Gift of Peace

 

For the boot of the marching warrior in the roar of battle, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. (Isaiah 9:5, NASB)

Anyone who is a parent, has been a parent, and/or has worked with children knows peace and quiet are rare. If children are quiet, that silence comes for one of three reasons; either the child is asleep, is sick, or is getting into trouble. Isaiah’s prophecy told of the peace the people of Israel would have. It will occur not because of what they do, but because God gives it. God causes peace. The peace about which Isaiah prophesied does not occur by individuals. God’s peace is greater and overcomes whatever humanity, angels, demons, or principalities can create. What God causes, these other beings cannot take away unless God allows it. In the next paragraphs, we will recall what Isaiah said in Isaiah 9:1-4. After that, we will study verse five on its own, aiming to understand verse five in context with the first four verses.

For whom did Isaiah prophesy? In verses one and two, the student realizes Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel. Because the Zebulun and Naphtali lands had residents consisting of Israelites, Canaanites, and other nations, Isaiah prophesied to both Jews and Gentiles. Isaiah 9:1-7 is for every person on earth. Why was it necessary to speak a prophecy of peace to the people of Israel then?

Israel did not have peace for almost two decades. The Assyrian army would battle Israel, then take the people of Israel captive in 722 BC. What did God want these people of Israel to recall for the time of their captivity? He wanted them to understand that their captivity would not occur forever; they would receive freedom. In the moment of their freedom, it would be as a great light, a lift of the burdens from their shoulders (v. 2a).

God gave hope and promised light would come out of the darkness. This light for the people meant release from captivity. God would cause their release. Nothing within a person can bring the light of freedom unless God tells the person to do something and then gives him or her the ability to do it, like He did with Moses. Israel received hope from God with this prophecy. The hope God gave the people of Israel was a beacon of light that threatened to shroud their hearts, minds, and spirits. God’s promises are for the present time and the future. His hope makes it so. God included every person in this prophecy, as told to them through Isaiah. Their dark days of slavery would end. God would cause it to happen. He gives the light and hope.

God, through Isaiah, continued telling what He would do for the people of Israel. He added, in Isaiah 9:3, that He would multiply the nation. This multiplication would include the number of people who would live in Israel by a literal increase in population, which included both Jews and Gentiles. It would include all people, through the millennia, who came to God through belief in Him and His Son, Jesus. God would call them His children.

Since God’s promises included all people of all time, His multiplying Israel’s nation would multiply the number of God’s people, which did not include only Jews. This multiplication by God included the geo-political landscape of earth. The people of the promise—Jews and Gentiles—would expand the geographical borders of the promised land to everywhere in the world believers lived. The parts of the world in which believers lived expanded God’s land of promise to be as vast as His created world and heavenly kingdom. God will “multiply the nation” (3a).

With this promise of God, composed of several parts, a natural reaction would occur because of what God would do. God would fill the people of Israel with joy (v. 3b). With the gifts of joy, light, and multiplication of the nation God gives to His people, their bubbling over of gratitude and amazement flowed from them. When joy bubbles up through a person, a natural reaction occurs—that person bursts forth in rejoicing. Rejoicing can happen by singing, dancing, praising God, sharing God’s blessings with other people, and worshipping God.

Isaiah gave an analogy to help these future captives understand the depths of joy they would have during their captivity and afterwards. He said they would rejoice like when the harvest came in (v. 3b). Isaiah added another analogy. He said the people would rejoice like when they divide the plunders of war among themselves (v. 3c). The people would react to God’s actions of shining a light on them, giving them joy, and multiplying the nation. They would rejoice with other captives and praise God.

God promised more than light, joy, and multiplication. It joined with Isaiah’s prophecies in Isaiah 42:7 & 61:1-2 and Jesus’ statement about Himself in Luke 4:18. Through Isaiah 9:4, God told the people of Israel that He would give them freedom. He said He would break the yoke, staff, and rod with which their oppressor enslaved the people (v. 4). Isaiah used an analogy for their release that would resonate with the people. Their freedom would feel like when God routed their longtime enemy, Midian. While Gideon and three-hundred soldiers watched, God confused and routed the Midianites in 1184 BC.

The people of the joint kingdom of Israel regularly recalled this story of God’s hand delivering them from the Midianites. Because the Midianite defeat was familiar to the Israelites, Isaiah knew comparing it to God’s defeat of the Assyrians would give the people of Israel great encouragement, comfort, and joy. God would redeem the people of Israel from the soldiers, government, and slave drivers called Assyria.

In verse five, Isaiah continued using the battle analogy, which he began in verse three(c). He helped the people recall battles by using their senses. Isaiah described the battle sounds and implements of a soldier. He said, “For the boot of the marching warrior in the roar (and clanging) of battle, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire” (NASB). These words brought to memory the sight, sound, and smell of battle. The putrid odor of blood on cloaks and bodies. The clanging metal of armor shielding soldiers’ bodies. The heavy tromping of boots marching into battle. The blasting of bugles by generals’ orders. The panic and fearful escaping of nature from the area. People would recall of these sensory memories of battle. By recalling sensory details, Isaiah's prophecy reminded the people of the sights, sounds, and smells of battles fought by armies such as those of Midian and Egypt. They helped the people remember how God preceded them and defeated their enemies.

Without God’s light, hope, and peace, those memories of battle would haunt the people of Israel forever. Yet, with God, anything can happen. God gives light, hope, and peace. He causes the changes to set people free. Paul wrote in Romans 8:37 that God’s children are more than conquerors. They are more than slaves or conquered people. God causes freedom by His actions. He said this through Isaiah. God said every marching boot and blood-soaked cloak would burn as fuel for the fire. The people would be free. God would provide their freedom and conquer the enemies of the people of Israel. He will always provide freedom for His people who seek Him (2 Chronicles 7:14). With that freedom comes peace. Before freedom, God gives light, hope, and peace.

This freedom God gives would cause rejoicing by the people. Just as they danced at a harvest with joy and divided the plunder of war among themselves with excitement and joy, the people of Israel would dance with joy at God defeating the country that overpowered and enslaved them. The Israelites recalled their harvest celebrations and victory celebrations. In their minds, they heard their celebrations, recalled the taste of food in their mouths, and sensed the celebration in their being.

They could hang onto God’s promise with hope and relive from memory how God, in the past, gave them victory. The memories of God’s intervention are spiritual markers for people. People can recall spiritual markers throughout life. A person can recall and rejoice at what God did in his or her life. God’s joy is for all time. Rejoicing is humanity’s outflow of God’s gracious gifts. It leads to people loving God with their whole being as God taught people to do in the Old and New Testaments (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37).

God's actions, His gifts of joy, peace, hope, and future freedom would cause the people of Israel to react. That reaction would cause them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, spirit, mind, and strength. This morale booster, by Isaiah’s prophecy, telling what God would do, would strengthen and encourage the captives. The prophecy enabled them to endure captivity with hope, live with the memories of what God did in the past, and buoy themselves with thoughts of what He will do in the future. God would arm the captives with hope, so they were ready to endure. Paul wrote about the great power of God, which God wanted the people of Israel to remember. He continued his teaching and testimony by writing in Romans 8:37-39:

In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39, NASB)

The Isaiah 9:1-7 prophecy transcends a single moment; it lasts forever. God is always the Conqueror. He is always faithful to His promises and His people. The Israelites’ freedom from captivity in 523 BC did not signal the end of the prophecy. This prophecy from God is for all people, as Isaiah 9:1 recorded. God’s word lasts forever because He is eternal.

Because people will exist until Jesus’ second coming to Earth, this prophecy of release from captivity has not fully occurred. Jesus has not yet consummated it. God made available through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection the ultimate release from captivity to sin and death. Jesus gives this freedom—this redemption from slavery to sin and death—when a person confesses belief in Him as their Savior.

