Sanctuary 3
Why is it important that we study the sanctuary?
Hebrews {8:1} Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; {8:2} A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
This is why.
We have a minister of the sanctuary.
A minister of the true tabernacle.
A minister of the tabernacle the Lord pitched and not man.
We have a High Priest.
Hebrews {9:11} 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; {9:12} 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.
But Christ being come an high priest.
By a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands.
Not by blood of goats and calves.
By His own blood he entered in once into the holy place.
Do you see why we should study the sanctuary? What it meant to be given the sanctuary, what it meant so that we can understand even more fully what our Lord and Savior has done in becoming a High Priest for us.
Some might thing all that sanctuary stuff has been done away with and is nonsense destroyed by Jesus, but I don't think that at all. I think the old covenant with the earthly sanctuary served its purpose in being an example. Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection are all tied into the old covenant as He made a new one.
Sometimes in life we don't *have* to understand the old way of things to be part of the new way, but history is taught in all our schools because history shows us where we've been, how far we've come, it reveals the good and the bad and we constantly seek to make our present and future lives something meaningful so that one day when it to is history we'll be able to say that we progress, we learned from the old and welcomed the new.
Learning from the old can sometimes fully explain the new for those seeking a deep understanding of things more than a superficial one. Sometimes we are called to a deeper understanding, sometimes it is very necessary especially when Satan would have us give up hope and make it all a lie. The deeper rooted we are into the Word of God the harder it will be to uproot us. I pray that God through His Holy Spirit by the Grace and Mercy of His Son, our eyes and hearts are opened to the understanding He would have us find in Him through love.
*******
Picking up from yesterday with just a tiny review--
1981 May-- XIV 5(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - I Author William Grotheer
*
Pg. 3
{22:44} And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Thus Gethsemane could have become the antitypical Altar. Why then the Cross? The Cross brings to our poor deranged and dull senses that sin is the will to kill God. Jesus had told the Jews that the lusts of their father the devil they would do. Being a murderer from the beginning - desiring to kill the Immortal Potentate, Satan would have them do that very thing to God's Son in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt. (John 8:44) When we truly perceive what sin really is, our thinking is rearranged, and we see in Him whom we have pierced, our Sacrifice and Substitute.
However, with the healing of our thought processes, we are still short of the glory of God.
We are still just as unable to meet the judicial requirements of God as stated in His law, as we were before we found our place at the foot of the Cross.
But He who became our Sacrifice and Substitute speaks to us, and says I will be your Mediator - your Priest. I will accomplish your atonement with your God. And so "of Him are [we] in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (I Cor. 1:30)
"Wisdom" - for by the Cross we see the real meaning of sin; "righteousness" for by His righteousness God is able to declare "the remission of sins that are past." (Rom. 3:25); "sanctification" for by His sanctification the truth is to be inwrought in our lives (John 17:19); and "redemption" for by that redemption our vile bodies shall be changed into the likeness of His "glorious body" (Phil 3:21); - yea all this is for us by Jesus Christ that "in all things He might have the preeminence." (Col. 1:18) But in this divine process whereby we become atone with God and see His face again (Rev. 22:4), there are specific acts to be performed on both the part of the priest and the individual.
These conditions were outlined in the types of the earthly sanctuary which foreshadowed the work and ministry of our great High Priest as He makes atonement for us in the sanctuary of the heavens.
In the Court --
The principle article of furniture as far as the individual was concerned was the Brazen Altar.
On this Altar was offered the sin offering.
While the disposition of the blood varied with the status of the sinner, the process by which it was presented, and the ultimate result reflecting back on the sinner was the same.
The one presenting the animal of the sin offering must bring it "to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord." (Lev. 4:4)
Then he would "lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering" before the Lord. (Lev. 4:29)
With this ritual the participation of the sinner ceased. But in his participation, he had performed two very meaningful acts.
First, he had presented a substitute to meet the demands of justice, and secondly, he himself slew the substitute.
At the point when the victim was killed, the priest took over.
He either ministered the blood directly before "the veil of the sanctuary" (Lev. 4:6), or he partook of the flesh of the sin offering. (Lev. 10:17)
Through the priestly act, atonement was made, and forgiveness was extended to the sinner. (Lev. 4:20)
Again this ritual tells us something. The atonement of man with God was not made until after the sacrificial substitute was offered.
The result of the atonement was forgiveness - judicial in its results, because the sinner had just as much a potential to sin after the sin offering was presented as he had before its presentation.
The forgiveness extended had only one effect upon him - he could rest in the consciousness of freedom from the guilt caused by his sin. He stood before his God as though he had never sinned.
The victim had borne his sin, and had been accepted in his place.
The Hebrew word translated "atonement" in describing the ritual of the sanctuary is kah-phar. It means literally "to cover."
Its first use in Scripture had to do with Noah's ark. There God commanded Noah - "Make yourself an ark of gopher wood, and cover it inside and out with pitch." (Gen. 6:14 RSV)
In the sanctuary service as pertaining to the sin offering, the priest made the "covering."
The sin of the sinner was open - he confessed, and was deserving of death, but had presented a substitute. By the means of the blood of the substitute, the priest had in turn "covered" his sin.
In the reality, Jesus became both Substitute, and Priest, one following the other. As the great High Priest over the house of God, He has effected the judicial atonement - whether individual or corporate - covering the sins of all who "come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Heb. 7:25)
If in the sanctuary service, the ritual of the Court had been all that was to be performed, and the first apartment into which the priest went with the blood of the sin offering was a vacant vestibule, then we might conclude that the "new theology" had some merit. But the Scripture plainly teaches that beyond the judicial atonement was much more to be performed by the priests on behalf,of the sinner directly effecting his final atonement with God.
There was the Holy Place, not vacant and meaningless, and the Most Holy Place, where the final decree regarding sin and sinners was prefigured each year in the great Day of Atonement. These we shall discuss in the next thought paper, God willing.
***
And with that note we will pick up with the next part of our Sanctuary study tomorrow.
There is a lot of food for thought here, a lot.
The fact that we are each responsible for the slaying of the innocent Lamb of God, responsible in a REAL way, not an imagined abstract way. Our sins, our seeking to kill God, to separate ourselves from God is so real. We don't want to look at sin that way. We want to look at it as harmless little acts we are compelled to perform beyond our ability to control. We want to take ourselves, our blame out of the equation and toss it elsewhere. We want to imagine that those little defiant acts that scream selfishness and self love over God love aren't so bad as all that. Sin is horrific and when we take the true nature of sin and try to conform it into something it isn't who are we deceiving but ourselves? Yes, the heavy weight of the knowledge is grievous and we can't imagine ever being sinless, and this is where our faith has to come into play. Our faith and our belief that God is willing to guide us to the acceptable place in our lives through the mercy and grace of His slain Son, not because we deserve it, because we don't, but because He loves us with an unimaginable love.
By His Grace. By His Mercy. By His Love.
Amen.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Sanctuary Pt. 1
The Sanctuary.
We talked a little bit yesterday about the Sanctuary and how the Sanctuary here on earth was patterned after the heavenly Sanctuary. How before the world began Jesus was part of the plan should we sin.
Creating humans was a great undertaking. You ask any doctor about how we're made inside and they'll tell you that the wonders of our bodies are just amazing.
While some like to think we formed from a microscopic organism in water to what we are now it just unbelievable. That we evolved from apes, just, well, I just have to shake my head. Then again even apes are amazingly created. All the various life forms we know are amazing in their own right.
We were made in the image of God. We're not the substance of God, not the nature of God in the Spirit form at all, but we are made in His image. We are made with the ability to choose right from wrong, we were given that gift. We were made a little lower than the angels, perhaps in that we are limited in our physical abilities and they are not?
While some people think that humans become angels, or angelic-like upon death isn't something I think is true. Angels are unique to what they are, angels aren't created from dead humans. Angels existed before humans did. We will never become angels, we will forever be human. We were created differently for a reason.
God in creating us planned us, planned how things would be and in that plan because he was giving us the ability to choose good from evil, He had to figure out what He would do with us should we choose evil. Yes, he could have wiped us out of existence instantly as a failed creation, but He didn't. We are that special Him, that important to Him, He loves us that much.
Yes, there was a time or two when wiping out the evil filled humanity seemed like a good course but even then it wasn't done because enough good remained in humans to keep them worth saving. Jesus was all part of that plan as Creator of humans with God.
Instead of arbitrarily just wiping all humans out of existence because they are prone to sin, He would step in and make it possible for them to be sinless in Him. He would atone for their sins and make things right again and when the sin-filled world was finally only those who are sinners still and haven't placed their hope and faith in Jesus and His ability to save them will be wiped out of existence. They'll have had every chance to be saved and rejected all of them.
The plan of salvation involves the Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary whose sole purpose of existence was to point to a sinless life in God. The plan that was made before the world was created had to be shown to people. There would be a process whereby they could realize on a personal level the outcome of their sinning, then when that was brought to a culmination in the reality of God's own Son being sacrifice to save us, then the earthly sanctuary would no longer be needed.
A progression... a teaching lesson... an example for all to witness.
Today we have all this history to learn from and know our place in the whole grand scheme of things.
*
It's important for us to study the sanctuary, to learn all we can about the earthly sanctuaries based on the heavenly. It's important because there is a heavenly sanctuary whose sole reason for existing is to finish the work started by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
*
I want to take from a study I've found elsewhere to help out here to explain things better, so maybe we'll do that bit by bit each day.
It's from William Grotheer's Thought Paper. This man has a brilliant mind and brilliant insight into the Bible. God has blessed him with so much. No, he's not perfect, none of us are and I'm not worshipping him in any manner. There is only one worthy of worship and that is God.
*
1981 May-- XIV 5(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - I
-- The word - atonement - is an English word coming from "atone," a word in Middle English meaning - at one. So we can say that atonement means simply to be at one again with a person from whom we have become estranged.
When applied to theology, it indicates the reconciliation between God and man, and man and God. There is only one thing that has separated between God and man, and man and God, and that is sin.
In the case of man's alienation from God, the Scripture states it very simply -
"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23)
Paul summarizes the condition of man by quoting from the Old Testament - "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10-12)
With God, the alienation was forced upon Him by man's actions, not by any action initiated by Him.
Isaiah declared - "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." (Isa. 59:2)
God is holy and righteous. The Psalmist sang that "righteousness and judgment are the basis of His throne." (Ps. 97:2 Heb.)
Sin - rebellion - on the other hand had challenged the very foundations of the government of God. Justice demanded that the traitors be executed. There is, however, another aspect to the character of God. His holiness and His righteousness emanate from a heart of love. Love devised an atonement that would meet the demands of justice, and thus secure the Throne, and would provide a means for the healing and restoration of the traitor.
Before we can understand the atonement devised by God, we must understand the sickness of man.
All sin represents degrees of insanity.
We continue in our rebellion because "the whole head is sick." (Isa. 1:5)
Sin originated with a created being whose mind became deranged.
The prophet stated of Lucifer under the symbolism of the king of Tyrus - "Thou has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." (Eze. 28:17)
How could a created being ever think that he could destroy an immortal God, and take His place?
But once in the pathway of insanity, this arch-traitor led our first parents into sin by a derangement of their thought patterns, a subversion of the higher nature to the lower.
The atonement must bring healing to the mind, and restoration of the glorious character lost through this deceptive derangement.
There is, however, that judicial aspect of judgment with which God had also to deal so that He could be at-one-ment with sinful man, and thus effect the healing of man.
"The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23)
But who would be willing to die as a substitute, and who could die in such a capacity so that the demands of justice might be met?
There was only One, and that was the Son of God.
To Abraham who was bringing his "only son" as an offering to God, the Spirit encouraged his heart so that he could say to Isaac - "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." (Gen. 22:8)
And He did!
"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) "The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all . . . His soul [was made] an offering for sin." (Isa. 53:6, 10)
Thus the first great question of the Atonement found an answer - How can God be just, and yet justify the sinner? (See Rom. 1:16-17; 3:24-26)
((({Ro. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
{1:17} For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Ro. 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
{3:25} Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God
{3:26} To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.))))
We can, therefore, from the viewpoint of God - and only from that viewpoint - speak of the Cross as an atonement.
The Cross is an atonement only in this phase of the relationship - God becoming at one with man.
In the cross man is provided by God what could be called a "second chance," but which is in reality an opportunity to escape his corporate involvement in the first choice made for him by the father of the race, for "by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation." (Rom. 5:18)
The significance of this atonement with man on the part of God is illustrated in covenant-history.
Israel was assembled before Mount Sinai. They had heard the voice of God proclaim His law amid thunderings and lightenings. They listened carefully as Moses read "the book of the covenant" which he had prepared under the direction of God. To what they heard, Israel responded -
"All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Ex. 24:7)
In this book of the covenant had been written as its preamble the requirement of God for singleness of worship on the part of Israel. It read -
"Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." (Ex. 20:22-23)
Within forty days following the ratification of this blood covenant, and the solemn commitment of Israel, they gave their adoration to the "golden calf" of Egyptian devil worship. They repeated the sin of Adam and Eve in giving their loyalty and allegiance to the enemy of God.
The reaction of God to this apostasy was swift. Moses was immediately informed by God as to what was happening in the camp below, and was told that He no longer considered them His people. (Ex. 32:7)
{32:7} And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves
Moses after returning to the encampment of Israel from his dialogue with God in the Mount, removed the "tabernacle" of meeting without the camp. (Ex. 33:7)
{33:7} And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, [that] every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which [was] without the camp.
Then he told the 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." (Ex. 32:30)
{32:30} And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the 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.
