Do Not Pray

Dr. Couch, are there ever times we are told by the Lord not to pray?

ANSWER: Yes, there are such times. When Israel was so rebellious and sinful God told Jeremiah: "Do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me, for I do not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?" (Jer. 7:16-17). He added: "Do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of there disaster" (11:14). And, "Do not pray for the welfare of this people. I am not going to listen to their cry; … I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence" (vv. 11-12).

The Lord added, even if Moses and Samuel interceded for them I would not respond (15:1). "My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go!" They will ask, "Where shall we go?" They are doomed for death, and the sword, and for famine, as well as captivity (v. 2). "I shall appoint over them four kinds of doom: sword, dogs to drag them off, the birds to eat their flesh, and the earth to devour their flesh" (v. 3). All kinds of horror will overtake them.

So with America! We are doomed for destruction. We had it all and threw it all away. To pray for America is quickly becoming a waste of time. For Israel, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in their midst, they could only save themselves, not the people of God (Ezek. 14:14).

The Lord will reach a point when He is finished with the sins of America and will not respond to our needs. People can push Him too far with He says enough is enough! We don't think that can happen but indeed it can! We try the Lord to the inth degree and He gives up on a wayward people. We must accept His mercy NOW and not try Him forever! I believe America has almost reached this point now.

Thanks for asking.
--Dr. Mal Couch (10/11)

Moses' Shining Face

Dr. Couch, the first time Moses went up on the mountain and received the Law from God, the Bible does not mention his face shining from seeing the Lord. But the second time he went up, it says in Exodus 34:29-35 that his face shone from speaking with Him. What is the difference? ANSWER:  Moses broke the first set of Law tablets because of the sin of the people in the valley when he came down from the mountain. He went back up and was given a second set of tablets. Then it says "the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with the Lord" (Exod. 34:29). Aaron and the people "were afraid to come near him" (v. 30). Because of their fear Moses had to put a covering over his face to calm their hearts.    One good explanation comes from Unger who writes that the first giving of the Law was totally legal, while the second giving was "mixed with divine grace and glory." This seems to be demonstrated in Exodus 33:5-11, for it says that when Moses appeared before the people, as shown with the pillar of cloud descending, they all stood "and worshipped, each at the entrance of his tent" (v. 10). At least for awhile, they had learned their lesson about the holiness of their God. These chapters were "learning" chapters about who their Lord was. In their encounter with Moses and God, Aaron reminded the Lord that the people "are prone to evil" (32:22).    God's people must recognize the Lord's judgment and His grace. There is not the one without the other. As sinners, we are due judgment, but Christ went to the cross to provide grace. "Don't mess with the Lord, as Israel did!" Where would we be without His grace and mercy?    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Mar., 10)

Solomon in Sin

Dr. Couch, I understand that some believe Solomon was not saved, that he was so deep in sin with all his wives that he was not a child of God. How do you answer? ANSWER: Solomon was saved as we would understand it in NT terminology. But he was seduced by the idols of his many wives. We read in 1 Kings 11:4: "His many wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." He "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully" (v. 6). He "built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab , on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem , and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon" (v. 7). God commanded him "that he should not go after the other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded" (v. 10).    We know he was saved from 2 Samuel 7. Solomon would build a house for the Lord's name, and through Solomon, God would establish "the throne of his kingdom forever" (v. 13). Wow! Forever! God would "be a father to him and he will be God's son; when he commits iniquity, God will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men" (v. 14). But more, God's "lovingkindness" shall not depart from Solomon (v. 15). David's house and kingdom shall endure before God FOREVER; and David's throne, because of Solomon his son, "shall be established forever" (v. 16).    The Hebrew word "lovingkindness" is actually the word Chay'Sad which is better translated "mercy." The word is rich in meaning with a related word "to take refuge." God will be a place of refuge for Solomon, One who gives protection, One to whom Solomon can flee. Other meanings of the word can be: "kindness, benevolence, grace." The Jewish Rabbis say of 2 Samuel 7:15: "God's mercy shall not be permanently taken away." They add, "This promise through David and then Solomon is about an everlasting kingdom of the house of David powerfully influenced by the development of the Messianic hope in Israel ." And, "despite the sins of Solomon it is repeatedly affirmed that the kingdom shall not be withdrawn from David's house for his sake."    Thus, Solomon was saved, he was a believer in the Lord, though weak by being tempted with the idols if of his pagan wives!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch