Ezekiel: You Shall Know....

...that I am the LORD when...

"the slain shall fall in your midst" (Ez.6:7)

"some among the nations...escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries" (Ez.6:8)

"all the evil abominations of the house of Israel...shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence" (Ez.6:11

"my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity. I will punish you according to your ways, while your abominations are in your midst" (Ez.7:9)

"the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation" (Ez.12:20)

"my hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel" (Ez.13:9)

"I break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bar. When it falls, you shall perish in the midst of it" (Ez.13:14)

"I...deliver my people out of your [false prophets] hand" (Ez.13:23)

"I...establish my covenant with you...that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done" (Ez.16:63)

"I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish" (Ez.17:24)

"I...purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel" (Ez.20:38)

"I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers" (Ez.20:42)

"I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel" (Ez.20:44)

"your [Ezekiel's] mouth will be opened to the fugitive and you shall speak and be longer mute. So you will be a sign to them" (Ez.24:27)

"I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them...they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards...when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt" (Ez.28:25-26)

"I break the bars of their yoke, and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them" (Ez.34:27)

"like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be fillee with flocks of people" (Ez.36:38)

"I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land." (Ez.37:14)

"the name of the city from that time on shall be 'The LORD Is There'." (Ez.48:35)

I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the LORD GOD.

Ezekiel 24:14

I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Ezekiel 34:16

A Bigger Picture, Part Six

Discuss the different approaches to translating Old Testament Law. What observations are made by Duvall & Hays regarding the “covenant context” of the Law, specifically the Mosaic Covenant? How do these observations help you to study, apply, and even obey passages contained in the law?

Many people today are confused as to how to interpret the Old Testament law and show its relevance for Christians today. Some skim through the law passages without paying attention to it. Others search carefully, without understanding, finding a few understandable commands and holding to them as a guideline for life today.[1] Neither methods are particularly helpful, nor are they consistent with reading and interpreting Scripture. 

The traditional approach divides Old Testament law into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial. Moral laws dealt with right and wrong. They were the “timeless truths regarding God’s intention for human behavior.”[2] Civil laws described the rules of the legal system, regarding things like economics, land, crimes, and punishment.[3] The ceremonial laws were commands about festivals, sacrifices, and priestly duties. Traditionally, these divisions were vital to interpreting the OT law: the civil and ceremonial laws were not applicable for today’s believers, but the moral law was.[4] However, this viewpoint raises some questions. Plus the “distinctions between moral, civil, and ceremonial laws appear to be arbitrary.”[5] The Bible makes no such distinctions; rather, all laws point to God’s holiness and His commands to remain separate from pagan practices and culture.[6] As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, all Scripture is God-breathed and sufficient for New Testament believers. The Interpretive Journey approach helps to note the cultural and historical differences in order to apply the foundation of the law to life today.

The OT law was introduced by a covenant which God made with the people of Israel. As we use and interpret this part of Scripture there are several things to take note of. The Mosaic covenant is closely associated with Israel’s conquest and occupation of the land.[7] The blessings on Israel were conditional: as long as Israel continued to love God, keep His commandments, and drive out the pagan inhabitants of the land, God promised to bless the nation.[8] The book of Deuteronomy explains most of these laws and conditions for the Israelites. However, as NT Christians, the Mosaic covenant is no longer a functional covenant and does not stand over NT believers as law.[9] Hebrews explains this in detail, as does Romans, how that Christ came as the fulfillment of the Mosaic law and issued in a new covenant with His people. This law would be written on the people’s hearts and minds, rather than on tablets of stone. Paul clarifies in Galatians, that we have liberty from the bondage of the OT law, so when we interpret these passages, we must be careful not to place people back under it.[10]

Jesus became the fulfillment of the Mosaic law, as the foreshadowed Savior of the prophets. He is the final Interpreter and has complete authority over all law. “Some Old Testament laws Jesus restates (Matthew 19:18-19), bu some he modifies (Matthew 5:31-32). Some laws he intensifies (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28) and some he changes significantly (5:33-37, 38-42, 43-47).”[11] Jesus’ laws reminded people of the heart and spirit in the commands, rather than just the letter of the law that the Pharisees taught. So therefore, we must interpret the law through the grid of Jesus’ teaching in the NT.[12] The specifics of the OT law may not apply to us today, but the principles and guidelines of it most certainly do. When interpreted through the eyes of the NT teachings, the OT becomes applicable and revelant for believers today. [13]

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[1] J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God's Word (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 356.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid., 356-357.

[6] Ibid., 357.

[7] Ibid., 361.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid., 362.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid., 363.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

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.

Gospel of John, Part 1

I began my third course through Liberty University on January 18th. In 2014 when I took their introductory course on Life Coaching, I think I shared some of my previous assignments here on Facing the Waves. I hope to do the same in the next few months with my assignments from this course on the Gospel of John.

Writing Prompt:
It is often said that John is the Gospel to the world (and Matthew to the Jews, Mark to the Romans, and Luke to the Greeks). But in 1924, Israel Abrahams said, "To us Jews, the Fourth Gospel is the most Jewish of the four!" What is in the Gospel of John that would cause a Jewish scholar to say this? If it is true, why do many people tell new converts to begin by reading John?

~~~

   The Gospel of John is centered on proclaiming the deity of Christ while offering life to those who believe on His name. [1] While Matthew’s Gospel was written primarily for a Jewish audience [2], Israel Abrahams claimed that John was the most Jewish of the four gospels, and John’s record of Jesus’ life gives good proof of this.

   The three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) tend to focus on Jesus ministry in Galilee, while John focuses on His Judean ministry.[3] The Messiah had been long promised to come from the tribe of Judah[4], so a Jewish scholar would have understood the references to a Messiah in the numerous prophecies from the Old Testament Scriptures.

   John also records many of Jesus’ appearances and events in Jerusalem, the capital city of the Israelite nation. The Jewish festivals, imagery, and symbols of the culture would not escape a Jewish scholar’s notice either[5], for the Gospel of John is more completely understood in the context of its culture and history. The Passover was a notable event for the Jew to celebrate, and John records four Passover events[6] in the life of Christ[7].

   John lists seven specific “I AM” sayings of Christ.[8] These also allude to many Old Testament references. For instance, by saying that He was the true vine, the good shepherd, and the light of the world, Jesus was claiming to be no other than the Jehovah God of the Israelite nation[9]. In the eighth “I AM” statement (recorded several times throughout the Gospel of John), Jesus directly identifies Himself with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. He was claiming equality with Yahweh and John uses these statements to prove Christ’s deity.

 

 John also uses over 20 titles for Jesus in the first chapter of his Gospel.[10] These titles alone, if nothing else were written about Christ, would reveal the Jewish symbolism, history, prophecy, and significance of this Gospel.[11] Titles such as the Suffering Savior, the Passover Lamb, the Shepherd-King, and the Greater David describe characteristics and meanings  of Christ deeply rooted in Jewish history and prophecy.

 Jesus also directly interacted with His Jewish culture. He knew the times He was living in and He confronted the outward religious actions that demonstrated a lack of heart knowledge. John records Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus in John 3, giving us some of the most well-known verses in the Bible[12]. One of the reasons Christians today encourage new converts to read John’s gospel is because it clearly and simply presents the salvation message[13]. While Jesus does indeed battle the external show of Judaism in His day[14] using references to Old Testament references to sacrifices, rituals, Levitical laws[15], Christ’s message of rebirth, renewal, and repentance is timeless and just as applicable for people today[16]. The mission of John’s Gospel was specifically for a Jewish nation, but yet Christ’s words held eternal life—life that spanned every background, ethnicity, culture, and society. Today there is also a great show of outward religion in our culture, and John’s “believe and live” message strikes at the heart of the Gospel, offering a clear explanation of redemption to all mankind.

   He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:11-12, ESV)

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[1] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, xi.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, ESV, 1341

[3] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, ESV, 1341

[4] Genesis 49:10

[5] Craig S. Keener, Gospel of John, 171

[6] John 2:13, 5:1, 6:4, 11:55

[7] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, xix

[8] John 6:35, 8:12, 10:9, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:5, 8:58

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

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

[11] Craig S. Keener, Gospel of John, 174

[12] John 3:15-16

[13] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, viii

[14] John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, 56

[15] John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, 54

[16] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, viii

Levi Through the Scriptures

I had finished reading the book of Exodus for the fourth time this year, when I put several events together and connected something in my mind.

It's about the tribe of Levi. Now Levi first came around in Genesis when Leah (Jacob's wife) named her third son, but from the 12 sons of Jacob, we get the 12 tribes that exist all throughout Scriptural history. They begin in Genesis and end in Revelation. Levi was a scattered tribe geographically. They had no land to claim as their own, possibly resulting from the violence and bloodshed of Simon and Levi in Genesis, and so the descendents of Levi lived in 48 cities throughout the land of Israel working in the temple when their time came.

But in the beginning of Exodus we read of a husband and wife from the tribe of Levi who had a baby. This baby would be a Levite, too, and as the High Priest would one day intercede for the people before the Lord, so this baby would grow up to be Moses, who led the Israelites and interceded for them on their behalf. Moses' brother, Aaron, would be the first High Priest, and from this tribe would come the priesthood.

Later on in Exodus, Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving instructions from God on how to govern this huge group of people, and he also receives detailed instructions on how to create the tabernacle and priestly clothing, as well as how to fulfill the sacrifical duties. Aaron (a Levite) leads the people waiting below the mountain in forming a golden calf to worship. When Moses (a Levite) returns, he calls those who are on the Lord's side to come stand with him: the sons of Levi gather around him and mete out justice on those who substituted a golden calf for a holy God.

In Numbers 16, it's a Levite, Korah, who leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron--his own tribe members. And he brings about the death of many others who join with him and follow in his disobedience. Then God shows his approval of another Levite by choosing Aaron's staff and causing in to bud--demonstrating that He had chose Aaron as the one to approach God in the priestly duties.

In 1 Chronicles, the Levites are some of the first to settle in Jerusalem again after their exile in Babylon. Under King David, the Levites were the ones who bring the ark of the covenant from Kiriath-jearim back to Jerusalem. Johoshaphat, king of Judah, instructs the Levites to teach the people the law of God in order to bring about a spiritual reformation in the land. The Levites were the tribe to carry out sacrifices and teach the people when good kings ruled the land. They were holy to God.

In Ezra (a priest), it's the priests and Levites (along with others) whose hearts are stirred by God to go and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. And though they rejoiced at the  rebuilding of the foundation, they were also the ones who wept at the sight of it because they remembered the former temple's glory. And they came together later with Nehemiah and Ezra to teach the people the Law.

In Ezekiel, the priest are the ones whom God instructs to serve Him in the sanctuary after His glory fills the temple again. We're also told that the Levites were not faithful to God, but instead forsook Him for idols, therefore the sons of  Zadok (priests), being commended for keeping the Lord's charge and not going astray as the Levites did, are the ones who will enter the sanctuary of the Lord and serve Him there.

The Levites are mentioned many times in the rest of the Old Testament. Many times they are just minor incidents, but they're still there, preserved as part of the remnant of God's people.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist interacts with priests and Levites when Jews sent them to question John about his identity and preaching. And Jesus Himself tells the story of a Levite who was so concerned with his self-righteousness that he wouldn't stop to help his fellow man.

Acts tells us of another Levite who sold a field that belonged to him and gave the money to the apostles. He's better known by his name, Barnabas.

But the Levites and priests knew that the important duties of temple work and the sacrifical system couldn't take away the sin that defiled them. Perfection could never be attained through a human priesthood. Aaron, the first High Priest couldn't perfectly mediate between God and man. And so the Jewish nation waited for the better High Priest who, though He didn't come from the Levite tribe, He was the perfect Mediator. And because He never sinned, His shedding of blood could provide remission for sins. The Levites' and priests' duties had been fulfilled forever. He was the Lamb of God who was chosen of God to be the Sacrifice and the Priest. And as a non-Levitical priest He completely fulfilled all the law as a perfect sacrifice, showing that the old covenant had finished and the new had begun.

Laws for a Lawless People

I covered Genesis 29-Numbers 8 in this week's reading. It was interesting to again read all the "rules" God laid out for His people. God didn't institute laws and commands for other people like He did for the nation of Israel. You come to the end of reading Exodus and Leviticus and you wonder if the Israelites had any time to "just live" with all the laws about restitution, slaves, social justice, Sabbath practices, feasts and fesitivals, temple building, endless sacrifices (I always wondered how they didn't run out of bulls, sheep, goats, and oxen!), offerings, clean and unclean animals, purification, sickness, atonement, relationships, diets, property, redemption, and numerous other categories.

Some of the first listed commands God gave His people was the night of the first Passover. He instructed them carefully on how to prepare the lamb and other food, and how to put the blood of the Lamb on the sides and top of the door if they wanted their firstborn spared from death. The Israelites obeyed these commands and their children were spared. But even though they saw the rewards of obedience many times, they also later found out the consequences of disobedience, for time and time again they turned from serving God to worship other gods.Yet, God chose them, an unruly people, and gave them His rules. He knew they couldn't keep them, but that showed them their dependency on God and paved the way for a needed Savior.

And in the middle of all the rules, you see the words "I am the LORD" or "because I am holy". The rules were given, not to hem them in unnecessarily, but to show the nation of Israel that they were set apart from the rest of the nations. They were called to be holy, as God was holy, because He chose them. Because He made them in the image of Himself. And though they defaced that image repeatedly, grace did come. The law showed them that they deserved to die--they could not keep the law even though their life depended on it. They were dead in their sin, but they had faith in God and looked for the day when the promise of their Savior would come. And He did, but not in their time.

The law was good, for it showed sin, but when Christ came, He fulfilled the law. That is why today we live under grace. Not grace to sin, but grace to become holy. That is why we're free from sin and death. That's where there is no condemnation. We've been released from the law, to live under grace. Grace binds us to a merciful God, not permitting sin, but destroying it, and holding us captive to the One who rescued us. We couldn't keep the law any more than the Israelites could, but we have a Mediator and a Savior who could and did. And He provided the life we needed to conquer the death of sin and be holy as He is holy.

Free from the law—oh, happy condition!

Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;

Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,

Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

Children of God—oh, glorious calling,

Surely His grace will keep us from falling;

Passing from death to life at His call,

Blessed salvation once for all.

But now are we released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

(Romans 7:6)