2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" The apostle Paul, writing his final epistle before his martyrdom, addresses Timothy under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. He warns of a time when professing Christians “will not endure sound doctrine.” This has not only come, but it is continually with us. In every generation, fallen man has resisted the truth of God’s sovereign grace. The Gospel of Christ crucified has ever been “unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). This rejection of the truth is not mere ignorance—it is the carnal enmity of the heart against God (Romans 8:7). Paul, anticipating his imminent death, writes of his Hope founded in the sound doctrine of which he speaks: “ For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6–8). What, then, is sound doctrine ? The term means healthy, wholesome teaching—truth that nourishes the soul unto eternal life. Sound doctrine, according to Scripture, is the message that aligns with “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) . It is “the doctrine of God our Saviour” (Titus 2:10), not by the will or works of man, but in the eternal purpose of God “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11). There is only one Sound Doctrine —the Doctrine of Christ  (2 John 1:9-11) . This is the Gospel that proclaims how the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to earn and establish righteousness as God manifest in the flesh   (1 Timothy 3:16). He fulfilled the righteousness that no other flesh could ever attain. He took on sinless human flesh (John 1:14) , perfectly obeyed God’s holy law and justice, and willingly laid down His life to fully satisfy the justice of His Father on behalf of those whom the Father had given Him to save, from before the foundation of the world  (John 17:2) Sound doctrine declares the total ruin of man in Adam: “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). It reveals that man, in his natural state, is spiritually dead— “ dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), unwilling and unable to come to Christ: “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). It magnifies God’s sovereign grace in election, whereby He chose a people in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Furthermore, it exalts the Lord Jesus Christ as the Redeemer, Who “by one offering... hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). It also proclaims the effectual work of the Holy Spirit, Who quickens whom He will, drawing them irresistibly to Christ. And it assures the perseverance of the saints—not by their strength, but because they are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1 Peter 1:5). This is the doctrine that gives all the glory to God. It strips man of every reason for boasting. It is humbling, yet life-giving. The world despises it, yet it is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16). Why then do men not endure it? Because they are natural, carnal, and depraved— “born of the flesh” (John 3:6). Paul declares: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The doctrine of sovereign grace is offensive to the pride of man. He would rather be told that he is spiritually sick than spiritually dead. He wants to be assured that he merely needs assistance, not resurrection. Furthermore, he prefers a god who waits upon the sinner’s will rather than the true and living God Who “hath mercy on whom he will have mercy” (Romans 9:15). So, according to their lusts, men “heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”  They crave a message that caters to their flesh—one that flatters their sense of self-worth, affirms their supposed "free will," and promises earthly success. This is not the Gospel of Christ. It is humanism cloaked in religious language—man-centered, man-exalting, and God-dishonoring. These are teachers who speak smooth things—pleasing to the ear, void of the power of the Spirit. They feed the hunger for novelty, emotion, and affirmation, but not the Truth as it is in Christ alone. They cry, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). But such a "gospel" cannot save. It may gather crowds and stir emotions, but it cannot bring dead sinners to life. Only sound doctrine —Truth rooted in the Person and finished work of Christ—can do that. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). And that Word is Christ Himself, the Word made flesh (John 1:14) . Those who are taught by the Spirit, who are born from above and given ears to hear, are not ashamed of sound doctrine. What every sinner needs is for the Holy Spirit to make Christ known—to reveal Him in the heart, crucified, risen, and reigning. Only then will the sinner gladly receive Him and rest in His finished work, just as He is revealed in the Scriptures. Let us, then, preach Christ crucified—boldly, faithfully, and without compromise. In a world that loves darkness rather than light, we bear witness to Him Who is the Light of the world. And we do so with confidence, knowing that “my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Many will not endure sound doctrine. But Christ’s sheep will. They will not only endure it, but rejoice in it, having been sanctified by the work of the LORD Jesus Christ on their behalf (John 17:17).

2 Samuel 9:8 "And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?" What a striking expression of humility and wonder. These are the words of Mephibosheth , the crippled son of Jonathan, when King David called him into his royal presence—not for judgment, but for mercy. David had made a covenant with Jonathan, Mephibosheth’s father, and for Jonathan’s sake, he sought to show kindness to any of his remaining house. As it is written: “Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”  — 2 Samuel 9:1 Mephibosheth, was “lame on his feet” (2 Samuel 9:3). He was five years old when reports arrived that his father and grandfather had fallen in the battle of Mount Gilboa. In her haste to escape potential assassins, his nurse picked him up and ran off but dropped the boy and as a result he became lame in both feet for the rest of his life (2 Samuel 4:4) . David restored to him all the inheritance of his grandfather Saul and granted him a continual place at his royal table: “Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him… But Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table… So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.”  — 2 Samuel 9:10,13. Here we see a beautiful type of God’s elect—sinners who, in and of themselves, are spiritually lame, ruined by the fall in Adam, without strength to come, and utterly undeserving of favor—and yet brought near by sovereign grace. Not for their sake, but for the sake of Another: for the sake of Jesus Christ , the Covenant Surety of His people, the One in Whom the everlasting covenant is ordered in all things and sure (2 Samuel 23:5). The name Mephibosheth as a verb means to wither (of plants or body parts). As an adjective, it means dry or dried. As a noun, it refers to dry land. That's how Mephibosheth rightly saw himself as “a dead dog”  (2 Samuel 9:8) . In the eyes of this world, such language may seem harsh or extreme. But the sinner who has been made to see the holiness of God and the depravity of his own soul knows this to be no exaggeration. It is the honest confession of a heart that has been humbled by grace. Like the publican in the temple: “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a [the] sinner.” — Luke 18:13. Or like the prophet Isaiah, who, upon beholding the Lord in His holiness, cried: “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”  — Isaiah 6:5. Dead in trespasses and sins, helpless to lift ourselves, and with no claim upon the King—we marvel that such mercy has come to us. This is the language of every elect soul  when effectually called by God's grace in Christ . As Paul wrote: “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”  — Ephesians 2:5. And again: “ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past… and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”  — Ephesians 2:3 The Spirit of God brings the sinner down from lofty thoughts of self, strips away imagined merit and worthiness, and lays bare what we are by nature: unclean, rebels, spiritual cripples. But then comes the sweet word of the Gospel, as David spoke to Mephibosheth: “Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake.”  — 2 Samuel 9:7. Child of God, this is what the Lord has done for you. Not for your sake. Not because of your will, or your works, or your worth—but for Jesus’ sake : “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”  — Ephesians 1:6. And again: “ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us… hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”  — Ephesians 2:4,6. God the Father honors the everlasting covenant He made with His Son—the eternal Surety of His people—and for Christ’s sake, He shows mercy to those who were afar off, even to enemies by nature (Romans 5:10) . And what was the result for Mephibosheth? He sat at the king’s table continually, “as one of the king’s sons” (2 Samuel 9:11) . So too, every believer—though still lame in both feet from the fall of Adam—now sits at the Gospel feast, robed in Christ’s righteousness, loved with everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) , and adopted into the family of God: “ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”  — 1 John 3:1. And again: “ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”  — Romans 8:17. We were as dead dogs—but now we are children of the Most High, seated with Christ in heavenly places. Oh, how amazing is grace! That the King should look upon such as we are—and not only pardon—but embrace us, exalt us, and eternally bless us in His Son. Let us echo Mephibosheth’s words—not in despair, but in humble wonder and worship: “What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?”  — 2 Samuel 9:8

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." What a powerful and liberating command is given here—not as a weighty law to burden the child of God, but as a Gospel exhortation rooted in the grace of God through the LORD Jesus Christ. James is not calling for mere outward conformity, but for the inward submission to the LORD Jesus in the face of every temptation of the flesh or opposition of the devil. Of ourselves, we could never resist the devil. He felled Adam in his best state—who are we to think that now, as fallen creatures, we can somehow resist him who is not only the archenemy of the LORD Jesus, but also of His children? Note then the two specific commands that are given to us as God's elect, redeemed, and justified children. The instructions are exact, and the order is essential. First is to submit to God.  The second is to resist the devil  in the power of the LORD Jesus and His finished work on the cross, whereby the devil has already been defeated and cast out on behalf of those for whom Christ died. Colossians 2:15 states that Christ, "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."  To whom does this phrase refer? The combination of “principalities and powers” appears elsewhere in Paul’s writings regarding human authorities (Titus 3:1), but more often it applies to spiritual powers (Ephesians 3:10; 6:12) . When we compare Colossians with Ephesians (its parallel epistle), we see that “thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities” are spiritual entities, whether angels or demons (Ephesians 1:21; 2:2; 3:10; 6:12) . We can safely conclude that the enemies Christ triumphed over in Colossians 2:15 are the spiritual beings who were at war against Him. In light of the victory of Christ by His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, how then are we who are God's children to continue to live? "Submit yourselves therefore to God."  This is not the trembling submission of a slave under threat, but the joyful yielding of a soul conquered by the love of God in Christ. The sinner, justified freely by the blood of Christ, submits not to earn favor, but because he has the favor of God already in Christ. Submission is the fruit, not the root, of God's grace (1 Peter 5:5) . It is the laying down of all self-righteousness, self-will, and self-reliance at the feet of the Sovereign Savior Who has already accomplished all that is needed for our salvation. To submit to God is to bow before His throne and declare, "Thou art worthy, O Lord" (Revelation 4:11). This submission is born of the knowledge that God is not our enemy, but our Father—our Redeemer—Who " worketh all things after the counsel of his own will"  (Ephesians 1:11), and Who "worketh all things together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). We submit not to avoid wrath, but because Christ has already borne that wrath in full (Romans 5:9–11). We submit because the Grace of God has taught us that His will is perfect, His purpose sure, and His promises unbreakable in Christ (Titus 1:2). "Resist the devil" —not in our strength, for we have none—but in the strength of the One wWo has already "through death... destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14–15). We resist, not to earn victory, but because victory is already ours in Christ. The child of God, clothed in the righteousness of Christ and sealed with the Spirit, stands not as a fearful victim but as a soldier who fights under a banner already stained with the blood of triumph. Satan has no rightful claim over the justified soul. His accusations fall flat at the foot of the cross, where every sin was judged and every charge dismissed for the elect sinner. We resist him by clinging to Christ, by trusting in the efficacy of His blood, and by wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We "stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" (Galatians 5:1) . "And he will flee from you,"  not because of who we are, but because of Who Christ is. Satan trembles at the name of Jesus, flees from the light of the Gospel, and cannot withstand the Power of the Truth that Christ has once and for all triumphed over him. The believer is not left vulnerable or exposed; he is " hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3) . The enemy may roar, but he cannot devour what Christ has purchased with His blood (1 Peter 5:8). Let us then continue to wholly look to the Lord who bought us, and in so doing resist the devil with the confidence of those justified and accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). Let us rejoice in the blessed assurance that he will flee—not because of our might, but because Christ has already won the war. We continue to thank the LORD as the Sovereign Redeemer, for having come and conquered sin, death, the world, and the devil for wretched sinners such as we are. May He ever cause us to look to the LORD Jesus Christ alone, as our Advocate, to answer every temptation, accusation, and opposition.

Joshua 24:14 "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD." People, by nature, tend to prefer choices. They want the freedom to make their own decisions. Imagine walking into a restaurant, sitting down, and looking at the menu—only for the cook to come out and say, “This is what you’re going to eat if you’re sitting here.” Most people would resist that; they want the ability to choose. But here’s the key: that desire changes when, through the course of life, by God's providence and direction, a person becomes destitute. How often have we heard or said, “Beggars can’t be choosers”? This is one of the great struggles of life. Pride, arrogance, and presumption raise their ugly head in matters concerning the LORD. We begin to imagine, somehow, that His blessings are due to something in us or worse, that we are entitled to them. Even the doctrine of grace can be twisted by the flesh into a sense of entitlement concerning what the LORD should or should not do. Were it not for the LORD keeping us, our flesh would go that very direction. It is very clear—this is not a choice, but a command. Yet there are some preachers, along with their followers, who would have you believe that the matter of salvation is left to your own decision, not only in obtaining it, but in maintaining it. That kind of thinking may be acceptable when choosing from a menu, purchasing a car, picking its color, or deciding what kind of house to buy. But even in such things, we know that "a man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). How much more, then, must we understand that when it comes to salvation, it is not up to man. The Gospel, when faithfully and rightly preached, is not a suggestion or an offer—it is declared as a command. In the passage before us, we see not one, but four commands—clear, authoritative Gospel commands 1. “Now therefore fear the LORD.”   This phrase carries different meanings depending on the context, but it certainly includes the following: To fear  or be afraid  can mean “to be terrified—to tremble at the thought of approaching or serving God in any way other than He has commanded.” As it is written, “There is no fear of God before their eyes”  ( Romans 3:18 ). It can also mean to " stand in awe ." For any in whom the Spirit has not revealed the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the fear of God ought rightly to be the fear of judgment and eternal condemnation—for that is what awaits all whom the LORD has not redeemed. There remains that dreadful expectation of God’s eternal judgment, of which the Scriptures speak: “ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”   ( Hebrews 10:31 ). And yet, natural-minded sinners have no such fear: “There is no fear of God before their eyes”  ( Romans 3:18 ). Sinners, left to their understanding, cannot see. God has judicially blinded them: “The God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not”  ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ). Many falsely assume that it is Satan who is the "god" of this world, but God has no rivals. God has judicially blinded multitudes that men may know that salvation is of the LORD! But when the LORD speaks to one of His enlightened, illuminated, regenerated children and commands, “Now therefore fear the Lord,”   it is not a call to cower in terror, but to stand in reverent awe—with Christ, in holy reverence. As Hebrews 12:26  declares, “Whose voice then shook the earth.”   This refers to that display of holiness on Mount Sinai, when the law was given. Yet the passage continues: “But now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” This speaks to the incarnation of the LORD Jesus when heaven and earth were shaken in His coming, doing, dying and rising again to ascend on High. Truly earth shaking! Heaven came down, and God was manifest in the flesh. 2. The second command we see here is, “Serve Him in sincerity and in truth.” It’s always instructive to study words in their context, and the word “serve” here carries the meaning of to work or labor . At first glance, this may seem like a contradiction, since salvation is entirely by grace. And yet, here we are commanded to serve  Him—in the sense of laboring or working. However, we know from Scripture that there is such a thing as a labor of love , and that certainly applies here. In its historical context, this language reflects the service of the Levitical priests, who ministered before the LORD day and night in the tabernacle. Their service was not mere activity, but worship—carefully prescribed, God-ordained worship. That connection to worship gives the phrase, “serve Him in sincerity and in truth,”  its full meaning. It could rightly be understood as “worship Him in sincerity and in truth.”  It means to come to God in the way He has appointed —just as Abel did when he brought the blood sacrifice, in contrast to Cain, who sought to come another way and was therefore rejected. Therefore, the command is not merely, “Do something for the LORD,” as people often say: “That such and such a person labored for the LORD.” The question is: How did they labor?  Was it through the appointed sacrifice of the LORD Jesus Christ alone? Was that the foundation and content of their service? If not, then even their religious labor will be condemned. As the LORD Himself declares, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity”  ( Matthew 7:23 ). 3. The third command is: “And put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt.” Simply put, the phrase “put away”  means "to turn aside; to depart from; to remove; to completely leave alone; to reject."   This is strong language—and rightly so. There is no room for neutrality, no allowance for compromise. One cannot cling to Christ and idols at the same time. If a person is not grounded and settled in the truth of Christ and Him crucified , then they are not of Him. You cannot be truly turned to God, looking to Christ alone, while also casting glances elsewhere. Scripture warns, “Remember Lot’s wife”  ( Luke 17:32 ). She outwardly ran with Lot, escaping Sodom, but her heart was still there. When she turned back, disobeying the word of the LORD, she was destroyed— a pillar of salt , a lasting testimony that profession is not salvation. True conversion is a turning to  God from  idols. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come”   ( 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 ). How has the LORD delivered His people? It is uniquely by the shedding of His blood unto death at the cross. It was there that salvation, redemption, justification, and sanctification were fully accomplished: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the LORD”   ( 1 Corinthians 1:30–31 ). This command, then, is to renounce every false way. There is no middle ground. No compromise. It is Christ—and Christ alone. 4. The fourth command is, “Serve ye the Lord.” This means serve Him, and Him alone.  It is not presented as an option. Throughout the Scriptures, we are repeatedly commanded to have no other gods before Him: “Thou shalt have none other gods before me”  ( Deuteronomy 5:7 ). Left to ourselves, we would fall flat on our faces in idolatry. When Joshua exhorted the people, “Serve ye the LORD,”  he spoke with clarity and boldness. He essentially said, “If you're going to serve other gods, then do so with all your might—but know this: as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD .” That unwavering devotion, that singularity of heart and mind, reflects the very fruit of God’s sovereign grace at work in the soul. “For thou shalt worship no other god”  ( Exodus 34:14 ). There is no other God. All others are mere inventions of man’s fallen imagination. That is the essence of idolatry—man forming a god in his own image, then bowing down to it. But God commanded in the verse just before: “Ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves”   ( Exodus 34:13 ). In other words, have nothing to do with anything that is not Christ and Christ alone. Why such strong language? Because “the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”   ( Exodus 34:14 ). He is jealous for His glory—and that glory He has placed nowhere else but in His Son. Therefore, we too are to be jealous for His honor, for the glory of the One who alone is worthy—our LORD Jesus Christ There is one  salvation—and God, in His eternal purpose and sovereign decree, has resolved that this salvation be for His chosen people: those whom He has purposed to save from before the foundation of the world. He appointed His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ, to be  that salvation for them. And I trust we can say, by His grace, that He is that salvation for us, if He has indeed been gracious to our own hearts. But make no mistake— by no other, in no other way, by no other means  can anyone be saved. As Peter declared, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”  ( Acts 4:12 ). Whether men agree with God or not, it doesn't change the reality of how God has purposed to save His people and has saved them. It's not man’s opinion or preference that determines truth. It is what God has said in His Word. These are Gospel commands—not suggestions. It is as the Lord has purposed it and as He has given it. His Word is final, and His salvation is sure.

