) ....................................................... 41
4. Living in Expectation of the Christ (5:12-28) .................................................... 42
[92]
II Thessalonians .............................................................................................................. 43
1. Misunderstandings about the Day of the Lord ................................................... 43
2. A Beacon Signaling the Approach of the Day of the Lord .................................... 43
3. Work and Christian Nobility ............................................................................ 44
[98]
I Timothy ......................................................................................................................... 46
1. A Shepherd Must Defend His Flock .................................................................. 46
2. A Mature Congregation Not Dominated by Any Hierarchy ................................... 47
3. Building Up the Congregation ......................................................................... 48
[106]
4. Office-bearers in the Church ..................................................................... 49

2
 5. No Split between Nature and Grace ................................................................. 49
[108]
6. Office and Duty....................................................................................... 50
[110]
II Timothy ..................................................................................................................... 52
1. Paul's Last Triumphant Message ..................................................................... 52
2. God Uses Means ........................................................................................... 53
[116]
3. Preach the Word and Accept Suffering ....................................................... 54
[119]
Titus ............................................................................................................................... 56
1. Paul's Co-worker in Crete .............................................................................. 56
2. The Office Versus Heresy ............................................................................... 56
[123]
3. A People Prepared to Serve Him ............................................................... 57
[126]
Philemon ........................................................................................................................ 59
[129]
Index .............................................................................................................................. 61

3
[9]
I Corinthians
1. Gratitude Comes First (1:1-9)
Proud Corinth. A quick look at the map reveals that Corinth was an important center of
trade. It was the place where all ships sailing to Greece stopped. The raucous chorus
"Eat, drink and be merry" was heard there. The Greeks often spoke of "Corinthian
living," by which they meant that all sorts of things went on in the port city. Both the
rich and the workers at the docks did as they pleased. The heathen Greek religion was
no more successful than Greek philosophy in erecting a dam against moral collapse.
The Lord used Paul to bring the gospel of the offense of the cross to proud Corinth. Paul,
who was not strong, worked there for a year and a half, first in the synagogue and then
right next to it—literally. He was there long enough to see Crispus, the leader of the
synagogue, "come over" to the church. It may even be that Sosthenes, the successor of
Crispus, became a Christian as well. In any event, someone named Sosthenes is
mentioned by Paul at the beginning of the letter as one of the senders (1:1; see also
Acts 18:17).
[10]
Paul's reason for writing. The apostle, who was in Ephesus at the time, had a
particular reason for writing this letter. Things were not going well in the church at
Corinth. It appeared that the spirit of this great city of trade had set its stamp upon the
church there. The people believed that the Old Testament no longer applied to them.
Now that they had received the Holy Spirit, they rose above the ancient restrictions and
confines, and everything was permitted.
To his dismay, Paul discovered that something he wrote earlier had led to
misunderstandings. Therefore it was urgent for the apostle to direct the power of the
Word at the proud Corinthians. Their abandonment of the Word on grounds of principle
and their exclusive reliance on what they called "the Spirit" (which was really no more
than the desires of their own hearts speaking to them) had led to unbridled license in
doctrine and conduct. What could be more useless than salt that has lost its taste?
Still room for thanksgiving. Considering all this, the way Paul begins his first letter to the
Corinthians surprises us somewhat. What comes later certainly puts the Corinthians in a
bad light. We throw up our hands in amazement and ask: "How is it possible?" Yet ....
Paul begins as follows: "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in
Christ Jesus, called to be saints." It is the Lord in His sovereign love who has called this
church together. That's Paul's first point. Despite everything that has gone wrong, he
does not forget to give thanks that God has seen fit to choose Corinth. He thanks God
for the many gifts the congregation has received, for it has grown rich in Christ Jesus.
And he assures the Corinthians that they will be sustained until the end, so that they will
be guiltless on the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[11]
Why does Paul write this letter? God uses him as an apostle to admonish the saints
He has called and to keep them in line. After praising God's work in Corinth and giving
thanks for it, Paul takes up various points arising from the confusion in the life of the
church there.

2. The Foolishness of God (1:10—4:21)

Favorite preachers. What kind of preaching do you prefer? How do you think preachers
should preach? This is a dangerous way of putting the question. When we ask people for
their opinions, we're likely to get a different answer from each one we ask. When it
comes to preaching, the important question for the church to ask is: How does the Lord
want us to preach? He binds His servants to His well-defined instructions.
The Christians in Corinth were not at all convinced of this. Their own opinions were given
priority because they did not bind themselves to Scripture as the established norm. They
elevated themselves above Scripture and went beyond what is written (4:6). They

4
sought the norm in their own hearts, in their own wisdom and knowledge. This led to
dispute and discord; molehills turned into mountains, as individualistic pride set the
tone.
The Christians in Corinth were in the grip of the sinful flesh—and not in the grip of the
Spirit. You can well understand what this led to: each one had his favorite preacher,
choosing on the basis of his own taste and feelings.
From the servants of a woman named Chloe, Paul, who was in Ephesus, found out that
some of the Christians in Corinth had declared their allegiance to him, and others to
Apollos or Cephas (i.e. Peter). There were even some who chose for Christ—as though
[12]
Paul and Christ, or Paul and Apollos, were competitors or rivals! The Corinthians
acted as though their favorite preacher (e.g. the one who baptized me, the one through
whom I was saved) was more important than the gospel.
Paul forcefully opposed this unjustified elevation of personal knowledge and instinct, this
desire to live by human wisdom. Naturally "the world" (i.e. the Jews and the Greeks)
seeks the fulfillment of its heart's desires. The on; wants to see a show with some
convincing signs, while the other enjoys a flood of eloquence. How poor and foolish and
weak the gospel of the cursed Man on the cross looks in the face of all those human
desires!
The elevation of the lowly. Paul was well aware that he had nothing to offer when
measured by the usual criteria for popularity. He performed few baptisms in Corinth and
did not acquire a following by that route (1:16-17). He was not a talented speaker (2:1-
4, 13). It had not been his lot to live an elegant life that others would envy; on the
contrary, he became a "spectacle to the world, to angels and to men" (4:9). While the
people in Corinth were proud of all they possessed and all they had become, building
themselves up in the eyes of others and acting as though heaven had descended to
earth, Paul described himself as "the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things"
(vs. 13). If Paul was examined in purely human terms, then, there was plenty of reason
to despise his preaching and to seek more impressive preachers.
Yet, to a world lost in sin the gospel will always remain foolishness. God has no patience
with proud boasting about human wisdom: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise"
(1:19; Is. 29:14). What comes to the fore so clearly in the songs of Hannah and Mary is
also proclaimed by Paul, namely, the humiliation of the proud and the elevation of the
lowly.
[13]
Let the world in its foolish fancy look down on the seemingly impoverished message
of Paul. God chooses to save those who believe—through the foolishness of preaching.
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than
men" (1:25).
Humble beginnings. The members of the church at Corinth should think back to their
own humble origins. No doubt many of them were once slaves employed at the docks.
They were the scum of the earth, which tends to collect at such transportation centers
as Corinth. Yet, they were just the sort of people God was looking for. "God chose what
is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame
the strong" (1:27).
This was clearly illustrated in Paul's work in founding the church at Corinth, an
enterprise he undertook in fear and trembling. Despite his fear, the apostle managed to
reveal the hidden wisdom of God through his simple way of speaking (2:7). The Spirit
spoke through him (vs. 10ff). Anyone who despised Paul's preaching demonstrated that
he was not Spiritual. Let the church in Corinth bear that in mind.
At the same time, the Corinthians should not complain about Paul's "simple" way of
preaching to them. He adopted a simple style deliberately, for the congregation was still
made up mainly of children in the faith, that is, immature Christians. The facts show that
Paul was right in this judgment: the current discord was rooted in an immature

5
personalism that became so infatuated with the messenger that it forgot about the
message—which is the important thing, after all.
No personality cults. Preachers are servants sent by God to work in His church.
Therefore the church must have nothing to do with any personality cult but must see to
it instead that the servants do good work.
[14]
Paul had laid a solid foundation, but not everything that glitters is gold. Therefore
the Corinthians would have to be on guard against popular teachers who catered to the
world's tastes. Because such teachers build with wood and hay and straw, their work will
not survive the fire on the last day.
Rather than glorying in particular people, we must see to it that the church, God's
temple, remains holy. That's way the church cannot afford to play off one servant
against another. "For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas" (3:21-2).
Neither can we maintain the sanctity of the church by puffing ourselves up and saying
harsh things about Paul, that "knight of the rueful countenance." Everything the
Corinthians possess has been given to them (4:7).
Follow my example. In Corinth, where the magistrate was quite tolerant (Acts 18:12ff),
the brothers paraded around like kings and looked down on Paul, who had to do battle
with wild beasts, as it were, at Ephesus (15:32). Yet the apostle says: Follow the foolish
example of the lather and founder of your church.
Because of the gravity of the situation, Paul sent Timothy to the Corinthians, for he
could not yet come himself. He warned them that he would not deal lightly with the
proud spirit that despises grace (4:17ff).

3. A Social Reformation (5:1—6:11)

No toleration of sin. Chloe's servants must have given Paul some information that
induced him to let the lightning flashes of his criticism strike certain areas of life in
[15]
Corinth. Apparently the Corinthians had become lax with regard to discipline.
Incestuous marriages were tolerated without criticism or admonition.
In his mind Paul had a clear picture of what to do about the situation. A congregational
meeting would have to be held, which Paul would attend in spirit. At that meeting the
sinners would be excommunicated from the synagogue.
The Lamb Jesus Christ has inaugurated the perfect Passover feast. Therefore the leaven
of sin must be banished from the church. This does not mean that there may not be any
contact with sinners who are outside the church. God will judge the people outside the
church. But sin may not be tolerated within the church. The evil must be removed from
the midst of the covenant community (Deut. 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 22:24; 24:7). We must
not mix socially with those church members who are subject to discipline, acting as
though there was nothing wrong. Paul calls for a social reformation!
Judges in the Kingdom. Reformation was also needed in instances of conflict between
brothers. The Christians were not to regard themselves as above discipline (with which
they were already familiar from the synagogue), and they were to settle their legal
disputes outside the courtroom (another rule of the synagogue).
If a Christian who believes in the exalted legal norms of the Kingdom of God is done an
1
injustice by a brother, is he to seek redress by turning to unrighteous unbelievers? The

1
The term unbelievers (6:6) may be a reference to the Jews. In the fourth century, John
Chrysostom still had to oppose the custom of swearing oaths in the synagogue. The Near Eastern
churches, reduced to a minority position after the rise of Mohammedanism, followed the practice
of establishing their own courts to deal with legal disputes. This so-called "millet system" was
recognized by the Mohammedan governments and was joined to the hierarchy of the established
church. The judgment would be rendered in the name of this hierarchy, which represented the
church in its dealing with the government. What Paul was thinking of in I Corinthians 6 is a legal

6
unrighteous are not heirs of the Kingdom of God; only the saints are given the office of
judge in the Kingdom (Dan. 7:18, 22, 27).
[16]
Are the legal decisions of unbelievers somehow superior to those of the church of
God? If we proceed on this assumption, we are lost right at the outset, for we fail to
recognize the high office of the church, which is confirmed by baptism. We would be
better off suffering injustice.

4. The Body as a Temple (6:12—7:40)

Sexual extremes condemned. There were some very 'spiritual" Christians in Corinth.
Some of them ruled out marriage altogether and advised people against getting married.
As a result of the prevalent dualism in which body and soul were separated, there were
even some who drew the conclusion that they were free to do as they pleased with their
bodies. "All things are lawful for me," they said in defense of this conclusion. On the one
hand, then, marriage was looked down on as unworthy of a "spiritual" person, while on
the other hand the door was left open to sexual intercourse outside marriage.
Paul deals with the latter problem in 6:12-20. He rejects any dualism—on the grounds
that the Lord delivers the whole person. The body is for the Lord and is not to be
surrendered to impurity; it is a temple of the Holy Spirit and will share in the
resurrection of Christ. The fact that it is a temple must be taken into account in sexual
life. We must glorify God in our bodies.
[17]
Marriage problems. In the much disputed seventh chapter, the apostle goes into this
matter in greater depth, for the church had written for his advice regarding marriage. In
the first five verses he deals with the question whether those who are already married
should seek to transform their marriage into some sort of spiritual relationship.
Because it was a time in which people saw a great deal of wickedness and perversion in
the relations between the sexes, it should not surprise us that there were some who
chose to live a rigorously ascetic life within marriage. A survey of church history shows
that celibacy and even "spiritual marriage" have often been defended by appealing to
Paul: "It is well for a man not to touch a woman" (7:1).
Augustine's perspective. The "conversion" of Augustine comes to mind in this context.
Augustine tells us how "the chaste beauty of Continence in all her serene, unsullied joy"
appeared to him and said: "Close your ears to the unclean whispers of your body, so
that it may be mortified. It tells you of things that delight you, but not such things as
the law of the Lord your God has to tell." According to Augustine, the desire for a
woman is sinful in and of itself. To God he declared: "You converted me to yourself, so
2
that I no longer desired a wife." In Book XI of The City of God, Augustine devotes entire
chapters to showing that Adam and his wife lived in Paradise without sexual desire for
each other and without any lusts of the flesh.
For Augustine, the ideal is a life dominated by the will. This ideal also applies to the
[18]
relationship between man and woman. According to his outlook, the notion of sexual
attachment as a creation of God is ruled out completely. Augustine viewed the attraction
of one sex for the other as a consequence of original sin and declared that married
people should have sexual intercourse only to bring children into the world. Although
sexual contact beyond that could be forgiven, it was still sin.
There were indeed praiseworthy motives behind Augustine's extreme stand. He was
lashing out against the wealthy people of his day, who had no more reason than the
covetous poor to be opposed to large families but still advocated limiting families to two
children. He also opposed the birth control methods used in those days. He was more
offended by proud virgins than by chaste mothers. Yet, continence or abstinence
remained the supreme ideal for him. As a result he did nothing to oppose the gradual

settlement made by the local congregation.

2
Confessions, trans. R. S. Pine-Coffin (Penguin Books, 1961), pp. 176, 178.

7
dying out of the Roman race.
Augustine's pastoral perspective on marriage—and there were other prominent church
fathers with similar views—deeply affected the life of the church throughout the ages.
Even in our day, there are many Christians who believe that sexuality is a contemptible
side of life, that it is something to be ashamed of. The doctrine that we are 'conceived
and born in sin" is then interpreted to mean conceived in a sinful way.
Defending marriage. Is an appeal to Paul justified in defending this outlook? When Paul
writes, "It is well for a man not to touch a woman," he is addressing the congregation in
Corinth, just as when he says, "All things are lawful for me" (6:12; 10:23). In 7:2-5 Paul
makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with "spiritual marriage," for such marriage
clearly creates opportunities for satan to exploit.
This argument also needs to be emphasized today. "Do not refuse each other," Paul
advises, "except by mutual consent, and then only for an agreed time, to leave
[19]
yourselves free for prayer; then come together again in case Satan should take
advantage of your weakness to tempt you" (7:5 JB). Paul, who reminds the Christians at
Corinth that both husbands and wives have "conjugal rights" (vs. 3), is clearly a
defender of marriage as an institution created by God. "Everything created by God is
good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving" (I Tim. 4:4).
Marriage and divorce. In 7:6-9 Paul goes on to speak of those who are no longer
married. When he speaks of the "unmarried" in verse 8, mentioning widows in the same
breath, he clearly has widowers in mind as well. As a former rabbi, he must have been
married earlier in his life, for this was required of all rabbis. Because of the work he was
called to do, he thought it better not to marry again. But anyone not possessing the gift
of being able to abstain from a second marriage would be better off remarrying than
being consumed by the fires of temptation. Such a person was not to be looked down on
or regarded as less "Spiritual."
In 7:10-24 Paul goes further into the problems of marriage. Those who are married
must not seek to live as sexless beings, for this would amount to undoing the marriage.
Even if a Christian is married to someone who has not yet accepted the Lord, such a
course of action is not justified, for we are called to live in peace. Only if the unbelieving
partner deserts the other is the way open for a dissolution of the marriage. "In such a
case," Paul explains, "the brother or sister is not bound," i.e. to the law of the Lord (vs.
15).
The question of remarriage. In 7:25-39 the apostle turns his attention once more to the
"unmarried." Here the New English Bible speaks of "the question of celibacy," but this is
based on a mistaken reading of the passage.
[20]
It has been established by scholars that the Greek word used here can refer to men
and women who did not enter into a second marriage. Paul advises such people not to
marry again, but his reason is simply that it is a time of persecution. It's not an easy
matter to "let goods and kindred go." Moreover, Paul lets it be known that he is not
giving an absolute command received from the Lord (vs. 25).
The apostle makes it clear that he is not only addressing people who have never been
married, for he asks: "Are you free from a wife?" (vs. 27). The New English Bible reads:
"Has your marriage been dissolved?" The individual must decide for himself. Paul
declares simply: "If, however, you do marry, there is nothing wrong in it" (vs. 28 NEB).
It may be that Paul is dealing with levirate marriage in 7:36-8, for in verses 39-40 he
gives the widow the freedom to marry anyone she chooses—provided she marries in the
Lord.
Paul's words in this chapter are highly relevant to our time. He is not seeking to rob life
of its legitimate pleasures. Rather, his battle is against those who regard sexuality as
something lower, something apart and separate from the service of God.
The calling to marriage (Gen. 1:28 and 9:1) is not cast into doubt by his words. Instead

8
Paul affirms this calling and opposes the idea of marriage as a mere matter of
appearance. His sensitive pastoral approach to the problems of the formerly married
demonstrates a fine grasp of the nuances.

[21]
5. Stumbling Blocks in the Path of the Weak (8:1—11:1)
Food offered to idols. In the previous section, Paul began by answering questions the
Corinthians had sent to him. Apparently he was also asked about eating meat that had
already been sacrificed to idols.
Meat was offered for sale in the meat market. One could even buy a meal there.
Sometimes the meat came from a heathen temple, where it had been offered to some
idol or other. Could Christians run the risk of buying and eating such meat?
There were many in the congregation in Corinth who said no. They even refused to eat
such meat at parties or social occasions. After all, hadn't they broken with all idolatry?
There were others, however, who regarded themselves as strong enough to eat such
meat. Idols aren't real anyway! And they were willing to visit heathen temples to obtain
meat. What is a temple but a heap of stones? Moreover, one could hardly expect
Christians to break off all "social" contacts with their non-Christian acquaintances by
refusing to eat their food. What good would it do if those who don't believe in idols
stayed away from all parties and feasts? The people outside the church wouldn't
understand their reasons anyway!
Thus a struggle had broken out in Corinth between those who abstained completely from
meat offered to idols (the "weak") and those who did eat it (the "strong"). Paul was now
asked to settle the dispute between the two parties.
Freedom and consideration. Paul begins his answer by admitting that we know that idols
do not exist as real powers in themselves. From Scripture we learn that there is nothing
to them.
[22]
Unfortunately, not all recently converted members of the church understand this
fully. To them idols are still realities; they are not entirely free of them yet. Therefore
they shudder at the thought of temples and sacrificial meat.
What are the "weak" Christians to think when "strong" Christians enter a heathen
temple and join in a meal during a feast? Isn't there a definite danger that the weaker
brothers will be led astray, that they will go into the temple and fall back into their old
sins? Such "weak" Christians are not helped by their "stronger" fellow believers. Instead
they are made to stumble and fall; they are led into sin (ch. 8).
Now, one could conceivably stand up for his rights and argue that the Christian has the
freedom to enter a heathen temple and eat meat offered to an idol there. But freedom,
Paul points out, has certain limits. He makes this clear by pointing to his own life.
Doesn't Paul have the freedom to demand payment for his work in the church? Isn't the
laborer worthy of his wages? But Paul's acceptance of financial support would surely be
misinterpreted. Therefore he does not make use cf his right to financial compensation
for his work in Corinth. He goes about his task in such a way as to stir up the least
possible opposition to the gospel. Hence he provides for his own support through manual
labor. He does this for the sake of the gospel, knowing that he will ultimately share in
the benefits of salvation (9:1-27).
Paul's warning. Paul sets himself up as an example to the loveless "strong" Christians
who are only concerned about what they are permitted and do not worry about the
scruples of fellow Christians. Such Christians may think they have "arrived," but they
should be on guard. After all, what happened to Old Testament Israel? Passing through
the Red Sea was Israel's baptism, and eating the manna was the Lord's supper. Yet, the
generation that received all this grace did not reach the promised land.
[23]
Despite all their advantages, the Israelites succumbed to temptation and joined in

9
feasts to honor idols.
Therefore the "strong" Christians should think twice about what they are doing, for there
are no "spiritual supermen" in the church. They should not act as though heathen
services in which sacrifices are offered to idols could not possibly hurt Christians.
No contact with idolatry. It's true that idols are not real powers in themselves. Yet,
heathendom is really the invention of demons and evil spirits, and heathen sacrifices are
offerings made to heathen spirits. How could anyone combine the communion table or
the table of the Lord with the table of devils? "We must not put the Lord to the test."
The upshot of the matter is that Paul rules out any and all visits to temples (10:14ff).
He also admonishes the Corinthian Christians to be concerned about the salvation of
others. If they know that meat has been prepared in accordance with some idolatrous
ritual, they should not eat it—for the sake of their brothers in the faith! "So, whether
you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God," Paul declares (10:31).
This famous text must be understood within the context of the debate about meat
offered to idols. The text is not talking about a life of gratitude in general or about the
comprehensiveness of the Kingdom of God. No, it must be read as a rule about the
communion of the saints. Christians should not look out for themselves first of all; the
welfare of others should be their primary concern. That's the proper use and limiting of
the freedom we have been granted in Christ.

[24]
6. Circumspect Conduct in Public Worship (11:2-34)
Emancipated women. There's freedom—and then there's freedom. The Christians in
Corinth understood freedom as license, as an excuse to erase all the natural boundaries
and to encourage egoism and self-love. But Paul advocated the freedom we use to
serve, the freedom that takes God's ordinances into account and respects them.
Therefore Paul could not give his approval to the efforts made by women in the church
at Corinth to emancipate themselves. These women refused to recognize their place and
tried to assume a man's role. As a symbol of their attitude and approach, they removed
their veils.
The issue here is not fashion, or what women should wear on their heads. No, the
important thing is to uphold the order created by God, the order under which the woman
must accept the leadership of the man—out of respect for the angels (11:10). The veil
worn by a woman symbolizes that she is to serve, just as a soldier's beret underlines his
status as someone who serves under others.
"Love feasts." There were also irregularities in connection with the Lord's supper. The
Christians at Corinth, who may have been following the example of the synagogues with
their sabbath meals, organized communal "love feasts" in connection with the Lord's
supper. But this practice led to all sorts of freeloading, as the false freedom raised its
ugly head again! Instead of building up the community, the "love feasts" had the effect
of creating differences and hostilities.
The food was brought by the people attending the meal, of course. But the first ones
there would not bother waiting for the others to arrive so that they could share with
[25]
them; no, they would quickly begin on their own. Of course the church members
who were servants would not be free as early in the day as some of the others.
Therefore they would come to the "love feast" later—with the result that they didn't get
as much to eat as those who came earlier. Hence they were not included fully in the
fellowship of the church. The Lord's supper, which would be celebrated afterward, then
became a caricature of the communion of the saints, for the presence of "cliques" in the
church had been clearly illustrated in the "love feast" beforehand.
In an effort to straighten out this sorry mess, Paul reminded the Corinthians of the
purpose of the Lord's supper. It was not intended as a meal where anyone could stuff
himself but as a way for the church to commemorate Christ's sacrificial death. That's

10
why it was so important for the Corinthian Christians to celebrate it in a worthy manner.
If they did not do so, they would be calling down God's wrath on the church.
The people would have to bear in mind what the Lord's supper was all about: the "body
of the Lord" (the church as a community of saints) had to learn to distinguish and
examine itself. The Lord's supper was to be celebrated in a sensitive and worthy way
(11:26-9).
Moreover, when Christians come together for a communal meal, they should wait for
each other before beginning (vs. 33). And the Lord's supper must be celebrated
regularly. But the church must safeguard its character as a sacrament; otherwise the
clouds of judgment will gather above the church (11:27ff).
Celebrating the Lord's supper. This passage on the Lord's supper had a definite effect in
the life of the church, for people today conduct themselves in a very restrained manner
at the Lord's supper. This is partly due to misunderstandings. Many people believe that
the Lord's supper is not supposed to be a happy occasion but a somber one. Moreover,
[26]
many have stayed away from the Lord's supper because they felt "unworthy" and
did not want to eat and drink judgment to themselves.
Those who entertain this fear should remember that a sermon they hear but fail to
respond to can also bring them closer to judgment. Besides, the word unworthy in 11:27
does not refer to anyone's spiritual condition: Paul is talking about anyone who "eats the
bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner."
Anyone who comes to the communion service properly prepared will be well aware of his
sin and unworthiness. But this should have the effect of pressing him on to the table of
Christ. Paul warns us here not to celebrate the Lord's supper in an "unworthy" manner,
that is, thoughtlessly or indifferently. We must view the Lord's supper as a way of
building up the community of the saints.

7. The Holy Spirit and Church Order (12:1—14:40)

"Spiritual" drunkenness. I Corinthians 13 is sometimes regarded as the New Testament
counterpart to the Song of Songs. And it is indeed a love song—a song about Christian
love.
Unfortunately, this chapter, like the Sermon on the Mount, has often been lifted out of
its context and applied to human relations in general, that is, to human relations outside
Christ and His church. We must not fall into this mistake, for I Corinthians 13 stands
within a definite framework or context. Let's begin by examining that framework.
We have already seen more than once that the Corinthians fell prey to a false concept of
[27]
Christian freedom, and also that they tended to elevate the "spiritual" at the
expense of the "bodily" things. We might add that they wanted to use the Holy Spirit for
their private emotional indulgence and enjoyment. They regarded themselves as so
"spiritual" that they could even cut the tie between the Spirit and the Word.
They were enchanted with their own gifts (charismata); one would set himself up as a
"spiritual matador" at the expense of the others. Brother A could "speak in tongues" so
beautifully, just as though Pentecost had come again in Corinth! But Sister B brought
about a newer Pentecost with an even more spectacular display of speaking in tongues—
although no one had any idea what she was talking about. While all this was going on,
Brother C would be busy prophesying and would get a still more enthusiastic reception
from his group of admirers. Where there should have been quiet service and devotion to
the Word, there was spiritual fanaticism. Glossolalia (the gift of tongues) had become a
means of self-glorification.
Here again we see that there's nothing new under the sun. Think of all the movements
in our time that believe they are blessed with outpourings of "the Spirit" during their
worship services. But what they call "the Spirit" is not the Holy Spirit at all—even though
their prophets do in fact speak in various languages. What they call "the Spirit" is really

11
a human spirit—and not the Holy Spirit.
On this point, too, Paul had a few things to say to the church in Corinth. At one time its
members had been in the grip of the dumb powers of heathendom. After choosing for
Christ, they learned through the Spirit to accept a fixed confession. Therefore, speaking
in tongues was of no importance in itself. In fact, it could lead to spiritual drunkenness.
How the Holy Spirit works. The Spirit speaks with a clear voice. If someone says in a
frenzy, "Jesus be cursed!" he cannot possibly be speaking through the Holy Spirit,
[28]
for he is supporting the synagogue, which rejects Christ. Or the other hand, no
unholy spirit can ever lead someone to confess that Jesus is Lord (12:1-3).
The Spirit works in a variety of ways. The church is like a body: the members differ from
each other, but together they form a harmonious whole. Not every member of the body
can be an eye or an ear. It's the same with the church: not everyone can be an apostle
or a prophet. Yet, there must be no jealousy about these offices (12:12-31).
Unfortunately, jealousy and envy are not unknown in the church.
The place of love. This is the framework and context within which the famous thirteenth
chapter of I Corinthians must be read. This chapter shows us how Christian love can
combine all the variations within the church to form a beautiful, harmonious whole.
The Christians in Corinth had become far too attached to particular forms. They did not
seem to be aware that the forms then current would have to make way someday for
other forms. "As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease"
(13:8). And this is indeed what happened in the history of the church.
In this same passage, Paul makes it clear that love is and remains the way for Christians
to deal with each other. Faith and hope are certainly beautiful, and are not destined to
pass away. But love is indispensable. It is in love that faith and hope are worked out
(13:13).
Edification. To put this into practice, one must remember that love serves to build up the
church. We could well follow the lead of the King James Bible and speak here of
"edification."
Now, many of us have a mistaken idea of "edification": we think of a preacher who
waffles on the issues in order to keep the peace at all costs. What the term edification
[29]
really means in this context is that the members of the church are to build each
other up.
Once this becomes the prime concern, there comes an end to conceit, to speaking in
tongues without any interpretation, to prophesying contrary to the church's confession,
to shameless behavior on the part of emancipated women. Heathendom is characterized
by frenzy and fanaticism, but the mark of the Spirit's presence is order. In an orderly
situation, the individual serves the community. Thus speaking in tongues is not the issue
in and of itself.
Specific guidelines. When we survey Paul's entire appeal to the Corinthians, we can read
this passage as containing a church order of sorts. The various rules and articles in I
Corinthians 14 are easy to pick out.
Article 1: Everything must promote the edification and upbuilding of the church.
Article 2: There are to be no more than three people speaking in tongues. They must
not speak simultaneously, and there must be an interpreter to explain to the
assembled congregation what is being said.
Article 3: There must be no more than three people prophesying in a worship service.
They are not to speak simultaneously. A new revelation must take precedence
and be heard immediately, but the people at the service are to judge the
prophecy by the yardstick of God's prophetic Word and not simply accept
everything uncritically.

12
Article 4: Women are not to play a leadership role in the official worship service and are
certainly not allowed to preach.
The term church order tends to conjure up images of dry documents and decisions made
[30]
long ago. But the rules Paul gives us here are commandments of the Lord for the life
of the church. The Lord is not a God of disorder. Church order, too, is a purely Spiritual
matter that calls for love.
Glossolalia. The question could perhaps be raised whether a church order for our time
ought to spell out just when speaking in tongues is and is not proper during our worship
services. But this question presupposes another: What place or function, if any, is there
for speaking in tongues in our worship services today?
Paul quotes from Isaiah 28:11 as follows:
By men of strange tongues
and by the lips of foreigners
will I speak to this people,
and even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord (14:21).
In the very next verse he goes on to provide some commentary on this quotation:
"Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers."
This enables us to draw some conclusions about "tongues." (1) They were meant for
"this people," that is, the Jewish covenant people of Paul's time. (2) They function within
the framework of special "signs and wonders." (3) They were generally not accepted by
Israel as signs that the Messianic age had indeed come.
When we bear these points in mind, there is no longer any point in asking how much
room we should leave for glossolalia (speaking in tongues) in our worship services. In
the decisive period between the years 30 and 70, the phenomenon of glossolalia,
occurring within the framework of the testimony to Israel, was a clear indication that
Jesus the Messiah had poured out the Spirit in accordance with the Old Testament
[31]
prophecies (Is. 59:21; Jer. 31:33-4; Joel 2:28-9). But the apostolic era ended long
ago. In our worship services today, we are to concentrate on the reading, singing and
proclamation of the Word.
The point Paul drives home to the Corinthians is that glossolalia was a way of alerting
Israel that the Messiah's day of judgment on the unbelieving covenant people was
drawing near. After that day of judgment, "tongues" could cease (13:8).
Paul took a first step in the direction of eliminating tongues by limiting this practice.
When the congregation came together, the service of the Word was to be central. Any
proposal to introduce speaking in tongues into our worship services today overlooks the
forward march of redemptive history and serves only to promote self-glorification and
individualism.

8. Upholding the Confession of the Resurrection of the Body (15:1-58)

The soul as a beautiful bird. There are people today who want to demythologize the
confession of the Christian church. Human thinking rules out Christ's resurrection, as
well as the resurrection of the body.
The Christians in Corinth were also moving in this dangerous direction. This was another
manifestation of an old problem, namely, too much emphasis on "spiritual" matters,
coupled with a neglect—or even contempt—of the "body." The soul was regarded as a
beautiful bird imprisoned in an ugly cage (i.e. the body). What made matters worse was
that the Corinthians believed they had "arrived." They began to cut the ties between the
present and the day of judgment.
[32]
As far as the resurrection was concerned, the Corinthians had not yet gone so far as
to deny that Christ rose from the dead. After all, Christ's resurrection was a regular

13
theme in preaching. But there were some who believed that the resurrection of the body
was unnecessary. The Christians had undergone a "Spiritual" rebirth and regeneration.
As living heroes of the "Spirit," they had already attained the climax.
A guarantee of our resurrection. In opposition to the "spiritualizing" of the resurrection,
Paul begins by testifying about Christ's resurrection. Here, as elsewhere in the New
Testament, what is reported is not just the feeling that welled up in someone's heart but
the fact—the actual event as seen and heard by witnesses. Paul mentions the
appearances Christ made after the resurrection. On these points the Corinthians could
check for themselves by consulting the eyewitnesses, many of whom were still living.
Paul himself was a genuine witness of the risen Lord. liven though he was the least of
the apostles, Jesus had appeared to him. Paul had preached the gospel of the
resurrection at Corinth, and the people had believed (15:1-11).
But this gospel was not to be left out of the church's life of faith. After all, Christ's
resurrection is a sure guarantee of our resurrection to salvation. The church is included
in Christ, who has done away with all the consequences of sin.
Paul confronts the Corinthians with an alternative. What if there is indeed no
resurrection of the dead? Then Christ did not rise from the dead either, which would
make Paul a false witness. Faith in the risen Lord would then be completely futile. But
what if Christ really did rise from the dead? In that case we must accept Him as "the
first fruits of those who have fallen asleep" (15:20).
[33]
Glorified bodies. Christ did in fact rise from the dead. In Adam all died, but through
the last Adam all will be made alive again—not just in "spiritual" form, but as genuine
people. The body will be renewed. In His great future, Christ the King will depose King
Death from his throne.
What awaits us is not a disembodied, ethereal, purely "spiritual" life in "heaven" but a
purified creation and a glorified body. Doesn't Psalm 8 sing of the One to whom all
things are subjected? Otherwise what point would there be in baptism (15:29), which
looks ahead to a full life? Why would Paul risk his life in Ephesus, where he was living at
the time? If we did not believe in the eventual resurrection of the body, we would be
better off living as hedonists. But do we really want to be guilty of such sins?
How will all this come about? Paul tells us that the body will be glorified. The body falls
into the ground like a grain of wheat. In other words, it is planted like a seed that will
someday bring forth beautiful fruit. One day we will bear the image of the last Adam, i.e.
Christ. Those who are alive when Christ returns will be changed in "the twinkling of an
eye" (literally: in an indivisible atomic moment). Death, where is your victory when the
last trumpet blows?
This awareness should activate the church. The doctrine of the resurrection is not a
mere formality in our confession. No, it should stimulate us to work unstintingly in the
Lord's service, knowing that the work we do in the church is not in vain in the Lord
(15:58; see also Eccl. 1:2ff;Rev. 14:13).

9. Concluding Remarks (16:1-24)

Relief for Jerusalem. Paul draws Corinth into his program of providing economic relief for
[34]
the congregation in Jerusalem. He encourages this self-satisfied congregation to
participate in ecclesiastical life. This is the best way to combat rigidity.
At the same time, he gives the Corinthian Christians a command about the sabbath.
Offerings must be given regularly so that the church will be able to assist the needy.
Love and church order. The letter concludes with some personal remarks. Paul asks the
Corinthians to put Timothy at ease, for Timothy has been sent to do the lord's work
among them. Various other names are mentioned. Paul includes a greeting written in his
own handwriting. (The rest of the letter was dictated to a secretary or scribe.)

14
In the light of chapter 13, it shouldn't surprise us that the apostle concludes with the
words: "My love be with you all in Christ Jesus." As you read this ending, remember that
love is not some sort of vague benevolence and cheerfulness, as many people seem to
think. When Paul speaks of love, he means maintaining order in the church. Corinth
must follow in Paul's footsteps—and can do so thanks to the risen Lord.

15
[35]
II Corinthians
But thanks be to God, who in Christ
always leads us in triumph, and
through us spreads the fragrance of
the knowledge of him everywhere
(2:14).

1. Background Issues
New developments in Corinth. Erasmus, who was a well-traveled man, compared Paul's
second letter to the Corinthians to a river that sometimes flows quietly, sometimes
sweeps everything along with it, and sometimes disappears into the sand, only to
emerge again unexpectedly. This letter has also been compared to an inexhaustible sea
too wide and deep to be surveyed and understood.
Indeed, all sorts of things come through in this letter. It acquaints us with Paul as a man
of passionate activity, a courageous man struggling for the church in all sorts of areas.
In the time that elapsed between the first and second letters to the Corinthians, Paul
had visited Corinth again. At a congregational meeting he was insulted, without the
[36]
congregation coming to his defense. Paul did not let the matter rest: he sent Titus
and one other brother (12:18) to Corinth with a letter, which has subsequently been
lost. Paul himself says of this letter that it was written "out of much affliction and
anguish of heart and with many tears" (2:4). The appearance of Titus was intended to
prepare the way for Paul's third visit to Corinth.
Good news. Paul and Titus had agreed that when Paul was on his way to Corinth, they
would meet in Troas. But when he arrived in Troas, Paul, with his fatherly—or perhaps
motherly—heart, could not bear to wait for news, so he traveled farther and met Titus in
Macedonia (perhaps Philippi or Thessalonica).
Titus had good news for him! Things had been straightened out in the congregation in
Corinth, and the guilty party had been punished (2:6, 12ff; 7:5ff). "God, who comforts
the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus" (7:6). Thus Paul could sing a
victorious song despite all he had endured.
Paul's authority questioned. Imagine Paul's situation. He was the founder of the
Corinthian congregation, and he had made great personal sacrifices for it. From the
previous letter it was already apparent how much conceit and confusion there was at
Corinth. What it really boiled down to was that the Corinthians didn't think much of Paul.
They didn't deny that he knew how to write a good letter, but he wasn't much of a
speaker. Many of his enemies argued that he was a master in twisting words, changing
his plans at the drop of a hat. Paul was really playing games with the Corinthian church,
they argued.
Now, we all know that slanderous lies are never erased completely. Something of the
bad odor always lingers. When people talked about Paul behind his back, his apostolic
[37]
authority was affected. That's why he was forced to write an apologia. The issue was
not Paul as a person but the Word he preached. "As God is true, the language in which
we address you is not an ambiguous blend of Yes and No" (1:18 NEB).
Attacks on God's Word. Those who reproached Paul for unfaithfulness when he altered
his plans for the sake of God's Word were really attacking God and His Word. And those
who looked down on Paul's manner of preaching were really denying the glory of the
New Testament message. The issue for Paul was not his own personal difficulties; if
need be, he could easily suffer in silence. But when the work of Christ was hindered, he
could not be still. For Zion's sake, he had to say something.
For the same reason, he also took up a financial question in chapters 8 and 9—a
sensitive issue! Paul was still concerned with the planned collection on behalf of the
needy saints in Jerusalem. In the last four chapters (which some identify with the lost

16
"letter of tears" referred to in 2:4), he defended the legitimacy of his office over against
certain "super-apostles" who had apparently invaded Corinth, trying all sorts of tricks to
make the people despise Paul. Those false apostles were browbeating the Corinthian
Christians and attacking Paul's authority and the Word he brought.
A positive response. Do you see the beauty in this passage? Paul does not fall prey to
bickering, self-righteousness and negative language. He overcomes evil with good and
uses the accusations in a positive way to preach Christ and tell of the glory of God's
grace and redemptive history. Over against all the dark clouds and suspicious questions,
he points to God's emphatic Yes in Christ, the splendor of the New Testament Word, the
power of apostolic preaching, and the sufficiency of God's grace. Through this approach,
Paul emerges the victor in the Lord's power.
[38]
We should never complain that the letters of Paul are too difficult. Instead we should
let ourselves be gripped by the struggle and the victory apparent in them. Then these
letters will take hold of us. Thanks be to God, who always gives us the victory!
An overview. II Corinthians can be divided as follows. (1) Salutation and thanksgiving,
1:1-11. (2) Apologia for apostolic service, 1:12—7:16. (3) Exhortation to complete the
collection for the saints in Jerusalem, chapters 8-9. (4) Unmasking of the pseudo-
apostles, chapters 10-12. (5) Admonition and conclusion, chapter 13.
As far as we know, Paul wrote four letters to the Corinthians. The first, which is referred
to in I Corinthians 5:9, has been lost. I Corinthians itself is the second. The third is the
"letter of tears" mentioned in II Corinthians 2:4, which has also been lost, while II
Corinthians is the fourth.
Words of praise and comfort. II Corinthians opens with the words: "Paul, an apostle of
Christ Jesus by the will of God." In carefully chosen words filled with meaning, Paul
places his apostolic authority in the foreground. Throughout the letter, his apostolic
office is referred to repeatedly.
He also writes on behalf of Timothy, who was well mown in Corinth, and sends greetings
to the saints of Achaia. The intention, of course, was for them to read his letter as well.
Whatever the dark clouds overhead and whatever the painful points to be made in the
letter, Paul begins by praising God. We hear him use the word comfort repeatedly. In
the province of Asia (at Ephesus), the Lord had saved him from much suffering and
danger. Therefore he was not afraid to face the future. The "God of all comfort" would
deliver him.
[39]
Edification and reconciliation. Paul takes up the issues at hand in a spirited way, for
the Lord is with him. He begins by dealing with the reproaches arising from his change
in travel plans. The Corinthians themselves were responsible for his not coming to
Corinth as originally planned. The last time he was there it had been a painful visit, and
he did not want to run the risk of a repetition.
In the middle of this explanation Paul exclaims: "For all the promises of God find their
Yes in him [Jesus Christ]. That is why we [the church] utter the Amen through him, to
the glory of God" (1:20). Thus Paul never concerns himself exclusively with disputes and
misunderstandings: he always takes pains to edify and build up the congregation. Now
that the guilty party in Corinth has been punished, Paul pleads with the church to forgive
him and comfort him—"or he may be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow" (2:7).

