Why Doesn’t God Just Kill The Devil?

Carl Pollard

This is a question that has been asked for centuries. If God is all powerful, why doesn’t He just kill Satan? In order to adequately answer this question we will need to look at a few different aspects of the Devil himself, as well as the attributes of God.

It’s not hard to find evidence of a world filled with sin, and logically it would make sense for God to just destroy the source of the problem…or would it? Let’s notice a few things about Satan.

Where did he come from? In Genesis 1:31, God sees His creation and it says, “everything was very good.” All of God’s work was perfect. From this we can conclude that Satan started off as good and became evil. While Scripture doesn’t reveal his exact origin, it says enough for us to draw a logical conclusion. For example, 2 Peter 2:4, Matthew 12:24, and 25:41 point to Satan as the leader of a groups of angels that have abandoned heaven. So we have to ask, why was Satan cast out of Heaven?

Based on the previous verses and what we read in Jude 6, the angels were created with free choice. And Peter explains that the angels sinned (2 Peter 2:4). We read the phrase “The Devil and HIS angels” so Satan was most likely the leader and instigator of this rebellion in heaven. Satan tried to rebel against God and failed miserably and will face the consequences of his actions (Revelation 20:1-3). Since Satan cannot win against God, he now wants to get payback by taking his anger out on God’s creation.

So why doesn’t God destroy Satan? Aside from the fact that he’s an angel and killing him would be different from killing a human, we run into another issue.

Even if Satan were destroyed, man would still sin. James 1:14 tells us that as humans we are carried away by our OWN desires, and these desires lead to spiritual death. Satan doesn’t cause everyone to sin, at every location on earth, because he doesn’t have this kind of power. Even if God destroyed Satan, there would still be sin on earth.

There is one other aspect we must look at in order to answer this question; What is the definition of good? Without evil, how can good exist? If God is good, then evil must exist. Without darkness, how can we recognize light? There is balance and perfection in everything.

We are given free will, and if there were no other choice except faith in God, we would not have faith by choice. We would have faith by force. I think about when I was younger and got in a fight with my siblings. Mom would force us to hug each other. That hug was not done out of love, but by mom telling us to get it done. Do you prefer to be loved by choice or by force?

Satan will get what he deserves, but God is defined as a God of love. If God took away our free choice (either to serve Him or sin) then He would be a God of Force. God has the power to destroy Satan, but in doing so we would still be in a fallen world filled with sin. God loves us enough that He wants us to come to Him by choice. This is something each one of us should strive to do.

Seneca’s Search

Gary Pollard

The following passage was written by Lucius Annaeus Seneca (c. 4 BC — AD 65) in Book I of Naturales quaestiones. There’s a decent chance that he was born the same year as Jesus of Nazareth. These seven books are certainly an interesting read, but I found his Preface to Book I especially fascinating. Reading this brings to mind, “God wanted people to look for him, and perhaps in searching all around for him, they would find him. But he is not far from any of us” (Acts 17.27). And, “There are things about God that people cannot see — his eternal power and all that makes him God. But since the beginning of the world, those things have been easy for people to understand. They are made clear in what God has made. So people have no excuse for the evil they do” (Rom 1.20). Seneca (and many of his predecessors, contemporaries, and spiritual descendants) looked for meaning and goodness in that aspect of reality that cannot be seen. Christ did come “at just the right time”! We’re reading an excerpt from a pagan historian and naturalist today because it gives valuable insight into aspects of the culture, worldviews, and concepts of the transcendent (as well as a refined understanding of words and concepts used in the first century) held by many when Christ and his followers operated on earth. 

Lucilius, my much esteemed friend — While a great gulf separates philosophy from the other learned arts, there is to my mind an equally wide gulf in philosophy itself between the portion which relates to human conduct and that which deals with the nature and the power of heaven. The latter is more exalted and more speculative, it allows itself wide liberty. It is not satisfied with mere observation, it surmises that there is a greater and fairer realm placed by nature beyond human sight. Between these two divisions of philosophy, in short, there is as wide a gulf as between their subjects, God and man. 

The one teaches us what should be done on earth; the other, what is done in heaven. The one dispels our errors and flashes a light by which to thread the mazes of life; the other far transcends this gloom in which we grope, rescues us from the darkness, and leads us to the very source of light itself. For myself, I am grateful to nature, not so much when I see her on the side that is open to the world, as when I am permitted to enter her shrine. Then one may seek to know of what stuff the universe is made, who is its Author or Guardian, what is the nature of God. Is He wholly absorbed in Himself, or does He sometimes regard us? does He do something daily, or has He done once for all? is He a portion of the world, or the whole world? may He issue new decrees even to-day and thus modify the laws of fate, or is it an infringement of His majesty and an acknowledgment of error to alter what has once been made? for surely the same must always please Him who can be pleased only with what is best. Nor yet withal is His freedom or power diminished, for He is a law unto Himself. 

Life would have been a useless gift, were I not admitted to the study of such themes. What cause for joy would it be to be set merely in the number of those who live? In order to digest food and drink? To repair a diseased, enfeebled body, that would perish unless it were continually refilled, and thus lead the life of a sick man’s attendant? To fear death, to which our very birth destines us? Away with the priceless boon! Life is not worth the heat and the sweat. How despicable a creature is man, unless he rise above the earth! What great thing can we do as long as we have to wrestle with our passions? Even if we prevail, we but conquer monsters. What cause have we to esteem ourselves because we are not quite so bad as the very worst? I can see no great reason for self-satisfaction because one’s strength is rather above the average of those in the same hospital. You are still very far from good health and vigour. Or, again, you have escaped vices of soul, the hypocrite’s brow, the flatterer’s speech fashioned to serve another’s will, the dissembler’s heart, the miser’s spirit, which robs all, but yet mortifies itself. You are a prey neither to luxury, which loses basely and repairs its losses still more basely; nor to ambition, which leads to place of worth only by unworthy means. But yet you have accomplished nothing. You have escaped many perils, but not yet that of self. 

The virtue we aim at raises to a splendid eminence; not so much because escape from vice is in itself a blessed thing, but rather because the soul is emancipated, prepared for the knowledge of heavenly things, and rendered worthy of entering into communion with God. 

Clarke, J. (1910). Physical science in the time of Nero, being a translation of the Quaestiones Naturales of Seneca. Macmillan & Co., London. pp 54-55

Where Do You Go When Life Gets Heavy?

The Heart Of Jonah

Dale Pollard

The book of Jonah is a unique book in the Old Testament. Unlike other prophetic books, God chooses to focus on the prophet himself rather than the message being preached by him. While many lessons can be pulled from this four chapter book, there’s one in particular that we can all benefit from hearing from time to time. That lesson is that in order for true change to occur in our lives there must be a genuine transformation of the heart.

