God Knows My Heart

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” [Luke 2.25-35] 

Is there significance that resultant to Jesus' Advent the deepest thoughts of many hearts would be revealed?

Yes, in fact, there is. The prophet Jeremiah spoke about the human heart:

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [Jeremiah 17.9]

If the human heart is the most deceitful thing there is, and Jesus revealed that deceit, what was it about Jesus that accomplished that? What did Jesus say that revealed the human hearts' deceit?

It is my belief that Jesus said many things that revealed deceit in the human heart. But first, we should understand what that deceit actually is. To do so, we need only to understand the context of Jeremiah's exposé of the human heart in Jeremiah 17.9. The undeniable context of Jeremiah's prophecies was God's dealings with His people regarding their idolatry.

Now, if we consider references to the heart found in Matthew's Gospel alone, much can be learned. Take a moment to see those references here. While every "heart" reference found in Matthew's Gospel has eternal significance, one of those references clearly identifies the idolatry problem:

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ [Matthew 13.15]

How does Matthew 13.15 identify idolatry? Because Matthew 13.15 is almost verbatim idolatry terminology!

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 115.4-8]

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 135.15-18] 

Idolatry, at its basest, is a sin of the heart. It is in fact the original sin committed by Adam and Eve when they doubted God's intent in forbidding that they eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Instead of trusting God for what He actually said, they, at Satan's lying suggestion, put their self interests above God's Word. And, from then up to this very day, man has, from the heart, made self-centric decisions believing lies and effectively doubting God. 

In pure self interest, man has made for himself idols to do for himself what God promised He would do for those who obey Him (blessings). Man's idols offer remedies that require no repentance from man for his curse-causing disobedience to God (see Deuteronomy 28). Every financial problem, tragedy, sickness and difficulty in life is the result of sin. Every effort (way) of man to remedy these problems instead of repenting is idolatry. God's attitude about idolatry is no secret: He strictly forbids it in any way, shape, form, or fashion.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

And here is where Jesus' directive to His followers becomes even more demanding:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

What "way" should we suppose Jesus was talking about? Our clue is the fact that Jesus said "your own way." "Your own" way cannot be God's way. If it's not God's way, then it is self-centered - it is idolatry. For the record, Jesus did not say "dial it back a little" but instead, "give it up."

The human heart's deceit is its self-centeredness. Man's self-centeredness is what Jesus' entire life and ministry shed light on. That self-centeredness is addressed head-on in Matthew 16.24. Indeed Jesus revealed (and reveals) the deepest thoughts of many hearts.

Father in heaven, in just my 2nd day reading in the New Testament this year in the One Year Chronological Bible, there is no break in Your Bible-long focus on overcoming idolatry in man so that Your might redeem him. May this truth no longer be cloaked by powerless Word-less religion (an idol unto itself) but instead be revealed as the power of Your Holy Spirit displaces it in those who are truly students of Your Word - those who actually give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

The Great Disconnect - Today's Cheap Grace

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1.1] 

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. [Psalm 119.105]

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. [John 1.14] 

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. [John 1.16-18] 

He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. [Psalm 103.7] 

If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” [John 14.7] 

Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. [John 14.11] 

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24] 

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12] 

Jesus was identified by the Father's works done through Him.

Who are we identified by?

There is a great disconnect when, instead of giving up our way of idolatry, we hold onto it.

There is a great disconnect when instead of taking up our cross we do everything in our power to "live" ...the self-centric essence of all idolatry.

There is a great disconnect when instead of following Jesus... we don't. 

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ [Matthew 7.21-23]

God's laws??? Can we please narrow that down just a bit?

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. [Matthew 22.37-38]

Jesus effectively narrowed down the first three Commandments in Matthew 22.37-38. It is not ironic what the first three Commandments deal with:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7] 

I am not so concerned with making my theology match the popular and powerless - and therefore faithless - "grace" religion of today. But what I am concerned with is making my theology match God's Word - and, in particular, Jesus Christ, Who said I must abide by the greatest commandment. I do not deny the grace of God. However, there is no grace where there is no faith no matter how much we "claim" otherwise, because faith without works is dead (James 2.17).

