Paul's Reason for Enduring
The following is a short meditation by Dr. James White.
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they also might experience the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, and with it, eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:10 - translation by Dr. James White)
The context is important. 2 Timothy is Paul's farewell letter to Timothy. You don't waste words when writing your farewell to a dearly beloved son in the faith. He is encouraging Timothy to be strong. He calls Timothy to "share in suffering" with him (2:3), to compete, work hard, and remember Jesus Christ. Then, in verse 9, he mentions his own suffering as a criminal for the gospel. This is the context lying behind Paul's statement that he "endures."
Endures what?
Everything. All the opposition and attacks and beatings and imprisonment and long days of toil and labor--he endured it all for what reason?
Oh, surely, we could say "the glory of God," but that isn't Paul's answer here. Instead, he says he endures all of this "for the sake of the elect."
Many may wish this term did not appear in Scripture, but it is right there - "the elect," "the chosen ones." Paul uses the same term in Romans 8:33 "Who will bring a charge against God's elect?", and significantly in Colossians 3:12: "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Notice that Paul refers to the professing believers in Colossae as "those who have been chosen of God." Not those who chose God (they did that, but they did so as a result of being chosen by Him: the Christian gospel is God-centered, not man-centered!). It is important to see the source of the "choosing" in election here: "chosen of God." God chooses. God disposes. God is sovereign in this matter.
And so back in 2 Timothy 2:10, Paul endures the sufferings of his apostleship "for the sake of the elect," but the reason he does so should not be missed, "so that they also might experience the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, and with it, eternal glory." Paul sees his sufferings, his ministry, his tireless work, as means God has used to bring His elect to salvation. As I have said many times, God ordains the ends as well as the means. Preaching, teaching, ministering, defending the faith--all are means used by God to bring His elect to salvation. Just a few more quick notes:
1) Why preach if the identity and number of elect was fixed in eternity? Arminians ask this all the time. Because it is our glorious privilege to be used of God in His service as the means by which He brings His elect unto Himself! We who have heard the Master's call and been raised from spiritual death should long to be used of God to bring others into His kingdom, just as He used those in the faith before us to bring us the life-giving message of the gospel.
2) The interface of the divine decree ("the elect" here clearly refers to a specific people, chosen by God, not merely "foreseen down the corridors of time") with its outworking in time (seen in Paul's activity and suffering) is seen. Is God dependent upon Paul? Surely not in the eternal perspective of His decree. But we cannot "see" that decree. We have God's prescriptive will plainly revealed to us: preach the gospel to every person! Fight the good fight! Endure persecution as a slave of Jesus Christ! We know God will save His elect, and we know those who truly respond to our message do so only by grace. This gives us boldness to proclaim God's command to repent to all men everywhere.
3) The elect come to Christ. Almost every passage that speaks of the gospel's specificity in the New Testament likewise denies the concept of inclusivism or pluralism. The salvation the elect obtain is "in Christ Jesus" and in Him alone. It is simply ridiculous to think that Paul includes in this the idea of some kind of "secret, ignorant disciple who clings to falsehood but is really in Christ anyway." Such is purely wishful thinking on the part of modern neo-evangelicals who are ashamed of the exclusivity of the claims of Christ.
Psalm 22
Psalm 22 is what theologians refer to as a Messianic Psalm. Though written by David it refers to events that transcend his own life and were fulfilled in the life, and especially the death (crucifixion) of Messiah. This is possible because as 2 Peter 1:21 tells us, "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
When Jesus cried out "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me" two things were taking place, neither of which was contradictory. Firstly Jesus was feeling the full force of being forsaken by His Father, as sin was placed upon Him and He bore the Father's just wrath for it in our place.
Secondly, just as in our culture, if someone were to say "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound" we know that these words are not being said at random, but we are being reminded of a familiar hymn. The Book of Psalms was the inspired song book of the Jews and for Jesus to quote the first line of Psalm 22 it was a thunderously loud message to all who heard it that He Himself was fulfilling the words of the entire Psalm as he hung there in agony on the cross.
Speaking of the Gentiles, David wrote in verse 16, "For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet." There is nothing to suggest any of this happened in the life of David, but were fulfilled around a thousand years later by Christ at the crucifixion. What is more than interesting is that when David penned these words, crucifixion was not even invented as a form of torture and death. Sceptics grope for an answer as to why David could write of such things but the believer's confidence is that only God could have been the source of these words, which is itself a wonderful testimony to the Divine inspiration of Scripture. David was "carried along by the Holy Spirit."
The same can be said about verse 18, when David wrote, "they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." There's nothing to suggest this happened to David, but it did happen to Messiah and Jesus is once again alerting us to that by quoting the opening words of the Psalm. The crucifixion of Christ was not an accidental, haphazard occurence. As the early Church prayed to God in Acts 4, "for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place."
Jesus was never more in the will of God than when He hung on the cross as our sinless sin bearing Substitute. By raising Him from the dead God testified that He was indeed His Son and validified all His claims as to what His death had accomplished. Paul tells us, He "was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.." (Romans 1:3, 4)
Watch now as Ryan Ferguson delivers a memorized dramatic recitation of Psalm 22 from the ESV Bible. - JS
So You Fell? So What? Run Christian, Run!
Phil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...
After training for this event for months and months, Heather Dorniden faced the unexpected when another racer cut her off - she fell very hard. But when you see what happens next, you'll be amazed and inspired. - JS
Reminding God
Just as the covenant sign of the rainbow "reminds" God to never flood the whole earth to destroy all flesh (Gen 9:13-17), so the new covenant in Christ's blood "reminds" God not to treat our sins as they justly deserve. I would encourage you to reflect on this the next time you partake of the Lord's supper.
What He does for us
One can stand in a Swiss Alpine valley and be mesmerized by looking upwards at the rugged majesty of a single mountain peak on display.
One can also take a plane ride over the entire Alpine range and from the plane's window see that what was intriguing and totally captivating from the ground, is but one stunning enchantment amongst a thousand others of equal splendor. To gaze upwards from the ground as well as downwards from above, is to see the Alps as they should be seen. I have had the joy of doing both.
I love the Alpine mountains of Switzerland. I also love Romans chapter eight.
It is easy to run out of superlatives when describing the amazing insights contained in the passage. Sometimes though, perhaps even because each word and each sentence is so poignant and pregnant with meaning, we can fail to see the grandeur of the larger picture. As we scrutinize each word, we see intricate and stunning beauty; but when we take a step back, so to speak, and view the passage as a whole, a breath taking truth emerges.
The big picture from verses 26 to 38 is the unfolding revelation of God's love for His people. These are the ones He chose to draw to Himself even before the world was ever made. God's plan would never be thwarted, despite all the opposition hell could fashion against it. Though these same elect ones endure famine, nakedness or sword; and though they face everything life, death and all that satanic principalties might throw their way, these loved ones remain super conquerors through the One who loved them. Nothing can separate them from the love of God.
As the text is outlined before us now, allow me just to highlight in bold capitals the phrases that show just what God is doing for His elect:
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Dealing with Disappointment
"During the period when lotteries were unhappily allowed to flourish in this country, a gentleman, looking into the window of a lottery office in St. Paul's Churchyard, discovered to his joy that his ticket had turned up a 10,000 pound prize. Intoxicated with this sudden accession of wealth, he walked round the churchyard, to consider calmly how he should dispose of his fortune. On again, in his circuit, passing the lottery office, he resolved to take another glance at the charming announcement in the window, when, to his dismay, he saw that a new number had been substituted. On inquiry, he found that a wrong number had at first been posted by mistake, and that after all he was not the holder of the prize. His chagrin was now as great as his previous pleasure had been." — W. Haig Miller's "Life's Pleasure Garden"
When you and I experience a disappointment far more grievious than the failure to win the lottery, what is our anchor? When the sea billows roll, what keeps us from drifting far from the safe refuge of His presence?
The answer is found in what we choose to think about. What we choose to believe.
The Psalmist David wrote, "I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:13, 14)
Hebrews 6:19 tells us that hope is "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul." It is a certain expectation of future blessing and favor.
When you have lost something precious, perhaps even someone precious, even the most precious relationship you have ever had in this world, just remember, the same Sovereign One who has ordered your events in time is the all wise and Omniscient One too.
As much as a finite mind ever could ever be given access to even a measure of His thoughts and to know what He knows about you and the situation that greatly troubles your heart - if you could look beyond your present disappointment and see things as He does, you would have ordained the events of your life just as He did - you would have chosen what He has chosen for you. This indeed is the supreme comfort of the saints in their trials. God in His providence has ordered all the events of time and though the One who gave might have chosen to taken away, we should always say, "Blessed be the Name of the Lord."
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No one Can Believe in Jesus Unless God Grants It
Synergists teach that that we are born as God's children by the will of man but the Bible teaches that we "were born, not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13)
In context verse 13 says,
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (King James Version)
The literary structure of these two verses points out that the antecedent efficient cause of "those who received Him" (in faith) is that they were born of God. So, in short, those who receive Christ must, necessarily, be born of God first. Regeneration "unto" faith. verse 13 modifies verse 12.. No one receives him unless God first opens his heart in regeneration. John continues this theme throughout his book in chapter 3 and again in chapter 6. No one can believe in Jesus unless God grants it (John 6:65) and ALL to whom God grants it will believe (John 6:37) The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing (John 6:63). A syllogism which leaves no room for synergism.
Back to verse 12 & 13: To all who received him... God gave them the power to become sons of God, and they did so not by the will of the flesh or of the will of man but because they were born of God. If you don't read it that way, verse 13 has no meaning. You cannot receive Christ apart from the use of your will and unless the will is renewed, there is no hope of receiving Him.
There is No God Seeker (Romans 3:11)
By Pastor John Samson
"I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." - Romans 10:20
Here in this verse, God declares that He revealed Himself to those who were not even seeking or asking for Him. That is something to really think about.
Who was this group that God revealed Himself to?
Well, we might think it is some distant African tribe or all of the many atheists who at one time professed that there was no God at all. However, the startling biblical answer to the question is that its all of those who have come to have faith in Christ.
Romans 3:11 says "no one seeks for God." Literally the text reads, "there is no God seeker."
We tend to be blind to this truth, especially when we might have heard numerous testimonies of (now) Christian people who say they were seeking for God all their lives - seeking Him in many different spiritual experiences, even through searching out many different religions.
While it is certainly true that these people sought many different experiences and were involved in other religions, what the Bible teaches is that none of us by nature wish to know the God of the Bible. We are born DOA (dead on arrival) spiritually speaking, yet we walk a course mapped out for us by the Prince of darkness. We are by nature children of wrath rather than children of God and unless God intervenes, we will never seek to know the one true God. That is the clear teaching of the opening verses of Ephesians chapter 2. All our religious "searchings" are really attempts to run and hide from Him. Like Adam in the garden of Eden after he had sinned, He hid from the presence of the Lord. That is our inner disposition towards God until God moves upon the heart and draws us to Himself. Before that we might want all the trappings of what a relationship with God brings - forgiveness, freedom from a guilty conscience, feelings of happiness and assurance, peace within; but we just dont want to go to God to get these things. We often mistake a desire for these things as a desire for God. Hear again the word of the Lord, "there is no God seeker." (Romans 3:11).
Though the Bible commands us, "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near," (Isa. 55:6) none of us by nature will actually ever do that. We have the responsibility, just not the interest.
We fail to seek Him, not because we have no physical ability to seek. We seek many things. We are insatiably curious at heart. We want to know things. We want to know how things work. We want to know the truth, or so we think. Yet while still in an unregenerate state, the one thing we will never seek is to know God; not the real God; not the God of the Bible. By nature we are not God seekers; but are actually hostile to God at heart. The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. We are searching, not for God, but for ways to live independently from God, often through the means of religion.
The Scripture verse above reads, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." Every true child of God, trained and taught by the Scripture, knows that we now seek and love Him, because He first sought and loved us.
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2 Peter 3:9 & John 12:30
Question:
Lets start with 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, ...as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Now if I just took that verse by itself I would run to the Universal Redemption side. It certainly shows that it is not God's intention for any of his creatures to suffer an eternity apart from him.
Then there is John 12:30 Jesus said, “This voice has not come for my benefit but for yours. 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw ...all people to myself.†12:33 (Now he said this to indicate clearly what kind of death he was going to die.)
So if God does not want any to perish and it is his intention to draw all men to himself, but somehow this doesn't seem to be enough for some, the answer "the free will of man" to choose not to believe. We all get to make the choice because... God draws us to him and gives us all that we need in order to freely make the choice. This for the free will side is where the mystery stuff happens. How is it that God is able to enlighten man's soul to the brink of knowledge and faith, it leaves only one thing left to do, believe or not, the work is already done, all the effort spent, all the issues set aside, only one thing remains between God and man.
Now if I take that verse well, it sounds like all men will be saved. But there are other verses that say different.
Response:
I can understand how you may have drawn the conclusions you have...but lets look at each in context.
The desire for "all to come to repentance" is an imperative. The Bible says "God commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel" (Acts 17:30) i.e. the repentance of man is an imperative (command), not an indicative (fact). A command does not show what we can do, but what we OUGHT to do. it is a conditional statement that asserts nothing indicatively. It would be a contradiction to say that God commands something that he does not want us to do. Likewise statements such as "be perfect", "if you are willing", "if you hear", "if you do" declare, not man's ability, but his duty. To infer "free will" from this, therefore, is simply importing a meaning in the text that is not there and confusing indicatives (facts) with imperatives (commands). Of course we agree that God wants all men to obey the command to repent. This is his preceptive will about what he wants man to do. Is says nothing about what God has done, or will do, or about man's ability. The command to believe does not imply ability. For instance, if I borrowed $100 million to establish a new company and instead squandered it in Vegas, my inability to repay the loan does not alleviate me of responsibility to do so. Likewise before God we owe a debt we cannot repay. Faith and good works are equally difficult without renewal of heart (Ezek 36:26).
Consider this ..."Does it follow from God's command: 'turn' that therefore you can turn? Does it follow from "'Love the Lord thy God with all your heart' (Deut 6.5) that therefore you can love Him with all your heart? Does this mean you believe 'free-will' does not need the grace of God, but can do all things by its own power? It does not follow from this that man is converted by his own power, nor does it say so in the Text; they simply says: "if you will turn, telling man what he ought to do.
Synergists,teach that 'salvation depends on human will', but the Bible teaches that (and I quote) 'it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." (Rom 9:16) God commands repentance and belief but no do so ... only by his mercy do they come.
As for for the Text "drawing all men to himself" (John 12:33) I believe you should take a closer look at the context. Jesus is speaking to Greeks, not Jews and it is clear from the context that he is referring to all nations. So when he says "when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself", he simply means that he will draw not only Jews but the Gentile nations as well, fulfilling the promise to Abraham that through him all the families of the earth will be blessed. In other words, Jesus does not say he will draw all men on earth without exception, but rather, he will draw all men without distinction. So because the context and use of words differs, it is inappropriate to interpret John 6 in light of John 12 ... (different conversations).
Actually, in case you think I made this "without distinction" thing up, the apostle John often speaks this same way of nations and groups; consider John 11:49-52"
"But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish." He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad."
In other words, Caiaphas is referring to all people without distinction from every nation, not all people without exception on the earth. Not Jews only, but Jews and Gentiles who are scattered on the whole earth from every nation.
Also, the text in John 6 which says ALL the Father gives to Jesus will come to him (6:37) makes your interpretation from John 12 an impossible supposition. Look carefully at John 6:65 -- No one can believe unless God grants it (universal negative) (John 6:37) All that the Father gives to me WILL come to me (universal positive). In other words, together it plainly states that no one can believe in Jesus unless God grants it and all whom he grants in Christ will believe. Jesus is careful to say that the Father first gives people to the son prior to their believing in him (V. 37). These versus dismantle any possibility that it means he will draw all without exception. John 6:44 must, therefore, be read in light of John 6:37 (in context), not John 12.
We must thank God for all that we have, including the new heart to believe. We must not think that it was due to our own wisdom or prudence, or good will that God then responded to us. Grace is not a reward for faith, it is the cause of it.
Note: I recognize another way of understanding 2 Peter 3:9 as speaking in context of the elect. I do not discount this interpretation. Many Reformed theologians point this out. But it is also true that God wants all to obey his command to repent - speaking of man's duty, not God's will of decree.
Kings and Priests of the Whole World
The land that God had promised to Abraham pointed to a much greater reality, the claim of the Creator upon the whole creation. The land promise to Abraham and to his descendants, was that he should inherit, not just one small strip of territory between the Jordan and the Mediterranean sea, but the whole world (Rom 4:13; Matt 5:5; Rev 5:10; Psalm 2:8)
‎"...it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring."(Rom 9:8)
"And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." (Gal 3:29)
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." (2 Cor 1:20)
Buses and Ambulances
"till we all come to the unity of the faith" Ephesians 4:13
"In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity." - Augustine
The high amount of injury and bloodshed amongst the people hurled under proverbial buses has caused great concern to me recently.
I would just make the point that the reformation slogan of “Semper Reformanda†or “Always Reforming†is a very good one. The Reformation was never just a snap shot in time, but a desire for all Christians and the Church at large to be mastered by the God-breathed word of God until all thought and doctrine was bibline.
I for one, am so glad that succeeding generations have weighed up some of the things the Magesterial reformers have said and written and decided that they were wrong – plain wrong – on some things. For example, some of the worst things ever said about the Jews, come from the lips and pen of Luther. That indeed is a terrible tragedy.
Luther was a father to German hearts the way Lincoln was and is to the people of the United States. It could be argued that Germany’s history with anti-semitism could be traced back directly to Luther’s writings. It gives me no joy at all to say so, but that is a fact. As much as we love these heroes of the faith, only Scripture is the sole infallible rule of faith for the people of God. Yet we embrace these men even though we may strongly disagree with them on some things. Believe me, for a Jew, Luther’s rhetoric is very problematic, and I have had many a conversation with Jewish people where when the name of “Luther†came up, the conversation was basically over. Yet centuries on, I am happy to embrace Luther as my brother in Christ and fellow laborer in reformation and am thankful to God for his ministry.
I say all this because many seem to want to claim the title of “reformed†only for themselves. Some Presbytereans seek to outlaw Baptists as not being reformed, and so on. Cessationists want to do that with the likes of Piper, Grudem, Storms, D. A. Carson and so on. Without trying to be funny, I just think cessationists should just “stop it!†None of these men individually or not even all of them collectively are infallible (just like Luther or Calvin) but I think we are a sad, sad bunch of people if we do not allow these men (and others like them) to be included under the umbrella of “reformed,†because of our differences concerning spiritual gifts.
The issues are indeed important, but lets keep talking to one another, and not divide over these things, when what we share in common FAR outweighs our differences. If you can look at a D. A. Carson and say “I dont want you in our circles because you wrote a book about spiritual gifts and exegeted 1 Cor 12-14 in a way I dont agree with†– be my guest – go ahead.. but you wont find me cheering you on.
I thank God very much for my reformed cessationist friends and am happy to embrace them as co-laborers in reformation. I hope others on the other side of the aisle in this debate can do likewise in reciprocity.
Semper Reformanda,
John Samson
Comfort Ye My People
"...so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." Heb 9:28.
Comforting news. When Jesus returns He has no intention of dredging up your old sin but to embrace his child with open arms. So our hope is NOT based on the whole life lived, as the New Perspective believes but rather your complete acceptance by God based on the life and death of Christ alone.
Bible Verses Usually Not Displayed on the Refrigerator
From Matthew 11:25-30
(1) God hides some things from some and reveals them to others (election)
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
(2) Come to me all…. (the evangelistic call)
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.â€
From Luke 24:16-31
(3) God veiling:
v. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
(4) Human responsibility and culpability:
v. 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!â€
(5) God Revealing:
v. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.
From Romans 11:7-10
(6) God making eyes blind and ears deaf to His truth:
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.†9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.â€
(7) Jesus' explanation as to why He told Parables
Matthew 13:10-17
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?â€
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Also, in the parallel account in Mark:
Mark 4:10-12
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that
“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.â€
And in Luke:
Luke 8:9-10
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’
According to Jesus, the reason that He spoke in parables was so that God would leave certain people in their blindness, while at the same time, using them to reveal His truth to others (to whom these things had been “givenâ€.)
“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.†– Matt 13:11
The Parable of the Wedding Feast
Matthew 22:1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.â€
There are many things that could and should be said about this parable. I just want to focus on one aspect in this short post – the wedding garment.
Because it is not explicitly stated by the text and because most of us who read this parable are not aware of first century Jewish culture (the context in which this parable was given), we miss something that would have needed no explanation to those who heard Jesus. In the ancient world it was expected that when a king invited guests to a wedding, he (the king) would provide the wedding garments. For anyone to show up to the wedding in something else, it means that he REJECTED what the king had provided. It wasn’t just that he did not have enough righteousness to enter the wedding; it was an act of defiance and the ultimate insult to the king. Until I understood this, I thought that in all honesty, the king’s actions were more than a little over the top; an over-reaction, if you will. Yet such is certainly not the case when we understand what was really going on here. The man was in absolute defiance of the king when he came wearing something of his own choosing.
What a parallel this is to the righteousness of Christ. All we bring to the wedding is our tattered and polluted, sin stained garments, yet in accepting the invitation to come, we are given the gift of the most ultimate wedding attire imaginable. In biblical terms this is a righteousness that is perfect, that has never known sin, the very righteousness of Christ.
Paul wrote, “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith..†(Phil 3:8, 9)
The fate of the man in this parable is indeed haunting as he is thrown out into outer darkness (the picture of hell). Yet what else could be the fate of One who rejects the perfect righteousness of the Savior?
In contrast, those at the wedding can say with Isaiah, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.†(Isaiah 61:10)
Who clothed me?
God did!!!
Soli Deo Gloria
- JS
The Shepherd's Responsibilities
One of the many reasons God calls each individual Christian to be part of a local Church is so that they are properly shepherded. God has ordained that each of His sheep is cared for and nourished and although outside ministries can supplement a believer's spiritual intake, the scriptural responsibility lies with a group of local male elders to properly care for the flock.
Paul, speaking to elders from the city of Ephesus said, "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)
It is interesting that the Greek word ποιμαίνω (poimaino) is here translated as "care for" in the ESV while other translations use the word "feed." A better translation would be "shepherd."
Local Church elders are given the task of shepherding the sheep which means taking responsibility for the total well being and welfare of each sheep under their care. "Shepherd the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."
There are four main tasks for a shepherd.
(1) Feeding - Providing a safe place for sheep to eat healthy food
"The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures." - Psalm 23
(2) Shearing
Shearing is generally carried out in the spring, so sheep don't become overheated in the summer. A long fleece is likely to become dirty and drag along the ground, increasing the possibility of flystrike.
A bulky fleece decreases the mobility of sheep.
In hot weather, sheep with too much wool are extremely susceptible to heat stress!!
Shearing keeps stained wool and mud-contaminated wool separate from new fleece growth.
Shearing can be stressful for sheep and it therefore requires skill to shorn efficiently and quickly, without causing harm to sheep or shearer.
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...and raised us up with Him
Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins... 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
The Shepherd's love and care for the sheep
From John’s Gospel, we can make the following scriptural statements:
All that the Father has chosen to be His from eternity, He has given to the Son (John 6:37); and all whom He has given to the Son, the Son knows (John 10:3); and calls (John 10:3-5); and all whom He calls, know Him (John 10:14) and recognize His voice (John 10:4-5) and they come to Him (John 6:37) and follow Him (John 10:4, 27); and the Son lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11); and He gives them eternal life (John 10:28) and keeps them in the Father’s word (John 17:6), so that not even one of them is lost (John 6:39), to glorify the Son forever (John 17:10). This is the indestructible foundation for an infallible salvation that rebounds in the end to the glory of both the Father and the Son.
None of Christ’s sheep finally reject His word. Though He allows some of His sheep to resist the word for a long time, never do they reject it finally. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.†(John 6:37). What a promise! And what a privilege we have in sharing the Gospel with people, as we witness the Good Shepherd rounding up His sheep. - JS
My Commands Are Not Too Hard For You
Synergists often cite Deut 30:11-14 to show that man can turn to God of his own natural capacities.
"For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' 14But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
But as is the case in most error, they have not carefully read the passage for context. A few verses earlier the Lord says that our hearts first need to be circumcised by God's own hand for us to love him, which is what makes obedience possible. (Deut 30:6)
"And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live."
Images of the Savior (15 – The Darkness before the Dawn)
I have lately gone through a period of sluggish affections, dullness of heart, and spiritual sight much dimmed by a morbid preoccupation with the affairs of this passing world, which have drawn my gaze away from the light-shedding Sun of Righteousness, whose first advent was the Dawn of the year of God's favor, and whose hastening second coming will be the eternal noon of Glory. I cannot enumerate all the causes of this decay, although I am certain that they all spring from the depths of my desperately wicked and deceitful heart; but I do know that even in this, God's sovereign mercy still leads unerringly through the night, working out eternal purposes of good which he has planned for me, and will not relent until he has accomplished them all.
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Concerning Differing Degrees of Reward in Heaven
Luke 19:16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’
Jonathan Edwards was a wonderful and precious gift of the ascended Christ to His Body, the Church (Eph 4:7-14). Through his writings, he remains so.
Some years ago, John Piper recorded a section of Jonathan Edwards' sermon preached in December, 1740, on Romans 2:10. Dr. Piper regards this section as the best thing he has ever read on the issue of varying degrees of reward, glory, happiness and holiness in heaven. I would agree.
I believe Jonathan Edwards provides satisfying answers to questions such as "how is it possible that there are varying rewards in heaven and yet it also be the place of supreme happiness for the saints?"
It is vintage Edwards. He has obviously given this a great deal of thought as he has pondered and meditated deeply on the biblical texts.
It comes from page 902 of the second volume of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. It last about 7 minutes and can be found here. - JS
Apostles Today?
What are we to do with ministers in our day who say they are apostles? Many are simply self professed men seeking to draw disciples after themselves and whose doctrine is highly problematic at best, or at worst, completely heretical. These men are not merely false apostles, but perhaps even false disciples of Christ.
But what of the people who seem to be, from all outward appearances anyway, “sane†individuals – Christian ministers who have excellent and sound theology but still insist that there are apostles today and.. wait for it.. actually believe they are apostles themselves?
I am thinking of men like C.J. Mahaney (of Sovereign Grace Ministries) in the USA and of Terry Virgo (of New Frontiers Ministries) in the United Kingdom. These are highly respected men who have served the cause of Christ faithfully for decades and have established a huge network of pastors and churches under them who look to them for leadership and guidance, both locally in their home nation and overseas.
What do we do with these men? I have to admit that my initial impulse was to reject completely the idea of apostles being alive today. However, I have enough respect for these men to at least allow them to define what they mean when they use the term. Therefore, I think the first thing we need to do is take a deep breath and allow them to explain themselves. More here. - JS
A Few Hellish Thoughts
A very good friend of mine, Pastor Graeme Adams, from Dundee, Scotland writes, "“Are you orthodox on the issue of hell? Good! Does it cause you to pray and weep for the lost and actively seek ways to reach them with the good news of Jesus, or be smug or worse because you know something Rob Bell doesn’t? It’s incredibly sad and harmful when high profile leaders propagate heresy, AND when millions of Christians profess faith, historical biblical faith, and yet don’t live it. Heresy and Cold lifeless heartless Orthodoxy are partners in crime against humanity and God. May God use this issue to break our hearts.â€
I've put further thoughts together here. - JS
Faithful are the wounds of a friend
On Sunday evening, God used a friend to speak directly into my life. I hope you have such a friend. See here.
Jesus and Tsunamis
When it comes to God and His Sovereign right to do all He pleases in heaven and on earth (Psalm 115:3) such is the depravity of mankind that we take our seat in the court of human opinion as both the jury and Judge, putting God Himself in the dock, demanding He answer the charges of injustice. We want answers! We feel we have that right! And we are ready to find Him guilty as charged for violating some moral law.
When devastation occurs, many wish to point their cannons Godward demanding that He explain Himself to us. Jesus words in Luke 13 shows us that in all reality, God's guns are rightfully aimed in our direction and it is we who must repent, not God. Short article here.
Solomon's Song (2)
After reading my brief overview posted last week concerning what the Song of Solomon is all about, someone wrote to me with this question:
Interesting… so if Song of Songs is “not a book about Christ†why is it in the Bible? The way I understand the Old Testament and, it seems, the way Christ understood it, is that it is ALL about Christ. The book of Hebrews rather liberally applies the temple, sacrificial system, and priesthood to Christ… why not the Song?
My Response: It is a huge oversimplification to say that ALL the Old Testament is about Christ. Of course, much of it does point to Christ. Jesus was able to reveal much of this to the two who walked with Him on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:44 – “Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.â€
“Everything written about me†is not the same thing as saying “everything written is about me.â€
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The Law Promised Life
"For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them (Ro 10:5). [but] The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me (Ro 7:10) "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." (Jas 2:10) "For God [sent] his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh ... in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Ro 8:3-4)
Perfect law-keeping is required to merit eternal life. But the law, rather, brings death because we all have failed to keep it, save for Jesus Christ who was "born under the law" and fulfilled its righteous requirements on our behalf. Praise be to God.
