The BOOK – The Kings Life

When you read the book of Mathew in New Testament, chapters 3 to 16, we see the proclamation of the Kingdom. First, we see in Mathew 3:2,3, the voice : “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, a voice of one calling in the desert. Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him”. In Mathew 4 we see, Jesus, the King stepping from his personal and private life into his public ministry. He is facing a crisis. Satan met him. After the blessing of Father God in Mathew 3:17, Jesus comes forth to carry out the plans for which he came into the world. He was led into the wilderness to face the first major conflict of his public ministry.

Every kingdom has laws and standards to exercise authority over its subjects. The Kingdom of heaven is no exception. Jesus declared that he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. Jesus did not destroy the old law, but he treated it as fundamental and not as perfect and final.

Jesus preached sermons from mountain. This sermon contained the laws of his kingdom (Mathew 5-7). After more than 2000 years, this Sermon on the Mount has lost none of its majesty or power. The teachings of this sermon overtop all human teachings. Christ shows us that sin lies not just committing the act, but in the motive behind it as well (Mathew 5:21-22. 27-28).

We see amazing miracles in Mathew 8 and 9. He met human needs. There are twelve amazing miracles in these two chapters.

Jesus not only preached himself but he also gathered others around him. A King must have subjects. He would reflect his light through human instruments. He says, “You are the light of the world” (Mathew 5:14). Jesus still has a great message for the world and he needs us to carry it. He was calling men and women into his companionship to train them to carry on his work. In Mathew 13, through parables, Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to

·         The sower

·         The weeds

·         A mustard seed

·         A net

·         Yeas in the dough

·         A hidden treasure

·         A pearl of great value.

These parables, called the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Mathew 13:11), describe what the result of the presence of the gospel of Christ in the world will be during this present age until the time of his return when he will gather the harvest (Mathew 13:40-43).

Jesus found his helpers not in the temple among the doctors or priests, nor in the colleges of Jerusalem. He found them on the seashore mending their nets. Jesus did not call many mighty or noble, but rather chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). We can see in the Old Testament how God called David who was least in his family with all his brothers serving as Royal soldiers. Yes, sometimes God will select the fools who are willing to carry on his word without questioning him. At this moment the question I want to ask you is, are you a person who is willing to be a fool for God so that God can use you to do mighty things?

The BOOK – Gift of God

The Gospel of Mathew starts with the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham. This statement links Christ with two of the great covenants God made with David and Abraham. God’s covenant with David consisted of the promise of a King to sit upon his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:8-13). Gods covenant with Abraham promised that through him should all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3). David’s son was a King and Abraham’s son was a sacrifice. Mathew opens with the birth of a King and closes with the offering of a sacrifice. 

Jesus is associated with the Jewish nation. Mathew used wisdom in not alienating the Jews who might read the story. He is convincing them that this one fulfilled every prophecy spoken concerning their promised Messiah. He quotes freely from the Old Testament. On every page he is trying to connect the Gospel with the prophets and show that all of their teaching is being fulfilled in the person and kingdom of Jesus Christ. Mathew, the author is no doubt a Jewish believer in Jesus (Mathew 9:9; 10:3). He was a tax collector at Capernaum under the Roman law when Jesus chose him as one of the 12 disciples. In Luke we find his other name, Levi. 

The Gospel of Mathew breaks the silence of 400 years between Malachi’s prophecy and the announcement of the birth of Jesus. Israel was under the domination of the Roman Empire. No man of the house of David had been allowed to sit upon the throne for 600 years. Mathew traces Jesus line back to Abraham and David to show he was a Jew. He shows Jesus as of royal descent, the King, the promised ruler of Israel. Of the 3 gospels, Mathew alone tells of the visit of the wise men from the east (Mathew 2:2). 

The birth of Jesus was followed by 12 years of silence until his visit with the teachers in Jerusalem. Then silence shut him in again, with the only word “carpenter” (Mathew 13:55), to let us know what he was doing. Jesus took 30 years of preparation for 3 years of ministry. 

