Revelation 18 Study Guide

April 18, 2025 — 2 Comments

I have studied Revelation 18 intensively at various times in the past ten years or so. The following study guide displays some of the ways that I have recently examined the passage.

In the guide, the superscripts after a word on its first occurrence in the passage show that the word (or a closely related word) occurs more than once in the passage. For example, the first occurrence of “angel” in the passage is in the first verse, and the only other occurrence is in verse 21.

The different font colors have the following significance:

(1) Orange refers to heaven, heavenly beings, and God’s people

(2) Red refers to Babylon

(3) Purple refers to demons or demonic activities

(4) Green refers to the various groups of unrighteous people spoken of in the passage

(5) Blue refers to words concerning sin

(6) Pink refers to future tense verbs (in the English translation) as shown by the repeated occurrences of “shall.”

The words that I have underlined bring out additionally the repeated occurrences of certain selected words or phrases.

Revelation 18

1 And after these things I saw another angel21 come down from heaven,4, 5, 20
having great power; and the earth3, 9, 11, 23 was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice,4, 22, 23 saying,
Babylon10, 21 the great10, 16, 18, 19, 21 is fallen, is fallen,
and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit,
and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations23 have drunk of the wine13 of the wrath of her4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 20, 24 fornication,3,9
and the kings9 of the earth have committed fornication9 with her,
and the merchants11, 15, 17, 23 of the earth are waxed rich15 through the abundance of her delicacies.

 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins,5
and that ye receive not of her plagues.8
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven,
and God8, 20 hath remembered her iniquities.

6 Reward her even as she7, 8, 19 rewarded you,
and double unto her double according to her works:
in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously9,
so much torment10, 15 and sorrow give her:
for she saith in her heart,
I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day,
death, and mourning, and famine;
and she shall be utterly burned with fire:9,18
for strong is the Lord God who judgeth10, 20 her.

9 And the kings of the earth,
who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her,
shall bewail her, and lament for her,
when they shall see the smoke18 of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying,
Alas, alas,16, 19 that great city10, 16, 18, 19, 21 Babylon, that mighty city!
for in one hour17 is thy judgment come.

11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep15, 19 and mourn over her;
for no man buyeth their merchandise12 any more:

12 The merchandise of gold,16 and silver, and precious stones,16 and of pearls,16
and fine linen,16 and purple,16 and silk, and scarlet,16
and all thyine wood,
and all manner vessels of ivory,
and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense,
and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat,
and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots,
and slaves, and souls of men.

14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee,22, 23
and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee,
and thou shalt find them no more at all.

15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich19 by her,
shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,19
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city,
that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet,
and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour19 so great riches is come to nought.

And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships,19 and sailors,
and as many as trade by sea,19, 21 stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying,
What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying,
Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!
for in one hour is she made desolate.

20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets;24
for God hath avenged you on her.

21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying,
Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down,
and shall be found no more at all.

22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters,
shall be heard no more at all in thee;
and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee;
and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee;
and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee:

for thy merchants were the great men of the earth;
for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Esteeming One Day above Another Is the Right Position

April 6, 2025 — Leave a comment

At least 8 lines of biblical evidence support holding that the right position for a believer to hold is to esteem one day above another.

Seventh Day – The End of the Creation Week

At the Creation, God uniquely blessed and set apart one day above the other six days of the week:

Genesis 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

 At the end of the Creation week, therefore, it was impossible to validly hold that esteeming all days “alike” was a right position for a believer to hold. Esteeming one day above the others was the right position.

Seventh Day – The Sabbath

God uniquely set apart the seventh day as His special day for His special people Israel:

Exodus 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. . . . 11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Isaiah 58:13  If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14  Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Subsequent to the Creation, therefore, and until the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, it was impossible to validly hold that esteeming all days “alike” was a right position for a believer to hold. Esteeming one day above another was the right position.

