- John 15:4-8
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. - Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. - 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, - Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. - Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:19
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - John 14:15-18
"If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - Colossians 2:9-15
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. - Ephesians 1:22
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, - 2 Chronicles 20:6
and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? - Proverbs 19:21
There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand. - Luke 5:4-11
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. - John 14:1-3
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. - John 14:11-12
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. - John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. - John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. - Romans 5:9-10
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. - 1 Corinthians 1:30
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— - 1 Corinthians 11:25
In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." - 2 Corinthians 3:5-6
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. - Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. - Ephesians 1:5
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, - Hebrews 1:1-3
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, - Hebrews 13:5
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Revelation 3:17
Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— - Exodus 15:1-2
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the LORD,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. - Job 40:9-14
Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you. - Psalm 62:11
God has spoken once,
Twice I have heard this:
That power belongs to God. - John 3:27
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. - John 6:32-33
Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." - Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. - Romans 10:12
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. - Romans 11:34
'For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?' - Romans 11:36
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. - 2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. - Ephesians 4:7
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. - Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light - Philippians 3:3-4
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: - Philippians 3:6-8
concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ - Colossians 2:6-7
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. - 1 Peter 5:6-7
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. - 2 Peter 1:2-3
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, - 1 John 5:14-15
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
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Right now I’m studying the book of Judges. Yes, Judges! That Old Testament book is sandwiched in between the books of Joshua and Ruth. I would guess that Judges is not one of the top 10 favorite books of the Bible on most people’s lists. The book of Judges has a lot to say about our condition today! And is like a mirror of our collective lives!
It’s important for all of us who call Jesus our Lord and Savior to know the full counsel of the word of God and that includes Judges! The book of Judges is about a very very dark time in the history of Israel. A time when the Israelites “did not know the Lord nor yet the works which He had done for Israel”. Judges is a book about APATHY AND APOSTASY! About a time when the chosen people of God turn away from Him and did what was right in their own eyes. The time the people of Israel knew and followed God until the apostasy, or falling away of their faith, took a mere couple of generations! WOW! Think of that! After Joshua, a great and mighty servant of the Lord, died and his generation along with him the next generation did not know God. Oh, they knew of God but did not know Him and His word. They were no longer obedient to Him and did not cling to His ways! The book of Judges is VERY convicting to me! It is a lesson in what happens to an individual and a nation as they stray from being committed to knowing and following the Lord. This is a very sad and eye-opening story about what happens when God is no longer important and the very center of their lives. It teaches us about what happens when we start doing what WE think is best and not what GOD knows is best! The downward spiral and unraveling of a person and a society is jaw-dropping! The book of Judges is very, extremely, overwhelmingly relevant for not only us but for our nation today! To understand Judges, we need to get a little insight into the relationship between God and the nation Israel. God chose the people of Israel to be a light in a dark world. To shine so that as they lived and obeyed the Lord they would show just who God was to a world that was mired in idolatry and spiritual darkness! The Israelites were to be the way the whole world would come know God and worship Him! God promised to bless them so greatly, IF THEY OBEYED HIM, so all the world would wonder who the great and benevolent God of the Jews was. In ancient times everyone believed in a god. (Deut. 30) But God also promised the people of Israel that if they would turn away from Him and not obey Him and would be a bad representation of who He was to the world that He would punish them. (Deut. 30) Not because He was mean or spiteful but because of God’s righteous judgment. The people of Israel had made a covenant, better than a promise, and agreed to this deal. Every evil act has a consequence. God punished the Israelites as a way of waking them up so they would turn from their evil ways and turn back to Him. And in turning back to Him the Israelites would again show the world who the real God is. During the time of Judges, the stubborn nation of Israel started a very dangerous and downward spiral! They turned to their own ways and understanding and always fell into great trouble and great sin. They would turn away from God and… “do what was evil in the sight of the Lord”. This phrase is stated seven times in the book of Judges. Turning away from God started a downward spiral of degeneration and degradation for the Israelites! This is how it happened… The Israelites would forget God and do what they thought was best, sinning and turning their back of God’s word. Then God would punish them for their disobedience and disregard for being God’s representative in the world as a way of reminding them they were His chosen people. Then the people would cry out to the Lord when things got really bad for them. I find it so interesting that not until things got bad in their lives that they concerned themselves with God. Sound like many of us today! Then God would answer them and send them a leader called a Judge (really a warrior Chief) to set them on the right path of obedience to God and get them out of the trouble they were in. Then there would be peace and rest in the land until the Judge died. And here is the scary thing, the cycle would start over and over again! Seven times in over 300 years! And why did the nation of Israel sink into this downward spiral of disobedience and judgement? It was a matter of THEIR EYES! The Hebrew language is very literal. It use lots of concrete words to define abstract ideas. The word “eye” in the context of Judges means “sight or perspective or arrogance”. During the time of Judges, the people did what they THOUGHT was right… not what WAS right. The whole book of Judges can be summed up in these few words… “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25 The book of Judges can be a very “eye opening” book! It shows us what happens to us when we forget God and go our own way. And it isn’t pretty! It shows us how we too can get caught in recreating the same sin over and over again because it is our very broken nature. Thankfully, God has a cure for our eyes! Fixing our eyes on Jesus the founder and perfected of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of God. Hebrews 12:2 Fixing, or looking at nothing else than Jesus, is a way to stop the cycle of our own eye problem! And how do we do this? By bowing our knees to the authority and kingship of Jesus in our lives. Living for Him and not for ourselves! Accepting His free gift of salvation and becoming a disciple of His and Him alone! Then under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, reading and studying and obeying the very Word of God! How can you know and see Jesus if you do not read and study your bible? Let’s not take our eyes off of Jesus! For if we do we will develop the same eye problem the nation of Israel had in the time of the Judges! יום הכיפורים
Yom HaKipurim Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement is still celebrated by Jews today. It is their most important holiday. It comes on the tenth day of the first month. So it is ten days after their New Year (from the rabbinic tradition not given to Moses and not the technical Jewish New Year), Rosh Hashanah. Thus, it comes at a good time for them to practice self-evaluation and repentance at the "beginning of the year." It is referred to as Shabbat Shabbaton, “Sabbath of Solemn Rest” or “Sabbath of Sabbaths.” Old Testament Scriptures Leviticus 16:2-6 the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. Leviticus 16:20-22 “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. Leviticus 16:29-34 He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins. Procedures For The High Priest To Follow A. Do NOT come at any time into the Holy Place. (16:2). Even the high priest did not have free access to the Holy of Holies, which represented the presence of God. The high priest, like all of the people, was a sinner. And God is absolutely holy. Because of that, there was a separation. “Your iniquities have created a separation between you and God.”(Isaiah 59:2). The veil, which separated the rest of the tabernacle from the holy of holies, was a visible symbol of the gap between God and man. God was so serious about the methods used to worship Him, when two of Aaron’s sons used their own ways to approach God, they were killed. Therefore, unrighteous man can only approach a holy God through the way that He has prescribed. The high priest could only come in to the holy of holies once per year on the day of atonement. And very specific procedures were given for him to follow before he was allowed to approach God. This day, and the procedures to follow are as we will see a picture of the gospel message. Sinful man cannot approach God through his good deeds, devices, or methods. There is a wall separating us from Him that can only be bridged through His mercy. (And it was the mercy seat that the high priest approached.) B. Wear holy linen garments (16:4) – To signify the solemnity of this even the high priest had special garments to wear. It was a solemn and serious thing to approach a holy God. The high priest could not roll out of bed in the morning and just casually or sloppily enter into God’s presence. He had to ready himself. He had to wear the garments approved by God. This showed that he respected God’s commands and his own role in representing God’s people as a mediator. Jesus would later tell a parable, teaching His followers that you cannot attend the wedding feast wearing your own clothes. We cannot approach God by our own efforts, but only by what He provides us. The “holy garments” are an outward picture of that reality. C. Bath – “He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.” (Leviticus 16:4) Before the high priest could even put on the clothes, he had to first bathe. The physical bath would remove outer dirt and impurities, things unfit to take into God’s presence. That reminds us that a person has to be clean and pure in order to approach God. The outer washing is a picture of that spiritual transaction that has to take as we must be consecrated and cleansed to come in to God’s presence. 1 Peter 3:21 – Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
That is a reminder that sanctification is an ongoing process. D. Aaron (and future high priests) first offered a bull offering for himself and his family (16:6) – The high priests themselves were sinners. So how could they be representatives of the people and come before the Lord as their mediator? Their own sins had to be dealt with first. So before Aaron could even come into God’s presence or offer a sacrifice for the people, he had to offer one for himself and his own family. E. Two goats (16:7-10) – Next the high priest would take two goats and bring them to the entrance of the tabernacle. Lots would be cast. One would be chosen for the sacrifice. The other would be chosen as the scapegoat. After the other sacrifices were made, the priest would lay his hands on the scapegoat, and confess the sins of Israel, ritually removing them from Israel and putting them onto the innocent animal. That animal would then be sent into the wilderness away from the Israelite camp. It was another physical picture of the spiritual reality taught in Psalm 113:12, ” As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Their sins were symbolically imputed to the animal who took the suffering for them.
F. Censer with coals from the altar and two handfuls of sweet incense – The high priest was to offer up incense before the Lord INSIDE the veil. The text says, “so that he does not die.” The incense cloud would cover the mercy seat and God would show mercy. Incense often represents prayers in the Bible. And we are reminded from this that Jesus as our high priest also offers intercession for us that we may receive mercy from God. (Romans 8:34) G. Sprinkle blood from the bull offering – In the next step, the priest would take some of the blood of the bull sacrifice and sprinkle it on the mercy seat that is on top of the Ark of the Covenant. The bull’s blood was offered for the high priest and his own family. Only after first receiving forgiveness could he represent the people. He would sprinkle the blood seven times. Seven represented the number of perfection or completeness. So it reminds us that God’s forgiveness is complete. Those whom He cleans, are completely clean. H. The second goat of the sin offering (16:14-16) – After the high priest was cleansed, he would then offer the goat sacrifice for the people, following the same ritual of sprinkling the blood on the mercy seat seven times ” Leviticus 16:17 – “has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel.” After sprinkling the mercy seat, he would then go back outside the tabernacle and sprinkle the horns on the altar. Something interesting I noticed is that not only did the people need atoning for. The altar itself, the holy place, and even the tabernacle needed atoning for. ” Leviticus 16:20 “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar.” That is very revealing. There is nothing holy apart from God Himself. The most beautiful and holy-looking things themselves were unclean.
