The appearing of the prophets became necessary when the people of Israel failed to approach the mountain and have direct fellowship with the LORD at Mount Sinai. The ultimately fulfillment of the LORD’S plan was delayed by the failure of the people (Heb 8:7) until a future time spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, (Jer 31:31-34). As close as the prophets came to know the LORD, no subsequent Old Testament prophet achieved the same relationship with the LORD as Moses, (Num 12:6-8).
The prophets who followed Moses did not speak with the LORD in the same manner as Moses, “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend,” (Ex 33:11). As a result, the responsibility of these prophets was to reiterate, magnify, and clarify the words given by Moses (2 Pet 3:2), but the prophets were not given the authority to add or subtract from the original words. Moses cautioned those who followed him by saying, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you,” (Deut 4:2, 12:32). A similar warning was spoken by Solomon who said, “Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar,” (Prov 30:6).
The apostle John offered this warning in the Book of Revelations, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book,” (Rev 22:18-19). Although John’s warning appears specific to the Book of Revelations, this principle remains true from the time of Moses. In the words of Solomon, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun,” (Eccl 1:9).
Only once in scripture does Jesus refer to a commandment as new when he said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another,” (John 13:34). Yet, this commandment is simply a variation of the original commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev 19:18). Jesus identified the two greatest commandments as “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37)(Deut 6:5) and “Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt 22:39)(Lev 19:18). These commandments were not new when Jesus spoke them, but originate in the teachings of Moses, as it is written, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments,” (Matt 22:40). Therefore, it follows that the words of the prophets and the words of the apostles, given as the believer’s foundation (Eph 2:20), are build on the original revelation from the LORD spoken at Mount Sinai. Otherwise, the prophets and apostles would be found to violate the words of the LORD given through Moses (Deut 4:2, 12:32).
THE ROLE OF THE PROPHETS
The responsibility of the prophets is reinforced at the beginning of the first book of prophecy where Joshua told the people, “ Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful where ever you go,” (Josh 1:7). The last book of prophecy concludes with a similar statement from Malichi, “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel,” (Mal 4:4). The beginning and ending of the prophetic books are seen to frame the purpose of the prophets; to reinforce the teachings of Moses.
The apostles tell us that the role of the prophets was to search “intently and with the greatest care” (1 Pet 1:10), to uncover the deep mysteries that were already contained in the teachings of Moses, but “hidden for ages and generations,” (Col 1:26)(Rom 16:25). Jesus likened this process to “the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old,” (Matt 13:52). In this statement of Jesus, the new treasures come from the same house as the old treasures. Further, Jesus validates the continuing importance of Moses’ words by saying, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matt 5:18).
For most believers, the idea that the apostolic text is given to magnify and clarify the words of Moses is a foreign concept. After all, where do we find many of the principles of our faith revealed in the words of Moses? For example, where is the concept of the resurrection of the dead revealed by Moses? Jesus faced this question from the Sadducees who limited the inspired word to the original five books of Moses and saw no evidence of the resurrection. The Pharisees did believe in the resurrection, but found their strongest evidences in the prophetic statements of the prophets, such as Daniel, who said, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt,” (Dan 12:2).
To demonstrate their disbelief in the resurrection, the Sadducees developed the story of a woman who had seven husbands over the course of her life. They used this story to pose a question to Jesus, “At the resurrection whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” (Matt 22:28). First, it is important to note that the response of Jesus does not come from the prophets, but from the Torah to demonstrate that the concept of the resurrection existed in the original writings of Moses. “Have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” (Matt 22:31-32). Second, Jesus uses the opportunity to validate another concept in the Torah that gains clarity in the prophets; the existence of angels, (Matt 22:30). Although the concepts of angels and the resurrection of the dead gain significant clarity in the prophets, Jesus demonstrated that the original concepts exist in the Torah. As it turns out, Daniel was only magnifying what already was communicated by Moses.
THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PROPHET
According to Hebraic tradition, there were twice as many prophets as Israelites who left Egypt or over a million prophets in the 800 years from the time of Moses until the end of the first temple period. This number probably represented less than one percent of the Israelites who lived during this period. Most of these remained unnamed in scripture like the seven thousand in the days of Elijah who had “not bowed the knee to Baal,” (1 Kings 19:18)(Rom 11:4). Of all the prophets who prophesized, the Jewish text only records the words of forty-eight men and seven women. The words of these individuals have been preserved because they spoke to future generations, in addition to their own. The forty-eight included the patriarchs and other outstanding personalities in the Bible. The seven prophetesses are Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Ester.
The term “prophet” comes from the Hebrew word “navi,” which means “one who speaks on behalf or before God.” The earlier prophets were often called “seers,” (1 Sam 9:19), because they were granted a deeper insight which enabled them to provide spiritual and practical guidance to the people. When Saul lost his donkeys, he went to Samuel for assistance because Samuel was a “seer,” (1 Sam 9:19). Samuel told Saul, “As for the donkey you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found,” (1 Sam 19:20). Saul came to Samuel because prophets assisted people in their everyday lives. In the case of Saul, God used the lost donkeys to send him to Samuel (1 Sam 9:16), so Samuel could anoint Saul as king.
Prophecy was not a gift arbitrarily conveyed by God upon men, but the crowning of an individual who had obtained an exceptionally high level of spiritual growth. The priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, were both given the gift of prophecy because they were “upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly,” (Luke 1:6). The man Simeon was able to prophesy over the Christ child on the eight day after his birth because Simeon was “righteous and devout,” (Luke 2:25). In a similar manner, Anna also was able to prophesy over the child because she “worshipped night and day, fasting and praying,” (Luke 2:37). Consistent with these examples, Jesus revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, not because Paul persecuted the church, many people did, but because Paul was found to be righteous and “faultless” on the basis of the Law (Phil 3:5).
The gift of prophecy is only possible through a person who has received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, (1 Pet 1:11)(2 Pet 1:21). Moses became a prophet (Deut 18:18) through the power of the Spirit of God that rested on him (Num 11:17). In a similar manner, the word of God came through Jesus because the Spirit of God (Act 1:2) descended on him when he was baptized by John (Matt 3:16-17). The LORD took part of the Spirit that rested on Moses and placed the Spirit on seventy of Israel’s elders who were known to be leaders and officials among the people (Num 11:16-17). This transmission was understood to be analogous to the lighting of one candle by another. The flame of the first is not diminished by the lighting of the second candle. Following this pattern, the Spirit of God was transmitted without degradation from one righteous person to another, and from one generation to another through the generation of those who witnessed the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:26).
To receive the anointing of the Spirit in the Jewish text, a person had to achieve a level of righteousness that far exceeded that of the average Israelite. The understood process is quoted in Everyman’s Talmud as follows:
“Zeal leads to cleanliness, cleanliness to ritual purity, ritual purity to self-control, self-control to holiness, holiness to humility, humility to fear of sin, fear of sin to saintliness, and saintliness to the Holy Spirit.” (Sot. IX:15) (Everyman’s Talmud, “Revelation,”T page 121)
The process outlined in the Talmud closely follows the words given by Peter to make our “calling and election sure,” (2 Pet 1:10).
Applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness , 7 and in your godliness , brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 1:5-8)
What level of righteousness is required to receive the gift of prophecy? The righteousness of the prophets is reflected in the life of the earliest prophet to have his words recorded in scripture, Enoch (Jude 12). In addition to the words recorded by Jude, Enoch named his son Methuselah, which translates, “when he dies it will come.” The “it” was the flood that came in the same year Methuselah died. As a testimony to the righteousness of Enoch, the Bible tells us that “Enoch walked with God: then he was no more, because God took him away,” (Gen 5:23). Enoch, along with the prophet Elijah, are the only two individuals in scripture who were translated directly into the presence of the LORD without experiencing death.
Paul instructed believers to specifically desire the gift of prophecy. “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy,” (1 Cor 14:1). In addition to the benefits of strengthening, encouraging, and comforting, (1 Cor 14:3), the gift of prophecy obligates the believer to achieve a high level of righteousness following the path described by Peter (2 Pet 1:5-8) and elsewhere in scripture. One of the principle reasons the church lacks prophecy in the present age originates from the deficiency of personal righteousness in most believers. Although we receive righteousness from Jesus, we fail to walk in a manner that is “spotless and blameless,” (2 Pet 3:10), the standard Jesus desires for us.
To achieve the required level of righteousness, prophets tended to be the sons, daughters, or disciples of a prophet (1 Kings 20:35). When a father’s name is mentioned in scripture along with the prophet, tradition holds that the father was also a prophet such as, “Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo,” (Zech 1:1). John the Baptist was the son of Zachariah who prophesized at his birth. Amos stands as an exception to the rule since he “was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (Amos 7:14).
