“A Certain Judgment” (Nahum 3:18-19)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/17/2026 9:38 AM

My Worship Time                                                                           Focus:  “A Certain Judgment”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                          Reference:  “Nahum 3:18-19”

            Message of the verses:  “18  Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them. 19  There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil?” (ESV)

            In this morning’s SD I begin to look at the last two verses in the book of Nahum, and as I normally do I will quote this introduction from John MacArthur’s commentary.  Also in this introduction I will pick and choose as to which verses that I will be quoting from the verses that are referenced in MacArthur’s commentary.

            “The wicked assume they will never face God’s judgment.  Describing the mindset of such a person, the psalmist wrote, ‘He says in his heart, ‘God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it’’ (Ps. 10:11).  The unbelieving fool thinks he can avoid divine accountability, saying to God, ‘You will not require it’ (10:13).  Those who practice evil also insist that the Lord will never return to this world in judgment, stating, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?  For since the fathers fall asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation’ (2 Peter 3:4; cf. Isaiah 5:19).”

Isaiah 5:19 “19  who say: "Let him be quick, let him speed his work that we may see it; let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near, and let it come, that we may know it!"”

“But as Peter explained, while God may delay His wrath in keeping with His patience, the full fury of His judgment will certainly come.  When it does, the result will be the ‘destruction of ungodly men’ (2 Peter 3:7).  Though the wicked mock the Lord in their unbelief, they will ultimately be put to everlasting shame (cf. Ps. 2:4).”

Psalm 2:4 “4  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”

            “In pronouncing the prophecy of Nineveh’s destruction, Nahum confronted the arrogant presumption of an empire that denied the reality of divine judgment.  The Assyrians believed they were immune to the wrath of God.  But Nahum declared that their judgment was inevitable (Nahum 3:8-13), inescapable (3:14-17), and irreversible (3:18-19).  To prove this point, the prophet pointed to the then recent destruction of Thebes, a city much like Nineveh.  If God could destroy Thebes, He could also destroy the capital of Assyria.  Though Nahum’s prophecy against Nineveh was fulfilled many centuries ago, it serves as a timeless reminder that no unrepentant sinner is exempt from the holy judgment of God.”

            Now that is the entire introduction to these two last verses in the book of Nahum, and so in tomorrow morning’s SD, Lord willing, I will begin to look at the first sub-point in these last two verses in Nahum.

            Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  As I look at this introduction I think about the highlighted portion from above, and what it makes me think about is that it is my prayer that as I write these Spiritual Diaries each day that the Holy Spirit of God will use them in order to convict unbelievers who read them of the necessity of salvation, salvation that can only come through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as He died for sinners on the cross.

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trusting the Lord to help me prepare for the Sunday school lesson that I am to give this coming Sunday Morning.  I am trusting the Lord for His perfect will to be done for my wife as she continues to allow the doctors to give her chemo every three weeks.

From the pen of David Jeremiah who quotes Billy Graham:  “Knowledge is horizontal.  Wisdom is vertical—It comes down from above.” (Billy Graham)

“If any  of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

2/17/2026 10:06 AM

             

PT-1“God’s Revelation to Zacharias” (Luke 1:5-14, 18-25)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/16/2026 8:18 PM

My Worship Time                                                  Intro to PT-1“God’s Revelation to Zacharias”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                     Reference:  “Luke 1:5-14, 18-25”

            Message of the verses:  “5 ¶  In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6  And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7  But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8  Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9  according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10  And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11  And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12  And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13  But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,”  “18  And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19  And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20  And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." 21  And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22  And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23  And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24  After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25  “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.’”

            Now as has been my custom I will quote from John MacArthur’s introductory comments so that we will have an idea of where we will be going as we look at these verses.

