Romans 7:1 (KJV) Every Word of The Word

Romans 7:1 (KJV)
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Here is the challenge of the preacher; he ministers to a mixed multitude. At any given service his work must meet the needs of:

• Unbelievers
• New believers 
• Confused believers 
• Intellectual believers, 
• Anxious believers and 
• Mature and confident believers

Paul’s letter to the Romans was meant to reach the lost but it was also meant to grow the believers in the church, who were obviously both Jews and Gentiles. His method is helpful in that he plainly said to whom he meant; “I speak to them that know the law.”

Every word of The Word is beneficial to every person who hears it. If a portion is specifically addressed to one group it is still helpful to other groups. All should pay attention. But for the Preacher’s sake, plainly saying to whom he speaks is helpful for the continuity of his message.

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Romans 7:1 (KJV) Every Word of The Word

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Romans 6:15 (KJV) God Forbid

Romans 6:15 (KJV)
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

The term ,God forbid, carries with it emotion and passion. It isn’t merely a factual statement but one with earnest pleading. We all know that the grace of God through Christ has not eradicated the sin nature in us. Now we beg by the grace of God not to tread upon that grace.

• God forbid, expresses our longing for victory over the sin nature
• God forbid, challenges the tendency of license and liberality towards sin
• God forbid, leans upon the only source for mortifying sin in our flesh

This is no small thing. Sin must be attacked. It can never be taken for granted.

Certainly we cannot ignore or blithely tolerate it.

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Romans 6:15 (KJV) God Forbid

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Romans 5:15 (KJV) By One, Many

Romans 5:15 (KJV)
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

I read in the word, many:

• great hope 
• great relief and at the same time 
• great grief

The Bible says that by the offense of one, that is Adam, “many be dead.” Because of his sin we are all born with the sin nature and nature to sin. Because this sin separates us from God we are all born into this world dead in trespasses and sin and will go to the place of eternal separation from God in hell and the lake of fire. But this verse says “many be dead.” Not all. What hope! Though we are born dead we do not have to remain dead.

By one man many were made dead but by another, Jesus Christ, grace abounded to many. What relief! There is a means of grace for those who are dead. Being dead they could do nothing for themselves. There was no hope of forgiveness and reconciliation. Because of Christ grace is extended and reconciliation is offered. Those who are separated have by faith a path to God.

But it’s only the many who receive this gift, not the all. What grief! Grace is no respecter of persons. Any may have it; all may receive it but alas, only the many take God’s offer as their own.

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Romans 5:15 (KJV) By One, Many

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Isaiah 52:13-15 (KJV) God bless the United States of America

Isaiah 52:13-15 (KJV)
Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

John Gill,
“This is not to be understood of water baptism, for though this has been administered in many nations, yet not by Christ, nor done by sprinkling; … but better of the blood of Christ, called the blood of sprinkling, by which the conscience is purged from dead works, and the heart from an evil conscience, and by which multitudes of many nations are justified and sanctified”

While I do not believe this is best applied to the many kings of history that were brought under a supposed allegiance to Christ in either the Catholic or Protestant state churches, it has been demonstrably true that people of many nations, most especially European ones and the USA have come under the influence of Christ and true Christian principles. In very many cases those who have been in authority have come under that same Christian influence.

Mouths have been stopped. The most brazen plans of men have been hushed by the tenants that we’ve been taught in the Word.

Our most recent election is an example. Though neither of the major candidates has a firm Christian testimony, one is obviously influenced by those principles of Judeo-Christian faith and the other is an outspoken opponent not only of her opponent but of those very Judeo-Christian principles. On a number of occasions she

• Demeaned, 
• Dismissed and generally 
• Denied 

Christian thinking.

But, when she addressed the public and conceded her defeat, she referenced the Scriptures[1] and she closed with an appeal, “May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.”

[1] And NOT the Koran.

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Isaiah 52:13-15 (KJV) God bless the United States of America

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Romans 3:21-22 (KJV) Righteousness is Ours

Romans 3:21-22 (KJV)
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

“But now…” having demonstrated from chapter one through to the last half of this chapter that righteousness cannot be had by the Law, even the Law of God, another means of righteousness is presented. The remainder of this book is taken up primarily with this subject, “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ.”

This doctrine needs to be placed ever before us:

• First so those struggling under the law may find freedom by faith in Christ 
• Second so those who have this freedom don’t crawl back under the weight of that same Law

If human history teaches anything it teaches the propensity of man to bind himself to some form of religious duty. Such duty is never encouraged in God’s Word. We, who have found the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, have but two commandments

• Love the Lord thy God
• Love thy neighbor as thyself

Even these are not that we might attain to the righteousness of God but that we might walk as children of God.

Righteousness is ours, if we are saved.

Life for the saved is simply yielding more fully to the Spirit of God that Christ might live in us.

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Romans 3:21-22 (KJV) Righteousness is Ours

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Romans 2:15 (KJV) Accusing or Excusing

Romans 2:15 (KJV)
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

It is interesting that accusing and excusing one another’s sin is equally wrong.

AccusingThat’s making much of the sins of others, usually to make less of our own sins. It is often that a person reasons within himself or herself something like; “I know I am not perfect, but at least I am not a thief or a murderer or a liar.” The reality is that all of us have committed at least two of those three – we just don’t think of our theft or lies as egregious as someone else’s.

ExcusingThat’s making light of other’s sins, often as a means to make little of our own. If we justify sin, or even better in the eyes of fallen man, turn that sin into right. If we can give good cause for the sin, then we think we have somehow avoided the consequences of the sin.

But there is no getting out of sin without the cross of Jesus Christ. God’s salvation occurs with an admission of guilt and an appeal for mercy. God’s salvation happens when we flee to Calvary and not when we fight for our own dignity.

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Romans 2:15 (KJV) Accusing or Excusing

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Romans 1:32 (KJV) Nothing Demeaning

Romans 1:32 (KJV)
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

The news here in Washington State has been flooded with articles informing us that those in prison are no longer to be referred to as inmates or other titles that stigmatize them as unique from the rest of the state’s population. Guards would certainly not want to risk offending these honest participants in society with terms they view as derogatory or demeaning. Why, maybe we ought to restore to them every right of the citizen and hand out voter’s ballots right there in their cell!

The Word of God, in a passage already ignored and scoffed by our state in particular,[1] declares that in the last days those who deserve to be punished will not be and those in charge of them will take pleasure in them.

Seems like Washington State has fulfilled this prophecy.

[1] That would be Washington State.

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Romans 1:32 (KJV) Nothing Demeaning

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Acts 28:21-27 (KJV) Has “Negative Press” Dulled Your Ears?

Acts 28:21-27 (KJV)
And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

We have here an example of fresh (or so one might think) ears to the Gospel. These are Jews who, by their own admission, had received nothing negative concerning Paul.

• No letters had been sent to warn them about him
• No travelers had come telling their experiences with him

This sounds like “virgin soil,” an opportunity to preach the Gospel to those of his own kindred who had not been tainted by “negative press” against Paul. But when the meeting was through Paul’s judgment was that they, as were the Jews in general, blinded to the truth.

There is, planted within the text, an indication of the cause of this blindness; they had heard that the message of Christianity was, “every where spoken against.” They listened to a message they had never heard with a prejudice against it simply because they knew Jews everywhere were against it.

We have to take care that we understand our own ability to receive the truth of God’s Word is tainted by what we know others think. It may be that we listen with what we believe is an open ear and clear eyes when in fact our ears are dull and our eyes darkened by the veil of the notions of others.

• To reject a thing because we have given it a fair hearing and find it to be false has merit. 
• To reject it because we are, even unwittingly, biased against it is tragic. 

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Acts 28:21-27 (KJV) Has “Negative Press” Dulled Your Ears?

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Isaiah 47:10 (KJV) Success Has Perverted Us

Isaiah 47:10 (KJV)
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

The passage is a judgment against Babylon. God had lifted her up and used her as an instrument for refining the Jews. There were some notable conversions in Babylon but the end result was that she became lifted in pride. Wickedness became her faith and she refused to believe God would hold her accountable. God pronounced this judgment against her, “Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee…”

Could not the same be said of those leaders in modern United States? God has obviously and I believe miraculously used the United States of America. Our history is replete with accounts of blessings from the hands of Providence. No land has produced a greater number of leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs and wealthy. Why, we chose to go to the moon and, within a decade, did it, Just to show the world we could.

But our wisdom, our knowledge our success has perverted us.  We no longer believe we need God. We believe we can rule in our own wisdom.   Officials in the highest offices of our nation, all the way to the men[1] in our pulpits have abandoned the sure truth of the Bible for what they believe to be a higher wisdom.

• We need revival. 
• We need a general repentance.  
• We need a humbling that recognizes that there is no God beside Him.

[1] And, regretfully, women.

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Isaiah 47:10 (KJV) Success Has Perverted Us

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Acts 27:15 (KJV) Praise God For One Who Still Believes

Acts 27:15 (KJV)
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

If we think of:

• the sea as the course of human life, 
• the ship as the vessel which carries us across that course and 
• the storm as the raging opposition of our adversary the devil 

then we see a type in this chapter of the calamity that we find ourselves now in.

Men have, against all the counsel of God, set sail into waters God never intended man to be.

• Immorality 
• Licentiousness 
• Debauchery
• Drunkenness and drugs

are a small sampling of the waters ill advised men have run themselves into.

Now the storms of these waters have grown so fierce we know not how to navigate them. We have let loose the rudder to be driven wherever those storms will take us. There seems to be:

• no direction, 
• no compass, 
• no instrument 

with which to find salvation.

Praise God He has not lost us. In the midst of the worst times we may thank God there is

• One person still who believes God 
• One person who hears and obeys His voice
• One person who bends the knee to pray for His grace

If this picture holds up then we may also take comfort that the storm did not ruin them, though nearly so. They were driven to a place of safety.

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Acts 27:15 (KJV) Praise God For One Who Still Believes

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Isaiah 44:8 (KJV) God Knows No Other God

Isaiah 44:8 (KJV)
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. 

No wonder we have no reason to fear or be afraid. God has said the truth in so many different ways and over so much time, that Israel was a witness to, and two thousand years of Christian history testifies it to be true.

God is the true, the living and the only God.

God, who knows all things, knows no other God.

• What greater assurance is there?
• What further evidence is needed?

We have no need to fear. Worshiping and dedicating ourselves to God is the right thing.

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Isaiah 44:8 (KJV) God Knows No Other God

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Isaiah 42:19 (KJV) When God Seems Blind and Deaf

Isaiah 42:19 (KJV)
Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?

Jamieson, Fausset, Brown,
“The language, “my servant” (compare Isa 42:1), “messenger” (Mal 3:1), “perfect” (Rom 10:4; Heb 2:10; 1Pe 2:22), can, in the full antitypical sense, only apply to Christ. So Isa 42:21 plainly refers to Him. “Blind” and “deaf” in His case refer to His endurance of suffering and reproach, as though He neither saw nor heard (Psa 38:13, Psa 38:14). Thus there is a transition by contrast from the moral blindness of Israel (Isa 42:18) to the patient blindness and deafness of Messiah [Horsley].”

The context of the chapter make is plain that the One in view in this verse is Jesus Christ.

He is the servant and the messenger of vs one.He and He alone is perfect.

But we do not think of Him as blind and deaf do we?The view, I believe, takes us back to vs 2-4 and the patience of the Lord:

• In suffering for our sake
• In not defending Himself in His trial
• In withholding judgment against those who persecute his own
• In forgiving our sins, though we have so brazenly committed them

Do we not often wonder why God seems to be so blind to the wickedness in this world and so deaf to our prayers for revival and for His return? Do we not frequently cry out for help and feel crushed that the Lord seems so slow to answer?

