A layman's commentary on Matthew 24 verses 29 through 31 _ Immediately after the tribulation of those days.

 

Praise the Lord; He is coming.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” 
Matthew 24:29 NKJV

If this portrays the end of the seven years, what has the world been enduring?

• The catching away of the church has come, and we are gone.

• The departure of the church opened the door for the antichrist to come onto the scene.

  This is pointing to 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and a few more verses. I will explain.

  “Let not any one deceive you in any manner, because it will not be unless the apostasy have first come, and the man of sin have been revealed, the son of perdition;.” 
  2 Thessalonians 2:3 Darby

  With his earned Doctorate in Theology, Pastor Andy Woods tells us in a book he wrote several years ago that 2 Thessalonians 2:3 should read departure instead of apostasy. To conserve space, I am not detailing the whys involved. Regardless, you should ask if we are waiting for this falling away to get worse.

  How much further do we as a church need to fall?

  I think we have gone too far, but that is just me.

  If the church, in general, has adequately fallen, then what are we waiting for - that last person that God needs to be brought into the kingdom?

  On the other hand, if a departure must happen, as we are frequently told, there is nothing to prevent Jesus from collecting His church.

• And the seven years of God’s wrath have been poured out.

The seven years is not quite done yet, and we can know this based on the language used.

“immediately after the tribulation of those days.”

"I beheld therefore, because of the voice of the great words that the horn spoke; I beheld till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given up to be burned with fire."
Daniel 7:11 Darby

After the seven years the beast will be slain, and its body destroyed, and it will be burned with fire.

Will the beast - the antichrist, die? 

Not in a spiritual sense. 

So, what then is death? 

Death, no matter who we are talking about, is a complete separation from God. The fact that the beast is tossed into the lake of fire merely helps to establish the eternal judgment and separation from God.

The Word Study Dictionary discusses the Hebrew word ḥēywāh, indicating that it means a beast (of the field), but it goes on to say that the word, in general, is used to refer to all beasts of the field.

Isn't it interesting that Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, was made to crawl on his hands and knees, in the grass, like a beast of the field, for seven years, until he turned his heart toward God.

“As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.”
Daniel 7:12 NKJV

Even though the beast – antichrist is thrown into the lake of fire, there are others, that hold positions almost as deadly as the beast. How long their season lasts we are not told, but consider that the millennial reign is just moments away and it is not a land where bullies run rampant.

Daniel saw something that horrified him.

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.” Daniel 7:7-8 NKJV

Still, Daniel wanted to know what these beasts were.

'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.

Daniel 7:17 NKJV

What happens next?

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”
Mark 13:24-27 NKJV

• “The sun will be darkened.”

  Illustration 1: The town at noon. May 18, 1980.

  An interesting article on Space.com talks more in terms of the sun expanding as it enters the red giant phase. This is projected to happen in about 5 billion years. So it would only be conjecture on my part to guess how this will happen. Although a picture from noonday after Mt. Saint Helens blew in the early 80s may help you to understand.

• “The moon will not give its light,”

  As most of you know, the moon only reflects the light of other light sources, so we probably not be able to figure how it works. However, darkness is intimidating and representative of evil.

• “the stars of heaven will fall,”

  Stars are effectively suns in distant galaxies. Held in place by the Word of God who put them there, there is only one thing that can make them fall, God.

• “the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”

  Here is a fascinating piece of information from Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus.

  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the . Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
  Ephesians 6:12-13 NASB

  The word power is the same word dunamis that we see in Matthew 24:29, but in Ephesians, it is distinctly connected with forces of darkness—spiritual forces of wickedness “in the heavenly places.” 

   Perhaps a way to understand this is to ask, where did this all begin?

   In the heavenlies. If you were raised in the church, as I was, then you were given the idea that Satan, along with his crew of followers, were cast to earth, never to be heard from again. The reality is we are pestered by his demonic followers on a daily basis, and they all still have access to the heavenlies. If you must question that, then look at the opening passages of Job; there, you will find Satan mingling with the angels (the sons of God) and responding to God's questioning.

