About a dozen years ago I wrote a 50-page booklet on I Corinthians 7.  I thought about breaking it up into bit-size pieces for the Messenger, but it was more than could be handled in two dozen articles.  So, today I’m sending you what I worked on verse one.  If you would like a pdf of the entire booklet, just let me know, and I’ll email you a copy.

The first thing Paul addresses in verse one is abstinence.

I Corinthians 7:1:
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me:  It is good¹ for a man not to touch a woman.

How many people in in the United States would agree with that statement?  It’s good for a man not to touch a woman.  It could not be said more clearly.  It is good!  There is something good or beneficial about abstaining from this kind of touch.  “Touch” in this context refers not to an appropriate, normal, or compassionate touch like Jesus did when ministering to people or comforting people.  “Touch” here refers to touching of a sexual nature, the kind of touch that most husbands and wives would describe as good, if not very good.

This “good touch” is reserved for marriage.  Although the scripture says “it is good for a man not to touch a woman,” we have no right to infer that the opposite is true, that touching a woman is bad.  So, we cannot conclude from this verse that “touching” is bad.  But we do know that “not touching” is good.  It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Because sexual touch is forbidden only outside marriage, the NIV translators rendered verse one as, “It is good for a man not to marry.”  The NLT translates it, “it is good to live a celibate life.”  While the second translation has some merit, the NIV’s rendition is very questionable in my mind.  The Greek text does not have the word “marry” in verse one.  Instead, it contains the phrase, “touch a woman,” which explains why the King James Version and most other versions read that way.  It is quite obvious that the word “touch” is being used idiomatically² (to touch in a sexual way, to have intercourse), because men and women “touch” all the time.  The verse is not talking about touch in the normal course of daily activity.  It is clearly referring to touch of a sexual nature ― having sexual intercourse.  The whole context of the chapter is sexual behavior, so it is not unusual that we find a sexual idiom here.

It says touch because it means touch.  This is a simple truth.  It is good for a man not to touch a woman.  Conversely, it is also good for a woman not to touch a man in a sexual way.  Abstinence is good.  We are not brute beasts; we do not go into heat; we use our intellect and reason to control our sexual appetites.  It is good for a man not to touch a woman because “not touching” demands us to control our bodies, to bring them into subjection.  It is good not to touch sexually until it is right to touch sexually, and that is once one is married.

Sexual control is important to master, because we humans are sexual creatures.  Those who do not learn to control themselves sexually before marriage may not find it easier to master their sexual appetites after marriage.  In our society unwanted and unsolicited sexual advances are common.  Marriage does not eliminate the need for self-control.  Married people must exercise the same vigilance over their sexual impulses, or they will not limit them to their marriage partners.  If we do not touch anyone besides our spouses with sexual intent we will never have to regret our actions later.

Touch is a very strong stimulant, and once a person gets aroused and stimulated by touch, it can be difficult to control our thoughts and actions.  Satan has always had plenty of sexual distractions for men and women trying to live godly lives.  You can go through the Word and document one after the other.  And you don’t have to just go to Solomon.  Although he was a great example wasn’t he?  There will never be a time one will not need to exercise control in this area.  How can someone who does not demonstrate control before marriage, profess to be able to do so after marriage vows are spoken.

As a father raising daughters I always told them they would have to draw the line concerning touch and that they could not rely on their boyfriends to do so.  However, I think it is a disgrace that many Christian young men, following the lead of our culture, excuse themselves from controlling their desires.

The image that the media portrays is that any young man will gladly participate in sexual activity whenever he is given the opportunity.  As if men are base animals in heat and cannot be trusted.  Although I warned my girls, I never excused my boys from controlling themselves.  Our young men need to think of themselves as honorable men, different from the picture the world paints of them.  For a parent to have to say, “You girls better hold the line because the boys won’t,” is a disgrace.

The Bible clearly says it is good for a man not to touch a woman.  That is precisely what it means.  Do not touch until it is right to touch.  Value yourself, the person you are with, and the full expression of your passion more highly than the random coupling of animals in heat.  Once you are safely inside the marriage relationship, we will see that God is very clear in His approval of consistent, passionate sexual expression between a husband and wife.

