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And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ACT 2:42

What made the early church vibrant and healthy was their devotion to God. Because they were devoted to grow in their relationship with him, they developed disciplines that expressed this devotion. Two of these vital disciplines are reading the Bible and praying.

Word

More than just a random collection of stories, poems, and letters, the Bible is the inspired written Word of God. We must follow the example of Job who valued God’s Word more than food.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. JOB 23:12

Before turning to Christ, we lived by the world’s standards. Now we accept the Bible as the final authority for what we believe and how we live.

God’s Word is the ultimate and absolute standard for every area of life.

The measure of our spiritual progress is not how much of the Bible we know, but how much we obey. Those who constantly learn but fail to obey end up deceiving themselves.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. JAS 1:22

The Bible is our key to spiritual growth. It is also how we resist temptation, how we become successful, and how we can know God’s will for our lives.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. JOS 1:8

18 You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Rashi

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine—Even after you have been banished make yourselves distinctive by means of my commands: lay tefillin, make mezuzoth, so that these shall not be novelties to you when you return. Similarly does it state (Jer 31:20), “Set up road markers for yourself” (Sifrei Devarim 43:34).

19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. DEU 11:18-19

Bava Batra 21a:2

What was this ordinance? As Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: Truly, that man is remembered for the good, and his name is Yehoshua ben Gamla. If not for him the law would have been forgotten from the Jewish people. Initially, whoever had a father would have his father teach him the law, and whoever did not have a father would not learn the law at all. The Gemara explains: What verse did they interpret homiletically that allowed them to conduct themselves in this manner? They interpreted the verse that states: “You shall teach them [otam] to your children” (Deu 11:19), to mean: You yourselves [atem] shall teach, i.e., you fathers shall teach your sons.

Kiddushin 29b:8

The baraita teaches that a father is obligated to teach his son the law. The Gemara asks: From where do we derivethis requirement? As it is written: “You shall teach them [velimadtem] to your children” (Deu 11:19). And in a case where his father did not teach him he is obligated to teach himself, as it is written, i.e., the verse can be read with a different vocalization: You shall study [ulmadtem].

Rashi

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them—From the moment when your son knows how to speak, teach him (Deu 33:4) “Moses commanded us a law”—so that this should be the means of teaching him to speak (Sukkah 42a). From this they (the Rabbis) derived their teaching: When the babe begins to speak, his father should speak with him in the holy tongue, and should instruct him in the law. If he does not do this, it is as though he buries him, as it is said here, “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them . . .” that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied.

21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

John Gill

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”—Not every one that calls Christ his Lord and Master, professes subjection to him, or that calls upon his name, or is called by his name; or makes use of it in his public ministrations. There are many who desire to be called, and accounted Christians, and who make mention of the name of Christ in their sermons, only to take away their reproach, to cover themselves, and gain credit with, and get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no hearty love to Christ, nor true faith in him: nor is it their concern to preach his gospel, advance his glory, and promote his kingdom and interest; their chief view is to please men, aggrandize themselves, and set up the power of human nature in opposition to the grace of God, and the righteousness of Christ. Now not everyone of these, no, not any of them,

Will enter the kingdom of heaven—This is to be understood not of the outward dispensation of the gospel, or the gospel church state, or the visible church of Christ on earth, in which sense this phrase is sometimes used; because such persons may, and often do, enter here; but of eternal glory, into which none shall enter,

But the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven—This, as it may regard private Christians, intends not merely outward obedience to the will of God, declared in his law, nor barely subjection to the ordinances of the gospel; but more especially faith in Christ for life and salvation; which is the source of all true evangelical obedience, and without which nothing is acceptable to God. He that looks after the Son, looks to him, ventures on him, commits himself to him, trusts in him, relies on him, and believes on him for righteousness, salvation, and eternal life, he it is that does the will of the Father, and he only; and such an one, as he is desirous of doing the will of God in all acts of cheerful obedience to it, without dependence thereon; so he shall certainly enter the kingdom of heaven, and have everlasting life; see Joh 6:40 but as these words chiefly respect preachers, the sense of them is this, that only such who are faithful dispensers of the word shall enter into the joy of their Lord. Such do the will of Christ’s Father, and so his own, which are the same, who fully and faithfully preach the gospel of the grace of God; who declare the whole counsel of God, and keep back nothing that is profitable to the souls of men; who are neither ashamed of the testimony of Christ, nor afraid of the faces of men; but as they are put in trust with the gospel, so they speak it boldly, with all sincerity, not as pleasing men, but God, and commend themselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God: such as these shall have an abundant entrance into the kingdom and glory of God. The Vulgate Latin adds this clause, “he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,” and so does Munster’s Hebrew edition of the gospel according to Matthew.

1 Hear this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came from the waters of Judah,

who swear by the name of the Lord

and confess the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

Rashi

Hear this—The two tribes destined to go in exile to Babylon.

O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel—That is the tribe of Benjamin, who are not called by the tribe of Judah, but by the general name of the tribes of Israel.

And who came from the waters of Judah—And the tribe of Judah who emanated and ran from the waters of Judah’s pail, as Scripture states (Num 24:7): “Water shall run out of his pails.”

But not in truth—As Jeremiah said, (5:2) “Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ surely they swear falsely,” i.e., you were unworthy of being redeemed, but since they were called as being from the holy city, and that caused them not to be exiled with the ten tribes in the time of Sennacherib, to Halah and Habor, for they have no redemption.

2 For they call themselves after the holy city,

and stay themselves on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name. ISA 48:1-2

Rashi

And stay themselves on the God of Israel in the days of Hezekiah, about whom it is written (2Ki 18:5): “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel.” That caused them not to be exiled except in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who exiled them to Babylon, and they had a redemption through Cyrus.

24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. MAT 7:21, 24

And he said to man,

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.” JOB 28:28

Rashi

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom—One requires the other, and wisdom is unseemly without the fear of the Lord.

