Romans 1:16 (New Living Translation)
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
God gave His people, Israel, very specific laws about how, what, when, where, and why to sacrifice. He even had requirements for the animal to be sacrificed. It had to be male, without blemish. It had to be from the flock. It had to be selected by the transgressor and brought before the priest. It had to be inspected to ensure no defect. The bringer of the sacrifice had to lay his hands on it, and then it was his responsibility to insure that it was sacrificed. The shedding of blood was the responsibility of the sinner.
Jesus, our Lamb of God, fits all of these specifics. He was a male, without fault. (John 18:38) He was from the flock, being a Jewish born son of a carpenter, but more so, he was human like us all. He was targeted by the elders and brought before the chief priests for inspection. (Mark 14:53) They found no flaw with Him. (Mark 14:55) The people laid hands on Him and brought Him to Pilate for execution. He was taken by the Romans, scourged and crucified.
He met the requirements. So what does any of that have to do with Romans 1:16? I’m sure you’re wondering that by now. Before the lamb could be slain, the bearer had to lay his hands on its head. In that moment, in the laying on of hands, there was a spiritual transfer. The perfection of the lamb was put on the spirit of the man, and the imperfection of the man was placed on the spirit of the lamb. Jesus Christ, our Lamb and final sacrifice, had to fit all of the sacrificial laws in order to be the Lamb. The people had to lay their hands on Him, but it couldn’t just be the Jews because Christ came for the redemption of the world. The Romans (gentiles) had to have the transfer as well in order that everyone could be made righteous.
So just as the Word is to be preached in the world, first to the Jew and then to the Gentile, so too the transfer of righteousness went into the world: first to the Jew in the Garden when the Pharisees arrested Jesus under cover of darkness, and next to the Gentile in Pilate’s court. Finally, at the Cross, the sacrifice was complete and the blood was shed by all of God’s people for all of God’s people.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Denied!
Mark 16:7
7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”
Back in His earlier ministry, Jesus stated that anyone who would deny Him before men, He would also deny before His Father, God, in Heaven. That’s some pretty harsh language, and frightening, for haven’t we all at some point denied Christ? For some of us that denial was with friends, making fun of those crazy Christians and their churches. For some of us it was in living a lifestyle of worldliness and completely ignoring even the existence of Christ. For still others, it was while being a Christian and denying Christ before men by living the same life, doing the same things, acting the same ways.
Poor Peter, the rock. He was such an all-or-nothing kind of guy, full of spirit and ready to throw down and fight for what he believed. He was a man called by Christ to teach and lead. He witnessed firsthand the miracles Christ performed. He even walked on water with Him. Peter had a loyal faith about him that isn’t found in the average man. He was courageous and he was a fighter. Peter would fight to the death for Jesus and demonstrated his willingness to do so in the Garden when he cut off the soldier’s ear. Peter had a flaw, though. Being so caught up in the Law and what was “right”, being so firmly rooted in his understanding of why Christ came, Peter failed.
On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Him not just once, but three times before men. The rock crumbled under the pressure. Peter’s humanness emerged as he watched Jesus being dragged off to be beaten and killed. His “fight” mechanism became a “flight” mechanism and chose the route of self preservation over the life of his friend. I’m sure that when he heard the rooster crow Peter thought of Jesus’ words about denial and considered himself lost! (ref. Matthew 10:33)
Thankfully, Jesus knew this was going to happen. He knew that not only Peter would deny Him, but that all of us would. He knew that His death on the cross was the once and for all atonement for all sins, including denying Jesus before men. Jesus knew that Peter’s heart was in the game, but that his body wasn’t on the team. He knew that we would struggle with the same issue; having a heart for Christ, but not the courage to testify to His name before men! That is why after Jesus’ resurrection, the angel said to go tell the disciples, EVEN PETER, that Jesus was going to be waiting for them at Galilee. I think Peter was the first one there!
