Introduction: The Lost Virtue of Obedience

The modern church talks much about grace, favor, and blessing—but seldom about obedience. Notwithstanding, from Genesis to Revelation, the Word of God presents obedience as the foundation of faith, the evidence of love, and the mark of true discipleship. To cultivate obedience in our daily lives, we can start by reading and meditating on God’s Word, praying for the strength to obey, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In the Great Commission, Jesus did not merely say, “Go and preach.” He commanded:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 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.” (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV)

The Great Commission begins and ends with obedience—obeying Christ’s authority and teaching others to follow His commandments. Yet this has become the most neglected aspect of Christian faith. Many profess Christ, but few walk in submission to His Word.

Throughout Scripture, obedience is never optional; it is the proof of love and the evidence of faith. Jesus said plainly:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15, NKJV)

Disobedience is rebellion. It is the sin that turned angels into demons and paradise into wilderness.

This article explores the power, beauty, and necessity of obedience, drawing from Old Testament examples that reveal both the blessings and the curse of rebellion.

1. Obedience: The True Measure of Faith

Faith without obedience is dead. The Bible defines faith not merely as belief, but as action upon God’s Word. Hebrews 11—the “Hall of Faith”—is also a “Hall of Obedience.”

Abraham: Obedience of Faith

“By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place that he would receive as an inheritance.” And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8, NKJV)

Abraham’s greatness was not in his wealth or title, but in his obedience. When God told him to leave his homeland, he departed without question. When God commanded him to offer Isaac, he rose early in the morning and went. (Genesis 22:1–3)

The angel of the Lord declared:

“Because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you…” (Genesis 22:16-17, NKJV)

Abraham’s obedience unlocked the covenant of blessing that continues to affect nations today. Faithful obedience has a generational impact, underscoring the importance of preserving our actions for future generations.

2. Moses: The Cost of Partial Obedience

Moses was one of the most outstanding leaders in Scripture, yet even he learned that disobedience—however small—has consequences.

God asked Moses to speak to the rock so that water might come forth. Instead, Moses struck the rock in anger. Numbers 20:7–12 (NKJV) records:

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.'”

Partial obedience is disobedience. Moses’s action seemed minor compared to his years of service, but God’s holiness demands complete obedience.

The lesson: serving God faithfully for years cannot excuse one act of rebellion. God delights not in performance but in submission.

3. Saul: “Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice”

No verse summarizes God’s view of obedience more than 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV):

“So Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.'”

King Saul had been commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all they possessed utterly. Yet he spared their king and the best livestock, claiming it was for sacrifice. God rejected his excuse—and his kingship.

Saul’s tragedy reveals that religious activity cannot substitute for obedience. The modern church often repeats Saul’s error—singing, giving, and serving, yet ignoring the plain commandments of Christ.

4. Noah: Obedience in a World of Disobedience

When the entire world rebelled against God, one man obeyed.

“Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Genesis 6:22, NKJV)

Noah’s obedience saved his family and preserved the human race. God gave specific instructions for building the ark, and Noah followed them precisely—no adjustments, no shortcuts. His obedience was total, detailed, and enduring.

Obedience often looks foolish to the world but is wisdom in God’s sight. The same is true today. As society mocks righteousness, God still searches for men and women who will “do according to all that He commands.”

5. Joshua: Obedience Leads to Victory

When Moses died, God charged Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land with one condition—obedience to the Word.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then, you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” (Joshua 1:8, NKJV)

Joshua’s victories—Jericho, Ai, and beyond—were rooted in obedience. He did not rely on military strategy but divine instruction. When Israel disobeyed, as in the case of Achan’s sin (Joshua 7), defeat followed swiftly.

Every fall of the modern church mirrors this: victory comes through obedience; defeat comes through rebellion. We can ensure success and victory in our spiritual journey by obeying.

6. Daniel: Obedience in Exile

When the decree was signed forbidding prayer to anyone except the king, Daniel chose obedience to God over compliance with men.

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home… and he knelt on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as had been his custom since early days.” (Daniel 6:10, NKJV)

Daniel’s obedience landed him in the lions’ den—but also in God’s miraculous protection. The lions could not devour an obedient man.

God still honors those who stand firm in obedience even when culture, politics, or law demands compromise.

7. Elijah: Obedience That Calls Down Fire

Elijah’s ministry was marked by precise obedience. Each time, the Word of the Lord came, and he acted without hesitation.

“And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Get away from here and turn eastward…’ So he went and did according to the Word of the Lord.” (1 Kings 17:2–5, NKJV)

When Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, his confidence came not from pride but from obedience. After soaking the altar with water, he prayed:

“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” (1 Kings 18:37, NKJV)

Fire fell. Revival came. Obedience always precedes the power of God.

8. The Blessing of Obedience

God never demands obedience without promising a reward. Deuteronomy 28:1–2 (NKJV) declares:

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe all His commandments… that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

The entire chapter lists blessings—prosperity, protection, victory, abundance—but all rest on one condition: obedience.

