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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – LOVE #3

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

Our Lord Jesus Christ and The Samaritan Woman

In John 4:1-10 NLT says, “1 Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that He was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself didn’t baptize them – His disciples did). 3 So He left Judea and returned to Galilee. 4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually He came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because His disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

In Verses 1-2 describe our Lord Jesus Christ realized that His popularity had come to the attention of the Pharisees. They had scrutinized the activities of John the Baptist and sent emissaries to question Him about His identity (John 1:19-28). John always pointed his followers to a greater one, the coming Messiah. Because the greater One had come and was in fact drawing the crowds away from John, the Pharisees began to watch our Lord Jesus Christ closely.

Our Lord Jesus Christ had gained many more disciples than just the Twelve. We know that He had at least seventy-two committed disciples (Luke 10:1-17). We are also told that various disciples came and went, especially when times were difficult or when our Lord Jesus Christ predicted troubles ahead (Luke 9:57-62; John 6:66).

Part of the information received by the Pharisees was incorrect because our Lord Jesus Christ didn’t baptize anyone – his disciples did. This parenthetical remark helps to explain John the Baptist’s statement in John 1:33 that the Messiah would baptize in the Holy Spirit – in contrast to John who baptized in water. Thus, our Lord Jesus Christ never personally performed water baptism; His disciples continued to perform that task during the early years of the church. These baptisms, still following the pattern set by John the Baptist, indicated repentance and confession of sin (see Matthew 3:6).

In Verse 3 describes about knowing that the Pharisees (in Jerusalem) had heard about His popularity and that they would begin watching Him closely, and at the same time knowing that His “hour” had not yet come (see also John 2:4), our Lord Jesus Christ wisely decided to withdraw from possible conflict by leaving Judea and returning to Galilee. Thus, our Lord Jesus’ first Judean visit had come to an end – a visit begun by His coming to Jerusalem for the Passover (see John 2:13). The other Gospels do not record this visit.

In Verse 4 describes the territory of Samaria lay between Judea and Galilee – thus our Lord Jesus’ itinerary meant that He had to go through Samaria on the way. Since the Samaritans were hated by the Jews, many of the strict Jews traveling from Judea to Galilee took a route around Samaria (through Perea, east of the Jordan River), even though that route took more time. But for those who were trying to make the best time, it was faster to go through Samaria to Galilee. The context does not indicate that our Lord Jesus Christ was in a hurry to get to Galilee (see John 4:40, 43). Thus, the necessity must be understood in a different way: our Lord Jesus Christ went to Samaria to give the Samaritans what He had given to Nicodemus – the offer of eternal life by being born again. And, furthermore, by going to Samaria and bringing the Gospel to the despised Samaritans, He showed that He was above the Jewish prejudices.

Where did these prejudices come from? Samaria was a region between Judea and Galilee where Jews of “mixed blood” lived. In Old Testament days, when the northern kingdom of Israel, with its capital at Samaria, fell to the Assyrians, many Jews were deported to Assyria. King Sargon of Assyria repopulated the northern kingdom with captives from other lands to settle the territory and keep the peace (2 Kings 17:24). These captives eventually intermarried with the few Jews who remained in the land to form a mixed race of people who became known as Samaritans. The Jews hated the Samaritans because they were no longer “pure” Jews. The Jews who lived in the southern Kingdom felt these Jews had betrayed their people and nation through intermarriage with foreigners. And the hatred continued down through the years. The Samaritans had adopted the Pentateuch as their Scriptures and set up a place for worship on Mount Gerizim using for their guidelines Deuteronomy 11:26-29; 27:1-8. Although they knew about a coming Messiah, they were far from having an accurate knowledge of the truth.

In Verses 5-6 describe that according to Genesis 33:19, Jacob purchased a piece of land in this vicinity and then later gave Joseph some land in Shechem (Genesis 48:22). Joshua 24:32 says that Joseph was buried on that land (the Jews had brought Joseph’s bones with them when they made their Exodus from Egypt). Jacob’s well was there indicates that the land must have included the parcel on which Jacob’s well was dug. Thus, this well was highly valued by the Samaritans who claimed Jacob (also called Israel) as their father (John 4:12), just as the Jews do. The trip made our Lord Jesus Christ tired. He had walked from Judea to Sychar – a trip that probably took two days. Our Lord Jesus’ weariness shows His true humanity. He waited while His disciples, more rested, or hungrier, than He, went to find food. He never seemed to worry that the limitations He took in becoming human might somehow undermine His claims to be the Son of God. Such expressions about our Lord Jesus’ humanity help us identify with Him. So He sat wearily beside the well at about noontime, the hottest part of the day.

In Verse 7 describes two facts are unusual about the woman’s actions: (1) she could have gone to a closer well (scholars have identified wells that were closer to Sychar); (2) women generally drew water later in the day, when the temperature was cooler. This woman, whose reputation seems to have been well known in the small town (John 4:18), probably chose the well farther away from home and came to that well at an unusual hour in order to avoid contact with other women. It was also highly unusual for a man to address a woman, but our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Please give me a drink.” Again, this statement reveals our Lord Jesus’ true humanity; He was really thirsty. Even though such a request startled her (John 4:9), it drew her into a conversation with our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Verse 8 describes this statement serves to inform the reader that our Lord Jesus Christ was alone with this woman. Our Lord Jesus Christ could not ask His disciples to help Him get water, for they had gone into Sychar to buy food. Thus, we see our Lord Jesus Christ, weary from His journey, depending on others for food and drink.

In Verse 9 describes the Samaritan woman was very surprised – first, that a Jew would even speak to a Samaritan; second, that a Jewish male would speak to a Samaritan woman (she also had a bad reputation and this was a public place); third, that a Jew would drink from a Samaritan’s cup. The Jewish ceremonial laws described not only certain people as ceremonially unclean, but also anything they touched. In strict religious terms, many Jews of our Lord Jesus’ time considered the Samaritans to be permanently unclean.

In Verse 10 describes the woman was ignorant of the gift God had for her-the gift of life, represented by living water-and she did not know the giver, our Lord Jesus Christ the Messiah. Our Lord Jesus Christ makes an extraordinary offer to this woman-living water that would quench her thirst forever.

Jonah Runs From The Lord

In Jonah 1:1-17 NLT says, 1″ The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. 4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe He will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” 7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. 8 “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” 9 Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. 11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” 12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” 13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” 15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered Him a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him. 17 Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

In Verse 1 describes the words – the word of the LORD – Yahweh was the source of the message Jonah would speak to Nineveh. Jonah – meaning in Hebrew “dove.” Compare Genesis 8:8, 9, where the dove in vain sought rest after flying from Noah and the ark. Some commentators see this as reflecting Jonah’s personality, though it is unlikely that such a connection was intended. But Jonah’s name was probably familiar to many of those who first heard this story. It was Jonah who had proclaimed God’s decision to bless the northern kingdom under Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:25), while Hosea and Amos attacked Jeroboam for the excesses and injustices of his prosperous kingdom (Stuart). Amittai – Hebrew for “truth” or “truth-telling,” an appropriate name for a prophet.

In Verse 2 describes the City of Nineveh – east of the Tigris, opposite the modern city of Mosul. Genesis 10:11 says it was originally built by Nimrod and archaelogists confirm an early date, estimating its oldest remains to about 4500 B.C. Much later, Nineveh was appropriated as Assyria’s capital. This is the only case of an Israelite prophet being sent to the heathen. Jonah, however, was sent to Nineveh not solely for Nineveh’s good, but also to shame Israel. This would be realized in a heathen city repenting at the first preaching of a single stranger, Jonah, whereas God’s people would not repent, though preached to by their own national prophets for many years.