Proverbs 15:8,9 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: But the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: But He loveth him that followeth after righteousness." The LORD led Solomon to reflect on the condition of all men, and in this passage, he makes two distinct statements about what is an abomination to the LORD. He doesn’t begin where men typically begin, for men often regard their religion, duties, or religious activities as something good, but that is not necessarily the case. The very first thing he says in verse 8 is, " The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD." We have to understand what it is that God considers right and just and what is the object of His disdain, anger, His wrath, and His justice. An abomination is what God loathes or hates. When you consider the disobedience of Adam in the garden, it wasn't just that he disobeyed, but he chose another way to come to God. Ever since, all fallen creatures, which we all are in Adam our representative, will never worship God aright unless He, by His Grace, is pleased to teach us the Way of Righteousness. Stop and consider, anything that we offer up to the LORD is going to be out of a heart that is fallen and sinful, and in and of itself would be an abomination unto the LORD. Even as we gather to worship, ask the LORD's blessing, how is it that God can hear any of our prayers, because everything about our being and who we are in our nature is an abomination to the LORD. The second part of verse 8 says, "the prayer of the upright one is his delight." Don't think to yourself, "I'm upright, so I am His delight." No,! This is Solomon by the Spirit of God, considering who man is in his nature, himself include, and declaring Who was his Hope! His Hope is in that Upright One. Only One is upright, and that is the LORD Jesus Christ, Who alone is without sin, and perfect. When He came into this world, it was to identify with those sinners that God purposed to save from eternity, but it required of Him an intercession that was just and right. "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). There is only one prayer of a righteous Man that avails much—and that is the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. From all eternity, there was never a moment when Christ was not the delight of His Father. And those whom Christ was appointed to represent were, because of Him, also the Father’s delight. This is why the Father sent Him into the world: to fulfill and accomplish everything required by His law and justice, so that He might be just in justifying—that is, declaring righteous—those for whom Christ paid the debt. For emphasis, it is repeated, "The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD," Apart from the Sacrifice of the LORD Jesus Christ, there is none righteous, no, not one, Romans 3:10-12. Everything about the sinner is an abomination unto the LORD. It's not that God looks down and sees some that He likes better than others, and declares them better than others. When it says, "The way of the wicked," that's everything about us, no matter how we may look on the outward. It is all an abomination unto the LORD. Then we read, "but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness." Isn't that what our LORD Jesus Christ taught on the mount when He said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6)? Who is this Righteousness? Proverbs 15:8 tells us that the prayer of the Upright is His Delight. There is only One in Whom God has His Delight and that's in His Son. He's the One Righteousness that God loves and by Whom He declares righteous those who are in Him. If we want to know if we're loved of God, it says, "He loveth Him that followeth after righteousness. First, God loves His Son, Who perfectly pursued and fulfilled His righteousness. It is singular here—Christ alone came, earned, and established the righteousness that God accepted. On that basis, He once and for all imputed that righteousness to those whom He elected before the foundation of the world. He is the Hope. Apart from Him—and apart from this Way of Righteousness, which is the Lord Jesus Christ—no sinner can be regarded by God as anything other than an abomination and a stench in His nostrils. People do not see themselves as they truly are before the holiness of God. They protest and ask, “What kind of God would send sinners to hell?” The answer is this: the Righteous God sends sinners to hell because He loves His justice and must deal with all sin accordingly. Unless His law and justice have been fully satisfied, there is no hope—even for those considered the best among men. In truth, there are no “best” sinners. " But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away," Isaiah 64:6. Solomon writes this with an awareness of the depravity of his own heart, acknowledging that had it not been for God's grace—had God not viewed him in that One Upright One, His Delight, the Lord Jesus Christ—he too would have been an abomination before the LORD. And so it is with us. Were it not for God’s electing, redeeming, and sovereign grace in Christ, we would be the same. "Upon a life I have not lived Upon a death I did not die Another's life, another's death I stake my whole eternity Not on the tears which I have shed Not on the sorrows I have known Another's tears, another's grief" Horatius Bonar

Philippians 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith:" None will be found in Christ who hope in any other righteousness than that of God in Christ alone established, approved and imputed at the cross.  From Paul’s testimony, here we learn three things:   1. Who is the sole object of a convinced sinner’s FAITH?  It is not what Paul was in himself , nor anything wrought in him (even by God), nor anything done by him. His only hope and plea were wholly and exclusively in the Person and Righteousness of the Son of God. If you have the FAITH of God’s elect, your soul’s complete hope is the finished work of the LORD and to be found in Him in life, death, and in the judgment to come. Like Paul, you are constantly looking outside yourself, to all that was wrought in Him and by Him. All other righteousness as a point of justification, forgiveness of sin and hope of endless life is nothing compared to the infinitely perfect and everlastingly glorious righteousness of Christ,  " But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption "   ( 1 Corinthians 1:30). " Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation" ( Romans 5:9-11).    2.  What graces may be evidenced in us are the fruits of righteousness, not righteousness itself. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God"   (Philippians 1:11). "" And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever" (Isaiah 32:17).   While we value the evidence of Grace in us as redeemed sinners [i.e., faith, hope, love, repentance] , we dare not look at them as our justification before God. They may be used by the Spirit as comfortable evidence that we are one with Christ and the object of the Father’s everlasting, electing, redeeming love, but they are not our righteousness. Our Rihteousness is seated in Heaven, seated because Christ accomplished righteousness and finished it on behalf of sinners such as we are and is set down at the right hand of the Father’s majesty above,  "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" ( Galatians 2:21). " Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Galatians 3:6). " Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness" (Romans 4:9 ) . These graces are not bestowed on us as a rival to Christ, but rather as comforting mercies to enable us to glorify HIM and exalt Him in our heart, lips and lives. 3. What good works may be evidenced in us or by us do not justify our persons. They do justify our FAITH, our profession, and adorn the very Doctrine of Grace against the charge of licentiousness: " But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way"   ( James 2:20-25 )?   One found of Christ is more concerned with honoring Christ in obedience to Him than drawing attention to himself and his good works.  May we also be more concerned that the Glorious Light of the LORD Jesus Christ so shine through us that men might see His Good Work for us and in us and glorify our Father Who is in Heaven. " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven " ( Matthew 5:16).

