Just How Strong Are Angels?
Find Out:
How strong and powerful are angels?
When did God create angels?
Do angels come at a certain time during death?
Peter puts the case mildly when he says angels are "stronger and more powerful" than humans (2 Peter 2:11). In the Bible they are better known for their power than their beauty or anything else. An angel rolled back the stone that covered Jesus' tomb—a real exhibition of strength (Matthew 28:2). An angel opened locked prison doors (Acts 5:17-20). Only one angel was sent to destroy the entire city of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 21:15) and only two angels were needed to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:13, 24, 25). Angels were also responsible for the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 12:13-30; Psalm 78:43, 49; Hebrews 11:28). As you can see, angels "excel in strength" (Psalm 103:20).
Since angels are spirit beings, they take on a physical form only when carrying out God's will. This can be of any shape and size. See my article "What Do Angels Look Like?" So how tall are angels? Even though angels are described in the Bible, we do not know how tall they were. Still, we do find measurements of the angel figures in Solomon's temple—two cherubim figures that were each 15 feet tall with a wingspan of 15 feet (1 Kings 6:23-28). Both figures were carved from olive wood and covered with gold. Solomon's cherubim were certainly different from the cute pictures of cherubs we see on greeting cards today.
The reason you could not easily find such text is because verses stating the creation of angels often do not use the word angel. Although the word angel is used almost 300 times in the Bible, many synonyms such as "the heavenly hosts" are used. In Colossians 1:16 Jesus Christ is called the creator of angels, and the angels referred to as "things invisible, thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities." Psalm 148 also states, "Praise him, all his angels, praise him all his heavenly hosts. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created." (Psalm 148:2, 5). This is the basis for the statement of faith found in the Nicene Creed which is affirmed every Sunday in many churches: "We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen."
Most theologians hold that all of the angels were created at the same time. There are no hints in scripture of angels being continually created. Angels do not reproduce. There are no baby angels. In Matthew 22:28-30 Jesus taught that angels do not procreate, so we can conclude that each angel is a direct creation of God. We know that "the morning stars" (another term for angels in the Bible) sang together, and all the angels shouted with joy at the creation of Earth (Job 38:7). So it follows that angels were created before the planet.
Augustine, writing in the fifth century, made an interesting argument that angels were formed on the first day of creation. He reasoned that since "all things were created and ordered and the work of creation was completed in six days," the angels must have been created during the six days as well. He also said that because God made light on the first day and angels are "participators of [God's] eternal light," they must have been created in that time span.
But many, including myself, are not convinced by Augustine's reasoning. The Bible never tells us when angels were created, but it does teach that God created the angels before the world. What point is there in speculating any further?
Nowhere in the Bible are there any verses about the "time the angels come." Death records indicate that people die at all hours and minutes of the day and night.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Knowing Jesus: (Pt 1)
KNOWING JESUS THROUGH HIS MESSENGER
"'See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way
before Me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come
to His temple; the Messenger of the covenant, whom you desire,
will come,' says the LORD Almighty" (Malachi 3:1).
The prophet Malachi gave God's final promises of the Old Testament. One of the greatest of these promises is found in Malachi chapter three, verse one. God assured His people that He would send a messenger. This messenger would have a special task--"to prepare the way." For whom? He "will prepare the way before ME," said the LORD (Yahweh)!
VOICE IN THE DESERT
Also in the book of Malachi (4:5) God promised to send a prophet, "Elijah." Elijah had lived in dry, desert places. An earlier prophet, Isaiah, had foretold the coming of a voice in the desert.
"A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for
the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our
God....And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all
mankind will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken'"
(Isaiah 40:3-5).
For over a thousand years, from Moses to Malachi, God had spoken often. He had sent many prophets to Israel. Their work had resulted in the Old Testament. But after the prophet Malachi there were about 400 years of silence--no recognized prophets spoke from God. There were no new writers from God for the Old Testament. God's people wondered when God would fulfill His promises. When would the messenger come to make preparation? When would God's glory be revealed?
THE YEARS OF SILENCE
During those long years more and more people were hearing about God's promises. New rulers captured the land of Israel. While some Israelites (by then called Jews) stayed in their homeland, others were scattered far and wide. In distant countries they told others of the one true God. They were able to use Greek, the language that many peoples shared at that time.
OLD TESTAMENT IS TRANSLATED INTO GREEK
About 150 years after Malachi the full Old Testament was translated from the Hebrew language into the Greek language. During the following 250 years, trained workers made copies of this Greek Bible. The copies were carried to many places. In their weekly meetings, Jews read the Old Testament aloud (Acts 15:21). Even some non-Jews came to believe in God's promises. More and more people looked forward to the Lord's coming.
GOD SPEAKS AGAIN
Then people in Israel began to hear of amazing events. A child named John was born to a couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-24, 57-80). Yet Elizabeth was well beyond the age for giving birth! An angel, using words from Malachi 4:5-6, had announced,
"He (John) will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power
of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make
ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).
John's father, Zechariah, had also used words from Malachi 3:1. By God's Spirit Zechariah prophesied:
"And you, my child (John), will be called a prophet of the
Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare
the way for Him" (Luke 1:76).
God's promises, made through Malachi 400 years earlier, were coming true! God was ending His long silence! He was speaking again. Just as He promised, He was speaking through an "Elijah."
THE NEW ELIJAH
John was not the Elijah of the past (John 1:21; Luke 9:30). But John was like that ancient prophet in many ways. Those who knew the Old Testament could recognize John, not only as a true prophet, but as a new "Elijah" (Matthew 11:7-14; 21:26).
Elijah spent much time in the wilderness -- 1 Kings 17-19
John spent much time in the wilderness -- Luke 1:80;Matthew 3:1
Elijah dressed in rough clothes -- 2 Kings 1:8
Like Elijah, John dressed in rough clothes -- Matthew 3:4
Like Elijah, John's preaching was full of courage. He had "the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17). He spoke out against all sin, even the king's sin (Luke 3; Matthew 14). John commanded the people of Israel to prepare for the Lord's coming. John himself quoted from the prophet Isaiah (40:30),
"I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight
the way for the Lord' " (John 1:23).
How could they make the way straight? How could they prepare for the King?
JOHN THE BAPTIZER
John told them to prepare by repenting and being baptized.
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching..."Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven is near' " (Matthew 3:1-2).
John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a
baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).
