Isaiah 53 Man of sorrows

 

The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isaiah 53

This is my final post in this Advent Series. And what a great chapter it is! Isaiah 53 is quoted three times in the New Testament. The entire chapter is speaking about the servant of the LORD, Messiah. It’s theme actually begins in chapter 52

52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

my servant shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high – The Jews of old said: exalted above Abraham, extolled above Moses, very high – higher than the angels.*

his visage was so marred – this leads us to ch 53, The Suffering Servant

53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

King Messiah, a suffering servant of the LORD? Who has believed our report?

2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

"He hath no form, nor any beauty, that we should regard him; nor is his countenance such that we should desire him." (Septuagint, Symmachus)

He was not one of the beautiful people.

3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Messiah. Despised, rejected, and esteemed not.

Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief – sorrows and grief, these two words occur again in v 4. In Hebrew the words are even stronger: sorrows - pain, both physical and mental; sorrow; grief - sickness, disease. As the Tanakh (modern Jewish translation) puts it, “a man of suffering, familiar with disease.” More on this in v 4

He was despised and we esteemed him not – Jesus was and still is utterly despised by many.

4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

As full of grace as this verse is, the literal translation of griefs and sorrows is even more powerful.

"Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains -- he hath carried them." (Young's Literal Translation)

"Yet it was our sickness that he was bearing, Our suffering that he endured." (Tanakh)

"Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (Matthew 8:17)

Sickness, disease, infirmity, pain, sorrow, grief, all are the fruit of sin - they are not part of the original creation. I’m not saying each and every time I get sick it is because of a particular sin I’ve committed; but I am saying that all these things are because sin is in the world. This is all traceable to the fall, when Adam ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Jesus suffered, bore our sicknesses and pains that we might be healed.

5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

He suffered for our sin: Wounded for us, bruised for us, chastised for us.

With his stripes we are healed – Hallelujah! Healed of sin; healed of sickness and disease; healed of death.

6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

This is why it was necessary for Christ to suffer – we have all gone astray, we have all sinned. Here is the essence of sin, turned every one to his own way.

The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all – As Peter puts it, Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree… by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Pet 2:24)

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

He was despised, rejected, and abused. Why? For the transgression of my people was he stricken. There is no salvation without the cross.

10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Christ was bruised, he was made sick, he was an offering for sin.

11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied - What a verse! Bless the LORD, O my soul! The Father is satisfied. I can be right with God by believing in Jesus Christ, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Rom 4:25)

12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great – Christ was raised him from the dead and exalted at the right hand of God because

He poured out his soul unto death, was numbered with the transgressors, bore the sin of many, made intercession for the transgressors – Yes, it was necessary for Christ to suffer, he willingly died on the cross, bearing our sin and shame, that our sins might be forgiven and we might be restored to God.

Therefore my righteous servant shall justify many (v 11) – Oh, the suffering servant of the LORD has become His righteous servant, the one who makes us right with God, because he bore our iniquities! Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. (1Pet 3:18)

You see how it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead? “And the Christ is this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.” (Acts 17:2)

As we celebrate Christmas, let's remember that the Son of God became a man so that he could suffer for us, die on the cross for us, shed his blood that we might be redeemed, forgiven, restored to God.

Have you believed in Jesus?

 

 

 

* Who art thou, O great Mountain? (Zech. iv. 7.) This refers to the King Messiah. And why does he call him ‘the great mountain?’ because he is greater than the patriarchs, as it is said, ‘My servant shall be high, and lifted up, and lofty exceedingly’–he will be higher than Abraham, who says, ‘I raise high my hands unto the Lord’ (Gen. xiv. 22); lifted up above Moses, to whom it is said, ‘Lift it up into they bosom’ (Num. xi. 12); loftier than the ministering angels of whom it is written, ‘Their wheels were lofty and terrible’ (Ez. i. 18). And out of whom does he come forth? Out of David. (Yalqut) you can read the article here

 

 

Psalm 22 The Jesus Generation

. . .  to Psalm 22. Actually, I include the entire Psalm in my post, so just read on!

22:1  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Jesus cried out these very words from the cross. Our sin caused a cloud to pass between he and the Father, as he tasted death for us: physical, spiritual, eternal death.

22:2  O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

This is spiritual suffering.

22:3  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Wonderful and powerful truth! God inhabits our praise!! Praise him!

