The Bible and Barack

     During his November 20^th address regarding his executive order relative to immigrants, president Obama invoked an interesting Scripture passage to support his position.

     His exact words:

     “Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger – we were strangers once, too.”

     It appears he was quoting from Exodus 23:9.

     “Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  NKJV

     Hebrew synonyms for ‘stranger’ include sojourner (KJV) or alien (NIV).  And as Webster defines ‘alien’ as a foreign born citizen/resident and ‘immigrant’ as one who comes to a country to take up permanent residence, the president’s quote was relevant.

     But equally important when applying Jewish law to America, another Scripture needs to be considered.

     “Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.”  Deuteronomy 27:26

     The New Testament confirms that if one wants to apply and live by God’s law the entire law must be obeyed.

     Also, there was one law for both the Israelites and the ‘stranger’ in the land.

     “You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from our own country; for I am the LORD your God.”  Leviticus 24:22

      Several other provisions relative to ‘strangers’ must be observed.

     “And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death.  All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land…”  Leviticus 24:16

     When the day that Israel decided they wanted a king to rule them instead of God, they were given specific instructions relative to their king.

     “When you come to the land which the LORD your God is giving you…and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.”  Deuteronomy 17:14-15

     Furthermore, there would be no separation between Israel’s religion and their government, i.e. no such thing as separation of ‘church and state’.  Their king was to study, understand, and apply the same set of instructions given to the ‘priests’.

     “Also it shall be, when he (king) sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests…and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left…”  Deuteronomy 17:18-20a

     And it is always popular for any president, or presidential candidate, to proclaim America as the most exceptional nation on the face of the earth.

     Such a claim was also addressed in the ‘book’ that the king was to study and apply.

     “For you (Israel) are a holy people (nation) to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 7:6

     The bottom line is that President Obama is totally correct in applying Old Testament Jewish law to the current age.

     “Now all these things happened to them (Israelites) as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”  1 Corinthians 10:11

     There are many other major issues facing this great nation; however, the Bible has already spelled out the end in detail.  Hopefully our president will continue to study, quote, and apply Scripture.

     If he will indeed take his Bible seriously, we could expect tremendous changes and focus on foreign policy, especially as it relates to Israel and ISIS.

     The alternative is terrifying.

     “Because you disdained all my counsel…I also will laugh at your calamity…”  Proverbs 1:25-26

Who Should We Fear and Trust?

     One of the most basic questions that have faced all mankind through the ages is in whom or what is worthy of our trust.  And once again as would be expected, the choice boils down to whether our trust is better placed in the created or the Creator.

     The Scriptures speak loudly of the choice and the reasoning for the choice.

     “…Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass?  And you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth…”  Isaiah 51:12-13

     God inquires why Israel would place their trust and confidence in ‘man’ who is transitory and not in the One who created all things, including man.

     The Hebrew for ‘afraid’ means fearful anticipation of potential harm.  And the Hebrew for ‘forgot’ means to be oblivious to for lack of attention, i.e. it is a conscious setting aside of something known or proven.  It is so much more than a slip of the mind; it is a deliberate action.

     The wisest man in the world Solomon also addressed the issue.

     “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.  Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the LORD.”  Proverbs 29:25-26

     The fear of what transitory man could do is really a snare, i.e. trap, but such can be avoided by trusting in the One who made man.  Solomon reminds the people that justice for man does not rest with a human ruler, but rather in God Himself.

     Again, fear in the present context is synonymous with afraid in the foregoing Isaiah passage.  It is a human emotion expressing anxiety and/or anticipation that something could go drastically wrong. 

     Remember when Saul caved in to the fear of the people and disobeyed God’s specific instructions.

     “Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them.  But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”  1 Samuel 15:3

     Saul did in fact attack the Amalekites as instructed:

     “But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them…” 1 Samuel 15:9

     When Samuel confronted Saul, Saul admitted that he and the people thought they had a better plan than God’s.  He told Samuel that the best of the animals were not slain so they could be offered to God.

     Samuel’s response was that it was better to obey than to sacrifice.

     “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold to obey is better than sacrifice…Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”  1 Samuel 15:22-23

      And so it was, Saul’s kingdom was taken from him.  Saul’s response:

     “…I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD…I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”  1 Samuel 15:24

     Saul knew God’s word and decided to override it.  Do this nation’s leaders think the same as Saul?

    When drafting foreign policy is the underlying motive to increase the voting base of a particular ideology?  And if so, is God’s word even a factor?

     Specifically does America’s foreign policy regarding Israel reflect Godly wisdom or the fear of international disdain?

     Are present negotiations with Iran based on Godly wisdom or fear of what Putin might do?

     The answers are fairly obvious.

     The prophet Jeremiah clearly delineated the two choices, i.e. to either trust in man or the LORD, to choose to be blessed or to be cursed.