Shabbat 31b:3

The Gemara remarks: Conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said that he is praiseworthy because he is a man who fears sin, as elsewhere he also spoke in praise of fear. As Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has in His world only fear of Heaven alone, as it is stated: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God” (Deu 10:12). And it is written: “And he said to man, ‘Behold [hen], the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28), as in the Greek language they call one hen. Apparently, fear of God is of primary importance. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said so.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

11 I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you. PSA 119:9, 11

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ROM 12:2

29 For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.

Makkot 23a:20

And Rabbi Ḥananya ben Gamliel says: And if for one who performs one transgression his soul is taken for it, as one’s soul can be uprooted from the world for one transgression, for one who performs a single commandment, it is all the more so the case that his soul will be given to him, as the reward for performing commandments is greater than the punishment for performing transgressions. Rabbi Shimon says: It is derived from its own place in the law, as it is stated at the conclusion of the passage discussing intercourse with forbidden relatives, which is punishable with karet: “And the persons who perform them shall be excised” (Lev 18:29).

Rashi

The persons who do them—Both men and women are implied by the plural “the persons who do them” (in contrast to the sing. “everyone who does” in the beginning of the verse Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 13 20).

30 So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God. LEV 18:29-30

Moed Katan 5a:21

Mar Zutra said that an allusion to this obligation is found in the verse “Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their impurity” (Lev 15:31), which indicates that people must be warned to stay away from that which could cause them to become ritually impure. Rav Ashi said it is derived from the verse: “So keep my charge” (Lev 18:30), which means that you must establish a safeguard for my charge, i.e., protective measures must be enacted to prevent people from transgressing halakha, a task that includes distancing people from ritual impurity by marking off graves, so that they not come to convey ritual impurity to the contribution or other consecrated items.

Rashi

So keep my charge—This is intended to caution the court regarding this (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 13 22).

And never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God—If, however, you do defile yourselves I am not your God since you have cut yourselves off from me. What use can I have of you? Consequently you deserve annihilation! That is why Scripture states: I am the Lord your God (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 13 22).

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1PE 2:2-3

Prayer

Christianity is more than just a religion. It is first and foremost a relationship with God. The foundation of any healthy relationship is communication. The better the communication, the better the relationship will be. God talks to us in many ways but primarily through his Word, the Bible. We talk to him through prayer. We learn to listen to the sound of God’s voice in our lives when we read his Word. He listens to us when we pray. We respond to his Word with action. He responds to our prayers with action.

Jesus is our best example for prayer. By observing his personal prayer life, we can learn how to have an intimate time of connection with the Father.

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” LUK 11:1

Jesus told us not to pray like the hypocrites and those who don’t know God.

5 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

be assured, he will not go unpunished. PRO 16:5

Sotah 4b:10

Rabbi Yohanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai: Any person who has arrogance within him is considered as if he were an idol worshipper, as it is written here: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Pro 16:5), and it is written there concerning the destruction of idols: “And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house” (Deu 7:26).

Sotah 5a:17

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said: Even a law scholar should not have any arrogance or any part of arrogance, i.e., not even one-eighth of one-eighth. He explains why arrogance should be avoided entirely by asking: Is it a small matter that it is written with regard to arrogance: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Pro 16:5)?

Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:14

Anyone who goes into the street with his shoes unlaced is haughty of spirit. He who walks with his sanṭer hanging side-ways, or his cap turned backwards, or sits crosslegged, or holds in his hand the straps of the tefillin and puts them back while walking in the street belongs to the haughty of spirit. Every man in whom there is haughtiness of spirit is as though he worships idols, as it states, You shall not bring an abominable thing into your house, and it states elsewhere, Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord: the word abomination is written in the one connection and also in the other—as the abomination mentioned in the one refers to idolatry so the abomination mentioned in the other refers to idolatry.

Tractate Kallah Rabbati 10:18

BARAITHA. If he loosened his shoe and went out into the street he is regarded as haughty.

GEMARA. What is he to do? This is what it means to say: If he put on his shoe when he went out into the street he is regarded as haughty. Raba said: It is forbidden to bring a haughty man into one’s house; for the Rabbis said: Any man in whom is haughtiness of spirit will in the end stumble through an unfaithful married woman, as it is stated, Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Even if he be learned in the law like Moses our teacher, he will not be free from the judgment of Gehinnom. As for everyone who is lowly of spirit, the Holy One, blessed be he, will save him from evil visitations that come upon the world; as it is stated, For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

7 And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. MAT 6:5, 7-8

Jesus told us to pray to the Father, not to the mother, saints, or angels. We are to pray through Jesus, because he is the only way to the Father.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. MAT 6:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. JOH 14:6

8 And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there. ISA 35:8-9

John Gill

No lion shall be there—That is, in the way before described; no wicked persons, comparable to lions for their savage and cruel dispositions towards the people of God; for those who have been as such, as Saul before conversion, yet when brought into this way become as tame as lambs. The Targum interprets it of tyrannical kings and princes,

“there shall not be there a king doing evil, nor an oppressive governor”;

And Jarchi applies it to Nebuchadnezzar, as in Jer 4:7 and the sense may be, that when this way shall be more known on earth, in the latter day, there will be no persecutor of the church and people of God: or else Satan, the roaring lion, is here meant, who has no part nor lot in this way of salvation; and all that are in it are out of his reach; and though he may disturb in the paths of duty and ordinances, yet he can never destroy those who are in Christ the way:

Nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it—Upon the high way; the same may be intended as before:

They shall not be found there—Walking, ravaging, and destroying:

But the redeemed shall walk there—Without fear, as Kimchi adds, since no lion, or any beast of prey, shall be found upon it: the “redeemed” are the redeemed of the Lord, and by him, and are peculiarly his, being bought with his precious blood, redeemed from among men, and unto God, and from sin, the law, its curse, and condemnation; these “shall walk” in the way of life and salvation by Christ, in consequence of their being redeemed; which supposes life, strength, and wisdom, which are given them, and a proficiency or going forward: they “shall” walk here; though they have been blind, their eyes shall be opened to see this way; and, though weak, they shall have strength to walk in it; and, though foolish, they shall have wisdom to guide their feet with discretion; and, though they may stumble and fall, they shall rise again, and shall keep on walking to the end.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God’s will to be done, provision, forgiveness, victory over temptation, and protection from the devil’s schemes.

9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.” MAT 6:9-13

As we read and obey the Word, and as we pray and trust God with our lives, let us not forget that God really answers prayer. The more specific the prayers, the more specific the answers will be. The secret is to pray according to his will. We know his will by knowing his Word. Therefore, as we pray according to his Word, we know he will answer.