Even though Jesus Christ was son of God, when he came to the world, he prepared himself to serve people. If you want to be in medical profession, you need to spend lots of time and years for your preparation. You cannot serve God without preparation. Even Paul had good knowledge on the Old Testament, before he saw Jesus and took his apostolic work.  I pray that God will help you in the preparation and call you at the right time to serve him.

The BOOK - Little Old Testament

Reformer Martin Luther called John 3:16 “the little gospel”. In the same way, we can speak of Malachi as the “little Old Testament”. Malachi is the bridge between the Old and New Testaments (Malachi 3:1). A silence of 400 years lies between the voice of Malachi and the voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” (John 1:23). Malachi is the last prophet to speak to Israel in its own land. “Malachi” means “my messenger”.

When we read the book of Malachi we find that the priests became irrelevant and neglectful (Malachi 1:6,11,12). The priests refused to work except for money. This resulted in carelessness among God’s people in keeping themselves separate from the heathen nations. Mixed marriages with women of outside tribes became common. Some men had not hesitated to divorce their israelitish wives to make this possible (Malachi 2:10-16). 

In Malachi 3:10 we see of giving a tenth or tithe in everything which belongs to God.

In Malachi 3 and 4 we see people saying that God did not seem to distinguish between good and bad people (Malachi 2:17). He blesses all alike, and evil people often flourish at the expense of their fellow citizens (Malachi 3:14-15) and so what’s the use of being good? The answer to such a complaint is that God does care. He showed this to them by saying that one day he will send his messenger to prepare his way, then he will come in person suddenly and sit in judgement and separate the evil from the good (Malachi 3:1). When God really gets ready to act, what will he do? The action will be final (Malachi 3:1-3). God wants all his children to honour and adore him. He longs to have us obey and worship him.

Each one who loves and looks for him may help prepare his way by the very manner of living and work. Amid all the hypocrisy of the day, there were those in the Jewish community who still feared God and remained faithful (Malachi 3L16). God bent his ear to hear his people speak about him.

There are certain sins that Malachi rebuked

·         Spiritless routine worship (Malachi 1:6-8)

·         Evil associations (Malachi 2:10-12)

·         Questioning God’s justice (Malachi 2:17-3:6)

·         Robbing God (Malachi 3:7-12)

·         Impatience in waiting (Malachi 3:17-4:3)

Suppose we do find some of these sins in our daily lives. What are we to do? Confess them to God. Malachi had to encourage the people by assuring them of God’s wonderful love. In the same way, I encourage you to confess the sins and ask God to forgive in Christ Jesus name, so that your prayers will be answered and you will stay blessed.

The BOOK – Old Testament Revelation

Zechariah is a book of revelation of the Old Testament. He was the prophet of restoration and glory. Born in Babylon, he was priest as well as prophet. Zechariah, whose name means “Jehovah remembers”, prophesied for three years. The glorious future rather than the sad present was his message.

In Zechariah 1 we find Judah still a remnant, Jerusalem far from restored the gentile nations at ease round about it (Zechariah 1:14-16). He pictured God’s love and care for his people. He was a prophet to the remnant of the Jews who returned from Babylon after the seventy years of captivity. He tried to tell the people one day the Messiah would come and God’s chosen people would rise into power. Zechariah does not condemn the people, but presents in glowing pictures the presence of God to strengthen and help. He especially encourages the governor, Zerubbabel, who was conscious of his own weakness (Zechariah 4:6-10). Zechariah foretells the saviour more than any other prophet except Isaiah.

The prophet, looking far into the future, saw Messiah of the days to come as one Person, but in two aspects. First, he saw him in humiliation and suffering, and again, in majesty and great glory. Of the Minor Prophets, Zechariah majors in visions (Zechariah 1:1-6). The visions are followed by a symbolic act of crowning the high priest (Zechariah 6:9-11). We find a committee from Bethel waiting on Zechariah to ask him if the national fasts should be kept (Zechariah 7-8). The Jews themselves had instituted these fasts. They had been used to fasting on their anniversary days. Zechariah warned them against cold formalism in their religious observances. He urges them to change their fasts into feasts of joy and be practical in their righteousness.