Everyone wants to draw the line somewhere as to what touch is OK and what touch is not OK.  If we bring our children up to love God and walk by the spirit, they will be able to direct their own lives and make their own decisions.  The Word of God is clear.  The marriage bed is to be undefiled.  Sexual intercourse was designed for marriage and is only safe and appropriate within a monogamous Christian marriage.³

Pam Stenzel in her DVD presentation, Sex Has a Price Tag, draws the line at genital contact.  She says that the only way to protect yourself from STD’s is to avoid genital contact all together.

Have you ever been on a long car trip and heard, “Daddy, Johnny’s touching me.”  So, you tell them to move apart and not touch each other.  Then you look in the rear-view mirror and you see Johnny teasing closer and closer to see how close he can get without actually making contact.

The key here is recognizing that Christian morality does not consist of defining what sin is, and then getting as close to it as possible without crossing the line.  That is not genuine Christian morality.  Nor does Christian morality consist of broadening the concept of sin to include lots of things that are not sin, and then avoiding those things, also.  That is not Christian morality.  That is what the Pharisees did with and to the law.  For example, the Mosaic Law stated, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”  The Pharisees reinterpreted the law to something like, “Well, you’re not supposed to work on the Sabbath, and oh, by the way, you can’t even walk 1,200 feet.”  They established manmade traditions and rules in an effort to protect innocent people from breaking the law.  They redefined it.  You cannot do that in morality.  That is not what we are supposed to do.  Telling kids they cannot kiss, or hold hands, or ever be alone with anyone of the opposite sex is absurd.

Christian morality strives for the good.  It is becoming Christ-like.  It is viewing the sexual relationship between a man and a woman as something lovely, and sanctified, and worth preserving within the marriage relationship.

Christian morality can never consist of trying to see how close we can get to being immoral without doing so.  As soon as we have an attitude of “Let’s see how close I can get to sin without falling into it,” we are already in trouble.

1. This is the first of three occurrences of “it is good” in this chapter.
2. The idiom ‘to touch a woman’ occurs nine times in Greek antiquity, ranging across six centuries and a variety of writers, and in every other instance, without ambiguity it refers to having sexual intercourse. There is no evidence of any kind that it can be extended or watered down to mean, ‘It is good for a man not to marry.’ [Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary, F. F. Bruce, General Editor, (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987 [reprint, 1993]),p.  275.]  Fee goes on to say of verse 2, “Second, there is no known evidence that the idiom ‘to have a wife’ means ‘to take a wife.’  In fact this idiom is common in biblical Greek and usually means either to ‘have sexually’ (Exodus 2:1; Deuteronomy 28:30; Isaiah 13:16) or simply to be married or to be in continuing sexual relations with a man or woman (see especially 5:1 and 7:29; cf.  Mark 6:18; John 4:18).”  Fee, p.  278.
3. Please do not think that if you do not get pregnant and/or do not get STD’s that sex is safe.  That is the lie that the world wants to tell you.  Do not ignore the emotional and spiritual consequences that sexual promiscuity can bring upon people.  The world wants you to ignore the hurt and the devastation casual sex can work in people’s lives.  Sex is not safe even though you don’t get pregnant and you don’t get an STD.  There is nothing safe about sex unless you are married and in a permanent, committed relationship.

God bless you and greetings in the glorious name of Jesus Christ who demonstrated God’s lovingkindness and tender mercies to all who had eyes to see.

Mercy is closely related to compassion in the Bible.  The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery describes mercy as compassion in action.  Mercy is both feeling compassion and acting upon it.  One of the best Biblical pictures of it is seen in the parable of the good Samaritan.  We read that he “had compassion” (Luke 10:33) and then acted decisively as benefactor to the wounded traveller on the side of the roadside, an action that identifies the Samaritan as having “showed mercy” (Luke 10:37) on the wounded man.

God’s deep, tender love, mercy, and forgiveness toward his people is seen throughout the Bible in the face of deserved judgment and upon the condition of request and repentance.  Ten times the phrase “tender mercies” occurs in Psalms.  (Psalms 25:6; 40:11; 51:1; 69:16; 77:9; 79:8; 103:4; 119:77,156; 145:9.)  In the first verse in the practical section of Romans, the magna carta of Christianity, the first and fundamental church epistle, Paul beseeches us to present our bodies a living sacrifice.  When he does so, he does it by the “mercies of God.”  Mercy has always been a vital part of a believer’s life.