Great city – Nineveh was a large city, surrounded by walls nearly eight miles in circumference. But this is very possibly a reference to the size of the city’s population or perhaps its prominence in Assyria; i.e., it was Assyria’s chief city. Nineveh was rebuilt and fortified by Sennacherib as the capital of Assyria around 705 B.C., and it remained the capital until 612 B.C. At that time it fell to the combined forces of the Babylonians and Medes; the city was never rebuilt. Cry – The word may be translated “call” or “preach” (see Isaiah 40:6; 58:1). The content of his preaching is stated in Jonah 3:4. Come up before me – i.e., their wickedness was so great as to require God’s open interposition for punishment (see Genesis 4:10; 6:13; 18:21; Ezra 9:6; Revelation 18:5). All that happens among men is known to God.

In Verse 3 describes the words – flee – Jonah’s motive for flight is hinted at in Jonah 4:2. He feared that after venturing on such a dangerous mission to so great a heathen city, God would “repent of the evil” and not follow through on Jonah’s prophetic threats. God had already spared Israel time and time again, despite the many provocations. Jonah may have reasoned that if God did not destroy Nineveh, everyone would consider him a false prophet. Besides, he may have felt it beneath him to discharge a commission to a foreign, idolatrous nation whose destruction he desired rather than their repentance. This is the only case of a prophet’s concealing the prophetical message he was charged with. from the presence of the LORD – Cf. Genesis 4:16. In fleeing from the land of Israel where God was peculiarly present, Jonah thought he would escape from God’s presence and influence. This common attitude about the local influence of national gods would be proven false by the events that followed. Yahweh would prove to be the God of all the heavens and the earth, not just of Israel. Jonah probably knew the truth stated in Psalm 139:7-10, but virtually ignored it (cf. Genesis 3:8-10; Jeremiah 23:24). Went down – appropriate in going from land to the sea (Psalm 107:23). Joppa – modern Jaffe, about thirty-five miles west of Jerusalem on the Mediterranean coast (“Joppa,” NBD); this town was a known harbor as early as Solomon’s time (2 Chronicles 2:16). Tarshish – probably Tartessus in Spain (“Tarshish,” NBD); this town was in the distant west, at the greatest distance from Nineveh in the east. It is thought that “Tarshish” comes from the Semitic root meaning “to smelt.” There were a number of cities involved in the Mediterranean mineral trade, and any one of them could be meant here. But Tartessus, located the farthest west, seems the most likely (Ellison).

In Verse 4 describes the words – sent out – lit. “caused a wind to burst forth”; this word is used of Saul casting a javelin at David (1 Samuel 18:11). Yahweh is pictured as using the storm as a means of judgment; it is clearly a storm of divine origin.

In Verse 5 describes the words – mariners – not Hebrews, but men from many foreign lands. were afraid – They were fearful even though accustomed to storms; the danger therefore must have been extreme. Cried every man unto his god – The idols proved unable to save them, although each, according to Phoenician custom, called on his god. But Yahweh proved able, and the heathen sailors acknowledged it in the end by sacrificing to Him (Jonah 1:16). Cast forth the wares – Hebrew, kelim, an indeterminate word. It has been rendered “tackle and utensils,” leaving open the possibility that the crew sought to preserve their cargo (Bewer). The NEB captures the vagueness with “they threw things overboard.” Into the sides – i.e., the interior recesses (cf. 1 Samuel 24:3; Isaiah 14:13, 15). Those conscious of guilt usually shrink from the presence of their fellow man into concealment. Fast asleep – The word used here, radham, means “deep sleep” (cf. Genesis 2:21; 15:12; Daniel 8:18). Sleep is not necessarily proof of innocence; it may be the fruit of carnal security and a seared conscience. How different was our Lord Jesus Christ’s sleep on the Sea of Galilee! (Mark 4:37-39). Guilty Jonah’s indifference to fear contrasts with the alarm of the unoffending mariners (cf. Ephesians 5:14 in a spiritual sense). Jonah’s sleep may also have been imposed by God; or perhaps it was the result of depression stemming from the desertion of his prophetic call (Stuart).

In Verse 6 describes the words – what meanest thou, O sleeper? – This clause is often translated, “What do you mean, sleeping?” Call upon thy God – When the ancient heathen were in danger, they often called on foreign gods in addition to their own (cf. Psalm 107:28). That God will think upon us – i.e., for good (cf. Genesis 8:1; Exodus 2:25; 3:7, 9; Psalm 40:17), thus bringing about their deliverance.

In Verse 7 describe the words – cast lots – Hebrew, g“ral“th, probably referring to little stones somehow utilized in divination. It is clear to the sailors that the storm is of divine origin, so they set out to decide its cause. God sometimes sanctioned this mode of deciding in difficult cases. Compare the similar instance of Achan (Joshua 7:18), whose guilt involved Israel in suffering until God revealed the offender, probably by the casting of lots (cf. Proverbs 16:33; Acts 1:26). The lot was used to divide the land (Numbers 26:55) and to choose a king (1 Samuel 10:20, 21). Natural conscience led even the heathen to believe that one guilty man involves all his associates in punishment, even though the others are innocent.

In Verse 8 describes the guilty individual, upon discovery, was interrogated so as to make full confession with his own mouth. So it was in Achan’s case (Joshua 7:19).

In Verse 9 describes the words – I am an Hebrew – a term denoting the Israelites, often used by foreigners (Genesis 39:14; Exodus 3:18) and by Hebrews alike (Exodus 1:19). I fear the LORD – He clearly professed to be a worshiper of Yahweh. His practice belied his profession; his profession aggravated his guilt. God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land – appropriately expressed, as accounting for the tempest sent on the sea. The heathen had distinct gods for the “heaven,” the “sea,” and the “land.” The Lord is the one and only true God of all. Jonah at last was awakened from his lethargy by the violent remedy. He was but the reflection of Israel’s backsliding from God, and so must bear the righteous punishment. By acknowledging that his God is God of the sea, Jonah has acknowledged that he has not been able to escape from Him. It has been suggested that the title “the God of heaven” is evidence for a postexilic date, because this title is often used in postexilic literature (e.g., Ezra 1:2; 7:12; Nehemiah 1:4; Daniel 2:8). But here it is likely that Jonah chose this title deliberately to show Yahweh’s sovereignty over all heaven and earth (Ellison).

In Verse 10 describes the words – exceedingly afraid – The men were exceedingly afraid when made aware of the wrath of so powerful a God at the flight of Jonah. Why hast thou done this? – If those who profess religion do wrong, they will hear about it from those who do not make the same profession.

In Verse 11 describes the words – What shall we do unto thee? – They asked this as Jonah himself must best know how his God is to be appeased. The sailors saw that they were not dealing with a terrible criminal, but with a prophet who had disobeyed his God. They showed that they would gladly have saved Jonah if they could have done so and yet still have saved themselves (Jonah 1:13, 14).

In Verse 12 describes the words – cast me . . . into the sea – Jonah knew that the boat could be saved only by his removal. He may have been repenting, as some suggest. If so, he was in essence asking the sailors to give him into the just hands of God, who would deal with him either in mercy or in judgment. But it is also possible that these are the words of an unrepentant rebel against God, willing to die rather than take God’s message to Nineveh (cf. Jonah 4:1-4). Jonah shows a clear realization that Yahweh would not judge the innocent sailors if Jonah was removed from the boat. Yahweh was not like Baal or the other gods of the ancient Near East who had no concern for the guilt or innocence of men (Ellison).

In Verse 13 describes the words – the men rowed hard – The crew did not want to throw Jonah into the sea. Perhaps they were not sure of Yahweh’s will and feared He would punish them for throwing Jonah overboard (cf. Jonah 1:14). It seems they had agreed that the safest course was to drop Jonah off on the shore, if at all possible, rather than throw him into the sea. they could not – Wind and tide, God’s displeasure and God’s counsel, were against them (cf. Proverbs 21:30).

