Two Messages, Two Men, and One Savior

I read through Acts earlier this month, and as I was reading I noted some similarities in Peter's sermon and Stephen's defense (before he was killed). However, after a bit more study, I realized that, while they indeed had several similarities, they had more differences--not in theological content, but in the setting, content, and response of the message.

Setting
Acts 2 is known for the incredible experience of the Holy Spirit. The disciples are gathered in Jerusalem after the resurrection of Christ, and as the Lord promised, He sends the Comforter to remain with them always. Peter gives this sermon by the power of the Spirit with the other eleven disciples around him along with "devout men from every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5, ESV). In response to the overflowing living Spirit in him, Peter stands and proclaims

Stephen's defense in Acts 7 falls under much difference circumstances. These are literally Stephen's last words, as he will be stoned after this message. He stands amond the people, elders, scribes, his false accusers, and the Jewish council. This message is his defense against those who claimed that he spoke against the holy place and the Jewish law. Those who behold Stephen's face marvel that it appears like an angel's.

Content
In response to the overflowing living Spirit in him, Peter boldly stands and proclaims the words of Joel, calling the Jews back to their heritage, and ancient promises given to them by the God of Israel. Basing his message on the fact that "everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved", Peter gives a short summary of Jesus' life, beginning with David's testimony. He points out that his hearers are the ones who crucified the Messiah, but though they rejected the One that David proclaimed would rise from the dead, there was hope for them in that Savior still.

Stephen's defense is much longer than Peter's sermon, but he gives a similar message. He begins at the very beginning when God first called Abraham to seek out a land that would be his descendants inheritance. Moving along into the patriarchal history, Stephen recalls the story of Joseph and his brothers and the Egyptian famine. Then comes Moses, the child found beautiful in God's sight, who was to be called of I AM to lead the Israelites to the land promised to Abraham's descendants. Stephen recounts how Moses was directed to create a tent in the wilderness in which to worship God. Then David took up the call and desire to fund the building project for a temple. Though he did not see the project begin or end, he paved the way for his Solomon who was designated to build the temple during a time of peace. Stephen, like Peter also quotes one of the Old Testament prophets, however, he quotes Isaiah, not Joel. Concluding with the quote from Isaiah stating that "heaven is [God's] throng, and the earth is [His] footstool", Stephen places a strong rebuke on the Jewish leaders for their continued rejection of Christ. As their forefathers did, these Jews were stiff-necked, uncircumcised, murderers, and betrayers. They slew the One who gave them their law.

Response
Perhaps the biggest contrast between Stephen and Peter's messages is the response. While they have many differences, both quote prophets, both recount the Jewish history, both describe the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, both offer salvation, and both are spoken to large groups of people through the power of the Spirit.

Peter's message, though shorter than Stephen's, falls on ready ears, and about three thousand believers were added to the church. There was fellowshipping and praying and communion among these people and they gave to the needy and praised the Lord inthe temple together every day. The Lord added to their numbers and they continued to grow.

Stephen's message produced a response of rage in resistant hearts and actions. He was cast out of the city and stoned. Yet in the midst of the physical and spiritual pain, there was glory. Stephen was given a vision of Christ seated at the right hand of God, and though he died for this bold message and rebuke, his words were not in vain. Two chapters later, the man who permitted and condoned Stephen's death would also see the glory of God and become one of the leading writers and spiritual figures in our New Testament--the apostle Paul.

Two men with two messages, yet each pointed to the same Savior.

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

Three Visions of Heaven

This past week, I read through the story of Micaiah the prophet. He's not a well-known prophet, but his story is an interesting and courageous one. Micaiah prophecies during the reign of king Ahab--one of the most wicked kings of his time. This whole story is found in 2 Chronicles 18, and I won't detail it all, but his words in a few verses reminded me of two other instances in Scripture.

Standing before king Jehoshaphat and king Ahab, Micaiah states that he can only speak the words God gives him. Like Elijah, Micaiah's words will stand against those of the 400 false prophets. He's asked if these two kings will be able to conquer Ramoth Gilead back from the Arameans, and unlike the 400 false prophets, he says that Ahab would be killed and the people scattered. Ahab is obviously not pleased with this report. Micaiah then again brings to the kings' attention that it is the word of the Lord that he has spoken:

And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. (2 Chronicles 18:18, ESV)

Standing before those who would soon persecute him for his message, Micaiah boldly proclaims the Lord's message to Ahab, and refuses to cave in to the pressure of delivering a message that was pleasing to the king, like the other 400 prophets had done.

Another prophet records something similar to Micaiah's vision. Isaiah, the prophet, lived during the
time of king Uzziah. Uzziah began as a godly king, but soon grew strong in power and wealth leading to his downfall and the curse of leprosy. Isaiah was called to preach and teach a wayward people during this time, and many times faced persecution as he spoke the words of God. However, the Lord gave him a glimpse of His glory which is recorded in Isaiah 6:

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isaiah 6:1-3, ESV)

This is perhaps the most descriptive of the three, but like Micaiah's vision, Isaiah sees the angels surrounding the throne of God while the Lord is seated as the rightful reigning King.

The third Bible account describing a vision like these two takes place in the New Testament. A prophet in his own time and place, Stephen is well-known as the first martyr of the Christian church. Acts 6-8 recounts his sermon and story. While standing before the high priest, elders, and other Jews, Stephen boldly preaches against their wickedness, convicting their hearts while recounting the history of the Israelites. His audience, however, is not receptive, and stones him to death. Some of his last words include the vision into heaven:

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56, ESV)

As I read Micaiah's vision and his words, I couldn't help but compare the similarities of it to Isaiah's and Stephen's visions. These three men all stood before kings and declared the Word of God to rebellious and hard-hearted people. They were persecuted, forsaken of men, and faced internal and external pressures to conform to the lifestyles around them. Yet they stood firm and did not back down. All three record visions of God/Jesus seated on His throne. Isaiah and Stephen specifically mention His vast glory, and Micaiah and Isaiah describe the angels that surround the throne. Isaiah's and Micaiah's are the ultimate glory of God, but Stephen's is the fulfilled glory in Christ as the risen, reigning King. While we don't know exactly what happened to Isaiah and Micaiah in the end, it is very likely that they died at the hands of their own people. Stephen did.

And so it seems, that to provide encouragement and strength during their difficult life times, God opened heaven to them and showed them His glory and His realm--reminding them that they would reign there with Him soon.

Two Miracles in 2 Kings

This week reading through 2 Kings, I noticed two accounts which had miracles similiar to other more well-known stories in Scripture. Did you know the Jordan river was parted and walked across on dry ground? And twenty barley loaves plus fresh ears of grain managed to feed a hundred men?

Elijah tells his follower, Elisha, that he will be taken to heaven by the Lord today. Elijah took his cloak and struck the water, parting it for him and Elisha, and the two crossed over together. Elisha then requested that a double portion of Elijah's spirit be granted to him. Elijah said that if Elisha saw him taken up into heaven, then Elisha's request would be granted. Elisha watched as chariots and horses of fire and a whirlwind caught up his master to glory. Elisha then took up the cloak of Elijah and returned to the Jordan River striking the water in the same manner and walked across on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:1-14)

The second account takes place two chapters later and demonstrates in a smaller way a miracle Jesus would later perform. Elisha has just finished providing edible stew for the sons of the prophets. Famine had taken over the land, and food was scarce. A man comes and brings Elisha barley bread and fresh ears of grain. Elisha commands his servant to feed the group of men which numbered about a hundred. Still Elisha tells him to set it before them, as the Lord had said they would eat and have some left over. So Elisha's servant obeys. "And they ate and had some left, accourding to the word of the Lord." (2 Kings 4:42-44)

I found it interesting how the first miracle pointed back in history to Moses' parting of the Red Sea, and then the second miracle forshadows the future miracles of Jesus. One man, Elisha, was priviledged to take part in each of these miracles. Likely he did not completely understand the part he would play in reminding us of the past faithfulness of God, while also providing us hope for the future.

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. :)

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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?

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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]

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[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. :)

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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.

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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.

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[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.

Star of Jacob, Scepter of Israel

My Bible reading plan for this month has taken me once again through the first five books of the Old Testament. Having taught through these books and read through them about 18 times now, they have become increasingly familiar to me. But yet there always has been something to learn or remember from the stories and history of God's Word.

Numbers 22 brings us to the story of Balaam, a man we often remember because he talked back to a donkey. But that's not the only important thing that happened in his life.

In the previous chapter, Numbers 21, the Israelites just finished defeating the king of Bashan, added him to the list of conquered nations, killed all the inhabitants, and took over the land. Needless to say, the king we find in Numbers 22, King Balak of Moab, is rather terrified as to what will happen to him if he's next on the line. In fact, the whole nation of Moab was overcome with fear because of the Israelites. What they didn't know was that God had commanded the Israelites not to attack Moab because they were given that land by God and they were descendants of Lot.

So Balak calls on Balaam. Balaam is noted in Scripture as being a false prophet. He practiced magic and divination, but Balak acknowledged that Balaam's blessings and curses actually worked at times. Therefore, Balak sent messengers to Balaam with money and a plea for him to come and pronounce calamity on Israel. Though Balaam did not have any relationship with the Lord God of Israel, God did speak to him. Twice Balaam refused to go with the messangers Balak sent, telling them that God commanded him not to go. The third time, the Lord permitted Balaam to go with the condition that he could only speak the words God gave him. So Balaam went...and that's when the story of the talking donkey comes in. ;) Balaam went to Balak, but for the wrong reasons and with the wrong motives. Through the angel and the mouth of the donkey Balaam is brought into submission to God's command. Three times Balaam seeks to do as Balak requires of him and curse the Israelites, but three times God prevents this and causes him to bless them instead. So here you have a false prophet, who is involved in magic and contact with spirits, but he's blessing Israel through the words God gives him. Balaam proclaims that Israel wasn't like all the other nations of the world, that she was blessed greatly by God, shown mercy because God was with her, and she would have victory over her enemies.

Balaam's fourth blessing on Israel holds an important prophecy. God uses a false prophet to foretell the coming of the long-awaited Messiah, Israel's future King!

I see him, but not now; I behold him,  but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities! (Numbers 24:17-19)

This Star of Jacob and Scepter of Israel was none other than the Lord Christ Himself. Jacob, the patriarch, in blessing his sons before his death, pronounces this blessing on Judah:

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him. (Genesis 49:10) 

The wise men inquired of Herod where the Christ was for they had seen "his star" and had come to worship Him. The star in that night sky at Christ's birth overshadowed the place where the eternal Star of Jacob was residing. John records the words of Jesus as He fulfills Balaam's prophecy:

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. (Revelation 22:16)

And so, despite the fear of a king and the words of a false prophet, God chooses to use these men to proclaim His future Messiah who had come once before, and who would come again to rescue His people from spiritual bondage. Hope did indeed prevail despite what God's enemies tried to plan.

But that is not the end of Balaam's life, for though he failed to curse the Israelites, he caused the women of Moab to seduce the children of Israel, inciting God's anger on the nation. The Israelites engaged in immorality and idolatry with Baal forgetting the command to have no others gods but the Lord of Israel. Yet from this wickedness, hope did indeed come again for the Israelites, for Aaron's grandson, Phinehas, displayed his zeal for God in executing a man and the Midianite woman as they came near the tabernacle. For this action, the plague that had broken out on the Israelites because of their sin was stopped, and to Phinehas was granted a "perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel". (Numbers 25:13) From the line of Phinehas would come all future, legitimate high priests.

Though one day, the Israelites' Messiah did come, the High Priest who ended animal sacrifices with His one perfect sacrifice. Hope was born even out of wickedness, and vengeance was meted out to the Midianites who had incited the anger of the Lord and caused the Israelites to sin. In a similar way, Christ will return for a second time to those who look for His coming, and He will provide justice over the earth. Sin and death will reign no more, and we will fellowship together with the Giver of hope. This promise is sure and steadfast, and it will be accomplished.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprighteness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. (Psalm 45:6-7a)

Live for Christ

A post on some Scripture reading thoughts I had back in November. :)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 

(2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

(Galatians 2:20)

We continue to live day by day by faith in Christ because Someone loved us enough to die for us. And if He loved us enough to die for us, then surely we can love Him by living for Him. Not in "payment" back to Jesus, because we could never repay that, but because living by faith demonstrates the love of Christ and our love for Him. It brings Him glory. That's why we live: to glorify God and show His love to others.

But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus. 

(Philippians 1:24-26a)

We love Him because He first loved us. That love grips us and constraints us to follow His path, not by rules and regulations, but because we realize how awesome and how compassionate He is. Our old nature died with Him on that cross, and we were raised with Him in Spirit when He was resurrected. Let us not serve the sin, the world, and the flesh that haunts us still. Rather let us live in the strength of the Lord seeking what is above, not what is on earth. 

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

(Colossians 3:1-4)

There is a glory that awaits us even today. A glory that was fortold by the prophets, spoken by angels, preached by man, and predestined by God. That glory came in flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld that glory. The glory of the one and only Son of God, full of grace and truth. 

For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness, 'has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ...For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh....So we do not lose heart....For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen, For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

(2 Corinthians 4:6, 11, 16a, 18)

Live to demonstrate that glory to others. Live for Christ. 

Bearing the Burdens of Others

This week I read the latter half of 2 Chronicles up to the end of Job. I'm actually using two different Bible reading plans right now, but the second one doesn't really count--I'm reading through all the notes in my study Bible using a 6-month reading plan. But this week both of my reading plans had something in common.

Galatians 6:2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." We all carry our own burdens, either of difficult situations, trials and temptations, or just even the own sin in our hearts. Burdens are something we carry with us all the time, every day. They give us ample opportunities for learning endurance, patience, and forbearance. But in this verse in Galatians, it doesn't just say to carry our own burdens, but also those of fellow believers. Sometimes this means carrying the weight of another's sin and its consequences.

Hezekiah
This man began his reign over Judah after the nation had been corrupted by the ungodly leaders before him. The Bible tells us, however, that "he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done". The sin of the nation wasn't directly Hezekiah's fault, yet he took on the responsibility of it and commanded the people to reform their land. He reminded them that the wrath of the Lord was on them (and him) because of their wicked forefathers. "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us" (2 Chronicles 29:10). He was willing to take on the consequences of the people's sin and begin the process of repentance with them. He commanded the priests to sacrifice, and he led the Israelites in consecrated worship to the Lord. He gathered Judah and those who would come from Israel to once again celebrate the Passover, and Hezekiah prayed for them all. "And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people" (2 Chronicles 30:20)

Josiah
He was the third king after Hezekiah, and because the people had turned away from the Lord again, Josiah had a similar task to Hezekiah. After Hilkiah find the Book of the Law of the Lord in the temple, Josiah has it read to him. And then he realizes even more the great sin of the people in forsaking God. God reveals to Josiah through a prophetess that great destruction will come because of the people's disobedience, and only because of Josiah's humility before the Lord would he be spared the sight of this destruction of the land. Josiah takes on the results of sin and brings the people to repentance by reading the Book of the Law to them. "And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book" (2 Chronicles 34:31). Josiah saw relative peace while he reigned, and he died before Jerusalem was captured, burned, and her people exiled.

Ezra
After King Cyrus allowed the deported Jews to return to Jerusalem, many exiles returned to their homeland. Under Ezra's leadership the people fast and pray, and begin the reconstruction of their land. Ezra soon finds out that the Jews have once again intermarried with the pagan nations around them, breaking the commands of God and bringing judgment if they did not repent. Ezra identifies himself with the sin of the people and is struck with grief at their sin. He prays to the Lord admitting the guilt of the people and recognizing that they deserved judgment. "O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this" (Ezra 9:15). Ezra prays and makes confession, interceding for the people and taking on the weight of their sin, and the people responded in humility, separating themselves from the pagan foreigners.

Job
Perhaps this scene from Job is one we don't remember often. After all of Job's "friends" have given their "advice", the Lord answers Job and silences Job's questions, showing His infinite power even in the midst of suffering. He calls Job to trust Him even when he doesn't know the reason for his trials. And in his humility he acknowledges the greatness, majesty, and sovereignty of God in his life. God then turns his anger on Job's friends for their misrepresentation of Job's character and God's character. And though Job has suffered much mentally from these three men, he obeys the Lord and prays for them, interceding for them on behalf of their sin. "...and the Lord accepted Job's prayer" (Job 42:9).

Jeremiah
Knowing as the "weeping prophet", this man was sent to proclaim God's judgment on Judah. And though the nations sin was not his, he lives his life in humility and identifies himself with the sinners. In Jeremiah 10:24, he asks the Lord to bring correction and justice on himself and on the people for their sin. He places himself as one of the Israelites and takes on their sin, pleading with the Lord for mercy.

Moses
Though not in my week's reading, this man serves as another example of bearing the burden of another's sin. After Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments, he was greeted with the noise of the people worshipping and dancing around the golden calf that had apparently just appeared out of the fire (as Aaron intelligently reported). Moses metes out judgment on the people when he commands the Levites to destroy those who had turned from the Lord, and the next day day Moses says to the people "You have sinned a great sin, And now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin" (Exodus 32:31). Realizing the folly of the Israelites and the greatness of their sin he pleads for forgiveness from God for this rebellious group. "But now, if you will forgive their sin--but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written" (Exodus 32:33). Moses' desire for the people's forgiveness is so great that he places the sin on himself, and says that if God could not spare them in His justice, he will be willing to end up in the darkness of eternity if only the Israelites would be spared!


These men willingly took on the sins of others in order to bring mercy on others, but yet see justice done to sin. But they were not faultless men themselves, and though many times they did bear the burden of sin that was not theirs, they only represented a Greater Intercessor who was to come. In order to perfectly fulfill justice for sin and give grace to the wrongdoer, a perfect atonement was needed, and that was only found in the sinless priesthood Christ. Only the One who came willingly in the faultless image of God could bear the sins of the world and, at the same time, bring judgment and grace.

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

(Isaiah 53:11-12)

Sometimes we, too, are called to wrestle with the sins of others and to bear its consequences, not because we're perfect, but because the body of Christ works to bear the burdens of others. We're to help the weak, encourage our fellow soldiers, and admonish the sinning. "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak" (Romans 15:1), and this should be done with the knowledge that others are bearing our own weaknesses, as well. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16, KJV). 

A Prophet Without Honor

Mark is the shortest Gospel chapter-wise, and I finished reading through it yesterday and today. But before I got to Mark, I read through Matthew. Jesus visits His home town, Nazareth, and is rejected by His own people. They take offense at what He says and are astonished at his teaching. And Jesus says this, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."

But He didn't just meet resistance and unbelief in Nazareth, for many people, homes, and towns refused to acknowledge who He really was. And as I read through Mark with that quote in mind, many of the accounts of Jesus ministry stood out to me as the Israelites rejected Him. He truly was a Man without apparent honor. He came to earth in a way that seemed dishonorable, and He died in earthly humiliation.

Perhaps the most forceful resistance came from the Pharisees, as they were the ones who ultimately rejected Christ and crucified Him. In Mark the scribes question Jesus' motives for healing the paralyzed man, and the scribes and Pharisees doubt Jesus when He goes to eat with the sinners and tax collectors. They accuse Jesus and his disciples of unlawful activity when they eat corn on the Sabbath, and they watch Christ to hope to accuse Him when He heals a man on the Sabbath. Other people beg Jesus to leave after he frees a man from the hold of demons. The Pharsees critisize Jesus disciples for not following man-made traditions, and though many are astonished by His teaching, their hearts are hardened to the truth. Those He ministers to can't decide if He's the resurrected John the Baptist, Elijah, or another of the prophets. And those who are so close to the truth turn away because it could cost them their material possessions.  His disciples consist of a bunch of men who don't understand His teaching and who fight for greatness among themselves. Men who betray and deny Him. And who leave His side at the moment they are needed most, even though they pledged their loyalty to Him. His forerunner, John the Baptist, is killed because of Herod's foolish oath. The most religious men of the time continue to defy the heart of the Gospel by selling and buying in His holy temple, and Jesus drives them out. He weeps when a friend dies and also when He looks out over the city He would have welcomed into His arms, but they would not believe. His brothers and sisters don't even believe in Him. He's captured by the people He will die to save. He's betrayed by one who had first-hand experience in the the love of the Son. He's denied by the man who proclaimed Him to be the Messiah. A ruler condemns Christ to death in order to please the Jewish leaders. He's dressed up in a robe and mocked. He's bears the curse of sin as He hangs on a cross. He's forsaken of God.

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom mend hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted...[he] was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many. 

(Isaiah 53:3, 7, 12) 

But the Son of Man who endured so much dishonor from His own creation, received complete and lasting honor when He was taken up into glory and seated at the right hand of the Father. His dishonor here was finished, and He now shares in the majesty of God. 

But there were some who honored the Lord and loved Him. There were the disciples that, for all their unloveliness, did follow Him in His ministry and carried on His message. There were those in the crowds who gave glory to God when they saw the sick healed. Two of His brothers write of Christ and are included in our Canon today. The wind and the sea honor and obey Him when He commands them to be still. The woman whose great faith prompts her to just touch Jesus clothing in order to be healed. The disciple that Jesus loved. The Syropheonician woman's faith. The disciple to whom it is revealed that Jesus is the Christ. The father who says "I believe; help my unbelief!" The blind man who receives sight and follows Jesus. The widow who probably didn't even know that Jesus was watching her give all that she had.  Mary who anoints Christ's feet in silent worship. And the women who loved Him enough to watch His death and then prepare His body for burial. And the disciple who admits "My Lord, and my God!"

The Prophet who came with a message for His own people was ultimately rejected. And though He was without honor in His home, He isn't anymore--that's why we have salvation. And so, too, it is with us. Jesus' followers were all without honor in their living and dying here on earth, but they were received into glory, and the shame of a temporary life compares nothing to the glory which shall come.

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.

Hebrews 2:9-11a