Exodus 12:1-14, Psalm 149:1-9, Ezekiel 33:7-11, Psalm 119:33-40, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20
A). A PERPETUAL MEMORIAL.
Exodus 12:1-14.
The first time that we are told that the LORD spoke to Moses specifically ‘in Egypt’ was when He commissioned him to confront Pharaoh (Exodus 6:28). The second was here in Exodus 12:1, when Moses and Aaron were given the LORD’s instructions for the perpetual commemoration of Israel’s one-off Passover event. # It took faith for them to believe that Israel would be commemorating an event which had not happened yet (cf. Hebrews 11:28)!
What was about to happen was a time-defining moment in the history of the people of God. They were to count their life as a nation as having begun at this point (Exodus 12:2). # In like manner, we who have been saved may reckon the day of our conversion to Christianity, whether we remember the exact date or not, as the beginning of our new life in Jesus.
The timing had to be exact because this was a serious business. On the tenth day of the month, each household had to choose out a lamb for a sacrifice (Exodus 12:3). If the household was too small to consume a whole lamb in one meal, then they were to get together with their neighbours, and to calculate according to the number of ‘souls’ in the household, each according to their ability to eat (Exodus 12:4). The lamb (or kid) was to be without blemish, a male of the first year (Exodus 12:5).
They were to keep it by them until the fourteenth day of the month, to check that it really was suitable. Any small blemish would render the animal inappropriate. The whole congregation of the children of Israel were to slaughter their lamb, literally, ‘between the two evenings’ - that is, between sunset and complete darkness - also known as ‘twilight’ (Exodus 12:6). Then, they were to take some of the blood and apply it to the doorposts, and the lintel, of the houses in which were going to eat it (Exodus 12:7). In other words, they appropriated the blood (i.e. they devoted the blood to a specific purpose). # We are ‘redeemed’ by ‘the precious blood of Jesus’ (1 Peter 1:18-19). The sacrifice of Jesus was ‘as of a lamb without blemish’ (1 Peter 1:19).
They were to consume the whole lamb that very night. They were to eat it roasted, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. If anything was left, it was to be burned (Exodus 12:8-10). They were to eat it with their loins girded, sandals on their feet, staff in hand, ready for the journey that lay ahead. They were to eat in haste. It is called the Passover of the LORD (Exodus 12:11). # ‘Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
On that first Passover, the LORD would pass through all the land of Egypt, executing judgment against all the firstborn of Egypt, and upon the false gods of Egypt (Exodus 12:12). For four centuries Egypt had oppressed His ‘firstborn’, Israel (cf. Exodus 4:22). Pharaoh, too, had compounded the sin by ordering the murder of Israel’s sons by throwing them into the Nile (cf. Exodus 1:22). # Mercifully for us, “God did not spare His Own Son, but gave Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).
The blood was for “a token” of the Israelites’ obedience of this command, and consequent adherence to the LORD (Exodus 12:13a). The word rendered “pass over” (Exodus 12:13b) is found elsewhere, with reference to the LORD’s protection of Jerusalem: ‘As (female) birds flying… and passing over He will preserve it’ (Isaiah 31:5). Mother birds flutter over their nests, it has been suggested, so the LORD “passing over” the blood-sprinkled houses of the Israelites entailed His ‘hovering’ over them, to keep the (God-appointed) Destroyer away. # Didn’t Jesus say something similar (cf. Matthew 23:37)?
The remembrance of this event was to single out the children of Israel throughout all generations (Exodus 12:14). # It was upon one such Passover commemoration that the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, to be kept in perpetuity ‘until He comes’ (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Whilst the whole nation was delivered (Exodus 12:51), the first-born of Israel had their lives spared. Those who were thus redeemed were dedicated to the LORD, and sanctified for the journey (Exodus 13:2).
# ‘You are not your own. You are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s' (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
B). A HYMN TO THE REDEEMER.
Psalm 149:1-9.
PSALM 149:1. The exhortation to “Praise ye the LORD” is especially addressed to “saints” = those loved by God with His covenant love. All of God’s people are saints, and we are envisaged as met together in congregation, singing His praise. It is only those who are made new in Christ Jesus who can thus “sing unto the LORD a new song” = worshipping God ‘in spirit and in truth’ (cf. John 4:24).
