Another Job Posting: The Wisdom of Youth

Another Job Posting: The Wisdom of Youth

 

Job:33:23-25 (NIV)

 

“Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, to be gracious to him and say, “Spare him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom for him”—then his flesh is renewed like a child’s; it is restored as in the days of his youth”

 

The book of Job is a fascinating book in the Bible and one that we can draw out of on many levels.  The backdrop and knowledge of the Spiritual realm provide us with an incredible advantage with which to begin our understanding of the book but it should not however prevent us from identifying with the characters in the story in many ways.  Considered one of the “wisdom” books, Job presents, argues and helps our understanding of many of life’s real and puzzling questions.  The issues that Job, through experience and his “friends”, in their attempts to console and counsel him are the very issues that we often wrestle with in our lives:  What is the meaning of good and evil?  Where is God when bad things happen to good people?  If God is just then why does He not stop evil?  Why do evil people seem to prosper?  In the dialogues that take place throughout the book, opinions are expressed, emotions are charged, accusations are made, and doctrinal theories are presumed with absolute authority.  In the end however, the Almighty silences them all, humbles man before Himself and expresses His true nature of love.

 

There is a temptation and frequent habit of many believers to take many of the words found in this book and make pithy sayings about God’s nature and dealings with people, not taking into account that many of the words found in this book are the words spoken or argued by mere men—many of which are flat out wrong.  There is also a tendency to use this book as a way to explain their doctrinal pre-dispositions, again not taking into account that this book, like the other books of the Old Testament do not adequately outline the Christian life because they reflect a time that was before the redemptive work of the cross of Christ.  We have the wonderful advantage of having the full revelation of salvation through Jesus Christ at our disposal and yet many want desperately to remain under a covenant that could not justify anyone.  The entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation is about Jesus Christ and his salvation but He is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed.  With this in mind, besides the wisdom gained from the historical account itself through the dialogue and surrounding narrative, we have the ability to dig out the precious jewels hidden within the book (see Proverbs 25:2). 

 

One such “gem” is found in the speech of the young man Elihu.  His character is not even introduced until the thirty second chapter of the book.  Apparently he had been sitting by listening to the conversation out of respect for the others, all of whom were his elders.  And while Elihu certainly does not have all the answers to the issues that were being discussed he did bring out some new and good perspective that his elders had not.  Elihu did have an arrogant self confidence that often accompanies young people but to his credit he could have taught the “old dogs” some new tricks. They had argued round and round basically holding their same opinions; as stuck in their ways as many who settle into a certain doctrine and parrot it unceasingly without even the slightest ability to think that they could possibly be wrong.  This stubborn dogmatism is a sad reality in many “churches” and denominational groups today and an unfortunate reason that there are the barriers erected believers and division within the body of Christ…but I digress…

 

While Job suffered miserably and desperately longed for either relief or an explanation of what his wrongdoing was, the three friends were stuck on their opinion and certainty that when bad things come to people, it is a result of and punishment for sin in their lives.  They continually maintained that Job’s circumstances were due to a sin, known or unknown in his life of which he needed to repent of and ask forgiveness for.  This would be the only way, if at all, that his life would get better.  They insisted that Job’s prideful attitude and instance of innocence just made matters worse.  Their opinion was that God is just and sees all, therefore He punishes the evil He sees.  If one was good, there would be no punishment.  This is much the same way that many people see God today.  They view Him as being angry and vengeful in regards to sin.  They claim that because He is just, if we sin He is mad at us and we are in danger of being punished.  They fail to see that while God certainly is just, His GRACE and mercy mingled with His justice as the blood and water mas mingled and flowed at the cross of Calvary.  Sin was justly punished at the cross in the body of our Lord and Savior, and they are done away with forever.  The full weight of God’s holy wrath was exhausted in the body of Jesus who willingly received it all in our stead as our substitutionary sacrifice.  With our sins punished we are free from the guilt, penalty and power of sin and FREE to be raised to NEW LIFE in the risen Christ.