First Day – The Resurrection of Christ

God raised His Christ from the dead on the first day of the week:

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

His doing so made that day distinctively special as the day that He had made:

Psalm 118:22-24 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

No believer, therefore, can validly hold that the first day of the week is not any more special than any other days of the week. The right position is to esteem one day above another.

First Day – The Resurrection Appearances of Christ

Not only did God raise His Christ from the dead on the first day of the week, but also, He showed (Acts 10:40) to many credible witnesses on that very day that His Christ had risen bodily and was alive after He had died:

Mark 16:9  Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

John 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

John 20:26  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

No believer, therefore, can validly hold that the first day of the week is not any more special than any other days of the week. Esteeming one day above another is the right position.

First Day – The Beginning of the Church

God birthed the Church on the first day of the week on the day of Pentecost:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. . . 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. . . . 47 And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

He thus made the first day of the week distinctive in a way that was not true of any of the other days of the week.

No believer, therefore, can validly hold that the first day of the week is not any more special than any other days of the week. The right position is to esteem one day above another.

First Day – Pauline Practice

The Spirit inspired Luke to write that Paul was with the believers in Troas for seven days (Acts 20:6) and then met with them for corporate worship on the first day of the week:

Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Paul’s uniquely authoritative apostolic example (cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 11:1) in this regard shows that no believer can validly hold that the first day of the week was not any more important than any other day of the week. Esteeming one day above another is the right position.

First Day – Pauline Command

Paul commanded believers in multiple churches in more than one region to do an important religious activity on the first day of the week:

1 Corinthians 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

His doing so proves that Paul esteemed the first day of the week above the other days of the week as the day on which the believers had to engage in that activity.

His apostolic command for a special religious activity on the first day of the week shows that it is impossible to validly hold that a believer must esteem all days “alike.” The right position is to esteem one day above another.

The Lord’s Day

The Spirit inspired the apostle John to write of his being in the Spirit on a day that uniquely belonged to the Lord:

Rev. 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

This revelation shows that there was one day that God esteemed above the others as uniquely being His day.

No believer, therefore, can validly hold that all days are to be esteemed “alike.” Esteeming one day above another is the right position.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Top 50 Posts with the Most Views on My Blog

March 29, 2025 — Leave a comment

Here are the top 50 posts with the most views ever on my blog:

Rank Title Views
1 Did Solomon Repent Before He Died? 46346
2 The Ten Longest Chapters in Scripture (by Total Number of Words) 36498
3 Nine Reasons Why Solomon Did Not Perish Eternally 34002
4 Home page / Archives 16929
5 The Ten* Longest Verses in the Bible 15055
6 Did King Josiah Die Out of the Will of God? 12061
7 Prayer for a Scammer 11726
8 Striking Parallels between Jesus and Stephen 10901
9 ‘God is My Judge’ 10643
10 The Biblical Importance of a Proper Burial 9686
11 The “Problem of Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch?” 9129
12 Top Ten Bible Chapters by Number of Verses 9127
13 Three Reasons Why Cremation is Unbiblical 5329
14 25 Parallels between Genesis 1-4 and Revelation 19-22 5298
15 The Biblical Importance of The Harp 5025
16 The “Sabbath Psalms” 4756
17 A Study of Whom God Refers to by Saying, “My Servant” 4498
18 The Importance of 1 Samuel 16:14-23 for a Sound Theology of Music 4065
19 Is God’s Blessing of the Rechabites for Abstaining from Alcohol Relevant for the Contemporary Alcohol Debate? 3761
20 A Widespread, False Assertion about Corinthian Prostitutes and Paul’s Teaching about Head Coverings 3758
21 Two Biblical Greetings That Are Worth Using 3263
22 Beware the Temporary Pleasures of Sin! 2910
23 Twelve Facts about the Biblical Importance of Music 2885
24 The Autobiography of Dr. Frank Watson Garlock 2646
25 Schedule for Reading through the Psalms in a Week 2619
26 Did Boaz and Ruth Fornicate on the Night Before They Were Married? 2436
27 The Wilds Songbook: Eight Edition 2222
28 About Rajesh Gandhi 2166
29 Will Jesus Raise You Up at the Last Day? 1943
30 “Play Skillfully with a Loud Noise!” 1868
31 Scripture Does Not Say, “A rock in bad hands killed Abel.” 1762
32 How Numbers 11:17 Helps Us Understand How to Bear One Another’s Burdens” 1748
33 Hebrews 11 and the Eternal Destiny of Solomon 1721
34 Basic Greek Prepositions Pie Chart 1701
35 Christian Health/Fitness Quotes I 1551
36 How “Inventors of Evil Things” (Rom. 1:30) Applies to Our Assessment of Certain Musical Styles 1432
37 Speed Listening and Reading the Bible 1308
38 Solomon’s Unique Throne 1302
39 Is Your All on the Altar? 1286
40 Beware of Being Ensnared by the Eyes of Ungodly Women! 1269
41 The Gospel Importance of Acts 10:38 1235
42 Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM 1225
43 Guitar Music for “Praise Him, All Ye Little Children” 1222
44 Two Striking Facts about The Use of Psalms in the Book of Revelation! 1167
45 On The Importance of Greeting One Another 1120
46 Contact 1111
47 New Book by Shelly Hamilton about CCM 1106
48 Overcoming Potential Bias in Our Doctrine and Practice 1088
49 The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David 1087
50 Music 1065

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Ministry
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How Acts 2:46-47 and Acts 20:7 Help Explain Romans 14:5

March 28, 2025

Through my ongoing study of Romans 14:5, I recently wrote the following on a post on Sharper Iron about how Acts 2:46-47 and Acts 20:7 help explain Romans 14:5.

Comparing Acts 2:46-47 with Romans 14:5b and Acts 20:6-7 with Romans 14:5a shows the direct correspondence between these passages, respectively. Right after Pentecost, the Church was meeting every day for corporate worship:

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Romans 14:5b another esteemeth every day alike.

Later, however, we see that their practice was different:

Acts 20:6-7 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Romans 14:5a One man esteemeth one day above another:

Even though Paul and whoever else “we” in Acts 20:6 refers to were in Troas for seven days, Acts 20:7 reveals that they met on the first day of the week. Here, Scripture plainly shows apostolic practice that points to the special esteem and regard for corporate worship on the first day of the week.

The believers in Rome who held to the “every day alike” position supported their belief on information that they had received about the earliest practice of the Church. The other believers based their “one day above another” position on the later practice of Paul and others.

In such a situation of differing beliefs based on actual biblical information about differing, acceptable apostolic practice, the believers who held these differing positions were to be convinced in their own minds about which position to follow.

This approach is the only understanding [of the differing positions in Romans 14:5] that commends itself to me at this time.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exposition, Interpretation, Theology
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Finished Singing through the Psalms Word-for-Word!

March 20, 2025

Last year on August 19, I began singing through the Psalms word-by-word. I did not use any written music or musical accompaniment to do so.

I freely varied my pitches, rhythm, tempo, and volume with which I sang the words of the Psalms. My goal was to not allow any such considerations to hinder or stop me from singing through each Psalm.

I also did not allow any other predetermined musicological considerations to limit my singing, such as using words that rhyme or singing the whole Psalm in the same key. I did so because such things almost certainly were not part of the singing of the Psalms as they were sung by those to whom God first gave the Psalms.

Because of its length, I broke up Psalm 119 by singing each 8-verse section on successive days. In the future, I may try to sing through the whole Psalm at one time.

On March 15 of this year, I finished my first time singing through every word of the book of Psalms! I praise and thank God for directing me to sing through His perfect hymnal and for granting me grace to finish doing so!

As God directs, I intend to sing through the book of Psalms word-for-word many more times in whatever years of life God sees fit to allow me to have in the future. I hope to do so both in English and in Spanish in the years to come.

Psalm 104:33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 146:2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Salmo 104:33 A Jehová cantaré en mi vida; A mi Dios cantaré salmos mientras viva.