By contrast, the rest of Deuteronomy 28 warns of curses that result from disobedience—poverty, disease, defeat, and despair. The choice has never changed: “See, I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

9. The Example of Christ: Perfect Obedience

Even the Son of God submitted Himself to the Father’s will.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8, NKJV)

Jesus’ obedience purchased our redemption. Through His submission, He reversed Adam’s rebellion. In Romans 5:19 (NKJV), Paul explains:

“By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

The Cross was not a display of power alone—it was the ultimate act of obedience. Every disciple of Jesus is called to follow that same path:

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23, NKJV)

10. Disobedience: The Root of Modern Rebellion

The tragedy of our generation is that many claim Christ as Savior but reject Him as Lord. They want His forgiveness without His authority, His promises without His precepts.

The same rebellious spirit that ousted Saul from power in Israel is present here. It is disobedience in a church that hears the Word but does not do it.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, NKJV)

Every rebellion begins with a small compromise. Eve listened to another voice. Saul spared what God condemned. Moses spoke about what he was asked to talk about. Minor acts of disobedience become significant departures from the truth.

When obedience fades, worship becomes noise, and holiness becomes mockery.

11. The Reward of the Obedient

Scripture repeatedly declares that obedience leads to divine favor:

• Isaiah 1:19: “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the fruits of the land.”
• Psalm 119:60: “I made haste, and did not delay keeping Your commandments.”
• John 15:10: “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

Those who obey walk in continual fellowship with God. Obedience is not bondage—it is freedom from sin’s dominion.

12. The Church’s Call Back to Obedience

The revival this generation needs will not come through music, programs, or emotion—it will come through repentance and obedience. God is calling His people to return to the simplicity of “doing all that He has commanded.”

Jesus said, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things that I say?” (Luke 6:46, NKJV).

Obedience is not optional—it is the proof of discipleship. A church that prays but does not obey cannot move heaven.

As in the days of Noah, obedience will separate the faithful from the perishing. As in the days of Elijah, obedience will call down fire once more. Just as it did in the days of the apostles, obedience will once again transform the world.

Conclusion: The Command Still Stands

The Great Commission remains Christ’s final command and the church’s most significant omission—“teaching them to obey all things I have commanded you.”

True revival begins when believers rediscover the power of obedience. It is the missing ingredient of holiness, the forgotten key to authority, and the actual evidence of love.

Let every believer echo the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

Let every church return to the cry of Samuel:

“Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

And may the modern church awaken to the truth that obedience is not old-fashioned—it is eternal.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

“Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice” is a fundamental principle and a cornerstone of the Christian faith that the modern church has overlooked but remains an essential and authentic expression of Christ’s love and an accurate representation of discipleship.

One Day soon, God will shut the door again—this time not to protect from rain, but to separate the righteous from the ungodly forever. Therefore, let every believer rise from slumber. Let every church return to holiness. Let every preacher cry aloud and spare not. The coming of the Lord is near. The voice of warning still echoes across the ages: “Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44 NKJV)

Introduction: A Prophetic Echo Through Time

When Jesus Christ spoke of His return, He did not choose vague imagery or philosophical metaphor. Instead, He pointed His listeners to a specific, historical era—the days of Noah. In Matthew 24:37-39 (NKJV), the Lord declared:

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the Day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

With these words, Jesus unveiled a divine pattern: history repeats itself. The spiritual climate of Noah’s time would re-emerge before His second coming. Once again, humanity would plunge into rebellion, apathy, and moral darkness, oblivious to the impending judgment.

This article examines that prophetic comparison in full—how it mirrors our generation, what the apostles later revealed about the last days, and how Old Testament stories of disobedience serve as solemn warnings for today’s church.

The Days of Noah: A Civilization Drowning in Sin

To understand Jesus’ warning, we must revisit the world that existed before the flood. In Genesis 6:5–8 (NKJV), Scripture paints a chilling portrait:

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth… But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.'”

Five key characteristics marked the days of Noah:

1. Moral corruption—wickedness was pervasive; sin had saturated every level of human thought and behavior.
2. Spiritual blindness—Though Noah preached righteousness for decades (2 Peter 2:5), the world mocked his message.
3. Defiance against God—Mankind rejected divine authority and lived without reverence.
4. Indifference to warning—The people continued in daily pleasures—eating, drinking, and marrying—without fear of the approaching flood.
5. Sudden judgment—When the flood came, it was unexpected. Life went on as usual until divine wrath broke forth.

In these five signs, we find an almost perfect reflection of the modern age. The 21st-century world, too, boasts of progress but drowns in rebellion. Truth is mocked, righteousness despised, and godliness dismissed as obsolete. As in Noah’s time, divine patience is being tested.

The Ark of Obedience: Noah’s Example of Faith

While the earth was corrupt, one man stood apart. Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV) declares:

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Noah’s faith was not passive. It was active obedience. He believed God’s warning and acted accordingly, constructing an ark even when rain had never yet fallen upon the earth. The world ridiculed him, but his steadfast obedience became the dividing line between salvation and destruction.

So it is today. Christ is the true Ark. Those who believe, repent, and enter Him by faith will be saved when judgment falls. Acts 4:12 reminds us:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Comparison: Then and Now

When Jesus likened His coming to the days of Noah, He was not describing the flood itself, but the moral atmosphere before it. Society was prosperous, self-indulgent, and utterly unaware of impending judgment.

Our world mirrors that pattern. We live in an age of technological marvels and moral collapse. Sin is rebranded as freedom; disobedience is celebrated as progress. The family structure—”marrying and giving in marriage”—is distorted, and the sacred covenant of marriage has been defiled. Violence, lust, greed, and pride dominate global culture.

Our generation, similar to the pre-flood era, disregards the plea for change. People say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4). However, as Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:9-10 (NKJV):

“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. But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…”

The Apostolic Warnings: Perilous Times Shall Come

Paul’s Prophecy

The Apostle Paul accurately characterized our generation in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV):

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Every phrase of this passage echoes our modern reality—narcissism, greed, rebellion, violence, and the counterfeit church that holds the outward form of godliness but denies its transforming power.

Paul warned not only of moral decline but also of a spiritual counterfeit—religion without repentance. It is the appearance of faith without the cross, sermons without Scripture, and churches without holiness.

Peter’s Reminder

Peter, too, recalled the generation of Noah. 1 Peter 3:20 (NKJV) says:

“…who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”

God’s patience is extraordinary. For more than a century, while Noah built the ark, judgment was withheld. Yet when the time came, His justice was swift. The same pattern is unfolding now—grace extended, repentance offered, but time running out.

Lessons from Old Testament Disobedience

To understand divine judgment, we must also examine how rebellion operated throughout Israel’s history. The Old Testament is a record of God’s holiness confronting human defiance.

The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

In Numbers 16, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rose against Moses, questioning his authority:

“They gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?'” (Numbers 16:3 NKJV)

Their challenge was not merely against Moses—it was against God’s established order. The result was catastrophic:

“Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up…” (Numbers 16:31–32 NKJV)

This act of judgment stands as a vivid warning that defiance against God’s leadership and truth brings destruction. The same spirit of rebellion—the refusal to submit to divine authority—is widespread today, both in the world and, tragically, in parts of the church.

Israel’s Repeated Disobedience

Despite witnessing God’s miracles in Egypt and the wilderness, Israel repeatedly rebelled. Psalm 78:10–11 (NKJV) laments:

“They did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them.”

And in Hebrews 3:16-19 (NKJV), the writer warns believers using Israel’s example:

“For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Their unbelief barred them from the Promised Land—just as unbelief today will bar many from entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Pattern of Disobedience: From Eden to the End

From Adam’s fall in the Garden to the corruption of Noah’s world, to the murmuring in the wilderness, and the apostasy of the last days—the storyline is one of repeated rebellion against God’s Word. However, in every generation, God raises a remnant who obey, believe, and walk with Him.

In Noah’s Day, it was one family. In Moses’ Day, it was Joshua and Caleb. In Elijah’s time, it was seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal. Today, it is the faithful church—the Bride preparing herself for her soon-coming King.

Romans 15:4 (NKJV) reminds us:

“For whatever things were written before, they were written for our learning, so that we, through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.”

These stories are not relics; they are prophetic blueprints.

Living in the Modern “Days of Noah”

What does this mean for believers now? It means that the same conditions that preceded the flood now surround us:

• Moral perversion has become entertainment.
• Violence fills the earth, whether through war, abortion, or social hatred.
• Mockery of righteousness is applauded.
• Apathy toward eternity is widespread—even in the church.

But amid the darkness, God calls His people to live differently. Like Noah, we are to build the “ark” of obedience—our lives anchored in Christ. We are to warn others that the flood of judgment is coming, not of water this time, but of fire and final reckoning.

2 Peter 3:6-7 (NKJV) declares:

“…by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the Day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

The flood was water; the next judgment will be fire.

A Call to Wakefulness

In Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV), Jesus repeated the same warning:

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, and they were given in marriage, until the Day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot, even so will it be in the Day when the Son of Man is revealed.”

The message is clear: spiritual sleep leads to sudden destruction. The people of Noah’s Day did not stop living—they stopped listening. They ignored the preacher of righteousness and continued in pleasure until it was too late.

Modern Christianity’s sad state: the warnings are announced, but hearts are unchanged. Many sit in churches, hearing sermons but not repenting. They have “a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5).

The Hope Within the Warning

Yet even in judgment, God extends mercy. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 (NKJV) offers encouragement to believers:

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the Day. We belong to the Day and light. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”

Noah’s generation perished, but Noah lived because he walked with God (Genesis 6:9). Likewise, the flood of judgment will not overcome those who walk with Christ today.

The call is not to fear, but to faith—to return to holiness, reverence, and watchfulness.

Conclusion: The Final Call Before the Storm

The words of Jesus still ring like thunder over the modern world:

“As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37)

The signs are everywhere—violence, corruption, spiritual decay, and a world intoxicated with pleasure. Yet the door of the ark remains open. The Gospel is still being preached. Grace still flows.

But the door will not remain open forever. In Genesis 7:16 (NKJV), after Noah and his family entered the ark, it says simply:

“And the Lord shut him in.”

One Day soon, God will shut the door again—this time not to protect from rain, but to separate the righteous from the ungodly forever.

Therefore, let every believer rise from slumber. Let every church return to holiness. Let every preacher cry aloud and spare not. The coming of the Lord is near. The voice of warning still echoes across the ages:

“Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44 NKJV)

And just as it was in the days of Noah, so it is now.

May the faithful find grace in His eyes. May the disobedient awaken before the storm breaks. And may the world know—Jesus Christ is coming soon.

