Jehovah God Maker of the entire universe served by a well-trained army

You are Jehovah alone; you yourself have made the heavens, even the heaven of the heavens, and all their army, the earth and all that is upon it, the seas and all that is in them; and you are preserving all of them alive; and the army of the heavens are bowing down to you.—Neh. 9:6.

6 “You alone are Jehovah;+ you made the heavens, yes, the heaven of the heavens and all their army, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. And you preserve all of them alive, and the army of the heavens are bowing down to you. 7 You are Jehovah the true God, who chose Aʹbram+ and brought him out of Ur+ of the Chal·deʹans and gave him the name Abraham.+

6 “You are Jehovah alone;+ you yourself have made the heavens,+ [even] the heaven of the heavens, and all their army,+ the earth+ and all that is upon it,+ the seas+ and all that is in them;+ and you are preserving all of them alive; and the army+ of the heavens are bowing down to you. 7 You are Jehovah the [true] God, who chose Aʹbram+ and brought him out of Ur of the Chal·deʹans+ and constituted his name Abraham.+ (Ref.B.)

You alone are Jehovah:

• Exodus 20:3: 3 You must not have any other gods*+ against my face.*
• Deuteronomy 4:35: 35 You—you have been shown, so as to know that Jehovah is the [true] God;+ there is no other besides him.+
• Deuteronomy 4:39: 39 And you well know today, and you must call back to your heart* that Jehovah is the [true] God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.+ There is no other.+

• Deuteronomy 5:7: 7 You must never have any other gods against my face.*+

• Deuteronomy 6:4: 4 “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.*+
• Deuteronomy 32:39: 39 SEE now that I—I am he*+ And there are no gods together with me.+ I put to death, and I make alive.*+ I have severely wounded,+ and I—I will heal,+ And there is no one snatching out of my hand.+
• 1 Kings 8:60: 60 to the end that all the peoples of the earth may know+ that Jehovah is the [true] God.+ There is no other.+
• 2 Kings 17:35: 35 when Jehovah concluded a covenant+ with them and commanded them, saying: “YOU must not fear other gods,+ and YOU must not bow down to them nor serve them* nor sacrifice to them.+

• 2 Kings 19:19: 19 And now, O Jehovah our God,+ save us,+ please, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Jehovah, are God alone.”+
• Psalm 83:18: 18 That people may know+ that you, whose name is Jehovah,+ You alone are the Most High+ over all the earth.+

• Isaiah 37:16: 16 “O Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel,+ sitting upon the cherubs, you alone are the [true] God of all the kingdoms of the earth.+ You yourself have made the heavens and the earth.+
• Isaiah 42:8: 8 “I am Jehovah. That is my name;+ and to no one else shall I give my own glory,+ neither my praise+ to graven images.+
• Isaiah 43:10: 10 “YOU are my witnesses,”*+ is the utterance of Jehovah, “even my servant* whom I have chosen,+ in order that YOU may know+ and have faith in me,+ and that YOU may understand that I am the same One.+ Before me there was no God* formed,+ and after me there continued to be none.*+
• Isaiah 44:6: 6 “This is what Jehovah has said, the King of Israel+ and the Repurchaser of him,+ Jehovah of armies, ‘I am the first and I am the last,+ and besides me there is no God.*+
• Isaiah 44:8: 8 Do not be in dread, YOU people, and do not become stupefied.+ Have I not from that time on caused you individually to hear and told [it] out?+ And YOU are my witnesses.+ Does there exist a God* besides me?+ No, there is no Rock.*+ I have recognized none.’”
• Isaiah 45:5:5 I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.+ With the exception of me there is no God.+ I shall closely gird you, although you have not known me,
• Jeremiah 25:6: 6 And do not walk after other gods* in order to serve them and to bow down to them, that YOU may not offend me with the work of YOUR hands, and that I may not cause calamity to YOU.’+
• Joel 2:27: 27 And YOU people will have to know that I am in the midst of Israel,+ and that I am Jehovah YOUR God and there is no other.+ And my people will not be ashamed to time indefinite.*
• Zechariah 14:9:9 And Jehovah must become king over all the earth.*+ In that day Jehovah will prove to be one,+ and his name one.+
• Mark 12:29: 29 Jesus answered: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah* our God is one Jehovah,*+
• 1 Corinthians 8:4: 4 Now concerning the eating+ of foods offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing+ in the world,* and that there is no God but one.+
• 1 Corinthians 8:6:6 there is actually to us one God*+ the Father,+ out of whom all things are, and we for him;+ and there is one Lord,+ Jesus Christ,+ through whom all things are,+ and we through him.

made the heavens and the earth:

