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THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT # 14

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THE TREATMENT OF ENEMIES IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

 lion and lamb

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:38-48.

I believe the scene here is for the Jews in the Tribulation, the prelude to the Kingdome of Heaven. We must also rid ourselves of the belief that everyone on earth will love the King and the Jews in the Kingdom. Many within the Kingdom will have wicked hearts, and hate the theocratic rule of the King. Keep in mind that He and His disciples must rule with a “rod of iron.” (Psa.2; Rev. 2:27; 19:15). Although most of the above text is dealing with the tribulation period, some of it will exist on earth during the time of the Kingdom. It is those circumstances the Lord is instructing them how to deal with their enemies.

Under the Old Testament Law, one was to pay for his crime according his own actions. But Jesus is above the law, and makes changes for that future time spoken of above. He did a similar example at His first advent in the case of the woman taken is adultery. The Law demanded that she die.

The Lord is instructing those who will be in the Tribulation and the Kingdom not to take personal revenge. They are to be passive under personal insults, and go the extra mile. They are to overcome evil with kindness and hospitality. He is the Law giver, and He has the power to alter, or modify as He pleases.

The disciples are to demonstrate love, not just to their Jewish brothers, but to all peoples. God demonstrates His goodness every day. They are be like their Father in heaven. If they follow the above example, they are demonstrating the attributes of their Heavenly Father. 

LIFE’S VANITY

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soap bubble

 

 

 

 

 

By Ken Blue

Vanity of vanities, all seems to me.

That which today is, tomorrow will not be.

Everything that’s seen, is all temporal.

And God’s chief creation, is ephemeral.

 

Change and decay, befalls all I can see.

Oh vanity, what can the purpose be?

Friends and loved ones, like vapors, are soon gone.

Those who remain, thus, find themselves alone.

 

There must be a purpose, but purpose, goes unseen.

While misery, war, and disease, obscure all between.

Revelation is the answer to this mystery.

The Sacred page removes the veil for you and me.

 

One man’s disobedience, brought death to everything.

One man’s obedience, unto death, a death blow brings.

Satan, the unseen fiend, now god of this whole earth,

And will not be banished, `till Christ removes the curse.

 

Angels and men, created with wills that are free.

And free will extends still, to all humanity.

War, misery, and disease are here as men choose.

Yet man would not be man, if free will he should loose.

 

Freewill to choose, Love paid the price for sin.

Freely, you may choose, to having peace within.

Satan will be banished, earth restored in Gods time.

Though all still be vanity, let Christ rule your mind.

 

God will not compel; we choose or we deny.

Love and obedience, alone justify.

Heaven or hell’s the choice; freely they must be.

Jesus is the choice that dispels vanity.

THE SERMON OF THE MOUNT # 13

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THE LAW OF SWEARING IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

lion and lamb 

 “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Matthew 5:33-37.

We can see immediately that to swear is the same as making an oath. Jews felt that it was a disgrace, and dishonor to break an oath. In fact, God held one accountable who made an oath. Moses said, “If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” Numbers 30:2.

 There are many examples in Scripture, but perhaps the story of Jephthah will serve us best. “And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering…And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances…35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, …I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. …her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,” Judges 11:30-39. This story is just one example of how serious the Israelites were about all vows. Jews held a person responsible for their vows. The Lord is warning the Jews to not swear under any circumstances. Their word, if true, should consist of a “yes,” or “no.” Nothing more was wise or necessary.

Jews would swear by God, the temple, the altar, and heaven. However, they had no control over events, or circumstances that might arise, where it would be better to not obey their vow. However, those who vowed were trapped by their on lips, as was Jephthah.  

This is good advice for one in any dispensation. You don’t need to swear by the stars, on your mother’s grave, on the Bible, by heaven, or by anything else. A safe answer is “yes” or “no.” It appears that the law of oaths will be stricter in the Kingdom of Heaven.

NO NOT ONE

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no not one

 

By Ken Blue

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:10.

 

(Enjoy the song)

I searched the world for one, who did understand,

Or, with his heart sought God, and found not a man.

Paths of righteousness they left, for their own way.

All remain unprofitable until this very day.

 

Mouths are open sepulchers; tongues filled with deceit.

Venom, under their lips, and hatred of a white-hot heat.

Hellbent on destruction, and misery in their ways.

Paths of peace unknown, no fear of God doth faze.

 

Hearts without understanding, mouths with cursing filled.

Feet swift to shed blood, no fear of God revealed.

Unprofitable, are they all, the righteous, I find none.

This is man’s condition, none good, no not one.

 

Every mouth will stop, they’re all guilty before God

Unless grace intervenes, a hopeless path they trod

There’s righteousness provided, freely through His Son

And those who come to Him, He rejects, no, not one

 

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT #12 – Kingdom of Heaven

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MARRIAGE, MORALITY AND DIVORCE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

lion and lamb

27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31   It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Matthew 5:27-32

This is the seventh of the Ten Commandments. It was given to Moses on stone, but Jesus reveals that adultery is a heart matter. He who has a heart of lust, will lust for another, and has already committed adultery in the heart. The believer should understand that all with God is a heart matter. We can assume that the lust is not speaking of a one-time event, but of a heart that is controlled by lust.

Since this sermon is located in Matthew, the book of the King of Israel, and Kingdom of Heaven is the subject, there is no reason one should spiritualize verses 29-30. I am aware that this is so foreign to Western thinking, that our minds have difficulty grasping it. There is no record of this practice In the Old Testament. Therefore, this must be a law for entrance into the Kingdom.  One need not spiritualize verse 29-30, while taking the other verses to be literal. As drastic as the action may be, it will be better than going to hell.

Divorce and remarriage was granted under the Law, although that was not God’s intent when Adam and Eve were created. In the beginning, God’s plan was one marriage only. Had sin not corrupted man that would still be the case, but God later allowed divorce. Paul, in the church epistles also allows divorce and remarriage. Under the Law, a bill of divorcement was sufficient to release the wife from her former husband, and she was free to marry another. (Deuteronomy 24.)

Under the Kingdom of Heaven rule, a man may not divorce his wife except she is found to be sexually impure. To do so causes her, and her new husband to committee adultery.

We are not informed of any further punishment on the two. Perhaps they will be expelled from the opportunities granted other citizens of the Kingdom. It is also possible that they are banished beyond the boundaries of the “Holy Land,” thus “cast out.” The full extent will be known in that time.