Jesus ended all battles and wars for people who believe in Him. No captivity can separate God from anyone who believes in Jesus. God declares freedom for His children, and nothing can defeat Him. The freedom Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection provided makes possible the defeat of sin, its judgment, and death from the moment anyone believes in Him. God will consummate the salvation of believers upon Jesus’ return to earth. At that time, Jesus will claim His disciples and take them to His kingdom to live with Him forever. No force can keep His disciples captive.

This freedom God gives also provides joy from Him so people can rejoice. Knowing this freedom gives peace to the hearts, spirits, and minds of people who seek God and who come to a relationship with Him through belief in Jesus the Christ. Because God is for us, giving us joy, hope, freedom, and peace; therefore, “who can be against us” (Romans 8:32)?

How do we realize at this point God intended that? We will understand more when we finish studying the entire prophecy with verses six and seven. We recognize, too, by Jesus’ teaching and Paul’s letters, that this prophecy intended eternal redemption and reconciliation with God (Luke 4:18-20, Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 24:25-27, Colossians 1:19-20). This will be the topic of the next Bible study.

For now, consider your relationship with sin and with the Redeemer who releases believers from sin’s captivity. Are you still captive to sin and its resultant judgment of eternal death? That outcome is not what God desires for you. He loves you and wants to have an eternal relationship with you in heaven.

Today, you have a choice. Which outcome will you pursue: eternal captivity or freedom from being captive to sin and death, which gives you a right relationship with God? It always remains your choice. Choose God, Jesus, redemption, joy, hope, peace, and eternal life.

Jesus came to give us peace through redemption and reconciliation with God.

Chaos no longer reigns over His disciples. Let God give His peace to you.

For unto us a Child will be born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV)

Gift of Joy

You will multiply the nation, You will increase their joy:

They will rejoice in Your presence as with the joy of harvest,

As people rejoice when they divide the spoils. --Isaiah 9:3, NASB

Remember, in the first lesson of this series, Isaiah spoke to the northern kingdom of Israel about their soon upcoming captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. This captivity included both Jew and Gentile residents of Israel. This meant the prophecy for the near and distant futures was for Jews and Gentiles, not merely the Jews. In chapter eight, Isaiah used the analogy of dark and light. He used it again in Isaiah 9:2. The light referred to the release of the captives—Jew and Gentile—from Assyria in the future. This prophecy referred to the Messiah, who would come to rescue and redeem everyone held in captivity in the distant future. More, yet, comes from the Isaiah 9:1-7 prophecy.

 Through his words in Isaiah 9:3, Isaiah tells the people of the northern kingdom of Israel and people in the future, God would do more than give them joy by His light shining in the darkness (vs. 2). God does not just offer joy to weary hearts, minds, spirits, and might. He gives everything a person needs for their whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. God recognizes the whole being of each human, His creation. He recognized it when He commanded the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:5 to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might. Jesus reiterated this command and called it the greatest commandment when He taught it in Mark 12:29-30. He said in reply to the scribe, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and will all your mind, and with all your strength.”

For God to expect a person to love Him with the totality of his or her being, He provides what is necessary for each of those parts of a person. God’s light would shine in the darkness; so, keep hoping and trusting in Him. God’s light is not there to tease people; it gives hope for the near future to escape whatever persecution, torment, calamity, or difficulty a person encounters. His light also gives hope for the distant future, the future hope of which Isaiah would tell. With the rest of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 9:1-7, God revealed what—Who—that future hope of hopes is. That hope was, is, and will always be the Messiah, of whom God told and revealed, and whom believers now eagerly await His second coming.

Consider, in this week and the next four weeks, with verses three through seven, how God’s light was joy and more. Remember, in Isaiah 9:1, Isaiah said the prophecy from God came for both Jews and Gentiles who lived there. In the second verse, Isaiah declared this prophecy is meant for “the people who walk in darkness.” Notice, he did not say the prophecy is only for the Jews who walk in darkness. God intended the prophecy for Jews and Gentiles—each person.

Isaiah said the prophecies of God were for Jews and Gentiles in verse one, then the occurrences of verses two and three would happen. Since we studied verse two last time, this study is on verse three. God said He would “multiply the nation.” This multiplication would occur through population and geography. Population is the numerical counting of heads. The population of Israel’s northern kingdom would increase by the returning of the captives to their homes. That would be the near future hope about which verse three prophesied. The distant future hope included a population increase of people who believe in the Messiah. The number of God’s children would increase because more people receive salvation through belief in the Messiah. Jesus’ righteousness given to believers increased the population of the heirs of God’s promise to Abraham’s (Genesis 15:2-6 and Hebrews 11:8-10). The Messiah came for all people, not just the Jews.

Consider now the geographical part of this prophecy. To increase the geography of a nation, the borders must expand. God’s multiplying the nation of Israel gave the Jews the near future hope of expanding their national borders, like when King Solomon reigned. The Jews regarded Solomon as the greatest king of all Israel. During Solomon’s reign, the kingdom encompassed more land than at any other time. The geography of the nation would increase in the distant future when people worldwide believed in the Messiah. The multiplying boundary spoke not of a literal physical national border expansion only, but of a growth in the number of people around the world who worshipped God because of belief in the Messiah. These two aspects—population and geography—with their near and distant future hopes, encompassed the multiplication God would bring to the nation.

God multiplied the nation, and He increased the people’s joy in this prophecy through Isaiah. By God’s shining His pure light on the people of the nations, He would “increase their joy” (vs. 3b). Verse two relayed the change agent. Though verse three sounds like the result/reaction of the change agent (God’s actions), only parts “c” through “e” are the results/reaction. Parts 3a and 3b continue to show God’s work, His gifts. His actions are the change agents. The increase of the nation and of joy of verse three are change agents. Why? The answer is because God is the One who gives the light in the darkness (vs. 2) and Who increases the nation and the joy of the people (vs. 3a & b). These gifts from God of pure joy, light, and the multiplication of the nation (God’s actions) would cause the people to respond/react with an outbreak of rejoicing. How would people show their reaction to the light, multiplication, and joy God gave them? Today, people explode with joy by dancing, singing, testifying about what God gave to them, praising God, and thanking God. In the Bible, King David did the same in 2 Samuel 6:14 while the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple. Rejoicing leads to a festive celebration of worship and praise for God among people. These gifts from God and the resultant rejoicing would cause people to love God with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, just as God commanded in Deuteronomy 6 and Jesus taught in Mark 12.

God does not give a message merely to increase hope. His hope is based on Himself—His faithfulness to humanity, the people He created. God does not give hope, then take it away. He does not tease people. The basis of the hope God gives comes from Himself, which He fully fills into each person with His hope. With this prophecy of near and distant future hope, God fulfilled the prophecy with the life of Jesus, the Messiah.

Some people believed in God before Jesus came to earth. God credited their faith as righteousness before the Messiah’s arrival: Abraham, David, Noah, and others listed in Hebrews 11. They received the distant future hope by faith because of God declaring them right. When they died or God took them to His heavens without an earthly death, like Enoch and Elijah, they experienced the distant future hope. Their joy in God stemmed from His nature, not from having seen the Messiah. Likewise, Isaiah’s prophecy caused many of the captive people in Assyria to rejoice in God with the pure joy God gave to them. They rejoiced because of the hope of Him fulfilling His promises. God promised multiplication and pure joy (vs. 3). He promised light in the darkness (vs. 2). God gives these to any person today who believes in the Messiah.

Believers in Jesus can rejoice at their salvation given by Jesus, the Messiah. This evidences the “now” part of salvation. The “not yet” part of salvation, for which people rejoice with hope, is the future return of the Messiah to earth, His second coming. Jesus’ future return and taking believers to His kingdom for eternity is about what they can rejoice about now and about what they can continue to rejoice throughout eternity.