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1JN 5:14-15

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. ACT 2:38, 41

Your people will offer themselves freely

on the day of your power,

in holy garments;

from the womb of the morning,

the dew of your youth will be yours. PSA 110:3

Rashi

Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power—When you gather an army to pursue them, your people and your friends will offer themselves freely to go out with you, as we find (Gen 14:14): “he led forth his trained men, born in his house,” and no more; and Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre volunteered by themselves to go out to his aid.

In holy garments; from the womb of the morning—And this will be to you in the merit of the beauty of holiness that was in you from your mother’s womb, for he recognized his Creator at the age of three.

From the womb of the morning—Heb. משחר, from the womb of the morning, like Beitzah 35b: “We may let fruit down (משילין) through a skylight on a festival,” and some learn משחירין.

The dew of your youth will be yours—For you will be considered your youth, the ways of uprightness with which you conducted yourself in your youth will be for you as pleasantness, like this dew, which is pleasant and comforting.

When the crowd asked Peter what they should do in response to his sermon, he gave them a three-fold answer: repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thousands responded and were added to the fellowship of believers. The biblical pattern is that everyone who is baptized is also added. Every baptized disciple is expected to become an active member of a local fellowship.

Water baptism

In water baptism, we publicly identify with what Christ did for us on the cross. It is not a means for salvation, but an act of faith and obedience after believing the gospel and turning to God.

The Bible presents several illustrations to help us understand water baptism. One of these is a burial and resurrection. Paul compares a Christian baptism to a burial. In order to be buried, a person must first die. In the same way, the prerequisite for baptism is death to sin. After we are buried in baptism, then we are raised to live a new life.

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. GAL 6:14

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ROM 6:1-4

We see, then, that water baptism shows the old life being put away, and a new life emerging in obedience to Christ.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit

It is impossible to live the Christian life apart from the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to lead us into all truth.

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. JOH 15:26

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. JOH 16:7, 13

The Holy Spirit empowers us to be effective witnesses. A witness is one who not only tells the truth, but also lives the truth. As his witnesses, the Holy Spirit helps us to do what we cannot do on our own—to boldly proclaim and live out the truth about God.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ACT 1:8

John Gill

But you will receive power—From on high, with which they were to be endured (Luk 24:49) meaning the power of the Holy Spirit, strength from him to preach the gospel, and work miracles in confirmation of it, and courage and greatness of mind, amidst all reproaches and persecutions, to face and oppose their enemies, profess the name of Christ, abide by his truths and ordinances, make their way through all opposition and difficulties, and spread the gospel all over the world; for intend of enjoying worldly ease, honour, wealth, and riches, they were looking for, our Lord gives them to understand that they must expect labour, service, afflictions, and trials, which would require power and strength, and which they should have:

When the Holy Spirit has come upon you—From above, from heaven, as he did, and sat upon them in the form of cloven tongues, and of fire; upon which they were filled with knowledge and zeal, with strength and courage, and with all gifts and abilities necessary for their work:

And you will be my witnesses—Of the person of Christ, of his deity and sonship, of his incarnation, his ministry, and his miracles, of his suffering and death, of his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension to heaven. This was to be their work, and what belong to them, and not to enquire about a temporal kingdom, and the setting up of that, and the times and seasons of it; their business was to testify of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that followed, and to preach a crucified Jesus, as the only Saviour of lost sinners: and this

In Jerusalem—The “metropolis” of the nation, and there, in the first place, where such dwelt who had been concerned in the crucifixion of Christ, many of whom were to be called by grace, and converted through their ministry:

And in all Judea—That part of the land of Israel which was distinct from Samaria and Galilee, and from beyond Jordan; where churches were to be planted, as afterwards they were; see (Act 9:31).

And Samaria—Where Christ had before forbid his disciples to go; but now their commission is enlarged, and they are sent there; and here Philip went upon the persecution raised against the church at Jerusalem, and preached Christ with great success, to the conversion of many; and here Peter and John went to lay their hands on them, and confirm them; see Act 8:5, 14

And to the end of the earth—Throughout the whole world, whither the sound of the apostles, and their words went (Rom 10:18).

How to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift promised for every believer, not just for those present during Pentecost. In Peter’s sermon, he told us how we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” MAT 4:17

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ACT 2:38-39

In order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we must ask—and we must ask in faith.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! LUK 11:13

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. JOH 7:37-39

Many disciples in the New Testament received the baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands.

Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. ACT 8:17

So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. NUM 27:18

Bava Kamma 92b:10

Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: While the wine belongs to its owner, the gratitude is given to the one who pours it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to God commanding Moses to transfer his authority to Joshua: “So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him . . . that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey” (Num 27:18-20). And it is written: “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses” (Deu 34:9). Although the spirit of God was not given to Joshua by Moses, as Moses was only a conduit, he was given credit for it.

Rashi

Take—Encourage him through fine words, saying, “Fortunate are you that you have merited to lead the children of the Omnipresent!” (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 92 on 11:16).

For yourself—Someone who has been examined by you, someone with whom you are familiar.

A man in whom is the Spirit—As you requested; someone able to deal with the character of each one (Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).

And lay your hand on him—Give him an interpreter, so that he will hold halachic discourses during your lifetime—in order that people may not say about him if he does this only after your death: he dared not raise his head during Moses days (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).

Spiritual gifts

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the manifestation of spiritual gifts. In the biblical accounts of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the most common spiritual gift manifested is the gift of tongues.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. ACT 2:4

And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. ACT 19:6

Empowered to be a witness

Jesus promised to fill us with the Holy Spirit so we can be effective witnesses. The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim the gospel wherever we go.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ACT 1:8

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” ACT 2:38

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” MAT 4:17

Driving a car in the wrong direction on a one-way street is foolish and dangerous. Some drive the wrong way out of ignorance; others out of rebellion. There is a spiritual parallel. Whether out of ignorance or rebellion, we are all on a dangerous one-way street that will ultimately lead to eternal separation from God. Until we turn around (repent) and begin following Christ, every step we take is a step in the wrong direction—a step away from God.

Repentance, grief, and fruit

Real repentance begins when we are truly sorry for our sins. This godly grief makes no excuses, takes full responsibility, and never places blame on people, society, or circumstances. It acknowledges that our sin is primarily against God. Godly grief produces true repentance and a changed life.

I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. PSA 32:5

Rashi

I acknowledged my sin to you always. This is a present tense. For I said, It is good that I should confess my transgressions to the Lord, and now that I confessed and said to Nathan the prophet, “I have sinned” (as in 2Sa 12:13).

You forgave the iniquity of my sin as the matter that is stated there (verse 13): “The Lord also has put away your sin, etc.”

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2CO 7:10

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Rashi

My punishment is greater than I can bear—This is a question: You bear the worlds above and below. and is it impossible for you to bear my punishment? (Bereishit Rabbah 22:11).

14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

Rashi

Whoever finds me will kill me—This refers to cattle and beasts, since there were then no human beings in the world of whom he might be afraid except his father and mother, and he did not fear that they would kill him. He, therefore, said, “Until now the fear of me was upon every beast—as it is written (Gen 9:2), ‘The fear of you etc.’—now, however, because of my sin the animals will no longer fear me and will kill me.” God immediately set a sign for Cain, viz., he again made the animals be in fear of him.

15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. GEN 4:13-15

Rashi

Not so! If anyone kills Cain . . . !—This is one of the verses that speak briefly and give only a suggestion and do not fully explain. “Not so! If anyone kills Cain” is a threat. So shall be done to him, or such-and-such shall be his punishment, but it does not delineate his punishment.

Vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold—I do not wish to take vengeance on Cain now. At the end of seven generations I will execute my vengeance upon him, that Lamech, one of his descendants, will arise and slay him. The end of this verse which states, “in the seventh generation vengeance shall be taken on him”—which is the vengeance taken on Cain for Abel—teaches us that the first part of the verse is a threat made in order that no creature might injure him. A similar elliptical expression is the following (2Sa 5:8): “And David said, ‘Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft’ ”—but it does not explicitly state what would be done to that person. Scripture, however, here speaks by a suggestion only, meaning, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites and reaches the water shaft,” and reaches the gate and conquers it, “and the blind, etc.,” meaning slaying also them (the blind and the lame) because they said, “David shall not come into the midst of the house”—he who strikes these, I shall make him chief and commander. Here (2Sa) it abridges the narrative, but in 1Ch 11:6 it explicitly states, “He shall become chief and commander.”

And the Lord put a mark on Cain—He inscribed on his forehead a letter of his name (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 21).

On the other hand, worldly grief only produces excuses. While godly grief is having a broken heart when we realize we have offended a holy God, worldly grief is being sorry we got caught, or being sorry we have to suffer the consequences of sin. The ultimate difference between godly grief and worldly grief is the fruit. Worldly grief never produces the fruit of a changed life; it only produces spiritual death.

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. MAT 3:8

16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;

cease to do evil,

Rashi

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean—Voweled with a “patach,” the imperative form, since it is derived from רְחַץ, but רָחֲצוּ, in the past tense, is voweled with a “kamatz” because it is derived from רָחַץ.

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove, learn, seek, correct, bring justice, plead, go—Ten exhortations of the expression of repentance are listed here, corresponding to the ten days of penitence and to the ten verses of kingship, remembrances, and shofaroth in the musaf service of Rosh Hashanah.

Cease to do evil—Desist from your evil deeds.

To do evil—Heb. הרע, like לְהָרֵע, to do evil. Rashi explains this because the preposition is absent in Hebrew. Scripture does not have to write מֵהָרֵע, desist from doing evil, for so does the Biblical language treat the expression of חֲדָלָה, stopping, e.g., “and he failed to make (לַעֲשׂוֹת) the Passover” (Num 9:13); “until he ceased to measure it (לִסְפֹּר)” (Gen 41:49). That is to say, the counting ceased, the making failed, here too, stop the evildoing.

17 learn to do good;

seek justice,

correct oppression;

bring justice to the fatherless,

plead the widow’s cause. ISA 1:16-17

Kiddushin 53a:10

Rabba bar Rav Sheila said: What is the verse from which is derived that ḥamtzan means one who snatches? The verse states: “Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and grasping man [ḥometz]” (Psa 71:4). Rabba said: It is derived from here: “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression [ḥamotz]” (Isa 1:17), i.e., restore property stolen from victims of theft.

Rashi

Learn—It is punctuated “raphe,” weak, without a dagesh. This is from the form לָמֹד, learn to do good. One who teaches himself is of the “kal” form. Therefore, its imperative plural is voweled with a “chirik” like אִמְרוּ, שִׁמְעוּ, but one who teaches others is of the form of the “heavy conjugation” (pi’el) with a “dagesh,” and if one comes to command a number of people, the word is voweled לַמְּדוּ. And so, דִּרְשׁוּ, from the form דְרשׁ, but אַשְּׁרוּ in which the “shin” has a “dagesh,” is from the “heavy conjugation,” and from the form אַשֵּׁר; therefore, the imperative plural is voweled with a “patach” like בַּשְּׂרוּ, סַפְּרוּ, דַּבְּרוּ.

Correct oppression—Heb. אַשְּׁרוּ חָמוֹץ. This is a Mishnaic term, אֲשַׁרְנוּהִי, “we have verified it” (Ketubot 21a); “if I had strength (אֲיַשֵּׁר)” (Gittin 30b); “May your strength be strengthened (יִישַׁר)” (Shabbat 87a). Another explanation is: Lead him in the path of truth to acquire what rightfully belongs to him. An expression of (Job 23:11): “My foot held its steps (בֲּאֲשׁוּרוֹ)”; (Pro 23:19) “And go (וְאַשֵׁר) in the way of your heart..”

Oppression—Heb. חָמוֹץ, similar to (Psa 71:4) “from the hand of the unrighteous and the robber (וּמְחַמֵּץ).”

Bring justice—So-and-so is innocent and so-and- so is guilty.

Plead the widow’s cause—Endeavor in their quarrel to plead for her, for she cannot go out to pursue her opponents.

Sanhedrin 35a:6

Rabbi Haninah said: The verse states prophetically concerning Jerusalem after the destruction of the first temple: “She who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers” (Isa 1:21). The verse associates lodging, or waiting overnight, with justice. And Rava says that these matters are derived from here: “Learn to do good; seek judgment, correct [ashru] oppression [ḥamotz]” (Isa 1:17). This is interpreted: Praise [ashru] the judge who delays [meḥametz] his verdict before he pronounces it.

. . . but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. ACT 26:20

Repentance and forgiveness

The parable of the prodigal son in Luk 15:11-24 is a beautiful picture of true repentance. The wayward son came to his senses, turned his back on his folly, and returned to his father. He made a 180-degree turn, walking away from his former life of sin and rebellion. His father forgave him for his offenses and received him back. In the same way, our heavenly Father is faithful to forgive us when we turn to him and repent of our sins.