Mercy stops us from getting what we deserve.  It halts the consequences.  We need to both plead for mercy for ourselves and extend mercy to those to whom we minister.  To receive God’s mercy all we need to do is repent and ask.  When ministering to others we frequently will need to remind them of God’s great mercy which endures forever (Psalms 107:1).  Mercy looks back on previous failure and is granted to eliminate future consequences.  Many times, God’s Word declares that Jesus was “moved with compassion.”  He then acted mercifully to turn people’s suffering and heal their sickness and disease.

The concept of mercy was a part of many cultures at many different times.  In the days before firearms when duels were fought with swords, when the loser fell to the ground and the sword was at his throat he could cry “Mercy.”  The victor had the right to run his opponent through, but oftentimes he would heed the cry for mercy and grant life to the defeated foe.  Mercy was granted to those who asked for it and had given up the fight.

Our God is a great and merciful God.  Accurately picturing our heavenly Father as merciful encourages healing and deliverance for we often are so aware of how undeserving we are.  But deliverance is not dependent on our worthiness, but upon God’s great love, mercy, and grace.  In working with people, we have to make sure they know that.  If they do not come asking for mercy, sometimes you have to let them know that mercy is still involved.  They must know that they cannot earn it.  It is a charisma, a gift of God’s grace.  There is nothing they have done that denies it to them if they request and accept God’s mercy.

Mercy!  It does not matter if we have made mistakes.  It does not matter if we have blown it.  That is when we need mercy.  When we make a mistake, we just go to God.  He knows!  I guarantee, He already knows.  But we go to Him, and we expect mercy.  That is what Hebrews 4:16 offers, “that we may obtain mercy.”  Not only do we get mercy, it says, “And find grace to help in time of need.”  We get the mercy that we need, and we get more than enough to help others.

Last week we handled the figure tapeinosis. This week we will be handling meiosis. They are similar in that something is lessened so as to increase it. In tapeinosis it is the thing that is lessened that is also emphasized and increased. With meiosis1 something is lessened so that something else may be emphasized and increased by contrast. It is used for the purpose of emphasis; to call our attention, not to the smallness of the thing thus lessened, but to the importance of that which is put in contrast with it. There is a clear example in Philemon 11.

Philemon 11:
Which [who, Onesimus] in time past was to thee unprofitable [useless], but now profitable [useful] to thee and to me:
Paul admits that Onesimus has formerly been unprofitable or useless. Onesimus running away was at the very least theft. He stole himself from his master if nothing else. However, verse nineteen may imply he also took things that were not his when he departed. However, Paul asserts that Onesimus is now profitable to both of them.
The use of “profitable” in association with Onesimus is another figure of speech a play on words.2 The name, Onesimus, was frequently borne by slaves. Its meaning is “helpful or profitable.” Such descriptive words were often used as slave names. Verse eleven indicates that Onesimus had not lived up to his name, but Paul who has “begotten him in his bonds” has no doubt that Onesimus will be as “profitable” to Philemon as he has been to himself. “Profitable” was unprofitable, but now that he is a believer he is truly “profitable.” Onesimus had faithfully served Paul over a considerable period of time. However long a time it was, it was long enough for Onesimus to have proven himself faithful and endeared himself to Paul as his own true child. This doesn’t happen in a week or a month.

Colossians 4:7-9:
All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: 8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts; 9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

However long Onesimus had been with Paul is was long enough to prove himself faithful. That is not something that happens overnight. Paul is doing his best to get to Philemon’s heart. By this figure one thing is diminished in order to increase another thing. One thing is lowered in order to magnify and intensify something else by way of contrast. It is used for the purpose of emphasis, to call one’s attention, not to the smallness of the thing thus lessened, but to the importance of that which is put in contrast with it. In Philemon verse 11 the thing diminished is Onesimus’ theft and flight. The thing magnified has three parts. Paul is magnifying; 1) the salvation and spiritual growth of Onesimus, 2) Onesimus’ benefit and service to Paul while he was in prison, and 3) Onesimus’ potential benefit to Philemon. The acts of theft and flight are diminished because compared to Onesimus’ personal salvation; his refreshment to Paul, and his potential profitability to Philemon the loss of money and time of service is inconsequential.

The insertion of “to thee and to me” is also unusual and atypical. He has not proven himself useful to Philemon yet, for he has just returned. Paul’s statement of Onesimus’ profitability to Philemon is like the figure where things known to be future are spoken of in the past tense.

