Question: Matthew 22:37-40 “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Does this mean the same thing as “Do unto others”? What is meant “On these two commandments hang all the law of the Prophets”? When is it right to hate? I believe that we are to hate evil things but not people. What is the right response to a verbal attack by a hateful person that you know is hurting? Besides praying for them.
Answer: Yes, loving your neighbor as yourself is very much like what is known as “the Golden Rule.” Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” It comes very naturally to us to take care and protect ourselves. So in the same manner that we care for ourself, we are exhorted to love and care for our fellow man. Regarding the two commandments, when we look at the 10 Commandments given to Moses, we see they can be divided into two categories. The first tablet of the Law contained the laws relating to man’s obligations to his Creator; the other set forth the duties of man toward his fellow-men. These two categories are summarized in Matthew 22, to love your Creator and then to love your neighbor. The 10 Commandments were given to Israel, and Christians are not under the 10 commandments. But all Christians are under these 2 commandments, which are the spirit of the law. Hebrews 1:9 says, “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” I agree with you, we are told to hate all sin and unrighteousness. But that does not mean we hate the person. All of us are imperfect, and so we cannot expect perfection in others in this life. They will have an opportunity in God’s kingdom to be instructed in righteousness and to accept God’s wonderful plan of salvation, and they may not yet be ready to accept it until then. It is difficult to be on the receiving end of verbal hateful attacks. Sometimes there is not much that can be said to help the situation, other than, as you said, praying for them. The one thing we can control is our attitude. It is helpful to remember that the scriptures tell us that Christians who have consecrated their lives to do God’s will and have been begotten by his holy spirit will have sufferings that are directed and overruled by God. 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The following scriptures in 1 Peter tell us that we should expect to go through fiery trials. It won’t be easy, but we can rejoice in the fact that the sufferings are helping us to become better Christians: 1 Peter 4:12-19, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” Thankfully, through whatever experiences we go through, God has promised to give us the strength and peace of heart to endure them if we continue to abide in him. Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Even though the circumstances we go through may be very painful, we have the promise that all things will work together for good. It may not be fully understood in this life why we need certain experiences, but the Lord will not give us anything we can not endure without his help, and all the difficult times will help us to grow as Christians. Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God has promised us that he will help us. 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” This does not necessarily mean “a way of escape” will remove all trials, but we will be given a way to endure them.

Question: After the Deluge subsided, why did Jehovah God allow Noah and his family to eat animals? Why didn’t he simply by a miracle bring vegetable dishes to eat for Noah and his family?

Answer: God had said in Genesis 1:29 and 30 that humans and animals were given vegetables to eat: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so.

Then in Genesis 9:3, after the flood, God said, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you; as the green herb have I given you all.” In Genesis 9:4 God specified that the meat should not be eaten with the blood, because blood represents life. “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” And Genesis 9:5 shows the importance of human life. God said that while killing animals for food was permitted, the killing a person is not. “And surely your blood, the blood of your lives, will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it: and at the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, will I require the life of man.”

We cannot know for certain why God chose to allow people to eat meat in Genesis 9:3. Certainly when Noah and his family left the ark, they needed to start over, and it would have been difficult to survive with no crops. And even after they had crops, they would have to endure long unproductive winters. So as a practical matter, it may be that meat was necessary for survival.

It seems that conditions in the earth had somehow changed after the flood so as to impair human strength, as noted by the fact that the length of people’s lives were much shorter after the flood. It may have been expedient for humans to eat animals so as to get the proper strength from the protein. Even much later, we find that Jesus ate meat and fish, both before and after his crucifixion, and the apostles also ate meat. So the eating of meat is not spoken of as bad in the Scriptures. However, it is a reasonable suggestion that in God’s future kingdom on earth, after Christ and faithful glorified Christians (his “church”) have helped the remainder of mankind to reach human perfection, that mankind may no longer eat meat.

The Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 3:13 that we look for “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,” he was referring to the prophecy found in Isaiah 45:17, “world without end.” The first epoch of the world was destroyed by a flood; the second epoch will be destroyed by fire, representing anarchy; and the third epoch will be the new heavens and earth, the final and perfect arrangement of earthly society under the divine administration.

The new earth and heavens spoken of in 2 Peter 3 refers to a new spiritual rulership (Christ’s kingdom) and a new social order (earthly society reorganized established by Christ’s kingdom). God’s salvation will be composed of 2 parts: heavenly and earthly. Christians who have consecrated their life to God, and whose sins are covered by Christ’s merit, will compose the “Church” who will be Christ’s bride in heaven. Those who will be of the Church are tested under unfavorable circumstances. They are walking in opposition to the general depravity around them.