No one holding onto worldly idols will enter the Kingdom of God. Too harsh??? Well then, do we suppose Jesus was too harsh?

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Yes, the will of the Father is found in performing all manner of miraculous works, but, the will of the Father is not complete in performing all manner of miraculous works... There is the matter of keeping God's laws that Jesus narrowed down in Matthew 22.37-38 above - which, in plain language is to trust/love only God and not a single idol. One cannot love God and trust man-made idols.

We should stop trying to make God's Word fit our theology and spend more time making our theology fit God's Word - Jesus Christ!

Today's popular (but cheap) grace is greatly disconnected from Jesus and attached instead to all manner of idols, the absolute worst of which is the idol of religion. Religion is the greatest offender because religion "allows" God's people to adulterously trust a plethora of man-made idols named under the broad categories of finance, insurance, medicine and technology.

The Bible is clear. Religion is clouded. We must trust the Bible. We must trust the Word of God. We must trust Jesus.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. [John 14.6]

Father, I have a Bible-inspired desire to give up my own way - the way of idolatry - I have a Bible-inspired desire to take up my cross - the way of total God-centeredness - and, I have a Bible-inspired desire to follow Jesus... Help me take the first real faith-step (and every subsequent faith-step) to genuinely connect with You as I genuinely and realistically follow Jesus. So be it.

To Misinterpret Curses Is To Miss God

“I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’ [Malachi 3.6-7] 

Is not the question in the passage above not what the "Church" today stands on?

As Malachi 1 reveals, God has ALWAYS made a distinction between those who are His and those who are not:

“I have always loved you,” says the LORD. But you retort, “Really? How have you loved us?” And the LORD replies, “This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau’s inheritance into a desert for jackals.” [Malachi 1.2-3]

When there is no distinction between those who are God's and those who are not, God is not the problem.

The things Malachi points out among God's people in his day, are, in fact evident as problems in God's people today. There is no significant distinction between God's people and the world. Let's look at the main points Malachi makes:

1. A total disregard for holiness. Malachi 1.6-14 points to the giving of blind, crippled and diseased animals for sacrifice making no distinction between what is cursed and blessed.

2. A lackadaisical attitude toward idolatry. Malachi 2.10-12 points to idolatry: idols tolerated and even welcomed through marriage to foreign (idolatrous) women.

3. A disregard for marriage. Malachi 2.13-16 points to adultery and divorce.

4. A denial of evil. Malachi 2.17 points to the blurring of lines between good and evil to the extent of calling evil good.

5. A refusal to acknowledge God as Provider. Malachi 3.8-12 points out the error of not giving back to God the tithe that signifies that all comes from God.

6. A false estimation of God. Malachi 3.13-15 points out the futility that results from living the world's way.

In fact, God's people today fail to see the call to repentance found in blindness, incapacitation and disease (representative of all the curses found in Deuteronomy 28.15-68 - see Why Blind, Incapacitated, Diseased Animals Were Unacceptable). Instead, God's people, like the world, attribute all these conditions to "random occurrences." In that attribution, these curses are not seen as a call to repentance, but instead serve only to confirm the need for man-made solutions - idols...

In fact, God's people today fail to see idolatry in all our man-made solutions to remedy 'randomly occurring conditions' (the Bible calls curses).

In fact, God's people today fail to see that we, like the world, suffer all the same damage to marriage in our own ranks as does the world.

In fact, God's people today fail to see evil for what it is, just like the world, even calling it good.

In fact, God's people today fail to see that more of our people don't tithe than do, just like the world.

In fact, God's people today fail to see the numbers of "believers" among ourselves that are unsure of their standing with God.