Do you remember when Joshua was told to take the Promised Land? God said, “Arise, go over this Jordan… every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon [future tense], that have I given [past tense] unto you already.” It was future tense to Joshua and the Children of Israel, but it was past tense to God. In God’s eyes it was an accomplished reality, a done deal, but from Joshua’s perspective he had to still arise and go get it. It was future to Joshua, but God spoke of it in the past tense.

That is what Paul is doing in essence here. It is a way of saying this is absolutely going to come to pass, contingent upon you taking the believing action. It is a way of holding out the promise to encourage the compliance. It’s the proverbial carrot in front of his nose. Do you understand that figure? You can’t get a donkey to move with a two-by-four, but if you put a carrot it front of his nose, he’ll step forward to bite it. Then you keep moving the carrot and he keeps moving forward. Paul held out the promise to encourage the compliance.
1. Bullinger, E.W., Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, pages 155, 157.
2. Bullinger, E.W., Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, paronomasia; formerly useless now useful.

God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ who taught it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

I’ve certainly heard Proverbs 18:16 taught a number of different ways.  The most frequent is that “gift” refers to a talent or natural ability, like playing the piano.  Basically, what is taught is that if you’re talented or have some gift or anointing, then eventually your place will be made for you, and people of great means will get to hear you or partake of your gift.  However, in Hebrew the writer is referring to financial things, gifts of value appropriate or suitable to the specific situation.

We don’t have that same custom or tradition here in the West.  Our president may still receive gifts of this nature from visiting dignitaries.  However, for the most part the Western world may view these gifts as bribes.  But this was not so in the Bible.  This type of gift giving was proper and appropriate in the Eastern culture.  Let’s look at the verse.

Proverbs 18:16:
A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

Notice that gift spoken of in Proverbs 18:16 does two things:  it makes room for him and it brings him before great men.  “Makes room” is a translation of the Hebrew rachab.  It means “to grow wide” or “enlarge.”  The word gift is mattan.  Although the verb from which mattan is derived is used over 2000 times mattan, the Hebrew word translated “gift” in Proverbs 18:16 only occurs 5 times (two in the Pentateuch and three in Proverbs) and is translated only “gift(s)” in the KJV.  The term signifies the present which duty or friendship offers to one whom one wishes to please.  This verse is an allusion to the Eastern custom of seeking audience with a gift.  Bishop Pillai taught us that it was customary for a man to bring a gift whenever visiting a king, a prophet, a pregnant woman, or a sick person.  It would be an insult to ever go before one of these people empty-handed (I Samuel 10:27).  It was a way to show respect (I Kings 4:21; 10:25; I Chronicles 17:5; 32:23), appease anger (Genesis 32:20; I Samuel 25:18-25), and initiate friendships (I Kings 10:10; Proverbs 19:6).

Following this Oriental custom of offering suitable gifts to one in authority, when a favour or an audience is desired causes two things to happen.  It enlarges the giver and brings him before great men.  “Giving and receiving” or “sowing and reaping” is a law of God.  Those who are wise practice it.  Liberal giving where duty demands it, and prudence commends it, does not promote loss; it insures gain (Luke 6:38).  Although the custom has been used nefariously does not negate the consistently observed truth which the proverb captures (Acts 5:1ff).

The first uses of mattan in the Bible is in Genesis 34:12 and referred to the gift that accompanied the dowry in negotiating a wife.  The second is in Numbers 18:11 where God gives the heave and wave offerings to the Levites for their service in the temple.  The other two in proverbs are listed below.

Proverbs 19:6:
Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

Proverbs 21:14:
A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

Because the Eastern and Western cultures are so different a proper understanding of Bible customs allows us to make sense where understanding had been missing.

Word Study Wednesday

God bless you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, a teacher come from God (John 3:2).

The root word for the word family we have been working the last three weeks is stratos.  It describes a layer in a command structure, and specifically the layer at the bottom, upon which everything is built.  It is a common word for army, or any organized host.  It’s the source of English words like to stratify, stratum, sternum, strategy, and the few “strato-” words in English (like stratosphere).  Although it doesn’t appear in the New Testament several other words derived from it do.  These include:

Antistrateuomai (497) to make war against; used once.

Strateia (4752) a campaign, expedition, warfare; used twice.

