Five Spiritual Nuggets

To Ponder 022408

11. When the Lord Jesus was tempted by the devil, at one point, the deceiver actually quoted Scripture. Jesus countered that with the words, It is also written, and then a Scripture showing what the devil was implying was misused (Mt. 4:7). The words It is also written are very important when we study Scripture to learn the truth.

In other words we have to search out other related verses on any given subject and find a harmonious interpretation that fits all of them. The words and concept of, It is also written are perfect to use with a Jehovah’s Witness, eternal security teacher, a Mormon, a Catholic, a Saturday Sabbatarian, etc. who is trying to convince us of some wrong doctrinal interpretation.

12. There are many Scriptures which show that God knows everything, including all the sins that are committed. One explicit passage on this is Heb. 4:13:

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hence, there are no secret sins. In spite of this fact, the eternal security teachers, will sometimes try to unknowingly contradict that truth with their teaching that God doesn’t see the sins of a Christian. They sometimes say all God sees when a Christian sins is grace, the blood of Christ or Christ, but not the sins. If that was truth (which it isn’t) then those sins would be secret and held back from God’s knowledge which would also make God less than all-knowing.

13. There can be no doubt that Joseph and Mary were poor when Jesus was an infant. We know this by the sacrifice they offered. Luke 2:22-24 says:

When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

That regulation comes from Lev. 12:7,8:

He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.

Because a lamb was not offered, but merely two doves or two young pigeons, we know they never had the money to afford a lamb. It also appears that it was after that point that Magi brought the various gifts, including gold (Mt. 2:11). (There is no way to know how much gold was given as a gift.)

14. Joseph was directed by God through a series of four dreams. He was told to take Mary as his wife (Mt. 1:20,21); depart from Bethlehem to Egypt for safety (Mt. 2:13); leave Egypt and go to Israel (Mt. 2:19,20) and warned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea, which caused him to settle in Galilee in the town of Nazareth (Mt. 2:22,23).

15. Jesus is the King of the Jews:

Say to the Daughter of Zion, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Matt. 21:5)

That is significant for it shows by a comparison of Scriptures that Jesus is deity. Note the OT Scripture that was referred to and which Jesus fulfilled by riding a donkey into Jerusalem:

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zec 9:9)

Add to that these clinchers:

The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. (Zep 3:15)

Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. (Psa 149:1,2)

Hence, Scripture teaches Jesus is the King of Israel and it also teaches that the LORD (YHWH) is the King of Israel. In other words, Jesus, the King of Israel, is also the LORD (YHWH).

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