Numbers 31:25-31 (ESV)
The LORD said to Moses, [26] "Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers' houses of the congregation, [27] and divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. [28] And levy for the LORD a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the people and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks. [29] Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a contribution to the LORD. [30] And from the people of Israel's half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the people, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who keep guard over the tabernacle of the LORD." [31] And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Divide the plunder into half. God commands to divide the spoils of the war with Midian and give the half to the ones who went out to battle and half to the congregation that stayed behind. God teaching here that those who stayed behind fought the war as much as those who were sent to the front lines. There are warriors who stay behind, and warriors who fight the battles. There are those who pray for and send our missionaries and there are those who go into the deepest parts of the battle. Both are fighting the good fight. There are those who bring the Gospel to the lost in unreached parts of the world, and there are those who feed, nurture and protect the flock of God. Both are fighting the same war. But what will be the reward for those who stay behind but do nothing at all? Those who don't do anything for lost souls nor for the church cannot expect to receive any rewards from the Lord. We are all servants of the Lord. The least we can do is to pray or give at least a little for the cause of God. We were all hired to worked at God's vineyard. Let us be faithful in giving glory to God in all that we do, wherever we are.
Though the plunder is divided equally, God honours those who have fought in the front lines more than those who have stayed behind. God requires less levy from the spoils given to the soldiers than from the congregation. To whom much is given, from him much will be required. The congregation were given the more in comparison to the warriors, for they worked for it less. They are less deserving of the spoils, because they did not physically go outside the camp to fight.
Those who have been given the more grace, therefore, deserve to give more glory back to God. Let us who have received much grace from the Lord Jesus in forgiveness give the sacrifices of thanksgiving unto Him, as Mary broke the jar of expensive perfume for the Lord. Let us give glory back to Him by forgiving those who have sinned against us. Let us who have received much grace in knowledge and truth teach it well to those whom God has given to us. Let us who have been given the grace in much finances give to the church and to those in need. There is no way we can pay back Christ for what He has given us, but we must not take the grace of God in vain. We are debtors who can't pay Him back full, but we labour to pay Him back at least a little bit. This is not legalism. We are not working to receive God's favour. Christ bought God's favour for us with the price of His own blood, that we may stand before the Father faultless. We owe Him our lives. We must make ourselves His servants, as it is written:
Proverbs 22:7 (KJV)
The borrower is servant to the lender.
We have borrowed Christ's life from God, and we can't ever pay Him back. So we are His forever, being grateful for His grace. Let us give Christ the return for His investment in us, and bear the fruits that are pleasing to God who has rained His love upon us.
We can also find Christ in this passage. Is not Christ who went to battle for us, all alone? Christ has fought the battle with Satan, and stole the keys of death and hell from him, by dying for the sins of His people. He Himself died, drinking the wine of the wrath of God that was to fall upon us. And He is the one who has brought in all the spoils of His Father's love, blessing, glory, grace and favour. These plunder were none other than the treasures from His own pocket. And He gives them all away for us, though we have done nothing in fighting this battle. He divides not in half, but gives the whole lot to us. You say, it is not fair? No it is not. It is grace. We have done nothing to fight this war against sin, death and hell. In fact, we are the ones who gave in to the temptation of Midian. But Christ still gives the spoils to us. We now have all that Christ has. We have God as our Father through His work on the cross. We have the love that Christ had from God shared equally to us. This should be enough for us. We are to honour Christ, the Man of War, who fought the lonely fight for us. All His closest soldiers fled when He was caught, and the General was left to fight this war Himself. But our King needed no man to help Him. God's own arm brought salvation for Himself. Christ said "You're either with Me, you're against Me". But all turned His back on Him, and even His closest friend denied Him and became as His enemy. He fought all alone. He won the victory on His own, and He took captivity captive by His own power. Yet, Christ divides the spoils, that we may have all that He has. Just as the warriors who fought Midian were one with the congregation, we are one with Christ. Christ is our representative. His victory was our victory. His death also was our death. And His life from the dead, also our life from the dead. We have been united with Him. If He suffered to give us the victory, then we make it our goal to suffer with Him for His glory. The war that He fought against sin, wickedness and evil, is also our war, and we fight as He fought.
The levy of the plunder taken from the warriors was given to Eleazar, and the levy taken from the congregation were given to the Levites. Let us imagine for a moment that we Christians are as those virgin Midianite women who were saved by the mercy of God. Let us imagine for a moment that we were chosen from among our people to be given to God in the service of the temple, assisting Eleazar or the Levites. The later verses even tell us of the number given: 32 persons to Eleazar, and (calculated to be) 320 to Levites. What grace has been given to these 352 people of Midian. Not only that their lives have been spared, but that these have been given as an offering to God to serve in assisting to the priesthood. We believers are like these these 352 people out of the 32,000. As Christ has said:
Matthew 22:14 (KJV)
For many are called, but few are chosen.
God has chosen us from amongst so many people of Satan to not only have our lives spared, but given us the grace to be purified from our previous lives to be used for the services for God's temple. This is an honour. It is God who has kept us pure from committing the sin that cannot be forgiven, and kept our souls pure from unbelief that we may be saved through faith. Though we lived amongst unclean people, He has purified us with the water of purification. We could have been servants of the temples of demons, given over as sacrifices to Baal, but God has rescued us and made us servants in the Holy Temple of His church. Let us glorify Him who has given us this mercy. We had no part in this Kingdom of God, but God gave us the grace to be partakers, not as these slaves were, but even made us to serve as His own children. We have been given more grace than these 352. Let's thank Him for His election.
The difference in the levy that is given to those who fought in the war than those who stayed behind is a challenge for us who are staying behind to go out to the front lines. We do this for the praise and glory that God shall give to us. We remember this verse from Daniel:
Daniel 12:2-3 (KJV)
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. [3] And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
God will give the glory as stars to those who turn many to God's righteousness. This special honour is promised to those who go to the harvest and who go into the battle that many, not just a few, may turn from establishing their own righteousness to submitting to the perfect righteousness that has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Let us preach this Gospel to every creature, that we may have God's praise and honour, as well as everlasting life. How glorious is that God would share some of His glory to us pitiful sinners! It says in Isaiah:
Isaiah 42:8 (KJV)
I am the Lord : that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
But God will His glory and praise to those who are in Christ His Son, to those have done good works acceptable through Him. Let us then desire God's glory and praise more than praise of men. God will honour those who have fought for Christ in Christ's name. Let us labour to hear from the Lord on that Day, "Well done, good and faithful servant". Amen.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean
Numbers 31:24 (KJV)
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
Spiritual warfare with the darkness of this world can leave us with the remains of filthiness which can also tempt us. We are all not perfect, and while attempting to restore another, we may also be tempted with the same sin that we are rebuking. Such is our weakness:
Galatians 6:1 (KJV)
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Jude 1:23 (KJV)
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
We ought not to always fight, but take some time to restore ourselves after our battles. Just as the warriors of Israel returned not to the camp immediately after battles but rested and cleansed themselves with hyssop, this is what we are also to do. This is what the apostles did after going out by Christ's commission to battle the kingdom of darkness:
Mark 6:12-13,30-31 (KJV)
And they went out, and preached that men should repent. [13] And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them . [30] And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. [31] And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Yes, we ought to work, for the harvest is plenty and the many are imprisoned and deceived by Satan. Yes, time is running out and judgment day draws nigh. But we must not continuously work without resting. Why? For we also may fall into temptation. We are still sinners as much as the one who is at fault. We only happen to have the grace from God to be spiritual. We ought to remember that sin is like a fire that can spread unto us. Fire can't be tamed, but it must be extinguished:
Isaiah 9:18 (KJV)
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Spiritual warfare is like fighting fire. We ought to always watch for ourselves that we do not also get burnt. That is why we fight with a spirit of meekness, in a gentle, Christ-like spirit. For Christ's meekness covered the fire of God's wrath against us. He showered us with His grace and mercy, and the fire of wickedness that burnt us up was extinguished. By His love He covered the multitude of our sins. We must also be passionate to not only expose another's sins, but also to cover them as well. We ought to make it our mission to extinguish God's wrath by preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel of Christ's love is what will cease the fire of wickedness that is consuming people. We must preach God's everlasting love that can cover their sins.
It is interesting to note here that the water of purification, by which the soldiers purified themselves outside the camp, consisted of the burnt ashes of a heifer and running water. The burnt ashes signify the suffering of Christ. Our sins burnt up Christ by the wrath of God and His soul became like nothing but ashes. But by this ashes of Christ's agony, through the running water of the Holy Spirit, are we cleansed. Christ fought the fire of sin and fought it until He Himself was totally consumed in it. He went into the fiery furnace of God's wrath, and was burnt to ashes in His work to completely extinguish it for us. Therefore we say unto our Lord with David:
Psalm 51:7 (KJV)
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
David had killed Uriah, and his hands were stained with death. He felt condemned, and deserving of hell fire. But he remembered the times when he had returned from war, and when he had to stay outside the camp for seven days to be purified. He remembered the ashes of the heifer and the water of purification. He remembered how the heifer was killed and burnt to ashes for his sins. So he asks God to cleanse Him, knowing that God has placed his sin upon the Lord Jesus Christ. So he boldly asks for cleansing.
We ought to do the same. Our battles with sin and darkness has left us with the stains of death. But let us go aside to a desert place outside the camp, and purify ourselves with the water of purification, remembering what the Lord Jesus has done for us. He ought to have been burnt up by our sins, but He instead has been burnt for us. Let us cleanse ourselves from our battles, that we may be refreshed, so that we may return to battle with the authority of a pure conscience. Hallelujah to God who always gives us victory through Christ.
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
Spiritual warfare with the darkness of this world can leave us with the remains of filthiness which can also tempt us. We are all not perfect, and while attempting to restore another, we may also be tempted with the same sin that we are rebuking. Such is our weakness:
Galatians 6:1 (KJV)
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Jude 1:23 (KJV)
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
We ought not to always fight, but take some time to restore ourselves after our battles. Just as the warriors of Israel returned not to the camp immediately after battles but rested and cleansed themselves with hyssop, this is what we are also to do. This is what the apostles did after going out by Christ's commission to battle the kingdom of darkness:
Mark 6:12-13,30-31 (KJV)
And they went out, and preached that men should repent. [13] And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them . [30] And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. [31] And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Yes, we ought to work, for the harvest is plenty and the many are imprisoned and deceived by Satan. Yes, time is running out and judgment day draws nigh. But we must not continuously work without resting. Why? For we also may fall into temptation. We are still sinners as much as the one who is at fault. We only happen to have the grace from God to be spiritual. We ought to remember that sin is like a fire that can spread unto us. Fire can't be tamed, but it must be extinguished:
Isaiah 9:18 (KJV)
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Spiritual warfare is like fighting fire. We ought to always watch for ourselves that we do not also get burnt. That is why we fight with a spirit of meekness, in a gentle, Christ-like spirit. For Christ's meekness covered the fire of God's wrath against us. He showered us with His grace and mercy, and the fire of wickedness that burnt us up was extinguished. By His love He covered the multitude of our sins. We must also be passionate to not only expose another's sins, but also to cover them as well. We ought to make it our mission to extinguish God's wrath by preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel of Christ's love is what will cease the fire of wickedness that is consuming people. We must preach God's everlasting love that can cover their sins.
It is interesting to note here that the water of purification, by which the soldiers purified themselves outside the camp, consisted of the burnt ashes of a heifer and running water. The burnt ashes signify the suffering of Christ. Our sins burnt up Christ by the wrath of God and His soul became like nothing but ashes. But by this ashes of Christ's agony, through the running water of the Holy Spirit, are we cleansed. Christ fought the fire of sin and fought it until He Himself was totally consumed in it. He went into the fiery furnace of God's wrath, and was burnt to ashes in His work to completely extinguish it for us. Therefore we say unto our Lord with David:
Psalm 51:7 (KJV)
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
David had killed Uriah, and his hands were stained with death. He felt condemned, and deserving of hell fire. But he remembered the times when he had returned from war, and when he had to stay outside the camp for seven days to be purified. He remembered the ashes of the heifer and the water of purification. He remembered how the heifer was killed and burnt to ashes for his sins. So he asks God to cleanse Him, knowing that God has placed his sin upon the Lord Jesus Christ. So he boldly asks for cleansing.
We ought to do the same. Our battles with sin and darkness has left us with the stains of death. But let us go aside to a desert place outside the camp, and purify ourselves with the water of purification, remembering what the Lord Jesus has done for us. He ought to have been burnt up by our sins, but He instead has been burnt for us. Let us cleanse ourselves from our battles, that we may be refreshed, so that we may return to battle with the authority of a pure conscience. Hallelujah to God who always gives us victory through Christ.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
God's mercy on wicked vessels
Numbers 31:19-23 (KJV)
And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. [20] And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair , and all things made of wood. [21] And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses; [22] Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, [23] Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
After the slaughter of the Midianites, Moses commands those who fought in the war to stay outside the camp for seven days. They cannot dwell in their defiled state with the presence of the Holy God. Not that they were impure in carrying out the will of God in avenging them according to God's command. But because they have touched the dead, and it is against the law of God to stay within the camp for seven days as recorded in Numbers 19. Also, because of the weakness and sinfulness of Israel, they may have indulged in blood-lust or prideful thoughts or in impure anger against the Midianites. They carried out God's wrathful vengeance against Midian, but because of their imperfections as fallen men, they did not carry it out in a perfectly holy manner, as perhaps angels would. Though being only the instrument of His justice, they may have exalted themselves against God, boasting the authority God had graciously given them. But all this is expected. How can a sinful man think of pure thoughts when killing another man? It is not possible. Killing is killing, even it if is for the purposes of God, and is still not part of what God had originally designed for this world. No matter how noble, killing produces guilt of conscience, and it is still sin for a man to take another man's life. But being instruments of God's purpose, God allows the mercy of purification to the warriors of Israel.
Here we remember the crucifixion of Christ, when the Jews went to war with their own King. They were carrying out God's will, and they were instruments of God's wrath against His Son for the sins His people. But by what blasphemy did they kill their own God? They were the tools by which God sacrificed His Son, but it was through their great sin of betraying their own Lord. But God had mercy upon Israel, for they meant it for evil by killing Christ, but God meant it for good. God allowed them the chance of purification after Christ was killed, because though they sinned, their sin carried out the will of God for the world. For read:
Acts 2:36-38 (KJV)
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. [37] Now when they heard this , they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Here God commands the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit to all those who killed Jesus Christ. Though they have sinned by killing Christ, because it was done through God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge, they are given the privilege to cleanse themselves. The same calling is for us. Though we have contributed to Christ's death by condemning Him our sins, God gives mercy to us, for it was through the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Let us also cleanse ourselves by the Holy Spirit, that though we have killed Christ, we may be washed from our sins and be right to dwell with God.
Aside from cleansing of the soul, the purification was likely to be God's means of protecting the camp from possible disease. Since so much death has occurred, God commands them and even the captives to purify themselves. Death cannot dwell with God, who Himself is life. Thus whoever has killed a man or has touched a dead body, cannot dwell with God, unless he be cleansed. Likewise us Christians do well to cleanse ourselves from the daily residue of death that clings to us. This world and its inhabitants are dead in sin. Moving further and further away from the Source of life, which is Christ, the world is decaying physically and spiritually, day by day. Are we who has been called into life to be scavenging through the remains of this dead world? God forbid. We are to feed on Him, who is the living bread and water. When we are spiritually sick, we have caught the disease by associating too much with the dead, and not enough with the risen Christ. Let us fellowship with Him who is still living, and in whom is no death nor corruption at all. Though it is impossible for us to keep clean from the deadness of this world, for we are still living in the world, let us cleanse our feet everyday by the word of God that Christ speaks to us.
Purify all your raiment. As we read this verse, we are reminded of the verse in Revelations:
Revelation 7:14-15 (KJV)
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
It is the blood of the Lamb that makes our raiments white. All the filthiness of dead works are cleansed by His blood, when we believe that He died for them. What can take away our deadness away? What can revive us? His death. His lifeblood has cleansed away our death. His death is our life. Stain of our sin was so thick, that no soap of self-righteousness could take it off, but His blood has made our garments as white as snow, for He has was crushed with the guilt of our sins. Let us go to Him who was slain to be cleansed from the deadness of this world.
Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire. God commands the men of war to not only purify themselves from death, but even their spoils. They were to make go through fire everything that could stand fire, and others through water. Here is great encouragement for believers. Why is this an encouragement? Because we are reminded of the words of the apostle Peter:
1 Peter 1:6-9 (KJV)
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: [8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: [9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
We believers in Christ know that our faith can stand the fire of trials and temptations. We have heard how Daniel's three friends survived the furnace of fire because of their faith. God puts us trials because we can stand the fire through faith. If we were not able to overcome, God would not put us through certain trials, for God never gives us more than we can bear. And what is the end of all this? Peter tells us: the praise and honour and glory and ultimately, our salvation. Through fire of suffering, God proves our faith, that which He put in us, to be true. Through trials we are found to be true children of God. Through pain we are found to be really believing in Christ as Lord and Saviour.
And we can feel assured that, as this text says, even if we are not ready for the fire, we shall go through the water. God's desire is that we be cleansed from the filthiness of this world. We ourselves are like the spoils that Christ has gathered from His war with Death. We were like the spoils of Midian, things that used to belong to filthy hands Satan and used for wicked and evil purposes. We were vessels which were used in temples of demons, unfit for the house of God. We needed to be cleansed before they could be used for Christ's purposes. We needed to be put through the fire and through water, that we may be purified for the use of God. Let us then give ourselves to God, for we were filthy sinners, and our uncleanness from our previous uses are still remaining. There are areas that still need cleansing. For read:
2 Timothy 2:20-22 (KJV)
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. [21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. [22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Let's take an example. If say there was a dish in a kitchen and some troublemaker took that dish and used it to scoop dung off the street, or to carry garbage, the master of the house would be out of his mind to use that same dish to eat his dinner or for inviting guests. What would he do? He would utterly destroy that dish, or keep it to be used by the troublemaker for vile purposes. But if he decided to use that dish, he would take that dish from the troublemaker's hand and say "let go, for it is mine", and plunge it into a bucket of water. Now it may be good enough to be used to feed his dogs. But if he desired to use it to eat his dinner from, he will probably by some disinfectants to scrub the dish thoroughly, and he may put the dish in boiling hot water to kill every trace of virus or bacteria. Then, he would be able to use the dish for his table, if he dares to eat from it.
This is what God has done for us. Read what Jesus said:
Acts 9:15 (KJV)
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Jesus chose Paul, a filthy vessel, for His glory. And what a mercy and grace it was for Paul. He was a vessel used for picking up filth, but God used him for beautiful purposes. How could Paul say anything other than this about his ministry given by a gracious God:
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (KJV)
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, that we may be used by God for noble purposes. Though we were nothing but filthy vessels before, God is able to cleanse us, and kind enough to use us. Though we be the vessels from Midian, we can be used as the vessels in God's house, through faith. Praise be unto our gracious God!
Nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation. The water of separation was that which was ordained by God through the High Priest to cleanse oneself from the touching the dead. It was made of the ashes of a slain heifer and running water, which was dipped by hyssop and sprinkled by the clean on the unclean person or vessel or anything that touched the dead:
Numbers 19:9,17-19 (KJV)
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. [17] And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: [18] And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: [19] And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
So we see that it was by this water the warriors were purified. But it is interesting that God commands even the vessels that went through fire be cleansed again by this water. It is another reminder that salvation is impossible apart from Jesus Christ. Even good works like gold or silver, that can stand the fire of trials, is useless if the foundation is not upon faith in Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (KJV)
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. [14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
On judgment day, Christ shall judge all works by fire to see whether they be like gold, silver, wood or hay. But even if we have built our house with gold, but laid not upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, we shall be lost. And even if our works are found to be gold or silver, and our faith found to the praise of God, we know that we are only saved because of the blood of Jesus Christ. We are saved only because the Jesus Christ the Clean has sprinkled this water upon us the Unclean. We would never stand the fire of judgment if it wasn't for Christ. Thanks be to Christ our Foundation, upon whom we do all things. Let us live for that Day, not by our own works, but by our works which are by faith in Him. Amen.
And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. [20] And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair , and all things made of wood. [21] And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses; [22] Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, [23] Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
After the slaughter of the Midianites, Moses commands those who fought in the war to stay outside the camp for seven days. They cannot dwell in their defiled state with the presence of the Holy God. Not that they were impure in carrying out the will of God in avenging them according to God's command. But because they have touched the dead, and it is against the law of God to stay within the camp for seven days as recorded in Numbers 19. Also, because of the weakness and sinfulness of Israel, they may have indulged in blood-lust or prideful thoughts or in impure anger against the Midianites. They carried out God's wrathful vengeance against Midian, but because of their imperfections as fallen men, they did not carry it out in a perfectly holy manner, as perhaps angels would. Though being only the instrument of His justice, they may have exalted themselves against God, boasting the authority God had graciously given them. But all this is expected. How can a sinful man think of pure thoughts when killing another man? It is not possible. Killing is killing, even it if is for the purposes of God, and is still not part of what God had originally designed for this world. No matter how noble, killing produces guilt of conscience, and it is still sin for a man to take another man's life. But being instruments of God's purpose, God allows the mercy of purification to the warriors of Israel.
Here we remember the crucifixion of Christ, when the Jews went to war with their own King. They were carrying out God's will, and they were instruments of God's wrath against His Son for the sins His people. But by what blasphemy did they kill their own God? They were the tools by which God sacrificed His Son, but it was through their great sin of betraying their own Lord. But God had mercy upon Israel, for they meant it for evil by killing Christ, but God meant it for good. God allowed them the chance of purification after Christ was killed, because though they sinned, their sin carried out the will of God for the world. For read:
Acts 2:36-38 (KJV)
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. [37] Now when they heard this , they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Here God commands the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit to all those who killed Jesus Christ. Though they have sinned by killing Christ, because it was done through God's determinate counsel and foreknowledge, they are given the privilege to cleanse themselves. The same calling is for us. Though we have contributed to Christ's death by condemning Him our sins, God gives mercy to us, for it was through the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Let us also cleanse ourselves by the Holy Spirit, that though we have killed Christ, we may be washed from our sins and be right to dwell with God.
Aside from cleansing of the soul, the purification was likely to be God's means of protecting the camp from possible disease. Since so much death has occurred, God commands them and even the captives to purify themselves. Death cannot dwell with God, who Himself is life. Thus whoever has killed a man or has touched a dead body, cannot dwell with God, unless he be cleansed. Likewise us Christians do well to cleanse ourselves from the daily residue of death that clings to us. This world and its inhabitants are dead in sin. Moving further and further away from the Source of life, which is Christ, the world is decaying physically and spiritually, day by day. Are we who has been called into life to be scavenging through the remains of this dead world? God forbid. We are to feed on Him, who is the living bread and water. When we are spiritually sick, we have caught the disease by associating too much with the dead, and not enough with the risen Christ. Let us fellowship with Him who is still living, and in whom is no death nor corruption at all. Though it is impossible for us to keep clean from the deadness of this world, for we are still living in the world, let us cleanse our feet everyday by the word of God that Christ speaks to us.
Purify all your raiment. As we read this verse, we are reminded of the verse in Revelations:
Revelation 7:14-15 (KJV)
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
It is the blood of the Lamb that makes our raiments white. All the filthiness of dead works are cleansed by His blood, when we believe that He died for them. What can take away our deadness away? What can revive us? His death. His lifeblood has cleansed away our death. His death is our life. Stain of our sin was so thick, that no soap of self-righteousness could take it off, but His blood has made our garments as white as snow, for He has was crushed with the guilt of our sins. Let us go to Him who was slain to be cleansed from the deadness of this world.
Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire. God commands the men of war to not only purify themselves from death, but even their spoils. They were to make go through fire everything that could stand fire, and others through water. Here is great encouragement for believers. Why is this an encouragement? Because we are reminded of the words of the apostle Peter:
1 Peter 1:6-9 (KJV)
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: [7] That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: [8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: [9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
We believers in Christ know that our faith can stand the fire of trials and temptations. We have heard how Daniel's three friends survived the furnace of fire because of their faith. God puts us trials because we can stand the fire through faith. If we were not able to overcome, God would not put us through certain trials, for God never gives us more than we can bear. And what is the end of all this? Peter tells us: the praise and honour and glory and ultimately, our salvation. Through fire of suffering, God proves our faith, that which He put in us, to be true. Through trials we are found to be true children of God. Through pain we are found to be really believing in Christ as Lord and Saviour.
And we can feel assured that, as this text says, even if we are not ready for the fire, we shall go through the water. God's desire is that we be cleansed from the filthiness of this world. We ourselves are like the spoils that Christ has gathered from His war with Death. We were like the spoils of Midian, things that used to belong to filthy hands Satan and used for wicked and evil purposes. We were vessels which were used in temples of demons, unfit for the house of God. We needed to be cleansed before they could be used for Christ's purposes. We needed to be put through the fire and through water, that we may be purified for the use of God. Let us then give ourselves to God, for we were filthy sinners, and our uncleanness from our previous uses are still remaining. There are areas that still need cleansing. For read:
2 Timothy 2:20-22 (KJV)
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. [21] If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. [22] Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Let's take an example. If say there was a dish in a kitchen and some troublemaker took that dish and used it to scoop dung off the street, or to carry garbage, the master of the house would be out of his mind to use that same dish to eat his dinner or for inviting guests. What would he do? He would utterly destroy that dish, or keep it to be used by the troublemaker for vile purposes. But if he decided to use that dish, he would take that dish from the troublemaker's hand and say "let go, for it is mine", and plunge it into a bucket of water. Now it may be good enough to be used to feed his dogs. But if he desired to use it to eat his dinner from, he will probably by some disinfectants to scrub the dish thoroughly, and he may put the dish in boiling hot water to kill every trace of virus or bacteria. Then, he would be able to use the dish for his table, if he dares to eat from it.
This is what God has done for us. Read what Jesus said:
Acts 9:15 (KJV)
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Jesus chose Paul, a filthy vessel, for His glory. And what a mercy and grace it was for Paul. He was a vessel used for picking up filth, but God used him for beautiful purposes. How could Paul say anything other than this about his ministry given by a gracious God:
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (KJV)
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, that we may be used by God for noble purposes. Though we were nothing but filthy vessels before, God is able to cleanse us, and kind enough to use us. Though we be the vessels from Midian, we can be used as the vessels in God's house, through faith. Praise be unto our gracious God!
Nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation. The water of separation was that which was ordained by God through the High Priest to cleanse oneself from the touching the dead. It was made of the ashes of a slain heifer and running water, which was dipped by hyssop and sprinkled by the clean on the unclean person or vessel or anything that touched the dead:
Numbers 19:9,17-19 (KJV)
And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. [17] And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: [18] And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: [19] And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
So we see that it was by this water the warriors were purified. But it is interesting that God commands even the vessels that went through fire be cleansed again by this water. It is another reminder that salvation is impossible apart from Jesus Christ. Even good works like gold or silver, that can stand the fire of trials, is useless if the foundation is not upon faith in Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (KJV)
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. [14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
On judgment day, Christ shall judge all works by fire to see whether they be like gold, silver, wood or hay. But even if we have built our house with gold, but laid not upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, we shall be lost. And even if our works are found to be gold or silver, and our faith found to the praise of God, we know that we are only saved because of the blood of Jesus Christ. We are saved only because the Jesus Christ the Clean has sprinkled this water upon us the Unclean. We would never stand the fire of judgment if it wasn't for Christ. Thanks be to Christ our Foundation, upon whom we do all things. Let us live for that Day, not by our own works, but by our works which are by faith in Him. Amen.
God can have mercy on sinners because of Christ
Numbers 31:12-18 (KJV)
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. [13] And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. [14] And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. [15] And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? [16] Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord . [17] Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. [18] But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
Moses and Eleazar and the princes went forth to meet them without the camp. We know that when we return from our spiritual battles, and go to heaven, Christ and saints of old will be there to greet us as we enter in. We have done the will of God, we have fought the good fight, we have kept the faith. Christ shall greet us with open arms to relieve us of our weary souls that have gone through the battles with the devil in this world. The saints will be there also, those who have likewise fought this war in times past, and some who have died for the cause. They will comfort us, knowing those who fought in the past also fought not in vain, but for eternal life and glory. We shall rejoice with them all, in the presence of the Father.
Have ye saved all the women alive? The captains of Israel's army thought to give mercy upon the women of Midian by taking them captive alive. But Moses was not pleased with this. He was angry, filled with the wrath of God. He was to take vengeance upon Midian for the Lord. Taking them captive was not vengeance, but favour. It was grace. Grace cannot be given to objects of vengeance.
We see then God's true vengeance is without even one drop of His mercy. To show pity or compassion is not true justice. A truly just judge cannot bend the law simply because he feels sorry for the criminal. If he bends the law for one criminal, he must do the same for others. In so doing he corrupts the goodness of the law, and becomes a corrupt judge. God is not a corrupt judge that bends His laws to show compassion to anyone. He shows no partiality to any man. No tears or begging can make Him compromise on His perfect love for good and hatred for evil. His law will stand. Read what Jesus said:
Matthew 5:17-18 (KJV)
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
How is it then, that God can be merciful to sinners? How is it that God can forgive sin or be gracious, be compassionate or have pity on lawbreakers? How can God just let criminals go free? What about justice? How much it baffles us and makes us to foam at our mouths to hear how vile men who have committed evil crimes are now walking free due to the failures of our justice system. Is not that what God is doing? Do we charge God of twisting His laws and bending His justice just because He could show compassion on transgressors?
God can have pity on us because of Jesus Christ. Christ died on the cross, condemned with a death sentence so that God can be just in forgiving our sins. God can show mercy and grace, because Christ became our sin on the cross for us. God is now free to show us abundant mercy, for Christ His Son has paid the penalty. We can go free, and it is not a stretch of His justice, because of the cross. God can now be just and the justifier of sinners. This was God's doing and it was marvelous to our eyes, as the Psalmist says. This plan of salvation was God's idea and initiative, and it was carried out by His will.