There is an unmistakable digression obvious in Malachi's prophecy that cannot be denied: God's people, rife with worldly knowledge and ignorant of God's Word, 1) misinterpret curses, 2) remedy those curses with idols, 3) fall into all manner of domestic and sexual pitfalls promoted by those idols, 4) lose the ability to distinguish between good and evil, 5) lose connection with God as Provider, and ultimately, 6) struggle to see the point in serving God at all.

The digression above all starts with not understanding curses. If God's people don't understand curses, we have missed the most clear indicator God provided for us to understand Him and the significance of His Son, Jesus Christ. In our misinterpretation of curses, we miss God. In our misinterpretation of curses, we have no understanding of blessings - no distinction in our lives about what is "God" (good) and what is not.

The condition above should be expected of the world without God, but completely different among those who know God and His Word... but therein lies the problem:

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. [Hosea 4.6]

People who do not know God, even though they exist among "God's people" today, still proudly and defensively ask ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’  just like the people of Malachi's day. And, if they do not understand that they have gone away and are cursed, they have no basis whatsoever to understand Jesus:

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]

The "Church" largely avoids this topic today because it is just too overwhelming. The implications are simply too much. And so, instead of taking Jesus' words in Matthew 16.24 seriously, we console themselves with abstractness not realizing that in so doing we exhaustively disqualify ourselves as followers of Jesus:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

As God would have it, Malachi's prophecy is among the last prophecies written some 400 years before Jesus' Advent. Was that a coincidence?

Father, I know the implications of what is suggested here are overwhelming. But, that is as it should be if we really want to know what Your Word teaches us... Help us to see the plethora of idols we currently trust to remediate curses instead of repenting and trusting You for Your blessings. Help us to see how we have blurred the lines between what is good and evil in our embrace of idols. Help us see our need to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

Why Blind, Incapacitated, Diseased Animals Were Unacceptable

When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. [Malachi 1.8] 

Why was it wrong to offer blind, crippled, or diseased animals as sacrifices to God?

It wasn't because they were blind, crippled or diseased, but because of why they were blind, crippled, or diseased...

Here is where we need to read and understand Deuteronomy 28.15-68. Blindness, incapacitation, and disease are all curses for man's disobedience - they always have been and always will be. 

As curses, the undesirable human conditions (and many others described in Deuteronomy 28.15-68) are unacceptable to God Who is, and requires, perfect holiness. If blindness, incapacitation and disease were not associated with disobedience, it might be different, but, that is not the case. Blindness, incapacitation and disease are as nasty as the idolatry and the subsequent sin against God they represent.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise to us that Jesus, as the Great Reconciler of Man Unto God, came to earth healing the sick and raising the dead. It should furthermore be of no surprise that Jesus instructed his followers to do the same things.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

What's more, prophecies of Jesus long before His Advent, revealed what Jesus would do with these curses:

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [Isaiah 53.4-5] 

Jesus undeservedly, but intentionally received and died in these our curses, took them to hell where they belong, broke free of them there, and ascended to the Father in heaven without even the smell of smoke. But Jesus did all this at a huge risk - the risk that man would not believe it and therefore not receive the benefit of His having done it.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” [John 3.16-21]

The "judgment" Jesus spoke of in John 3.16-21 can only be the curses described in detail in Deuteronomy 28.15-68 ultimately leading to physical and then spiritual death. Faith in Jesus transports the believer by association with Him into the realm of "no judgment" - no curses.

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13] 

So, the proverbial "elephant in the room" looms... "Why do 'believers' still suffer curses?" Let's ask ourselves this question in another, more revealing way: "Why do people call themselves believers when they still suffer curses that God says identify them as unbelievers?" We find the obvious answer to this question in God's Word, but we refuse to consider the implications of it:

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [Jeremiah 17.9]

The One Who knows how bad it is, is the One Who indicates how bad it is through curses. Curses do not lie because God did not lie when He said that they are the just reward for disobedience.

Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight. [Proverbs 26.2 NKJV]

The fact is, Jesus could not have come to earth and NOT perform miracles! Jesus could not redeem anyone from curses except that healing was the result. Jesus' followers can have no less results!

But, what about those who cried Lord, Lord...?

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ [Matthew 7.21-23] 

Performing miracles in Jesus' name is not the same as believing in Jesus' name. According to Jesus in Matthew 7.21-23, it is entirely possible to perform miracles in His name without ever being known by Him. Notice that those who cried Lord! Lord! were not necessarily recipients of the miracles they passed on - Jesus' reply, "I never knew you," would confirm this. Everyone Jesus encountered in the New Testament was spiritually and, as needed, physically "healed" as a result.

The Bible is actually quite clear on all of this. It is religion that has made it difficult - proud religion that refuses to acknowledge the obvious implications of curses, deceptively damning would-be believers to the fate of unbelievers excusing their curses as "random" entirely usurping Jesus' demand to repent and believe. Religion denies that curses are a 'cut and dry' indicator of idolatry (violation of the first three Commandments) and the sin it propagates (violation of the last six Commandments). Consequently, religion today is idolatrous, sinful, and lacking the power of God demonstrated and commanded by Jesus (Who happens to be the 4th Commandment Sabbath Rest).

In light of all this, Jesus' demand in Matthew comes into laser-precision focus:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

If we can see it, grace is found in 'giving up our own way' - giving up our self-centric idolatry that includes religion and all other man-made idols. Grace is found in 'taking up our cross' - owning up to the fact that curses don't lie - that every curse we experience is deserved and indicates our need to repent and believe in Jesus. And then... grace is found as we follow Jesus mirroring Him in every word and action - effectively evangelizing the world.

If however, we fail to understand (intentionally or unintentionally) why blind, incapacitated or diseased animals were unacceptable to God, not one bit of what is said here will make sense. Perhaps this is precisely why Jesus made this harrowing prediction ...to jog our senses:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Father, help me to understand what Your Word has being saying all along. Help me to see that all my religious cheap-grace explanations and self-centric living is the broad highway to the wide gate of hell. Help me to see that if I look like everyone else then I am without question on that highway to hell. Help me to see that unless I give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Jesus - distinctly looking and acting like Him, then I am NOT one of the few. So be it.

I Still Have To Live (Right?)

So all Israel was listed in the genealogical records in The Book of the Kings of Israel. The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon because they were unfaithful to the LORD. [1 Chronicles 9.1] 

No matter how distracted we may get with the details of the Old Testament, we cannot underestimate the significance of what is said in 1 Chronicles 9.1. God wants a faithful people and, His people who were not faithful suffered over and again for their unfaithfulness.

The first three of the Ten Commandments reveal what faithfulness looks like. Faithfulness is strictly and unmistakably God-centric:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

Unfaithfulness, on the other hand, is not strictly God-centric but is instead centered around any number of things starting with "self." The way of unfaithfulness is self-centric.

A God-centric life revolves around God and a self-centric life revolves around itself. While a self-centric life may indeed make allowance for God, in contrast, a God-centric life makes no allowance whatsoever for self.

As should be expected, Jesus told us and showed us what a God-centric life looks like:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

While we sincerely want to believe that "Jesus paid it all" by His being faithful on our behalf, we relieve ourselves of our responsibility to "give up our own way" in order to enjoy what He did for us. In assumed god-like authority, we selfishly defend our non-compliance declaring, "I still have to live" (as if we have higher priority than Jesus). Jesus however, was not vague about the requirement to give up your own way and refuted any notion of the statement, "I still have to live" with His demand (not suggestion) to take up your cross. 

Like His Father God in the first three of the Ten Commandments, Jesus demands all-or-nothing faithfulness to Himself: you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

What's amazing is that in our "I still have to live" rebellion, we wonder why we experience all manner of curses for disobedience! All the while, the Bible repeats over and again that God's people suffered for their disobedience - specifically, their idolatry - their unfaithfulness to God and God ALONE. All the while, we maintain a firm grip on our man-made idols... because we "still have to live" ...and wonder why we still suffer.

