Jesus' Compassion

Jesus’ Compassion

I was reminded recently of a poem/song I wrote based on Mark 1:40-42 (Be Thou Clean), the chorus of which is:

I wondered if Jesus would have compassion on me. I asked if He was willing, and He said, Be thou clean.

Jesus being moved with compassion was the reason He fed the 5000 and His motive for several other miracles and lessons taught by Him and the other apostles:

1) Forgiveness:

Matthew 18:27, 33 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt… Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

2) The Father's reception of the prodigal son:

Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

3) A high priest's (and the High Priest's) understanding of our infirmities and weaknesses:

Hebrews 5:2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

4) Proof that we have the love of God dwelling in us:

1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

5) Growth and blessings as a Christian influencing other believers:

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

6) Growth as believers making a difference to the lost:

Jude 1:22-23 And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

July 18th, 2016
Jerry Bouey

New Testament Apostles - A Word Study

New Testament Apostles - A Word Study

Interesting that the word "sent" in the New Testament (send out, send forth - String's #649), comes from the word apostello. It means someone or something that was sent out (usually from God in the NT), including the apostles, but it includes basically any kind of messenger or person that is sent in a service or a commission.

However, the word that is translated into English as apostle is apostolos (a different firm of the word - Strong's #652). Everytime it is used in the NT, the context shows that it is always the 12 apostles that are in view (except four times),* and one of the four usages is referring to Jesus Christ in Hebrews 3:1.

*John 13:16 - he that is "sent"
2 Corinthians 8:23 - "messengers" of the churches
Philippians 2:25 - your "messenger"

It is noteworthy to me how the NT uses this word. There are many pentecostals and charismatics who try to teach there are other "apostles" (#652, ie. one of the Apostles) today because there were other ones "sent forth/out" (#649) in the first century.

But the Bible teaches that there were and are only 12 Apostles in light of eternity (the Apostles were the foundation of the NT church: see Ephesians 2:19-22 and Revelation 21:14; and the way the term - #652 - is used in the NT to refer to the 12). There are only twelve foundations for the New Jerusalem in eternity. Yes, Matthias was temporarily chosen by the early disciples to fill Judas' office, but the Scriptures show that Paul permanently took that place once he was saved. He was not even on the scene yet in AD 32 (or thereabouts). When the early church used lots to determine who would replace Judas, Paul was not even saved yet, and I do not believe God's hand was on the results. (Ie. "Which of these particular two do you choose, God?" "Neither - My choice is not even saved yet!" - My imagination on the events that unfolded in Acts 1.) When Paul was used by the Lord to write most of the New Testament epistles, he identified himself as an Apostle (and the Apostle to the Gentiles) at the start of each of them (except Hebrews, for various reasons).

A true believer need never fear that there are modern Apostles today with authoritative revelation from God. The Bible is a closed book, the 12 Apostles did the signs of an apostle to back up their messages (see 2 Corinthians 12:12) while the New Testament was being written, but no one else was given the same authority then or now. Yes, some of the Apostle's associates were referred to as ones being "sent forth", though it is not the same form of the word and they are not referred to in the same sense. The four references stated above that differ in their usage show Titus, Epaphroditus, and perhaps some of their associates as co-workers with the Apostles, but they are not referred to in the same sense, and the context does not give them the same authority. Of course, Jesus is "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession" - He is the person with all authority and power, sending forth the 12 with the commission He has for them.

There were only ever the 12 Apostles, and once the foundation of the church was laid and the New Testament was finished being written, the need for any Apostles was done away with. Now we have the complete Word of God - the final authority for everything in our lives.

February 1st, 2023
Jerry Bouey

An Orchard Of Delights

An Orchard Of Delights

In Song of Solomon 4 (please read the whole chapter before reading this devotional), we see the Lord Jesus Christ (pictured in the Song of Songs as Solomon) admiring the beauty of His espoused (engaged) bride (in which the individual believer and the true church collectively is pictured). In Song of Songs 4:1-5, we hear Him praising her beauty, listing seven particulars of her makeup. Matthew Henry does a great job of breaking down the symbolism for us, tracing out each symbol in this whole book and in this passage by showing how they are used elsewhere in the Word of God. There are many spiritual lessons we can glean here in regards to the believer's fellowship with her Saviour, but I am only going to focus on  a few portions of this passage in this devotional.

Notice Jesus' praise of His fiancé, His espoused bride:

Song of Songs 4:1a Behold, thou art fair, My love; behold, thou art fair...

Song of Songs 4:7 Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee.

