“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” Jeremiah 5:30-31

The prophet Jeremiah warned God’s people of the coming judgment and called upon them all to repent of their sins and return to the LORD God for mercy and forgiveness, right up to the end of the southern kingdom when the Babylonian armies executed God’s judgments upon Judah and Jerusalem and carried away those who survived as captives. God had even offered to spare Jerusalem for the sake of one righteous man, but none was found (Jer. 5:1).

Jeremiah’s prophecy in chapter five concludes with these words: “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:30-31).

The unbelievable and horrible thing which had happened in Jerusalem and Judah was that the prophets had departed from speaking the words of the LORD and prophesied falsely, telling the people that God was pleased with them and would not execute judgment against them. And the priests ruled the people by their own means and authority rather than in accord with God’s Word and calling, and the people loved to have it so.

The chapter ends with a question: “And what will ye do in the end thereof?” What would the people do when God’s judgment comes and they had continued on in impenitence and unfaithfulness to the LORD God who created them and redeemed them?

Sad to say Jeremiah’s words apply equally well in our day, to our churches and to spiritual leaders and to our land.

It is a shocking and horrible thing, but it is true. Our land and our churches are filled with prophets and pastors who twist and reject the clear and plain words of God which are recorded in the Bible to make them less offensive to their hearers. Instead of speaking for God, they speak on their own authority and proclaim their own views and opinions. Instead of rebuking sin and calling upon people to repent and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His cross as the only hope for lost and condemned sinners, they make people comfortable in their sins.

And, of course, the people love to have it so. Instead of going to a church where the pastor points out and rebukes sin as sin (meriting God’s anger and judgment) and calls upon all to repent and look in faith to Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross to obtain God’s mercy and forgiveness, people choose to go to churches where their sins are accepted as the norm and where they will never be warned of God’s wrath and impending judgment upon sinners.

Instead of going to churches where the pastors speak for God and proclaim what God says in the Bible, they go to churches where the pastors speak their own opinions and hold forth the views of a “feel-good Christianity.”

God’s question in Jeremiah 5 still applies today: “And what will ye do in the end thereof?”

What will our people do who have not endured sound doctrine but, having itching ears, have heaped to themselves teachers who preach in accord with their own sinful ways and desires (2 Tim. 4:3)? What will they do when God’s judgment comes? Sad to say, many will hear Jesus say, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:23).

And, what will you do? If you are following the false teaching of so many preachers of our day and feel comfortable in your sinful ways, if you think that God is happy with you and will not judge you, perhaps because of your good works and life, what will you do when God comes in judgment and you learn that He does not grade on a curve, that He does not wink at sin, that He demands a perfect score in regard to your love for Him and your obedience to all His commandments? Cf. Matt. 5:20, 48; Lev. 19:2; Gal. 3:10; Rom. 3:9ff.

There is only one good answer! And that answer is to repent of your sinful ways and look in faith to Jesus Christ! Jesus fulfilled all God’s commandments perfectly in your stead, and Jesus Christ suffered and died to bear the full punishment for your sins and the sins of all. His resurrection on the third day is proof that God accepted His sacrifice for the sins of the world. Cf. Gal. 3:13; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 3:21ff.; 4:23ff.

Those who look in faith to Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross have God’s mercy and forgiveness — they will not be condemned in the day of judgment (John 5:24). But those who do not repent and look to Christ in faith remain under the wrath and condemnation of God for eternity.

It is as John writes in his Gospel: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (3:36)!

Have mercy upon me, O God, for I have sinned and gone astray. Grant to me Your pardon and forgiveness for the sake of Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for the sins of the world. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Lesson Four

The Ten Commandments

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.…” Exodus 20:1-3

1. What right does God have to give us His commandments?

Exodus 20:2: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

Isaiah 43:1: “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.’”

Ephesians 2:4-10: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

2 Corinthians 5:15: “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

God says, “I am the LORD your God.” He is JEHOVAH God, the Creator of all things. He is the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the only true God! He redeemed His people from bondage in Egypt. In fulfillment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God brought the people out of Egypt and was leading them to the land of Canaan, where He would fulfill His promise to send the Seed of Abraham – the promised Messiah and Savior – through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed (cf. Genesis 22:18). This is why God had the right to give these commandments to His people. He is the LORD God, their Maker and Redeemer! And this is also why the people should have listened to these commandments and gladly and willingly obeyed them.

God has every right to demand that we, too, obey His commandments; for He is the LORD God, our Maker and Redeemer – we belong to Him! He created and formed each of us in our mother’s womb (Cf. Psalm 139:13-16). He made us for Himself – to live for Him and serve Him. But instead of loving Him and serving Him, we love and serve ourselves. As fallen sinners, we do not and cannot keep God’s commandments as He requires. Because of His gracious love and mercy, the LORD God also redeemed us and won salvation for us by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to suffer and to die upon the cross for our sins and then rise again on the third day!

