Zion the City of God

The Praise of Mount Zion

Book of Psalms Chapter 48

As we watch what is going on in Israel today, we might ask ourselves how many times have efforts been made to destroy Israel and annihilate the Jewish people but they have failed every time.

We know that Hitler had six million Jews slaughtered.

God has made certain promises to Israel and God has never broken a promise He has made to anyone!

One man wrote, that the story of Mount Zion in the Bible is both miraculous and awe-inspiring. 

The events that took place on and around this mountain shaped the course of history and the development of Christianity. 

In the Bible, this mountain is mentioned numerous times, and the importance of Zion should not be underestimated.

That word Zion is used one hundred and fifty-three times in the Old Testament.

Many times it is called the city of the Lord in both the New and the Old Testaments

In most countries one city will stand out as the grandest and the most important.

When we mention Zion, we can be talking about the city of Jerusalem, or we can be talking about Mount Zion which is a hill just outside the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the city in Israel where people would travel to to worship God.

In fact, Jerusalem was called the city of God.

Psa_46:4  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Psa_87:3  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

Since God does not change then Jerusalem is still the city of God because God chose Jerusalem.

Isa_60:14  The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

In this Psalm we will see the greatness of Jehovah and the glory of His city Zion

*****Psa 48:1  A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 

Psa 48:2  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

The most common use for the word Zion was to refer to the city of God in what some call the New Age.

The Book of Isaiah says: Isa 1:27  Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 

Isa 1:28  And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

This verse in the Book of Isaiah is referring to the return of the Lord.

Isaiah also writes of the birth of Christianity: Isa 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 

Psalms two says: Psa 2:6  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 

Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 

Psalms 132:13 says  For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. 

Psa 132:14  This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 

We can see that some of these verses refer to New Jerusalem and some the Old Jerusalem, but they both say Zion.

The proof is seen in the Book of Hebrews: Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

We see the Church is not a building, but is the general assembly of those who are Born Again.

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 

In Isa 33:5 it says: The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

This will take place at the return of the Lord. 

Zion stood for the capital of Judah: Amo 6:1  Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! 

 We should clearly understand that Jerusalem will be the capital of this world just as it is the capital of Israel.

Psa 87:1  A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains. 

Psa 87:2  The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 

Psa 87:3  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

Psa 87:5  And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.

We can see that God has some major plans for Jerusalem or Zion.

God's presence on this mountain made it a special place in the time of Jesus and when Jesus returns, He will first put His feet down on the Mount of Olives and then He will establish Jerusalem as His capital city as He will rule the world from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

King Jesus will be praised in the city of our God!

Jerusalem will be remade into a beautiful city.

*****Psa 48:2  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 

I have never been to Israel so I have never seen the city of Jerusalem except in pictures, but I will see it one day because I am listed as a resident of the New Jerusalem where my home is located.

Jerusalem is a lovely sight to behold.

It is the fact that God spent some time in Jerusalem that makes it a special place, and the fact that when the Living God returns, He will set His throne in Jerusalem for one thousand years.

It is this same fact that makes Jerusalem to be a holy city.

Lam 2:15  All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? 

Jerusalem will one day soon become the city of peace and a most beautiful place when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

Jerusalem will then become the joy of the whole earth.

Few today believe these things but this does not make it any less true. I know I believe.

Zec 14:9  And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. 

Zec 14:10  All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.

Isa 2:1  The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 

Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

Isa 2:4  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

There is only one Great King and that is King Jesus.

Just to the north of the city will be the citadel of King Jesus.

*****Psa 48:3  God is known in her palaces for a refuge. 

When Israel was on the side of Jehovah, He defended Jerusalem.

When Israel was going the ways of the world, then Jehovah allowed the destruction of Jerusalem.

We know that Jerusalem was destroyed two times.

First by Nebuchadnezzar and once by Rome.

The Gentiles have ruled Jerusalem far too long and King Jesus will soon sit on His throne and there will be no more destruction of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem's palaces will be defended by God Himself.

On May 14, 1948, God proved to the world that he was not done with Israel.

The enemies of Israel were taken aback by this happening and they immediately tried to drive Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. 

They have failed every time they have tried because God is known in her palaces. 

Jehovah is Zion's Protector and the world is finding this out, just as the enemies of Israel found this out many times.

Here in America today, our government has forgotten that it is not the nation that makes the people but the people who make the nation.

When God is honored in the palace, He will be worshipped in the home.

When the Atheist make the laws there will be masses who rise up against those laws as we see in America today.

That big push to get America into socialism is a push for the downfall of America.

America stands as the last wall to conquer so the world will have a one world government.

Less than fifty percent of those who say they are Christians believe in our Divine Creator and these are the same ones who regularly attend Church services.

These are the ones in the family of God and will be welcomed into Heaven.

All the rest believe in some form of evolution and these are those who rarely attend Church.

These are the goats who will be separated from the sheep and will hear the words of Jesus when He says. "I never knew you."

*****Psa 48:4  For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. 

Psa 48:5  They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. 

Psa 48:6  Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 

The nations of this world will come against the Church and this is in its beginning.

The nations of this world will come against Israel and we see this at its beginning.

God will protect His children from this wicked world.

It will be similar to the time of Sennacherib when one hundred and eighty-five thousand men of the Assyrian Army went to sleep and never woke up again upon this earth but woke up in Hell.

2Ki 19:35  And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 

Sennacherib's problem was that he was so full of pride he thought he could defeat God.

This is the same problem that Satan has; he is so full of pride that he will challenge God.

In the days of Armageddon these things will be similar but it will be on a much larger scale!

The protective hand of God will remain on Jerusalem and the things that are allowed to happen to Jerusalem will be just as the Bible describes.

In this instance described in Verse five, they will look upon the defenses of Israel and decide to leave without firing a shot, out of fear.

Isa 33:3  At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered. 

Most all of us know that when that mother begins delivering her child, she can do nothing else but endure the pain.

*****Psa 48:7  Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. 

Tarshish was seaport on the coast of Spain about twenty-five hundred miles west from Israel.

There were mighty merchant vessels located here than could sail in almost any storm but the winds from the East coming across the Mediterranean would wreak havoc on these ships.

Just as the largest, and strongest ships were no match for those storms from the east, the most powerful militaries of this world are no match to the power of God.

Job 27:21  The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place. 

Isa 27:8  In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. 

I believe the United States Navy got a taste of the East wind when they tried to set up a temporary dock to unload those ships trying to bring aide to Gaza. They were no match for those same east winds.