We are perfect in the Lord's eyes, without spot or blemish. See Ephesians 1:6; 5:25-27. The seven things He praised her for show her perfection in His eyes - this is how our Heavenly Father views us when we are in Christ (which happens at the moment of our salvation, when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection, and believing that He paid the full penalty needed to save us from our sins).

Jesus/Solomon goes on to describe how the Shulamite (feminine form of the name Solomon, see Song of Songs 6:13) has captured His attention and taken His breath away:

Song of Songs 4:9-11 Thou hast ravished My heart, My sister, My spouse; thou hast ravished My heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. How fair is thy love, My sister, My spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! Thy lips, O My spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

The Pulpit Commentary says the following about this verse:

"If but a portion of her beauty so overpowers, what will be the effect of the whole blaze of her perfection? As the Church advances in her likeness to her Lord, she becomes more and more the object of his delight, and as the soul receives more and more grace, so is her fellowship with Christ more and more assured and joyful."

Again, a little further in the same commentary:

"So the Lord has said, in Isaiah 62:5, that he rejoiceth over his people as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride."

Truly, this book portrays the love the Saviour has for His people - whether His people in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel, or His people in the New Testament, the church of Christ, and each individual believer that makes up His bride.

Chapter four of this Song goes on to show the lengths our Saviour will go to bring forth fruit in the lives of true believers. He considers their souls or hearts His garden that He fellowships in. We can clearly see this in the following verses:

Song of Solomon 4:12  A garden inclosed is My sister, My spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

Song of Solomon 4:16  Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon My garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.

Song of Solomon 5:1  I am come into My garden, My sister, My spouse: I have gathered My myrrh with my spice; I have eaten My honeycomb with My honey; I have drunk My wine with My milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Notice that Song of Songs 4:16 and 5:1 goes from Solomon/Jesus speaking to the believer/Shulamite speaking. Every time this Song says "My love," it is Jesus speaking, and every time it says "my (well) Beloved," it is the believer speaking. Each of the two verses above start off with Jesus referring to His bride - "My sister, My spouse" - then ends with her referring to her "Beloved."

The important part I want to emphasize here is that though the believer is considered a garden, it is HIS garden - we are HIS GARDEN. The fruits we produce are produced by the Holy Spirit working in and through us. See John 15:1-5 and Galatians 5:22-23.

Now back to the Lord's garden - our hearts or souls:

Song of Solomon 4:13-15  Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

Jesus refers to the believer as an orchard. Strong's Concordance says this about the word "orchard" used here:

Strong’s #h6508, “p̱arḏês; of foreign origin; a park: — forest, orchard.”

In the New Testament, we find a related Greek word that is used only three times - both the Hebrew word and this Greek word come from the same Persian word, "Paradise":

Luke 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Revelation 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The Strong's definition of the word "Paradise": Strong’s #g3857, “paradeisos; of Oriental origin (compare h6508); a park, i.e. (specially), an Eden (place of future happiness, “paradise”): — paradise.”

We can see from this definition that this word is related in meaning to the same OT word we were looking at from Song of Songs 4:13, "Orchard." The orchard, the believer's garden, and ultimately God's garden, is literally a Paradise to the Lord.

Webster's 1828 Dictionary: “Paradise:

PAR'ADISE, n. Gr. The garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve were placed immediately after their creation.

1. A place of bliss; a region of supreme felicity or delight.

2. Heaven, the blissful seat of sanctified souls after death.

3. Primarily, in Persia, a pleasure-garden with parks and other appendages.”

The Garden of Eden (which means "delight, pleasure") in Genesis was created to be a garden of delight for man. There He placed man and there He provided for all their needs as they fellowshipped day by day with Him.

Genesis 2:8-9  And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 

Though mankind sinned, God provided a way of redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ - and one day, the new heaven and new earth will basically be a restored Eden, where we will dwell forever in the presence of God (this is what the third heaven is referring to, Paradise, where the presence of God dwells - see Hebrews 9:24).

In eternity, man will dwell in a new Paradise, a new Garden of Eden/Delight, where we will delight forever in the Lord our God, forever worshipping in His presence. See Revelation 21:1-5; 22:1-5.

But now back to the passage that started this blessed train of thought:

Song of Solomon 4:13  Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

To recap: "Orchard" here is "Paradise" (to use the NT Greek word and the transliterated English word to emphasize this point). The Lord Jesus Christ's Garden of Delight, His Paradise, is His people! From the moment you came to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, the moment you were born again as His child, adopted into His family, accepted in the Beloved, you became His Garden of Delight, His Paradise - and just as we will forever delight in fellowship with the God who created us, gave us life and new life in Him, even so will our Saviour delight in us and in fellowship with us for eternity.

