Choose Life

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 30:1) "And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, where the Lord your God has driven you,"

In the last chapter, Moses called all the people together to again enter into covenant with their Lord God in Moab.  He now begins a speech in which he tells the people that when all the things he had told them in the past few chapters came upon them, especially the blessings and curses that had been pronounced and prophesied by Moses, they should remember them in all the nations where the Lord had sent them.

(2) "And shall return to the Lord your God and shall obey His voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, (3) That then the Lord your God will turn your captivity and have compassion on you and will return and gather you from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you."

When the people had been scattered to various nations, when they called to mind the things the Lord had told them through Moses about His blessings and curses, and then returned to the Lord and obeyed His commands with all their hearts and souls, the Lord would then turn back to them and have compassion on them and gather them from all the nations wherein He had sent them.

(4) "If you are driven out to the outmost of heaven, from there will the Lord your God gather you and from there He will fetch you."

No matter how far the people might be, if they had returned to the Lord with all their hearts and souls, He would gather them from wherever they might be.

(5) "And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed and you shall possess it, and He will do you good and multiply you above your fathers."

Their Lord God would gather them and bring them back to the land which their fathers had possessed, that promised land of their forefathers, and they would again possess it.  The Lord would do good for them and multiply their numbers greater than the numbers of their fathers. 

(6) "And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live."

Their Lord would then circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their descendants, circumcise the foreskins of their hearts (Deuteronomy 10:16), cut through the hardness of their hearts, that they would love their Lord with all their hearts and with all their souls that they and their descendants might live.

(7) "And the Lord your God will put all these curses upon your enemies and on them who hate you, who persecuted you."

The Lord would then put all the curses recorded in Deuteronomy 28 upon their enemies and those who hated and persecuted them.

(8) "And you shall return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you this day."

At that time they would return to the Lord to do all that He had commanded them through Moses that day.

(9) "And the Lord your God will make you plenteous in every work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your land, for good, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers."

Then would the Lord bring upon them His blessings, making them successful in every work of their hands, giving them an abundance of children, a large increase in their livestock and in the harvests of their land, doing only good for them.  He would again rejoice over them as He had once rejoiced over their forefathers.

(10) "If you shall hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

The Lord would bring all those blessings upon the people if they listened to and obeyed their Lord God, to keep all His commandments and statutes that were written in the book of the law recorded by Moses, if they turned to the Lord with all their hearts and souls.

(11) "For this commandment which I command you this day is not hidden from you, neither is it far off."

It would be easy for God's people (and us this day) to listen to and obey the Lord for His commandments were not hidden from them (nor us).  It is not some secret held in a faraway land or in heaven, but God had given it to them, and to us with His Bible still with us.

(12) "It is not in heaven that you should say, 'Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it?' (13) Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say, 'Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it?' (14) But the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."

Indeed, Moses went on to say that God's word and His laws were not stored secretly in heaven nor in a faraway land, but it was very near to them, not only in the written word, but written on their hearts, and recited by their mouths, so that they (and us today) were without excuse (Romans 1:20).  

(15) "See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil, (16) In that I command you this day to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God shall bless you in the land which you go to possess it. (17) But if your heart turns away so that you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, (18) I denounce to you this day that you shall surely perish and shall not prolong your days upon the land which you pass over Jordan to go to possess it."

The Lord through Moses had set before the people the choice between life and goodness and death and evil.  If they loved their Lord God, walked in His ways, kept His commandments and statutes and judgments, they would live and multiply and the Lord would bless them with goodness in their land that He was giving them.  However, if they turned their hearts away and would not listen to and obey Him, but were drawn into other cultures and worshiped other gods and served them, then they would have death and curses.

(19) "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live, (20) That you may love the Lord your God and that you may obey His voice and that you may cleave to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Moses called upon heaven and earth as witnesses to record that day against the people, that he had set before them, as the Lord had directed He do, life and death, blessing and cursing, both the life and blessings they would have if they chose to obey their Lord, and the death and curses they would receive if they chose to turn away from Him.  Moses exhorted them to choose life that both they and their descendants might live, that they may love and obey their Lord and cling to Him as He was their very life and length of days in the land the Lord had promised to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

What a simple choice we have!  Just choose life that is only found in the Lord God, and in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ!  It makes all our decisions so much easier.  Should women choose abortion?  God said, "Choose life!" That both you and your babies may live!  Should we endorse homosexual marriage that cannot produce life?  God said, "Choose life!"  Should we encourage transsexualism that cannot produce life?  God said, "Choose life!"  Should we embrace certain environmental laws that starve and kill the people?  God said, "Choose life!"  Should we remove God from schools and the public square?  God said, "I AM your life!"  Should we support nations that enslave and kill the people?  God said, "Choose life!"  Should we allow drug cartels and sex slave operators and terrorists to pour over our borders unchecked?  God said, "Choose life!"  And yes, we can choose to save the lives of immigrants, but they must come through legal channels and be vetted.  And if those legal channels need to be modified to make it easier for good people to be added to our numbers, then that is what we must do.  The way we are doing it now only leads to death.  Choose life!

Jesus Proclaims Eight Woes to the Pharisees and Laments Over Jerusalem

Continuing a Bible study of the gospel accounts:

(Matthew 23:1) Then Jesus spoke to the multitude and to His disciples.

At the end of the last chapter and post, Jesus had finished talking to the Pharisees, triumphant over all their tricks aimed at tripping Him up in His words.  He now turned His attention to the multitude around Him and His disciples.

(2) Saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses's seat."

Scary thought, from what we have read about them, but indeed they were supposed to study and teach the law of Moses to the people.

(3) "Therefore whatever they bid you to observe, observe and do, but do not do according to their works, for they say, and do not do."

Jesus told them that whatever the scribes and Pharisees read and taught out of the law of Moses, they should observe and do.  However, they should not do what they observed the scribes and Pharisees doing, for they did not act according to the words they taught.  It is interesting to note that Jesus did tell the people to do what these corrupt leaders taught.  Although they were wicked and corrupt in heart, yet the word of God does not return to Him void, but accomplishes what He wishes (Isaiah 55:11).  God will use corrupt leaders to get His word out, just as He used a donkey (Numbers 22:28).

(4) "For they bind heavy burdens, grievous to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they will not move them with one of their fingers."

Jesus's meaning here is that the scribes and Pharisees crushed the people with heavy burdens of religious laws, adding to them rites and ceremonies for show that were burdensome and oppressive to the people, but had no reason or spiritual revelation in them.  They would not lift a finger to ease the burdens they placed on the people.

(5) "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments."

The scribes and Pharisees did everything for show to be seen by the people.  Phylacteries were a way to take the command of Moses literally, "And you shall bind them (the words of the law) for a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes" (Deuteronomy 6:8).  The Jews used to wear little scrolls of parchment with texts of scripture bound on their wrists and foreheads.  The scribes and Pharisees made their phylacteries huge probably filled with many texts of scripture to make them look so much more righteous and mindful of the law than ordinary folk.  The border of a Jew's garment was to be a ribbon of blue that when they saw it would remind them of the commandments of the Lord and they would remember to do them always and be holy before the Lord (Numbers 15:38-40).  However, the scribes and Pharisees made their blue ribbons much larger and wider than the ribbons of ordinary people.  These small things were originally meant to be personal reminders for the people wearing them, but the scribes and Pharisees wore them only as a big show of how righteous they were.

(6) "And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues."

Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees loved the places of highest honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, again all for show to demonstrate how important they were.

(7) "And greetings in the markets, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'"

Jesus said they also loved to be greeted in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi, which was a term that was given to eminent teachers of the Jewish law.  The scribes and Pharisees loved hearing it because it implied their superiority over the person using it.

(8) "But you, do not be called Rabbi, for one is your Master, Christ, and you are all brethren."

Jesus told the people, including His disciples, not to allow themselves to be called Rabbi.  They should never seek titles of power or superiority.  They all had but one eminent teacher, and He was Christ; all others were brethren and had no superiority one over another.

(9) "And call no one your father on the earth, for one is your Father who is in heaven."

The Jewish rabbis were also often called Father, but Jesus tells them they have only one Father in heaven, and no man on earth deserved that title.  It's interesting to note that the Catholic religion still calls their pastors Father.  Why not brothers, as do most denominations?  Jesus said they should not have this title.

(10) "Neither be called master, for one is your Master, Christ."

Jesus instructed them not to call anyone Master, as they had only one Master and that was Jesus Christ, their Messiah.

(11) "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant."

The greatest among people would be the one who humbled himself, took a lowly position, and served others.  

(12) "And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted."

Whoever exalted himself above others would be brought low by God Himself if not by man; and whoever humbled himself would be exalted and rewarded by God.

(13) "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."

Jesus then pronounced woe to the scribes and Pharisees, for they were hypocrites and guilty and punishment would come to them.  They shut people out of the kingdom of heaven by teaching false doctrines and binding them to an observance of the traditions of man.  They themselves would not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven, but they also prevented those who were ready to accept Jesus as the Messiah and enter into the kingdom of heaven from doing so by their constant false accusations against Him.

(14) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense, make long prayers. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation."

Jesus pronounced another woe to the scribes and Pharisees.  They devoured widows' properties through a pretense of great sanctity, inducing them to give everything for religious purposes.  They made long prayers for show and for greedy purposes.  Therefore, Jesus said, they would receive the greater condemnation because they, in their higher capacities, not only led the people astray, but plundered and distressed them along the way.

(15) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."

Jesus continued to curse, if you will, the scribes and Pharisees.  They would travel land and sea, sparing no pains, to gain a convert, but once he was converted, they made him twice the child of hell, or twice as wicked as they were.

(16) "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.'"

Jesus now called the scribes and Pharisees blind guides because they were blind to the truth but nevertheless, guided others.  He denounced their proclamation that if anyone swore an oath by the temple, it was neither binding nor a sin.  However, if anyone swore by the gold of the temple, that is, the money that was offered for the service of the temple, then that was binding and he must pay his debt.  This demonstrated no respect or reverence for the temple of God, but rather only for the money by which they enriched themselves.

(17) "You fools, and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?"

Indeed, Jesus pointed out their folly and hypocrisy, by asking what was more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold, making it holy, and not to be sworn by frivolously.  Of course, it was the temple!  An oath by the temple should be of much more importance than one by gold which had no holy value in it of itself.

(18) "And 'Whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swore by the gift that is on it, he is guilty.'"

Likewise, Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees declared that anyone swearing by the altar would not be bound to their oath, but if they swore by the gift that was on the altar, then they were bound to keep the oath or be guilty of a debt.  Once again, they showed no reverence for the altar of God, but only for the material gifts by which they could enrich themselves.

(19) "You fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?"

Once again, Jesus pointed out their absurd hypocrisy, asking what was more important, the gift or the altar that made the gift considered something holy and not to be sworn by lightly.

(20) "Whoever therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it."

Jesus went on to add that anyone who swore by the altar of God obviously had to be swearing by it and anything on it; they could not be separated.

(21) "And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it."

Anyone who swore an oath by the temple also swore an oath by God who dwelled in the temple.  Likewise, all items in the temple were only of value and importance because of God, and should be respected for that fact alone, and not for any monetary gain for the scribes and Pharisees.

(22) "And he who shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it."

Jesus went on to say that whoever swore an oath by heaven was swearing by the throne of God, which meant by God Himself.  Actually, one should not swear at all, for all is God's, as Jesus said back in Matthew 5:34.  He said not to swear by heaven, for it was God's throne; He said not to swear by earth, for it was God's footstool; He said not to swear by Jerusalem for it was the city of their great King; He said not to swear by one's own head, for one had no control to change it.  God is the One with all the control over all His creation, so it was profane to swear by anything that was God's own property.

(23) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these you ought to have done and not to leave the other undone."

Jesus once again pronounced woe to the scribes and Pharisees and called them hypocrites.  They were apparently meticulous in tithing of the most trifling things on earth while they neglected the things that mattered most--justice, mercy, and fidelity, or faithfulness.  They should have made sure to do the more important things first, not that they shouldn't tithe; they could do that as meticulously as they desired, but they should have understood the most important moral obligations of the law and tended to them first, and let the smaller ritualistic and ceremonial matters come second.

(24) "You blind guides, who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel!"

Jesus analogized what He had just accused of the scribes and Pharisees.  They were meticulous to make sure they strained out a gnat, the smallest of creatures, from their drinks to be sure they didn't ingest an unclean insect.  However, they avoided the greatest matters like sins of hypocrisy, deceit, lust, and oppression, like a man who might swallow a camel, the largest of animals.

(25) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter, but inside they are full of extortion and excess!"

Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of being meticulous to cleanse the outer things that showed, but inside where it wasn't visible to the people, they were full of wickedness, extortion, oppression, and lust.

(26) "You blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

Jesus told them to first cleanse what was within, invisible to the public, and then the outside would be truly clean.  As it relates to each of us personally, we must cleanse our hearts first so that our external actions will be clean, pure, and holy.

(27) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but are within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness."

Jesus compared the scribes and Pharisees to whitewashed tombs.  It is written that the Jews used to yearly whitewash their tombs to make them easily visible and thus easily avoidable, for their law considered anyone who touched anything belonging to the dead to be unclean.  What Jesus meant, therefore, was that while the scribes and Pharisees took great pains to appear clean and beautiful in their outward appearance, they were full of death and unclean on the inside.

(28) "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

Indeed, Jesus went on to detail their inward uncleanness; they worked to appear clean and righteous in view of men, but inside they were in fact full of hypocrisy and sin.

(29) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, (30) And say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'"

It seems the scribes and Pharisees built the tombs and repaired and beautified those already built out of respect for the memory of the righteous prophets; and this they did to outwardly show that they imagined themselves much better than their ancestors, and saying they would have never joined them in putting the prophets to death.

(31) "Whereby you are witnesses against yourselves that you are the children of those who killed the prophets."

I believe the sense of this rather difficult statement is that by saying they would have never joined in the slaying of the prophets, they acknowledged it was a great wickedness.  In acknowledging that fact, they were witnesses against themselves because they were just as their fathers before them were, and Christ knew they would also slay Him; in partaking of that same act, they condemned themselves as greatly wicked.

(32) "Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers."

In essence, Jesus was telling them to go ahead in their fathers' wickedness.  He left them with the designs of their own wicked hearts to bring to fullness what their fathers had started by killing the prophets.  They would be every bit as wicked as their fathers, and more so.

(33) "Serpents, generation of vipers! How can you escape the damnation of hell?"

By calling them serpents and vipers, Jesus expressed their cunning craftiness, though sleek and fair on the outside, they were full of venom and death on the inside.  They were just like their father, that old serpent, the devil, and just like their forefathers who killed the prophets.  So how was it possible that they thought they could escape damnation to hell?

(34) "Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes; and some of them you shall kill and crucify, and some of them you shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city."

Jesus told this generation of vipers that He was sending His prophets, wise men, and scribes, which would describe His disciples.  He foretold that they would kill some of them and persecute others.

(35) "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the temple and the altar."

