No Other

There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. 

-1 Samuel 2:2

He is...

Fire and A Hammer.

Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29, ESV)

Light and A Lamp.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 199:105)

And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)

A Double-edged Sword.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. (Revelation 1:16)

A Mirror.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:23-25)

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12) 

Mary, Did You Know?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:25-27)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." (Revelation 21:5)
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you?

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. (John 9:6-7)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven. (Psal 107:28-30)
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God?

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. (Colossians 1:19)

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb!

So that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:31)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15)
And [God] put all things under [Jesus] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?

And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” (Romans 15:12)

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

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, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)

This sleeping child you're holding is the great I AM?

God said to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: 'I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22:13)

Did Mary know? 

She knew she was favored by God. She knew her baby would be called Jesus because He would bring salvation. She knew He would inherit David's throne and have an eternal kingdom. She knew she was the handmaiden of the Lord and that His strength was hers. She knew her baby was going to be a Light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. She knew a sword would pierce through her own heart. She knew Jesus was the Messiah. Yes, she knew. 

But did she really know? No, no one understands God completely. That's why she pondered the words that were spoken to her and treasured the Child that was given her.

His Names!

About five weeks ago I began a study on the names of God using Kay Arthur's book entitled Lord, I Want to Know You. I thought I'd share the names I've gone through so far.

When reading a book, it's often important to know the author and some of the background behind the story. It's even more important to know Jesus and who God is when reading Scripture. It's been encouraging to be reminded of the names of God over the last several weeks.

Names in Jewish history and culture held much more significance than names today. A name summed up the person and his character and sometimes the time period he lived in. For instance, Nabal's name meant "foolish", and as his wife attested to, he certainly lived up to that name. A priest's wife named her child Ichabod, meaning "Where is glory?" or "no glory", when she heard the ark of the covanent had been taken by the Philistines. Ruth means "friendship" and we see how she lived up to this name in her loyalty to Naomi.

So it is with the names of God--each one tells something about His character and who He is.

Elohim
This is the first of the names in the Old Testament, for it is used in Genesis 1:1. The significance of this name especially is that the Hebrew is plural, showing proof of the Trinity. This is the word often translated as "God" in the OT. He's the God of gods, and as described in Genesis, He is the Creator of the world. He is supreme over all and He created each one of us in the image of Himself. Knowing this name reminds us that we should be living out God's purpose for our lives since we bear His image in our body and spirit.

Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and

were created.

Revelation 4:11

El Elyon

As the sovereign ruler of the universe, God is also the Most High God (as the name El Elyon means). He is in complete control of all and no one can thwart His plans or question His purposes. Nothing happens without His express permission and ultimate sanction. He controls life and death, poor and riche, honor and dishonor, light and dark, godly and wicked, weakness and strength, and is sovereign over absolutely everything else. Knowing this gives us assurance that the Most High's plans and purposes will prevail. 

I cry out to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

Psalm 57:2

El Roi
This is the name revealed to Hagar after she was despised and mistreated of Sarai. Fleeing into the wilderness, God meets her there in the form of an angel, and promises that her son will be the first of many descendants. God would give her a son to be named Ishmael (meaning "God hears"), and Hagar would not ever forget how God heard her cry of affliction. After this encounter with God, Hagar is amazed that God would answer her and calls Him El Roi--the God who sees. Still today, there is nothing that God does not see, and sometimes in miraculous or ordinary ways He is pleased to answer our cries to Him. A reminder to us that nothing is hidden from God's sight.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Proverbs 15:3

El Shaddai

God Almighty--the All-Sufficient One--appeared to Abram when he was ninety-nine years old. Renewing His covenant, that Abram would be the father of many nations, God uses the name El Shaddai to remind Abram that He can do anything, and that He will carry out His promise completely. He is sufficient for all. He's the sustainer of life, and His power is made perfect in weakeness. Through Paul, God reminds us that He is still El Shaddai to us today (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

When Abram was ninety-nine years old 

the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him,

"I am God Almighty;

walk before me and be blameless."

Genesis 17:1

Adonai

To be a believer in Christ, you must know God as Adonai--your Lord and Master. This is not merely a name someone can use of God, for Matthew records that there will be many who will call Jesus Lord, but not enter into heaven. As Lord and Master, this indicates our relationship and dependency on God. It shows that He has a right to demand obedience of us, and that we are to completely submit to Him .This name reminds us of God's Lordship over us, and is often translated as "Lord" in our English translations. The two words translated as Lord in Greet (NT) mean "supreme in authority, controller" and "an absolute ruler". This is the God we serve. 

I say to the Lord,

"You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you."

Psalm 16:2

Jehovah

This name holds much history and meaning behind it. It's the name most frequently used in the OT and it comes from a Hebrew word meaning "to be, to become", which describes God's existence. It is typically translated as LORD in our Bibles, and it's the name which is related to the name God gave to Moses at the burning bush "I AM WHO I AM". God is self-existent, with no beginning or end. He gives life, but He is life in and of Himself. He cannot change, and His covenants remain steadfast. God revealed himself to Moses and the Israelites as Jehovah who is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and truth, and forgiving of sin though still exacting justice. 

God said to Moses,

"I AM WHO I AM."

And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel,

'I AM has sent me to you.'"

Exodus 3:14

There are many other names, and since I'm only one-third the way through Arthur's book, perhaps I will share more here as time goes on. I posted here two years ago of a video done by Eric Ludy going through the names of God. If you have the time, I'd encourage you to listen to it again HERE.

May you rest in the name of your God, knowing that it is a fortress and a strong tower for those who run to it. It is only in His name that you will find safety and security. 

A Fortress and A Strong Tower

I memorized Psalm 46 a few nights ago, and since they have been recurring verses in my mind recently, I thought I'd use some of them in my post for this week. 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (Psalm 46:1-3)

We don't often experience the physical and geographical aspects of these last two verses where I live. We haven't suffered any major earthquakes, the mountains are still in the same place, and we haven't seen any tsunamis or the like. But in a metaphorical sense, sometimes it does seem like the earth has given way, and that that normally steadfast mountains have crumbled around us. Even in those trials and challenges, Psalm 46 offers the security of a Savior and the fortress of the God of Jacob as our refuge.

Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." I was thinking of that verse when I got to Psalm 46:7 and 11 which says, "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." The fortress or the strong tower is pictured as a place of safety in the midst of danger. The battle-weary soldier who is defeated on all sides runs to that tower, and finds safety from attack inside those walls.

So often we don't like the limitations and rules or restrictions around us. We'd rather have freedom to do as we please, but when it comes to danger and hardship, we long for those walls, that place of retreat where we can find safety. When we face trials, we ought to run to the place of safety, a place of boundaries amidst the turmoil. And that place is found in the LORD--Yahweh. The leader of His children and the defender of those who call on His name. His name is our fortress, and those who take shelter under His wings will find a security that no outside force can pierce.

Remember Whom to run to the next moment you're facing temptation or heartbreak. Seek the walls of a Fortress...the fortress which is built on the Cornerstone. 

"For it stands in Scripture: 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.'" (1 Peter 2:6) 

Despite the collapsing mountains and roaring waters and shattering earth, we stand on a Rock who is unshakable. 

"Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71:3) 

Ask Him to lead you to that Higher Rock when your heart is weary. 

"Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy." (Psalm 61:1-3) 

His Word is a refuge and strong tower. 

"For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken." (Psalm 62:1-2) 

In that fortress, you'll find the necessary silence to be still, and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:11)

His Light!

As I've been reading, listening, praying, and studying the Bible the last couple weeks, there has been a theme running throughout the topics I've gone through. And that is the theme of light. Light is mentioned all throughout the course of Scripture, but I'll just highlight a few of them here this week.

Let there be light.

Perhaps the most obvious reference to light is at the beginning of creation. When nothing except darkness exists, and the Creator ushers in the opposite of that darkness and drives it aside. He doesn't cast darkness completely aside, for day and night are meant for signs and seasons. Perhaps the darkness is also a reminder to us, too, that no matter how deep and dark the night is, dawn always comes, because light drives out darkness. You can't drive out darkness with darkness; only light can do that. And so even at the beginning of time, God offers a contrast, a hope, a difference, to what already was (darkness) by bringing light to the world.

The Lord is my light.

I was reminded of the my post last month quoting Psalm 27. Here, David the psalmist, contrasts the light of redemption to the darkness of condemnation. In his opening verse he says, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" The name Yahweh, often written as LORD, refers to God's deity, that He is the self-existent and self-eternal One. It has its roots in the name Ehyeh which is the name God uses in Exodus 3:14 to say "I AM". As fire from the burning bush, Moses did indeed see that the Lord is our light, just as David says in Psalm 27. I've heard it said that "Only those who can say 'The LORD is my light and my salvation' can say 'Of whom shall I be afraid?'".

I AM the light of the world.

I studied this in the first half of my Bible course on John. The setting in John 8 is the Feast of the Tabernacles. All Jewish males were required to celebrate this feast which took place during harvest season. The people lived in "tents" created out of tree branches for the first seven days of the feast, commemorating God's provision for their forefathers in the wilderness.There was also a special water-pouring ceremony, as well as singing, sacrifices, and dancing. Jesus uttered this description of Himself ("I am the light of the world") likely after a special lamp-lighting ceremony took place. Huge cadelabras were lit in the Court of the Women where Jesus was speaking. These lights were apparently so bright and so large that no court in Jerusalem would have missed seeing them. Everyone danced around them in celebration while singing praise to God. They were a reminder of how God led the people by a pillar of fire at night through the wilderness. And against this backdrop, Christ proclaims "I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). This is the same word that Jesus uses in Matthew 4:16 when He quotes Isaiah: "The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." He was the physical light that led them, but He came as the promised spiritual light to the dark and empty hearts of the world.

You are the light of the world...let your light shine before others.

Matthew 15:14-16 lists some well-known verses for believers. Not only does God create light, express it in His being, and show forth the radiance of light in His Son, but He also gives that light to us. Through salvation, we become witnesses and inheritors of that light, and we're to set it on a hill and spread it all around. We share in that light, that Gospel message. It's ours to claim through faith in Christ, and it's ours to share through His commission. 

Let us...put on the armor of light.

Paul reminds us that as children of light, walking in the light, we're to put on the armor of light. Armor is meant for protection against the enemy, and Paul details the armor of God in Ephesians 6: the belt of truth, the breastplate of rightousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Combined with prayer and perseverence, these pieces of armor provide a formidable force against any foe. We must continue to put away the works of darkness and we do this by putting on the armor of light daily. If we profess to own the Light of the World in our hearts, then we must wear the armor of the Light that we're representing. Our ministry must match our message. 

Light in the dark.

Light is offered as comfort to us from the Lord. It's also something people would pray for in distress or praise God for in times of rejoicing. 

"Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!" (Psalm 4:6)

"For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk befor eGod in the light of life." (Psalm 56:13)

"Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous." (Psalm 112:4)

God's Word is light.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105) In the darkness of this world, God's word provides the light necessary to continue walking through the valleys. For those who don't have this light, this world is the best they will ever get. But for those who have the "light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ" (2 Cor.4:4) they will have the Light of the world dispelling the darkness of their hearts and providing a path on which to walk. Our road map is the Word of light, because "the unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130). We're a new creation that radiates the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor.4:6).

The Lord God will be their light.

This world isn't all. There is a life after death, and for believers we will live with the Creator and Being of Light. The Light that was given to us in our hearts and proclaimed by the Word will be the light that we live forever with. We only demonstrate a fraction of this light, but in the new heavens and new earth, we will live in the light of the Lord. There will be no night, no darkness, to dispell anymore. No physical night and no spiritual darkness will be there. "[We] will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be [our] light, and [we] will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:5). The best is yet to come. Our Everlasting Light will not just be in our hearts, but He will stand before us, and we will bow to and reign with that Light. 

And so, with the physical light of day being our reminder, let us keep the light in our hearts burning, as we remember the Creator of Light who sent His Son as Light to the world. He offers the Word of light as comfort and direction to all who believe, and we are given the armor of light to fight against the forces of darkness. We are the light-bearers to the world, until that day when the Light comes from heaven and we reign in the glory of the Light of the Son of God.

When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.

-Micah 7:8b

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

-Isaiah 2:5

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

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)

---

[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

The Eternity We Await

On Monday, I finished my 16th time through the Bible, and because my reading plan takes me through Scripture canonically, I start with the creation of the earth and I end with the destruction of the earth. It's not a particularly pleasant picture if you leave the story there, however. And God doesn't.

Revelation presents the new heaven and new earth in its closing two chapters, and this eternal picture is one of glory, victory, perfection, and majesty. This was the revelation God gave to John, while he was in exile away from all other human companions. And here, on the isle of Patmos, the Lord provides His presence to John and commands him to write what he sees and hears.

Revelation 22 describes some of the characteristics of the new heaven, and I found it interesting to compare and contrast them with the newly created earth of Genesis.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need to light of the lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5, ESV)

Here, the angel shows John what this new Jerusalem looks like. The water of life flows from the throne of God, representing eternal life given to all God's children. In the Garden of Eden, God provided water as a source of nourishment for people, plants, and animals. He used it later as a means of judgment. Christ, in His ministry on earth, proclaimed Himself to be the living water--whoever drinks from it lives forever. "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14) In eternity, Christ will be our eternal life, physically and spiritually, and we will reign with Him forever. This water of life will never end.

The tree of life, once resting in the Garden, now is pictured here providing satisfaction and life by its fruit. Once inaccessible because of man's sin, the tree of life's blessing and healing is now freely available to all who believe. Sin's presence, too, will be nonexistent, for Jesus bore that curse on the cross, and in the new heaven and earth it is completely gone. God will never need to judge sin, forgive sin, or remove it from our lives because it will have no hold over us again, and it's curse will have vanished.

There won't be a physical temple in the new heaven and earth, but His children and the angels will worship Him nonetheless, for Christ is our temple. We will worship at the throne of God and the sacrificed Lamb, and we will praise Him for all eternity. We will see His face. Adam and Eve were once banned from direct communication with God, but as citizens of His kingdom, we will be completely holy and able to look on the face of a holy God without fear of consequences. And He will know all His people, for His name will be on and in us. We are His possession, bought with a price--His blood--and no one can pluck us out of His hands.

Night and day, created at the beginning of this world, to give us time for rest, growth, seasons, months, and years--this will be gone, also. The darkness of the night will be scattered, for the Lord's glory will fill the earth and heaven. Lamps or the sun's light would not help, nor could they compare, for the brightness of God's glory reaches further. Jesus is light, and in Him is no darkness at all; therefore, darkness will flee, and light will reign. We will reign with Him, for as His servants, we are also His citizens. Citizens of the better country--the heavenly country that the faithful of Hebrews 11 earnestly desired. There will be no more hoping for eternity, no more faith in that which we can't see, because we will be there and we will see Him and live in His holiness. We will love and serve Christ in a state of perfection for all of time. That will be glory. That will be victory.

C.S. Lewis summed it up well in his last book in the Chronicles of Narnia:

Aslan: "The dream is ended: this is the morning."And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginnig of the real story. All their life in this world...had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. 

So I will drive these roads in thunder and in rain
And I will sing your song at the top of my lungs
And I will praise you, Lord, in glory and in pain
And I will follow you till this race is won
And I will drive these roads till this motor won't run
And I will sing your song from sea to shining sea
And I will praise you Lord, till your kingdom comes

Till there’s no more faith and no more hope
I’ll see your face and Lord I’ll know
There’s no more faith, there’s no more hope
I’ll sing your praise and let them go
‘Cause only love, only Your love remains
Only love
("No More Faith", Andrew Peterson)

He is All Things!

And he is before all things and by him all things consist. 

Colossians 1:17

Scripture verses for the Biblical references in this song: All Things to All

He is a path to the misled

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not;

I will lead them in paths that they have not known:

I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.

These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

(Isaiah 42:16)

And to the hungry, He is bread

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: 

he that cometh to me shall never hunger;

and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

(John 6:35)

To the prisoner, He is free,

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand,

and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison,

and to them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

I am the Lord: that is my name:

and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

(Isaiah 42:6-8)

And to the weak, how strong is He!

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, 

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,

in distresses for Christ's sake:

for when I am weak, then am I strong.

(2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

To those in darkness, He is light,

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, 

hath shined in our hearts,

to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God 

in the face of Jesus Christ. 

(2 Corinthians 4:6)

And to the blinded, He is sight, 

Then Jesus answering said unto them,

Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard;

how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,

the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

(Luke 7:22-23)

To the broken, He is health, 

He healeth the broken in heart,

and bindeth up their wounds.

(Psalm 147:3)

And to the needy, He is wealth.

But my God shall supply all your need 

according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:19)

He is defender of the scorned,

But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning:

for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

(Psalm 59:8-9, 16-17)

A comfort to the ones who mourn,

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

(Matthew 5:4)

To the weary, He is rest,

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

(Matthew 11:28)

And He is hope to the oppressed.

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,

a refuge in times of trouble.

(Psalm 9:9)

O He is courage to the meek,

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage;

be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:

for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

(Joshua 1:9)

The answer to the ones who seek,

Ask, and it shall be given you; 

seek, and ye shall find; 

knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; 

and he that seeketh findeth; 

and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

(Matthew 7:7-8)

Yes, He is peace to those in strife, 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:

not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

(John 14:27)

And to the dying, He is life.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:

he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

Believest thou this?

(John 11:25-26)

We have no greater friend than He,

Who satisfies our every need.

Source of what was, what is, will be,

All things to all He is indeed!

http://grooveshark.com/s/All+Things+To+All/2yuQ7Y?src=5