The current generation’s neglect of Christ’s teachings and the Bible within the church has created a spiritual environment reminiscent of the days of Noah.

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Can our prayers change the course of events in our lives?

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Prayer, as a spiritual discipline, requires time, effort, and consistency. The same goes for praying for your children.

This 30-day prayer guide I’ve put together can help you cultivate the daily habit of praying specifically and intentionally for the children in your life. Throughout my own journey of praying for my children and the children within our ministry, I have witnessed God directing their hearts toward His purpose of loving God and loving their neighbors as themselves. I’ve also found that God uses our prayers to form us parents to reflect more fully the image of Christ.

Prayer possesses the power to transform not only the lives of our children and ourselves but also the world around us for the glory of Jesus. I encourage you to take the next thirty days and pray for your children, using the following guide as prayer prompts. As in Jesus’ example of the “persistent widow,” you’ll find some prayers repeated below because they are worth bringing to God again and again. As you embark on these next thirty days and beyond, take heart—God is listening, and He is able and ready to do great things.

Day 1

Start off with a prayer of surrender. Pray that you completely surrender your children to the Lord, remembering that it is He who gave them to you and that He is using them to grow the Kingdom of God.

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.” (Psalm 127:3-5, NIV)

Day 2

Pray that your children would know how much God loves them.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1, NIV)

Commit to being an example of receiving God’s love and passing it along to others.

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“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”

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Day 3

Pray that your children become disciples.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, NIV)

Commit to being an example of a disciple of Jesus.

Day 4

Pray that your children are a joy for their teacher(s). Commit to being that example.

Day 5

Pray that your children develop a love and desire for God’s Word.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11, NIV)

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

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Day 6

Pray that your children are generous with all they have.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 7

Pray that your children are bold and stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NIV)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV)

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

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“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

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Day 8

Pray that your children are obedient to God and respectful of authority. Commit to being that example.

Day 9

Pray that God will show you what needs to change in your character in order to guide your children in the way of the Lord.

Day 10

Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the gift God has given you by allowing you to parent, and for trusting you to raise up children for His glory.

Day 11

Pray for the soft hearts toward God of church leaders (student ministers, youth volunteers) and school leaders (teachers, administration, and school staff) as they have influence in your children’s lives. Commit to being that example.

Day 12

Pray that your children grow in wisdom.

“And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.” (Luke 2:40, NIV)

Commit to being an example of wisdom and grace.

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“And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

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Day 13

Pray that your children develop a good reputation in their school and community.

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1, NIV)

Day 14

Pray that your children are bold and stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NIV)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV)

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

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“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

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Day 15

Pray about your role within the community (community activities, classroom, school, school district, etc.). Pray that God guides you in how you can be a light in a dark place.

Day 16

Pray that your children develop a strong desire to live a life pleasing to God.

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25, NIV)

“On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4, NIV)

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 17

Pray that your children discover their gifts, talents, and abilities and use them to point others to Jesus.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

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“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

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Day 18

Pray that your children are obedient to God and respectful of authority.

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” (Romans 13:1, NIV)

“If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 19

Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the gift God has given you by allowing you to parent, and for trusting you to raise up children for His glory.

Day 20

Pray that God will show you what needs to change in your character in order to guide your children in the way of the Lord.

Day 21

Pray that your children develop a strong prayer life.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

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“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

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Day 22

Pray that you will be a parent who seeks godly advice and desires wisdom.

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20, NIV)

Day 23

Pray that your children are godly influencers in this generation.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16, NIV)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

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“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

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Day 24

Pray for the friendships your children choose.

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 25

Pray that your children are hard workers.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 26

Pray that spiritual strongholds of the enemy are revealed and broken in your children’s lives.

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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

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Day 27

Pray that your children love Jesus more than anyone or anything else.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 28

Pray that your children will make disciples.

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20, NIV)

Commit to being that example.

Day 29

Pray a prayer of thankfulness for the gift God has given you by allowing you to parent, and for trusting you to raise up children for His glory.

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“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”

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Day 30

Pray a prayer of surrender. Pray that you completely surrender your children to the Lord, remembering that it is He who gave them to you to grow the Kingdom of God.

“Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.” (Psalm 127:4, NIV)

This fall marks the 75th anniversary of one of the most beloved classics of modern literature. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, written by C.S. Lewis and first published in 1950, continues to captivate readers of all ages around the world.

The youth organization Dare to Share is calling on young people across the world to rise up, share their faith, and bring hope to their generation. On November 8, millions of youth from churches, schools, and communities will participate in the Global Day of Youth Evangelism (DGYE)—a one-day event designed to equip and mobilize the next generation to boldly proclaim the Gospel.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the death toll has risen to at least 32 lives lost in Jamaica, where three-quarters of the island is without power. CBN's Operation Blessing is working to help those in need. From its base in Montego Bay, dozens of volunteers are cleaning up damage and debris, as well as bring much-needed relief. 

At a conference for pastors, Mark Dever invited his audience to turn for the Scripture reading to Psalm 119. He meant it. His reading of Scripture didn’t end until he’d read verse 176, the closing word of the last section.