            “The opening of Luke’s narrative finds Israel in the midst of a long night of spiritual darkness.  The nation’s history had been marked by blessing and cursing, faithfulness and apostasy, obedience and rebellion.  But all through the centuries—from the call of Abraham, the father of the nation, to the 400 years of bondage in Egypt, the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the conquest and occupation of Canaan, the chaotic days of the judges, the zenith of Israel’s power and glory under David and Solomon, the captivity and dissolution of the northern kingdom, the seventy-year and subsequent return of the southern kingdom, and the period of Gentile domination culminating with the nation’s subjugation to Rome—what sustained the faithful, believing remnant was the hope that one day light would break through the darkness.  In Luke 1:78-79 Zacharias expressed the fervent desire of those who feared God that the ‘Sunrise from on high’ (the Messiah) would come and dispel the spiritual darkness that had held the nation in its grip for so long.

            “Zacharias undoubtedly had in mind the promise God had made four centuries earlier through the prophet Malachi:  ‘But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall’ (4:2).  The prophecy looks forward to the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will deliver all who savingly believe in Him from the darkness of sin (cf. Isa. 9:2; Matt. 4:16; Luke 2:25-32; John 1:5; 8:12; 12:35-36, 46; Acts 26:18; Eph. 5:8; Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 5:4-5; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:6-7).  Further, the Savior and Deliverer who was to come would be God Himself according to Malachi’s prophecy it would be ‘the Lord, whom you seek, [who] will suddenly come to His temple’ (3:1).

            “The Old Testament, then, ended with the most positive, hopeful promise.  The sun of righteousness would arise, and His glorious light would dispel the spiritual darkness that engulfed the people.  But just as the darkness is deepest just before dawn, so also the four centuries since Malachi’s day had been the darkest time of all for Israel.  The Jewish people had sunk deeper and deeper into apostasy.  The nation had abandoned the Old Testament truth that salvation is by faith alone (Gen. 15:6; cf. Rom. 4:3, 9, 20-22; Gal. 3:6) in favor of salvation by legalism, self-righteousness, and meritorious works.  Their religion consisted of empty, self-serving (cf. Matt. 23:5-7) ritual that could not save (Rom. 3:20) and drew the Lord’s scathing rebuke (cf. Deut. 9:4; Isa. 29:13; 64:6; Jer. 12:2; Matt. 23:27-28; Mark 7:6-7; Luke 15:15).  As the apostle Paul sorrowfully concluded; ‘For I testify about them [the unbelieving Jews] that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God’ (Rom. 10:2-3).  In the face of such hypocrisy, God had remained silent; He had not communicated with His people through prophet, revelation, or miracle during the four hundred years  since Malachi’s day.”

            I guess what staggers my mind is the mention of 400 years and the reason it does that is because our country is not near at all to that many years.

2/16/2026 8:52 PM

           

PT-4 “Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry” (Nahum 3:4-7)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/16/2026 7:10 AM

My Worship Time                                              Focus:  PT-4 “Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Nahum 3:4-7

            Message of the verses:  All because of the many harlotries of the harlot, The charming one, the mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations by her harlotries And families by her sorceries.  “Behold, I am against you,” declares Yahweh of hosts; “And I will uncover your skirts over your face And show to the nations your nakedness And to the kingdoms your disgrace.  I will throw detestable filth on you And display you as a wicked fool And set you up as a spectacle.  And it will be that all who see you Will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh s devastated! Who will console her?’  Where will I seek comforters for you?”   (NASB)

            This morning I continue to look at this very long section from John MacArthur’s book on Nahum.  He writes “The Lord would use Nineveh to demonstrate that idolatry is not only filthy (cf. Ezek. 16:16-34; Hos. 8-9) but also foolish as He declared He would ‘display you [Nineveh] as a wicked fool.’”