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus . . . ACT 3:19-20

Ever had a stain on your shirt that you couldn’t wash out? Imagine a stain remover that would not only remove the stain, but would make a shirt just like new again. That’s what happens when we repent and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. He not only cleans sin’s stain of guilt and shame from our hearts, he gives us a new heart.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1JN 1:9

The importance of forgiving others

Just as we have received forgiveness from God, we are now commanded by God to forgive those who have sinned against us.

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” MAT 18:21-22

But if we refuse to forgive, the Bible says that we will be defiled by a root of bitterness, which causes trouble.

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled . . . HEB 12:15

No regret

Repentance is turning away from sin and turning to God. It means we stop trusting in our own good deeds and religious activity and start trusting in Christ alone. We were going in the wrong direction; now we are going in the right direction. We were running from God; now we are walking with him. Repentance is the starting point of a new life. Repentance takes us off the treadmill of a self-centered life and puts us on the fast track of God’s glorious purpose for our lives. Turning to God means no looking back and no regrets.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2CO 7:10

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. ACT 2:36

30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ACT 5:30-31

Lordship is one of the central messages of the Bible. Jesus is referred to as Lord 100 times in the book of Acts and 622 times in the whole New Testament, while being referred to as Savior only twice in Acts and twenty-four times in the New Testament. The biblical emphasis is overwhelmingly on the concept of Lordship. Lord means master, the one who calls the shots, the one who makes the decisions.

Lordship and salvation

The starting point of salvation is the acknowledgment of the Lordship of Christ. Confessing Jesus is Lord implies a submission to his Lordship in every area of life. If Jesus is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all. We do not have the option of receiving him as Savior and not as Lord. Salvation is an all-or-nothing proposal.

. . . because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ROM 10:9

32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. MAT 10:32-33

Lordship demands obedience

Anyone who claims Christ as their Lord is expected to do what he says. Intellectual faith and empty confession are not enough. If we say Christ is our Lord, our lifestyle should back up our claim.

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. MAT 7:21

John Gill

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”—Not every one that calls Christ his Lord and Master, professes subjection to him, or that calls upon his name, or is called by his name; or makes use of it in his public ministrations. There are many who desire to be called, and accounted Christians, and who make mention of the name of Christ in their sermons, only to take away their reproach, to cover themselves, and gain credit with, and get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no hearty love to Christ, nor true faith in him: nor is it their concern to preach his gospel, advance his glory, and promote his kingdom and interest; their chief view is to please men, aggrandize themselves, and set up the power of human nature in opposition to the grace of God, and the righteousness of Christ. Now not everyone of these, no, not any of them,

Will enter the kingdom of heaven—This is to be understood not of the outward dispensation of the gospel, or the gospel church state, or the visible church of Christ on earth, in which sense this phrase is sometimes used; because such persons may, and often do, enter here; but of eternal glory, into which none shall enter,

But the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven—This, as it may regard private Christians, intends not merely outward obedience to the will of God, declared in his law, nor barely subjection to the ordinances of the gospel; but more especially faith in Christ for life and salvation; which is the source of all true evangelical obedience, and without which nothing is acceptable to God. He that looks after the Son, looks to him, ventures on him, commits himself to him, trusts in him, relies on him, and believes on him for righteousness, salvation, and eternal life, he it is that does the will of the Father, and he only; and such an one, as he is desirous of doing the will of God in all acts of cheerful obedience to it, without dependence thereon; so he shall certainly enter the kingdom of heaven, and have everlasting life; see Joh 6:40 but as these words chiefly respect preachers, the sense of them is this, that only such who are faithful dispensers of the word shall enter into the joy of their Lord. Such do the will of Christ’s Father, and so his own, which are the same, who fully and faithfully preach the gospel of the grace of God; who declare the whole counsel of God, and keep back nothing that is profitable to the souls of men; who are neither ashamed of the testimony of Christ, nor afraid of the faces of men; but as they are put in trust with the gospel, so they speak it boldly, with all sincerity, not as pleasing men, but God, and commend themselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God: such as these shall have an abundant entrance into the kingdom and glory of God. The Vulgate Latin adds this clause, “he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,” and so does Munster’s Hebrew edition of the gospel according to Matthew.

1 Hear this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came from the waters of Judah,

who swear by the name of the Lord

and confess the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

Rashi

Hear this—The two tribes destined to go in exile to Babylon.

O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel—That is the tribe of Benjamin, who are not called by the tribe of Judah, but by the general name of the tribes of Israel.

And who came from the waters of Judah—And the tribe of Judah who emanated and ran from the waters of Judah’s pail, as Scripture states (Num 24:7): “Water shall run out of his pails.”

But not in truth—As Jeremiah said, (5:2) “Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ surely they swear falsely,” i.e., you were unworthy of being redeemed, but since they were called as being from the holy city, and that caused them not to be exiled with the ten tribes in the time of Sennacherib, to Halah and Habor, for they have no redemption.

2 For they call themselves after the holy city,

and stay themselves on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name. ISA 48:1-2

Rashi

And stay themselves on the God of Israel in the days of Hezekiah, about whom it is written (2Ki 18:5): “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel.” That caused them not to be exiled except in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who exiled them to Babylon, and they had a redemption through Cyrus.

Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and not do what I tell you? LUK 6:46

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. GAL 6:7

Lordship begins in the heart

Submitting to Christ as Lord is not about following a set of religious rules and traditions. Rather, Lordship is a matter of the heart. Lordship begins as an internal submission of the heart. If it is genuine, it will eventually manifest itself in outward obedience.

. . . but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect . . . 1PE 3:15

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Rashi

To the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar”—Why is his name mentioned? But this is what they said to him: “If it concerns taking upon ourselves to pay taxes, either the tax from the crops or the head taxes, you are king over us, but if it concerns denying the Holy One, blessed be he, you are merely Nebuchadnezzar. In our eyes, you are a lowly person and the most despised of the people. You and a dog are equal.”

We have no need—We have no need to answer you in this matter.

17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

Rashi

Is able to deliver us—Is able to deliver us from all our troubles.

From the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king—From the furnace and out of your hand he will deliver.

18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” DAN 3:16-18

Rashi

But if not—But if he will not wish to save our bodies, be it known to you, etc.

Lordship is a continuous walk

We begin our Christian life by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord. We must continue to walk under his Lordship for the rest of our lives. Lordship is not having a one-time experience with God, but developing a lifetime walk with God. The more we know him, the more we submit to him.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him . . . COL 2:6

O house of Jacob,

come, let us walk

in the light of the Lord. ISA 2:5

Rashi

O house of Jacob . . .—The nations will say this to them, and this verse refers back to the verse commencing with, “And many peoples shall come . . .”

Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord—They will say this to them. Jonathan, however, renders: And those of the house of Jacob will say, “Come, let us walk in the teaching of the law of the Lord.”

10 Who among you fears the Lord

and obeys the voice of his servant?

Let him who walks in darkness

and has no light

trust in the name of the Lord

and rely on his God.

John Gill

Who among you fears the Lord? Not with a slavish fear of the awful majesty of God, or of his tremendous judgments, or of wrath to come, but with a filial fear, a fear of the Lord, and his goodness, which is an internal principle in the heart, a reverential affection for God, a godly fear of him; is attended with faith in him, and joy of him; which makes holy, and keeps humble, and takes in the whole worship of God: of men of this character there are but few, and especially there were but few among the Jews at this time which the prophecy refers to; the greatest part were rejecters of Christ, before spoken of, and to; and from whom the Lord turns himself, and addresses these few. There are none that naturally fear the Lord, only such who have the grace bestowed on them; their number is but small, but there are always some in the worst of times, and these are taken notice of by the Lord (Mal 3:16-17, 20),

And obeys the voice of his servant—Not the prophet, as the Targum adds, and as it is commonly interpreted by the Jewish writers, and others; though some of them say this is “Metatron,” a name of the Messiah with them; and indeed he is meant, before spoken of as the Lord’s servant, and represented as an obedient one, and afterwards as righteous; see Isa 49:3; 50:5-6; 53:11 and by his “voice” is meant either his gospel, which is a soul quickening and comforting voice, a charming and alluring one; and which is obeyed, heard, and listened to, by his people, externally and internally, when they receive it by faith, and in the love of it; or else his commands, precepts, and ordinances, which love constrains his people to an obedience to; and where there is the fear of God, there will be hearing of his word, and submission to his ordinances:

Let him . . . trust in the name of the Lord—Not in himself, nor in any creature, but in the Lord himself; in the perfections of his nature, his mercy, grace, and goodness; in the name of the Lord, which is a strong tower, and in whom is salvation; in Christ, in whom the name of the Lord is, and whose name is the Lord our righteousness; and to trust in him, when in the dark, is a glorious act of faith; this is believing in hope against hope.

Who walks in darkness—Not the Lord’s servant, but the man that fears the Lord, and obeys his servant’s voice, such an one may be in darkness, and walk in it; or “in darknesses,” as in the original; not only in affliction and misery, often expressed by darkness in Scripture, but in desertion, under the hidings of God’s face; and which may continue for a while:

And has no light—Or “shining”: not without the light of nature, nor without the light of grace, but without the light of God’s countenance shining upon him; without the light of spiritual joy and comfort shining in his heart; and this must be a very distressing case indeed.

And rely on his God—Covenant interest continues in the darkest dispensation; God is the believer’s God still; and faith is a staying or leaning upon him, as such; a dependence upon his power to protect, on his wisdom to guide, and on his grace, goodness, and all sufficiency, to supply.

Rashi

The voice of his servant—The voice of the prophets.

Who walks in darkness—Even if trouble comes upon him, let him . . . trust in the name of the Lord, for he shall save him.

11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,

who equip yourselves with burning torches!

Walk by the light of your fire,

and by the torches that you have kindled!

This you have from my hand:

you shall lie down in torment. ISA 50:10-11

. . . to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace. LUK 1:79

John Gill

To give light to those who sit in darkness—God’s elect among the Jews, who were not only in a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness, ignorance, and unbelief; but in the darkness of the legal dispensation, and at this time under more than ordinary darkness and ignorance; having lost the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and of the spirituality of his law, the true sense of the Scriptures, and right notions of the Messiah; being led by blind guides, the scribes and Pharisees;

And—Were as it were also,

In the shadow of death—In a state seemingly irrecoverable, when Christ, the great light arose, and shone upon them; and communicated spiritual light, life, and heat to them; see Isa 9:3 compared with Mat 4:13-16 though Christ is also a light, to lighten his chosen ones among the Gentiles (Luk 2:32), but the Jews seem chiefly to be intended here:

To guide our feet into the way of peace—Which we knew not: not that he came to teach us how to make our peace with God, but to make peace for us, by the blood of his cross; and so by his Spirit and word, lead us into the true way of enjoying spiritual peace here, and eternal peace hereafter.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2CO 5:17

18 Remember not the former things,

nor consider the things of old.

Berakhot 13a:1

not that the name Jacob will be entirely uprooted from its place, but that the name Israel will be the primary name to which the name Jacob will be secondary, as the law continues to refer to him as Jacob after this event. And it also says that the ultimate redemption will overshadow the previous redemption in the verse: “Remember not the former events, nor consider things of old” (Isa 43:18), and the Gemara explains: “Remember not the former events,” that is the subjugation to the kingdoms, nor “consider things of old,” that is the exodus from Egypt, which occurred before the subjugation to the nations.

Rashi

Remember not the former things—These miracles that I mention to you, that I performed in Egypt do not remember them from now on, for you shall be engaged in this redemption, to thank and to praise.

Nor consider—Nor ponder about them; nor pay attention to them.

19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert. ISA 43:18-19

A new creation. A fresh start. For all of us who have ever wished we could start over, this is good news. However, before we can really appreciate this good news, we need to understand exactly why we need to start over. Why do we need to become a new creation? Why do we need salvation?

The problem: Separation because of our sin

There is an immeasurable gap separating God and man. The cause of this eternal separation between God and man is sin.

Have you ever felt distant from God? We all have. Feeling far from God is very common. Many who sense this vast separation suppose that if they meditate harder, learn more about their religion, or just step into a religious sanctuary, they would be closer to God. But since our separation from God is not physical or intellectual, neither meditation nor knowledge can bring us any closer to God. What causes the separation between God and man?

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,

or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;

Rashi

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened—Your failure to be delivered is not due to the shortness of my hand.

2 but your iniquities have made a separation

between you and your God,

and your sins have hidden his face from you

so that he does not hear. ISA 59:1-2

Rashi

Have hidden his face—They caused for you that he hid his face from you.

Sanhedrin 65b:15

And when Rabbi Akiva would arrive at this verse he would weep and say: If one who starves himself so that a spirit of impurity will settle upon him succeeds in doing so, and a spirit of impurity settles upon him, all the more so one who starves himself so that a spirit of purity will settle upon him should be successful, and a spirit of purity should settle upon him. But what can I do, as our iniquities have caused us not to merit the spirit of sanctity and purity, as it is stated: “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (Isa 59:2).

The separation between God and man is a moral separation. God is holy; man is not. God is good; man is not. God is just; man is not. All men have sinned; therefore, all are eternally separated from God. All will suffer the consequences of sin, which is eternal death.

. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . . ROM 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROM 6:23

Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him,

for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. ISA 3:11

Rashi

Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him—For he is bad to himself and to others; he brings about harm to himself and to others. This is found in Tanchuma (Emor 5). This verse refers back to:Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them and woe is to the wicked! It shall be ill with him.

The solution: God’s sacrifice and substitution

The justice of God demands a sacrifice for man’s sin. Jesus Christ became that sacrifice and paid the penalty for our sin at the cross.

Since God is holy, righteous, and just, He could not allow sin to go unpunished. Since He is loving and compassionate, He did not want all of mankind to be eternally separated from Him. The divine solution to this problem was for Jesus, God’s only Son, to become the sacrifice for sin.

26 . . . for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. HEB 9:26-28

What exactly happened on the cross? Through His death on the cross, Jesus took our place and our punishment. He exchanged His righteousness for our sin. He took our curse and gave us His blessings. Because of His sinless life, Jesus was the only one qualified to pay the penalty for man’s sin and to bridge the gap between God and man.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2CO 5:21

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” . . . GAL 3:13

John Gill

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law—The Redeemer is Christ, the Son of God; who was appointed and called to this work by his Father, and which he himself agreed to; he was spoken of in prophecy under this character; he came as such, and has obtained eternal redemption, for which he was abundantly qualified; as man, he was a near kinsman, to whom the right of redemption belonged; and as God, he was able to accomplish it. The persons redeemed are “us,” God’s elect, both of Jews and Gentiles; a peculiar people, the people of Christ, whom the Father gave to him; some out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation: the blessing obtained for them is redemption; a buying of them again, as the word signifies; they were his before by the Father’s gift, and now he purchases them with the price of his own blood, and so delivers them “from the curse of the law”; its sentence of condemnation and death, and the execution of it; so that they shall never be hurt by it, he having delivered them from wrath to come, and redeemed from the second death, the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. The manner in which this was done was by

Becoming a curse for us—The sense of which is, not only that he was like an accursed person, looked upon as such by the men of that wicked generation, who hid and turned away their faces from as an abominable execrable person, calling him a sinner, a Samaritan, and a devil; but was even accursed by the law; becoming the surety of his people, he was made under the law, stood in their legal place and stead and having the sins of them all imputed to him, and answerable for them, the law finding them on him, charges him with them, and curses him for them; yea, he was treated as such by the justice of God, even by his Father, who spared him not, awoke the sword of justice against him, and gave him up into his hands; delivered him up to death, even the accursed death of the cross, whereby it appeared that he was becoming a curse: “becoming,” by the will, counsel, and determination of God, and not without his own will and free consent; for he freely laid down his life, and gave himself, and made his soul an offering for sin:

For it is written—Deu 21:23,

Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree—It is in the Hebrew text, “a hanged man”: which is the very name the Jews.

The result: Our salvation and reconciliation

Christ died on the cross so that we could receive forgiveness for our sins, be reconciled to God, and have eternal life.

We have all sinned against a holy and righteous God. The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God in hell. God is just and must punish sin. He is also loving and does not want us to go to hell forever. Therefore, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for sin by dying on the cross. Because of his sinless life, death could not hold Jesus. He was raised from the dead on the third day. In Christ, we experience forgiveness for our sins and eternal life. In him we are restored to right standing before God and given new life as his children.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. JOH 3:16

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace . . . EPH 1:7

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. EPH 2:13

The response: Receive God’s gift by faith

We receive salvation when we stop trusting in ourselves and put our trust in what Christ did for us.

Our salvation is a result of God’s grace. It is based on what Jesus did for us on the cross. It has nothing to do with what we do for him. We cannot save ourselves or earn God’s approval through the good works we do. We are saved by God’s grace when we realize our need for a Savior, turn from sin, and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, putting our trust in him alone for salvation.

9 . . . because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ROM 10:9-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. MAR 16:16

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, MAT 28:19

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. JOH 5:24

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. EPH 2:8-9

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” MAR 1:17

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. MAT 4:19-20

John Gill

Immediately they left their nets—That is, as soon as he had called them, they left their worldly employment, and followed him; they gave up themselves to his service, and became his disciples; they not only left their “nets,” but their fishing boats, and fishing trade, and all that belonged to it, even all their substance; and also their relations, friends, and acquaintance, see (Mat 19:27) which shows what a mighty power went along with the words and call of Christ; and what a ready, cheerful, and voluntary subjection this produces, wherever it takes place.

I hasten and do not delay

to keep your commandments. PSA 119:60

Tractate Derekh Eretz Zuta 2:7

Keep aloof from anything which may bring you to sin. Recoil from even a minor sin that it may not lead you to a major sin. Hasten to perform a light precept and flee from even a trivial transgression lest it will lead you to commit a grave transgression.

These five steps will get you off to the right START, as you follow Christ.

Stop trusting in yourself and your own good works and start trusting in Christ alone for salvation.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. MAR 16:16

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, MAT 28:19

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. JOH 5:24

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. EPH 2:8-9

Turn away from everything the Bible calls sin.

But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 2TI 2:19

And he said to man,

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.” JOB 28:28

Rashi

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom—One requires the other, and wisdom is unseemly without the fear of the Lord.

Shabbat 31b:3

The Gemara remarks: Conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said that he is praiseworthy because he is a man who fears sin, as elsewhere he also spoke in praise of fear. As Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has in His world only fear of heaven alone, as it is stated: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God” (Deu 10:12). And it is written: “And he said to man, ‘Behold [hen], the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28), as in the Greek language they call one hen. Apparently, fear of God is of primary importance. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said so.