At that time, in God’s kingdom, every person who believed in God before the Messiah’s advent on earth and those who believed in the Messiah, since His advent, will rejoice eternally in His presence. In Isaiah 9:3d & e, Isaiah gave two human examples of great joy to which the hearers and readers could relate. In 3d, Isaiah said their rejoicing would be like when they finished bringing in the harvest. They rejoiced at their bounty with celebration, often as a party among the tribe members and as a thank offering to God. Having harvested, they had enough in storage for them to rest and to provide for their needs. They thanked God and each other. At those times, the people would wholeheartedly love the Lord God with all they were and owned. They quickly rose to help and love others when they were in high spirits and received a bounty. Like this reaction to an exceptional harvest, the people would rejoice now and forever to God’s promise of Light in the darkness, and His gifts of multiplication and joy.

Isaiah 9:3e, Isaiah said the people would rejoice like when they celebrate the defeat of their enemy and counted and divided the spoils of the war. Because their victory resulted in wealth, the people would rejoice. They would celebrate and give thanks to God for helping them defeat their enemy. The celebrants would give a tithe to God and help other people, resulting from their bounty. They would often love God and people more readily when they received something unexpected, a windfall of wealth. As with a surprise bounty from the spoils of war caused rejoicing and praise to God, the people would celebrate God’s promises Light in the darkness, and His gifts of joy and multiplication from that time throughout eternity.

 Isaiah spoke, in Isaiah 9:3, to the people of the northern kingdom. He prophesied God would multiply the nation and increase their joy. Because God caused these, when people realized these things came from God, they would rejoice by acting out the joy God put into them. That rejoicing would cause them to celebrate and worship. Celebrating and worshiping God would show their love to Him and to people. Like with the harvest, God provided food for their bodies and joy for their spirit. Additionally, God provided for all physical needs with the unexpected wealth from the spoils of war. In acknowledging God with celebration and worship, God cared for their hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies. With their hearts, minds, and spirits attuned to God, loving God with their whole being became possible. Love for God often leads to love for others. Loving other people is the second greatest commandment Jesus taught in Matthew 22:39 when He said, “The second (commandment) is like it (the Greatest Commandment), ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The whole of the Bible shows the scarlet thread of God. From when God created the world and humanity sinned, God sought a renewed relationship with the people He created. He planned for it when He gave humans the ability to reason and make their own decisions. God knew they would disobey Him, so He created the perfect plan to cleanse them of their sins. With the cleansing Jesus provided by dying on the cross, His sacrifice makes it possible for whoever trusts in Him to be declared righteous by God. When God makes a person righteous by his or her belief in Jesus, that person can be in a right relationship with God and live forever with Him now and in His kingdom.

From creation through Jesus’ triumphant second coming, God seeks a relationship with each person. Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter nine highlights God’s plan. God’s plan is for every person. He is the Light and will shine on them. He will multiply their nation and give them joy. Those who believe in the Messiah will have an unfettered relationship with God, which results in love for other people.

Isaiah said more in this prophecy. He began by including all people—Jews and Gentiles. Isaiah spoke of the Light and hope they could have in the darkness. He explained God would take them home and fill them with joy because of who He is, His faithfulness to Himself, and His faithfulness to them. Because of God’s love, promises, hope, and joy, people would love Him with their whole beings, resulting in rejoicing. These would result in God’s children loving others like they love themselves, too.

How would God break into the darkness? How would He release the people from captivity to the Assyrians and whatever would have kept them from Him? What would He do and what price would He pay for an eternal relationship with His created people? Isaiah has more to teach us, just as He instructed the people of Israel.

Anticipate.

Be filled with joy.

Celebrate with rejoicing as the coming days to Christmas roll closer.

 

 

Joy and Crown

 

 

“But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” (Philippians 2:17-18)

 

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” (Philippians 3:14-16)

 

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:1, 4)

 

Paul wrote to the Philippians of his love for them and his desire to see them. His love was so great that he longed for them to grow into the image of Christ for which he himself strived. 

 

Paul began by reminding them of the mind of Christ—absolute humility for the salvation of all people. He wrote challenging the people to have that same mind, to be humble and changed because of the salvation they received by and from Jesus. Should the Philippian Christians think this too great a sacrifice—such humbling of oneself—Paul put himself as an example of a person who was and had everything, giving it all up, and being considered nothing by the people who once considered him so great. Even this, Paul said, does not make him like Christ. He said he had not attained the prize for the goal toward which he ran. 

 

Paul gave the prime example of humility—Jesus— and then himself, as one striving to be like Him, so the Philippian believers would realize it is doable and a worthy task.This task is to what Christ calls each of His followers. “It’s the standard to which we (believers) attained” but whose goals are not yet reached.

 

After reminding the Philippian believers of the prime example and goal Christ gives and a human example (himself), he then expressed his love for them. He said he loved them and longed to see them. Paul said these believers were his joy and crown. He felt like a father who loved them and was proud of them. Paul followed that statement of his love for them with the challenge to keep following Jesus and look to the example he himself gave them. And even in the hardship that living a life of absolute humility, Paul taught them to rejoice in the Lord always.

 

Rejoice that Jesus saved you. Rejoice that you are called to follow Jesus’ example. Rejoice that Jesus considers you worthy to be His example to the world. Rejoice that you get to tell other people about Jesus. Rejoice that you have the privilege to suffer like Jesus because it shows your identification with Him. Rejoice because the way you live imitating Christ is considered so true to Him that people want to torment, trouble, and persecute you like other people did Him. Rejoice that you have fathers and mothers in the faith to be examples for you and pray for you. Rejoice that the strength, endurance, perseverance, and love you need for the task to which Jesus commanded His followers has already been given to you through His Holy Spirit living in you. 

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” as Paul said in Philippians 4:4. “Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5) You are beloved. Keep up the faith. Walk in Jesus’ strength and according to His humble ways so that anyone who hears or sees you will see and hear Jesus. Run for the crown all who run the good race receive from God. And rejoice always! “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Phil.4:23)

 

Love Rejoices

 

“Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.””— Luke 15:2

 

In Greek, this “grumbling” in verse two is an onomatopoetic word that sounds like what was happening. The word itself sounds like humming bees or doves just as the crowd of murmuring/grumbling Pharisees sounded as they discussed among themselves Jesus’ actions and words.

 

Jesus actively welcomed and awaited to receive with a warm arms-open welcome any sinner who wanted to go to Him then, just as He does now. He didn’t just wait to talk with sinners who came to Him. Jesus waited to invite them in with Him and to break bread with Him. These sinners became His friends and, He hoped, family by their belief in Him.

 

In the parable of the lost sheep, the lost sheep represented the sinners who chose to enter and eat with Jesus. (Each person has sinned and Jesus desires that all be saved.) The person who thinks he/she is righteous does not avail him/herself of being welcomed by Jesus to break bread with Him. He/she thinks they don’t need Jesus because he/she is already righteous. Jesus will not force Himself on these people, like He didn’t with the Pharisees and religious leaders. Yet, those who choose to be welcomed by Jesus and break bread with Him, by which becoming family, those He will seek like the one sheep who was missing of the 100. This one sheep who was part of Jesus’ flock strayed away from Him like His followers who sin after being saved by Him. These saved souls are precious to Him and He will leave the safe 99 to rescue the one. 

 

Jesus actively welcomes and makes a sinner part of His family—a sheep in His flock. He actively seeks, defends, heals, guides, and restores His sheep—His saved child—back into His flock. Jesus doesn’t force Himself on a sinner, but welcomes. He doesn’t let Satan steal His child away, but cherishes His child so much that He goes after that one to rescue and bring him/her back home to be with Him. 

