Translate

20211122

Sweet or Unsweetened Sacrifice?

The bible talks about different types of sacrifices. Leviticus chapter 4 speaks of the sin and trespass offering. Chapter 3 talks about the peace offering. The peace offering was a "sweet smelling" sacrifice to the Lord. It pictures Jesus' finished work in the believer. A restoration of our relationship with the Father. When we give thanks or when we worship or lift up the Name of Jesus in praise and adoration, we are appropriating a sweet-smelling sacrifice to the Lord.

This type of sacrifice would be in contrast to an unsweet smelling sacrifice. The unsweet sacrifice pictures Jesus bearing the weight of our sins. When we repent and confess ours sins, we appropriate an unsweet sacrifice to the Lord. Unsweet but necessary! When Jesus died on the cross, the Father turned away from Him. 

Mark 15:34 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

What does this mean? Does Jesus no longer have a relationship with the Father? Is His ministry no longer valid?

No! These words point to the most important concept in the Bible! When Jesus died on the cross, our sins were transferred to Him! At that moment God turned away. Sin cannot exist in God's presence. Even though Jesus was God in the flesh who never sinned, being perfect, He accepted the punishment for your sins and my sins. He endured the punishment that you and I deserve! 

We can now appropriate and apply His finished work at the cross to our own lives by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus to completely forgive us of our sins. This is true freedom! Freedom from the bondage and slavery that shackles us.

More on repentance.


20210512

Revelation Key

The key to understanding Revelation is found in the first chapter of Revelation. Read on and discover for yourself!

The command to John in Revelation 1, verse nineteen gives the key to the book of Revelation. Understanding revelation is dependent upon using the key. There are three divisions to the book of Revelation.

Write the things which you have seen (Rev 1:19),

This is past tense; so, it was this vision that he wrote of Jesus Christ that he saw in chapter one.

Secondly,

the things which are (Rev 1:19),

These are the present things.

And thirdly,

the things which shall be hereafter (Rev 1:19);

The words “here after” are a translation of the Greek words “meta autos”, which means “after these things”. So John is writing that which he saw. He will be writing in chapters two and three the things which are during this present age, the things of the church. And then as you begin in chapter four, he is going to write of the things that happen after the church is gone, the things that will be hereafter, or after these things. Understanding revelation is important. It helps us to gain insight into current world affairs and understand where we’re at in the prophetic timeline.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants–things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 

Revelation is not a sealed book that is without understanding. It is the revealed testimony and prophecy of God. These things will come to pass on the earth. God gave it to Jesus. Jesus sent his angel to show it to John which he then wrote in the book. Things which must shortly take place doesn’t mean that they should have happened 2000 years ago when this was written. It means that the next event on the prophetic timeline is at hand. The appearing of Jesus and the rapture of the church will begin this event. Once initiated, all things will shortly come to pass; seven years to be exact.

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. 

(As one reads, studies, hears, and keeps the words of this prophecy; one receives blessing and comfort. This is another key to understanding Revelation. Again, the time is at hand. The next event on the prophetic timeline is the appearing of Jesus Christ and the rapture of the church.)

The Book of Daniel

Understanding prophecy is the key to understanding Revelation. The book of Daniel is also a key to understanding Revelation. In Daniel we find that one of the chief angels of God came and informed Daniel and talked to him and said 9:22 “I am now come forth to give you skill and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Seventy weeks are determined. (Dan 9:22-24) (The word weeks in Hebrew means sevens.) Seventy sevens are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city or seventy “seven year periods.” (Dan 9:24), Seventy weeks are determined upon your people and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Dan 9:25)

Seven weeks and threescore and two weeks

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: (this would be equal to seven weeks of years and 62 weeks of years or 69 weeks of years. One week short of the 70 weeks required to finish the transgression, seal up the vision, and to anoint the most Holy). Then, the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: (Messiah was cut off. Jesus was crucified and cut off before receiving His Kingdom. This happened 69 weeks of years after the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem was given.) And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and its end shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (The people of the prince did come and destroy Jerusalem and the sanctuary.)

The Destruction of Jerusalem

SEPTEMBER 8th, 70 AD, the destruction of Jerusalem was complete. Titus, the future Roman Emperor, had starved the city for months. At the end of July, they broke through the walls and, according to historian Josephus, the Romans killed over a million Jews in their conquest.

The final week of years or 7 year period hasn’t happened yet. We have 69 weeks of years up and until the death of Christ who was cut off before receiving His Kingdom. The best way to describe it is that we are in a holding pattern. After the death of Christ a new age was instated. We are currently living in the Church age. At the end of this age (which is getting close) the final week of years or 7 year tribulation period will begin. Revelation chapters 4-22 describe this period and beyond. Notice also that the consummation time is poured out upon the desolate, not the church. The church isn’t around during this time. This is a key to understanding Revelation. Now we jump forward to the middle of the final seven year period.

