by Joe Crewa

Copyright © 1988, 1995 by Amazing Facts, Inc.
Cover Design: Dennis Crews
ISBN 1-58019-008-1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
[Page numbers (on far right of references) are irrelevant in HTML]

Genesis 9:31 1

Genesis 35:18 1

Exodus 4:21 2

Exodus 16:29 3

Exodus 20:4 3

Exodus 34:28 4

Leviticus 3:17 4

Numbers 15:32,35 5

Deuteronomy 4:13 6

Deuteronomy 5:2,3 7

Deuteronomy 5:3,4 7

Deuteronomy 5:14,15 9

Deuteronomy 14:21 10

Deuteronomy 14:26 10

Deuteronomy 23:18 11

l Samuel 28:14 12

2 Samuel 7:15,16 13

1 Kings 17:21,22 14

Nehemiah 9:14 15

Job 14:21,22 15

Job 34:14,15 16

Proverbs 31:6 17

Isaiah 35:9 17

Isaiah 65:20 18

Isaiah 66:24 19

Jeremiah 10:1-6 19

Jeremiah 17:27 20

Jeremiah 31:15-17 21

Ezekiel 16:11-13 22

Ezekiel 36:25,26 23

Amos 5:23 24

Amos 8:5 24

Malachi 4:5,6 25

Matthew 3:10-12 26

Matthew 5:17 27

Matthew 5:19 28

Matthew 10:28 28

Matthew 15:11 29

Matthew 16:18 30

Matthew 16:19 31

Matthew 16:28 31

Matthew 18:18 32

Matthew 22:31,32 33

Matthew 25:46 33

Matthew 28:1 34

Mark 4:11,12 35

Mark 9:43,44 36

Luke 9:60 37

Luke 15:22 38

Luke 16:16 38

Luke 16:22,23 39

Luke 17:34-36 41

Luke 23:43 42

John 1:17 43

John 2:3-6 43

John 3:13 44

John 5:24 45

John 7:39 46

John 8:51 47

John 9:31 47

John 10:28 47

John 11:26 48

John 20:23 48

Acts 10:13 49

Acts 12:15 50

Romans 5:13 51

Romans7:4 52

Romans 10:4 53

Romans 11:26 53

Romans 14:14 54

Romans 14:21 55

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 56

1 Corinthians 5:5 56

1 Corinthians 7:14 57

1 Corinthians 11:29,30 58

1 Corinthians 14:34,35 59

1 Corinthians 15:29 60

2 Corinthians 3:7,8 61

2 Corinthians 4:16 62

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 62

2 Corinthians 12:2,3 63

Galatians 2:19 64

Galatians 3:19 65

Galatians 3:23-25 66

Galatians 4:8-10 66

Galatians 4:22-24 67

Ephesians 2:15 68

Philippians 1:23 68

Colossians 2:14-17 69

1 Thessalonians 3:13 70

1 Thessalonians 4:14 71

2 Thessalonians 2:6 72

2 Thessalonians 2:15 72

l Timothy 2:11-15 73

1 Timothy 4:1-4 74

1 Timothy 5:23 75

Titus l:15 76

Hebrews 8:7,8 76

Hebrews 10:8,9 77

Hebrews 12:22-24 79

l Peter 3:18-20 80

1 Peter 4:6 81

2 Peter 2:4 82

2 Peter 3:8 82

1 John 3:9 83

l John 5:12 84

l John 5:16 84

Revelation 1:5 85

Revelation 3:14 85

Revelation 6:9-1 1 86

Revelation 14:10,11 87

INDEX
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Angels 50, 51, 70, 71, 82

Antichrist 72

Baptism

    for the dead 60, 61

    sprinkling 23

Blood transfusions 4, 5

Covenant(s)

    before Sinai 7, 8

    new 67, 68, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80

    old 6, 67, 68, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80

    ordinances nailed to the cross 69, 70

    spirits of just men made perfect 79

    Ten Commandments 4, 6, 7, 67, 68, 76, 77, 78

    two 6, 7, 61, 62, 67, 68, 76, 77, 79, 80

Death

    body sensations, spirit cease at 15, 16, 17

    let the dead bury their dead 37, 38

    of our sinful natures at conversion 47, 48, 52

    of the thief on the cross 42, 43

    of the wicked 19, 36, 37, 41, 45,46

    persons raised from 14, 15, 32, 34, 35, 85

    second 33, 34, 45, 46, 48

Diet

    affects our health 58, 59

    clean and unclean foods 1, 49, 50, 54, 55, 74, 75

    doctrines of devils 74

    eating blood 4, 5

    man's original 1

    strong drink 10, 17, 43, 44, 75, 76

    what defiles a man 29, 76

Dogs, symbolizing Sodomites 11, 12

Grace

    makes obedience possible 68

    Old Testament references to 43

Heaven (see also New earth)

    a real place 44, 45

    least in the kingdom of 28

    saints will go to 44, 45

    third 63, 64

Hell

    angels cast into 82

    destruction of wicked in 19, 26, 27, 36, 37

    everlasting punishment in 33, 34, 36, 87

    place of torment 39, 40, 87

    soul and body destroyed in 28, 29

    unquenchable fire of 20, 26, 27, 36, 37

    worm that dies not 36, 37

Holy Spirit before Pentecost 46, 47

Idols/Images

    Christmas trees 19, 20

    food offered to 54, 55

    religious idols vs. religious artwork 3

Israel

    a kingdom forever 12, 13

    salvation of 53, 54

Jesus as Creator 85

Jewelry 22, 38

Law (see also Ten Commandments)

    and the prophets 38, 39

    can be kept because of grace 43, 67

    ceremonial 10, 23, 29, 30, 66, 67, 77, 78

    dead to the 52, 64, 65

    end of the 27,28,53,77,78

    origin of the 51

    ministration of death 61, 62

    ordinances nailed to the cross 69, 70

    points out sin 52, 65, 66

    unchangeable 38, 39

Musical instruments in worship 24

New earth

    aging and death in 17, 18

    animals in 17, 18

Parable(s)

    of the prodigal son 38

    of the rich man and Lazarus 39, 40

    of unwashed hands 29, 30

    purpose of 35, 36

Pharaoh's heart hardened 2

Predestination 56

Promises, conditional 13

Reincarnation of Elijah 25, 26

Resurrection

    baptism symbolizes 60, 61

    of Jesus 34, 35, 85

    of Moses 32

    of the dead at the second coming 31, 32, 71, 72

Rock of church's foundation 30

Sabbath

    Christ in tomb on the 34, 35

    end of 24, 25, 34

    existed before Sinai 15

    memorial of Creation 9

    Old Testament penalty for breaking 5

    traveling on 3

    yearly sabbaths vs. weekly 69, 70

Salvation of infants 21

Second coming of Christ

    symbolized by the Transfiguration 31, 32

    for the righteous 41, 56, 57

    with the saints 70, 71, 72

Secret rapture 41

Second death 33, 34, 45, 46, 48

Sins

    deliberate 83, 84

    forgiveness of 47, 48, 49

Soul

    absent from the body 36, 37, 62, 63

    existence outside of the body 1, 14, 15, 63, 64, 86

    immortality of the 28, 29, 36, 37, 62, 63, 64, 81, 86

Spiritualism 12, 13

Spouses, unbelieving 57, 58

State of the dead

    absent from the body 62, 63, 64

Christ's promise to the thief on the cross 42, 43

    departing to be with Christ 68, 69

    gospel preached to the dead 81

    rich man and Lazarus 39, 40

    sleeping in Jesus 68, 69, 71

    spirits in prison 80, 81

Ten Commandments (see also Covenant)

    as a covenant 4, 6, 7, 8, 61, 62, 76, 77

    existed before Sinai 7, 8, 15, 51

    punishment for those who break 28

    written with God's finger 4

Traditions 72, 73

Wine

    as an offering 10,11

    Jesus turned water into 43, 44

    drinking of 17, 43, 44, 75, 76

Women to be silent in churches 59, 60, 73, 74

Genesis 9:3

"Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."