Nobody who knew Dever at the time should have been overly surprised by this 176-verse Scripture reading and the exposition that followed. For more than a decade prior, Dever had, through his preaching ministry, practically expressed his commitment to the apostolic teaching of Scripture’s divine origin and power.

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made contains the record of one of the forms of the ministry of God’s Word. This book and its companion, The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept, provide substantial evidence of the way Dever, longtime pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, is committed to the centrality of Scripture in the life of the church. Each chapter presents an expository sermon devoted to a book of the Old Testament. This volume’s republication testifies to its tested worth and reflects the appreciation accorded to it in the almost two decades since it first saw the light of day.

Reviving the Soul

The Message of the Old Testament is a monumental accomplishment—extending as it does to more than a thousand pages. But if anything, the quantity of these expositions is surpassed by their quality. Each chapter contains an introduction to a book in the Old Testament canon. Far from giving us more background information than we can handle, Dever wisely tells us only what we need to know to understand the book’s message—which he also clearly articulates.

This volume’s republication testifies to its tested worth and reflects the appreciation accorded to it in the almost two decades since it first saw the light of day.

Moreover, in surveying each book, he makes insightful, always relevant applications, so that the expositions vibrate with the searching and convicting power of God’s Word. The result is that as we read, we feel that Scripture is being handled the way God intended it to be—yes, “for teaching” to inform the mind but also for “rebuking” and “correction” as it touches our lives, warming our affections toward the Lord, restoring what has become deformed, and in the process training us up as children of God who are better equipped to serve him (2 Tim. 3:16).

Dever does all this with a deep awareness that the Old Testament Scriptures point us to Christ—without (as sometimes happens) treating the text as though it were little more than an allegory of what was still to come in the incarnation and had no significance for the saints of the old covenant.

Rather, as in the Old Testament itself, in these pages we encounter men and women with real lives who face real challenges, experience sharp and painful conflicts, commit serious sins—and yet like Noah find “favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Gen. 6:8) even if they didn’t live to taste the full blessing of new covenant life in Christ.

Thus, The Message of the Old Testament introduces us to people with real spiritual understanding and genuine love for God as well as faith in his longest-standing, most-opposed, and hardest-to-keep promise of the seed to come who would bring salvation. All this is offered to us here in an energetic style enhanced by illustrations drawn from history and literature and presented in a way as pleasing as it is relevant.

Making Wise the Simple

One of the strengths of The Message of the Old Testament lies in the variety of ways it can be used. Of course, it can be read in the way we usually read books—page by page, chapter by chapter.

But my feeling is that you may gain more from it if you ration out its chapters over an extended period of time, one chapter at a time, allowing yourself the leisure to glance through the biblical book on which the chapter is based. A measured approach allows this volume to work its way into your memory banks and creates the space for it to have a lasting effect on your life.

This is also a book ideally suited to be used in a reading group, Bible study group, or Sunday school class. I can envision people gathering regularly just to read the book aloud to each other. (Since, like much of the Old Testament, the book’s contents were originally spoken aloud, its full force is best felt that way.) No doubt such a corporate experience of reading and listening will lead naturally to reflection and discussion. And since each chapter includes discussion questions, the book is tailored to this purpose.

The Message of the Old Testament introduces us to people with real spiritual understanding and genuine love for God.

But there’s one more context in which I believe The Message of the Old Testament can be used with great profit—in daily family devotions.

Granted, it’ll take forethought on the part of a parent to divide each chapter into appropriate bite-size pieces to be read, say, after the evening meal, perhaps one chapter per week. But scanning each chapter and making some judicious pencil marks to indicate a five-, six-, or sevenfold division will take only a few minutes, and the benefits to the family may be lifelong.

In an age of staggering biblical ignorance, knowledge is power of a good kind. And the experience of natural, happy, and yet challenging family conversations stimulated by God’s Word will surely never be forgotten by our children.

Enduring Forever

It seems that every decade or so, someone in the evangelical subculture suggests some new method or technique, some new model of church life, that will bring success. Decade after decade, the latest fad fades and gives way to another.

Bucking this trend, Dever has demonstrated by word and example that there’s a God-given way to grow as a Christian and to build God’s church. It’s simply the good old way applied and expressed to new times—just as our spiritual forefathers wrote:

The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners; of driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto Christ; of conforming them to his image, and subduing them to his will; of strengthening them against temptations and corruptions; of building them up in grace, and establishing their hearts in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation.

What we have in these pages, then, is an illustration and confirmation of this high evangelical view of Scripture and of the importance of its reading and preaching. Approached in dependence on the Spirit, these pages can have that kind of effect on us. The Message of the Old Testament will help Christians embrace and hold on to the hope of everlasting life in our Savior Jesus Christ.

While you sleep, Jesus prays for you.

Though we must rest, though we must take breaks to recharge, though we must stop our work, the Scriptures affirm that Jesus continually prays for his people.

We often think about what Christ accomplished in the past or what he’ll do in the future; we rarely consider what he’s doing in the present. Scripture tells us he “always lives to make intercession for [us]” (Heb. 7:25), that he’s “at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom. 8:34), and that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).

But what exactly does Jesus pray for you? While it’s a great comfort to hear that Jesus prays for us, it’s even a greater comfort to hear what he prays for us. By examining the Scriptures, we discover three specific petitions Jesus brings before the Father on our behalf.