Solomon's Song
Question: I am trying to make sense of the Song of Solomon. I recently went to a Bible study where the teacher was saying that it is a book about Christ and His Bride (the Church) but as I read it, I am not sure about that and this interpretation seems to raise more questions than it answers in my mind. Any thoughts?
Answer: Thanks for your question. I believe you are right to question the interpretation you heard for the simple reason that the Song of Solomon is not a book about Christ and His Church. What you heard is not a new idea, but though quite widespread, actually has no basis in Scripture.
The concept stems from what theologians call the “allegorical†method of interpretation, which ignores the historical background and the actual subject matter on display to instead look for a “deeper†or “hidden†meaning, spiritualizing every word and detail to seek to make application to Christ. Though the method has noble motivation, the fact remains that Christ and His Church are never mentioned in the book.
Actually the book is about romance and love, even erotic love between Solomon and his bride. I am told that in Hebrew society, young boys are not permitted to read the book until their “bar mitzvah†when they “come of age†so to speak, and are considered fully adult men by their community. That is because the Jews understood the book to be something of a handbook for marriage. More here. - JS
Paul, to the Galatians
When Paul wrote to the Galatian Church to warn of the Judaizing heresy, he did not mention the fact that the Judaizers embraced Christ as Messiah and were probably in all other ways fully orthodox.
I am sure they believed all the Old Testament. Perhaps they would even affirm the true humanity and full deity of Christ. Perhaps even Christ’s substitutionary death for sinners on the cross, and even His resurrection from the grave… on and on we could go.
Yet the Apostle Paul never mentioned any of this in his letter to the Galatians. Why not? For the simple reason that there was no need to do so. That was because in spite of all the many vital doctrines the Judaizers would affirm, they added one thing to the biblical gospel (it happened to be circumcision in this case) and the gospel is not something anyone can mess with. Jesus + circumcision is not the gospel.
Paul’s reaction, and I might say, his Holy Spirit inspired reaction, was to warn of the false doctrine in no uncertain terms calling it for what it was, “a different gospel.â€
Galatians 1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant (slave) of Christ.
Imagine what the reaction would have been when Paul’s letter to the congregation was read out loud to the people. Certainly, there would have been Judaizers present in the services when the words were heard in the various Christian meeting places in Galatia. Its no real stretch of the imagination to say that we can be sure that Paul would have been hated by many.
The Apostle Paul could not have been more clear. He pronounced the eternal curse of God on anyone preaching another gospel, even if the one preaching it was Paul himself or even a heavenly angel.
I can imagine people saying, “Where is the love Paul? Do you not recognize the wonderful things the Judaizers have brought to our congregation? They can teach us so much about God’s law. They can show us how Christ fulfills all the types and shadows and even the Feasts of Israel. We have been so enriched by all they have taught us. What’s wrong with you for being so short sighted Paul? If you had heard ALL these men have been teaching you would not write in this way….â€
But what Paul wrote – every word of it – was inspired by the Holy Spirit, even when he called the perpetrators of the false doctrine “false brothers.†(Gal 2:4)
Continue reading "Paul, to the Galatians" »
The Satanic Power of a Question
Cosmic treason, a brutal attack, yet subtle in the extreme, the serpent asked the first ever question in the Universe, and this world has never been the same since. Article here. - JS
Is God's love unconditional?
I am not entirely sure I used the phrase "God loves you unconditionally" when preaching the gospel to people, but many years ago I made a conscious determination never to do so. Here's why. - JS
Does Romans 2:13 Prove We Can Be Declared Righteous by Obedience to the Law and Self-Effort?
In my recent post entitled "Grace Does Away with Free Will Altogether" I had a visitor quote me Romans 2:13 to demonstrate that through self-will we can obey the law and be declared righteous. Lets look at it:
"It is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." Rom. 2:13
My Response: Yes read in isolation that text would appear to be teaching that someone could be saved by obeying the law, apart from grace. And indeed it is true that we would save ourselves if we never committed sin. But such an interpretation completely misses the context of the verse since you conclude we have the moral capacity to obey the law and live. Jesus alone has this honor. Paul is teaching the contrary to fallen humanity.... He (in Rom 2:13) is middle of building his case that Jews and Gentiles alike are both under sin and have thus forfeited their claims to life by means of obeying the law. And he ends the section by saying just this: "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:19, 20). In other words, the purpose of the law is not to show our ability but our inability. And this then shows that Paul means exactly the opposite of what you are trying to make the verse say. Romans 2:13 is not declaring what we can do, but what we ought to do -- and ultimately, as we see later, do in Christ. I fear this is what happens when we read a text in isolation. Rather, in context, it becomes clear that Paul is saying IF you obeyed the law you would be declared righteous. But then goes on for the next chapter and a half to prove that you fail the test.
Here are two articles on the subject of Rom 2 that may help further illumine.
Romans 2:13 and the Covenant of Works
Do Believers "Receive Eternal Life According to Their Works"?
Law and Gospel
The Law is good. The Law is perfect and holy. There is no defect in the Law of God. The problem is not the Law itself but that man is a sinner by nature and cannot keep the Law. Through the law comes the knowledge of sin. Rather than curb sin, the law brings sin out into the open, revealing to us the depths of our human, sinful depravity.
Imagine a large plane glass window. You can break it by driving a tank through it, or you can simply fire the smallest pellet from a gun through the glass, but in both cases, the glass is broken and needs to be replaced. In the same way, to break even one of God’s commandments makes a person guilty of breaking it all. As James 2:10 reminds us, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.â€
Man as a sinner cannot keep the Law and to fail to keep it in one part makes us guilty of breaking it all. That’s because the law is a complete set of requirements and we have broken it. We have all commited high treason deliberately.
The Law was given not to make people righteous but in fact to forever shut men’s mouths regarding any attempt at self justification before God. The Law reveals sin, and knowing the holiness and righteousness of God, it shows us our desperate condition before Him. When the Law does it work, it reveals sin to the point that we understand the justice we deserve and cry out for intervention from a Savior. That is why even in the Old Covenant Law system, there were sacrifices of atonement for sin, pointing us to One who would come and remove sin by His perfect sacrifice as the Lamb of God.
The Law reveals the holiness of God, the exceeding sinfulness of our sin, and its remedy in the sin bearing substitute lamb. More on this here. - JS
Practice Makes...
"What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." - Phil 4:9
Ever heard the phrase "practice makes perfect." Sure, we all have. But is it true?
It is true, only if you are doing the right thing in the right way.
If you want to be a better cyclist, make sure you are not using square wheels. That's an obvious one. Most of our issues are far less obvious, at least to us. We all have our blind spots.
Want to improve your financial state? Are you willing to have someone assess what you are doing daily, weekly or monthly that might be hurting you? Are you really willing for change?
Take your golf swing - you could be holding the club wrong, and standing with your feet in the wrong place and the problem is this - the more you practice, the more you will simply reinforce your problem swing. What you need is the insight of a golfing coach who can tell you what you might be doing wrong. He can see what you cannot see by yourself. He can tell you what you can do to dramatically improve your current results. Once you get his sound advice, adjust accordingly and then, once you know you are doing the right thing in the right way, practice, practice, practice.
Here's the principle: Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.
What are you practicing? Some things are not worth practicing. Some people are not worth following.
Think about each aspect of your life - your spiritual, physical, mental, social and financial life. What is the dream you have? Writing a book? Restoring a broken or stale relationship? Getting in physical shape? Growing spiritually? Being the spiritual leader in the home? Getting out of debt? Financial freedom so that you can live in such a way that you can be a great channel of supply for God's kingdom? What is it that thrills your heart? What is your dream?
What is your goal in each area? Do you have one?
Then think about this. If you keep doing what you are currently doing, over and over again, will you eventually reach your goal?
Is there anything you can make a part of your daily schedule and routine that would, over time, transform your dream into reality?
Is there anything you need to change? Is there anything you can do today and make a part of your life?
Would you pray about this, asking God for His insight and wisdom? And will you be a doer of the word and not a hearer only?
God bless! - JS
Images of the Savior (14 - Samson)
We have finally come to the last and quintessential judge of them all, Samson; and in his life, we will find definite confirmation of both those related truths which we have been at some pains to demonstrate – first, that, as the incorrigible hard-heartedness of the people becomes ever clearer, and their distress becomes ever more hopeless, the judges display ever more poignant a gospel-picture of what the coming promised Messiah would do to save his people from all their enemies and free them from their evil ways; but second, that even in so doing, they prove by their many failures and faults that they themselves are insufficient for so great an accomplishment as they point ahead to by their lives and ministries. This Samson is undoubtedly the greatest judge of all, and in terms of the sheer power he has been granted from the anointing of the Holy Spirit, he is unrivaled. So, too, are the multitudinous types which adorn his ministry unparalleled. But at the same time, his faults are more glaring than those of all who went before him, so much so that, at the end of his life, they plunge him to his own ruin, which is a thing we have not yet seen in any judge before him. But now, let us turn to the history.
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Images of the Savior (13 - Jephthah)
It is in keeping with the central burden of the book of the Judges that, immediately after one of the most gospel-instructive events of all, in Gideon's surprising victory over the hosts of Midian, there should come one of the most devastating times imaginable, and there should rise to the throne one whose wickedness seems, in a figure, to look ahead to that Man of Sin of whom the apostle would later speak (2 Thes. 2:1-12). Consider the ways in which this Abimelech is cast, in the account, as the quintessential son of perdition, who in shameless trickery and hypocrisy should set his hand to the destruction of those whom he purports to save; thus does the downward spiral of the people plunge them into an era even more desperate than any they had known before, thereby demonstrating yet again how great was their need of a true Messiah and King, who could save them once and for all.
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Limited Atonement. Why Even Talk About It?
Why even talk about it? Are we simply wanting to spark theological controversy? Are we seeking to divide what God has joined together (in the body of Christ)? Do we like fighting people with words? No, not at all. A thousand times "no."
The whole point of talking, sharing, blogging, preaching and getting our understanding precise as to the intention of God in sending His Son to the cross is not so that our heads would be enlarged by theological speculation, but that our hearts would be broken, crushed; forever amazed and astounded at the love of God for us. I write more about this here. - JS
Prof. Horner’s Bible-Reading System
Prof. Horner’s Bible-Reading System
This is the Bible reading plan that I personally use because by reading multiple chapters of Scripture each day you are continually covering the whole counsel of Scripture thus allowing the Bible to interpret itself. I have already been using this for a couple of years and can vouch for its helpfulness.
Max McLean Performs The Gospel of Mark
For many years I have been something of a fan of Max McLean. He is widely recognized for his outstanding voice recordings of the Bible, both in the NIV and ESV, but that is by no means the end of his talent. For years he has thrilled audiences with his public performances of Genesis and of Mark’s Gospel, requiring both an amazing memory and remarkable acting skills.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting Max a couple of times while at Ligonier Ministries Pastors’ Conferences and consider him to be a super talented and yet humble man of God with a close relationship with the Lord.
This morning I was thrilled to learn that his performance of Mark’s Gospel is now available on DVD. More than that, it is available to watch free of charge through youtube. As just a sample, here is Max “performing†Mark chapter 4 where Jesus teaches on the Parable of the Sower:
Justin Taylor has taken the time to post each of the 16 chapters of Mark at his site here. Enjoy! - JS
Star Size Comparisons
Getting something of a mental grasp of the size of the objects in space is difficult, but a short 2 minute 34 second video helps, found here. - JS
Images of the Savior (12 - Gideon's Victory over Midian)
If the call of Gideon was an affair attended with many shadowy signs of the final exile of the people of Israel and the gospel era which should afterward ensue, as we discovered last time, then it may be reasonable to suppose that the actual victory which Gideon then wrought against Israel's oppressors should also be full of instructive gospel types. This is a supposition which we will not at all be disappointed in, as we look into the following account; for there, we will find marvelous dreams, suggestive names, amazing events, strange coincidences – but chiefly, one of the most enigmatical victories in the whole history of Israel, which displays God's unique power to save in an extraordinary and evocative way, and points clearly ahead to that greatest victory of all the ages, when God reached down from heaven with an outstretched arm and saved his people from all their oppressors, once and for all. Let us now recount a few respects in which these assertions are certainly true.
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A Christmas letter to my 14 year old son
I wrote a letter to each of my children this year to explain some of the things they were receiving as gifts. Here's the one I wrote for my eldest son, age 14. - JS
Jesus "the Christ"
The angel told Joseph (and earlier Mary): "[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
The angel declared to the shepherds: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Jesus "the Christ" is the righteousness of God that God requires- -and amazingly provides for sinners to receive by faith.
Jesus simply means "YHWH is Salvation"; his name is JESUS because he will save his people from their sins.
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Images of the Savior (11 - Gideon's Call)
As we arrive at the history of that enigmatical judge, Gideon, we must be struck with amazement at the manifold ways in which the gospel is foreshadowed, and the marvelous valor and salvation which comes by God's grace through a naturally weak and cowardly man, given to many foibles, and even susceptible to gross idolatry – and that at the end of his life, after he had already seen the display of such gospel power in his surprising victory over the Midianites. Let us walk through the many types and shadows and appearances of Christ the Savior that we may encounter in these passages, for here there is much fine gospel-gold to be had for just a little labor, which even the weakest of saints might be able to dig up without too much trouble.
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Growing in Humility and Grace in 2011
How to Grow in Humility and Love for Christ
Here is the great Puritan Thomas Brooks on growing in humility and grace. Take time to read this with your family. I believe if we believe and heed this biblical wisdom as Christians, 2011 will be our best year yet as we seek to grow in the grace and love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Note: If you only have a moment to give this a glance, jump down and read the main points on growing in humility and grace below).
The Puritans never cease to amaze me. God in His great providence and kind mercies gave us many godly men throughout the 1500-1700s who can still focus our attention on the riches of Christ’s grace and how to grow in our faith and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. As God gave Martin Luther to the Church to instruct us properly in the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone, so God gave us the Church the Puritans so that we might grow in grace.
One of my favorite Puritans is Thomas Brooks (1608-1662) (I also regularly read and encourage others to read Richard Baxter, Richard Sibbes, John Flavel, and Thomas Watson to grow more in Christ’s grace and in biblical understanding). Thomas Brooks’ ‘Works’ are still in print by the Banner of Truth Trust (HERE), and we should be grateful to God.
Continue reading...(CRB)
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Psalm Thirty: Weeping May Endure for a Night, But Joy Comes in the Morning
There is no psalm that better sums up the very essence of the Christian life than this song of David, written for the dedication of the Temple. Here we have the truth most poignantly expressed that they who suffer and mourn now will be supremely blessed hereafter. Christ did not come to bring healing to the healthy, peace to the complacent, or joy to the mirthful. He came to bind up the brokenhearted, to heal the sick, to open blinded eyes, to forgive the guilt-laden conscience and flood the distressed and burdened soul with peace. “Your enemies will rejoice,†he told his disciples when he was about to save their souls, “but their joy will turn to despair. But you, though you sorrow for a moment, your sorrow will turn into joy that no one can ever take away†(see John 16:19-24). “Blessed are those who mourn,†he declared elsewhere, “for they shall be comforted†(Mat. 5:4).
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"Immanuel, Our God is with Us- -and For Us!"
ESV Isaiah 9:6-7: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Jesus is our Immanuel, very God of very God, "with us"! (Matt. 1:18-23).
Jesus is Immanuel, "God with us" and "God for us" and "God in us" and "God born of a woman for us" and "God born under Law for us" and "God born to die for us" and "God born to live for us in our nature" and "God dead and raised to resurrected Glory for us" and 'GOD IN HEAVEN FOR US"!
What greater hope could we have??!!
The hope of every believer is that Jesus was born for us, lived for us, died for us, and was exalted for us into the Highest Heaven (Read on...CRB)
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Is Time On Your Side?
There was a popular song in the 60s that boasted: “Time is on my side- -yes, it is!†(We should ask the aging singer now if this is still true).
But is time really on our side? Every generation wastes a lot of time. The Book of Ecclesiastes is an inspired book on the waste of time contrasted with knowing God and getting wisdom.
Wasting time is nothing new under the sun.
In our culture, how easy it is for us to waste time, yet we are called as the dearly loved children of God to walk wisely making sure to use your time wisely.
ESV Ephesians 5:15-16: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
We live in a time where time is greatly wasted. Perhaps technology and our ability to be “everywhere†in so many places at once- -mobile networks, handheld devices, iPads, iPods, iPhones, “i-need another one!†etc.
We live in a world where time is not measured by age as much as by the next edition, the next operating system, the next generation of network, or iPod, or Play station, or whatever.
We await the “next, best thing!†The “next versionâ€- -we long to be “upgraded†“rebooted†and “reconfiguredâ€- -but time is ticking…
Not THE END as our goal- -but the “next best thingâ€.
The chief end of man is not to glorify God and enjoy Him forever- -but to enjoy as God the next best thing! (Read on...CRB)
Time is tick, tick, ticking away...tick tock, tick tock....
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Sins Many, Much Forgiveness! Much Forgiveness, Much Love!
ESV Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven- for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."
What is your estimation of yourself? I’m not speaking in terms of estimating your financial worth or estimating your value to others in this world. What is your estimation of yourself before God? Do you consider yourself “pretty good†or “a decent person†or “righteous compared with others� Or are you sinful? Are you one who has been greatly forgiven?
We must remember that the Bible teaches us that all fall short of the glory of God. We are born and conceived in sin, and therefore we have no righteousness before God from our very conception (Psa. 51). Not only that, but we have no interest or desire for God in our sinful condition, and so we sin against God in our words, thoughts and deeds (Gen. 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Eph. 2:1-3).
The Bible tells us that our predicament is so sinful that even our best works of righteousness, our best prayers, our best goodness before God is as filthy rags worthy only of rejection before God’s holy face (Isa. 64:6).
If we are conceived in sin, and we constantly commit actual sins throughout our lives because we resist God and selfishly want to live for ourselves, and our best religious efforts are tainted by sin, and are never acceptable before God, what are we to do?
How can we ever love God and others, if we find ourselves in this sinful predicament?! (Read on...CRB)
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Perfect Love for Imperfect People
How are you doing in your faith today? How are doing in believing God's promises to you in Jesus?
Now don’t merely measure your faith, seeking to find out whether it is strong or weak. Rather, ponder the greatness of Christ’s strength, beauty and love for you! Faith fixes its eyes on JESUS the Author and Perfector of your faith (Heb. 12:1ff). Faith seeks more of Christ. Even the weakest faith can take hold of a STRONG CHRIST.
How are you doing in accepting, receiving and resting upon Christ’s completed work for you?
How are you doing in believing Christ is All-Sufficient and All-Powerful for whatever he calls you to today?
Here is a Scripture from John's first letter that may encourage and strengthen your faith in Jesus:
ESV 1 John 4:18-19: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
Our faith is strengthened as we realize God's love for us in Jesus Christ!
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God's Decisive Action
In an article entitled, "One of the Most Important Principles in Reading the Bible," Dr. John Piper writes:
Sometimes readers of the Bible see the conditions that God lays down for his blessing and they conclude from these conditions that our action is first and decisive, then God responds to bless us. That is not right.
There are indeed real conditions that God often commands. We must meet them for the promised blessing to come. But that does not mean that we are left to ourselves to meet the conditions or that our action is first and decisive.
Here is one example to show what I mean. In Jeremiah 29:13 God says to the exiles in Babylon, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." So there is a condition: When you seek me with all your heart, then you will find me. So we must seek the Lord. That is the condition of finding him.
True.
But does that mean that we are left to ourselves to seek the Lord? Does it mean that our action of seeking him is first and decisive? Does it mean that God only acts after our seeking?
No.
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Are You Humble?
I’m certainly not.
But I have been meditating on a forefather in our most holy faith that was! I wanted to share some of Thomas Brooks’ wisdom with you (he’s the guy who wrote ‘Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices’ that classic spiritual warfare book).
James 4:7 says that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Only Christ was perfectly humble; we can only learn true humility in Christ as we draw nearer and nearer to God, trusting less in ourselves and more in Him!
Humility is both a character and a command. In the Bible, we are commanded to be humble; this may seem strange to you. ESV 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…†How is a person to “humble themselves� Essentially, when the Scriptures teach us to draw near to God, or submit ourselves to God, or to depend upon God, etc. these are admonitions and/or commands to be humble. We are to have a right estimation of ourselves under God before God.
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Psalm Twenty-Nine: Ascribe to Yahweh the Glory of His Name
The all-encompassing and self-sustaining glory of God is most clearly displayed in this respect, that the only fitting praise for him is to ascribe to him the glory of his Name. In our most fervent worship, we are not extravagant or flattering; we are simply recounting truthfully the immense glory that belongs by essential right to his most reverent name. This is the only fitting occupation of the sons of God, under which designation we may consider either the elect angels or the elect among mankind, who have been adopted as the children of God (Rom. 8:14-17); or probably (and most appropriately), both. When we worship together with the angels of heaven (Heb. 12:22-24), we are to tell forth the truth that in him alone is glory and strength and the splendor of holiness, and that he has revealed that glory to his creatures; he has deigned to provide them with a Name upon which they might call, a Name which mysteriously wraps up all his glory and holy might.
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Psalm Twenty-Eight: He Has Heard the Voice of My Supplications
Who has never lifted up his voice and cried out to the Lord, secretly wondering all the while if his ear was deaf to his pleas, and if, on that day of judgment, he would finally be dragged off with the wicked (vss. 1-2), who in pretense of piety make long their prayers (Mat. 6:5-7)? These religious hypocrites speak peace to their neighbor, but their heart is full of wickedness (vs. 3); and so, too, do they pray in ostensible humility, but their heart is full of pride.
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Images of the Savior (10 - Deborah and Barak)
Of the accounts of the judges we have examined so far, the sum is this: that while the judges themselves become progressively less worthy of emulation, and show themselves inadequate to be the King that God's people so desperately need; and while the people themselves are therefore plunged into greater depravity and bondage; the circumstances and histories of the judges nevertheless become ever clearer in their import and typology, as they look ahead to the gospel era of Christ the Savior. In both these respects, we may see a clear proof in our present account of Deborah and Barak. For in this history, Barak the judge displays a timid and cowardly spirit, which proves more certainly than any judge before him that the judges would not be sufficient to save the people forever; but at the same time, the surprising nature of the gospel, that the weak and lowly would triumph over the strong and arrogant, receives a very unexpected testimony. But let us now consider these things a little more fully.
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Psalm Twenty-Seven: Yahweh is My Light and My Salvation
When David said that Yahweh was his light and his salvation, he was including in those precious epithets all spiritual blessings that could ever be devised or given to mankind. Whom, indeed, should he fear? Yahweh is his light: how could he ever finally be deceived or led astray, and thus prevented from entering that blessed abode, toward which his heart ever yearned, even the very house of the Lord, where he might gaze upon the beauty of the Lord (vss. 4-5)? Here is every good thing imaginable! What pleasure or delight or good might we possibly experience that does not have its illimitable source in the author of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17)? This Lord is David's light, and he will teach him his ways and lead him in straight paths (vs. 11); and so after his heart has said, “Your face, O Yahweh, will I seek†(vs. 8), he can never thence be led astray and fail to find that divine countenance which he is seeking.
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Images of the Savior (9 - Ehud and Shamgar)
If the book of Judges, as we have seen, serves both to show the downward spiral of Israel into ever-increasing sin and apostasy, and thus display her desperate need for a savior; and also, to foreshadow the one great Savior who would finally save her from her sins in the raising up of judges, who grow consistently more brilliant as types of the Christ while showing themselves consistently more inadequate to be the Christ indeed by their own flaws and foibles; then the case of the next two judges, viz., Ehud and Shamgar, is very notable. For in them, we see a more desperately wicked Israel; a more flawed deliverer; and a much more suggestive typology, as we shall see in due course.
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It is God who opens hearts
For someone to be converted, the heart must be opened to God and to His gospel. But who actually does this - God or man? - see here. - JS
Psalm Twenty-Six: Judge Me, O Yahweh, Because I Have Walked in My Integrity
In this psalm, as in so many others, we find ourselves swept away beyond the time of David, and hear its blessed words on the lips of the Son of David, as he walks about the Temple proclaiming the true doctrine of God. For as we have often noted before, many things which were said well and truly by David, and which may be repeated earnestly and confidently by us, when through the strength that God provides we are walking steadfastly in his example, were finally and perfectly fulfilled only in the life of Christ, into whose pattern we are being conformed by the Holy Spirit, even that same Spirit who spoke by David (2 Sam. 23:2), and prefigured his Son in his psalms. Let us, then, read this psalm with an eye to see it most perfectly displayed in the public ministry of our Lord.
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Divine Healing Has Not Passed Away
James 5: 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
I was just reading Tim Challies blog where he was quoting a commentary on the book of James by Daniel Dorian on the subject of Divine healing. As I understand it, there are extremes on both sides of the cessationist v. continuationist issue. There seems to be just as much error on the part of the extreme cessationist as there is in the extreme continualist camp. Whatever our stance, I trust we can all agree that it is entirely biblical to continue to expect great things from a great God. He still answers prayer. I could add to the testimony below having seen countless answers to prayer as God has graciously intervened to heal. - JS
Here is the quote: During the autumn when I first studied James in earnest, a friend suffered a viral infection of the heart. While it was not a heart attack, it mimicked many of the symptoms of one. My friend felt listless; he looked gray and lifeless. One day at church, I told him that James 5 instructs elders to lay hands on the sick and to pray for their healing; I suggested that he call the elders for that very purpose. Two weeks later, he told me he wanted to proceed. No one in our church had done this before, so we did something very Presbyterian: we studied the matter another six weeks and hoped he didn’t die in the meantime.
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Psalm Twenty-Five: Redeem Israel, O God, Out of All His Troubles
Psalm Twenty-Five is a little unusual in that it is one of several acrostic poems in the psalter – that is, each verse begins with the twenty-two respective letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, and thus proceeds, as it were, from “A†to “Zâ€. This arrangement seems to underscore the nature of the psalm's content, which contains a little bit of every facet of the life of faith – it gives the qualities and characteristics of the saint's walk and manner of life from “A†to “Zâ€. Thus, the arrangement of the psalm answers well to the material of which it consists.
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Christian - Where did your faith come from?
You placed your trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. You came to Him in repentance and faith. You were the one taking those actions. God did not exercise faith for you. On this point the monergist (reformed) person and the syngergist (arminian) agrees. However, we then need to ask the deeper question which is "where did this faith come from?" Was it found in the natural ability of the unregenerate heart or was it something God gave as a gift?
Does Scripture address this issue? The answer is a resounding "yes."
Do all people have faith? The answer is no. "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith." 2 Thess 3:1, 2
So where did the faith come from? Clearly it is God's gift to His elect people.
Phil 1:29 says, "It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake..."
Our minds tend to focus on the suffering part of the verse, but notice that the faith (believe) part is also something GRANTED to God's people.
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Psalm Twenty-Four: Lift Up Your Heads, O You Gates!
In this Psalm, we may see the boundless greatness of the infinite God brought down nearer and nearer to mankind, until the climax of all time and history explodes upon the scene in a brilliant crescendo of triumph, and the unthinkable becomes reality, as the uncontainable God of the universe steps through the gates of Zion to dwell among his people. This, then, is the drama of all redemptive history, played out before the eyes of our heart in three terse scenes, which wrap up infinite import in little swaddling bands of words, just as the infinite Christ child, the eternal Word of God, was later swaddled and laid in a manger – the boundless bound in mean strips of cloth, the uncontainable contained in a feeding trough. Mystery of mysteries! For what deeper mystery could there be than that which is contained in these words, “God with us�
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An Illustration - Two Federal Heads - Adam and Christ
A few days ago I posted an article here about Adam being our federal head representing us in the garden of Eden. Romans 5 and 1 Cor 15 were quoted to show how Adam's sin affected us all with severe and dire consequences.
Romans 5:12 says, "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned..." Verses 15 through 19 say, "But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous."
I know that many people struggle with this concept of Adam as our representative, but there's no doubt as to its biblical reality - so perhaps it may be of help to suggest the following as an illustration of the situation. I hope it helps. Here goes:
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Two Federal Heads - Adam and Christ
We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. Like Humpty Dumpty, we all had a great fall, but not by accident, but by deliberate choice. The human race had a Federal Head in the Garden of Eden, namely Adam, who represented the entire human race. When he sinned, he sinned "for us" - we all sinned in him - He acted on our behalf. Because he was our Federal Head, this had huge and drastic consequences for us. Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned..."
Did you catch that? We all sinned in Adam. When he disobeyed, he was disobeying on our behalf. His act brought death to us. We died in him. Just as Adam was cut off from the life of God (spiritually) as a result of his sin, all those born after him were born spiritually "dead on arrival" on planet earth.
The Bible teaches us clearly that there are two Federal Heads for the human race, Adam and Christ. "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor 15:22). If we remain only represented by Adam, there is no hope for us whatsoever. Adam failed us all. He offers no redemption. God takes the sin of Adam and imputes it to all the human race. When Adam sinned, we sinned in him. That is the bad news - we were born sinners.
Before we say it is not fair that we are credited with Adam's sin when we were not there in the garden, thousands of miles away, thousands of years ago, we need to remember, that the other side of the coin in imputation (crediting) is that Christ's righteousness is credited to all those who place their trust in Him.
This is the really good news! Let me explain.
