The Book of Judges

Chapter 10:6, 14, 16

Geneva Bible 

Translation Ed. 1599

6 And the children of Israel wrought wickedness again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord and served not him.

14 Go, and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen: let them save you in the time of your tribulation.

16 Then they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

Brethren;

The patience of the Lord is long suffering. Indeed, He is slow to anger and quick to forgive. Yet there are times when it is we that turn our faces away from Him, that He allows us to wallow in the misery of our own making. We are reminded here of the parable of the weary judge in the Gospel of Luke 18:5-8, of the judge who is entreated by the widow continuously to take action in a matter. The lesson learned here is two fold; remain steadfast in your belief and serving of God, and secondly God does hear, and will take action on your behalf, should you falter, yet return to him, confess, and put away your sin.

Study notes

They were so dreadfully sunk into idolatry, that they had wholly forsaken the Lord and his worship at the tabernacle, and made no pretensions to it, but entirely neglected it. They grew worse and worse, and so ripened themselves for ruin. Before they worshiped God and idols together, now they forsake God, and wholly cleave to idols. They had not been forced to worship those gods by their oppressors; but had freely chosen them before Him.

Gill and Wesley (Ed. by RPW Sr.)

While those two judges, Tola and Jair, presided in the affairs of Israel, things went well, but afterwards: Israel returned to their idolatry, that sin which did most easily beset them (verse 6). They did evil again in the sight of the Lord, from whom they were unaccountably bent to backslide, as a foolish people and unwise. If they did it in compliment to the neighboring nations, and to ingratiate themselves with them, justly were they disappointed; for those nations which by their wicked arts they sought to make their friends by the righteous judgments of God became their enemies and oppressors. In quo quis peccat, in eo punitur—Wherein a person offends, therein he shall be punished. They did not so much as admit the God of Israel to be one of those many deities they worshipped, but quite cast him off: They forsook the Lord, and served not him at all. Those that think to serve both God and Mammon will soon come entirely to forsake God, and to serve Mammon only. If God have not all the heart, he will soon have none of it. God renewed his judgments upon them, bringing them under the power of oppressing enemies. Had they fallen into the hands of the Lord immediately, they might have found that his mercies were great; but God let them fall into the hands of man, whose tender mercies are cruel. Yet later onward we read that they made a humble confession to God in their distress, (verse 10). Now they own themselves guilty, like a malefactor upon the rack, and promise reformation, like a child under the rod. They not only complain of the distress, but acknowledge it is their own sin that has brought them into the distress; therefore God is righteous, and they have no reason to repine. They confess their omissions, for in them their sin began. It was kind that God took notice of their cry, and did not turn a deaf ear to it and send them no answer at all; it was kind likewise that when they began to repent he sent them such a message as was proper to increase their repentance, that they might be qualified and prepared for deliverance. True penitents dare and will refer themselves to God to correct them as he thinks fit, knowing that their sin is highly malignant in its deserts, and that God is not rigorous or extreme in his demands. They supplicate for God’s mercy: Deliver us only, we pray thee, this day, from this enemy. They acknowledge what they deserved, yet pray to God not to deal with them according to their deserts. Note, We must submit to God’s justice with a hope in his mercy. They knew it was to no purpose to go to the gods whom they had served, and therefore returned to the God whom they had slighted. This is true repentance not only for sin, but from sin. God’s gracious return in mercy to them, which is expressed here very tenderly (verse 16). His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Not that there is any grief in God (he has infinite joy and happiness in himself, which cannot be broken in upon by either the sins or the miseries of his creatures), nor that there is any change in God: he is in one mind, and who can turn him? But his goodness is his glory. By it he proclaims his name, and magnifies it above all names; and, as he is pleased to put himself into the relation of a father to his people that are in covenant with him, so he is pleased to represent his goodness to them by the compassions of a father towards his children; for, as he is the Father of lights, so he is the Father of mercies. As the disobedience and misery of a child are a grief to a tender father, and make him feel very sensibly from his natural affection, so the provocations of God’s people are a grief to him (Psalm 95:10 ), he is broken with their whorish heart (Ezekiel 6:9 ); their troubles also are a grief to him; so he is pleased to speak when he is pleased to appear for the deliverance of his people, changing his way and method of proceeding, as tender parents when they begin to relent towards their children with whom they have been displeased. Such are the tender mercies of our God, and so far is he from having any pleasure in the death of sinners.