     “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD, for he shall be like a shrub in the desert…Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD, for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters…”  Jeremiah 17:5-6a, 7-8a

    

    

The Worldly Majority is concerned only with their own

      Man makes the choice whether to seek the approval and praise of man or the One who made man. The Pharisees definitely sought to please men and garner the praise and glory that belong to God exclusively.

     Not much has changed for the contemporary majority.

     Jesus differentiated between the self-seekers of glory and those who give the praise, honor, and glory to God.  The self-seekers are more concerned with “I” vs. ‘He’.

     Recall the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

     “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’”  Luke 18:11-12

     Jesus went on to explain that the one who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one that humbles himself will be exalted.

     Self-seeking was a common topic in Jesus’ teachings.

     “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.”  John 7:18

     The Greek for glory has several significant synonyms including praise and honor.  When men seek glory for themselves it typically relates to the favorable opinion of other men.

     Jesus was explaining that He sought only the glory of His Father. 

     “I do not receive honor from men.  But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.  I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me…How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?”  John 5:41-44

     Jesus explained again that the love of God was not in a man who sought honor and glory from other men rather than seeking the honor that comes from the one and only God.  They should rather receive Jesus inasmuch as He was the manifestation of God and did not seek honor for Himself.

     And while many believed in Jesus and His message, they kept silent so as to please the crowd.

     “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”  John 12:42-43

     Even the powerful Roman Governor Pontius Pilate succumbed to the demands of the Jewish leaders.

     “So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them…”  Mark 15:15

     And so it is today as it was two thousand years ago, the majority on the wide road is more concerned with peer approval, or fear of peer disapproval, than they are with seeking God’s approval regardless of the truth.

     Remember, glory belongs exclusively to God.

     “I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another…”  Isaiah 42:8

       The effort today to avoid offending others has really put America on a slippery slope.  A major aspect is appeasing those who are offended by Biblical truths either in spoken word, deed, or display. 

     Civil ‘rights’ are taking precedence over Christian freedoms.

     Consider further if the majority in America is not Christian, and if they were to raise their voice in unison to support anti-Christian legislation

(which is happening nearly daily), what is the future of this nation’s democracy?

     Roe vs. Wade, Defense of Marriage Act, legalization of drugs, allowing immigrants the right not to assimilate into American culture, and countless other ‘rights’ will reek havoc on this democracy and as a result democracy will fail.

     According to the Bible Christ will return to earth and will ‘strike the nations…and He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.’

     The Bible further states that upon His return to earth after the approaching great tribulation He will be King, Lawgiver, and Judge.

     “And the government will be upon His shoulder…of the increase of His government…there will be no end.”  Isaiah 9:6-7

     National democracies will become a single worldwide monarchy.

     The majority, however, will reject Biblical pre-written history.

    

The Seen or the Unseen

     Thus far we’ve discussed the unredeemed vs. the remnant, i.e. the majority vs. the minority; the world vs. the Kingdom; and worldly wisdom vs. Godly wisdom.

     Another differentiation is the seen vs. the unseen, i.e. the visible vs. the invisible.  The visible relates to the world while the invisible relates to the Kingdom. 

     The Bible has much to say about the two and their differences.

     “While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:18

     The appearance of Christ and the New Testament presented an entirely different mindset to mankind, i.e. the world.  The focus switched from worldly perceptions of wisdom to the reality of God’s spiritual Kingdom embodied in Christ.  Even the pious had difficulty believing.

     Recall Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus:

     “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”  John 3:12

     Jesus began to teach His disciples about the reality of the invisible Kingdom.

     “…the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”  John 14:17

     The world offers rewards here and now while the Kingdom offers unseen rewards in the future throughout eternity.  The choice is one or the other; there is absolutely no in between.

     “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  One cannot serve God and mammon.”  Matthew 6:24

     Mammon in the Greek means wealth, possessions, and/or material value.  In the present context then, mammon represents tangible and transient.  It means to have plenty in this life and to prosper currently.

     Consider Eve’s thoughts when confronted with the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

     “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.”  Genesis 3:6

     Eve was more concerned about satisfying current perceived needs and desires than the consequences of disobedience.

     The Apostle John stressed the same immutable truth relative to satisfying natural or worldly desires and temptations.

     “Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”  1 John 2:15-17

     Jesus summarized the destiny of those who choose the present worldly life instead of the unseen eternal life.

     “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”  John 12:25

     The above verse states that one who expends their effort to preserve the life of the world in which he was born will subsequently lose it forever while the one who hates the life of the world will preserve his life into eternity.

     Jesus encouraged His followers to focus on the unseen.

     “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys…”  Matthew 6:19-20

      In view of the eternal consequences of losing one’s life, Jesus came into the world with the free offer of redemption to deliver His Father’s chosen out of the world. 

     “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

     The great truth is that everyone born into the world that rejects God’s free gift of deliverance from the world will perish with it.