"Repentance" is making up one's mind to leave sin and to live for God. By repenting the people promised to do right in the future. Yet that decision alone could not change their wrongs of the past. For the pure and holy King there had to be FULL preparation. Even past sins had to be removed, by forgiveness.
Those who repented had to be baptized. John thus became known as "John the Baptizer," or "John the Baptist." (The word "baptize" comes from the Greek Language. In that language it means to immerse or plunge under water. That is why John baptized "in the Jordan River" and there was "much water," Mark 1:5; John 3:23).
Through baptism John separated the people. Those who wanted to get ready for the Messiah confessed their sins and were baptized. But others, especially the religious leaders, were too proud. They would not admit how sinful they were. They refused to be humbled by being dipped under the water. Baptism required simple obedience to God's command. It meant trusting God for forgiveness. Their hard hearts had no room for such trust and obedience.
All the people, even the tax collectors...acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John (Luke 7:29-30).
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ONE GREATER THAN JOHN
The leaders should have listened to John. He was "a prophet...and more than a prophet," a truly great man (Matthew 11:9-11). Yet, as great as John was, the Coming One would be much greater. John himself said,
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will
come One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am
not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire" (Matthew 3:11).
John hardly dared to touch the shoes of the Coming One. John used water for baptism; the Coming One could do something far greater--he would baptize using God's Spirit! The Holy Spirit is part of God Himself. Who would be so high and exalted that He could use the Holy Spirit as John used water?
Yet this Coming One looked like an ordinary man. So John, by himself, had no way to recognize Him. God told John to look for this sign: The Holy Spirit would take the shape of a dove and come down on the Coming One, the One about whom John preached (John 1:33).
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
While John was prophesying about the Coming One, Jesus was over 100 kilometers (62 miles) away, at the village of Nazareth. He was a humble carpenter, helping to care for his mother, brothers and sisters.
Jesus then traveled to meet John and to be baptized by him. John knew of Jesus' goodness. He did not want to baptize Jesus. John said,
"...I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to
me?" (John 3:14).
Jesus had no sins to confess. He had no need of forgiveness. But He always fulfilled God's righteous will. He commanded John to baptize Him (Matthew 3:13-15). When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God came down and settled on Him. A voice from heaven said,
"You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased"
(Luke 3:21-22).
John realized then that the Coming One was JESUS. The One for whom John had been looking had arrived!
"...John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is
the One I meant when I said, A Man who comes after me has
surpassed me because He was before me. I myself did not
know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was
that He might be revealed to Israel.' Then John gave this
testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a
dove and remain on Him. I would not have known Him, except
that the One who sent me to baptize with water told me,
testify that this is the Son of God" (John 1:29-34).
LISTENING TO JOHN
Isaiah and Malachi had drawn a picture of the special messenger who would prepare the way. John the Baptizer was the only one who fit that picture. John prepared for the Great One to come.
For whom did he prepare? Jesus!
John led all the people toward Jesus (John 3:22-36). John's part is so important that it helps to begin each of the first four books of the New Testament -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Anyone who seeks to know the truth about Jesus should give careful thought to the report of John. For John too was a lover of truth.
John spoke the truth so boldly that he was later killed by King Herod (Mark 6:14-29). He was an eyewitness of heaven's sign, which pointed to Jesus. Through John's testimony we can be sure that the Coming One promised by the Old Testament is JESUS. John helps us to see the Light.
"There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so
that through him all men might believe. He himself was not
the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light"
(John 1:6-7).
"'See, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way
before Me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come
to His temple; the Messenger of the covenant, whom you desire,
will come,' says the LORD Almighty" (Malachi 3:1).
The prophet Malachi gave God's final promises of the Old Testament. One of the greatest of these promises is found in Malachi chapter three, verse one. God assured His people that He would send a messenger. This messenger would have a special task--"to prepare the way." For whom? He "will prepare the way before ME," said the LORD (Yahweh)!
VOICE IN THE DESERT
Also in the book of Malachi (4:5) God promised to send a prophet, "Elijah." Elijah had lived in dry, desert places. An earlier prophet, Isaiah, had foretold the coming of a voice in the desert.
"A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for
the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our
God....And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all
mankind will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken'"
(Isaiah 40:3-5).
For over a thousand years, from Moses to Malachi, God had spoken often. He had sent many prophets to Israel. Their work had resulted in the Old Testament. But after the prophet Malachi there were about 400 years of silence--no recognized prophets spoke from God. There were no new writers from God for the Old Testament. God's people wondered when God would fulfill His promises. When would the messenger come to make preparation? When would God's glory be revealed?
THE YEARS OF SILENCE
During those long years more and more people were hearing about God's promises. New rulers captured the land of Israel. While some Israelites (by then called Jews) stayed in their homeland, others were scattered far and wide. In distant countries they told others of the one true God. They were able to use Greek, the language that many peoples shared at that time.
OLD TESTAMENT IS TRANSLATED INTO GREEK
About 150 years after Malachi the full Old Testament was translated from the Hebrew language into the Greek language. During the following 250 years, trained workers made copies of this Greek Bible. The copies were carried to many places. In their weekly meetings, Jews read the Old Testament aloud (Acts 15:21). Even some non-Jews came to believe in God's promises. More and more people looked forward to the Lord's coming.
GOD SPEAKS AGAIN
Then people in Israel began to hear of amazing events. A child named John was born to a couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-24, 57-80). Yet Elizabeth was well beyond the age for giving birth! An angel, using words from Malachi 4:5-6, had announced,
"He (John) will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power
of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make
ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).
John's father, Zechariah, had also used words from Malachi 3:1. By God's Spirit Zechariah prophesied:
"And you, my child (John), will be called a prophet of the
Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare
the way for Him" (Luke 1:76).
God's promises, made through Malachi 400 years earlier, were coming true! God was ending His long silence! He was speaking again. Just as He promised, He was speaking through an "Elijah."
THE NEW ELIJAH
John was not the Elijah of the past (John 1:21; Luke 9:30). But John was like that ancient prophet in many ways. Those who knew the Old Testament could recognize John, not only as a true prophet, but as a new "Elijah" (Matthew 11:7-14; 21:26).
