“GOD’S STANDARDS, IDENTIFY PROFANENESS!”

PRE-AMBLE by Robert

 Yeshua brought the following information forward for all to hear, know and search for your position. “You go on in your annual feasts and rituals year after year, piling the abominations higher and higher. Do you think your external performance of Religious services will serve as an exception from the Judgements of God? You can continue paying lip service to God and not reforming or humbling your hearts, do not think you can pacify an offended God or turn away His wrath.

So, shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19) KJVS

OPENING COMMENTS by Robert 

God took notice of their weakness and wickedness: He saw that few men would do anything for the support of the cause of religion and virtue among them, few that would execute judgment (Jeremiah 5:1), that would bestir himself in a work of reformation those that complained of the badness of the times had not zeal and courage enough to appear and act against it. There was a universal corruption of manners, and nothing is done to stem the tide; most were wicked, and those that were not so were yet weak and do not attempt anything in opposition to the wickedness of the wicked. 

What it was that God expected from them, and with what good reason he expected it (Malachi 1:6): A son honours his father because he is his father nature had written this law in the hearts of children, before God wrote it at Mount Sinai nay, a servant, though his obligation to his master is not natural, by voluntary compact, yet thinks it is his duty to honour him, to be observant of his orders, and true to his interests.  

Children and servants pay respect to their parents and masters every one cries out shame on them if they do not, and their own hearts cannot but reproach them to the order of families is thus kept up, and it is their beauty and advantage.  

We may each of us charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the disciples.  

1. We are every one of us to look upon God as our Father and Master and upon ourselves as his children and servants. 
2. Our relation to God as our Father and Master strongly obliges us to fear and honour him. If we honour and fear the fathers of our flesh, much more the Father and Master of our spirits, Hebrews 12:9  
3. It is a thing to be justly complained of, and lamented, that God is so little feared and honoured even by those that own him for their Father and Master. Where is his honour? Where is his fear? 

God’s name is all that whereby he has made himself known–his word and ordinances these they had low thoughts of and vilified that which it was our business to magnify and no wonder that when they despised it themselves, they did that which made it despicable to others, causing even the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred, as Eli’s sons did. 

They profaned God’s name, Malachi 1:12. They polluted it, Malachi 1:7. They not only made no account of sacred things, but they made an ill use of them and perverted them to the service of the worst and vilest purposes–their own pride, covetousness, and luxury.  

There cannot be a greater provocation to God than the profanation of his name, for it is holy and reverend. His purity cannot be polluted by us, for he is unspotted, but his name may be profaned, and nothing profanes it more than the misconduct of disciples, whose business it is to do honour to it.  

This is the general charge exhibited against them. To this, they plead Not guilty, and challenge God to prove it upon them, and to make good the charge, which added daring impudence to their daring impiety: You say, wherein have we despised thy name? (Malachi 1:6), and wherein have we polluted thee? Malachi 1:7.  

It is common with proud sinners, when they are reproved, to stand thus upon their own justification. These disciples had most horridly profaned sacred things, and yet, like the adulterous woman, they said that they had done no wickedness. They were so inobservant of themselves that they remembered not or reflected not upon their own acts, or they were so ignorant of the divine law that they thought there was no harm in them.  

And that what they did could not be construed into despising God’s name, or they were so atheistical as to imagine that though they knew their own guilt. Yet, God did not, or they were so scornful in their conduct towards God and his prophets that they took pride in bantering a serious and just reproof and turning it off with a jest.  

They either laugh at the reproof, as those that despise it, and harden their hearts against it, or they laugh it off, as those that resolve they will not be touched by it or will not seem to be so.  

Which way soever we take it, their defiance was their offence, and, in justifying themselves, their own tongues condemned them, and their saying, wherein have we despised thy name? Proved them proud and perverse. 

If we worship God ignorantly, and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, if we are cold, dull, and dead in it, we bring the sick; if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. 

 And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to God and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? To the acceptance of our actions with God, it is not enough to do that which, for the matter of it, is good; but we must do it from the right principle, in the right manner, and for the right end.  

Our constant mercies from God make worse our slothfulness and in our returns of duty to God. Spiritual worship shall be established. Incense shall be offered to God’s name, which signifies prayer and praise.  

And it shall be a pure offering. When the hour came, in which the true worshippers worshiped the Father in Spirit and in truth, this incense was offered, even this pure offering. We may rely on God’s mercy for pardon as to the past, but not for indulgence to sin in future.  

If there be a willing mind, it will be accepted, though defective; but if any be a deceiver, devoting his best to Satan and to his lusts, he is under a curse. Though differently, men now profane the name of the Lord, pollute his table, and show contempt for his worship. 

We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. 

Also, he was a poor man, and all his journeys were on foot. Being wearied, he sat thus on the well; he had no couch to rest upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like the Son of God in such things as these. 

Moderate men of all sides are men wondered at. Christ took the occasion to teach Divine things: he converted a woman by showing her ignorance and sinfulness and her need of a Saviour.  

By this living water is meant the Spirit. Under this comparison, the blessing of the Messiah had been promised in the Old Testament. The graces of the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul that knows its own nature and necessity.  

Christ shows that the water of Jacob’s well yielded a very short satisfaction. Of whatever waters of comfort we drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever partakes of the Spirit of grace and the comforts of the gospel shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul. Carnal hearts look no higher than carnal ends. 