 

Elihu was disappointed in Job’s insisting that he had any right to question the almighty at all but also that the elder friends had nothing more to say than that God must certainly be punishing Job for sin.  This young man had a much higher and lofty view of God in His love, GRACE and mercy than they had suggested.  While Job accused God of not answering him, Elihu contended that God speaks in many ways, always communicating His will and direction for us in one way or another but not in anger and punishment but out of love and concern.  While he admits that sometimes God may be punishing sin he introduces the element of chastisement to protect man from going down a wrong path.  He tells them that God will allow man to endure hardship for a season for the man’s greater good, to draw him closer to and into more dependence on God who loves them.  He did not see God as always the vengeful punisher of sin as Job’s friends saw Him, or the indifferent and distant silent God that Job was beginning to think He was but rather but as completely sovereign with ways that man is incapable of understanding but that are for man and not against him.

 

In the middle of his discourse about God, in referring to His great mercy, Elihu utters words rich with meaning far beyond what he could have ever intended.  As he talked of men suffering to the point of death, whether for punishment for sin or as a way to draw him to God save him from himself, he made mention of salvation by GRACE through a mediator.  This picture of Christ was given to him by the Holy Spirit for our benefit so that we could reap the rewards of seeing Christ throughout the Scriptures.  Elihu shared that if there were an angel on the suffering man’s side, and not just any angel—a very special mediator, a one in a thousand type of angel who could help guide a man into all truth, he could tell help the man what is right and what is wrong and help him to live right.  This pointed to the righteousness of Christ and also the counselor and guide that we have in the Holy Spirit.  He also said that this mediator would bring GRACE to the man by interceding on his behalf saying, “Spare him from going down to the grave, I have found a ransom for him.”  This naturally can be seen as a picture of Jesus who is our forever advocate with the Father showing GRACE—unconditional, unmerited, undeserved favor and who frees us from the punishment of death due us because by the ransom paid for us who are redeemed, purchased with the precious blood of Jesus.  Elihu says that through this mediator salvation is found and the man is renewed and restored and his youth is renewed.  It is through our mediator and only through him that our salvation is found, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

 

He went on to say that the restored man’s prayers are met with favor and He sees the face of God and rejoices.  He is restored by God and declared righteous by Him.  That man will happily become a witness to the goodness of God telling people that while he was a sinner, God in His mercy did not give him what he deserved.  Instead through GRACE, God redeemed him from death and gave him life.  This is God’s will for man and if the chastisement of suffering is needed to turn a man from error and save him, God will do this over and over but it is not because God is angry or punishing sin necessarily but because He loves him and wants the best for him.  Again, unknown to Elihu, he was closer to the truth of God’s love for man through Christ and the work of the cross than he could ever imagine.  Through our Lord Jesus we are brought from being dead in our transgressions to being alive in Him.  Our communion and communication with the Father is unhindered and we can come boldly before the throne of God and present our request in Jesus’ name and receive favor.  We know God and are known by God through Jesus and shout for joy in our salvation.  God declares us righteous in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21) not through any works of our own but by the righteousness that comes through faith. We become witnesses to His goodness and GRACE sharing the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS or salvation with all who will hear; that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me.  He took the punishment for my sin that I deserved.  I did not receive what I deserved which was death but instead was given life. 

 

In ALL things, salvation is God’s plan for man.  On this side of the cross God is NOT punishing sin in ANYONE at ANYTIME.  Sin was punished in full at the cross.  Sin is not the issue in man’s salvation any longer.  Because of the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, the issue is simply belief in (trust and coming under the lordship of) Jesus.  Believe and receive the gift of salvation that is accomplished for you and laid before you to take hold of.  Life or death has been laid before all men and God beckons, “Choose life”.  God has reconciled the world to Himself through Jesus Christ, the work is finished.  It is done.  What a wonderful gift that has been given us and what a beautiful Savior we Have! 

 

 

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA

Only God Can Lift Our Face

Only God Can Lift Our Face

 

Job 11:13-15 (NIV)

 

"Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away4 the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear."

 

In the book of Job we read that Job indeed was a blameless and upright man, a man who feared God and shunned evil.  It was because of this fact that when all the tragedy that the enemy brought on him he was confused, yet he maintained that God was indeed sovereign in all that he did; he just wanted to understand why he was suffering as he was.  He also was in so much anguish of body, mind and soul that he wished he could just die or that he had never been born. 

 

The first friend to speak, Eliphaz, has a lot of truth in his words and rightly agrees with Job in regards to God’s sovereignty however incorrectly deduces that Job must have sinned somehow and that the best course of action is to repent, receive God’s correction and allow forgiveness to bring blessing back into his life.  While this does not sound like terrible advice on the surface but Job still knew that he had not sinned, or at least in any way that he had been made aware of.  His own integrity was at stake; he agreed with what his friend had said but what had he done?  This is what he wanted to know.

 

Bildad, the second friend to speak confirms what Eliphaz said.  God is certainly just and when one sins, they are punished; when you ask forgiveness and/or are upright, things will be good or get better.  This is common knowledge to them so “do right” and you will “get right.”  In this he also implied that Job must have been guilty in some way though he did not come right out and say it.  Again Job agreed and even went further recognizing that God is so supremely sovereign and great that even man’s best efforts would still fall short of anything worth commending.  He would agree with Isaiah who said that even our righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6).  Job did not presume to have any standing whatsoever before almighty God but since he was in such severe anguish just wanted to know what he had done to deserve this.  Or if he was innocent but God in His sovereignty had reasons to bring calamity on the righteous than just take his life.

 

Jobs third friend Zophar now speaks.  He chastises Job for even questioning God or His actions.  He tells Job that he is not even getting what he does deserve: “Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.”  He tells Job that He cannot even begin to understand the sovereignty and righteousness of God, He knows all and acts justly.  Then Zophar says, YET.  “Yet if you devote your heart to Him and stretch out your hands to Him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. (emphasis mine).  He goes on to say that then life will get good again.

 

These words seemed to jump off the page to me today as I read them.  Zophars greatest error in his words was that he felt that man had the ability to become righteous through his own effort.  This is also the great error of many religious people today.  Now it is true that the Mosaic covenant conveyed such a message and even in Job’s day (which most believe to be before and outside that covenant) it seemed like a natural and reasonable expectation.  “Do good, get good; do bad, get bad” If you obey my commands you will be blessed and if you do not then you will be cursed (Deuteronomy 28).  The problem with this thinking is that man is unable to perfectly devote their hearts to God.  Being fallen, man’s interest and desires are turned inward instead of towards the creator who loves them more than they love themselves. 

 

There is also the reality that the stain of sin runs so deep that no amount of sacrifice would ever be able to wash it clean.  There was not enough blood in all the bulls and goats of eternity to put away man’s sin.  While it could be temporarily covered for the nation of Israel by animal sacrifice, only the perfect Lamb of God could take away the sin of the world.  It is also only in Christ and through His gift of GRACE and “no condemnation” that we are empowered to “go and sin no more”, so allowing no sin to be in us (or our tent) by our own power or strength is impossible therefore making it impossible to “lift up our face without shame”.  Adam and Eve could not do it and they hid because they were ashamed, Cain’s face was downcast because he did not “do right” and was not accepted…shame.  Throughout the Bible we read that it is the Lord who lifts up our heads.  As we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, HE lifts us up in due time. 

 

In Christ we are justified wholly and free from the guilt and power of sin.  Our sin is put away as far as the east is to the west and cast into the sea of forgetfulness.  Our face is lifted up and we can come boldly before the throne of GRACE free from shame and without fear of rejection.  Standing on the rock of the Gospel we stand firm and are “more than conquerors” and have nothing to fear, “If God is for us who can be against us?”

