Lessons from Balaam's Encounter with an Angel of the LORD in Numbers 22:21-29

LESSONS FROM BALAAM'S ENCOUNTER WITH AN ANGEL OF THE LORD IN NUMBERS 22:21-29

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

In Numbers 22:1-20, we learn that the children of Israel crossed into the plains of Moab on the final journey to the promised land. Earlier in Numbers 21, God had granted them victory against three heathen kings - Arad king of the Canaanites (vv. 1-3), Sihon king of the Ammorites (vv.21-32), and Og king of Bashan (vv.33-35). 

In Numbers 22, we are introduced to a totally different scene. When Balak son of Zippor, king of the Moabites learnt about the defeat of the Ammorites, he panicked because his military strength was nothing compared to Israel's. He crafted a different strategy. He sought to curse Israel rather than engage them directly in battle. It appears that the Moabites were steeped in divination and occult practices that were commonly embraced by Canaanite tribes. 

It is instructive to note that the Ammorites descended from Canaan, Noah's grandson (Genesis 10:16) while the Moabites and Ammonites were descendants of Lot by the incest recorded in Genesis 19. The two nations were therefore distant cousins of Israel. 

Back to our passage of context...

In his attempt to craft a solution to his military setback, Balak king of Moab sent for Balaam son of Beor, a diviner or soothsayer, who dwelt in Aram, a location near the Jordan River. Balak did not bother to seek God's leading on the way forward. Instead, he resorted to the template occult world for answers! God however forbade Balaam from either going with Balak's first delegation or cursing the children of Israel at the request of Balak king of the Moabites. 

A second delegation was dispatched by king Balak who stubbornly refused to give up on Balaam (vv.15-17). This strongly suggests that Balak may have approached Balaam on divination assignments on previous occasions. 

In vv.20-21, God finally permitted Balaam to accompany the second delegation provided that he pledged to speak only what God would tell him. 

In vv.21-29, we are introduced to a strange twist of events. The writer records that the LORD's anger was aroused against Balaam and He sent an angel to confront Balaam as he sought to meet Balak. It is not immediately clear why God changed His mind and sent an angel to block Balaam's donkey. Balaam struck his donkey three times in a rage of fury after it refused to take his orders. God caused the donkey to speak to Balaam in human language! This is the only record in Scripture where a donkey spoke!

Bible scholars believe God was angered by Balaam's greed for money. God read the mind and heart of Balaam and foresaw that he would defy God's command and curse Israel in exchange for Balak's money. There is a hint in v.32 where the Angel of the LORD rebukes Balaam saying “...Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me."

The moral perversion and apostasy of Balaam's heart is also affirmed in 2 Peter 2:15-16 where Peter mentions Balaam when rebuking false teachers. Peter writes: 

"They [apostate teachers] have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet." (NKJV, emphasis mine). 

This text of Scripture serves to amplify God's word with compelling clarity. It sheds light on the theological paradox in Numbers 22:22-34 which leaves the Bible reader wondering why God confronted Balaam after earlier permitting him to go to Balak! 

It is instructive that God had already cautioned Balaam in v.12, saying "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” This was mission impossible for Balaam because any act of disobedience would have been perilous. God does not speak from the two sides of His mouth! (cf. Numbers 23:19). 

God could not permit a curse on His covenant people without a compelling moral justification. He had rescued them from Egyptian slavery and had led them through the wilderness for nearly 40 years at this point. They were just about to cross the Jordan from the plains of Moab facing Jericho (v.1). 

Balaam repented of his sin after the angel of the LORD rebuked him. He pleaded to be allowed to return back to his base in Aram but God reinforced His earlier message that he should go to Balak where he would only speak that which God would command Him (vv. 34-35). 

God was not done with Balaam. He sought to use him to confront the arrogant and wicked Moabite king and teach him a vital lesson on God's sovereignty over all nations and His divine will for Israel. 

Numbers 23-24 describes the three occasions on which Balak attempted to influence Balaam to curse the children of Israel. He sacrificed burnt offerings on each occasion but God rejected his prayers. Balaam spoke the mind of God on the three occasions and this sorely displeased his host who finally gave up on him. 

Balaam had hopefully learnt his lesson during the confrontation with the angel of God that nearly got him killed.

Numbers 24 conveys Balaam's poetic doxology or praise song before his return to Aram after defying Balak. God used Balaam to reveal Israel's blessed future in the promised land. The Moabites could not stand in the way of God's people. They finally gave way and God's people crossed the Jordan in the end. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that Balaam returned to his life of moral apostasy. He caused the children of Israel to sin against God. Numbers 31:16 says "Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord."

Balaam's tragic end finally came. Joshua 13:22 says "The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them." It is instructive that Balaam is rightly described as a soothsayer rather than a prophet of God. He was a false prophet. 

MORAL LESSONS 

1. God cannot curse His covenant people without any moral justification. The people of Israel were passing by the land of Moab on their way to the promised land. They never intended to take or possess the land of Moab. They were pilgrims of God. There was no reason for God to curse them. Balak's intrigues were informed by his pride and arrogance. 

2. We should always be careful to speak the mind of God even where it confronts our sinful disobedience. We should never misrepresent the mind of God to either serve our personal interests or to please men. We should not twist the word of God to impress people. We should proclaim the word of God in truth. 

3. Nothing is impossible with God. God's omnipotence is unlimited. God can use unusual circumstances to reveal His presence or communicate His will to His people. He chose to use a female donkey to speak to Balaam after he failed to discern the presence of God. God can speak to us through strangers or unusual events in life. We should discern His divine will in those circumstances. God daily speaks to us through His word in Scripture and by His Spirit. Do you take time to study the word of God? Do you discern His voice in His word? 

4. God's purposes for His people will ultimately be fulfilled no matter what stands in their way. Our journey of faith with God will be accomplished in Christ Jesus. This should encourage us to keep our focus on Christ even under the most difficult circumstances in life. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NKJV). 

5. The love of  money is a root of all kinds of evil. We should keep away from the captivating desire for earthly riches that drifts us from our devotion to God. We should therefore serve God faithfully and refrain from unbridled greed for ungodly material gain. We should not offer our God-given ministry skills in exchange for material riches. This is not to suggest or imply that believers should not pursue earthly riches. We should do so in ways that glorify and honor God. 

There are many false teachers today who are fleecing their followers under manipulation and deceit in the name of God. Such millionaire preachers are following after the way of Balaam. God will judge and punish them for their greed and evil. 

1 Timothy 6:9-10 says "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (NKJV). 

6. Nothing is hidden or concealed before the eyes of God. Our secret sins are open to God. He sees the intentions of our hearts no matter how much we attempt to conceal them. God's divine omniscience is unlimited. Balaam had secretly conspired to curse Israel in exchange for material gain from Balak. God read his heart and sent an angel to confront Him. We should serve God from a clear conscience. 

7. The wages of sin is death. Balaam did not appear to have learned any lessons from his previous transgressions and acts of imprudence even after God confronted him under Balak's case. He needlessly perished from it in the end, having turned back to his evil ways. We should repent and turn away from our acts of disobedience while the window of God's grace is still open. 

Jeremiah 17:9-10 says "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings." (NKJV).

Are you serving God from a clear conscience? 

Is your heart pure and sincere before God?

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What is Conditional Election?

WHAT IS CONDITIONAL ELECTION?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

The doctrine of conditional election teaches that salvation is available to any sinner based on their fulfillment of certain conditions set out by God in Scripture. The foremost condition is that the sinner must of his free will repent upon his conviction of sin and turn to Christ. On this basis therefore, the sinner receives God's pardon and is assured of eternal life. 

There are several Scriptures that attest to this doctrine. John 3:16-17 is perhaps one of the most outstanding texts of Scripture that anchor the conditional election doctrine. The sinner must believe in Christ. God neither forcibly saves sinners nor denies any sinner His saving based on prior distinction or discrimination. 

Romans 10:8-10 says “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (NKJV). 

The above passage clearly affirms that the sinner has a part to play in God's plan of salvation. This is undeniable.

The Unconditional election on the other hand stands in contrast to this doctrine. It teaches that God selected a given number of sinners for eternal life from the foundation of the world and that only those sinners in God's list will come to faith. This doctrine is popularly held by deterministic soteriology groups who teach that the sinner cannot do anything in response to God's grace.

This school argues that the the sinner is so depraved in sin that they cannot come to faith unless God grants him the "irresistible grace" which is exclusively reserved for those in the "elect list". Salvation is viewed in this context as a mornergistic process attributed to the will of a sovereign God who exclusively determines the fate of sinners even before they are born! 

One of the key passages cited by proponents of the unconditional election doctrine is Ephesians 1:4-6 that says " just as He chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved." (NKJV). 

A close look at this text reveals a number of theological flaws on the unconditional election doctrine. 

First, while the election is said to have been concluded before foundation of the world, the same text affirms that the election is done or actuated in Him (Christ). This inescapably brings to bear the works of the cross which were accomplished at a given historical date and time in human history. 

According to Scripture, the election of sinners is only effected in Christ, through the works of redemption and the ransom by His sinless blood. No sinner could therefore have bypassed Calvary. 

My view is that the notion that God chose believers before the foundation of the world is anchored on a misrepresentation of God's exhaustive omniscience and foreknowledge. The election of the believer is not a deterministic fait accompli that arbitrarily assigns privilege to a given set of sinners to the exclusion of others who are damned before birth.

Secondly, the adoption in Christ is a futuristic event (cf. Romans 8:18-25). It is awaiting Christ's coming for its divine fulfillment. 

The two other texts employed by proponents of unconditional election are Romans 8:29-30, 9:11. My view is that neither of these texts support the doctrine of unconditional election when read in their passage contexts. Romans 8:18-30 relates to an exhortation on Christian suffering while Romans 9:11 is part of a long treatise by Paul that runs through Romans 9-11. It thesis centres on Israel's need for the gospel. 

The final submission of Paul's thesis is thus: "...God has committed them all [Gentiles and Jews] to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all." (Romans 11:32).

My concluding view is that the conditional election doctrine finds its support in Scripture. Every sinner must repent and turn to Christ to be saved. This truth does not make God less sovereign or take away any glory due to Him. It affirms His sovereignty in graciously granting sinners the opportunity to come to Christ without coercion, compulsion or prior distinction and discrimination.

God is not glorified by the eternal damnation of sinners in hell. He declares "...I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." (Ezekiel 33:11, NKJV). 

Peter reminds us that "the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV). 

The conditional election doctrine is therefore anchored on the revelation and authority of Scripture. The sinner must exercise his God given responsibility in responding to God's grace in Christ Jesus. Those who reject God's grace upon conviction of sin will face God's righteous judgement (Revelation 20:11-15).

No sinner was doomed from the womb! 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What Does it Mean that Jesus is Full of Grace and Truth?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT JESUS IS FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

John 1:14 says "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (NKJV). 

This Scripture, read within its wider passage context of John 1:1-18 reveals the reasons for Jesus' incarnate coming as God in flesh. He came to fulfil God's divine purposes for sinful humanity that dwelt in sinful condemnation in Adam. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that it is by grace that we are saved, not by works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9). In His incarnation, Jesus personified the divine projection and pinnacle of God's unmerited grace and mercy bound in human flesh. He was born of a woman yet He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 

Why is Jesus described as full of grace and truth? 

This is a pregnant statement that oozes with the essence of divinity that has been incomprehensibly intertwined with humanity on purpose. What God has conveyed to us in Christ is humanly inexplicable. It is beyond the confines of human philosophy and intellectual discourse! Only God can grant the words by which to explain it. 

First, we learn from Scripture that Jesus' incarnate coming was informed by God's unmerited grace and mercy by which He chose to send His only begotten Son to die on the cross to provide the divine means by which sinful men could be reconciled with the holy and righteous God of Scripture from whom they had been alienated in Adam. 

Jesus became the atonement from heaven, the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God that was slain for us. Apostle John describes Jesus as "...The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29, NKJV). 

Secondly, Jesus Christ conveyed the gospel of truth in His earthly ministry. He proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God through His exhortations and the kingdom parables. When He ascended to heaven, He left for us His written word in the holy Scriptures which reveal the mind of God to us and the future that awaits the redeemed of God in heaven. The Scriptures also reveal the eternal destiny of those who reject God's grace.

We need to live by the truth of God's word. 

While praying for His disciples, Jesus affirmed the truth and the efficacious power of God's word in the sanctification of God's people. He petitioned the Father, saying "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." (John 17:17). God alone can sanctify the saints. He justifies us whenever we appear before His divine presence courtesy of what Christ has accomplished for us at Calvary. 

What God has spoken in Scripture is authoritative, sufficient, and final in conveying His grace and truth to us. God's word has been indelibly sealed in the 66 book canon of Scripture. It is His divine voice in all ages and the benchmark by which our Christian obedience and service is measured. 

It is this truth that confronts the dark and sinful world around us. By this truth, God's grace condemns sinful rebellion and draws sinners to God through the conviction of sin and repentance. God's grace is available to all sinners without prior distinction or discrimination. This is gospel truth.

Yes, Jesus is full of grace and truth. 

Those who have submitted to God in Christ Jesus have tapped into God's grace. They are living witnesses of God's saving grace to underserving sinners. They have been transformed from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light; from death to life, courtesy of God's atoning grace in Christ Jesus. 