Protection from the Evil One

We know what Christ prays for us in heaven by seeing what he prays for us on earth. And in Jesus’s high priestly prayer in John, he prays, “Holy Father, keep them in your name” (John 17:11, emphasis added). A few verses later, Jesus pleads, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (v. 15). While you sleep, Jesus prays for your protection from the Evil One.

Jesus knows Satan’s tactics. The Devil is the father of lies (8:44) who tempts us to abandon the faith. He whispers accusations such as: “You’re not good enough. God is disappointed in you. He wishes he’d made you differently.” But while the Devil accuses, Christ advocates. When Satan brings charges, Jesus presents his defense. None of the Enemy’s accusations will stand, because your Advocate has already answered them all.

When Satan brings charges, Jesus presents his defense.

Remember what Jesus told Peter: “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31–32). Peter stumbled, but his faith didn’t utterly fail. This was because Jesus prayed for him. Christ’s prayers are always answered. As Robert Murray M’Cheyne says, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.”

Preservation in Suffering

Paul explains in Romans 8:34–37 that tribulation, distress, persecution, and danger won’t separate us from Christ’s love because he is “at the right hand of God . . . interceding for us.” We are “more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Paul doesn’t say we won’t have suffering in this world. We’ll have tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, and danger. But he says this suffering will not separate us from Christ because we have One who intercedes for us. Paul promises you’ll be preserved amid your suffering not because you’re so strong but because Jesus died, rose, and is at the right hand of God interceding for you even now.

He knows you’re suffering, and he prays for you. He isn’t unable to sympathize with your weaknesses but has been tempted in every respect just like you—yet without sin (Heb. 4:15).

Jesus knows your suffering intimately, even if you’ve never told anyone else. He’s your compassionate intercessor. When the high priest of old entered God’s presence, he had 12 jewels on his chest, representing all the people of God (Ex. 28:1–43). These jewels are now you and me. And each one is different. He brings your specific needs before the Father.

While five minutes is too long for us, he pleads forever.

Not only is Jesus compassionate, but he’s your continual, faithful intercessor. For 2,000 years, he has been making intercession. While five minutes may feel too long for us, he pleads forever. He never tires of it. He never takes a vacation from it. He never has to take a break to sleep. Endless compassion breathes out endless prayers. His heart is continually stirred on your behalf. Jesus prays that we would be preserved amid suffering.

Pardon for Our Sins

Too often, when we think of Christ’s atoning work on our behalf, we only think of what Christ has done on the cross. But in Leviticus, the work of atonement included multiple realities. Atonement was a process, not just a moment.

In Leviticus 16, we read that Jews would slaughter the animal. The killing would take place in the outer courtyard. But then comes an important step. The blood of the bull or goat would be sprinkled on and in front of the mercy seat. The blood was brought into the Holy of Holies. It was this entire process that Leviticus says would make atonement (v. 16). There was a killing, and there was a sprinkling of blood.

You might think, Hold on. When Jesus is on the cross, he says “It is finished” (John 19:30). And, yes, the sacrifice is complete on the cross. But he also brings his blood before God’s throne room. What he finished on the earth, he presented in the heavens.

So we shouldn’t divorce Christ’s work of intercession from the atonement, for Jesus’s intercession is the application of the atonement. Christ has accomplished perfect atonement; now he applies the benefits. The cross is the payment; the intercession is the plea. One was made on earth; the other is managed in heaven. Blood must be spilt, and blood must be carried. Jesus went into heaven to present his blood before the Father.

What this means for you and me is that Jesus stands before the Father to pray—yes, for your protection and preservation, but oh, for so much more. He presented his righteous blood before the Father for your pardon. When you sin, you have the Righteous One standing as your legal representation in heaven.

Charles Wesley captured this beautifully in a hymn:

Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice
In my behalf appears;
Before the throne my surety stands;
My name is written on his hands. . . .

Five bleeding wounds he bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers,
They strongly speak for me;
Forgive him, oh forgive, they cry,
Nor let that ransomed sinner die.

Jesus Prays for You

Christ’s death might sometimes feel distant, but his intercession brings his compassion into your present moment. You have an Advocate in heaven who pleads on your behalf—for your protection from evil, preservation through suffering, and pardon for sin.

His voice is stronger than Satan’s whispers. His prayers never fail. And his blood speaks a better word than any accusation against you.

Right now, and even as you lie down to rest from the day’s work, Jesus prays for you.

What happened to Gautama (the Buddha) and to Jesus after their deaths? While Christians have historically held that Jesus rose from the dead and then, forty days later, ascended to the Father, the matter is less clear cut for Gautama’s destination. However, if we look at the earliest Buddhist writings, the Pali Canon, our primary source for this chapter, we find some helpful answers. After this brief overview, we will then ask how their destiny after death relates to something we can all appreciate: our struggle against suffering.

After the Buddha’s Death

As was typical when he was asked metaphysical questions, Gautama responded that to ask the question, “Does the Tathagata exist after death?” was to engage in useless speculation.[1] When it comes to nirvana, after all, as Williams, Tribe, and Wynne put it, “Since there is nothing left for the mind to fix on, nothing more can be said.”[2] Whatever nirvana is, no self remains to do any experiencing.