  Shaken is the Greek word saleuō and means to waver, agitate, rock, topple or (by implication) destroy.

  Consider this. The seven years are coming to an end; I say that because Jesus told us immediately after and then described some additional things that begin to happen, and they don't sound good. One might assume that the grief associated with the wrath would end immediately. A couple of ways to look at this moment in time. 1. Is that any additional grief is only coming against those who chose to fight against Jesus, who is riding on the white horse. 2. All those who chose Jesus during this ugly time will, in all likelihood, be martyred. Scripture tells us that this is the first resurrection. Note that there is a third group of people and you will see that highlighted in yellow below.

  Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
  Revelation 20:4-5 NASB

• “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”

  When I first read Revelation 19:11, I might have said, finally, it is done, and yet the church has lived in peace for seven years. Now, with my eyes wide open, I see that the finish will take a few more minutes, to say the least. All of this shaking of the heavens can only be meant to demonstrate the awesomeness of God, the one who is in charge even now. Still, with all that, the heavens and the earth will be remade after being burned with fire after the thousand years and the white throne judgment.

  The fire will NOT touch those who belong to God, and I can assure you that this will all be sorted out by this time.

• “He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”

  The Dake's bible notes say this about the elect. “He is talking about the Jews, not the Church because”:
  (My thoughts are in italics.)

1. Jesus is answering a Jewish question (Mat_24:3; Mat_25:31-46; Act_1:6)

   Matthew 24:3 tells us that Jesus was talking, exclusively, to His disciples. “the disciples came to Him privately.”

   Matthew 25:31-46, unlike Matthew 24:3, does not affirm that these are Jews, nor does it convey that this is related to the seven years. Verse 37 makes a reference to the righteous, which we might assume is a reference to Jews; it is not. This scenario happens at the end of the thousand years and is associated with the white throne judgment. Our scriptural definition merely informs us that these are from the nations (Gentiles) who have died and did not previously go up in the rapture of the church, and it includes people from among the nations who have been born and raised during the thousand years and have died for various reasons.

   And the last reference is from Acts 1:6.

   Here, Jesus has risen from the dead, walked with the disciples, and is about to return to the Father. It is the disciples, once again, who are asking Him if this is the time in which He will restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus' answer to them went like this, “it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” This statement does place a time frame or a nationality on the hearer, although we know they were Jews.

2. False Messiahs primarily concern Israel (Mat_24:5, Mat_24:23-26)

Think in terms of location and context. The location is centered on Israel in the majority of instances. The context is the seven year period, often referred to as God's wrath.

3. Anti-antisemitism proves it (Mat_24:9)

   The obvious point here is that the church cannot be the recipient of anti-antisemitism because we Gentiles are not Jewish. We fall under the category of the nations, as far as the Jewish people are concerned. Should they give their lives to Christ, they can freely be with us in our church bodies, but it does not impact their Jewishness except to remove the stigma of their religious upbringing.

4. The travail of Israel (note, Mat_24:8)

   Matthew 24:8 NKJV: tells us that “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” 

   The context is everything related to Jesus's Jewish answer to their Jewish question.

   The first eight signs of Mat_24:4-7 are the beginning of sorrows against Israel and the Jews, not the end. It will have an impact on the nations/gentiles as well. (UCRT)

   Dake goes on to explain “sorrows.” The Greek word: odin (G5604), birth pangs (Gal_4:19, Gal_4:27; 1Th_5:3; Rev_12:2). This refers to the troubles of Israel in the tribulation (Mat_24:15-21; Isa_66:7-8; Jer_30:4-7; Dan_7:21; Dan_8:9-14, Dan_8:24; Dan_9:27; Rev_12:1-17).

5. The abomination of desolation concerns Israel only. (note, Mat_24:15)

   From Dake's notes: “When—this marks the starting point of the middle of Daniel’s 70th week when the Antichrist will break his 7-year covenant with Israel and enter Judea to take over Jerusalem as his capital and the Jewish temple as his capital building (Dan_9:27;

   Dan 9:27  Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;

   Dan_11:40-45;

   Daniel 11:41-42 NKJV  He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown, but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon.  42  He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

   Yes, it does mention the glorious land, which we understand to be Israel, but it does not tell us when this happens.