True followers of Jesus will uphold His written word and proclaim it to this world in their generations even as Christ tarries. They are always prepared to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). 

Are you numbered among the saints?

Have you experienced God's grace and truth in your life? Do you live by the revelation and authority of God's word or by the dictates of the contemporary culture? 

The psalmist proclaims to God: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105, NKJV. This is the affirmation of divine truth.

May God's grace and the truth of His word be our daily compass by which we may walk steadfastly in our journey of faith as we look forward to Christ's soon coming.

Shalom.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What can we Learn from the Ox and Donkey's Recognition of their Owner?

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE OX AND DONKEY'S RECOGNITION OF THEIR OWNER?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Isaiah 1:1-4 says:

"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!

For the Lord has spoken:

“I have nourished and brought up children,

And they have rebelled against Me;

3 The ox knows its owner

And the donkey its master’s crib;

But Israel does not know,

My people do not consider.”

4 Alas, sinful nation,

A people laden with iniquity,

A brood of evildoers,

Children who are corrupters!

They have forsaken the Lord,

They have provoked to anger

The Holy One of Israel,

They have turned away backward." (NKJV). 

Isaiah 1:1-20 conveys God's call to Israel to repent and turn to God. The nation had walked away from their covenant with God. Even the ritual sacrifices they offered were of no effect. God had turned His face from them. 

This poetic lamentation was meant to convey God's displeasure for the people's moral apostasy and a plea for their return to covenant faithfulness. 

The use of the imagery of an ox and a donkey is meant to convey the logical paradox behind Israel's departure from her covenant life. If oxen and donkeys can be faithful to their owners and masters, how can one reconcile Israel's apostasy yet they had walked with God through the years since God rescued them from Egyptian slavery? 

This lament is meant to remind us that God is counting on our covenant faithfulness in our walk with Christ. We need to examine our commitment to a life of devotion and obedience with God and bridge the notable gaps. God is inviting us to a soul-searching moment in our walk with Christ. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that God rebuked the churches of Laodicea and Sardis for their weak covenant commitment (Revelation 3). 

The church of Laodicea was adjudged as a lukewarm church. They approached their Christian life with half heartedness. They placed their covenant life in the periphery as they pursued the things of this passing world. It is easy to retain a pale shadow of our covenant commitment when our hearts are far from God. 

The church of Sardis had even drifted further from the Lord. It was adjudged by Christ as a dead church even though a few believers among them remained faithful (v.4). Majority of its members had abandoned their covenant path and instead settled for the exigencies of their contemporary world. 

God is calling us to examine our walk with Him and return to covenant faithfulness. 

Are you keeping to the narrow path?

Keep it Christ!

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Was Junia a Female Apostle?

WAS JUNIA A FEMALE APOSTLE? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Romans 16:7 says "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." (NKJV). The NIV reads "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was."

This text lies in the traditional greetings section at the foot of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Paul reveals his relationship with Andronicus and Junia. Both were Jews and both had suffered for their faith and had been imprisoned with Paul at one time. 

Paul's closing description of the two has been at the centre of theological controversy through the church ages. Were these two believers among the primary apostles of Jesus Christ? If so, why is Scripture silent about them beyond this text? Were the two a Jewish couple or were they siblings? 

We shall begin with a theological examination of the first question. 

Does this Scripture suggest that the two Jewish believers mentioned in Paul's greetings were New Testament apostles within the context of Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:15-26, 9:1-19; Ephesians 4:11 and Revelation 21:14? 

Were they part of the New Testament apostles called by Jesus Christ or were they apostolic missionaries that Paul had commissioned to the Gentiles?

My view is that being of note among the apostles is evidence of the good standing of the two believers - Andronicus and Junia - among the apostles. They had perhaps excelled in their service to Christ. This text does not however suggest or imply that the two had been appointed to apostolic office by Jesus Christ during the New Testament church period.

Were they a Christian couple? 

Whether or not the two were married to each other is difficult to conclusively establish from Scripture. Some scholars consider this as a strong possibility. Kelly Campbell notably observes that the two are not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. [1]. This phenomenon considerably limits the reader's reflection on their identity.

It is also instructive that Paul acknowledges the two as having come to faith before him. This suggests that they were perhaps among the first set of New Testament believers identified with the Jerusalem church before the persecution and dispersion that commenced in Acts 7 of which Paul was a leading figure. 

John Calvin supposes that Paul may have used the generic name "apostles" to denote apostolic missionaries or "the sent" rather than as a reference to the holders of the New Testament apostolic office. [2]. This is a plausible argument. 

Some scholars have supposed that the two may have been siblings who had hosted the apostles in Rome. Others have suggested that the two may have been a Christian couple in Rome. The siblings theory is fairly remote because it is difficult to find any convincing evidence in its support either in Scripture or historical sources. 

We shall now return to the million dollar question: Were the two ministers apostles of Jesus Christ within the context of Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:15-26, 9:1-19; Ephesians 4:11 and Revelation 21:14? 

These texts of Scripture centre on the appointment of apostles within what we can refer to as the primary apostolic category. It is instructive that there is no mention of a female apostle among those appointed by Jesus in the New Testament Scriptures. This reinforces and lends credence to the conclusion that Jesus never called a woman into His primary apostolic team even though he sent out a large number of believers into the mission field, including the 70 mentioned in Luke 10. 

Beside the appointment of Matthias in Acts 1 as a replacement to Judas Iscariot, no evidence in Scripture suggests that additional primary apostles had been appointed by Jesus or by the Jerusalem church. 

Revelation 21:14 appears to suggest that a fixed number of apostles was contemplated in Scripture. The Scripture says "Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." (NKJV). 

There is considerable theological debate on who between Matthias and Paul will feature in those foundations. Some of course may argue that this text conveys an imagery of the world to come and that the number mentioned need not be interpreted in its literal sense. It is however undeniable that numbers convey meaning in Scripture. 

Most Bible scholars agree that Junia (Greek: Ἰουνία) was a female Greek name and this strongly refutes the claim to apostolic stature within the primary apostolic context. 

Al Wolters observes that Ἰουνιᾶν is the Greek form of the Hebrew male name Yehunni. [3]. This suggests that Junia may have been the Hellenized equivalent of the Jewish male Yehunni. This perspective significantly discounts the possibility that the two were a Christian couple. I would classify it as a peripheral observation. Most Bible scholars agree that Junia was female. 

Richard Bauckham, a British classical and Pauline scholar, has exhaustively demonstrated this perspective in his works and concluded that Junia is almost certainly feminine [4]. It is also instructive that Chrysostom did not question her gender but celebrated her apostolic distinction. 

Daniel Wallace, a leading New Testament Greek scholar disagrees with the view that the two believers were New Testament apostles. He observes thus in his analysis of Romans 16:7: “In sum, until further evidence is produced that counters the working hypothesis, we must conclude that Andronicus and Junia were not apostles, but were known to the apostles." [5]. This view can be reconciled from a plain reading of the text. 

Linda Belleville and Eldon Epp under their critical review of the Journal of Biblical Literature have found the male identity argument by Wolters to be methodologically inconclusive [6]. This conclusion theologically consigns the male gender perspective to the periphery.   

My view is that the two believers were either a faithful Christian couple or prominent Jewish believers known to apostle Paul and other New Testament apostles. The two were residing in Rome at the time Paul wrote the Letter to the Romans. 

CONCLUSION

I am persuaded and it is my concluding thesis that:

1. Neither Andronicus nor Junia, nor indeed any other New Testament church missionary, can be classified under the primary category of apostles except the twelve called by Jesus in person plus Matthias and Paul. This category is exclusive. 

2. Junia was not a New Testament apostle within the meaning of Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:15-26, 9:1-19; Ephesians 4:11, and Revelation 21:14. She falls under the secondary category. No female believer or missionary was appointed under the primary category. 

3. The primary apostolic office was sealed by Jesus after the calling of Paul in Acts 9. This implies that no additional apostles were contemplated under this category either during the New Testament period or subsequent church periods. There is therefore no living primary apostle today. 

4. The authorship of the inspired writings of Scripture also ceased after the primary apostolic office holders passed on. The 66 canon of Biblical Scriptures is therefore the final record of God's word to His church. 

5. The theological conflation that some have attempted to introduce between the two apostolic categories cannot stand under a faithful biblical exegesis or theological scrutiny. The theological distinction between the two categories therefore stands in all church ages.

6. The Great Commission by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 was given to the church without gender distinction or discrimination. All believers are called into the mission field in all ages of the church until the coming of Christ. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

________________

REFERENCES 

[1] Kelly Campbell, "Who was Junia in the Bible and What do we Know About Her?" In "I Believe", iBelieve.com https://share.google/fSA8k2pcbooELFLAs

[2] John Calvin, Acts (The Crossway Classic Commentaries; eds. Alister McGrath and J.I. Packer; Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1995), 237–238.

[3] Albert Wolters, “ΙΟΥΝΙΑΝ (Romans 16:7) and the Hebrew Name Yehunni,” Journal of Biblical Literature 127 (2008): 397–408.

[4] Richard Bauckham, Gospel Women: Studies of the Named Women in the Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdsmans, 2002), 165-202.

[5] Daniel B. Wallace - Junia Among the Apostles - Double Identification Problem. http://bible.org/article/junia-among-apostles-double-identification-problem-romans-167

[6] Michael Burer and Daniel Wallace, "Was Junia Really an Apostle? A Re-examination of Romans 16:7", New Testament Studies, 47 (2001): 76-79. For counter-arguments, see Epp, Junia (2005), Belleville, NTS, 51 (2005); and Richard Bauckham, Gospel Women (2002). 

What Does it Mean to Flourish Like a Palm Tree?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FLOURISH LIKE A PALM TREE?

By Ezekiel Kimosop  

Psalm 92:12-15 says: 

"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,

He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord

Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;

They shall be fresh and flourishing,

15 To declare that the Lord is upright;

He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him." (NKJV). 

Psalm 92 is part of Hebrew poetic literature that celebrates God's love and faithfulness for His people. 

In v. 12, the psalmist proclaims "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." (NKJV). 

A palm tree is native to the desert or dry wilderness. It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates. It requires abundant sunlight, warmth, and well drained soil. It is a resilient tree that survives some of the harshest climatic conditions. 

The cedar of Lebanon is mentioned 103 times in Scripture. It is a native tree that flourishes in the Lebanese mountains and grows to between 80 to 120 feet with branches spreading between 40 to 60 feet across. It is a majestic tree that towers above the rest. 

The psalmist uses these two trees as similes that best describe the spiritual depth and fortitude of the righteous in the seasons of life. God deepens and anchors the spiritual standing of His righteous people so that they can withstand the storms of life and emerge victorious in the end. 

Believers draw their strength from God's divine preservation and the assurance of God's abiding presence in their lives. They will flourish and yield fruit even in the most trying environments. They remain unshaken in their covenant walk with Christ. 

Psalm 34:19 says "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all." (NKJV). 

Joseph demonstrated this resilience at Potiphar's house and was successful in his stewardship. He flourished in godly prudence. Genesis 39:3 says "And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand." (NKJV). 

The prison experience also fortified Joseph and he emerged stronger and more resilient. He flourished in Pharaoh's courts, rising to the highest office in the land of Egypt (Genesis 40-41). 

This assurance from God's word should encourage us to remain steadfast in our journey of faith. We can flourish and grow in our walk of faith if we allow the word of God to shape our convictions. We should keep our eyes focused on Him who was pierced for us. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NKJV).

No matter where God has placed you in this passing evil world, rest assured that His presence and covenant faithfulness abides with you. Serve Him faithfully and draw from the exhortation of His word and you shall flourish in Christ like the palm tree or the cedar of Lebanon. 

We should earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). 

Keep it Christ!

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

How is God's Grace Related to God's Mercy?

HOW IS GOD'S GRACE RELATED TO GOD'S MERCY?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Mercy has been described as not getting the punishment one deserves, while grace is getting a blessing one do not deserve. Grace is best understood as an underserved act of favour or kindness. Some scholars consider mercy as a subset of grace.

Mercy is granted to an undeserving convict. This is the foundation of judicial parole that permits the judicial system to discount a criminal sentence or have a conviction quashed under clemency. In some cases, a convict can be released before serving a full sentence. 

Turning to Scripture, we discover that there are countless occasions on which God chose to forgive His sinful people after they repented of their disobedience. 

In Psalm 51:1-2, David pleads for God's mercy saying: 

"Have mercy upon me, O God,

According to Your lovingkindness;

According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,

Blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin." (NKJV). 

On other occasions, God chose to offer unconditional pardon, choosing to extend His mercy to underserving people. This is where God's mercy exceeds His divine wrath. 

Micah 7:18 says:

"Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy." (NKJV). 

In the New Testament Scriptures, God's mercy and grace is best demonstrated in the redemption works of Calvary. In the exercise of His divine mercy, God determined to send Jesus to die on the cross in order to provide the atonement for the redemption for sinful humanity that was trapped in depravity.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NKJV, emphasis mine). 

Without God's offer of His saving grace, we would still be eternally separated from God. We would be consigned to eternal damnation in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). 

Genesis 2:16-17 says "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (NKJV). 