In Verse 14 describes the words – for this man’s life – i.e., for taking this man’s life. lay not upon us innocent blood – They requested that God not punish them as He would punish those who shed innocent blood (cf. Deuteronomy 21:8). In the case of the Antitype, Pontius Pilate, washed his hands and confessed Christ’s innocence: “I am innocent of the blood of this just person.” But whereas Jonah the victim was guilty and the sailors innocent, our Lord Jesus Christ our sacrificial victim was innocent while Pontius Pilate, along with all of us, was guilty. But by imputation of our guilt to him and of his righteousness to us, the spotless Antitype exactly corresponds to the guilty type. thou, O LORD, HAST DONE AS IT PLEASED THEE – That Jonah had embarked in this ship, a tempest had arisen, and he had been detected by casting of lots and had passed sentence on himself was all God’s doing. The sailors only reluctantly threw him overboard, but it was God’s pleasure that it should be so.

In Verse 15 describes the words – sea ceased . . . raging – as it did at our Lord Jesus Christ’s word (cf. Luke 8:24). God spares the prayerful penitent, a truth illustrated here in the case of the sailors, presently in that of Jonah, and finally in that of Nineveh.

In Verse 16 describes the words – offered a sacrifice – They offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving at once, and vowed they would offer more when they should land. Was God telling Israel that Jerusalem was not the only place where sacrifice could be offered? This reinforces the idea that Yahweh is not just the God of Israel; He is the God of all the heavens and the earth.

In Verse 17 describes the words – prepared a great fish – not created specially for this purpose, but appointed in His providence, to which all creatures are subservient. The fish, through a mistranslation of Matthew 12:40 based on the Septuagint, was formerly supposed to be a whale; there, as here, the original means “a great fish.” It would be useless to speculate on the identification of the fish (i.e., dogfish, shark, or sperm whale) as some have done, or upon the probability of remaining alive for three days within such a fish; for the events are clearly presented as miraculous. A miracle in any view is needed, and we have no data to speculate further. Jonah’s experience was expressly called a “sign” or miracle by our Lord in Matthew 12. That Jonah was able to breathe in such a position could only be by miracle. The miraculous interposition was not without a sufficient reason; it was calculated to affect not only Jonah, but also Nineveh and Israel. The life of a prophet was often marked by experiences which made him, through sympathy, best suited for discharging the prophetical function to his hearers and his people (cf. Hosea). The infinite resources of God in mercy as well as judgment are prefigured in the devourer’s being transformed into Jonah’s preserver. Jonah’s condition under punishment, shut off from the outer world, was symbolic of death, a present symbol to Nineveh and Israel of the death in sin, as his deliverance was of the spiritual resurrection upon repentance. This is also a future symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ’s literal death for sin and resurrection by the Spirit of God. three days and three nights – It is not necessary to insist that Jonah was in the fish exactly seventy-two hours. He was vomited up on the third day after he had been swallowed.

The Great Commission

In Matthew 28:18-20 NLT says, “18 Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

In Verses 18-20 describe when someone is dying or leaving us, we pay close attention to his or her last words. Our Lord Jesus Christ left the disciples with some last words of instruction. God gave our Lord Jesus Christ complete authority over heaven and earth. On the basis of His authority, our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples to go and make disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught. “Making disciples” means instructing new believers on how to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, to submit to our Lord Jesus Christ’s lordship, and to take up His mission of compassionate service. Baptizing is important because it unites a believer with our Lord Jesus Christ in his or her death to sin and resurrection to new life. Baptism symbolizes submission to Christ, a willingness to live God’s way, and identification with God’s covenant people. To baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit affirms the reality of the Trinity, the concept coming directly from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He did not say baptize them into the “names,” but into the “name” of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Whereas in previous missions our Lord Jesus Christ had sent His disciples only to the Jews (Matthew 10:5-6), their mission from here forward would be to go to all the nations. This is called the Great Commission. The disciples had been trained well, and they had seen the risen Lord. They were ready to teach people all over the world to obey all the commands that our Lord Jesus Christ had given. This also showed the disciples that there would be a lapse of time between our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection and His second coming. During that time, our Lord Jesus Christ’s followers had a mission to do – evangelize, baptize, and teach people about our Lord Jesus Christ so that they, in turn, could do the same. The Good News of the Gospel was to go forth to all the nations.

