King Saul

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King Saul

OTS-7

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

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In Josiah 13:11 God reminded Israel “I gave you a king in my anger and I took him away in my wrath.” That comment is about one of the worst kings and worst decisions that Israel had ever made- to ask for a king.
Welcome to our study of King Saul and the practical lessons that we can learn from this Old Testament study.
Let's direct our attention to a very dark and dismal time in Israel's history, almost as bad as the time of the judges. This is when Israel asked for a king. We need to realize from the outset of this study that God was never happy with His people's desire to be like the other nations and ask for a king. In first Samuel 8:3-8, the people are now going to approach Eli. They're going to say to him, "Give us a king. We want to be like the rest of the nations. We want a king to reign over us," and he's broken hearted. Samuel is broken hearted about that, because he doesn't know what to say. He approaches God, and God says to Samuel, not Eli but Samuel, God says to him, ‘Don't take it personally. They're not rejecting you. They're rejecting me.’
From the outset, realize Israel already had a king. God was on the throne. He was the greatest king you could ever have. He had not been removed, and He was ruling and reigning in Israel. As long as they followed Him, they prospered. They began to as God, "Give us a king. We want to be like everybody else." Peer pressure had taken in. In fact, when the people asked for this, God warned them that they would rue the day that they had asked for a king to be like everybody else. In fact, to their credit, in 1 Samuel 12:19, the people are going to eventually realize they’ve sinned
by asking for a king. Nevertheless, the people asked for a king and God allowed them to have what they thought they really needed.
There's even a practical lesson to be learned in that. You need to be very careful what you ask for, because you just might get it. The people of Israel did not need Saul as a king. He was not a good king. He did not help them spiritually. He, in fact, further separated them from God and His will. Sometimes in our life we ask for things that we think we need, maybe without even thinking it through. Sometimes when we ask for something and God doesn't maybe give that to us, sometimes we even get a little angry about it. Let's realize God can see and knows what's best for us, and we need to put our trust and hope in Him. Be very careful what we ask for, because you might get it, and it might not be that good for you.
Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a son of Kish, according to 1 Samuel 9:1. He was from the town of Gibeah, which was a city about five miles North of Jerusalem. He was appointed king of Israel around 1090 and he reigned for about 40 years until the year 1050. Saul's death in battle was due to him being severely wounded by the enemy's archers, and of course, a botched suicide attempt an account of Saul's life can be found in 1 Samuel chapters nine through 31, and in 1 Chronicles chapter 10. Now, let's think about Saul. There's some good that Saul did. There are some really bad things that he did, and then there are some really ugly things that we're going to think about, as well.
Let's talk about, first of all, the good in Saul's life. Not everything about Saul was bad; in fact before he was appointed King, Saul had a great sense of humility in his life. 1 Samuel 10:20-21 ‘when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. When he calls the tribe of Benjamin to come near, by their families, the family of Matri was chosen, and Saul, the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him they couldn't find him.’ He's a very humble person. He's trying to live his life according to the will of God and not looking, as it were, for the spotlight. Saul also excelled in physical qualities, in physical stature, in good looks. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 9:2 that he is head and shoulders above everybody else. Maybe he was a really tall, handsome, or a good looking man. Although not an inherent quality of good, there is something that the people saw in Saul in this way. We notice also as the good that he did. The spirit of God initially came upon Saul, and had even worked in him through accomplishing his will. We find that in 1 Samuel
10:6. Saul did much good even in some of the battles he fought for God against the heathen nations. You read about these in 1 Samuel 11 and 1 Samuel 13 through 15. There were glimpses, albeit very short-lived, that Saul had some good things in his life. But friend, the bad and the ugly that he did is what Saul is really remembered for.
What made Saul a bad king? Here's the bad that he did. Saul's first transgression that really stood out in God's mind and that was very visible to the people is that Saul participated in unauthorized worship to God. He officiated in and he offered sacrifices to God contrary to the Lord's word, and he is eventually punished for doing that. As a result, the dynasty of Saul is going to die that day. Listen to 1 Samuel 13:9 to what happened. The Bible says, "So Saul said bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me. And he offered the burnt offering. Now, it happened as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering that Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him that he might greet him. And Samuel said, ‘what have you done?’ Saul said, when I saw that the people were scattered from me and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘the Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal. I have not made supplication to the lord. Therefore, I felt compelled and offered a burnt offering,’ and Samuel said to Saul, ‘you have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God which he commanded you. For now, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over his people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’"
Saul really messed up here in the sight of God. He wasn't authorized to offer that sacrifice. Samuel, the Levites, and the others were authorized to do that. He began to listen to what he wanted. You hear the word ‘I’ over and over again. He begins to think about how the people are going to view him. He begins to think about how his enemies will view him. He gets impatient and he offers unauthorized sacrifice and worship to God. Only Samuel was commanded to do that by God, and as a result Saul is going to lose his dynasty when God had a plan to leave him in there.
As you think about this principle and this truth here, let's realize that God means what He says when he sets laws in place. When God tells us how to worship him just as he told Saul how to worship, to wait on Samuel,
to let him offer that sacrifice- when God tells us what he wants, friend, God means what he says. When God tells us that we're to worship Him in a certain way, on the first day of the week we’re to be take the Lord's Supper, Acts 20:7. We're to sing and make melody in our heart, Colossians 3:16-17 and Ephesians 5:19. We're to pray to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, John 14 and Matthew 6. When God tells us how we're to do those things, God doesn't want us to alter, or change, or listen to what might be popular in the world today. God just wants us to do what he says. Saul's first and major blunder was that he did not respect the authority of God on worship.