Now tell me that did not bless your soul today!

May 3rd, 2024
Jerry Bouey

In The Day When I Cried

In The Day When I Cried

Sometimes we think it is presumption to ask the Lord to answer a prayer today. Though if a prayer does seem more urgent, we may have asked the Lord to perfect (complete) that which concerneth us (from Psalm 138:8). If we have a need or a trouble, we may pray for it, expecting God to answer it in His own timing. But what happens if the need seems more urgent, if the trouble we are facing seems more dire, perhaps even time-sensitive? Is it presumptuous to pray, asking that the Lord answer our prayer today?

For example, what if someone's life hung in the balance, or a need or a bill needed to be taken care of today, but it solely depended upon God providing for that need?

First, some factors to consider, then some verses to look up on this theme:

1) Are we humble, trusting in the Lord?

Are we giving our need to the Lord and leaving it with Him in accordance with His will?

Sometimes we think a need has to be taken care of by a certain time, but God may delay (in our minds), but in the end still work out all things in His perfect timing. Can we leave all our cares and troubles and needs in His hands?

Of course, we need to make sure that to the best of our understanding of the Word of God and the wisdom that He provides that we are praying according to His will.

2) Then if we are sincerely seeking His will and humbly asking Him for our need, if the need still seems urgent and time-sensitive, consider the following verses:

Psalms 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

Psalms 18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

Psalms 20:1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Psalms 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

Psalms 102:2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

Lamentations 3:57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

Just some thoughts on my Bible reading this morning and meditating on Psalm 102:2 and related passages.

September 16, 2022
Jerry Bouey

Does God Delight In You?

Does God Delight In You?

Psalms 18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, you are accepted in Him by the Father - and you therefore become a child that He delights in.

Proverbs 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

We may not like the application of this second verse to ourselves, but He corrects us because He cares for us.

Proverbs 11:20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

The first two verses above state our Heavenly Father takes delight in His children, and verses 3-4 state what He delights in (the way we live before Him, and our prayers to Him). Are you delighting yourself in the Lord - AND are you bringing Him delight day by day?

November 20, 2021
Jerry Bouey

Romans 5:3-5

ROMANS 5:3-5

One passage that is very appropriate to consider on the subject of remembering the Lord’s past mercies and provisions (and reminding yourself that He is capable of meeting all your present and future needs) is:

Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The above verses state that tribulations (pressures, troubles, afflictions) work patience. (Worketh is present tense, which means continually works.) The word patience in the KJV means “cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy; to stay under, remain, to bear trials, have fortitude, persevere.” As we go through trials, we learn to endure them and persevere through them.

Why? Because patience works experience. Experience here means “trial, proof, test; by implication, trustiness.” The more trials we experience, the more we learn to prove God, to put Him to the test and see Him work in our lives.

And lastly, experience works hope. Hope in the Bible does not mean “maybe it might happen, or I wish it would.” Hope, according to the Bible, is “to anticipate (usually with pleasure); expectation or confidence.” Basically, “confident expectation.” Because we have seen the Lord work through our previous trials, because we have seen Him fulfill His promises and provide our needs, because we have received His perfect peace and all the grace that we needed in the past (if we stayed focussed on Jesus), we can endure through the current trials, and confidently expect that He is providently working all things out in our lives, for our good and for His glory!

Is God limited? Only by our unbelief!

Taken from the study, Is God Limited By Our Past?

Study written May 20th, 2002

By Jerry Bouey

Sevens In Revelation

Some Sevens In Revelation from my personal study and notes:

Jesus Christ is portrayed seven different ways in the book of Revelation:

1. The Son of Man in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, in Revelation 1:12-16.

2. The Lamb in the midst of the throne, in Revelation 5:5-7.

3. The mighty Angel setting His feet on the earth and the sea, in Revelation 10:1-6.

4. The Son of Man on the cloud, in Revelation 14:14-16.

5. The Rider (the Word of God) on the white horse, in Revelation 19:11-16.

6. The Judge on the Great White Throne, in Revelation 20:11-12.

7. The Temple and the Light of it in the New Jerusalem, in Revelation 21:22-23

7 blesseds:

Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14

7 names/titles of Jesus in chapter one:

1. Alpha and Omega

2. The Beginning and the Ending

3. The Lord

4. Which is, which was, and which is to come

5. The Almighty

6. The First and the Last

7. He that liveth and was dead... and is alive for evermore

Sevenfold description of Jesus Christ:

Revelation 1:13-16 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, 1) clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 2) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; 3) and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 4) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; 5) and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: 6) and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: 7) and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Each of the seven letters in Revelation 2-3 follows the same general format:

1. Name (of the church that particular letter is addressed to).

2. Its Description of Christ.

3. Commendation: What that church is praised for.

4. Warning: What that church is rebuked for.

5. Promise.

6. To The Overcomers.

7. Prophetic Application (As revealed in church history, found throughout the letter.)

Seven times the Lamb’s Book of Life is mentioned in Revelation:

Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:19

Sevenfold praise in Revelation 5:12 and 7:12.

Seven kinds of men mentioned here:

Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

7 passages with this Greek word for woe/alas in Revelation:

Revelation 8:13; 9:12; 11:14; 12:12; 18:10, 16, 19

The bottomless pit is referred to seven times in Revelation:

Revelation 9:1, 2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3

There are seven sins listed in Revelations 9:20-21 that mankind will not repent of during the tribulation:

1. The works of their hands

2. Their worship of devils

3. Their worship of idols

4. Their murders

5. Their sorceries

6. Their fornication

7. Their thefts

The Bible contains seven direct references to the length of the Great Tribulation (the second half - though both halves are the same length: seven years divided equally into two parts of 3 1/2 years each:

42 months - Revelation 11:2; 13:5

1260 days - Revelation 11:3; 12:6

A time, times, and half a time - Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 12:14

The mark is first mentioned in Revelation 13:16, but seven other times it is referred to as the mark of the beast or his mark:

Revelation 13:17; 14:9 , 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4

Jesus is called the Word seven times (altogether in the whole Bible, specifically in John’s writings):

John 1:1 (x3); John 1:14

1 John 1:1; 5:7

Revelation 19:13

More Sevens In Scripture

More Sevens In Scripture

I find it interesting to note that there is a seven-fold division within the Word of God itself. The Old Testament was divided by the Jews into the Law of Moses (the OT historical books - Genesis to Esther), the Prophets (Isaiah to Malachi), and the Psalms (or Writings - Job to Song of Solomon). (See Luke 24:44.) In the New Testament, we have the four Gospels (the life of Christ), Acts (early church history), the Epistles (Romans to Jude), and End-times Prophecy (Revelation).

There are also seven dispensations (by this I mean eras, nothing hyper-dispensational here - not referring to different ways of salvation or doctrines, as some mean when they use this term) of man's history, as presented in the Bible itself.

1. Innocence (in the Garden - from Creation to the Fall)
2. Pre-Deluvian Age (from the Fall to the Flood)
3. The Patriarchs (Fathers of Israel - from the Flood to the Law)
4. The Law (the time of Moses to the time of the Church)
5. The Church Age
6. The Millenium (1000 year reign of Christ on Earth - Revelation 20)
7. Eternity (Revelation 21-22)

Sevens in Revelation:

Seven times the Book of Life is mentioned: Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:19.

Seven letters to the seven churches (In Revelation 2-3), as well as a seven-fold division within the letters themselves. See my study, Revelation Chapter One: An Overview (Introduction to the Letters To The Churches). It is also enlightening to notice this internal division in the book of Revelation, as stated by Christ Himself:

Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen (John's vision in chapter one), and the things which are (the seven churches and the eras they cover - as mentioned in my series - the seven churches collectively cover the whole church age), and the things which shall be hereafter  (immediately after the last church era is the rapture as pictured in 4:1, then the Tribulation starts and goes until chapter 19, the Millenium and the Great White Throne Judgement in chapter 20, then eternity is covered in chapters 21-22);

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter (after the church era).

Sevens in the Psalms:

The voice of the Lord is mentioned seven times in Psalm 29: verses 3, 4 (2x), 5, 7, 8, 9.

Seven Alphabetical (Acrostic - each verse begins with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet) Psalms: 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145.

Seven Penitential Psalms: 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143.

In Psalm 100, there are seven ways we are commanded to praise God, and seven reasons for doing so - by the way, these reasons will never change if you are a child of God, so you always have a reason to praise God (actually 7 of them!):

Psalms 100:1-5 A Psalm of praise. 1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2) Serve the LORD with gladness: 3) come before his presence with singing. 1) Know ye that the LORD he is God: 2) it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; 3) we are his people, 4) and the sheep of his pasture. 4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, 5) and into his courts with praise: 6) be thankful unto him, 7) and bless his name. 5) For the LORD is good; 6) his mercy is everlasting; 7) and his truth endureth to all generations.

Seven-fold deliverance/salvation in Psalm 34. Salvation means deliverance, and the context will show what type of deliverance is in view - whether deliverance from enemies or afflictions, or spiritual deliverance from sin, death, and Hell. Notice how the last one sums it all up and emphasizes the spiritual deliverance - salvation - the Lord has given His people:

Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalms 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Psalms 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Psalms 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psalms 34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

And finally, one last seven-fold promise - notice the emphasis:

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Written September 29th, 2004
Jerry Bouey

She Was A Virgin

 She Was A Virgin

(The Law Of First Mention)

Genesis 24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

This is interesting. Rebekah is stated to be both a virgin and not to have known a man. The Hebrew word here (Strong’s # h1330) for virgin is used often to denote a healthy young woman or young maiden (comparable to another word meaning healthy young man, not necessarily denoting purity) - though the next phrase shows she was pure (neither had any man known her).

However, a little later in the chapter it says this about her:

Genesis 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

The word for virgin here is different - almah, Strong’s # h5959, which ALWAYS means virgin, pure, and is used in Isaiah 7:14 about the Messiah’s mother and in the title of Psalm 46 (ie. alamoth - virgins were to sing those songs in the temple worship).

The interesting thing is the differentiation between the two words. The first one means "young woman," not necessarily pure - so God clarifies on this case that Rebekah was pure. The second word continued the idea - showing she is what we typically refer to as a virgin. This is also the first use in the Bible of each word - therefore the first use of almah definitely shows a true virgin was in view, not just a young woman. And the law of first mention gives the usage of a word usually as it is used throughout the rest of the Bible.

The critics don’t have a leg to stand on with the word almah, as it only ever refers to a virgin in the Scriptures - never to just a young woman or maiden, AND the first time this word is used in the Bible, there is no doubt what kind of woman is being talked about; therefore setting the meaning and usage intended for the rest of God’s Word.

I thought that was worth passing on to all those who love to hold onto and defend their King James Bibles!

December 2, 2022
Jerry Bouey

Reading The Scriptures

Reading The Scriptures

There are two main words for know (and its forms) in the New Testament.

1) Strong’s #1492, eido. This word basically has the idea of head knowledge, knowing about something.

2) Strong’s #1097, ginosko (from the root word, gnosis, knowledge). This word has the idea of knowing about something personally, personally experiencing what you know about.

Looking up every time the word know (or a form thereof) occurs in the NT (with these basic definitions) is a worthwhile study - to see what true believers then and now know personally, and what other things the NT talks about that were known (via head knowledge as compared to personal knowledge).

All that said, I am now pointing out a related word: anaginosko (#314) - the main word used for reading in the New Testament.

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Ana basically means again - like the first part of the Greek word for resurrection (anastasis, to stand up again).

So anaginosko means to (personally) know again. It is used in 30 verses in the NT, most of the references are about reading the Scriptures.

1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Reading here is #320, a slightly different form of the same word.

You know how we are to read, study and meditate on God’s Word daily, right? It is like Jesus and the Apostles are saying , Read, reread, become personally familiar with the Scriptures again - and like Revelation 1:3 states when we read and heed the Bible, the Lord blesses us.

February 2, 2023
Jerry Bouey

Power For Preaching And Serving The Lord

Power For Preaching And Serving The Lord

This is an awesome promise to claim whenever we need boldness or strength to do God’s will. I have literally claimed it hundreds and hundreds of times when preaching at the Gospel Mission.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

The word for fear means timidity, cowardice. God says that this kind of fear does not come from Him. If you ever have fear (or even hesitation) in doing what is right or what God has called you to do, you just need to acknowledge your fear to God - knowing it does not come from Him - and ask Him to take it away and fill you with His Holy Spirit. See also James 4:7. A good cross reference for 2 Timothy 1:7 is Romans 8:15. We are not given the spirit of fear - but the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of adoption.

The word for power is dunamis, where we get dynamite from - spiritual power. This is the spiritual power to make an impact for the Lord and it works through you to touch the lives of others.

The word love here is agape - the selfless love of God, love for God and love for man. This love is what gives us the motivation to serve the Lord faithfully, to witness to and preach to the lost. See Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 5:14; and 1 John 4:18.

A sound mind is being self-controlled and sober in your thinking, in control of your thoughts. If you are in control of your thoughts, you will also have self-control in regards to your body, your actions, your words. When you are filled (controlled or influenced by) the Holy Spirit, you are able to do God’s will and say or do what He would have you to do. See Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:6.

God’s love and power will give you the strength and ability you need to fulfill God’s will for you, will remove your fear and enable you to step out in faith to do whatever He has called you to do.

August 10th, 2023
Jerry Bouey