7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”
Back in His earlier ministry, Jesus stated that anyone who would deny Him before men, He would also deny before His Father, God, in Heaven. That’s some pretty harsh language, and frightening, for haven’t we all at some point denied Christ? For some of us that denial was with friends, making fun of those crazy Christians and their churches. For some of us it was in living a lifestyle of worldliness and completely ignoring even the existence of Christ. For still others, it was while being a Christian and denying Christ before men by living the same life, doing the same things, acting the same ways.
Poor Peter, the rock. He was such an all-or-nothing kind of guy, full of spirit and ready to throw down and fight for what he believed. He was a man called by Christ to teach and lead. He witnessed firsthand the miracles Christ performed. He even walked on water with Him. Peter had a loyal faith about him that isn’t found in the average man. He was courageous and he was a fighter. Peter would fight to the death for Jesus and demonstrated his willingness to do so in the Garden when he cut off the soldier’s ear. Peter had a flaw, though. Being so caught up in the Law and what was “right”, being so firmly rooted in his understanding of why Christ came, Peter failed.
On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Him not just once, but three times before men. The rock crumbled under the pressure. Peter’s humanness emerged as he watched Jesus being dragged off to be beaten and killed. His “fight” mechanism became a “flight” mechanism and chose the route of self preservation over the life of his friend. I’m sure that when he heard the rooster crow Peter thought of Jesus’ words about denial and considered himself lost! (ref. Matthew 10:33)
Thankfully, Jesus knew this was going to happen. He knew that not only Peter would deny Him, but that all of us would. He knew that His death on the cross was the once and for all atonement for all sins, including denying Jesus before men. Jesus knew that Peter’s heart was in the game, but that his body wasn’t on the team. He knew that we would struggle with the same issue; having a heart for Christ, but not the courage to testify to His name before men! That is why after Jesus’ resurrection, the angel said to go tell the disciples, EVEN PETER, that Jesus was going to be waiting for them at Galilee. I think Peter was the first one there!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Convicted
John 16:7-9
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
Who is this Spirit of God that has been sent to be with us here on earth? Is He a feeling that overtakes a believer during a worship service? Is He an encouraging word to someone who is in need? Is He the desire to obey God’s commandments? No, that is the spirit of God, not the Spirit of God. What’s the difference? (aside from a capital “S”) The Spirit of God is a manifestation of God that is here on earth. He has the power to miraculously heal, change your natural language, and to give insight into the future. The spirit of God is a human emotion that grows with time as a Christian becomes more and more devoted to Christ. This “small” spirit can’t heal, it can’t see the future, it can’t cause you to suddenly speak Swahili!
The true Spirit of God has a purpose here on earth. Jesus calls Him the Counselor. He isn’t here as our personal psychiatrist, but as an attorney for God. He is here to defend the case for Christ and win at all costs. The Holy Spirit is here on earth to do one thing; to convict or convince the world’s people of the simple fact that Jesus is the Son of God. This will either be a conviction like a Christian has of the peace beyond all understanding, or a conviction that a non believer will have at the Judgement. Make no mistake, the Holy Spirit is not here to help with Sunday’s worship flow.
So how can we can lead a Spirit and spirit filled life? Upon waking every morning there should be a realization that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. An understanding that the punishment that was ours was made His and that through His suffering and sacrifice we have a redeemed and right relationship with the Father. Once the Holy Spirit has convicted, we are allowed to walk free, convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord and worthy of our praise. The new spirit filled life that we walk as a result of the conviction will only serve to glorify God and exalt the name of Jesus in the world. (“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10) The snowball effect generated by the conviction of the Spirit and our conviction in the spirit will only serve to advance the Kingdom of Jesus here on earth.
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
Who is this Spirit of God that has been sent to be with us here on earth? Is He a feeling that overtakes a believer during a worship service? Is He an encouraging word to someone who is in need? Is He the desire to obey God’s commandments? No, that is the spirit of God, not the Spirit of God. What’s the difference? (aside from a capital “S”) The Spirit of God is a manifestation of God that is here on earth. He has the power to miraculously heal, change your natural language, and to give insight into the future. The spirit of God is a human emotion that grows with time as a Christian becomes more and more devoted to Christ. This “small” spirit can’t heal, it can’t see the future, it can’t cause you to suddenly speak Swahili!
The true Spirit of God has a purpose here on earth. Jesus calls Him the Counselor. He isn’t here as our personal psychiatrist, but as an attorney for God. He is here to defend the case for Christ and win at all costs. The Holy Spirit is here on earth to do one thing; to convict or convince the world’s people of the simple fact that Jesus is the Son of God. This will either be a conviction like a Christian has of the peace beyond all understanding, or a conviction that a non believer will have at the Judgement. Make no mistake, the Holy Spirit is not here to help with Sunday’s worship flow.
So how can we can lead a Spirit and spirit filled life? Upon waking every morning there should be a realization that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. An understanding that the punishment that was ours was made His and that through His suffering and sacrifice we have a redeemed and right relationship with the Father. Once the Holy Spirit has convicted, we are allowed to walk free, convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord and worthy of our praise. The new spirit filled life that we walk as a result of the conviction will only serve to glorify God and exalt the name of Jesus in the world. (“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10) The snowball effect generated by the conviction of the Spirit and our conviction in the spirit will only serve to advance the Kingdom of Jesus here on earth.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
What's in your Bible?
Exodus 39:1
1 The craftsmen made beautiful sacred garments of blue, purple, and scarlet cloth—clothing for Aaron to wear while ministering in the Holy Place, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Sometimes reading the Bible can be monotonous, with its history and genealogy and in depth descriptions of how each piece of clothing or dwelling place was to be made. Sometimes, though, if you’re looking for how that directly relates to you and your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it can be very interesting.
Take, for instance, the garments worn by the Levitical Priests. God instructs Moses precisely how the robes are to be worn, from what they are to be made, and how they are to be made. After giving the instructions, the Bible goes into detail about the painstaking effort put forth into forming each individual piece to be worn by the priests. At one point it’s mentioned how they hammered sheets of gold into thin pieces and then cut them into threads to be woven into the garments. Each piece, each thread had its own meaning on the garment. It was a well planned and prepared outfit by the Creator to be worn by His priest. God chose specific colors; blue representing heaven, gold representing divinity, purple representing royalty, and scarlet representing blood. He chose 12 precious stones to be placed on the chest of the wearer, a representation of the 12 tribes of Israel. He chose special stones to place on the shoulders of the garment so whether the priest looked to the left or the right, he would be reminded of the people he represented. When the garment was completed the people put a medallion of pure gold in the turban and inscribed on it HOLY TO THE LORD.
Jesus is our High Priest. He is divinity as the Son of God, He was raised on a cross to blue skies (darkened at His death), mockingly dressed in a purple robe, covered in His own blood. He wore on His head a crown of thorns and an inscription on His cross read, “King of the Jews”. On His heart were the 12 tribes of Israel for whom He is Messiah, and to His left and right were the condemned sinners, reminders of who He came to represent. At the completion of His crucifixion and resurrection, God sealed Him with the words, HOLY TO THE LORD. His, Jesus’, sacrifice was accepted and complete, pleasing to the Lord and Holy in its nature.
Our High Priest, Jesus, became a living example of the care and concern God put into His design for holiness. In our acceptance of Him, we are sanctified through His offering.
1 The craftsmen made beautiful sacred garments of blue, purple, and scarlet cloth—clothing for Aaron to wear while ministering in the Holy Place, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Sometimes reading the Bible can be monotonous, with its history and genealogy and in depth descriptions of how each piece of clothing or dwelling place was to be made. Sometimes, though, if you’re looking for how that directly relates to you and your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it can be very interesting.
Take, for instance, the garments worn by the Levitical Priests. God instructs Moses precisely how the robes are to be worn, from what they are to be made, and how they are to be made. After giving the instructions, the Bible goes into detail about the painstaking effort put forth into forming each individual piece to be worn by the priests. At one point it’s mentioned how they hammered sheets of gold into thin pieces and then cut them into threads to be woven into the garments. Each piece, each thread had its own meaning on the garment. It was a well planned and prepared outfit by the Creator to be worn by His priest. God chose specific colors; blue representing heaven, gold representing divinity, purple representing royalty, and scarlet representing blood. He chose 12 precious stones to be placed on the chest of the wearer, a representation of the 12 tribes of Israel. He chose special stones to place on the shoulders of the garment so whether the priest looked to the left or the right, he would be reminded of the people he represented. When the garment was completed the people put a medallion of pure gold in the turban and inscribed on it HOLY TO THE LORD.
Jesus is our High Priest. He is divinity as the Son of God, He was raised on a cross to blue skies (darkened at His death), mockingly dressed in a purple robe, covered in His own blood. He wore on His head a crown of thorns and an inscription on His cross read, “King of the Jews”. On His heart were the 12 tribes of Israel for whom He is Messiah, and to His left and right were the condemned sinners, reminders of who He came to represent. At the completion of His crucifixion and resurrection, God sealed Him with the words, HOLY TO THE LORD. His, Jesus’, sacrifice was accepted and complete, pleasing to the Lord and Holy in its nature.
Our High Priest, Jesus, became a living example of the care and concern God put into His design for holiness. In our acceptance of Him, we are sanctified through His offering.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Box Office Success
Exodus 37
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.
What was the Ark of the Covenant? Well, simply put, it was a box built under the orders of God to house 3 specific sacred items. For years the Ark of the Covenant has been the source of archaeological debate and movie cinematography. We’ve all no doubt heard of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, a fictional tale of adventure and peril during a time of war to find the ever-elusive Ark of the Covenant and hold the power of God. It was rumored (and loosely based on Biblical accounts) that whichever nation held the Ark would be the dominant nation in the world. While it makes for a good story and is easily digested with a tall soda and bucket of popcorn, it’s hardly the truth.
The Ark, according to the Bible, was a box made of wood, overlaid with gold, that was carried by the priests before the nation of Israel. It contained three things. It contained the laws of God written in stone given to guide His people. It held the bread of God given by Him, to His people, daily as the wandered in the wilderness as a symbol of His provisions. Finally, it contained the staff that Aaron used in the court of Pharaoh and in the desert to display God’s power.
So where is this Ark today? We are the Ark. Those who are in Christ (or more specifically have Christ in them) are the Ark carried in today’s world. We are all priests, so we are all called to this task. (1 Peter 2:9) Moreover, we are all covered in Christ’s sacrificial blood, and made to shine in the eyes of the Creator. (Malachi 3:17) Like old wood cut and sanded and hammered into place, then covered with gold, we have become the “box”. Furthermore, on the inside we carry with us the Word of God (Colossians 3:16), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Power of Christ (Luke 10:19)
Hollywood has manufactured a story about the Ark of the Covenant, a fictional tale of adventure. Jesus has given us the cross, our redemption, and placed the true treasure within us.
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.
What was the Ark of the Covenant? Well, simply put, it was a box built under the orders of God to house 3 specific sacred items. For years the Ark of the Covenant has been the source of archaeological debate and movie cinematography. We’ve all no doubt heard of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, a fictional tale of adventure and peril during a time of war to find the ever-elusive Ark of the Covenant and hold the power of God. It was rumored (and loosely based on Biblical accounts) that whichever nation held the Ark would be the dominant nation in the world. While it makes for a good story and is easily digested with a tall soda and bucket of popcorn, it’s hardly the truth.
The Ark, according to the Bible, was a box made of wood, overlaid with gold, that was carried by the priests before the nation of Israel. It contained three things. It contained the laws of God written in stone given to guide His people. It held the bread of God given by Him, to His people, daily as the wandered in the wilderness as a symbol of His provisions. Finally, it contained the staff that Aaron used in the court of Pharaoh and in the desert to display God’s power.
So where is this Ark today? We are the Ark. Those who are in Christ (or more specifically have Christ in them) are the Ark carried in today’s world. We are all priests, so we are all called to this task. (1 Peter 2:9) Moreover, we are all covered in Christ’s sacrificial blood, and made to shine in the eyes of the Creator. (Malachi 3:17) Like old wood cut and sanded and hammered into place, then covered with gold, we have become the “box”. Furthermore, on the inside we carry with us the Word of God (Colossians 3:16), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Power of Christ (Luke 10:19)
Hollywood has manufactured a story about the Ark of the Covenant, a fictional tale of adventure. Jesus has given us the cross, our redemption, and placed the true treasure within us.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Authority
Genesis 1:22
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
When God created man it was a perfect and wonderful thing. He gave us a perfect earth with all that we ever needed. Everything that He intended to make, created, and then set into existence was already in place before He formed man. God’s original intention, from the start of creation was to give us the universe. He formed it all from nothing and then, from His incredible creation, He pulled us, mankind, out.
God gave us an even greater gift than the universe though; He gave us free will. He gave us the ability to choose if we would love Him, obey Him, and trust Him. Some say that He put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden to tempt us, but I say He put it there because He loved us. God didn’t want a “yes-man”, He wanted a true friend, one who chose to be with Him.
We all know the story; how Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit because the Devil tricked them and we were cursed. Everything that God had given us dominion over, including the very Earth itself, was taken away. We no longer had the power to cause the lion and lamb to lie down together; we lost the ability to grow vegetables without toil. We even lost the control that was given to us to subdue the Earth. Yes, we had the ability to say to the raging storms and violent volcanoes, “Stop!” and they would! The first Adam messed it all up, and we continue to do the same even today.
Jesus, however, the second Adam, became the perfect Man according to God’s will and design. He subjected Himself to the temptations and whims of mortal man by becoming human and dwelling with us on earth. Without sin, without spot, and without blemish, Jesus fulfilled all of God’s laws and plans for mankind. It was God’s plan for man to rule over nature, including sickness and disease, and Jesus did. It was God’s plan for man to worship Him out of choice and love, which Jesus did. It was God’s design that man would have control over the very earth itself, which Jesus did. (Mark 4:39)
Jesus Christ was the perfection of God’s creation. He was the Man that God intended from the start and because He was the only perfect Man to walk in, and fulfill all of God’s will, He became the perfect sacrifice as well. It is through His perfection that we are justified, sanctified, and redeemed to the Father. Salvation (Yeshua- Isaiah 43:3) has come, Redemption (Ga’al-Job 19:25) is ours!
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
When God created man it was a perfect and wonderful thing. He gave us a perfect earth with all that we ever needed. Everything that He intended to make, created, and then set into existence was already in place before He formed man. God’s original intention, from the start of creation was to give us the universe. He formed it all from nothing and then, from His incredible creation, He pulled us, mankind, out.
God gave us an even greater gift than the universe though; He gave us free will. He gave us the ability to choose if we would love Him, obey Him, and trust Him. Some say that He put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden to tempt us, but I say He put it there because He loved us. God didn’t want a “yes-man”, He wanted a true friend, one who chose to be with Him.
We all know the story; how Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit because the Devil tricked them and we were cursed. Everything that God had given us dominion over, including the very Earth itself, was taken away. We no longer had the power to cause the lion and lamb to lie down together; we lost the ability to grow vegetables without toil. We even lost the control that was given to us to subdue the Earth. Yes, we had the ability to say to the raging storms and violent volcanoes, “Stop!” and they would! The first Adam messed it all up, and we continue to do the same even today.
Jesus, however, the second Adam, became the perfect Man according to God’s will and design. He subjected Himself to the temptations and whims of mortal man by becoming human and dwelling with us on earth. Without sin, without spot, and without blemish, Jesus fulfilled all of God’s laws and plans for mankind. It was God’s plan for man to rule over nature, including sickness and disease, and Jesus did. It was God’s plan for man to worship Him out of choice and love, which Jesus did. It was God’s design that man would have control over the very earth itself, which Jesus did. (Mark 4:39)
Jesus Christ was the perfection of God’s creation. He was the Man that God intended from the start and because He was the only perfect Man to walk in, and fulfill all of God’s will, He became the perfect sacrifice as well. It is through His perfection that we are justified, sanctified, and redeemed to the Father. Salvation (Yeshua- Isaiah 43:3) has come, Redemption (Ga’al-Job 19:25) is ours!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Battle Ready
Ephesians 6:14-17
14 “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The Belt of Truth is Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)
The Breastplate of Righteousness is Jesus Christ. (Jeremiah 33:16)
The Gospel of Peace--shoes--is Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Shield of Faith is Jesus Christ. (Psalm 91:4)
The Helmet of Salvation is Jesus Christ. (John 10:9)
The Sword of the Spirit is Jesus Christ--the Word of God. (Revelation 19:15)
When David fought the Philistine Giant Goliath with a sling and a stone, he was dressed in military attire, but removed it because he wasn’t used to it. He walked out onto the field in shepherd’s clothes to fight the mighty giant. And on the other side was Goliath, with his sword and shield, a shield so big that he had another man carry it for him! Why was David going to fight Goliath? Was it for the protection of Israel? No, it was a spiritual battle. Goliath came out daily and taunted the Israelites, but he blasphemed the name of God Almighty and that got David upset! David put on the armor of God and fought a battle in the spiritual realm that day. He walked out on the field who he was, a shepherd, but he was wearing Jesus! David and Goliath became a physical representation of our spiritual warfare.
Putting on the armor of God is unlike preparing for any other battle. It doesn’t require a shield bearer and assistants to help you don your heavy and cumbersome suit. The training to be a fighter doesn’t involve 10 mile runs and various calisthenic routines to get in shape. The armor of God is Jesus Christ Himself. This battle isn’t physical, as the passage in Ephesians clearly points out, but it is spiritual in nature. Our training ground isn’t a weight room or boxing ring, it’s the Bible and a strong support of fellow believers.
When we put on the armor of God, we are wearing Jesus as our protection. We have put our trust in His death as our salvation, in His blood as our righteousness, in His Resurrection as our faith, in His purpose as our mission to go out, in His word as our truth, and His Kingship as our sword! Jesus Christ is my armor. The battle belongs to the Lord! (1 Samuel 17:47)
14 “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The Belt of Truth is Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)
The Breastplate of Righteousness is Jesus Christ. (Jeremiah 33:16)
The Gospel of Peace--shoes--is Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20)
The Shield of Faith is Jesus Christ. (Psalm 91:4)
The Helmet of Salvation is Jesus Christ. (John 10:9)
The Sword of the Spirit is Jesus Christ--the Word of God. (Revelation 19:15)
When David fought the Philistine Giant Goliath with a sling and a stone, he was dressed in military attire, but removed it because he wasn’t used to it. He walked out onto the field in shepherd’s clothes to fight the mighty giant. And on the other side was Goliath, with his sword and shield, a shield so big that he had another man carry it for him! Why was David going to fight Goliath? Was it for the protection of Israel? No, it was a spiritual battle. Goliath came out daily and taunted the Israelites, but he blasphemed the name of God Almighty and that got David upset! David put on the armor of God and fought a battle in the spiritual realm that day. He walked out on the field who he was, a shepherd, but he was wearing Jesus! David and Goliath became a physical representation of our spiritual warfare.
Putting on the armor of God is unlike preparing for any other battle. It doesn’t require a shield bearer and assistants to help you don your heavy and cumbersome suit. The training to be a fighter doesn’t involve 10 mile runs and various calisthenic routines to get in shape. The armor of God is Jesus Christ Himself. This battle isn’t physical, as the passage in Ephesians clearly points out, but it is spiritual in nature. Our training ground isn’t a weight room or boxing ring, it’s the Bible and a strong support of fellow believers.
When we put on the armor of God, we are wearing Jesus as our protection. We have put our trust in His death as our salvation, in His blood as our righteousness, in His Resurrection as our faith, in His purpose as our mission to go out, in His word as our truth, and His Kingship as our sword! Jesus Christ is my armor. The battle belongs to the Lord! (1 Samuel 17:47)
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Lost in translation
Numbers 21:8 (Young’s Literal Translation)
8 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Make for thee a burning [serpent], and set it on an ensign; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it -- he hath lived.
We lose a lot in all of the translations of the Bible. Throughout the years the Word of God has been re-translated into various forms. Some are easy to read and some are written more like a novel. While these translations are interesting, they can leave a lot of the message out! Take, for instance, this verse in Numbers. In most of the Bible’s used in today’s church the word “ensign” is replaced with the word “pole”. What’s the difference? A pole is a long, cylindrical, often slender piece of wood, metal, etc. Where as an ensign is (Biblically speaking) a standard or signal or flag placed on high mountains to point out to the people a place of rendezvous on the irruption of an enemy. Looking further into the definitions we see the word “irruption” which means a breaking or bursting in; a violent incursion or invasion.
Now we can really read what God said to Moses with an understanding of the words He used! “Make for thee a burning serpent, and set it on signal flag high on the mountain where the people can gather together against this violent invasion of the enemy; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it (the banner)--he hath lived.”
Make no assumption that when these people went up and looked upon the banner their bites and pain and wounds disappeared. They were still left with the recovery and scarring caused by these snakes, but their lives were saved!
We have all been bitten by the “snake”, that serpent of old, the Devil, who has deceived us and led us to sin. When we gather together against him at the foot of the Cross, we focus our lives on Jesus Christ and His atonement for our sins. Our scars and hurts from the past don’t just cease at that point, but life begins. The Cross, our ensign, gives us life. The Spirit of God and time bring us healing.
So when Jesus spoke in John 3:14 He wasn’t merely predicting His death on the cross, He was explaining what “church” should look like. Sin bites us, it scars us, and it kills us. When sin irrupts in our lives, we need to gather together and turn our attention to Jesus. Since sin is constantly invading, we should be determined to raise the banner of Christ and look to Him for our salvation. We are to focus all of our attention, time, and energy on Him in order to receive life.
8 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Make for thee a burning [serpent], and set it on an ensign; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it -- he hath lived.
We lose a lot in all of the translations of the Bible. Throughout the years the Word of God has been re-translated into various forms. Some are easy to read and some are written more like a novel. While these translations are interesting, they can leave a lot of the message out! Take, for instance, this verse in Numbers. In most of the Bible’s used in today’s church the word “ensign” is replaced with the word “pole”. What’s the difference? A pole is a long, cylindrical, often slender piece of wood, metal, etc. Where as an ensign is (Biblically speaking) a standard or signal or flag placed on high mountains to point out to the people a place of rendezvous on the irruption of an enemy. Looking further into the definitions we see the word “irruption” which means a breaking or bursting in; a violent incursion or invasion.
Now we can really read what God said to Moses with an understanding of the words He used! “Make for thee a burning serpent, and set it on signal flag high on the mountain where the people can gather together against this violent invasion of the enemy; and it hath been, every one who is bitten and hath seen it (the banner)--he hath lived.”
Make no assumption that when these people went up and looked upon the banner their bites and pain and wounds disappeared. They were still left with the recovery and scarring caused by these snakes, but their lives were saved!
We have all been bitten by the “snake”, that serpent of old, the Devil, who has deceived us and led us to sin. When we gather together against him at the foot of the Cross, we focus our lives on Jesus Christ and His atonement for our sins. Our scars and hurts from the past don’t just cease at that point, but life begins. The Cross, our ensign, gives us life. The Spirit of God and time bring us healing.
So when Jesus spoke in John 3:14 He wasn’t merely predicting His death on the cross, He was explaining what “church” should look like. Sin bites us, it scars us, and it kills us. When sin irrupts in our lives, we need to gather together and turn our attention to Jesus. Since sin is constantly invading, we should be determined to raise the banner of Christ and look to Him for our salvation. We are to focus all of our attention, time, and energy on Him in order to receive life.
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