Then there is the second transgression of Saul, and this was a big blunder, as well. Saul's second sin is that he was disobedient and rebellious to the will of God concerning the Amalekites. 1 Samuel 15 God told Saul to completely go in and annihilate all the inhabitants and all the belongings of Amalek. Now, Saul did about 95% of everything God commanded him, yet God still considered his disobedience rebellion. You'll see, Saul wanted to leave the best of the flocks, the best of the gifts, the best of the offerings, and his intent was we're going to save the best and we're going to give it to God. He had even the right heart and maybe the right motive, but he didn't do all that God commanded him.
How did God feel about that? Listen to 1 Samuel chapter 15. Saul's disobedience and rebellion, although his motive may have been good, God considered that something that should not have been done. Listen to 1 Samuel 15:22-23. So Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great the light in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to he or listen than the fat of rams, where rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry, because you have rejected the word of the Lord he also has rejected you from being king.” This was a very serious matter. God told him exactly what to do. Don't leave anything. Wipe it all out from the people down. Don't save anything. Saul's heart is, well, we'll give the best to God. We're going to do this in honor and worship and to give God the glory. God said, that's like you disobeying me even with the right motive was like witchcraft and idolatry. It was disobedience, it was iniquity, and it was transgression.
Let's listen very carefully to the point here. God doesn't need my help. Even if my motives are right, God doesn't need my help. He doesn't want me to change things. He doesn't want me to spruce it up even if I'm doing that to honor and glorify Him. Saul learned the hard way. When God tells
you to do something, do all of it. 95, 97, 99% of what God asks for is not what God wants. God wants us to give our whole heart and our whole life to him. He wants us to obey Him in everything that He said, and He does. Saul lost the kingdom because of this.
We also know about Saul as part of the bad that he did that he was a very jealous person over David. You read 1 Samuel 18 and 19, and a spirit of jealousy begins to overtake Saul. On multiple occasions he even tries to kill or destroy David's reputation and who he is. Jealousy ruled his heart was one of the bad things that you find in Saul's life. It was a big part of his psychological downfall. Don't let jealousy, anger, or revenge rule your life. God wants us to put our trust and hope in Him although things might not may not be perfect in every situation with every person. If my life and my heart is right with God, then God will take care of the rest on that final day.
Now, as we think about King Saul, let's also think about the ugly that he did in his life. One of the ugliest acts in the life of Saul was his murder of the priest of God by the hand of Doeg the Edomite. 1 Samuel 22:6-23. Here we have Doeg, this Edomite who doesn't care anything about God or his people, and you've got the priest who's already told Saul he's not right with God. He doesn't need to be doing these things. Won't permit him to do what Saul wants to do, and so Saul sends in this Edomite to kill the priest of God. This act was done out of envy and jealousy, and it clearly expressed the depth Saul was willing to sink into to keep his power. God's already told him David's going to be next. Your dynasty's out. You're not following me. That's the way it's going to be, because the messenger of God wouldn't let him have power and be the king he wanted to be he thought he would take out the messenger. How evil that was of Saul to try to rule against God and to do things contrary to the will of almighty God.
As we think about Saul's life and as we think about practical lessons, I need to realize that jealousy, anger, and revenge are not things that God wants me to do in this life. I want you to think about a passage in Romans chapter 12 which teaches us that you can't let anger and vengeance and these type of things rule your life. Listen to Romans 12:17 following. The Bible says ‘Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Be loved. Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath for it is written. Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him a drink. In so doing
you'll heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ Saul let jealousy and vengeance and a desire for power rule his life to the point that he even has a priest of God murdered by a heathen man. He's in cohorts with the heathen now. This is the depths Saul sank to keep power.
We need to realize that all power ultimately belongs to God. Each of us needs to realize that we're just servants in God's house. We're servants in the kingdom of God. Mark 10:45. Jesus taught us clearly that the son of man did not come to be served but to be a servant and to give his life a ransom for many. When you think about Christ, He's the ultimate servant, and he gives us the example of how we ought to live. Let's let God use us. There are so many people in this world who are hungry for power, and anything that gets in the way, they just seem to knock them down, as it were. That's the mentality of Saul, and friend, it didn't work out good for Saul at all, and it won't work out for people today. Rather than to make it my life's aim to grab hold of power and never let it go, I want to hold on to God. I want to let God be in control, let him have the power, and let God use me as he will.
Another very ugly incident in the life of Saul concerns the Witch of Endor. Saul is now upset again because he's going to be removed as king, and so what he does is he goes to a witch or a necromancer, the Witch of Endor, to seek Samuel's advice. This act is extremely deplorable because it was a clear violation of scripture and what Saul himself had previously stood for. The Old Testament prohibited someone consulting the dead. In Deuteronomy 18:10-11. They weren't to consult the dead. They weren't to use witches or necromancers to do that. In fact, Saul had banished all the mediums and all the soothsayers from the land. We learned that in 1 Samuel 28:3, and yet as an act of desperation Saul communicates with the Lord and with Samuel by the Witch of Endor. We can know that the witch was just simply a hokester because her response when she actually sees Samuel. 1 Samuel 28:12. She allows Saul to do this. Now, God's going to allow it to happen, but when she actually sees Samuel, she's shocked that it happened, as it were. Saul uses a medium, something he himself had been opposed to all his life. The extent he went, the methods he used, and how low he stooped to keep his power is another part of his problems.
