Browsed by
Author: Phil Erickson

Pastor Phil Erickson has been the pastor of Jersey Shore Baptist Church since January of 2002. Having grown up in Ocean County, Pastor Phil has always had a burden for the south Jersey area. After graduating from Bible College in Longview, Texas, he and his family moved to Galloway Township with the vision of digging in and serving the Lord and the people of Atlantic County. Pastor Phil and Cindy Erickson have been married since 1985. They have four children and ten grandchildren. Their oldest son, Phil Jr. and his wife Katelyn are serving the Lord in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Their oldest daughter, Melissa, is married to Wesley Clayton who is in the Air Force and is currently stationed in New Mexico. Samantha, their third child, is married to Justin Mears and they are both serving the Lord at the church in Galloway. Hannah, the youngest, is married to Lucas McCollum, and they are also serving here in Galloway. In preparation for ministry, the Lord led him through a variety of educational experiences that have equipped him to serve the Lord and His people. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgian Court University, a Bachelor of Biblical Studies in Pastoral Theology from Texas Independent Baptist Seminary (formerly Texas Baptist College), a Master of Religious Education in Bible from West Coast Baptist College, and a Master of Biblical Studies from The Crown College. More recently, he completed a Graduate Certificate in Biblical Counseling and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Veritas Baptist College. He is thankful for these opportunities to study God’s Word more deeply, and counts it a privilege to use whatever knowledge the Lord has given him for the building up of His church. In addition to pastoring, the Lord has given Phil the wonderful privilege of teaching as an adjunct professor at Vision Baptist College in Berlin, NJ and Veritas Baptist College.
What A Day That Will Be

What A Day That Will Be

Comments 5 comments

Zechariah 12:10

Today’s Passage – Zechariah 10 – 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:1 – 4

Read the “1003 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from Zechariah 14 – “Touchdown!”

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” – (Zechariah 12:10)

“In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” – (Zechariah 13:1)

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” – (Romans 11:25-26)

The Bible makes it very clear in the Book of Romans that Israel, as a nation, is right now blind to the Truth of the gospel. They just can’t see that Jesus was and is their Messiah. This does not mean that there will not be individual Jews that will trust Christ as Saviour, but as a whole they have been blinded because they rejected Christ when He first came to them:

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” – (John 1:11)

There is coming a day, however, when the blindness of Israel will be taken away, and they will be able to recognize “me whom they have pieced”.  The verse goes on to say that they will mourn, “as one mourneth for his only son”. In chapter Zechariah 13:1, the Scripture goes on to say, “in that day there shall be a fountain opened … for sin and for uncleanness”. The day referred to in this verse is the same day that Israel looks upon and mourns for the One whom they pierced. Cleansing for sin only comes after we recognize our sin, and our rejection of the Saviour.

This is the exact same process that God uses to cleanse us from our sins today. God opens our eyes so that we can see the one whom we have pierced, because it is our sin that put Him on that cross. When we see our sinful condition, and realize that Jesus took all of that sin upon Him on the cross, our eyes begin to open; and when our eyes open, so does that fountain of cleansing that removes the stain of our sin from us. What an awesome God we serve!

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

Do Right, Love People, Walk with God

Do Right, Love People, Walk with God

Comments 7 comments

micah6-8

Today’s Passage – Micah 5 – 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Revelation 7 – 9; Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 26)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1

Read the “0926 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8) (Click on the verse to hear it sung by the Clark Family)

A simple but very profound verse of Scripture from the Book of Micah. Do you want to know how you can be right with your God? There is a simple three point outline here in verse eight of chapter six that explains just how to do that. Notice, however, that this verse is written to a people that already know God, so in order to make the application to yourself today you would have to have already begun a relationship with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. If you have already trusted Him as your Savior, then this verse is for you:

1  Do justly – this has as much to do with our relationship with others as well as our obedience to God. We need to strive to be in a right relationship with others; and do the right thing by them. If we have wronged somebody, let’s try to get it right. “Do the right thing”.