Daniel 9:27 And he (speaking of antichrist here whom Titus was a type) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: (one week referring to the final week which is missing from the 70 weeks of years) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

69 weeks of years

Now, 69 weeks of years is an important date in history because according to the prophecy, from the time that commandment goes forth to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince will be seven sevens and sixty-two sevens, or sixty-nine seven-year cycles, or 483 years. 483 years from March 14, 445 B.C., according to the prediction, the Messiah should have come.

The years in the prophecies of Daniel are 360-day years which were based upon the Babylonian calendar of a 360-day year. We use a Julian calendar of 365 and a quarter days a year. But Daniel’s prophecies were based upon the Babylonian calendar 360 days a year. It would be better to transpose the 483 years into days in order to figure out the time of the coming of the Messiah the Prince. And transposed into days, 483 times 360 would give you 173,880 days. Work it to our calendar and you’ll find it comes out to the date Jesus came on a donkey to Jerusalem.

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey

On this day., Jesus said to His disciples, “Go over into the city and on a corner you’ll find a colt that is tied. Untie him and bring him to me. And if while you are untying him the master say, ‘What are you doing untying my colt?’ just tell them that the Lord has need of him.” They went over and just where Jesus told them they saw the donkey tied and they untied it.

The owner said, “Why are you untying my donkey?” And they said, “Lord the needs him.” And they brought the donkey to Jesus and they began to lay their garments in the path between Bethany and Jerusalem. They began to wave palm branches as they cried, “Save now, save now, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Psalm 118 declares, “This is the stone which was rejected by the builders, but the same has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s work and it is glorious in our eyes. Hosanna, hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of Lord. This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

There is one seven-year cycle that has not yet transpired. Seventy sevens are determined upon the nation Israel. These seventy sevens were to begin at the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, 445 B.C. They were to culminate in the coming of the Messiah. That is, sixty-nine of them. But the Messiah would be cut off. The prophetic time clock stopped at that point. There is another event that will signal the beginning of the time clock.

The Prince of the People

(We’re still in Daniel Verse 27. This is the beginning of the tribulation period.) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week (the middle of the tribulation period) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate?

The prince of the people that shall come or the ruler of the revived Roman Empire that would be represented by ten nations federating together which were once a part of the Roman Empire. Go back to Daniel, chapter 2. Nebuchadnezzar had a vision of a great image, the legs of iron representing the Roman Empire and the feet of iron and clay with ten toes. Iron representing still the Roman Empire but mixed with clay showing that it is not as strong as the Roman Empire. It is weakened because it is a democracy, nations that are joined together with treaties.

Then there is the parallel vision of Daniel as he sees them as a beast with ten horns in chapter 7. This other little horn comes up and devours three of the horns. So the leader that will arise over this ten-nation confederacy related to the Roman Empire will confirm the covenant with many for one week (Dan 9:27): or seven years.

Not with all of Israel, but with many of them. When he confirms the covenant it will not be with everyone in support of it, but with many. He will probably confirm the covenant that God established with Israel whereby they could relate to Him on the basis of sacrifices that they would offer.

The Dome of the Rock

But wait. How can this be accomplished with the Dome of the Rock Mosque sitting up there on the Holy mountain? It would appear that the site of Solomon’s temple was not there at the Dome of the Rock Mosque. But the Dome of the Rock Mosque sits over what was the outer court of Solomon’s temple.

North of the Dome of the Rock Mosque a large vast flat area, perhaps as much as ten acres, in which they can easily rebuild their temple and never disturb the holy Muslim sight. This will probably be the suggestion. In John’s vision of the new temple, Revelation, chapter 11, where John is ordered to measure it, the Lord said, “Don’t measure the outer court; it’s been given to the pagans.” In Ezekiel, when he sees the temple, he says, “And there was a wall, five hundred meters to separate the holy place from the profane.” And so probably a wall will be put up along the north side of the Dome of the Rock Mosque, and the Jews will be allowed to rebuild their temple and will begin their sacrifices again.

The last 7 years

And when that covenant is confirmed by the little horn, the prince of the people, then at that point the last seven-year cycle will begin. The seventieth seven, the final seven-year cycle will begin. When it’s completed, God’s reign on earth will be established. It will complete the whole prophetic picture.

(This prince of the people will break the covenant half way through the tribulation period. He’s a liar. 2 Thess 2:3 describes this guy.)

2 Thess 2:3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.

(In other words, the Holy Spirit has His hands on things at the present time. When the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, then the wicked one will be revealed.)

The Churches which are in Asia

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: 

(Seven is the complete church. There were more than seven churches at the time of this writing.) 

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 

Jesus comes twice

(We know that Jesus is coming in two different ways. He is coming as a thief in the night and also with power and great glory in the clouds. The cloud reference is described in Matthew 24:29. This comes at the end of the tribulation period. The thief reference occurs at the beginning of the same period. Matthew 24:36 describes this event. Things are normal at the beginning or just before the tribulation period. This is when He comes as a thief. People aren’t expecting Him.)

Explanation of the two comings

Matthew 24:29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

(We know when this day will happen. It’s immediately after the tribulation)

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (His elect will enter into the Millennium after the tribulation)

32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors.2 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

(What day? This is a different day than the one in verse 30. Know one knows when this one will happen. The one in verse 30 happens at the end of the tribulation period. This is the secret day)

The days of Noah

Verse 37. But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

(Things are pretty normal when this day happens. This is in contrast to the day in verse 30 which happens at the end of the tribulation period. Things are not normal at all at the end of the tribulation period!)

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two [women shall be] grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

(These people are taken on the secret day which is before the tribulation period.)

Revelation Verse 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” 

(There were more that seven churches during this time. Seven refers to the complete church which would also include us.)

Seven golden lampstands

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 

(So we have a description of the Lord in his glorified form but we don’t ever get a description of his human form in any of the gospels or epistles.)

18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 

(Jesus has the keys of hell and of death because after he died on the cross he descended into that realm. Afterwards, He ascended. He lead those captives from their captivity for He had the keys of death and hell and He presides over death and hell.)

The Key to Understanding Revelation

19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 

The command to John in Revelation 1, verse nineteen gives the key to understanding Revelation. Understanding the book is dependent upon using the key. There are three divisions to the book of Revelation.

Write the things which you have seen (Rev 1:19),

This is past tense; so, it was this vision that he wrote of Jesus Christ that he saw in chapter one.

Secondly,

the things which are (Rev 1:19),

These are the present things.

And thirdly,

the things which shall be hereafter (Rev 1:19);

The words “here after” are a translation of the Greek words “meta autos”, which means “after these things”. So you have John writing that which he saw. He will be writing in chapters two and three the things which are during this present age, the things of the church. And then as you begin in chapter four, he is going to write of the things that happen after the church is gone, the things that will be hereafter, or after these things. This is a key to understanding Revelation. This is actually the main key to understanding Revelation.

Meta Autos

Chapter four begins with the Greek words “meta autos”. “After these things, I saw a door open in heaven: and the first voice was as of a trumpet saying unto me; Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be”. Again the repetition of the Greek words “meta autos”, “after these things.” So you enter into the third section of the book when you get to chapter four. So, you get into the future aspects of the book. This is a key to Understanding Revelation.

We are now living in the eras of chapters two and three, “the things which are”. The church continues to exist, and the testimony and the witness of the church, and the witness of Jesus concerning His church, which is even more important. This is a key to understanding Revelation.

So, there are three separate sections of the book. If you don’t get this you are going to be constantly confused and mixed up. You will see the church in the midst of the tribulation and try to make the 144,000 the church and so on. There are all kinds of mixed up and exaggerated ideas that have come from the book of Revelation, because people did not see the key in this first chapter here.

Mystery of the Seven Stars

Verse 20.. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

(Now, the Lord explains the vision) The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the [messengers] of the seven churches (Rev 1:20):

The word “aggelos” in Greek is literally “messengers”. It is usually used of a heavenly messenger, but also used of earthly messengers too. Anyone who is bearing a message could be an aggelos, a messenger. The word by usage has come to mean a divine messenger, a heavenly being.

The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches (Rev 1:20).

So the seven churches are the complete church and those who are ministering (messengers).

This has been a key to understanding Revelation. It also completes the first chapter commentary.

20210420

Repentance is the Key!

The Israelites had failed in their walk with the Lord. They constructed a golden calf during the absence of their leader (Moses) and began to worship it. Exodus chapter 32. When confronted with their sin, they repented. Chapter 33:4. Moses (who is a type of Christ) pleads on their behalf. In verse 15 Moses says "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here". The Lord listened to Moses as he interceded for the people. He grants Moses' request. The end result being established in Exodus 40:34. 

Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

We need God's presence in all of our journeys. Pray always the He would go before us and make the way for us to go. Open doors, close doors, but always keep us on the path that He has established for us personally. Amen.

20210308

Inspired Service

The people were inspired to serve. They're inspiration came directly from the Lord. They got a glimpse of His true nature. In Exodus we read that the people had strayed from their relationship with the Lord. They made a golden calf and proceeded to worship it. After being confronted with God's displeasure concerning the matter, they repented of their deeds. God's goodness and mercy were revealed. He forgave them! 