Father, everything in my mind and intellect wants to find a work-around to Jesus' demand in Matthew 16.24. I know there are literally millions of books, doctrines, and theologies out there that allow a reasonable "work-around"  excusing our "I still have to live" reasoning, but I don't find any of those work-around's firmly rooted in Your Word. Your Commandments and Jesus are both very clear about my undivided faithfulness to You. May I be found giving up my own way, taking up my cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

Blasphemy - What Most Christians Don't Want To Hear

“But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. [Nehemiah 9.16-18] 

In this section of Nehemiah, a backstory of God's people is given. This backstory is actually included in a prayer following three hours of God's Word being read to the people followed by three hours of confession of sins and worship of God. The text indicates the people stood this entire time.

I discovered information today contained within the text of Nehemiah 9.16-18 that provides a huge revelation in regard to understanding "blasphemy."

...even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. [Nehemiah 9.18]

It was blasphemy to attribute "God-accomplishments" (Israel's miraculous deliverance from Egypt) to the calf idol Israel made.

How does this relate to us today? Most Christians, including myself, don't want to hear the answer... But. let's explore the facts anyway...

Man made the industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology just like Aaron made the gold calf. Man has increasingly grown to trust and rely on these industries for the benefits they provide - benefits God said He would provide... 

There is no irony whatsoever that while Israel was making their calf idol, Moses was on Mt Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God. 

THINK! There is a very good reason the 3rd commandment follows the 2nd Commandment! In His infinite wisdom, God gave the 1st Commandment to establish that He ALONE is God. From there, God knew that when man failed the 1st Commandment, he would begin to manufacture idols thus, God gave the 2nd Commandment. Then, knowing the way it would go, God gave the 3rd Commandment because He knew that man would then attempt to justify his idols by claiming they are gods, or worse, claiming that they are the works of God (in misuse of God's name), when in fact, they are purely the works of man.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

"God's people" today vehemently defend man's idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology (just to name the most obvious ones) in pure blasphemy. It is stubborn and rebellious violation of the 3rd Commandment.

It is blasphemy when man claims that his man-made industries are God's way to provide him with benefits.

Here is an excellent question: when have you ever heard one of man's major idol industries declare that they are a gift from God? Or, how about this: when have you ever heard one of man's idol industries give glory to God? In fact, it is only God's people who make these silly blasphemous claims!

The reality in all of this is that, in God's people's vehement and blasphemous insistence that their idols are not idols, God's miraculous blessings are withheld (as the 2nd Commandment warns) and they perceive and therefore justify that they need their idols only that much more.

No amount of "faith teaching" can overcome the curses for idolatry because faith in God will not fight against faith in idols. Jesus revealed this universal principle:

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. [Matthew 12.25-30]

What's more, in Matthew chapter 12, Jesus addressed blasphemy against the Spirit of God which, in context, was the religious people's claim that the power of the Holy Spirit seen in Jesus' works were instead the works of Satan. The principle Jesus taught was that faith in God cannot share space with faith in Satan and neither can faith in Satan share space with faith in God.

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. [Matthew 12.33]

And, speaking of "fruit" how can God's people even begin to attribute the benefits of man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology to God and His power when, in their public advertisements, they all openly depict homosexuality, transgenderism, and the likes (that God detests) as normal behavior? 

God NEVER suggested or even hinted that man should look anywhere but to Him ALONE for provision, protection, health, or knowledge. But, in man's impatient and insatiable appetite for self-preservation, he created his own gods to provide benefits for himself and then, in the same guilt Adam and Eve revealed in the Garden of Eden, God's people blasphemously justify "covering themselves."

