The book of Genesis contains many blessings and promises as well as some curses and punishment. In the previous few chapters, we see Jacob giving out some significant blessings and promises as well as delivering some hard penalties for ungodly behaviour.

Having blessed Pharoah in chapter 47 and Joseph’s two sons – Ephraim and Manasseh, in chapter 48… we arrive at chapter 49, where the old patriarch blesses each one of his twelve sons. This final message to his offspring gives us a prophetic glimpse into different destinies of Jacob’s sons, which would be fulfilled in the years ahead, through their descendants.

Jacob had lived a full and fruitful life, and as the end of his earthly life approached, he called his twelve sons into His tent. “Assemble yourselves”, Jacob commanded, “that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come“. It was customary in those days for an old man to pass the ‘sceptre’  to the son who was to take on the responsibility of family leadership. The’ royal sceptre’ was a sign of sovereign authority and kingship, which was to be passed from the patriarch to one of his sons.

Normally this leadership role would be passed to the oldest son, but Reuben was denied this privileged position, because he had dishonoured his father, by having sex with his father’s concubine. Reuben was described, in this passage, as being ‘uncontrolled as water’. He was no doubt disappointed to be informed, “you shall not have preeminence, because you defiled your father’s bed”.

The next two sons, in seniority, were Simeon, and Levi, whom their father described, in his final address, as being, “implements of violence”. Like their older brother, both men were rejected as the overall leader of the twelve tribes of Israel, because of their deceitful behaviour in the ungodly massacre of the men of Shechem… which was carried out in revenge, because their sister, Dinah, was raped by the prince of Shechem.

Vengeance belongs to the Lord and He will avenge the wrong that is perpetrated against His people. The actions and attitude of Jacob’s two sons, in the pre-meditated murder of an entire city, caused great grief to their father and brought dishonour to the name of the Lord.

Although his three eldest sons were included in the ‘blessing’ their father gave in his farewell address to his sons, Jacob’s refusal to bestow the coveted kingship role onto any of these men, equates to a curse.. or at least a severe chastening. Each son suffered loss. Each one lost the blessing that could have been theirs, because of their ungodly ways.

Judah was Jacob’s fourth son, and it was upon this man that the kingly authority rested and to whom the sceptre was passed. The entire company heard the last will and testimony from their father’s own lips, – “the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes..’ he told them, and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples“.

The ‘sceptre’ speaks of the kingly authority, while the phrase, ‘nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet’, indicates that the authority Judah was given, was to be passed from one generation to the next – “UNTIL Shiloh comes”.  The leadership of the nation was given to Judah, and it was not to be challenged – for Jacob added, “and to HIM shall be the obedience of the peoples – the people were to be obedient to SHILOH, their coming King.

The name ‘Shiloh’ means ‘the Bearer of Rest’. ‘Shiloh’ does not refer to a city or a group. ‘Shiloh’ is the name of the coming Messiah – the promised Seed, through Whom all the families of the earth would be blessed – the One Who brings rest for the soul and is the fulfilment of all Scripture – Jesus the Messiah:- the son of David…. the son of Abraham.. the father of Isaac, the father of Jacob – the father of Judah and his brother.

Jesus is the Christ of God. He is the ‘Shiloh’ that was promised through Judah. He is Prince, who gives peace with God… and He is the God of rest for our soul. He is the lion from the tribe of Judah Who has broken the chains of sin and Satan, death, and hell… and by faith in HIM, we are credited with righteousness – just as Abraham – the father of faith.

Heavenly Father, my heart rejoices as you unfold Your plan of salvation more and more to my understanding, as I come to a deeper awareness of Your beautiful character and attributes. Thank You that You are not only the great Creator God, Whose might, majesty, dominion and power spoke the world into being, but You are God Almighty – El Shadai – the All-Sufficient Father of all mercies and God of all grace. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the Bearer of Rest for my soul and Bringer of Prince with my heavenly Father, through faith in Christ’s finished work at Calvary. Thank You for the many precious promises and prophecies that are all ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ in Him. Continue to teach me I pray, and open my understanding to wonderful things in Your word – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Little by little throughout scripture God gently and gradually unveils His gracious character and His eternal attributes.. first to one person and then to another. To David, God proved Himself to be his Shepherd. To Hagar, God was revealed as the all-seeing One. He became a Banner and Standard to the wandering Israelites in the wilderness and to the frightened Gideon He became Shalom – the Lord is my Peace.

There was one occasion when the Lord revealed Himself to Abraham as his Provider, but in this unique and touching episode, God disclosed Himself to the aging Abraham as: Almighty God (El-Shaddai).

‘EL’ adequately speaks of God’s tremendous work of creation and the mighty power He displayed during the great deluge of Noah’s day. It speaks coherently of His majesty, strength, greatness and power, as further exhibited in the tremendous plagues that ravaged Egypt’s fertile plain. And yet the name, ‘El Shadai’, identifies our heavenly Father as the all-sufficient God – the God Who is totally adequate to provide ALL we need according to His riches in mercy.

Insufficient emphasis has been placed on the meaning of the nourishing nature of the word ‘Shadai’ in this astonishing revelation of God. While the word ‘EL’ signified the strength and power of the great Creator EL-ohim, the word ‘Shadai’ additionally speaks of tender nourishment; gentle reassurance and the provision of strength that a tiny babe derives from the comforting breast of his mother.

Abraham had been promised the Seed through whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. His advancing years appeared to contradict God’s former Word. It seemed impossible that the 90-year-old Sarah and her 100-year-old husband could parent a child, as God had promised some time before. Yet, in this gracious encounter, God reveals Himself to Abraham, in a new and wonderful way – as ‘God Almighty’ – ‘El Shadai’ –  the All-Sufficient God. He gently admonished His doubting child while giving Abraham ample reassurance that His Word is true, and would be fulfilled in His time, and His way.

And as it was with Abraham, so it is with all of God’s people. The All-sufficiency of God enriches, empowers and provides for all God’s children. The precious promise of God’s all-embracing sufficiency, is equally relevant today as it was in those dim and distant days, when God called a pagan Gentile, out of  Ur of the Chaldees.. to leave his land, his wealth and his relatives, and go to the land God promised to show him.

The young Abram had obeyed the Lord many years earlier and his faith was already credited to him as righteousness. But many years later, when that same man of faith was ninety-nine years of age, the Lord appeared to him in a new and special way. Abraham was granted further revelation into the essential nature of the God, in Whom he had placed his trust so many years before… for there were still lessons for this man of God to learn. There were many truths that had not yet been disclosed to this man of faith. “I am God Almighty”, he was told. “I am El Shaddai – the All-Sufficient One. Walk before Me, and be blameless”.

The same Lord nourishes, multiplies and makes abundantly fruitful the seed of faith that is planted in the heart of each of His children. And in the same way, that He overshadowed and stirred the womb of the elderly Sarah and empowered old Abraham to father this child, so God is able and willing to work His all-sufficient grace in the lives of each of His children.

If God has placed a seed in your heart, never doubt that He is All-sufficient to carry it through to its final delivery – for He Who started a good work in you has promised to bring it to completion, by transforming you into the likeness of the Indwelling Seed – the lovely Lord Jesus, in Whom we trust.

Loving Father I recognise Your almighty power and great glory – for the heavens declare its truth and Christ proved it with outstretched arms on Calvary’s cross. But You are also my great Provider for which I thank You. Your gracious provision is All-sufficient and I long to serve You faithfully, and to live a blameless life before You. Lord, I know that living blamelessly before You is only possible as You provide the sufficient grace and power through the Holy Spirit’s work within. Bring to fruitfulness the seed that You have planted in my heart, that I may live as You desire – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

There is an oft-repeated adage that ‘the old is in the new revealed, and the new is in the old concealed. But, although there is an element of truth in this statement, it is not entirely correct.

Although a believer can often see Old Testament types, metaphors, promises, and prophecies being fulfilled in the Bible and opened to their understanding.. as we grow in the Christian faith… the mysteries of which Paul spoke so often, and upon which the New Testament is anchored, are nowhere to be found in the pages of Old Testament Scripture.

Mysteries that were hidden to the prophets of old include the mystery of ‘Christ in You, the hope of glory’. It encompasses the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit in all believers; the one Body of believers made up of Jews and Gentiles; the rapture of the Church and the mystery of the gospel, to name but a few. These are ‘mysteries that were kept secret since the world began’.

For this reason, it was very important that Jewish Christians, in the early Church, came to a correct understanding, that the Old Order under Moses had been fulfilled in Christ, and that a New Order had been implemented at Pentecost. Hebrews is a book that not only opens God’s progressive plan of redemption for Christians today, but was originally written to help Jewish Christians, in the early Church, understand that a change in dispensations took place with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was to confirm that God’s old order had been replaced with His new order.

As well as teaching that a New and better Covenant had been cut at Calvary.. that the old Levitical Law; the Aaronic priesthood; the earthly Temple and the Sacrifices had been superseded by a new, eternal heavenly order, the book of Hebrews is also designed to teach us important lessons on living godly lives, by referring back to the mistakes of the old order. It is designed to help prevent post-Cross Christians from falling into the same disobedience and unbelief.

The mistakes made by Israel in the wilderness and their slide into rebellion, unbelief and disobedience, during those 40 years of wandering, present some of the most serious warnings to the Body of Christ in Scripture… for despite being saved by grace through faith when they made their exodus from Egypt, Israel lived in defeat for the rest of their lives, and failed to access God’s precious promises of rest.

It was because of their murmurings, complaints, grumblings, and defiance of God that the entire nation fell into apostasy, and all but two of God’s faithful servants were buried in the desert. Not one gained the rest that they were promised. They were eternally saved but totally defeated for the rest of their earthly life. Israel had been redeemed from the slave-marked of sin, but failed to enter God’s promised rest.

The question of their failure is clearly laid out in the book of Hebrews.. “And to whom did God swear that they would not enter His rest —-‘ was the rhetorical question asked in this verse. Who was it that God vowed would not enter a state of rest with Him?  Well, the answer was immediately supplied, “was it not to those who were disobedient?

Israel’s miraculous redemption was immediately followed by Israel’s shocking disobedience and is recorded in the Scripture for our learning. Their rebellion and unbelief was so grievous to the Lord that He swore in His wrath, they would NOT enter His rest. For those with eyes to see – i.e. those saved by grace through faith, this truth is a sober warning to live righteously in the sight of God, and not to fall into the same sin of unbelief.

This is a serious warning to the Church, in this present dispensation We are cautioned not to fall into unbelief. This is also an advanced notice for future believers, who will be living during the 70th week of Daniel – the Great Tribulation period. It is a clarion call to ALL God’s people, in every dispensation, to be obedient…. to be faithful; to trust God’s word; to adhere to His call on each of our lives and to live each day as unto the Lord.

The entire nation of Israel fell into deliberate disobedience, apostasy and unbelief, despite the amazing miracles they had all witnessed in their lives. As members of the Church, the admonition in this verse is not to fall into the same sin – not to be deliberatly disobedient and wander into, apostasy and unbelief.

Blatant disobedience of God’s word translates into ‘UNBELIEF’, for without faith, neither lost sinner nor saved saint can please God. How sad that the redeemed people of Israel were eternally saved, but disobedience and unbelief left them living defeated lives. Instead of enjoying God’s promised rest, they died defeated men and women – saved, yet excluded from His rest – redeemed from the slave-market of sin, yet failing to fulfil God’s will for their life.

As Church-age believers we have already received our promised rest, by faith in CHRIST. It is already ours as a gift of God’s grace. We are empowered, every day, by His sufficiency. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit who enables us to live victorious lives from the moment of our salvation.

By faith, we have already been given ALL we need for life and godliness – all we need to live victorious lives, as we rest in Him and He in us. But like the redeemed Israelites who wasted their lives in defeat, Christians can also remain defeated in the wilderness of life. Like this generation of Israelites, we too can miss out on living a victorious and productive life OR we can end up with a wasted life of worry and unbelief that discredits the Lord.