Elijah spent much time in the wilderness -- 1 Kings 17-19
John spent much time in the wilderness -- Luke 1:80;Matthew 3:1
Elijah dressed in rough clothes -- 2 Kings 1:8
Like Elijah, John dressed in rough clothes -- Matthew 3:4
Like Elijah, John's preaching was full of courage. He had "the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17). He spoke out against all sin, even the king's sin (Luke 3; Matthew 14). John commanded the people of Israel to prepare for the Lord's coming. John himself quoted from the prophet Isaiah (40:30),
"I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight
the way for the Lord' " (John 1:23).
How could they make the way straight? How could they prepare for the King?
JOHN THE BAPTIZER
John told them to prepare by repenting and being baptized.
"In those days John the Baptist came preaching..."Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven is near' " (Matthew 3:1-2).
John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a
baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).
"Repentance" is making up one's mind to leave sin and to live for God. By repenting the people promised to do right in the future. Yet that decision alone could not change their wrongs of the past. For the pure and holy King there had to be FULL preparation. Even past sins had to be removed, by forgiveness.
Those who repented had to be baptized. John thus became known as "John the Baptizer," or "John the Baptist." (The word "baptize" comes from the Greek Language. In that language it means to immerse or plunge under water. That is why John baptized "in the Jordan River" and there was "much water," Mark 1:5; John 3:23).
Through baptism John separated the people. Those who wanted to get ready for the Messiah confessed their sins and were baptized. But others, especially the religious leaders, were too proud. They would not admit how sinful they were. They refused to be humbled by being dipped under the water. Baptism required simple obedience to God's command. It meant trusting God for forgiveness. Their hard hearts had no room for such trust and obedience.
All the people, even the tax collectors...acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John (Luke 7:29-30).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
ONE GREATER THAN JOHN
The leaders should have listened to John. He was "a prophet...and more than a prophet," a truly great man (Matthew 11:9-11). Yet, as great as John was, the Coming One would be much greater. John himself said,
"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will
come One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am
not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire" (Matthew 3:11).
John hardly dared to touch the shoes of the Coming One. John used water for baptism; the Coming One could do something far greater--he would baptize using God's Spirit! The Holy Spirit is part of God Himself. Who would be so high and exalted that He could use the Holy Spirit as John used water?
Yet this Coming One looked like an ordinary man. So John, by himself, had no way to recognize Him. God told John to look for this sign: The Holy Spirit would take the shape of a dove and come down on the Coming One, the One about whom John preached (John 1:33).
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
While John was prophesying about the Coming One, Jesus was over 100 kilometers (62 miles) away, at the village of Nazareth. He was a humble carpenter, helping to care for his mother, brothers and sisters.
Jesus then traveled to meet John and to be baptized by him. John knew of Jesus' goodness. He did not want to baptize Jesus. John said,
"...I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to
me?" (John 3:14).
Jesus had no sins to confess. He had no need of forgiveness. But He always fulfilled God's righteous will. He commanded John to baptize Him (Matthew 3:13-15). When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit of God came down and settled on Him. A voice from heaven said,
"You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased"
(Luke 3:21-22).
John realized then that the Coming One was JESUS. The One for whom John had been looking had arrived!
"...John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is
the One I meant when I said, A Man who comes after me has
surpassed me because He was before me. I myself did not
know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was
that He might be revealed to Israel.' Then John gave this
testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a
dove and remain on Him. I would not have known Him, except
that the One who sent me to baptize with water told me,
testify that this is the Son of God" (John 1:29-34).
LISTENING TO JOHN
Isaiah and Malachi had drawn a picture of the special messenger who would prepare the way. John the Baptizer was the only one who fit that picture. John prepared for the Great One to come.
For whom did he prepare? Jesus!
John led all the people toward Jesus (John 3:22-36). John's part is so important that it helps to begin each of the first four books of the New Testament -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Anyone who seeks to know the truth about Jesus should give careful thought to the report of John. For John too was a lover of truth.
John spoke the truth so boldly that he was later killed by King Herod (Mark 6:14-29). He was an eyewitness of heaven's sign, which pointed to Jesus. Through John's testimony we can be sure that the Coming One promised by the Old Testament is JESUS. John helps us to see the Light.
"There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so
that through him all men might believe. He himself was not
the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light"
(John 1:6-7).
Betrayal Of Jesus
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
Matthew 26:36-56
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Matthew 26:36-56
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Daily Prayer
In Praise of God
You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Saviour.
You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Saviour.
God Has Spoken: (Pt. 4)
"Only One God Has Spoken"
"Hear, O Israel; the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength."
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
When God revealed Himself through His prophet Moses, God described Himself. He said that He is ONE God, not many "gods." The one and only God deserves ALL of our love, not just a part of it.
Confirmed by Jesus
When Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, came, He drew special attention to these verses from the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy. A leader asked Jesus about the most important command of the law. Mark 12:29 reports Jesus' reply:
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this:
'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart...'"
Jesus continued then to quote from God's message in Deuteronomy 6. This truth is the foundation for all God's other commands. If many gods had made us, they might all have a right to our love. But the greatest fact of God is that He is ONE! One ALONE has the right to our love, That leads to the greatest command: That our WHOLE heart, soul, mind and strength should go to Him alone.
Can We Love Anyone Else?
If _all_ our love goes to God, then it cannot be divided. Does this mean that we should never love anyone else? What about loving one's own husband or wife or children? What about loving other people? Jesus went on immediately to say that the second most important command is this:
"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31, quoting
Leviticus 19:18).
The Christian husband should love his wife (Ephesians 5:25). Neither Moses nor Jesus thought that these kinds of love took love away from God. Why? Because it is GOD'S WILL that we so love others. The true way to show LOVE for God is to OBEY God.
"For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments"
(1 John 5:3).
If God is truly "Lord," He deserves our full obedience. We cannot claim to love Him while forgetting who He is and what He deserves. Real love treats Him as the real God He is. So, when we love others, as HE commanded, that fits perfectly into true love and devotion to Him.
What, Then, is Divided Love?
By this we mean: What kind of love takes away from the full love we owe to God? The prophets of the Old and New Testaments answered this question very clearly. We take love away from God by treating God as if He were "second best." We do it when we trust people or things more than we trust the God who made us. We do it when we worship or pray to others. When an enemy tried to make Jesus divide His love in these ways, Jesus replied, "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only" (Matthew 4:10).
God desires and demands *first place* in our lives. He cannot accept second place, for that would be a lie. Simple honesty requires that God alone be recognized and treated with highest honor. No other can claim the kind of honor that should go to God.
"I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My
glory to another or My praise to idols" (Isaiah 42:8).
The Name of the One God
The prophet Isaiah, in the passage just mentioned, was very certain of the true God. He is the One named "the LORD." Isaiah wrote in the Hebrew language, and in Hebrew that name is YHWH. (YHWH may be pronounced as YAHWEH). In many English Bibles, when you see the word LORD in large letters, it stands for this great name of God, YHWH.
When Eve gave birth to a child she said, "With the help of the LORD (YHWH) I have brought forth a man" (Genesis 4:1). She knew God's name, for He had dealt personally with her and her husband, Adam. Later, her children who turned to God "began to call on the name of the LORD (YHWH)" (Genesis 4:26). So "the LORD" is the One known from the very beginning as man's Creator.
When God told Moses to go to Egypt, Moses asked what name to use for God. In answer (Exodus 3:14-15) God said to Moses,
"I AM Who I AM. This is what you are to say to the
Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites,
'The LORD (YHWH), the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac and the God of Jacob -- has sent me to you.'
This is MY name forever, the name by which I am to
be remembered from generation to generation."
The name YHWH shows that God is the "I AM," that He continues TO BE. (The name YHWH sound like the verb TO BE in the Hebrew language.) As the self-existing One, God does not depend on anything else for His being.
Instead, all others -- whether spirits or humans or material things -- depend on Him for their being or existence.
"I am He; I am the first and I am the last; apart
from Me there is no God....I am the LORD (YHWH),
who made all things, who alone stretched out the
heavens, who spread out the earth by Himself"
(Isaiah 44:6, 24; 48:12-13).
No Other Gods
The first of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai was this:
"You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).
When we understand who the LORD is, it is easy to see what is wrong with having other "gods." No one else can compare with God! Yes, there are some beings who have power. But all their power simply points to the far, far greater power of the true God who made them. He who gave them life can just as easily end it. Before Him, they are powerless!
The apostle Paul helped people to leave their useless "gods." He wrote letters to those who believed his message. Here is what Paul said:
"We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and
that there is no God but one" (1 Corinthians 8:4).
"You turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to
those who by nature are not gods" (Galatians 4:8).
God is Spirit
Why have people made up their own ideas of "god"? Perhaps they feel that they can more easily understand and control such a "god." The true God is so great that He is beyond all that we can imagine. When King Solomon built a temple for God, he prayed to God,
"The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You.
How much less this temple I have built!" (1 Kings 8:27).
When we think of just that part of the heavens we see, this is truly amazing. How can one Person fill the whole universe, and even go beyond it? Yet Paul also said of God,
"For in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts
17:28).
How can He be so far away, and yet also be all around us? If "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27) why do we not see Him?
The answer is in the basic truth of God's nature. Jesus clearly stated,
"God is Spirit" (John 4:24).
How is "spirit" different from an earthly "body?" Jesus said that a spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). The normal human body is very limited by the weaknesses of its flesh. It is tied down to one time and place. It cannot see or be in two places at the same time. Such limits do not have to apply to spirit. They especially do not limit the One who is called the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9).
God, as spirit, is so great that He is always present at all places. He can hold all in His control. There is no way to ever hide from Him.
"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your
presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I
make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the
wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me" (Psalm 139:7-10).
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything
is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to
whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).
Does God Have Hands and Eyes?
If God is spirit, and not fleshly body, how can the Bible speak of His "hands," "arms," "eyes" and other parts? The following picture may help us to see the answer.
Imagine a man talking to an ant. He is trying to explain to the ant what a human city is like. The ant has never seen anything as large as our city streets. Yet the ant does have small paths and tunnels in its ants' nest in the ground. So the man speaks of his streets as if they were like those ant paths. He speaks of the human city as if it were like a very large ants' nest.
In the same way, God uses things that we can understand to talk of things much greater. He does not have our earthly kind of eyes and hands. But He uses "eyes" to speak of His seeing. He uses "hands" to speak of His power and action.
Though He uses these helpful words we should remember that we are still so very small beside Him. Like the ant with the man, some things about God will remain beyond our full understanding. We accept what God says in the simple trust that He knows how best to tell us of things far greater than us.
The Holy Spirit
One of the things that may be difficult to understand is how God is one, and yet ABOVE our limited idea of one. For example, the first verses of the Bible speak of both "God" and "the Spirit of God."
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters"
(Genesis 1:1-2).
Look again at the quotation from Psalm 139. The writer of that Psalm asks God, "Where can I go from your Spirit?" Then he says, "If I go up to the heavens, YOU are there." Why say "You" and, "Your Spirit"? why speak in two ways of God? We may not fully understand why. Yet God surely knows most about Himself. He knows how best to describe Himself.
Scripture talks often about the Holy Spirit. He is not just some tool or force of God. His is not a "thing." Instead He is Divine Person, described in ways that can only fit a person. Although He is sometimes spoken of as if He is part of God, yet the Holy Spirit is truly GOD, the only God.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is freedom...which comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
God has revealed Himself as both "Lord" and Spirit." This in no way goes against the truth He also revealed, that He is ONE. This oneness is above our full understanding. He is one, and there is no other God besides Him. Since He alone made us and cares for us, our hearts and lives belong wholly to Him.
"Hear, O Israel; the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength."
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
When God revealed Himself through His prophet Moses, God described Himself. He said that He is ONE God, not many "gods." The one and only God deserves ALL of our love, not just a part of it.
Confirmed by Jesus
When Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, came, He drew special attention to these verses from the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy. A leader asked Jesus about the most important command of the law. Mark 12:29 reports Jesus' reply:
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this:
'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart...'"
Jesus continued then to quote from God's message in Deuteronomy 6. This truth is the foundation for all God's other commands. If many gods had made us, they might all have a right to our love. But the greatest fact of God is that He is ONE! One ALONE has the right to our love, That leads to the greatest command: That our WHOLE heart, soul, mind and strength should go to Him alone.
Can We Love Anyone Else?
If _all_ our love goes to God, then it cannot be divided. Does this mean that we should never love anyone else? What about loving one's own husband or wife or children? What about loving other people? Jesus went on immediately to say that the second most important command is this:
"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31, quoting
Leviticus 19:18).
The Christian husband should love his wife (Ephesians 5:25). Neither Moses nor Jesus thought that these kinds of love took love away from God. Why? Because it is GOD'S WILL that we so love others. The true way to show LOVE for God is to OBEY God.
"For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments"
(1 John 5:3).
If God is truly "Lord," He deserves our full obedience. We cannot claim to love Him while forgetting who He is and what He deserves. Real love treats Him as the real God He is. So, when we love others, as HE commanded, that fits perfectly into true love and devotion to Him.
What, Then, is Divided Love?
By this we mean: What kind of love takes away from the full love we owe to God? The prophets of the Old and New Testaments answered this question very clearly. We take love away from God by treating God as if He were "second best." We do it when we trust people or things more than we trust the God who made us. We do it when we worship or pray to others. When an enemy tried to make Jesus divide His love in these ways, Jesus replied, "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only" (Matthew 4:10).
God desires and demands *first place* in our lives. He cannot accept second place, for that would be a lie. Simple honesty requires that God alone be recognized and treated with highest honor. No other can claim the kind of honor that should go to God.
"I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My
glory to another or My praise to idols" (Isaiah 42:8).
The Name of the One God
The prophet Isaiah, in the passage just mentioned, was very certain of the true God. He is the One named "the LORD." Isaiah wrote in the Hebrew language, and in Hebrew that name is YHWH. (YHWH may be pronounced as YAHWEH). In many English Bibles, when you see the word LORD in large letters, it stands for this great name of God, YHWH.
When Eve gave birth to a child she said, "With the help of the LORD (YHWH) I have brought forth a man" (Genesis 4:1). She knew God's name, for He had dealt personally with her and her husband, Adam. Later, her children who turned to God "began to call on the name of the LORD (YHWH)" (Genesis 4:26). So "the LORD" is the One known from the very beginning as man's Creator.
When God told Moses to go to Egypt, Moses asked what name to use for God. In answer (Exodus 3:14-15) God said to Moses,
"I AM Who I AM. This is what you are to say to the
Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites,
'The LORD (YHWH), the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac and the God of Jacob -- has sent me to you.'
This is MY name forever, the name by which I am to
be remembered from generation to generation."
The name YHWH shows that God is the "I AM," that He continues TO BE. (The name YHWH sound like the verb TO BE in the Hebrew language.) As the self-existing One, God does not depend on anything else for His being.
Instead, all others -- whether spirits or humans or material things -- depend on Him for their being or existence.
"I am He; I am the first and I am the last; apart
from Me there is no God....I am the LORD (YHWH),
who made all things, who alone stretched out the
heavens, who spread out the earth by Himself"
(Isaiah 44:6, 24; 48:12-13).
No Other Gods
The first of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai was this:
"You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).
When we understand who the LORD is, it is easy to see what is wrong with having other "gods." No one else can compare with God! Yes, there are some beings who have power. But all their power simply points to the far, far greater power of the true God who made them. He who gave them life can just as easily end it. Before Him, they are powerless!
The apostle Paul helped people to leave their useless "gods." He wrote letters to those who believed his message. Here is what Paul said:
"We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and
that there is no God but one" (1 Corinthians 8:4).
"You turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to
those who by nature are not gods" (Galatians 4:8).
God is Spirit
Why have people made up their own ideas of "god"? Perhaps they feel that they can more easily understand and control such a "god." The true God is so great that He is beyond all that we can imagine. When King Solomon built a temple for God, he prayed to God,
"The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You.
How much less this temple I have built!" (1 Kings 8:27).
When we think of just that part of the heavens we see, this is truly amazing. How can one Person fill the whole universe, and even go beyond it? Yet Paul also said of God,
"For in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts
17:28).
How can He be so far away, and yet also be all around us? If "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27) why do we not see Him?
The answer is in the basic truth of God's nature. Jesus clearly stated,
"God is Spirit" (John 4:24).
How is "spirit" different from an earthly "body?" Jesus said that a spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). The normal human body is very limited by the weaknesses of its flesh. It is tied down to one time and place. It cannot see or be in two places at the same time. Such limits do not have to apply to spirit. They especially do not limit the One who is called the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9).
God, as spirit, is so great that He is always present at all places. He can hold all in His control. There is no way to ever hide from Him.
"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your
presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I
make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the
wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me" (Psalm 139:7-10).
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything
is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to
whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).
Does God Have Hands and Eyes?
If God is spirit, and not fleshly body, how can the Bible speak of His "hands," "arms," "eyes" and other parts? The following picture may help us to see the answer.
Imagine a man talking to an ant. He is trying to explain to the ant what a human city is like. The ant has never seen anything as large as our city streets. Yet the ant does have small paths and tunnels in its ants' nest in the ground. So the man speaks of his streets as if they were like those ant paths. He speaks of the human city as if it were like a very large ants' nest.
In the same way, God uses things that we can understand to talk of things much greater. He does not have our earthly kind of eyes and hands. But He uses "eyes" to speak of His seeing. He uses "hands" to speak of His power and action.
Though He uses these helpful words we should remember that we are still so very small beside Him. Like the ant with the man, some things about God will remain beyond our full understanding. We accept what God says in the simple trust that He knows how best to tell us of things far greater than us.
The Holy Spirit
One of the things that may be difficult to understand is how God is one, and yet ABOVE our limited idea of one. For example, the first verses of the Bible speak of both "God" and "the Spirit of God."
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters"
(Genesis 1:1-2).
Look again at the quotation from Psalm 139. The writer of that Psalm asks God, "Where can I go from your Spirit?" Then he says, "If I go up to the heavens, YOU are there." Why say "You" and, "Your Spirit"? why speak in two ways of God? We may not fully understand why. Yet God surely knows most about Himself. He knows how best to describe Himself.
Scripture talks often about the Holy Spirit. He is not just some tool or force of God. His is not a "thing." Instead He is Divine Person, described in ways that can only fit a person. Although He is sometimes spoken of as if He is part of God, yet the Holy Spirit is truly GOD, the only God.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is freedom...which comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
God has revealed Himself as both "Lord" and Spirit." This in no way goes against the truth He also revealed, that He is ONE. This oneness is above our full understanding. He is one, and there is no other God besides Him. Since He alone made us and cares for us, our hearts and lives belong wholly to Him.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
God Has Spoken (Pt 3)
"God Has Spoken Through a Prophet Like Moses."
"The Lord said to Moses, 'What they say is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I command Him'" (Deuteronomy 18:17-18).
Deuteronomy 18, which gave a test for prophets, also gave this remarkable promise about another future Prophet. He would come from "among their brothers." That is, He also would be an Israelite (also called Hebrew or Jew). Of greatest importance was that He would be like Moses -- this is how He would stand out so that people could recognize Him.
God's Glory Too Great for Man
Why was it so important to have this special Prophet like Moses? The same passage explained:
"The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from
among your own brothers. You must listen to Him. For this is
what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb...when you said,
'Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this
great fire anymore, or we will die'" (Deuteronomy 18:15-16).
God met the Israelites at Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai) after they had left Egypt. He came down in terrible fire and smoke on the mountain. The whole mountain shook. Thunder boomed from mighty flashes of lightning. A trumpet call grew louder and louder, and then God Himself spoke!
God's glory (described in Exodus 19 and Deuteronomy 5) was too great for them. The people trembled with fear. The fire and the voice of God were so awesome that the people thought they were going to die. The begged Moses,
"Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not
have God speak to us or we will die" (Exodus 20:19).
God replied,
"What they say is good" (Deuteronomy 18:17; also 5:28).
The people had seen that God was far too great for them to deal with Him directly. He "lives in unapproachable light" (1 Timothy 6:16).
They needed someone to represent them before God, someone to go between them and God. The first such go-between, or MEDIATOR, was Moses. He went to the people, taking to them God's messages. But a mediator works to bring BOTH sides together. So Moses also went to God. He took the needs of the people to God. In this way Moses did much good for his people. Yet God knew that people in the future also would need a mediator. So He promised in Deuteronomy 18 to send another Prophet from among the Israelites, a Prophet LIKE Moses.
We Need a Mediator, Not Mediums
Deuteronomy 18 shows another important reason for a mediator. God knows that people need answers for solving life's many problems. They need to make the best choices about how to live. God also knows that people often look for answers in the wrong places. For example, many turn to spirit mediums who claim to speak for the dead or other spirits. Many also seek answers in witchcraft, spiritism, magic spells, omens and other signs, such as the stars. In Deuteronomy 18:9-14, God commanded His people NOT to use these methods (also Leviticus 19:31; 1 Chronicles 10:13; Isaiah 8:19; Acts 19:19; Revelation 21:8). Was He trying to keep them from finding spiritual answers? Actually, God was keeping them from these methods because they give FALSE answers, which harm people (Isaiah 47:8-15; Jeremiah 27:9-10).
God's love went even further. Rather than stopping the search for answers, He opened the way for ALL the answers we need. For immediately after speaking against mediums, God promised to send the Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). People do not need "mediums" because God gives His Mediator! God assured them,
"I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell
them everything I command him" (Deuteronomy 18:18).
Unlike messages from mediums, this message would be true and trustworthy. For it would be GOD'S OWN WORDS. "Everything" from God would be faithfully passed along to the people by the Prophet like Moses.
No Prophet Like Moses
Weren't all prophets "like Moses"? No. Even at the time of Moses there were other prophets, such as Miriam and Aaron. Yet God made it plain that Moses was quite different from them. God spoke to Moses in a far more open, direct and personal way. This is what God said:
"When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself
to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is
not true of My servant Moses...with him I speak face to
face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the
Lord..."(Numbers 12:6-8).
Joshua came after Moses. Yet even in the passage which speaks of Joshua's greatness, Deuteronomy ends with these words,
"Since then, no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses,
whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all the miraculous
signs and wonders...For no one has ever shown the mighty
power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the
sight of all Israel" (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).
Clearly, the other prophets were not like Moses. God was more direct with Moses. God used him as His special agent and lawgiver. Because of His unique authority, all other Israelite prophets, from Joshua on, taught their people to follow "the law of Moses." The coming Prophet would serve, like Moses, as God's mediator with special authority to give God's commandments to the people. And here is another important point: From Deuteronomy 34, we learn that being truly, "like Moses" had to include showing miracles of MIGHTY POWER.
Promises of "The Messiah"
After God's promise in Deuteronomy 18, many years passed with no prophet arising who seemed to match Moses. Yet God was not silent. He carefully guided history in the direction He had chosen. Along the way, God used prophets to give the meaning of His actions and to point ahead to what He planned.
Again and again, these prophets told of "One to come." He would be a King from David's family line (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89; Isaiah 11). He would serve as "Priest forever" (Psalm 110). This same Psalm that said that he would be a Priest also pictured Him as David's "Lord". He would rule from the highest place, at God's right hand. Similar prophecies showed that this coming PROPHET, the coming PRIEST, and the coming KING would be the same Person – the MESSIAH!
Is Jesus that Messiah?
When an Israelite man was officially made a prophet or priest or king, oil was usually poured on his head. Such pouring was called "anointing," and served as a sign of the authority to lead. The Hebrew word Messiah means "Anointed One" (Psalm 2). This same word from the Greek language is CHRIST. Today most people who know the word "Christ" think immediately of JESUS Christ. This is because many proofs point to Jesus as the One promised by God. Jesus fits the descriptions of the Messiah or Christ as foretold by the Old Testament prophets.
Jesus also did the miracles of MIGHTY POWER that we would expect of the Prophet like Moses. He healed the blind, deaf and lame. He stilled storms and walked on the water. He gave life back to the dead! At the town of Nain, Jesus met a funeral group going to bury the only son of a widow. When He saw the widow's great sorrow, He went to the coffin. He touched it and called out, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Many were present. They saw the boy arise from death! Luke 7:16 reports,
"They were all filled with awe and praised God. 'A great
prophet has appeared among us,' they said. 'God has come
to help His people.'"
The people knew what they had seen. Jesus lived among them. Many were present to see His great works. Here were miraculous "signs" showing more clearly than ever the power that only the Creator has over His creation. Therefore Jesus really was "a great prophet." The people who saw these things reasoned correctly,
“When the Christ comes, will He do more miraculous
signs than this man?” (John 7:31)
Here were the greatest teachings ever heard, and the greatest miracles ever seen. If Jesus was not the Christ, who could possibly do greater things? So even at that time many realized that He had to be the Prophet (John 7:40). If so, that also meant He was the Christ. When Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem for the last time they welcomed Him as "THE SON OF DAVID," "THE KING" and "THE PROPHET" (Matthew 21:8-11; Luke 19:37-38).
THE GREATEST SIGN
Jesus often foretold that He would be killed by the Jewish and Roman leaders (Matthew 16:4; 17:12,23; 20:18-19; 26:2). His death, He said, would be by crucifixion, in which a person was nailed to a wooden cross and left to die in great pain. He explained that His death would allow people to be forgiven of their sins (Matthew 20:28; 26:28). Yet, along with predictions of His death, Jesus promised that His greatest "SIGN" would be to RETURN from death in three days (Matthew 12:38-40; 17:23; John 2:19-22).
As is well-recorded by history, Jesus went on to actually fulfill that promise (Matthew 28; John 20; Acts 2)! Not even the greatest prophet, priest or king had ever dared to make such a promise for himself. And certainly none had been able to raise himself from the grave. Jesus, by God's power, both predicted it and accomplished it. Could there be any doubt that the Prophet foretold by Moses had finally arrived?
Peter was one of the eyewitnesses of these things. He had once fled from the enemies who killed Jesus. But after Jesus had returned from death, Peter knew that death was not to be feared any longer. With the help of God's Spirit, Peter stood before the same enemies and boldly declared,
"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance,
as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled
what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying
that this Christ should suffer....For Moses said,
'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet
like me from among your people; you must listen to
everything He tells you. Anyone who does not listen
to Him will be completely cut off from among His people.'
Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as
have spoken, have foretold these days" (Acts 3:17-24).
Peter quoted from the very passage we have studied – Deuteronomy 18. That passage, he said, looked ahead to JESUS CHRIST. "Indeed, all the prophets" had pointed forward to this one great Prophet like Moses! He is now MEDIATOR between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). That is why we are told, "listen to everything He tells you" (Acts 3:22).
What if we fail to listen to Jesus? We miss God's most important message for life, and that has this terrible result:
"Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut
off from among His people" (Acts 3:23).
Such a person can no longer belong with God and His people! This is a serious matter. Our lives depend on listening carefully to the Prophet like Moses.
"The Lord said to Moses, 'What they say is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I command Him'" (Deuteronomy 18:17-18).
Deuteronomy 18, which gave a test for prophets, also gave this remarkable promise about another future Prophet. He would come from "among their brothers." That is, He also would be an Israelite (also called Hebrew or Jew). Of greatest importance was that He would be like Moses -- this is how He would stand out so that people could recognize Him.
God's Glory Too Great for Man
Why was it so important to have this special Prophet like Moses? The same passage explained:
"The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from
among your own brothers. You must listen to Him. For this is
what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb...when you said,
'Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this
great fire anymore, or we will die'" (Deuteronomy 18:15-16).
God met the Israelites at Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai) after they had left Egypt. He came down in terrible fire and smoke on the mountain. The whole mountain shook. Thunder boomed from mighty flashes of lightning. A trumpet call grew louder and louder, and then God Himself spoke!
God's glory (described in Exodus 19 and Deuteronomy 5) was too great for them. The people trembled with fear. The fire and the voice of God were so awesome that the people thought they were going to die. The begged Moses,
"Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not
have God speak to us or we will die" (Exodus 20:19).
God replied,
"What they say is good" (Deuteronomy 18:17; also 5:28).
The people had seen that God was far too great for them to deal with Him directly. He "lives in unapproachable light" (1 Timothy 6:16).
They needed someone to represent them before God, someone to go between them and God. The first such go-between, or MEDIATOR, was Moses. He went to the people, taking to them God's messages. But a mediator works to bring BOTH sides together. So Moses also went to God. He took the needs of the people to God. In this way Moses did much good for his people. Yet God knew that people in the future also would need a mediator. So He promised in Deuteronomy 18 to send another Prophet from among the Israelites, a Prophet LIKE Moses.
We Need a Mediator, Not Mediums
Deuteronomy 18 shows another important reason for a mediator. God knows that people need answers for solving life's many problems. They need to make the best choices about how to live. God also knows that people often look for answers in the wrong places. For example, many turn to spirit mediums who claim to speak for the dead or other spirits. Many also seek answers in witchcraft, spiritism, magic spells, omens and other signs, such as the stars. In Deuteronomy 18:9-14, God commanded His people NOT to use these methods (also Leviticus 19:31; 1 Chronicles 10:13; Isaiah 8:19; Acts 19:19; Revelation 21:8). Was He trying to keep them from finding spiritual answers? Actually, God was keeping them from these methods because they give FALSE answers, which harm people (Isaiah 47:8-15; Jeremiah 27:9-10).
God's love went even further. Rather than stopping the search for answers, He opened the way for ALL the answers we need. For immediately after speaking against mediums, God promised to send the Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). People do not need "mediums" because God gives His Mediator! God assured them,
"I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell
them everything I command him" (Deuteronomy 18:18).
Unlike messages from mediums, this message would be true and trustworthy. For it would be GOD'S OWN WORDS. "Everything" from God would be faithfully passed along to the people by the Prophet like Moses.
No Prophet Like Moses
Weren't all prophets "like Moses"? No. Even at the time of Moses there were other prophets, such as Miriam and Aaron. Yet God made it plain that Moses was quite different from them. God spoke to Moses in a far more open, direct and personal way. This is what God said:
"When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself
to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is
not true of My servant Moses...with him I speak face to
face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the
Lord..."(Numbers 12:6-8).
Joshua came after Moses. Yet even in the passage which speaks of Joshua's greatness, Deuteronomy ends with these words,
"Since then, no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses,
whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all the miraculous
signs and wonders...For no one has ever shown the mighty
power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the
sight of all Israel" (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).
Clearly, the other prophets were not like Moses. God was more direct with Moses. God used him as His special agent and lawgiver. Because of His unique authority, all other Israelite prophets, from Joshua on, taught their people to follow "the law of Moses." The coming Prophet would serve, like Moses, as God's mediator with special authority to give God's commandments to the people. And here is another important point: From Deuteronomy 34, we learn that being truly, "like Moses" had to include showing miracles of MIGHTY POWER.
Promises of "The Messiah"
After God's promise in Deuteronomy 18, many years passed with no prophet arising who seemed to match Moses. Yet God was not silent. He carefully guided history in the direction He had chosen. Along the way, God used prophets to give the meaning of His actions and to point ahead to what He planned.
Again and again, these prophets told of "One to come." He would be a King from David's family line (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89; Isaiah 11). He would serve as "Priest forever" (Psalm 110). This same Psalm that said that he would be a Priest also pictured Him as David's "Lord". He would rule from the highest place, at God's right hand. Similar prophecies showed that this coming PROPHET, the coming PRIEST, and the coming KING would be the same Person – the MESSIAH!
Is Jesus that Messiah?
When an Israelite man was officially made a prophet or priest or king, oil was usually poured on his head. Such pouring was called "anointing," and served as a sign of the authority to lead. The Hebrew word Messiah means "Anointed One" (Psalm 2). This same word from the Greek language is CHRIST. Today most people who know the word "Christ" think immediately of JESUS Christ. This is because many proofs point to Jesus as the One promised by God. Jesus fits the descriptions of the Messiah or Christ as foretold by the Old Testament prophets.
Jesus also did the miracles of MIGHTY POWER that we would expect of the Prophet like Moses. He healed the blind, deaf and lame. He stilled storms and walked on the water. He gave life back to the dead! At the town of Nain, Jesus met a funeral group going to bury the only son of a widow. When He saw the widow's great sorrow, He went to the coffin. He touched it and called out, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Many were present. They saw the boy arise from death! Luke 7:16 reports,
"They were all filled with awe and praised God. 'A great
prophet has appeared among us,' they said. 'God has come
to help His people.'"
The people knew what they had seen. Jesus lived among them. Many were present to see His great works. Here were miraculous "signs" showing more clearly than ever the power that only the Creator has over His creation. Therefore Jesus really was "a great prophet." The people who saw these things reasoned correctly,
“When the Christ comes, will He do more miraculous
signs than this man?” (John 7:31)
Here were the greatest teachings ever heard, and the greatest miracles ever seen. If Jesus was not the Christ, who could possibly do greater things? So even at that time many realized that He had to be the Prophet (John 7:40). If so, that also meant He was the Christ. When Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem for the last time they welcomed Him as "THE SON OF DAVID," "THE KING" and "THE PROPHET" (Matthew 21:8-11; Luke 19:37-38).
THE GREATEST SIGN
Jesus often foretold that He would be killed by the Jewish and Roman leaders (Matthew 16:4; 17:12,23; 20:18-19; 26:2). His death, He said, would be by crucifixion, in which a person was nailed to a wooden cross and left to die in great pain. He explained that His death would allow people to be forgiven of their sins (Matthew 20:28; 26:28). Yet, along with predictions of His death, Jesus promised that His greatest "SIGN" would be to RETURN from death in three days (Matthew 12:38-40; 17:23; John 2:19-22).
As is well-recorded by history, Jesus went on to actually fulfill that promise (Matthew 28; John 20; Acts 2)! Not even the greatest prophet, priest or king had ever dared to make such a promise for himself. And certainly none had been able to raise himself from the grave. Jesus, by God's power, both predicted it and accomplished it. Could there be any doubt that the Prophet foretold by Moses had finally arrived?
Peter was one of the eyewitnesses of these things. He had once fled from the enemies who killed Jesus. But after Jesus had returned from death, Peter knew that death was not to be feared any longer. With the help of God's Spirit, Peter stood before the same enemies and boldly declared,
"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance,
as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled
what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying
that this Christ should suffer....For Moses said,
'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet
like me from among your people; you must listen to
everything He tells you. Anyone who does not listen
to Him will be completely cut off from among His people.'
Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as
have spoken, have foretold these days" (Acts 3:17-24).
Peter quoted from the very passage we have studied – Deuteronomy 18. That passage, he said, looked ahead to JESUS CHRIST. "Indeed, all the prophets" had pointed forward to this one great Prophet like Moses! He is now MEDIATOR between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). That is why we are told, "listen to everything He tells you" (Acts 3:22).
What if we fail to listen to Jesus? We miss God's most important message for life, and that has this terrible result:
"Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut
off from among His people" (Acts 3:23).
Such a person can no longer belong with God and His people! This is a serious matter. Our lives depend on listening carefully to the Prophet like Moses.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Food For Eternal Life
Eating the Food of Eternal Life
John 6:27-40
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”
**Seeking and obeying God - seeing and knowing of His word as the real and only truth is what our Father requires of us- it is a choice given to us freely. To have eternal life we must believe in what His son came down to earth apart from His Father to show and teach us. Obey the word of God and all commandments and will for our lives, that is an important factor as well.
Our time here on earth is a gift. God gives us a life through a body,soul and spirit- on each level he can contact us and provide for us as we in turn perform our will He has planned for our lives. When we honor and obey God and all of His teachings and commands we then are showing God how much we believe in Him,and the love we have for Him. The gift of life if lived righteously, ensures your most important everlasting gift-eternal life. A life with our Lord and a place in His splendid kingdom. This is true obedience & acceptance which thus equals true happiness,harmony,joy and peace. When Jesus said 'Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life'
*This is what he is telling all of us: honor God with all he has given you through life and spirit- you then shall be happy and at peace while here on earth-your every need will be met. Your next journey will be even more happy and peaceful in the eternal life- where your life of righteousness is to be honored forever. Jesus was teaching us to learn from all his teachings of God's love and grace apply this knowledge to our lives- look for it,crave it- use it! Incredible gifts- Thanks be to the Father for He is GOOD
John 6:27-40
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”
**Seeking and obeying God - seeing and knowing of His word as the real and only truth is what our Father requires of us- it is a choice given to us freely. To have eternal life we must believe in what His son came down to earth apart from His Father to show and teach us. Obey the word of God and all commandments and will for our lives, that is an important factor as well.
Our time here on earth is a gift. God gives us a life through a body,soul and spirit- on each level he can contact us and provide for us as we in turn perform our will He has planned for our lives. When we honor and obey God and all of His teachings and commands we then are showing God how much we believe in Him,and the love we have for Him. The gift of life if lived righteously, ensures your most important everlasting gift-eternal life. A life with our Lord and a place in His splendid kingdom. This is true obedience & acceptance which thus equals true happiness,harmony,joy and peace. When Jesus said 'Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life'
*This is what he is telling all of us: honor God with all he has given you through life and spirit- you then shall be happy and at peace while here on earth-your every need will be met. Your next journey will be even more happy and peaceful in the eternal life- where your life of righteousness is to be honored forever. Jesus was teaching us to learn from all his teachings of God's love and grace apply this knowledge to our lives- look for it,crave it- use it! Incredible gifts- Thanks be to the Father for He is GOOD
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