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To quench (σβέννυμι)

To quench (σβέννυμι) generally means to suppress something. It is used in Scripture concerning fire, lamps, and desires.

Isaiah prophesied concerning the coming of the Messiah. He will not be quarrelsome nor cry out. No one will hear his voice in the streets. He will be gentle, not bruising a reed, and will not quench a smoking lamp wick until the time of justice comes, Matthew 12:20. He did not challenge the judgment of those in authority who sought to unrighteously kill Him. Instead, He walked quietly among the people, healing them and instructing them to not make Him known, for He did not seek a reputation for Himself but to show forth the glory of God the Father and do His will.

As Israel waits in the wilderness for the second coming of the Messiah, some will be prepared for His return. Those who are not ready will miss Him as He sweeps through the wilderness taking what is His, Matthew 25:8. The parable of the ten virgins is used to represent what will happen at this time. Those who are prepared will ensure they have sufficient oil for their lamps as they wait, where the others will pay no attention until the last moment, but their lamps will be quenched because of their failure to prepare.

While speaking of the Kingdom of the Heavens to the Jews, Jesus lays out the rules of His Kingdom, which we also know as the Millennial Kingdom. In His Kingdom, righteousness rules, Matthew 13:41-42. The Jew will have the law of God written upon their heart, Jeremiah 31:33. Therefore, during this time God will hold them liable for a trespass, along with their sins. However, mercy will still […]

To quench (σβέννυμι)Luther Walker2024-10-24T05:34:23-07:00

Inherent power (δύναμις)

Inherent power (δύναμις) describes the potential for functioning, the ability or capability to carry something out.

Inherent ability is often translated as, “power”, “wonders”, “mighty works”, or “miracles”, which can cause a lot of confusion in understanding what is being expressed. However, when we go back to its roots, we find that it refers to a person’s natural innate capacity or talent without the need to be taught or trained.

In Matthew chapter eleven, verses twenty through twenty-three, Jesus rebukes Chorazin and Bethsaida for their unbelief because of all the many manifestations of inherent ability that were done before them. In comparison, if these works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, these cities would still remain. However, in the day of Judgment, it will be more tolerable for these cities than for Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated His authority by bestowing inherent ability upon the twelve disciples. He sent them to Israel to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God, equipping them with the inherent ability and authority over demons and diseases, Luke 9:1.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved, it is the inherent ability of God, 1 Corinthians 1:18. The gospel of the Christ has within its words the inherent ability to save, Romans 1:16. It is important to clearly and without modification state the good news by which we are saved that is laid out by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Christ died on behalf of our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. Unlike the message of the Kingdom of the Heavens, which could […]

Inherent power (δύναμις)Luther Walker2024-08-15T05:57:37-07:00

Deceive (ἀπάτη)

Deceive (ἀπάτη) expresses the concept of misleading someone through untrue statements intended to give them a wrong impression or misrepresentation of the truth.

When the man of lawlessness comes, it will be in accordance with the working of Satan by his inherent ability with signs and lying wonders and with all unrighteous deception to the ones perishing. Those who follow him will have strong delusion upon them because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10.

During Christ’s earthly ministry, the deception of the riches of this world choked out the message of the Kingdom of the Heavens many received, Matthew 13:22. Rather than following the Messiah, whom they believed was Jesus, they allowed the deceitful desire for wealth to lead them away from the promise of God.

One of the derivatives of this word emphasizes a thorough deception. Eve was thoroughly deceived (ἐξαπατάω) by Satan into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; however, Adam was not deceived (ἀπατάω), 1 Timothy 2:14. This is why sin came into the world through Adam; although, Eve was first to transgress, Romans 5:12. The sons of the unpersuaded use empty words to deceive, Ephesians 5:6. The false teachers among us thoroughly deceive the hearts of the simple, Romans 16:18. If anyone considers himself to be religious but cannot bridle his tongue, he is deceived in his own heart, James 1:26. Our sin nature uses law to thoroughly deceive us, making it impossible to live out our righteousness in Christ through law, Romans 7:11.

Those who intentionally deceive are misleading others by distorting the truth, just as Satan deceived Eve by his craftiness, they seek to corrupt our […]

Deceive (ἀπάτη)Luther Walker2024-07-11T06:06:54-07:00

To Suppose (νομίζω)

“To suppose (νομίζω)” expresses following a practice that is customary or common in use, leading to the concept of forming an idea or making a tentative supposition concerning something in a traditional manner.

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the Jews not to form a common opinion that He is seeking to release the Law or the Prophets for He came to fulfill, not loose, them, Matthew 5:17. As Jesus sends out twelve disciples, He instructs them to not go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans. Instead, they are only to go to the household of Israel preaching the Kingdom of the Heavens. They are to be wise as serpents, yet as harmless as a dove, for many will deliver them to councils and scourge them in their synagogues. However, they are not to fear them because those who verbally agree that Jesus is the Messiah, He will confess them before the Father in heaven. They are not to suppose that He came to bring peace to the earth, which was the customary way of thinking concerning the Messiah’s coming; instead, He brings a sword, for brother will be against brother, and a son against his father concerning the message of the Kingdom of the Heavens, Matthew 10:34.

Speaking concerning the Kingdom of the Heavens, Jesus uses a parable in which He speaks of a landowner who hired laborers to work in his vineyard for the day. He did this three times throughout the day, gathering more laborers each time. At the end of the day, when the laborers came to receive payment for their work, those who started work in the morning supposed they should get more money than they agreed upon because […]

To Suppose (νομίζω)Luther Walker2024-06-20T05:43:15-07:00

Sheol (שְׁאֹ֖ול) – Hades (ᾅδης)

Where the worm does not die

Sheol is the Hebrew word that describes the place in the center of the earth where humans who have died reside. Within its compartments are unbelievers and some of the fallen angels who are bound, waiting for final judgment. Prior to the resurrection of Christ, all those who were saved resided in Paradise, which was in the upper chamber of Sheol. Hades is the Greek word for the same place, which comes across into English as hell. However, the English concept only refers to the lowest part of Sheol, where the unsaved humans reside.

Sheol has three chambers. The lowest part is where the fire burns (Deuteronomy 32:22) and the unsaved reside. This is the place where the worm does not die. Worm refers to the sin nature of a human, not a physical worm (Isaiah 66:24). The abyss is the holding area for fallen angels, and within the abyss is a pit for malignantly evil angels. Paradise is the residence of those who were saved before the resurrection of Christ.

During Christ’s earthly ministry to the Jews, the unbelieving ones kept pressing for a sign even though He had given substantial evidence to them that He was the Messiah. In response, Jesus states that no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, Matthew 12:39-40. In Peter’s first address to Israel after the resurrection of Christ, he quotes the prophecies concerning Christ and Hades. King David, who was a prophet of […]

Sheol (שְׁאֹ֖ול) – Hades (ᾅδης)Luther Walker2024-05-12T06:55:50-07:00

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