Alfred Edersheim wrote a major life of Christ called "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah." Edersheim's Jewish heritage gave him interesting insights into many of the beliefs and ways of life during the time of Christ. In his book (Vol.11, p.12), he wrote of the Jewish traditions concerning the defilement of hands and the accusation that Jesus did not keep these traditions (as recorded in Mark 7:1-9).
On August 3, 2006 (9th of Ab in the Jewish calendar; a month called the "fifth month" in the Bible), the Jewish people will remember the 2,592nd anniversary of the destruction of King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem with a day of mourning and fasting. This is also thought to be the date when Herod's Temple was destroyed in 70AD and the date for the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. The Jews still mourn their many losses. In Zechariah 7:3-5, Zechariah was asked if it ws proper to continue the fast of the fifth month. The fast had been established to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem; but now Jerusalem was being restored. In reply, the Lord foretold of the day when Israel will be fully restored and the fasts "shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace" (Zechariah 8:19). Yet, as any reading of today's newspaper will demonstrate, the Jews still fast and Rachel is still weeping for her children (Jeremiah 31:15). All who love the Lord still look to that day when the fast of the fifth month will be turned into a feast.
David Cloud has an excellent article on his site that I encourage you to read. It deals with our tendency to speak of salvation using unbiblical phrases. We talk about "giving our life to Christ" or "inviting Jesus into our hearts" as if these phrases truly described the act of salvation. They do not. That does not mean that those who use these phrases are unsaved. It only means we are sloppy in our terminology. This is important because these phrases are also sloppy in doctrinal meaning. We are not saved by inviting Jesus into our hearts but by believing on Him. It is true that we receive Him (John 1:12; Colossians 2:6), but this refers more to a receiving of His way and person. Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Why should we invite Jesus in? The point is that we should get as close as possible to biblical terminology and meaning. Sloppy appeals for converts tend to make sloppy converts.
I received the following excellent comments on the earlier blog called Using Biblical Terminology. I often can see points in the different sides of arguments and wanted to give everyone a chance to see another side of this. My thanks to the one who gave this response (I will leave you anonymous): "Brother I greatly enjoy David Cloud's material, but on this issue of asking Jesus into our hearts I think he is making a mountain out of a mole hill. Consider the following verses: Galatians 4:6 - God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts. Ephesians 3:17 - That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. While these verses are not exactly a sinner's prayer, the idea of Jesus in our hearts is in there sufficiently and so I don't understand why Bro Cloud 'blasts' asking Jesus into your heart so adamantly."
Recently, my Bible reading brought me across a most interesting passage. In Jeremiah 27:6-7, the Lord declared that He has given the land of Judah and the surrounding countries to Nebechadnezzar. "And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of the land come" (v.7). This is known as the Babylonian Captivity but what do these details mean?
Comments we received in regard to "Three Kings and Some Land": Hi Pastor Reagan, I have been studying in the book of Jeremiah and read the chapter you are quoting yesterday. My KJV Bible spells the kings name "Nebuchadrezzer" I checked my wifes KJV and it says the same thing. However you are spelling it "Nebuchadnezzar" I checked my concordance and it says these are the same. I was wondering if you had any insight as to why the different spellings. I don't think there are two different kings of Babylon. Just wondering??