Jesus went on to foretell that upon them would come the punishment of all the innocent blood which had been shed in the land from Abel to the prophet Zechariah, and which would come for the shedding of His innocent blood and that of His disciples after Him.  Indeed, they would achieve the fullness of what their fathers had started.  It's not that they would be unfairly punished for what their fathers had done before them, but it was because they had witnessed all that came before, and continued to do even more wickedness, that all the righteous blood shed up to the point they were punished would be avenged.

(36) "Verily, I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation."

Jesus told them that the time of the avenging of all the innocent blood would occur in that present generation.  Actually, the original word "genea" can also mean "nation."  Indeed, the destruction of Jerusalem took place about 40 years after Jesus spoke these words.

These statements pronouncing woes to the scribes and Pharisees have become known as the "eight woes."  It is very interesting to note that the blessings of the beatitudes also numbered eight.  Some scholars have made a direct correlation between each beatitude and each woe.  They do, indeed, come pretty close to being in direct opposition to each other:

1) Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, but woe to the scribes and Pharisees who shut up the kingdom of heaven.

2) Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted, but woe to those who devoured widows' houses and caused their sorrow.

3) Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, but woe to the scribes and Pharisees who comb the earth to make just one proselyte and make him twice as bad as they were.

4) Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled, but woe to those who seek after only money and things of value.

5) Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy, but woe to those scribes and Pharisees who omitted the weightier matters like mercy.

6) Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God, but woe to those scribes and Pharisees who make themselves clean and pure on the outside, but whose hearts are wicked.

7) Blessed are the peacemakers who shall be called the children of God, but woe to the scribes and Pharisees who were filled with only death.

8) Blessed are those who are persecuted for Christ's sake, but woe to the scribes and Pharisees who persecuted them.

Back to Matthew 23:37:

(37) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you; how often would I have gathered your children together even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!"

Jesus then began to lament over Jerusalem.  It is evident He deeply grieved for her and earnestly wished for the salvation of her people.  The account in Luke says that He wept over the city.  Countless prophets were sent to save her, but she rejected and killed them.  Jesus sought to gather her people under His protection, but they would not hearken to Him.

(38) "Behold, your house is left to you desolate."

Whether Jesus meant the city or the temple, as either could be called the house where God had dwelt, once called His house, it was now their house for God had abandoned it.  For those who say that a loving God would never so wickedly punish His people, I don't see God as actively punishing, but He just turns away because they have rejected Him, and leaves them to defend for themselves.  Without His love, mercy, protection, and salvation, we will all perish!

(39) "For I say to you, you shall see me no more till you shall say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Taken in context with verse 38, it seems as if Jesus was saying the Jews' temple or city or both were desolate because HE was leaving it.  Their fate was sealed; the Lord's glory departed from them.  They would not see Him again offering His salvation until they received Him with joy and open hearts, recognizing Him as their Messiah.  The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 11:25-26 that this would be after the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in and then all Israel will be saved.  This is why we should only look with love to our Jewish brothers and sisters.  Imagine if Jesus had come to His people and they accepted Him and He took them away with Him, leaving all us Gentiles to perish.  Of course, it has been God's plan all along to save us all, knowing the depravity of the human heart; He knew He would be rejected, but His people had to see it for themselves.  Paul also said in those verses that we Christians must not become conceited because it is not owing to our own righteousness that we have been saved, but because Israel had been spiritually blinded for a time, Gentiles were given the opportunity to be saved.  Blessed are those who bless Israel, and cursed are those who curse her (Genesis 12:3, Numbers 24:9).  We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and they who love her will prosper (Psalm 122:6).  I truly believe that the reason God has continued to bless America even after all her wickedness in aborting babies, taking Him out of schools and the public square, celebrating homosexual unions that He called abomination, is because of our support for Israel.  However, one can see the tide turning, and once we reject Israel, we will be totally doomed as a country.

Let the Children Come

Continuing a Bible study of the gospels:

(Matthew 19:1) And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these sayings, He departed from Galilee and came to the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had just finished telling the parable of the unforgiving servant in answer to Peter's question about how many times one should forgive a brother his trespasses.  After this, He left Galilee and went to the border of Judea to the country that was called "beyond Jordan" that bordered Judea.  Most all the old commentaries I study made it a point to say that even though it was so lightly touched in scripture, this was considered Christ's farewell to Galilee.  Galilee was where He had chiefly preached and performed His miracles, but He now left Galilee, never to return until after His resurrection.  Albert Barnes pointed out in his Notes on the Bible that considerable time had lapsed from when Jesus taught the parable of the unforgiving servant to the time He left Galilee, for Luke and John recorded several important events that happened in the meantime.  

(2) And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

Great multitudes of people followed Jesus, and He healed them there in that region of the edge of Judea and beyond the Jordan River.

(3) The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?"

The Pharisees also came to Jesus, but they only wanted to test Him, to see if He would contradict Moses.  They asked if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason.

(4) And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, (5) And said, 'For this reason shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh'?"

Jesus answered the Pharisees by asking them a question about whether they had read the scriptures about when God first made man and woman at the beginning.  He quoted Genesis 2:24 where Adam said what must be attributed to God according to Jesus here.  Adam was surely at the time speaking the words of God by divine revelation.  He had said that man was meant to leave his father and mother and be attached to his wife, and they were to become as one.

(6) "Wherefore they are no more two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put asunder."

Therefore, Jesus said to them, what God had joined together as one flesh, no man ought to break that bond or separate them.

(7) They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a writing of divorcement and put her away?"

The Pharisees answered Him by asking the question of why Moses "commanded" a certificate of divorce and the sending away of the wife.  Referring to Deuteronomy 24:1, they apparently saw this as in opposition to what Jesus taught, and sought to ensnare Him.

(8) He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so."

Jesus answered the Pharisees by saying that Moses "permitted" divorce; it was certainly not commanded.  As a civil lawgiver, Moses allowed for a relaxation of the marriage bond because of the "hardness of their hearts," a recognition of their lowly moral state and inability to endure the strictness of the original law, and to prevent still greater evils, like adultery and physical abuse.  Jesus reiterated the fact that this was not so in the beginning.  Just because the law permitted something didn't mean that God approved of it.

(9) "And I say to you, whoever puts away his wife, except it be for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who was put away, commits adultery." 

Jesus declared that whoever divorced his wife for anything other than her fornication or adultery, that is, her defiling the marriage bed and destroying what had been one flesh, and then married another woman would be guilty of adultery.  Additionally, whoever married the woman who had been frivolously divorced, also committed adultery.

(10) His disciples said to Him, "If the case of the man is such with his wife, it is not good to marry."

I find this statement by the disciples rather sad.  They felt like the possibility of being bound to a disagreeable woman with no way out unless she was unfaithful, was a thing to be totally avoided by not marrying at all.

(11) But He said to them, "All cannot receive this saying, except those to whom it is given."

Jesus replied that not all men could accept and adhere to a single life, to a celibate life, as the disciples suggested.  It was natural for man to want to be joined with a wife; even God stated that in the beginning, in Genesis 2:18, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper just right for him."  The gift of celibacy was just that, a gift that not all men could receive and adhere to, unless given that spirit by the Holy Spirit of God.

(12) "For there are some eunuchs who were so born from their mother's womb, and there are some eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it."

In addressing this scripture, first it is necessary to know the meaning of the word "eunuch."  The original Greek word "eunouchos" was formed by the words "eune" meaning "bed" and "echos" meaning "to have, to hold, to possess."  Therefore, "eunouchos" meant to have the care of the bed or bedchamber because that was the typical employment of eunuchs.  The dictionary definition of a eunuch is "a castrated man, especially one formerly employed by rulers in the Middle East and Asia as a harem guard;" thus being the caretaker of the women's bedchambers.  These eunuchs were most often made so by mutilation so that they would be "safe" in the women's bedchambers.  The primary definition of "eunouchos" in Strong's Greek Dictionary after distinguishing the root words is "a castrated person."  Thayer's Greek Definitions defines it as first a "bed keeper or bed guard" with the primary subtitle of "an emasculated man."  

