November Quotes

The Bible, as a revelation from God, was not designed to give us all the information we might desire, nor to solve all the questions about which the human soul is perplexed, but to impart enough to be a safe guide to the haven of eternal rest. 

-Albert Barnes

Only he who can say, “The Lord is the strength of my life” can go on to say, “Of whom shall I be afraid?” 

-Alexander Maclaren

If Pastor John Piper has coined the phrase, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him,” then I would like to (by way of complement) coin the phrase, “God is most satisfied in himself when Christ is most glorified in us.” 

-Mark Jones

If you kill Him, He dies to redeem. If you bury Him, He rises again to bring resurrection.

-Spurgeon

God loves you. His eyes are upon you every moment (2 Chronicles 16:9). You are never out of His thoughts (Isaiah 49:15). He loves you“with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). And nothing will ever “be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). You did nothing to deserve His love. You don’t do anything to maintain it. You didn’t earn it, so you can never lose it. God has chosen to set His love on you, not because of who you are but because of who He is. He is your Father, and you are His child. 

-James MacDonald

The battle after the battle is real. 

-Nancy Leigh DeMoss

There is a wonderful wideness in God’s mercy. Meditate on the rich truth that God abundantly pardons. Take it personally.

-Joseph M. Stowell

It is enough that the man who refuses to assert himself, seeking no recognition by men, leaving the care of his life to the Father, and occupying himself with the will of the Father, shall find himself, by and by, at home in his Father’s house, with all his Father’s property his.

-George MacDonald, The Hope of the Gospel

The only hope for the sin-sick soul is the mortal wounds of the substitute Savior. 

-H.B. Charles, Jr.

Some unbelievers don't walk in Christianity because they don't accept their sinnerhood. Some Christians don't walk in victory because they don't accept their sainthood.

-Unknown

In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? (Psalm 147:16-17)

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.

From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven? The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. (Job 38:29-30)

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long, long ago.

For to the snow he says, "Fall on the earth," likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. (Job 37:6)
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! (Psalm 148:7-8)

God, heaven cannot hold him, nor the earth sustain;

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? (2 Chronicles 2:6)
But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! (2 Chronicles 6:18)

heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. (Revelation 20:11)

In the bleak midwinter, a stable place sufficed:
the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12)
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:23)

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased." (Luke 2:13-14)

But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
Yet what can I give him: give my heart.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. (John 6:37)

And the Word becamse flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Song from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 

From the darkness came the Light of the Dayspring.

The One who created the wind, earth, water, and heavens came to live and die among us.

Immanuel: God with man. God with us. 

For nothing will be impossible with God.