Most prophets were disciples of a prophet, a precursor to the pattern of Jesus and his disciples. Elijah and Elisha are the primary example in scripture of this relationship. Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen when “Elijah came up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah,” (1 Kings 19:19-20). The calling and proper response of Elisha are alluded to by the words of Jesus, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God,” (Luke 9:62). Elisha did not again put his hand to the plow, but left his oxen and remained a disciple until he saw Elijah carried up to heaven by the chariots and horsemen of Israel, (2 Kings 2:12).
The process of elevating a person’s righteousness to the level necessary to receive the prophetic revelation often required many years. For this reason, prophets tended to be older individuals who achieved the necessary level of righteousness over the course of their lives. Moses, the principle prophet of the nation of Israel, was close to eighty years old when he encountered the LORD at the burning bush. This is one of the reasons why “the crowds were amazed” at the teaching of Jesus. At the young age of only thirty years, “He was teaching as one having authority,” (Matt 7:28). The chief priests and the elders did not understand and wanted to know where Jesus had received this authority, (Matt 21:23). At thirty years old, (Luke 3:23), Jesus was simply too young to have achieved such wisdom and spiritual power.
The prophecy of Joel sited by Peter (Acts 2:17) is significant because of the age when people will prophesize.
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions,” (Joel 2:28).
When “young men” see visions and “sons and daughters” prophesy, the normal process to becoming a prophet has been accelerated through a special outpouring of the Spirit.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPHECY
Once the nation entered into the land of Israel, no person came to be a prophet who was born outside the land of Israel. A person born in the land could prophesize outside the land, such as Jonah did for Ninevah and Daniel did in Babylon. However, a person could not be born outside of the land and become a prophet for the nation. Because of this requirement, prophecy greatly diminished for the nation of Israel in the days following the Babylonian captivity as the generation born in Israel passed away. Prior to the exile, Ezekiel witnessed the departure of the Holy Spirit from Israel, (Ezek 10:18-19). The departure of the Spirit was the principle indication that prophecy was coming to an end.
There is a tradition that Jonah fled over the ocean to escape the prophetic utterances of God. Although Jonah understood that God is everywhere, he reasoned that he could avoid the continued calling of the LORD to go to Nineveh if he traveled on the sea since there had been no record of God speaking to prophets at sea. As it turned out, God did not speak to Jonah on the waters. It was Jonah who spoke to God. The LORD heard and delivered the prophet through a whale that spew Jonah onto dry land. Jonah’s concern was proved true; Nineveh did repent and God subsequently judged Israel for their unrepentant heart. Jesus used the story of Nineveh to proclaim the coming judgment on another generation of unrepentant hearts. “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here,” (Luke 11:32).
Even when a prophet was born in the land of Israel, and had achieved a personnel level of righteousness, he might be prevented from prophesying because of the faithlessness of the community. The story of Jesus’ inability to perform miracles in Nazareth is a testimony to this fact, as it is written,
“He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith,” (Matt 13:57).
“To prepare the way for the Lord,” (Matt 3:3), the LORD sent John the Baptist to “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord,” (Luke 1:17). Without John to prepare the way, the hearts of the people would not have been open to receive the miracles of Jesus and the message of the kingdom.
MAINTAINING THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
It was understood that a prophet could lose the gift of prophecy if he failed to maintain the level of righteousness necessary to sustain the gift. Although the Spirit of God had been given to Saul (1 Sam 11:6), the Spirit departed (1 Sam 16:13), after Saul sinned by not completely destroying the Amalekites as the LORD had commanded, (1 Sam 15:2-3). David cried out to the LORD, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me,” (Psa 51:11), after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. The apostle Paul warned the believer,
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph 4:30-31).
Although each believer is given the gift of the Spirit, the effective work of the Spirit within us is directly related to the righteousness we maintain in our walk. We are “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (Eph 3:20). The statement of Paul offers limitless possibilities that are limited when a life is filled by acts of bitterness, rage, anger, and the like outlined by Paul. Further, we can be assured that no person can be a prophet of the Lord if their life does not reflect the righteousness associated with the prophetic gift.
Humility can be considered a subset of the righteousness required of a prophet. Moses was considered to be the greatest prophet of the Jewish people, while at the same time, “The man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth,” (Num 12:3). Following the pattern of Moses, Jesus was “gentle and humble in heart,” (Matt 11:29). As James has written, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” (James 4:6).
As a prophet received greater and greater revelations, it probably became increasingly difficult to maintain the proper level of humility. To maintain a level of humility and maintain purity, prophets frequently “went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute,” (Heb 11:37). The wearing of these garments also reflected a disassociation of the world by the prophet. It is difficult to maintain a high level of righteousness while constantly living in a sinful world. For this reason, the life of a prophet was often a lonely experience leading Elijah to believe, “I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too,” (1 Kings 19:10).
The LORD allowed the prophets to be persecuted and mistreated, (Heb 11:37), to demonstrate their faithfulness and to maintain their humility. In the case of Paul, a thorn in the flesh was given, “to keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations,” (2 Cor 12:7). In keeping with his own humility, Paul often referred to himself as “the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” (1 Cor 15:9).
THE END OF PROPHECY
There remains some question about the role of prophecy in the present age. We understand from scripture that prophecy continued to exist during the early church (Acts 21:10) and we accept the Book of Revelations as the pinnacle of prophetic utterances. Further, a time is coming when all prophecy will be completed, as Paul has written,
If there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. (1 Cor 13:8-10)
The words of Paul imply that prophecy will be done away with “when the perfect comes,” but what is “the perfect?” The meaning of the phrase “the perfect” has been the subject of debate for centuries. However, if the function of prophecy is to clarify and magnify the Torah, as was stately earlier, then it follows that prophecy will be done away with when men come to possess a perfect understanding of the Torah. This opportunity occurred at Mount Sinai, but the people were afraid to approach the mountain to have a personal relationship with the LORD. Yet the LORD is a God of second chances and Jeremiah prophesized of a future time when the word of God will be taught by the Creator Himself and written on the hearts of men.
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jer 31:33-34)
The initial fulfillment of this prophecy began with the life of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Yet, believers have not reached a complete and perfect understanding of God’s word and we still are asking our brothers and neighbors to help us understand passages in the Bible.
There is a time coming when the Living Word (Torah) will return to the earth at the second appearing of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. At that time,
“Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” (Isa 2:3-4).
When the LORD teaches us, we will have no further need of prophecy because the Perfect will be our teacher to lead us into a perfect understanding of the Torah. According to Everyman’s Talmud, “When everybody is obedient to the commandments; there will be no further need for the prophetic exhortations which were only intended for a sinful world and not the era of perfection to be inaugurated by the Messiah,” (Chapter Revelation, page 124).
Does this mean that prophecy can exist before the Perfect comes? Prophecy can and will exist before the return of Jesus. Look no further than the two witnesses in the Book of Revelations who are said to prophesize (Rev 11:6). There also remains the second fulfillment of the words of Joel,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29)
However, until that day, prophecy will be greatly diminished because of the limited righteousness of individuals called to prophesy and the faithlessness of those to whom the prophecy would be directed.
Scott
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Quoting Scripture In the Apostolic Text
Here is the lesson from Church on Sunday (9/5/10)
Watch any sporting activity on television and chances are you will see someone holding up a sign with the verse John 3:16. Of all the passages in the Bible, this is the one most likely for a given believer to know by memory. For this reason, just the reference is sufficient to convey an understanding desired by the person holding up the sign. In the first century, the Jewish cannon had not been divided into chapter and verse so this method of reference was unavailable. The Bible would not be divided into chapter and verse until the middle ages.
The prophet Ezra is credited with the first division of the Bible in the fifth century before Christ as he divided the books of Moses into fifty-four portions (“parashats” in Hebrew) to be read during the annual cycle. Each reading was identified by a single word or brief phrase, typically in the first sentence of the passage. Therefore, a person could reference several chapters of scripture by quoting a single word. For example, the parashat reading for the week beginning September 4, 2010, is “Nitzavim,” meaning “You are standing,” which is derived from the first sentence of the reading Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20, “You stand today, all of you before the LORD your God.”
This method of scripture reference on worked only because the average Jew knew much of the Bible by memory having been schooled in the scriptures since an early age. It was necessary to know the word of God in this manner because few people could afford the high cost of a hand written scroll. At best, most towns had a community scroll in the synagogue where people came on the Sabbath to hear the word of the LORD. This pattern is reflected in the words of Paul to Timothy, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,” (1 Tim 4:13).
Since the listener was expected to be intimately familiar with scripture, the complete quotation of a biblical passage was not required by the speaker. Simply saying “John 3:16” was sufficient to convey the desired point. As a result, many quotations in the New Testament are really just partial quotations intended to direct the listener to the greater context of the passage. Often the primary point being conveyed is found in the verse preceding or following the verse that was quoted. Unfortunately, this method falls short of the desired objective when the listener does not have the expected knowledge of scripture. I question the benefit of holding up a “John 3:16” sign since an audience of unbelievers would have no concept of the passage.
QUOTING SCRIPTURE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The apostolic text frequently quotes the Jewish text as it builds on the original promises given to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. Sometimes the quotations are long passages and easily recognized by the reader. These quotations are typically annotated with references to the source passage in the Jewish text. It is always good to read the original text because the reference in the apostolic text may not be the complete story, but is given to a reader who already is intimately familiar with the passage.
At other times, only a few words are required to make an association between what is being discussed and a principle found in the Jewish text. For example, when the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came with lanterns seeking to identify and arrest Jesus, he responded by saying, “I am He,” (John 18:5, NAS). The New American Standard italicizes the word “He” to show that this word is not in the original Greek. The statement of Jesus is simply, “I AM” takes on a different and much deeper meaning as it stands as one of the strongest proclamations of that Jesus is God, drawing on the words of the LORD to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” (Ex 3:14).
The teaching technique of connecting a statement to another passage in scripture is sometimes referred to as allusion and the connection as a kesher. You are probably already familiar with a number of kershers in scripture. A lesser recognized kesher is the often repeated phrase spoken by Jesus, “My Father,” as “In my Father’s house are many rooms,” (John 14:2). This phrase draws on the prophetic proclamation of the Psalmist,
“He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, the rock my Salvation.’ ‘I also shall make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will establish his descendant forever and his throne as the days of heaven.” (Psa 89:26).
The statement is full of Messianic implications and apparently sufficient for the Jews to pick up stones to stone him after he used the phrase, “but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’ ‘We are not stoning you for any of these,’ replied the Jews, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man claim to be God.’” (John 10:32-33). (John 18:5). So when did Jesus first reveal to men the purpose of his life? In the temple at the age of twelve when he said, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).
Another New Testament connection to existing scripture came in the description some Jews spoke of Jesus.
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." (Matt 11:18)
The phrase “a glutton and a drunkard” is more than a derogatory statement. This phrase is associated with the conditions of a rebellious and undisciplined son.
"If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. 20 "They shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.' 21 " Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear. (Deut 21:18-21)
More than just a derogatory statement, the people who called Jesus a “glutton and drunkard” were laying the case that he was a rebellious son worthy of death.
THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN JOHN AND JESUS
A fairly cryptic exchange occurs between Jesus and John near the end of John’s life. I say cryptic because people are fairly certain that keshers are being used, but people disagree on what specific texts are being quoted. While John was in prison, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus,
“Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matt 11:3).
The question was not a lack of faith on John’s part, but an inquiry into the specific activities Jesus would perform. Would Jesus fulfill all the expectations of the prophets? Among these expectations, “to open the eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isa 42:5). John is asking if he will be set free from prison.
The answer from Jesus seems no less clear than the original question,
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
(Matt 11:5-6).
Rather than straight forward answer, Jesus is quoting scripture that has an implied answer. Jesus appears to be quoting the following passages from scripture.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. (Isa 35:5-6)
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
(Isa 26:19)
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach 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.” (Isa 61:1)
In his response, Jesus offers six miracles that will be accomplished during his ministry. However, one miracle that is noticeably missing, the release from darkness for the prisoners. By excluding this prophecy, Jesus is telling John that he will die in prison. This position is reinforced by the exhortation, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me,” a statement that otherwise seems out of context with the miracles of the blind receiving their sight, the lame walking, and the good news preached to the poor.
COMBINING MULTIPLE KESHERS IN ONE SENTENCE
The technique of incorporating bits of scripture into statements became one of the teaching techniques of the rabbis. They became very good at linking multiple passages in scripture together to make one statement. This technique is even demonstrated by God on the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John.
There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matt 17:2-5)
Sometimes the reader does not even realize that the Greek text is quoting the Jewish text. Twice while Jesus was on the earth, a voice from heaven (God the Father) proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. First, at the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:11) and then again when he was up on the mountain with Peter and John (Matt 17:5). Hidden to the average reader is the specific nature of this proclamation. The proclamation of Matthew 17:5 is actually the combination of four statements from the Jewish text.
“This is my Son” (Psa 2:7)(Writings)
“whom I love” (Gen 22:2)(Moses-Law)
“with him I am well pleased” (Isa 42:1)(Prophets)
“listen to him!” (Deut 18:15)(Moses-Law)
Notice how the voice from heaven draws on the entire Jewish text to testify that Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. This is a demonstration of Jesus’ words to his eleven disciples after his resurrection,
“Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44)(Matt 26:56).
The last part of the phrase has additional significance because it is taken from the proclamation of Moses who foretold of a coming prophet patterned after Moses.
“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” (Deut 18:15)
By recognizing the words as a quotation from the Jewish text, the reader gains the additional understanding that the voice from heaven is proclaiming Jesus as the prophet foretold by Moses. Just as Israel was commanded to listen to the words of Moses and we are commanded to “listen to him (Jesus).”
THE FINAL EXAMINATION: THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A believer will find the use of keshers in almost every chapter of every book in the Bible. Whereas entire scripture quotations are easy to identify, scripture fragments are more easily hidden. The teaching technique of using keshers falls short when the audience is not sufficiently familiar with the text to recognize and place a scripture fragment in context.
One of the great difficulties in understanding the Book of Revelations is that it is full of imagery and references to events and people in the Jewish text. The Book of Revelations is analogous to the final examination on this teaching technique. To have a chance at understanding the book, a person must have some knowledge of the Jewish text. For example, at the beginning of the eleventh chapter, John was given,
“a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.” (Rev 11:1-2)
What is fascinating about the passage, although John is told to measure, no measurements are recorded. Therefore, the dimensions are not important, only the process of measuring. When we look for an example in the Jewish text, we find one in the book of Zechariah and one in the book of Ezekiel. Zechariah records,
Then I looked up — and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 I asked, "Where are you going?" He answered me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is. 3 Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.' (Zech 2:1-5)
The story continues later in the chapter…
"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD. 11 "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling." (Zech 2:10-13)
If you read the entire chapter, you will find out that no measurements are given. The purpose of measuring is to prepare the city of Jerusalem for the return of the LORD to dwell among the nations of the world. The fortieth chapter of the book of Ezekiel begins with the vision of another man holding a measuring rod and commanded to measure.
In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city. 3 So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. 4 The man said to me, " Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see." (Ezek 40:2-4).
In this chapter and the four to follow, Ezekiel details the temple and associated fixtures, which many scholars believe is a description of the temple that will exist subsequent to the LORD’s return.
So what is John depicting by his measuring? The preparation for the imminent return of the LORD. Or said another way, when you see a temple standing where the original temple stood, the return of the LORD is very near. The LORD will reclaim this area for His own, a fact that is supported by an additional measuring from the book of Jeremiah.
“The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished." (Jer 31:39-40)
Another example out of the book of Revelations deals with the false miracles of the beast (the dragon). “He performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.” (Rev 13:13).
On at least three occasions in scripture, fire came from the presence of the LORD to consume a sacrifice on the altar in front of the Israelites. At the dedication of the tabernacle after Moses and Aaron blest the people, “Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown,” (Lev 9:24). At the completion of the temple after Solomon finished praying, “fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple,” (2 Chron 7:1-3). “When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD,” (2 Chron 7:3). Fire was the miracle that convinced the Israelites that they were in the presence of the LORD.
Once started, the LORD instructed Moses, “the fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood,” (Lev 6:12). People were responsible to bring the sacrifices, but the LORD provided the continuous flame because "God is a consuming fire,” (Heb 12:29). The altar was never intended to be a BYOF (bring your own fire). When the two sons of Aaron attempted to bring their own fire, contrary to the LORD’S command, they died before the LORD (Lev 10:1).
The pattern repeats for a third time in the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. After calling out to the LORD, “fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD-he is God! The LORD-he is God!" (1 Kings 18:38-39). James and John wanted to “call fire down from heaven,” (Luke 9:54), a demonstration of their belief that Jesus was God, but other aspects of their hearts were not right. On the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks, Shavout in Hebrew), the Holy Spirit came down and was distributed as “tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them,” (Acts 2:3-4).
Fire from heaven is one of the ultimate miracles to demonstrate the power of God. In the future, a new temple will be constructed, not of God, but by one who “will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God,” (2 Thess 2:3-4). It is all part of the Adversary’s plan to receive the praise and admiration that is only due the LORD. Is the Adversary capable of bringing down fire from heaven? “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" (Job 1:16). Incorrectly reported by the servant of Job, this fire was not from “God,” but from Satan as part of the trials brought on Job.
