Hanged

Judge Isaac Parker hanged 79 men for their crimes against humanity in the years  1875 to 1896.  He was a kind and just judge once stating “in the uncertainty of punishment following crime, lies the weakness of our halting justice.”  In his time as judge he oversaw 9,454 cases “resulting in guilty pleas or convictions” (legendsofamerica.com).  Parker came to be known as the “hanging judge” for the manner in which capital punishment was carried out under his juristiction.

Hanging is thought of by many as hanging a body by the neck from a tree, gallows, or outcropping.  However, hanging has historically also been associated with impalement or crucifixion.  The first hanging read about in the Old Testament was that of Pharaoh’s chief baker in (circa 1800 BC).

Genesis 40:18-22 – And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.  And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants.

The nation of Israel was commanded the practice of hanging by the Law of Moses:

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 – And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree;  his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thou defile not thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

 The hanging of the body was as a sign to others for the individual had already been stoned to death for his crimes.  There are numerous accounts of hanging throughout the Old Testament for crimes and in times of battle. One of the more well known hangings is the hanging of Haman, an officer of King Xerxes of the Persian Empire, who had plotted treachery against the Jews:

Esther 9:24-25 – because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; but when the matter came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

  Yet, even more famous than the hanging of Haman was that of Judas Iscariot by his own hand in the New Testament after he had betrayed Jesus:

Matthew 27:5 – And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.

The most famous hanging in the world, however, was a hanging by crucifixion.  The individual hanged was Jesus who was not a criminal, though He was hanged, alongside two of them.  He was the innocent lamb of God hung for the sins of mankind as seen in I Corinthians 15 and the following:

John 1:29 – On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!

 I Peter 2:21-24 – For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

Details of His crucifixion were spoken of centuries before they occurred (Psalms 22, Isaiah 53).  Though Jesus was hanged until dead, the most important part of His story is what happened afterward.

Acts 5:30 – “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree”. 

In the resurrection of Christ, man was given direction for his life.

2 Corinthians 5:15 – “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

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Be Not Deceived

Be Not Deceived

God says quite a bit about the subject of deception. He warns us repeatedly about the consequences of such. In fact, the worst type of deception is self-deception: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (1 Cor. 3:18). Several examples include when one develops the attitude of conceit (Gal. 6:3), hears the word of God but does not apply it (James 1:22), does not control his speech (James 1:26) or claims to be sinlessly perfect (1 John 1:8). In addition, the inspired writers on a few occasions wrote very plainly to their readers (including us) to “be not deceived.” Notice these examples more closely.

“And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived : for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them” (Luke 21:8). In the context of Jesus discussing the future event of the destruction of Jerusalem, He warns His disciples not to follow false teachers who would lead them away from the truth. False teachers disguise themselves well as sheep, “but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Hence, the activity of deception is relatively simple and effective to all but those who love the truth (cf. 2 Thess. 2:8-12). In both the religious world and the church where we find so much false doctrine taught by false teachers, this is a worthy admonition for us today.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Including Christians, everyone should understand that sin has no place in the presence of God (Isa. 59:1-2). For humanity to act as if God will overlook those who commit sin is tragic. For Christians to act as if they are able to enter heaven simply because they were baptized earlier in their lives without any regard for the spiritual condition of their souls is nothing but deceptive. These are worthy words to the many who loudly proclaim false messages of tolerance!

“Be not deceived : evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). While we usually teach this diligently to our teenagers, this is a message for adults as well. Who are our closest friends? Do we live our lives with anticipation of the fellowship of the saints (cf. Heb. 10:25)? The wise adage rings true: “Birds of a feather flock together.” We fall to the deception of the devil when we do not watch our associations.

“Be not deceived ; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). The law of retribution is a law that has been in effect since the dawn of creation. Youth cannot sow their wild oats without reaping a wicked harvest! Christians must not fall into deception by thinking that one can slip by God. Every action in our lives will have consequences to come. We need to live our lives in constant attention to these facts.

Therefore, here are but a few examples to encourage us in warning against “the wiles of the devil” known as deception. May we all be keenly aware of the damaging effects it can render in our lives!

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The Bible Says, but…

“I know the Bible says that, but I do not see it that way.”

I am amazed at the arrogance of those whose attitude toward the Bible is, “I know the Bible says that, but I just don’t see it that way.” You would think that anyone who knows what the Bible says would immediately embrace it, but that is far from the case. Have we never considered that it is not just a book which “says it,” but because that book is from God, it is God who says it?

The Bible did not come from mortals giving their private interpretation about spiritual matters. If this were the case, then our decision to ignore what their views were becomes a viable option. Yet hear the words of Peter.  “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21, ESV). When the prophets delivered their message, it was not their message but God’s!

Take time to look at the words of Ezekiel. He was God’s prophet sent to rebellious Israel. Before he ever began his work, God told him that he would be rejected by the Jews (Ezek. 3:7). The irony was that they “came to church” to listen to his preaching, but had no intention of obeying the words of God which he preached. God described it this way, “They come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them. . . . Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them” (Ezek. 33:31-32). They enjoyed listening to the prophet, but they despised his message. It was as though they said, “I know Ezekiel says this, but I do not see it that way.”

They were so mistaken! It was not Ezekiel giving his lecture; it was the voice of God speaking through him! Ezekiel tried to remind that nation of this truth. Many would be amazed to discover that Ezekiel uses the phrase, “Says the Lord,” 210 times and the phrase, “The word of the Lord came, saying” 50 times.  That’s more than five times on every page of the book of Ezekiel.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I know that is what the Bible says, but I do not see it that way,” just remember they have not rejected a book, they have rejected the Author of that book! Our place is not to elevate our wisdom above the wisdom which God has clearly expressed in His word. Our place is to humbly come before Him and say, “Speak, for Your servant hears” (1 Sam. 3:10).

Let us never forget this truth; write it on your heart. Ours is not to judge the book, the book will judge us!

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The Marriage “Amendment”?

Several years ago, the State of Texas voted in a constitutional amendment defining marriage as existing only between a man and a woman. This constitutional amendment was brought about to combat the threat of “homosexual unions” to the institution of marriage. This constitutional amendment changes absolutely nothing with regards to God’s institution of marriage. Man may change secular law and allow males to “marry” other males; women to “marry” other women, and yet still this would have absolutely no effect on God’s institution of marriage. “Gay marriage”, whether it is voted constitutional or not, is no threat whatsoever to God’s institution of marriage. God ordained, from the dawn of creation, that marriage is between one man and one woman for life. Matthew 19:4-6 “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” It has also been jokingly put this way, “God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!”

Man’s laws in no way supercedes God’s laws. Just because man’s laws allow something, does not make it less sinful. For example, God’s law of “One man and one woman for life” has only one exception: Matthew 5:31-32 “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” Man’s law allows any divorced person, regardless of the reason for the divorce, to re-marry. God’s law gives only one reason for divorce and re-marriage – adultery on the part of one’s spouse. What real difference then would “gay marriage” make with regard to man’s law of marriage? Man’s law of marriage already contradicts God’s law in that it recognizes many types of unions as valid marriages that God has already condemned. Man’s marriage law would be no less unscriptural if it allowed gays to marry than it already is.

I have no problem with our state putting forth and passing this constitutional amendment, even though in reality it changes nothing. All it really has done is given some politician the ability to say on election day, “Vote for me! I saved the Institution of Marriage!” God does not need help. God’s institutions do not need to be saved by politicians – they need to be preserved by Christians! The answer to this problem of “gay marriage” as with all problems in society, does not lie in the political realm. It lies in the spiritual realm, in the realm of God. The only way to solve this or any other moral problem is by teaching and applying the principles found in God’s Word, not by passing laws or constitutional amendments.

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When Must I Stop Sin?

NO GOOD TIME FOR SIN

There is a mind-set in some people that says, “I am not responsible until after I have sowed my wild oats.” Exactly what one means (i.e. personally thinks) about responsibility to God is wrong? No one can willfully disobey God whenever they arrive at an age when they know the difference between right and wrong.

EXAMPLE and COMMENT:

As a person develops from birth, there is a time when they understand that lying is wrong (i.e. should not be done). There is a time when an individual realizes that hurting another person deliberately is wrong (i.e. perhaps deadly). There is a time when one knows that to take things that belong to other people is wrong (i.e. against the law). Indeed, there is a time in the individuals physical and mental development that they are aware of their amenability to the civil authorities and that if they break civil laws they will have to answer to the courts.

As one develops in the previous ways they also develop a sense of responsibility (i.e. an understanding that their actions are being observed by God also). Whenever a person’s intellect reaches a state when they know that they are not doing that which God requires of them they are sinners and need to think about making some corrections in their manner (i.e. standard of living) before man and before God. This is known generally as reaching the age of accountability (i.e. to God). A Bible references that shows man’s responsibility – Mark 7:14 “And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:” KJV

At some point whenever a person reaches an understanding of their lost condition (i.e. the need to correct their disobedience to God) with regard to God and the things that are righteous they must make a decision about their life. The decision cannot be deferred, it must be made one way or the other – A person will either choose to serve God or will become a servant of the Devil by ignoring their responsibility to serve God. NOTE: Joshua of long ago – Josh. 24:14-15, 14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve ; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (KJV)

Young people need to be taught by godly parents that there is a God and that God is truly real and that God is great. Parents need to instruct their children that disobedience to God’s instructions is sin. Parents need to tell their children about salvation from sin at an appropriate time in the children’s physical and mental development. Parents need to correct their children’s actions and speech that indicate that they are becoming responsible to God’s law and tell them that sin in their life must be corrected. Parents ought to encourage their children to listen closely to teaching about sin and the cure for sin in the lives of sinners. Indeed, parents ought to tell their children about God’s plan of salvation for the sinner.

Are we conscious of the passing of time with our children as they grow physical and mentally? We must understand that it is our duty to God, to ourselves, and to our children to keep them up-to-date about God and God’s expectations of their actions and conduct. Parents and grandparents, are we doing the job? We must!

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