No Fear Of God’s Holy Mountain

August 24, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

Looking at King David, we can see an imperfect picture of our perfect King Jesus. 

Let’s be honest: Coming into the king’s presence can be a fearful activity. Does he know something about you that you don’t know? Is he in a good mood? For the law-abiding citizen of Israel, coming before King David was without fear or punishment, but with a healthy respect of who he was. But with King David, we see a healthy, loving attitude that the people had. 

  • David and all Israel celebrated when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:5). 
  • And the way David blessed all the people following this would have raised the level of esteem they had for him. 
  • God was pleased with David too: The Lord gave David victory wherever he went (8:6). 
  • David continued to do the right thing (8:15). 
  • At the end of David’s life the eyes of all Israel were on David to see who he would select to sit on his throne after him. 

(All of the Scriptures in this post may be viewed by clicking here.)

Psalm 99 appears to be one that was written during the reign of King David. This royal psalm looks at the limited reign of David to see a better picture of the throne room of King Jesus. 

The opening words tell us “the LORD reigns” (v. 1a). The word tremble can have two definitions. The first is to be perturbed or disquieted. This is addressed to the nations who don’t bow their knee to Yahweh, as a result they shake in fear. Second, this word tremble can also mean to be excited about coming before the King. 

King Jesus is called “great, exalted over all the nations” (not just Israel), and He is said to have a “great and awesome name.” 

“He IS holy,” which means He is the undisputed standard of all that is right and wrong, and no one can question His ruling. The nations that don’t know the King as their King tremble and shake, but those who do know Him as their King praise His awesome name (Revelation 5:13). 

In many translations the word King is capitalized in v. 4, but we don’t know if this is referring to God or David. Since v. 2 refers to the “LORD in Zion,” that would appear to be a capital “K” King. But v. 4 mentions Jacob (not Zion), so I believe this is a lower case “k” referring to David. Let me restate verse 4 this way: “David is mighty, David loves justice—David has established equity; in Jacob David has done what is just and right.” 

David’s own prayers also bear out this interpretation (see Psalm 20:6-9; 21:1-7). This is what the royal psalms do: Point us to David to show us a better picture in Jesus. 

This is the end of stanza 1 which ends with this call to worship (v. 5). 

Verses 6-7 give us another example (prior to the era of the kings) of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. These priests could call on God’s name and expect to receive an answer from Him. They lived obediently to all God spoke to them (v. 7b). Then v. 8 reminds us that God still speaks and forgives, but He is also the final Judge who will punish “misdeeds.” These verses clearly speak to Jesus who is both King and Priest before God’s throne. 

This is the end of stanza 2, which has a similar call to worship as stanza 1 (v. 9). 

I want you to also notice some places of worship: 

  • between the cherubim (v. 1)—God’s mercyseat. This is where sin was atoned every year under the old system of David’s era, but where Jesus has has presented the once-for-all atonement for all who will believe on Him. 
  • His footstool (v. 5)—another name for the ark of the covenant of the LORD (1 Chronicles 28:2). 
  • the pillar of cloud (v. 7)—the covering of God’s presence and the reminder of His protection. 
  • His holy mountain (v. 9)—see Hebrews 12:18-29. 

Remember Psalm 99:4 in the AMPC—The strength of the king who loves righteousness and equity You establish in uprightness; You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob (Israel). 

King Jesus is the perfect King of justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:7; Revelation 5:12). 

One day every knee will bow at the footstool of God’s holy mountain. They will either bow in despair and shaking because they did not put their faith in Jesus, or they will bow in humble adoration for the atonement that King Jesus made for them. 

For those who don’t know Jesus—Away from Me, all you evildoers! There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. (Luke 13:27-28) 

For those who know King Jesus, there is no fear (Luke 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57)! 

Christians must live every day exalting and worship God, bowing gratefully at His footstool. This lifestyle of adoration of the great and awesome King is our testimony to a skeptical and searching world. 

If you’ve missed any of the other Royal Psalms we’ve discussed in this series, you can check them all out here. 

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Your King Is The Perfect Judge

August 10, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

There’s a scene in The Princess Bride that rings true for us. As the grandfather is reading the story to his sick grandson, he has just revealed that the hero in the story has died. The grandson stops his grandfather, “Wait, grandpa, you’re reading that wrong.” This young man wants what all of us want: For the good guys to be vindicated and for the bad guys to get what’s coming to them. 

The next Royal Psalm assures us that our Judge will perfectly balance His scales of justice. King David (sort of) gives us a picture of this. 

King David’s son Absalom had usurped the throne, and David is fleeing the city with his trusted inner circle. Along the way he is confronted by a man named Shimei, who was from the same family as King Saul (2 Samuel 16:5-12). David gives us a good foretaste of King Jesus in the way he initially responds to this attack (19:18b-23). Sadly, David apparently hung on to these slights and asked his son Solomon to keep an eye on Shimei (1 Kings 2:8-9). So I’m going to guess that our Royal Psalm was written between these two incidents. 

(Check out all of the biblical passages in this post by clicking here.)

Psalm 98 is a call to sing our praise to our King and Judge. First, we are to sing to Him and about Him because of what He has already done: 

  • He has done marvelous things (v. 1) 
  • He has provided salvation (v. 1) 
  • He has made His salvation known (v. 2) 
  • He has revealed His righteousness (v. 2) 
  • He has remembered His love for us (v. 3) 
  • He has remembered His faithfulness toward us (v. 3) 
  • the earth has seen His salvation (v. 3) 

Then we are called to keep on singing in anticipation of what He is going to do: we shout for joy and burst into jubilant song (v. 4), make music (vv. 5-6a), shout for joy (v. 6b), and see creation praising all around us (vv. 7-9a). 

All of this singing because He comes to judge? Does that sound right? 

It sounds right when judgment is in the hand of the Perfect Judge. The Bible describes judges who are looking for bribes, or who are swayed by personal feelings (like King David), or Jesus even identified a judge who didn’t fear God or care about people.  

But God on His throne isn’t any of these things! Isaiah prophesies Christ’s first Advent as one of peace (Isaiah 42:1-4). Even when Jesus was maligned and mistreated even more hatefully—and without having done anything wrong—than David, He still didn’t retaliate (1 Peter 2:21-23). 

Jesus entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly, which is what Psalm 98 calls us to do. 

  • He comes to judge [vindicate] the earth [creation], which has been groaning for this (Romans 8:21-22). 
  • He will judge [acquit or declare guilty] the world and its peoples (Matthew 25:31-32; Revelation 20:12). 

His judgement will be with righteousness and equity—

  • righteousness = the perfect standard 
  • equity = the perfect consequence (see also Isaiah 42:10-13) 

In light of the perfect judgment from the perfect King that is coming, how should we live today? 

  • He will handle retribution then—so don’t retaliate today (Isaiah 11:1-5). 
  • He will handle vindication then—so forgive today (1 Peter 2:23; Luke 23:34). 
  • He will call you to give an account then—so change your words and actions today (Matthew 12:36). 
  • He will forgive blood-washed saints then—so forgive today (Matthew 6:14-15). 
  • He will judge perfectly then—so don’t be judgmental today (James 5:9; Romans 2:1-3). 
  • He will reward perfectly then—so don’t look for applause from the world today (2 Timothy 4:7-8; Matthew 25:34). 

Our King has won our salvation, and He is going to balance the scales perfectly when He returns, so we should be singing His praise every day until His return! 

If you’ve missed and of the other messages on these Royal Psalms, you can find them all here. 

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The Security In Our King

August 3, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

There is a confidence and joy in knowing how things will turn out, in having “the inside scoop” that others don’t have. 

In my book Shepherd Leadership, I tell the story of the time when I was working as the executive director of a camp and conference center. I was breaking down boxes at the recycle dumpster when a guest approached me, not knowing I was the director. I was able to help her because I knew who to talk to, where the supplies were, and how things worked around the facilities. I knew what I knew, but our guest was a little surprised that I knew what I knew. 

We see this in the life of David as he became king of Israel and as his leadership expanded. 

David was first anointed king over merely the tribe of Judah, but his influence began to expand (2 Samuel 3:1). It wasn’t just fear of his military power, but people genuinely liked him and saw that he had the best in mind for them (3:36), until eventually all of the tribes of Israel saw David as their king (5:1-3). His reign as king saw him continuing to grow in his strength, wisdom, and influence (14:18-20). 

(Check out all of the Scriptures I mention in this post by clicking here.) 

David was unquestionably established as the king—the leader God had chosen. Seeing David reigning as king brings us to the next Royal Psalm (Psalm 97). 

The statement that “the LORD reigns” (v. 1) is widely accepted. For instance, the foundational document of the United States of America opens with the words, “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America … We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” 

The fact that we exist presupposes a starting point. It would appear that the starting point is something or someone with unimaginable power. Even atheists call the beginning of our universe “a singularity” with unimaginable power to bring all of this into being. The fact that our universe is so well ordered makes the case for an Intelligence behind the unimaginable power. This intelligent, awesome power is described in Psalm 97:2-6. 

Jesus is the One the biblical writers identify as this intelligent, awesome power (John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15-17). Jesus even identifies Himself as being this One (Revelation 1:8, 18). Because Jesus holds the keys, He has the final word on our eternal existence. His desire is that all would come to know Him as their King and Savior (John 3:16-17). 

When our sins are forgiven, we have no fear of God’s punishment (Psalm 97:7-12). 

Those who oppose this worldview can be quite intimidating at times. Peter tells us, “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened” (1 Peter 3:14). 

For now, in America, we don’t face bodily threats of violence (although that day may come). The threats Christians face today are being mocked for outdated or out-of-touch beliefs, being canceled because our stance is bigoted and hateful, or simply being pressured to compromise just a little bit on what we believe. 

To emphasize his point, Peter quotes words from King David in Psalm 34. David’s words in this psalm sound a lot like the tone of Psalm 97. Notice especially Psalm 34:1-2, 15-22 where David assures us that King Jesus gets the final word, the decisive word, and the best word! 

Someday every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess that He is God (Revelation 20:11-15). Knowing this should give Christians an incredible sense of security, especially in the presence of those who doubt, deny, or mock. 

So when atheists, agnostics, and skeptics want to attack your belief in an all-loving, all-powerful God Who says the only way to avoid His final judgment is to place our faith in the work Jesus did on the Cross, let’s be careful in our response. We don’t have to fight them—we should instead respond with love. Peter went on to say that our response to their attacks would be our testimony (1 Peter 3:14-17). 

Like David, let us extol the LORD at all times (even when under attack). Like the Royal Psalm, let us rejoice in the LORD and praise His holy name. Let us never forget Who gets the final word, the decisive word, and the best word! 

If you’ve missed any of the other messages about the Royal Psalms, check out our series All Hail King Jesus by clicking here. 

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Royal Robes

July 6, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

I know we’re not supposed to judge by appearances, but the fact is that we do make quite a few mental assessments by what we see. 

I heard about a recently-hired flight attendant who hadn’t received her uniform from the airline before she worked her first flight. Can you imagine what passengers were thinking when someone dressed just like them was giving pre-flight instructions, passing out snacks and beverages, or asking passengers to buckle up? I’m sure they made an assessment about her because of what she wasn’t wearing. 

The first mention an article of clothing is when God clothes Adam and Eve to cover the shame of their sin (Genesis 3:21). 

(Check out all of the Scriptures I reference in this post by clicking here.) 

There is no mention of the garments and accessories that would be worn by kings, but we see how these things had become recognized outward symbols (1 Samuel 18:1-4). And then there were the kingly crowns (2 Samuel 12:29-30). As we saw last week, David knew God had chosen him to lead Israel, and whether it was symbolic or literal, David saw his kingly crown as coming from God (Psalm 21:1-3, 5). 

Swords and crowns were mostly symbols of authority, but there are also garments that show intimacy. We first see this with the priests who were to serve before God in the Holy of Holies. They were given special garments to distinguish them from everyone else (Exodus 28:1-3). These robes would also be saturated with the aroma of the unique incense that the priests offered in God’s presence. So both the appearance and aroma spoke of close intimacy with God. 

For a period of time, the ark of the covenant of the Lord was housed in a temporary location, but David wanted to bring it to Jerusalem. As he undertook this, notice his clothing choice (1 Chronicles 15:27). David then offered praise to God extolling His glory (16:8-10), His strength (vv. 11-12), and His majesty (vv. 24-29). 

Psalm 93 is a royal psalm—taking what people knew about King David and pointing past him to the King of kings. Notice the same themes in this psalm of this eternal King’s glory, strength, and majesty as David mentions in 1 Chronicles 16. God is referred to exclusively as YHWH (5 times) in this psalm. 

David recognized his kingly majesty came from his intimacy with the majesty of God. 

God’s clothing of Adam and Eve—the covering of the ravages of sin—was a foreshadowing of what Jesus would do for us. Check out this prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-3, 10. Jesus quoted this in His very first recorded sermon.  

Jesus has a royal crown and robe that shows both His royalty and His intimacy with His Father’s majesty (Revelation 6:2, 19:13). And Jesus gives this same crown to His saints (2:10, 3:11). 

Remember we said earlier that we naturally make an assessment of people by their robes? What do people assess about you? In the middle of the Isaiah 61 prophecy about what Jesus would do for us is this testimony—

Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed (v. 9). 

Our soiled robes have been exchanged for the King of king’s robe of pure righteousness (Ephesians 5:25-27). Because He is also our High Priest, our robe of righteousness is saturated with His aroma (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV; 1 Peter 2:9). 

Revelation 22:14 should be our desire—Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 

But we should also desire what Jesus desires: That no one misses out on this—

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17). 

So let’s make sure our robes are clean and bright, and that the aroma of our life is a pleasing aroma that points others to our King! 

If you would like to check out the other Royal Psalms that we’ve already looked at, you can find those here. 

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One Father’s Courage

June 22, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

Hate is not the opposite of love—apathy is. Those who love something will hate anything that attacks what they love. On this Father’s Day, I’m calling for men to show their strength on behalf of what they love—to shake off apathy and move into action! 

I will warn you up front that this is not something you can work up on your own because the Bible says that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:20). Instead, we will need some really strong guardrails to keep us from going off course. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this Father’s Day message by clicking here.) 

The culture is decaying. 

Those in government are doing whatever they can to keep themselves in power, and the church isn’t much better. As a result, families are at each other’s throats and among neighbors it’s hard to tell who’s an enemy and who’s a friend. I’m describing Judah about 840 BC, but I’ll bet you thought I was describing today. Even though I’m going to tell you about a righteous father who came on the scene 2800 years ago, we will learn some lessons that we should apply today. 

Look at the plight Judah is in:

  • King Jehoram died to no one’s regret (2 Chronicles 21:20) 
  • The only heir to the throne left alive is 22-year-old Ahaziah, who was so evil and inept that he only reigned for one year (22:1-9) 
  • Since there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom, his mother Athaliah ruthlessly grabbed control and hung onto it for six long years (22:10) 

There is a psalm written by the Sons of Korah, which may have been written during this time (Psalm 42:1-4, 9-10). 

This Psalm has a glimmer of hope in v. 5. Indeed, in Judah at the height of Athaliah’s reign of terror, there was a small light still glimmering. God had made a promise to King David: “If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel” (1 Kings 2:4). 

But was there such a successor, or had the line of David been snuffed out? There was one heir that had been rescued from Athaliah’s slaughter (2 Chronicles 22:11-12). And this is the passion that burned hotter and hotter in one father’s heart. 

Do you remember the cartoon character Popeye saying, “That’s all I can stands; I can’t stands no more”? That is what was said about Jehoiada: In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength (23:1). 

  • The AMPC says: Jehoiada took strength and courage 
  • The NCV says: Jehoiada decided to do something 

Jehoiada finally reached a place where his internal fortitude overcame his fear of external things. The Hebrew word gives the sense of being bound to something which makes me stronger than I am on my own. 

The same Hebrew word is used over 30 times in the Book of Nehemiah for all the parts of the walls and gates that were repaired—they were made stronger because they were attached to the brick and mortar around them. Nehemiah uses the same word when he said, “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me” (Nehemiah 2:18). And the same word is also used when he wrote, “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other” (4:16-17). 

Jehoiada had to come to a place where he trusted God’s promise more that he feared Athaliah’s wrath. He gripped God’s promise and clung to it unswervingly, and God held Jehoiada as His weapon. This is what gave him strength and courage to act righteously—not in his own power. 

The outcome was by no means assured. He had no idea how the leaders would respond to his plan. But despite the odds stacked against him, despite the uncertainty of the outcome, Jehoiada was going to cling to God and move forward. 

The same Hebrew word for being gripped by something that makes us stronger was used by David when he wrote, “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord” (Psalm 27:14 AMPC). 

Jehoiada told the people to stay close to the king (2 Chronicles 23:7), to declare their allegiance to the one true king (v. 11), and to remain in covenant with the rightful king no matter what (v. 16). 

Men, this is what we must still do today:  

  • Take hold of God and let Him take hold of you—Philippians 3:12-13 
  • Remember that Jesus took hold of God’s promises for us—Hebrews 6:17-20 
  • This Christ-gripping empowerment means we can fight the good fight—1 Timothy 6:12 

Jesus speaks to one of the churches in the end times—

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from My God; and I will also write on them My new name. (Revelation 3:11-12) 

I’m intrigued about the promise to be a pillar in God’s temple, because that is what Jehoiada became—

Now Jehoiada was old and full of years, and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and His temple. (2 Chronicles 24:15-16) 

Men, will you rise up? 

We need you to take hold of God’s promises. To let His Spirit stir up in you a righteous strength against the evil that comes against your wives, children, friends, and culture. 

Don’t swing the sword in your own strength; instead, let God grip you and use you to be a pillar in your family, in your community, and, ultimately, in His temple. 

Let me repeat what David said: “Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord”! 

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Sabbath-rest

May 27, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

 

There remains a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9) 

The word Sabbath-rest (Greek: sabbatismos) is unique in all of Scripture. This is the place of total and complete contentment in God’s presence—uninterrupted and undiminished for all of eternity. 

This is a unique word because it is a unique rest that only Jesus made possible for us. 

This rest is exclusive to those who rest “from their works” (v. 10) and stand secure in their loving obedience of God. In other words, this rest is for those who realize that it is only faith in Jesus that can bring them into the Sabbath-rest. 

This is a rest that was promised long before Jesus made His advent on earth. The Greek word katapausis is translated into the English word “rest” and appears eight times in the New Testament—with seven of those showing up in the Book of Hebrews (3:11, 18; 4:1, 3, 5, 10, 11). These references remind us of the frustration of not being able to obtain this rest on our own efforts. 

The only other use of this word for “rest” is in Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7:49, in which he quotes God saying, “‘Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or where will My resting place be?’” Again, God is telling us that the place of Sabbath-rest is not within our power to construct on our own. 

Of the seven uses in the Book of Hebrews, most of them are referring to an Old Testament passage in Psalm 95:7-11, echoing the failure of the Israelites to experience the Sabbath-rest because of their sin. But the Old Testament word for “rest” (menuha) keeps pointing to the hope of the Sabbath-rest of Hebrews 4:9. 

Check out the other places menuha is used as it points to the culminating Sabbath-rest that Jesus makes possible. 

The people vainly searching for rest: So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. (Numbers 10:33) 

The realization that the place of rest wasn’t found: Since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 12:9) 

Learning that God’s rest is only available because God Himself will fulfill His promise of rest: Praise be to the Lord, Who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He gave through His servant Moses. (1 Kings 8:56) 

Jesus is portrayed as the Good Shepherd Who leads His people to His resting place: He makes me lie down in fresh, tender, green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. (Psalm 23:2 AMPC) 

Jesus is prophesied to be the One Who makes this resting place a reality: In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him, and His resting place will be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10) 

Nothing can compare to this Sabbath-rest that Jesus makes possible! No one can create this place. Jesus tells us that if we will be yoked with Him, He will take us into His rest—

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) 

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; “He will lead them to springs of living water.” “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17) 

There remains a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. A rest that Jesus died to pay for, and rose from the grave to show that He alone has the power to take you from the grip of sin into His flawless, eternal, perfect, all-satisfying rest! Don’t miss out on this, but come to Jesus as your Savior and Shepherd. 

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Casting Your Pearl Before Swine

May 4, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

Imagine a couple being invited to a dinner at another couple’s house. The host and hostess want to create a special evening for their guests, so they carefully plan the meal, shop for all the ingredients, and then spend the afternoon putting together all the components of their meal. 

Their friends arrive and sit down to dinner. One friend thoughtfully samples the food, letting it sit on her tastebuds, and offering comments like, “I love how you got the spices to bloom on this meat … Wow, look at the vibrant colors in your vegetable medley … I really like the way the lemon zest cuts down the sweetness of your cake frosting.” The other dinner guest inhales his meal without hardly tasting it. 

For which guest would you rather spend hours preparing the meal—the thoughtful foodie or the hasty gobbler? It doesn’t have to be food. What about the one who appreciates the effort you put into your design project, noticing the fine-tuned details versus the one who simply says, “It looks nice”? Or the one who graciously receives your loving insight about something that could really help them versus the one who sulks and attacks you because you didn’t tell them everything about them is wonderful? 

Statement #19—Don’t cast your pearl before swine. Is that in the Bible? Yes. 

Matthew 7:6 is a paragraph unto itself. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 

But its placement in the Sermon on the Mount is interesting because Jesus has just addressed the hard but loving word we may need to speak to a brother or sister (vv. 1-4). I’ve discussed this before, and this requires maturity, humility, and introspection before speaking. 

In v. 6, Jesus seems to be telling us to consider whom we are addressing. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

Notice the two ways Jesus states this: 

(1) Don’t give dogs what is sacred… 

The word sacred (Greek: hagios) means saintly, holy, set apart for God’s use. This word is used for the Holy Spirit and for God’s holy people. So sacred things are not to be used just anywhere by anyone in any situation in which we choose. Sacred things must be used with discretion. 

The apostle Paul said, “Yet when we are among the full-grown—spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding—we do impart a higher wisdom—the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden…” (1 Corinthians 2:6 AMPC). 

The word dogs in Matthew 7:6 can me a 4-legged canine, but it can also mean a person of an impure mind (see Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15). 

(2) …do not throw your pearls to pigs. 

Pearls is a word of great value; a treasure that you spent dearly to acquire. Jesus talks about precious, costly treasures in two parables in Matthew 13:44-46. And Solomon opens the Book of Proverbs by contrasting those who receive precious wisdom—those who “listen and add to their learning”—with those who reject it—“fools [who] despise wisdom and instruction” (see Proverbs 1:1-7). 

Pigs in Matthew 7 are those undiscriminating gobblers of food, like the thoughtless friend I mentioned earlier who just inhaled his food without any savoring of the perfectly-prepared meal. 

We want to give a good answer to everyone without quarreling. But giving a good answer doesn’t necessarily mean you are giving them your best pearls. Here are a few things I have learned the hard way. 

Do gauge their sincerity with questions. Notice the masterful way Jesus did this in Matthew 22:15-46. In several exchanges, you can tell which people in His audience were getting the pearls and which weren’t. We would do well to learn this lesson from our Savior. 

Don’t try to be a know-it-all. Saying, “I don’t know,” is a perfectly acceptable answer, but then come back to continue the conversation later. 

Do keep it conversational, not controversial. Don’t get off track on topics that have no eternal value. 

Don’t feel the need to defend God—He can defend Himself! Peter gives us the example from Jesus in 1 Peter 2:21-23. 

Learn a lesson from our Lord
Often silence cuts like a sword
When we stand upon the Rock
We needn’t bother when fools mock
Bantering with fools just won’t do
Unless you want to be foolish too
To the wisest words they won’t listen
But joy in airing their own opinion
Our Lord knew just what to do
When mockers hurled words untrue
He entrusted things to the King
Who perfectly records everything
Help us follow the example You gave
To not engage with those who rave
May not our hasty words undo
The loving way we shine for You (Hasty Foolishness)

We have precious, invaluable, life-changing treasures to share with people! Let’s share with them what they are ready to hear, reserving our pearls for those who are truly seeking a treasure. 

If you’ve missed any of the other statements we have looked at in our series “Is That In The Bible?” you can find them all here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Two Questions About Death

April 27, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

I’m going to spoil some of the surprise right up front. We’re going to look at two questions about death, and the answer to the question, “Is that in the Bible?” is “No” for both questions. 

So the question we are really going to have to wrestle with is: Is it unbiblical—that is the Bible says it is wrong—or is it non-bibilcal—the Bible doesn’t tell us explicitly one way or the other. 

Persisting to do unbiblical things is a sin because we are trying to point out why God is wrong and why our opinion is right. 

But there is also a danger in pursuing non-biblical things, when we try to give our non-biblical opinion or preference  biblical weight, and then look down on anyone who doesn’t believe or act like we do. The Bible does tell us to  be peacemakers (Romans 14:13-21). 

(See all the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

Statement #17—Cremating a loved one exempts them from heaven. Is that in the Bible? No. 

The preferred method in the Old Testament appears to be burial. Sometimes in the ground, but more typically in a cave or man-made crypt. There were exceptions. For instance, the bodies of Saul and Jonathan were cremated (1 Samuel 31:11-13), and King Jehoram could have been cremated, but certainly he wasn’t interred the same way that his father and grandfather were (2 Chronicles 21:1, 4-6, 18-20).  

In the New Testament era there was an end-of-life process the Greeks adopted called ossilegium. The Greeks frequently anointed the body with oil and wine and burned it until just the bones were left. The Jews wrapped the dead body in burial shroud and anointed it with spices—as with Lazarus (John 11:38-44) and Jesus (John 19:38-41). About a year after death, the bones would be collected and placed in an ossuary. Most often, multiple family members’ bones would share the same ossuary. 

Statement #18—Suicide is an unforgivable sin. Is that in the Bible? No. 

We don’t see suicide a lot in Scripture: 

  • Saul died by his own sword—1 Samuel 31:4 
  • Zimri died by self-immolation—1 Kings 16:18 
  • Ahithophel and Judas both hanged themselves—2 Samuel 17:23; Matthew 27:5 

But no where does Scripture speak to this form of death as being a reason to exclude that person from Heaven. These deaths do seem like last-ditch, hopeless acts. Because they are the very last act, it seems like these people have utterly rejected God. It has been a misconception for a long time that the way you die determines your eternal home. Consider a scene in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Hamlet will not kill Claudius while he’s praying and send him to heaven—

And now I’ll do ’t.
⌜He draws his sword.⌝
And so he goes to heaven,
And so am I revenged. That would be scanned:
A villain kills my father, and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.
Why, this is ⟨hire⟩ and ⟨salary,⟩ not revenge.
He took my father grossly, full of bread,
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his audit stands who knows save heaven. …
To take him in the purging of his soul,
When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?
No. … 
⌜He sheathes his sword.⌝
When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,
Or in th’ incestuous pleasure of his bed,
At game, a-swearing, or about some act
That has no relish of salvation in ’t—
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,
And that his soul may be as damned and black
As hell, whereto it goes.

Here are the truths we see in Scripture: 

  1. We are created in God’s image and given a body—Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7. 
  2. Yet our body is called a temporary tent—2 Corinthians 5:1-3. 
  3. We will be raised either to eternal life or a second and eternal death—Luke 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 15:42-54, 20-21; Revelation 20:11-15. 

How we die and how our body is disposed of makes no difference to where we will spend eternity. The only thing that matters is if our name is written in the Book of Life. Our name is written there only if we are covered by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:10, 17-22). 

Check out more of the questions we have covered in our Is That In The Bible? series by clicking here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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The Lion And The Lamb

April 20, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here. 

As we rejoin our series asking, “Is that in the Bible?” we have come to statement #16—The lion will lay down with the lamb. 

Is that in the Bible? No! 

You may be surprised by that because it is one of those phrases repeated so often that people assume it has to be in the Scripture. Even those who don’t have a religious persuasion for their life still accept this phrase as meaning world peace, where former adversaries now live together in harmony.  

There are some verses in the prophesies of Isaiah from which this phrase may have originated, like Isaiah 11:6. On the 8th anniversary of the modern independence of the nation of Israel (in April 1956), the British parliament presented a bronze Menorah to the Israeli Knesset. Benno Elkan designed this beautiful piece, modeled after the lampstand in the Holy Place of the Temple. On one of the branches, Benno portrays the prophet Isaiah, and at his feet are images of a lion, a wolf, a lamb, and a small child. 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

But in the images on this menorah, based on so many Kingdom-anticipating passages throughout the Old Testament, is the hope for which we long. Peace is coming. It is peace purchased by the Prince of Peace and it is a peace that only He can establish and maintain. 

To see the peace that will exist in God’s kingdom, we must look back to the beginning of Time. The Book of Isaiah has been called “the Bible within the Bible.” Partly because it is near the middle of the Bible, but partly because its 66 chapters (like the 66 books of the Bible) trace the perfection of God that was marred by sin, the ravages of sin, the redemption that comes only through the Messiah, and His eternal kingdom of peace that is for all who put their faith in Jesus. So today I want us to look at the first book of the Bible, the “Bible within the Bible,” and the last book of the Bible. 

God created perfection in the Earth. Part of His plan included man and animals as herbivores (Genesis 1:29-30). At least one of God’s animals could talk (Genesis 3:1). Given the fact that neither Adam nor Eve were distressed by a talking snake, perhaps there was a way for man and animals to navigate their differences. 

This encounter with the devil led to sin, which also opened the door for further pain and hardship—self-awareness that brought embarrassment, pain in childbirth, difficulty farming the land, and removal from the Garden of Eden (3:16-19). 

Sin continued to ravage (Genesis 6:6). At the time of the Flood, it appears men and animals were still herbivores (vv. 20-21), but that changes after the Flood (9:1-6). 

Sin ravages and destroys and enslaves people in their ungodly passions. God does forgive, but many times the consequences of sin still remain—as we witness in our world today. 

Remember that after Adam and Eve sinned, they were aware of their nakedness. Their attempt to cover themselves was with what they had dominion over: fig leaves (Genesis 3:7). The very first animal sacrifice was performed by God Himself—an innocent calf or lamb had to shed its blood so that God could cover the shame of sin (v. 21). 

Sinful man tries to copy what God did without calling on God Himself, and God sees it for what it is: a sham (Isaiah 65:1-7; Revelation 7:9-10). 

Only Jesus can bridge the gulf between sinful man and righteous God (Isaiah 11:1-9; Revelation 5:1-6; 11-13). 