• Genesis 1:1: 1 In [the] beginning*+ God*+ created+ the heavens and the earth.+
• Psalm 8:3: 3 When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers,+ The moon and the stars that you have prepared,+
• Psalm 8:6: 6 You make him dominate over the works of your hands;+ Everything you have put under his feet:+
• Psalm 102:25: 25 Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth itself,+ And the heavens are the work of your hands.+
• Psalm 104:5: 5 He has founded the earth upon its established places;+ It will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.+
• Psalm 136:6: 6 To the One laying out* the earth above the waters:+For his loving-kindness is to time indefinite;+
• Psalm 146:6: 6 The Maker of heaven and earth,+Of the sea, and of all that is in them,+ The One keeping trueness to time indefinite,+
• Proverbs 8:29: 29 when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order,*+ when he decreed the foundations of the earth,+
• Job 26: 7: 7 He stretches out the northern sky* over empty space,*+Suspending the earth upon nothing;
• Job 38:4:  4 Where did you happen to be when I founded the earth?+ Tell [me], if you do know understanding.
• Job 38:8-11: 8 And who barricaded the sea behind doors+ When it burst out from the womb, 9 When I clothed it with clouds And wrapped* it in thick gloom, 10 When I established my limit for it And put its bars and doors in place,+ 11 And I said, ‘You may come this far, and no farther; Here is where your proud waves will stop’?+
• Psalm 102:25: 25 Long ago you laid the foundations of the earth itself,+ And the heavens are the work of your hands.+
• Psalm 104:2: 2 You are wrapped in light+ as with a garment; You stretch out the heavens like a tent cloth.+
• Isaiah 42:5: 5 This is what the [true] God, Jehovah, has said, the Creator of the heavens+ and the Grand One stretching* them out;+ the One laying out the earth+ and its produce,+ the One giving breath*+ to the people on it,+ and spirit to those walking in it:+
• Isaiah 44: 24: 24 This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser,+ Who formed you since you were in the womb: “I am Jehovah, who made everything. I stretched out the heavens by myself,+ And I spread out the earth.+Who was with me?
• Isaiah 48:13: 13 My own hand laid the foundation of the earth,+ And my right hand spread out the heavens.+ When I call to them, they stand up together.
• Hebrews 1:10: 10 And: “You at [the] beginning, O Lord, laid the foundations of the earth itself, and the heavens are [the] works of your hands.+
• Revelation 10:6: 6 and by the One who lives+ forever and ever,+ who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth+ and the things in it and the sea and the things in it,*+ he swore: “There will be no delay*+ any longer;
  Revelation 14:7: 7 saying in a loud voice: “FEAR God+ and give him glory,+ because the hour of the judgment by him has arrived,+ and so worship the One who made+ the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.”+

and all their army:

• Genesis 2:1: 2 Thus the heavens and the earth and all their army came to their completion.+

• Psalm 148:2: 2 Praise him, all YOU his angels.+ Praise him, all YOU his army.+
• Jeremiah 32:18: 18 the One exercising loving-kindness toward thousands,+ and repaying the error of the fathers into the bosom of their sons after them,+ the [true] God,* the great One,+ the mighty One,*+ Jehovah of armies+ being his name,+

• Matthew 26:53: 53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than twelve legions of angels?+

all that is on it:

• Isaiah 45:18: 18 For this is what Jehovah has said, the Creator of the heavens,+ He the [true] God,+ the Former of the earth and the Maker of it,+ He the One who firmly established it,+ who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited:+ “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.+

the seas:

• Genesis 1:10: 10 And God began calling the dry land Earth,+ but the bringing together of the waters he called Seas.+ Further, God saw that [it was] good.+
• Exodus 20:11: 11 For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them,+ and he proceeded to rest* on the seventh day.+ That is why Jehovah blessed the sabbath day and proceeded to make it sacred.*+
• Job 38:8: 8 And [who] barricaded the sea with doors,*+ Which began to go forth as when it burst out from the womb;
• Psalm 146:6: 6 The Maker of heaven and earth,+ Of the sea, and of all that is in them,+ The One keeping trueness to time indefinite,+
• Proverbs 8:29: 29 when he set for the sea his decree that the waters themselves should not pass beyond his order,*+ when he decreed the foundations of the earth,+
• Acts 4:24: 24 Upon hearing this they with one accord raised their voices to God+ and said: “Sovereign+ Lord,* you are the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them,+
• Revelation 10:6: 6 and by the One who lives+ forever and ever,+ who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth+ and the things in it and the sea and the things in it,*+ he swore: “There will be no delay*+ any longer;

and all that is in them:

• Genesis 1: 20-21: 20 Then God said: “Let the waters swarm with living creatures,* and let flying creatures fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”*+ 21 And God created the great sea creatures* and all living creatures* that move and swarm in the waters according to their kinds and every winged flying creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

• Exodus 20:11: 11 For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them,+ and he proceeded to rest* on the seventh day.+ That is why Jehovah blessed the sabbath day and proceeded to make it sacred.*+
• Leviticus 11: 10: 10 But anything in the seas and in the rivers that has no fins and scales, among all the swarming creatures and of every other living creature* that is in the waters, it is a loathsome thing for you.

• Psalm 146:6:  6 The Maker of heaven and earth,+ Of the sea, and of all that is in them,+ The One keeping trueness to time indefinite,+

• Acts 4:24: 24 Upon hearing this they with one accord raised their voices to God+ and said: “Sovereign+ Lord,* you are the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them,+
• Acts 14:15: 15 and saying: “Men, why are YOU doing these things? We also are humans+ having the same infirmities+ as YOU do, and are declaring the good news to YOU, for YOU to turn from these vain+ things to the living God,+ who made the heaven+ and the earth and the sea and all the things in them.
• Revelation 10:6: 6 and by the One who lives+ forever and ever,+ who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth+ and the things in it and the sea and the things in it,*+ he swore: “There will be no delay*+ any longer;
• Revelation 14:7:7 saying in a loud voice: “FEAR God+ and give him glory,+ because the hour of the judgment by him has arrived,+ and so worship the One who made+ the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.”+

 and the army of the heavens are bowing down to you:

• 1 Kings 22:19: 19 And he went on to say: “Therefore hear the word of Jehovah:+ I certainly see Jehovah sitting upon his throne+ and all the army of the heavens standing by him, to his right and to his left.+

• Psalm 103:21:21 Bless Jehovah, all YOU armies of his,+ You ministers of his, doing his will.*+

• Psalm 148:2: 2 Praise him, all YOU his angels.+ Praise him, all YOU his army.+
• Luke 2: 13-14: 13 Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army,+ praising God and saying: 14 “Glory in the heights above to God, and on earth peace among men of goodwill.”*

*

Yes, Jehovah God created the entire universe, made up of countless galaxies of stars. Equally marvellous, he created everything on our beautiful planet with its amazing ability to sustain an astonishing variety of life—life that keeps reproducing according to its kind. Witnessing all of this were the holy angels of God, who can also be described as “the army of the heavens.” (1 Ki. 22:19; Job 38:4, 7) Moreover, the angels humbly do God’s will by ministering to sinful humans “who are going to inherit salvation.” (Heb. 1:14) What a splendid example the angels set for us as we serve Jehovah unitedly like a well-trained army!—1 Cor. 14:33, 40. w13 10/15 3:9

Sing to Jehovah, Jehovah’s Witnesses’ current hymnal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

+

Preceding articles:

Terwyl ons Jehovah eendragtig soos ’n goed opgeleide leër dien

Jehova ebenfalls wie ein gut ausgebildetes „Heer“ demütig und vereint dienen

Jehovah God Maker van het universum gediend door een getraind leger

Servons Jéhovah Dieu, qui créé l’univers entier et ses innombrables galaxies, dans l’unité

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Other articles of interest:

1. God, the Father, the Sole Creator of Heaven and Earth
2. Creator of heaven and earth and everything aroundיהוה
3. Almighty God above all other gods greater than all gods
4. The Almighty Lord God of gods King above all gods
5. Jehovah God Almighty greater than all gods
6. El Shaddai Who appeared unto Abraham
7. God about His name “יהוה“
8. No man see the Almighty God and live
9. How Many Persons Created the Heavens and the Earth?
10. God’s Word Framing universe
11. Coming to the creation of human beings in the image of God
12. Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man
13. El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live
14. Al-Fatiha [The Opening/De Opening] Süra 1:1-3 In the name of Allah the Merciful Lord Of The Creation
15. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
16. Fixing our attention
17. Only worship the Creator of all things
18. A race not to swift, nor a battle to the strong
19. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong
20. Running of good courage, away from the body
21. Displeasure of יהוה , Jehovah the God of gods, and His wrath against all the gentiles their divisions
22. Searching, light, fear and deliverance
23. Focussing on oneness with Jesus like Jesus is one with God
24. Give thanks to יהוה! For He is good, For His kindness is everlasting
25. Psalm 150 Praise Jah, You people!
26. Praise and give thanks to God the Most Highest
27. Praise Jehovah
28. Song of Praise for the Elohim Set-Apart
29. Songs of Moses and the servants of God

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Related articles

• The Name of the Lord is One (Zech. 14:9)
• The Vilification of Nature
• Genesis 14
• Not good enough

Praying and acts of meditation without ceasing

Looking for solutions

In Natural inclinations and Praying and asking we saw that we are recommended to Pray without ceasing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

With what may we not stop and what is that action of prayer all about?

We can see that in many religions the believers do take time to meditate and to go deep into themselves. It is like they are doing a sort of exercise to come into contact with themselves or with elements outside them. In many religions we can see that time spend in ‘prayer’ may bring pleasant thoughts into their mind.

Many do hope to find solutions for their many questions and for things that happened around them. They expect their prayer to be a way of miraculously solving impossible situations. For many prayer and meditation time is a religious ritual to become holy and to higher themselves above a previous situation.

What is general, is that their prayer is also a confession of their faith, and an indication of what they believe and whom they want to honour.

Not an innocent playful act

It is not such an innocent act as it may look at first sight. For the Divine Creator it is even a very important part of life of His creatures to show their awe and respect for the Most High Elohim. Truly followers of the Lord Jesus Christ must, like him, be guided in all matters of faith and practice by what the Bible teaches about this act of adoration, glorification and communication with the God of gods.

The Bible leaves us in no doubt that believers ought to pray:

“Men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“In everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6, R.S.V.).

To fail to pray is regarded as a sin; Samuel the prophet declared:

“God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).

Being conscious of inner needs

Today there are many who are afraid to show others their needs and even more afraid to let others know they would ask solace or guidance by someone Who can not be seen, touched or heard.

Nothing has changed with the past. All days there have been people with many questions, people having great difficulty in coping with life, facing seemingly insuperable problems. We may be conscious of our failings and desire some kind of spiritual cleansing; we may be trying to search out the meaning of life. In fact the very problems which confront us have a significance in emphasizing to us that for all man’s great achievements, we are frequently helpless in the midst of human failure. Failure is more often at the start of the road to God than success.

In the Gospels we read of men who commanded great armies, of people in high office in government, of mothers and fathers seeking the best for their children, of farmers and fishermen, tradesmen and craftsmen — people of all types and backgrounds who sought out the Lord Jesus Christ because some need or other could not be fulfilled elsewhere. And as we see Jesus always finding time to listen, to advise, to help, we see how he reveals to us the character of his Father:

“Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, R.S.V.).

The Bible makes it clear that God wants to help us. We should never feel that it is only good people that He will hear. In fact if we think we are rather good and managing quite well on our own, the chances are we shall be less inclined to rely upon God.

With meditating we are not thinking of philosophical or Zen-meditation. We mean by meditating taking time to set yourself apart to think about matters of life and to think about what you have done, want to do, have read and how you are going to apply it with the knowledge you can get from the Holy Scriptures.

Meditation

Meditating girl on beach

Meditation is a means of transforming your mind, letting that what you have learned from the Holy Scriptures to work in you and to transform your character. It is making your mind free of the pollution this world brings every day to you. Meditating is the willingness to make time free for your own mind, letting God’s Spirit enter into your life. Therefore you can use different techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being. With regular work and patience these nourishing, focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly peaceful and energised states of mind. Such experiences can have a transformative effect and can lead to a new understanding of life.

Meditation is making yourself prepared to go deeper in yourself and to examine your life-path. It is an exercise not to miss our experiences because we are somewhere else in our mind. It is a willingness to for a moment forget the daily worries, work or school, and to look at what really should be our main focus in our daily life. In ordinary life, we tend to equate focus with concentration. That’s like using the mind like a concentrated beam of light. But in meditation, that kind of mind isn’t helpful. It’s too sharp and edgy. To focus in meditation means to pay soft attention to whatever you place in the centre of awareness.

Conscious of a need

In the hectic life we get in this world it is our aim to take distance of the worldly matters and to get to know the more important spiritual matters.

As such we do need to take time of our daily duties to come closer to the Most Important person in our life. It is taking time for the Most High Elohim because we are conscious of a higher need and we recognize that God alone can meet that need. To accept that God can do what we cannot do is to bow to His greatness, to acknowledge His infinite wisdom. When we do set us apart from the worldly business, come close in our own cocoon, we open ourselves to the Only One God, who is our Maker but also our Protector. It is to Him we do want to give our soul, our spirit, our thinking and our handling. In the time we set ourselves apart, we want to come as close as possible to Him, or as close as possible we can get at the moment. To Him we want to give that special time and give our most valuable moment of the day.

In that time of silence and personal withdrawal of the world, we want to give our voice to God to let Him know how we want to be with Him and how we do know we need Him. Coming in seclusion we can find ways to have a conversation with that Most High Spirit. Then we can come to talk to Him and pray. Not only asking Him things for our welfare, but also thanking Him for what we had already and for what we still are going to receive.  This is praise. Praise, when it finds expression in words, is an attempt to describe the ways in which God is superior to man; it is to give God glory. Through praise we reflect on what God is, and what resources He has to meet our need.

Listening to God

Praying is not only speaking to God, but it is also opening up your mind to Him to listen to Him. Since God knows best, we must listen to what He says to us. In prayer we have a communication tool we can use every moment of the day. In it we do have an other means, next to the Bible, for God speaking to us.

We do have god’s Word given to us in the Holy Scriptures. The Bible should be our lead and most important guide through life. Through it we can hear God speaking to us in a Book of books given by inspiration of God, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that we as children of God may be perfect. (2 Timothy 3:16).

How people like to turn it, prayer is inseparable connected with the Words of God, given in the Bible. Our prayer should be build on the knowledge we get from those Holy Scriptures. The Words of the Bible with our prayer, should be fused with our knowledge and understanding of the Word of God. For prayer is communication with God. The communication is two-way. It is not enough that we should speak to God. He expects us to listen to Him. In fact, we shall often be better occupied meditating on His Word than trying to talk to Him at great length. It is no use to over and over repeat the same words. The Bible itself warns:

“Let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

The Lord Jesus himself emphasizes this point:

“When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7).

We should remember that silence is healing. Nothing beats simple silence. We do not need music background to drown out the chatter in our mind. When we sit in silence we actually get to experience what our mind is doing. There is steadiness and calmness that comes from sitting in silence. In time outer and inner silence meet and you come to rest in the moment. It is in such moments that we also can give way for God’s Spirit to enter our universe.

Coming to God

Jesus clearly knew Who was the Most High to give all honour of what he could do. Jesus was thankful and hopeful to His heavenly Father, which he recognised as the Only True God.

Praying should be a coming to God, not to put us in the forefront row, being full of ourselves, ready to tell Him what we think. That would be like the person who asks a question, not because he wants to know the answer’, but because he wants the opportunity to air his own knowledge. Our vanity and pride, we must put aside and we should be humble enough not to propose our thoughts as the best ones, but to allow God to see that we are really willing to hear what He thinks best for us. Like Jesus did not want to do his own will, which he would have done when he would have been God, we also like Jesus should know that we can not do anything without Jesus his heavenly Father. Jesus was well aware that he could not do anything without the Hand of God.  He too prayed to his heavenly Father, and not to himself. He too had questions about his relationship with his Father up high, and even at one moment dared to ask why He (God) had abandoned him (Jesus). Like Jesus not being afraid to ask such matters to the Most High, we too should dare to go to Him (Jehovah God). Jesus prepared the way to the Divine Creator and we should be thankful for that and use it.If we come to God as those who do not know the answers and believe that He does, then what folly if we ignore what He has already told us through the Scriptures! Rather we must read them regularly and reflect on them in order that we may attune our minds to the mind of God, as the words of a hymn direct us:

“Inspirer of the ancient seers,
Who wrote from Thee the sacred page,
A light for all succeeding years,
A lamp in this degenerate age:
Wisdom to us Thy words impart,
And with Thy comfort fill our heart.”

The many examples of prayer in the Bible make it clear that God responds only when man prays in accordance with His will. After all, God knows best what is in man’s interests and can control events accordingly.

Right Relationship with God

Jesus showed us how we should behave, live and pray. He gave the example how our relationship should be with other humans but also with God. We can only come to a good prayer and a fulfilling meditation when we open our hearts to God and our willingness to have a good relationship with Him.

First of all naturally we do need to know God, have to understand His position and should be willing to accept His position. In the bible we are told that there can be life eternal for us as human beings, but then we shall have to accept the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the son God so loved He has taken him with Him to sit next to Him to be the mediator between God and man. (John 17:3, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 12:24; John 3:16; Matthew 3:17). Many in Christendom do say to know God, but take also Jesus to be God and do not mind bowing down in front of pictures of their god, though God made it very clear that there is only One True God of Whom no pictures may be made and certainly may not be bowed down for. Such knowledge is to be found, in the first instance, in the inspired writings of the Bible-and nowhere else. But to know God is not simply to know about Him. When a husband and wife know each other, they do not just have in their minds a pen-portrait of their partner. Their knowledge is intimate and deep, because of the nature of their relationship. It depends upon continued, regular contact, the acceptance of responsibilities and the desire to grow in knowledge and understanding of each other.

To acknowledge one’s need as a sinner, whose imperfection is in marked contrast to the glorious perfection of God’s character; to develop that “poor and contrite” spirit, which desires to be moved by the power of God through His Word, as the leaves on a tree tremble at the passing of a breath of wind; to realize from the knowledge of God’s gracious dealings with men and women of past ages that the same grace can be extended to us today-this is to begin the process of praise and thanksgiving which marks the beginning of uttered prayer.

Commands to obey

It is all to easy just to want all our wishes to be fulfilled. Would that not be selfish? Would that be taking notice of the Will of God?

For many people prayer consists of asking God for favours. For some the proof of whether God is actually there or not consists of testing out whether God will grant a particular request. Did not Jesus say:

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find” (Matthew 7:7)

There is no room here for the casual or the careless. God is in heaven, man upon earth. We cannot assume familiarity or presume upon His loving kindness. It is God’s to command, ours to obey. We cannot call God “Our Father“, without at the same time hallowing His name. And we cannot do that unless we seek to do His will upon earth as it is done in heaven. If we are to benefit from the privilege of being called His sons and daughters, we must, after serious consideration, come within His family:

“Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3).

We are told how Jesus welcomed little children and took them up in his arms. In this he reflected the character of his Father, who welcomes all who seek Him in sincerity and simplicity. But whereas the particular purpose of God at the time of the Lord’s ministry and during the subsequent establishment of the ecclesiae involved frequent miraculous signs that this was indeed the Lord at work, we shall be sadly misled if we expect God to work a miracle in response to every request we make.

This is not to say that God’s power is not demonstrated today, or to imply that God is not interested in us. There is a children’s prayer which simply states a truth:

“God always listens whenever we pray,
He’s never too busy to hear what we say.

No time to stop

The world goes on and the end-times come closer. This will not make it easier for believing and God fearing people. They shall be tested more.

It might be easy to say

“let go of your anxiety.” (Matthew 6:34)

Now the time is near it is even more important not to stop to study the Bible regularly and to spend time in conversation with God. “In everything” – without exception and at every opportunity – we should pray. Pray in supplication – humble in treaty – with thanksgiving! Knowing that the prayer will be answered according to His will and in His time.

Praying in the family

Most of us spend lots of time after daily work, in front of the television or enjoying themselves with lots of pastures time, giving enough time to the entertainment industry. Churchgoing has lessened a lot. Not many are spending time with the family together studying the Word of God and contemplating what the Most High wants from us.

Most of us do not take enough time to be on their own and to be with their Creator. When we do love Him, we should, like we do with our most beloved, spend enough time with Him.

We may not cease to pray earnestly and give our worries to Jehovah, our God. Our willing to be with Him should give or be the pulse of your life in Christ. If that pulse is weak or erratic then that life is ebbing away. We need to pray. Alone and in community, we need to pray. And so much the more as we see the day of Christ drawing near.

Cast aside anxiety about the things of this life and pray. Do this and rejoicing in the Lord will be as natural to you as breathing. You will be happy. Profoundly happy so that even in the most terrible affliction and sorrow there will remain within a vibrant core of joy and hope and faith that no circumstance can affect.

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Find our pamphlet to download in pdf: Does God Hear Prayer?

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Preceding articles:

1. Our openness to being approachable
2. Natural inclinations and Praying and asking
3. Always rejoicing Praying constantly Giving thanks for everything
4. Psalm 66 HRV
5. Psalm 66 OJB

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Additional reading:

1. Walking alone?
2. People Seeking for God 1 Looking for answers
3. Looking for True Spirituality 6 Spirituality and Prayer
4. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
5. 7000 to 20000 words spoken each day
6. Do You Expect God’s Answer
7. Biblical Prayer at Tabernacle Site Shilo
8. Praying and thinking positively
9. Being sure of their deliverance
10. Genuine prayer
11. People who know how to pray to move God to take hold of our affairs in a mighty way
12. Does God hear prayer?
13. Does God answer prayer?
14. God doesn’t call the qualified
15. Work with joy and pray with love
16. Give your worries to God
17. Praise Jehovah
18. “Prayer 2″ – Child Abuse
19. If you think you’re too small to be effective
20. Quit griping about your church
21. What moves mountains? Trust!
22. A Living Faith #7 Prayer
23. God, my father, my closest friend
24. Prayer, important aspect in our life
25. Prayer has comforted us in sorrow
26. Prayer for the day
27. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority
28. Change
29. Prayer has the power to change mountains into highways
30. Try driving forward instead of backwards
31. Preventing us from going window-shopping in prayer
32. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone!
33. Aim High: Examples of Godly Characters to follow
34. Sometimes we pray and pray and it seems like nothing happens.
35. If you do pray you shall not be disappointed
36. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
37. Worship and worshipping
38. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
39. rusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
40. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
41. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
42. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #1 Prosperity
43. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #2 Purity
44. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #1 Listening Sovereign Maker
45. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #2 Witnessing
46. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #3 Callers upon God
47. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #6 Prayer #4 Attitude
48. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #7 Prayer #5 Listening Ear
49. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #8 Prayer #6 Communication and manifestation
50. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #9 Prayer #7 Reason to pray
51. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #10 Prayer #8 Condition
52. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #11 Prayer #9 Making the Name Holy
53. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #12 Prayer #10 Talk to A Friend
54. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #13 Prayer #11 Name to be set apart
55. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #14 Prayer #12 The other name
56. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #15 Exposition before the Creator
57. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #16 Benefits of praying
58. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #17 Sorts of prayers
59. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #18 Fulfilment
60. Praying For What We Want or Don’t Want
61. Continuing Paul’s Prayer Requests
62. Listening and Praying to the Father
63. Communion and day of worship
64. Funeral service only belongs in church building according to Catholic Church

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  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
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  That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ
• Scripture of the Day, 1/16 (sowegalive.com)
  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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  3. The crown of righteousness – All who love the appearing of the Lord.
  4. The crown of life – All who endure trials for Jesus.
  5. The crown of glory – Those who are godly examples to the flock.
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We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price”

We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price,” even ” the precious blood of Christ.” He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. This being so, eternal torment cannot be the penalty for our sins, because our Redeemer, upon whom they were laid, is not suffering eternal woe. He tasted death for every man, and the evidence that His sacrifice was satisfactory is in that lie was raised from the dead by the power of the Father.* (Eph. 1: 18, 19; Acts 2: 24.) Let those who believe in eternal torment ask themselves the solemn question, ” Has a ransom, a propitiation, a corresponding price, a satisfaction, ever been offered for what is due on account of my sins ?”

Since the Scripture teaching on the Ransom makes clear so much that before was not so, it is not surprising that William Tyndale, the great Reformer, said that the doctrine of the Ransom is the “touchstone to try all teachings.” A few illustrations of the Ransom teaching as a “touchstone” have been given. The student will at discretion apply this “stone” to other religious or so-called Bible teachings. Whatever he finds out of harmony with the Ransom is to be rejected
forthwith; time spent with it is wasted. Although there may be beautiful thoughts expressed by some who openly or covertly deny the Ransom, we are not to go through their error for the sake of a few good things which, by the grace of God, we can get from His Word, without wading through a mass of false teaching.

But some one will say that the Apostle commands us to ” prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thes. 5: 21.) It cannot be that the Apostle means that God’s people are to undertake to acquaint themselves with all the details of all the religious teaching in the world. Life is too short for this. He Himself wrote that there was one foundation, Christ, and other foundation can no man lay. If a teaching be presented for our consideration, we are not to shut our eyes and ears, and, as it were, run away from it without knowing what it is. We are to prove it ; and the first question will be, Does it agree with the one foundation, the fact that Jesus “gave Himself a ransom for all ? ” If it do not agree, even though the words ” r a n s o m ” and ” p r o p i t i a t i o n ” be frequently employed, the task of proving it is finished — perhaps in
one minute — and our obligation toward it is discharged in full. If the teaching presented be found to be harmonious with the Ransom, it will be right for us to examine it more closely, and derive whatever blessing we may from its presentations.

The Ransom as a “touchstone” will not only be a test of all teaching brought to it, but it may also be a test of the student, in that some long cherished beliefs may be found to be inconsistent with the faith in the Ransom. Happy will he be to whom the “touchstone” does not become a “stumbling stone and rock of offence,” as it was to the Jews, and is now to a large number in Christendom. — 1 Cor. 1: 2 3 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 8.

-NCA 1929, April, p. 29

“2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:2-3 NAS)

“and, “A Stone Of Stumbling And A Rock Of Offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this [doom] they were also appointed.” (1 Peter 2:8 NAS)

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NAS)

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In I Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul exhorts the brethren not to practise sin, because (v. 19) “. . . ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price.”

Bought with a Price

Now just how was this transaction fulfilled? Was the Lord Jesus as a sinless spirit being in heaven, and before He came to the earth, so valuable that His life was of sufficient worth to cover the whole human race? or so valuable as to be worth more than all the human race?

Some Christians think along these lines. Yet this is not the way the Scriptures describe the transaction.

The Scriptures say that He “gave himself a ransom for all.” Ransom means “corresponding price,” or “a price to correspond.” When we go into a shop to buy an article we are told the price. We hand over the counter just exactly the price demanded for the purchase of that article. The seller hands over the article, which now belongs to the purchaser. The article has changed hands at a price satisfactory to both parties. If the shopkeeper likes he may quite rightly and justly give you your money back, and you may justly retain the article also, receiving the price as a gift along with the
purchase. Thus, you see, everything is quite in order, and each party to the transaction is still perfectly satisfied.

Just so, along lines somewhat similar, was the ransom or corresponding price paid for the purchase of the human race, and himself, the price paid by Jesus the Purchaser, was returned to Him when He was raised from death by the Father, to whom He had offered himself without spot.

-NCA 1929,May p. 104

The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus was born, got a beginning, after the many years he was been promised to come. After he learned how to behave and what to do, getting the Bible teaching from his earthly parents (Mary and Joseph) and his Jewish teachers in his parents community (the Essenes) he came into the public around the age of thirty and had himself baptised by his cousin John. At the moment he raised from the water the heavens opened and God declared that there the world could see His beloved son.

“16 And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, [and] coming upon Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”” (Matthew 3:16-17 NAS)

It was by that son of man and son of God that we could find salvation because it was God Who did raise an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David His servant.  As such the salvation is of the Jews, but Jesus, who only wanted to do the Will of his Father, was not recognised by the majority of the Jews as the Messiah. They rejected him, but Jesus invited all to come to him and to accept him as the Way.

It was for all people that Jesus voluntary gave his body to be brought on the ‘slaughter bank’ by impalement, coming his life to  an end. The God of gods Who is the Most High and can not die made Jesus than higher than the angels (though he was lower than them before) and took him to sit at His right hand to become a mediator between God and man.

It is God’s wish that  all flesh shall see the salvation of God. And those who want to belong to the Body of Christ do have to take care that many people come to see who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. They have to take care that people come to know what they worship and that they get a  “stedfast” belief in the Word, and become of all accepted worthy, that Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners,  for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.

For God did not send His son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him, and find hope for all of their beloved, a chance to enter the Kingdom of God for free, because the Ransom is paid by Christ Jesus.  And there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that has been given among men, in which it behoved us to be saved.

As followers of Christ, bought free by him, we should present ourselves also to him and his heavenly Father.  For it was becoming to Him, because of whom are all things, and through whom are all things, many sons to glory bringing, the author of their salvation through sufferings to make perfect.

“And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant — ” (Luke 1:69 NAS)

“And All Flesh Shall See The Salvation Of  God.’”” (Luke 3:6 NAS)

“”You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” (John 4:22 NAS)

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost [of all.]” (1 Timothy 1:15 NAS)

“”For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”” (Luke 19:10 NAS)

“”For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.” (John 3:17 NAS)

“”And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”” (Acts 4:12 NAS)

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10 NAS)

“Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” (John 14:6 NAS)

The Servant of his Father asks from us also to become servants for God, for Christ and for each-other. To be worthy to come in front of the heavenly Father we do have to Flee from Immorality and have to do our best to stay clean and worthy to enter the gates of the Kingdom. We thereby should always Remember the day that we were running in the darkness and should therefore be patient with others trying to bring them to God. Christians do have the task to tell others why we need a ransom, and to let there eyes be opened to come to see that there is a Ransom for all.

No person has greater love than this one who surrendered his soul in behalf of his friends. In the ransom by Jesus Love is been perfected with us.

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Preceding articles:

You do not belong to yourselves,for you were bought with a price

Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price

Nazarene Commentary 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Flee from Immorality

To be continued with: How Many were Bought

Find also on this subject / Vindt ook over dit onderwerp:

In English Atonement and the race been bought

In het Nederlands: Verzoening en de gekochte race

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Additional articles:

1. Trouble is coming
2. Nazarene Commentary Luke 1:67-80 – Zechariah’s Prophecy
3. God’s Special Gift
4. A Living Faith #1 Substance of things hoped for
5. One mediator
6. Why do we need a ransom?
7. Ransom for all
8. Suffering redemptive because Jesus redeemed us from sin
9. Love been perfected with us
10. No person has greater love than this one who surrendered his soul in behalf of his friends
11. Your Sins Are Forgiven
12. Called Christian
13. Servant of his Father
14. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
15. Remember the day
16. Patient waiting
17. Fellowship
18. Being of good courage running the race

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  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Paying vows to Jehovah God

66  Shout in triumph to God, all [YOU people of] the earth.*+ ²   Make melody to the glory of his name.+ Render his praise glorious.+ (NWT 1984)

1-2: Shout in triumph to God, all the earth.+ ²   Sing praises {Or “Make music.”} to his glorious name. Make his praise glorious.+ (NWT 2013 rev)

Shout… all the earth: Lit., “O all the earth,” with a pl. verb. Compare 1Ki 10:24 ftn, “Earth.”

Psalm 98:4: ⁴   Shout in triumph to Jehovah, all the earth. Be cheerful and shout joyfully and sing praises.

Make his praise glorious:

Psalm 72:19:¹⁹  May his glorious name be praised forever, And may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

Revelation 4:11: ¹¹  “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”

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⁸   Bless our God, O YOU peoples,+  And cause the voice of praise to him to be heard.+ ⁹   He is setting our soul in life,*+  And he has not allowed our foot to totter.+ (NWT 1984)

⁸   Praise our God, you peoples,+ And let the sound of his praise be heard. ⁹   He preserves us alive;*+ He does not allow our feet to stumble.*+ (NWT 2013 rev)

you peoples:

Deuteronomy 32:43: ⁴³  Be glad, YOU nations, with his people, For he will avenge the blood of his servants, And he will pay back vengeance to his adversaries And will indeed make atonement for the ground of his people.” / ⁴³  Be glad, you nations, with his people, For he will avenge the blood of his servants, And he will repay vengeance to his adversaries And will make atonement for the land of his people.”

Romans 15:10: ¹⁰  And again he says: “Be glad, YOU nations, with his people.”

the voice of praise to him to be heard:

Jeremiah 33:11: ¹¹  the sound of exultation and the sound of rejoicing, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those saying: “LAUD Jehovah of armies, for Jehovah is good; for to time indefinite is his loving-kindness!”’ “‘They will be bringing a thanksgiving offering into the house of Jehovah, for I shall bring back the captives of the land just as at the start,’ Jehovah has said.”

setting our soul in life {Or, “among the living ones.”}{Or “sets our soul in life.”}:

1 Samuel 25:29: ²⁹  When man rises up to pursue you and look for your soul, the soul of my lord will certainly prove to be wrapped up in the bag of life with Jehovah your God; but, as for the soul of your enemies, he will sling it forth as from inside the hollow of the sling. / ²⁹  When someone rises up to pursue you and seeks your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag of life with Jehovah your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away like stones from a sling.

Acts 17:28: ²⁸  For by him we have life and move and exist, even as certain ones of the poets among YOU have said, ‘For we are also his progeny.’

he has not allowed our foot to totter / stumble: Or “stagger; totter.”

1 Samuel 2:9: ⁹   The feet of his loyal ones he guards; As for the wicked ones, they are silenced in darkness, For not by power does a man prove superior. / ⁹   He guards the steps of his loyal ones, But the wicked will be silenced in darkness, For not by power does a man prevail.

Psalm 62:6: ⁶   Indeed he is my rock and my salvation, my secure height; I shall not be made to totter.

Psalm 94:18: ¹⁸  When I said: “My foot will certainly move unsteadily,” Your own loving-kindness, O Jehovah, kept sustaining me.

Psalm 121:3: ³   He cannot possibly allow your foot to totter. The One guarding you cannot possibly be drowsy. / ³   He will never allow your foot to slip. The One guarding you will never be drowsy.

 

The Geneva Bible (1560): God’s name Iehouah (in older Latin transcription form), that is Jehovah. Greek/Ελληνικά: Η μεταγραφή Ιεχουά (Ιεχωβά) στο εδάφιο Ψαλμός 83:18, από την Βίβλο της Γενεύης (Geneva Bible) του 1560. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Preceding articles:

An academic year ending, again a new year standing ready for us

Psalm 66 OJB

Psalm 66 HRV

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  +
  The glory of our Creator is declared in all that we see.
  Yet, we have a voice in His glory through all that we know of His creation.
• Week 15: Friday – The Great I am (bolmdevotional.wordpress.com)
  God gives a name to a person it usually signifies character, ability or mission.
• Morning Prayer 7.17.14, William White, Bishop of Pennsylvania, 1836 (dailyoffice.org)
  Come, let us sing to the Lord;
  let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
  Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving;
  and raise to the Lord a shout with psalms.
  For the Lord is a great God;
  you are great above all gods.
• Lord’s Day 50: The Only Source of Everything Good (urcpsalmody.wordpress.com)
  Contrary to our human instincts, the motivation for praying “Give us this day our daily bread” has nothing to do with worry.  Only a few verses after setting forth the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus directly tells his disciples, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on” (Matt. 6:25 ESV).  The point is not whether we will have “our daily bread”—we will—but that our eyes are turned in the right direction; that we understand that our heavenly Father is indeed “the only source of everything good.”

Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:8-14 – Angels and Shepherds in the Night

Luke 2:8-14 – Angels and Shepherds in the Night

LK2:8 Now there were shepherds[1] in the same area who were living outside keeping watch at night[2] over their flock. LK2:9 Then YHWH’s angel[3] appeared to them and YHWH’s glory[4] shone all around them and so they became frightened with a great fear. LK2:10 And the angel said to them: “Do not be frightened. For, behold, I declare to all of you a great joy for all the people. LK2:11 Because today there was born to you in David’s city a savior[5] who is Lord Messiah.[6] LK2:12 And this will be your sign – you will find an infant wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” LK2:13 Then suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of celestial armies[7] praising The God and saying: LK2:14 “Glory to God in the heights, and on earth peace among men of goodwill!”[8]

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[1] Shepherds: Though Luke compiled his Gospel thirty years later it is still possible he was able to interview one or more of these shepherds. Certainly he could get facts from their children who would have been told the story.

[2] Living outside keeping watch at night: Suggesting it was not yet winter and was mild enough in the fall to sleep outdoors.

[3] YHWH’s angel: A Hebraism that occurs often in the Old Testament. [Genesis 16:7; Exodus 3:2; Numbers 22:22]

[4] YHWH’s glory: A Hebraism. [Exodus 16:7, 10; 24:16, 17; 40:34, 35]

[5] A savior: Or, deliverer. The Greek SOTER is without the article. The designation is used of God and judges of Israel. [Isaiah 19:20]

[6] Lord Messiah: Or, Christ, Anointed Lord, Messiah and Lord, Christ the Lord. [Daniel 9:24, 25]

[7] A multitude of celestial armies: Or, KJV: a multitude of the heavenly host; GDS: a throng of the heavenly army; AMP: an army of the troops of heaven.

[8] Peace among men of goodwill: Or, on earth peace, good will toward men; RSV: among men with whom he is pleased; ABU: peace toward men of his good pleasure; MON: among men who please him. [Isaiah 9:6] Compare Jesus’ use of Isaiah 61:2 at Luke 4:19.

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Preceding: Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:1-7 – A Firstborn’s Birth In Bethlehem

Next: Nazarene Commentary Luke 2:15-20 – Shepherds Find the Infant Christ

The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds – 1634, Rembrandt (1606–1669)

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