Salmo 146:2 Alabaré a Jehová en mi vida; Cantaré salmos a mi Dios mientras viva.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Music
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How Pie Charts Help in Properly Applying Romans 14:1-2 to the Issue of How Many “Genres” of Instrumental Music are Acceptable to God for Use in Corporate Worship

March 14, 2025

I have been studying Romans 14 a lot lately. Recently, I got the idea of using pie charts to help us better understand and apply the teaching of Romans 14 about key differing viewpoints among Christians to the key issue of how many “genres” of instrumental music are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

The charts in this post are possible representations of the differing viewpoints that Paul addresses in this chapter. I am not claiming that the details of these charts are necessarily exactly in keeping with what the passage reveals because it seems that there are some uncertainties about the specifics of his teaching.

Eat All Things or Eat Herbs?

The first differing viewpoint that Paul presents concerns what Christians believe that they may eat:

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Many seem to understand this teaching by Paul to mean what the following diagrams show:

Romans 14:2a For one believeth that he may eat all things:

Romans 14:2b another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

They hold that what Paul says indicates that some believe that they should partake of all things while others who are “weak in the faith” believe that they should only partake of a specified subset of all things that the others believe that they may eat.

A careful comparison of this teaching by Paul with other revelation in Scripture, however, shows that this understanding is faulty. Neither the ones who eat “all things” nor those who eat (only) “herbs,” in reality, eat the following:

Plant and animal products that are poisonous to humans, such as poisonous berries and mushrooms (cf. the inability to eat poisonous stew [2 Kings 4:40]);

Human flesh (Deut. 28:57), eating blood (Lev. 17:10; Acts 15:20), or eating “things strangled (Acts 15:20);

Things known to have been offered to idols (Rev. 2:14);

Things that God did not create for humans to eat (thorns and thistles [Gen. 3:18]; grass [Ps. 104:14; Dan. 4]).

Taking into account these things that strong believers do not eat shows us that the correct understanding of “eat all things” in Romans 14:2 is the following:

Application

Romans 14:2 does not teach that strong believers eat all things in the sense that they eat all plant and animal products without any exceptions. There are many plant and animal products that are unfit for human consumption as foodstuffs—not consuming those things does not mean that one is “weak in the faith” (Rom. 14:1).

Many believers use Paul’s teaching in Romans 14:2 about strong believers eating “all things” to claim that teaching supports holding that all “genres” of instrumental music are acceptable to God for strong believers to use in corporate worship. Romans 14:2 does not support holding that viewpoint about the use of all “genres” of instrumental music in corporate worship because Romans 14:2 does not teach that strong believers eat all plant and animal products without exception.

Using Romans 14:2 as support for believing that believers who reject the use of certain “genres” of instrumental music in corporate worship are “weak in the faith” is a misinterpretation and misapplication of Scripture. A proper understanding of the teaching of Romans 14:1-2 and a proper application of that teaching shows that it is not true that Scripture supports holding that the use of all “genres” of instrumental music in corporate worship is acceptable to God.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Music, Theology
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What “Eateth All Things” in Romans 14:1-2 Does Not Establish

February 28, 2025

The following excerpt from my most recent post in a thread on Sharper Iron explains plainly what “eateth all things” in Romans 14:1-2 does not establish:

Scripture reveals that God created plant substances that He did not provide as food for humans, but they nonetheless are plant substances that humans can ingest.

Psalm 104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

In fact, God punished Nebuchadnezzar by making him to eat grass that was for oxen and not humans:

Daniel 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

Some may try to argue against this point by setting forth that there are many grasses that are edible for humans. Even so, that does not change the fact that there are many that are not and never were intended to be food for humans.

Similarly, God’s punishment on man after the Fall included the following:

Genesis 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

This revelation contrasts the herb of the field that God commanded man to eat with the thorns and thistles that the ground would also bring forth. The implication is that God did not cause the ground to bring forth these thorns and thistles as food for humans. . . .