Let us determine to access all that is ours in Christ and may we remember Paul’s warning to the Corinthians – that redeemed saints who live in unbelief become carnal in their outlook – saved… yet as though by fire. Saved ‘through the skin of their teeth’, but suffering loss of heavenly reward. Eternally saved by grace through faith in Christ and yet living a defeated life in the wilderness of our own fleshly wanderings.

May we take to heart this warning in Hebrews and seek to live a God-honouring life.. or we may find that we forfeit His perfect peace in our heart, His rest for our soul, treasure in heaven and any reward that could have been ours – for a defeated Christian life is the ultimate tragedy of disobedience, apostasy, and unbelief.

Heavenly Father, thank You that in Christ I have received my promised rest through faith in Christ – and have all I need to live a victorious, God-honouring life. Keep me ever looking to Jesus, and prevent me from falling into the sin of disobedience and unbelief, like the Israelites in the wilderness, who were redeemed from the slave-market in Egypt, yet wasted their life through deliberate unbelief. Help me to live by faith and not by sight, or feelings and may I live and work to Your praise and glory – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

The book of Joel begins with his deep lament over the formerly fruitful land of Israel. The prophet visualises progressive swarms of locusts invading the beautiful land and devastating the vineyard and fig-groves. He understood this to be a warning to God’s people that their gross apostasy and rebellion against the Lord would not go unpunished.

Joel foresaw a time of unprecedented severity approaching and even announced that the Temple sacrifices and drink offering in the House of God would cease. The coming devastation would touch the lives of everyone, and the prophet grieved deeply that the sound of rejoicing and the praises of God’s people would no longer resound throughout the city.

Joel’s prolonged lament over the coming judgement developed into a call for the priests, ministers of the Temple and all the people to lament over the sorry state of a nation. He exhorted them to turn its back on the Lord. “Gird yourselves with sackcloth” he cried, “and lament, O priests. Wail, O you ministers of the altar! Come and spend the night in sackcloth O ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God“.

Even at this last stage of Israel’s advancing apostacy, the people received a divine call, through Joel, to confess their sin, repent of their evil ways and return to the Lord. It is never too late for a sinner to turn from sin. It is never too late for a Christian to return into fellowship with the Lord. But it must be a turning-away from sin that is birthed in a mind that mourns over sin with genuine grief. It must flow from a heart that is determined to return to trusting God in thought, word and deed, “for blessed are they that mourn over their sin, for they shall be comforted “.

The people of Israel, who were being chastened by the Lord fell into a number of categories. There were those who believe the word of the Lord and were credited with righteousness, but they had left their first love. They had become carnal in their walk. This group were urged to call on the name of the Lord… to cry out to Him in faith, confessing their sin, while turning back to Him – for if a believer confesses his sin, God is faithful and just to forgive his many sins and cleanse him from all unrighteousness.

For those who had not yet believed on the name of the Lord, the prophet’s call was to confess their sinfulness and need of salvation – to believe God’s WORD. They were to trust in the Lord and obey His command. Both pre-cross and post-resurrection sinners have to reach the point where they confess their need of God – confess that they are a sinner in need of salvation – for only those who believe on His name for forgivenss through Christ, are credited with His righteousness.

When the people of God forget their position and privileges, they are ripe for judgement. Israel may have been promised abundant blessings from the Lord, but they were also guaranteed severe discipline if they broke their covenant with Him. Unlike Israel, believers today are not bound by the restrictions of the Law, but we are required to recognise our sin and confess it to the Lord. We are charged to eschew all forms of evil, to walk in the light of His love and to present our bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to the Lord.

However, like Israel, we are God’s people and can expect Him to chasten us when we leave our first love, participate in carnal pursuits, go astray in our Christian walk or engage in fleshly activities and worldly ways. We are commanded to live in a manner that honours His name, but unlike Israel, we already have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and to carry out the good work that God has prepared for us to walk in.

This warning lament from Joel was partially fulfilled when the nation went into Babylonian captivity, but there are elements of his prophecy that still lie in the future, and will be fully realised during ‘the great and terrible Day of the Lord’ – the coming ‘time of Jacob’s Trouble’.

