section 1
Noble has become an outdated, unfamiliar word these days. It has a ring of virtue but also has a taste of elitism from privilege. We picture some medieval baron exerting his authority with arrogance and callousness, but we can also imagine him to be a bit more educated than the illiterate masses of his day. So, is nobility a heritage of hierarchy, a class of elite people, an education level, a privileged position or is it something else that resembles these concepts and yet transcends them all?
Even the people of the Bible had their preconceived notions of nobility. Jeremiah assumed the uneducated people of his day were more ignorant and therefore more rebellious than the educated leaders, but he was wrong; all rebel against God: noble and lowly people alike jeremiah 5:1-5 . The Scriptures point out that the idea of an actual aristocracy among people is but a human delusion psalm 62:9 deuteronomy 17:18-20 . God is the Maker of oppressed and oppressor alike proverbs 29:13 .
Sure, God establishes authority romans 13:1 , but He does so as He chooses, not because one person is necessarily greater than another daniel 4:32, 35 . Those who are in a more privileged position have higher responsibilities james 1:10-11 luke 12:42-48 and many unseen disadvantages revelation 3:17 matthew 13:22 matthew 19:23 ; while those in a deprived position have an abundance of opportunity for deeper insight and spiritual blessings james 1:9 james 2:5 proverbs 13:8 ecclesiastes 5:12 .
my notes:
"Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ still they are swearing falsely."
LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
I thought, "These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God. So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God." But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.
Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
my notes:
The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.
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.
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone He wishes."
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: "What have You done?"
and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
my notes:
The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the Master puts in charge of His servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the Master finds doing so when He returns. Truly I tell you, He will put him in charge of all His possessions.
But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My Master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The Master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect Him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
The servant who knows the Master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the Master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
my notes:
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the Word, making it unfruitful.
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him?
The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
my notes:
section 2
So, what is the Biblical concept of nobility? For us as believers we should understand nobility, not for a political, social-class or mere economically privileged standpoint, but rather from God’s design for those He has lifted up i kings 14:7 exodus 9:16 genesis 18:18-19 . We are dearly loved children of the King ephesians 5:1 and that puts us in a very privileged position hebrews 4:16 of a royal {noble} priesthood i peter 2:9 .
This relationship calls for a reverent, response-able life malachi 2:5-7 . We are to live a life distinct from the common, unholy lives of humanity ezekiel 42:20 by living in a distinctly uncommon, holy way ezekiel 44:23 leviticus 10:8-11 .
This Biblical type of nobility is a preparedness to meet any opportunity to do good by cleansing ourselves from ignoble character, actions, thoughts, goals, etc. by being useful to the Lord in administering His grace to others ii timothy 2:19-22 ezekiel 34:2-4 i peter 4:10 . It is all too common to look out for one’s self philippians 2:20-21 matthew 7:12-14 and thereby get what one can at others expense and, sadly, out of jealousy, fear, callousness, etc., even spoil what we cannot get for ourselves ezekiel 34:17-22 .
Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over My people Israel.
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you My power and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
my notes:
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him."
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
my notes:
"My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.
So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.
They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.
You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and so you can teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses.
my notes:
Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness." Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
my notes:
I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
" ‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet? "
‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.
my notes:
section 3
To be noble, Biblically speaking, is to have a humble understanding of our high calling hebrews 3:1-2 by doing good in using this blessing to multiply it in other’s souls titus 3:2-8 . It is this humble, servant character that surpasses the common mindset proverbs 31:10, 29 . For those with noble character are eager to know the Truth of this relationship with God john 7:17 by examining His Word continually acts 17:11 isaiah 8:20 to know Him more hosea 6:3 . They attain this uncommon, holy…noble heart luke 8:15 by practicing the Word and teaching others to do so as well matthew 5:19-20 .
Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, Who was faithful to Him Who appointed Him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.
my notes:
to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own.
my notes:
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Go to God’s instruction and testimony! If they do not speak according to this Word, there will be no dawn for them.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; His going out is sure as the dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."
But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the Word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of Heaven.
my notes:
Scripture quotations taken from one or more of the following versions as noted:
ESV = The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.
NIV = The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NLT = The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
NASB = NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), Copyright (C) 1960,1962,1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Used by Permission HCSB ©1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 Holman Bible Publishers. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
NKJV = New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.