Atonement meaning –
What word does the sacrificial system bring to your mind? For me, it is TEDIOUS. We have only covered a few of the many regulations of this ONE DAY per year. Rules for bathing. Rules for how to wear clothes. Rules for animals. Rules for sacrifices. Rules for the tabernacle. Rules for going in to the holy place. Rules for sprinkling. And many rules aren’t even mentioned here. Rules for the exact composition of ingredients of the incense. Rules for the exact dimensions and materials for the veil and tent. Also, there had to be atonement for so many people, atonement for the high priest first, atonement for the altar, atonement for the tent, atonement for the holy place (atonement for the things used to bring atonement to others)! This specific ritual had to be done every year, over and over and over and over again. And that is only one day per year. The rest of the year was filled with other sacrifices, repeated again and again and again. Praise God we can read and study this and understand God’s plan. But brothers and sisters, we also praise God that we are not under this anymore. Why? Jesus. All of this was designed to point us to Christ. Symbolism and Pointing to Christ in the NT Hebrews is like the New Testament Leviticus. The writer shows us how God used these Old Testament rituals, which were temporary, to point us to something far greater, which is permanent. Hebrews 9:11-15; But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:25-26 – Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 10:11-12 – And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. If you have studied Hebrews before, you probably are aware of the theme. The writer’s thesis is simple: Jesus is superior. He goes through many different things and proves that Jesus is superior to them all. Jesus is superior to the angels. Jesus is superior to Moses. He is superior to the priests. He is superior to Old Testament leaders. His sacrifice is superior to the Old Testament sacrifices. His covenant is superior to the Old Covenant. Jesus is far greater than everything else that has come before (or will come after). Those things, however, serve their purpose. What is their purpose? The lead us to Christ. By being compared to Christ, they reveal to us how glorious He is. Think about it this way. If the Old Testament sacrificial system was never established, people would not be aware of how serious their sins are. Nor would they have the same level of gratitude for and awe of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. These things very existence glorify Jesus who outshines them. Jesus could do in one man and in one moment what thousands of men and millions of sacrifices could not accomplish in hundreds of years. When you look specifically at the tabernacle and the Day of Atonement, you see that Jesus is everything. Jesus provides us with the garments to wear, giving us white robes. Jesus’ blood purifies us from our sin. Jesus is the high priest coming into God’s presence and offering a sacrifice on our behalf. And He Himself is that perfect sacrifice. He is the one who tears down the veil. He is the altar. He is the lampstand. He is our intercessor. He is our mediator. He represents us to God as our advocate. And He reveals God to us. There are a couple of differences though between Jesus’ sacrifice and the Day of Atonement. Jesus did not need to purify Himself or offer sacrifices for Himself as Aaron did. He was already perfectly holy. Therefore, He is a better mediator. Also, His sacrifice is better. Once was enough. His blood is absolutely perfect and infinitely valuable. So one sacrifice for all time is sufficient. It never needs to be repeated. Also, He can go into the Holy of Holies at any time because He Himself is holy. He is better than the scapegoat, because the scapegoat only took the people’s sins away (and that symbolically and for a short amount of time). Jesus’ actually imputes His righteousness to us. So not only can He can in to the Holy of Holies at any time, but those in Him can too. We can boldly approach God’s throne of grace directly at any time as His children because of Christ’s work for us. What the people would do? Leviticus 23:26-32 – And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath.” We have looked at the priest’s role, I want to briefly look at what the people would do on this day.
Baptism is a symbol of spiritual cleansing, or purification. How often do you need to clean your house, is once enough? Many often turn comprehensive cleaning into a yearly ritual, “spring cleaning.” If at no other time, once a year the whole house is scoured into shape. There’s a difference between tidying and cleaning. Tidying involves putting shoes on racks, clothes into drawers, books on shelves, and toys in bins. Cleaning requires vacuuming, mopping, spraying, wiping, scrubbing, and magic-erasing. To my eyes, at least, tidying makes a more immediate, obvious difference. But cleaning reaches deeper, and its effects last longer. Did you know that in the law God gave Israel through Moses, God himself instructed the people to clean his house once a year? Leviticus 16: Purging God’s People and Place; Leviticus 16 is a familiar passage, but we often miss this aspect of it. In the instructions this chapter gives for what is often called the Day of Atonement—or Yom Kippur—God appoints cleansing not only for the people, but also for his tabernacle. Why did God’s house need cleaning? At the literary center of Leviticus 16, and at the center of the actions it prescribes for this day, is a sin offering brought into the Holy of Holies, the innermost room of the tabernacle, God’s portable dwelling with his people (Lev. 16:15–19). This was the only time when anyone was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies, and only the high priest was granted entry (cf. Heb. 9:6–7). The high priest was instructed to kill the goat of the sin offering, collect its blood in a bowl, enter the Holy of Holies, and sprinkle the blood over and in front of the mercy seat (Lev. 16:15). To what effect? “Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins.” And what happens to the innermost room happens to the whole: “And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses” (Lev. 16:16). Leviticus 16 teaches us sin not only burdens us with guilt, it also stains us and whatever we touch. Sin makes us both unclean and transmitters of uncleanness. Through the tabernacle, God dwelt with the Israelites in a special way. But their sin came between them and God. The people’s sin dirtied God’s house. It threatened to push away the God who graciously chose to dwell with them (Ex. 29:45–46; Lev. 26:11–12). Leviticus 16 teaches us sin not only burdens us with guilt, it also stains us and stains whatever we touch. So, this divinely appointed yearly cleaning of God’s had two effects: the Day of Atonement