Strateuma (4753) an expedition or company of soldiers; used 8 times.

Strateuō or strateuomai (4754) to make war or to serve as a soldier; used 7 times

Stratēgos (4755) governor, general or leader of an army; used 10 times

Stratia (4756) an army or host of angels; used twice.

Stratiotēs (4757) a soldier; used 26 times

Stratologeō (4758) to enlist soldiers or collect an army; used once.

Stratopedarchēs (4759) captain of the guard; used once.

Stratopedon (4760) a military camp; used once.

Sustratiotes (4961) fellow soldier; used twice.

As you can see from the list above many members of this word family are grouped with strong numbers from 4752-4760.  To find related words to the one you are studying you may simply the check the strong numbers above and below your target word.

As you can see from the list #497 is # 4754 with anti in front, and # 4961 is #4757 with sun added in front.  You may find other words in the word family by seeing if any prepositions may have been added to your target word.  These would include:

Resources for identifying word families:

The Word Study Concordance by George Wigram has a Word Family Index on pages xix-xxxv.  It is available online at:  https://archive.org/details/wordstudyconcord0000wigr_a5i8/mode/2up.

A Cognate Lexicon of New Testament by Merle A. Steely
Unlike a regular lexicon (Greek-English Dictionary), a cognate lexicon is arranged alphabetically, not by individual Greek words, but by the “roots” of the Koine Greek word families.  It lists together all the words that are related and derived from that root — specifically modified by adding prefixes, suffixes or terminations enabling them to convey a special emphasis or application of that root word’s meaning in different biblical contexts.

Abarim Publications website with Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries are helpful in finding word families.  Available online at:  https://www.abarim-publications.com/DictionaryG/index.html

The New Testament identifies two men as being fellowsoldiers, sustratiotes, with Paul.  Philippians 2:25 identifies Epaphroditus as one and Philemon 1:2 identifies Archippus as another.  Paul calls Epaphroditus, who was a Philippian, his brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier.  These are words that denote a strong bond of togetherness.  The three terms build in the intensity of the camaraderie.  They were brothers, equals in the family of God.  They were companions in labor [sunergos], that is fellowlaborers in the work of the ministry.  They were fellowsoldiers [sustratiotes] associates not just in labor, but in conflicts for the cause of Christ.

“Brothers” meant they were equals in the family together.  Sunergos and sustratiotes both have the prefix sun attached.  Sun is a primary preposition denoting union, accompaniment, or togetherness.  They were united and together in their labor and in their soldiering for the gospel.  Paul acknowledges that Epaphroditus was one of them, but he proudly claims Epaphroditus as his own brother, fellowlaborer and fellowsoldier.  You can see the intensity build as each word is used.  They were united in their family life, their work on all levels, and their spiritual warfare.  Paul was proud to acknowledge a man who was so wonderful and valuable to him, God, and the furtherance of the gospel.

The climax that builds through the first three terms reaches its peak in the fourth.  “Your messenger” or apostle and he who ministers to my need.  Epaphroditus was an apostle sent on a mission from the Philippians.  He was sent with the love offering to help Paul and the furtherance of the gospel.  Epaphroditus’ assignment was to deliver the gift which Paul calls in 4:18 “the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”

After delivering the gift he remained with Paul to assist in the furtherance of the gospel.  As we have seen before Paul was not free to move about.  He was restricted, but he taught Timothy, Epaphroditus, and others who assisted him in Rome and travelled on his behalf delivering epistles and communicating Paul’s heart and care for the believers.

Studying the lives of these two men would add much depth to our understanding of strateuomai.  Doing a complete word study, including all words in the word family can be very valuable as would, remembering to pay particular attention to any passage of scripture where they cluster.

God bless you in the amazing name of Jesus Christ, who spoke to the world the things which he heard from his heavenly Father (John 8:26).

In my last email we looked at how God’s Word is life unto those that find them, and health [marpe] to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22).  As we continue, please note the service of the messengers in bringing healing.

II Chronicles 36:15-16:
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy [marpe, healing].

There was no healing for the people because they rejected God’s Word.  There was no change in their lives because they did not receive the life-changing Word.  When people reject God’s Word, there is no remedy; there is no healing possible because it is the Word that brings the healing.

Proverbs 12:18:
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health [marpe].

The tongue of the wise brings healing because it speaks the Word.  It decides on what it wants to say and returns it to Him allowing it to accomplish what He wants it to accomplish.

Proverbs 13:17:
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health [marpe].

A wise and faithful messenger speaks the word he was sent to speak.

Proverbs 15:4:
A wholesome [marpe] tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

When we do not speak the right thing, it hurts us and those to whom we speak.  That is why it is important to control our tongues.

Proverbs 16:24:
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health [marpe] to the bones.

Psalms 107:20:
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Do not make the mistake of substituting belief in healing for actually doing God’s Word.  Do not say, “I believe in healing” without actually acting on the Word.  What good would it do you to believe in food if you did not eat it?  You would starve.  What good would it do you to believe in water if you did not actually drink any?  You would die of thirst.   It is not enough to just believe in healing; we must believe and act on the Word that heals.  We take it; we do it; we act on it.  That heals.

People believe more in natural medicine than they do in God’s Word.  They will take medicine.  Why not take God’s Word.  God’s Word is like medicine.  If you want its benefits, take heed to it.  Do it!  Be kind one to another, be forgiving, speak the truth in love, rid yourself of strife and bitterness, let not the sun go down upon your wrath.  Take your medicine.

First, God’s Word is a healing agent just as natural medicine is a healing agent or catalyst.  In other words, the medicine itself contains the capacity to produce healing.  God’s Word contains, inherent within it, the capacity, the energy, the ability, the nature to effect healing in your body.

Hebrews 4:12:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word itself contains the power to produce what it says, just as when God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  Healing scriptures contain within them the capacity to produce healing.  The key to partaking of the life and healing energy in the Word is feeding on it until it penetrates our hearts, where it releases that life and energy.

Second, we might say that medicine is no respecter of persons.  It will work for anyone who takes it.  It is not a matter of God willing or not willing the healing of any individual, but whether or not the individual will receive healing by taking the medicine that produces it.

Third, medicine must be taken according to directions to be effective.  We already read the directions for taking God’s medicine in Proverbs 4:20-21.  Attend to it; incline our ears to it; do not let it depart from before our eyes; keep it in the midst of our hearts.  We might say that attending to it, inclining our ears to it, and keeping it before our eyes causes it to get into the midst of our heart.  Now, when the Word penetrates to the heart and stays there, it will surely bring health to all our flesh.  Instead of wondering whether you have enough faith to be healed, just take the medicine.

Fourth, remember that it takes time for medicine to work.  Most people give natural medicine time, and they take the prescription back for more refills.  They are diligent about it.  They do not take just one dose and expect a miracle.  Keep taking God’s medicine.  Give it time to work.  Take a full course.  The spoken Word is the first and greatest of the healing realities.

God bless you in the amazing name of Jesus Christ, who spoke to the world the things which he heard from his heavenly Father (John 8:26).

We have been looking into these wonderful verses in Isaiah 55.

Isaiah 55:10-11:
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The figures chosen are rich in analogies.  As snow and rain promote growth and are responsible for the enjoyment of what is harvested; so, the soil of the human heart is softened, refreshed, and rendered productive by words out of the mouth of God.  For every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God is the bread by which we live (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).

Does God have a mouth?  No, but he speaks.  This is the figure of speech condescension.  God’s words do not return to him without accomplishing what they were sent to accomplish.  Did you notice that it says that His words return to him?  I often wonder if that is a figure of an echo.  Once He speaks something how is it that His words come back to him?  Do they have boomerangs on them?

His words return to Him when we speak them out of our mouths.  When we speak God’s Word we are returning His Word to Him and insuring that it does not come back void.  When we speak it, it performs what it was sent to do.  It takes our involvement in returning it… in speaking it.  Like verse 12 says, when God’s Word is spoken the entire creation is blessed and profited.

God’s word accomplishes what God intends it to.  After the fall of Lucifer God healed His creation by speaking His Word to it.

Genesis 1:1-3:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was [became] without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

God simply spoke light into being.  This is how God began to heal His creation after the adversary made it without form and void.  There is power in the spoken word.  Through-out chapter one of Genesis, we read time after time, “And God said. . . And God said. . .”.

The new birth is the greatest miracle.  When someone confesses that Jesus is Lord and believes God raised him from the dead, he passes from death unto eternal life.  The Word that we heard, received, and obeyed (Romans 10:9-10) accomplished it.  This is the miracle of all miracles, and it came to pass as the Word was spoken and believed.