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Images of the Savior (8 - Othniel)
The period of history in which Joshua was still alive was a time of great victory and success for the children of Israel. Joshua, the savior of the people, was strong in the Lord to do what Moses had failed to do, that is, to bring the people into the promised land, give them victory over all their enemies, and confirm to them all the promises made to the patriarchs. In this, he was a very notable type of the Savior, showing in a figure how a greater One than Moses should one day arise to confirm to the people all the promises that Moses had announced, and of which we may read in great detail in the five books that he wrote.
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Psalm Twenty-Three: The LORD is My Shepherd
It is not without reason that Psalm Twenty-Three is one of the best known and best loved psalms in the bible. How many saints have taken courage and comfort from these blessed lines, when passing through some dark valley of despair? How many overwhelmed and fearful christians have clung to the promise that God's goodness and mercy would pursue them and bring them home to the Lord, no matter where they should find themselves in this cruel life? What a tender and comforting image: the almighty God of the universe, come down to be a pitiful Shepherd, to gather up his lambs in his bosom and gently lead those who are with young (Isaiah 40:10-12). When the cup that we should have drunk down was filled with the foaming wrath of God, he gave us instead a cup of mercy and salvation, full to the brim, and spread out a feast for us in the presence of all our enemies. What amazing love!
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What a Waste of Space... Unless
What a waste of space... unless the whole purpose of the vast size of the Universe is something other than you and me, but to put on display the glory and majesty of God.
Psalm 19: 1 - "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."
Images of the Savior (7 - The End of Joshua's Life)
As we come to the second half of the book of Joshua, we will soar high above it, as a bird on the wing, in order to gain a sense of the coherence and significance of the whole, rather than walking through it piece by piece, as we have largely done heretofore. For although there are many wonderful things to be discovered in each passage and every event, yet the sum of the whole is this: that Joshua, in his great victories and apportionings of the land at large, was acting, true to his name, as a type of the coming Savior; and so, although we might profitably discover rich lessons in each individual occurrence, which it would be very advantageous for us to do at another time, yet seeing the character of the whole sum of Joshua's actions, and how he served as a foreshadow of the coming Christ in the entire scope of what he did, provides us with the necessary broad principles that will be of great assistance for seeking Christ in all the minutia of the text; and that is really the burden of this whole series of reflections – not, that is, to bring out every particular of the text in detail, which is an undertaking far too great for the narrow confines of this book, but rather to show in a general fashion how the whole of scriptures is centered in every way on the person and work of Christ, so that more detailed studies might thence become much more fruitful.
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Psalm Twenty-Two: My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?
Never has there been a more violent and shocking contrast than that which we encounter between what we just read in the previous psalm, of the great glory and majesty and eternal life with which God in his delight has crowned the Messianic King, and the unutterable cry of horror which is this psalm's first line. “My God,†he cries out in anguish, as it were in disbelief. “My God!†– And can you not feel in that tortured shriek but a whisper of the pain of divine abandonment, undeserved dereliction, the very rupture, as it were, of the most holy and blessed Trinity? “My God, in whom has ever been my delight, my joy, my infinite and divine love – My God, in whose fellowship from eternity past I have ever rejoiced – My God, when I have done this, when I have stooped to do your will, when in that Garden of terrors, weeping out my heart all in a sweat of agony, I nevertheless set my brow to do what you had commanded – My God, when never I had shown my obedience so perfectly, no, nor my love for you, no, nor my regard for your honor, no, nor my tender compassion for your chosen people – Ah, my God, when this is what I have offered up to you, a most perfect and holy sacrifice, why is it that even now, in the extremity of my need, you have forsaken your holy and beloved Son? Ah, my God, my God!â€
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The Story of the Bible
From a recent conference of 9Marks at Southeastern Seminary, Dr. Mark Dever gives an excellent overview (or big picture) concerning the contents of the Bible.
9Marks at Southeastern - Biblical Theology: Session 1 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.
Psalm Twenty-One: You Have Not Withheld the Request of His Lips
How rich and wonderful beyond expression was the substance of the prayer offered up for the Anointed King in the last psalm! And as we move beyond those sacred vistas into new and equally holy prospects of the most blessed psalter, how our heart thrills within us to hear that exuberant affirmation of the king, that the Lord has held back nothing of the request of his lips. Is our own salvation not thereby guaranteed by this testimony? Can we restrain our own hearts from rejoicing with the king in the strength of the Lord, and from exulting in his salvation, seeing that God has given him all his heart's desire? Not so, O Christian, if we truly belong to the Christ; for in his success and glory is our own eternal joy and salvation.
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If Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians was Published in Christianity Today
The following is a parody from the archives of the Sacred Sandwich website. . . but is it really just a parody? Though dripping with obvious satire, it provides much food for thought.
If the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church in Galatia had been published in Christianity Today how would it be received by those who read that magazine? Well, what follows are the letters from readers in response to Paul’s inspired Epistle.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Christianity Today:
In response to Paul D. Apostle’s article about the Galatian church in your January issue, I have to say how appalled I am by the unchristian tone of this hit piece. Why the negativity? Has he been to the Galatian church recently? I happen to know some of the people at that church, and they are the most loving, caring people I’ve ever met.
Phyllis Snodgrass; Ann Arbor, MI
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Dear Editor:
How arrogant of Mr. Apostle to think he has the right to judge these people and label them accursed. Isn’t that God’s job? Regardless of this circumcision issue, these Galatians believe in Jesus just as much as he does, and it is very Pharisaical to condemn them just because they differ on such a secondary issue. Personally, I don’t want a sharp instrument anywhere near my zipper, but that doesn’t give me the right to judge how someone else follows Christ. Can’t we just focus on our common commitment to Christ and furthering His kingdom, instead of tearing down fellow believers over petty doctrinal matters?
Ed Bilgeway; Tonganoxie, KS
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Images of the Savior (6 - Joshua's Victory Over Many Enemies)
After the fierce anger of the Lord against that which was accursed among the people had been turned away by the utter destruction of Achan and his family, Joshua and the people of Israel enjoyed great success in their warfare against all the nations surrounding them; but the enemies of the people did not just lie down and die, but the more clearly they saw their advancing doom, the more they raged and schemed and strove against the certain victory of Israel's captain, and sought by any means possible to subvert them. First of all, one hostile nation tried to infiltrate the people by deception, and had some measure of success; and then, a great king arose in Jerusalem, and gathered other kings unto himself, and waged a last great assault against Israel, hoping utterly to defeat them once and for all; but instead, they were put to a terrible end, for the Lord fought for Israel, and did great and wonderful things that had never been seen before. How this all happened, and what it foreshadowed, will be the subject of our enquiry.
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Psalm Twenty: O Yahweh, Save the King!
Everywhere one may turn, the psalms are full of the prayers of the Davidic King, who intercedes for his people and pleads God's eternal blessing and favor upon them; but in this psalm, we find the roles reversed, as it were, and the people of God all lifting up their voice in one accord on behalf of their King. “May the Lord save you!â€, they cry out to him; “May his Name protect you, may he send you aid from his sanctuary, may he remember your sacrifices and burnt offerings, may he fulfill your plans, may we rejoice in your salvation†– these and other such requests they offer up for him.
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Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement
Saturday, September 18 is Yom Kippur on the Jewish calendar, the Day of Atonement. Here is a very interesting video (introduced by Todd Bolen) on the significance of the sacrificial lamb in Jewish thought, pointing us to the atonement of Christ.
The Sacrificial Lamb from SourceFlix on Vimeo.
Images of the Savior (5 – Achan's Curse)
We may learn something very important from the account of Achan, and the trouble he brought upon Israel; and that is, that even when God has entered into covenant with his people, he still cannot tolerate that which is accursed, and will not permit it to enter his presence, but will pour out his fierce anger upon it, until it is utterly consumed. The people of Israel, under Joshua, that great type of the Savior, had just won a mighty victory over Jericho, and were confident that the Lord would fulfill to them his promise, and give them all the land that he had covenanted to give them. And so, when they came upon the next city, a little place named Ai, they sent only a few men against it, and were very certain of its soon downfall; but those men were dealt a resounding defeat, and they were all perplexed, and cried out to the Lord.
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Psalm Nineteen: The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
Who is glorious like our God? And what tells forth his glory, but the Word of God? In the beginning, God gave forth his voice, he spoke the worlds into existence, and by his Word all creation was made (Gen. 1; John 1:1-3); and now, from one day to another, the glories of the sun and sky and stars above all give an unceasing testimony to the greatness of this God. There is no part of the world where divine glory does not overwhelm our myopic, sin-stained eyes with a dazzling brilliance. All creation shouts forth the majesty of the Creator with a voice loud enough to wake the deaf and shake the earth's foundations. And these are but a whisper of his ways! The staggering beauty of the heavens are but the echoes of that voice that first thundered “Let there be Lightâ€! And the whole universe is awash with these echoes of the Word – so that they are rendered utterly without excuse, who exchange the glory that can be known from Creation, even the divine majesty and Godhead of the Creator, for a lesser glory to worship (Rom. 1:18-32).
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Psalm Eighteen: He Shows Steadfast Love to His Anointed, to David and His Seed Forever
He is either blind or a fool who can look upon a powerful thunderstorm without reflecting in trembling awe upon the might and majesty of the Lord. Immense reserves of strength beyond imagination break forth in the winds and hail and lightnings that sweep so suddenly over the resting world, and the stentorian voice of the thunder testifies to the solemn import of the display – and all this is but the breath of the nostrils of him who rides on the wings of the wind, as David here observes. What utter lunacy could permit a man to see so fearful a nostril-blast without ever trembling at the power of the God who so breathes, and pouring his whole being into answering the question of whether that perfect puissance will prove to be for him or against him?
The Firstborn of all Creation
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. - Colossians 1:15-17
There is much that could be said about the title "firstborn". It is a title of honor and refers to Christ being given all "the rights and privileges of a firstborn son, especially the son of a monarch who would inherit ruling sovereignty. This is how the expression is used of David: “I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth†(Ps. 89:27)." (ESV Study Bible notes)
The phrase "firstborn" does not mean that Christ is a created being. We can establish that by reading the words that immediately follow in the text. Jesus is presented as the Creator of all things and He is before all things! This passage is in fact one of many that presents a clear affirmation of the Deity of Christ.
Here, and elsewhere, the "Bible" of the Jehovah's Witnesses (New World Translation published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) deliberately changes the scripture to obscure this truth. Rather than repeating the phrase "all things" over and over again, as Paul did, the Watchtower translation inserts another word, "other," into the text, making it read, "because by means of him all [other] things were created... All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist."
The reason for the translation change is easy to understand: Their theology says that God the Father created Jesus and then Jesus created all other things and therefore, since Watchtower theology insists Jesus is merely a created being, this passage must be rendered this way.
Is there a legitimate reason in the text itself for this insertion? No, not at all - it is merely the blatant attempt to hide the truth.
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Psalm Seventeen: Keep Me as the Apple of Your Eye
When King David published this psalm, his people must have derived immense comfort from it: how confident was their leader that God would hear his pleas for salvation, and deliver him from all his enemies! His life was pure, his faith was great, and he knew by long experience the wondrous steadfast love that would preserve all those who sought refuge in God the Savior, as the very apple of his eye. But this further consideration must have been particularly pleasing to all the people, that of old God was accustomed to deal with a nation in large part upon the basis of its king. Whenever a king walked uprightly and found favor with God, the whole nation would prosper; but “when a wicked one rules, the people groan†(Prov. 29:2). How the nation must have rejoiced, knowing that God loved their king, and their king represented them to God.
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Concerning Division in the Church by Pastor John Samson
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,†or “I follow Apollos,†or “I follow Cephas,†or “I follow Christ.†Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name." - 1 Cor 1:10-15 (ESV)
As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church there were many issues that were of concern to him, one of which he outlines in this passage, namely division in the Church. He wished to see harmony and unity and was alarmed to hear reports that there were four factions amongst the Church members. The King James Bible states the problem this way, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.†In considering the four groups a few things come to mind.
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Psalm Sixteen: You Will Not Leave My Soul in Sheol!
Everywhere in the Psalms, as we have often seen before, David speaks not primarily with regard to himself alone, as a mere individual; but rather, being the anointed King and representative of the people, he comes before God in their behalf as a type of Christ, the true King and Messiah and Mediator of the people, and pleads blessings for them from God. But in a few places, David's office as a type and shadow of Christ is overwhelmed, as it were, by the brightness of the glory of the One prefigured, so that his own voice is all but lost, and the radiance of the glory of God is seen so clearly that it is as if the very Son of God were speaking alone and unmediated.
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Psalm Fifteen: Who May Dwell On Your Holy Hill?
The answer to the question here posed by the Psalmist contains in itself all that is necessary for eternal life and happiness; and everything that can be desired, and that can never fade away or grow dull or tiresome, hangs in the balance. The tents of the wicked may be filled with all sorts of fleeting, carnal delights, but the end of those things is shame and misery; but the Holy Hill of Yahweh is filled with such an abundant store of unfading riches as all eternity could never suffice to uncover. This is because Zion, the Lord's Holy Hill, is where the Lord himself dwells; and he who has been chosen to dwell before the Lord in peace, he, that is, to whom the Lord is his portion, seeing that the Lord is his Lord, possesses all that belongs to the God of the universe. Every good thing created by God for man's pleasure is his, and eternal life, which is the knowledge of the Lord (John 17:3), and every wondrous attribute and precious quality of the Lord's own nature is for him, and he may draw upon it in any trial whatever, because God is his God, and God cannot be divided against himself or against those who belong to him.
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Psalm Fourteen: There is None Who Does Good, No, Not One
There is perhaps no worse news ever given, nor any grimmer verdict ever uttered under heaven, than that stinging indictment of the psalmist against the human race, “There is none who does good, no, not one!â€. Consider how certainly this truth is established, and by what unassailable testimonies it has been sealed: Yahweh himself has looked down from heaven, he has searched out all the world and examined every child of man, to see if there is anyone who understands, anyone who seeks God – but, no, the answer comes back when the universal search is ended: they have all gone astray without exception, they are all corrupt, they all do abominable things, they have all despised and scoffed at God, and in their inmost hearts refused even to acknowledge the existence of him who created them, the evidence of which is borne out by their lives lived with no fear of God before their eyes.
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The Christian's Reasonable Service
The Christian's Reasonable Service by Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635-1711)
The Christian's Reasonable Service, vol. 1 (,pdf)
The Christian's Reasonable Service, vol. 2 (.pdf)
The Christian's Reasonable Service, vol. 3 (.pdf)
The Christian's Reasonable Service, vol. 4 (.pdf)
The entire printed four-volume set of The Christian’s Reasonable Service can be purchased for a discount price at Monergism Books
Psalm Thirteen: Lighten My Eyes, Lest I Sleep in Death!
Through all the course of his life, David was very often opposed by many enemies who were stronger than he: whether it was King Saul, who without a cause so many times sought his life; or Achish, the king of the Philistines, before whom he was forced to feign madness; or those raiders who stole away his wives and goods in Ziklag; or even his own son Absalom, who raised up a mighty host against him, and drove him out of Jerusalem; by all these enemies and more, he was constantly opposed, afflicted, and oppressed – and yet, in the face of such enmity, he constantly evinced a calm and steady assurance of God's favor and salvation, because of which he could laugh at all his foes, and sleep in peace even when they were surrounding him on every side.
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Psalm Twelve: Save, O Yahweh, Because the Godly One Has Come to an End!
There have been times in Church history, and also, no doubt, times in the personal history of many of the saints, when it seems as if all the righteous have vanished away. So Elijah cried out in an agony of despair, “I, only I am left, and they seek my life!†(1 Kings 19:10); and the echoes of that sharp complaint have since reverberated in many souls populating the Kingdom after him. In those times, the only bedrock of hope is the unshakeable truth that “the words of Yahweh are pure words, silver refined in a furnace in the earth, purified seven times†(vs. 6); and those words include many strong promises of deliverance from every enemy, which the righteous always seize upon and plead back to the Father (vss. 7-8).
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Winning the Private War in the Mind
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Over the years there have been extremely dubious or downright ridiculous teachings about spiritual warfare in the Church at large. Much of it was borne out of ignorance, speculation, superstition or religious tradition. Yet there is a reality to spiritual warfare and it is something God certainly wants us to know about, or else He would not have revealed it to us in His Word. If we just stay with the Scripture, we will be on safe and sure ground. God wants us to understand the warfare, know our enemy and live a life free from his clutches.
In Ephesians 6:12 the Apostle outlines the arena of warfare in which all Christians are engaged. One scholar translated the original words as follows: “For our wrestling match is not against persons with bodies, but against rulers with various areas and descending orders of authority, against the world-dominators of this present darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies.†The picture here is of a very highly structured and well organized kingdom with descending orders of authority and different rulers and sub rulers responsible for different areas of their territory.
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Psalm Eleven: If the Foundations Be Destroyed, What Can the Righteous Do?
It is no uncommon experience for the saint to be tempted by many strong and appealing arguments to abandon his hope in the Lord, when waves of fierce opposition arise. So was David often tempted, and so also are all who trust in Christ thus tempted at times. “What has your religion done for you?â€, the sneering voices of the fickle crowds inquire; and joining in the insidious plot, the devil whispers into the ear of your heart the same deceptive question, and your own weak flesh rises up to confirm the lie. “Yes, I have trusted in God, I have sought to serve him in all that I do, I have denied myself the opportunity for greater riches and power and security, because I have not been willing to break his Law and build myself up by treating the weak unfairly, or being deceitful and unethical in my practices; and I have ever kept myself from relying on the strong-seeming hills of prominent position and well-supplied bank accounts, those mountains which never fail to bear up the wicked – and here I am on the brink of destruction, and they still prosper! Should I not flee to those same mountains as a bird?â€
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This commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off
Visitor
In my devotions this morning, I was reading from Deuteronomy 30, and was startled by words in verses 11 and 14 that sounded almost like a Pelagian declaration of human ability:
"This commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off...."The word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it."Can you comment on a proper understanding of that passage?
Response
Those who are regenerate have been set free by the Spirit of Christ to the bondage of "total depravity" (John 8:36, Romans 6:18). Bondage to sin is a characteristic of those not yet born from above. Now that you have been born from above and the Spirit indwells you, "God's commands are not too difficult for you, for everyone born of God overcomes the world." (1 John 5:4). This parallel passage to the one you have quoted in Deuteronomy reveals a new affection granted to the regenerate.
Isolated, the Deuteronomy Text has every appearance of a Pelagian declaration, but in the context of the passage you quoted it actually reveals the exact opposite. What does it say? The promise of God to them was "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." (Deuteronomy 30:5-7). Don't know if you noticed this but this text is in the same passage you quoted. It is the indicative (grace) that the imperative (commandment) was grounded in. Their obedience springs from God's prior action in them. The Word is near to them and where you find the Word, the Spirit is also working in the children of promise. The Israelites had been set free and were in covenant with God. The promises of grace, mind you, were just as valid for Old Testament believers as New Testament believers, otherwise, like us, none of them would have had hope.
In the New Testament other parallel passages might be found in 1 John 2:29, 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18.
Psalm Ten: Arise, O Yahweh! O God, Lift Up Your Hand!
Religion that begins and ends with the mind alone is in fact no religion, but an empty mockery; for true religion comes to full flower in the trials and temptations that beset a man, and gives him victory over them all. This much we may certainly learn from our psalm today, which is very closely connected with the preceding, and bears this relationship to it, that it takes up the same precious themes and truths, and most heartily employs them in the midst of a terrible trial, which threatens to overwhelm the faith and hope of the godly.
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Psalm Nine: Yahweh Sits Enthroned Forever
The reader who is continuing in order through the book of the Psalms will remember that the last psalm marveled at the deeply paradoxical truth of man's frail and insignificant nature, which is nevertheless of immense importance to God, by whom all creation is destined to be brought into subjection to a man who will reign forever in righteousness, even the God-Man Jesus Christ, who tasted death for every man and is now crowned with glory and honor. It may capture the reader's attention, therefore, that immediately after speaking of how all kingly dominion will be given to man, the psalms go on to speak of the eternal, kingly dominion of the Lord Yahweh himself, who sits enthroned forever, and judges the world in righteousness (vss. 7-8). Yes, man will reign over all things; but above and behind man, and constantly supplying him with his kingly authority and royal glory, is the Lord who created him. He has reigned from all eternity past, and into all eternity future he will reign in righteousness. There is no word or thought or breath of man that does not obey his divine decree and follow his every bidding. No, in all their mad ragings and evil schemes, the men of this world will accomplish nothing but what God's hand and purpose had predestined to take place (Acts 4:28).
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Psalm Eight: What Is Man, That You Are Mindful of Him?
What a paradox is man! The Name of the Lord is majestic in all the earth, and the heavens above, ah, how much glory do they declare! Wherever one should turn his eye, there is all around him the stuff of awe-struck wonder, and the more deeply he probes, the greater the marvel becomes. In the depths of the deepest ocean, what brilliant flowers and beautiful creatures may be found hidden away from all prying eyes. In the vast expanse of the universe, what mind-boggling distances and unthinkable substances, what expansive galaxies and innumerable stars, what gasses and solids and plasmas and dark matters beyond the wildest surmisings of man. And here on this earth, such noble creatures may be found, the soaring eagle and massive elephant and untamable lion – it staggers the mind to try to conceive of it all, and after the attempt, the only reasonable verdict that one may come to is this, “O Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your Name!â€
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The Atonement in Hebrews
I have written a brief article and then include a 12 minute video by Dr. James White on the theme of the atonement here. It covers such issues as particular redemption and how Christ's sacrifice and intercession are intimately related. I trust it will be a blessing. - Rev. John Samson
Psalm Seven: Judge Me, O Yahweh, According to My Righteousness
Already had David found comfort from his sorrow over sin, and had assured himself that the Lord had seen his tears of penitence and would not rebuke him in his wrath (Psalm 6); and yet, as blessed as that forgiveness of sins and free absolution from guilt had been, a fuller confidence in his sure salvation from all his enemies required even more yet: for if his faith should remain strong in the promises of God, when all the world seemed set against him, he needed not just to know that he was forgiven, but also that he was positively righteous – not just that the Lord had nothing against him, but also that the Lord had seen everything good in him, and was well-disposed to help him for the beautiful and commendable things which adorned his heart, not just disinclined to rebuke him for the ugly and contemptible things over which he had mourned so deeply before.
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Psalm Six: Rebuke Me Not in Your Anger
In all of David's battles against his enemies (and they were many and mighty!), he took courage in the Lord, and assured himself of victory, and was able even to lie down and sleep when his foes were pressing him hard on every side; for he knew that he was righteous and they were wicked, and that the Lord would therefore deliver him. This we have seen, and it has given us much courage to face any kind of opposition that we might encounter for righteousness' sake. But what if the next enemy David had to face should come not from without but from within, what if he could no longer trust in his righteousness because his enemy is sinfulness – his own deep-seated and innate depravity? How would he assure himself of the Lord's favor then?
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Psalm Five: In the Morning You Will Hear My Voice
In peace had David lain down and slept the night before (Psalm 4:8); but when the morning came, his problems were not gone, and so with great and sorrowful groanings he poured out his soul to the Lord in supplications, and watched for his coming salvation.
But as he wrestled with his thoughts, that morning on his bed, he could not make sense of all his woes: he knew that God did not delight in wickedness, that the boastful would not stand before him, that he would certainly destroy all who speak lies, and that he abhors in righteous contempt those bloodthirsty and deceitful men who surrounded him. How grim a picture does he paint of fallen, rebellious man, whose inmost being is destruction and who will let no truth touch even once upon his lying lips! So why, then, will God not judge them at once?
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Psalm Four: In Peace I Will Lie Down and Sleep
The Lord of life lay down and slept; but God raised him up to a new and glorious day, and brought salvation to his people! This we saw last time, in Psalm Three; but what happens when, after the dawn of that new day of life, the shadows lengthen, the evening approaches, further troubles arise, and the time again is near to lying down?
Such a time came again for David, after God had given him relief in his distress; and although he was angry, with just cause, yet he did not sin, but searched instead his own heart, and commended himself to God, and was silent. And then, instead of his anger over the blasphemies of the wicked, God gave him joy surpassing their own, even in the times when their grain and wine abound – for he realized that the day of their triumph would certainly pass, but his eternal victory was hastening on the way. And so, with this meditation ringing in his heart, he lay down and slept once again, saying, “Only you, O Yahweh, make me dwell in safetyâ€.
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Images of the Savior (4 - The Downfall of Jericho)
In the blessed visions of Isaiah the prophet, we may meet with a coming Messiah more meek and gentle than all men, who will suffer willingly for the redemption of his people (e.g. Isaiah 50:6; 52:13-53:12); but at the same time, we are given glimpses of this same Messiah as a warrior returning from a great slaughter, his robes stained red with the blood of all the enemies upon whom he had been trampling in his fury (Isaiah 63:1-6). From this portrait of the Christ, we may gather that he is uniquely diverse in his altogether excellent attributes, being both humble and approachable to his people, and yet most terrible in the fierceness of his wrath, which he will pour out against all who are not his own; and as we continue in the histories of Joshua, that great type of the Savior, we may see this latter excellency displayed as well in his own biography: for after he had brought his people into the promised land, meekly and humbly passing before them into the waters which flowed from Adam and symbolized the wrath of God, as a type of the Messiah suffering on the cross; then, he showed what terrible things he had in store for all their enemies, when he brought down the walls of mighty Jericho, and spared no one except Rahab the prostitute, but devoted every man, woman, and child beside to utter destruction by the mouth of his terrible sword.
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Psalm Three: I Lay Down and Slept; I Woke Again
When King David was forced to flee from his own son Absalom, who had raised up such a rebellion against him that the great majority of the people thought his salvation was impossible, he cried out to the Lord, and then lay down and slept. Many thought this a sleep from which he would never arise, for thousands of people had set themselves around him, and were bent on his destruction; but he woke again, for God sustained him; and thenceforth, his Lord rose up to destroy his enemies, and crush them beneath his feet.
How was it, you may ask, that under such troubling circumstances the king was able to sleep at all? How did he have such peace and faith in the sure salvation of his God, when all hope seemed lost? To answer that question, dear, troubled Christian, I must tell you the story again, but this time, tell it of the greater David, whom the first David foreshadowed.
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Images of the Savior (3 - The Crossing of the Jordan)
If, as we have seen, Joshua was a notable type of the Savior primarily because he rose up after Moses, and accomplished what even that great leader of the people had been unable to do; and if the one great act which Moses had been insufficient for was to bring the people of Israel across the Jordan and into the land which God had promised to their fathers to give to them; then we may expect to see very many wonderful and instructive signs and types of the Messiah surrounding the time when the typical savior Joshua actually brought the people of Israel into the promised land of Canaan; and in this expectation, we will not at all be disappointed, when we examine the account before us today with the eyes of faith, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, and hoping by the Spirit to see the great redemption of our Lord and Savior most poignantly displayed before our eyes.
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Conversion - Impossible with man - Possible with God
Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.†Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?†But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.†(Lk 18:25-27)
Just as a leopard CANNOT change its spots and a camel CANNOT go through the eye of a needle (both are impossible) MAN cannot change the human heart - BUT GOD CAN. That is our only hope as we pray for and reach out with the gospel to lost souls. - JS
Psalm Two: Today I Have Begotten You
The first two psalms, as we have observed, function together as a foundation and introduction to the glorious mysteries of the entire psalter; and if the first psalm demonstrates the centrality of Christ, holding him forth at once as the great representative of his people, then how much more may we learn of him from the second psalm, in which we are ushered into the inter-triune council, before the world or time began, to hear the decree whereby the eternal Son of God first solemnly undertook to save us from all our enemies? Oh, sacred mystery! Oh, unutterable grace! Before we intrude any further into this wonder of wonders, let us put off the shoes from our feet, for we have entered upon holy ground.
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Images of the Savior (2 – The Salvation of Rahab)
It is implied by the very term “savior†that there is an enemy from which the people need to be delivered: if there were no enemy before whom the children of Israel were unable to stand, then they would have no need of a deliverer, or savior. But furthermore, in order to save a people who are in bondage to an enemy stronger than themselves, it is also necessary that the savior be stronger than this enemy, and able to overcome him. So then, it is manifest that, if one is truly a savior to one people, then he must also be a conqueror and destroyer of another, stronger people, to whom the people of his salvation are in subjection. We have already seen that Joshua, the successor to Moses, was a mighty savior of the people, and that he prefigured thereby the great and coming Savior, Jesus Christ; but now, as we continue through the history of Joshua, we will see that, just as he embarked upon his role of saving some, he entered at the same time upon the complementary role of destroying others. In this, as well, he was acting as a type of Jesus, who in saving his people was utterly destroying their fierce enemy, the devil, who was holding them captive to sin and death (Heb. 2:14-15).
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Psalm One: Blessed is the Man
“'Blessed is the man that hath not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly' (ver. 1). This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man.†So begins the great church father, Augustine of Hippo, in his landmark exposition of the Psalms. The great Genevan reformer, John Calvin, on the other hand, expresses his opinion that the psalmist here “inculcates upon all the godly the duty of meditating on the Law of Godâ€. While I am inclined to agree with Augustine, I cannot bring myself to disagree with Calvin. Augustine is certainly right; and because he is right, Calvin must necessarily be right also. Because Jesus Christ, whose meditation was always upon the Law of God, and who never walked in the counsel of the ungodly, was supremely blessed, therefore all the godly, who have been united to him, will also be blessed and glorified with him; but the ungodly will be blown away like chaff.