2. The Messenger and the Message

Treasure in earthen vessels. Using the image of a triumphal procession, Paul describes
his apostolic proclamation. "We are indeed the incense offered by Christ to God, both for
those who are on the way to salvation, and for those who are on the way to perdition: to
the latter it is a deadly fume that kills, to the former a vital fragrance that brings life"
(2:15-16 NEB).
Given the criticisms that had been made of Paul, you can well understand why he would

17
now speak at length about the proclamation of the gospel. His rivals pointed to his
setbacks. Like the friends of Job, they argued: "Could a man like Paul, for whom nothing
seems to go right, really be a preacher of the gospel?"
[40]
It is not easy to preach the gospel. Paul explains what he and his co-workers had to
go through as servants of God:
We do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on
our function as God's servants. Instead, we prove we are servants of God
by great fortitude in times of suffering; in times of hardship and distress;
when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; laboring, sleepless,
starving. We prove we are God's servants by our purity, knowledge,
patience and kindness; by a spirit of holiness, by a love free from
affectation; by the word of truth and by the power of God; by being
armed with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left,
prepared for honor or disgrace, for blame or praise; taken for imposters
while we are genuine; obscure yet famous; said to be dying and here we
are alive; rumored to be executed before we are sentenced; thought most
miserable and yet we are always rejoicing; taken for paupers though we
make others rich, for people having nothing though we have everything
(6:3-10 JB).
To make matters even worse, much of the opposition and trouble and suspicion came
from brothers. Paul was well aware that preachers of the gospel are only earthen vessels
continually exposed to death and destruction. Yet he also knew that there was treasure
in those earthen vessels (4:7ff). That treasure is the New Testament gospel of
atonement.
Didn't the people of Corinth see the glory? Even the Old Testament "dispensation of
death, carved in letters on stone" tablets, made the face of Moses shine with a glory that
the people could not bear to look at. "Will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended
with greater splendor?" (3:8).
Obstacles to the gospel. New Testament preaching is full of God's shining glory, despite
[41]
all the affliction, suffering and death. The Corinthians did not cover their faces as
though they still lived in the time of the old covenant (3:12ff). Therefore, even if our
earthly habitation collapses, the persecuted and battered Christian does not measure his
lot in terms of outward success and glory and propaganda, for he knows that the Spirit
is a guarantee (down payment) of the coming resurrection (4:16ff).
We should never be discouraged but should continue to preach (5:11—6:10). This also
means that we should not allow ourselves to be subjected to any different yoke together
with unbelievers. To grasp what Paul is getting at here, we should think not so much of
Deuteronomy 22:10 as of Matthew 11:29-30 and Galatians 5:1 (the easy yoke of Christ
and the yoke of slavery to extra Judaistic rules). Paul asks: "What partnership have
righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has
Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What
agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (6:14-16).
When we ask what Paul was telling the Corinthian Christians to stay away from, the
usual answer is that he wants to see no intimate relationships with pagans—in
particular, no marriages. But since the context is a warning against the Jewish yoke of
slavery, I would want to leave open the possibility that Paul is advising against close
contacts with the synagogue and the apostate Jews, for such contacts could tarnish the
glory of the preaching of the new covenant and block the way for Paul and the gospel he
preaches. "Open your hearts to us," Paul pleads. Fortunately, the old "issue" has been
shelved. "I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with
comfort" (7:2-4).

18
 [42]
When I am weak, then I am strong
(12:10).

3. Jewish Christians and False Prophets

Aid for Jerusalem. Chapters 8 and 9 deal with the collection for Jerusalem. Just as
contemporary Jerusalem gets a great deal of help from foreign (mainly American)
capital, so the holy city was in need of aid in Paul's time. Needy Jews in Jerusalem who
had become Christians no longer received any financial help from the synagogue's
"deacons."
Earlier Paul had brought to Judea a collection taken in Antioch (Acts 11:30). Now he was
promoting the idea of taking a collection among Christians in heathen areas for the relief
of the saints in the holy city. A fair amount of money had already been raised in
Macedonia. Would Corinth let itself be outdone in generosity?
In order to preclude any distrust or suspicion—a sober man must always reckon with the
possibility of corruption—Paul sent two reliable brothers along with Titus (perhaps
Aristarchus and Luke). The relief project on Jerusalem's behalf had as its motto: "He
who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly." Through this collection, Paul wanted to
bring the unity of the church to expression. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek.
A drumfire of criticism. It may be that the next part of this (ch. 10-13) letter was not
written immediately after the first part. All the same, the two parts are closely bound
together.
Paul was struggling for recognition as an apostle. His activities and preaching in Corinth
were subjected to a steady drumfire of criticism, as the Christians there no longer saw
the glory of the covenant (ch. 1-7). But however much people were inclined to yield to
[43]
Jewish arguments, there was not much enthusiasm for the collection for the church
in Jerusalem. Here the Corinthians showed their true colors. Consequently they were in
need of special exhortation (ch. 8-9).
Jewish false prophets. It seems that false prophets teaching untruths descended on
Corinth, which they apparently regarded as a fruitful field for their labors. Those false
prophets were Jews and prided themselves on their talents and their success. The song
the Corinthians sometimes hummed to themselves they turned into an oratorio: Paul is
really a worthless man with the smell of death about him, a man with little success and
spiritual experience to his credit.
These new apostles had a great deal to glory in and brag about—both hidden talents and
publicly demonstrated abilities (10:7ff; 11:5ff). In truth, the false prophets in Corinth
were hardly distinguishable from the swaggering false prophets under the old covenant.
Setting the record straight. Paul knows the people he is dealing with. Earlier he appealed
to the Corinthians' sense of honor, and now he turns to satire to bring them to their
senses. The message he drives home again is indescribably beautiful: in this dispute,
too, the real issue is not a man called Paul but Jesus Christ, who chooses to reveal the
glory of His grace through a weak instrument like the apostle.
Paul does not like to talk about himself. But if these "superlative apostles" (11:5) who
are really out for money, who devour God's people just as though they were eating
bread (vs. 20; Ps. 14:4; Ezek. 34:3ff), start glorying in themselves, Paul (whose name
means small) can also find a few things to brag about. He will boast about his afflictions
and his weakness. He can present a virtual catalogue of misfortunes (ll:23ff). Moreover,
[44]
he is of Jewish descent and has also received revelations (vs. 22; 12:1ff). Although
he suffers a thorn in the flesh, he enjoys comfort. Like Christ in Gethsemane, he prayed
three times for relief, but he was given an oracular answer that made him just as strong
as Jeremiah or Ezekiel: "My grace is all you need; power comes to its full strength in
weakness" (12:9 NEB).
Paul recognizes these false prophets who appeal to base desires and seek to win

19
followers by boasting and by dazzling displays for what they are—apostles of untruth,
servants of satan, false, anti-Christian prophets. After all, it is the last hour. Satan is
exceptionally busy on the day of salvation (6:2).
Another visit. Paul was about to go to Corinth for the third time (12:14; 13:1). In the
name of Christ, who became poor for our sakes (8:9) and was crucified in weakness
(13:4), Paul would become weak in Him. At the same time he would live for the
Corinthians out of the power of God (13:4).
On his third visit Paul would spare no one and nothing from criticism. The congregation
would have a final opportunity to equip itself for what might lie ahead and to subject
itself to the office of apostle. "Mend your ways and heed my appeal," wrote Paul
(13:11). He concluded with some beautiful and familiar words: "The grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
Don't forget that this benediction comes after numerous admonitions. This should
encourage us to go further with that seemingly weak apostolic Word. Stay away from
the false boasting of the false prophets. Christ's grace is sufficient for us.

20
[45]
Galatians
1. Paul's Purpose in Writing
Galatia. The letter to the Galatians was an encyclical, a letter intended for all the
churches of Galatia. But what did Paul mean by Galatia"? There was indeed an area that
bore this name. The people who lived there could properly be called "Galatians"; they
were originally Gauls or Celts who had come to Asia Minor in the third century B.C. as
mercenaries. Galatia was the area around the ancient city of Ancyra (now Ankara).
Just as Holland was originally the name of part of a country but is now used to refer to
the entire Netherlands, so the name Galatians came to have a broader meaning. The
Roman province of Galatia also took in some territory to the south, including such cities
as Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, Lycaonia, and Antioch in Pisidia. Paul had visited these cities
during his "first" missionary journey. Was the Letter to the Galatians intended for these
churches too?
It is striking that in I Corinthians 16:1, Paul speaks of a collection taken in the churches
[46]
of Galatia, while in Acts 20:4 we learn that the delegation bringing the money to
Jerusalem included Gaius from Derbe and Timothy from Lystra, two cities in the area
south of Galatia itself.
"God-fearing" Gentiles. Most of the members of the Galatian churches were Gentiles, but
we must bear in mind that many of them were originally among the "God-fearing"
Gentiles who attended the services in the synagogues (see Acts 13:43). This explains
why Paul could go into the Old Testament so much when addressing the Galatians.
In this letter there is mention of Jewish persecution of the churches. From Acts we learn
just how active the Jews in southern Galatia were in opposing the doctrine of Christ
(13:45, 50; 14:4ff, 19; see also II Tim. 3:11). This fits in well with the situation
sketched in 5:11 and 6:12. For these and other reasons, we must assume that this
3
letter was addressed first and foremost to the churches in southern Galatia, the region
from which the gospel had doubtless spread north into the area formally known as
Galatia.
Time of writing. Calvin, who chooses for the "northern" hypothesis with regard to
[47]
Galatia, observes that the letter to the Galatians must have been written before the
meeting described in Acts 15. Otherwise Paul could have put a quick stop to the
argument by pointing to the decision already made that Gentiles were not required to
undergo circumcision. Calvin's argument is correct. Galatians must have been written
after the "first" missionary journey and just before the so-called "Council of Jerusalem"
4
in the year 48, where the other apostles upheld Paul's policy in these matters.

3
The similarities between the Letter to the Galatians and the speech Paul made in the synagogue
of Antioch in Pisidia (which was part of the province of Galatia) are striking. Compare:
Acts 13:23, 32 with Galatians 3:16-17; 4:4
13:29 3:13
13:20 1:1
13:27 4:25
13:39 2:16; 3:11, 21
Moreover, the route from the south to the area properly called Galatia (Ancyra) passes through a
tortuous area full of salt lakes. It is highly unlikely that Paul took this route.
4
According to the Tubingen school, Acts 15 and the story related in Galatians 2:1-10 are really the
same event. These scholars made much of the differences between the two accounts and argued
that Luke was a later, unreliable author who altered the story considerably for his own purposes. It
seems to me that we should take Acts 11:30; 12:25; and Galatians 2:1ff as dealing with the same
visit of Paul to Jerusalem after his conversion and calling, which would be his second visit. (Hence

21
Laws and rites. False teaching was on the rise within the Galatian churches. A gospel
suited to Jewish ritualism was being proclaimed. It was argued that becoming a
Christian meant being incorporated into Israel. Because Israel accepted circumcision as
a sign of the covenant, it was a foregone conclusion that a Gentile who became a
Christian would be circumcised (5:2) and would also observe other provisions of the law
when certain days, months, seasons, and years came (4:10). The agitators argued that
Paul's gospel was only a secondhand gospel, whereas they were presenting the
unfalsified Jerusalem gospel, which bore the stamp of the "real" apostles.
The Galatian Christians of heathen background had an ear for such arguments. A
heathen is accustomed to making his salvation dependent on the keeping of a set of
[48]
laws or regulations. When he becomes a Christian, he is suddenly confronted with a
freedom he has not known before. Because he experiences this freedom as emptiness,
he wants to fill the void by turning the gospel into a new law and again tying himself
down to all sorts of rituals and regulations. Think of the elaborate ceremonies in the
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Think a so of the yearning in newly
established mission churches in heathen territories to introduce all sorts of rites into the
worship services.
To yield to such pressures is to build a bridge back to heathendom. Paul was keenly
aware of this. The Galatians were turning back the clock of redemptive history and were
in fact returning to the "first principles," the ABCs of heathendom, even though this
heathendom was now given a Jewish flavor so that it would seem innocent and in tune
with the Bible.
Circumcision. The teachers of false doctrines had another weapon in their arsenal: the
authorities regarded anyone who was circumcised as a Jew, a member of an officially
tolerated religious group. The Jews, who could make things difficult for the Christians in
the various regions, would not create problems for a circumcised Christian who
celebrated the Passover. From this point of view, at least, it appeared that there was
something to be said for circumcision. Circumcision would make things easier for the
Christians.
In fact, these false teachers, who may have been Gentiles who had submitted to
circumcision themselves (see 6:13), were trying to escape persecution by taking the
side of the persecutors. That's why Paul opposed their half-heartedness so strongly (see
Rev. 21:8). The Galatians lad been bewitched, and therefore some strong language
would be necessary to break the spell. It was a matter of life or death for the church, for
the gospel was at issue.
[49]
2. Paul's Gospel Is the Gospel of Christ Jesus
Commissioned by Christ. Paul throws the full weight of his divine calling into the
argument when he opens his letter by declaring: "From Paul, an apostle, not by human
appointment or human commission, but by commission from Jesus Christ and from God
the Father" (1:1 NEB). He wanted it to be clear from the very outset that he was not
passing on any prophecies of his own; he was speaking as a fully authorized
representative of Christ.
As a herald, Paul brings the one true gospel. He does not approach the Galatians as a
diplomat, nor does he beg for their attention. There is no gospel other than the gospel
he commands them to believe. Cursed be anyone who brings some other gospel! Why
do the Galatians listen to a false gospel? Why do they let themselves be convinced that
Paul brought a gospel of his own devising rather than the real gospel of the mother
church in Jerusalem?
Paul himself had been sharply opposed to the gospel at first. Yet Christ Jesus had
confronted him in person with the gospel. Thus Paul's tradition was Christ's tradition.

the use of the word again in 2:1.) What is described in Acts 9:26-9 would then be his first visit to
Jerusalem, while what is described in Acts 15 would be his third visit.

22
Paul, the persecutor of the Christians, received a special revelation from Jesus Christ in
which he was not only confronted with the gospel but also commissioned to proclaim it
to the Gentiles. The gospel Paul preached was not a human gospel, then. That's why he
immediately started preaching the gospel on his own in Damascus and the surrounding
area.
Paul's acceptance in Jerusalem. Not until three years had passed did Paul come to
Jerusalem to confer with Peter (Cephas). This pilgrimage to the holy city was in a certain
sense a test. Paul also met James, the brother of Jesus, who was regarded by many as
[50]
the Christian. During this visit Paul was not criticized. When he went to work in Syria
and Cilicia, the congregation in Judea praised the Lord on account of his work!
Later he visited Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas and Titus, a Gentile who had
never been circumcised. Was Paul criticized for this, and was Titus told that he should be
circumcised? Not at all. The "pillars" of the church in Jerusalem received Paul and Titus
as brothers. They were not told to live by any ceremonial regulations. The only request
made of them was that they continue to think of the poor in Jerusalem (1:11—2:10).
Paul's freedom and independence were also clear on an occasion in Antioch in Syria
when he sat down at the same table as Peter and some former pagans. When certain
brothers from James' circle in Jerusalem appeared, Peter withdrew and chose to eat in a
kosher Jewish setting instead so that the Jews from Jerusalem would not criticize him.
When the other Jews (including Barnabas) followed his example, Paul spoke out and told
Peter a thing or two. Hadn't Peter himself eaten with Gentiles in the home of Cornelius?
(Acts 10-11). Did he now propose to force the Gentiles to live by regulations that he
himself did not follow consistently?

3: Justification Not by Works But by Faith

The law as a schoolmaster. Didn't the bewitched Galatians remember what gospel had
been presented to them? It was a gospel proclaiming that Jews and Gentiles alike are
justified by faith. Had the Galatians been granted the Spirit because they were faithful in
doing the ritual works of the law? Of course not! They received the Spirit because they
accepted the message of justification by faith (3:2).
[51]
The Galatians should not allow themselves to be misled by the fact that Israel was a
privileged people. Abraham was justified by faith (3:6; Gen. 15:6). All who believe are
his children.
There was a time when the law played a central role in God's dealings with His people,
but it never had the function of bringing about a saving righteousness. The law is a
schoolmaster, a pedagogue leading us to Christ. It convinces Jews of the necessity of
believing in the One who bore the entire curse of the law when He was on the cross.
Heirs through faith. All who believe are children of God in Christ Jesus (3:26). "There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's
offspring, heirs according to the promise" (vs. 28-9).
It is not correct to declare simply that we are all children of one Father. Neither is it
correct to say that one becomes a child of God through circumcision. The heirs of the
promise to Abraham are those who believe—regardless of their race, sex, or social
standing.
Characteristic differences. In our time Galatians 3:28 is often quoted by people who
otherwise show little interest in the Bible. They use this text to "prove" that Christ does
away with all distinctions between races and nations. This text is also read as a defense
of the goals of the women's liberation movement and a condemnation of all differences
between social and economic "classes."
But what Paul actually says here is not that the characteristic differences between races
and ethnic groups have been or should be done away with. He always respected such

23
differences: the Jew is a Jew and the Greek a Greek. Neither did he advocate doing
[52]
away with all "social" differences (see I Cor. 7:20-1). He also opposed any effort to
downplay the differences between the sexes: women are women and should not try to
act like men (I Cor. 11:2ff; 14:34ff; Eph. 5:24, 33; I Tim. 2:9ff).
Paul did favor nations, individuals, servants, and women developing in their own unique
ways: the Greek remains a Greek, and the woman remains a woman. Yet, all share
equally in the one promise and inheritance. This will make the Greek a good Greek, the
woman a genuine woman, and the servant a faithful servant. The gospel does not
preach revolution. It is unfair and misleading of certain people today to appropriate
Galatians 3:28 as their motto without taking the context and Paul's other statements
into account.
Freedom and slavery. Through Christ and the Spirit, we can all address God as our
Father. The children and heirs of the promise made to Abraham have come of age. God
had His Son born under the law in order to free us of its oppressive yoke.
Paul tells us that Christ bore the curse of the law—he does not call it the "accursed"
law—and thereby bought our freedom (3:13). Why should pagans whose conversion has
freed them of the "first principles" of the world or the ABCs of natural religion, now be
brought back to the Jewish "first principles"? (4:9, 3). That would amount to exchanging
the freedom they had gained for a new slavery!
As we read this appeal, we sense that Paul's work is at stake here. "I am afraid that I
have labored over you in vain" (4:11). What a reception he had received from the
Galatians on his first visit! He was recognized as a messenger of God, a representative
of Christ Jesus. What was left of that reception now? (4:15). The Galatians were
accepting all sorts of untruths propagated by false teachers. They had turned away from
Paul, their 'mother"—and thereby Christ and His gospel.

[53]
4. Slavery or Freedom
Children of Hagar. Because the false teachers appealed to the law (the Torah), Paul
proves from the Torah that only the gospel makes us free. Is it so strange to argue that
the children of Abraham (i.e. Jerusalem's Jews and their followers) are enmeshed in
slavery?
Just look inside Abraham's tents, and you'll find a child born of Abraham and the slave
Hagar—Ishmael. He was born as a result of Abraham's fleshly planning and calculation.
Moreover, this slave's son made fun of Isaac and even persecuted him. Isaac, of course,
is the child born of a free mother; he was begotten according to the Spirit and through
the promise. This situation in Abraham's tents should suggest something to the
Galatians: there are two kinds of children of Abraham!
Paul drew the attention of the Galatians to "Jerusalem" with its salvation by ritual works
of the law, the Jerusalem that persecuted the church of Christ. Doesn't that Jerusalem
look just like Hagar, and doesn't it bring forth children enslaved to the ABCs of the old
covenant's shadow service, which the Galatians gave up when they were converted?
They should remember the Jerusalem above, the Jerusalem that resembles Sarah. Of
this Jerusalem Isaiah sang: "Sing, O barren woman, you who [like Sarah] never bore a
child" (Is. 54:1 NIV).
Robbing the cross of its power. The Galatians must also bear in mind that God ordered
Abraham to send the slave Hagar and her son away, for Ishmael was not to be an heir
(Gen. 21:10). Therefore they were to break with the Jewish spirit of the synagogue,
which would subject them to slavery again and rob them of their inheritance, with a new
heathendom as the result. Pointing to the practices of the Phrygian and Galatian pagans,
[54]
Paul joked: "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and
emasculate themselves!" (5:12 NIV).
You are called to be free, brothers! Anyone who agrees to circumcision under these

24
circumstances may escape persecution by the Jews, but he will pay a heavy price. He
will rob that offensive cross of its power. Christ will be of no advantage to him since he
chooses for slavery (5:11, 1-2). God wants us to be free, and freedom cannot be bought
at any price; it is ours through faith.
Undisciplined conduct. Paul knew the Galatian churches too well to end his letter without
issuing a warning against false freedom. There were many who wanted to be liberated
but quickly turned their newly won freedom into undisciplined conduct. They thought
that as free people they could safely let the sinful "flesh" have free reign.
That was not the freedom Paul was preaching. He spoke of a freedom that lets itself be
led by the Spirit. Such freedom knows what service is. True freedom willingly gives itself
to others in love. The fruit of the Spirit consists in avoiding the works of the flesh and
manifesting joy, patience, friendliness, and self-control. "If we live by the Spirit, let us
also walk by the Spirit" (5:25).
Freedom to serve. Like good soldiers, we must march in our assigned place in the
formation. We must not get in the way of others; instead we must help our brothers
gently and restore them to their place when they go astray.
The Spirit's marching orders require us to fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one
another's burdens. And let no one imagine that he is stronger than the others. We may
look strong when we compare ourselves to the weakest among us, but each of us is far
from what he should be. Each of us must shoulder his own load.
We will reap what we sow. "Sowing" in the good sense involves the obligation to do acts
[55]
of mercy (vs. 10) and to help support those who teach (6:6). Our freedom is a
freedom to serve.

5. Summary and Closing in Paul's Own Hand

A personal note. Although Paul usually dictated his letters, at the end he added a few
comments in his own handwriting. "You see these big letters?" he asked. "I am now
writing to you in my own hand" (6:11 NEB). Paul's apparent inability to write in small,
neat letters has sometimes been attributed to the manual labor he did or to some injury
he may have received when he was stoned and left for dead.
Some interpreters assume that Paul used his own "chicken scratch" to give the Galatians
some comic relief. But a better explanation is that the apostle wanted to emphasize his
office once more (see 1:1 ff) and thereby underscore his chief message in this letter.
Pay attention, you Galatians! This is the real issue!
Glorying in the cross. The agitators who pretend to be so concerned with what Scripture
says are showing off, Paul declares. The real motive behind their argument is fear: they
are afraid of persecution and hope to escape it by bearing the Jewish sign of
circumcision. Moreover, they are not consistent, for it doesn't occur to them to keep the
entire law. These halfhearted, inconsistent people simply want to boast about all the
converts they have made; they want to boast about introducing circumcision. "As for
me, the only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (6:14 JB).
I will always glory in that cross, declares Paul. The cross has cut the ties between the
[56]
sinful "world" and the believer. Through the cross a new creation has become
possible, for Christ now lives in those in whom the old nature has died (6:15; 2:20). It is
there that we find life according to the Spirit, which is a life in freedom.
The Galatians now know what is at stake. If they wish to become part of Israel (the
church of the Messiah), they must not be talked into accepting the Jewish sign of
circumcision. That would amount to sinking back into a heathen religion in which man
glories in his own works.
A beacon for the church. The ancient synagogue prayed that God would give peace,
salvation, blessing, favor, grace, and mercy to "all Israel" as His people. This prayer will
be heard if it is prayed in Christ, declares Paul, who bore on his body the marks of his

25
suffering {stigmata) for the gospel. Those who "stay in line" and "march in formation"
according to the canon or rule of glorying only in Christ will share in the Messianic
blessing over the new Israel, the Israel made up of people of all nations.
This rule is a clear beacon for the entire church, which is constantly in danger of binding
itself to "marks" and laws that go beyond the Word, such as those based on tradition,
race, speculation, or experience. "It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not;
what matters is for him to become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all
who follow this rule, who form the Israel of God" (6:15-16 JB).

26
[57]
Ephesians
1. Paul's Intended Audience
An encyclical. In many of the manuscripts of the Letter to the Ephesians, the name
Ephesus does not occur in the first verse. That's why the Revised Standard Version has
left it out, although the King James Bible includes it.
This has led some scholars to regard the Letter to the Ephesians as a circular letter
meant for the churches in Ephesus and the surrounding area. They point out that Paul
does mention Tychicus as the one who delivered the letter but does not single out
members of a particular congregation for greetings. The letter has a general character
and does not address any special situation in a particular church. Thus there is a great
deal to be said for the view that Ephesians, like Galatians, is actually an encyclical, a
circular letter intended for a number of churches.
Paul indicates in this letter that he was imprisoned at the time of writing (6:20). Just
where he was in prison he does not tell us. Perhaps it was in Caesarea (Acts 23:23ff). It
[58]
appears that this letter was written at about the same time as Colossians and
Philemon, for Tychicus is also mentioned as the one who delivered the letter to the
Colossians, and Onesimus is mentioned as his companion (Col. 4:7ff).
Ephesians and Colossians. As far as content goes, there are striking similarities between
Ephesians and Colossians. Scholars have even spoken of a "synoptic problem" in this
context. Consider the following parallel passages:

Ephesians
He has put all things under his
feet and has made him the head
over all things for the church,
which is his body (1:22-3).
Colossians
In him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the
church (1:17-18).

But now in Christ Jesus you who
once were far off have been
brought near in the blood of
Christ. For he is our peace (2:13-
14).
... and through him to reconcile
to himself all things, whether on
earth or in heaven, making peace
by the blood of his cross (1:20).

Moreover, both these epistles contain a section of admonition addressed to wives,

husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters (Eph. 5:22—6:9 and Col. 3:18—4:1).
Despite the similarities, each letter has its own distinctive nature. The relation between
them is much like the relation between the first three "gospels," which do indeed have a
lot in common even though each one manifests a unique emphasis and goal.
When we read Colossians, we are not to assume beforehand that we know what it says
from reading Ephesians. However familiar the various expressions in Colossians might
seem, the letter is intended first and foremost to combat a certain false teaching,
whereas that's not the purpose at all in Ephesians.
[59]
2. A Song of Praise to the Electing Grace of the Triune God (1:1—3:21)
Paul's psalm. After a few words of greeting and blessing, Paul sings the praises of the
triune God through the words of the longest sentence in the Bible. (Although 1:3-14 is
normally broken up into various sentences in translations, it is all one sentence in
Greek.) The Father (vs. 3ff), the Son (vs. 3, 5ff), and the Spirit (vs. 13) are all
mentioned in connection with election, that is, God's sovereign, free choice.

27
Paul's words are a mighty psalm in honor of the sovereign grace of the Lord, which is
the foundation of the calling of the church. Calvin comments on this passage as follows:
The foundation and first cause, both of our calling and of all the benefits which
we receive from God, is here declared to be his eternal election. If the reason is
asked, why God has called us to enjoy the gospel, why he daily bestows upon us
so many blessings, why he opens to us the gate of heaven,—the answer will be
constantly found in this principle, that he hath chosen us before the foundation
of the world. The very time when the election took place proves it to be free; for
what could we have deserved, or what merit did we possess, before the world
5
was made?
The sanctification of the church, the forgiveness of its sins through Christ, the seal of the
Holy Spirit as a guarantee of the coming inheritance—all this is possible only through
God's election in Christ. There is no room for boasting about human achievements. In
his song of praise, Paul honors God's sovereign free choice.
[60]
A reason for rejoicing. Why a song of praise? There are many who regard the
doctrine of election as a reason for lamentation instead. But that attitude is directly
contrary to Scripture. Dr. C. Trimp writes:
Election, about which people argue and brood so much, does not exist. God
exists—the God of election. Haven't you been able to see Him coming through
the jungle of your sins as He cuts a path toward your life? You have in fact seen
Him coming toward you—when He determined the time of your birth and the
place of your baptism and decided to provide you with a Christian upbringing and
the desire to make public profession of your faith. Doesn't it go without saying
that you received all of this? Yet, aren't there many people to whom God did not
come in this way? Then know your God on the basis of these revealed things in
6
the light of His Word, and you will catch sight of your election.
The beginning of the Letter to the Ephesians should dry many of our tears about
election. Paul presents election as a reason for rejoicing.
A prayer for more knowledge. Paul is certain that his leaders share the sentiments
expressed in his song. For this he gives thanks to God. At the same time, he prays that
the triune God will give them even greater knowledge of the glory of Christ (1:15-23).
Christ is seated on His throne in heaven above all the angelic powers, that is, "far above
all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in hat which is to come" (vs. 21).
A believer never claims to have enough knowledge of faith; he always presses on to
[61]
know his Redeemer better (see Phil. 3:10-14). The body (the church) is intimately
related to the Head (Christ).
What a world of sin and corruption Christ has redeemed the church from! "By grace you
have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God"
(2:8). This text could well be carved in gold letters in every worship sanctuary. The
church's salvation is not a "matter of course."
Gentiles as fellow heirs. Think of the pagans, who were originally "separated from Christ,
alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world" (2:12). Christ, by fulfilling the law of
Moses, has removed this last obstacle, opening the way for pagans to receive full
membership in the church too.
Christ breaks down the "wall of separation"; through the Prince of peace, Jews and
Greeks are united in one church. There is no place for anti-Semitism or nationalistic
5
Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians, trans. William Pringle
(Edinburgh, 1854), pp. 197-8.
6
De Schat van Christus' Bruid, by H. J. Meyerink, C. Trimp, and G. Zomer (Goes, 1958), p. 85.

28
pride, for there are no second-class Christians. All Christians together form one temple,
with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone (2:11-22).
The apostle was well aware that the abolition of any separation between Jew and Gentile
was something new (3:4-5). Precisely because he preached the gospel to the Gentiles,
he became a prisoner. Yet Paul accepted his imprisonment willingly, for he was not
acting on his own authority; it was the Spirit that revealed to him the mystery that the
Gentiles are fellow heirs and share in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. To
Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, fell a great honor through God's eternal election—
the honor of preaching to the Gentiles and making known to the angelic powers God's
wonderful wisdom in gathering His church even among the Gentiles (3:8ff).

[62]
3. One Body, One Spirit, One Lord, One God and Father (4:1—6:9)
Preserving unity. The church is made up of people—sinful people and even some
exasperating, annoying people. Quarrels occur all too often, and even minor differences
can be blown up into major issues—to say nothing of the trouble that can result from
differences in race or national origin. When converted Gentiles and converted Jews are
members of the same congregation, they can easily wind up fighting like cats and dogs.
Paul, who suffered imprisonment for preaching to the Gentiles, now addresses an appeal
to his readers to preserve what God has given, i.e. redemption and unity. Like election,
unity is grounded in the triune God. Notice how the doctrine of the Trinity comes out in
his appeal:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the
calling to which you have been called, eager to maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of us all (4:1, 3-6).
A life of daily conversion. According to Psalm 68:19, Christ gave Pentecost gifts to the
church when He ascended to heaven. The congregation must draw support from those
gifts. Through the Word officially proclaimed, The church must attain maturity so that it
is no longer misled but shows its readiness to serve. Instructed by Christ's Word (4:20),
the church also learns how to kill the old nature and put on the new nature as we put on
clothes. This means living a life of daily conversion, a life limed at sanctification. We
must walk as children of light (5:8).
[63]
Paul works this out in a practical way in connection with person-to-person
relationships (4:25ff). Every member of the body must strive for the edification or
upbuilding of the other members. A life sanctified by the Spirit must take the place of
the hedonist, heathen outlook that leaves room for lying, bearing grudges, stealing
(4:25ff), unrestrained drinking leading to ecstasy (5:18), and other such evils. The
antithesis between the life of a Christian and the life of a heathen must come to clear
expression. The unfruitful works of darkness must be unmasked and exposed for what
they are. "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead," declares Paul, "and Christ shall
give you light" (5:14). This may be a quotation from a Christian adaptation of Isaiah's
thanksgiving song of the redeemed (Is. 26:19), an adaptation that includes elements of
the priestly blessing (Num. 6:25).
Family relationships. Pointing to various areas of life, Paul shows how conversion must
be made apparent. No yearning for emancipation may be allowed to distort the
relationship between a wife and her husband. The husband, likewise, must not forget
that his wife is his own flesh and blood. The relationship between a husband and his wife
should reflect the relationship between Christ and His church. Christ is the loving
husband, the Head of the bride and church that respects and honors Him (5:22-3).
Children are not to be stirred up by any spirit of revolution. Moreover, fathers are not to
embitter their children by exercising their authority in a foolish or arbitrary way; instead
they must "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (6:4).

29
Masters and slaves. Slaves are not to whittle away at the authority of their masters by
rejecting the role of servant:
[64]
Slaves, be obedient to the men who are called your masters in this
world, with deep respect and sincere loyalty, as you are obedient to
Christ: not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please
men, but because you are slaves of Christ and wholeheartedly do the will
of God. Work hard and willingly, but do it for the sake of the Lord and not
for the sake of men (6:5-7 JB).
Masters must reciprocate by not threatening their slaves or abusing them; after all,
they, too, have a Lord (Kurios) or Master in heaven, one who is no respecter of persons.
These are golden words for our age with its crisis of authority. Only in Jesus Christ can
we expect a genuine restoration of human relationships in the family and throughout
society in general.

4. The Whole Armor of God (6:10-24)

Equipped for the struggle. The process of reformation never proceeds automatically. God
calls us to a struggle. That's why Paul gives us his well-known description of the whole
armor of God and tells us to put it on (6: 10ff).
We hear a lot about "spiritual armor" in connection with this passage. The various items
needed by the Christian soldier are equated with human qualities: the girdle of truth
means speaking the truth about our neighbor, the breastplate of righteousness means
giving everyone his due, and the shield of faith represents our own deeds of faith.
But we should note that Paul also speaks of the helmet of salvation, which is the
[65] 7
salvation brought about by God (Is. 59:17), and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God (Is. 49:2; 11:4). If these last two pieces of equipment really point to
God, what about the other three? Do they perhaps symbolize deeds and qualities of God
rather than virtues of men?
Old Testament echoes. Some of these famous phrases associated with Paul are already
to be found in Isaiah. This prophet says of the Messiah: "Righteousness shall be the
girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins" (Is. 11:5). Thus the "girdle" is
one of the Messiah's virtues. We also read: "He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation upon his head" (Is. 59:17). This righteousness is the Lord's
redeeming righteousness.
The language Paul uses in this famous passage in Ephesians echoes the Old Testament.
Paul wants to show the weak, wavering church living in the midst of all the
entanglements of a heathen world (and later in a secularized world) that it may enter
the struggle equipped with the whole armor of God. His covenant faithfulness (truth) will
serve as a girdle or belt. His redeeming justification (righteousness) can be its
breastplate. His gospel of peace (see Is. 52:7) prepares its feet. (Note how often Paul
draws on Isaiah.)
The content of our confession about Him is a shield that protects us. He gives the church
His helmet and sword for both offensive and defensive purposes. Above all, the
struggling church is allowed to turn to its God in prayer in the midst of the battle.
[66]
Worthiness. The apostle ends by appealing to those who read the letter or hear it
read not to forget him in his imprisonment, so that the Lord will give him strength to
proclaim the gospel. Paul was a prisoner because he preached the gospel of Jesus as
Messiah to the Gentiles.
He was not ashamed to be in prison. His suffering for hi; "principles" was also an honor

7
Because of the expression the sword of the Spirit, Christian artists have sometimes depicted Paul
with a sword in his hand. Think of Dürer's painting "The Four Apostles."

30
for the Gentiles, for it showed that someone was standing up for their rights as fellow
heirs of the promise and citizens of the Kingdom of God (3:1-3, 13; 2:11ff).
Yet, those once excluded from citizenship in Israel who are now reckoned as members of
God's household must show themselves worthy of their noble standing. Paul begins the
second part of his letter with a reminder that he is a "prisoner for the Lord" (4:1). That's
also how he concludes his exhortation, describing himself as an "ambassador in chains"
(6:20).
Will it turn out that he sowed in vain, that his suffering and struggles to win over the
Gentiles were of no lasting effect? "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a
life worthy of the calling to which you have been Called," he writes (4:1). "Therefore,
take up God's armour; and pray for me, that I may be granted the right words when I
open my mouth, and may boldly and freely make known his hidden purpose, for which I
am an ambassador—in chains" (6:13, 19-20 NEB).

31
[67]
Philippians
I miss you very much, dear friends;
you are my joy and my crown
(4:1 JB).

1. Paul's Ties with the Philippians

A short ministry. Philippi was the first city on the European continent where Paul
established a church. In Acts 16 we read the story of his ministry in Philippi, which
includes Lydia's conversion as well as the episode involving the demon-possessed slave
girl who was used by her masters as a fortune-teller. Because Paul got into trouble for
driving the demon out of the girl, he could not stay in Philippi long.
Luke had been traveling with Paul, but he apparently stayed behind when Paul left. Not
until many years had passed did he join Paul again as a travel companion, this time to
deliver to Jerusalem the collection taken by the young Gentile churches.
Close ties. The Biblical givens about Philippi give us a very good impression of this young
[68]
congregation. Paul maintained close ties with this church and called it "my joy and
crown" (4:1).
It is striking how often the words joy and rejoice occur in his letter (1:4, 18, 25; 2:18,
28-9; 3:1; 4:1, 4). There was also joy during Paul's initial visit to Philippi, when he and
Silas sang hymns in jail (Acts 16:25). Their joy, which was rooted in their faith, had
apparently carried over to the congregation. For Luke, who seems to have settled down
in Philippi as a physician, joy is also a recurring motif (see, for example, Luke 2:10;
15:5ff.)
From the very beginning, the relation between Paul and the congregation in Philippi was
warm and pure. Things got off to a good start when Lydia invited Paul and his
companions to stay at her home. (Normally Paul preferred to provide for his own
lodgings.) The good relation continued in the contributions the church later made to the
apostle to support him in his work.
While Paul did not want to be a burden to other congregations (e.g. Corinth) and was
especially careful to avoid any appearance of greed, he accepted the gifts of the
Macedonian brethren gratefully (II Cor. 11:8-9; Phil. 4: 4ff). One of his reasons for
writing this letter to the Macedonians was that he had just received a charitable gift sent
to him by the congregation in Philippi by way of Epaphroditus.
A letter from prison. At that moment Paul was a prisoner for the sake of the gospel that
Jesus is also the Messiah of the Gentiles. We know from II Corinthians 11:23 that he
was arrested often. Some scholars take it that he was imprisoned in Ephesus at the time
of writing, but it seems more likely that it was in Caesarea, or perhaps Rome.
While Epaphroditus was helping Paul in all sorts of ways during his imprisonment, he fell
[69]
deathly ill. The congregation in Philippi became very concerned about the illness of
the messenger and servant sent to minister to Paul (2:25). But God was merciful to
Epaphroditus, and therefore Paul could send him back to the anxious Philippians. Thus
the Letter to the Philippians was intended in part as a statement of good conduct for the
returning Epaphroditus. The apostle praised this "minister" in carefully chosen words and
thanked the Philippians for the "offering" he had received (2:25ff; 4:14-20).
It should not surprise us that Paul's letter goes into all sorts of situations in the
congregation. The traffic between the various churches made it possible for news to get
around. Hence Paul was not entirely ignorant of what was happening in Philippi.
Furthermore, he could draw on Epaphroditus's knowledge of events. Because Paul
enjoyed the standing of a "father" in the church at Philippi, he could be sure that his
admonitions would be received in the proper spirit and that Epaphroditus would not be
condemned for "telling tales."

32
2. Progress and Joy in the Faith (1:1-26)
Paul's delight. People today are eager for progress; they want to see advancement in
their own lives and in society generally. The Bible rejects any false progressive attitude
in which we claim to know better than the Word (I Cor. 4:6; II John, vs. 9). Yet this
does not yet mean that the Bible is against progress as such, as we see from what Paul
(and Timothy) wrote to the saints at Philippi (i.e. the members of the congregation
there) together with their overseers and deacons. (The Greek word for overseer is
episkopos, from which our word bishop is derived via a circuitous route.)
[70]
Paul is delighted that the Philippians share in the gospel, and he is convinced that
the one who has begun a good work in them will "bring it to completion at the day of
Jesus Christ" (1:6). Paul also prays that the love of the Philippians will come out more
and more in clear insight and discernment, so that they will develop a keen sense of
right and wrong (vs. 9-10). The apostle wants to see them make progress in equipping
themselves with knowledge!
Impure motives. To comfort the Philippians, Paul tells them that what he has undergone
has served to advance the gospel. It became clear to the praetorian guard that Paul was
in chains not because of any political extremism but because he proclaimed the gospel
of Jesus as the Christ. This encouraged other preachers of the gospel, although some
regarded it as a reason to preach with impure motives, i.e. "pretense" (1:18).
Nevertheless, Paul rejoiced in his situation, for the gospel was advancing!
Now, some people take 1:18 to mean that it really doesn't matter what doctrine is
taught. They claim we have reason to rejoice whenever the gospel is brought in a veiled
way. But Paul is not talking about bringing an impure gospel; he is talking about
bringing the pure gospel of Christ with impure motives, which is something quite
different. The sinful eagerness of some preachers to gain prestige, he points out, will not
block the advance of the gospel.
Back in harness. Paul expects to be in harness again before long. For him to die is gain.
If he were to think of himself alone, he would choose to be freed of his task in order to
be with Christ. Yet, Paul is not animated by an egoistic desire for heaven. For him to live
is Christ—and also to do fruitful work!
Isn't it wonderful that Paul thinks not just of his own advancement but also of the
progress of the church? While i here may be peace elsewhere, the issue is the
[71]
advancement of the Philippians (1:25). The church that builds itself a quiet retreat in
the countryside where it can enjoy "peace" is on the verge of dying. To live is Christ,
that is, to do fruitful work.

3. Christian Citizenship and Lifestyle (1:27—2:18)

A community centered in heaven. As the struggle continues, the Philippians must stand
firm in the Spirit (1:27). In 3:20 Paul speaks of the "politeuma" in heaven. The Revised
Standard Version reads: "But our commonwealth is in heaven," while the New English
Bible renders this text as: "We, by contrast, are citizens of heaven." In the word
politeuma we hear the word polis, which means city or city-state and is also the root of
our word politics. The church, then, is a community of citizens with its center in heaven,
where the Messiah is, the One who will one day return to glorify the church in soul and
body.
Paul's use of the word politeuma here has been read by some scholars as a reference to
the fact that Philippi was an ancient Roman military colony. What Paul meant to say,
according to this view, is: "Philippians, you are citizens of two realms, that is, citizens of
Rome and citizens of Christ." But the New Testament does not recognize or presuppose
any such division. The authorities are servants of God or "leitourgoi" (Rom. 13:1ff,) In
Philippi the authorities had to apologize to Paul for mistreating him (Acts 16:35ff).
Therefore he must have had some other contrast in mind.
Opposition from the synagogue. The synagogue's community of Jews in a certain place

33
 [72]
was sometimes called a "politeuma," for the members of such a community formed
a closely connected unity oriented toward Jerusalem. The word that Paul uses in 1:27
when he speaks of "your manner of life" (politeuesthai) is also used to refer to the
Jewish "manner of life."
This gives depth to Paul's admonitions. In Philippi, too, the synagogue must have made
things difficult for the church. Just as Moses in his song called apostate Israel a
'perverse generation" (Deut. 32:5, 20), so Paul speaks of a 'crooked and perverse
generation" in the midst of which God's chosen people must live (2:15). What he meant,
no doubt, was the Israel that had broken the covenant, including the Judaizing false
teachers.
Conduct befitting the gospel. The "earthly" Jewish politeuma stands over against the
politeuma anchored in the heavens. We, by contrast, are a politeuma of heaven; we are
not bound to the present Jerusalem (see Gal. 4:25-6). For this reason, the church must
manifest its own style. Its members, as citizens of God's Kingdom, should conduct
themselves in a worthy manner, in accordance with the gospel. There must be inward
unity. The Christians must bear the mark of the One who emptied Himself and assumed
the form of a servant in order to achieve glory by that route.
The same attitude must govern the politeuma of the Christians at Philippi; they must
learn to bear the stamp of their heavenly Lord. Those who humble themselves will be
exalted. People who once stood shoulder to shoulder in the battle can so easily have a
falling out. (Think of the admonition addressed to two women, Euodia and Syntyche, in
4:2-3.)
Pressure and stress lead to grumbling. But joy and a willingness to sacrifice should come
first (2:17-18). Then he race Paul has run—notice all the terms from sports and he
military—will not be in vain (2:16).
[73]
Watch out for those dogs
(3:2 NIV).

4. The Path to Righteousness and Perfection (2:19—4:23)

False teachers. Epaphroditus, who had risked his life for Paul, was not the only one sent
to Philippi. To prepare for his own coming (2:19-24), Paul sent Timothy, who knew the
Philippians personally (Acts 16:1ff).
It is clear from Paul's words that he and Timothy were badly needed. False teachers who
wanted to introduce circumcision and the Jewish dietary laws were at work in the
congregation. Since the Jews sometimes referred to the Gentiles as "dogs," Paul uses
this uncomplimentary title to refer to Jewish agitators, those enemies of the cross of
Christ. Their god is their belly. For them, keeping the dietary regulations paves the way
to salvation. Their shame is their glory; circumcision is their ticket to Messianic glory.
Righteousness through faith. By pointing to his own life, Paul once more sketches the
true gospel. Earlier he, too, had trusted in physical descent and ceremonial works. But
now he regards all that as rubbish and counts it as loss, for he has come to know Christ
and now seeks righteousness through Him. For Christ's sake, therefore, he wishes to
bear a cross, for he knows that he, with Christ, will one day rise from among the dead.
Isn't our own "politeuma" in heaven, from where the Lord Jesus will come to deliver us?
We achieve righteousness through faith alone, and we must be careful not to listen to
any false gospel—even if clinging to the true gospel means suffering and affliction in the
present.
Striving for perfection. Paul declares: "Not that I have already obtained this or am
[74]
already perfect; but I press on to make it my own ..." (3:12). This text is sometimes
interpreted to mean that we can never be sure of our salvation. But as we ponder the
meaning of the text, we should note what Paul says at the end: "... because Christ Jesus
has made me his own."

34
What Paul presses on to make his own is not an assurance of salvation, faith and
forgiveness. In this verse he is not declaring that he will never be perfect. Yet he does
enjoy certainty of faith, for Christ has taken hold of him. That's why he presses on to
win the prize, which is resurrection from the dead. What he tells us in this verse is that
he is not yet perfect. In principle, perfection is attainable (3:15-16).
Guarded by God's peace. Paul concludes his letter with various admonitions. The motifs
we saw earlier come to the fore again. The Philippians must stand firm in the Lord (4:1)
and rejoice (vs. 4). Paul asks them to be of one mind and to trust in God, who cares for
them and gives them His peace (vs. 2-7). He thanks them once more for the gesture of
repeatedly sending him support (vs. 10ff) and sends greetings from the saints,
"especially those of Caesar's household," who would no doubt have some acquaintances
in the Roman colony of Philippi (vs. 22).
Paul also tells the Philippians: "The Lord is at hand" (4:5). The Lord Jesus is coming to
judge the enemies of the church. He will protect His "politeuma." Thus the believers
have reason to rejoice and to be friendly and generous to their neighbors. In the
Messiah they are guarded by God's peace, which is beyond all human understanding.

35
[75]
Colossians
1. Christ's All-embracing Redemptive Work
The church at Colossae. Colossae was in inland Asia Minor on the banks of the Lycus
River, about 200 kilometers from Ephesus. It was not far from Laodicea (one of the
"seven churches" in the book of Revelation) and Hierapolis, with its warm springs.
The congregation at Colossae had been founded not by Paul but by his helper Epaphras
(1:7). At the time the Letter to the Colossians was written, Epaphras was with Paul in
prison (4:12). No doubt he gave Paul some precise information about the congregation
in the Lycus Valley, enabling him to write in a concrete, specific way.
A heresy with a Jewish flavor. The Letter to the Colossians looks a great deal like the
Letter to the Ephesians. In fact, Colossians, Ephesians, and the Letter to Philemon (who
lived in Colossae) were all written at about the same time. Still, Colossians has a
message of its own, for Paul was responding to a false teaching that was gaining ground
in Colossae.
[76]
The false gospel that made the rounds there reminds us cf the teachings of the
Jewish agitators in Galatia. There were many Jews living in Colossae and the
surrounding area, which probably explains why the heresy penetrating the church had a
certain Jewish flavor.
Secret wisdom. Then, as now, the Jews were not all united. There were liberal, broad-
minded Sadducees and narrow-minded Pharisees. There were fiery nationalists as well
as teachers adept at mixing bits of heathen Gnosticism and mysterious wisdom with
Jewish teachings and customs.
The false teachers at Colossae were of the latter variety. They pretended to possess
some sort of secret, mysterious wisdom that would bring complete redemption for those
who were in on the secret. To attain a higher level of wisdom, one had to abide by
ascetic rules: abstain from eating this and that, and fast on certain special days
(2:16ff)- Circumcision was also a valuable practice (2:1ff). Furthermore, angels were
assigned a major role in the work of redemption as mediators, perhaps because they
were regarded as a source of assistance in the face of hostile angelic powers (vs. 18).
The Christians were urged to follow a custom already prevalent among the Jews by
worshiping certain angels.
Freedom from evil powers. This mishmash of "wisdom" dressed up in Christian garments
seems to have been warmly received in the Lycus Valley. We see here the same danger
that always threatens the church, namely, adaptation and accommodation. Living by
ascetic rules, being afraid of hostile angelic powers and taking all sorts of measures
against them—these things are far too common among people enchanted by the
"powers" outside Christ.
[77]
The Letter to the Colossians deals with this point in different ways and from various
angles, emphasizing that Christ has completely conquered all the powers. We need no
"good" angelic powers to supplement His redemptive work. No regulations drawn from a
manmade religion can contribute to our salvation. Jesus Christ has fulfilled the service of
shadows (including circumcision). He is the center of the system in which all things have
their place. Under His rule we are safe and we are free—also from evil powers!

2. Everything Must Bow before Him

The powers disarmed by Christ. After the salutation, which Paul issues in Timothy's
name as well as his own, he gives thanks. In the congregation at Colossae, there is faith
and love for others. Moreover, the Colossians cling to the hope laid up for them in
heaven. Just as elsewhere in the world, the preaching of the gospel in Colossae (by
Epaphras) has borne fruit. Paul prays that it may remain so and that the Colossians may
continue to see that it is the Father who delivers them from the power of darkness and

36
transfers them to the Kingdom of His beloved Son (1:13). Paul's prayer is that the
Colossians "may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding" (vs. 9).
To help the Colossians toward this goal, he tells them of the perfect redemptive work of
Jesus Christ. Paul stresses this point because of the heretical teaching circulating in
Colossae to the effect that Christ's work is in need of some sort of "supplement." In
Christ all things were created, including those unseen powers against which the
Colossians wished to arm themselves and the angelic powers they sometimes called on
for assistance. "In him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and
[78]
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities" (1:16). Paul
explains further: "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (vs. 17).
Through His death on the cross, He disarmed all the Dowers. It is through Him that all
things have been reconciled to God (1:19-20).
Following the Savior. This bearer of authority is the Head of the church (1:18). Through
Him the church has been restored to a reconciled relationship to God—through Him
alone! This is the gospel, the mystery, the hidden :ruth that is revealed to the pagans. It
is for this gospel that Paul, too, must suffer. If there is any supplementing or
complementing to be done, it is of a different kind: "I complete what is lacking in
Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (1:24).
Of course this does not mean that Paul is supplementing the work of Christ by earning
something extra for the church through his good works. The entire letter to the
Colossians is a protest against any such theory! No, Paul declares that he is a servant of
the church. He wants to follow His Savior in kingdom service by passing on the one
gospel to the Gentiles, without any supplements from Jews or anyone else.
Freedom from ritual laws. This is the gospel the Colossians received from Epaphras.
They must cling to that gospel and not trade it in for any pseudo-wisdom or "human
8
tradition" (2:8, 22; Is. 29:13; Matt. 15:9).
[79]
Will the Colossians slip back into a reliance on the "first principles of this world"
(2:20), the ABCs of the law of shadows, which has been replaced by the "body of the
Christ"? (In this text, as well as in Galatians 4:3 and 9, the Revised Standard Version
and the New English Bible both translate Paul's reference to the "first principles" of this
world as "elemental spirits.")
When the Colossians died with Christ, were they not freed from keeping a whole series
of ritual laws? To cling to something else is to devise a manmade religion; it is to seek to
please ourselves (2:23).

3. Dying with the Messiah and Living with Him

9
No disdain for earthly things. Dying with the Christ does not mean seeking a mysterious
knowledge beyond the gospel. What it means is that we, as baptized believers, are to
take the Christ into account in all sorts of situations in our varied and colorful lives.
The false teachers wanted to start down below and ascend to the heights, but the
church knows that its life is hid with Jesus Christ in the heavens, with the Messiah who
has disarmed all the powers. Christians are to go about their day-to-day affairs in that
awareness.
"Seeking the things that are above" and "setting our minds" on them (3:1-2) does not
mean that we are to despise earthly things and live a life of illusion, fixing our hopes on

8
It is striking that not only the quotation from Isaiah 29:13 but also some other expressions show
that 2:8-23 is very closely connected with Matthew 15:1-20 and Mark 7:1-23. Perhaps the best
way to explain this is to assume that Paul was familiar with the content of these two "gospels" and
was passing that content along in his own words.
9
Again the article is necessary: the Greek text speaks four times of "the Christ" in 3:1-4.

37
"pie in the sky." What it means instead is that Christ is our point of departure and
orientation, the one who gives us our mandate and directives in life.
[80]
Putting on the new nature. Paul works this out with regard to all sorts of commands
of the Lord. We must put or the new nature and be patient with each other. We must
praise God in song. In marriage, in relationships between parents and children and
between masters and slaves, in relationships with those who do not believe, in prayer
for Paul's ministry—in short, in all we do we must "seek the things that are above."
Even in ordinary daily conversation, the church must be a salting salt (4:6). Keep your
eyes on the things below and your mind on the things above.

4. Contact between the Churches

Warm words about Epaphras. Tychicus was to deliver the letter. He would be
accompanied by Onesimus, the runaway slave. Epaphras, the founder of the
congregation at Colossae, would apparently be staying with Paul, who had some very
warm things to say about him. Paul did not want the Christians in Colossae, Laodicea
and Hierapolis to think that Epaphras wished to be "free" of his responsibility in the
churches so that he could waste his time.
Other names are mentioned at the end of the letter, including Mark, the cousin of
Barnabas, and Luke, the physician. Archippus, who is also mentioned in the Letter to
Philemon, is commissioned to complete the ministry he has undertaken. It has been
suggested that he was a son of Philemon (the owner and master of Onesimus), and that
he was the pastor of the church in Laodicea.
Apostolic writings in circulation. Paul commands that his letter be read to the brethren in
[81]
Laodicea. Moreover, the letter Paul sent to the Laodiceans was to be read to the
Colossians. Some scholars take it that this letter to the Laodiceans is really the Letter to
the Ephesians, which was an encyclical, as you will recall. There is also an apocryphal
letter to the Laodiceans, but it is a later falsification; that is to say, it was pieced
together from various writings by Paul.
The Letter to the Colossians, on the other hand, is genuine. The imprisoned apostle
made sure it would be accepted as genuine by concluding with a greeting in his own
handwriting. That way the churches in the area where the letter circulated could testify
confidently that it was not a hoax. Thus we see that the number of churches and
apostolic writings in circulation was growing.

38
[82]
I Thessalonians
1. Follow-up Care for a New Congregation
First the Jew. Thessalonica (now called Salonika) was the second place on the European
continent where Paul established a church during his "second" missionary journey. He
had just come from Philippi, where he had been beaten and jailed for the sake of the
gospel. Now that a "bridgehead" had been established in Europe, Paul carried the gospel
farther as quickly as he could.
In the port city of Thessalonica, Paul and his companion Silas (Silvanus) began their
work by seeking contact with the Jews in the synagogue. Naturally this would lead to a
struggle, but Paul wanted to cling to his principle to the bitter end—first to the Jew, and
then to the Greek. For three sabbaths he was allowed to preach in the synagogue about
Jesus' suffering and resurrection as Messianic deeds of redemption. Although most of
the Jews rejected his message, he did manage to win over a number of "God-fearing"
Greeks as well as many prominent women. With this the church at Thessalonica was
founded.
[83]
Harassment. These "God-fearing" Greeks were Gentile sympathizers who attended
services in the synagogues. When they became Christians, the synagogue in
Thessalonica was suddenly bereft of a significant part of its evangelistic success.
Jealousy aroused by the growth of the church led the Jews to stir up the riffraff of the
town against the Christians. The house of a man named Jason, where Paul was staying
and perhaps also doing manual labor to provide for his own support, was stormed. At a
protest meeting before the city authorities, the Christians were accused of stirring up
the entire civilized world (oikoumené) contrary to the emperor's teaching by proclaiming
Jesus as emperor.
After Jason and some others posted a bond, the trouble blew over. All the same, Paul
was forced to break off his work. No doubt this conflicted with his plans and did not fit in
with his "mission strategy." Even at Beroea, where he sought refuge, he was bothered
by the Jews of Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-14).
Thanksgiving and correction. Because Paul was concerned about the Spiritual welfare of
the believers in Thessalonica, he instructed Timothy to go there from Athens so that no
one would be shaken as a result of all the affliction (3:3). Paul also wanted to know how
things were going with their faith, hope and love, "fearing that the tempter might have
tempted you and my labour might be lost" (3:5 NEB). When Timothy returned from
Macedonia with a report for Paul, the apostle decided to write a letter to the church in
Thessalonica.
Timothy had many good things to say about the Thessalonians. Thus Paul had ample
reason to give thanks, which he proceeded to do in a sensitive, tactful way. On the other
hand, there were also a few points calling for correction and clarification. Paul
[84]
immediately seized on correspondence as a means of giving the Thessalonians some
"follow-up" pastoral care.
Doubts about Paul. It was apparent that the enemies of the church had been active.
Moreover, satan, the "tempter," was working through them, eager to put the work of
Paul in a bad light in order to cast doubt on the gospel he preached.
Paul was being accused of getting rich at the congregation's expense. He was also
accused of being a coward who went into hiding or took to his heels as soon as there
was any danger. It happened that Thessalonica was on a major highway known as the
"Via Egnatia." Thus it was visited regularly by miracle workers, traveling philosophers,
and preachers of new divinities—all of them interested mainly in recognition and profit.
Paul's opponents declared that he was nothing but a wandering showman. Such slander
could even give rise to questions in the minds of Paul's friends if they heard it often
enough.

39
Future expectations. There was more. The people expected Christ to return soon. In the
meantime, however, some members of the congregation had died. What would their
future be? Would death rob them of the privilege of witnessing Christ's return?
The thought of Christ's advent or return apparently dominated the lives of some of the
Thessalonian Christians so much that they became loafers. Why should they throw
themselves into earthly tasks if Christ was about to return? Future expectations arising
from a mistaken interpretation and understanding of the second coming led to irregular
living and "sponging." Hence Paul had to point out the proper way. We must bear this
background in mind when we read Paul's defense of himself, his words of comfort, and
his admonitions.

[85]
2. Words of Comfort and Admonition (1:1—4:12)
Thanksgiving. Paul addresses his letter to "the church of the Thessalonians, in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." We must view this choice of words against a
background of Jewish persecution. The Jews pretended to be the true church, but Paul
awards this title to those who know God the Father through Jesus the Lord and Messiah.
They are the ones permitted the honor of calling themselves the "church," the
congregation of the redeemed.
As usual, the apostle begins by giving thanks. He speaks of the Thessalonians' "work of
faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:3; see also
II Thess. 1:3ff; I Cor. 13:13; Col. 1:4-5).
Waiting for Christ's return. The Jews did not make it easy for the Thessalonian
Christians. The whole Jewish community was stirred up against them. Yet, despite the
severe oppression, the congregation received the Word in the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Reports of this had gone throughout all of Greece. Paul did not even have to inform
people elsewhere in Greece about it, for they were all familiar with the story of how the
church in Thessalonica had been established. They knew how the people there had
undergone a radical conversion and how they lived in expectation of the coming of
Christ, "who delivers us from the wrath to come" (1:10).
We should pay careful attention to Paul's formulation and choice of words. The
expectation of Christ's return was strong in Thessalonica, and also gave rise to some
mistaken ideas. Paul was to come back to these matters in his second letter.
[86]
Paul's apologia. The first topic he took up was his relationship to the congregation.
His enemies in Thessalonica had raised all sorts of suspicions about him. He found it
necessary, therefore, to write an apologia, a defense of himself.
Paul was accused of impure motives, of operating on the basis of cunning and flattery. It
was even whispered that he profited financially from his work as an apostle.
The accusations were easy to refute. The congregation could well remember the tense
days when Paul first worked in Thessalonica. Although he had just come from Philippi,
where he had been treated very badly, he was just as bold in Thessalonica, where he
ran the risk of receiving the same treatment.
Paul could have made certain demands in virtue of his standing as one of Christ's
apostles. Yet he did not seek his own advantage but worked night and day (with his
hands) so that he would not be a financial burden to anyone (2:9). He did not play the
part of a celebrated teacher who demands a great deal of his hearers. Instead he was a
father and a mother to the believers (2:7, 11).
A common struggle. This approach bore fruit, for the Thessalonians came to believe not
on Paul's authority but on the authority of the gospel (2:13). Yet, Thessalonica suffered
the same oppression as the churches in Judea, an oppression that came from Jews who
did not accept the gospel.
"The Jews" were making the measure of their sin full not only by rejecting Christ, the
prophets and the apostles but also by opposing the expansion of the church in the world.

40
(When Paul spoke of "the Jews," he was distantiating himself from his own countrymen.)
Paul showed the church in Thessalonica that its struggle was one that went back all the
way to the time of the prophets. There is one struggle of the church throughout the
entire earth.
[87]
Held back by satan. Before Paul left Thessalonica, he had made it clear that the
church's lot involves suffering (3:3-4). Now the time of oppression had arrived. Paul was
so concerned about the congregation that he chose to remain alone in Athens and send
Timothy to Thessalonica to find out how things were going. That way Paul would no
longer be unsure (3:2).
Paul's enemies had apparently been saying that he did not dare return. The apostle
pointed out in reply that on two occasions he had been planning to come to Thessalonica
again, but "Satan hindered us" (2:18). Fortunately, Timothy brought back a favorable
report. Paul was comforted by the church's firm stand in its faith (3:6-13).
Room for improvement. This did not alter the fact that Paul saw various reasons to
admonish the Thessalonians. There is always room for improvement. The church must
press on toward perfection. In the time of the new covenant, the principle of obedience
is never fully realized.
That's why Paul pointed back to the things he had said in the name of Christ when the
church was being established. He dealt with sexual life, trade, and daily work.
The morality and customs of the pagans were a constant danger to the Christians in
Thessalonica. The Thessalonians made a mockery of marriage. Paul therefore told the
Christians there that it is God's will that "each one of you know how to take a wife for
himself in holiness and honor" (4:4).
Moreover, the brethren in the church were not to cheat and deceive each other. And as
for work, the world was not to get the impression that the Christian church is full of
loafers (4:1-12). The Christians were not to be parasites living off the generosity of the
deacons.

[88]
3. The Coming of the Christ (4:13—5:11)
No grieving without hope. In the community there was some uncertainty about those
who had "fallen asleep." What would happen to them when Jesus returned?
Paul hastens to reassure the congregation by way of a word from the Lord. There is no
reason for us to grieve without hope, as those who do not expect the Messiah grieve.
Christ's death and resurrection guarantees the resurrection of the dead. Isn't the church
one with Him?
Of course there will be some who will not die but will experience the mighty coming of
King Jesus while they are still alive. Here Paul speaks of Jesus' coming as a "parousia," a
term the Greeks used when speaking of a highly placed person's arrival in the city.
Meeting the Lord in the air. When Christ descends from heaven, the believers will be the
first to arise from among the dead and will join the believers who are still alive as they
go to "meet" the Lord. Thus the church will take a journey through space!
This is not to say that the church will always be suspended in the air. She will meet her
Lord as He comes to take possession of the world, just as the wise virgins met the
bridegroom. (In Matthew 25:1ff, where we read about the wise virgins and the foolish
virgins, many of the same words are used as in I Thessalonians 4:13ff.)
Once the Lord has returned, we will always be with Him. These are truly words of
comfort for those who stand before an open grave, which is why they are so often read
at Christian funerals and gravesides. Yet, how little expectation there is among us of the
church's "space journey"!
[89]
Not a matter of speculation. It has been said of Paul that he first expected Christ to

41
return before long (as in I Thessalonians 4) but later in life, when he began to see his
own death nearing, started to think otherwise (as in II Corinthians 5). The truth of the
matter is that Paul lived in the knowledge that the coming of the Lord Jesus was near,
but he did not say just when He would return. Like his Lord, he did not say anything
about "the times and the seasons" (5:1; Acts 1:7).
For the apostolic church, the doctrine of the "parousia" should be a matter not of
speculation but of comfort (4:13ff) and admonition (5:2ff). Christ comes as a thief in the
night (5:2; Matt. 24:43; II Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15; Jer. 49:9; Joel 2:9). Therefore
the church must be on guard. Its members must be sober; they must be children of light
rather than children of darkness (see Luke 16:8; John 8:12; 12:36; Eph. 5:8). Awaiting
Christ's return means arming ourselves, so that whether we are awake or asleep—here
Paul reckons with the possibility of death before Christ's return—we will live together
with Christ (5:8ff).

4. Living in Expectation of the Christ (5:12-28)

Testing the spirits. The Thessalonian church had some "idle" members who used the
expectation of Christ's return as an excuse not to do any work. Those members needed
to be admonished. Moreover, the office-bearers were to be respected. "Test everything;
hold fast what is good," wrote Paul (5:21).
This text is often taken as a license to "try" anything and everything. "Don't condemn it
if you haven't tried it." But when we read these words in their context, we see that they
[90]
mean no such thing: "Do not quench the spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test
everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil."
Thus the text does not say that we must "try everything out." There are many things we
must stay away from because they are "deep things of Satan" (Rev. 2:24). When Paul
talks of "testing," he means that the prophecies presented in church as revelations are
to be tested. The "spirits" must be tested to determine whether they are of God.
On the one hand, prophecy must not be despised. (In those days there were still special
Spiritual gifts.) On the other hand, not every alleged prophecy is to be accepted
immediately (see I Cor. 14:29-32; I John 4:1ff).
No withdrawal from life. The expectation of Christ's return can lead to a strange attitude
of withdrawal from life, an attitude in which we do little more than stare at the clouds.
It's not right for Christians to wait passively; instead they should be busy in the midst of
life.
The expectation of the "parousia" should make Christians extremely conscious of what
they do with the time granted them; any sermon on the subject should make them work
even harder and strive more than ever to help others. "May the God of peace himself
sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless
at the coming (parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:23).
Faithfulness in little things. In this letter Paul repeatedly points back to what he taught
the Thessalonians when he was with them. "For when we were with you, we told you
beforehand . . ." (3:4). "For you know what instructions we gave you ..." (4:2). Thus
Paul directs the church's attention back to the instruction he was able to give briefly at
the beginning. In the second letter he did so as well.
[91]
These letters presented no new teaching; they were only an elaboration of what the
Thessalonians had already been told. To live in anticipation of the future, to live
according to the Word, does not mean walking down unfamiliar paths; it means being
faithful in following the way already indicated.
Living in expectation of Christ's "parousia" has nothing to do with mysterious speculation
about times and circumstances. What counts is being faithful in little things and living in
this assurance: "He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it" (5:24). He will finish what
He has started and will keep all His promises.

42
[92]
II Thessalonians
1. Misunderstandings about the Day of the Lord
Living for the future. When Paul preached in the synagogue at Thessalonica, he began
by pointing to what the Scriptures have to say about the Messiah, the Anointed One.
That Messiah, he told his hearers, is Jesus. Out of His work a church was born (Acts
17:1ff).
Now, the Scriptures speak repeatedly of "the day of the Lord." The apostle had preached
that Jesus would come in His "parousia" on that day.
This preaching hit home in Thessalonica. Yet, because Paul did not have much time to
teach, misunderstandings arose. This was already apparent from his first letter. There
were people who cut their ties with the present and lived for the future alone. They even
gave up their jobs. After all, what was the point of working if Christ's return was
imminent?
In this respect, too, there's nothing new under the sun. In every generation there seem
to be people who figure out the exact date of Christ's return on the basis of political
[93]
conditions and various other givens. When their predictions are not fulfilled, others
come along with new sensational prophecies.
Standing firm in a time of trial. In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul takes up
these matters in the manner of a true shepherd. He is careful to cross his "t's" and dot
his "i's," but he does not approach the congregation with a negative attitude. He takes
the Thessalonians by the hand, as it were, and begins by pointing to what he has
already taught them.
Paul opens his letter with a word of thanks to the Lord for the faith, mutual love and
persevering hope of the Thessalonians. They have had a hard time because of
persecution by the Jews. Yet, they stood firm in their time of trial, for they knew that
their persecutors and oppressors would bring down judgment on themselves on "that
day" (compare Is. 66:15, 5 with II Thess. l:8ff).

2. A Beacon Signaling the Approach of the Day of the Lord

False alarms. Because some members of the Thessalonian church were upset, Paul
wrote: "Please do not get excited too soon or alarmed by any prediction or rumor or any
letter claiming to come from us, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived"
(2:2 JB). He uses the same word for alarmed as we find in Matthew 24:6, where Jesus
tells His disciples not to be "alarmed" when they hear about wars and rumors of wars.
In offering this word of reassurance, Paul did not mean to deny that the Lord will come
like a thief in the night. After all, when he taught in their midst, he told them of the
[94]
things that would happen first. The Lord had spoken of the abomination in the holy
place, i.e. the temple (Matt. 24:15). Apostasy, that is, a turning away from the
covenant, would first break out in its full horror and ugliness. A "man of sin," by which
Paul meant some sort of sinful person, would set himself up in the temple of God to rule
there as though he were king.
Covenant judgment on Jerusalem. We have no reason to believe that Paul was speaking
in symbolic terms, or that he meant the church when he spoke of the "temple of God"
here and in Ephesians 2:21, I Corinthians 3:16 and II Corinthians 6:16. Like his Lord,
Paul was speaking of the lawlessness (another theme that occurs prominently in
Matthew 24) and disobedience of the covenant people who lived out of a false messianic
expectation, turning the temple in Jerusalem into an idol and filling it with the most
abominable scenes.
Here, too, statements of Christ (e.g. Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) form the
background to Paul's words. This means that Paul is not talking about some antichrist far
in the future. Instead he is speaking of covenant judgment on Jerusalem.

43
Paul does not draw on Jesus' words to talk about some entirely different matter, some
future antichrist or world dictator armed with a propaganda ministry. What he does is to
explain Jesus' own prophecies about the coming apostasy and the covenant judgment to
which it would lead. He does not go beyond the words of Jesus; he paraphrases them. If
we understood this properly, we would not be plagued by fantasies about an antichrist
"at the end of time."
A restraining power. Paul tells us that this lawless figure is restrained. Many think in
terms of the gospel here, which blocks the advance of anti-Christian powers today. But
[95]
this interpretation, too, proceeds from the false notion that Paul is talking about a
personal antichrist at the end of time. Many Church Fathers, however, assumed that the
Roman empire was the restraining power, holding back the Jewish revolution for some
time.
There is an end to God's patience, then. Those who rejected the gospel would ultimately
be given over to the power of error, the power that makes us believe the lie. This should
not lead the Thessalonians to panic. Only after Jerusalem's concentrated apostasy from
the living God will Christ appear. Hence the Thessalonians were not to listen to "wicked
and evil men" (see also Rev. 2:2), for "not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will
strengthen you and guard you from evil" (3:2-3).
Ecclesiastical apostasy. Paul's prediction about the sign of Jesus' coming was borne out
in the year 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed. Yet, Jesus still has not returned. The
pattern Paul sketched is seen repeatedly in church history: apostasy from the covenant,
lawlessness in God's temple, and then complete ecclesiastical apostasy. Hence we must
not assume that II Thessalonians 2 will only be fulfilled when "the time of the end"
comes. Paul's words have already been fulfilled.
The sign of Jesus' coming is the historical disaster of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Paul's words
should not only stir our expectations of Christ's return, they should also encourage us to
use the energies that are ours today to combat false teaching in "Christian" dress and
save ourselves from it.

3. Work and Christian Nobility

[96]
The importance of work. After Paul rejects any overly intense preoccupation with the
time of Christ's return, he uses his apostolic authority to censure those who have given
up on work. The congregation must avoid such people so that they will be ashamed of
themselves and repent. When Paul taught the Thessalonians earlier, he impressed it
upon them that whoever chooses not to work is not to be fed.
In laying down this rule, which applies to lazy people (see Prov. 20:4; 24:30-4), Paul did
not spell out our responsibilities in detail. This does not mean, however, that he would
be satisfied to see believers getting by with the minimum, working just enough to
support themselves. Paul points out that he himself worked day and night with his hands
(3:8; Acts 20:34), thereby setting an example. Moreover, as an apostle he was busy
night and day, admonishing and teaching (Acts 20:31).
Work as a calling. Each of us has a calling, whether it be manual labor or "church work,"
and we must view ourselves as called to our work by our heavenly Lord. We do not work
just to support ourselves. By using our gifts, we serve the One who has re-created us
and glorify Him. If we view our calling in this light, there is no room for living off others
as parasites.
This awareness also keeps us from being unduly alarmed at the signs of the times. Paul
admonishes the Thessalonian Christians in the Lord to go about their own work calmly
and to eat their own bread. The Christian is not elevated above the cultural mandate:
the mandate is also valid for him. The noble Christian works while it is yet clay.
Hope in the second advent makes us come alive. If we knew that Jesus was coming
tomorrow, we would still go ahead and plant the tree we were planning to plant today,
as Luther put it. We eat in order to work!

44
 [97]
After writing a greeting in his own hand to preclude doubts about the authenticity of
his letter, Paul brings II Thessalonians to a close. The peace and grace of the high
priest's benediction (Num. 6:25-6) descend on those who both watch and work.

45
[98]
I Timothy
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the
flock (Acts 20:29).

1. A Shepherd Must Defend His Flock

Pastoral epistles. The word pastor, which is derived from a Latin word, means shepherd.
Pastoral letters, then, are the letters of a shepherd. Although all the letters in the New
Testament are actually "pastoral" in nature and intent, Paul's two letters to Timothy and
his letter to Titus are usually called the "pastoral epistles."
These letters were meant to support two "officebearers," Timothy and Titus, in their
difficult work in their respective areas, i.e. Ephesus and Crete. They were written in the
same spirit as Paul's address at Miletus to the elders in Ephesus (Acts 20:18-35) and
probably stem from a period shortly after that event.
The question of authorship. There are theologians (armed with computers) who argue
[99]
that Paul is not the author of the "pastoral epistles." They maintain that the
vocabulary used in these epistles is not the same as that used in the letters to the
churches. Different heresies are discussed, and a different church order is presupposed.
Therefore the pastoral epistles must be falsifications.
Now, the appearance of some different terminology in these letters can also be regarded
as an argument in favor of Paul's authorship, for anyone trying to imitate Paul's style
would surely have stuck to his vocabulary. And how would a spurious author ever have
thought of such comments as the ones about the cloak and the wine? (5:23; II Tim.
4:13). Moreover, in the other letters of Paul we also hear a good deal about heretics
who were under Jewish influence. (Think of the Letter to the Galatians.)
As for the references to elders and deacons, it is apparent from Acts 20:17 and
Philippians 1:1 that these office-bearers were already a regular part of church life in
Paul's time. To assume that Timothy and Titus were bishops is to impose a later
development on an earlier situation.
Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy when he was still a free man. It is usually assumed
that he wrote it after being released from imprisonment in Rome, but we might well ask
whether the letter could stem from a much earlier time, the time before his final journey
to Jerusalem (i.e. between verses 2 and 7 of Acts 20). The journey to Macedonia (1:3)
would then be the journey mentioned in Acts 20:1.
The danger of syncretism. At the time when the letter was written, Timothy was in
Ephesus, for Paul had sent him there. Timothy's special assignment was to oppose the
heretics. The church in Ephesus was in danger of being infected by misleading spirits
that wished to fuse Christianity with heathen and Jewish thinking—an approach usually
called syncretism.
[100]
Heresy could penetrate the Christian church all the more easily because of the
many strange doctrines that had crept in among the Jews. There were "teachers" of the
law who put things into Bible texts that really were not there at all, claiming to find a
mystical "truth behind the truth." The stories of the Bible were embroidered as people
turned their imaginations loose and used the material of redemptive history to construct
myths, fables and fairy tales.
Traces of such speculation are to be found in the "apocryphal" literature of Biblical times
and in various other Jewish writings. It was maintained, for example, that angels are
circumcised, that Adam was both man and woman, and that the marriage of Adam and
Eve was the original sin. Furthermore, genealogies were used to prove all sorts of
things—perhaps even that the new teachers were of noble or royal descent.
The effect of the false teachings. These teachers appealed to the Bible and to tradition.
The growth of all the speculative literature, such as the spurious gospels, letters and

46
"revelations" that we find in the early church, was due mainly to the Jews. This was the
battle Timothy had to fight. The spurious writings were a useful tool in the hands of the
heretics as they sought to take the true gospel and the true law away from the church,
substituting false teaching and an interpretation of the law (torah) adapted to
heathendom.
The so-called teachers of the law (1:7), with their so-called knowledge (6:20), their
myths and their hollow words, had a lamentable influence on the life of the church. True
knowledge builds up the church in love, but false knowledge creates no unity between
faith and action. It leaves the will unbroken. The result is that life is not sanctified (4:5)
but is perverted instead. Because the "knowledge" presented by the false teachers was
[101]
the fruit of pride and conceit and was contrary to the teachings of Scripture, it
could not help but have a disastrous effect on the life of the congregation.
Nature and grace. The false teachers, who pretended to be great rabbis, did not
understand the relationship between "nature" and "grace." In their myths it was not
taught that everything God has made is good and is therefore not to be rejected (4:4).
That's why they tended to look down on the natural order of things: they spoke highly of
those who, as a matter of principle, did not want to marry or remarry (4:3; 5:14). It did
not seem to matter to the false teachers that those who remained unmarried as a
matter of principle were very troublesome people who often behaved in an arrogant way
that clearly conflicted with God's ordinances (5:11-13; 2:11-15).
It hardly needs to be said that these new rabbis with their elaborate theories and their
hair-splitting were a source of great division, the cause of a lot of wasted time, and the
fathers of a scholasticism that kills the spirit. How far removed they were from the
Sermon on the Mount! The Word of Christ played no role in the thinking of these
advocates of "progress," who had gone far beyond the simplicity of that Word.
The unity of faith and life. The people who succumbed to this way of thinking were sick
through and through (6:3ff). They spoke of the law in grand terms, but their faith had
become a matter of the mind only; it had nothing to do with the heart. "Life" could go
forward unrestrained.
On this point in particular, Paul wanted to help—by showing Timothy the unity of faith
and life, of nature and grace. He told Timothy to take the healthy words of Christ as his
guide in his conduct in office. Such an approach would rule out heresy and promote
godliness, which is the finest form of asceticism (4:6-16).
[102]
Paul's first letter to Timothy is extremely relevant to the church of all ages. The
church always faces the threat of the myth, which frees knowledge of any obedience to
the Logos, the Word.

2. A Mature Congregation Not Dominated by Any Hierarchy

No clergy elevated above the laity. This pastoral letter is important in another respect as
well: it condemns "hierarchy," that is, rule by priests or clergymen or any other group of
elite leaders. In our time there are all sorts of councils and conferences within churches
and between churches. Because of our high regard for these meetings attended by the
"leading figures," we allow something of the Roman Catholic distinction between the
clergy and the laity to creep into our thinking.
In the "pastoral letters" we find no support for such a distinction. Paul does write as an
office-bearer, but he takes a very humble view of himself (1:18; 4:11-16; 6:2).
The role of office-bearers. People who want to hear nothing about "offices" in the church
need not look to Paul for support. On the other hand, Paul does not want to exclude the
congregation from what is going on; he makes a point of including it. The fact that the
church has office-bearers is not supposed to turn the members into lazy, carefree people
who say: "The pastor knows all the answers. Don't bother me with your problems." No,
the presence of the special offices within the church is intended to stimulate all believers
in their general office. Not the hierarchy but the congregation is God's house, the pillar

47
and foundation of the truth (3:15).
[103]
The church should not regard itself as a large organization involved in social work.
The individual members of the church must help themselves and sustain the needy as
much as possible. Only after their efforts prove inadequate is there a task for the
deacons (5:4, 16; 6:18).
The office-bearer is not someone who performs holy (magic) deeds. His task is to
proclaim the Word and to teach. The congregation must grow in the living knowledge of
the Word; it must listen and receive instruction (2:11; 4:16). How can it be a pillar of
the truth if it does not do so? The office-bearer who leads the worship service is not a
mediator who intercedes for the people. The congregation must learn to pray with the
one who leads the service (2:1-8).