   Dan_12:1 NKJV reads like this.

   "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.”

   The problem with using Daniel 12:1 is that you lose focus on the context, and it makes no sense without it. It becomes quite obvious that Daniel 12:1 is speaking about the minute transition between the seven years and the millennial reign. You should be aware that many of the Jews who make it to this point—we know that 1/3 of Israel does survive—will come to a knowledge of Jesus as the Messiah.

   Dan_12:7 (NKJV): “Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.”

   When will all things be finished? Two points of view on this. 1. Is when the tribulation ends; and 2. At the end of the thousand years. Regardless, this is NOT speaking of the time of Jacob's troubles.

   2Th_2:4. Let's look specifically at 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NKJV 

   “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,  4  who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

   Some will appropriately tell you that the falling away or departure of the church is the event that triggers the time of God's wrath (“the tribulation.”) Does it make sense that the apostasy or falling away is the trigger when the process of falling away has been an ongoing event for a long time. The departure will be a soon coming, one time, event. If 2 Thessalonians 2:4 doesn't seem to answer your questions, well, you are not alone, but continue reading because 2 Thessalonians 2:7 expounds on the fact that the Holy Spirit, working through us, is restraining the advent of the antichrist and will continue to do so until the day we are removed from the earth.

   “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.” NKJV 

   Rev_11:1-2; Verse two indicates that the Gentiles will trample the temple underfoot. Here is the verse to prove my point.

   “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.” Revelation 11:2 NKJV

   You should know that 42 months equal three and one half years on the Jewish, 360 day calendar. The Gentiles/ the Assyrians have been trampling all over the temple mount already. What is the difference? No temple, so keep your eyes on the Holy Land because things are happening so rapidly.

   We can definitely say that Revelation 11 talks about the time of wrath.

   Rev_12:1-17; The signs/stars transpired just a few years ago. I did not follow this phenomenon that closely. And, by the way, we are still here—bummer. But it alerts us that time is drawing to a close. This theme carries through to verse 17.

   Rev_13:1-18). Gives us an overview of the beasts that comes to a conclusion with the antichrist. One that gives so many a problem is this:

   “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.” Revelation 13:3 NKJV.

   Far too many portray this head as a human; it is NOT. The Revelation explains that all these, until the last one, are kingdoms and empires, so why change the pattern now.

   I believe that the head that appeared to sustain a mortal wound was the Ottoman Caliphate, a Muslim empire. Taken down in 1924 by the British, they immediately began rebuilding through the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

   The Islamic Revolution in 1979 seemed to awaken a sleeping giant, that has become a thorn in all our flesh. Look around you, we are surrounded by Muslims on every side, and they are a people that live by passages in the Quran and teachings of Imams that tell them to kill the infidel where ever you can find them. For your information, those who do not adhere to the Quran are infidels.

Dake states that “All this prophecy from Mat_24:15 on must be fulfilled the last 3 1/2 years of this age.”

There were 9 more scripture references from Dake's Bible notes, but I have already overwhelmed many of you.

If you read the narratives about the antichrist and this covenant, you will find that Israel is not mentioned. In all of them. Can we make logical assumptions? Yes, but to say they are all talking about Israel is pure conjecture and something that we need to be cautious about.

Isaac is a type of Christ. Let me explain.

 First off, I apologize to those who are regular readers. You could say I have been fighting a mild depression, and I have been occupied with the events surrounding Israel. One of my grandfathers was a Jew, and I feel a strong attachment to Israel. So, this post, triggered by a post I read several weeks ago, has had many interruptions. Life sometimes gets in the way.

I can't remember ever hearing this before.

In Genesis 22:19 it shows us (in a type) Abraham coming down off the mount alone, for God received Isaac up - just as He would receive Jesus at a future date.

In case you are struggling to understand “a type,” think of it as a simile or model. Isaac, for us, is a pattern or model of Christ who was to come, and Isaac submitted himself, as Christ eventually would, to be the sacrifice for us by what He did.