PSALM 149:2. “Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him.” Elsewhere the LORD speaks of Himself as, ‘the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker’ (cf. Isaiah 45:11). He called Israel out of Egypt, and He calls the Church out of the world (cf. Psalm 100:3).
“Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.” Our Maker is also our King. We are exhorted to be joyful in Him (cf. Philippians 4:4).
PSALM 149:3. “Let them praise His name in the dance.” After the exodus, the women followed Miriam ‘with timbrels and dances’ (cf. Exodus 15:20). When the Ark of the Covenant was brought up to Jerusalem, ‘David danced before the LORD with all his might’ (cf. 2 Samuel 6:14). When the LORD turns our ‘mourning into joy,’ it is cause for ‘rejoicing in the dance’ (cf. Jeremiah 31:13).
“Let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp.” The key word here is “unto Him.” Worship is to be ‘in spirit and truth’ (cf. John 4:24); and the singing of praise ‘with the spirit and with the understanding’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:15).
PSALM 149:4. “For the LORD taketh pleasure in His people.” We take pleasure in Him because He first took pleasure in us. We did not choose Him, but He chose us (cf. John 15:16). ‘We love Him because He first loved us’ (cf. 1 John 4:19).
“He will beautify the meek with salvation.” The meek recognise their lostness, and apply to Jesus for salvation. He clothes them with salvation, deliverance and victory. Meekness speaks of a patient and contented spirit. Like Jesus, they are ‘gentle and lowly in heart’ (cf. Matthew 11:29).
PSALM 149:5. “Let the saints be joyful in glory.” Why should we not rejoice, when Jesus has given us the fulness of His joy (cf. John 15:11)? Our delight is ‘Christ in us the hope of glory’ (cf. Colossians 1:27). Also, the saints in glory shall forever rejoice in the Lord.
“Let them sing aloud upon their beds.” Worship is not only a duty for the congregation, but also of the individual Christian. We can rest in peace when we are peace with God (cf. Psalm 4:8). And if we should rest in death, we have the hope of the resurrection (cf. 1 Peter 1:3).
PSALM 149:6. “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth.” We praise the Most High God, with the high praises of our mouth. We add nothing to Him, but He nevertheless ‘inhabits the praises of His people’ (cf. Psalm 22:3) and is exalted thereby.
“And a two-edged sword in their hand.” Christian warfare is spiritual, not physical (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The two-edged sword is the word of God (cf. Hebrews 4:12). The two-edged sword proceeds out of the mouth of Jesus (cf. Revelation 1:16), and answers every temptation with ‘It is written’ (cf. Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7, Matthew 4:10).
PSALM 149:7. When Jesus began His ministry in Nazareth (cf. Luke 4:16-21), He stopped the Bible reading (cf. Isaiah 61:1-2) in the midst of the second verse at ‘the acceptable year of the Lord' - thereby leaving ‘the day of vengeance of our God’ in abeyance, awaiting His return (cf. Psalm 2:8-9; Revelation 19:1-3).
PSALM 149:8. In the meantime the church of our Lord Jesus Christ has the power of the keys, “to bind” and to 'loose' as the word of God leads (cf. Matthew 16:19). The preaching of the gospel declares who does and who does not have access into the kingdom of God (cf. John 3:18). It also has a restraining power, subduing those who would otherwise rise up against the Lord and His gospel. This is the power of the Word.
PSALM 149:9. In the end judgment must come, and “the saints” have some part to play in this (cf. Matthew 19:28). Until then our duty is to offer the mercy of God, on God’s terms, even as we have received mercy ourselves. This is our greatest “honour.”
“Praise ye the LORD.”
C). THE RECOMMISSIONING OF EZEKIEL.
Ezekiel 33:7-11.
EZEKIEL 33:7. The prophet Ezekiel had first been commissioned by the LORD to be a “a watchman” for “the house of Israel” back in Ezekiel 3:17. This is now a renewal of that commission. Again the warning comes from the LORD.
EZEKIEL 33:8. As a watchman, it was Ezekiel’s responsibility to warn those who would otherwise perish, and if he did not do so the wicked would die in his iniquity; “but his blood will I require at thine hand.”
EZEKIEL 33:9. On the other hand, if the watchman does send out the warning, and the wicked heed it not, then he shall still die in his iniquity, of course; but Ezekiel would have “delivered his own soul.”