With this same authority, our Lord Jesus Christ still commands us to tell others the Good News and make them disciples for the Kingdom. We are to go – whether it is next door or to another country – and make disciples. It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus “Lord.” As we obey, we have comfort in the knowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ is always with us. This would occur through the Holy Spirit’s presence in believers’ lives. The Holy Spirit would be our Lord Jesus Christ’s presence that would never leave them including us as Born-Again Christian believers (John 14:26; Acts 1:4-5). Our Lord Jesus Christ continues to be with us today through His Spirit. As this Gospel began, so it ends – Immanuel, “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23).

The Old Testament prophecies and genealogies in the book of Matthew present our Lord Jesus Christ’s credentials for being King of the world – not a military or political leader, as the disciples had originally hoped, but a spiritual King who can overcome all evil and rule in the heart of every person. If we refuse to serve the King faithfully, we are disloyal subjects. We must make our Lord Jesus Christ King of our lives and worship Him as our Savior, King, and Lord. Amen!

Good News for the Oppressed

In Isaiah 61:1-3 NLT says, “1  The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. 2  He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. 3  To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory.”

In Verse 1 describes the words – is upon me hath anointed me – The identity of the speaker is not mentioned. It fits into the same spirit as the other Servant Songs, and therefore He is thought to be the speaker here (Kidner). This then is the fifth Servant Song. In view of this person identifying Himself as being anointed by Yahweh, as was said of Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1), it is thought that this initially applied to a Persian official of the king involved in the restoration of Jerusalem (Watts). Our Lord Jesus Christ quotes this verse as a credential to His preaching (Luke 4:18-21). He was anointed from the womb (Luke 1:35) and baptized with the Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Psalm 45:7; John 1:32; 3:34; cf. Exodus 29:7; 1 Kings 1:39, 40; 19:26) as “Prophet, Priest, and King.” good tidings – refers to the Gospel (LXX has “evangel”) He preached to those who suffer poverty both physically and spiritually (Matthew 11:5). If this originally refers to a Persian monarch, the “good news” might mean the release of the Jews by Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) or the permission to continue and complete the temple by Darius (Ezra 6:6-13). proclaim liberty – our Lord Jesus Christ also promised liberty (John 8:31-36) from bondage to sin and death (Hebrews 2:15). By applying this passage to Himself, He was identifying Himself with the speaker (Young).

In Verse 2 describes the words – acceptable year – the year of Jubilee, or a year of amnesty when prisoners are released, often at the accession of the new king (Knight; e.g., Jehoiachin by Evil-Merodach, 2 Kings 25:27-30). day of vengeance – The idea of God righting what had been wrong (Watts).

In Verse 3 describes the words – beauty for ashes – a play on the Hebrew words for “beauty” (pe’er) and “ashes” (‘efer). “Beauty” probably refers to a crown or “ornamental headdress” which was worn in times of joy, possibly the priest’s turban (Ezekiel 24:17) (Wolf). This turban symbolizing joy would be replaced by ashes, which were commonly sprinkled on the head during times of mourning (2 Samuel 13:19). trees of righteousness – Cf. Isaiah 60:21; perhaps better, “oaks” (RSV, NASB, NIV), or “terebinths” (JB), or “righteousness,” or even “legitimate.” In the past, Israel had engaged in pagan fertility rites in the shadow of such trees (Isaiah 57:5; cf. 2 Kings 17:9, 10), but now they can be called “righteous oaks.”