 

Jesus does one more thing once He rescues His child. When He returns with His sheep, He actively rejoices; He created a time of celebration and invited others to celebrate that His child who had strayed had been found. It was not an unremarkable event, but a well-known and recordable event. 

 

Jesus was elated and desired to celebrate God’s grace—His favor and love—that sought the lost sheep and rescued it. The celebration wasn’t because the sheep had found His way home, but that Jesus rescued, healed, guarded, and carried the sheep back to His flock in His pasture.

 

God celebrates when each person goes to Him believing in Jesus and is saved by Him. He celebrates each time His saved child obeys Him. God celebrates each time a wandering child returns. This celebrating is God’s granting favor—His grace—of love and blessing on His child. Each of these times of celebration points to God, not humanity. They point to His goodness and love. God’s love for a person is cause to celebrate. 

 

Today, is God celebrating what He has done in your life? Have you gone to Jesus’ open arms and been welcomed to break bread with Him as family? Have you heard God’s guiding you to do something and obeyed? Have you wandered away from God and chosen your own path that led you to be separated from Him, and caused you to be lost, afraid, and hurting? 

 

Each of these times, God has shown or wants to bestow His favor—His grace and love—on you. Will you accept and let Him? Will you become part of His celebration today? 

 

It’s never too late to be saved or rescued by God. You are never too far away from God to be unreachable by His love and grace. Will you let Him save and rescue you today? Will you become part of the reason He rejoices today? 

 

(Taken from Luke 15:1-7)

Love is…

 

 

“(Love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;”

— 1 Corinthians 13:6

 

Love, the “far better way” about which Paul began to write in 1Corinthians 12:31. 

 

He wrote about love in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

 

Love does not rejoice and take delight in unrighteousness—injustice and evil—but rejoices and finds joy in life that is in harmony with divine truth—righteousness. [my paraphrase]

 

Each person receives one or more spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit. No gift is better than the other, just as no Christian is better than the other in the body of Christ. Each believer should strive to know God better and grow to be more like Him daily, as Jesus taught.

 

Instead of comparing ourselves to another, follow Jesus’ example, who, because He loves each person, chose to live as a man for about 33 years. He faced temptations but did not sin, endured ridicule and persecution by people close to Him, as well Gentiles and the people of Israel. Jesus chose to continue to teach, face accusations and scrutiny, endure doubt and betrayal by men, and suffer the pain and suffocation of the crucifixion because He loves each person He creates.

 

Love is God’s motivation. He loves us so much that He chose to send His Son, Jesus, to earth to endure all these evil things so that our sins (our wrongdoings) could be erased from our names. God wants an eternal relationship with each of us. If we do not believe in Jesus and His death as the sacrifice (the Savior) for our sins, God’s judgment of each person requires unbelievers to receive the just judgment for those sins. 

 

What is justice for unrighteousness (choosing your will/desires instead of what’s right)? Unrighteousness is opposite of righteousness—rightness with God. Since God is holy and the epitome of righteousness, unrighteousness is the opposite of holy; it’s evil. Because evil cannot exist where holiness is, the judgment for unredeemed sinners (someone who has not believed in Jesus and accepted the sacrifice He paid to redeem and free each person from the penalty and right judgment of his/her sins) is separation from God. Therefore, since God is in heaven in His kingdom, unsaved sinners cannot exist forever with Him in heaven. So unbelievers will be judged for their sins and suffer the penalty of eternal separation from God, which is hell.

 

“We know love by this, that Jesus laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (other Christians).” 1 John 3:16.

 

Love is rejoicing because of living in harmony with God and sharing His love with others. God’s love for us is our ultimate example of how we are to love and live. Rejoice and delight in God’s love, then rejoice and delight in loving other people like God does.

Coup de Grace: His Blow of Grace

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 [NASB]

Verses four through seven spoke to me. We all know these verses, but I don’t think I had seen them this way before. Verses four through six are commands. Verse seven is a blessing of shalom, heart peace that only God can give. After you have done those three things in verses four through six, then you have blessing-from Paul and from God. As I walked through those commands, I was like, “Yeah, yeah,” but then connections were made that hadn’t been there before for me. And I was like “Yes, I am going to have shalom!”  I am claiming. And I prayed that way for my family this morning.

Verse four: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Rejoice at what God is going to do, at what He has done, at what He is doing, and at Who He is-I AM, Immanuel, Creator, Savior, Provider, etc.

Verse five: “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” Don’t let what happens to you deter you from being who God has made you to be. Show the world God’s goodness, kindness, compassion, love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness even when things are not what you want them to be.

Verse six: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made know to God.” This one has been on my radar for years. Thanksgiving is not something I regularly do. Maybe you are like me. Today, I began thinking of all the things I could be thankful for and recognizing they all come from God’s hands.

Then the coup de grace (There is a reason grace is part of this French idiom.) is in verse seven. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” When you do these things, you will have peace because you recognize from where peace comes. God is your peace. Nothing that comes against you will prevail when you thank God for who He is, rejoice no matter what your circumstances, continue to be gentle in spirit, being anxious for no thing at all, but seek to keep in relationship with the Lord. This is how you have peace. And you don’t have it because you manufacture it. You have heart peace because of God’s grace, His blow of grace-the soft breeze that glides by your skin or the tumultuous wind that gets your attention and you know, despite it, you have peace because you are in a relationship with God.

What is coup de grace normally? In French, it’s an idiom that means a mercy killing, or the blow of grace. We could say that is what God does with His mercy toward us. His Son’s crucifixion was a mercy killing to save us from a dying misery. It’s God’s blow of grace on us that gives us eternal heart peace. Paul meant this when he wrote, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s blow of grace may be a soft breeze across your mind or heart or may be a stiff knock to get you to that place, but His peace, no matter what your circumstances, will guard you and keep you. It’s a heart peace-shalom-that comes from knowing God, from being in a saving relationship with Him.

Verse seven is the coup de grace when you look at those four verses together. His blow of grace-His heart peace-will keep your hearts and minds when you rejoice always, remain gentle in spirit, stay calm and un-anxious, while giving thanks in expectation. Grow and keep on growing in your relationship with God and this peace, this shalom-heart peace-will be yours. That is coup de grace. This coup de grace is a different way to look at the French idiom, a Christian way.

Then finally we get to the familiar “whatevers” list in verse eight. Dwelling on the “whatevers”-whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, worthy of praise-can only happen because of having a close relationship with God and because they come from Him. Paul didn’t stop with the command to dwell on them. He told the people to practice them. Why? Because the “God of heart peace will be with you.” Just as Jesus taught people what comes out of a person in words and actions comes from his or her heart, Paul told the people to put into action those excellent things that God puts in them by practicing them. Following these last two commands, Paul gave a promise. The same promise he gave the people in verse seven. When you do these things, God’s heart peace will be with you.

It's not a magic trick. You don’t do things just to get peace. You have peace, God’s peace, the blow of God’s grace, when you are in a saving relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. The grace that brings each of us into relationship with God upon our profession of faith in Jesus as our Savior is how we get this peace. When you are in a relationship with God through Jesus, you dwell on those excellent things that come from God, and you have heart peace because God is with you.

A big sigh is expressed as relief and release enters and we understand much better than before. Rejoice. Show your gentle spirit from God. Be anxious for nothing but pray and supplicate with thanksgiving. These things come from the mind and “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ.” More than this, dwell on excellent and praise-worthy things, which only come from God, then practice them. And again/still, the God of peace shall be with you. Three verses of commands, then a promise of God’s peace. Next, two commands, and again a promise of God’s peace, heart peace.