Many will believe the deception, but a few will understand that the collective actions of the Adversary are not consistent with the word of God. These faithful few are referred in scripture as “a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom 11:5-6) and "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved,” (Rom 9:27).
TEACHING ON THE WAY TO THE CROSS
Although he was suffering greatly and weakened from the scourging, Jesus took the opportunity to teach even on the way to the cross. As women mourned and wailed for Jesus along the road to the cross, he turned to them and said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"' 31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:28-31)
The words of Jesus contain a reference to Hosea and the judgment he prophesized would come upon Israel that would be so severe “They will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us!” (Hos 10:8). That judgment came from the Babylonians and Jesus is telling the Jews that similar judgment awaits Jerusalem and Israel. The balance of the passage comes from twentieth chapter of the book of Ezekiel and reinforces the coming judgment on Israel.
“I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. 48 Everyone will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched.'"
(Ezek 20:47-48)
Forty years later, this prophesy was fulfilled at the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and burned down the temple.
Even as Jesus was hung on the cross, He continued to quote scripture. The twenty second chapter of Psalms is considered to be the “death” psalms spoken by many righteous prophets on their deathbed. Jesus also quoted from this Psalm, as it testified to the type of death he would die, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 22 Apostolic Text
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psa 22:1) About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46)(Mark 15:34)
All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver Him since he delights in him.” (Psa 22:7-8) In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" (Matt 27:41-43)
I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. (Psa 22:14) The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (John 19:32-35)
Dogs have surrounded me; a ban of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet (Psa 22:16) Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" 8 Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:6-8)
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. (Psa 22:18) When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. (John 19:23-24)
Future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn – for he has done it. (Psa 22:30-31) "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
Jesus is telling us from the cross that he is the living embodiment of Psalms 22. It is only necessary to quote only one passage from the cross to paint the entire imagery of his crucifixion and the purpose of his life, that people “will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn – for he has done it.”
Believers are often guilty in framing the words of the Bible by “what they mean to me.” The Bible is not, and has never been, a book of “what it mean to me.” The Bible is the revelation of the creator to the creation and must be understood from the perspective of the creator. The Bible is the ultimate authority given to define what the Bible is speaking. If the quoting of scripture on the road to the cross continued while Jesus was hanging on the cross, the believer can be assured that the apostolic text is packed full of references given to teach us about our LORD and Master. The believer would be greatly rewarded in his normal devotional to sift through the words of ever chapter in every book to find these hidden treasures. Now go and study.
Watch any sporting activity on television and chances are you will see someone holding up a sign with the verse John 3:16. Of all the passages in the Bible, this is the one most likely for a given believer to know by memory. For this reason, just the reference is sufficient to convey an understanding desired by the person holding up the sign. In the first century, the Jewish cannon had not been divided into chapter and verse so this method of reference was unavailable. The Bible would not be divided into chapter and verse until the middle ages.
The prophet Ezra is credited with the first division of the Bible in the fifth century before Christ as he divided the books of Moses into fifty-four portions (“parashats” in Hebrew) to be read during the annual cycle. Each reading was identified by a single word or brief phrase, typically in the first sentence of the passage. Therefore, a person could reference several chapters of scripture by quoting a single word. For example, the parashat reading for the week beginning September 4, 2010, is “Nitzavim,” meaning “You are standing,” which is derived from the first sentence of the reading Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20, “You stand today, all of you before the LORD your God.”
This method of scripture reference on worked only because the average Jew knew much of the Bible by memory having been schooled in the scriptures since an early age. It was necessary to know the word of God in this manner because few people could afford the high cost of a hand written scroll. At best, most towns had a community scroll in the synagogue where people came on the Sabbath to hear the word of the LORD. This pattern is reflected in the words of Paul to Timothy, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,” (1 Tim 4:13).
Since the listener was expected to be intimately familiar with scripture, the complete quotation of a biblical passage was not required by the speaker. Simply saying “John 3:16” was sufficient to convey the desired point. As a result, many quotations in the New Testament are really just partial quotations intended to direct the listener to the greater context of the passage. Often the primary point being conveyed is found in the verse preceding or following the verse that was quoted. Unfortunately, this method falls short of the desired objective when the listener does not have the expected knowledge of scripture. I question the benefit of holding up a “John 3:16” sign since an audience of unbelievers would have no concept of the passage.
QUOTING SCRIPTURE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The apostolic text frequently quotes the Jewish text as it builds on the original promises given to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. Sometimes the quotations are long passages and easily recognized by the reader. These quotations are typically annotated with references to the source passage in the Jewish text. It is always good to read the original text because the reference in the apostolic text may not be the complete story, but is given to a reader who already is intimately familiar with the passage.
At other times, only a few words are required to make an association between what is being discussed and a principle found in the Jewish text. For example, when the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came with lanterns seeking to identify and arrest Jesus, he responded by saying, “I am He,” (John 18:5, NAS). The New American Standard italicizes the word “He” to show that this word is not in the original Greek. The statement of Jesus is simply, “I AM” takes on a different and much deeper meaning as it stands as one of the strongest proclamations of that Jesus is God, drawing on the words of the LORD to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” (Ex 3:14).
The teaching technique of connecting a statement to another passage in scripture is sometimes referred to as allusion and the connection as a kesher. You are probably already familiar with a number of kershers in scripture. A lesser recognized kesher is the often repeated phrase spoken by Jesus, “My Father,” as “In my Father’s house are many rooms,” (John 14:2). This phrase draws on the prophetic proclamation of the Psalmist,
“He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, My God, the rock my Salvation.’ ‘I also shall make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will establish his descendant forever and his throne as the days of heaven.” (Psa 89:26).
The statement is full of Messianic implications and apparently sufficient for the Jews to pick up stones to stone him after he used the phrase, “but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’ ‘We are not stoning you for any of these,’ replied the Jews, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man claim to be God.’” (John 10:32-33). (John 18:5). So when did Jesus first reveal to men the purpose of his life? In the temple at the age of twelve when he said, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).
Another New Testament connection to existing scripture came in the description some Jews spoke of Jesus.
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." (Matt 11:18)
The phrase “a glutton and a drunkard” is more than a derogatory statement. This phrase is associated with the conditions of a rebellious and undisciplined son.
"If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. 20 "They shall say to the elders of his city, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.' 21 " Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear. (Deut 21:18-21)
More than just a derogatory statement, the people who called Jesus a “glutton and drunkard” were laying the case that he was a rebellious son worthy of death.
THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN JOHN AND JESUS
A fairly cryptic exchange occurs between Jesus and John near the end of John’s life. I say cryptic because people are fairly certain that keshers are being used, but people disagree on what specific texts are being quoted. While John was in prison, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus,
“Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matt 11:3).
The question was not a lack of faith on John’s part, but an inquiry into the specific activities Jesus would perform. Would Jesus fulfill all the expectations of the prophets? Among these expectations, “to open the eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” (Isa 42:5). John is asking if he will be set free from prison.
The answer from Jesus seems no less clear than the original question,
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
(Matt 11:5-6).
Rather than straight forward answer, Jesus is quoting scripture that has an implied answer. Jesus appears to be quoting the following passages from scripture.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. (Isa 35:5-6)
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
(Isa 26:19)
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach 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.” (Isa 61:1)
In his response, Jesus offers six miracles that will be accomplished during his ministry. However, one miracle that is noticeably missing, the release from darkness for the prisoners. By excluding this prophecy, Jesus is telling John that he will die in prison. This position is reinforced by the exhortation, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me,” a statement that otherwise seems out of context with the miracles of the blind receiving their sight, the lame walking, and the good news preached to the poor.
COMBINING MULTIPLE KESHERS IN ONE SENTENCE
The technique of incorporating bits of scripture into statements became one of the teaching techniques of the rabbis. They became very good at linking multiple passages in scripture together to make one statement. This technique is even demonstrated by God on the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John.
There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matt 17:2-5)
Sometimes the reader does not even realize that the Greek text is quoting the Jewish text. Twice while Jesus was on the earth, a voice from heaven (God the Father) proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. First, at the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:11) and then again when he was up on the mountain with Peter and John (Matt 17:5). Hidden to the average reader is the specific nature of this proclamation. The proclamation of Matthew 17:5 is actually the combination of four statements from the Jewish text.
“This is my Son” (Psa 2:7)(Writings)
“whom I love” (Gen 22:2)(Moses-Law)
“with him I am well pleased” (Isa 42:1)(Prophets)
“listen to him!” (Deut 18:15)(Moses-Law)
Notice how the voice from heaven draws on the entire Jewish text to testify that Moses, the Prophets, and the Writings proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. This is a demonstration of Jesus’ words to his eleven disciples after his resurrection,
“Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44)(Matt 26:56).
