The prior post was about the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) which is celebrated (according to Biblical account) on the 10th day of the seventh month - this has now become the "first month" on the Jewish calendar. This post is about the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) which begins on the 15th day of the seventh month and runs for eight days. The instruction relating to the Feast of Tabernacles can be found in Leviticus 23:34-43:
"Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.
Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."
The Feast of Tabernacles is a special time for me. It is when I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The reason for this being such: to me, "dwelling in a tabernacle" means to live in this mortal flesh body. Jesus Christ came to dwell in a mortal body in order to set us free from the bondage of sin (the word "Egypt" is from the root "bondage" in Hebrew) by His death on the cross. Also, in John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." The word "dwelt" is the Greek word "skenoo" which literally means "to build a tabernacle". This word is only ever used by John and is used once in this reference and four other times in the Book of Revelation. Therefore, if Jesus was born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, then His birth would be on the first sabbath of the feast, and His circumcision (dedication to God) would be on the second sabbath of the feast. Two times to celebrate in the feast week.
I also love the image of the trees in the feast week. Trees are symbolic of the spiritual body - they (figuratively) live for ever. God calls Himself a "green fir tree" (which is ever green) in Hosea 14:8. There were many trees in the Garden of Eden, one of which was the Tree of Life - Who is Jesus Christ. (Ezekiel 31 also describes the story of the trees in the Garden of Eden.) So the imagery of the trees waving their boughs in celebration reminds me of two very happy celebrations in the Bible. The first is described by Isaiah: "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12)." The second is known as the "triumphal entry" of Jesus Christ, or "Palm Sunday", when He came to Jerusalem shortly before His crucifixion (as described in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12). Granted, the triumphal entry did not occur during the Feast of Tabernacles, but the imagery is the same. This is where the crowds carpeted the way for Jesus' entry into the city by throwing down their clothes and also branches from the nearby palm trees and shouted, "Hosanna!" (which is Hebrew for "Save us now!") and, "Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!"... both of these sayings being found in Psalm 118.
Beautiful imagery for the Feast of Tabernacles, and truly a time to celebrate when the Word of God came and tabernacled with us. God bless.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Day of Atonement
Before going into Jesus' three parables from Matthew 25, I will post a couple of elliptical posts concerning the feast days that are quickly approaching. These concern the Day of Atonement and the the Feast of Tabernacles.
From sundown on October 7 to sundown on October 8, 2011 is the Day of Atonement. This was described by God to Moses in Leviticus 23:27-32:
"Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."
The Hebrew word for "day" is "yom" and the word for "atonement" in the passage is "kippur", which is where the term Yom Kippur on the Jewish calendar comes from. The word "kippur" comes from the root "kaphar", which has several different interpretations: to cover, to purge, to make atonement, to reconcile. Interestingly enough, it is translated as "pitch" in Genesis 6:14, when Noah was building the ark for the approaching flood. The pitch was the material that coated and protected the boards of the ark to ensure that the boat was water-tight. It kept the boards together; it repaired the breaches between the boards; it ensured that the boat did not sink. Similarly, we of the Church can be seen as the boards of the boat. Our actions towards one another show how we love each other, keep the boat together, and keep it from sinking. So the method of atonement that reconciles us with God, is also our method of treating one another and reconciles us to one another. We humble ourselves before God and before each other, by helping each other, and this is how we afflict our souls... and make atonement. (Not surprisingly, through excellent Spiritual timing, this post will tie together with the results that occur in the last parable of Matthew 25.)
There are a couple of caveats to this. First, observing this sabbath as a matter of ritual - for ritual's sake - is not recommended. As God said through His prophet, "For I desired mercy [i.e. love], and not sacrifice; and knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6)." Second, observing the sabbath to create a spectacle is heavily frowned upon. This message was given to us by two powerful witnesses: Isaiah (by word of God) and Jesus. First, Isaiah 58 is an awesome source on what is a pleasing day to afflict your soul for God.
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My People their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. "Wherefore have we fasted," say they, "and Thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and Thou takest no knowledge?" Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, "Here I am." If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."
Jesus also spoke of an acceptable fast (day to afflict the soul) in the Sermon on the Mount, saying, "Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father Which is in secret: and thy Father, Which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:16-18)." This echoes the same message as was given in Isaiah, and I believe was Jesus' reference when He spoke it.
The pleasing affliction to God is to humble ourselves to help one another, for each other's general good and not for show. This is how we are instructed to keep the boat together and is important in the time of the approaching flood. God bless.
From sundown on October 7 to sundown on October 8, 2011 is the Day of Atonement. This was described by God to Moses in Leviticus 23:27-32:
"Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath."
The Hebrew word for "day" is "yom" and the word for "atonement" in the passage is "kippur", which is where the term Yom Kippur on the Jewish calendar comes from. The word "kippur" comes from the root "kaphar", which has several different interpretations: to cover, to purge, to make atonement, to reconcile. Interestingly enough, it is translated as "pitch" in Genesis 6:14, when Noah was building the ark for the approaching flood. The pitch was the material that coated and protected the boards of the ark to ensure that the boat was water-tight. It kept the boards together; it repaired the breaches between the boards; it ensured that the boat did not sink. Similarly, we of the Church can be seen as the boards of the boat. Our actions towards one another show how we love each other, keep the boat together, and keep it from sinking. So the method of atonement that reconciles us with God, is also our method of treating one another and reconciles us to one another. We humble ourselves before God and before each other, by helping each other, and this is how we afflict our souls... and make atonement. (Not surprisingly, through excellent Spiritual timing, this post will tie together with the results that occur in the last parable of Matthew 25.)
There are a couple of caveats to this. First, observing this sabbath as a matter of ritual - for ritual's sake - is not recommended. As God said through His prophet, "For I desired mercy [i.e. love], and not sacrifice; and knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6)." Second, observing the sabbath to create a spectacle is heavily frowned upon. This message was given to us by two powerful witnesses: Isaiah (by word of God) and Jesus. First, Isaiah 58 is an awesome source on what is a pleasing day to afflict your soul for God.
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My People their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. "Wherefore have we fasted," say they, "and Thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and Thou takest no knowledge?" Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, "Here I am." If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."
Jesus also spoke of an acceptable fast (day to afflict the soul) in the Sermon on the Mount, saying, "Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father Which is in secret: and thy Father, Which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:16-18)." This echoes the same message as was given in Isaiah, and I believe was Jesus' reference when He spoke it.
The pleasing affliction to God is to humble ourselves to help one another, for each other's general good and not for show. This is how we are instructed to keep the boat together and is important in the time of the approaching flood. God bless.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
He That Is Without Sin Among You, Let Him First Cast a Stone At Her...
In the last post I discussed the different configurations of the altar, which is an approach to worship. One configuration is made of stone, which to me represents the laws of God. (God gave numerous laws on how to worship Him.) But a problem arises when people begin to take the laws - that is the stones - and begin to huck them at each other in judgment. That is the imagery that I get from stoning someone - that the people who are stoning are literally hurling pieces of the law at a person to condemn that person to death. The problem is that no one person has not sinned in their lifetime. Paul says that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 2:23);" therefore, all are worthy of death by the law. But Jesus said, "judge not, lest ye be judged (Matthew 7:1)." In the Lord's prayer, we ask to be forgiven our sins just as we forgive others who sin against us (Matthew 6:9-15).
Another problem arises when a person changes the law to cast judgment on people. Whether intentionally, or unintentionally, this is what happened with the crowd that wanted Jesus to pronounce judgment on the woman that they had caught in adultery in John 8. The crowd told Jesus that "Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned (John 8:5);" but the question is... which law are they referring to? There are a few possibilities:
#1 - "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death (Leviticus 20:10)."
#2 - "If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman (Deuteronomy 22:22)."
#3 - "If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city and lie with her; then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)..."
