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Blog for Podcast #171 (What does the Word “Commandment” Mean?)


Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

How is the word “commandment” defined? I will start with the description that comes with the Greek wording that translates to “commandment” first.

John 14:15 NKJV – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

Commandment – G1785 – entolé – an injunction, order, command, law.

So, we have four words that come from this Greek word. Let’s look at each in turn:

Injunction – a) An injunction is a court order requiring a person to do or cease doing a specific action. b) an official order given by a law court, usually to stop someone from doing something.

How does this legalistic word fit into the word commandment? To answer that question all we need do is read these verses:

Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is a trail, and those that did not follow the injunctions found within the Bible will be the defendants in the case of where they shall spend eternity. The prosecution will show that the defendants were given time and again the injunction to end sin. Yet the defendants willfully and in many cases deliberately disregard these important edicts given to all humanity. Many will raise in their defense that they served God. This will be their reply they hear:

Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV – Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

When truly studying the Word of God you will learn that this phrasing “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness,” is a Jewish legalism. A phrasing used before the Sanhedrin in cases brought before them.

To have these words spoken unto to those that ignore these injunctions given by our Creator. Words spoken by the person sent to be our Savior should shatter the soul of those that will hear it. The thing is it should now shatter their souls so that they never stand before the Great White Throne.

Order – something that someone tells you you must do.

Therefore, God insists that His commandments be followed.

There are many out there that say no he is not insisting but suggesting. Giving an appeal to humanity to possibly follow these ideas. Let us look to some important verses spoken by Jesus Christ Himself:

Luke 14:25-33 NKJV – Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

A great multitude followed Jesus Christ. He turns and orders that they do this:

“”If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also.”

If this order is not followed, then they: “cannot be My disciple.”

This is straight and to the point. He even emphasis it at the end of these verses:

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

This makes it clear that it is an order from Christ Himself that you must downsize and do so immediately. Otherwise, you are not nor ever will be His disciple.

Most reject this order, this commandment. They ignore the cost and end up being ridiculed and laughed at. This is why so many reject God. All because those that profess to being “Christian” refused to stop thinking of themselves and their own desires and wants. This is why the great multitude ends up being twelve. Just twelve out of hundreds if not thousands of followers. All because they refused to follow His orders.

Command – If someone in authority commands you to do something, they tell you that you must do it. What is called the greatest commandments?

Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV – Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus makes it clear that God is to be the center of our lives and actions. That by doing so we place all others before ourselves. This means no fancy homes. Not fancy cars. Not fancy clothes. Keep most our wealth at the ready to help those in need as is witnessed by these verses:

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NKJV – Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

And these:

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NKJV – Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Also note that in Matthew 22:40 this is stated by Jesus Christ:

“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Which brings us to the last word in the description of the word: commandment:

Law – a rule, usually made by a government, that is used to order the way in which a society behaves.

Christ made it clear what was required to be His follower. These commandments, these laws were meant to govern how society should live their lives. Within years after He ascended into heaven people began to slip away and abandon His teachings. Twisting these commandments, these laws. Not as absolutes, which is how he taught them, but into suggestions, ideas, ideals. Turning people not into true disciples, but those that will awaken one day not in white robes, but before the White Throne.

All because people desire earthly rewards, riches, comfort here in this world we now live in. Totally forgetting or not accepting that this short life of around one hundred years is like the blink of an eye compared to our true life that we are destined to live forever and ever. Billions upon billions, upon billions of years.

Why can’t people look beyond today and think of eternity?

I will show the result of thinking only for now, for only thinking of this temporal existence.

Isaiah 66:24 NKJV – “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

Those that transgress against God are those that seek after that which is seen as an abomination in His sight.

Luke 16:13-15 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Any who says that what has been shown here is false. That the laws no longer exist ignore the next verses found in Luke chapter sixteen.

Luke 16:16-17 NKJV – “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

As I have taught in the past the wording “pressing into” means all are now under the law and the prophets. Not just the Jewish nation, but every single human being. All because Jesus Christ taught His message then died upon the cross for their sins. Then on the third day arose from the dead. Thus, affirming that the only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ. Which means following all the commandments, all the laws, all the injunctions, all the orders not removed by the cross and given by our Savior must. I repeat must be followed.

If you are not downsizing. If you are not spreading the Word of God and living a righteous and holy lifestyle. Don’t be surprised to not awaken before Jesus Christ in the heavens above, but instead before the Great White Throne. Also don’t be surprised that your name has been removed from the Book of Life.

Revelation 3:1-5 NKJV – “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 20:15 NKJV – And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

God Bless

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: an interesting discussion


So the other day I posted about the “unmarried.” I had a discussion on the topic with one of my co-workers and he brought up a point about a word that we conflicted upon and so I looked deeper into it and this is what we determined.
The word in question was “burn,” which in the Greek is “puroo.” This is defined as:
“pass: I burn, am set on fire, am inflamed; glow with heat, am purified by fire”
Now what caused the discussion is that in the NLT version of the Bible it is shown as “burn with lust”
However in other uses within the New Testament it is not use in this context.
When Paul is recounting his tribulations for his ministry in the service of Jesus Christ he says this in 2 Corinthians 11:29
“Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?”
In Ephesians 6:16 it is used to describe flaming darts or arrows:
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
It is used in 2 Peter 3 in a description of Tribulation times that have yet to be fulfilled:
“Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
It is used twice in Revelation. The first time in 1:15, where it is used to help describe the Glorified Jesus Christ feet:
“And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.”
Then it is used in 3:18 in reference to heaven treasure that have passed the test of fire and come purified:
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
As in the main definition of the word all things are implied to be on fire or having passed through fire. Now I do agree that when we lust it can be said that we are “on fire.”
As was my counter in the discussion with my friend. Living in sin will lead us to the pit of fire where we will be on fire there as well.
Isaiah 66:24 – And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Why I say this, is that living in fornication and adultery are seen as sins which will lead to this fate.
Galatians 5:19 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 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.
Now we must also remember that many times there is a type of duality used within not only the Greek but Hebrew word usage. Where words have two means, but the same overall ends. This could very well be one of these instances. Where we would find the unmarried and widowed burning with lust in the flesh having experienced natural sexual relations, which would lead to adultery and fornication, which would ultimately lead to damnation and being on fire forever in the pit of fire.
So this is what we both agreed upon in our discussion. That it has both meanings. Neither of which is good for those that find themselves without a spouse, and lack the self-control not to live a celibate live.