The last part of the phrase has additional significance because it is taken from the proclamation of Moses who foretold of a coming prophet patterned after Moses.
“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” (Deut 18:15)
By recognizing the words as a quotation from the Jewish text, the reader gains the additional understanding that the voice from heaven is proclaiming Jesus as the prophet foretold by Moses. Just as Israel was commanded to listen to the words of Moses and we are commanded to “listen to him (Jesus).”
THE FINAL EXAMINATION: THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A believer will find the use of keshers in almost every chapter of every book in the Bible. Whereas entire scripture quotations are easy to identify, scripture fragments are more easily hidden. The teaching technique of using keshers falls short when the audience is not sufficiently familiar with the text to recognize and place a scripture fragment in context.
One of the great difficulties in understanding the Book of Revelations is that it is full of imagery and references to events and people in the Jewish text. The Book of Revelations is analogous to the final examination on this teaching technique. To have a chance at understanding the book, a person must have some knowledge of the Jewish text. For example, at the beginning of the eleventh chapter, John was given,
“a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.” (Rev 11:1-2)
What is fascinating about the passage, although John is told to measure, no measurements are recorded. Therefore, the dimensions are not important, only the process of measuring. When we look for an example in the Jewish text, we find one in the book of Zechariah and one in the book of Ezekiel. Zechariah records,
Then I looked up — and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand! 2 I asked, "Where are you going?" He answered me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is. 3 Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.' (Zech 2:1-5)
The story continues later in the chapter…
"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD. 11 "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling." (Zech 2:10-13)
If you read the entire chapter, you will find out that no measurements are given. The purpose of measuring is to prepare the city of Jerusalem for the return of the LORD to dwell among the nations of the world. The fortieth chapter of the book of Ezekiel begins with the vision of another man holding a measuring rod and commanded to measure.
In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city. 3 So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. 4 The man said to me, " Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see." (Ezek 40:2-4).
In this chapter and the four to follow, Ezekiel details the temple and associated fixtures, which many scholars believe is a description of the temple that will exist subsequent to the LORD’s return.
So what is John depicting by his measuring? The preparation for the imminent return of the LORD. Or said another way, when you see a temple standing where the original temple stood, the return of the LORD is very near. The LORD will reclaim this area for His own, a fact that is supported by an additional measuring from the book of Jeremiah.
“The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished." (Jer 31:39-40)
Another example out of the book of Revelations deals with the false miracles of the beast (the dragon). “He performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.” (Rev 13:13).
On at least three occasions in scripture, fire came from the presence of the LORD to consume a sacrifice on the altar in front of the Israelites. At the dedication of the tabernacle after Moses and Aaron blest the people, “Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown,” (Lev 9:24). At the completion of the temple after Solomon finished praying, “fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple,” (2 Chron 7:1-3). “When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD,” (2 Chron 7:3). Fire was the miracle that convinced the Israelites that they were in the presence of the LORD.
Once started, the LORD instructed Moses, “the fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood,” (Lev 6:12). People were responsible to bring the sacrifices, but the LORD provided the continuous flame because "God is a consuming fire,” (Heb 12:29). The altar was never intended to be a BYOF (bring your own fire). When the two sons of Aaron attempted to bring their own fire, contrary to the LORD’S command, they died before the LORD (Lev 10:1).
The pattern repeats for a third time in the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. After calling out to the LORD, “fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD-he is God! The LORD-he is God!" (1 Kings 18:38-39). James and John wanted to “call fire down from heaven,” (Luke 9:54), a demonstration of their belief that Jesus was God, but other aspects of their hearts were not right. On the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks, Shavout in Hebrew), the Holy Spirit came down and was distributed as “tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them,” (Acts 2:3-4).
Fire from heaven is one of the ultimate miracles to demonstrate the power of God. In the future, a new temple will be constructed, not of God, but by one who “will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God,” (2 Thess 2:3-4). It is all part of the Adversary’s plan to receive the praise and admiration that is only due the LORD. Is the Adversary capable of bringing down fire from heaven? “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" (Job 1:16). Incorrectly reported by the servant of Job, this fire was not from “God,” but from Satan as part of the trials brought on Job.
Many will believe the deception, but a few will understand that the collective actions of the Adversary are not consistent with the word of God. These faithful few are referred in scripture as “a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom 11:5-6) and "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved,” (Rom 9:27).
TEACHING ON THE WAY TO THE CROSS
Although he was suffering greatly and weakened from the scourging, Jesus took the opportunity to teach even on the way to the cross. As women mourned and wailed for Jesus along the road to the cross, he turned to them and said,
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"' 31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:28-31)
The words of Jesus contain a reference to Hosea and the judgment he prophesized would come upon Israel that would be so severe “They will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us!’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us!” (Hos 10:8). That judgment came from the Babylonians and Jesus is telling the Jews that similar judgment awaits Jerusalem and Israel. The balance of the passage comes from twentieth chapter of the book of Ezekiel and reinforces the coming judgment on Israel.
“I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. 48 Everyone will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched.'"
(Ezek 20:47-48)
Forty years later, this prophesy was fulfilled at the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and burned down the temple.
Even as Jesus was hung on the cross, He continued to quote scripture. The twenty second chapter of Psalms is considered to be the “death” psalms spoken by many righteous prophets on their deathbed. Jesus also quoted from this Psalm, as it testified to the type of death he would die, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 22 Apostolic Text
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psa 22:1) About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46)(Mark 15:34)
All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: “He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver Him since he delights in him.” (Psa 22:7-8) In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" (Matt 27:41-43)
I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. (Psa 22:14) The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (John 19:32-35)
Dogs have surrounded me; a ban of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet (Psa 22:16) Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" 8 Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:6-8)
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. (Psa 22:18) When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. (John 19:23-24)
Future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn – for he has done it. (Psa 22:30-31) "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
Jesus is telling us from the cross that he is the living embodiment of Psalms 22. It is only necessary to quote only one passage from the cross to paint the entire imagery of his crucifixion and the purpose of his life, that people “will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn – for he has done it.”
Believers are often guilty in framing the words of the Bible by “what they mean to me.” The Bible is not, and has never been, a book of “what it mean to me.” The Bible is the revelation of the creator to the creation and must be understood from the perspective of the creator. The Bible is the ultimate authority given to define what the Bible is speaking. If the quoting of scripture on the road to the cross continued while Jesus was hanging on the cross, the believer can be assured that the apostolic text is packed full of references given to teach us about our LORD and Master. The believer would be greatly rewarded in his normal devotional to sift through the words of ever chapter in every book to find these hidden treasures. Now go and study.
Friday, May 21, 2010
If These Qualities Are Increasing In You
“Zeal leads to cleanliness, cleanliness to ritual purity, ritual purity to self-control, self-control to holiness, holiness to humility, humility to fear of sin, fear of sin to saintliness, and saintliness to the Holy Spirit.” (Sot. IX:15) (Quoted from Everyman’s Talmud, “Revelation”, page 121)
I know that people are overwhelmed with book opportunities, but one worth considering is Everyman’s Talmud by A. Cohen. This book is stuffed with passages that find strong parallels in the New Testament. Everyman’s Talmud contains many quotes we often hear in the Jewish roots commentary and is written in a topical manner, which is relatively easy to follow given our Greek style of thinking.
One theme that is clearly evident in the book is the availability of the Holy Spirit to all Jewish believers since the days of Moses. Contrary to what I was taught, contrary to the beliefs I have long held, the Jewish Sages clearly understood that the Holy Spirit was available to all who achieved a high level of righteousness through the process described above. The prophets are evidence to this fact. The men who received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost were righteous men, disciples prepared for over three years at the feet of Yeshua to receive the Spirit. When Cornelius and his family received the Holy Spirit, those with Peter were “astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,” (Acts 10:45). The reason for their astonishment, these Gentiles had not gone through the process required to receive the Holy Spirit, namely “cleanliness, ritual purity, self-control, holiness, humility, and saintliness.”
Although Cornelius was considered to be a godly individual, there is no evidence he followed the ritual purity laws. A strong case can be made that Cornelius was not following the ritual purity laws since he was a Roman centurion and Peter needed to receive a vision before entering Cornelius’ home. The fact that the LORD would give the Holy Spirit to people who had not prepared their lives to receive the Spirit seems contrary to the Holiness of the Creator that demands separation from sin.
We should not be surprised that Jewish people receive the Holy Spirit. What should amaze us is that Gentiles, living unprepared lives, also have the opportunity to receive the Spirit. It makes no sense. How is such a thing possible?
“In Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith,” (Gal 3:14).
As has been pointed out in the past by Bryan, the phrase “through faith,” can more correctly be translated from the Greek as “through the faithfulness of Christ.” It is not by our righteous actions, but by the righteousness of Yeshua that a door is opened to receive the great gift of the Spirit. How do we acknowledge such a great gift as this? We live a life worthy of receiving that gift. Listen to the words of Peter and then compare them to the words from the Talmud above.
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness , 7 and in your godliness , brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)
The Talmud (Sot. IX:15) / The New Testament (2 Peter 1:5-8)
Zeal leads to cleanliness / applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence
cleanliness to ritual purity / your moral excellence, knowledge
ritual purity to self-control / in your knowledge, self-control
self-control to holiness / in your self-control, perseverance
holiness to humility / in your perseverance, godliness
humility to fear of sin / in your godliness , brotherly kindness
fear of sin to saintliness / in your brotherly kindness, love
saintliness to the Holy Spirit / For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although the comparison is not identical, the words of Peter have a strong corollary to the Talmud. Diligence (Zeal) leads to moral excellence (cleanliness), leading to knowledge (ritual purity), leading to self control (self control), leading to perseverance and godliness (holiness), leading to brotherly kindness (humility and fear of sin), leading to love (saintliness), leading to the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (Holy Spirit).
I would even go so far as to say that I understand the passage from the Talmud better than the words of Peter because I see more concrete steps of action I am called to take. I have some understanding of the laws of cleanliness and ritual purity because we have studied them. However, I do not know the specific steps that lead to moral excellence. I understand that holiness is sanctification from the worldly nature, but I am not sure if godliness has the same meaning. Even self control is defined by specific actions in Rabbinic thought.
As Teresa and I try to live a more structured life consistent with the Torah, time and experience are beginning to show us the benefit of such a life. For example, I see that the laws of Sabbath and Kosher teach us greater self control, an attribute greatly lacking in our life and in our society as a whole. Self control is one of the first steps on the road to righteousness that leads to the gift of the Holy Spirit. To the level we achieve self control, we exercise authority over the flesh and open the door to the Spirit.
A recent article in the news speaks to the benefits of self control. Raquel Welch, the iconic image of the 1960’s, apparently turned down the opportunity to trump the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill. When asked why she declined the opportunity, she said that the birth control pill taught generations of people that they did no longer needed to exercise self control.
Unlike the birth control pill, the Torah teaches self control and self-control leads to holiness. Holiness leads to righteousness, righteousness opens the door for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In His mercy, the LORD did not require us to achieve a level of righteousness to receive the Spirit, He only required us to accept the faithfulness of the one who went before us who is righteous. We are then called to live as righteous people. If we choose to live worldly lives, we can grieve the Spirit by our actions (Eph 4:30), but righteous living can also open the door for a closer relationship and greater indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Scott
I know that people are overwhelmed with book opportunities, but one worth considering is Everyman’s Talmud by A. Cohen. This book is stuffed with passages that find strong parallels in the New Testament. Everyman’s Talmud contains many quotes we often hear in the Jewish roots commentary and is written in a topical manner, which is relatively easy to follow given our Greek style of thinking.
One theme that is clearly evident in the book is the availability of the Holy Spirit to all Jewish believers since the days of Moses. Contrary to what I was taught, contrary to the beliefs I have long held, the Jewish Sages clearly understood that the Holy Spirit was available to all who achieved a high level of righteousness through the process described above. The prophets are evidence to this fact. The men who received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost were righteous men, disciples prepared for over three years at the feet of Yeshua to receive the Spirit. When Cornelius and his family received the Holy Spirit, those with Peter were “astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,” (Acts 10:45). The reason for their astonishment, these Gentiles had not gone through the process required to receive the Holy Spirit, namely “cleanliness, ritual purity, self-control, holiness, humility, and saintliness.”
Although Cornelius was considered to be a godly individual, there is no evidence he followed the ritual purity laws. A strong case can be made that Cornelius was not following the ritual purity laws since he was a Roman centurion and Peter needed to receive a vision before entering Cornelius’ home. The fact that the LORD would give the Holy Spirit to people who had not prepared their lives to receive the Spirit seems contrary to the Holiness of the Creator that demands separation from sin.
We should not be surprised that Jewish people receive the Holy Spirit. What should amaze us is that Gentiles, living unprepared lives, also have the opportunity to receive the Spirit. It makes no sense. How is such a thing possible?
“In Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith,” (Gal 3:14).
As has been pointed out in the past by Bryan, the phrase “through faith,” can more correctly be translated from the Greek as “through the faithfulness of Christ.” It is not by our righteous actions, but by the righteousness of Yeshua that a door is opened to receive the great gift of the Spirit. How do we acknowledge such a great gift as this? We live a life worthy of receiving that gift. Listen to the words of Peter and then compare them to the words from the Talmud above.
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness , 7 and in your godliness , brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)
The Talmud (Sot. IX:15) / The New Testament (2 Peter 1:5-8)
Zeal leads to cleanliness / applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence
cleanliness to ritual purity / your moral excellence, knowledge
ritual purity to self-control / in your knowledge, self-control
self-control to holiness / in your self-control, perseverance
holiness to humility / in your perseverance, godliness
humility to fear of sin / in your godliness , brotherly kindness
fear of sin to saintliness / in your brotherly kindness, love
saintliness to the Holy Spirit / For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although the comparison is not identical, the words of Peter have a strong corollary to the Talmud. Diligence (Zeal) leads to moral excellence (cleanliness), leading to knowledge (ritual purity), leading to self control (self control), leading to perseverance and godliness (holiness), leading to brotherly kindness (humility and fear of sin), leading to love (saintliness), leading to the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (Holy Spirit).
I would even go so far as to say that I understand the passage from the Talmud better than the words of Peter because I see more concrete steps of action I am called to take. I have some understanding of the laws of cleanliness and ritual purity because we have studied them. However, I do not know the specific steps that lead to moral excellence. I understand that holiness is sanctification from the worldly nature, but I am not sure if godliness has the same meaning. Even self control is defined by specific actions in Rabbinic thought.
As Teresa and I try to live a more structured life consistent with the Torah, time and experience are beginning to show us the benefit of such a life. For example, I see that the laws of Sabbath and Kosher teach us greater self control, an attribute greatly lacking in our life and in our society as a whole. Self control is one of the first steps on the road to righteousness that leads to the gift of the Holy Spirit. To the level we achieve self control, we exercise authority over the flesh and open the door to the Spirit.
A recent article in the news speaks to the benefits of self control. Raquel Welch, the iconic image of the 1960’s, apparently turned down the opportunity to trump the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill. When asked why she declined the opportunity, she said that the birth control pill taught generations of people that they did no longer needed to exercise self control.
Unlike the birth control pill, the Torah teaches self control and self-control leads to holiness. Holiness leads to righteousness, righteousness opens the door for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In His mercy, the LORD did not require us to achieve a level of righteousness to receive the Spirit, He only required us to accept the faithfulness of the one who went before us who is righteous. We are then called to live as righteous people. If we choose to live worldly lives, we can grieve the Spirit by our actions (Eph 4:30), but righteous living can also open the door for a closer relationship and greater indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Scott
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Engraving the Torah
Leviticus 26:3
“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commands and do them…” The Hebrew word for statutes is chukim or chok (singular). Chukim are the commandments in the Torah whose meaning is hidden or those that defy logic. Like not mixing linen and wool, and cooking a kid in its mother’s milk. It is not directly apparent how we benefit from these Divine directives.
But, there is another meaning for chok, one that is very meaningful. Chok also means to engrave. To engrave on your heart. Isn’t that beautiful? The concept of having the Torah engraved on your heart hints to the Shema, serving God with all your heart.
Ezek 36:25-28
25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 "And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
This passage in Ezekiel reminds me that I have a heart that has been harden by sin and the effects of the world. I need to be made pure and have the surface of my heart made clean and ready to receive the engraving.
But doesn’t the Scriptures say the word will be written on our hearts not engraved?
There are differences between engraving and writing. Engraving involves strenuous labor, it is hard work. The effort that it takes to write cannot be compared to the effort necessary to engrave. Writing is much easier and takes less time. When writing, the surface and the ink remain two separate entities. They are distinguishable from one another. When engraving, the writing and the surface are a single entity, inseparable from one another.
I think back to the movie The Ten Commandments. There is Moses up on the mountain, holding the two tablets and this “finger of fire” is engraving the stone tablets with the Ten Words.
Ex 31:18 And when He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God .
And that’s what is happening, El Elyon, God Most High, is engraving Himself on our hearts with His Finger. He is not writing on our hearts with ink but with the fire of His Spirit. It will not be two separate things, but will be one and the same.
Jer 31:31-34 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, "declares the LORD. 33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
This prophesy has not been completely fulfilled. The day has not come when we no longer must teach our neighbor nor has the day come when all men know the Lord. But through Yeshua Messiah, we have a foretaste of this new covenant, a foretaste of the Messianic Age and the World to Come. Through Yeshua, the Living Torah, we have begun the arduous task of having Him engraved on our hearts.
But it’s not easy, we must go against our flesh to mold our character to reflect Him not ourselves. Through our relationship with Messiah, we will not be like paper and ink, two separate entities; we will be a single whole with the Torah. We must abide in Him, for apart from Him, this strenuous task cannot be complete.
Ezek 36:26-28 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. "You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God
Lev 26:3-4 'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.
Lev 26:11-12 'Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 'I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.
With what book do you think Jewish children begin their study of Torah? Genesis right? Well no, actually they begin with Leviticus. Why? You may ask. Why start there and not with creation or Noah or Moses, why Leviticus? They begin with Leviticus in order to learn to walk in God’s and to keep His commandments. And when we learn this, He will dwell with us; He will be our God and we will be His people.
So when we keep a commandment that is not logical, or one in which we can see no benefit or one that goes against our flesh, we are allowing one more letter to be engraved by the Finger of God.
2 Corinthians 3 …written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.
“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commands and do them…” The Hebrew word for statutes is chukim or chok (singular). Chukim are the commandments in the Torah whose meaning is hidden or those that defy logic. Like not mixing linen and wool, and cooking a kid in its mother’s milk. It is not directly apparent how we benefit from these Divine directives.
But, there is another meaning for chok, one that is very meaningful. Chok also means to engrave. To engrave on your heart. Isn’t that beautiful? The concept of having the Torah engraved on your heart hints to the Shema, serving God with all your heart.
Ezek 36:25-28
25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 28 "And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
This passage in Ezekiel reminds me that I have a heart that has been harden by sin and the effects of the world. I need to be made pure and have the surface of my heart made clean and ready to receive the engraving.
But doesn’t the Scriptures say the word will be written on our hearts not engraved?
There are differences between engraving and writing. Engraving involves strenuous labor, it is hard work. The effort that it takes to write cannot be compared to the effort necessary to engrave. Writing is much easier and takes less time. When writing, the surface and the ink remain two separate entities. They are distinguishable from one another. When engraving, the writing and the surface are a single entity, inseparable from one another.
I think back to the movie The Ten Commandments. There is Moses up on the mountain, holding the two tablets and this “finger of fire” is engraving the stone tablets with the Ten Words.
Ex 31:18 And when He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God .
And that’s what is happening, El Elyon, God Most High, is engraving Himself on our hearts with His Finger. He is not writing on our hearts with ink but with the fire of His Spirit. It will not be two separate things, but will be one and the same.
Jer 31:31-34 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, "declares the LORD. 33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 "And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
This prophesy has not been completely fulfilled. The day has not come when we no longer must teach our neighbor nor has the day come when all men know the Lord. But through Yeshua Messiah, we have a foretaste of this new covenant, a foretaste of the Messianic Age and the World to Come. Through Yeshua, the Living Torah, we have begun the arduous task of having Him engraved on our hearts.
But it’s not easy, we must go against our flesh to mold our character to reflect Him not ourselves. Through our relationship with Messiah, we will not be like paper and ink, two separate entities; we will be a single whole with the Torah. We must abide in Him, for apart from Him, this strenuous task cannot be complete.
Ezek 36:26-28 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. "You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God
Lev 26:3-4 'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.
Lev 26:11-12 'Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 'I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.
With what book do you think Jewish children begin their study of Torah? Genesis right? Well no, actually they begin with Leviticus. Why? You may ask. Why start there and not with creation or Noah or Moses, why Leviticus? They begin with Leviticus in order to learn to walk in God’s and to keep His commandments. And when we learn this, He will dwell with us; He will be our God and we will be His people.
So when we keep a commandment that is not logical, or one in which we can see no benefit or one that goes against our flesh, we are allowing one more letter to be engraved by the Finger of God.
2 Corinthians 3 …written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Mercy of God
I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Ex 20:5-6)
There is an ongoing struggle within man between the spirit and the flesh, between the good inclination and the bad inclination, between our desire to do good and our actions which fail to produce our desire. Although we rarely pondered the matter, the scriptures seems to portray a struggle within God between His two natures, justice and mercy. For the Bible tells us that the LORD is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance,” (2 Pet 3:9), and He takes “no pleasure in the death of anyone,” (Ezek 18:32). At the same time, the scriptures tell us “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad,” (2 Cor 5:10).
When you think about it, justice and mercy are opposites. Justice requires payment for a violation of the law, while mercy seeks to delay and even abandon the payment required. God must constantly balance between these two characteristics of His nature without abandoning either. If God were to be only a God of justice, then “who can stand?” (Rev 6:17). Yet if the LORD is only a LORD of mercy, then there would be no fear of judgment. Yeshsua coupled these attributes together when he told the Pharisees, “You have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness,” (Matt 23:23).
As has been so appropriately brought out recently, the name “God” (Elohim in Hebrew) is understood to denote His aspect of judgment and “LORD” (Adonai),” His aspect of mercy. When the phrase “LORD God” is used in scripture, it is to be seen as the totality of the creator simultaneously reflecting both attributes of his divine nature, such as at creation, “the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,” (Gen 2:4). The Talmud reasons this to reflect the thoughts of the creator as follows, “If I create the world only with the attribute of mercy, sins will multiply beyond all bounds; if I create it only with the attribute of justice, how can the world last? Behold, I will create is with both attributes so that it might endure!” (Gen. R. 12:15).
So how does God balance His mercy while maintaining the justice of His nature? According to the Jewish Sages, the mercy of the LORD is 500 times greater than the justice of God. How can such an assertion be made? Listen to the reasoning that comes from Everyman’s Talmud, by Dr. A Cohen:
“This conclusion was deduced form the fact that in connection with punishment God described Himself as ‘visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and four the generation’ (Ex 20:5); but in connection with grace it is said: ‘And showing mercy unto the thousandth generation’ (Ex 20:6). The last phrase is, in the Hebrew, alafim, which is literally “thousands” and must indicate at least two thousand. Retribution, therefore, extends at most to four generations, whereas mercy extends to at least tow thousand generations (Tosifta Sot.IV.I)” (Everyman’s Talmud, page 18).
When I hear of a person who has been convicted of killing another, I am ready to have that person put to death immediately. Yet, when we delay the death for 10-15 years, we show mercy. Maybe in that time evidence will be produced to demonstrate the innocence of the individual or maybe the individual will become repentant saving his soul and making some restitution to the family and the world. To show mercy, even to those who act in the harshest manner toward us is to reflect the nature of God.
So how many times am I supposed to forgive my brother, up to seven times? “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven,” (Matt 18:21). Seventy times seven equals 490, just 10 short of 500. I guess the Jewish Sages were just rounding up. So the question is not do I show mercy in my life, but is my mercy 500 times as great as my judgment?
Scott
There is an ongoing struggle within man between the spirit and the flesh, between the good inclination and the bad inclination, between our desire to do good and our actions which fail to produce our desire. Although we rarely pondered the matter, the scriptures seems to portray a struggle within God between His two natures, justice and mercy. For the Bible tells us that the LORD is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance,” (2 Pet 3:9), and He takes “no pleasure in the death of anyone,” (Ezek 18:32). At the same time, the scriptures tell us “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad,” (2 Cor 5:10).
When you think about it, justice and mercy are opposites. Justice requires payment for a violation of the law, while mercy seeks to delay and even abandon the payment required. God must constantly balance between these two characteristics of His nature without abandoning either. If God were to be only a God of justice, then “who can stand?” (Rev 6:17). Yet if the LORD is only a LORD of mercy, then there would be no fear of judgment. Yeshsua coupled these attributes together when he told the Pharisees, “You have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness,” (Matt 23:23).
As has been so appropriately brought out recently, the name “God” (Elohim in Hebrew) is understood to denote His aspect of judgment and “LORD” (Adonai),” His aspect of mercy. When the phrase “LORD God” is used in scripture, it is to be seen as the totality of the creator simultaneously reflecting both attributes of his divine nature, such as at creation, “the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,” (Gen 2:4). The Talmud reasons this to reflect the thoughts of the creator as follows, “If I create the world only with the attribute of mercy, sins will multiply beyond all bounds; if I create it only with the attribute of justice, how can the world last? Behold, I will create is with both attributes so that it might endure!” (Gen. R. 12:15).
So how does God balance His mercy while maintaining the justice of His nature? According to the Jewish Sages, the mercy of the LORD is 500 times greater than the justice of God. How can such an assertion be made? Listen to the reasoning that comes from Everyman’s Talmud, by Dr. A Cohen:
“This conclusion was deduced form the fact that in connection with punishment God described Himself as ‘visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and four the generation’ (Ex 20:5); but in connection with grace it is said: ‘And showing mercy unto the thousandth generation’ (Ex 20:6). The last phrase is, in the Hebrew, alafim, which is literally “thousands” and must indicate at least two thousand. Retribution, therefore, extends at most to four generations, whereas mercy extends to at least tow thousand generations (Tosifta Sot.IV.I)” (Everyman’s Talmud, page 18).
When I hear of a person who has been convicted of killing another, I am ready to have that person put to death immediately. Yet, when we delay the death for 10-15 years, we show mercy. Maybe in that time evidence will be produced to demonstrate the innocence of the individual or maybe the individual will become repentant saving his soul and making some restitution to the family and the world. To show mercy, even to those who act in the harshest manner toward us is to reflect the nature of God.
So how many times am I supposed to forgive my brother, up to seven times? “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven,” (Matt 18:21). Seventy times seven equals 490, just 10 short of 500. I guess the Jewish Sages were just rounding up. So the question is not do I show mercy in my life, but is my mercy 500 times as great as my judgment?
Scott
Friday, April 2, 2010
On This Very Day
“Then the LORD said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years,” (Gen 15:13).
“The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:40-41)
“And God spoke to this effect-that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years,” (Acts 7:6).
So how long were the people of Israel in Egypt, 400 years or 430 years? If 430 years, was the LORD just approximating when He told Abraham that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land for 400 years? To further complicate the matter, the LORD told Abraham that his descendants would come out of Egypt and return to Israel, “in the fourth generation,” (Gen 15:16). When we reconstruct the lineage of Moses, Levy to Kohath (Ex 6:16), Kohath to Amram (Ex 6:18), and then Amran to Moses (Ex 6:20); we verify that only four generations lived in Egypt. Yet, the sum of ages of from these generations do not add up to even 400 years. Kohath was already alive when Israel journeyed to Egypt (Gen 46:11), but adding the entire age of Kohath’s life (133 years-Ex 6:18), Amram’s life (137 years-Ex 6:20), and the age of Moses at the time of the exodus (80 years old), we only reach 350 years. So what is wrong, the prophecy or our math? According to the Jewish Sages, neither.
All my life, I thought that the people of Israel lived in Egypt for 400 years, or maybe 430 years. The Rabbis understood this paradox and developed a different understanding of the passage in Genesis, “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them 400 years,” (Gen 15:13, KJV). The Rabbis concluded that the “seed” began with the birth of Isaac and not the entry of Israel into Egypt. After all, Abraham was already a sojourner and foreigner (Gen 23:4) so Isaac was also at his birth. Therefore, the 400 years began with the birth of Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old.
So how do we get from 400 to 430 years? The extra thirty years was seen as the difference in time from when Abraham received the promise until Isaac was born. This concept of the Pharisees is reflected in the words of Paul, who said…
“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect,” (Gal 3:16-17)
Now Isaac was sixty years old when Rachel bore Jacob (Gen 25:26) and Jacob was 130 years old when he entered Egypt (Gen 47:9). Therefore, the time that Israel was in Egypt was closer to 210 years (400-190). Since Moses was eighty years old when he led the people out of Egypt, the time in Egypt before Moses’ birth was approximately 130 years. This period becomes a much more manageable timeframe between Moses and his grandfather.
There is one more interesting twist to the story. The people left Egypt, “At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:40-41), but what day is “that very day?” According to Moses, “that very day” is the 15th of Nisan, as is written, “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your host out of the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:17).
Yet, the wording of the passage implies that the conclusion of the 430 years ended on the exact same day that the 430-year time period began. The NKJV states it this way, “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years – on that very same day,” (Gen 12:41). If the beginning was the same day as the ending, the beginning would occur on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as it is written, “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your host out of the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:17).
Further, Isaac was born as the son of the promise (Gal 4:23), born “at the appointed time,” (Gen 21:2). “Appointed time” is translated from the Hebrew word “moed,” which is a reference to one of the seven feast times of the LORD, but which specific feast? Because the birth of Isaac is closely associated with the promise, the most likely “appointed time,” is Unleavened Bread, the date on which the original promise was given. So it is possible that the giving of the promise, the birth of Isaac, and the Exodus from Egypt all occurred on the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The giving of the promise is described this way in scripture, “Now it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there was a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram,” (Gen 15:17-18). If this describes the day of the promise, what happened in preparation for the covenant on the day before the sun went down?
“So He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in tow, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two,” (Gen 15:9-10). The day before Unleavened Bread is called Passover. So according to the Sages, almost 2000 years before Yeshua died on the cross, Abram prepared a blood path to enter into a covenant with the LORD, most likely, “on that very same day.” So the preparation of the animals, the last plague in Egypt, and the sacrifice of Yeshua all occur on the same day, with salvation following in the morning.
Hope this makes sense. The source for this is lesson 17 of Dan Lancaster's Galatians series.
Scott
“The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:40-41)
“And God spoke to this effect-that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years,” (Acts 7:6).
So how long were the people of Israel in Egypt, 400 years or 430 years? If 430 years, was the LORD just approximating when He told Abraham that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land for 400 years? To further complicate the matter, the LORD told Abraham that his descendants would come out of Egypt and return to Israel, “in the fourth generation,” (Gen 15:16). When we reconstruct the lineage of Moses, Levy to Kohath (Ex 6:16), Kohath to Amram (Ex 6:18), and then Amran to Moses (Ex 6:20); we verify that only four generations lived in Egypt. Yet, the sum of ages of from these generations do not add up to even 400 years. Kohath was already alive when Israel journeyed to Egypt (Gen 46:11), but adding the entire age of Kohath’s life (133 years-Ex 6:18), Amram’s life (137 years-Ex 6:20), and the age of Moses at the time of the exodus (80 years old), we only reach 350 years. So what is wrong, the prophecy or our math? According to the Jewish Sages, neither.
All my life, I thought that the people of Israel lived in Egypt for 400 years, or maybe 430 years. The Rabbis understood this paradox and developed a different understanding of the passage in Genesis, “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them 400 years,” (Gen 15:13, KJV). The Rabbis concluded that the “seed” began with the birth of Isaac and not the entry of Israel into Egypt. After all, Abraham was already a sojourner and foreigner (Gen 23:4) so Isaac was also at his birth. Therefore, the 400 years began with the birth of Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old.
So how do we get from 400 to 430 years? The extra thirty years was seen as the difference in time from when Abraham received the promise until Isaac was born. This concept of the Pharisees is reflected in the words of Paul, who said…
“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect,” (Gal 3:16-17)
Now Isaac was sixty years old when Rachel bore Jacob (Gen 25:26) and Jacob was 130 years old when he entered Egypt (Gen 47:9). Therefore, the time that Israel was in Egypt was closer to 210 years (400-190). Since Moses was eighty years old when he led the people out of Egypt, the time in Egypt before Moses’ birth was approximately 130 years. This period becomes a much more manageable timeframe between Moses and his grandfather.
There is one more interesting twist to the story. The people left Egypt, “At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:40-41), but what day is “that very day?” According to Moses, “that very day” is the 15th of Nisan, as is written, “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your host out of the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:17).
Yet, the wording of the passage implies that the conclusion of the 430 years ended on the exact same day that the 430-year time period began. The NKJV states it this way, “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years – on that very same day,” (Gen 12:41). If the beginning was the same day as the ending, the beginning would occur on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as it is written, “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your host out of the land of Egypt,” (Ex 12:17).
Further, Isaac was born as the son of the promise (Gal 4:23), born “at the appointed time,” (Gen 21:2). “Appointed time” is translated from the Hebrew word “moed,” which is a reference to one of the seven feast times of the LORD, but which specific feast? Because the birth of Isaac is closely associated with the promise, the most likely “appointed time,” is Unleavened Bread, the date on which the original promise was given. So it is possible that the giving of the promise, the birth of Isaac, and the Exodus from Egypt all occurred on the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The giving of the promise is described this way in scripture, “Now it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there was a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram,” (Gen 15:17-18). If this describes the day of the promise, what happened in preparation for the covenant on the day before the sun went down?
“So He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in tow, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two,” (Gen 15:9-10). The day before Unleavened Bread is called Passover. So according to the Sages, almost 2000 years before Yeshua died on the cross, Abram prepared a blood path to enter into a covenant with the LORD, most likely, “on that very same day.” So the preparation of the animals, the last plague in Egypt, and the sacrifice of Yeshua all occur on the same day, with salvation following in the morning.
Hope this makes sense. The source for this is lesson 17 of Dan Lancaster's Galatians series.
Scott
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