James 1:13 (ESV):“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” This verse clearly teaches that God cannot be tested or tempted by evil. In fact, the opposite is true: God is tested by good. What does this mean? When we do good — acts of righteousness and obedience to God’s Word — we are in a sense putting God to the test, expecting Him to bless us for our faithfulness. God, in His covenant faithfulness, must then release His blessings upon us. However, if we rebel against God’s Word and seek blessings while engaging in evil, then we are testing God by evil. A prime example is the children of Israel in the wilderness. They demanded miraculous provision from the Lord while simultaneously turning away from Him in their hearts. They became proud, complaining, disrespectful, and shameless before God — all of which led them into judgment (Hebrews 3:7–11, NIV): “Today, if you hear his voice,do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,on the day of testing in the wilderness,where your ancestors tested and tried me,though for forty years they saw what I did…As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The warnings He gave thousands of years ago still stand. He cannot be tempted by evil, but He is tested by good — meaning, when we offer Him perfect sacrifices according to His Word and with sincere hearts, we are essentially putting God to the test to bless us. This is a righteous testing rooted in faith. For example, when you bring God a sacrifice without blemish — that is, an offering that aligns perfectly with His Word and done with a pure heart — you are testing God to bless you. Malachi 3:8–11 (NIV) says: “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’‘In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty,‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heavenand pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” Any good deeds we perform that align with God’s Word become a “trap” for Him in the sense that He cannot withhold His blessings from us. These righteous acts draw down His favor and speak to us with His voice of grace. But if in your heart you have forsaken the Lord and yet seek His voice through prophets or other means to find out what He says about you, you are testing God in a way that displeases Him, leading to judgment rather than blessing. Ezekiel 14:4–8 (NIV) explains: “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:When anyone of the house of Israel sets up idols in their heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before their face and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself according to their many idols,so that I may seize the house of Israel by their hearts because they have strayed from me…Therefore say to the house of Israel, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:Repent! Turn away from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!”’…If a person is unfaithful and rebels against me by setting up idols in their heart, putting wicked stumbling blocks before their faces, and then comes to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself.” In summary, God is not tempted or tested by evil; He is tested by our good works — our faithful obedience and sincere worship according to His Word. When we offer Him genuine sacrifices and righteous living, we place Him in a position to fulfill His promises of blessing. But if we turn away from Him and seek Him with unfaithful hearts or by wrongful means, we bring judgment upon ourselves. May the Lord Jesus help us to walk in faithfulness and receive His abundant blessings. Maranatha!
Praise the name of the Lord and Savior, the Author of Life, Jesus Christ! Welcome as we delve into God’s Word together. There will come a time when the lamp of God will be extinguished. Let us respond to God’s call before that moment arrives. 1 Samuel 3:2-4 (ESV) “At that time Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, ‘Here I am!’” To understand the significance of the “lamp of God” and the timing of it going out, we must consider the Tabernacle Moses was commanded to build (Exodus 25–27). The Tabernacle consisted of three sections: the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Within the Holy Place were three sacred items: The altar of incense, The table of showbread, and The golden lampstand (Menorah) with seven branches. The lampstand’s purpose was to provide continual light inside the Tabernacle during the night hours. God commanded that the lamp be kept burning without fail—“from evening until morning” (Exodus 27:20-21; Leviticus 24:1-3). This perpetual light symbolized God’s presence, guidance, and covenant faithfulness to His people. When morning came, the natural light of the sun replaced the lamp’s glow, and it was then extinguished. In 1 Samuel, the “lamp of God had not yet gone out” means it was still night—darkness had not given way to dawn. It was in this spiritual and literal darkness that God called Samuel. This moment is deeply symbolic: The darkness represents the spiritual condition of the people or an individual’s soul—times of uncertainty, waiting, or even crisis. The lamp represents God’s grace and revelation shining in the midst of that darkness. The call of God is an invitation to respond to His voice, which may initially sound like an ordinary or human voice. Samuel’s initial confusion—thinking Eli was calling—reminds us that God’s call can come in subtle or unexpected ways. Often, what sounds like a human voice may actually be God’s voice calling us to Himself. Furthermore, God’s call is urgent. If Samuel had ignored the call while the lamp was still burning, he might not have heard from God again until much later. This teaches us that God’s grace and opportunity to respond have limits. The “lamp of God” is grace, and there will be a time when it is withdrawn—when God’s patient invitation ceases. This truth calls us to examine our own hearts: Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? Have you been baptized and entered into a personal relationship with Him? Are you living in obedience to God’s call? If not, now is the time to respond—before the lamp goes out. Ecclesiastes 12:1 (ESV) “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” May this word encourage you to heed God’s call today—while the lamp of His grace still burns. Maranatha—Come, Lord Jesus!