Back in Ezekiel 18:2, the children of Israel had blamed their fathers for the ‘sour grapes’ of their present predicament; to which the LORD had answered, ‘all souls are mine – the soul that sinneth, it shall die’ (cf. Ezekiel 18:4).
EZEKIEL 33:10. Now they spoke in a less self-righteous way, complaining of the very guilt which they had earlier denied. Now they spoke of “our” transgressions, and “our” sins, rather than the sins of their fathers. The weight of their sin bore down upon them: how could they go on living like this? They accepted God’s judgment against them, and knew that they were worthy of death.
EZEKIEL 33:11. The response of the LORD was to repeat that He had ‘no pleasure in the death of him that dieth’ (cf. Ezekiel 18:31-32), even “in the death of the wicked;” but that “the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel.”
This is still the yearning of the LORD. ‘The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance’ (cf. 2 Peter 3:9).
D). A PRAYING POET’S APPEAL FOR THE LORD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Psalm 119:33-40.
In the midst of this wonderful symphony about the Torah, the law of the LORD, there are also some petitions and prayers. This particular section uses several causative verbs, asking the LORD for things which He has promised to those who seek Him. One of the marks of true prayer is submission to the will of God: and it is His Holy Spirit who lays in our hearts such desires as are consistent with His Word.
Psalm 119:33. The Psalmist asks the LORD to “teach me the way of your statutes”. The desire of the poet’s heart is to find this Way, and he promises to “keep it” to the end. It is not inappropriate to intersperse our petitions with heartfelt promises and resolutions: faith and commitment travel hand in hand.
‘I am the Way,’ declares Jesus (cf. John 14:6). ‘Christ is the end of the law’, says Paul (cf. Romans 10:4). So when the law proved itself unable to save anybody (cf. Romans 8:3), Jesus came to fulfil the law (cf. Matthew 5:17).
Psalm 119:34. Having kept the ‘way’, the Psalmist promises to “keep” the law. Indeed, if the LORD will give him understanding then he will “observe it with (his) whole heart”. Christians are those who have been pronounced righteous in the Way (in Jesus), who thereafter ‘walk in the law of the LORD’ (cf. Psalm 119:1).
Psalm 119:35. The Psalmist also asks, “make me to go in the path of your commandments”. This is his “delight” in life. Jesus encourages us to enter the narrow gate and traverse that path (cf. Matthew 7:14). Elsewhere Jesus points to Himself as the ‘gate’ into this journey (cf. John 10:9).
Psalm 119:36. Then the Psalmist asks that his heart be inclined towards the LORD’s testimonies. This is to be preferred above “covetousness”. It is interesting that Paul uses the breach of the commandment not to covet as an example of the failure of the law to eradicate sin in the man without Christ (cf. Romans 7:7).
Psalm 119:37. The Psalmist perhaps dwells upon the subject, mentioning wandering eyes, or “eyes that behold vanity”. As humans we fail, so it is necessary to pray “quicken thou me in the way” – calling for the new life which only comes with Jesus. Then, having been saved, we need to constantly renew our minds (cf. Romans 12:2) - dwelling rather upon that which is good, and of good report (cf. Philippians 4:8).
Psalm 119:38. One thing that is good for us, and always beneficial, is the written word of God, the Bible. We should look to the LORD with reverence (fear) to establish that word in our hearts. Bible study is individual, as well as corporate (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15) - thereby we will always be ready to ‘give an account’ of the hope that is within us (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).
To ask the LORD to establish His Word (K.J.V.), is to ask Him to establish His promise (N.R.S.V.).
Psalm 119:39. When we ask the LORD to “turn away the disgrace” that we “dread”, we are asking Him to grant us His ‘grace’ in its place. We pray that He would be merciful to us, and forgive our failings and failures. Our faith is in His faithfulness to His covenant, as fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ’s incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice, resurrection, ascension, and eternal intercession on our behalf.
Psalm 119:40. The Pharisee in one of Jesus’ parables drew attention to himself only in the way of self-congratulation (cf. Luke 18:11-12). However, the Psalmist’s prayerful and humble approach to the LORD does allow him to draw attention to himself: how he has “longed” after the LORD’s “precepts”. This man is not looking to establish his own righteousness, but rather appeals for the LORD’s righteousness to be imputed to him.
The LORD is our righteousness (cf. Jeremiah 23:6), our righteous saviour (cf. Jeremiah 33:16). The righteousness of God is provided for us through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Philippians 3:9). Jesus is all our righteousness, and all our righteousness is in Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30).
E). LOVE AND OBEDIENCE.
Romans 13:8-14.
I). LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR.
Romans 13:8-10.
The imperative, “To no one nothing owe you (all), but to love one another” (Romans 13:8a) follows on from the discussion of being subject to ‘the powers that be’ who - whether we voted for them or not - are ‘ordained of God’ (cf. Romans 13:1). This earlier argument is rounded off with ‘Render to all their dues’ (cf. Romans 13:7).
In fact, the Greek verb translated “Owe” in Romans 13:8 is from the same root as the noun translated ‘dues’ (cf. Romans 13:7). So, the Apostle is not suggesting that we should never be in debt, but rather encouraging us to pay our dues on time.
The noun translated ‘debtor’ is also from the same root, and occurred earlier when Paul announced: ‘Both to Greeks and barbarians, both to wise and unintelligent, a debtor I am’ (cf. Romans 1:14). In that case the debt did not arise because of anything any of those cultures had given him, but rather because God had laid upon him the solemn duty to preach the gospel (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:16).
In the same sense there is a debt which we should forever be paying: the debt to “love one another.” Why? Because “he who loves the other, (the) law has fulfilled” (Romans 13:8b; cf. Matthew 7:12; John 13:34; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8).
At this point, the Apostle quotes some negative commandments from the second table of the ten commandments (Romans 13:9). They are not in the order with which we might be familiar (cf. Exodus 20:12-17; Deuteronomy 5:16-21), but that is of no consequence: Jesus quotes a similar random list (cf. Matthew 19:16-19). The point here is that Paul is summing up the second table of the ten commandments with what Jesus calls ‘the second’ great commandment (cf. Matthew 22:36-40).
Now, how can we love our neighbour as ourselves (Romans 13:9) unless we first know ourselves? We must first recognise what we are outside of Christ: poor wretched sinners in need of salvation (cf. Romans 3:23).
We cannot love our neighbour as ourselves unless we are born again (cf. John 3:3), and God gives us a new heart (cf. Ezekiel 36:26), a heart to love Him (cf. 1 John 4:19), and writes His commandments upon our hearts (cf. Hebrews 10:16). Then we will see the neighbour as God sees them, poor wretched sinners as we once were, or as brethren if they too are Christians (cf. 1 John 3:14). Once we are saved, we even love our enemies (cf. Matthew 5:44).
“Love to the neighbour, evil does not work” (Romans 13:10a). This line could almost belong to the song of agape love in the previous chapter (cf. Romans 12:9-13). But there is a clear link with the negative commandments of the previous verse (Romans 13:9).
I would suggest from this that the keeping of these negatives arises from the love that is within us. We are not under law, but neither are we lawless. Love is the outworking of “the fulness of the law” (Romans 13:10b).
II). END TIMES OBEDIENCE.
Romans 13:11-14.
Romans 13:11.
(a) “And that” - The outworking of this “renewing of our mind” is seen in our relationship to God (Romans 12:1), in our love to our fellow believers (Romans 12:10), and in our love to our neighbour (Romans 13:8-10). Paul adds an “also this” in verse 11, thereafter establishing an eschatological reason for our Christian obedience. We know the times in which we are living!
(b) “Knowing the time” - We are living in the age of the Spirit which, according to Peter, is the “last days” (Acts 2:16-17). These days began when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. As the return of Jesus approaches it is paramount that we discern the signs of the times (Luke 12:56) ...
(c) “Now” - Elsewhere Paul speaks of an acceptable time, the “Now” which is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) ... In Scripture there is urgency about “Today” (Psalm 95:7-11; Hebrews 3:7-19).
(d) “It is high time to awake out of sleep” - Are we asleep? Jesus warns us against being caught napping when He returns (Mark 13:36). We must rise and shine (Isaiah 60:1) …
(e) “For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” - There is a “now” and a “not yet” in the outworking of our salvation. We are forensically justified from the moment we believe, but we must thereafter strive after holiness and sanctification, and at last we shall be glorified. We are saved by grace through faith, but we are saved unto good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
The whole creation is groaning and travailing, waiting for the revelation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19; Romans 8:22). We also groan within ourselves, awaiting the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23). “Look up,” says Jesus: for when we discern the signs of the times we know that our redemption is drawing nigh (Luke 21:28) ...
Romans 13:12.
(a) “The night is far spent” - Jeremiah bemoans the passing of the opportunity of this time (Jeremiah 8:20) … The dawn is “even at the doors” (Mark 13:29).
(b) “The day is at hand” - There is a paradox in that we know what time it is (Romans 13:11), but may not the day and hour of the Lord’s coming (Matthew 24:36).
(c) “Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness” - Christians are not, and should not be in darkness that that day should overtake them as a thief (1 Thessalonians 5:4-7) …
(d) “And let us put on the armour of light” - The armour of light includes what Paul calls “the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thessalonians 5:8); and “the whole armour of God” (Ephesians 6:11).
It is also important not to neglect our prayer weapon (Ephesians 6:18). At Gethsemane Jesus exhorted His disciples to engage in prayer, and when He found them sleeping He repeated the exhortation “that you enter not into temptation” (Luke 22:40; Luke 22:45; Luke 22:46).
Romans 13:13.
(a) “Let us walk honestly, as in the day” - Do not be like the servant who oppressed his fellow servants (Matthew 24:48-51) … thereby failing in love (Romans 13:8; Romans 13:10). Jesus’ command to the church in this age is the same as the command of the nobleman who went into a far country to receive a kingdom: “Occupy till I come.” (Luke 19:13) -
(b) “Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envying” - Yet there were those who hated him, and said “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14).
Romans 13:14.
(a) “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ” - You have put Him on (Galatians 3:27), but must put Him on daily in your lifestyle decisions (Colossians 3:12-14).
(b) “And do not spend your time thinking about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature” - This brings us right back to Romans 12:1-2. We are to be as living sacrifices, always about the business of renewing our mind. This is how we should live in these end times.
F). REGAINING THE STRAYING BROTHER.
Matthew 18:15-20.
‘The Son of man is come to save that which was lost,’ declared Jesus (Matthew 18:11). The Lord illustrated this with a story of a man who left his ninety-nine sheep to seek out just one lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-13). Jesus affirmed, ‘Even so, it is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish’ (Matthew 18:14).
It is in this immediate context that we find today’s reading. Church discipline, after all, is not so much about excommunication as about “regaining the brother” (MATTHEW 18:15). It is only after all else fails, that the straying brother is to be treated as “a heathen man and a publican” (MATTHEW 18:16-17).
What is it, anyway, to treat someone as “a heathen man and a publican” - or more colloquially, “a Gentile and a tax-collector”? Matthew had been one such tax-collector, and must have been ever thankful that Jesus Himself was not averse to sitting with tax-collectors and sinners. When folks complained about it, Jesus replied: ‘It is not the whole that need a physician, but the sick’ (cf. Matthew 9:9-13).
Expulsion from the local church should only ever occur after all due process. Excommunication is a last resort, and treating the straying brother as an outsider does not exclude the hope of re-evangelising the offender at a later date. We must seek to evangelise all the ‘lost’ - whoever they are.
This brings us into the area of “binding and loosing” (MATTHEW 18:18). Jesus had already given the church universal the power of the keys, of binding and of loosing (cf. Matthew 16:19). If the church is operating faithfully as church, we shall find that ‘whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven’ (New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition).
Later rabbis understood all such “binding and loosing” as being declarative. It either declared whether this or that law applied to this or that situation - or it pronounced a disciplinary decision, as in our text. After the resurrection, Jesus also spoke of the remission and retaining of sins (cf. John 20:23).
We see this authority in operation in the local church in today’s reading (MATTHEW 18:18). In this context the “you” is plural. When our prayer is, truly, ‘Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven’ (cf. Matthew 6:10) - our desire will be in agreement not only with one another constituted as ‘church’ - but also with what God has already determined in heaven (MATTHEW 18:19).
It is interesting here, also, to notice that - in the Christian church - “two or three” constitutes a quorum (MATTHEW 18:20). Two or three is the number of witnesses required within the process of discipline (MATTHEW 18:16). “Two agreeing on earth” validates a prayer meeting (MATTHEW 18:19).
Not only this, but where two or three are gathered together in His name, Jesus has promised His presence in the midst of them (MATTHEW 18:20). He is ‘Emmanuel, God with us’ (cf. Matthew 1:23) just as much for the local church, however small, as He is for the church universal (cf. Matthew 28:20). I take great comfort in this.