What we are told in the sutra that details Gautama’s entrance into nirvana is simply that “the Blessed One immediately passed away.” After all, at Gautama’s passing, Brahma Sahampati, the deity who had convinced Gautama to teach the Dharma, exclaimed, “All must depart—all beings that have life must shed their compound forms. Yea, even one, a master such as he.”[3]

Now, as we see in the later Lotus Sutra, many Buddhists (e.g., of the Mahayana branch, more on that below) view the Buddha as still accessible. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha is found to be very much alive; his death had been merely a skillful means in order to, as one parable represents it, shock his children into taking the medicine he prescribed.[4] Mahayana Buddhists who follow the Lotus Sutra thus see Gautama as having a colorful post-nirvanic existence, yet the sources that most reliably trace back to the historical Gautama (the Pali Canon) describe him entering nirvana and seeming to cease any earthly ministry. These canonical and foundational sutras’ perspective on nirvana and Gautama’s entrance into it does not match the Lotus Sutra’s optimism about Gautama’s post-mortem accessibility.

According to the Pali Canon, Gautama practiced what he preached: “Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.”[5]

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“According to the Pali Canon, Gautama practiced what he preached: ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'”

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After the Christ’s Death

When Jesus was arrested, most of the disciples scattered and ran (Mark 14:50). One disciple, Peter, followed at a distance, but, when he began to be indicted as one of Jesus’ followers, he violently denied any connection (Mark 14:66-72). Within days of their leader’s crucifixion, however, and in the same city, these same disciples were exclaiming to crowds in public, “God raised him up” (Acts 2:24a, ESV), and “Let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36, ESV).

To explain this bizarre twist as well as how Jesus’ tomb had turned up empty, rumors had been circulating that these disciples must have stolen the body of their Lord and pretended he had risen from the dead (Matt. 28:11-15). Our earliest records of the apostles’ lives, however, tell us that they stuck to their story even unto martyrdom.[6] As Paul Williams writes, “They had become extremely brave. Why? And what motive could they have for such a conspiracy?”[7]

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“Our earliest records of the apostles’ lives tell us that they stuck to their story even unto martyrdom.”

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Scholars often date Jesus’ death at 30 C.E. Around twenty-five years later, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Corinth.[8] In his letter, he tells about a teaching he received from the church at Jerusalem twenty years earlier when he visited Jerusalem in 35 C.E.:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-7, ESV)

Paul himself had been a skeptic and a persecutor of the church (1 Timothy 1:13) until he experienced an appearance of Jesus, likely in 33 C.E. Thus, he adds to the end of these appearances, “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (1 Corinthians 15:8, ESV).

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“Paul himself had been a skeptic and a persecutor of the church until he experienced an appearance of Jesus, likely in 33 C.E.”

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Jesus died on a Friday, and it was Sunday that the rumors began that Jesus was alive. Luke, the first-century physician and church chronicler, explains, “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3, ESV). After promising to send his Holy Spirit to indwell and empower his followers, Jesus is said to have ascended to the Father (Acts 1:8-9). There, he is said to intercede on behalf of people (Hebrews 10:12-14; Hebrews 7:25; I John 2:1). This intercession, write Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes, is crucial “for our salvation from the power of sin in the present. It is closely related to the lifelong process of sanctification, which involves progressively being made more and more like Christ.”[9]

How Their Destinations Relate to Combatting Suffering

Does this contrast tell us anything with regard to how these founders combat this-worldly suffering? Obviously, if Gautama is inaccessibly caught up in the negations of nirvana, and Jesus is actively interceding and intervening on behalf of people to this day, this shows a way in which Jesus is more actively involved in helping people than is Gautama. However, why should the Christian tradition of Jesus’ resurrection and continued eternal existence be thought any more credible than, for example, Gautama’s continued existence as a Mahayana teacher whose death was merely a skill-in-means?

Paul Williams, for years a faithful Buddhist who eventually became convinced of the truthfulness of Christianity, notes,

“[I]t does not seem to me that any other religion or spiritual teaching has anything so dramatic or convincing as resurrection from the dead—a resurrection that still seems plausible two thousand years later—to support its claims. Buddhists (and others) sometimes talk about the wonders their spiritual heroes and heroines have done and can do. But nowhere is there a case so clearly and plausibly demonstrated as the resurrection. That, it seems to me, is a fact.”[10]

After all, we are comparing the earliest yet comparatively far later records of Gautama’s life (by a span of some four hundred years) to a tradition traceable back to within five years of Jesus’ death—given to Paul at his visit to Jerusalem in 35 C.E. So, the contrast is a valid one, and here is what we learn: Gautama entered nirvana, while Jesus rose from the dead and continues to intercede on behalf of people. This presents another reason why Jesus is a superior paradigm when it comes to combatting this-worldly suffering.

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“Gautama entered nirvana, while Jesus rose from the dead and continues to intercede on behalf of people.”

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The Divide Between Theravada and Mahayana

Since this article deals with the aftermath of the Buddha’s death, let’s take this opportunity to mention a significant divide that took place within the Buddhist community after the Buddha’s death. Throughout studies in Buddhism, you will see the words “Theravada” and “Mahayana” pop up, and these are the terms usually given to the two major divisions of Buddhism. The rift became noticeable about a hundred years after the Buddha’s death at the “Second Council.”