"He (Abraham) considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him (Isaac) back as a type.”
Hebrews 11:19 NASB95

Look at this in another translation.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”
Hebrews 11:17-19 NKJV

So, how does the narrative describe what transpired?

“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
Genesis 22:1-3 NKJV

Points to hold on to.

• God tested Abraham by saying, “ Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love.”

  Didn't Abraham have another son? He did, but it was not through the covenantal promise he made with God.

  At Sarah's insistence, Abraham went into Hagar, a servant girl of Sarah's, as a wife, and nine months later, she produced Ishmael. Ishmael's descendants became the perpetual enemies of the Jews with one purpose: to kill the Jews.

  If Isaac is an allusion to Christ, then we can recognize that God loved His only Son as well.

  Is it possible that Abraham announced to Sarah what he was going to do? He may have because we do not see any mention of Sarah again until she died in Genesis 23.

• Christ was not burnt upon an altar, but He was undoubtedly offered upon the same Mountain.

• Abraham took the wood, the fire, and two young men. Perhaps these were there to help, or they could have been witnesses.

  Problem: Sunday school often portrays Isaac as a young child who could have been forced through rough handling to submit to being sacrificed, when in fact, Isaac was big enough to successfully resist had he wanted to.

  So then, Isaac willingly submitted, just as Jesus would eventually do.

“Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.”
Genesis 22:4 NKJV

• Abraham has had to journey for three days to get to Mt. Moriah, even though he has no idea where he is going or the significance of this place. This should have alerted you to comparable language about Jesus, who spent three days and nights in, as Jonah did, in the belly of death.

• Isaac noticed that they were missing the lamb to be sacrificed. Abraham's response went like this.

“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they both went together.”
Genesis 22:8 MKJV

The inference was that God would provide "His own self" as the lamb necessary for our sacrifice, and He did just that through His Son. I can't imagine what Isaac felt. It appears that Abraham, though we don't see it in scripture, taught Isaac what it is to act in faith.

Did Abraham strike Isaac with the knife?

The answer is an emphatic no, but it appears that he went so far as to lift it as to slit his son's throat. Sorry if that offends you, but it was the standard method of dispatching the sacrifice.

To shorten this, I will say that God provided a ram stuck in the thicket.

How did that just happen?

I don't know, but it did, and Abraham took his son off the altar and offered up the ram.

God, once again, blesses Abraham.

“and said, I have sworn by Myself, says Jehovah; because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one; that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And your Seed shall possess the gate of His enemies. And in your Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 22:16-18 MKJV

Now, pay attention to what happens next.

“Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.”
Genesis 22:19 MKJV

Why did the description suddenly turn into a singular scenario?

The answer lies in what Abraham did. Short of killing his son, he went right up to the point where killing his son was next. God sees the heart and the dedication and accepts that.

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED,"
Hebrews 11:17-18 NKJV

Abraham knew that God was able to raise up Isaac.

“For he (Abraham) reasoned that God was able to raise [him](this is an inference toward Isaac and Jesus) up even from among the dead. Indeed in the sense that Isaac was figuratively dead [potentially sacrificed], he did [actually] receive him back from the dead.” (The italicized words within the parenthesis are mine.)
Hebrews 11:19 AMP

So the scriptures reflect Isaac as figuratively dead, an allusion to Jesus's death and ascension into the clouds.

Just as we will not see Jesus again until He comes, at His Father's dispatch, to collect His bride, we see no mention of Isaac again. Abraham sends the servant to find a wife for Isaac.

“but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” Genesis 24:4 NASB95

Something tells me that the time frame between the “sacrifice” of Isaac and his fetching of his bride is significant, but time eludes me. I am confident this was an intentional language choice meant to allude to Jesus being caught up to heaven because we don't see Isaac again until He meets his bride, Rebecca.

Rebekah coming to Isaac.

“Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the Negev.”
Genesis 24:62 NASB95

Now, we see him and her for the first time since the mount. 

Notice where Isaac is; he is in the wilderness of the Negev, where we will eventually find Jesus, where He was tested by Satan.

“Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel. She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her veil and covered herself. The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
Genesis 24:63-67 NASB95

In this narrative that we are living, Jesus, our sacrifice, was caught up to heaven, and we don't get to see Him again until the day that Jesus once again meets His bride, the church in the air.

The term wife is the Hebrew word 'ishshâh and means woman. Wife and woman are the same Hebrew word. H802 'ishsha^h meaning a woman.

If you are okay with losing your mind, look at what Adam said about Eve.

“The man said, "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman Because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:23-24 NASB

Did Adam have a mother?

No, he was a creation of God alone and made from the soil.

Did he ever have the experience of leaving his Father, God, before the moment in which he ate the fruit of that tree?

No, for when God saw that the man's relationship with the animals was not a substitute for an intimate and conversational relationship with a woman, He had to make one. What a peculiar thought, as I am sure that God realized that naming all of the animals and then tending the sheep would not satisfy and already had plans to clone a perfect woman from the perfect man He would make.

Another consideration is that God knew that Lucifer, soon to be known as Satan in this narrative, would rebel, be thrown to earth, and cause a cataclysmic amount of damage to the creation. God also knew that Adam would eventually stumble and fall, but this was not a shock to God as He knew it would happen; therefore, fallen mankind became the path for God to insert His Son into the earth as a human capable of redeeming and restoring the humans back to God, by accepting His love if they chose too.

Since humanity carried a damaged DNA strain because of Adam, God had to bypass human genetics - this plays a role in the conversation we see in Genesis chapter six, where God had to bring a flood that would kill off all life on earth except for Noah's family, as they alone were NOT polluted by the infiltration of the fallen angels. All this is why God asked Mary if she would be willing to carry the Son of God. I said it like this because Mary was “artificially” inseminated with a fertilized egg without having damaged DNA involved. This conversation demonstrates why it was said that Jesus had no sin. You would rightly assume that I was infected with sin if I turned over the vendor's table and chased all these fine citizens off the church property with my handmade scourge, and yet scripture tells us that Jesus was without sin. Hmm.

We also make the assumption that Adam did not or could not interact or speak with the animals. It would be a limited conversation, as there was no news or sports to discuss. If you think this is crazy talk, then tell me how it is that the serpent in the garden held a conversation with both of them, and they were not alarmed, or why Balaam did not flinch when his donkey spoke to him?

I am not so sure that the sin that overtook the two of them in the garden, with all its horrid aspects, such as separation from the Father, which is clearly an emotional death, to say the least, as it separates you from the one that made you; and the physical death that we can only assume God described to Adam.

How would you understand death if you have never witnessed any form of death?

We are left to assume that this was all thrust upon them in the moments following the eating of the fruit.

Did this instant break in communication with the Father - through the death that sin brought, give Adam the elated emotions that we tend to associate with the experience of marriage?

I bring this up because this leaving, in some cases, has to be fraught with emotions, not all of which are pleasant, as so many in the Middle East get married only to immediately return to the added-on room or new additional floor of your parent's home.

Blessed are those who mourn. Matthew 5:4 through ?

 Look intently at this.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.
(Matthew 5:1 NKJV)

Jesus did not retreat in fear, nor did He retreat, but it was a strategic move because the voice travels better as it moves downhill. Aside from that, there was the need to teach His own disciples what the heart of God is.

Having gathered His followers and all the others, He opened His mouth and taught. In the previous post, I covered Matthew 5:3, where the God's Word translation conveys this:

“Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.” (GW)

Though I did not elaborate on the idea that understanding that you are spiritually helpless it is much like an alcoholic who realizes that they are not in control and will never be.

Does God leave you helpless?

Absolutely not. God's life in you makes you a son or daughter of the King and entitled, within reason, to all the authority of the King. Think about the children of diplomats and how protected they are.

“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.”
(Matthew 5:4 NKJV)

Blessed?

It seems so odd to consider telling someone who just had their family blown up as they attended church in Nigeria that they are blessed.

The NLT unpacks Matthew 5:4 with “God blesses those who...” I think this way of perceiving what Jesus/God is about to say is more appropriate as, in most cases, it would be difficult at best to see this thing or event as a blessing.

Mourn is the Gk word penthéō and means to mourn, lament, or grieve over people or situations, and they do not have to be your own.

My takeaway on this is that in time, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, God will turn this thing that has brought your mourning into a blessing. This turn may be in heaven, before the Father, but occasionally, it happens quickly within the current time frame.

"How blessed are those who are humble, because it is they who will inherit the earth!” (Matthew 5:5 ISV)

The other common word option is meek. Both meek and humble have an aroma of weakness in my mind for a long time. What changed my mind came about when I read the narrative about Moses. Allow me to elaborate.

(Now, the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) Numbers 12:3 NKJV

Being placed in the river by his mother, you could certainly see Moses' future as one that could be oppressed or dead. But that was not to be his fate. He was rescued by the Pharaoh's daughter and raised to be nobility in the Egyptian court. The scriptures do not define how Moses came to understand what his true heritage was, but we have evidence that confirms our suspicions.

“And it came to pass in that length of time, that Moses having grown, went out to his brethren the sons of Israel: and having noticed their distress, he sees an Egyptian smiting a certain Hebrew of his brethren the children of Israel.” (Exodus 2:11 Brenton)

Based upon Exodus 2:11, it is hard to perceive the humility in Moses as yet. Perhaps we don't understand the meaning of the word. I can tell you that it is not what my dear mother defined it as.

Humble, according to the Word Study Dictionary, is the Hebrew word ‛ānāw. It is an adjective meaning poor, oppressed, afflicted, humble. It is used for persons who put themselves after others in importance; it is also used for persons who are not proud, haughty, supercilious, self-assertive, or low in rank or position.

We always build our arguments on at least two witnesses, so here is another.

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:24-27 NKJV)

Let's apply some logic to what we read here.

• Moses, at his sister's prompting, was given back to his mother to breastfeed until he was weaned.

• There have been mothers who have allowed their children to stay on the breast beyond seven years. I suspect that most attempt to wean the child when their teeth show up around 18 months.

• If Moses was given back to Bithia at 18 months, then there is "NO" way this child could have been taught about his heritage as a son of Jacob, a follower of Yahweh. (Keep in mind that these people, who kept to themselves, were sheepherders and followers of this unknown God, Yahweh. They were not known as Jews as yet.)

• This puts the driving force on Bithia, the daughter of Pharaoh, who rescued Moses from the river, to have Moses placed in the intermittent care of Jochebed (which, according to the Midrash, was the birth mother of Moses.) And, as far as we know, she used these opportunities to teach Moses about his heritage as a Jew.

  This puts the motivation on Bithia, Pharaoh's daughter who rescued Moses from the river, to have Moses placed in the care of Jochebed (who, according to the Midrash) was the birth mother of Moses. 

  Does that make sense?

  Not unless you believe in a God that works through people, often without their understanding, and does what seems to be improbable and impossible.

So, can we define humility based on what we see in Moses?

Absolutely. In Numbers 12, we find someone making a defining statement about Moses. Since God had Moses write all these early books, we might assume that it was Moses writing, as the Holy Spirit instructed, about himself. The Apostle Paul and the Disciple John seemed to find writing about themselves a bit uncomfortable. The following passage is a definition of Moses for a reason. We know this because, in most translations, it is set apart by parentheses. The Berean Study Bible did not do so.

“Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth.”
Numbers 12:3 BSB

Why bring up the word humble and apply it to Moses?

Because there was a jealous hostility arising in the camp, and it centered on the brother and sister of Moses.

“Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife. “Does the LORD speak only through Moses?” they said. “Does He not also speak through us?” And the LORD heard this.”
Numbers 12:1-2 BSB

When I read this, I find myself saying, really, all this because he married another woman.

By the way, what became of Zipporah, the first wife?

Oh, she is still around. If you remember, she threw the foreskins of their sons at Moses, yelling that he was a bloody husband to her, after he insisted that his sons, who might have been young men at this point, were to be circumcised. This is just a guess, but it seems some distance was suddenly put between Moses and his wife. Later, we see Jethro, Zipporah's father, come to Moses, and he brought Moses' two sons with him. Those two sons became priests in the desert temple.

We have several examples that might define Aaron and why he acts as a spokesman for God, but what about Miriam?

One of the first places we see Miriam is in Exodus 15.

“Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang back to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.”
Exodus 15:20-21 BSB

Seriously, that is all I could find. Perhaps she got the job because she was family.

Earlier in this post, I defined humility from the Word Study Dictionary. It is an adjective meaning poor, oppressed, afflicted, humble. It is used for persons who put themselves after others in importance; it is also used for persons who are not proud, haughty, or self-assertive.

This may have played a role in Moses' and his resistance to going to Pharaoh.

Did you notice how Numbers 12:3 pointed out how both Miriam and Aaron were saying, “Does the LORD speak only through Moses?” and “Does He not also speak through us?”

Well, they got a generalized answer.

“And suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three, come out to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three went out, and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward,”
Numbers 12:4-5 BSB

The answer was this.

“He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.”
Numbers 12:6 BSB

Did Aaron and Miriam meet these qualifications?

We are never told what their qualifications were aside from Miriam leading the worship choir.

I can tell you that Jesus spoke to me in a dream, but maybe it was a vision; all I know is that it felt very real. He related my entire life to me, and I was only about 25 at the time. I am now coming up on 70, and I can tell you that I saw the end, and it was filled with joy. Sadly, when I woke up, the only thing I could remember was that He had been there and the joy I felt. Truth be told, it has been a rough 45 years, and I am living through a rough time now. Maybe the joy has more to do with the joy we all will experience when He comes back soon for His bride, in the moment we call the rapture.

But when it comes to Moses, it's different.

“But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”
Numbers 12:7-8 BSB

Face to face?

Several translations use the terminology mouth to mouth. It is the Hebrew word peh and infers the mouth as the instrument of speech. You might say, we talk face to face. So this makes the relationship that Moses has different from anybody else's up to this point.

It goes on to say,

• I speak clearly,

• face to face,

• not in riddles,

• and he sees the form of the Lord.

Not even Moses was able to look at the face of God, or he would die, so this is all symbolic but serious. To elaborate on the serious nature of this conversation, God says, “Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”

Make no mistake, God was angry.

“So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed.”
Numbers 12:9 NKJV

Oh, He didn't go away without acting.

“And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. So Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb!"
Numbers 12:10-12 NKJV

You should know by now that Leprosy is a fungal disease that is treatable nowadays.

Aaron pleads with Moses for help.

“So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "Please heal her, O God, I pray!" Then the LORD said to Moses, "If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward, she may be received again." So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again.”
Numbers 12:13-15 NKJV

Verse 13 is one of the most dramatic verses that help to define why Moses was deemed so humble because he put God first in decision-making.

Was Moses always so humble?

I don't think so, and here is why. Remember how I asked the question, where is Zipporah, Moses' first wife? Well, Jethro, her father, brought her back to Moses, along with the sons. As you well know, there are two sides to every story. In a region that still supports a culture where a woman can be treated as a farm animal, I can't imagine what could have become of Zipporah. Perhaps humility played a large role in this marital affair.

“And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land") and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh"); and Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. Now, he had said to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her." So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent. And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them."
Exodus 18:1-11 NKJV

In contrast to Moses, the humble man – because he trusted and followed God, “the people,” including Aaron and Miriam, “behaved proudly,” according to Jethro.

Proudly is the Hebrew word zûḏ and means to treat someone insolently, proudly, or arrogantly. The people acted in opposition to Moses and showed their indifference to God.

The next day, Moses went back to work.

“And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. So when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?" And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another, and I make known the statutes of God and His laws." So Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you, you are not able to perform it by yourself. Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you. Stand before God for the people so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will also go to their place in peace." So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”
Exodus 18:13-25 NKJV

And then Moses let his father-in-law depart, but the wife and sons stayed, as though Moses demanded they stay. If there was an impetus to stay it came through Jethro.

“Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.”
Exodus 18:27 NKJV

Moses took his father-in-law's advice.