The result of this interceding of Moses, and the exchange that took place between him and God is given in God's final answer to Moses' pleadings -
"The Lord said to Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel." (Ex. 34:27)
Israel's commitment was not secured to this covenant. It was a covenant by which Moses stood as surety for Israel's compliance, and through which God could once more become atonement with Israel.
It was a "type" covenant of the "atonement" achieved by Christ for man to effect God's reconciliation with man. God became at one again with humanity in Christ Jesus. Even, as God talked with Moses face to face (Deut. 34:10)
{34:10} And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
So Christ in His glorified humanity is in the very presence of God to speak for man. (Heb. 4:14-15)
{4:14} 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. {4:15} 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.
The fact should not be overlooked that at the time when Israel was forfeiting their rights as God's people in the worship of the golden calf, and demonstrating the inability of man to keep any covenant to which mentally he would agree, God was giving to Moses "the plan" by which man can become at-one with God.
The sanctuary and its services, which were to operate as "types" under a type-covenant, were being revealed to Moses. (See Ex. 24:18-32:1)
This second aspect of the atonement - man becoming one with God begins at the same point - the Cross. Here his healing begins for in the Cross he comes to see the real significance of where his mental derangement will lead. If God had only the judicial aspect of the atonement in mind to effect the redemption of man - justification - Gethsemane would have sufficed. There the cup was accepted, and there the blood first touched the ground. (Luke 22:44)
{22:44} And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Thus Gethsemane could have become the antitypical Altar. Why then the Cross?
The Cross brings to our poor deranged and dull senses that sin is the will to kill God.
Jesus had told the Jews that the lusts of their father the devil they would do. Being a murderer from the beginning - desiring to kill the Immortal Potentate, Satan would have them do that very thing to God's Son in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt. (John 8:44) When we truly perceive what sin really is, our thinking is rearranged, and we see in Him whom we have pierced, our Sacrifice and Substitute.
***
I'm going to stop here even though the first part in the thought papers goes on.
I think this is enough to digest for one day. :)
May God bless and keep us and guide us as we seek to understand more fully all He has done and is doing for us, and all He will do.
In the name of His all merciful Son, by the grace of Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
We talked a little bit yesterday about the Sanctuary and how the Sanctuary here on earth was patterned after the heavenly Sanctuary. How before the world began Jesus was part of the plan should we sin.
Creating humans was a great undertaking. You ask any doctor about how we're made inside and they'll tell you that the wonders of our bodies are just amazing.
While some like to think we formed from a microscopic organism in water to what we are now it just unbelievable. That we evolved from apes, just, well, I just have to shake my head. Then again even apes are amazingly created. All the various life forms we know are amazing in their own right.
We were made in the image of God. We're not the substance of God, not the nature of God in the Spirit form at all, but we are made in His image. We are made with the ability to choose right from wrong, we were given that gift. We were made a little lower than the angels, perhaps in that we are limited in our physical abilities and they are not?
While some people think that humans become angels, or angelic-like upon death isn't something I think is true. Angels are unique to what they are, angels aren't created from dead humans. Angels existed before humans did. We will never become angels, we will forever be human. We were created differently for a reason.
God in creating us planned us, planned how things would be and in that plan because he was giving us the ability to choose good from evil, He had to figure out what He would do with us should we choose evil. Yes, he could have wiped us out of existence instantly as a failed creation, but He didn't. We are that special Him, that important to Him, He loves us that much.
Yes, there was a time or two when wiping out the evil filled humanity seemed like a good course but even then it wasn't done because enough good remained in humans to keep them worth saving. Jesus was all part of that plan as Creator of humans with God.
Instead of arbitrarily just wiping all humans out of existence because they are prone to sin, He would step in and make it possible for them to be sinless in Him. He would atone for their sins and make things right again and when the sin-filled world was finally only those who are sinners still and haven't placed their hope and faith in Jesus and His ability to save them will be wiped out of existence. They'll have had every chance to be saved and rejected all of them.
The plan of salvation involves the Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary whose sole purpose of existence was to point to a sinless life in God. The plan that was made before the world was created had to be shown to people. There would be a process whereby they could realize on a personal level the outcome of their sinning, then when that was brought to a culmination in the reality of God's own Son being sacrifice to save us, then the earthly sanctuary would no longer be needed.
A progression... a teaching lesson... an example for all to witness.
Today we have all this history to learn from and know our place in the whole grand scheme of things.
*
It's important for us to study the sanctuary, to learn all we can about the earthly sanctuaries based on the heavenly. It's important because there is a heavenly sanctuary whose sole reason for existing is to finish the work started by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
*
I want to take from a study I've found elsewhere to help out here to explain things better, so maybe we'll do that bit by bit each day.
It's from William Grotheer's Thought Paper. This man has a brilliant mind and brilliant insight into the Bible. God has blessed him with so much. No, he's not perfect, none of us are and I'm not worshipping him in any manner. There is only one worthy of worship and that is God.
*
1981 May-- XIV 5(81) -- LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATONEMENT - I
-- The word - atonement - is an English word coming from "atone," a word in Middle English meaning - at one. So we can say that atonement means simply to be at one again with a person from whom we have become estranged.
When applied to theology, it indicates the reconciliation between God and man, and man and God. There is only one thing that has separated between God and man, and man and God, and that is sin.
In the case of man's alienation from God, the Scripture states it very simply -
"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:23)
Paul summarizes the condition of man by quoting from the Old Testament - "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10-12)
With God, the alienation was forced upon Him by man's actions, not by any action initiated by Him.
Isaiah declared - "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." (Isa. 59:2)
God is holy and righteous. The Psalmist sang that "righteousness and judgment are the basis of His throne." (Ps. 97:2 Heb.)
Sin - rebellion - on the other hand had challenged the very foundations of the government of God. Justice demanded that the traitors be executed. There is, however, another aspect to the character of God. His holiness and His righteousness emanate from a heart of love. Love devised an atonement that would meet the demands of justice, and thus secure the Throne, and would provide a means for the healing and restoration of the traitor.
Before we can understand the atonement devised by God, we must understand the sickness of man.
All sin represents degrees of insanity.
We continue in our rebellion because "the whole head is sick." (Isa. 1:5)
Sin originated with a created being whose mind became deranged.
The prophet stated of Lucifer under the symbolism of the king of Tyrus - "Thou has corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." (Eze. 28:17)
How could a created being ever think that he could destroy an immortal God, and take His place?
But once in the pathway of insanity, this arch-traitor led our first parents into sin by a derangement of their thought patterns, a subversion of the higher nature to the lower.
The atonement must bring healing to the mind, and restoration of the glorious character lost through this deceptive derangement.
There is, however, that judicial aspect of judgment with which God had also to deal so that He could be at-one-ment with sinful man, and thus effect the healing of man.
"The wages of sin is death." (Rom. 6:23)
But who would be willing to die as a substitute, and who could die in such a capacity so that the demands of justice might be met?
There was only One, and that was the Son of God.
To Abraham who was bringing his "only son" as an offering to God, the Spirit encouraged his heart so that he could say to Isaac - "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering." (Gen. 22:8)
And He did!
"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16) "The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all . . . His soul [was made] an offering for sin." (Isa. 53:6, 10)
Thus the first great question of the Atonement found an answer - How can God be just, and yet justify the sinner? (See Rom. 1:16-17; 3:24-26)
((({Ro. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
{1:17} For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Ro. 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
{3:25} Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God
{3:26} To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.))))
We can, therefore, from the viewpoint of God - and only from that viewpoint - speak of the Cross as an atonement.
The Cross is an atonement only in this phase of the relationship - God becoming at one with man.
In the cross man is provided by God what could be called a "second chance," but which is in reality an opportunity to escape his corporate involvement in the first choice made for him by the father of the race, for "by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation." (Rom. 5:18)
The significance of this atonement with man on the part of God is illustrated in covenant-history.
Israel was assembled before Mount Sinai. They had heard the voice of God proclaim His law amid thunderings and lightenings. They listened carefully as Moses read "the book of the covenant" which he had prepared under the direction of God. To what they heard, Israel responded -
"All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient." (Ex. 24:7)
In this book of the covenant had been written as its preamble the requirement of God for singleness of worship on the part of Israel. It read -
"Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." (Ex. 20:22-23)
Within forty days following the ratification of this blood covenant, and the solemn commitment of Israel, they gave their adoration to the "golden calf" of Egyptian devil worship. They repeated the sin of Adam and Eve in giving their loyalty and allegiance to the enemy of God.
The reaction of God to this apostasy was swift. Moses was immediately informed by God as to what was happening in the camp below, and was told that He no longer considered them His people. (Ex. 32:7)
{32:7} And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves
Moses after returning to the encampment of Israel from his dialogue with God in the Mount, removed the "tabernacle" of meeting without the camp. (Ex. 33:7)
{33:7} And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, [that] every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which [was] without the camp.
Then he told the 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." (Ex. 32:30)
{32:30} And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the 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.
The result of this interceding of Moses, and the exchange that took place between him and God is given in God's final answer to Moses' pleadings -
"The Lord said to Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel." (Ex. 34:27)
Israel's commitment was not secured to this covenant. It was a covenant by which Moses stood as surety for Israel's compliance, and through which God could once more become atonement with Israel.
It was a "type" covenant of the "atonement" achieved by Christ for man to effect God's reconciliation with man. God became at one again with humanity in Christ Jesus. Even, as God talked with Moses face to face (Deut. 34:10)
{34:10} And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
So Christ in His glorified humanity is in the very presence of God to speak for man. (Heb. 4:14-15)
{4:14} 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. {4:15} 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.
The fact should not be overlooked that at the time when Israel was forfeiting their rights as God's people in the worship of the golden calf, and demonstrating the inability of man to keep any covenant to which mentally he would agree, God was giving to Moses "the plan" by which man can become at-one with God.
The sanctuary and its services, which were to operate as "types" under a type-covenant, were being revealed to Moses. (See Ex. 24:18-32:1)
This second aspect of the atonement - man becoming one with God begins at the same point - the Cross. Here his healing begins for in the Cross he comes to see the real significance of where his mental derangement will lead. If God had only the judicial aspect of the atonement in mind to effect the redemption of man - justification - Gethsemane would have sufficed. There the cup was accepted, and there the blood first touched the ground. (Luke 22:44)
{22:44} And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Thus Gethsemane could have become the antitypical Altar. Why then the Cross?
The Cross brings to our poor deranged and dull senses that sin is the will to kill God.
Jesus had told the Jews that the lusts of their father the devil they would do. Being a murderer from the beginning - desiring to kill the Immortal Potentate, Satan would have them do that very thing to God's Son in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt. (John 8:44) When we truly perceive what sin really is, our thinking is rearranged, and we see in Him whom we have pierced, our Sacrifice and Substitute.
***
I'm going to stop here even though the first part in the thought papers goes on.
I think this is enough to digest for one day. :)
May God bless and keep us and guide us as we seek to understand more fully all He has done and is doing for us, and all He will do.
In the name of His all merciful Son, by the grace of Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary
Psalms {77:13} Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
Psalms {63:2} To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Psalms {73:17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Ps. {27:4} One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Ps. {68:24} They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
Commentary on Psalms 77:13--
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom10.xii.iii.html
13.
Thy ways, O God! are in the sanctuary.
Some translate in holiness, and they are led to do this, because it seems to them a cold and meagre form of expression to say, that God’s ways are in his sanctuary.
But as the rules of grammar will not easily admit of this, we must inquire whether a profitable truth may not be drawn from the term sanctuary, which is the proper signification of the original word ????, bakkodesh.
Some are of opinion that this is an abrupt exclamation, as if it had been said, O God, who art in the sanctuary! O thy ways! but of this I do not approve; for they do violence to the words of the prophet.
The clause should be read in one connected sentence, and the word sanctuary is to be taken either for heaven or for the temple.
I am rather inclined to refer it to heaven, conceiving the meaning to be, that the ways of God rise high above the world, so that if we are truly desirous to know them, we must ascend above all heavens.
Although the works of God are in part manifest to us, yet all our knowledge of them comes far short of their immeasurable height. Besides, it is to be observed, that none enjoy the least taste of his works but those who by faith rise up to heaven. And yet, the utmost point to which we can ever attain is, to contemplate with admiration and reverence the hidden wisdom and power of God, which, while they shine forth in his works, yet far surpass the limited powers of our understanding.
If it is objected, that it is wrong to attempt to confine to heaven the ways of God, which are extended through the whole world, the answer is easy; for although there is not a single corner of the globe in which God does not exhibit some proof of his power and operation, yet the wonderful character of his works escapes the eyes of men. If any would rather understand sanctuary as meaning the temple, it may be noticed, that we have met with an almost similar sentence in Psalm 73:16, 17,
-16When I thought how I might know this,
It was too painful for me;
17Until I went into the sanctuary of God,
And considered their latter end.
Easton Dict. Sanctuary
Denotes,
(1) the Holy Land (Ex. 15:17; comp. Ps. 114:2);
(2) the temple (1 Chr. 22:19; 2 Chr. 29:21);
(3) the tabernacle (Ex. 25:8; Lev. 12:4; 21:12);
(4) the holy place, the place of the Presence (Gr. hieron, the temple-house; not the naos, which is the temple area, with its courts and porches), Lev. 4:6; Eph. 2:21, R.V., marg.;
(5) God’s holy habitation in heaven (Ps. 102:19). In the final state there is properly “no sanctuary” (Rev. 21:22), for God and the Lamb “are the sanctuary” (R.V., “temple”). All is there hallowed by the Divine Presence; all is sancturary.
***
The sanctuary. Has it lost it's importance because Jesus did away with the sacrifices, becoming the ultimate sacrifice?
I say no. If anything it has only gained more importance because the entire earthly sanctuary service pointed to Christ's sacrifice, and we know that the sanctuary built on earth was a figure of a sanctuary in heaven. Read this--
Ex.
{25:8} And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
{25:9} According to all that I shew thee, fter the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the nstruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
Hebrews
{8:5} Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Hebrews
{9:23} It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these.
{9:24} 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
***
Patterns of things in heaven. Moses was shown the heavenly sanctuary and a pattern for an earthy sanctuary was given. Why, you might ask, would there need to be a heavenly sanctuary if the sanctuary on earth in all its aspects revealed the need for a savior? Surely none in heaven are sinful and none need to avail themselves of the rituals even symbolically to be saved. I believe that the way to salvation began in heaven, the way for man to be saved from sin was decided before sin corrupted Adam and Eve, before even the world began.
1 Corinthians {2:7} But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory
2 Timothy {1:9} Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Titus {1:2} In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
John {17:1} These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
{17:2} As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
{17:3} And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
{17:4} I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
{17:5} And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
1 Peter {1:18} 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
{1:19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
{1:20} Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
***
Before the world was, before the foundation of the world, before the world began... Jesus was with God, Son was with the Father.
Imagine if you will that before a great, wondrous *project* is undertaken all the plans are laid out for it. All the plans, all the scenarios that can happen are thought of and plans are made for any of those scenarios. Whenever you bring an unpredictable element into a plan you have to think outside the box so to speak, you have to think what might happen if things don't go as planned. How many *government* experiments have been scraped in the end because things didn't go as planned? Probably a lot. How many were undertaken and with the unpredicted results even greater plans were made? Can you imagine a room full of scientists sitting about discussing a propose project and each one comes up with a different scenario of possibilities. Just because the scenarios are plentiful and the possibilities unpredictable doesn't mean the project will be scraped, rather each scientist is told to set up the 'what if..' scenario with possible outcomes from their scenario. You can picture all that right? It's easy really because we've all seen movies on tv that depict various situations with 'projects' and for the most part the excitement of the movie comes from the projects going wrong and having to be fixed. That old, something goes horribly wrong, now what? Now we have to fix this problem. Usually kill a deformed alien of some sort, or find a cure for a wild virus, or some such thing. You know what I'm talking about, I'm sure.
So before the world even began as plans were being made Jesus Himself agreed that if something went wrong that He'd step in, He'd sacrifice Himself to set things right again.
A way was made for this to happen, the way was made in heaven.
After man sinned the plan had to go into effect. And know this...realize this...man did not sin right away. He wasn't created one moment and sinning the next. It might seem that way but truthfully we don't know how long Adam and Eve lived in the garden sinless before falling to temptation. God's plan, Jesus' plan, their creation of human beings didn't go awry the second after it was implemented. For awhile there it's very possible that they thought the contingency plan would not be necessary, that the creation of human beings was a success. These created beings were a made a little lower than the angels and given free will, and they were wonderful creations, a good thing-- a very good thing. Made in God's image, they were an amazing creation.
Then something went wrong.
Satan beguiled Eve. Beguiled her, tricked her, tempted her and she fell into the temptation and sinned.
Instantly the contingency plan was put into place, from that moment on the way to save humanity was begun. Satan was told this--
Genesis
{3:14} And the LORD God 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:
{3:15} 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
***
While Satan would hurt humanity, in the end humanity would triumph. Bruising a heel isn't life threatening, bruising a head is, and we're talking eternal life threatening. While Satan would hurt Jesus, he wouldn't kill him, yet Jesus in the end will do away with Satan and all sin.
Right from the beginning things were set in motion.
When Moses received the instructions for an earthly sanctuary they were patterned after the heavenly with good reason. The plan was made and not being implemented and it was important to get things right.
***
I do believe I'm going to be studying the Sanctuary for a bit now, but this is enough for a start. :)
Psalms {77:13} Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
May God bless and help us to understand His way in the sanctuary and in truth understand more fully the amazing sacrifice made for each and every one of us by Jesus Christ His Son.
In His Grace and Mercy, by His Will.
Amen.
Psalms {63:2} To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Psalms {73:17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Ps. {27:4} One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Ps. {68:24} They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.
Commentary on Psalms 77:13--
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom10.xii.iii.html
13.
Thy ways, O God! are in the sanctuary.
Some translate in holiness, and they are led to do this, because it seems to them a cold and meagre form of expression to say, that God’s ways are in his sanctuary.
But as the rules of grammar will not easily admit of this, we must inquire whether a profitable truth may not be drawn from the term sanctuary, which is the proper signification of the original word ????, bakkodesh.
Some are of opinion that this is an abrupt exclamation, as if it had been said, O God, who art in the sanctuary! O thy ways! but of this I do not approve; for they do violence to the words of the prophet.
The clause should be read in one connected sentence, and the word sanctuary is to be taken either for heaven or for the temple.
I am rather inclined to refer it to heaven, conceiving the meaning to be, that the ways of God rise high above the world, so that if we are truly desirous to know them, we must ascend above all heavens.
Although the works of God are in part manifest to us, yet all our knowledge of them comes far short of their immeasurable height. Besides, it is to be observed, that none enjoy the least taste of his works but those who by faith rise up to heaven. And yet, the utmost point to which we can ever attain is, to contemplate with admiration and reverence the hidden wisdom and power of God, which, while they shine forth in his works, yet far surpass the limited powers of our understanding.
If it is objected, that it is wrong to attempt to confine to heaven the ways of God, which are extended through the whole world, the answer is easy; for although there is not a single corner of the globe in which God does not exhibit some proof of his power and operation, yet the wonderful character of his works escapes the eyes of men. If any would rather understand sanctuary as meaning the temple, it may be noticed, that we have met with an almost similar sentence in Psalm 73:16, 17,
-16When I thought how I might know this,
It was too painful for me;
17Until I went into the sanctuary of God,
And considered their latter end.
Easton Dict. Sanctuary
Denotes,
(1) the Holy Land (Ex. 15:17; comp. Ps. 114:2);
(2) the temple (1 Chr. 22:19; 2 Chr. 29:21);
(3) the tabernacle (Ex. 25:8; Lev. 12:4; 21:12);
(4) the holy place, the place of the Presence (Gr. hieron, the temple-house; not the naos, which is the temple area, with its courts and porches), Lev. 4:6; Eph. 2:21, R.V., marg.;
(5) God’s holy habitation in heaven (Ps. 102:19). In the final state there is properly “no sanctuary” (Rev. 21:22), for God and the Lamb “are the sanctuary” (R.V., “temple”). All is there hallowed by the Divine Presence; all is sancturary.
***
The sanctuary. Has it lost it's importance because Jesus did away with the sacrifices, becoming the ultimate sacrifice?
I say no. If anything it has only gained more importance because the entire earthly sanctuary service pointed to Christ's sacrifice, and we know that the sanctuary built on earth was a figure of a sanctuary in heaven. Read this--
Ex.
{25:8} And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
{25:9} According to all that I shew thee, fter the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the nstruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
Hebrews
{8:5} Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Hebrews
{9:23} It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better
sacrifices than these.
{9:24} 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
***
Patterns of things in heaven. Moses was shown the heavenly sanctuary and a pattern for an earthy sanctuary was given. Why, you might ask, would there need to be a heavenly sanctuary if the sanctuary on earth in all its aspects revealed the need for a savior? Surely none in heaven are sinful and none need to avail themselves of the rituals even symbolically to be saved. I believe that the way to salvation began in heaven, the way for man to be saved from sin was decided before sin corrupted Adam and Eve, before even the world began.
1 Corinthians {2:7} But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory
2 Timothy {1:9} Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Titus {1:2} In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
John {17:1} These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
{17:2} As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
{17:3} And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
{17:4} I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
{17:5} And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
1 Peter {1:18} 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
{1:19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot
{1:20} Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
***
Before the world was, before the foundation of the world, before the world began... Jesus was with God, Son was with the Father.
Imagine if you will that before a great, wondrous *project* is undertaken all the plans are laid out for it. All the plans, all the scenarios that can happen are thought of and plans are made for any of those scenarios. Whenever you bring an unpredictable element into a plan you have to think outside the box so to speak, you have to think what might happen if things don't go as planned. How many *government* experiments have been scraped in the end because things didn't go as planned? Probably a lot. How many were undertaken and with the unpredicted results even greater plans were made? Can you imagine a room full of scientists sitting about discussing a propose project and each one comes up with a different scenario of possibilities. Just because the scenarios are plentiful and the possibilities unpredictable doesn't mean the project will be scraped, rather each scientist is told to set up the 'what if..' scenario with possible outcomes from their scenario. You can picture all that right? It's easy really because we've all seen movies on tv that depict various situations with 'projects' and for the most part the excitement of the movie comes from the projects going wrong and having to be fixed. That old, something goes horribly wrong, now what? Now we have to fix this problem. Usually kill a deformed alien of some sort, or find a cure for a wild virus, or some such thing. You know what I'm talking about, I'm sure.
So before the world even began as plans were being made Jesus Himself agreed that if something went wrong that He'd step in, He'd sacrifice Himself to set things right again.
A way was made for this to happen, the way was made in heaven.
After man sinned the plan had to go into effect. And know this...realize this...man did not sin right away. He wasn't created one moment and sinning the next. It might seem that way but truthfully we don't know how long Adam and Eve lived in the garden sinless before falling to temptation. God's plan, Jesus' plan, their creation of human beings didn't go awry the second after it was implemented. For awhile there it's very possible that they thought the contingency plan would not be necessary, that the creation of human beings was a success. These created beings were a made a little lower than the angels and given free will, and they were wonderful creations, a good thing-- a very good thing. Made in God's image, they were an amazing creation.
Then something went wrong.
Satan beguiled Eve. Beguiled her, tricked her, tempted her and she fell into the temptation and sinned.
Instantly the contingency plan was put into place, from that moment on the way to save humanity was begun. Satan was told this--
Genesis
{3:14} And the LORD God 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:
{3:15} 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
***
While Satan would hurt humanity, in the end humanity would triumph. Bruising a heel isn't life threatening, bruising a head is, and we're talking eternal life threatening. While Satan would hurt Jesus, he wouldn't kill him, yet Jesus in the end will do away with Satan and all sin.
Right from the beginning things were set in motion.
When Moses received the instructions for an earthly sanctuary they were patterned after the heavenly with good reason. The plan was made and not being implemented and it was important to get things right.
***
I do believe I'm going to be studying the Sanctuary for a bit now, but this is enough for a start. :)
Psalms {77:13} Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
May God bless and help us to understand His way in the sanctuary and in truth understand more fully the amazing sacrifice made for each and every one of us by Jesus Christ His Son.
In His Grace and Mercy, by His Will.
Amen.
Friday, December 12, 2008
If we hold fast
Hebrews{3:1} Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus{3:2} Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.{3:3} For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. {3:4} For every house is builded by some man but he that built all things is God.{3:5} And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to bespoken after; {3:6} But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
**
He who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house.
He that built all things is God.
Christ, son over his own house.
Whose house are WE.
IF we hold fast.
Firm unto the end.
**
Jesus is the builder of all things-
John {1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God. {1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus has more honor than we do as is only right. Jesus is the builder we are the house he built IF we hold fast the confidence (have faith) and the rejoicing of the hope (faith) unto the end.
We all want to be molded and shaped by our Savior don't we? Isn't that why we are seeking Him in us, seeking to find Him, seeking to know Him and have Him know us? Who knows a house more intimately than its builder? No one. The house is in existence because of the builder, without the builder there is no house. We are houses built by Jesus if we believe and have faith and not only have it but have it until the end.
It's important to consider the end. It's important to consider the life long process not just the immediate result. Too often people will do things impulsively without thinking long term. We have to think past the beginning and to the end. Our faith will be tested and tried severely.
1 Peter {1:5} Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.{1:6} Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations{1:7} 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 andhonour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
Our faith may cause heaviness through manifold temptations, this is the trying of our faith. Do we believe in God, or don't we truly believe beyond superficial claim? We have to know that our faith will be tried as gold is tried in fire and that's a process that isn't easy at all. To claim to be Christ's and to faint as soon as we are tried isn't to be Christ's at all. We need to hold fast through the trying process and I know, easier said than done.
Lives are falling apart all around us with the financial crisis taking place, bad situations are only getting worse and sometimes it seems that we are being kicked when we are down, and maybe we are, but being a Christian doesn't mean having an easy life at all. Being a Christian means holding fast to the faith we need in our Savior during the worst of times knowing that just because we might be seemingly living in hell on earth doesn't mean there isn't hope, that Christ has forsaken us, God has left us, that we are cursed in some way. Being a Christian means holding fast even in the very worst of times when all seems lost and hopeless we have to 'hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.'
We are Christ's.
May God help us as we believe and have faith seeking to increase in faith, in hope always so that we may holdfast unto the end.
In the name of Jesus by His grace and mercy now and forever.
Amen.
**
He who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house.
He that built all things is God.
Christ, son over his own house.
Whose house are WE.
IF we hold fast.
Firm unto the end.
**
Jesus is the builder of all things-
John {1:1} In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.{1:2} The same was in the beginning with God. {1:3} All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus has more honor than we do as is only right. Jesus is the builder we are the house he built IF we hold fast the confidence (have faith) and the rejoicing of the hope (faith) unto the end.
We all want to be molded and shaped by our Savior don't we? Isn't that why we are seeking Him in us, seeking to find Him, seeking to know Him and have Him know us? Who knows a house more intimately than its builder? No one. The house is in existence because of the builder, without the builder there is no house. We are houses built by Jesus if we believe and have faith and not only have it but have it until the end.
It's important to consider the end. It's important to consider the life long process not just the immediate result. Too often people will do things impulsively without thinking long term. We have to think past the beginning and to the end. Our faith will be tested and tried severely.
1 Peter {1:5} Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.{1:6} Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations{1:7} 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 andhonour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
Our faith may cause heaviness through manifold temptations, this is the trying of our faith. Do we believe in God, or don't we truly believe beyond superficial claim? We have to know that our faith will be tried as gold is tried in fire and that's a process that isn't easy at all. To claim to be Christ's and to faint as soon as we are tried isn't to be Christ's at all. We need to hold fast through the trying process and I know, easier said than done.
Lives are falling apart all around us with the financial crisis taking place, bad situations are only getting worse and sometimes it seems that we are being kicked when we are down, and maybe we are, but being a Christian doesn't mean having an easy life at all. Being a Christian means holding fast to the faith we need in our Savior during the worst of times knowing that just because we might be seemingly living in hell on earth doesn't mean there isn't hope, that Christ has forsaken us, God has left us, that we are cursed in some way. Being a Christian means holding fast even in the very worst of times when all seems lost and hopeless we have to 'hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.'
We are Christ's.
May God help us as we believe and have faith seeking to increase in faith, in hope always so that we may holdfast unto the end.
In the name of Jesus by His grace and mercy now and forever.
Amen.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels
Hebrews {2:15} And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. {2:16} For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. {2:17} Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.{2:18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Fear of death.
Just recently I was talking to someone and the subject of death came up and how they'd like to die, of course a typical answer is 'in my sleep'. It would be nice to die easy, who wants to suffer before or during death? Then instead of answering another person said simply that they don't want to die, period. That they've been thinking about it a lot lately and they just don't want to die. That too is something we all want, not to die at all, to live forever.
Fear of death. We are in bondage to that fear all our lives. One certainty in life is death, it's the only certainty really. Just like the only alternative to aging is death as well. As we get older we can tend to think of death more often, it's natural. The fear of death can mount as well the older we get.
'Deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'
Through fear of death we are subject to bondage. Subject to knowing there will be an end to us. It is bondage, we are a slave to dying, there is no escape, none.
Jesus alone will deliver us from that fear with the promise of eternal life.
Jesus didn't take the nature of angels...
What is the nature of angels?
Spirits and yet able to take human form. Able to live in heaven with God and travel to earth. Jesus didn't take on an angel's form. He didn't become an angel. Men were made a little lower than the angels, Jesus was made lower than the angels.
Jesus himself suffered being tempted and because he lowered himself to become man and put himself into temptations way He is able to save us.
Yes, we have fear of death now, but we have hope in Jesus, hope because He became one of us and knows what it is to be tempted.
We need to cling to the hope in Jesus, cling to His love and mercy now and always. He will save us, we have hope of a much better life and all those who would have us believe Jesus is just a myth, a fairytale, well, I feel sorry for them because they don't have the hope of eternal life, their only hope is in this world, this ugly sin filled world.
Through Jesus we hope, through Jesus we live now and forever by His Grace.
Amen.
Fear of death.
Just recently I was talking to someone and the subject of death came up and how they'd like to die, of course a typical answer is 'in my sleep'. It would be nice to die easy, who wants to suffer before or during death? Then instead of answering another person said simply that they don't want to die, period. That they've been thinking about it a lot lately and they just don't want to die. That too is something we all want, not to die at all, to live forever.
Fear of death. We are in bondage to that fear all our lives. One certainty in life is death, it's the only certainty really. Just like the only alternative to aging is death as well. As we get older we can tend to think of death more often, it's natural. The fear of death can mount as well the older we get.
'Deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'
Through fear of death we are subject to bondage. Subject to knowing there will be an end to us. It is bondage, we are a slave to dying, there is no escape, none.
Jesus alone will deliver us from that fear with the promise of eternal life.
Jesus didn't take the nature of angels...
What is the nature of angels?
Spirits and yet able to take human form. Able to live in heaven with God and travel to earth. Jesus didn't take on an angel's form. He didn't become an angel. Men were made a little lower than the angels, Jesus was made lower than the angels.
Jesus himself suffered being tempted and because he lowered himself to become man and put himself into temptations way He is able to save us.
Yes, we have fear of death now, but we have hope in Jesus, hope because He became one of us and knows what it is to be tempted.
We need to cling to the hope in Jesus, cling to His love and mercy now and always. He will save us, we have hope of a much better life and all those who would have us believe Jesus is just a myth, a fairytale, well, I feel sorry for them because they don't have the hope of eternal life, their only hope is in this world, this ugly sin filled world.
Through Jesus we hope, through Jesus we live now and forever by His Grace.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
How shall WE escape...if we neglect so great salvation
Hebrews {1:13} But to which of the angels said he at any times, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
None.
{1:14} Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels are ministering spirits.
Ministering spirits sent to minister to those who will be heirs of salvation.
Those who will inherit salvation have the help of ministering spirits, the help of angels.
Angels are real so very real. No, we generally can't see them, and movies have depicted them in many ways- human forms, ghostly spiritual forms, completely invisible. No matter how they're viewed they aren't fictional, they are real.
{2:1} Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
We have to give heed...earnest heed...to the things we've heard. Earnest heed. Not just heed, but earnest heed. We can't let things slip. We can't let salvation be lost to us because we don't listen earnestly to all that is said. Salvation isn't something we can take for granted because it means so much, it means life, it makes life worth living, it make everything have reason, it's not all for naught. All the pain and heartache isn't what life should be we all know that if not readily, deep down. Life wasn't supposed to be this way and it won't be this way, we have salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Hebrews {2:2} For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward
For IF the word spoken by angels was stedfast...and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward...
{2:3} How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
How shall WE escape...if we neglect so great salvation.
Salvation spoken first by the Lord and confirmed to us by those that heard Him.
{2:4} God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.
God- with signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His will.
{2:5} For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. {2:6} But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?{2:7} Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands{2:8} Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put underhim. But now we see not yet all things put under him. {2:9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. {2:10} For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Jesus- for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation prefect through sufferings.
Jesus- wants to save us. Jesus wants us to be brought to glory through Him.
It's not something we can neglect, but something we need to heed earnestly.
God knows us, He knows me, He knows I need Him so desperately and I'm so far from what I should be. Only in Him through faith in Him will Salvation come to us. Faith, belief, God we believe help our unbelief. Have mercy on us Lord. The angels weren't spared, we won't be spared. Your righteousness is all in all through Jesus our Lord and Savior. Please, have mercy on us.
I heard a song on the radio this morning when I was taking my son to school and it said something like this...
'Whatever you're doing inside of me it feels like chaos somehow there's peace it's hard to surrender to what I can't see but I'm giving in to something heavenly'
That part about it feeling like chaos is so true, it really does and while somehow there is peace...it's not always peace we feel, sometimes that chaos is horrific and we just have to hold on tight to Jesus, hold on tight. Praise God, hold on tight.
Amen.
None.
{1:14} Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Angels are ministering spirits.
Ministering spirits sent to minister to those who will be heirs of salvation.
Those who will inherit salvation have the help of ministering spirits, the help of angels.
Angels are real so very real. No, we generally can't see them, and movies have depicted them in many ways- human forms, ghostly spiritual forms, completely invisible. No matter how they're viewed they aren't fictional, they are real.
{2:1} Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
We have to give heed...earnest heed...to the things we've heard. Earnest heed. Not just heed, but earnest heed. We can't let things slip. We can't let salvation be lost to us because we don't listen earnestly to all that is said. Salvation isn't something we can take for granted because it means so much, it means life, it makes life worth living, it make everything have reason, it's not all for naught. All the pain and heartache isn't what life should be we all know that if not readily, deep down. Life wasn't supposed to be this way and it won't be this way, we have salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Hebrews {2:2} For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward
For IF the word spoken by angels was stedfast...and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward...
{2:3} How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
How shall WE escape...if we neglect so great salvation.
Salvation spoken first by the Lord and confirmed to us by those that heard Him.
{2:4} God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.
God- with signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His will.
{2:5} For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. {2:6} But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?{2:7} Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands{2:8} Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put underhim. But now we see not yet all things put under him. {2:9} But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. {2:10} For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Jesus- for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation prefect through sufferings.
Jesus- wants to save us. Jesus wants us to be brought to glory through Him.
It's not something we can neglect, but something we need to heed earnestly.
God knows us, He knows me, He knows I need Him so desperately and I'm so far from what I should be. Only in Him through faith in Him will Salvation come to us. Faith, belief, God we believe help our unbelief. Have mercy on us Lord. The angels weren't spared, we won't be spared. Your righteousness is all in all through Jesus our Lord and Savior. Please, have mercy on us.
I heard a song on the radio this morning when I was taking my son to school and it said something like this...
'Whatever you're doing inside of me it feels like chaos somehow there's peace it's hard to surrender to what I can't see but I'm giving in to something heavenly'
That part about it feeling like chaos is so true, it really does and while somehow there is peace...it's not always peace we feel, sometimes that chaos is horrific and we just have to hold on tight to Jesus, hold on tight. Praise God, hold on tight.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
They could not enter in because of unbelief
Hebrews
{3:7} Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice
{3:8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness
{3:9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
{3:10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
{3:11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
{3:12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
{3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
{3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end
{3:15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
{3:16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
{3:17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
{3:18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
{3:19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
They could not enter in because of unbelief.
Into what?
Into God's rest.
We need rest don't we?
Think about it for a moment. We are almost always looking for rest time, down time, time off, time away, vacations, weekends. Who doesn't know about T.G.I.F. - Thank God It's Friday. Are they really thanking God, probably not in a very reverent manner if they are, of course some could be who am I to judge. The point being that rest isn't something we are unfamiliar with. Rest is something special in many ways. Vacations are planned for months, sometimes years, vacations from work, vacations lengthy rests. Weekends off work mean putting aside work and entering rest, or at least that's what we want it to be. Sometimes even our rest days turn into work weekends where we find more work at home and such than we did during our work week. Even people will say they need a vacation from their vacations because their vacations ended up being more work than fun and rest.
Entering into God's rest is entering into a life unlike any we know. Entering into God's rest is entering into a life filled with such joy and happiness that we can't imagine it fully in our wildest dreams. We only get miniscule glimpses of what's in store for us who will enter into His rest.
We are given cautions though, and the cautions shouldn't be ignored.
The Bible says it so much better than I ever could...
Hebrews
{3:7} Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice
{3:8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness
{3:9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
{3:10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
{3:11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
{3:12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
{3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
{3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end
{3:15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
{3:16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
{3:17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
{3:18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
{3:19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
They could not enter into God's rest because of unbelief.
We need to believe.
We have to get rid of all that would drag us away from belief and there is so much in life that tries to do just that.
There are so many things that pull at our believing and tries to tear down our faith.
Trials, temptations lurk every where we turn, everywhere. There is no place safe from those that would tear away our faith, and *those* are not just humans, but principalities, powers, wickedness in high places. We are surrounded by things that would keep us from God's rest. Getting us to give up our beliefs and caught up in unbelief is something Satan strives for.
Unbelief will keep us from God's rest.
May God help us and here as I repeat one of my favorite Bible verses.
Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Lord help my unbelief, I do believe, I do have faith, help my faithlessness. I don't want to not believe, to not have faith, Lord I need help to believe to have faith.
By the grace of Jesus, by His mercy and love.
Amen.
{3:7} Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice
{3:8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness
{3:9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
{3:10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
{3:11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
{3:12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
{3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
{3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end
{3:15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
{3:16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
{3:17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
{3:18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
{3:19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
They could not enter in because of unbelief.
Into what?
Into God's rest.
We need rest don't we?
Think about it for a moment. We are almost always looking for rest time, down time, time off, time away, vacations, weekends. Who doesn't know about T.G.I.F. - Thank God It's Friday. Are they really thanking God, probably not in a very reverent manner if they are, of course some could be who am I to judge. The point being that rest isn't something we are unfamiliar with. Rest is something special in many ways. Vacations are planned for months, sometimes years, vacations from work, vacations lengthy rests. Weekends off work mean putting aside work and entering rest, or at least that's what we want it to be. Sometimes even our rest days turn into work weekends where we find more work at home and such than we did during our work week. Even people will say they need a vacation from their vacations because their vacations ended up being more work than fun and rest.
Entering into God's rest is entering into a life unlike any we know. Entering into God's rest is entering into a life filled with such joy and happiness that we can't imagine it fully in our wildest dreams. We only get miniscule glimpses of what's in store for us who will enter into His rest.
We are given cautions though, and the cautions shouldn't be ignored.
The Bible says it so much better than I ever could...
Hebrews
{3:7} Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice
{3:8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness
{3:9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
{3:10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
{3:11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
{3:12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
{3:13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
{3:14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end
{3:15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
{3:16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
{3:17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
{3:18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
{3:19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
They could not enter into God's rest because of unbelief.
We need to believe.
We have to get rid of all that would drag us away from belief and there is so much in life that tries to do just that.
There are so many things that pull at our believing and tries to tear down our faith.
Trials, temptations lurk every where we turn, everywhere. There is no place safe from those that would tear away our faith, and *those* are not just humans, but principalities, powers, wickedness in high places. We are surrounded by things that would keep us from God's rest. Getting us to give up our beliefs and caught up in unbelief is something Satan strives for.
Unbelief will keep us from God's rest.
May God help us and here as I repeat one of my favorite Bible verses.
Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Lord help my unbelief, I do believe, I do have faith, help my faithlessness. I don't want to not believe, to not have faith, Lord I need help to believe to have faith.
By the grace of Jesus, by His mercy and love.
Amen.
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