Since we’re bringing up the “Second Council,” let’s also mention the “First Council.” At the “First Council,” shortly after the Buddha’s death, the Buddhist community brought together his teachings to commit it to writing. The result was a massive threefold collection called the Tripitaka (“the three baskets”), also called the “Pali Canon” (written in the Pali language). It included a handbook of rules for the Buddhist community (the Vinaya Pitaka), a collection of sayings and sermons by Gautama (the Sutta Pitaka), and a collection of Buddhist philosophy and beliefs (the Abhidhamma Pitaka).

Then, around a hundred years after the First Council came the Second Council. Here, there were Buddhists who voiced their conviction that Buddhism needed to be less tailored for the monks and nuns and more open to and oriented toward laity. It would be another couple hundred years before an actual split would take place. The group more concerned with helping regular people toward nirvana would call themselves “Mahayana” (the “great vehicle”), and they would call the branch which concerned itself primarily with getting monks and nuns to nirvana “Hinayana” (the “little vehicle”).

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“There were Buddhists who voiced their conviction that Buddhism needed to be less tailored for the monks and nuns and more open to and oriented toward laity.”

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The Hinayana, monk/nun-centered branch which remains to this day is called “Theravada” Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism is most at home in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. With these countries being in southern Asia, it is common to call Theravada Buddhism “Southern Buddhism.”

As the “great vehicle,” Mahayana Buddhism concerns itself with a broader goal than getting monks and nuns into nirvana. The lofty goal central to Mahayana Buddhism is getting all sentient beings into nirvana. Thus, in Mahayana Buddhism, it is a far worthier goal, not to become just a monk or nun able to enter nirvana, but to become an actual Buddha who helps usher others into nirvana first. Mahayana Buddhism would go onto branch into a bewildering array of subbranches, just as it would go far beyond the historical Gautama in finding Buddhas and bodhisattvas (Buddhas in the making) to admire and emulate. Countries most associated with Mahayana Buddhism tend to be in further north—China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, and Tibet—and thus Mahayana Buddhism is sometimes called “Northern Buddhism.”

Conclusion

Siddhartha Gautama was by all accounts an impressive person with a remarkable ministry. Yet, as we have seen throughout this series of articles on Jesus and the Buddha, Jesus consistently exceeds Gautama at multiple levels as his example relates to combatting this-worldly suffering.

1. Gautama taught how to exit history, while Jesus exemplified how to change history.
2. Gautama accepted suffering with equanimity, while Jesus grieved it as an unwelcome enemy.
3. Gautama withdrew as a detached teacher, while Jesus drew near as an engaged friend.
4. Gautama diagnosed our fundamental problem as ignorance, while Jesus diagnosed it more deeply as willful sin.
5. Gautama taught a path of skill that leads to equanimity, while Jesus taught a path of yearning that leads to unspeakable joy.
6. Gautama taught from cultivated insights, while Jesus commanded from absolute authority.
7. Gautama released his disciples from suffering’s disturbance, while Jesus restored his disciples through suffering’s reversal.
8. Gautama’s agenda was to minister peacefully until nirvana at an old age, while Jesus’ was to minister purposefully toward execution at a young age.
9. Gautama exemplified a tranquil death, while Jesus exemplified the ultimate sacrifice.
10. Gautama entered nirvana, while Jesus rose from the dead and continues to intercede on behalf of people.

The same contrast is already summarized for us in religious art, as Douglas Groothuis notes:

“Images of Buddha worldwide show a man sitting in tranquil contemplation with his eyes shut to a world he wants to transcend. How different from this posture was the defining act of Jesus, who, though nailed to a cross, bruised and bloodied, gazed in love on the world He came to redeem.”[11]

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“Jesus consistently exceeds Gautama at multiple levels as his example relates to combatting this-worldly suffering.”

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As the crucified and risen restorer, Jesus is indeed the ultimate paradigm of caring to his core about people in peril.

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[1] “Brahmajala Sutta: The All-Embracing Net of Views (DN 1),” translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi, Access to Insight, 2010, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.bodh.html (accessed December 13, 2014).

[2] Paul Williams, Anthony Tribe, and Alexander Wynne, Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition, 36.

[3] “Maha-Parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha (DN 16).”

[4] Paul Williams, Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, 157.

[5] “Chachakka Sutta: The Six Sextets (MN 148),” translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, 1998, https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html (accessed December 13, 2014).

[6] See Acts 12:2 and Chapter 1 in Eusebius, Church History: Book III, translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert, New Advent, 2009, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm (December 13, 2014).

[7] Paul Williams, Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, 123.

[8] F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 1977), 475.

[9] Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes, Conviction without Compromise: Standing Strong in the Core Beliefs of the Christian Faith (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), 158.

[10] Paul Williams, Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, 134.

[11] Douglas R. Groothuis, “Jesus and Buddha: Two Masters or One?” Christian Research Journal, June 9, 2009, https://www.equip.org/article/jesus-and-buddha/ (accessed August 11, 2021).

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Excerpted from Daniel McCoy, Buddhism or Christianity: Which Is Better for the World (Moral Apologetics Press, 2021).