2  Love mercy – this has to do with forgiving others who have wronged you. Are you bitter against somebody today? Why not release him from the debtor’s prison in your heart; and forgive him. Look at how God (and others) have forgiven you. Loving mercy could also apply to your love for the souls of men.

3  Walk humbly with God – We need to see ourselves for who we really are – nothing; and see God for who He is – everything. Do you have a walk with Him? Are you spending time daily in prayer, and in the Word? Are you living your life in submission to His will.

Living in a right relationship with God is not all that mysterious or difficult. Jesus said that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. But if we refuse to submit ourselves to His Lordship, holding on to our own will and desire; walking with Him will be impossible. I’m not talking about perfection here: we all blow it at times; but when that happens, we must confess it to God, get back up, and move forward again in our walk with Him.

Hosea

Hosea

Comments 2 comments

Today’s Passage – Hosea 1 – 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – James 1 – 5; Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11

Read the “0919 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

 
“And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.” (Hosea 2:19-20)
 

A preacher cannot separate his personal life from his ministry. The life of a spiritual leader can be as much of a message as the words that he delivers on behalf of God. However, Hosea was a preacher that was asked by God to do far more than just live a life consistent with his message. He was asked to do incredible things in his personal life that were going to serve as illustrations to the people of Israel. God commanded him to marry a woman who would not be faithful to him, and to continue to pursue her even after she had strayed. This was to serve as a picture of God’s unconditional love for Israel. Israel had played the harlot throughout her history, yet God still loved her and was willing to forgive her and redeem her if she would sincerely turn back to Him.

Background Information

Hosea was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel from approximately 750 BC until 710 BC. He was contemporary with (though younger than) Amos, who also prophesied to the northern kingdom during the reign of King Jereboam II. While Hosea and Amos were prophesying to Israel, Isaiah and Micah were preaching the Word of the Lord to the southern kingdom of Judah. The kings of Judah during this period were Uzziah, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. (Hosea 1:1)

We don’t know much about Hosea, other than the autobiographical information included in the text.

Wiersbe says this regarding Hosea:

Hosea ministered in the Northern Kingdom from about 760 to 720 b.c. Israel was enjoying great prosperity, but Hosea could see that the nation was rotten to the core; for honest government, pure religion, godly homes, and personal integrity had vanished from the land. Judgment was inevitable. Hosea faithfully preached the Word, but the nation refused to repent and was finally swallowed up by Assyria.[1]

Hosea’s name means “salvation” and is very similar to the name “Joshua,” which means Jehovah is Salvation. We know from the text that he had a father, named Beeri, of which we also know very little. We also know from the text that he married a wife, Gomer. She was to serve as a picture or type of the nation of Israel who had been unfaithful to God through her idolatry. Gomer was from “whoredoms” (Hosea 1:2 – 3), perhaps meaning that Gomer was already a harlot when Hosea had found her, and she would become unfaithful to Hosea even after they were married. Hosea and Gomer would have three children: Jezreel, Loruhamah, and Loammi. Gomer and the three children would illustrate God’s dealing with the northern kingdom of Israel.

To get a better understanding of the historical, spiritual, and cultural context of Judah and Israel during this period, it would be prudent to read 2 Kings 14 – 17, 2 Chronicles 26 – 29, Isaiah, and Micah.

The word that best describes the northern kingdom of Israel during this period is the word “whoredom,” which is used 13 times in this Book. Israel was very prosperous militarily and economically during the reign of Jeroboam II but she was also filled with idolatry and immorality, and the judgment of God was imminent. However, even though God would judge Israel for a season, He promises that He will eventually reclaim her as His bride.

The bottom line in understanding this book is that Hosea’s relationship with Gomer is a picture, or illustration, of God’s relationship with Israel.