It looks ill and bodes worse when those willing to be Christ’s disciples are not willing to be known to be so. Here began Peter’s denying him: to follow Christ afar off, he begins to go back from him.  

It is more our concern to prepare for the end, whatever it may be, than to ask what the end will be. The event is God’s, but the duty is ours. Now the Scriptures were fulfilled, which said, False witnesses, are risen up against me. 

Christ was accused, that we might not be condemned; and if at any time we suffer thus, let us remember we cannot expect to fare better than our Master. When Christ was made sin for us, he was silent and left it to his blood to speak.  

Hitherto Yeshua had seldom professed expressly to be the Christ, the Son of God; the tenor of his doctrine spoke it, and his miracles proved it, but now he would not omit to make an open confession of it.  

It would have looked like declining his sufferings. As an example and encouragement to his followers, he confessed to confess him before men, whatever hazard they ran. Disdain, cruel mocking, and abhorrence are the sure portion of the disciple as they were of the Master, from such as would buffet and deride the Lord of glory.  

These things were exactly foretold in the fiftieth chapter of Isaiah. Let us confess Christ’s name and bear the reproach, and he will confess us before his Father’s throne.  

The Lord turned and looked upon Peter: It was a convincing look. Jesus turned and looked upon him as if he should say, Do you not know me, Peter?  

1. It was a chiding look. Let us think with what a rebuking countenance Christ may justly look upon us when we have sinned. 
2. It was an expostulating look. Thou who was the most forward to confess me to be the Son of God and didst solemnly promise thou wouldest never disown me!  
3. It was a compassionate look. Peter, how art thou has fallen and undone if I do not help thee! 
4. It was a directing look, to go and bethink himself. 
5. It was a significant look; it signified the conveying of grace to Peter’s heart, to enable him to repent. 

The grace of God works in and by the word of God, brings that to mind, and sets that home upon the conscience, and so gives the soul the happy turn. Yeshua looked upon the chief priests and made no impression upon them as he did on Peter. It was not the mere look from Christ, but the Divine grace with it, that restored Peter. 

Justly might they have been convicted and condemned upon the general charge, and their plea was thrown out as frivolous. Still, God will not only overcome, but will be clear, will be justified when he judges, and therefore he shows them very particularly wherein they had despised his name and what the contempt was that they cast upon him.  

As formerly, when he charged them with idolatry, so now, when he charges them with profaneness, he bids them see their way in the valley and know what they have done, Jeremiah 2:23. 

 You say to the people, If you offer the blind for sacrifice, it is not evil or the lame and the sick, it is not evil. Note, It is a very evil thing, whether men think so or no, to offer the blind and the lame, the torn and the sick, in sacrifice to God.  

If we worship God ignorantly and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice if we do it carelessly. Without consideration, if we are cold, and dull, and dead, in it, we bring the sick if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame and, if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us (Luxurious Sin), we bring the torn.  

And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to God and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? Do not our books tell us, nay, do not our own hearts tell us, that this is evil? For God, who is the best ought to be served with the best we have. (Malachi 1:7).  

The Holy Spirit brought forward Solomons’s wisdom from within Proverbs 13:20 and described the two choices before us. He relates the importance of our decisions in life and how those we choose to associate with will affect those decisions and our journey, and the eventual path we will follow. (a journey within a centuries-old delusion)

Multitudes are brought to ruin by the bad company they keep: A companion of fools shall be broken, known to be a fool; (noscitur ex socio) is known by his company. He will be like them (so some), will be made wicked (so others); it appears all to one, for all those, and those only that make themselves wicked will be destroyed, and those that associate with evil-doers are debauched and so undone, and at last, ascribe their death to it. 

Those that would be good must keep good company, which is evidence for them that they would be good (men’s character is known by the company they choose) and will be a means of making them good, of showing them the way and of quickening and encouraging them in it. He would be himself wise must walk with those who are so, choose such for his intimate acquaintance, and converse with them accordingly; must ask and receive instruction from them and keep up a pious and profitable talk with them. 

The promises of God are strong inducements to sanctification, in both the branches thereof; namely,

1. The dying unto sin, or mortifying our lusts and corruptions: we must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Sin is filthiness, and there are defilements of body and mind. There are sins of the flesh, that are committed with the body, and sins of the spirit, spiritual wickednesses; and we must cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of both, for God is to be glorified both with body and soul

2. The living unto righteousness and holiness. If we hope God is our Father, we must endeavour to be partakers of his holiness, to be holy as he is holy, and perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. We must be still perfecting holiness and not be contented with sincerity (which is our gospel perfection), without aiming at sinless perfection, though we shall always come short of it while we are in this world. This, we must do in fear of God, which is the root and principle of all religion, and there is no holiness without it. Note, Faith and hope in the promises of God must not destroy our fear of God, who taketh pleasure in those that fear him and hope in his mercy. 

Remember, these messages are given by a humble servant obedient to our Lord Yeshua as a “Watchman.” I pray for all. ”Our Heavenly Father brings us to the river which bringeth forth fruit so we may partake of its sustenance and be filled spiritually with nurturing wisdom, and humble dedication in service to Yeshua.“ “Blessings to All.”  As you go forward in peace, knowledge, and strength. In the name of Yeshua, we pray Amen and Amen. 

Robert