Are you ready to breathe that sigh of relief? Are you seeking heart peace, the peace that passes all understanding? God gives it through His Son, Jesus Christ. Come walk in relationship with God. Rejoice. Be anxious for nothing. Have access to the Father through the Son. Be thankful before God answers prayer. Think on excellent and praise-worthy things and practice them. Receive unending heart and soul peace, the blow of God’s grace across your heart, soul, mind, and body. His merciful love calls to you.

Lord, God, many times I did not rejoice always. I was anxious and did not seek You first. I acted and reacted based on my best judgments or on my fears. Help me to walk with You so I can keep my eyes focused on You. Help me to recognize Your grace and merc,y and sway towards Your ways instead of my own ways. Forgive me my stubbornness and conceit thinking that I always know what is right. Without You, I flounder and fail. With You, I have learned I can have Your peace-heart peace-even in the middle of difficult times because You are God and nothing surprises You. Amen.

Rejoice with Fear and Trembling

Habakkuk fills chapter 3 with the awe of God. He shows his fear of God’s power, evidenced through His wrath, and God’s mercy. Habakkuk does this through a prayer. Through the chapter, he gives a historical account about who God is, what He’s done, and what He will do. Verse two of this chapter is the thematic statement; while verses 18-19 are the ultimate expression of Habakkuk’s praise and worship of God for who He is. Through all the things God did in the past, Habakkuk could say the Lord is his strength.

What had God done and what will He do according to history and this prophet? First, Habakkuk reminded the Judeans of God’s presence in their history. God was with their forefather, Abraham, and He chose them as His people. Habakkuk said this in verse 3 when he said God comes from Teman and from Mount Paran. Abraham came through Teman and the Israelites, in their exodus wandering, camped or visited at Paran several times.

Habakkuk continued to remind the Judeans who God is by His presence in nature. He said God’s splendor covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise. Even His created world will proclaim and praise Him.

Next Habakkuk reminded the Judeans of what God had done. This reminded them of His presence in power. God brought pestilence and plague to the Egyptians. He startled the nations and made them tremble. Before the watching nations, God shattered mountains on which cities relied for defense. The people of Cush and Midian knew God and trembled. Even other nations realized who God is, and that He is eternal.

Habakkuk then used rhetorical questions to make his point. Was God angry against the rivers or sea? Was He concerned about the salvation of the waters or of people? This made sense to the listener. This prayer of Habakkuk’s was for them to attune to and return to God.

Habakkuk said the power of God’s love would bring them salvation and/or chastisement. God tried to give salvation to His people, but then, as the loving Father, He had to resort to chastisement. The bows of other nations God would use to correct them. Habakkuk paused and let the people think about this.

God’s kindness leads us to repentance and salvation (Romans 2:4).

With verses 9-11, Habakkuk returned to God’s influence on nature. Before he wrote about God’s power in nature. This time Habakkuk personified nature as writhing in fear and raising its voice and hands in proclaiming God. Even the sun and moon acknowledged God’s majesty. Their light dimmed when God’s great splendor shone. God’s glorious light outshone the stars and moon, so they were unseen.

With verses 12-15, Habakkuk showed God’s power in chastisement would be fearful, but it would cause salvation. He showed God’s power over all things for His purposes. God was indignant because the Judeans (and all Israelites), though God showed His love and care for them, showed by their lives how little God meant to them. He was angry because of their disobedience. Habakkuk said God marched through the earth and trampled the nations. God would destroy all the people counted on to give them what they needed or wanted. Still, God did not do this because of His anger. He based His anger upon His love for all the people of Israel. God would march and trample because of His love for them to save the people. He was angry at the Israelites and the people who caused them pain and destroyed them. God would chastise the Judeans and their subjugators. He would kill their subjugator’s leader with his own spear. Though the Judeans’ enemy would exult in Judah’s destruction, God would go far and wide to chastise them with His might, knowledge, and anger. He would cross lands and seas to accomplish it.

Habakkuk recognized God’s power, influence, salvation, love, and continual presence. He feared with awe His God and he trembled with fear at God’s prophecy of Judah’s destruction. Habakkuk’s fear was so great he shivered with it and his bones melted.

With Habakkuk’s final three verses, he proclaimed his certainty in God’s word and His love. He praised God because he recognized that though Judah’s enemies would loot and destroy them, God was their salvation. God would not permanently remove His hand from His chosen people. Habakkuk rejoiced triumphantly because God is mighty. God was his strength. He believed God would lead him and make him steady even during rocky or shaky, fearful times.

Though God takes us through difficult times, we can trust Him. We can proclaim God when we experience trials because we realize He is our salvation. His salvation comes from His love for us as does His chastisement. Everything God does is because of His love for us. Recognize God’s greatness, His power, influence, love, and continual presence, just as Habakkuk did.

Join Habakkuk and the great cloud of witnesses exulting and rejoicing in the Lord, the God of our salvation!

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice!” Psalm 4:4

Though my days are dark, oh Lord, I will remember Your splendorous light and the rays of power coming from Your hands. I will not be afraid. I will wait upon and exult in You now knowing You are in control and this time is for my growth because of Your love. You, God, will provide the way of escape, and I will be able to endure through this trial with Your strength and guidance, too. Amen.

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 [NASB]

Rejoice with fear and trembling; God will break through for you!

Choose True Joy...Choose Jesus

“You will make known to me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. In Your right hand, there are pleasures forever.” -Psalm 16:11 (NASB)

Introduction

What is joy? What is happiness? Are these mutually exclusive? Over time, even Christians separated joy from happiness saying joy comes from God and happiness from circumstances. When we read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we note God did not intend we have one and not the other. He gives both joy and happiness. Only as people took their lives into their own hands and made themselves their own gods did these two get separated. Read the passage from Psalm 16:11 written above. It says God gives fullness of joy. This phrase means God gives so much joy, gladness, happiness, and mirth that one is fully satisfied and lacking nothing. God’s joy is abundant and overflowing. Let’s consider through this Bible study what the Bible defines as joy and happiness, look at the reactions from them: rejoicing and exulting, understand how we can have joy, and what we do with joy.

What are Joy and Happiness?

Joy is a noun and occurs in one of two ways. It comes as a gift from God to His children or because of something you or someone else did or provided for you. God’s gift of joy is an eternal joy. Nothing can take this gift from you. The second kind of joy, worldly joy, is fleeting. It comes and goes based on circumstances. It cannot affect you for eternity because it comes from people, not eternal God. In the Bible, three Hebrew and Greek words express the English word “joy”. These words are chara, sasown, and chedvah.

The word “happiness” in the Bible is associated with the joy God gives. In the Old Testament, it comes from the word samach, a verb, and ‘osher. a noun. Samach means to cause to rejoice, be glad, make glad, or exult. ‘Osher is a worldly happiness. The word “happiness” comes from the root word “happy”. We must understand these and associated words to understand fully the joy, gladness, and happiness God gives as compared to what the world gives. Let’s study these words in more depth.

Joy

Chara. When someone asks a Christian what joy is, most believers will say it is a spiritual fruit. Christians refer to Paul’s letter to the new believers in Galatia in Galatians 5:22-23. In this passage, for Paul, “joy” was chara. Chara is a noun and means joy or gladness. It comes from being aware of God’s grace and favor. This joy/gladness is because of God’s grace, not works. It grows in us as we continue walking and growing in a right relationship with God. Joy/gladness reflects a quality of life grounded in God. People can experience it even when in very difficult situations. The fullness of joy comes when a deep sense of God’s presence is in one’s life. Joy/gladness reflects through the person’s actions, words, and attitude. It comes from the Holy Spirit as a fruit/gift. Paul contrasted the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5 with things people did to provide their own joy or gladness. The acts of the flesh noted in Galatians 5 are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, and carousing. Doing these things may bring pleasure/joy/gladness for a moment, but they each leave residual feelings that are not joy or gladness. The gladness (happiness) and joy these actions create are fleeting and often are against the law. Instead of these deeds, Paul said the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts given by God to Christians, do not pass away but grow and mature as a believer grows in his or her relationship with God. They never end because God never ends. Joy from God is continual and eternal, just like love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The difference between the gladness (happiness) and joy of God and the gladness (happiness) and joy of the world is its effect on the person. God’s joy, chara, produces continual rejoicing and exulting in God while sharing with others about life with Him. The joy and gladness of the world fades and can bring guilt and remorse depending on how people acquire it.

Paul was not the only believer in the Bible to write about this difference. The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 11:23-26 spoke of two kinds of joy. He spoke of a joy that comes from the passing pleasures of sin. Note, this earthly joy and gladness/happiness is fleeting. Moses chose the joy and gladness God gives. He preferred to endure ill-treatment along with God’s people than the pleasures of sin with the Egyptians because he looked for the reward from God. He had hope in Yahweh, the God who created, called, provided for, and protected Him and the people of Israel.

Solomon, too, thought he would seek the happiness the world desired. He found the pleasures of the world to be futility and meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:1-2). Solomon found pleasure accomplished nothing. The joy of the Lord is abundant and never ending, but the joy of the world is hollow. The joy of the world has no basis and evaporates.

Sasown. We must note in the Bible God considers joy, gladness, and happiness as a sum together. They are the same, not considered different from each other. This thought was not new to the new covenant, but Old Testament writers understood and wrote about it, too. The Hebrew word, sasown, means gladness, joy, exultation, and rejoicing. People use these English words interchangeably in the Bible and realize they add explanation and depth to each of the other words. Consider Zechariah 8:19. He said, “The fasts will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah.” Joy, gladness, and rejoicing go hand in hand. In Esther 8:16-17, joy and gladness again describe the lives of the Jews at that point in time. Notice, too, even in the Old Testament, true joy, sasown, comes from God to His children. His children, the Israelites, were the ones with whom He covenanted. When they remained faithful to Him, He blessed them and they received joy, gladness, happiness, and then rejoiced. Consider this in these passages – Jeremiah 16:9, 25:10, 31:13, 33:9 & 11; Isaiah 12:3, 35:10, 51:3 & 11, 61:3; and Psalm 45:7, 105:43, and 119:11. Notice Isaiah 51:3-11 states God is the giver of lasting joy. Isaiah 22:13 says gladness fades when it is manmade. Manmade gladness is a false gladness. Even in the Old Testament, the people of the LORD understood that true and lasting joy, gladness, and happiness come from God. They did not differentiate between joy, gladness, and happiness in those times; they were the same.

Chedvah. One other Hebrew word tells us about joy in the Old Testament and adds depth and meaning to its definition to go with sasown. That word is chedvah. Old Testament writers used chedvah only twice, but these provide an understanding that continues into the New Testament. It, too, means joy and gladness. In 1 Chronicles 16:27, the chronicler recorded his understanding that joy is God’s and comes from Him. True joy-eternal and heavenly joy-are from God.

Nehemiah 8:10 explains this to us, too, and furthers our understanding about joy and gladness. Nehemiah told the returned exiles, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Joy comes from the LORD, he said. Besides this, Nehemiah told them and tells us, another kind of joy exists in the world, one not of the LORD. Since it is of the world, it is fleeting. Whereas the LORD brings food, drink, and fulfilled promises, which caused continued, abounding, fully satisfying joy, the joy that comes from the world, Nehemiah said, would dissipate when the person consumed or removed them.

There are two kinds of joy, gladness, and happiness – that from God and that found in the world. Both Old and New Testaments record this understanding and many instances of it. When looking in a dictionary, we read joy is extreme happiness. That is the world’s definition. Because the world considers happiness different from joy, we must look at what the Bible says about the words “happy” and “happiness”. Still, with our current understanding of what the Bible considers joy, we must affirm true joy, gladness, and happiness are the same. It comes from the receipt of grace/favor from God, not from a person’s actions as the world sees it. Joy is not more powerful than happiness. What determines the power of joy, gladness, and happiness is from whom the grace/favor comes-God or another person.

Happy and Happiness

Are joy and happiness truly the same thing in the Bible? Based on the above study of the Old and New Testament words for “joy” and their meanings, happy, glad, and joyous are joint descriptors of a person who receives God’s grace. That person received joy because of God’s grace. Because of God’s grace and the joy it brings, the person is happy or glad. Happiness then is blessedness when you find your purpose and fulfillment in God-in a relationship with Him and in His provisions. Let’s look at some passages about happiness to consider this more.

Makarios. Jesus taught the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 to his followers during His sermon on the mount. In that passage, Jesus said “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” He continued like this for nine verses. The Greek word from which “blessed” comes is makarios. Makarios means happy, blessed, or fortunate. It is an adjective that describes a person upon whom God sends His grace/favor/blessing. Does the world consider people who are mild in spirit, who mourn, who are gentle, who seek righteousness, who are merciful, who are pure in heart, who are peacemakers, and who are persecuted as blessed or happy? Being like those people is contrary to the world’s idea of happiness, but Jesus said these kinds of people are happy and fortunate in God. He held them up as role models. In this understanding through Jesus’ teaching, “happy” is primarily associated with one’s disposition and character rather than one’s emotive response to occurrences and events. No matter what happens, the truly happy person, the believer, will consider him or herself blessed to be a child of God. The believer won’t let the weight of problems take away his or her joy/happiness. The world defines happiness differently than does God. For the world, when good and pleasurable things happen to you or come to you, then you are happy, not when bad things happen, or people overlook or revile you. The world bases happiness on one’s circumstances. Jesus said happiness is not based on circumstances. He based happiness and joy on one’s relationship with the Father. Jesus calls a “happy” person one who is in a relationship with the Father. That believer is growing to become more Christlike and have a disposition and character like Him. A person who centers his or her life in a relationship with God shows a disposition of a righteous life. A relationship with God and resultant righteous disposition allows the person to enjoy happiness no matter what occurs, good or bad. True happiness, joy, and gladness are rooted in the activity of God and His character. God’s character is the lens through which a truly joyful and happy person views his or her world. That person is blessed to be a child of God and nothing can take that away from him or her. God is the blessing and the Christian has true joy and happiness because of the grace and favor of knowing the Lord in that way.

‘Esher. The Bible uses another word that translates as happy. The Old Testament writers used the word ‘esher (noun) to speak about a blessed or happy person. Again, this speaks about the receipt of God’s favor as His child. To be His child is to be in a covenant relationship with Him and receive protection, provision, and promise from Him. In Job, the Hebrew word ‘esher translates as happy are the people who are in a right relationship with Yahweh. In Job 5:17, Job told his friends even when God reproves/corrects a person, that person can be happy because the Lord only corrects the person He loves. That person whom God corrected could be happy knowing God loved him or her enough to reprove him or her. He works to direct each of His children on the right path like a loving parent disciplines his or her child. Even when negative things happen, the Bible says Christians can still have joy and happiness because God loves us and we have hope through Him.

In another biblical instance, in 1 Kings 10:8, Queen Sheba considered the men who heard King Solomon’s wisdom as ‘esher-blessed and happy. Again, “happy” describes a person’s disposition and character rather than his or her emotive response to happenings. Moses, in Deuteronomy 33:28-29, called Israel happy (blessed-‘esher) because God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. David said in Psalms 32:1-2 a righteous person is a happy person because of his or her knowledge that God has forgiven individual sins. At the beginning of his psalms in Psalm 1:1-3, David relayed this happiness and blessedness (‘esher) when he wrote about the wicked and the righteous. He said,

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD and in His Law, he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (NASB)

David called a person blessed and happy when he walks in God’s ways. Walking in God’s ways makes a person firmly planted and watered so fruit grows. That person does not wither and all he does prospers. Because God is righteous, only good comes from Him. He continues to provide growth and fruit for the person who lives in relationship with Him. Happiness and joy come from being in a growing relationship with the Lord. Dryness and lack of fruit come from walking in the ways of the world seeking immediate pleasure that does not satisfy and comes to an end.