 

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be amazed (p. 9). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The Glory of the Lord

The Glory of the Lord

Comments 4 comments

Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 41 – 43 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Timothy 1 – 3; Psalms 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1 – 4

Read the “0912 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.” – (Ezekiel 43:1-5)

“Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.” – (2 Chronicles 7:1)

In today’s passage, we see the continued description of the Millennial Temple and the worship that will take place during the Millennial Kingdom. I find it interesting that some of the sacrifices (like the Passover) will be re-instituted during this time when Christ will be physically present and ruling the earth from Jerusalem. I often wondered why there would be sacrifices at this time as Christ already paid the ultimate sacrifice for all sins. Then it dawned on me that there was never a “need” for the sacrifices. What I mean is that they never took away sin; they just served as a symbol or a picture of Christ’s coming sacrifice on Calvary. However, during the Millennium, they will no longer point forward to Christ; they will serve as a reminder, a memorial of Christ, much like the Lord’s Supper does for us today.

However, the thing that really excited me this morning was the thought of the glory of God passing through the eastern gate. You may recall that Christ came through the eastern gate when he rode in Triumphal Entry. That was certainly glorious, however at that time Christ was veiled in humanity and His glory was not evident to many who saw Him. But at the end of the Tribulation when Christ begins His Millennial reign (after putting down all opposition), He will bust through these gates and set up His Kingdom on earth. Imagine what that will be like. I want to see it up close. I don’t know about you but I am tired of a world that spits in the face of God. I am tired of mosques being built where the temple should be. Don’t misunderstand, I am not advocating violence, but I long for the day when Christ puts an end to all of this nonsense. Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

A practical application for today from this passage surrounds that phrase in v 5, “the glory of the Lord filled the house.” The glory of the Lord comes with His presence. I want to experience the presence of God in our local church every time I come to worship. Isn’t it a wonderful thing when the Lord shows up while we’re at church. It is His house, is it not? Unfortunately, there are many times that we come together for worship and the Lord’s glory is not as evident as it should be. I suppose there are many reasons why that is. It could be because their is bitterness and division within the church; it may be that there is too much carnality among the members, and it could also be that the people are just not looking to meet with God. Whatever the reasons, it is a shame that God does not feel welcome in His own house. I want to experience the presence of God in my life, my home, and my church.

It’s a Little Late

It’s a Little Late

Comments 4 comments

Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 20 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Galatians 4 – 6; Psalms 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 48:1 & 2

Read the “0905 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “Conviction”

“1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2 Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:” (Ezekiel 20:1-4)

In chapter 20, some of the leaders of Israel come to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord, but the Lord is not at all happy that they came. He implies that it is a little late for them to be concerned about what God has to say, considering they had been ignoring him for centuries. In vs. 5 – 17, God reminds Israel through the prophesy of Ezekiel that He brought them out of Egypt through the wilderness and brought them into Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. He had to do a work in them in the wilderness to prepare them for life in their new land. He told them to get rid of the Egyptian idols (v. 7), and He gave them His statutes (v. 11) so that they could prosper in their new home. He also gave them sabbaths (v. 12) for their own benefit and a sign that they were set apart from all other people. Unfortunately, Israel continuously disobeyed God with their idolatry and violation of God’s statutes and sabbaths, and it was because of Israel’s refusal to listen to God that they were in the trouble that they were in at this time. It was a little late for them to want to get advice from God.

In vs. 33 – 44, God tells them of a time when He will once again gather them together and confront them in a wilderness (vs. 34 – 35), and He will remove from among them those who are still in rebellion to Him. He will purge out their idolatry and will bring them back into the land. I believe the period referred to here is the future Tribulation. Israel will go through the most difficult time of testing in their history, but God will get their attention in the midst of it. They will realize at this time that they were wrong about the Lord Jesus Christ and they will turn to Him in repentance and faith. The nation will be saved, but only after those who are still in rejection are removed (v. 38). 

“25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” (Romans 11:25-26)

In v. 43, it says they will loathe themselves when they remember their past evil ways. This will include the realization that they had rejected and “pierced” their Messiah. 

“9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:9-10)

Let’s apply the truth of this passage now for us. As we read through chapter 20, we saw that God repeatedly warned Israel; He gave them many opportunities to get right, but they continuously wandered away from God. Don’t we do the same thing. We read our Bibles and listen to God speak through repeated sermons preached at church, yet we also continuously wander away from the will of God. One day, God may have to allow a tragedy to come into our lives as well, and then we will want to inquire of God like these elders did from Israel, but it will be a little late for us as well. We could have avoided the tragedy and heartache that comes with it, it we would have just obeyed God in the first place.

Was It Worth It?

Was It Worth It?

Comments 1 comment

Today’s Passage – Lamentations 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 5 – 8; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 29)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4

Read the “0829 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.“

“1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! 2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. 3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. 4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. 5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. 6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. 7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths. 8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.” (Lamentations 1:1-8)

“All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?” (Lamentations 2:15)

As the name implies, the Book of Lamentations is a very sad book. Though the book is anonymous, it contains many similarities to Jeremiah and was likely written by him after the city of Jerusalem was completely destroyed by the Babylonians, and many of its citizens were either dead or taken into captivity. It was a very sad time and the people were certainly lamenting and morning over all that was lost (Lamentations 2:5). Each of the five chapters are poems and according to Charles Ryrie: “The first four chapters are written in what is called “limping meter,” a cadence used in funeral dirges, and thus most appropriate for this lament over the destruction of Jerusalem.”[1] These first four chapters are also Hebrew acrostics where each verse successively begins with a word whose first letter is one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Chapter three contains sections of three verses with each of the twenty-two letters, thus it has sixty-six verses total.

Jerusalem had been destroyed, but not without warning from God. The prophets, including Jeremiah, had all foretold of a day that would come when God would judge His people for their wickedness if they did not repent. The Book of Jeremiah is full of examples where the people of Judah ignored the warnings of Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 7 and 26). They were content to continue to do their thing. Idolatry was everywhere and the people were given over to drunkenness and immorality. 

My question is this: was it worth it? The people refused to heed the warnings, and calamity eventually came. God was very patient with them and warned them repeatedly but they would not listen. Maybe the people thought that God did not mean it, sort of like the parent that warns his child repeatedly by saying, “if you do that one more time,” but after many more infractions there is still no penalty. God is not like a human parent, however, and judgement finally came, just as God had warned them.

But was the crime worth the penalty? I would be willing to bet that those that survived the calamity and subsequent captivity would all agree that it was not. 

This passage is about Judah and the captivity that came because of their sin and continued rejection of the Lord, but let’s make application to today. Maybe you are dabbling with some sin, and maybe you are doing your thing, ignoring what you know God wants you to do. Perhaps judgement (God’s correction) is on its way for you as well. When calamity comes into your life, you will probably be like the Israelites of old who regretted the fact that they did not listen to God.

Maybe you are reading this blog and you have never trusted Christ as your Savior. Here is your warning. You need to turn to Christ in repentance and faith before it is eternally too late. Note – See the “Are You Saved” tab at the top of this website for more information about salvation.

Maybe you are already saved but you are not living your life in submission to the will of God. Well, you don’t have to worry about going to Hell because your sins are all forgiven as far as eternity is concerned, and praise God for that. However, you can expect correction from the Lord if you do not yield to what He wants for you (Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:7 – 11). Believe me, the pain of the correction will outweigh the fun of doing your own thing. God took away just about everything from the people of Judah. What will he have to take away from you to get your attention?

[1] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: King James Version, Expanded ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), 1173.

The New Covenant

The New Covenant

Comments 0 Comment

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 30 – 32 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 22 – 24; Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32

Read the “0822 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read another post from this passage – “No More Soulwinning?“ and “Investing in the Future”

Read all of Jeremiah 31 and then the following passage.