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Images of the Savior (I – Joshua's Succession of Moses)
If we were forced to choose one word to sum up the significance of the five books of Moses, we could scarcely find a better than the term “foundationalâ€: first of all, because the Pentateuch is of such vital importance to all biblical revelation that should follow; and second, because it is manifestly incomplete and expectant in its character. Its importance should be obvious: there is nothing in the prophets that may not be found in seminal form somewhere in the Pentateuch, nor may there be found anything absolutely new in all the Old Testament writings beside; and in spite of its common designation as the “New†Testament, there is nothing we may find there, either, that does not hark back to the writings of Moses, and complete and fulfill them all. This is why the long-awaited Savior, Jesus the Messiah, reminded his disciples before he sent them out on their mission, “These are my words that I spoke unto you when I was still with you, that all the things written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me must be fulfilled;†and then he went on to explain, “Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance unto the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all the nations.â€
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Images of the Savior from the Psalms (Prologue)
He who has entered the treasury of the Psalms has come upon such a storehouse of riches as may not be found in all the world beside. What El Dorado is there that shines with a purer gold than the very words of the Lord, seven times refined (Psalm 12:6)? What stately pleasure dome of what proud Kubla Khan has ever been supplied with more scintillating delights, delicate treasures, unspeakable glories to dazzle the eyes of men and angels alike? The one who has tasted the goodness of the Lord in the banqueting house of the Psalter must thenceforth be forever spoiled for the pleasures of the world – the sweetest treats that he had coveted before must touch upon his palate as ashes and dust, and until he garner more pleasant fares from the same larder house, sweeter than drippings of the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10), he will never again be happy. The fabled nectar of the gods will be bitter as gall and coarse as gravel to him who has once tasted the sweet wine of the true God of gods, which flows to us from the lips of the Psalter's great hero, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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New Resources at Monergism
J.C. Ryle
Ryle, J.C. - Assurance
Ryle, J.C. - Election
Ryle, J.C. - A Sketch of the Life and Labors of George Whitefield
Ryle, J.C. - Only One Way of Salvation
Ryle, J.C. - Self-Righteousness
Ryle, J.C. - The True Church
New Technology, Wandering Minds and Bible Reading Plans
I can well remember hearing a preacher in the course of his sermon asking a series of questions. His first question was "how many of you believe the Bible is the word of God?"
It was a Christian audience and so all raised their hands.
Then he asked, "how many of you have read it?"
Many raised their hands until he quickly added, "... all of it?"
I could hear audible grumblings around me as many of those with raised hands now slowly lowered them. Some mumbled, "I've read most of it", or "I've read all the New Testament."
One thing became very clear - only about 5% of the audience had actually read the Bible through.
He then asked, "how many of you have read any other book?"
All raised their hands once again.
Then the preacher said, "do you see how inconsistent this is? Here you are, having read other books, but the book you claim to believe is inspired by God Himself, is not something you have read. What does this say about your belief in the Bible?"
The silence that ensued was more than a little uncomfortable.
He went on, "If you sincerely believe the Bible is the word of God, should you not have read it?"
Again, he paused, allowing for the question to make its intended impact.
Finally, he then said, "Here's my challenge - start today and read three chapters a day and four on Sundays and by this time next year you will have read the Bible through."
I am sure there are better methods for reading through the Bible but the preacher's point is a good one. We as Christians need to be "people of the book." If there is one book we should read or should have read, it is the Bible. All Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16) and it is unlike any other book out there. Job wrote that he treasured the words of God's mouth more than his portion of daily food (Job 23:12). He would rather go without food than miss time with the word of God. Can the same be said about us?
Justin Taylor wrote the following: "I really believe in the value of not just reading, but hearing, God’s Word... In listening to an old lecture recently by J. I. Packer, he made the comment that it was not until after the 17th century (as far as he could tell) that people started doing silent prayers and reading as opposed to praying and reading out loud. For most evangelicals, silence represents the vast majority of our reading and praying. But I wonder if that’s to our detriment. One of the great enemies to Bible reading and praying is a wandering mind—and one of the great ways to make your mind wander is to do everything in your mind without involving your voice and ears! . . . Here’s something else to consider: the entire Bible on audio is usually about 75 hours (or 4500 minutes). If you commute to work 5 days a week, that’s about 260 days a year. And if it takes you, say, 17 minutes to commute each way to work—and if you listen to the Bible on audio during your drive each way—you’ll get through the entire Bible twice in a year."
There are many good daily Bible reading plans. For those who would like the convenience of an online source there are now many options. New technology allows not only the reading of the Bible, but hearing it too. If you enjoy the ESV here are six different plans to choose from - each of which allow for each daily segment to be sent to your e-mail address or as a podcast here.
Some might like to add to their Bible reading by going through reformed confessions each day. You can do so here. - JS
The Greatness of the Love of Christ
At the beginning of the third chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul begins to formulate an intercessory prayer for the church in Ephesus, upon the basis of the rich truths of the gospel which he had just been revealing to them in the first two chapters; but before he is able to express his prayer, he is drawn aside again to the greatness of the gospel mystery, and exults in the message which he has been entrusted with bringing to the Gentiles. This message is the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ, which in their depths and expansiveness had been hidden from the previous ages, but were finally being made known to all the world, viz., how all the nations of men, according to God's eternal purpose, were now being brought in to become full heirs of all the promises made to the saints, and how they had even more direct access to God the Father, and boldness to approach him such as even Abraham and Moses and other great men of God had never known. It is Paul's joy and passion to proclaim so great a gospel to every creature under heaven, not just so that many sinful men could come to know the free grace and boundless goodness of God, but so that, through this Church of redeemed sinners, the infinite and manifold wisdom of God might be displayed even before the highest angels and authorities in all creation.
Accordingly, Paul then picks up his prayer in verse fourteen, after he had left it for thirteen verses, and offers up a beautiful intercession for the saints, the pinnacle and capstone of which is the request that these believers might know with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth of the all-surpassing love of Christ, and that they might be filled with all the fullness of God. In a brilliant gospel paradox, this most impossible of things with men becomes possible with God, whose power to do good for us is above all that we could ask or think; and so we are strengthened to know that which surpasses knowledge, and to be filled with all the divine fullness that far transcends our finite boundaries. In this way, the glory of Christ shines through the Church with an eternal brilliance, thus consummating God's plan of the ages to display his great glory in Christ, by the Church.
Although there is much that could be said from these verses, I will content myself today with this observation: that our coming to an intimate knowledge of the greatness of the love of Christ is both the greatest treasure that we may obtain by the gospel of God's grace; and also the most perfect display of God's glory in the heavenly places. Now, as it is to our eternal profit and joy to know the love of Christ, and to the eternal glory of God that so great a love might be displayed in us, then actively seeking to know the greatness of the love of Christ is one great means by which we may strive to fulfill our created purpose of knowing and enjoying and glorifying God forever. There is no problem we may encounter in our lives that does not make sense and find a fitting place when we consider how the love of Christ employs everything for our good; and so, if we would know how to put every trial and difficulty and blessing and promise, and everything else that we encounter in our lives, to an eternally good use, the best way we may learn how to do so is first of all to trace out the boundaries of the almighty love of Christ. By the grace of God's Spirit I hope to make a start on this joyously everlasting labor by pointing out ten things wherein the greatness of the love of Christ toward us is displayed.
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Jesus "the Christ"- Pastor C. R. Biggs
The angel told Joseph (and earlier Mary):
"[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
The angel declared to the shepherds:
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Jesus "the Christ" is the righteousness of God that God requires- -and amazingly provides - - for sinners to receive by faith.
Jesus simply means "YHWH is Salvation"; his name is JESUS because he will save his people from their sins.
"Christ" is not Jesus' last name (it would have likely been "Ben Joseph"). "Christ" is Greek for the Hebrew "Messiah". "Christ" means "Anointed One"; which means that Jesus Christ is our Savior from sins and our Anointed One.
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Worldliness
'Worldliness' is a new book edited by C. J. Mahaney. The book is a very good read, and helpful on biblically defining worldliness and teaching readers the cure for it in Christ Jesus.
Here is a snapshot of the first chapter on 'Worldliness':
Worldliness is not merely external threats from outside of the Christian; worldliness come from the heart (what the heart loves, 1 John 2:16: cravings, lusting, boasting are three things specifically mentioned that come from the heart).
ESV 1 John 2:15-17: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions - is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
An excellent definition of worldliness is defined by Pastor Ian Murray:
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The Local Church
1Peter 2:5 - you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house...
Solomon’s Temple was perhaps the most expensive building built in human history. Kings and Queens visiting from other nations stood in wonder and awe when seeing it for the first time. Yet in these days, God is now building a spiritual building that far exceeds Solomon's Temple in worth and value. It is made of human souls.
Christ said, "what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world let loses his soul?" The obvious answer is that all the gold and silver, all the wealth of this world and the prestige that goes with it - all would be futile if in the end, the soul was lost. That's because one human soul is worth more than all the riches of this world.
Christ builds individual Christians into a spiritual temple. It's spiritual because it houses the Holy Spirit. "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). That's a reference to the local church, not to individuals in this particular context. The word "you" is plural, referring to the corporate gathering rather than individuals. Most people do not esteem the local Church in such high terms, because they see its obvious flaws. But it is good to be reminded that this is indeed how God sees it. The local Church is amazingly precious to God. - JS
Love Constrained to Obedience
A hymn-poem by William Cowper (1731-1800) to encourage you and prepare you for worship on the Lord's Day (based on 2 Corinthians 5:14-15:
No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the Lord aright:
And what she has she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.
How long beneath the law I lay
In bondage and distress;
I toll’d the precept to obey,
But toil’d without success.
Then, to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its power within,
I feel I hate it too.
Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose His ways.
“What shall I do,†was then the word,
“That I may worthier grow?â€
“What shall I render to the Lord?â€
Is my inquiry now.
To see the law by Christ fulfilled
And hear His pardoning voice,
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.
William Cooper
ESV 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Jonathan Edwards on the Excellency of Christ
Jonathan Edwards on the Excellency of Christ
I wanted to share with you an updated reading of Edwards' 'The Excellency of Christ' for you to ponder and prayerfully consider as pastors and Christians. May this study from the 18th century focus our attention on the wisdom and glory gained in reflection upon the incarnation of Christ.
May the Church of Jesus Christ through weakness, humility, and irrelevance become the Church that Jesus Christ has prayed for us to become by His grace (John 17).
I invite you to ponder the excellency, glory, beauty, wisdom and exceeding condescension of the God-Man in this study! Behold our Glorious Lord and the King of the Church!
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"He gave gifts to men" (Eph 4:8)
Its interesting to read two men I have come to admire for their consistency in interpreting the Biblical text wrestle about the same thing and yet bring out different facets of truth. They in no way disagree with each other in these articles, but seeing their words in such close proximity to each other, allows me to marvel at the beauty and depth there is to be found in God's word. I also believe it shows us the value of receiving gift ministries of Christ to His Church (Eph. 4:11ff) in the way God intended. By all means, check everything these men or anyone else for that matter would say, preach or write. Check everything out with Scripture.. and do this ALWAYS.. and yet where you find them to be speaking truths consistent with the biblical text, allow these men and their words to feed and nourish your soul and your walk with Christ. Here's what I mean..
First of all here's a short article by R. C. Sproul on "Seeking After God"
"How many times have you heard Christians say (or heard the words from your own mouth), "So-and-so is not a Christian but he's searching"? It is a common statement among Christians. The idea is that there are people all over the place who are searching for God. Their problem is that they just haven't been able to find Him. He is playing hide-and-seek. He is elusive.
In the Garden of Eden, when sin came into the world, who hid? Jesus came into the world to seek and to save the lost. Jesus wasn't the one who was hiding. God is not a fugitive. We are the ones on the run. Scripture declares that the wicked flee when no man pursues. As Martin Luther remarked: "The pagan trembles at the rustling of a leaf. The uniform teaching of Scripture is that fallen men are fleeing from God."
People do not seek God. They seek after the benefits that only God can give them. The sin of fallen man is this: Man seeks the benefits of God while fleeing from God Himself. We are, by nature, fugitives.
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You Need to Accept the Gift?
Have you ever encountered this particular scenario? A Christian says to his non-Christian friend, “Christ died for you so you need to accept the gift or it does you no good." In this situation faith is seen as something a person (a natural person) conjures up from his unregenerated human nature. This is unbiblical. The Scriptures argue that faith is a gift (John 6:63-65). Regeneration is produced in you by the preaching of the word as the Holy Spirit works 'germination' through it. You were dead in your sins and transgressions and God came to you first by His Spirit and Word to regenerate you and give you faith (Eph 2:5). J.I. Packer said, The saving power of the cross does not depend on faith being added to it; its saving power is such that faith flows from it"
So the gift is not like a piece of candy which we can accept or refuse but the gift can be likened to the gift of eyes or the reception of new life as a baby. We did not receive either of these things by choosing them, but God just granted them to us at our natural birth. Likewise we trust in Christ, not because we came to Jesus apart from the Holy Spirit in our natural state. Rather we trust Jesus because He removed our heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh which loves Christ. A heart without the Spirit is dead to God and needs the Spirit to make it alive so the person may believe. It was not our good will which caused our regeneration but our regeneration which caused our will to desire what is good. We "were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13).
So when we present the gospel we need to herald the new about what Jesus has accomplished and the command for all persons everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. Telling people the command of God is not the same as telling them the unbiblical and impossible supposition that they have the power to believe apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (See Rom 3:19, 20).
Resources: Canons of Dort, Heads 3 & 4, Articles 14 & 15
Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 2:1-10, John 1:13, 6:63-65
The Eternal State
At the consummation of all things, Jesus Christ will come for his bride, the church, and will appear in the blazing fire of His glory to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty casting the unbelievers in the lake of fire (Rev. 19:15)
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him and on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. At that time He will resurrect the righteous and the unrighteous (John 5:29) and will create a new heaven and a new earth.The present earth and heaven will be destroyed by fire and the eternal
home of the righteous will be the new earth and new heaven (2 Peter 3:10-13). (See Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22).
In Revelation 21:1-22:6. we get small glimpse of what the future holds for God's covenant people. Much of this in is apocalyptic language so many of these images point to something greater than themselves:
• There will be no pain or death (Revelation 21:4)
• God will dwell together with His covenant people (Revelation 21:3)
• There will be no marriage (Matthew 22:30)
• There will no longer be any sea (Revelation 21:1)
• There will be no night (Revelation 21:23; 22:5)
• God’s glory will bring light (Revelation 21:23)
• God’s throne is in the New Jerusalem (22:4)
• The curse is removed (Revelation 22:3; cf. Gen. 3)
• We will have perfect knowledge (1 Corinthians 13:12)
• We shall be like Christ having an imperishable body just like His (1 John 3:2; 1 Cor 15)
• We will live forever and exist without pain (Revelation 21:4)
• We will all be holy (Revelation 21:27)
• We will reign with Christ for eternity (Revelation 22:5)
• Christ will rule man (Isaiah 9:7; Revelation 11:15)
At that time, the Heavenly city will become one with the earthly one, which will be the dwelling place of the righteous for all eternity. Those who were cursed in Adam will be perfected as death will have been completely eradicated. May it be so. "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).
The Satisfied Lamb
Matthew 1:21 - you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Isaiah 53:8 - By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...
Rev. 5:9 - for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation
Christ's work on the cross achieved all of the Divine purposes for it. The intent of the design was not merely to try to save all, but when all was said and done, the plan could fail for many because of that stubborn thing called "free will," with the Savior sad for all eternity because many He died for received no benefit for all His labor. No, He died a satisfied Savior, giving Himself for His friends, for His sheep, for His people, for His Church, and fully accomplished the work of redemption for all in this number.
All who are particularists (who believe that not everyone will be saved - that some people will in fact spend eternity in hell) believe in some type of limitation to the atonement of Christ. The Arminian limits its power, for it only becomes effectual through man's cooperation; the Reformed person limits its extent. As C. H. Spurgeon said, "The doctrine of Holy Scripture is this, that inasmuch as man could not keep God's law, having fallen in Adam, Christ came and fulfilled the law on the behalf of his people; and that inasmuch as man had already broken the divine law and incurred the penalty of the wrath of God, Christ came and suffered in the room, place, and stead of his elect ones, that so by his enduring the full vials of wrath, they might be emptied out and not a drop might ever fall upon the heads of his blood-bought people." (Sermon 310 - "Christ our Substitute - New Park Street, Southwark)
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Whoever Trusts in His Own Mind is a Fool
Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
- Proverbs 28:26
While the above proverb may seem counter-intuitive at first glance, yet it is perhaps the most profoundly helpful admonition or counsel from a friend that you will ever receive. Take the time to consider it. If a young man were to come to your door asking for wisdom, you could do not better than to impart him the counsel to never trust himself, or his own mind. That would not be a wasted word. As I consider my own life, the more than two decades I have been a Christian, I can only lament the times where I trusted my own mind. That ‘idol factory’ I have in my heart is constantly at work, and is so prone to make poor choices, so above all we must “keep our hearts". Thankfully, God does not leave us to ourselves, but has lovingly condescended to us to give us The Way of Wisdom. When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take us our cross, He does not leave us there to suffer alone … He has promised to be with us so in our self-denial He also calls us to “follow Him†in suffering ... and we can be assured that He knows the way home. And He gives us His word to direct our every step in His wisdom.
But why does the Holy Spirit call those who trust themselves a fool? Because we are but dust, sinful misguided creatures who have but a breath in their nostrils. Because we are a stiffnecked people who do not want God’s yoke on them who think they are free but are slaves to every form of depravity. And because all authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to Jesus who says to them, “…as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me (Luke 19:27). So while the world foolishly thinks that God is long in coming and will not judge them, Jesus, on the contrary, while He is now patient and merciful granting plenty of time for people to repent, there is a day soon when iniquity will finally reach its limits, and on that Day Jesus, with blazing fire in his eyes, will be invading with His armies who will judge the sons of men in the valley of decision:
And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev 19:14-16)
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On this Independence Day
May the Lord really bless you and your family this Independence Day.
When the Lord called Elijah to hide from the king's wrath and find water at a time when the land was under the judgment of drought, God directed him to a brook called Cherith. Yet, in what I am sure was a situation that brought great anxiety to Elijah, day by day he watched the water level shrinking further and further. Lets remember that this very drought was the result of the words God had instructed him to proclaim. What a challenge this must have been!
Elijah Predicts a Drought
1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.†2 And the word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.†5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
Yet even in the midst of famine, God had not forgotten his man and had provided means for supplying Elijah's needs, through a very unusual source - a widow who was preparing what she thought was her last ever meal before death. Think about that. This widow, at the very end of herself, was God's appointed means of provision for His prophet. God was surely showing Elijah that He has countless ways of providing, but also showing this widow such amazing love and mercy (though she might not be aware of this when asked to share her last meal with him). How tender He is with His people even as they face great trials and hardships. How great is His love.
God provided the Cherith brook for Elijah, but this means of provision was ending, and so God instructed Elijah to leave that place and go to another.
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An Observation about Israel in Ephesians 2:11-21 & 3:5, 6
The following passage really makes up the heart of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. Here he reveals a great mystery which was hidden in previous ages:
"Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ ... So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord."Notice in this passage that Paul speaks to Gentiles as having been previously separate and alienated from Israel and the covenants, but in Christ, Gentiles have become citizens of Israel. Being "brought near" was their modern day parlance for Jewish proselytes. Because verse 12 and verse 19 are separated by some text (which speaks of benefits in Christ) many do not pay attention to their close connection. Let’s have a look then: Verse 12 "alienated from the commonwealth of Israel" is joined to (vr. 19) "you are no longer strangers and aliens". No longer aliens to what? No longer aliens to the commonwealth of Israel. That means that Gentiles who are in Christ are now "citizens" (v. 19) of Israel built as a house with Christ as the chief cornerstone. In other words, Jesus Christ is the True Israel of God (its fulfillment and foundation) as are all who are joined in union to Him. To say it another way, both OT and NT saints who are in union with Christ are citizens of Israel according to this passage. Likewise we are partakers of its promises, according to another nearby passage:
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More Thoughts on Christ's Active Obedience and its Relation to The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness
Active obedience: “Christ’s full obedience to all the prescriptions of the divine law…[making] available a perfect righteousness before the law that is imputed or reckoned to those who put their trust in him.Passive Obedience: “[Christ's] willing obedience in bearing all the sanctions imposed by that law against his people because of their transgression…[being] the ground of God’s justification of sinners (Rom. 5:9), by which divine act they are pardoned…†Dr. Robert L. Reymond
By taking on the covenant obligations of the law as our representative we are made righteous in Him by His obedience. Romans 5:19 states: "For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous."
Something important to consider related to this:
God desires obedience, not sacrifice. God through history is looking for a man who would obey Him. He is not looking for someone who merely makes a perfect score on the test, but a human who is unfailingly devoted to Him as an image bearer - someone who mirrors his love, holiness, justice and truth. This is a constantly repeated theme throughout Scripture. Psalm 40, which Hebrews 10 quotes is one example:
Psalm 40:6-8 (English Standard Version)
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
Athanasius on Scripture's Nature and Sufficiency
(taken from an article by Dr. James White at www.aomin.org) hear the words of Athanasius (c. 293 – 2 May 373), one of the chief spokesmen for Christ in the first few hundred years after Christ:
We note first and foremost the plain words from his work against the heathen:
For indeed the holy and God-breathed Scriptures are self-sufficient for the preaching of the truth.[1]
In this passage Athanasius begins with a fundamental tenet of his faith: the full sufficiency of Scripture for the proclamation of the truth. He immediately goes on to note that God uses other sources to teach truth as well, including godly men with an insight into Scripture. But he begins where Protestants and Roman Catholics part company: with the sufficiency of Scripture. He had learned such things from those who came before him. He even mentions the words of Antony, "The Scriptures are enough for instruction, but it is a good thing to encourage one another in the faith, and to stir up with words."[2]
When writing to the Egyptian bishops he asserted:
But since holy Scripture is of all things most sufficient for us, therefore recommending to those who desire to know more of these matters, to read the Divine word, I now hasten to set before you that which most claims attention, and for the sake of which principally I have written these things.[3]
The high view of Scripture is continued in this passage from Athanasius work on the Incarnation of the Word of God:
Let this, then, Christ-loving man, be our offering to you, just for a rudimentary sketch and outline, in a short compass, of the faith of Christ and of His Divine appearing usward. But you, taking occasion by this, if you light upon the text of the Scriptures, by genuinely applying your mind to them, will learn from them more completely and clearly the exact detail of what we have said. For they were spoken and written by God, through men who spoke for God.[4]
One will search in vain for a reference wherein this Father describes oral tradition in such a way, and yet Trent did not fear to so speak of tradition. Rather than finding OBrien's idea that Scripture is not a safe guide as to what we are to believe, Athanasius said: ". . . for the tokens of truth are more exact as drawn from Scripture, than from other sources."[5]
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Athanasius on Scripture's Nature and Sufficiency
(taken from an article by Dr. James White at www.aomin.org) hear the words of Athanasius (c. 293 – 2 May 373), one of the chief spokesmen for Christ in the first few hundred years after Christ:
We note first and foremost the plain words from his work against the heathen:
For indeed the holy and God-breathed Scriptures are self-sufficient for the preaching of the truth.[1]
In this passage Athanasius begins with a fundamental tenet of his faith: the full sufficiency of Scripture for the proclamation of the truth. He immediately goes on to note that God uses other sources to teach truth as well, including godly men with an insight into Scripture. But he begins where Protestants and Roman Catholics part company: with the sufficiency of Scripture. He had learned such things from those who came before him. He even mentions the words of Antony, "The Scriptures are enough for instruction, but it is a good thing to encourage one another in the faith, and to stir up with words."[2]
When writing to the Egyptian bishops he asserted:
But since holy Scripture is of all things most sufficient for us, therefore recommending to those who desire to know more of these matters, to read the Divine word, I now hasten to set before you that which most claims attention, and for the sake of which principally I have written these things.[3]
The high view of Scripture is continued in this passage from Athanasius work on the Incarnation of the Word of God:
Let this, then, Christ-loving man, be our offering to you, just for a rudimentary sketch and outline, in a short compass, of the faith of Christ and of His Divine appearing usward. But you, taking occasion by this, if you light upon the text of the Scriptures, by genuinely applying your mind to them, will learn from them more completely and clearly the exact detail of what we have said. For they were spoken and written by God, through men who spoke for God.[4]
One will search in vain for a reference wherein this Father describes oral tradition in such a way, and yet Trent did not fear to so speak of tradition. Rather than finding OBrien's idea that Scripture is not a safe guide as to what we are to believe, Athanasius said: ". . . for the tokens of truth are more exact as drawn from Scripture, than from other sources."[5]
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Cast your cares on the LORD - Psalm 55:22
a Kinetic Typography video by Seeds Family Worship Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall." ~ NIV
Speaking Boldly Without Compromise
For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive. - Psalm 106:45, 46
God is controlling everything: the smallest molecules, big events, and even the hearts of men (Proverbs 21:1). God has a specific plan for you in redemptive history. And God reveals to us in the Scripture that he wants us to be witnesses in Babylon. God has a specific plan for our lives and, according to Scripture, will move into the heart of those he foreordains to put in our paths.
I believe there is strong scriptural warrant to believe that you will enjoy an unearthly protection when you live for Christ and speak boldly about Him. Many of us worry that if we stick our neck out to speak about Christ people may react negatively. We may worry about such things for a minute, but since God got us into this situation by calling us to be witnesses for him, he can get us out of it. God protects those who make a commitment to Him. And however people may react, the outcome is according to God's perfect plan. He has ultimate control over how the message you bring to people will be received. Remember, you are just the mailman. We do not create the massage, God does, and we must deliver that message intact. He will determine the outcome.
But many times we compromise because we're afraid we'll come in harm's way or be ridiculed when we speak about Christ but the fact is if we do not compromise, God will be our protection in the midst of trouble ... but as soon as you compromise, you forfeit that unearthly protection and, at that point, you're on your own.
Speaking of Israel Psalm 106:46 says, "He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives."Do you realize that God can not only sway a king, God can sway an entire society? This is because, verse 45 says He is a covenant keeping God and He made a covenant with His people. And, friends, we have a covenant with our God in Christ. In it he remembers not to treat us as our sins justly deserve. And further, because he has imputed to us Christ's righteousness, You are now children of God, in a covenant relationship that is indelible and unbreakable. So as you pray, ask God to have you move out into the world and engage with those who will be worthy of your time, and even if you do not see instant results, know that you are just the messenger whom God has assigned to this very encounter.
Was Anyone Saved At The Cross?
Dr. James White's article on this theme had a profound effect upon me some years ago when I read it, and on this Good Friday, point people to it again. May we all glory in the cross-work of the Perfect Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ - found here. - JS
A Lamb Slain
With some trepidation I am providing a link here to a shocking video. It portrays the actual slaying of a lamb. Todd Bolem also linked to it and wrote: "This is as graphic as it gets. More and more people today don't realize that meat doesn't originate at a grocery store. They have little concept of an animal being raised and then slaughtered. Furthermore, almost no one in the Western world has ever sacrificed an animal for religious purposes. I think, however, that is precisely why this *graphic* video should be shown. We read about sacrifice in the Bible but we don't really understand what that means. We read passages that talk about the "life being in the blood," but those are just words that we don't really consider. We "know" that the wages of sin are high, but we don't get the life lesson that the ancient Israelites received every year. The point of sacrifice was simply this: you deserve to die because of your sin. This animal is dying in your place. Watching the priest slice his throat and watching the blood drain out drove the point home much better than reading a chapter of Leviticus."
I have to admit, I was shocked and deeply moved as I watched this video, but it is something everyone in Old Testament Israel would have been extremely familiar with. It brings home to us so clearly the weightiness of our sin and the worthiness of the Lamb who was slain for us. On this Good Friday, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. As the link says, don't watch this video while eating, and if you're thinking about showing your children, watch it yourself first here. - JS
Images of the Savior (48 -- Conclusion)
Dear ones in Christ, we have now finished our survey of the books of Moses, and we have had many weighty things impressed upon us. Let us now take a few moments to consider what we have heard, in order that we might be very careful not to drift away: “for if the word which was spoken through angels was firm, and every transgression and disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape, having been careless of so great a salvation, which began to be spoken of by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders and diverse miracles and apportionings of the Holy Spirit according to his will†(Hebrews 2:2-4)? But we trust that it will not be so, but rather, having witnessed the beginning of the gospel of Christ, which Moses testified to, we will run all the more assiduously to the fullness of the gospel in the broad daylight, which God has now spoken to us perfectly through his Son (Hebrews 1:1-4).
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Images of the Savior (47 -- The Final Song and Blessing of Moses)
We have now come to the conclusion of Deuteronomy, and with it, the conclusion of the five books of Moses, which are of such foundational importance to the entire bible, that it might be said without exaggeration that the whole divine plan of redemption and the schematic for all of history is here laid out, so that all the prophets who should later arise could speak no new thing, but only apply and exegete what Moses had already said; and even the Christ himself, when he came, set about to do only what God had before promised and signified by the hand of Moses so long before; and in these final chapters, although the superiority of Moses is again signaled (Deuteronomy 34:10-12); yet what is particularly emphasized is his inadequacy and failure, and the need for someone greater than he, to do what he could not. And so, as he admits his incapacity to do in earnest what he had spoken of and seen afar by the Spirit of prophecy, at the same time, he commits the people to God, who he trusts should go before them, and do himself what Moses had not been able to do, through another greater Moses.
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Images of the Savior (46 -- The Second Confirmation of the Covenant)
At the conclusion of the book of Deuteronomy, which has been a book marked by very many repetitions and second affirmations of things, there is also a second confirmation made of the Covenant which was originally confirmed on Mount Sinai, in Horeb (see Deuteronomy 29:1). On the occasion of this confirmation, Moses takes great pains to describe many notable things about this covenant, what benefits and advantages it holds forth, wherein it is essentially inadequate, and so on; and when he is coming to the climactic conclusion of his speech, he is very emphatic to drive home Christ to the people, that they might take comfort in the certain hope of his mercy, and not be overwhelmed by the strict demands of the Law. Let us look to the comforting words quoted above, to see how well they are designed to lead the children of Israel, who were under the Law, to Christ their Savior, who should free them from its demands and enable them to obey it; but first, we must notice a few significant things about the nature of this Covenant of Law that Moses is here confirming; for it may seem to many minds to be in such opposition to the gospel of Christ, that it is enigmatical or even impossible that it should at one and the same time hold him forth so freely to the people. But this is a confusion that we will certainly clear up, by the Spirit's illuminating grace.
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Images of the Savior (45 -- The Blessings and Curses Upon Mounts Gerizim and Ebal)
Before the children of Israel had entered the promised land, when Moses was still giving his final instructions to them, he commanded them, when they had once crossed over the Jordan River, to set up an altar of unhewn stones on Mount Ebal; and then, when they were all gathered together, to stand six tribes on Mount Gerazim and six tribes on Mount Ebal, the former to call out the covenant blessings and the latter to call out the covenant curses. In this arrangement, we may see several things which are intended for our instruction: first, that the covenant did not just threaten curses or promise blessings, but that it held forth both to the people; second, that even within the twelve tribes, there were those who, by divine choice, should be made to experience the curses, and those who should inherit the blessings; and we may note here, that all those whom God commanded to stand on Mount Gerazim for blessing were children of the free women of Jacob, that is, of Leah and Rachel, and not of their servants Bilhah and Zilpah; and so we may be instructed by this, that only we who are children of the free woman by faith, and not those who are children of slaves by the works of the flesh, shall know the covenant blessings (cf. Galatians 4:22-31); and third, that those who were chosen for blessing would escape the curses not by their own efforts, but only through the divinely-supplied sacrifice of grace; for the altar of burnt offering was made of unhewn stones, as if to say, God himself will provide a sacrifice not made with hands; and it was placed upon Mount Ebal and not Mount Gerazim, as if to say, “Mount Gerazim with its blessings is for you because Mount Ebal with its curses is for my Sacrificeâ€; who is, of course, the Christ.
Images of the Savior (44 -- The Prophet Like Moses)
When the people saw the Lord come down upon Mount Sinai in great power, so that the very mountains shook, and there were thunderings and lightnings, and a very thick darkness, and raging tempests and fires (Exodus 19:16-19; cf. also Hebrews 12:18-21), then the people were terrified, and were not only too afraid to go up the mount into the presence of the Lord, but they even asked of him not to speak to them again in so dreadful a way, and not to show them again this merest glimpse of his terrible glory (Exodus 20:18-21). God then told Moses that they were right to request this of him, thereby acknowledging that it was too much for the people to bear to have any glimpse of him or any word from him, except it should be given through a Mediator. Now, Moses himself was this mediator for a time, and he went up into the holy mount and brought down God's words to the people; but he was inadequate for the task, and could not at all bring the people up to God, nor yet give them sufficient words in order to be a complete and satisfactory self-revelation; and so, God promised to send another Prophet like Moses, who should be greater than he, and reveal God in full, and make the people fit to come to him (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). This promise ranks among the greatest in all the Pentateuch, and its fulfillment was ardently hoped for by all Israel until the coming of Jesus, of whom the apostle John said that, “the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ†(John 1:17), thereby confirming that Jesus was greater than Moses, and was that Prophet of whom Moses had spoken so long before.
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Images of the Savior (43 The Second Giving of the Law)
Immediately after God first gave his Law to the people whom he had chosen, and established his covenant with them, they showed their unworthiness by transgressing his commandments, and building a golden calf to worship in his stead. But instead of casting off his people, God brought them through forty years of testing in the wilderness, and thereafter, when he was about to bring them into the land that he had covenanted to give them, he gave them the Law a second time, through Moses his servant, and reminded them in many ways of all the blessings he had promised their fathers to give to them, which they had not yet received; and he therefore enjoined the strictest obedience upon them most ardently, in order that they might enter into the joy of the promised blessings. This second giving of the Law, after the failure of Israel to obey it when it was first given, is recorded for us in the final book of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy; which is a name that simply means “second lawâ€.
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Images of the Savior (42 -- The Levitical Cities of Refuge)
As we saw previously, the book of Numbers opened up with an account of the census of Israel, just before they set out from the foot of Mount Sinai, to cross the wilderness and enter the Promised Land; and now, as we have come to the end of the book of Numbers, we shall see that it likewise concludes with a census of the people, after they have wandered for forty years in the wilderness, during which time the entire generation of Israelites who refused to enter the land were destroyed, saving only Joshua and Caleb alone. So the title “Numbers†is very appropriate after all, drawing our attention as it does to the significance of these two censuses: for we may learn, when we reflect upon them, that if God's people are faithless, and rebel, they will not live, nor ever experience the promised blessings of his grace; but this faithlessness of the people does not nullify God's own faithfulness (cf. Romans 3:3-4), for he will not allow his covenant to be broken, but will raise up in their place another generation that will know the grace that he had promised. Thus, even after killing all the Israelites twenty years of age or older, including 603,550 men able to go to war, from the eleven tribes excepting Levi (Numbers 1:46-47), he raised up in just forty years time another multitude, including 601,730 men of war (Numbers 26:51); and this was just a foreshadow of what he would do in later times, casting off the unbelieving nation of Israel, so that he might graft in by faith another generation of Gentiles, in order that his covenant should not be fruitless, but that they should inherit the blessings promised to Abraham (Romans 11). Only, we must learn from this not to be highminded, but to fear (Romans 11:20): for if this generation of Israel which heard the gospel did not enter into God's rest because of unbelief, neither will we, who have been given the same gospel, enter in if we do not persevere in true faith (Hebrews 4:1-2); so that, if we would learn from the example of the Israelites destroyed in the wilderness, we must not be as they, but looking unto Jesus, we must press on through every difficulty, hoping in his sure covenant, and so find his promised rest at last.
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Images of the Savior (41 -- Balaam's Prophecy)
In all the Old Testament scriptures, there are very few prophecies of the coming Messiah that shine with a greater brilliance or more explicit certainty than the testimony of Balaam, the false prophet who sought to destroy Israel, but ended up blessing her and confirming her great victory through the light-bearing, scepter-wielding Christ. How all this came about, that he who sought to frustrate God's redemptive design was constrained to render an indisputable testimony to the final triumph of the Church through Christ, and how God caused Israel to prosper at every turn, and protected her with his might, we shall now observe from the account at hand.
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Images of the Savior (40 -- The Serpent in the Wilderness)
After the instructions concerning the ministry of the tabernacle were given to the sons of Levi in general and the priestly class in particular, which was marked out by divine appointment as comprising the family of Aaron alone, following the rebellion of Korah, and after provision was then made for the fabrication of the water of separation, through the ashes of a red heifer, which things were made necessary by the assault on the divine institution which Korah and those who were with him had waged in their deception, the text then turns once more to a historical account of the final stages of Israel's forty-year journey through the wilderness, before they enter the promised land; and in this account, we may discern several very notable types of the Savior, both in the second striking of the rock, in the opposition of Edom to the children of Israel, and most especially in the matter of the fiery serpents which God sent among the people, and the remedy he provided, through a brazen serpent lifted up as an ensign in the wilderness, upon which, if one even looked, he would be healed of his malady and live.
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Images of the Savior (39 -- The Red Heifer)
In the ninth chapter of the letter to the Hebrews, the author proclaims that Christ has made an eternal redemption for his people, by offering himself up, once-for-all, as a perfect sacrifice for their sins; and he goes on to prove his assertion by reflecting that, “if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, being sprinkled on them who were defiled, sanctifies unto the purification of the flesh, how much more does the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself up blameless to God, purify our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?†(Hebrews 9:13-14). In this way, he makes clear the typological function of the red heifer, which Israel was commanded of old to sacrifice and burn, and to make of its ashes a water of purification, not as though there were anything especially salubrious in the ashes themselves, but that they were a foreshadow of the sufferings of Christ, which really did cleanse the conscience, and purify those who had been dead in trespasses and sins. As we look to the account in Numbers, in which this ceremonial action is commanded, we must immediately be struck with how many details and instances were perfectly adapted to show forth, in a figure, the perfect redemptive work of Christ, both in its execution and its purifying results, as we shall now observe.
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Images of the Savior (38 -- Korah's Rebellion)
Immediately after the account of Israel's failure to enter the land of Canaan, and her being cursed, therefore, to wander about in the wilderness for forty years, until that entire generation which disbelieved God's promises should be utterly consumed, excepting only Caleb and Joshua, who had a different spirit; God then immediately sees fit to set forth in summary the laws that Israel must obey when she had entered into the Promised Land, and the means of the forgiveness of sins committed in ignorance, through an atoning sacrifice. In this way, after so devastating an occurrence, he holds forth both a solemn warning and a certain hope, as we shall now make clear.
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Images of the Savior (37 -- The Failure to Enter the Promised Land)
In the events following Israel's first setting out for the Promised Land, from the foot of Mount Sinai, we are instructed in many particulars of the dangers of grumbling and rebellion, the several ways in which the Lord responds to these treacherous dispositions, and the serious and devastating consequences of continuing in such a frame of disbelief; and we see, moreover, the consolatory and beneficial ministry of Moses, who mediates, intercedes for, and guides the people, as a type of the Messiah, together with the favorable effects of this office, but only upon the believing remnant within the largely apostate Church. In the confluence of these two lessons, we are taught to fear, and not to be highminded at all; but also, to hope for and be confident of victory, though all the world should oppose us, if we continue steadfast in the faith. Let us now see how the scriptures holds forth these lessons to us.
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Images of the Savior (36 -- The Formation of the Kingdom)
When we arrive at the book of Numbers, in our journey through the five books of Moses, a very considerable portion of the Pentateuch has passed since Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai, comprising half of Exodus and the entire book of Leviticus. But in spite of this lengthy segment of text, we find the hosts of Israel still gathered together at the foot of Mount Sinai, so that, for the entirety of one and a half of Moses' five books, they have made no progress in their journey whatsoever. This very fact emphasizes the utterly crucial and significant nature of what took place on Mount Sinai; for the Holy Spirit has seen fit to devote a very large part of the foundational books of the Law to detailing the events of that one monumental episode. As we move into a consideration of the book of Numbers, therefore, it would behoove us to give a little reflection to what had in fact transpired at the Holy Mount of Yahweh, and how the thing that had there taken place undergirds and gives meaning to the next event in Israel's history, when she sets out from the mountain to journey across the wilderness. In this reflection, we will learn much of the nature of the Church, and see many glimpses of the Savior, which will serve to encourage and instruct us today, as we move across the wilderness of this world, a united body and kingdom of priests, under the headship of Christ.
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Images of the Savior (35 -- The Covenant Blessings and Curses)
Throughout the entire book of Leviticus, we have seen demonstrated in many ways that the peculiar blessedness of God's people consists only in this, that he is their God, and has taken them unto himself to be his own people; and likewise, the land which he had promised to their fathers to give to them, was a blessing ultimately in this respect, that it was the land where God's tabernacle would dwell, the land where his presence would abide in the midst of the people. Accordingly, it is a matter of utmost seriousness, which extends far beyond the mere horrors of physical famine, fruitlessness, and subjugation to enemies, that the covenant curses at the end of the book hold forth to the people, if they disobey his law: for these are but fruits of a much vaster problem, viz., that God himself is displeased with his people, and cannot dwell with them favorably anymore. And likewise, the blessings held forth to the people, as long as they keep his covenant, are far greater than mere physical ease and prosperity, which things even the nations enjoy at some times and to some degree; for they signify that God is not only dwelling in the midst of the people, but that he is pleased to do so, and rejoices to be with them, and is favorably disposed to provide them with any good thing of which they might have need. So that, the essence of the covenant blessing consists most fundamentally in God's favorable presence; and the essence of the covenant curses consists in God's wrathful presence, so that he cannot endure anymore the sight and proximity of those whom in their rebellion he abhors.
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Images of the Savior (34 -- The Year of Jubilee)
In all the Levitical laws concerning the sabbaths and solemn feasts, the children of Israel were reminded to look backward to the wonderful works of God in the past, by which he had created the world in perfect splendor and made it altogether suitable for man's joyful habitation; and then, after mankind's first rebellion, had made great promises of a better restoration, and taken great steps to that end; but also, they were admonished by these holy times to look forward to the true fulfillment and culmination of the redemption thereby testified to and sealed, and even tasted, as it were, if but for a day. Thus, on the day of the Sabbath, the Israelites remembered God's perfect creation, and how he entered into the joy of resting in what he had accomplished, and likewise brought in his image-bearing creature, man, to enjoy that rest together with him; and they also would remember, a little later, how Joshua had brought them into their promised land of rest (save only that generation that murmured and doubted, and were destroyed in the wilderness); but even after that entrance into Canaan, the Psalmist spoke of another rest that remained for the people (Psalm 95:7-11; Hebrews 4:7-10); by which he meant that rest which Christ would accomplish for those who are his, working so that they might rest in his sufficiency, and so be brought in to the eternal rest in the New Jerusalem. In the same way, as we have just seen, the feasts taught the people to remember God's redemptive works in the past, and to look through them to the anti-typical redemptive works of Christ in the future, which should provide for and ensure the eternal enjoyment of those things the feasts merely symbolized and hinted at.
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Images of the Savior (33 -- The Holy Feasts of Israel)
In many ways and at many different places in the book of Leviticus, we have encountered the theme of holiness to the Lord as that one central motif which binds everything together, and gives all the diverse regulations a unity and singularity of purpose: in the tabernacle, the children of Israel had a holy place, where they might meet with their holy God; in the laws of morality and cleanness, they were shown the way to be set apart from sin and the world as a holy people, among whom the holy God might dwell; in the laws concerning the sacrifices and the priesthood, they were given a way to be cleansed and made holy in spite of all their failures to follow God's Law, so that the tabernacle might remain a holy place, and they might continue to be a holy people living in the presence of the holy God. Of course, all this emphasis on holiness led the children of Israel straight to their promised Messiah, who would be the true tabernacle, bringing the very presence of the holy God down to men; and also the true Sacrifice, offered up to make men holy, the true Priest, bringing them out from the world of sin and uncleanness, the true Law-keeper, able always to stand in the thrice-holy presence of God, and so on. In light of this history, it should come as no surprise that the next portion of Leviticus, in which the sacred feasts of Yahweh are detailed, is likewise underscored by the need for holiness, and designed to lead to Christ the Savior: just as the people of Israel were to be a holy nation; just as the tabernacle was to be a holy place; and just as all the worship rituals were to be holy activities; so the appointed feasts were to be holy times. And furthermore, even as all the elements preceding the discussion of these feasts pointed ahead to a better and more lasting fulfillment in the days of the Messiah, so it was with the feasts too: just as, when the Messiah came, he would make his people utterly holy, cleansing their conscience indeed (Hebrews 10:9-14); and just as he would make the whole world their holy place, ensuring its entire recreation as a world where righteousness dwells (John 4:21-24; 2 Peter 3:13); so also would he make all the time of his people holy time, and would ensure an eternity set apart for them to enjoy his holy presence (Hebrews 4:9-11).
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The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
The following is an excerpt of a discussion here on Reformation Theology following in response to John Samson's fine essay on Wrestling with Predestination and Election. If this current post is of interest to you then I would encourage you to go there afterwards to read Pastor John's post and the interesting discussion that follows.
Question:
John. Thank you for your reply, which has got me thinking (esp. the part about why some respond to the gospel and others don't). There is one issue I would love to hear your thoughts on. Calvinists always talk of the bondage of the will, etc and how one cannot come to Christ apart from a supernatural work (regeneration). How then does one explain the fact that some men found favour with God in the Old Testament, when they were unregenerate. Eg Joshua and Caleb whom the Lord said had a "different spirit" about them. Where did this believing spirit come from? Or what about Abraham, the father of our faith. The Bible holds him up as the ultimate example of faith, and yet he was unregenerate. Or why did Jesus marvel at the centurion's faith (if this faith was, according to calvinists, from God in the first place). In all these cases, it would seem the person themself found favour with God without being regenerated first (or at all). In fact, the whole Old Testament needs to be explained (with some believing and some not)as no one was regenerated then. I look forward to your thoughts.
Answer:
Thanks again for your important question which deserves an answer....
you said >>>>>How then does one explain the fact that some men found favour with God in the Old Testament, when they were unregenerate.
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Images of the Savior (32 - Holiness to the Lord)
Of all the things we have observed so far from the book of Leviticus, the sum is this: God is a pure and holy God, and if he should have any people at all, and should stoop to dwell in their midst, they must be made holy as well, so that he might walk among them, and not consume them altogether in his righteous fury against sin and uncleanness. This shows just how important holiness to the Lord is: for the true substance of every redemptive blessing is only the presence of God, and fellowship with him; and that goal can only come through sanctification, that is, through being made holy, as God is holy. As we shall see presently, this observation must ultimately lead us to Christ, and drive us to cast ourselves upon him alone, who sanctified himself to his redemptive mission, that we too might be sanctified in the truth (John 17:17-19). In order to unfold these principles more minutely, let us touch first upon the greatness of that one redemptive principle, that God should dwell among his people; then, show how necessary a thing holiness is to that end; and finally demonstrate how those two great truths, which form the core of the book of Leviticus, lead us to Jesus Christ.
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Images of the Savior (31 - The Day of Atonement)
The Day of Atonement, coming as it does in the middle of the festive cycles, and in the heart of the calendar year, being observed on the tenth day of the seventh month, which is the month having the greatest symbolic and ceremonial significance; and being described most minutely, moreover, in the heart of the most intricate elaboration of the Law, which comprises the book of Leviticus, and which is itself at the center of the Pentateuch; must therefore take on a character of utter centrality and solemn importance from the very outset. With regard to the festive cycles, it is distinct in that it alone is a day of solemn affliction and mourning over sin (Leviticus 16:29-31); and yet, its observance prepares for the celebration of the most joyful of feasts, that of Tabernacles (see Leviticus 23:26-43); by which we may learn that it constituted the deep and solemn foundation for all the feasts of joy by which Israel's entire year was structured – without its time of sorrow and affliction, there would be no times of joyous fellowship in the presence of God. And then, it is likewise set apart from all the other feasts in the book of Leviticus, where it is described in great detail in chapter sixteen, in the midst of the laws and regulations governing cleanness and holiness; even though it is also described again in chapter twenty-three, where all the feasts of the Lord are discussed. In this way, its distinct character is emphasized, and especially its relationship to the heart of the Law, which existed to show God's people what it was to be clean and holy, so that he might dwell among them. The Law described what it is to be holy in God's sight: and in the midst of the Law, lest its overwhelming and unyielding demands should terrify and discourage the people, God enjoins upon the people this solemn feast, as if to say, “Although you are insufficient to keep my holy statutes, I have prepared a way for you to be made clean and holy again, so that I might continue to dwell among youâ€.
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Images of the Savior (30 - The Laws of Clean and Unclean)
The very heart of the Levitical laws, being summed up in this one phrase, “You shall be holy, as I the Lord your God am holy,†signified the need for God's people, in the midst of whom he had condescended to dwell, to be separate from all that was common, or tainted with the manifold deleterious effects of sin and the curse. And of the many ways in which this basic truth was taught to the children of Israel, one of the most instructive was the elaborate system of laws making a separation between the clean and the unclean, and governing the way in which God's people had to go about their daily lives, if they should continue in his presence without being consumed by his wrath. In this symbolic code, we may learn very poignantly, and in very concrete and exemplary fashion, the truth that, if we should be permitted to enjoy God's fellowship, we must distance ourselves from all that is contrary to his nature: God is a God of order, life, wholesomeness, and consistency; and nothing that is chaotic or commingled in a disorderly fashion, nor anything tainted by death or the curse, nor anything unwholesome or abnormal may be found in his presence. We may also learn, moreover, that these unclean elements which God will not tolerate are all around us, ever barring us from his courts; but that he has provided a way to restore, renew, and cleanse us again, and make us separate from the defiling agents of sin and its loathsome consequences. Of course, this cleansing is to be found only in Jesus Christ, as we shall soon observe.
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Humility and the Kingdom of God- Rev. Charles R. Biggs
This week we celebrate the 491st anniversary of the Reformation of the 16th century. As part of my meditation on the Reformation, I wanted to think more about how Reformed truth should bring humility to believers, especially as Reformed Christians seek to make the gospel known and build Christ's Kingdom.
It is so easy to lose our focus on what truly matters as Christians, and oftentimes rather than humility in Christ, we can find ourselves waging war as the world does.
What does this Reformed-Kingdom-Building project look like, and how is it accomplished? I think we have the answer in Philippians 2:1-11. HAPPY REFORMATION DAY!
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Images of the Savior (29 - The Strange Fire of Nadab and Abihu)
Although the book of Leviticus is largely full of very detailed instructions for the priestly class, teaching them how to approach God with acceptable sacrifices, how to make a distinction between clean and unclean, and between holy and unholy, at what time and in what ways the solemn festivals are to be observed, and so on, it contains as well a historical prelude immediately following the first series of regulations concerning the offering up of sacrifices, in which Aaron, having been consecrated for his work, offers up the first acceptable sacrifice to the Lord, for his people Israel; and then his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer up unacceptable incense, and are put to death. This account serves to underscore the seriousness of the instructions which are detailed everywhere else throughout the book, emphasizing both the vastly salutary and effective nature of the true sacrifices, and the vastly devastating consequences attendant upon approaching Yahweh in any other way. As we have already observed how particularly the priestly class, ministrations, and vestments speak of Jesus Christ the High Priest; and how the various sacrifices speak most clearly of Christ the spotless Lamb of God; we may learn most importantly, from this historical account, of what immeasurable importance those christological types are: for those priests and sacrifices that are in accordance with God's commands, which everywhere foreshadow Christ, are effective to reconcile his people to himself, and to facilitate his presence and good pleasure among them; but those that do not come from himself he is very displeased with, and instead of being propitiated by them, he responds only in great wrath and fury. So true religion ever begins with God, and comes down by his own initiative, and in his own way, and through his own Christ; every other religious work, which originates in the heart of man, is utterly abominable to him.
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Images of the Savior (28 -- The Levitical Sacrifices)
At the end of the book of Exodus, God has just given Moses his servant very careful instructions for the building of the tabernacle, and for the institution of the Levitical priesthood to serve in it, in order to make atonement for the people, and bring them into the presence of the holy God; and in precise accordance with those instructions, Bezaleel, filled with the Spirit of God, has built the tabernacle and prepared the vestments for the priestly class, whom Moses has just finished consecrating for their ministry. Now, in acceptance of their careful adherence to his instructions, God has been pleased to establish his presence in the midst of Israel, filling the newly constructed tabernacle with his glory, and calling out to Moses from the midst of it, with the detailed instructions for its ongoing service and ministry that will take up the entire book of Leviticus. This book, then, has a very definite centrality and culminative nature both in the Pentateuch and the entire Old Testament: it is placed in the center of the Pentateuch, and at the shadowy climax of God's fulfilling his long-awaited promise that he should bring a people back to himself, and be their God, and dwell in their midst; and it is the most intricate and detailed typological intimation of just how he should accomplish that promised reconciliation in the searing daylight of the Gospel, elaborating as it does the sacrificial system for which the tabernacle and the priests existed and served day and night. Let us be very clear about the significance of this book of Leviticus, before we venture into its sacred pages: the very heart of the entire scriptures consists of that utterly crucial principle of substitutionary sacrifice and resulting atonement and reconciliation. This is what God first promised and signified to Adam and Eve after their sin in the Garden, this is what was typified and foreshadowed in countless ways throughout the history of God's people in the Old Testament, and this is precisely what was actually accomplished through that one great work for which all of history was designed, the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of the Son of God. And there is no more elaborate description of that absolutely central reality of all history than the sacrificial instructions contained within the book of Leviticus. If the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ stands at the pinnacle and climax of redemptive history, the very crux of that tree, casting its shadow backwards through the pre-incarnational history of the people of God, falls precisely upon the first seven chapters of the book of Leviticus. Father, if we cannot see Christ here, then where will we see him? Open our eyes to our spotless sacrificial Lamb!
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John 1:12, Regeneration and Adoption
A visitor named Rey was reading an essay on Monergism.com and sent the following:
You say "Monergism is the biblical doctrine that regeneration (the new birth) both precedes and elicits faith in Christ"
Excuse me, my friend, but have you ever read John 1:12? I don't think you have.
John 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,"
It is clear that belief comes first, THEN they receive the right to become children of God. He gave the right to become children of God to those who believe. He did not make those who are already children of God believe. You have reversed the passage. But not only that! He only gave the right to become children of God to those that believe. He did not actually make them children of God yet. He gave them the right, or as the KJV says, "the power." Now, where or when is this "right" or "power" utilized?
Galatians 3:25-27 "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, because you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, because all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
The right that he gave to all who believe is uses when they submit to believers baptism. To all who believe he gave the right or power to become sons of God. And this right or power they used in baptism, for which purpose Paul says we are sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus (because that's when we received the right to be regenerated or reborn) because we were baptized (because that's when we actually used the right to be reborn and were then born "of water and of the Spirit"). Of water because we were dunked in water in the name of the Trinity, and of the Spirit because we received the Holy Spirit inside believers' baptism, as Peter says in Acts 2:38 "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Response:
Hi Rey
Thanks for your email. I actually agree with you that one must believe the gospel to be justified and an adopted child of God. You do well in pointing out the important text John 1:12 which shows this very thing. I fear however that you may be confusing the concepts of regeneration and justification and that this is simply another case of reading a verse in isolation and building a theology around it without looking at the immediate context. The very next verse (V.13) of John chapter one actually qualifies the statement about how be become adopted children of God in verse 12. It does this by asserting that this gift does not come about by the will of man but through the new birth or regeneration.
Lets read the whole thing in context:
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Images of the Savior (27 -- The Institution of the Aaronic Priesthood)
Although the priestly office of Jesus Christ our Savior is most properly to be thought of in the order of Melchizedek (see Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 6:20), who stands as the pre-eminent Old Testament type of Jesus our High Priest, yet the Aaronic priesthood, as well, although not precisely in continuity with Jesus' priestly ministry, is nevertheless full of images and symbols that speak of the later work of the Messiah, and foreshadow his mediatorial, intercessory, and reconciliatory roles. We may obtain an overview of the diverse and numerous ways in which this is so from a cursory examination of the instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai, pertaining to Aaron his brother, in which regulations concerning the persons, the vestments, and the ministries of the priestly class are enjoined upon him in some detail; and of which we may read in Exodus chapters twenty-eight through thirty.
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Images of the Savior (26 -- The Tabernacle)
When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai, and was given instructions to make a tabernacle where God might dwell among his people, he was strictly enjoined to make it precisely in accordance with the pattern that God had shown him. This is because the tabernacle was symbolic of heavenly realities, and was intended to instruct the people of God concerning his holiness and the way into his presence through Jesus Christ, every part and arrangement answering to the true dwelling place of God and the manner in which his people might come before him (cf. Hebrews 9:23-24). The ways in which the tabernacle symbolized God's presence among his people are many, but every way is united and brought into harmony in the person of Jesus Christ: for the tabernacle was in one sense a microcosmic model of the entire universe, in which God created the earth for the habitation of men, the heavens where they might behold his glory, and the highest heavens in which is his very throne room, and into which they might not at all enter; and in another sense, it is constructed to depict the process of redemption, in which, through the shedding of blood, the washing of water, the fragrant incense of intercessory prayer, and so on, a sinner is brought from profane earth into thrice-holy heaven; and yet again, it depicts the movement of redemptive history as a whole, being reminiscent of the original paradise in Eden, prophetic of the New Covenant Church of Christ, and answerable to the final city of New Jerusalem, in which all history will find its fitting conclusion. But in all these things, there is brought about an admirable unity in Christ, through whom the universe was created, redemptive history is realized, sinners are brought to God, and New Jerusalem becomes the place of God's dwelling among men. But let us reflect on these things a little further.