Psalm 25:11 "For thy name's sake, O LORD, Pardon mine iniquity; for it is great." David cried, “For Thy name’s sake, O LORD, PARDON MINE INIQUITY: for it is great” (Psalm 25:11). So great is our sin that none can bear the weight of its guilt and so great that none but God can forgive it. If God should mark iniquity and insist on satisfaction for it from us, there would be no standing before Him, "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand" (Psalm 130:3) ?  Yet, there is forgiveness with Him : "But there is forgiveness with thee, That thou mayest be feared" (Psalm 130:4).   How?        Psalm 85:2 says, “Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin.”  In this, the psalmist looks by Faith to the death of the LORD Jesus. The blood of bulls and goats could not put away sin but served as a provisional covering for the sins of God’s elect until the LORD Jesus came and shed His blood unto death: "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God" ( Hebrews 9:12-14)?   The blood of the LORD Jesus Christ was shed for the actual pardon for sin on behalf of that select number of sinners that God the Father chose and gave to His Son to save by His righteous obedience unto death, even the death of the cross, "and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" ( Philippians 2:8).  They were chosen, not because He saw that they would believe on Him, for none would believe, except the Father by His Spirit draws them, "No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44).   He chose them out of His own free and sovereign Grace because He loved His Son and He would honor His Son with a people to save by His Grace  “... in the fulness of the time” (Galatians 4:4). At the moment that our LORD cried, “It is finished,”   and commended His Spirit to the Father on the cross, the entire work of the pardon of the sin of His people was completed ( John 19:30) . Then and there the Bible declares that God the Father redeemed, justified and sanctified each one of the elect, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).    God does not wait for redeemed sinners to believe to forgive their sins and justify them. Rather, He has already forgiven them for Christ’s sake by His shed blood unto death on the cross, "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath though Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation" (Romans 5:9-11). Faith then believes the Record that God has given of His Son about the forgiveness of sins and righteousness that He fully accomplished in His perfect life and effectual death on the cross, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 John 5:11).    Here is encouragement for the elect, redeemed, and justified sinners to hope in Him for Salvation ( Psalm 130:3-7) . As the publican in the temple cried, “ God, be merciful to me, [the] sinner" (Luke 18:13)!  The cry for Mercy was literally for God to look upon the Mercy Seat (a type of Christ and His shed blood). It is there and only there that God has put away the sin of His people and there they find the Just God already satisfied and His holy law already fulfilled and magnified by Christ on their behalf, "The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honourable" ( Isaiah 42:21) .

Colossians 3:17 "And whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." This verse lays before us a simple yet sweeping command: “Whatsoever ye do …”   That covers the whole of life. Every word that leaves our lips and every deed performed by our hands as the children of God are to be done “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”   That means under His authority, by His merit, and for His glory. This is not a call to legalism, but the fruit of grace. It is not the voice of Sinai, demanding that we do so that we be . Rather, it is the voice of Calvary, declaring that since we are  in Christ, therefore we do . We who have been sovereignly called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) have been united to Christ. We are not our own but have been bought with a price, redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Corinthians 6:19). And now, because we are in Him, our lives are not defined by our own will but by the will of our Savior who has saved us and called us to Himself. Paul says , “whatsoever ye do…do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” He's not just talking about spiritual matters such as reading the scriptures, witnessing, or praying. To do all in the name of the LORD Jesus, whether it involves what we do at work, driving down the road, or conversation with neighbors., Whatever it is, from washing dishes to preparing meals, from raising children to running errands. It all becomes a sacred act of worship because all the power, energy, and talent come from Christ. He is the Vine, and all the strength of the branches to bear fruit is in the Vine (John 15:1). It is not the greatness of the task, but the glory of the Master, that gives meaning to the moment. And how do we do it? “Giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Gratitude and giving glory to the LORD in all things is the heartbeat of the grace of God. The person who knows that they have been chosen before time, redeemed by blood, called by the Spirit, and preserved by power lives in thanksgiving. Not just with words, but with a life of gratefulness to the LORD. As the apostle Paul declared: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:12,13) Oh! How often we fall short! But our hope is not in our performance—it is in the perfection we enjoy in Christ Jesus and His accomplished work on our behalf. He did all  in the name of the Father. He fulfilled all righteousness. And now, clothed in His obedience, we are accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6). Therefore, we go forward—not to earn His favor, but because we have it. Therefore, not only today, but every day, whether we speak or act, we remember this: We are Christ's, by God's grace. As a vessel of God's mercy, we live as someone who has been loved with everlasting love, and purchased by the greatest price that could ever be paid, Christ's shed blood unto death. And in all we do, let it be for Him, through Him, and unto Him—with thanksgiving in the heart. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11)

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." This is one of the most sobering passages in all Scripture. It pierces through the noise of religious performance and cuts to the heart of true salvation. These words of Christ are not addressed to atheists or open rebels, but to those who profess to know Him, and even those who do mighty works in His name. Yet they are turned away. Why? Because salvation is not in what we do  — even if it is done "in Jesus' name." Salvation is not in our profession, performance, or power. It is in Christ alone, through the sovereign grace of God and the Righteousness that He earned and established, and God the Father imputed to the spiritual account of His elect when Christ laid down His Life in the satisfactory Sacrifice to the Father for their sin. What, then, do we learn about the Way of salvation as revealed in the Bible? . 