“[Jesus] endured death as a lamb; He devoured it as a lion.” —Augustine

(see John 1:29; Revelation 1:18)

We get a small glimpse of the eternal kingdom during the Millennial Reign (Isaiah 65:17-25), but the eternal kingdom is the Reality for the saints of God forever (Isaiah 35:8-10; Revelation 21:1-8, 22:1-5)! 

The next time you hear someone long for the day when “the lion will lay down with the lamb,” remind them that the Lion and the Lamb are one in the same. Jesus is BOTH our sacrificial Lamb that died in our place to pay the penalty of our sin AND He is the Lion that devoured death once for all! 

There is an eternal Kingdom where peace and joy and wholeness are indescribable and unending. But we only get into this Kingdom by the blood of the Lamb and the power of the Lion! 

Check out the previous statement we have discussed in this series by clicking here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Maturing Or Declining?

April 13, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Last week I reminded you about the greeting in the early church. One saint would say to another, “He is risen!” and the other person would respond, “He is risen indeed!” 

That word “indeed” is important. In Greek, the word is ontōs—in point of fact, as opposed to what is pretended or fictitious. Our English dictionary says something similar, but adds something I think is memorable: in fact; in reality; in truth—used for emphasis, to confirm and amplify a previous statement. 

The word ontōs is only used a few times in the Old Testament. In Jeremiah, God speaks to His people, calling them to return to Him. The people respond, “We will come to You. Indeed the world is deception; indeed You are our salvation” (see Jeremiah 3:22-23). 

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

In the New Testament, Paul said that if the law could have saved us, there would have been no reason for Jesus to die on a Cross and be resurrected back to life—Galatians 3:21-22. When He died for our sins, the Roman centurion overseeing His crucifixion recognized that Jesus was indeed the righteous Savior (Luke 23:47; Matthew 27:54). Jesus said of Himself that He came to give freedom indeed (John 8:36). 

When we put our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we are indeed saved from the death penalty that our sins deserve. We are justified through our faith in our crucified and risen Savior. We are now free indeed to participate in the eternal life Jesus gave us! 

The Bible uses three pictures of the life we are now free to enjoy. Since we camped out in the Book of Ephesians last week, let’s return there to see these three pictures—

(1) The Building of the Lord—Ephesians 2:19-22 

We have to stay on the foundation of Jesus, if we want to build something lasting (Matthew 7:24, 26). This means we have to submit to sanctification process of the Holy Spirit (or as I like to say this word: “saint-ification”). When guests come over, you dust and vacuum. If you don’t clean again, dust will accumulate. Jesus isn’t a one-time or occasional Guest, but He wants to abide in us (Revelation 3:20). 

(2) The Body of Christ—Ephesians 4:3-6, 12-13, 16 

Look a the phrases “…make every effort … works of service … become mature….” These are all ongoing processes which we need for healthy growth (Hebrews 5:12-13). As our physical bodies age, we lose 3-5% of our body’s muscle mass every year unless we are actively working to add muscle. Body building requires (a) protein intake, (b) exercise, (c) rest and recovery—God’s Word applied and resting in the work of the Holy Spirit. 

(3) The Bride of Jesus—Ephesians 5:25-28, 33 

We don’t want to be like this out-of-touch husband, whose wife said to him on their 40th anniversary, “I remember on our wedding day how you told me you loved me. How come you never say that any more.” The husband replied: “If anything changed, I would have let you know.” We need to be continually falling in love with our Bridegroom! Listen to how Jesus addressed these saints at Ephesus. He tells them they have persevered through the difficult times (Revelation 2:1-3), yet they have forsaken the most important thing: their first love (v. 4). If we’ve done this, we need to remember, repent, and return to Jesus (v. 5). 

If we’re not maturing, we’re declining. 

If we are only going through the motions, where is the satisfaction? Where is the freedom indeed? 

Listen to these tough—but needed—words from John Piper: 

“The problem with the church today is not that there are too many people who are passionately in love with heaven. The problem is not that professing Christians are retreating from the world, spending half their days reading Scripture and the other half singing about their pleasures in God all the while indifferent to the needs of the world. The problem is that professing Christians are spending ten minutes reading Scripture and then half their day making money and the other half enjoying and repairing what they spend it on. It is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love. It is worldly-mindedness that hinders love, even when it is disguised by a religious routine on the weekend.” 

Continuing to mature in our faith makes the Building more beautiful, the the Body healthier, and the Marriage more fulfilling! Let’s keep maturing so that we honor Jesus as our Savior and Lord. 

If you’ve missed any of the messages in this series, you can check them all out here. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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