After the Church are all selected and glorified in heaven, then Christ will establish his earthly kingdom, where Christ and the Church will then raise to life and instruct the remainder of the world how to live righteously in his kingdom. (Matt. 6:10, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”) This will be the time when all people will be called upon to repent and follow Christ. The process of instructing the world in righteousness will be a great work. All will have a full and fair opportunity to accept Christ’s kingdom arrangements and to have eternal life on a perfect earth. Revelation 22:17, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Question: What does the Bible say about drinking liquor?

Answer: Thousands of years ago, the Babylonians worshipped a wine goddess, Greeks made mead (a fermented honey and water drink), and Indians made a distilled rice drink called sura. According to Wikipedia, the term “liquor” was first used for “an intoxicating alcoholic drink” in the 16th century. Liquor (distilled alcoholic beverages with higher proof ratings) and other alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) were commonly all called “liquor” in the recent past. Currently the distinction between previously fermented then distilled alcoholic beverages and non-distilled alcoholic beverages is usually noted. Although not all alcoholic drinks are now typically called liquor, all alcoholic drinks can cause intoxication or drunkenness, and we will consider alcoholic drinks in general in our findings.
The Bible both has much to say about, and mentions, wine and strong drink numerous times. Words translated as “wine” in English, are mentioned over 200 times in the Scriptures, not to mention words translated as containing “wine,” such as winepress or winebibber. For example, frequently used in the Bible is the Hebrew word “yayin,” (Strong’s #3196) and it is derived form a root word meaning “effervesce” (as in fermenting wine).

Proverbs 20:1 (NASB) states, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.” We are warned in Proverbs 23:21 (NASB), “For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” We can see from these verses that excessive consumption of substances, including that of fermented alcoholic drinks, has negative results for our minds and bodies. Alcohol use, especially if extreme, can make it difficult to honor God with our bodies, as we are told to do in 1 Corinthians 6:20. Since it dulls our senses, slows reaction time, slurs our speech and makes us less mentally sharp, its use can make it difficult to reason together as we are admonished to do in Isaiah 1:18.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NAS) we are reminded, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own.” Ephesians 5:18, 19 (NLT) warns and encourages, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So far we have considered cautionary verses. There are also verses which mention uses for wine.
In John 2:1-11, the wedding at Cana, Jesus turned water into wine after his mother told him the wine had run out. Jesus greatly assisted the bridegroom of the wedding by miraculously supplying wine, although the lesson he would thus impart would be far more important. The expectation would be for the Jewish hosts to provide plenty of wine for guests with no hint of running out. This, the first of Jesus’ recorded miracles, he of course used as an important picture. When the wine was completely exhausted Jesus instructed the servants to fill six water pots to the brim with water. These were large pots with a capacity of about 18 to 27 gallons each which would have probably been used for guests to wash with. Jesus miraculously changed the water in the filled pots to wine. Water in the Bible is used to denote life, as in Revelation 22:17, “…the water of life…” The Church, Christ’s “bride,” will be a source of “water” or “life” under Jesus Christ, for all mankind in the coming resurrection when the willing may “drink freely” (Revelation 22:17). Being glorified with Christ as overcoming saints, their once justified nature would reach its zenith in the new and stronger divine nature provided by God for the purpose of assisting Christ in lifting mankind from degradation to perfection. This new wine, instantaneously and marvelously supplied, from water by Jesus symbolizes this new and stronger nature, life, of the saints working together with Christ their Head during the millennial kingdom, and the joys of the kingdom. See Matthew 26:29. Jesus used wine to represent something incredibly wonderful in the picture of the wedding at Cana. We also think he probably partook of the wine along with the other guests rejoicing at the celebration of marriage. Romans 12:15 (ESV) instructs, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

Jesus partook of “the fruit of the vine,” which may have been fermented wine, at the last supper with his apostles. Matthew 26:29 does not specifically state whether or not it was fermented wine. This “cup” first symbolizes sacrifice and suffering of Jesus which is to be shared in by his true followers, wherever they may be found, during their earthly lives of studying God’s word and laying down their lives in service to God and His truth. Later will come the joys of the kingdom (new wine). The apostles and those Christians following afterward were taught to all drink of Christ’s suffering by the picture of drinking of the fruit of the vine at the last supper. Also in Matthew 26:29, Jesus tells his disciples that he will not drink of the fruit of the vine after that evening until he drinks it new with them in God’s kingdom. This reminds us of Amos 9:13, which states that sweet wine or new wine (depending upon the translation) will drip from the mountains. This indicates the blessed life-giving power of the Lord and his kingdom upon mankind. The Hebrew word in this case is “aciyc,” and indicates “must” or “freshly squeezed grape juice,” “new (sweet) wine,” “as just trodden out” (Strong’s #6071). Here we see another instance where wine is used as a symbol of something wonderfully revitalizing.

1 Timothy 5:23 (NIV) states, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” The suggestion to use a little wine for medicinal purposes in the case of Timothy is in stark contrast to the warnings against overindulgence by heavy drinking. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” (Philippians 4:5 KJV)

Sometimes wine is used with a negative symbolic connotation. Revelation 18:3 (NIV) states, “For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” Here wine indicates a spirit of intoxication of the world and false doctrines employed by Satan to deceive mankind. This spirit of intoxication of error and worldly wisdom, rather than godly wisdom, very early on crept into the church and is now rampant among nominal (those in name only) Christendom, although some of the “Little Flock” God is seeking and preparing may still be in those systems (see Revelation 18:4).

Conversely, in Revelation 6:6, the “wine” symbolically indicates something very positive, the pure doctrines of Christ. In Judges 13:4, Samson’s mother is urged not to drink wine or strong drink while pregnant with Samson. Yet in Numbers 28:7 (Tanakh), we read, “And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb; in the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink offering of strong drink unto the LORD.” Here the drink offering to God Almighty is translated as strong drink. In Genesis 27:28 (NIV), we read, “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine.” Psalm 104:15 tells us that wine makes the human heart glad.
What can we glean and conclude from these numerous and varied ways that wine and strong drink are discussed in the Scriptures?

The use of wine can be used to symbolize something very good, as in the new wine or sweet wine of the kingdom. In Matthew 26:28, 29 Jesus took the cup of the fruit of the vine and bid his truest followers to partake of it as a symbol of his blood, or life, poured out (sacrificed) for them and the world of mankind, thus showing that they were privileged to share with him in suffering and sacrifice unto death by living their lives as his followers. Jesus’ perfect sacrifice (as a substitution for Adam) was vital to our hope as Hebrews 9:22 tells us that there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. Wine was properly used as an offering to God by the Jews.
The use of wine can also symbolize something very bad, such as, intoxication with the spirit of worldliness, (as opposed to Godliness), and error in doctrinal understandings, which will be all done away with in the kingdom.

Wine is not forbidden in the Bible, but drinking to excess causing drunkenness is strongly warned against. 1 Corinthians 6:10 teaches us that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom. Note that it does not say that those that were at one time drunkards will not inherit the kingdom. Verse 11 tells us that some of the Christians Paul was addressing, although walking after God through Jesus at that time, were drunkards prior to being washed by the water of the Word of God.
As Christians, we are at liberty to make decisions on things that the Bible does not strictly forbid us to do. We are at liberty to do all the good we can if we can prove that it is God’s will through our study of Scripture (see 2 Timothy 2:15). If a consecrated Christian feels it is proper to drink a moderate amount of wine, following the biblical admonition to be moderate in all things, we do not find scripturally that it is forbidden. However, drinking to excess will cause negative effects on all people, including Christians.

Romans 14:21 also warns us that we are not to drink or eat anything that may stumble a brother. If, for example, we have a recovering alcoholic in our midst, we certainly would not want to tempt them or in any way cause them risk or grief. As Christians we may decide it is best to avoid alcohol altogether for our own spiritual and physical well-being and to avoid any possibility of injuring another. The world is currently filled with those who do not have faith in God. The despair this causes leads many to abuse alcohol.

In summation, The Holy Bible mentions “liquor” (alcoholic beverages such as wine) numerous times, though we have only touched on a few examples. Its use is not forbidden, but its abuse is strongly warned against. It seems logical to conclude that Jesus did not ever abuse wine. We would do well to either abstain altogether or only use alcohol with moderation, prudence and great personal responsibility if appropriate. We hope we have shed some scriptural light on your excellent question and given you some food for thought for your further study of and reasoning on the subject.

We leave you with some quotes we found interesting: 

“Alcohol has drowned more people than all the seas combined.”

“Dignity is one thing that cannot be preserved in alcohol.”

“Having a drink does not drown a care but waters it to grow faster.” 

“Much drinking, little thinking.” 

“Wine is a turncoat. First it’s a friend, then a deceiver and in the end, an enemy.” 

“Alcohol kills everything living and preserves that which is dead.”

Question: Dear sir praise the Lord. Revelation 22:15. “But out side are dogs and sorcerers…..and practices a lie” 1) All the animals are prohibited to enter into the heaven, or only dogs are prohibited to enter in to the God’s kingdom? Why? 2) Are the dogs also doing sin? 3) They have also judgement? 4) In all the animals dogs are faithful animals. Why in bible about the dogs it is written like this? 5) Matthew 15:27. Here Jesus compared the faith of woman to little dogs. It means dogs are faithful to man. Then why in the book of 21:15 of revelation is it written about the dogs like that? Thank you. (India)

Answer: In the Bible, to compare a human to a dog implied that the person was of very low status or evil. For example, 2 Kings 8:13, “And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?….”

Revelation 22:15 states, “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” The book of Revelation is a book of signs and symbols. So in this verse, people who do not accept Christ’s earthly kingdom rules will not receive everlasting life. These are people who have been given every opportunity possible to repent and there is not hope for their reform. They will go into what Revelation calls “the second death,” which is oblivion. This verse is not speaking of literal dogs or sorcerers, etc. These adjectives represent the character of those who will go into second death — evil. In the Thayer’s Bible Lexicon, the word “dogs” in this verse is defined as (1) a dog and (2) metaphorically a man of impure mind, an impudent man.

During the Old and New Testament time, dogs often ran wild and usually in packs. They exhibited predatory behavior to survive, including the eating of dead bodies. 1 Kings 14:11, “Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.” That is why in the Bible “dogs” is sometimes used as a term of disrespect. Israel’s enemies were poetically called “dogs” because of the fierce and savage nature of these wild dogs. (These wild dogs are in contrast to house dogs who were considered pets by the family and who were used as watchdogs and for hunting.)

Matthew 15:26-27, “But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

The “dogs” referred to in this scripture are not the wild dogs, but house dogs. However, even here, it is comparing a Gentile to a Jew, and signifying the inferiority of the Gentile in the sense that they were not then favored by God. The Gentile woman was willing to confess herself as one of the Gentile “dogs,” that she had no right to claim any of those blessings of healing for her daughter because she was not of the Jewish nation. But because of her faith, Jesus rewarded her by healing her daughter.

There is nothing in the Bible which indicates that animals will be resurrected in God’s kingdom. Human beings alone were created in God’s image. God’s plan of salvation is designed for human beings, not for animals. Since animals cannot reason and make moral decisions, they are not included in the salvation God has offered to humans. Jesus died to save “his people from their sins” Matthew 1:21. Animals cannot exercise faith in Jesus. However, during God’s kingdom on earth, there will be animals to enjoy and live with, as expressed in Isaiah.

Isaiah 11:6-9 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

We know that animals won’t go to heaven because Christ’s kingdom is in two stages: a heavenly and an earthly, as Matt. 6:10 says, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” The heavenly salvation is for Christians who have consecrated their lives to God in their present life and have sacrificed their earthly ambitions and hopes and have been begotten by God’s holy spirit and covered by Christ’s merit. The earthly salvation is for the remainder of the world, and this will be their opportunity to live in a paradise on earth. So only faithful Christians will be in heaven. The remainder of the world will live on earthy, along with the animals.

Question: How do you explain 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 — will Jesus authority reach an end? How do you understand these verses in the light of Jesus’s divinity, and the doctrine of Trinity?  Does this teach Jesus’s inferiority to the Father? (Tanzania)

Answer: 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

These verses are speaking of the time when Christ’s 1000-year kingdom will close and he will hand over the kingdom to the Heavenly Father for a final test, spoken of as a “little season” in Revelation 20:3 — a time when the world of mankind, after having been instructed in righteousness in Christ’s earthly kingdom, Satan will then be let loose to test their obedience for everlasting life in the earthly kingdom.

Rev. 20:2-3: “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”

Rev. 20:7-8, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations.”

After the testing of the Little Season, the world will be reconciled to God, and God’s plan will have been fully accomplished of a perfect kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 states that during Christ’s millennium, he will put down the enemies of Adamic sin and death that have imprisoned all mankind. Verse 27 tells us that God gave Christ this authority for the 1000 years, to have all things come under his rulership. But then it states that God is always an exception, in the sense that He is the supreme ruler and is never under anyone.

Verse 28 says that when all things have been subdued by Christ, then he will turn the kingdom back over to the Heavenly Father. The purpose of this will be for a final individual test upon mankind without Christ, their mediator, standing between God and them.

These scriptures teach that every being is below the Heavenly Father’s position, including his only-begotten son, Jesus. Christ was given the divine nature after his death and resurrection, and we are told in Matthew 28:18 that “all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” However, as 1 Corinthians 15:27 states, God is always an exception to this rule. He is the Supreme Ruler of the universe.  So these verses are inharmonious with the doctrine of the trinity and are a few of the many scriptures that prove it to be a wrong interpretation of Scripture.

Question: How is prayer communicating with God?

Answer: Because God is a divine spirit being and we are on the human plane, prayer is our means of communication with God. When we have consecrated our lives to Christ, we then have direct access to God through Jesus. Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Boldness means we can approach God with full assurance that He will hear us and that Jesus will cover us with his righteousness. Ephesians 2:8, “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

It is through Jesus’ ransom merit that we have direct access to the Heavenly Father. But we should not expect that direct communication to include hearing an audible answer. Christians are being tested by faith. We have to act on that faith in order to recognize God’s answer to our prayers. God’s answers may come in ways we don’t expect. For example, if you pray for patience, you may find yourself in an irritating situation where you can exercise and develop more patience. That would be a clear answer to prayer, although not an easy one.

We are to study the Bible so that we know the kinds of things that God says it is OK to ask for. We may pray for the strength to endure our experience and for help in learning the lessons he has for us so we can grow in faith. God does not wish us to pray for fleshly desires, but for our spiritual welfare. By studying God’s Word, we become closer to God and understand His plans and purposes better so that we can pray in a manner pleasing to Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 tells us to “pray without ceasing.” This means that we can always be in heart communication with our Father. And we should not be discouraged when the good things promised and asked for don’t come quickly. God will answer our prayers in due time, and the answer could be no.

Another way we can see God’s communications to us is through providential overrulings. We can recognize events that occur in our life where God overruled the situation for our spiritual welfare. This should give us confidence that He does hear our cries for help and that He is always watching over us.

As mentioned before, it is not due time for everyone to have direct access to God in prayer. It is only now for Christians who have consecrated their wills to do His will. Faithful Christians who lay their lives down in sacrificial death will be part of Christ’s Church, and they will reign with him in heaven. And then in his kingdom on earth, Christ and his heavenly Church will be able to bless the remainder of the world of mankind, at which time they will have access to pray to God through Christ.

The remainder of the world of mankind will be resurrected in his earthly kingdom and instructed in righteousness. They will then have a full, fair opportunity to accept Christ’s ransom merit and receive everlasting life in his kingdom on earth. We are told one of our main things to pray for is this kingdom: Matt. 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” 1 John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation [satisfaction] for our [the Church class] sins: and not for our’s only, but also or the sins of the whole world [in due time].”

Question: I don’t understand the parable of the fig tree? Please explain.

Answer: Luke 21:29-32, “Then He spoke to them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.’” (The parallel verses are in Matthew 24:32-35.)

The disciples had asked Jesus (Matthew 24:3) what the sign of his presence and the end of the age would be. One sign would be the budding and leafing of the fig tree and all the trees. Generally, trees represent nations. For example, Ezekiel 31:3 reads, “Assyria was a cedar…” When God symbolizes Israel, He uses a fig tree (Jeremiah 24). The parable teaches that the fig tree and all the trees will leaf out. To interpret: God’s favor returned to the Jewish people and God, Himself, reestablished Israel as a nation in 1948. Respecting the other trees, there were about 80 sovereign nations in 1900. But today, there are almost 200. Thus, the trees leafed out or many nations were established and became sovereign.

Now note verse 35: “when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.” This means that the generation which sees Israel regain nationhood will see all things take place. Let us rejoice for very, very soon, Christ’s kingdom will be fully established on earth! In the near future, the promise God gave to Abraham will be fulfilled. Genesis 12:2-3 (NLT), “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

For a more detailed study, click the following link to download the free PDF: “Will Israel Survive the End Times?“

Question: I want to ask some more questions about the sinful activities which are written in the Bible.1) Genesis 19:31 to 36. Lot’s two daughters enjoying sex with their own father…Is it not a sinful activity? 2) Genesis 27:19. Here Jacob was telling lies to his own father Issac, who was on death bed. It is not a sinful activity? 3) 2 Samuel.13 chapter. King David son Amnon raped his sister Tamar…Is it not a sinful activity? 4) 1 Kings 11:6 to 8. God blessed King Solomon with wisdom and knowledge, but he worshiped idols…Is it not a sinful activity? Sir, can you clarify this type of sinful activities, which are against God. (India)

Answer: It is true that there are many sinful actions that are written about in the Bible, as shown by each example you mentioned. However, the Bible is not writing about these incidents to condone the sin. Instead, they are written to teach lessons of the need to obey God’s righteous rules and to show what happens when people they are not followed.

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10 that the events in the Old Testament with the nation of Israel are examples that Christians can learn from:
1 Corinthians 10:6-1: Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

When we study the Bible, we need to keep in mind that God deals in different ways with people during different time periods. For example, when he was dealing exclusively with the nation of Israel, he dealt with them through their law covenant, requiring obedience. He dealt with the patriarchs who had faith in a different way, testing their faith, while at the same time overruling lessons for Christians in the future. As Christians, we are living in a time of developing our faith. We do not walk by sight, as did the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. We are to grow in faith, and that is best developed by not having all the answers just given to us. The struggles we go through in discerning God’s will help us develop our faith in Him.

The account of Lot’s daughters explain the origin of the Moabites and Ammonites, Israel’s enemies. And it, also, can teach obvious moral lessons regarding the bad consequences of their sinful actions. In Jacob’s case, he used deceit in trying to get the birthright that was promised to him at his birth from God. Although he demonstrated faith in God’s promise, he did use deceit to ensure that this came about. He endured many difficult lessons in his life after this along a similar vein, such as when his father-in-law Laban deceived him, which again teaches a lesson of the consequences of sin. The tragic story of Amnon and Tamar again illustrate how years later David’s family go through much tribulation as David’s son Absalom attempts to revenge his sister’s murder. And Solomon’s worshipping of idols and taking heathen women as wives became a snare unto him that by the end of his life he regretted and is a lesson for us as we read about it.

Sometimes the lessons of the sinful stories in the Bible are not obvious and we need to dig deep to discern them. But it is very clear that these incidents were not written to promote sinful behavior, but instead they were written to expose sin and its consequences. Rom 3:20, “Because by the works of the law no man is able to have righteousness in his eyes, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.”

Question: All human beings have two natures – spiritual and physical. What is the difference between the spiritual nature of all human beings that returns to God after death and the Holy Spirit? How do they function together in the same body?

Answer: Nothing is stated in the Bible about mankind having two natures. Genesis 2:7 teaches that God made man from the dust of earth then breathed life into him. Man became a living soul. Soul = Body + Breath of life. He did not receive a soul with two natures. In fact, both the children of Adam and animals are of the earth and share the same fate, death. Ecclesiastes 3:19,20(RSV), “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts…All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.”

If a man accepts Jesus as his Savior and then sacrifices his life to do God’s will, things change. When God adopts him into His family as His child, God begets him to a new life with the holy spirit. 1 Corinthians 5:17, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Romans 8:9 (NASB), “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.”

The holy spirit works within our hearts and minds to transform us into Christ-likeness. Romans 12:1,2 (NKJV), “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God…And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This process is a constant struggle between our old, sinful man and our new, spiritual creature.

The Apostle Paul said, “Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am!” Romans 7:21-24 (NIV)

God’s holy spirit powerfully influences and assists Christians, who diligently serve Him. They study Scripture, pray, help brethren, families, and mankind. Philippians 2:13 (RSV) assures us of God’s help: “for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

If faithful, Christians will be resurrected with spirit bodies. 1 Corinthians 15:44, “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” Psalm17:15, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”

Question: What are the spiritual blessings according to Ephesians 1:3?

Answer: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” Ephesians 1:3. The spiritual blessings referred to in Ephesians 1:3 are given to Christians who have consecrated their lives to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. These spiritual blessings, as opposed to material blessings, such as prosperity in this life, begin with knowledge of the creator Father and a recognition of Jesus as mankind’s Savior.

After one understands that God’s Son, Jesus, paid the price for his sin, repents and devotes his life to following God’s will, he receives the blessing of the holy spirit. God’s spirit works powerfully to transform them into the character likeness of Christ. (Romans 12:1,2) As Christians walk in obedience to God’s will, they receive the blessing of peace with God. (See Romans 5:1, Ephesians 1:2.) Christians are also blessed because the Lord Jesus Christ is their advocate (see 1 John 2:1) with the Father. These have the great, necessary privilege of prayer, asking and receiving the blessing of forgiveness of sins through the merit of their Lord Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, Christians desire to study and understand the Bible. God, through the holy spirit, opens our hearts and minds to understand His magnificent plans and purposes. (See John 16:13, John 6:63, John 17:17) “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention…” Ephesians 1:9 (NASB). This clearer knowledge of God’s righteous, loving character, and of His comprehensive plan for all, are spiritual blessings (see 1 Corinthians 2:9, 10).

“This is why only someone who has God’s Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish,” 1 Corinthians 2:14 (CEV).

Question: What are the verses for Christ that [show] he knew the foreknowledge of his death?

Answer: Jesus would have understood from the Old Testament prophecies that there were indications he would have to die. For example: Isaiah 53 indicates his death, including vs. 7, “he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” verse 9-10, “And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief…”
Psalm 22 is a prophecy of his crucifixion details, which Jesus also would have understood to point to his death as being necessary..

Jesus would have also understood that the Levitical sacrifices pictured his death in the sacrifice of the bullock. Lev. 16:11, “And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself.”

Jesus would have understood that the Passover picture of taking the lamb into the house of each Israelite, killing it, and then applying its blood to the doorposts was a picture of himself as that lamb whose blood could take away the sins of the world. Exodus 12:1-10. This would have been confirmed when John the Baptist said to him in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Jesus indicates he understood he would need to die in:
Matthew 26:2, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
Luke 22:15-16, “And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus was opening up a new opportunity with his ministry. Jesus was calling faithful Christians to be a part of his church who will bless all of mankind. After Christ’s church are glorified in heaven, Christ’s ransom sacrifice will cover all people’s sins in the future if they accept him. They will then have a full, fair opportunity to accept Christ’s ransom merit and receive everlasting life in his kingdom on earth. 1 John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation [satisfaction] for our [the Church class] sins: and not for our’s only, but also or the sins of the whole world [in due time].”

Question:
What causes a person to be jealous and what can I do to stop feeling this way?

Answer: Song of Solomon 8:6 says, “Jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.” Jealousy of another person is a vicious kind of cruelty, unreasoning and insatiable. It signifies either a fear of being displaced in the affections of another person or of being outdone by a rival. It is not only a cruel monster of itself, but its poisonous fangs are almost certain to inflict pain and trouble upon others.

The following scriptures in James 4 indicate that jealousy arises from our unfulfilled desires and lusts, and we often then turn our jealousies into fighting among others we come in contact with. But James tells us the solution in verses 6-8: If we submit our wills to God and humble ourselves before Him, he will help us fight this terrible tendency, and by His grace we can overcome jealousy:

James 4:1-8 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye 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. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye 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.  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Hebrews 13:5 states, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This verse brings up other dangers related to jealousy and covetousness: discontent and lack of thankfulness. When we turn to Him, God is our provider, and He gives us what we need. Jealousy in essence says, “What God has given me is not enough!” Being content with what we have is a good way to fight the tendency of jealousy.

When we turn our focus on God and others and away from self, our heart will be in a better place to fight jealous thoughts. When our minds start to wander toward jealousy, we can also try to think of the many people who are in so much more difficult circumstances than we are, and this in itself will make us more thankful for what we do have.

God has promised us that he will help us in overcoming our character flaws.

1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

This does not necessarily mean “a way of escape” will remove all trials, but we will be given a way to endure them and to overcome them. Keep praying for help from above to fight jealousy, and try to keep your mind on spiritual thoughts and helping others. Love for others will help us to rejoice with others in their prosperity even when we’re not prospering.

Question: What is the focus in journeying through Matthew’s gospel? (India)

Answer: In studying the book of Matthew, we find that it connects the Old Testament with the New Testament. The early church was Jewish, and the Gospel of Matthew bridges the gap and makes the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Above all other gospels, it was written to the Jewish believers and is often referred to as the Jewish Gospel. There are approximately 15 instances in which Matthew interprets some event in the life of Jesus as a fulfillment of a prophecy in the Old Testament. The book of Matthew emphasizes that God’s kingdom will be established through Jesus, who is the Christ, and is written to prove the Messiahship of Christ.

Matthew 1:21, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” This verse indicates that the holy people will no longer be the nation of Israel but will consist of all those who are saved from their sins and from the penalty of sin through faith in Jesus. The new Israel has come into being, and membership in it depends not on nationality, but on faith in the finished sacrifice of Jesus.

A theme of the Gospel of Matthew is to show that Christianity is the true consummation of Judaism. It consistently demonstrates how Jesus is the true Messiah, born and trained under the Jewish law, and yet lord of a church that transcends the legal limits of Judaism.

The book of Matthew also expresses that the kingdom of God is a kingdom without boundaries and without distinction of race or birth or country. It is written also for the benefit of Gentiles. The final commission to the apostles in the last verses of the book is to make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:19-20: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

The book focuses on the teachings of Jesus For example, Jesus taught us to pray for his kingdom in Matt. 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” We are to pray for Christ’s kingdom, which is in two stages: a heavenly and an earthly salvation. The heavenly salvation is for Christians who have consecrated their lives to God in their present life and have sacrificed their earthly ambitions and hopes and have been begotten by God’s holy spirit and covered by Christ’s merit. The earthly salvation is for the remainder of the world, and this will be their opportunity to live in a paradise on earth.

Question: Who was the very first person to enter Heaven?

Answer: Colossians 1:18 calls Jesus the “firstborn from the dead”: “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” And Revelation 1:5 also tells us this: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead…”

This means that Jesus was the first being who entered heaven after his death. And this is what Apostle Peter preached in Acts 2, when he explained that Jesus was in heaven and yet King David was not yet in heaven:

Acts 2:29 “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell [hades, the death state], neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.”

Peter is saying that David was still in the death state, but that Christ was resurrected, delivered from the death state after three days.

And John 3:13 confirms this: And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

The Heavenly Father rewarded his only-begotten son, Jesus Christ, with the divine nature at his resurrection, after Jesus faithfully laid his life down as a ransom for all. Hebrews 12:2: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Question: All man was born out of sin except Adam and Eve in Jesus. A man is born with sin, so that’s why God gave us the water baptism for us to be reborn with no sin. So why did Jesus need to get baptized if he was born without sin? Is it because he was still flesh?

Answer: Jesus’ baptism was important because it was an outward sign or symbol of Jesus’ complete dedication of his life to do God’s will. Jesus’ baptism differed from the other baptisms performed by John the Baptist. We are told that John baptized with water for the purpose of repentance (Matt 3:11). The Bible states that Jesus “committed no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22) and was “without sin” (Heb. 4:15). We can conclude that Jesus’ baptism performed by John had a purpose other than repentance, since Jesus was not a sinner. He had no need to repent from anything.

Jesus’s baptism served a few purposes. First, it showed Jesus’ willingness to serve God unto death. This baptism represented giving up one’s life and will in the service of God. Jesus said in Luke 12:50, “I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!” This statement shows that he was still undergoing a baptism. What does that mean, and when would it be accomplished? Jesus is referring to his death on the cross that would wash away the sins of the world. His baptism at Jordan was the start of his journey which would ultimately lead to his death. From this we know that the baptism of Jesus was a new kind of baptism – a dedication of one’s life unto death in service of God.

Second, Jesus’ baptism provided a symbol for the rest of the church to carry out after his death. Christians that have dedicated their full life in service of God like Jesus should be baptized as well. In Romans 6:3 Paul says, “do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?” To be baptized into Christ means you are participating in the same symbol that Jesus started at Jordan. This outward symbol shows your heart’s attitude and intention to serve God faithfully unto death. So it is not just a baptism of repentance but a baptism into his death – the complete dedication of the rest of your life in God’s service.

Third, Jesus’ baptism served as evidence for the witnesses present that Jesus was God’s son and that Jesus had received the holy spirit. In John 1:33-34 John the Baptist says, “I did not recognize Him [Jesus], but He [God] who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” This would have been an important understanding for those who watched and heard of Jesus’ baptism.

Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit at his baptism, at the beginning of his ministry. After his 3 1/2 year ministry, he died and was born of the spirit in his resurrection, the first-born from the dead (Colossians 1:15). Similarly, Christians are begotten of the Holy Spirit when they consecrate their life to God at the beginning of their Christian walk. They are then considered a “new creature, as 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” They, like Jesus, need to prove themselves faithful, and in their resurrection change, they will then be born of the spirit. So, technically, we could be considered “begotten again” at our consecration, and we will be born again in our spiritual resurrection.

Question: Why did Jesus not turn the stone to bread? (Nigeria)

Answer: After Jesus’s baptism, he went into the wilderness and fasted for 40 days. He was busy praying to God and searching the Father’s will as to what he should do. Satan chose the time when Jesus was at his weakest physical point and needed food and rest. The first temptation given to Jesus was to turn a stone into bread. This was an appeal to one of the strongest cravings known to human nature.

The demand by Satan to turn the stone to bread was a challenge given to Jesus to prove himself the Son of God, to prove that he received the holy spirit in full power, and if he failed to do so, his claim of being the Son of God would be considered fraudulent. Satan portrayed the situation that Satan himself would be converted by this act.

This temptation was along the lines of preserving his human life. Jesus knew that every temptation to sacrifice spiritual privileges or violate spiritual responsibilities for the attainment of earthly advantage would be wrong. Jesus knew that God’s will for him was to sacrifice his earthly life in order to pay the ransom price for the entire world. 1 Timothy 3:5,6: ” For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” He knew that absolute obedience to God’s will was required for him to be faithful.

Jesus answered Satan in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Jesus knew that it had been prophesied in Psalm 40:7-8 that Jesus would do God’s will: “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is withing my heart.”

He knew that God’s will was for him to sacrifice his earthly life, even unto death, as he told his disciples to do in Matthew 16:24-25, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” If Jesus had turned the stone into bread to save his earthly life, he would have been saving his earthly life but losing the reward of the divine spirit life.

The power given to Jesus of miracles was not to be used to gratify the flesh and its interests. He was to use the power of the holy spirit to serve God and others and to courageously sacrifice his life to redeem mankind. If he faithfully fulfilled his consecration to death, he would receive a crown of life. Revelation 2:10, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Question: Why was Saul jealous of David?

Answer: God chose the strong, capable Saul as Israel’s first king. Saul began his reign humbly and reverently. However, over time, King Saul put his desires before God’s will and over Israel’s well-being. Saul’s reverence for God gradually diminished.

Once, Saul was instructed to wait seven days for the prophet Samuel to offer a sacrifice. But Saul was impatient, and he disobeyed God by offering the sacrifice himself.  Samuel pronounced God’s punishment for his deed in 1 Samuel 15:17, 23 (NASB), “…though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of…Israel…Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.” Therefore, God anointed David as Saul’s replacement (1 Samuel 16:13).

Young David captured Saul’s attention when he killed Goliath. Saul initially approved of David, but later, he felt rivalry. As David became a mighty warrior, Jewish women, “sang to one another as they celebrated, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’ And Saul was very angry… He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?’” 1 Samuel 18:7-8. Saul felt threatened. Samuel 18:9 (NLT), “So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.”

1 Samuel 18:14, 15 (NLT) states, “David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him. When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David…”

As Saul’s selfishness increased, he didn’t always repent of evil actions. He sometimes made excuses rather than repenting. Saul even turned to the witch of Endor for counsel (1 Samuel 28:6,7).

However, David, seeking God’s favor, consistently, sincerely repented of his sins. David demonstrated loving God with all his heart, soul, strength and mind. David, though imperfect, was called a man after God’s own heart in Acts 13:22.

Saul’s persistence in following self-will rather than God’s will made his heart susceptible to jealousy toward David. Song of Solomon 8:6 (KJV) reads, “…jealousy is cruel as the grave…” Saul eventually committed suicide (1 Samuel 31:4). We can see what jealousy did to Saul.