Bullies in the Church

A person very dear to me asked if I thought there were bullies in the Church. My answer to him was a resounding “Yes!”. When the mind turns itself to thinking about what a bully is, we may think of some big guy who pushes folks around. The bully scares them and gets what he wants because of how he acts. Typically, but not always, he has a “posse”, that is a group of folks who do what he says because of fear, admiration, a family relationship, or personal benefit. Yes, the bully may even be a woman.

Are we talking about the Church? The place where folks go to worship God who strive to devote their life in purity to Christ? Yes, but remember, even in the Church, there are folks who make mistakes, make poor decisions, and who put their worldly desires ahead of Christ. You do not need to look far in the scriptures to see examples of reprimand for poor behavior on behalf of folks calling themselves by Christ’s name. That man is not perfect left to his own behavior, is exactly why Christ came to earth. “Luk 12:51 – Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:”. We are going to view another scripture in a moment using the word division. However, it is not used in the same manner. The division of Christ is to make a clear distinction between those who are obeying His Words and those who are not.

To be exact about what constitutes bullying, I want to provide the key terms defining a bully from Random House Dictionary: intimidate; domineer, coerce, and overbearing. A bully in the Church may fit all of these terms or only one of them. All bullies are not the same. They do not all operate in the same fashion. They may not even realize they are bullies. However, they are all detrimental to the function of the Church if their behaviors are not addressed. They will create division in a negative fashion as opposed to that which Christ creates.

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Romans 16:17 – Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them.

As you can see, the division spoken of in these verses is not desired. In fact, Gal. 5:20 speaks of division as a work of the flesh, a sinful occurrence.

Now, what does a bully look like in the Church? Well, as mentioned, they may be male or female. They may be a little old lady, a popular “youth minister”, a preacher, deacon, or elder (or their wives), a middle aged businessman, a very aggressive, extrovert female, or a host of other forms. In fact, do not think for a moment that bullies are only singular in form. They may be the “pillar of the congregation” couple who has been there since the location was founded. Perhaps they are the family with many young children. They may be the family which has generations of members in the building. Yes, they can even be the family which “gives” the most in the form of contribution. “2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.” To be clear, the context of 2 Corinthians is folks purposely sinful. Bullies aren’t always aware of their sinful behavior. The comparision comes because sometimes, bullies are wrapped in an appearance for which you would least expect there to be a problem.

Sadly, there are so many examples of bullying I have seen or heard of in the Church. Some were dealt with, some not. The fact is, many are simply ignored so as not to “rock the boat”. How do these folks create an intimidating, domineering, coercing, and overbearing atmosphere? I will list a number of examples, though certainly it is not an exhaustive list.

First consider as a potential bully, the well known Diotrephes as a bully. 3 John 1:9, speaks of this person as being one who loves preeminence. By definition, this is one who loves being first. The issue is purposefully being in control of everything that is happening. Because they are in the middle of everything, they develop a perception of having power or control. In the Church, folks do not desire conflict. Many do not want to be perceived as being pushy. Consequently, when someone puts themselves in the middle of everything and more or less takes control, few people are going to say anything. The fact is things need to be done and unfortunately, many times there are not folks stepping up to do the work that needs to be done. Diotrephes at times is even considered somewhat of a hero in a congregation. Unfortunately, this can result in a situation where things are not done, unless they are done Diotrephes way. We start with examining the Diotrephes personality because it actually has a great similarity to the other bully personalities. They all want their way and in one way or another have found a way to exert pressure to get what they want.

Second consider as a potential bully, Mr. or Mrs. Popularity. If you disagree with them or they do not get their way, then you are going to have a large number of people (their posse) miffed at you. You will be “blackballed”, meaning you won’t be part of their “in” group. Yes, it sounds like high school. Wherever you find folks gathering together: school, work, sports, recreation groups, or congregations, these groups will form. Sometimes, we even encourage the separation, breaking members off into groups and limiting the interaction of the full body together (teens, seniors, singles, couples, couples with kids, mids, etc.). In each of these groups, leaders arise and they are not always the kind of leader that represents Christ appropriately. They take control and exert their bully behavior.

Third consider as a potential bully, the “Youth Minister”. As stated before by me in other discussions, the youth ministers should be mom and dad. However, since this is an ever increasing position within the Churches, let me suggest that the proper person be selected for this position. That is preferably a middle aged man who has raised his children up and out of the home. One who has no illusions about being “King of the Youth”. A person who understands that they are under an eldership and their responsibility is making certain the Bible is taught. They are not a mother or father replacement. What I have seen occur is that a “youth minister” may become one who is viewed as the high authority on how to handle youths. What they want they get. If their way is not approved, they have the youth stage a revolt/temper tantrum to get their way. Parents don’t want whiney children. If the Children whine, the youth minister often gets his way. This means, of course, that an eldership is given the what for by parents for the youth minister and bullied into backing down. Bullying behavior is often accomplished through the means of others (the posse).

Fourth consider as a potential bully, the preacher, who through his words directs a congregation into getting his way. A preacher certainly holds a spot central to a congregation. They also hold the ears of an eldership. This is a position which has no authority, but which yields a great deal of influence. They must remember their position as one who is sharing the word of God. Their words must have the authority of Scripture. They must submit themselves to an eldership all the while being the best servant they can to encourage and aid the eldership. They must not make the decisions for an eldership. The sad part of this close and personal relationship with elders is the wide open area for criticism of undue influence. A strong eldership will not allow such bullying from a preacher or those who falsely accuse him. A strong preacher, will remember he is but a servant with no authority to oversee. Of course, the one caveat here is if the preacher is also an elder. That too is a unique situation, but this is why choosing an eldership should not be done in haphazard fashion.