We pray that the blinded people of Israel will turn from their ungodly way and come to faith in the true Messiah and we pray that God would work in the hearts and lives of His people, the Church.. so that each one of us will be found unblemished and spotless in His eyes and be diligent to be found in Him – in peace, without spot and wrinkle, for His name’s sake.

Heavenly Father, how blessed I am to have found my rest in You and to live under Your sufficient grace. Lord, there are times when I have failed to live righteously and I confess that I have not trusted You as I ought. Keep me from falling back into the sin of worry and unbelief, like the people of Israel. Prevent me from trying to sort out my life in my own strength instead of trusting in Your Word. Thank You that You are MY God and that in You I have all that I need for life and righteousness – Help me to walk in Your ways and honour Your holy name, in Christ’s name I pray, AMEN.

Christ’s Sermon on the Mount is considered by many as a series of moral teachings, by which we should all try to abide. But also, the world often portrays the Lord Jesus as a bit of a push-over with His teachings on being meek and mild-mannered, loving your enemies, blessing those who curse you and praying for those that despitefully use you… and increasingly the clarion call of the world today, is to stand up for your rights, even at the expense of others.

As Christians, it is only right and proper to show an enemy kindness and consideration. Indeed, the prayers of a righteous man, offered on behalf of his enemies, can produce some effective results. Giving positive good for negativity and evil, is a principle that is not new. This is a concept that is found throughout Scripture and is taught in each dispensation. In this verse, Paul is quoting from Proverbs 25, which says “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” 

This verse in Romans gives a glimpse into the other side of the coin that graciously feeds an enemy when he is hungry and provides drink for him when he thirsty – “for in so doing,” we read “you will be heaping fiery coals on his head”. Scripture reveals that good for evil and showing kindness to an antagonist, may result in one’s adversary feeling guilty for his unkindness and may cause him to admit his fault.

Paul describes this counter-measure as “heaping burning coals on his head”. The outcome of combatting evil acts and wickedness with goodness, can often cause those that oppose us to burn with shame, and can even result in bringing them to repentance and ultimate forgiveness.

Nevertheless, there are times when countering evil with good can embolden an enemy to commit even greater atrocities against a person they hate. Similarly, it should be noted, that when evil is countered with good… from bitterness of heart or a resentful spirit, it is counter-productive. When good deeds are done from an impure motive, or with an… ‘I’ll show them’ attitude… or when they are carried out reluctantly… because it is the ‘proper thing to do’ or to elevate one’s popularity in the eyes of others… while concealing bitterness within, is not what this verse is teaching.

Although returning good for evil can certainly have a positive effect on an adversary, the significance of “heaping fiery coals on his head”, has a much greater depth of meaning for those who are God’s people, for this verse follows another Old Testament quote, which warns…, “Never take your own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine’. I will repay’,  says the Lord,“

We are clearly told that vengeance on an enemy is not our remit. Vengeance of evil belongs to God, and we must never take from the Lord, what is rightfully His. Vengeance is the sacred premise of God, and a day is coming when He will judge the world, and all the evil acts perpetrated on His people, in righteousness.

There is a day of reckoning for all sinners which remains under God’s righteous jurisdiction alone. As believers, we have been given specific instructions to follow, when dealing with our enemies… “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will heap fiery coals on his head.”  There is nothing more remarkable to a sinner, entangled in sin, than a godly man or woman graciously repaying good for evil and offering kindness in response to all manner of evil.

It is not God’s will that anyone should perish – including our bitter enemies. It is God’s desire that all come to repentance and trust in Him for the forgiveness of sin… and if we honour His will, by reacting to acts of evil with deeds of kindness.. maybe it will help to bring a sinner to repentance and give glory to God.

It is not always easy to repay evil with good, but His grace is sufficient to enable us to love our enemies and to do good to those that despitefully use us – to feed a hungry enemy and provide him with a drink when thirsty. When we obey His word there is rejoicing in heaven – especially if a sinner is brought to repentance. But a day is coming when God Himself. will avenge His people and on that day burning coal and the fiery judgement of the Lord will rain down on every unrepentant evil-doer.