The book begins with God’s call to Jonah to preach to the wicked people of Nineveh and then closes with God’s response to Jonah’s anger at the penitent hearts of the Ninevites. Between these two divine speeches you read about the prophet’s incredible experience in the belly of a great fish. Many artist’s have painted pictures of Jonah desperately trying to keep his head above the waves while a terrifying monster breeches the surface with its mouth wide open preparing to swallow him. While this may be the image that comes to mind, Jonah gives us an interesting detail in his prayer. He recalls how the waters closed over him and he eventually reaches the sea floor where he is helplessly tangled in the weeds. While the murky waters cloud his vision his fate seemed very clear. Jonah admits that he called out to the Lord provoked by his great distress and this mental plea was a desperate attempt to preserve his life. God answers this cry by sending him a slippery savior. Jonah, while known to be a little on the dramatic side, will later recall how it was in the moment when his life was fainting away that he “remembered the Lord.” God saved a blatantly rebellious man who in no way deserved that salvation but He also allowed Jonah to reach great depths and come face to face with his own spiritual reality. Jonah was a long way from God, but not geographically.

Before Jonah became soaked by the stormy seas, he was soaked in a sin problem that had taken root in his heart. God allowed Jonah to physically experience rock bottom so that he could acknowledge some spiritual issues that distanced him from God. While Jonah may have desired to run from God, he came to the conclusion that being away from God was not the relief he thought it would be.

As traumatic as this event was, Jonah seems to emerge from the belly of the fish with lingering spiritual issues. Though he preaches to the city of Nineveh, there is still anger and hatred dominating his heart. The last chapter gives us a glimpse of this as he directs this anger towards the very God that saved him. In order for true change to occur, there must be a genuine change of heart. While low points can help us examine our heart health for a moment, relentless determination to live life differently is the key to success. A hopeful reminder for anyone who may find themselves in the depths of sin, there is no place too dark where God is not able to hear your prayers. 

When God Says, “Grow Up”

Neal Pollard

It does not matter how long a church has existed at a location. Nor does it matter how long an individual Christian has been a baptized believer. It is still possible for a Christian or a congregation to be deemed immature or in need of growing up. To a congregation that had been established for some time, Paul writes, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-15). 

This is a rich passage of Scripture, from which we can draw so much application. However, notice the specific thing Paul writes about achieving spiritual maturity. The way to avoid being spiritual infants, according to the context, is three-fold.

No longer be tossed here and there by waves. The imagery is of instability and lacking an anchor. Know what you stand for and stand there! Follow God’s Word and reject anything else. Because many don’t know God’s Word, they accept every new teaching that comes along without studying it through and examining it critically.

No longer be carried about. The imagery is of being easily led and duped. The old circus mogul, P.T. Barnum, liked to put it, “There’s a sucker born every minute!” Paul says no longer be carried about “by winds.” There were others claiming to have the truth and who denied Jesus. No longer be carried about “by tricks.” There were others trying to back up their message with false proofs and perhaps claims that were meant to trick those not grounded in the truth. No longer be carried about “by schemes.” There were strategies and ploys attempted to try and truth people from God’s grace. 

Speak the truth in love. Paul says that if the Ephesians believed what he was saying about Christ, the blessings in Christ, and the blessings of the church of Christ, they would be a grown up church. Notice that by not only rejecting all other ways but by doing what they can to teach and live the right message, they were going to be a full-grown, mature church. The right message produces the right kind of response in the right kind of hearts. 

Ephesians 4:16 says that the whole body causes the growth of the body. This growth relies on good joints and individual working parts. In other words, we’ve got to work together and realize our interdependency,. A few people cannot do the work of the whole body. Imagine how you’d go through life in only three or four of the parts of your body functioned. You might be able to chew, blink, and smell, but what if that was it? There’s not a part of your body that is not important and necessary. Try walking without a big toe or wearing glasses without an ear lobe.

The church can’t grow like it should if you and I aren’t doing our part. Paul has spent three and a half chapters talking about how important the church is. Then he writes these words. It is Christ’s body, it was in God’s mind from eternity, and it is how God is glorified. He wants each congregation, and every individual member of it, to do what it takes to grow up! 

Never Assume Someone Is Beyond Saving

Brent Pollard

Never assume someone is beyond saving.

The Deadliest Single-Aircraft Accident in History

On August 12, 1985, on the eve of Japan’s Obon holiday—when millions travel to their hometowns to honor departed loved ones—524 people, many of them families, boarded Japan Airlines Flight 123 from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport bound for Osaka. Seven years earlier, an improper structural repair to the aircraft’s rear pressure bulkhead had unknowingly planted the seeds of disaster. After more than 12,000 pressurization cycles, the weakened bulkhead failed just 12 minutes into the flight at an altitude of 24,000 feet. The aircraft’s vertical stabilizer tore away, all four hydraulic systems were destroyed, and the pilots had almost no means of controlling the airplane.

For the next 32 minutes, the crew fought to keep Flight 123 airborne as it oscillated in a violent Dutch roll while repeatedly climbing and diving in what aviators call a phugoid cycle. The aircraft lurched through the sky in a terrifying, three-dimensional motion that made it nearly impossible to maintain a steady heading. At 6:56 PM, it slammed into Mount Osutaka in Gunma Prefecture. Only four people survived. To this day, Flight 123 remains the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history.

At first glance, this sounds like nothing more than another aviation disaster. It wasn’t. It is also a story about what can happen when people conclude there is no one left to rescue.

A Tragedy That Hits Close to Home

This tragedy also strikes an oddly personal note for me. Mount Osutaka lies in Gunma Prefecture, the birthplace of my late Aunt Maki Mitchell (née Iishi). Her hometown is only about sixty-six miles from the crash site. Since she married a U.S. Air Force airman stationed in Japan, other parts of this story resonate personally as well.

When Rescuers Concluded No One Was Left to Rescue

Survivors of the Flight 123 crash were seated in the back, as the front absorbed most of the impact with the mountain, acting as a crumple zone that reduced G-forces at the rear. One survivor was off-duty stewardess Yumi Ochiai, who noted that there were more survivors initially. Some believe that additional lives were lost because the JSDF helicopter reported seeing no signs of life from the air, reducing the perceived urgency of the rescue. The principal rescue force spent the night approximately thirty-nine miles from the crash site and did not reach the wreckage until daylight.

The tragedy worsened as the U.S. Air Force, based in Western Tokyo’s Tama Area, monitored the doomed flight on radar. Unaware of the damage, they offered their 11,000-foot runway for a landing. After the crash, a C-130 located the wreckage in 20 minutes and, at 7:17 PM, informed Japanese authorities and Yokota, triggering the deployment of a rescue helicopter. By 8:30 PM, a Marine helicopter arrived to lower two pararescuemen. The crew searched for a drop site with searchlights. At 9:15 PM, Japanese authorities claimed full jurisdiction over the incident, and at 9:20 PM, U.S. personnel were ordered to leave despite their willingness to assist.

Spiritually, we can make the same mistake by looking at someone’s life and concluding there is no one left to rescue.

Waving in the Darkness

Meanwhile, Yumi Ochiai lay on the ground. She had heard the helicopters and could see the probing lights. Yet she was too pained to yell loudly, so she waved her hand, hoping to attract their attention. Other survivors called out to the lights in the sky above, all in vain. The helicopter hovered over the canopy, and the engine noise kept U.S. personnel from hearing their cries. Personally, I cannot imagine what the poor souls lying on the mountain below must have thought when they were suddenly left in darkness again.

Imagine waving with what little strength you have left while those sent to help cannot see you. There are people around us who are doing the spiritual equivalent every day.

As Long as There Is Breath, There Is Hope

Eight-year-old survivor Mikiko Yoshizaki and her mother, 34-year-old Hiroko Yoshizaki, took turns yelling at each other to stay awake during the 14 hours they waited for rescuers. Sadly, Hiroko’s husband and two other children seated beside them had perished in the crash. Twelve-year-old Keiko Kawakami spoke to her father and sister in the wreckage before they finally grew cold and quiet in the early morning.

As long as there was breath in their lungs, there was hope. As long as a sinner is alive, there is hope.

The Great Physician Never Gives Up on a Soul

Jesus never assumed anyone was beyond saving. He sought tax collectors, prostitutes, Samaritans, thieves, and even the persecutor Saul of Tarsus. While others saw hopeless cases, our Lord saw souls worth rescuing. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19.10).

The heartbreaking part is that this may not have been inevitable. A Japanese physician whose identity remained anonymous said that dozens of victims did not suffer fatal internal trauma from the impact itself. They died from hypovolemic shock (severe blood loss) and extreme hypothermia caused by the cold, damp mountain air at 5,135 feet. He said that if rescuers had arrived only ten hours earlier, they could have saved more lives.

Let us not end with the thoughts of one physician, but the teachings of the Great Physician.

Seek the Lost and Leave the Results to God

Every congregation has someone others have quietly given up on.

Every family has someone everyone assumes will never change.

Every community has people whose lives appear beyond repair.

Yet as long as there is breath, there is hope. As long as a sinner lives, the gospel still has work to do.

Christians have never been commissioned to decide who is salvageable. We have been commanded to seek the lost (Luke 15.4ff), proclaim the gospel (Matthew 28.19–20), and leave the results to God (1 Corinthians 3.6; Isaiah 55.11).

Never assume someone is beyond saving.

Many Will Say to Me, “Lord, Lord”

Carl Pollard

Few passages in Scripture are as sobering as Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21–23. Throughout the Bible we find warnings like, “Depart from Me,” “The door was shut,” and “You fool! This night your soul is required of you.” But perhaps the most unsettling is Jesus describing people who fully expected to enter paradise only to hear, “I never knew you; depart from Me.”

These weren’t atheists or people who openly rejected Christ. They called Him “Lord.” They believed they belonged to Him and even pointed to a lifetime of religious accomplishments. Their confidence was real, but it was misplaced.

Jesus spoke these words at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. After teaching about anger, purity, prayer, generosity, worry, and judgment, He ends with a series of contrasts: two gates, two roads, two trees, two builders, and ultimately two kinds of disciples. His message is that appearances can be deceiving. The road to destruction can look remarkably religious.

From Matthew 7:21-23 we learn first that saying the right words isn’t enough. Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Calling Jesus “Lord” means recognizing His authority. But many want the comfort of calling Him Savior without submitting to Him as Master. As Jesus asked in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” Genuine faith is demonstrated when we surrender our will to His, especially when obedience is difficult.

Second, religious activity isn’t enough. Those standing before Jesus had an impressive spiritual résumé. They prophesied, cast out demons, and performed mighty works in His name. Today, someone might point to years of church attendance, teaching Bible classes, preaching sermons, or serving in leadership. None of those things are wrong, but none of them save us. Religion becomes dangerous when our confidence rests in what we’ve done rather than in Christ. It’s possible to preach about prayer without praying or teach God’s Word while neglecting to obey it! As a preacher, this scripture is a needed reminder to me. 

Jesus’ statement, “I never knew you,” reveals the heart of the issue. Scripture often uses the word “know” to describe a relationship. These people knew about Jesus, but they never truly belonged to Him. Outward religion had hidden lives that were never genuinely surrendered to God’s will. On the Day of Judgment, appearances will disappear, and only reality will remain.

Jesus tells us what separates the true disciple from the false one, “The one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Obedience doesn’t earn salvation, but it reveals genuine faith. Christians aren’t perfect. We stumble, repent, and depend daily on God’s grace. The difference is between a heart that struggles to obey and a heart that refuses to obey.

This truth is reinforced immediately afterward in the parable of the wise and foolish builders. Both heard Jesus’ words, but only one obeyed them. Before the storm, both houses looked secure. Only when the storm came was the foundation revealed. Judgment Day will expose what our confidence has truly been built upon.

Matthew 7 challenges every one of us to examine the foundation of our assurance. Our confidence can’t rest on feelings, family heritage, years in the church, or even a list of good works. It has got to rest on Christ alone as we walk in obedient faith. The question Jesus leaves us with is simple but essential. Does my life match my confession? If I call Him Lord, does He truly have authority over my life? Genuine assurance doesn’t belong to the ones with the most impressive résumé, but to those who trust Christ, submit to His rule, and faithfully follow Him.

Sharing The Filling Fulness Of Christ

Gary Pollard

Some phrases in the Bible are simple to read, but very difficult to comprehend. In this article, I’d like to walk through a process together in an attempt to make sense of a difficult phrase (thanks, Paul). One of those is in Ephesians 1.23: “…the fullness of him who fills all in all.” This is a description of Jesus, specifically as it relates to His being the head of the church. But what does that phrase mean? 

I will not pretend to have the answer, but I would like to make a couple of suggestions. Firstly, “fullness” appears to describe the church. In my limited knowledge of Greek, it seems to be grammatically tied to “body.” The church – His body – is His fullness. Both are nominative, both are the subject of the sentence. 

Secondly, Jesus fills all in all. It’s that last phrase that’s so hard for me to comprehend. What does it mean, that “He fills all in all?” Based on the fact that some form of “fullness” is used three times in a single phrase, it appears to have reference to his nature. He is not confined by time or space and is present everywhere. 

If the church is His fullness (the word is possessive in Greek), and He is omnipresent (or, creation is full of Him), then the church must be extremely important. Again, I am not a scholar, I may be mistaken. 

I would, though, like to attempt to make application from this difficult phrase. If the church is, ideally, representative of the very nature of Christ, are we living up to it? Is our passion for the lost like His was/is? Is our love for each other as strong as His is for the church? Do we treat the church as if it were the body of Christ (because it is)? Do we keep in mind, as we interact with each other, that we all answer to Him? Are we trying to mold culture to His image, or are we being molded to culture? 

We really have to think about this one to try to make sense of it. Comprehending this phrase is anything but easy (at least for me!). But the church – which is one distinct unit, not a series of denominations – is supposed to represent Jesus. Our values, our demeanor, our goals, our mission, our attitudes, our behavior, and our purpose should scream to others, “We are not of this world.” If these do not, we are not representing Jesus. No one will do this perfectly, but the standard is high. 

When we begin to understand this phrase a little more, it shifts from being hard to understand to being hard to hear. We have a huge responsibility, but we also have a global family to support us. The standard is high, but our Head is also our Savior. We’re not just Christians to be good people, we’re Christians to show the world who Jesus is.

Flaming Sword Of Eden

Dale Pollard

Remember that flaming sword mentioned in Genesis 3.24? 

“He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

The Bible frequently makes use of analogies to describe supernatural realities. By examining the precise grammar and vocabulary of Genesis 3:24, it’s discovered that the “sword” may not be describing a literal sword, but perhaps a self-animated phenomenon. Of sorts. It had light, energy, and some serious spatial awareness. Let’s dive into the passage a little deeper.

Here is what the text suggests this barrier really looked like.

A Living Sword

The word translated as “placed” or “stationed” is shakan. It literally means “to tabernacle” or “to permanently dwell.” This is the exact root word used later for the Shekinah—the physical cloud of God’s presence. The phraseology indicates that the barrier was not a temporary guard shift– it was a permanent install. Based on this, we can assume that it was stationed there until the flood eventually destroyed the garden. 

Flames

The word “flaming” is lahat, and it appears unique in this form. While it primarily means a brilliant blaze or flash, its root delivers one succulent secondary connotation of being wrapped or operating as an “enchantment.” This sounds more like a lit barrier of light that obscured the path to the Tree of Life. It would have also been physically threatening any fools attempting to intrude.

Dual Security

In Hebrew grammar, the “flaming sword” is not explicitly held by the cherubim. The sentence describes them as two distinct entities. God stationed the cherubim AND the flaming sword. They operated in tandem as some kind of dual defense team.

What “Turned in Every Direction” Means

Maybe the most interesting phrase– “turned every way” or “turned in every direction” sounds like an angel waving a weapon back and forth. However, the Hebrew word used is hammithappeket.

Grammatically, it depicts continuous and automatic action. The sword was not being actively brandished by the angel; it was turning itself!

The root verb means to overturn, transform, or overthrow—the same word used to describe the total upside-down destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Visually, this describes an erratic, whirling, twisting fire in constant motion. It formed an impenetrable, 360-degree sphere. No matter which angles a guy tried to approach from, the barrier automatically and instantly adjusted to block the path. At the very least, we know God’s secured the garden how we’d expect Him to. Perfectly. 

God Wants Us With His People

Neal Pollard

A dear sister in Christ recently spoke candidly about a time in her recent past where she was staying at home and watching the services of a local church rather than assembling with them. She grew convicted that she needed to praise God with His people, and it brought her back to the assemblies. What a righteous response and what a potent truth! Does God want us with His people?

There is the oft-recited, familiar passage in Hebrews 10:24-25 that admonishes us to stimulate one another to love and good deeds by not forsaking the assembling of ourselves. Why the warning?

It’s an unhealthy habit. How do we know? Well, the writer warns us of as much. He ties it to neglecting the assemblies (ESV). Jesus uses that same word to ask the Father, “Why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Demas and the others deserted Paul when he needed their support (2 Tim. 4:10,16). It can also be translated abandon (Acts 2:27). Some do this with the assemblies. Attending is a habit formed by doing. Neglecting them is a habit formed by doing (or not going). You miss one, a few times, several times, and then you get to the place where you lose the desire to come together. Something else takes its place.

It’s a discouraging decision. How do we know? The writer tells us that through assembling we encourage one another. This connects us to the exhortation in the previous verse. By staying away, I fail to provide that friendly face, that timely word, that listening ear, that singing voice, that minute of interaction that likely makes a difference in encouraging the faithfulness of the recipients. The writer calls it “exhorting” one another, a beautiful word involving encouragement, consolation, comfort, and even pleading.

It’s a shortsighted approach. How do we know? The writer shows us by connecting assembling and eternity. He reminds us there is a great day coming, and all of us will be there! He follows this verse with the idea of judgment (27), punishment (28), the Lord judging His people (30), and falling into the hands of the living God (31). Those who withdraw themselves from God’s people and their meeting times for worship and study are indicating that their hearts, thoughts, priorities, and greater interests lie with the things of this life. A mind set on things above (Col. 3:1) makes plans, decisions, and efforts that leads closer to God and an eternal home with Him.

Oh, that there would be more tender hearts like the dear Christian whose conscience was pricked by God’s truth! She had stayed away, but she could not keeping staying away. She needed to be with God’s people. She knew her Father wanted the whole family together.

The High Cost of Careless Endorsement

Brent Pollard

You’ve received a notice from a page you interacted with through videos. The owner invites you to accept a badge showing you’re a top fan. A simple tap awards a badge for others to see—endorsing a page, personality, or content. It takes less time than a sneeze, but the algorithm remembers and quietly influences your feed. Paul understood quick endorsements early on: “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin” (1 Timothy 5.22).

What the Laying On of Hands Meant in the New Testament Church

Timothy worked diligently in Ephesus under apostolic guidance to organize the congregation. Part of this effort involved appointing capable men to leadership roles. When the church laid hands on someone, it was a meaningful communal act. For example, at Jerusalem, the seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed and then laid their hands on them (Acts 6:6). Similarly, the church at Antioch fasted, prayed, and laid hands on Barnabas and Saul before sending them out (Acts 13.3). Timothy himself received a spiritual gift through prophetic words and the laying on of hands by the elders (1 Timothy 4.14). This gesture represented unity—confirming that the man represented the church, his teachings reflected their doctrine, and his character bore their name.

Because the act spoke loudly, Paul called for deliberate reflection. The qualities in 1 Timothy 3.1–7 and Titus 1.5–9 read like an in-depth character check—nothing a résumé can shortcut—being above reproach, temperate, prudent, able to teach, and maintaining “a good reputation with those outside the church” (1 Timothy 3.7). Paul explains why patience is vital: “The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after” (1 Timothy 5.24). Time reveals truth; character shows gradually. Someone who seems golden at first might only be gilded after a year.

Sharing Responsibility for the Sins of Others: The Doctrine of Shared Guilt

Here, the verse takes a serious turn. Paul warns that hastily endorsing someone risks more than embarrassment—it shares responsibility. Similarly, John states: “the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds” (2 John 11). A simple greeting, yet heaven views it as complicity since endorsement lends credibility, a form of moral currency. When the praised person falls into scandal, your hands are stained in the aftermath.

Paul urges us to avoid darkness and expose it (Ephesians 5.11). God illustrates this. He tested David and Jesus in hidden ways before giving divine approval. Should we rush to commend before celestial insight?

Keep Yourself Free from Sin: Discernment as an Act of Consecration

The verse closes with a call: “keep yourself free from sin”—meaning stay pure. But purity isn’t about primness; it’s about dedication—consciously dedicating your influence, your name, and your affections to what God approves. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word” (Psalm 119.9). The pure heart doesn’t just avoid defilement; it values something nobler. Paul prayed that love would flourish “in genuine knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the best things” (Philippians 1.9–10). When practiced rightly, discernment isn’t suspicion; it’s worship. It’s a declaration to God: my approval belongs to You first, and I will not squander Your blessings.

There’s real joy here, more lasting than earning a badge. The believer who chooses his associations sleeps peacefully, keeps a spotless reputation, and finds fulfillment in God’s approval, not algorithms. “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16.11). Solomon emphasizes patience: “He who hurries his footsteps errs” (Proverbs 19.2). Rushing wastes time; holiness is savored.

Slow Hands in a Hasty Age: Practical Faithfulness for Today’s Christian

What, then, does obedience to 1 Timothy 5.22 look like when practiced consistently? It looks like the Bereans, who received the word with great eagerness, “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17.11)—and they were examining an apostle. It looks like being “quick to hear, slow to speak” (James 1.19), and slower still to publicly commend. Before your congregation appoints a man, before you share a teacher’s video, before you badge a page or sign your name to a cause, let the questions of 1 Timothy 3 do their patient work. Watch the fruit. Wait a season. A hastily lent reputation returns slowly, if it returns at all.

Don’t overlook the vibrant gospel behind the command. When God embraced sinners, He did so purposefully and sacrificially, paying the eternal cost in blood. Christ stretched out His pierced hands and “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2.14). His favor bought your name, which you carry into every new connection. Gratefulness for costly grace calls for careful stewardship.

Keep your hands steady and heart eager—be thoughtful before endorsing, quick to obey. Carefully consider praise. Shine light on darkness instead of joining it. Use your influence for virtue and enthusiasm for good deeds. Remember, the One who never rushed to judgment extended His hands at Calvary. Live to honor that endorsement.

All Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 edition.

Serving The Living God

Carl Pollard

I know I’m not old enough to say this, but when I was younger I used to lay in bed at night and try to imagine what God looked like. I would try to put a face to Him, I’d wonder what He was doing, and I would ask myself if God knew that I was thinking about Him. I still ask those same questions to this day. I’m sure that most if not all of you who are reading this believe that there is a God, and that He does see and hear all that we say. So the question I’d like to ask is, “since there is a God that has all power, why do we sometimes have difficulty following the commands that we find in the Bible?” I’d like to look at a verse that may help us realize the importance of following what God has told us to do as Christians.

Jeremiah 10:12 says, “It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom; and by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.”

God has ALL power. There isn’t an area that He is lacking power in. He controls the weather, He created us, and, as Jeremiah 10:12 said, He made this earth that we live on. I believe that we sometimes forget just how powerful God truly is. Since God has all power, shouldn’t we be following what the Creator of everything has told us to do? In seven days He thought of everything we see around us. Think of it this way. We’ve never had an original thought. For example, I could say that I’m the only person to have ever thought about a pink Aardvark. But before I thought of pink Aardvarks, there was such thing as the color pink, and there were Aardvarks before I thought of them. So what I’m actually doing is taking two things that God created and putting them together. God has given us specific commands to do as Christians. Since God has given us rules on how to live, we shouldn’t have a problem following them. They may be difficult, but God knows how to take care of His creation. The thought of the God of the universe watching out and guiding me through life is a great comfort to me!

But what if we aren’t following what God has told us to do? There’s a saying that we all have heard that says, “Actions speak louder than words.” Our actions are a direct window to how we truly feel. If I don’t do what God has commanded, then that’s like us saying to God, “I don’t truly believe that there are consequences to my actions.” But that is a deadly place for us to be, because God IS real and there ARE consequences to our actions. God is real and the consequences of our actions are very real! In the end, it comes down to this: Not obeying what God has said is a reflection of how real we make God out to be. If we truly believe He is real, then we shouldn’t have a problem doing what He tells us to do. As Christians, we serve the one true God, and He is very real. I pray that this fact will push us to obey the commands He has given us because our God is alive and we all have an eternity with Him if we do what He tells us to do.

Looking back at when I was younger, I’ve realized that I asked the right question, but the most important part of those questions is how I answer them. Will I show through my actions that I truly believe He is alive? Or do I doubt the reality of God by not taking His commands seriously? Let’s try to always prove God is alive by following what He has told us to do!

The Word

Gary Pollard

John emphasized Jesus’s identity as the Word. Many ancient traditions hold that the universe was created with the spoken word 1— something slowly becoming more accepted by even scientific minds (always the last to understand or accept truths taught in religion) thanks to cymatics. The ancient concept of magic was absolutely nothing like ours today. Specific spoken words in specific tones were thought to influence reality. There is some evidence that this was practiced successfully. 

Words have power. Today we limit this power to the ability to potentially induce positive or negative emotions. That words and symbols contain more than just this power should be self-evident in this era with its deluge of ads and psyops. Words have great power! 

Jesus’s arrest was recorded in John 18, and when asked to identify himself, he gave the same name he used with Moses: “I am.” The simple act of speaking that name threw the mob of soldiers, guards, and religious leaders to the ground. John identified Jesus as the agent of creation, and not just the one who spoke everything into existence; Jesus is Word itself, the one whose voice wields his Father’s power. The language of creation is necessarily symbolic (our minds are too finite to comprehend a literal play-by-play), and obviously information-dense. The more we learn and discover today, the more our faith grows. When we look at what we’re able to comprehend of the meaning behind the symbols, it only reinforces the transcendent nature of the accounts. 

“The Word was already in the world. The world was made through him, but the world did not know him. He came to the world that was his own. And his own people did not accept him. But some people did accept him. They believed in him, and he gave them the right to become children of God. They became God’s children, but not in the way babies are usually born. It was not because of any human desire or plan. They were born from God himself. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his divine greatness—the greatness that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth.”

1 Memphite Cosmology (Shabaka Stone), Popul Vuh, Rigveda and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, and the inspired accounts in Jn 1.1-3, Ps 33.6, 9, Gen 1.3.

My God Is So Big

Dale Pollard

“My problems are so big, my worries so mighty, there’s nothing my anxieties can’t do.” Wait, that’s not how that song goes. It’s been said that the there are more stars in the known universe than all of the sand on earth combined. That being said, in just one grain of sand there are more atoms than all of the stars. That’s pretty amazing. Our planet is but a speck in the grandeur of space. Countless stars, planets, galaxies, lightyears and somehow God is well aware of the happenings of people.

Have you stood on the mountain tops? Have you observed the power of the oceans as the waves crash on the shore? Has your heart almost stopped after the vibrating sensation of a thunder clap resinates in your chest? The might of the Creator is everywhere in the world around us and at times it just demands to be noticed.

1 Kings 19:11-13 is a section of scripture that is mysterious and fascinating. The Lord of hosts is about to show Himself to a depressed and exhausted Elijah, but in a way that he would never forget. “The Lord said, ‘go out on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out to stand at the mouth of the cave. Then the voice said, ‘what are you doing here Elijah?’” In the hush of Horeb, Elijah seeks to avoid the troubles of his world. The acoustics of the mountainous area along with the time spent in silence must have made the shattering rocks, raging fire, splitting hills, and rumbling earth all but deafening and definitely a terrifying display of divine power. Then in sharp contrast, a still whisper comes. This gentleness, no doubt, is the reason Elijah decides to cautiously emerge from his hiding place. God is teaching His worn-out servant a lesson that holds true for us today.

The fact is, there is no more God, His wisdom, power, and presence in an earthquake than there is in the sweet breath of a blooming flower. The quiet ticking of a wrist watch reveals just as much intelligence and purpose as does the striking of a clock tower’s bell. One may walk out into an open field at night and stare up into the vast sky, lit up with numerous twinkling stars and declare, “I’ve found God!” But God is no more in the sky than He is in the blades of grass flattened beneath your feet. The question came to Elijah from that still voice, “What are you doing here?” To the prophet, his problems were too great and too large and his solution was to run and hide. God, in a magnificent way, is trying to remind Elijah of his place. Our place in life is not to take matters into our own hands or solve life’s many difficulties on our own. The answer is not to run away, but to walk humbly with our awesome God. He is strong enough to lift our burdens, wise enough to counsel us, patient enough to allow us to learn, and loving enough to constantly forgive. My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do— for you, too. 

The Sanhedrin

Neal Pollard

Did they trace their origin to the time of the wilderness wandering, where God tells Moses to appoint 70 elders to help in a specific situation (Num. 11:16-25)? Throughout the Old Testament, we find elders in Israel gathered for specific purposes, but the formal body of administrators, civic and religious instructors, arbitrators, and rulers are not found until less than a century before the birth of Christ. Josephus records friction and hostility between Herod and the Sanhedrin (Antiq. 14:167-180; see more information in the Mishnah, Mishnah). They are a fully-formed authoritative body during the ministry of Jesus. Most English translations do not have the word “Sanhedrin,” but translate the word “Council” (the Greek word is SYNEDRION). 

After Jesus begins His public ministry, teaching and performing miracles and clashing with the religious rulers throughout the nation, they convene to determine how to handle His mounting influence and popularity. In John 11:47-53, they enumerate their concerns: (1) This man is performing many signs, (2) If we let Him go on, all men will believe in Him, and (3) the Romans will take away their place and their nation. Their solution was destined to be unjust, since their conclusion was that “from that day on they planned together to kill Him” (53). Sure enough, they arrest and try Jesus (Matthew 26:47,57-27:2), actively try to pin guilt on Him (Mark 14:55), and bring Him to Pilate (Luke 22:66). Their hands are stained with the guilt of His blood! Later, they will use their influence to try and stop His church from growing (Acts 4-5). They are kindred spirits with all the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, lawyers, chief priests, and elders, and they certainly work together with a single purpose to try to discredit and destroy Jesus. Ironically, it was all in the name of pious religion.

While they were Jewish, practitioners of the Old Law, and first century contemporaries, human nature is not restricted to one race, religion, or realm. Their spirit lives on today. What lessons do they teach us? What warnings do they give us?

  • If you have to do wrong to “do right,” you have missed it somewhere. Whether it was false witnesses, deceitfulness, entrapment, lying, or any other sin, they broke their beloved law in their blind hatred of Jesus. 
  • Bible knowledge does not equate to true faithfulness. These men were considered experts, caretakers of God’s Word. Yet, Jesus lays out their wickedness in great detail (Matthew 23). 
  • Pride can blind us to the truth. Pride can’t be corrected, taught, reasoned with, open-minded, fair, or circumspect. All of these dispositions are necessary for the discovery of truth.
  • Religious position and status can become more important than honest character and humble study. The end of John 11 shows that their overriding concern was losing their influence and sway. This mindset was infectious (John 12:42-43). 
  • Never let your love of tradition outweigh your reverence for God and proper treatment of your brethren. Jesus’ answer about the greatest commandments, applauded even by one of their law experts (Mark 12:28-34), is contrasted with their own conduct and character. 
  • Envy yields ironic, yet destructive, results. Even a profane pagan like Pilate could see this (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10)
  • Don’t choose the superficial (appearances, men’s praise, etc.) over godly ethics and righteousness. Jesus warned against the shallow righteousness of these men (Matthew 5:18) and even illustrated it (Matthew 6:1-18) in teaching like the Sermon on the Mount. He will condemn it later, in Matthew 23. 
  • Do not begin with a desired outcome and look for evidence to support it. It is a tendency, in and out of the church, to arrive at a position and then hunt down, manipulate, twist, and dishonestly handle Scripture to defend it (cf. 2 Peter 3:16). That is not only backward; it is immoral!
  • We can back ourselves into a corner. How hardhearted were these men? They ignored Jesus’ teaching, His miracles, and the empty tomb. Despite overwhelming evidence, they tried to suppress incontrovertible evidence (Matthew 28:11-15). 

Two Swords and One Cup: What Jesus Meant When He Told the Disciples to Buy a Sword

Brent Pollard

In my daily Bible readings, I have always been intrigued by Luke 22.36. Jesus tells His followers who lack a sword to sell their coats to buy one. When they take inventory, Luke notes that they have two swords, which Jesus declares sufficient (Luke 22.38). When Judas appears, the disciples ask if it is time to use the sword (Luke 22.49). Peter responds by cutting off Malchus’ ear (Luke 22.50; John 18.10). Yet, despite telling the disciples to own a sword, Jesus immediately rebukes Peter and warns him that those who live by the sword die by the sword (Matthew 26.52). What, then, are we to make of Jesus’ counsel for the disciples to buy a sword?

Why Jesus Told His Disciples to Buy a Sword (Luke 22.35–38)

Note Jesus’ words closely. He first summons a memory: “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” (Luke 22.35). They answered in a single word: nothing. Then the Lord reverses the terms: “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one” (Luke 22.36). The sentence drops like a stone into still water, and the ripples have not stopped since.

Watch what Jesus does next. He refuses to leave the Twelve guessing. Instead, He supplies the reason in the same breath: “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’” (Luke 22.37). Isaiah drafted the scene seven centuries earlier (Isaiah 53.12). The Suffering Servant would be counted among criminals, and blades in a midnight olive grove handed the arresting party the impression the prophecy demanded. The sword was not tactics. The sword was testimony. Rome saw an insurrectionist and reached for nails. Heaven saw the Lamb.

Two Swords Are Enough: Sufficient for a Sign, Useless for a War

The disciples, gloriously literal, take inventory: “Lord, look, here are two swords.” Jesus answers, “It is enough” (Luke 22.38). Enough for what? Not for a campaign. Two blades against a temple detachment armed with swords and clubs (Matthew 26.47) is not a battle plan; it is arithmetic that insults the word. The term means sufficient for the purpose, and the purpose was prophetic, not military. A signature occupies an inch of paper and settles an entire estate. Two swords occupied one dark garden and settled an ancient oracle. Christ needed exactly as much steel as the sign required, and not one blade more. The money belt and knapsack carry the same honesty: the season He had welcomed had closed, and He said so in advance (John 16.4).

Peter’s Sword and the Cup Christ Refused to Set Down

Torchlight moves through the trees. Judas arrives with a kiss, and the disciples ask, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” (Luke 22.49). Peter, who never in his life waited for an answer, swings first. Malchus loses an ear (John 18.10). As my father likes to point out, Peter wasn’t only aiming for an ear. Peter’s swing exposes his intention.

Jesus immediately rebukes Peter. “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matthew 26.52). Matthew preserves the principle; John preserves the purpose: “the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18.11). Luke records the mercy: “Stop! No more of this,” and He touched the man’s ear and healed him (Luke 22.51). The final miracle before Calvary repaired damage inflicted by a disciple defending Christ.

Peter’s failure was not cowardice. Cowards keep the blade sheathed. His courage simply ran the wrong direction, and misdirected courage wrecks more than fear ever does. Earlier Jesus had prayed, “yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26.39). Peter, steel shining, answered that prayer with a flat no. Affection that resists the revealed will of God is idolatry wearing love’s coat, and it always leaves someone bleeding.

No Contradiction: Possession Versus Presumption

Compare the two sayings directly, and the difference becomes clear. Jesus never commanded, “Destroy the sword.” He commanded, “Put your sword back into its place.” The weapon possessed a place; Peter’s hand in that hour was not it. Luke 22.36 permits possession — chiefly for the fulfillment of Scripture, secondarily for the ordinary hazards of a hostile road. Matthew 26.52 forbids a use: the violent obstruction of God’s redemptive will. The verses never collide, because they never occupy the same ground.

“All those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” is a proverb of judgment, not a footnote about weaponry. Since Genesis 9.6, God has guarded human life as His own image; men who make violence their vocation are ground beneath the millstone they quarried. Christ refuses to have His kingdom defended by steel: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting” (John 18.36). Jesus names the reason His men are not swinging. Not incapacity. Allegiance.

Sheathe the Sword: Faithful Christian Living in a Hostile World

We still carry swords, forged of speech and silence and the timing of a strategically placed truth: the reply that ends the argument and the friendship together, the grudge polished until it gleams. Every one of us knows a Malchus, and most of us swung before we asked the Lord anything.

God armed His church, but He stocked the armory Himself: “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Corinthians 10.4). One blade only hangs in the Christian’s kit, and it is not ours to sharpen — “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6.17). Grace hands us that sword and then trains the hand: “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 2.11–12). Unmerited favor never leaves a man where it found him. It pardons, then it disciplines, and the disciplined man discovers that obedience is where the joy was hiding all along. Our Lord proved it first. He “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12.2), drinking the cup Peter tried to knock from His hand — gladly, because He saw us at the bottom of it. Every restraint He exercised in that garden purchased something for you (1 Peter 2.23).

Peter learned. Fifty days later he stood in Jerusalem and struck harder than steel ever struck: “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2.38). Three thousand fell that day, pierced to the heart (Acts 2.37) — not by a blade, but by a word — and they rose alive. The fisherman who maimed the high priest’s servant never drew that sword again.

So take your inventory. Whatever hangs at your side, hand it back to the Lord who defines its place. Trust the Father who wrote the script from Isaiah forward and has never missed a line. Sheathe the sword. Drink the cup. Follow the Christ who conquered the world by refusing to fight it on the world’s terms — and then go tell somebody why.

What Would Jesus Ask You To Give Up

Carl Pollard

If Jesus looked you in the eyes today and said, “Sell everything you own,” what would you do?

Most of us immediately start explaining why He couldn’t possibly mean that. We tell ourselves He was speaking to one man in a unique situation. While that’s true, it still leaves an important question, why did Jesus say it?

The rich young ruler came running to Jesus with one of the greatest questions anyone has ever asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). He was young, successful, influential, moral, and sincere. Yet something was missing.

After hearing the man’s confidence in his own obedience, Mark records this, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (Mark 10:21). Everything Jesus said next came from love. Love doesn’t ignore the biggest problem in someone’s life. Love exposes it.

Jesus told the man, “Go, sell all that you have…and come, follow Me.” Was Jesus teaching that every Christian must live in poverty? No. Scripture records many faithful servants of God who were wealthy. The issue wasn’t the man’s possessions. The issue was that his possessions possessed him.

Money had become his security, his identity, and his confidence. When Jesus asked for complete submission, the man walked away grieving because he loved his wealth more than the One standing in front of him.

Jesus has a way of putting His finger on whatever sits on the throne of our hearts. For one person it may be money. For another it could be a relationship, a career, comfort, popularity, or control. Whatever we’re unwilling to surrender has become our idol.

The rich young ruler walked away with everything he owned, but without Jesus.

The disciples left everything to follow Christ, yet they gained far more than they could ever lose. They found forgiveness, purpose, hope, and an eternal family.

Jesus doesn’t want to know how much money you have. He wants to know who is ruling your life. 

Jesus still calls people to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Mark 8:34). The cost of discipleship is real, but nothing we surrender compares to what we gain in Christ.

The question is simple, if Jesus said, “One thing you lack…” what would He name?

The Colossus of Jerusalem

1 Chronicles 21:16

Dale Pollard

In the conclusion of King David’s ill-advised military census, 1 Chronicles 21:16 hits the reader with one of the most terrifying visuals in all of scripture. Having already struck 70,000 Israelites with pestilence, the text records: “David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a sword drawn in his hand extended over Jerusalem.”

This unique phrasing—standing “between heaven and earth” (or “in midair”)—puts an immense angelic entity hovering above the landscape, positioned directly over the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite on Mount Moriah. The sheer shock was enough to make David and the elders of Israel immediately drop face down in sackcloth.

While the text doesn’t explicitly state the height of the Angel of the Lord in cubits or feet, we can speculate on its scale based on geographical vantage points described in the passage:

Visible Across the Topography:

To be seen cleanly by King David from the lower City of David, looking upward toward the higher elevation of Mount Moriah, the angel had to be floating high enough to clear the natural ridgelines.

The Midair Gap:

The Hebrew phrasing implies the entity populated the lower atmosphere—the space visible to the naked human eye. If the angel were human-sized, a figure floating hundreds of feet up would look like a speck in the sky. To terrify an entire royal court into immediate prostration, the figure had to be colossal in scale, easily towering hundreds of feet in apparent height to remain a distinct, detailed, and imposing figure against the clouds.

A Multi-Mile Vision:

The parallel account in 2 Samuel 24 notes that the angel was visible near the borders of the city. An entity occupying the horizon line between earth and sky suggests a titanic figure, comparable to later apocalyptic descriptions where angels have legs like pillars of fire spanning across land and sea.

The size of the weapon is even more telling than the angel itself. The drawn sword was “extended over Jerusalem.”

 Casting a Shadow Over a Capital:

During the Iron Age, the fortified city of Jerusalem spanned roughly 12 to 15 acres. For a weapon to be described as actively stretching over the city, it can’t be conceived as a standard 3-foot infantry blade.

A Weapon of Massive Proportions:

If the blade visually encompassed or pointed across the expanse of the capital, the sword would likely have been hundreds of yards (or even a mile) in length.

The Horizon-Spanning Blade:

To observers on the ground the sword would have looked like terrifying steel (or fire?) cutting across the sky—God’s impending doom suspended directly over their homes. Who wouldn’t fall on their face?

One

Gary Pollard

Today’s article is simply a reading of John 17, Jesus having just laid everything out plainly before his disciples, revealing that he came into the earth from outside of the earth, and will go back the way he came. His prayer is entirely altruistic, a plea for protection and, above all, for unity. 

After Jesus said these things, he looked toward heaven and prayed, “Father, the time has come. Give glory to your Son so that the Son can give glory to you. You gave the Son power over all people so that he could give eternal life to all those you have given to him.And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. I finished the work you gave me to do. I brought you glory on earth. And now, Father, give me glory with you. Give me the glory I had with you before the world was made. 

You gave me some people from the world. I have shown them what you are like. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your teaching. Now they know that everything I have came from you. I told them the words you gave me, and they accepted them. They realized the fact that I came from you and believed that you sent me. I pray for them now. I am not praying for the people in the world. But I am praying for these people you gave me, because they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And my glory is seen in them. Now I am coming to you. I will not stay in the world, but these followers of mine are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. Then they will be one, just as you and I are one. 

While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. I protected them. And only one of them was lost—the one who was destined to be lost. This was to show the truth of what the Scriptures said would happen. I am coming to you now. But I pray these things while I am still in the world. I say all this so that these followers can have the true happiness that I have. I want them to be completely happy. I have given them your teaching. And the world has hated them, because they don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world. But I am asking that you keep them safe from the Evil One. They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 

Make them ready for your service through your truth. Your word is truth. I have sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. I am making myself completely ready to serve you. I do this for them, so that they also might be fully qualified for your service. I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. 

Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me.  

I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me. 

Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. Father, you are the one who always does what is right. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these followers of mine know that you sent me. I showed them what you are like, and I will show them again. Then they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will live in them.

Substituting A Pound Of Arsenic For A Pinch Of Salt

Neal Pollard

You go into a hardware store, walk down an aisle, and walk up to a bin, looking for a 1/2″ X 6″ zinc-plated hex lag bolt or a 1/2″ sheet of birch plywood or a 3/4″ galvanized malleable iron tee coupling. Each of these is in a different department, serves a different purpose, has a different look and feel, and has a different value. For each, the size, material, and thickness matters. If you know about home improvement projects, you don’t even think about these things. You know that you wouldn’t build a cabinet with CDX plywood or use a tee coupling as a brake caliper or use a lag bolt as a paint brush. Why? We live in a world of order, with rules, physics, logic, and common sense. 

The same principles apply to aerodynamics, the medical field, architecture, and truly every discipline there is. We expect precision, pattern, and predictable outcomes. This is true in every walk of life, but, somehow, regarding the only part of us that is not material and mortal, we are sometimes told to throw rules, logic, and common sense out the window! 

  • Acts 2:38 says repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, but it means you can be saved by faith without doing either of these.
  • Ephesians 5:19 specifies singing, but you can “do” church music however you prefer.
  • 1 Timothy 2:11-12 forbids a woman to teach or have authority over a man in God’s household, the church (3:15), but if the culture or church leadership permits she can preach, serve as an elder, or teach a Bible class.
  • Matthew 19:9 restricts divorce and remarriage to the exception of fornication (sexual immorality), but we can reinterpret or rationalize away Jesus’ plain teaching on the matter.
  • 1 Corinthians 5 (among other passages) calls for church discipline in the case of unrepentant sins like fornication, abuse, drunkenness, and financial impropriety, but we can handle things a different way (or, more commonly, not handle it at all).
  • 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (Titus 1:5-11) call for specific men to serve as shepherds and overseers of a local church, but people reject that plan for some alternative form of church leadership.
  • Ephesians 5:22-6:4 tell us how the home is to function, with the roles of husband/father, wife/mother, and children, but we can let culture, preference, or self-will replace or alter it.

Truly, as many commands as can be found in scripture, man has the capacity and audacity to twist, change, and pervert it. To do so is to act without divine permission and authority. It is to supplant and replace the ultimate authority with a fatal alternative. God has given us a myriad of illustrations from every corner of our world, to see that where something must be done a specific way we are not at liberty to change that. As truly as three inches does not equal a thousand yards, “x” will not suffice when God’s Word calls for “y.”