Before the Flood, God gave no permission for man to eat the flesh of animals. The original diet laid down in Genesis 1:29 and 3:18 consisted of nuts, fruits, grains, and vegetables. This order of things prevailed until after the Flood. Then, because vegetation had been destroyed by the Flood, God allowed the use of flesh food for the first time. It was for this purpose that the clean animals had been taken into the ark by sevens and the unclean by twos (Genesis 7:1, 2).

Even though Genesis 9:3 seems to be an unrestricted permit to eat any kind of animal, please note that it was not without limits. God said, "Even as the green herb have I given you all things." In the same way that God had given vegetation, so now He gave flesh. But all vegetation was not good to eat. There were weeds and poisonous plants that could not be eaten. In the same way, God proceeded soon afterward (Leviticus chapter 11) to show that certain animals were not good for food and should definitely not be eaten.

It is also interesting to note that this instruction was given to Noah immediately after leaving the ark. Since it takes two (both male and female) to propagate a species and only two of each unclean animal were saved in the ark, it is certain that God did not give license to eat the unclean animals. If He had, the unclean species would have been exterminated, and none would exist today.

Genesis 35:18

"And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin."

Since it is not possible for souls to exist outside of bodies, how do we explain this apparent contradiction? The word "soul" is translated from the Hebrew word "nephesh" which has been translated 118 times in the Old Testament as "life." The same word is used in Genesis 1:30 in reference to animals. It is never used in one single instance to denote an immortal or undying part of man.

Exodus 4:21

"And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but! will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go."

It is a fascinating fact that the Hebrew word "chazaq" is translated as "hardened" in almost every account of God's dealing with Pharaoh. But when Pharaoh "hardened" his own heart, the Hebrew word "kabed" is used. Why this difference?

Actually the word "chazaq" has a literal meaning of "strengthen, courage." For example, we read in I Samuel 30:6 that "David encouraged himself in the Lord," but the word translated "encouraged" is "chazaq"--the same word which is translated as "hardened" in this passage. "Chazaq" is also translated as "encouraged" in the following verses:

1 Samuel 30:6; Deuteronomy 1:38; 2 Samuel 11:25; 2 Chronicles 35:2; Psalm 64:5; Isaiah 41:7; Deuteronomy 3:28; Judges 20:22; 2 Chronicles 3 1:4.

When we take the true meaning of the word, we find that God actually encouraged Pharaoh's heart to let Israel go. But when Pharaoh hardened his own heart, the Bible uses a different word--"kabed"--which means "to make heavy, harden" (Exodus 8:15).

But why did the "encouragement" of the Lord have the effect of hardening Pharaoh's heart? We might just as well ask why the same encouraging, inspiring ministry of Jesus could produce a loving John and a traitorous Judas. One was softened, and the other was hardened. The same sun that softens the wax will harden the clay. Every man is exposed in some degree to the grace of Christ (John 1:9). The Lord is spoken of as a sun (Psalm 84:11) who lightens every man.

Some reject the light and grow hard (Zechariah 7:12). Some accept and are softened. The end result depends on the response of each individual.

Exodus 16:29

"See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day."

Many overlook the fact that this command applied only to gathering manna. "Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day" must be linked with God's words in verse 25:

"Today is a sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field." When some did go out to gather on the seventh day, God met them with a rebuke for breaking His law (verses 27, 28).

This text does not forbid all travel on the Sabbath, as some seek to establish. Bible examples demonstrate that proper travel was considered lawful on the day (2 Kings 4:23). Even Christ traveled to church on the Sabbath without breaking it (Luke 4:16).

Exodus 20:4

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."

After the first commandment designates the true God, the second teaches how He is to be worshipped. This commandment specifically forbids the veneration of objects representing God. "Thou shalt not bow down theyseif to them, nor serve them. "Exodus 20:5. Please take note that it is the veneration or worship of the graven form which constitutes sin.

This text does not forbid religious illustration, photography, or the fine arts. God Himself gave command for carved angels in the most holy place (Exodus 25:18), embroidered angels in the tabernacle hangings (1 Kings 6:29) and cast bronze oxen in the courtyard (1 Kings 7:25).

The Lord also instructed Moses to fashion a brazen serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21:8, 9). There was nothing wrong with it as an illustrative device pointing the people to faith in their healing God. Yet the same bronze serpent was ordered destroyed when it became an object of worship and veneration by the backslidden nation (2 Kings 18:4). This proves that a carved form is not sin in itself. It only becomes evil when used as an object of adoration.

Exodus 34:28

"And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments."

The grammatical structure of this verse makes it seem that Moses might have written the Ten Commandments on the second set of stone tablets. "And he was there with the Lord ... and he wrote upon the tables." The important thing to note here is that the second "he" does not refer to Moses, but to the Lord. In verse 1, God said plainly to Moses, "Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest."

In Deuteronomy 10:1-4, the record is even more specific. The Lord said, "I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables ... And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments."

Moses did not do any writing on tables of stone. He wrote the ordinances and ceremonial law in a book, but that was entirely different from the moral law in the stone tablets.

Even though the Ten Commandment law is called a "covenant," it was not the old covenant which vanished away at the death of Jesus. (For further explanation of the Ten Commandments as a covenant, see my comments on Deuteronomy 4:13 and Hebrews 8:7, 8.)

Leviticus 3:17

"It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood."

On the basis of this text, some have taken a position against blood transfusions. But the position is entirely untenable in the light of these considerations:

1. The prohibition applied only to animal blood and fowls (Leviticus 7:25-27). It does not apply to humans because we don't eat humans.

2. God gave proper instruction for slaughtering an animal or fowl so as not to eat any blood (Leviticus 17: 13, 14).

3. God's prohibition against eating blood also applies to Christians (Acts 15:20).

4. That which is eaten goes through the digestion into the stomach (Matthew 15:17). Blood transfusions go directly to the veins and thence to the cells.

1. If we love our neighbor as ourselves, can we watch him die for lack of life-giving blood (Matthew 22:39)?

2. Jesus came to save men's lives (Luke 9:56); why shouldn't we?

3. Since the life is in the blood (Deuteronomy 12:23), Christ condoned the giving of blood to save a life (John 15:13).

Numbers 15:32, 35

"And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. ... And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp."

Some have made a big point that Sabbathbreakers were stoned to death in the Old Testament, therefore the Sabbath must not be in force today since stoning is not in force. But take note that not only Sabbathbreakers were stoned to death, but adulterers as well (Leviticus 20:10). Those also who broke the second commandment were put to death (Leviticus 24:16). Surely no one feels that adultery and blasphemy are any less wrong today just because God prescribed death for such sins in the Old Testament.

The fact is that under the theocracy of Israel, God ruled the people directly. He commanded punishment immediately for certain flagrant acts of disobedience. Today the same sins are equally abhorrent to God, but punishment is delayed until the day of judgment.

Deuteronomy 4:13

"And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."

The dispensationalist doctrine makes the Ten Commandment law the old covenant that was abolished. Even though the Ten Commandments were indeed a commanded covenant, they did not constitute the old covenant which vanished away (Hebrews 8:13). Here are the reasons:

1. The old covenant was faulty, had poor promises, and vanished away (Hebrews 8:7, 8, 13). None of those points apply to the perfect law of God (Psalm 19:7).

2. The old covenant was made "concerning all these words" of the written law (Exodus 24:7, 8). It was not the law itself.

3. Referring to the Ten Commandments, God said to Moses, "After the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel." Exodus 34:27, 28. It was not the law itself but over the keeping of the law--"the tenor of the words"--that the old covenant was made.

4. Moses referred to the golden calf as "your sin, the calf which ye had made." Deuteronomy 9:21. (Please note: The calf was not the sin, but the sin took place concerning the calf.) In the same way, the old covenant was not the law, but it was concerning the law. Thus it is called the covenant.

5. Romans 9:4 proves that the old and new covenants were different from the law itself. "Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law." Here the law is mentioned, as well as the covenants (plural). This would include both old and new covenants, plus the "giving of the law," which is the Ten Commandment law.

6. To prove positively that the law is not the old covenant, let's try to make the words interchangeable in Romans 3:3 1: "Do we then make void the [old covenant] law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the [old covenant] law." Clearly the old covenant and the law are not the same.

Deuteronomy 5:2, 3

"The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day."

Since the basis of this covenant was the Ten Commandments, as revealed in verses 6-2 1, some people contend that the decalogue was never applied to anyone before the law was written at Sinai. But such a conclusion is not valid on the basis of the words of Moses to the people of Israel. He was not telling them that there had been no previous agreement about obeying the law. There had been covenants with individuals who indeed had been their forefathers, but only on a personal basis.

At Sinai, for the very first time, God entered into a covenant relationship with an entire nation. And it was that specific covenant which had never existed before. Moses could truthfully say that "this covenant" was not made "with our fathers," but only with those leaders who accepted God's offer at Horeb--those who were still alive at that very time.

Deuteronomy 5:3, 4

"The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire."

Some conclude from this text that the Ten Commandments were not known before the written law at Mount Sinai. However, the evidence is all to the contrary. Cain knew it was a sin to murder. Joseph called adultery a sin, and God said, "Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my laws." Genesis 26:5.

In these verses, Moses is impressing upon them the solemn fact of God's visit with them on Sinai, and the covenant law He delivered to them. Moses said, "The Lord talked with you face to face"--something He had not done with their fathers. The fathers were dead; they had not seen the mountain smoke; they had not heard the majestic voice of God speak the law. "The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day."

This does not mean that their fathers had not been acquainted with the provisions of the covenant. They simply had not had the covenant terms spelled out in written form before them. Many years later, Jeremiah reminded the leaders of Israel about the law covenant at Sinai. He reminded them that God said this is the covenant "Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, ... saying, Obey my voice, ... That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey." Jeremiah 11:4, 5. So obviously their fathers had received the promise in the everlasting covenant, but not face to face, as at Sinai.

Proof positive that the covenant had been made known to the fathers of those who left Egypt is found in 1 Chronicles 16:15-17: "Be ye mindful always of his covenant ... Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant." Please notice that the covenant had been revealed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob "for a law" long before it was written on stone at Sinai.

In Deuteronomy 29 the covenant is repeated again with the reminder that it had been sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then follow these words: "Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day." Verses 14, 15.

Deuteronomy 5:14, 15

"But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day."

Some people draw from this text that God gave the Sabbath as a memorial of the exodus from Egypt. But the Genesis story of the making of the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3) and the wording of the fourth commandment by God Himself (Exodus 20:11) reveals the Sabbath as a memorial of creation.

The key to understanding these two verses rests in the word "servant." God said, "Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt." And in the sentence before this one, He reminded them "that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou." In other words, their experience in Egypt as servants would remind them to deal justly with their servants by giving them Sabbath rest.

In a similar vein, God had commanded, "And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." Leviticus 19:33, 34.

It was not unusual for God to hark back to the Egyptian deliverance as an incentive to obey other commandments. In Deuteronomy 24:17, 18, God said, "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge ... thou wast a bondman in Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Neither the command to be just nor the command to keep the Sabbath was given to memorialize the exodus, but God told them that His goodness in bringing them out of captivity constituted a strong additional reason for their dealing kindly with their servants on the Sabbath and treating justly the strangers and widows.

In the same vein, God spoke to them in Leviticus 11:45: "For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, ... ye shall therefore be holy." Surely no one would insist that holiness did not exist before the exodus, or that it would be ever afterwards limited only to the Jews, to memorialize their deliverance.

Deuteronomy 14:21

"Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself. thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk."

God's people were not to touch any clean beast which died of itself, or to eat its flesh, else they would be "unclean" until sundown (Leviticus 11:39, 40). These laws did not apply to the non-Jews, so the dead animals could be sold to them with no ceremonial uncleanness involved. Even the Jews were considered clean again after sunset.

Deuteronomy 14:26

"And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household."

The context of this verse is needed to clarify the thought of the writer. It is apparent from verse 22 that he is talking about the use of the second tithe. "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase." The first tithe had already been specifically allotted to the Levites (Numbers 18:21, 24). Some of this second tithe was to be given to the strangers and the widows (Deuteronomy 14:29; 26:12-15).

In verse 23, God told the Israelites to journey to the place He would designate and present the tithe to Him there--no doubt, at the tabernacle. In verses 24 and 25, they were permitted to change the corn, cattle, etc., into the equivalent cash if the way was too long to travel with produce and herds.

In verse 26, God gave instruction for the money to be turned back into an offering for Him after reaching the holy place. But instead of prescribing the exact offering, He told them they could present whatever they desired. Some have been confused by God's listing strong drink among the other offerings that they were permitted. But please notice that this wine was not to be drunk--it was to be poured out as an offering before the Lord. God described the act in Numbers 28:7: "In the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering."

Take note that all the items suggested by God for the money to be invested in were offerings for Him. Some have stumbled over the wording, "whatsoever thy soul lusteth after" and "whatsoever thy soul desireth." Remember that God is talking to His faithful people who are tithing. He assumes that they are not going to desire evil things as an offering to Him. The Psalmist said, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4. For God's people, those desires would be their own choice of acceptable offerings and gifts to present to their Lord.

Deuteronomy 23:18

"Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God."

The term "dog" is used in the Hebrew idiom for a male prostitute. It refers back to the "sodomite" of verse 17. It is the male equivalent of the female whore or harlot. In Eastern countries, the dog has ever been a half-wild, mangy, disagreeable animal which symbolizes uncleanness. The "hire" or "price" gained from such illicit practice was not to be dedicated to God's work.

The New Testament also uses the term in the same sense as representing the outcasts and sinners. Revelation 22:15 speaks of those outside the New Jerusalem as "dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers," etc. Paul admonishes the Philippians to "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers." Philippians 3:2.

1 Samuel 28:14

"And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself"

This spiritual séance has been cited as evidence for life after death. But here are points to the contrary:

1. Wizards had been sentenced to death and banned from the land (1 Samuel 28:3; Leviticus 20:27).

2. God had departed from Saul and would not communicate with him (1 Samuel 28:15).

3. Samuel was supposedly "brought up." Other expressions used in this passage include: "ascending out of the earth," "cometh up," and "bring ... up." (verses 13-15). Is this where the righteous dead are--down in the earth? Not according to those who believe in the immortal soul.

4. Samuel is described as an old man covered with a mantle. Is this the way immortal souls appear? And where did the soul get the body? They're supposed to be disembodied. Was there a resurrection? Did God obey the beck and call of the witch and raise up Samuel? If not, can Satan raise the dead?

5. The apparition of Samuel told Saul, "Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me." 1 Samuel 28:19. Saul committed suicide on the battlefield the next day. Where did Samuel dwell, if the wicked Saul was to go to the same place?

6. The Bible never says that Saul saw Samuel. He received his information secondhand from the witch, and only concluded it was Samuel from her description. The truth is that the devil deceived the dissolute old woman, and she deceived Saul. It was nothing more than a devil-generated séance.

7. The enormity of Saul's sin is revealed in these words: "So Saul died for his transgression ... and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; and enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him." 1 Chronicles 10:13, 14.

2 Samuel 7:15, 16

"But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."

The British Israel theory advocates use these verses to support their contention that God made an unconditional promise to David that his throne, his house, and his kingdom would never fail, regardless of their faithfulness or unfaithfulness. The theory is unsound and false in the light of these texts, which declare the promise to be conditional:

1. 1 Kings 9:4-7: "If thou wilt walk before me ... in uprightness ... and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David. ... But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ... Then will I cut off Israel ... and this house will I cast out."

2. 1 Kings 2:4: "If thy children ... walk before me in truth ... there shall not fail thee ... a man on the throne of Israel."

3. I Kings 6:12: "If thou wilt walk in my statutes then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father."

4. 1 Chronicles 28:7: "Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments."

5. 2 Chronicles 7:17, 18: "If thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, ... Then will I stablish the throne

6. Psalm 132:11, 12: "The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant ... their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore."

The theory is further proven unsound by these undeniable facts:

1. The word "for ever" does not always mean "without end." (See my comments on Revelation 14:10, 11.)

2. The fleshly Israel was completely disqualified because of their disobedience (Romans 4:13; 9:7, 8; 11:20).

3. Christ's spiritual rule fulfilled the promise concerning David's throne (Acts 2:29, 30; Isaiah 9:6, 7).

4. The kingdom was taken from the nation of Israel (Matthew 21:43) and given to another nation (1 Peter 2:9, 10).

5. Israel's house was left desolate (Matthew 23:38).

6. All who are Christ's may now claim the promises of God's spiritual Israel (Galatians 3:29; Romans 11:17).

1 Kings 17:21, 22

"And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived."

Since it is not possible for souls to exist outside of bodies, how do we explain this apparent contradiction? The word "soul" is translated from the Hebrew word "nephesh" which has been translated 118 times in the Old Testament as "life." The same word is used in Genesis 1:30 in reference to animals. It is never used in one single instance to denote an immortal or undying part of man.

Every conflict is harmonized if the more proper word "life" is used in reference to the child, instead of "soul." His life slipped away, or left the body. Then the life returned to the boy when the prophet prayed.

Don't overlook the fact that the lifeless body was called "him" as well as the restored boy. This proves that the "person" did not depart to be with the Lord. The whole person was represented by the body, whether dead or alive.

Nehemiah 9:14

"And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant."

Does this text imply that the Sabbath was not in existence before it was revealed at Mount Sinai? Definitely not! It had only been forgotten, and needed to be made known to those who no longer knew it.

Compare Ezekiel 20:5 and the meaning becomes crystal clear. God said, "In the day when I chose Israel ... and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt." This certainly doesn't mean that God did not exist before. They had forgotten His existence, just as they had forgotten the Sabbath, and both had to be made known to them in Egypt and at Sinai.

Job 14:21, 22

"His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn."

Verse 22 appears to be saying that a dead man's fleshly body can continue to give him pain and that his soul can be grieved. Although it is obvious to all that the bodily sensations cease at death, a closer look at these poetic words reveal their true meaning. It must be remembered that in Hebrew poetry intelligence, personality, and feelings are often ascribed to objects or concepts that do not normally have these attributes (Judges 9:8-15). Job is actually describing, in a very graphic way, the ravages that take place at death. As a body decays, its horrible state of decomposition contorts all the physical features into the expression of grimacing pain.

The New English Bible transposes verses 21 and 22 and correctly translates the passage this way: "His flesh upon him becomes black, and his life-blood dries up within him. His sons rise to honour, and he sees nothing of it; they sink into obscurity, and he knows it not."

In verse 12, the state of man in death is fully clarified:

"So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Thus the writer of Job agrees perfectly with the words of Christ, who later described death as an unconscious sleep (John 11:11).

Job 34:14, 15

"If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust."

This text points back to Creation, when God "breathed into his [man's] nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7. In many other texts of Scripture, the breath which entered man's nostrils is identified as the "spirit." In Job 27:3 we read, "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils." Genesis, of course, describes breath going into the nostrils at the time of creation, not the spirit; but the Hebrew parallelism of Job 27:3 repeats the same thought in a secondary phrase, calling the breath in the nostrils the "spirit of God in my nostrils."

The Psalmist, on the other hand, describes the same process in these words, "Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created." "Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust." Psalm 104:30, 29. These texts show how the words "breath" and "spirit" are used interchangeably in the Bible. Sometimes it says that God created by putting His breath into the body, but again it will say He created by putting the spirit into the body. Incidentally, death is described not only as "breath" returning to God (Psalm 104:29), but also as the "spirit" returning to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

Our text in Job 34:14, 15 now begins to come into focus, as it describes the process by which man dies and "shall turn again unto dust." In this case, since the reference is not to an individual dying, but rather to the death of "all flesh," the Psalmist employs a parallel use of both words, "breath" and "spirit," to describe the removal of the life principle.

Proverbs 31:6

"Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts."

This text and its preceding verses plainly reveal that no intelligent individual with a good mind will use intoxicating beverages. With no drugs to deaden the pain of a fatal illness, the ancients used strong drink as a pain-killing agent along with certain narcotic herbs (Matthew 27:34). The Amplified Old Testament reads, "Give strong drink [as medicine] to him."

In the same sense, wine was allowed for the manic depressive, just as tranquilizing agents are used today. The Amplified Bible reads, "wine to those in bitter distress of heart"--a clear description of severe emotional sickness. But the same writer strongly urges that responsible people not be given any wine (verses 4, 5).

Isaiah 35:9

"No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there."

The thought of this text is that "no ravenous beast" will be in the new earth to hurt or destroy (Isaiah 65:25). The lions will be as gentle as lambs (Isaiah 11:6-9). The prophet Ezekiel clarifies the picture with these words: "The Lord will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land." Ezekiel 34:24, 25. Lions there will be tame enough for a child to lead (Isaiah 11:6).

Isaiah 65:20

"There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed."

This text has perplexed Bible students for generations. The awkward wording seems to imply that even death might still plague the saints in God's new world of tomorrow. Some have taken the context to indicate a subjunctive form of speech in the translation. This would indicate that the prophet was using a human terminology to describe heavenly conditions. In other words, Isaiah was saying, "Should (or if) certain conditions prevail, then such and such would result." This translation seems to give the closest to the original meaning if the subjunctive sense is accepted: "There shall be no child to arise or come into being who shall live only a certain number of days. If it were possible that there be still sinners in Jerusalem [there won't be] and if one of them should be punished with death when 100 years old, he would be regarded as cursed by God and forever cut off from mercy. And if one should die a natural death at 100 [which he won't] he would still be a boy."

Isaiah was seeking to illustrate the facts of eternal life in heaven by earthly comparisons. Therefore he had to call on his readers to imagine certain mortal conditions as being in the new earth, so that they could grasp the truths of immortality.

Isaiah 66:24

"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."

This description of the final destruction of the wicked assures us that they finally are lifeless "carcases" (dead bodies). Their bodies burn in the lake of fire. (See my comments on Mark 9:43, 44 for an explanation of the undying worm and unquenchable fire.)

Since the walls of the holy city will be "clear as crystal" (Revelation 21:11, 18), the redeemed might easily go forth from their heavenly homes, look through the crystal-clear walls, and "see the reward of the wicked" (Psalm 91:8). This certainly will not be a very pleasant spectacle. Zechariah 14:12 says: "Their flesh shall consume away." But the wicked soon are burned up (Malachi 4:1, 3) and shall be as though they had not been (Obadiah 16). Then the earth is recreated as the eternal home of the righteous, all tears are wiped away, and there shall be no more pain (Revelation 21:1, 4).

Jeremiah 10:1-6

"Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them;for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might."

This text has been used as condemnation of Christmas trees, and a casual reading sounds as though the writer had the modem Christmas decorations in mind. But the context of the chapter places a different meaning upon the words.

Jeremiah is describing the ways of the heathen in cutting a tree from the forest and carving an idol which is worshipped as a god. In verse 14, he speaks of the "graven image" as a false god: "there is no breath in them." Inverses 10-12, "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth" are contrasted with the creative power of the true God.

After the tree is cut and shaped with the axe, Jeremiah says that it is decorated and fastened with nails (verses 3, 4). There it remains, dumb and unheeding. It cannot speak or walk (verse 5). To worship the "stock" of a tree is "brutish and foolish" (verse 8). Even though it is covered with silver plate and delicate clothing, it remains a "doctrine of vanities" (verses 8, 9).

Jeremiah 17:27

"But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle afire in the gates thereof and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched."

The fire which "devoured the palaces of Jerusalem" is spoken of in this text as fire which "shall not be quenched." This does not mean that the fire could never go out, but that it could never be "quenched" or "put out" before it had accomplished its purpose. It was a strange fire which God kindled and man could not control or extinguish. The same fire is described in 2 Chronicles 36:19 and the results recorded: "And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof."

That fire is not still burning. It burned itself out, even though it could not be quenched by man. The same kind of fire will destroy the wicked in the lake of fire and brimstone, according to Mark 9:44,45. If the wicked could quench the fire, they could escape from it. But Isaiah wrote, "They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it" Isaiah 47:14. Notice that the last part of this verse provides further evidence that it will go out completely after consuming the bodies of the wicked.

Jeremiah 31:15-17

"Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border."

Matthew applies this prophecy to the slaying of the children by Herod in his attempt to destroy Jesus (Matthew 2:17, 18). This is one of the verses of the Bible which gives assurance that babes will be saved in God's kingdom. "They shall come again from the land of the enemy." Those children slain by Herod were two years of age or under, and not yet accountable for sin.

Sometimes a mistaken application is made of Obadiah 16 to infants and children--that they will be as though they had not been. There is no such meaning in the context. It has reference to the nations of the wicked who will be eternally destroyed, and possibly to certain groups of unlearned heathen who will not be punished for their state of sinful ignorance. Children are definitely not specified in that text.

Deuteronomy 1:39 indicates that God accepts the children who are not old enough to understand about sin. "Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it." The children were allowed to go into the promised land with faithful Caleb and Joshua. This

is a type of entrance into the heavenly Canaan (1 Corinthians 10:11). Jesus used little children as an example of the experience all must attain in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).

Ezekiel 16:11-13

"I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom."

This text seems to conflict with scores of other verses which condemn the use of colorful cosmetics and jewelry. Yet there is no real conflict if the context is considered. This is not a literal experience, but a symbolism. In verse 3, God begins the recital of a moving allegory concerning His people Israel. He depicts Israel being born illegitimately and cast into a field to die. No one washed the baby or cared for it. Then God passed by and loved the baby. He covered its nakedness and washed away its filth. He bestowed upon it love and every possible blessing.

In allegorizing the material and spiritual blessings that He bestowed on Israel, God used a number of symbols which are clearly interpreted by other Bible writers. The "fine linen" of verse 10 is defined in Revelation 19:8: "The fine linen is the righteousness of saints." The ornaments and chain of verse 11 are interpreted in Proverbs 1:9 as the "ornament of grace." The jewel and crown of verse 12 are symbolic of "lips of knowledge" (Proverbs 20:15), and a "crown of rejoicing" (1 Thessalonians 2:19), respectively. All the representations of highest honor, recognition, wealth, and beauty were incorporated in the allegory to show the unparalleled blessings which Israel had received as a nation.

The symbolic ornaments of this allegory in no way mitigate the force of those texts forbidding the actual display of such vanity on the physical body.

Ezekiel 36:25, 26

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will 1 cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."

There is a popular contention that these verses prefigure the introduction of sprinkling for baptism. A few facts reveal that it had no connection with the later Christian ordinance:

1. Moses was instructed to set the Levites apart for the priesthood. God said, "Sprinkle water of purifying upon them" Numbers 8:7.

2. Certain unclean people--such as those who touched a dead body (Numbers 19:16-18), or a menstruating woman (Leviticus 15:1 9)--were isolated until they had been sprinkled with water of purification (Numbers 19:13). Ashes of a heifer were also used in connection with the sprinkled water (Numbers 19: 17-19).

3. In Ezekiel 36:25, 26, God does the sprinkling, and not man to another man. He compares His people to the defiled or unclean of Israel and uses a term of cleansing they could understand.

4. Sprinkling was done away with under the new covenant along with ashes of a heifer, etc. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he ... obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ... purge your conscience." Hebrews 9: 12-14.

5. There is no scriptural connection whatsoever between the ceremonial sprinkling of the Old Testament and the New Testament ordinance of baptism, an act of complete immersion (Romans 6:4-6).

Amos 5:23

"Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols."

Those who believe it wrong to use musical instruments in worship base some of their doctrine on this text. Yet the same condemnation is made of "solemn assemblies" in verse 21. Would they ban the "solemn assemblies" as they do the "melody of thy viols"?

God is here showing His disgust for the hypocritical practice of religious forms while dividing their service with heathen gods (verse 26).

Several texts of the Bible indicate that musical instruments may be a glory to God, on earth as well as in heaven. "As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there." Psalm 87:7. This refers to Zion, the church--the place of the people of God (verse 5). The faithful are called upon to praise the Lord "upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound." Psalm 92:3.

Instrumental music was a prominent part of the God-ordained dedication of Solomon's temple (2 Chronicles 5:13, 14). David regarded singing with instruments as a law of God. "Take a psalm," he said, "and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. ... For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob." Psalm 81:2,4.

Amos 8:5

"Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?"

Strange as it may seem, this text has been quoted to "prove" that the Sabbath was to come to an end. But the context makes clear that Amos was condemning the hypocritical Israelites, who wished for the Sabbath hours to quickly end so that they could return to their dishonest business dealings. It was a classic example of formal apostates begrudging the time claimed by God in worship and longing for the sun to set, that they might be released from the yoke of a Sabbath they did not spiritually regard.

The new moon refers to the first day of the month when business was suspended and sacrifice offered (1 Samuel 20:5, 24; Numbers 28:11; 2 Kings 4:23). They were always glad to see that day end also, because they had no relish for the spiritual worship prescribed.

Some have made it seem that God is asking the question, "When will the new moon be gone ... and the sabbath?" Please notice that it is not God, but the unscrupulous cheaters who longingly ask the question. Those who make this false application claim that God answers His own question in verse 9 where He tells when the Sabbath will come to an end. They apply verse 9 to the darkness over the earth at the crucifixion of Jesus, and mistakenly claim that the Ten Commandments were finished at that time.

Actually, verse 9 has reference to the signs of a final judgment that will be visited on the earth, when the sun will be darkened and the moon not give her light. Isaiah spoke of the same event (Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:31) as did Jesus (Matthew 24:29) and John the Revelator (Revelation 6:12). It is nowhere connected to the death of Christ or the abolishing of the law of God.

Malachi 4:5, 6

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Will Elijah be reincarnated before Jesus returns to the earth? Some think so on the basis of this verse. But notice that Jesus in His day commented "That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. ... Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist." Matthew 17:12, 13.

You may remember that even though Jesus said that John was Elijah, John vehemently denied it. "And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not." John 1:21.

This sounds most perplexing, doesn't it? But now let us read two texts that will explain the riddle. Even before his birth, it was prophesied of John that "Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias ... to make ready a people for the Lord." Luke 1:16, 17.

Instead of actually being Elijah, John's work was to be in the "spirit and power" of Elijah. Jesus completed the clarification when he said concerning John's ministry: "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come." Matthew 11:14. This makes it abundantly clear that John's message was the Elijah message for his day. It was given in the spirit, power, and boldness of Elijah's call to repentance. Just before Jesus comes, another message of equal power and boldness is to be given to prepare the world for the second coming of Jesus.

Matthew 3:10-12

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than L whose shoes lam not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Please notice that "fire" is mentioned in all three verses. In verse 10, the reference is unmistakably to the punishment of the wicked in the fires of destruction. In verse 12 there is even less question: the fire refers to the "unquenchable" fire of hell. Then what about verse 11, the verse in between? It certainly would not switch the line of thought. Christ is pictured as One who will reward the righteous with the mighty power of the Spirit, and punish the wicked with the consuming fire described in the verses before and after. Both the Old and New Testaments speak of God as a "consuming fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29).

Just as convincing also is the fact that all three of the verses clearly portray two classes--the good and the bad, the saved and the lost. In verse 10 it's the good tree and the bad, with the bad being "cast into the fire." In verse 12 it is the wheat and the chaff, and the chaff "will burn up." The verse in between--verse 11--describes the two groups as those who are baptized with the Holy Ghost and those who are baptized with fire. Sin will either be burned out now by the Holy Spirit or burned up then by His consuming presence. "He is like a refiner's fire ... and he shall purify the sons of Levi." Malachi 3:2, 3. Those who refuse to be purified from sin now will be burned up, with the sin, in the unquenchable fire.

Matthew 5:17

"Think not that lam come to destroy the law, or the prophets: Jam not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

It is quite evident from the opening words of this text that Christ was reading the minds of His critics who were accusing Him of doing away with the law. He said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Instead of abolishing it, He was actually doing the opposite. The word "fulfil" means literally "to fill; to make full." The same word is used in Matthew 3:15 where Jesus spoke concerning His baptism: "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness."

There is nothing in the word which signifies "to bring an end to" or "abolish." The law and prophets included not just the Ten Commandments, but all the Old Testament writings. Christ fulfilled those Scriptures, just as He fulfilled all righteousness at His baptism, by obedience to them. Paul used the word in Colossians 1:25: "Whereof I am made a minister ... to fulfil the word of God." This does not mean to bring the word of God to an end, but rather to fully carry it out in obedience. In Romans 8:4, the sense is clearly revealed by the same word used in this sentence: "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Even those who seek to abolish the law must admit that the righteousness of those who walk after the Spirit is not "fulfilled" by being abolished. Yet this is the same word used in Matthew 5:17 to "fulfil" the law.

Finally, Paul gives a classic example of the word "fulfil" in Galatians 6:2: "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ." Not one Christian believes that the law of Christ has been abolished. Neither should any Christian feel that the "law and the prophets" have been abolished. Romans 13:8-10 tells how to fulfil the law of the Ten Commandments by obedience to it.

Matthew 5:19

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

This text does not mean that men who break God's commandments will get to heaven, even though in a minor position. Jesus was clearly stating the attitude that the kingdom will take toward those who break the least commandment, or teach others to do so. They will be counted totally unworthy of salvation. They are considered the very lowest of the low by heavenly beings. Verse 20 enlarges on the fate of such people in the most emphatic terms: They "shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 10:28

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Jesus clearly teaches in this text that the soul is not naturally immortal. It can and will be destroyed in hell. But what does He mean about killing the body, but not the soul? Is it possible for the soul to exist apart from the body? Some say it is, but the Bible indicates otherwise.

The Greek word "psuche" has been translated "soul" in this text, but in 40 other texts it has been translated "life." For example, Jesus said, "Whosoever will lose his life [psuche] for my sake shall find it." Matthew 16:25.

But what of Matthew 10:28? Put in the word "life" instead of "soul" and the text makes perfect sense in its consistency with the rest of the Bible. The contrast is between one who can take the physical life and Him who can take away eternal life. Proof lies in the words of Jesus: "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell." Luke 12:4, 5.

In other words, the word "soul" here means not only life, but eternal life. Notice that Luke says everything just like Matthew except that he does not say "kills the soul." Instead he says "cast into hell." They mean the same thing. Men can only kill the body and take away the physical life. God will cast into hell and take away eternal life. Not only will their bodies be destroyed in that fire, but their lives will be snuffed out for all eternity.

Matthew 15:11

"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

As a setting for this text, begin reading from verse 2. The Jews had a tradition requiring that the hands should be ceremonially washed after each contact with a Gentile. They chided Jesus and His disciples for not following the custom. Christ responded with the words of verse 11: "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

In verse 15, Peter said to Jesus, "Declare unto us this parable." Please notice that this is a parable and should not be literally applied. In fact, Jesus explained the parable so that we need not speculate about the meaning. He concluded His explanation with these words, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." Verses 19, 20.

Get the picture. The Jewish leaders were upset about the custom of ceremonial washing of hands, while at the same time, they had murder in their hearts toward Christ. Jesus was exposing the absurdity of their posture. The ceremonial uncleanness was only an imagined defilement. The evil thoughts were true defilement. The question of diet was not involved at all. There was no eating or drinking at the heart of the issue. It was ceremonial washing of the hands versus murder in the heart. One defiled, and the other did not.

Matthew 16:18

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Immediately after Peter's great confession of Christ as the Son of God, Jesus spoke the words of this text, "Thou art Peter" and Jesus used the same Greek word that is used 161 times in the New Testament for Simon Peter -- "Petros." In fact, the word "Petros" is never used for any other purpose in the New Testament than to designate Peter. The name means "pebble" or "rolling stone."

But then after Jesus called Peter by his name Petros, He said, "Upon this rock I will build my church." And this time Christ used the word "petra" for "rock." The word "petra" denotes a huge, unmoving boulder--a veritable Gibraltar. This word is never used to designate Peter. Instead it is used repeatedly to describe Jesus Himself, as in 1 Corinthians 10:4. In other words, the church was not built upon the unstable Peter (Petros), who had to be rebuked by Christ as Satan's agent in verse 23, but upon Christ (petra), the Rock of Salvation. Peter's confession of Jesus as the Son of God constituted a firm rock of truth also, but the shifting character of the unconverted Peter was not designated by Jesus as the church's foundation.

Please notice that, after Peter's confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus assured Peter, "You're right, and this was revealed to you from above. And I'm telling you, Peter, that on this foundation (or rock) I will found my church." It was that confessed truth of Christ's divinity which has been the Gibraltar base for the church through the ages.

Matthew 16:19

(See my comments on John 20:23)

Matthew 16:28

"Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

This verse can be understood only in the light of what immediately followed--the transfiguration. The very next verse describes that experience and how God spoke out of the cloud saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 17:5.

How did the appearance of Moses and Elijah relate to the coming of Jesus? And how can we know that Christ's words in Matthew 16:28 were referring to that event? The answer is in 2 Peter 1:16-18: "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount."

Please take note that this transfiguration experience, recorded by Peter, is described as the "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Why? Because Moses and Elijah appeared with Him on the mount. One of them was translated without seeing death, and the other experienced a special resurrection. Thus they represent all who will be saved at the second coming of Christ. Moses symbolized the saints who will be raised to eternal life at that time, and Elijah represented those who will be translated without seeing death.

Moses' resurrection is described in Jude 9, where Michael the archangel is pictured as contending with Satan over the body of Moses. Some have questioned if this experience really establishes the resurrection of Moses. But why else would the angel of the resurrection be by the graveside disputing over a body? Please note 1 Thessalonians 4:16, where the "voice of the archangel" will open the graves of the dead. Clearly the archangel was by Moses' grave for only one purpose--to raise him to life despite Satan's efforts to prevent it.

Matthew 18:18

"Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Prior to this text about binding and loosing, Jesus had been talking about the church taking action to disfellowship a member. In verse 15, Christ advised going alone to the one who has transgressed. If that doesn't work, He said, "Go again and take two or three witnesses." If they won't be reconciled after that, Jesus said take it to the church and "let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican."

When the church takes such an action to disfellowship an unworthy member from the body of Christ, Jesus assured that it would be confirmed in heaven. "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Verse 18. This was no bestowal of individual power on men, but an assurance of support for His church as it moved in harmony with His word to accept members into His body, and to uphold the highest standards for those members.

Matthew 22:31, 32

"Have ye not read that ... I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

It is often overlooked that Jesus was talking about the resurrection when He spoke these words. He did not mean that Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob were alive then, but they would be alive in the resurrection because He was the God who could give life to the dead.

Here's the full text which clarifies the matter: "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Verses 31, 32.

The topic under discussion was the resurrection, not the state of the dead. He alluded to those patriarchs only in their relation to the resurrection--an assurance that they would have a part in it. Romans 4:17 makes it clear that God "quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." Don't miss the point that, concerning the raising of the dead, God speaks of their resurrected life as though it were already accomplished.

Matthew 25:46

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

It is well to notice that Jesus did not say that the wicked would suffer "everlasting punishing." He said "everlasting punishment." What is the punishment for sin? "Them that know not God ... shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." 2 Thessalonians 1:9. There it is--plainly spelled out. The punishment is destruction, and it is of eternal duration. In other words, it is a destruction which never ends because there will be no resurrection from that destruction.

Paul says, "The wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23. John describes that death as "the second death" in Revelation 21:8. That death, or destruction, will be eternal.

Matthew 28:1

"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."

Some modern religionists contend, on the basis of this text, that the resurrection took place late Sabbath afternoon. They interpret the "end of the Sabbath" as drawing near its close, and "dawning toward the first day of the week" as approaching sunset on Saturday night.

This interpretation falls completely apart when we consider the account of Mark in the next gospel. He also describes the same women as they come to the tomb on Sunday morning. No one can deny that it was "very early in the morning the first day of the week ... at the rising of the sun." Mark 16:2.

Some have argued that these same women had been there late Sabbath afternoon and had found the tomb empty and Jesus' body gone. But this could not be. Why? Because Mark records their conversation as they approached the tomb on Sunday morning: "And they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" Mark 16:3.

If they had been there Sabbath afternoon and found the tomb empty, why would they ask for help to roll away the stone 12 hours later? The fact is that Matthew 28:1 is referring to the Sunday morning visit also. The word "dawn," as used in the Bible, invariably refers to the early morning as day breaks. It doesn't "dawn" toward sunset or darkness.

In the light of these facts, we can easily see that the words "in the end of the Sabbath" actually belong to the preceding verse. The translators had to separate the words, sentences, chapters, and verses as well as supply all the punctuation marks. The original inspired manuscript was just one solid line of letters, with no separation between words.

We have seen that the women came on Sunday morning to learn, for the first time, about the empty tomb. But something was done late Sabbath afternoon, in the end of the Sabbath. It is described in the preceding verse, Matthew 27:66: "So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch." How do we know when this sealing took place? Verses 62-64 tell us clearly: "Now the next day, that followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying

Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away."

This proves that the sealing took place on the Sabbath, following Friday, the preparation day. It also took place just before dark because the expressed fear was that the disciples might "come by night" and steal the body. So they hastened to set up their watch to guard the tomb as night approached.

Now we can perfectly understand the two verses with the proper division of the sentences: "So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch in the end of the sabbath. As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."

Mark 4:11, 12

"And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them."

The question raised here is whether Christ used parables to deliberately frustrate a certain class in their desire to be converted. Revelation 22:17 makes it plain that "whosoever will" may come and be accepted into the kingdom. "The Lord is ... longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. Obviously there is no intention of Christ to hide any truth that would lead a soul to repentance and conversion.

The meaning is clarified completely when we read the parallel account in Matthew's gospel. He gives the reason why they hear not and see not. "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." Matthew 13:15. Thus the arbitrary act of seeing is not on God's part, but theirs. Zechariah declared, "Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law." Zechariah 7:12.

Mark 9:43, 44

"And if thy hand offend thee, cut if off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

In this verse the word "hell" is translated from the Greek word "gehenna," which is another name for the valley of Hinnom located just outside the walls of Jerusalem. There the refuse and bodies of animals were cast into an ever-smoldering fire to be consumed. What might escape the flames was constantly being destroyed by maggots which fed on the dead bodies. Gehenna symbolized a place of total destruction.

Jesus taught in this verse that the fires of hell could not be quenched or put out by anyone. Isaiah said, "They shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame." Isaiah 47:14. Yet he hastened to say in the same verse that "there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it." So the unquenchable fire will go out after it has consumed the wicked as stubble. Jerusalem burned with unquenchable fire according to Jeremiah 17:27 when it was totally destroyed (2 Chronicles 36:19-21).

The flames and worms of "gehenna" represented the total annihilation and obliteration of sin and sinners. Earlier apostasy and idol worship in the valley of Hinnom (Jeremiah 32:35), and God's judgments on Israel as a consequence, marked it as a symbol of punishment and judgment. God warned in Jeremiah 7:31-33 that it would become the "valley of slaughter" where the "carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven." With the fires of "gehenna" burning before their eyes, Jesus could not have spoken a more graphic word to the Pharisees to describe the final, total destruction of sinners.

Those who cite this text to support their doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul are thrown into a real dilemma. Why? Because the fire and worms are working not upon disembodied souls, but bodies! According to Jesus, those who are cast into the lake of fire will go in bodily form, and this text confirms that truth. The verses before and after this text speak of the hands, feet, and bodies of those who suffer the Gehenna fire. In Matthew 5:30 Christ said, "the whole body" would be cast into hell.

In Isaiah 66:24, the same "gehenna" picture of hell is presented with the unquenchable flame and the destroying worms. But in this case the word "carcases" is used, revealing the fact that the fire consumes dead bodies, not disembodied souls. Speaking of the enemies of the Lord, Isaiah 51:8 says that "the worm shall eat them like wool"--a picture of being put out of existence.

Luke 9:60

"Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God."

This verse reveals one man's response to Christ's call of discipleship. From the context of this passage, it seems quite apparent that the man's father was not yet dead. If the father had been dead, the son would have had no opportunity to accompany Christ and the disciples. In that hot country, with no embalming, bodies had to be buried immediately. The man was asking to postpone following the Lord until his father had passed away and been buried.

Christ's answer exposed the procrastinator. It indicated the high priority of obedience. Nothing must stand in the way of instant response to the call of Jesus. The Bible speaks of a certain sinner being "dead while she liveth." 1 Timothy 5:6.

In Luke 9:60, Jesus was rebuking the man with these words: "Let the [spiritually dead bury their [physically] dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." In other words, make your decision while the call is strong and the conviction of truth is urgent. Delay could result in discouragement and loss of interest.

Luke 15:22

"But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet."

Some have used this Scripture to justify the wearing of jewelry, but remember that this story is a parable and all the characters and events are symbolic of spiritual realities. God is represented by the father in the story, and the children could be any of us who profess to be in His family.

Primarily the love and compassion of God is portrayed in dealing with the backslider. His willingness to forgive and accept the repentant prodigal stands out as the major theme. All the actions of the father toward the returning son represent specific attitudes of God in restoring those who seek forgiveness.

The placing of the father's coat around his son's rags symbolizes the imputed righteousness of God, which must cover our miserable sins and failures. The sign of servitude was removed when the father commanded that shoes be placed on his feet--an act signifying acceptance into the rights of sonship. Then, finally, the signet ring was placed on the prodigal's finger to represent the restoration to full authority in conducting the family business interests. Such rings were not worn as ornaments, but for the practical necessities of signing official documents and discharging legal obligations (Esther 3:10; 8:2). To use this parabolic incident to defend modern ornamentation is totally unreasonable and unbiblical.

Luke 16:16

"The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it."

The "law and the prophets" refers to all the writings of the Old Testament. Some who take a superficial view of this text conclude that the whole body of Old Testament Scriptures lost their authority when John began to preach. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus was merely stating that before John's ministry, the "law and the prophets" were all that men had. They constituted man's primary guide to salvation.

Was Jesus implying that those ancient Scriptures would end when the gospel began to be proclaimed? Not at all. The word "until" is used in other passages to show continuing force and application. Refer to Matthew 28:15 and Romans 5:14, where the same Greek word "mechri" is used.

Jesus emphatically affirmed the authority of the Old Testament scriptures, declaring that not a "jot" or "tittle" would be removed. In truth the only Bible available to the first generation New Testament church was the writings of the Old Testament. Believers found their strongest confirmation of faith in it. On one occasion Jesus set forth those writings as sufficient to guide men to heaven (Luke 16:29-31) Paul repeatedly appealed to the law and the prophets in support of his message (Acts 26:22; 28:23).

"Since that time" refers to the time since John began to preach, when additional light had been shining on the pathway of salvation. That new revelation of truth, especially through Christ and His teachings, had brought huge crowds into the way of light and truth. Jesus described it as "every man presseth into it."

Luke 16:22, 23

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom."

Either this story about the rich man and Lazarus is literally true or it is a parable. Here are four reasons why it could not possibly be literalistic:

1. The beggar died and was taken by the angels to Abraham's bosom. No one believes that Abraham's literal bosom is the abode of the righteous dead. It is a figurative or parabolic expression. Incidentally, the angels will gather the saints, but according to Matthew 24:31, this will take place at the coming of Jesus, not at a person's death.

2. Heaven and hell were separated by a gulf, and yet the persons in each could converse with each other. There are probably few individuals in the world who believe that this will be literally true of the saved and the lost (Luke 16:26).

3. The rich man was in hell with a body. He had eyes, a tongue, etc. (Luke 16:24). How did his body get into hellfire instead of into the grave? I know of no one who teaches that the bodies of the wicked go into hell as soon as they die. This story could not be literal.

4. The request for Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and come through the flames to cool the rich man's tongue is obviously not literal. How much moisture would be left and how much relief would it give? The whole story is unrealistic and parabolic.

The rich man undoubtedly represented the Jews in the parable because only a Jew would pray to "father Abraham." The beggar symbolized the Gentiles, who were counted unworthy to receive the truth. In Matthew 15:27, the Canaanite woman acknowledged that her people were beggars at the table of the Jews.

Christ probably chose the name of Lazarus to use in the parable because later he would actually raise Lazarus from the dead. And the climactic point of the entire parable is found in verse 31: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Sure enough, they didn't believe even when one named Lazarus was raised before them.

Luke 17:34-36

"I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left."

Secret rapture advocates take this text as evidence of secret coming of Christ to snatch away His saints. But to get the whole picture, begin reading in verse 26. Jesus describe Noah's day and Lot's day and said: "Even th