1. The False Security of Religious Activity "Lord, Lord, have we not...?" Many today possess a false assurance of salvation. The individuals described in this passage are convinced they belong to Christ, yet they are stunned by His rejection. Instead of appealing to Christ as the Sovereign Judge of all, they point to their ministry, miracles, and many works. As the Lord Jesus said of the Pharisees in Luke 16:15, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”  They mistakenly believe their efforts have earned them a place in the kingdom of God, rather than trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. What a terrifying deception! Here is a stark reminder to those who are striving according to their own efforts to attain or maintain salvation by their works that it is possible to do many religious things — even impressive things to men — and still be lost and separated from Christ. It's not what you have done for Christ, but rather what He has done for you. Salvation is not about our résumé, but the record that God has given us of His Son, in whom alone is salvation. It's not a status we achieve , but one that God has initiated and accomplished for His elect by the Righteous obedience unto death by His Son. 2. The Central Issue: "I Never Knew You" "I never knew you: depart from me..." Here is the dividing line: not what you know , but whether you are known by the LORD Jesus. He doesn’t say, “You never knew me,” but “I never knew you.” This is language rooted in God's everlasting covenant of grace to save a chosen people from fallen humanity— to be known by Christ, God's chosen Mediator, and to be chosen, loved, and redeemed by Him Here we see the doctrine of Christ, that of the particular, effectual redemption of elected sinners — that Christ laid down His life for His sheep   (John 10:15), that He knows them by name, and that they are kept by His power, not their performance. The ones who are cast away here are not rejected because they didn’t know enough or do enough. They had a zeal, but not according to the Truth. Rather, it is because they were never part of His elect, and therefore never redeemed, and therefore would never be born again. They had external religion but lacked the internal work of grace by the Spirit of God (Titus 3:3-5). 3. The Will of the Father "But he that doeth the will of my Father." What is this will? Jesus tells us elsewhere: "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life..."  (John 6:40). The will of the Father is not merely moral obedience or ministry success — it is that by the Spirit of God faith is given to God's children to believe on the Son. The grace of God does not leave the child of God indifferent of the Person and work of Christ. No one can earn salvation, but it is the fruit of Christ's finished work. The will of God is not just a law to obey, but a Person to trust — Christ Himself. Resting in Grace, Not Works This passage is not meant to drive us into despair, but to lead us away from self-trust and into the only true Refuge, Christ and His saving grace. If your hope is in your ministry, your morality, or your zeal, you are building on sand (Matthew 7:24-27). To trust in Christ alone  — in His finished work, in His electing love, in His righteous life and substitutionary death — means that you are known by Him. And those whom He foreknew, He also predestined… justified… and glorified (Romans 8:29-30). Therefore, His command is to rest in Him, submit to Him and His gracious work alone, but never confuse the fruit with the root. The root is grace, and that is the grace of God that reigns through the Righteousness that the LORD Jesus earned and established to the satisfaction of God the Father, on behalf of His people. May the Lord, Jesus, keep us from the deception of self-righteousness. Let us not trust in any works of our own, no matter how good they may appear in our eyes. May the LORD strip us of all confidence in the flesh, and root us wholly in His finished work alone. May we be known by Him— loved, redeemed, and kept!!

1 John 4:4 " Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." In 1 John 4:1, the apostle John warns believers to exercise spiritual discernment, warning them that not every "spirit" is from God: " Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Why does he refer to false prophets as "spirits?" John is speaking of the influence of a false spirit behind human teachers , not just the people themselves. Many false prophets have gone out into the world, denying the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death for the justification of the sinners that He came to save. The call to test the spirits is not merely a matter of human wisdom or vigilance, but a fruit of God's Spirit, 1 Corinthians 14:1. Those who confess Christ in truth do so not by natural insight, but because the Spirit of truth abides in them. All of God's children have the Holy Spirit abiding in them, and it is the Spirit of God in them that gives them wisdom not to believe any preacher, just because they appear to speak on behalf of God, although not sent by Him. It is the Spirit of God Himself who enables His people to recognize Truth from error (John 16:13). Therefore, when John proclaims in verse 4 that "ye are of God," he is reminding the saints (justified and sanctified by Christ in His death on the cross) that their perseverance in the Truth is not due to their strength, but to the Spirit of Christ who dwells in them by sovereign grace. The victory over deception and the devil is not something they earn by their efforts, but something that Christ has obtained for them and gives by His Spirit. The world is swirling with deception, false teaching, and spiritual darkness. Therefore, the apostle John, continues to warn the true children against error of any kind, no matter how subtle the leaven. When He tells them " Ye are of God, little children,"  these are not mere words of encouragement; they are words rooted in the unshakable foundation being in Christ by God's electing grace, redeemed and justified by His shed blood unto death, and the Spirit of Christ in them preserving and keeping them in the Truth. We are not children because of any personal choice or decision on our part. Just like the birth of a child in any family, it's not the choice of the child, but the effect of the physical union of the father and mother. Even so, God the Father chose us, called us, and placed His Spirit within us. "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy" (Romans 9:16). False doctrines when compared with the Word of God may be subtle or not so subtle. For that reason, Paul told the Ephesians, even as John writes his hearers, to put on the full armor of God to be able to withstand the wiles of the devil. " Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the Breastplate of Righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace; Above all, taking the Shield of Faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:" (Ephesians 6:14-17). As His children, we put on Christ Jesus, Who is the whole Armor of God, the Power of His Might, the Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit, the Gospel of Peace, the Word of God! In Romans 13:14, Paul says, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ..."  That’s what the armor of God is for the complete protection of His people that He has chosen. To put on the armor is to put on Christ Himself . He is the Belt, the Breastplate, the Shoes, the Shield, the Helmet, and the Sword. “Ye are complete in him…” (Colossians 2:10).“He is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). From head to foot, in every battle, against every false enemy, Christ is the full Armor who protects each of God's children wholly and completely so that nothing can take them away from Him, wherein we stand and withstand every false way. Even so, John writes to the Church threatened by false teachers —antichrists who deny Christ’s Person and work. And yet, he says, “ Ye... have overcome them.”   Notice that he does not say you can overcome if you do this or that, but rather: “ Ye... HAVE overcome them,”  which can only be by the finished work of the LORD Jesus on behalf of each of those for whom He died, rose again, and ascended into Glory (Colossians 2:10-15). It's not because of wit, intellect, or strength. But because "greater is He that is in you."  The Spirit of God—the very Spirit of Christ—abides in every true believer. He is greater  than the enemy, greater than deception, greater than any spirit of antichrist that prowls the world. We must never put any confidence in the flesh, ours or anyone else's. Rather, the call is to rest in the victory that the LORD Jesus Christ has earned and established for His people. The elect of God will never  be ultimately deceived, because they are kept by the power of the One who indwells them, Christ in YOU, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Christ has not only redeemed His people from the guilt of sin but also from the dominion of error. His sheep hear His voice, and a stranger they will not follow (John 10: 4–5). The Spirit within guards, guides, and teaches them all things necessary for life and godliness (1 John 2:27; 2 Peter 1:3). To say “greater is He that is in you”  is to proclaim the sovereign preservation of the saints by God Himself. God does not merely begin a work in His elect; He finishes it (Philippians 1:6) . His Spirit does not enter a believer only to be evicted by the lies of the evil one. No—He abides forever. And because the indwelling Christ is " greater than he that is in the world , " we will  endure, we will  persevere, and we will  overcome. The Father is to be praised for His sovereign Grace in Christ, and for giving His Spirit to each one that He chose and Christ redeemed. We are nothing without Christ in us, as the Light, HE is greater than any darkness in the world, or within us, and fully able as the Creator and Giver of Light and Life to keep each of His own in the TRUTH. May He continue to keep and preserve us from error and cause us to abide in Him Who has already overcome every enemy, and in HIM therefore, we are more than conquerors ( Romans 8:37).

Haggai 2:7-9 "And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts." When Haggai was writing this, the second temple had already been built. Yet he declared, “And I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.”  What, then, do you suppose he meant by "filling that house with glory?" The people that were round about the temple that day did not know that, on that day, the Glory of the Lord had once again entered into the temple—in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He  is the Glory of the Lord. Just as the glory of God had departed eastward in the days of Ezekiel, so it would return from the east unto the temple (Ezekiel 43:4). And in that return, the Lord would purify the nation— spiritual Israel . Following their restoration from exile, the remnant, according to the election of grace (Romans 11:5) —would no more practice harlotry, that is, idolatry. This return would mark a new beginning with a cleansed people, through Christ’s redeeming work, not marred by the sins which had caused their fathers to be cast into exile in the first place (Hebrews 8:8-13). The historical context of Haggai 2 is closely tied to the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. Haggai ministered in the days of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Ezekiel. Although we do not know how long Haggai lived, he had likely died before these things fully came to pass, around the sixth century B.C. when the Babylonians had conquered the kingdom of Judah. There stood the temple, and from there many Jews were carried away to Babylon. Haggai and Zechariah played a pivotal role in stirring up the returning exiles to resume the work on the temple, for the construction had ceased. Haggai specifically addressed the people of Judah who were engaged in rebuilding. This chapter emphasizes the Glory of the new temple, and yet assures the people that a greater Glory was yet to come—one that would far surpass the splendor of the former house built by Solomon. This word was meant to inspire hope and encourage perseverance—not merely in their labor, but above all, to cause them to look to the mighty work of God, that He would perform in the latter days of the Jewish era, when Christ would come and lay a new foundation through His sacrificial death. Some take issue with the grammar of Haggai’s prophecy when it is written, “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.”  Some point to the Hebrew wherein “shall come” is plural, and argue that it speaks of many who shall come. It would seem to them that many from among the nations would seek the Lord. Yet the text plainly says, “the desire of all nations.”  That phrase is singular. Even though it does not grammatically agree with “nations,” yet the Spirit has written it that way on purpose. "The desire (singular) shall come", and yet those of " all nations"  shall come unto Him. God would draw from every tribe, tongue, and nation those whom He had chosen and for whom the LORD Jesus would come and redeem (Revelation 5:9). Now we know that any who come to Him do so not because they are wiser, nor because they have seen more clearly than others, but because the Spirit of Christ has drawn them, and is drawing them still (Ezekiel 36:27) . The text does not say that the nations desired Him and were merely awaiting His arrival; rather, it teaches that He alone could satisfy the deep yearning of those from among the nations when drawn by the Spirit of Grace. It is not everyone, but some from every nation, for whom the Lord would come and pay their debt of sin. So, then—He is the  Desire, singular; and those who come to Him do so because the LORD has given them that desire—to see in Him what none other can give them: Salvation. What then is the prophetic fulfillment of this passage, pertaining to the shaking of the nations? Historically, it was fulfilled in part in the overthrow of the Persian monarchy by the Greeks. In Haggai’s day, the Jews were under Persian rule. Cyrus had given the decree to return, but the Lord declared that He was not yet finished. After Persia came Greece, and after Greece came Rome. What was the LORD doing through all this? Shaking the nations. One may understand this also in a broader sense: the civil wars, the strife among the successors of Alexander the Great, and the rise of the Roman Empire—all these were part of the shaking. But Who was behind it? The LORD Himself. “I will shake all nations.”  These kingdoms seemed to war and rise of their own accord, yet it was the LORD shaking the earth according to His sovereign will. He will shake an entire nation to shake out one of His elect, that they might be brought under the sound of the Gospel, or otherwise they might never have heard. And we who are the LORD’s, know how He shook our own lives. He brought down every false idol, every refuge of lies, and laid us low, that we might see ourselves as lost sinners in need of His Grace. God purposed that the Desire of all nations  should come. He would come in the Person of His Son, and He would make Himself desirable to His elect. How often in His earthly ministry did the Lord pass by an entire crowd to minister to one soul, and then move on? What was He doing? Making Himself desirable unto those for whom He came. In seeking out His own, they in turn would seek Him, and desire Him as their Redeemer and Savior. Jesus is the "Desire of All Nations" —the One for whom the nations long when the Spirit of Christ reveals Him in their hearts. Through Christ, God dwells among His people —not in a physical temple, but in Christ Himself, who referred to His own body as the true Temple (John 2:19-21). The glory of the new Temple (Christ) is greater because Christ is God incarnate , bringing the very presence of God into the world in the Temple of His body. Through His death and resurrection, peace  is made between God and His elect remnant from all nations (Ephesians 2:14), fulfilling the promise of peace in Haggai 2:9.

Esther 8:15,16 "And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour." God is just to reward righteousness. But what kind of righteousness? When we speak of righteousness, we are referring to that which is to His honor, glory, and satisfaction. Now we know that none of us is righteous in ourselves. "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10–12). Consider how God the Father purposed that the Lord Jesus Christ should come into the world to earn and establish a righteousness that is equal to Himself. And when Christ laid down His life, He so satisfied God the Father with that righteousness, that upon the completion of His death on the cross, there remained nothing but God's righteousness to impute to the account of every one that God had purposed to save from before the foundation of the world. One time, one place, one Sacrifice, one Righteousness, one Justification, one Reconciliation, one Redemption—by the Lord Jesus Christ. Did God the Father honor the work of the Lord Jesus Christ? Absolutely! If Christ earned and established that righteousness, then God is faithful to honor what His Son accomplished. And what is His reward? Is it not that He would have every one that the Father gave Him? That’s why Christ said, “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (John 6:39). Esther represents Christ’s Church, and Mordecai represents Christ in His work as Esther’s Head. Every time Haman walked by and Mordecai refused to bow, what was Mordecai doing? He was exercising righteousness as the judge and substitute for His people. He is a type and picture of our Lord Jesus Christ. There were many enemies that our Lord Christ had while He walked on this earth, yet He would not and did not bow to or cater to any. His one purpose was to do the will of His Father. Mordecai, as a type of the LORD Jesus Christ, fulfilled God's righteousness. His one purpose was to glorify the Father. " For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me" (John 6:38). How was the LORD Jesus rewarded? Just as Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel (Esther 8:15), so the LORD Jesus Christ was crowned with glory, having worked out that perfect righteousness on behalf of the people He represented for their salvation. How are we His people rewarded, as being of that number of God’s elect for whom Christ died? It is not for our righteousness, but because of His righteousness—earned and established on our behalf—that we stand perfectly righteous in Him. How were the Jewish people in Mordecai's day rewarded? With life. It was for Mordecai’s sake. Mordecai, like the LORD Jesus, stood up on behalf of the people. Even though the gallows were built to exterminate him from their sight and be rid of him once and for all, so the cross of the LORD Jesus was built to be rid of the LORD Jesus Christ (Mark 15:14), yet it was through that cross that Christ was exalted in His people. He said, “For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5: 10-12). Mordecai was one of those prophets. He was the LORD’s, and a type of the LORD Jesus Christ. What a beautiful picture of Christ’s complete representation for the people whom God rewarded. “And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad" (v. 15). Here we find even the heathen exalting this one Mordecai. And when you see him dressed in this royal apparel, it is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ in that royal apparel of which He alone is worthy. Mordecai is promoted, whereas before he was abased. Likewise, Christ was promoted, in fulfillment of this type, when He had satisfied all of God’s law and justice on behalf of the people He came to save. And the decree went forth that we should live because of what He accomplished. Oh! Do you not see the exaltation of Christ pictured here? Yes, it is about delivering a people historically, but ultimately, it is not just about exalting and glorifying this one Mordecai whom God had raised up for that hour—for that time—to be the representative not only of Esther as her head, and all the people represented in the Jewish nation: a type of the elect of God in Christ. Here we find him going out, it says, in “royal apparel.” Where is Christ today? He is risen, ascended on high, and seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. This is depicted in Mordecai. And yet, it was never just about him. As Christ said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). The royal apparel represents Him as the King-Priest before God for His people. The crown of gold shows His kingship—His equality with God Himself. The garment of fine linen and purple represents His Deity. All of these details depict the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as seen in Mordecai. Verse 16 then typifies the exaltation of the LORD Jesus. Here is where we see His righteousness rewarded. Mordecai is honored by God because he faithfully fulfilled his role in the place where God had put him, as a type of Christ. As a result, we see the joy of righteousness fulfilled. “The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour” (Esther 8:16). This depicts the joy and gladness of those who were delivered by the intervention of one named Mordecai. And so it is with the true work of righteousness accomplished by the LORD Jesus—not just figuratively, but fully and completely fulfilled in every jot and tittle before the Father. Whenever we, as the LORD’s people, speak of Christ and His work and what He accomplished, we do so with joy, and delight, and honor—giving Him the honor, not taking it for ourselves, but giving Him ALL the glory.