23 And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. MAT 7:23, 25

14 They are planted in the house of the Lord;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

Rashi

Planted—The righteous will be planted in the house of the Lord.

15 They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green,

16 to declare that the Lord is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. PSA 92:14-16

Attend a small group for personal discipleship and weekly worship services.

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. COL 3:16

The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all who were skillful, was 288. 1CH 25:7

Rashi

All who were skillful—Heb. הַמֵּבִין. In regard to singing, the expression is appropriate, for it is written: (below verse 8): “expert (מֵבִין) and pupil alike.” Also (15:22): “Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it (מֵבִין).”

25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. HEB 10:24-25

Read and obey your Bible everyday.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. JOS 1:8

18 You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Rashi

You shall therefore lay up these words of mine—Even after you have been banished make yourselves distinctive by means of my commands: lay tefillin, make mezuzoth, so that these shall not be novelties to you when you return. Similarly does it state (Jer 31:20), “Set up road markers for yourself” (Sifrei Devarim 43:34).

19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. DEU 11:18-19

Bava Batra 21a:2

What was this ordinance? As Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: Truly, that man is remembered for the good, and his name is Yehoshua ben Gamla. If not for him the law would have been forgotten from the Jewish people. Initially, whoever had a father would have his father teach him the law, and whoever did not have a father would not learn the law at all. The Gemara explains: What verse did they interpret homiletically that allowed them to conduct themselves in this manner? They interpreted the verse that states: “You shall teach them [otam] to your children” (Deu 11:19), to mean: You yourselves [atem] shall teach, i.e., you fathers shall teach your sons.

Kiddushin 29b:8

The baraita teaches that a father is obligated to teach his son the law. The Gemara asks: From where do we derivethis requirement? As it is written: “You shall teach them [velimadtem] to your children” (Deu 11:19). And in a case where his father did not teach him he is obligated to teach himself, as it is written, i.e., the verse can be read with a different vocalization: You shall study [ulmadtem].

Rashi

You shall teach them to your children, talking of them—From the moment when your son knows how to speak, teach him (Deu 33:4) “Moses commanded us a law”—so that this should be the means of teaching him to speak (Sukkah 42a). From this they (the Rabbis) derived their teaching: When the babe begins to speak, his father should speak with him in the holy tongue, and should instruct him in the law. If he does not do this, it is as though he buries him, as it is said here, “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them . . .” that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied.

21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

John Gill

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”—Not every one that calls Christ his Lord and Master, professes subjection to him, or that calls upon his name, or is called by his name; or makes use of it in his public ministrations. There are many who desire to be called, and accounted Christians, and who make mention of the name of Christ in their sermons, only to take away their reproach, to cover themselves, and gain credit with, and get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no hearty love to Christ, nor true faith in him: nor is it their concern to preach his gospel, advance his glory, and promote his kingdom and interest; their chief view is to please men, aggrandize themselves, and set up the power of human nature in opposition to the grace of God, and the righteousness of Christ. Now not everyone of these, no, not any of them,

Will enter the kingdom of heaven—This is to be understood not of the outward dispensation of the gospel, or the gospel church state, or the visible church of Christ on earth, in which sense this phrase is sometimes used; because such persons may, and often do, enter here; but of eternal glory, into which none shall enter,

But the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven—This, as it may regard private Christians, intends not merely outward obedience to the will of God, declared in his law, nor barely subjection to the ordinances of the gospel; but more especially faith in Christ for life and salvation; which is the source of all true evangelical obedience, and without which nothing is acceptable to God. He that looks after the Son, looks to him, ventures on him, commits himself to him, trusts in him, relies on him, and believes on him for righteousness, salvation, and eternal life, he it is that does the will of the Father, and he only; and such an one, as he is desirous of doing the will of God in all acts of cheerful obedience to it, without dependence thereon; so he shall certainly enter the kingdom of heaven, and have everlasting life; see Joh 6:40 but as these words chiefly respect preachers, the sense of them is this, that only such who are faithful dispensers of the word shall enter into the joy of their Lord. Such do the will of Christ’s Father, and so his own, which are the same, who fully and faithfully preach the gospel of the grace of God; who declare the whole counsel of God, and keep back nothing that is profitable to the souls of men; who are neither ashamed of the testimony of Christ, nor afraid of the faces of men; but as they are put in trust with the gospel, so they speak it boldly, with all sincerity, not as pleasing men, but God, and commend themselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God: such as these shall have an abundant entrance into the kingdom and glory of God. The Vulgate Latin adds this clause, “he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,” and so does Munster’s Hebrew edition of the gospel according to Matthew.

1 Hear this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came from the waters of Judah,

who swear by the name of the Lord

and confess the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

Rashi

Hear this—The two tribes destined to go in exile to Babylon.

O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel—That is the tribe of Benjamin, who are not called by the tribe of Judah, but by the general name of the tribes of Israel.

And who came from the waters of Judah—And the tribe of Judah who emanated and ran from the waters of Judah’s pail, as Scripture states (Num 24:7): “Water shall run out of his pails.”

But not in truth—As Jeremiah said, (5:2) “Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ surely they swear falsely,” i.e., you were unworthy of being redeemed, but since they were called as being from the holy city, and that caused them not to be exiled with the ten tribes in the time of Sennacherib, to Halah and Habor, for they have no redemption.

2 For they call themselves after the holy city,

and stay themselves on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name. ISA 48:1-2

Rashi

And stay themselves on the God of Israel in the days of Hezekiah, about whom it is written (2Ki 18:5): “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel.” That caused them not to be exiled except in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who exiled them to Babylon, and they had a redemption through Cyrus.

24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. MAT 7:21, 24

And he said to man,

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.” JOB 28:28

Rashi

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom—One requires the other, and wisdom is unseemly without the fear of the Lord.

Shabbat 31b:3

The Gemara remarks: Conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said that he is praiseworthy because he is a man who fears sin, as elsewhere he also spoke in praise of fear. As Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has in His world only fear of Heaven alone, as it is stated: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God” (Deu 10:12). And it is written: “And he said to man, ‘Behold [hen], the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28), as in the Greek language they call one hen. Apparently, fear of God is of primary importance. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said so.

Tell others about your new relationship with Christ.

19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? JOH 4:29

20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. MAR 5:19-20

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