Jesus discussed the different types of eunuchs.  The most common were probably those who had been made eunuchs by man, but He said that there were some eunuchs who were so born from their mother's womb.  The medical definition of "eunuch" is "a man or boy whose testes have been removed or have never developed."  Jesus acknowledged that some men were born that way.  The secondary definition of the word in Strong's is "an impotent man," and Thayer's, "one naturally incapacitated for marriage or for begetting children."  The eunuchs who were employed in the bedchambers of harems, queens, or princesses, surely had to be visually physically impaired in the sexual organ department.  However, Jesus was talking about eunuchs in the context of marriage, so he meant those men who might have been born with a sexual deformity, but also those with impotence or some other natural, but maybe not visible, incapacitation for marriage.

The third type of eunuch that Jesus discussed was one who made himself a eunuch.  I cannot believe that this meant he mutilated his body to become a eunuch, but that he chose to live as a eunuch, that is celibate.  I've seen this verse used as the Bible's approval of transsexuality, asexuality, pansexuality, and all those other letters added to the LGB community.  A person who may not experience sexual attraction and be considered asexual may be one who is considered born that way and incapacitated for marriage.  However, in no way was Jesus discussing homosexuals, bisexuals, or pansexuals, and the like.  There was a definite prohibition against such activity in the Bible.  A transsexual is one who changes his sex, so that cannot be what is meant, either.  A eunuch was more of an asexual, without sex.  Also note that the reason for making oneself a eunuch was for "the kingdom of heaven's sake," so obviously it was not for exploring different kinds of sexual activity, but for celibacy, to devote oneself entirely to the service of God, and not for family.  

When Jesus said that he who was able to receive it, let him receive it, I believe He meant that those people who were able to live celibate lives, let them do it and live happy fulfilled lives as they were given.  I believe He was saying that there was no shame in not being married or not having children, and that it was a gift to be celebrated, as the apostle Paul obviously did.  If a person was born that way, then accept that as a gift as well.  But if a man was unable to live a celibate life, then of course, there was no shame in marrying and having children, as that is a very necessary part for the kingdom of heaven, as well.

(13) Then there were brought to Him little children that He should put hands on them and pray, and the disciples rebuked them.

Then little children were brought to Jesus in hopes He would lay His hands on them and pray and bless them.  The disciples evidently thought their Master should not be bothered by such things.  He did more lofty and important things like healing and saving lives, and shouldn't be bothered with blessing babies.

(14) But Jesus said, "Allow little children, and do not forbid them to come to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

However, Jesus showed His humility that He was not above taking notice of anyone who came to Him, and reminded His disciples they should regard the weakest believers as they were like little children in the kingdom of heaven.  Be they natural babies or baby Christians, all were to be regarded worthy of Jesus and of entering the kingdom of heaven.

(15) And He laid His hands on them, and departed from there.

Jesus indeed laid His hands on them as He had been asked to do, and then departed from that area beyond Jordan.

(16) And behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"

Matthew called him "one" of many, but Luke called him a "certain ruler," so we may assume he was a man of some means.  Mark said he came running to Jesus which implies some earnestness.  He wanted to know from Jesus what good thing he must do to have eternal life.

(17) And He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? There is none good but One, God; but if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

Of course, Jesus was good, all good; but He knew this man only thought of Him as a man.  His point was that people threw around such titles that only applied to God.  His intention was to make this man realize no one was good, and no one good act was going to give him eternal life.  However, He did answer him that if he wanted eternal life, he should keep the commandments.  At first, I wondered why Jesus would answer this way when just the act of keeping the commandments was not enough to be saved.  However, isn't that the reason that Jesus came, because no one could keep the whole law?  Once again, Jesus was making the point that no one can really be good enough to achieve eternal life.  

(18) He said to Him, "Which?" Jesus said, "You shall do no murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, (19) Honor your father and mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."

I find it interesting that the man asked which ones.  It reminds me of people who are always looking for the magic formula, if you will, to salvation.  There are those who are wise in their own eyes, thinking they have learned the real secret.  This man wants to know the secret.  Jesus went on to list all the commandments having to do with love of one's fellow man; and if one loves his neighbor as himself, he will not covet any of his neighbor's things; therefore, He has listed all six having to do with one's fellow man.

(20) The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth; what do I yet lack?"

The young man told Jesus he had kept all the commandments since he was a child, which is so typical of one who thinks he has always done good and is good enough to go to heaven.  As John would say later in 1 John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  Paul in Romans 3:23 said, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;" and therefore it follows what John continued to say in 1 John 1:10, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."  The man asked Jesus what it was that he still lacked.

(21) Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me." 

Jesus knew exactly what the man lacked.  He told him to sell all that he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him.  This act would encompass the first four commandments, including having nothing in life above God.  

(22) But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The man could not give up his wealth and possessions for God.  He had made an idol of wealth and things, and could not bring himself to give them up even for eternal life.  I find it hard to believe that someone would give up eternal life for temporary things on earth, but that would be because he doesn't really believe or have faith enough to let go of everything and give all to God, relying solely on Him.

(23) Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Verily, I say to you, that a rich man can hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus went on to make this a teaching moment for His disciples.  He told them it was almost impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

(24) "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

Jesus went on to give an expression illustrating the sheer impossibility of it, saying it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.  I can remember a pastor explaining that the eye of a needle was not meant as we think of it, but that there was a narrow passage through a particular small gate called the "eye of the needle," and that is what Jesus was referring to.  I don't believe that is true, as will become clearer as Jesus said more.  Besides, a rich man indicates one who still has all his wealth.  If he has given all to the poor and retains nothing, but to follow Jesus, is he still rich in the worldly sense?

(25) When His disciples heard that, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

The disciples' question seems to indicate that most people in their time were considered rich in some measure.  I don't think that is what they meant.  I think they were imagining a rich man with all his advantages who could absolutely not ride his camel through the eye of a needle, so just how was it that anyone could do it?

(26) But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Jesus admitted to them that with man alone trying to save himself, it was impossible.  However, with God, all things were possible.  Only God can draw man to Himself and give him the desire of only God in his life, so that he desires to give up all worldly treasures.  Just as God could make that camel go through the eye of a needle with just a word if He so willed it, He could work miracles with a rich man's heart in order to save him.  When you think about it, isn't it a blessing not to be rich?  If worldly riches are so hard to give up, an impossibility on our own, then we can consider it a blessing not to have that impediment.  However, money can be an idol just as easily to a poor person, because that is what he thinks about and strives for constantly, believing that is what he needs most.  But once again, with God it is possible to forget about money and trust Him for all needs.

(27) Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Behold, we have forsaken all and followed You; what shall we have therefore?"

Having listened to the conversation between Jesus and the rich young ruler, and hearing Jesus tell the man that if he sold all and gave it to the poor, he would have treasure in heaven, Peter then asked Jesus that question.  Peter and the other disciples had not sold all they had and given it to the poor.  Many had wives and families to support.  At most, we were told that they left a few boats and fishing nets.  Peter's inquiry sounds selfish and a bit grandiose on his part, "We have forsaken all."  Perhaps his intention was to find out if what they had given to devote their lives to Jesus and follow Him daily, was enough.

(28) And Jesus said to them, "Verily, I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Jesus's answer to Peter is a bit difficult for us to understand.  Even Biblical scholars understand it in different ways.  What seems the most plausible to me is that those who have followed Him, once they are in the time of regeneration when the elect will begin to live a new life in their new heavenly bodies enjoying their heavenly inheritance, when Jesus sits on His throne of glory in heaven, they will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  Whether or not the thrones are literal, they denote power and honor; the disciples will be distinguished above others.  As far as judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Jesus is the One and only judge on Judgment Day.  I believe the way "judging" is used here, the way that it is often used in the Bible, means that by their example and comparison, they brought judgment to the twelve tribes before them, to the Jews who rejected and crucified Christ.  Some scholars believe that what is meant by the regeneration, is immediately after Jesus rose from the dead and was seated at His throne, when the disciples were actively growing the early church, a time of reformation; teaching true Christianity was judging the old ways of the twelve tribes.  I tend to think that the honor in heaven is what is meant.  That is what Peter was asking.

(29) "And everyone who has forsaken houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or wife or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

Jesus went on to say that everyone, not just the twelve disciples, but surely including them, who forsook family and/or property for Jesus's sake would receive a hundred times in value what they had given up, and would inherit everlasting life.

(30) "But many who are first shall be last, and the last shall be first."

Jesus said that many who were first would be last, and the last would be first.  This might mean that those who were first in the world would be last in the kingdom of heaven, and the last, poor and lowly, might be first.  However, many who would be first in the world will not even be in the kingdom of heaven, so I don't believe that is what is meant.  The heavenly inheritance is not given as earthly inheritances often are, by priority of birth; nor will God give preference to those who were first saved in time, but according to God's pleasure and grace.  

In summarizing this chapter, the most important part that impresses upon me is Jesus and the little children.  I watched a beautiful movie last night, Lucy Shimmers and the Prince of Peace.  Lucy Shimmers was a perfect illustration of how one should come to Christ as an innocent child, filled with wonder and having full faith in all the Bible says, seeing people as Jesus sees them, loving them as Jesus loves them, simply because He said we should.  Oh, if only we could see God and the world the way a child can, before all the hurts, guilt, and selfishness start building that wall of separation.  A child is not so easily turned away, not so easily feeling rejected.  A child can be very persistent, and when that innocence and persistence is combined with the knowledge of Christ, a child can do wonders melting jaded hearts.  No wonder Jesus said we must come to Him as children, and why He said to let the children come to Him.  Christ and a sweet child--what a beautiful combination!  Children see things in black and white, not in all shades of gray as we have complicated the simplest things to be.  Jesus said His yoke was easy and His burden was light.  It's really true if we only accept His simple truths at face value, and seek to do His commandments, if only because He said so.  If one thought as simply as this, he would always love and never divorce his wife.  One could easily trust God with all and give up all riches if he had the trusting nature of a child.  

The Israelites Are Sentenced to Wandering in the Wilderness for Forty Years

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Numbers 14:1) And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

At the end of the last chapter and post, ten of the twelve men who had spied out the land of Canaan that the Lord had already stated He was giving them and driving out its inhabitants, came back with a bad report that the land was filled with giants and fortified cities and that there was no way they could go up against those people.  At the news of this, the people cried throughout the night.  So it appears that none of the congregation believed as Caleb did in the last chapter, that all they had to do was to go in and possess the land the Lord had already given them.  They all believed the bad report rather than the word of their Lord God.

(2) And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!"

Once again, as seen before, a few sowed discord, and soon the entire congregation was complaining about Moses and Aaron, and actually saying to them that they wished they had died in Egypt or in this wilderness rather than to be brought to this moment in time.  Spoiler alert--be careful what you wish for!

(3) "And why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should be prey? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Incredibly, the people start complaining against the Lord, too.  Why had He brought them to this land only to be killed, not just them, but their wives and children to be innocent victims of beasts of prey.  After all the miraculous things they had seen the Lord do for them, they now thought it better that they return to their life in bondage in Egypt.  It's just unbelievable to me when I read this, but I know in so many ways that while God is carrying us through difficult situations, we may become frightened and doubtful, and long to go back within our comfort zones, unwilling to possess the great things the Lord is trying to give us.  It's easy to see that those degenerate Israelites acted so foolishly and in rebellion to their Lord; it's often that we cannot see ourselves accurately.  But what a wonderful lesson to remind us that we should always remember the continual blessings of our Lord, and never doubt Him by allowing our hearts to be troubled by our present situations.  The same Lord who has brought us to this present time is well able to continue to carry us through!  Why do we always try to put limits on God?  I know in my case, sometimes it's not that I doubt that He can do something, but that He will do it in a particular case.  Sometimes I feel unworthy to expect that He will do something for me.  Then I am reminded that of course, I am unworthy!  We are all unworthy! (Rom. 3:10 and 23)  But He loves us in spite of that!  He cares about every hair on our heads (Luke 12:7); He works all things to the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28); He wants to prosper and not harm us (Jer. 29:11).  God is all good, all loving, all faithful, and sees all things that are and will be, so we can completely trust Him.  Regarding the limits we put on God, I recall a perfect analogy in the book, The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel, that I read some years ago.  Just as we cannot comprehend the mind and abilities of God, and may not recognize what God is doing in our present situation is actually good, compare that to the mind and abilities of a person with a wounded bear.  The bear will feel attacked when it is shot with a tranquilizer gun, not realizing that the man is actually doing that to save it.  Our simple human selves cannot comprehend the mind of God and what He is doing to save us, but we know that we can always trust Him.

(4) And they said one to another, "Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt."

Astonishingly, the people actually decided among themselves to appoint a captain, rejecting Moses, and selecting a new leader who would lead them back to Egypt.  What madness!  Not only were they going back to bondage, but suggesting they leave the care and provision of their Lord?  Who was going to feed them every day as had been the case in their journey to this point?  Or did they expect that even after they had rejected their Lord, His word, and His servant Moses, that He would bless and provide for them all the way back into their captivity?  I liken this one to our country and the motto that "God Bless America".  We ask Him to bless us even though we kill millions of innocent babies, celebrate homosexuality and immorality in all sorts of forms, etc.  What madness!  It comes down to a simple choice between life everlasting with our Lord or death with the ways of the world:

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live." - Deuteronomy 30:19

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." - Galatians 5:1

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." - Psalm 14:12

"You adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." - James 4:4

Once again, if we are an enemy of God, can we expect Him to bless us?  Can we survive without the blessing of God?  Consider these verses:

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD..." - Psalm 33:12a

"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." - Psalm 9:17

"For the nation and kingdom which will not serve You shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly wasted." - Isaiah 60:12

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." - Proverbs 14:34

What's a person to do when his country has gone mad and is wicked?  There will be blessed people within a cursed nation:

"If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?...Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; his countenance beholds the upright." - Psalm 11:3, 6-7

"But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." - Acts 10:35

"And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt." - Genesis 19:29

Now back to the 14th chapter of Numbers:

(5) Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

Obviously, Moses and Aaron recognized the madness of what the people suggested, and fell on their faces in prayer for this ungrateful lot.

(6) And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had searched the land, tore their clothes.

Joshua and Caleb who had been among the twelve spies who searched out the land, obviously recognized the blasphemous madness of the people, too.  They tore their clothes in mourning over what they heard.

(7) And they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land we passed through to search, is an exceedingly good land. (8) If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey."

Joshua and Caleb pleaded with the people, assuring them that the land was indeed an exceedingly good land flowing with milk and honey.  They pointed out that if the Lord delighted in them, He would bring them into the land and give it to them, recognizing that provoking the Lord in this manner after all He had done and promised to them, was not the way to bring the promise to fruition.

(9) “Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their defense has departed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."

Joshua and Caleb continued pleading with the people, trying to reassure them that with their Lord with them, they had nothing to fear.  Having complete faith in what the Lord had told them, that He would drive out the inhabitants from before them to give them this land, they reasoned those inhabitants were merely bread to them, meaning either they could be devoured as bread, or maybe that all their substance would now be the provision (bread) for the Israelites.

(10) But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

Incredibly, the people would not listen to the wisdom of Joshua and Caleb, and started calling for them to be stoned!  It was at this point that the Lord intervened, and His glory in a visible manifestation appeared in the tabernacle before all the people.

(11) And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people provoke Me? And how long will it be before they believe me, with all the signs which I have shown among them?"

The Lord spoke to Moses.  The word "provoke" generally means to us to incite anger, but the original word "naats" also meant "scorn, despise, blaspheme", which would understandably provoke.  With all the visible miraculous signs God had shown the people, He asked how long it would be before they would believe and trust in Him.

(12) “I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

The Lord continued speaking to Moses, declaring He would strike the people with pestilence and disinherit them, and make from Moses a greater nation with whom He would continue His covenant.

(13) And Moses said to the LORD: “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, (14) And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land; they have heard that You, LORD, are among these people; that You, LORD, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. (15) Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, (16) 'Because the LORD was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He has killed them in the wilderness.’"

Moses answered the Lord, interceding for this ungrateful and undeserving people.  Perhaps it was also (maybe more so) because he did not want such actions to diminish His Lord in the eyes of the world, as suggested by his words.  He reasoned that if the Lord killed His people and disinherited them, the Egyptians, from whom the Lord had rescued His people, would hear about it.  Word would spread to Canaan.  These other people had heard that the Lord was seen among His people, visible in the pillar of cloud and fire, leading them through the wilderness to their promised land.  Moses reasoned that if the Lord killed all His people in one fell swoop, then the other nations would believe that it was because He was unable to bring them into the land He had sworn to give them.

(17) "And now, I beseech You, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, (18) ‘The LORD is longsuffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation.’"

Moses begged the Lord to let His power be shown to the world as great.  Moses prayed according to the word of His Lord (Exodus 34:6-7), in which he held as truth that the Lord was patient and merciful, forgiving iniquity and sin.  Also remembering His word, Moses realized this by no means meant the guilty should be let off completely scot-free.  His prayer appears to be (although he realized the Lord would visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations) that He not utterly destroy them, thus destroying their succeeding generations.  He knew the people must be punished, but pleaded that they not be utterly destroyed.

(19) "Pardon, I beseech You, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your mercy, and as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

Moses pleaded with the Lord to forgive them according to the greatness of His mercy.  I believe the suggestion here is that the greatness of the Lord's mercy was much greater than the great sin of the people.  He acknowledged that the Lord had exercised His great capacity to forgive these people on multiple occasions from the time they left Egypt until now, and he pleaded that He do it again.

(20) And the LORD said, “I have pardoned, according to your word."

The Lord agreed to pardon the people according to Moses's prayerful request, not completely, to be sure, but in that He would not utterly destroy them.  Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, put it this way, "Here is a whole nation rescued from ruin by the effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man", a direct reference to James 5:16.

(21) “But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD."

The Lord continued speaking with Moses, in the form of an oath, that all the earth indeed would be filled with His glory.  Perhaps this was also in answer to prayer.  Moses had shown great concern for the glory of His Lord.  In this response, the Lord assured him that in whatever manner He chose to deal with this people, the earth would indeed know that it was by His power and glory.

(22) "Because all those men who have seen My glory and My miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice, (23) Surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who provoked Me see it."

The Lord went on to proclaim that all those men of His people who had witnessed His miracles, but had rejected and rebelled against Him ten times, would not see the land that He had sworn to their fathers.  Some of the commentaries I study suggested that ten was the number indicating completeness, the sense being that the measure of their provocation was now full.  Others enumerate exactly ten times when the people rebelled against the Lord:  twice at the sea, twice concerning water, twice about manna, twice about quails, once by the calf, and once in the wilderness of Paran.

(24) “But My servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall possess it."

None of the people would see the land except for Caleb, who had a different spirit in him than the other men and had followed the Lord fully.  The Lord would bring Caleb into the land and his descendants would possess it.  Joshua is not mentioned here, but we will see later he is included.  Perhaps as Moses's servant, his faithfulness was taken for granted, but the Lord took this opportunity to recognize Caleb.

(25) “Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.”

Whereas before the Lord had promised to drive out the inhabitants from before them to give them this land, now He proclaimed them an enemy to be feared, and told them to turn back the next day, and move into the wilderness back toward the Red Sea.

(26) And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, (27) “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who murmur against Me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they make against Me."

The Lord still speaking to just Moses and Aaron, seemed to wearily ask how long He would have to put up with this unfaithful and ungrateful lot who complained against Him, as He had heard all their grumblings.

(28) “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.'"

It was at this point that the Lord told Moses and Aaron to tell the people what He had decided to do with them.  They were to tell the people that just as they had murmured and wished for, He would do to them.

(29) "'Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, (30) Undoubtedly, you shall not come into the land which I swore I would make you dwell in, except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.'"

The Lord said to tell the people that they would indeed die in the wilderness just as they had called for in verse 2.  All those mighty men who had been before counted, from twenty years old and upward, who had murmured against the Lord, would not come into the land the Lord had promised to give them.  He made an exception for Caleb and Joshua, who had trusted their Lord.

(31) "‘But your little ones, whom you said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.'"

However, their children, whom the people had said in verse 3 should be prey for the Canaanites, the Lord would bring into the promised land and they would get to know and enjoy the land which their fathers had rejected.

(32) "‘But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness.'"

Once again the Lord reiterated that this present generation would die in the wilderness.

(33) "'And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses are wasted in the wilderness.'"

The children would have to wander in the wilderness forty years because of their fathers' several acts of infidelity and faithlessness, until the time when the fathers had all died in the wilderness.

(34) "‘According to the number of the days in which you searched the land, forty days, each day for a year, you shall bear your iniquities forty years, and you shall know My breach of promise.'"

The Israelites would be made to wander in the wilderness forty years, a year for each day that they searched out the land, content to wait forty days for the testimony of men because they would not take God's word; and therefore they are justly kept forty years waiting for the fruition of God's promise.  God would never actually breach His promise; the meaning of the original word "tenuah", translated as "breach of promise" here, means more of an alienation for a time, or a turning away for a time.  The only other place in scripture it was used was in Job 33:10 where it was translated as "occasions"; in neither case was it a permanent breach of promise.  All the biblical commentaries I study agree that this would be an additional 38 1/2 years in the wilderness added to the year and a half it had been since they left Egypt, totaling forty years in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt.  In this time a new generation would be raised up, and the children, being brought up bearing their fathers' whoredoms, the punishment of their sins, might take warning not to tread in the steps of their fathers' disobedience.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, made it a point that God made them to wander in the wilderness; they couldn't do anything else!  They would be unable to make for themselves a captain and go back to Egypt (v. 4), but would die in the wilderness as they had wished (v. 2).

(35) "'I the LORD have said, I will surely do it to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me; in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.'"

As the Lord had spoken, He vowed to surely do to all that evil congregation who had gathered against Him, faithless and ungrateful for all He had done, turning from Him, wishing to go back to the bondage in Egypt.  They would all be consumed and die in the wilderness.

(36) And the men whom Moses sent to search the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a slander on the land, (37) Even those men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

The ten men of the twelve who had been sent out to spy on the land, the ones who came back with a slanderous report about the land and stirred up the congregation to complain against Moses, even those chosen spies died by the plague before the Lord.  The original word translated as "plague", that is "maggephah", meant "plague, pestilence", and even "slaughter".  Dr. John Gill wrote in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, that the Jews' traditional relating of the story was that the men were eaten by worms that came out of their bodies.  Whatever form it took, I'm sure it was immediate and understood by all to be by the hand of God.

(38) But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of the men who went to search the land, remained alive.

Joshua and Caleb, two of the twelve spies, were spared and did not die in the plague, because they believed God and did not participate in the delivery of the bad report.  Some of the commentaries I study pointed out that it was very probable that the twelve spies stood together, making it very remarkable that just the ten with the bad reports fell dead before the congregation, and these two remained alive.

(39) And Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly.

Moses told the people what the Lord had told him to tell them about how they would never see the promised land, but would wander in the wilderness forty years and die there.  The people greatly mourned, but whether it was for true repentance, or just on account of the evil that was coming to them, we don't really know.

(40) And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!”

The next morning the people went up to the top of the mountain which was the way the spies had gone into the land of Canaan, saying they were now ready to go into the land the Lord had promised them.  They seemed to acknowledge they had sinned in believing the bad report, but in this action, they were ignoring the word of God that they would not go into the promised land, but would die in the wilderness.

(41) And Moses said, “Why now do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. (42) Do not go up, for the LORD is not among you, that you be not smitten before your enemies. (43) For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.”

Moses pointed out to the people they were again transgressing the word of the Lord.  He had said they would not enter the promised land, so their attempt to go into it would not succeed.  He told them not to go up the mountain and into the land because the Lord was not with them to protect them from being killed by their enemies, the Amalekites and the Canaanites, the current inhabitants of the land.

(44) But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp.

Incredibly, in an audacious and presumptuous manner, the people continued up the mountaintop, ignoring Moses's warning.  A flood of thoughts come to me when I consider how often we continue with our godless ways, ignoring what God has said about certain topics like life and marriage and sexual purity and idolatry.  Again I think of how we dare to say, "God Bless America" when we are a country killing innocent babies and celebrating homosexual marriage, a thing God called an abomination.  God cannot bless this country, yet we think we can continue in our ways without His blessing?  Indeed the actions of the Israelites at this point are perfect illustrations of our current ways.

Neither the ark of the covenant nor Moses departed from the camp.  I believe the point here is that the cloud of the Lord which rested over the ark was not taken up indicating they should move forward.  Neither the Lord nor Moses were with them, yet they moved forward anyway.

(45) Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and smote them, and beat them back as far as Hormah.

Sure enough, the Amalekites and Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and killed the Israelites, and drove those they did not kill back to Hormah.  Bible scholars are not sure where this was exactly, but you can be sure it was far enough back into the wilderness to prevent the people from thinking they should try that again.  It was probably "into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea", as the Lord had told them to go in verse 25.  I like the words of Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, regarding this episode:

How vain is the counsel of man against the wisdom of God! Nature, poor, fallen human nature, is ever running into extremes. This miserable people, a short time ago, thought that though they had Omnipotence with them they could not conquer and possess the land! Now they imagine that though God himself go not with them, yet they shall be sufficient to drive out the inhabitants, and take possession of their country! Man is ever supposing he can either do all things or do nothing; he is therefore sometimes presumptuous, and at other times in despair. Who but an apostle, or one under the influence of the same Spirit, can say, I can do All Things Through Christ who strengtheneth me?

This chapter told how it came to be that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, when they could have reached their promised land in a much shorter time.  Matthew Henry summed up this chapter this way:  "This chapter gives us an account of that fatal quarrel between God and Israel upon which, for their murmuring and unbelief, he swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest."

God's Moral Laws: Laws Against Incest and Abominable Lusts

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Leviticus 18:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.'"

After delivering to him the laws of atonement (specifically the day of atonement) and proper handling of the sacrifices for atonement in the past two chapters (and posts), the Lord continued speaking to Moses, instructing him to give His words to the children of Israel.  He began by reminding them that He was their Lord God, their one and only sovereign God and lawgiver.

(3) "‘According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.'"

The Lord told the people through Moses that they were not to follow the customs of the people of Egypt where they had dwelt and no doubt picked up some customs.  Likewise, they also were not to follow the customs of the people of Canaan where He was bringing them.

(4) "‘You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them; I am the LORD your God.'"

Rather than observing the customs of the Egyptians and the Canaanites and the like, the people were commanded by God to observe only His judgments and laws and to walk in those, as He was their Lord God.  Their Lord God was the one true and sovereign God, but also the One to whom they owed their very lives, which ought to give them incentive to want to please Him and show gratitude for all the great things He had done for them.

(5) "‘You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD.'"

Because He was their Lord God, THE one true sovereign Lord, therefore they were to keep only His statutes and judgments.  God then added that if the people did keep His statutes and ordinances that they would live by them.  Keeping the law meant living by it, but I think the actual meaning is that if they obeyed His laws, they would live.  That sentiment is found throughout scripture in that God's laws meant life whereas the ways of the world meant death:

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. - Romans 8:13

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. - Proverbs 16:25

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. - Deuteronomy 30:19

For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? - Matthew 16:25-26

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:2

(6) "‘None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the LORD.'"

The Lord now began a list of His laws that were probably opposite to what the people had before witnessed or even practiced themselves among the Egyptians.  No one was to approach his near kin to expose his or her nakedness.  The original word "ervah" more completely referred to a shameful or indecent exposure of the pudenda, or genital organs.  The implication is that the people were not to have sexual intercourse with their next of kin.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out that in the infancy of the world, people of near kinship must necessarily have married to populate the world.  This practice was no longer necessary, and the Lord now commanded against it.  He was THE Lord, and a thing was established because He said so.

(7) "‘The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. (8) The nakedness of your father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness.'"

Uncovering "the nakedness of your father" doesn't appear to mean any sexual act of a son with his father, but rather seems to mean that uncovering the nakedness of your mother would shamefully expose your father by taking what was his and his alone.  As the verses continue, it seems apparent that these commandments were addressed to men about the women with whom they were not to engage sexually, but that by the taking of those women they would "uncover the nakedness" of the women's husbands.  The first specific prohibition was a son with his mother.  Rather than a repetition of verse 7, verse 8 may refer also to his father's wife who was not his mother, but his stepmother.

(9) "‘The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, her nakedness you shall not uncover.'"

The man of Israel was not to lie with his sister, whether she was the daughter of both his parents, or just of his father or just of his mother.  It did not matter where his sister was born, or as some interpret this scripture, whether she was born in a lawful marriage or as the result of adultery or whoredom outside of marriage; if she was the daughter of either his father or his mother or both, the man of Israel was not to have sexual relations with her.

(10) "‘The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for theirs is your own nakedness.'"

A man was not to have relations with the daughter of his son or daughter, his granddaughter, because she was from his own flesh, from his union with her grandmother, and said to be of his own nakedness.

(11) "‘The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness.'"

This seems to further expound on verse 9, that the daughter of a man's father's wife, other than his own mother, if she is begotten of his father, she is off limits to him.

(12) "‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father's near kin.'"

Men now were not to have relations with their aunts, their father's sisters, because they were so near kin.  This was a change from the union that produced Aaron and Moses:  And Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. - Exodus 6:20a.

(13) "‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother's near kin.'"

Likewise they were not to have relations with aunts on their mother's side, their mother's sisters.

(14) "‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt.'"

I believe the sense of uncovering the nakedness of a man's father's brother, his uncle, is that a man was not to sexually approach the wife of his father's brother, thus uncovering what had been only his uncle's private "nakedness".  A man was not to lie with his aunt; the kinship was too near.

(15) "‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law, she is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness.'"

A man was forbidden to have sexual relations with his daughter-in-law, his son's wife.

(16) "‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.'"

A man was forbidden to have sexual relations with his brother's wife, as that privilege belonged to his brother alone.  However if his brother died childless, we later see that God in Deuteronomy 25:5, said that in that case it was not only lawful for him to marry his brother's wife, but he was obliged by the law to do so.

(17) "‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness, for they are her near kin; it is wickedness.'"