Samach. Surely happiness is a state of being, you may say. Let’s look at the times in the Bible it speaks of happiness. Writers of the Old Testament used two words to convey what we know as happiness, samach and ‘osher.

Samach is a verb used 148 times in the Old Testament, 78 of which are in Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Proverbs. It means to cause to rejoice, be glad, exult, and make glad. The following passages show the samach God gives. Deuteronomy 24:5 recorded God’s rule for a newly married man to stay with his wife for a year before returning to the army so he could give her happiness. A good start in a married life was God’s gift to the newlyweds. In other places in Deuteronomy, people experienced happiness and rejoiced when they ate before the LORD the things with which He blessed them (Deuteronomy 12:7, 12, & 18, Deut. 14:26, etc.). In Psalm 5:11, samach means to be glad and joyful. Again, God paired happiness, gladness, and joy. Psalm 14:7 and 16:9 join rejoicing and being glad with happiness (samach). One interesting chapter recorded David recognizing his true joy and hope came from God even though his enemies rejoiced over his stumbling (Psalm 35). David had happiness even though his enemies rejoiced over his misstep, not because he did something right, but because of Whose he was. He was the chosen king and child of God. David recognized the enemies’ joy was fleeting because God was the source of his own joy. His enemies’ joy came from their luck. Further, in Psalm 58:10, David equated happiness with rejoicing when God brings vengeance on his enemies. Bible writers joined happiness, gladness, and joy. They did not separate them like people have done over the last six or seven centuries in other languages.

‘Osher. In Genesis 30:13, Leah called herself happy because her maid Zilpah bore a second son for Jacob. She had a running race with her sister, Rebecca, to give Jacob more sons. Leah would do anything she could to win that race even if it meant going about it in a way God did not want-Jacob sleeping with more women. ‘Osher means happy in Old Testament Hebrew. Leah named her son Asher, a form of the word ‘osher, saying he brought her happiness. This verse is the only instance of ‘osher being used in the Bible. This form of happiness, we can conjecture from the biblical context, is the worldly form of happiness. The worldly form of happiness is getting one’s own happiness at the expense of others, not waiting for God to give the blessing or favor. In doing what Leah did to give another son to Jacob, she used Zilpah and caused pain to Zilpah and Rebecca.

Culture and “Happy”

The words “happy” and “happiness” change based on culture and time. What God intended to come from perfect contentment and relationship with Him changed with the whims of humanity. To arrive at an easier form of joy and happiness, people constructed a lower, non-true form of joy and happiness. The etymology of the word “happy” takes us back to its Norwegian roots. It came from the word “hap,” which meant lucky. From then people connected luck to a person’s contentment and happiness, not to God’s grace and favor. From that point, each person could then make his or her own luck and find his or her own joy and happiness. The only problem with this is the joy and happiness found that way is never enough and never lasts long. It creates a desire for more with the need to do whatever it takes to be happy. Sometimes doing whatever it takes involves hurting people physically, mentally, financially, or emotionally. One person’s luck then becomes another person’s pain (bad luck). When God gives joy, gladness, and happiness, He does not take away from another person. Instead, He gives from His bottomless, eternal storehouse, from His character. When we understand how joy and happiness have changed from its original intent in the Bible, we can understand how people now connect happiness with circumstances and joy with God instead of realizing both come from God and then seeking to be in a growing relationship with Him. Understanding joy and happiness leads us to a question.  How do we express what we experience when we receive God’s unmerited grace/favor? What words do Bible writers use along with joy, gladness, and happiness that tell how we express them?

The Outcome of True Joy

What reactions naturally come from a person who experiences joy, gladness, and happiness from the Lord? The Bible says these people rejoice and exult. Isaiah 35:10 said God’s people will be happy forever. Gladness and joy will overtake them and sorrowing and sighing will flee.

Rejoicing. In Romans 12:12, Paul urged believers to rejoice in hope. The word “rejoice” comes from the Greek word chairo and means to be exceedingly glad, to rejoice, to be well. It’s a feeling that comes from deep within a person’s being. A joy that bubbles up into action, like a fountain bubbling up and overflowing onto anyone and anything around it.

Exulting. In Romans 5:2-11, Paul added believers can exult in hope of the glory of God, exult in our tribulations, and exult in God. The word “exult” comes from the Greek word kauchaomai and means to glory with or without reason in a person or thing, to take pride in or boast. “Exulting” means to take great joy by acting it out in word and action whether for a specific reason or not. Both rejoicing and exulting are actions that come from the bubbling forth of joy and happiness within a child of God. Happiness is not the emotional outcome of joy, rejoicing and exulting are.

Final Thoughts on the Word Study

From these Bible passages, we can understand God’s true purpose for joy and happiness. Joy and happiness are gifts from God given to people. They are blessings from God to His people, those whom He made righteous. The joy and happiness of the Lord does not dry up, fade away, or cause harm to another person. It can come for no reason and, can also occur because of what God has done in and for a person. True joy and happiness spring up from the heart of a person and bubble continually because its source-God-is unending. It reveals itself to other people through rejoicing and exulting in word and action giving glory to the Giver of the joy and happiness, God.

Understanding the words from the Old and New Testaments show us joy, happiness, and gladness originally came from God and continue if one seeks Him and His ways. These come from God because of a person’s growing relationship with Him. They come as gifts of the Spirit just as Paul spoke of in Galatians 5. God’s love for His children ushers forth in favor and blessing as relationship, provision, protection, and reproof. From the creation of the world God provided: man for woman and woman for man, and food, protection, and relationship with Him. Throughout the rest of humankind’s history, God continued to provide as we read in the Bible. His ultimate blessing to humankind is His greatest testament of love to people: forgiveness and new life through the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus, as the death payment for the sins of humanity. This gift brings one of the greatest joys and sources of happiness, and provides hope. This hope gives believers His joy, which helps them persevere during trials.

God blessed humanity and created joy and happiness for each person. When sin entered the world because people wanted to direct their own lives and be their own gods, they corrupted joy and happiness. People seek joy and happiness through temporary means and often at the expense of others. The joy and happiness people receive through their own striving results in a temporary good feeling or emotion. The resultant emotions and/or responses that come from the joy and happiness people experience show from whom joy, happiness, and gladness came: God or ourselves.

The happiness the world espouses is fleeting and often damaging. It’s often contrary to the Lord’s laws and comes at the expense of other people. Paul said in Galatians 5 fleeting joy and happiness often comes from immorality, lawlessness, impurity, sensuality, and anger. It may temporarily bring happiness, but then fades leaving guilt, remorse, and a desire for more without considering the cost. It can be like an addiction. A question arises from this. Will we seek joy and happiness in circumstances or in God? Will we allow circumstances to define God or His character? The challenge is to allow God's character to be the lens for interpreting circumstances so we can know right from wrong and seek God exclusively.

How Do We Get Joy?

As we consider joy and happiness, questions arise. How do we get joy? From where does it come? Is it fleeting or not and why? The answers to these questions came in the word study above and come as you read other Bible verses about joy, happiness, and gladness. Joy comes as a gift from God; it’s a fruit/gift of the Spirit. He gave joy with His blessings at creation to Adam and Eve. God gave Eve to Adam as a helpmeet. He gave them dominion over creation. These were blessings to bring joy and happiness. God promised to bless Abraham, make his name great, and through him to bless all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1-3).

Blessing, joy, and happiness are not just New Testament ideas from the advent of the Messiah. Joy and happiness come from God, were originally a result of blessing from Him. If you’ve read through the book of Deuteronomy, you will remember chapter twenty-eight. In that chapter, Moses recorded the blessings from God to the Israelites if they remained faithful to Him. You realize from your reading of Deuteronomy what God gives is not necessarily the blessing, per se. God is the blessing!

Joy comes from knowing and trusting God!

Yes, joy and happiness come from what God gives and does for a person. More importantly, being in a growing love relationship with God is the true blessing that causes joy and happiness within a person. Because God is the source of joy and happiness and because He is Alpha and Omega-beginning and end, I AM-He and the joy that comes from being in relationship with Him never ends.

Joy from God is not fleeting!

You may still ask: But how do we get joy? I don’t feel joyful. I see other people laughing and singing. How can I have joy when I am covered by dark clouds? These are valid questions and believers of the Bible experienced what you experience. Their lives were like yours. Some days the sun seemed to shine for 20 hours, their eyes lit up like the sun, their fields grew without worm or drought, and their lives flowed gently and exuberantly onward. Other days they saw locusts, experienced the death of children, lost possession of their homes, and had to beg from door to door losing their self-respect. Did they have joy even during those hard times? Can we have joy during those hard times.

Remember what Paul said in Galatians 5:22-23. Love, joy, peace, patience and all those other things are fruits of the Spirit. Paul spoke to pagan-background believers in Galatia in this letter. They had no personal history with Yahweh. The Galatians did not know the stories of I AM calling Abraham and Moses, and creating the world. The Galatians knew about empires like Assyria, Persia, and Rome. They lived under the laws and regimes of their Kings and Caesars. The people of Galatia understood good and evil. The Galatian Christians probably experienced the hardness of life at the hands of people who sought their own joy by making themselves more important than them. These pagan-background believers of Galatia knew about immorality, impurity, sensuality and all the other things Paul listed for them. Before they became believers, they did not know about the alternative the Savior would give to them when they believed in Jesus for salvation. Paul contrasted their old ways of living with the possibilities of the new way. The possibilities of goodness came through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who grew the fruits of righteousness in them, fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, et. al. The Galatians could have joy without hurting other people, a joy that was everlasting. They could have the joy God gives through the Spirit because they believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior. No matter what came against them from selfish people, they could have joy. Joy isn’t dependent upon circumstances, but upon the One faithful and eternal God. We have joy because God gives it through His Spirit to all believers. No matter what the days or weeks threw at the Galatians, they could choose joy, choose to act and react based on God’s character, what He did for them, and who He was to them. We can also choose joy and choose to act and react based on who God is and what He’s done for us.

Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit

When Paul wrote to the Romans in Romans 5:1-11, he could have lamented with them about the trials the new believers experienced. Paul could have told the Roman believers they should have expected retribution from their friends and families when they turned their backs on their pantheon of gods, but he didn’t. He stood with them and taught them from his own background. Paul knew what ostracism and hate felt like from the time he believed in Jesus and turned his back on being a Pharisee, a man who judged and condemned Jesus-followers. He explained in these few verses they could have joy in their tribulations because tribulations bring perseverance, proven character, and hope. That hope, Paul said, would not disappoint them because God poured His love into their hearts through the Holy Spirit given to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Joy grows through trials because Jesus gives hope.

Jesus explained this to His disciples when He foretold his death and resurrection in John 16. He explained to them in verses sixteen through twenty-four He would die and be resurrected, and they would not see Him. The disciples would weep and lament, and the world would rejoice at His death. Jesus then said, their grief would turn into joy. He told them in that day to ask for anything in His name then they would receive and their joy would be full-would be abounding. The disciples could rejoice knowing whatever they asked in Jesus’ name God would give them. They would abound and overflow with joy. Ask with full faith in Jesus; your joy will abound.

Joy comes from believing and asking in Jesus’ name.

Asking in Jesus name is more than a mantra. Yes, from it you will have joy, but it comes because of your faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died so your sins will be forgiven and you can be in God’s presence forever. In 1 Peter 1:8-9, Peter told the believers in Asia minor about the “inexpressible joy” they had because even though they had not seen Jesus, they loved him and believed in Him for salvation.

Joy comes by faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

The writer of Hebrews stated in Hebrews 12:2 Jesus endured the cross knowing the joy that would come from it. He didn’t die a painful crucifixion because He wanted to feel the weight of his body hang upon three nails. Jesus didn’t die so He could know what it felt like to drown from fluid in his lungs. He died knowing the joy each of us would receive when He cleansed us from our sins. Jesus knew the great joy He would give us by cleansing us. He counted His crucifixion a worthy price to pay for our salvation and joy. Jesus called this excruciating death a joy because of what it would do for people who believed in Him and because of His love for all people. Would you pay that price for someone to experience this same joy?

Joy comes from Jesus cleansing and forgiving you.

As we walk with the Lord daily and grow in our faith, Jesus’ words to the seventy sent-out ones call each of us back to humility and the basis of our faith. Jesus told them in Luke 10:19-20,

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” (NASB)

We each will get to a time in our lives after we’ve been Christians for a few years that it seems as if God is with us and we are empowered to conquer all that comes our way. At that time, remember again your power and strength to overcome, as well as boldness and courage, come from the Lord. Most importantly, don’t rejoice in what you are doing and seeing, but rejoice that God recorded your name as His child in His book in heaven. Stay grounded (humble) and recall Who did in your life everything you have experienced and seen. It wasn’t you; it was God.

Joy comes from remembering you are God’s child.

Nothing can separate you from Him.

David had a remarkable relationship with Yahweh. He learned to be a shepherd and leader of His people. David learned to protect and provide for them because of the LORD’s teaching. He gave us examples of blessing the LORD in dark days, standing firm in troubling times, and remembering his inheritance and hope while in the valleys. More than anything, David’s life and writings teach us being in God’s presence gives fullness of joy. Being in God’s presence completely satisfied him. Hear his heart in Psalm 16:11.

“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is the fullness of joy. In Your right hand, there are pleasures forever.” (NASB)

Joy is full, abounding, and complete in God’s presence.

What do We do with Joy?

Ø  We worship the Lord. We dance like David danced.

Ø  We stand strong in trials, endure, and keep hope.

Ø  We testify to people around us as we praise God for saving us, walking with us, making a way for us, cleansing and forgiving us, giving us hope, and blessing us with His gifts.

Ø  We praise with great rejoicing and exultation.

Ø  We be still and know He is God; He is the blessing.

Ø  We sing with David and all creation–

¹ Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

² Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

³ Praise Him with trumpet and sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.

⁴ Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.

⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!                                           [Psalm 150 (NASB)]

Experiencing God’s joy and happiness

creates the over-abounding desire to rejoice!

Application Questions

·         Where are you on your joy journey? Have you met and accepted Jesus as your Savior and are overflowing with His joy?

·         Are you facing trials and enduring because of the hope set before you?

·         Are you remembering God’s joy is not fleeting and, thus, are not chasing after the joys of the world?

·         Are you believing and asking in Jesus’ name for joy?

·         Are you remembering to be humble because it’s not about you, but about God?

·         Are you remembering to know and trust God?

·         Are you remembering you are God’s child and nothing can separate you from Him?

·         Are you standing in the Lord’s presence full, abounding, and overflowing with the joy of the Lord?

Don’t settle for the joy and happiness the world gives.

Choose true joy. Choose Jesus.

Receive God’s forgiveness and salvation and Burst forth with His fruit of joy.

Live with unending, overflowing, eternal joy.

Bound forth with rejoicing. Don’t let the world’s definitions and limitations restrict you.

“Proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” [1 Peter 2:9b (NASB)]

Are you allowing God’s joy to bubble forth and overflow in and from your life?

Go ahead, be a fount overflowing.

Let joy for the Lord be your hallmark.