3. Building Up the Congregation

Fighting the same fight. Paul rightly points to his own calling and emphasizes it. His
standing as an apostle is founded not in his character or his personal qualities but in the
commission given to him by God. Therefore he can boldly oppose the false apostles.
Timothy, with his strange background (a Jewish mother and a heathen Greek father), is
regarded by Paul as his own child. Paul refers to him as "my true child in the faith"
(1:2). Thus, descent and genealogies involve faith! After Paul and Timothy met in Lystra
(Acts 16:1-3), Timothy always worked with Paul and was even imprisoned with him (I
Thess. 3:1-6; I Cor. 4:17; 16:10-11; Phil. 1:1; 2:19; Col. 1:1).
Now Timothy is commissioned to oppose the false prophets in Ephesus, who offer riddles
[104]
about myths instead of applied preaching (admonition), who use the law not to
expose sin but as a book of puzzles. Timothy is told to recognize God's grace in his
friend and teacher Paul, who showed him how to preach the healthy Biblical doctrine of
salvation—which is not the same as giving answers to problems, puzzles and riddles.
Timothy was fighting the same fight as Paul, with faith and a clear conscience (1:3-20).
Praying for the government. The admonition to pray for those in positions of
governmental authority is followed by the words: "... that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way" (2:2). These words are often taken to
mean that we should pray that the government will allow us to lead a quiet and peaceful
life, but what they really mean is that we, as Christians, must conduct ourselves in a
calm (non-revolutionary) way. Fraying for those who hold positions of governmental
authority helps hold us back from becoming a rebellious pressure group.
Such an attitude toward government will promote the spreading of the universal gospel,
for the church includes the entire world in the scope of its prayers. Our God wants
people of all sorts to be redeemed and to come to a knowledge of the truth. We must
never think of His works in small terms, for Christ gave up His life to buy back a new
humanity (2:1-7).
After emphasizing the earnestness and importance of prayer, Paul recommends that
Christians pay some attention to what is fitting and stylish in the good sense when they
meet together. Their prayers should not be hindered by quarreling.
Women and family life. As for the women, they are not to turn the worship service into a
[105]
fashion show. Paul does not like superficial fashion dolls who show off their clothes
to draw attention to themselves (see Is. 3:18-24; I Pet. 3:3). He calls for a different
approach to fashion among believers: "Women should adorn themselves modestly and
sensibly in seemly apparel" (2:9).
Note that Paul is not opposed to women taking measures to make themselves attractive;
what he calls for is a unique style for the church. The church must not copy the world
slavishly in matters of fashion. Moreover, women can also adorn themselves by doing
good deeds. They are not to seek a leadership role within the church but must be
submissive.

48
Thus Paul recognizes the place of women in the church, assigning them their own
position. He wants nothing to do with any revolutionary emancipation! The church must
be especially careful not to let false teachers undermine the importance of the woman's
task as mother. If the Lord gives her children, she must accept her calling as a mother
in faith (2:15).
What a blessing it would be if these golden words would be taken to heart by modern
society, which worries about the population explosion and preaches birth control! Paul's
message is that bringing forth children is an office and a privilege. How liberating it
would be for many people in our society to see that the benefits of Christ's redemption
are also present in natural family life!
In the days of Paul and Timothy, the heretics were the ones who stood in the way of
total redemption. Today heresy still has a stranglehold on the doctrine and life of many
people.

[106]
4. Office-bearers in the Church
The role of elders. The reports and documents issued by ecumenical organizations
discuss all sorts of topics, but they say almost nothing about the role of elders. Is the
"elder" a remnant of a past bourgeois age in which people did not yet rely heavily on
specialists and functionaries?
Scripture is for all ages. If the church wishes to remain the pillar and foundation of the
truth, it must not leave the government of the church in the hands of individual officials
but must take the trouble to choose a council of reliable elders.
An overseer (Greek: episkopos) should be able to give leadership. Therefore he must be
someone who is sober and earnest in his private life and public conduct alike. How else
could he look after the house of God and be a true steward of what God has entrusted to
his care?
The church's task. Over against the fanaticism that accepts personal feeling as
normative, Paul rightly calls for order and points to the Word as the standard by which
to measure. The Word is the brake that keeps us from galloping off in the direction of a
heretical or revolutionary wantonness—whether during the apostolic age, the
Reformation era, or our own "ecumenical" age.
The same applies to the choice of deacons. The congregation should develop a better
awareness of the demands to be made of office-bearers, for it is a house of God, a Beth-
el. The church's task is to disseminate the revealed mystery about the Savior who
became flesh and was glorified.
A hymn against heresy. Paul concludes his argument on this point with a hymn, a
confession that contradicts heresy. The false teachers argue that "the natural" or "the
flesh" is of no value. Therefore Paul sings in 3:16:
[107]
He was manifested in the flesh [advent],
vindicated in the Spirit [resurrection and glorification],
seen by angels [Easter],
preached among the nations,
believed on in the world [proclamation of the gospel],
taken up in glory [ascension into heaven].

5. No Split between Nature and Grace

Difficult times ahead. Revelation in the flesh and justification through the Spirit go
together. Yet, the heretics have some bad words to say about the creation.
Paul sees difficult times ahead for the coming generation of believers. There will be false
teachers who forbid them to marry and who declare certain foods taboo. There will be a
new Phariseeism that tells believers to stay away from all sorts of things, a Phariseeism
that has no room for the declaration: "And God saw everything that he had made, and

49
behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). The new rabbis will fail to appreciate the value of
this world, which is God's creation.
A good deacon. Paul himself did not disdain the natural order of marriage, and he was
certainly no monk or ascetic. "For everything created by God is good," he wrote, "and
nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is consecrated by
the word of God and prayer" (4:4-5).
Timothy must hold this before the brethren as a good deacon (servant) of Jesus Christ
and must stay away from any shrewish prattle and self-torment. Piety must come first,
for it contains a promise for the present and the future (4:7-8). Despite his youth,
Timothy must proceed calmly and seek to set an example. The One who calls will also
give the increase.
[108]
6. Office and Duty
Advice for office-bearers. To serve as an office-bearer requires insight and sensitivity.
Old men must be approached in a different way than young men; the same manner is
not suitable for both. And then there is the problem of the widows! There were so many
young widows who wanted to receive regular support from the deacons so they would
have an easy, idle life. Paul gives Timothy a few sober hints, for he knows that satan is
busy trying to get people to talk disapprovingly about the church and to drag its name
through the mud (5:1-16).
The apostle concludes his advice with a series of admonitions having to do with
examining candidates for the office of elder, supporting elders in their work, and
censuring them when they go astray. In passing, Timothy is advised not to overlook the
contribution that wine could make to his health, which was weak. Paul was certainly no
libertine when it came to drinking, but he was no teetotaler either. He wanted nothing to
do with the diets re:ommended by the sectarians. Everything created by God is good,
provided that it is received with thanksgiving.
Authority relationships. Timothy must bear in mind that it is not always immediately
apparent what is evil and what is good (5:24-5). The ideal of unity in the church should
not lead further to a complete overthrow of all social distinctions. A Christian slave must
be obedient to his master, whether his master is an unbeliever or a believer. However
lowly the slave's position in life may be, as a Christian he is obliged to live a life of
service (6:1-2).
Apparently the false teachers were undermining authority relationships, which is what
always happens with fanatical sects and groups with strong heretical leanings. This is
[109]
not to say that Paul approved of the institution of slavery, any more than the
Reformation approved of the financial exploitation of the peasants by the higher classes.
Yet, Scripture does not approve of revolution, rebellion and general hostility toward
authority.
The dangers of wealth. The step from revolution to materialism is not a long one. Paul
also condemns the latter in strong terms. Timothy is told to stay away from materialism
and to fight the good fight of faith. He must tell the rich to fix their hopes on God and to
use the wealth entrusted to them for good works (6:3-19).
The distance from the wealth entrusted to certain people and the gospel entrusted to
Timothy is not all that great either. "O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you"
(6:20). Timothy must be on guard against the unholy and hollow words of those who
prophesy in comfortable surroundings. Hymenaeus and Alexander went astray
completely and were excommunicated by the apostle; they were excluded from the
fellowship of the congregation (1:19-20).
High stakes. Timothy must be sure to let the sheep know what is at stake, even though
he himself is young and modest. Being involved with a flock as a true pastor means both
upholding the teaching and using discipline when necessary (6:20-1; see also 4:11-16).

50
A good shepherd is one who knows what must be done. In the face of false religion,
there is no room for an attitude of sympathetic understanding or for comments like:
"They're believers, too, after all." The church, then and now, must stand or fall on this
point. Guard what has been entrusted to you, Timothy, and keep your eye fixed on
Jesus Christ and the gospel He taught!

51
[110]
II Timothy
But the word of God is not fettered (2:9).

1. Paul's Last Triumphant Message

Enemies without and within. The second letter to Timothy is sometimes called Paul's
"testament," for the apostle wrote it when he was close to death. It is a very moving
letter.
How miserable the circumstances in which Paul found himself! He had been arrested and
was being guarded heavily, just as though he were a criminal highly dangerous to the
state (2:9).
Just what was the accusation against Paul? When and where was he arrested? It is
usually assumed that he was being imprisoned in Rome for the second time, but it is
also possible that this was the imprisonment of which Acts 21:33ff tells us. Thus, Paul
must have been in either Caesarea or Rome.
The activities of the Jews had something to do with his being arrested as a terrorist. The
church always has to live with the suspicion that it is a revolutionary organization.
[111]
Like his Lord, Paul often suffered the consequences of being accused of rebellion.
How often his own brothers in the flesh had made trouble for him and made accusations
against him before the authorities!
Not only was Paul beleaguered by enemies outside the church, he also had to suffer a
great deal from his "own people," i.e. the members of the church. How painful it is to
read that they had all let him down at the time of his first apologia or defense (4:16).
"You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them
Phygelus and Hermogenes" (1:15).
Faithful helpers. Only Onesiphorus, whose family lived in Ephesus, helped Paul.
Onesiphorus found Paul's name on a list of prisoners in Rome after searching for a long
time. Then he did all he could for the apostle (1:16-18).
At the time Paul wrote this letter, Onesiphorus was no longer with him. But the physician
Luke, who was the author of the third "gospel" as well as the book of Acts, kept him
company. Paul's other colleagues had left him to return to their work—except for
Demas, who was "in love with this present world" (4:10).
Paul asks Timothy to come to him before the winter makes sea travel impossible. Mark,
whom we know as the author of one of the "gospels," is to come along. Thus the young
man who had once deserted the apostle (Acts 13:13) now turns out to be "very useful in
serving me."
Hard times ahead. Although this letter can make us feel sad, it also gives us some
comfort. The apostle sees external dangers, but he also sees dangers from within. There
is opposition from "the world," and in the church the apostle is misunderstood.
Moreover, there is the natural fear of a martyr's death. Even worse, heresy is rearing its
ugly head in these "last days," this last phase of world history.
[112]
A faithful servant has a hard time of it. Just as there can be no ideal state before
the coming of Christ, so the church will not evolve into an ever greater and more
encompassing body with an ever deeper spirituality. On the contrary, there will be
repeated heresies deforming the church.
Paul was prepared to die in harness. His successors must be good soldiers of Jesus
Christ, more concerned with preparation than parading around (2:3-5; 4:7). In the era
after the time of the apostles, the church would indeed have a hard time.
Relying on God's Word. As the church faces those "last days," it should bear in mind
what Paul said to Timothy. "The word of God is not fettered" (2:9). "The Lord knows
those who are his" (vs. 19). Making the message more personal, Paul affirms: "The Lord

52
will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom" (4:18).
The militant church can already rejoice triumphantly today: "Now there is in store for me
the crown of righteousness" (4:8 NIV). It is not necessary for us to know whether
Timothy saw Paul once more or how Paul died. The Bible does not give us biographies.
When we are given a close-up of a particular situation at a given moment, it is only for
the sake of a message that the Lord wants to give us, a message about the continuing
upbuilding of Christ's church.
"God's firm foundation stands" (2:19). Paul can die, and Timothy has been prepared for
the suffering he will face (Heb. 13:23; II Tim. 3:12). We can rely on the Word: "If we
endure, we shall also reign with him" (2:12).

2. God Uses Means

Entrusted with the gospel. An aged person in prison naturally thinks back over the
[113]
course of his life. Paul, writing to his "beloved child" Timothy, sees how his
covenant God has taken care of him and provided for him throughout his life.
Because of his upbringing and the piety of his parents, Paul was already committed to
the service of the Lord early in life (1:3). He had indeed persecuted the church for some
time, but the Lord intervened to correct him and chose to use him for the lawful growth
and expansion of the church.
Timothy's life was similar. He had a pious grandmother and mother, and what they
taught him bore fruit! You may be familiar with a painting of Rembrandt that depicts
Timothy as a small boy leaning against the skirts of his grandmother Lois as she sits
with a Bible on her lap telling him a story.
People sometimes like to contrast Paul, who was called suddenly and dramatically, with
Timothy, who was converted in a "gradual" way. Yet Paul himself would never agree
with such a comparison, for in prison he gave thanks for the upbringing he had received
from his parents, an upbringing that had a positive influence on him later in life. To
Timothy he said: "Be thankful that you were born into such a home, for you have
received the true tradition. Therefore cling to that tradition and defend it against all the
distortions of the heretics. Brace yourself for the battle in these difficult times. Fight
against half-heartedness and false shame, and be ready to die for the gospel. Guard the
precious gospel that has been entrusted to you" (see 1:5-14).
Passing on the apostolic Word. After saying a few words about his own circumstances
(1:15-18), Paul gives his "child" more encouragement. What Timothy has heard he must
pass on to reliable people who can in turn teach others (2:2).
[114]
This text has rightly been regarded as Scriptural warrant for the church's
involvement in educating men for the service of the Word. One of the functions of the
office, then, is to prepare others to hold the office. Timothy may not let this matter slip,
for the future will require people who can pass on the apostolic Word.
Paul uses three metaphors to press Timothy to be active. Timothy must concentrate on
his task like a soldier. He must not be concerned about tomorrow's needs, for the leader
of the army will make sure there is food. As an athlete he must see to it that he
competes according to the rules. Finally, as a farmer he must not let things slide, for a
lazy farmer need not expect to enjoy the first fruits.
God's faithfulness. The gospel is worth everything, and therefore Paul endures all things.
After all, it is the gospel of the risen Christ (2:1-10).
If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we
shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are
faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself (2:11-13).
God is faithful to both His promises and His threats. Therefore Timothy must take
decisive action against the heretics who run the risk of bringing down disaster on the

53
heads of their followers. There are already some who have gone astray by denying the
resurrection of the body when Christ returns. According to them, there is only a '
Spiritual resurrection," and it takes place in the present.
Misleading doctrines. Patiently but firmly, Timothy must combat these false and
misleading doctrines. The house of the church has an unshakable foundation on which it
is written: "The Lord knows those who are his," which is exactly what Moses said to the
[115]
revolutionaries Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Num. 16:5). God preserves His church
despite its apostasy and deformation.
On the other hand, there is such a thing as personal responsibility. Therefore the
following words are also written on that foundation: "Let every one who names the
name of the Lord depart from iniquity" (2:19). This sentence reminds us of the
evacuation of the area around the tents of Dathan and Abiram (Num. 16:26). It also
reminds us of the resurrection hymn of the Old Testament church in Isaiah 26: "Thy
name alone we acknowledge" (vs. 13). "Thy dead shall live, their bodies shall rise" (vs.
19).
Satanic action. In Ephesus, which was a hotbed of magic and mixed religions, Paul
became acquainted with Jewish wizards, books of magic, and the fanatical service of
Artemis (Acts 19). From Christ's message to the church at Ephesus, we learn of a
struggle against false apostles (Rev. 2:2-6). Timothy battles the same satanic action
which, in the form of false teaching, threatened the church like a cancerous growth.
But didn't the "last days" begin with Pentecost? Moses, after all, was not opposed only
by Korah, Dathan and Abiram; there were all sorts of magicians standing in his way
(3:8). There will always be deceivers and false leaders who try to enchant the church.
Fortunately, people will see through them, just as Moses saw through the false leaders
10
in his time. We can live by the assurance that the Lord will hold on to His church.

[116]
3. Preach the Word and Accept Suffering
A stream of memories. The Lord uses "means" as He preserves His church. Paul makes a
point of expressing his appreciation for the faithfulness Timothy has shown since he
started following the apostle.

10
In 1526, Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) presented a painting to the city fathers of Nuremberg, a
city which had gone over to the Reformation a year earlier. The painting depicted John, Peter,
Mark, and Paul, with the following texts drawn from their writings listed underneath: II Pet. 2:1-3;
I John 4:1-3; II Tim. 3:1-7; Mark 12:38-40. Dürer's reason was that in dangerous times, all
temporal rulers must see to it that they do not accept the misleading words of men as the Word of
God, for God wants nothing added to His Word and nothing taken away from it (see Rev. 22:18-
19).
In Nuremberg the Reformation was an accomplished fact, but Dürer saw an enemy arising within
its own camp, i.e. Anabaptism, fanaticism, revolution. Through the influence of a rector at
Nuremberg who was committed to mysticism, three painters (perhaps former students of Dürer)
had already arrived at some sort of "God is dead" theology. Therefore Dürer gave the painting to
the city as a testament of warning. It has been demonstrated that Dürer had these texts in mind
from the very beginning as he worked on the painting.
The Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria asked the city fathers of Nuremberg for the painting in 1627.
After considering the request carefully, the city fathers sent the painting to him together with a
copy, in the hope that the Elector would accept the copy and send the original back. The original
painting was damaged by this time. The texts referred to underneath would hardly please Munich's
Jesuits, since they warned against the Antichrist and spoke of human decrees and so forth. But
the Elector, who knew art, had the "offensive" text references underneath cut off. Then he sent
them back to Nuremberg with the copy, keeping the original without the Biblical commentary.
Apparently texts warning against fanatics were seen as applying to Roman Catholics.
In 1922 the painting and the inscriptions beneath were finally reunited. (The painting now hangs in
the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.) But how many visitors to this museum will understand the
revealing Biblical language of Dürer's painting, which is still relevant today?

54
Like Jacob just before his death (Gen. 48:7), the aged apostle has many memories
[117]
running through his mind. He thinks of Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. In those days
the Jews chased Paul wherever he went and persecuted him. In Lystra he was even
stoned (Acts 14:19). Timothy was with Paul at the time, for Lystra was where he used to
live and where he became a disciple. At Lystra he showed his loyalty to the persecuted
apostle.
Drawing strength from Scripture. The church is not a flourishing, profit-making
enterprise, which is what the heretics wanted to make of it, and therefore it may not
compromise in order to escape persecution. "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ
Jesus will be persecuted" (3:12).
Timothy must not let go of his "first love." (Think of Christ's message to the church at
Ephesus in Revelation 2:4.) Just as he was taught the Scriptures thoroughly from
childhood on, so he must continue to concentrate on them, for only in them will he find
the strength to combat the false teachers. It is through Scripture that the "man of God"
is "equipped for good work of every kind" (3:17 NEB). The term man of God makes us
think of Moses and of the prophetic task (see also I Tim. 6:11).
The whole Bible. Timothy must oppose the myths with the New Testament gospel (4:4-
5), but at the same time he is to hold on to the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul himself
sets the example here: in his last days he has Mark and Luke, the authors of two of the
"gospels," with him. He also asks for "books and parchments," by which he clearly
means the Old Testament Scriptures (4:11, 13).
Across the centuries so full of heresies flattering to man, we hear Paul's mandate from
prison:
Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to judge men living and dead, I charge you
solemnly by his coming appearance and his [present] reign, proclaim the message [as a
[118]
herald], press it home on all occasions, convenient or inconvenient, use argument,
reproof, and appeal, with all the patience that the work of teaching requires. But you
yourself must keep calm and sane at all times; face hardship, work to spread the
Gospel, and do all the duties of your calling (4:1-2, 5 NEB).
The end of the race. Paul then passes on the torch. Let Timothy take it. In his
faithfulness to the apostle, he can be an example to the church throughout the world,
the church that threatens to fall prey to a "progressive" theology and a new morality.
Paul sacrifices himself as a libation. The time is nearing when he will be freed of his work
on earth. The good fight has been fought, and the end of the race is in sight. Paul has
kept the faith. Who could help but shed some tears when reading this moving
testament?
Personal requests and messages. For Timothy, Paul's words meant that he had to come
quickly, even before the winter. In conclusion Paul has a few requests to make and
some messages to pass on. He sends greetings to his good fiends Prisca (Priscilla) and
Aquila—notice that he mentions the wife's name first—and also to the ' household" of
Onesiphorus, who had looked after him in prison. He sends greetings from the brothers
in Rome and also from sister Claudia. These people, at least, had not deserted him. "The
Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you" (4:22).
The pronoun you that Paul uses here is a plural form. Thus he was not thinking of
Timothy alone. The letter was also intended for the church Timothy served.
The churches must remain sober in these last days. Yet, they have the reliable Word,
the Word of grace to which Paul had earlier commended the elders at Ephesus, knowing
that fierce wolves would come and would not spare the flock (Acts 20:29-30, 32).

55
[119]
Titus
1. Paul's Co-worker in Crete
Another "child" of Paul. Titus, too, was a "true child" of Paul (1:4). The apostle had
known him for a long time. From Antioch (Syria), where there was a "mixed"
congregation of Jews and Gentiles, Paul took Titus along on an official trip to Jerusalem
(Gal. 2:1ff). Despite the opposition of some false members who had slipped into the
church, Titus was accepted by the leaders of the congregation in Jerusalem, even
though he was a full-blooded Gentile. The apostle never had Titus circumcised—unlike
Timothy, who was half Jewish (Acts 16:1-3). On account of the faith they shared, Paul
gratefully accepted Titus, his "true child," as one of his colleagues and fellow workers.
It is clear from the second letter to the Corinthians that Titus operated in that "difficult"
congregation in a powerful yet tactful way and did a great deal to smooth things out
between Paul and the church in Corinth. "But God, who comforts the downcast,
comforted us by the coming of Titus" (II Cor. 7:6).
[120]
Problems in Crete. From Paul's pastoral letters we deduce that Titus must have
been left at Crete to straighten things out there (1:5). Apparently the churches
established by the apostle on that island were not yet ready for "self-government"; they
were in great need of someone from Paul's inner circle. Moreover, the nature of the
Cretans also played a role here. A church is affected by the milieu in which it lives.
To make matters worse, there were false teachers at work among the newly converted
Christians. You know how things often go at such times: people who are still a li;tle
shaky on their feet can easily be bowled over by a good talker.
The heresy described in the letters to Timothy resembled the one that became a virtual
epidemic in Crete. Apparently the Jews with their fairy tales had played a major role in
promoting this heresy (1:10, 14).
A revolutionary heresy. If the young churches in Crete were taken in by the false
teaching, they would be lost. What would people outside the church think then?
In essence the heresy threatening the church was revolutionary. Refusing to accept
authority relationships, it opened the door to all sorts of evil practices. After all, aren't
Christians "above" earthly things? But if Christians actually accepted such teaching, "the
world" could rightly call them misanthropists, i.e. haters of mankind, since they would
be taking an offensive attitude toward their fellow man and would be a destructive
rather than a positive influence in their community (3:1ff).
In this letter Paul advises Titus with regard to the difficulties he faced. He makes some
points that the church today should take to heart if it wants to remain committed to
sound doctrine.
Just as in the letters to Timothy, Paul does not lay down dead laws and rules. Patiently
[121]
he derives everything from our deliverance in Christ. "Ecclesiastical law" must also
stand under the sign of deliverance.

2. The Office Versus Heresy

Qualifications for the office of elder. After introducing himself in a pregnant sentence as
an apostle and preacher and as the author of the letter, Paul starts talking about Titus's
work. Titus is told to complete the work of founding the church by establishing councils
of elders wherever possible (e.g. in the towns).
Naturally, he is to pay careful attention to the character and qualities of any candidate
for such an office. Men who lived as hedonists could not serve as elders, any more than
men lacking in good judgment or men who could not stand up in an argument when the
doctrine they believed was attacked. No, the elders would have to be men who
subjected themselves to the discipline of the Word but also knew how to oppose others

56
when necessary.
Chastisement for heretics. Paul pointed out that false teaching was already having a
devastating effect on the congregations in Crete. Entire families were being upset by
such teaching. A quotation from the famous Cretan philosopher and poet Epimenides
cleverly illustrates this.
Epimenides, who lived in the seventh century B.C., is sometimes counted as one of the
seven wise men of Greece. When Paul speaks of him as a "prophet," he means simply
that the Cretans regarded him as such. Strictly speaking, the Bible awards the title of
"prophet" only to those within the circle of the covenant.
Logicians like to use Epimenides' statement about Cretans as a logical puzzle.
[122]
Epimenides says that all Cretans are liars. But he was a Cretan himself.
Consequently, what he said was a lie.
To make sure Titus realized just what he faced, Paul told him that the heretics, most of
whom were Jews, were to be chastised quickly and without ceremony. Moreover, he was
to warn the congregation against them. He was to show no interest in Jewish myths and
was not to let himself be influenced by rabbinical views on the question which foods are
clean and which are unclean.
The Gentiles are not bound by the ceremonial regulations in the Mosaic legislation.
Those who serve the Lord are pure. And for those who are pure, everything is pure. But
those who are not purified by the blood of Christ defile the most beautiful gifts in the
creation (1:14-15).
Impurity of the heart. Paul's statement that all things are pure for those who are pure is
not to be taken as a license to enter sinful territory. When Paul says "all things," he does
not mean anything good or bad; what he means is that which is created good (see I
Tim. 4:1-5; Mark 7:1-23).
The Phariseeism of the new teachers wanted to do away with ceremonial impurity, but
at the same time it opened the door to impurity of the heart. Paul formulates his point
as follows: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are
detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed" (1:16). Obviously the false leaching
had far-reaching moral consequences. This manmade piety brought forth revolutionaries
in "all areas of life."

[123]
3. A People Prepared to Serve Him
Each in his place. As Paul continues, he points to the attitudes that the various groups
should assume—old men, old women, young men, slaves. In our age of false freedom,
Paul's words are all the more valuable.
Paul does not play the role of the sympathetic psychiatrist who "understands"
everything, nor is he fighting for "human rights." He puts people in their place and
reminds them of the impression that the poor conduct of Christians must make on those
who are outside the church looking in.
Old women must be priestly in their behavior, as people involved in holy service. They
must devote proper attention to their households and be submissive to their husbands,
so that "the word of God may not be discredited" (2:3, 5).
Titus himself must set an example for the young men by his conduct and sound
preaching, "so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us"
(2:6-8). Through their faithfulness, slaves must likewise "add lustre to the doctrine of
God our Saviour" (2:10 NEB). Everyone must obey the government authorities and
"show perfect courtesy toward all men" (3:1-2).
Christ's redemptive accomplishments. The point to bear in mind is that Christ's
redemptive work is an accomplished fact. He has purified for Himself a people of His own
possession (Ex. 19:5; Deut. 14:2) who are "zealous for good deeds" (2:14).

57
Philanthropy, that is, our Savior God's love for mankind, has manifested itself; the Holy
Spirit has been richly poured out over the congregation and has washed the church in
the waters of regeneration (3:4-5).
[124]
All the purifications by the sects enamored of baptism and all the ceremonies and
"works of righteousness" that one might perform will not bring about deliverance and a
renewal of life. Deliverance and renewal come only through the triune God by way of the
gospel of grace, which preaches the "hope of eternal life" (3:7).
Naturally, this hope is not something uncertain, as so many believe. The beginning of
Paul's letter makes it apparent that it is not a human expectation tormented by doubt
and uncertainty; it is a hope of life in the Messianic era, a "hope of eternal life which
God, who never lies, promised ages ago"! (1:2).
Christ's redemption has come! This must be apparent from the church's way of life.
Therefore Titus must reject all those questions about genealogies and the practices
prescribed in the Mosaic laws. He should not waste any time on those stubborn heretics
and should not hesitate to discipline them.
Financial obligations. Paul asks Titus to meet him in Nicopolis, which is in Dalmatia (II
Tim. 4:10). To take Titus's place, he will send Artemas or Tychicus, whom we encounter
in other letters.
Meanwhile, Titus must see to it that the congregation P"ovides properly for the two who
delivered the letter, namely, Zenas and Apollos, who is also a familiar figure (Acts
18:24). Unfortunately, spiritual charlatans seem to have no lack of money (1:11), while
the true stewards of God (1:7) are often in precarious financial condition.
Paul points to the congregation's obligation to provide for messengers and for those who
serve the church. The fruits of faith are also apparent in the figures in the c lurch's
financial records.
Encouragement for Titus. With this Paul concludes his letter to the temporary
"superintendent" of the young congregations in Crete. Titus has been given some
[125]
encouragement. After all, the liars and lazy ones are also "people of the Lord's
possession."
Paul's epistle and the coming of a new Christian teacher will give Titus a great deal of
support in the face of the heretical sects that seek to turn things upside down, with the
result that the church is put in bad light. Christ's grace does not break things down but
activates us.
"Let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds" (3:14) and thus show others
the way. Unfortunately, the believers in Crete had not made much progress toward this
goal (see Matt. 28:19).

58
[126]
Philemon
Bringing master and slave together. Paul's letter to Philemon could be characterized as a
letter of introduction. It was written while Paul was in prison. It was addressed to a man
named Philemon, who lived in Colossae, to his wife Apphia, to Archippus, who may have
been Philemon's son (see Col. 4:17), and to the congregation that gathered for worship
in Philemon's home.
The occasion for writing the letter was that Onesimus, one of Philemon's slaves, had run
away after stealing from his master. In some way or another he met Paul, who won him
over to the gospel. Paul now declares that he had become the "father" of Onesimus (vs.
10). In the Letter to the Colossians, Onesimus is referred to as "our faithful and dear
brother, who is one of you" (4:9 NIV).
The purpose of the letter is to persuade Philemon to take back his slave, who had
proven to be an unworthy servant. Paul argues: "Perhaps this is why he was parted from
you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but more
than a slave, as a beloved brother" (vs. 15-16).
[127]
The ideal of Christian brotherhood. The beautiful thing that shines through in this
humble and genuinely human letter is that social relationships are to be viewed in the
light of Christian brotherhood. Paul does not use this letter as an occasion to condemn
slavery as such—even though slavery is certainly not an institution Christians can
support. He uses the gospel as his standpoint in looking at the relationships that result
from this institution. And it is in the strength of the gospel that he seeks to persuade
Philemon to treat Onesimus kindly (vs. 14).
Thus Paul does not come with a plan for "social" reforms. He leaves relationships as they
are: the slave remains a slave, and the master remains his "boss." Because of this, a lot
of people today shrug their shoulders at this letter, maintaining that Paul was a defender
of capitalism who sent Onesimus back to Philemon with a few pious words so that he
would be available for further exploitation. And Onesimus is scorned for meekly going
back to his original master. Don't Paul's recommendations in this matter endanger the
worker's "rights"? Doesn't the church encourage a slave morality that will keep people
from taking the proper revolutionary path to achieve the needed changes in society,
politics and race relations?
True renewal. It's true that Paul does not take a revolutionary approach here. The Bible
is never revolutionary. Each person must stay in the calling to which he is called (I Cor.
7:20, 24). Scripture does not break life down but heals it, by pointing to the new
humanity, the brotherhood within the church, within the fellowship in which Christ
makes all things "new."
The "worker" is not really helped when the labor union fights for his "rights," and his
"boss" needs more than "social awareness." Neither a quiet transformation nor a brutal
[128]
revolution will bring about a renewal of human relationships. The abolition of
slavery has been no more successful in bringing about universal happiness than has the
socialization or nationalization of various industries in certain countries. It is in the
church of Christ that relationships are first set right.
Advice for the whole congregation. It should not escape oar attention that the
congregation, the local church, receives heavy emphasis in this short letter. Paul writes
in Timothy's name as well as his own, and he addresses himself not just to Philemon but
to his household as well. Thus the other slaves of this wealthy man are drawn into the
"Onesimus affair"—without the intervention of any "Council for the Promotion of the
Ethical and Social Interests of Slaves and Workers."
Paul makes it clear that Onesimus—whose name means useful, although he had earlier
been useless—is indeed useful in the service of the gospel. Paul would gladly have kept
Onesimus with him.

59
Paul hopes to be released from prison so that he can visit Colossae, for he knows that
the congregation in Colossae is sending up prayers on his behalf. (The pronoun you in
verse 22 is a plural form in the Greek.) His fellow prisoners also send greetings. The you
in the final verse is again a plural form; here Paul is addressing the whole congregation.
Above this small epistle we could set the words of Article 28 of the Belgic Confession:
"This holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved, and outside of it there is
no salvation." Thus, "social" life will never be restored by itself.

60
[129]
Index
"All Israel", 56
Antichrist, 94-5
Antithesis, 41, 63, 86
Augustine, 17-18
Baptism, 16,22,33, 123-4
Barnabas, 50, 80
Belgic Confession, 128
Benediction of the high priest, 97
Bethel, 106
Charismatic movement, 27
Church as God's people, 25,78,85
Circumcision, 47-8, 50-1, 54-6,73,76, 119
Cleanliness and purification, 122
Collection for Jerusalem, 33-4,37,42-3,45-6
Colossians, Letter to, 58, 75ff
Corinth, 9ff, 68, 119
Covenant between God and His people, 53
Covenant wrath, 31, 94-5
Day of the Lord, 92-5
Death, 88
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 93-5
Differences between nations, 51-2, 61
Discipline in the church, 15,35-6,39, 121-2, 124
Eastern Orthodox Churches, 48
Epaphras, 75, 77-8, 80
Epaphroditus, 68-9, 73
Ephesus, 10-11, 14, 33, 38, :57ff, 68, 81, 98-9, 104, 115,118
Erasmus, 35
Flesh, 11, 54, 107
Freedom, 22-6, 54-5, 123
Genealogies, 100, 103, 124
Glory of the Lord, 40-1
Gnosticism, 76
"God-fearing" Gentiles, 46, 82-3
Good Shepherd, 109 Government and revolution, 52, 71, 104, 109, 120, 123, 127
Idolatry, 21-3
James (brother of Jesus), 49

61
Jerusalem and the temple, 53
Jewish question, 30-1
King James Bible, 28, 57
"Last days", 84-5, 88-96, 115
Levirate marriage, 20
Lord's supper, 22-6
Luke, 42, 47, 67-8, 80, 111,117
Luther, Martin, 96
Manmade (self-willed)
worship and religion, 76-7
Manna, 22
Mark, 80, 111, 117
Marriage and divorce, 15-20, 63, 87, 101
Mixed marriage, 41
Money and property, 109, 124
Mosaic legislation, 79, 122,124
Nature/grace, 101, 107
New English Bible, 19-20, 71,79
New Israel, 56
Office-bearers, 28, 37-8, 49, 99, 102-3, 106, 108, 121
Onesimus, 58, 80, 126-8
Order in the church, 29-31,34
Paul, 9ff
Pentecost, 27, 62, 115
Peter, 11, 49-50
Philippi, 67ff, 82, 86
Politeuma, 71-4
Preaching, 11, 13, 26, 37, 39-40, 70
Prophecy, 27-9, 43-4, 90, 121
Psalms outside the book of Psalms, 59
Rebirth and regeneration, 113
Redemptive history, 30-1, 37, 48,123-4
Resurrection of Jesus, 31-3
Resurrection of the body, 31-3,74,88
Revelation, book of, 75, 117
Revised Standard Version, 57,71,79
Righteousness, 64-5, 73
Roman Catholicism, 48, 102

62
Sabbath day, 34
Sacrifices and offerings, 34
Satan and demons, 23, 44, 87
Sermon on the Mount, 26
Sexuality, 16-20, 87
Signs of the times, 30, 96
Silas (Silvanus), 68, 82
Slavery in Israel and among God's people, 63-4, 108-9, 123,126-8
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 72
Sovereignty of God, 10, 59-61
"Soul", 16, 31
Speaking in tongues, 27, 29-31
"Strangers" here below, 79
Strong drink, 108
Stumbling blocks, 21-3
Syncretism, 41, 47-50, 53-4, 56, 73, 75-9, 99-104, 107,115,120,122,124-5
Synoptic question, 58
Thessalonica, 82ff
Timothy, 14, 34, 38, 46, 69, 73, 77, 83, 87, 98ff, 119,128
Titus, 36, 42, 50, 98, 119ff
Torah, 50-3, 61
Tychicus, 57-8, 80, 124
Woman and man, 24, 29, 52,63,104-5
World, 12

63
 SEARCH
THE
SCRIPTURES
Volume 10

Hebrews - Revelation

by Cornelis Van der Waal

Translated by Theodore Plantinga

1
Contents
[9]
Hebrews ............................................................................................................................... 3
1. The Lure of the Synagogue and the Threat of Desertion ...................................... 3
2. Christ's Elevation above the Angels, Moses and Joshua ....................................... 4
[14]
3. A Priest after the Order of Melchizedek ......................................................... 5
4. The Completeness of Jesus' Sacrifice ................................................................. 5
[19]
5. Be Faithful and Persevere ............................................................................ 7
[23]
James ............................................................................................................................... 10
1. James and Jesus Christ ................................................................................. 10
2. A Letter to Scattered Jewish Christians ............................................................ 11
3. James and Paul ............................................................................................ 11
4. Doers of the Word ........................................................................................ 12
5. A Unique Style for the Last Days .................................................................... 14
[36]
I Peter .............................................................................................................................. 16
1. Peter Strengthens His Brothers ....................................................................... 16
2. Exiles and Priests (1:1—2:10) ........................................................................ 17
3. Spiritual Sacrifices (2:11—3:12) ..................................................................... 18
4. Suffering as Christians—in Hope (3:13—5:14).................................................. 19
[46]
II Peter ............................................................................................................................. 21
1. Peter's Testament ......................................................................................... 21
2. Clinging to the Prophetic Word Ratified by the Father ........................................ 22
3. The False Prophets and Their Theology of Liberation ......................................... 22
4. False and True Prophecy about the Future ....................................................... 23
[54]
I John ............................................................................................................................... 25
1. John's "Gospel" and His Pastoral Letter ............................................................ 25
2. Opposition from Within .................................................................................. 27
3. A Warning about Antichrists ........................................................................... 28
4 God's Love and Our Love ................................................................................ 28
5. No Crisis about Certainties ............................................................................. 29
6. Mortal Sins and the Worship of Idols ............................................................... 30
[67]
II John ............................................................................................................................. 31
[70]
III John ............................................................................................................................ 32
[73]
Jude .................................................................................................................................. 33
1. A Warning in Strong Language ....................................................................... 33
2. The Struggle against the False Gospel of Self-redemption .................................. 34
3. Protect Yourself and Be Merciful ..................................................................... 34
[79]
Revelation ........................................................................................................................ 36
1. The Political Approach ................................................................................... 36
[82]
2. The Covenantal Approach .......................................................................... 37
3. Neither World History Nor Roman History ........................................................ 38
4. Purpose and Content ..................................................................................... 39
[93]
5. The Priest-King Speaks to His Churches ...................................................... 42
6. The Lamb of God .......................................................................................... 43
7. Jerusalem and the Church ............................................................................. 45
8. The Day of the Lord ...................................................................................... 47
9. The Great Consummation .............................................................................. 50
[112]
Index .............................................................................................................................. 52
Cumulative Index ................................................................................................................... 55

2
[9]
Hebrews
1. The Lure of the Synagogue and the Threat of Desertion
Authorship unknown. The King James Bible identifies the Letter to the Hebrews as an
epistle of Paul, but it has been established to the satisfaction of most scholars that Paul was
not its author. This letter, which some regard as a long address, has also been attributed to
Barnabas or Apollos. Origen observed that God alone knows who wrote it.
It is not certain either to whom the letter was addressed. Who were these "Hebrews," and
where did they live? Because 13:24 speaks of "those who come from Italy," it has
sometimes been assumed that the letter was meant for Jewish Christians in Rome. But
other scholars have argued that it was addressed to Christians in Jerusalem.
Time of writing. There is a good deal of disagreement as well as to when the Letter to the
Hebrews was written. Many scholars assume that it was written during the "second
[10]
generation," approximately in the year 80. But as we consider this matter, we should
note that the original text presupposes that the Jewish worship service was still going on
(8:3, 5; 9:6-10; 13:11), although this is not brought out clearly in the translations.
The present tense is used to refer to certain actions of the priest in the Jewish worship
service. Although the present tense does not always mean present time, in this case it
seems to indicate that the temple in Jerusalem, where the services of the tabernacle were
continued, was still standing. If so, the letter must have been written before the year 70,
when the temple was destroyed. The temple service was becoming obsolete; it was almost
ready to vanish.
Moreover, the content of the letter makes it clear that the Jews addressed were still very
strongly attracted to the Jewish worship services. For the young church of Christ, the
synagogue was a strong competitive threat since it claimed that its services were based on
the true tradition and liturgy. The persecution and continuing threat must have
discouraged the Christians and made them think about giving up. Where was the glory of
Christ the Redeemer?
A sermon? Hebrews may well be a long address or "sermon," for it does include some
sections of admonition (2:1-4 and 5:11—6:8). If these sections are omitted in reading, the
continuity of the exposition and the argument presented in the rest of the book are not lost,
as you can easily see.
The sections of admonition and exhortation give us some idea of the spirit prevalent among
the readers of this letter. The "Hebrews" were apparently in danger of drifting away from
the faith (2:1). Their zeal was flagging; some had already fallen away and turned their
backs on Christ (6:4ff).
[11]
After the main exposition follows the "application" (from 10:19 on), in the form of a
series of practical admonitions. Here again a good deal seemed to be lacking. Even though
it was clear that the day of the Lord (i.e. the judgment of Jerusalem) was getting closer and
closer, there were some who stayed away from the worship services of the Christians. Did
they "attend church" at the synagogue instead?
Combatting the synagogue. The apostolic author warns against this withdrawal or
desertion in no uncertain terms (see 10:38-9). "In your struggle against sin you have not
yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood" (12:4). The exodus command that we find
so often in the Bible is also given here: "Therefore let us go forth to him [Jesus] outside the
camp, and bear the abuse he endured" (13:13). That would involve a conscious break with
the synagogue.
On this basis we can understand why the train of thought in the Letter to the Hebrews is
clothed in such thoroughly "Jewish" garments. This is no more an accident than all the
"Jewish" allusions and references in I Corinthians and the book of Revelation. The
synagogue is combatted here with its own weapons. Jesus Christ is sketched as the great
High Priest who fulfills the torah, who brings the church to the heavenly Jerusalem (12:22;

3
see also Gal. 4:26; Rev. 21), and who also gives the church the power to persevere in times
of danger and persecution.