Zechariah 9 to 14 is full of promises of the coming Messiah and a worldwide kingdom. The prophet no longer pictures a city rebuilt on its foundations, but a glorious city whose wall is the Lord. It is not armed for war, but is a city filled with peace, for the Prince of Peace reigns. He shall come the first time as the lowly one, riding upon a clot, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

Chapter 11 reveals the shepherd who would seek to save Israel, but is rejected. He is sold for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. This all foreshadowed Christ and his betrayal by Judas. Chapter 12 gives us the prophecy of the siege of Jerusalem by the Antichrist and his armies in the last days. Then we see the repentance of the Jews when they shall see him whom they have pierced. The foundation shall be opened to the house of David for sin and uncleanness (Zechariah 13:1). Then the return of the Messiah upon the Mount Olives, which shall cleave asunder by an earthquake (Zechariah 14:4), reminds us of the day when he left the earth at that same spot with the promise of his return (Acts 1:11). Finally he shall be King over the whole earth and all people shall be holy unto him (Zechariah 14:9-20).

We see prophet prophesying about a glorious future. But at the same time, we see about the fasting in chapters 7 and 8. I have seen people not eating non vegetarian foods at lent days. They claim they are on fast. They will be waiting for the Easter day. When the day comes, they will drink liquor as much they can to get dunked. Don’t know why they fasted for the last 40 days.

Fasting is only profitable as an outward sign of an inward confession of sin. Merely refraining from eating will never bring a blessing. God wants a humble and contrite heart. May God help you to understand his holiness and live a holy life, leaving all the worldly lusts to bring glory to the name of Christ Jesus. 

The BOOK – My Feast

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are the last of the prophetic books. They prophesied to the Jews after they returned to Jerusalem. Haggai is the first voice to be heard after the exile. Haggai is determined to persuade the people to rebuild the temple.

With a colossal task before them of rebuilding the temple and restoring the worship of Jehovah, the Jews laboured under the same old sins – idolatry and intermarrying with idolatrous neighbours. Because of all this, the work dragged and the people lost heart and became selfish. Neglecting the Lord’s house, they had become more interested in building homes for themselves than for God (Haggai 1:4). God would not allow all this to go on and so he sent punishment as a result. God sometimes allows hardships because of our indifference to him. Crops failed and business was depressed because of the sin of the Jews. When people forget to love God, they forget to love their fellow citizens.

In Haggai 2 we see people became discouraged because the new temple did not measure up the older one in any way which king Solomon build. The foundation itself was very small. But Haggai came with encouragement telling that God is going to pour his resources into the new building. “I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord Almighty” (Haggai 1:7). Haggai showed the people, their impurity. He made them realise their sinfulness. He showed them the reason their prayers were not answered was that they had put off so long completing the temple. Haggai showed them that the land had been rendered useless by their neglect, but God was working and it would be different now. “From this day in I will bless you” (Haggai 2:18-19).

I have seen people getting uncomfortable when questions are asked about their sins. Prophets and Servants of God are there in between us not only to pray and bless us, but also to show us the right path and warn us if we take the wrong one. May God help you to understand his words so that you will respect his servants and live a life which brings glory and honour to God and work for his kingdom through his church. 

The BOOK – Hidden of Jehovah

Zephaniah lived in the reign of good king Josiah. He depicts God as both loving and severe (Zephaniah 1:2; 3:17). We see Zephaniah denouncing the various forms of idolatry – Baal and Malcham or Molech all being condemned (Zephaniah 1:1-2:3). The Idol worship was destroyed during Josiah’s reign. Zephaniah was mainly responsible for the revival under Josiah. The book begins with sorrow, but ends with singing. The first of the book is full of sadness and gloom, but the last contains one of the sweetest songs of love in the Old Testament.

From Zephaniah 1 we see Judah being taught that “the day of the Lord” was coming when there would be a special reckoning. In Zephaniah 2, the prophet calls the people to seek God, hoping that “perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger” – Zephaniah 2:1-3. He declares that nothing can save the nation from doom but real repentance. Then he turns to the 5 nations, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Ethiopia and Assyria. They shall be visited with the wrath of God because of their pride and scorn toward the Lord’s people (Zephaniah 2:10).

The judgement on Israel’s local enemies is literally fulfilled (Zephaniah 2:4-15). The Judgement on Israel’s enemies over this wide world is yet to be fulfilled (Zephaniah 3:8; 2:10-11). God says the idols of their enemies shall be broken up, and the Gentiles shall worship God, everyone in his own country (Zephaniah 2:11).  In Zephaniah 3, he concludes with the most wonderful promises of Israel’s future restoration and of the happy state of the purified people of God in the later days.

The rejoicing of Zephaniah 3:14-20 must refer to something besides the day when the remnant will return after the captivity of Babylon. Judah’s worst judgement followed that return. It has seen little but misery ever since. Neither did anything like this occur at Christ’s first coming. It must refer to the day when the Lord himself shall sit on the throne of David, when his people shall be gathered from the four corners of the earth (Zephaniah 3:19). This prophecy shall be blessedly fulfilled in the Kingdom age when Christ comes to this earth to reign in power and great glory.

The question asked when you read this book is, when the people are gathered, will you be there with them? Only you and God knows about your salvation as each and everything happening in your heart and mind, you and God are witnesses, even the secret sins. May God enable you to confess your sins and accept Christ’s salvation and lead a life pleasing to him, so that you can be one among the people whom Christ calls for his Kingdom. 

The BOOK – A Reformer before Martin Luther

As protestant churches worldwide celebrate the 500^th year of reformation, Martin Luther - the man who emphasised on “the just shall live by faith”, in the Old Testament we see Habakkuk, a prophet of faith. He was one of the Levitical choristers in the temple (Habakkuk 3:19). Habakkuk knew only too well that Judah must fall before the great power of Nebuchadnezzar. But one question arose in his mind and troubled him greatly – Why should any nation as wicked as Babylon conquer a nation like Judah, which was less evil? It seemed to him that it was just a matter of evil triumphing over evil. God had to show him his ultimate plan. Judah needed punishment. God was using Babylon to correct Judah, but Babylon’s turn would come. Babylon would be utterly blotted out. As for God’s people, there was yet to be glorious future and a kingdom where Jehovah himself would prevail.

In Habakkuk 1, we see Habakkuk knowing his own land, Judah, full of lawlessness. The righteous were oppressed (Habakkuk 1:4,13). The people were living in open sin. They were worshipping idols (Habakkuk 2:18-19). They were oppressing the poor. Habakkuk knew that the day was dark. He knew that this sin was leading to an invasion of Jerusalem by a strong enemy.

Habakkuk asked his question to God. He did not call a committee or form a society to solve the problem of the day. He went straight to Jehovah and stated his problem. Then God answered, “Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told” – Habakkuk 1:5. God wanted Habakkuk to look beyond the present. God was already working. God called the Chaldeans to the work of punishing Judah. They were a cruel scourge that swept over the land to destroy it (Habakkuk 1:5-11). God’s answer horrified Habakkuk. He could not understand how God would allow such awful means to bring about punishing his people. It is mentioned in Habakkuk 1:12, 13.

Habakkuk is a prophet who sang in the night (Habakkuk 3). Habakkuk prayed sincerely and God appeared to him (Habakkuk 3:1-16). God always responds to the cry for help from his people. Habakkuk realizes that God is in control of this universe and that he is working out his own purpose in his own time. Habakkuk learns that he can trust implicitly in God. He realizes that he can see only a small part of God’s plan at one time. One must wait for God to reveal his entire program. One must know God’s way is best. God does not promise that he will unravel every problem, but he does assure us that we can put our trust absolutely in him.

One of the texts in Habakkuk has great significance in history of the Reformation. A catholic priest called Martin Luther opposed the hypocrisy of the religious faith of Catholics by the words – “The just shall live by his faith” which can be seen in Habakkuk 2:4. The same is mentioned in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. On this day when you read this, remember Christianity is not about doing works to reach God, but it is by faith and grace of God that a person can reach Almighty. May God help you to know Christ, understand him and accept him as your personal saviour to know God’s grace and live in salvation.