Fifth consider as a potential bully, wives of preachers, deacons, and elders who must remember they are not co-preacher, deacon or elder. They are simply Christians. Often congregations treat these folks as if they do have authority. They have none. Many a wife has dominated what happens as far as ladies groups, activities, youth education, and class discussion. The influence a wife has upon her husband is great. Yet, it is not their place to badger or coerce their husbands into decisions (I Corinthians 11:3). This is not an uncommon behavior. This bullying reflects poorly upon the family and the congregation. Briefly, on the other side of that coin, many a preacher, deacon, and elder’s wife has been mistreated for the decisions or actions of their husbands.

Finally considered as potential bullies, let’s group together the family who contributes a large amount each week, the family with many children, and the family who has many generations of members attending. These groups are offering very precious commodities. Funds are often viewed as indispensible (they aren’t). Youth are often viewed as indispensible (they aren’t). Many members are often viewed as indispensible (they aren’t). Are all of these a blessing to have? Yes! Can a congregation be sound and pleasing to God without them? Yes. Yet, some folks feel they can get their way if they threaten to leave and take their funds, youth, or families. This is a very common bullying ploy in congregations. It is shameful and disgusting. Yet, it is often effective. Everyone tiptoes around these folks because of fear of upsetting them. Weak preachers avoid topics which might cause ripples among them. Weak elderships dismiss preachers who rile these folks with sound truthful lessons.

As stated, these are not the only examples I have seen or heard of which demonstrate bullying in the Church. I do want to point out, however, that these folks often exhibit passive aggressive behavior. Their words are often demonstrative of a “woe is me” or “poor me” attitude. They say all they want was to be helpful, involved, and appreciated. Then, when they don’t get their way, they stop attending, refuse to cooperate or participate in activities and classes, cut their funds, pull their kids out of classes, or go off and create their own activity with their group or friends as a sort of “I told you so” example. They want their way and if you don’t bend, they will show you. They will pout, whine to others, and generally create headaches for folks until they get what they want – unless, the eldership refuses to put up with it. That, of course, goes straight to the topic of Church discipline which is another topic altogether.

Friends, consider these verses:

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 – For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

The body of Christ is to be a unified body. Division is not acceptable. Bullying, which causes division, is sinful. There is no member or group of members which is more important than any other. If bullying occurs within a congregation repentance must occur. This can occur only if the individuals or groups are approached and directed into proper behavior (Matthew 18:15-17). If they do not repent, then the Godly division which Christ spoke about must occur. The sinners must be separated from the Saints.

A person very dear to me asked if I thought there were bullies in the Church. My answer to him was a resounding “Yes!”. When the mind turns itself to thinking about what a bully is, we may think of some big guy who pushes folks around. The bully scares them and gets what he wants because of how he acts. Typically, but not always, he has a “posse”, that is a group of folks who do what he says because of fear, admiration, a family relationship, or personal benefit. Yes, the bully may even be a woman. Are we talking about the Church? The place where folks go to worship God who strive to devote their life in purity to Christ? Yes, but remember, even in the Church, there are folks who make mistakes, make poor decisions, and who put their worldly desires ahead of Christ. You do not need to look far in the scriptures to see examples of reprimand for poor behavior on behalf of folks calling themselves by Christ’s name. That man is not perfect left to his own behavior, is exactly why Christ came to earth. “Luk 12:51 – Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:”. We are going to view another scripture in a moment using the word division. However, it is not used in the same manner. The division of Christ is to make a clear distinction between those who are obeying His Words and those who are not.To be exact about what constitutes bullying, I want to provide the key terms defining a bully from Random House Dictionary: intimidate; domineer, coerce, and overbearing. A bully in the Church may fit all of these terms or only one of them. All bullies are not the same. They do not all operate in the same fashion. They may not even realize they are bullies. However, they are all detrimental to the function of the Church if their behaviors are not addressed. They will create division in a negative fashion as opposed to that which Christ creates.1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.Romans 16:17 – Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them.As you can see, the division spoken of in these verses is not desired. In fact, Gal. 5:20 speaks of division as a work of the flesh, a sinful occurrence.Now, what does a bully look like in the Church? Well, as mentioned, they may be male or female. They may be a little old lady, a popular “youth minister”, a preacher, deacon, or elder (or their wives), a middle aged businessman, a very aggressive, extrovert female, or a host of other forms. In fact, do not think for a moment that bullies are only singular in form. They may be the “pillar of the congregation” couple who has been there since the location was founded. Perhaps they are the family with many young children. They may be the family which has generations of members in the building. Yes, they can even be the family which “gives” the most in the form of contribution. “2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.” To be clear, the context of 2 Corinthians is folks purposely sinful. Bullies aren’t always aware of their sinful behavior. The comparision comes because sometimes, bullies are wrapped in an appearance for which you would least expect there to be a problem.Sadly, there are so many examples of bullying I have seen or heard of in the Church. Some were dealt with, some not. The fact is, many are simply ignored so as not to “rock the boat”. How do these folks create an intimidating, domineering, coercing, and overbearing atmosphere? I will list a number of examples, though certainly it is not an exhaustive list.

First consider as a potential bully, the well known Diotrephes as a bully. 3 John 1:9, speaks of this person as being one who loves preeminence. By definition, this is one who loves being first. The issue is purposefully being in control of everything that is happening. Because they are in the middle of everything, they develop a perception of having power or control. In the Church, folks do not desire conflict. Many do not want to be perceived as being pushy. Consequently, when someone puts themselves in the middle of everything and more or less takes control, few people are going to say anything. The fact is things need to be done and unfortunately, many times there are not folks stepping up to do the work that needs to be done. Diotrephes at times is even considered somewhat of a hero in a congregation. Unfortunately, this can result in a situation where things are not done, unless they are done Diotrephes way. We start with examining the Diotrephes personality because it actually has a great similarity to the other bully personalities. They all want their way and in one way or another have found a way to exert pressure to get what they want.