#4 - The law of jealousies in Numbers 5:12-31, for which there is no stoning.
By Jesus' reaction to the accusation, it would appear that the accusation is most in line with the law of jealousies. Jesus stoops down and begins to write in the dust, which is very close to what is required for the law of jealousies. But other than that, the entire accusation seems pretty fishy: the adulterous man is nowhere to be found to prove the story (and suffer also in the punishment); the husband of the woman is nowhere around to make the accusation against his wife; and, there is no law noted above that states that the adulterous wife "should be stoned;" only a betrothed virgin was to be stoned. Was the "wife" put to death? Yes. Stoned? No.
The crowd had misquoted and changed the law just enough whereby it had been polluted.
Regardless, Jesus still carries out the portion that the priest would according to the law of jealousies (as best He could with the materials that were available), then He leaves it to the crowd to determine if they will continue on with their accusations by stating, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her (John 8:7)." When the crowd realizes to condemn the woman is really to condemn themselves, they back off and walk away - allowing the grace of God to redeem this woman from death.
The message that I get from this is that we use the law in a pleasing way, to worship God, and to guide our own actions, but we don't start dismantling the stone altar to hurl the stones at someone else. We are also meant to forgive each other our trespasses. Judge not, lest ye be judged. God bless.
Another problem arises when a person changes the law to cast judgment on people. Whether intentionally, or unintentionally, this is what happened with the crowd that wanted Jesus to pronounce judgment on the woman that they had caught in adultery in John 8. The crowd told Jesus that "Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned (John 8:5);" but the question is... which law are they referring to? There are a few possibilities:
#1 - "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death (Leviticus 20:10)."
#2 - "If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman (Deuteronomy 22:22)."
#3 - "If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city and lie with her; then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)..."
#4 - The law of jealousies in Numbers 5:12-31, for which there is no stoning.
By Jesus' reaction to the accusation, it would appear that the accusation is most in line with the law of jealousies. Jesus stoops down and begins to write in the dust, which is very close to what is required for the law of jealousies. But other than that, the entire accusation seems pretty fishy: the adulterous man is nowhere to be found to prove the story (and suffer also in the punishment); the husband of the woman is nowhere around to make the accusation against his wife; and, there is no law noted above that states that the adulterous wife "should be stoned;" only a betrothed virgin was to be stoned. Was the "wife" put to death? Yes. Stoned? No.
The crowd had misquoted and changed the law just enough whereby it had been polluted.
Regardless, Jesus still carries out the portion that the priest would according to the law of jealousies (as best He could with the materials that were available), then He leaves it to the crowd to determine if they will continue on with their accusations by stating, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her (John 8:7)." When the crowd realizes to condemn the woman is really to condemn themselves, they back off and walk away - allowing the grace of God to redeem this woman from death.
The message that I get from this is that we use the law in a pleasing way, to worship God, and to guide our own actions, but we don't start dismantling the stone altar to hurl the stones at someone else. We are also meant to forgive each other our trespasses. Judge not, lest ye be judged. God bless.
Friday, 30 September 2011
An Altar of Earth Shalt Thou Make...
I'm generally not a fan of taking a teaching from a couple of verses, preferring line upon line and precept upon precept to establish a lesson. However, sometimes a picture is given in a very few verses and, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. The same is true about the picture that I would like to put forth in today's post. The post is the figure of the altar, which was given to Moses when he was at Sinai, and the picture is worth many words. Here is the passage that I am referring to:
"An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record My name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon int, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon."
~Exodus 20:24-26
This is how I read this passage.
There are two different configurations of altars that God instructs here. One - the first choice that God puts forth - is the earthen altar, the second is the stone altar. The altar is where the People would approach to give their offerings and sacrifices when worshipping God; therefore, I see the altar as representing our mindset, or our approach, to worship. The offering is what we give to God; it is our actions.
The first figure is that of the earth. The Hebrew word for earth here is "adamah", which is very close to "Adam", and is in fact the word for ground in Genesis 2:7, where it says, "the Lord God formed man [Hebrew: "Adam"] of the dust of the ground [Hebrew: "adamah"]." This is worshipping God from the very substance that He made you from. Earth is soft, it's pliable, it's merciful; there is a lot of room for different constructions of an altar of earth (our approach to worship) that will still form an altar and will still be acceptable to God. This is illustrated in the fact that God says "make an altar" but doesn't give detailed instructions on what the altar will look like, only that it must be able to hold an offering of worship - these are very loose parameters, as long as the offering is to Him and to Him alone. To me, this is synonymous with when Jesus wrapped up all of the commandments and the law into two statements when He was teaching at the Temple (which is where the altar was when He walked the earth) shortly before His crucifixion. One of the crowd, a lawyer - whose primary interest was in the tenants of the law - had asked Jesus what the greatest commandment (law) ever given was, and Jesus replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40)." Now love comes in a lot of shapes and sizes, but the one thing that you can't take away from love is that it has to come from your being - it has to come from what you have been made of.
The second altar configuration is that of stone. It is much harder than the earthen altar, much more rigid. The altar of stone is worshipping God by the tenants of the law. In fact, the law was written on two stone tablets when it was given to Moses. The law is hard, rigid, not pliable; it must be carefully pieced together. There are two important things that I would like to point out about this configuration. First, God says "IF" you choose to make an altar of stone... which means that it is an optional configuration. I'm not saying that the law itself is optional, because the law was the way that God told His people what He hated, and that is still very important to know. However, there are a lot of ways to show love for God and one another that are outside of the rigid structure of the law. (An example could be giving someone a hug: nowhere in the law does it say that you have to hug someone, but it is an acceptable way to show people that you love them.) So God says if you want to make it harder than it needs to be, that is acceptable. But He then puts a caveat on worshipping by the law. If you are to build the altar of stone, you use the stones that He gave you, and you don't change them one bit. That means that you don't shave off any pieces of the stones to make them fit together better, nor do you engrave your words into them to add unto them. This represents two of the passages from my prior post warning against taking away from or adding unto God's Word. God says that doing that is polluting His Word, and it causes an unacceptable offering to Him.
So there is more leeway in giving an offering on the earthen altar than on the stone altar, and the choice of the altar configuration is up to you.
One final item to note is the last part where God instructs the People not to go up to the altar by steps. This, to me, represents placing ourselves above anyone else - thinking that we are better than anyone else because of how we worship God. God hates this attitude (see Isaiah 65:2-6). Jesus Himself instructed to His disciples, who were the most well honoured students of the Word because they were directly taught by Him, "Be ye not called 'Teacher': for One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren (Matthew 23:8)." When we put ourselves on pedestals, it only means that we have farther to fall to hit the ground because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)." And that sin is the nakedness that the last part of passage above refers to; it is the shame that Adam felt when he knew that he had sinned and was required to stand before God to face it. Everyone sins. But when we place ourselves above others and continue to sin, we become hypocrites. We become useless in giving God a good name (as best we can). We tarnish the name of God through our own stupidity. But if we are humble, and admit that we too are not perfect, but that we are trying to follow our beliefs as best we can, then we are much more relatable to every other person on the face of the earth... because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is important to be humble. In fact, God told one of His prophets, "what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God (Micah 6:8)?" That's what is required when we worship. That is encompassed above in Exodus 20:24-26. And that is an acceptable approach to worshipping God. God bless.
"An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record My name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make Me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon int, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon."
~Exodus 20:24-26
This is how I read this passage.
There are two different configurations of altars that God instructs here. One - the first choice that God puts forth - is the earthen altar, the second is the stone altar. The altar is where the People would approach to give their offerings and sacrifices when worshipping God; therefore, I see the altar as representing our mindset, or our approach, to worship. The offering is what we give to God; it is our actions.
The first figure is that of the earth. The Hebrew word for earth here is "adamah", which is very close to "Adam", and is in fact the word for ground in Genesis 2:7, where it says, "the Lord God formed man [Hebrew: "Adam"] of the dust of the ground [Hebrew: "adamah"]." This is worshipping God from the very substance that He made you from. Earth is soft, it's pliable, it's merciful; there is a lot of room for different constructions of an altar of earth (our approach to worship) that will still form an altar and will still be acceptable to God. This is illustrated in the fact that God says "make an altar" but doesn't give detailed instructions on what the altar will look like, only that it must be able to hold an offering of worship - these are very loose parameters, as long as the offering is to Him and to Him alone. To me, this is synonymous with when Jesus wrapped up all of the commandments and the law into two statements when He was teaching at the Temple (which is where the altar was when He walked the earth) shortly before His crucifixion. One of the crowd, a lawyer - whose primary interest was in the tenants of the law - had asked Jesus what the greatest commandment (law) ever given was, and Jesus replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40)." Now love comes in a lot of shapes and sizes, but the one thing that you can't take away from love is that it has to come from your being - it has to come from what you have been made of.
The second altar configuration is that of stone. It is much harder than the earthen altar, much more rigid. The altar of stone is worshipping God by the tenants of the law. In fact, the law was written on two stone tablets when it was given to Moses. The law is hard, rigid, not pliable; it must be carefully pieced together. There are two important things that I would like to point out about this configuration. First, God says "IF" you choose to make an altar of stone... which means that it is an optional configuration. I'm not saying that the law itself is optional, because the law was the way that God told His people what He hated, and that is still very important to know. However, there are a lot of ways to show love for God and one another that are outside of the rigid structure of the law. (An example could be giving someone a hug: nowhere in the law does it say that you have to hug someone, but it is an acceptable way to show people that you love them.) So God says if you want to make it harder than it needs to be, that is acceptable. But He then puts a caveat on worshipping by the law. If you are to build the altar of stone, you use the stones that He gave you, and you don't change them one bit. That means that you don't shave off any pieces of the stones to make them fit together better, nor do you engrave your words into them to add unto them. This represents two of the passages from my prior post warning against taking away from or adding unto God's Word. God says that doing that is polluting His Word, and it causes an unacceptable offering to Him.
So there is more leeway in giving an offering on the earthen altar than on the stone altar, and the choice of the altar configuration is up to you.
One final item to note is the last part where God instructs the People not to go up to the altar by steps. This, to me, represents placing ourselves above anyone else - thinking that we are better than anyone else because of how we worship God. God hates this attitude (see Isaiah 65:2-6). Jesus Himself instructed to His disciples, who were the most well honoured students of the Word because they were directly taught by Him, "Be ye not called 'Teacher': for One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren (Matthew 23:8)." When we put ourselves on pedestals, it only means that we have farther to fall to hit the ground because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)." And that sin is the nakedness that the last part of passage above refers to; it is the shame that Adam felt when he knew that he had sinned and was required to stand before God to face it. Everyone sins. But when we place ourselves above others and continue to sin, we become hypocrites. We become useless in giving God a good name (as best we can). We tarnish the name of God through our own stupidity. But if we are humble, and admit that we too are not perfect, but that we are trying to follow our beliefs as best we can, then we are much more relatable to every other person on the face of the earth... because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is important to be humble. In fact, God told one of His prophets, "what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God (Micah 6:8)?" That's what is required when we worship. That is encompassed above in Exodus 20:24-26. And that is an acceptable approach to worshipping God. God bless.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Repent Ye: For The Kingdom Of God Is At Hand...
God has declared the end since the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). This is a message that is repeated over and over in the Bible. He does this so that we will be prepared for it. It's almost as though you were getting the answers to an approaching test, but it's not a "cheat sheet", because the Teacher is saying, "Here, I've given you the answers, now you just study it real good." That's good news. That's "gospel". And it's true. In fact, the title of this post refers to the beginning of the New Testament. Right when John the Baptist comes out and starts preaching, the first thing he's recorded as saying is, "Repent ye: for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 3:2)." Similarily when Jesus begins His ministry, the first thing He preaches is, "Repent: for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17)." That means, "this age could come to an end at any moment, henceforth from this moment." People take this further to think that Jesus will appear at any moment and there will not be a tribulation - if you are tempted to think this now, read my last post where God lays out very clearly the events that will happen before the end of this age. Notwithstanding, these first teachings by John and Jesus make it very apparent that "understanding the end times" is a part of understanding the gospel.
The last post laid out Mark 13 in detail, but that was not the end of Jesus' teachings when He was giving that speech. Matthew 24 is the same speech as Mark 13, but Jesus continues teaching lessons about the end times and judgment in Matthew 25. There are three additional parables that give more understanding of what is to come. The parables let you know, once you have a knowledge of what the end times are to bring, what you are supposed to do with that knowledge. It is a continuation of the gospel.
I say it is a continuation because the all of the teachings of Jesus were "gospel" (meaning "good news"), in that they all told of His salvation. Knowing what is going to happen in the end IS good news, though some don't want to look at it that way. People will cut some of that message out and say, "only this part is the gospel," or, "only this is important," while others will add to it, saying, "you also needed this." Do not believe them! (My next post will touch on this.)
John warned against these methodologies in Revelation 22:18-19, saying, "if man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life..." which, in turn, is echoed from Dueteronomy 4:2, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it." And it was also taught by figure in the law of how to build an altar (see next post).
Paul also stated the importance of all scriptures when he wrote his second letter to Timothy, saying, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reporoof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17)." So the entire gospel, including the continuation, is important for us to know, especially if you are a person that lives in the "end times". The first parable that Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 teaches you that. I will be going into those three additional parables, but there is some groundwork to lay first, which has been brought up in an online study group of mine; I think it is important in regards to "what you are supposed to do with the knowledge of the end times" and the approach to delivering the message.
The key to this post, however, is knowing that if you are still reading this, you can still repent. God has left repentance open to anyone and everyone up until the very last moment of this age. Please don't take this as me saying that someone can put it off... because we could pass away at any moment. But take this as me saying, if you are reading this and it connects with you, then this is your opportunity to repent, right now, right where you are, get on board this train, and begin the journey into a fantastic life full of blessing. Paul told us how to do it in Romans 10:9, saying, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." That is the first step to wisdom in God. The next was given by God in Ezekiel 18, saying, "if the wicked man will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and will keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live." Don't know what the commandments and statutes are? Jesus put it very succinctly to give you some time to learn them if you are a beginner, saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40)." The golden rule. Treating others as you would be treated will get you through until you learn the rest of the law and the prophets (if that is your goal) and it is key in loving God with all your heart soul and mind. The first baby steps to "perfection", or maturity in God's Word. Spread the good news. God bless.
The last post laid out Mark 13 in detail, but that was not the end of Jesus' teachings when He was giving that speech. Matthew 24 is the same speech as Mark 13, but Jesus continues teaching lessons about the end times and judgment in Matthew 25. There are three additional parables that give more understanding of what is to come. The parables let you know, once you have a knowledge of what the end times are to bring, what you are supposed to do with that knowledge. It is a continuation of the gospel.
I say it is a continuation because the all of the teachings of Jesus were "gospel" (meaning "good news"), in that they all told of His salvation. Knowing what is going to happen in the end IS good news, though some don't want to look at it that way. People will cut some of that message out and say, "only this part is the gospel," or, "only this is important," while others will add to it, saying, "you also needed this." Do not believe them! (My next post will touch on this.)
John warned against these methodologies in Revelation 22:18-19, saying, "if man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life..." which, in turn, is echoed from Dueteronomy 4:2, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it." And it was also taught by figure in the law of how to build an altar (see next post).
Paul also stated the importance of all scriptures when he wrote his second letter to Timothy, saying, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reporoof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17)." So the entire gospel, including the continuation, is important for us to know, especially if you are a person that lives in the "end times". The first parable that Jesus teaches in Matthew 25 teaches you that. I will be going into those three additional parables, but there is some groundwork to lay first, which has been brought up in an online study group of mine; I think it is important in regards to "what you are supposed to do with the knowledge of the end times" and the approach to delivering the message.
The key to this post, however, is knowing that if you are still reading this, you can still repent. God has left repentance open to anyone and everyone up until the very last moment of this age. Please don't take this as me saying that someone can put it off... because we could pass away at any moment. But take this as me saying, if you are reading this and it connects with you, then this is your opportunity to repent, right now, right where you are, get on board this train, and begin the journey into a fantastic life full of blessing. Paul told us how to do it in Romans 10:9, saying, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." That is the first step to wisdom in God. The next was given by God in Ezekiel 18, saying, "if the wicked man will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and will keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done shall he live." Don't know what the commandments and statutes are? Jesus put it very succinctly to give you some time to learn them if you are a beginner, saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40)." The golden rule. Treating others as you would be treated will get you through until you learn the rest of the law and the prophets (if that is your goal) and it is key in loving God with all your heart soul and mind. The first baby steps to "perfection", or maturity in God's Word. Spread the good news. God bless.
Friday, 23 September 2011
Let No Man Deceive You By Any Means...
Over the past few days, I've seen and heard the agitation stir up again over "when will the end of the world be?... Is Jesus coming back on October 21st, 2011?... when is the rapture?... will I be taken with Him?..." and so on. These questions are plainly answered in the Bible so that we do not have to be agitated. Here are two places where the events are clearly laid out, and the narrator in both cases says, "do not let any one deceived you about what will happen." The speakers should know - they are two of the most credible sources in the Bible. The first is Jesus - and if you believe that the Bible is true, there is not a more credible testimony in the Bible than Jesus'. The second is Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament. If you can't believe these two, then I don't know who you can believe. The passages are from Mark 13 and from 2 Thessalonians 2.
I will not add any interpretation to the narrative - their words are much better than mine, and I believe that the unaltered text speaks clearly for itself. I would like to point out a couple of facts about the narrative though. I hear people quote the "no one knows the day or the hour of His return" passage all the time - which is true! No one knows the time. However, we can't let someone spin that statement into "we don't know what will be happening at that time," because Jesus and Paul tell us clearly what will be happening. Second, some people may say that the description is too vague to get any meaning out of and that you should just take it with a grain of salt because it was meant to be intentionally vague. Do not believe them! During the course of the Mark 13 speech, Jesus uses terms that tell you to pay close attention to what is being said 12 times. 12 times. That's emphatically saying, "you pay close attention to this." I will underline these instances in the passage. Also, Jesus directly references scripture 7 times in Mark 13 (with many other indirect references) and 3 of those times are from the Book of Daniel. Paul is also citing Daniel in 2 Thessalonians. I will also mark the scriptural references below.
Mark 13
And as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples saith unto Him, "Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answering said unto him, "Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." And as He sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"
And Jesus answering them began to say, "Take heed lest any man deceive you: for many shall come in My name, saying 'I am Christ;' and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom [see Isaiah 19:2]: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents [see Micah 7:6], and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not [see Daniel 9:27], (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: and let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be [see Daniel 12:1]. And except that the LORD had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days.
And then if any man shall say to you, 'Lo, here is Christ;' or, 'lo, He is there;' believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken [see Amos 3:7]. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds [see Daniel 7:13] with great power and glory. And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: so ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."
2 Thessalonians 2
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God [see Daniel 11:36-39]. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God even our Father, Which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
There you have it. Do not be deceived. God bless.
I will not add any interpretation to the narrative - their words are much better than mine, and I believe that the unaltered text speaks clearly for itself. I would like to point out a couple of facts about the narrative though. I hear people quote the "no one knows the day or the hour of His return" passage all the time - which is true! No one knows the time. However, we can't let someone spin that statement into "we don't know what will be happening at that time," because Jesus and Paul tell us clearly what will be happening. Second, some people may say that the description is too vague to get any meaning out of and that you should just take it with a grain of salt because it was meant to be intentionally vague. Do not believe them! During the course of the Mark 13 speech, Jesus uses terms that tell you to pay close attention to what is being said 12 times. 12 times. That's emphatically saying, "you pay close attention to this." I will underline these instances in the passage. Also, Jesus directly references scripture 7 times in Mark 13 (with many other indirect references) and 3 of those times are from the Book of Daniel. Paul is also citing Daniel in 2 Thessalonians. I will also mark the scriptural references below.
Mark 13
And as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples saith unto Him, "Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answering said unto him, "Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." And as He sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?"
And Jesus answering them began to say, "Take heed lest any man deceive you: for many shall come in My name, saying 'I am Christ;' and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom [see Isaiah 19:2]: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents [see Micah 7:6], and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not [see Daniel 9:27], (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: and let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: and let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be [see Daniel 12:1]. And except that the LORD had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days.
And then if any man shall say to you, 'Lo, here is Christ;' or, 'lo, He is there;' believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken [see Amos 3:7]. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds [see Daniel 7:13] with great power and glory. And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: so ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."
2 Thessalonians 2
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God [see Daniel 11:36-39]. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God even our Father, Which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
There you have it. Do not be deceived. God bless.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
I Have Set Before You Life and Death...
This will be a short one, but a good one. The reason that we are hear on the earth is to make a choice. We choose life, or we choose death. Pretty simple. Paul said in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Life and death - a juxaposition. Moses told the Israelites about this choice in Deuteronomy 8:2 (which the Lord had told him about in Exodus 16:4), "thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no." That is the life and death statement: the blessing and the cursing. That's the point of this post.
Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the life." Paul said in Hebrews 2:14, "... him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."
But there is one monkey wrench that I must introduce here. Satan, the devil, always, always, always is trying to imitate Jesus. Satan wants to be considered as God, and so he constantly tries to steal that title. It started in the Garden of Eden and has been the same ever since. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Satan tries to disguise himself as an angel of light (or, rather, the Angel of Light, Who is Jesus). So there is a bit of a tricky thing that happens when we read the Bible; we must learn to rightly divide the subject matter so that we know who the text is talking about. We need to know when it is talking about Jesus and when it is talking about Satan. Here are some of the times that Satan tries to imitate Jesus:
Both are spoken of as trees in the Garden of Eden (the Tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil)
Both are refered to as the morning star
Both are refered to as a rock
Both are refered to as lions
Both are compared to a thief (in the night)
Both are princes (one the Prince of Peace and one the prince of the world)
Both have marks that will be implanted in the minds of their disciples
Both have come to bring a fire in the earth
The list goes on and on, but the key is to be able to decifer which is which. It's not always easy, but always worth investigating the Word to find out. God bless.
Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the life." Paul said in Hebrews 2:14, "... him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."
But there is one monkey wrench that I must introduce here. Satan, the devil, always, always, always is trying to imitate Jesus. Satan wants to be considered as God, and so he constantly tries to steal that title. It started in the Garden of Eden and has been the same ever since. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Satan tries to disguise himself as an angel of light (or, rather, the Angel of Light, Who is Jesus). So there is a bit of a tricky thing that happens when we read the Bible; we must learn to rightly divide the subject matter so that we know who the text is talking about. We need to know when it is talking about Jesus and when it is talking about Satan. Here are some of the times that Satan tries to imitate Jesus:
Both are spoken of as trees in the Garden of Eden (the Tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil)
Both are refered to as the morning star
Both are refered to as a rock
Both are refered to as lions
Both are compared to a thief (in the night)
Both are princes (one the Prince of Peace and one the prince of the world)
Both have marks that will be implanted in the minds of their disciples
Both have come to bring a fire in the earth
The list goes on and on, but the key is to be able to decifer which is which. It's not always easy, but always worth investigating the Word to find out. God bless.
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