A Bigger Picture, Part Five

What are the differences between inspiration and illumination? Does the Holy Spirit still “speak” to believers today? How should you respond to somebody who says that the Holy Spirit “told them” to do something?

~~~~~

Inspiration is defined as the Holy Spirit’s work in the Biblical authors’ lives causing them to communicate the word of God to us.[1] The Scriptures are God-breathed, and as a result, they are perfect and sufficient for every person and every situation. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states that Scripture is inspired by God and have “the power and authority to shape our lives because it comes from God himself.”[2] Illumination refers to the “ongoing work of the Spirit”[3] to bring people to Christ and receive the truth of the gospel. The inspiration of the biblical canon is complete and closed, but illumination still carries on. Jesus’ teachings continue to work in hearts and minds. The Spirit and the Word go together. Because of the inspiration of the Scriptures and the illumination of the Spirit, personal experience, emotions, situations, or general opinions do not stand above the Word of God. We do not add meaning to Scripture; rather, we discover the meaning already there in the inspired text.[4]

The Holy Spirit does indeed still speak to believers today. However, this is not typically by hearing an audible voice, as some people suggest. The Bible is sufficient for everything, and the Word of God, through the illumination of the Spirit, continues to speak to believers and unbelievers. Peoples’ emotions, opinions, needs, and wants do not always line up with what the Bible teaches, so when people say “God spoke to me and told me to do this”, they must be sure that it does not contradict Scripture in any way. Many of our desires are God-given and are good desires, but that does not necessarily mean that God spoke to us in a dream, revelation, vision, etc. It may simply mean that the desires we have (the good ones) reflect the image of God in us, and must be used for His glory. God continues to speak to us, but through His inspired Word. “The Spirit enables us to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures at a deeper level.”[5] He gives us the ears to hear and the heart to understand what the revelation of the Word means, thus helping us to hear “God speak to us”. This isn’t new revelation, but new understanding for the individual. It enables Christians to align their emotions and thoughts to the Word in a new way, and it helps new believers know the differences between their feelings and what the Holy Spirit commands. The Spirit and the Word never contradict one another; therefore, if what someone feels, desires, does, or thinks, goes against Scripture, then it is not of or from God.[6] To quote Steven Lawson, “Do you want to hear the audible voice of God? Read the Bible out loud.” 

---

[1] J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God's Word (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 226.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid., 230.

[6] Ibid.

Reminders to Live By

It's not often that we pull out the book of Ecclesiastes and quote from it, yet it carries some deep wisdom from a man who desired and gained it early in life, but maybe should have applied it (a little) more to himself.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time (Eccl. 1:9-10, NIV).

Here is stated the theme of Ecclesiastes and the heart-cry of the author, King Solomon. Perhaps many of us could relate to the same thoughts today. There truly is nothing new, whether good or bad, that has not already existed beforehand. Our lives are just a dash on the timeline of eternity, so there is no way we would end up seeing something new that has not already been. Whether a heinous sin or the mountain-top joy, mankind and God have seen it already. Do not be surprised at God's greatest blessings, for He gave them to others long before you. Don't be shocked by the revelation of the depth of man's depravity. God's mercy began in the Garden and has been forgiving ever since.

There is a time for everything... (Eccl.3:1)

There really is, you know. Each event is appointed by God, and in some ways regardless of your integrity or folly, His events will unfold until the end of time. Not all good follows one another, and neither does the bad. But it is interspersed throughout our life as He sees fit to grow us. We wonder how the blessings could get any better, or we wonder when the darkness ends, but both do, each in their own time.

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God (Eccl.3:12-13).

Nothing better. Those are strong words. But do balance them out with the rest of Scripture, too. ;) The principle remains. God desires us to find pleasure and happiness and good in our work. In fact, that's His blessing--His gift to us. He desires that our prospering should lead to happiness and the doing of good, and personal satisfaction. Yet that personal satisfaction is based on the God who gave it, so the glory is His.

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Eccl.4:10, 12).

Companionship is necessary for thriving as a Christian. To survive as a Christian, friendship is not necessary, but God did not mean for us to survive. We were made to thrive, and we imitate the Trinity when we desire friendship. The help, defense, and loyalty of a friend cannot quickly be repaid. How easy it is to be loyal to one's own flesh and blood, but the real test comes when we stand not just with those who are our own flesh, but also with those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all (Eccl.9:11).

Your swiftness, strength, resources, wisdom, or intelligence do not guarantee success or good outcomes. God is sovereign, and life has it's own rewards and consequences, so do not think that just because you are wise that you will be prosperous. Life does not always happen that way.

God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Eccl.12:14). 

Death is promised to all who are here before the Lord returns. It is certain and no man can reverse it, regardless of how they try. The Lord commands the souls of men, and He takes them when He will. For believers, their works will be tried by fire, but their is no judgment to their souls. That has been paid by Christ. For those outside of Him, they will suffer the second death. Solomon ends his book with a warning, but with a hope, as well. Fear God and reverence His word. So no matter which direction life takes you, you have God by your side.

Psalm 88

No words today, except those from Scripture. Here's a Psalm to read; it's not one most people post anywhere, but it's Scripture regardless. It'll make you think about life and about God. Blessings to you all!

Psalm 88

O Lord, the God of my salvation,

I have cried out by day and in the night before You.

Let my prayer come before You;

Incline Your ear to my cry!

For my soul has had enough troubles,

And my life has drawn near to Sheol.

I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit;

I have become like a man without strength,

Forsaken among the dead,

Like the slain who lie in the grave,

Whom You remember no more,

And they are cut off from Your hand.

You have put me in the lowest pit,

In dark places, in the depths.

Your wrath has rested upon me,

And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah.

You have removed my acquaintances far from me;

You have made me an object of loathing to them;

I am shut up and cannot go out.

My eye has wasted away because of affliction;

I have called upon You every day, O Lord;

I have spread out my hands to You.

Will You perform wonders for the dead?

Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.

Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,

Your faithfulness in Abaddon?

Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?

And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

But I, O Lord, have cried out to You for help,

And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

O Lord, why do You reject my soul?

Why do You hide Your face from me?

I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on;

I suffer Your terrors; I am overcome.

Your burning anger has passed over me;

Your terrors have destroyed me.

They have surrounded me like water all day long;

They have encompassed me altogether.

You have removed lover and friend far from me;

My acquaintances are in darkness.

A Bigger Picture, Part Two

If you haven't seen it, yet, check out my other book review blog! You'll find it in the headings ("My Book Reviews") at the top of this blog or click HERE. It's my aim to post reviews 2-3 times a month. Leave a comment on any books you've read so far and tell me what you thought about them. :)

~~~

1. What is “Second Temple Judaism” and how does it help us understand the writings of the New Testament? Provide specific examples.
2. In chapter 9, what does Schreiner mean by the phrase “already but not yet”?
3. How does the “already but not yet” concept help Christians better understand the “big picture” of the Bible?

~~~

The Second Temple Judaism is “the time between the temple’s reconstruction (516 BC) and its final destruction (AD 70).” [1] Of the important writings from this time period, the Apocrypha, the pseudepigrapha of the OT, the writings of Josephus, and of Philo document information about the history, culture, and life of the New Testament era. The Dead Sea scrolls, the Targums, and the rabbinic literature also record some evidence, though the primary source of evidence lies in the New Testament itself.[2] Though not regarded as divinely inspired the Apocrypha books are included in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox scriptures. The pseudepigrapha is part of the Apocrypha and it helps us understand the beliefs of different Jewish schools of thought during the time period of the Second Temple Judaism.[3] Some of the books reveal history of the ancient forefathers such as Noah, Moses, Enoch and Ezra. [4] The Dead Sea scrolls contain parts of all the OT books (except Esther) and provide evidence of the nature and beliefs of the Khirbet Qumran, the dwelling of an ancient religious community.[5] Using these documents from the Second Temple Judaism era, we are provided with insight into the beliefs of different Jewish schools of thought and documentation on which to help with the translation of Scripture.[6]

Perhaps John’s Gospel explains the phrase “already but not yet”, as coined by Schreiner. The promise of the Kingdom in the Synoptic Gospels aligns with the truth of eternal in the Gospel of John. Schreiner explains this phrase by referring back to the promises already made by God through the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants. The new covenant was also created, but even by the time John the Baptist came around these promises had not yet been realized. Until Jesus came fulfilling the spiritual aspect of these covenants there was no immediate completion of the promises. John’s Gospel explains that though they already have fulfillment of the some of the promises, there is still more coming. His Gospel “looks ahead to the day of the final resurrection, when every person will be judged for what he or she has done….the future and final fulfillment is in view as well.”[7] The day of salvation is already here, but the final resurrection, judgment, and glorification are yet to come for all believers. We live on this earth as a reminder that we are not home. We struggle with sin and we battle trials as a reminder that there is something more glorious to come. Jesus reigns on His throne, but death sin attempt to rule us still. Until all things have been subjugated to Him, we await the complete fulfillment of those covenants.[8]

Christians today can better understand the bigger picture of the Bible by their understanding of the “already but not yet” phrase. Just as the New Testament’s Christ was the fulfillment of the One who would crush the serpent’s head in the Old Testament, so the fulfillment of the new heavens and new earth will point back to the promises of eternal life, salvation, and the Comforter. We understand the Kingdom on earth today in terms of spiritual salvation which Jesus presented in His Person and through His ministry.[9] The Kingdom begins as a grain of mustard seed or like leaven in dough, but it will one day return with apocalyptic power and destroy the present world, renewing it in perfection and holiness.[10] Though we have the Kingdom of God already, it is not yet completely realized or fulfilled, and so we as believers today continue to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.[11]

---

[1] Wayne Grudem et al., Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible (Illinois: Crossway, 2012), 79.

[2] Ibid., 79-80.

[3] J.D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 1191.

[4] Wayne Grudem et al., Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible (Illinois: Crossway, 2012), 80.

[5] J.D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011), 342.

[6] Ibid., 344.

[7] Wayne Grudem et al., Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible (Illinois: Crossway, 2012), 111.

[8] Ibid., 111-112.

[9] Ibid., 110.

[10] Ibid., 110-111.

[11] Matthew 6:10, ESV.

A Bigger Picture, Part One

At the beginning of the next couple months or so, I'll be posting the written assignments I composed for my Elements of Bible Study course. I'll also post the questions that I was required to answer in my assignment, so you can see what I'm answering. Hope it blesses you in some way! Feel free to ask questions in the comments. :)

~~~

1. Is the Old Testament still relevant for Christians today? Explain.
2. What did Jesus mean when he said that there were things written about him in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44)? Explain.
3. How does an understanding of the “big picture” of the Bible help us to understand smaller sections of the Bible (individual verses, paragraphs, stories, books)? Explain.

~~~

The Old Testament is indeed relevant for Christians today. Without it, we would not have two-thirds of our Bible, but more importantly, we would not have the promises, symbols, and pictures of salvation to point us to the fulfillment of the New Testament in Jesus Christ.[1] The Old Testament provides the structure of Levitical law, the promise of redemption, and the necessity of resurrection. It also demonstrates through history the impossibility of man’s atonement through repeated sacrifices, but points to a future Savior who would fulfill His covenant through Abraham’s offspring. The OT is necessary and relevant today as a foundation for the history of the Israelites and of the world, and it also gives us the shadows and “types” which find their fulfillment in Christ.[2] Without the OT, we would have the fulfillment of Christ without the former prophecy, His death and resurrection without a complete explanation, and the Messiah without the whole knowledge of sin’s consequences, and the Last Adam without the first Adam. The theology of the OT covenant is vital for an accurate understanding of the New Covenant.

In Luke 22:24, Jesus says that everything written about Him in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms had to be fulfilled. The Jews recognized these categories as the divisions of OT Scripture.[3] Jesus refers to these when talking to the disciples who couldn’t quite grasp what He was talking about. Taking them back to Scripture, Jesus uses His own previous words, as well as those from OT Scripture to show the disciples that He was the fulfillment of OT prophecy. The promises of a Redeemer or a Savior or a Sacrificial Lamb come from books like Zechariah, Micah, Isaiah and many more. These all point towards the NT fulfillment in Christ. Through the covenants made with the patriarchs and the curses on sin, the OT points toward a one-time Sacrifice who would take the sting out of death. Job and David speak of a Redeemer who would die on the cross, but yet stand on the earth one day. The Law, commandments of God which show us our sin, points to a perfect Man who could be our Priest. Many of the events and people were “types” of something Greater yet to come. The disciples would have known the Scriptures, and so Jesus used their previous knowledge to pull their minds back to the covenants created thousands of years before by God. The words written in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms were enough to direct people’s attention to the Son of God and the Son of Man.

The big picture of the Bible is the work of Christ. Everything and everyone points to Him, His death, His resurrection, and/or His glory. We understand this big picture by the smaller pictures, types, events, and verses. For instance, the story of Isaac is a type of Christ in his sacrifice as a lamb. His story represents the Sacrificial Son of Man, but also the promise of a Savior who would come through the offspring of Abraham. David was an earthly king, but he also represents the eternal kingship that would come through his line. The laws of the Pentateuch, the wisdom of the Proverbs, the poems and songs, and the prophetic visions are all smaller parts of the bigger story.[4] In loving the one and only true God as the commandments required and obeying the wisdom for daily life from Proverbs, we gain the spiritual walk that was fulfilled by Christ in even more depth. The Mosaic law controlled the external; the fulfillment of Christ guided the internal. Israel as a covenant nation represented the larger covenant people who would be gathered together at the end of the age. The ark of the covenant symbolized God’s presence with His people; instead of the ark today, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling our hearts with all the presence of deity. Therefore, in understanding the big picture of Scripture, we are led to a more complete understanding of the smaller details of Scripture.

---

[1] Wayne A. Grudem, C John Collins, and Thomas R. Schreiner, eds., Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, ©2012), 9-10.

[2] Ibid.,15.

[3] Ibid., 9-10.

[4] Ibid., 27-28.

April Quotes

Find updates about my puppies HERE.

Doctrine is important, but to fight over the smallest things as the world perishes without the gospel is tragic; a waste of gifts and strength.

-Paul Washer

The heart set to do the Father's will need never fear defeat. His promises of guidance may be fully counted upon. Does it make sense to believe that the Shepherd would care less about getting His sheep where He wants them to go than they care about getting there?

-Elisabeth Elliot

Friendship is the nearest thing we know to what religion is. God is love. And to make religion akin to Friendship is simply to give it the highest expression conceivable by man. 

-Henry Drummond

No man ever really finds out what he believes in until he begins to instruct his children.

-Unknown

The mills of God grind slowly; yet the grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds he all.

-Fredrick Von Logau

If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones! 

-C.S. Lewis

We can stop pleading with God to show us the future, and start living and obeying like we are confident that He holds the future.

-Kevin DeYoung

We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out. 

-Winston Churchill

I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. 

-C.S. Lewis

There is a vast difference between failing and becoming a failure. We become a failure when we give up—when we stop trying. But as long as we are working on those sinful habits, regardless of how often we fail, we have not become a failure, and we can expect to see progress.

-Jerry Bridges

Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued.

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Bible is of such universal and perennial interest that it will call forth comments and sermons without number, to the end of time. This of itself is sufficient evidence of its divine origin and character. It is now more extensively studied than ever before, and goes on conquering and to conquer in the face of all enemies. It is inexhaustible. It never grows old, but increases in interest and value as time flows on. Human books have their day, but ‘the Word of the Lord endureth forever.’

-Philip Schaff

Either you be governed by God or by God you’ll be governed.

-Benjamin Franklin

In order to give thanks when the sky is falling, you have to remember that it’s Jesus’ sky, and that He never promised it wouldn’t fall. 

-R.C. Sproul

The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith; and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. 

-George Müller

Gospel of John, Part 2

Last month I posted my first assignment from the course I'm taking on the Gospel of John. Here is my second writing assignment.

Writing Prompt:
In what ways does Jesus fulfill the symbolism underlying the Feast of Tabernacles?

~~~

First recorded in Exodus 23:16 as the Feast of Ingathering, The Feast of Booths—or Feast of Tabernacles as it’s called in John’s Gospel—was perhaps the greatest feast for the Israelites as a nation.[1] The first seven days of this feast included booths or “tabernacles” made from trees and branches from the surrounding area. They would also offer specific sacrifices for each day.[2] The eighth feast day was to be a day of rest in which the people also presented offerings to the Lord[3] and prayed for rain.[4] All Jewish men were required to attend the annual Feast of Booths[5] which started during the month of Tishri (September/October) during harvest season.[6] This feast time and festival served as thanksgiving to God for current firstfruits of the harvest, as well a time of remembrance for the forty years in which God cared for them in the wilderness.[7] Jesus would have been well aware of the customs and culture of His day regarding this feast, and in many ways, Christ fulfills the symbolism of the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles).

The temporary “tabernacles” made out of branches and trees[8] were used during the seven feast days as dwelling places for a reminder of God’s provision in spite of their sin.[9] In Jesus, God provided protection and eternal life when “the Word became flesh and ‘tabernacled’ among us”. [10] Christ didn’t leave them with the image of a temporary shelter for a feast day, but instead lived in human form and provided rescue from sin and an eternal home with God. [11]

In John 6, Jesus describes Himself as the Bread of Life. Perhaps the Jews would have remembered the bread that came from heaven while their ancestors wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Now standing before their very eyes was the One who was the sustaining and satisfying eternal Bread of Life.[12] The crowd demonstrated previously that they remembered the manna in the wilderness,[13] but yet the hearts of the religious leaders grumbled and disputed against Christ because of the emptiness of their outward religion.[14]

One of the specific ceremonies during the Feast of Booths was a water ritual. This was not a commandment given by God, but rather an important tradition of the religious leaders, and again it was a reminder to the Jews of God’s provision of water during the wilderness wanderings of their ancestors.[15] The priest drew water out of the pool of Siloam for each day of the feast, and then, along with a procession of others, the sounds of the trumpet, and the Hallel chorus, the high priest poured out the water as an offering to the Lord.[16] With this in mind and likely in the minds of the Jews, Jesus spoke these words: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”[17] Jesus was not merely a temporary quench of thirst to parched throats, as the waters in the wilderness were; rather, He was the eternal water from which no one would ever thirst again, if they would only come to Him and drink.

Jesus second “I AM” statement occurs in John 8, and it also held much rich symbolism for the Jewish[18] Perhaps as high as 75 feet high, these lamps were a visible reminder of the fire that led the Israelites by night through the wilderness and also of Yahweh’s promise to send the Messiah and redeem Israel’s glory among the nations.[19] It was likely that after this ceremony, in the physical darkness of Jerusalem, Jesus spoke these words to the people:[20] “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”[21] Once again, using the symbolism and ceremonies of the Feast of Booths, Jesus points out the spiritual darkness of the Jews and calls them to repent and “walk in the light, as he is in the light.”[22]

culture. Another ceremony practiced during the Feast of Booths was the Illumination of the Temple. Four huge golden candelabras or oil-filled lamps were lit in the Court of the Women.

---

[1] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, 69

[2] Numbers 29

[3] Leviticus 23:33-43

[4] Joel Wilbush, Three midwinter celebrations: an exploration, 235-6

[5] Deuteronomy 16:16

[6] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, 69

[7]  Ibid.

[8] Nehemiah 8:15-16

[9] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, 76

[10] John 1:14

[11] http://www.jewishroots.net/holidays/feast-of-tabernacles/feast-of-tabernacles-holiday-page.html#Messiah (accessed February 4, 2016).

[12] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, 64

[13] John 6:31

[14] John 6:4152

[15] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: John 1-11, 312

[16] Ibid.

[17] John 7:37-38, ESV

[18] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: John 1-11, 334

[19] http://www.jewishroots.net/holidays/feast-of-tabernacles/feast-of-tabernacles-holiday-page.html#Messiah (accessed February 4, 2016).

[20] Leon Morris, Jesus is the Christ, 112

[21] John 8:12, ESV

[22] 1 John 1:7, ESV

The Love of God

Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 

In my Father's house are many rooms...And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth who the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 

In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends...You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth...and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me.

I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours....and I am glorified in them.

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one... so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

The glory that you have given me I have given to them...so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

[verses from John 14-17, emphasis mine]

See what kind of love that Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

(1 John 3:1-2, 4:16)

I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
(Philippians 3:12)