The Manger

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:1-7


Politics and history: Caesar Augustus as emperor and Quirinius as governor gives us an approximate 5-year window between 4 B.C. and A.D. 1. Rome was ruling the civilized world. The culture of the time included Jewish religion, Roman law and Greek philosophy. There was Roman-enforced general peace throughout the empire. This period is commonly referred to as Pax Romana, "the Peace of Rome." Politicians and emperors need numbers and monies accounted for, so bring 'em in and tax 'em. Each to his own city of heritage.

Mary was very pregnant, on the verge of delivery, but away they went, about 80 miles south to BETHLEHEM! (Micah 5:2). Joseph had already taken responsibility for Mary and her unborn son, and they were of the same lineage, so it only made sense. The city had to have been crowded, the streets and inns must have been loud and confusing, but God's perfect time for this baby had arrived, so a place must be found. There were no guest rooms available for them, so apparently a stable would have to be their shelter for this moment of destiny. Much has been made of this "no room in the inn" situation; many sermons have been preached, indicating something sinister about it. I prefer to acknowledge that with a huge influx of people and animals, lodging becomes scarce and even nonexistent, and other arrangements must be made. This was foreknown, of course, and prophesied long before the child was conceived. God the Son, creator and redeemer of mankind, began His human life in the humblest of circumstances. Smelly, inconvenienced people, smelly animals, feed-trough for a cradle. And two faithful, loving servants of God to be His parents as long as He would need human parents. Surroundings don't make the man, knowledge of God makes the man, and the man makes His life one of perfect submission to God's Word.

Another main feature of this story is the "cloths" the KJV calls "swaddling cloths" in which Mary wrapped her firstborn. She knew she would deliver on this trip, so she would have had clean cloths with her for this purpose. It is true, though, as many have emphasized, that these strips of cloth were the same type of material in which dead bodies were wrapped for burial. I do believe there is profound symbolism in this, as this child was born to die. That was His whole purpose in being born as a human, without sin; He came to die as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. I also believe Mary and Joseph knew this point of doctrine about this firstborn Son. So she joyfully delivered her baby, and I think tearfully wrapped Him in death cloths, knowing she was holding in her arms and at her breast the Savior of the world.

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4-5

Teach the Children

There are timeless principles in the plan of God, taught to us by the Word of God. These principles are applicable in any dispensation and any generation of human existence. One is the principle expressed in these admonitions of Moses which carry over into the teachings of the prophets and into the Psalms, Proverbs and even throughout the New Testament writings. Parents’ most important work is the diligent teaching of Bible truth to their children.

When parents make such statements as “I don’t want to tell my children what to believe; they can make their own decisions about faith or religion when they grow up,” those parents don’t believe in anything themselves, therefore they have nothing but worldliness to pass on to their offspring. When a person truly believes something, he is eager and determined to share that belief with not only his children, but anyone else who will listen. No sensible parent allows his child to decide whether or not to brush his teeth, eat regular meals, get proper sleep, wear clean clothes or learn to read. Parents who are immersed in arts, sciences and education are always diligent to share those interests with their children.

The “let them decide for themselves” fad is a copout on the part of unbelieving people who have no concept of the grace plan of God, and who choose to ignore the fact that these children they brought into the world will live forever, somewhere. Just because they shirk their parental responsibility, however, does not absolve them of it. Here’s a recent quote from the Ask Billy Graham column: My parents always said there were two things you shouldn't talk about -- politics and religion. Well, they never did, but now I'm an adult, and I don't have any idea what to believe. Where can I turn? — J.I.

Of course, the answer was “don’t make the same mistake with your own kids. Receive Jesus’ salvation and get into a church that teaches the Bible.” The scripture quoted was Deuteronomy 4:9.

When Moses gave the Law to Israel, he was quoting the words given to him by God Himself, and he included this warning: “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.  Make them known to your children and your children's children—“ Deuteronomy 4:5-9

Keeping and doing the statutes of God is not a one-shot proposition. It is a way of life. Those who don’t know God’s Word do not know God. Almost every human has a concept of God, and if he doesn’t know God as demonstrated in the scriptures and in the incarnation of His Word, Jesus Christ, the human concept of God is wrong. He will “create” God according to his own warped sense of morality, based on human good, or according to his fear of an all-powerful being Who he thinks seeks only his condemnation. Almost everyone realizes we natural humans are helpless, hopeless sinners. The human viewpoint solution to that condition is to conceive of a God who simply ignores everyone’s sin and gives them a pass. That is not what God’s Word says. He has given us helpless sinners not a pass, but a Savior: God the Son. His perfect life and spiritual death under the penalty of our sins made atonement for those sins, and made His perfect righteousness available to whoever will believe. That is the only way of salvation, made possible by the only Savior. The children must be taught this. Then, when they reach such an age that they realize they were born sinners, they will have truth upon which to make a decision: to believe and receive Jesus Christ, or reject and remain in their sins. Parents who do know Jesus Christ and love their children will make sure the children are given this information at an early age.

Then the children will have a basis for all the decisions in their lives. God gave us His Word as our guidance in this life. It is of no use to those who do not learn and practice it. There are definite consequences for negligence of God’s Word in our own lives and in the teaching of our children. These consequences are absolute.

Deuteronomy 5:7-10 “‘You shall have no other gods before me.

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,  but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Jeremiah 32:18 ”You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts”  Those who do not teach their children about the statutes of God are guaranteeing their children lives of sin and confusion, perpetuated by the rebellious traits inherited and/or learned from the fathers. They can be saved, but it will likely be more difficult for them to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” This is a command, parents. It is your job.

This is why we are given our children as helpless infants. They must depend on the parents for everything. They must learn everything about life from the ones who have authority over them.The parent establishes his authority over the infant and then uses that authority to teach the growing child the things he must know to navigate this life. He must teach the child about God and eternity, as a daily reality, not some spooky, distant superstition. "This is who we are, my child. We are God’s people. He is the source of all we are and everything we have."

Psalm 78:6-7 "that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments"

Deuteronomy 7:9-10 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face.”

There are inescapable consequences for ignoring the statutes of God.

The children will pay the price.

Awaiting The Prodigal

This blog post was first published on December 3, 2011. Republishing today with a little bit of editing and updating, because it is worth repeating. For any of you who might tend to question or argue with the facts and principles stated in these parables of Jesus, just try to remember: they are not tales, fables or traditions. These words were spoken on Earth by our Lord Jesus Christ. He knows whereof He speaks, He speaks with authority, and He supplies His own interpretation of what was spoken.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15:11-32 NASB

Here it is. My other favorite parable (The Sower was the first). So rich with spiritual meaning for all believers and for families who are awaiting the return of one who has gone astray. There are profound principles of doctrine here. There is unspeakable comfort in these words of our Lord.

The father represents God, of course. Both young men are sons of the father. Born-again believers (Galatians 3:26). The younger one was immature, selfish, impetuous, eager to see the world. Carnal minded. Stupid. We all know believers like that. They'll tell you in a New York minute that Jesus is their savior who paid the penalty for all their sins, and that they are depending only on Him for their eternal salvation. That's it. They are not interested in the demands and the responsibilities of full-time discipleship. Younger Brother demanded his share of the inheritance NOW. In his shallow thinking, he could not know what treasures he was walking away from when he took all his belongings and went to a "far country," symbolic of life out of fellowship with God. After a period of partying among the worldlings, he was destitute, of course. The world uses us and throws us away. No longer self-sustaining, he had to hire out as a pig herder. The lowest of the low. No respect, no friends, no food. Hunger, and I suspect loneliness, caused him to yearn for his father's house. The servants there fared much better than he was doing. What a concept!

"I will arise (KJV) and go to my father." The first wise decision Younger has made in a long while. I'll confess my sins to him. I'll admit my unworthiness to be his son. I'll offer to be a servant in his house, if he'll let me come back home.

Remember in the parables about the lost sheep and the lost coin, the shepherd and householder went diligently seeking the lost object, leaving everything else in a holding pattern. The lamb and the coin could do nothing about their lost condition. The one who cared had to actively save them from their oblivion. But the father of this wayward son didn't go out seeking him. He waited and watched. Day after day, he anticipated the return of his son. That's why he saw him "a long way off," and ran to him and welcomed him with open arms. Rejoicing! The son had left of his own volition, and he returned in the same manner. It was his choice to do so. Our father allows us that freedom. And he allows the consequences.

So, Younger started his well-rehearsed confession, "I have sinned." That was all the father needed to hear. I John 1:9. Acknowledge the sin. God forgives. The grovelling would not apply. There's no way to "make up" for the sin, and you are not a hired servant, you are a SON. You can never be anything but a son. Put on the robe, wear the signet ring, shoe your feet. We are killing the fatted calf for a feast. You were dead to me (corrupted by carnality; no spiritual perception), now you are alive! You were lost to me (out of fellowship; thinking like an unbeliever), now you are found!

Most folks are pretty critical of Elder Brother. He got in a snit over the festivities, because after all, Younger had deliberately wasted his substance with riotous living. "You never killed the fatted calf for me." The father had compassion for him, too, and explained patiently that just because he had always depended on Elder to be there and be responsible, that does not mean he took him for granted. We humans tend to think like that, though, don't we? "Well, I guess I just don't matter." The fact is, he at all times had access to everything the father owned. He was having a fit of jealousy and judgment of his brother. If it were up to Elder and me, brother would still be slopping with the hogs. That's why Elder and I are not God. Furthermore, the jealousy and anger being displayed by Elder were at least as sinful as anything Younger had done. Now he also has something to confess. And the father will forgive. And the fellowship will continue, just as it should be among the Royal Family of God.

Remember: it is not about the lasciviousness of Younger, or the self-righteousness of Elder. It is about the GRACE of the FATHER to both.

Yesterday, today, and forever.

The Psalms

Oh, That My People Would Listen to Me

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.

81 Sing aloud to God our strength;
    shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
² Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
    the sweet lyre with the harp.
³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
    at the full moon, on our feast day.

⁴ For it is a statute for Israel,
    a rule of the God of Jacob.
⁵ He made it a decree in Joseph
    when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
⁶ “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
    your hands were freed from the basket.
⁷ In distress you called, and I delivered you;
    I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
    O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
⁹ There shall be no strange god among you;
    you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
¹⁰ I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹ “But my people did not listen to my voice;
    Israel would not submit to me.
¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
    to follow their own counsels.
¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me,
    that Israel would walk in my ways!
¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies
    and turn my hand against their foes.
¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
    and their fate would last forever.
¹⁶ But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
    and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

In reading through the Psalms, one thing becomes clear to a dispensationalist such as I am. The Psalms were written and sung to, for and about Israel, the Jewish Nation. Their history, their faith and failings, their courage and fears; from their beginning all the way through their restoration at the 2nd advent and the millennial reign of their Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. If you're familiar with the Old Testament, you know Israel.

The praises and laments, even though expressed as of an individual, are those of the nation herself, and of the human experience of the incarnate Christ. Others, such as Psalm 81, copied above, give us God's own testimony and warnings concerning His people, Israel.

Nevertheless, in almost every Psalm, there are one or more verses that can be applicable to the Church Age believer. They give glory and honor to the creator of all things and to the redeemer of mankind. Those are the parts I have shared with friends on my personal Facebook page. I gave almost no analysis, but just shared them as beautiful scripture for us and our time. Very few of the Psalms were not quoted from. Those few were just so totally beseeching for the destruction of the enemy that they could only be read from the perspective of a persecuted King David or Israel, or Jesus Christ Himself. It is scripture the Church needs to know, but it is not our story.

We are Body Of Christ. The redeemed vessel of the Holy Spirit, dispensing God's grace to all we encounter. God's perfect plan is fulfilled in us. We extend the character of Jesus Christ through all our experience of Earthly life. Rivers of living water flow from our innermost being as we go about our daily routines.

I hope some friends have read each entire Psalm for themselves, though, and realized the great experience of Israel in her struggles against the cosmic system of Satan. This is information we Christians need to know, as we advance in our own faith and wait for the fulfillment of all God's promises to all God's people.

I've learned a lot from just reading through this wonderful portion of scripture, and I've taken great pleasure in sharing some of the parts that we Christians can relate to in life.

The Grand Hallelujah

146-150. The grand hallelujah finale.

Each of these five psalms opens and closes with Hallelujah, ‘Praise the Lord.’ Psalm 146. Hallelujah! The God of Jacob, 1-2. This is the designation of Him who loves the helpless sinner in redemptive compassion, 3-4; yet who is the mighty Creator, faithful, righteous, provident, 5-7; the glorious Saviour and Protector, 89, and the eternal King,10. Psalm 147. Hallelujah! For His power and providential care, 1-11, especially toward Israel, 12-20. Psalm 148. Hallelujah! Let all creatures praise Him in heaven, 16, and on earth, 7-14. Psalm 149. Hallelujah! Sing the new song of redemption. Redeemed Israel leads the Hallelujah Chorus, 1-3, because the Lord has given victory, vindicating His own, 4-9. Psalm 150. Hallelujah! Climactic crescendo of universal praise. The ultimate purpose of creation is the praise of the Creator. God alone is worthy. Hallelujah!

Unger, Merrill F.; Unger, Merrill F. F. (2005-04-01). The New Unger's Bible Handbook (Kindle Locations 7095-7106). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

J.V. McGee refers to Psalm 150 as the key Psalm of the book. Worship in God's millennial sanctuary with various instruments, topped off by human voices.

This last Psalm expresses the universal attitude of all mature believers in any dispensation, any historical era, any geographical location, any circumstances of life.

The mature believer feels gratitude and thanksgiving to God for life, salvation and provision.
He praises God in worship, wherever he is, at all times.
His character demonstrates stability, confidence and faith in the Sovereign Creator of all things.
His soul and spirit are occupied with Christ.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness
Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

Peace on Earth! The King rules. - LD



I'll have a followup comment tomorrow about this walk through the Psalms, and what it has meant to me.

Everlasting to Everlasting

As I've read and shared through the Psalms these past several months, I've quoted carefully selected verses each day on my personal Facebook page with almost no added commentary. I have a specific reason for that, which will be explained after we've gone through all 150 chapters. For now, I just want us to appreciate the worshipful attitude of the writers of Psalms, and make our own personal application as we go.

I have checked periodically to see if I had any Psalm commentaries archived on the blog. In the case of Psalm 145 I do have this one from 2012, which is worth republishing.

                                                                           ***
In one of many alphabetic acrostics written by David, he sings praises to the eternal King of glory, Who has saved His people and protected them through their long earthly sojourn. Some of that sojourn is yet future. God knows the end from the beginning, and He had gifted certain Old Testament believers to have insight into the prophecies regarding Israel’s rise to nationhood, times of oppression and captivity, and their return to their blessed land in the Lord’s perfect time. King David was gifted in such a way. In the last several Psalms, the prophetic praise is about Israel’s survival and return to the land God gave to their father, Abraham many centuries before. David totally identifies with Israel and with the coming Messiah, Whose afflictions and victories are prominent throughout the Psalms.

Scripture is quoted from the English Standard Version (ESV)

Psalm 145:1-2
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

145:4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

 

God has entrusted His Word to imperfect humans, throughout history. It is through the witness of one human to another human that most people are awakened to the truth of God’s Word, and eventually saved by faith in that Word. In the Old Testament, angels often appeared as special messengers to certain servants of God, appointing them to a particular work. Sometimes the special messenger was Jesus Christ, Himself, appearing as a man or angelic being. This is called a Christophany. Those were special circumstances and special anointings.

For the dissemination of the gospel message to the human race, however, and for the teaching of systematic Bible doctrine to Israel and to the Church, God uses humans. There are humans in each generation who learn and love and share God’s Word with their contemporaries and pass it down to their children. The Word does not change. The basic characteristics of the human race do not change. We are born sinners in need of a savior. When we are born again into Christ, we must learn our Father’s expectations and how to think and behave as Royal Family of God. Our textbook is God's written Word. Inspired by God, penned by humans, systematized, categorized, researched and taught by humans whose highest honor in life is to do this very work. One generation to another. A family responsibility. A family treasure. Resulting in great personal reward.

145:6-7 They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Our testimony: God is omnipotent. There is nothing too great for Him. What He has promised, He will do. What we need, He will give. His generosity knows no bounds, for He is perfect righteousness.

145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

God is from everlasting to everlasting. Alpha and Omega. Eternal Life. Generations come and go, dispensations come and go, but God’s kingdom is forever.

145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.

Man’s righteousness is relative. –R (minus R; less than righteous). Human good is comparison of one person’s morality to another’s, but both are far short of the perfect righteousness of God. He can do no wrong. Ever. All His ways are righteous. +R. Our focus must be on the perfect righteousness of God, without which we cannot receive eternal life. We cannot achieve His righteousness. We can only receive it by faith in Jesus Christ.

145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

There are humans who deny the reality of God and reject the truth of His Word. They only need to call out to Him: “please show me your truth. I want to know you.” He’s right there. They are needlessly lost.

145:20 The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

They cannot deny Him forever. He protects His Own who love Him, but those who reject Him will perish.

145: 21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
 Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Perfect, Absolute Existence

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. " And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” ( Exodus 3:14)

"AM" - hayah (hawyaw) in Hebrew. Means Exist. To Be.
...

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

"AM" - Eime (ieemee) in Greek. Is, Am, Was, Have Been. Exist.

The best interpretation I've ever heard for this phrase is
"Perfect, absolute existence."

He is the source of all that is.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

Jesus Christ is God. He did all the work in creation. Nothing exists that He did not create, by and for Himself. He not only created, but He also sustains all that exists. What we see, what we don't see. God the Father planned it. God the Spirit reveals it. God the Son produced---everything! Of course we cannot comprehend the magnitude of His power, but We are His, brethren, and He is ours! Hallelujah!

Glimpse of Glory

“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen .Luke 9:27-36 NIV

"his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning." Luke 9:29.

Our Lord was modeling the uniform of glory which shall be the clothing of the mature saints in eternity, Revelation 3:4-5. These believers are designated as "winners" in Christ's messages to the Churches in Revelation 2 and 3. These believers have lived their lives with locked-in positive volition toward the plan and purpose of God.

The believer is anyone who was born again by faith in Jesus Christ

The winner believer is he who overcomes the distractions and hindrances of the Old Sin Nature to fulfill God's purpose for his life.

Volition is individual free will. Each human makes decisions regarding what he believes.

Positive means willing to learn and believe God's Word.

Locked-in: Stable. Confidently certain of God's grace. Always grateful and receptive to God's perfect plan. Loves Jesus Christ and His perfect work.

The winner believer has unshakable faith in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ


The "some standing here" turned out to be Peter, James and John. They seem to have been Jesus' inner circle of disciples. They would be with Him later as He agonized in the garden (Mark 14:32-34). Wow. This was a momentous occasion. As Jesus prayed, they saw that He had been transfigured into His glorious state. Moses was there with Him, and Elijah. These two men were known to have been taken to heaven by special acts of God. Moses had died in Moab, alone with God, who we are told buried him there (Deuteronomy 34:5-6) and his body has never been found. Elijah was taken away in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11-12). These two are also prominently involved in the prophesies of the 2nd advent of Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:3-6). They were also in glorified splendor, and discussing with Him His coming "departure" which would occur at Jerusalem.

Jesus came into humanity knowing what awaited Him here. He steadfastly fulfilled the Father's plan for redemption of the human race, which had been corrupted by the disobedience of our progenitor, Adam. Jesus wasn't in this alone, but He was the only one who could execute the final plan. Peter, James and John were chosen to witness this conference, for reasons known only to our Lord, and perhaps Moses and Elijah.

Peter's reaction: "Let's stay here! We'll pitch tents for the three of you and just bask in this glory!" Luke points out that Peter had no clue. It was his natural exuberance speaking. After all, he had just awakened and this was what he saw. God the Father intervened and put a stop to the nonsense. "This is My Son. My Chosen One. YOU listen to HIM." And then Jesus was alone with them.

We want to cling to our moments of glory. It feels SO good! But that is not our mission. The glory will come, but we first must live out our assignment here, in these corrupted bodies, with the Holy Spirit indwelling. As with the apostles earlier on in this chapter, we each have an assigned territory to serve in our present form among others of our same nature. We have a message to proclaim, and if they won't receive it from us, it just won't be received. That is God's chosen means of evangelism: human to human, as we live day by day in the earth and serve our purpose in the angelic conflict.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves..(2 Corinthians 4:7).

Oh, and guys? Nobody is gonna believe what we just saw, so it's best we not even speak of it. Let's just keep it to ourselves.

Equipped for Battle

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:11-12 NASB

‎"Stand firm." under combat conditions.

Rulers: Demon Generals.
Powers: Demon commissioned officers.
World forces: Ambassador Demons to world capitols.
Spiritual forces: Rank and file demons.

Much of the evil we see in the world is not necessarily of human origin. MUCH of it is of demon origin. We are at war, fellow saints, and it is not pretty. It is the Angelic Conflict. Our souls are the battleground. We are not in it alone, however. The LORD of the Armies is in charge of this battle. Our equipment is provided. The battle plan is drawn. Learn. Apply. Stand firm.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

"The day of evil" implies more intense persecution than we see on any given day. We must train daily with our divine weaponry, though, in order to be at the ready when the big push comes. That means we must study bible doctrine and learn to apply it to every circumstance of our lives. Then when the crisis comes, we will respond immediately with truth, just as the fully trained combat soldier responds immediately with his familiar equipment. These are not euphemisms, brethren. This is war. We are in the thick of it.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14-17

Our battle gear:

Loins girded with Biblical TRUTH, ready for action.

Breastplate of Christ's RIGHTEOUSNESS protects the vitals (innermost being), enabling us to continue the battle.

Shoes represent sure-footed mobility for going forth and proclaiming the Good News of Christ's PEACE, which reconciles us to the Father.

Shield of FAITH (what we know about God) repels the attacks of the evil one.

Helmet of SALVATION, our knowledge of the person and work of Jesus Christ keeps our priorities in order.

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, our only offensive weapon is the Word of God! We learn it, we metabolize it, we apply it, we teach it, we use it to demonstrate the superiority of our One God and His grace provision for us in the devil's world.

He Who Shared My Bread

“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’

“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus  answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. John 13:18-30 NIV

Jesus had stated earlier that the disciples were clean, “but not all of you.” He said again: “I am not referring to all of you..”

Jesus Christ is God. His essence is the same as that of the Father. His omniscience knows the end from the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He knew from the time He accepted Judas as a disciple that Judas would not believe in Him as Savior, and would betray Him. This is difficult for us to grasp, but we can learn a great deal from both the situation and the personalities involved. Jesus knew everything about the men He had chosen, and that one was a traitor.

Quoting Psalm 41:9: “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.” 

Jesus announced that from here on, He would prepare them ahead of time for what was coming, so they would understand His deity (“I Am who I Am”). Only omniscience knows the future.

Apparently Judas was the only other one in the room who knew who He was talking about. That’s because Judas was the subject. Speaking this truth to His men was troubling for Jesus. He is also human, and Judas had been with them for these three years. Also, it meant the time of His atonement was almost here. This was what Jesus came to do, willingly, for fallen humanity, and He always knew it would not be easy. The men with Him, and we, could not possibly understand His anguish at this time.

Like small children, the men started to question Him about it. Uh-Oh. What does He mean? Who can it be? Surely it is not I? Interestingly, they didn’t immediately suspect Judas. This means Judas had all of them hoodwinked. It is commonly believed that Judas, as a man, was a good man. No bad habits. A nice guy, who inspired others’ confidence. They allowed him to be their treasurer, if you please. No one suspected him of thievery until after this exposure. Jesus had apparently made no difference in His dealings with Judas during their ministry. He went on the evangelism tours and exercised the “gifts” Jesus had authorized in them, as far as we can know. It was not their own personal faith, but the authority of Jesus that made those gifts work, because they were representing Him. Furthermore, Jesus had just washed Judas’ feet along with the others. His grace knows no limits. It is the unbelief of the sinner that prevents his salvation.

Jesus took the sop, told them the one receiving it was the traitor, and presented the bread to Judas, who took it and was immediately emboldened by Satan.

“Do it quickly,” Jesus said, and Judas went out. The eleven were still dumbfounded. They thought, since Judas had the money, Jesus was sending him on a purchasing errand, or a benevolence mission.

Of the many lessons here, one stands out to me. You cannot tell by a person’s appearance or behavior pattern whether he is a believer or not. As we saw in Galatians 5, it is the Holy Spirit Who produces the fruit of love in the believer. It is entirely the work of the Spirit, not human good, that accomplishes God’s will and receives reward. A favorite Bible teacher of mine used to say “if an unbeliever can do it, it is not the Christian Way of Life.”  When we think that through, an unbeliever can do most of the overt things that are deemed by others to be divine production. The difference is, the unbeliever does not have eternal life and is not amassing eternal rewards. Whatever his motive, it is not to do God’s will.

Judas was a nice guy, but he was the embodiment of evil. His fellow disciples did not know that until he was exposed by Jesus, Who knows all. We don’t need to speculate about who is or is not real in the faith. We need to make certain our own faith is real, and the Lord will sort it all out at the proper time.

Judas took the bread and went out.

And it was night.

The Shepherd Trilogy

Psalms 22, 23 and 24 form a trilogy. In Psalm 22 the good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11); in Psalm 23 the great Shepherd, “brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant,” (Hebrews 13:20) tenderly cares for the sheep; in Psalm 24, the chief Shepherd appears as King of glory to own and reward the sheep (I Peter 5:4). –from the Scofield Reference Notes (1917 Edition).

All scripture quotes are from the New American Standard Bible.

We examined Psalm 22 in the April 7,2012 blogpost titled Doctrine of Expiation. Highlighting here, verses 1-2, 6-8, 14-18, The Good Shepherd. John 10:11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep, by His obedient life and His atoning death:

My God (Father), my God (Spirit), why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning….

I am a worm (crushed for its blood) and not a man, A reproach of men and despised by the people.

All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying,

“Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”….

I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint;

My heart is like wax; It is melted within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws;

And You lay me in the dust of death.

For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me;

They pierced my hands and my feet.  I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me;

They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.

It is important to note that when David wrote this prophetic cry of despair (1000 years before Christ), crucifixion was not practiced. It was a Roman form of execution, not Jewish, yet these verses graphically describe that terrible torture which was literally fulfilled in Jesus, as reported in Matthew 27.

Psalm 23 The Great Shepherd, risen and making daily provision for His sheep: Hebrews 13:20-21 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David was a shepherd before he was king. He knew sheep. He knew their total dependence on the shepherd, for provision and protection. Because of his lifelong close fellowship with the Lord, he realized that God is to His people as the shepherd is to the sheep. This was a comforting analogy for David throughout his own life, and he has shared this comfort with us by this beautiful composition.

The shepherd provides everything for the sheep. They don’t have to forage for themselves. He gives them rest in lush vegetation. He finds them still waters to drink, because the rushing water frightens them. The comforts them in their times of distress. He leads them aright because of who he is (for His name’s sake), not because they deserve it. They can navigate the threatening terrain with confidence, knowing the shepherd is with them. His rod disciplines, His staff directs. That is comfort for the sheep. He provides perfect food for them even in the presence of predators. He cares for their physical cleanliness. He overflows the drinking trough for easy access. Goodness and lovingkindness (mercy) follow His sheep. He pursues them with His tenderness and blessings. The sheep of the Great Shepherd are assured of heavenly accommodations for all eternity.

Psalm 24 verses 1, 7-10 The Chief Shepherd returns at the second advent to claim and reward His sheep: I Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!

Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.

The Heavens Declare

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard.

Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world.

In them He has placed a tent for the sun,

Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them;

And there is nothing hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1-6 NASB

What about those who have never heard?

Answer: they’ve heard, through natural revelation. They can see the heavenly display of God’s handiwork. Every sensible human knows there had to be a designer for such beauty and symmetry as we see in the visible sky and in the earth itself, with all the flora and fauna that make up our ecosystem. Every human is born with individual volition. No matter what his culture or geographical location, he is aware of the universe; the orderliness of creation reveals God’s glory. Each person then makes a decision: do I want to know more about the Person who created all this? If yes (positive volition at God-conciousness), God will make certain to enlighten that person before he dies. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men (Titus 2:11). Then he has to decide: do I believe in the provision the creator has made for my salvation? Do I care? If yes (positive volition at gospel hearing), God will give him the information he needs to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved, and the doctrinal knowledge he needs to live as a child of God.

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are  true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11

God’s special revelation is His
Law: His revealed will, perfect.
Testimony: His truth, absolute.
Precepts: His orders, righteous.
Commandment: His authority, clarifying.
Fear: reverence, trust.
Judgments: His justice, fair.

God’s Word is more valuable than fine gold; more delightful than any delicacy. We are warned by His Word and rewarded by the keeping of it.

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.  Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Psalm 19:12-13

We are never wise enough or mature enough to be aware of all our failures (discern errors). We humans do commit sins of ignorance (hidden faults; unintentional sins Leviticus 4:2). God is gracious to us in our ignorance. But what about presumptuous sins? That one sounds ominous, because some of us are quick to presume. Presumption is wrong. It is important to know the Word of God and obey the Word of God, as it is revealed to us. Guesswork and speculation come from  arrogance. Defiance and disobedience to God’s commands constitute blasphemy (Numbers 15:30-31). There is no excuse for presumption, but it seems to be a weakness in some believers, and can neutralize our fellowship with God. David knew about presumption, in King Saul and in himself. I’m pretty familiar with it, myself. It is a great transgression. We need help overcoming that in our daily walk.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Lord, please do your perfect will in me.

Higher Ways, Higher Thoughts

Isaiah 55 ESV

8 ...my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

 

God is not some vague, feel-good, benevolent being defined only by a distorted emotion (unregenerate man's idea of "love").

 

God is a person; the original person, and the source of all that exists.

 

He has an hierarchy among the angelic creation as well as among mankind. He has a system of protocol. He has identified Himself to mankind and has provided logistical support to those who are positive to His plan of grace.

 

All humans are born condemned, as the result of Adam’s original sin. Salvation is free to all, but not all will receive it, because it requires faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and some will not believe.

 

The Father raises the spiritually dead by giving eternal life to all who believe in His Son. The Son has this same power. He IS the atonement. He IS the propitiation. Therefore, He, like His Father, gives life to those who were formerly dead in their sins. The final judgment, however, belongs to the Son. As the unbelievers are gathered before Him at the great white throne, He will demonstrate to them that their human good can never measure up to His own perfect righteousness, which they have rejected. The Father will not judge them, because He judged their sins in His Son. This leaves them to face the One who paid for their sins on the cross.

 

People who say they believe in God but cannot accept the work of Christ for their salvation do not really believe in God. The Father and Son are one. If the Father is not honored, the Son is also not honored (“I believe in the love Jesus taught, but cannot accept that Old Testament God”) – this dishonors the Jesus they claim to love. He, Jesus Christ, IS that Old Testament God. He is Lord of the Armies. If the Son is rejected, the Father’s plan is rejected. Jesus is God, God is Jesus. If you reject the one, the other is dishonored. The unbeliever cannot win.

 

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. John 5:26-27 ESV

God the Father and God the Son share the same eternal life, as well as nine other characteristics of divine essence. One of those is perfect Justice (judgment). The Son will be the final executor of God’s Justice, because He has the unique qualification of being the Perfect Man.

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” John 5:30

Jesus was here in physical body to do the work the Father had planned for His creation and had authorized Him to do. This was all decreed in eternity past. Jesus’ one purpose in life was to fulfill the plan of the Father. Criticism of the Son was pointless, because He was following His Father’s protocol plan, and nothing would interfere with that.

In these comments, Jesus gave The Jews an introduction to the doctrine of the oneness of the persons of God.  We call it the doctrine of the Trinity. God is one in essence. Each person of the Trinity - Father, Son, Holy Spirit – has exactly the same essence: Sovereignty, Righteousness, Justice, Love, Eternal Life, Omniscience, Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Veracity, Immutability. Each manifests these characteristics in different forms. God the Father, the planner of all creation and history, is spirit and eternally invisible. God the Holy Spirit, a partner in creation, restoration and regeneration, is also spirit and cannot be seen, but can be experienced; convincing of sin, awakening the human spirit to faith in Christ, and nurturing the believer in growth to spiritual maturity. God the Son is the bodily person of God – seen, felt, heard – born into the human race as the Perfect Man and Perfect God in one person forever. We call that the Hypostatic Union – the unique person of the universe.

Jesus was speaking to people so blinded by religion they had no concept of grace or of the personalities of God. As He began His public ministry, Jesus kept His message simple, to accommodate the ignorance of His audience. We, too, must present simple, basic truths until we have the attention of those who want to know more. Hitting them with advanced doctrinal vocabulary is overwhelming to them and obscures our witness.

Jesus’ claim of equality with God was the final outrage to The Jews. From this point on, they earnestly plotted to destroy Him.

 

 

 

J. Vernon McGee's Outline of The Psalms

After having mentioned McGee's intro and outline in an earlier post, I think it good to share that with you as well as the Scofield. There are many very good scholars who study and teach the Psalms, but those two are my favorites.

From McGee:

The theme of the book of Psalms is Psalm 150.

The book corresponds to the Pentateuch (the five books of Moses) and covers all *dispensations.

There are five distinct sections.

1. Genesis Section: Psalms 1-41
    Man is seen in a state of blessedness, then fall and recovery. (Man in view)

    This section covers the entire book of Psalms and gives the history of all dispensations, as is true
     of Genesis.

    Psalm 1 - Perfect Man (Last Adam)
               2 - Rebellious Man
               3 - Perfect Man Rejected
               4 - Conflict between Seed of Woman/Serpent
               5 - Perfect Man amidst Enemies
               6 - Perfect Man amidst Chastisement (Bruising Heel)
               7 - Perfect Man amidst False Witnesses
               8 - Repair of Man comes through Man (Bruising Head)
               9-15 - Enemy and Antichrist Conflict, Final Deliverance
               16-41 - Christ amidst His people, sanctifying them to God

2. Exodus Section: Psalms 42-72
    Ruin and Redemption (Israel in view)

    Psalms 43-49 - Israel's Ruin
                 50-60 - Israel's Redeemer
                 61-72 - Israel's Redemption

3. Leviticus Section: Psalms 73-89
    Darkness and Dawn (Sanctuary in view)

    Tabernacle, Temple, House, Assembly, Congregation in every Psalm

4. Numbers Section: Psalms 90-106
    Peril and Protection (Earth in view)

5. Deuteronomy Section: Psalms 107-150
    Perfection and Praise of Word of God

    Psalm 119 - Word of God in every verse. Longest chapter in the Bible.


*A dispensation is defined traditionally as a period of time during which a particular revelation of God’s mind and God’s will is operative, and during which man is tested as to his obedience to that specific manifestation of God’s will, purpose, and plan.  The believer’s orientation to both time and to human history is vitally necessary for understanding God’s plan and God’s purpose.
   Dispensations constitute the divine administration of history.  In fact, the Greek word translated “dispensations” also means administration of some organization.  Dr. H.A. Ironside defined dispensations in his book, In the Heavenlies, as follows, “It is an economy or a particular order or a condition of things prevailing in a special age which does not necessarily prevail in another age.”
   In every dispensation, God has a plan for believers, and in grace He provides the means for executing that plan.  We must understand the other dispensations and then learn why only one dispensation is called the “dispensation of grace” (Eph 3:2).
   While there is a different plan for believers in each dispensation, there is only one way of salvation throughout human history: personal faith in Jesus Christ.  In all of human history, there is only one Savior, Jesus Christ, and He is revealed in different ways in different dispensations.

(Excerpt from Doctrine of Dispensations, http://gracebiblechurchwichita.org/?page_id=58)

Knowledge of Dispensational Truth gives the believer an understanding of where we are in human history and what to expect regarding the plan and purpose of God. Without it, the Bible remains a confusing series of stories and poems the believer does not know how to apply. Those who insist there are contradictions in scripture simply do not comprehend dispensations. -LD


              

Scofield Introduction to Psalms

Book Introduction - Psalms
The simplest description of the five books of Psalms is that they were the inspired prayer- and-praise book of Israel. They are revelations of truth, not abstractly, but in the terms of human experience. The truth revealed is wrought into the emotions, desires, and sufferings of the people of God by the circumstances through which they pass. But those circumstances are such as to constitute an anticipation of analogous conditions through which Christ in His incarnation, and the Jewish remnant in the tribulation ( 10:21, refs), should pass; so then many Psalms are prophetic of the sufferings, the faith, and the victory of both. Psalms 22 and 50 are examples. The former--the holy of holies of the Bible-- reveals all that was in the mind of Christ when He uttered the desolate cry, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" The latter is an anticipation of what will be in the heart of Israel when she shall turn to Jehovah again ( Deuteronomy 30:1 Deuteronomy 30:2 ). Other Psalms are directly prophetic of "the sufferings of Christ, and the glories which should follow" ( Luke 24:25-27 Luke 24:44 ). Psalm 2 is a notable instance, presenting Jehovah's Anointed as rejected and crucified ( Psalms 2:1-3 ; Acts 4:24-28 ) but afterward set as King in Zion. The great themes of the Psalms are, Christ, Jehovah, the Law, Creation, the future of Israel, and the exercises of the renewed heart in suffering, in joy, in perplexity. The promises of the Psalms are primarily Jewish, and suited to a people under the law, but are spiritually true in Christian experience also, in the sense that they disclose the mind of God, and the exercises of His heart toward those who are perplexed, afflicted, or cast down. The imprecatory Psalms are the cry of the oppressed in Israel for justice--a cry appropriate and right in the earthly people of God, and based upon a distinct promise in the Abrahamic Covenant ((See Scofield "Genesis 15:18") ), but a cry unsuited to the church, a heavenly people who have taken their place with a rejected and crucified Christ. ( Luke 9:52-55 ). The Psalms are in five books, each ending in a doxology:

1. Psalms 1-41.
2. Psalms 42-72.
3. Psalms 73-89.
4. Psalms 90-106.
5. Psalms 107-150.

This Treasure

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 NASB

Paul knew he was a minister of the gospel by the grace of God, through no virtue of his own. His priority was always the unadulterated Word of God, accurately presented, free from all speculation, mysticism and shameful manipulation. Give them the Word. They will believe it or not. We don’t need to dress it up to make it more attractive to the worldlings, or the mystics, or the legalists. It is GOD’s Word. The Word was with him before anything was created (John 1:1). It (He) created and sustains US. We do not need to defend or make excuses for It (Him). The Word Itself (Himself) will awaken the spirits of those who are positive to the truth about God. It will not return void, but will accomplish that whereunto it was sent (Isaiah 55:11).

The gospel is veiled, or hidden, only to those who refuse to believe God’s Word. They are natural men, with no human spirits. They are therefore incapable of comprehending the plan and purpose of God. Satan himself has blinded them, with their own consent; because if they WANTED to understand, God the Holy Spirit would open their eyes. Paul, himself, had been violently opposed to Christianity, because he thought it denied the truth of God. He was sincerely wrong, however, and was willing to understand truth when it was presented to him. That’s the difference in unbelievers. Some are willing, and waiting to be awakened. Others are determined to reject and deny the Lord Jesus Christ and the Way of the cross. They cannot ever understand, because they are willfully blind.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.  For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

There are phrases here and there in the Bible that send me into ecstasy. “this treasure in earthen vessels” is one of them. "This treasure" is the glorious gospel of Christ. "Earthen vessels" are clay pitchers. We Christians are entirely human; common; ordinary; made of earth, descended from the earth-man, Adam. God has chosen to use US, lowly earthlings, to be the conduits of His gospel message—to teach His Word to His Churches—to represent His character in the world. WE, clay pots, are the ambassadors of Jesus Christ in the devil’s world. No matter what circumstances we are in, we manifest Jesus—His life and His death—in our bodies. His death defines our life. We are doing this because as weak as we are, we humans know our God is all powerful and has a plan and purpose for us in whatever generation we live. He has assigned His angels to observe how we, with the indwelling Holy Spirit, will endure the tribulations of the angelic conflict on our field of battle. His Holy Spirit and His written Word, stored in our souls, are our equipment. We have instant access to Him anywhere, anytime, by the exercise of prayer. Spoken or unspoken. Eloquent or crude. He understands us, and the Holy Spirit helps our inadequacies. Earthen vessels. Clay pots. Vessels to be USED, not set on a shelf and polished. Somehow, this concept thrills me beyond expression. I may soar for a while, on this one.

But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,  while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:13-18

We speak what we believe. We know that God, Who raised Jesus, will raise us all, making His grace evident to the universe. So, yeah, our bodies are dying, but our eternal souls and spirits are thriving in the nurture of God’s Word. All we see around us is perishing, temporary. But we have spiritual, eternal realities which are of far greater importance than anything we can see, hear or touch. Those realities are our present position and our destiny, IN CHRIST.