Again, we learn that let's use the medium in the way that God has told us today in the Bible, and the Bible is God's word. The Bible is God's
revelation. Prayer is how we communicate with God. God communicates with us through the Bible. Astrologers, soothsayers, mediums, fortune tellers, and spiritists are not something that God has authorized today. Those are people who are looking to take advantage of others. God is the true source of all knowledge, all wisdom, and God holds the future in His hand, and if we put our trust and our hope in God, in His word, that's where real communication from the almighty comes from. Too many people are looking to find some revelation from some other source, or find some message that will bring them hope, and joy, and happiness. Friend, that message is found in the Bible. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, John 14:6. Hope is found in Christ. Grace is found in Christ. We find God's love and mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ, and so rather than looking for another avenue to communicate with God or receive blessing from Him, let's put our hope and trust in God's word, His revelation to man today.
And finally, as we look at Saul's life the last disgraceful and ugly act that he committed was Saul's own attempt to take his life or to be euthanized by another man in 1 Samuel 31 and in 2 Samuel 1. He's still trying to hold on to that power, and yet he goes into battle against the will of God. He is terminally injured by an archer there. He tries to take his own life. He eventually has somebody take his life for him, but again, look at the depths he's going to try to keep that power, to try to do what he thinks God wants him to do, although God's already told him. That's not right.
Friend, the only way to have real happiness and joy, and the only really way to access the power of God today is found in Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Philippians 4:13, Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."
As you think about the practical import of today's lesson and what we can learn from the life of Saul, we go back to the beginning where we noted that we need to be very careful what we do ask for. Israel asked for a king, and God said later, "I gave you a king in my wrath. I've taken away my anger." Saul did not help the people of God. They already had a king. God was on the throne, but they kept insisting we need this so we can be like everybody else. We learn from this that we need to be content with God as king. We need to be content letting God rule over our lives. As you think about Saul, friend, realize that God wants us, just as he wanted Saul, to obey Him. When God tells us how to worship that's exactly what God wants
us to do. When God tells us that he wants us to obey him, let's realize God wants what he says.
Listen to these verses. In Luke 6:46, Jesus questioned the Jewish leaders there when he said, "Why do you call me ‘Lord Lord’ and do not do the things which I say?" Jesus said, "If you're going to call me Lord, the natural conclusion is if I'm your Lord you'll do what I tell you, and yet you're not." Matthew 7:21. Jesus said, "It's not everybody that looks up into heaven and says ‘Lord Lord’ that's going there. Who is? He that does the will of the Father in heaven." Hebrews 5:8-9, Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
Saul didn't obey God. He reaped bad, bad consequences, and so did Israel because of that. Friend, let's learn from Saul that we need to obey God.
We ask you to consider are we really obeying the will of God? Initially have you obeyed the gospel of Christ by becoming a Christian? Friend, the good news is Jesus came to save men from sin, Matthew 1:19-21. There is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved, Acts 4:11-12. That gift of salvation can be yours today if you obey the gospel. Do you believe Jesus is the savior of the world? In John 8:21, Jesus said, "Unless you believe that I'm he you will surely die in your sins." Do you believe it enough to change your life and repent? The Lord said in Luke 13:3 ‘unless you repent you'll all likewise perish.’ Would you turn from sin and a life of sin and turn to God? Would you make the great confession? Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus said that only those who confess sin would be saved. Jesus said, "If you won't confess me before men neither will I confess you before the Father who is in heaven, but if you will confess me before men I'll also confess you before the Father who is in heaven.” And friend, would you be immersed in water to have every sin washed away? In Acts chapter 9:6, Saul was told, "You go into the city and we told you what you must do." Saul Tarsus, you go in the city and we told you what you must do. In Acts 22:16. As he approaches Saul of Tarsus he says, "Saul, Saul, why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the lord." Would you be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins? Acts 2:38.
As a Christian what we learn from the life of Saul is we need to stay true to God. We need to continue to let his power rule in our own life. Don't
try to grab power for yourself. Don't be power-hungry. Don't try to make a name for yourself or be prideful and have others look at what you do. Rather, stay humble. Let God work through you, with you, and stay true to the teaching of almighty God, and then we can have the hope and joy that every Christian ought to have.
Saul's life started out good. It got really bad, and then it got really ugly. All of it was because Saul quit keeping his life humble, quit trusting God, and lived in rebellion to Him.
May God help each of us to live our lives in such a way that we bring glory and honor to God and that the gospel of Christ rules our lives. May God help us to do just that.
Study Questions for:
“Old Testament Studies Lesson 7- King Saul”
1. In 1 Samuel 8:7, who had the people rejected?
2. According to Hosea 13:11, did God want them to have a king?
3. According to 1 Samuel 12:19, what did the people regret?
4. According to Luke 14:11, who will be exalted?
5. What does 1 Samuel 10:6 say of the spirit of the Lord and Saul?
6. What does 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 tell us about miracles today?
7. What does 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 say of the battle we are in today?
8. According to Ephesians 6:12, what is our war and struggle today?
9. What did Saul do wrong in 1 Samuel 13?
10. In 1 Samuel 15:22-23, what can we learn about obeying vs. sacrificing?

The Value of the Old Testament

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

Nehemiah 8: Keys to Successful Restoration

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

In the days of Israel, God had made a promise to His people that if they would not stop their idolatry; He was going to send them away into Babylonian captivity. In accordance with His promises, God did just that. He also promised to bring them out of that captivity into a wonderful restoration, based on the word of God. It's that restoration in Nehemiah chapter eight that we're going to be thinking about today that parallels what's necessary for a Christian and his life to be restored to almighty God. We want to encourage you to get your Bible, have it ready as we're going and open it to Nehemiah chapter eight as we're going to study this wonderful text, about the right heart that isn't necessary, for restoration with Almighty God. Let's turn our attention to the predicament that Israel finds itself in under the Old Testament. In Jeremiah Chapter 25 and in Jeremiah 29, God had made the promise to His people that if they did not amend their ways, if they did not stop their idolatry; God was going to send them into 70 years of harsh captivity under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Israel didn't stop, and as a result they went into harsh captivity. Along with the promise of captivity, God also made the promise and Isaiah 44:28 and Isaiah 45:1 that once that 70 years was up, God would bring His people out of that captivity. According to His promise, by the hand of Cyrus, in the year 536 God did just that. It is this process of coming back to God, began was Cyrus working through Ezra and Nehemiah. They restored worship; they restored the temple. They restore their hearts to a right place with God. In Nehemiah chapter eight, where we're going to be studying today, there are some ingredients or some steps that are necessary to getting our heart right and to be restored with God like we ought to. Think about your relationship, each of us to think about our relationship with God and let's make sure that we're in the right place and restored to where we need to be with Almighty God. If not, let's consider what this text teaches us is necessary. Look in your Bible in Nehemiah Chapter Eight. Nehemiah 8:1 says, ‘When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. Now all the people gathered together as one man, in the open square that was in front of the water gate and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Law of Moses which the Lord had commanded Israel.’ Here you've got such an important and necessary step. If we're going to have restoration, I've got to be united with God and His people. To have a restored heart to God, you've got to be one; you've got to be unified. You've got to want unity with God and His people. This is so practical and so fresh, on the mind of the Israelites because for years they had been divided, over spiritual matters. The kingdoms had been divided, the Northern Kingdom and its tribes and the Southern Kingdom and its tribes, and then you have a remnant that’s holding true to the scripture. You also have a whole bunch of adulterous people. They've been splintered and divided for a long time and yet the captivity helped them to realize, they needed to be one with each other and one with God. If restoration is really going to take place, God's people must have a heart for unity. We must want that oneness with others and that oneness that God can give us that unity that we can have with God. In the Bible God has always wanted His people to have unity. Listen to Psalm 133:1. The Psalmist says, ‘behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity.’ Does God want His people divided? No, God wants His people united. Did you think about the two words there that are used? Unity is both good and pleasant. There are some things that are good but aren't pleasant and then there's some things that are pleasant, but aren't good. Let me illustrate. There are some things that are good, meaning that they're good for you. One the doctor is good, getting the flu shot might be good but would you say that's pleasant? No, not really. Then there are some things that are pleasant, enjoyable but not necessarily beneficial. Candy for every meal, a chocolate pie for every meal might be pretty pleasant but is it good for you? No, now think about unity. Unity is good, beneficial, helpful, and pleasant. It's enjoyable. It's something every person should strive for in this life. We're told in Ephesians 4:3, to keep the unity of the spirit, spiritual unity and the bond of peace. 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul came down hard on the church in Corinth because there were divisions among them. Paul said, ‘Let there be no divisions among you.’ What's so powerful about unity? Do we realize that there's great strength in unity? I want you to listen to a passage, in the book of Ecclesiastes that helps us to understand this idea. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 the Bible says, ‘Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall one will lift up his companion but woe to him who is alone when he falls. He has no one to help him up. Again if two lie down together, they will keep warm but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him and a threefold cord, is not quickly broken.’ I can understand the strength and unity based off these principles and these ideas. If you take just one pencil, it is pretty easy to break that one pencilbut if you take that pencil and you multiply it and let's say you had 10 pencils with a rubber band around it, it is very hard to break that. Why? There's strength and there's power in unity. There's strength in numbers and that unity creates strength. We can encourage, uplift, and help one another. Another powerful aspect of humanity is unity actually proves to the world that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus prayed for it in John 17:20-21. ‘I pray that they all may be one, as you Father are in Me and I you that they also may be one in us.’ Now listen to the reason: ‘that the world may believe that you sent me.’ What does unity express? Unity between believers in Christ, Christians, is a powerful exclamation point to Christianity itself, it proves to the world. We'll stand up and do what's right no matter what because Christ is truly our all in all. When we think about having biblical restoration and the idea there in of being restored to God correctly, we've got to be diligent to strive to possess spiritual unity. That comes from following the oneness that God has set in the scripture. There is one Lord, one faith, one body, one baptism, and one God and father above all. All the ones that are mentioned in Ephesians 4:4-6, are necessary if we're going to have unity. God wants us to in the scripture. I want to direct your attention to another ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration found in Nehemiah 8:2-3.’ Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the 7th month. Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Watergate, from morning until midday before the men and the women and those who can understand,’ listen to this, ‘and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.’ Friend what ingredient is necessary, for biblical restoration to take place? There has to be a desire for unity-unity with God's creation and unity with God. There also has to be an attentive heart to the Law of God. They told Ezra, ‘go get the Book of the Law.’ Ezra went and got a Book of the Law. He stood and read from it nearly all day and the people stood there with an attentive heart, attentive ear, and listened to the word of God. They didn’t listen to what was public opinion, not what was popular, and not what would make people feel good. They didn't poll the audience and ask them what they wanted. They said, ‘Where's the Book of God? We want to hear the book of God.’ When they found the Book of the Law, their ears perked up and listened to what God had to say. They had an attentive heart to the word of God. The Israelites were so attentive to the word of God because they had lacked that for so long. In that captivity, 70 years of harsh Babylonian captivity, where were the Bibles then? Where was the scripture then? Where was their freedom to open the scripture and study it and expound upon it and read from it? Under captivity, that was a scarce thing because of the lack of their ability to have God's word in their life for so long. The only way today that we're going to have a real attitude of attentiveness to the word of God, is when we realize the great value of God's word. Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16, ‘your words were found and I did eat them and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.’ Part of the problem that we face today in our, industrialized world with printing presses and books everywhere is that there's mass availability to the Bible and yet, we take for granted how powerful it is and how attentive we need to be to it. It's readily available. I've got the freedom to read it anytime I want and yet so many times we just don't. Do we take it for granted? What a treasure and privilege it is. The word of God is so important because it's what saves our souls. The Bible says in James 1:21 that we're to ‘receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save our soul.’ What's going to save, men and women from being lost for eternity? The scripture is. Let's think about how powerful, important, and attentive we need to be to the word of God because of its great value. Do we realize and do we remember that the Bible contains the words of life? Not just words of lifethe words of life that which can help us to be saved and live the best life. Jesus had made some hard statements in John 6:63. Some decided they didn't want to follow Jesus anymore. Jesus turned to Peter and the rest of the disciples and he said, ‘Do you want to go away also here's your chance? Do you want to go away also?’ Peter turned to the Lord and said ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ John 6:68, the Bible has everything, all things for life and godliness. The word of God is able to completely equip us, for every good work, 2 Timothy 3:17. If you want to live the best life, you want to make sure that you're living in such a way, you can go to heaven. You want to live the full, complete, abundant life? The Bible contains the words of life. The Bible has the ability to edify us to build us up and help us to be closer to God. To the elders in Ephesus, Paul on the beach of Miletus says, ‘So now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance.’ Among all those who are sanctified, are you going to be built up spiritually? You want to make sure that inheritance is yours and that you can grab hold of it and maintain it. It's the Bible that has the power to do that. We need an attentive heart to the word of God because it's God's word that helps us be convicted. We have sin in our life. None of us probably like to admit that or come face to face with it, but it's true. From time to time we all sin and fall short. You know what great value of the Bible is? It helps us to realize that and to get that out of our live. Acts 2:36 the Bible says, Peter stood up and proclaimed, ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, God's made this same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ The Bible says, ‘Those Jews who heard that and we're attentive to it, they were cut to the heart.’ What's that mean? The Bible pricked their heart. They cried out: ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Saul of Tarsus, who had gotten hardened by his zealous Jewish upbringing, is softened by the word of God. Acts 9 Saul is intent, on dragging men and women to prison persecuting them. Some of them might even die. He's presented with Jesus on the way to Damascus. When he realizes it's truth, his ears perk up. ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’ God's word is able to help us overcome sin. ‘Your word,’ the Psalmist said, ‘I've hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you,’ Psalm 119:10-12. If I've got a good working knowledge of the word of God and my heart is attentive to that, when I find my ways aren't what they ought to be, it encourages me. I want to get back right with all mighty God. Then of course the Bible has the power to help us to help us realize why we are here, where are we going, and where we'll end up. We realize I'm here as a creation of God, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7. I'm not going to be here real long. Life is but a vapor, James 4:14. We have 70 maybe 80 years, Psalm 90:10-12. One day I will stand before Almighty God. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and I'll give an account of how I lived my life. ‘It's appointed to man once to die and then the judgment.’ If I've listened to the word of God and I've lived my life by that, on that great day, I'll hear those wonderful words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ If I've turned a deaf ear to the word of God, then I'll hear the words: ‘Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.’ I want to have a mindset that desires unity with God and others. I want to have an attentive heart to God and His word. A third ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is great respect, in my life, for the word and the authority of Almighty God. Look in Nehemiah 8:4-5. The Bible says, ‘So Ezra the scribe, stood on a platform of wood which they had made for that purpose and beside him at his right hand stood Mattithiah, Shema and Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, Maaseih and at his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people.’ Now watch this, ‘And when he opened it all the people stood up.’ Why? After 70 years of harsh captivity, it finally dawned upon the Israelites how powerful and how much, they needed to respect the Bible. As that voice of God is opened before them, they stand up out of honor and respect for the word of God. We need today that same respect for God and His word. Do we realize that this book is the very voice of God speaking to us today? All scripture is breathed out by God, 2 Timothy 3:16. The pages in this book are not just ink and paper. It is God's message for me. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and God tells me in this book how He wants me to live. This is how we please God. Out of respect for almighty God, I want to respect the scriptures. I want to realize this is God's word, and I've got to live in harmony in such a way with it that one day I can bring honor and glory to almighty God in every way and in every occasion. As we think about God and we think about God's message and how to please Him and give glory and honor to Him in each and every way, that's what this is all about in every avenue and in every way. As we think about this idea, Nehemiah 8:6, I want to give us then another principle that will help us. Ezra blessed the Lord, the Great God. ‘Then all the people answered Amen, while lifting up their hands, they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.’ What's necessary for biblical restoration, from Nehemiah 8:6? There has to be absolute worship for God with fear and reverence. Look at the people. They bowed down. The act of bowing one's face to the ground was a sign of reverence and fear and all of Almighty God. Exodus 3:5, as Moses is there with that burning bush, he bows down with his face toward the ground. Isaiah six, Isaiah feels humbled to be in the presence of God. Then of course, you have John in the book of Revelation. All of these exhibit this idea of one's face going down, representative of reverence or fear, for all mighty God in worship. If we're going to have biblical restoration, it's got to be based on respect for who God is and how God wants me to worship Him. There's a lot of seeming disrespect, for God in worship today. When you to look at some of the things that are done today, you've got so much that it makes light up what's going on. The people who are jumping around and hollering and jumping over pews and all this supposedly miraculous stuff that's going on that people are just trying to make a big show out of- it's almost like a carnival or a circus as it were today. We need to realize God wants us to worship Him in a way that brings glory and honor to His name and out of respect for Him not me. Out of respect for God, I want to worship Him the way He wants me to. God is a spirit. Here's what he says, “God is a spirit and those who worship Him, must worship in spirit and in truth.” Our attitude and the way we approach God, must give Him true honor and glory. Then a final ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is to come to the scripture and try to understand what God wants us to, based on His word, a proper understanding of God based on the Bible. Listen to Nehemiah 8:7-8. The Bible says also, ‘Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanah and Pelaiah and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law and the people stood in their place. They read distinctly from the book in the Law of God, and they gave the sense or the understanding and helped them to understand the reading.’ Here you've got people who studied the scripture a long time. Some of these people haven't for many years studying the Bible. What did they do to really understand the script? Did they get out and commentaries and give everybody's idea and taking an opinion poll? No- they read distinctly to them from the Bible. If we really want to have biblical restoration, let's turn people back to the word of God. Let's turn people towards the scriptures. Let's read God's word. Paul said in Ephesians 3:4, ‘you can understand the knowledge of Christ, when you've read these things, give attention to reading.’ We want to point people to the Bible to help understand it. If I want to understand the Bible, I want to let the Bible be its own best commentary. Then of course, I want to apply God's message to my life. ‘The things that you've heard and read and seen,’ Paul said, ‘these do and the God of peace will be with you.’ Too many times people are turned toward entertainment and what somebody somewhere who is a religious person says-let's turn people to the Bible. ‘Is there any word from the Lord?’ Jeremiah 37:17. That's how we're really going to be restored to all mighty God. Just like in the days of Nehemiah, how wonderful it was that they had the opportunity to get back right with God. Nehemiah 8 is such an encouraging scene because the people, regardless of persecution or what it takes, they're going to put God and His word above all else. We need that same attitude among the Lord's people today. May God help each of us to have the right heart for unity to look to the word of God and be attentive and respectful for what God wants, so that one day He'll call upon us as His children with words of encouragement and hope: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ May God help each of us to live in that way. Questions for: Old Testament Studies: Lesson 2 1. According to Psalm 133:1, what is good and pleasant? 2. According to Ephesians 4:3, we are to keep unity of what? 3. According to 1 Corinthians 1:10, there are to be no what? 4. How does Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 describe unity? 5. What did Jesus pray for in John 17:20-21? 6. In Nehemiah 8:2-3, what did the people have a desire to hear? 7. How is the word of God described in Jeremiah 15:16? 8. According to James 1:21, what can save our soul? 9. According to Psalm 119:10-12, what can help prevent sin? 10. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, where does all scripture come from?

Esau: Prince of Bad Bargains

May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ

A philosophy that was popular in the days of Christ and is extremely popular today is: ‘Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ This has long been the motto and philosophy of the Epicureans, and so many people adopt this materialistic, worldly-minded idea. One of the men in the Bible who did that was named Esau. Today we're going to talk about Esau and the bad bargain that he made. Esau will always be remembered for his bad bargain, his desire for immediate, instant gratification, and for embodying the motto: ‘let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ I want you to read with me the story of Esau. Then we're going to notice some very powerful lessons that men and women can learn from that. Genesis 25:20 the scripture records these words: ‘Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.’ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb, and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called his name Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. So the boys grew, and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the field and was weary. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with the same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I'm about to die. What is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and then he ate and drank, and arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.’ As we mentioned, nobody better exemplifies the instant gratification and the giving away of something important than Esau. The story of Jacob and Esau relates to us. The struggle of these two men, but some of it is a little maybe unique to us because of the idea of the birthright. The birthright, under the Old Testament, is something we're not as familiar with. It was a great blessing given to the firstborn to carry on the heritage of the father. The Old Testament birthright, which was only given to the firstborn male of the father, was a double portion of the father's inheritance that was promised to that child. According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17, the firstborn got 2/3. If there were three children, he'd get 2/3 of that, and so, or if there were two children, he'd get 2/3 and the other would get 1/3. It wasn't split 50/50; he got the majority of everything that belonged to the father. So if there were $100,000, he might get 75,000 of that. If there were 100 acres, he might get 75 acres. It was the benefit given to the firstborn. We also learn from the Old Testament scripture that it was the firstborn who had the privilege of serving as priest for the family. This is exemplified under the patriarchal law in the life of Abraham. Abraham served as one who went to God, one on behalf of his own family, and of course Job exemplifies this as well. He offered sacrifice for his children. God spoke directly