Scripture Truths

Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT PEACE

2011-08-23T14:37:00.006-04:00

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” Isaiah 26:3.4. “. . .O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early” Isaiah 26:8,9. (Perfect Peace is shalom, shalom; the concept being heightened by repetition, thus perfected. It is “peace, peace!”)

In a day of turmoil, when all around us seems to be in total confusion and chaos: What are we to do; to whom shall we turn for Peace? “Be careful [anxious, as many define it] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Phil. 4:6-7.

Notice the similarity of Old and New Testament. In both there is the Promise; in both the Provision: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.” “The peace of God, which passeth understanding.” Whose mind is stayed on thee.” “shall keep your hearts and minds.” “the Lord. . .the Lord Jehovah.” “through Christ Jesus.”

BE CAREFUL! Three words in the Greek give us a three dimensional picture: merizo, to part, disunite, divide. merimna, (from merizo, the idea of distraction.) merimnao, to be anxious about. When one is distracted in any given situation, his attention is divided between two objects. He cannot rightly focus on both. Did not the Lord make our eyes to look in the same direction: not one to the right, the other to the left; one upward, one downward? Trying to focus on two objects at once may quickly draw one into a state of confusion, especially if you have a one track mind like me!

Many words have two or more definitions: consider merizo, to DISTRACT.

distract, (1) [Diversion] divert the mind or thoughts or attention, draw or lead away from, BEGUILE, lead astray. Further definition: amusement, pastime, drawing the mind in different directions, preoccupation, engrossment. From these, if left unguarded, may come fascination, a fixation, passion.

Eve was beguiled, distracted by the serpent, and we have the conversation between the two. But did Eve immediately partake of the forbidden fruit - or did she pass by the tree day after day, being intrigued by its beauty, becoming preoccupied, attempting to justify her actions (should she decide to eat of it’s fruit?) After all, in her eyes, it appeared to be good for food, it was pleasant to her eyes, and a tree to be desired! Eve became fascinated; she gained a passion for the tree. Many have speculated about the fruit: it was from an apple tree they say. One thing is certain: for Eve, at least, it was Passion Fruit!

Should one ask - why would you think that Eve might ‘pass by and gaze at the tree day after day . . .” I might ask, What makes you think that the serpent would attempt to beguile her only once, and no more? Was Jesus not tempted of the devil over and over when He was in the wilderness? And of Samson and Delilah: “Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, an wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.” “And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; Thus he told her all his heart” Judges 16;6,16,17a. And you can recall the remainder of the story.

distract, (2) [Confusion] perplexity, abstraction, bewilder, complicate. Eve’s distraction drew her eyes from the Lord to the serpent and the Tree. On one hand she has heard the Voice of God saying, “Thou shalt not,” and the voice of the serpent saying, Oh go ahead! God does not really mean what He said! He’s just trying to withhold some good things from you! You deserve to eat of the tree: it’s your decision; do what pleases you! If what you do pleases you but is displeasing to God, in the final outcome you will find that it did not please you after all!

Sons and daughters of Adam and Eve: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Further, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Anything less is because we are distracted; we are not fixed on Him! There is a term for this condition: it’s called SIN. Anything less than loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind - is sin.

BE CAREFUL! The ‘care’ in careful has also a two fold meaning: (this useful information came from Webster’s Thesaurus.)

(1) [Careful conduct] heed, precaution, vigilance, watchfulness, diligence, oversight, attention: these are but a few. (These things are commendable and to be desired in our Christian walk.)

(2) [Worry] anxiety, distress, perplexity, fretfulness, stress, encumbrance, strain, load, pressure, vexation, fear, uneasiness, exasperation, misgiving, anguish, apprehension - and the list continues. (These may be avoided by prayer and supplication; and when they are, we can expect the peace of God which shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. As one has so aptly said, “pray without ceasing - or worry without ceasing!”)

We often hear (or perhaps may be found saying!) “I’m under a lot of pressure”, or ‘I’m greatly distressed” or “I’m rather depressed”, or “Under the circumstances. . .” We did not get these from scripture! Search your Bible! You will find none of these expressions (nor the words) recorded!

What a sad commentary for us as Christians. Your heavenly Father has not in His design and Eternal Purpose arranged for you to be “Under a lot of pressure,” nor to be “Under the circumstances.” But there is a recurring phrase that is to be found in over half of the books of the Bible. Look up the word LIFT, LIFTED, LIFTING in your concordance. You will find in every case the word UP following it. The very first occurrence is in Genesis 7:18, and involves a man named Noah and an ark: “And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth: and the ark [capsized and was torn asunder!] NO! “it went upon the face of the waters!” The previous verse tells us, “and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was LIFT UP above the earth.”

“And the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth” “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” John 12:32. Jesus walked upon [up on the face of] the water. Could He have sunk into its depths? Could the Ark with Noah and his family have capsized and sunk into the seas? Could God have shut him in; shut the door of the Ark, just to have the ark torn to bits and its passengers drown in the turbulence? Could the waters have done the same unto Christ Jesus, God’s established Ark of the Covenant, our Ark? No! The waters could only ‘bare Him up’, could do no less than ‘lift Him up above the earth!’ Can you imagine hearing Jesus say, “I’m under a lot of pressure!” or I’m distressed!” or “I’m depressed!” or “under the circumstances!”

I NEED A LIFT!

But sadly it was not the case with our Brother Simon Peter: “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. . . And when Peter was come down out of the ship [he was down and out, but to be literally so in a moment] to go to Jesus.

How did Simon Peter walk on the water? As long as his mind was “stayed upon Thee” as long as he trusted the Lord, “the Lord Jehovah was his strength.” He walked, not in his own strength: he was LIFTED UP of the Lord. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid: and beginning to sink.” Two things happened: He saw the wind boisterous: he was distracted; his mind and thoughts and attention were diverted. The distraction caused, under the circumstances, anxiety, distress, he was under pressure; he became fearful, apprehensive, in anguish. James tells us “he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. . .A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. . .let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” James 1:6-8. But the Lord was faithful and gracious: He immediately stretched forth his hand and caught him. “Lord, save me, deliver me, lift me up out of this watery grave! How near was Jesus? Near enough to ‘immediately stretch forth his hand and catch him.’

“I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help, Love lifted me!

Jesus has walked upon the water! Can we hear an Amen from the Psalms? “Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea” Psalm 93:2-4.

The floods have lifted up; a flood of men have lifted up their voices; their violent waves as the noise of many waters are lifted up against Him whose throne is established of old. Lift Him up upon the cross! “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up” That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” John 3;14-15.

“The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. for the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed” Isa. 50:5-7. It is the day of crucifixion. Jesus has set His face like a flint [the flint, a stone known for its hardness, used in the making of tools and weapons.] “I shall not be confounded.” His face was stayed toward the Father; He was not distracted. Therefore He was not confused, He was not perplexed; He was not bewildered. Can we not learn from His example? Some may ask, Could Jesus have sinned? Tell me now, how could one possibly sin when His face is fixed upon the Father, whose mind is stayed on Him; who is trusting Him? Even as Jesus cried, My God, why hast thou forsaken me, it was then, even as it had been all His life: Jesus was never distracted: He was not double minded; He was not unstable; He did not “serve God and mammon!” What of God the Father? Could He be distracted; therefore be confounded or confused? “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” James 1:17.

LOVE LIFTED ME! “I waited patiently for the Lord: and he inclined [natah, stretched forth] unto me, and heard my cry. He brought [alah, lift, raise, recover. restore] me UP also OUT of an horrible pit, OUT of the miry clay, [quicksand?] and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:”

LIFT UP, as found in the Scriptures is identified with - eyes, (Gen. 13:14, 18:2. Deut. 3:27, 4:19, Psalm 121:1, 123:1, Isa. 40:26, 51:6, Ezek, 8:5, John 4:35.) face, (Num. 6:25, Job 11:15, 22:26, Psalm 24:6, Lam. 2:19.) head, (Gen. 40:13, Ezra 9:6, Job 10:15, Psalm 110:6.) hands, (Psalm 28:2, 63:4, 119:48, 134:2, Lam. 2:19, 3:41, Heb. 12:12.) heart, (Lam. 3:41.) soul, (Psalm 25:1, 86:4, 143:8,) feet, (Psalm 74:2.) voice, (Gen. 21:17, Job 38:34, Psalm 28:2, 93:3, Isa. 10:30, 24:14, 40:9, 52:8, 58:1.) countenance, (Num. 6:26, Psalm 4:6.) prayer, (II Kings 19:4, Isa. 37:4) Also - banner, (Isa. 13:2.) ensign, (Isa. 5:26.) standard, (Isa. 62:10.) to mention a few.

“Come Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.”

But, alas, we must join also with the author as he writes: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love .” And this will happen when we are distracted, when our focus is not totally on Christ. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.” The world and its amusements will seek to draw us away, to fascinate us, to fix our hearts and minds on that which is not Jesus. My dear friend, if we are to have a Passion, may it be found anchored in our Lord Jesus Christ!

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusted in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: for the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.“

“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord LIFT UP his countenance upon thee, and give thee PEACE.” Numbers 6:24-26.

Dear Paul and Silas

2011-07-27T20:27:00.002-04:00

Dear Paul and Silas,

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” Matt. 5:11.

Paul and Silas were exemplary in proving the soundness of this verse! Surely they were, and are, given to assure us that what was true for them is equally true for us. The early church endured much persecution and the reading or hearing of this particular event in the lives of these apostles would have been to them of no little comfort.

When Paul and Silas were in Philippi, a “certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination. . .followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, which show us the way of salvation” Acts 16:16,17. Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. As a result her “owners” lost their means of monetary gain and had Paul and Silas brought before the magistrates, who promptly had them thrown into prison. “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely. Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God. . .Acts 16:23- 25.

The Philippi Chamber of Commerce was instrumental in obtaining accommodations for Paul and Silas. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available at the Philippi Hilton, so other arrangements were made. The Lodge to which the Apostles were directed did not have a AAA rating. The room was not cleaned prior to their arrival. They were not given fresh towels and linen. The floor, rather than being carpeted, had an earthy feel to it. This establishment would not likely have passed a sanitation inspection. The local pest control company had not been there of late. There was neither a restaurant nor room service. The room did not have a balcony with picture window overlooking the city. The Host was lacking in kindness and courtesy. . .

An earthquake. . .the foundation of the prison shaken. . .the doors were opened. . . everyone’s bands were loosed. Everyone that is, but the jailor’s. No, his hands and feet were not shackled; he was not fastened in the stocks: he was bound by sin. And sin was just about finished with him. “And the keeper of the prison awakened out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” Acts 16:27,28.

The jailor called for a light and his darkened eyes were opened to the Truth of the Word. He cried, What must I do to be saved, and received the Word of reconciliation: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. And he fell before Paul and Silas receiving the Word of Deliverance; and the “ropes brake off his arm like a thread;” the chains were “plucked asunder” and the fetters were “broken in pieces.”

If we thoughtfully meditate upon the account given us concerning Paul and Silas while they were in Philippi, we shall without doubt be able to identify them as Peacemakers and Ministers of Reconciliation. They could most assuredly relate to the eighth Beatitude: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely. . .” They cast out an evil spirit from a fortune teller, and for that were laid upon and thrust before the magistrate by an angry mob. They were stripped, beaten, and then cast into the inner prison, their feet shacked. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God: (most likely they were continuing that which was begun earlier.) They sang praises; a convincing evidence that they were at Peace with the Father, that they had approached Him in poverty of spirit, in mourning and meekness, hungering and thirsting after Righteousness; being reconciled to God, they desired that others might be also reconciled.

The response of the Father: a great earthquake, prison doors opened, everyone’s bands were loosed. Everyone that is, but the jailor: he was imprisoned by sin, held captive by its shackles.

Paul cried out, “Do thyself no harm.” But the jailor had done them much harm.

“We are all here.” None escaped, though opportunity was there to do so.

It would appear that the attention of the Apostles was not upon their freedom, but the loosing of the jailor, yet in his bonds.

The jailor called for a light, and his eyes were opened to the Truth of the Word.

He cried, What must I do to be saved, and received the word of reconciliation - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord. And he fell in poverty of spirit, mourning his guilt and condemnation; he came in meekness and humility, owning himself as bankrupt and in need. He was forgiven. He was cleansed, he was reconciled to God. He became a Peacemaker. As a Peacemaker, he washed the Apostles stripes; he took them into his own house, he set meat before them; he rejoiced, believing, fellowshipping with Paul and Silas. He make peace with and was reconciled to the Apostles; but first peace and reconciliation had to be made with God.

The forgotten prisoners.

Have we been so caught up with the conversion of the Philippian jailor that we have overlooked the other prisoners in the jail house? (But our God is not forgetful, neither is He prone to overlook anything.) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: AND THE PRISONERS HEARD THEM. [Did the prisoners hear them by the hearing of the ear? Or did their song and prayer reach their hearts (via the Spirit of God?) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; [ Christ is the ONE FIRM FOUNDATION, but that which is earthly is said to have “foundations” these being subject to crumbling!] and immediately ALL THE DOORS WERE OPENED, and EVERYONE’S BANDS WERE LOOSED. And the keeper of the prison [Jail House] awakening out of sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the PRISONERS HAD BEEN FLED. [Better to take his own life than to face the consequences when the magistrates found out that the prisoners had all fled.] But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for WE ARE ALL HERE. “We understand that it was not the purpose of God that the living might die, but that the DEAD might LIVE! “Then he called for a light [he being in darkness, had no light of his own] and sprang in, and came TREMBLING, and fell down before Paul and Silas.” He came trembling: entromos - it was a tremor, a quaking of his heart: the earth trembled and quaked, it’s foundations were shaken; so it was with the jailor. “The doors were opened, everyone’s bands were loosed, we are all here! Paul and Silas with the prisoners, the prisoners with Paul and Silas. The shackles were loosed, the doors opened - why were they still there! Could it be that there was an effectual calling, a restraining by the Holy Spirit? Is it the nature and practice of our Lord to break the physical bonds of men and refrain from breaking the shackles of sin for their deliverance? Were they loosed that they might be immediately bound again? “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” Why would it take two men to speak to one man? Or were they speaking to all the men, prisoners and jailor alike? The next verse answers it for us: “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” Did the jailor not have two ‘households?’ One where he lived (whether he had a wife and children we are not told - it is an assumption; it is speculation on our part.) But he did have another household - those who were abiding in the jail house. Notice, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” Where do we get the idea that they moved from that location, going down to his other house at midnight, waking his family so they might hear the gospel? What of the prisoners? Is he to leave them outside the jail house, they being now free of their shackles, trusting that they will stay put until he returns with Paul and Silas many hours later? And if they did not, it was to his peril. “And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized he and all his house [household] straightway.” [Most likely in the same water, the washing of stripes and the baptizing.] After all this was complete, THEN he brought them into his house, [as though they had not been there before] and set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” Sometimes house, [literally or figuratively] means a household of individuals, sometimes, a dwelling place. (It is used four times in this passage.) Nevertheless, having two households, if there were those dwelling in both, the Lord would be true to His word: they would all be saved! (Though I personally believe that those initially baptized along with the jailor, were saved prisoners, now being made the prisoners of Christ! Question? Where does the Lord Jesus keep His prisoners? In Maximum Security!

“And when it was day, the magistrates sent to the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.” OK, let which men go: Paul and Silas only - or all the prisoners? Why, Paul and Silas only. The other prisoners would remain in custody. I firmly believe that during that night the jailor could have asked Paul concerning the prisoners and he would have said as before, WE ARE ALL HERE! The prisoners would have returned with the Apostles to their rightful place in the prison to fulfill the sentences of the magistrates; else the jailor would likely have forfeited his life. Now, if the jailor was saved and all his “household,” shall we not say that the jail house became a church, a “House of God;” a “Temple.” if you please! Look it up! oikos, dwelling, Lit. or fig., family, lit. or fig., house[-hold], temple. Can you imagine, in or out of jail, what an impact these fellows would have had in Philippi?

But then, much of Paul’s ministry was a Jail House ministry, was it not?!!

Intercessory Prayer

2011-05-22T11:55:00.004-04:00

A Meditation

We live in the finite; we live in our little world with our limited sight and our inabilities. God lives in the infinite: He is infinite! His world is without end. We look as far as we possibly can through the eye of the telescope: yet what of God’s unseen world? Who has beheld His Heavenly Masterpieces? And who can say that he knows the inner workings of the mind of God? We shall look at the mystery of Intercessory prayer. But who among us is capable of understanding and discerning it to any degree? I dare say that there have been many saints in days gone by who have prayed long and continual prayers of intercession who were not even familiar with the word. The discernment of intercessory prayer stems not so much from education as it does from meditation. Allow the Spirit to be your fellow/companion: He will be guide and director, counselor and tutor.

Intercessory prayer? It is a spiritual, an infinite matter. Earthly definitions fall short of comprehending its true meaning. It brings one into the courtyard of Heaven, even unto the Throne of Grace; into the Presence of the Eternal God.

Intercessory prayer is Heart Work. Complacency has no place, nor the attitude that it is my duty to pray in this manner: or perhaps God (or other people) will be impressed with my prayers. Fasting could be an ingredient; but the motivation is important: “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. . .Bur thou, when thou fasteth, 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” Matt. 6:16-18.

Intercessory prayer is heart work: “Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh to you. . .Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” James 4:8-10.

Pretence with God is futile: “And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” Rom. 8;27. Much praying will never reach the Throne of God if it is from the lips only and not from the depths of the heart wherein reigns the Lord Jesus.

What Intercessory prayer is NOT!

When a catastrophe comes the world is quick to say, “Our prayers are with you!” Are their prayers, prayers of intercession? Who is their “god?” Who, pray tell, is the object of their ‘faith’? “It is our prayers - not necessarily those offered to any god: but our prayers should count for something because they stem from a sincere heart! There is some magical strength in the prayer itself: it need not come from a god who may or may not exist.”

Praying in the name of Jesus? What a hot topic!

And it’s brought into the courts of our land with much dispute. What does the world find offensive about praying in the Name of Jesus? What do they not find offensive. . .? “To name the name of Jesus may be acceptable; after all he was a great man, a notable person. But praying in the name of Jesus? That’s like declaring him to be God or something! It is that which we find offensive!”

Intercessory prayers?

If one were to go through and catalogue all that are found in the scriptures, it would of itself make a sizeable book. Let us take a moment to meditate on three of them.

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto his people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--;

[I can see Moses choked up; his heart in his throat: the words will not come out; though he cannot speak, he is now making intercession unto God in behalf of his people] and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written” Exodus 32:30-32. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” Rev. 3:5.

Did you see that? Our names, not only sealed in the book of life, but Jesus will openly acknowledge and confess our names before the Father! Hallelujah!

Consider the Apostle Paul: a great ‘prayer warrior’ indeed! (I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”) “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” Rom. 9:2-3. What did we read in James chapter four? “Draw nigh unto God. . . Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. . .your joy to heaviness.”

Paul could wish himself accursed that his people might not be accursed: rather that they would receive the Blessing. Who can deny Paul’s tender heart and his continuing intercessory prayer for his kinsmen?

“Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises. . and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came. . .” Rom. 9:4,5a. For these Christ came; that they might receive His promises: the Everlasting Covenant that God made in their behalf; being adopted, being made partakers of Christ’s glory.

Who are Israelites? (1) “as are led by the Spirit of God, (2) they are the sons of God, (3) they have received the Spirit of adoption, (4) The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit - we are the children of God, (5) heirs; heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, (6) that we may be also glorified together.

“I could wish myself accursed from Christ.” Why would Paul say such a thing? Is it not that Paul loved the Lord with all his heart, his soul, his mind; and the will and purpose of God being accomplished for His glory meant more to Paul than his own life? What could be the driving force to bring the Apostle to such devotion to his Lord? “That I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable to His death” Philippians 3:10). Further he said. “I follow after, that I may apprehend, reaching forth, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The Intercession of Christ.

Not only does He make intercession for His people: He IS the Mediator and Intercessor!

“It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” Rom. 8:34. “He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” Rom 8:27. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” Heb 7:25.

Christ could wish Himself accursed from God, that in His death we might be saved, being made the sons of God, receiving the adoption, being heirs of God, being made partakers of His glory.

The Intercessory Work of Christ on the Cross

“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” This is a prayer of intercession, offered by Christ as Priest; He being the fulfillment of Leviticus chapter four “If a soul shall sin. . .if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance. . .when a ruler hath sinned. . .the congregation shall offer a young bullock. . .the elders shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord. . .the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock’s blood. . .sprinkle it before the Lord. . .and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. . .And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp.” Jesus, on the cross was both Priest and sacrifice. He being the fulfillment of Leviticus four could lawfully pray, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Heb. 13:11,12) Thank God for that intercessory prayer!

“Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren what shall we do?” Acts 2:36,37. “But ye denied the Holy One and the just. . .And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead. And now brethren, I wot [to know, be aware, understand] that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” Acts 3:14,15,17. (Through ignorance: drawing their minds back to the Leviticus scripture of the “sin of ignorance”)

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Should He not have preceded that prayer with, “Father, these men are exceeding great sinners, and I present their sin before Thee, as they are even now, crucifying Your Son!” NO! “Father, forgive them, for even now, their sins are laid upon Me: I bear upon my head, their sins and transgressions against the Lord Jehovah. Therefore when You look upon their sins, Thou will find them laid upon Me! They were crucifying the Lord of Glory? That very sin was laid on Him; Jesus paid it ALL!

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise” Luke 23:42,43. Amazing! The thief recognizes Jesus as Lord; and though He should die He would be resurrected and assume His rightful office as King. The thief also dying, would be resurrected, for he says ‘remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.’

We must not end this segment without mentioning John chapter seventeen. It’s appropriately titled in most Bibles, The Prayer of Intercession.

“that they might know thee. . Thou gavest them me. . .I have given them Thy words. . .I pray for them; for thy are Thine. . .All mine are Thine. . .I am glorified in them. . .keep them through thine own name. . .that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. . .Sanctify them through thy truth. . .That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. . the glory which thou gavest me I have given them. . .that they may be made perfect in one. . .and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. . .that they be with me where I am. . .that they may behold my glory. . .that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy Son! Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother!” John 19:25,26. Many expositors capitalize Son. A duel picture can be seen here. Mary, look upon Me; and then upon John. I entrust you into his care. Jesus, having been her Son will now be her Saviour. Here again, see the work of Christ as Intercessor in a very personal way: the bringing together of Mary and John.

One of the most quoted scriptures in all the Bible: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19. It is by Christ Jesus: He is High Priest, He is Mediator, He is Intercessor. By and through the priestly work of intercession by Christ Jesus, God supplies our need. Christ has procured all we have need of by the effectual sacrifice of Himself on the cross. When we pray we may think “Unmerited Favor.” The intercessory work of Christ is much different! He “MERITS the FAVOR!”

O Lord God, look Thou upon the Mercy Seat. Is the Blood still there? Then He will acknowledge the desires/petitions of Christ in our behalf! Amen?

“Lord, teach us to pray.”

“one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray.” In answer to that disciple’s appeal Jesus laid out a pattern prayer for him. May we echo his request! If left to ourselves would we not pray in this manner: “My Father which art in heaven. . .give me [this week, this month, this year] my bread. . .deliver me from evil?

“Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” Matt. 18:19,20.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” Matt. 6:6.

How do we reconcile these scriptures: “If two shall agree. . .it shall be done: Thou. . .enter into thy closet, shut the door, praying to the Father in secret? And it shall be done? We shall look further into this matter, but not right now!

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Heb. 4:14-16. Is it, that I may obtain mercy; that I may find grace for myself alone? What if we pray, Lord, I come to the throne of grace in an appeal for my Brother; that I might, through intercessory prayer, obtain mercy, and find grace in his behalf, in this, his time of need. Should it not be the primary, the principal focus of our prayers as we approach the Throne of Grace? Is this not what intercessory prayer is about? What if I prayed, Lord, if I am to receive your Blessing; if any reward is to be given me - would you give those to my Brother; and lay his heartaches, his grief, his burdens upon me. That would be a hard prayer to pray, would it not?

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself [Himself] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” Rom. 8;26,27. What if we reverse the order, beginning with Romans 8:28: “According to His purpose, we are called; according to His purpose, we love God; according to His purpose, all things work together for good [for our good; for His glory]: according to His purpose, according to the will of God, He (Christ) maketh intercession for the saints. According to His purpose, knowing the mind of the Spirit, He searcheth the hearts. According to His purpose, the Spirit maketh intercession; according to His purpose, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. And then we wonder that the scripture tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace? We come, not in or by ourselves; we have the Son and the Spirit simultaneously making intercession to the Father in our behalf!

“And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins” I John 2:1-2. Advocate, paraketos,

INTERCESSOR, also Comforter! Is it not comforting that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, has born our sins upon His own person, paid the debt for them in full, (our Mediator) and stands not before the Throne, as a lawyer of sorts, but sits upon the Throne with the Judge! Now that’s an Intercessor!

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. . .If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” John 14:13-14, 15:7.

Many times we receive a letter or a document, perhaps from the president or other official of a company or school, etc. At the bottom, the paper is signed by the originator; and beside it are the initials of another, showing that, though they may have drawn up the material, the authority and power belongs to the official who was responsible for its issue. Why pray in Jesus’ name? Thine is the kingdom, it is Thy will, Thy power, Thy glory that authenticates such a prayer! (Mine are the small initials beside His name.)

We are exhorted to come boldly to the throne of grace? Yes! And we come with the Spirit and Christ Himself as Intercessors in our behalf. What then, is our part; how are we to be intercessors in behalf of another? And how shall we hope to pray according to the will of God?

As Jesus is intercessor for us, let us with Him, enter into the prayer of intercession. We ask in the name of Jesus because He is our Priest, our Prayer Partner. Let us not merely pray TO our Lord - let us pray WITH HIM! Talk to the Lord, and listen as He talks to you. Pray together with Him, with unity of heart. Lord Jesus, you faithfully bear my burdens; what is on your heart? What burdens are you bearing that You would share with me? How would you have me pray?

The 120 who gathered in the upper room; that ‘continued with one accord in prayer and supplication’: was Jesus not praying also; interceding for them? They were in one accord. Was Christ not their Priest, their Prayer Partner? Were their hearts not bound to His, seeking the Father’s will and His glory?

If we come to Jesus desiring to intercede in behalf of others: if He is already entered into intercessory prayer - why would we think that He would not welcome us with open arms; to pray as One with Him? In light of this, may we enter into intercessory prayer with confidence and great assurance believing that not only ourselves; but our prayers are also secured in Him!

Returning to that earlier pair of scriptures: “if two of you shall agree. . .it shall be done: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet. . .pray to the Father in secret.” Now, if two shall agree: if you are in intercessory prayer with Jesus - that constitutes two, does it not!

Is it the will of God for you to pray? Would you pray willingly in intercession for the need of others? “I don’t think I can; I don’t have that kind of burden.” Then here is the first prayer that you should pray: “Oh Lord Jesus, I would be an intercessor; but I don’t have a burden: I cannot pray fervently.” Confess it to Him. And confess it again and again; until your heart is broken and you are grieved in spirit. “O Lord God, I confess, I have no burden.” Pray it until your prayer becomes fervent: Draw nigh unto God. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, until your joy is turned into heaviness. Your first burden is that you have little or no burden. “O Lord, I have no burden.” Will He ignore your cry? Or do you think that He will grant you the burden for which you seek? Or will you realize that you have that burden, even while you pray? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Do you believe that? If you are forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness - The prayer of a righteous man availeth much!

If you now have a burden - what is it’s focus or object? You cannot have a self-contained burden. It must have an object. We pray in faith, Christ Himself being the Object of our faith. Therefore we must not pray with the circumstances as our focus, but the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter 29 and verse 13: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me.” “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” Isa. 6:5. ‘Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged” Isa. 6:6,7. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon the Throne of Grace. He was greatly burdened: Woe is me! for I am undone. . .and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” Notice the intercessory work of the Lord: the seraphim laid the live coal upon his mouth: “thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” Isaiah is burdened about himself? Yes! - but this amazes me - “I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” Isaiah is confessing the sins of his people; he is burdened over them! He is an intercessor! “Lord, my heart is not pure; it is evidenced by my unclean lips. But my brethren are no different from me: they need your forgiveness and cleansing also! “Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another” James 5:16.

Do you recall the account of Stephen? He being brought before the council, proceeded to speak to them concerning the history of unbelief of the children of Israel, and of their resistance to the Holy Spirit even at that present day. “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. . .ran upon him. . .cast him out of the city, and stoned him with stones. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” Acts 7:54,57b,60. (He is looking into Heaven; he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God; he gave witness that he saw Him. Approaching boldly the Throne of Grace and his Intercessor, he himself became an intercessor with the Lord: Lay not this sin to their charge. “Do you mean that the Lord would have me to pray, make intercession for my enemy, for him who hates me, whose intention may be to snuff out my life? It would appear so.

One of the shortest, yet most profound prayers is that of Mary and Martha: “Lord, him whom THOU LOVEST is sick. Notice, Jesus is the object; He is to be found between the sisters and Lazarus. They are intercessors for Lazarus, but they are “looking unto Jesus” the great Intercessor.

Who you pray for; What you pray; When you pray; Where you pray, How you pray; and Why you pray: this is a spiritual matter, and you, by all means, should seek the will of God, seek the face of Jesus Christ, and come before the Throne of Grace in lowliness of mind and openness of heart. When you pray do not think it is to an unsympathetic ear. Jesus is “an High Priest” who is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” “He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” Rom. 8;27b.

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty: And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” I Corinthians 1:27,28.

The Greatest Commandment

2011-04-08T23:45:00.004-04:00

Love is the fulfilling of the law

“Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, 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 neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” Matt. 22:36-40.

An interesting word, hang. For instance, before the invention of the electric clothes dryer, one would hang damp clothes from a clothesline or perhaps across a porch banister. Another example is the grandfather clock. It employees a series of gears; attached to these is a mount which is called an anchor; to that is hung a pendulum which swings back and forth giving a ‘tic toc’ sound as it measures time in seconds, in minutes, in hours. In comparison we may say that the First, the Great Commandment has as such, eternal gears; it is the Anchor from which hangs the pendulum, the law and the prophets. The pendulum in and of itself cannot operate independently. Understand, the ten commandments, as the pendulum, will not, can not function apart from the gear mechanism and the Anchor of the Greatest Commandment.

It is noteworthy that we find in Deuteronomy chapter 5 beginning in verse 6: “I am the Lord thy God. . .Thou shalt have none other gods before me.” The same is to be found in Exodus chapter 20. These we know to be the Ten Commandments. We see in yet another place: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” Deuteronomy 6:5, while we discover “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” in Leviticus 19:18. Though these last two are not written as a part of the ‘Ten Commandments’ yet are they to be found as the Anchor from which the Ten are hung. (as spoken by Jesus in Matthew 22:40) The verses that follow in Deuteronomy 6 are not surrounded by a cluster of ‘thou shalt nots,’ but “These words. . .shall be in thine heart: Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. . .and shalt talk of them when thou sitteth in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” My people, tell your children, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might!”

Continuing: “And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” Deut. 6:9. Strange, the Ten Commandments may be found in our Capital and upon many government buildings; but where is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might?” America, wake up! For that matter, Church, wake up! Understand, the ten commandments, as the pendulum, will not, can not function apart from the gear mechanism and the Anchor of the Greatest Commandment. My dear Pendulum, If Christ is not your Head, your Anchor, then you are swinging aimlessly back and forth; your ‘work’ is futile and will accomplish nothing.

Men today follow the pattern of the Pharisees: Let us work our works to appease God; let us focus on the other commandments, perhaps adding our own for good measure. Their pendulum may grow in weight and in length but it is not functional; it is not hung upon the Anchor. “The First commandment is far too complex: we will bypass it, pay it little if any attention. Surely the good works of our hands will suffice!” “Well I suppose, “To love the Lord my God with all my heart” deserves honorable mention; but the emphasis is heavily upon My good works, My good deeds, upon My interpretation of good and evil, and right and wrong! After all, the Word of God endorses these does it not?” It might, but only if they were to be Anchored in the Great Commandment! “Seek ye first the kingdom of God;” seek ye first the King of the kingdom: love Him with all your heart, your soul, your strength, your mind.

The Greatest Sin

“If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom” Job 31:33. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” Psalm 119:9-11. But Adam did not heed the Word of God; he did not seek the Lord with his whole heart; he did not hide the Word in his heart that he might not sin against God. He wandered far from the commandment. Job gives us a little more insight: not only did Adam attempt to hide himself physically from God, but he would think to “cover his transgressions, by hiding them in his bosom.” “Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldest not eat?” He immediately exposes the ‘iniquity hidden in Adam’s bosom.’ Adam’s partaking of the forbidden fruit revealed a deep underlying transgression: It seems that Adam did not love the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, with all of his mind. Adam yielded to the temptation. In doing so, he “sinned and came short of the glory of God.”

Can you imagine Adam: “O Lord God, the fruit of this tree is good for food; it is pleasant to the eyes; a tree to be desired to make one wise. I pray therefore your richest blessing upon it as I partake of its refreshment. And, Oh! You are my Lord and my God and I love you with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind!” What strange bedfellows, love for God and disobedience to His statutes!

We understand that previously Adam was not a sinner; but shall we conclude him to be a righteous man? One who is righteous must be him who loves the Lord God with all his heart, his soul, his mind. Adam had not been tested, nor his righteousness proven. Though the breath of life had been breathed into him and he was a living soul, there is no mention that he was “filled with the Holy Ghost.” If this had been true, then Satan might have had no more influence upon him than he did on Jesus - which was none!

“He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loveth me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings” John 14:21,23,24a. What can we say? Adam did not keep the one commandment that God gave him. But the keeping of that command hinged or hung upon his loving the Lord God with all his heart, soul, and mind.

“for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

When did Adam die? He became a succumber and not an overcomer. To overcome is to live; to succumb is to die. Satan beguiled Eve but Adam was bitten by the serpent of his own lust. "when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" James 1:15 "And when the woman SAW. She saw what she wanted to see. She believed a lie, she lusted; in her lustful eyes the fruit appeared to be good for food, pleasant to the eyes, a tree to be desired. The Lord had told them that this was a tree to be shunned, avoided at all cost. When they tasted of the forbidden fruit, they may as well have eaten a deadly poison. When sin comes, death does not follow after a while; it is instantaneous; a spiritual death, separation from the Eternal God. Webster's dictionary says: succumb - to give way to superior force; to yield; to succumb to despair. to yield to disease, wounds, old age, etc; to die. To succumb to a superior force, the Lord God Almighty, is to live. To succumb to the wiles of the Wicked is to die. They did not die at the hand of God. Death was the result of their lust, their sin. The word suicide comes to mind. A fellow may jump off the Empire State Building, convinced that he will land on the pavement below without harm. He is “dead wrong!” To one who dies in his sin, certain judgment follows; it's called the second death. “God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it. . .lest ye die.” said Eve. “Ye shall not surely die.” said Satan, inferring that God was the liar. Adam ate, and he died. His sin was in that he doubted God's testimony; he wrongly perceived that God was not a God of His Word. He ate of the forbidden fruit because of the sin of unbelief! We die in Adam in unbelief; we are called unto Christ that we might live: we must believe! “Abraham believed God and it was counted (accounted, imputed) unto him for righteousness” Romans 4:3, Gal. 3:6, James 2:23.

Adam was at a crossroad. Was he a Believer? or an Unbeliever? The test would reveal it. If he believed God concerning the law of Sin and Death, he would not partake of the forbidden fruit. His faith, his belief would be counted, imputed unto him for righteousness. If he is found to be an Unbeliever it would be evident that he did not trust God to be true to His Word, therefore convincing himself that he need not fear in the partaking of the fruit. The sinner therefore, as a son of Adam, must repent, turn away from his unbelief and of his enmity against God: He must believe the testimony of God with regard to His Son: repentance toward God for his unbelief and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:21. The pattern to follow is found in Hebrews 11:13. It is that of faith, seeing, being persuaded of that which is seen by faith, and through faith, embracing, and confessing it.

What of Adam and Eve’s first born, Cain? “Oh Lord God, I brought unto you the works of my hands in disobedience and to your displeasure, and I am about to slay my brother whom I hate - but I acknowledge you as my God and my Lord and I love you with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind!” Not Really!

In the parable of the lost, or prodigal son, we find upon his homecoming, the elder brother in anger, refusing to come into the feast. ‘He may be your son, but he’s not my brother!’ “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment. . .” I hate my brother and despise his presence here. . .but you’re my father, and I want you to know that I am committed to obey your every command! He did not realize that the keeping of any commandment, any so-called ‘service‘ must begin with the First, the Great Commandment. The ‘keeping’ of the other commandments while ignoring the First? - impossible! All the works in the world cannot balance the scale when they are void of an abiding love for God.

“And now O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee?”

“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” Deut. 6:4,5. “And now O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” Deut. 10:12. “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commands which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in the corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full” Deut. 11:13-15. The love for God and a diligence unto His commands will bring forth a great harvest of fruit from the bounty of heaven and the hand of God! Is the Greatest Commandment to be confined to the Old Testament? The words of Jesus: “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” Mark 12:29,30.

The day of cleansing.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” I John 1:9.

The prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter 29 and verse 13: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me.” “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” Isa. 6:5. If I am a man of unclean lips, is it not because I am a man with an unclean heart? I am undone; how shall I speak before the presence of the Lord seeing that I am a man of unclean lips? ‘Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged” Isa. 6:6,7. The Lord cleansed his lips, as with fire, that he might talk right. Isaiah confessed his sins, his uncleanness: the Lord was faithful and just to forgive him his sins, and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness!

Jesus rose from supper, took a basin of water and a towel and proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet. “Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Thou shalt never wash my feet.” “Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. . .He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean” John 13:6b,8,10. Jesus thus cleansing that disciple’s feet that he might walk right.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What shall I confess? Well, I would confess. . .but I am ashamed for Him to know. . .! He knows. Have you ever prayed this: Oh, my Father and my Lord! I woefully confess that I do not love you with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with all my mind! I John 1:9 had not yet been penned but David understood the principles: I have sinned against thee: have mercy, wash me, cleanse me, purge me, create in me a clean heart, restore me, deliver me. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” Psalm 51:17. How shall we expect our Lord to cleanse away that which we refuse to acknowledge? If I confess my sinfulness and my woeful lack of love for Him; if I ‘come clean,’ if I am honest before God, shall He not work a work of grace in my heart as He did with Isaiah and Simon Peter ? Who among us can keep the moral law? “Who is without sin among you?” This piercing question directed unto the Pharisees by our Lord must not be turned aside by any one of us. It is to our peril if we choose to ignore it.

Oh! What Love!

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. . .Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down” Mark 15:34,36b. “He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God” Matt. 27:43.

In contrast, the gospels of Luke and John do not mention, “My God. . .why hast thou forsaken me” but “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” Luke 23:34,46. “My God, my God; [not my Father, my Father,] why hast thou forsaken me? This is he who “took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” Phil. 2:7,8. Obedient unto death! How on earth could Jesus be willingly obedient to the God of heaven? Is it not because Jesus fulfilled the Greatest Commandment!?! He loved the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, all his strength, all his mind! There are shadows of Christ and his sufferings to be found in the book of Job: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” Job 13:15. “God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark” Job 16:11,12. In Isaiah 53: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. . .It pleased the Lord to bruise him. . .” [Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.] In His darkest hour, Jesus, in our stead would have declared in full assurance, Though He forsake me, even at the darkness of this moment, I do love the Lord my God, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with all my mind! If this were not true, then Jesus did not fulfill the First, the Greatest commandment, and we are yet, lost in our sins. Some have asked, we know that Jesus did not sin - but could he have. . .? The answer is an emphatic NO! For Jesus to have been capable of sin would infer that he “fell short of the glory of God;” that he mournfully did not really love the Lord his God with all his heart, soul, might, strength, and mind. If this were true, we would be of men most miserable, for we would have no Saviour! Christ’s death would have been in vain; we would be eternally LOST!

Falling short

“There is none righteous, no not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. . .there is none that doeth good, no not one. . .For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God:” Rom. 3:10,11,12,23. There are some who would picture a man coming to a crevice, and in an attempt to leap to the other side, would a l m o s t make it but would ‘fall short’ of his goal. No! In light of scripture, the man, in his first step would plunge directly over the side and hit rock bottom! How much righteousness does the natural man have within himself? NONE! He is totally depraved and will in no wise come to God. (Read again Romans 3:10-12,23.) I have come short of the glory of God, being totally depraved. I had no heart at all to love God; rather was at enmity against Him. Did I love God, with all my heart, soul, strength, mind? No, a thousand times, no. But in my stead, the Lord Jesus, loved [loves] God, with all His heart, soul, might, strength, mind! His love for God the Father is imputed to my account. I stand reconciled, justified, not only through our Sovereign’s acceptance of the blood, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for my redemption, but further that His love is accepted in my stead, in my behalf by the eternally holy and just God. What of the Ten Commandments? If one can truly fulfill the Greatest Commandment, then none of the ten should possibly be broken! The scriptures say, Be filled with the Spirit. Shall we not assume that one who is filled with the Spirit will in turn, love the Lord his God with all his heart, his soul, his strength, his mind? Who among us can say, I am filled?

I love this humble confession and lowly prayer of that man of God, C. H. Spurgeon:

“No, Lord, if I am not condemned, it is Your free grace, for I have deserved to be condemned a thousand times since I sat down to write this. When I am on my knees and I am not condemned, I am sure it must be sovereign grace, for even when I am praying, I deserve to be condemned. Even when we are repenting, we are sinning, and adding to our sins while we are repenting of them. Every act we do as the result of the flesh is to sin again, and our best performances are so stained with sin that it is hard to know whether they are good works or bad works. So far as they are our own, they are bad; and so far as they are the works of the Spirit, they are good. But then, the goodness is not ours, it is the Spirit’s, and only the evil remains to us. Ah, then, we cannot boast! Be gone, pride! Be gone!

Charles H. Spurgeon, Faith, Whitaker House, publisher

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear, what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” I John 3:2. Be gone, old flesh! We shall be clothed in glorified bodies like unto our Lord! We shall be like him; made in the likeness of His Righteous; our hearts being as the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant: containing the unbroken law of God! We shall without reservation be able to say, “I love the Lord my God, with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind!” Hallelujah! But with Paul, add “Not I but Christ liveth in me.”

Oh! What Love!

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying. Yea, I have love thee with an everlasting love: therefore have I drawn thee” Jer. 31:3. The Lord our God is one Lord. We love Him because He first loved us. He drew us while we were yet sinners, vile, depraved sinners, unto Himself. Can you imagine - I, the Lord your God, your Creator, love you with all my heart, all my soul, all my might, all my strength, all my mind.” But it’s not imaginary, is it? Read it, many times over, in the Volume of the Book. But God is a Spirit. How it is He could love us with all of His heart, all of His soul, all of His mind? Who is sitting in heaven at the right hand of the Father? Is it not the God/Man, our Saviour, our Redeemer, the Lover of our soul? Dare anyone question that He loves us with all of His heart, soul, and mind? If we love the Lord; truly love Him, then we will trust Him. If we love Him and trust Him, we should follow Him in complete submission. To what degree do we trust the Lord? To what extent are we submissive to His leading? It is he who loves the Lord: he will trust Him, he will follow according to the love he has been given of the Father. “Lord Jesus, I do love you! Enlarge my capacity to love you more! Worth repeating: I woefully acknowledge that I do not love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength, all my might. I cannot, but I should. I am without excuse. But Jesus fulfilled the law; He loved(s) the Lord God in my stead. And the Father accepts Christ’s love in my stead. Is it not a sweet-smelling savour in His nostrils?

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. . .and hast loved them, as thou hast love me” John 17:21,23b.

The Second Greatest Commandment

Love is the fulfilling of the law

“Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine 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 neighbor as thyself. On these two command-ments hang all the law and the prophets” Matt.22:36-40.

These words are spoken by our Lord, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Therefore, it did not seem fitting to address the One without the Other.

“Jesus said unto him. . .Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” Matt. 22:40. “Love thy neighbor as thyself” presupposes that one is already loving the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind. If the second is “like unto it,” then are we not to love him (our neighbor) “with all our heart, and all our soul, and with all our mind?” You’re thinking, Hey, that’s asking a lot!” Read on, my dear friend.

Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Just how much did Adam love himself after eating that which was forbidden; hiding himself in fear from the Lord whom he had disobeyed? The scriptures proclaim: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever” Heb.13:8. “the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” James 1:17b. Who can say that about himself? How much do you love yourself? It depends on what side of the bed you woke up on; how the day goes; the circumstances, upon what problems and temptations that confront you: a thousand and one other things can alter how much you ‘love yourself’ at any given time - right? If your love for your neighbor be measured out according to this standard, he should beware: he may get punched in the nose!

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” I John 4:20. In the parable of the prodigal son, the angry elder son would not go in unto the feast: “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment” Luke 15:28,29a. Did he run with his father to meet the younger brother? Did he have compassion? Did he, as the father, fall on his neck and kiss him?

My dear Prodigal, did your Elder Brother not see you afar off? Did He not run to you with the Father? Did He not have compassion, fall on your neck, and kiss you as did His Father? And what of the Spirit? It is He who was sent of the Father to woo you, to open your eyes to the Truth; to bring you Home!

A New Commandment?

Is the Old Testament commandment being replaced? Or is there an addendum being attached to it? “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” John 13:34. Now that’s taking it to Higher Plains!

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept the Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” John 15:9,10,12. Paraphrasing: I have loved you, as the Father has loved me: love one another with this same love. What did our Lord say? Love one another if you so desire or the circumstances are favorable; if you feel like it: it’s your option. No! It’s a command. “Lord, you don’t mean that you’re commanding us to love one another!?!”

The world’s mentality concerning the subject of love: “being infatuated with, to be enchanted by, to be fascinated by, be captivated or enraptured by (Webster).” “Love one another as I have loved you.” Can you imagine Jesus being infatuated with, being enchanted by, being fascinated by, being captivated by - totally depraved sinners, the epitome of unrighteousness, rebellious creatures, being at enmity against a Holy God!?! “Why should He, how could He love me so?” It is “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. . .Having predestinated us. . . by Christ Jesus to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. . .according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” Eph. 1:4a,59b.11b. He chose to love us; He willed it to be so; He purposed it to be accomplished - “That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ” Eph. 1:12. “Love one another as I have loved you.” Love one another if we are so inclined, if circumstances warrant it; occasionally; if there is no dissention or disagree-ment between us; if we feel like it! No! It is a command! “As I have loved you.” Our Lord CHOSE to love us; He WILLED it to be so, He PURPOSED it. In obedience to His command we are to choose, to will, to purpose to love one another, even as He loves us. “I WILL love the Lord! I WILL love my neighbor! The command of God is for us to LOVE RIGHTEOUSLY. Of ourselves, it cannot be done. It must be Christ in us; living in us, living through us, His love manifested unto others. We, in ourselves are unable to fulfill His command. The same Jesus that fulfilled the commandments of the law while He was on earth is able to fulfill it in you. The power to love others is not yours but His! But you KNOW that! Our prayer should be, “Not I, but Christ.’ Lord, love them through me. I am but a weak vessel. It is thy love and not mine. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” Col.1:27.

“But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another” I Thes. 4:9. Oh my soul! We are without excuse! It is the Lord! He fulfills the command in you, through you, in your stead. Again, may we say, “Not I, but Christ.”

Let us not be as Jacob, wrestling with the Lord: if we would ‘prevail,’ then let us yield, let us submit unto the hand (and grace) of the Lord. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Remember the grandfather clock: it is the gears and the anchor that are the precision instruments from which the pendulum swings. Quoting from “The Greatest Commandment,” “My dear Pendulum, if Christ is not your head, your Anchor, then you are swinging aimlessly back and forth; your ‘work’ is futile and will accomplish nothing.” The gears and the anchor are not suspended from the pendulum. Why do men persist in feverishly laboring with the pendulum, the ten Commandments? The design of the horse was to pull the cart, not push it! Oh my, what a struggle to attempt to obey the ten commandments apart from obeying the First, the Greatest Commandment: love the Lord your God; and the second, love your neighbor. What of the commandments: Thou shalt not kill. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor. . How may the breaking of these be prevented? Not by the struggles of the flesh. Then how? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”. . .Thou shalt “love one another as I have loved you.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. . .” John 3:16. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” I John 3:16. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” I John 4:11. Did you notice the similarity of John 3:16 and I John 3:16?

In conclusion, at least in my poor and finite thinking, the Second Greatest Commandment was not at all a good title for this material! Is this what we suppose: our love for God and our Lord Jesus Christ; but ‘another’ love for the brethren? They are surely not now ( if ever) to be taken as separate, but rather as ONE. How may we reach any other conclusion?

“That they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may also be one in us: . . I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;. . .thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” John 17:21a,23.

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” I Peter 1:22.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

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“And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; . . .Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female. . .Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth” Gen. 7:1-3.
“And thou shalt take unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be food for thee, and for them” Gen. 6:21.

This is surely not the account of the feeding of the four thousand, you say? In a very real way, it is! Please read on!

In Mark chapter eight, following the feeding of the four thousand plus: “And straightway he [Jesus] entered into a ship with his disciples” vs. 10. “Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf” vs.14. Jesus. . .saith unto them, “When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto them, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?” Mark 8:19-21.

The disciples had witnessed twice the loaves and fishes being more than sufficient to feed the multitudes, with baskets full to spare, but were unable to discern that one loaf broken unto them at the hands of the Master could feed a mere twelve. . .?

Noah, his family, and all the animals and fowls of the air entered into the ship (ark) where the Lord awaited them (He called: Come in!) Dare we say that Noah took with him into the ark his “five loaves and two fishes?” Five loaves and two fishes were supplied the multitude on the hillside for one meal; but unbeknown to Noah, his crew and the multitude of beasts were to remain in the ark for a year! Noah, where can you buy enough food to feed this assembly; how can you obtain it, and where can you get it, seeing you are shut up in the ark and the outside world is in the midst of a great flood?

We know the answer: “And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” II Cor. 3:4,5. Shall man presume to store “his sufficiency” in his barns when God shall “give us this day our daily bread?”

How many lamps would it have taken to sufficiently light the three stories within the ark? Did Noah see to its lighting? Even as the Shekinah Glory of God was the Light within the Most Holy Place where dwelt the Ark of the Covenant in the wilderness, so also the Light of the ark bearing Noah’s brood. Was it not literally an “Ark of the Covenant?” “But with thee will I establish my Covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark.” Gen. 6:18. If Christ is “The Light of the world” could He not sufficiently light the interior of one ark? “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” II Cor. 4:6.

And how much water would it have taken to quench the thirst of such a multitude? Could the ark itself have held enough, were it emptied of all else and filled to the brim? If a thirsty Israel might drink of the water from the Rock of Ages; if Christ be in you a Well of Living Water springing up into everlasting life, then why attempt to have a cistern of water in store? Is He not the Source, the Reservoir from which we may draw?

What of the supply of fresh air? With no windows to open, and no ventilation system, being closed in with a multitude of animals; how did they breath? “And the Lord God formed man. . .breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” Gen. 2:7. “Thus saith God the Lord, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that cometh out of it; He giveth breath unto the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein” Isa. 42:5. “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord” Psalms 150:6.

Could the ark have been found a place of rest during the tempest? What of comfort, during this, the ultimate “storm of life?” The name Noah means quiet resting place. “Lamech. . .beget a son: and he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands” Gen. 5:28,29. “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee” Isa. 42:6. “For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” Heb. 13:5.

Shut up in the ark for an entire year! Did it not become a place of fearfulness? Did the wolf pursue the lamb to devour him? Would the animals not have fought among themselves: for that matter, what of the humans? “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” Gal. 5:15. “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. . .The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock” Isa. 65:17,25. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. . .Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” John 14:27.

Was the ark equipped with showers? Did not Noah and his family, after a few days begin to resemble Lazarus? “by this time he stinketh.” How much the more “stank” the multitude of creatures? To His disciples Jesus had said: “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but he is clean every whit: and ye are clean” John 13:10. “Abide in me. . .Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” John 15:3,4. Ye are clean; whether abiding in the Vine - or abiding in the Ark!

What of bodily excretions? Was the ark equipped with “bathrooms?” How could Noah have handled such an obvious problem? “ I AM the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” John 6:51. May we say that Christ is 100 per cent pure nutrients! All is appropriated; all is assimilated, digested, absorbed. God forbid the thought of any “waste” in this regard. Again, “Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

What of the crowded conditions? Noah and his family and a multitude of animals and birds seemingly caged up together in the ark. . . “Let not your heart be troubled. . .In my Father’s house are many mansions. . .I go to prepare a place for you” John 14:1-3. The ark must have been a roomy place! Can you imagine: “There’s no room at the cross for you?” There’s no room at the Throne of Grace? No room - in the Presence of the Lord of all creation? Unthinkable.

Did Noah and his family have beds on which to rest? Did the fowls and the animal have nesting places? The Lord is our ‘nesting place’; He is our Comfort amidst the storm that rages without. His Presence will bring a calming within.

The ark must have been a place of extreme boredom, for man and creature; cooped up together in closed quarters as they were. Or it would have been, were it not that the Lord was on board! Boredom? In His Presence? Well might one visit Niagara Falls and find it dried up as to think that one might some day reach the outer limits of the universe - that he is now full of the knowledge of the Lord and has beheld all of His Glory!