We are the LORD’s – and doubly so! He made us, and even though we have come far short of keeping His commandments, He paid the just penalty for our sins, redeemed us and made us His own again! He delivered us from our bondage under sin and is leading us to the promised land of heaven, which is ours, entirely as His gracious gift! Therefore, the LORD God has every right to give us His holy commandments and to expect obedience! And, as His redeemed children – having His pardon and forgiveness for all our sins and failures for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ, we have every reason to gladly and willingly obey Him!

2. What does God mean when He says, “You shall have no other gods before Me”?

The Hebrew literally means that we are to have no other gods before the LORD God’s face. He is present everywhere and sees all, so we are to have no other gods but Him! He is our Maker and Redeemer; there is no other god but Him.

3. What does this commandment forbid?

Isaiah 42:8: “I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.”

Matthew 4:10: “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”

John 5:23: “All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

Dr. Martin Luther in his Small Catechism explains this commandment in this way: “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

4. What does it mean to fear God above all things?

Psalm 33:8: “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”

Psalm 100:3: “Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”

Genesis 17:1: “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.”

Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.”

Proverbs 14:16: “A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident.”

Read Genesis 39:1ff. (especially v. 9) and consider how Joseph’s respect for God kept him from sinning.

The LORD God is the only true God; and we should “fear, love, and trust in Him above all things” (Martin Luther’s SMALL CATECHISM). We should remember that God is the Almighty Creator, and honor Him as such! We should obey His commandments and avoid all that displeases Him.

5. What does it mean to love God above all things?

Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 10:12-13: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?”

Matthew 10:37: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

Read Luke 22:54-62 and John 21:15-17. Did Peter love Jesus above all things on the night when Jesus was arrested?

Because the LORD God is our Maker and also our Redeemer, we should love Him with all our heart, soul and mind, and gladly live our lives for Him (cf. Matthew 22:37; 2 Corinthians 5:15).

6. What does it mean to trust God above all things?

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Psalm 118:8: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

Psalm 56:3-4: “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”

Read Psalm 91. What does it say about trust in the LORD?

Since God has so wonderfully made us and provides for all our needs, and since He has through Christ’s sufferings, death and resurrection redeemed us from our sins and the eternal punishment we so deserve, we should also trust in Him with all our heart and commit our entire lives to His care and keeping.

Consider Paul’s trust in the LORD Jesus (2 Timothy 4:18): “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

7. Have we done what God requires of us in this commandment?

We must all admit our utter failure; for we so often neglect Him and push Him out of our lives as though He did not exist. Every time we sin against any commandment of the LORD, we are also failing to fear, love and trust in God above all things. We place ourselves and other persons and things before the loving God who gave us life in our mother’s womb and everlasting life in Christ Jesus, our Savior; and we neglect to give to Him the glory and honor due unto His name!

LORD God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be merciful to us and forgive us for our many failures to honor You as the LORD God, our Maker and Redeemer. Enable and teach us to fear, love and trust in You above all else. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, God the Son and our Savior. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

Many consider it a light thing to misuse God’s name in their language and speech. They curse, swear, lie and deceive by it. Some use God’s name or His Word, the Bible, to support their own false beliefs and teachings. Some use it superstitiously, as though their use of God’s name or things connected with it will bring them good luck and fortune. And, all too seldom, is God’s name used rightly to pray to Him, to praise and glorify Him, and to give Him thanks!

God says that He “will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” It is not a trivial offense with God to abuse His holy name, but a serious offense which will bring His wrath and judgment!

This commandment condemns us all for our misuse of God’s name and for our neglect to use it rightly in ways which bring to the LORD God honor and glory and praise. God’s Word applies to each of us, when it says, “The LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

Our only hope is in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, for He kept this commandment perfectly for us and used God’s name rightly. Jesus called upon His Father in prayer and praises. He taught God’s Word truthfully. And His whole life brought honor and glory to God’s holy name – whether that be through His manner of living, His teaching or His miracles.

And, in His death and resurrection too, Jesus brought honor and glory to God’s holy name. He willingly carried out His Father’s will and went to the cross and bore the guilt and shame and punishment for the sins of all mankind that God might show us mercy and give to us forgiveness in His Son, Christ Jesus. And Jesus rose again and is ascended to the right hand of His Father and continues His work of bringing life and salvation to lost sinners.

Jesus, rightly prayed, “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent…” (John 17:1-3).

Jesus Christ, on the tree of the cross, brought glory to His Father’s name and bore the full punishment for all our sins.

He desires that we, too, bring God glory by repenting of our misuse of God’s name and of our failures to live and speak in ways which bring God’s name glory. He desires that we turn to Him for mercy. And, in His Word, He promises that forgiveness for all our sins and life everlasting, as well as the help to use God’s name rightly, are ours through faith in Jesus’ name.

And placing our faith in Jesus – trusting in Him alone for forgiveness and life – brings glory to God’s name!

O LORD God, forgive us for taking Your holy name in vain and for neglecting to use it rightly. Graciously help us to hallow Your name among us. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross to redeem us. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Gal. 5:16-18

We are not saved by our works under the Law of God but through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again on the third day. Through the preaching of the Gospel, the Holy Spirit has brought us to trust in Christ’s atoning sacrifice for the sins of all and thus has justified us and given us forgiveness for all our sins and eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul wrote, earlier in his epistle to the Galatians (2:16): “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

But, as those justified by faith and regenerated by God’s Holy Spirit, we continue to walk by faith and by the power of God’s Holy Spirit and not in the power of our own sin-corrupted flesh; for, until we die and are raised up again on the Last Day, our sinful flesh continues in its rebellion against God and His Word. It does not submit to God’s will and would lead us into all sorts of sin and error.

In fact, there is a struggle going on within us right now. On the one hand, God’s Spirit, working through the Word and Sacraments, strengthens and keeps us in the faith and moves us to walk in accord with God’s perfect will which is revealed to us in His Word. But, on the other hand, the desires of our sinful flesh are contrary to God’s Word and His commandments. Our sinful flesh would lead us back into sin and disobedience to God and bring about our eternal ruin (cf. Gal. 5:17ff.; Rom. 6:23).

And look at God’s warning: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

Indeed, to walk according to the desires of the flesh takes us right back into sin and the condemnation of God’s holy Law.

Rather, we who have come to faith in Christ by the Spirit’s gracious working through Word and Sacrament cannot continue in the power of our flesh but need to continue in the Spirit, making use of God’s Word and the Sacraments that the Holy Spirit might move us to continue in daily contrition and repentance and then preserve and strengthen our faith in the redemption accomplished for us by Christ Jesus when He fulfilled all righteousness for us and suffered and died on the cross to atone for our sins and failures to keep God’s commandments.

And, when we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law and its condemnation. We have been redeemed from its curse and have God’s pardon, forgiveness and eternal life (Gal. 3:10,13).

And the Holy Spirit, working through God’s means, produces in us the fruits of faith — “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” ( Gal. 5:22-23).

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:24-25).

O gracious and merciful God, by Your Holy Spirit, grant that we hold fast to the promises of the Gospel and receive Your pardon and forgiveness for the sake of Your Son and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And grant that we do not walk in accord with our old sinful flesh but in the power of Your Spirit’s working in us through Word and Sacrament. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Do you ever feel like hiding from God? Are there times when, because of sin in your life, or sin in the lives of those around you, you wish you could hide from God’s presence?

Are there times when you feel that God is not with you or that He doesn’t know what is going on in your life? Does it seem as though God is not aware of all the troubles you are facing?

And what about your thoughts and feelings? Does God know the troubles of your heart?

Consider the following psalm of David and the truths it reveals about God, His presence with you and how well he knows you and all you suffer. Consider also what He desires for you.

PSALM 139
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Consider the following questions:

1. How well does God know you? See v. 1-5. Is there anything in your life which God does not know? What does the Bible say God knows about you?

2. Can we understand God’s knowledge of us and of all our thoughts and ways? See v. 6. Cf. Isaiah 55:8-9.

3. Is there anyplace we can flee to escape from God? See v. 7-12. Was Jonah able to escape from the presence of the Lord when he tried to get out of going to warn the people of Nineveh? See Jonah 1.

4. How is God’s omnipresence (being present everywhere) sometimes frightening to us? Cf. John 3:19-20. How is God’s presence with us everywhere comforting to us? Cf. Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 6:31-33.

5. Who formed us in the wombs of our mothers? See v. 13-16. How do these verses describe this? What do these verses say to abortion (in connection with Exodus 20:13)?

6. What kind of thoughts does God have toward us? See v. 17-18; cf. Ezekiel 33:11; John 3:16-18; 2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 1:3-14. What does God desire for you?

7. How does God feel toward those who persist in their wicked and sinful ways? See v. 19-22. Can Christians love lost sinners and desire that they repent and believe in Jesus as their Savior and also have godly hate for those who continue on in impenitence and unbelief? Can their unbelief and impenitence grieve us? What do these verses say?

8. What does David pray that God would do in verses 23-24? Does David ask that God would reveal to him his sins that he might repent and look to God for mercy in Christ Jesus and then seek to amend his life?

9. How can David’s prayer in verses 23-24 be an example for us? Why is it important that God reveals to us our sinful and wicked ways? Read 1 John 1:7 – 2:2. What would God have us do in regard to our sins?

10. What is the way everlasting in verse 24? Cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-12; Mark 16:15-16.

O omnipresent and omniscient God, thank You for creating me and giving me life, for being present with me and watching over me in every situation, for desiring and working for my eternal salvation through faith in Your Son and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, for preserving me in the true faith by moving me to repent of my sins and looking to Jesus and His cross in faith for Your pardon and forgiveness. Graciously keep me in the way everlasting, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.