The mercy and grace of God is available to all… and as His children, we should demonstrate that same mercy and grace to the lost… including our enemies. God’s goodness and grace, His kindness, His forgiveness, and His long-suffering mercy was available to you and me when we were sinners and we should respond with the same kindness, forgiveness, long-suffering mercy and godly grace.

The responsibility of our enemies is to come to repentance while our responsibility is to obey God’s word… “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink” – and to do it in love.

Heavenly Father, there are times when I have been hurt and abused by my enemies, who have sought to harm me, and those I love. I confess Lord, that at times I would like to pay them back for the wrongs they have done. But Lord, I know I have been called to do good to those that treat me badly, to pray for my enemies and to feed them when they are hungry for Your greater glory. I also know that You have promised to avenge those that hate me and I thank You that a day is coming when You will put all wrongs to right. Keep me, I pray,  from trying to avenge any wrongs done to me, when Your word clearly says, “vengeance is Mine, says the Lord – I will repay”. Draw me closer to Yourself I pray, and may the words of my mouth and the actions I do bring honour to Your holy name and blessings to those with whom I come in contact – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Not only is Jesus our Saviour and King, our Prophet and Lord but He has also become our great High Priest. Jesus is God’s anointed High Priest, through Whom we have been made fit to approach the grand and awesome throne of the most high God. His high priestly position is a heavenly one, and it is a position that is so much more superior to the earthly Levitical order, which came through Moses.

Christ’s high priestly role is a continuous, eternal, spiritual headship. He is our perfect Priest, Who by virtue of His own spotless sacrificial life-blood, which streamed over the heavenly mercy-seat, has once-and-for-all atoned for all our sins – forever and ever, amen.

He was born for this priestly role and anointed as God’s great High Priest by the Holy Spirit, Who rested on Him in the likeness of a Dove at His baptism. His exquisite position was further confirmed by the thunderous voice of the Almighty God, saying: This is My Beloved Son – listen to Him.

The Lord Jesus is the ultimate and final Word of God. He is the incarnate Word, Who took upon Himself human flesh, and as our great, heavenly High Priest, He is interceding day and night for the Church, which is His Body. Jesus is the only Mediator between man and God and He is the only One who can defend our case when the accusational finger of the evil one is pointing at you or at me.

There were a succession of men from the earthly Mosaic economy, who functioned as high priest, but none could be compared with Christ Jesus, for all were sinners in need of salvation. He alone was called ‘great’ and He alone was appointed after the order of Melchisedek – the Kingly-Priest of righteousness and peace, who was honoured by Abraham and is identified as a type of Christ.

He alone rose from the dead and passed through the earthly atmosphere and starry heights into the heaven of heavens. He alone is seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high. He no longer officiates in an earthly Temple. His is an eternal Priesthood that is vastly superior to everything that went before.

He is our righteous, kinsman-Redeemer, Who has become our heavenly Mediator. He has been given a Name that is above every name – Jesus Christ the righteous. And we who have trusted in His death, burial and resurrection for the forgiveness of sin and life everlasting, have been called to hold fast to our confession. We are commanded to stand firm on the witness of the cross – that Jesus is the Son of God; that Jesus is our great High Priest; that Jesus has put away our sin forever by His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection – that JESUS ascended into heaven by passing through the heavens, on our account, and in Whom are the words of eternal life.

No wonder we are urged by the writer to the Hebrews to HOLD FAST to our confession – to keep a firm grip on our trust in Christ’s finished Work; to believe all God has said through His Word; to unreservedly remain firm to His Truth – and to boldly approach the throne of grace. For it is only and ultimately through Jesus, the Son of God – Who is God the Son, that we can find grace to help in time of need, for His grace is sufficient; His office is efficacious and His loving-mercy is everlasting.

YES INDEED – since we DO have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God – let us hold fast our confession. Hallelujah. Praise His holy name.

Loving heavenly Father, Your plans and purposes for me are staggering. I can scarcely take in that God Himself should come as my Saviour and High Priest, so that I can approach You on Your great and gracious throne of grace. Keep me ever mindful of this amazing privilege. Open my ears to hear Your voice and cleanse my heart to pray into Your will. Have grace on my brothers and sisters in Christ, and have mercy for a lost and dying world, which needs to acknowledge Jesus as ‘kinsman-redeemer’.  Hear and answer my prayer, I ask, in the name of Jesus Christ Your only begotten Son, and my great high heavenly priest, AMEN.

How blessed we are to have brothers and sisters in Christ, who refresh our soul and encourage our heart. Paul was a man who appreciated his Christian friends and also showed great love and affection for fellow believers. His short, personal letter to Philemon, is a beautiful example of the high value he placed on fellow-believers and his companions-in-Christ.

The first third of his letter to Philemon outlines Paul’s greetings to this beloved brother and the heart-felt regard he had for him. Paul rejoiced when he considered the love and faith Philemon had for the Lord Jesus and made reference to the joy, comfort, love, and refreshment he readily supplied to many other saints in the Lord.

But Paul was also an apostle of Christ who was ready and willing to supply advice to those that were confused, encourage those whose faith was faltering; edify those who were growing in grace.. and to warn of false teachings. He was also prepared to chasten those going astray; to tackle issues of doctrine and to deal, head-on, with moral issues that needed to be addressed.

Paul had sufficient confidence in Christ, to give a specific directive to Philemon to do what is right, in connection with his runaway slave, Onesimus, who had recently become a believer. However, instead of lecturing Philemon as an apostle of Christ, and instructing him to reinstate his slave as part of his Christian duty he appealed to him as a friend. He referred to himself as ‘Paul the elder’ and also ‘a prisoner of Christ Jesus’. He petitioned his friend to receive the fugitive back, with love and forgiveness, and to regard him as a fellow member of the body of Christ – who was clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

In an era when runaway slaves and fugitives were frequently caught and executed, Paul’s pleading request must have touched the heart and conscience of all who read it, including Philemon, for it was a beautiful illustration of the exchanged status of a condemned sinner, who was once dead in trespasses and sins, but is now a redeemed man, who is born-again, declared righteous in the sight of God and given heavenly honours beyond imagination.

Like Onesimus and Philemon, we all are all sinners under God’s condemnation. And whether we are in the role of slave or master, employer or employee, there are not only Christian principles and practices we ought to all follow – but it should be done in love for one another and in grateful thanks for all that Christ has done for us.

Just as Onesimus was a fugitive under Philemon’s justified condemnation, there was a time when we were slaves to sin and under God’s righteous condemnation, but by God’s grace through faith, we were forgiven of our wrongdoing and our sin is remembered no more. Similarly, Paul’s appeal enabled Philemon to not only forgive his slave, but also to receive Onesimus back into his service with Christlike love, and regard him as a beloved brother in Christ.

Not only did Onesimus benefit from his conversion because he was justified in the eyes of God, and found grace in the eyes of Paul and his master, but Philemon was enabled to have his slave returned, with an assurance that both he and his slave were brothers in Christ, and as such, Onesimus would serve him as unto to Lord.

Like Philemon, we are all sinners, saved by grace and it behoves each one of us to act towards those who do us wrong or cause us harm, to act with Christlike love towards them… and demonstrate the grace of God, by forgiving our adversaries when we are wronged.

Like Onesimus, we are all sinners, saved by grace and we should be ready and prepared to face up to our wrong-doing, rather than running away from the consequences of our actions – and everything that we do should be done as unto the Lord.

Like Paul, we should remain humble in our dealings with others, wise in the advice we offer others, gracious with our dealings with those who have done us wrong, willing to die to our self-interest and be ready to do everything to the honour of God and for His eternal praise and glory.

Heavenly Father, thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ and for mutual joy and encouragement we are able to give to one another. I pray that I may foster a Christlike spirit in my dealings with others, especially those that are of the household of faith. When I have been wronged, give me the grace and wisdom to do what is right and when I have wronged others, give me the courage to face up to my fault and failings. Give me the wisdom and confidence to always stand for that which is right and whether in a position of authority or when serving other, I pray that I may honour Your name by my words and actions. Thank You for the short book of Philemon and may I learn the many lessons it has to teach me  – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Daniel was a godly man who was used by the Lord to provide foundational prophecies, concerning the advent of Christ. His writings provide insight into his own place in history, his personal background, exemplary character, and consequential commission. He was a Hebrew youth of noble birth, who was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. and deported to Babylon, where he became a great statesman under consecutive rulers of the kingdom.

