tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84131882118434249372024-02-08T10:39:07.119-06:00Steven C. GerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-85966797753005320372022-08-26T15:50:00.002-05:002022-08-26T15:50:23.346-05:00Ezekiel 39<p> <a href="https://archive.org/details/ezekiel-39" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-45916000756579186032022-03-13T14:06:00.000-05:002022-03-13T14:06:01.555-05:00Ezekiel 37:24-38:1-23<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/ezekiel-37-24-38-1-23" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-28310656711709845132022-03-13T14:05:00.001-05:002022-03-13T14:05:18.570-05:00Never Again- Ezekiel 36 <p><a href="https://archive.org/details/never-again-ezekiel-36" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-17085464186296268472022-03-13T14:04:00.000-05:002022-03-13T14:04:24.300-05:00Christmas and the Covenants<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/christmas-and-the-covenants" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-17689054024226423342021-12-13T09:00:00.001-06:002021-12-13T09:00:00.191-06:00Future Events And Return of Messiah (Zech 13-14) Part 2<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/future-events-and-return-of-messiah-pt-2" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-10640164968424185672021-12-13T08:30:00.001-06:002021-12-13T08:30:00.206-06:00“In That Day” Future Events And Return of Messiah (Zech 12) Part 1<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/in-that-day-future-events-and-return-of-messiah-pt-1" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-36490733873776053932021-10-18T08:30:00.001-05:002021-10-18T08:30:00.220-05:00The Modern State Of Israel And The Bible<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/modern-state-of-israel-and-the-bible" target="_blank"> CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-49355786931527469712021-09-26T16:40:00.002-05:002021-09-26T16:40:29.717-05:00Six Encounters Of The Lord God- Part 2<p> <a href="https://archive.org/details/six-encounters-with-the-lord-god-part-2" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-68420993594151878542021-09-26T16:39:00.001-05:002021-09-26T16:39:24.517-05:00Six Encounters Of The Lord God- Part 1<p> <a href="https://archive.org/details/six-encounters-with-the-lord-god-part-1" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-61187398206492979522015-07-01T13:34:00.001-05:002015-07-01T13:34:17.709-05:00MESSIAH ACCORDING TO ISAIAH - Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Shalom and welcome the third installment in our series on the message of Messiah from the prince of Old Testament prophets, Isaiah. Thus far, chapter seven has shown us that the coming Messiah would be born of a virgin and given the enigmatic designation of, “God with us.” Four additional titles for this singular child are provided in chapter nine, “Wonderful counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Father of eternity” and “Prince of Peace.” Of those four designations, two pertain to status as a warrior and two are wholly inappropriate if assigned to anyone but God Himself. Curious and curiouser, as the mystery of Messiah’s identifying traits compounds. Nonetheless, with these expansive foundational titles, Isaiah explicitly emphasizes that the child’s royal destiny is to be supreme ruler over Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">In chapter eleven, we see that the Messiah is a descendent of <i>David</i>, and thereby rightful heir to the Davidic Covenantal promises. </span>Isaiah pictures the tree of the House of David as being chopped down to the stump, in other words, having fallen on hard times. In fact, David’s royal name isn’t even used here; rather, it is that of his father, Jesse. Yet, this humble stump of the Davidic line, no matter how modest in appearance, is described as still possessing life-force and brings forth a fresh new shoot, indeed, a fruit-bearing branch, the messianic descendant of David.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Isaiah then describes the dominant characteristic of <i>the Branch. “</i>Branch” (<i>Heb. netzer</i>) is a well-worn messianic term which finds its initial Old Testament usage in this passage. He will be completely and totally dominated by the leading of God’s Spirit. This will empower the Messiah’s rule to be one of extreme righteousness and acute judgment. Furthermore, his rule extends not only over Israel, but over the nations, the Gentiles, as well. This will not be gratuitous dominance, but rather, the reign of the Messiah will be welcomed by both Jews and Gentiles.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, this passage describes the time of the messianic reign to be characterized by ultimate, perfect peace. This will be a period of worldwide spiritual awareness as well as extraordinary changes within the animal kingdom concerning the abrogation of predatory instincts. <span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">The prophet indicates that Messiah will in some way be the "perfect" David who will rule with the spirit of God, in wisdom, understanding, council, strength and the fear of the Lord. He will be a righteous and faithful King who will not only rule Israel but the whole world, as the Messianic Kingdom will encompass a world transformed into a paradise on earth (11:1-10; 55:4). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Our Messiah, Jesus, arrived in the 1st century AD, a select period in history when Israel dwelt in the land without being ruled by a scion of David but, rather, under the domination of a Gentile power (Rome). By that time, the dynastic House of David had been reduced to an inglorious stump. The gospels reveal how in Jesus, the Davidic royal house was to be restored to magnificent holy grandeur.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Isaiah’s messianic message is jump-started in his collection of prophecies at the front end in three easy to remember odd-numbered chapters: 7,9, and 11. Next time we will jump ahead to the book’s second half, plunging into the deep theological and biographical waters of Isaiah’s servant songs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-2772716602564864472015-05-26T16:25:00.003-05:002015-05-26T16:25:26.034-05:00MESSIAH ACCORDING TO ISAIAH - Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This month we return our attention to the prophet Isaiah for a second helping of his timeless message regarding our Messiah. In chapter 9 the prophet builds upon chapter 7’s intriguing revelation that the Messiah will be born of a virgin and given the designation, “God with us.” In an extraordinary passage filled with the imagery of expectant hope, we are told, beginning in v. 2, that, at some unspecified future point, a people living in a land so distressed that their lives are characterized as though they walked in darkness and in death’s shadow will, nonetheless, have a great light shine on them.
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Isaiah identifies this brilliant light with the coming of the Messiah. The impact of His arrival will affect not only Israel, but will also have international repercussions. He will bring both joy to Israel and salvation to the nations. Many rabbis through the centuries have correctly agreed with Christians’ interpretation that this passages’ promised, future light can be identified with none other than the long-awaited Messiah (albeit while disagreeing over whether Jesus is that messianic figure).
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Any ambiguity regarding the promised light source is removed by the prophet in 9:6-7, where Isaiah enumerates three notably unique qualities of the Messiah. First, the theme of the child’s birth will once again be picked up from the virgin birth promise of 7:14. Once again it is reiterated that when the messiah enters the world stage, it will be through the human birth process. He will not suddenly appear, fully mature as an adult. He will be born a child. There is no question that for Isaiah, the coming Messiah possesses the attributes of humanity.
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Yet in addition to affirming the humanity of Messiah through the promise of His birth, Isaiah also reveals a second quality that demonstrates just how much more there is to the Messiah than may be initially expected. Two striking titles are attributed to the Messiah in 9:6. The child is described as both <i>el gibbor</i>, “Mighty God” and<i> avi ad</i>, “Father of Eternity.” It is hard to argue that either of these titles are ever or should ever be attributed to anyone other than the Lord Himself, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. As readers, we are forced to simply accept at face value the prophet’s stunning revelation that the Messiah will be more than merely human. In some mysterious fashion not elaborated upon by Isaiah, we see that the Messiah will share the attributes of both humanity and deity. In other words, Isaiah teaches that the coming Messiah will be both God and man.
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The third notable quality Isaiah revels regards the Messiah’s royal role. The Messiah will be a rule as king. The prophet assigns two powerful descriptions to make the point. First, the child is called <i>pele yoetz</i>. This title should not be misunderstood as a reference to the coming Messiah’s exceptional therapeutic counseling abilities. Nor should the two words be divided into the separate designations “wonderful” and counselor” (ala the KJV). In the context of the ancient world of the Bible, to be called a “wonderful counselor” meant to be an acutely insightful warrior, capable of designing successful battle stratagems.
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Isaiah’s accompanying <i>pele yoetz </i>as the second royal description of the Messiah is<i> sar shalom</i>, “Prince of Peace.” This title works in tandem with the one previously given. Through the Messiah’s exceptional ability to defeat all enemies through warfare, He is able to both make and keep the peace. In fact, the prophet’s readers are told that there will be no end to the increase of the government which will rest upon his shoulders. Isaiah is careful to specify which government is being referred to. It is the government of the united kingdom of Israel and it is from His father David's throne that the Messiah will rule. That the Messiah is a descendent of<i> David</i>, and thereby rightful heir to the Covenantal promises to David, will be developed in next month’s exploration of Isaiah 11:1-10.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-77815173455024214562015-03-23T08:00:00.000-05:002015-03-23T08:00:00.245-05:00MESSIAH ACCORDING TO ISAIAH - Part 1<div class="WordSection2">
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Due to the overwhelmingly favorable response we received on the last series in this column on the prophet Jeremiah, it seems appropriate to once again delve into the vast theological wealth of the prophets. This month, we begin a series based on the writings of the "prince of prophets", Isaiah; specifically what we can glean from his message concerning the Messiah. Since Isaiah is a vast and profound book, in this series we will just be touching upon some of his great Messianic themes and insights. To probe more deeply into this prophetic masterpiece would keep this series going indefinitely!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Isaiah, whose name means, "the Lord saves", lived during the time of the divided kingdom (upon Solomon's death, his kingdom split into Israel and Judah). Isaiah spent most of his ministry in Jerusalem in the southern kingdom of Judah, approximately 700 years before Christ. During his ministry the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria, and much of Isaiah's message concerns a warning to Judah that the same fate awaited them if the nation did not repent. Babylon would be the nation to lead Judah into this promised captivity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">However, the message of Isaiah does not only contain assurances of judgment and exile. The prophet is equally concerned with the promise of God's restoration and compassion. Isaiah paints a portrait of an age of peace and righteousness, not just for Israel or Judah, but throughout the whole earth. This "messianic age" will be brought about by God's unique ruler, the Messiah. It is to what the prophet tells us about this ruler that we will turn our attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">From Isaiah's point of view, the Messiah was still yet to come. Isaiah doesn't specifically tell his contemporary readers/listeners that in seven hundred years they could expect a carpenter from Nazareth to be the Messiah but the information he provides is graphic enough for the careful and expectant watcher to recognize the promised ruler when he came.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Messiah is an English transliteration of a Hebrew word which means, "anointed one". Messiah and Christ have identical meanings. (The word "Christ" is the English transliteration of the Greek word for Messiah. Another way of referring to "Jesus Christ" is "Jesus the Messiah" or "Jesus the Anointed One".) Throughout his writings, Isaiah depicts a multi-faceted, several-dimensional mosaic of the coming Messiah's qualities. The prophet has literally saturated his work with references to Messiah. One has only to read through any few chapters to confirm this fact. We will briefly survey some of the major characteristics Isaiah furnishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">The first clue we are given as to who the Messiah will be and what he will be like is found in 7:14. There is much debate as to how to accurately interpret this verse, and discussion as to whether the woman referred to is a virgin or not (the Hebrew word <i>almah</i> simply means “young woman of marriageable age,” who might or might not be married – unmarried 8<sup>th</sup> century BC Israelite maidens were assuredly virgins in a society where premarital sex was prohibited by both God’s law and Hebrew culture), whether Isaiah was speaking of a contemporary woman or someone in the far future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">However, since the context reveals that the divine sign provided by God was to be an unmistakably impressive one, I believe this passage teaches that the Messiah will be a human child born of a virgin. Of particular note, this child will be given the designation, "God with us" (Immanuel). Of course, our Messiah, Jesus is the ultimate Immanuel, "God with us." More of the Messiah according to Isaiah next time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-21562831531674162132015-02-23T08:00:00.000-06:002015-02-23T08:00:00.849-06:00Christ in Colossians Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The following is the conclusion of a two-part series on Christ in the letter to the Colossians.