22:4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
22:5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

I am a reproach of men, and despised of the people. A man of sorrows. People despise and mock Jesus, the One who died for them that they might live.

22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

Crucifixion was a slow, painful, public death. While Jesus was on the cross they mocked him, scorned him, laughed at him, using these very words (Matt 27:39-43; Mark 15:29-32)

So many laughing at Jesus
While the funniest thing that he's done
Is love this whole stubborn rebellious world
While their hate for him just goes on
(How Can They Live Without Jesus; Keith Green; 1978)

22:9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
22:10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
22:11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

Even when he seemed abandoned by his Father, he continued to trust him.

Thou art my God from my mother’s belly – all the phrases in v 9-10 speak of the trust Christ had in his Father. I think they also say a lot about the ability of infants and children to believe in the Lord.

Verses 12-21 speak in detail the suffering of Christ on the tree. The suffering? He is painfully dying before their eyes.

22:12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
22:13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
22:19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

Bulls, dogs, wicked - all refer to those who condemned him, crucified him, and then stood around and gleefully watched his life ebb away. Add to this the wicked delight of the demonic world, who thought they had won. "It may seem like Friday night, but Sunday's on the way." (Carman)

They part my garments – Oh the humiliation of hanging on the cross naked. Why did he suffer so? For me; for you; it was necessary for our salvation.

Deliver my soul…save me – Thus he called out to his Father, yet he died and was buried. Did the Father completely abandon him. He bore our sin. Was our sin so great that there is no hope for salvation? No. Praise God, No!

Verses 1-21 are the sufferings of Christ; v 22-31 is the glory that should follow.

22:22  I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

He is risen! In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (Heb 2:12)

22:23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
22:24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
22:25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

He is risen indeed!

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation – When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (2 Thess 1:10)

22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
22:29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

Christ is Lord and King, his gospel shall go to all the ends of the world, and a great multitude, which no man can number, shall turn to him. 

He is the governor among the nations - this is his kingdom on the earth; the millennium. 

22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
22:31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

The seed is the Church, believers in Jesus Christ, us. We are the people that shall be born. We are the generation that belongs to the risen Lord. The Jesus Generation!

This is why it was necessary for Christ to suffer, that we might be reconciled to God. Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!

Sacrifice & Offering in the New Testament

 

....go!

All the sacrifices of the Old Testament were types or pictures of the sacrifice God himself would prepare - his only begotten Son, the lamb of God. They are all fulfilled in his suffering on the cross, yet the words sacrifice and offering appear many times in the New Testament.

Christ a sacrifice for us

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Jesus gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for our sins. It is said twice that He only offered one offering for sins (Heb 10:12, 14); three times once (Heb 7:27; 9:26; 10:0). That word once means once for all time, never to be repeated. His one sacrifice was sufficient to put away sin, make atonement, and redeem us. 

This is only a list of the times the words sacrifice and offering are used, the idea of Christ as a sacrifice for us and redemption through his blood runs throughout the New Testament. It would be a profitable study to go through the New Testament and see all that it says about the precious blood of Christ.

Sacrifices we offer to God

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Philippians 2:17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Philippians 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

The apostles used the words sacrifice and offering to describe our worship. While Jesus actually died for us on the cross, our sacrifices in worship are spiritual, not literal: we offer our bodies to the Lord, we are poured out in service to others, we offer the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Peter paints the best picture of this: the church is now the temple or dwelling place of God on earth and we individually are living stones in this spiritual house - we are the temple of God. We are also the new priesthood, every one of us a priest, and as priests we offer up to God spiritual sacrifices. And the best news? Our worship and sacrifices are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ! 

Worship is definitely not entertainment, nor is it merely singing songs. It is offering thanksgiving and praise to God; it is presenting our bodies, ourselves, to God, to live for him and serve him. It is also prayer - as priests standing in the gap, interceding for loved ones, for the lost, for our community, and so much more. This should be done as part of the worship of the whole church, but if our church does not have such a prayer time, we can and should be doing this priestly work ourselves during the worship service. Come, let us be poured out as a drink offering.

The Principle

 

Acts 17:2-3 (NCB) Following his usual practice, Paul went in, and for three Sabbaths he argued with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead. “And the Christ,” he said, “is this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.”

