EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/01/2025 9:25 PM
My Worship Tim Focus:
PT-2 Intro to 3 John 9-14
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 3 John 9-14
Message of the verses: “9 I wrote something
to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not
accept what we say. 10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his
deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied
with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids
those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. 11
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good
is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good
testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony,
and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I had many things to write to you,
but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I
hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face. (1:15) Peace be
to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”
I mentioned in the last SD that I am going to quote from
John MacArthur’s commentary’s introduction as he has made it quite long, and so
I feel that is the best way for us to understand this passage.
“The story of human pride began in the Garden of
Eden. As it has been in Satan’s fall,
pride was a major component in the act of disobedience that catapulted the
human race into sin. Eve ate the
forbidden fruit in part because she believed Satan’s lie that it would make her
wise like God (Gen. 3:5-6). Moreover, by
choosing to eat the fruit, without consulting Adam, she elevated herself above
her husband, usurping his role in the created order (1 Tim. 2:13; cf. 1 Cor.
11:3-10). Clearly, then, pride was at
work from the very moment sin entered the world.
“The next chapter of Genesis introduces Lamech, a
descendant of the first murderer, Cain. Like his ancestor, Lamech was also a
murderer (as well as the first recorded polygamist). As Cain’s murder had been motivated by proud
envy, Lamech’s killings were a result of pride.
In the first recorded poetry in human history, Lamech boasted arrogantly
to his wives,
‘Adah
and Zillah,
Listen
to my voice,
You
wives of Lamech,
Give
heed to my speech,
For I
have killed a man for wounding me;
And a
boy for striking me;
If
Cain is avenged sevenfold,
Then
Lamech seventy-sevenfold.’ (Gen. 4:23-24)
“Perhaps Enoch had Lamech in mind when he prophesied, ‘Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him’ (Jude 14-15).
“Genesis 10 and 11 relate the story of Nimrod, another
proud figure. Genesis 10:8 describes him
as ‘a mighty one on the earth.’ His name
probably is related to a Hebrew word meaning ‘to rebel,’ while the word
translated ‘mighty one’ refers to someone who magnifies himself, acts proudly,
or is tyrannical. The description of
Nimrod as a renowned hunter (v. 9) may indicate his skill in hunting animals—or
in hunting people to enslave them. It
was under his leadership that the Tower of Babel, a monument to human pride and
rebellion against God, was built (Gen. 11:1-9).
Nimrod also was the founder of what later became the Babylonian and
Assyrian empires (cf. Gen. 10:10-12).
Derek Kidner writes concerning Nimrod’s character, ‘Nimrod looks out of
antiquity as the first of ‘the great men that are in the earth’, remembered for
two things the world admires, personal prowess and political power’ (Genesis, The Tyndale Old Testament
Commentaries [Downers Grove, Ill.’ Inter-Varsity, 1979], 107).
“During Israel’s wilderness wandering, ‘Nadab and Abihu,
the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in
them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He
had not commanded them. And fire came
out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the
Lord’ (Lev. 10:1-2). These two priests,
sons of Aaron, in their first priestly act violated in some unspecified way the
divine prescription for offering incense.
Their behavior, possibly while they were drunk (cf. Lev. 10:8-10),
betrayed their rebellious carelessness, irreverence, and preference for their
own will over God’s very specific commands.
The two decided to do things their own way, and paid the ultimate price
for such proud independence. Also during
the wilderness wandering, Moses’ own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam,
sought to elevate themselves to his level (Num. 12:1-3). The Lord severely judged both of them for
their arrogance and presumption (vv. 4-15).”
Lord willing more of this history in tomorrow evening’s
SD.
6/1/2025 9:54 PM
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