God's Will
Doctrine #53: Prayer
Doctrine #53
Doctrine #53 Read
A child wants to get the latest video game. The child goes up to his parents with a polite smile and says, "Mom, Dad, may I please get the video game?" The parents respond by telling their child that he has to earn the video game by doing chores. The parents want to instill in this child a sense of earning value. He cuts the grass, he cleans the house, he does the dishes, he does what they ask him to. He then goes up to his parents and says, "I did the things you asked me to do. Now can I get the game?" His parents get him the game.
The next time the child asks for a video game, will the parents give it to him because he has shown them that he can work, or would they give him more opportunities to earn it?
How do you think God responds to our requests? Do you think the way these parents responded to their child asking for something is better or worse than the way God responds to us?
Overview
Prayer is a statement of the will of the individual that initiates the exchange of spiritual value with God. There is a specific structure to every prayer presented in the Bible. Prayer is able to change God's Will if the individual has faith and enough spiritual value.
Discussion Question
Do you believe God has a process for how He wants us to pray?
Scripture
1Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?
2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures.
4Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
5Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Commentary
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
James asked for the causes of the unprofitable effects that believers exhibited. Remember, one of James' main themes was the importance of words. This chapter was extremely focused on the causes of our words.
Commentary · verse 2
James explained that all our attempts to use our own strength to get benefits ended up in getting the opposite of what we wanted. Then, James gave the reason: we do not get because we do not ask.
Commentary · verse 3
We think we ask, but we actually ask wrongly (with the intent on spending the benefit on ourselves) that it does not even qualify as asking: we are not humble when we ask. Instead, we act like "people in the world" and want to immediately experience the selfish benefit.
Commentary · verse 4
In the Bible, friends were able to speak for each other. We are a friend of God when we are able to speak for God by allowing God to speak through us via the Holy Spirit, which is grace. Being a friend of the world means we speak for the world, we let bad fruit come out of the same vessel that brings forth good fruit by the Holy Spirit. James did not allow the contradiction. Speaking for the physical/world is making yourself an enemy of God. Striving to get personal benefits at the expense of others is proving yourself to be a friend of the world, because you are speaking for the world and it is apparent to all. Humbling yourself, handling suffering well, and focusing on others is proving yourself to be a friend of God, because you would only be able to do these things by grace (the work of God) and that you are speaking for God would be apparent to all in this world.
Commentary · verse 5
James blatantly addressed the contradiction between us choosing to speak for the world while we asked God for the Holy Spirit within us, and then tried to say that when we spoke envying (for the world) we were really speaking by the Holy Spirit.
Commentary · verse 6
James referenced Proverbs 3:34. The proud were the ones who were speaking in their own strength for the world. This actually limited the ability of the Holy Spirit to speak through the person, which was grace. James referenced the scripture to show that God resisted the proud. The only way God can grow a person not flowing in grace is from the outside, from resisting them. However, God gives more grace to the humble. God grows the humble person more from the inside. Believers are humble and will be able to speak more and more for God via grace. God has provided everything necessary for Salvation. The proud people are at fault when they do not receive grace. Pride is "unwilling to consider you are wrong and in need of nothing." Someone in pride is not going to reflect God's influence in their life, they are going to present their own influence which is actually from the world. They will speak for the world.
Matthew 6:5-8
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5And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
7And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Commentary
God does know WHAT you need, and when we ask we show God our HOW/WHY. God wants us to state our will and "go hot" toward what we are praying for. This passage was in the Chapter of Matthew that we have called "The Reward Chapter". How Jesus told us to pray was to go into the inner chamber and shut the door. This meant out of sight: buried. The causes are buried, and God sees our causes when we are in fellowship with Him. Here were more verses stating you have to ask...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-34
The "Sermon on the Mount" continued. In this chapter, Jesus got more specific as to how to intentionally gain Reward.
Commentary · verse 5
The next example Jesus gave to intentionally gain Reward was prayer. Right WHAT: pray. Wrong HOW and wrong WHY: in public to be seen of men.
Commentary · verse 6
Jesus gave the same right WHAT (pray) with a right HOW/WHY: in secret to be rewarded by God. Notice, entering the inner chamber and shutting the door was analogous to being buried: being out of sight. Jesus' burial allowed us to gain Reward.
Commentary · verses 7-13
Verses 9-13 recorded what was known as "The Lord's Prayer." God's Will happened through believers. If God could make His Will happen without us, Jesus would not have said to pray for His "will be done." Notice the usage of pronouns in this prayer: "us, we." This seemed to be a corporate prayer or a prayer that believers ought to be in agreement about. A shorter version of this prayer was presented in Luke 11:2-4.
Matthew 7:7-8
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7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-29
Chapter 7 concluded the "Sermon on the Mount."
Commentary · verses 7-10
Notice, the last four verses all began with people initiating help from God. Jesus was stating that people ought to ask God for things instead of take things away from other people through judging.
24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.
24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 22-24
Doctrine: God wants to bless His people but His people must first ask in order to receive.
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and so shall ye be my disciples.
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 7-8
Doctrine: The Father is glorified when we bear much fruit (give great profit). Jesus concluded this portion of the lesson with a direct conclusion. The mini-summary was that we can only be profitable if Jesus is in us and working through us by the Holy Spirit, and this process would be painful because it would involve being cut back so we could produce more. Jesus then worked His way up to explaining a powerful example of us being profitable because God is working through us...
Matthew 20:30-34
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30And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.
31And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David.
32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you?
33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and straightway they received their sight, and followed him.
30And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
31And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
Commentary
Even Jesus needed people to ask Him before He helped them! Jesus knew they were blind but He still asked them and they had to state their will. We are all given free will by God, and if God could oppose our free will we wouldn't have it in the first place; this would be a contradiction!
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 29-30
Two blind men knew Jesus was coming so they cried for His mercy by confessing Him as Messiah.
Commentary · verses 31-32
Jesus asked them what their will was. Jesus could not heal these men unless it was their will to be healed. This was true for every healing. The person being healed must have expressed their will, in some fashion, that they were willing to be healed.
Commentary · verses 33-34
They stated their will was to see. Jesus healed them and they followed Him.
Matthew 6:19-21
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19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.
19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Commentary
We are supposed to store up reward in heaven. Reward is something that we have to have faith that it exists. The treasure in heaven that we have is spiritual value. One of the conditions for getting what we ask for depends on how much spiritual value we have based on justice. In the Bible, every time God moved for someone, moved against someone, or didn't move for someone, it was in response to where the person was in relation to justice. Just like we saw in the introduction a parent gives the child a value because they built up value; it was just for the parents to reward the child. Let's look at four critical examples...
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-34
The "Sermon on the Mount" continued. In this chapter, Jesus got more specific as to how to intentionally gain Reward.
Commentary · verses 19-21
We can have Reward here or in heaven. Jesus said that if we have our Reward here it will be corrupted and could be stolen but if we have our Reward in heaven our Reward will be eternal. Where we store our treasure is where our heart is. Jesus encouraged us to gain Reward! People who tell you Reward is not important or that you shouldn't do things to gain reward for yourself are contradicting the words of Jesus.
Numbers 14:11-20
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11And Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them?
12I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.
13And Moses said unto Jehovah, Then the Egyptians will hear it; for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them; 14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that thou Jehovah art in the midst of this people; for thou Jehovah art seen face to face, and thy cloud standeth over them, and thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15Now if thou shalt kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 16Because Jehovah was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17And now, I pray thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 18Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
19Pardon, I pray thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy lovingkindness, and according as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
11And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
13And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
Commentary
God wanted to kill off the Israelites and begin another nation under Moses because Moses had value and the people didn't. This was God's Will. Moses changed God's Will through prayer because of the value he had. Value is reward through justice. Does this mean Moses could always change God's Mind?...in any situation?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-45
Paul referenced the events of this chapter in 1 Corinthians 10:1-5.
Commentary · verses 11-12
God wanted to wipe out the Israelites and make a greater nation out of Moses. God told this to Moses. Take some time to think about the severity of this proposition...God was going to disinherit Israel and start over with Moses! Furthermore, this was not the first time God made this offer to Moses! God offered Moses something similar back in Exodus 32:7-14. It was clear that God considered Israel a failure.
Commentary · verses 13-19
Verses 13-19: Moses' intercession.
Commentary · verse 16
Moses understood that the Dispensation of the Law was meant for Israel to reach other nations. Moses appealed to God by showing Him how this would affect how other nations perceived God.
Commentary · verse 19
Moses asked God to pardon the people and appealed to God by showing Him that God's mercy would be a testimony to other nations. Moses wanted God to change His Mind.
Commentary · verse 20
God changed His Mind. God pardoned the people because of Moses' word. If God planned this the whole time, He would have been lying when He told Moses His plan to wipe out the Israelites and it was impossible for God to lie according to Hebrews 6:18.
Jeremiah 15:1
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1Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
1Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
Commentary
Later, God said that Moses and Samuel couldn't change His Mind in this case. The case in Jeremiah chapter 15, long after Moses was dead, was much worse than what Moses faced. Moses (and Samuel) didn't have enough spiritual reward for this case. That brings up an interesting question: Who had the most reward in the Old Testament? Who gave the most and had the most taken away from them? Who handled themselves the best in adversity?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 1
God told Jeremiah that even if Moses and Samuel stood before God, His Mind would still not be toward the people. Even Moses and Samuel could not have stopped the captivity.
- Moses did change God's Mind: Numbers 14.
- Hezekiah was able to request something God did not want to do: 2 Kings 20:1-11 and Isaiah 37.
Now, we see a case where someone who was able to change God's Mind would not be able to change God's Mind. We have seen that prayer works according to Justice, according to spiritual value. The only explanation that was consistent with the rest of the Bible was that Moses had enough spiritual value to change God's Mind in Numbers 14, however, Moses (and Samuel) did not have enough spiritual value to change God's Mind in the situation we have been covering in the Book of Jeremiah.
Since the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah, we have seen God has tried every possible way to illustrate to Judah their level of wickedness: a girdle, Marriage analogies, divorce, and now Moses and Samuel being unable to change God's Mind.
Ezekiel 14:19-20
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19Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; 20though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
19Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
20Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
Commentary
Noah, Daniel and Job had the most spiritual value in the Old Testament. They gave the most while receiving well the most abuse. In fact, they were abused because they were good. In this case from the Book of Ezekiel, where Israel was on the wrong side of justice to a very high degree, God said these three men would only have enough value for themselves, not even enough to save their kids.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 12-23
Verses 12-23: judgment on the land.
Commentary · verse 20
This filled out the four cases that showed how God's Will operated.
- In Numbers 14, Moses had enough spiritual value to change God's Will.
- In Jeremiah 15, God stated things had gotten so bad that neither Moses nor Samuel would have been able to change God's Will.
- In 2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 38, Hezekiah was able to change God's Will to something that was unprofitable.
- Now we see that circumstances were so bad, the three Old Testament people with the most spiritual value would not have been able to change God's Will, and would have only had enough spiritual value to save themselves.
2 Kings 20:1-6
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1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah, saying, 3Remember now, O Jehovah, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, 5Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of Jehovah.
6And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
3I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
5Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
6And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
Commentary
Hezekiah wanted something that God didn't want. God said that Hezekiah was going to die and not live: this illness would result in death. Clearly Hezekiah's illness didn't result in death. Did God lie? God changed His Mind in response to Hezekiah's prayer. Hezekiah was able to get the wrong thing through prayer because he had enough value: Hezekiah was one of the few righteous kings over God's people. God will never be unjust or wrong, it was Just for Him to grant Hezekiah's request even though it resulted in Manasseh being born and God putting His people in captivity because of Manasseh. This passage is so problematic for some people, they attempt to interpret it in a different manner. Be careful: every other interpretation of this passage results in God lying. God cannot lie.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-21
Hezekiah's story continued.
Commentary · verse 1
In those days, Hezekiah was sick unto death. He was going to die that day or very soon. Isaiah told him that God said he shalt die and not live. God did not say Hezekiah "maybe" would die. This sickness would end in death soon enough that Hezekiah needed to put his house in order.
Commentary · verses 2-3
Commentary · verse 4
Before Isaiah was out of the middle court, God gave him a word.
Commentary · verses 5-6
In response to Hezekiah's prayer, through Justice, God said He would heal Hezekiah and add fifteen years to his life. The result: Hezekiah actually did live fifteen more years. That point proved Hezekiah was going to die very soon after the original word was given (vs.1). God wasn't speaking of the final death that Hezekiah would eventually experience as all men do. God was speaking specifically of Hezekiah dying very soon.
To say that God had always planned on healing Hezekiah and adding fifteen years to his life is calling God a liar. Again, in verse 1 God said "thou shalt die and not live." Then God said He would add fifteen years and Hezekiah lived fifteen more years. Either Hezekiah was going to die (because God had to add fifteen years to avoid him dying) or God did not add fifteen years (meaning God lied) and Hezekiah was always going to live fifteen more years.
The only explanation that was non-contradictory with the rest of God's Word was: Hezekiah's prayer and his righteousness (Reward) caused God to move and heal Hezekiah...and God did not know everything that will happen ahead of time.
Omniscient, according to the Bible, meant that God knew all the causes that existed and their effects. God did not know the causes that did not yet exist. At the beginning of this story, the causes that existed were that Hezekiah would die. Hezekiah's prayer provided a new cause and God stated the effect of that new cause.
Also, this story proved it was possible to pray against God's Will and have God answer a prayer that was against His Will. The key? The person praying needed to have enough spiritual value.
If you doubt this non-contradictory explanation, this story was told from Isaiah's perspective in Isaiah 38. In that chapter, Isaiah even documented a song that Hezekiah sang that gave further proof that God added fifteen years to Hezekiah's life.
Matthew 26:39
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39And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.
39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Commentary
There is a Right way to pray: a Right HOW. Jesus stated His will, and then said that He wanted God's Will to be done before His. If you did not pray for God's Will you could be outside of His Will and still get what you wanted if you had the spiritual value, just like Hezekiah. Jesus had enough spiritual value to change God's Will. Jesus also had free will and could have chosen not to do God's Will. However, Jesus is God and Thought like God. He had a fleshly nature that He killed so that God's Will could be accomplished through Him. The ideal way to pray is to state your will and then finish by stating that you want God's Will to be done. In the Additional Scripture section, we go through the other example that presented the ideal way to pray from God's perspective!
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 36-39
Jesus knew He would have to be crucified to fulfill prophecy, so He was not looking for a way to avoid crucifixion. Satan had entered Judas and God the Father knew how bad it would get for Jesus. When Jesus found out from the Father about the coming circumstances, Jesus asked if it be possible to be crucified under different circumstances. Jesus may also have been more specifically referring to His having to be separated from God when He died. Not only did Jesus love the Father greater than anyone ever has, He had never experienced separation from God the Father, and He had witnessed the devastation that occurred throughout history when people chose to be separated from the Father.
Matthew 21:12-13
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12And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; 13and he saith unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer: but ye make it a den of robbers.
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Commentary
Why would Jesus turn over the tables in the temple and tell them that they had made it a den of robbers? People were exchanging value, right? This value was a WHAT!... that ought to be an effect of the Right HOW/WHY, instead of a cause. These people were deceived! Jesus was stating that the temple was a place for prayer: a place for people to exchange spiritual value with God, not physical value with each other! Does your church focus on exchanging spiritual value with God (cause) more than they focus on physical value with each other (effect)?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 10-13
Jesus quoted Isaiah 56:7. Prayer is a spiritual exchange with God. The money-changers were focused on physical exchange with people, which Jesus described as "a den of robbers." Jesus stated God's house ought to be for spiritual exchange with God, not physical exchange with people.
1And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples.
2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
3Give us day by day our daily bread.
4And forgive us our sins; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation.
1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3Give us day by day our daily bread.
4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Commentary
The disciples asked Jesus HOW to pray. Jesus gave them a structure for prayer. There were four parts: 1) Recognize God, 2) Build faith through stating experience and/or understanding, 3) Reference justice, and 4) Make our request. We can talk with God as much as we want, in any way that we want, as long as we don't make a request. That wouldn't be prayer, it would be fellowship. Prayer requires that we make a request to God. Thinking that we can approach God in any way we choose and God has to adjust to us is proof of pride. When you make a request of someone else, do you ask them any way you want or are you intentional and humble? Treating your friends with more respect than you treat God is idolatry. This is so overlooked! Think about it, this was the Son of God showing us how to get our prayers answered. I believe prayer is a critical Doctrine. It is our ability to make requests to the Creator of the universe. Why do people treat this so casually and with disrespect? Every prayer that was answered in the Bible was stated according to this structure. Every prayer other than this structure was a man-made prayer that was based in tradition. Do we know this structure? Do we use it in our churches?
2 Kings 19:15-19
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15And Hezekiah prayed before Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, that sittest above the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
16Incline thine ear, O Jehovah, and hear; open thine eyes, O Jehovah, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, wherewith he hath sent him to defy the living God.
17Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, 18and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.
19Now therefore, O Jehovah our God, save thou us, I beseech thee, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou Jehovah art God alone.
15And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
16LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
17Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
18And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
19Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
Commentary
Look at the structure of this prayer. 1) Recognize God: "God of Israel," 2) Build faith: "all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth," 3) Reference justice: "sent him to defy the living God", and 4) Request: "save thou us". What was the result of this prayer?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-37
This chapter continued Hezekiah's story.
Commentary · verses 15-19
Verses 15-19: Hezekiah laid out the letters before God and prayed.
Commentary · verse 16
Hezekiah recognized God and built his faith through understanding by declaring God as the living God.
Commentary · verse 18
Hezekiah referenced Justice. The kings of Assyria had been unjust, so Judah had gained spiritual value.
Commentary · verse 19
Hezekiah made a request: salvation of the people from the Assyrians. He left the HOW to God.
2 Kings 19:35-36
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35And it came to pass that night, that the angel of Jehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.
36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
35And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
Commentary
God answered Hezekiah's prayer.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-37
This chapter continued Hezekiah's story.
Commentary · verses 32-35
Verses 32-35: God's protection over Judah.
Commentary · verse 35
That night, the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. One angel was able to kill at least 185,000 people in one night.
Commentary · verses 36-37
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. In the Book of Jonah, Jonah was sent to Nineveh to speak to the king of Assyria.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
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9And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it be not to my sorrow! And God granted him that which he requested.
9And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Commentary
Notice the structure of this very famous prayer. It had all four parts. Jabez being more honorable than his brethren meant he had justice on his side. Jabez had spiritual value. Jabez had faith that GOD would grant him his request! Jabez believed that God was and was a rewarder of them that sought diligently after Him.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-43
Chapters 4-8 recorded the tribes of Israel and their descendants.
Commentary · verses 2-9
The name "Jabez" meant "sorrow."
Commentary · verse 10
2 Samuel 15:31
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31And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
31And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
Commentary
David prayed against the will of another person. This was the definition of witchcraft! Notice, if David could state his will over another person who had a will, it would violate free will and result in a contradiction. We can express our will over inanimate objects, the weather, and animals: everything that does not have a will. In fact, we can state our will over demons! We can state our will over another person when they request that we do this. For example, when people ask us to pray for them. However, it is witchcraft to state our will over another person's will that hinders their free will. What was the result of David's prayer?
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 27-31
David and the people with him were weeping. David was distressed. David found out about Ahithophel and prayed that Ahithophel's counsel would be turned into foolishness. Was this a prayer God could Justly answer? Was David praying for something that would be against the will of another person? How would God answer this prayer?
2 Samuel 16:23
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23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Commentary
The opposite of David's prayer happened! God gave Ahithopel words that resulted in counsel that was directly from God. Clearly, it was wrong and unjust for David to pray as he did.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 23
Ahithophel's counsel was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God. David's prayer (2 Samuel 15:31) for God to turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness was not answered the way David wanted it to be, because it was over the will of Ahithophel. The opposite happened.
7Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.
7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Commentary
A husband and a wife are joint-heirs of the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, and they are joint-heirs in the ability to repair. How many married couples recognize this... they are one flesh. If they lack agreement with one another about what they pray, their prayer will be hindered.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verse 7
Husbands give honor to their wives who are heirs together of the grace of life so that your prayers are not hindered. If husbands and wives (one flesh) are not honoring each other they could be hindering their prayers because they are not in agreement.
The verse said that men were to honor their wives as unto the weaker vessel. Peter did not say that women were the weaker vessel. Peter was giving the husbands a practical example of HOW they could lead their wives. The men reading this ought to see it as Peter saying that men should be lifting up (leading) these vessels. The emphasis of this verse ought to be put on husbands honoring their wives, not on the descriptive term "weaker vessel."
25And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Commentary
A request for justice brings judgment. If you have not forgiven someone that is an unbeliever or you haven't forgiven a believer who has confessed and repented to you, your prayer will bring God's judgment on you. In the Lord's prayer, Jesus said to ask God to forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. We show God how to treat us by the way we treat others.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 19-28
The Disciples noticed the fig tree was withered. Next, Jesus was asked about how He received His authority: the identities of the two Semikahs who laid their hands on Him.
Matthew 5:23-24
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23If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, 24leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Commentary
Before going to God with an offering, we are to go to those believers who have a complaint against us because we have sinned against them. This is justice. If we sin against believers, we don't remove that sin by confessing and repenting to God. The sin we commit (when we take from others) affects our reward, and if we do not have reward our prayers will not be answered. Sins we do against God affect our salvation. However, our lack of love for another believer is proof that we aren't in fellowship with God.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 1-48
This chapter began what was referred to as "The Sermon on the Mount." This was Jesus' premier teaching.
Commentary · verses 23-25
Agreeing with your adversary quickly helps your adversary run down quicker. If you hinder your adversary by fighting what they are saying or doing, you may give them more energy to go the wrong direction.
Romans 4:16-17
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16For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17(as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.
16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Commentary
When you pray for something you should call things that are not as though they were. If you are sick you wouldn't pray not to be sick; you ought to pray to be healed. You can't say, "There is no wall" and run through them. You don't deny what is, but you look past the current state. If someone hit you, you wouldn't deny they hit you. You would state that they hit you and then forgive: state your will you wouldn't hit them back if you had the opportunity to do it. Forgiveness allows God to equal out justice. This also means that when you make your request, you have to let things go, which is also forgiveness. You can't make a request to God that He "put burning bamboo shoots" under someone's fingernails. Every prayer that was answered in the Bible requested a result (a WHAT, not a specific HOW). We saw Hezekiah asked "save thou us". Hezekiah didn't tell God specifically HOW to do it, otherwise, it would have been proof Hezekiah hadn't forgiven the injustice and proof that Hezekiah didn't have faith in God. Another HOW that God can use to equal out justice is blessings! If God uses a blessing to equal out justice, and humble someone, would you see the benefit in that?
We have learned that the four causes of the Acts Church were: Fellowship (emotional), Breaking of bread (physical), the Apostles' Doctrine (mental), and Prayer (spiritual).
What does this community look like?
In 1 Samuel 8, God wanted to lead the people. However, the people wanted to be like the heathen nations and be led by a king... by a man. The people told this to Samuel and Samuel told it to God. God's response was to allow Samuel to play God's role during prayer...
" But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah. And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee."
God stated these people had not only rejected Him, they had rejected Samuel. God and Samuel were on the same side. Remember, the passage above from Jeremiah: God stated though Moses and Samuel were before Him, His Mind could not be towards the people. Here, we see that Samuel was like Moses: the only person on the right side of justice against God's people. Samuel could now act in God's role...
" Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit thou shalt protest solemnly unto them, and shalt show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."
God stated that Samuel ought to first listen to the people's request, which was prayer. Then Samuel ought to protest solemnly, even help the people to understand the request they were making. This raised an interesting point: Do you listen for God's response to your request? Jesus prayed a lot and for a long time. Now we can see it may have been because He was listening to God's thoughts about His prayers. Verses 10 through 18 documented that Samuel told them the evil things a king would do. Then the people responded...
" But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles."
The people made a request. Samuel responded with an explanation for WHY this was not a good request. The people made their request again. Kind of like stating one's will and then saying, "final answer". If we don't listen to God, then our initial request becomes our "final answer".
" And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Jehovah. And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city."
Samuel told God what had happened. God still needed to have it stated specifically to Him for Him to respond. God told Samuel to give the people what they wanted, even though it was not God's Will. The request by the people didn't require spiritual value because their request was unjust (a rejection of God) and God could give the people what they wanted through justice... their request was actually a punishment, yet they still had to request it. Again, the ideal way to pray is to make your request, listen to God, and then state your will that you want God's Will.
Swokowski Bible Commentary on this passage
Commentary · verses 14-16
Doctrine: Grace via the Holy Spirit can only work by faith. "Grace" is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life." "Faith" is "a belief in something you cannot see, either because it is intangible or it is yet to happen." The divine influence is definitely something you cannot see and therefore takes faith to obey. Those that obeyed the Law were not justified by the Law, they were justified by their faith in allowing the Law to be the divine influence upon their heart.
Commentary · verse 17
Doctrine: God has faith. God calls "the things that are not, as though they were." This meant God believes in things that have not happened yet and in things He cannot see. Paul referenced Genesis 17:4-5.
This passage talked about you not getting what you wanted from God because you didn't even ask Him. You have to ask! Asking is a statement of your will. Another reason WHY your prayers wouldn't be answered is because you did not ask the right way. In order to do God's Will you have to hear from God (grace) and this requires you to kill your flesh. God has a way in which He wants us to pray. You can make a request to God carelessly, thinking as a man thinks, but that is what it meant to ask "amiss." It takes humility to pray.