2. Christ's Elevation above the Angels, Moses and Joshua

Honor for the Son of man. The beginning of Hebrews strikes a majestic chord: all the stops
[12]
of the organ are pulled out as Hebrews sings the praises of the Son, who participated in
the creation of the world and bears all things through the Word of His power. He is mightier
than the angels and is seated at the right hand of God.
At this point we hear a theme that echoes throughout Hebrews, a theme borrowed from
Psalm 110, which can almost be called the "text" on which Hebrews is a commentary. In
this psalm we read: "The LORD says to my lord, 'Sit at my right hand' " (vs. 1). Through this
quotation from Scripture, it is shown that the Son of God is worthy of the highest honor.
The angels are far beneath Him, even though they also function as mediators. They are
"ministering" (liturgical) spirits who serve those who are to obtain salvation (1:14). The
Son, seated on the throne of His glory, receives the acclaim of the angels.
We must hold on to His gospel. If the law, which is brought by the angels (see Acts 7:53;
Gal. 3:19), could not be neglected without punishment, how much more powerful the Word
of the Son must be! (2:1-4).
A merciful high priest. Opponents of this line of reasoning must have pointed to Jesus'
humble state as He came into the world. Indeed, there was little of His glory to be seen
then. No doubt the Jewish "counter-reformation" made much of this.
We must not forget that Christ's humiliation in living briefly in a state below the angels is
bound up with the very heart of the gospel. It was to redeem "flesh and blood" and to be a
merciful high priest that He became a genuine human being, like His brothers in all
respects, subject to temptations and death. Because He descended to a state beneath the
angels, He was able to ascend to a state above them. Now He is crowned with glory and is
in a position to help us, His brothers.
The term high priest, which is so important in Hebrews, is also borrowed from Psalm 110,
[13]
where it is said of the Messiah that He is a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The Letter to the Hebrews sings about the greatness of the Messiah. He is superior to such
mediators as the angels (1:1—2:18) and is also superior to Moses and Joshua (3:1—4:16).
Complete sabbath rest. Moses was a servant, but the Apostle and High Priest of our
confession is the Son. Conclusive in this argument is the redemptive historical situation in
which the church finds itself. What happened to the Israel that refused to listen to Moses?
It was refused entry into Canaan because of its unbelief. Neither did Joshua succeed in
leading the new generation into complete rest.
Our complete sabbath rest is still ahead; it will be brought by the great High Priest named
Joshua. But if we hope to enter His rest, we will have to be serious about His Word, which
is as sharp as a scalpel. We will have to cling to the confession of Jesus (Joshua), the great
High Priest.
Christ's suffering as preparation. Now the writer comes back to Christ's weakness once
more, for this point seemed to give offense to some. Were there perhaps (Jewish) critics
who were confusing the "Hebrews" on this score? Did they suggest that the cross and
suffering of Christ did not fit in with Messianic glory and robbed the Messiah of His royal
power?
The author of Hebrews deliberately hammers home the point that the King is also the High
Priest, and that His suffering prepared Him to sympathize with His people in a genuine way
and feel what they felt (4:14—5:10). As the Son, He was a high priest after the order of
Melchizedek, which was the priesthood of which Psalm 110 speaks. His greatness is to be
sought in His suffering, which elevates Him above all priestly mediators.

4
[14]
3. A Priest after the Order of Melchizedek
Beyond the milk of the gospel. At this point you would expect the author of Hebrews to start
explaining how Christ is a high priest in the style of Melchizedek. He does so, but first
comes an intermezzo, which deliberately slows down the movement of the argument.
The author of the letter is afraid that some readers might be left behind, finding what he
says too difficult, not being able to digest it all. In this regard, too, there is nothing new
under the sun, for today there are still many people who favor a simplified gospel or a
"mini-gospel." They are not eager to "go on to maturity" but stick with the "elementary
doctrine of Christ" (6:1). Anything beyond the elementary doctrine is excess baggage in
their eyes. They remain babies in their understanding and are never weaned from milk to
solid food.
The Letter to the Hebrews shows us that there is no place for such stubbornness; we must
advance in our understanding and knowledge. To make no progress at all represents a
relapse, a step backwards—and ultimately apostasy.
If we are to cling firmly to our hope, we must take hold of the Word. There must be no
sluggishness in our faith. The promises God has sworn to Abraham are the anchor of our
hope (6:18). That anchor remains behind the curtain of the heavenly temple which our
High Priest has entered.
A higher priesthood. The author is back to his major theme, namely, Christ as the High
Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the king-priest of Salem (Jerusalem)
and was indeed honored by Abraham as a priest. Note that Abraham, the forefather of the
priestly tribe of Levi, received a blessing from Melchizedek and gave him a tithe (i.e. one
tenth of the spoils).
[15]
This recognition on Abraham's part tells us something, namely, that there is a
priesthood higher than that of Levi, a priesthood recognized by Abraham himself in his
encounter with Melchizedek. Therefore the author of Hebrews goes on to speak of the
imperfection of Aaron's priesthood and of the old covenant (7:11-28). Didn't Jeremiah 31
already speak of a new and "better" covenant? (7:22; 8:6).
Shadow and fulfillment. Under the old covenant, an endless series of priests entered the
earthly holy place. On a certain day of the year (i.e. the great Day of Atonement), the high
priest would go into the Holy of Holies in order to atone for his own sins and the sins of his
people. There was never an end to this series of sacrifices; they had to be repeated yearly.
The new covenant was not concentrated in an earthly holy place, and it did not involve a
repetition of sacrifices and the sprinkling of blood before the ark. The shadow was replaced
by the fulfillment! A single sacrifice brought about perpetual atonement.
Christ, the great High Priest, the Mediator of the new covenant, gave that covenant or
testament the force of law through His sacrificial death. He initiated that covenant with His
blood, just as Moses initiated the old covenant between the Lord and Israel with blood
(6:15-20; see also Ex. 24:6-8). When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, He declared:
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood" (I Cor. 11:25).

4. The Completeness of Jesus' Sacrifice

[16]
The old fulfilled in the new. To give you a clear outline of the differences between the
old and new covenants, I will use a chart to present the points that the author of Hebrews
draws to our attention. Note the following contrasts between what Christ accomplished and
what the Old Testament priests did on the Great Day of Atonement.

5
 The sacrificial service of
the old covenant
Place where the blood The tabernacle, which was a
was offered shadow or copy of the
heavenly sanctuary (8:5;
9:24; 10:1). The Holy of
Holies was declared
inaccessible. Once each year,
on the great Day of
Atonement, the high priest
entered it (9:7ff) in order to
sprinkle blood before and on
the ark, the throne of the
Lord.
Material used The blood of goats and calves
(9:12-13). This surrogate
blood cannot take sin away
definitively (10:14).
Service in office Priestly service based on
physical descent (7:16). As a
result, the ritual becomes a
routine. Moreover, the
priests themselves are not
free of sin but must bring
sacrifices on their own behalf
too (7:27; 9:7).
Frequency Many, many offerings. No
end to the great Days of
Atonement. Every year the
high priest had to go into the
Holy of Holies (10:3).
[17]
Position The priest (kohen) stands
(10:11).
Results An imperfect purification that
must be repeated again and
again (9:13; 10:1-3). The
repeated offerings manifest
the poverty of the old
covenant.
6
Christ's sacrificial service
The heavenly sanctuary,
which is complete and not
built with hands (9:11, 24).
When Christ ascended into
heaven, He went there to
present His blood to the
Father.
Christ's own blood, which He
shows to the Father and
which brings about eternal
redemption once and for all
(9:12,24; 10:14).
Priestly service by the power
of an indestructible life
(7:16), sinless and
unblemished (7:26-8). Not
subject to weakness.
Unblemished self-sacrifice
through the Holy Spirit
(9:14).
One sacrifice is sufficient.
After the ascension and entry
into the true tabernacle (i.e.
tent) in which Christ
displayed His sacrificial
blood, no renewed sacrifice is
necessary (7:27; 9:12, 25-8;
10:10, 12, 14).
After making His single
sacrifice, which is sufficient,
Christ may sit down(Ps. 110)
at God's right hand (10:12).
As a sitting high priest, Christ
is our liturgist (servant), for
He gives us access to the
Father (8:2; 10:19-21).
Definitive redemption of the
church. Opening of the way
to the Father. From Christ's
completed work the church
gains the confidence to enter
the heavenly sanctuary
(10:19-23, 35).
Thus there was no need for the first readers of Hebrews to be unduly impressed by the
Jewish worship service, for Christ had fulfilled that service in accordance with Psalm 40:
Sacrifices and offerings thou hast not desired, but a body hast thou prepared for me. Then
I said, "Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God" (10:5,7).
Christ's ascension. Christ's death on Golgotha did not bring His sacrificial work to an end.
He did complete His suffering on the cross, but there were still high priestly results to come.
On the great Day of Atonement, the sacrificial animal was not only slaughtered, its blood
was sprinkled in the sanctuary before the ark, God's throne. That's why the Lamb Jesus
seated Himself on God's throne (Rev. 5:6).
[18]
The ascension completed Christ's work. At that time He entered the heavenly Holy of
Holies so that our conversion and forgiveness would be final. Whenever you think of
Christ's ascension, remember that He is seated as Priest on God's throne. What a comfort
for an embattled church! Through Him we can be confident that we have free access to the
sanctuary—thanks to "Golgotha" and the ascension!
A Reformation emphasis. When you think about this, don't forget to thank the Lord for
allowing the sacrificial service of Christ to receive so much emphasis during the
Reformation. This emphasis, of course, is a major theme in Hebrews. The Pope's church
speaks not only of the sacrifice on the cross but also of the mass as a sacrifice.
Acrobatic theologians have done their best to show that the sacrifice of the mass is really
identical with the sacrifice on the cross, but there is no escaping the fact that the mass does
not involve blood, that it is relative, that it is offered not by the solitary Christ but by
subordinate priests and the entire church, and that it is only an application of what Christ
Himself achieved. Thus the mass was and is an attempt to repeat Christ's unique sacrifice
in a non-bloody way with the help of a consecrated priesthood.
The last of the great Days of Atonement has been held. The guilt of the entire land has been
removed on a single day (Zech. 3:9). It was the Reformation that taught us to return to
Hebrews. The controversial 80th Question and Answer of the Heidelberg Catechism, which
seems to embarrass many Reformed Christians today because of its treatment of the
"popish mass," points often to Hebrews in its textual references as it formulates the issues
in a pithy way: "Our sins have been completely forgiven through the one sacrifice of Jesus
Christ which he himself finished on the cross once for all."

[19]
5. Be Faithful and Persevere
Concrete application. Hebrews is like other New Testament letters in that it begins with a
doctrinal section followed by some concrete application. In 10:19 we find the connecting
point tying the two sections together.
The transition from the one to the other is gradual. First comes a summary of the doctrine
taught—the access we are given enabling us to go into the heavenly sanctuary with full
confidence, thanks to Christ's sacrifice; the path Christ has laid down for us; and the
necessary appearance of our Priest in the house of God. All this material is not presented to
the readers without reason; it is intended to make them sure of their faith as they cling to
the hope they confess and put their faith into practice in the form of Christian love
(10:19-25).
The writer immediately lays out the issues in sharp terms. Attendance at worship services
has been lax. There is a danger of apostasy, of profaning the blood of the covenant, of
outraging the Spirit of grace—all of this because of people who once suffered persecution
and affliction on account of their confession.
Would the Lord let such wickedness go unpunished? The history of Israel and the song of
Moses (Deut. 32) clearly indicated that He would not. Therefore there was to be no
desertion or shirking or turning back (10:38-9) or siding with Israel, the apostate church,
which was doomed. The "Hebrews" must persevere and be faithful at the front lines.

7
The unseen and unproven. It is in this context that we come upon the famous eleventh
chapter of Hebrews, which tells us how the Old Testament church followed the path of faith.
The intent of this chapter is not to put the "heroes of faith" on a pedestal so that people will
[20]
think, "We could never be so faithful." No, the purpose is rather to encourage the
congregation by showing that faith always involves holding on to the unseen and unproven.
Without faith it makes no sense to speak of creation and redemptive history. Faith explains
the actions of Abel and Enoch, Noah and Abraham, and the other patriarchs. It was through
faith that Moses, Rahab, the judges, and the prophets were able to do what they did. They
all had to live by the promise, without the fulfillment in Christ (11:39-40).
The church of the new covenant knows Jesus Christ, the 'pioneer and perfecter of our faith"
(12:2). With the ancient church as a "cloud of witnesses" (vs. 1), the church of the new
covenant keeps its eye fixed on this "pioneer" as it runs its course and fights the good fight.
Because of Christ's coming, the New Testament church is even better equipped to believe
than the Old Testament church.
Suffering for Christ's sake. The "Hebrews" must not regard setbacks as judgments on what
they are doing. Apparently some supposedly friendly observers were asking: "Where is the
God on whom you fixed your hopes?" However heavy the cross borne by the church of the
old covenant, that church persevered. "God is treating you as sons; for what son is there
whom his father does not discipline?" (12:7). The discipline and chastisement are for the
son's own good.
Therefore no one should feel embittered when he has to suffer for Christ's sake. Instead he
should move ahead in new strength. We must not reject the One who speaks to us in
adversity, for the fires of judgment are already burning.
The decisive last phase in God's plan of action has come. What the church is nearing is not
a smoking Mount Sinai out the New Jerusalem or heavenly Zion. The church is nearing the
Mediator of the covenant, who is greater than Moses; she is nearing His blood, which
signals better things than the blood of Abel.
[21]
The "more and better" of the new covenant should make us more faithful and obedient.
This "more and better" brings with it an even more severe judgment from the One who is
a consuming fire, a judgment for those who persist in their apostasy. The obedience of faith
must be worked out in daily life (ch. 13).
A sacrifice of praise. The last chapter of Hebrews is also priestly, for in it we read of Christ's
suffering. "The bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the
high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside
the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood" (13:11-12). Because Christ
became a sacrifice for sin, we must offer up our continual sacrifice of praise for the blood of
the eternal covenant (vs. 15, 20).
In Christ all the sacrifices have been fulfilled. For the life of the church this has major
1
consequences: it means that the congregation has no "lasting city" here. In other words,
the church is not to cling to the Jerusalem here below, with its Jewish services in the
temple, which was about to disappear (see Rom. 11:7ff; Gal. 4:25ff; Phil. 3:7-20).
Priestly service in times of tension. The church is also called to suffer persecution and
contempt from the side of the synagogue. The cross of separation and isolation must be
borne for Christ's sake. Just as the true sacrifice was cast outside the gates of the city, so
God's people must
[22]
have the camp to go to Him. A reminder that we must respect our ecclesiastical leaders
would not be out of place in this context: those who have firsthand knowledge of the life of

1
We are not to quote this text and declare that we have no lasting city here when someone is about
to move from one town to another or when someone has died. But this text is indeed appropriate
when it becomes necessary for some group to secede from the church (see Rev. 18:4; II Cor. 6:14ff;
Acts 18:6-7; 19:9; Gal. 4:21-31).

8
the church and the pain involved in a secession know low much priestly service is needed
in times of ecclesiastical tension (13:3, 7, 17-18).
Here again grace is the first and last word. In the midst of the admonitions in this "word of
exhortation," as the writer himself describes his letter (13:22), stands a sentence that
comforts the church of all ages: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever"
(vs. 8).
What a joy to know that this Lord Jesus Christ is our merciful High Priest after the order of
Melchizedek! Golgotha has some high priestly "results," then. Through the blood of the
eternal covenant, the God of peace brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great
Shepherd of the sheep (13:20).

9
[23]
James
1. James and Jesus Christ
Brothers of Jesus. The writer of this letter introduces himself as follows: "James, a servant
of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ." Apparently he regards any further specification as
unnecessary, believing that each reader would immediately realize which "servant" was
meant.
From the book of Acts we learn that James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, played an
important role in the leadership of the original congregation in Jerusalem after the
departure of Peter. The James mentioned in Acts is apparently the author of this letter (Acts
12:17; 15:13ff; 21:18ff).
The Lord Jesus made a special appearance to James after the resurrection (I Cor. 15:7).
James joined the church during the Pentecost period, as did his brother Jude, the author of
the letter bearing his name (Acts 1:14).
No hierarchical attitudes. We know that the brothers of Jesus did not believe in Him before
[24]
the resurrection, and that they liked to find fault with Him and with His work [John
7:3ff; Mark 3:21, 31ff). Later, however, James and Jude described themselves as servants
or slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ. They recognized the Messianic office of this man born of
the same mother who bore them, and they ;aw a task for themselves as servants in the
church.
James eventually became a legendary figure and was referred to as an archbishop or a
bishop of bishops. But James himself claimed no other title than "servant of God and of the
Lord Jesus Christ." No hierarchical attitudes come to expression in his letter.
Echoes of Jesus. As we read James, we see that he echoes the words of his brother and
Lord. Consider the following parallels:
James Jesus
But above all, my brethren, do But I say to you, Do not swear
not swear, either by heaven or at all, either by heaven, for it is
by earth or with any other the throne of God, or by the
oath, but let your yes be yes earth, for it is his footstool.
and your no be no, that you Let what you say be simply
may not fall under condemnation "Yes" or "No"; anything
(5:12). more than this comes from evil
(Matt. 5:34-5, 37).
Many other examples could be mentioned. Both the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus'
address about the destruction of Jerusalem are echoed in James' letter. Compare the
following passages in James with the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew and Luke: 1:4
(Matt. 5:48), 1:3-4 (Luke 21:19), 1:22 (Luke 6:47), 2:13 (Matt. 5:7; 6:14-15), 2:14ff
(Matt. 7:21ff; 25:35ff), 3:18 (Matt. 5:9), 4:4 (Matt. 6:24), 4:10 (Luke 14:11), 5:7-8, 11
(Matt. 24:3, 13).
New Testament proverbs. James has sometimes been reproached for preaching a "Sermon
[25]
on the Mount Christianity" that recognizes Jesus only as a teacher offering moral
advice. Unlike Paul, James says little about Jesus as the Christ. But we must bear in mind
that it was not James' intention to write a lengthy logical exposition of the doctrine of
salvation.
His letter can be compared to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs does not include many
statements that make us think of the prophets. All the same, what Proverbs offers is not a
universal human morality but a commentary on the law, a commentary intended for the
guidance of the people of the Lord.
The covenant of the Lord also forms the background of the "Wisdom of James." Although he
does not talk expansively about the salvation that is ours in Christ, James does presuppose

10
it when he offers his practical wisdom for daily life and lets the Word of the highest Wisdom
speak in the form of proverbs.
Hasn't Jesus Christ become "our wisdom"? (I Cor. 1:30). Just as the book of Proverbs does
not deal with Messianic hopes at length, James does not present an extensive testimony
about Jesus Christ. Yet he does presuppose the confession of the church, and he includes a
short statement making it clear that he does not regard Jesus simply as a moral teacher.

2. A Letter to Scattered Jewish Christians

Pastoral assistance via proverbs. James addresses himself to the "twelve tribes in the
Dispersion" (1:1). By this he means the lawful continuation of the Old Testament covenant
people, i.e. the New Testament church. Thus this letter was intended first and foremost for
the scattered Jewish Christians, with whom James maintained very close ties.
[26]
Because of the persecution that led to the stoning of Stephen, some of the Jewish
Christians had scattered across Judea and Samaria and even Phoenicia, Syria and Cyprus
(Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19). In this letter, James addresses himself to the Jewish Christians in the
"Diaspora" for the purpose of giving them pastoral assistance in a Jewish manner via
proverbs, binding them to the basic law of the Kingdom of heaven.
The law of freedom. Forced emigration brings all sorts of perils with it, as powers of
endurance are subjected to severe tests. James calls for obedience to the Word, the King's
law of freedom, in all difficult situations. He opposes the sins of the tongue just as much as
the pride of the wealthy.
In the midst of the dangers arising from life's stresses and irritations, he calls for true
wisdom (1:5; 3:13). For those who confess Christ in the middle of a hostile environment,
belief and faithfulness must be a source of righteousness, giving them strength to
persevere.
The threat hanging over Jerusalem. In this context we should note that James clearly
speaks of his time as "the last days" (5:3; see also Acts 2:17). He informs us that "the
Judge is standing at the doors" (5:9). Here again he e:hoes the words of Jesus: "When you
see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates" (Matt. 24:33).
Like his readers, James was intensely aware of the threat hanging over Jerusalem and the
words Jesus spoke in judgment. The Christians found it hard to believe that the Jews, who
had rejected Jesus as the Messiah, could live on peacefully and continue to blaspheme the
honorable name of Jesus Christ, tormenting the Jewish Christians and turning the lawful
authorities against them wherever they could (2:6-7; 5:6). How could the rich in the land
[27]
of Israel live in such luxury at the cost of the oppressed when the great day of slaughter
had already arrived? (Jer. 12:3; Rom. 2:5).
Those who had become displaced persons because they confessed the name of Jesus could
not help wondering whether the Lord Jesus would really keep His word. Would He settle
accounts with the rich, proud Jewish oppressors? Waiting for vindication was almost
unbearable.
An answer to prayer. James appealed to his readers to persevere until the "coming" of the
Lord Jesus (in the form of judgment on Jerusalem as they knew it), just as Job and the
prophets had to put up with a lot of evil and somehow persevere (5:10-11). Meanwhile, the
oppressed were not to accept any "new morality." Persevering means being doers of the
Word.
From the proverbs of James we get a sense of what an immense relief and answer to prayer
the destruction of Jerusalem must have been, and what a liberating effect it must have had
on the Jewish Christians. This letter also gives us some idea of what it means to persevere
in our expectation of Jesus' last coming (parousia).

3. James and Paul

Luther's problem. It is no secret that Luther was unhappy with the Letter of James,

11
dismissing it as a "straw epistle." He took this stand because of what James says about
works: speaking of Abraham, he declares that faith is "completed by works" (2:22) and
that Abraham was "justified by works" (vs. 21).
Luther believed that this conflicted with what Paul taught: "For we hold that man is justified
[28]
by faith apart from works of law" (Rom. 3:28). Others have made the alleged
differences between the two even greater, maintaining that James was an advocate of
supreme obedience to the Jewish law and therefore a strong opponent of Paul and Gentile
Christendom.
Following Paul's path. Scripture gives no grounds whatsoever for accepting such a
caricature. Relations between Paul and James were good (Gal. 1:19; 2:9). Paul did oppose
certain people from James's circle (Gal. 2:12), but not James himself.
James used all his influence to keep the Gentile Christians from being burdened with the
keeping of all the Mosaic laws (Acts 15:13-21). In his letter he did not speak of any
ceremonial regulations; his concern was rather with "the perfect law, the law of liberty"
(1:25). He reminded his readers: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (2:8). In
emphasizing these points, he was moving along the path followed by Paul, who
maintained: "He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Rom. 13:8).
The primacy of faith. Like Paul, James puts faith first. When Paul rejects justification by
works, he means justification on the basis of a scrupulous adherence to the ceremonial
laws (e.g. dietary regulations, provisions about circumcision and feast days). But when
James talks about ' works," he does not mean living by such laws. Instead he has in mind
what we call the fruits of faith.
A living faith must somehow be made manifest—and on this point Paul would agree
wholeheartedly. It was Paul who wrote: "But now that you have been set free from sin and
have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness" (Rom. 6:22 NIV). Faith
works through love (Gal. 5:6). These statements are drawn from the same letters that
speak out so unequivocally against justification on the basis of keeping the ceremonial law.
[29]
For Paul as well as for James, faith that has no effect on life is dead. Therefore we must
not speak of a conflict or contrast between Paul and James. At most Paul would take a stand
against those who misuse the wisdom of James in an effort to defend legalism.

4. Doers of the Word

The perfect law. "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a
kind of firstfruits of all he created" (1:18 NIV). This second birth or "rebirth" (regeneration)
must be made manifest in our deeds. We must not be hearers of the Word only (vs. 22).
James works this out in practical terms. Temptations serve to make us persevere (1:2ff),
he points out. If we are lacking in wisdom, we must seek strength in prayer. But we must
not pray with doubt in our hearts (vs. 5ff). James also warns against feelings of superiority
(vs. 10-11). No one is to say that he is powerless to resist when he stumbles into sin, for
our desires are rooted in our own hearts (vs.
13ff).
Meekly we are to accept the Word planted in our hearts, the Word that can save souls
(1:21). This means immersing ourselves in the perfect law, which is the law of liberty
(1:25), the law that requires breaking with hatred, controlling our passions, looking out for
widows and orphans, and acting impartially in our dealings with others (1:19—2:13).
Christians in a minority position. Most of the readers of James's letter were persecuted poor
people. There was a danger that such a minority group might engage in shady activities
[30]
simply to get into the good graces of the majority. James condemns the custom of
giving a prominent seat in the assembly (literally: synagogue) to a rich visitor while an
interested poor person is kept at the back. "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the
world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love

12
him?" (2:5; see also 5:1ff; Luke 6:20; I Cor. 1:26ff). And weren't the rich the ones who
persecuted the Christians? (2:6; 5:6).
James's words are still of great importance and value for churches in a minority position,
churches that do not seem to know how to relate to a non-Christian majority and therefore
wind up buckling under and being subservient for fear of massacre. James rightly saw that
such churches were preparing the way for their own destruction, for they would become
2
rigid and dead.
[31]
Showing partiality to prominent persons outside the community of faith violates the
brotherhood and is an indication of a dead faith. As an illustration, James points to
Abraham and Rahab. If the church members do everything to keep their own heads above
water while neglecting the poor, the fact that they belong to a community that recognizes
Jesus as the Messiah will do them no good. A dead orthodoxy will not save them.
Sins of the tongue. James uses eloquent language as he discusses the sins of the tongue,
giving examples from daily life. The little tongue can be a fire with a much different effect
than the Pentecost tongues of flame.
The dispersed Christians could easily make life sour for each other and tear down the
congregation by sins of the tongue—through jealous words, policies designed to promote
selfish interests, partisan struggles, self-centeredness.
[32]
In all of this, righteousness and wisdom from above do not come to the fore.
What is the real reason for all this misery? The failure to break once and for all with the
world, that is, the desire to be adulterers combining friendship with God and friendship with
"the world," this present age with its own wicked style.
Undivided hearts. Those who are of two minds (4:8; see also Ps. 12:3) will have to be
reminded of what Scripture says (vs. 5) so that they will change and humble themselves
before the Lord with undivided hearts (4:6-10; Luke 14:11; I Pet. 5:5). Then there will be
an end to the squabbling and envy and quarreling, and the church will no longer be a
debating club.
The same applies to condemning fellow Christians in a loveless way (4:11-12; see also
Matt. 7:1 ff; Rom. 14:4; I Cor. 4:3-5). We must leave it to God to do the judging (4:12; see
2
On the subject of the attitudes of Christians in the (non-Christian) Middle East, J. Glissenaar reports
the following observations of a Flemish priest who worked among the Nestorian "Assyrians": the
Christians "always cling tenaciously to every little ray of hope, which explains why their opinions can
change so dramatically. Thus there are now a lot of Christians in Iraq who are in favor of Communism
because they believe that it will give them the freedom and equality they have so long yearned for.
But in the process they compromise themselves and become tools in the hands of a foreign
imperialist power" (Arabieren Huilen Niet, Blaricum, 1961, p. 193). Such churches appear to be
dominated by the very "conformity to the world" that James was combatting. Glissenaar further
observes that the Christians who were oppressed by the Mohammedans wound up living in ghettoes,
where they lost touch with the Islamic world outside and sought refuge in specialization and the
development of their economic power. This sometimes resulted in dislike and distrust of Christians on
the part of the Islamic majority, which then led to outbursts of hate against them and even plunder
and greater oppression, to which the Christians would respond with tricks, cunning, deceit, and
plotting (p. 142). We also read of internal disputes among the Christians, who formed a threatened
minority. On occasion these disputes even led to struggles with weapons (pp. 115ff, 210).
A careful look at the state of the Christian minority in the Middle East can be very helpful to someone
trying to understand James's letter. The Jews, who had taken on the role of "Ishmael" and "Hagar,"
according to the New Testament (Rom. 9; Gal. 4), played the same role in relation to the Christians
then as the Mohammedans play now. The conduct of the Jews was the reason for the specific dangers
and temptations facing the Christians—lip service, relying on one's own power, rigidification, taking
over the enemy's methods, formalism, a cold manner in business and in relations with others,
materialism, loss of the church's unique style, lack of mercy toward brothers in the faith. To illustrate
the conditions presupposed in James's letter, we could also point to the situation of the many
missionary churches of Asia and Africa, which live in the midst of political revolution and rising
nationalism.

13
also Eccl. 7:16). Once and for all, James wants to put an end to the unspiritual, earthly,
partisan struggles inside the circles of the dispersed Christians. Let us be doers of the
Word!

5. A Unique Style for the Last Days

Wealthy persecutors. The "dispersed" Christians were irritated with each other partly
because of all the pressure they lived under. Their persecutors were wealthy and acted !ike
snobs in many ways.
In two prophetic statements (4:13-17 and 5:1-6), James demonstrates the rottenness of
the deeds of the "rich." What good does it do them to brag about their plans if life is really
[33]
a mist that vanishes quickly, a flower that fades and perishes in the scorching heat of
the sun? (4:14; 1:11). What is there left of human wealth when fire and rust have done
their work? (5:2ff; Matt. 6:19-20). The injustices committed by the rich cry out to heaven.
In 4:15, a well-known text, we read James's observation: "If the Lord wills, we shall live
and we shall do this or that." It does not say: "If the Lord wills and we live . . . ." This text
is the basis for adding "D.V." to announcements about future events. "D.V." is an
abbreviation for the Latin phrase Deo volente (God being willing). "If it is the Lord's will, the
wedding will be held . . . ."
Judgment on Israel. Pentecost signals the beginning of the "last days." The Judge is at the
door; Jesus will fulfill His words about Israel and settle accounts with the wicked
generation.
If we read James's words carefully, we see that the portrait of him as a Jewish legalist is a
complete distortion. His respect for the Jewish law did not keep him from realizing how
close Israel was to the "culmination," i.e. the coming judgment. (When he speaks of the
"parousia," the coming of the Lord, he is referring to this judgment—and not in the first
place to Christ's final return.)
The death of James. According to Flavius Josephus and Hegesippus, James was killed in the
temple in the year 62 at the instigation of the high priest and the Sanhedrin, after he was
accused of transgressing the law by confessing that Jesus is the Christ (see Rev. 11:7-8).
The death of James drove the church and the synagogue in Jerusalem even farther apart
and made Jerusalem even more ripe for judgment. According to Hegesippus, James was
spoken of as "righteous." What he wrote, then, was fulfilled in his own case: "You have
condemned, you have killed the righteous man" (5:6).
[34]
James calls on his readers to be patient and long-suffering. The "parousia," the coming
of the Lord, is near (5:7ff)- If the people of God would only live by their own style and pay
careful attention to the prophecies, there would be no more dangerous "grumbling" about
each other (vs. 9). Happy are those who persevere until the culmination (5:11; see also
Matt. 24:13). James wrote in the light of the fire that was about to destroy Jerusalem's
wealth (see Rev. 18:7ff).
"First unction." In keeping with their calling as first fruits, the believers in Israel must bear
the stamp of God's Kingdom. They are not to sin by misusing oaths, for that would only
bring judgment nearer (5:12; 3:1). They will have to seek their strength in prayer and
song. The weak will have to turn to the elders for help so that their anxieties may be stilled
by the "intermediate" way of prayer and proclamation of the gospel. May the approaching
day of judgment drive the believers closer together, so that they learn to await the Lord in
hearing confessions of sin, in praying for each other, and in bringing back those who have
gone astray.
James 5:13-16 has sometimes been taken as a Scriptural basis for the Roman Catholic
sacraments of confession and extreme unction. This passage has also been used to defend
faith healing. But what James is actually doing in 1 his passage is showing the church of his
day, which lived in a time of approaching covenant wrath, how to escape.
The church's defense is not extreme unction, which is the sacrament of the dying, but "first

14
unction," that is, anointment with the Spirit (4:5), which makes possible a true community
of saints. Then the mercy of believers will triumph over God's judgment (2:13).
James also points the way for those who await the Lord's final coming. I will persevere in
[35]
my faithfulness to he name of the Lord and the community of the saints—if it is the
Lord's will (Deo volente). We must be patient and long-suffering, not allowing ourselves to
be frustrated by all the apostasy from the covenant.

15
[36]
I Peter
1. Peter Strengthens His Brothers
Peter the rock. Simon Peter, the author of this letter, is familiar to us from the "gospels"
and the book of Acts. Simon was originally a disciple of John the Baptist. When he followed
Christ, he was given the name Peter, which is a Greek form of Cephas, his Aramaic name.
(Peter is derived from the Greek word for rock.)
Peter was the man who resolutely rejected the idea of Christ's suffering and even denied his
Master in order to escape danger. After the resurrection, Christ appeared especially to him
(Luke 24:34; I Cor. 15:5) and later gave him the command: "Feed my sheep" (John
21:17).
When Pentecost comes, we find Peter speaking in the name of the other apostles—and
afterward as well. Through Christ's grace he became a rock who rejoiced at being allowed
to suffer for the sake of Christ's name (Acts 5:41). What a change in him! Now Peter no
longer avoided suffering but understood fully the necessity of Christ's atoning sacrifice.
Now he was ready to suffer imprisonment and even worse things for Christ.
[37]
Peter's mandate. How is it possible that Peter, who denied His Savior, could later
appeal to the Jews so boldly to repent and turn to Christ? From Pentecost on, he even
threatened them with judgment: "Save yourselves from this crooked generation" (Acts
2:40). Shouldn't Peter take a close look at himself instead of elevating himself above others
and trying to set them straight in his usual proud manner?
Such a question could also be raised about this letter. The man who was afraid of a servant
girl in the courtyard of the high priest during the trial of Christ now speaks of suffering in
lofty terms: "It is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ"
(4:14 JB). Wouldn't it be better for a man like Peter to remain silent about these things—all
the more because his fear of the Jews (i.e. the Jews of the dispersion, in Antioch) continued
to play a role in his conduct after Pentecost? (Gal. 2:12).
The answer to this question is no. During the "last supper" Christ not only prophesied that
Peter would fall, He also commissioned Peter to act on behalf of his brethren after coming
to a proper understanding of Christ's mission. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to
have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you [singular] that your
faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren" (Luke
22:31-2). Thus there was a task for Peter: he was to strengthen his brothers!
In this letter Peter seeks to carry out his mandate. He knows that God does not play
favorites (1:17; Acts 10:34). The decisive thing is not his own past but the commission he
has been given by Christ.
Peter seems to be alluding to Christ's words when he says at the end of the letter: "The God
of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will see that all is well again: he will
confirm, strengthen and support you. I write these few words to you ... to encourage you
[38]
never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness" (5:10, 12 IB; see also II
Pet. 1:12). Peter had been "converted"; he had come around to a true understanding of the
gospel, and he now proceeded to strengthen his brothers in Asia Minor.
A letter from Babylon. Peter's readers lived in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia, and
the Roman province of Asia (not to be identified with the continent of Asia, which borrowed
the name of this province). The mention of these areas reminds us of the people present at
the first Pentecost service.
Peter speaks of "Babylon" as the place from which he writes (5:13). Some interpreters
assume that he is using this name symbolically, while others take it as a literal reference to
the region called Babylon.
If Peter was indeed speaking symbolically, then it is not likely that he meant Rome. Peter's
attitude toward government (2:13ff) was not such that we would expect him to use a

16
despised name like Babylon when speaking of the capital city of the empire. When Peter
speaks of the one in Babylon "who is likewise chosen" (5:13), he means the Christian
congregation in the place from which he wrote the letter. This may well have been
Babylonia, where many Jews lived.
Silvanus. Peter's secretary is a familiar figure in the New Testament—Silvanus (Silas),
Paul's travel companion, who is mentioned at the beginning of the two letters to the
Thessalonians. That this letter of Peter parallels certain passages in the letters of Paul can
be attributed to the influence of Silvanus.
Moreover, we must not forget that in those days there was a certain language used in
preaching and teaching. It would be natural for Peter to make use of that language in his
[39]
letter. We also find some similarities between Peter's letter and Christ's own words,
which should not surprise us. Peter was a disciple who enjoyed intimate contact with the
Lord.
Strengthen your brothers! In this letter Peter obeys the Lord's command, with the
assistance of Silvanus. The readers were going through a difficult period, for satan wanted
to sift them as wheat. Peter now makes an effort to encourage them as a shepherd.

2. Exiles and Priests (1:1—2:10)

Second-class citizens. The Jews outside Palestine were referred to as "the dispersed," as
the Jews of the "Diaspora." They were exiles and outsiders in the lands where they lived.
Their real fatherland was Judea or Galilee.
The beginning of Peter's letter uses this language: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the
exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." When Peter
speaks here of "exiles," he is not characterizing his readers as timid, pale Christians who do
not feel at home in this world because they may not. He has a different kind of "exile" or
"outsider" in mind. (The word he uses for "exile" in 1:17 is paroikia, which is related to our
word parish.)
Peter was simply characterizing the situation in which his readers found
themselves—without telling them that all Christians ought to feel like exiles and outsiders.
The fact of the matter was that the Christians Peter was addressing were treated like
second-class citizens; they were oppressed and made to suffer. In that sense they could
indeed be regarded as "exiles."
[40]
Not for a moment did Peter intend to deny our calling and task in this world. The
Christians he addressed were "exiles" only because of the environment and circumstances
in which they happened to live. He was not calling into question their rights as heirs of
God's creation.
Reason for hope. Peter now proceeds to encourage this 'parish" of exiles. The Father chose
them, the Spirit sanctified them, and the Son sprinkled them with the blood of the new
covenant. Therefore they had reason for hope! Thanks to the resurrection of Christ, an
abiding, unblemished, unfading inheritance is being reserved for them in heaven, to be
given them one day in a world in which they will no longer be pushed around. The turmoil
to which they are now being subjected is intended to test their faith in the inheritance.
The glory of the inheritance will be fully apparent when Christ comes. The words of the
prophets long ago are fulfilled in Jesus' humiliation and subsequent ascension into glory.
Even though the church does not see its Savior, through faith it knows that the final goal
has been reached.
Redemption and renewal. Peter once heard John the Baptist speak of Jesus as a "Lamb."
Now he himself speaks of the precious blood of Christ as the blood of "a lamb without
blemish or spot" (1:19), that is, a lamb suitable for sacrifice. Through this blood, the
congregation has been redeemed from a meaningless life and given a priestly task. "But as
he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct" (1:15; Lev. 11:44).
Through the Word, the congregation is reborn; it is renewed to a living hope, to brotherly

17
love, and to faith (1:21ff).
Rebirth or renewal is not a mysterious event in which man is completely passive. It means
a turning or changing on our part as we renew our lives. It is the living, evangelizing Word
[41]
of God that sets us in motion. "Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that
by it you may grow up to salvation" (2:2).
A temple of living stones. Peter, whom Jesus once spoke of as the rock (petra) on which the
church would be built, now depicts Christ as the living stone and the church as a temple of
living stones. Christ is a stumbling block for unbelievers, but this Cornerstone rejected by
the builders will not put believers to shame (2:4ff; Ps. 118:22; Is. 28:16; Luke 20:17-18).
Peter also goes back to the proclamation of God's covenant and calls the church a
priesthood (2:9, 5; Ex. 19:6), a royal order of priests, a vassal state of priests bringing
Spiritual offerings, of priests subordinate to the Great King. Peter does just what Paul does,
then. He encourages the embattled church members by telling them explicitly what they
are, namely, a continuation of the Old Testament covenant people. "You are now the
people of God (Ammi), who once were not his people (Lo-ammi); outside his mercy once,
you have now received his mercy" (2:10 NEB; Hos. 1:9ff; 2:23). Not the synagogue but the
church is the heir of the rich covenant promises. On the basis of these riches, Peter
proceeds to exhortation and admonition.

3. Spiritual Sacrifices (2:11—3:12)

No undisciplined conduct. The church is a Spiritual house, a holy priesthood that must offer
Spiritual sacrifices (2:5; see also Rom. 12:1). In this context the term Spiritual does not
mean in the spirit or elevated above matter or anything of that exalted sort; it means
governed by the Holy Spirit. It is in ordinary life that such sacrifice comes to the fore.
[42]
Those who are outside the church sometimes slander Christians. Christians must not
leave themselves open to accusations. Redemption through Christ should not lead to
undisciplined conduct and license. Christians must be loyal to the emperor and the
governor. They are not to say: "Because Christ has made me free, I don't have to listen to
the authorities anymore." Fearing God means honoring the man He has chosen as emperor
(2:17). "My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not disobey either of them" (Prov.
24:21). In this way Scripture can be used to silence superficial critics.
Christ's example. Slaves serving in the home are not to rebel. They may not even rebel
against wicked masters who torment them because of their faith. Peter holds up Christ as
an example, for Christ did not resist when He had to suffer. Instead He surrendered to the
One who judges justly. "By his wounds you have been healed" (2:24). For slaves, offering
Spiritual sacrifices means following this Shepherd.
The same principles apply to wives. They often have a hard time of it if their husbands do
not believe the Word. Are they then to become rebellious? No. It is their duty to win their
husbands for Christ through a God-fearing way of life.
Gentle service. Peter tells the women: "Your beauty should not come from outward
adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead,
it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit, which
is of great worth in God's sight" (3:3 NIV). These words are by no means out-of-date; they
are of great relevance for our age of false freedom.
Christ restores the original order of life. The woman is not reduced to the level of a slave,
[43]
even though Peter holds before her the example of Sarah, who called Abraham her
"lord." Peter frees the woman of revolutionary ideas about emancipation. Neither by being
bossy nor by adorning herself will she make her existence meaningful. Central to her
existence is gentle service.
Naturally, this does not give husbands the right to take advantage of the gentleness of their
wives. The life of husband and wife together must be made noble through the hope of the
coming inheritance and through prayer.

18
Such are the guidelines that must govern the ethos of the "exiles." In Peter's words we hear
echoes of the Sermon on the Mount. The man of the sword—think of Peter in Gethsemane,
cutting off the ear of Malchus—has been "converted" and now encourages and admonishes
his brothers.

4. Suffering as Christians—in Hope (3:13—5:14)

Exiles—yet heirs. Once more Peter takes up the theme of suffering—or rather, the hope of
those who suffer for the name of Christ. Jesus Himself had declared: "Blessed are those
who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed
are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all manner of evil against you
falsely on my account" (Matt. 5:10-11).
Wives must not let themselves be frightened (3:6), just as Christians in general have
nothing to fear (vs. 14), provided they walk uprightly in Christ. Even though "the world"
has made them exiles, they are really heirs.
Peter points once more at Christ. He was killed in the flesh; His enemies finished Him off.
But He was made alive in the Spirit. Because of that power, He could then ascend (3:18,
[44]
22) into heaven, where all the angels and powers are subject to Him. The Christian who
dies in Christ's power, who dies according to the flesh because he is persecuted—that
Christian will live by God's will. To "the world" he may be a foreigner and an exile (4:4), but
in the end he is an heir.
Judgment on God's house. One of the most difficult passages in the entire New Testament
is 3:19ff, where we read about Christ preaching to the "spirits in prison." These "spirits" are
identified as those who were disobedient during the days of Noah. Their destruction is
contrasted with salvation through the ark, which corresponds to baptism in the New
Testament.
What does this passage mean? Some interpreters think in terms of Christ preaching in the
realm of the dead. Others interpret the passage as referring to a preaching of the Spirit in
the days of Noah. It has also been argued that the people meant are those who manifest
the same disobedience as the people of Noah's time (see II Pet. 2:5; 3:6). What the text
probably refers to is the message Christ preached by His ascension.
The idea of the destruction of the first world occupied a good deal of Peter's attention. He
now knows that Christ is about to judge the "second world." He announces: "The end of all
things is at hand" (4:7).
This awareness ought to govern the ethics of Christians. As in Noah's days, the Judge
stands ready. The judgment will begin with the house of God, the covenant people (4:17;
see also Ezek. 9:6). Only those who suffer as "Christians" may commend their spirits into
the hands of the Father (4:16; see also Luke 23:46). There is no virtue, then, in suffering
on account of the evil we have committed against the state or society (4:15).
Humility as a uniform. Of course Peter could have said a great deal more on this topic, but
[45]
the congregations had their own elders to teach them. The apostle who was
commissioned by the risen Lord to feed the sheep now gives a command in turn to the
office-bearers of the congregations: "Tend the flock of God that is your charge" (5:2).
The younger members of the church must subject themselves to the elders. Humility is the
uniform in which they should clothe themselves (vs. 5). Was Peter thinking here of how
Christ washed the feet of the disciples before the last supper? (John 13:1-17).
Encouragement. Many Reformed churches draw on Peter's letter for their liturgy, using the
concluding words of his stirring benediction after the confession of faith: "After you have
suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ,
will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you. To him be the dominion for ever and
ever. Amen" (5:10-11).
This is the same Peter who had earlier played the role of a satan, saying when he heard that
Jesus was to suffer: "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you" (Matt. 16:22). The

19
author of those bold words is the same man who broke down and cried in Paul's presence
because he was afraid of reprisals from the Jews (Gal. 2:12ff). Through His encouraging
Word, God strengthens the exiles in the dispersion so that they know how to suffer for His
name.

20
[46]
II Peter
1. Peter's Testament
The question of authorship. Peter's second letter differs greatly from his first in style. Some
scholars have therefore concluded that the second letter is not authentic.
When we consider this question, we must remember that Peter's first letter was written
with the help of Silvanus (Silas) as secretary. Peter apparently used someone else to help
him write his second letter, which would account in part for the difference in style. To a
considerable extent, the two letters do not deal with the same subjects, which would
influence the choice of words somewhat. Finally, who are we to say what kinds of sentences
and words Peter may use? Are we to deny him the right to write his second letter in an
original way simply because that originality conflicts with our theories and calculations?
Peter and Jude. Another argument used to support the view that Peter is not the author of
[47]
the letter known as "II Peter" is the similarity between that letter and the Letter of
Jude. This similarity has led to speculation that someone took some of the material in
Jude's letter, worked it out at greater length, and then bestowed apostolic authority on it by
ascribing it to Peter. If so, II Peter would be a piece of plagiarism, falsification, pious deceit.
Now, there are indeed some striking similarities between the two letters.
II Peter Jude
Dear friends, this is now my But, dear friends, remember
second letter to you. I have what the apostles of our Lord
written both of them as Jesus Christ foretold. They
reminders to stimulate you to said to you, "In the last times
wholesome thinking. I want there will be scoffers who will
you to recall the words spoken follow their own ungodly
in the past by the holy prophets desires" (vs. 17-18 NIV).
and the command given by our
Lord and Savior through your
apostles. First of all, you must
understand that in the last days
scoffers will come, scoffing
and following their own evil
desires (3:1-3 NIV; see also vs.
5-16).

Peter gives us the impression of going into the matter in greater depth.
If there was indeed a falsifier who tried to attribute his letter to Peter, why would he borrow
from a letter already in circulation? Furthermore, wouldn't a falsifier take great pains to
copy the style of I Peter?
Timely commentary. Take this letter for what it is, namely, a message from Peter, who by
this time was very old and could see that his death was not far away. It may be that he
gives us some further commentary on statements first made by Jude, the brother of James
and of the Lord. In any case, his letter is a helpful, timely commentary on the events of his
day.

21
[48]
Peter offers a final testament, in which his readers are urged to cling firmly to the Word
and nothing else. If the church does so, there will be no room for the heresy of following our
own desires.

2. Clinging to the Prophetic Word Ratified by the Father

Peter's apostolic calling. The false prophets claimed revelation and knowledge from
extra-Biblical sources. They appeared on the scene seeming to possess some sort of
authority, and they quickly excited people and attracted a following.
That's why Peter begins by accentuating his own calling as an apostle. He also points out
that he and his readers cling to the same precious faith. We enjoy the rich privilege of
knowing the One who has called us through His glory and power. We are rich in promises!
(1:3-4).
This means that we are not in need of any supplement from elsewhere, however "Spiritual"
it might look. In fact, we may not accept any supplement. We must confirm cur calling and
election; we must make them valid. Now that we have professed our faith, we must stand
by what we have affirmed (1:10). Peter had been commanded by Jesus to strengthen his
brothers (Luke 22:32). That's exactly what he does in this letter—with all his might (see
1:12; I Pet. 5:10).
A story told by eyewitnesses. The apostle did not believe and preach myths or artificial
fables or manmade "revelations." The gospel is a story told by eyewitnesses—not
overwrought mystics.
[49]
Peter thinks back to Christ's glorification on the Mount of Transfiguration. At that point
God actually declared that Jesus is His Son and covered Him with glory. He also showed
that the old prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus; they were "made more sure" (1:19). Peter
goes on to point out: "The interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the
individual. Why? Because no prophecy ever came from man's initiative. When men spoke
for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them" (vs. 20-1 JB).

3. The False Prophets and Their Theology of Liberation

Wolves in sheep's clothing. False prophets and exegetes interpreting Scripture by
principles of their own devising had already appeared under the old covenant. They were a
force on the scene in Peter's time as well, offering a gospel adapted to human tastes. Their
gospel left out a significant aspect of the Lord's revelation, namely, His wrath directed at
any apostasy from the covenant. The false prophets held visions of peace and freedom
before the people, even though they were in bondage to corruption themselves (2:19; see
also John 8:34; Rom. 6:16).
Jesus, too, warned expressly against false prophets, characterizing them as wolves in
sheep's clothing (Matt. 7:15; 24:4ff, 11, 24). If it were possible, the false prophets would
even mislead God's elect. They operated especially where Jewish nationalism and zealotry
were strong. The message they preached was that the messianic age had come—an age of
freedom from Roman rule.
We also encounter false prophets in later church history. Think of the Anabaptists, who
offered prophecies of their own devising and were responsible for the drama at Münster
[50]
under John of Leiden (1525). The conduct of the Anabaptists led many Roman Catholics
to develop misconceptions about Reformed Christians, whom they did not clearly
distinguish from Anabaptists. During the time of the Reformation, then, the "way of truth"
was slandered because of the conduct of the spiritualist prophets.
Rebellion against Rome. What Peter sees coming is that the Lord will strike Jerusalem with
judgment. He knows of so-called Christians who play the role of prophet in order to agitate
for rebellion against Rome. The Christians who had left Judea for other areas also had false
prophets at work in their midst.
There must have been Christians who were taken in by the false message, letting go of

22
their confession that Jesus is the Messiah and throwing themselves into the cause of a
revolutionary ideal, a false messianic ideal. Therefore Peter felt that he had to say
something, as one would normally do in a testament.
The flag of revolution. The gospel brought by those false teachers was a theology of
revolution. They did not even shrink from slandering the "glorious ones" whom they did not
recognize.
When Peter speaks here of "glorious ones," he does not mean angels but governmental
authorities, that is, those who rule. The false prophets behave like animals as they carry
out their terrorist activities.
Unfortunately, we sometimes see the same kind of conduct today among Christians who
wave the flag of evolution. Peter points out that just as there was judgment on apostasy
and revolution under the old covenant, there will be judgment under the new covenant.
The price of sin. We should note that unlike Jude, Peter presents his examples in a
[51]
chronological order. He mentions the apostate angels (2:4), the world of Noah's day
(vs. 5), and Sodom and Gomorrah (vs. 6ff)- In the case of the last two examples, he
emphasizes the way of salvation: the Lord knows how to deliver the godly from temptation
(vs. 9). But those who are taken in by the "traveling salesmen" and trade in the "way of
righteousness" (vs. 21) for the way of Balaam (vs. 15; see also Rev. 2:14) will fall prey to
covenant wrath. Sin is not cheap for a Christian.
Peter's testament includes a timely message for the Christians of our age. So much has
happened in the field of mission activities since the nineteenth century! We now see that
there are many in the old world, the new world and the third world who follow the theology
of revolution. Peter addresses them in sharp terms: "It would have been better for them
never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the
holy commandment delivered to them" (2:21).

4. False and True Prophecy about the Future

God's time. Even during the time of the Old Testament prophets, there was a "God of the
covenant is dead" theology. "Son of man, what is this proverb that you have about the land
of Israel, saying, 'The days grow long and every vision comes to nought'?" (Ezek. 12:22;
see also Is. 5:19; Jer. 17:15; Mal. 2:17).
Christ warned expressly against any relaxation in our perseverance, any feeling that the
Lord might somehow delay His coming. "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Matt.
24:13). Jesus made this statement when He was talking about the temptation to join in the
spirit of rebellion.
[52]
God's time is not our time. For Him a thousand years are like a day. If He delays
judgment, it is because of His patience and mercy—and not because of any weakness
(3:9-15; see also Luke 18:1-8; James 5:7-11; I Pet. 3:20). Delaying the judgment on
Jerusalem leaves more time to preach the gospel and call for conversion (Matt. 24:14;
Rom. 11:5, 13-14, 25-6).
False optimism. Today there are people who declare that the idea of judgment is only a
projection of human fears. World history is its own court of judgment! There are also some
who await a "brave new world," a Utopia along American or Communist lines. They look
ahead not to a "parousia" or coming of the Lord but to an evolution made possible by
human civilization and technology.
The Bible rules out any such Humanistic optimism. But it also rules out the existentialistic
pessimism that sees the whole world as caught in an accelerating downhill slide. The Bible
gives us divine promises about the new heaven and a new earth. In Christ all things are
made new.
Redemptive purposes. The approach Peter adopts is to apply the Word of his Savior to his
own time. When he speaks of the "second letter" (3:1), he may well mean Part 2 of his
letter (i.e. Part 2 of II Peter). Part 2 ties in closely with Part 1.

23
The judgments Peter mentioned earlier, such as the flood, make it apparent that the evil
cannot continue indefinitely. If the Lord postponed judgment, it was not because of any
weakness on His part but because of some redemptive purpose. The Lord did not want
anyone to be lost (3:9, 15). Yet the judgment that had long been predicted would surely
come.
Judgment sketched in cosmic terms. What Peter now goes on to say about the day of the
[53]
Lord is generally applied to the final judgment. People even speak of the entire world
going up in flames, which would fit in with the way of thinking prevalent in the ancient
world.
But we should ask ourselves whether Peter's mention of the day of the Lord in this context
might not be a reference to the coming judgment on the "present Jerusalem" (Gal. 4:25).
Are we to understand the word elements (3:10) in terms of modern chemistry? Or could
this word be a reference to the ABCs of the Jewish world (i.e. Jerusalem, the temple, and
the services in the temple), as it is in Galatians 4:9 and Colossians 2:20? Bear in mind that
there are more passages in Scripture where we see a specific judgment sketched in cosmic
terms (Deut. 32:22; Joel 2:30; Acts 2:19-20; Matt. 24:29).
Sober and stable. For believers, this proclamation of judgment was not a reason to be
pessimistic. It was rather a spur to continue down the path of holiness, keeping an eye
fixed on God's great promises—the coming of a new heaven and a new earth on which
righteousness dwells (3:11ff).
This expectation is not to be interpreted in horizontal terms, as though we await such
tremendous progress that human civilization will one day develop into "a new heaven and
a new earth." The promise should serve to help us remain sober in our outlook and stable
in our attitudes, keeping both feet on the ground.
Peter, the rock, is called to strengthen his brothers and sisters. He does so by way of this
letter, in which he points to what Paul also wrote. Today, as in Peter's day, we can be
strong, mature Christians in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
only if we cling to His Word, His prophetic Word.

24
[54]
I John
1. John's "Gospel" and His Pastoral Letter
Similar in style and diction. John is not expressly named as the sender of this letter. Yet it
is clear from the content that he is the author. When we compare the beginning of the
Gospel according to John with the beginning of I John, we see great similarities in style and
choice of words.

Gospel First Letter

In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God; all things were
made through him, and without him
was not anything made that was
made. In him was life, and the life
was the light of men. The light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness
has not overcome it. For the law was
given through Moses; grace and
truth came through Jesus Christ
(1:1-5, 17).
That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have
seen with our own eyes, which we
have looked upon and touched with
our hands, concerning the word of
life .... God is light and in him is no
darkness at all. If we say we have
fellowship with him while we walk in
darkness, we lie and do not live
according to the truth, but if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another
(1:1,5-7).

[55]
You see immediately that these two passages were written by the same author. The
same witness is speaking to us in both.
In typical "Semitic" style, the argument keeps coming back to the same point, but each
time on a higher level, advancing in spiral fashion. We see this when we arrange a passage
from John's first letter in verse form:
Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment
which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which
you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in
him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is
already shining. He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the
darkness still.
He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it there is no cause for
stumbling. But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the
darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has
blinded his eyes (2:7-11).
When we put down the words used repeatedly in this passage one beneath the other, we
come up with the following result:
darkness loves his brother
new commandment light light
old commandment light hates his brother
old commandment hates his brother darkness
new commandment darkness darkness
darkness
[56]
As sober, businesslike citizens of the Western world, we usually fail to notice such
details of style. It would help if these letters were printed in verse form in our Bible
translations. Although this would require more paper, it would open our eyes to the power

25
of the New Testament's poetry. Our Lord Jesus was a poet, and John, who was so close to
Him, was a poet as well.
Similar in terminology. The coherence between John's first letter and his "gospel" is no
doubt clear to you by now. In this context arises an important question that is all too often
ignored: Is the meaning that certain words take on in John's "gospel" also determinative for
understanding I John? To take two examples, do the words world and darkness have the
same meaning in these two Bible books?
In the passage from John's "gospel" quoted above, the term darkness is used in reference
to the covenant people of Israel, who did not accept Jesus as the light. "His own people
received him not" (John 1:11). But when we come across the term darkness in I John, are
we to give it the Same meaning? In John's "gospel," the word world is used repeatedly to
speak of this world or this age, which is under satan's power and is concentrated in the
leadship of Israel. Does world also have this meaning in I John?
Pointing back to the gospel tradition. There are some scholars who believe that I John was
written as a letter to introduce the Gospel according to John. But this hypothesis has never
been proven, for we have no information about the exact time when the letter was written.
The fact that the same words are prominent in these two Bible books—we don't need a
computer to see that for ourselves—does indicate that they belong together, they have the
same author, are addressed to the same readers, and spring from the same intellectual
[57]
climate. This leads me to conclude that I John was written around the same time as the
Gospel according to John. Like all the other books of the New Testament, I John was written
before year 70, that is, before the destruction of Jerusalem. This letter points back to what
is revealed in the Gospel according to John and also opposes the Jewish synagogue.
The author of I John repeatedly alludes to things his readers already know. He quotes the
3
words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke, but also as recorded in the
"gospel" he wrote himself.
Because he does so, we are safe in interpreting the terms he uses as having the meaning
he gives them in his "gospel." Thus the "hatred" of the world is not hatred in general but
hatred from the side of the "synagogue of satan." The false prophecy referred to in I John
is not purely heathen but issues from a bastardized church.
This is the reason why John makes a point of going back to the tradition, the testimony
handed on (2:7-27), the Word itself. All too often, scholars fail to realize and point out that
[58]
John himself supplies the key to understanding his letter when he emphasizes the
gospel tradition. The church suffers as a result of this failure in interpretation.

3
Compare the following passages from I John with the "gospels": 2:17 (Matt. 7:21), 3:1-3 (Matt.
5:8-9), 4:1 (Matt. 24:11, 24), 5:3 (Matt. 11:30), 3:7 (Mark 13:5), 5:15 (Mark 11:24), 3:13 (Luke
6:22). The parallels between I John and the Gospel according to John are numerous, as we see from
the following examples:

Gospel according to John I John

3:36 5:12
13:34 (see also 15: 10-12) 1:8, 10 (see also 2:10)
15:11 1:4
14:16; 16:13 4:6
17:3 5:20
18:37 3:19

Look into this matter for yourself. I'm sure you will be able to find more parallels.

26
 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the
world hates you (3:13 NIV).

2. Opposition from Within

The synagogue of satan. John's readers were suffering under the hatred of "the world."
Given the meaning of the term world in John 15:18ff, we must think here of the "synagogue
of satan." The Lord Jesus had said to His disciples:
If the world hates you,
remember that it hated me before you.
If you belonged to the world,
the world would love you as its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
because my choice withdrew you from the world,
therefore the world hates you (John 15:18-19 JB).
Jesus likewise spoke of His disciples being killed and cast out of synagogues (John 16:2).
John, who repeatedly goes back to what was heard and said, speaks in his first letter, too,
of the covenant people who did not recognize Jesus and hated those who confessed His
name.
It is clear from 2:22 and 5:1 that John is not talking about the pagans or the wicked world
in general. At issue is the confession about the Messiah, the King of Israel, a confession
involving the testimony of the Old Testament. (The same point comes out in verse 9 of II
[59]
John, where we should read "doctrine about Christ" in place of "doctrine of Christ.") The
4
recognition of Jesus as the Messiah and also the Son of God is the real issue.
The threat of heresy. It has often been argued that I John opposes the same heretics as the
Gospel according to John, namely, such Gnostics as Cerinthus, who did not confess that the
Christ had become a human being, a man of flesh and blood. The Gnostics made a
distinction between Jesus and the Christ. They were not willing to go any further than to
say that Christ had what appeared to be a body.
Now, it is not to be denied that John's writings were ideally suited for use in the struggle
against this rising heresy, but we must not forget what John is talking about first of all in I
John, namely, the refusal to accept the basic, original Christian confession about the Son of
God who became man. Anyone who denied this confession was joining the synagogue of
satan.
Prophecy gone wild. In the churches addressed by John, there were false teachers who
believed that the confession about the Christ was not a matter of central importance. They
declared that they, too, had "the Spirit." What we face here is "Christian" prophecy gone
wild, a false prophecy (4:1) that also appealed to "revelations" (vs. 12, 20) and regarded
itself as legitimate, "anointed" prophecy.
These prophets taught that it is possible to cling to God and confess His name without
joining in the confession about Jesus as Messiah. Atonement was not regarded as
necessary (1:8ff). God was not just the Father of those who confessed the Son. Thus it was
[60] 5
not really necessary for Jesus to shed His blood at Golgotha (5:6, 8). Golgotha was not
an essential part of the gospel.
For teaching such things, these heretics had to be forced out of the church (2:19). They
refused to obey the truth of the gospel and stood on the side of "the world," that is, the
Sanhedrin and the synagogue, with its hatred of Jesus (see Rev. 2:2-3, 6).

4
On the confession about the Son of God, see 2:22; 4:15; 5:11-12; Matt. 26:46; 27:40ff, 54; Mark
14:61.
5
The KJV includes some words in 5:7-8 that the RSV and NEB leave out because many ancient
manuscripts do not have them. Even if we are forced to leave out these words, which speak of the
three persons of the Trinity, we are still left with many other texts that mention the Trinity.

27
3. A Warning about Antichrists
False messiahs. The word antichrist refers to anyone who unlawfully sets himself up in the
place of Christ, struggles against Christ, and is opposed by Christ. The church was taught
that antichrists would one day appear in its midst. When Paul left Ephesus, he told the
elders: "After my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the
disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30).
It's likely that Ephesus was one of the congregations John's letter was meant for. Moreover,
Jesus' own predictions about false messiahs and pseudo-prophets were known from the
gospels (Matt. 24:5, 11, 24). John, who may have been on the island of Patmos when he
wrote this letter, now declares that things have gone so far that many antichrists have
already appeared.
[61]
The eleventh hour. This indicates that it is the "last hour" (2:18). Many false prophets
have gone out into "the world" (4:1), that is, the apostate Jewish world. "Every spirit which
does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that
it was coming, and now it is in the world already" (4:3).
John's words make it clear that we must not think of the "antichrist" in connection with a
misty future when the "last hour" finally comes. John looks at the clock of church history
and discovers that the last hour is already here. It is the eleventh hour! Thus we must be
sure to let his word shape our conception of the "antichrist" and not try to weaken that
conception by saying that the false teachers he speaks of are only forerunners of some
future antichrist (see vs. 7 of II John).
Within the covenant circle. Antichrist was and is the name to apply to any false prophet who
emerges from within the covenant circle claiming to be "anointed with the Spirit." When
John reports the vision of the beast in the book of Revelation, he is not telling us about a
future political antichrist with the reins of world government in his hands; he is indicating
that some beastly devil will arise out of Israel to attack the church. II Thessalonians 2
follows the same line of thought. In 3:9, John distinguishes sharply between the seed of
6
God (the children of God) and the children of the devil (see John 8:44).
[62]
John is sometimes branded an apostle of love in the sense that he preaches
philanthropy and general human solidarity. But a syrupy Christianity mainly concerned
with not hurting or offending anyone would have to regard John's use of the keys of the
Kingdom of heaven as a strange sort of love. The modern apostles of love get a great deal
of mileage out of certain snippets of I John (e.g. the statement that God is love), but they
want nothing to do with such words as antichrist and false prophet, words that this "son of
thunder" used to characterize those who supported the Jewish counter-reformation.

4 God's Love and Our Love

The fruit of Christ's work. People today are overflowing with the milk of human kindness. All
good liberals love the starving millions in faraway lands. God has become the Father of all
men. We are all brothers and sisters. Even the Bible is allowed to contribute a couple of
stirring texts!
But when John speaks of brotherly love in his first letter, he means a love grounded in God's
love for His church, which is manifested in the forgiveness of our sins on the basis of the
atoning work of Jesus Christ. Here, too, everything begins and ends with Jerusalem. Love
is not a general human quality rooted in human goodwill; it is the fruit of the work of Christ
and first becomes manifest within the covenant circle.
Love put to the test. It is within our own circles that brotherly love is put to the test. This

6
The RSV reads: "No one born of God commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin
because he is born of God" (3:9). Today's English Version has: "God's very nature is in him," while the
NEB reads: "The divine seed remains in him." This text could better be translated: ". . . for His seed
[His people] abide in Him and cannot sin." Being God's seed means being born of God.

28
happens especially in times of persecution. The readers of I John had to suffer the hatred
of "the world." This led to material shortages (3:7). Anyone who chose not to bear the "sign
[63]
of the beast" was boycotted by the (Jewish) "world" (see Gal. 6:12). The background of
I John has a lot to do with what we read in Matthew 10, John 15, and the book of
Revelation.
What happened to those who did not regard the confession of Christ as essential, preferring
instead to concentrate on the general fatherhood of God? They refused to go out of their
way to help their brothers in the church who were suffering on account of the gospel. (See
the Letter of James.)
Wouldn't those brothers be better off compromising on the question of Christ? Because
they did not love both the Son and the Father, the halfway Christians did nothing to support
their fellow church members in their hour of need and peril. They loved "the world" and
wanted to live a life of luxury (2:15ff).
A cup of cold water. Loving "the world" is not the same as loving God's creation. Everything
created by God is good. Loving "the world" means taking the side of the apostate
synagogue and profiting from that decision in business! Such a loveless attitude flows
naturally from a denial of the confession (1:6ff; 2:9ff; 3:14ff; 4:20).
Someone who is acquainted with God's true love also knows what it means to bear a cross
for Christ's sake. Such a believer shows his true colors when he gives a cup of cold water to
one of Christ's disciples (3:17; 4:21).

5. No Crisis about Certainties

John's manifesto. Through his firm and steady words, John helped the brothers. Precisely
because there were some who doubted, he felt impelled to speak decisively.
[64]
The congregation was not to go around wondering whether the false teachers were
right or the apostle.
John's manifesto contains a rich message for our confusing time. As an apostle and
witness, he brings the Word of life. Over against those who wanted to do away with the
confession about the Christ who gave His blood, he maintained that anyone who claimed to
have no sins in need of atonement is a liar.
Confident of Christ. Over against those who were so "broad" in their outlook that they did
not put brotherly love into practice in the church, thereby knowingly and willingly
committing a great sin, he declared: "No one born of God commits sin" (3:9; see also
5:18). This does not conflict with his earlier statement, for the sin he is referring to here is
the sin of betraying the community of the saints.
We must be sure not to forget this: faith is revealed in its fruits, and those fruits make us
confident of Christ. "By his we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his
commandments" (2:3). John also affirms: "By this we know that we abide in him and he in
us, because he has given us of his own Spirit" (4:13).
The believers are the anointed. They know what the issue is and should not suffer from
inferiority complexes. They can be sure of what they believe, and therefore they should
stay far away from the morass of doubt.
Their love for their brethren is not a product of their own choice but the fruit of Jesus'
sacrificial work (3:16). Therefore John can affirm: "By this we know that we love the
children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments" (5:2).
Anyone who stands up for the true confession and consequently loves his brothers need
never worry about the danger of becoming a Humanistic philanthropist or an adherent of
[65]
the social gospel. True faith leads to right conduct that overcomes "the world" and fear
of "the world." Therefore such a believer is not afraid to take the side of Christ's sacrificial
lambs. God is love, and anyone who abides in love (i.e. a covenantal love that comes to
expression within the church community) abides in God (4:16).

29
6. Mortal Sins and the Worship of Idols
No forgiveness for the unrepentant. At one point Jeremiah was told: "Do not pray for this
people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf" (Jer. 11:14; 15:1). We find the same sort
of command in I John, although it is not formulated explicitly. We must pray for those who
do not sin in a fatal way, but John advises his readers not to pray for those who sin
consciously and deliberately, who commit mortal sins for which there is no forgiveness.
Thus John distinguishes between "weaker brothers" who stumble and fall and those who
live in pure rebellion against God.
Of course God's fatherly arms are open to the latter if they repent. But John maintains that
it is senseless to pray for forgiveness on behalf of people who sin deliberately and make
unrighteousness their policy. No doubt he was thinking of those who had left the
community of the church because they were in love with the present age (II Tim. 4:10),
those who denied Christian brotherhood (Matt. 10:34-42).
A constant danger. We know, John concludes, that the whole world is in the grip of the evil
one. "We are in [communion with] the true God, as we are in [communion with] his Son,
Jesus Christ. This is the true God, this is eternal life" (5:20 JB).
[66]
Then follows an admonition: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (vs. 21).
Some scholars interpret this literally, as meaning that the heretics were somehow in favor
of a rapprochement or alliance with heathendom. It seems to me that this statement must
be regarded as an instance of Old Testament language instead. Idolatry is putting
something else in the place of the true God who has revealed Himself in His Word.
Falling back into official or sectarian Judaism just to escape certain difficulties is just as
serious an offense for a Christian as offering sacrifices to idols. It represents a denial of
communion with the Father and the Son and a surrender of life. We could also think of the
song of Moses in this context: "They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods" (Deut.
32:16; see also I Sam. 15:22; Ps. 81:10ff).
Do we still understand John's Biblical language today? Even someone who lives a decent
and proper life, attending church every Sunday, is in danger of committing the great sin of
idolatry. How? By not wanting to share in the scorn and contempt that will surely be the lot
of those who confess Christ.

30
[67]
II John
What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have
with darkness? (II Cor. 6:14 NIV).
A letter to the "seed." This short letter begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her
children." Who is this woman, who is also spoken of in verse 5 as a "lady"? No doubt a
certain congregation is meant.
The "elect sister" referred to at the end of the letter is a sister church in whose midst the
apostle was living at the time he wrote the letter. In Scripture the church is often referred
to as a woman (see John 3:29; Rev. 12:1ff, 17; 21:9; 22:17). The church is also referred
to as the "seed," the offspring of the woman.
Living out of the truth. Even if you did not know that tradition ascribes this letter to the
apostle John, you would quickly recognize him as the author from the style and content,
provided you were familiar with his "gospel" and his first letter. It is striking how often he
[68]
uses the word truth, for example, a word that occurs frequently in his other writings as
well. For John this word does not mean agreement with reality, with what is genuine and
just. When John speaks of "truth," he is referring to God's covenant faithfulness, His yea
and amen, the revelation of His salvation, His unchangeable will, the fulfillment of the Old
Testament promises.
"The Truth" is the power that gives shape to the life of the church and binds the church
together. The Truth abides with the church forever, that is, even in the great future after
the return of Christ (vs. 2; see also John 14:16). The truth also makes us say amen
repeatedly to the old commandment of brotherly love.
The life of the church is not to be governed by any emergency morality arising out of the
needs of the hour. The church that lives out of the unchanging truth of the unchanging God
knows that it must walk farther along the old path of this commandment (vs. 4-5).
False progress. The church may not join the progressives who favor going ahead but fail to
abide in the doctrine of Christ (vs. 9). To preach this kind of progress is to declare that God
is changeable, that His will and commandments change. The heretics with their new
doctrines are always talking about progress. Yet, those who follow them do not in fact
progress. Why? Because they lose what they have gained if they do not cling to the old
doctrine. Only those who abide in the old doctrine "have" the Father and the Son.
The church must make short work of false teachers. They are not to be accepted as
office-bearers, and they must not be welcomed. To welcome them would be to enter into
communion with their wicked works (vs. 7-11).
Today people are in favor of reducing differences to some "common denominator" on which
all can agree. What should strike us as we read II John is that it is the ancient "apostle of
[69]
love" who teaches us to boycott such progressive attitudes. John hammers on the anvil
of the received doctrine. Is that love—not receiving people with a "different viewpoint"?
Christian love. The problem as stated in this ancient letter is by no means antiquated. In
the future, the struggle of the church will revolve around the question what Christian love
really is. According to the successors of those heretics in John's day, Christian love
promotes a reconciliation and fusion of mutually exclusive doctrines. Thus it is progressive
and ecumenical, and "receives" those who do not abide in the old doctrine.
But those who wish to abide in "truth" and "love" see things entirely differently. They are
not polite and compliant when faced with heresy. Failing to deal firmly with heresy amounts
to giving up truth and love, as well as the unity of the apostles with the Christ, the unity of
John 17. The true church has no choice: love and truth leave no room for heresy.

31
[70]
III John
Time of writing. It is often argued that III John dates from a much later period and was not
written during the apostolic era. The reasoning is that Diotrephes, the man John complains
about in this letter, was already a bishop of sorts governing the church by himself. If so, the
letter would have to date from a post-apostolic period and could not have been written by
John.
But something is overlooked in this line of reasoning: the fact that the author so strongly
opposes the hierarchical conduct of Diotrephes indicates that it was not yet the era of the
"monarchical" bishops. In other words, the attitude of Diotrephes was not standard
practice at that time.
The danger of tyranny. The third letter of the apostle John can be viewed as a counterpart
to his second letter. In the second letter John protests in a pastoral way against welcoming
heretics, but in the third letter he raises objections against the conduct of Diotrephes, who
refused to welcome to the congregation faithful servants from elsewhere and even made
things difficult for those who did welcome them and show them hospitality.
[71]
The "elder" addresses this letter to a certain Gaius, about whom he had recently heard
good things. This Gaius (of whom we know nothing further) helped Christian brothers when
they passed through his area. After all, weren't these brothers going out for the sake of
Christ's name? When Christ sent out His disciples to preach, he made hospitality a
commandment: "He who receives you receives me. And whoever gives to one of these little
ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose
his reward" (Matt. 10:40, 42).
The apostle had heard good reports about Gaius. But Diotrephes, another member of the
congregation to which Gaius belonged, was intent on playing "first fiddle." Preaching that
the local church should be independent, he combatted any influence that came from the
apostle John. He even suppressed a letter John had written (vs. 9). Using wicked words, he
put the apostle down and built himself up. He refused to receive the brothers sent to the
church by John, and he saw to it that anyone who did dare show them hospitality was
forced out of the congregation (vs. 10).
Diotrephes, then, was an office-bearer with strong leanings toward tyranny. His outlook
was an example of hierarchical church government, a rule from above that applies
discipline out of a love of power. From church history we know what such tendencies finally
led to—bishops, a pope, a hierarchical apparatus, a church completely dominated by the
clergy.
Serving the truth. John concludes this letter with a few positive words about a certain
Demetrius and a promise to come soon (vs. 12-14; see also vs. 10). Gaius is instructed to
continue "receiving" the brothers. The important thing to remember is that all are "fellow
workers in the truth" (vs. 8).
[72]
The apostle's work, then, is to serve the truth, but the desire of Diotrephes is simply to
dominate. Insofar as he opposed the authority of the apostle by appealing to the "sphere
sovereignty" of the local congregation, Diotrephes is to be regarded as a beacon in the sea
showing the church of all ages how easy it is to run aground.
Now that the apostles are no longer with us and the churches must do without their
patriarchal leadership, John's words should resound in our ears: "Do not imitate evil but
imitate good" (vs. 11). If the office-bearers heed this appeal, they will serve the truth. Then
love (for the right brothers) and truth will harmonize. If II John warns against false unity,
III John appeals for true unity and shows how it can be achieved.

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[73]
Jude
Do I not hate them that hate thee, O LORD? (PS. 139:21).

1. A Warning in Strong Language

Brother of James. The name Jude has a familiar ring. Jesus' circle of disciples included two
men named Judas (another version of the same name). One was Judas Iscariot, and the
other is referred to simply as "Judas the son of James" (Luke 6:16).
The Judas who wrote the short letter we are now considering introduces himself as "a
servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James." This James is not the brother of the apostle
John but the brother of the Lord Jesus (see Mark 6:3), the man who played a major role in
the leadership of the church in Jerusalem.
At first Jesus' own brothers did not believe in Him. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared
expressly to James (I Cor. 15:7), who became part of the church, together with Jesus'
other brothers (Acts 1:13-14). Paul speaks in I Corinthians 9:5 of travels undertaken by
the brothers of the Lord in the service of the gospel.
[74]
Jude was not only a familiar figure in the congregation in Jerusalem, then, but also a
preacher to the dispersed Jews and Christians. His letter, which was written in Greek (like
the rest of the New Testament), was no doubt meant for the dispersed Christians,
especially those of Jewish descent. Jude saw that there were false teachers who posed a
great danger to the church. Therefore he felt the need to sound a warning against their
false prophecy.
Strange language. The Letter of Jude is not popular in our time. It just doesn't fit in with
contemporary thinking.
What sharp language Jude uses! Just as in II Peter, we find crass expressions used to
combat the false teachers. In our squeamish age, which wants nothing to do with norms or
absolute statements, the Letter of Jude is completely unacceptable. It is simply assumed
that there is no place for strong language in Christian circles. Jude's approach is cut of place
in our modern era, for now all men are brothers.
In other respects, however, Jude is strikingly modern. Some of his expressions sound
almost like the titles of paintings done by expressionists, surrealists and magic realists. He
speaks of "waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice
dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering
7
stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever" (vs. 12-13). A
[75]
painting of a spooky landscape in which death and barrenness are dominant should
speak to us today.
The reason Jude is not popular today is not that his letter is too difficult to be understood;
the fact of the matter is that people refuse to accept his message. Jude does not speak in
general terms but points to a specific doctrine as a deadly danger. That's just the sort of
thing people don't want to hear.

7
Peter uses similar language: "These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm; for them the
nether gloom of darkness has been reserved" (II Pet. 2:17). Thus, Jude and II Peter could well be
illustrated by way of the works of Heronymus Bosch, A. C. Willink, Pablo Picasso, and other artists
who have given expression to the oppressive anxiety of the Middle Ages and our own time in their
work.
It is unfortunate that so many artists never go beyond a depiction of man's bleak, oppressive, gloomy
situation, his vague and ominous destiny. It almost appears as though they want man to be
reconciled to the truly hellish atmosphere in which he lives. But the Bible points to the origin of all that
barrenness and helps us flee from it. Next time you see an exhibition of existentialist art, think about
the Letter of Jude.

33
2. The Struggle against the False Gospel of Self-redemption
Seeds of dissension. Jude recognized the threat to the faith that was once for all delivered
to the saints. People had infiltrated the church to preach a "theology of liberation," a
theology that clashes with the gospel of the grace of God and rebels against our only Ruler
and Lord, Jesus Christ (vs. 3-4).
These people recognized the authority of Christ at first but later grew dissatisfied and
began to sow seeds of dissension against the existing (Roman) regime (see vs. 8). They
rejected authority and scorned the "glorious ones," that is, those who ruled as government
officials.
In verse 8 we also discover how the people are misled: the false teachers are full of dreams.
[76]
Precisely because Jude quotes Jewish apocalypses against these false teachers, we can
be sure that they made use of such resistance propaganda to stimulate Jewish rebellion
among the members of the church. They even kept this up during the love feasts (vs. 12).
What Jude was talking about, then, was social criticism under a "Christian" flag, a social
criticism that held a Utopia before the people as something to strive for (vs. 16).
A revolutionary outlook. Jude's letter, like all the other books of the New Testament, was
written before the year 70. Earlier we saw that it bears considerable resemblance to II
Peter. The letter is a concrete warning against the zealotry of the false prophets—the same
kind of warning that we find so often in the New Testament (Matt. 7:15; 24:11, 24; II
Thess. 2:9-12; II Pet. 2:1; I John 4:1; Rev. 13:14; 16:13-14).
Those who prophesied on behalf of the "Jewish Patriotic Front" traded in the gospel of grace
for a gospel of self-redemption. Thus Jude was not combatting some Gnostic heresy or
other; he was opposing a revolutionary way of thinking that still enjoys a lot of support in
our days. This revolutionary outlook is castigated throughout the New Testament,
especially in the "Catholic letters" (I Peter—Jude) and the book of Revelation.
The same fate. Jesus is the Lord of lords. The governmental authorities serve Him. Hence
revolutionaries will suffer the same fate as the rebels in the wilderness who refused to listen
to the minority report of Joshua and Caleb. Their fate will be the fate of the fallen angels, of
Sodom and Gomorrah, of Cain, Balaam and rebellious Korah.
Salvation will not come to us down the path of self-redemption. Any materialist or Utopian
revolution will be judged and condemned. "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon
[77]
thousands [i.e. armies] of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the
ungodly . . ." (vs. 14-15 NIV).
Jude's letter must never become a forgotten chapter among us. Today "our common
salvation" and "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (vs. 3) still stands diametrically
opposed to the false gospel of self-redemption, the gospel that seeks to destroy created
structures in order to replace them with a realm of perfection on earth.

3. Protect Yourself and Be Merciful

Scoffers and schismatics. False prophecy did not appear on the scene unexpectedly. The
apostles had warned against it in advance. Because things had now gone so far, the
Christians had to take a stand.
Precisely because he wants to point out the danger, Jude uses strong language. The
believers must stay far away from scoffers and schismatics. Jude's words served to show
the believers that false prophecy is not unnatural or unexpected.
No accommodation. His words were also useful for those who stood between the two sides.
Jude did more than curse: he also called for mercy toward those who had been misled. If
possible they were to be plucked as burning brands from the fire.
Think about this carefully: Jude's letter, which is simply unacceptable to so many people
today, calls for mercy! To point out the dangers is to act mercifully. Christians must learn
to live "in fear." They must not seek "solidarity" with people who are far gone by

34
accommodating themselves to them or letting themselves be influenced by them.
[78]
Many an evangelism project has run aground by showing the wrong kind of mercy, by
failing to hate that which is stained with sin. We can only be a salting salt if we maintain the
full apostolic tradition, the faith that was handed on to us—whatever objections we may
have. God has the power, through Christ, to keep us from stumbling.

35
[79]
Revelation
1. The Political Approach
An almanac of world history? The manner in which the book of Revelation has been
interpreted throughout the ages is reminiscent of how modern art is viewed: one
interpreter finds this, and the other finds that. For some people, the Revelation to John is
an almanac of world history from which we are able to squeeze all sorts of predictions about
the future.
During the second world war, an interesting "discovery" was made about the number 666,
which is the number of the beast (13:18). If we assign the letter A a value of 100, make B
= 101, C = 102, D = 103, and so forth, we can identify the beast as follows: H = 107, I =
108, T = 119, L = 111, E = 104, R = 117. When we add these letters up, we see that 666
— Hitler.
The number 666 has also been equated with the name of this or that pope. It has even been
identified with such names as Calvin and William of Orange. More recently, the flying angel
with the "eternal gospel" (14:6) has been identified with Christian radio broadcasting, the
[80]
locusts of chapter 9 with modern weapons, and the star called Wormwood (8:11) with
bombs that make water radioactive.
An almanac of church history? From the explanatory notes in the "Statenvertaling," an
influential Dutch translation of the Bible dating from the seventeenth century, we see that
the visions in the book of Revelation have also been identified with events in church history.
When we read about water changing into blood (16:3ff), we are to think of Luther's time,
when many lands broke with the Roman Antichrist, which led to the shedding of much
blood, "blood that is still being shed daily."
At the time the "Statenvertaling" notes were written, he Thirty Years' War was going on in
Germany while in he Netherlands the Eighty Years' War was not yet at an end. These
background events came to expression in the interpretation of the book of Revelation. The
explanatory notes also offered another interpretation: changing water into blood could be
a reference to Roman Catholic councils—especially the Council of Trent, where a false,
idolatrous doctrine was officially sanctioned, a doctrine fatal to those who believed it.
Judgment on Rome? Today the dominant view is that John received the visions recorded in
the book of Revelation around the year 95 and communicated them to the churches in the
province of Asia to strengthen them at a time when the emperor Domitian unleashed
persecution against those who refused to join in the obligatory emperor worship. The
Revelation to John would then be a proclamation of judgment on Rome.
Now, Rome was never destroyed in the same way that "Babylon" (which would then be a
symbolic name for Rome) is destroyed in the visions of John. This has led some interpreters
[81]
to conclude that John made a mistake, although they hasten to assure us that the
mistake in itself is not so serious. After all, what John sketches is a constant danger,
especially in our time of mammoth organizations and great empires. The threat of a single
government seizing control of the entire world is always with us.
Others maintain that John was sounding a warning about a great world empire at the end
of time and was only using Rome as an example. In that case, John did not make a mistake.
A revelation of Jesus Christ. These two interpretations agree in one important respect:
Revelation sketches a political threat, the threat of a world empire, even if that empire is
sketched in religious terms. The empire is either Rome or some empire like Rome during
the "end time."
Given these and other interpretations, you might well wonder whether the words we read
at the beginning of Revelation are indeed true: "Happy the man who reads this prophecy,
and happy those who listen to him, if they treasure all that it says" (1:3 JB). Wouldn't it be
more accurate to say that we lose our bearings when we read such a difficult book?

36
We must not forget that the book we are studying is presented to us as a "revelation of
Jesus Christ" (1:1). Therefore we may not shrug our shoulders and say, "Let the
theologians figure it out." Remember that you, too, are anointed with the Spirit, and that
theologians are all too apt to imitate each other and fall prey to intellectual fads. It is your
task to immerse yourself in this book, trusting from the outset that God's Word never leads
us into a land of twilight or darkness.

[82]
2. The Covenantal Approach
The role of the Roman empire. The current view of the Revelation to John (which is not yet
two centuries old as a mature interpretation) presupposes that the last book of he Bible
pronounces judgment on imperial Rome. The Roman emperor Domitian, it is argued, had
banished John to the barren island of Patmos.
The pillars on which this interpretation rests are far from unshakable. In the first place, if
Revelation were a book of glowing hatred toward Rome, it would be somewhat out of place
within the New Testament, which favors loyalty to the authorities (see Rom. 13:1 ff; Titus
3:1; I Pet. 2:13ff). Would the same apostle who informs us that Pilate derived his authority
from above sketch the Roman government as the red beast?
Secondly, if Revelation is a polemic against Rome, the ancient church did not learn the
intended lesson, for the early church fathers failed to follow its lead. Melito of
Sardis—Sardis was one of the seven churches addressed in the book of
Revelation—directed an "apologia" to the emperor around the year 170 in which he pleaded
for peaceful coexistence between the church and the Roman authorities.
Thirdly, the alleged worldwide persecution of the Christians by Domitian can well be
doubted on historical grounds. Domitian was a highly suspicious tyrant who had good
reason to fear plots of all sorts. He liquidated anyone he distrusted. When he was
murdered, the entire Roman empire breathed a sigh of relief—not just the Christians. His
name was removed from the imperial temple at Ephesus, and statues of him were
destroyed.
Fourthly, it has never been proven that the book of Revelation stems from the year 95. This
date goes back to a statement made by the church father Irenaeus, who was
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sometimes completely mistaken in such matters. We must examine the content of the
book for clues as to when it was written.
Covenant wrath. When we take a careful look at the content, we cannot help but recognize
that the book of Revelation speaks Biblical, covenantal language. Although the Old
Testament is not quoted directly, there are many allusions to it. These allusions are not
mere echoes, for Revelation goes back to the characteristic element in the Old Testament,
namely, God's sure covenant promises as well as His covenant threats.
In Revelation we read the familiar statement that the Lord wishes to be the God of His
people (21:3; see also Gen. 17:7; Ex. 6:6; 29:45; Lev. 26:11-12; Deut. 29:13; Is. 7:14;
Jer. 7:23; Ezek. 11:20). We find references to the plagues of hunger, the sword and
pestilence—all covenant judgments! When we read about the sevenfold plagues of the
trumpets and the bowls, we are really reading about the sevenfold covenant wrath
mentioned in Leviticus 26. Thus the book of Revelation continues the line begun in the law
and the prophets.
The style of the Great King. This is also apparent from other features of the book. When we
dealt with Deuteronomy, we noted that the Lord speaks in the style of a great king. This
style is present throughout the Old Testament. (Think of the "royal psalms.") In Revelation
we find the same style: the King of kings speaks and acts like a great king and is addressed
as such (see, for example, 11:15ff; 12:10; 17:14; 19:11ff).
Wasn't Yahweh first and foremost King over His own people? Who, then, would be the
object of His covenant wrath? Wouldn't it be His own people, apostate Israel?
There's no getting away from this troublesome question: How can the book of Revelation

37
 [84]
draw constantly on terms derived from the covenant relationship between Yahweh and
His people if His wrath is really directed against Rome? Rome, after all, is not included in
the covenant.
Therefore we must conclude that the book of Revelation speaks in the spirit of Moses and
the prophets (see the song of Moses in Deut. 32). The issue is not Rome but the
church—the Christian churches (which were subject to the dangers of apostasy) and the
"Jewish church" (which is spoken of in Revelation as the "synagogue of Satan").
Prophecy against Jerusalem. When we realize this, we see that Jesus' own prophecy
against Jerusalem is carried further in the book of Revelation. (Compare Luke 23:30-1,
which quotes from Hosea 10:8, with Revelation 6:16-17; and Matthew 24:15-16 and 23:35
with Revelation 17:6, 16 and 18:4, 24.) In the book of Revelation, Jesus continues His
denunciation of the city of blood that kills the prophets, the city that has sunk below the
level of Sodom and Egypt. (Compare Revelation 18:24 and 11:8 with Matthew 21:34ff;
23:37; and 11:20ff.) If Jerusalem has sunk below the level of such cities as Sodom, Tyre,
Sidon, and Nineveh (Luke 10:12ff; 11:32), couldn't it be spoken of as "Babylon"? Wasn't
Jerusalem guilty of murdering the witnesses of the Great King?
The Revelation to John must not be read as a strange book alien to the rest of the Bible. We
must learn to view it as an apocalypse, a genuine revelation. The Lord does not hide things
from those who revere the Scriptures and study them diligently; instead He reveals His
purposes to them.
Swimming against the stream. The difficulty is not in the book of Revelation itself but in us.
I have already pointed out that the Bible does not speak about human affairs in general but
about God's dealings with His covenant people. (See Isaiah 24-27, the book of Habakkuk,
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and the Gospel according to John.) This statement also applies to the last book of the
Bible.
Unfortunately, anyone seeking to interpret the book of Revelation on such a basis is
swimming against the stream, for the people of our time like to hear about universal
atonement and listen eagerly to news about global catastrophes. Yet, they don't care to
hear about covenant wrath and God's judgment on the unfaithful church.

3. Neither World History Nor Roman History

Dark shadows. The view that the book of Revelation presents us with a political calendar or
that it runs back and forth through world history is accepted by many interpreters as the
basis for further work. Such a view speaks to the people of our time. Contemporary
journalists and literary figures like to use "eschatological" language; they like to speak of
"Armageddon" and "bowls of wrath" and "the beast." It is widely believed that our
civilization is on the decline. The book of Revelation is then read as fitting into this picture
because of the dark shadows it casts.
Revelation is placed on the library shelves alongside all the other "apocalyptic" writings. As
a result, people lose sight of the uniqueness of this book; they fail to recognize that it
speaks the language of the covenant. Their faces are covered with a "veil" when they read
Revelation (see II Cor. 3:14-16). They do their best to come up with ingenious answers to
the riddles it seems to pose—hence the many bizarre interpretations. (I once came across
a French book in which I read that the two witnesses of Revelation 11 are Hitler and
Mussolini!)
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Victory through Christ. We must break with the notion that the last book of the Bible
offers political perspectives on the fall of the Roman empire and of the anti-Christian world
state in general. Revelation does use some of the language and imagery of the apocalypses
of the Jewish Zealots—but in such a way as to oppose the Jewish nationalism that sings:
"We shall overcome." Revelation shows us that we will overcome only through Jesus Christ.
If the Jews viewed the Passover as the feast that guaranteed their national liberation,
Revelation makes it clear that Christ fulfilled the Passover through His self-sacrifice. This
book shows us how the Passover Lamb turns against unbelieving Israel.

38
Revelation does talk about objects found in the synagogue—lampstands, trumpets, scrolls,
palm branches, an incense shovel (censer)—but the context in which they find their
meaning is the Messiah's coming in justice to deal with the holy city and the people of the
promised land. Thus Revelation is an apocalypse that directly opposes any nationalistic
Jewish apocalypticism.
Once we let go of the view that the book of Revelation was written in the year 95 during the
reign of Domitian and recognize that it was written before the year 70, we create room for
an appreciation of the book's main thrust. Revelation does not put prophetic language to
brand-new uses; it retains the emphases of the Old Testament prophets while speaking out
against the covenant people—not against Rome. It carries forward the line of thought
developed in the prophets and in Jesus' prophetic address recorded in Matthew 24.
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem!"
The church and Roman rule. As we already saw, the church of the first few centuries
rejected opposition to the authority of the Romans. Instead the church prayed for the
Roman rulers. We should not allow ourselves to be led astray by movies that present
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caricatures of Roman rule and stress the tyrannical methods of certain emperors.
The early church did not view the Roman emperor as the Antichrist. Neither should we fall
into the trap of supposing that the book of Revelation represents a theology of revolution or
liberation. It is the Lamb who speaks to us in this book—and the subject is covenant wrath.

4. Purpose and Content

The prospect of apostasy. On the small island of Patmos, not far from the coast of Asia
Minor, John received visions and heard messages. Apparently the seven churches of the
area had sent a deputation to the apostle, who was in exile because he "bore witness to the
word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ" (1:2). Since John prophesied against
Jerusalem, it follows that the destruction of Israel's center in the year 70 had not yet taken
place.
Various congregations were suffering on account of the "synagogue of satan." The Jews in
Ephesus and other cities formed a large proportion of the population and were very well
organized in the area of trade and commerce. Thus they had the means to establish
8
boycotts of Jews and "God-fearing" Gentiles who had become Christians.
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This left many congregations facing the prospect of apostasy on the part of their own
members. There were some congregations that resisted (Smyrna, Philadelphia), but others
slept or became lukewarm (Sardis, Laodicea). In some churches, prophets of compromise
appeared (Pergamum, Thyatira). The problems that formed the background of such letters
as Hebrews, I John, II Peter, and Jude were also present in the churches of Asia Minor.
Lampstands as symbols. Jesus Christ appeared to John in a vision as King (ch. 1). It is
striking that He was surrounded by lampstands. This detail of John's vision is rich in
meaning, for the lampstand symbolized the temple and Judaism, which was to be a light to
the nations.
The risen Savior declared that the lampstands now symbolized the seven Christian
churches. This shows us how Christ regarded His churches and addressed them. He look
the lampstand motif away from the synagogue and gave it to the church. But this
covenantal transfer was not unconditional. The lampstand could also be taken away from
the churches.

8
According to some calculations, the Jews formed one seventh of the population of the Roman
empire. In addition to the half million Jews in Palestine, there were some six million of them in other
countries. The later synagogue at Sardis was a large building even by today's standards: 19 meters
wide and 80 meters long. The feasts of the Jewish guild members were no doubt held there. In the
synagogue at Alexandria (Egypt), men of the same trade sat together in groups during the services.
Apparently the Jews controlled a substantial proportion of the commerce and also had a lot of political
influence.

39
Israel's example. The conditional character of the covenant is emphasized in the seven
messages: "If you do not repent . . . ." The same theme comes through in the visions—in
the form of the refusal to repent. The example of Israel stands as a warning to the churches
(Rom. 11:21; I Cor. 10:1-12).
In the first of the visions, John sees God's throne. The Lamb is seated on the throne and
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receives the right to open the book of life. The breaking of the seals is accompanied by
judgment, as John is shown covenant wrath.
Between the visions of judgment, there are comforting visions in which it is made clear that
the Lord still preserves a "remnant" of Israel (the 144,000), even though Israel's judgment
is near. Seven trumpets announce the judgment on the hardening of hearts.
These visions should be viewed as illustrations of the messages. The churches were shown
that Jerusalem, their tormenter, was about to be judged and punished.
In the image of satan. In chapter 10 a new section begins. John receives a vision in which
he is called again to prophesy. He hears about two witnesses who were killed in "the great
city" by "the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit." This is developed in more detail
later.
What motivates this "beast"? In chapter 12 we are shown that satan is his "father," that the
beast bears his image and likeness. Satan lashes out against the seed of the woman. That's
why he calls forth this beast, which is in turn helped by another beast—the false prophet.
In Scripture, false prophecy appears only within the covenant context. We must regard
these two beasts as devils, colleagues of the great serpent satan.
The purpose of the visions. In this context we must look for a moment at the seven
messages. There we find two references to the synagogue of satan (2:9; 3:9). We also
read about the throne of satan (2:13), the deep things of satan (vs. 24), and the devil's
activities (vs. 10). This shows us once more that the visions clarify and illustrate the
messages.
The woman (the church) has seed or offspring (12:17). There is also the seed of the
serpent, which opposes the seed of the woman (see Matt. 3:7; 12:34; 23:33). What
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Revelation 11-13 tells us, then, is already familiar from the "gospels" and the seven
messages. The only major difference is that the material now comes to us in the form of
visions.
Thanksgiving for judgment. What happens to the great city in which the beast appears?
The Spiritual, typological name Sodom and Egypt is supplemented by another
name—Babylon (14:8; 17:5). But this does not mean that :he author of Revelation is
turning to a new subject. When he speaks of "Babylon," he means Jerusalem, the city in
which there are "abominations" to be found (see Ezek. 8-9). The church gives thanks for
the judgment on Jerusalem (16:7).
When the seven bowls of wrath are poured out, we are shown in visionary form how the
sevenfold wrath of the covenant will be administered. The "bowls of wrath," like 1 he
trumpets, remind us of the plagues that struck Egypt.
Parallels. The book of Revelation presents us with two callings of John. The following chart
illustrates the parallels that follow upon them.

40
 Revelation 1-9 Revelation 10-16
1:9-20 10:1-11
A revelation of the glory of the A revelation of the glory of the
Great King Jesus Christ. First Great King's messenger. Second
calling. calling.
2:1—3:22 11:1-14
Messages from the Great King to A message from the Great King's
the seven churches. messenger to John.
4:1-11 11:15-19
Liturgy before God's throne. Liturgy before God's throne.
5:1-14 12:1-12
Accession to the throne by the Accession to the throne by the male
Lamb. child. Satan banished from heaven.
Liturgy of praise. Liturgy of praise.

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6:1-17 12:13—13:18
Wrath of the Lamb. Wrath of the dragon.
Visions of judgment (seals). Accession to the throne by the
Beast.

7:1-17 Liturgy
14:1-20of praise, thanks to the
The ones who are sealed, and their second
The onesbeast.
who are sealed, and their
liturgy before God's throne. liturgy before God's throne.
Their deliverance from the great Voices and visions about the
tribulation. coming judgment of Babylon.
8:1-5 15:1-8
Heavenly liturgy before the Heavenly liturgy before the
"Egyptian" judgments. "Egyptian" judgments.
8:6—9:21 16:1-21
"Egyptian" judgments (trumpets). "Egyptian" judgments (bowls).

The next chapters of Revelation deal with "Babylon" and the New Jerusalem. They also
touch on the return of Christ, the exaltation of the church, the doom of satan and his
henchmen, and the final judgment.
A perpetual warning. This is what makes the book of Revelation so appealing. As the great,
adulterous, defiled city falls, the churches should look to her fate as a perpetual warning.
The New Jerusalem that is above (Gal. 4:26) descends to earth, but those who wish to
enter the gates of this city must break with the Jerusalem of the present (Gal. 4:25).
Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities (18:4-5).

41
[92]
Contemporary relevance. It hardly needs to be said that Revelation has a clear
message for our time, a time which loves to erase boundaries. Let this book help you
understand the covenantal language of the other books of the Bible, which all find their
center in Christ the Lamb. Revelation illustrates once more that the Bible does not just deal
with humanity in general; it deals with the church.
Don't let the contemporary relevance of the book of Revelation escape you. Don't shrug
your shoulders and say to yourself that this book is really about the wickedness of the
ancient Romans, or that it deals with a world state and an antichrist that will appear on the
9
scene at some vague, faraway future date.

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5. The Priest-King Speaks to His Churches
Seven messages. On a certain Sunday, the apostle John on Patmos saw Jesus Christ in
royal majesty. Yet Christ was clothed as a priest and appeared in temple-like surroundings
(trumpet, lampstands). The risen Savior dictated to John some messages for the seven
churches in Asia Minor. The "angels" or "messengers" sent to John on Patmos are supposed
to have gone to the various churches with copies of the Revelation to John.
Each of the seven messages was composed according to a certain inner order. The
beginning mentions a certain title of Jesus that occurs in the vision in which John was
called: "The words of . . . ." Here we recognize the style of the Great King. Then follows a
characterization of the church to which the letter is addressed: "I know . . . ." This leads to
some encouragement or some words of reproof. In the case of reproof, the opening words
are usually: "But I have this against you . . . ." The message concludes with an appeal ("He
who has an ear . . .") and a promise. The promises, which come first in the last four
messages, point ahead to images in the visions that come later in the book of
Revelation—the tree of life, the book of life, the second death, the throne of God, and so
forth.
The Nicolaitans. When you read through these passages you can't help but notice what a
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difficult time the churches had because of the "Nicolaitans." You also read that the
synagogue is to be regarded as the synagogue of satan. The Jews in Asia Minor had a great
deal of influence through guilds and through their political and financial standing. They did
not make it easy for the Christians, many of whom had been recruited from the ranks of the
Jews and the "God-fearing" Gentiles who attended the synagogue.
Apparently the Nicolaitan sect favored a compromise between the church and the
synagogue. To understand the rest of the book of Revelation, it is important to remember
the threat posed by this anti-church and its fifth column. You will then grasp the connection

9
The idea that the Revelation to John is concerned first and foremost with the church has been
around for centuries, even though it is not popular. During the Middle-Ages, some people regarded
the pope as "the Antichrist." Dante, who did not reject the papacy as such, addressed the following
words to Pope Nicholas III, who was pope from 1277 to 1280: "Of such as you was the Evangelist's
vision / when he saw She who Sits upon the Waters / locked with the Kings of earth in fornication"
(Inferno, Canto 19, Ciardi translation; see Rev. 17:1-2, 9).
In the Reformation era, it was customary to refer to the temporal and spiritual power of Rome in the
language of the beast, the false prophet and the harlot. The Scottish Confession of 1560 speaks of the
false church as the "filthy synagogue" and 'that horrible harlot, the Church (Kirk) malignant." Article
29 of the Belgic Confession refers to Revelation 2:9; 3:9; and chapter 17. Although the interpretation
current during the Reformation era did not pay enough attention to the original purpose of the book
of Revelation, it did grasp the main thrust of the final Bible book better than the later interpretation
that identifies the harlot and the city with imperial Rome or with some state and society in the future.
In the entryway to a number of gothic churches (e.g. the Notre Dames of Paris and Reims and the
cathedral in Strasbourg), we find depictions of the defeated and blinded synagogue and the shining
ekklesia (church). The idea this conveys is that the (papal) church can never become a synagogue of
satan. Today such thinking, which was denied by the Reformers, is again dominant. Its widespread
acceptance is one of the factors hindering the application of the book of Revelation to our time. We
are told that all churches are part of the true church.

42
between the so-called letters and the visions that follow.
A preview. Jesus comforts and encourages His churches by giving them a "slide show," an
advance peek at the covenant judgment that will strike Jerusalem because of its rejection
of the Messiah. In fact, the visions can be viewed as an explanation of the "letters" and a
commentary on them.
When we realize this, we see that the Revelation to John is not a dark and mysterious book
that takes up bizarre themes but a rich book that contains the same message as such
beloved favorites as Matthew, Luke, Acts, John, and Hebrews. "Therefore let us go forth to
him outside the camp, and bear the abuse he endured" (Heb. 13:13). Come out of her, My
people! Leave the synagogue, the apostate church!

6. The Lamb of God

A heavenly worship service. Chapters 4 and 5 can be clarified by means of the following
diagram:
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rainbow
throne of God
scroll
cherub cherub
Lamb
cherub cherub
12 elders 12 elders
7 torches
John sees a heavenly worship service around the throne of God. The lightning flashes
issuing from the throne remind us of the events at Mount Sinai. The 24 elders form the
throne council. The angels function as ruling priests (see I Chron. 24-25). God is feared in
the council of His holy ones.
The "animals" or "living creatures" are cherubs. We encountered cherubs elsewhere in the
Bible—in Genesis 3, in the description of the ark of the covenant, and in the calling of
Ezekiel. These cherubs have some features in common with the seraphs that appeared at
the time of Isaiah's calling (Is. 6). They guard God's throne, and at the same time they
10
serve as His coat of arms, for their formidable appearance says something about Him.
These creatures and elders stand in a liturgical relationship to each other; that is to say,
they serve each other.
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The scroll. The One who is seated on the throne has a scroll in His hand. This scroll is
generally viewed as the book of God's counsel. Because Revelation speaks repeatedly of
the "book of life" (3:5), we should also regard it as a list of the names of the elect.

10
Since the time of the church fathers, these "elders" have been seen as representatives of the
church. Hence the King James Bible has them saying: "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us . . .
and hast made us unto our God kings and priests" (5:9-10). In newer translations, the pronoun us is
replaced by them. The old reading fits in well with a hierarchical climate and the worship of the saints.
The "animals" are often mistakenly regarded as representatives of the creation. Since the time of
Irenaeus, the four creatures have also been interpreted as symbolizing the four gospel writers. The
one with the face of a man is Matthew, in whose "gospel" Jesus often refers to Himself as the "Son of
man." The lion is Mark, who wrote a great deal about what the Lord did. The ox is Luke, who depicted
Christ as the sacrifice and Priest. The eagle is John, who soars high in his thoughts and writing. In the
tympanum of many a Gothic cathedral (e.g. Chartres), these four flank Christ in glory seated in a
mandorla, while the "elders" are placed along the arch. In small medieval churches, these four
creatures sometimes appear in the ceiling of the chancel on frescoes above the altar (e.g. in Sellingen
and Anlo, which are located respectively in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Drenthe, and in
Büren and Rübi, which are both near the Swiss city of Berne).

43
No one can open this book; there is not a creature anywhere worthy to do so. Then a Lamb
whose throat has been slit steps forward and takes the scroll, which becomes "the book of
life of the Lamb" (13:8; 17:8).
Jesus Christ is truly man (the lion of Judah, the Root of David), a righteous man allowed to
get by the cherubs guarding God's throne. He is also truly God, bearing the sevens Spirits!
This Lamb of God fulfills the theme of Moses' Torah, i.e. the church and the royal priesthood
(Ex. 19:6; Rev. 5:9-10).
Your name is recorded in the book of life—not as a number but as a name of an
office-bearer with a great calling ahead of him! Salvation is not a haven for tired souls;
rather, it is a realization of the meaning of our existence as image-bearers of God.
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Martyrs under the altar. The opening of the seals shows us how the trio of hunger, the
sword and pestilence, with which we are already familiar from Old Testament prophecies,
springs into action (see Jer. 14-15; Ezek. 4-6, 14). We are shown wars, famine and disease
taking their toll. Horses like the ones we read about in Zechariah 6 are sent out.
The rider on the white horse is not Christ Himself, who already appears in this vision as the
Lamb, nor is it the gospel. The rider is sent out to make war, which is God's way of bringing
judgment. He rides forth with the red horse of revolution and the pale horse of famine and
pestilence.
The fifth seal reveals the driving force behind these judgments. The martyrs under the altar
of incense in heaven cry out to be avenged. It is at this altar that the prayers of the saints
are received.
The city of blood. When we compare Revelation 6:10; 16:6; 17:6; and 18:24 with Matthew
23:33; 24:6-14; 27:25; Luke 18:8; 21:22; and 23:28ff, we see clearly that the last book
of the Bible pronounces judgment on the city of blood that kills the prophets. The wrath of
the Lamb is manifested (6:16; see also Luke 3:7).
John the Baptist had pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God. His disciple now sees Jesus as
the Lamb who takes peace away from the land (6:4; see also Luke 2:14) and pours out the
wrath to come because Israel did not do what is necessary in order to achieve peace (Luke
19:42-4).
The Feast of Tabernacles. The great question that torments John is: "Has God rejected his
people?" (Rom. 11:1). A double vision of comfort gives him his answer. He is shown that
144,000 from Israel are among those who bear the seal (see Ezek. 9). John hears the
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number and sees the throng—an innumerable host bearing the palm branches of the
final feast of the year—the Feast of Tabernacles.
Here we are shown again what we already learned from the "gospels," namely, that the
Passover, through the sacrifice of the Lamb, culminates in the Feast of Tabernacles. Those
who persevere to the consummation will be saved (Joel 2:32; Matt. 24:13; Acts 2:40).
Plagues reminiscent of Egypt. It is important to read such prophecy within a historical
framework: the Jewish Christians are promised that they will be saved, despite all the
catastrophes that strike Jerusalem and Israel. This prophecy, which has already been
fulfilled, should be of great comfort to us since we, too, live in a time when judgment is
drawing near. Fortunately, the church still has firm promises to cling to.
From the seventh seal come the seven trumpets. (The trumpet is a temple instrument, but
it is also used to signal judgment.) Like the bowls of chapter 16, the trumpets inaugurate
plagues reminiscent of the ones that struck Egypt. This should not surprise us, for we are
told that the Jerusalem below has become like "Egypt" (11:8). Like the Israelites in Egypt,
those who bear the seal are protected from harm (9:4; see also 7:3).
A warning to us. We do the book of Revelation an injustice when we seek speculative
fulfillments of its words in today's events and assume that John was talking about nuclear
weapons and the destruction of the environment through pollution. In the last book of the
Bible, Jesus Christ is continuing the line of thought begun in Matthew 24: judgment begins

44
with the house of God, with the sevenfold wrath of the covenant (see Lev. 26:18ff).
This is indeed a serious matter for our own time. What happened so many centuries ago
should be an example to us, warning us not to make the same mistake. "Behold, the Lamb
of God!" This appeal is not to be taken lightly!

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Why has the LORD dealt thus with
this great city? (Jer. 22:8).

7. Jerusalem and the Church

Sodom and Egypt. A new section of the book of Revelation begins with chapter 10. John is
again called to prophesy. Like Ezekiel, he is instructed to eat a scroll (Ezek. 2:9ff). What he
now hears and sees is a continuation of his earlier prophecy. In the new disclosures, the
earlier prophecies are deepened and clarified.
Chapter 11 makes it clear that Jerusalem is central to these prophecies. The judgments are
not universal world judgments but judgments striking the city that has forsaken the
covenant with the Lord and murdered the witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jerusalem has become Sodom and Egypt.
The "beast." John was to see even more in connection with this metropolis, this city of the
Great King, this "great city" also referred to as "Babylon." But the most horrible thing of all,
which he is shown first, is the appearance of the "beast" from Jerusalem's bottomless pit
(11:7-8).
As you read on, don't forget that the beast appears within the framework of the life of the
"church"! The beast is not a universal political phenomenon. He makes the "synagogue of
satan" his bridgehead.
Chapters 12 and 13 present further details about this wild animal. First of all, we see satan,
the old serpent from Paradise, standing over against the woman, the church of the Lord. He
does not succeed in taking away her child, Jesus. Through Christ's victory, satan's power is
reduced and he is cast out of heaven. He is no longer allowed to slander those whom Christ
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has redeemed. This makes him even more insane with rage in his struggle against the
seed of the woman.
False prophecy. To make his persecution of the church more intense, satan summons a
beast out of the sea, a beast that looks just like him and willfully joins in his plans. This
beast is assisted by another one that appears on land—the beast of false prophecy.
It is significant that the first beast appears in Jerusalem. According to the Old Testament,
prophecy is possible only within a covenant context. Therefore false prophecy, which
always seeks to imitate true prophecy, is an indication of deformation within the church.
Remember that Jesus foretold the coming of the false messiahs and false prophets. The
basic message is obvious.
Messianic dreams. The devil calls for the help of two other devils. Soon we will see how
completely the "great city" is in their power. Through false prophecy, they arouse
messianic dreams in the "synagogue of satan," the congregation of the seed of the serpent,
of those who are in the devil's grip. Because of God's Immanuel promise, the Jews believed
firmly that Jerusalem would hold out in the struggle against Rome.
Yet Jerusalem and the surrounding area had rejected the Christ and persecuted the
Christians, who then sought their strength with Christ and other believers in heaven, in the
heavenly Jerusalem (13:6-7, 16ff). The Jewish Christians in Asia Minor were painfully
aware of the consequences of loyalty to the Christian church—economic boycotts and
exclusion from the guilds.
Satanic inspiration. When we consider all this, we must conclude that there is no
justification for applying Revelation 13 to some future antichrist. This chapter contains a

45
 [101]
concrete message addressed to the first Christian readers. Political interpretations
that turn the first beast into a Roman emperor or some other tyrant reminiscent of Nero
must also be avoided. Revelation 13 is not a prophecy about a dictator in the "end time."
What this chapter points to is how satan and his hosts seek to mislead God's people, using
something that resembles the church, namely, the synagogue. Today's Christians must be
aware that the danger of satanic inspiration within the church is always at hand. We must
be on guard.
Gathered around the Lamb. To comfort the congregation, John is allowed to show how the
church is gathered on Mount Zion around the Lamb (14:1-5) and may stand on the banks
of the sea of glass (15:1-4). There God's people sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb
(see Ex. 15 and Deut. 32) as victors over the beast, despite the beast's apparent triumph
over them (15:2; 13:7).
John is shown the basis of the victory: the Lord will avenge the blood of His church and the
indignities heaped upon her by His apostate people. For modern man, it is a horrible
thought that the church prays for vengeance. The modern world has very definite ideas
about God and what He is—or should be—like. It's almost as though it wishes to dress Him
in a Santa Claus suit.
Prayers for vengeance. Our attitude toward John's apocalyptic visions of judgment will
hinge on the attitude we take toward the Old Testament. In the song of Moses, the cry of
vengeance is a promise: "Vengeance is mine, and recompense," says the Lord. Moses
adds, "He avenges the blood of his servants" (Deut. 32:35, 43). Think of all the psalms that
go back to this promise and call for vengeance. Revelation shows us repeatedly how God's
judgments are accompanied by the prayers of the church, that is, prayers for vengeance
presented in heaven in a liturgical manner (6:10; 8:3ff; 16:7).
[102]
Revelation shows us how heaven gives thanks when the Lord carries out His
judgments (16:7; 18:20; 19:1-2). When Jerusalem turns into an Egypt and a Babylon, it
must suffer the judgment of Egypt and Babylon. Believing means accepting the offensive
gospel. Chapter 16 shows us those unbounded "Egyptian" plagues that are now released.
(See also chapters 8-9, which speak of a destruction limited to "one third.")
Seven mountains. We are used to hearing the apostate covenant people called a "harlot" in
the Old Testament (Jer. 2; Ezek. 16 and 23; Hos. 2). This characterization also appears in
the book of Revelation, which is a further indication that "Babylon" is not some universal
political power (Rome or a future global empire) but a covenantal entity (i.e. the Jerusalem
below, which sheds and drinks the blood of the prophets).
The seven mountains on which the woman is seated (17:9) have sometimes been identified
with the seven hills on which the city of Rome was built. This identification must be
rejected, for hills are not mountains. Moreover, there are more cities that claim to be built
on seven hills.
We must remember that the number seven is repeatedly used in the Bible as a symbol.
Thus we could better think of the seven mountains as a whole series of mountains piled one
on top of the other. Jerusalem, we read in the Old Testament, "shall be established as the
highest of the mountains" (Is. 2:2).
The definitive exodus. Josephus describes the fall of Jerusalem, which was a horrible event.
In John's Apocalypse, we see the background of this event: the Lamb is engaged in battle,
and the rider on the white horse smashes the troops of the beast (17:14; 19:11ff). Fallen
is Babylon, the great city! Chapter 18 is like a great drama in that it contains three
[103]
lamentations for the great city, the city that chose as its father the one who was a
murderer from the very beginning and did not dare stand in the truth (John 8:44).
What is the purpose of these prophetic film strips? The churches must be warned not to let
go of what they have. Never go back to the house of bondage! The tone is the same as the
tone of the fourth "gospel," where we read: "In the world you have tribulation [see also
Rev. 17:14; 3:10; Matt. 24:21]; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John

46
16:33).
In the Gospel according to John, the world is a term referring to the Jews, the "synagogue
of satan." The book of Revelation does not leave covenantal concerns behind to take up
political questions instead. No, like the other books of the Bible, it is concerned with the
church. The Lamb brings about the definitive exodus from Egypt, and the militant church
believes in Christ as Victor.
Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city? Because it forsook the covenant with the
Lord, its God (Jer. 22:8-9).

8. The Day of the Lord

A firm guarantee. Prophetic language often ignores the great temporal distances between
events. The book of Revelation speaks the language of prophecy and ties in Christ's coming
in the destruction of Jerusalem with His final coming.
The connection between the two is not intended to deceive or confuse us. The purpose is to
clarify a prophetic point, a point we tend to overlook: since the judgment on the city of the
covenant represents a real return of Christ, it is also a firm guarantee of His final coming.
[104]
While Jesus was still on earth, He declared: "You will not have gone through all the
towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes" (Matt. 10:23). He also told His disciples:
"There are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man
coming in his kingdom" (Matt. 16:28). Now we realize what He meant.
Final judgment for satan. Because the one "coming" points to the other, the prophecy of
the book of Revelation moves easily from the one to the other. The marriage supper of the
Lamb is approaching. It contrasts sharply with the "great supper of God," which symbolizes
the punishment of the beast, the false prophet, and their followers (19:7, 9, 17).
The time of final judgment comes for satan. The judgment is carried out in stages. In phase
1 he is cast out of heaven (12:7-8). Then comes phase 2, when he is bound. In phase 3 he
is thrown into the lake of fire.
The binding of satan (phase 2) is said to last a thousand years (20:2). While he is bound,
the righteous can rise from the dead and reign with Christ undisturbed.
The thousand-year period referred to in Revelation 20 is often called the "millennium."
Because there are so many strange views of the millennium in circulation, I will review the
main positions briefly.
Amillennialism. The addition of an "a" at the beginning of a word can have the effect of
changing the word's meaning into its opposite. (Think of the word ahistorical.) Thus
"amillennialism" is the view that there is no millennium in the literal sense. To be more
specific, the thousand years of Revelation 20 are understood as a symbolic reference to our
entire dispensation—or perhaps a reference to a period that is already past.
At the end of the millennium, which is simply our dispensation, the Antichrist will appear.
[105]
The "thousand years" began with Christ's ascension—or perhaps with the liberation of
the oppressed church by the emperor Constantine in the year 313.

47
30 313 1300 1789 AC RC
└───────────┴──────────────────────────┴────────────────┴────┴───┘
1000
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─ ─
1000
└───────────────────────────────────────────────── ─ ─
1000
└──────────────────────────┘AC
1000
─ ─ ─ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
AC = Antichrist
RC = Return of Christ
Postmillennialism. Many Christians are convinced that Christ will return after (post) the
millennium. The thousand-year period is then seen as the time of the church's blossoming.
Some postmillennialists believe that the Antichrist will appear on the scene once the
thousand years are over.
The postmillennialist position has its proponents within the orthodox camp. Its defenders
criticize the amillennialists for maintaining that things are getting worse and worse. The
amillennialists respond by pointing to two catastrophic world wars as evidence that the
world is indeed going downhill rapidly.
There is a liberal version of the postmillennialist position according to which a better and
better world is evolving. The advocates of the "social gospel" preach that the development
toward higher forms is clearly visible in history.
30 1789 AC RC
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
1000
──────────────────┘
1000
──────────────────┘

[106]
Premillennialism. Very popular today is the view that the millennium or thousand-year
kingdom will be inaugurated by Christ's return. In other words, Christ's return comes
before (pre)—not after. The defenders of this position are called premillennialists or
Chiliasts. (The Greek word chilioi means thousand.)
Chiliasm circulates in many variations. Some Chiliasts maintain that there will be a
seven-year period (the seventieth week of years referred to in Daniel 9) after the believers
are taken up to heaven (the so-called Rapture) and before the beginning of the
thousand-year kingdom. Halfway through this period, the Antichrist will unleash a
campaign against the Jews, who by that time will have turned to the gospel and rebuilt the
temple. This event will signal the beginning of the "Great Tribulation," which will end with
Christ's return.
The Chiliasts believe that Christ will reign on earth for 1000 years. In this thousand-year
11
period, all the "unfulfilled" promises to Israel will finally be fulfilled. According to these

11
Defenders of the Chiliast outlook presuppose that the Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled
literally—and in "material" terms. The Jews will return to Palestine, where they will be converted (in
accordance with Romans 11:25-6). This event will inaugurate a very fruitful era: the entire world,
with Jerusalem as its center (the residence of Jesus after His provisional return), will become
Christian.
In this outlook, we find a desire to take God's promises seriously and to live in expectation of Christ's
"day" (just as Paul did, for example). Yet, because the Chiliasts fail to see that the Old Testament
promises will be fulfilled in the "new heaven" and "new earth"—also in "material" respects—they
accept Jewish speculation about an "earthly" kingdom between the present order and the new order
to come.

48
dispensationalists, the church will disappear from the scene before the so-called week of
years, i.e. the seven-year period.
[107]

30 R AC I II
└──────────────────────────────┴───────────────┴───────────────┘
3½ 3½ 1000
└──────────────────────────────┴───────┴───────┴───────────────┘
7
Church age └───────────────┘

R = Rapture
I = First return of Christ, to inaugurate the millennium
II = Second return of Christ, to begin the final judgment
For many Christians, this eschatological program has become a shibboleth, a touchstone
used to determine who the real believers are. But can such an eschatology be defended on
Scriptural grounds? And what about amillennialism and postmillennialism?
A roaring lion. According to amillennialism, there is a period of history during which satan
is bound. This allegorical interpretation of the thousand years as a period of church history,
which was defended by Augustine in his later years, finds no support in Scripture. On the
contrary: "The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour" (I Pet.
5:8). He is not a vicious dog on a short leash.
The view that satan is bound can all too easily lead to a triumphalist attitude, as the history
of the church in the Middle Ages reveals. It also opens the door to complacency on the part
of the church. The "churches of gold," that is, the golden domes of the churches in
Constantinople, were a symbolic declaration that the millennium had come. Thanks to
Constantine the churches were finally free of persecution. Before long, however, there was
little left of the yearning for "that day," the day when the church would be vindicated. The
yearning for Christ's return is always stronger in times of persecution, when the churches
are made of wood rather than gold.
[108]
No natural outcome. As for postmillennialism, it sought to answer amillennialism by
relying on the doctrine of evolution. There is a glorious period in store for the church,
according to the postmillennialists.
This outlook, too, must be rejected. Even though God has promised us blessings in this
dispensation, we are not to assume that a glorious kingdom of peace will be established on
earth as the natural outcome of historical developments.
The church and Israel. The premillennialist position, finally, winds up importing
nationalistic Jewish apocalypses by introducing the idea of a thousand-year period as an
interim phase between the present dispensation and Christ's final return. The church itself
becomes an interim phenomenon; the "church age" is over before the millennial kingdom
begins.
Premillennialism goes wrong in failing to recognize that the church is the successor and
continuation of Israel, the Old Testament covenant people. Once this mistake is made,
there is plenty of room left for the view that the period we live in is not decisive since the
earth will receive a ' second chance."
The important question to ask when examining these eschatological doctrines is: What
about the covenant? Nowhere does the Bible teach that the covenant in force during our
dispensation is to be replaced by another covenant with an entirely different structure
during a special thousand-year period. Neither does Scripture give us any reason to
suppose that those who do not meet Christ "in the air" when He returns will have another
chance to repent and turn to Him in a special period dominated by Jewish converts.

49
The day of Christ's return. If we are to reject all three views of the millennium discussed
[109]
above, how are we to interpret Revelation 20? A good way to begin answering this
question would be to look at the early church. How did the church of the first few centuries
(including Augustine in his earlier years) view the "thousand years"?
The "thousand years" were interpreted as a reference to the day of the Lord. (Think of
Psalm 90:4, where we read that a thousand years in God's sight are but a day.) The
thousand years represent the day of Christ's return. On that day the believers will rise from
their graves to be vindicated and justified. Then they will rule with Christ (Dan. 7:22; II
Tim. 2:12).
Revelation 20 does not speak of a kingdom on earth—and certainly not of a Jewish
kingdom. The believers are taken up into the army of the saints in the beloved city. Satan
is unable to harm them. And when he is let loose at the end of the day of the Lord, his
liberty only leads to his final condemnation and destruction.
A time of reckoning. The New Testament points repeatedly to the day of the Lord. Therefore
we may not let our yearning for His final triumph fade away. We should not let ourselves be
frightened by predictions of horrors to come made by those who misinterpret Revelation
20.
What we await confidently is the day of the Christ (Phil. 1:9; 2:16; I Thess. 2:19), and not
"personal immortality" or "heaven." Together with all the saints, we long for the great day
(see Article 37 of the Belgic Confession). Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
That day will include a time of reckoning for all the powers that have set themselves up
against God. This is what the conclusion of Revelation 20 shows us. The last enemy to be
destroyed is death.
[110]

30 70 RC D NJ
└─────┴─────────────────────────────┴───────┴────────┴───>
└─────┘ └────────────────┘
T 1000
A

A = Apostolic era
T = Time of decision for Israel
RC = Return of Christ
D = Day of the Lord
NJ = The New Jerusalem descends to earth

9. The Great Consummation

Contrasts. In the last two chapters of the Bible, the New Jerusalem is sketched in contrast
with Babylon. We are shown woman opposed to woman, mountain opposed to mountain,
city opposed to city. The glory of the New Jerusalem is contrasted with the collapse of
Babylon as depicted in earlier chapters. After covenant wrath comes covenant blessing.
How clearly these chapters show us that the apocalypse of Jesus Christ directly opposes
any patriotic Jewish apocalypticism that fixes its hopes on the Palestinian Jerusalem! The
New Jerusalem will come only through the Lamb.
Note the following parallels:

50
 Babylon New Jerusalem
17:1-18 21:1-8
A vision about the covenant A vision about the covenant
between the city of harlotry and the between God and His bridal city.
beast.
[111]
18:1-24 21:9—22:5
A communication from the A vision via the heavenly
heavenly messenger about the messenger about the New
judgment of Babylon. Jerusalem and the New Paradise.

19:1-10 22:6-9
Heavenly liturgy as an amen. Voices raised as an amen in
response to the message. Worship
Worship God.
God.

A proclamation of the Great King. When John speaks of the "New Jerusalem," we are led to
think in terms of the old Jerusalem—but not in terms dictated by the wishes of the Jewish
nationalists. Everything the Old Testament has to say about the honor and glory of the
future Jerusalem is brought together here as pointing to the new city in which the Lord
establishes His throne, the throne on which the Lamb is seated. Paradise is regained,
complete with the river of life and the tree of life.
At the very end voices are heard. Once more we are confronted with the style of the Great
King, in the warning not to add anything to the book or subtract anything from it. This sober
warning underscores the authoritative character of the Revelation to John, which is not a
book of riddles but a proclamation of the Great King. The end echoes the beginning.
The Great King binds us to His covenantal Word. We live by faith alone, by grace alone, by
Scripture alone!

51
[112]
Index
Anabaptists, 49-50
Antichrist, 60-2, 80, 86-7, 92, 100
Antithesis, 77-8
Ark of the covenant, 15, 17,95
Ascension of Christ, 16-18,40,43-4,91
Atonement, Day of, 15-18
Augustine, 107, 109
"Babylon", 38, 80, 84, 90-1,99, 102, 110-11
Barnabas, 9
Belgic Confession, 92
Bible translation, 55-6
Blood, 15-22,40
Church as God's people, 25, 41, 67, 99, 108
Communism, 30
Covenant between God and His people, 15-17, 25, 88
Covenant wrath, 34, 44, 49-53, 83-7, 89, 94, 97ff, 110
Dante, 92
Day of the Lord, 11, 52-3, 109-10
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 10-11, 24, 26-7, 33-4, 44, 50-3, 57, 87, 90, 94,
97ff
Egypt, 84,90-1,98-9, 102
Ephesus, 60, 82, 87
Exodus command, 11, 21-2,91,94, 103
Feast of Tabernacles, 97-8
Gnosticism, 59
"God-fearing" Gentiles, 87,94
Good Shepherd, 42
Gospel according to John, 54-7, 67
Government and revolution, 31, 42, 50-1, 75-7, 82, 86-7
Great King, 41,83,90, 93, 99, 111
Heidelberg Catechism, 18
Heresy, 59-60
Idolatry, 66
Image of God, 96
Immanuel promise, 100
Islam, 30-1
James (brother of Jesus), 23ff, 47, 73

52
James, book of, 23ff, 63
Jerusalem and the temple, 84, 90, 99ff
Jesus/Joshua, 13
Jewish nationalism, 49, 86,110-11
Jewish question, 9ff, 26-7
John (disciple of Jesus), 54ff
John the Baptist, 36, 40, 97
Jude, 23-4, 46-7, 50, 73ff
King James Bible, 9, 60, 95
Lampstand, 86, 88, 93
"Last days", 26-7, 33-4, 61,101
Levites, 14
Luther, Martin, 27-8
Marriage and divorce, 42-3
Melchizedek and the priesthood, 12-15, 22
Melito of Sardis, 82
Money and property, 32-3
Mosaic legislation, 28
New English Bible, 60
Nineveh, 84
Office-bearers, 96
Order in the church, 71-2
Passover, 86, 98
Paul, 9, 25, 27-9, 38, 41, 45,53,60,73
Pentecost, 36-8
Peter, 23, 36ff, 74
Priesthood in Israel, 14-17
Prophecy, 48-51, 59-62, 74-7, 89, 100, 103
Proverbs, book of, 25
Rebirth and regeneration, 29, 40
Redemption and atonement, 17
Redemptive history, 14-18, 20-2
Reformation, the, 93
"Remnant", 89
Rest, 13
Revelation, book of, 11, 61,63, 79ff
Revised Standard Version, 60
Roman Catholicism, 18, 34, 50,80

53
Rome, 38, 80-2, 84, 86, 92, 100-2
Sacrifices and offerings, 17-21
Satan and demons, 65, 89-91,99ff, 107, 109
Scottish Confession, 92
Seed of the serpent, 61, 89, 100
Sermon on the Mount, 24-5
Seven, 102
Silas (Silvanus), 38-9, 46
Slavery in Israel and among God's people, 42
Sodom and Gomorrah, 51,76,84,90,99
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 19, 66, 84, 101
"Strangers" here below, 21,39-40
Tabernacle, 16
Torah, 11,96
Truth, 67-9
Woman and man, 42-3
World, 32, 43, 56-8, 62-3, 65, 103
World history, 79

54
Cumulative Index
"All Israel," 3:72-3, 99-101, 103-4; 6:89; 8:95; 9:56
Allegorical interpretation, 1:12; 8:40
Almond tree, 1:134; 2:48; 5:57-8
Amalekites, 1:120; 2:55; 3:19-20, 121
Ammon, 1:80; 5:84
Anabaptists, 1:8; 7:26; 10:49-50
Angel of the Lord, 1:77, 82, 90; 2:103, 107; 5:36, 136; 6:100-1
Antichrist, 7:36; 9:94-5; 10:60-2, 80, 86-7, 92, 100
Antioch (Syria), 8:60-1
Antithesis, 2:19-20, 59, 76-8, 96; 3:104, 109, 122-3, 128; 5:47, 119-23, 125; 6:103;
8:32; 9:41, 63, 86; 10:77-8
Apocryphal writings, N.T., 1:22-3
Apocryphal writings, O.T., 1:18ff; 3:122, 124
Aramaic language, 3:94; 7:59
Archeology, 1:30-1
Ark of Noah, 1:66
Ark of the covenant, 1:133, 135, 143; 2:15,22-4,37-8,41,82-3, 100; 3:14-16, 27-32, 35,
45, 74-5; 4:61; 10:15, 17, 95
Ascension of Christ, 2:24, 50; 3:31; 4:32, 61; 7:31; 8:43-4, 49-50; 10:16-18,40,43-4, 91
Astarte, 1:68-9, 73, 99; 2:26, 96; 5:82, 99; 6:11; 8:63, 73
Athanasius, 1:23
Athens, 8:70-2
Atonement (see Redemption and atonement)
Atonement, Day of, 1:133; 2:8, 10, 15, 22ff, 29, 31; 10:15-18
Augustine, 1:23; 4:101; 9:17-18; 10:107, 109
Authority of Scripture, 1:9ff, 18, 22, 27-8, 30-1, 37-8; 7:12-14
Baal, 1:69, 73, 99, 122; 2:26, 59, 91-2, 96; 3:53-4; 6:11, 14, 84
Baal-peor, 2:54-5, 58, 112
Baarda, T.,7:11-12
"Babylon," 5:23-4, 85-6; 7:59; 10:38, 80, 84, 90-1, 99, 102, 110-11
Babylonian mythology, 1:56, 61-2, 67-8
Balaam, 2:52ff, 69-70; 7:22
Baptism, 1:67, 113, 118; 2:20-1; 6:27-8; 8:50; 9:16, 22, 33, 123-4
Barnabas, 7:57-8, 61, 72; 8:59ff; 9:50, 80; 10:9
Belgic Confession, 1:7, 24, 128; 5:29; 7:51; 8:21; 9:128; 10:92
Benediction of the high priest, 2:39-40; 9:97
Benjamin, tribe of, 2:100-1
Bethel, 1:87, 90-1; 2:99-100; 3:50-2, 57, 61, 99; 6:11, 14, 18, 32, 34-5, 37, 39-44, 53,

55
 104; 9:106
Bethlehem, 2:113
Bible translation, 1:51; 3:93-5; 7:28-9; 10:55-6
Biblical criticism, 1:12, 15, 24ff, 32, 34ff, 38-9, 52
Blood, 1:63,67, 104, 112-13, 130-1, 138; 2:9, 12, 14-16,20,22-5, 51; 5:77, 108-9;
10:15-22,40
Book of the covenant, 1:126ff, 143
Bultmann, Rudolf, 1:28-31
Canaanite religion, 1:69, 73, 122; 2:12, 26, 58-9, 69-71, 96; 3:61-2; 6:11-12, 14, 17,32
Canaanites, 1:69, 73, 80, 83, 92, 94-5, 99; 2:82, 91, 96
Canon, N.T., 1:11-12,22-4,44-5
Canon, O.T., 1:18ff, 43-4
Canons of Dordt, 1:8
Capernaum, 7:15-17, 34, 64; 8:27
Carmel, 3:53-4
Census, 2:36-7; 3:38
Ceremonial laws, 1:126-7; 2:20-1; 8:99
Charismatic movement, 1:11; 9:27
Chemosh, 2:112-13; 3:57
Church as God's people, 1:47, 53-4, 58, 60, 64-5, 70-1, 74, 80-1, 84, 88, 94, 104-6, 118,
124; 2:20, 56; 6:12, 21, 26-8, 34, 45, 48, 50, 70-1, 75, 77-9, 89-90, 97, 101, 103;
7:17, 26, 32, 38; 8:33, 36; 9:25, 78, 85; 10:25,41, 67, 99, 108 Circumcision, 1:78-9,
91, 113-14, 140; 2:82; 7:76; 8:52, 66-7, 75, 87-8; 9:47-8, 50-1, 54-6, 73, 76, 119
Cleanliness and purification, 1:66, 114; 2:8, 14, 19ff, 39, 51; 8:59, 67, 99; 9:122
"Coastlands," 5:45, 51-2; 8:68-9, 74-5
Collection for Jerusalem, 8:73-4; 9:33-4, 37, 42-3,45-6
Colossians, Letter to, 9:58, 75ff
Communion, sacrament of (see Lord's supper)
Communism, 8:53-4; 10:30
Corinth, 8:72-3, 81, 84, 86,101; 9:9ff, 68, 119
Countenance (face) of the Lord, 2:39-40; 7:88
Covenant between God and His people, 1:13, 32-4, 41-3, 53, 58, 62, 65, 67, 76-7, 104,
106-8, 124-5, 129-31, 142-3; 2:60ff, 69ff, 85, 92-3; 3:82-8; 4:56, 58; 5:28, 77;
6:34-6, 39, 98-9; 7:85; 8:96; 9:53; 10:15-17, 25, 88
Covenant blessing, 2:33, 39-40, 62-3, 68-9, 74-5; 7:28; 8:96
Covenant wrath, 1:33-4, 80; 2:33, 39, 62-3, 68-9, 74-5; 3:47, 88; 4:49-53; 5:29, 106;
6:44, 77, 83, 89; 7:16-17, 32, 34, 42, 47ff, 54, 70, 93-4; 8:50, 52, 87, 94-6; 9:31,
94-5; 10:34, 44, 49-53,83-7,89,94, 97ff, 110
Covenants in the ancient Near East, 1:31; 2:60ff
Creation of the world, 1:54ff; 4:28-30, 32, 57-8, 91-2; 5:39-40
Crossbearing, 2:19; 8:9

56
Crucifixion of Jesus, 1:122 Curse of Ham, 1:69
Curse resting on creation, 1:54, 60, 65, 72-3; 4:91-2; 5:22; 8:92
Dagon, 2:108
Dan, city of, 2:99
Dante, 10:92
Day of the Lord, 1:122; 5:15-17, 24, 50, 89; 6:25, 28, 35, 40, 53,84-7,90, 116; 9:92-5;
10:11,52-3, 109-10
Deacon, office of, 8:55
Dead Sea Scrolls, 1:14-16; 8:12
Death, 2:19-20, 26, 33, 39, 51, 94; 4:65-6; 5:139; 9:88
Debt in Israel, 2:31-2, 71
Demons (see Satan and demons)
Demythologizing, 1:29-30, 32; 7:11; 8:10
Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, 1:11, 19, 92; 2:31, 75; 5:93, 95, 101-2, 124,
134-5; 6:48, 98, 104-5; 7:19, 23, 32, 42, 47ff, 54, 62, 74-5, 77-8, 93-4; 8:33, 43-4;
9:93-5; 10:10-11, 24, 26-7, 33-4, 44, 50-3, 57, 87, 90, 94, 97ff
Differences between nations, 1:70-1; 9:51-2, 61
Discipline in the church, 2:71, 84-5; 7:44-5; 8:54-5; 9:15, 35-6, 39, 121-2, 124
Documentary hypothesis, 1:24ff, 34
Dodd, C.H.,7:9-10
Eagles' wings, 1:123-4
Eastern Orthodox Churches, 9:48
Ebenezer, 3:16
Ecology, 2:72
Ecumenical movement, 8:38
Edda, the, 1:7
Edomites, 1:92-3; 5:85; 6:30, 46-50, 111
Egypt, 1:75, 78, 92, 95ff, 111-12; 5:26, 29, 31, 84, 111-12; 6:18-19, 30, 39; 7:70;
10:84, 90-1, 98-9, 102
Elohim, 1:25, 61
El Shaddai, 1:110
Epaphras, 9:75,77-8, 80
Epaphroditus, 9:68-9, 73
Ephesus, 7:81; 8:8, 73, 101; 9:10-11, 14, 33, 38, 57ff, 68, 81, 98-9, 104, 115, 118;
10:60, 82, 87
Ephraim, tribe of, 1:99; 2:78, 88; 3:49
Erasmus, 9:35
Eternal life, 8:18
Evolutionism, 1:24, 62; 8:9ff
Exodus command, 1:72; 3:107; 5:22; 7:22, 24, 50, 52; 8:29, 55-6; 10:11,21-2, 91,94,

57
 103
Fear of God, 2:68
Feast of Purim, 1:19; 2:31; 3:117, 126-7
Feast of Tabernacles, 1:19; 2:29-30; 3:45, 50-1, 113, 120; 5:22-
3, 51; 6:108; 8:14-15, 27-8, 30ff; 10:97-8
Feast of Temple Dedication (Feast of Lights, Hanukkah), 2:31; 8:14, 33-4
Feast of Trumpets, 2:29-30; 3:112
Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), 1:19; 2:28-30, 113
Feasts and festivals, 2:8, 28ff
First-born, blessing of, 1:85-6, 99-100
First-born, consecration of, 1:113-14; 2:38
Flesh, 8:90-1; 9:11,54, 107
Form criticism, 1:28
Freedom, 9:22-6, 54-5, 123
Galilee, 7:18, 24, 34, 40, 54-5, 63-4, 87; 8:27
Gandhi, 2:7, 28; 7:26
"Gap" theory, 1:62
Genealogies, 1:64-5, 70-2; 9:100, 103, 124
Genealogy of Jesus, 1:96; 2:81-2, 112, 117; 7:20-1
Gibeah, 2:100, 111; 3:17-18
Gibeonites, 2:86; 3:38
Glory of the Lord, 1:131, 142-4; 2:18-19, 48; 5:29, 101; 9:40-1
Gnosticism, 1:30-2, 63; 8:56; 9:76; 10:59
"God-fearing" Gentiles, 5:52; 7:76; 8:13, 35, 46, 49, 56, 59, 62, 64-5, 67-8; 9:46, 82-3;
10:87, 94
Good Shepherd, 3:26; 4:60; 5:39, 49, 72, 113; 6:15, 62-4, 105-8; 7:53-5; 8:33-4;
9:109; 10:42
Gospel according to John, 1:27, 30-1,36; 2:57; 7:11; 10:54-7, 67
Government and revolution, 4:76, 94-6; 5:72, 123-4; 7:26-7, 32, 43, 79, 85; 8:63, 70,
98; 9:52, 71, 104, 109, 120, 123, 127; 10:31,42,50-1,75-7,82,86-7
Great King, 2:60ff; 4:49-50, 59, 97; 5:64; 6:19, 112; 10:41, 83,90,93,99,111
Greek language, 1:14, 17, 19; 7:59
Griesbach, J. J., 7:8
Hadad, 1:122
Hanging, 2:85
Hardening, 7:36-7, 86; 8:32, 79, 94-5
Hebrew language, 1:13, 15; 2:21; 4:88; 6:63
Hebrews, book of, 1:23; 2:8
Heidelberg Catechism, 8:90; 10:18

58
Heresy, 2:47-8; 10:59-60
Herod, 7:40, 66-8, 88, 94
High priest, 1:133, 136
Hobab, 2:42
Holiness, 2:7ff, 19ff, 25ff, 39, 58, 74; 3:104-5; 5:14
Holy of Holies, 1:132-3, 136; 2:22
Holy Place, 1:132-4, 136
Holy Spirit, 1:10ff; 7:85-6, 91; 8:14, 21, 25, 36-7, 44-5, 47-50, 63,91-2
Horizontalism, 1:12
Horns, 2:15
Horses, 2:72, 87; 3:48; 6:64, 106
Idolatry, 9:21-3; 10:66
Image of God, 1:57, 67; 10:96
Immanuel promise, 1:132, 135, 144; 2:38, 81; 3:44-5; 4:60; 5:19-20, 55, 58, 96,
117-18; 6:28-9, 89-90, 94-5, 98, 104; 7:19, 22, 55; 8:72; 10:100
Inspiration of Scripture, 1:9, 22, 24, 51; 7:9, 19; 8:11, 15-16
Islam, 2:67; 10:30-1
Jabesh-gilead, 2:101; 3:17-18, 24
James (brother of Jesus), 8:60, 66, 68; 9:49; 10:23ff, 47, 73
James (brother of John), 8:7, 60
James, book of, 1:23; 10:23ff, 63
Jericho, 1:37
Jerusalem and the temple, 1:41-2, 82; 3:27-32, 39-40, 44-7, 65, 69-70, 72-3, 75-6, 79,
107, 114, 116; 4:60-1; 5:30-2, 60, 62-3, 74-5, 88-90, 94-6, 99-102, 108, 116-18,
122-3, 129; 6:28, 37, 93-108, 115; 7:17, 34, 47ff, 70, 77-8, 83, 87-8, 92ff; 8:21,
42-4, 46, 51-3, 74-6, 81-3; 9:53; 10:84, 90, 99ff
Jerusalem Bible, 1:21; 8:19
Jesus/Joshua, 2:56, 81; 7:23-4; 10:13
Jewish nationalism, 7:49-50, 94-5; 8:23, 47, 98; 10:49, 86, 110-11
Jewish question, 1:81, 89, 143-4; 2:24-5; 7:17, 52-3, 77-8; 8:11, 14, 17-18, 51, 62-4,
70, 72-6, 93-6; 9:30-1; 10:9ff, 26-7
Joab, 3:25, 34, 36-7, 43
John (disciple of Jesus), 8:7ff, 24, 40; 10:54ff
John the Baptist, 6:115, 117; 7:22-4, 33-4, 39, 48, 64, 66, 81-3; 8:8, 13, 22-3, 26-7, 45;
10:36, 40, 97
Jonathan, 3:22-4
Jordan River, 7:23
Judas Maccabaeus, 8:33-4
Judah, tribe of, 2:37, 88, 109, 116-17; 3:24-5, 37, 73
Jude, 10:23-4,46-7,50, 73ff

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Judge, office of, 2:96-8, 107, 110
Justice, 2:71-2, 97
Justification by faith, 8:85-6, 88
Kenites, 2:42, 102
Keys to the Kingdom, 5:26-7
Kidneys, 2:13
King James Bible, 1:16, 19-20, 100; 4:9-10, 40, 100; 5:85; 6:63; 7:19-20, 63, 86; 9:28,
57; 10:9, 60, 95
Kingdom of God, 7:38-9, 93; 8:44
Kingship in Israel, 2:10, 53-4, 72-3, 97-9, 112; 3:16-19, 26, 30, 50-1,56, 76, 79; 6:18
Koran, the, 1:7
Kosher, 2:24-5
Lamb of God, 8:15, 22-4, 28, 30, 35,40, 57
Lampstand, 1:133-4; 6:102; 8:33; 10:86, 88, 93
"Last days," 7:48, 52; 9:84-5, 88-96, 115; 10:26-7, 33-4, 61, 101
Leaven (yeast), 1:113, 133; 2:13; 7:21, 40, 68, 90
Leprosy, 2:14, 21
Levirate marriage, 1:95-6; 2:115-16; 9:20
Levites, 1:76, 114, 140-1; 2:10, 37-8, 56, 78, 89, 99-101; 3:81; 6:112-13; 10:14
Light of the world, 8:32
Living water, 8:31-2
Lord's supper, 1:113, 130-1; 5:28; 7:53; 9:22-6
Lots, casting of, 3:122 Luke, 7:72ff; 8:42, 46, 59-61, 63, 69, 72, 75-80; 9:42, 47, 67-8,
80,111,117
Luther Bible, 1:20
Luther, Martin, 1:12, 118; 8:86; 9:96; 10:27-8
Manasseh, tribe of, 2:78, 88
Manmade (self-willed) worship and religion, 1:125; 2:19, 59-60, 74, 91, 98-100; 6:39;
9:76-7
Manna, 1:119-20; 9:22
Manuscripts, Biblical, 1:13ff, 31, 34-5
Marduk,3:90, 120; 5:85
Mark, 7:56ff, 61, 72; 8:68-9; 9:80, 111, 117
Marriage and divorce, 4:102; 5:59; 6:113; 7:45-6; 9:15-20, 63,87, 101; 10:42-3
Martyrdom, 8:9
Mary (mother of Jesus), 1:23; 7:74; 8:40
Mashal, 4:67; 7:37-8, 46; 8:30
Matthew, 7:15ff, 21, 30, 87
Mediator, office of, 1:118, 121, 138ff;2:17,51,79

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Melchizedek and the priesthood, 1:76, 114; 2:39; 3:28; 5:13; 7:53; 10:12-15, 22
Melito of Sardis, 10:82
Mercy seat, 1:133; 2:22
Midianites,2:52,55, 103ff
Military regulations, 2:72, 87; 3:18, 57,75
Miracles, 2:70, 82, 86-7; 3:58; 7:29-30, 65, 67, 84, 86; 8:13-14, 24, 32, 44
"Missionary work," 8:61-3
Mixed marriage, 3:102-5, 114-15; 6:113-14; 9:41
Moab, 1:80; 2:112-13, 116-17; 5:25-6, 84
Molech, 2:26; 3:61, 65; 5:18, 64, 69; 6:84
Money and property, 2:71; 3:110-11; 4:94; 7:27, 46, 84-5, 90-; 8:53-5; 9:109, 124;
10:32-3
Monotheism, 2:66
Mosaic legislation, 1:42-3, 48, 123, 125ff; 2:7ff, 63; 9:79, 122, .24; 10:28
Mount of Olives, 3:35-6; 7:48
Mysticism, 1:12
"Natural" religion, 2:58-9
Nature/grace, 1:101; 4:58, 73, 102-3; 5:117; 6:27, 29; 9:101, 107
Nazareth, 7:24, 39, 79, 81, 83-4, 86
Nazarites, 2:39, 98, 107, 110; 8:75
New English Bible, 7:44; 8:12; 9:19-20, 71, 79; 10:60
New International Version, 3:94; 7:86
New Israel, 1:94; 2:56; 7:55; 8:43, 45-6, 51, 93; 9:56
New Moon Festival, 2:30
Nineveh, 6:52-7, 69-75, 88; 10:84
North,5:58, 60, 66, 86; 6:103
Numbers in the Bible, 1:35; 2:35; 4:81-2; 7:17, 20-1
Offerings (see Sacrifices and offerings)
Office-bearers, 2:48, 69-70, 79, 106-7; 6:102, 104; 7:31; 9:28, 37-8, 49, 99, 102-3, 106,
108, 121; 10:96 Oil, 1:138; 2:19; 6:102
Onesimus, 9:58, 80, 126-8 Order in the church, 8:67-8; 9:29-31, 34; 10:71-2
Parables, 7:37ff, 89-90
Passover, 1:18-19, 103-5, 112-13, 115, 136; 2:28-30, 82-3; 5:51; 7:45, 53, 70; 8:14-15,
21, 25, 28ff; 10:86, 98
Paul, 1:27; 7:57-8, 72-4; 8:27, 45-7, 55, 57ff; 9:9ff; 10:9, 25, 27-9,38,41,45,53,60,73
Pentecost, 1:11, 45, 69-70; 2:43, 113; 5:26; 6:89; 7:35-6; 8:37, 43-4, 48-50, 73-4;
9:27, 62, 115; 10:36-8
Peter, 7:41-3, 57-9, 61, 68, 71; 8:7-8, 13, 40-1, 47ff, 59-60, 66, 68, 80; 9:11, 49-50;
10:23, 36ff, 74
Pharisees and scribes, 7:22-3, 25, 39-40, 47, 67-8, 87, 89-90, 93; 8:33, 76

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Philippi, 8:69-70; 9:67ff, 82, 86
Philistines, 2:108-10
Pilate, 7:59,94; 8:38-9
Poetry, Hebrew, 4:10, 14-15, 40-3, 81-2,95; 5:92-3; 8:19
Politeuma, 9:71-4
"Poor," the, 7:28, 33, 78-9, 84-5
Preaching, 9:11, 13, 26, 37, 39-40, 70
Priesthood in Israel, 2:8, 10, 17ff, 26, 38, 55; 3:17-18; 6:16-17,95-6, 111-13;10:14-17
Property rights in Israel, 2:31-2, 56
Prophecy, 1:41-3, 94; 2:34, 70ff; 3:11-12, 77-9, 87, 111-12; 5:10, 13-14, 70, 75-6, 108,
134; 6:50-1, 55, 59-62, 87, 112; 7:51; 9:27-9, 43-4, 90, 121; 10:48-51, 59-62, 74-7,
89, 100, 103
Proverbs, book of, 10:25
Providence of God, 1:81
Psalms outside the book of Psalms, 2:77, 102; 4:35; 5:36, 93; 6:52, 56, 82; 9:59
Purification (see Cleanliness and purification)
Ram's horn, 1:121; 2:29
Rebirth and regeneration, 2:50; 5:114; 8:25-6; 9:113; 10:29, 40
Rechabites, 5:79-80
Red, 2:51
Redemption and atonement, 1:112-13, 115, 130-1, 133; 2:9, 17, 32, 38-9, 115; 3:107,
110; 4:64-6, 99; 5:76-7; 6:29, 45; 8:13; 10:17
Redemptive history, 1:11-12, 41, 43, 46ff, 53-4, 58, 61-2, 64, 67, 74-5, 104; 2:36, 62ff,
112; 7:13-14; 8:11, 41, 82-3; 9:30-1, 37,48, 123-4; 10:14-18, 20-2
Reformation, the, 1:8; 8:86, 89; 10:93
Rembrandt, 7:80
"Remnant," 1:74; 3:67, 72, 100, 103; 5:14-15, 19-20, 29-30, 35, 50, 101; 6:63, 89-90,
107; 8:94-5; 10:89 Rest, 1:65-7; 2:12,64, 81,97,113; 3:75; 6:71; 7:34-5; 10:13
Resurrection of Jesus, 1:29-30; 7:10-11, 54, 62-3, 71, 85, 95; 9:31-3
Resurrection of the body, 9:31-3, 74, 88
Revelation, book of, 1:23, 27, 45, 105, 122, 124; 2:33-4, 77; 5:28-9, 42, 86-7, 101, 104,
110, 118, 122, 124, 132, 135; 6:24, 26, 50, 62, 74, 89, 108, 117; 7:48; 9:75, 117;
10:11, 61, 63, 79ff
Revelation of God, 1:47; 2:9, 70; 7:13
Revised Standard Version, 1:100,133; 2:79; 3:27; 4:9-10, 34-5, 40, 100; 6:32-3, 81;
7:63; 8:99; 9:57, 71, 79; 10:60
Revival movements, 1:11
Righteousness, 4:12, 17-33, 44-6, 48-53, 71, 84-5, 95; 5:48, 73, 76, 85-6; 6:65, 81;
7:23-5, 27, 43, 54; 8:37, 72, 84-6, 88, 101; 9:64-5, 73
Roman Catholicism, 1:8, 19, 21; 2:8, 24, 59, 77, 100; 7:68; 8:36, 40, 89; 9:48, 102;
10:18, 34, 50, 80
Rome, 8:79-80, 82-4, 96, 98-101; 10:38, 80-2, 84, 86, 92, 100-2

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Ruins, 2:83, 87-8
Sabbath day, 1:57-8; 2:28, 30, 65; 5:51-2; 8:27, 31, 34; 9:34
Sabbatical year, 2:29, 31, 71
Sacrifices and offerings, 1:66-7, 76, 81-2, 112-13, 115, 128, 130, 134ff, 144; 2:8ff, 21,
24, 26-7, 30-1, 70, 105-6; 3:30, 114; 5:11-12, 63; 6:17,65-6, 111-13; 9:34;
10:17-21
Sadducees, 7:22-3, 40-1, 47, 67-8; 8:51, 56, 76
Salt, 2:13
Samaria, 3:53, 60
Samaritans, 3:61, 98-100, 104, 108-12, 115; 6:91; 8:26-7, 56
Sanhedrin, 7:22, 55, 70, 94; 8:34, 52, 76
Satan and demons, 1:62; 5:136; 6:101; 7:65; 8:37; 9:23, 44, 87; 10:65, 89-91, 99ff,
107, 109
Scapegoat, 2:23
Schilder, Klaas, 1:62; 4:106-8; 6:78
Scottish Confession, 10:92
Seed of the serpent, 1:60, 64, 109, 120; 7:48; 8:32; 10:61, 89, 100
Septuagint, 1:19; 3:122; 5:31
Sermon on the Mount, 1:33; 2:7, 28; 7:25ff; 8:70; 9:26; 10:24-5
Servant of the Lord, 2:32, 93-4; 3:31, 90; 4:30; 5:39, 42-7, 50-1, 85, 124; 7:28-9, 33,
42; 8:46, 51-2, 58, 68, 74
Seven, 1:113; 2:23, 104, 116; 7:19, 51; 10:102
Sexuality, 1:95; 2:20-1, 96; 4:77-8, 100ff; 5:104-5; 6:11-12; 9:16-20, 87
Shalom, 2:13-14, 74-5; 7:31
Shechem, 1:73, 90-1; 2:85-6, 92; 3:48-9; 8:26, 56
Shema, 1:66; 7:25
Shiloh, 2:88; 3:11, 14-15; 5:62-3
"Showbread," 1:133; 3:22
Sign of Jonah, 1:11; 6:58; 7:30, 37, 51
Signet ring, 6:96-7
Signs of the times, 7:28-30, 49, 90; 9:30, 96
Silas (Silvanus), 7:57-8; 8:69-70; 9:68, 82; 10:38-9,46
Sin, 1:59, 65-6, 74, 80, 94; 2:21-2
Sin against the Holy Spirit, 7:35-6
Sinai (Horeb), 1:121-3; 3:54
Slavery in Israel and among God's people, 2:31-2; 9:63-4, 108-9, 123, 126-8; 10:42
Sodom and Gomorrah, 5:10-11, 116; 6:39, 88; 10:51, 76, 84, 90,99
Son of David, 7:20-1, 40, 46-7, 69, 83, 92
Son of man, 5:130-2; 7:29-30, 35, 42, 51-3, 55, 66-7, 69-70, 89; 8:25, 29
Song of Moses (Deut. 32), 1:105; 2:75ff; 4:59; 5:11, 29, 42; 6:20-1, 83; 7:23; 8:50, 97,

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 100; 9:72; 10:19, 66, 84, 101
Sovereignty of God, 1:84-6, 88-9, 92, 94-5, 99-101, 109; 2:67-8, 80; 6:48, 111; 8:93-5;
9:10, 59-61
"Soul," 2:12, 24; 4:53-4; 9:16, 31
Speaking in tongues, 9:27,29-31
Spiritualism, 1:12
Stewardship, 7:90
"Strangers" here below, 1:73, 82-3, 91-3; 9:79; 10:21, 39-40
Strong drink, 2:39; 9:108
Stumbling blocks, 7:35,44; 9:21-3
Substitution, law of, 2:11-12; 7:86
Syncretism, 9:41, 47-50, 53-4, 56, 73, 75-9, 99-104, 107, 115, 120, 122, 124-5
Synoptic question, 1:27, 36-7, 48; 7:8-9, 13-14, 60-2, 74-5, 87; 9:58
Tabernacle, 1:131ff, 144; 2:8, 37-8, 88; 3:44-5; 4:50; 10:16
Temple, cleansing of, 7:47, 62, 77; 8:24-5
Ten commandments, 1:41, 43, 125ff, 131-2, 143; 2:25, 57, 63, 65; 4:74-81
Theocracy, 3:17, 72
Thessalonica, 8:70; 9:82ff
"Theology of the church," 1:28, 30, 39; 7:11-13, 48
Theophilus, 7:76-9, 81, 83-4, 86-7, 90, 93-6; 8:42, 46, 59, 64, 72, 77-9
Timothy, 8:69, 74-5; 9:14, 34, 38, 46, 69, 73, 77, 83, 87, 98ff, 119,128
Tischendorf, 1:16
Titus, 9:36, 42, 50, 98, 119ff
Today's English Version, 8:12
Toledoth, 1:54-5; 7:19-20
Tolstoy, Leo, 7:26
Torah, 1:18, 53-4, 123; 2:64; 4:34, 58, 84; 5:10-12; 6:89; 7:20, 25; 8:68; 9:50-3, 61;
10:11,96
Transfiguration of Jesus, 7:42-3
Transgressions, types of, 2:14-16
"Troubler of Israel," 2:84; 3:53, 56
Truth, 1:10-11; 8:20-2, 35-6; 10:67-9
Twelve, 1:130; 7:31
Tychicus, 9:57-8, 80, 124 "Types," 1:97
Unity of the Bible, 1:32-46, 103-4, 124-6; 2:33-4, 77; 7:7, 95; 8:20-2,71
Urim and Thummim, 2:17
Vineyard of the Lord, 5:17, 29-30, 65, 104, 106
Vows, 2:8, 32-3,98, 105-6
Wellhausen, Julius, 1:25

64
Wise men from the east, 2:54; 7:22
Witnesses to the covenant, 2:62-3, 75; 4:57-8
Woman and man, 1:58-60; 2:56; 7:91-2; 9:24, 29, 52, 63, 104-5; 10:42-3
Word (logos), 8:19-20
World, 8:16-18, 37-8, 79; 9:12; 10:32, 43, 56-8, 62-3, 65, 103
World Council of Churches, 1:28
World history, 5:43; 10:79
Yahweh, 1:25,61, 107-8, 110; 4:59
Year of Jubilee, 2:29, 31-2; 5:48, 79; 7:84, 86, 92

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