General Articles

Hebrews Study: God’s Love for Jerusalem, the Holy City :: By Sean Gooding

Published on: by RR10

Hebrews 7: 4-10

“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Highest God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated ‘king of righteousness,’ and then also king of Salem, meaning ‘king of peace,’ 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils.

“5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.”

I pray that you are enjoying and learning, or maybe if you already knew, re-affirming the truths of the Scripture. The Bible is this intricately woven volume of 66 books, about 40 writers from all walks of life and history, written over the course of about 1,500 years; yet the theme and the story threads are consistent and followable. In this case, we are looking at a character that is seldom mentioned, but He is found in both the Old and New Testaments, and there are some curious things said about Him. Last week, we looked at a few of those things. This King, Melchizedek, whose name is translated as both King of Righteousness and King of Peace, is described in verse 3 this way:

“Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.”

This man has no beginning and no end of life. This sounds a lot like God, who has no beginning and no end. Further, we are told that He resembles the Son of God (NIV) and is like the Son of God (NKJV). This man whom Abraham met, whom Abraham worshipped and to whom Abraham paid tithes, was and is God, the Son of God. Jesus, then, was the King of Salem before Abraham was called out of Iraq to begin the nation of Israel. Let us look at some other scriptures about Jerusalem that offer us a look at how God sees this Holy City.

  • God’s love for Jerusalem, Ezekiel 16:1-8

I encourage you to read Ezekiel 16 and see the way that God expresses Himself here about this city. But here are the first eight verses:

“The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

“Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.”

God loves Jerusalem. Jesus rules in Salem, later to be called Jerusalem, and it is no accident that Jesus died in Jerusalem, He was buried in Jerusalem, and one day soon, He will return to retake the city that God loves, that God cared for and nurtured, the city that is God’s city on earth. The place that is the very epicenter of the end times and the short-lived center of Satan’s empire here on earth. Even the devil knows how important the city of Jerusalem is, and he is actively seeking to secure it for himself. One day, he will defile the new temple and command the world to worship him and not God (see Revelation 13).

It is no accident that Israel was resurrected from the dead on May 14th, 1948, and no accident that God gave them back Jerusalem in the Six-Day war in the mid-1960s. Jerusalem was God’s long before anyone else had it, and according to Ezekiel 16:8, God gave them a “solemn oath” (NIV) and entered into a covenant; this is like the marriage covenant. Notice the phrase, “I spread the cover of my garment over you.” This is an act of love and proposal of marriage. We see this act repeated in the book of Ruth between Boaz and Ruth when he intends to marry her, Ruth 3: 7-9,

“When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet! ‘Who are you?’ he asked. ‘I am your servant Ruth,’ she said. ‘Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.'”

As we know, Boaz went the very next day and redeemed Ruth, married her, and had a son named Obed. But you can see this act of covering was an act of love and marriage. God loves Jerusalem, and she is an integral part of the end times. In Joel 3:1-2, God promises to enter into judgment with all those who have touched His nation, and He will deal harshly with them. God’s people should always be praying for Jerusalem and be aware of what is happening with her.

Melchizedek, King of Salem, King of Peace, King of Righteousness, High priest of God, Son of God – is he your King? Is He your Peace? Is he your Righteousness? Is he your High Priest? Is he your God? One day soon, we will meet Melchizedek. Are you ready to meet him?

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

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Truth, That Recurring Reality :: By Dave Hubley

Published on: by RR10

(There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.)

Truth.

Despite the best efforts of the world to suppress it, deny it and contest it, it keeps rising up through the surface clutter which has been intentionally placed there by the evil (temporary) ruler of this world.

It cannot be contained.

  • It’s like that frost heave that keeps showing up, despite continual road repairs.
  • It’s like Dandelions… Mow all you want; they’ll be there the next morning.
  • It’s like the famous movie line by Arnold Schwarzenegger: “I’ll be back.”

It surfaces and endures because its source is El Shaddai, God Almighty.

It endures because, as our Lord pointed out: “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

The world system essentially subsists on lies and half-truths. It staggers and stumbles along under outright lies and/or the sin of omission. It confirms the Truth of the prophet Jeremiah:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

There are many websites that tout conservatism as being the ingredient that can bring America back from the dead.

Many say that we need a president that is fiscally responsible and stands for justice, and who can restore the Constitution and the Rule of Law.

These things have a humanistic element of accuracy to them but fall far short of the reality of what we should expect as a nation when we try to find cures for this national ill that attempts to remove the Sovereign Lord of Creation in that process.

The Truth of God’s timeless Word provides the answer for what the inevitable result will be when a nation finally exhausts all of its man-centered efforts and still won’t repent.

“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices” (Proverbs 1:28-31).

“Stop trusting in man who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:22).

There is a very sobering article by my brother Mychal Massie that succinctly encapsulates the point of the above verse from Isaiah. I could not have said it any better than he. It is titled: This election will NOT save America from doom.” This is a link to it for those who would care to read it: https://www.wnd.com/2022/10/election-will-not-save-america-doom/

Will that doom mean utter and permanent destruction, or could it mean doom as a credible, viable nation? God knows. It is His and His alone to decide, and He will.

Throughout the entire history of mankind, God has warned man against conduct that He declares would lead to executed judgment if it is continued.

He has warned of the consequences of failing to heed these warnings or of purposeful denial of them.

He has repeatedly delayed this judgment for extended periods in order to give Grace to people and ample opportunity to repent.

Very occasionally, those warnings have led to repentance, and God, true to His word, would hold His judgment in abeyance. I use the term abeyance because, inevitably, the evil conduct would resume, and God, true to His word once again, would execute the promised judgment (s).

Once again, Jeremiah’s words ring true and are worth repeating:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Some examples of these warnings and proofs that God always extends mercy but must also keep His word are found in both the Word of God and no shortage of historical records written over the centuries. Eventual judgments against:

  • Sodom and Gomorrah
  • Nineveh
  • Babylon
  • The northern 10 tribes of Israel
  • The southern 2 tribes of Israel
  • General judgments against evil nations and individuals that have occurred throughout the sad and sorry history of humankind

So, what about America? Can, in fact, God continue to bless this nation?

Many ask that question. Many say it as though a blessing is merited. But, is it?

A cursory examination of what passes for “normal” conduct and activities in this country should provide the uncomfortable answer to that question.

There is no need for me to create a list. It would be redundant and much, much too long to include and still keep this article at a reasonable number of words.

It is in our faces every single moment of every single day.

Has America been warned? I think that God permitted 911 to happen for that very purpose. And what was the result of that severe warning?

The churches of America had to provide extra seating, did they not?

How long did that (national) repentance(?) last? 2 weeks, a month?

It is a blessing that the warning was heeded by many individuals, and that is one of the wonders of God’s Grace, and it is a blessing to them from Him. They heard the alarm clock of God’s Mercy. (Please see the special message at the end of this article.)

But then, the nation whose national motto is “In God We Trust,” once again, didn’t really listen or heed the warning or take it to heart.

Do we now see any difference in national conduct between pre and post-911?

Yes, we do: It is now much, much worse.

Do we honestly believe that God will not hold America accountable?

“For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48b).

And America has been given much over the years of its existence.

America, ruled by money and who prints on it, “In God We Trust,” doesn’t.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). (Emphasis added by me)

My friends, Truth once again demands an accurate accounting: Money is not the root of all evil,” as the too-often misquoted saying goes. It is just a medium of exchange.

It is the LOVE OF MONEY. And America, as a nation, has bowed down to it.

There are many vile sources of “revenue” generating activities that involve murder and butchery, and much of it is state-sponsored.

Truth demands an accounting and appraisal of these ongoing abominations.

So, is God, in His Mercy, still trying to warn America?

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29:2).

Are we mourning?

“To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed” (Titus 1:15-16). (Emphasis added by me)

Now to the crux of this article.

God has always made it clear that His heart is for the salvation of individual souls.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

These verses go far in explaining the incredible patience and perseverance of God.

I hope that you will open your eyes and, as a result of that, open your heart to the only Hope there is. This verse also bears repeating:

“Stop trusting in man who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:22).

Jesus Christ IS the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

The special message I promised you:

For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and therefore has no hope or peace in your life:

You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. The peace that passes understanding.

It requires that you come before God on His terms.

And, what are His terms according to His Word?

  • Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him).
  • Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God).
  • That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
  • To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt.
  • Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross.
  • To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion.

God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused.

  • No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one.
  • No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will.
  • Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions.

If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus, and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying, “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will.

“Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life” (John 5:24).

There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics or politicians. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek.

The answers are in the Word of God—The Bible. If you ask God with all your heart, He will hear you.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Pro Salvator Vigilans

To contact me: canoeman96@gmail.com