to Job. There was that great blessing that came along with being the firstborn, as well. Then, of course, there was a great deal of respect. Respect, recognition, and honor was given to the firstborn, regardless of who the father may have been, that was always along with that right. There was almost a sense of awe and reverence that was paid to the firstborn that might not have been given to the other children. Then the spiritual blessing as well of the father was placed upon the firstborn. Genesis 27:27, we can see that happening with both Jacob and Isaac and the children there. In fact, this may have been what was sought after the most, passing on that spiritual blessing given by God. Then, of course, anything the Bible says, anything that was the firstborn, the first fruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the flock, that was specially dedicated to the service of God, Exodus 22:29-31, and so to be the firstborn under the Old Testament was a great privilege and honor. As you think about that New Testament law that we're under today, there's so many similarities that go along with that, and parallels that Christians have. All Christians today have the blessing and the benefit of being a child of God, and that wonderful birthright. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. My yoke is easy. My burden is light." Jesus said, “You'll find rest for your souls.” As children of God, we are God's firstborn. We are the first fruits of Christ, 1 Timothy 2:4-6. Just like under the Old Testament, there are some parallels to the wonderful blessings that Christians have today as part of their birthright. Christians are promised a full portion of what God has given' to His people. We, like Esau, have that full portion of heaven itself. Romans 8:16-17, the Bible clearly teaches that we are the beneficiaries of God's promises of heaven itself. We're living in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. This is the promise He's promised us, eternal life, 1 John 2:25. I'm not looking' for land. I'm not looking' for numbers or dollars in a bank account. As a child of God, part of the great blessing we have is one day we can be recipients of heaven and all the wonder and splendor of that. As we think about this idea in relation to the Old Testament birthright, aren't Christians today priests in a spiritual sense? Revelation 1:6, we are a kingdom of priests, or kings and priests, to God. 1 Peter 2:9, we offer up spiritual sacrifices to almighty God, and so when we think about this idea, the praise of our lips goes up as sacrifice, Hebrews 13:15. We have that honor today, along with our birthright, to give praise and honor to God and to serve in that capacity. Then just as the Old Testament birthright meant that you wore the name and the honor and recognition of being the firstborn of someone, we today have the privilege and honor of wearing the name Christian, the firstborn of God's creation under the New Testament. What a blessing that is! Acts 11:26 says, they were called Christians first in Antioch. 1 Peter 4:16, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name. Like under the Old Testament, part of the spiritual birthright today is, we are promised every spiritual blessing from almighty God. The Old Testament birthright meant that there were a host of blessings given down by the father, and it was even tied in a spiritual sense-but how much more today? Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ Jesus. I can be a child of God, 1 John 3:1. I can look up to heaven and pray, ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ Matthew 6:9. We have the family of God to encourage and lift us up, 1 Corinthians 12:27. We've got forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, and every blessing you can imagine, the Christian has so richly received. Like under the Old Testament, as part of my birthright I am, and you are, if you're a Christian, you are specially reserved and dedicated in service to God. What's the greatest commandment of all? Jesus was asked that question. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ That's what God wants us to do, and that's how He wants us to live our life in dedication to Him. In view of that, though, I want you to think about Esau and the great blessing of our birthright, today, as Christians. Think about what Esau sold out. Can you imagine, for a bowl of beans Esau sold his whole birthright? He sold 2/3 of the inheritance, the prestige, the honor, the spiritual blessing, and all of that, he sold out for a bowl of beans. Why did he do that? He may have been hungry. I'm sure he was. He'd been out hunting. He didn't have any luck. Maybe he was discouraged. You know what we learn about Esau most of all? Esau was shallow; he was very materialistic. He was worldly-focused. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau was profane, that is, he was worldly, selfishly, immorally focused. He sold out his whole birthright for a bowl of soup, or a bowl of beans. What a terrible waste, and what a terrible bargain that he gave into his brother to do that. This'd be like Bill Gates or Ross Perot giving everything he had for a Big Mac. Can you imagine selling out like that, just to satisfy instant gratification for your belly? Why did he do that? He wasn't thinking spiritually. He was thinking worldly. Let's take it a step further. Why do so many Christians and so many people who have all those spiritual birthrights and blessings that we talk about, why do so many Christians today sell their birthright for immediate gratification and lust of the flesh, which one day isn't going to amount to anything? How many people have given up Christ and been lost for eternity over some fleshly desire, instant gratification, whether it be of a fleshly, a sexual or immoral? How many people have given up something far greater than what Esau gave up on just to feel better for a little while? Are we really any different than Esau today? Why do sometimes people sell their soul to the devil for foolish things? I want you to think about some of the things that sometimes people make a bad bargain to the devil for their soul. Sometimes people sell out, and give up on all these spiritual blessings over worldliness, and materialism, and things of this life that one day aren't going to exist anyway. John said, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world.’ Why not? ‘For all that is in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, it's not of the Father, it's of the evil one, and the world and all that's in it is one day going to pass away.’ James 4:4, James said, ‘Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes themselves God's enemy.’ God says, ‘Come out from among them and be ye separate,’ 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. How many people do we know that have sold out for things of this world? Let me give you a couple that really come to mind in the scripture. Do you remember a man who came to Jesus in Mark 10? This man probably had one of the greatest questions you could ever ask. ‘Good teacher, what do I need to do to go to heaven? What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?’ Great question. Wish there were more people asking that question. Jesus said, ‘Keep the commandments. Do not murder, do not steal, and do not commit adultery.’ ‘All these I've done from my childhood.’ ‘One thing ye lack. Sell what you have, give to the poor, come follow Me.’ You know what happened in that context? The Bible says ‘that man went away sorrowful.’ Why? ‘He had great possessions.’ He let his stuff and the things of this world keep him from inheriting that spiritual birthright. How many people are doing' that today? We've got to have the finer things in life, and we've got to keep up with the Jones's. We've got to have all this materialistic stuff, worldly stuff, that one day isn't going to matter at all. When the earth and all that's in it is one day burned up with a fervent heat, 2 Peter 3:9-12- then what will all that stuff have mattered? Don't do like Esau and sell out over materialism and worldliness. Then there are also people who spiritually sell out their birthright for desires of the flesh, specifically sometimes people do that for sexual desires. I've known Christians and people in the body of Christ, and you probably have as well, who got caught up in some immoral practice with some woman or some man, or pornography, or whatever it may be, and they sold out over those things. The Bible clearly warns us to watch out for those things. 1 Peter 2:11, Peter said, ‘I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul.’ The Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 13:4, ‘marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.’ ‘Flee from youthful lust,’ Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:15, following. I've got to have that same armor up, that same guard up. Don't give in like Esau to some instant, immediate gratification of the flesh and lose your birthright over that. Then sometimes people allow sins of the body, or sins against the body, to cause them to lose their birthright. Alcohol, and drugs, and drunkenness- how many people have given in to that and sold out spiritually? The Bible says, ‘do not be drunken with wine,’ Ephesians 5:18. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,’ Proverbs 20:1. The picture is so clear in scripture of how harmful that is to the body. Drugs, methamphetamines, marijuana, crack cocaine, or whatever it may be- when people get caught up in that stuff, they're selling out. They're selling over their birthright, just as Esau did, for something that isn't really going to last anyway. We encourage folks today, as we think about these ideas and as we think about the spiritual nature of Esau, don't be like him. What if Esau had been different? What if he'd stood up to his brother? What if he had endured those temptations? The story would be a whole lot different. Here's the encouragement for every one of us today. Friend, you can stay faithful, you can endure those challenges, and you can be faithful until death. Don't let things in this life tempt you in such a way that it causes you to turn from almighty God. I've had some things in this life, some good things to eat. You think about what Esau was going through. He was hungry. He was facing a lot of challenges and difficulties, and probably things weren't going his way in life and that bowl of soup looked good in the moment. My grandmother on my dad's side probably made the best bowl of beans I've ever eaten. I'd sure like to have a bowl of beans and cornbread right now, and I imagine you'd probably think the same thing if you were really hungry. But the question you've got to ask yourself is: Is that worth what it'll really cost me in the end? I'm not talking about a bowl of beans. I'm talking about giving in to materialism, fleshly desires, giving in to drugs, or alcohol, or something like unto that and getting that immediate hit. Is that really worth what it's going to cost me in the end? I want you to think about this question Jesus asked. Mark 8:36:37. Jesus asked two rhetorical questions. ‘What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’ If you bargain your soul over something like that, friend, you've made the worst bargain possible. On the Day of Judgment you're not going to trade something for your soul. If I've not lived right or done right, it won't matter how powerful, or wealthy, or how many pleasures I might have fulfilled. None of that matters. You know what matters? Did I love God? Did I put Him first? Did I endure suffering, and did I overcome? Those are the things that really matter. I want you to think about two men. One represents another bad bargain, and the other represents a man who suffered and did right. I want you to think about this first individual with me. We know him in the Bible as the rich fool. Luke 12:15-21. A lawyer comes to Jesus with a question. Jesus answers by giving an illustration of the foolishness of materialism. There was a man who had a great crop year, a man who, when he planted his seed, it just did so well and he excelled so much in his business that he didn't have anywhere to put the entire crop that produced. That's a pretty good problem, right? So he said, ‘Here's what I'll do. I've got so many crops, I'm going to have to tear down my old barns, build bigger barns so I can store it in.’ There is nothing wrong with business, having a good crop year, or preparing for the future. All that was good and well- until this happened: that night that man's soul was required of him. God said to him, ‘You fool. This night will your soul be required of you. Then whose things will those be whom you've acquired?’ And here's the point Jesus made: ‘So is he who is rich but not in godliness.’ What was the rich fool's problem? His problem was not that he was a good farmer. His problem was not that he was a good planner, a good manager, or a good business person. That man's problem was in all his planning and doing. In all his work, he forgot to take care of the most important thing- his soul. Then think about another man. Luke 16:19-31. You've got the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Rich man had it all. Lazarus is eating crumbs, the dogs are licking his sores, he doesn't have anything, and he's a poor beggar. Lazarus suffered; he had difficulty. He went through a lot of problems most likely in this life. He was hungry and hurting for a long time, maybe, even. What about on the other side? Lazarus turned out pretty good for him. He's in paradise; the rich man's in torment. He endured; he didn't let that cause him to sell out. He may have been poor physically, but he was rich spiritually. That's what we want to drive home. Don't be like Esau; don't sell out. Whatever we've got spiritually, what God has blessed us with- don't sell that out for some fleshly, immediate, instant gratification that could cost you your soul. Nothing is more important than your soul. Make sure that we're taking care of it above all else. If you're not a Christian, we especially want to encourage you to make sure to get right with God. Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe He is the savior of the world? ‘Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by Him.’ Do you believe that? John 14:6. Do you believe it so much so that you'd be willing to repent and turn from sin and turn to God? Acts 3:19, Peter preached, ‘Repent, and turn, that your sins may be blotted out.’ Would you confess the beautiful name of Jesus before men? Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? Jesus said in Mark 16:16, ‘He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned.’ If you've never obeyed the gospel, then friend we want to encourage you to make the spiritual birthright of Christ yours. As a Christian, if you're not living like you ought to, friend, don't sell out your soul. Make sure and get it right, and let's each one of us live in such a way that our lives bring honor and glory to God. Questions for: Old Testament Studies-Lesson 3 1. According to Genesis 25:20, what did Esau sell his birthright for? 2. According to Matthew 11:28-30, where can we find rest? 3. According to Romans 8:16-17, what are we beneficiaries to? 4. How are Christians described in Revelation 1:6? 5. What does 1 Peter 4:16 tell us about Christians and suffering? 6. What is the greatest command? 7. What does Hebrews 12:14-17 say of Esau? 8. What does James 4:4 say of being a friend of the world? 9. What does John 14:6 say of Jesus? 10. According to Mark 16:16, who will be saved?