I will never leave you nor forsake you

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

This assurance of God is truly wonderful, if only we can grasp the entirety of it. There is no conditions mentioned here; it just says God will not leave nor forsake us. God knows our shortcomings, that we will continue to sin, that we can never be perfect as His Son Yshua, yet we have the guarantee that He will never leave us. Our respond can be none other than total devotion to Him.

For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth

This first chapter is a greeting in the letter to the Thessalonians. Paul was writing in the company of Silvanus and Timothy it seems. Paul commends the Thessalonians on their hard work and their patience. The Thessalonians appear to be living in the faith and experiencing the power of God through the Holy Spirit.

The Thessalonians received the word but probably not without struggle and hardship. However they overcame any difficulty and became an example in the region. They also help spread the Word to Macedonia and Achaia.




1 Thessalonians 1
Greeting

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.[a]

Their Good Example

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead

When Paul arrived at Thessalonica, he did the usual preaching by going to the synagogue first. It describes here that Paul "reasoned" with them to show that Yeshua is the Messiah. In other words, Paul must have used logical and Scriptural based arguments to prove that Jesus is the Christ. Also the devout Greeks, most probably converted to Judaism, now believed Paul. The others who did not believed caused trouble for Paul and accused him of being against Caesar. When they could not find Paul, they arrested Jason who probably hosted Paul in his home. Eventually the authorities released Jason and the rest after taking money from them.

Paul and Silas were sent to Berea and they again preached first in the Synagogue. The people at Berea were described as being more fair-minded that those at Thessalonica and the searched the Scriptures daily. This probably meant that the Bereans were less emotional than the Thessalonicans, and they were also very diligent in trying to search the Scriptures to confirm Paul's teachings. When the Thessalonians arrived at Berea, Paul was again forced to move but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.

In Athens, Paul say many idols / Greek gods being worshipped by people. It is described that Paul's spirit was provoked by this, probably  meaning that Paul could not stand such blatant idolatry from a supposedly civilised culture. So he went to the common place of the philosophers and started speaking with logic and reason about Jesus being the Christ. The Athenians were curious and valued intellect highly. They invited Paul to speak more about his doctrine out of curiosity. Seeing a statue labeled as to an "Unknown God", Paul took the opportunity to explain Jesus.

Paul described that his God is the creator of all things, including giving life. He describes the magnificence of God and that He cannot be held in a temple or represented by an idol. He described that God does not depend on us for anything. Then Paul calls for everyone to repent towards God and warns of future judgment. Paul describes the resurrection as proof of God's power and trustworthiness. The idea of resurrection stumbled some of the Greeks, however there was a group who understood and believed, including Dionysius and Damaris.

Journey:
Amphipolis - Apollonia - Thessalonica - Berea - Athens


Acts 17
Preaching Christ at Thessalonica

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

Assault on Jason’s House

5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious,[a] took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Ministering at Berea

10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.

The Philosophers at Athens

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. 18 Then[b] certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?”

Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Addressing the Areopagus

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood[c] every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.” 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Until the Spirit is Poured Upon Us From on High

This chapter starts with a description of the reign of a righteous king. People will begin to see and listen, to understand and speak plainly. However, there will still be foolish people and ungodly people. But God will ensure that their wicked plans are destroyed.

The second paragraph warns the people, especially the women and daughters against complacency. It describes the coming of some troubling times, followed by mourning. Then cities and forts will be deserted. Following this, God will send His Spirit, and the fields will be fruitful again. Hence God does not leave His creation nor His people in desolation as He has a plan to save them. The result of the pouring of the Spirit is that justice and righteousness will prevail in the land. The effect of this would be quietness and peace throughout the land.


Isaiah 32
A Reign of Righteousness

1 Behold, a king will reign in righteousness,
And princes will rule with justice.
2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind,
And a cover from the tempest,
As rivers of water in a dry place,
As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
3 The eyes of those who see will not be dim,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge,
And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous,
Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
6 For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the Lord,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil;
He devises wicked plans
To destroy the poor with lying words,
Even when the needy speaks justice.
8 But a generous man devises generous things,
And by generosity he shall stand.


Consequences of Complacency

9 Rise up, you women who are at ease,
Hear my voice;
You complacent daughters,
Give ear to my speech.
10 In a year and some days
You will be troubled, you complacent women;
For the vintage will fail,
The gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease;
Be troubled, you complacent ones;
Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare,
And gird sackcloth on your waists.
12 People shall mourn upon their breasts
For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers,
Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city;
14 Because the palaces will be forsaken,
The bustling city will be deserted.
The forts and towers will become lairs forever,
A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—
15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.


The Peace of God’s Reign

16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 The work of righteousness will be peace,
And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,
In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
19 Though hail comes down on the forest,
And the city is brought low in humiliation.
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters,
Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.

Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments

Here we see Job appealing to be heard by God, a bold appeal but perhaps not so bold for those who walk closely with God.He must have thought - if only I could stand before Him and talk.... Job realizes that God is just and that God would know about his obedience and loyalty.And yet perhaps we also see a little self-doubt in Job, as he wonders why God lets the darkness engulf him. Together, this clearly shows that his initial confidence was not from arrogance but rather and objective assessment that since he has done no wrong, a just God would clear him. 

Perhaps we too are sometimes faced with such two-mindedness. If so, who can we really turn to, to get the assurance? Surely it must be Jesus, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

Job 23

 ¹ Then Job answered and said: ² “Even today my complaint is bitter;
      My^[a] hand is listless because of my groaning.
 ³ Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
      That I might come to His seat!
 ⁴ I would present my case before Him,
      And fill my mouth with arguments.
 ⁵ I would know the words which He would answer me,
      And understand what He would say to me.
 ⁶ Would He contend with me in His great power?
      No! But He would take note of me.
 ⁷ There the upright could reason with Him,
      And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.
 ⁸ “Look, I go forward, but He is not there,
      And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
 ⁹ When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
      When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
 ¹⁰ But He knows the way that I take;
      When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
 ¹¹ My foot has held fast to His steps;
      I have kept His way and not turned aside.
 ¹² I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
      I have treasured the words of His mouth
      More than my necessary food.
 ¹³ “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
      And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
 ¹⁴ For He performs what is appointed for me,
      And many such things are with Him.
 ¹⁵ Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
      When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
 ¹⁶ For God made my heart weak,
      And the Almighty terrifies me;
 ¹⁷ Because I was not cut off from the presence of darkness,
      And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.