What Is "The Everlasting Covenant"?

"Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants....The earth mourns and fades away,...because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant....Fear and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth."  (Isaiah 24:1, 4, 5, 17) 

When I first read this passage almost 50 years ago, I realized that there was something here which was beyond the thinking of most of us.  This Word is beyond Israel's sin, beyond individual sin.  This is a warning to all the nations of the Earth.  Do we realize that there were laws, ordinances, and an, "everlasting covenant," before the time of Abraham and Moses?

Too often individualism overshadows the "Word of the Lord" to nations.  The prophet has been addressing Israel and Judah.  Now he turns to what, in essence, is everyone on the planet.  And what does He say?  "You have broken the everlasting covenant."  This covenant predates Israel.  It goes back to Genesis 9, the covenant which the Living Triune God made with Noah and his three sons, "....I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and...."

Our Lord Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that all nations will be judged by two categories, the "sheep nations" and the "goat nations."  Yes, individuals will be judged, but there is something of national judgment, accountability which much of modern Christendom has overlooked.  This is a reason I pray for the nations.  No, I don't fully understand "national judgment" or "global judgment," but Isaiah 24 declares that it is coming.

So now what?  As we go about our daily lives, notice humanity around us.  They, like us, are of those who, "....have broken the everlasting covenant."  Everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, national origin, everyone is in need of The Savior, Jesus.  Those sad people at America's Southern Border, the Gaza demonstrators, political leaders, Church leaders, "Third World" nations, rich, poor, etc.,?-- "....have broken the everlasting covenant"; therefore, regardless of who each one of us is, regardless of our "state in life," regardless of "national origin," there is only, "I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father (literally) if not through Me."  Jesus Christ Alone, is the King and Savior of the nations.  In Jesus' Blood, "the everlasting covenant," is defined, fulfilled, and sealed.

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to know how to pray for all nations who, "have broken the everlasting covenant."  Amen. 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

The Cause of Error and Confusion

"O My people!  Those who lead you cause you to err (or, 'lead you astray'), and destroy the way of your paths."  (Isaiah 3:12b)

The NASB says, "....and confuse the direction of your paths."  If this isn't an indictment on America.  The majority in the United States of America have done what Jehudi did when he heard the Word of the Lord from Jeremiah.  He burned the scroll in the fire.  The Democrat debates have affirmed today's text, "err, lead you astray, confuse the direction...."

This is classic "cause and effect."  If we allow some to, "lead you astray," it is inevitable that, "....destroy and confuse the direction/way of your paths," will follow.  But no one can, "cause you to err ('lead you astray') if we are surrendered to Jesus' Words.  If the only source of, "the mind of Christ," however, is what others tell us, then it is no wonder so many are, "le[]d astray," and, "confuse[d]."

One of the reasons, if I need any, that I believe Jesus took me to the Scriptures so many years ago is that when we read the Bible we have the best chance to get out of ourselves.  I was grief-stricken, and instead of whatever many people think our Lord should do for us in such an hour, Jesus took me to His Thoughts.  Our Father got me out of myself and into Him.  Do not be as those whose only Bible reading is the overhead in the Sunday service.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I depend upon You and Your Words to keep me in, "....the Way of Your paths."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Some Thoughts on The Song of Solomon

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth-- for your love is better than wine....Behold, you are fair, my love!...You have dove's eyes....Behold, you are handsome, my beloved!...Yes, he is altogether lovely.  This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!"  (From Song of Solomon)

Now I know that most have heard and read that the Song of Solomon is a type of Christ and the Church; it may very well be.  Some of the statements in this Book are great descriptions of our Lord Jesus Christ; it is indeed a great "love story."

One thing about this Book to realize, however, is that Solomon had hundreds and hundreds of wives.  1 Kings 11:1a and 3 tells us, "But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh....And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart."  There is much speculation as to which of all of these wives is the "beloved" of The Song of Solomon.   

I know, as well, that there are debates on the timeline of his writings, viz., Proverbs, Song, and Ecclesiastes, but if The Song is the first, it would explain so much of Proverbs as well as Ecclesiastes.

I come now to a possibility.  What if, among the traditional interpretations, the Song of Solomon is our Lord Jesus Christ saying to humanity, "Love and romance are okay; just keep everything where I intended?  'Follow Me.'"

Father, in Jesus' Name, I see Your "Instructing" Hand in this.  Amen.

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Even though the shoulder has been keeping me from some of my travels, I am still committed to much prayer daily for the nations.  Last night's Democratic Presidential Debate revealed to me that some of my prayers are really being answered!

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Ecclesiastes

"That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."  (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Ecclesiastes begins with the Words, "Vanity," or, "vapor, breath."  It can also mean, "emptiness, delusion, fleeting."  Simply stated, This is life "outside" Jesus Christ.

A social worker in the infamous Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco was once asked what was his biggest problem in working in that area.  His response, "The turtleneck fundy."  Okay, so he was a secularist appraising the Church.  But I can say that there are "turtlenecks" today who are not dissimilar to those in the late 60s.  They are people who believe that if you become or are more like "them," music, dress, even "doing church, etc., you will more likely lead them to Jesus Christ.  "Vapor, breath, fleeting."

Our text tells me that we should be vary wary of always attempting to come up with "new."  It can too often be motivated by, The "old" is inferior to the "new."  What would the Church be like if we referred to "The New Testament," as the "Fulfilled Testament?" (Rhetorical)  Jesus says that He did not come to destroy the "old," rather, "I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  I see this as a way the 21st Century Church should look at its "past."  Bring it along rather than abandon it altogether.

Much of the modern Church believes that the "old" music is irrelevant for "today."  It is a not-so-subtle judgment on past generations of those who Followed Jesus.  Songs today are no "better" than songs of yesterday.  Nothing I have ever heard can replace, "Be, Thou, My Vision," or, "Fairest Lord Jesus," or, "Holy, Holy, Holy."  So my "thought for the day" is, Get over the infatuation with "new."  After all, "There is nothing new under the sun."

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much, "For all the saints who from their labor rest, who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.  Alleluia, Alleluia."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Well, It's Job Time Again

"Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or by speeches with which he can do no good?"  (Job 15:3)

Eliphaz should have taken his own, ...."talk-speeches," advice.  My question today of the Job Discourse is: What good did 36 and one half chapters of, "talk-speeches," do any of them?

"Talk-speeches."  Sundays for many is a, "talk-speeches," day.  Even the humanists increase talk traffic on television and radio on Sundays.  As Followers of Jesus Christ, we talk our faith; we talk encouragement, we talk teaching, as indeed we should.  Bible faith, however, is not primarily a talk faith; it is a do faith.  If our talk is, "speech[] with which he can do no good", it is just, "noisy gong or a clanging symbol." 

Hebrews 11:1, in the Interlinear Greek says, "Now faith is...the proof."  Notice that, "Proof," is not faith.  "Faith is...the proof."  Thomas said, "Unless I see..."  But Biblical Faith is not found in a test tube.  It is acceptance.  One of the dictionary's definitions of "accept" is, "To endure without protest or reaction."  This is what is referred to in the Bible as, "the Faith of Jesus."  Perhaps the greatest "proof" of Job's faith is found in Job 2 after his wife said that he should just give up, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks." 

You may be surrounded today with such people at work, school, even family.  Just remember; when they rail on you, as Jobs accusers railed on him, they are speaking only as, "one of the foolish...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, may my talk be only that which produces doing.  Amen.   

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2