Taking my cue from Paul's sermon in Acts 17, "it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead" I am doing The Scarlet Thread of Redemption for Advent. This thread runs throughout the Old Testament and I've chosen four which highlight why it was necessary for the Christ to suffer. Today I am considering Leviticus 17:11 which sets forth The Principle Of Atonement By The Blood.

Leviticus 17 presents many instructions and prohibitions concerning blood, including these:

17:6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

They were forbidden to eat (drink) the blood because (1) the life of all flesh is in the blood and (2) I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls.

People offered sacrifices throughout the Old Testament, and the Law sets forth many and various sacrifices: the burnt offering, the grain offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, morning and evening sacrifice. What is the significance of a sacrifice?

An animal is slain, and the blood is poured out on the altar. An innocent life is offered in the place of the one who sinned. Why? The wages of sin is death. Sin is a serious thing. God in his grace and mercy offered a way of redemption - the blood of the sacrifice, a life in the stead of mine. 

BUT, it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Heb 10:4) Why?

“The blood of beasts could not cleanse souls from sin. It is no wonder that the ancient sacrifices were insufficient, so that they were to be offered continually, for they had nothing in them but the blood of beasts, which could not reach the conscience; but far otherwise is the power of Christ’s blood.” (John Calvin)

Paul then goes on to explain, quoting the Spirit of Christ speaking in Psalm 40:6-8:

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come -- In the volume of the book it is written of Me -- To do Your will, O God.' "

Burnt offerings and sacrifices of animals were not sufficient to atone for our souls, so the Son of God became a man, that he might offer himself as the sacrifice for our sins. This was the will of God, the plan and purpose of God.

10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

He is the perfect sacrifice. All the sacrifices of the Old Testament were types of the sacrifice God himself would prepare, his only begotten Son, the lamb of God. They are all fulfilled in his suffering on the cross.

Hebrews 7:25-27
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9:11-14
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

It was indeed necessary for Christ to suffer. The Son of God became a man, that he might offer his blood as a sacrifice for us, to make atonement for our sin. Salvation is through Jesus Christ, through the blood of the cross.

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 

from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood 

of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Passover part 2 or Take, eat; this is my body

 

Take, eat; this is my body

This is how I concluded my last post, Passover (first post in The Scarlet Thread series):

At that first Passover a male lamb without blemish was chosen, they sacrificed it, applied the blood to the door, then ate it. Christ is our Passover lamb: we trust in the blood, then we eat the lamb. What? How?

Ha! An unresolved, ambiguous ending! Well, let me clear things up. 

I believe we eat the lamb through the Lord’s Supper or Communion. In John 6:53-56 we read: Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Am I being literal? Was Jesus? Of course not! This is spiritual. Nevertheless, he spoke of eating his flesh and drinking his blood. I believe Jesus had the Lord’s Supper in mind, as did John who wrote the gospel, and the early Christians who first read this.

I realize there are those who object to this interpretation. Among the other things they say is, The Lord’s Supper had not been instituted yet. Well, that’s true; but what’s the first thing everybody says who comments on this passage? “This does not refer to the Lord’s Supper…” Why is that necessary? Because everything about it sounds like the Supper. I believe one of the reasons Jesus said these things was in anticipation of the Supper he was soon to introduce. We have a deeply personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, one that is pictured in and sustained by the Supper.

At the last supper, when the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper, we read: And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28)

Is it a mere coincidence that Jesus spoke of eating his flesh and drinking his blood and then established a memorial meal in which we eat bread and drink wine, saying it was his body and blood? I don’t think so.

Ah, now we come to the heart of the matter – am I saying that the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of Christ? That if done correctly they literally change into, are transformed into, the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ? No. But I am declaring that the Lord is present in the Supper, in the elements of the Supper. By the promise of his Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, through faith we partake of the body and blood of Christ.

I used to believe that the Supper was merely a memorial meal, in which we simply remembered Christ and his death on the cross for us. Then I read something in the Bible that caused me to change my mind. Something the apostle Paul wrote:

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16)

What got me was that word communion. The Greek word is koinonia. Yes, same word that is sometimes translated fellowship. Koinonia means participation in, partaking of. I have fellowship with another believer because we share the same faith, we participate in the same life of Christ, we partake of the same joys, victories, trials, and sufferings.

In the same way we have communion with the body and blood of Christ. We eat the break and drink the cup and participate in the body and blood of Christ, the grace and blessings secured by them. We partake of the body and blood of Christ. Again, how? By the Word, the Spirit, and our faith.

Here's the prayer that is prayed before the Eucharist in Anglican churches (Anglican Church of North America; Book of Common Prayer): 

"We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts [bread and wine].

Sanctify them by your Word and Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Sanctify us also, that we may worthily receive this holy Sacrament, and be made one body with him, that he may dwell in us and we in him."

Amen!

And the elements are served with these words:

"The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. 

The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation."

How powerful and personal this is!

The lamb was sacrificed. The Blood was applied to the door. They ate the lamb.

Amen!

The Passover

 

The Passover Exodus 12

In Genesis 46, Jacob took his family down into Egypt. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls... And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. (Exodus 1:5-8) So here was Israel, enslaved in Egypt, when God sent Moses with a message for Pharaoh, Let my people go. When Pharaoh refused, God sent the 10 plagues upon Egypt. Exodus 12 tells us of the last plague, death of the firstborn, and the institution of Passover.

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

This first month is the month Abib. On the tenth day every house was to choose a lamb and set it apart, making sure it was without blemish.

6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

On the 14^th day of the month they were to kill the lamb, sacrifice it...

7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Then they were to take the blood and put it on the door frame...

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.

Then they were to eat the lamb, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Eat it fully dressed and in haste. Why do all this?

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

According to v 11, it was the LORD’s passover. The blood on the door was not for the neighbors, it was for the LORD. The important thing was that the LORD saw the blood. He explains in v 12 & 13:

I will pass through the land of Egypt and smite all the firstborn (this and the other 9 plagues were judgment on the gods of Egypt). And when I see the blood, I will pass over you. They were redeemed by the blood of the lamb!

The LORD instituted Passover as an annual feast to remind Israel that they were redeemed from their bondage in Egypt by the right hand of God. The unleavened bread reminded them they had no time to prepare proper bread, they ate in haste; the bitter herbs/vegetables reminded them their life in Egypt was bitter, was bondage, was a life of slavery. They were redeemed. Passover commemorates the greatest work of God in the Old Testament.

While the feasts of the LORD looked back at his great works for them in the past, they were also prophetic, looking forward to the even greater redemption through the promised Messiah. Speaking by the Holy Spirit, the apostle tells us in 1 Corinthians 5:7, For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. The wonderful feast of Passover is a type, a foreshadowing, of Christ, a picture of his suffering for us.

A male lamb without blemish was chosen and set apart – Christ, the lamb of God, was holy, harmless [without guile or fraud, harmless, free from guilt], undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7:26); and he through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God (Hebrews 9:14)

The blood was applied to the door – they literally took blood and placed it on the door posts and lintel. This was done by faith. God had promised them, When I see the blood, I will pass over you; they had never seen anything like that before. Those who believed the promise applied the blood, those who applied the blood were spared. What a beautiful picture! We do this spiritually when we believe in Christ. And through our faith in Christ we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:19) 

You see how it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and  rise from the dead?

They ate the lamb – This is very interesting, very personal. They sacrificed the lamb, applied the blood to the door, then ate it. Christ is our Passover lamb. We trust in the blood, then we eat the lamb. What? How?

A lesson in faith

 

Sunday morning one of our pastors preached an encouraging message from Mark 10:46-52 on blind Bartimaeus. In May of this year I did a series on The Kingdom Principle of Faith; since the Lord told Bartimaeus, Thy faith hath made thee whole, I thought about this kingdom principle and the lesson in faith we find in this passage.

46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth – How do we get faith? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17) Bartimaeus heard the excited crowd, he heard that it was Jesus coming his way, and he no doubt had heard of the great things Jesus had been doing. Why, in ch 8 he had healed another blind man. True, it was way up north in Bethsaida, but by the time Jesus got down to Jericho, I’m pretty sure news of that had made its way down south.

Jesus, Son of David – based on what he had heard about Jesus, he believed him to be the Son of David, the promised Messiah.

Have mercy on me – he believes Jesus is the Messiah, the One who has authority to have mercy on him, has been commissioned to have mercy on him, the One who has the power to have mercy on him. Have mercy on me is a very general prayer request. We’ll come back to this.

48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Son of David, have mercy on me. 

Many charged him that he should hold his peace – When we tell people that we are asking God for great things, there are many who try to silence us, try to dissuade us. This is a real battle. Here I am believing God for great mercy and those around me are shushing me. And this man is in need of great grace – he has nothing, needs everything!

But he cried the more – What faith! The multitude is shushing him, “You’re a nobody, man, don’t bother this important person”; “You’re just a blind beggar, you’re not worthy of his attention”; “You’re blind! Your problem is too big, nothing can be done for you”. But he wasn’t deterred, Jesus, I need you! have mercy on me! He had persevering faith.

49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 

Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called - He was going to pray until something happened. And it did! As long as Jesus is passing by, I will see no mercy. But, when I have faith I get his attention.

50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? – In v 47 he cried, Have mercy on me and I said that was a very general request. He needed everything. This is the way the Lord works, he draws us out until we have a specific request. We say, Help me; he says, What exactly do you want me to do? This is true for me personally, as well as for those I am praying for, whether individuals or groups. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought (Rom 8:26) Prayer often takes time. Here in Mark 10, he prayed in verses 46, 47, 48, 49. Oftentimes we find ourselves praying longer than four verses. Don’t quit, keep praying and waiting on the Lord. The Holy Spirit will help us refine our request from Have mercy on me to I ask thee for this specific thing.

The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight – The Lord has drawn him out and here it is, “I want to receive my sight.” The Lord is pleased when our prayer requests are specific.

52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Go thy way; thy faith hath me thee whole – this is amazing! He believed Jesus was the One who could help him; by that faith he asked for help; he persevered in faith and prayer; he presented a specific request. and it was a huge request – My sight!!!

Immediately he received his sight – this is a miracle!

(Hath made thee whole – this is a whole other post!)

And followed Jesus in the way – Mary pointed this out to me as we were talking about this at home. This is the full picture of faith: He believed Jesus was the Messiah, the One who came with mercy and blessings; he asked for mercy; he kept on asking until he got His attention; he asked for a specific blessing; upon receiving the mercy he asked for, he became a follower of Jesus. Truly a lesson in faith!

Hosea 14

 

Hosea 14

I think this is the best chapter in Hosea, and one of my favorite chapters in the Old Testament. After so many words of judgment, the book ends on God’s amazing grace. The entire chapter is devoted to God’s grace.

14:1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
14:2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
14:3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God - Come back. Come home.

Take with you words – There are those who say it is wrong or unspiritual to pray a printed prayer (you know, read a prayer), that every prayer should be extemporaneous (or made up on the spot). Yet here God gives them 51 words to pray (48 if you don’t count the ones in italics!). They could copy them down, take them home, and read them, out loud, as a prayer to God. And if they prayed the prayer he gave them, he would accept it. It's not whether you read a prayer, or make it up yourself, it's your heart. Genuine prayer begins in the heart. You can make up a beautiful sounding prayer, but if it didn't come from the heart it's a sham. You can read a written prayer, or recite it from memory, if it is coming from your heart it is accepted by the Lord. For example:

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will to men.
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee, we glorify thee
we give thanks to thee for thy great glory
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.* 

The whole prayer is beautiful and your heart rises up in worship and adoration.

Now, back to the prayer in Hosea 14. It includes

confession of sin – take away all iniquity

plea for acceptance – receive us graciously

commitment – we will render (offer) the calves of our lips

repentance – we turn from Asshur and horses, and from our idols

This is a complete prayer, a complete turning to the LORD!

But, is there hope? Is there a chance God will hear? Yes!

14:4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
14:5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
14:6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
14:7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

O how God will respond!

I will heal their backsliding
I will love them freely
I will be as the dew unto Israel

Turn unto me and I will turn unto you. Next, we read the results of His work of grace:

he shall grow as the lily
and cast forth his roots as Lebanon
His branches shall spread
his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon
They that dwell under his shadow shall return
they shall revive as the corn
and grow as the vine (whose aroma will be as the wine of Lebanon)

When God saves the lost or restores the backslider, it is a complete work, from death to life. Hallelujah!

14:8  Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

Ephraim’s repentance will be a genuine turning away from the idols that have plagued him.

The Jewish Tanakh translate this, “Ephraim shall say: ‘What more have I to do with idols? When I respond and look to Him, I become like a verdant cypress.’ Your fruit is provided by Me.” 

This is repentance and restoration!

14:9  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Do we understand these things? There is a day of judgment coming, and all who die separated from God and His Christ face an eternity separated from him. But whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you’ve done, turn to Jesus Christ, believe he is the Son of God who died for you and rose again, trust him to save you; and He will!

Perhaps you believed in Christ and were baptized some time ago, but you have backslidden, slipped back into your old ways, fallen back into sin. O return unto the Lord. He will accept you, heal you, restore you. Come home!

This is the end of Hosea. We have seen the holiness and righteousness of God, the mercy and love of God. We've seen the awfulness of sin and the judgment of God. We've also seen the heart of God; the many promises of restoration; the faithfulness of God. The LORD God of Israel is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our God.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

(Romans 11:33-36)

 

* Beginning of The Gloria In Excelsis; Book of Common Prayer 

Hosea 13

 

Hosea 13

This chapter contains a most amazing promise of grace and power!

13:1 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.
13:2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.
13:3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

Idolatry. It began with Baal, then they multiplied their images.

as the morning Cloud - as the early Dew - as the Chaff - as the Smoke - "Four things, most easy to be driven about and dissipated, are employed here to show how they should be scattered among the nations." (Adam Clarke)

13:4  Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

“I am Yahweh, thy God since you were in Egypt. I am the only Saviour; your only hope.”

13:5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
13:6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.

“I knew you in the wilderness, when you had nothing, and took care of you. I brought you into a land flowing with milk and honey. Then, when you were filled with everything I promised, your heart was exalted and you forgot me.” This is sad - they were so full of the blessings they forgot the Blessor.

13:7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:
13:8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

“I was for you, now I will be against you.” 

13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
13:10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
13:11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.
13:12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.
13:13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help - They are hell-bent for leather to forget and forsake YHWH, yet he is willing to help them – in me is thine help; I will be thy king; is there any other that may save thee?

There is no other that can save them; he is their only help; he is their lifeline; they are actively rejecting him, yet he is still willing to save them!

Save is the root word for Hosea. God sent them a prophet whose very name reminds them He wants to save them!! O the grace and love of God!

13:14  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave - They are now lost as to the purpose for which they were made, for which God had wrought so many miracles for them and for their ancestors; but the gracious purpose of God shall not be utterly defeated. He will bring them out of the grave, and ransom them from death; for as they have deserved death and a disgraceful burial, they must be redeemed and ransomed from it. And who can do this but God himself? And he promises to do it!

O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. Paul quotes this verse in 1 Corinthians 15, that great chapter on the resurrection. (He combines Isa 25:8 and Hosea 13:14):

1 Corinthians 15:54-55
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The reason Paul’s quotation looks slightly different than what we see in our English Bible is Paul was quoting a version of the Septuagint (preserved in the Peshita*):

Hosea 13:14 Where is now your victory, Death? Or where is your sting Shyol? [Sheol, grave]

Death has been swallowed up by the resurrection of Christ! For since by one man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead. On the day of resurrection, when Christ returns in glory, we who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ will sing, "Death is swallowed up in victory! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes - "On these points I will not change my purpose." This is the meaning of repentance when attributed to God.

Why does the LORD insert the promise of resurrection from the dead? Could it be because this is when the promised salvation of Israel takes place? And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Romans 11:26)

"The apostle supports what he says with a quotation from Scripture, Isa 59:20: And the deliverer shall come for Sion's sake, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. (LXX) Now this cannot be understood of the manifestation of Christ among the Jews; or of the multitudes which were converted before, at, and for some time after, the day of Pentecost; for these times were all past when the apostle wrote this epistle; and, as no remarkable conversion of that people has since taken place, therefore the fulfillment of this prophecy is yet to take place." (Adam Clarke)

I am inclined to think this is true, but the Lord also has the habit of reminding us of the great blessings that will be ours when Christ returns in order to strengthen us for our trials and tribulations. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Rom 8:22-23; see v 18-25) I know this.

13:15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
13:16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch ... there are still hard days ahead for Israel.

Some golden daybreak, Jesus will come
Some golden daybreak, battles all won
He'll shout the vic'try, break thro' the blue
Some golden daybreak, for me, for you
(Carl A. Blackmore, 1934)



* Our English Bibles are translated from Hebrew.

The Septuagint or LXX is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, made by the Jews in Alexandria, Egypt

The Peshitta is the Syriac or Aramaic version of the Bible. It is an ancient translation of the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament.

The Septuagint is the oldest translation of the Old Testament (made about 300 years before Christ), followed by the Peshita (1st century AD), then the Latin translations.