“36 And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. 42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. 43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 44 Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 32:36-44)

In Jeremiah 31, and in the passage above, Jeremiah prophesies about a time when God will completely restore the land to Israel. At the time of the writing, the Babylonians were taking the people of God into captivity. The situation seemed completely hopeless and in the short term, it was. However God assures them that there would come a day in the future when he would bring the people of God back into the land permanently. This will not be completely fulfilled until the Millennial Kingdom, though God did bring some of the people out of the lands of Babylon and Persia after seventy years of captivity.

Unlike the first covenant that God made with Israel, this new covenant that will be an unconditional covenant. Israel failed to keep the first covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, because of their disobedience. This covenant will include both the northern (Jeremiah 31:1 – 22) and southern kingdoms (Jeremiah 31:27 – 40). Israel will be a united kingdom again and will be ruled by the Lord Jesus Christ within their own land. McGee stated this regarding the New Covenant: “This new covenant is going to be different from the one given to Moses at Mount Sinai. The grand distinction is that it will be engraved upon the hearts of the people and not upon cold tables of stone.”

“6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:6-13)

“20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.” (Isaiah 59:20-21)

“60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. 61 Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. 62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: 63 That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 16:60-63)

“21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Ezekiel 37:21-28)

Of course, when this happens Israel will no longer be in rejection of their Messiah. As a nation, they will realize that they were wrong about Jesus and they will put their faith in Him.

“10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10)

“26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27)

Write This Man Childless: The Curse of Jechonias

Write This Man Childless: The Curse of Jechonias

Comments 1 comment

Today’s Passage –  Jeremiah 18 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here  to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 13 – 15; Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11

Read the “0819 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from today’s reading – “The Potter’s House,” and “Men at Best”

“24 As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; 25 And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. 27 But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return. 28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? 29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. 30 Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.” (Jeremiah 22:24-30)

If you study the genealogical record of the Lord Jesus from Matthew 1 and Luke 3, you will find that this man Coniah (also known as Jeconiah, Jechonias or Jehoiachin) is listed in Matthew’s list but not Luke’s. The reason for this is simple. Matthew traces the legal lineage of Christ through his adopted father Joseph. Luke’s gospel traces the biological lineage through His mother Mary. Jesus was the “seed” of Mary, but not the seed of Joseph. Jeremiah prophesied long ago in this passage that anybody that descended biologically from Jechoniah would be “disqualified” from being the King of Israel. Any of Joseph’s biological children was disqualified, but Jesus was not Joseph’s biological child. Mary was Jesus’s biological mother, but Mary did not descend from Jechonias. Study it out. It is amazing how accurate our Scripture is.

By the way, we do not know much about this man Jechonias, but we do know that “he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 24:9; 2 Chronicles 36:9). We also know that the next (and final) king of Judah was not Jechonias’s son. He was his uncle (2 Kings 24:17). 

Here is the genealogical record from Matthew’s Gospel, which traces the lineage of Jesus from David through Solomon and Jechoniah:

“6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” (Matthew 1:6-16)

This is the legal line of Christ. Mary’s husband, Joseph, was the legal father of Jesus, but not his biological father. Joseph was in the lineage of the kings that descended from David. He was a descendant of both Solomon and Jechoniah. However, Jeremiah tells us that none of the “seed” of Jechoniah would sit on the throne of David. If Jesus was biologically the son of Joseph, He would have been disqualified to sit on the throne of David.

Here is the genealogical record from Luke’s Gospel, which traces the lineage of Jesus from David through Nathan”

“23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,“ (Luke 3:23-31)

This is the biological line. Jesus was biologically the child of Mary. Mary descends from David through Nathan, not Solomon. Jesus was both the biological son of David through Mary as well as the legal son of David through Joseph. But Jesus was not the biological seed of Jechoniah.

Note – there was also a false prophet in Jeremiah’s day, Hananiah, who prophesied that Jeconiah would return again to Jerusalem and that he would prosper. However, his prophecy never came true (see Jeremiah 28). Jeremiah was right. A lot of people say a lot of things, some of which may be true, but also much of it is false. Jeremiah was a true prophet in that everything that he said as a prophet of God came to pass exactly as he said it would. It is the same with all the Scripture. It is completely accurate and trustworthy. What God says He will do, He will do.

The Old Paths

The Old Paths

Comments 2 comments

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 4 – 6 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 1 – 3; Psalms 71 – 75; Proverbs 15)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 121

Read the “0815 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this passage – “Catching Men” and “Fallow Ground“

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” – (Jeremiah 6:16)

Independent Baptist preachers can often be heard using the phrase “old-fashioned.” We refer to our churches, our congregational singing, our method of soul winning, and even our King James Bible as being old-fashioned. We consider it a complement to be considered old-fashioned in many aspects of our worship and service for the Lord. But I want to clarify a few things about the why I like being old-fashioned about a lot of things. First of all, I do not believe that just because something is old that it is necessarily good and I also do not think that all new things are necessarily bad. I enjoy using all of the latest technological gizmos that make our lives easier and more enjoyable today. I heard a preacher once use the phrase “cutting-edge, old school” regarding his church. I like that.

When I refer to something being old-fashioned I am usually referring to the wholesome, Biblical traditions and methods of our past that do not need to be changed. I like our old-fashioned Bible. I enjoy singing the old-fashioned hymns from the hymnbook. I have seen many people get saved through the old-fashioned method of soul winning. The old paths do not need to be changed. I have often said, “if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it.”

In our passage, God is telling the people of Judah, through the prophet Jeremiah, to return to a time when they were closer to the Lord. In the old days they were a nation that refused the evil that surrounded them on every side and they stood for the truth of the Word of God. They worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth and they obeyed the precepts of the Law. As a result of their relationship with God they were a greatly blessed nation and God prospered them mightily and protected them against any nation that would seek to harm them. But the prosperity that they enjoyed caused them to stray away from their God. They had become a very idolatrous and immoral nation. God wanted them back on the old paths.

The same thing can be said about our nation. We were once a nation that stood for the Truth. Our culture was filled with people that worshipped and served the Lord. God blessed our nation with a prosperity unequalled in the history of the world; but as it was with Israel, so it is with us. Our prosperity has spoiled us, and we have become an ungrateful people who have bitten the Hand that was feeding us. We need to get back on the old paths.

All Is Vanity

All Is Vanity

Comments 0 Comment

Ecclesiastes 12-13 Fear God And Keep His Commandments beige

Today’s Passage – Ecclesiastes 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 5 – 6; Psalm 119; Proverbs 25)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32

Read the “0725 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” – (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

A few years back I preached a series of messages through the Book of Ecclesiastes at our church, so I have had the advantage of giving these passages a little more thought than perhaps I would normally give one of our morning devotions. As I have told our church many times, there are three keys to understanding the Book of Ecclesiastes:

1 There is a key word – “vanity” – It literally means vapor or breath. It means emptiness. James said that our lives were like a vapour.

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” – (James 4:14)

This key word appears 27 times in the Book. It carries with it the idea that much of what this life has to offer ultimately is empty in itself, or will lead to emptiness. God wants us to have an abundant, fulfilling life.

2 There is a key phrase – “under the sun” – This phrase appears 33 times in the Book. It speaks of the things that are of this earth. Things that are temporary in nature, not eternal. Things that are “under the sun” are not necesarily evil things, they are just things that will be forgotten, and are without eternal value.

3 There is a key verse:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” – (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Solomon came to the conclusion that much of what is done by man “under the sun” are things that are in themselves “vanity”: they produce emptiness. Therefore, we should devote as much time and energy as possible to the things that are eternal: things that will last forever. Fearing God and keeping His commandments are the highest order of business for the child of God today. Though it is certainly not wrong to enjoy the lawful things of this earth, it is important for us to keep in mind that they are temporary, not eternal; so our primary focus should be on eternity – living for the Lord.

One more thing. It might help us to remember that the human author of this book is Solomon, a man who experienced everything that this world had to offer. He had wisdom, wealth, works, and lots of women; but none of those things brought any lasting value. Only the things that were done for the Lord followed him into eternity.