Shall we then say that God is unjust in His dealings with Midian in this passage? Was He unjust in killing of these women and their male seed? Was He unjust in wiping out the generation of Midian? By no means. He was being fully just. Midian received the just recompense for their rebellion against God and His law. The question is not, then, 'was God unjust', but 'why didn't God show compassion on Midian?' The answer to this question is found in Romans:
Romans 9:20-24 (KJV)
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it , Why hast thou made me thus? [21] Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [22] What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: [23] And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, [24] Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
God shows mercy on whom He chooses to show mercy, and hardens whom He chooses to harden, and both for His glory. Why did Midian perish so severely? First of all, so that those who shall receive the mercy of God shall read of this account, realize that they should have died like this without pity, and thank and glorify God for having pity on vessels of mercy. And that is all we Christians are. We are no different from the people of Midian. But it was up to God who chose us from the foundation of the world to have mercy on us. We never deserved to have Christ to die for us so that God may have compassion on us. But it was up to His election, that we may not boast.
We are therefore not to complain that God showed no compassion on Midian. Instead, we ought to see what judgment without mercy looks like, and tremble. We ought to remember how the entire old world perished by the flood, and only eight people lived by God's grace. Life is a gift of God, and it is a gracious gift to those who use it for sin. God the Giver has the right to take away life, and especially from those who do not deserve life.
But not only this, but we ought to remember how our Lord Jesus died without mercy. If any man deserved compassion from God it was Christ. But God showed Him who knew no sin no pity. The judgment fell upon the Son of God without one drop of God's mercy. When Christ desired just a drop of water for His thirst, they gave Him vinegar mixed with gall. God did not spare His own Son, and subjected Him under the agony of hell. The only relief He was given was that He died quicker than the other thieves. The guilt of God crushed Him totally, and He died like how people of Midian died. If God Himself went through such cursed death on the cross, should we say such things like "why didn't God show mercy?" God showed no mercy even to His own Son. Christ Himself received no mercy from God and died under the law of God. Human beings have no right to say such things. He died, so that some of us may received unlimited mercy and grace and compassionate for the rest of eternity. We can only thank God for that. Let us Christians of all people never question God foolishly. God spared not angels that sinned. It was only to men that God gave rescue. Let us worship Christ, our Saviour.
Moses spares however the young girls among Midian who have not known a man yet. To not sin is life. No doubt in this wicked Midianite society it was a shame for girls not have have slept with a man. Fornication was so deep rooted in their culture that that had probably became the norm in their society. Is this not so in today's society? They mock at celibacy and those who keep themselves pure, and think it odd that Christians do not follow their defiled practices. But there shall come a Day, when God shall avenge all who have followed after evil, and those who kept themselves pure and holy through the blood of Jesus shall live. Those who have been faithful to Christ, and committed no spiritual adultery against Him shall be spared. Let us then, keep our souls pure and holy, separated unto God. Let us not love the world nor the idols in it, lest we be defiled and perish like the women of Midian who had given themselves over to wickedness. Let us worship Him who died the same death that Midian died, that we who believe may be spared. Let us give thanks to God for His mercy, which came at a cost. Let us live a life pleasing to Him. Amen.
And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. [13] And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. [14] And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. [15] And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? [16] Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord . [17] Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. [18] But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
Moses and Eleazar and the princes went forth to meet them without the camp. We know that when we return from our spiritual battles, and go to heaven, Christ and saints of old will be there to greet us as we enter in. We have done the will of God, we have fought the good fight, we have kept the faith. Christ shall greet us with open arms to relieve us of our weary souls that have gone through the battles with the devil in this world. The saints will be there also, those who have likewise fought this war in times past, and some who have died for the cause. They will comfort us, knowing those who fought in the past also fought not in vain, but for eternal life and glory. We shall rejoice with them all, in the presence of the Father.
Have ye saved all the women alive? The captains of Israel's army thought to give mercy upon the women of Midian by taking them captive alive. But Moses was not pleased with this. He was angry, filled with the wrath of God. He was to take vengeance upon Midian for the Lord. Taking them captive was not vengeance, but favour. It was grace. Grace cannot be given to objects of vengeance.
We see then God's true vengeance is without even one drop of His mercy. To show pity or compassion is not true justice. A truly just judge cannot bend the law simply because he feels sorry for the criminal. If he bends the law for one criminal, he must do the same for others. In so doing he corrupts the goodness of the law, and becomes a corrupt judge. God is not a corrupt judge that bends His laws to show compassion to anyone. He shows no partiality to any man. No tears or begging can make Him compromise on His perfect love for good and hatred for evil. His law will stand. Read what Jesus said:
Matthew 5:17-18 (KJV)
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
How is it then, that God can be merciful to sinners? How is it that God can forgive sin or be gracious, be compassionate or have pity on lawbreakers? How can God just let criminals go free? What about justice? How much it baffles us and makes us to foam at our mouths to hear how vile men who have committed evil crimes are now walking free due to the failures of our justice system. Is not that what God is doing? Do we charge God of twisting His laws and bending His justice just because He could show compassion on transgressors?
God can have pity on us because of Jesus Christ. Christ died on the cross, condemned with a death sentence so that God can be just in forgiving our sins. God can show mercy and grace, because Christ became our sin on the cross for us. God is now free to show us abundant mercy, for Christ His Son has paid the penalty. We can go free, and it is not a stretch of His justice, because of the cross. God can now be just and the justifier of sinners. This was God's doing and it was marvelous to our eyes, as the Psalmist says. This plan of salvation was God's idea and initiative, and it was carried out by His will.
Shall we then say that God is unjust in His dealings with Midian in this passage? Was He unjust in killing of these women and their male seed? Was He unjust in wiping out the generation of Midian? By no means. He was being fully just. Midian received the just recompense for their rebellion against God and His law. The question is not, then, 'was God unjust', but 'why didn't God show compassion on Midian?' The answer to this question is found in Romans:
Romans 9:20-24 (KJV)
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it , Why hast thou made me thus? [21] Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [22] What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: [23] And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, [24] Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
God shows mercy on whom He chooses to show mercy, and hardens whom He chooses to harden, and both for His glory. Why did Midian perish so severely? First of all, so that those who shall receive the mercy of God shall read of this account, realize that they should have died like this without pity, and thank and glorify God for having pity on vessels of mercy. And that is all we Christians are. We are no different from the people of Midian. But it was up to God who chose us from the foundation of the world to have mercy on us. We never deserved to have Christ to die for us so that God may have compassion on us. But it was up to His election, that we may not boast.
We are therefore not to complain that God showed no compassion on Midian. Instead, we ought to see what judgment without mercy looks like, and tremble. We ought to remember how the entire old world perished by the flood, and only eight people lived by God's grace. Life is a gift of God, and it is a gracious gift to those who use it for sin. God the Giver has the right to take away life, and especially from those who do not deserve life.
But not only this, but we ought to remember how our Lord Jesus died without mercy. If any man deserved compassion from God it was Christ. But God showed Him who knew no sin no pity. The judgment fell upon the Son of God without one drop of God's mercy. When Christ desired just a drop of water for His thirst, they gave Him vinegar mixed with gall. God did not spare His own Son, and subjected Him under the agony of hell. The only relief He was given was that He died quicker than the other thieves. The guilt of God crushed Him totally, and He died like how people of Midian died. If God Himself went through such cursed death on the cross, should we say such things like "why didn't God show mercy?" God showed no mercy even to His own Son. Christ Himself received no mercy from God and died under the law of God. Human beings have no right to say such things. He died, so that some of us may received unlimited mercy and grace and compassionate for the rest of eternity. We can only thank God for that. Let us Christians of all people never question God foolishly. God spared not angels that sinned. It was only to men that God gave rescue. Let us worship Christ, our Saviour.
Moses spares however the young girls among Midian who have not known a man yet. To not sin is life. No doubt in this wicked Midianite society it was a shame for girls not have have slept with a man. Fornication was so deep rooted in their culture that that had probably became the norm in their society. Is this not so in today's society? They mock at celibacy and those who keep themselves pure, and think it odd that Christians do not follow their defiled practices. But there shall come a Day, when God shall avenge all who have followed after evil, and those who kept themselves pure and holy through the blood of Jesus shall live. Those who have been faithful to Christ, and committed no spiritual adultery against Him shall be spared. Let us then, keep our souls pure and holy, separated unto God. Let us not love the world nor the idols in it, lest we be defiled and perish like the women of Midian who had given themselves over to wickedness. Let us worship Him who died the same death that Midian died, that we who believe may be spared. Let us give thanks to God for His mercy, which came at a cost. Let us live a life pleasing to Him. Amen.
Monday, June 27, 2011
The fire of God's wrath that fell upon Christ
Numbers 31:7-11 (KJV)
And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. [8] And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely , Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. [9] And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. [10] And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. [11] And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
They slew all the males. See how the vengeance of God came upon justly upon Midian. Midian seduced the men of Israel to commit fornication and idolatry, effectively killing their souls with sin. And many of the Israelites died physically in the plague by the judgment of God. It is fitting then, that God avenges them by killing all the males, just as they killed the males of Israel with sin.
One may ask here, 'was God unjust?' No. Midian deserves the sentence of Satan, for their intention was that by sinning Israel may die, and be cursed, by God's hands. The fact that Midian knew that what they were offering Israel were evil and displeasing to God adds to their condemnation. This is what their spiritual father, the devil, did to Adam and Eve. Knowing that God hates evil, they repented not from it themselves, but instead offered it to others that they may receive God's punishment. This is pure evil, and putting God to the test, using His righteousness for their own evil purposes. Those who do such things shall certainly receive the wrath of God, unless they repent.
It's worthy to note briefly here that sexual sin slays men. Midian successfully slaughtered the males of Israel by the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life through what their women made them do. Sexual sin is the sharpest of the thorns that chokes the word of God growing in a man's heart. It has possibly condemned men to eternal death more than any other sin. It is sin like no other, for it is sin against one's own body. It is great offense against God to use the body He has made to give glory to Him for glorification and worship of self-pleasure. It kills a Christian's ministry and the assurance of salvation and defiles his conscience more than anything. It destroys the image of God that is within him, and turns him into the likeness of an unclean beast. It surely killed the God-given purpose that God had given Israel. They became content with the wilderness, and forsook the hope that God had given them of Canaan. Likewise, sexual sin makes a Christian lose all hope in heaven, but instead through it he becomes a friend of the world, and thus an enemy of God. It was fitting then, that Midian have likewise have all their males slaughtered by the hand of God. God has returned upon their head what they desired for Israel.
See then, the severity of God's judgment upon sinners, especially them that put stumblingblocks before the people of God. The wages of sin is surely death, and Midian has received it to the full. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Almighty God, and to be found as His enemy. There is nothing written of the males of Midian even attempting to fight back. They simply were all slaughtered as in a blink of an eye. For if God goes forth in war, who can stop Him? Even the devil trembles at the army of God. He is the Creator, and none can withstand Him when He goes forth to destroy His enemies. There is none stronger than Him, for it is God who made them all. If the Lord had commanded destruction upon sinners, it shall come as a whirlwind and no man shall stop it. Let us warn sinners of this judgment of God that is coming upon the world.
The passage also points out that the 5 kings of Midian were killed, and also Balaam the wicked prophet. The five kings were most likely the leaders of Midian that had consulted Balaam in the beginning that he would curse Israel for them. So we see here the end of those who plot evil against the people of God. Those who would curse God's blessed have the curses return to them. As God has said to Abraham:
Genesis 12:3 (KJV)
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
And what a bitter end to those who rebel against God. We are reminded of how their death came about. The nations of Moab and Midian were afraid of Israel. It began with unnecessary fear, which led to sin, which led to death. What about Balaam? He began with lust for riches, which led to unfaithfulness to God's voice, which led to sin, which led to death.
It is also interesting that the scripture puts Balaam among these kings of Midian. It is likely that Balaam was promoted to high honour as he was promised by Balak for the doctrine he had taught him. He was possibly counted among the kings, perhaps as a lord over the magicians and soothsayers in the land. They would have given him great riches, as he was originally promised, and no doubt Balaam got what he always lusted after.
But how fleeting is the pleasures of sin? It is for a short season, but afterward comes the eternal bitterness of death as a consequence. Balaam was so deceived, though he spoke the right things and he saw great things of God. How well did He prophesy of the future of Israel, fate of Moab and even of Christ to come? But see how he died the death of the wicked. He was used of God, but he was not a man of God. Spirit of God was with him, but the Spirit never dwelt in him. Like Judas, he sold his God for the likeness of 30 pieces of silver, and like Esau, his integrity for a pot of stew to satisfy his lusts. It was the love of money that killed him in the end. He worshipped money, and treasured the praise of men more than the praise of God.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (KJV)
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Balaam surely drowned in destruction and perdition, and pierced himself with the sorrow of everlasting death. The honour that was promised to him, how short-lived and cursed was it! God could have granted him eternal honour and eternal treasures of life.
What do we learn from this poor man who lusted after fame and riches, but in the end had none of these things? What are we to do, if we do not want the same end as Balaam? Paul gives the answer to Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:11-12 (KJV)
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Let us follow after Jesus Christ, who is righteousness, godless, faith, love, patience and meekness. Let us chase after Him who is our eternal life. We do not want temporary life, but we want life that lasts forever, that which satisfies our hunger and thirst forever. This life is in the person of Jesus Christ alone.
And they burnt all their cities with fire. God avenges Midian with not only the sword, but with fire. This fire is the same that fell from the Lord upon the cities of Sodom and Gommorah. It is the sign of God's eternal punishment and recompense upon the wicked. Read Jude:
Jude 1:7 (KJV)
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Midian likewise gave themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, and received the punishment of eternal fire that Sodom received as an example. God meaning that they not only were sentenced to physical death, but eternal punishment for their sin. The full wages of sin is eternal death. Here we do well to remember the gospel, that the fire of God's vengeance fell from the heaven upon the altar of the cross on the hill of Calvary, that we who believe may be saved from the wrath of God. We deserve this fire as much as Sodom and Midian. Israel sinned as much as they have. We all have likewise sinned. But Christ has suffered the fire of God for us, that God's grace and His mercy may fall upon us.
Children of Israel also took the women and children of Midian captives. By making the men of Israel commit adultery, Midian had caused the women and children of Israel to suffer. It is fitting that the women and children suffer likewise in captivity. We learn here then when men are led into sexual sin, their wives and children suffer greatly. What shame and sorrow do they suffer because their husbands or fathers are not faithful to their family. God will sure avenge, as He has done here.
Also the captivity shows these Midianites' captivity to sin. They are slaves to sin, led by their lusts wherever they led them. We do well to be led by the Holy Spirit rather than the lusts of our flesh. We are to put to death our lusts on the cross through the body of Christ, lest we be taken in chains and led captive by our lusts. There is no way to reform them. We have no option but to die to them. Being led by lusts is to live for my own self. Being led by the Spirit is to live for the One who died for us, and rose again. Lest we be overcome by sin that lies at the door, let us master it not by wrestling with it, but dying unto it, for he that died has been freed from death. Lord, grant us the faith to reckon ourselves dead unto sin. Amen.