For the record, every mention of God's people here is a mention of me. I find myself waiting on a wave of God's people to see the truth of God's Word ridding themselves of their idols before I "jump in" myself... What I really need to be doing is reconciling with Jesus:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

Father, once again, I find myself at an impasse with myself as Your Word reveals my true self. Your Word could not be more clear - You detest idols - You detest Your people trusting in anything to any degree instead of or in addition to You. You detest and strictly forbid Your people claiming that our man-made idol industries have anything whatsoever to do with You. Jesus was just as clear in demanding that I give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Him. May I be found following Jesus even if I am found alone so doing. May I be found methodically giving up every idol that I have intentionally or unintentionally become beholding to. So be it.

God's Word Changes Things

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” [Nehemiah 8.9-10] 

God's Word changes things. Two things are made clear about God's Word here: 1) it brings remorse, and 2) it brings rejoicing.

From the context however, it seems that remorse was a natural emotion to God's Law, while rejoicing was a choice.

If we back up, we see something else about in regard to the Law of God that carries great significance. 

Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet. [Nehemiah 8.4-5]

We have no indication that the people were told to stand, but that it was a voluntary action of honor. 

And then, something else occurred resultant to the Law being read to the people:

Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. [Nehemiah 8.6] 

After reading the Law, Ezra praised God, the people chanted, "Amen!" with raised hands and then they bowed down and worshiped God with their faces to the ground. Oh, and it was men, women, and children old enough to understand.

We would be amiss however to fail to see how it all started:

In October, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey. [Nehemiah 8.1]

The people asked Ezra to read the Law of God to them.

Here would be a good place to stop and read all of Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is all about God's Law - His Commandments - His Word. Psalm 119 reveals a deep desire for God's Law that is sadly all but completely absent in "God's people" today.

The thing is, without this deep desire for God's Word, everything else that took place was just protocol - lifeless liturgy. 

I am going to share my experience with God's Word here because it is relevant to this topic. 

In the year 2006, I began a practice that I had little idea would affect my life as much as it has. Although I had some experience trying to read the Bible through before that time, I had never had any measurable success at it. No matter how zealously I started, it typically fizzled. In mid-2006, I began to make myself write something in response to my daily reading.

Words fail to accurately describe what transpired from 2006 to the present 2026, but try to imagine something unexpected taking place. From the beginning of my somewhat forced "liturgical" practice of reading and writing until now, I have witnessed a change in my understanding of God and His Word; I have witnessed a growing desire for God's Word. I would say I am developing a deep desire for God's Word! My day starts with a welcome anticipation of God's Word - I honestly look forward to it.

Today marks my #6,901 writing in response to God's Word! And, since January of 2015 until today, I have not missed a single day of reading the Word of God and writing a response. I am not proudly reveling in this fact, but instead, humbly rejoicing in it because "I know me"! I know the early struggles to make myself read and force myself to write something. I know what it is like to read Psalm 119 and absolutely not "get it" and now I know what it is to read Psalm 119 and feel like I could have written it myself! SOMETHING HAS CHANGED!

My testimony here is not that I now understand all there is to know about God's Word. Far from it!! In fact, the more I learn of God's Word - His Law - the more I realize how little I actually know it - BUT I KNOW FOR SURE NOW HOW MUCH I WANT TO UNDERSTAND! I see no end to this growth in my life - I only hope to share it.

Based on what is found in Nehemiah, it would seem there is indeed at least some protocol surrounding God's Law - His Word. Do we trust God enough to embrace His Word until it changes us - until it transports us from remorse to rejoicing? The alternative is to embrace the world and its ways.

Unironically, Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, addressed this very subject:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24] 

To embrace God's Word, Jesus, is to embrace God. He indeed changes things! To embrace the world and its ways is idolatry - but one will never recognize this fact until he or she "sees God" like the people that Ezra read the Law to...

Father, Your Word has drawn me - causing me to see Jesus as never before. Your Word has caused a hunger and thirst in me for more. May I be found giving up my own way every day, taking up my cross every day, and following Jesus every day. May my testimony here inspire others to do the same. So be it.