Second consider as a potential bully, Mr. or Mrs. Popularity. If you disagree with them or they do not get their way, then you are going to have a large number of people (their posse) miffed at you. You will be “blackballed”, meaning you won’t be part of their “in” group. Yes, it sounds like high school. Wherever you find folks gathering together: school, work, sports, recreation groups, or congregations, these groups will form. Sometimes, we even encourage the separation, breaking members off into groups and limiting the interaction of the full body together (teens, seniors, singles, couples, couples with kids, mids, etc.). In each of these groups, leaders arise and they are not always the kind of leader that represents Christ appropriately. They take control and exert their bully behavior.

Third consider as a potential bully, the “Youth Minister”. As stated before by me in other discussions, the youth ministers should be mom and dad. However, since this is an ever increasing position within the Churches, let me suggest that the proper person be selected for this position. That is preferably a middle aged man who has raised his children up and out of the home. One who has no illusions about being “King of the Youth”. A person who understands that they are under an eldership and their responsibility is making certain the Bible is taught. They are not a mother or father replacement. What I have seen occur is that a “youth minister” may become one who is viewed as the high authority on how to handle youths. What they want they get. If their way is not approved, they have the youth stage a revolt/temper tantrum to get their way. Parents don’t want whiney children. If the Children whine, the youth minister often gets his way. This means, of course, that an eldership is given the what for by parents for the youth minister and bullied into backing down. Bullying behavior is often accomplished through the means of others (the posse).

Fourth consider as a potential bully, the preacher, who through his words directs a congregation into getting his way. A preacher certainly holds a spot central to a congregation. They also hold the ears of an eldership. This is a position which has no authority, but which yields a great deal of influence. They must remember their position as one who is sharing the word of God. Their words must have the authority of Scripture. They must submit themselves to an eldership all the while being the best servant they can to encourage and aid the eldership. They must not make the decisions for an eldership. The sad part of this close and personal relationship with elders is the wide open area for criticism of undue influence. A strong eldership will not allow such bullying from a preacher or those who falsely accuse him. A strong preacher, will remember he is but a servant with no authority to oversee. Of course, the one caveat here is if the preacher is also an elder. That too is a unique situation, but this is why choosing an eldership should not be done in haphazard fashion.

Fifth consider as a potential bully, wives of preachers, deacons, and elders who must remember they are not co-preacher, deacon or elder. They are simply Christians. Often congregations treat these folks as if they do have authority. They have none. Many a wife has dominated what happens as far as ladies groups, activities, youth education, and class discussion. The influence a wife has upon her husband is great. Yet, it is not their place to badger or coerce their husbands into decisions (I Corinthians 11:3). This is not an uncommon behavior. This bullying reflects poorly upon the family and the congregation. Briefly, on the other side of that coin, many a preacher, deacon, and elder’s wife has been mistreated for the decisions or actions of their husbands.

Finally considered as potential bullies, let’s group together the family who contributes a large amount each week, the family with many children, and the family who has many generations of members attending. These groups are offering very precious commodities. Funds are often viewed as indispensible (they aren’t). Youth are often viewed as indispensible (they aren’t). Many members are often viewed as indispensible (they aren’t). Are all of these a blessing to have? Yes! Can a congregation be sound and pleasing to God without them? Yes. Yet, some folks feel they can get their way if they threaten to leave and take their funds, youth, or families. This is a very common bullying ploy in congregations. It is shameful and disgusting. Yet, it is often effective. Everyone tiptoes around these folks because of fear of upsetting them. Weak preachers avoid topics which might cause ripples among them. Weak elderships dismiss preachers who rile these folks with sound truthful lessons.

As stated, these are not the only examples I have seen or heard of which demonstrate bullying in the Church. I do want to point out, however, that these folks often exhibit passive aggressive behavior. Their words are often demonstrative of a “woe is me” or “poor me” attitude. They say all they want was to be helpful, involved, and appreciated. Then, when they don’t get their way, they stop attending, refuse to cooperate or participate in activities and classes, cut their funds, pull their kids out of classes, or go off and create their own activity with their group or friends as a sort of “I told you so” example. They want their way and if you don’t bend, they will show you. They will pout, whine to others, and generally create headaches for folks until they get what they want – unless, the eldership refuses to put up with it. That, of course, goes straight to the topic of Church discipline which is another topic altogether.

Friends, consider these verses:

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 – For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.

Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

The body of Christ is to be a unified body. Division is not acceptable. Bullying which causes division is sinful. There is no member or group of members which is more important than any other. If bullying occurs within a congregation repentance must occur. This can occur only if the individuals or groups are approached and directed into proper behavior (Matthew 18:15-17). If they do not repent, then the Godly division which Christ spoke about must occur. The sinners must be separated from the Saints.

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Identifying the Opposition Characters in Revelation

Identifying the Opposition Characters in Revelation

As discussed previously, in order to understand the Revelation, we must have a correct understanding of what the symbolic terms meant to the first readers.  In addition to this, we must also have a clear understanding of who the opposition characters are.  It is obvious from an overall view of the book that the forces of evil will be destroyed and the forces of good will be victorious.  There is a conflict between the forces of evil and of good.  A correct understanding of the Revelation depends on a correct identification of precisely who the opposition characters are. 

We are going to determine who the opposition characters are by examining the internal evidence within scripture and then matching these characteristics up with the most probable historical figures based on what we know of them. 

Identifying the Good Characters

We already know that the Good Guys of Revelation are the Christians.  However, just for the sake of proper scholarship, we are going to examine some of the internal evidence in the Revelation that positively identifies this for us. 

Revelation was written by the inspired apostle John, (Revelation 1:4), to Christians in the “seven churches of Asia“.  In Revelation 1:6 John wrote: “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father“.  Of significance is John’s usage of the word “us”, taken from the Greek word “hemas” pronounced (hay-mas’), which is a plural form of primary pronoun of the first person.  It could also mean “we” or “our”.  John has therefore identified himself as being in association with the recipients of his revelation.  Peter wrote that Christians are “an holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5). Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:12 that “we shall also reign with him” To the Romans, Paul wrote, “they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).  The kings and priests that John is associating himself with are Christians who are priests and who reign in life by Jesus Christ.  John further goes on in the same context to say, “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom” (Revelation 1:9), “of Jesus Christ”.  So we know from the first 9 verses of Revelation that Christians are made [past tense] kings and priests unto God in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  We know this to be the spiritual kingdom that Jesus spoke of to Pilate before His crucifixion.  “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world” (John 18:37).  Jesus also said in same context, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). 

So, John who is the companion of the first readers of his letter, who were all made kings and priests and were presently in the kingdom of God, who were also suffering together in the tribulation and persecution of the day are the good guys of Revelation.  In scripture they were called “saints” (Revelation 11:18), those who “overcome” (Revelation 21:7), Those “that keep the commandments of God” (Revelation 14:12), “and the faith of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 14:12).  In scripture these same people were known as “Christians” (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).  They were Christians then and today those who are in the kingdom of God, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ and reign as priests and kings in His spiritual kingdom and persevere until the end, are also called Christians.

The application for us today is that present day Christians, just like the first century Christians must, to the degree necessary, do the things they did, endure the things they endured, suffer the things they suffered even at the cost of their lives.  The book of Revelation is nothing short of a description of how the Christian must live and die in the face of all opposition.  If the saints of the first century had to faithfully endure the persecutions of the day, then we can be assured that Christians today must do the same. 

Revelation 3:5
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

Identifying the Bad Characters

We know that the book of Revelation is written to help the saints overcome the forces of evil.  This much is evident throughout the book.  The Christians must endure, must remain faithful, must persevere, but against whom?  Who are the forces of evil which are seeking to overthrow the Christians?  We know before we even begin that satan is at the heart of the opposition.  He is who seeks to do harm to the children of God.  One may ask why satan wishes to harm those who are faithful to God?  Satan knows his fate.  He is going to spend eternity in Hell and he knows there is nothing that can save him.  Satan is powerless to hurt God directly.  He tried this and it failed miserably.  Satan thought he had won when Jesus Christ was put to death.  He could not have been more mistaken and it was proven to him when God raised Jesus from the dead, never to die again. 

So then how does one hurt someone they cannot reach and defeat directly?  By attacking those they love.  God so loved the world [mankind] that he sent his only begotten Son to earth to die so that whosever believeth in Him would no perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).  God died for us, He did not die for Satan.  Satan knows how much God loves mankind so since he cannot destroy God, he will try and destroy those who God loves the most.  You want to hurt someone? There is no better way than to go after the ones they love the most; their children.  Satan knows he is lost and that his fate is sealed.  He also knows he only has just so long in order to wreak vengeance on mankind, (Revelation 12:12).

Revelation teaches us how to overcome satan.  It describes in detail the horrors of defeat and the joys of victory.  We are locked in the age old battle between evil and good.  God has given us what we must know in order to defeat satan.  It is up to us to choose to overcome and we must do this even at the cost of our lives or the lives of our loved ones. 

It is not necessary to understand every minute detail of the Revelation in order to understand that it represents the battle between evil and good.  As long as we realize who the ultimate enemy is and do what we must do to overcome his evil influence and persevere to the end, then we know all we really need to know in order to make the proper application of this book to our lives today. 

So with that said, we are going to positively identify satan as the chief bad guy in this study and then we will try and identify the evil agents serving under him and his authority, trying to bring about his goals, which are all aimed at utterly destroying Christianity from the face of the earth.

Satan

In the individual messages to the seven churches, satan is mentioned four times, (Revelation 2:9;13;24;3:9).  So we quickly see in the Revelation that satan is the principle adversary of the Christians.  Later in the book, he is represented as a “great red dragon” (Revelation 12:3), the “old serpent” (Revelation 20:2), the “devil” (Revelation 12:9), he “that deceived” (Revelation 20:10), “accused” the saints before God (Revelation 12:10), has “great wrath” (Revelation 12:12), was “worshipped”,  (Revelation 13:4), “gave power” and “authority” to his servants (Revelation 13:2;4), and wages war with those who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).   It is easy to determine from internal evidence that Satan is the head of all the forces of evil mentioned within the Revelation. 

In Scripture other than Revelation we see similar characteristics of Satan.  It was the “serpent” that deceived Eve in the garden.  John identifies him as “the devil” (John 8:44).  The “tempter” that came to Jesus was called “the devil” and then called by the name of “Satan” when rebuked by Christ (Matthew 4:3-10).  Satan had been given the authority over the nations of earth to give their “power” to whoever he wanted (Luke 4:6), and offered it to Jesus if He would “fall down and worship” him (Matthew 4:9).  We see a picture of Satan accusing or resisting Joshua before the Lord in Zechariah 3:1-2.  So we learn long before the writing of the Revelation that Satan’s characteristics identify him as a mortal enemy of any who would be faithful to God and devoted to their destruction.  The Revelation illustrates Satan’s characteristics in such a way that any reader with an elementary knowledge of scripture would undoubtedly know who he is.  In addition, John’s illustrations of Satan reinforce the thought of just how intense Satan’s hatred is and to what lengths he is willing to go to achieve his goals.  The student of Revelation needs to pause and give thoughtful consideration to just how horrible an enemy we are up against and the ramifications for falling under his influence.  Revelation is a grim biography of the horrific nature of Satan and an illustration of the perils that await those who would choose to serve him. 

Having learned that it is Satan who has the authority to give power to do evil to whatever nation he chooses, (Luke 4:6, Revelation 13:2;4), we will look at those who were given the power to be the adversaries of the Christians in the first century as described in the Revelation.  What are their characteristics and how do they match up with actual historical figures? 

The persecutors of the Christians:

There were two major groups of people known for severe persecution of the saints in the first century, the Jews and the Roman Empire.  Our purpose here is to determine which group of oppressors are in view in the Revelation.

The Jews:
displayed their disbelief and hatred of the gospel in the crucifixion of Christ, the stoning of Stephen, the execution of James the Elder, the repeated incarceration as of Peter and John, the wild rage against Paul, and the murder of James. As prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24, the fearful judgment of God at last resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

But this event only broke national power of the Jews, not their hatred of Christianity. They caused the death of Symeon, bishop of Jerusalem (A.D. 107); they were particularly active in the burning of Polycarp of Smyrna; and they inflamed the violence of the Gentiles by eliminating the sect of the Nazarenes.

Severe Jewish persecution of Christianity continued until about 132-135 AD when a false messiah who called himself Bar-Cochba (son of the stars, Numbers 24:17), placed himself at the head of a huge Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire.  He caused all the Christians who would not join him in his revolt to be cruelly murdered.  This resulted in yet another crushing defeat by the Romans in 135 AD.   More than half a million Jews were slaughtered in the war, immense numbers sold into slavery, 985 villages and 50 fortresses leveled to the ground, nearly all Palestine laid waste, Jerusalem again destroyed, and a Roman colony, Aelia Capitolina, erected on its ruins, with an image of Jupiter and a temple of Venus. After this the Jews had no opportunity for any further large scale organized persecution of the Christians, but they continued to publish and circulate negative propaganda for centuries afterwards.

Later in this study we will see that the evil entities described in Revelation forced the people to worship idols of a false God.  It was against Jewish law to make an idol of God and worship it under any circumstances, therefore the principle forces warring against Christianity can not be Jewish in John’s Revelation.

Moreover, it is exceedingly significant that the Revelation was addressed to seven churches, none of which were in Jerusalem.  If the Revelation were a letter of triumph and perseverance over the Jews, then it stands to reason the letter would have been addressed to the church in Jerusalem instead of to congregations far removed.  It is obvious from the addressees of the letter that the scope of the persecution was considerably more widespread than just one city or nation.  The oppression of the Christians in the Revelation was on a world wide scale and the Jews were incapable of the level of persecution described therein. 

The Roman Empire:

The Roman empire was a melting pot of hundreds of religions.  These religions came into the empire as a result of the introduction of the religions of conquered nations into their society.  The empire was somewhat tolerant of these religions and permitted them to exist in their society so long as they did not pose a threat. Everything was fine as long as all the religions tolerated the presence of each other and everybody paid their taxes and there was harmony.  Christianity was not tolerant of all these other religions and sought to make converts of all other nations and peoples, thereby attracting far greater numbers than the Jews.  Spreading rapidly, Christianity gained the attention of the Roman State.  With Christianity’s claim to be worshipping the one and only true God with the one and only true faith and utterly rejecting any form of idolatry, it quickly grew to pose a threat to the existence of the Roman State religion.

Christians refused to pay divine honors to the emperor and his statue, and to take part in any idolatrous ceremonies at public festivals.  Their separation from politics and all civil affairs in favor of the spiritual and eternal interests of man and their close brotherly union and frequent meetings further inflamed the populace against them.  The non-Christian public considered believers in the one God as atheists and enemies of their many Gods.  There began to circulate all kinds of rumors of horrible abominations, even incest, cannibalism and conspiracy against the state, practiced by the Christians at their frequent religious assemblies and love feasts.  The general populace regarded the frequent natural and political calamities of that age as punishment inflicted by the many angry gods for their tolerance of the Christian religion. In North Africa arose the proverb: “If God does not send rain, lay it to the Christians.” At every flood, or drought, or famine, or pestilence, the fanatical populace cried: “Away with the atheists! To the lions with the Christians!”

The overall negative response from unbelievers to Christianity combined with the Christians flat refusal to worship the emperor or his statues resulted in accusations of conspiracy against the Roman Emperors which was an unpardonable crime.  Thus, Christianity was outlawed in the Roman Empire and the stage was set for the most horrendous persecution of all time against God’s people.  The Jewish people hated the Christians and frequently reported them to the authorities.  The general population, full of all kinds of false rumors, likewise distrusted and exposed Christians to the authorities.  They were rounded up and punished as treasonous enemies of the state.  Killed, tortured, sold as slaves, used in the games, horribly mistreated and distrusted, Christians were faced with an almost insurmountable obstacle to their belief and worship of the one true and living God. 

So with this said, we will now examine the key characteristics of the opposition characters to the Christians as described in the Revelation and try to match them up with the best historical group of oppressors from that age.  The opposition characters as described are represented by three major illustrations.  The beast arising from the sea (Revelation 13:1), the lesser beast arising from the earth (Revelation 13:11) and the scarlet woman (Revelation 17). 

One of the things that positively identifies the forces of evil is the fact that they tried to force people to worship the image of the sea beast.  The beast was undoubtedly a malignant force hostile to the Christians and demanded the worship of all the people.  Revelation 13:15 teaches us that “as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”  An “image” to the first century Christians simply meant a statue or a likeness of someone or something.  There were two beasts mentioned in Revelation.  The beast from the sea (Revelation 13:1), and the beast from the earth (Revelation 13:11).  The sea beast got his authority directly from the dragon (Revelation 13:2), which was Satan.  The earth beast “exercised” or operated under the authority of the sea beast and required the people of the earth to worship the images of the sea beast (Revelation 13:12).  This is forced worship of an evil entity which was characterized by the building of physical idols for the people to bow down to. 

Revelation 17:18
“And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

The women in view here is the one referred to in Revelation 17:5 as “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”.  In this study, she is referred to as the “Scarlet Woman” in the commentary for chapter 17.   There is considerable disagreement over whether this woman is representative of Rome or of Jerusalem.  It is the position of this Bible student that she represents the city of Rome. 

She is depicted as one who is riding on the seven headed, ten horned beast in Revelation 17.  Much can be said here about chapter 17.  This chapter of the Revelation goes to great lengths to identify the forces of evil against the Christians.  Starting in verse 7 of chapter 17 the angel speaking in John’s vision gives an explanation of the vision to him.  “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth”  This is a very significant clue to the identity of the evil forces.  The Roman Empire was built on the seven hills of Rome.  They had a yearly celebration called the Septimontium which commemorated the enclosure of the seven hills of Rome within the walls of the city. 

It was common custom in the centuries before Christ for people in the Roman world to refer to the City of Rome itself as the “City of Seven Hills.” The references are numerous and consistent. And indeed, when Romulus and Remus wanted to build a city in the area of the Tibur River (just inland from the coast to afford a greater protection for the city from sea pirates or from the naval warfare of hostile powers), it was decided that the city had to be on “seven hills.” The number “seven” was a universal symbol that signified ‘completion’ or ‘perfection’, and the founders of Rome wanted people to know that this city was destined to have a world influence and fame, and that it was no ordinary city that was being constructed in the 8th century BC.

The seven hills were:

  1. Aventine Hill
  2. Caelian Hill
  3. Capitoline Hill
  4. Esquiline Hill
  5. Palatine Hill
  6. Quirinal Hill
  7. Viminal Hill

The fact that Rome was designated “The Seven Hilled City” was significant enough to render it as a suitable candidate for being the city represented by the mother of harlots but it does not automatically mean this is who it represents.  The City of Jerusalem as it existed in the time of Christ Jesus was also known as a “City of Seven Hills.” This fact was well recognized in Jewish circles. In the Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer, an 8th century midrashic narrative (section 10), the writer mentioned that “Jerusalem is situated on seven hills” (recorded in The Book of Legends, edited by Bialik and Ravnitzky, p. 371, paragraph 111). And, so it was. Those “seven hills” are easy to identify.

If one starts with the Mount of Olives just to the east of the main City of Jerusalem there are three summits to that Mount of Olives:

  1. The northern summit (hill) is called Scopus.
  2. The middle summit (hill) was called Nob.
  3. The highest point of Olivet itself, and the southern summit was called in the Holy Scriptures the “Mount of Corruption” or “Mount of Offence”, mentioned in II Kings 23:13.  
  4. On the middle ridge between the Kedron and the Tyropoeon Valleys there was (formerly) in the south “Mount Zion”. 
  5. The “Ophel Mount”. 
  6. To the north of that the “Rock” around which “Fort Antonia” was built. 
  7. And finally, there was the southwest hill itself that finally became known in the time of Simon the Hasmonean as the new “Mount Zion.”

Both Rome and Jerusalem were known as cities of seven hills so to identify the ‘mother of harlots’ we must look further. 

In Revelation 17:4 we see that this woman is incredibly wealthy.  Both Rome and Jerusalem fit this description, however in this verse we see something that points to Rome more so than Jerusalem, “having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication”  Her wealth was a result of ill gotten fortune and associated with spiritual fornication which we know is idolatry.  The mother of harlots was herself guilty of idolatry.  Judah as a nation was not given over to idolatry.   They had rejected Jesus as the Messiah and were clinging to the law of Moses instead of the faith of Jesus Christ.  They were worshipping under an abolished system of faith, but they were worshipping the one true and living God. 

The name on her forehead “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” is also a clue.  Babylon, the mother of harlots is a reference back to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon who erected a giant golden statue of himself and forced his people to bow down and worship it, thus committing spiritual fornication in the form of idolatry.  With this practice, Babylon spawned, fostered and engendered spiritual harlotry and the abominations of the earth.  With Nebuchadnezzar’s forced king worship, he literally spawned spiritual harlotry in the form of idolatry.  The Roman Empire, with the enforcement of the Imperial Cult did the exact same thing.  The Imperial Cult was charged with the task of promoting the worship of the emperors as gods.  This connection between Rome and ancient Babylon is too significant to overlook. 

Revelation 17:12 says “the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.”  The Roman Empire was a provincial government.  They conquered a nation, added it to the empire and appointed a king over the province.  They could be appointed or replaced directly by the emperor.  Interestingly, it was required in the Roman Empire for them to have at least ten imperial provinces. 

The woman sitting on the beast in Revelation was called a great city.  And this great city ruled over the kings of the earth.  Jerusalem was a large city but not in any way comparable in size to Rome, moreover, the rulers of Judah did not rule over the kings of the earth by any means, rather, they were subject to the Roman Empire themselves.  This is yet another characteristic of the great harlot which points to Rome but cannot be reconciled with Jerusalem. 

And finally, in Revelation 18:17-19, we read, “for in an hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that saileth any wither, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood afar off, and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What (city) is like the great city? And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate“.

The great city which reigned over the kings of the earth was a maritime city.  It had sea ports and ships which is something Jerusalem never had.  The closest sea port to Jerusalem was Joppa, which was forty miles away. 

Given the evidence from scripture, there is no city in the first century that matches these characteristics better than the Roman Empire.  The Roman Empire required all people living under their rule to worship the emperors.  They also persecuted those who refused to do so and often executed them.  The Roman empire also had a government sanctioned organization that was responsible for enforcing emperor worship among other things.  This organization was called the “Concilia” or sometimes the “Commune”.  They went throughout the empire and constructed temples and set up statues of the emperors and forced the people to worship these statues.  Those who bowed down to worship were given a certificate which enabled them to buy, sell and participate in government programs.  They had great authority from the Empire and worked to promote its interests throughout.  This hierarchical structure within the Roman Empire fits the description given in John’s Revelation so closely that there can be no reasonable doubt that the opposition forces against whom the Christians were required to resist was the Imperial Roman Empire herself with Satan operating in the background. 

So, having examined the meaning of the figurative language to the first readers of the Revelation and having established who the opposition characters are, we are now ready to begin a study of the visions of Revelation.  Keeping in mind that the basic template for unraveling the mysteries of these visions are:

1)  The visions are symbolized to protect the innocent.
2)  The first readers of the Revelation would be able to understand it.
3)  What the Revelation meant to them, is what it must mean to us today. 

The basic message of the Revelation is that those who overcome and remain faithful until death will be victorious over the forces of evil and will receive the crown of life.  The application for us today is that Christians in the 21st century are the same as Christians in the first century.  The requirements for faithfulness today are the same as in the first century A.D.  Nothing has changed, there is no difference.  If the first century Christians had to be willing to die for their faith, we must likewise do so today if necessary. 

If we today want to be assured of being faithful Christians, we must pattern our lives after the only approved examples we have of the original Christians at the beginning.  Using only the Bible, living like the first century Christians lived, believing what they believed, teaching what they taught, doing what they did and, if necessary, die like they were required to die, we will be confident of being today just what they were then.

“Christians”

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The Baptize Question

To Baptize Or Not To Baptize? That Is The Question

1 Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

Is there a contradiction between Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 1:17 and the Great Commission as given by Christ in Matthew 28:19? If not, then how can we harmonize the commands of Christ, as found in  Matthew 28 and Luke 16:15-16 where the disciples are given the command to teach or preach the Gospel to the world and to baptize those who believe, with Paul’s statement that Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the Gospel?

The Great Commission, in general, and Paul’s commission, in particular, will be discussed first. In Matthew 28:18-20, Christ sent his Apostles into the world to teach the Gospel to all nations and baptize them. In Mark 16:15-16 it is stated that they were to preach the Gospel to every creature and baptize those who receive the Gospel and believe it. In both of these passages, the preaching or the teaching comes before the baptizing. The preaching or teaching is given greater emphasis than the baptizing. That does not diminish the need for baptism. “Clearly the Great Commission envisioned baptism, but as a response to the preaching of the Gospel (Mk.16:15, 16). And, that is Paul’s point: The object is not to get men into the baptismal waters, regardless of their convictions, motives and intents.” (Bill Jackson; A Commentary on First Corinthians)

Paul’s specific commission was in keeping with the Great Commission, but was very specific as far as to whom it was to be taken. Paul’s stated purpose as given him by Christ is recorded for us in Acts 26:16-18. “I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Paul was given the task of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. The Gentile world, in general, was totally and willfully ignorant of the existence of the true and living God. (Acts 17:22-31) They were wholly given over to the works of darkness and to the power of Satan. (Rom. 1:18-32) The task of finding a willing audience that would listen to the Gospel, much less receive it, was monumental. Paul spent the bulk of his time teaching and preaching the Gospel, as it was the reason Jesus sent him. But notice in Acts 26:18, the reason Paul was sent to preach the Gospel was that the Gentiles might receive the forgiveness of sin and an eternal inheritance in Heaven.

The “Good News” of the Gospel is that man’s sins can be forgiven. That man can obtain the remission of sins by coming into contact with the blood of Christ shed upon the cross. In Acts 2, Peter preached the Gospel to the multitude on the day of Pentecost. Thousands of people were convicted of their sins by this great sermon and responded in Acts 2:37 by asking this question, “What shall we do?” Peter’s response was “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”  In this example, we see the means by which sins are remitted – baptism. The preaching of both Peter and Paul was meant to convict men of sin, cause them to repent, and to effect the remission of sins through baptism.

Paul simply states that his purpose in Corinth had been the preaching of the Gospel of Christ. He had not gone there to immerse people in water. He was sent there to preach, but there was no guarantee that there would be a response. There was no guarantee that anyone would want to be baptized. If he had come there simply to baptize, without first preaching the Gospel, he would have been baptizing those who were without faith. Immersing in water cleans the outer man, but without faith in the Gospel, it won’t clean the inner man.

Baptism is a physical act with spiritual significance. The spiritual significance of it can only be taught by one who understands the Gospel. The New Testament had not yet been written, so inspiration was needed to preach the Gospel effectively. Paul, as an inspired man, had been the only one qualified to preach the Gospel when it was initially proclaimed to the Corinthians. There was no one else to do it. When the initial response to the Gospel took place, he could well have been the one who baptized those first converts. In fact, he did say in 1 Corinthians 1:14, 16 that he baptized Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanas.

Who Can Administer Baptism?

Paul only mentions baptizing a few people in Corinth. Yet many had been baptized. If Paul was not performing all the baptisms who was? This brings up the question of who can baptize a penitent believer. It has already been stated in this document that Paul had initially been the only one qualified to preach the Gospel in its fullness. But, what knowledge or skill was necessary to immerse a person in water?

“Very little is said in the scriptures about who did the baptizing. Paul said that he did but little at Corinth, and the presumption is he did but little at any time. His mission was to preach the Gospel, not to baptize. This would indicate that baptizing was not necessarily to be performed by those who preach it. Saul is said to have been baptized by a ‘certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias.’ The church at Jerusalem ‘were scattered abroad,’ ‘and went everywhere preaching the word.’ The presumption is they baptized. I think it clear that no persons were specifically commanded to baptize. I think a baptism performed by any disciple, if the subject is right, would be accepted by God.” (David Lipscomp;  E.G Sewell; Questions Answered)

The command given by Christ in Mark 16:15-16 is that believers shall be baptized. In Greek, as well as in English, the phrase “and is baptized” is in the passive tense. Passive tense indicates that the action is done to the subject, not something the subject does to himself or another. Therefore, we know that someone has to administer the baptism. If not the preacher, then any other Christian could administer it.

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Love Your Neighbor

The maxim of the “golden rule” is exemplified in many Christian stories, such as the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which are unadorned replications of the Jewish Torah: “Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18).

THE BIBLE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN:

Luke 10:30-37 – 30 The Good Samaritan Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 “And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 “But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 “On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him. “Then Jesus said to him,” Go and do the same.” NASU

COMMENTARY

Luke 10:30–37. A certain man. A Jew of Jerusalem. Went down. It was a constant descent from Jerusalem to Jericho, over 3,000 feet in eighteen miles. Fell among robbers. The road is a dark, desolate, mountain pass, dangerous then, so beset by robbers still that no traveler dares go through it without a guard. Which stripped him. Not only of raiment, but of all he had; then left him, stunned, bleeding, unconscious, nearly dead. A certain priest. Jericho was a city of priests. A priest ought to be a holy man. The law commanded mercy and help to a neighbor (Exod. 23:4-5; Deut 22:1-4). The priest and Levite both disregarded the law in passing the poor sufferer. Likewise a Levite. A temple minister. He probably excused himself by the example of his priest. A certain Samaritan. The hereditary enemy of the Jews; despised and hated by the latter. “The Jews and Samaritans have no dealings” (John 4:9). If any man had excuse for passing the wounded Jew by it was the Samaritan. But he, unlike the priest and Levite, had compassion. His compassion leads to action, to self-denial, and inconvenience. He dresses the man’s wounds, sets him on his own beast, carries him to the inn, and when he left, left money for his care. For ancient inns, see note on Luke 2:7. Two pence was two days’ wages, and there was promise of more. Which of these three … proved neighbor? The stranger became the neighbor. So we are to be neighbors to all who need help. Christian love must know no narrow bounds of race or sect. Genuine philanthropy is a Christian spirit. People’s New Testament, The

Consider this:

There is no greater demonstration of the religion of Christ than to be considerate, kind, and benevolent, toward all people who are in distress of whatever kind. The story of the good Samaritan is further demonstrated in the Bible by the writers of the New Testament in several places; note the following …

Galatians 6:10 – So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. NASB

Galatians 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.  NASB

James 1:27 – This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. NASB Matthew 19:19 – Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. KJV

Mark 12:30-31 – 30 And thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. James 2:8-9 – 8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERS DO UNTO YOU;

THIS IS A GOOD QUALITY FOR ALL CHRISTIANS TO DEVELOP IN LIFE.

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More Righteous Drunk

The Drunk Who Was More Righteous than One Sober

In Second Samuel 11, King David was on the rooftop of his palace one evening while the army was at war with the Ammonites. He saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba as she was bathing. Lusting after her, he brought her into his bedroom and committed adultery with her. In an effort to cover up his sin after learning that she was carrying his child, he brings home her husband—a righteous man named Uriah—and encourages him to go home to his wife. Nevertheless, he sleeps on the steps of the king’s house out of respect for his fellow soldiers. Two evenings later, David invites Uriah to a feast and actually gets Uriah drunk (11:13), but he still did not go down to his house. What a thought—Uriah was more righteous drunk than David was sober! Let us learn a few lessons from this familiar story.

First, note the danger of lust. This sin goes back to the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen. 3:6), because it implies evil desire. Other synonyms include “covet” or “covetousness” (cf. Ex. 20:17). Jesus warns, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’: But I say unto you, ‘That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart’” (Matt. 5:27-28). Paul warned the young preacher named Timothy, “Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22; cf. 1 Pet. 2:11). We are to model the righteousness of the grace of God after Titus 2:12: “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Lust is a basic component of all sin (James 1:14-15; cf. 1 John 2:16-17). Many a man and woman have fallen to the snare of lust.

Second, note the seriousness of sin. We can see how serious sin is by examining the extent David went to commit and consequently, to cover up his sin. In the first place, he enquired about this woman after viewing her, instead of extinguishing any evil thoughts (11:3). The reference in the next verse to her purification from uncleanness implies that he thought and planned this out and waited until the time that he could sleep with her (11:4). Then, in an effort to conceal his sin, he brings Uriah home from the battle with a gift of food for him and his wife (11:8). When this did not work, he tried to get Uriah drunk two evenings later (11:12-13). When this did not work, he gave orders to his captain, Joab, to put Uriah at the front of the battle lines and pull back so he would die (11:14-17). When we see the extent David went to cover up his sin, this shows how serious a matter it is!

Third, note the beauty of forgiveness. Upon realizing the ugliness of his sin (2 Sam. 12), we see him write a beautiful confession (Ps. 51). Consider a portion:

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. (51:16-17, 19)

Thus, forgiveness is always dependant upon penitence and confession.

Can we not imagine what reaction David must have had when he saw Uriah in heaven? I can only imagine the conversation that must have taken place. At one point in their lives, a drunken Uriah was more righteous than sober David was! May we profit from these lessons, knowing that “…whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).

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