There is a wonderful attitude that we have toward the Word.  It is the Word of God, and we reverence it.  We have respect unto it.  In Psalms 119 the psalmist talks about his delight in the Word of God.

Like the Psalmist, we delight in God’s wonderful matchless Word.  Nine times in Psalms 119 it records the psalmist’s delight in the Scriptures (Psalms 119:16,24,35,47,70,77,92,143,174).  In verse 92 it says, “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.”  We can make it through any assault from our adversary when God’s Word is our delight.  In Job 23:12 while Job was under such great distress and attack, he boldly declared, “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”  Our love for God’s communication of Himself will bring delight to our souls, and keep us from perishing in our affliction also.  He respected it, and so should we.

Proverbs 4:20-22:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  [See how it progressively builds.] 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health [marpe] to all their flesh.

That is the process of how things get to our hearts.  If things got into your heart the first time you heard them, life would be dangerous.  It takes repetition and habitual work to get things into our hearts.  We decide what goes into our hearts, and when it is God’s Word that goes in, it has such a profound effect.  God’s words are life-giving.  “Health” is marpe, used 16 times (eight of which are in Proverbs) means “health,” “healing,” and “cure.”

God bless you in the amazing name of Jesus Christ, who spoke to the world the things which he heard from his heavenly Father (John 8:26).

The greatest healing power in the world is the Word of God spoken on lips of believing.  In all of his healings with the exception of the woman with the issue of blood, Jesus used spoken words to execute God’s will.  Even then, Jesus spoke words to her after she received the healing from her issue of blood to heal her heart from any sense of condemnation.  God’s Word spoken on lips of believing is the greatest healing I know.

During my over 12 years at a Bible college, I saw people healed from physical sicknesses (headaches, allergies, sprained ankles, upset stomachs, and many other things) while listening to the Word being taught.  Of course, we taught them to expect the Word to heal them, and we spoke the Word with authority when we taught it.  During one of my first teaching trips to Colorado, a man was healed sitting in the audience as I taught this very thing.

Isaiah 55:10-12:
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

God’s Word never returns “void.”  “Void” is the Hebrew, reqam, meaning “in an empty condition, in vain, or without effect.”  It is an adverb used 16 times in the Old Testament.

Its first occurrence is in the story of Laban and Jacob.  Jacob confronts Laban saying had not God interceded for me you would have cheated me and sent me away empty, reqam, with no blessing or reward for working for you for 20 years.  In Exodus 3:21 God told His people that they would not leave Egypt empty, reqam, He would bless them with great wealth.  Deuteronomy 15:13 documents that when a Hebrew slave was set free he was not to go empty, reqam.  His master was to bless him and provide for him when he left.  Three times in the law, God told His people to not appear before Him empty, reqam.  They were supposed to bring an offering of blessing.  In Deuteronomy 16:16 God required that all males appear before the LORD God three times a year, during the feast of unleavened bread, and the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles.  They were not to appear before the LORD empty.

Both shub, “return,” and reqam, “void” or “empty” appear in Ruth 1.  Naomi returns to Bethlehem empty, without the blessing of her husband and two sons.  Later in Ruth 3:17 Boaz refuses to let Ruth return to Naomi empty; he sends with her a blessing.

I Samuel 6: 2-4:
And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty [reqam]; but in any wise return [shub] him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return [shub] to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.

II Samuel 1:22 says that “the sword of Saul returned [shub] not empty [reqam].”  It accomplished what it needed to; it shed blood.

Jeremiah 14:3:
And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned [shub] with their vessels empty [reqam]; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

Jeremiah 50:9:
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return [shub] in vain [reqam].  [The army would accomplish what it was sent there to do.]

Reqam is used in the sense of “not fulfilled” or “unsuccessfully,” but also less commonly of “without reason” (Psalms 7:5), or “without cause” (Psalms 7:4; 25:3).

This beautiful, figurative language in Isaiah 55 draws from the rain and the snow.  Rain and snow accomplished the purpose of their descent.  And so, with the Word of Jehovah, which goes forth out of His mouth; it will not return without having effected its object. . . without having accomplished God’s will, or His “good pleasure”. . . without having attained the end for which it was sent.

Psalms 107:20:
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

God sent His Word to accomplish what His will was.  It does the same thing today.  We know the will of God because we know the Word of God.  When we read it in the Word, then we know what His will is.  As we read it, we can be assured of it.  We never take it for granted, and we speak it boldly.

God bless you in the most wonderful name of Jesus Christ our living lord and savior.

Yesterday I was communing with my heavenly Father I took some time to thank Him for the awesome privilege of being His son.  Then when I began singing the great hymn “How Great Thou Art” I was particularly moved by how it touched my heart.  I must have sung it hundreds of times, and it never fails to thrill and humble me as I am awe-struck at the greatness of God and His involvement in my life.  Here are the lyrics:

HOW GREAT THOU ART

O Lord my God!  When I in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed.

CHORUS:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art;
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think that God, His son not sparing, Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration, And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

It reminded me of Romans 11:33.

Romans 11:33:
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

I also thought about David delivering his Psalm of praise to Asaph and singing it loudly himself:

I Chronicles 16:7-36:  David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. 8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; 13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.  14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; 16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. 20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, 22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. 24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. 25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. 28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. 34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever.  And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

What a powerful declaration of the greatness of our God.  Sometimes, when I behold the greatness of the glory of God in His Word, I feel like a young boy unable to formulate the right words to tell my heavenly Father how much I love and appreciate Him.  I wonder if that’s how Jeremiah felt when he said, “Ah, Lord God!  Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6).

The best I can do at times is to fall back upon “Oh!” or “O!”  Although a primitive sound that is hardly a word at all and that scarcely admits of a definition, it exclaims my wonder and admiration.  How thankful I am for this “O!”  Like Carl Boberg who wrote “How Great Thou Art,” when confronted with the awesome greatness of God, my mind sinks into silence, but my heart cries out “O Lord my God!”

There is a difference between knowing God by hearsay and knowing Him by acquaintance.  There is a difference between knowing of God and knowing God experientially.  The difference is not always easy to articulate, but it is real and serious and vital.  I’m glad I never lost the “O!” from my heart.  I’m glad my prayer life is more than a listing of requests and the courteous giving of proper thanks.  At those times when my prayer is burdened and I find utterance difficult, how thankful I am to be able to pray perfectly, give thanks well, and open my heart to God by praying in the spirit.

Enjoy your day with a thankful heart.  “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!” (II Corinthians 9:15).  We have it — let’s use it!  You are God’s best and certainly God blessed.

Figures Friday

God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ which is preached throughout the world.

Acts 20:7-12 records the account of raising Eutychus from the dead.  Paul was about to leave town, but before he did, he broke bread with the disciples and preached into the wee hours of the night.  Unfortunately, his teaching was interrupted about midnight when a young man named Eutychus fell down from the third loft and died.  Of course, Paul immediately went to his aid and raised him from the dead.  The occasion was so gripping that after the recovery they continued together until the break of day breaking bread and talking.

Can you imagine yourself in that meeting that night?  What wonderful things must have transpired in the believers’ hearts.  What thankfulness and rejoicing must have echoed through the place when their beloved young Eutychus came to life again.  God ended the record of the incident with a beautiful figure of speech.

Acts 20:7-12:
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

That last phrase “and were not a little comforted” is an example of the figure tapeinosis or demeaning.  Tapeinosis is a deliberate demeaning or belittling of something in order to elevate or increase it.  In tapeinosis the thing that is lessened is the same thing which is increased and intensified.  This kind of understatement is a potent way of emphasizing something.  It frequently carries an emotional element which we are guided to see.  These believers were not just greatly comforted the understatement almost gets the reader to chuckle and say, “I guess so.”  When I read this I immediately asked myself, “What do you mean, not a little comforted?”  Catching the figure drew me more intently into the account.

Here are two more examples:

Acts 21;39:
But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean [Greek, asēmos, insignificant, undistinguished, obscure, or unknown] city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

Tarsus was belittled as being insignificant when in truth it was a very important and significant city.  On the contrary, Tarsus was celebrated as a distinguished seat of Greek philosophy and literature.  According to Strabo it ranked with Athens and Alexandria in the number of its schools and learned men.

II Corinthians 2:11:
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Our ignorance is demeaned to emphasize and intensify what we do know about Satan’s devices.  We are very well aware of them.  Perhaps we are also a little more aware of the figure of speech tapeinosis.  Have fun reading God’s Word!