His book opens with the deportation of the Hebrews to Babylon, at the time the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand of Nebuchadnezzar. It explains that the king of Babylon ordered his chief officer to bring some of the royal sons and noblemen of Judah into his court. His plan was to indoctrinate them with Babylonian creeds in a heathen culture.

This influx of historical information, at the opening of his book, set the scene to identify Daniel and his three friends as instruments God would use to forward His plans and purposes, during Israel’s Babylonian captivity… for we read, “Now among them, from the sons of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah”.

After their deportation, “the commander of the officials assigned new names to them. To Daniel, he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah – Shadrach, to Mishael – Meshach and to Azariah – Abed-nego.” The sinister motive behind changing the names of these young men becomes clear when the meaning of each name is understood.

Daniel’ means, ‘God is my Judge’ in the Hebrew language, while his new Babylonian name was ‘Belteshazzar’ which means ‘Protect the Life of the King’ OR ‘Bel’s Prince’. ‘BEL’, was the name of one of the Babylonian gods, and it is evident that a new name would provide a new identity, with a very different focus. This move was designed to remove all traces of Hebrew roots from the mind and memory of these young noblemen… and replace it with Babylonian philosophy.

Daniel’s three friends had names that also honoured the God of Israel. ‘Hananiah’ meant ‘God is Gracious’; ‘Mishael’ proclaimed the rhetorical question, ‘who is like God?’, which demanded the response – ‘No-one is like unto our God!’ And the meaning of ‘Azariah’ was ‘God is help’, which brings to mind the well-loved psalm, “God is our refuge and strength – a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea”.

Removing their Hebrew names, which honoured the Lord their God, was designed to disconnect their memory, and loyalty, from their former belief system, and replaced them with names that honoured different Babylonian deities. This action was meant to delete all former recollections of their early years and replace them with Babylonian teachings and pagan doctrine.

‘Hananiah’ was given the name ‘Shadrach’ which appears to mean, “under the command of Aku” – a Babylonian god.  The name of ‘Mishael’ was changed to ‘Meshach’, which referred to the Babylonian moon-god. ‘Aku’, which probably meant, ‘ commanded by Aku’, while ‘Azariah’ received the name ‘Abednego’, which once again made reference to a Babylonian god – having the sinister meaning of, ‘slave of Nebo’.

It was despite this failed attempt to erase the memories and transform the minds of these four youngsters, and implant an allegiance to Babylonian gods and culture, that we discover the book of Daniel to be one of hope and encouragement for the future restoration of Israel. It contains a testimony that God is faithful to His people, and to those who put their trust in Him, and it also gives the most comprehensive prophetic timeline of God’s full and final victory over Satan’s illegitimate earthly rule.

From the beginning, when Daniel and his friends were assigned new names, they demonstrate exemplary faith in difficult circumstances and proved to be men of principle, prayer, understanding, and wisdom. They also remind us that God’s grace is sufficient, no matter what situation we face, and it reveals the humble spirit of godly men, with courageous strength, who trusts God.

As we reflect on these four boys who refused to be brainwashed by the society of the day, but courageously stood firm in their faith, may we seek to develop the same steadfast trust in God and allow their example to ignite our faith, sustain the blessed hope we have in Christ Jesus our Lord, challenge us to stand firm in the truth and prompt us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice – holy and acceptable to the Lord our God.

Heavenly Father, as I reflect on Daniel and his three friends, who refused to be brainwashed by the Babylonian culture into which they were forced, I see how Satan’s plan continues to be the indoctrination of young people with worldly principles and ungodly practices. Protect the hearts and minds of children and students, especially those from Christian families and those that know the Lord as Saviour. Give them courage to stand fast in the evil day and help each one to discover Your strength is sufficient in every eventuality of life. Thank You that You are my God and may I never stray from the path of peace  – this I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN.