Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve

Nahum & Habakkuk

Nahum
The book of Nahum is a prophecy of the judgement of God against Nineveh and Assyria. It is a good book, but I don’t see anything about Messiah.

Habakkuk
Habakkuk ministered shortly before the Babylonian captivity. This is an interesting book

1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

In the context of Habakkuk, God is speaking of what he will do in Judah through the Babylonians. And Habakkuk actually stumbles over this himself.

Paul quotes this in his sermon in Acts 13 (v 40-41) and says it applies to Christ:

Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;  Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

If you wonder why Paul’s quote is different than ours above it is because he is quoting from the Septuagint (or LXX; Greek version of the Old Testament):

Behold, ye despisers, and look, and wonder marvelously, and vanish: for I work a work in your days, which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you.

Paul uses this passage as the conclusion of his sermon. And in this sermon he makes no reference to Babylon. So, what is the work which Paul says God will do that they will not believe? As Paul said just before his quote, Acts 13:37-39

But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

It would appear that while Habakkuk is referring to the Babylonians, this verse finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ


Habakkuk was distressed by this revelation from God (regarding Babylon), so he decided to wait upon God for understanding. And God spoke again:

2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

2  And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4  Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Let me provide the Septuagint for this passage also. As we shall see it is relevant:

2 And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision, and plainly on a tablet, that he that reads it may run.
3 For the vision is yet for a time, and it shall shoot forth at the end, and not in vain: though he should tarry, wait for him; for he will surely come, and will not tarry.
4 If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him: but the just shall live by my faith.

If fulfilled is the theme of the New Testament (see here) the just shall live by faith is the foundation of the gospel! Paul quotes this verse three times in the New Testament:

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

All four times this phrase occurs in the Bible it is translated, the just shall live by faith. When I read this I hear, Righteous people shall live their lives by faith. But this doesn’t seem to be relevant to Paul’s contention that we are justified or declared righteous by faith and not by works. However, every time this phrase occurs in the Greek the word order is the same, the just by faith will live. When I read it this way I hear, The one who is righteous by faith will live. Which is exactly what Paul is saying and why he quotes this: We are declared righteous by faith in Christ.

Adam Clarke acknowledges this:
“It is contended by some able critics that the words of the original text should be read: The just by faith shall live; that is, he alone that is justified by faith shall be saved: which is also true; as it is impossible to get salvation in any other way. This last meaning is probably the true one.”

All three times Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted in the New Testament it is clear he is using the LXX, so why does he never include my? Y’know, the just by my faith shall live? Ultimately, I don't know, but I believe the my faith of Habakkuk is equivalent to the faith of Christ of Paul. As we read in Philippians 3:9 for example, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Hebrews 10:36-39 has the fullest quote from Habakkuk:

36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.  
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

This understands Habakkuk 2:3-4 as strongly referring to Christ. The Hebrew has, it will surely come, it will not tarry, but the Septuagint translates it as he will surely come, and will not tarry. And Paul understands this to be Christ: Christ will come again and will not tarry. So away with those who say, “If the Lord tarry...” There's no delay, He is coming and right on schedule!

Finally, Paul here includes the phrase, if any man draw back because that is why he was writing to these people, they were thinking of going back to Judaism. God has no pleasure in the one who draws back. Faith in Christ is not merely a one-time-now-I’m-good-to-go thing; to believe in Christ to the saving of the soul is to believe to the end.

All this talk about faith. What is faith in Christ? What does it look like? I wrote about this here and here To believe in Jesus is to believe that he is the Son of God, the Christ, who died for you, rose again, and is now Lord, and to trust him to forgive your sins and restore you to God.


3:13  Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
I believe salvation with thine anointed refers to Christ.

Adam Clarke said, “The sense is very far-fetched when applied to Jesus Christ.” I am usually a fan of Adam Clarke … but hey, everybody makes mistakes!

John Gill, “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of that people, even for salvation with thine anointed,.... Or, "thy Messiah"; which Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret of Messiah the son of David; and read and give the sense of the words thus, "as thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, by bringing them into the land of Canaan, so do thou go forth for salvation with thy Messiah.'' ”

John Calvin, ‘Thou wentest forth, he says, 'for the salvation, for the salvation of thy people...’ He adds, ‘with thy Christ.’ This clause still more confirms what Habakkuk had in view - that God had been from the beginning the deliverer of his people in the person of the Mediator. ”

I admit, few commentators agree with me on this ... Gonna be some red-faced people in that Day!

the one who is righteous by faith shall live

Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve

Micah

Micah was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah, Amos and Hosea. He prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. And he has a lot to say about Christ!

4:1-8
1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

In the last days – this is our clue that he is speaking of Messianic times. What a glorious picture he paints!

many nations shall come to the Lord and walk in his paths – I believe this describes our day: the Gentiles are flocking to Christ and walking in his ways.

And he shall judge among many people … they shall beat their swords into plowshares – Seems to me that Micah sees the coming of Christ but doesn’t distinguish between the first and second coming. If I’m right, then v 1-2 would be the first coming and 3-4 would be when Christ comes again and the kingdoms of this world they are become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.

6  In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
7  And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
8  And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
This is the kingdom of our God and of his Christ, where salvation and security are the norm.

5:2
2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

I recently read that ‘Christians interpret this as referring to Christ.’ Really? What about what we read in Matthew 2:3-6
3 When Herod the king had heard these things [the report of the magi about the birth of the king of the Jews], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,  
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Aha! The chief priests and scribes quote Micah 5 and say it refers to Christ!

This prophecy in Micah tells us three things:

• There is coming a Ruler in Israel – Messiah

• Messiah will come out of Bethlehem Ephratah, which is Bethlehem in Judah.

• His goings forth are from old, from everlasting (the LXX says from the beginning, from eternity).

This is rather specific. If Jesus was born anywhere else he would be disqualified from being Christ. This would explain Luke and the account of Joseph and Mary traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the Bethlehem of Micah’s prophecy, so Jesus could be born there.

And just who is this one who was born in Bethlehem Ephratah? None other than he whose goings forth were from the beginning, even from eternity: the Word, the Son of God.

5:3-15
3  Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5  And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6  And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
7  And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.
8  And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
9  Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
10  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
11  And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
12  And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
13  Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
14  And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
15  And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. 

I believe this is the kingdom of him who is to be born in Bethlehem. And as in chapter 4, Micah doesn’t see clearly the two comings of Christ. Verse 2 is the first coming, while this is the second coming of Christ, when he sets up his kingdom on the earth.

4 he shall stand in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the LORD his God, and shall be great unto the ends of the earth 
6-9 thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run;
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more. (Isaac Watts)

10-15 Holiness and righteousness shall prevail. Come, Lord Jesus!

7:18-20
18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20  Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

v 18-19 tell us of the mercy, compassion, and salvation of God; v 20 his faithfulness

Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old – This is powerful! But when did he swear an oath to Abraham?

Genesis 22:16-18
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

So, when will he do this? When Messiah comes.

“Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob - The promises which he has made to Jacob and his posterity. Not one of them can ever fall to the ground. "And the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn;" viz., that "in his Seed all the families of the earth should be blessed;" that the Messiah should come from Abraham, through his son Isaac, by Jacob and David; be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel. And this promise, and this oath, God has most signally fulfilled by the incarnation of Christ, who was sent to bless us by turning away every one of us from his iniquities; and for this purpose he was delivered for our offenses, and rose again for our justification; and repentance and remission of sins are preached in his name to all nations. Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, when he prophesied by the Holy Spirit seems to have referred to this truth, if not the verse, Luke 1:72-73 'To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham.' ” (Adam Clarke)

Thou wilt perform – God is faithful and will fulfill his promises. Hear Peter and Paul:

from Peter’s sermon in Jerusalem in Acts 3:12-28
18  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.  
26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

from Paul’s sermon in Antioch in Pisidia Acts 13:16-41
23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,  
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins

from Paul’s epistle to the Romans 15:8-9
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy...

These are but a few occurrences - fulfilled is the theme of the New Testament. I counted 33 times where the word was used. The coming of Jesus was the fulfillment of what God had spoken by the prophets and confirmed the promises to the fathers. All that God has promised concerning Israel, concerning the nations, concerning the kingdom, he will fulfill. And all of it will be by the Messiah, the Son of the living God, who was born in Bethlehem, Jesus of Nazareth.

Who is a God like unto thee?
"Well might the prophet exult in his challenge to earth and hell. Who Is a God Like unto Thee! Hell is speechless, earth is dumb. Infidels dare not open their mouths!!! Hallelujah! Jesus is the mighty God and Savior, pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin, and saving to the uttermost all that come unto God through him. Blessed be God! Reader, lay this to heart.”  (Adam Clarke)

Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve

Obadiah and Jonah

Obadiah

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Just 21 verses. He prophesied judgement on Edom and the restoration of Israel.

1.17  But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
Verses 17-21 may refer to the days of Messiah.

Jonah

The story of Jonah is well known – he was called by God to go preach to Nineveh, he ran away, he was swallowed by a great fish, vomited out, called again, this time obeyed, Nineveh repented at his preaching. Naturally, since we are talking about a man who was swallowed by a great fish there is a lot of doubt, skepticism, unbelief, and discussion about how to understand this book. I will not take the time to cover the book itself, but I will say here how I approach the book:

“The appeal made to the main facts of this history by our Lord, proves that we are to admit of no allegorical exposition of these facts.

1. There was such a person as Jonah.

2. He was swallowed by a sea-monster, in whose belly he was miraculously preserved three days and three nights.

3. This same prophet preached to the Ninevites; and they repented, and turned from their sins, under his ministry.

This testimony puts an end to all mythological, allegorical, and hypothetical interpretations of those great facts. And in its literal sense alone, I undertake the interpretation of this book.” (Adam Clarke)

Jonah does not mention Christ or Messianic times, but Jesus mentions him. Jonah is a type† of Christ, as is evidenced by Jesus’ references to him. Which is what I will focus on.

Matthew 12:38-41
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah:  
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here. 

These scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign, proof-on-demand, that Jesus really was the Christ, the Son of God. Bear in mind that up to this point Jesus had already performed many miracles and was known throughout Judah as a great teacher and healer. Jesus tells them:

(1) Their desire for a sign was really a cover-up of their unbelief

(2) The only sign he will provide is the sign of Jonah – as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale‡, so he shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He is speaking of his death and resurrection.

(3) The men of Nineveh will condemn that generation because they repented at Jonah’s preaching, and the Son of man is greater than Jonah.


Luke 11:29-32
29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet.  
30 For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.  
31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.  
32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

The situation in Luke appears to be different than in Matthew, but Jesus again speaks to this 'seeking a sign' which seems to have been a common request during his ministry. In fact, Paul says, the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. Jesus says:

(1) An evil generation seeks a sign (because it springs from unbelief)

(2) The only sign provided will be the sign of Jonah (He doesn’t explain it here, they no doubt were familiar with Jonah): As Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so shall the Son of man be a sign to this generation.

(3) The men of Nineveh will rise up with this generation and condemn it because they repented at Jonah’s preaching, and the Son of man is greater than Jonah.

Thus we learn:

• Jonah is a type of Christ and his resurrection from the grave

• There will be a resurrection from the dead of all men

• There will be a judgment of all men; clearly some people have had greater opportunities to repent and believe than others; this will be taken into account on that Day.

• Jesus is greater than Jonah. Jonah was a prophet, Jesus is the Son of man, the Messiah.



† A type is some person, or event, or ceremony that is intended to foreshadow or picture Christ. To which might be added the tabernacle, the temple, the furnishings of the tabernacle/temple.

In studying the types the two comparative words AS and SO are forcibly called to our attention. The word AS is used for the type, and the word SO for the antitype. The first is historic; the second is prophetic. For example,

"AS Jonah was three days and three nights in the Whale's belly; SO shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (adapted from blueletterbible.org)

‡ The King James uses the word whale, as does the Douay-Rheims (English translation of the Latin Vulgate)

In Matthew the Greek word is ketous, from ketos - a sea monster, whale, huge fish
In the Vulgate it is ceti; from cetus - shark, whale, seal, dog-fish, large sea animal

In Jonah the Hebrew word is dag, which is translated 20 times fish
The Septuagint (LXX) has ketei from ketos - see above
The Vulgate has piscem - fish

In popular usage whale was applied to any large sea animal. I don’t know what kind of creature it was, only that it was large enough to swallow Jonah whole and for him to be able to live inside it for three days. He must have been quite a sight upon his being regurgitated, which may have played a role in their response to his preaching! Jesus said, “as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites”, so he either looked a sight and/or he explained what happened to him on his way to Nineveh.

Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve

Amos

4:13
This is an interesting and powerful chapter. God has been dealing with Israel and they have not responded. Five times we read, “yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.” (6,8,9,10,11) And then v 12, “prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” Then,

13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

While this is good, what does this say about Christ? Glad you asked! This is how the Septuagint (LXX, Greek translation of the Old Testament) translates v 13:

For, behold, I am he that strengthens the thunder, and creates the wind, and proclaims to men his Christ, forming the morning and the darkness, and mounting on the high places of the earth, The Lord God Almighty is his name.

proclaims to men his Christ – Wow! But, as amazing as this is I have to confess that I have never come across a single reference to this verse in the Fathers. Oh well...

This is not the case with our next passage

9.11-12
11  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
12  That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 

the tabernacle of David is a reference to Messiah.

This prophecy is quoted in the New Testament and this provides us all the insight we need. The first church council was held in Jerusalem and dealt with the question of the salvation of the Gentiles. After hearing the presentation of both sides, James gave his verdict:

Acts 15:15-18
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,  
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:  
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.  
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

At first glance you notice a difference between what James quotes and what our Bibles have. Our English Bibles are translations from the Hebrew. When you compare this to the Septuagint it becomes obvious that James was quoting from that version:

LXX Amos 9:11-12
11 In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and will rebuild the ruins of it, and will set up the parts thereof that have been broken down, and will build it up as in the ancient days:  
12 that the remnant of men, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, may earnestly seek me, saith the Lord who does all these things.

I know the KJV says residue of men while the LXX has remnant of men, but that’s just a word choice, for it’s the same phrase in Greek, οι καταλοιποι των ανθρωπων, which means something like the remaining men.

The point is, James was quoting this passage to verify that in Messianic times Gentiles will be saved, all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called.

You see, there was a great controversy in the Church in those days, Can Gentiles be saved? Or more precisely, Must Gentiles become Jews to be saved? Let’s back up in Acts and see what was going on.

Acts 14:26-27 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Paul and Barnabas returned to their home church in Antioch and had a Missions Conference. They shared what God had done, including opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. This is exciting! Gentiles are coming to faith in Jesus as the Christ.

Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
This is contrary to what Paul and Barnabas had been teaching. Houston, we have a problem.

Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
There was a great stir in the church and it was proposed that they go to Jerusalem. The gospel is at stake – Is it possible for Gentiles to be saved and what must they do to be saved? In other words, as I said before, Do Gentiles need to become Jews in order to be saved?

Acts 15:4-5 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Here it is: Paul and Barnabas are saying Gentiles are being saved but there is a group that says, “Not so fast.”

Acts 15:7-9 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Paul has said that Gentiles are believing in Jesus and being baptized in his name. Peter agrees with this and adds, “and receiving the Holy Spirit just like we did on the day of Pentecost.” He concluded, But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (15:11)

Acts 15:12-15 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets...
And it is at this point that James quotes Amos 9. This is a really important point to notice: neither the experience of Paul, Barnabas, and Peter, nor of the Gentiles themselves was the determining factor; this issue was settled by the Word of God, and to this agree the words of the prophets. The experience of the Apostles and the Gentiles lined up with the Word, it actually verified the prophetic promise. Therefore Gentiles do not have to become Jews and keep the Law to be saved, they shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Actually, through Christ God has put no difference between us [Jews] and them [Gentiles], purifying their hearts by faith.

This satisfied the council and settled the matter. This is great news for us!

But there is something that often gets overlook in all this, just a little sentence with huge implications:

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Take out of the Gentiles a people for his name. This is God’s purpose in the world by the Gospel, take out a people for his name. We are not called to take over the world. We’re not conquering, we’re called out. This is the Church. We are an assembly of the called out. Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.

God dealt first with Israel and through them prepared the way for Christ. When the Apostles preached the Gospel it was to the Jew first and also to the Greek. but through their rejection of Christ Israel has been set aside while God visits the Gentiles and calls out a people for his name. The question then becomes, Is God finished with Israel? As John Chrysostom explained in his homilies on Romans 9-11:

“’When the fulness of Gentiles,’ he says, ‘shall have come in, then shall all Israel be saved,’ at the time of his second coming, and the end of the world…It is clear that the natural course of things was this, that they should be the first to come in, and then those of the Gentiles; but since they disbelieved, the order was reversed.”

This is where we are in God's program: God is visiting the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve

Joel

There is one long section in Joel that refers to Messianic times, 2:28-3:21, and there are phrases that indicate Joel sees it all as the same time period, called the last days:

2.28 and it shall come to pass afterward [I will pour out of my Spirit]
2.29 in those days [when I pour out my Spirit]
2.31 before the great and terrible day of the LORD come
3.1 for, behold, in those days and at that time [poured out Spirit and deliverance in Zion]
3.14 the day of the LORD
3.18 and it shall come to pass in that day [judgment and the LORD dwelling in Zion]

Messianic times indeed! Now on to the particulars

2:28-32
28  And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29  And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30  And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

What a great and wonderful day this will be: the Spirit poured out and deliverance in mount Zion! I can say that without doubt this refers to the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

How can I be so certain? This is how Peter began his sermon on the day of Pentecost:

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. (Acts 2:14-16)

He then quoted this passage in Joel. When Peter quoted it he said, And it shall come to pass in the last days which indicates the Jews understood afterward to mean last days. Last days and latter days are often a signal for Messianic prophecy. What a wonderful day was ushered in by Pentecost!

The Christian life is not merely an intellectual or philosophical pursuit, in which we focus only on correct doctrine; no, it is a supernatural life! Joel mentions prophesying, dreams, visions; on Pentecost they spoke in tongues; the rest of the New Testament speaks of the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, the leading of the Spirit, the witness of the Spirit, the life of the Spirit. Have you received the Spirit since you believed? Are you walking in the Spirit?


Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved – Oh what a day Joel is prophesying of! Peter quotes it (Acts 2:21) as does Paul (Romans 10:13). There is now salvation from the Lord and it is available to whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord. Just how large is this whosoever? Jew, Gentile; red, black, brown, white; man, woman, child; rich, poor; educated, uneducated; Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Socialist, Communist, anarchist. He who is thirsty, let him come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely!

What a day we live in!

3:1-21
1  For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2  I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

In those days and at that time. What days? The days just mentioned in chapter 2. These last days include the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem and recompense unto the nations.

9  Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
10  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
11  Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
12  Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
13  Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision - The day of judgment. Quite a sobering day. This takes place when Christ returns (Revelation 14:14 and following).

The LORD shall roar out of Zion...but the LORD will be the hope of his people – He roars and comforts at the same time. In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 Paul says the second coming brings tribulation and rest; wrath and glory:

Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints...

17  So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
18  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
19  Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20  But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21  For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

And you shall know that I the LORD your God Dwell in Zion, My holy mount. And Jerusalem shall be holy; Nevermore shall strangers pass through it. (JPS Tanakh) - When shall this be fulfilled? I believe he is speaking here of what is known as the millennium, the one thousand year reign of Christ on the earth when he returns. Maranatha!

I close with the comments of Adam Clarke, that great Methodist preacher and theologian:

“The prophecy in this chapter is thought by some to relate to the latter times of the world, when God shall finally deliver his people from all their adversaries; and it must be confessed that the figures employed are so lofty as to render it impossible to restrain the whole of their import to any events prior to the commencement of the Christian era. The whole prophecy is delivered in a very beautiful strain of poetry.

Joel 3:16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion - His temple and worship shall be reestablished there, and he will thence denounce his judgments against the nations. "The heavens and the earth shall shake." There shall be great commotions in powerful empires and their dependencies; but in all these things his own people shall be unmoved, for God shall be their hope and strength.

Joel 3:17 So shall ye know - By the judgments I execute on your enemies, and the support I give to yourselves, that I am the all-conquering Jehovah; and that I have again taken up my residence in Jerusalem. All this may refer, ultimately, to the restoration of the Jews to their own land; when holiness to the Lord shall be their motto; and no strange god, or impure people, shall be permitted to enter the city, or even pass through it. This, I think, must refer to Gospel times. It is a promise not yet fulfilled.

Joel 3:18 In that day - After their return from their captivities.

The mountains shall drop down new wine - A poetic expression for great fertility. Happy times: peace and plenty. The vines shall grow luxuriantly on the sides of the mountains; and the hills shall produce such rich pastures that the flocks shall yield abundance of milk.

And all the rivers of Judah - Far from being generally dry in the summer, shall have their channels always full of water.

And a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord - See Ezekiel 47. Thus all the figures in this verse will point out the happy times of the Gospel: the mountains shall drop down new wine; the hills flow with milk; the thorny valleys become fertile, etc.

Joel 3:20 But Judah shall dwell for ever - The promise may also belong to the full and final restoration of the Jews, when they shall dwell at Jerusalem as a distinct people professing the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Joel 3:21 For the Lord dwelleth in Zion - This prophet, who has many things similar to Ezekiel, ends his prophecy nearly in the same way:

Ezekiel says, Yehovah shammah, The Lord Is There.

Joel says, Yehovah shochen betsiyon, The Lord Dwelleth in Zion.

Both point out the continued indwelling of Christ among his people."


"What a day, glorious day, that will be!"

Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve

Hosea

Hosea and Zechariah are the longest books of The Twelve (Zechariah has just a few more verses). Hosea has several pertinent prophecies so let’s get to it!

Chapters 1 & 2
You read that right, chapters 1 & 2. However you understand the circumstances of these chapters, they tell the story of Hosea’s marriage and children. He married a woman named Gomer who was unfaithful. His relationship with her was a living illustration of God and Israel (Israel being the 10 northern tribes): she played the harlot and was cast aside, and then won back by Hosea. God says he will do the same with Israel, the end being, I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

They had three children who were given such sad names: Jezreel, Loruhama (not having obtained mercy), and Loammi (not my people). But chapters 1 and 2 both end on positive notes:

1:10  Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

2:23  And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

Israel (the northern kingdom) was cast aside as the people of God, but He promises to restore them and they will be the people of God once again. Where is Christ in all this? This will take place in his day, as mentioned in 1:11, Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head . . . That one head is Messiah, who will be King of restored and returned Israel!

Now here is where it gets fun. Both Paul and Peter take the promise of 1:10 and 2:23 and apply it to the Gospel and the salvation of the Gentiles.

In Romans 9 Paul is explaining the (partial and temporary) setting aside of Israel and the salvation of the Gentiles when he quotes Hosea:

Romans 9:24-26
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

As you can see, Paul put these two verses together. Hosea prophesied to Israel. God promised to restore Israel to himself as his people. But Paul says this is a spiritual principle, a salvation principle, that applies to the Gentiles who believe in Jesus, I will call them my people, which were not my people.

Peter says the same in 1 Peter 2:10,  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 

Praise God, the grace of God has reached out to the Gentiles, and we who had not obtained mercy have now obtained mercy in Christ! It appears that we, the church made up of Jews and Gentiles, inherit the promises. The question is, Do we exhaust them? As we shall see in chapter 3, I believe the answer is, No.

Chapter 3
This account of Gomer actually continues on into chapter 3. In this chapter Hosea brings her back home. The chapter ends:

3:4  For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
5  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

This is why I say we inherit the promises but don’t exhaust them – in the latter days Israel will seek David their king, David their king is a reference to Christ. Where do I get that? God had promised David that Christ would come from his line, which is why Christ is called the son of David. Ezekiel does the same thing when he speaks of Christ (34:23-24; 37:24-25).

The children of Israel shall abide many days without a king – this has been their status since the Babylonian captivity.

Afterward - in the latter days they will return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king. Israel will return to God and will seek Christ their king. As Paul says in Rom 11:26, and so all Israel shall be saved.

Chapter 5:15-6:3
Chapter 5 is very somber. Israel and Judah have both sinned grievously, 4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God and God has 6 withdrawn himself from them. The climax is v 15

15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. 

The situation is dire, but there is hope.

6.1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up -  Here is the call: “Let us return to him. We have sinned, but he will heal us; we are smitten, but he will bind us up.”

2  After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. There is hope in the mercy of the LORD! This is interesting, in the third day he will raise us up. When was there a raising up in the third day? The resurrection of Jesus Christ! In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul explains the gospel: 3 I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. I am persuaded that Paul had this passage in mind when he said rose again the third day according to the scriptures. And we are raised to life in him.

John Calvin said the Jews understood this to be speaking of Christ: “For they think that they are yet to be redeemed by the coming of the Messiah; and this will be the third day: for God once drew them out of Egypt, this was their first life; then, secondly, he restored them from the Babylonian captivity; and when God shall gather them from their dispersion, this will be the third resurrection.”

3  Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.  – This is another reason I believe this speaks of the days of Christ, this verse speaks of two of the greatest blessings of the New Covenant: know the Lord and the latter rain. The new covenant says we shall all know him and the latter rain would refer to the outpouring of the Spirit (more on this in Joel).

Chapter 11
11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 

Matthew quotes this verse to explain Jesus' journey down into and back from Egypt

2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

“Matthew had more deeply considered the purpose of God in having Christ led into Egypt, and his return afterwards into Judea. There is no doubt, but that God in his wonderful providence intended that his Son should come forth from Egypt, that he might be a redeemer to the faithful; and thus he shows that a true, real, and perfect deliverance was at length effected, when the promised Redeemer appeared. For it behooves us to consider this, that God, when he formerly redeemed his people from Egypt, only showed by a certain prelude the redemption which he deferred till the coming of Christ. Hence, as the body was then brought forth from Egypt into Judea, so at length the head also came forth from Egypt: and then God fully showed him to be the true deliverer of his people. This then is the meaning.” (John Calvin)

Chapter 13
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. 

Paul, in that great chapter on resurrection, refers us to this verse in 15:55

1 Corinthians 15:51-56
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  
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?  
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

You might have noticed right away that Paul’s version of Hosea 13:14 is different than ours. Paul is using the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint or LXX, which reads:

13:14 I will deliver them out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting? comfort is hidden from mine eyes.

But where does he get, Death is swallowed up in victory? Well, he has combined a couple of passages. Death is swallowed up in victory comes from

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

In Isaiah 25 "Death is personified and represented as a devouring being, swallowing up all the generations of men; and by the resurrection of the body and the destruction of the empire of death, God is represented as swallowing him up; or that eternity gulps him down. How glorious a time to the righteous, when the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick; when God shall have wiped away all tears from off all faces, and when there shall be no more death. This time must come. Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth." (Adam Clarke)

And then Paul taunts death by quoting Hosea:

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

“Both Death and Hades are here personified: Death is represented as having a sting, dagger, or goad, by which he is continually irritating and urging on; to Hades, victory is attributed, having overcome and conquered all human life, and subdued all to its own empire.” (Adam Clarke)

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The sting of death and the victory of the grave will be swallowed up by the resurrection of the flesh!

All praise to Jesus, the Christ of God!


I know this was rather long but Hosea says a lot about Christ! Wow!!

Advent 2019

As this table shows, the Hebrew (Jewish) Bible and the Christian Bible are arranged in slightly different order. Jesus bore witness to this arrangement when he said, all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms.

“The last book of the Prophets contains the prophecies of twelve distinct prophets, and is known as Trei Asar (תרי עשר), meaning ‘twelve’ in Aramaic. In English, it is sometimes referred to as the “Twelve Minor Prophets”, a moniker that describes only their relatively short messages, but not their importance.” (The Israel Bible)

The last book of the Prophets? Originally the Hebrew Scriptures were written on scrolls. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel were on individual scrolls while Hosea through Malachi were on a single scroll which was called “The Scroll of the Twelve.”

A common way to refer to the prophets is “The Five Major Prophets” (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel) and “The Twelve Minor Prophets.” While minor simply refers to their size (for example, there are 183 chapters in the Major Prophets, 67 chapters in the Twelve; 4,440 verses in the Major Prophets, 1,050 in the Twelve; Isaiah alone has 66 chapters and 1,291 verses!), the words major and minor bear a connotation of importance, as if Isaiah was more inspired than Hosea, which is not true. Therefore I choose to refer to Hosea through Malachi as The Scroll of the Twelve or just The Twelve.

“In the traditional Jewish canon these works are arranged in what was thought to be their chronological order: (1) the books that came from the period of Assyrian power (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah), (2) those written about the time of the decline of Assyria (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah) and (3) those dating from the post-exilic era (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)” (Biblica: The International Bible Society). This is their order in our Bibles as well. I encourage you to read these twelve prophets, they are full of encouragement, exhortation, and edification.

This Advent Season I am taking a look at Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve, to see what they say about the Messiah or Christ. There are three types of prophecies found here concerning Christ and the gospel: (1) personal prophecies of Christ; (2) prophecies of Messianic times; (3) prophecies that speak of New Testament or gospel truths.

Why spend my time going through these short prophetic books? And why ask you to spend time reading what I found? As we will see from Micah, the theme of the New Testament is fulfilled. The Gospel did not spring up on its own, out of the clear blue sky. Throughout the Old Testament God promised Israel a Savior, a Deliverer, the Messiah, and the New Testament is the record of the fulfillment of those promises. I write hoping to strengthen the faith of the Christian, for we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty...We have also the more sure word of prophecy: whereunto ye do well that ye take heed - Our faith is founded on the prophecies and promises God gave the Jews in the Old Testament. I also hope to help those who do not believe in Christ to see the reasonableness of our faith, and thus encourage them to believe in Jesus.

There are those who would cut us off from the Old Testament. They tell us it is irrelevant to the Gospel. But as I said above, the New Testament sprang out of the Old, it is founded on the Old, it is the fulfillment of the Old. Augustine said it well, “The new is in the old concealed, the old is in the new revealed.” The Old Testament prophesies of our day of grace, and to truly understand the New Testament and the Gospel, we must know the Old Testament. Therefore, the Lord helping me, my theme for Advent 2019 will be, Christ in the Scroll of the Twelve.

One final note. There are twelve books in the Scroll of the Twelve! So I have three options: either (1) I must be extremely brief to cover all these during Advent; (2) I must post two or three times per week; or (3) spill over into January. May God give me wisdom. Now, let’s do it!

Next: Hosea