 

While what we read in our passage above was the logical conclusion for Zophar and also the conditions of the Old Covenant, praise God it is not our reality.  We now know that the old covenant was given so that we would see the inability to keep it due to the “utter sinfulness of sin” and to point us to our complete hopelessness in obtaining our own right standing before God.  It is because of this knowledge that we lean on nothing but the GRACE of God through Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.  There is no part in our salvation but to believe and receive the gift that is given to us.  It is already accomplished for you and me and every person who ever lived or who ever will live; have you partaken?  Praise God for the New Covenant

 

Grace to You,

 

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA

For Such a Time as This

For Such a Time as This

 

Esther 4:14b (NIV)

 

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this

 

 

The book of Esther is unique to the Bible in that there is no mention of the Name of God nor any direct reference to Him however He is clearly present on every page of this fascinating book.  The setting is during the exile and in the land of Persia.  The Jewish people were spread out and mixed among all the other people throughout the areas that King Xerxes reigned over.  The story opens with the throne and position of the Queen being vacant due to Queen Vashti refusing to obey an order of the king that would dishonor her.  In the course of time, a selection of a new queen for Xerxes became necessary so a kind of “beauty pageant” would be held for the king to make his selection.

 

There was a Jew named Mordecai living in the land who had a cousin named Esther who he had raised as his own daughter after her parents had died.  He placed Esther into the contest but told her not to disclose her Jewish nationality at that time.  Esther found favor in the eyes of the king’s eunuch and eventually in the eyes of the king as well.  She was selected to be the queen in Vashti’s place. 

 

The story then focuses on Mordecai and a new character introduced into the story named Haman.  The plot swings back and forth between these two.  Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill King Xerxes and reported it through Esther.  The conspirators were hanged and the event was recorded in the annals of the king including Mordecai’s part in the prevention of it.  From there the story swings to Haman who is exalted by the king to a place second only to himself.  An order was given that when Haman went by people were to kneel down and pay him honor.  Mordecai however, because of his Jewish faith would bow to none but God.  This of course infuriated Haman who talked King Xerxes into allowing him to destroy this “rebellious people” who would not obey the king’s laws.  A date was set for the annihilation of the Jewish people and word spread of the impending doom of the Jews.  Mordechai turned to Esther to intercede in behalf of her people.  Now would be the time to disclose the fact that she too was a Jew and that the permanent edict would affect her as well. 

 

A problem that Queen Esther faced was that no one, not even the Queen could go before the King unless summoned by him.  The penalty for doing so was death unless an act of mercy was given shown by the extending of a golden scepter.  When Esther was hesitant, Mordecai told her that she would not be spared by being in the kings house and that if she did not speak up in behalf of her people, that relief and deliverance would surely come but from someone else but that in the meanwhile, she and her family would suffer under the edict of the king.  He also uttered the famous words of this story, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”  With this charge Esther asked Mordecai to have all Jewish people fast and pray for three days and then she would approach the king.  On the third day, Esther approached the king in her royal robes.  The golden scepter was held out to her because he was pleased with her.  He told her to make her request known and it would be given to her, even up to half his kingdom.  Esther asked him to simply come to a banquet and bring Haman along that she had prepared especially for them and she would make her request known then. 

 

When Haman heard that he was invited to a private banquet with the king prepared by the queen, he went out in high spirits but when he saw Mordecai who still would not bow before him, he was filled with rage.  On the advice of his wife and his friends he had a gallows built seventy five feet high on which to have Mordecai hanged.  That very night however the king, having a sleepless night, had the annals of his reign brought and read to him.  When he realized that no reward had ever been offered to Mordecai for uncovering the plot against him he made up his mind to honor him in some way.  Just then Haman walked in to talk to the king about Mordecai and the gallows but before he could speak the king asked Haman what should be done for the man that the king would like to honor.  Haman, thinking that the king was surely talking about him, suggested the man be set upon a royal horse and dressed in royal robes and let one of the most noble officials lead him along the city streets announcing that the king delights in him, honoring him.  To his horror the king agreed to this idea and told Haman to be the noble official and to lead Mordecai through the city as the man to be honored. 

