Many unsaved people practice astrology (i.e., horoscopes) and other unscriptural use of the signs in the heavens. Believers should reject these practices.
In every way, God is greater than man. A man would have to be a thief to claim equality with God. Yet, Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
The children of Israel were a thorn in the flesh of the Egyptians. The Israelites multiplied and grew stronger with each increase in affliction. In an effort to change this pattern, Pharaoh sent out the edict for the midwives to kill all the Hebrew male children at the time of birth. Because they feared God, the Hebrew midwives refused to obey the command. What would the world have missed out on had the midwives obeyed? In the very next chapter, the Bible tells of the birth of a baby boy. He was hid until he could no longer be hid, and then he was released into the care of the Almighty God. According to the law, this boy should have been killed. His name was Moses (see Exodus 2:1-4).
The days preceding the flood were evil in many ways, but they were specifically identified as days filled with violence. In fact, the LORD specifically told Noah, “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” In Ezekiel’s day, the scriptures declare, “the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence” (Ezekiel 7:23). The presence of excessive violence expresses much concerning the nature of any time (past or present). Although the Lord promised not to destroy the earth again with a flood, worldwide violence moves the Lord to bring judgment.
One of the most important issues that every believer must face involves the question of ultimate authority. The Pharisees abused their God-given authority by “laying aside the commandment of God” and replacing it with “the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). They simply transgressed “the commandment of God” in order to obey and follow their tradition (Matthew 15:3). Through these unwise actions, they plainly declared that the traditions of men were their ultimate authority rather than God and His word. As a result, the Lord Jesus said they made the word of God of none effect. This same truth applies today. When a man accepts men’s traditions as superior to the scripture, he makes scripture ineffective for God’s intended purposes. The Bible must be believed in order for it to be effectual (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
During the Lord’s earthly ministry, His most malicious enemies were not common men or even the Roman government. His greatest enemies were the religious leaders charged with maintaining the spiritual purity of the people of God. How could those most religious create discord with the very One who gave them the dictates for the Jewish religion they claimed to defend? The answer is simple. It was envy! According to John 11:48, the religious leadership of Israel determined that they could not allow Jesus to continue teaching, preaching, and ministering to others. These leaders realized that all men would believe on Him causing the Romans to demote them. They would not allow this to happen. How far would they go to keep their place and nation? The Bible reveals that they would even cause the crucifixion of the innocent Son of God.
Understanding man’s true nature makes today’s verse understandable and comprehensible. Ignoring the true reality of man’s constitution will lead the reader to refuse this Bible truth. Surely no man, woman, boy, or girl would love strife! Strife seems to be contrary to something we would deem lovable. After all, the Bible likens strife to the bars of a castle (Proverbs 18:19), creating a prison for some and an impossible barrier for others. It is birthed through pride (Proverbs 13:10) and harms those most innocent (Exodus 21:22-25). With these thoughts in mind, how could anyone love strife? The answer is quite simple. Man’s flesh desires to rebel against the laws of God. It finds pleasure in transgression and satisfaction in displeasing the Lord. So man, although aware of strife’s downfalls and pitfalls, craves strife and the resultant conflict.