purged God’s people and his place. We see both in Leviticus 16:33: “He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.” Jesus’s Offering in Hebrews: But sin’s problems go even deeper than what Leviticus 16 tells us. Israel’s sins eventually piled up to such an extent that, as the Lord warned in advance, the land “vomited” them out (Lev. 18:24–25). Ultimately, the sins that Israel committed drove the Lord far from his sanctuary (Ezek. 8:6). In judgment, God’s glory departed from his sanctuary (Ezek. 10:1–22). And though God restored his people and enabled them to rebuild their temple, the underlying condition of sin persisted. Persisted, that is, until Jesus came to deliver us. As Hebrews tells us, the fact that the Day of Atonement had to be repeated yearly signals that it wasn’t a final solution to sin: “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near” (Heb. 10:1). But that is just what Jesus came to do. The fact that the Day of Atonement had to be repeated yearly signals that it was not a final solution to sin. On the cross, Jesus gave his life for ours, paying the price we deserved for our sins. Echoing Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:22 reminds us, “[W]ithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” In his death, Jesus “bore the sins of many” (Heb. 9:28). And then, on the third day, he rose from the dead, thereby obtaining “the power of an indestructible life” (Heb. 7:16). Jesus then did what the high priest on Yom Kippur only foreshadowed: he entered God’s Holy of Holies in heaven, and presented himself there to the Father as the perfect, sufficient, once-for-all sacrifice. Only in light of what we’ve seen in Leviticus 16 do passages like the following make sense: Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor did he enter to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by his sacrifice. (Heb. 9:24–26; cf. 9:11–12) By entering God’s dwelling in heaven and presenting himself to God, Jesus perfectly purged God’s people and his place. On the cross, Jesus was slain as the spotless victim whose blood purchases our eternal life (Heb. 9:22, 28; cf. 9:15; 13:20). After rising again, he was appointed high priest in the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:7–10; 7:11–28). Then, after ascending to heaven (Heb. 4:14; 7:26), Jesus offered himself, his body, his blood, by presenting himself alive to God in the throne room of God’s heavenly tabernacle (Heb. 7:27; 8:1–5; 9:11–14, 23–28; 10:10–14; 12:24). In addition to cleansing God’s dwelling in heaven, Jesus’s heavenly offering obtained for us perfection (Heb. 10:14), redemption (Heb. 9:12), forgiveness (Heb. 10:18), and unhindered access to God forever (Heb. 4:16, 10:19–20). Deepest Deep Clean: Parts of this reading of Hebrews might be new to you. Many Christians have understood Hebrews to locate Jesus’s offering exclusively on the cross. But a deeper understanding of Leviticus 16 can help us understand the book of Hebrews better, too. The high point of the Day of Atonement was what the high priest did in the Holy of Holies. Hebrews itself tells us this when it reminds us that only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, “and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people” (Heb. 9:7). Where and when did the high priest make his offering? When he entered God’s earthly inner sanctum. Where and when did Christ make his offering? When he entered God’s heavenly inner sanctum, after rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. This in no way downplays or diminishes the cross, since the cross is where Jesus gave his life for ours, defeated death, bore the curse of the old covenant, and inaugurated the new (Heb. 2:9, 14–15; 9:15–17; 13:20). By presenting himself alive to God in heaven, Christ presented to the Father what his death on earth accomplished. In heaven, Christ offered to God what he achieved on the cross. This is the cleansing we need far more than any spring cleaning. And it’s the deepest deep clean that can never—and need never—be Lessons Every part of the Bible is useful and rich, even Leviticus! There is great value in studying the Old Testament sacrificial system and feasts (below), but we do not have to go back to the Old Testament law. The rules for this festival and the others we have studied are found in Leviticus. Leviticus gives us the Old Testament law. If you are under the obligation to observe the feasts, then you are under obligation to obey the whole law. We are not. We are under Christ. We are free of this tedious system, which was never intended to be permanent, but which always was intended to point us to something better, that is Christ. Having said that, there is great value in studying this and the other feasts. What?
How to celebrate the Day of Atonement today? A. We don’t need to keep the day of atonement the same way they did in the Old Testament. And in fact, it would be impossible for us to do so since there is no temple or sacrificial system in place today. That was something that had to be repeated over and over every year in order to provide a temporary cover for sins. God designed it to point to something far greater, far more superior. Christ. B. We should remember Christ’s sacrifice every day. We celebrate this all the time because there is nothing more important. C. We should also have times of repentance and self-denial (fasting.) We should do that regularly as a lifestyle. And we should also have times when we set aside to do it. That is one benefit of having a set day for everyone to practice repentance and self-evaluation together. At the same time, all doing it together can become legalistic and less personal. So today, we need to make time to repent on a regular basis. D. We should regularly confess our sins and seek forgiveness. It is an amazing privilege that cleansing is available to us so we should not take it for granted. Today we have seen some of the background for the Day of Atonement. And we have seen that this festival points us squarely to Christ who is superior in every way. If I could leave you with one thing- it is this: I hope you will be in complete awe of Jesus. Prayer Points
The Great Commission Did you know that the phrase ‘Great Commission’ does not appear in the Bible? Bible translators have added headers to the chapters of every book. But they are not in the original text, whether in the Hebrew Old Testament or the Greek New Testament. So, what does it mean? Why his it such a big part of Christianity? Finally, does it have anything to do with God’s chosen people, Israel? What Does Commission Mean? Without diving into a theological discussion, let’s first take a look at the meaning of this phrase. What is a commission? The term itself could be described as a directive, instruction, or charge. Have you heard of commissioning an art piece, like a portrait? That means a task was assigned to a competent person. Commissioning can also mean giving authority, for example putting someone in a higher position, like in the military. A commission can mean a group of people, an official body, that is entrusted with authority or chosen to address a problem. A great example of that is the European Commission, which is the executive body of the European Union. Why do these definitions matter to us? It is because each meaning somehow relates to the instructions that Jesus gave His followers. We were assigned, the Messiah deemed us competent, and gave us authority. What is the Great Commission? Now that we have a good understanding of what the words mean, let’s hear them! The Great Commission is an assignment that God gave the church in our age. Jesus shared it with His friends right before He ascended to Heaven: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:19-20) While there is much more to the church than the Great Commission, it is a concise summary of our task here on earth as the Body of Messiah. It is common for believers to understand this commission primarily as sharing the Gospel. But the task includes much more. In this article we will often turn to a book that may be small in size but is massive in significance. Samuel Whitfield’s “Israel and the Great Commission: How the Great Commission Fulfilled God’s Purpose for Israel and the Nations”dives deep into the topic. Whitfield skillfully unravels the beauty of God’s redemptive plan, Israel’s importance, and our role in it all. How does Israel relate to the Great Commission? Does it really have a place in this great directive that Jesus gave His followers? After all, many Jewish people rejected Jesus in His day (and continue to do so to this day). So, is this relevant to His greatest redemptive calling? By now, you probably know that the answer must be "yes”, but you might still be wondering “how” (or “why”). Past church history in certain circles, mainly the Roman Catholic Church, were led to think that God is finished with a destiny for the Jewish people, because He transferred all His promises to the church (Huh? ouch! This kind of severe misunderstanding is what happens when religious institutions put clergy or hierarchy above all people to equally discern the word of God for themselves). This all changed after the holocaust, and establishment of the state of Israel, when the Roman Catholic Church (which by the way, Catholicism has a lot of bad theology and doesn't represent all collective Christian history) made huge advancements and with Jewish-Christian relations. God's Continuing Plan; The Global Upheaval and its Spiritual Impact Then, the sudden reemergence of the State of Israel defied all odds. It forced the world to deal with both the repercussions of the Holocaust as well as the continuation of a Jewish legacy in the Middle East. Unexpectedly, not only the church but entire nations had to wrestle with the question of Israel, the Jewish people and… God’s sovereignty and unique ongoing purpose for Israel in God’s redemptive plan…” Sharing the same promises and spiritual legacy would be divisive enough. But an even greater challenge looks us in the eye when we acknowledge that we – the Church and Israel – simultaneously share our calling and commission. The Primary Assignment for Children of God Whitfield also points out another major issue in today’s theological approach to the Great Commission: “Many believers see the Great Commission as a New Testament assignment that shifts the focus of the church away from Israel’s story to the nations.” But is that factual? Is the focus on the nations of the earth new? You will find your answer as soon as you turn your attention to one of the first covenants established by God. Our Creator chose Abraham to make a covenant with him, but also with all mankind. God begins His redemptive plan with both Israel and the nations in mind. This means that Israel and the nations are deeply connected in the context of the Great Commission. We are commanded to go to the nations, because that was his plan all along. This profound truth is grounded in Scripture and carried forth by historical events that God put in motion. And He will continue working in every generation, until His Word comes to pass, and His promises come to fruition. The Great Commission in the Old and the New Testament By looking to Abraham – but not only him; think even as far back as Adam or Noah – we are reminded of omnipotence of God. The Old Testament and the New are not separate books and were always meant to be studied together. And so, the themes, including God’s commandments and His blessings, intertwine throughout the entire Bible. There are undeniable links between key passages in the Jewish Tanach (OT) and the Christian New Covenant (NT). “We will discover the Great Commission has its roots in the Old Testament. It is not a new command, but part of the progression of God’s redemptive work. In the same way, Israel’s story does not end with the Old Testament. It’s an ongoing story that depends on the nations to come to fulfillment,” What does the Bible Say? This is always the right course of action. Check everything with the Word of God. Does God's word give us a clear picture of what God thinks or feels about any given matter? ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.’ (2 Timothy 3:16) God revealed Himself, in large part, in the context of relationship. This explains why the Bible is composed of stories and not just attributes of God’s character. We learn them too, but the Creator revealed His heart mainly through His interactions with humanity. In light of that, we need to be honest with ourselves in answering the question, which relationship God established and described in His Word to serve as an example. Is it the nations in general? Or does He choose a specific nation to meet with, talk with and even dine with? As Whitfield put it: “[God] designed His interaction with Israel and the nations to reveal who He is. Israel in particular is a gift of God to the nations to instruct us in the knowledge of who God is and who man is. Therefore, we study Israel to better understand the knowledge of God.” Israel’s Story Is Ultimately about Israel’s God Israel's story is ultimately about Israel’s God, and His glory is at stake in her story: ‘Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name.’ (Ezekiel 36:22) The chosen people set the context for the life of Jesus. Consequently, it also means that Israel sets the context for the church. And with that, it involves both in the Great Commission. “If we make Israel the primary point of the Bible, we will get off track. 'But if we keep Jesus central in Israel’s story, we will avoid a number of errors and receive the full benefit of Israel’s role in the redemptive story" “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matt 5:17).
Before there was the Siddur, Israel had a prayer book. It’s the book of Psalms. In this divinely inspired prayer book, Psalms 113-118 focus on God’s saving power and are used during Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot and Chanukkah to praise Him for various aspects of
His saving power. Psalm 113 praises God for being so great, yet concerned about helping the lowliest human being! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, you His servants; praise the name of the Lord. “The name of the Lord” means the Lord Himself. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Praise the Lord! Hallelu-Yah! Praising the Lord is a command. To praise the Lord, we don’t say “Praise the Lord.” We praise the Lord by saying nice things about who Yah, the Lord, is and what He has done, is doing and will do. Who needs to praise Him? Everyone, but particularly those who serve Him. Praise the Lord, you His servants. When should those who serve the Lord declare truths about who God is and what He has done, is doing and will do? Let the name of the Lord be praised both now and forevermore. Because He is eternal, and He will give His servants eternal life, the Lord’s servants should praise Him now and forever! Where should the Creator be praised? Everywhere on Earth. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. There is no place where our great God should not be extolled. If you are in a place where you can’t praise Him, maybe you shouldn’t be in that place. Why should the Lord be lauded? Because He is greater than all of humanity and the entire universe The Lord is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. This supreme ruler is greater than everyone and everything in the universe. Like a man who has to bend over to look at a pebble at his feet, the Lord has to stoop down to look at the universe with its billions of galaxies and trillions of stars and planets. Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the Earth? Why should the Lord be praised? Because He is so much greater than us, yet He knows us intimately, loves us and is concerned about us, and wants to help even the poorest and lowliest among us. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes, with the princes of His people. He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Shouldn’t the God who is so great, yet concerned about helping the lowliest human being, be praised? Yes. And so the psalm concludes with Hallelu-Yah! Praise the Lord! Psalm 114 praises God for being so great that He can rescue a nation enslaved to the most powerful nation on earth, part a sea and a river and miraculously provide water from a rock for millions of people and their animals. When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel His dominion. God got very involved with the people of Israel during their exodus from Egypt. It shouldn’t surprise us that when the Creator got close to Israel, creation responded in unusual ways. The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs. Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs? The Red Sea parted before the people that God was close to. Mount Sinai was shaken when the presence of the Lord descended on it. The Jordan River parted before us. Don’t you want this same God close to you, ruling over you? Imagine what might happen to your Red Seas, to your Jordan Rivers! The lesson to be learned: All of the inhabitants of this planet should treat the Creator, Messiah, with fear, reverence, respect. Tremble, Earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water! Don’t you want this same Supreme Being, who was able to free a nation of slaves from their more powerful oppressors; part a sea and river; shake the mountains and miraculously meet the physical needs of millions of people – close to you, ruling over you, meeting your needs? If so, transfer your loyalties to Him and obey Him. Psalm 115 praises God that salvation comes only from Him, the True God, the Living God, and not from the false gods of other religions. The Jewish people were being threatened by enemies. The people prayed that the Lord would save them, not only for their benefit, but because by saving Israel, He would be honored. Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness. By saving Israel from enemies, His love and His faithfulness would be revealed; He would be honored. And the Creator being honored is such a good and right thing. Our enemies might taunt us, claiming that our invisible God wasn’t real and couldn’t help us. After all, everyone knew that gods should be visible and tangible and made from the most precious materials. Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” The God of Israel may be invisible to human beings, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t real. He is real and powerful and is in control of all things. Our God is in Heaven; He does whatever pleases Him – in His time, and in His way and to accomplish His purposes – so, How do we make sure we are lined up with his purposes, and how does this relate to revelations? The reality is that it was the false gods who were powerless. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but can’t speak, eyes, but can’t see. They have ears, but can’t hear, noses, but can’t smell. They have hands, but can’t feel, feet, but can’t walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Not all religious opinions are equally valid. Not all gods are the same. Baal is not the same as Adonai. One is the real Creator God. One isn’t. One saves human beings from Satan, sin and death and one doesn’t. And, since it’s a principle that we become like our God, if our god is cruel and capricious and foolish, we will become cruel and capricious and foolish. If our God is faithful and kind, we will become faithful and kind. If our God is real and lives forever, we will live forever. If our god is false and temporary, we will perish. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. No matter who you are, place your faith, your confidence your trust in anyone other than the true God. Don’t give your loyalty to anyone other than the living God, the God of Israel. All you Israelis, trust in the Lord – He is their help and shield. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord – He is their help and shield. You who fear Him, trust in the Lord – He is their help and shield. God is in control of the universe and rules over it according to His will. But, He allows human beings to govern this planet. The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the Earth He has given to mankind. So, let’s use the free will the Lord has given us to rule this planet, not to defy Him; not serve false gods, false religions, false philosophies and ideologies; not to advance the demonic/human alliance/ rebellion against Him, but rather to honor Him and follow His wise principles. Amen? It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence; it is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore. Prior to the coming of the Messiah, the dead, both the righteous and the wicked, went to Sheol when they died, which is characterized as a place of silence. The good news is that those who are loyal to the true God, no matter if they die, will live again and praise Him and serve Him forever! That’s a God worth praising. And so the psalm concludes: Hallelu-Yah! Praise the Lord! Psalm 116 praises God because He is able to save us from the most desperate circumstances. We live in a very dangerous world. It’s a tremendous thing to have a Powerful Ally we can go to for help in times of crisis. I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. It’s proper, right, appropriate, expected to give our affections and devotion to a God who hears and answers our requests for help. In a fallen world, some dangers may be life-threatening. We may need divine help to escape from those dangers. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” And, often the Lord will graciously respond to our requests for help and we can once again be at peace. The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For You, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. When you are under attack and in danger, it’s better to trust the Lord and remain faithful to Him than to panic. I trusted in the Lord when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”; in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.” When God helps you, tell others about this God who saves. Serve Him and worship Him unashamedly. What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation (the drink offering of wine that accompanied sacrifices or a cup of wine lifted up to thank God for His help) and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. The Lord is able to save us from the most desperate circumstances. But, He doesn’t always do that. In spite of our prayers, saints are often taken from us. If God doesn’t save someone, it doesn’t mean that He doesn’t care or that their life doesn’t matter to Him. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants. God does care and the lives of those who serve Him are precious to Him – in life and in death and beyond death. Again, if the Lord does help one of His sons or daughters, we should thank Him, worship Him, serve Him passionately, unashamedly, boldly. Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve You just as my mother did; You have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the house of the Lord – in your midst, Jerusalem. A God who loves us and is committed to helping us faces life’s dangers and will help us in our time of death is worthy of our praise, isn’t He? And so the Psalm concludes with: Hallelu-Yah! Praise the Lord! Psalm 117 Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples! For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. And all those, Jews and Gentiles, who return His love and who are faithful to Him will enjoy His love and faithfulness – forever. And a day is coming when the whole world will turn from their false religions and philosophies and laud the true God. Hallelu-Yah! Praise the Lord! Psalm 118 praises God for the ultimate salvation that comes to us through the Messiah, who is the Lord who has become our Yeshua, our Salvation; the Messiah, who is the right hand of God; the Messiah, who is the gate that opens to righteousness; the Messiah, who is the stone the builders rejected; the Messiah, who comes in the name of the Lord! The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. Humans, even the most capable, aren’t reliable. They may ignore you, hurt you, let you down, betray you. Not God! It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. So, go with God, not people. Go with God, not the powerful. Go with God, not the majority. With God’s help you can overcome the most powerful forces that attack you. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. Being in a right relationship with God, getting close to Him and staying close to Him enables Him to act powerfully for us. The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my Yeshua – my salvation – a hint of God giving us ultimate Yeshua, help, by becoming incarnate in Yeshua, Jesus. Again, being right with God and doing the right things unleashes the power of God to help us and brings us happiness and success. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” The right hand is the hand of greater strength. The Lord’s right hand is a way of describing His powerful activity. Yeshua is at the right hand of God. Yeshua is the right hand of God. God the Father uses Messiah the Son to accomplish His powerful works of creation, salvation and rulership. The divinely-inspired poet knows that although he may suffer, he will survive. I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death. He prays that God would enable him to go though gates, perhaps the temple gates, so that he will be able to get closer to God who manifests His presence at the temple and gives victory to those who are in a right relationship with Him. Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. God heard and answered the prayers for help from this righteous man, and so he thanks Him. I will give You thanks, for You answered me. God helps the righteous, brings them salvation, and through the Incarnation, literally becomes our ultimate salvation, our Yeshua, our Jesus! You have become my Yeshua – my salvation! God uses a stone that was rejected to bring salvation and stability to us. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Israel may be the stone rejected by hostile nations. The king of Israel might be the stone rejected by others. Regardless, God will make sure that the nation of Israel and the nation’s king will accomplish His purposes. And ultimately, Messiah, who represents Israel and who is Israel’s perfect King, is the stone, rejected by the majority of Israel. But God overrules that rejection, and makes Messiah the cornerstone of a new and perfect and eternal universe! Success comes from the Lord, especially ultimate help, final victory, ultimate success. Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The fulfillment of this is the ultimate leader that God sent to rule us and help us – the greatest Son of David, Messiah Yeshua, who perfectly represents God. We must welcome Him, bless Him if we are to be saved and have success. There is only one God – Adonai, the Lord. And He has revealed Himself in this dark world, and shone His light. This great God who is able to help us in life’s circumstances, and ultimately and eternally saves us through the Messiah, should be worshiped during the wonderful holidays He has given us. With boughs in hand, join in the holiday procession up to the horns of the altar. And this good and loving and eternal God should be praised by each individual who comes to know Him as “my God”. You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, and I will exalt You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever! Amen? Amen! I love these psalms! Thank God for the Hallel, Psalms 113-118, which He has given us to enrich our understanding and to praise Him for various aspects of His great saving power! When tragedy strikes, it is common for people to ask,
"What does this mean?” When we witness some disaster or mass murder, there is a natural feeling that what has happened should not have happened. This innate sense of “wrongness” is a clue to meaning in these events. When we look to find meaning in tragedy, we must have the right perspective. We need to approach the question in a way that allows for a coherent answer, and this is only possible through a Christian worldview. Because God instills meaning into every moment and event in history, through Him we can begin to find meaning in suffering. The nature of this world lends itself to tragic events. Fortunately, God speaks to us, so that we can find not only meaning, but salvation and relief from the sufferings of the world. When studying physical motion, it is crucial to understand perspective. Speed and acceleration are only meaningful in relation to some other object; this object is the reference point. The way in which the reference point moves affects our perception. The same is true in our sense of right and wrong. For concepts of good, bad, right, wrong, or tragedy to be meaningful, they have to be anchored to a reference point that does not change or move. The only valid reference point for these issues is God. The very fact that we consider a mass murder wrong strongly supports the idea of God as the reference point for our sense of good and evil. Without God, even the events we consider the most tragic are no more meaningful than anything else. We have to understand the nature of this world and our relationship to God in order to draw any meaning at all from the things we see. When Jesus instituted communion, He tied the past, present, and future together. First Corinthians 11:26 says, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup (the present), you proclaim the Lord’s death (the past) until He comes (the future).” God’s knowledge of all events means nothing is insignificant to Him. If God knows when a sparrow falls, He certainly knows when we face tragedy (Matthew 10:29-31). In fact, God assured us that we would face trouble in this world (John 16:33) and that He has experienced our struggles personally (Hebrews 2:14-18; Hebrews 4:15). While we understand that God has sovereign control over all things, it is important to remember that God is not the source of tragedy. The vast majority of human suffering is caused by sin, all too often the sin of other people. For instance, a mass murder is the fault of the murderer disobeying the moral law of God (Exodus 20:13; Romans 1:18-21). When we look to find meaning in such an event, we have to understand why this world is the way it is. The hardship of this world was originally caused by mankind’s sin (Romans 5:12), which is always a matter of choice (1 Corinthians 10:13). While God is perfectly capable of stopping tragedies before they begin, sometimes He chooses not to. While we may not know why, we do know that He is perfect, just, and holy, and so is His will. Also, the suffering we experience in this world does three things. It leads us to seek God, it develops our spiritual strength, and it increases our desire for heaven (Romans 8:18-25; James 1:2-3; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:7). In the garden of Eden, God spoke to Adam and communicated in clear and direct ways, not in abstract concepts. God speaks to us today in the same way. In some ways, this is the most important meaning to be found in any tragedy. Tragic events demonstrate much of their meaning in the way we react to them. C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” This does not mean that God causes tragedy, but that He uses our reaction to tragedy to speak to us. Tragic events remind us not only that we live in an imperfect and fallen world, but that there is a God who loves us and wants something better for us than the world has to offer. https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR25WT0EDsA2nQMzSclQNkd5GewcW2cFOa0N-PHZ95PamvJanmdUZsm96jA&v=h7-IAFogxcM&feature=youtu.be
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the term repentance to mean “a turning from sin.” Regretting sin and turning from it is related to repentance, but it is not the precise meaning of the word. In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8–14; Acts 3:19). In summarizing his ministry, Paul declares, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action. What, then, is the connection between repentance and salvation? The book of Acts especially focuses on repentance in regard to salvation (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20). To repent, in relation to salvation, is to change your mind regarding sin and Jesus Christ. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), he concludes with a call for the people to repent (Acts 2:38). Repent from what? Peter is calling the people who rejected Jesus (Acts 2:36) to change their minds about that sin and to change their minds about Christ Himself, recognizing that He is indeed “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Peter is calling the people to change their minds, to abhor their past rejection of Christ, and to embrace faith in Him as both Messiah and Savior. Repentance involves recognizing that you have thought wrongly in the past and determining to think rightly in the future. The repentant person has “second thoughts” about the mindset he formerly embraced. There is a change of disposition and a new way of thinking about God, about sin, about holiness, and about doing God’s will. True repentance is prompted by “godly sorrow,” and it “leads to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Repentance and faith can be understood as two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to place your faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior without first changing your mind about your sin and about who Jesus is and what He has done. Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest, it is a change of mind. Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ. Repentance is not a work we do to earn salvation. No one can repent and come to God unless God pulls that person to Himself (John 6:44). Repentance is something God gives—it is only possible because of His grace (Acts 5:31; 11:18). No one can repent unless God grants repentance. All of salvation, including repentance and faith, is a result of God drawing us, opening our eyes, and changing our hearts. God’s longsuffering leads us to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), as does His kindness (Romans 2:4). While repentance is not a work that earns salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in works. It is impossible to truly change your mind without that causing a change in action. In the Bible, repentance results in a change in behavior. That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). A person who has truly repented of his sin and exercised faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19–23; James 2:14–26). To see what repentance looks like in real life, all we need to do is turn to the story of Zacchaeus. Here was a man who cheated and stole and lived lavishly on his ill-gotten gains—until he met Jesus. At that point he had a radical change of mind: “Look, Lord!” said Zacchaeus. “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8). Jesus happily proclaimed that salvation had come to Zacchaeus’s house, and that even the tax collector was now “a son of Abraham” (verse 9)—a reference to Zacchaeus’s faith. The cheat became a philanthropist; the thief made restitution. That’s repentance, coupled with faith in Christ. Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about your sin—no longer is sin something to toy with; it is something to be forsaken as we “flee from the coming wrath” (Matthew 3:7). It is also changing your mind about Jesus Christ—no longer is He to be mocked, discounted, or ignored; He is the Savior to be clung to; He is the Lord to be worshiped and adored. John 14:5-1 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that is sufficient for us.”9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. But the Father who lives in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me. Or else believe Me on account of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do also. And he will do greater works than these, because I am going to My Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in My name, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. Jesus and the Father is One! Yeshua's words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” are found in Luke 23:34. Jesus looked down from the cross upon a scene that must have been distressing to Him. The Roman soldiers were gambling for His clothing (John 19:23–24); the criminals on the crosses to either side of Him were reviling Him (Matthew 27:44); the religious leaders were mocking Him (Matthew 27:41–43); and the crowd was blaspheming Him (Matthew 27:39). Surrounded by this most unworthy lot, Jesus prayed for them. "Father, forgive them” is a prayer of unmatched mercy and love. Even in His agony, Jesus’ concern was for the forgiveness of those who counted themselves among His enemies. He asked the Father to forgive the thieves on the cross who jeered at Him. He asked the Father to forgive the Roman soldiers who had mocked Him, spit on Him, beat Him, yanked out His beard, whipped Him, put a crown of thorns on His head, and nailed Him to the cross. Jesus asked forgiveness for the angry mob that had mocked Him and called for His crucifixion (Mark 15:29–30). It is important to note that Jesus’ prayer, “Father, forgive them,” does not mean that everyone was forgiven, unilaterally, without repentance and faith. It does mean that Jesus was willing to forgive them-- forgiveness was, in fact, the reason He was on the cross. The words “Father, forgive them” show the merciful heart of God. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them,” because He was fulfilling Old Testament prophecy: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). From the cross, Jesus interceded for sinners. Today, risen and glorified, Jesus remains the “one mediator between God and mankind” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them,” because He was putting into practice the principle He had taught in the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44). Jesus, the persecuted, prayed for His persecutors. Coupled with the willingness of Jesus to forgive His tormentors is the fact that they -did not know what they were doing- (Luke 23:34). The sinners who put Jesus on the cross were ignorant of the true import of their actions. The soldiers personally held no ill will toward Him. They were simply following orders. This was how they normally treated condemned men, and they believed that He truly deserved it. They didn’t know that they were killing the Son of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:8). The mob didn’t really know whom they were trying to destroy. The religious leaders had deceived them into believing that Jesus was a fake and a troublemaker (Acts 3:17). In praying “Father, forgive them,” Jesus revealed His infinite mercy; He still loved them and would forgive them if only they would humble themselves and repent (Matthew 18:14; 2 Peter 3:9). Jesus’ prayer “Father, forgive them” was answered in the lives of many people. The Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, upon seeing how Jesus died, exclaimed, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). One of the two thieves crucified with Jesus exercised faith in Christ, who promised him paradise (Luke 23:39–43). A member of the Sanhedrin publicly aligned himself with Jesus (John 19:39). And, a little over a month later, three thousand people in Jerusalem were saved in one day as the church began (Acts 2:41). On the cross Jesus provided forgiveness for all those who would ever believe in Him (Matthew 20:28). Jesus paid the penalty for the sins that we commit in our ignorance, and even the ones we’ve committed deliberately. We too, become an answer to Jesus’ prayer “Father, forgive them.” |
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