A news source wrote:[O]n May 25, heavy sea states caused four US Army vessels operating in support of that pier operations to become beached. Two vessels were beached in Gaza near the base of the pier and two were beached near Ashkelon in Israel,” Singh said in a statement on Wednesday. “US personnel on those vessels were evacuated.

That pier cost 320 million tax payer dollars, but it could not hold up to those east winds on the Mediterranean Sea.

I believe that God had something to do with it!

Jer 18:17  I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. 

The most powerful navy in this world had only one answer for this wind and it was to retreat.

*****Psa 48:8  As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. 

The world has seen God's defense of Jerusalem many times and the truth of God's Word teaches us God's relationship with this Holy City of Jerusalem.

We know that God never changes and He gives us His warnings in the Books of the Prophets and the Book of Revelation.

1) The city of the Lord, "Elohim" speaks of God's unlimited power and when Jehovah is used, God is teaching us of His protection of Jerusalem because of His covenant with Israel.

Those covenants will be fulfilled!

2) The city of the Lord of Hosts teaches us that our God is the Commander of a mighty army of angels that no man can overcome.

l2Ki 6:16  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 

2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 

This is when the enemy of Israel came to stop Elisha as Elisha represented the Church.

3) The city of God teaches us that Jerusalem is the city where God had His Temple, the place where He met with the people of Israel.

We know that in the Middle East, the city of Jerusalem was a great prize and many nations have tried to take it away from Israel just as they are doing today.

The fact remains that spiritually speaking, Jerusalem is a picture of the true Jerusalem in Heaven and we will see this great city one day soon.

And Israel will be saved.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 

This scripture is in the process of beginning today.

*****Psa 48:9  We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. 

If you know the Lord in your heart then you have felt His Love.

I would not be here today if God had not thought of me.

I know that God loves me because He created me and He is still working on me.

We know these words were sung by the sons of Korah.

They could not sing about the love of God unless they had felt the love of God.

God's "grace" comes to us because of His loving kindness.

God's "mercy" comes to us because of His loving kindness.

I can praise and glorify God because He has shown me His loving kindness.

God Himself says all those who do not believe that He exists are fools and worthless.

Psa 14:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

If you know the loving kindness of God then you will praise Him.

*****Psa 48:10  According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. 

Psa 48:11  Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. 

God's name is Elohim.

Elohim is in the plural form because God is a Trinity which is better said Triunity.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit show the divine nature of God.

It is because of God's name that we can praise Him.

When we understand that God is One in essence we can praise Him unto the ends of the earth.

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 

There are still some in the Church that do not accept the Triunity of God.

These three persons are equal in authority, but God the Father is recognized as supreme yet each person stand equal in every respect.

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 

1Co 8:7  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

While Sennacherib could not over power and take Jerusalem, he had already taken over many of the unwalled cities.

If he defeated Jerusalem, he would have defeated all the nation of Israel.

These would be the daughters of Judah. These daughters of Judah could certainly rejoice because God had executed His "judgment" on the Assyrians.

They could now walk around without worrying about being captured by the enemy.

*****Psa 48:12  Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 

Psa 48:13  Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. 

Now we get to a theme of our lesson which is deliverance.

Jerusalem had been delivered from her enemy without firing a shot.

A person could not walk around Jerusalem without noticing that Jerusalem was a well-fortified city.

1) Towers were the tallest structures in the city and were placed in prime locations so the watchmen could see for miles and the warriors were protected against the enemy.

2) Bulwarks were steep embankments outside the walls of Jerusalem. The enemies had to first get by them before they could attack the city.

There would be some of the military located there.

3) Palaces: For the devout Jews there was one thing only that made Zion glorious and it was that Jehovah dwelt there.

One of those palaces would be the Temple in that day and Zion's hill was the mountain of God's holiness.

When the Jews were faithful to Jehovah no enemy could overcome them and Jehovah would keep His covenant with them.

*****Psa 48:14  For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. 

Because God is our God forever, He will guide us through this life until our death.

Of all the people upon this earth God is the God of the Jew and the God of the Church.

We should understand the Lord's unfailing love God has for His people; it is never ending!

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Amen 

The House of God

 Building the Tabernacle

Book of Exodus Chapters 36 through Chapter 40

We love our freedoms here in the USA but we are slowly giving up our freedoms to corruptness.

There is one freedom we had better be willing to fight for!

Of all the freedoms we must maintain, it is the freedom to Worship that we had better cling to the most!

When we have this freedom, then we need to build places to gather and worship!

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

We see that this is a command of the Lord who is to be the object of our worship!

It is those who are going to worship who should make donations to the construction of this worship center and these donations are to be given willingly with no strings attached.

The key to our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ is the setting aside of our own desires of the flesh.

If we go into a worship service thinking only of what Jehovah can provide for us, then we have gone for the wrong reason!

Only as we give heed to the Word of God and "rest" in our Savior, can it be said we came to worship our Holy God!

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 

Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 

Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 

It is only when we can ignore our flesh, that we can be free to enjoy the worship of our Awesome God.

We begin with something that is never heard in the modern Church Era.

*****Exo 36:4  And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 

Exo 36:5  And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. 

Today in every place of worship we only hear that we could do more if we had more.

People need a place to worship much more than they need to figure out how to spend or in many cases to save that donation!

These people finally began to realize they were becoming a part of something incredibly special, at least most of them did.

Today we raise money to see what we can do with it, when we should make better plans for the ministry and raise what it would take to accomplish that ministry.

I have found that most Christians are generous, but these same Christians do not like to see waste!

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

Sometimes too much can cause corruption in the spending of these offerings!

Remember we are not talking about tithes. The tithes are commanded, and they too are to be spent wisely and for the upkeep of the Church buildings and Church ministries, those key ministries of the Church, such as making disciples.

After salvation must come discipleship!

Most of the modern-day Church has forgotten about sacrificial giving and refuse to give even the tithe.

Most modern Churches have strayed from these two key issues!

Maybe then we could hear our pastors say as Moses said.

*****Exo 36:6  And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 

We should understand this principle!

From last weeks lesson we must remember that too much that the Lord has provided is spent on false worship!

If the Lord has given us a work to do, He will lay the financing of that work on the hearts of the people to contribute what is necessary.

Where many a Church fail today is acting upon their own thoughts and undertaking projects before the provision of that project has been made.

I am not speaking of a work of "faith" here.

We should clearly understand the gifts that come by human means can seldom be used to gain a Heavenly Blessing!

We seem to forget that Jehovah knows what He is doing, and He uses the Holy Spirit to accomplish His wishes.

If God is not in it, it will surely not succeed!

The giving to the work of the Lord is a privilege and is not intended to ever become a burden!

This is not to say we are not to give sacrificially!

Whenever all these things are met according to the ways of the Lord, the Holy Spirit will also raise up qualified people in which this work will be assigned.

*****Exo 37:1  And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it: 

Exo 37:2  And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about. 

We should understand that the Ark symbolized the throne of God and His presence among the believers.

We must keep in the forefront of our minds, that all those who are ignorant of the truth of our Savior are bound for Hell!

All those who cannot relate to the truth of Jehovah, just do not know about Holiness.

They do not know how merciful and loving He is.

They cannot explain the loneliness and emptiness they feel in their heart.

They have no direction and fall into the traps of Satan, and they cannot understand why.

They have no power outside themselves.

They have no hope as they see the end of the world before them, no matter what the world does or says in trying to stop it.

They have no assurance in this life.

God has provided a sure, but straightforward way to approach Him, but it is a narrow path!

The Ark was made of shittim wood and over laid with gold.

Shittim wood is sometimes referred to as iron wood and is considered almost indestructible.

This wood symbolizes the human side of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also His sinlessness.

Heb 10:5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 

Heb 10:6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 

Heb 10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 

Act 13:35  Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

The Ark was completely over laid with gold within and without.

This reminds us that our Lord Jesus retained His full deity in union with His fullness of humanity!

Our Lord voluntarily emptied Himself of some unique things to come to our world and be that salvation plan of our Holy God.

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 

We should keep in mind that there was never a time that our Lord Jesus was not God, the Creator of this world!

*****Exo 37:17  And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same: 

The candlestick was actually a lampstand.

It symbolized the Lord Jesus Christ as the Light in this dark world!

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

He was not only the Light in this dark world, but He is the Light of Life.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Without the Light that Our Lord has provided, all the world would be lost in darkness.

No one could see a way out of this darkness! Most are still blind to it today!

No one could see a purpose, or have meaning, or know the significance of what life is all about.

Life is not about these few years we live in these aging worthless bodies!

Life is about living eternally with the God of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ!

This first Lampstand was hammered out from one piece of gold. I cannot even fathom how this was accomplished.

This Lampstand illuminated the persons who came into the Holy of Holies. Remember God can see at all times.

This Light is for each believer! As each believer enters into the presence of God, the Light of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, will shine upon them.

Each believer then becomes Jehovah's light to this world!

Joh 12:36  While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. 

We must become children of the Light of Christ!

Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 

As darkness approaches, we must let our little light shine even brighter!

Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 

Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 

*****Exo 37:25  And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. 

The Altar of Incense was about 18 inches square and was covered with pure gold.

The Altar of Incense symbolized our prayers reaching into Heaven!

Our Prayers are the most powerful tool we have in our relationship with our Heavenly Father!

We really do not pray enough, and we always seem to forget about prayer when we are in need of something that only Jehovah can provide.

The Apostle Paul said we should stay in prayer mode all the time!

Many Christians have forgotten how to approach our Savior and our Heavenly Father, and it is through prayer!

God loves to hear our prayers! Our prayers are like a sweet aroma ascending up to our Heavenly Father.

Our prayers are so special to our Heavenly Father that He bottles them up so He can hear them again whenever He has not heard from us!

Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

We must seek the Lord continuously, if we ever want to make things better in our nation!

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 

*****Exo 38:24  All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 

Exo 38:25  And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 

Moses kept inventory of all the materials used to construct the Tabernacle. 

We must remember God caused the Egyptians, through Holy Ghost conviction to provide all these things to the Children of Israel.

Of the gold and silver given freely and willingly for the work on the Tabernacle all was accounted for.

Jehovah makes us aware that all the gifts given to the Church, must be accounted for and nothing is to be wasted!

We do not think much about an old tent as a worship center, but there was in fact many precious metals and jewels used with the best of wood in God's design for this House of God!

We must understand that everything, "everything" in the design of the Tabernacle was intended to lead these people to the Messiah.

Gold reminds us of the Deity and the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is all we need!

Silver reminds us of the Atonement!

Exo 30:13  This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. 

Exo 30:14  Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. 

Exo 30:15  The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. 

Our "Atonement" is being reconciled to Jehovah, but not by silver and gold, but something much more precious!

It is by the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

1Pe 1:17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

1Pe 1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 

It all goes back to obedience to the Word of God and those He calls to do the work!

*****Exo 39:32  Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. 

It seems that in about five months all the work for the Tabernacle was completed.

We can say this was an amazing feat, but when the plan of God is followed by people that He has personally called, things happen accordingly.

It all begins with a great plan.

God's plan is perfect.

God's plan is precise.

God's plan cannot fail.

All the work was done. We have no need to present to God work that is not complete!

God entrusted this work to specific people!

Exo 31:2  See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 

Exo 31:6  And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: "and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee"; 

God did not trust this work to unbelievers! 

These workmen were taught of Jehovah, God the Holy Spirit. There was no room for error!

God did not trust this plan to be man-made. It was God's plan! There was no human input in this plan and no human was allowed to make changes to this plan!

All the work was done! There was none of the work on the Tabernacle left undone!

There is very little if any work that is done by the world that can be said to be completely done! 

Something will always be lacking in man-made worship!

Once this work was done then there was a need of an inspection.

Exo 39:42  According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. 

Exo 39:43  And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them. 

We must understand that no matter what task the Lord calls us to do. No matter our profession. We are to work hard to accomplish what God has called us to do.

God does not call us just to see us fail! 

We are to be faithful to the work God has called us to do!

We must understand that if we do our best, the results are in the hands of the Holy Spirit who called us!

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

When the Lord is pleased with our work, He will show up when we worship Him!

*****Exo 40:34  Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 

Exo 40:35  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

The Tabernacle implies that Jehovah requires a specific worship!

The Tabernacle also implies Jehovah's sovereign rule over the Jews and having said this, it also implies complete Authority over the Church as everything about the Tabernacle will lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ!

1) Having only one gate to enter into the Tabernacle offers Jehovah's invitation to humanity.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

2) The burnt offering at the Altar shows our need for atonement.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

3) The Brazen Laver shows our need for sanctification.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 

Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

4) The Lampstand shows our need to walk with the Lord.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

5) The table of shewbread shows our need for the Lord's nourishment.

