then ,beginng

     HEB  GEN :2. BEFORE A PLANT OF THE FIELD WAS IN THE EARTH,BEFORE A GRAIN OF THE FIELD SPROUTED-----YAHWEH HAD NOT SPILLED RAIN ON THE EARTH, NOR WAS THERE MAN TO WORK THE LAND.---YET FROM THE DAY YAHWEH MADE EARTH AND SKY, A MIST FROM WITHIN WOULD RISE TO MOISTEN THE SURFACE. YAHWEH SHAPED AN EARTHLING FROM CLAY OF THIS EARTH, BLEW INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE WIND OF LIFE. NOW LOOK: MAN BECOMES A CREATURE OF FLESH.
NOW YAHWEH PLANTED A GARDEN IN EDEN, EASTWARD, SETTLED THERE THE MAN HE FORMED. FROM THE LAND. YAHWEH GREW ALL TREES LOVELY TO LOOK UPON, GOOD TO EAT FROOM; THE TREE OF LIFE WAS THERE IN THE GARDEN, AND THE TREE OF KNOWING GOD AND BAD. OUT OF EDEN FLOWS A RIVER. IT WATERS THE GARDEN, THEN OUTSIDE, BRANCHES INTO FOUR: ONE PISHON,, WINDS THROUGH THROUGH THE WHOLE OF HAVILA, LAND WITH GOLD---- EXCELLENT GOLD, WHERE BDELLIUM IS, THE LAPIS LAZULI. THE SECOND, NAMED GIHON, MOVES THROUGH THE LENGTH OF CUSH, TIGRIS, THE THIRD, TRAVEL EAST OF ASSHUR; AND EUPHRATES IS THE FOURTH. YAHWEH LIFTS THE MAN, BRINGS HIM TO REST IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, TO TEND IT AND WATCH. " FROM ALL THE TREES IN THE GARDEN YOU ARE FREE TO EAT"--- SO YAHWEH DESIRES MAN KNOW---"BUT THE TREE OF KNOWING GOOD AND BAD YOU WILL NOT TOUCH. EAT FROM IT," SAID YAHWEH, " AND ON THAT DAY DEATH TOUCHES YOU."  " IT IS GOOD THE MAN BE ALONE," SAID YAHWEH. "I WILL MAKE A PARTNER TO STAND BESIDE HIM."  SO YAHWEH SHAPED OUT F THE SOIL ALL THE CREATURES OF THE FIELD AND BIRDS OF THE AIR, BRINGING THEM TO MAN TO SEE HOW HE WOULD CALL THEM. WHATEVER THE MAN CALLED BECAME THE LIVING CREATURE'S NAME. SOON ALL WILD ANIMALS HAD NAMES THE THE MAN GAVE THEM, ALL BIRDS OF THE AIR AND CREATURES, OF THE FIELD, BUT THE MAN DID NOT FIND HIS PARTNER AMONG THEM. NOW YAHWEH PUT THE MAN INTO A DEEP SLEEP; WHEN HE FELL ASLEEP, TOOK A RIB, CLOSED THE FLESH OF HIS SIDE AGAIN. STARTING WITH THE PART TAKEN OUT OF THE MAN, YAHWEH SHAPED THE RIB INTO WOMAN, RETURNED HER TO THE SIDE OF THE MAN.
 " THIS ONE IS BONE OF MY BONE, FLESH, OF MY FLESH,"  SAID THE MAN."WOMAN,
 I CALL HER, OUT OF MAN SHE WAS PARTED."  SO A MAN PARTS FROM HIS MOTHER AND FATHER, CLINGS TO HIS WIFE: THEY WERE ONE FLESH. AND LOOK: HEY ARE NAKED, MAN AND WOMEN, UNTOUCHED BY SHAME, NOT KNOWING IT. NOW THE SNAKE WAS SMOOTHER-TONGUED THAN ANY WILD CREATURE THAT YAHWEH MADE."DID THE GOD REALLY MEAN," HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, "YOU CAN'T EAT FROM ANY TREE OF THE GARDEN?" "BUT THE FRUIT OF THE TREES WE MAY," SAID THE WOMAN TO THE SNAKE. " JUST THE TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, THE GOD SAID. YOU CAN'T EAT FROM IT, YOU CAN'T TOUCH---WITHOUT DEATH TOUCHING YOU," " DEATH WILL  NOT TOUCH YOU," SAID THE SNAKE TO THE WOMAN " THE GOD KNOWS ON THE DAY YOU EAT FROM IT YOUR EYES WILL FALL OPEN LIKE gods, KNOWING GOOD AND BAD." NOW THE WOMAN SEES HOW GOOD THE TREE LOOKS, TO EAT, FROM, HOW LOVELY TO THE EYES, LIVELY TO THE MIND.
TO ITS FRUIT SHE REACHED; ATE, GAVE TO HER MAN, THERE WITH HER, AND HE ATE. AND THE EYES OF BOTH FELL OPEN, GRASP KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR NAKED SKIN. THEY WOUND TOGETHER FIG LEAVES, MADE COVERINGS FOR THEMSELVES. NOW THEY HEAR YAHWEH'S VOICE AMONG EVENING BREEZES, WALKING IN THE GARDEN; THEY HIDE FROM THE FACE OF YAHWEH " THE MAN AND HIS WOMAN AMONG THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. YAHWEH CALLED TO THE MAN.":WHERE ARE YOU?"  I HEARD YOUR VOICE IN THE GARDEN," HE ANSWERED."I TREMBLED. WHO TOLD YOU NAKED IS WHAT YOU ARE?  DID YOU TOUCH THE TREE I DESIRED YOU NOT EAT?" "THE WOMEN YOU GAVE ME----SHE GAVE ME
 FRUIT OF THE TREE I ATE," WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE,?" SAID YAHWEH TO THE -WOMEN. "SINCE THE SMOOTH---TONGUED SNAKE GAVE ME, I ATE. " ...........SINCE YOU
DONE THIS," SAID YAHWEH TO THE SNAKE "YOU ARE BOUND APART FROM THE FLOCKS, FROM ANY CREATURE OF THE FIELD, BOUND TO THE GROUND, CRAWLING BY YOUR SMOOTH BELLY: DIRT YOU SHALL TASTE FROM FIRST DAY TILL THE LAST. I  WILL MAKE YOU ENEMY TO WOMAN, ENMITY BOUND BETWEEN YOUR SEED AND    AND HERS. AS YOU STRIKE HIS HEEL, HE SHALL STRIKE YOUR HEAD." TO THE WOMAN HE SAID: "PAIN  INCREASING, GROANS SPREADING HAVING CHILDREN WILL BE A LABOR. TO YOUR MAN'S BODY YOUR BELLY SHALL RISE FOR HE WILL BE EAGER ABOVE YOU. THORNS AND THISTLES WILL BLOOM  BEFORE YOU; YOU WILL GRASP THE BITTER HERBS THE FIELD GIVES YOU. " AS YOU SOW THE SWEAT OF YOUR FACE SO YOU WILL REAP YOUR BREAD,TILL YOU RETURN TO EARTH--- FROM IT YOU WERE TAKEN. DUST YOU ARE, TO DUST YOU RETURN.
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ONE MAN ONE WOMAN?

" WHAT IS MAN?" ABOUT HIMSELF HE HAS EXPRESSED AND CONTINUES TO EXPRESS MANY DIVERGENT AND EVEN CONTRADICTORY OPINIONS. IN THESE HE  OFTEN EXALTS HIMSELF TO THE POINT OF DESPAIR. THE RESULT IS DOUBT AND ANXIETY.
SACRED SCRIPTURE TEACHES THAT MAN WAS CREATED  TO THE IMAGE GOD,"  IS CAPABLE OF KNOWING AND LOVING HIS CREATOR, AND WAS APPOINTED BY HIM MASTER  OF ALL EARTHLY CREATURES, THAT HE MIGHT SUBDUE THEM AND USE THEM TO GOD'S GLORY, EACH OF US IS COMPOSED OF SOUL, SPIRIT, AND MATERIALLY. WITH THE HELP OF GOD'S FURTHER REVELATION WE CAN SEE THIS IN THE STORY OF MAN MADE IN THE "IMAGE OF GOD."  AND OF   "THE DUST OF THE EARTH." THESE ARE TWO "ASPECTS" OF MAN, TWO "POWERS," TWO WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN ACT.  OUR SOUL, OR SPIRITUAL POWER, IS JUST AS REAL AS OUR MATERIALITY WHICH WE CAN SEE AND FEEL. IT IS THE CORE OF OUR BEING, OUR CONSCIOUS, OUR INNERMOST "ME". IT INFUSES EVERY PART OF US THAT IS ALIVE.
IT ENABLES US TO THINK AND MAKE FREE CHOICES. WHEN WE THINK, WE CALL THIS POWER OUR INTELLECT OR MIND; WHEN, WE CALL IT OUR FREE WILL.  WE MAKE FREE CHOICES,  UNTIL "DEATH" KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. THEN WE FIND OUT
THAT MAN MEETS HIS MAKER, AND JESUS SAYS: MAN IS LIKE A PUFF OF DUST, AND HIS DAYS WERE LIKE A PASSING' SHADOW  THE BIBLE FACES THE FACT THAT DEATH COMES TO EVERYONE. ON THE OTHER HAND, DEATH IS SEEN AS SOMETHING EVIL THAT STRIKES A NOTE OF TERROR IN ALL OUR MINDS. THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE THERE IS A CLOSE LINK  BETWEEN DEATH AND SIN. DEATH IS PART OF THE JUDGMENT THAT COMES TO ADAM. AFTER HIS DISOBEDIENCE. PAUL REGARDS DEATH AS INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF SIN IN THE WORLD. FOR GOD IS 'HOLY' AND CANNOT TOLERATE EVIL. IF WE DIE WITH SIN UNFORGIVEN, OUR DEATH IS NOT ONLY PHYSICAL, BUT SPIRITUAL. SINCE THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE THE WHOLE CREATION HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THEIR REBELLION AGAINST GOD. SIN CAME INTO THE WORLD THROUGH ONE MAN, AND HIS SIN BROUGHT DEATH WITH IT. AS A RESULT DEATH HAS SPREAD TO THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS SINNED. EVERY PART OF THE UNIVERSE IS AFFECTED BY SIN BOTH PEOPLE AND THE NATURAL WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE. ALTHOUGH WE STILL HAVE MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL NATURE GOD GAVE US, AND WE STILL KNOW AND SEARCH FOR GOD, YET WE HAVE AN INBUILT BIAS TOWARDS SIN. NEW TESTAMENT  OFTEN SPEAKS OF NON-CHRISTIANS AS BEING PHYSICALLY ALIVE, BUT 'SPIRITUALLY' DEAD BECAUSE OF DISOBEDIENCE AND SINS. WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS HE TOOK THE ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN ON HIS SELF. HIS RESURRECTION SHOWED THAT HE HAD DEFEATED DEATH SO ALTHOUGH OUR HUMAN FATE IS TO DIE, BY FAITH IN CHRIST WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.  THE CHRISTIAN IS ALREADY LIFTED OUT OF OF SPIRITUAL DEATH TO NEW LIFE AND LOOKS FORWARD TO THE END OF THE AGE WHEN PHYSICAL DEATH, ' THE LAST ENEMY, WILL ALSO BE OVERCOME. YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME; I CHOSE YOU; SAID JESUS. THESE WORDS SUM UP THE  BIBLE'S TEACHING ON ELECTION. (CHOICE). BECAUSE GOD IS THE ALL POWERFUL CREATOR HE IS THE ONE WHO MAKES THE ULTIMATE DECISIONS-NOT MAN. YOU DID NOT CHOSE  ME; I CHOSE YOU. SAID JESUS. THESES WORDS SUM UP THE BIBLE TEACHING ON ELECTION. (CHOICE.) BECAUSE GOD IS THE ALL POWERFUL CREATOR HE IS THE ONE WHO MAKES THE ULTIMATE DECISIONS.-- NOT MAN. THE OLD TESTAMENT RECORDS HOW GOD CHOSE PEOPLE. HE CHOSE ABEL NOT CAIN , ISAAC  AND NOT ISHMAEL; JACOB NOT ESAU; JOSEPH NOT HIS BROTHERS. THEY WERE NOT CHOSEN FOR THEIR OWN GOODNESS OR GREATNESS.
 MOSES TELLS THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL: THE LORD DID NOT LOVE YOU AND CHOOSE YOU BECAUSE YOU OUTNUMBERED OTHER PEOPLES... BUT THE LORD LOVED YOU. DO NOT SAY TO YOURSELVES THAT HE BROUGHT IN TO POSSESS THIS LAND BECAUSE YOU DESERVED IT. THE REASON FOR GOD'S CHOICE IS HIDDEN WITHIN HIS OWN MIND AND NO HUMAN MIND OR HUMAN BEING CAN UNDERSTAND IT. IT IS CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT THOSE WHO ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE OF GOD'S CHOICE ARE EXPECTED TO OBEY HIM AND GIVE THEIR LIVES IN HIS SERVICE. THIS WAS SO FOR ABRAHAM AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. IT IS NOW TRUE OF CHRISTIANS.  YOU ARE THE CHOSEN RACE., THE KING'S PRIESTS. THE HOLY NATION, GOD'S OWN PEOPLE, CHOSEN TO PROCLAIM THE WONDERFUL ACTS OF GOD., WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS OWN MARVELOUS LIGHT. FAITH. PAUL CAREFULLY EXPLAINS IN HIS LETTERS TO THE CHRISTIANS IN BOTH ROME AND GALATIA THAT A PERSON CAN FIND A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, NOT THROUGH YOUR OWN GOOD DEEDS ( AS PEOPLE OFTEN THINK) BUT ONLY THROUGH FAITH OR BELIEVING.
FAITH MEANS HAVING CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN GOD.. IT IS NOT A 'LEAP' IN THE DARK. WHICH A MAN MUST TAKE. WITHOUT THINKING. IT IS A TRUST IN GOD WHOM WE BELIEVE TO BE TRUSTWORTHY. CONFIDENT IN THIS KNOWLEDGE A PERSON CAN BELIEVE AND ENTRUST HIS LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST. AS SINFUL PEOPLE WE CAN DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO SAVE OURSELVES. WE HAVE TO DEPEND TOTALLY ON WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE FOR US THROUGH JESUS. THIS IS THE START OF A LIFE OF FAITH. NO ONE CAN BE CERTAIN OF LIVING ARIGHT BY HIS OWN EFFORTS. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO TRUST WHOLLY IN JESUS AND THE SPIRIT HE GIVES US THAT HELPS US LIVE IN A WAY THAT PLEASES GOD. THIS LIFE OF DEPENDANCE ON GOD GOES RIGHT BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF GOD'S DEALINGS WITH MAN, AS PAUL SHOWS WHEN HE TRACES IT BACK TO ABRAHAM. THE NEW TESTAMENT
 ALSO REFERS TO THE "FAITH" MEANING THE BASIC TEACHING ABOUT JESUS ON WHICH OUR TRUST IF ROUNDED.


   

AUTHORITY OF JESUS.

 FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE UNTO AN HOUSEHOLDER, WHICH WENT OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING TO HIRE LABOURERS INTO HIS VINEYARD.AND WHEN HE AGREED WITH THE LABOURSERS FOR PENNY A DAY, (32) DOLLARS HE SENT THEM INTO THE VINEYARD. AND ABOUT THE THIRD HOUR HE WENT OUT, AND SAW OTHERS STANDING IDLE IN THE MARKETPLACE, AND SAID UNTO THEM; GO YE ALSO INTO THE VINEYARD, AND WHATSOEVER IS RIGHT I WILL GIVE YOU. AND THEY WENT THEIR WAY. AGAIN HE WENT OUT ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR (NOON) AND NINTH HOUR (3PM) AND DID LIKEWISE AND ABOUT THE ELEVENTH HOUR (5 PM) HE WENT OUT, AND FOUND OTHERS STANDING AROUND IDLE?  THEY SAY UNTO HIM, BECAUSE NO MAN HIRED US. HE SAITH UNTO THEM H GO YE ALSO INTO THE VINEYARD AND WHATSOEVER IS RIGHT, THAT SHALL YOU RECEIVE. SO WHEN EVENING WAS COME, THE LORD OF THE VINEYARD SAITH UNTO HIS STEWARD, CALL THE LABOURERS, AND GIVE THEM THEIR HIRE, BEGINNING FROM THE LAST UNTO THE FIRST. AND WHEN THEY CAME THAT WERE HIRED ABOUT THE ELEVENTH HOUR, THE RECEIVED EVERY MAN A PENNY ($32). BUT WHEN THE FIRST, THEY SUPPOSE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED MORE; AND THEY LIKEWISE EVERY MAN RECEIVED A PENNY. ($32). BUT WHEN THE FIRST CAME, THEY SUPPOSED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED MORE; AND THEY LIKEWISE RECEIVED EVERY MAN A PENNY. AND WHEN THEY HAVE RECEIVED IT THEY MURMURED AGAINST THE GOODMAN OF THE HOUSE, (LANDOWNER) SAYING ,, THESE LAST HAVE WROUGHT BUT ONE HOUR, AND THOU HAVE MADE THEM EQUAL UNTO US, WHICH HAVE BORN THE BURDEN AND  THE HEAT OF THE DAY DAY. BUT HE ANSWERED ONE OF THEM, AND SAID, FRIEND, I DO YOU NO WRONG: DID NOT THOU AGREE WITH ME FOR A PENNY ($32) TAKE THAT THINE IS AND GO THY WAY: I WILL GIVE UNTO THIS LAST, EVEN UNTO THEE. ONE DAY. WHEN HE WAS TEACHING THE PEOPLE IN THE TEMPLE AND PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS, THE HIGH PRIESTS AND PHARISEES ACCOMPANIED BY THE ELDERS, APPROACHED HIM WITH THE QUESTION, 'TELL US, BY WHAT AUTHORITY DO YOU DO THESE THINGS? IN OTHER WORDS, WHO HAS AUTHORIZED YOU?" HE REPLIED, " LET ME PUT A QUESTION FOR YOU TO ANSWER: DID THE BAPTISM OF JOHN COME FROM  GOD OR FROM MEN?" THEY HELD A BRIEF CONFERENCE DURING WHICH SOMEONE SAID, " IF WE ANSWER, " FROM GOD,' HE WILL SAY, ' THEN WHY DO YOU NOT BELIEVE IT?';  WHERE AS IF WE SAY, 'FROM MEN,' TE PEOPLE WILL STONE US, SO CONVINCED ARE THEY THAT JOHN WAS A PROPHET" THEY ENDED BY REPLYING THEY DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM, " IN THAT CASE, NEITHER WILL I TELL YOU BY WHOSE AUTHORITY I ACT. HE THEN BEGAN TO TELL THE PARABLE OF THE TENETS IN THE FOLLOWING PARABLE: "A MAN PLANTED A VINEYARD, LEASED IT T TENANT FARMERS, AND WENT AWAY FOR A LONG TIME. AT VINTAGE TIME HE SENT A SERVANT TO THE TENANT FARMERS TO RECEIVE  HIS SHARE OF THE CROP FROM THEM; ; BUT THEY BEAT HIM AND SENT HIM AWAY EMPTY-HANDED, AFTER TREATING HIM SHAMEFULLY. HE SENT STILL A THIRD, WHOM THEY LIKEWISE MALTREATED BEFORE DRIVING HIM AWAY. THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD ASKED HIMSELF,'WHAT AM I TO DO NOW.? PERHAPS IF I SEND THE SON I LOVE, THEY WILL RESPECT HIM.' ' BUT WHEN THE TENANT FARMERS SAW THE SON, THEY REFLECTED, ' THIS IS THE HEIR. LET US KILL HIM SO THAT THE INHERITANCE WILL BE OURS'. WITH THAT THEY DRAGGED HIM OUTSIDE THE VINEYARD AND KILLED HIM. WHAT FATE DO YOU SUPPOSE THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD HAS IN STORE FOR THEM. I WILL TELL YOU HE WILL MAKE A END TO THOSE TENANT FARMERS. WHEN THEY H/;'

JESUS SAID, "GOD FORBID!" HE LOOKED DIRECTLY AT THEM AND SAID, " WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES MEAN WHEN THEY SAY,, " THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE KEYSTONE OF THE STRUCTURE"?  THE MAN WHO FALLS ON THAT STONE WILL BE SMASHED TO PIECES. IT WILL MAKE DUST OF ANYONE ON WHOM IT FALLS. AT THESE WORDS THE SCRIBES AND HIGH PRIESTS TRIED TO GET THEIR HANDS ON HIM., BUT THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE THEY WERE WELL AWARE THAT HE HAD TOLD THE PARABLE WITH THEM I MIND. WHAT FATE DO YOU SUPPOSE THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD HAS IN STORE FOR THEM.?.. HE WILL MAKE AN END TO THOSE TENANT FARMERS AND GIVE THE VINEYARD TO OTHERS" (LK. 20:15-16.) LUKE    GIVES ONLY THE ESSENTIALS  OF THE PARABLE OF TE HOMICIDAL VINEYARD DRESSERS. MATTHEW AND MARK HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT OUT THE OWNER'S SOLICITUDE FOR HIS VINEYARD, WHICH HE ENTRUSTED TO THE CRIMINALS TENANTS (MAT 21 AN MARK CHAP 12). IN A STORY OF THIS SORT, THE ALLEGORY IS CARRIED THROUGH FROM THE BEGINNING TO END. . THE IDENTIFICATION OF CHRIST WITH THE IMMOLATED SON IS OBVIOUS.  THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SUPPLANTING OF THE VINEDRESSERS OF THE TEMPORAL ISRAEL BY THOSE OF THE NEW ISRAEL IS ALSO CLEAR (LK 20:16).   SOME SADDUCEES CAME FORWARD ( THE ONES WHO CLAIM THERE IS NO RESURRECTION) TO POSE THIS PROBLEM TO HIM. " MASTER, MOSES PRESCRIBED THAT IF A MAN'S BROTHER DIES LEAVING A WIFE AND NO CHILD THE BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIDOW AND RAISE POSTERITY TO HIS BROTHER. NOW THERE WERE SEVEN BROTHERS. THE FIRST ONE MARRIED AND DIED CHILDLESS, NEXT THE SECOND BROTHER MARRIED THE WIDOW, THEN THE THIRD, AND SO ON. ALL SEVEN DIED WITHOUT LEAVING HER ANY CHILDREN. FINALLY THE WIDOW HERSELF DIED. AT THE RESURRECTION, WHOSE WIFE WILL SHE BE? REMEMBER, SEVEN MARRIED HER". JESUS SAID TO THEM: " THE CHILDREN OF THIS AGE MARRY AND OUR GIVEN IN MARRIAGE. BUT THOSE JUDGE WORTHY OF A PLACE IN THE AGE TO COME AND OF RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD DO NOT. THEY BECOME LIKE ANGELS AND ARE NO LONGER LIABLE FOR DEATH. SONS OF RESURRECTION, THEY ARE SONS OF GOD. MOSES IN THE PASSAGE ABOUT THE BUSH SHOWED THAT THE DEAD RISE AGAIN WHEN HE CALLED THE LORD THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND THE GOD OF ISAAC AND THE GOD OF JACOB. GOD IS NOT HE GOD OF THE DEAD, BUT OF THE LIVING ALL ARE ALIVE FOR HIM. THEY DID NOT ASK ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

JESUS OLD TESTAMENT PROMISE. [WAS FULFILLED]

 EVEN IF MATTHEW'S GENEALOGY IS UNDERSTANDABLY OMITTED FROM THE READINGS AT OUR CHRISTMAS SERVICE., THE LIST WILL UNDOUBTEDLY INCLUDE OTHER PORTIONS FROM THE REST OF MATTHEW 1 AND 2, FOR THEY ARE AMONG THE MOST FAMILIAR STORIES. OF THE INFANCY STORIES. MATTHEW WEAVES TOGETHER FIVE SCENES FROM THE CONCEPTION, BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.  AND THEN PERHAPS FOR THEIR BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO MISSED THE POINT OF HIS GENEALOGY(OR MORE LIKELY SKIPPED IT ALTOGETHER), HE TIES  UP EACH OF THOSE FIVE SCENES TO A QUOTATION FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES WHICH, HE CLAIMS, HAS BEEN FULFILLED BY THE EVENT DESCRIBED. THROUGH THE FIVE SCENES FROM JESUS CHILDHOOD, TO WHICH TIES UP THROUGH HEBREW SCRIPTURES WHICH HE CLAIMS, HAS BEEN "FULFILLED" BY THE EVENT DESCRIBED.
1). THE ASSURANCE TO JOSEPH CONCERNING THE CHILD CONCEIVED IN MARY.[1:18-25'] TO FULFILL'  ISAIAH 7:14 WHICH WAS THE IMMANUEL SIGN, GIVEN BY ISAIAH TO KING AHAZ.
2). THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM: 2:1-12 'TO FULFILL' MICAH 5:2 IN WHICH IT IS PROPHESIED THAT A RULER OF ISRAEL WILL COME FROM BETHLEHEM.
3). THE ESCAPE TO EGYPT, AND THEN THE RETURN FROM THERE: 2: 13-15 'TO FULFILL HOSEA 11:1, WHICH IS A REFERENCE TO GOD HAVING BROUGHT ISRAEL, HIS SON, OUT OF EGYPT, AT THE EXODUS.
4). THE MURDER OF THE BOYS IN BETHLEHEM: :2 :6-18 'TO FULFILL JEREMIAH 31:15, WHICH IS A LAMENT FOR THE ISRAELITES WHO WERE GOING INTO EXILE.
5) THE SETTLEMENT OF JESUS FAMILY IN NAZARETH. THE FIVE SCENES THE       COVER THE EARLY LIFE OF JESUS. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IN THE FALL OF 1521, DR. MARTIN LUTHER, IN THE SECLUSION OF WARTBURG CASTLE, CONCEIVED THE STUPENDOUS TASK. TO THIS VERY HOUR THE LUTHERAN CHURCH, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ITS GREAT TEACHER, CHERISHES THE LESSON WHICH LUTHER EXPOUNDED TO THE WORLD. HER MOTTO IS TO THIS DAY: "SOLA SCRIPTURA"  BIBLE ALONE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD THE LUTHERAN CHURCH HAS REMAINED THE BIBLE CHURCH. THERE IS NO GREATER TASK OF SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES WHICH SHE PERFORMS.

DYNAMICS IN THE. NEW TESTAMENT}

 IF ONE STOPS READING THE BIBLE WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT, THERE IS NO SENSE OF INCOMPLETENESS. JEWS FIND IT A COMPLETE AND SATISFYING WORK. AS THE BOOKS ARE ORDERED IN THE HEBREW BIBLE, THE OLD TESTAMENT DOES NOT END. ON A NOTE OF EXPECTATION OR WAITING; THE FINAL BOOK IS CHRONICLES IN WHICH, AS WE HAVE SEEN, SPATIAL IMAGERY WITH GOD'S PEOPLE. CENTERED AT THE TEMPLE DOMINATES OVER TEMPORAL METAPHORS. FROM THAT BOOK'S POINT OF VIEW, THE EXILE IS OVER. AND THE CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE ONCE AGAIN AT-CENTER IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. IF HOWEVER, ONE CONTINUES READING INTO, THE OLD TESTAMENT-- THE NEW TESTAMENT---- WITHOUT ITS TEXT CHANGING--- IS TRANSFORMED INTO A BOOK OF PROMISES AND SCENES OF WAITING EXPECTATION WHICH ARE FULFILLED IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. THE OLD TESTAMENT LOSES IT'S AUTONOMY AND BECOMES  SUBORDINATED TO THE NEW TESTAMENT, WITHIN THE HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS THE PROCESS OF SCRIPTURAL USURPATION  DOES NOT END WITH CHRISTIANITY. ISLAM SUPERSEDES CHRISTIANITY, AND BAHAI SUPERSEDES ISLAM. THE BIBLE WHICH WE ARE CONCERNED, HOWEVER, IS THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE. THAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH FULL RECOGNITION THAT EVEN THE TERMS "OLD TESTAMENT" AND " NEW TESTAMENT." ARISE IN A CHRISTIAN CONTEXT. THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CONTINUES THE LINE OF THE COVENANTAL PEOPLE LIVING IN DIALOGUE  WITH GOD. ISRAELITE RELIGION WAS NEVER MONOLITHIC. PROPHETS, PRIESTS, KINGS, AND WISE MEN WERE ALL CHANNELS OF THE DIVINE WORD, AND THEY DID NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH EACH OTHER. IN THE PERIOD FROM 4OO B.C. TO 2OO A.D.., HOWEVER, THE CENTERS OF CONFLICT WITHIN THE RELIGION SHIFTED. CONFLICT BEGAN TO REVOLVE AROUND THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE. CHRISTIANITY AROSE AMONG PEOPLE INFLUENCED BY APOCALYPTIC EXPECTATION. THERE WERE OTHER JEWISH SECTS OTHER THAN CHRISTIANITY, WHICH HAD A STRONG APOCALYPTIC BIAS;  THE ESSENE COMMUNITY AT WADI QUMRAN IS A NOTABLE  EXAMPLE. RABBAN YOHANAN ben ZAKKAI (FIRST CENTURY A.D.) REFLECTS THE PHARISAIC STRAND OF JUDAISM IN HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD MESSIANISM. IT IS CAPSULATED IN THE FOLLOWING FAMOUS SAYING:" IF YOU HAVE A SAPLING IN YOUR HAND, AND IT SAID TO YOU, BEHOLD, THERE IS THE MESSIAH, GO ON WITH YOUR PLANTING, AND AFTERWARD GO OUT AND RECEIVE HIM. VARIOUS KINDS OF ELITISM EMERGED AMONG DIFFERENT SECTS. SADDUCEES WILLINGLY ACCOMMODATED TO FOREIGN RULE AND SHARED THE RESPONSIBILITIES O F GOVERNING THE JEWS. AT THE OTHER EXTREME WERE THE SICARII, A RADICAL GROUP OF ZEALOTS, WHO SLIPPED AROUND IN CROWDED AREAS, KNIFING THEIR ENEMIES IN THE BACK. BY THE TIME CHRISTIANITY A ROSE, JUDAISM HAD AN ESTABLISHED BODY OF WRITTEN SCRIPTURE AVAILABLE IN BOTH HEBREW AND GREEK. THE SEPTUAGINT VARIED FROM HEBREW SCRIPTURES IN THE TOTAL, BUT IN EACH THE LAW (PENTATEUCH) AND PROPHETS. WERE THE SAME. INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE THEN BECOMES A SURROGATE FOR CHANGING THE TEXT. WITH JESUS CHRIST AS THE SOLE DISCLOSURE OF GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT A NEW SYMBOLISM OF THE CENTER EMERGES THE CENTER BECOMES WHERE JESUS IS. THROUGH PROPER RELATION TO HIM, MAN FINDS BLESSING PEACE, AND SALVATION.
 THE ONE "AWAY" FROM HIM EXPERIENCES DISTRESS, ALIENATION, AND DAMNATION. AMONG THE MANY STORIES WHICH CREATE THE FIGURE OF JESUS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION NARRATIVES ARE DETERMINATIVE. THEREFORE, THE NEW CENTER BECOMES, MORE PRECISELY, WHERE JESUS THE CRUCIFIED AND RESURRECTED ONE IS JESUS DIES IN JERUSALEM BECAUSE THAT IS THE CENTER, THE PLACE OF SALVATION. ENTERS THE END OF THE PASSION NARRATIVES IN THE GOSPELS.  JERUSALEM IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THEIR THE CHRIST DIED. CENTER SYMBOLISM THUS SHIFTS TO IMAGES OF THE LAND, JERUSALEM TEMPLE) TO THOSE OF PERSON. THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS ARE ALSO CENTRAL TO THE BIBLE. AMONG THE STORIES IN THE GOSPELS THE CRUCIFIXION  AND RESURRECTION WITNESS AN UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT OF DIVINE DISCLOSURE AND HUMAN UNDERSTANDING. THAT TWO FOLD EVENT ALSO FULFILLS SCRIPTURE. IT IS THE NEW EXODUS; (LK. 9:31). IT REENACTS DELIVERANCE IN THE WILDERNESS (JN:3:14); IT IS THE PERFECT SACRIFICE OFFERED BY A PRIEST OF THE LINEAGE OF MELCHIZEDEK ( SEE HEBREWS ) IT IS THE OFFERING OF THE PASCHAL LAMB (1 COR. 5;7).; IT IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT IN DEUTERO-ISAIAH ( ACTS 8:32). THE CENTRAL POSITION OF JESUS DEATH AND RESURRECTION CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT.

STORY OF EHUD, THE LEFT-HANDED MAN. (JUDGES 3:12-30)

 THE STORY OF EHUD IS A POPULAR TALE ABOUT A CLEVER FELLOW WHO TURNS HIS HANDICAP INTO AN ASSET AS HE TRICKS THE KING UNDER WHOM HE AND HIS PEOPLE ARE SUBJUGATED. THERE ARE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS,EHUD AND KING EGLON. WE KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING HOW TO ASSESS EACH OF THEM.. EGLON IS "A VERY FAT" MAN;  HIS NAME IS ASSOCIATED WITH "COW" AND "ROUND." WHICH EVOKES A CHUCKLE. EHUD, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS A DELIVERER RAISED UP BY THE LORD. HE IS A BENJAMINITE, LITERALLY A "SON OF THE RIGHT HAND," AND LEFT-HANDED. THAT DESCRIPTION FOCUSES OUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY ON THE HAND WHICH PLAYS SUCH A CRITICAL ROLE THROUGHOUT THE NARRATIVE. AS THE STORY OPENS, THE PEOPLE ISRAEL ARE SUBJECT TO EGLON, THE KING OF MOAB (3:15). THEY SEND TRIBUTE BY EHUD TO THE KING. DRAMATIC CONFLICT IS SET IN MOTION WHEN EHUD MAKES A SWORD AND HIDES IT " ON HIS RIGHT THIGH UNDER HIS CLOTHS(3:16). AFTER A TRIBUTE HAS BEEN PRESENTED, EHUD ADDRESSES THE KING. HIS SPEECH IS CRITICAL, FOR ON IT TURNS THE PLOT: " I HAVE A SECRET MESSAGE FOR YOU O KING "(3:19). IN RESPONSE EGLON COMMANDS QUIET.  AND ALL HIS SERVANTS LEAVE. AS THEY GO OUT, EHUD COMES IN AND  REPEATS HIS MESSAGE WITH A SLIGHT VARIATION" " I HAVE A MESSAGE FROM GOD FOR YOU" THE SECRET WORD  BY THE TWO MOUTHED (TWO EDGED) SWORD, IS TAKEN FROM CONCEALMENT UNDER EHUD'S CLOAK AND THRUST INTO A NEW HIDING PLACE IN THE KING'S BELLY. WITH THE MURDER THE STORY REACHES A CLIMAX. ACTION SET IN MOTION BY SPEECH, MOVES RAPIDLY; THE LANGUAGE IS DENSE WITH VERBS. THE PLAYFUL IRONY WITH WHICH THE KING'S FATNESS HAS BEEN TREATED CHANGES TO A GRUESOME DETAIL OF DEATH.:"  AND THE HILT ALSO WENT IN AFTER THE BLADE, FOR HE DID NOT DRAW THE SWORD OUT OF THE BELLY; AND THE DIRT
 [FECES] CAME OUT. A SHIFT IN NAMING OCCURS. WHEREAS IN EARLIER NARRATION, EGLON IS NAMED AND EHUD IS REFERRED TO IMPERSONALLY AS "HE," OR "HIM." SCENE CLOSES WITH A REVERSAL OF THE OPENING MOVEMENT.. THE SCENE CLOSES WITH A  REVERSAL OF THE OPENING MOVEMENT. BODYGUARDS CROSS PATHS IN THE SPACE OF ONE VERSE. WHEN THE SERVANTS FIND THE DOORS LOCKED, THEY SAY:. HE IS ONLY RELIEVING HIMSELF IN THE CLOSET OF THE COOL CHAMBER (3:24). [EGLON]

SONG OF DEBORAH. [JUDGES 5]

SONGS CONVEY A WIDE RANGE OF HUMAN EXPRESSION IN THE BIBLE, AND THEY ARE SUNG IN CONNECTION WITH MANY KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. WORKING MEN SING, AS FOR EXAMPLE, THE WORKMEN DIGGING A WELL IN NUMBERS 21:18. LOVERS SING TO EACH OTHER. IN THE SONG OF SONGS (OR SONG OF SOLOMON) THERE IS A COLLECTION OF LOVE SONGS EXPRESSING.ROMANTIC PASSION THROUGH DESCRIPTIONS OF A LOVER'S BODY, SEXUAL IMAGERY, AN PASTORAL OR AGRICULTURAL SCENES. SONGS CAN ALSO EXPRESS MOCKERY AND RIDICULE. THE PROPHET IN THE REVELATION TO JOHN MOCKS THE CITY OF BABYLON AS HE LAMENTS HER FALL (REV.18),  TH SON OF DEBORAH IN JUDGES 5 IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SONGS IN THE BIBLE. IT DESCRIBES THROUGH POETRY A BATTLE BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DEBORAH AND BARAK, AND THEIR ENEMY LED BY SISERA. IT IS IN MANY WAYS A DIFFICULT PIECE TO INTERPRET; THE TEXT IS UNCERTAIN AT SEVERAL PLACES, AND THE MEANING OF SOME WORDS REMAINS IN DOUBT. NONETHELESS , IT MAKES EFFECTIVE USE OF MOST ELEMENTS OF BIBLICAL POETRY, AND A COMPARISON BETWEEN DEBORAH'S SONG. AND A PROSE RENDITION OF THE SAME BATTLE IS DESCRIBED THROUGH A SERIES OF SCENES IN JUDGES 4. IT WILL PROVIDE A TRANSITION TO THE ANALYSIS OF STORY IN THE BIBLE. AFTER A LITURGICAL OPENING, CONSISTING OF A BLESSING (5:2-5 vs .2), A HYMNIC INTRODUCTION VS.3), AND A PASSAGE THAT DESCRIBES GOD IN TRADITIONAL THEOPHANIC LANGUAGE. THE SECOND SCENE DESCRIBES THE STATE OF ISRAEL PRIOR TO THE RISE OF DEBORAH. THOSE DAYS ARE EFFECTIVELY PORTRAYED THROUGH PEASANTRY THROUGH THE REPETITION OF THE VERB "DISAPPEAR": " CARAVANS HAD DISAPPEARED,... PEASANTRY HAD DISAPPEARED DISAPPEARED DISAPPEARED IN ISRAEL. BEFORE DEBORAH "AROSE," ISRAEL WAS THREATENED BY EXTINCTION.  IN THE FACE OF THREAT DEBORAH  SHIFT IN ISRAEL'S FORTUNE IS ASSERTED BY THE  REPETITION OF THAT VERB " UNTIL YOU "AROSE" , O DEBORAH YOU AROSE A MOTHER IN ISRAEL. (5:7). THE SITUATIONS BEFORE AND AFTER DEBORAH ARE CLEARLY CONTRASTED. THE CONTRAST IS COMPLETE IN ITSELF.  SCENE THREE THEN SHIFTS BACK TO LITURGICAL EXHORTATION TO HEAR A SONG vs10, vs.3). SCENE FOUR PRESENTS A MOMENT OF ACTION, THE GATHERING OF TRIBES INTO THE VALLEY IN PREPARATION FOR WAR. CONCENTRIC DEVELOPMENT IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT IN THAT SCENE:VERSES 12-15a  BEGIN AND END WITH REFERENCES  TO DEBORAH AND BARAK: THE TAUGHT SONG AGAINST REUBEN BEGINS AND ENDS WITH THE SAME LINE.; AND THE FAILURE OF GILEAD, DAN, AND ASHER TO PARTIS A PARTICIPATE IN THE BATTLE, IS UNDERSCORED  BY THE REPETITION OF THE VERB "REMAIN" IN THE FIRST AND LAST LINES: GILEAD REMAINED BY HIS LANDINGS, SCENE FOUR ENDS, MOREOVER," AS IT BEGAN., WITH PRAISE FOR THOSE TRIBES WHO DID WILLINGLY GAHER FOR BATTLE. THE SONG THEN CONCLUDES WITH A LITURGICAL EJACULATION, A WARNING AND A CURSE TO THOSE WHO WOULD CROSS THE LORD.: " SO PERISH ALL THY ENEMIES, LORD/ BUT THY FRIENDS BE AS A RISING SUN IN HIS MIGHT (vs.31).

THE WORLD OF THE "I" IN THE PSALMS.

 THE WORLD CREATED THROUGH THE POETIC LANGUAGE OF THE PSALMS MIRRORS IN MINIATURE THE WHOLE BIBLE.  THE PSALMS MIRRORS IN MINIATURE THE WHOLE BIBLE. THE PSALMS REFLECT THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD, AND THEY SIGNIFICANTLY SHAPE THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. "MARTIN LUTHER" WROTE IN HIS INTRODUCTION TO THE PSALMS: IT COULD WELL BE CALLED A "LITTLE BIBLE" SINCE IT CONTAINS, SET OUT IN THE BRIEFEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL FORM, ALL THAT IS TO BE FOUND IN THE WHOLE BIBLE.... IN ORDER THAT THOSE WHO COULD NOT READ THE WHOLE BIBLE THROUGH WOULD HAVE ALMOST THE WHOLE OF IT IN SUMMARY FORM, COMPRISED IN A SINGLE BOOKLET.
OF THE 150 PSALMS, 123 ARE WRITTEN AT LEAST IN PART FROM THE FIRST-PERSON POINT OF VIEW. FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF THE "I" A WORLD OF RELATIONSHIPS IS CREATED. THE "I" CARVES OUT A WORLD POSITS A COMPLEX OF FORCES. FROM THAT INTERIOR VIEWPOINT, THE "I" IN THE PSALMS DESCRIBES SOCIAL AND POLITICAL FORCES, AS WELL AS THE THREATENING OF CHAOS AND THE ORDERING POWER OF GOD. INSOFAR AS THE "I" IS DEFINED BY THE WORLD EMANATING FROM THE "I," IT CREATES ITSELF, AS READERS WE ACCEPT THE FABRICATED WORLD OF THE "I" AND EXPLORE THE DYNAMICS AT WORK IN IT. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE ASSUMES THE CREATIVE POWER OF LANGUAGE. IN WHAT IS CALLED "CREATIVE WRITING" THAT POWER IS OBVIOUS. THE NOVELIST JOHN BARTH SAYS THAT THROUGH LANGUAGE HE REINVENTS THE WORLD. ALL LITERATURE DEPENDS  UPON THE THE POWER OF LANGUAGE, BUT ITS INFLUENCE EVEN MORE THROUGHGOING. A CLUE IS GIVEN IN THE BIBLE ITSELF. GOD CREATES THROUGH THE WORD (GEN 1). HE SPEAKS, AND THROUGH HIS SPOKEN LANGUAGE, LIGHT APPEARS, HE SPEAKS, LIVING CREATURES SWARMS  FORWARD AGAIN AND THERE IS A FIRMAMENT. THEN, THROUGH LANGUAGE MAN HIMSELF IS CALLED INTO BEING.
THUS SAYS THE PSALMIST:" BY THE WORD OF OF THE LORD THE HEAVENS  AND ALL THEIR HOSTS WERE MADE BY THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH. FOR HE SPOKE AND ALL CAME TO BE AND MAN HIMSELF IS CALLED INTO BEING;  HE COMMANDED, AND IT STOOD FORTH (PS. 33:6-9). AND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ONE OF THE MOST  TELLING EPITHETS USED TO CHARACTERIZE JESUS IS THE CREATIVE WORD: "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. HE WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD; ALL THINGS WERE MADE THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM WAS NOT ANYTHING MADE (Jn. 1:1-3). THAT WORLD-CREATING POWER OF LANGUAGE IS NOT LIMITED TO GOD'S USE.  WORDS ARE CREATIVE AS WELL AS REFLECTIVE FORMATIVE AS WELL AS IMITATIVE. LANGUAGE PROVIDES MAN WITH TOOLS TO TRANSFORM CHAOS INTO ORDERLY COSMOS. N.SCOTT MOMADAY SPEAKS OF THAT TRANSFORMATION IN THE FOLLOWING STORY ABOUT HIS GRANDMOTHER,AHO: WHEN AHO SAW OR HEARD OR THOUGHT OF SOMETHING BAD, SHE SAID THE WORD ZEI-DL-BEI, "FRIGHTFUL." IT WAS THE ONE WORD WHICH SHE CONFRONTED EVIL AND THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE. I LIKED HER TO SAY IT, FOR SHE SCREWED UP HER FACE IN A WONDERFUL LOOK OF DISPLEASURE AND CLICKED HER TONGUE. IT WAS NOT AN EXCLAMATION SO MUCH, I THINK, AS IT WAS A WARDING OFF, AN EXERTION OF LANGUAGE  UPON IGNORANCE AND DISORDER. I DO NOT TRIVIALIZE THE BIBLE BY SPEAKING IT AS AN A'RT OF WORDS.


 

FACE OF GOD THEME

 THE FACE OF A MAN IS A MIRROR OF HIDDEN FEELINGS AND IS THUS THE MOST PERSONAL ELEMENT OF A HUMAN BEING. TO KNOW A MAN AND TO KNOW WHAT HE FEELS WE LOOK AT HIS FACE. THE OLD TESTAMENT ATTRIBUTES A FACE TO GOD WHICH SHOWS THE FEELINGS HE HAS IN REGARD TO MEN. BUT THIS IMAGE IS OFTEN USED TO MEAN THE VERY PERSON OF GOD. THUS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD AND LIVE. TO STAND BEFORE THE FACE OF GOD OFTEN REALLY MEANT TO STAND IN HIS SANCTUARY.  THE FACE OF GOD SIGNIFIES THAT PART OF HIS INVISIBLE PERSON WHICH GOD ALLOWS MAN TO SEE. IT IS ONLY ON THE LAST DAY THAT WE SHALL ENJOY THE VISION," IN A SPIRITUAL WAY, WHICH NOW WE CANNOT EXPERIENCE. THE EXPRESSION, "TO SEE THE FACE," IMPLIES AN IDEA OF RECOURSE TO THE GOODWILL OR PROTECTION OF THE PERSON VISITED. IN THE COURTS OF OLD THE SERVANTS LOOKED AT THE KING'S FACE IN ORDER TO READ HIS WISHES.MOSES COULD SEE THE FACE OF YAHWEH, ACCORD ANCIENT NARRATIVES. (WHENCE HIS RENOWN AS A MYSTIC AND HIS  RIGHT TO LOOK UPON THE FACE OF THE TRANSFIGURED CHRIST. BUT THE LATER TEXTS TAKE AWAY THIS PRIVILEGE OF MOSES, AND ALLOWED HIM ONLY TO SEE GOD FROM BEHIND EX 24:9-11. THERE WAS NO IMAGE OF YAHWEH IN THE TEMPLE. "TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD" MEANT TO STAND IN HIS SANCTUARY IN ORDER TO SHARE IN YAHWEH'S SENTIMENTS. MOST LIKELY THE EXPRESSION TOOK ITS ORIGIN FROM PAGAN LITURGIES, WHERE THE gods had a "FACE." EX 23:15; 34:20; 2 KINGS 6:17. "TWO SEEK A FACE" WAS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S INTENTION. THIS CONSULTATION" THOUGH RATHER MAGICAL IN THE BEGINNING (2 KINGS), BECAME MORE  SPIRITUAL AND FINALLY MERELY SIGNIFIED THE ATTITUDE OF THE OBEDIENT WORSHIPER 2 KINGS 21:1 AMOS 5:4-6. TO "SEARCH THE FACE " HERE MEANS TO RETURN TO GOD BY SINCERE CONVERSION Ps
 794,8, 20;
THE "TIME OF THE FACE" IS WHEN GOD WILL SHOW HIMSELF TO EXPRESS SENTIMENTS. PSALM 20:10.
 THE UNFAITHFUL MAN TRIES TO ESCAPE FROM THE FACE OF GOD. GOD REPELS THE IMPIOUS FAR FROM HIS FACE. (FALSE TEACHERS).,  HE "HIDES HIS FACE" FROM THEM. GEN.4:14 JER 15:1; AND JESUS ALONE CAN SEE THE FATHERS FACE. JOHN I:18; 6:46. 1 JOHN 4:12. TO THE INCOMPLETE VISION OF FAITH MUST SUCCEED, ON THE LAST DAY, THE FULL VISION OF GOD FACE TO FACE. THIS THE ANGELS ALREADY REJOICE IN. FOR THIS VISION LOVE IS NOW PREPARING US. 1 COR,13: 1O-13; MATT. 5-8; 18:1O. LUTHER BELIEVED FOR A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE WE MUST CAREFULLY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TWO PARALLEL AND EVER-PRESENT TRUTHS OF SCRIPTURE:LAW AND GOSPEL. LAW REFERS TO GOD IN HIS HATRED OF SIN,  HIS JUDGMENT, AND HIS WRATH. GOSPEL REFERS TO GOD IN HIS GRACE, HIS LOVE, AND HIS SALVATION. BOTH ASPECTS OF GOD'S NATURE EXIST SIDE BY SIDE IN SCRIPTURE THROUGHOUT BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE LAW REFLECTS THE HOLINESS OF GOD'S CHARACTER; WERE HE TO DESENSE WITH IT, HE WOULD BECOME AMORAL RATHER THAN A HOLY GOD. GRACE IS GOD'S RESPONSE TO THE FACT THAT MAN CAN NEVER MEET THE STANDARD HOLINESS THAT HE LAW DEMANDS. ONE WAY OF DISTINGUISHING LAW AND GOSPEL IS TO ASK, IS THIS SPEAKING JUDGMENT ON ME?' IF SO, IT IS LAW. IN CONTRAST, IF A PASSAGE BRINGS COMFORT, IT IS GOSPEL.USING THIS CRITERIA, DETERMINE WHETHER THE FOLLOWING PASSAGES WOULD BE CONSIDERED LAW OR GOSPEL. THE LORD SAID NOAH ' GO INTO THE ARK, YOU AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND YOU RIGHTEOUS IN THIS GENERATION. GENESIS 7:1. LAW OR GOSPEL?  MATTHEW 22:37: ; ' JESUS REPLIED: 'LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND'" LAW OR GOSPEL? LAW!
JOHN 3:36: WHOEVER BELIEVES IN THE SON HAS ETERNAL LIFE, BUT WHOEVER REJECTS THE SON, WILL NOT SEE LIFE, FOR GOD'S WRATH REMAIN ON HIM," GOSPEL OR LAW; GOSPEL; LAW). FOR LUTHERAN THEOLOGIANS LAW AND GOSPEL REVEAL TWO INTEGRAL ASPECTS OF GOD'S PERSONALITY: HIS HOLINESS AND HIS GRACE. THUS THEY SEE "LAW AND GOSPEL." AS INSEPARABLE PARTS OF SALVATION HISTORY, FROM THE STORY OF ADAM AND EVE'S SIN TO THE CLOSE OF THE MILLENNIUM. LAW AND GOSPEL HAVE CONTINUING PURPOSES IN THE LIVES OF BOTH UNBELIEVERS AND BELIEVERS. FOR THE UNBELIEVER THE LAW CONDEMNS, ACCUSES, AND SHOWS HIM HIS NEED FOR THE LORD. FOR THE BELIEVER THE LAW CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THE NEED FOR GRACE., AND GIVES GUIDELINES FOR DAILY LIVING. THE GOSPEL SHOWS THE UNBELIEVENTALR A WAY OF ESCAPE FROM CONDEMNATION; FOR THE BELIEVER IT SERVES AS MOTIVATION TO KEEP GOD'S MORAL LAW. THE CAREFUL DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN, BUT MAINTENANCE OF BOTH LAW AND GOSPEL. HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT HERMENEUTICAL TOOL AND A HALLMARK OF ORTHODOX LUTHERAN PREACHING. THE LUTHERAN POSITION PLACES STRONG EMPHASIS ON CONTINUITY. GOD CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO MAN WITH BOTH LAW AND GRACE AS HE HAS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF HUMAN HISTORY. LAW AND GRACE ARE NOT TWO DIFFERENT EPOCHS IN GOD'S DEALING WITH MAN BUT ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF HIS EVERY RELATIONSHIP. ANOTHER THEORY THAT FOCUSES O CONTINUITY RATHER THAN DISCONTINUITY IN SALVATION HISTORY IS COVENANTAL THEORY VIEW ALL BIBLICAL HISTORY AND THE FALL AND A COVENANT  COVERED BY TWO COVENANTS, A COVENANT OF WORKS UNTIL THE FALL AND A COVENANT OF GRACE FROM THE FALL TO THE PRESENT. THE COVENANT OF WORKS IS DESCRIBED AS THAT AGREEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND ADAM WHICH PROMISED ADAM LIFE FOR PERFECT OBEDIENCE AND DEATH AS THE PENALTY FOR DISOBEDIENCE. THE COVENANT OF GRACE IS THE AGREEMENT THROUGH FAITH BETWEEN GOD AND THE SINNER. IN WHICH GOD PROMISES A LIFE OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. ALL OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS AS WELL AS CONTEMPORARY BELIEVERS ARE PART OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE. SEVERAL VERSES OF SCRIPTURE APPEAR TO INDICATE AN OLDER AND NEWER, COVENANT, CORRESPONDING ROUGHLY TO OUR OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, JEREMIAH 31:31-32 SAYS:  " THE TIME IS COMING" DECLARES THE LORD,
" WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT." THERE IS EVIDENCE OF GODS GRACE IN EVERY DISPENSATION. WHEN ADAM AND EVE SINNED, GOD GRACIOUSLY INTERVENED
WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH.
IT WILL NOT BE LIKE THE THE COVENANT I MADE WITH THEIR FOREFATHERS
WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF EGYPT, BECAUSE THEY BROKE MY COVENANT THOUGH I WAS A HUSBAND TO THEM.""
 SEVERAL VERSES IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS SEEM TO MAKE A SIMILAR DISTINCTION. BUT THE MINISTRY  JESUS HAS RECEIVED IS AS SUPERIOR TO THEIRS AS THE COVENANT OF WHICH HE IS MEDIATOR IS SUPERIOR TO THE OLD ONE, AND IT IS FOUNDED ON BETTER PROMISES.... BY CALLING THIS COVENANT "NEW," HE HAS MADE THE FIRST ONE OBSOLETE; AND WHAT IS OBSOLETE AND AGING WILL SOON DISAPPEAR (HEB 8;6,13). SOME REFORMED THEOLOGIANS SPEAK OF A THIRD COVENANT---THE COVENANT OF REDEMPTION---WHICH WAS FORMED IN ETERNITY PAST. THIS WAS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON, IN WHICH THE FATHER PRONOUNCED THE SON AS HEAD AND REDEEMER OF THE ELECT, AND THE SON VOLUNTARILY AGREED TO DIE FOR THOSE WHOM THE FATHER HAD GIVEN HIM. FIRST OLD TESTAMENT  BELIEVERS;  WERE COVERED UNDER HIS GRACE.. WERE SAVED BY GRACE. JUST AS NEW TESTAMENT; CAME UNDER THIS GRACE. WAS THE LAW GIVEN EVEN HYPOTHETICALLY AS A MEANS OF OF JUSTIFICATION SALVATION)? THE NEW TESTAMENT INFORMS US THAT THE LAW COULD NEVER SERVE AS A MEANS OF SALVATION. PAUL TEACHES THAT NO ONE CAN EARN RIGHTEOUS STANDING BEFORE GOD BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW (GAL.3:11,21,22). ROMANS 4:3 TEACHES THAT ABRAHAM WAS SAVED ON THE BASIS OF HIS FAITH, NOT HIS WORKS. AND THE SUBSEQUENT VERSES 13-16. TEACH THAT THE PROMISES HOW THEN DO WE UNDERSTAND PAUL'S TEACHING THAT WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE DOMINION OF THE LAW BUT HAVE BEEN DELIVERED FROM IT. BECAUSE CHRIST HAS FULFILLED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IN US.

GOD, THE BRIDEGROOM THEME

 THE BIBLICAL IMAGE OF THE "MARRIAGE" OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE IS BASICALLY ONLY A MANNER OF EXPRESSING THE COVENANT. BUT IT ADMIRABLY RENDERS THE DRAMATIC ASPECT OF THE COVENANT, AND IT EMPHASIZES ESPECIALLY THE NECESSITY FOR LOVE AND FIDELITY BETWEEN THE TWO CONTRACTING PARTIES. THE HISTORY OF GOD'S PLAN WAS ABOVE ALL THAT OF THE OFFER OF HIS LOVE TO A BRIDE--HUMANITY. THIS BRIDE WILL BE UTTERLY UNFAITHFUL TO HIM UNTIL THE DAY WHEN THE TRUE MARRIAGE CAN BE CELEBRATED, BECAUSE THE BRIDEGROOM WILL HAVE PURIFIED HIS BRIDE WITH HIS OWN BLOOD AND MADE HER SPOTLESS. FROM THEN ON IT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS TO LOVE EACH OTHER IN MARRIAGE IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THEY WILL RITUALIZE IN A CERTAIN WAY THE MARRIAGE OF GOD AND THE CHURCH. THE PROPHET HAS SUFFERED IN HIS MARRIED LIFE; GOD SHOWS HIM THAT THIS SUFFERING IS SIMILAR TO HIS, BECAUSE THE COVENANT WAS BROKEN BY THE PEOPLES UNFAITHFULNESS. ISRAEL IS AN ADULTERESS BECAUSE SHE DID NOT REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE COVENANT AS SHE HAD SWORN TO DO. SHE IS A PROSTITUTE BECAUSE SHE HAS GIVEN HERSELF. MAN'S SIN HAS NEVER BEEN SHOWN SO CLEARLY AS UNDER THIS ASPECT OF GOD'S DECEIVED LOVE. JER.2: 3O-36; 3:1-13: EZECH 16;23. THEME OF BRIDE-GROOM god WAS FOUND IN CERTAIN OTHER EASTERN RELIGIONS, WHERE IT WAS EXPRESSED IN SACRED PROSTITUTION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THESE CUSTOMS HAD CONTAMINATED ISRAEL AND CAUSED THE PROPHETS TO SPEAK AS THEY DID. NUM 25; DEUT 23:18-19; 3 KINGS 14:24. EVEN WHILE HE CONDEMNS HIS UNFAITHFUL BRIDE, GOD ANNOUNCES HE WILL PARDON HER. HE WILL POUR OUT SUCH LOVE THAT SHE WILL NO LONGER BE CAPABLE OF UNFAITHFULNESS. THIS GIVES  A NEW DIMENSION TO CONJUGAL LOVE. THE BRIDE LOVES THE BRIDEGROOM WITH THE SAME LOVE WHICH HE SHOWS HER POURS FORTH TO HER. GOD WAS THE FIRST TO LOVE AND DID SO FREELY. JER30: 17;31: 2-4, 21-22; EZECH 16: 53-63. AFTER THE TEMPORARY REPUDIATION OF THE EXILE (LAMENTATIONS) THE NEW MARRIAGE IS ANNOUNCED BY THE SECOND ISAIAS, WHO EVEN DENIES THAT THERE EVER WAS A REPUDIATION.
 (LAM1:1-21) Isa: 49: 14-21; 50:1-2. SONGS MEANT FOR HUMAN WEDDINGS WERE THEN INCORPORATED INTO THE SACRED BOOKS IN ORDER SING OF THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS BRIDE (Ps 44. WE CAN NOW UNDERSTAND WHY THE THEME OF THE WEDDING FEAST HAS SUCH AN IMPORTANCE IN THE GOSPELS OF THE NEW COVENANT: MATT 22:1-14; 25:1-13; LUKE 14: 14-26; JOHN 2:1-11. CHRIST IS OVERTLY PRESENTED AS GOD AS THE BRIDEGROOM IN THE BAPTISM OF THE CHURCH. JOHN 3:25-30; MATT 9:14-16;EPH 5:26. BUT IN ORDER THAT THIS MARRIAGE MAY CONSECRATE AN EVER-FAITHFUL UNION IS A VIRGIN. THE BRIDEGROOM MUST BE AT THE SAMETIME THE SAVIOR OF HIS BRIDE, WHO IS MADE A VIRGIN BY HIS BLOOD. GAL 4:21-31; 2 COR 11;1-3. THIS MYSTERY FINDS ITS APPLICATION IN THE MORALITY OF MARRIAGE EPH 5:22-23; MATT 19:1-9. EVEN IF THERE IS A PROSTITUTE WHO IS CONDEMNED (BABYLON), THE BLOOD OF CHRIST HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR AN EVERLASTING MARRIAGE 

THEOPHANIES THEME

IN SCRIPTURES THERE ARE MANY DIVINE APPEARANCES AND MANY INTERMEDIARIES BETWEEN GOD AND HIS PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT OVERSIMPLIFIED IN CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS, THE FUNDAMENTAL IDEA CONVEYED IS THAT GOD IS KNOWN BY MAN MERELY BECAUSE HE REVEALS HIMSELF, NOT BECAUSE MAN ENDEAVORS TO KNOW HIM. GOD IS SO DISTINCT FROM MAN THAT HE CANNOT NORMANLY SHOW HIMSELF WITHOUT CAUSING MAN'S DEATH. ONLY THE DIVINITIES OF NATURE ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO MAN. BUT THE GREAT AND AWESOME GOD WILL ONE DAY BECOME INCARNATE. THAT IS THE ONLY JUSTIFICATION OF HIS APPEARANCE TO MAN : THEY ARE THE PRELIMINARIES TO HIS FINAL APPEARANCE AT THE END OF TIME., WHEN HE WILL MANIFEST HIS GLORY TO MAN, WHO AT LAST WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE IN THAT GLORY, NO LONGER TO DIE, BUT TO LIVE. THE MOST ANCIENT TEXTS MAKE GOD APPEAR IN THE FORCES OF NATURE. NOTE THE PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUALISATION: THE "YAHWISTIC" DOCUMENT
 SPEAKS OF FIRE (EXODUS, 19;16-20; 20: 18-21; 34 :5;, THE ELOHISTIC OF THE CLOUD (PSALMS) 17:12;  JOB 37:5 MATT. 17:5-6. AND THE PRIESTLY DOCUMENT OF GLORY.
THE GREAT THEOPHANY. ON THE MOURTIN THERE WERE PEALS OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AND A HEAVY CLOUD OVER THE MOUNTAIN, AND A VERY LOUD TRUMPET BLAST SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CAMP TREMBLED. BUT MOSES LED ALL THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CAMP TO MEET GOD, AND THEY STATIONED THEMSELVES AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN. MOUNT SINAI WAS ALL WRAPPED IN SMOKE, FOR THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON IT IN FIRE. THE SMOKE ROSE FROM IT AS THOUGH FROM A FURNACE, AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN TREMBLED VIOLENTLY. THE TRUMPET BLAST GREW LOUDER AND LOUDER, WHILE MOSES WAS SPEAKING AND GOD ANSWERING HIM WITH THUNDER. WHEN THE LORD CAME DOWN TO THE TOP OF MOUNT SINAI, HE SUMMONED MOSES TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND MOSES WENT UP TO HIM. THEN THE LORD TOLD MOSES, "GO DOWN AND WARN THE PEOPLE NOT TO BREAK THROUGH TOWARD THE LORD IN ORDER TO SEE HIM; OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE STRUCK DOWN. THE PRIESTS, TOO WHO APPROACH THE LORD MUST SANCTIFY THEMSELVES; ELSE HE WILL VENT HIS ANGER UPON THEM.  MOSES SAID TO THE LORD. " THE PEOPLE CAN NOT GO UP TO MOUNT SINAI, FOR YOU YOURSELF WARNED US TO SET LIMITS AROUND THE MOUNTAIN TO MAKE IT SACRED. THE LORD REPEATED. " GO DOWN NOW!  THEN COME UP AGAIN WITH AaRON. BUT THE PRIESTS AND THE PEOPLE MUST NOT BREAK THROUGH TO COME UP TO THE LORD: ELSE HE WILL VENT HIS ANGER UPON THEM. SO MOSES WENT DOWN AND TOLD THEM THIS.THEN GOD DELIVERED ALL THESE COMMANDMENTS (1O). MOSES CAME DOWN FROM MOUNT SINAI WITH TWO TABLETS OF COMMANDMENTS IN HIS HANDS. HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SKIN OF HIS FACE HAD BECOME RADIANT WHILE HE CONVERSED WITH THE LORD. WHEN AaRON THEN AND OTHER ISRAELITES SAW MOSES AND NOTICE HOW RADIANT HIS FACE HAD BECOME, THEY WERE AFRAID TO COME NEAR HIM. APPEARANCES OF GOD WITH THE ANGEL OF YAHWEH ACTING AS A INTERMEDIARY HAVE MADE INTO A PERSON. GOD APPEARS IN HUMAN FORM OR AT LEAST IN A HUMAN 'LIKENESS."  THEOPHANIES WERE OFTEN ORIGIN OF SANCTUARIES. THE PURIFICATION OF THESE  TRADITIONS DEVELOPED ESPECIALLY AROUND THE SAYING ACCORDING TO WHICH MAN CANNOT SEE GOD WITHOUT DYING. THE TEXTS ARE CAREFUL TO SHOW THAT IT WAS NOT GOD HIMSELF WHO APPEARED BUT AN ANGEL. OR ELSE THEY SHOW THAT IF GOD DID APPEAR IT WAS IN THE NAME OF A PRIVILEGE OF THE COVENANT.
 ANOTHER PURIFICATION: MAN PREPARED FOR A THEOPHANY BY PRAYER AND FASTING. EVEN AT A TIME WHEN THE IDEAS OF GOD HAD BEEN PURIFIED, CARE WAS TAKEN TO PRESENT HIS APPEARANCES IN AN AWE-INSPIRING SETTING IN ORDER BETTER TO EMPHASIZE THE SANCTITY OF YAHWEH AND TO MAINTAIN THE FEAR OF GOD. HOWEVER, THE PROPHETS,  WITNESSES TO THE ABSOLUTE TRANSCENDENCE OF GOD, REMAINED IN FAVOR OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE APPEARANCE OF GOD ON EARTH. THEY ANNOUNCED AN ERA THAT WOULD BE CHARACTERIZED BY A PERMANENT BUT SPIRITUAL APPEARANCE OF THE TRANSCENDENT GOD. ISA:5-6. IN FACT, THE  ERA OF THE INCARNATION IS THAT OF APPEARANCES: GOD IS PRESENT AMONG MEN WHO WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO DIE. LUKE 1-2; JOHN 1 14-18. IT WAS THE RESURRECTION ABOVE ALL WHICH INAUGURATED THE PERIOD OF THESE APPEARANCES. THE RISEN LORD BECAME THE SACRAMENT OF THE THEOPHANIES. NOTE HOW CAREFUL CHRIST WAS IN THE COURSE OF HIS APPEARANCES TO GRANT POWERS TO THE APOSTLES, IN ORDER TO PROLONG HIS THEOPHANY IN THOSE VERY SACRAMENTAL POWERS MARK. THIS PASSAGE, TERMED THE LONGER ENDING TO THE MARCAN GOSPEL BY COMPARISON WITH A MUCH BRIEFER CONCLUSION FOUND IN SOME LESS IMPORTANT MANUSCRIPTS , HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN ACCEPTED AS AN INSPIRED PART OF THE GOSPEL. EARLY CITATIONS OF IT BY THE FATHERS INDICATE THAT IT WAS COMPOSED IN THE FIRST CENTURY, ALTHOUGH VOCABULARY AND STYLE ARGUE STRONGLY THAT IT WAS WRITTEN BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN MARK. IT IS A GENERAL RESUME OF THE MATERIAL CONCERNING THE APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN JESUS, REFLECTING, IN PARTICULAR, TRADITIONS FOUND IN LUKE (24) AND JOHN (2O ). FOUND AFTER MARK 16:8 BEFORE LONGER ENDING  IN SOME LATER GREEK MANUSCRIPTS AS WELL AS SOME ANCIENT VERSIONS. FOUND AFTER MARKN16,14 IN A FOURTH-FIFTH CENTURY MANUSCRIPT PRESERVED IN THE FREER GALLERY OF ART. WASHINGTON D.C. THE ENDING WAS KNOWN TO St. JEROME.

THE SHADOW OF GOD. THEME [MUSTARD SEED].

IN AN ORIENTAL COUNTRY SCORCHED BY THE SUN, THE SHADE OF TREES IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT. ONE RESTS UNDER IT, ONE RECOVERS ONE STRENGTH, ONE IS SHELTERED THERE. SUCH AN IMAGE, THEN, RIGHTLY EXPRESSED THE SPECIAL PROTECTION OF GOD OVER HIS PEOPLE. THUS ALSO CERTAIN PHENOMENA WHICH REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF GOD WERE CONSIDERED TO GIVE A SACRED "SHADE": THE SHADOW OF GOD. IT IS THIS SENSE THAT THE SHADOW OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE  NEW TESTAMENT WAS SUFFICIENT TO HEAL THE SICK. THE RESTFUL SHADE OF TREES. THE PURPOSE OF JESUS TEACHING OF THIS PARABLE OF THE SEED.ON ANOTHER OCCASION BESIDE THE LAKE, A HUGE CROWD GATHERED AROUND HIM A CROWD INCLUDING MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY, THAT HE WENT AND SAT IN A BOAT ON THE WATER, WHILE THE CROWD REMAINED ON THE SHORE NEARBY. HE BEGAN TO INSTRUCT THEM AT GREAT LENGTH, BY THE USE OF PARABLES, AND IN THE COURSE OF HIS TEACHING SAID: " LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THIS. A FARMER WENT OUT SOWING. SOME OF WHAT HE SOWED LANDED ON A  FOOTPATH, WHERE THE BIRDS CAME ALONG AND ATE IT. SOME OF THE SEED LANDED ON ROCKY GROUND WHERE IT HAD LITTLE SOIL: IT SPROUTED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE SOIL HAD NO DEPTH. THEN, WHEN THE SUN ROSE AND SCORCHED IT, IT BEGAN TO WITHER FOR LACK OF ROOTS. AGAIN SOME LANDED AMONG THORNS, WHICH GREW UP AND CHOKED IT OFF. SOME SEED , FINALLY, LANDED ON GOOD SOIL AND YIELDED GRAIN THAT SPRANG UP TO PRODUCE AT A RATE OF THIRTY- SIXTY- AND A HUNDRED FOLD." LET THEM HIM WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR ME,HEAR!" NOW WHEN HE WAS AWAY FROM THE CROWD, THOSE PRESENT  WITH THE TWELVE QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT THE PARABLES. HE TOLD THEM: " TO YOU THE MYSTERY OF THE REIGN OF GOD HAS BEEN CONFIDED. TO THE OTHERS OUTSIDE IT IS ALL PRESENTED IN PARABLES. SO THEY WILL LOOK INTENTLY AND NOT SEE, LISTEN CAREFULLY AND NOT UNDERSTAND, LEST PERHAPS THEY REPENT
 AND BE FORGIVEN. HE SAID TO THEM: YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE?  HOW THEN ARE YOU GOING TO UNDERSTAND OTHER FIGURES LIKE IT?  WHAT THE SOWER IS SOWING IS THE WORD. THOSE ON THE PATH ARE THE ONES TO WHOM, AS SOON AS THEY HEAR THE WORD., SATAN COMES TO CARRY OFF WHAT WAS SOWN IN THEM. SIMILARLY, THOSE SOWN ON ROCKY GROUND ARE PEOPLE WHO ON LISTENING TO THE WORD ACCEPT IT JOYFULLY AT THE OUTSET BEING ROOTLESS, THEY LAST ONLY A WHILE. WHEN SOME PRESSURE OR PERSECUTION OVERTAKES THEM BECAUSE OF THE WORD, THEY FALTER. THOSE SOWN AMONG THORNS ARE ANOTHER CLASS.. THEY HAVE LISTENED TO THE WORD, BUT ANXIETIES OVER LIFE'S DEMANDS AND THE DESIRE OF WEALTH, AND CRAVINGS OF OTHER SORTS COME TO CHOKE IT OFF; IT BEARS NO YIELD. BUT THOSE SOWN ON GOOD SOIL ARE THE ONES WHO LISTEN TO THE WORD, TAKE IT TO HEART, AND YIELD AT THIRTY, SIXTY,- AND A HUNDREDFOLD. NOW THE REASON FOR THIS TEACHING( ARE PRESENTED AS COMMENTARIES ON THE REVELATION OF THE REIGN OF GOD). JESUS SAID TO THEM: " IS A LAMP ACQUIRED TO BE PUT UNDER A BUSHEL BASKET OR HIDDEN UNDER A BED? IS IT NOT MEANT TO BE PUT ON A STAND? THINGS ARE HIDDEN ONLY TO BE REVEALED AT A LATER TIME; THEY ARE COVERED SO AS TO BE BROUGHT OUT INTO THE OPEN. LET HIM WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR ME, HEAR!"  HE SAID TO THEM ANOTHER TIME: " LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT YOU HEAR. ( FOR IN THIS TIME OF TROUBLE IN THE WORLD) SATAN HAS FOUND WEAKNESS  IN OUR FAITH;  IF CHRIST GOES DOWN, WE ALL GO DOWN. STAND STRONG.  IN THE MEASURE YOU GIVE YOU SHALL RECEIVE AND MORE BESIDES. TO  THOSE WHO HAVE NOT, WHAT LITTLE THEY HAVE  WILL BE TAKEN AWAY. HE WENT ON TO SAY: " WHAT COMPARISON SHALL WE USE FOR THE REIGN OF GOD?  WHAT IMAGE WILL HELP TO PRESENT IT?  IT IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED WHICH, WHEN PLANTED IN THE SOIL, IS THE SMALLEST OF ALL EARTH'S SEEDS, YET ONCE IT IS SOWN SPRINGS UP TO BECOME THE LARGEST OF SHRUBS, WITH BRANCHES BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BIRDS OF THE SKY TO BUILD NESTS
IN ITS SHADE. BY MEANS OF MANY SUCH PARABLES HE TAUGHT THEM THE MESSAGE IN THE WAY THEY COULD UNDERSTAND. TO THEM HE SPOKE ONLY BY WAY OF PARABLE.

FIRST APPEARANCE OF MARY MAGDALENE. JOHN 20:11-18

THE WITNESS OF WOMEN  WAS WORTH LITTLE IN JUDAISM; THAT JESUS FIRST APPEARS TO WOMAN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN FABRICATED AND SHOWS US HOW JESUS VALUES DIFFER FROM THOSE OF HIS CULTURE. EVEN THE LATER CHURCH DID NOT ALWAYS MAINTAIN JESUS' COUNTER CULTURE STANCE, AND THEY WOULD HARDLY HAVE CHOSEN SUCH INITIAL WITNESSES IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THIS ACCOUNT WOULD REINFORCE PAGAN PREJUDICES AGAINST CHRISTIANS. (EPH 5:22-33). JEWISH PEOPLE TOOK THE FIRST SEVEN DAYS OF MOURNING SO SERIOUSLY THAT MOURNERS COULD NOT WASH, WORK,  HAVE INTERCOURSE OR EVEN STUDY THE LAW. JEWISH CULTURE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT EXPRESSING RATHER THAN REPRESSING GRIEF. THAT THE BODY IS MISSING AND THUS PEOPLE ARE PREVENTED FROM BESTOWING FINAL ACTS OF LOVE WOULD BE TRAGIC; EVEN TOMB ROBBERS USUALLY LEFT THE BODY BEHIND. MEANWHILE MARY MAGDALENE STOOD WEEPING BESIDE THE TOMB. EVEN AS SHE WEPT SHE STOPPED TO PEER INSIDE AND THERE SHE SAW TWO ANGELS IN DAZZLING ROBES. ONE WAS SEATED AT THE HEAD AND THE OTHER AT THE FOOT OF THE PLACE WHERE JESUS BODY HAD LAIN. "WOMEN" THEY ASKED HER, "WHY ARE YOU WEEPING?"  SHE ANSWERED THEM, "BECAUSE THE  LORD HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY, AND I DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY HAVE PUT HIM. SHE HAD NO SOONER SAID THIS THAN SHE TURNED AROUND AND CAUGHT SIGHT OF JESUS STANDING THERE, BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW HIM. "WOMAN" HE ASKED HER, WHY ARE YOU WEEPING? WHO IS IT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?" SHE SUPPOSED HE WAS THE GARDENER, SO SHE SAID, " SIR," IF YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CARRIED HIM OFF, TELL ME ME WHERE YOU HAVE LAID HIM AND I WILL TAKE HIM AWAY."  JESUS SAID TO HER "MARY!"  SHE TURNED TO HIM AND SAID [IN HEBREW]
"RABBOUNI!"  (MEANING "TEACHER").  JESUS THEN SAID: "DO NOT CLING TO ME, FOR I HAVE NOT YET ASCENDED TO MY FATHER. RATHER, GO TO MY BROTHERS AND TELL THEM, 'I AM ASCENDING TO MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER, TO MY GOD AND YOUR GOD! MARY MAGDALENE WENT TO THE DISCIPLES "I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!" SHE ANNOUNCED. THEN SHE REPORTED WHAT HE SAID TO HER. ON THE EVENING OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, EVEN THOUGH THE DISCIPLES HAD LOCKED THE DOORS OF THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS, JESUS CAME AND STOOD BEFORE THEM. "PEACE BE WITH YOU," HE SAID. WHEN HE HAD SAID THIS, HE SHOWED THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE. AT THE SIGHT OF THE LORD THE DISCIPLES REJOICED. "PEACE BE WITH YOU", HE SAID AGAIN. THEN HE BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID: " AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME,
                                           SO I SEND YOU"
                                           RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.
                                           IF YOU FORGIVE MEN'S SIN
                                           THEY ARE FORGIVEN THEM;
                                            IF YOU HOLD THEM BOUND,
                                            THEY ARE HELD BOUND"
THOMAS WHO WAS ONE OF THE DISCIPLES WHOSE NAME MEANS "(TWIN"). WAS ABSENT WHEN JESUS CAME. THE OTHER DISCIPLES KEPT TELLING HIM: "WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD!"  THOMAS ANSWER WAS, " I WILL NEVER BELIEVE IT WITHOUT PROBING THE NAIL PRINTS IN HIS HANDS AND MY HANDS INTO HIS SIDE. A WEEK LATER, THE DISCIPLES WE ONCE MORE IN THE ROOM AND THIS TIME THOMAS WAS WITH THEM. DESPITE THE LOCKED DOORS, JESUS CAME AND STOOD BE FORE THEM."PEACE BE WITH YOU," HE SAID THOMAS TAKE YOUR FINGER AND EXAMINE MY HANDS. PUT YOUR HAND IN MY SIDE. DO NOT PERSIST IN YOUR UNBELIEF, BUT BELIEVE. THOMAS SAID IN RESPONSE, " MY LORD AND MY GOD!"
 JESUS PERFORMED MANY OTHER SIGNS AS WELL. THESE HAVE BEEN RECORDED TO HELP US BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE MESSIAH, SO THAT THROUGH THIS FAITH YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME.

JESUS BURIAL JOHN 19:38--42.

 CRUCIFIXION VICTIMS WERE USUALLY THROWN INTO A COMMON GRAVE FOR CRIMINALS AND WERE NOT TO BE MOURNED PUBLICLY AFTER THEIR DEATH; HAD THE ROMANS HAD THEIR WAY, THE CORPSES WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BURIED AT ALL.  BUT EXCEPTIONS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MADE AT TIMES IF FAMILY OR POWERFUL PATRONS INTERCEDED FOR THE BODY. BURYING THE DEAD WAS A CRUCIAL AND PIOUS DUTY IN JUDAISM, AND AN IMPORTANT ACT OF LOVE; BEING UNBURIED WAS TOO HORRIBLE TO BE PERMITTED EVEN FOR CRIMINALS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK BEFORE SUNDOWN AND THE ADVENT OF THE SABBATH, JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA HAS TO HURRY. IF THIS MEASURE OF NICODEMUS'S MIXTURE IS ONE OF WEIGHT, IT IS AS MUCH AS SEVENTY--FIVE OF OUR POUNDS (ROMAN POUNDS WERE LIGHTER);  IF IT IS A MEASURE OF VOLUME IDENTIFIED WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT LOG., IT MAY BE LESS THAN SEVENTY FLUID OUNCES. IN EITHER CASE IT IS A LAVISH EXPRESSION OF OF DEVOTION FOR BELOVED TEACHERS ARE OCCASIONALLY REPORTED ( A GENTILE CONVERT ALLEGEDLY BURNED EIGHTY POUNDS OF SPICES AT THE FUNERAL OF GAMALIEL I, PAUL'S TEACHER),  SO THE NUMBERS NEED NOT BE DOUBTED. MYRRH WAS USED FOR EMBALMING THE DEAD, AND ALOES FOR PERFUME. IN 19:40 JOHN MENTIONS THE JEWISH CUSTOM; JEWISH PEOPLE DID NOT BURN DEAD HEROES, AS GREEKS AND ROMANS DID, OR MUTILATE THEM FOR EMBALMING, AS EGYPTIANS DID. BODIES WERE WRAPPED IN SHROUDS, SOMETIMES EXPENSIVE ONES, ESPECIALLY PREPARED FOR BURIALS. JEWISH SOURCES ARE EMPHATIC THAT NONE OF THESE ACTIONS MAY BE UNDERTAKEN UNLESS THE PERSON IS CLEARLY DEAD;  THUS THOSE BURYING JESUS HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HE IS DEAD. HERE STRIPS OF LINEN RATHER THAN A  FULL SHROUD ARE USED, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE IMMINENT APPROACH OF THE SABBATH AT SUNDOWN. WHITE LINEN GARMENTS WERE WORN BY JEWISH PRIESTS, BY SOME OTHER ANCIENTS  PRIESTS (DEVOTEES OF ISIS)) AND BY ANGELS IN JEWISH TRADITIONS (e.g., 2 MACC 11:8 );  THEY WERE ALSO WRAPPINGS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD. ON THE LOCALE,cf." NEAR THE CITY" VERSE 20: ACCORDING TO JEWISH CUSTOM, BURIALS HAD TO BE OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS ( ONE MAY COMPARE THE OUT-RAGE OF PIOUS JEWS OVER ANTIPAS'S BUILDING TIBERIAS ON A GRAVEYARD). TO BE BURIED IN A TOMB WAS NOT YET USED AND WAS NO DOUBT A SPECIAL HONOR AND WOULD MAKE THE TOMB DIFFICULT TO CONFUSE WITH OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY.  THE SABBATH  (OR IN THIS CASE, THE COMING OF PASSOVER---18:28) INTERRUPTED ALL OTHER ACTIVITIES, JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS DID NOT NEED TO "LAY" JESUS THERE VERY CAREFULLY; THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ONLY A PRELIMINARY BURIAL EVEN HAD THE SABBATH NOT APPROACHED, TO BE COMPLETED A YEAR LATER, AFTER THE FLESH HAD ROTTED OFF THE BONES. SOME HAVE DOUBTED THE EMPTY TOMB STORY SIMPLY BECAUSE PAUL DOES NOT MENTION IT (ALTHOUGH HE PRESUPPOSES IT ; 1 COR. (15:3-4), BUT THE DISCIPLES COULD NOT HAVE CREDIBLY PROCLAIMED THE RESURRECTION IN JERUSALEM IF JESUS' BODY WERE STILL IN THE TOMB. ALTHOUGH ANCIENT LAWS OF EVIDENCE DIFFERED FROM MODERN ONES (THEY DEPENDED HEAVILY ON PROBABILITY), ANCIENTS, LIKE MODERNS, WOULD HAVE AT LEAST CHECK THE TOMB AND WOULD NOT HAVE STAKED THEIR LIVES ON A REPORT WITHOUT INVESTIGATING THE TOMB! GIVEN HOW READILY HOLY SITES WERE VENERATED, BELIEVERS IN THE RESURRECTION THEMSELVES WOULD HAVE CHECKED THE TOMB. THE MODERN CRITICAL SCHOLARS WHO HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE ORIGINAL DISCIPLES MEANT ONLY THAT THAT THEY HAD A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. (MERE BELIEF IN GHOSTS), BUT DID NOT CLAIM THAT JESUS ROSE BODILY. READ THEIR OWN MODERN CULTURE INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT: "RESURRECTION"  AND NOTHING ELSE, AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE PERSECUTED THE DISCIPLES FOR CLAIMING THAT THEY HAD HAD MERELY A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. MERE BELIEF IN GHOSTS AND APPARITIONS WERE WIDESPREAD AND WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THEM INTO TROUBLE WITH ANYONE. THE NEAREST OF KIN WOULD REMAIN AT HOME MOURNING FOR SEVEN DAYS;  MARY MAGDALENE,  WHO WOULD HAVE GRIEVED AS MUCH AS THE FAMILY, MIGHT HAVE REMAINED INSIDE HAD IT NOT BEEN NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE WORK LEFT UNFINISHED DUE TO THE SABBATH (19:42). BUT JEWISH MOURNERS AS WELL AS PAGANS WERE OFTEN KNOWN TO VISIT TOMBS WITHIN THREE DAYS AFTER BURIAL. THE FIRST DAY  OF THE WEEK BEGAN AT SUNDOWN ON WHAT WE WOULD CALL SATURDAY NIGHT, SO THE SABBATH HAD ENDED HOURS BEFORE SHE APPROACHES  THE TOMB; THAT MARY WOULD APPROACH THE TOMB BEFORE DAYLIGHT DEMONSTRATES HER EAGER DEVOTION TO JESUS. DISK-- SHAPED STONES WERE OFTEN ROLLED IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE OF TOMBS AND WERE SO HEAVY THAT THEY FREQUENTLY REQUIRED SEVERAL MEN TO ROLL THEM AWAY. THAT THE AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE MOVED EVEN THE BODY---PERHAPS TO A CRIMINAL'S GRAVE ---IS TROUBLESOME NEWS. ANCIENT JEWISH MEN DID NOT ACCEPT WOMEN AS RELIABLE WITNESSES FOR MOST LEGAL PURPOSES (THEIR WITNESS WAS LIMITED, BUT LESS SO, IN ROMAN COURTS), AND THIS CULTURAL TENDENCY MAY FURTHER MOVE JOHN AND PETER TO LOOK FOR THEMSELVES. COMPARISON OF CHARACTERS WAS IMPORTANT IN ANCIENT WRITING AND A STANDARD RHETORICAL TECHNIQUE. THAT THE BELOVED DISCIPLE ( ON THE TRADITIONAL VIEW TAKEN IN THIS COMMENTARY, JOHN, BUT PERHAPS ALSO MEANT TO REPRESENT DISCIPLES IN GENERAL THROUGH HIS ANONYMITY) IS FASTER THAN PETER FITS SOME OTHER COMPARISONS IN THE GOSPEL 13:23-24; 21:7). DEPICTIONS OF PHYSICAL PROWESS WERE PART OF NARRATIVES EXTOLLING CHARACTERS e.g.,  JOSEPHUS OUT SWIMS MOST OTHERS IN LIFE SO COMPARISON MAY BE IN VIEW HERE. SHOWING THAT A NORMAL DISCIPLE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE FAMOUS PETER. HAD ROBBERS TOLEN THE BODY (A RARE PRACTICE) THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT IN ITS WRAPPINGS; HD THEY LEFT THE WRAPPINGS, THEY WOULD HAVE LEFT THEM IN DISARRAY. WHO EVER LEFT THEM, LEFT THEM THERE NEATLY. THE FACE CLOTH SEPARATE FROM THE LINEN IS NOT MERELY "FOLDED UP,"  COULD BE AN INDICATION OF NEATNESS, OR THAT IT WAS STILL ROLLED THE WAY IT HAD BEEN WHEN IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND JESUS HEAD--THAT HIS BODY HAD RISEN OUT OF THE WRAPPINGS AND CLOTH. THE SKEPTIC'S PROPOSAL THAT JESUS HAD ONLY SWOONED AND THEN RECOVERED WOULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW HE COULD HAVE LOSSED THE STRIPS TIED AROUND HIM OR ESCAPED A SEALED TOMB, BUT IT ALSO IGNORES THE NATURE OF CRUCIFIXION: JOSEPHUS HAD THREE OF HIS FRIENDS TAKEN DOWN ALIVE FROM A CROSS., BUT TWO OF THEM DIED DESPITE MEDICAL ATTENTION BECAUSE THEIR BODIES HAD BEEN SO WEAKENED FROM THE CRUCIFIXION. THIS DISCIPLES FAITH MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO PARALLELS  WITH JOHN 11 OR TO THE WAY THE CLOTHS WERE LAID (20:6-7); JOHN IMPLIES THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ALREADY BELIEVED IT FROM SCRIPTURE HAD THEY UNDERSTOOD.                                       

MATTHEW 20:28

"THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE MINISTERED UNTO, BUT TO MINISTER."  WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAINSPRING OF PAUL'S SERVICE IS NOT LOVE FOR MEN, BUT LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST.  PAUL'S IDEA OF SERVICE IS THE SAME AS OUR LORD 'I AM AMONG YOU AS HE THAT SERVETH;" "OURSELVES YOUR SERVANTS FOR JESUS SAKE."   WE HAVE THE IDEAS THAT A MAN CALLED TO THE MINISTRY IS CALLED TO BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEING FROM OTHER MEN,. ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST.   HE IS CALLED TO BE THE "DOORMAT." OF OTHER MEN; THEIR SPIRITUAL LEADER, BUT NEVER THEIR SUPERIOR. "I KNOW HOW TO BE ABASED," SAYS PAUL. THIS IS PAUL'S  IDEA OF SERVICE.  " I WILL SPEND MYSELF TO THE LAST EBB FOR YOU; YOU  MAY GIVE ME PRAISE OR GIVE ME BLAME, BUT IT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE." SO LONG AS THERE IS A HUMAN BEING WHO DOES NOT KNOW JESUS CHRIST, I AM HIS DEBTOR TO SERVE HIM UNTIL HE DOES. THE MAINSPRING OF PAUL'S SERVICE IS NOT LOVE FOR MEN, BUT LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST. IF WE ARE DEVOTED TO THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY, WE SHALL SOON BE CRUSHED AND BROKEN---HEARTED, FOR WE SHALL OFTEN MEET WITH MORE INGRATITUDE FROM MEN THAN WE WOULD FROM A DOG.; BUT IF OUR MOTIVE IS LOVE TO GOD, NO INGRATITUDE PAUL SAYS CAN HINDER US FROM SERVING OUR FELLOW MAN. PAUL'S REALIZATION OF HOW JESUS CHRIST HAD DEALT WITH HIM IS THE SECRET OF HIS DETERMINATION TO SERVE OTHERS. "I WAS  BEFORE A PERJURER, A BLASPHEMER,--AN INJURIOUS PERSON" NO MATTER HOW MEN MAY TREAT ME, THY WILL NEVER TREAT ME WITH THE SPITE AND HATRED WITH WHICH I TREATED JESUS CHRIST. WHEN WE REALIZE THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS SERVED US TO THE END OF OUR MEANNESS, OUR SELFISHNESS, AND SIN, NOTHING THAT WE MEET WITH FROM OTHERS CAN EXHAUST OUR DETERMINATION TO SERVE MAN FOR HIS SAKE. WHEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD HAS SHED ABROAD THE LOVE OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS, WE BEGIN DELIBERATELY  TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH JESUS CHRIST'S INTERESTS IN OTHER PEOPLE, AND JESUS CHRIST IS INTERESTED IN EVERY KIND OF MAN THERE IS. WE HAVE NO RIGHT IN CHRISTIAN WORK TO BE GUIDED BY OUR AFFINITIES; THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST TESTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST. THE DELIGHT OF SACRIFICE IS THAT I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR FOR MY FRIEND NOT FLING IT AWAY. 'IF WE ARE ABANDONED TO JESUS, WE HAVE NO ENDS OF OUR OWN TO SERVE." PAUL SPENT HIMSELF FOR ONE PURPOSE ONLY------THAT HE MIGHT WIN MEN TO JESUS CHRIST. PAUL ATTRACTED TO JESUS ALL THE TIME, NEVER HIMSELF TO HIS LIFE. "I AM MADE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN,, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME." WHEN A MAN SAYS HE MUST DEVELOP A HOLY LIFE ALONE WITH GOD, HE IS OF NO MORE USE TO HIS FELLOW MEN:  HE PUTS HIMSELF ON A "PEDESTAL", AWAY FROM THE COMMON RUN OF MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME. PAUL HAD BECOME A SACRAMENTAL PERSONALITY; WHEREVER HE WENT, JESUS CHRIST HELPED HIMSELF TO HIS LIFE.. MANY OF US ARE AFTER OUR OWN ENDS, AND JESUS CHRIST CAN NOT HELP HIMSELF TO OUR LIVES " REMEMBER IF WE ARE ABANDONED TO JESUS, WE HAVE NO ENDS OF OUR OWN TO SERVE. PAUL SAID HE KNEW HOW TO BE A "DOORMAT" WITHOUT RESENTING IT , BECAUSE THE MAINSPRING OF HIS LIFE WAS DEVOTION TO JESUS. WE ARE APT TO BE DEVOTED, NOT TO JESUS CHRIST, BUT TO THE THINGS WHICH EMANCIPATE US SPIRITUALLY. THAT WAS NOT PAUL'S MOTIVE. " I COULD WISH MYSELF WERE ACCURSED FROM CHRIST FOR MY BRETHREN"--- WILD, EXTRAVAGANT TO TALK IN THAT WAY, AND PAUL IS IN LOVE WITH JESUS CHRIST.

SPIRITUAL TENACITY: " BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." PSALM 46:10

"TENACITY IS THE SUPREME EFFORT OF A MAN REFUSING TO BELIEVE THAT HIS HERO IS GOING TO BE CONQUERED." TENACITY IS MORE THAN ENDURANCE COMBINED WITH THE ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS GOING TO TRANSPIRE. TENACITY IS MORE THAN HANGING ON, WHICH MAY BE BUT THE WEAKNESS OF BEING TO AFRAID TO FALL OFF. TENACITY IS THE SUPREME EFFORT OF A MAN REFUSING TO BELIEVE THAT HIS HERO IS GOING TO BE CONQUERED. THE GREATEST FEAR A MAN HAS IS NOT THAT HE WOULD BE DAMNED, BUT THAT JESUS CHRIST WILL BE WORSTED, THAT THE THINGS HE STOOD FOR----LOVE AND JUSTICE AND FORGIVENESS AND KINDNESS AMONG MEN----- WILL NOT WIN OUT IN THE END; THE THINGS HE STANDS FOR LOOK LIKE WILL--OF-THE WISPS. THEN COMES THE CALL TO "SPIRITUAL TENACITY", "WHERE WE ARE ABANDONED TO GOD, HE WORKS THROUGH US ALL THE TIME"  THE GREATEST FEAR MAN HAS TO HANG ON AND DO NOTHING, BUT TO WORK, DELIBERATELY ON THE CERTAINTY THAT GOD IS NOT GOING TO BE WORSTED. IF OUR HOPES ARE BEING DISAPPOINTED JUST NOW, IT MEANS THAT HEY ARE PURIFIED. THERE IS NOTHING NOBLE ABOUT THE HUMAN MIND HAS EVER HOPED FOR OR DREAMED OF THAT WILL NOT BE FULFILLED. ONE OF THE GREATEST STRAINS IN LIFE IS THE STRAIN OF WAITING FOR GOD. " BECAUSE THOU HAS KEPT THE WORD OF MY PATIENCE." REMAIN SPIRITUALLY TENACIOUS." REMEMBER TENACITY IS THE SUPREME EFFORT OF A MAN REFUSING TO BELIEVE THAT HIS "HERO" WILL BE CONQUERED BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I WILL EXALTED AMONG THE HEATHEN, I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH. THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US; THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR REFUGE. SALAH..

JOHN 14:31 "ARISE, LET US GO HENCE."

'LEAVE HIM TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL YOUR DREAMS AND JOYS AND DELIGHTS, AND GO OUT AND OBEY WHAT HE HAS SAID." DREAMING ABOUT A THING IN ORDER TO DO IT PROPERLY IS RIGHT; BUT DREAMING ABOUT IT  WHEN WE SHOULD BE DOING IT IT IS WRONG. AFTER OUR LORD HAD SAID THESE WONDERFUL THINGS, HE ADDED IF HUMAN LOVE DOES NOT CARRY A MAN BEYOND HIMSELF IT IS NOT LOVE. IF LOVE IS ALWAYS DISCREET, ALWAYS WISE, ALWAYS SENSIBLE AND CALCULATING, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP AS THOUGH THERE WERE NO GOD. IT IS NO USE TO WAIT FOR GOD TO HELP US, HE WILL NOT. BUT IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE ARISE WE FIND HE IS THERE. WHENEVER GOD INSPIRES, THE INITIATIVE IS A MORAL ONE. WE MUST DO THE THING AND NOT LIE LIKE A LOG. IF WE WILL "ARISE" AND SHINE, DRUDGERY BECOMES DIVINELY TRANSFIGURED. DRUDGERY IS ONE OF THE FINEST TOUCHSTONES OF CHARACTER THERE IS. DRUDGERY IS WORK THAT IS VERY FAR REMOVED FROM ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE IDEAL---- THE UTTERLY MEAN GRUBBY THINGS; WHEN WE COME IN CONTACT WITH THEM WE KNOW INSTANTLY WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE SPIRITUALLY REAL. READ JOHN 13. WE SEE THERE THE INCARNATE GOD DOING THE MOST DESPERATE PIECE OF DRUDGERY, WASHING FISHERMEN'S FEET AND HE SAYS----"IF I THEN, YOUR LORD AND MASTER, HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET, YE ALSO OUGHT TO WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET." IT REQUIRES THE INSPIRATION OF GOD TO GO THROUGH THE DRUDGERY WITH THE LIGHT. SOME PEOPLE DO A CERTAIN THING AND THE WAY IN WHICH THEY DO IT HALLOWS THAT THING FOREVER AFTERWARDS. IT MAY BE THE MOST COMMON PLACE THING, BUT AFTER WE SEE THEM DO IT, IT BECOMES DIFFERENT. WHEN THE LORD DOES A THING THROUGH US, HE ALWAYS TRANSFIGURES IT. OUR LORD TOOK ON HIM OUR HUMAN FLESH AND TRANSFIGURED IT, AND IT HAS BECOME FOR EVERY SAINT THE " TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT." THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW THAT I LOVE THE FATHER; AND AS THE FATHER;  GAVE ME COMMANDMENT, EVEN SO I DO "ARISE, LET US GO HENCE."JOHN 14:31.DREAMING ABOUT A THING IN ORDER TO DO IT PROPERLY IS RIGHT; BUT DREAMING ABOUT IT WHEN WE SHOULD BE DOING IT IS WRONG. AFTER OUR LORD HAD SAID THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS TO HIS DISCIPLES, WE MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED THAT HE WOULD TELL THEM TO GO AWAY AND MEDITATE OVER THEM ALL; BUT OUR LORD NEVER ALLOWED "MOONING." WHEN WE ARE GETTING INTO CONTACT WITH GOD IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT HE WANTS, DREAMING IS RIGHT; BUT WHEN WE ARE INCLINED TO SPEND OUR TIME IN DREAMING OVER WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD TO DO, IT IS A BAD THING AND GOD'S BLESSING IS NEVER ON IT. GOD'S INITIATIVE IS ALWAYS IN THE NATURE OF A STAB AGAINST THIS KIND OF DREAMING, THE STAB THAT BIDS US "NEITHER SIT NOR STAND BUT GO." ARISE!  IF WE ARE QUIETLY WAITING BEFORE GOD AND HE HAS SAID----"COME YE YOURSELVES APART," THEN THAT IS MEDITATION BEFORE GOD
IN ORDER TO GET AT THE LINE HE WANTS;  BUT ALWAYS BEWARE OF GIVING OVER TO MERE DREAMING WHEN ONCE GOD HAS SPOKEN. LEAVES HIM TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL YOUR DREAMS AND JOYS AND DELIGHTS, AND GO OUT AND OBEY WHAT HE HAS SAID. IF YOU ARE IN LOVE, YOU DO NOT SIT DOWN AND DREAM ABOUT THE ONE YOU LOVE ALL THE TIME,  YOU GO AND DO SOMETHING FOR HIM; AND THAT IS WHAT JESUS CHRIST EXPECTS US TO DO. DREAMING AFTER GOD HAS SPOKEN IS AN INDICATION THAT WE DO NOT TRUST HIM.

GET UP AND EAT ELIJAH

   THE ANGEL DID NOT GIVE ELIJAH A VISION, OR EXPLAIN THE SCRIPTURES TO HIM, OR DO ANYTHING REMARKABLE; HE TOLD ELIJAH TO DO THE MOST ORDINARY THING., TO GET UP AND EAT. IF WE WERE NEVER DEPRESSED WE SHOULD NOT BE ALIVE; IT IS THE NATURE OF A CRYSTAL NEVER TO BE DEPRESSED. A HUMAN BEING IS CAPABLE OF DEPRESSION, OTHERWISE THERE WOULD BE NO CAPACITY FOR EXALTATION. THERE ARE THINGS THAT CALCULATED TO DEPRESS, THINGS ARE THINGS, THAT OUR OF THE NATURE OF DEATH; AND IN TAKING AN ESTIMATE OF YOURSELF, ALWAYS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CAPACITY THE SPIRIT OF GOD COMES HE DOES NOT GIVE US VISIONS, HE TELLS US TO DO THE MOST ORDINARY THINGS CONCEIVABLE. DEPRESSION IS APT  TO TURN US AWAY FROM THE ORDINARY COMMONPLACE THINGS----GOD'S CREATION, BUT WHENEVER GOD COMES THE INSPIRATION IS TO DO THE MOST NATURAL SIMPLE THINGS----THE THINGS WE WOULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED GOD WAS IN, AS WE DO THEM WE FIND HE IS THERE. THE INSPIRATION WHICH COMES TO US IN THIS WAY IS AN INITIATIVE AGAINST DEPRESSION;  WE HAVE TO DO THE NEXT THING AND DO IT IN THE INSPIRATION OF GOD. IF WE DO A THING IN ORDER TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION, WE DEEPEN THE DEPRESSION; BUT IF THE SPIRIT OF GOD MAKES US FEEL INTUITIVELY THAT WE MUST DO THE THING, AND WE DO IT, THE DEPRESSION IS GONE. IMMEDIATELY WE RISE AND OBEY, WE ENTER ON A HIGHER PLANE OF LIFE. "LET THE PAST SLEEP, BUT LET IT SLEEP ON THE BOSOM OF CHRIST, AND GO OUT INTO THE IRRESISTIBLE FUTURE WITH HIM." THE DISCIPLES WENT TO SLEEP WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE KEPT AWAKE, AND WHEN THEY REALIZED WHAT THEY HAD DONE IT PRODUCED DESPAIR. THE SENSE OF THE IRREPARABLE IS APT TOMAKE US DESPAIR , AND WE SAY-----" IT IS ALL UP NOW, IT IS NO USE OF TRYING ANY MORE."  IF WE IMAGINE THAT THIS KIND OF DESPAIR IS EXCEPTIONAL, WE ARE MISTAKEN, IT IS VERY ORDINARY  HUMAN EXPERIENCE.  WHENEVER WE REALIZE THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT WHICH WE HAD A MAGNIFICENT OPPORTUNITY OF DOING, THEN WE ARE APT TO SINK INTO DESPAIR; AND JESUS CHRIST COMES AND SAYS----"SLEEP ON NOW, THAT OPPORTUNITY IS LOST FOREVER, YOU CANNOT ALTER IT, BUT GO TO THE NEXT THING." LET THE PAST SLEEP, BUT LET IT SLEEP ON THE BOSOM OF CHRIST, AND GO OUT IN THE IRRESISTIBLE FUTURE WITH HIM. THERE ARE EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS IN EACH OF OUR LIVES.  WE ARE IN DESPAIR, THE DESPAIR THAT COMES FROM ACTUALITIES, AND WE CANNOT LIFT OURSELVES OUT OF IT. THE DISCIPLE IN THIS INSTANCE HAD DONE A DOWNRIGHT UNFORGIVABLE THING; THEY HAD GONE TO SLEEP INSTEAD OF WATCHING; WITH JESUS, BUT HE CAME WITH A SPIRITUAL INITIATIVE AGAINST THEIR DESPAIR AND SAID "ARISE AND DO THE NEXT THING?  TO TRUST  HIM ABSOLUTELY AND TO PRAY; THAT THE FALSE TEACHERS "SATAN' USES TO CONFUSE CHRIST CHILDREN BE GONE! IF WE ARE INSPIRED OF GOD, WHAT IS THE NEXT THING? TO TRUST HIM ABSOLUTELY AND TO PRAY ON THE GROUND OF HIS REDEMPTION. REMEMBER, NEVER LET THE SENSE OF FAILURE CORRUPT YOUR NEW ACTION.  "RISE, LET US BE GOING" MATTHEW 26:46. IF WE DO  ISAIAH TELLUS IN 60: 1 "ARISE," MY PEOPLE! LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE FOR ALL THE NATIONS TO SEE! FOR THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS STREAMING FROM YOU. DARKNESS AS BLACK OF NIGHT HAS OVERCOME CHRIST SPIRIT COVERING  HIS
 PEOPLE OF THE EARTH. DREAMING ABOUT A THING IN ORDER TO DO IT PROPERLY
 IS RIGHT; BUT DREAMING ABOUT IT WHEN WE SHOULD BE DOING IT IS WRONG. AFTER THE LORD HAS SAID THESE WONDERFUL THINGS TO HIS DISCIPLES, WE MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED THAT HE WOULD TELL THEM TO GO AWAY AND MEDICATE OVER THEM ALL. IN LIFE, ONCE ON A PATH, WE TEND TO FOLLOW IT, FOR BETTER OR WORSE. WHAT'S SAD IS THAT EVEN IF IT'S THE LATTER, WE OFTEN ACCEPT IT ANYWAY BECAUSE WE ARE SO ACCUSTOMED TO THE WAY THINGS ARE WE DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THEY COULD BE DIFFERENT AND WE ENTER A HIGHER PLANE OF LIFE. THE DISCIPLES WENT TO SLEEP WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE KEPT AWAKE, AND WHEN THEY REALIZED WHAT THEY HAD DONE " IT IS PRODUCED DESPAIR, AND WE SAY------ " IT IS ALL UP NOW, IT IS NO USE TRYING ANY MORE." IF WE IMAGINE THAT THIS KIND OF DESPAIR IS EXCEPTIONAL, WE ARE MISTAKEN, IT IS VERY ORDINARY HUMAN EXPERIENCE WHEN EVER WE REALIZE THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT WHICH WE HAD A MAGNIFICENT OPPORTUNITY OF DOING, THEN WE ARE APT TO SINK INTO DESPAIR; AND JESUS CHRIST COMES AND SAYS-----"SLEEP ON NOW, THAT OPPORTUNITY IS LOST FOREVER, YOU CANNOT ALTER IT, BUT ARISE AND GO TO THE NEXT THING." LET THE PAST SLEEP, BUT LET IT SLEEP ON THE BOSOM OF CHRIST., AND GO OUT INTO THE IRRESISTIBLE FUTURE WITH HIM. THERE ARE EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS IN EACH OF OUR LIVES. WE ARE IN DESPAIR, THE DESPAIR THAT COMES FROM ACTUALITIES , AND WE CANNOT LIFT OURSELVES OUT OF IT. THE DISCIPLES IN THIS INSTANCE HAD DONE A DOWNRIGHT UNFORGIVABLE THING;  THEY HAD GONE TO SLEEP INSTEAD OF WATCHING WITH JESUS, BUT HE CAME WITH A SPIRITUAL INITIATIVE AGAINST THEIR DESPAIR AND SAID ----"ARISE AND DO THE NEXT THING." IF WE ARE INSPIRED OF GOD, WHAT IS THE NEXT THING?" TO TRUST HIM ABSOLUTELY IN FERVENT PRAYER AND TO PRAY ON THE GROUND OF HIS REDEMPTION. NEVER LET THE SENSE OF FAILURE CORRUPT YOUR NEW ACTION.

















 ANTWAY

AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPERS? "NONE OF US LIVETH TO HIMSELF '

HAS IT EVER DAWN ON YOU THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER SOULS SPIRITUALLY  BEFORE GOD?  FOR INSTANCE, IF I ALLOW ANY PRIVATE DEFLECTION FROM GOD IN MY LIFE,EVERYONE AROUND ME SUFFERS. WE "SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES." " WHETHER ONE MEMBER SUFFERS, ALL MEMBERS SUFFER WITH IT."  WHEN ONCE YOU ALLOW PHYSICAL SELFISHNESS, MENTAL SLOVENLINESS, MORAL OBTUSENESS , SPIRITUAL DENSITY, EVERYONE BELONGING TO YOUR CROWD WILL SUFFER. "BUT," YOU SAY, " WHO IS SUFFICIENT FOR THESE THINGS IF YOU ERECT A STANDARD LIKE THAT? " "OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD,"
AND HIM ALONE. "YE SHALL BE MY WITNESSES." HOW MANY OF US ARE WILLING TO SPEND EVERY OUNCE OF NERVOUS ENERGY, OF MENTAL, MORAL,  SPIRITUAL ENERGY WE HAVE FOR JESUS CHRIST? THAT IS THE MEANING OF A WITNESS IN GOD'S SENSE OF THE WORD IT TAKES TIME BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF. GOD HAS LEFT US ON THE EARTH--WHAT FOR?  TO BE SAVED SANCTIFIED? NO.TO BE AT IT FOR HIM. AM I WILLING TO BE BROKEN BREAD AND POURED--OUT WINE FOR HIM? TO BE SPOILT FOR THIS AGE, FOR THIS LIFE, TO BE SPOILT FROM EVERY  STANDPOINT BUT ONE---SAVING AS I CAN DISCIPLE MEN AND WOMEN TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. MY LIFE AS A WORKER IS THE WAY I SAY "THANK YOU" TO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE SALVATION. REMEMBER IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE FOR ANY ONE OF US TO BE FLUNG OUT AS A REPROBATE SILVER----" LEST BY ANY MEANS WHEN I HAVE PREACHED TO OTHERS, I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CASTAWAY."  "ARISE AND LET US GO HENCE"  " LEAVE HIM TO BE THE SOURCE OF ALL YOUR DREAMS AND JOYS AND DELIGHTS, AND GO OUT AND OBEY WHAT HE HAS SAID." DREAMING ABOUT A THING IN ORDER TO DO IT PROPERLY IS RIGHT; BUT DREAMING ABOUT IT WHEN WE SHOULD BE DOING IT WRONG. AFTER OUR LORD HAD SAID THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS TO HIS DISCIPLES, WE MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED THAT HE WOULD TELL THEM TO GO AWAY AND MEDITATE OVER THEM ALL; BUT OUR LORD NEVER ALLOWED "MOONING"  WHEN WE ARE GETTING INTO CONTACT WITH GOD IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT HE WANTS, DREAMING IS RIGHT; BUT WHEN WE ARE INCLINED TO SPEND OUR TIME IN DREAMING OVER WHAT WE WERE TO DO, IT IS A BAD THING AND GOD'S BLESSING IS  NEVER ON IT. GOD'S INITIATIVE IS ALWAYS IN THE NATURE LETTING HIM BE THE SOURCE OF ALL YOUR DREAMS.

GENESIS 3:1-6

SOMETIMES A NARRATIVE PROVIDES SEVERAL PRINCIPALS OR TRUTHS THAT CONTINUE TO POSSESS RELEVANCE, AS DOES THE NARRATIVE OF THE FIRST TEMPTATION. FOUND IN GENESIS GENESIS 3:1-6 THE ACTIONS OF THE NARRATIVE ARE FOUND IN A STRAIGHT FORWARD RECOUNTING OF THE TEXT: NOW THE "SERPENT" DEVIL WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, "DID GOD REALLY SAY, " YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN?" THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY. "YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE."  " YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE, " THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN. FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT OF IT" YOUR EYES WILL BE OPEN., AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD., KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL."
 WHEN THE WOMEN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM., SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND., WHO WAS WITH HER. AND HE ATE IT. THIS IS THE STORY OF SATAN'S TEMPTATION OF EVE. EVE CAN BE CONCEPTUALIZED IN SIX STEPS, STEPS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN SATAN'S TEMPTATION OF BELIEVERS. TODAY. 1) STEP ONE IS FOUND IN THE FIRST VERSE. THE HEBREW MAY BE PARAPHRASED IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: "NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY WILD CREATURE THAT THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMAN: IS IT REALLY A FACT THAT GOD HAS PROHIBITED YOU FROM OF ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN?  2). WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC HERE?  WHY DID SATAN ASK THIS QUESTION? HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT GOD HAD SAID TO ADAM AND EVE, OR HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASK WHAT HE DID. WHY DID SATAN ASK THIS QUESTION?  HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT GOD HAD SAID. TO ADAM AND EVE, OR HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASK WHAT HE DID. FURTHERMORE,  HE DELIBERATELY DISTORTED WHAT GOD HAD SAID.. "IS IT REALLY A FACT THAT GOD HAS PROHIBITED YOU FROM EATING OF ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN?"  SATAN'S PLOY IS RATHER OBVIOUS: HE WAS GETTING EVE TO TAKE HER EYES OFF ALL THE THINGS GOD HAD GIVEN HER TO ENJOY AND TO FOCUS ON THE ONE THING THAT GOD HAD FORBIDDEN. THERE WERE PROBABLY A THOUSAND PLEASURABLE THINGS
EVE COULD HAVE DONE IN THE GARDEN. , BUT NOW ALL HER ATTENTION WAS FOCUSED ON THE ONE THING SHE COULD NOT DO. 3.)  EVE WAS NOW PREPARED FOR SATAN'S NEXT STEP. IN RESPONSE TO EVE'S STATEMENT THAT GOD SAID THAT EATING OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WOULD RESULT IN DEATH., SATAN BOLDLY DECLARED: " YOU WILL SURELY NOT DIE." THE RESULTS OF SUCH AND SUCH AN ACTION WON'T REALLY BE AS BAD AS GOD HAS SAID. THIS MIGHT BE CALLED  MAXIMIZING THE RESTRICTION. EVE WAS NOW PREPARE FOR SATANS NEXT STEP. IN RESPONSE THE EVE'S STATEMENT THAT GOD SAID THAT EATING OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WOULD RESULT IN DEATH. SATAN BOLDLY DECLARED:" YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE."  THE RESULTS OF SUCH-AND - SUCH ACTION WON'T REALLY AS BAD AS GOD HAS SAID.. THIS MIGHT BE CALLED MINIMIZING THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.  SATAN MINIMIZED  THE CONSEQUENCES IN TWO WAYS EXCEPT FOR FALSE TEACHERS, BY TELLING EVE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN WOULD NOT BE AS BAD AS THEY HAD BEEN STATED TO BE,  AND SECOND, BY EVENTUALLY FOCUSING HER ATTENTION SO COMPLETELY ON THE TREE THAT SHE FORGOT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES ENTIRELY. THE THIRD STEP SATAN TOOK MIGHT BE CALLED LABELING THE ACTION. IN VERSE 5 HE SAYS: " FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL GOD KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL." HERE SATAN PLANTED THE SUSPICION IN EVE'S MIND THAT IT WAS NOT BECAUSE THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WOULD INJURE HER THAT GOD HAD FORBIDDEN HER TO EAT IT, BUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT WISH HER TO BE LIKE HIMSELF. SATAN DEFTLY TRIED TO REMOVE HIS TEMPTATION FROM THE CATEGORY OF SIN BY RELABELING IT. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, PARTAKING OF THE FRUIT WAS RELABELED AS  WAY OF EXPANDING HER CONSCIOUSNESS. SHE WOULD BECOME A MORE COMPLETE PERSON IF SHE TRIED IT ONCE. BEFORE THIS TIME EVE HAD THOUGHT OF THE FORBIDDEN ACTION AS DISOBEDIENCE: NOW SHE SEES IT AS A NECESSITY IF SHE IS TO BECOME A COMPLETE AND MATURE PERSON. SATAN THEN QUICKLY ADDED ANOTHER ASPECT TO HIS TEMPTATION, AN ASPECT WHICH MIGHT BE CALLED MIXING GOOD AND EVIL. VERSE 6 READS: " THE WOMEN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD.." C.S. LEWIS HAS COMMENTED THAT EVIL IS OFTEN A PERVERSION OF SOMETHING GOD HAS CREATED. IN THIS INSTANCE SATAN ADDED POTENCY TO HIS TEMPTATION BY MIXING GOOD WITH EVL.: EVE SAW THE THE TREE WAS PLEASING TO THE EYES. THIS MIGHT BE CALLED MIXING SIN WITH BEAUTY. TEMPTATION OFTEN COMES WRAPPED IN THE FORM OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, SOMETHING THAT APPEALS TO OUR SENSES AND DESIRES. IT IS OFTEN NECESSARY TO THINK TWICE BEFORE WE RECOGNIZE THAT A BEAUTIFUL OBJECT
 OR GOAL IS REALLY A SIN IN DISGUISE. IN THIS INCIDENT EVE FAILED TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THE BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE AND THE SINFUL CONTENTS THAT THE PACKAGE CONTAINED.EVE FINALLY TOOK THE FINAL STEP: THE NARRATIVE TELLS US THAT "SHE" SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS   ...DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM." IN ESSENCE SHE SWALLOWED THE DEVIL'S LIE. THIS STEP MIGHT BE CALLED MISUNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS. ALTHOUGH THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LESS SIGNIFICANT POINT IN THE TEMPTATION PROCESS, IT IS PERHAPS THE MOST CRUCIAL. IN EFFECT, BY ACCEPTING SATAN'S STATEMENT, EVE WAS CALLING GOD A LIAR, EVEN THOUGH SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED THOSE IMPLICATIONS OF HER ACTION. SHE ACCEPTED SATAN AS THE TRUTH TELLER AND GOD AS THE PREVARICATOR: BY PARTAKING OF THE FRUIT SHE WAS IMPLICITLY STATING HER BELIEF THAT SATAN WAS MORE INTERESTED IN HER WELFARE THAN GOD WAS. YIELDING TO THE TEMPTATION IMPLIED THAT SHE ACCEPTED SATAN'S ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION. INSTEAD OF GOD'S. MANY OF THE SAME DYNAMICS OF EVE'S TEMPTATION ARE OFTEN PRESENT IN SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS OF BELIEVER"S TODAY. MIXING GOOD AND EVIL, MIXING SIN AND BEAUTY CAN FREQUENTLY BE FOUND OPERATING IN OUR LIVES TODAY.

THE "UNHOLY FIRE" OF NADAB AND ABIHU. LEV. 10-1-11

 THE STORY OF NADAB AND ABIHU IS INTERESTING BOTH BECAUSE OF ITS BREVITY AND BECAUSE OF THE STERNNESS AND UNIQUENESS OF THE JUDGMENT ON THEM.
 AaRON AND HIS SONS HAD JUST BEEN CONSECRATED TO THE PRIESTHOOD; AFTER COMMANDING THAT THE FIRE BE KEPT BURNING CONTINUALLY, GOD HAD CONFIRMED THEIR SACRIFICIAL OFFERING BY KINDLING IT MIRACULOUSLY.  NADAB AND ABIHU, AaRON'S TWO OLDEST SONS, TOOK "STRANGE FIRE' AND MADE AN INCENSE OFFERING TO THE LORD. IMMEDIATELY THEY WERE STRUCK DEAD BY FIRE FROM GOD. MOSES UTTERED A PROPHECY, AND THEN COMMANDED Aaron's RELATIVES TO TAKE THE DEAD BODIES OF NADAB AND ABIHU FROM THE CAMP. AaRON AND HIS TWO REMAINING SONS, WHO WERE ALSO PRIESTS, WERE COMMANDED NOT TO SHOW THE TRADITIONAL SIGNS OF MOURNING (LETTING THEIR HAIR HANG LOOSE AND TEARING THEIR CLOTHES), ALTHOUGH THEIR RELATIVES WERE ALLOWED TO DO SO. GOD THEN GAVE AaRON THREE COMMANDS.
1) NEITHER HE NOR ANY OF HIS PRIESTLY DESCENDANTS WERE TO USE FERMENTED BEVERAGES BEFORE ENTERING THEIR SACRED DUTIES; 2) THEY WERE TO DISTINGUISH  BETWEEN HOLY AND THE COMMON, THE CLEAN AND UNCLEAN; 3) THEY WERE TO TEACH THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE LORD'S STATUTES. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THESE ACTIONS?  ISRAEL HAD JUST COME OUT OF, AND CONTINUED TO BE SURROUNDED BY IDOLATROUS WORSHIP. THERE WAS AN EVER-PRESENT DANGER OF COMBINING THE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD WITH THE PRACTICES OF PAGAN WORSHIP. THIS WAS INAUGURATION  DAY OF Aaron AND HIS SONS AS INITIATORS OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD. THEIR ACTIONS WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE REGARDED AS PRECEDENTS FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOWED. SIMILARLY, GOD' ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF THESE ACTIONS WOULD AFFECT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS OF THE PRIESTHOOD.  ITSELF AND THE PRIESTLY ACTIVITIES.  FIRE WAS REGARDED AS A DIVINE SYMBOL IN ALMOST ALL ANCIENT RELIGIONS, INCLUDING JUDAISM.  THE UNHOLY AND "STRANGE FIRE" WHICH NADAB AND ABIHU OFFERED IS EXPLAINED AS FIRE WHICH GOD HAD NOT COMMANDED THEM TO OFFER. A SIMILAR EXPRESSION IS FOUND IN EXODUS 30:9, WHERE INCENSE THAT HAD NOT BEEN PREPARED ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS OF THE LORD IS CALLED "STRANGE INCENSE."  FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE TIME SEQUENCE SUGGESTS THAT NADAB AND ABIHU OFFERED THE INCENSE OFFERING BETWEEN THE SACRIFICIAL MEAL WHICH WAS TO HAVE FOLLOWED IT. i.e., AT A TIME OTHER THAN OTHER THAN THE TIME DESIGNATED FOR AN INCENSE OFFERING BETWEEN THE SACRIFICIAL OFFERING AND THE SACRIFICIAL MEAL WHICH WAS TO HAVE FOLLOWED  IT. i.e., AT A TIME OTHER THAN THE TIME DESIGNATED FOR AN INCENSE OFFERING. THIS INTERPRETATION IS FURTHER BORN OUT BY GOD'S PROPHECY THROUGH MOSES TO AaRON IMMEDIATELY AFTER FIRE HAD CONSUMED NADAB AND ABIHU. "THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SPOKE OF WHEN HE SAID: 'AMONG THOSE WHO APPROACH ME I WILL SHOW MYSELF HOLY IN THE SIGHT OF ALL THE PEOPLE I WILL BE HONORED."  SHORTLY AFTER THIS, GOD SPOKE DIRECTLY TO AaRON, SAYING: " YOU AND YOUR SONS ARE NOT TO DRINK WINE OR OTHER FERMENTED DRINK WHENEVER YOU GO INTO THE TENT OF MEETING, OR YOU WILL DIE. THIS IS A LASTING ORDINANCE FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME. YOU MUST DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROFANE, BETWEEN UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN." SOME COMMENTATORS HAVE INFERRED FROM THESE VERSES THAT NADAB ABIHU WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICATING BEVERAGES WHEN THEY OFFERED THE STRANGE FIRE. ALTHOUGH IT IS PROBABLE THAT GOD WAS GIVING COMMANDS RELATED TO THE OFFENSE WHICH HAD JUST BROUGHT JUDGMENT OF DEATH UPON NADAB ABIHU. THE THREE COMMANDS IS CLEAR. GOD HAD CAREFULLY SHOWN THE WAY BY WHICH THE ISRAELITES MIGHT RECEIVE ATONEMENT FOR THEIR SINS AND MAINTAIN A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF.
THE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN HOLY AND UNHOLY, CLEAN AND UNCLEAN, HAD BEEN CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED BY GOD TO Aaron AND HIS SONS, WHO HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TEACH THESE THING TO THE PEOPLE. NADAB AND ABIHU, IN ACT OF SELF WILL, HAD SUBSTITUTED THEIR OWN FORM OF WORSHIP,  OBSCURING THE DISTINCTION OF GOD'S COMMANDS, AND THE PROFANE OF MAN'S SELF-INITIATED  RELIGIOUS ACTIONS. HAD NOT THESE ACTIONS BEEN QUICKLY REBUKED, MIGHT EASILY HAVE LED TO THE ASSIMILATION OF ALL KINDS OF PAGAN PRACTICES. LESSON 2. SHOWS THAT RECONCILIATION WITH GOD DEPENDS ON THE GRACE OF GOD, NOT ON MAN'S SELF-WILLED AND SELF INITIATED PRACTICES. NADAB AND ABIHU ATTEMPTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO GOD'S MEANS OF RECONCILIATION. AS SUCH THEY STAND AS AN EXAMPLE TO ALL PEOPLE AND ALL RELIGIONS THAT SUBSTITUTE THEIR OWN ACTIONS FOR GOD'S GRACE AS A MEANS OF RECONCILIATION AND SALVATION. GOD IS THE INITIATOR OF HIS MERCY AND GRACE IN THE DIVINE- HUMAN RELATIONSHIP: WE ARE THE RESPONDENTS  TO THAT GRACE. BELIEVERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN POSITION OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE BELIEVING COMMUNITY. WE DON'T WANT TO END UP BECAUSE OF OUR BEHAVIOR, LIKE IN THE CASE OF NADAB AND ABIHU.

REBUILDING THE WALLS

THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM BY EZRA AND NEHEMIAH IS QUAINTLY ILLUSTRATED IN LUTHER'S GERMAN BIBLE BY A WOODCUT IN WHICH THE THEME IS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE SCENERY. FROM SAXONY. THE REBUILDERS OF THE WALLS ARE THE JEWS RETURNED FROM BABYLON. THE STONES, MORTAR,LOGS, SAWS, WHEELBARROWS, INCLINED PLANES, AND DERRICKS ARE PRECISELY THOSE EMPLOYED TO REPAIR THE WALLS OF WITTENBERG. VERY SIMILAR WAS LUTHER'S APPLICATION OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES TO THE RECONSTRUCTION OF SOCIETY. THE PRE-EMINENCE  OF RELIGION, THE SOLE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRISTIANITY, THE OBLIGATION OF THE CHRISTIAN IS TO BE  A CHRIST TO HIS NEIGHBOR  THESE WERE THE PRINCIPLES. THE APPLICATIONS WERE CONSERVATIVE. LUTHER CAME NOT TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFILL, AND AGAINST ALL MISCONCEPTION OF HIS TEACHING SOUGHT TO MAKE PLAIN THAT THE TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN  ETHIC REMAINED IN TACT. THE SERMON ON GOOD WORKS IS BUILT, NOT AROUND THE BEATITUDES , BUT AROUND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE CORE OF THE LAW OF MOSES EQUATED WITH THE LAW OF NATURE. LIKE THOSE BEFORE HIM LUTHER EXTENDED THE COMMAND TO HONOR FATHER AND MOTHER TO INCLUDE REVERENCE FOR ALL AUTHORITY, SUCH AS BISHOPS, TEACHER, AND MAGISTRATES. HIS DOMESTIC ETHIC WAS PAULINE AND PATRIARCHAL, THE ECONOMIC ETHIC THOMISTIC AND MAINLY AGRARIAN, THE POLITICAL ETHIC AUGUSTINIAN AND SMALL TOWN. IN ONE RESPECT LUTHER WAS MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN CATHOLICISM BECAUSE HE ABOLISHED MONASTICISM AND THUS ELIMINATED A SELECTED AREA FOR THE PRACTICE OF HIGHER RIGHTEOUSNESS. IN CONSEQUENCE THE GOSPEL COULD BE EXEMPLIFIED ONLY IN THE MIDST OF SECULAR CALLINGS, EXCEPT LUTHER REFUSED TO CALL THEM SECULAR.. AS HE HAD EXTENDED THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS, SO LIKEWISE HE EXTENDED THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE CALLING, VOCATION, TO ALL WORTHY OCCUPATIONS. OUR EXPRESSION "VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE" COMES DIRECTLY FROM LUTHER. GOD HAS CALLED MEN TO LABOR BECAUSE HE LABORS.
 HE WORKS AT COMMON OCCUPATIONS. GOD IS A TAILOR WHO MAKES FOR A DEER A  COAT THAT WILL LAST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. HE IS A SHOE-MAKER ALSO WHO PROVIDES BOOTS THAT THE DEER WILL NOT OUT.LIVE. GOD IS THE BEST COOK, BECAUSE THE HEAT OF THE SUN SUPPLIES ALL THE HEAT THERE IS FOR COOKING. GOD IS A BUTLER WHO SETS FORTH A FEAST FOR THE SPARROWS AND SPENDS ON THEM ANNUALLY MORE THAN THE TOTAL REVENUE OF THE KING OF FRANCE.. CHRIST WORKED AS A CARPENTER. " I CAN JUST IMAGINE," SAID LUTHER FROM THE PULPIT AND SAY ON JUDGMENT DAY. THEY WILL COME UP TO THE MASTER AND SAY," 'LORD DIDN'T YOU BUILD MY HOUSE? HOW DID YOU COME TO THIS HONOR?"
THE "VIRGIN MARY" WORKED, AND THE MOST AMAZING EXAMPLE OF HER HUMILITY IS THAT AFTER SHE HAD RECEIVED THE ASTONISHING NEWS THAT SHE WAS TO BE THE MOTHER OF THE REDEEMER, SHE DID NOT VAUNT HERSELF BUT WENT BACK AND MILK THE COWS, SCOURED THE  KETTLES, AND SWEPT THE HOUSE. PETER WAS A FISHERMAN AND WAS PROUD OF HIS SKILL. THOUGH NOT TO PROUD TO TAKE A SUGGESTION FROM THE MASTER WHEN TOLD TO CAST ON THE OTHER SIDE. LUTHER COMMENTED: I WOULD HAVE SAID, " NOW LOOK HERE, MASTER. YOU ARE A PREACHER,  AND I AM NOT UNDERTAKING TO TELL YOU HOW TO PREACH. AND I AM A FISHERMAN , AND YOU NEED NOT TELL ME HOW TO FISH"
BUT PETER WAS HUMBLE, AND THE LORD THEREFORE MADE HIM A FISHER OF MEN.
THE SHEPHERDS WORKED. THEY HAD A MEAN JOB WATCHING THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT., BUT AFTER SEEING THE BABE THEY WENT BACK. WHERE TO? THEIR SHEEP. THE SHEEP WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SORRY WAY IF THEY HAD NOT.  AS GOD, CHRIST, THE VIRGIN, THE PRINCE OF THE APOSTLES AND THE SHEPHERDS LABORED, EVEN SO WE MUST LABOR IN OUR CALLINGS. GOD HAS NO HANDS OR FEET OF HIS OWN.  HE MUST CONTINUE HIS LABOURS THROUGH HUMAN INSTRUMENTS.  THE LOWLIER THE TASK THE BETTER. THE MILKMAID  AND THE CARTER OF MANURE ARE DOING A WORK MORE PLEASING TO GOD THAN THE PSALM SINGING OF A CARTHUSIAN.  LUTHER NEVER TIRED OF DEFENDING THOSE CALLINGS FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER WERE DISPARAGED. THE MOTHER WAS CONSIDERED LOWER THAN THE VIRGIN. LUTHER REPLIED THAT THE MOTHER EXHIBITS THE PATTERN. OF THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH OVERCOMES SINS JUST AS HER LOVE OVERCOMES DIRTY DIAPERS.
ABRAHAM WAS TOLD BY GOD THAT HE MUST SACRIFICE THE SON OF HIS OLD AGE BY A MIRACLE, THE SEED THROUGH WHOM HE WAS TO BECOME THE FATHER OF KINGS AND OF A GREAT NATION. ABRAHAM TURNED PALE. NOT ONLY WOULD HE
LOSE HIS SON, BUT GOD APPEARED TO BE A LIAR. HE HAD SAID, " IN ISAAC SHALL BE THY SEED." BUT NOW, HE SAID KILL ISAAC. WHO WOULD NOT HATE  A GOD SO CRUEL AND CONTRADICTORY? HOW ABRAHAM WANTED TO TALK IT OVER WITH SOMEONE!  COULD HE NOT TELL  SARAH? BUT HE WELL KNEW THAT IF HE MENTION IT TO ANYONE HE WOULD BE DISSUADED AND PREVENTED FROM CARRYING OUT THE BEHEST. THE SPOT DESIGNATED FOR THE SACRIFICE, MOUNT MORIAH, WAS SOME DISTANCE AWAY; " AND ABRAHAM ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING AND SADDLED HIS ASS, AND TOOK TWO OF HIS YOUNG MEN, AND ISAAC HIS SON, AND CLAVE THE WOOD. FOR THE BURNT OFFERING" ABRAHAM DID NOT LEAVE THE SADDLING OF THE ASS TO OTHERS. HE HIMSELF LAID ON THE BEAST THE WOOD FOR THE BURNT OFFERING. HE WAS  THINKING ALL THE TIME THAT THESE LOGS WOULD CONSUME HIS SON, HIS HOPE OF SEED. WITH THESE VERY STICKS THAT HE WAS PICKING UP  THE BOY WOULD BE BURNED. IN SUCH A TERRIBLE CASE SHOULD HE NOT THINK IT OVER.? COULD HE NOT TELL SARAH? WITH WHAT INNER TEARS HE SUFFERED! HE GIRT THE ASS AND WAS SO ABSORBED HE SCARCELY KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE TOOK TWO SERVANTS AND ISAAC HIS SON. IN THAT MOMENT EVERYTHING DIED IN HIM: SARAH, HIS FAMILY, HIS HOME ISAAC. THIS IS WHAT IT IS TO SIT IN SACKCLOTH AND ASHES. IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT THIS WAS ONLY A TRIAL, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRIED. SUCH IS THE NATURE OF OUR TRIALS THAT WHILE THEY LAST WE CANNOT SEE TO THE END. " THEN ON THE THIRD DAY ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW THE PLACE AFAR OFF."  THERE ABRAHAM LEFT SERVANTS AND THE ASS AND HE LAID WOOD UPON ISAAC AND  TOOK THE TORCH AND  AND THE SACRIFICIAL KNIFE AND THE TORCH. ALL THE TIME HE WAS THINKING,"ISAAC, IF YOU KNEW, IF YOUR MOTHER KNEW THAT YOU ARE TO BE SACRIFICED."  " AND THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER."  THE WHOLE WORLD DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HERE TOOK PLACE. THE FAHER AND THE DEAREST SON--THE ONE NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS IN STORE, BUT WAS READY TO OBEY.  THE ONE NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS IN STORE. THE OTHER CERTAIN THAT HE MUST LEAVE HIS "SON IN ASHES." THEN SAID ISAAC, " MY FATHER." HERE IS THE FIRE AND HERE IS THE WOOD, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB?" HE CALLED HIM FATHER AND WAS SOLICITOUS LEST HE HAD OVERLOOKED SOMETHING, AND ABRAHAM SAID, " GOD WILL HIMSELF PROVIDE THE LAMB, MY SON. WHEN THEY WERE COME TO THE MOUNT, ABRAHAM BUILT THE ALTAR AND LAID ON THE WOOD, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB?
HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN: I AM THE SON OF SARAH BY A MIRACLE IN HER AGE, THAT I WAS PROMISED AND THAT THROUGH ME YOU ARE TO BE THE FATHER OF A GREAT NATION FATHER RAISED HIS KNIFE. THE BOY BARED HIS THROAT. IF GOD HAD SLEPT FOR AN INSTANT, THE LAD WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD. I COULD NOT HAVE WATCHED. THE LAD WAS A SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. NEVER IN HISTORY WAS THERE OBEDIENCE, SAVE ONLY IN CHRIST. BUT GOD WAS WATCHING AND ALL THE ANGELS.
THE ANGEL CRIED, "ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM!" SEE HOW DIVINE MAJESTY IS AT HAND IN THE HOUR OF DEATH WE SAY, " IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE DIE." GOD ANSWERS, " "NAY IN THE MIDST OF DEATH WE LIVE." LUTHER ONCE READ THIS STORY FOR FAMILY DEVOTIONS. WHEN HE HAD FINISHED, KATIE SAID, " I DO NOT BELIEVE IT. GOD WOULD NOT HAVE TREATED HI SON LIKE THAT."
. "BUT KATIE" ANSWERED LUTHER, "HE DID."
           

CONCEPT OF THE LAW AND GRACE !!

A CONCEPT CLOSELY INTERTWINED WITH GRACE IS THE CONCEPT OF LAW. EVEN AS SOME CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT THE BASIC NATURE OF GOD AS REVEALED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IS DISSIMILAR FROM HIS NATURE AS REVEALED IN THE NEW., SO ALSO CHRISTIAN BELIEVE THAT HE MEANS GAINING SALVATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT DIFFERS FROM THAT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE MOST COMMON VIEW IS THAT SALVATION BY THE LAW IN THE OLD  AND BY GRACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. EXAMINATION OF THE CONTEXT OF THE GIVING OF THE LAW PROVIDES CLUES CONCERNING INTENDED ITS PURPOSE. FIRST THE LAW WAS GIVEN WITH A GRACIOUS COVENANT: GOD HAD MADE A COVENANT OF GRACE WITH ABRAHAM., A COVENANT WHICH THE GIVING OF THE LAW NEVER NULLIFIED. SECOND, GOD HAD GRACIOUSLY RESCUED ISRAEL FROM EGYPT PROVIDENTIALLY SUSTAINED THE PEOPLE WITH MANNA AND OTHER MIRACLES DURING THEIR SOJOURN IN THE DESERT. THIRD, THE LAW WAS GIVEN AFTER ISRAEL HAD, AS A BODY OF BELIEVERS, MADE A COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE LORD. THUS THE LAW WAS GIVEN, NOT AS A MEANS OF JUSTIFICATION, BUT AS A GUIDELINE FOR LIVING AFTER ISRAEL'S TO SERVE THE LORD. WAS THE LAW GIVEN HYPOTHETICALLY AS A MEANS OF JUSTIFICATION (SALVATION). PAUL TEACHES THAT NO ONE CAN EARN RIGHTEOUSNESS STANDING BEFORE GOD BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW. BECAUSE CHRIST HAS FULFILLED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IN US? WE HAVE TO DISTINGUISH THOSE LAWS WHICH MAY BE SAID WHICH ARE TO POINT FORWARD TO CHRIST.  THOUGH THEY WERE FULLY EXPLAINED BY HIM AND WHICH CONTINUE TO BE BINDING MORAL TRUTHS FOR THE CHRISTIAN. SO THE LAW IS ONLY A SHADOW OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT OUR COMING. SALVATION THROUGH OUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES OF LAW AND GRACE.  FAITH IN GOD'S PROVISION OF A SACRIFICE REMAINS THE BASIS FOR SALVATION THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE GENERAL  QUESTION OF CONTINUITY VERSUS DISCONTINUITY ACROSS OLD TESTAMENTS AND NEW TESTAMENTS IS THE MINISTRY OF THE "HOLY SPIRIT; IS HIS WORK THE SAME IN BOTH TESTAMENTS, OR HAS HIS WORK BEEN DIFFERENT SINCE PENTECOST? THEOLOGIANS ARE IN CONSIDERABLE DISAGREEMENTS ON THIS MATTER. PAUL K. JEWETT EXEMPLIFIES A "DISCONTINUOUS PERSPECTIVE" WHEN HE SAYS: "THE CHURCH AGE MAY BE CALLED THE AGE OF THE SPIRIT, AND THE TIME THAT PRECEDED IT MAY BE CITED AS A TIME WHEN THE SPIRIT WAS NOT YET GIVEN, JOHN 7:39 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPIRITS MANIFESTATION BEFORE AND AFTER PENTECOST WAS SO GREAT THAT IT MAY BE STATED IN ABSOLUTES, THOUGH SUCH ABSOLUTES SHOULD NOT BE PRESSED LITERALLY G. WALTERS CONCLUDES THAT THE MINISTRY IN HIS BOOK "HOLY SPIRIT," DEMONSTRATES CONTINUITY THROUGHOUT THE OLD THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. HE SAYS: THE TRINITY EXISTED FROM THE BEGINNING! THERE IS NO IRRECONCILABLE ANTITHESIS, AS SOME WOULD SUGGEST, BETWEEN TEACHING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE TEACHING OF THE NEW ON THIS SUBJECT JUST AS NO DICHOTOMY EXISTS BETWEEN
THE OLD TESTAMENT EMPHASIS ON THE PROVIDENTIAL NATURE OF GOD'S DEALINGS WITH MEN AND THE NEW TEACHING CONCERNING HIS GRACE, BETWEEN THE ACTIVITY IN CREATION OF THE PRE-INCARNATE LOGOS, ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE WORK OF REDEMPTION OF THE INCARNATE SON, ON THE OTHER, SO IT IS WITH TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE CONCERNING HE "HOLY SPIRIT." IT IS THE SAME FATHER AND THE SAME SON WHO IS ACTIVE IN BOTH TESTAMENTS, AND IT IS THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS AT WORK THROUGHOUT THE AGES. TRUE, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT "REVELATION" BEFORE WE ARE GIVEN A DETAILED
 PICTURE OF HIS ACTIVITY. BUT THIS FULLER TEACHING GIVEN BY OUR LORD AND HIS APOSTLES CONFLICTS IN NO WAY WITH WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. THE APOSTLES FOLLOWED THEIR LORD IN REGARDING THE OLD TESTAMENT AS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD.  2 TIM 3;16.  THE HIGH ESTEEM WITH WHICH THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS REGARDED THE OLD TESTAMENT STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT HE WOULD NOT CONSCIOUSLY OR INTENTIONALLY HAVE MISINTERPRETED SCRIPTURES. THUS WHEN CHRIST COMMANDED HIS APOSTLES TO WAIT FOR THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE CAN UNDERSTAND TO WAIT FOR A SPECIAL MANIFESTATION (REVEALING) OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S PRESENCE, A MANIFESTATION THAT WOULD EMPOWER THEM TO INITIATE THE MISSIONARY PROGRAM FOR THIS AGE. BAPTIZING AND "COMING" ON THEM ARE USED AS SYNONYMS IN THIS INSTANCE, ACTS 1:5,8. JOHN BAPTIZED WITH WATER, BUT WITHIN A FEW DAYS YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU WILL BE GIVEN POWER WHEN THE SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU.  LIKE CHRIST, THE HOLY SPIRIT SAME TODAY, AS YESTERDAY,, WILL BE TOMORROW.  THE DISCIPLES WERE STILL TO WAIT FOR HIS COMING, AND A SPECIAL MANIFESTATION OF HIS PRESENCE
 THAT WOULD TRANSFORM THEM FROM FAINTHEARTED DISCIPLES INTO COURAGEOUS APOSTLES, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ALREADY PRESENT IN THEIR LIVES. THIS INTERPRETATION OF JOHN 7: 37-39 WHICH IS A DIFFICULT PASSAGE READS: ON THE LAST AND GREATEST DAY OF THE FEAST PROBABLY THE SEVENTH DAY SINCE THE EIGHTH WAS A DAY OF REST AFTER THE FEAST, JESUS STOOD AND SAID IN A LOUD VOICE, " IF A MAN IS THIRSTY, LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK. WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME, AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID, STREAMS OF LIVING WATER WILL FLOW FROM WITHIN HIM" BY THIS HE MEANT THE SPIRIT, WHOM THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN HIM WERE LATER TO RECEIVE. UP TO THAT TIME THE SPIRIT HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN, SINCE JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED. IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN,  JESUS GLORIFICATION REFERS TO HIS OFFERING OF HIMSELF ON THE CROSS AND THE COMPLETION OF HIS EARTHLY WORK. THE PASSAGE SUGGESTS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD NOT MANIFESTED HIMSELF IN A WAY THAT COULD BE SPOKEN OF AS STREAMS OF LIVING WATER FLOWING FROM THE HEARTS OF BELIEVERS,  AND WOULD NOT MANIFEST HIMSELF IN THIS WAY UNTIL CHRIST HAD FINISHED HIS EARLY MINISTRY. THE METAPHOR "STREAMS OF LIVING WATER" SUGGESTS, IN A DESERT SUCH AS PALESTINE, A REASON FOR REJOICING AND PRAISE. THE MOST LIKELY REFERENCE TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS PASSAGE. IS THE SPECIAL MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT PENTECOST. IN  ACTS:2:11.
MANY EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS VIEW THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A RATHER INACTIVE MEMBER OF THE TRINITY THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT,  ONE WHO DID NOT COMMENCE SIGNIFICANT INTERVENTION IN HUMAN AFFAIRS UNTIL PENTECOST. THERE ARE, IN FACT,  SEVERAL PASSAGES WHICH APPEAR TO INDICATE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE ACTIVITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AFTER PENTECOST. JOHN 7:39 SAYS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN AT THE TIME OF CHRIST'S EARTHLY MINISTRY JOHN 14:26 USES THE FUTURE TENSE TO SPEAK OF THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. IN JOHN 16:7 CHRIST SAYS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NOT COME UNLESS HE (CHRIST) GOES AWAY, AND IN ACTS 1:4-8 HE COMMANDED THE DISCIPLES TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM UNTIL THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD COME ON THEM. THERE ARE, ON THE OTHER HAND, SEVERAL PASSAGES THAT SPEAK OF AN ACTIVE HOLY SPIRIT MINISTRY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELT AMONG THE ISRAELITES IN MOSES' DAY ISA, 63:10-14. THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELT IN JOSHUA NUM 27:18 HE MOVED KING SAUL TO PROPHECY AND HE INDWELT IN DAVID  THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED SAMSON JUDGES 13;25. ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS WRITERS PROPHESIED AS THEY DID BECAUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S ENERGIZING. THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELT AMONG THE ISRAELITES WHO RETURNED FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY SEVERAL EVANGELICAL THEOLOGIANS THAT THE REASON GOD DID NOT REVEAL THE CONCEPT OF THE TRINITY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TO THE DEGREE WHICH HE DID IN THE NEW, WAS THAT ANCIENT ISRAEL WAS SURROUNDED BY POLYTHEISTIC NATIONS AND CULTS.  INTRODUCTION WOULD HAVE ALL OF THE CONCEPT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED RAPID ASSIMILATION OF THE POLYTHEISTIC PAGAN RELIGION INTO ISRAEL'S WORSHIP. THERE ARE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THE HOLY SPIRIT'S ACTIVITY BEFORE PENTECOST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO. JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM HIS MOTHER'S WOMB.
 LUKE 1:15. ZECHARIAH, HIS FATHER, WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT RESULTING IN THE PROPHECY FOUND IN LUKE 1:67-79. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS ON SIMEON INSPIRING HIM TO PROPHECY WHEN HE HELD THE BABY JESUS. LK 2: 25-27. JESUS TOLD THE APOSTLES AT THE LAST SUPPER THAT THEY KNEW  THE HOLY SPIRIT, BECAUSE HE WAS ALREADY DWELLING WITH THEM. JOHN 14:17.