“At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-4 KJV.
Jesus’ disciples were arguing among themselves as to who was to be the greatest, after Jesus. Jesus disciples were trying to get the number one position in Jesus’ kingdom, which they thought He was going to set up on earth in their day. They were seeking the highest position for themselves, because of pride. But instead of answering their question, Jesus tells them where they were really at. He told them that except they were converted and became humble as little children, they wouldn’t have to worry about who was the greatest in Heaven, because they would not be there. If someone is not saved, nothing else matters.
Now who humbled themselves as a little child? Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11 NASB. Now who was even more humble then John the Baptist, who was greater than he?
“John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” John 1:26-27 NASB. Now who was John referring to here? Jesus. “The next day he [John-the-Baptist] saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” John 1:29-30 NASB. Now it is clear that John the Baptist was born before Jesus, but he declares here that Jesus existed before him! “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.’” Luke 1:34-36 NASB. So when the angel told Mary she would give birth to the Savior of the world, before she was pregnant with Jesus - her cousin Elizabeth was already six months pregnant. How can this be that John would be born before Jesus, but would declare that Jesus existed before him? Because Jesus existed before He was born. Jesus existed before John the Baptist was born. Jesus is “the I AM”, from the beginning of eternity – the eternal one, the Lord God Almighty. John said, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” John 3:30-31 NASB.
Now Paul declares, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phillipians 2:5-11 KJV.
Now Jesus was of the very highest station, according to John the Baptist (He is the Son of God), but he humbled Himself to take on our human nature (He was the Word of God made flesh) in order to save us. And He humbled Himself unto the death of the cross.
The answer to Jesus’ question as to who is the least (or the humblest) – it is Jesus! Jesus was greater than John-the-Baptist, by John’s own admission. John said, “I am unworthy to untie the latchet of His sandal.” This reminds us of when God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush: “And when the Lord saw that he [Moses] turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he [God] said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” Exodus 3:4-6 KJV.
Our point in all of this is that Jesus was the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven, far greater than John-the-Baptist, who was unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandal, because the place where Jesus stood was Holy Ground! But Jesus was greater than John-the-Baptist, because he was the humblest or the meekest or “the least” as Jesus said. Jesus was indeed converted and was humble as a little child! Jesus had every reason to be proud, because He is the Lord God Almighty, the creator of the universe. He had every reason to be proud, because He was the mightiest, after His Father God. But if He hadn’t humbled Himself, there would be no hope for you and I! He made himself of no reputation, as Paul declared, and humbled Himself unto the death of the cross! When Jesus came on this earth, he had to relearn everything – that He was God and that it was the Father’s plan that He die for the sins of the world. He trusted in His Father to always do His Father’s will. Jesus got help from the Father and communed much with Him. He could not trust in Himself to save himself. He was tried and tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 NASB.
Jesus knows the trials and temptations you face dear reader. He has been through it all. He knows what it’s like to be “flesh and blood”. He was tried and tempted in all points like you are, yet without sin. He humbled himself unto the death of the cross, that you might live forever. Jesus was humble as a little child, while He could very easily force respect from all in the Universe because of His power. But His and His Father’s rule is based on love and mercy, not power and force! Jesus followed the truth and the same rules that He taught – Jesus was very much converted and humble as a little child – so he can enter the kingdom of Heaven – the same way that you and I can.
This is one of the most important things to understand.
When you start out in life, you start out as a little baby, then a little child, and then eventually you grow up and leave your parents to go out on your own. But as you get older, pride grows. Paul tells us: “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers,” 1 Timothy 5:1 NASB. Why is this? Because we don’t want to hurt their feelings or pride. We need to be “gentle” with other people as possible, but firm in the truth. Parents tell their children what to do, and it is good for them to listen to their parents. It is easier to learn and be humble when you are a child. Children are naturally humble, and are still learning about life. They will trust their parents, if their parents are consistent in teaching and practicing the truth, and always treat them kindly with love. Little children are idealistic; black and white, right and wrong. To a little child everything is new! They learn every day. If they have good teachers, who are kind they will become good citizens. When many people grow older, they often become too proud and unteachable. But according to Jesus, unless you are converted and become humble and stay humble as a little child, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. So what is Jesus really saying here? You need to grow up and become mature [Hebrews 5:12-14], but stay humble and teachable as a little child. And converted. John 3: 3, 5. If you will accept what God has told you, all will be well. But if not, you are departing from God. Then there will be a parade of false teachers trying to convince you that you are ok as you are and that all is well with your soul, when it is not. Thus pride is the road to destruction. There are folks who have been in Church their whole life, never leaving it, yet are not converted as a little child, and do not see their true need or condition in the eyes of God – who will not listen to reproof or the rebuke that they need to be saved, and will rise up against it. So sad.
To be able to enter Heaven you need to:
1) Be converted and stay converted. John 3:3, 5.
2) Stay humble as a little child.
3) Be willing and wanting to learn and continue to learn (as little children do).
4) Be teachable (as children are).
5) Be idealistic: right is right and wrong is wrong as children believe – don’t view things as a shade of grey or try to justify sin.
6) Trust in God always (as little children trust their parents).
7) Depend on God to save you and take care of you (as little children depend on their parents).
8) Don’t be afraid to say you are sorry to God or to those whom you have wronged!
9) Don’t think you can save yourself, only trust in God to do that.
When you are a child, everything is new.
When you are a child, there are a lot of interesting things to learn.
When you are a child, everything is black and white, right or wrong – no grey – you are idealistic.
You can read a child like a book, it’s hard for them to lie or be duplicitous.
Adults sometimes get good at lying and believing contradictory things. Their conscience gets confused between good and evil. They don’t always fully believe God in His word, they mix in humanism. And they often have a problem with pride. But their confusion would end if they would want to believe what God has said, confess their sins and repent – and humble themselves before the Lord like a little child.
Being converted, humble and teachable is one of the most important things to understand. It is human nature to become prouder as you get older. Being humble is so important, because we all make mistakes, but when God or someone else points out your sin or mistake if you don’t wish to acknowledge that you are wrong, confess your mistake, ask for His help and learn from it – you are on the road to destruction. God compels no one. He desires that all would want His help, but allows everyone to choose what they will have, life or death. God will allow people to reap the consequences of their pride and wrongful actions. Maybe they will humble themselves before Him and ask for help before it’s too late? There are many examples in the Bible and in our day of people being proud and being destroyed because of their pride, and others who eventually humbled themselves before God, turning to Him for help.
It doesn’t matter how long you have been in the church. It doesn’t matter how high in the church rank you have risen. It doesn’t matter how many good things you have done… or not done. It does not matter if you have ever stepped your foot into church… You must be converted and humble yourself as a little child if you wish to see the kingdom of Heaven.
Many people will not want to read this article or part 2 of this article, because it will strike against their pride. We hope you will keep reading this article and part 2. Unfortunately, it is hard to convince many Christians to read articles dealing with the elementary truths like the Gospel and the need to be humble, because they think that they are saved or already know these things. They may say, “that’s a good article - someone might need it – but not me. I already know this.” But if you are humble and teachable as a little child and love Jesus and His Father you will never grow tired of hearing that old-old story of Jesus and His love. You will want to hear it again and again. You will want to make your calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:10 KJV. You will want to make sure you have overlooked nothing.
Are you born again? Are you happy in Jesus and in your new life with Him? Do you have peace? Do you long to serve Him and help others? Or you in dire need of help yourself? Do you have to have someone lay on a thick “guilt trip” to get you to do something to help others or to do the right thing? Do you have to have someone lay on a thick “guilt trip” on you to light a fire under you to get you to move? Do you seek to avoid anything and everything that might point out your guilt or sins? If so, you will have stopped reading this article or never read it at all.
So, the real crux of the matter is: Are you converted? And are you humble as a little child? These are the questions you need to answer, if you wish to make your calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:10 KJV. When you have truly answered these questions in the affirmative, your life will be on track to the kingdom of Heaven – if you stay humble before God, and stay converted by His love and mighty power to save. Do you receive instruction from the word of God? Do you read it? Are you teachable with the truth?
Now God will allow you to do your own thing, leave Him or live without Him. But He allows hard times to hit you, that you may turn back to Him. “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Hebrews 12:11 NASB. The sooner you humble yourself before God and give yourself completely to Him the better. You can avoid a lot of pain and sorrow the sooner you do that. If you humble yourself before Him now, you may help yourself to not go through great trials and tribulations in order to be trained to the peaceful fruits of righteousness. God has a plan for your life, dear reader. Listen to His sweet voice; listen to His words from the Bible. If you accept His discipline and reproof, He will help you get on track to be saved in the kingdom. Those who are unwilling to humble themselves as a little child will not enter or see the kingdom of Heaven.
King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, in the divided monarchy in Samaria:
“Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him. It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.” 1 Kings 16:29-33 NASB.