This we know: the ark was pitched within and without - Noah was sealed in; the waters sealed out! The ark had no oars, nor sail, nor rudder; neither any windows from which to see. It’s Power source was from within; its course, its direction was determined “according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself” Eph. 1:9. Noah, in light of the circumstances, might just as well have walked (rode the seas) by faith!

Mere words cannot convey this thought: The Lord God is the God of ALL PROVISION. “For in him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him: And he is before all things and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in ALL things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should ALL fulness dwell” Col. 1:16-19.

Did not our Lord feed five thousand men, plus women and children - with five barley loaves and two fishes? And again the four thousand? Christ is the embodiment of the Eternal Covenant. He is the Ark. I am persuaded that Noah had with him in the Ark his “five loaves and two fishes,” and had Noah, his family and all the creatures been shut within the Ark for one hundred years; none would have died; none would have fallen sick: God would have continued to “supply all their need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus!” What need has the Eternal God to build for Himself great storehouses in which to contain His bounty? Can He not speak; can He not open His hand, and behold, all the riches of glory are immediately at His disposal? He is the Storehouse! Are not the birds fed from His hand? He will “give us this day our daily bread!” Open our eyes, O God, that we may behold Thy Glory!

According to His Riches in Glory

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But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19

A farmer was leaving his house to go into the field. His wife mentioned to him that she was baking his favorite pie for the evening meal. He was delayed in coming in for supper and his children had already eaten. “Is there any of that pie left?” he inquired of his wife. “Why the whole pie is here, waiting for you” she exclaimed! Puzzled, he asked, “Did the kids not eat any pie?” “Yes, they ate all they wanted,” she said. “They were full when they left the table!” “How can that be?” said the farmer.

Jesus went up into a desert place with his disciples. Many people “came together unto him.” When He saw them He was “moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.”

“This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed. Send them away” said the disciples. [But they were not come unto Christ that they might be sent away.] “They have nothing to eat.” “Give them to eat.” “Whence shall we buy bread. . . two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.” [Little is much when God is in it: He Himself would be their sufficiency.] “they were filled.”

Five barley loaves and two small fishes: “what are they among so many.” “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples. . .When they were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” [Recall the words of the Prodigal: “How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare.”] They filled twelve baskets with the fragments.” Where did they find twelve baskets out in the wilderness? [If our Lord could multiply the bread, then why not also baskets?]

Who is your God? Is he one who might have said, “My hands are now empty; I have no more to give unto these who shall yet be in need: my resources are depleted.” Or is He One to whom the disciples might have gone after everyone had eaten and were filled: “Lord what is that which is in your hands?” “Why, it is five barley loaves and two small fishes!”

By Christ Jesus, and according to His riches in glory, God had [and shall yet] supply their [our] need!”

The farmer’s wife had prepared the pie: it might have had a ‘fruit filling,’ having a crust which was a ‘firm foundation.’ Why will one cut the pie into slices? Because he or she wants to remove them one by one until there remains no pie at all. “Lord. wouldst Thou grant me a piece of Your Pie?” The reply might be, “Why will you have Me cut the Pie in order to give you a slice when I have prepared the Pie in its entirety for you?” Are we heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ hoping to receive a fragment or crumb from His table - or has He prepared the Whole Pie in our behalf, that we may feast together eternally with Him?

The farmer’s wife baked a pie; after all had eaten and were filled, there remained the whole pie! We may freely partake of the bounty of our Lord, knowing that the ‘Pie’ will always remain Whole! He is our portion - our portion is not a slice, a fragment or a crumb! It is Christ in His eternal fullness and glory!

The Halfhearted Christian

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In the book of the Revelation, chapter three, we find a somewhat disturbing passage written initially to the church at Laodicea: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. [the reason given:] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” Rev. 3;14-17. The Lord has tasted, and as such says, I will not drink of the fruit of your vine. You would attempt to deceive me [and yourselves] into believing that it is the best wine; but the fruit from which it was pressed is corrupt and bitter. It came not from my Vineyard. You say you are rich? I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire. You say you are increased with goods? Buy of me white raiment that thou mayest be clothed. You are blind. I will anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see.

The fruit of their works is spued out. Are they to be cast out also? The Lord has rebuked and chastened. But He concludes: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” Rev. 3:18. Be no longer halfhearted and lukewarm! Come boldly [fervently] to the Throne of Grace! “we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” II Cor. 5:20b. Abide in Me! I AM the True Vine and you are the branches. Bear unto the Husbandman the fruit which I alone am the producer! Then shall He drink and be refreshed and not spue it forth from His mouth!

To the current existing offspring of the Laodicean church we might offer a word study:
Half-hearted, Lukewarm, impassive, irresolute. Irresolute, wavering, faltering, uncertain, doubting, fearful, unstable, halfhearted. (Webster’s Thesaurus)

On wavering: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” Hebrews 10:24. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” James 1:5-8.

If any man lacks wisdom? From the Old Testament book of Exodus: “And I shall speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him” Exodus 28:3. “And in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee” Exodus 31:6. Also read Exodus 35:10,25 and Exodus 36:1,2. In every wise hearted man the Lord put wisdom and understanding “even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it.” So we see that every man whom the Lord filled with understanding and the spirit of wisdom also had his heart stirred within him to do the work of the Lord. He was not lukewarm; he did not work halfheartedly; he did not waver, doubt, fear; he was not double minded, unstable, faltering. He worked in faith, his heart stirred up within him.

Again to the halfhearted and the lukewarm: “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” Mark 12;28-31. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God halfheartedly? Lukewarmly? with half your soul, mind and strength? That is not full filling the commandment. The wine cup is half full? And it is half empty. It is to our shame if it be so in our hearts!

The works of our hands can be no greater than the work of our heart. Of what value, our works, if they stem from lukewarm, halfhearted Christians? Of what benefit, our works, our love, if they are not founded, coupled with faith? We ought to strive to do the will of God? Yes! But in order to accomplish this, we must willingly submit ourselves unto His will. There must be love united in faith; we must trust Him. Would we put ourselves into the hands of a surgeon if we doubted his abilities and skills to perform surgery? How shall the halfhearted and lukewarm, the fearful and doubting, the unstable and wavering - find peace and security in the Redeemer? How shall he believe himself to be truly saved and his sins bought with Precious Blood? Shall he believe the written words spoken by the Living Word to be eternally true and faithful?

Do we perform our ‘works’ with the ‘hope’ of somehow pleasing God? “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” Heb. 11:6. “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts:” Heb. 11:4. By faith Enoch was translated. . .God translated him. . .he had this testimony, that he pleased God” Heb. 11:5. What great works did Enoch with his hands that he so greatly pleased God? “And Enoch walked with God” Gen. 5:22. Again, “And Enoch walked with God” Gen 5:24. Question. How is it that one will say he is walking with God and yet be lukewarm in heart; how can he halfheartedly be walking with God? Oh, the abundance of activities and programs in the local church! And it is church related, isn’t it? But is it walking with God? I remember fifty years ago, sitting in the ‘Amen corner’ of the church: men cried and prayed while sinners walked the aisle! Fervent prayer availed much! It was no place for the lukewarm or halfhearted Christian!

My dear friend, where would we be today if Jesus had been lukewarm; if He had halfheartedly obeyed the Father; if, in facing the cross, He had been fearful, uncertain, double minded, unstable?

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”

Quick Reference Guide

2009-11-21T14:39:00.077-05:00

Apostacy

Bible Studies

Children (and adults, too!)

Christ

Christmas

Comfort/Encouragement

Confessing Sin

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Crucifixion Through the Resurrection

Faith

Forgiveness

Meditations

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Parables/Pictures/Types

Practical Christianity

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Resurrection/Easter

Beyond the Resurrection

Shepherd and His Sheep

Sin

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On Suffering

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Will of God

Witnesses

Worship

The Cup Which My Father Hath Given Me, Shall I Not Drink It?

2009-11-12T20:49:00.006-05:00

“Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” John 18:11.

Never was there a more sobering question put forth to any man. The question was asked of Simon but it was not his to answer. It was as though Jesus’ question might have gone forth into all the earth; into heaven; into all of His universe. The question was unfathomable. It was a matter of life and death. If we would live, Christ must drink of the Cup, thus dying in our stead. If He did not, the promise of Eternal Life for Adam and his seed would be made void; terminated. Up to this time Jesus had been in total obedience to His Father. I shutter to think of the repercussions had He declined to drink the Cup which the Father had given Him. But it did not happen; it could not happen!

“Then came Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. . .And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. . .He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words” Matt. 26:36,39,42,44. Often Jesus had said, Mine hour is not yet come; but now - “behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners” vs. 45.

“Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth. . .Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. . .Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” John 18:3,4,10,11. This said Jesus, knowing all things that should come upon him. He knew full well all that was in the cup. Knowing of the suffering that awaited Him; knowing of His crucifixion; knowing of His death - He could say as Job said almost two millenniums before: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust him” Job 13:15.

Jesus knew and had already experienced being “despised and rejected of men,” He knew what is was to be “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” He was well aware that He would momentarily be “wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities;” He would “bare our grief, carry our sorrows.” He knew that the hour was at hand for Him to drink the Cup; that the Lord was laying upon Him the iniquity of us all; that God would bruise Him, putting Him to grief; making His soul an offering for sin. He would in the Day that He drank the Cup, be cut off out of the land of the living; making His grave with the wicked. He knew that He was to be stricken for our transgressions; His soul made an offering for sin. He would knowingly, willingly pour out His soul unto death, to bear the sin of many; to make intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53)

The Cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? In drinking of the cup, Jesus, in our stead, took upon Himself the condemnation and penalty of the Law of Sin and Death. To Adam was given this charge: In the day that thou eatest, thou shalt surely die. Though the law was issued to Adam in Eden’s garden, did God not intercede in providing Himself a Lamb: did He not shed the first blood, clothing Adam and Eve, picturing the Lamb who would give His life in their stead? Understand that Christ fulfilled the Law of Sin and Death: in the Day that He partook of the fruit of the first Adam, He, the Second Adam, drank the cup of Adam’s [and our] iniquities: “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” II Cor. 5:21. Symbolically, though in a very literal sense, Jesus must have been the ultimate object when God said, In the Day that thou eatest, thou shalt surely die! In the Day that He partook of the cup which the Father gave Him - He died.

In laying the foundation for what has just been said, let us continue following the scriptures: what did God do after Adam and Eve yielding to the beguiling serpent?
“And the Lord said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” Gen. 3:14-15. Was this not fulfilled at the cross?

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” John 3:14-15. Christ made of himself no reputation; he humbled himself; he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross - “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” Phil. 2:9. The serpent as the servant of Satan, being ‘lifted up’ in himself, was brought low to the ground. Though a subtle and beautiful creature, he was cursed and brought lower than all other creatures. ( We might picture Judas Iscariot also as Satan’s ‘serpent’: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him. That thou doest, do quickly” John 13:27.) Satan had been highly exalted, given a name, Lucifer, son of the morning. But he betrayed the Lord. “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell. . . .Thou art cast out” Isa. 14:15,19a.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This picture or symbol ultimately speaks of the cross. Satan would go down in defeat; Christ would be victorious! It is prophesy. But what of a previous prophesy? “But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” Gen. 2:17. It is true, Adam became “dead in trespasses and sins.” To Adam God said, cursed is the ground. . .thou shalt eat of it. . .thou shalt eat of the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. “And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died” Gen. 5:4. One may say, Well, a day with the Lord is as a thousand years! Therefore Adam died within the Lord’s “Day!”

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” Genesis 3:21. God provided for Himself a Lamb. He shed the first blood; the life of that (His) Lamb was in the blood. Without the shedding of blood is no remission [of sin.] God shed the Last Blood, that of His own Son, His own Lamb. Adam was clothed with the innocence of God’s sacrificial offering. We are likewise clothed in the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus, God’s only begotten Son; the Lamb of God. These things we hold as true. Christ is seen in every instance. The cross is portrayed; and the blood of Christ shed by the instrumentation of man and by God Himself: it was [is] freely offered upon the Mercy Seat which is upon the Ark of the Covenant by Christ, our High Priest. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died fore our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” I Cor. 15:3,4.

What do the Old Testament scriptures reveal concerning the Cup?

In Jeremiah chapter sixteen and verse seven we see “the cup of consolation.” Again, “For this saith the Lord God of Israel unto me, Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it” Jer. 25:15.
In Ezekiel chapter fifteen: “I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols. Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand. Thus saith the Lord God; Thou shalt drink of thy sister’s cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in much derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation” vs. 30-33.

The Cup of wrath and of judgment.: “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them” Psalm 75:8.
“Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hath drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again” Isa. 51:17,21-22.

The cup of the Lord’s fury? The dregs of the cup of trembling? He has taken it out of the hands of His people and given it into the hands of the Son. Has not the Lord God put the Cup to the lips of His only begotten Son? He, Christ Jesus our Lord, has drunk it in their [our] stead.

“For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places, he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of God” Isa. 51:3.

“And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand. . .Thou art my people” Isa. 51:16.

One other thing regarding the Cup. Jesus knew all things that should come upon Him. He knew that for Him to drink the Cup meant His being forsaken by the Father. For a further study on this topic, please read Gleanings From the Cross, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It can be found at http://www.scripturetruths.net/

Not My Will But Thine Be Done

2009-11-05T20:46:00.001-05:00

For many years I have watched, I have heard, ‘certain’ TV preachers and evangelists preach their sermons and then close with ‘their invitation’: “I’M going to ask you to make a decision.” “Receive Jesus as your personal Saviour.” I’M going to ask you to make a commitment.” “I’M asking you to give your heart to Jesus” “The choice is yours.” “Will you choose to accept Jesus as your Savior?” The influence of a few becomes law for the multitude. Now it is religiously correct to follow their leadership. I saw the son of one of these men giving an interview a short time ago and heard him speak of ‘My father’s invitation.’ When I AM calls, respond to the ‘invitation!’ That of which we speak is more than an ‘invitation;’ it is a command! “But now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained [Christ Jesus]” Acts 17:30b, 31a. “Ye must be born again” is not given as an option: Come, but only if you desire to! No, to refuse the command when the Creator and King of kings, and Lord of lords calls you, is in direct disobedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and warrants His judgment against you.

“Is man’s will really the focus of salvation? Is he in the driver’s seat? Is he in control of the situation? “God voted for me to be saved. Satan voted for me to be lost - and it was the casting of my vote that broke the tie!” (The doctrine of election. How is it that God has become the One who is elected?) It would appear (at least in the minds of many) that God stands helplessly by, waiting to see what man will do. Jesus sits mournfully at the right hand of the Father wringing His hands: “Well, I’ve done all I know to do! I died on the cross for them; now it’s in their hands!”

“Salvation involves a choice!” Yes it does! It was the choice of the Father to give His Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. It was the choice of the Son to die in my stead. Oh Lamb of God, I come! I come! In faith and in an act of obedience to the will of God who has drawn me, I come! I resist His call no longer. I cease my struggle against Him. I yield myself unto God: It is, Not my will, but Thine be done!

“Not my will.” Does my having a ‘will’ make me a god? Am I enthroned on a pedestal? Am I given authority over my life; am I the supreme ruler? I have a will; therefore I am responsible to neither God nor man! This mentality is wrong, dead wrong. Having a will makes me responsible. Adam had a will. He was responsible to God for his choices, for his actions. Adam made ‘decisions,’ he became lord over his life: I WILL do that which I determine is right for me! What does having a will do for the natural man? It renders him a creature who by his own volition becomes self-righteous. What was the will of God for Adam? It was that he be obedient to the purpose and will of his Lord. When God instructed Adam that he not eat of the forbidden fruit, Adam should first have acknowledged that he HAD a will, then willfully set aside that will: Lord God, NOT MY WILL! Adam, by the mercies of God, present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. . .be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, WILL OF GOD! Adam should have responded to God; NOT MY WILL, but THINE be done!

All should be familiar with the passage concerning Joshua and Israel. In chapter 24 and verses one through thirteen, God rehearses His deliverance of the Israelites, then presents a challenge: “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24;14-15. Israel could choose between the various gods; who to elect to office. But Joshua will not ‘choose’ to elect his God. He will rather obey the God who chose him! Not my will but Thine be done!

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I WILL in no wise cast out.” What does the very next verse say? “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” “Not my will, but thine be done!

Is Jesus the Christ; is He Lord; is He the very Son of God? Jesus walked the earth for more than thirty-three years; yet, without sin. A primary reason He was able to do this was His consistent, constant and faithful attitude. One might ask, “Jesus, what is your will?” He might have responded, I relinquish my will; I will acknowledge only my Father’s will for my life. I will not make any decision apart from my Father; I determine to do nothing independently of my Father’s will! Praying in Gethsemane’s garden just before giving Himself into the brutal hands of men and the crucifixion of the cross, Jesus cry remained the same: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done” Luke 22:42.

Mankind loves to make images, statues, busts, large portraits of themselves. It is the notion that we are little sovereigns (ye shall be as gods, as Satan told Adam and Eve.) To have to admit that God is sovereign - well, men would attempt to diminish His power (if only they could!) The fool hath said in his heart [ and many with their lips] NO GOD!
The voices persist. “Make a decision! Receive Jesus as your personal Saviour! Give your heart to Jesus! Give Him your life!” Oh God! How may I give my heart and life to Jesus? I am a totally depraved sinner. I am dead in trespasses and sins. I have no heart for God. It is not in my nature to desire Him.

What then are the requirements for one to be saved and justified before God? “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21. Faith always finds Christ as the object of its attention. Repentance finds God as its object. Man’s will is not the object here. If men would only regard themselves as the sinners that they really are: impure, unholy, void of truth and understanding, having wicked hearts; wills distorted, lacking right discernment. My will and my rights are always subjects of lofty discussion. Repentance and faith will never come until our focus is taken off self and directed to God. Only then will the cry be, NOT MY WILL, but THINE be done. What is the will of God? “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth” I Tim. 2:3-4. Oh Lord God! My will do I wholly submit and yield into your hands! Not my will, but Thine be done! My will be done? Then I would likely be in the realm of the fires of hell, even at this moment! But “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Let it be known, I’m depending on Jesus!

Let the sinner approach the cross with this plea - Not my will, but thine be done!

Hitting Rock Bottom and finding a Firm Foundation

2009-09-20T15:03:00.002-04:00

It’s true. Many are the times that one must “hit rock bottom” before finding a “Firm Foundation!” It is when we come to the end of ourselves that we find the Solid Rock, Christ Jesus! It is when we seemingly have lost all hope that we find the “Blessed Hope!” It is when we find ourselves undeserving of any merit, that we discover the unmerited favor of the God of abundant mercy and grace.

“He [the Lord] brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. And hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psalm 40:2,3).

Do you feel yourself in a pit, a pit so deep that you can’t see the light of day? A Christless life is one sinking in miry clay; quicksand. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink. We’ve all been there. We need deliverance; someone to lift us up out of the quicksand; someone to set our feet upon a Firm Foundation, a Solid Rock: that Rock is Jesus. The scripture continues: “and established my goings.” Have you lost your sense of direction; you don’t know where to turn? Jesus said, I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

David, the Psalmist, continues: “And hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.” Have you lost the joy of living? The Lord can put a new song in your mouth and joy in your heart; praise unto our God.

You cannot save yourself. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth [exhibited, made known] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6,8.).

“Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. . .All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:4,6)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) Are these meaningless words: or are you willing to believe them? Is God the True God? Are His Words true? Are you willing to trust Him to do what He says He will do? “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1:15).

None are Exempt. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” There is none that under-standeth, there is none that seeketh after God. There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:9-12.)

Jesus Saves. You‘ve seen signs with this testimony. Believe it! It‘s true! “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God that raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:8,9). Christ died for you; He lives for you! Will you not trust Him?

What does it mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? its reply is: it means knowing oneself to be a sinner, and Christ to have died for sinners, abandoning all self-righteousness and self-confidence, and casting oneself wholly upon Him for pardon and peace; and exchanging one’s natural enmity and rebellion against God for a spirit of grateful submission to the will of Christ through the renewing of one’s heart by the Holy Ghost. And to the further question still: how am I to go about believing on Christ and repenting, if I have no natural ability to do these things? it answers: look to Christ, speak to Christ, cry to Christ, just as you are; confess your sin, your impenitence, your unbelief, and cast yourself on His mercy; ask Him to give you a new heart, working in you true repentance and firm faith; ask Him to take away your evil heart of unbelief and to write His law within you, that you may never henceforth stray from Him. Turn to Him and trust Him as best you can, and pray for grace to turn and trust more thoroughly; use the means of grace expectantly, looking to Christ to draw near to you as you seek to draw near to Him; watch, pray, read and hear God’s Word, worship and commune with God’s people, and so continue till you know in yourself beyond doubt that you are indeed a changed being, a penitent believer, and the new heart which you desired has been put within you. . .

“Let not conscience make you linger,

Nor of fitness fondly dream;

All the fitness He requireth

Is to feel your need of Him” -

so do not postpone action till you think you are better, but honestly confess and give yourself up here and now to the Christ who alone can make you better; and wait on Him till His Light rises in your soul, as the Scripture promises that it shall do. Anything less than this direct dealing with Christ is disobedience to the gospel.

J. I. Packer

On Faith

2009-09-05T14:57:00.001-04:00

I was listening to a renowned pastor, a TV and radio preacher, as he was speaking on Faith. He apparently hails from a northern state where ice fishing is enjoyed. When ice fishing, he said, the thickness of the ice beneath one's feet is all important. If the ice is 1/2 inch thick, (He for one will not be on it) much faith required! On the other hand if the ice measures 2 ft thick, little faith is required. God, he concludes, is great, He is as the thick ice. The logic seems to be that not as much faith is needed to trust or depend on Him because He is great. (He did, however, stress the point that Christ alone must be the object of our faith.) But otherwise just how Biblically sound is his line of thinking? "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. . ." Isa. 1 :18.

A small god? A small faith.

If one were to say, "I am a small god; with a little "g". I am not omnipotent; I cannot do all things, but I can do many extraordinary things. I am not omnipresent, I cannot be everywhere, but I can be in a few places at one time. I am not omniscient; I don't know everything, but I do possess wisdom and knowledge of a great many things. Though I am truly a god, admittedly I do have certain limitations." If one were a small god with "certain limitations,"then we should expect a correspondingly limited faith. A small god - an equivalently small faith.

A Small Faith or a Great Faith: Which?

What of the woman with the issue of blood? Having tried everything and everyone for the space of twelve years, she found herself at the feet of Jesus: "If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus. . .said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made the whole" Matt.9:21. Her faith: was it a small faith, for 'insignificantly small' was the miracle; therefore little faith was required? Or was it great faith, for it found lodging in the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ? A small faith indeed!!! She was ''Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!"

A Great God? A Great Faith.

A great God is worthy of and is due a faith that is equivalent to and parallels His greatness.

In Matthew 14:25, Jesus went unto his disciples, walking on the water. The account is familiar: the fear of the disciples of the storm ; the new fear because of a man walking on the sea, "It is a spirit!'" Peter coming down out of the ship to go to Jesus: a third fear, as he saw the wind boisterous; a fourth and final fear as he began to sink, "he cried, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"Little faith, oligopistos, lacking confidence (in Christ). Doubt, distazo, to stand in two ways, implying uncertainty as to which way to take; said of believers whose faith is small. (Doubt is not said to be an entity unto itself: the two ways are faith and unbelief.) The issue was not Peter lacking confidence in himself; and of his own ability to walk on the water: instead it was the lacking of confidence in Christ to sustain him in the endeavor. It was not his strength that was in question; rather it was his lack of confidence in the power, and of the faithfulness of Christ. Jesus was never for a moment disabled or without control; it was Peter who, in a moment of personal weakness thought the creation to overpower the Creator. A little faith might be sufficient when confronting a little god, but when beholding a great God, much faith is required.

"Little is much, when God is in it!" So say the lyrics of a well known hymn. Faith is compared as a grain of mustard seed. Faith is not necessarily great as a result of much accumulation; it is not something to be gathered into a great heap; not a massive amount, this faith. Faith should be great, not so much in size or volume, but In strength.

As in the case of "doubting" Thomas, the word distazo was not used. Rather, it was Believe, pisteuo. His believing was conditional: " / will not believe. . .except I shall see. "Thomas refuses to waver, to "stand in two ways:" He chose the way of unbelief until such time he had visible proof! Jesus saith unto him, Thomas because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" John 21:29.

Lord, Increase My Faith!

A thick cotton cord may appear strong, but a stainless steel cable, though much smaller in appearance is far superior in strength. Shall my prayer be, Lord, increase my faith; increase its density, its mass - or increase its strength? But then, it is not the terminology that is of utmost importance, but the sincere yearnings of the heart! A God-given faith is not flawed or imperfect! The difficulty is in the sin-prone, imperfect and untrusting creature called man. Quoting a friend in the ministry, "Our tendency is to put our faith in OUR faith, rather than putting our faith in THE faith." "I. . .exhort you that you should earnestly contend for THE faith which was once delivered unto the saints" Jude 3b. "I will run the way of thy commandment, when thou shalt enlarge my heart" Psalm 119:32. Faith (orthe lack of it) is not essentially the problem; it is Eye ( I ). Lord enlarge my heart; give me a greater capacity for Christ; grant unto me a greater vision that I may see Him through the eye of faith; that my confidence in Him may be strengthened. Oh that we might be "stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ..." I Cor. 15:58.

A Faith to be Accounted for Righteousness.

"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness" Rom. 4:3. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son" Heb. 11 :17.

What! What if - Abraham was justified by faith and declared righteous through a faith that was "weak, flawed, and imperfect?" Would he be so foolish as to trust the promises of God so far as to slay and offer up his only begotten son, seeing the faith was untrustworthy? But true faith has as its foundation the Word of God. It is not to be found in the wisdom of this world, nor in the arm of the flesh. The bottom line is that faith, genuine faith, has its roots in the eternal. It is of God, it is from God; it is "not of works lest any man should boast."

We often quote, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" Eph.2:8. What if the faith given us of God was weak, frail, faulty, flawed, and imperfect? Then the grace and the salvation through which it comes would not be trustworthy!

"Now faith is the substance [it is substantiating] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"Heb. 11:1. Substantiating? Evidence? Sounds like something you'd hear in a court of law. (The courts of our land would find faith as unacceptable - but not so, the Courts of Heaven!) Abraham's righteousness was [still is] imputed to him; it is validated by the Heavenly Judicial System!

"Faith is the substance. . .sub stans: standing under. Faith provides a firm standing-ground while I await the fulfilling of God's promises. Faith furnishes my heart with a sure support" An Exposition of Hebrews, page 650, A. W. Pink

Faith as an Anchor.

If faith is to be anchored in Christ, then are we to be looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, The Living Word of God [Christ.] Without it, faith has no sight, no hearing, no understanding, no wisdom, no discernment; it has no engine, there is no fuel to run it, no steering mechanism, neither a sense of direction. . .

Faith is issued forth from the Lord; the New-born is quickened through it and he is drawn unto Christ, his affections being fixed (anchored) in Him. Unlike a ship, Christ has no need of an anchor for Himself. He is an anchor of the soul. He is anchored in me. I am anchored in Him. The cable that holds the anchor on my end is secured to the ship at the other end. It is not just the anchor that holds me; the anchor is a part of, and an extension of, the ship itself. The anchor is an instrument to secure me to the ship. Christ is in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. I am on earth. Yet I am secure in Him; I am anchored in Him. There is, as it were, an unseen cable that reaches from the Ship, and its anchor is securely lodged in me. (We speak figuratively.) in John 14:23 we read, "If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." (We might compare this to Noah and the ark. Where was the anchor for the ark? Not over the side of that vessel; it (He) was within the ark!)

We read often of Paul's prayer concerning his "thorn in the flesh." "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in [your] weakness" II Cor. 1 2:9. "For when I am weak, then am I strong.'" vs. 10. It would appear that a strong faith is not very compatible with one who has a know-it-all attitude and is seemingly unaware of his weakness. (Which could account for the variety of Simon Peter's situations; walking on water and sinking; denying the Lord three times when he stubbornly declared he wouldn't. . .)

The Manifestation of Faith.

If faith is to be made manifest, it should be through the manifestation of Jesus Christ; revealed in His Word; revealed through Him and by means of the operation of the Spirit in the Believer.

The manifesting of Christ Himself in the heart of the believer. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" John 14:21.

The manifesting of the Gospel of Christ and redemption through his blood for the believer. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things. . .But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" I Peter 1 :18-20.

The manifesting of the work of faith wrought through the believer. "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" John 3:21.

"By faith Abel offered” "By faith Enoch was translated" "By faith, Noah prepared an ark" "By faith Abraham obeyed" "by faith Moses. . .esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt."

"And what shall I more say?" May writer and reader wonder afresh at the remainder of Hebrews chapter eleven: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" Heb. 11:13.

Finally, a study on Faith is fine, but its value is only recognized as it is exercised. Of what benefit, faith, if it lie between the covers of my Bible on a bookshelf? Faith is absolutely essential in the life of the believer. Paul, when on a ship that seemed destined for destruction, addressed the others: "there stood by me this night the angel of the Lord, whose I am and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar; and. lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for / believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me" Acts 27:23-25.

The question might be asked, What am I believing God for - right now?

Oh Lord, I thank you for your gift of life - Christ's life; and for His righteousness imputed unto me. Thank you for the faith that you have wrought in me according to your lovingkindness. May it not be left dormant; may it be found cleaving unto Christ; Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of my faith. In His name, for His sake. Amen.

My Best

2009-09-02T11:03:00.002-04:00

I must say from the start that this material may well be confusing to you the reader without preparation. If you have not yet read the article on "Faith," please lay this one aside until you have done so. This writing is an extension; the Faith article is foundational; it is a necessary underpinning for the building upon of "My Best." My sincere apologies for my lack of insight to those who may have read the earlier work. An ( * ) designates a quote from the "Faith" article.

There is an old expression, "Just give it your best." Similar are the words of persuasion used in trying to get someone "involved" in some ministry of the church: "The Lord needs your help! You can do it. Just do your best! That's all we expect and that's all God expects!" (This person may be found giving unknowledgeable advice about other things also.) Many times the person that has been "volunteered" becomes disillusioned and ends up in the valley of discouragement. What is sad is that the person is unknowingly unaware of what has happened to him or her. (MY best may well be the self-efforts of the flesh.") Are there any who are unaware of the abilities of the "old man" to cunningly adapt himself to the piousness of religion?

Those who are called of God are equipped of God. It is He who enables the believer to "do his best." The problem may be that our focus is on "doing OUR best" when we should fall before the Lord confessing our finite inabilities and our utter weaknesses in accomplishing anything "for the Lord." * The difficulty is in the sin-prone, imperfect and untrusting creature called man. Quoting a friend in the ministry, 'Our tendency is to put our faith in OUR faith, rather than putting our faith in THE Faith.'" Likewise our tendency is to put OUR faith in OUR best in an attempt to do THE best. In John 15, the "Vine and the branch," we are admonished at least 10 times of our Lord to "Abide in Me." And we are fruit bearers, NOT fruit producers! Nevertheless, we are oft found striving to do OUR best in an attempt to do "THE best!" If we would do THE best, we of necessity must put our faith in THE faith, rather than our faith in OUR faith in an attempt to do OUR best!

We must have faith if we would do our (THE) best, and the object of faith must consistently and continuously be the Lord Jesus. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son - His Best! And it is His Best in us, working through us, and not we ourselves that is essential. Even a fleeting thought of operating independently of the understanding, wisdom and strength of Almighty God may prove disastrous. Fleshly attempts cannot produce heavenly results. Let us cast ourselves upon Christ as our only help, trusting not in the arm of the flesh. It is "Christ in you, the hope of glory!" If our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, then also must be "our best" apart from the abundant mercies and grace extended to us by our Lord.

"Dear Lord, according to your grace, give me singleness of eye; cause my focus to be fixed upon Christ alone. Knowing that without faith it is impossible to please God, may I be found trusting You, being obediently submissive to your Divine Purpose. In regard to "my best," I pray that You might engrave upon my heart; yea, plant within my heart the same mindset that You planted within the apostle Paul: "Not I, but Christ!"

(It is interesting to notice that earlier in his ministry Paul, in writing to the Corinthian church, referred to himself as "the least of the apostles." Later, to the Ephesians, he was "less than the least of all saints." When approaching the latter days of his ministry he wrote to Timothy, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.")

Well written are the words from the pen of Charles H. Spurgeon in a little book called "Faith." And we quote:

"No, Lord, if I am not condemned, it is Your free grace, for I have deserved to be condemned a thousand times since I sat down to write this. When I am on my knees and I am not condemned, I am sure it must be sovereign grace, for even when I am praying, I deserve to be condemned. Even when we are repenting, we are sinning, and adding to our sins while we are repenting of them. Every act we do as the result of the flesh is to sin again, and our best performances are so stained with sin that it is hard to know whether they are good works or bad works. So far as they are our own, they are bad; and so far as they are the works of the Spirit, they are good. But then, the goodness is not ours, it is the Spirit's, and only the evil remains to us. Ah, then, we cannot boast! Be gone, pride! Be gone!"

In all of the scripture, I can find but one place that deals with "man" and his "best:" "verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity" Psalm 39:5.

See below some of the difficulties that may arise out of attempting to do “MY Best!”

"MY best" is to include and put a dependence upon the flesh.

"MY best" is a product of self esteem; it allows for fleshly pride.

"MY best" follows the way of Cain, as I think it well to present the efforts of my hands to God.

"MY best" is apt to give me a false sense of accomplishment.

"MY best" is only wood, hay and stubble; unworthy of reward; fit only to be burned up.

"MY best" regards my talents and fleshly abilities.

"MY best" supposes human strength can accomplish eternal tasks.

"MY best" causes me to scheme rather than trust.

"MY best" regards my desires, seeks the fulfillment of my will.

"MY best" looks to human reasoning, rather than seeking infinite wisdom.

"MY best" may cause me to overlook sin in my life; to be unwilling to acknowledge such.

"MY best" will cause me to "think of myself more highly than I ought to think."

"MY best" may cause me to look upon others in a judgmental way, comparing "my best" to their "best."

"MY best" may stir up a spirit of envy as I observe the talents or position of another."

"MY best" may cause my testimony to be weak and ineffectual.

"MY best" may cause me to use poor judgment in dealing with family members, other Believers, and also with unbelievers.

"MY best" will rob me of a deep settled peace; it will bring about unrest; it will steal away my joy."

"MY best" may be a hindrance to both my Bible study and my prayer life.

“MY best” will keep me from a much needed communion with God.

“MY best” will cause me to allow glory to myself rather than rendering it to Whom it is due.“

“MY best" may cause me to desire to live in the "limelight" rather than to live in the "Lamblight."

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself. . .I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" John 5:19a,30b. He could do nothing of Himself because He would do nothing of Himself. (Of course, there was perfect unity: Jesus placed himself as a servant in total submission to the Father; there was never to be found even a hint of contention or rivalry in the Triune Godhead!) Our Lord, being sinless and perfect, even in a body of flesh, placed full dependence in the Father and in the power of the Spirit. He has set the example; shall we not follow Him? How can we do that!?! Well, certainly not by trying OUR best (the self-efforts of the flesh) to do our best! Let us be reminded of those words penned by our brother Paul: "That I may know him. . .I follow after. . .reaching forth. . .I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" Phil. 3. Would any dare ask Paul what or Who was the object of his faith? And who among us will dare to say to that patriarch, "I did my best; I gave my best unto the Lord?"

Jesus Heals a Man of the Dropsy

2009-08-31T09:20:00.001-04:00

Dropsy. An old term for the swelling of soft tissues due to the accumulation of excess water. In years gone by, a person might have been said to have dropsy. Today one would be more descriptive and specify the cause. Thus the person might have edema due to congestive heart failure.

Edema is often more prominent in the lower legs and feet toward the end of the day as a result of pooling of fluid from the upright position usually maintained during the day. Upon awakening from sleeping, people can have swelling around the eyes referred to as periorbital edema. The Middle English dropsy came through the Old French hydropsie from the Greek hydrops which in turn came from the Greek hydor meaning water.

www.medterms.com

A strange meeting place.

“And it came to pass, as he [Jesus] went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy” Luke 14:1-2.

Why would the Pharisees, (one of the chief Pharisees) invite Jesus to his house to break bread on the sabbath? Jesus, the friend of sinners? Jesus, whom they hated? “And it came to pass. . .that they watched him.” Would they come seeking Jesus; to know Him? No, they would come that they might find fault; that they might have ought in which to accuse Him. This man claims to be the Son of God - away with Him!

Why was the poor man with dropsy there? He was certainly no friend of the Pharisees. He surely was not there at their invitation! (unless he was brought there as a snare in an attempt to entrap the Lord.) This diseased creature should be cast out! He has no place here! Jesus went into the house and found a man before Him. Why had the man come; to be abused, scorned, by the Pharisees - or did he come to see Jesus?

And why was Jesus there? Because he had much in common with His ’Pharisee brethren’? Because He wanted to fellowship with them? Or was it because He knew that the man with the dropsy was there, waiting on His arrival? Again we ask, by whose invitation was the man there? “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me: and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” John 6:37.

The speechless Pharisees.

And Jesus answering [answering what?] spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?” Whatever question they would have asked was answered with yet another question! (But we know! The Lord knew their thoughts!) A houseful of Pharisees and lawyers must have had the answer to that question: after all it pertained to the Law: they knew the law - didn’t they?

“And they held their peace” [hesuchazo, to keep still; to refrain from meddlesomeness or speech.]. Verse six ends, “And they could not answer him again to these things.”

Another thought: this eating of bread on the Sabbath was confined to the house of a chief Pharisee and his brethren. On almost all other occasions there was a crowd of ‘sinners’ in the midst. The Pharisees, actors, players as they were, would take this opportunity to perform. They would show (or think so in their folly) to show themselves superior, and Jesus inferior. In their despise and jealousy of Him would they think to catch Him as a fish in a net: it was a battle of the minds! They apparently did not have sense enough to know when to quit!

And he [Christ] took him, [the man with the dropsy] and healed him, and let him go;” vs.4. “And answered them.” But they have yet to say anything! Strangely enough, the man whom Jesus would heal didn’t speak either. At least there is no recorded conversation between them. Normally a person would cry out unto the Lord: or He would ask him of the desire of his heart: “Lord, that I might receive my sight; Lord, that I might be healed!” Never mind. Christ has read the minds of all those Pharisees; He knew their thoughts; why not also the thoughts (and heart) of the man with the dropsy?

“And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?” Now who’s caught in the net? If they would say, ‘We would, of course, pull him out!’ Then why have you violated the command of the law? If they would say, No, we would leave the animal in the pit, perchance to die, as he may be wounded or become prey to a predator. Either answer would be unacceptable in their depraved mentality.

So - what have we here? a pit, a pit into which a creature has fallen and cannot free himself. We have One who will take him, pull him up, out. One who will heal him; One who will wash him with water; who will pour in wine for disinfecting; who will pour in oil for his healing; One who will let him go. . .But will the One who has shown such care not keep His eye upon him; continue to care for him?

“I waited patiently for the Lord: and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” Psalm 40:1-2.

This pitiable fellow with the dropsy was doubtlessly weak and without strength in his legs and feet. He was as one who had fallen into miry clay, quick sand. Did he wait patiently for the Lord? Did the Lord incline unto him; hearing his cry? (if not audibly, surely from his heart.) “And he took him,” brought him up and out of the miry clay of the pit. “And healed him;” “set his feet upon a rock. He is separated, delivered from the pit, from his dropsy. He is healed physically, he is healed spiritually. (Does the Lord work any other way?) His feet are now upon the Rock! He stands in the strength of the Lord!

“And let him go.” Is he healed? Has he received strength? Then ‘let him go.’ He’s made whole; now just turn him loose; he’s on his own?

There was another fellow who lay dead in a pit (the grave). Jesus called, “Lazarus come forth!” “And He brought him up out of the pit; set his feet on the Rock. Jesus saith unto them, loose him and let him go” John 11:44. Let him go? Isn’t that the same thing our Lord said about the man with the dropsy: ‘let him go?’ Let him go; release him from the grave clothes? Or could it mean more: let him go that Christ might ‘establish his goings?’

“And established my goings” Psalm 40:2b. Is Christ the Way, the Truth, the Life? Then let Him establish my goings! Let me go follow Him!

Of course we must take this personally. We were as the man with the dropsy; which is a far worse ‘congestive heart failure’ than he had; we were “without strength.” Rom. 5:6.

He [Christ] inclined unto me; heard my cry: lifted me up out of the horrible pit called Sin: up and out of the miry clay of which I could never free myself; set my feet on the Solid Rock, established my goings. And His watch care: “for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee!” Heb. 13:5.

Looking Again at the Alabaster Box

2009-08-31T00:21:00.004-04:00

John 12:1-11

The Alabaster Box containing a pound of ointment of spikenard. It was Mary’s treasure chest, a Hope Chest, if you will. The Day was coming for it to be opened. This was not a whim, not a sudden impulse. Surely the emotion of the moment had been building within her: “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this [alabaster box of ointment]”.

Mary’s heart anticipated what lay deepest in His, even before it found expression in words. She not only knew that He would die, but she apprehended the infinite preciousness and value of that death. And how more fitting could she have expressed this than by anointing His body “to the burying” (Mark 14:8)! Exposition of the Gospel of John, page 229, A. W. Pink

The Father ordered it that His beloved Son should be “anointed” here in this home at Bethany in the presence of Lazarus whom Christ has raised from the dead: it attested the power of His Own resurrection! Exposition of John, page 232, A. W. Pink.

Alabaster. A finely grained variety of gypsum, often white and translucent used for ornamental objects, such as lamp bases, figurines, etc. Alabastron. an oil jar char-acteristically having an elongated shape, narrow neck, flat-rimmed mouth, and rounded base, requiring a stand or support, chiefly used for fragrant ointments; a vase. Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary.

Spikenard, a costly oil derived from the dried roots and stems of the nard, an herb of Asia. Spikenard was imported from India in alabaster boxes. These were stored and used only for special occasions. When household guests arrived, they were usually anointed with this oil. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, page 855.

If one would depend upon the definitions given by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, they are presented thusly: spikenard, [it is called nard also] pistikos: trustworthy, genuine. The word from which pistkos is taken is pistis: pursuasion, i.e. credence; mor. conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), esp. reliance upon Christ for salvation; by ext. the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, faith, fidelity. But by all means, search it out for yourself.

Anointed for Burial.

Jesus suffered alone upon the cross. But might He have remembered the compassion of Mary; the costly ointment that she had allowed to flow freely down His brow and poured out upon His feet? Did she not weep as she anointed His feet? Did not the teardrops that fell from her eyes fall also upon His brow as she anointed His head? Teardrops mingled with the ointment: exceedingly precious was the ointment; exceedingly precious were the tears. Mary anointed the Lord for burial. Mary ‘broke’ the alabaster box. Was it not symbolic of her broken heart; a heart that was poured out before her Saviour?

Lazarus was dead.

“And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. . . [When Jesus arrived, he spoke to Martha, who in turn called Mary] “The Master is come and calleth for thee!” “The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. . .When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. . .Jesus wept” John 11:19,31,33,35. (Jesus related to Martha that I AM the Resurrection. It appears that she had not heard that before. When Mary came he did not tell her the same: why repeat that which she already knew?)

Jesus wept; He suffered with Mary; He was touched with the feeling of her infirmities. Now could she weep; now could she suffer with Him; she could be touched with the feeling of His infirmities. Mary felt what Paul wrote later: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering” Philippians 3:10.

There was “no beauty that we should desire him” Isa. 52:14, but Mary “worshiped the Lord in the beauty of holiness” Psalm 96:9. “We hid as it were our faces from him” Isa.53:3, but Mary “beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father” John 1:14, “We esteemed him not” Isa. 53:3, but ‘Unto Mary therefore which believed he was precious’ I Peter 2:7.

Since Orientals are so very demonstrative and emotional, it is difficult for those not acquainted with their customs to appreciate their method of expressing their sorrow, and their attempt to be comforted. In times of grief and sorrow, sackcloth is worn, and they often rend their garments in order to let people know how deep is their grief (II Sam. 3:31). Tears flow freely at such times and are considered to be a definite means of bringing comfort to sorrowing hearts (John 11:33).

Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, page 143, Fred H. Wight

The question of tears.

As Mary was anointing the body of Jesus for burial, it would have been unthinkable for her not to have wept. It would have broken custom and tradition; her love, devotion and worship for Him demanded it. The cross would afford no comfort; what prevented her from comforting Him before His death by the manifestation of tears?

Let us compare the ‘other’ account found in Luke chapter seven: “And one of the Pharisees desired him [Jesus] that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman of the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment” vs.36-38. In answer to the Pharisee’s objection Jesus replied, “I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much. . .” vs. 44-47.

Two women; two alabaster boxes of ointment; both anointed the feet of Jesus with ointment; both wiped His feet with the hairs of their head. One woman wept and the tears fell upon His feet, which she wiped with her hair. Tell me now, that Mary did not weep as she anointed the feet of the Lord that she worshiped; and wiped them with her hair for His forth-coming burial.

(The scripture says that Mary “broke” the alabaster box [Alabastron, an oil jar characteristically having an elongated shape, narrow neck, flat-rimmed mouth, and rounded base] Only Mark speaks of the Alabaster box being broken. “and she brake the box and poured it upon his head.” Did she smash it into pieces? Then the contents would have been splattered everywhere. Not to mention the impending danger from the sharp fragments being scattered in the process. In such case she could in no wise have poured it upon his head. Most likely, and from the scriptures we read: “against the day of my burying hath she kept this [alabaster box of ointment.” It was and continues to be so, that wines and other oils or perfumes have a seal; and this seal must be broken in order to open and pour forth the contents. Mary must have kept the seal undisturbed: the spikenard was for the Lord only. ‘Breaking’ the seal she could ‘pour’ the spikenard upon His head.)

Again we draw from an earlier quotation: “Spikenard was imported from India in alabaster boxes. These were stored and used only for special occasions. When household guests arrived, they were usually anointed with this oil.” We are familiar with “the anointing of oil.” In days gone by it was common for a pastor or someone else to go to the home of one who had an infirmity, put ‘anointing oil’ on their finger tips and place them upon the head of the sick before prayer. This, Mary did not do! She apparently poured the whole bottle upon the Lord Jesus! A small amount of the ointment upon the feet of the guest would have been noticeable, but discreet: but the whole house was filled with the aroma! Judas and the others did not strenuously object to the common practice of anointing. It was pouring a whole pound of spikenard upon the Lord! Now that was wasteful! Consider the other account of the woman who anointed Jesus at the house of the Pharisee: he did not object to the familiar practice of anointing a guest: his problem was that Jesus would allow a “sinner” to do so unto Him! A traveler, a guest, would not find it strange that his host should wash his feet, then dry them with a towel [Jesus did this to His disciples: I doubt that they had an alabaster box of spikenard in their possession!] and if he were a person of means and had the expensive spikenard; he would anoint the feet of his guest. [Odor Eaters and medicated foot powder were not available in that day!] Seeing to the comfort and refreshment of the guest was simply good etiquette!

[“Mary Magdalene has long been in popular tradition to “Mary the sinner,” and has been identified with the penitent who anointed Jesus. There were probably two anointings recorded in the gospels. . . There is no reliable evidence to connect Mary Magdalene with either anointing. When her name appears in Luke 8:2 there is not one word to connect it with the history that immediately precedes.” Unger’s Bible Dictionary, page 703.]

“Mary Magdalene out of whom he [Jesus] had cast seven devils” Mark 16:9. Does the account of the woman who anointed Jesus with the spikenard and the commendation of the Lord in her behalf even remotely resemble a woman possessed of seven devils?

But at this point I am a bit puzzled. In our text of John chapter twelve, we are given the account of Mary and the anointing of Jesus. A resurrected Lazarus was sitting at the table and observed all this with the others. Why then does John relay the account in chapter eleven of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, being sick, the following verse telling us, “(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)” Is the cart before the horse? How are we to identify with this when the second anointing never took place until after Lazarus’ resurrection? How are we to relate to something that has not yet happened - unless Mary was the same woman who is revealed in Luke’s gospel; she who came to the Pharisee’s house, fell at Jesus’ feet, anointing them with spikenard and tears? In Luke 10:39, Mary is seen sitting at the feet of Jesus, hearing His word; of which Jesus said, “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” vs.42. Notice also at the grave site of Lazarus: “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet” John 11:32). “It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick” It would appear at least plausible that both anointings were done by the same woman, Mary of Bethany. The first anointing at the Pharisee’s house: surely this woman would have continued to follow Jesus; that we would have heard much more about her. And of Mary: how did she meet Jesus? Under what circumstances was she converted; when did she trust Christ for salvation? If she were the “sinner” in Luke chapter seven, the first account of the anointing of Jesus, then might she have returned home to Martha and Lazarus with a glowing testimony, leading to their conversion. Jesus was a frequent guest in their home. He loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and they loved Him; and Mary sat at His feet, listening to His teaching. From this she would come to know of His death, of His burial, of His resurrection. From this would the Holy Spirit have put into her heart to anoint Him for burial.

Valuable? Or Profitable?

The alabaster box of precious ointment of spikenard: it was valuable as it sat upon the stand or support; but it became profitable; its true value, its ultimate potential was realized, when it was poured out upon the brow and feet of the Lord Jesus.

What was more precious to the Lord Jesus; the ‘broken’ alabaster box of spikenard poured upon His head and feet - or she who bowed herself, broken, at His feet and anointed them with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head?

The blood of Christ was valuable to Himself, for the continuing life flow to His body; but it became exceedingly more precious and profitable when His body was broken and His blood, as a precious healing ointment, was poured out for wretched sinners. “What can wash away my sins; What can make me whole again; O precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow; No other fount I know; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”

“Paul wrote to Philemon concerning his servant who had previously fled to Rome; now saved, ands in the company of the Apostle: “Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me” Philemon vs.11. [The desire of the Lord is not for slaves, nor hired servants; but Sons with servant’s hearts.]

Few scriptures are more frequently quoted than Romans twelve one. Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God? I know what I am to do, but how to do it I cannot discern. May it not be accomplished by presenting ourselves, as it were, an alabaster box of ointment; broken, poured out unto the Lord, a living sacrifice? And let us do it “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” Ephesians 1:6.

Dishonorable mention.

How sad, how tragic, the ‘disciple’ Judas and those at the supper! They argued over what they thought to have been wasted. Indeed! Why waste costly ointment on Jesus when it could have been sold and “wisely” spent. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these “things” shall be added unto you.” They were counting the creation of greater value than its Creator? Surely not. Quibbling over the finite when the Infinite stood before them? “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” I Timothy 6:10. Shall we spend more time mooring over the quibbling of Judas and the others?

“Then Jesus said, Let her alone” John 12:7. How blessed! Christ is ever ready to defend His own! It was the Good Shepherd protecting His sheep from the wolf. Judas condemned Mary. . .But Christ knew her motive and commended her deed.

He whose Name is “as ointment poured forth” commended her, who all unconsciously fulfilled prophesy, “While the king sitteth at his table my spikenard sendeth forth the sweet smell thereof” Song of Solomon,1:3,12. So in a coming day He will reward even a cup of water which has been given in His name. Exposition of. John, page 241, A. W. Pink.

Thoughts for meditation.

Appreciation is not to be expressed to a musical instrument; rather to the musician who plays it. Focus not upon the alabaster box of spikenard but the One upon whom it was poured, and the hands that ‘broke’ the vessel and did the pouring.

In Matthew and Mark she is shown anointing His head with the Spikenard from the alabaster box; but in the gospel of John, it is His feet. Mary anointed the head of Christ as He is the Head of all creation, the Sovereign God, and is worthy of all honour: but she would do no less than have Him be Lord of her life; therefore she bowed before Him in worship and anointed His feet!

She wiped His feet with her hair; the glory of a woman. In total submission, Mary lay at His feet in willing worship. The odor of the Spikenard filled the house. As she arose, the smell of the ointment was in her hair. Everywhere she went, it was a testimony that she had been with Jesus! His glory was all about her!

I think it’s worth repeating! If one would truly worship the Lord, he should humble himself before His feet; he must long to know Him: let him break the seal of his alabaster box and pour forth the ointment unto the Lord; let him diligently, reverently, prayerfully, search the scriptures, for therein is to be found the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they [Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James] came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared” Luke 24:1. But Mary whose brother the Lord had raised, was not with them. She had done what she could: she had come aforehand to anoint the body of the Lord to the burying. (Mark 14:8). She believed her Lord was risen, as He said!

Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James; they had risen early, before dawn. Having gathered the spices that they had prepared, they went forth to the sepulchre that they might anoint the body of Jesus. Although He had told them of His forthcoming death and resurrection, they had chosen to ignore it. Such a thing could not be. They carried along with the spices the mentality of Thomas: “I will not believe!” Traditions and rituals they were willing to observe. Humanly speaking, what they intended to do was commendable. They would have someone roll back the stone that they might gain entrance into the place where lay the lifeless body of their departed friend, the Lord Jesus. There in the tomb would they continue to mourn His death. It is pitiable that these would come carrying the spices for the anointing of the dead. The ointments were a testimony as to their unbelief. The thought saddened me. Why could they not have had faith in the Word of the Lord? What of Mary Magdalene who cried, “They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”

But do not all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose - sometimes even in the midst of our unbelief?!! These dear ones came being convinced of the worst: their friend Jesus was dead. They must anoint His body before the fourth day of His entombment. As Martha said concerning her brother Lazarus, who had been in the grave for four days, “By now he stinketh.” But no! I dare say that the tomb did not emit an unpleasant odor: perhaps rather the sweet fragrance of the lilies of the valley; of the Rose of Sharon! These ladies would come to anoint the deceased body of our Lord: but He would purpose that they come early that morning to the sepulchre that they might see the empty tomb; that Christ was indeed risen from the dead as He said! Their unbelief was turned to faith; their sadness to unspeakable Joy!

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” I Peter 1:7b,8.

Hallelujah! Selah!

Why the Blood?

2009-08-29T20:41:00.002-04:00

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” I Peter 1:18-19.

As of now we see through a glass darkly, but there is a blessed hope that One Day our Savior will unfold as never before the wonders of His love; of His blood, freely given in our stead. How little of the plan and purpose of God we really have ability to discern. Oh God! When shall we truly have understanding? We speak of and sing of the Christ and His cross; but the more we know, the more we realize that we do not know. May there be handfuls of purpose given that we might glean thereby. Holy Spirit, speak into our ears and our hearts, words which cannot be spoken. We would see Jesus!

Understanding the Scriptures. The Lord takes the heavenly and makes known the earthly, that He might make known the heavenly. This He did by use of many witnesses: through parables, through metaphors, portrayals, similes, illustrations. The heavenly to make known the earthly to make known the heavenly. Did the bread and the cup that Jesus served His disciples magically turn into the literal body and blood of Christ as taught by the Catholics? Of course not! It was representative; it was to bring them to remembrance of the cross; of the blood that flowed forth; of precious, redemptive blood, sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat for our reconciliation unto the God of whom we had transgressed. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission” Heb. 9:22.

The Law Declares it! The life of the Flesh is in the Blood. The law declares it? Yes. But almost a millennium before the Ceremonial law was given, God instructed Noah concerning the blood: “But flesh with the life thereof, which is in the blood thereof, shall ye not eat” Gen. 9:4.

“And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” Lev. 17:10-11.

“only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh” Deut.12 23.

The scriptures, on many occasions, give an answer in the midst of the question. Why are we not to drink blood; why is it seemingly an abomination in the sight of God? Verse eleven of Leviticus chapter seventeen which we read earlier gives the answer: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Do not drink blood; it is life. It is Mine! It is consecrated unto Me. It is given for your atonement.

Confounding the Wise. The law said, but I say: “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me” John 6:53-57.

“Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” John 6:60. Truly it is a hard saying; and who can hear it?

How then, does Jesus say, Thou shalt eat my flesh and drink my blood? It is a (seemingly) direct contradiction to the command of the Father. If I eat the flesh, if I drink the blood of Jesus, God will set His face against me! He will cut me off! But Jesus says that whosoever eats His flesh, drinks His blood - hath eternal life; has the hope of resurrection; dwelleth in me, and I in him: and I live by the Father! As I live by the Father, He that eateth me shall live by me.

What did the law say? “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” A vivid picture of the fulfillment of this scripture can be found in Isaiah chapter fifty three!

Given, For Your Atonement. “For by one offering he hath perfected [consecrated, brought to fullness, completed] them that are sanctified” Heb. 10;14. Sanctified, set apart unto the Lord? Consecrated, brought to completeness by the sacrificial offering of the body and blood of Christ? We are consecrated by Him, we are consecrated in Him, we are consecrated for Him, we are consecrated with Him. “And ye are complete in Him, buried with Him, risen with Him, quickened together with Him” Col. 2:10a,12a,13b.

The Lord Illustrates His Saying. “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you” Luke 22:19-20.

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. And after the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” I Cor. 11:23-27.

What’s so Important about the Blood?

The Natural Man and the Blood. All are familiar with the basics: food and drink is assimilated or processed by the body. Air, oxygen, is breathed into the lungs. The blood is the carrier of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Not only does it deposit what is needed by the cells to sustain life, but takes upon itself the condemnation, the waste built up in the cells. The blood takes it away for disposal. The blood passed through the kidneys where the contaminates and wastes are purged. If the kidneys fail the body will eventually die from the poisonous pollution: the cleansing is crucial. The body has a dependence upon the function of its kidneys for purification.

The New Man and the Blood. The new man is totally dependant upon Christ: His blood brings life, nourishment, the breath of life, cleansing. “and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” I John 1:7b. Christ cannot be polluted by the presence of our sin. (It was not embodied within Him; it was laid upon Him.) Christ’s blood cleanses, carries away our sin. Our sin is cast as far as the east is from the west; buried in the depths of the sea; His righteousness, imputed to us.

When Death comes to the Natural Man. The Science of Embalming. Basically two needles, tubes are inserted, one in an artery, the other in a vein. They are hooked up to a machine or pump. Blood is pumped out; embalming fluid is pumped in. We are familiar with the term, the “shedding of blood.” Shedding is the action of another; it is an outside source causing wounds from which blood is no longer contained. If the wounds do not immediately cause the heart to stop pumping, the pulsation of the heart will cause blood to continue to flow. Once the heart ceases to pump, the continual flow of blood ceases. Blood, once without the body, does not keep very long. Unless frozen or refrigerated it will coagulate quickly.

When Death Came to the God/Man. Christ is the Lamb slain [His blood shed] from the foundation of the world. He was wounded [His head, His hands, His feet, His back, His side] for our transgressions. He is the sheep who openeth not His mouth. The lamb whose throat is cut lies in submission. His heart continues to beat; he himself pumps forth his own blood; it is not forcibly drawn from his veins. So it was with our Lord. Though His blood was shed by reason of the wounds, yet He gave Himself a sacrifice; His blood need not be drawn from some outside apparatus; with His own heart pumped He forth His Life’s blood. As previously stated, Blood, once without the body, does not keep very long. Unless frozen or refrigerated it will coagulate quickly. The thought is this: in the offering of sacrifice, the fresh warm blood of the living sacrifice was to be taken by the high priest into the Most Holy Place to be offered on the Mercy Seat. Here’s the picture: Christ is the sacrifice; it is His blood that is to be offered. He is the Great High Priest who is to do the offering. He is the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat upon which His own blood is to be sprinkled. A suffering Saviour, a living sacrifice, Christ, as High Priest, willingly poured out Himself, His own blood. It was not cold, coagulated blood, offered upon the Mercy Seat three days later after His resurrection (as some suppose.) “The Blood will never lose its power” as some sing: Has the eternal Blood sprinkled upon the eternal Mercy Seat long since been coagulated, black, dried up? Or is Life still in the Blood?

Jesus died in our behalf: the wages of sin is death. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, we shall be saved by his life” Rom. 5:8-10. (If we are not justified before God, neither can we be reconciled unto Him.) Before laying down His life Jesus said, It is Finished. Then, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. It is finished? Not if the blood had not been already offered upon the Mercy Seat. Not if Christ was yet to be our propitiation. Not if reconciliation was not already obtained by the offering of blood. The veil of the temple was rent, from top to bottom, signifying that God had done this, signifying that the priesthood of men was officially at an end.

Signifying the “new and living way.” The veil of the temple prior to its rending: “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. . .How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God. . .” Heb. 9:8,11,12,14

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. . .” The obvious should be obvious. If God has rent the veil of the temple. . .then the blood of Jesus is already, now upon the Mercy Seat, even before the veil of the temple was rent!.

What was rent? The visible veil of the Jewish temple. Christ Himself is the living Veil! “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated [brought to fullness, completed] for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” Heb. 10:19-20.

This (Christ Himself) is the Veil into the Most Holy Place. It [He] was not rent! How then may we enter the Most Holy throne room of the Most Holy God? It is through the blood. It is by faith. Does the Veil have a door? “I AM the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” John 10:9. The Veil has no visible door; it can only be found, it will only open, one may only gain access, through faith in Christ and the sufficiency of His efficacious offering of blood.

God is making known unto us heavenly things by means of the earthly: namely, the atonement: pictures of blood, of life, of death. Our justification hinges upon the offering of the Blood of the Lamb; of His death, of His burial; of His resurrection; of His acceptance by the Father into the Heavenlies. And that, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” Eph. 1:6.

As the blood is the life of the body, so is the Word to the soul and spirit. It carries with it, the Breath of Life, Nourishment, Cleansing.

The Fire Within

2009-08-20T09:32:00.001-04:00

A Wall of Fire Without

“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. . .he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. . .Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again” Zec. 2:4b,5,8b,10-12.

Although these scriptures speak of the forthcoming kingdom age, yet this is but a continuation of the mercies and grace of an all consistent, all sufficient God. What greater example of this than that of the three Hebrew sons, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego?

Upon their refusal to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, they were cast into the infamous fiery furnace which was heated upward to seven times above which it was designed. They were cast into the furnace; they fell down. Was it because they were bound; or did they fall in worship to the True God? They would not bow to the image, but they would bow to the Eternal Son of God in worship! Of course, “the Son abideth forever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” John 8:35,36.

The king, in astonishment said, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” Dan. 3:25. (Well, he almost had it right! The form he saw was the Son of God!)

What a privilege! They fell at His feet in worship, now were they walking with Him - even though they were still in the midst of the fire. Perhaps we should consider following their example?

They were in the fire? Yes! “and they have no hurt” said the king. Why could the fire around them, not hurt them? “For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her!” Zec. 2:5. Was the Lord, the glory of Zion, not in the midst of these children of Jerusalem? Was He not a wall of fire round about them, that separated, protected them from the king’s furnace of fire? The Fire within was greater than the fire without!

“And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” I John 4:3-4.

The Fire within is greater than the fire without!

In his Book of Martyrs (1563), John Foxe tells the story of the tragic events that took place from 1554 to 1556. The bloody Queen Mary Tudor ruled England, and for those committed to biblical Christianity, they were troubled times. Three bishops - Hugh Latimer, Nicolas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer - found themselves charged with heresy and placed on trial in the university church of St. Mary’s. Among the reasons for the trial were their commitment to the belief in the sole sufficiency of Christ’s atoning death for salvation and their refusal to compromise with the Catholic traditions and beliefs of the Queen. Eventually, Latimer and Ridley were punished together, while Cranmer’s trial and martyrdom came later.

According to Foxe, Ridley arrived at the place of execution first. When Latimer arrived, the two embraced, and Ridley called his friend to practice great faith in a terrible time. He said, “Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it.” They both knelt and prayed before listening to an exhortation from a preacher calling on them to recant before death.

After the sermon, one of the officials pleaded, “Mr. Riley, if you will revoke your erroneous opinions, you shall not only have liberty so to do, but also your life.” “Not otherwise?” said Ridley.

If you will not do so,” replied the official, “there is no remedy: you must suffer for your deserts.”

“Well.” concluded Ridley, “so long as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ and His known truth. God’s will be done in me.”

The blacksmith wrapped a chain of iron around the waists of Ridley and Latimer. When the wood about Ridley’s feet was lit, Latimer said, “Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out.”

As the fire rose, Latimer cried out, “O Father of heaven, receive my soul!” and he died almost immediately. Ridley, however, hung on, with most of his lower body having burned before he passed away. Such faith! Such deep faith in deeply troubled times!

(Used by permission. Oxford Sermons Vol II, Triumphant Faith For Troubled Times, pages 68-69, Dr. Stephen D.C. Corts)

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ” II Cor. 2:14. “Yet, not I, but Christ” Gal. 2:20. (Christ Himself is the (sole) object of our faith; likewise its source. Any other ‘faith’ is not faith at all.)

May we say again, The Fire within them was greater than the fire of the governing powers without! There was a Fire, an intense Fire, an Abiding Fire within their bosom. The fire without could burn the body but it could in no wise burn the Fire within! “For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her” Zec. 2:5.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. . .”

The Angel of the Lord

2009-08-09T15:26:00.001-04:00

It should be basic knowledge that Jesus did not first come into existence when He was born of a virgin. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was not anything made that was made. . .” John 1:1-3.

“The Lord God made the earth and the heavens” Genesis. 2:4. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground” Genesis. 2:7. “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden” vs.8. “And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree.” vs. 8. “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden” vs. 15. “And the Lord God commanded the man. . .thou shalt not eat” vv. 16,17. “And the Lord God said, I will make him [Adam] an help meet for him” vs. 18. “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field. . .and brought them unto Adam” vs. 19. “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. . .made He a woman, and brought her unto the man” vs. 21-22. “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden. . and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God” Genesis 3:8. “And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” vs.9. “And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?” vs.13. “And the Lord God said unto the serpent . . .thou art cursed” vs.14. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them” vs.21. “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden” vs. 23.

Lord: Yehovah, (the) self Existent or Eternal, Jehovah. God: Elohiym, gods, in the ordinary sense; the Supreme God. The name ‘Lord God’ therefore, is “the self Existent, Eternal, Supreme God.” Jesus is the Lord God. “I AM the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” Matt.22:32. “Before Abraham was, I AM” John 8:58.

Angel of the Lord is found in sixteen books of the Bible. The question concerning these: are they speaking of an angel of the Lord? or the angel of the Lord? We shall look to those that clearly identify Christ. The angels of the Lord have well served their Creator. Their presence has been known unto men (and sometimes not known): “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Hebrews 13:2. Angels made appearances many times to give an announcement: (the host of angels to announce to shepherds the birth of the Son of God!) But there were times when God chose to put a personal hand in the affairs of men; those who were His children by faith. .

Any serious student of the Bible, with the Holy Spirit as his Tutor, should be familiar with the terms Theophany and Christophany. These terms speak not of an angel, a celestial creation, but identify with the Angel of the Lord, who is the Divine, Eternal God.

When Ishmael was conceived, there was conflict between Sarah and Hagar; (an on-going conflict which pictures the war between the spirit and the flesh; which lends itself to the conflict that continues in the Middle East, even unto this day.) Hagar fled. “And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water. . .And he said Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou. . .Return to thy mistress. Genesis 16:7-9. “And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for the multitude” vs.10. “And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael. . .And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me:” vs. 11,13-14. “Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [the well of him that liveth and seeth me] vs.14. “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly?” The “well of Him that liveth and seeth me?” Is this an angel of the Lord who is conferring the words of the Lord God unto Hagar? Or is it the Angel of the Lord Himself, the Voice and the authority of His Father?

The offering of Isaac. His knife drawn, Abraham, in obedience to God, was about to complete faith by works! “And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven. Genesis 22:11. [might an angel have appeared; restraining Abraham’s hand? No, the restraint must be in the obedience of faith: He called out of heaven!] And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time. “And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord. . .I will bless thee; will multiply thy seed. . .And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” vs.18. By myself have I sworn? Thou hast obeyed my voice? Is this an angel speaking in behalf of the Lord God? Or is it the Angel of the Lord?

Moses at the burning bush. “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush” Exodus 3:2. Acts 7:30-34. (The Angel of the Lord, the Son of God was seen by wicked king Nebuchadnezzar as He appeared in the fiery furnace with the three Hebrew children after the king had cast them into the fire.) “Moreover he said, I AM the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. . . And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” Exodus 3:6,14 Was this an angel, or the Angel of the Lord?

Balaam and his ornery donkey. “And when the ass saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way” Numbers 22:23. She saw the angel of the Lord; Balaam did not. Faith without works is dead. She did not know that her master was going against the will of God, she only saw the angel of the Lord standing before her with sword in hand and sensing that another route would be advisable; she moved three separate times to avoid the angel. Balaam was prevented from continuing his forbidden path. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass! How demeaning! A witness, a testimony of a dumb? animal to a man who lacked faith, who could not see that which is substance, evidence! The Way, the Truth, and the Life will not be seen nor obeyed - without faith!

Gideon, the Lord is with thee. The Lord appeared to commission this faithful servant who thought the Lord was choosing the wrong man. (“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” I Corinthians 1:27-28.) For a sign that it was the Angel of the Lord who spoke to him, Gideon prepared a meal: a kid, unleavened cakes, broth in a pot. “And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. The Lord God Himself received the offering, consumed it with fire” Judges 6:20-21. Was He an angel or a priest? Who could do such a thing, were He not the Angel of the Lord?

Manoah and his wife; the parents of Samson. The news of the forthcoming birth of Samson, a deliverer of Israel, concluded in Manoah doing as Gidgeon; he “took a kid with a meat-offering and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously. . .“when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in in the flame of the altar” Judges 13:19-20. What a beautiful picture! The angel of the Lord, as High Priest, receiving the offering that was offered upon the Rock, consuming it; the sweet-smelling savor ascending to heaven. Christ is the High Priest, He is the sacrifice, the offering: the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar! Our acceptance before God? Is it not in the Person of Christ Himself? Now, what angel has double duty? doing the works befitting an angel and fulfilling also the office of Priest? An angel offering a sacrifice unto God? What’s wrong with this picture? Is this not the angel of the Lord?

Zechariah, the tenth vision. “And he [an angel] showed me Joshua, the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. In the presence of the Accuser, the Angel of the Lord called for Joshua’s filthy garments to be removed. “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment” Zechariah 3:4. “Thou shalt also judge my house, and keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by” vs.7. Who was standing by? “Satan standing at his right hand to resist him!” What a kick in the teeth for Satan the Accuser!

Moses meeting with the Lord. Though the term ‘Angel of the Lord’ is not specifically used here, there is irrefutable evidence to support it. “as Moses entered into the tabernacle the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. . .and the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. . .I know thee by name. . .thou hast found grace in my sight. . .my presence shall go with thee” Exodus 33. “And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.” vs. 18.

“And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him” Ex. 34:30. Shall we say that Moses’ face reflected the face, the glory of the Lord? The countenance of the Lord was as lightning. Matthew 28:3, Daniel 10:6, Revelation 10:1.

Resurrection Day! The harmony of the gospels. As a beginning, let’s review and compare the accounts given in all four.

Matthew’s account of the resurrection. “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre” Matthew 28:1. At the next mention of them, there is an angel present: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay” vs. 5. It seems that there is a break at this point: that which is recorded in verses two through four occurring earlier: “And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.” Matthew 28:2-4.

A great earthquake! Never would these women have set out to go to the tomb to anoint the Lord’s body in the midst of a great earthquake. It must have subsided, stopped, else they would not have felt safe to journey to the sepulchre. The time of the earthquake: after the resurrection, Matthew 27:51-53.

The angel they saw ‘answered’ the perplexed look on their faces: “where is the Lord; why is the stone rolled back?” This angel did as angels are known to do: he announced the “good news” of Christ’s resurrection. His countenance did not appear as lightning, else the women would have been terrified, perhaps in a far more fearful way than did those hardened professional soldiers who shook and became as dead men. (There is no mention as to the whereabouts of these soldiers when the women arrived.) No, in contrast, I’m sure the women were comforted and received assurance from the angel. “And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him” vs. 8-9. They feared for joy. Can it be? Yes! They believed the testimony of the angel: Jesus is risen, as he said!

Mark’s account is as follows: Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James had bought sweet spices to anoint the body of the Lord. “And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; behold the place where they laid him” Mark 16:4-6.

So far we have an angel seen in Matthew; a young man sitting within the sepulchre on the right side, in Mark’s account. The witness of the angel and the young man are basically the same. Mark’s gospel differs slightly, in that he says that “Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene,” then she went to tell the disciples of the resurrection.

Luke’s account: “they [verse 10 identifies them: “It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them.”] came bringing prepared spices, and certain others with them” Luke 24:1. “And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments” vs.3-4. The testimonies of the two men was as the witness of the angel in Matthew and the young man in Mark: “He is not here; He is risen!”

John’s account. It is some what more involved than the others: Mary Magdalene came to the sepulchre; and seeing the stone rolled away ran to tell Peter and John: “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him” vs. 3. Next we have Peter and John entering the sepulchre and something new is added to the witness. Neither angel nor young man nor two men are to be seen at this time, but the grave clothes that Jesus had been wrapped in, were lying, apparently as though the person of whom they held had just vanished from within them, leaving the shell of grave clothes lying unto themselves. Not only could the grave not hold him; neither could the grave clothes. The ‘loose him and let him go’ as applied to Lazarus did not apply here!

The disciples having departed, Mary was left alone at the sepulchre weeping. “And as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain” vs.11-12. These angels asked, Woman why weepest thou? Turning, she beheld another man, who likewise repeated the question just asked by the angels: “Woman, why weepest thou?” Mary did not recognize Jesus until He spoke her name; “Mary.” This time the message was not from an angel, not from a young man, not from two men, but from the Lord Himself. The others had said that the disciples should go before them into Galilee; but His message concerns His ascension into heaven. (“I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” John 14:2b,3.) The clarification of the Lord: this has not happened yet, “I am not yet ascended to my Father” vs.17.

Now, let us examine the mysterious and perplexing account found in Matthew’s gospel; the part that should be taken separately, set apart from the rest, as it must have happened prior to the other accounts.

“And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. (He sat upon the rock. Is this not a proclamation of Christ’s victory over death?) His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow” Matthew 28:3. Cf. Daniel 10:6, Revelation 10:1. What was in the grave? Jesus’ body. Just before He gave up the ghost, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Earlier Jesus had said to the thief, To day, shalt thou be with me in Paradise. (That Christ should descend from heaven and roll back the stone from his own grave? Ludicrous! Or is it?) Who rolled back the stone? Was it an angel of the Lord? Was our Lord held captive? Was he hopelessly imprisoned until an angel be dispatched to free Him from the bondage of the grave? Did an angel roll back the stone to allow His release? Did an angel call loudly unto Him, Jesus, come forth? Did an angel say to the women who came to the sepulchre, Release Him and let Him go? The priests and scribes had said: “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross” Matthew 27:42. What would they now say? He raised others from the dead? He himself he cannot raise. If he be the King of Israel let him come up from the grave?

“And behold there was a great earthquake” Matthew 28:2. A parallel account is given in the previous chapter: “The earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” Matthew 27:51-53. Did an angel cause all that? Or was it the work of I AM the Resurrection? The prophesy of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-seven and verses twelve and thirteen: “Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I AM the Lord, when I have opened your graves. O my people, and brought you up out of your graves.” The opening of the graves of saints after the resurrection; a picture/promise of God’s covenant with Israel!

Here in chapter twenty-seven we have the earthquakes, also the resurrection of saints coming out of the grave. When did this happen? After His resurrection. vs.53. Then in chapter twenty-eight we have the women coming to the sepulchre. We are given different views, and they are not necessarily in chronological order! In Matthew twenty eight we have the women coming to the sepulchre. Without notice verses two through four are inserted; then verse five takes up where we left off in verse one. (Scofield’s notes do not mention the Angel rolling back the stone, nor of his countenance being as lightning.)

In Judges chapter sixteen we find this account of Samson: the Gazarites lay in wait to kill Samson. “And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.” What a beautiful picture of the resurrection of Christ! The gates of hell could not prevail: He came forth in victory carrying them as it were, upon His shoulders! “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” I Corinthians 15:54b,55.

“The angel of the Lord descended. . .his countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men” vs. 2,3. John describes his encounter with the Lord on Patmos: “and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead” Revelation 1:16b,17. Daniel gives this account: a certain man clothed in linen. . .his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire. . .the men that were with me. . . a great quaking fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves” Daniel 10:5-8. Compare scripture with scripture. Are these descriptions not of the same Man? What angelic being ever had a face whose brightness was as lightning?

The Transfiguration and the Resurrection. “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart. And was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light” Matthew 17:1-2. “behold a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” vs. 5. “And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead” Matthew 17: 9.

What the women saw was the resurrected Son of God. Before that, The Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and was reunited with His body in resurrection. After the resurrection He is found sitting upon the stone in His glorified body, no longer identified, as He was previously, The Angel of the Lord. He is once again the God/man, glorified by the Father, as He said.

The key to the matter. What if some One would lay some thing into a vault for safe keeping; close the vault; put it under lock and key (there being only one key.) When he returns he finds the vault is unopened: it cannot be opened save by Him who has the key in His possession. “I AM he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I AM alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” Revelation 1:18. Who is able to upon the vault? Only He who has the key. Who can take up the possession stored in the vault? Only He who holds the key. The angel of the Lord who rolled back the stone; was he an angel? or was He the angel?

“God hath raised him from the dead!” Yes! But also: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” John 10:17-18. His body lay in the tomb. How is He to “take it up?” By rolling back the stone? By resurrecting His own body; by taking up that which He had laid down of His own volition unto Himself? In perfect agreement; the resurrection of Christ and those that are His: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” I Thessalonians 4:14.

“will God bring with Him.” Is God to bring about our resurrection; or is Christ? It is both, of course! Those having gone to sleep in Jesus, will return with him to be united with their bodies: not the old body of the flesh; but new bodies - like unto His glorified body! The Lord has the keys of hell and of death. He alone can unlock the vault; He has the power and the authority to take up that which was laid down in death. . .

Let this be firmly fixed in our minds and hearts” Jesus Christ does not only have authority over Resurrection; He said, “I AM the Resurrection!” Well, at the resurrection the “trump shall sound!” Yes! But the trumpeter is not going to open the graves!

Seeing that which is not seen. “And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” John 17:5. This, Jesus prayed before entering Gethsemane. In three days the Father would fulfill that petition. (“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us. . .” Deuteronomy 29:29.) My dear friend, let take off our shoes for we stand upon holy ground.

Consider the Tabernacle in the wilderness and The Most Holy Place. There was certainly no mention of, neither was there found any place for an angel! The High Priest entered by himself into the presence of God to offer the blood upon the Mercy Seat. (He had no angel to pull back the Veil that he might gain entrance, much less enter with him into the Most Holy to aid in the sprinkling of blood!) In fulfillment of the type, when Christ offered His own blood upon the Mercy Seat before the Father - this was executed strictly between Father and Son: no other need apply!

The resurrection of the body of Christ from the dead? For what purpose now, might an angel be employed? Picture this in your mind: God the Father who was present at the birth of His Son is present at His rebirth or resurrection. God hath raised Him from the dead! Acts 3:5, Acts 4:10, Acts 13:30, Romans 10:9, I Corinthians 15:15, Galatians 1:1, Colossians 2:2, I Thessalonians 1:9, I Peter 1:21.

It is now that God would answer the petition made three days before: “And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” “Behold the risen, glorified Christ! His countenance was like lightning, and His raiment white as snow.”

My dear friend, this was a private gathering of the Triune Godhead: the pinnacle; the consummation; the sealing and witnessing of the Eternal Covenant. God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit. What other witnesses are required?

The Angel of the Lord, the Son of Resurrection, had rolled away the stone. One might ask: How did He get out of the sepulchre without first removing the stone? I will answer with yet another question: How did He get out of the grave clothes without disturbing their rest?

“And came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it.” The Rock of Ages, sitting upon the stone of Death and Hell: and making it His Throne! Hallelujah! Death? Where is thy sting? Grave? Where is thy victory?

“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” Romans 1:3-4.

For further study, read “From the Cross to the Resurrection”, “Gleanings Beyond the Resurrection”, “I AM the Resurrection”, The Resurrection, Looking Inside the Tomb.”
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On Dreaming

2009-08-01T17:32:00.003-04:00

Dreaming. It is a common function of our minds. We do it without thinking. It is not done voluntarily, perhaps not even involuntarily. The term is laced throughout much of the scripture. Dreaming must a part of God’s plan and purpose, else it would not have existed.

For a brief definition: Onar is a vision in sleep, in distinction from a waking vision. Enupnion is, lit., what appears in sleep, an ordinary dream. Enupniazo, shall be given up to dreams; translated, shall dream dreams; metaphorically in Jude 8, of being given over to sensuous “dreamings”; “dreamers” and so defiling the flesh. Vine’s Expository Dictionary.

Dreaming. It may be called unconscious; subconscious: Mr. Webster calls it “a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.”

The first mention of dreams in the Old Testament was when Abraham and Sarah went to Gerar. Abimeleck the king took Sarah after they had vowed before the king to be brother and sister. God said to Abimeleck, You’re a dead man! the woman which you have taken is a man’s wife. . .“I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her” Gen. 20:3,6. The first mention of dreams in the New Testament. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream: “fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. . .” Matt. 1:20.

The last mention of dreams in the Old Testament is found in Joel 2:28; also repeated in Acts 2:17: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh. . .old men shall dream dreams.” The last mention of dreams is found in Jude 8; (and these dreams are not of the Lord!). “Like wise these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” Needless to say, these ‘dreamers’ run rampant in the world today.

Other well known Old Testament dreams.

Familiar, the scriptures concerning Jacob and his “ladder.” “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, I AM the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to the will I give it, and to thy seed;” Gen. 28:12-13. And seven promises followed. Gen. 28:13-15.

In Genesis chapter 37, Joseph dreamed a dream which showed that he should reign over his brethren, for which they hated him and sold him into slavery.

In Genesis chapter 40, we find Joseph in prison with the chief of the butlers, and the chief of the bakers; each having a dream in the night. Joseph said, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” and he interpreted their dreams for them.

In chapter 41, Pharaoh dreamed of the famine that should come upon Egypt: seven years of plenty, seven years of famine. He double-dreamed it. “because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass” Gen. 41:32b.

In I Samuel chapter 3, :the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee” vs.5. Said Solomon: “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” vs.9.

Interesting, the account given in Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of which he wanted the interpretation: but the memory of it had left him. He wanted his sorcerers to recall the dream that he had forgotten and also give the interpretation. No one could do so. “Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision” Dan. 2:19. The Lord revealed to Daniel in a dream, the dream that He, God, had given the king that the king had forgotten along, with the interpretation!

The only other mention of dreams (NT) is found in Matthew: The wise men after coming to worship the Lord Jesus, were “warned of God in a dream not to return to Herod” Matt. 2:12. After that, Joseph received of the Lord three more dreams: to flee to Egypt; to return to Israel; to return to Nazareth. Then in Matthew 27:19, Pilate’s wife “sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with this just man : for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” (Jude 8, we already covered.)

The Lord KNOWS.

Nothing in the past, in the present, or shall be in the future, be it in the realm of time or eternity has ever gone unnoticed or been hidden from the eyes of our Sovereign: “For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Job 34:21-22. Also, “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous” Psalm 34:15.

The Lord knows our thoughts. “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your heart?” Matt. 9:4. Jesus, a mind reader? Well, He is God! The same is found in Matthew 12:24, in Luke 5:22, in Luke 6:8, Luke 11:17. And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the ’wise’, that they are vain” I Cor. 3:20. “For the Word of God. . .is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’ Heb. 4:12.

The Lord knows our dreams. Dear friend, this may seem a little far reaching; but the Lord knows our dreams. To deny it is to deny scripture. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” Isa. 26:3. Do our waking thoughts not have some effect on our dreams? If we would dream right, we would do well to think right; to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness!” We may quickly disregard or forget our dreams, but does our Lord do so? Nebuchadnezzer forgot, but God remembered and passed the dream on to Daniel. “I wouldn’t want anybody to know what I dreamed!” Somebody does. Let us meditate upon the Lord in our waking hours: but let us also say as David, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches” Psalm 63:5-6. What of our dreams? Are they always folly; foolish? Sometimes they just might be profitable! “God does not speak to us in dreams!” Are you sure? Perhaps not to the extent that He spoke to Jacob or Daniel or Joseph. . .“God speaks to us by His Word!” Agreed! But dreams are another story. Don’t completely rule out the unknown because it is unknown: God knows what we do not know.

All About Your House

2009-07-28T20:45:00.003-04:00

Written Especially for Small Children

Where do you live? Do you live in a small town? Or in a large city? Or maybe you don’t live in a town at all. Do you live on a farm, where there are cows or chickens? No? But you just might have a dog or a cat, or you could have some goldfish! Why, that’s a part of growing up! Every kid ought to have goldfish! Of course you can’t take them out of the fishbowl and pet them! But they’re lots of fun to watch as they swim around. We’ll talk about them later. Don’t let me forget!
Where do you live? Do you live in a mobile home, or maybe in an apartment? Do you live in a house? Can you name the rooms? Do you have a kitchen? Yes! That’s where you eat! Do you have a den or living room? Is that where you play games and watch T.V.? Do you have a bedroom? Is it your very own? Or do you share it with a brother or sister? Let’s see; what else. Oh, yes! the bathroom! That’s where we wash our hands before eating: where we take our bath! You do like to take a bath, don’t you?
I almost forgot about the goldfish! He lives in your house, too! But he has his own special house. It doesn’t have rooms like the place where you live. He doesn’t have a kitchen, he doesn’t have a living room or den or family room, he doesn’t have a bedroom: why, he doesn’t even have a bathroom where he can wash his fins or take a bath! That’s silly, isn’t it!
What does the goldfish do? He just moves his mouth and his fins and swims and swims.
What happens in the kitchen? Mom gets the food she’s going to fix out of the refrigerator or the cabinet. She gets the pots and pans, plates, bowls, silverware. Finally, dinner is ready and she calls you to the table. “Did you wash your hands? Don’t come to this table ‘til you have washed your hands!” After dinner, plates must be scraped, all the dirty dishes must be washed, and, Oh yes! Somebody has to take out the garbage!
What about the goldfish? He has no kitchen; he doesn’t cook his meals; he doesn’t do dishes. He waits for you to sprinkle some fish food in his bowl. But if he doesn’t eat it all; if there are any leftovers: well he for sure, can’t take out the garbage. And the garbage is not in a trash bag. It’s not just in his kitchen either! It’s in his whole house!
Well, what does the goldfish do? He just moves his mouth - and his fins - and swims and swims.
You hear your Mom call again: “It’s time for your bath!” You do love to take baths, don’t you!? Off come the dirty clothes. Oh, do you know what? She washes your clothes in the washer; she washes the sheets that are on your bed, too. And she washes you - but not in the washing machine - - in the bathtub! You get out of the bathtub and dry off. Mom drains the dirty bathwater out of the tub. She puts your pajamas on and you are ready for bed. You are ready for bed, aren’t you?
But, what about your goldfish? He can’t take his dirty clothes off: his mother doesn' t have a washing machine to wash them: he doesn’t even have a bed, so she can’t wash his sheets! Well, he does have a bed - sort of. Do you know what it is? Its a waterbed!
He doesn’t have a bathtub to bathe in. He can’t get out of his bathwater. Do you know what? He has to live in his bathwater. Poor fish! His little one room house is his kitchen, it is his garbage can; it is his washroom; it is his bathwater!
Your Mom can clean the house; she can sweep the floors, but your little fish can’t sweep; he can’t clean house. His house gets dirtier and dirtier: and, you know what? He can get very sick - even die! We wouldn’t want that to happen! So - somebody has to dump out the old water and put in clean water. That will make him happy and keep him healthy!
One time Jesus was talking to His disciples. He told them that their hearts could get dirty, but He would clean them. Do you know how Jesus can clean a person’s heart? He told them, “Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.
If I want to have a clean heart for Jesus to live in, then I need to listen to Bible stories and to my Sunday School teachers and the preacher and other helpers. I need to learn all I can about Jesus and the Bible.
Do you know that you are sort of like the goldfish: your body is like the fishbowl and you are the fish inside. Your heart is like the water, the inside of your house.
What would you feed your fish? Hot dogs or potato chips or pizza? Of course not! He needs the fish food that was made for him to eat. Jesus said that the Bible, His Word, is like bread. It can feed that little fish that lives inside you.
Jesus wants to keep His house clean. He does that by “the washing of water by the Word” Eph.5:26. We are like the fish’s house: the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom, the bathroom, are all together. If one is dirty, then they all are dirty. And Jesus can wash us and clean our house with His Word.

On Prayer

2009-07-26T15:20:00.002-04:00

How pious and lofty our thoughts can be: We are “praying from the heart!” But the scriptures give warning: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer. 17:9. We tend to quote this scripture, but do not grasp the answer that follows. In the next verse we read; “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

“You are in our prayers!” “Our prayers are with you!” We are to judge no man, but the fruit of men sometimes provides a silent yet deafening witness as to their true relationship with God - or the lack thereof. You are in our prayers? Our prayers are with you? Do prayers ‘said’ by men contain some special magic by which they can help a needy soul? And what of “The power of prayer?” It is often the topic on television news programming, commentaries, and talk shows. And to what ‘god’ do they pray? The power seems to be relegated to the person praying or to the prayer itself. No god (or God) need be involved. Man becomes as it was declared by the serpent in the Garden: Ye shall be as gods!

The ‘power’ of prayer? It is without any power unless it is offered in Faith: the source and object of Faith must be the true God of heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. If prayer be qualified as prayer (and God Himself knows that which is prayer and what is only “prayer”.) Many will say, I have faith; but their ‘faith’ is in ‘faith’ itself, and not founded and established in the Lord God Jehovah. If our prayer is a prayer of faith then we must be “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” Heb. 12:2. He is Alpha and Omega; prayer is to begin with Him - “Our Father;” and end with Him; “In Jesus’ name.”

The Righteous Pharisees. In the beginning of John chapter eight, the Pharisees came to Jesus: these were ‘missionaries;’ desiring that others might also come to Jesus. “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. . .Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act” vs.3-4. The tables are turned! They are backed into a corner! Said the scribes and Pharisees, “Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father, Then said they unto him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” To which Jesus replied, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” vs. 39,41,44a.

The Praying Pharisees. “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer. . .” Matt. 23: 13-14. Dare we say, there are yet many sons of the Pharisees, sons of Satan in the world today?

The Praying Religionists. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” Matt. 15:8-9. cf. Isa. 29:13. How very current and timely, this scripture: a woeful description of today’s “Christianity,”

But How Am I, a True Christian, To Approach the Throne of Grace? Many are the volumes that have been written on the subject of prayer. We would offer only a few thoughts here on which the reader may (hopefully) choose to meditate. . .

Coming To the Throne of Grace Boldly.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. . .Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Heb. 4:14,16.

My dear friend, let us put on the royal apparel; the robe of Righteousness: “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” Rom. 13:13. Let us stand in the inner court of the King’s House: let us approach the Throne of Grace. “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord” Proverbs 8:34,35. The Lord has held forth the golden sceptre to you - be not afraid to reach out and touch it!

“Boldly is not contrasted with reverently and tremblingly. It means literally ‘saying all,’ with that confidence which begets thorough honesty, frankness, full and open speech. ‘Pour out your heart before Him.’ Come as you are, say what you feel, ask what you need. Confess your sins, your fears, your wandering thoughts and affections. . .We need only understand that we are sinners, and that He is High Priest. The law was given that every mouth may be shut, for we are guilty. The High Priest is given that every mouth may be opened. . .We come in faith as sinners. Then shall we obtain mercy; and we always need mercy, to wash our feet: to restore to us the joy of salvation, to heal our backslidings, and bind up our wounds. . .“We should come therefore with boldness to the throne of grace” (Bagster). Then let us do so, in the full confidence of our acceptance before God in the person of His Beloved. . .Let us ‘come’ constantly, continually.

Exposition of Hebrews, A. W. Pink

Shall we presume to come before the throne, alone? God forbid! Of what value, my prayer, if my parakletos (Comforter) is not along side me? Com fort, with strength. If one is to “come boldly” to the throne of grace, it is imperative that the Spirit of Christ be with him and in him!

Coming to the Throne of Grace Fearfully.

The Fear of the Lord is. . . the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments” Psalm 111:10. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” Proverbs 1:7. “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” Heb.12:28. Consider Noah. His obedience was in response to Faith and Fear! “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” Heb. 11:7. Noah by faith, moved with fear, to the building of the ark. It is Faith unto good works, if you please! Where would Noah have been if he had said I believe God, but failed to act in faith? He would have been dead!

It is within the bounds of faith and the (reverential) fear of God that we find deliverance, love, joy, peace, hope, faith, communion, safety; that we live in the Light and not in darkness; that we are no longer bound but free. It is in the fear of the Lord that we walk with the Shepherd; that we are satisfied; that we are led in paths of righteousness; that we find goodness and mercy to be our constant traveling companions.

Coming to the Throne of Grace by the “new and living way.”

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. . .” “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated [brought to fullness, completion] for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” Heb. 10:19-20. “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands. . .Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. . .How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God. . .” Heb. 9:8,11,12,14.

Christ Himself is the living veil! He is the veil into the Most Holy Place. How then may we enter before the throne of the Most Holy God? It is through the blood. It is by faith. Does the Veil have a door? “I AM the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” John 10:9. The Veil has no visible door; it can only be found, it will only open, one may only gain access, through faith in Christ and the trusting the sufficiency of His efficacious offering of blood.

Once inside the Veil; and be assured when we are allowed in, we stand in the Holy of Holies, before the Eternal Omnipotent God. Approach His throne, boldly? At His right hand is our Great High Priest; our advocate/intercessor, with the Father. There is before the host of heaven the ark of the covenant upon which dwells the Mercy Seat; and upon the Mercy Seat, our propitiation, the blood of the Everlasting Covenant. These are a wit-ness, a testimony that we may indeed, by faith, obtain the mercy and grace which we seek!

Having The Right Spirit Unto Prayer.

First, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” James 4:7. The obvious is obvious: one can not effectively resist until he has first submitted!

Second, “draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” But do we not draw nigh unto God as He is drawing us nigh unto Himself?

Third, “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” And how do we do that? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. (“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” I John 1:8.)

Fourth, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” vs.10. To think oneself capable of lifting himself up and to refuse to come in a spirit of humbleness is utter folly and will not gain entrance to the Throne of Grace!

Fifth, (is this not an extension of verse ten, Humble yourselves): “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness” I John 4:9. How shall we continue to look upon the godlessness and wickedness of our world, of our nation without mourning? ‘In God we trust?’ Is there a remnant remaining that can truly lay claim to that motto?

Right Praying Requires Right Focusing.

“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. . .his sisters sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick” John 11:1,3. At first glance one would scarcely presume this to be a prayer at all! Yet this is one of the most moving and excellent examples of prayer to be found in all the Bible.

First, He is addressed as “Lord.” As such, His Deity is acknowledged, His authority recognized; He is owned as being worthy of worship; their position being one of expressed humility. Second, it is “Lord, behold” In this may we not sense the burden, the care, the heartache of Mary and Martha? Do they not even now perceive that he is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities?” Third, it is not “Lazarus our brother, is sick;” it is not that Jesus might work in their behalf, though they loved their brother dearly. Fourth, it is not that the Lord might come even though Lazarus loved Him! Fifth, the means is not dictated by which the Lord might work; that He might undertake in Lazarus’ behalf. The prayer does not prescribe any action that Jesus might be persuaded to take on the part of the two sisters. The very center of the petition is directed at the Lord Himself: It is he whom “Thou lovest.” The discerning eye may notice the order: the adverse circumstances are placed at the farthest point: “he. . .is sick.” “Thou lovest” is in between. Regretfully for many believers the order is reversed: we put the circumstances between us and God rather than God between ourselves and the circumstances! The object of prayer is not to be our “Lazarus”; our focus, not upon the circumstances; but upon Christ. The prayer of Faith: Christ will do what He will do, not because Mary and Martha love Lazarus; not even because they love Jesus! How often, child of God, have you faltered in your prayer in behalf of another, feeling somehow that you must “measure up,” that your love for the Lord must excel ere He will hear you? How easily we forget! It is because “God so loved the world,” that He gave. They “reminded” the Lord: “Thou lovest.” The responsibility is now laid upon Him, that He might respond according to His love.

Prayers That God Will Not Hear.

There are conditions where one may not; in fact does not really desire to, ‘come boldly to the throne of grace.’ Without faith, one may not gain entrance through the Veil, because it will not open to the spirit of unbelief!

Ye Ask Amiss. Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” James 4:3. Are there not wars and fighting around the world? And these we can expect to continue until the Prince of Peace returns. But James says, From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? James 4:1.

Shall this world and its nations find peace? “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God” I Peter 4:17.

A final thought. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” Matthew 6:33. Is God in the foremost of our thoughts; or in our afterthoughts? Are we in His foremost thoughts; or in His after-thoughts? To this the entire canon of scripture provides for us an unquestionable answer.

Prayer unlocks, appropriates, lays hold on what God has promised.

Prayer turns on the switch that the lamp may draw the power, the current,

from the Source of all power. How shall the light shine without it?

Prayer that reaches beyond the Word of God and the Will of God is not prayer.

So Great a Cloud of Witnesses

2009-07-26T15:02:00.003-04:00

So Great a Cloud of Witnesses reaches far beyond the context of this verse. I do not suggest that one should attempt to read this material in one sitting; perhaps not in two. Our finite minds tend to bunker down after a while - especially when attempting to discover and discern the infinite. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. . .He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” John 16:13a,14.

So Great a Cloud.

Nothing in the past, in the present, or shall be in the future, be it in the realm of time or eternity has ever gone unnoticed or been hidden from the eyes of our Sovereign: “For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Job 34:21-22. But the Lord be praised, “He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous” Job 36:7.

So Great a Cloud; The Eternal Witness.

“And Thou, Lord, in the beginning hath laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail” Heb.1:10-12.

So Great a Cloud; The law of first mention.

This we find in the account of Noah and the ark. Were there not two clouds? The first was ‘so great a cloud,’ that its waters covered the earth! But the second was a far Greater Cloud, as we shall see.

“And God said, this is the token of the covenant which I will make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. . .And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth” Gen. 9:12-14,16. No less than seven times does God witness His Covenant unto Noah: in verses nine, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen. Cloud is to be seen in four verses; in verse thirteen, twice in verse fourteen, and in verse sixteen. It is the Lord’s cloud, it is His bow, it is His Covenant. In verse 15 it is witnessed, “I will remember my covenant.” In verse 16, it is, “I will remember the everlasting covenant.” The bow and the cloud bore witness to God’s Covenant: first to Himself, and then to his seed; to every living creature. And “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord!!!” ( Not that Noah merited any grace: Noah looked into the eyes of the Lord, and found them to be full of compassion, mercy, Grace! But what of the cloud? Was God or His throne the rainbow in the cloud? Or at least representative or a picture as such?

“and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above it. . .As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” Ezek. 1:26b,28. “and behold a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. . .and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” Rev. 4:2,3. Further ‘witness’ will be given in that which follows.

So Great a cloud; The Wilderness Journey.

“But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea: And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people” Exodus13:18,21-22. Was there a rainbow in the cloud? Nevertheless, God was in the cloud! And so Great a Cloud of Witness it must have been - A continuing witness unto His people of the continuing Covenant He had made with Noah!

A Cloud of Protection. “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night” Exodus 14:19-20. The Lord, in a pillar of a cloud. . .the Angel of God. . . the pillar of the cloud. . .stood behind them? And how can a cloud be said to stand? The term Theophany comes to mind.

So Great a Cloud. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians” But were they fleeing from the face of Israel - or from the face of God; the Great Cloud of Witness before them?

So Great a Cloud: The glory of God, the Great I AM. “And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I AM the Lord your God” Exodus 16:10-12. Oh, the greatness of the Cloud of Witness! He is the Bread of Life; our portion; our sufficiency!

So Great a Cloud. “ And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. . .And the Lord said unto Moses, go unto the people. . .for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai” Exodus 19:9,10a,11b. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Rom. 10:17. So Great a Cloud of Witness! “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside. . .let us run. . .Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith!”

So Great, the Cloud of Witness. “And Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” Exodus 34:4-7.
So Great a Cloud of Witness. “And the Lord said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the Holy Place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat” Leviticus 16:2. “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony” Lev, 16:12-13.

“For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys” Ex.40:38. “And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony” Numbers 9:15. “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen” Acts 7:44.

So Great a Cloud of Witness! “Remember these O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee” Isaiah 44:21-22.

So Great a Cloud of Witnesses in the New Testament.

The witness of Christ. “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. . .To this end was I born, and for this cause came I unto the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” John 18:36a,37.

“To him [Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” Acts 10:43.

So Great a Witness: The Word proclaiming the Word about Himself! “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he [Christ] expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. . .And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” Luke 24:27,32.

The Apostle Paul. “And he [Ananias] said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, [witness?] and shouldest hear the voice [witness?] of his mouth. For thou shalt BE his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard [witnesses?] Acts 22:14-15. (All in brackets mine.)

The Apostle John. “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the Light that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light” John 1:6-8.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld [were witnesses of] his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bear witness of him, and cried, This is he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me” John 1:14-15. (John and the other disciples were witnesses of Christ’s glory; Christ Himself was witness to the Father’s glory.)

“There is another that beareth witness of me; I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. . .And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath born witness of me” John 5:32,37.

“But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath born witness of me” John 5:36,37.

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have life; and they are they which testify [give witness] of me” John 5:39.

The witness of Christ is challenged. “The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go. . .for I AM not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I AM one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me” John 8:13,14,16-18.

The witness of the Spirit and Apostles. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning” John 15:26-27. “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” Acts 4:33.

The Witness - Gentiles made partakers of salvation through Christ.

“And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them. Men and brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made a choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth [witness?] should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” Acts 15:7-9. (Italics mine)

The Witness Against Unbelieving Gentiles.

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; Which shew the work of the law, written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing them witness, and their thoughts, the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)” Rom. 2:14-15.

Three degrees of light are revealed to the children of men:- The light of nature; the light of the law; the light of the gospel.

1. The light of nature. This the Gentiles have, and by this they shall be judged: As many as have sinned without the law shall perish without law; that is the unbelieving Gentiles, who had no other guide but natural conscience. . .they shall be judged, as they sin against, the law of nature, not only as it is in their hearts, corrupted, defaced, and imprisoned in unrighteousness. . . though they had not the written law (Ps.cxlvii.20), they had that which was equivalent, not to the ceremonial, but to the moral law.

They did by nature the things contained in the law. The work of the law is to direct us what to do, and to examine us, what we have done. They had a sense of justice and equity, honour and purity, love and charity; the light of nature taught obedience to parents, pity to the miserable, conservation of public peace and order, forbade murder, stealing, lying, perjury, &c. Thus they were a law unto themselves.

(2.) The light of the law. This the Jew had, and by this they shall be judged (vs.12): As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. They sinned, not only having the law, but in the midst of so much law, in the face and light of so much pure and clear a law. . .their punishment shall be as their sin is, so much the greater for their having the law. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon.

(3.) The light of the gospel: and according to this those that enjoyed the gospel shall be judged. Matthew Henry’s Commentary, vol. iv, page 376-377.

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. . .He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Heb.10:26,28-29. Two or three witness? How about the light of nature (the moral law,) the light of the law, the light of the gospel?

The Witness of the Conscience.

Jesus Himself, being fashioned as a man and being subject to temptation unmistakably had a conscience. Our original parents had a conscience. To Eve, the serpent said, “For God knoweth that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” Gen, 3:5. Well, that much was true: “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil” Gen. 3:22. But the difference between our Lord Jesus and other men is that Jesus never sinned! His conscience did not, could not, ever, condemn Him! Neither the Lord God, His law, nor the conscience can ever condemn Righteousness! And we have been imputed and are clothed in the righteousness of Christ on the merits of His eternal love for us, His shed blood; His sinless life, His vicarious sacrifice, His death, His burial, His resurrection; He who sits at the right hand of Majesty: “that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” Heb.2;17.

An Ever-present Witness to the Ungodly.

“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of the sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just [Just?] and he doth not resist you.” James 5:1-6.

　
An Inward Witness.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. . .The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” Rom. 8:14,16.

“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us” Heb. 10:15. A witness unto us concerning what? “By the which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. . .For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” Heb. 10:10,14. Continuing, the Holy Ghost is a witness unto us of His eternal covenant: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” Heb. 10:16.

The Witness of Faith.

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts:” Heb.11:4. It is faith unto good works. Works without faith is dead; but Faith that sits dormant and idle, that gives no response - wherein is the witness? “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect [complete]? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God” James 2:21-23.

Faith itself is a mighty witness; it is a silver lining upon the cloud of witnesses. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” Heb. 11:13. Faith is substance; faith is evidence; faith gives us sight, faith persuades us of the authenticity, of the sureness of God’s promises; we reach out to embrace them; we confess them. Again, faith wields a mighty testimony, a faithful witness!

(I would encourage you to read carefully and intently chapter 11 of Hebrews; perhaps read [or re-read] Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. I would cause you no additional labor on my part at this time.)

So GREAT a Cloud of Witnesses.

“For their are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. . .And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” I John 5:7-11.

This may be the most comprehensive record of witness in all the Bible. It is overwhelming. I dare not touch it. Let the reader stand back in awe and take in all that he can of the wonder of it all: it is as vast as the universe. . .

The Blessed Witness of Him Who Will Come.

“And when he [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. . .this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” Acts 1:9,11b. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” Rev. 1:5-8.

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” James 5:7-8

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” Matt. 24:14.

Actually, witnessing is more than something we do; it is what we are. The Holy Spirit empowers us with Himself, to be witnesses. Not only to the lost - we are witnesses, every day to every one we meet. In divers situations; when we feel down-trodden, at wits end: if we feel forsaken, betrayed - shall our countenance fall? Do we know how to be abased as well as to abound? If we become discouraged then everyone with whom we cross paths is going to be a witness of our witness, be it favorable or otherwise. May they be exhorted or touched by our witness! (Reach out and touch someone). A discouraged Christian is not apt to feel like sharing the gospel with someone else. How shall he offer a cup of cold water if his fountain is not springing up? Ye that are spiritual - help get the needy brother up on his feet. Your witness, both verbally and by the Spirit manifesting Himself in you in a way the downhearted brother can see - he needs to know that you really believe what you're trying to get him to believe.

A good rule of witness: Talk to God about others: talk to others about the Lord Jesus. May we have it burning within our hearts and minds: We are constant witnesses unto Christ. May we likewise be consistent, considerate, conscientious, caring.

A Great Cloud of Witnesses.

All of creation, the Lord God Himself, the Son, the Spirit; all the Old Testament sons of faith, are a great cloud of witnesses. They were followed by the Martin Luthers, the Charles Spurgeons, the Jonathan Edwards. . .such a great cloud of witnesses! We now, are a cloud of witnesses: how great, in quantity or quality only our Lord knows. We are to run the race - it is a relay race. Those before us have passed the baton, as it were, into our hands. WE are now a cloud of witnesses. Though the greatness be not in number, the witness is great, if we are witnesses unto Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Creator, the God of heaven. It is in His name and for His sake, and not for our name, nor for our glory that we should run diligently. Oh God, we are weak; be our strength. Give us the faith to clutch tightly the baton. God forbid that we should drop it. Help us, that we fail not! Are there not other runners before us, waiting for us to reach them, that we might pass the baton, that they too might run the race that is set before them? Dear one, run diligently - some one is watching you, and you are the best Christian they know.

How Could He Love Me So?

2009-07-25T15:41:00.001-04:00

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul” Psalm 142:3-4. This was a prayer of David while in the cave. But can we read this scripture and not think of Judas, in his betrayal of Jesus to the high priests of Israel? And of the snare which had long been forthcoming: at long last, in Gethsemane‘s garden, would they take Him. “there was no man that would know me,” the forsaking of His disciples as He said, and which was recorded much earlier in the scriptures. Of Simon, who would deny Him three times: “I know not the man!” “refuge failed me.” There was no cave for Him, a place of refuge; only a cross, upon a hill called Golgotha. “no man cared for my soul,” rather would they cry, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living” Psalm 142: 5. But He was destined to depart the land of the living; and, for the moment, He will cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. . .

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.” Luke 10:30.

A certain man, went down (condescended) from Jerusalem (the New One) to Jericho (the earth), He was born of woman: she was conceived of the Holy Ghost. But rather than being accepted for who He was, (He came unto his own, and his own received him not” John1 :11.) He fell among thieves, “He was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” Isa.53:12b. But there were other thieves who would rob Him: of His deity; of His compassion for the outcasts, of His very life. These thieves would smite Him, wound Him, bruise Him, crucify Him. They would strip Him of his raiment, leaving Him naked. (“And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” Luke 23:34.) But they would not be satisfied to leave Him half dead: “He was cut off out of the land of the living. . .He made his grave with the wicked. . .He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth” Isa. 53. Jesus Christ, the Good Samaritan! “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken. . .” Ezek. 34:16. “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them [No man cared for my soul.] derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God” Luke 23:35. Save Himself? For this cause He came; that His blood might be shed; that He might die in our stead; for the remission of our sin, for our forgiveness, for our justification, for our reconciliation to our God and Creator. The traveler, being cared for, was taken to an inn: but there was neither an inn for Jesus at His birth, nor an inn at His death. The thieves cared nothing for the man whom they had wounded and robbed; they would never have returned to see about his well being or no. The Samaritan promised to return unto the inn to see about his friend: “And if I go. . .I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I AM, there ye may be also” John 14:3.

Laid within the unusual writings of Ezekiel chapter 16 is a picture of extreme grief - and a picture of extreme gladness! The same may be said of the parable of the Good Samaritan recorded for us in Luke chapter ten. It might be worth our time to compare the two. . .

The Condition. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all” vs. 4. “It was a sign that she was loathed by those who bore her, and she appeared loathsome to all that looked upon her.

The Condition. “And a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead” Luke 10:30.

The Callousness. None eye pitied thee, to do to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee;” vs. 5. They were “without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful” Rom. 1:31. “I designed thee for life when thou wast doomed to destruction, and resolved to save thee from death. Those shall live to whom God commands life.” (Matthew Henry)

The Callousness. “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side” Luke 10:31-32.

The Casting out. “but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born” vs. 5b.

The Casting Out. “and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, leaving him half dead” vs. 30.

The Compassion. “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live” Ezek. 16:6.

The Compassion. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him [he passed by on the other side, as did the priest and Levite?] No! “he had compassion on him!” vs. 33.

“God looked upon the world of mankind as thus cast off, thus cast out, thus polluted, thus weltering in blood, and His thoughts towards it were thoughts of good, designing it Life, and that more abundantly”

“By converting grace, he said to the soul, Live. He looked upon them with a kindness and a tender affection, not only pitied them, but set His love upon them, which was unaccountable, for there was nothing lovely in them.” (Matthew Henry)

“Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love” vs.8. Behold! the Mercy and Grace of your God!

“It was the kindness and love of God our Saviour that sent Christ to redeem us, that sends the Spirit to sanctify us, that brought us out of a state of nature into a state of grace. That was a time of love indeed, distinguishing love, when God manifested His love to us, and courted our love to Him.” (M. Henry)

The Covering. “and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness” vs. 8b. The word skirt, kanaph, as used throughout the Old Testament scriptures is almost exclusively defined as “Wing!”

The Covering. Though not expressly stated, the man who had been ‘stripped of his raiment’ must assuredly have been covered by the cloak or coat of the Samaritan. Of what covering is there afforded the sinner, naked and unclothed? Why the Robe of Right-eousness of the Good Samaritan, the Lord Jesus!

The Covenant. “yea, I entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine” vs. 8c.

The Covenant. “and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee” Luke 10:34b,35. When shall the Good Samaritan return? Will the man whom he rescued from a certain death still be there at the inn; will he be waiting for his return? “and ye are not your own - For ye are bought with a price” I Cor. 6:19b,20a.

The Cleansing. “Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee” vs.9a.

The Cleansing. “And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine” Luke 10:34. The pouring in of the wine was for the cleansing of the wounds. Was the color of the wine not red; or crimson? Question and answer: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow! No other fount I know; nothing but the blood of Jesus!” (Lowry)

The Consecration. “and I anointed thee with oil” vs. 9b. “Then washed I thee with water, to make thee clean, and anointed thee with oil, to make thee sweet and supple thee.” M.H.

The Consecration. “And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil. . .” What can heal the wounded spirit? Is not the oil of the Spirit? Is it (He) not likewise to be compared with the fruit of the Spirit? What can make one sweet and supple more than love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance?

The Clothing. “I clothed thee also with broidered cloth, and shod thee with badger’s skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk” vs. 10.

The Clothing. It would appear that there is something of a duplication here: the covering, introduced earlier, and now the clothing. But notice - the covering was in order to cover the nakedness of the traveler; and this we identified with the Robe of Righteousness. The clothing denotes even more, as illustrated by the parable of the Lost Son: “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the Best Robe, and put it on him. . .For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” Luke 15:22a,24. So we see, the first was for a covering; the last lays claim to, identifies the traveler as a Son!

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” Gen. 3:21. With the skins He covered their nakedness; He clothed them, Adam being again identified as a son; yet, not without the shedding of blood. . .

Strongholds

2009-07-25T15:05:00.002-04:00

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” II Cor. 10:3-6.

Though the Corinthians were made spiritual creations, yet Paul writes that they were acting in a carnal manner. “I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. . .there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” I Cor. 3:1,3. It is apparent that the Corinthian brethren were hedged about with many strongholds, which greatly hindered their Christian growth: they were “even as babes in Christ” I Cor. 3:1b. In the second letter to the Corinthians, it appears that they had now grown to some degree, and Paul may now speak unto them as ‘spiritual,’ concerning the warfare of believers and the pulling down of strongholds.

But what is a stronghold? It is defined, a high place, ophel; a cut off, fenced place, mibtsar; strong place, strong hold, mhoz; a fortress, metsad; a bulwark, matsor. Bulwark, of itself warrants defining: chel, an army, an intrenchment, wall; matsuwr, defense, fortress, tower; pinnah, a pinnacle, chief, corner; mtsodah, a net for capturing animals or fish; a besieging tower, a snare. This final definition well describes Satan’s stronghold; a net, a besieging tower, a snare. Satan’s stronghold is a place of reigning wickedness, of evil: a place where he is a domineering tyrant; the prince of darkness, a ferocious lion, a cruel taskmaster. Of the Lord God may we say that He is our wall of defense, our fortress, our safe haven, our Rock, our high tower: the armies of the Lord hedge us about. He, the Most High God, rules and reigns forever, unchanging, in love, in mercy and in grace; but never compromising His Divine Law nor His Purpose. But to rightly define stronghold - I cannot.

The stronghold of the ungodly.

“Every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God?” “He [Satan] beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride” Job. 41:34.

“He that hateth dissembleth [nakar, scrutinize, with suspicion, be strange toward, disregard, reject] with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart” Proverbs 26:24,25.

Compare this scripture with that which is found in Matthew chapter twelve: “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none. Then he saith, I will return unto my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself. . .”Matt. 12:43-45a.

An unlawful structure.

Satan has no building permit. Further, he is trespassing on private property. The house or ‘stronghold’ which he would build is not of gold, silver, and precious stone; neither of brick and mortar; at best, of wood, hay, and stubble. “So are the paths of all that forget God. . .He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure” Job 8:13a, 15. “The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand” Pro. 12:7.

His ‘strongholds’ are built with lies, deceit, wickedness. Remember the old axiom, “The devil made me do it!” Satan tempts, he beguiles. But when Eve was confronted by the Lord God she said, “The serpent beguiled [enticed, lured, charmed] me, and I did eat.” Because of his sin and rebellion against God and His Word, man became, and is to this day, a totally depraved creature. “And he [Jesus] said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” Mark 7: 20-23.

Casting down the stronghold!

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil” Luke 4:1. Are we to pray, “Lead us not into temptation?” But Jesus was led, by the Spirit, into temptation! Led there, that he might conquer the tempter! At the end of the recorded temptations, the devil set Him on the pinnacle of the temple saying, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence.” But it was Satan and his ’stronghold’ that would be utterly ‘cast down!’ Satan could in no wise have established a stronghold upon the Lord Jesus. The Lord God, His Father, was, and is, a Mighty Fortress unto Him! What! Shall Satan think to build a stronghold where the Mighty Fortress reigns!?!

If the stronghold at last be pulled down, shall we leave the foundation where it stood, empty, vacant? Then might the temper return, determined to rebuild his stronghold! NO! Let us build a fortress, a Mighty Stronghold! (Yet, not I, but Christ.)

A mighty fortress is our God,

A bulwark never failing;

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our strivings would be losing;

And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us;

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us.

Martin Luther
Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

When I have thoughts that are “conformed to this world,” shall I ignore them, attempt to deny their existence, make excuses for their being there. . .? Or bring them into captivity by hedging them about with the Truth: acknowledging them; bringing them unto Christ; allowing Him to handle the captives; to “lead captivity captive.”

“be transformed by the renewing of your [my] mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” Rom. 12:2. When our worldly thoughts are brought into captivity, then are we not free to think on the things of Christ?

Leading Captivity Captive.

One of the basic laws of interpretation is that of the “law of first mention,” and it well applies here. The first scripture reference to leading “captivity captive” is found in Judges chapter five.

“Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty” Judges 5:12,13.

Israel’s second judge, Ehud, led the people against the Moabites after slaying their king, and the land had rest for eighty years. But after his death Israel once again fell back into sin. “And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan. . .twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.” At that time the Lord raised up a “prophetess”, Deborah. She sent word to Barak the son of Abinoam: he was to assemble ten thousand men at Mount Tabor; Jehovah would draw Sisera (Jabin’s general) and his armies to meet him at the river Kishon; there He would deliver them into his hand. But the death of Sisera would be given into the hand of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Sisera’s death came as she drove a tent nail through his head. The victory was secured and Israel rested for forty years.

“Then sang Deborah and Barak. . .Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves” Judges 5:1. In the song there is conveyed a poetic illusion, “Awake, awake, Deborah: awake awake, utter a song: arise Barak, and lead thy Captivity captive” vs. 12. The term most surely would have rung with familiarity among the Israelites! “Captivity” in the song was portrayed by the oppressors, the Moabites. Israel was the oppressed, the captive. But now the tables are turned: Israel is the captor, while Moab is the captive!

A defeated people might find their entire city or district removed from the land and relocated nearby their captors, where they were made to serve as slave labor. Removal was thought to sever a people from the care and protection of their god: it implied the defeat of such deity. Their prominent leaders were likely to be chained, to be treated with indignation and cruelty; the victors leading them down the main streets of the city in great celebration of their triumph.

Let us make the application: Sin was our Captivity. It drew us away; it bound us; it enslaved us. It “removed us from the care and protection of our God: it implied the defeat of such deity!” But He has slain the enemy! They are overcome by His power! He is triumphant, victorious! Death and hell are vanquished foes! He is risen from the grave, alive evermore. He has delivered His people from Captivity! He has taken Captivity captive!

Building a Stronghold.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” Phil. 4:8.

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keeping yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life” Jude 20-21.

No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus

2009-07-20T16:00:00.002-04:00

I CRIED unto the Lord with my voice. . .When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, thou knewest my path. . .I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living” Psalm 142:1a,3a,4-5.

“David was a hero, and yet his spirit sank: he could smite a giant down, but he could not keep himself up. He did not know his own path, nor feel able to bear his own burden. Observe his comfort: he looked away from his own condition to the ever-observant, all knowing God: and solaced himself with the fact that all was known to his heavenly Friend. Truly it is well for us to know that God knows what we do not know. . .”

Treasury of David, vol. II, page 1390, C. H. Spurgeon

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:26. What a question! If we truly search our hearts, can we say of a surety and with a clear conscience - Yes! We are better than they!?! True, in Adam we were created in the image of God; given an eternal soul, a discerning mind and a voice with which to speak. But that image was so grossly marred by our sin! Jesus, though spotless, holy, and without sin Himself, pictured in His flesh, representatively, the sinful condition and ruin of fallen man as described in Isaiah 52:14: “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”

Has the sparrow sinned? Has he transgressed the law of God? Could it be that the song he sings is unto the god of this world? God forbid! What of the lilies of the field? They are arrayed in beauty; in a glory that is greater than that of Solomon? But do they hide within themselves the darkness, have they an enmity against their Creator? God forbid! Were there any charges to be laid against them, they might well point a branch or a wing at Adam’s race!

“Are ye not much better than they?”

“God fails not,” as one has beautifully said, “to find a house for the most worthless, and a nest for the most restless of birds.” (The sparrow is the worthless or common bird, while the swallow is the one who is restless, and is easily frightened.) What confidence this should give us. . .What repose the soul finds that casts itself on the watchful, tender care of Him who provides so fully for the need of all His creatures! The Psalmist. . .longs to be nestled, as it were, in the dwelling-place of God. The believer finds a perfect home and rest in God’s altars; or rather, in the great truths which they represent. . .”

“But there is one thing in these highly privileged birds which strikes us forcibly in our meditations - they knew not Him from whom all this kindness flowed - they knew neither His heart nor His hand. They enjoyed the rich provisions of His tender care; He thought of everything for their need, but there was no fellowship between them and the Great Giver. From this, O my soul, thou mayest learn a useful lesson. Never rest satisfied with mere frequenting such places, or with having certain privileges there; but rise, in spirit, and seek and find and enjoy direct communion with the living God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Treasury of David, volume II, page 1523, C. H. Spurgeon

Nesting and Resting.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus?” “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” Matt. 6:31. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” Rom. 14:17.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God feeds and shelters His creation - but we are creatures who have rebelled; having been at enmity against God. We merit nothing in ourselves save death and eternal judgment. That God should supply even one need is exceeding abundant mercy and grace! I can see that God would care for His creation; the sparrows, the lilies - but it is in great wonder that I am able to sing: “No one ever cared for me like Jesus!” Let us thank Him for His love, for His mercy and grace; for the forgiveness of sin; for the imputed righteousness of Christ, and our being reconciled to God!

A Bird Sanctuary.

“Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord. . .” Psalm 84:3. (It is thought by some that David would be as the sparrow and the swallow: that he longed for the house of God and its altars: that they might again be his nest, his resting place.) adapted from Matthew Henry.

“A custom, existing among several nations of antiquity, is deemed capable of illustrating the present passage. For birds, whose nests chanced to be built on the temples, or within the limits of them, were not allowed to be driven away, much less be killed, but found there a secure and undisturbed abode.” - William Keating Clay

The Kingdom of God - the future nesting place!

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. . .They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” Isa. 11:1,5,6,9.

Dear Brother Philemon,

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The little epistle of Philemon with its twenty-five verses, is a verit-able Horn-O-Plenty! It is, as a flower, its petals opening one by one; each portraying a picture, or revealing doctrine; even more, is the unveiling of the Person and work of the Thrice-Holy God. May the Spirit of Illumination quicken our minds that He “might show the exceeding riches of His Grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

“Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved and fellowlabourer,”

Though Paul be held in a Roman prison, he acknowledges only Christ as his Jailor; and as such he would be kept safe, for He keeps His prisoners in “Maximum Security!”

May we behold the moment: the appearance of Onesimus; the slave who had many days before, fled his master’s presence and went into the far country. A volley of mixed emotion: surprise, and then astonishment; perhaps gladness in seeing him, followed by an interweaving of grief and anger because of what he had done! Yet another moment and his heart leaps with joy; for he now holds in his grasp a letter - from Paul! Onesimus would be dealt with, but not until he knows the mind of his dear brother Paul!

If we would analyze these verses carefully, we must come to a firm conclusion that Paul was unsurpassed in the art of diplomacy. He began, not in an urgent plea for the sinner, but rather making much of the master. Paul would speak of himself, but not until last.

To whom the letter was addressed: “unto Philemon, our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,” to our beloved Apphia, and Archippas our fellowsoldier, (perhaps Philemon’s wife and son; he may have been a pastor;) and to the church in thy house. From this we can see that the letter was intended not only for Philemon, but was an open letter, to be read also before the entire congregation.

Paul would endeavor to see that Philemon received his transgressing servant, “not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved.” But the need was there also, that all the body of believers should receive him as one of their own, a brother beloved.

Paul commends Philemon upon the excellent report he has received concerning his love and faith; that he communicates it unto the saints: it is not only in word, but in deed! Paul expresses joy and consolation, because the fruit of his friend’s labor was that the hearts of the saints were refreshed.

Thus begins the work of the apostle in the office of Priest. Indeed, what O.T. priest would have dared to approach the Holy Place with any attitude other than that of reverential respect. May we likewise, as “priests,” see that we enter not into His presence, except it be in an attitude of worship and devotion.

Behold now the ministry of Intercession. Paul, as a Roman citizen was doubtless well versed in Roman law: the slave was at his master’s disposal. The slightest infraction could lawfully bring down his wrath and judgment: scourging, being thrown to the lions, crucifixion.

But the appeal to Philemon is not that the demands of the law be met. No, it is rather that the arm of Mercy be extended, that favor be shown to one who was due no favor; and all was asked to be done “for love’s sake.”

Further, in his appeal Paul makes known his own heart; his petition is not in behalf of a thieving, runaway slave: “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.”

There is no attempt by the apostle to cover the wrong-doing of Onesimus, or to account it as something trivial that should be overlooked. He is deemed “the Unprofitable Servant.”

May we recall the parable of the Master who left his goods in the hands of his servants, that they should be stewards of it until his return from a far country. Upon his arrival, one servant was declared to be “wicked and slothful.” “And cast ye the “unprofitable servant” into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 25. This servant is marked by a spirit of disobedience and unbelief!

In the same scripture we are told of the profitable servant. To him the Master enjoins: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter thou into the Joy of the Lord.”

With gladness of heart, Paul proclaims the good news: Onesimus “in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me!” (It seems likely that Onesimus, though a slave, was a domestic servant, whose responsibilities brought him into close contact with the “things” of his master; that he was a trusted steward until that day that he absconded, stealing that which had been placed within his keeping.) Know also that he stole far more than money; but we shall wait until later to develop this thought.

“Whom I have sent again.” “Whom I would have retained with me. . .” Of course Paul would not, could not; for as Priest, he is an Intercessor. And now begins another phase of his ministry; and for this Onesimus certainly must return: Paul is a “minister of Reconciliation.”

“Receive him, that is, mine own bowels” [inward affections, tender mercies.] Receive him, reconcile him to yourself, as though it were me, your dear friend Paul.

“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel.” Might not Philemon have been there himself with his beloved brother Paul were it possible? But instead, Paul is appealing to Philemon in the stead of Onesimus!

“But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit [good things] should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.” That is, of what value would reconciliation be were it imposed upon one and there abode not within the heart a true desire and willingness for such? It would be a lie, and not reconciliation at all.

“For perhaps he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldest receive him forever;” Might we suppose that Paul is here, mindful of Divine Purpose; of the effectual working of the Holy Spirit to deliver a slave from his sin. That He might initiate a series of events that would gladden the hearts of the saints and glorify the Lord Jesus: that we might, right now, be reaping the benefits found in the study of the little epistle of Philemon?

“Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved.” Paul previously named Timothy as “brother,” Philemon himself as “dearly beloved. . .fellowlabourer,” and Archippus as “fellow-soldier.” And now must Philemon, as well as the Colossian church, understand that the new birth renders king and slave alike, one in the body of Christ.

Further, a slave could be made free if his master so willed it, by adopting him into the owner’s family. “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage [slavery] again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Rom. 8:15. “We are the children of God. . .heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” vs. 16,17.

“if thou count me therefore a partner [if not in temporal business, certainly in the realm of eternal business!] “Receive him as myself.” If there is a lawful and binding contract that declares our partnership, then let it be known that he may enter into and participate in such business in my stead. As a partner, I assume responsibility for any and all debts that he may have incurred. Therefore, “If he oweth thee ought, [anything, be it person or thing] put [or impute] that on my account.”

“I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay.” As there were obviously no “Notary Publics” available, what Paul wrote with “his own hand” would be received as legal and binding.

There being yet another arena of Truth to be displayed, I have purposely refrained from presenting many thoughts in this article. We shall continue with

The Gospel of Philemon

If the little epistle of Philemon truly portrays the Gospel, then there must needs exist certain qualifications. Does it show forth a sinner, one who has fled the face of the Master and eluded into a far country? Does he come to himself; does he willingly return unto the One whom he had forsaken? Is the return made in sorrow-fulness of heart; in repentance? Can he approach the Offended One in faith, owning his offence, acknowledging that he deserves the most severe penalty demanded by law; yet having irrefutable reason to believe that he will gain forgiveness and acceptance?

Does it depict a Savior, one who will place himself in the offender’s stead; who will present Himself a sacrifice; who will become his Surety, assuming every debt? Does it show forth one who will intercede in his behalf; who will be a Mediator, who will institute a Reconciliation, that the Transgressor may be freely forgiven; that he will be the recipient of Divine Favor; to eternally abide in the presence of Him to whom he declares his allegiance?

Does it make known Him who is Owner, who is both Lord and Master; He who is the Lawgiver; He who is Right and Just; He who must be reckoned with; He who must be satisfied, Propitiated; whose Grace may not be meted out while there remains one iota of Offence to one’s record?

Does it reveal Him who imparts discernment of Truth, who is companion and guide; who is consoler and Comforter; One who is “along side to help;” who is “not seen,” yet whose presence is powerfully demonstrated? One who as the wind, though unseen, may lift the seas into fury and rage and then cause a great calm to settle over them?

We should have little difficulty in identifying the offender: it is Onesimus, the “unprofitable servant.” That Paul should write “if he oweth thee ought” suggests that he had stolen money and/or goods from his master; but far more is intimated: he had stolen himself.

“And God said, let us make man. . .”Gen. 1:26. As a created being, man was “not his own;” he belonged to another. “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” Thus does he assume identity as “Adam, which was the son of God.” Luke 3:38. (italics added by translators)

“And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth . . . God is the Creator and Owner, but man is appointed servant or steward over all the earth; he is given dominion. As such he was to rule and reign” with his Sovereign. (May it be noted that the Plan of God is not to be thwarted;) “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Rev.5: 10.

“For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof” I Cor. 10:25. For Adam, the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was forbidden; it was not his for the taking. As in the case of Onesimus, the taking of fruit or “goods” was not the great sin. No, the great atrocity was this: that he had stolen himself away from his Creator, Master, and “Father.” That the Godhead regarded him as the most precious of all His earthly creation, there is no doubt. Yet Satan had injected him with his most poisonous venom: “Ye shall not surely die. . .ye shall be as gods.” Gen. 3:4,5. The Serpent had deluded himself that he could exalt himself to a position of a god; that he would be accountable to no one, not even the God of heaven. This atrocious lie he sought to inflict upon man. Therefore in his rebellion against God, man declared (as do the New Agers this day;) “I AM going to be god; I AM god!”

May we stop at this point to make a needed observation. As we address upon many occasions the warfare between the flesh and the spirit; as we are admonished to “die daily” for we have “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. . .” Gal. 5:24. Understand that the “pride,” the “self-life” of the flesh is nothing less than man’s desire to be “self-ruled,” to “be as gods;” to have no one rule over us! May the knowledge of this Truth bring us before our God in repentance and brokenness of heart.

Man had betrayed the hand that formed him; no longer would he be slave or servant or steward: no longer would he walk in sweet communion with the Prince of Peace. A thief of the greatest magnitude is he. Oh Lord God! Man has stolen himself away from You! Of what value is he to be found in Your eyes? What price would You pay to redeem him back to Yourself? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

Understand, Oh sinner, that you have not entered the household of God and stolen that which was of little value; you have taken that which He has highly esteemed; a Precious Treasure. Exceedingly wicked, therefore, is your sin, your transgression.

Know this, Oh man, that there is One God, and only One God. He will not allow you to continue as a self-proclaimed god: you will bow before Him, confessing Him, submitting to Him as Lord of your life; or you will utterly perish in your sins.

Onesimus fled into the “far country,” there to find God waiting for him: for where on earth can man flee, where God is not?

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus. . .” “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:” As Paul was held captive by the Roman soldiers, also was Jesus. It was while in his bonds that Paul became a “begetting father” to Onesimus. Likewise, it was while in His bonds (the Cross) that Christ became the “begetting father” to us, who as transgressors, had fled into the “far country.” Now, as Onesimus, are we, by means of the new birth, made citizens of another “far country!”

Verse 11 of our text, the “unprofitable servant,” shall receive little more comment as we looked earlier at Dear Brother Philemon. May we define, however, the word “profitable:” euchrestos Gr. easily used, meet for use. Does not common reasoning tell us that one whose heart and life is yielded and submissive to God will be “fruitful;” and desires opportunity to please Him in willing obedience?

“Whom I have sent again.” This statement immediately assures us of the willingness of Onesimus to return to his master. As such, Paul is saying to Philemon: Your servant is willing to come back to you; now you be willing to receive him! To what extent is he called upon to accept him? Receive him, that is, mine own bowels (inward affection, tender mercies.) Verse 17 further clarifies his thoughts: receive him as myself.”

(For comments on verses 13 through 16, please refer to the preceding article.)

Verses 17 through 19 gloriously portray the oneness of purpose between Father and Son. First, there is a contract involved: “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on my account: I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it.” Or, it might be expressed this way: “I. O. U. (signed) Paul. He continues: “albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. Or it might he expressed this way: U. O. Me!