The term Thenashara is derived from the Hebrew language and simply means “twelve.” Rather than just saying “twelve people,” the Bible sometimes refers to this number with distinction, especially when it comes to people or groups of spiritual significance. For instance, instead of saying twelve tribes, Scripture often says, “The twelve tribes” (cf. James 1:1), or instead of twelve months, it might be rendered “the twelve months” (1 Kings 4:7). However, the most theologically significant use of the term Thenashara is when it refers to the twelve disciples that Jesus personally selected and appointed. These men became known as “The Twelve”—a unique title that signified both their number and their divinely appointed role. The Appointment of the Twelve Mark 3:16–19 (ESV) tells us: “He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” These men were not just casual followers. Jesus called them by name, appointed them, and later sent them as apostles—messengers with authority to preach, heal, and cast out demons (Mark 3:14–15; Matthew 10:1–8). Why Are They Called “The Twelve”? The title Thenashara distinguishes these men from the broader group of disciples Jesus had. According to Luke 10:1, Jesus also appointed seventy (or seventy-two, depending on the manuscript) other disciples and sent them out two by two: “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.” This means that while many followed Jesus, only twelve were chosen for this special role—to be trained closely by Him, to witness His miracles and teachings firsthand, and to be the foundation of the Church (Ephesians 2:20). A Unique Role in Redemptive History These twelve disciples symbolize more than just a number. In Scripture, the number twelve often represents God’s people. There were twelve tribes of Israel in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament, the twelve apostles become the spiritual counterpart—representing the new people of God, the Church. Jesus promised them a unique role in the coming Kingdom: “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28, ESV). Thus, their calling was not only historical—it was eschatological, pointing toward the coming Kingdom of God. You’ll find references to the Twelve in many New Testament passages, such as: Matthew 26:14–16 (Judas agrees to betray Jesus) Mark 4:10 (Jesus explains parables to “those around him with the Twelve”) Mark 9:35 (Jesus teaches the Twelve about servanthood) John 20:24 (Thomas, “one of the Twelve,” doubts the resurrection) Are You a Disciple of Jesus? Being a disciple isn’t just about following Jesus in name—it means repenting from sin, surrendering your life, and bearing your cross daily. Jesus said: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27, ESV). To be a disciple is to live under the Lordship of Christ, to obey His commands, and to walk in His footsteps—even when the path is difficult. Final Exhortation So, the question for you today is: Are you truly a disciple of Jesus? Have you repented, believed, and taken up your cross? Maranatha—The Lord is coming!
“He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark, attached the poles to the ark, and put the atonement cover over it.” — Exodus 40:20, NIV The Mercy Seat that was placed on top of the Ark of the Covenant was not a seat in the way we commonly understand—like a chair with legs for sitting. The Hebrew term translated as “seat” (Hebrew: kapporet) refers not to a literal throne, but to a place of atonement—a symbolic space where God’s presence would dwell and where reconciliation between God and His people would take place. It was part of the golden lid that covered the Ark of the Covenant. Above this lid stood two cherubim of hammered gold, facing each other, with their wings stretched out upward and overshadowing the cover (Exodus 25:18–20). The space between the cherubim was called the Mercy Seat, and it represented the very throne of God on earth—a holy place where God’s glory would appear. “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat… I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.”— Exodus 25:22, ESV The lid (including the cherubim and the Mercy Seat) formed a single piece and was crafted from pure gold. It served as the covering for the Ark, which contained the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that had budded (Hebrews 9:4). Once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place and sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial bull on the Mercy Seat seven times. This blood offering served as a temporary covering for the sins of the people. “He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.”— Leviticus 16:14, ESV Under the Old Covenant, the Mercy Seat symbolized God’s provision for forgiveness through the sacrificial system. But it was ultimately incomplete. The blood of bulls and goats could never truly remove sin, only cover it temporarily (Hebrews 10:1–4). Moreover, the priests who served were themselves sinful and needed atonement. Because of these limitations, a greater reality was needed: A Heavenly Mercy Seat, not made by human hands. A Perfect High Priest, sinless and eternal. A Spotless Sacrifice, able to cleanse sin once for all. All of this is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is our Great High Priest, who entered not into an earthly tabernacle but into Heaven itself, offering not the blood of animals, but His own sinless blood for our eternal redemption. “But when Christ came as High Priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands… He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”— Hebrews 9:11–12, NIV Today, the true Mercy Seat is found in Christ Himself. Through Him, we have direct access to the Father, and full forgiveness of sins. The invitation to receive this mercy is open now—but it will not remain open forever. One day, the door of grace will close when Christ returns. So the question remains: Have you placed your faith in Jesus? Have your sins been washed away by His blood? The true Mercy Seat is open to all who will come in repentance and faith. Don’t wait until it’s too late. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”— Hebrews 4:16, NIV Maranatha!(The Lord is coming)