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Images of the Savior (25 -- The Intercession of Moses)
Of all the offices and ministries that the Son of God has undertaken to enter into for his people, one of the most precious and comfortable is that of his unceasing intercession for those who belong to him. What troubles may not be vanquished, what doubts may not be dispelled, what fears and misgivings may not be put to flight, when the most desperate criminal but glimpses the Savior standing before the holy Father and pleading with him, “Let this sinner be forgiven! For I was indeed blotted out from the land of the living, that he might not be forever.� Of this most precious office of Christ Jesus our Savior, the most outstanding type is Moses; and in this typical role, he shines the most brilliantly in his activity immediately following Israel's great sin with the golden calf.
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Images of the Savior (24 -- The Giving of the Law)
The occasion of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, when God went down in terrible glory to meet with his people whom he had redeemed, and to speak with them audibly, and to declare to them all his will and commandments, would forever afterward shape the character of the nation of Israel, and serve as the unalterable foundation upon which she was built, dictating the nature of her relationship with God, showing with manifold precision the way in which she must ever conduct herself, and forecasting with implacable exactness the response that Yahweh would have to any covenant unfaithfulness that should be found in her. It was the Law that should serve as the greatest self-revelation of Yahweh until the coming of his perfect and final self-revelation in the eternal Word; and so it was the Law that should come to the fore again and again in all the poetic writings of David, in the thundering condemnations and announcements of judgment that the prophets brought down against rebellious Israel, and in the sweet glimpses of conquering mercy and steadfast covenant love with which they bound up the remnant of grace. The Law was the very backbone of God's pre-incarnational revelation: and so it is most appropriate that the Law should prefigure and teach of Christ in several diverse ways, which we will now consider.
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Images of the Savior (23 -- The Church in the Wilderness)
After God had redeemed his people from their slavery in Egypt, and destroyed Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea, it is very significant that he did not immediately whisk them away to the promised land, but rather brought them first by slow degrees through a barren wilderness, where they sojourned and camped as pilgrims, and by heavenly supply fitted them with all the necessary provisions for their journey until they had finally reached their destination in Canaan. In this arrangement, we see an indication of the state of the Church on earth, which has already been redeemed, and for whom the victory has already been won, but which must nevertheless press on through the wilderness of sin as a company of strangers and pilgrims until she should finally reach her home in the promised land of God's presence. It is most fitting, therefore, that this time of wandering is filled up with so many precious glimpses of the person and various ministries of Christ, who continually sustains his Church in the time of her sojourn. About these diverse types and images, we will now inquire in a little more detail.
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Images of the Savior (22 -- The Crossing of the Red Sea)
The effectuation of God's delivering his people from their bondage in Egypt, as we have often observed before, tended in many particulars to two diverse, yet complementary ends: which are the glory of his just wrath and fury, which is displayed in his fierce judgments against the Egyptian people; and the glory of his free mercy and covenant faithfulness, which is displayed in his redeeming the children of Israel, and bringing them out from the house of slavery. These two facets of God's glory, as different as they are, do not detract from each other, but rather serve to set each other off with a more distinct and brilliant luster, the severity of the judgments underscoring the depth of the calamity that awaits those who have not known mercy, and thereby magnifying the greatness of God's grace, which, when sin and wrath abounded in full measure, still abounded even more (cf. Romans 5:20-21). The stubbornness of Pharaoh, whose heart God had hardened for this purpose, brings out this various glory in greater measure; for the heavy and unyielding hand which he laid upon God's people made necessary a very strong and admirable salvation, if God were to bring them out from his cruel oppression, and at the same time provided cause for the ongoing and ever-increasing displays of God's wrath and punishment upon the land of Egypt. This twofold glory was most poignantly displayed in the first Passover, when the Angel of the Lord, who is Christ, poured out God's final cup of wrath upon his enemies, and put them all to a violent death; and yet, on the day of judgment, he mercifully passed over all those who were covered by the blood of the Passover Lamb, who underwent his bloody judgment in their place. Now, as the great and manifold glory of Christ was admirably displayed in the climax of the redemption from Egypt, that is, in the Passover celebration; so would it also be displayed in the culmination of the redemption from Egypt, in at least two marvelous ways, which are, first, the appearance of the pillar of cloud and fire; and second, the crossing of the Red Sea. And thus, in order that this diverse excellence of Christ might be brought to its final display, God hardened Pharaoh's heart yet again, so that he pursued the children of Israel into the wilderness, after he had once let them go.
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Images of the Savior (21 -- The Passover)
The course of history has been arranged by the minute sovereignty of God to no other end than the accomplishment of the great redemptive work of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. This is the center of all worlds, that which binds everything together in a unified whole, the heart and life of the great self-revelation of the diversely glorious God which he designed creation and history to be. So it is that the great climax of history was the Son of God's taking on human flesh to display the glory of the godhead in all its brilliance; and the pinnacle of that climactic act was the cross of Calvary, where every various perfection of God was displayed in the full and infinite magnitude of its splendor. Much in the same way, the economy of the Old Testament, during which time God was pleased to prepare for and foreshadow this great pinnacle of history through the typology of his chosen people Israel, was brought to a corresponding climax in the redemption from Egypt; and the pinnacle of that climactic redemption was the passover feast. If we would see the very reason for all existence painted before us in concrete images and splendid colors, if we would look upon the nature of God graphically displayed in all its economical fullness, then we can do no better than to look here. To understand the one message here displayed is to be a true Christian, a scholar in the heavenly wisdom, an immovably grounded divine. To miss this one message is to be a blind and hardened pagan under the eternal and fiery judgment of God. Father of Lights, send us your Spirit that we might look upon our Passover Lamb and find eternal life and joy in him!
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Images of the Savior (20 -- The Ten Plagues)
When we look to our God and Savior, with a heart of faith and eyes that have been opened by his Holy Spirit, we must be struck immediately and overwhelmingly with a sense of the diversity and excellence of his character, which joins together every trait that could be desired or admired, no matter how different one might be from another, in a manner that admits of no internal contradiction, but in such a glorious fashion that every delightful property most brilliantly complements and enhances the others around it, so that the peculiar wonder of each lovely quality is displayed in a striking and perfectly proportioned splendor. This we see in all its inexhaustible wealth in the shining face of Jesus Christ, who is at once the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 5:5-6); and of all the Old Testament images of the Christ, there are few that show forth this diverse excellence more abundantly than the operations of Yahweh in his bringing the children of Israel out from their bondage in the land of Egypt. In that event, we see the meek and lowly servant of the Lord, Moses, who had no brilliant oratorical ability or comely form to commend him to the people, taking on the role of God for Pharaoh and for the people of Israel. Thus Christ became a lowly and humble man, despised above all, in order to bring the true nature of the Godhead both to his people, that he might save them, and his enemies, that he might destroy them. But also, in this event, we see the dreadful Angel of the Lord passing through the land with a terrible fury, and judging all the firstborn of the people, save those who are covered with the blood of the Passover Lamb; and this Angel is also Christ, sent by the Father to judge the world (John 5:22-23; Acts 17:31); and so is the Passover Lamb, whose blood saves God's people from his own wrath, an evident type of Christ. And so, in a very diverse manner, we have a picture of a very diverse Christ, who would go about through very diverse methods to redeem his people: he is a lowly man speaking the word of God in the world and confirming his messages with signs and wonders; he is the righteous Judge, exacting vengeance on all who have opposed him; he is the innocent Lamb, giving up his life freely in exchange for the lives of his people; he is the Savior who delivers his own people while destroying their enemies; and his power is ever shown in his lowliness and humility: for his greatest deliverance of all, being a deliverance not just from Pharaoh or from the Serpent he typified, but from his own implacable and boundless wrath, was wrought by his humblest and lowliest act of all, in offering up his body as an atoning sacrifice for his people. Ah, what a Savior this is! Let us now examine the account in more detail.
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Great is the Lord...
Let your soul feast and meditate on the greatness of the Lord as you watch this short video put together by Bob Kauflin and featured at his Worship God Conference:
Images of the Savior (19 -- The Call of Moses)
The deliverance of the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt would become the greatest redemptive act of God in all the Old Testament, and so would serve as the great illustration of Israel's peculiar blessedness throughout the rest of her history, and be the act of covenant love which she would remember more ardently than any other, and cling to as an immovable assurance of her future salvation, no matter what trouble she was in (see, for example, Deuteronomy 15:15; Psalm 66:5-6; 74:10-15; 78:13; 105:26-38; 106:7-12; 136:10-15). In fact, it was not until the coming of the Messiah himself that a greater deliverance would be accomplished, which should forevermore eclipse the glory of this one; and so it clearly stands as an unsurpassed type of the final redemptive work of Christ (see Jeremiah 16:14-16). It is therefore most appropriate that the circumstances surrounding this particular event, more especially than almost any other event in the life of Moses, should be filled with glimpses of the coming Savior; and so in fact we find, from the time when Moses was first called out by God to deliver his people from Egypt, that he confirmed and illustrated his calling with many notable and instructive signs, upon which we will now reflect.
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Images of the Savior (18 -- The Birth of Moses)
In all the Old Testament scriptures, there is perhaps no more notable and central person than Moses, the giver of the Law, the prophet who spoke with God face-to-face, the author of the Pentateuch, which serves as the foundation of all the bible, and the key figure of all that portion of it which follows Genesis (see Deuteronomy 34:10-12). It is to be expected, then, of so central a character, that his life should especially show forth the coming Messiah, who is in actual fact the central Person, not just of the Pentateuch, but of all the scriptures, in both the Old and New Testaments. And indeed we find, that when Moses was about to die, and was giving his final words of exhortation to the Jewish people, just before they crossed over into the land of Canaan, he promised them that God would raise up a prophet like himself, but vastly superior (Deuteronomy 18:15-19); and so he made that very role which most exceptionally marked him as an unsurpassed hero in God's redemptive works to be but a foreshadow of a greater Hero who should come. This prophecy was of course fulfilled in the coming of the Son of God, the eternal Word, who revealed God so much more fully than Moses had, that it could be said of him that he alone brought grace and truth to the people of God (John 1:14-18; see also Hebrews 1:1-4). As we turn to the book of Exodus, therefore, and examine the life of this man Moses, let us be careful to consider what we may learn thereby of the life of Christ, which it anticipates and typologizes.
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Images of the Savior (17 -- The Life of Joseph)
Although the promise of the coming of the Messiah, in whom Israel and all the world should be blessed, had devolved upon Judah, of the twelve sons of Jacob, who thereby obtained a very prestigious position of ascendancy over his brothers, as we observed in the last lesson (cf. Genesis 49:8-12); yet, at this time, the possessors of the Messianic blessing had already begun to expand, whereas before they had been ever more restricted with each passing generation: for the promise had been made first to Abraham and his offspring; then to Isaac and his offspring alone, of Abraham's children; then to Jacob and his offspring alone, of Isaac's children; but now, the promise would not be to Judah alone, but through Judah would come the Messiah who would belong to all of Jacob's children alike, and all of them would have some role in preparing the way by which he should come into the world, and in signifying and foreshadowing his advent. The next episodes we encounter in our journey through Genesis serve to confirm this point; for hereafter, the entire book is devoted to an account of the life of Joseph, the eleventh and most beloved son of his father Jacob, whose history would foreshadow the entire earthly ministry of the promised Seed far more exactly and minutely than any other history had done up to this point in time, and more exactly indeed than the life of any other person until the coming of David himself.
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Images of the Savior (16 -- The Birth of Perez)
When Jacob had first been driven out of the promised land by the wrath of his brother Esau, the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham seemed in every way to be in jeopardy: for he had received both the birthright and the blessing, and the Abrahamic promises were therefore all bound up in his own future and fruitfulness; and not as yet having any offspring by which the Messianic line could advance, nor any wife by whom he should raise up a seed, nor even any goods and possessions to sustain him in his wanderings, his life was in imminent danger, and the likelihood of his entering again into the land where the fulfillment of the promises was centered seemed very small. It was, therefore, a most gracious and powerful operation of God that some twenty years later, after many trials and dangers had been overcome, he would again enter the land of Canaan with wives, goods, possessions, and twelve sons through whom God had purposed to build a mighty nation, and through one of whom he intended to bring about the One who should fulfill every promised blessing, that is, the Messiah. Until this generation, God had seen fit to pass along the Abrahamic promises to one sole heir of each father, first to Isaac alone instead of Ishmael, and then to Jacob alone instead of Esau. But now, returning to Canaan with twelve sons who should all be possessors of the promise, the question of how the Messianic blessing should be passed on is in some manner changed, and hence becomes, “Which of the twelve brothers shall gain ascendancy over all the rest, and be chosen to bring about the Seed in whom all alike shall be blessed?â€. The several histories of this time immediately after Jacob's leaving Laban have all to do with the answer to that one question.
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Images of the Savior (15 -- Jacob at Peniel)
Everywhere in the Law and the Prophets we see Christ and his gospel-work symbolized, prophesied, and foreshadowed in many marvelous ways: but only a very few times, and at the most critical junctures of redemptive history, do we see our Savior, before his advent in Bethlehem, appear in visible form to his saints. Jacob’s encounter at Peniel, just prior to his return to the land of promise, is one of these occurrences; and in this history, we may learn much of our blessed Redeemer, and of the true religion which alone prevails with him. To this end, we now turn our attention to the account at hand.
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Images of the Savior (14 -- Jacob and Laban)
As we continue to follow the life of our father Jacob, we see that at every step, God causes him to flourish and increase, no matter what contingencies might face him. So it is that, having been driven out from the promised land by the rage of his brother Esau, God used his sojourn in another land to make him into a great family, which should later issue forth in a mighty nation, and eventually, the Christ himself. And likewise, in every cheat and deception that he endured from Laban his uncle, he always prospered and grew stronger, rather than weaker, due always to God's particular care and governance. The time that Jacob spent with Laban, although necessitated by a brother's persecution and marked throughout by hardship and unjust treatment, was the very time when he sprang up in the faith, and began to put forth those buds which would eventuate in the mighty boughs of the Kingdom of God. We would do well to learn from this, for the same mystery is at work even today, among those who are Jacob's heirs and possessors of the promise.
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Images of the Savior (13 -- Jacob and Esau)
In all the accounts of God's dealing with the patriarchs thus far, we have been primarily struck with these two things, first, God's absolute sovereignty in choosing and calling out the subjects of his redemptive blessing; and second, the surprising and unexpected ways in which he does so, which may be seen both in the choice of the vessels which he should prepare for mercy, and the means by which he should bring this mercy to bear in their lives. Thus, God called Abraham alone, when he had many and mighty nations and nobles which he might instead have chosen; he called Isaac and not Ishmael, although Ishmael was Abraham's eldest son, and begotten of natural and expected means, whereas Isaac was younger and begotten in a most surprising way; and he ensured and ratified the blessing which he had sworn should come through Isaac by commanding that he be put to death on Mount Moriah, before he had been able to extend Abraham's line. In these and in many other ways beside, we see those two notable truths everywhere confirmed and illustrated. Now, as we look to the account of the next generation of the patriarchs, and observe the early life of Jacob and Esau, we will see again the same truths most admirably displayed.
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Images of the Savior (12 -- The Provision of a Wife for Isaac)
It is altogether fitting that Abraham’s promised Son, Isaac, should be set forth as a type of our Savior in every notable event of his life: for, first of all, his birth was of so miraculous a nature as to reinforce to Abraham the truth that the promised Seed, who would bless all the nations of the earth, could never come naturally, by the efforts of the flesh, as Ishmael came. On the contrary Isaac came by the divine promise, and through the divine power, which is even able to bring life out of death. And so that son in whom was said to be the promised Seed, Christ our Savior, was, even from his birth, a type of the Savior, by virtue of his life which was brought out of death, through the power of God, and in accordance with his covenant promise. And second, in the account of Abraham’s testing, we have as clear a personal type as can be found in all of scriptures, of the substitutionary sacrifice and the rising again of our Savior; by means of which test, Abraham demonstrated his faith in the coming Messiah, whom he knew that God would certainly raise from the dead, and thus received his own promised son, “in a figure,†back from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). And so, if in two marvelous and unsurpassed ways this man Isaac served to foreshadow the life of our Savior, then we may with some reason suppose that the next notable circumstance in his life, the means by which he obtained his wife, may also convey some truth to us about the coming work of the true Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ. In pursuance of which expectation, we will now turn to the account in Genesis, chapter twenty-four.
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Images of the Savior (11 -- The Offering Up of Isaac on Mount Moriah)
We have already observed how perfectly fitted the miraculous conception and birth of Isaac was to foreshadow the virgin birth of Abraham's true promised Seed, Jesus Christ; and now, as we continue to examine the details of his later history, we come to find as well that God was pleased to arrange circumstances in such a way as to make his life prefigure in an astonishing and unsurpassed manner the substitutionary offering of Christ on the cross. This truth, from the outset, should serve to underscore the illimitable worth and precise centrality of the atoning death of Christ: his virgin birth, as sweet and awe-inspiring as it was, had no other end than the bloody death of Calvary which should follow it some thirty-three years later. The virgin birth was a mighty and necessary step toward a great end; but the end itself was Calvary. We see this relationship hinted at also in the life of Isaac, Abraham's first promised seed, who was given a miraculous birth just to have it taken away from him violently and unseasonably (in a figure) by the very God who had brought him into the world in the first place.
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Images of the Savior (10 -- The Birth of Isaac)
Of all the notable things that could be said of the life of Abraham our father, without a doubt the most outstanding is only this: he was promised by the God of heaven, to whom nothing is impossible, that he should be given a Seed who would bless all the nations of the earth, and bring down the very presence of God to mankind. It stands to reason, then, that of all the types that we see displayed in Abraham's calling, wanderings, the covenant ceremonies he went through, and so on, one of the most notable should pertain to his being given a seed, quite apart from natural human means, as a testimony to the life-giving and promise-fulfilling power of the God who first called him out from his land and kindred. And in actual fact, this is precisely what we encounter in the birth of Isaac, Abraham's promised heir, and the most remarkable type of the virgin birth of our Savior in all the Old Testament histories.
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Images of the Savior (9 -- The Destruction of Sodom)
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire from heaven, Lot's gracious deliverance from that judgment, and Abraham's mediation for him, provide a very notable glimpse of the future destruction of the world, and the deliverance of the righteous from the midst of God's burning wrath, through the one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (see 1 Timothy 2:5); as we shall see in several particulars noted in the paragraphs below.
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Images of the Savior (8 -- Abraham's Victory and Melchizedek's Blessing)
In the next episode of Abraham's life, in which he arises in behalf of Lot, his nephew, who had been taken captive by Chedorlaomer and the other kings with him, and wins a very great victory over this confederation of kings, slaughtering them in the valley of Shaveh, and thereafter, is blessed by Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, we may discern two very notable images of the coming Savior: for first of all, Abraham's slaughter of the kings is a type of the Messiah's later victory, in several specific instances; but even more notable yet is the image of the Savior which we encounter in the person of Melchizedek, who stands out as one of the foremost types of Christ in all the Old Testament. From these two related events, Abraham's victory and Melchizedek's bringing a blessing, we will now see what we may learn of Abraham's Seed, who is our great High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
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Images of the Savior (7 -- Abraham's Sojourn in Egypt)
Given the unique status of the patriarch Abraham, who was called out to be the first in the line of the people of God, and the father of all those who should later believe, and from whom it was also said that the promised Seed of the woman should come, it is to be expected that his life should prefigure and anticipate the life of the faithful, that is, of the Church as a whole and all her members in particular, and most especially, the life of Christ himself, the Seed through whom he would inherit his eternal blessing. And as we study the life of Abraham, after his first calling, with this principle in mind, we are eminently justified in our supposition; for the first account we are given of his subsequent life, in which he is driven to sojourn in Egypt by a fierce famine, is very much like the later history of God's people, and also foreshadows the life of Christ himself. In what ways this is so, how Abraham's experiences are a type both of the Church's journey to paradise and of the Messiah's work of redemption, we will now make clear.
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Images of the Savior (6 -- The Promise Made to Abraham)
Of all the promises and foreshadows of the coming of Christ and his accomplishing his mighty work of redemption, there is none in all the Old Testament that is more foundational than the promise made to Abraham, when God called him out from the land of his people and brought him into the land of Canaan, and there entered into a solemn covenant with him, promising to be his God and his exceeding great reward. This calling and promise was so monumental as thoroughly to govern the course of redemptive history from that point on, and to shape forever afterward the nature and substance of the blessings which the promised Christ's redemption should provide. Thus it is that, at the conclusion of the history of God's redeeming his people, the final proclamation, sealing up every blessing and fulfilling every promise, will come in these words: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he shall be God with them, their God†(Revelation 21:3). This is a conclusion that was most explicitly marked out in the calling of Abraham, and serves only as the actual accomplishment of all that was promised at that time; and at the heart of that promise, we see Christ himself, who should become “Immanuel,†that is, “God with us,†and so provide in himself the substance of every good thing which God had covenanted to give to Abraham and his offspring. It would certainly behove us, therefore, to look in more detail at this monumental occasion, in which the promise of a conquering Seed takes on a history-shaping clarity and significance.
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Images of the Savior (5 -- Noah's Ark)
The Kingdom of God, composed as we have seen of all those who had placed their faith in God's promise of a coming Seed who should deliver them from sin and the Serpent, began to grow greatly from its small beginnings, when it was represented only by Adam and Eve and the first martyr, Abel. For soon after Abel had given his life for his testimony of faith, God added another seed to Eve, namely Seth, to strengthen her faith, and through whom he should continue the line from which she still hoped the Messiah should come. From Seth, God was in fact pleased to cause his Kingdom to continue, and whenever she began to be in any desperate straits, or on the brink of extermination, he blessed her with whatever grace she needed to survive and persevere. For first of all, we find the first report of a great revival among God's people in the days of Enosh, the son of Seth (Genesis 4:26). We must suppose that at this time the Church had grown very cold and hardhearted, as she has done many times throughout her history; but rather than let her love grow entirely extinct, God sent his Spirit to stir up the hearts of his people to call upon the name of the Lord. This is the first of what would soon become very many times of corporate revival, such as those in the days of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29-31) and Josiah (2 Chronicles 34-35), or much later, those now known as the Reformation of the sixteenth century, and the Great Awakening of the eighteenth century after Christ.
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Images of the Savior (4 -- The Life of Abel)
Very soon after God had made his first promise to mankind that he would send a Deliverer, he began to advance his redemptive design along several different lines, all of which would eventually culminate in the advent and work of the promised Seed, and his gathering together in himself a multitude of people, whom he had undertaken to bring back to God. This era of redemptive history is characterized by a series of highly notable firsts, which would set the stage for the promised coming of salvation by putting in motion those forces which should prepare the way for the coming of the Seed, and ultimately bring about the fullness of time in which God should finally send him; and also, they whisper ahead of time the way in which this Savior, when he had finally come, should go about his work of saving his people. Of these firsts, one of the most significant is the life of Abel, the first man born twice, which we will look into in due time; but for now, let us mention a few other notable circumstances that God had already brought about.
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Images of the Savior (3 -- The First Gospel)
After our first father Adam had rebelled against the word of God, thereby losing all of the blessings and privileges of the glorious state into which he had been created, and inheriting instead a most fearful curse, the promise of death, and an expectation of the terrible wrath of God; instead of receiving only the judgment which he deserved, he was immediately comforted with a promise so rich in the gospel truths of Christ, that theologians have long referred to it as the “protoevangelium,†which is a designation meaning simply, “the first gospelâ€. It would be hard to overestimate the importance of this first gospel promise: the rest of the scriptures, both in the old and new testaments, simply unfold the meanings which inhere in this brief statement, and make good upon the promises which it contains.
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Images of the Savior (2 – The Garden of Eden)
Immediately after his account of God's creation of the world, Moses goes on to describe the creature in whom would be centered God's design for creation, namely, the man whom he had formed; and likewise he describes the place in which the fulfillment of this design would be possible, namely, the Garden in Eden. In this description, we encounter a very notable and foundational glimpse of the coming Messiah, in at least two basic ways: first of all, in the general design and features of the Garden we have an image of the perfect state which Christ's work of redemption should accomplish for its subjects; and second, we have a foreshadowing of the means which Christ would employ in bringing about this final state of blessedness. Let us now reflect upon several specific things in which this twofold foreshadowing may be observed.
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United to Christ in His Death AND Resurrection
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."—Romans 6:4.
We are united to Christ not only in his death but also in His resurrection. Not only have we been forgiven from the guilt of our sins, but have also been delivered from their power. The fasle notion that the grace of God should lead us to lawlessness should distasteful to every Christian. Our regeneration ... our union in Christ's resurrection ... our new heart and new life in Christ means that, by nature, we now despise doublemindedness and rebellion. We cannot live in it for our union with Christ makes this repelling. The concept or idea that the the grace we have in Christ gives license to sin, does not come from our new resurrected nature, but from the Devil. Though we are, at times, deceived by sin and stil suseptable to it, we detest it more deep than words can express. "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live in it any longer."
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Meditation on Grace in Psalm 119
“You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.†– Micah 6:15
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Among the curses God gave as a warning to Israel for their disobedience was that they would sow, but not reap; they would tread the grapes they had grown but never have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Consider this text carefully, because it means that we can labor for something, and externally do everything necessary to expect a positive result (good crops in this instance), but unless God blesses the effort, our labors will come to naught. We can plow, sow and water, but only God, who either showers blessing or withholds it, can ultimately cause the growth. To extend this farming analogy to another realm, God likewise calls us to labor and pray for the souls of all those around us by indiscriminately casting forth the seed of the gospel to those He places in our life’s path. We know not whether we cast the seed on fallow ground or on ground that the Lord has prepared. Our labor, therefore, is not in vain, for God has called the church to gather up his elect from the ends of the earth in this way. Through the hearing of the gospel are the nations reached, but only the Spirit of God can open or leave hardened the hearts of those to whom we cast seed. It is important to remember that election, of itself, saves no one. Election, rather, is the blueprint of God for what He plans to do on earth in time through the redemptive work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit ...and this through the preaching of the word (Rom 10). Our work is, therefore, a necessary and an integral part of God's plan. Souls will not come to Christ without the participation of the the church whom God uses to gather His elect. So we should labor as if all depended on us while knowing that the final fruit ulimately rests with God. Our witness and our preaching alone will do nothing, and that is why we pray to the Lord to bless it to His good and perfect ends.
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Images of the Savior (1 -- The Creation of the World)
When Jesus offered up for all believers his high-priestly prayer in their behalf, he summed up the essence of his request thus: “Father, I desire that those whom you have given me might be with me, where I am, in order that they might behold my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the foundation of the world†(John 17:24). From which circumstance we may learn that the very essence of what Jesus died to provide us with is nothing less than a rapturous gazing upon his glorious person, as we dwell in his presence forevermore. Heaven is nowhere but where Jesus dwells in his glory, and eternal life is nothing besides the sight of this glory. This is why Jesus had earlier defined eternal life as this: “that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent†(John 17:3). True life is that which fulfills the purpose for which man was created, namely, to know and enjoy fellowship with God; and Jesus Christ is the only One who is able to reveal the nature of God to mankind, as we may learn from John chapter one, verses 14 and 18: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as from the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth....No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has revealed him.†If we would be eternally satisfied, we must learn to behold the glory of Christ. And if we would be among those who for all eternity will indeed be in the joy of God's presence, we must learn to seek Christ's glory even now, as we live upon the earth.
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Its about Him
"Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures." Luke 24:27
"Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.
Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.
Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,†now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.â€
Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.
Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.
Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.
Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.
Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.
The Bible’s really not about you — it’s about Him."
(quoted by Tim Keller at a Resurgence 06 seminar entitled "Preaching the Gospel")
The Hidden Treasure (8 -- Giving Away the Gold)
It is a singular characteristic of the wealthy men of this world, that they are almost without exception parsimonious, and cling tightly to the great riches they possess. It would seem a dictate of logic that, according as one could give without jeopardizing his own security and position, he would feel more free to do so with indifference. In reality, it is often those most pressed for necessary finances, and those whose ability to provide for themselves the most basic wants is in question from day to day, who are the most willing to give to others. Thus, the wealthy tend to preserve their wealth through greediness, and the poor tend to discourage any accumulation of wealth through liberality.
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The Hidden Treasure (7 -- Wearing the Gold)
Although the labor represented by an intricately-wrought chain of gold is enormous and eminently various, the gold ore having been digged up and refined and painstakingly crafted through many thousands of hours, the final end to which all this diverse toil has been directed may be expressed in this one thing, that the chain be worn about the neck as an ornament of grace and beauty. The woman who delights in fine jewelry is not at all satisfied to rejoice in the beauty of her ornaments as they hang upon the pegs of her jewelry box, but must use them to adorn her own person, so that their own innate loveliness is imparted in some measure to herself. The beauty of the jewelry is never so great as when it enhances the beauty of its owner.
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Coming to Christ
Before I saw Christ, oh, how I feared to come to God! He was holy and I was sinful. He was righteous and I was guilty. He was wrathful and I was a child of wrath, deserving of every eternal torment. But then God's merciful Spirit opened my eyes to the King of Glory, and my heart was changed forever. Before, I had seen every reason to flee from God, and was overcome with despair at the realization that I could not escape his presence. Afterwards, I saw every reason to come to God, and found no other delight than that I could never be out of his sight. Jesus changed my perspective entirely, so that what had been my misery and despair became my only joy and unshakeable hope. I found in him every reason to come to God, and no reason to forbear.
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The Hidden Treasure (6 -- Admiring the Gold)
In the world of men, there are two basic classes of wealth which are ever sought. The first class is composed of those substances which have an inherent worth and beauty, such as silver, gold, and diamonds. The second class is composed of those substances which, though inherently worthless, may be traded for other things of value, such as the ugly paper dollar which might readily be exchanged for all goods and services under the sun, and which is therefore highly prized. The difference between the two is that the latter class only allows one to delight in something other than itself – a man with dollars may find joy in the fine dining and fancy houses for which he might trade them, but little values the look of the paper itself. But the former class inspires admiration by its own intrinsic properties. A diamond dazzles the eye, and is therefore sought for itself, and not just to be traded for other things.
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The Hidden Treasure (5 -- Fashioning the Gold)
The reason for the surpassing value of gold is to be sought in a unique combination of its various qualities, including such things as its limited availability, imperviousness to corruption, usefulness for a wide array of applications, and not least of all, unrivalled beauty. This last quality is an unexceptional characteristic of valuable materials. In terms of sheer functionality, pewter lacks nothing that sterling silver may boast. But the latter is always prized more highly simply because it is more beautiful. Pewter may be used to feed the body of man just as well as silver; but it can never feed his beauty-starved soul. Pewter may be useful to the trader of household wares, but silver is required by the jeweler or artist.
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The Hidden Treasure (4 -- Refining the Gold)
As difficult and arduous as are the labors of bringing out the precious minerals from their hiding places in the depths of the earth, any miner will affirm that, once they have been so gathered up, his labor is not at all done. For the gold and silver to gleam with all their beauty and be valued at their full worth, they must first be purified and refined; which is just to say that, any substance which is not true to their nature, must by various means be teased out and discarded. This process of refinement is unexceptionally necessary in the pursuit of earth’s buried treasures, for the desired minerals are never found thoroughly pure, but always mingled with some degree of unwanted substances, the worthless dross, to be rid of which is the design of the refinement. A miner who takes a sack of gold ore into a store might gain some use from his riches, but not nearly so much as he who takes a refined and certified ingot.
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The Hidden Treasure (3 -- Finding the Gold: C. A Survey of the Fields in Which it is to be Sought)
In the art of prospecting for gold, it must ever be kept in mind that, according to the various natures of the fields in which one is searching, the nature of the processes employed must be adapted. When gold is sought from the flowing streams, a steady hand and discerning eye must be taken advantage of, and through the patient perseverance of the seeker, many precious nuggets might be panned out from the midst of the worthless bits of sand and rock. But the deep mines want a strong arm and energetic pick, which might extend the tunnels many miles into the bosom of the earth, and find out the deepest veins hidden far away from the surface. So is it with the labor of seeking the gospel-gold from the fields of God’s word: that pursuit which might be successful in the histories will little profit in the psalms. The method most likely to obtain good results in the prophets will advance but little in the proverbs. A thorough knowledge of the diverse fields in which one is working, and the strategies best adapted for those fields, must always be remembered
Psalm 1
Blessed is the man / who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, / nor stands in the way of sinners, / nor sits in the seat of scoffers; / but his delight is in the law of the LORD, / and on his law he meditates day and night.He is like a tree / planted by streams of water / that yields its fruit in its season, / and its leaf does not wither. / In all that he does, he prospers. / The wicked are not so, / but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, / nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; / for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, / but the way of the wicked will perish. [Psalm 1]
Many preachers use Psalm 1 to try to get people to read their Bibles. "Be like the prosperous man who delights in the law of the LORD," they say. "Don't be like the wicked who will perish," they say. But this Psalm uses no prescriptive language whatsoever. There are no imperatives, no commands. Psalm 1 is entirely descriptive. That fact alone ought to give us pause when we go to use it like a hammer and chisel to sculpt religious behavior.
The Hidden Treasure (3 -- Finding the Gold: B. In What Manner it is to be Sought)
It is a necessary quality for our pursuit of spiritual riches, if we would be successful, that we understand what the treasure consists of, so that we might recognize it when we see it; and as we have observed, man’s true spiritual good is to be found only in the knowledge of Christ. He is the gospel-gold, the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field. But merely understanding this will not be sufficient to fill our coffers, for we must likewise be instructed in the manner of searching, when we have once arrived in the fields of God’s Word. Suppose a prospector came to California, ready to distinguish between true gold and fool’s gold, and thinking that he should soon make himself rich, he forthwith began to scrutinize the tree-tops, to see whether he would find the gold in the highest boughs. For all his knowledge, he would not soon be successful. So too, the Christian who has been taught to seek Christ in all the scriptures, but does not know how, may wander over many a page without uncovering the deepest veins of silver; or may even fabricate treasures of dubious value, supported only by tenuous reasonings, far-fetched allegories, or the impulses of his own heart.
The Hidden Treasure (3 -- Finding the Gold: A. Wherein it Consists)
When news of the gold rush of 1849 began to spread from California, passing eastward on the lips of men who had made their fortune and could not contain their joy nor hold back the good news, many countless prospectors were encouraged by tales of great riches to be had for the taking, to leave behind their homes, and set off to California, where they hoped they would strike it rich. But as is often the case, far more of these prospectors ended up rather squandering all their goods than finding their fortune, for the riches were not so great as to satisfy the lusts of every miner, and those few fortunate enough to have discovered the rich veins horded up vast treasures, while the rest starved on a pile of worthless sand. This can never be the case among those who are seeking the riches of wisdom from God’s Word; for as much as is uncovered, there is always more yet, and however many miners make their fortune by their toils, they leave the fields not a whit less rich for those coming behind them. However, notwithstanding the inexhaustible richness of the gospel-field, many prospectors of wisdom have undertaken to dig there, and have returned without a trace of the precious metal. How can this be?
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The Hidden Treasure (2 -- Setting Out for the Field)
When a man desires to build a tower, he must first sit down and calculate what he should require to bring the project through to completion, and determine if he is both able and willing to spend so much. How foolish would they consider that man who, having concluding that he had just enough to build, and no more, laid the foundation and then consumed the rest of his stores on riotous living, and was never able to complete what he had begun! But are not very many professors of religion so foolish even today? They want the consolation of the gospel, and would fain be disciples of Christ, and so they set out to follow him, but scarcely give him one day a week, while spending the rest of their passions on worldly and ephemeral amusements. They have not counted the cost, nor considered that, if one would be accounted Christ’s at all, he must belong to him wholly. He must forsake father and mother and goods and kindred, yes, and even his own life, and press hard behind him to the ends of the earth. But those who make a show of seeking him, when they have not counted the cost, will find out in the judgment that they do not have him at all. Oh, how bitter will be those words, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who work iniquityâ€!
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The Hidden Treasure (1 -- Introduction)
At the beginning of the second chapter of the book of Proverbs, King Solomon, instructed by the Holy Spirit, admonishes those who would be his spiritual children how they might find wisdom, what value it should hold forth to them, to what advantages they may put it, and the means by which they should seek it, under the figure of hidden treasure, or a vein of silver buried in a hillside. It is at once manifest, by this colorful mode of expression, that Solomon intends to paint wisdom as that which one might spend all his time and strength in pursuing, to good effect. For just as hidden gold, being so much valued by men that they are willing to exchange for it all necessary goods, services, amusements, etc., well rewards all efforts spent in procuring it, so wisdom, when one once has it, is profitable to any spiritual end, providing strength and joy, blessing and prosperity, and the manner and means of ordering one’s life suitably for his eternal good. For this reason, it is not at all amiss for a man to spend his days searching for hidden gold, if he has a reasonable suspicion that he might find it in such a place as he is digging, for he looks ahead to the value which it shall afford him, which should more than make up for his labors expended in procuring it. But if it be so advantageous to seek gross earthly profit assiduously, of how much more industry ought we to avail ourselves in seeking that which offers us the most divine and inextinguishable pleasures of heaven, seeing that we have clearly been directed to the place where we might find it indeed?
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Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread
When we read this plea in the prayer our Lord has given us, it reminds us of our utter dependence on Him for everything we have, including our spiritual gifts and the grace to persevere to the end. When we were unregenerate and without God in the world, our conversion only took place when God opened our eyes to despair of any help from ourselves that we might look to Christ for His mercy. So also as Christians we live by the same principle since only by losing of all confidence in ourselves do we grow in grace; Christians do not become more mature in such a way as to gain more confidence in our spiritual abilities. On the contrary, the mature Christian, becomes even more conscious of his own frailty, and will turn unto the Lord for all his/her daily graces. It is only when we are weak, that we are strong (2Co 12:10). In other words, if we are to be effective at all, there must first be a consciousness of our weakness and innate spiritual bankruptcy.
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Images of the Savior (Conclusion)
Dear reader, we have spent many hours walking through the gospel accounts of the only Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We have seen him in his divine majesty, whose birth was announced by the most glorious angels, who was worshiped in his manger bed by the kings of the earth, and who appeared in radiant light with Moses and Elijah. We have seen him in his meekness and humility, walking as a despised and rejected man, full of sorrows, often weary and full of the most human emotions. We have seen much of his mercy, and have marveled at his signs of grace and forgiveness, his healing of all, his casting out demons, his calm control over winds and waves. We have seen the foretastes of his coming terrible wrath against arrogant sinners, as he fearlessly denounced the Pharisees and hypocrites, and spoke of his future judgment of the entire world. And we have seen him in the grand and culminative display of these various attributes as he was lifted up on the cross for the sins of the world, at one and the same time showing forth the infinite depths of his obedient humility and accomplishing the mightiest and most resounding victory of the ages, putting all the forces of darkness to open shame, and winning an eternal Kingdom of grace, and the Name which is above all names.
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Images of the Savior (50 - His Appearances to his Followers)
We have followed our great Savior with tears and trembling to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he poured out his soul in unspeakable sorrow, we have wept in shame at the kiss of the betrayer, melted in horror at the perversion of justice which he encountered in all the courts of the land, cried out against the shame and mockery and cruel stripes that were laid upon him, seen him lifted up in our place as a curse and sin-bearer, and finally taken our stand at the empty tomb where the bitterness and agony give way to the unspeakable joy of everlasting victory in those most blessed of all utterances, “He is risen, just as he saidâ€. What more then can we say? How can further reflection on the earthly life of our Savior and God be anything but an anti-climactic end to a story that has already concluded with the greatest news in history? And yet, upon further consideration, we are convinced that the very earth-shaking, eternity-shaping significance of Jesus' death and resurrection demands a final chapter. These events were too mighty to have an end in first-century Palestine: their monumental effects still reverberate throughout the world, and will continue to create in their beneficiaries the glorious fruit of sincere worship for all eternity. Just what the great effects of this greatest of all events should be has yet to be mentioned, as well as how they should come about. To this end, then, we follow our Redeemer for one last chapter, as he makes his post-resurrection appearances to his followers, and instructs them in light of his superlative accomplishment.
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The Eschatological Advent Season- Rev. C. R. Biggs
Dear People of God,
One famous Christmas song gleefully declares: "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" That of course means different things to different people. For the Christian, this "most wonderful time of the year" should be a time of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the fact that God truly dwelled in human flesh "with us". This time of year should also be lived in eager anticipation and joyful expectation as we await the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
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Images of the Savior (49 – His Resurrection)
When Jesus had poured out his soul as an offering for sin, having accomplished the Father's will and satisfied his wrath, he cried out, “It is finished!â€, and laid down his life; and in those words, we have a certain hope that nothing remains for our salvation to be complete. The work has been done, the price has been paid, and we who have looked upon him are free from our sin and guilt forevermore. However, that climactic utterance was only half the story; and if the great event of the following Sunday had not occurred, it would have been stripped of all its power, and we would have remained “of all men most miserable†(I Corinthians 15:17-19), still lost in our sins, with no Hero to look to who could strip the devil and hell and death itself, and bring us out from under their authority. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is his final crown of victory, and the culminating stamp of approval from the Father: his work had been sufficient, his matchless power had been triumphant, he had won the day, and henceforth had but to wait at the Father's right hand, on his throne of glory, until all things were brought under his feet (Ephesians 1:19-23). The resurrection of Christ seals the greatest victory in history, and is the illimitable source of speechless joy, flowing forth in waves of delight and flooding his children with peace and happiness for all eternity. Come to the empty tomb with me, and let us lift up our voices in wonder at the blessed hope of the ages!
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Images of the Savior (48 – His Crucifixion)
As we follow our Savior to the hill of Calvary, we have come to the very time and place for which history was designed. This is the only reference point which gives meaning to all time and reality; no verse in all of scriptures and no event in all of history makes sense until it is related to what took place here. Consider for a moment how all the Old Testament scriptures prepare for this event, from the first prophecy of the Messiah given in Genesis 3:15, to the clothing that the gracious God made for Adam and Eve, to the blood sacrifice of Abel and all the rivers of blood that followed from that point on. Consider the tension built up to a mighty paradox, that the essential nature of God is that he has mercy upon thousands of generations, and yet will not at all acquit the wicked (Exodus 34:6-7), those two great attributes of the Lord that cry out for a resolution, a resolution which is pictured and foreshadowed in many countless ways in prescribed Jewish worship, and yet never adequately accomplished. Consider how central this event was to the life of Christ, the God-Man, whose every step he took was self-consciously a step closer to this climactic and dramatic sacrifice. Consider how central it was to the writers of the New Testament, whose gospel consisted only of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (I Corinthians 15:3-4), how central it is to all the centuries following, in which the full fruits of that mighty work are being gathered from the nations, and how central it will be in all eternity, when the blood-bought multitude sings the praises of the Lamb who was slain in never-ending worship. What is your trouble today? It may be resolved in only one way: looking to the pierced side of our Savior, which flowed with the blood of substitution, for our forgiveness; and the water of purification, for our cleansing. This is all our hope: let us live at the foot of the cross every day of our lives, until our merciful Savior takes us to the home that he prepared for us on Golgotha! Let us now reflect a little further on the centrality of this event.
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Images of the Savior (47 – His Trials and Scourging)
From the days of righteous Abel, unto whose blood sacrifice the Lord had respect, how many millions of sacrificial lambs had been led to the foot of the altar and there slain? And of them all, how many had lifted up their voice in protest, demanding that they who had done the crimes should receive their own just reward? In the same way it was fitting that our true and final sacrificial Lamb, whose blood really did take away sin, should be like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, not opening his mouth before his accusers (Isaiah 53:7). Oh, let us tremble in wonder as we see the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, meek and silent before his oppressors, led away without protest to the bitter scourge and the cruel tree! For it was because of our iniquities, which the Lord had laid upon him, that he was so fiercely reproached and beaten and slain; and the stripes which bloodied his back flowed forth red in healing and peace for us all (Isaiah 53:5-6). Oh, how can our hearts not melt in everlasting worship as we see our Savior condemned against justice so that we who ought to have been condemned might be acquitted indeed? To this account we now turn; and every step we take, from here to the cross, we are treading upon holy ground, and entering into the mysteries of the Godhead; let us do so in fear and with trembling joy!
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Images of the Savior (46 – His Prayer in Gethsemane)
O reader, we have followed our dear Savior many places, and have seen him in many lights, as the divine Son of God speaking with power and authority, as the great Physician tirelessly working his miracles of healing and deliverance, and as a man of deep and perfect human emotions, angry with the hypocrites, compassionate to the helpless, weeping with the bereaved. But never before have we seen the depths of sorrow that Jesus would plummet this night, as abandoned by all his friends, betrayed by him who ate at his table, and assailed by all the forces of darkness he cried out to his Father whom he had always pleased in every way, and received from him only the answer that he must indeed drink to its dregs the bitter cup of wrath. Oh, who will not mourn with him, this fairest among ten thousand, who deserves nothing but the infinite joy of the ever-blessed Godhead, but willingly takes into his bosom instead the greatest suffering that all the accumulated sins of mankind have ever merited? Wonder of wonders, that the God of the universe should become a man of sorrows! And wonder of wonders, ah, how far beyond words, that he should do so for us. Let the hardest heart of stone break into a million pieces, and melt into tears of sorrow and gratitude for all that this man has become, sharing in our infirmities so that we might share in his glory!
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If the Gospel wasn't clear and we couldn't actually know what it was...
If the Gospel was not clear and we could not know it was... then Paul was so very wrong in writing as he did to the churches of Galatia. If theological precision and accuracy concerning the nature of the Gospel is not particularly important for unity amongst "brothers", then it would follow that the following imaginary letter to Paul would needed to have been written (found at Dr. James White's web site) to correct his extreme narrow mindedness:
Dear Paul:
In reviewing your letter to the churches of Galatia, we, the modern men of the 21st century, have come to the conclusion that you truly missed the point in your very pointed and, may we say, unloving comments regarding the faithful brothers with whom you had but a minor theological difference. We are in particular offended that you would identify men who clearly confess faith in Christ and who have risked their lives for their faith "false brethren." Who are you to make such a harsh judgment, in light of their many evidences of faith? These men are Christians, and to call them false brethren is a serious sin! You are bearing false witness against them! And to dare to read the intentions of their hearts so as to say they were "sneaking" into the fellowship is simply beyond the pale. You should be ashamed of yourself! All you disagree on is a minor point of theology! They believe in Christ! They believe in His resurrection! They simply believe one should be circumcised so as to be a part of the covenant people of God! How narrow of you to exclude them from the fellowship of faith simply on the basis of such a minor thing as this! Why won't you focus upon the areas of agreement you have? Why focus only upon differences, the negatives? Don't you realize you will never win people to your views if you continue to act in this fashion? We seriously request that you apologize to the faithful brothers you anathematized in your ill-advised letter to the churches of Galatia. By this, true peace and unity might be achieved!
Selah (stop, think and meditate) - with Scripture alone as our firm foundation we affirm that justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, all to the glory of God alone. - JS
Images of the Savior (45 – His High-Priestly Prayer)
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest, having offered a sacrifice for his own sins and the sins of the people, would bring the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy Place, and place it upon the horns of the altar of incense, the smoke of which would ascend before God; and then, he would pass through the veil into the Holy of holies, bringing the blood of the sacrifice to the mercy seat, and thus atoning for the sins of the people (See Leviticus 16). In this circumstance, we see that the sacrifice was not considered effective until it had been joined with the intercession of the High Priest: the smoke from the blood which the priest placed upon the altar of incense rose up before God as a symbol of his prayers in behalf of the people, on the basis of the sacrifice that he had made for them; and only then did God accept his offering. But in the continual observance of this Day of Atonement, year after year, together with the ongoing presence of the veil, we see that no sacrifice and no high-priestly prayer had yet been finally sufficient to atone for the people's sins, and bring them into God's presence. There still remained the need both for a perfect sacrifice and a perfect High Priest, who could join his effective intercession with his sufficient offering, and thus tear down the veil which barred men from entering God's presence forevermore. As we look to our account today, let us rejoice in Jesus our High Priest, who joined his effective pleas with his perfect blood, and so rendered our salvation doubly secure!
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Images of the Savior (44 – His Last Supper)
Oh, how many a weary sinner, after having been born again through the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5), has soon found himself in desperate straits once more, hard-pressed by his besetting sins, dirtied with the filth of the world, hungering and thirsting after the true righteousness which he had tasted of before, and apart from which he can no longer be satisfied! To such a weary pilgrim, as each of us has more than once been, there is no more welcome sight than a table spread in the wilderness with that richest of all feasts, the broken body of Christ, through which comes nourishment, sustenance, forgiveness, and true righteousness; and the wine of his blood, bringing peace, joy, and covenant-life. Let us rejoice at this marvelous dispensation of grace, and make earnest and frequent use of it! A child having just been born has life indeed, but he will not be long sustained without his necessary food; and so a child having been born into the family of God, which birth is symbolized by baptism, in which he is united with Christ in his death and resurrection, still has a daily and pressing need to be sustained with the body and blood of Christ throughout the time of his pilgrimage home. Baptism signifies the impartation of life, and the Lord's table the sustenance and nourishment of that same life; and we cannot do long without this necessary means of grace. Let us then look to the account of our Lord's last supper with great joy, and recognizing those great realities that he holds forth in the bread and the cup, to us as well as those first disciples, let us be diligent to observe the same as often as we gather together with the body of Christ; for in doing so, we will be vivified and strengthened with true righteousness and spiritual life.
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Images of the Savior (43 – His Unfolding the Events of the Future)
Jesus our Savior, when he walked upon the earth, fully recognized the central position that his life had in all of history, and was not at all loathe to indicate that the future times and seasons of the world had all to do with his Kingdom, and his coming again in glory; thus, he indicated to Pilate and the Pharisees, as well as to his own disciples, that the consummation of world history would be the final realization of the Kingdom upon earth, which he had already begun to establish in his lifetime (John 18:36; Matthew 26:64; Luke 22:16-18). The future would be all about the advance of this newly in-broken Kingdom until it had spread throughout the world, and ultimately about the return of the Son of Man in glory to judge the earth, establish his Kingdom fully and finally, and deliver it over to the Father (see I Corinthians 15:23-28). It is a most fitting circumstance that, as the time of his departure drew near, he would take occasion to instruct his disciples of these future events, so that they might be well-prepared for their task of Kingdom-spreading, the final commission with which he left them (see Matthew 28:18-20). The key occasion in which he did this is when, after having foretold the utter destruction of the beautiful Temple, he sat on the Mount of Olives, and answering his disciples' questions, related to them many great and marvelous events of the future, and at the same time drew out many practical applications.
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Happy 490th Anniversary of the Reformation
HAPPY REFORMATION ANNIVERSARY!
Are you despairing of your own righteousness today, realizing that you are more sinful before God than you had thought before? Are you realizing that when all is said and done you just are not righteous before God? Or perhaps you are thinking more highly of yourself and your good works before God?
If you are doing either of these things, you are looking to yourself and your own righteousness to affirm and assure yourself before God. When you look to yourself you make null and void the work of Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:21).
If you have sought your salvation and righteousness in yourself, and you have realized the depth of your sins before God in words, thoughts, and deeds, then you know how Martin Luther felt when he cried out to his friend John Staupitz, saying: “Who can abide the Day of the Lord’s coming? And who shall stand when he appears?!†(Mal. 3:2).
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Exposing my traditions
Acts 10:34-35 KJV Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Acts 10:34-35 NASB Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
Acts 10:34-35 NIV Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
Traditions are very strong and those most blinded by them are those who do not think they have any. When I first began to seriously evaluate what the Bible teaches about divine election, I have to say, certain texts surfaced in my mind which seemed to negate some of the other texts I was reading. When I saw texts that spoke clearly of God sovereignly and unconditionally electing an individual to salvation, texts such as the one above came to mind. If God shows no partiality or favoritism then quite obviously, I thought, God would have to show the same measure of grace to every person on planet earth, and then leave it up to the individual to make the choice of either rejecting or accepting the message of the Gospel. That seemed logical and so very much more acceptable to me than to believe that God just chose one person and not another for salvation (though God does in fact do this - 2 Thess. 2:12, 13), but it was something I have to admit that I believed for more than 20 years as a Christian. However, I kept coming up against the scriptures that quite clearly portray God showing mercy to whom He will and leaving others to encounter His justice (Romans 9 for example).
What did I do then? Well, for many years, I spoke of this being some great mystery (which it certainly is, of course) but yet looking back, I realized that I was embracing a view that was entirely inconsistent and in fact, contradictory.
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Images of the Savior (42 – His Wise Answers to Questions of Trickery)
It is a fact as certain as the day that, in this world which is under the power of the devil, whenever anyone comes speaking the truth, he will be fiercely opposed, and often beset with insincere questions that arise not from a heart desiring to learn, but out of trickery, and in an attempt to lay a trap by which he might be tripped up, so that the power and truth of his message may be obscured. That this was so to an eminent degree in the life of him who did not just bring the truth, but is himself very Truth (John 14:6), is everywhere evident throughout his ministry; but the most notable example of all comes just before his final hour, when all the forces of Satan were stirred up in a tremendous rage, and casting forth every snare that subtle sophistry can devise, so as to conjure up in the unblameable One a charge that they might bring before the court of Pilate. How utterly they failed to overcome the Wisdom of God may be seen in the results of their frantic endeavors; to which end we will look, so as to rejoice in him who is made to us wisdom from God (I Corinthians 1:30), and likewise to learn how we ought to respond when we are beset with similar deceitful traps.
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Images of the Savior (41 – His Cursing the Fig Tree)
In Isaiah chapter five, the Lord tells of a vineyard to which he had given every peculiar advantage, preparing for it a very fertile place which he had cleared of all stones and debris, planting in it the best vines, and preparing within it a watchtower and a wine vat, in order to protect it and provide it with the necessary means to put its fruit to the best use; but when the time came for it to produce good grapes, it produced wild and unusable grapes instead. For this cause, the Lord destroyed every advantage of the vineyard, ensuring that, from henceforth, it would produce only thorns and thistles. In verse seven, Isaiah makes the application that, “the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel, and the men of Judah are that which was planted for his pleasance; and he waited for justice, but behold, bloodshed! for righteousness, but behold, a cry!†As we shall now see, on the occasion of his cursing of the unfruitful fig tree, our Savior was acting in much the same way, and expressing much the same truth. Let us observe what transpired on this occasion, as well as the use to which Jesus put the event, or the lesson which he drew from it.
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Images of the Savior (40 – His Triumphal Entry)
The writings of the prophets are filled with predictions of a coming glorious king, from the line of David, who would once again take up the scepter, destroy the enemies of the people of God, and reign in righteousness forevermore (e.g. II Samuel 7:12-13, Isaiah 11:1- 16, Jeremiah 23:5-6). These same prophets also speak much of a coming servant of the Lord, who would suffer much, and be despised and rejected by his own people (e.g. Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:6-13; 52:13-53:12). In Jesus, these two distinct prophetic lines converge with admirable precision, his everlasting kingship being loudly proclaimed by the same people who, a few days later, would reject him indeed, and leave him to drink alone the inexpressible cup of the Father's wrath, a man afflicted beyond measure and full to the brim with sorrows surpassing the imagination. But herein lies the wonder: these two remarkably diverse characteristics of the person and ministry of the Son of David do not co-exist in an unnatural and forced juxtaposition, but rather complement and give meaning to each other, in a relationship that bursts all conceptual bounds of true glory and praiseworthiness that had ever before been dreamed up, extending the dominion of the Kingdom of the Christ into realms that no king had ever before conquered. The unique glory of Christ consists in part of his humility and suffering; and through his time of humiliation, he became the king of death and hell, victorious over sin and the devil, even as before he was the king of life and righteousness. The deepest lowliness won the highest glory, and cast across the illimitable regions of the shadow of death the splendor of the noon-day sun, transforming them into a fruitful and fair place, and bringing them forevermore into the eternal Kingdom of peace. Every spite and thorn and cruel stripe that Jesus bore wrought for him in the fires of divine justice and mercy another rare and marvelous jewel for his crown, the likes of which no other king has ever worn, nor indeed could bear, for it is fitted for one brow alone, that which once bled with the chastisement of our peace, and now irradiates the divine majesty, lighting the New Jerusalem toward which we press on in the wonder of hope.
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Images of the Savior (39 – His Coming in to Zacchaeus' House)
In all the gospel of Luke, we may encounter no more concise and compelling description of the Messianic task than that which we meet with at the end of this account: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost†(Luke 19:10). In this declaration we may learn something of the person of Jesus, and his peculiar office: for he is the Son of Man, that is, the divine Messiah whom Daniel saw in his glory (Daniel 7:13-14). We may also learn of the nature of his work, which is to seek and to save. How appropriate it is that both these elements should be so admirably joined together, for we can no more seek for a Savior, than we can save ourselves (see Romans 3:10-11). Jesus did not come to a world that was clamoring for his grace, and then give it to them in response to their pleas. No, he came unto his own, and was despised and rejected (See Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11); he came unto a world that hated and opposed him, and was mocked and derided by all. Therefore, if he would save anyone, he must first seek him out and draw him. An effectual call must be joined to his effective sacrifice, or else the salvation transaction will never be completed. Ah, let us be grateful that Jesus did not merely come to announce a general offer of salvation, but that he came to seek the individual sinner, and to save him indeed! And finally, we may learn of the subjects of this mighty work of mercy: who are none other than the lost. Many there be in this world who do not consider themselves lost, and see no need of a Savior. Let us be certain that these will be lost indeed before they are ever saved. Jesus saves none but lost and hopeless sinners; and so we who are the chief of sinners may all the more fervently rejoice, for no other quality does the Savior require of men, than that they be as we, and unable to help save themselves.
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Images of the Savior (38 – His Receiving the Little Children)
Those of us whom our heavenly Father has blessed with children of our own may fully appreciate the immeasurably deep yearnings of parental love, which would have for our offspring nothing less than the eternal joy of knowing Christ our Savior, whom we have found in our own souls to be so satisfying; which is indeed the very compassion by which these who had found the delight of knowing Jesus were driven to bring their infant children to him, so that he might but touch them. Therefore, the Savior's response to these compassionate parents, and the manner in which he received their little children, quite contrary to the expectation of his disciples, is to us who are in the same circumstance a most precious glimpse indeed. And we may likewise be sure that all of us, whether we have children or not, may be most wonderfully instructed by the tender love of Jesus, and his words of wisdom which he takes opportunity to apply to all who would enter his Kingdom. Let us note precisely what it is that Jesus intimated on this blessed occasion, attempt to show how admirably consistent his comfortable doctrine is with the customary dealings of the Father throughout redemptive history, and finally draw a few applications from what we have learned.
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Images of the Savior (37 – His Raising of Lazarus)
Although we have already seen before the divine power of Jesus the Savior displayed in the raising of the dead, this case is the most notable example yet, first, by virtue of the explicit instruction about his own person with which he illuminates its significance, and second, by virtue of the marvelous circumstances surrounding it, through which we may learn much of what sort of man this Jesus truly is. There had never been a more notable resurrection from the dead than this, nor would there be until Jesus himself was raised by the power of God (Romans 1:1-4), the true firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18) inasmuch as he was the first man raised, not to die again, but to the glory of an incorruptible life. Let us rejoice today that the eternal resurrection life which Jesus himself won, having arisen finally victorious over death and the grave, is a life which he won for all of us who partake of his sufferings, and hence are assured as well of a share in his resurrection power (Philippians 3:10-11; I Corinthians 15:20-24)! To all of these truths our text today speaks, and so we will turn there now to learn the source of this amazing sign; its ultimate goal, or purpose; and finally, the instruction which we might derive from its unusual and typical circumstances.
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Images of the Savior (36 – His Eating with a Pharisee)
Whenever we see our Savior in his dealings with the Pharisees and experts in the law, we must be struck with the immeasurable wisdom and authority that he possesses, as well as the boldness and clarity with which he denounces their wicked teachings and practices. Let us note that they who consider themselves religious leaders, and who bind others with very many rules and regulations that God never commanded, always demand of others unquestioning loyalty and obedience; and if it is not forthwith rendered by anyone under their sway, they threaten him with the terrible curses which are due to anyone who turns aside from God's own commandments, and wresting from their clarifying contexts many verses about the godliness of submitting to those in authority, they demand submission on the basis of God's word, when in fact their doctrines set aside God's word; and it is utterly manifest that no person on earth has the religious authority to command God's children to do other than that which he has prescribed for them in his holy scriptures – although we admit that the civil government has authority from God to demand things which are indifferent with respect to inherent morality, and not in violation of God's positive commands. Now let us be sure that, no matter how loudly such may assert their authority to bind other believers with things that God has not said, it is never godly to submit to such a perversion of true religion; and if we would follow the example of our Savior, we must rather expose and condemn it on the basis of the scriptures, which God has vested with authority beyond that of any man on earth. To see how our wise and fearful Savior thus exposed the folly of these wicked men, and laid out the progression that false religion would ever follow, let us now look to the text.
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Images of the Savior (35 – His Parable of the Good Shepherd)
One of the most blessed prophecies ever given to the prophets of old may be found in Ezekiel thirty-four. In that notable passage, the Lord first berates the false leaders of his people Israel, who ought to have been as good shepherds, protecting them from the wild beasts, guiding them lest they wander astray, and leading them to good pastures. But instead, they had destroyed and killed the flock of God. In response, God promises that he himself will come and be a shepherd to his people, guiding, protecting, and nourishing them; but when he comes, he will judge the false shepherds, and distinguish between the true sheep of his flock, who are oppressed and down-trodden, and the fat and cruel sheep, who destroy all the provision and leave no sustenance for the others. These latter will share the same fate of condemnation as the false shepherds; but God's true sheep will be delivered and brought to a place of peace and fruitfulness forevermore, where God will be their God, and dwell among them. At this point in the prophecy, God refers to the Shepherd of the people as David his servant. From which circumstance we may learn that one would arise who is both the offspring of David and indeed God himself; and he will shepherd the true people of God, but judge their oppressive leaders and those sheep who are not truly his.
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Images of the Savior (34 – His Giving Sight to the Man Born Blind)
Throughout Israel's history God had done many marvelous works in her behalf, sending to her his prophets and miracle-workers, who brought down bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4), subdued the bitterness of death-bearing poisons (II Kings 2:19-22; 4:38-41), stopped the mouths of lions (Daniel 6:16-23), and even raised the dead (II Kings 4:32-37). But there was one miracle so astounding in its divine potency, and so indicative of the true essence of the Messianic accomplishment, that it had never before been performed in sacred history, but only promised as a sign of the final age of blessing, in which the Christ should bring the very Kingdom of God to earth; and that sign was, the giving of sight to the congenitally blind (Isaiah 35:4-5; 42:6-7). As we look to this next account, therefore, we may encounter as clear a glimpse of the person of Christ in his Messianic office as any of his miracles are able to unveil before our eyes. Spirit of God, do not let us come away unravished from this text! Lead us to the Sun of Righteousness, where we might bathe our dark and sorrowing souls in the glory of the Light divine! As sunflowers that ever turn their faces full to the sun of their love, let us turn now our hearts to the light of glory, which beams from the face of the Son of God. In order to do so, we will consider, first, what it means that Jesus is the Light of the World; second, how it is that he accomplishes his Messianic task of bringing light to the world; and third, the diverse effects that this work of light-bringing has upon various classes of people in the world.
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Images of the Savior (33 – His Teaching at the Feast of Tabernacles)
Of all the gospel-blessings and benefits that were given to Israel in ancient times, so as to distinguish them from all the other nations of the world as the people upon whom God had set his special, elective love, one of the greatest was the joyful feasts and celebrations that it was enjoined upon them to observe, coming up to Jerusalem three times a year for a solemn and joy-filled assembly. These feasts were a bountiful and merciful gift of God both in that they contained within the manner of their observance a rich instruction of things pertaining to the coming of Christ, and the redemptive blessings that he should provide for his people; and also, in that they provided a foretaste, as it were, of these blessings themselves, as all the people of God were enabled therein to cast off the cares of this cursed world, for a time, and rejoice together in unity before the God of their salvation. Will not the consummation of all things be an anti-type of these joyful feasts, in which all God's people from every nation of the world rejoices together in the presence of Christ their Savior, and feasts upon the rich banquet that their heavenly Father has provided for them (see Isaiah 25:6-12)? And it is a further point that the most joyful feast, and one of the most richly instructive in gospel truths, was the last great feast of the year, that of Tabernacles. As we turn to our next account, therefore, we must first labor to understand the symbolism of this feast, and how Christ intimates that it is fulfilled in him; and then to notice in brief the basic heads of the message that he was proclaiming at this feast.
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Images of the Savior (32 – His Teaching on Life in the Kingdom)
Among all peoples, they who are considered greatest in a kingdom or government are they who are in the most prominent positions, who command great honor and respect, and who use their authority to exercise dominion over all those beneath them (see Matthew 20:25-27). It was a most natural circumstance, therefore, that the disciples who had heard so much of Jesus' Kingdom would begin to dispute and argue among themselves as to who should hold the highest position in this Kingdom, sitting at the right hand of Jesus when he ascended to the throne of David (Mark 9:33-34; 10:35-37). But Jesus' Kingdom was not to be like the kingdoms of men; for in the wonder of divine wisdom, the greatest glory is gained through the deepest humility, and the most selfless and lowly servant is indeed the highest of all. The King of kings won his throne through the emptying of himself, taking on the form of a servant, and being found obedient unto death, even the shameful death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-11). But if even the all-glorious Son of Man “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life as a ransom for many†(Mark 10:45), then what sort of men ought his followers to be? Let us take these truths to heart, and be attentive to the richly instructive words of Christ, as he takes the opportunity of this dispute among the disciples to open up to us the mystery of the Kingdom, the way in which it is ever to be entered, and the manner in which life within its borders is to be conducted.
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Images of the Savior (31 – His Transfiguration)
The great mystery of the work of redemption, and the matchless wonder of the Redeemer himself, consists of the diverse excellencies displayed to infinite degrees in the accomplishment of the work. Consider into what depths of humility Christ plummeted, as he followed his Father's will to purchase back a people from their unimaginably deep sin and rebellion: he, the infinitely high and happy God, took on human form, lived a life subject to all human weaknesses and temptations, suffered rejection, despite, shame, and mockery at the hands of his creatures, and bore in his own body the full mass of putrid sin which we had heaped up to heaven, together with the full cup of the Father's holy wrath against this sin. This is humility inexpressible and illimitable! But consider what great glory he has won through such ignoble means: he has won the greatest victory in all the history of the world, against the greatest enemy of all that is good and right who has ever had existence – that old Serpent, the devil. He has fully displayed the infinitely glorious and diverse majesty of the invisible Godhead, whom no man has ever seen, in such a manner that the weakest of men might see God's true form and glorify him. He has won a people for his everlasting inheritance, and wrought the unspeakable work of making them who had been horribly disfigured and marred into the very image of himself, and a spotless and pure bride. And he has done what by all accounts should be impossible for the infinitely glorious God to do; he has gained a glory which did not inhere in the Godhead before, and obtained a name which did not previously belong to him; for the glory of Mediator, Redeemer, Perfect Man, Immanuel, and, in short, Jesus, who saves his people from their sins, did not from eternity belong to the Godhead; but in consequence of the perfect work of the Christ, the new and glorious name Jesus has been added to the eternal and glorious name Yahweh, in the person of the eternal Son of God – for is this not what is expressed in the words of Paul: “Wherefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above ever name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on the earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father†(Philippians 2:9-11)? In our next account, that of the transfiguration of Jesus before his disciples, we see the first glimpse of the infinitely high glory which should adhere to Jesus in consequence of the infinitely low position to which he stooped, contrary to all human reason or expectation.
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"I've Been Reading...": Quotable Quotes from Excellent Books, Issue 7- C. R. Biggs
Calvin on To Whom we Belong and the Necessity of Prayer
May you be greatly encouraged by some selections on God's love for us and the necessity of prayer today from Calvin's Institutes. We are a privileged people who have so great a Savior and Lord. As Mary says in Luke 1:46ff in what has come to be known as the "Magnificat": "My soul rejoices ("magnifies" or "in enlarged") in the LORD..." Mary's soul is enlarged, she is full of the knowledge and love of God, as she reflects on what God has done for her and for all believers in the Person and Work of Christ.
Let us also be reminded that to reflect upon our Great God is to have our own souls "enlarged" and to rejoice, praying unceasingly as we live as His people! To that end, may the quotations to day be a blessing to you.
Calvin writes:
"We are not our own: let not our reason nor our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds. We are not our own: let us therefore not set it as our goal to seek what is expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: in so far as we can, let us therefore forget ourselves and all that is ours. Conversely, we are God's: let us therefore live for him and die for him. We are God's: let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions. We are God's: let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal [Rom. 14:8; cf. 1 Cor. 6:19]....
Let this therefore be the first step, that a man depart from himself in order that he may apply the whole force of his ability in the service of the Lord. I call 'service' not only what lies in obedience to God's Word but what turns the mind of man, empty of its own carnal sense, wholly to the bidding of God's Spirit." - John Calvin, 'Institutes', III.vii.1
Images of the Savior (30 – His Giving the Keys of the Kingdom)
During his time on earth, Jesus himself was preaching the gospel of the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, opening it to whom he would open it, and shutting it against whom he would shut it. But at the same time, he was also preparing his disciples to carry on this Kingdom-work when he should return to the Father, and begin to reign from God's right hand, sitting on the throne of David. He was then announcing the gospel and opening the Kingdom in his physical body; but he would soon be announcing the gospel and opening the Kingdom in his mystical body, the Church. For this reason, it was necessary that he take the keys of his kingly authority, and bestow them upon some representative (or representatives), to continue his work in his name, and with his authority, until the end of the age. Our account relates the details of this solemn bestowal of authority; and, although it has been much abused and perverted throughout Church history, its true meaning and importance must not therefore be minimized. We trust that the Spirit of God whom the Father has sent to us in the name of Jesus will protect us from all misunderstanding as we pursue the true meaning of his word today.
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Images of the Savior (29 – His Answering the Syro-Phoenician Woman)
Of the many lessons we may learn about the Savior from this account, the most notable is his utter resignation to the will of the Father, and his firm resolve not to do anything related to the work of redemption except in its own proper time; from which circumstance we may learn that all the acts of mercy and grace from the beginning of the world are indeed planned out by the sovereign counsel of the Father, and minutely executed by the Son. In this account, we may see this truth borne out, first, by Jesus' unswerving commitment to the temporal priority of the children of Israel to the nations, in God's redemptive design; and second, by his manner in responding to the personal request of a woman whose daughter he knew from the beginning that he should heal. In this latter circumstance we may find much that is well-suited to personal application, and so we will spend the greater part of our time on that point. But first, let us note what Jesus intended by his saying, “I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel†(Matthew 15:24).
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Images of the Savior (28 – His Dispute with the Pharisees over Ceremonial Uncleanness)
We may observe in this account both the essence of false religion, which the Pharisees displayed in their encounter with the disciples of Jesus, and with Jesus himself; as well as the proper response to this sort of deceptive false teaching. For Jesus, when he had seen their hypocritical indignation over the violation of their man-made regulations, first destroyed the foundations of their religious system, rendering them without an answer or excuse; and second, built in its place the just principles of true religion, on the solid foundation of God's revelation; taking occasion, moreover, to instruct his true followers more thoroughly in these right principles, when they were alone. We ought to learn from this example, first of all, to be certain that our religion is in accordance with God's own will, and not founded upon our own uncertain speculations; and second, how to respond to false doctrine when we or those near us in the Church are confronted with it.
Images of the Savior (27 – His Walking on the Water)
As we turn to our next account, we must be aware of its close connection with the account immediately preceding it, in which Jesus presents himself as the true Bread from heaven, given for the life of the world; and hence, the fulfillment of the tabernacle imagery of the table of the bread of the presence. For just as the table signified the provision of the necessary substance of life, which Jesus portrayed as having its ultimate fulfillment in his own body that he would offer up for the life of the world, in illustration of which he provided this bread in the wilderness for the crowds that had gathered around him; so also it signified the ongoing provision and guidance that God offered to his people for their journey, through his own sustaining presence in their midst; which is indeed why the bread was called specifically the bread of the presence. But this element, too, Jesus would portray as having its ultimate fulfillment in himself, when he appeared miraculously to his disciples and brought them along on their journey through the power that his own abiding presence imparted to them. Let us now look at these truths in a little more detail.
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Images of the Savior (26 – His Feeding the Five Thousand)
In this remarkable account, we see our Savior signifying through a gloriously bountiful act of generosity the eternal life and joyful feasting in the presence of God that he would soon provide for those whom the Father had given to him, by the offering up of his own body for their life and sustenance; and in the process, we are confronted with an image of Christ the Savior as the perfect fulfillment of the tabernacle imagery of the table of the bread of the presence (Exodus 25:23-20); as the end and goal of the celebratory feasts of the Jews, and that of Passover in particular (note John 6:4), which looked ahead to the joyful feast of the end times, in the presence of God (see Isaiah 25:6-12); and also, as the true fulfillment of the manna that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. Moreover, we have this wondrous sign expounded to us in great wisdom by the very words of Jesus, as he explains to the Jews its true meaning and significance. Let us then be richly instructed in these eternal truths, as we look to the account at hand.
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"I've Been Reading...": Quotable Quotes from Excellent Books, Issue 3
Humility from the Perspective of Screwtape and Wormwood- C. S. Lewis
Today's quotation is from a classic C. S. Lewis book entitled 'The Screwtape Letters'. For many of you this is perhaps a favorite book to read and re-read. For those who may be unfamiliar with the book, it is a book written from the perspective of Screwtape, a senior and seasoned devil, writing to his younger devil apprentice named Wormwood. The perspective of the book is from the "devils' point of view" and therefore the "patient" to whom he refers is the Christian and the "enemy" is God himself. Enjoy - -and be humbled by God's grace!
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Images of the Savior (25 – His Sending Out the Twelve)
Immediately before Jesus sends his disciples to go throughout Israel from city to city, healing, casting out demons, and preaching the good news of the Kingdom, we are given a glimpse of his deep compassion for the scattered and wayward crowds, a compassion which works mightily in his tireless ministry of healing and evangelizing. This precious glimpse is the foundation and fountainhead for the mission of the twelve, which follows. It is likewise the foundation for our own mission, which trades the cities of the world for the villages of Israel, and substitutes the innumerable band of faithful witnesses for those first twelve disciples. If we would learn anything from this account, let us assure ourselves, above all else, that Jesus' compassionate person, which manifested itself in his mighty works, done according to the will of the Father, is the sole and illimitable source from which the ever-widening streams of gospel-mercies flow, and shall continue to flow through the Church, until the whole world is full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14).
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"I've Been Reading....": Quotable Quotes from Excellent Books, Issue II
Image and Reality
What is real? What is image? Many people today spend much of their time in 'virtual reality'. It is axiomatic that 'virtual' reality is not true reality. In fact, my dictionary defines 'virtual' (as in virtual reality) as that which is "practically a reality, but not a reality in actuality, only in name." Christians must be discerning of the difference between image and reality. Image is what we seem to be. Reality or our character is who we truly are.
It would be simple to say that image is concerned with the external person, what ideas about oneself one wishes to convey to another. In contrast, character is something developed internally over time (by God's grace) and manifests externally (quite naturally) in our character ("You will know the tree by the fruit it bears" suggests that there is a difference between real fruit and 'virtual fruit').
Here are three quotations submitted to you today that hopefully will help you to reflect on your image and your reality. Our hope in Christ is that our image and our reality will be harmonious. In other words, what we seem to be and who we are will not be in tension. First a quotation from social historian Daniel Boorstin, from his great book 'The Image' (1963) where he defines the expectations of modern man in the real world and how this reality tends toward making images more attractive to us.
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Images of the Savior (24 – His Raising of Jairus's Daughter)
Within the account of Jesus' marvelous resurrection of the only daughter of Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, we find another marvelous miracle-account embedded, in which he frees a woman from a twelve year discharge of blood, from which she had been able to find relief in no other way. The conjunction of these two accounts teach us of Jesus' great mercy and compassion for all sorts of believers – the greatest as well as the weakest. He responds to great faith by causing it to grow and become greater yet; and he responds to weak faith in the same way, causing it to grow up until it is healthy and flourishing. Let us take heart at this truth! No matter how smoldering the wick of our faith may be, Jesus will not quench it, but will gently blow upon it with the soft breath of his mighty words and works, until it bursts once more into a flame of passionate devotion and steadfast trust in him alone (see Isaiah 42:3). But ah, let us examine ourselves, to see whether we have any faith at all: for the thronging crowds, who followed Jesus out of impure motives, not because they loved him or supposed that they could obtain their spiritual good from him, received no good thing from the Lord. Are we blindly following along with the crowd of professing believers, walking where they walk because they are many? Or is our one desire to reach Jesus, whether the crowds be with us or against us? If our heart truly yearns to touch him in whom is our healing and hope, then no matter how timid our faith may be, he will see us and strengthen us to come to him. But if we have no true longing to receive from him our every good, then throng about him as we may, he will give us no heed. Let us learn this lesson well: there will always be crowds thronging about Jesus, whether to mock or to offer insincere flattery; but few there be whose yearnings reach out to him alone.
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"I've Been Reading...": Quotable Quotes from Excellent Books, Issue I
"I've Been Reading..." - Rev. C. R. Biggs, Issue I
For the next few weeks, I would like to post brief quotes I have collected from excellent books that I have read and books that I am presently reading for study as a pastor. These quotations are offered as reflections on the Church and our present culture primarily with hopes that it will stimulate our thought and perhaps even suggest some good books (old and new) that you would like to read.
My first quote is from Alexis de Tocqueville:
In the early 1840s, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote on his observations of American culture, from politics to religion. In the book 'Democracy in America' he claims in the preface that he writes as a "friend" to Americans, from one who has objectively observed the culture as an outsider from France.
He claimed that his main purpose in writing the book was to warn Americans of one issue that he believed would be destructive to a society and culture. The issue was INDIVIDUALISM>. We should reflect on how individualism also negatively can affect Christ's Church in the way we think of our identity as Christ's people, our fellowship together, our corporate worship (especially the hearing of the Word and participation in the Sacraments), and our call to bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:1-2, 8-10):
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Images of the Savior (23 – His Calming of a Storm)
From the account of this notable miracle of the Savior, in which he commanded the winds and the waves to cease with calm authority, and immediately they obeyed him, we may learn much of what manner of man he truly is; in the surrounding circumstances, we may observe many ways in which we are similar to the disciples, loved by Jesus, striving to follow his will, but ah, so weak and filled with doubts, which ever rise to the surface when the storms of life stir the waters of our soul; and finally, in Jesus' reactions and words of response to the disciples, we may be instructed even as they – for he has not changed, and his words still resound with the same authority and wisdom that they possessed some two thousand years ago, when first he uttered them. Let us, then, be diligent to examine in what ways we resemble those first disciples, and then to discern what we may of the fearful and wonderful person, deeds, and words of our Savior; for in so doing, we will find that whatever our needs are, their solution is found in Christ. This the first disciples learned long ago, and this the disciples throughout the world are still learning today.
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Images of the Savior (22 – His Speaking in Parables)
Many generations before our Savior walked on the earth, it was prophesied of him, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old†(Psalm 78:2); and when he finally arrived upon this earth, we may see how thoroughly he fulfilled this prophecy, uttering parables and sayings which contained all the truth and wisdom of heaven, but which hid their rich wisdom from the understanding of the learned and respected men of Israel, and opened them up to the wondering faith of the simplest child. How true is the praise of the psalmist, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise†(Matthew 21:16; Psalm 8:2)! And nowhere do we see more clearly the wisdom of Christ in his utterance of parables than when he “sat beside the sea; and there gathered together unto him many crowds, so that he entered a boat and sat down, and all the crowd stood upon the shore; and he spoke to them many things in parables†(Matthew 13:2-3). To this account, what Jesus spoke to the people in parables and mysteries, and the reason for his enigmatic method of instruction, we will now turn our attention, as the Spirit of God permits.
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Images of the Savior (21 – The Accusation of Partnership with Beelzebub)
It is an immutable principle of justice that, the devastation attendant upon the folly of rejecting an offered gift or mercy must be in proportion to the freeness with which it is offered, and the greatness of its substance; and likewise, the guilt which inheres in slanderously accusing any man is in exact proportion to that man's greatness and righteousness. Let us lay this principle to heart – for if we have been offered the freest gift of mercy, a gift so vast that all the heavens raining down blessings for all eternity could never exhaust its riches, then woe, woe, woe to us if we should refuse it! The greatness of our folly would then be unequaled by all the dark and superstitious abominations wrought by all the heathen tribes of the world, throughout all of time – and the destruction which should come upon us in result of our immense folly would be too great and terrible to express. And ah, if we should be confronted with the person of Jesus, who alone possesses all the greatness of God wrapped up in all the meekness of a spotless Lamb – who has all the treasures of the boundless Godhead to give to us, and all the demeanor which should encourage us to come and take them up freely, however unworthy we may be – then what shall our fate be, if we have despised such a One? If he who at all offended that earthly king Ahasuerus found himself trembling in fear of his life (Esther 7:5-6), then how should we fear who have spit in the face of the King of kings? “If he who rejects the Law of Moses dies without mercy at the mouth of two or three witnesses, of how much worse punishment do you suppose he will be considered worthy, who has trampled upon the Son of God, and considered the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified unclean, and reviled the Spirit of grace†(Hebrews 10:28-29)? In the account at hand, we see an unequaled gift of mercy offered by an incomparably great man – and we see the fearful result of despising so great a gift. Let us be careful that we are not among the ranks of those who blaspheme the Spirit of grace, or all the terrors of divine judgment will rain down upon our heads with immense and eternal fury!
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Images of the Savior (20 – His Forgiving of a Sinful Woman)
Among men, it is universally acknowledged that, in proportion as one has something valuable to offer another, he is likely to be well-received by him; and according to his ability to give more to any person than he must take from him, he is apt to be commended and praised. A rich man who lavishly bestows his goods upon his friends is well-thought of; but a beggar is despised, or at best, pitied with a condescending demeanor. But let us learn well, from this account, that it is not so with our Savior. All those who suppose that they are doing something valuable and praiseworthy for his sake, by means of their sacrificial and generous acts of religion, would do well to consider what the apostle Paul has said, that “God, who made the world and all the things which are in it, being himself Lord over heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands, neither is worshiped by the hands of men, as if he were needing something, when he himself gives to all life and breath and all things†(Acts 17:24-25).
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Images of the Savior (19 – His Words of Judgment)
During the course of our journey through the gospels, we have meditated much upon the meek and lamb-like qualities of Jesus, as he performed his mighty miracles of healing, forgiveness, and restoration. And it is fitting that we have done so, for he did not come to earth, at that time, to condemn it, but to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Truly has John declared to us, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved†(John 3:17). However, there is coming a day when the Son of Man will return again in great and terrible glory, with the flaming fire of fearful vengeance, to magnify the power of his wrath against all those who do not know God (II Thessalonians 1:6-10). At that time we will see the fullness of his Lion-like glory, poured out in righteous fury, joining together with the fullness of Lamb-like glory that he demonstrated before, when he stooped to the death of the cross – and woe to all those who have not called upon his name, when we see him thus a second time! In our next gospel account, we hear the slightest whisper of the coming winds of judgment, as our Savior sternly denounces those cities which have seen the gentle and incarnate God, and have despised him. Oh, let us tremble at this fearful presage, and flee for mercy to the only place where God's wrath will not then fall, for it has already fallen there and been assuaged – the bosom of Jesus our Savior. For if we be not found in him, we will drink from the same cup that has been promised to Chorazin and Bethsaida.
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Images of the Savior (18 – His Raising the Widow's Son)
As manifold and diverse as are the wretched effects to which sin has given rise, they may all be brought under this one heading, death. So God spoke to man in the beginning, solemnly testifying that, in the day he ate of the forbidden fruit, he would surely die (Genesis 2:17); and such in fact occurred, that first man and all after him being suddenly and irretrievably plunged into that spiritual death which consists of separation from fellowship with God, who is our life. And ah, how the effects of this death spread throughout the earth, engendering in men the death-thoughts and lusts which may never be found in God's presence, plunging the very world into chaos and confusion, covering the earth's fruitful soil with thorns and thistles, filling the instincts of all the brute beasts with rapine and cruel bloodshed, and finally bringing down the afflicted body of every death-cursed man in sorrow to the grave. And for all this, it is only the beginning, the first death – and oh how fearful will be the second death of eternal torment which awaits fallen man at the final judgment (Revelation 20:14)! Truly may it be said, that when we were in this miserable condition, we were, through fear of death, held in perpetual bondage under our cruel master, the Devil and Deceiver of mankind (Hebrews 2:14-15). Ah, wretched men! Who shall be found to deliver us from so great a calamity? But there is one who fully participated in our flesh and blood, in order that, by tasting death for us, he might destroy the one who possessed the power of death, and so reconcile us to God! To this mighty Conqueror of the grave, let us now turn our attention.
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Images of the Savior (17 – His Healing of the Centurion's Servant)
In all of the scriptures, there is no more precious truth than this: “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all who call upon him; for 'Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved'†(Romans 10:12-13). And in all the gospels, there are few accounts which more poignantly display this truth than the account of the Gentile centurion, who called upon the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, and found him rich indeed. How well-adapted this account is to strengthen the faith of all of us who, being alienated from the covenants of God, were grafted against nature into God's good tree (Ephesians 2:11-13; Romans 11:17-24)! Let us then look to this history with a mind to imitate this man's faith, so far as our Savior commended it; for in so doing, we will find the same Savior abounding in mercy to us, even as he did to the centurion in Galilee.
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Images of the Savior (16 – His Works on the Sabbath)
Of all the blessings that God has given to his people throughout the ages, one of the most precious is their Sabbath rest. How wearisome is the toil and labor through which we must pass on our journey through this sin-cursed world! How impossible that our sin-cursed bodies and souls should keep pressing on, apart from the necessary refreshment of regular rest and frequent meditation on the bounty of the Lord! But far greater even than this pleasant shadow-blessing, which God gave to the children of Israel, is the One from whose generous hand this and all other riches flow down to his people. Far greater than this imperfect reminder of the delightful rest which awaits us when the work has been perfectly accomplished, is the One who is, in himself, the fulfillment of the picture. And we see both of these precious realities in Christ Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, and our true Sabbath rest. As the Lord of the Sabbath, he is the One who perfectly accomplished the work of redemption, and so earned the right to dispense a rest which is the reward and culmination of a perfect work completed. And as the fulfillment of the picture, he himself is that reward, that rest, that joyful celebration of culminating victory which awaits those who finish their course.
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For whom did Jesus taste death? by John Piper
Hebrews 2:9 - But we do see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
For Those He Came to Save
Yesterday I marched for Jesus along with thousands of others in the Twin Cities and with millions of others around the world. As I turned from Nicollet Mall onto Sixth Street we were singing the second stanza of "Crown Him With Many Crowns." I am probably the only one who was thinking at that moment of this morning's message. The title of the message this morning is, "For Whom Did Jesus Taste Death?" The second verse of "Crown Him with Many Crowns" goes like this:
Crown Him the Lord of life,
Who triumphed o'er the grave.
Who rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing,
Who died and rose on high.
Who died eternal life to bring,
And lives that death may die.
He triumphed over the grave and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save. "For those he came to save." These words seem to signal that the writer of this hymn believes that Christ had a design to really save a particular group of people by his death. He triumphed over the grave for those he came to save. It sounds like there are some he came to save, and that for these the grave is defeated and eternal life is given.
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