<br /><br />While the Christmas season may be long over, the aftermath of after-Christmas sales linger on, as does the great old bumper sticker that proclaims, "Jesus is the reason for the Season!" While I certainly agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment this slogan expresses, I can't help but wonder which Jesus is meant? Society presents many different versions of Jesuses for people to celebrate. For example, there is the "great moral teacher" Jesus, the Jewish version of Socrates or Buddha. There is also the "enlightened" New Age Jesus who came to raise our consciousness; the blond, blue-eyed Aryan Jesus who stands for white supremacy; the politically correct Jesus, etc. There are so many ideas of Jesus in circulation that it can get awfully confusing to a great many of us.<br /><br /> The doctrine of Christ is a critically important area of study. Often it is a deviation from theological orthodoxy, with some deviations being more subtle than others, of this very doctrine that separates the various cults from the Church. It is essential for us to know what the Bible reveals concerning the One we worship. This alone must be our standard reference work concerning our Lord and our relationship to Him. That relationship will be discussed following a brief summary of the ground covered last month.<br /><br />Recall, first of all, that the theme of Paul's letter to the believers at Colossae is the complete sufficiency of Jesus in contrast to the insufficiency of human wisdom. There were certain people in Paul's day teaching that Christ was merely a glorified man, an enlightened master of divine wisdom; the bearer of a higher consciousness to which we need attain by means of secret knowledge. The old adage that there is nothing new under the sun particularly is relevant in regard to heresies. The letter to the Colossians is a terrific reminder of this. Indeed, much of the claptrap that passes for religious "insight" today is merely 1900 year old recycled heretical rubbish.<br /><br />In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul establishes the preeminence of Christ is three areas. First of all, Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God and therefore is sovereign over the creation. Second, since Christ is the creator and architect of the whole universe and in fact sustains it, He is the rightful Lord of the universe. Third, Christ is the head (authority) of the church, having restored harmony between men and God through death on the cross. The restoration of God and mankind is called "reconciliation".<br /><br />The amazing aspect regarding this accomplished reconciliation is that it is not only accomplished on a vertical plane, between God and men but also possessed a horizontal axis as well, reconciling Jews to Gentiles. This revelation, the fact that through Christ's death both Jews and Gentiles are spiritually equal before God and together form one new body, the church, was good news, it was also quite unexpected (Col. 1:26-27, Eph. 2,3:5). The reason we have this newfound capability to be unified into on new body is because Christ Himself can dwell in believers by His Spirit. Now He is the hope of glory - "Christ in us" (Col. 1:27). This supernatural indwelling provides great and powerful fuel to energize our individual and corporate ministries (1;29).<br /><br />Paul matter-of-factly presents Christ to his readers as the very essence of Deity in bodily form (2:9). This specifically means that Christ has all the attributes of God. Contrary to what certain Colossian philosophers were teaching (and contrary to the contemporary echo of these ancient teachings today), these attributes are in no sense watered-down, diluted or distilled. Every attribute of deity possessed by Jesus is full- strength. Nor were these full-strength attributes imparted by God to a lesser divine being, who needed an improvement package to be raised up to a higher level of deity. Each and every one of Christ’s divine attributes are His by His very nature and have always belonged to Him. Christ is truly, “the Real Thing!” So, we must accept no substitutes.<br /><br /> In the same way Christ has all the attributes of God, so in Christ all believers have everything that we need, are supposed to have and God intended for us to have (2:10). The same word is used in both 2:9 and 2:10 to describe both Christ's fullness of Deity and our fullness in Christ. Consequently, there is no extra secret knowledge that believers must possess to be saved, no "second blessing" is to be sought for either our salvation, justification or sanctification. "Fullness in Christ" does not mean, as our New Age friends teach, that we are "little gods", minor divine beings awaiting the fulfillment of our potential. While we possess Christ, we do not possess the attributes of deity as does Christ. Therefore, don't prance out on the beach as Shirley MacLaine famously did thirty-five years ago, proclaiming joyfully, "I am God!" This is not only doctrinally incorrect; it is blasphemy. (Not to mention, somewhat embarrassing.)<br /><br />What is the significance of having the gift of fullness in Christ? It means that we were spiritually circumcised when we were saved by Him. We were given a new nature. We got to cast off the old nature like so much dirty clothing abandoned to the hamper (2:11). No need to take the old nature to the laundry, though – we have a brand new and improved nature with which to be clothed. This occurred through our spiritual baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ, the moment of our union with Him (2:12).<br /><br />When we were antagonistic to God in our pre-conversion lives; we neither had nor wanted a part of Him. We were like someone who owed a great deal of money, but lacking the ability to repay, assiduously avoided crossing paths with creditors at all costs. We were all defaulters on the loan of our lives, due to the accumulation of sin. In fact, when we were completely dead in our sins, spiritually bankrupt, owing a debt to God we could not possibly repay, Christ removed our debt completely. He wiped it out, marked our liabilities as cancelled. Our debt was crucified alongside Christ when He carried it with Him to the cross (2:13-14).