“If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put [impute] that [wrong, debt] on my account: that is, let me become “accountable” for his debt.

“If he oweth thee ought” tis Gr. anything, be it person or thing. What is Paul saying and how does it relate to the Gospel? Under Roman law, a slave was without rights; if he fled and was caught, the master was without limitation: the slave might be severely flogged or disfigured; he might be forced face-down in the dirt and his neck be broken under the force of the slave owners foot. The Law made no provision for mercy.

As Paul now enters as Surety in the stead of Onesimus, let us consider the weight of the consequences he might endure. What he is saying is this: Philemon, I am putting myself in the stead of Onesimus: render to me the full force of your judgment; I place myself at your feet. Allow me to receive the fury meant for your slave. Slay me if you will, that he may go free. Any person who is at all spiritually discerned need not be advised as to the parallel of this scripture to that of the offering of the Lamb of God upon Calvary’s cross.

“I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay” Notice, the word used here is not “pay,” it is “repay.” If I drive to the grocery store; if I stop for gasoline; I “pay” for what I receive. However the word “repay” has to do with an outstanding, unpaid debt.

But how may one “repay” the awful debt and demerit surmounted by sin? Might Adam have brought forth the eaten fruit from the pit of his stomach; may it be formed again into the whole; can the hand that plucked it from the branch restore it to the same? Neither can man “pay” for his offence: Sin may not be made Righteousness. Man can in no wise rectify the slightest infraction against the Perfect Righteousness of a Holy God.

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, hut also for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:1,2. (It would be well to read our article on John 3:16 in conjunction with this passage.)

Though a fugitive from justice and condemned by the law, Onesimus found himself befriended by the Apostle Paul; a “begotten son.” On the other hand Paul was a “dearly beloved friend and fellowlabourer, a partner, with Philemon: thus was he in the position to be an advocate. Though a co-equal Friend and Partner with the Father, Yet do we know Jesus to be the “Friend of Sinners:” well able is He to intercede in our behalf as our Advocate! Paul demonstrates himself as a propitiation in Onesimus’ stead as he “gives himself as a sacrifice” before Philemon upon the “Mercy Seat.” Christ’s death accomplished two things: by the sacrifice of Himself He forever settled the sin issue by applying the Atoning Blood upon the Mercy Seat. The Holiness of God was satisfied, He Himself rending the veil; opening wide the door of Reconciliation.

“Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him. . .” The long journey home; back to Colosse; back to his master. His return is voluntary; he who previously fled the presence of his owner now yearns for the reconciliation to follow. But must he go alone? Paul cannot make the trip with him. Who will accompany this solitary traveler? To find the answer we must look elsewhere.

From the book of Colossians we discover that Paul’s letter writing is not limited to that which was addressed to Philemon; he was dispatching yet another, to the Colossian church. But who will deliver that letter?

“All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts. With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.” Col. 4:7-9.

Tychicus would be the faithful traveling companion to Onesimus on the journey home. They would enter into the presence of Philemon together! Shall not the Holy Spirit remain with us on our pilgrim journey: to be all that we need; to safely bring us into the presence of our Owner, our Master, our Lord? Tychicus doubtless put into practice the instruction of the Beloved Apostle: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” II Timothy 2:2

They would journey through Ephesus: “But that ye may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and fellow minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.” Eph. 6:21,22.

What the little epistle of Philemon could not tell us: here is an unseen traveling companion; a sent one; he whose purpose is to “make known” all things concerning the Apostle: he who was enabled to “know your estate” (through, all over, matter, circumstances, completeness) he whose purpose is to comfort your hearts.

The Holy Spirit is the sent one: “It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” John 16:7. His purpose is to “make known” all things concerning Christ. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all Truth.” John 16:13. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost. . .He shall teach you all things.” John 14:26. “Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you” John 14:17. And what were Tychicus and Onesimus to do upon their journey? Make known all things concerning the Apostle? “after that the Holy Ghost is come. . .ye shall be witnesses unto me. . .unto the uttermost part of the earth” Acts 1:8.

But what was Philemon to do? The church at Rome, the church at Ephesus, his own congregation at Colosse - all are soon going to know how he would handle this situation. Slavery had to be an important question in the minds of those believers. What an impact, what a rippling effect would be felt from that day forward - even unto our day. Did Abraham Lincoln read Philemon - and what effect did it have on his decision to end slavery?

Is there any doubt that Philemon would shortly receive and read the letter sent to the church at Ephesus? Paul‘s short correspond-ence to Philemon would not contain very much doctrinal instruction but it is interesting how he begins the Ephesians epistle! “chosen us in him. . .that we should be without blame before him in love. . .predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself. . .he hath made us accepted in the beloved. . .we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

If God chose Onesimus for Himself, through Christ; if he is without blame, justified by our Lord’s imputed righteousness; if God truly has accepted him in the beloved; if he is redeemed, forgiven of sin, reconciled to God - Onesimus, if God be for you, who can be against you: certainly not Philemon, a Brother of the household of faith!

All the household of Philemon; indeed all of the body of Christ; knew of Paul’s brutal persecution of the saints; yet of his glorious conversion and the complete turn-a-round of his life. If Philemon could love this man and count him his dear brother. . .what sort of reasoning is it that would allow him to do otherwise in his relation to Onesimus? If Philemon is deserving of the testimony of Paul, (dearly beloved, fellowlabourer), then surely he longed after and prayed for Onesimus, that God would ultimately work in the life of this prodigal! Was hatred and vengeance lurking in Philemon’s heart? Or did it abound with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance? May we suppose that Philemon freed this returning slave? That he might willingly be a bond-servant, not out of necessity, but for love’s sake? Philemon is to love Onesimus? Yes! But Onesimus is to return that love. (He did not show respect, nor honor; much less love, when he fled from his master. He likely voiced his opinions before the other slaves in the household.) If Philemon had other slaves, servants who were yet unsaved - what a powerful testimony to the mercy and grace of God, as they daily beheld Onesimus, a ‘new creature in Christ’! The ‘unprofitable servant’, true to his name, is become profitable: to Paul, to Philemon, to God! If Paul had other correspondence with Philemon he might well have begun the letter: unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer; and to Onesimus, also, our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer. . .

But how did Philemon respond to this situation? We are not told. If I were putting an ending to this story, I’d picture Philemon meditating upon his Saviour: how that he, Philemon was a slave to sin; of his own will alienated from God; how he had been chosen in Christ; how he had been bought off the slave market: he was not his own, he was bought with a price: how he had been redeemed through Jesus’ blood; while he was yet a sinner, Christ died for him: how he had been forgiven of his sin; how he had been accepted in the beloved; how he had been reconciled to God; how that Christ Himself had prayed that he be made one with his Sovereign; how that he had been adopted into the Heavenly family as a son; how that he was made an heir of God, joint heirs with Christ; how he had been made free. . .

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. . .For ye were as sheep going astray; but now are returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” I Peter 2:21,25.

In conclusion.

“Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say” vs.21. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” Eph. 3:20. Paul is confident that Philemon will do more than even he, Paul thinks - because the exceeding abundance of God is working in him!

So - you meditate; you decide in your own mind and heart: was Onesimus severely punished? imprisoned? sold to a cruel taskmaster? crucified for his crimes? Or was he forgiven, reconciled, adopted, made a son [and a brother] of the household of Philemon; made an heir; made free indeed from the bondage of slavery that he might willingly, freely, for love’s sake, serve both Philemon - and God?

Sharing Our Burdens With Jesus

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Prayer. Is the scope of it limited to ‘presenting our petitions’ before the Lord? Some people have the idea that God is at their beckoning call. Just who is Lord and who is servant? And what does Christ have in mind for those that are His? “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” Eph. 5: 26-27. So - are we walking, talking, sharing with Him? Is He the love of our lives? He should be. . .

Sharing our burdens with Jesus.

Are you weary, are you heavy hearted? Are you grieving over joys departed? Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden? Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden? Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow? Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Are you troubled at the thought of dying? For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing?

One who is heavy hearted will be weary, both mentally and physically. A lack of true joy is apt to bring forth an abundance of tears. The causes given: sin, fear, anxiety, trouble, longing. . .

Tell it to Jesus.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. . .Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Heb. 4:15a,16.

Who has not gone into any fast food restaurant to order and not heard the order taker say, Is this eat in - or take out? Do we dare approach the Throne of Grace and ask for a take out? “My God shall supply all your need? O.K. Lord: but “I want this to go.” God forbid! Our God is not a short order cook, geared to give fast service.

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there?

Another song writer addresses the economy, poor health, pain, enemies, old age. He advises: ‘Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.’ I would venture to say that one who will “leave it there” and return from the presence of the Lord will find the burden still upon his shoulders. The remedy for the burden is found at the Throne of Grace. It is to be found in the Presence of a Person.

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine; What a blessedness, what a peace is mine; O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way; O how bright the path grows from day to day; What have I to dread, what have I to fear; I have blessed peace, with my Lord so near; Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.’

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I AM meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls” Matt. 11:28,29. Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there? The scriptures seem to indicate that the burden be taken to the Lord - yes! But that His yoke be taken on in its place. His ‘burden’ is light - so light that we will be resting as we bare it! And ‘learn of Me?’ How shall I learn of Christ by leaving His Presence?

Are you weary? Are you heavy hearted? “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!” Matt. 11:28.

Are you grieving over joys departed? “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” John 15:11.

Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden?” “Every branch in Me. . .he purgeth it. . .ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” John 15:1a,2b,3.

What of the ’burden?’ How did we come by it? Is it defective? Is it broken? Are we bringing it back to the place from which it originated? Do we want it replaced with a similar burden? Are we to pick it up later, after it has been repaired? Or do we just want to be shed of it; let it be recycled, trashed?

Burden? or Blessing?

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” Rom. 8:28. Of course this precludes, disqualifies any burden! Right? And God could not possibly allow a burden to beset us that would be in His will and according to His purpose!

“But my God [is He your God, too?] shall supply all your need [He shall supply all You need!] according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Phil.4:19.

On their wilderness journey, Israel cried out against God and against Moses: “no bread, no water - and our soul loatheth this light [insubstantial] bread.” Num. 21;5. The manna that was given from above was rendered a burden rather than a blessing.

My God shall supply all your need that He might supply all your need!

“according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Then - had it been the eternal will and purpose of God - He might have anticipated, seen to it, that we never ever had a need!

And can it be? That my Sovereign has designed, crafted, tailored, orchestrated, personalized a need - just for me? Thank You, O Lord, for this burden; for this need that You have provided (supplied); that I may bring it to the Throne of Grace, acknowledge that You were the Giver, I the receiver. Lord, I perceive that such a valued gift should be shared with the Giver; that I might entrust back into Your hands; that we might share it, together; that I might have reason to give praise; to glorify the Lord of Glory! And was the gift, the need, not delivered along with Goodness and Mercy; with Trust and Faith? The gift of burden is exceedingly precious, for it came from hands that bled for me!

But why? Why would God allow needs, burdens, troubles, into my life? I believe Paul had as good of an answer as can be found in all the Bible: “ I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. . .And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering. . .I follow after. . .reaching forth. . .I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” Phil. 3.

Sharing our burdens with Jesus.

All, I suppose, are familiar with ‘blind Bartmaeus’: “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me” Mark 10:47. It was not until Jesus said, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? that he said, Lord, that I might receive my sight! Do we dare conclude that being in the Presence of the Lord superceded his ‘need?’

And of Mary and Martha who sent word unto Jesus concerning their brother, Lazarus. “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick” John 11:3. This can scarcely be called a ‘prayer,’ but two hearts reaching out; not petitioning Jesus to intercede in their behalf; but a communication, communion; knowing the Lord would be ‘touched with the feeling of their infirmities, and that of Lazarus, whom He loved. . .Understand, we are not to place the circumstances between ourselves and God; but Christ is to be between us and the circumstances. Our focus, not on the burden, but on Christ, the object of our faith. To do otherwise is sadly to trust the arm of the flesh. It is faith - or it is unbelief.

In Matthew 15 we are told of a woman of Canaan: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” Matt. 15:22. “Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me” vs.25. She did not cry for the unsearchable riches from the Lord’s table but of the crumbs which should fall thereby. “Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith. . .” Great faith may be great in that it is sorely tested, tried, proved.

One other: the woman with the issue of blood: “When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole” Mark 5: 27-28. And Jesus was “touched with the feeling of her infirmities!”

All of these accounts well qualify for that which is found in John 11:4: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

Have you a need? Understand that it came from your God; that you are to acknowledge it to be according to the wisdom and purpose of His Divine will. Realize that if you did not need this need, that He would not have supplied it. Confess the presence of the need; that you can not, must not, attempt to handle it by yourself. Approach the Throne of Grace, the Mercy Seat: approach it (the Presence of God) with thanksgiving and praise and worship, followed by “Thy Will Be Done.” and “Thine be the Glory, forever and ever.” Meet with our Lord: fellowship, commune with Him. His Presence is more than life itself. Let this need help you (help me) to learn to “love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” Deut. 6:5.

All this being said, our need above all needs is for a Saviour. Being sinners and alienated from our Creator, we were helpless - yet willingly so. If we might have repented and come to God strictly on our own - but we could not, would not, so great our depravity. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;). . . That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” Eph. 2:5,6,7. That is, My God shall supply all your need [we have need of His atonement for sin; we have need of His forgiveness; we have need of His reconciliation; we have need of His imputed righteousness; we have need of His Presence!] according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Those well known words spoken by Abraham on the mount: “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” Gen 22:7. Yes. God would provide for Himself a Lamb; He would provide Himself as that Lamb; He would present to Himself that Lamb. He would present us to the Lamb; He would present the Lamb to us! Selah!

A Personal Prayer List.

What do I have need of? My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus - which includes ( though not inclusive): His life, His Light, His Word, His Spirit, His faithfulness, His favor, His Intercession, His quickening, His abiding presence, His enabling power, His sufficiency, His mercy, His grace, His guidance, His indwelling righteousness, His holiness, His strength, His comfort; knowledge, wisdom, understanding, discernment, compassion, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, patience, diligence, virtue, humility.

Facing the Lions

2009-05-08T13:39:00.002-04:00

Just Who Are They?

“Then the king commanded, and they [just who are they?] brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions” Dan. 6:16a.

The lions were the executioners; it was they who were to carry out the sentence; to swiftly bring the demise, a final end, to Daniel. But the real threat was another ‘den of lions’, those who stalked, those who lay in wait, those who schemed, who watched the feeding habits of their prey, that they might take him, rip him asunder, tear him to shreds. “My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword” Psalm 57:4.

“Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. . .Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it concerning the law of his God” Dan. 6:4a,5. “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified” I Peter 4:14. “he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” vs. 4b. Who among us can qualify for such a testimony afforded Daniel?

Think you that history is not yet going to repeat itself; that it is happening even now, in our generation? Can it be that presidents and princes, dens of lions, are seeking to find occasion against the Daniels of our day?

Men think to set aside, to ignore the laws of God; to impose their own laws of unrighteousness upon those who would hold to and embrace God’s Divine Precepts.

If you’re going to face lions - first face Jerusalem!

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” Dan. 6:10.

And we know what has just happened, don‘t we? “All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains [the Babylonian Supreme Court, the Congress, the Senate, (the Pharisees, the priests) and all in lesser authority] have consulted together to establish a royal statute. . .a firm decree, that whosoever [Daniel] shall ask a petition [prayer] of any God [no, not just any god, but God] for thirty days [Oh, well and good! Daniel need only wait for thirty days to pray unto his God, and everything will be all right, Right?!] he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing. . .” Dan. 6:6-8.

The day will come when the true follower of Christ will find himself in defiance of the law of the land as he possesses a Bible, reads and follows its precepts, when he prays to the God of heaven, when he dares speak the name of Jehovah God both within and without his house.

Now when Daniel knew the decree was signed, he fled into his house, locked and secured the shutters, double bolted every door, hid himself is a corner, and mourned woefully unto his God: Lord, why hast thou forsaken me? Why has this evil persecution come upon me that these would conspire to take my life?” NO! When he knew the writing was signed, he prayed [ asked petition] and gave thanks before his God! Are there any Daniels in the room? Lift your hand! Daniel, who shall be able to separate you from the love of Christ? “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. . .shall be able to separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Rom. 8.

“and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem. . .” May we not understand that the windows of Daniel’s heart were continually opened unto Jesusalem: (no, it’s not an error in spelling; I meant to write Jesus Salem, who was Himself the God of Peace to the heart of Daniel as he faced the lions who hated him; who would not rest, who would never know “peace” until he was dead.)

When the shutters over the windows of our heart are opened, the Sonlight may shine, enter in, flooding our chamber. Therefore, when we step out into the darkness of this world, let us open the shutters of our hearts that the Sonlight which aforetime entered in, may from within, shine forth unto the darkened hearts of men.

What’s on your menu?

“and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God. . .” vs. 10. At the onset of the Jewish captivity in Babylon, there were four Hebrew children of which Daniel became the spokesman: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank” Dan. 1:8.

The prince of the eunuchs feared for his life in that his king would see saddened faces (a fallen countenance) of these men upon partaking only of pulse and water. Daniel’s reply: Put us to the test; after ten days compare our countenance with those who ate the king’s meat and drank his wine. Apparently God was pleased; His face shown upon them; their hearts were filled with the Joy of the Lord - and it radiated on their faces! (The countenance of Cain was fallen. But did not the face of Abel glow as he obeyed the Lord and received His blessing?) Consider the reward of God upon these four Hebrew believers: “God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom. . .the king found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm” vs. 17,20. (Do you ever wonder why students who are home schooled or attend Christians schools seem to excel beyond those who attend other schools of learning?) Daniel was now as he was then: the Lord was his portion: he would continue to eat of the Bread of Life; to drink of Living Water. Three meals a day, if you please! He would receive nourishment from the King’s Table!

“Then these men assembled [the Babylonian House of Representatives, the Senate, the Supreme Court] and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God” vs.11. The assembly was called into session before the king - That Daniel which is of the children of the captivity of Judah regardeth thee not nor the decree which thou hast signed” vs.13.

But in the eyes of the king, “Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [Spirit?] was in him” vs.3. The Lie: he regardeth thee not, nor your decree. NO! The king knew in his heart that Daniel ‘regarded him’, but he must have known also, that Daniel regarded his God - and His decrees, far above that of the king. . .

Shutting the mouths of the lions.

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” Rom. 3:19.

The mouths of the lions in the lion’s den were stopped: “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lion’s mouths, that they have not hurt me. . .” Dan. 6:22. The mouths of the lions were stopped: “And the king commanded, and they brought those men [as raging lions they were] which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions. . .the lions had mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den” Dan. 6:24. “they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah” Psalm 57:6. The law of God prevailed over men’s wicked laws of unrighteousness; their mouths were stopped. . .The mouth of Satan, that roaring lion, shall be stopped! “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. . .and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” Rev. 20:10. What a “lion’s den” that will be!

Devoured? or Delivered?

“your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” I Peter 5:8. “so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them. . “ Ezek. 34:12.

Satan walks about, seeking whom he may devour. . .Jesus, both Shepherd and the Lion of the tribe of Judah, goeth about seeking whom He may deliver.

We must not close without a hint of “Another” like Daniel: Daniel was preferred over all. . .the king thought to set him over the whole realm of the kingdom. Those who sought to find fault could not; he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. He prayed and made supplication before his God. He was falsely accused; he was made out to be an insurrectionist against the king and his kingdom. He was cast into the den of lions, a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den. The king set a seal with his own signet. In another place the den of lions or sepulchre was ‘made sure’; the stone was sealed. The king arose very early in the morning and went in haste unto the den of lions (or which should have been by now Daniel’s sepulchure.) Innocency was found in him; the mouths of the lions [ Death and the Grave?] were shut. The king commanded and Daniel was taken up out of the den. No manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. The king made another decree: that in every dominion of MY kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: For HE is the living God, and stedfast for ever and HIS kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and HIS dominion shall be even unto the end” Dan. 6:26.

The Lamb of God, Forsaken

2009-04-11T21:33:00.000-04:00

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” That men should forsake Jesus He need not make inquiry. But may we recount His birth; His life: the struggles, the blessings, the cross: think on these things. . .

His conception, of the Holy Ghost. “. . .for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost” Matt. 1:20.

“And John bear record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him” John 1:32.

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” Luke 4:1. “Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him” Matt. 4:11, Mark 1:13. “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee:” Luke 4:14. “And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” Luke 22:41,43.

“There shall no evil befall thee, neither any plague come nigh unto thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone” Psalm 91:10-12. Satan quotes this scripture minus ‘in all thy ways’. “Thy ways” being, “Then said I, Lo, I come ( in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will O God” Heb.10:7. His ways were perfect and according to Divine Will.

“. . .lest thou dash thy foot against a stone?” Yet the scriptures declare: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” Gen. 3:15.

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him” Psalm 91:14,15.

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” Psalm 22:1.

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Where is the Spirit by whom He was conceived; the Spirit Who descended upon Him like a dove? The Spirit who led Him into the wilderness; in whose power He left the wilderness for Galilee? Where are the angels who at that time and oft strengthened and ministered unto Him in His hour of need? The Spirit cannot be His Comfort in this hour; the hour when the Father is pouring out His wrath upon Jesus as He bears our sins on the cross. The angels can be of no strength, nor can they minister unto Him; they must stand afar off. The Father, for this hour cannot, will not, fulfill His promise to ‘deliver Him; to set Him on high; to give Him an answer; to be with Him in trouble; to deliver and honour Him. . .

For a moment, forsaken. . .but then raised up of the Father; given a name above every name, His prayer answered, “Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee!”

The Lamb of God, Forsaken

2009-04-11T21:25:00.000-04:00

The Doctrine of Self-righteousness

2009-04-11T21:15:00.002-04:00

The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cheribims; let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy” Psalm 99:1-5.

That through darkened eyes Satan should think to defame the Holy and Righteous name of God is unspeakable. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” Isa. 14;13,14. A most devious plan in the warped mind of the fallen star! If he would exalt himself he must first bring God down; to slander His name; “to attack the good name or reputation of, as by uttering or publishing maliciously or falsely anything injurious.” (Webster). Satan would lie his way to the top. He would seek to dethrone God in the eyes of his creation. . .

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?. . .For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” Gen. 3:1,5. Satan spoke, as it were, of the deprivity of man: it’s not in the English dictionary, but it might well be. “God has withheld something good and desirable from you - He has deprived you of that which you rightly deserve. You should take matters into your own hands - pick the fruit which God has disallowed and partake of it!” Eve, beware of the deception of the Evil One! Know the Truth: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” Psalm 84:11.

Satan was indeed subtle and beguiling: “Eve, make up your own mind - you have a will: choose you this day whom you will serve!” And self righteousness was conceived. A better term yet - unrighteousness. Whatever the term - it is Sin.

“Ye shall be as gods.” A ‘god’ being the high authority that he is, sets his own rules of ‘righteousness’: he answers to no one; others must abide by his commandments or suffer the consequences. “Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Actually, as a god, it is more than knowing. It is, is his own eyes, determining that which is ‘good’ and that which is ‘evil.’ One who is a god himself, thinks to remove himself out from under the authority and jurisdiction of Almighty God. Therefore he reasons that his own decisions and actions are not subject to the law nor judgment of Divine authority. This we may call the ‘Doctrine of Self-righteousness’ which may be discovered in the ‘bible’ self-written and changeable at will by the god of self righteousness, and according to his own ‘good pleasure.’

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” Rom 10:3. Ignorant, agnoeo, Gr. (by implication, to ignore.) “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” John 1:9. “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” John 1:10. That is to say, they willingly, deliberately chose to ignore the Light.

“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them: for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” Rom. 1:19,20.

Men are said to “hold the truth in unrighteousness;” they became “vain in their affections,” their “foolish heart was darkened.” “Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness,” He gave them up unto vile affections,” “gave them over to a reprobate mind.” Romans chapter 1. In a nutshell, “being filled with all unrighteousness” Rom. 1:29. In this do have full authority from the Word of God to use the term, Total Depravity. For an extensive definition of the term, one can do no better than to read Romans chapter one in its entirety.

ODE TO THE FLESH

O thou my flesh, To thee do I bow and pay homage.

Thee and thee alone do I seek to exalt.

My goal continually is that I may please thee.

I will that thou receivest every pleasure;

That thou be enriched in the things of this world.

O thou my flesh, in thee do I glory.

Thou art exceedingly great; Thy wisdom and thy strength

do I set forth for all to behold.

Thou standeth alone, O flesh, For thou art self-sufficient,

And needest not help from anyone: For who is greater than thou?

The Tables of the Covenant

2009-04-11T21:07:00.000-04:00

And he [Moses] was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments” Exodus 34:28.

“When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you. . .” Deut. 9:9.

“And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant” Deut. 9:11.

“And so I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands” Deut 9:15.

With all the familiarity of the Ten Commandments to the world system, ‘ten commandments’ is to be found only three times in the scriptures: Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and Deuteronomy 10:4.

Are the 10 commandments rules meant to be inflicted upon unbelievers ( as some seem to think) or are they not the Covenant provided by the Lord God for His people? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God?” So - to whom are they addressed?

“And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant over laid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant” Heb. 9:3,4.

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building” Heb. 9:11.

“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” Heb. 9:24.

The three articles specified in Heb. 9:4 point to God’s provisions in Christ while they are journeying through then wilderness. The golden pot contained one omer of manna - one omer, the provision for a man. Christ is the Golden Pot, a Vessel full of Grace and Truth. Aaron’s rod: it “brought forth buds and blossomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

“Numbers 17:8 refers to resurrection-life in three stages, all, of course, pointing to Christ. We would suggest that the “budding” of the rod found its fulfillment in the resurrection of Christ Himself; that the “blossomed blossoms” will receive its realisation in the resurrection of “them that are Christ’s at His coming”; while the “yielded almonds” points forward to the raising of Israel from the dead who shall then fill the earth with their fruit.”

Gleaning from Exodus, the Ark, page 195, Arthur W. Pink.

“Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me. I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” Psalm 40:8.

Christ is High Priest; the Covenant Word is within Him; He is the Heavenly Manna, the nourishment for His people; He is the fulfillment of Aaron’s rod that budded: the resurrection, the Truth, the Life! It is Christ who is the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat! “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Heb. 4;16.

Ye are not under the law, but under Grace.

Where then is the law to be found?

It is inside the Ark of the Covenant.

It is under the Mercy Seat.

It is under the blood.

It is safe; it is unbroken, and shall

remain so.

If the breaking of the tablets of stone

show forth man’s disobedience in

breaking the law, shall not the obedience

of One show forth the fulfilling of the

law: hence the preserving of the second

set of tablets of the law?

Where then is Grace to be found?

He is sitting between the cherubims;

above the Mercy Seat.

Ought not the heart of man be found

as the residence of the God of all grace?

Shall we not look for the day when

our hearts truly become as the Ark

of the Covenant; that they contain the

unbroken law of God?