These biblical considerations . . . establish that God never intended eats “all things” in Romans 14:1-2 to be taken in any sort of unqualifiedly universal sense even for the eating of plant and animal products as foodstuffs in ordinary eating and drinking.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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Additional Biblical Evidence concerning Honey and the Teaching of Romans 14

February 20, 2025

In my previous post, I treated many passages concerning the biblical revelation about honey and the teaching of Romans 14. At least 19 additional verses in Scripture beyond the ones that I treated previously highlight the importance of honey in Scripture distinctively by speaking of God’s promise to bring His people into a land that flowed with milk and honey:

Exod. 3:8  And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Exod. 3:17  And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

Exod. 13:5  And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

Exod. 33:3  Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

Lev. 20:24  But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

Num. 13:27  And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

Num. 14:8  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Num. 16:14  Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

Deut. 6:3  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deut. 11:9  And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deut. 26:9  And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deut. 26:15  Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deut. 27:3  And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

Deut. 31:20  For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

Jos. 5:6  For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Jer. 11:5  That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.

Jer. 32:22  And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;

Ezek. 20:6  In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

Ezek. 20:15  Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

What’s more, Ezekiel 20:6 and 20:15 underscore that importance profoundly through revealing the divine declaration that the land that flowed with milk and honey that God spied out and promised that He would give them was the glory of all lands“!

Through direct divine declaration, we thus learn that God Himself made known that the Promised Land was glorious in His estimation above all other lands and that divinely extolled land was a land that flowed with honey.

We must carefully consider the relevance of this additional evidence in determining a right “understanding of what Romans 14 teaches about strong believers being the ones who ‘eats all things.'”

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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“Biblical Revelation about Honey and the Teaching of Romans 14”

February 18, 2025

My latest post in my thread on Sharper Iron concerning foods, days, worship music, and the teaching of Romans 14:

“To further probe the teaching of Romans 14 concerning those who eat “all things” as being strong believers, examining what Scripture reveals about honey provides a biblical basis for establishing some relevant considerations.

A. Divinely provided use of honey as a foodstuff

Deut. 32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;

Ps. 81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

B. Divinely approved use of honey as a foodstuff

Prov. 24:13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

Prov. 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

Isa. 7:15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

C. Prohibited consumption of honey [from an unacceptable source] as a foodstuff

Jdg. 14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

Jdg. 14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

D. Divine revelation warning against intemperate consumption of honey as a foodstuff

Prov. 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

Prov. 25:27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

E. Divinely prohibited use of honey in worship

Lev. 2:11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

F. Sinful use of honey in idolatrous worship

Ezek. 16:19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

How do these biblical points about honey inform our understanding of what Romans 14 teaches about strong believers being the ones who eat ‘all things’?”

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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“What Does Romans 14 Teach about Foods, Days, and Worship Music?”

February 15, 2025

I started a new discussion thread on Sharper Iron recently: “What Does Romans 14 Teach about Foods, Days, and Worship Music?” If you are interested in learning more about this subject, I encourage you to follow the discussion on Sharper Iron.

Below is my opening post in that thread.

I have been studying Romans 14 a lot lately. In this thread, I am interested in intensively exegetical and theological discussion about what Romans 14 teaches about foods, days, and worship music.

Paul begins his teaching by saying the following:

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Paul speaks of some who believe that they may “eat all things,” but others who are “weak in the faith” eat herbs. A sound handling of this teaching requires careful, thorough, biblical probing of this teaching.

When Paul says that some believe that they may eat all things, what is Paul actually teaching? To begin to answer this question properly, it is necessary to point out what Paul is not teaching.

When Paul says that some believe that may eat all things, he is not teaching that those who are not weak in the faith believe that they may eat all plant and animal substances whatever they may be, including even things that are known to be poisonous or otherwise unfit for human consumption as foods.

The teaching of Romans 14:1-2 does not show that Christians who do not eat plant and animal substances that are poisonous, etc. for human consumption are weak in the faith. Being strong “in the faith” does not entail that you believe that you may partake even of poisonous berries, mushrooms, etc.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Exposition, Interpretation, Music, Theology
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