 

After this, while Haman was sulking the time for the banquet came.  On the second day of the banquet the king asked Esther to make her request known.  She asked that her life and the lives of her people be spared as someone had arranged for their annihilation and destruction.  King Xerxes asked who would dare do such a thing and Esther disclosed her nationality and declared that Haman was the man.  The king was so outraged that he had to leave the room but while he was gone Haman tried to beg Queen Esther for his life.  As he pleaded with Esther, Haman fell onto the couch where she was reclining at the exact time that King Xerxes walked back into the room.  Thinking that Haman was molesting Esther, he had him hanged on the very gallows Haman had built for Mordecai.

 

That same day, Esther approached weeping and begging the king to put an end to the evil plan of Haman.  Again the golden scepter was extended to her and while the order could not be rescinded, a new order could be made allowing the Jews to defend themselves and destroy anyone attacking them.  When the day came for the destruction of the Jews, the tables were turned and the Jews prevailed over all their enemies.  After that the Jews held an annual celebration to remember how their sorrow was turned to joy and their mourning to celebration for the generations to come.  It was called Purim because Haman had cast lots (Pur) to decide the day of destruction for the Jews.

 

We as God’s people, are spread out and mixed among the people of this world maintaining an identity that is called out and separated based not on anything we have dove but based on whose we are.  We have an evil enemy who wants nothing more than to annihilate and destroy us because we will not bow down to him but worship the living God only.  In the midst of this enemy prowling around like a lion seeking who he may devour (see 1 Peter 5:8), a plan of redemption played out like this story.  There was one raised up for just such a time as this  “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God (Galatians 4:4-7).”  He is the one who brings deliverance and salvation for His people from the greatest to the smallest. 

 

Through this heavenly Esther, we can boldly approach the throne of Grace, receiving the golden scepter of mercy to receive our requests from the King of all creation.  And just as the plan to hang Mordecai on the gallows backfired on Haman, so the evil plan to hang Jesus on the cross backfired on the devil as it was through this that salvation was purchased for mankind.  As the Jews had something to celebrate forever in Purim, we also have something to celebrate for all of eternity in that we have been saved and delivered from the death sentence that had been decreed for each one of us (Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23).  Our sorrow is turned to joy and our mourning is turned to gladness.  Our Lord and Savior was raised up for such a time as this, proclaiming “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:1-3a).

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

freedom Church, USA

 

 

An Oath and a Curse

An Oath and a Curse

 

Nehemiah 10:28-29

 

 “The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord."

 

The book of Nehemiah is a wonderful account of a great leader in the life of the Nation of Israel during the time of their return from exile and rebuilding as the distinctive people of God.  The book revolves around Nehemiah's concern for the people and trouble and disgrace that was upon them.  Though once again by God's mercy and mighty hand they were redeemed, Jerusalem remained broken and in in need of help.  Nehemiah, with the blessing of the king took it upon himself to go himself to the people in order that he could see what needed to be done.  

 

Nehemiah, inspected the wall and devised a plan in his wisdom to build and repair what would be the protection for the city.  Through opposition and persecution he stayed the course and succeeded in his work.  He also brought reform within the city as well, this was reform within the people.  With the help of the Ezra the priest, he taught the people the ways of the Lord and how they had failed to uphold the covenant.  There was grief.  There was repentance.  There was reform and renewal to the covenant.  There really was a great revival in the land under his leadership, in fact while the people made actual changes in their behaviors they also recommitted themselves to the covenant.  The whole nation from the greatest to the least, bound themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of Moses.  This binding agreement was sealed by the heads of the people, the priests and the Levites.  Signed, sealed and delivered to God as an oath and under a curse if not faithfully adhered to.  

 

Nehemiah was a great leader.  He moved the hearts of the people and helped them understand the goodness, mercy, graciousness and love of God who had been faithful to His word and covenant in spite of their failures.  He was able to speak to the people in ways that allowed the goodness of God lead them to repentance.  He was able to bring them to the strong desire to finally be faithful to God and to bind themselves to His laws with an oath and a curse...but what he could not do was enable sinful man to accomplish what they had promised to do.  What Nehemiah was able to do was to bring behavior modification to the nation but he could not bring heart transformation, only Jesus can bring that to a person.

 

Nehemiah was a type of Christ.  There is incredible love and concern for mankind in the broken and disgraceful state that it is in because of the unfaithfulness of the fall and every sinful man since.  As Israel was unfaithful over and over in spite of God's goodness and faithfulness so does mankind fail over and over to be who He calls us to be.  So like Nehemiah and the king, Jesus is sent by the Father out of love for us to help us in our awful situation.  Jesus came to us, walking in our midst and in spite of opposition and persecution from man and all the forces of hell, He accomplished what He came for.  He finished the work he set out to do, the building of a people and a nation...a kingdom under His protection and favor.

 

Now like the Israelites, the law brings condemnation, grief, sorrow, mourning and brokenness.  It brings a renewed resolve to follow God and His commands.  It is committed to over and over and then broken again and again.  Unfortunately, it still comes with an oath and a curse, "For the wages of sin is death", and every one of us has fallen under that curse.  That's the bad news.  But there is good news!  Christ Jesus did for us what Nehemiah could not do for the Israelites.  Nehemiah could not remove their guilt and he could not change who they were no matter how much he wanted to see them succeed.  He was a sinful man himself as he rightly confessed (see chapter 1:6).  All the oaths, seals and commitments fall short with man.  But Jesus, our heavenly Nehemiah took it upon himself to come and to do for us what we could not do.  He Himself was the fulfillment of the Law.  He who knew no sin became sin for us receiving the just penalty for our sin and bestowing upon us His righteousness in the divine exchange of Calvary.  His substitutionary death removed our sin and took it away as far as the east is to the west.  And He sealed the deal for all of us.  Signed, sealed and delivered in the blood of Jesus.  

 

Now because of this Gospel, we are redeemed from the curse of the law and from sin and death.  We are FREE to live in Him and He in us.  Striving to meet the conditions of the law can cease and we are brought to repentance simply by His love and GRACE.  Because we are in Christ Jesus we are forever and completely righteous!  We are a new creation, the old is passed and the new has come.  We are crucified with Christ and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us.  There is a change in us.  No longer must we try and strive which only brings, at best, behavior modification; we can believe and receive HEART TRANSFORMATION!  Come and rest in the salvation that only He can provide.   

 

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA

 

Grace and Mercy

Grace and Mercy

 

Ezra 9:13-15

 

¹³ “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴ Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? ¹⁵ Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.”

 

The exile was over, the people of Judah had been allowed to return to the land God had given them and rebuild the temple.  They had settled in to their towns and began to reestablish life according to the covenant...or did they?  Zerubbabel was dead and Haggai was no longer prophesying and it seemed as though the strict adherence to the Law of Moses was once again being compromised; not just by the general population but as it turned out by the leadership and even the Levites and priests.

 

Ezra was a teacher who was "well versed in the Law of Moses".  He was leading another group of exiles back to Judah sometime later, excited for the opportunity to go up to Jerusalem.  Once he arrived however he found that with a lack of strong leadership, the distinctiveness of the covenant people was not being maintained.  Some of the leaders came to Ezra, either having been grieved by the sinful direction of the people however unable to stop it, or being challenged and awakened by Ezra's teaching of the Law; came to him and informed him that there was much intermingling with the tribes and nations around them through marriage.  Though strictly forbidden by the Law of Moses, even the priests and Levites had corrupted themselves in this way.

 

Ezra was horrified!  After the history that the Nation of Israel had experienced, after the exile that they had so recently returned from, how could they once again so easily turn from the ways of God and do as they pleased.  How could they once again sin so greatly against the Lord when He had once again delivered them from their enemies and proved His love and faithfulness to them.

 

After grieving and mourning from this revelation, Ezra interceded in prayer for the Nation.  In his prayer he acknowledged that from the days of their forefathers, the sins of the Israel had been great, reaching to the heavens and had brought judgment, humiliation and captivity to them.  But even in this, God's mercy and graciousness had preserved a remnant brought them back, giving hope and a ray of light in the darkness.  While still under the control of Persia, God had granted them favor in the eyes of the king and they had been given new life in their land, a new temple to worship in and a wall of protection around them.  Identifying with and in behalf of the Nation, Ezra confessed their continued guilt before God, for in spite of all God had done for them they had once again disregarded the His commands.  They had been explicitly prohibited from marrying and intermingling with the peoples around them and yet here they were.  Then Ezra makes this acknowledgment of God's great GRACE: "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved".  

 

In all the punishments that had ever been placed on Israel due to their disobedience and unfaithfulness, Ezra realized that they had deserved much more than God had given.  Truly, "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20b KJV)".  They had received grace that they had not deserved.  They had been saved and delivered (once again).  And now should they break His laws (once again) and walk right into sin and disobedience by intermarrying with these people?  Surely they were provoking the Lord to such wrath that He would destroy the completely.  But yet they remained.  They did not deserve it, no God would be righteous and just in destroying them but there they stood.  It was only because of God's GRACE and favor, His mercy and His LOVE that they remained.  Even in their guilt they remained though in their sin, not one could stand in His presence...no not one (see Romans 3:10-12).

 

What a beautiful picture of God's Grace.  Over and over our (all of mankind's) sin would require a total and complete physical and spiritual death penalty.  This was true from our first parents and while the results and consequences of a fallen world have snowballed since the first bite of the forbidden fruit, creating misery, discomfort and many man-made problems; God withheld that death sentence in His great mercy until the day of salvation would be upon us (see Romans 3:21-26).  Then there is the glorious plan of redemption in which Jesus took upon Himself the punishment for our sin.  Through his sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross, we were truly punished far less than our sins deserved.  In fact it is by GRACE that we live and breathe at all, it is by His GRACE that we are able to be saved and by GRACE that those of us who are saved...well...are saved (slightly awkward, I know :) ).  

 

And now that we are saved, shall we continue to walk in sin?  The Apostle Paul says, "By no means!  We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?".  Throughout much of the New Testament, moral instruction is given for New Covenant people.  This is not given a way to be saved, to remain saved, or as warnings of what will make God mad at you and punish you for all your sin was already punished in the body of our Lord on the cross.  You can not be saved by doing right and avoiding wrong and you could never perform your way into being good enough to even be in the presence of God at all.  We are saved by GRACE through faith in Jesus Christ period.  The moral instruction given for new Covenant people is there to show us how we are to live BECAUSE we are saved.  We are saved from the power and dominion of sin so we can reign over sin in life.  Do we accomplish that perfectly at all times?  Of course not but praise God when we fall, we fall directly into the never ending supply of the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 John 2:1-2).  Moral instruction for the believer is also written for our benefit!  We are to throw off the sin that so easily entangles for just that reason, it wreaks havoc in our lives through pain, consequences, broken relationships and damage to our witness, none of which are God's plan for us.  As a response to God's great GRACE and mercy, shall we despise the work of the cross and continue to walk in sin?  God is still God and He is still Holy.  May we never forget that He would have been righteous in punishing us for our sin and never take lightly the wonder of the plan of redemption.

 

Oh the wonders of the cross, that we could stand in the Lord's presence at all.  That He loved us so much that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Glory to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  Bless His Holy Name!  

 

 

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA

    

 

    

The Old and the New

The Old and the New

 

Ezra 3:11-13

 

^"11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

“He is good;
    his love toward Israel endures forever.”

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. ¹³ No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away."

 

After seventy years of exile, King Cyrus of Persia allowed the people of Judah to return to their land to rebuild the temple of God.  All whose hearts were moved to return, settled in their towns and began the work of restoring their lives as covenant people according to the Law of Moses.  Led by the priests, the first thing that was rebuilt was the altar since the sacrifices were such an important part of the worship of the Lord.  The sacrifices, offerings and worship to the Lord was what distinguished them from all the other people of the world who served foreign gods that were not gods at all.  With the altar built, the sacrifices that were commanded and necessary according to the law, began.

 

The following year, materials for the temple began to be collected.  instructions as to the size of this temple were given by king Cyrus as well as for materials.  Articles that had been removed from the original temple by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon when he destroyed it were also returned.  All the people who had returned from captivity began the work of building the house of the Lord.  They say that the first step is the most important step of a task.  To begin something brings you well on your way to completion.  This is so with a building, but not only this, the foundation of a building is the most important part.  If the foundation is strong, the building will stand if built right.  If the foundation is bad or weak however, no matter how well the building above it is constructed it will collapse under the right circumstances (see Matthew 7:24-27).  So when the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, a major milestone was met and a celebration was in order.

 

The priests were dressed in their vestments and positioned in their places.  The musicians played and with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord, "He is good; His love endures to Israel forever".  The people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.  It was a great day for Israel.  Covenant life and worship had been restored.  It was a new beginning for the people who had been held in exile.  They had never ceased to be God's people but they were held captive and had gone many years without the freedom to worship and live in Jerusalem.  It was the beginning of a new day and was cause for joy and celebration.  But many of the older people who had seen the former temple wept aloud as they compared this foundation with the one they remembered.  To them it didn't compare, they could not find the joy of this new beginning because their focus remained on the old temple which was long gone.  Together the shouts of joy and praise along with the cries of weeping filled the air so much so that the sound could be heard far away.

 

As always, I am pointed to Jesus and the New Covenant through old testament history that also serves a types or pictures of the new.  The destruction of Solomon's temple represents the end of an era.  As great as it was this temple built by human hands would not be the house that the lord would reside in, it is a house of living stones, a royal priesthood that He would reside in forever.  While this change did not ultimately take place until the New Covenant was put into place, we see a change taking place as the exiles returned and laid the foundation of the new temple.  To so many, the new represented hope, joy and freedom.  Others however, were stuck in the past thinking that because this looked different to them, it could not possibly be as good as what had before.  The reality was though that they had been in captivity, in exile.  This temple, while different was now and that made it much better than where they had been held captive for so long.  Their natural eyes saw something much smaller while the spirit of the younger people felt the reality of what was happening in their lives (see Zechariah 4).

 

In the New Covenant, the covenant of GRACE, we have a change of eras.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."  The book of Hebrews is full of the Apostle Paul's teaching on the difference between the old covenant and the New Superior Covenant that is in Christ Jesus.  The old covenant, like Solomon's temple is held in such high regard by many of God's people that they are unable to experience the joy, hope and FREEDOM that is in the new.  They can't seem to get over the fact that though the new covenant looks different, it is the now covenant and experience of worship, fellowship and life that is ours.  

 

Much of the Church of Christ is in exile today.  They are certainly still God's people but they are being held captive by the law and by religion.  They are entrenched in the ways of the old covenant so much that they can't see the beauty of the new.  Solomon's temple took much more work but did that really make it any more real for the exiles who returned?  No, that old temple was gone and the reality was that the new temple which was now was much better for them.  The old covenant was full of work, effort and sweat but is not for now.  The New Covenant is built on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, not the law.  This foundation of the New Covenant which is built on the chief cornerstone of Jesus is the true house of God, built with living stones.  This same stone, the finished work of Jesus on the cross is a stumbling block for those who do not believe.  Those who have not yet come to believe the truth of the message of GRACE, still stumble over the truth.  They lament over what they see and wail loudly over the New Covenant while those of us who can see the New Covenant for what it truly is sing and shout for joy praising God.  The voices of the new are mixed with the voices who can't move beyond the old to appreciate fully what is theirs.  Both voices are being heard among the body and sometimes it makes it hard for those listening to know what the message is. 

 

The true message of GRACE must be proclaimed with rejoicing and celebration.  The Church must come fully out of exile, remaining captive and in bondage to the law and enter into the hope, joy and FREEDOM that is in the New Covenant.  This day of GRACE and Favor is a glorious day.  The Lord is good; His love endures forever!  Celebrate and share the Good News of GRACE and FREEDOM with someone today.

 

 

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA