“So they read in the book in the law of God, Distinctly”...the Wayfarer 4/8/14

“So they read in the book in the law of God, Distinctly”

4/8/14

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”

(Nehemiah 8:8)

Jesus, throughout His ministry, was questioned often in regard to the law. Most of the time these questions were asked mockingly by those who had no sense  of that law, no understanding of that law, but had only the sense and understanding of ways to pervert and twist it to their own purpose and use for gaining wealth and fame among the people they were supposed to be teaching themselves.

The availability of the bible to the general public has not been long in existence, the availability to search through and comprehend the laws and guidance given has not been long available in the scheme of the length of history.

The very ability to be literate and to read is still not as common throughout the world as most would think from the relative safety and prosperity of the nation in which I live. Many places in this world, that very literacy is in fact denied to the people, in the same attempt to control them that has been the norm throughout that history of mankind.

Today, that literacy exists on much the same plane that it existed in the time of Nehemiah and Ezra that I choose to revisit for the message today.

Though the bible has been translated into just about every written language of mankind, the availability of it, the distinctness of what it contains, the sense and understanding is muddied just as it was by the people to whom Ezra read that law that day.

The teachings of both the old prophets, that law that was given, and the teachings of Christ Jesus who made those teachings far more distinct and clear, though available to all through that search and understanding given only by reading and comprehending the totality and unity of our bible as given from Genesis to Revelation is often, too often, shunned for the same reasons done so in both the time of Ezra, and in the time of our Lord, Jesus.

When so few take the time to actually read the entirety of that book, those books, the unity and completeness of that book is misinterpreted, misunderstood, and even intentionally used to justify opposites of what the sense and understanding of that scripture gives us.

This occurs in many forms, from many sources, through many associations, organizations, denominations, and other groups that take only the portions of that book, those books to assure that the teachings they give in place of what is intended replace what is actually given.

Every new age teacher, philosopher, would be prophet takes portions only of the scriptures that justify their own unique means of putting another nickel in their pockets and building huge congregations  of those seeking to hear their platitudes and justifications of continuing sin by simply ignoring that totality.

I have in the past used a passage given in the writings of Paul, I heard misquoted many times from pulpits, and often even in my own home in my youth, that chose to use a verse within the middle of what was being said to justify a concept that Paul was in fact attempting to get the people addressed to cease from practicing.

Too often when the book is opened and read from, it is done with motives other than what is intended to be given from that book, and books.

This has led to acceptance of laws of men being taken above the laws Christ most distinctly said that he did not come to destroy, but to fulfill!

Each time Jesus taught in the temple He read from the books of the Old Testament, taught the distinct meanings of those books, expended immense energy in attempt to give the sense and understanding of those books to those being taught.

It was for this distinctness, this sense of understanding, this completeness in the application of the teachings of God’s love that is given through those books that caused such a furor and hatred among those that crucified Him, using false evidence given at a kangaroo court trial twisting and completely reversing the meanings of His words to convict Him, condemn Him and execute Him.

How many today continue the process of that kangaroo court, by continuing to twist the truth that was given, the way that was pointed out, the life that was promised, to attempt to justify, as did Satan himself in the desert during the temptation of Christ, the same things Satan attempted to justify through the partial scriptures he quoted without the meaning and sense that denied what he promised?

I urge the reader to go to the passage found in the fourth chapter of Matthew, to look at those false promises made, to see how they were “justified” by Satan, and to further look at the means used to refute them given by Christ when giving the totality and sense of understanding of the scriptures He used to refute them.

I challenge those using the twists and turns they attempt to use to mislead, to take what is truly given, to take a look just a bit farther to see the fact that they are not only justified, but face the consequences given for that very attempt they make for whatever purpose they make that attempt.

I realize that I used only that single verse from Nehemiah in opening, and urge the reader to delve into that book, as well as those other books in both Old and New testaments to grasp that entirety I speak of, that unity, that completeness that is only found through diligent and careful search of scriptures given, as did Christ when he taught.

I would close with an earlier verse from the passage I opened with, to provide a better sense of understanding of my purpose, and what should be the purpose of all who open that book to stand before the people:

“And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

(Nehemiah 8:6)

What Ezra brought that day to the people, was the word of God, what he gave them was the sense of understanding that word, through distinctness and clarity of that word. This in turn led them to comprehend the failures of themselves and their entire society to meet the requirements of that word and the need to repent that failure.

Once more, Jesus words ring through the centuries, once more clarity and distinction of those words cannot and must not be denied:

“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

I remain the same simple sinner saved by grace through faith in my God, and the sacrifice given by His Son, having given and continuing to give that repentance as is required, still searching diligently and trying desperately to give that same distinct clarity and understanding to as many as are willing to simply look for it, ever that same soldier in His service alone.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen.
the Wayfarer