(cf. Ezek. 16:16-34;)

“16  You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be. 17  You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore. 18  And you took your embroidered garments to cover them, and set my oil and my incense before them. 19  Also my bread that I gave you— I fed you with fine flour and oil and honey— you set before them for a pleasing aroma; and so it was, declares the Lord GOD. 20  And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter 21  that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them? 22  And in all your abominations and your whorings you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your blood. 23  "And after all your wickedness (woe, woe to you! declares the Lord GOD), 24  you built yourself a vaulted chamber and made yourself a lofty place in every square. 25  At the head of every street you built your lofty place and made your beauty an abomination, offering yourself to any passerby and multiplying your whoring. 26  You also played the whore with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, multiplying your whoring, to provoke me to anger. 27  Behold, therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and diminished your allotted portion and delivered you to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior. 28  You played the whore also with the Assyrians, because you were not satisfied; yes, you played the whore with them, and still you were not satisfied. 29  You multiplied your whoring also with the trading land of Chaldea, and even with this you were not satisfied. 30  "How sick is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute, 31  building your vaulted chamber at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square. Yet you were not like a prostitute, because you scorned payment. 32  Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband! 33  Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from every side with your whorings. 34  So you were different from other women in your whorings. No one solicited you to play the whore, and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; therefore you were different.”

“In Scripture, the wicked fool is the worst of all fools, the apostate who rejects God and makes reprehensible and destructive choices in accordance that his wicked character (Ps. 14:1; 53:1).”

(Ps. 14:1; 53:1)

“The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.”

“The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.”

“Nabal, whose name means wicked fool was the embodiment of such irrationality, dying of shock upon being informed of the recklessness of his actions.  Nineveh acted in folly as it placed its hope in idolatrous worship (cf. 2 Kings 29:37), military might (cf. 2 Kings 18:28-35; 19:11-13; 2 Chr. 32:13-19), and national prosperity (cf. 2 Kings 18:31-32; Nah. 2:8).  God exposed this folly, desecrating Nineveh’s idolatrous worship (Nah. 1:14; 3:6), devastating its military force (1:12-13; 2:13), and deploying its rivers to decimate its defenses (cf. 1:8; 2:6).  Idolatry may promise insight and sophistication bit in reality leaves one completely unfit (cf. Isa. 44:9-20; Rom 1:28).  God would set Nineveh up as a spectacle of devastation and disgrace, literally in Hebrew as ‘something to see,’ so that the city would become a permanent reminder of the catastrophic consequences of rejecting the true God for false deities.”  There were far more verses in this section for me to look up as if I did then it would take many more SD’s to finish this section, so I chose not to put them in this SD.

            “Third, the city would serve as an historic object lesson of the vengeance of the Almighty.  Describing the outcome of His judgment, the Lord proclaimed, ‘And it will be that all who see you will flee from you.’ Flee conveys the act of frantically trying to escape from danger (cf. Gen. 31:40; Esth. 6:1).  Though Nineveh was once an oasis in the desert to which travelers came, it would become a place that people purposely avoided, being horrified by the aftermath of God’s judgment.  Those who bypassed the city would say in astonishment, ‘Nineveh is devastated!’ recognizing its irrevocable ruin (cf. Isa. 23:14).”

 (cf. Isa. 23:14).

“14  Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste.”

“Reflecting on the severity of God’s judgment, the onlookers would ask, ‘Who will console her?’ Console carries the idea of shaking one’s head out of sympathy or empathy.  The question being asked is rhetorical.  No one would come alongside Nineveh to soothe its anguish for fear that divine judgment would fall on them also.  Emphasizing the city’s devastation, the Lord Himself added:  Where will I seek comforters for you?’  Nineveh’s abandonment would be so comprehensive that not even God would seek a comforter for the ruined city.  Comforters in Hebrew comes from naham, the same root of the prophet’s name Nahum, the one who delivered this message of Nineveh’s devastation, then any hope of comfort for the city was certainly lost.  No one would comfort the doomed city after God’s judgment fell.

            “On the other hand, nahum also appears in Isaiah 4:1, in which God said concerning Israel, ‘Comfort, O comfort My people.’  In keeping with other portions of Nahum’s prophecy, this near prophecy about the destruction of Nineveh guarantees that the more distant prophecies will also be fulfilled with equal precision.  The Lord demonstrated through Nineveh that while the wicked will ultimately have no comfort, He will provide comfort for His people.  Moreover, while the destruction of Nineveh would bring temporary comfort to Israel, Isiah prophesied of the everlasting comfort that includes the forgiveness of sins and restoration of all things in Christ (Isa. 40-53).  As the Israelites would behold the fulfillment of Nahum’s prophecy, they would know that God is faithful both to avenge and to comfort His people.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life today:  As I go through this life on planet earth with all of it problems, I am thankful that the Lord saved me and that He gives me comfort like we touched on in this SD.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am trusting the Lord to continue to give me wisdom to teach the Sunday school class that I am attending at this time as our teacher is on vacation.  I am also thankful that the Lord gave me calm yesterday in teaching this class.

From Dr. David Jeremiah:  “Pray the largest prayers.  You cannot think a prayer so large that God in answering it will not wish you had made it larger.  Pray not for crutches but wings.” (Phillips Brooks)

“You will pray to Him and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.  What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:27-28 NIV).

2/16/2026 10:26 AM

 

PT-3 “Luke The Theologian and Pastor” (Luke 1:3b-4)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/15/2026 9:10 PM

My Worship Time                                               Focus:  PT-3 “Luke The Theologian and Pastor”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                   Reference:  Luke 1:3b-4

            Message of the verses:  “to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” (NASB)

            It is my desire to finish looking at the verses from above this evening, which will actually finish the very first chapter in John MacArthur’s first commentary book on the gospel of Luke, and all I can say that this may be as much as a five year time period to get through what is the longest of the four Gospels in the Word of God from the New Testament.  I know that I have been quoting many of the verses that MacArthur has in his commentary, but I think for the book of Luke I will have to pick and choose which ones that I want to quote.

            I will begin with a quotation from MacArthur’s commentary “Though the main doctrinal emphasis in his gospel is the person and work of Jesus Christ, Luke did not neglect other important realities.  Luke not only revealed God’s sovereign  control over history, but also described His tender, compassionate concern for lost sinners.”  You can see this compassion that he has for lost sinners in the many different parables that are found in the book of Luke, and I believe that Luke has more parables than any other of the four gospels.  Now that is not to say that the doctrine of salvation is not critical in Luke’s gospel, for it most certainly is.  MacArthur writes “his is the gospel that refers most specifically to the doctrine of justification.” Here is a list of verses which helps make that point, and I may pick a few of them to quote (Luke 18:14; cf. 7:36-50; 15:11-21; 19:1-10).

(Luke 18:14; cf. 7:36-50; 15:11-21; 19:1-10).

Luke 18:14 “14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

Luke 19:1-10 “  1 ¶  He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2  And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3  And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6  So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7  And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8  And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’”

MacArthur goes on “In fact, the cross is the focus of more than half of his gospel, from 9:53 to the end of chapter 23.  Luke also focused more on the ministry of the Holy Spirit than the other gospel writers, and recorded the Lord’s teaching on His second coming.  Now in addition, Luke the theologian addressed several areas of practical theology, such as worship, forgiveness, mercy, thanksgiving, and prayer.  Profiles of discipleship are presented.”

            “Finally, Luke’s prologue reveals his pastor’s heart.  He addressed this massive work to a single, individual, a man whom he called most excellent Theophilus.  No personal details are known about him, but the title most excellent suggests that he was likely from the upper level of society.”  If one looks at Luke’s other writing, the book of Acts we will see that he used the same phrase to write about the governors Felix and Festus.

            “Theophilus had already been taught certain things about Jesus.  But some of that teaching had been unclear or incomplete and Luke wanted him to know the exact truth.”  Theophilus was somebody that we do not really know a lot about, but I suppose that there are many people we read about in the Word of God that we don’t know a lot about, and that includes some of the apostles, but I suppose that is one of the things that we may find out more about when we as believers get to heaven. 

            Let’s take a look at the word that is translated exact, means which can be similar to “reliable,” certain,” or “accurate.”  So we can be assured that Luke will make that clear while writing this book that was actually penned for Theophilus, and we also get the benefit of it too.  What we will be reading is the same letter that Theophilus read, and that is the truth as Luke pens this letter because it and the book of Acts are the two letters that Luke sent to him, and they are both in the Word of God.  As stated we do not know much about this man, but can believe that he must have been a very wealthy man, and perhaps because of Luke being a doctor that may be how they were knew each other. 

            MacArthur concludes that chapter by writing “In the remarkable providence of God, the Holy Spirit ensured that the book of Luke wrote initially to one man would be disseminated about the world.  The beloved physician, historian, the theologian, and pastor had the privilege of becoming the instrument God used for the salvation and edification of millions throughout history (cf. 24:44-53).”

(cf. 24:44-53)

“44  Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46  and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47  and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48  You are witnesses of these things. 49  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."  50 ¶  Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51  While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52  And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53  and were continually in the temple blessing God.”

            These are the ending verses in the book of Luke.

2/15/2026 9:47 PM

 

PT-4 “Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry” (Nahum 3:4-7)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/15/2026 7:10 AM

My Worship Time                                              Focus:  PT-4 “Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Nahum 3:4-7

            Message of the verses:  All because of the many harlotries of the harlot, The charming one, the mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations by her harlotries And families by her sorceries.  “Behold, I am against you,” declares Yahweh of hosts; “And I will uncover your skirts over your face And show to the nations your nakedness And to the kingdoms your disgrace.  I will throw detestable filth on you And display you as a wicked fool And set you up as a spectacle.  And it will be that all who see you Will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh s devastated! Who will console her?’  Where will I seek comforters for you?”   (NASB)

“4  And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms. 5  Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. 6  I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. 7  And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, "Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?" Where shall I seek comforters for you?” (ESV)

            I continue with this rather long section from the book of Nahum by continuing to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary picking up with the second point:  “Second, Nineveh would serve as an object lesson on the futility of idolatry.  God declared to the nation, ‘I will throw detestable filth on you.’  While detestable filth certainly relates to the physical ruin of the defeated city, the word primarily conveys the despicable nature of idolatry (Deut. 29:17; 1 Kings 11:5, 7; 2 Kings 23:13, 24; Isa. 66:3; Jer. 4:1).”

(Deut. 29:17; 1 Kings 11:5, 7; 2 Kings 23:13, 24; Isa. 66:3; Jer. 4:1)

“17  And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them.”

“5  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.”

“7  Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem.”

13  And the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.”

“24  Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.”

“3  "He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations;”

“1 ¶  "If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver,”

“In using this particular expression, God indicated He was condemning the spiritual filth of the city’s false religion.  Formerly, the nations may have found Nineveh’s gods, pagan rituals, and religious squalor would demonstrate that its deities were impotent and its idolatry as repugnant as excrement (cf. Phil. 3:8).”

(cf. Phil. 3:8)

8  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

Nineveh’s demise would punctuate the point that destruction, not delight, is the true end of false religion (cf. Prov. 16:25; Ezek. 32:16-32; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 18:1-24).”

(cf. Prov. 16:25; Ezek. 32:16-32; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 18:1-24)

“25 ¶  There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

“16  This is a lamentation that shall be chanted; the daughters of the nations shall chant it; over Egypt, and over all her multitude, shall they chant it, declares the Lord GOD."   17 ¶  In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: 18  "Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and send them down, her and the daughters of majestic nations, to the world below, to those who have gone down to the pit: 19  ’Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised.’ 20  They shall fall amid those who are slain by the sword. Egypt is delivered to the sword; drag her away, and all her multitudes. 21  The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: ‘They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’ 22  "Assyria is there, and all her company, its graves all around it, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, 23  whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit; and her company is all around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living. 24  "Elam is there, and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the world below, who spread their terror in the land of the living; and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. 25  They have made her a bed among the slain with all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for terror of them was spread in the land of the living, and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are placed among the slain. 26  "Meshech-Tubal is there, and all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27  And they do not lie with the mighty, the fallen from among the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were laid under their heads, and whose iniquities are upon their bones; for the terror of the mighty men was in the land of the living. 28  But as for you, you shall be broken and lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. 29  "Edom is there, her kings and all her princes, who for all their might are laid with those who are killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit. 30  "The princes of the north are there, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down in shame with the slain, for all the terror that they caused by their might; they lie uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. 31  "When Pharaoh sees them, he will be comforted for all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, declares the Lord GOD. 32  For I spread terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’”

23  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

            Revelation 18:1-24 is the whole chapter and so I will not quote that here but let you read it on your own.  This section from MacArthur’s commentary has many more verses to look up, and so I will stop here and Lord willing, pick it up in the morning.

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I look at the wrath that God is pouring out on the city of Nineveh and the entire country of Assyria, I certainly makes me very thankful for what the Lord Jesus Christ did on the cross for me.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust the Lord to get me through the Sunday school lesson that He has given me to teach this morning, that it will be convicting, and informative and that the Spirit of God will use it for the glory of my Savior and Lord.

From David Jeremiah:  “If you pray for bread and bring no basket to carry it, you prove the doubting spirit which may be the only hindrance to the gift you ask.” (D. L. Moody)

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 26:19)

2/15/2026 7:38 AM

 

 

 

 

PT-2 “Luke The Theologian and Pastor” (Luke 1:3b-4)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/14/2026 6:46 PM

My Worship Time                                               Focus:  PT-2 “Luke The Theologian and Pastor”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                   Reference:  Luke 1:3b-4

            Message of the verses:  “to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” (NASB)

            In last evening’s SD I had to stop before I got through a paragraph because of the many verses that I wanted to quote, and so I begin this evening’s SD by quoting John MacArthur as he finishes this paragraph.  “Luke wanted to make it clear that the wonderful reality of God’s saving purpose included Gentiles (e.g., Luke 7:1-10; 14:15-23).”

(e.g., Luke 7:1-10; 14:15-23)

“1 ¶  After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2  Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3  When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4  And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5  for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue." 6  And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7  Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8  For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it." 9  When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10  And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.”

“15 ¶  When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16  But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17  And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18  But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19  And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20  And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21  So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22  And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23  And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”

“He himself was a Gentile and he wrote to Theophilus, also a Gentile (Acts 1:1).  In fact, Luke viewed the gospel not only as being for all ethnic groups, including Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles, but also for all categories of individuals within those groups, including women (even prostitutes), outcast (including lepers), those possessed by demons, even tax collectors (cf. 7:36-50; 10:25-37; 15:11-32; 16:19-31; 17:11-19; 19:1-10).  Luke’s emphasis on the gospel’s universal appeal can be seen in his genealogy of Jesus.  Unlike Matthew, who began his genealogy with Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, Luke traces Christ genealogy all the way back to Adam, the father of the entire human race.”

            I am not going to quote all of the verses in listed above because there are just too many verses to do at this time.  Next I want to add some of my comments about the genealogy of Jesus in both Matthew and Luke.  My thoughts are that Matthew’s genealogy was from Luke’s genealogy, and Luke’s was from Mary’s background.  I have to say that I know that one of the kings in Matthew’s genealogy had some problems and therefore was not included, but from Mary’s genealogy which goes through Nathan who was David’s son too, but not in the kingly line. 

            I certainly will try and finish this section which conclude this first chapter in MacArthur’s commentary on Luke tomorrow.

2/14/2026 7:11 PM

PT-3 “Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry” (Nahum 3:4-7)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/14/2026 8:50 AM

My Worship Time                                              Focus:  PT-3 “Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Nahum 3:4-7

            Message of the verses:  All because of the many harlotries of the harlot, The charming one, the mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations by her harlotries And families by her sorceries.  “Behold, I am against you,” declares Yahweh of hosts; “And I will uncover your skirts over your face And show to the nations your nakedness And to the kingdoms your disgrace.  I will throw detestable filth on you And display you as a wicked fool And set you up as a spectacle.  And it will be that all who see you Will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh s devastated! Who will console her?’  Where will I seek comforters for you?”   (NASB)

“4  And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms. 5  Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. 6  I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. 7  And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, "Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?" Where shall I seek comforters for you?” (ESV)

            The first thing that I want to write is to say that this will be a very short SD as I have been working on my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow and since I am not teaching on a regular basis it has taken me a while to figure out what the Lord wants me to teach on.  I think that I finally got it after about four tries.

            John MacArthur writes:  “In response to Assyria’s iniquity, Nahum pronounced God’s words:  ‘Behold, I am against you,’ declares Yahweh of hosts.’” Let me just stop and say that this is something that no one ever wants to hear, for if the Lord is against you, then you are in great trouble.  MacArthur goes on “The Lord declared those same harrowing words earlier in Nahum 2:13, claiming divine responsibility for Nineveh’s destruction.”  (Nahum 2:13)  “13  Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.”  “In this instance, God emphasized that He would judge the Ninevites particularly for their vile spiritual abominations.  The Lord expressed His personal opposition to Nineveh (Behold, I am against you), His fixed decree (declares), and His power to execute judgment (Yahweh of hosts).  This divine declaration against Nineveh displayed the Lord’s fervent disdain for idolatry and His fixed determination to punish those who engaged in it.

            “God promised to judge Nineveh in three ways.  First, He would humiliate the pride of Assyria.  Yahweh declared, ‘I will uncover your skirts over your face and show to the nations your nakedness and to the kingdoms your disgrace.’  Such a graphic act of shameful degradation and public humiliation illustrated the way God would expose Nineveh as a whore before they watching world.  The Lord’s judgment would uncover the city’s corruption and weakness, thereby showing to the nations your nakedness and bringing perpetual shame on it.  (cf. Gen 3:7-10, 21; 9:20-25).”

(cf. Gen 3:7-10, 21; 9:20-25)

“7  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8  And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  9 ¶  But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" 10  And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’”

21 ¶  And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”

“20  Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21  He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22  And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23  Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.   24 ¶  When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25  he said, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.’”

“With dead bodies (cf. Nah. 3:3) and burning chariots (cf. 2:13( strewn about, the formerly formidable capital, and the empire its represented, would be seen as pitiful and pathetic.  As God would bring Nineveh low, He would display to the kingdoms your disgrace.  The root of the word digress literally means to be made small and often refers to being cursed and reviled (cf. Deut. 21:22-23; Hos. 4:7; Hab. 2:16).  The surrounding kingdoms would be shocked and revolted to see Nineveh’s shame.  With comprehensive divine judgment, the city that had been great in Jonah’s day (cf. Jonah 1:2; 3:2) would become greatly disgraced.”

(cf. Deut. 21:22-23; Hos. 4:7; Hab. 2:16)

“22  "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23  his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.”

“7  The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.”

“16  You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory!”

(cf. Jonah 1:2; 3:2)

2  "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.’”

“2  "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.’”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  I am thankful that the Lord is not against me, for after all He saved me a little over 52 years ago.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust that the Sunday school lesson that I have finally prepared will be helpful to those who hear it and most of all bring glory to the Lord.

From the pen of David Jeremiah:  “Never compromise with those who water down the Word of God to human experience.”  (Oswald Chambers)

“The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statues of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:7-8)

2/14/2026 1:04 PM