Monthly Archives: October 2019

The Glory Of The Lord

Oh, the wondrous things that Moses saw with his own eyes! Among the things that he saw was the bush that burned but was not consumed from which the Lord spoke to him (Ex. 3). He saw the mighty hand of God working in the ten wonders that plagued the Egyptian people and Pharaoh (Ex. 7-12 ). He saw the Red Sea open up as a wall on either side of him and then proceeded to walk through across on dry ground (Ex. 14:21-31). He saw the earth open up and destroy the adversaries of the Lord. In spite of all of this, even with all that Moses had already seen, he still asked Jehovah, “Shew me Thy glory” (Ex. 33:18).

It is impossible to understand who God is without also understanding something of the glory of the Lord. The word glory is used in scripture to describe praiseworthiness or that which sets one above another in some particular respect. It is that which brings renown. In scripture, when used of men, it is often used of one’s wealth, for instance (cf. Gen. 31:1; Psalm 49:17), or one’s personal dignity (cf. Psalm 30:12) or of man’s wisdom and strength (Jer. 9:23,24). It is also used of things such as the forests of Israel (Is. 10:18) and nations (Matt. 4:8). But man’s glory is as fleeting as the grass which withers away (I Pet. 1:24).

God is inherently glorious (I Chron. 16:27; 29:11). One does not have to look far to see the glory of God for the heavens declare it (Psalm 19:1; Rom.1:20). And yet beyond this natural testimony of God’s glory is something that has a very visible and tangible existence. During the Exodus from Egypt, some of the children of Israel complained about lack of food after only six weeks journey (Ex. 16:1). God promised them bread from heaven and that He would show them His glory (Ex. 16:7). And as they looked out over the wilderness, the glory of God appeared in the cloud that had accompanied Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 16:10).

Then, when the children of Israel came to mount Sinai, the Bible says the cloud covered the mount and the glory of the Lord abode upon it and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud (Ex. 24:16). “And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel” (Ex. 24:17).

Given the fact that Moses had seen all these manifestations of God’s glory, it is puzzling that he now asks to see the glory of the Lord (Ex. 33:18). He must be asking for something different than that which he had already seen. And God allows him to see something more than any person had ever seen before or would ever see again, although the Lord warns him that no man could see His face and live (Ex. 33:20). The Lord told Moses that there was a place by Him, and he would stand upon a rock, and while the glory of the Lord passed by He would put Moses in a cleft of the rock and cover him there with His hand (Ex. 33:20-22).

Moses was then commanded by God to hew two tables of stone so that the law might be re-written thereon. He was to carry these tablets of stone with him up into the mount (Ex. 34:1-4). On the next day, after Moses had ascended the mount, the Lord, Jehovah, descends in the cloud and stood there with Moses and proclaimed the name of the Lord (Ex. 34:6). In some form, the Lord stood there with Moses. It reminds us of the transfiguration of the Lord when Moses and Elijah stood with the Lord speaking to Him of the Lord’s impending death (Matt. 17:1-3).

At this moment the glory of the Lord passed before Moses as the Lord proclaimed the name of the Lord by declaring His moral goodness (Ex. 34:6,7). Moses stayed there in the mount with the Lord for forty days and nights and wrote upon the tables of stone the words of the covenant, the ten commandments (Ex. 34:28,29). When Moses came down from the mount the skin of his face shined (Ex. 34:29). Paul tells us that Moses’ face so shined with glory that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold his face and Moses covered it with a veil (II Cor. 3:7; Ex. 34:33).

But the glow of Moses’ face ceased to shine and Paul says the reason Moses put the veil on his face was so that the children of Israel could not look to the end of that which was to be abolished (II Cor. 3:13). As glorious as this scene was, and as glorious as the Old Covenant was, it is far exceeded in glory by the New Covenant (II Cor. 3:9). We now, as Christians, have the privilege of looking into this New Covenant and beholding the glory of the Lord ourselves and are changed into the same image unto glory (II Cor. 3:12-18).

When we look at Jesus though the word we see the Father more clearly than Moses could see Him when He passed before Moses (John 14:7-9). The Lord is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person (Heb. 1:3). We are able to see His glory as the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Though we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), we are able through Christ to rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:1,2).

Though in this life we face tribulations, it is really a light, momentary affliction that works a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (II Cor. 4:17). The sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18) because when Christ shall appear, we shall also appear with Him in eternal glory (Col. 3:4; II Tim. 2:10). In heaven, we shall bathe in the light of His glory (Rev. 21:11,23).

Eric L. Padgett

Lies and Error

Very early on in the history of man, Eve was attacked by that old serpent in the garden of Eden. He did not afflict her physically like he did Job. He did not tempt her sensually like he did David with Bathsheba. His method of attack was as devious as it was simple: get Eve to believe something that was not true. Eve quoted God’s word to him but he denied and then twisted what God had said. This has been one of the devil’s most effective tactics since.

Jesus said the devil was the father of lies and was a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). Doctrinal error is nothing but a lie. Paul warned against those who would teach some other “gospel.” But, he said, it was not another gospel but a perversion of the gospel, i.e., a lie (Gal. 1:6-9). When Paul met with the elders of the Lord’s church at Ephesus he warned them against “grievous wolves” who would not spare the flock “speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:27-31). Those “perverse things” were nothing but lies.

Toward the end of his life the great apostle Paul confidently proclaimed that he had fought a good fight and finished the course and kept the faith (II Tim. 4:6-8). He also warned against those who would “not endure sound doctrine” but after their own lusts would heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and “turn away their ears from the truth” and turn unto fables (II Tim. 4:3,4). There is always the danger that men will turn away from the hard truth and turn to comforting and pleasing lies (Judges 2:10).

Jesus warned against those that would worship Him in vain, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men (Matt. 15:9). The real source of the problem emanated from their heart, which was far from the Lord (Matt. 15:8). They had elevated their traditions above the commandments of God (Matt. 15:3-6). Giving heed to the commandments of men only serve to turn men from the truth (Tit. 1:14). The law of God is counted as a strange thing to those who place a high value on human tradition and commandments of men (Hos. 8:12).

John was fighting against the same pernicious evil when he fought against those who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh (I John 2:23; 4:2,3). He also warned against the many false prophets who had gone out into the world. He said, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (I John 4:1). Jesus likewise warned of those that come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly were ravening wolves (Matt. 7:15-20). They were not what they appeared to be. Paul warned that satan sometimes presents himself as an angel of light, as do his minions (II Cor. 11:13.14).

What is to be done about such men as tell lies about God and His word? Paul said have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them (Eph. 5:10,11). Shine the light of truth on the error (Eph. 5:13,14). Unfortunately, men tend to love darkness rather than light (John 3:19) and some men love to drain the life-blood of truth out of the heart of the victims. They handle the word of God deceitfully (II Cor. 4:2). Fortunately, the preaching of the cross and the shedding of the light of truth make those doctrinal vampires run for cover (II Cor. 4:3-6).

Paul said to mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine of Christ and avoid them (Rom. 16:17). To mark them is to scope them out. We cannot do that when we have our heads in the sand or when we close our eyes and shut our ears to what is going on in our world or in the brotherhood. We may have to withdraw ourselves from certain brethren because they walk disorderly or do not follow the truth of the gospel (II Thess. 3:6). We are to bring them to the point of feeling shame when we purposely keep no company with them (II Thess. 3:14,15).

We are not to receive into our houses or bid godspeed to any that do not bring the doctrine of Christ (II John 9-11). The principle set forth here is to not do anything that contributes to their error or make them feel as though they are accepted by us or the Lord. If we do bid them godspeed then we are partakers of their evil deeds and give support to a lie.

Eric L. Padgett

Wealth Can Never Save The Soul

What should be the Christian’s attitude toward money?

Many great men of the Bible had great wealth. Abraham was very rich when he came out of Egypt and was probably already rich in Ur (Gen. 13:2). His nephew Lot also had great wealth (Gen. 13:5,6). Isaac had such great wealth that the heathen Philistines envied him (Gen. 26:13,14). Jacob had been blessed by God with more than enough to suffice his great tribe (Gen. 33:11; 32:5,10). God blessed Solomon with great riches (I Kings 3:11-13). Boaz was known as a “mighty man of wealth” (Ruth 2:1). Job was the greatest of all the men in the east (Job 1:3). God had given Jehoshaphat great substance so that he had riches in abundance (II Chron. 17:5). David, himself, died with great riches (I Chron. 29:28). Hezekiah had exceeding much riches that God had given him (II Chron. 32:27-29).

There were also wealthy righteous persons, both male and female, in the New Testament, as well. Zachaeus, for example, was a wealthy man (Luke 19:2). His position as chief of the publicans apparently brought him wealth and not necessarily dishonestly. But we do know that he gave half, not all, of his goods to the poor and whatever he had gotten dishonestly he payed it back fourfold (Luke 19:1-10). Joseph of Arimethea was not only a member of the council but he was also a rich man who was Jesus’ disciple (Matt. 27:57). There was a group of women who followed Jesus and supported Him with their substance (Luke 8:1-3). Some of them at least were women of some social standing and wealth. Joanna, for instance, the wife of Herod’s steward was one of the women who supported Jesus. Lydia is another example of at least a moderately wealthy Christian women. She catered to a wealthier class of people being a seller of purple and a traveler for her business (Acts 16:13-15). Even the congregation in Laodocea was rich and increased with goods (Rev. 3:17).

The Bible is clear that when God created the world He created it with a social structure that required the ownership of private property. First, this is seen in the fact that at the very basic level God owns the earth because He created it (Ex. 19:5; Psalm 24:1). Second, when God created man He gave him dominion over all the earth and everything that creeps upon the earth (Gen. 1:26-28). Then Lord put man to work in the garden to dress and to keep it (Gen. 2:15). When man mingles his labors in the sweat of his face with the soil, or the work of his hands, the fruit of the work is the man’s possession (Gen. 3:17-19). This is how Cain and Abel could bring offerings from their respective fields of labor (Gen. 4:1-5).

When God told Abraham to leave Ur and go to a land that He would show him, Abraham is said to bring all his “substance” which he had gathered (Gen. 12:5). Thus, Abraham is described as being rich (Gen. 13:2). When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments God codified this principle in the law when He condemned stealing (Ex. 20:15; Deut. 5:19). There can be no theft where there is no private property. Again, in the New Testament Barnabas, for instance, and Ananias and Sapphira had property and sold it and gave the money to the apostles (Acts 4:34-37; 5:1-6). When Ananias and Sapphira lied about how much they had given Peter told them “Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?” (Acts 5:4).

Often the Bible declares that it is God that provides riches (Deut. 8:17,18). Job declared that it was God that blessed him with wealth (Job 1:20,21). The wealthy patriarchs declared that it was God that blessed them with great riches (e.g., Gen 33:11; II Chron. 32:29). Certainly it is God Who has provided for us our daily necessities (Matt. 6:25-34). There is no doubt, however, that wicked men can use wicked means to increase their wealth (Prov. 22:16; 28:8; Psalm 73:2-12). Just good old hard work can also make one rich (Prov. 10:4; 13:4). But, generally speaking, wealth and riches are blessings upon the righteous (Psalm 112:1-3).

How, then, do we harmonize this with other statements in the Bible which seem to condemn wealth? For instance, Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven (Matt. 19:24). Jesus often used hyperbole to teach a principle. For example. Jesus said if you right eye or hand offends you pluck it out of cut it off. This cannot be taken literally (is it only your right eye that offends you?) nor did Jesus intend it to be taken that way. He established a principle, however, about the urgency of removing obstacles to righteousness.

The Bible does declare that there is a danger in wealth. Paul said that they that would be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (I Tim. 6:9). Furthermore, those having wealth tend not to be satisfied with it for “he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase” (Eccl. 5:10). Jesus warned “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

Without a doubt the love of money is he root of all kinds of evil (I Tim. 6:10). Riches can be deceiving (Matt. 13:22) and are only temporary (Prov. 27:24). Riches can lead to pride (Ezek. 28:5), anxiety (Eccl. 5:12) and have caused some to err from the faith (I Tim. 6:10). Most importantly, wealth can never save the soul (Psalm 49:6-9; I Pet. 1:18).

Eric L. Padgett