Confirmations in Israel

“Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was an attestation in Israel.”

Jesus says, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matt. 5:37.

A simple “yes” or “no” is never enough for people. They must have a whole lot of witnesses and ceremonies before one person can trust another. This is sufficient evidence that the one person believes that the other person is a liar, even though he thinks ever so well about himself.

They said to Jesus, “What sign will you perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What works will You do?” John 6:30. Jesus answered their questions with these words further down: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” V. 30.

The outward man cannot believe without signs, and even then he does not believe. This is true of the world. Yet even among God’s people there are those who are so extroverted and unbelieving that they need a considerable number of signs before they can believe. Therefore the one who can do the most along these lines is considered the best, which is also why people compete to attain to this desirable worthiness. It is considered worth nothing when a person walks with his God, like Enoch, even though he is obedient to God’s Spirit and receives revelations in the Word of the Lord.

The Jews made God’s commandments of no effect for the sake of their traditions. And they did many such things. Mark 7:11-13.

This repeats itself in our days. People sneak so nicely past the leading of God’s Sprit and admire the outward and earthly things, the things that are seemingly cultured and refined. Ordinances and human commandments are given a prominent place, and God’s commandments are pushed aside.

Let all things among you be done for edification. God has given gifts to the church. It is blessed to have these gifts when you proceed according to the instructions of the Scriptures. However, everything that falls into human hands can be misused. Therefore the result is confusion in the use of the gifts, which is not edifying.