When Adam disobeyed the voice of God and ate the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3:1-6, he suffered spiritual death. Genesis 5:5 reveals that Adam lived for 930 years before he died and was buried. However, his spiritual death and isolation from his maker took place centuries earlier, the moment he fell into disobedience in the garden of Eden. 

Methuselah, Noah's grandfather who a righteous man, lived longest at 969 years (Genesis 5:27) but he too died under God's condemnation in Adam. 

We were therefore collectively "dead in sin" and isolated from the holy and righteous God of Scripture since Adam until God brought the divine solution in Christ. 

Ephesians 1:13-14 says "In Him [Christ] you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (NKJV, emphasis mine). 

God's grace is in Christ driven underwritten by God's mercy. He chose to reach out to us and redeem us in Christ Jesus yet we were undeserving sinners who were under sinful condemnation. 

In line with God's offer of His saving grace in Christ, Scripture proclaims: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18, NKJV). 

Romans 5:8-9 says "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."

That is how God's mercy was demonstrated under His saving grace in Christ Jesus. The sinner must reach out in response to God's grace in the gospel. Thomas Watson, a Reformed puritan preacher said God's grace unapplied saves no one. 

Here's the million dollar question: Have you accepted God's saving grace in Christ Jesus or are you living in sinful condemnation in Adam?

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

A Reason to Believe - Acts 9:32-43

A REASON TO BELIEVE - ACTS 9:32-43

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Acts 9:32-35 says "Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord." (NKJV). 

Peter was visiting believers in Lydda. This ancient place is located in the fertile plain of Sharon in modern day central Israel which is 22 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was a mixed race location where Arabs and Jews lived. Peter found Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. Peter healed Him in the name of Jesus Christ and the man arose from his bed and walked. 

The miraculous healing caused countless many to believe in Jesus Christ (v.35). It was a powerful testimony of God's transformation that the Holy Spirit inspired the writer of Scripture to pen down. 

In vv. 36-43, we learn that when believers in Joppa heard about what God had done through Peter in Lydda, they reached out to Peter seeking divine intervention for their more difficult situation. Dorcas, also known as Tabitha, a devout believer, had died. Peter travelled to Joppa and raised Dorcas back to life in the name of Jesus Christ. Dorcas had transformed the lives of widows in her community by her charitable deeds. Tabitha's generosity drew many widows close to her. 

The Joppa miracle once again led many to turn to Christ. It was a reason to believe. 

These two incidents are among several others in Scripture where God did wonders through the apostles. They serve to remind us that people are seeking for a reason to believe in Jesus Christ today. The Holy Spirit continues to draw sinners to Christ through the preaching of the gospel. 

One of the most profound ways of touching people's lives is through the practical impact that the Christian community brings to their societies of context by their deeds and their Christian witness. 

The two miracles recorded in Acts 9:32-43 reveal that God draws people to conviction in faith when they witness His transforming power in the lives of people known to them. The healing of Aeneas and the raising of Dorcas by Christ Jesus served as a powerful demonstration of God's grace in the two rural societies in Israel.

There is considerable debate in theological circles on whether the gift of raising the dead exists today. Most conservative Evangelical Christian traditions argue that the gift was exclusively intended to authenticate the gospel during the period coinciding with the acts of the apostles. They argue that the gift ceased after the New Testament church period. Other traditions especially charismatics insist that the gift is still available to the church today. 

No matter what persuasion one subscribes to, we cannot doubt the power of God in changing lives through the word of God. His omnipotence is unlimited. God is still in the business touching and transforming the lives of people in various ways including healing and restoration from rebellion and moral ruin.  He can restore a sinner to God by the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter how depraved they are in sinful disobedience. His saving grace is available to all sinners without prior distinction or discrimination.

Jesus assured the repentant thief on the cross that he would join Him in Paradise. God transformed Paul on the road to Damascus from a persecutor of the church to an apostle of Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-19). He rose to become one of the greatest New Testament church missionaries and a distinguished author of Scripture. Paul was martyred for his faith. Elsewhere in Scripture, God reached out to Cornelius the Roman centurion and drew him to Christ (Acts 10). He rescued the jailor and his family (Acts 16:29-31). The list is countless. 

Notice the impact of Jesus' restoration of the man possessed with demons (Mark 5:1-20). When he sought to follow Jesus after he was healed, Jesus assigned to him a special ministry instead - to witness to his friends and neighbours about what God had done in his life. This was a reason to believe. 

Jesus commissioned him saying "...Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled." (Mark 5:19-20, NKJV).

What can you tell people about what God has done in your life?

There is no greater miracle than the restoration of a person who was lost in sinful condemnation to eternal life in Jesus Christ. This is the greatest transformation ever. It is a divine miracle that God alone could perform on the sinner. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (NKJV). 

God is counting on us to reach out to those who are trapped in sinful disobedience and bring them to Christ so that they too can inspire their societies of context through their changed lives. 

This too is a reason to believe. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What Does it Mean that God is the Ancient of Days?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD IS THE ANCIENT OF DAYS?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

The reference to God as the ancient of days is exclusive to the Book of Daniel. 

Daniel 7:9-10 says: 

“I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued. And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened." (NKJV). 

God is again referred to as the Ancient of Days in vv. 13, 22. In vv. 21-22, the writer of Daniel says:

“I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom." (NKJV). 

Three times in the Book of Daniel, the writer of Scripture describes God as the Ancient of Days. What does this mean? 

In the three instances where this reference is used, God is portrayed in His awesome divine majesty. In vv. 9-10, Daniel receives a vision of God in heaven. He reigns from His throne of glory where thousands attended to Him and a countless number, here described as "ten thousand times ten thousand", stood before Him as He held court before His throne. 

In vv. 13-14, the writer receives another vision where one "like the Son Man" came to to Ancient of Days in a cloud. God gave Him everlasting dominion over the nations and languages. 

Bible scholars believe this vision affirms the messianic authority and futuristic millennium reign of Christ on earth as flowing from God's divine power and authority. Christ's messianic reign is backed by God's signet. His authority flows from the throne of God in heaven.

In vv. 21-22, the vision of God's judgment is conveyed to the writer. This is perhaps a symbolic reference to the final judgment recorded in Revelation 20:11-15. Notice the implication of this vision on the saints of God taking the kingdom hereafter. This could perhaps be a symbolic reference to the scene described in Revelation 21-22 which reveals the eternal state of the triumphant saints of God in heaven. 

The phrase "Ancient of Days" is therefore an allegorical reference to God the Father. It portrays His eternity, divinity, majesty, and glory. Men are subject to Him. Angels and heavenly hosts serve and submit to Him. His power is unfettered and His judgments are final and without appeal. He is the final authority over all nations and peoples on earth. 

We also learn that God appointed Christ as the ruler of this world and that the world should submit to His messianic reign which is eternal. This affirms that Christ's reign over the nations and kingdoms of the world is eternal. It also points to Christ's divinity and eternity as God the Son. 

In Revelation 1:8 Jesus describes Himself thus: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (NKJV). Only God could make this statement. This text affirms Christ's divinity and eternity. He shares full and equal divinity with God the Father, the Ancient of Days. It also affirms in part the unity in the triune God of Scripture who has revealed Himself in three divine persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; Acts 5:3-4).

Jesus Christ therefore shares full and equal divinity with the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9, 12, 22). He is full of all divine essence is God the Son. Jesus is elsewhere described in Scripture in ways that affirm that He is co-equal with God the Father. A number of divine titles and imageries are assigned to Him by several writers of Scripture. He is the King of kings and the LORD of lords (Rev. 19:16); He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David (Rev. 5:5); He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8); He is the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Great I AM (Exodus 3:14, John 8:58). He is our Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 2:20); the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He is our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13). He is our Final Prophet and High Priest (Hebrews 1:1-2, 5:5-10).

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What is the Conviction of Sin?

 

WHAT IS THE CONVICTION OF SIN?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

A person is convicted of sin when God opens their eyes to the calamity behind their sinful depravity. The conviction of sin is by the Holy Spirit under the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The sinner is drawn to the point of conviction where a decision for obedience to Christ shall be open to the sinner.

John 3:16-18 says "16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (NKJV).

This Scripture reveals that the convicted sinner has a role to play in the process of salvation. The choice for obedience falls on the sinner. It is not imposed on him under a divine fiat! It silently beckons from Christ, the Lamb of God who shed His blood at Calvary and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven!

Peter's response to his hearers on the Day of Pentecost is instructive of this fact. Acts 2:37-38 says "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (NKJV).

Peter's response to the convicted men of Israel was resolute - repentance of sin was required of every sinner in order to be reconciled with God. It is theologically inconceivable to overlook the sinner's choice for obedience in coming to Christ.

Acts 16:29-31 says "Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (NKJV).

The above passage of Scripture is closely tied with the previous incident of Acts 2:36-37. It describes the jailor's experience under the conviction of sin. Both texts of Scripture reveal that the sinner's conviction of sin places him at the theological crossroad where a choice for obedience to Christ is required. Some sinners may choose to walk away under conviction but the consequences for their disobedience are spelt out in Scripture.

The conviction of sin can therefore be described as God's act of exposing to the sinner the implications of his sinful condemnation in Adam and God's offer of the atonement of sin in Christ Jesus. It reveals God's condemnation of sin and the judgment that awaits all sinners who reject Christ. This affords the sinner a divine opportunity for repentance and reconciliation with God.

I am persuaded that God does not forcibly save sinners against their will. His dealing with sinners is without prior distinction or discrimination. The response to the gospel is what separates saints from sinners! All sinners therefore stand condemned in sin until and unless they repent and turn to Christ.

Those who are in Christ are equally open to the conviction of sin. They are not perfect before God while under the sun. 1 John 1:8-10 says "8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (NKJV).

Have you turned to Christ for the forgiveness of sin?

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Who are the Multitude Mentioned in Revelation 7:9-12?

 

WHO ARE THE MULTITUDE MENTIONED IN REVELATION 7:9-12?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Revelation 7:9-12 says "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” (NKJV).

The writer then conveys an answer given to him by one of the twenty four elders:

Revelation 7:13-17 says "Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (NKJV).

Having examined the text of Revelation 7:9-12 within the context of the wider passage of Revelation 7:9-17, here's my response to the above question.

My view is that the people mentioned in vv.9-12 are more elaborately described in vv.13-17. Notice the explanation by the elder in vv. 14-15.

Most Christian scholars identify these saints as believers who accepted Christ during the Great Tribulation, having endured severe hardship and persecution.

Being clothed in white robes symbolizes that their sins are washed away and they are granted righteousness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

By holding palm branches, these saints symbolize victory, triumph, and celebration, similar to the one during the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem revealed in the Gospels.

The victorious saints joined the angels, elders, and the living creatures in a loud, unifying shout of praise, declaring that their salvation comes from God and the Lamb.

Bible scholars believe this group is distinct from the 144,000 Jewish believers  described in Revelation 7:1-8. The multitude mentioned in Revelation 7:9-12 therefore consists of all believers globally who endure the tribulation by the Antichrist.

Other scholars say the great multitude mentioned in Revelation 7:9-12 are the fruit of the witness of the 144,000 Jewish saints during the tribulation period.

We shall conclude with a brief analysis of the tribulation theories in an attempt to align this vision to the three major eschatological views. 

Proponents of the Pre-Tribulation Premillennialism rapture theory hold that the multitude in Revelation 9-12 are the tribulation saints who turned to Christ during the great tribulation that follows the rapture of the church described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. They consider the heavenly vision of the multitude in heaven before the throne of God as evidence of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

Mid-tribulation rapture theorists identify this group as a vision of the raptured church including those who come to Christ during the first three and a half years of the Tribulation Period that they believe separates the rapture of the church from the coming of Christ.

They argue that the coming of Christ will coincide with the midpoint of the seven years Tribulation Period. They believe that the remaining three and a half years are dedicated to heavy persecution under the reign of the Antichrist. They consider this great multitude as the collective body of believers caught up to heaven.

Post-tribulation adherents believe that this vast crowd of people from every nation and tribe represents the entire church consisting of both Jews and Gentiles rather than a separate group of "tribulation saints" who were saved after a pre-tribulation rapture.

They construe the vision of Revelation 7:14-17 as an affirmation of the post tribulation rapture, insisting that the church will go through the entire tribulation period under the Antichrist before the rapture takes place and the wrath of God falls on the earth.

Irrespective of one's eschatological perspective of the rapture of the church, the vision of the multitude mentioned in Revelation 7:9-12 serves as a confirmation that the future of the church is anchored on the atonement of Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, that He secured at the cross of Calvary. 

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What is Lacking in the Sufferings of Christ?

WHAT IS LACKING IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

How can Christ’s death on the cross be sufficient for salvation when Paul speaks of what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ?

Colossians 1:24-26 says: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints." (NKJV). 

In Colossians 1:24-29, Paul celebrates the significance of his sacrificial service for Christ. He had suffered multiple afflictions in his missionary journeys to the Gentile people. These are perhaps more prominently outlined in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 which says:

"Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches." (NKJV). 

Paul reminded the Colossians that there were sacrifices that God requires of the church to reach out to the lost so that Christ's sacrifice on the cross shall not be in vain. Christ had accomplished the works of atonement at Calvary. It is now upon the church to take the gospel to the world. 

The gospel effort seeks to fill a divine gap by proclaiming Christ and drawing sinners to God through Him. Paul sought to be counted among those who would endure afflictions to fulfil this divine calling in Christ. This is what was lacking, nay, outstanding. It is the burden that the church must carry until Christ is revealed. 

Paul's statement in Colossians 1:24 should therefore be understood within the passage context of Colossians 1:24-29 read together with other relevant passages of Scripture. Paul does not imply that Christ's sacrifice at Calvary was insufficient or incomplete! 

The text simply serves to project the enormity of the sacrifices awaiting the ministers of the gospel in taking the gospel to a hostile and difficult world. It underscores the burden and the urgency behind the the Macedonian call. Preaching Christ crucified will cost us resources, time, personal sacrifices, and afflictions. It is not a task for the faint hearted. Matthew 24:14 says, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (NKJV). 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

God's Deliverance in Times of Trouble - Lessons from Psalm 54

GOD'S DELIVERANCE IN TIMES OF TROUBLE - LESSONS FROM PSALM 54

By Ezekiel Kimosop

How does Psalm 54 reflect the nature of God's deliverance in times of trouble?

Psalm 54:1-7 says:

"Save me, O God, by Your name,

And vindicate me by Your strength.

2 Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers have risen up against me,

And oppressors have sought after my life;

They have not set God before them. Selah

4 Behold, God is my helper;

The Lord is with those who uphold my life. 

5 He will repay my enemies for their evil.

Cut them off in Your truth.

6 I will freely sacrifice to You;

I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.

7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble;

And my eye has seen its desire upon my 

enemies." (NKJV). 

Psalm 54 is attributed to David. Bible scholars say David composed this prayer during a time of betrayal, specifically when the Ziphites went to King Saul to reveal where David was hiding in the wilderness. The writer sought God's deliverance from his enemies. 

The opening section of vv.1-3 reveals the writer's desperation. In v.1 He cries to God to save him, saying "Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your strength." 

The psalmist pleads for God's divine intervention under his distressful circumstances whose details are concealed from the reader. 

God's intervention in this context should glorify His Name. His rescue of those in distress is an act of mercy. This is what vindicates the writer's confession of God's faithfulness. 

This text also affirms that God's hand is the only hope for His covenant people during  the afflictions in life. It serves to remind us that God is our refuge and fortress in our time of need. We can only count on His unfailing mercies to access relief from His throne at the hour of need. 

Psalm 18:2-4 says: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies." (NKJV). 

This Scripture which is also attributed to David reveals that God is our only hope in our times of trouble. The writer metaphorically describes God as a rock, a fortress, a shield and a horn. This imagery conveys His power and strength. A rock is immovable and so is a solid fortress that has survived many battles. God is our strong shield and our hope even in the most trying moments of life. 

Believers find strength, comfort, and assurance in His divine presence whenever they turn to Him. He never forsakes those who are called by His Name. There are many experiences in life when David was rescued and preserved by God. He once escaped Saul's pursuit by a whisker and priests who had offered him bread were killed (1 Samuel 21:1-6). 

In Psalm 54:2, the writer says "Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of my mouth." The writer employs Hebrew synonymous parallelism in his poetry in seeking God's attention. A plea to have God hear his prayer is synonymous with God giving ear to the petitioner's cry. 

In Psalm 54:3, the writer discloses the reason for his prayer, saying: 

"For strangers have risen up against me,

And oppressors have sought after my life;

They have not set God before them. Selah." 

He mentions strangers and oppressors who sought to take his life. Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that Saul sought to eliminate David to secure his unfettered claim to the throne of Israel but God had determined that David would succeed him. God took David through difficult experiences to fortify his faith before he could access the throne. Bible scholars say it took David between thirteen to fifteen years before Saul was killed in the Battle of Mt Gilboa recorded in 1 Samuel 31. God spared David from fighting in this battle perhaps to preserve him from the blood of Saul and Jonathan. 

Psalm 54:4-7 is a tribute to God's faithfulness. The writer says in v.4: "Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life." In v. 5, the writer speaks of God's judgement for the wicked. God will indeed repay them for their evil. In v.6-7, the writer pledges to sacrifice to God in thanksgiving for the deliverance that God brought to him. 

No matter what God's people go through in life, God's abiding grace will always follow them. God is faithful to bring relief from Heaven and even where he permits us to go through painful trials, He will vindicate us in the end. We shall emerge with our testimony of God's faithfulness.

We should remember to celebrates God's faithfulness in our lives and glorify Him for the interventions He makes in our lives during difficult. We should also testify of God's faithfulness in the congregation of His saints so that His name is glorified among His people. 

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

The Five Rs of Fruitfulness

THE FIVE Rs OF FRUITFULNESS 

By Bishop Gideon N. Robi 

Lead Text: Jeremiah 17:7-8

Every time we eat fruits, we need to carefully consider the process through which the fruit 🍓 grew on the tree🌲. There are five factors on which the life of a fruitful person is anchored  - root, reliance, resilience, results, and requirements. 

1. ROOT 

The fruit is connected to the root of the tree. If the root is right, the fruit would flourish. Jeremiah 17:7-8 has a historical context in vv.1-6. God had proclaimed judgement on Israel. Roots determine the stability, supply, and survival of the tree. 

The reference to the tree 🌲 and the fruit 🫜 is allegorical in this context. God desires that His people should be rooted in Christ so that we stand firm in our faith and bear fruit. 

Fruit is evidence of a rooted life. Character, impact, and faithfulness are evidence of rootedness in the believer's life. Galatians 5:22-23 says "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (NKJV). 

2. RELIANCE 

Reliance relates to rusting God as your source of sustenance in life. Rooted people consistently rely on God. They are not influenced by the prevailing circumstances of life. A fruitful tree is planted by the river. It accesses water all the time. It is not affected by the seasons of life. Those who trust in God are connected to a reliable and an unfailing source of nourishment and fruitfulness. 

3. RESILIENCE 

Rooted people are resilient in every season. They come out standing in difficult circumstances of life. They are steadfast in their walk with God in Christ (Jeremiah 17:8). In John 17 Jesus prayed that God may preserve His disciples. He knew that the circumstances awaiting them in His absence were difficult. 

The troubles of life do not overwhelm rooted believers, neither do the pressures of life. 

Are you standing on resilient roots in life? Are you hooked on Christ?

4. RESULTS 

Rooted people produce fruit consistently. They never fail to bear fruit. Their rootedness is visible, beneficial, and reproducible. They are visible because they can be attested by those around them. They leave a lasting impact and legacy in their societies of context. A strong tree is measured by what it ultimately produces. 

Where are you planted? What is your area of impact in your society of context? Do people witness and benefit from the results of your rootedness in Christ? 

5. REQUIREMENT - BEING PLANTED 

Where are you planted? You cannot be fruitful if you are not planted and established in Christ. This requires commitment and consistency in faithfully walking with God. The quality of the ground on which one is planted and rooted also matters. How rooted one is in Christ determines their value in Christ. 

Paul proclaims in 1 Corinthians 3:10-11: "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (NKJV). 

Where are you planted? Are you bearing fruit in Christ or are you planted and rooted outside Christ? 

______________

These notes were distilled from a sermon delivered by Bishop Gideon Ndirangu Robi at AIC Milimani Nairobi on 24 May 2026. Bishop Robi is the Assistant Bishop for AIC Diaspora Area. He ministers to the diaspora community in Atlanta, Georgia USA.

Should Baptism Precede Holy Communion?

SHOULD BAPTISM PRECEDE HOLY COMMUNION?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

Does a Christian have to be baptized first before he or she can partake in holy communion?

Scripture is silent on this question. The Bible does not explicitly provide that a believer must first be baptized before they can partake of the holy communion. Matthew 28:19-20 says "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen." (NKJV). 

Here is the order of the mission command:

1. Go

2. Make Disciples

3. Baptize them

4. Teach Them

The above Scripture appears to place baptism immediately after disciple-making. This perhaps suggests that believers should be baptized at the earliest opportunity once they come to faith. During the period coinciding with the Acts of the Apostles, believers were baptized immediately they converted to the faith. Philip the Evangelist baptized the Ethiopian eunuch using this approach (Acts 8:26-40). 

During his visit to Cornelius in Caesarea, Apostle Peter directed that Gentile believers should be baptized when he heard them speak in tongues and magnify God. Peter asks in Acts 10:47-48: "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days." (NKJV). 

Perhaps one important question should be addressed at this point: What would perpetually keep a born again Christian from water baptism? Why would a believer not submit to the two sacraments of water baptism and holy communion as commanded in Scripture? 

Most conservative Evangelicals and mainstream Christian traditions insist that the believer must first undergo catechism before they can be baptized and be eligible to partake in holy communion. The intention is to first equip the believer with the foundational truths of the Christian faith before they are baptized and formally admitted into the communion of the congregation. The believer should however continue to seek and submit to opportunities for Christian instruction in order to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Learning and growing in Christ is a lifelong process for believers. 

Some Pentecostal and Charismatic traditions however take a liberal view arguing that the only qualification for partaking in holy communion is the believer's confession of faith in Christ Jesus. The danger with this approach is to create the impression that water baptism is either optional or can be conveniently overlooked! We should bear in mind that the two sacraments were commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. They therefore serve God's divine purposes in the believer's life. Secondly, if baptism is undertaken without a post-baptism catechism program, the believer may be led to think that they have "made-it" and this may result in spiritual pride and retardation.  

My view is that even though Scripture is silent on the above question, God has permitted the church to draw regulations that should guide the administration of the two sacraments based on the discernment of Scripture. Believers should therefore submit to godly regulations governing the sacraments. 

No matter what approach a Christian tradition subscribes to, the holy communion celebration should be administered with reverence and decorum and in line with the directions and admonitions conveyed in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34. Secondly, we need to place a closing caveat. The holy communion celebration is exclusive to believers. Non-believers are not eligible to partake of the holy communion. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

What Does it Mean to be Spiritually Dead?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SPIRITUALLY DEAD?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

How can someone be spiritually "dead"? (Ephesians 2:1).

Theologically speaking, a spiritually dead person is one who is lost in sinful condemnation and alienated from fellowship with God. Simply put, he is person trapped in sinful depravity and is under the dominion of Satan. 

In Ephesians 2:1-7 the writer of Scripture uses a number of metaphors to explain the sinner's alienation and separation from God. Some of these metaphors are recorded in vv.2-3 where Scripture says: 

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." (NKJV). 

God rescues sinners in Christ who were trapped in sinful depravity and isolated from God in Adam (Genesis 2:16-17). The use of allegorical language should be interpreted in context to permit the Scriptures to communicate the mind of God. 

Notice that the sinner who is here described as "dead in sin" also "walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (v.2). It is logically inconceivable that a "dead corpse", as some have described a sinner, can literally walk at the same time!

In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul outlines what God had done for the believers, here personified by the Ephesian Christian community. God made them alive, transforming them from their pitiable position of sinful depravity to a community of God’s covenant people. Believers were therefore previously dead in their trespasses. They were lost in sinful transgression and were alienated from a holy and righteous God until they received and accepted Christ’s atonement which was conveyed to them through the gospel. 

The statement in v.2 confirms that Paul’s reference to believers as previously dead in trespasses and sins is an allegorical phrase rather than a literal description. It is inconceivable that a literally dead sinner could be deemed to have “walked according to the course of this world” or even conducted themselves in the lusts of the flesh. The Pulpit Commentary rightly suggests that “a kind of life remained sufficient for walking; but not the true, full, normal life.” [see Pulpit Commentary on Ephesians 2:1-10].

Paul further observes that believers were rescued from the dominion of Satan, here described as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (v.2). Satan is elsewhere described as “the god of this world” who blinds the minds of the disobedient (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

The status of the believers’ previous life of sinfulness under the kingdom of darkness is illustrated in v.3. They conducted themselves in the lusts of the flesh, and were therefore justly classified as children of wrath until Christ graciously saved them. They were part of sinful men who were deserving of God’s righteous condemnation. 

Elsewhere in Scripture, some of the imagery employed to describe the sinners’ condition include blindness (2 Cor. 4:3-4) and slavery to sin (Romans 6:7). Sinners are also projected as lovers of darkness (John 3:19-20); sick (Mark 2:17) and lost (Luke 15). That is exactly where we all were before we met Christ. Those who are presently trapped in sinful bondage and can be allegorically described as spiritually dead. They too require to be rescued from their moral depravity. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful enough to draw every sinner into conviction of sin. This affords them an opportunity to turn to Christ and receive the forgiveness of sin. 2 Peter 3:9 says "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (NKJV). God does not forcibly save sinners against their will. He has granted all men a free will response to His saving grace. 

God desires that all sinners should come to Christ. His atonement in Christ is potentially unlimited. If all sinners were to turn to Christ, God's saving grace would be sufficient cover them all! However, God's grace unapplied saves no one. Contrary to theories advanced by deterministic soteriology groups, no sinners were predestined to eternal damnation in the lake of fire. 

God has extended His saving grace to all sinners through the gospel of Jesus Christ without any prior distinction or discrimination. The sinner's response to the gospel is what ultimately separates sinners from saints. 

We should therefore take the gospel to the lost so that God may rescue them from their bondage of sin through His saving grace. The sinner's response to the gospel is what ultimately counts (John 3:16-18; Acts 2:37-38, 16:30-31).

Have you accepted God's saving grace in Christ? 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026