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

6) The Altar of incense shows our need for a continuous prayer life.

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 

7) The Inner Veil, the Ark, the Mercy Seat shows our need for personal fellowship with Jehovah.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

If we love the Lord Jesus Christ, it will show, and the Tabernacle of God will lead us to Him!

Amen

The Tabernacle

 A New Place To Worship

Book of Exodus Chapter 25

The Tabernacle.

We know that all Scripture is given to us by Holy Ghost inspiration.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

We might ask ourselves, why would the Holy Ghost go through such a detailed account of the materials and the building of the Tabernacle?

There is more space devoted to the Tabernacle than any other object in the Bible.

For instance, only two chapters record God's work of creation and fitting this earth for human habitation yet, it takes ten chapters to teach us about the Tabernacle.

As Christians we are not to neglect any portion of the Word of God, which we tend to do.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime "were written for our learning", that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

In reality, the Book of Hebrews cannot be fully understood without a working knowledge of the Book of Exodus and the Book of Leviticus.

1) The Tabernacle is a physical place upon this earth that gives us an idea of God's dwelling place.

2) The Tabernacle is a "type" of Jesus Christ who is the Mediator between Jehovah and Mankind.

3) The Tabernacle is again a "type" of Jesus Christ in the Church in communion with all true believers.

The Tabernacle was the worship center in the wilderness for the children of Israel, but it was a splendid example to teach the Church many different 'types", many different pictures, and many different spiritual truths for those who are true believers.

The greatest tool we have in understanding our Savior and Redeemer, is the Words He has given to us! Praise His Holy name.

In respect of Him, then we need to let the Word of God speak for itself and teach us what the Lord God Jehovah wants us to know and what He wants us to understand!

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 

Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 

Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. 

Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 

The Tabernacle would begin with an offering.

*****Exo 25:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 

Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. 

The word Tabernacle actually means "dwelling place".

So to be clear, the message of the Tabernacle is simple:

1) The Lord's appearance to humanity in "Grace".

2) Humanity's approach to the Lord in "Faith".

Though many deny it, we need the presence and the assurance of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout our lifetime!

As Jehovah calls for the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle, it is a call for "Stewardship", to give with a willing heart.

Just as the "creation" of this world we live in, the Tabernacle had a need for an architect.

The architect of the Tabernacle was Jehovah God.

It is the architect who is responsible for the construction of any building, and it is the architect who determines whether a building stands or falls.

Jehovah would not leave the design of the Tabernacle in the hands of man.

The Tabernacle was to be Jehovah's dwelling place, the place of His presence.

The Tabernacle was to be a special place where people could come to worship Jehovah.

The Tabernacle was to be a place where His people could learn about Him.

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 

Heb 3:2  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 

Heb 3:3  For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 

Heb 3:4  For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 

Heb 3:5  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 

Heb 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. 

Jehovah supplied the design of the Tabernacle, but the people supplied the materials.

*****Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

We must understand that the greatest thing we can give to our Savior is a willing heart!

The children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for near four hundred years. 

We know that slaves do not have the opportunity to accumulate wealth, but now they traveled with the LORD with great wealth.

Just before the children of Israel had been run out of Egypt, Jehovah caused the Egyptians to have a great desire to share their wealth with them.

So, in fact it was the Gentiles (heathen) who provided the material things to build the Tabernacle.

You will find that this holds true not only for the Tabernacle but also for each of the Temples.

Jehovah caused the Gentiles to provide the material things to build these places of worship.

So, in fact God provided these things so His children would be able to give a portion of that wealth back to Him.

This has never changed in all the Bible! God provides for His people, and He only asks for a portion of it to be given back to Him!

Today, to most people this is the tithe, but it can also be said of freewill offerings.

Remember the tithe is commanded, the freewill offering comes from the heart!

The purpose of these offerings was to build a sanctuary to meet with God.

Jehovah God gave to Moses a list of the materials He required to build this first Tabernacle.

*****Exo 25:8  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Each of the materials used for this Tabernacle had their own purpose.

It should be very obvious that our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, wants to live with us or in fact He wants us to live with Him because He can have no part of sin and our world is full of sin.

Jehovah designed this Tabernacle so He could be with them in a unique way.

It is the same for the true Church today.

This "Sanctuary" here on Highway 81, is a place we can meet with Jehovah God.

It was to be a place set apart from the things of the world, for God.

It was a place that was to be seen as a place where God dwelt.

It was to be a place where the people could meet with God and He to meet with them.

It was to be a place of worship.

The Lord Jesus said it was to be a House of Prayer! Prayer is worship when we pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

Any so-called prayer to any other so-called deity and not in the name of Jesus Christ is not then worship!!!!!!!

We should understand that it was Jehovah who took the initiative to build a relationship with His people!

It is Jehovah that desires fellowship with all His creation!

Today, by the receiving of the truth of Jesus Christ and being "Born Again", it is the body of each believer that has become a sanctuary for Jehovah God.

Jehovah is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Our bodies are to sanctuaries, holy places, in which the Holy Spirit of Jehovah can live permanently!

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

As the Apostle Paul reminded these Corinthians, we need to remind ourselves that God does live within us as soon as we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and we are Born Again when the Holy Spirit comes into us!

So, it must be Jehovah who sets the rules for our relationship with Him!

*****Exo 25:9  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Jehovah designed "every part" of this Tabernacle!

There was no input from anyone on this earth!

There was no meeting to decided what would work and what would not work!

There was no gathering to see what colors would be used!

There was no meeting to produce a budget!

When God designs it and we build it according to His design, then it will work, and He will meet with us in His place!

Jehovah alone determines how we are to approach Him!

It could be said that the Tabernacle was a tent "pitched" by Jehovah to live amongst His people in an incredibly special way!

It was the Tabernacle where any of these children of Israel could approach Jehovah to worship. 

The Tabernacle was to be only a place for worship!

It is our Heavenly Father who made a way to approach Him, and it is by the Lord Jesus Christ.

So we see that in typology, this Tabernacle was to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

It is by God's rules that we can meet with Him and can live with Him!

Notice, that Jehovah had to come from Heaven down to this earth to live in that Tabernacle.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who laid aside the riches of Heaven, to come to where we are, so He could lead us to salvation!

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 

Joh 2:20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 

Joh 2:21  But he spake of the temple of his body.

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

Again we see that this Tabernacle was in fact a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****Exo 25:16  And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 

As we look at this "Ark" we again will see a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We know of two more arks:

1) The ark of Noah, in which he and his family found shelter from that world-wide flood. (A type of Christ)

2) The ark of Moses, in which baby Moses was preserved to lead his people and write the first five books of the Bible. (Also a type of Christ)

The Ark of the covenant was constructed of only two materials, wood, and gold, pointing to the two natures of Christ Jesus, the human side and the Divine side.

The two tablets of stone preserved within the Ark were the words of Jehovah.

Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 

And then there is the Mercy Seat. The throne of God.

*****Exo 25:17  And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 

Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. 

Exo 25:19  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 

Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 

The importance of the "Mercy Seat" should be clearly seen.

It was not those self-righteous people who were welcome to the Mercy Seat, it was those who are sinners, but were washed in the blood of Jesus who are welcome to the Mercy Seat of Jehovah God!

1Pe_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.

Jud_1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

The Ark speaks of the person of Jesus Christ, and each of the sacred vessels will also point to the work of Jesus Christ!

What we must understand is that there is "Mercy" at the seat of "Atonement"!

At the "Mercy Seat":

It is God's mercy that covers our sins.

It is God's mercy that gives and pardons.

It is God's mercy that makes atonement.

It is God's mercy that appeases and cancels His wrath.

That Mercy is of course is by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Psa 130:1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 

Psa 130:2  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 

Psa 130:3  If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 

Psa 130:4  But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 

Psa 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 

Psa 130:6  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

 *****Exo 25:21  And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 

Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

We can be sure our sin had separated us from Jehovah, but if His plan of salvation is followed as He intended, then that separation is eliminated!

Sin is a wide gulf between us and Jehovah, but the gulf is eliminated by the cross at Mount Calvary.

The "Mercy Seat" demands repentance, and this is where so many fail.

This "Mercy" is poured out upon those who fear Him and obey Him!

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

It is by the "Mercy" of God that we can have peace in our lives every day!

Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 

Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 

The great God Jehovah has more "Mercy" than He has wrath!

Psa 108:3  I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 

Psa 108:4  For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 

Psa 108:5  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; 

Psa 108:6  That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 

The Ark was to hold the testimony of Jehovah.

The Ark was to be that special place for Jehovah to meet His people.

The Ark was to be place of Mercy.

The Tabernacle gives us just a little taste of Heaven.

The work of the Jewish Priests was never done and never could be.

When our Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, His work was complete!

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

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

It is at the Ark where Jehovah would instruct His people.

You can feel the presence of Jehovah in the Tabernacle of God!

*****Exo 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. 

It must be truly clear to each child of God; it is only by the Pattern of the things of Heaven, that we can be saved and made free from sin.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 

This is unchangeable, and it does not matter what the Muslim say, nor the Hindu say, or any other false religion preaches or teaches, it is only by the pattern Jehovah has given to us, that we will ever see the face of God.

If you do not have "faith" in the "soul saving" work of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will never see the face of God which can only be seen in the New Heaven!

If you do not want to see the face of God, then Jehovah has a place for you whether you believe or not!

Hell is a real place!

You cannot believe in Heaven without believing in that place called Hell!

You cannot believe in Angels if you do not believe in Demons!

You cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ without believing that Satan is the Antichrist!

These are all written in the same, but true Word of God!

Amen

Limits To Freedom

 The Limits of Freedom

Book of Exodus Chapters 23 and 24

We should understand that our freedom is a gift from Jehovah! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall "make" you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Remember our Lord is also our Creator!

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

By nature we are in bondage to sin.

By "Grace" through "Faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are made free from sin!

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

So, there must be limits to our freedom.

We must understand Jehovah will exalt any nation that diligently listens to His voice.

We can understand that voice as the words that Jehovah gave to all the writers of the Scriptures of which we have a copy.

Deu 28:1  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 

Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

It is the blessings of Jehovah that become reality when we love the Lord Jesus Christ!

Psa 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 

We are foolish if we cannot see that Jehovah has removed His hand of blessing from the United States of America, because so many have rejected the voice of the Lord.

You see it does not matter what national laws that exist if those laws are not written according to the voice of God, what we call the Bible.

Not just any book called a Bible, but a Bible that is written according to the received text, the true Greek, and Hebrew Scriptures.

Our freedom must be limited according to the laws of Jehovah!

It is critical to our eternal life that we follow the voice of God! 

False religion, false gods, false worship, will cause us to miss the benefits of living with the Almighty Living God!

*****Exo 23:10  And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 

Exo 23:11  But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. 

Exo 23:12  Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. 

We hear so much about climate change today. It is mentioned in every conversation and every news broadcast.

We should have listened to the voice of Jehovah on how to take care of our lands.

In our last lesson we talked about a Sabbath Day so now let us see as our God talks about a Sabbath Year.

We all certainly know that without farmers there would be no real food for anyone. Few of us own enough land to grow food to meet all our needs.

Jehovah told the children of Israel that once they entered into the Promised Land, the land promised to the descendants of Abraham, that every seventh year was to be a Sabbath Year and the land was to rest.

Before Israel was allowed to reclaim that land in 1948, we know there was nothing more than a piece of desert where no crops could grow.

Today we see just how fertile that land truly is.

Every seventh year the land was to be unplowed and unused.

This is where crop rotation had its beginning.

That same land left untouched would still feed the poor and the animals.

Why would Jehovah do such a thing? No other nation did such a thing.

Many a farmer today have learned the hard way of the problems of overusing the land.

They plowed too deeply.

They destroyed soil nutrients:

They failed to rotate crops.

The children of Israel did not know about such things, so they had to be taught and their teacher was Jehovah.

This lesson for the land was not the only lesson that was taught.

They had a need to learn compassion because Jehovah is a compassionate God.

Whatever this land produced in the Sabbatical Year was to be shared!

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord of life!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and "the life": no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

So, this was not just a time to allow the land to rest, it was also a time to get closer to the Lord.

Deu 31:10  And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 

Deu 31:11  When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 

Deu 31:12  Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 

Deu 31:13  And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. 

There was to be a special time of worship.

There was to be a time of reading and studying the Word of God.

Remember Moses had written down everything that Jehovah had said.

The key to this worship was learning how to follow the Lord and to live as He commanded!

What do we know? We know that Israel failed to keep this Sabbatical Year for at least 490 years and God allowed Babylon to remove Israel from that land and the land laid at rest for 70 years.

2Ch 36:21  To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

We can see that the Word of God is to be obeyed including to allow the land to have her rest every Sabbath Year.

We must understand that God knows what He is doing all the time, and nothing ever surprises Jehovah!

Joshua reminded these children of Israel the importance of the Word of God as they entered the Promised Land.

Jos 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

And according to the Word of God, we must never turn our backs on those who are poor in worldly things and also those who are poor in the knowledge of Jehovah God.

And again we see that a day of rest is emphasized.

And there was to be no talk about false gods.

*****Exo 23:13  And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. 

To be circumspect is to reverence the Word of God, guard it as the truth, be obedient.

That word circumspect means to be cautious, carefully examining all the circumstances that affect our lives.

These children of Israel would have to admit they had seen some of the awesome power of God and those false gods of Egypt had done nothing for them except to place them in bondage.

God decided that they needed a law concerning false gods.

1) They must obey Jehovah.

2) They must not call on false gods.

In fact the names of false gods must never be heard from their lips.

It is no different for us today. We are to obey all the Word of God, rightly divided.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Today we should lean on that phrase "What Would Jesus Do" being cautious in every situation that we face in this world.

We must be fully awake to the importance of the Word of God!

We should give no thought to false gods they are fantasies that deserve no mention. By the way this includes Allah, and Budha and all others!

We must be careful to remember the commandments of God and do them!

Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 

Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

We must spend time with our Lord!

*****Exo 23:14  Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. 

Exo 23:15  Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 

Exo 23:16  And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Exo 23:17  Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. 

Three times each year each male of a certain age was to make the journey to the Tabernacle. 

No matter where they were nor how far away, they were, they were commanded to appear before Jehovah.

By reading the Scriptures we know that most of them took their families with them as they traveled to the Tabernacle and later to the Temple.

They were to thank the Lord for their bountiful harvest.

They were to praise the Lord for His deliverance.

They were to never come before the Lord empty handed.

**The "Feast of Unleavened Bread" began with the Passover.

The Passover commemorates God's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt.

The Passover meal commemorates the deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery.

The annual Passover was a memorial to these truths, but they were also symbolic.

A memorial in memory of that first Passover night in Egypt.

Symbolic because its ultimate fulfillment was at Mount Calvary, where the lamb of God (Jesus Christ) took away the sin of this entire world in all its Ages.

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 

1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

On that first Passover Jehovah revised the Hebrew calendar.

On Mount Calvary the Lord Jesus Christ revised the calendar that the world still uses today.

Today the Jews use two calendars:

Their legal documents are dated by the Civil Calendar.

All religious events are dated by the Sacred Calendar.

This first feast began with Passover, but it continued for seven days.

They worshipped Jehovah on the first day and again on the last day. 

The unleavened bread reminded then to flee from slavery not even taking the time for the leaven to cause the bread to rise.

Notice also that Jehovah said no man was to appear before Him empty handed, but this offering was to still be a freewill offering.

Jehovah had done far too much for this people for them to offer nothing!

Deu 16:17  Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. 

**There was then the Feast of the Harvest:

This Feast is also called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, or the Latter First fruits.

This Feast commemorates the "Giving of the Law" to the children of Israel and these laws were given to the Children of Israel.

We need to rightly divide the Scriptures to know which laws affect which people.

The three groups in the world are the Jews, the Church, and those who are Lost and without the Lord Jesus.

It was a time to present an offering of the new grain of the summer harvest to the Lord.

This Feast is tied to the Ten Commandments.

We are always to thank Jehovah for the harvest He gives to us, for the income and blessings He pours out upon us, and the offerings due to Him!

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

**There was the Feast of Ingathering:

Also called the Feast of Tabernacles because the people were commanded to make small booths or lean-toos to live in during the time of this feast.

This feast was to remind them of that 40-year journey to the Promised Land.

This Feast celebrated the harvest of the grape vines and orchards and lasted for seven or eight days.

Neh 8:17  And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. 

Neh 8:18  Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner. 

We can see that the Children of Israel were lax at keeping these feasts.

Jehovah demanded the observance of these feasts:

1) To bring these people together in the spirit of unity and oneness to build a strong, unified nation.

2) To show the people the great blessings of Jehovah, His deliverance, and His guidance day by day.

3) To cause this people to give thanks, to praise Jehovah and to give their tithes and offerings to Him.

Today, the Church can grow through our association with other true believers.

When we surround ourselves with other Christian believers we benefit from their wisdom and counsel.

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

We benefit from encouragement and edification.

We benefit from encouragement and edification.

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

We benefit from safety and protection.

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

We benefit from unity and a common purpose.

Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 

We benefit from worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ with like-minded people!

Php 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 

Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 

Jehovah had these same intentions for these Children of Israel!

*****Exo 24:3  And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 

Exo 24:4  And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 

You see, the Lord genuinely wants us to know about Him!

The Lord wants us to understand why His Word involves commandments and not suggestions!

This group of people did not think the Word of God was too harsh and they all agreed they needed to be obedient to the Word of God.

Jehovah is seeking a people committed to being obedient to all the things He says, and it is really not that hard.

We must overcome the pull of our own flesh to do terrible things that go against the Word of God!

Moses declared all the things of Chapter 19 and all the things of Chapters 21 through 23 and these people agreed that they needed to be obedient to all the Word of God.

These were the laws that were to govern their nation and they agreed that these were good laws.

This is the one thing that Jehovah wants from us all, "obedience"!

Deu 5:29  O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 

For a brief period of time all of Israel was in one mind and one accord with Jehovah God.

*****Exo 24:5  And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 

Exo 24:6  And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 

Exo 24:7  And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. 

Moses sealed this agreement with Jehovah and now the Mosaic Covenant was made.

Remember a covenant is a mutual agreement between two parties with each bound to fulfill certain agreements.

Moses wrote down all the words of this covenant so everyone could see what this agreement consisted of.

It was then that all people needed to study the Word of God so we could know this agreement.

2Ti 2:14  Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Moses sealed this agreement by making it public.

Moses built an altar to sacrifice unto the Lord, a blood sacrifice.

In the Old Testament, to approach God required a sacrifice.

The burnt offering was a freewill offering.

The animal had to be a clean animal. Free from defects.

The blood of that animal was a substitute.

So we know all these sacrifices pointed these children of Israel to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

When Moses read all the Word of God to the people, he was giving them the words they had committed themselves to, so there would be no confusion.

We know that in order to keep the Laws of God, we need to hear God's Word over and over again!

These children of Israel needed to learn those Ten Commandments.

They needed to base their civil laws upon that Word of God.

Moses then sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice upon the people saying this blood confirms this covenant between them and Jehovah God.

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

Jehovah is very serious concerning the covenants He makes with any and all people!

We have come to understand the Laws of Moses as a symbol of a schoolmaster who brings us to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen

Held Accountable for Our Actions

 Rules For Living

Book of Exodus Chapters 19 and 20

As most of us understand, especially those that love the Lord Jesus, we must be held accountable to one another for our actions and God will hold us accountable for going against His commandments.

If we hold to the Word of God, this should solve most transactions with each other, but it will solve all our transactions with our Heavenly Father!

God does not make up rules as He goes, and neither should we!

It is in our best interest to know how we will deal with situations before they come up.

God told Moses that if the children of Israel would obey His voice and keep His commandments, they could become a nation that was distinct from all other nations in the world.

It is the same today.

I do not understand our government who want to model America according to the European Union.

The EU is the most liberal organization in the world and governed by Socialism.

I want an America that is distinct from other nations, especially the EU and all those Communist and Socialists nations. 

This is where we first started. Settlers came to America to escape Europe.

I do not like the immigration situation we are in, but many of them come to America for an opportunity. 

It is handouts that have caused our problems with immigration!

We can only be a better nation if we are obedient to the Word of God!

God wanted these children of Israel to take the Word of God to all the world and the best way was to live according to His Word.

This is the one of most important steps for the Church, to live according to the knowledge and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The next most important thing is to be living disciples, to reach out to this wicked world in the direction God sends us.

Remember the Lord knows, and we need only know what the Lord knows, anything else is from this wicked world.

God commands our obedience, and He has done so from the time of Adam. 

Adam failed and his failure has been passed down through the Ages when the Word of God should have been passed down through the Ages.

*****Exo 19:17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 

Notice a couple of things.

1) The people were to sanctify themselves. To sanctify is to cleanse yourself.

Sin is that soil of this world that we need to cleanse ourselves from! 

The Lord Jesus Christ has paid our sin debt and we must acknowledge that He has done this and accept Him as our Savior.

The words that have the greatest reaction in Heaven are those words "Lord Save Me".

For these children of Israel, Jehovah gave them at first ten simple commands:

Deu 5:22  These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. 

Deu 5:23  And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. 

These ten simple commands should be the basis of all laws in every nation as they once were here in America.

Jehovah did reveal His awesomeness, so there would be no confusion as to who was speaking to them.

As Christians, we are cleansed with the Blood of Jesus Christ and the water of the Holy Spirit.

Rev_1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

1Co_6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Heb_10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

*****Exo 19:18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 

Exo 19:19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 

2) The next thing we see is the need for a Mediator.

Moses was the mediator for the children of Israel all His days as they became afraid of the Lord God Jehovah.

Exo 19:25  So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

We may speak to our Holy God, but we cannot stand before Him until we are pure.

By His eminence as the third part of the Holy Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ is our Mediator between us and God. He is our divine Intercessor!

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 

Jesus Christ is also our Mediator by nature!

He is divine in His Heavenly nature!

He was pure and innocent and sin free in His human nature!

Sitting at the right hand of God, the Lord Jesus is Mediator by office transacting all matters between Jehovah and all humanity.

Moses could only perform an earthly function assigned to Him by the Lord.

We should mention the fear of the Lord here.

In most cases when we say the fear of the Lord we are talking about respect, but we had be very clear, we should have fear as in afraid also.

Jehovah is an awesome powerful God, who does as He pleases, whenever He pleases!

Psa 33:8  Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 

This world we live in moves along as the Lord has designed it to  move.

Remember God has already declared the end which He knew from the beginning, and nothing can ever change that ending.

Isa_46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

We must understand we can change some things in our prayers and prayer still works, but we cannot change the outcome that is presented to us in the Book of Revelation or any part of the Word of God!

God loves to appear before us, and He does not always come in a show of strength and power.

If we congregate according to the reality of Lord Jesus Christ, we will always find the doors to the throne room of Jehovah open!

In fact, no one can approach Him except through and by the Lord Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son.

When God speaks, we need to listen!

*****Exo 20:1  And God spake all these words, saying, 

Exo 20:2  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 

Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

We should understand that the basis of the Ten Commandments is the fact of the existence of Jehovah God!

Notice God will always speak in the language of those who stand before Him.

This is the gift He shared with the Apostles when they first received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and after His ascension back to Heaven.

We should understand the supreme test of love is, the desire and the effort to please that One we say we love.

This can be measured by how we conform to His known wishes!

The love of God is expressed by obedience to His Will and His ways!

What did the Lord Jesus teach?

Mar_3:35  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

So what is the will of God for my life?

Doing the will of God should be my greatest goal!

Paul wrote:

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It is the will of God that we be delivered from this evil world, "to be saved"!

Gal_1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

It was the will of God that the Lord Jesus Christ died so that we could do the will of God.

Who are all those that will live with the Lord forever?

1Jn_2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

So we need to know the will of God and the will of God is bound up in His commandments!

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

We cannot be in the will of God if we do not trust the Word of God!

Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 

God knows that there are no other Gods.

There are only gods that we make up ourselves and it is these false gods, these gods made up in our minds, that we place on a level equal to the true and only God Jehovah.

When we ignore the Word of God and take the word of this world, we have placed these words above the Word of God, and we have made the things of this world a god.

Today many make money to be their god but there many other things of this world that people call their god.

Since the beginning of time many have made their own gods.

*****Exo 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

Exo 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

No one except those who are in Heaven have ever seen God!

So no one could possibly know what God looks like.

No one could possibly know what the Lord Jesus Christ would have looked like so the pictures we see of Him cannot be accurate!

I will not have one hanging on my wall.

I will also not display a cross that has the figure of a man on it. 

My Lord Jesus is no longer on a cross! He died and He arose from that death!

Certainly, no star, no moon or nothing in the heavens can I make my God because my God made all these things.

God forbids the making of idols.

God wanted these children of Israel to believe that He is Spirit.

Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

We cannot properly worship the Lord if we have some idol presented as God.

A Spirit is unseen. Jehovah has no physical representation. There are no pictures of Jehovah that could possibly be accurate!

Deu 4:12  And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. 

The pure fact is that if Jehovah had not revealed Himself to Moses, we would not know anything about our God.

Rom 16:25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 

Rom 16:26  "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith": 

3800 times the Bible declares "God said" or "Thus sayeth the Lord".

Moses knew when he began writing that he was writing the commandments of the Lord God our Maker!

Peter wrote:

2Pe 1:16  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. 

2Pe 1:17  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

2Pe 1:18  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 

2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 

God said He was a Spirit, and this is all I need to know about what He looks like, so how could there be an idol, or a picture that would reveal to me the looks of my God.

I will get to see Him as His Son Jesus Christ one day in my future, this is all I need to know!

1Jn_3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

He is the God of Mercy!

*****Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

Exo 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

There are so many ways we take God's name in vain.

We take God's name in vain when we make a profession of "faith" and then do not live up to that profession.

We take God's name in vain when we make a covenant with God and break that covenant.

When we make promises to God and then not keep those promises, we have taken His name in vain.

When we swear while using the name of God, we have taken His name in vain.

When we use the name of God lightly and carelessly especially in profanity, we have taken His name in vain.

These things include what we call cursing but there are more things than just cursing.

God will never hold us guiltless when we do these things whether we are saved or not!

Remember these first four commandments are about worship and our worship must be in "Spirit and in Truth"!

God will never go against His own Word anywhere throughout the Scriptures!

The Sabbath.

*****Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 

Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 

Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 

1) We first see that we should work 6 days in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament we have these words.

1Th 4:11  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 

1Th 4:12  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 

There is no doubt that the Lord wants us to work, but the Lord does not want us to work more than a six day work week!

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

This goes against what is going on today where a certain class of people are told that they do not have to work. 

God says then they should not eat!

2) We next see a day of rest.

God says we need a day of rest after those six days of work.

Work calls for rest, rest calls for work.

We do not see that the Sabbath is to be the seventh day of the week.

The Bible just says a man should work six days and rest on the seventh day.

As far as what is written in the Old Testament, any day that was followed by six days of work would be a Sabbath!

There is nothing in the Bible that says that the Sabbath is to be on a Saturday.

As we look at verse eleven, we see that we should reflect on God's creation on that day of rest and then on all the Word of God.

Deu 5:15  And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. 

We should attempt to be more like God!

In Egypt, the children of Israel did not get a day off because bondage does not allow for rest!

God did not rest because He was tired, He never gets tired.

God rested to give us an example of what He expected from us!

It is a command to rest after we have worked six days, but this is not all.

Jehovah hallowed this seventh day.

Isa 58:13  If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 

Isa 58:14  Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 

Deu 5:12  Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 

It is Jehovah God that named this day a Sabbath.

It is the Jews that chose to use Saturday, but they did not always keep it holy especially during the time of the Pharisee in the time of Jesus.

The Lord Jesus kept the Jewish Sabbath, but He used this day to do the work of God.

Mar 1:20  And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 

Mar 1:21  And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 

Jesus also kept this day Holy.

We are never to forsake the appointed times of worship!

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

We must give some time to our Lord and Savior!

Why did the Church choose Sunday as the seventh day?

It was the day our Lord Jesus rose from the grave and then called the Lord's Day.

Joh 20:1  The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 

It was on Sunday when our Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection.

Joh 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 

It was Sunday when the Holy Spirit came to the beginning of the Church.

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

Pentecost was fifty days after the Passover and was on Sunday.

It was on Sunday that the early Church met for worship.

Act 20:6  And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 

Act 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 

1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 

1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

The early Church chose Sunday to be that day of rest after six days of work and sanctified it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself chose Sunday to show us an empty grave.

*****Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

It should be obvious that this commandment is given to us that we do not abuse or mistreat our parents.

That word honor means much more than just to obey.

The almost total disregard for this commandment is also a sign that we are in the end times.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, "disobedient to parents", unthankful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

*****Exo 20:13  Thou shalt not kill.

This commandment is given that we respect and reverence life.

Life is too precious for us to take it so carelessly.

Jehovah attached the death penalty for breaking this commandment.

Gen 9:5  And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 

Gen 9:6  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. 

There are those who teach that to kill the killer violates God's commandment, but then what do you do with Genesis 9:6?

It amazes me that these same people who reject the death penalty, are the same ones who would kill innocent babies in the womb and just as they come out of the womb.

Such people we need to avoid and reject any of their leadership because they are Satan's children.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

These things apply to those who intentionally take the life of some other person, be it an unborn child or a man or woman.

God made arrangements for those killings that happened unintentionally.

*****Exo 20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

This commandment came about with respect to the marriage relationship.

Marriage began with Adam and Eve.

Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 

The marriage is to be superior to all other human relationships!

A man is more responsible to love and care for his wife, than he is to remain in the home of his parents and take care of them.

The Lord Jesus Christ said this was a profoundly serious thing!

Mat 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 

Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

When the Lord Jesus talked about divorce, He said only one thing could be used to dissolve a marriage and this was unfaithfulness on the part of the husband or the wife.

Mat 19:9  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 

*****Exo 20:15  Thou shalt not steal. 

We must in fact deal honestly in all our dealings with other people.

Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

2Co 8:21  Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

When I keep anything that does not belong to me, I am a thief!

This may be something that parents allow their young children to get away with far to often, and the young child may think nothing of it if they do it again.

*****Exo 20:16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 

When we slander our neighbors.

When we invent a lie about our neighbors.

When we gossip about our neighbor not knowing the truth.

When we spread rumors just to make our neighbors to look bad.

Anytime we repeat something about our neighbors without a careful investigation, then we have made an evil report.

When we leave a false impression in the minds of other people about our neighbors, this is also included.

Even when we make unjustified criticisms against someone in the hearing of a third party, we have broken this commandment.

Some would say that this may be the commandment that is broken most often.

*****Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Look closely and you can see that this commandment prohibits the desire to act.

It could just as easily have just said "do not covet".

When we have a desire to have anything that belongs to someone else, we have sinned breaking this commandment.

No earthly law has ever been written with this in mind because it could not be enforced, but God knows what goes on in our minds.

Now we can desire to have a thing just like what our neighbor has, but we cannot desire to have that one that our neighbor has.

This commandment reveals the wickedness within us, as we always want what our neighbor has. 

This is proven by phrases such as "keeping up with the Jones".

We are told many times in the Bible to beware of covetousness.

Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 

As we have seen these Ten Commandments and they are Commandments and not suggestions, are really simple, but there has no one been able to truthfully say they have always kept these commandments.

To the Jews were given 619 commandments.

We only have to break one to become a sinner in need of a Savior and that One and Only Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is why before Covid 19 came about we saw many instances of lost people tearing down any place that displayed these Ten Commandments.

God still knows what we have done, and it is He to whom we will answer.

Amen