Psalms 8:1, 16:2, and 20:1-4

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures seeking His face. He called me over to my favorite Gospel and laid me down in Matthew 15-16. Matthew 15:13 and 16:8 are where the Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind. We’ll look at the first:

Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

Jesus made this statement after He finished a message taken from Isaiah 29:13: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men” (See Matthew 15:3-9, especially v 8). His message was a rebuke against the superficiality of the “scribes and Pharisees” in His day.*

After the sermon, the disciples approached the Master and said, “Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended?” by your sermon (Matthew 15:12). Jesus’ answer puzzled me: “Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13).

Along the still waters, I reflected that while His meaning seems obvious, I noticed some things that were not immediately obvious.

Jesus was referring to the Scribes and Pharisees institutionally, and individually?

Jesus said they “sit in Moses’ seat” (Matthew 23:2), and therefore, they ought to be heard with respect and their teachings observed (Matthew 23:3). But their personal lives should not be emulated—do as they “say,” but not as they “do.”

Planted means something set in the earth, cultivated by GOD, anticipating fruit. We know that God “planted” Moses as a Prophet and through him established the institution of the Law. But He did not “plant” the Pharisees and the Scribes as divinely appointed institutions. This means these Pharisees and scribes occupied Moses’ seat as usurpers. God did not “plant” them.

Their example was perverse even though their exegesis was pure. It does happen that vile persons usurp a “seat” in a divinely appointed institution and assume the God ordained authority appointed to that institution to serve themselves. This is the behavior for which Jesus rebuked Scribes and Pharisees. It’s also true that sometimes these usurpers of the “Apostles’” seat establish a man made “institution” from that seat which Jesus does not acknowledge. It’s Satan’s design to use such individuals and the institutions they create to usurp the authority of God’s institutions to promote their selfish interests, and corrupt the people God intended would be fed, and led in His way by His word.

The rule Jesus gave us is to do as they “say,” but not as they “do.” Trusting that God will uproot them, and with them, bring down their man-made institutions. For “every plant” our Father has not planted will be rooted up. Be patient, and in time, these blind guides will fall into the ditch with those that follow them.

The Spirit represents individuals and their institutions as trees (Mark 8:24; Romans 11:17-18; Daniel 4:13-16). Jesus taught that by the exercise of our faith we can uproot such trees (Matthew 21:21; Luke 17:6). He taught this in connection with His rebuke against the “scribes and Pharisees” who would condemn Him to the curse of dying on a tree (Matthew 21:28-44; see Galatians 3:13 and Deuteronomy 21:22-23).

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, the “tree” on which Jesus bore our curse, I heard His voice: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Reckoning myself to be dead to sin (Romans 6:11), being “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), I took up my cross to follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21).

His steps led me to His table, where He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy were there waiting for me, and followed as we went together into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7f8zas-shepherds-pasture.html

[*We are all familiar with the term Pharisee — a Jew affiliated with that sect which believed in angels and the resurrection, known as strict adherents of the literal interpretation of Scripture and conservative regarding the Mosaic Law. But many don’t know that the Scribe was an official (professional) recorder, a skilled writer who was employed by prophets and kings to prepare letters, legal documents, or assist in writing manuscripts. One of the most famous was Baruch, who served Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:4), and for the kings, we find Seraiah who served king David, Shebna who served king Hezekiah, and Shaphan who served  king Josiah (2 Kings 22:3-10). By the time of Ezra, Scribes copied Scripture and were experts in the Law of Moses, the most famous of whom was Ezra (Ezra 7:6-10). By the time of Christ, Scribes were acknowledged experts in the Mosaic Law and its application (Matthew 23:2-3). Scribes could be priests, or prophets. Naphtali was a tribe of Israel known for skill in the employment of words (Genesis 49:21), David represented his “tongue [as] the pen of a ready writer” (Psalm 45:1).]