Now in Exodus 35:20 they are ready to serve. Not as a result of coercion but because of inspiration.  God's goodness and mercy has inspired them to serve. They don't serve so as to be saved but desire to serve because they love the Father! 

20210226

The Veil

The law, the tablets of the Testimony, were given to Moses up on Mt. Sinai as He communed with the Lord. It was an etched stone Testimony of God's terms of relationship with His people. As Moses returned to camp, he found the people had corrupted themselves with idol worship. (Exodus 32.) The people had broken their relationship with the Lord. The tablets were smashed, the idols were destroyed, and the Lord declined to walk with His people anymore lest they should be destroyed by His presence! This is what the law says.... "You sin, you die, period!" 

The people mourned and repented of their sins. (Exodus 33) Moses interceded on their behalf. (Moses is a picture, a type, of Christ. 

New tablets were issued. (Exodus 34.) The covenant relationship was restored. This time the people got a glimpse of God's true nature. The new set of the tablets of the Testimony were given as a result of God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness!  Moses' face glowed with the glory, mercy, and grace of God after he came down the mountain with the second set of tablets. The people were afraid to come near him. Then Moses put a veil on his face. 

The veil covers God's true nature and makes it impossible to have a relationship with Him. Christ removed the veil when He died on the cross. Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

The only way to experience a true relationship with God is to remove the veil. This is done by repenting and trusting in the One that He sent, Jesus Christ. Jesus will remove the veil and you will experience a new and wonderful relationship with the creator of the universe. You will come to know His mercy, His grace, His love, His care, His peace, His guiding hand.

20210218

The True Nature of God

Moses is again interceding for the people. Moses is a picture (type) of Christ who intercedes for the people. Exodus 34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. 9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it [is] a stiff necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. 

The Lord accepted Moses' petition  because in Exodus 34:5, the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...

But, that will by no means clear [the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

So those that do not accept God's plan of Salvation will be rejected. We must repent, turn and confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and then and only then will God's true nature be revealed to us!

20210129

Leave Sinai

Exodus Chapter 33. The Lord told Moses to take the people and leave Sinai. He told them to go up to the land of milk and honey, the promised land. But, He said that He would not go with them. In the previous chapter the people had turned away from the Lord and put their trust in a cow. Hard to believe but people will be people. The Lord was still a bit perturbed over the whole matter. He called them a stiff-necked people and said that He could come into their midst and consume them in one moment. 

Moses, who is a type of Christ, reminded the Lord of His contract with the people of Israel. The Lord said that He would honor His contract because of Moses. He also wanted to see an attitude of repentance. 

Israel did repent. Exodus 33:4. And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. For the Lord had said to Moses, Say to the children of Israel, You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you. So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb. 

Our relationship with the Father is contractual and rock solid. If we repent and trust in Jesus, we will be saved. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Our relationship with the Father is also conditioned upon a repentant heart. Revelation 2:5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 

20210112

The People Rose Up to Play

Moses was up on the mountain. Exodus 32. Apparently he was up there for a long time. Probably enjoying his time with the Lord as he received the 10 commandments. Well, the leader was absent and the people were tested. They decided to worship a cow instead of God Almighty. Its kind of hard to believe but people do this all the time. They don't necessarily start trusting in beef but they do turn aside after deciding to trust in Jesus. 

The people, without considering the cost, said "All that the LORD hath spoken we will do." And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. Exodus 19:8

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him, 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Making a commitment to the Lord is a life-long process. Consider the fact that this is something you will be doing for the rest of your days! Then take the plunge. The water is great!  

20210103

The Sabbath

 The Sabbath is a commandment of God given to Israel.  It initiated with the giving of the manna when Israel left their captivity in Egypt. It is fourth of the ten given to Moses at Mount Sinai. (The Decalogue) Originally set by God Himself when He rested from His work. Six days He worked to create things as we know them today. On the seventh day He rested. Genesis 2:3. The reason that He was able to rest was because everything was "good". Genesis 1:31. 

Then sin came on the scene. That wonderful rest was interrupted. Man fell. Fallen man is not able to rest! True rest was restored with the arrival of Jesus. Matthew 11:28. But the commandment to rest was given to the Jews at Mount Sinai. It was a sign between God and Israel. Is is a Jewish institution. 

The Mosaic law, rules and regulations, were put aside at the death of Christ. The New Testament has been revealed. Matthew 28:1. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. Matthew 12:8. There is no rest apart from repentance and trusting in Him!

The Lord's Day or Sunday is in contrast to the Sabbath. It is a day to celebrate the new creation. This is a new Day with Christ as it's head. Matthew 27:51.

We can truly rest now every day because our relationship with the Father has been restored by His finished work at the cross. The true meaning of Sabbath Rest has been revealed!

Featured Post

Ransom

Ransom money in the Old Testament was collected when a census was taken. It was for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. The d...

Popular