It is the righteous act of the Lord that He is patient and slow to wrath. It is His grace coupled with mercy that He keeps a perfectly blind eye and deaf ear to the injustices of this world. It is in His perfect righteousness that he patiently and persistently waits until those we would never have thought possible come to saving faith and those who we surely thought were saved, reveal themselves to be pretenders.

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Isaiah 42:19 (KJV) When God Seems Blind and Deaf

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Acts 25:16 (KJV) Roman Model of Justice

Acts 25:16 (KJV)
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

The Roman system was far from perfect but it seems obvious why the founders of the United States looked to the ancient Roman government as a pattern for the one they would create. In this one instance, while there were injustices, an attempt at treating Paul fairly and justly is apparent.

• Festus did not require Paul to be drug back to Jerusalem at the whim of his accusers but placed the burden upon the accusers 
• When an obvious judgment could not be given two options for appeal were available to Paul and his own choice was accepted
• Before being sent to Caesar, every opportunity to gather evidence for the higher officials was made

When everything was said and done, Paul became the victim of a fickle Caesar. Still, there is an impressive model for justice here.

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Acts 25:16 (KJV) Roman Model of Justice

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Acts 24:25-27 (KJV) What If Our Need Isn’t Met?

Acts 24:25-27 (KJV)
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

God owns the wealth in every mine. Money is no problem for God. I have personally witnessed God providing again and again in unexpected, and abundant ways.

That said, God doesn’t always give us money.

Felix, the Bible says, would have released Paul for the right amount of money.

• He did not believe the accusations made against him. 
• He was moved (though not to conversion) by his message and 
• He had the authority to release him. 

All he lacked was money. Whether it was a bribe, a fine or a bond, it did not happen. For two years Paul stayed, at liberty to have visitors and preach the Word but still a prisoner. The money never came.

It isn’t always the plan of God to give us the money. I have witnessed God do some of the most amazing things, providing us money and materials by the tens of thousands of dollars, but I have also asked for things that haven’t come.

Paul never grew bitter with God. He never softened his message. He never backed away and grew quite because God didn’t give him what he wanted.  Paul lived for God regardless:

• Wholeheartedly, 
• Passionately 

with

• Conviction, 
• Joy and confident 
• Faith

We ought to do the same.

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Acts 24:25-27 (KJV) What If Our Need Isn’t Met?

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Acts 23:1 (KJV) A Good Conscience Still Gets Convicted

Acts 23:1 (KJV)
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Imagine the pressure Paul was under at this moment. He had been:

• captured, 
• threatened, 
• mistreated and 
• misunderstood

Things he had done and said, that were intended to calm and convince the audience of his accusers, had backfired into an inferno of violent and irrational behavior. He was an experienced and successful articulator of the doctrines of the Christian faith but he had been utterly incapable of pacifying much less convincing this crowd.

Paul now stands before the one group powerful enough to make all of this go away. He begins with the thought; “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

Likely our first impression is that Paul has in mind, “Since I got saved.” I want to entertain the argument that is not what he meant. Perhaps he meant that all of his mature life he had lived in a growing and ever developing path towards the knowledge of God.

• He had a good conscience about studying under Gamaliel
• He had a good conscience about practicing the faith of the Pharisees 
• He had a good conscience about witnessing and endorsing the stoning of Stephen
• He had a good conscience about persecuting, binding and hunting down Christians 

until the day he met Christ on that road to Damascus. After which:

• He had a good conscience about giving his life to Christ 
• He had a good conscience about telling as many of his brethren as possible about the Lord and
• He had a good conscience about winning all the Gentiles he could to the very same Lord

All of us are in a state of growing consciousness concerning things around us and concerning those things that are spiritual. For that reason, while it is important to live in all good conscience, it is essential that we do not trust our conscience exclusively. It can lead us astray. We need a higher rule with which to guide us. We need God’s Word.

Saul of Tarsus lived in all good conscience toward God even before his salvation but the Bible tells us that he did live under conviction even then.

• He wrestled with the evil that he would not but did anyway and
• He kicked against the pricks of the Holy Spirit

Live with a good conscience, obey the Word of God and don’t ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

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Acts 23:1 (KJV) A Good Conscience Still Gets Convicted

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Isaiah 39:4-6 (KJV) No Matter How Innocent…

Isaiah 39:4-6 (KJV)
Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

It seems to me that Merodachbaladan’s intentions in sending ambassadors to Hezekiah were sincere.

• Hezekiah saw no threat in their visit
• Babylon was not an enemy at this time, Assyria was and Babylon had challenged Assyria
• Merodachbaladan was not the Babylonian who eventually captured Jerusalem; that would not happen for decades. 

But a seed was planted in Babylon at this moment, a seed that would grow into the overthrow of Jerusalem.

I am reminded that sincere intentions can have dramatic consequences if they are not guided by Biblical instruction:

• An attempt to rescue someone from a pit of bondage can lead to bondage
• A relationship intended to reach a soul for Christ can turn into an inappropriate relationship 
• A meaningless act, like giving a friend a ride has led to numbers of people being unwittingly involved in a crime and ending up in prison 
• A look at something inappropriate may plant a seed of immortality that takes years to mature but finally ends in destruction

No matter how innocent our intentions may be it is always right to follow the Bible’s instructions.

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Isaiah 39:4-6 (KJV) No Matter How Innocent…

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Acts 21:2-4 (KJV) Put Down Your Burdens Here and There

Acts 21:2-4 (KJV)And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

A ship is built to transport burdens. It is not build to store them and carry them forever.

The ship would stop at one port to pick up a burden and stop again to unlade the same. It would serve no purpose for the ship to sail always empty but neither would it to sail without unlading. The point is not to carry but to transport.

There is a picture here of the profitable Christian. It is worthless for him to

• never serve, 
• never grow in grace 
• never bear a burden 

But it is equally useless for him to bear burdens needlessly.

A burden without purpose is wasted weight.
A burden that is never unlade is devastating to the ship.

The profitable Christian learns the plan of God and employs himself in bearing that burden. He or she also unloads the burden for new ones from time to time. He discovers a destination for the glory of God and makes that voyage. From there he discovers the next destination and gives his all to it. It is a series of ports to his final destination. Once this current voyage is completed, and not before, the focus is set on the next.

Profitability is found not in living burden free or in carrying needless burdens. The profitable Christian simply transports the plan of God for his life from one port to the next until he reaches home.

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Acts 21:2-4 (KJV) Put Down Your Burdens Here and There

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Isaiah 36:21 (KJV) Well Placed for Blessing

Isaiah 36:21 (KJV)
But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

The exchange between Rabshakeh and Hezekiah (through his representatives) is an amazing one in my mind. Having had some experience in leadership, this passage is an incredible test of the same:

It is all handled through representatives.It is representatives of Hezekiah we hear from most (even Rabshakeh is merely a spokesman for Sennacherib). One would think a matter of this importance would demand the King’s personal attention. Hezekiah believed his attention was better spent with God.

Rabshakeh appealed to the common people rather than the officials.Evil men always go to those they believe they are most likely to sway, not those whose devotion and loyalty has been proven. Never trust a man who tries to circumvent authorities.

Hezekiah’s command not to answer Rabshakeh’s accusations was heeded.Those unproven common people soundly rejected Rabshakeh by fully honoring their king’s command. Good for them!

It is no wonder that God gave such a victory as is recorded here. The king knew where his real priorities lay and the people loyally followed his leadership. That put them in a position to receive God’s blessing.

To my readers:
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Isaiah 36:21 (KJV) Well Placed for Blessing

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