<br /><br /> The first four verses of the third chapter of Colossians have particular bearing to our lives as believers. After establishing some theological basics about Christ in the first half of the letter, Paul proceeds in the remaining half to practical application for his readers. Again, Paul records that we have been identified and entered into union with Christ in His death burial and resurrection. Since that is the case we can concentrate on heavenly things. It is in the heavens, after all, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father (3:1-2). We have died to our former selves and to spiritual bankruptcy, so now we must strive to remain "debt-free." We must enjoy in our daily practical experience what Christ has made us in theological experience. From the moment we became believers our lives have been united with Christ's. To be united (hidden) with the Lord of creation and His church is both awesome privilege and responsibility (3:3).<br /><br />We conclude our study with mention of the promise to which all believers look forward. Paul’s argument continues with the great news that Jesus Christ will be coming back to claim His own. When he returns for those of us with whom He has been united, we will share in His glory (3:4). There is plenty of divine glory to go around, rest assured! We will all have a piece of the action! As we proceed through another year together, let us be assured that the Lord Christ's glorious return is indeed nearer than when we first believed. Are you ready?<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-37718026132285354552015-01-27T21:41:00.002-06:002015-01-27T21:41:23.111-06:00Christ in Colossians Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As the director of Sojourner Ministries, I get a host of phone calls and a volume of email each week from people who have questions about the Bible, Jewish customs, theology, prophecy, Israel, etc. In answering these questions I have noticed that an alarmingly high number of people hold to a host of strange beliefs about Christ. Many of these problematic doctrines can be traced back to a misunderstanding or even ignorance of Scriptural teaching concerning the Messiah. As an antidote, I often reference Paul's letter to the Colossians to restore sound doctrine. It is in this brief, yet potent, epistle that Paul presents us with some of the most basic essentials concerning what God wants us to know regarding Jesus Christ.<br /><br /> Paul wrote the letter to the believers at Colossae to refute an alarming heresy which had arisen. This aberrant teaching both deprecated Christ and elevated human philosophy. Therefore, the theme of the letter is the complete sufficiency of Christ in contrast with the emptiness and insufficiency of mere human philosophy. Paul wastes no words as he pointedly levels the weapon of truth at his target.<br /><br /> Beginning in Colossians 1:15-29, Paul provides a veritable treasure trove of doctrinal gems. One truth stressed here is the absolute preeminence of the person of Christ. Jesus is the reflection of God; the absolute representation, image and manifestation of God the Father. In Christ, the invisible God becomes visible (1:15). As deity, Christ is therefore sovereign over all creation.<br /><br />Paul continues by arguing that Christ is the firstborn over all creation. Being firstborn does not mean that Jesus was the first creature to be created, as some false teachers claimed. Rather, it is critical for readers to understand that Paul’s use of the term, “firstborn,” indicates Christ’s preexistence and unparalleled preeminence over creation. Christ was the creator of all. Therefore, it would be a position of absurdity to hold that He created Himself!<br /><br />Our Messiah has no peer. That is precisely why He is before all things (1:17). Absolutely everything in the entire universe was created by His design and through His command. As architect and builder of creation, all things came into being by His decision, through his power and for His purpose. Furthermore, He is the sustainer. The bonding strength in which all things hold together is none other than Jesus.<br /><br />Having established that Christ is Lord over all creation, Paul goes on to relate the Messiah’s supremacy over the Church. He is the supreme, uncontested head of the church. As such, He alone is the authority and guide for His body. He possesses sovereign preeminence by divine right and divine work since He is the firstborn (first fruits) from the dead, never again to die (1:18). The divine fullness indwells Him (1:19), which means that Jesus is in firm possession of the totality of God, including all the powers and attributes of deity. With that power and authority, Christ has reconciled God and the world, or more specifically, reconciled the world to God through the cross. Paul is not declaring here that all people are now saved. What he is teaching is that it is now possible for harmony to be restored between man and his Maker. Messiah’s death has dealt definitively with both sin and guilt. More next time …<br /><br /><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-84248441126840250822014-12-28T10:00:00.000-06:002014-12-29T16:55:09.887-06:00Our Cup Runneth Over, Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Having been to Israel many times, I have witnessed with my own eyes
the deep, dark valleys of the Judean hills. In these potentially
treacherous gullies (called "wadis" in Hebrew), danger may well lurk for
unsuspecting sheep.These recessed valleys might well be valleys of "the
shadow of death" for sheep or even their shepherds. Today, these
valleys continue to provide cover for wild animals to prowl and pounce
upon the unsuspecting. It is not "evil", i.e., moral corruptness, that
the sheep must fear there but, rather, the danger of what might await in
the unknown darkness.<br />
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However, we are reassured that
the sheep do not traverse this valley alone. God the shepherd protects
His sheep by means of the shepherd's two common tools of the trade -- a
heavy rod, to beat off attacking animals, and a staff, to keep the sheep
in line and on course. Our Lord uses these tools with his "sheep", even
today and offers the same protection and guidance with us as He did
with David, three thousand years ago.<br />
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*You prepare a table before me in my enemies' presence; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows!*(v. 5).<br />
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David
sets aside the shepherd/sheep metaphor of verses 1-4 and in the final
two verses switches to s metaphor of host and guest.The Lord is viewed
as a host who honors David, the guest, with abundant provisions and
hospitality. A private table is laid out before David by his host.
Anyone who has partaken of Middle Eastern hospitality knows full well
the elaborate and abundant meals that are so typical of that tradition!
Course after course is laid out; appetizer upon appetizer, entree upon
entree, dessert upon dessert. David's language vividly creates a sense
of ongoing and bountiful provision. This is not just one trip to the
all-you-can-eat buffet but, rather, a lifestyle as this divinely
prepared banquet is never-ending.<br />
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Furthermore, David
reveals that God is providing this elevated level of blessing in full
view of David's enemies. This "feast-ival" is happening right in front
of hostile faces and leaves no room for doubt as to whose side the Lord
is on. The divine host has spared no expense or amenity.<br />
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was customary in Biblical times, the host anointed the head of his
honored guest with oil. David's cup cannot contain the blessing the Lord
is pouring out. Can you relate? Have you ever felt that way? The
holidays are a splendid opportunity to take a moment and meditate on the
times you have felt this way in the past year. What is the level of
your cup?Have you viewed it as only being half full? Half empty? Or does
it overflow?<br />
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*Assuredly, goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever*(v. 6).<br />
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David,
as a member of the covenant people of God, is confident that God's
goodness and love will pursue Him the rest of His life.Note the irony
here--instead of David's enemies (v. 5) in hot pursuit, instead, David
is pursued by God's love!/Hesed/, the Hebrew word translated, "love"
means God's loving loyalty to His people, His steadfast love which never
ceases (Lam. 3:22).This level of loving commitment is as equally
applicable for God's New Covenant people as it was for Israel. We can
run but we can't hide from the relentless pursuit of the Lord's goodness
and love for us. Sooner or later it will catch up to us and we will be
showered with blessing after blessing.<br />
<br />
The imagery
David utilizes in Psalm 23, although ancient, is timeless. God is
portrayed as both provider and protector and as both shepherd and host.
The psalm is particularly concerned with the personal aspect of God's
protection and provision for the single, individual sheep. This means
you! It has been my purpose to provide a fresh and refreshing study of a
very familiar psalm, and it is my prayer for all of you that in the
coming year God's goodness will catch up with you and overtake you, with
the result that you will dwell in His presence all the days of your
life, both in this word and the world to come.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-84376833150764717982014-11-24T09:00:00.000-06:002014-11-24T09:04:39.870-06:00Our Cups Runneth Over, Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The holidays art upon us again! Already! Soon, we will have survived the gastronomical extravagances of Thanksgiving and prepare to face the hustle and shopping frenzies of Christmas and the beginning of another(!) new year. As we sprint through the holiday season, with Christmas lists and New Year's resolutions formulating in our minds, let's take a moment to focus on our relationship with the Lord of both the holidays and our lives.<br />
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Our Scripture passage this month is Psalm 23.This is perhaps the most "famous" of all the psalms, and I'm certain that most of our readers are quite familiar with its lyrical poetry. I know of no better Biblical passage to provide a much needed refreshing pause during the busy holidays.<br />
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When Psalm 23 comes to mind, I immediately think of it being read from the King James Bible in the velvet tones of Alexander Scourby or some other British actor with rich, dulcet tones. In addition, I also think of funerals. I don't believe I've ever attended a funeral or memorial service without hearing this moving passage. The familiarity we all share concerning this psalm is a testimony to its poetic brilliance and spiritual insight. Through its economical six verses this psalm has managed to communicate the cry of the hearts of millions of God's people for three thousand years.<br />
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However, this familiarity with the psalm carries with it the danger that we will take its message for granted. It is only natural that through repeated hearings we may cease actually listening to the words. As we go through the psalm, using my own translation of King David's original Hebrew, let us allow David's intimate words to impact us anew.<br />
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*The Lord is my shepherd; I never lack anything*(v. 1).<br />
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The initial portrait painted by David is that of a shepherd relating to one of His sheep. In this classic metaphor, David himself is the individual sheep and He identifies the Lord as His personal shepherd. Of interest is that David does not write, "God is my shepherd", or, "the Most High is my shepherd; no, David specifically uses the most sacred and holy name for God, YHWH. From ancient times to modern, Israel has cherished this awesome covenant name of God, the name by which he revealed Himself to Moses. To David's original audience, this name symbolized the Lord's protection and provision for His covenant people, Israel.<br />
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The portrait of God as a shepherd was one of the most common illustrations of God's relationship to His people in Scripture (2 Sam. 5:2; 7:7; 1 Kings 22:17; Is. 13:14; etc.). Indeed, it was also the role that Jesus described Himself as portraying.Millions of believers through the centuries have known Jesus as, "the Good Shepherd."<br />
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Since the Lord is the author's shepherd, he will never lack a single thing. (The more familiar translation, "I shall not want", although certainly reading more poetic in English, does not do justice to the nuance of the original Hebrew.) There will never be a time when this sheep will not have enough to eat or drink, shelter from the elements, time to rest, etc.Whatever his needs are, the Lord, as personal shepherd, will provide for them.<br />
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*He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside refreshing waters*(v. 2).<br />
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Continuing the sheep/shepherd metaphor, David is contentedly relating that the Lord always arranges a safe haven for him to get some rest. David is dependent upon his protector/provider to direct him to green, lush pasture land and calm waters where he can rest and nourish himself in peace and quiet. The author's experience is one to which many of us can relate: when needing respite from the stress and anxiety of our twenty-first century lives, we can turn to the Lord, our good shepherd, to find the peace that passes understanding.<br />
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*He restores my vitality. He guides me in straight paths for His name's sake *(v. 3).<br />
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David's poetic imagery is much earthier than the familiar King James version would lead us to believe.Since sheep do not have "souls", what the shepherd restores here is the sheep's vitality. In the same way, neither can a sheep be led on a morally "righteous" path.Although the poetry of "being led down righteous paths" is moving, what David is actually conveying is that the shepherd leads the sheep in the most direct, safest and straightest course possible to get to their destination.<br />
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The reason the shepherd directs his sheep in this fashion is that His reputation as shepherd is on the line! What manner of shepherd would willingly expose his sheep to unnecessary danger by meandering off-course and taking needless detours before arriving at their final destination? The Lord, YHWH, has pledged to protect and provide for his people. Scripture is clear that the Lord directs the steps of His people. It is true that we all have a tendency, like sheep, to go astray. Nonetheless when we follow our Good Shepherd, He does not lead us in an aimless course, but rather with divine purpose and meaningful direction. We believers are on the fast track and our God's fidelity to his promises is on public display.<br />
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*Even though I walk through deepest, darkest valleys, I won't fear any danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me *(v. 4).<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-35762867562809512752014-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:002014-11-23T12:40:13.710-06:00Jeremiah: Weeping for the Disobedient, Part 3 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1414371727238_5264" style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Welcome to the third installment of our study of the dynamic message of the prophet Jeremiah. We have previously established the uniquely autobiographical tone of the book, concerning the one whose name means both "the Lord exalts" and "the Lord throws down". We have confirmed that Lord's message through his prophet in the first six chapters is indeed to "exalt" the righteous and to "throw down" the disobedient. This month we will continue on through the emotional and vivid journey of Jeremiah's message and see the passionate reaction of a spurned God to His people's faithlessness and rejection of His law. Let's proceed on to this month's invigorating portion of the prophetic word, Jeremiah 7-13.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1414371727238_5267" style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">The prophet in chapters 7-10, standing in the gate of the great Jerusalem Temple, indicts Judah for backsliding away from the Lord. In front of crowds of priests, merchants and worshipers, Jeremiah addresses the issue of true religion, i.e., religion that is acceptable to God. He demonstrates that salvation does not come through ritual or sacrifice or going through any other pious "motions,” but rather comes from knowing the true God and then acting accordingly. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1414371727238_5270" style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Early in the ministry of Jeremiah, good King Josiah had begun to reform the religious practices of Judah and to restore and purify the worship of God. He had even initiated a building project to repair the decaying Temple. Some years later, in the wake of Josiah's religious reformation, the Jewish people were falsely placing their trust in the sacrifice and ritual of the Temple. They believed that although the Lord may have judged the idolatry and rebellion of the northern kingdom of Israel, that there was no way He would allow His holy city of Jerusalem to suffer judgment. Certainly He would not permit the great Sanctuary of Zion to be desecrated. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1414371727238_5272" style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Jeremiah proclaims that this is futile wishful thinking. The Lord will not spare a people who have brazenly transgressed a full half of the Ten Commandments (7:9). Pronouncing the judgment that Jesus would later echo over six hundred years later, Jeremiah cries that the house of the Lord has become a den of thieves (7:11). The Temple will provide no shelter for those who have profaned its sanctity. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1414371727238_5274" style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">Jeremiah knew that elaborate sacrifice and ritual were meaningless unless they were accompanied by individual changes of heart. Knowledge was useless without obedience and Jeremiah evoked the message of his prophetic predecessors in calling for social justice and renewed obedience to the Mosaic Covenant. Jeremiah again promises destruction on Judah if there is no repentance. He contrasts God's infinite wisdom with their foolishness. Unless the people of Judah change their ways their sin would be severely punished. Their claim of “peace, peace” when there was no peace would suck them down in a whirlwind of terror; the terror of destruction, death and exile from their homeland (10:17ff). Disaster cannot be averted. The prophet himself identifies and personifies the hopelessness of the imminent judgment to come. The weeping prophet cries out for "the balm in Gilead;" healing medicine to close the gaping wounds of Judah (8:22-9:1). </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1414371727238_5277" style="letter-spacing: -.15pt;">In chapters 11-13, Jeremiah implores Judah to face the fact that they were grossly violating the Covenant and that dire consequences were about to follow. To say the least, the prophet's message lacked popularity. In fact, he records that there was a plot to muffle his message by assassinating him. Disturbingly, even members of his own family were involved with this heinous scheme (11:18-12:6). However, the Lord revealed the plot and protected his servant and Jeremiah continued to speak the word of the Lord against his people. The message continued to be uncomplicated: those who were obedient were under God's divine protection and those who were disobedient were under His wrath. God and his prophet were both acutely aware that the people would not listen and Jeremiah wept bitterly at the pending disaster for his people.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-79898560567286079972014-09-29T08:00:00.000-05:002014-11-23T12:40:13.715-06:00Jeremiah: Weeping for the Disobedient, Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Welcome to the second installment of our overview of Jeremiah's message. Last month we introduced the prophet himself and the background of his ministry and message. We learned that Jeremiah is one of the most autobiographical books in the entire Bible, and that his name means both "the Lord exalts" and "the Lord throws down". We will see after studying this book that God exalts those who seek Him but does indeed "throw down" entire nations (even Israel) which disobey Him. This series is entitled, "Weeping for the disobedient"; Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet", who agonized over the coming judgment on his people. This month we will examine the first six dynamic chapters of the book bearing Jeremiah's name. Before continuing with this month's lesson, please review Jeremiah 1-6. Buckle your seat belts; the prophecy of Jeremiah is a bumpy road!<br /> <br /> The first six chapters of Jeremiah comprise his earliest messages to the people of Judah. The first chapter introduces the Lord's call and commissioning of the prophet. We see that God chose Jeremiah from the womb and called Jeremiah to ministry when he was only a youth. Young Jeremiah, like Moses had centuries earlier, claimed incompetence for prophetic ministry. Jeremiah knew the magnitude of the opposition he would face . God, however, promised to be in relationship with Jeremiah and to give him the words to speak.<br /><br /> Basically, the message God gave Jeremiah was concerned with condemning Judah's sinfulness. God appointed his prophet to "uproot, tear down, destroy and overthrow". Judah had forsaken the Lord and served other gods. Jeremiah's message was specifically designed to bring the people to repentance. The Lord also commissioned Jeremiah "to build and to plant". If the Jewish people could be persuaded to repent of their gross idolatry, then there was a chance that the curses promised for their sinfulness in the Mosaic Covenant could be avoided and God's blessings delivered in their stead.<br /> <br /> Judah was given two choices. They could either repent and be saved or they could continue in sin and be severely judged. Their idolatry was an abomination to the Lord. However, they hypocritically and blindly continued to believe that all was right between themselves and God. God called them to circumcise their hearts, to truly return to Him. They were to perform radical heart surgery on themselves and cast away their corruption. these were necessary actions in order to actuate their nation's corporate healing, individual's personal restoration and in order for all nations to be saved. It can not be doubted that there was ample justification for God's judgment. From the greatest of the people to the least of them; priest and prophet, king and peasant alike were all sinful and unrepentant. Jeremiah's heart was tormented as he prophesied God's judgment on the people and the land.<br /><br /> The direction from which the judgment was to come would be from the north. It would come swiftly and as a direct consequence of their sin. There was no ambiguity as to whether this referred to the then most powerful nation on earth, Babylon. Those of you readers who happen to be teachers know the educational value of object lessons in order to communicate a topic. The book Jeremiah is a veritable handbook of educational object lessons. The specific object lesson the Lord would use to teach Judah to obey Him would be exile and captivity in a foreign land. As Judah had served other gods, so they would also serve foreigners. <br /> <br /> Even so, note that even through this harsh punishment, the Lord promises that a remnant of the Jewish people would survive to appreciate and learn the Divine lesson. Jeremiah's message hearkens to the future messianic age, when Judah and Israel would be reunited in the land. In that age Jerusalem will be exalted again and all nations would serve God. At that time the symbol of God's presence, the ark of the covenant, would be irrelevant because God Himself would be present in the midst of His people.<br /> <br /> After reading through these first six chapters we have seen that the book of Jeremiah is an emotional, vivid journey into the hands of an angry and jealous God. Next month we will see the Lord's condemnation through Jeremiah of the corrupt rituals of the Jerusalem Temple and the breaking of the Mosaic Covenant. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-20153571269841067312014-07-28T08:00:00.000-05:002014-11-23T12:40:13.708-06:00Jeremiah: Weeping for the Disobedient, Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I strongly believe that one of the Biblical areas most churches tend to neglect is the writings of the great prophets of Israel. When one contemplates that the prophets comprise over twenty percent of Old and New Testaments combined, it can be seen as a rather large omission on the part of our pastors and teachers. And yet I am hard-pressed to select a more relevant portion of Scripture for our day; a section of the Bible that speaks to our nation's moment in history and our window of opportunity as the church. If we are indeed to be the preserving salt to our decaying culture as our Lord intended, we need the timeless, and timely, message of the prophets. <br /><br />Let us endeavor, then, to continue together to correct this oversight and supplement our Biblical knowledge by undertaking a brief survey of the prophet Jeremiah. As I've spoken with many people and taught over the years, I have come to the realization that many of us have never even opened the book of Jeremiah. In fact, in many Bibles, the pages are still stuck together! Take a moment before continuing and run a maintenance check — make sure all your Bible's pages in Jeremiah are free and clear!<br /><br /> I have called this study "weeping for the disobedient," and in fact, Jeremiah is often called "the weeping prophet." This is because the main concern of the book is Jeremiah's continuing prophecy of God's judgment against Judah. He denounced Judah in order to warn them to stop being disobedient to the Mosaic Covenant. If they would not return to the Lord, the people of Judah would be exiled. Of course, as we know, the Jewish people did not turn back to the Lord and were exiled to Babylon by the end of Jeremiah's ministry. This is why he wrote the book of Lamentations; because he grieved over the destruction of his people as they had not heeded his message.<br /><br />Jeremiah is perhaps the most autobiographical book within Scripture. Jeremiah reveals more personal details concerning his life and inner feelings than any other of the prophets. Some of his writing resonates with the stark emotional force of several of the more vivid, personal psalms. The book of Jeremiah is composed of many literary styles, however, ranging from history to prophecy and spans several decades of Jeremiah's life and ministry. One interesting feature of the book is that, unlike most Biblical books, there is a marked lack of chronological arrangement. The author has arranged the material in a logical, progressive pattern, to advance the overarching theme of God's judgment on the disobedient nation. Even in the midst of this theme, however, the pattern of Jeremiah's work, like other Old Testament prophets, also encompasses the tempering of final judgment with the promise of their eventual restoration to the land.<br /><br /> The Hebrew name "Jeremiah" means, "the Lord exalts" or "the Lord throws down". This seemingly contradictory, dual nature of the name can be seen in the message of the book. The prophet grew up in a priestly home, and the book records that he was called to be the Lord's messenger while still a child. He was appointed by God to "pluck up and break down, destroy and overthrow, and also to build and plant". How's that for a mission statement?! Jeremiah's message was primarily of judgment to a disobedient and unfaithful nation. However, it was also one of hope, comfort and promise of restoration with their God, Who had promised never to completely reject His chosen.<br /><br /> The historical period Jeremiah encompasses is that of the book of Kings of Judah and Israel, approximately 600 BC. You will remember that at this time, several centuries after David and Solomon ruled a united Israel, the nation had split into northern and southern kingdoms. The southern kingdom is called Judah, and it is here that our weeping prophet ministered. Judah's gross disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant, their rampant idolatry, injustice and sinfulness, occurred within a context of religious renewal under the good King Josiah. In the aftermath of one of the most exciting times of actual religious reformation came a disastrous period of rebellion against the Lord. This is the backdrop for the prophet's dramatic ministry and message of impending doom on a hypocritical nation. <br /><br /> Now that we have laid our groundwork for our study of Jeremiah's message, I'm afraid I will have to leave you in suspense until next month. Between now and then, though, be sure and read through the first ten chapters of the book. I know that the prophets can seem a little intimidating, but just jump in — the water's fine! Next month we will see what the weeping prophet had to say to a backsliding nation. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8413188211843424937.post-72743822364804245332014-06-23T08:00:00.000-05:002014-11-23T12:40:13.712-06:00The Feast of Shavuot <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Feast of Shavuot, or Pentecost, was celebrated this year during the first weekend of June. It marks both the anniversary of the giving of the Law to the Jewish nation and the giving of the Spirit to the Jewish believers; a celebration of both the theophany at Mount Sinai and of the indwelling at Mount Moriah.<br /><br />Pentecost is one of the “big three” pilgrimage festivals, when, as during Passover and Tabernacles, every Jewish male is commanded to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=Deuteronomy+16%3A9-10;&version=49;&interface=print">Deut. 16:9-10</a>, the holiday is designated Hag Hashavuot – The festival of weeks. It is so named because seven weeks, or fifty days, are counted down from the week of Passover. <br /><br />Although not specified in Scripture, Pentecost came to be understood as the day on which the Torah was given to Israel. In fact, the central Scripture reading for this holiday is <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=Exodus+19;&version=49;&interface=print">Exodus 19</a>–20. On Mount Sinai, God commands Moses to tell Israel that He has chosen them to be His people and to enter into covenant with Him. They are to be a holy nation of priests (Ex. 19:4-6).<br /><br />A priest, by definition, is someone who has special access to God, an intermediary between God and man. A whole kingdom of priests makes intercession not for one individual, but on behalf of entire nations. Israel was called to be a nation of priests and to minister to the other nations, the Gentiles.<br /><br /> In Ex. 19:9, God visibly manifested Himself on Sinai and communicated to Moses from within a dense cloud. This publicly established Moses as the intercessor between God and the nation of Israel. Moses was to be the only one who could speak to God face‑to‑face. The people needed to have confidence in their intercessor. To that end, the Lord firmly validated Moses’ authority in the eyes of Israel.<br /><br /> Following the dramatic, awesome manifestation of God’s presence on Sinai as He thundered the Ten Commandments to His people, with accompanying lightning, smoke, fire-flashes, supernatural shofar blowing, and earth quaking, the people of Israel were a little shaken themselves. They told Moses that they had experienced all of God’s manifest presence they could stand! Hearing from God proved to be too intense an experience; they feared sensory and emotional overload and asked Moses to be God’s spokesman, to be a “middleman” between God and Israel (Ex. 20:18-19). Moses ascended the mountain to commune with God and disappeared in the midst of the thick, dark cloud which was God’s manifest presence.<br /><br />But Moses disappeared for forty days, and no one had heard from him since he had disappeared within the dense fog. In their fear, the people built themselves a more tangible, far less traumatic representation to worship — a golden calf.<br /><br />When Moses returned, he condemned the nation for their grievous sin. Moses, in holy indignation, destroyed the two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. He instructed his own tribe, the Levites, to kill the idolaters. The Levites struck down 3,000 Israelites before God mercifully restrained them from decimating the nascent nation.<br /><br />As discussed in the pages of Acts, God directed the sequel to the events of Exodus some 1500 years after Sinai.<br /><br />On Pentecost, 33 A.D., we find the twelve apostles, like all Jews in Jerusalem, in the Temple courts awaiting a wonderful communal festival meal, an international Jewish picnic.<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=Acts+2%3A2-4;&version=49;&interface=print">Acts 2:2-4</a> describes strange, supernatural manifestations that suddenly envelop the disciples. The Spirit’s presence was marked by three similar signs also experienced at Sinai: violent wind, fire, and supernatural sounds. The Holy Spirit, the Ruach Hakodesh, had dramatically arrived.<br /><br />For the Holy Spirit to be given on Pentecost would have been appreciated by a Jewish audience. The anniversary of the divine gift of Torah is the most eloquent of moments for the revelation of the divine Spirit. This is the logical sequel to the Sinai experience. The God who came near on Sinai has now come ultimately near as He indwells believers with His Spirit.<br /><br />The response to these manifestations and to Peter’s powerful message was that 3,000 Jewish people came to faith that morning. While we should not imply that God uses a “holy calculator,” it does seem that He’s balanced the book of life pretty nicely. Three thousand Jews were killed in judgment at the Sinai rebellion when the Law was given; in that case the Law literally killed. But here, 1500 years later, the Spirit gave life. God restored the three thousand Israelites removed from the equation following the gift of the Torah.<br /><br />This sequel to Sinai was necessary because <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=Exodus+19-20;&version=49;&interface=print">Exodus 19-20</a> leaves no doubt that external experiences - even the most awesome ones such as the miraculous escape from Egypt and the thunderous voice of God himself shaking Mt Sinai - ultimately do not change lives. Lives can only be transformed from the inside out.<br /><br />Ultimate life change which results in obedience can only be accomplished by the Lord taking up residence in His temple. Not the temple in Jerusalem, which no longer stands, but that temple that is each one of us frail, imperfect men, women and children. Individual Jews and Gentiles alike are transformed into a community of saints by the receipt of a gift – the indwelling Torah.<br /><br />Pentecost reminds us that God has personally engraved His righteous standards on our hearts (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=Jeremiah+31%3A31;&version=49;&interface=print">Jer. 31:31</a>) by His Spirit. He has given His Spirit to permanently indwell us, enabling immediate and direct access to the Father. He has provided the perfect Intercessor: a great High Priest, Jesus, the incarnation of Torah (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/index.php?search=John+1%3A1;&version=49;&interface=print">John 1:1</a>). Unlike Moses or the Levitical priests, this intermediary is no mere “middleman.” God’s presence was manifest on Sinai within an ominous and distant cloud. On Pentecost, God gave us His Spirit so that His presence can be more intimate than the very air we breathe. We now have the eternal, abiding presence of Immanuel, God with us.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com