Matthew Henry - Theologian - 1662 - 1714 (Ed. RPW Sr.)

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 4:1-20

1 And he began again to teach by the seaside, and there gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea, and all the people was by the seaside on the land.

2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

3 Hearken: Behold, there went out a sower to sow.

4 And it came to pass as he sowed, that some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the heaven came, and devoured it up.

5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, and by and by sprang up, because it had not depth of earth.

6 But as soon as the Sun was up, it was burnt up, and because it had not root, it withered away.

7 And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, so that it gave no fruit.

8 Some again fell in good ground, and did yield fruit that sprung up, and grew, and it brought forth, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some an hundredfold.

9 Then he said unto them, He that hath ears, to hear, let him hear.

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve, asked him of the parable.

11 And he said unto them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things be done in parables,

12 That they seeing, may see, and not discern: and they hearing, may hear, and not understand, lest at any time they should turn, and their sins should be forgiven them.

13 Again he said unto them, Perceive ye not this parable? how then should ye understand all other parables?

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they that receive the seed by the wayside, in whom the word is sown: but when they have heard it, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And likewise they that receive the seed in stony ground, are they, which when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with gladness.

17 Yet have they no root in themselves, and endure but a time: for when trouble and persecution ariseth for the word, immediately they be offended.

18 Also they that receive the seed among the thorns, are such as hear the word:

19 But the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enter in, and choke the word, and it is unfruitful.

20 But they that have received seed in good ground, are they that hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit: one corn thirty, another sixty, and some an hundred.

Brethren:

We are all familiar with this parable. Yet it is always worth it to repeat it and read it, and remind ourselves as to who, and what we are, and what God wants us to be. We, are to be the good ground. The open heart which is fertile to the planting of His word, “the seed”, in order that we might yield a crop many times over the sowing of the seeds.

Secondly, we’re to become, ourselves, sowers of the Word of God, so that others might likewise hear and have planted within themselves that same Word.

Therefore, let us go boldly into the world, not allowing the cares of it to slow us down, or to cause us to fear. Let us sow God's word, whenever, and where ever the opportunity might arise.

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 3:35

35 For whosoever doeth the will of God, he is my brother, my sister, and my mother.

Related Scripture

Ephesians 6:6; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Peter 4:2; 1 John 2:17

“By believing in Christ, receiving him as a Saviour and Redeemer, and submitting to him in all his ordinances, as King of saints: the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother: such are openly, and manifestly related to Christ in a spiritual sense; and are as dear to him, and more so, than such persons are who stand in such a relation to others, or did to him according to the flesh. And this shows not only the near relation, and strong affection which Christ has for his people, but that he is not ashamed of them; and it may be concluded, that he will resent, in the keenest manner, every injury that is done them.” - John Gill - Theologian

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 3:22-26

22 And the Scribes which came down from Jerusalem, said, He hath Beelzebub, and through the prince of the devils he casteth out devils.

23 But he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan drive out Satan?

24 For if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 Or if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot continue.

26 So if Satan make insurrection against himself, and be divided, he cannot endure, but is at an end.

          The Gospel According to 
                                   Mark
                         Chapter 3:1-12

1 And he entered again into the Synagogue, and there was a man which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.
3 Then he said unto the man which had the withered hand, Arise: stand forth in the midst.
4 And he said to them, Is it lawful to do a good deed on the Sabbath day, or to do evil? to save the life, or to kill? but they held their peace.
5 Then he looked round about on them angrily, mourning also for the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored, as whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees departed, and straightway gathered a council with the Herodians against him, that they might destroy him.
7 But Jesus avoided with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, and from Judea,
8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond Jordan: and they that dwelled about Tyre and Sidon, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him in great number.
9 And he commanded his disciples, that a little ship should wait for him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
10 For he had healed many, insomuch that they pressed upon him to touch him, as many as had plagues.
11 And when the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
12 And he sharply rebuked them, to the end they should not utter him.

“In the several parts of the synagogue; for there were many of them on every side of him; which he might do, to observe their countenances, which might justly fall, upon such a close question put to them, and what answer they would return to him: and his look upon them was with anger, with a stern countenance, which showed indignation at them, though without sin, or any desire of revenge, for the evil they were meditating against him; for at the same time he had pity and compassion for them, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts: or "the blindness of their hearts", as the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it; being troubled in his human soul, both at their inhumanity and cruelty to a miserable object, whose cure, in their opinion, would have been a breach of the sabbath; and to himself, having a malicious design against him, should he perform it; and at their stupidity and ignorance of the law of God, the nature and design of the sabbath, and of their duty to God, and their fellow creatures: wherefore as one not to be intimidated by their evil designs against him, or prevented thereby from doing good.”
John Gill - Theologian

The Book of Proverbs

Chapter 3:9-10

Thanksgiving Day

November 23, 2017

Commentary by Matthew Henry

Edited by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

9 Honor the Lord with thy riches, and with the first fruits of all thine increase.

10 So shall thy barns be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with new wine.

“ A precept which makes it our duty to serve God with our estates: Honour the Lord with thy substance. It is the end of our creation and redemption to honour God, to be to him for a name and a praise; we are no other way capable of serving him than in his honour. His honour we must show forth and the honour we have for him. We must honour him, not only with our bodies and spirits which are his, but with our estates too, for they also are his: we and all our appurtenances must be devoted to his glory. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour God with it, and then, if ever, it becomes substantial. We must honour God, with our increase. Where riches increase we are tempted to honour ourselves (Read Deuteronomy 8:17 ) and to set our hearts upon the world (Read Psalm 62:10 ); but the more God gives us the more we should study to honour him. It is meant of the increase of the earth, for we live upon annual products, to keep us in constant dependence on God and with all our increase. As God has prospered us in every thing, we must honour him.

God, who is the first and best, must have the first and best of every thing; his right is prior to all other, and therefore he must be served first. Note, It is our duty to make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion, to use them and the interest we have by them for the promoting of religion, to do good to the poor with what we have and abound in all works of piety and charity, devising liberal things.

A promise, which makes it our interest to serve God with our estates. It is the way to make a little much, and much more; it is the surest and safest method of thriving: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. He does not say thy bags, but thy barns, not thy wardrobe replenished, but thy presses: ‘God shall bless thee with an increase of that which is for use, not for show or ornament—for spending and laying out, not for hoarding and laying up.’ Those that do good with what they have shall have more to do more good with.

If we make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion we shall find our religion very serviceable to the prosperity of our worldly affairs. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is and most of the comfort of it. We mistake if we think that giving will undo us and make us poor. No, giving for God’s honour will make us rich. (a)” - Matthew Henry - Theologian

(a) - Editor’s thought: It is not only in the sense of wealth, but likewise rich in our spirits. Recall if you will the passage of the widow and the mite, found both in the Gospels of Mark and Luke.
[Read Mark 12:41-43; Luke 21:1-3]. Therefore it behooves us to give unto the Lord. In particular, when we give out of our lack, we are later onward blessed with abundance in multiple ways. - R.P. Woitowitz Sr. - Servant in the service of Christ Jesus

The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 2:27-28

27 And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

28 Wherefore the Son of man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.

“ the benefit and relief of man, being instituted in commemoration of the creation of the world finished in six days, and to perpetuate to latest ages the knowledge of this grand truth,—that the world was made by God,—in opposition both to atheism and idolatry. It was instituted also, in order that men, abstaining from all sorts of labor, but such as are necessary to the exercises of piety and charity, might have leisure for meditating on the works of creation, and that by these meditations they might acquire not only the knowledge of God, but a relish of spiritual and divine pleasures, flowing from the contemplation of God's attributes, from the exercise of the love of God, and from obedience to his commands. It is thus that men are prepared for entering into that heavenly rest, of which the earthly sabbath is an emblem: further, among the Israelites the sabbath was appointed to keep up the remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt, and for the comfort of their slaves and beasts; humanity to both being especially incumbent upon a people who had once groaned under the heaviest bondage. From all which it is evident, that to burden men, much more to hurt them, through the observation of the sabbath, is to act quite contrary to the design of God in appointing it. Therefore, says Christ, the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath; "Since the sabbath was instituted for the benefit of man, the observation of it in cases of necessity, may be dispensed with by any man whatever; but especially by Me, who am the Lawgiver of the Jewish commonwealth, and can make what alterations in its institutions I think fit." Our Lord insisted largely on this argument, drawn from the considerations of his own dignity, when he was persecuted for a pretended profanation of the sabbath, by the cure which he performed at Bethesda.” - Thomas Coke - Theologian