Now Ahab was a wicked fellow indeed, worse than all of the kings of Israel who came before him. In the passage above, it focuses in on his wife, Jezebel, as if to indicate she was the cause of him provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger more than all of the kings of Israel who came before him – because of her! “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.” 1 Kings 21:25-26 KJV. Jezebel was the daughter of the Sidonian pagan king Ethbaal. Ethbaal means ‘with Baal’, as Strongs word number H856 declares - meaning ‘with Satan.’ This indicates that her father was on the “same side as Satan”, since the false gods were really devils. Now Jezebel‘s name means ‘wife of Baal’ or ‘unchaste’ or "Baal exalts", according to Strongs word number H348 - or ‘the wife of Satan!’ - or immoral or adulteress or harlot or whore. Jezebel’s name has long been associated with infamy, immorality and evil. Later, she was condemned as a witch and a whore by Jehu to her son King Joram. 2 Kings 9:22. Jezebel was brought in as a symbol in Revelation 2:20, as an evil seductive prophetess – seducing God’s servants into sin! She was a face of evil in Bible prophecy, because she represents spiritual adultery or unfaithful church leaders who were seducing God’s people into sin and error. See Revelation 17:1, 15-16; 19:2.
So Ahab and his wife Jezebel were a wicked couple indeed, sold out to evil. [But this doesn’t mean that God had given up on Ahab!] Now since Ahab was married to ‘the wife of Satan’, what is that really saying about king Ahab? This is about as bad as it gets.
The pagan gods that the children of Israel worshipped, when they were rebelling against God were “devils” or Satan:
“They [the children of Israel] also provoked Him [God] to wrath at the waters of Meribah, so that it went hard with Moses on their account; because they were rebellious against His Spirit, He spoke rashly with his lips. They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons [or devils], and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with the blood. Thus they became unclean in their practices, and played the harlot in their deeds. Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people and He abhorred His inheritance.” Psalms 106:32-40 NASB.
Now King Ahab’s wife had Naboth the Jezreelite killed so that he could get his vineyard! He wanted Naboth’s vineyard, because it was close to his palace, and threw a fit when Naboth wouldn’t sell his vineyard to him. Now when Ahab told this to his wife Jezebel [the wife of Satan], she knew exactly what to do! She had “two worthless men” trump up charges against Naboth and sent this in letters to the elders and nobles of the city near Naboth’s vineyard. (These false charges were recognized as a stoning offense by the children of Israel) and had him stoned to death and took his property for her husband! Naboth had done nothing wrong! Then Elijah the prophet came to King Ahab and gave him the prophecy of how God was going to destroy him, his wife and all of his family, because of those many terrible evil things that he and his wife had done! Then King Ahab rent his clothes and fasted and lay in sackcloth. “And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” 1 Kings 21:27-29 KJV. For this whole sad account of Naboth being falsely condemned and stoned to death, so that King Ahab could get his vineyard and the prophecy of God given by Elijah the prophet uttered against him and his family, see 1 Kings 21:1-29. Read 2 Kings 9:1-37 to 10:27 for the judgment of God carried out against Ahab’s family years later, as meted out by Jehu.
God had tremendous mercy towards king Ahab! He did not deserve any mercy that he received from God! Not one drop of mercy! But God is so loving and kind and long suffering! If someone will just humble themselves before Him, He gives them another chance! In the end the sinner has no one to blame but themselves for turning down God’s mercy. If you will just humble yourself before God, all will be will with your soul dear reader! if God had mercy on such an evil man as King Ahab, would He not have even more mercy on you too? Yes. God is always willing to forgive, as the song ‘He’ says. If you humble yourself before God and ask for His mercy, He will give you mercy. In the end we believe Ahab was lost. If God grants you mercy, do not return to your old ways and go against God like Ahab did, who had been given much mercy from God. Ahab went back to his old ways, after God spared him and was eventually slain on the battle field! 1 Kings 22:1-38.
In the book of Jonah, the word of the Lord came to Jonah to go to Nineveh, that great city, (that took a three days journey to go through it was so big), and tell them that he was going to destroy it in 40 days. Jonah 1:2; Jonah 3:1-4.
“And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.’ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, ‘In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.’ When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.” Jonah 3:1-10 NASB.
“But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.” Jonah 4:1-2 NASB.
What a testimony Jonah gave begrudgingly, bitterly against the loving kindness and compassion of God towards the heathen! Instead of being happy that he was the most successful preacher of all time – in helping the entire city of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, repent and get mercy from God, he was worried about his reputation of being called a false prophet! He was also probably prejudiced against the heathen Ninevites. This story about Nineveh teaches a most important lesson about God – He is long suffering and patient with sinners (even the worst and most unworthy); warning them of their sins before it is too late! If they will listen to Him and humble themselves before Him, all will be well with them! The Assyrian’s were especially wicked and cruel against their conquered enemies, but they got their mercy from God, which they did not deserve, because they humbled themselves before Him. Eventually Nineveh or Assyria was destroyed by God, but they had their mercy from Him, after they repented because of Jonah’s preaching to them.
Now why did God spare the city of Nineveh - that great city and it’s king? Did they deserve it? No! God spared them because they humbled themselves before Him! Oh, the love and compassion of God! It is beyond measure!
Your salvation, dear reader, does not depend on how good you are or how faithful you are, it depends only on God’s mercy for you. So humble yourself before Him, and receive His wonderful mercy.
Read 2 Chronicles 34 to 35, especially 2 Chronicles 34:26-28 on how God granted mercy to King Josiah and the children of Israel in the southern kingdom of Judah, because he humbled himself before God and repented for his nation’s past sins. Then 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 14 to 16 for the sad story of King Asa, who was considered a good king for many years, doing God’s work, but stopped trusting in God and started to trust instead to the King of Assyria to save him from the king of Israel. Then he got proud and would not repent and put the prophet God sent to reprove him into prison. Then he got diseased feet and did not seek after God after this and died. Those who stop trusting in the Lord, get proud, not willing to humble themselves before the Lord will lose all that they had and their eternal life, unless they repent. Being humble is where it’s at. Salvation depends on being humble before God. Pride comes before the fall. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 KJV. Jesus declared that unless you are converted and are as humble as a little child, you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven.
No matter how many years you have been following the Lord and fighting His battles, if you turn away from trusting in Him, and start trusting in your own strength or in someone else to save you, you will end up being lost too, if you persist in trusting in yourself or in someone else. It’s not your good works that saves you. Only trusting in the Lord and staying humble before Him will save you. Cursed is the man who trusts in himself or in anyone or in anything else but God to save them. Jeremiah 17:5-8 NASB.
Those who humble themselves before God as a little child and turn to Him for help will be able to enter the kingdom of Heaven, if they keep trusting in Him. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 KJV. Those who learn their need of God and turn to Him constantly for help will be blessed and made into a better person.
Is Jesus your master? If Jesus is your master you will follow in His footsteps and will humble yourself too, because Jesus was the most-humble person who ever lived! Now Jesus, while He was the Son of God, the Creator and the mightiest in the universe after His Father, humbled Himself to become born as a human being. Grew up and lived as we live; was tried and tempted like we are, yet without sin. And when the time came, He humbled Himself for the death of the Cross, that He might redeem everyone in the world who would have it! This is why Jesus is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven!
One thing is clear in all that has been said, that unless you humble yourself as a little child you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. No matter how bad you are or what you have done, there is still hope, if you will humble yourself before God. Be converted and stay converted. Seek after God with all of your heart, no fooling around. Be teachable and willing to learn the truth. Be willing and wanting to learn. You need to trust in God like a little child trusts their parents. You need to be idealistic like a child: Good is good and bad is bad. Let everything good be new to you. Let the gospel of your salvation be new every day! Be a new creature in God. Do not mix good and evil and call it good or OK; abhor all evil. Trust in God. Depend on God to save you and take care of you. Don’t be afraid to say you are sorry to God or to those whom you have wronged! Don’t think you can save yourself, only trust in God to do that. Don’t look to anyone but God to save you. Don’t look to your mother or father, don’t look to your friends, don’t look to your job, don’t look to your church, don’t look to any of your plans or good works to save you. When God sends a message of rebuke or reproof to you for your sins, whether it comes to you when you are reading the Bible, or through a person, do not harden your heart against God.
What do you have to lose? Why give up on your eternal happiness and eternal life on the big fat nothing this world has to offer you? If you humble yourself before God as a little child and allow Him to convert you, you will be invited into the New Jerusalem in Heaven and live forever. The choice is yours. The meek shall truly inherit the earth. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 KJV. The proud need not apply to go to Heaven, because they will not make it there; while they remain proud. No matter how many years you have been following and serving God and doing good works for Him, you must continue to humble your heart before Him. If you get proud and resist Him, you will lose it all unless you repent. But you CANNOT lose if you will just humble your heart before God, and continue to seek after Him with your whole heart! Because God gives grace to the humble. James 4:6.
May the grace of God be with you as you receive Jesus daily [John 1:12], to become converted and stay converted and be humble as a little child. Amen. God is so loving and kind and long suffering! If someone will just humble themselves before Him – no matter what they have done - He gives them another chance! Amen! ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ Luke 18:13 KJV.
By John Foll, written between 6/15/2024 and 7/6/2024 to 7/20/2024
© Copyright 2024 John Foll
Originally posted 2024-07-20 14:35:46.
"Ye shall not surely die." Genesis 3:4. Our Saviour saith, the old serpent - "the devil, is a liar and the father of it." He commenced his attack on our […]
Editor’s Notes by John Foll: “It came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I. And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Gen. 22:1, 2. This is such an amazing story, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son on a mountain in the land of Moriah! From a human standpoint, Abraham was asked to sacrifice his own eternal life! Or ‘to put a knife to his own throat,’ as Waggoner put it! And he was asked to sacrifice the eternal life of everyone in the world. Would he continue to believe God’s promise, that he would personally have a possession in the land of Canaan, which could only happen for him through the Resurrection, and that from one born to him would all the nations of the world be blessed? Or would he lose his faith in God’s promise? This was the test!
Review of the Introduction of Part 1: "Ye shall not surely die." Genesis 3:4. Our Saviour saith, the old serpent - "the devil, is a liar and the father of […]
"Ye shall not surely die." Genesis 3:4. Our Saviour saith, the old serpent - "the devil, is a liar and the father of it." He commenced his attack on our […]
We pass by a period of several years. The number of years we cannot tell, but Isaac, the child of faith and promise had been born, and had grown to be a young man. Abraham’s faith had grown stronger and more intelligent, for he had learned that God fulfills His own promises. But God is a faithful teacher, and does not allow His pupils to leave a lesson until it is thoroughly learned. It is not enough for them to see and acknowledge that they have made a mistake in the lesson that He has given them. Such acknowledgment of course insures forgiveness; but, having seen the error, they must go over the same ground again, and possibly many times, until they have learned it so well that they can do without stumbling. It is solely for their own good. It is no kindness on the part of a parent or teacher to allow his children to pass by lessons that are unlearned, simply because they are difficult. So “it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I. And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Gen. 22:1, 2.
The Sign of Circumcision: And now we must carry a little further the study of the seal of the covenant, namely, circumcision. What does it signify, and what is it in reality? We have learned that it signifies righteousness by faith. It was given to Abraham as a token of the possession of such righteousness, or, as an assurance that he was “accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Eph. 1:6, 7. What circumcision really is, may be learned from the following Scripture : — “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of the law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Rom. 2:25-29.
“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.’” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NASB. No matter where you have been, or what you have done, or how much of a failure you have made of your life, don’t lose hope. God has a better plan for your life. He wants to give you a future and hope for a better life. Being able to be good and having eternal life are not beyond your reach, if you will grasp the Lord’s hands and allow Him to save you. If this is what you want, seek after God with all your heart, no holding back. Is that what you want? What do you have to gain by holding back yourself from this wonderful hope and peace that God wants to give you? Do you feel like God doesn’t hear your prayers? Are you unsure of what your future holds, or whether you can be saved? Are you sure if you have what it takes to succeed and be the victor at last? Do you wonder if you are good enough, strong enough, smart enough, or wise enough, talented enough, and industrious enough to be able to provide for yourself and your family’s needs? Are you worried you will fail? Do you want to have the assurance of your own salvation?
A Grant of Land: But in this covenant the central promise was concerning land. All the land of Canaan was promised to Abraham and his seed for an everlasting possession. And then the seal of the covenant, —circumcision, — was given, — a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith. This shows that the land of Canaan was to be possessed only by faith. And here we have a practical lesson as to the possession of things by faith. Many people think that a thing that is possessed by faith is only possessed in imagination. But the land of Canaan was a real country, and was to be actually possessed. Possession of it was to be gained, however, only through faith. This was indeed the case. By faith the people crossed the river Jordan, and “by faith the walls of Jerico fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” But of this we shall have more hereafter.
Abide with Jesus awhile. Tarry with Him awhile. Abide with Him the rest of your life, why not? Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NASB. Jesus invites all who are weary of all the troubles and trials of this world, who are weary from their burdens, worries and guilt, to take His rest, to take His yoke upon them, because His burden is easy, and His burden is light. The yoke of love that Jesus offers you dear reader is much easier than struggling with your problems by yourself. It is a hard thing to try to order your steps and make all the right decisions and do all the right things and not make a mess out of your life. Or worry about how you can make your life a success. But Jesus can take all your worries about not being good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to succeed, and help you fight the good fight to receive the crown of righteousness in the end, if you will give all of these worries to Him. 2 Timothy 4:7-8. No reason to worry about failure. No reason to be afraid or be in bondage to addictions or sin anymore, because Jesus came to set you free, dear reader! He came that you might be free! Free from guilt, worry and shame and from the fear of failure. “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 NASB. This is what Jesus promised to you dear reader and all who will “come” and allow Him to make them free. If He makes you free, ye shall be free indeed!