It was not lawful for a man to take both a woman and her daughter or her granddaughter.  I believe in this case, the sense of uncovering the woman's nakedness meant that because her daughter and granddaughter were of her flesh and she had been one flesh with the man she had married, the relationship with her daughter and granddaughter would be too close.

(18) "'Neither shall you take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness beside the other in her lifetime.'"

A man was not to marry two sisters while both were alive, as Jacob had done with Rachel and Leah.  With them as an example, we certainly saw how the sisters as wives would be vexed, and prone to jealousy and quarrels.  The prohibition applied only during their lifetime; a man was free to marry his wife's sister if his wife had died.

(19) "‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.'"

A man was not to sexually approach a woman, even his own wife, during her monthly period of uncleanness.

(20) "‘Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her.'"

A man was not to have sexual relations with his neighbor's wife, thus also defiling himself with her.  This would be against two of the ten commandments, committing adultery and coveting thy neighbor's wife.

(21) "‘And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.'"

A man of Israel was not to let any of his descendants "pass through the fire to Molech".  In this verse, the King James Version italicized "the fire", indicating the translators had added that phrase.  The original text stated only that they "pass through to Molech", which would seem to mean they passed from the law of God to the religion of Molech, thus profaning the name of the Lord by such idolatry.  However, "the fire" may be rightly supplied here as other scriptures do seem to indicate there was a practice of burning children in the fire to sacrifice to Molech (Jeremiah 7:31 and 32:35, 2 Chron. 28:3).

(22) "‘You shall not lie with with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.'"

A man was not to lie with a man in the like manner he would lie with a woman.  How can anyone deny that this is a prohibition against homosexuality?  I actually did a search to see how people explained it away.  People went to great lengths to explain that it was a mistranslation to call it "abomination".  It was more like "taboo", which I guess, wasn't so bad, because it was just unusual, but not wrong, you see.  Incredible!  The original word was "toebah", which may indeed look like "taboo", but what does "taboo" mean?  Improper, unacceptable, forbidden.  Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs both define the original word as "disgusting, abhorrent, abominable".  Whether it's abominable, disgusting, or improper and unacceptable, what difference does it make?  Unbelievably, I found that people trying to disprove the general translation of Leviticus 18:22 often used other scriptures where the same word was used to prove it couldn't mean abomination--like child sacrifice and idolatry.  Whatever word you use to describe God's feeling about child sacrifice, idolatry, and homosexuality, there is no way you can turn it into a positive attitude!  The arguments against God calling the act of homosexuality an abomination are definitely far-reaching and weak and untrue.

(23) "'Neither shall you lie with any beast to defile yourself with it; neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down with it; it is perversion.'"

Lying with animals was also prohibited.  In the previous verses, the prohibitions were given to the man, but this verse added that it was just as unlawful for a woman to practice bestiality.  It was a perversion or violation of the natural or divine order of things.

(24) "‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these things, for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you.'"

God through Moses told the people not to defile themselves with any of the aforementioned abominations.  It was because of these such abominations that the nations were defiled that the Lord was casting out in order to give the land to His people.

(25) "'And the land is defiled; therefore I do visit its iniquity upon it, and the land itself vomits out its inhabitants.'"

The land where these defiled nations had been was itself defiled because of the abominations performed in it.  Therefore the Lord was about to visit, or perhaps one of the more applicable definitions of the original word "paqad", "attend to", would better describe what He was about to do about the iniquity of the land.  The verse is clear that it was the Lord tending to the iniquity of the land, but He described it as the land itself vomiting out its inhabitants as a stomach full of corrupt and bad food is nauseated and cannot bear to retain it.

(26) "‘You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you,'"

The people were therefore to keep the commandments of God and not commit any of the abominations that He had described above, incest, adultery, idolatry, homosexuality, and bestiality.  These statutes applied to the people of Israel, as well as to any stranger who lived among them.

I have to take a short digression here.  I think of all the times God said that "you" and "the stranger who dwelt among you" were to do the same things.  God was very welcoming of the strangers, the foreigners, the aliens, BUT He required that they live as His people lived if they were going to live among them.  The stranger was not forced to submit to the Israelite's religion, but he was required to act in a way that did not show contempt for their religion or their God, if they wanted to live among them.  As with most all God's commandments, even though a sovereign God in no way had to adhere to our human ideals of reasonable rules, nor had to explain Himself, it seems as if His laws were indeed common sense laws designed to prolong health and life.  Choose God and live.  God doesn't demand that we choose Him; we have free will.  However, a country would do good to adhere to the laws of God, and demand that its immigrant citizens do likewise.  This idea of total diversity within one country, that it shouldn't stand for any one thing, cannot and will not work.  Diversity is wonderful, but if one desires to be a part of another country, he must necessarily give up some of his traditional rites and become assimilated with his supposed preferred country of domicile.  ALL traditions cannot coincide together, when some are in direct conflict with others, so there must be a unified country standard.  People nowadays have become so afraid of appearing prejudiced and isolationist, that they bend over so far backward to accommodate in ways that destroy themselves.  In doing so, they are the very ones who create any negative feelings that may arise toward immigrants.  By ignoring the fact that free moving uninhibited illegal immigration brings gang members, drug runners, criminals, and those who wish to do us harm, along with those who may simply want a better life for their children, they enable the lawless acts against our citizens which cause some to seem "anti" immigrant if they dare to speak out against those things.  In most cases, it's not that people are against immigrants.  We were ALL immigrants!  But we became Americans legally.  There was a certain process in coming to America and in becoming an American.  It didn't mean you totally gave up your heritage, but your decision to be a part of America meant you had to become an American and accept all that that entailed.  If there is something wrong with our LEGAL immigration laws, then let's fix them, but it is foolish to just ignore them and allow illegal immigration which will destroy us.  There was wisdom in this, God's law, as there is with all God's laws.  The foolishness of man is that he thinks he can be wise apart from God:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. - Proverbs 1:7

There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. - Proverbs 21:30

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!- Isaiah 5:20-21

(27) "'(For all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and the land is defiled;)'"

Leviticus 18:27 is a parenthetical phrase to verse 26 above that stated the people were to keep God's statutes and not commit any of the before mentioned abominations.  All the abominations described by God in this chapter were done by the men of the land to which God was bringing His people.  The men living in the land before them had done these wicked things and had thus defiled the land.

(28) "'That the land not spew you out also when you defile it, as it spewed out the nations that were before you.'"

A continuation of the statement started in verse 26, the people were to keep God's statutes so that the land would not have to spew them out of it when they defiled it, as it was spewing out the nations before them.

(29) "‘For whoever commits any of these abominations, the souls who commit them shall be cut off from among their people.'"

Whoever committed any of these abominations would be cut off from among their people.  This could be done by the immediate hand of God, or by civil or ecclesiastical punishment.

(30) "‘Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, that you do not commit any one of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them; I am the LORD your God.’”

Therefore the people were to keep God's ordinances so that they did not commit any of the abominable customs that were committed before them, and thus defiling themselves.  Thus saith the Lord your God, who has the sovereign authority to command whatever He wills, but lovingly commands what is best for our well-being.  I like how Matthew Henry (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible) described this concluding statement of the Lord:  "This is the remedy prescribed...Sinful customs are abominable customs, and their being common and fashionable does not make them at all the less abominable nor should we the less abominate them, but the more; because the more customary they are the more dangerous they are...It is of pernicious consequence to admit and allow of any one sinful custom, because one will make way for many...Admit but a single absurdity, you invite a thousand. The way of sin is downhill...A close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most effectual preservative from the infection of gross sin. The more we taste of the sweetness and feel of the power of holy ordinances the less inclination we shall have to the forbidden pleasures of sinners' abominable customs..."