God’s love is His passion for this world. He serves prisoners, the poor, and the brokenhearted. God has made it possible for everyone to receive the Good News. Of course, the truth is that we are the news-carriers; we must make sure that the Word gets out and that no one dies not having heard of God’s love. This is how we serve the world He loves. We are the information people, the Worldwide-Webbers, the publishers of the worldwide hope. Amen!

Praise from the Great Crowd

In Revelation 7:9-10 NLT says, “9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

In Verses 9-10 describe In Revelation 7:4, John had heard the number of those sealed; here, he saw a vast crowd, too great to count. This fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham that He would have descendants too numerous to count (Genesis 15:5; 32:12; Romans 9:6-8; Galatians 3:29).

Who is this great multitude? In Revelation 7:14, they are described as those who have come “out of the great tribulation.” Some interpreters identify them as the martyrs described in Revelation 6:9, but they may also be the same group as the 144,000 just mentioned (Revelation 7:4-8), for that may be a symbolic number indicating all believers who had been sealed. In other words, John may have seen the final state of the believers who survive the tribulation. This interpretation seems to be supported by Revelation 7:15-17, where the believers are described as serving God day and night – thereby picturing eternity. This scene provides great comfort to all believers facing persecution. Those who will face the great tribulation have a guaranteed future with God.

The angels, elders, and living beings of chapters 4 and 5 were joined by a huge crowd of people. No distinctions of race, ethnic background, or gender exist in this worshiping community. These were the redeemed people – those who had accepted our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf and had experienced God’s forgiveness. They sing about salvation. These were clothed in white, symbolizing their purity because of the salvation they had received (Revelation 3:4-5; 4:4; 19:14). The martyrs in Revelation 6:11 had been given white robes – thus, some think this crowd that has come through the tribulation is those who have been martyred for their faith. They were holding palm branches in their hands, symbolizing the joy of this occasion, as they stood before God and the Lamb.

In John 12:12-13 says, “12 The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet Him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!”

The day after the feast in Bethany, our Lord Jesus Christ made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Given the importance of the approaching Passover, the road into the holy city would have been clogged with pilgrims. Among them would have been many people from Galilee, familiar with our Lord Jesus Christ from His years of ministry there.

Not only was our Lord Jesus Christ part of the large crowd moving toward Jerusalem, others came out to meet Him from the city itself. Expectations that something marvelous was soon to happen must have been at fever pitch! The crowd began to shout. As they shouted “Praise God,” they thought that their conquering King had finally come to liberate them from Roman rule. They believed that the one who comes in the name of the Lord was the King of Israel (see Psalm 118:25-26; Zephaniah 3:15; John 1:49). Therefore, the Jews thought they were hailing the arrival of their King! But these people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about our Lord Jesus Christ. They were sure He would be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory; thus they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to our Lord Jesus Christ’s real mission. When it became apparent that our Lord Jesus Christ was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against Him.

With such love watching the borders of eternity is there any reason that our personal worship should not join the adulation of those in Revelation who stand in His glory at last, overwhelmed by His grace forever? Praise is the very least we can offer. I like the songs “The Heart of Worship and/or Power of Love” as our closing song for these podcast series of “LOVE“

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace gentleness and self-control and in our treatment of others.

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these LOVE Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

1. The True Forgiveness – Podcast Love #1
2. Giving Is The Evidence of Love – Podcast Love #2
3. The Definition of Love – Podcast Love #3
4. God’s Passion for His World – Podcast Love #4
5. The Unconditional Longing of God – Podcast Love #5
6. Permeating All We Do – Podcast Love #6

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Three (3) Questions we can answer from these Sources: The Bible and Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Observation: What do these passages say to you?

Interpretation: What do these passages mean to you?

Application: How do the meaning of these passages apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer, please take a look of one of our ministries, “An Invitation To Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

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Suggested Prayer: Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!

God bless you all and our families!

In Malachi 3:10-12 AMPC says, “10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.