And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. [8] And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely , Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. [9] And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. [10] And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire. [11] And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
They slew all the males. See how the vengeance of God came upon justly upon Midian. Midian seduced the men of Israel to commit fornication and idolatry, effectively killing their souls with sin. And many of the Israelites died physically in the plague by the judgment of God. It is fitting then, that God avenges them by killing all the males, just as they killed the males of Israel with sin.
One may ask here, 'was God unjust?' No. Midian deserves the sentence of Satan, for their intention was that by sinning Israel may die, and be cursed, by God's hands. The fact that Midian knew that what they were offering Israel were evil and displeasing to God adds to their condemnation. This is what their spiritual father, the devil, did to Adam and Eve. Knowing that God hates evil, they repented not from it themselves, but instead offered it to others that they may receive God's punishment. This is pure evil, and putting God to the test, using His righteousness for their own evil purposes. Those who do such things shall certainly receive the wrath of God, unless they repent.
It's worthy to note briefly here that sexual sin slays men. Midian successfully slaughtered the males of Israel by the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life through what their women made them do. Sexual sin is the sharpest of the thorns that chokes the word of God growing in a man's heart. It has possibly condemned men to eternal death more than any other sin. It is sin like no other, for it is sin against one's own body. It is great offense against God to use the body He has made to give glory to Him for glorification and worship of self-pleasure. It kills a Christian's ministry and the assurance of salvation and defiles his conscience more than anything. It destroys the image of God that is within him, and turns him into the likeness of an unclean beast. It surely killed the God-given purpose that God had given Israel. They became content with the wilderness, and forsook the hope that God had given them of Canaan. Likewise, sexual sin makes a Christian lose all hope in heaven, but instead through it he becomes a friend of the world, and thus an enemy of God. It was fitting then, that Midian have likewise have all their males slaughtered by the hand of God. God has returned upon their head what they desired for Israel.
See then, the severity of God's judgment upon sinners, especially them that put stumblingblocks before the people of God. The wages of sin is surely death, and Midian has received it to the full. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Almighty God, and to be found as His enemy. There is nothing written of the males of Midian even attempting to fight back. They simply were all slaughtered as in a blink of an eye. For if God goes forth in war, who can stop Him? Even the devil trembles at the army of God. He is the Creator, and none can withstand Him when He goes forth to destroy His enemies. There is none stronger than Him, for it is God who made them all. If the Lord had commanded destruction upon sinners, it shall come as a whirlwind and no man shall stop it. Let us warn sinners of this judgment of God that is coming upon the world.
The passage also points out that the 5 kings of Midian were killed, and also Balaam the wicked prophet. The five kings were most likely the leaders of Midian that had consulted Balaam in the beginning that he would curse Israel for them. So we see here the end of those who plot evil against the people of God. Those who would curse God's blessed have the curses return to them. As God has said to Abraham:
Genesis 12:3 (KJV)
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
And what a bitter end to those who rebel against God. We are reminded of how their death came about. The nations of Moab and Midian were afraid of Israel. It began with unnecessary fear, which led to sin, which led to death. What about Balaam? He began with lust for riches, which led to unfaithfulness to God's voice, which led to sin, which led to death.
It is also interesting that the scripture puts Balaam among these kings of Midian. It is likely that Balaam was promoted to high honour as he was promised by Balak for the doctrine he had taught him. He was possibly counted among the kings, perhaps as a lord over the magicians and soothsayers in the land. They would have given him great riches, as he was originally promised, and no doubt Balaam got what he always lusted after.
But how fleeting is the pleasures of sin? It is for a short season, but afterward comes the eternal bitterness of death as a consequence. Balaam was so deceived, though he spoke the right things and he saw great things of God. How well did He prophesy of the future of Israel, fate of Moab and even of Christ to come? But see how he died the death of the wicked. He was used of God, but he was not a man of God. Spirit of God was with him, but the Spirit never dwelt in him. Like Judas, he sold his God for the likeness of 30 pieces of silver, and like Esau, his integrity for a pot of stew to satisfy his lusts. It was the love of money that killed him in the end. He worshipped money, and treasured the praise of men more than the praise of God.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (KJV)
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Balaam surely drowned in destruction and perdition, and pierced himself with the sorrow of everlasting death. The honour that was promised to him, how short-lived and cursed was it! God could have granted him eternal honour and eternal treasures of life.
What do we learn from this poor man who lusted after fame and riches, but in the end had none of these things? What are we to do, if we do not want the same end as Balaam? Paul gives the answer to Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:11-12 (KJV)
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Let us follow after Jesus Christ, who is righteousness, godless, faith, love, patience and meekness. Let us chase after Him who is our eternal life. We do not want temporary life, but we want life that lasts forever, that which satisfies our hunger and thirst forever. This life is in the person of Jesus Christ alone.
And they burnt all their cities with fire. God avenges Midian with not only the sword, but with fire. This fire is the same that fell from the Lord upon the cities of Sodom and Gommorah. It is the sign of God's eternal punishment and recompense upon the wicked. Read Jude:
Jude 1:7 (KJV)
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Midian likewise gave themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, and received the punishment of eternal fire that Sodom received as an example. God meaning that they not only were sentenced to physical death, but eternal punishment for their sin. The full wages of sin is eternal death. Here we do well to remember the gospel, that the fire of God's vengeance fell from the heaven upon the altar of the cross on the hill of Calvary, that we who believe may be saved from the wrath of God. We deserve this fire as much as Sodom and Midian. Israel sinned as much as they have. We all have likewise sinned. But Christ has suffered the fire of God for us, that God's grace and His mercy may fall upon us.
Children of Israel also took the women and children of Midian captives. By making the men of Israel commit adultery, Midian had caused the women and children of Israel to suffer. It is fitting that the women and children suffer likewise in captivity. We learn here then when men are led into sexual sin, their wives and children suffer greatly. What shame and sorrow do they suffer because their husbands or fathers are not faithful to their family. God will sure avenge, as He has done here.
Also the captivity shows these Midianites' captivity to sin. They are slaves to sin, led by their lusts wherever they led them. We do well to be led by the Holy Spirit rather than the lusts of our flesh. We are to put to death our lusts on the cross through the body of Christ, lest we be taken in chains and led captive by our lusts. There is no way to reform them. We have no option but to die to them. Being led by lusts is to live for my own self. Being led by the Spirit is to live for the One who died for us, and rose again. Lest we be overcome by sin that lies at the door, let us master it not by wrestling with it, but dying unto it, for he that died has been freed from death. Lord, grant us the faith to reckon ourselves dead unto sin. Amen.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Spiritual weapons for our spirtual warfare
Numbers 31:3-6 (KJV)
And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. [4] Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. [5] So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. [6] And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
Avenge the LORD of Midian. This was God's vengeance. Israel was carrying out God's business, not just their own. This was not a private vengeace. It is interesting that in verse 2 God said "avenge Israel of Midian", but in this passage Moses says "avenge the Lord of Midian". What is the scripture intending here, but that the enemy of God's people is the enemy of God. By the evil they had done against Israel, Midian had made themselves an enemy of God. The same can be said of the Christian's enemies. Those who hate God's people, hate God. Those who curse God's people, curse God. Thus we Christians can be assured then that those who do evil against us, God will fight against them for us. We don't need to take revenge against them, for vengeance is God's and He will repay.
Also we learn that when we do battle for the Lord as soldiers of Christ, we are fighting the LORD's war, not our own. We are fighting for God's agenda, not our own. We are the Lord's army. A soldier does not ask questions to the general; he only obeys. Likewise, we do not ask questions but we obey and fight, for the Lord has commanded. And we know that our Lord is good, and thus our fight will be the "good fight", one that Paul fought.
Arm some of yourselves for war. Our warfare as Christians is not against people. Who are our enemies? The scripture describes our foes:
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Our enemies are spiritual, and thus our weapons must be spiritual. Paul tells us the list of our weapons:
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (KJV)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; [6] And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Our weapons are, first of all, casting down wicked imaginations that defy itself against God and His laws. This we do by destroying wicked imaginations with the Truth: truth about God, the world, mankind, sin, heaven, hell, the Gospel, and God's final judgment. And this truth is only contained in the Bible. Nowhere else will there be any truth. We must defeat fables and fictions and emotional stories, and strip them all down so that there will not the cold truth and fact. The Gospel is not a product of the imagination, but eye-witness accounts of those who saw the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is hard, cold truth, a historical event.
We must also pull any thing that hinders men from the true knowledge of God. Any idolatry that makes God less good or less powerful or less sovereign or less holy or less loving than He is. Any sinful or worldly knowledge that says it is better knowledge than knowing God. Any wicked doctrine in the church that says eternal life or the Christian life is something other than knowing God and Christ. These we must blow away, but how? By faithful preaching of who God truly is, and who Christ is. We must preach that God and his whole attributes truthfully and faithfully, as He is described in the bible. We can't pull any punches. We must present a living, and holy God who is our Creator, Judge and Saviour.
Also we must fight any thoughts that are disobedient to Christ. Firstly, any thoughts that despise God's commandments and desires to disobey them. Even those wicked hidden thoughts of disobedience that are so well covered with the plaster of the word "grace", like whitewashed tombs in which are dead men's bones. These must be torn down, and we must demand obedience to Christ's words. And secondly, any thought that does not bow down to Christ Himself. Any thought that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as LORD, the Name Above All Names. Any thought that loves to exalt and rebel against the thought that Jesus Christ is all-sufficient and all in all. Any thought that says Christ's works in life and death, and in resurrection are not enough for salvation. All these things are thoughts that are disobedient to Christ.
And see what the apostles say, that they are ready to revenge disobedience. They are fighting the Lord's war, for the Lord's vengeance. When Christ comes back to earth, the apostles shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel. We the saints shall also judge the world along with them, as Paul wrote. The judgment day will be the day of the Lord's vengeance against those who have been disobedient to the Lord Jesus Christ our God.
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest also went to war, as a kind of captain over the army of God. It was fitting that he went, for the army were to have the same zeal for the Lord that Phinehas had when he killed Zimri and the Midianitish woman with the javelin. Phinehas was to impart some of this zeal and the courage that he had to the whole army. The soldiers of Christ ought to also have this zeal for Lord's jealousy over His people. The soldiers of Christ must not fear man as Phinehas did not, but fear God and His judgments more. Most of all, soldiers of Christ must have the heart to make atonement for sin, to satisfy God's wrath, as Phinehas did by killing Zimri. This army of Israelites did it by killing the Midianites, but we do it by preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, that those that believe may have their sins atoned for.
Phinehas went to battle with the holy instruments, most likely the ark of the covenant. Jesus Christ is our ark of the covenant, whom goes forth with us in our spiritual warfare. It is the covenant that was promised to Abraham and confirmed by Christ's own blood that gives us the confidence and the authority to battle for Him. How can we expect to fight with courage, without the assurance of the covenant that is between God the Father and our representative, Jesus Christ? We fight whilst trusting in this covenant that can't be broken. We have confidence that God for Christ's sake will not leave us nor forsake us. We have confidence through this covenant that we are blessed, that we are counted righteous in God's sight.
Twelve thousand armed for war. The word "delivered out" means to set apart. A thousand out of the twelve tribes were thus set apart for war. We are immediately reminded of when Paul and Barnabas were "set apart" in Antioch for the ministry toward Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas were those chosen by God to fight this war against strong holds. We are reminded again that this spiritual warfare is God's war, and Jesus the General prepares and picks His choice men. How holy must we be, if we have thus been chosen by Christ to fight in His war against the devil. We ought to be like our Master in every way, and be willing to do His will, and not our own. We can't be like our enemy in any way.
We see then not every believer is ready or called for warfare. There are believers who are not mature or have not received the right training. Perhaps those in whom still is needed cleansing from particular sins. Perhaps those who love other things, such as family and friends, more than the cause of God. Whatever it may be, not everyone is prepared to go to battle for Christ. Perhaps also it may be those who cannot handle the Word of God properly, or cannot discern right and wrong.
Or perhaps some of us may need to stay behind, and equip others with the weapons of God for battle. We may need to teach those who are younger than us how to fight and survive. We also need some to stay behind and watch the camp also, lest the enemy comes and lay our homebase to waste. Those who stay behind also must battle in prayer, that those in front lines may not be defeated, and that they may receive the strength that comes from God.
Wherever we are, either staying in the camp, or having gone out to fight, we remember that we are in this war together. Either we Christians win, or we are trampled underfoot by unbelievers like salt that has lost its saltiness. When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer. We cannot give in to the wiles of the devil, who bring in whores from Midian to cause us to sin and commit spiritual adultery against God. We must resist the devil, and courageously defend the holiness of the Church as Phinehas did. We must be zealous for God. Let us arm ourselves, and volunteer to risk our lives for the sake of the cause of God. Amen.
And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian. [4] Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. [5] So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. [6] And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
Avenge the LORD of Midian. This was God's vengeance. Israel was carrying out God's business, not just their own. This was not a private vengeace. It is interesting that in verse 2 God said "avenge Israel of Midian", but in this passage Moses says "avenge the Lord of Midian". What is the scripture intending here, but that the enemy of God's people is the enemy of God. By the evil they had done against Israel, Midian had made themselves an enemy of God. The same can be said of the Christian's enemies. Those who hate God's people, hate God. Those who curse God's people, curse God. Thus we Christians can be assured then that those who do evil against us, God will fight against them for us. We don't need to take revenge against them, for vengeance is God's and He will repay.
Also we learn that when we do battle for the Lord as soldiers of Christ, we are fighting the LORD's war, not our own. We are fighting for God's agenda, not our own. We are the Lord's army. A soldier does not ask questions to the general; he only obeys. Likewise, we do not ask questions but we obey and fight, for the Lord has commanded. And we know that our Lord is good, and thus our fight will be the "good fight", one that Paul fought.
Arm some of yourselves for war. Our warfare as Christians is not against people. Who are our enemies? The scripture describes our foes:
Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Our enemies are spiritual, and thus our weapons must be spiritual. Paul tells us the list of our weapons:
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (KJV)
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; [6] And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Our weapons are, first of all, casting down wicked imaginations that defy itself against God and His laws. This we do by destroying wicked imaginations with the Truth: truth about God, the world, mankind, sin, heaven, hell, the Gospel, and God's final judgment. And this truth is only contained in the Bible. Nowhere else will there be any truth. We must defeat fables and fictions and emotional stories, and strip them all down so that there will not the cold truth and fact. The Gospel is not a product of the imagination, but eye-witness accounts of those who saw the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is hard, cold truth, a historical event.
We must also pull any thing that hinders men from the true knowledge of God. Any idolatry that makes God less good or less powerful or less sovereign or less holy or less loving than He is. Any sinful or worldly knowledge that says it is better knowledge than knowing God. Any wicked doctrine in the church that says eternal life or the Christian life is something other than knowing God and Christ. These we must blow away, but how? By faithful preaching of who God truly is, and who Christ is. We must preach that God and his whole attributes truthfully and faithfully, as He is described in the bible. We can't pull any punches. We must present a living, and holy God who is our Creator, Judge and Saviour.
Also we must fight any thoughts that are disobedient to Christ. Firstly, any thoughts that despise God's commandments and desires to disobey them. Even those wicked hidden thoughts of disobedience that are so well covered with the plaster of the word "grace", like whitewashed tombs in which are dead men's bones. These must be torn down, and we must demand obedience to Christ's words. And secondly, any thought that does not bow down to Christ Himself. Any thought that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as LORD, the Name Above All Names. Any thought that loves to exalt and rebel against the thought that Jesus Christ is all-sufficient and all in all. Any thought that says Christ's works in life and death, and in resurrection are not enough for salvation. All these things are thoughts that are disobedient to Christ.
And see what the apostles say, that they are ready to revenge disobedience. They are fighting the Lord's war, for the Lord's vengeance. When Christ comes back to earth, the apostles shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel. We the saints shall also judge the world along with them, as Paul wrote. The judgment day will be the day of the Lord's vengeance against those who have been disobedient to the Lord Jesus Christ our God.
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest also went to war, as a kind of captain over the army of God. It was fitting that he went, for the army were to have the same zeal for the Lord that Phinehas had when he killed Zimri and the Midianitish woman with the javelin. Phinehas was to impart some of this zeal and the courage that he had to the whole army. The soldiers of Christ ought to also have this zeal for Lord's jealousy over His people. The soldiers of Christ must not fear man as Phinehas did not, but fear God and His judgments more. Most of all, soldiers of Christ must have the heart to make atonement for sin, to satisfy God's wrath, as Phinehas did by killing Zimri. This army of Israelites did it by killing the Midianites, but we do it by preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, that those that believe may have their sins atoned for.
Phinehas went to battle with the holy instruments, most likely the ark of the covenant. Jesus Christ is our ark of the covenant, whom goes forth with us in our spiritual warfare. It is the covenant that was promised to Abraham and confirmed by Christ's own blood that gives us the confidence and the authority to battle for Him. How can we expect to fight with courage, without the assurance of the covenant that is between God the Father and our representative, Jesus Christ? We fight whilst trusting in this covenant that can't be broken. We have confidence that God for Christ's sake will not leave us nor forsake us. We have confidence through this covenant that we are blessed, that we are counted righteous in God's sight.
Twelve thousand armed for war. The word "delivered out" means to set apart. A thousand out of the twelve tribes were thus set apart for war. We are immediately reminded of when Paul and Barnabas were "set apart" in Antioch for the ministry toward Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas were those chosen by God to fight this war against strong holds. We are reminded again that this spiritual warfare is God's war, and Jesus the General prepares and picks His choice men. How holy must we be, if we have thus been chosen by Christ to fight in His war against the devil. We ought to be like our Master in every way, and be willing to do His will, and not our own. We can't be like our enemy in any way.
We see then not every believer is ready or called for warfare. There are believers who are not mature or have not received the right training. Perhaps those in whom still is needed cleansing from particular sins. Perhaps those who love other things, such as family and friends, more than the cause of God. Whatever it may be, not everyone is prepared to go to battle for Christ. Perhaps also it may be those who cannot handle the Word of God properly, or cannot discern right and wrong.
Or perhaps some of us may need to stay behind, and equip others with the weapons of God for battle. We may need to teach those who are younger than us how to fight and survive. We also need some to stay behind and watch the camp also, lest the enemy comes and lay our homebase to waste. Those who stay behind also must battle in prayer, that those in front lines may not be defeated, and that they may receive the strength that comes from God.
Wherever we are, either staying in the camp, or having gone out to fight, we remember that we are in this war together. Either we Christians win, or we are trampled underfoot by unbelievers like salt that has lost its saltiness. When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer. We cannot give in to the wiles of the devil, who bring in whores from Midian to cause us to sin and commit spiritual adultery against God. We must resist the devil, and courageously defend the holiness of the Church as Phinehas did. We must be zealous for God. Let us arm ourselves, and volunteer to risk our lives for the sake of the cause of God. Amen.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Father, forgive them
Numbers 31:1-2 (KJV)
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
Moses' last mission before his death was revenge. He was to take vengeance for what Moab and Midian did in seducing Israel to commit idolatry and whoredom. Lesson here, then, that God is a just God, and He will take vengeance on evildoers, especially those that seduce the people of God into sin. Unless they repent, God will not forget their sins. Read what Christ said:
Matthew 18:6-9 (KJV)
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. [7] Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! [8] Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. [9] And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Christ shall take vengeance on anyone who put stumblingblocks of sin before even one of His people. And the vengeance that He threatens with is the everlasting fire of Hell, for read verses 8-9. Jesus is saying, if ANYONE cause you to sin, even if it is your own self with its parts, God will take vengeance against him by casting him into hell fire. This is how much He cares and loves those who believe in Him, no matter how small and weak they may be. And this is how much God hates the hands of whom the offenses come. God shall indeed take vengeance on this whole world for the stumblingblocks which they have placed before each other, and especially before the Church of God. God hates sin, and hates it even more when His justified and beloved people sin.
When Eve sinned, Adam foolishly sinned with her, and the whole of mankind were damned. But it is not so with Christ and His Church. Church sins, but our Husband, Christ, does not sin. Yet what does He do? He will take vengeance for His bride. He will catch the serpent that deceived her, and will crush His head. Christ shall pour out vengeance upon Satan and his people who have made His bride to sin, and there shall be no escape for them. As it is written:
Romans 12:19 (KJV)
Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Romans 16:20 (KJV)
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
We thus remember that it was Christ's mission as He died to take vengeance on Satan for what he had done in deceiving Adam and Eve. It was the serpent, through the guidance of the Devil, that seduced our first parents to sin against God. But God promised vengeance for them through Jesus Christ:
Genesis 3:15 (KJV)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Satan was defeated on the cross, when Christ died instead for those elect among the children of Adam, taking their eternal condemnation upon Himself. Satan's plan was that he seduce the man to sin, so that man would be cursed with eternal death, as he was. This is exactly what Moab and Midian tried to do. But God frustrated Satan's plan, by saving a people forever for His own glory, by sending His own beloved eternal Son to suffer the condemnation that we should have suffered. Satan's head was crushed. There is nothing he could do. He had unwillingly become an instrument for God's glory. He meant it for evil, but God meant it for good by turning the cross as the powerful display of God's unconditional love toward man. And this Christ who took vengeance on the devil by His death, will also take vengeance by His life by banishing Him from the world forever into everlasting fire to which he was predestinated. So Christ took vengeance for mankind by His death.
But did Christ only take vengeance? No. Christ's last mission was to forgive sinners. This is the difference between Him and Moses. This is the difference between grace and law. Moses performed what was just by taking revenge on sinners before He died, but Christ performed grace by dying for sinners and forgiving sinners before He died. We know what Christ said on the cross:
Luke 23:34 (KJV)
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
He prayed for our forgiveness. Instead of taking vengeance upon His killers by sending fire and brimstone from heaven, He instead showered sinners with grace and forgiveness. He instead asked God's will be done, that God instead shower HIM with the wrath that they deserve. And when it happened, no one for whom He died cared about what He did. But blessed be God, that He died for us, and from on high showered God's grace and forgiveness upon us all.
We were no better than these Midianites who caused Israel to sin. How many times have we put stumblingblocks of evil before others? We deserve the vengeance of God. We deserve the sword. But God has turned the sword upon His own Son, and instead has treated us like Jesus. This is salvation, and this is the Good news of God.
Let us then do as the Lord has done to us to others. Let us forgive their small transgressions. They don't compare to the great sins we have committed against our Lord. Let us remember how the Lord died just so that He may be able to forgive us and let us have eternal life. Let us also be glad to forgive, just as Jesus forgave our sins against Him. Let us die to vengeance, for God didn't take revenge against us. God instead suffered, that He may win us by His love. Let us never forget that He didn't treat us as we sins deserve. Let us not treat our enemies as their sins deserve, but show them love, and let us pray for them. Lord, give us the grace to be gracious like You are to us. Let us make it our mission of our lives to be forgiving. Amen.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
Moses' last mission before his death was revenge. He was to take vengeance for what Moab and Midian did in seducing Israel to commit idolatry and whoredom. Lesson here, then, that God is a just God, and He will take vengeance on evildoers, especially those that seduce the people of God into sin. Unless they repent, God will not forget their sins. Read what Christ said:
Matthew 18:6-9 (KJV)
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. [7] Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! [8] Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. [9] And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Christ shall take vengeance on anyone who put stumblingblocks of sin before even one of His people. And the vengeance that He threatens with is the everlasting fire of Hell, for read verses 8-9. Jesus is saying, if ANYONE cause you to sin, even if it is your own self with its parts, God will take vengeance against him by casting him into hell fire. This is how much He cares and loves those who believe in Him, no matter how small and weak they may be. And this is how much God hates the hands of whom the offenses come. God shall indeed take vengeance on this whole world for the stumblingblocks which they have placed before each other, and especially before the Church of God. God hates sin, and hates it even more when His justified and beloved people sin.
When Eve sinned, Adam foolishly sinned with her, and the whole of mankind were damned. But it is not so with Christ and His Church. Church sins, but our Husband, Christ, does not sin. Yet what does He do? He will take vengeance for His bride. He will catch the serpent that deceived her, and will crush His head. Christ shall pour out vengeance upon Satan and his people who have made His bride to sin, and there shall be no escape for them. As it is written:
Romans 12:19 (KJV)
Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Romans 16:20 (KJV)
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
We thus remember that it was Christ's mission as He died to take vengeance on Satan for what he had done in deceiving Adam and Eve. It was the serpent, through the guidance of the Devil, that seduced our first parents to sin against God. But God promised vengeance for them through Jesus Christ:
Genesis 3:15 (KJV)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Satan was defeated on the cross, when Christ died instead for those elect among the children of Adam, taking their eternal condemnation upon Himself. Satan's plan was that he seduce the man to sin, so that man would be cursed with eternal death, as he was. This is exactly what Moab and Midian tried to do. But God frustrated Satan's plan, by saving a people forever for His own glory, by sending His own beloved eternal Son to suffer the condemnation that we should have suffered. Satan's head was crushed. There is nothing he could do. He had unwillingly become an instrument for God's glory. He meant it for evil, but God meant it for good by turning the cross as the powerful display of God's unconditional love toward man. And this Christ who took vengeance on the devil by His death, will also take vengeance by His life by banishing Him from the world forever into everlasting fire to which he was predestinated. So Christ took vengeance for mankind by His death.
But did Christ only take vengeance? No. Christ's last mission was to forgive sinners. This is the difference between Him and Moses. This is the difference between grace and law. Moses performed what was just by taking revenge on sinners before He died, but Christ performed grace by dying for sinners and forgiving sinners before He died. We know what Christ said on the cross:
Luke 23:34 (KJV)
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
He prayed for our forgiveness. Instead of taking vengeance upon His killers by sending fire and brimstone from heaven, He instead showered sinners with grace and forgiveness. He instead asked God's will be done, that God instead shower HIM with the wrath that they deserve. And when it happened, no one for whom He died cared about what He did. But blessed be God, that He died for us, and from on high showered God's grace and forgiveness upon us all.
We were no better than these Midianites who caused Israel to sin. How many times have we put stumblingblocks of evil before others? We deserve the vengeance of God. We deserve the sword. But God has turned the sword upon His own Son, and instead has treated us like Jesus. This is salvation, and this is the Good news of God.
Let us then do as the Lord has done to us to others. Let us forgive their small transgressions. They don't compare to the great sins we have committed against our Lord. Let us remember how the Lord died just so that He may be able to forgive us and let us have eternal life. Let us also be glad to forgive, just as Jesus forgave our sins against Him. Let us die to vengeance, for God didn't take revenge against us. God instead suffered, that He may win us by His love. Let us never forget that He didn't treat us as we sins deserve. Let us not treat our enemies as their sins deserve, but show them love, and let us pray for them. Lord, give us the grace to be gracious like You are to us. Let us make it our mission of our lives to be forgiving. Amen.
Christ the Keeper of our mouths
Numbers 30:10-15 (KJV)
And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; [11] And her husband heard it , and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. [12] But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her. [13] Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. [14] But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them . [15] But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them ; then he shall bear her iniquity.
If her husband hath utterly made them void.. then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips shall not stand. Our words as Christians are not important. It is overruled by words of Christ. We remember what Christ said:
Luke 21:33 (KJV)
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
But our words do pass away. Our words are like sand, upon which if a man builds a house, it shall be swept away like a house without foundation. Let us therefore not make much of man's words. Let us build not our lives upon theories and ideas of man, lest we be swept away on the Day of Judgment. Only doing Christ's words is important:
Matthew 7:24-27 (KJV)
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Even making much of a Christian's words is dangerous. A Christian, though he may say wise things, is still a wicked man who is living by the grace of God. A Christian only has anything worth to say if he repeats Christ's words. See what this law says, that every vow of the woman the husband may establish it or her husband may make it void. It is up to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has the authority over the Christian whether what we have said shall come to pass, or whether what we have said shall not come to pass. He has the authority over our lives. He tells us how to live and what our lives shall be. His words replace our words and our thoughts and our lives. Let us not confuse ourselves as though our words have any meaning beside from Jesus Christ's authority. Even when we preach or speak of the things of God, we know that Christ has the authority to make our words completely void, if we are speaking that which is not right.
Let us follow, then, this rule:
1 Peter 4:11 (KJV)
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God
Let us pray that God makes void all our foolish words that have not been reflections of God's scriptures. We must speak as living scriptures. That is why the mouth of the Christian exists. Let us remember that our words "shall not stand", if they are not a reflection or a proper explanation of Christ's words. Jesus Christ is the guard over our mouths:
Psalm 141:3 (KJV)
Set a watch, O Lord , before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
But how scary is the thought if Jesus keeps his peace against our foolish vows? It is terrible thought Christ keeps not a watch over our mouths, and rebukes us not for our faults. The silence of God is the true judgment. When God's words ceases to be heard, and when only it is us speaking, that is the judgment of God. God has left us from taking care of the words of our mouths and has ceased from speaking His words of authority over us. Then our own words will take us captive and send us to be prisoners to our own sinful vows:
Proverbs 6:2-5 (KJV)
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. [3] Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. [4] Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter , and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Christ is the deliverer that comes to free us from the traps of our tongue that we have set for our souls. But if He is not there to help us from our sinful state, we shall surely be swallowed up by death and the fire that we have set with our tongue. Let us flee from using our tongue for evil, lest Christ's cold silence leave us to ourselves with our own words. We need Christ's words to speak for us, and establish us and to make our words void. His word is the authority that controls our lives.
His making our words void come at the expense, for read the last verse of the passage, that if the husband makes void his wife's words after he heard them, he must bear her iniquity. Christ bore the consequences of our broken promises and unfaithfulness of our lips and the uncleanness of our lips. The consequence was Jesus Christ suffering the wrath of God on that tree. Jesus died the death that we should have died for every time we have spoken evil and falsehood with our mouths. Our mouths were made to praise God, but we have used it for evil, even to curse God. Who can stand in the everlasting burnings against those who have sinned with their mouths against God? We are like Isaiah:
Isaiah 6:5 (KJV)
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
How unclean are our mouths compared to this holy prophet of God! We would have undone ourselves, if Christ did not come and nullify every wicked sin we have committed with our mouths. But Christ bore instead the consequence of our broken promises, and died a cursed death for the evil of our mouths. Let us worship the risen Christ, to whom we have been married to, and die to the foolishness of our speech in which we once lived. Christ did not taste sin, but He still bore the consequence of our sins. He did it not that we may continue to sin, but that we may sin no more out of the gratitude of our hearts. We deserve to die for our sins, and taste the bitterness of eternal death. But Christ tasted it for us, that we may live. Let us live in His love, and give Him the offering of the praise of our lips:
Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; [11] And her husband heard it , and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. [12] But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her. [13] Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. [14] But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them . [15] But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them ; then he shall bear her iniquity.
If her husband hath utterly made them void.. then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips shall not stand. Our words as Christians are not important. It is overruled by words of Christ. We remember what Christ said:
Luke 21:33 (KJV)
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
But our words do pass away. Our words are like sand, upon which if a man builds a house, it shall be swept away like a house without foundation. Let us therefore not make much of man's words. Let us build not our lives upon theories and ideas of man, lest we be swept away on the Day of Judgment. Only doing Christ's words is important:
Matthew 7:24-27 (KJV)
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Even making much of a Christian's words is dangerous. A Christian, though he may say wise things, is still a wicked man who is living by the grace of God. A Christian only has anything worth to say if he repeats Christ's words. See what this law says, that every vow of the woman the husband may establish it or her husband may make it void. It is up to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has the authority over the Christian whether what we have said shall come to pass, or whether what we have said shall not come to pass. He has the authority over our lives. He tells us how to live and what our lives shall be. His words replace our words and our thoughts and our lives. Let us not confuse ourselves as though our words have any meaning beside from Jesus Christ's authority. Even when we preach or speak of the things of God, we know that Christ has the authority to make our words completely void, if we are speaking that which is not right.
Let us follow, then, this rule:
1 Peter 4:11 (KJV)
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God
Let us pray that God makes void all our foolish words that have not been reflections of God's scriptures. We must speak as living scriptures. That is why the mouth of the Christian exists. Let us remember that our words "shall not stand", if they are not a reflection or a proper explanation of Christ's words. Jesus Christ is the guard over our mouths:
Psalm 141:3 (KJV)
Set a watch, O Lord , before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
But how scary is the thought if Jesus keeps his peace against our foolish vows? It is terrible thought Christ keeps not a watch over our mouths, and rebukes us not for our faults. The silence of God is the true judgment. When God's words ceases to be heard, and when only it is us speaking, that is the judgment of God. God has left us from taking care of the words of our mouths and has ceased from speaking His words of authority over us. Then our own words will take us captive and send us to be prisoners to our own sinful vows:
Proverbs 6:2-5 (KJV)
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. [3] Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. [4] Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter , and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Christ is the deliverer that comes to free us from the traps of our tongue that we have set for our souls. But if He is not there to help us from our sinful state, we shall surely be swallowed up by death and the fire that we have set with our tongue. Let us flee from using our tongue for evil, lest Christ's cold silence leave us to ourselves with our own words. We need Christ's words to speak for us, and establish us and to make our words void. His word is the authority that controls our lives.
His making our words void come at the expense, for read the last verse of the passage, that if the husband makes void his wife's words after he heard them, he must bear her iniquity. Christ bore the consequences of our broken promises and unfaithfulness of our lips and the uncleanness of our lips. The consequence was Jesus Christ suffering the wrath of God on that tree. Jesus died the death that we should have died for every time we have spoken evil and falsehood with our mouths. Our mouths were made to praise God, but we have used it for evil, even to curse God. Who can stand in the everlasting burnings against those who have sinned with their mouths against God? We are like Isaiah:
Isaiah 6:5 (KJV)
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
How unclean are our mouths compared to this holy prophet of God! We would have undone ourselves, if Christ did not come and nullify every wicked sin we have committed with our mouths. But Christ bore instead the consequence of our broken promises, and died a cursed death for the evil of our mouths. Let us worship the risen Christ, to whom we have been married to, and die to the foolishness of our speech in which we once lived. Christ did not taste sin, but He still bore the consequence of our sins. He did it not that we may continue to sin, but that we may sin no more out of the gratitude of our hearts. We deserve to die for our sins, and taste the bitterness of eternal death. But Christ tasted it for us, that we may live. Let us live in His love, and give Him the offering of the praise of our lips:
Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
God our Father and our Saviour
Numbers 30:3-8 (KJV)
If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord , and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; [4] And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. [5] But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. [6] And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; [7] And her husband heard it , and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it : then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. [8] But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it ; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her.
Lord shall forgive her. It is clear here that it is sin to go back on any vow or oath that has been made, a sin that needs God's forgiveness. We ought to take heed, and watch our tongue, for the Lord will hold us accountable for any promises or oaths we have later make void. To say a thing, yet later say "I didn't mean it", is a great offense to God, for God would never do such a thing. God's word has gone forth, through Moses, prophets and through Jesus and His apostles, and it shall not return, but it shall perfectly accomplish the purpose for which He has spoken:
Isaiah 55:10-11 (KJV)
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: [11] So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
If we are to bear God's image, let us above all make our words as God's: purposeful and life-giving. Let us make our speech trustworthy to the hearer, as God's word is trustworthy. God hates unfulfilled oaths so much for this very reason, that it grows a culture of unbelief in those who have experienced it. God desires faith, but if we do not speak truthfully and faithfully, we grow in our hearer the weeds of doubt. Those who have been deceived think of God's holy word as unreliable as man's. Hence God calls our unfaithful words a clear SIN. And all forgiveness of sin is never free, but requires payment. Let us remember that Christ died even for our broken vows and oaths and all the looseness of our speech. Let us mourn for our own wickedness of our tongue that killed our Saviour. Let us not think that sin of the speech is a small sin. It is actually one of the most evil sins, the root of defilement:
Matthew 15:11 (KJV)
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
In this law, we see that God allowed provision of forgiveness to the woman, who is either still in her father's house, or married. The man, the father or the husband, has the authority to make void a vow that she has spoken on the day he heard it. There is no such provision of forgiveness for a man, but only to a woman. Women has less authority, but hence they have less responsibility. God understands that the woman is a spiritually weaker vessel, and provides her more provision for forgiveness. Even with the case of Adam and Eve, we can see it was Eve that was deceived first, but it is through the sin of Adam sin and death entered into the world. Eve was Adam's responsibility. Husbands who are married have the responsibility to take care of their wives, and Fathers their daughters, to pray for the forgiveness and cleansing of their sins, and to teach them the right way of God.
There is, however, a deeper meaning to this law. The woman signifies the Church, the bride of Jesus Christ. The Christian is one Spirit with Christ. And because the believer united with Christ, he is also a child of God through Christ. So Christians have God as his Father and also his Husband. This is how we Christians are able to be forgiven of the wrong vows that we have spoken. God makes our words void, and disallows the curses that we sometimes pronounce over ourselves to our own destruction. It does not come to pass, for God, who is our Father and our Saviour, makes our foolish speeches void. If God sometimes lets our vows to be allowed, then it is that we may watch our mouths and learn to "swear not at all", as Christ taught us.
It is not only the sins concerning vows, but any sin we Christians commit, we can be sure our Father and Saviour disallows to be imputed against us. Because upon Christ was imputed all our sins, God makes all our offenses void. God watches over us, and every time we fall, God is able to nullify our offenses, on the basis on what Christ has done for us. God is able to wipe the slate clean, because Christ bore our iniquities.
However, outside this relationship and covenant with God as the Father and the Husband our souls, we would never have this provision of forgiveness. Every foolish vows or promises we made will stand, with every broken ones coming back with vengeance upon our souls, for we have glorified not God. None of our sins could be cancelled or made void. For read the next verse:
Numbers 30:9 (KJV)
But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
A widow or a divorcee had no privilege of forgiveness, for she had left her father's house, and had no husband. She has no man over her to be responsible for her sins. Same is it not for the unbeliever? His soul is not united with Christ, but considers Him only a dead man on the cross. God is dead to him, therefore he is like a widowed wife with no help. Those, like Judas, who have forsaken the Lord in apostasy after a knowledge of Him, are like a woman who have divorced themselves from the relationship with her husband. These cannot expect Christ to take responsibility for their sins. Therefore, unbelievers and the betrayers of Jesus need to fend for themselves on the Day of Judgment. Unlike Christians, they shall have no Advocate whom they have trusted to defend their case with His own blood. As they spent their lives independent from Christ, Christ shall not be their help at all on that Day.
Let us give thanks to God who imputes not our sin against us, but imputes His righteousness to us instead. Let us be glad that we are as a woman who has both a Father and Husband to look after our sins. We are not like widows or divorced wives who have no strong Rock of a Husband to depend on. We are strong when we are weak, and dependent on Christ, the Saviour of the body. Let us thank Christ, who bore all our foolishness on His own body, that we may be forgiven of our sins. Let us worship Him who watches over the mistakes of our mouths and makes void all cursed bonds that we bring upon our bonds. Let us not abuse this grace, lest God holds His peace at our vows, and what we have said comes upon us. Let us watch our mouths, that we swear not neither by heaven, or by my own head, for that is self confidence and righteousness. Let us thank Him, by whose blood has made sin to be of "none effect", against us, dying the death we ought to have died. See how He made sin and death void for us by His own death and resurrection:
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (KJV)
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah to Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God.
If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord , and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; [4] And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. [5] But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. [6] And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; [7] And her husband heard it , and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it : then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. [8] But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it ; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her.
Lord shall forgive her. It is clear here that it is sin to go back on any vow or oath that has been made, a sin that needs God's forgiveness. We ought to take heed, and watch our tongue, for the Lord will hold us accountable for any promises or oaths we have later make void. To say a thing, yet later say "I didn't mean it", is a great offense to God, for God would never do such a thing. God's word has gone forth, through Moses, prophets and through Jesus and His apostles, and it shall not return, but it shall perfectly accomplish the purpose for which He has spoken:
Isaiah 55:10-11 (KJV)
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: [11] So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
If we are to bear God's image, let us above all make our words as God's: purposeful and life-giving. Let us make our speech trustworthy to the hearer, as God's word is trustworthy. God hates unfulfilled oaths so much for this very reason, that it grows a culture of unbelief in those who have experienced it. God desires faith, but if we do not speak truthfully and faithfully, we grow in our hearer the weeds of doubt. Those who have been deceived think of God's holy word as unreliable as man's. Hence God calls our unfaithful words a clear SIN. And all forgiveness of sin is never free, but requires payment. Let us remember that Christ died even for our broken vows and oaths and all the looseness of our speech. Let us mourn for our own wickedness of our tongue that killed our Saviour. Let us not think that sin of the speech is a small sin. It is actually one of the most evil sins, the root of defilement:
Matthew 15:11 (KJV)
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
In this law, we see that God allowed provision of forgiveness to the woman, who is either still in her father's house, or married. The man, the father or the husband, has the authority to make void a vow that she has spoken on the day he heard it. There is no such provision of forgiveness for a man, but only to a woman. Women has less authority, but hence they have less responsibility. God understands that the woman is a spiritually weaker vessel, and provides her more provision for forgiveness. Even with the case of Adam and Eve, we can see it was Eve that was deceived first, but it is through the sin of Adam sin and death entered into the world. Eve was Adam's responsibility. Husbands who are married have the responsibility to take care of their wives, and Fathers their daughters, to pray for the forgiveness and cleansing of their sins, and to teach them the right way of God.
There is, however, a deeper meaning to this law. The woman signifies the Church, the bride of Jesus Christ. The Christian is one Spirit with Christ. And because the believer united with Christ, he is also a child of God through Christ. So Christians have God as his Father and also his Husband. This is how we Christians are able to be forgiven of the wrong vows that we have spoken. God makes our words void, and disallows the curses that we sometimes pronounce over ourselves to our own destruction. It does not come to pass, for God, who is our Father and our Saviour, makes our foolish speeches void. If God sometimes lets our vows to be allowed, then it is that we may watch our mouths and learn to "swear not at all", as Christ taught us.
It is not only the sins concerning vows, but any sin we Christians commit, we can be sure our Father and Saviour disallows to be imputed against us. Because upon Christ was imputed all our sins, God makes all our offenses void. God watches over us, and every time we fall, God is able to nullify our offenses, on the basis on what Christ has done for us. God is able to wipe the slate clean, because Christ bore our iniquities.
However, outside this relationship and covenant with God as the Father and the Husband our souls, we would never have this provision of forgiveness. Every foolish vows or promises we made will stand, with every broken ones coming back with vengeance upon our souls, for we have glorified not God. None of our sins could be cancelled or made void. For read the next verse:
Numbers 30:9 (KJV)
But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
A widow or a divorcee had no privilege of forgiveness, for she had left her father's house, and had no husband. She has no man over her to be responsible for her sins. Same is it not for the unbeliever? His soul is not united with Christ, but considers Him only a dead man on the cross. God is dead to him, therefore he is like a widowed wife with no help. Those, like Judas, who have forsaken the Lord in apostasy after a knowledge of Him, are like a woman who have divorced themselves from the relationship with her husband. These cannot expect Christ to take responsibility for their sins. Therefore, unbelievers and the betrayers of Jesus need to fend for themselves on the Day of Judgment. Unlike Christians, they shall have no Advocate whom they have trusted to defend their case with His own blood. As they spent their lives independent from Christ, Christ shall not be their help at all on that Day.
Let us give thanks to God who imputes not our sin against us, but imputes His righteousness to us instead. Let us be glad that we are as a woman who has both a Father and Husband to look after our sins. We are not like widows or divorced wives who have no strong Rock of a Husband to depend on. We are strong when we are weak, and dependent on Christ, the Saviour of the body. Let us thank Christ, who bore all our foolishness on His own body, that we may be forgiven of our sins. Let us worship Him who watches over the mistakes of our mouths and makes void all cursed bonds that we bring upon our bonds. Let us not abuse this grace, lest God holds His peace at our vows, and what we have said comes upon us. Let us watch our mouths, that we swear not neither by heaven, or by my own head, for that is self confidence and righteousness. Let us thank Him, by whose blood has made sin to be of "none effect", against us, dying the death we ought to have died. See how He made sin and death void for us by His own death and resurrection:
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (KJV)
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah to Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Are your words like Jesus Christ, the Word of God?
Numbers 30:1-2 (KJV)
And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. [2] If a man vow a vow unto the Lord , or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Why does God expect us fulfill the promises of our mouths? It is primarily because God is always faithful to His promises that He has spoken. It should baffle our minds to think about the fact that God has never spoke an idle or vain word, ever. He performs everything he said he would do, and all that He has said was never for nothing, but for always for specific purpose to bring glory to Himself. God expects us to reflect His own glory. He desires that we always do what we say, because that's what God does. See how serious God is about this:
Matthew 12:36 (KJV)
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Any word that we have spoken that we did not perform, or any word that we have spoken in vain, or for no purpose, we shall give account of on the Day of Judgment. How shall we then tremble before any word proceed out of our mouths.
Why is God so serious about our spoken words? Because of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word of God. God's Word is not just a thing, it is a Living Person. This is why there is power in God's Word, because He is alive. By Him, by His Word, God created the world. By Him, by the preaching of the Gospel, He also saves sinners. When we speak filthy, vain words, we devalue God's Son. When we are unfaithful with our promises, we declare that Jesus Christ is unfaithful or untrustworthy. Our words must be holy, pure and life-giving like Jesus Christ. Let us never put filthy conversation in our mouths.
God is serious about all words, but He takes particular care concerning our oaths or vows. Why is this? Because God's oaths have to do with His covenant with man, especially that concerning His salvation. Whenever we even dare take an oath or a vow, we are to remember how God swore an oath to Abraham:
Genesis 22:16-18 (KJV)
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord , for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son : [17] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; [18] And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
See how God swore an oath to Abraham that in his Seed shall all the nations be blessed. He fulfilled this oath through Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world, and is still fulfilling it through the preaching of the Gospel. If God said it once, without any oath, it would still be reliable for it is impossible for God to lie. But if He spoke an oath, how sure is the confirmation of His promises? This is the assuredness of our blessing of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. As it is written:
Hebrews 6:16-18 (KJV)
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. [17] Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: [18] That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
This law says that when a man swears an oath, his soul is bound with that oath. We swear an oath when we are married that we would love and cherish our spouses and be faithful until death do us apart. When we break this vow, there are consequences upon our soul. God also has sworn an oath concerning us, binding His own Spirit forever with the promise of the covenant that He will forgive our sins and remember our iniquities no more. This He swears upon the basis of the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jeremiah 31:33-34 (KJV)
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord , I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Our covenant is the more secure because it is not between God and us primarily, but between God and His Son. It is not conditional upon our performance, but upon the performance of Jesus Christ. God swears an oath by Himself, and also makes a covenant with His own self. Man has no part in it, but that we by faith are united with Christ, and through Christ alone we have a covenant with God. Read:
Genesis 17:7-8 (KJV)
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
And:
Psalm 89:34-36 (KJV)
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. [35] Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. [36] His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
God's everlasting covenant was between Abraham and his Seed, who is the Christ. This covenant was not between us and God directly. If it was, and if it was dependent on our works, it would have been broken a long time ago, due to our weakness and unfaithfulness. God tried making a covenant with man directly before, when He took Israel out of Egypt in a covenant of works. But how did they fail by their disobedience and their weakness! For read:
Jeremiah 31:32 (KJV)
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord :
Israel was unfaithful to their covenant covenant with God, and committed spiritual adultery with other gods. It experimentally showed that it was not possible for God to make an everlasting covenant with man. But thank the Lord, that Christ became a man under the covenant of works, made under the law, kept the law, and not only that, even died for the sins committed under this covenant. Therefore, by faith, being united with Christ's death, we died to the covenant of works, which we could not fulfill. We have entered into the covenant of grace with Christ's resurrection from the dead. Christ is our representative, and by His everlasting priesthood, we are saved from the law, sin and the wrath of God. Our covenant with God is dependent on Christ's life and Christ's performance. Believers are saved as long as Christ is alive, for Christ always lives to do those things pleasing to His Father. See how pleased God was to make Christ our High Priest forever:
Hebrews 7:21-28 (KJV)
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) [22] By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. [23] And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: [24] But this man , because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. [25] Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. [26] For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; [27] Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. [28] For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son,
who is consecrated for evermore.
Jesus Christ, by His death paying forever our sins by one sacrifice of His own self on the altar of the cross, was made a high priest, continuing forever in the power of His eternal life. He is forever interceding for our sins, that our sins may be forgiven, and that they be remembered no more.
Since we have this everlasting High Priest, whose job is to forgive and cleanse our sins, why should we be worried anymore because of our sins? We should simply come to God, putting our confidence in Christ, our sacrifice. Our salvation is dependent on Christ, and we can be sure that Christ shall never change. He is the Anchor of our souls. Why should we be worried about the storms around us, when we have Christ our salvation in our boats. Who cares if our bodies perish because of the storm? We know our souls at the least we shall be saved, and we have assurance of our resurrection. Why should we be afraid, when God will be our God, and He shall never leave us forsake us, nor cut off His lovingkindness from us, no matter what we do. Hallelujah to God.
Are we 100% confident that we can keep our vows and oaths, as God perfectly and faithfully keeps His oaths to us concerning our salvation? If not, we ought to take Christ's advice:
Matthew 5:34-36 (KJV)
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: [35] Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. [36] Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Let us swear not at all, for we can't even come close to God's faithfulness on His promises. We are better if we say nothing at all, than to diminish the glory of God in His oaths. Let us simply believe in God's promises for us, and marvel at His ability to carry out the word that has proceeded from His mouth. Let us awe at especially how God carried out His word by sending His Son. God has spoken all that He can speak, by making His Word to become flesh and to dwell among us. How shall we escape, if we believe not Him who is the very Word of God, and take God for a liar? We shall surely perish for we have mocked His beloved Son. Father, grant us faith, to believe more in Your Word. I pray in Christ's name.
John 5:24 (KJV)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. [2] If a man vow a vow unto the Lord , or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Why does God expect us fulfill the promises of our mouths? It is primarily because God is always faithful to His promises that He has spoken. It should baffle our minds to think about the fact that God has never spoke an idle or vain word, ever. He performs everything he said he would do, and all that He has said was never for nothing, but for always for specific purpose to bring glory to Himself. God expects us to reflect His own glory. He desires that we always do what we say, because that's what God does. See how serious God is about this:
Matthew 12:36 (KJV)
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Any word that we have spoken that we did not perform, or any word that we have spoken in vain, or for no purpose, we shall give account of on the Day of Judgment. How shall we then tremble before any word proceed out of our mouths.
Why is God so serious about our spoken words? Because of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word of God. God's Word is not just a thing, it is a Living Person. This is why there is power in God's Word, because He is alive. By Him, by His Word, God created the world. By Him, by the preaching of the Gospel, He also saves sinners. When we speak filthy, vain words, we devalue God's Son. When we are unfaithful with our promises, we declare that Jesus Christ is unfaithful or untrustworthy. Our words must be holy, pure and life-giving like Jesus Christ. Let us never put filthy conversation in our mouths.
God is serious about all words, but He takes particular care concerning our oaths or vows. Why is this? Because God's oaths have to do with His covenant with man, especially that concerning His salvation. Whenever we even dare take an oath or a vow, we are to remember how God swore an oath to Abraham:
Genesis 22:16-18 (KJV)
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord , for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son : [17] That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; [18] And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
See how God swore an oath to Abraham that in his Seed shall all the nations be blessed. He fulfilled this oath through Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world, and is still fulfilling it through the preaching of the Gospel. If God said it once, without any oath, it would still be reliable for it is impossible for God to lie. But if He spoke an oath, how sure is the confirmation of His promises? This is the assuredness of our blessing of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. As it is written:
Hebrews 6:16-18 (KJV)
For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. [17] Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: [18] That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
This law says that when a man swears an oath, his soul is bound with that oath. We swear an oath when we are married that we would love and cherish our spouses and be faithful until death do us apart. When we break this vow, there are consequences upon our soul. God also has sworn an oath concerning us, binding His own Spirit forever with the promise of the covenant that He will forgive our sins and remember our iniquities no more. This He swears upon the basis of the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jeremiah 31:33-34 (KJV)
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord , I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Our covenant is the more secure because it is not between God and us primarily, but between God and His Son. It is not conditional upon our performance, but upon the performance of Jesus Christ. God swears an oath by Himself, and also makes a covenant with His own self. Man has no part in it, but that we by faith are united with Christ, and through Christ alone we have a covenant with God. Read:
Genesis 17:7-8 (KJV)
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. [8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
And:
Psalm 89:34-36 (KJV)
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. [35] Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. [36] His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
God's everlasting covenant was between Abraham and his Seed, who is the Christ. This covenant was not between us and God directly. If it was, and if it was dependent on our works, it would have been broken a long time ago, due to our weakness and unfaithfulness. God tried making a covenant with man directly before, when He took Israel out of Egypt in a covenant of works. But how did they fail by their disobedience and their weakness! For read:
Jeremiah 31:32 (KJV)
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord :
Israel was unfaithful to their covenant covenant with God, and committed spiritual adultery with other gods. It experimentally showed that it was not possible for God to make an everlasting covenant with man. But thank the Lord, that Christ became a man under the covenant of works, made under the law, kept the law, and not only that, even died for the sins committed under this covenant. Therefore, by faith, being united with Christ's death, we died to the covenant of works, which we could not fulfill. We have entered into the covenant of grace with Christ's resurrection from the dead. Christ is our representative, and by His everlasting priesthood, we are saved from the law, sin and the wrath of God. Our covenant with God is dependent on Christ's life and Christ's performance. Believers are saved as long as Christ is alive, for Christ always lives to do those things pleasing to His Father. See how pleased God was to make Christ our High Priest forever:
Hebrews 7:21-28 (KJV)
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) [22] By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. [23] And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: [24] But this man , because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. [25] Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. [26] For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; [27] Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. [28] For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son,
who is consecrated for evermore.
Jesus Christ, by His death paying forever our sins by one sacrifice of His own self on the altar of the cross, was made a high priest, continuing forever in the power of His eternal life. He is forever interceding for our sins, that our sins may be forgiven, and that they be remembered no more.
Since we have this everlasting High Priest, whose job is to forgive and cleanse our sins, why should we be worried anymore because of our sins? We should simply come to God, putting our confidence in Christ, our sacrifice. Our salvation is dependent on Christ, and we can be sure that Christ shall never change. He is the Anchor of our souls. Why should we be worried about the storms around us, when we have Christ our salvation in our boats. Who cares if our bodies perish because of the storm? We know our souls at the least we shall be saved, and we have assurance of our resurrection. Why should we be afraid, when God will be our God, and He shall never leave us forsake us, nor cut off His lovingkindness from us, no matter what we do. Hallelujah to God.
Are we 100% confident that we can keep our vows and oaths, as God perfectly and faithfully keeps His oaths to us concerning our salvation? If not, we ought to take Christ's advice:
Matthew 5:34-36 (KJV)
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: [35] Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. [36] Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Let us swear not at all, for we can't even come close to God's faithfulness on His promises. We are better if we say nothing at all, than to diminish the glory of God in His oaths. Let us simply believe in God's promises for us, and marvel at His ability to carry out the word that has proceeded from His mouth. Let us awe at especially how God carried out His word by sending His Son. God has spoken all that He can speak, by making His Word to become flesh and to dwell among us. How shall we escape, if we believe not Him who is the very Word of God, and take God for a liar? We shall surely perish for we have mocked His beloved Son. Father, grant us faith, to believe more in Your Word. I pray in Christ's name.
John 5:24 (KJV)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Love, doing more than what is required
Numbers 29:39 (KJV)
These things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.
God commands that these offerings of the feasts are to be given, without forgetting the other offerings that are not confined to particular dates or seasons, such as freewill or vows. What can we learn from this? We ought not always do things in our Christian walk out of compulsion, simply because they are the 'right thing' to do, or because they are part of some Christian 'to do' list. God gave us a free will, so that we would love God and others freely and willingly. When we do the bare minimum, that which is forced, and give which is expected we are not really loving. To love is to go beyond what is required. To love is to surprise the person with a good gift that he was not expecting. This is what Jesus Christ has done for us. His cross was a choice that He made, that eternal life may be given to those who were only expecting death. He gave us more than we deserve. This is why we are to love those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, to hold our peace when we are reviled, to do good to those who do evil to us. To love is going one more mile with those who asked us to go one mile, and giving the other side of the cheek to those who strike us on one side, giving our coat as well to those who ask for our shirt. We don't need to do these things, in terms of fairness. But we do them because we want to go beyond what is fair. We realize we do need to do these things in light of what God has done for us. Doesn't God also always give more than we ask for, and give us abundantly that our cup overflows? We also ought to do the same.
Just as these offerings that were not constraint by time could be given at any time during the year without restrictions, there is no law that stops us from doing that which is good. Read what Paul said:
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Against love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, there is no law. There are no restrictions or limits to where you can go with these. This is a picture of heaven, where there will be perfect freedom to do that which is good. There are no restrictions stopping us from being gentle or meek and patient. There are also no set times or dates to be loving, joyful or peaceful or faithful. These ought to be offerings given unto the Lord as often as we desire, of our own will, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We also ought to confess our sins to God freely. We ought not to do the bare minimum, and confess our guilt only on Sunday service, or just so that we avoid chastisement. This is not loving God. We ought to offer our burnt and peace offerings willingly at any moment, at any day, that we may be reconciled to Him at all times, even when everything is going right. How many times do we confess our sins when all things finally go wrong, and never when all things are going right? We ought to be like Job, who offered his sacrifices for his children even during feast times. If we have sinned, we can't wait till Sunday to be right with God. We can't wait till we are forced by God, until we come under full conviction of the Spirit. We ought to confess and renounce our sins as soon as possible, that we may be one with Christ again.
Christianity is more than simply following the rules. In fact the Gospel is opposite to keeping the rules. It is realizing we can't nor have kept the rules, but that Christ nevertheless died for our iniquities and transgressions that we may be God's children. Christianity is realizing this grace of God, and living our lives so that our lives willingly glorify the one who died for us. This is more than just keeping the commandments. In fact we see from Timothy what the Law is actually for:
1 Timothy 1:8-10 (KJV)
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, [10] For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
The law is only the minimum requirement. It is for those who have so far gone away from the standard of God. Law is not for righteous, for those who has been justified by God. For remember the things Jesus said in the sermon on the mount. He did not lower the standards, but He lifted the standard so high that no man can possibly reach it. This is because Jesus Christ is the real standard that is required of God. Read what He said:
Matthew 5:20 (KJV)
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said we are not just to commit adultery the act, but not even look at a woman with lust. He said not just to murder, but don't even hate anyone or call anyone a fool. He said do good to those who hate you, who do nothing but curse you. Who in this world is that righteous? Nobody. But these are things Christ has done. He didn't just keep written rules, but pleased God in every way, far beyond the law. We ought to tremble at Christ the perfect righteous of God, and see how FAR we have fallen from the glory of God who is Christ. How far have we fallen, then, if we have broken His minimum requirements of the written law! We ought to set our standards HIGH, as HIGH as Jesus Christ. We ought to aim to be like Jesus Christ, and never be satisfied at our righteous standing, for we are evil when compared to Christ. No matter how much we have obeyed the scriptures, we are still lacking compared Him. Let us remember that we are following a Person, not just a written rule book.
However, another thing that we learn from this law is that we ought to not ONLY give unto the Lord that which is from our free will. This is the other side of the extreme. Some Christians are convinced they can do anything they want to please God, while neglecting to do those things that God requires. They forget that Christianity is also about going against our will, and doing the Father's will, even at the cost of losing our lives. It is dying to our will and keeping the commandments of God, to please Him. We are free, yet we are bondservants of Christ. We are slaves of righteousness. Our free will must be conformed and imprisoned by God's will, otherwise we sin against Him. We keep the commandments of God, not because through it we are justified, but because we know He who commanded also gave His life for our sins. We are compelled by His love to do as He commands, knowing that Christ died for our lawlessness.
Let us then lean neither to the left nor to the right. Let us do the one while not leaving the other undone. Christ can help us to walk this supernatural path between legalism and grace-abusing liberality. We can't walk this narrow without the power of God over our lives. Let us trust in Christ, and He will guide us through this walk. Our hope is in Christ. Lord, help us not to lean to any extreme, but help us to follow You. Amen.
These things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.
God commands that these offerings of the feasts are to be given, without forgetting the other offerings that are not confined to particular dates or seasons, such as freewill or vows. What can we learn from this? We ought not always do things in our Christian walk out of compulsion, simply because they are the 'right thing' to do, or because they are part of some Christian 'to do' list. God gave us a free will, so that we would love God and others freely and willingly. When we do the bare minimum, that which is forced, and give which is expected we are not really loving. To love is to go beyond what is required. To love is to surprise the person with a good gift that he was not expecting. This is what Jesus Christ has done for us. His cross was a choice that He made, that eternal life may be given to those who were only expecting death. He gave us more than we deserve. This is why we are to love those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, to hold our peace when we are reviled, to do good to those who do evil to us. To love is going one more mile with those who asked us to go one mile, and giving the other side of the cheek to those who strike us on one side, giving our coat as well to those who ask for our shirt. We don't need to do these things, in terms of fairness. But we do them because we want to go beyond what is fair. We realize we do need to do these things in light of what God has done for us. Doesn't God also always give more than we ask for, and give us abundantly that our cup overflows? We also ought to do the same.
Just as these offerings that were not constraint by time could be given at any time during the year without restrictions, there is no law that stops us from doing that which is good. Read what Paul said:
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Against love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, there is no law. There are no restrictions or limits to where you can go with these. This is a picture of heaven, where there will be perfect freedom to do that which is good. There are no restrictions stopping us from being gentle or meek and patient. There are also no set times or dates to be loving, joyful or peaceful or faithful. These ought to be offerings given unto the Lord as often as we desire, of our own will, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We also ought to confess our sins to God freely. We ought not to do the bare minimum, and confess our guilt only on Sunday service, or just so that we avoid chastisement. This is not loving God. We ought to offer our burnt and peace offerings willingly at any moment, at any day, that we may be reconciled to Him at all times, even when everything is going right. How many times do we confess our sins when all things finally go wrong, and never when all things are going right? We ought to be like Job, who offered his sacrifices for his children even during feast times. If we have sinned, we can't wait till Sunday to be right with God. We can't wait till we are forced by God, until we come under full conviction of the Spirit. We ought to confess and renounce our sins as soon as possible, that we may be one with Christ again.
Christianity is more than simply following the rules. In fact the Gospel is opposite to keeping the rules. It is realizing we can't nor have kept the rules, but that Christ nevertheless died for our iniquities and transgressions that we may be God's children. Christianity is realizing this grace of God, and living our lives so that our lives willingly glorify the one who died for us. This is more than just keeping the commandments. In fact we see from Timothy what the Law is actually for:
1 Timothy 1:8-10 (KJV)
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, [10] For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
The law is only the minimum requirement. It is for those who have so far gone away from the standard of God. Law is not for righteous, for those who has been justified by God. For remember the things Jesus said in the sermon on the mount. He did not lower the standards, but He lifted the standard so high that no man can possibly reach it. This is because Jesus Christ is the real standard that is required of God. Read what He said:
Matthew 5:20 (KJV)
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said we are not just to commit adultery the act, but not even look at a woman with lust. He said not just to murder, but don't even hate anyone or call anyone a fool. He said do good to those who hate you, who do nothing but curse you. Who in this world is that righteous? Nobody. But these are things Christ has done. He didn't just keep written rules, but pleased God in every way, far beyond the law. We ought to tremble at Christ the perfect righteous of God, and see how FAR we have fallen from the glory of God who is Christ. How far have we fallen, then, if we have broken His minimum requirements of the written law! We ought to set our standards HIGH, as HIGH as Jesus Christ. We ought to aim to be like Jesus Christ, and never be satisfied at our righteous standing, for we are evil when compared to Christ. No matter how much we have obeyed the scriptures, we are still lacking compared Him. Let us remember that we are following a Person, not just a written rule book.
However, another thing that we learn from this law is that we ought to not ONLY give unto the Lord that which is from our free will. This is the other side of the extreme. Some Christians are convinced they can do anything they want to please God, while neglecting to do those things that God requires. They forget that Christianity is also about going against our will, and doing the Father's will, even at the cost of losing our lives. It is dying to our will and keeping the commandments of God, to please Him. We are free, yet we are bondservants of Christ. We are slaves of righteousness. Our free will must be conformed and imprisoned by God's will, otherwise we sin against Him. We keep the commandments of God, not because through it we are justified, but because we know He who commanded also gave His life for our sins. We are compelled by His love to do as He commands, knowing that Christ died for our lawlessness.
Let us then lean neither to the left nor to the right. Let us do the one while not leaving the other undone. Christ can help us to walk this supernatural path between legalism and grace-abusing liberality. We can't walk this narrow without the power of God over our lives. Let us trust in Christ, and He will guide us through this walk. Our hope is in Christ. Lord, help us not to lean to any extreme, but help us to follow You. Amen.
Friday, June 17, 2011
He must increase, but I must decrease
Numbers 29:12-16 (ESV)
"On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days. [13] And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; [14] and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, [15] and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; [16] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
The fifteenth day of the seventh month was the feast of booths, in which Israel were to spend seven days in booths to remember their time in the wilderness when God brought them out from Egypt. Why were they to keep this feast? That when they enter into the promised land, they would remember that they were sojourners, with no permanent home on that other side of the Jordan.
Likewise, we Christians also have no lasting city on this earth. We are sojourners here, and we dwell in temporary booths of our body, which is ready to waste away. Our home the New Jersusalem is where our hearts belong, for there we have stored eternal treasures. It is where our Treasure, Christ, is. Jesus Christ has gone before us to prepare a place for us in His Father's house, in which are many rooms. In heaven, the hardship and suffering that we went through on earth will be considered a cause for celebration. We will rejoice there, knowing how much we have compared to when we were pilgrims on earth. Surely we are most miserable of all if only on this world we have hope. But God has promised for us a kingdom which we will inherit, and hope of resurrection in a glorious body.
The purpose of this feast was then that Israel would rejoice in the Lord:
Leviticus 23:40 (ESV)
And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
While feast of trumpets and the day of atonement were solemn assemblies where Israel were to think of the seriousness of their sins and the greatness of God's mercy, the feast of booths was a feast to celebrate and to rejoice before God who had saved them. Likewise we do well to not only be grave and mournful over our sins and our Saviour's sacrifice, but also to rejoice before our God for what He has done for us. Through this feast, God is teaching us rejoicing is what we will be doing in heaven. We will keep the feast there, with palm trees in our hands:
Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Thirteen bulls from the herd. On the first day of this feast Israel was commanded to offer thirteen bulls, then on the second day twelve, and on the third day eleven and so on, until on the seventh day seven bulls were required. What does this decrease in the number of offering suggest?
Perhaps it signifies the sanctification process of the saint. This interpretation is fitting, as the feast was about Israel's time in the wilderness, in which Israel was tested and sanctified.
Likewise, when we were saved and began this journey in the wilderness with Jesus, at first there were great battles with sin. Israel also, how much did they rebel and sin before God when they first began their journey, even from the moment they set foot out from the ground of the Red Sea! But slowly, as we learn to discern good and evil and learn the fear and the grace of the Lord, and as we learn how to walk in the Spirit and how to die with Christ and how to hear the voice of our Shepherd, we sin less and less, and become holier and holier. There is less covering of sin needed. Sure, the saint as he grows realizes increasingly how depraved and dead he is apart from Christ, but his faith in Christ grows. It is like Abraham, whose body became more dead as the years went pass, and more he hated his and his Sarah's bodies for their inability to make a seed, but his faith in God who can do impossible things grew more and more, giving glory by faith unto Him. It is so with the Christian. As we realize the greatness of God's love and grace over us, we don't sin more, as wicked men would presume, but we become less sinful. We see that it is all by grace, and without his grace we would have never even breathed. We realize what wicked sins have we repaid our master, who loved us so much. We so begin to sin less, not in order to be saved, but because we realize we have been saved and are debtors. We more willingly give ourselves to Him, and increasingly it becomes not a grudge to walk with Him. And we give up more and more of ourselves and our sins. Our old man dies more and more, losing his strength everyday on the cross. It comes to pass as it was said by John the Baptist:
John 3:30 (ESV)
He must increase, but I must decrease.
As the road becomes narrower and narrower, we have to give up the loads that we have carried with us, that at last, we will have nothing left for us but Jesus Christ. As it is written:
Numbers 29:35-36 (ESV)
"On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, [36] but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish,
On the last day Israel was to offer only one bull. In the end of our lives for us also, we only have one thing left, Jesus Christ's grace for us. Our bodies shall waste away, and our possessions will mean nothing, and we will be ready to part with our family. There will only be left the love of God which is Jesus Christ, which even death cannot separate. There will be nothing left but the word of God that has been sown in our hearts. There will be no other business on our deathbed, but pleasing the Lord. There will be no thought of this world, but only of eternity and the hope of the resurrection. How glorious shall we be when we enter in, trusting only in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. All who trust in their own righteousness and other gods shall be ashamed, as they find themselves in Hell. That God would rescue people who do not know Jesus Christ that are in the earth! There is no hope outside Christ. That men would know that ALL that matters at the last Day will be whether we have Jesus or not!
Let us decrease every day, and let Christ increase in us every day. All human beings are same on their deathbed. All human beings may not have many things in common, but one thing we all share, the wretchedness of our death because of our sins. Let us remember that Jesus Christ is all that matters. Let us die with Him now, crucified with Him, that we would not be ashamed on judgment day, realizing we have lived our lives for ourselves, and not for Him who died and rose again. Let us pray to God to sanctify us completely, working death in us, that we may partake in Christ's glorious life. Let us forsake every load that which is not Christ's yoke, that we can walk this narrow road to salvation. Let us endure suffering here as a good soldier of Christ, knowing that in heaven we will rejoice. Thank You Lord, for Your word:
Matthew 10:38-39 (ESV)
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [39] Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
"On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days. [13] And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; [14] and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, [15] and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; [16] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.
The fifteenth day of the seventh month was the feast of booths, in which Israel were to spend seven days in booths to remember their time in the wilderness when God brought them out from Egypt. Why were they to keep this feast? That when they enter into the promised land, they would remember that they were sojourners, with no permanent home on that other side of the Jordan.
Likewise, we Christians also have no lasting city on this earth. We are sojourners here, and we dwell in temporary booths of our body, which is ready to waste away. Our home the New Jersusalem is where our hearts belong, for there we have stored eternal treasures. It is where our Treasure, Christ, is. Jesus Christ has gone before us to prepare a place for us in His Father's house, in which are many rooms. In heaven, the hardship and suffering that we went through on earth will be considered a cause for celebration. We will rejoice there, knowing how much we have compared to when we were pilgrims on earth. Surely we are most miserable of all if only on this world we have hope. But God has promised for us a kingdom which we will inherit, and hope of resurrection in a glorious body.
The purpose of this feast was then that Israel would rejoice in the Lord:
Leviticus 23:40 (ESV)
And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
While feast of trumpets and the day of atonement were solemn assemblies where Israel were to think of the seriousness of their sins and the greatness of God's mercy, the feast of booths was a feast to celebrate and to rejoice before God who had saved them. Likewise we do well to not only be grave and mournful over our sins and our Saviour's sacrifice, but also to rejoice before our God for what He has done for us. Through this feast, God is teaching us rejoicing is what we will be doing in heaven. We will keep the feast there, with palm trees in our hands:
Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Thirteen bulls from the herd. On the first day of this feast Israel was commanded to offer thirteen bulls, then on the second day twelve, and on the third day eleven and so on, until on the seventh day seven bulls were required. What does this decrease in the number of offering suggest?
Perhaps it signifies the sanctification process of the saint. This interpretation is fitting, as the feast was about Israel's time in the wilderness, in which Israel was tested and sanctified.
Likewise, when we were saved and began this journey in the wilderness with Jesus, at first there were great battles with sin. Israel also, how much did they rebel and sin before God when they first began their journey, even from the moment they set foot out from the ground of the Red Sea! But slowly, as we learn to discern good and evil and learn the fear and the grace of the Lord, and as we learn how to walk in the Spirit and how to die with Christ and how to hear the voice of our Shepherd, we sin less and less, and become holier and holier. There is less covering of sin needed. Sure, the saint as he grows realizes increasingly how depraved and dead he is apart from Christ, but his faith in Christ grows. It is like Abraham, whose body became more dead as the years went pass, and more he hated his and his Sarah's bodies for their inability to make a seed, but his faith in God who can do impossible things grew more and more, giving glory by faith unto Him. It is so with the Christian. As we realize the greatness of God's love and grace over us, we don't sin more, as wicked men would presume, but we become less sinful. We see that it is all by grace, and without his grace we would have never even breathed. We realize what wicked sins have we repaid our master, who loved us so much. We so begin to sin less, not in order to be saved, but because we realize we have been saved and are debtors. We more willingly give ourselves to Him, and increasingly it becomes not a grudge to walk with Him. And we give up more and more of ourselves and our sins. Our old man dies more and more, losing his strength everyday on the cross. It comes to pass as it was said by John the Baptist:
John 3:30 (ESV)
He must increase, but I must decrease.
As the road becomes narrower and narrower, we have to give up the loads that we have carried with us, that at last, we will have nothing left for us but Jesus Christ. As it is written:
Numbers 29:35-36 (ESV)
"On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, [36] but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish,
On the last day Israel was to offer only one bull. In the end of our lives for us also, we only have one thing left, Jesus Christ's grace for us. Our bodies shall waste away, and our possessions will mean nothing, and we will be ready to part with our family. There will only be left the love of God which is Jesus Christ, which even death cannot separate. There will be nothing left but the word of God that has been sown in our hearts. There will be no other business on our deathbed, but pleasing the Lord. There will be no thought of this world, but only of eternity and the hope of the resurrection. How glorious shall we be when we enter in, trusting only in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. All who trust in their own righteousness and other gods shall be ashamed, as they find themselves in Hell. That God would rescue people who do not know Jesus Christ that are in the earth! There is no hope outside Christ. That men would know that ALL that matters at the last Day will be whether we have Jesus or not!
Let us decrease every day, and let Christ increase in us every day. All human beings are same on their deathbed. All human beings may not have many things in common, but one thing we all share, the wretchedness of our death because of our sins. Let us remember that Jesus Christ is all that matters. Let us die with Him now, crucified with Him, that we would not be ashamed on judgment day, realizing we have lived our lives for ourselves, and not for Him who died and rose again. Let us pray to God to sanctify us completely, working death in us, that we may partake in Christ's glorious life. Let us forsake every load that which is not Christ's yoke, that we can walk this narrow road to salvation. Let us endure suffering here as a good soldier of Christ, knowing that in heaven we will rejoice. Thank You Lord, for Your word:
Matthew 10:38-39 (ESV)
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [39] Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
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