Showing posts with label New Testament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Testament. Show all posts

Monday, August 1, 2011

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (4 of 4)

Today's article is the last in this series on the Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1. So far, we've covered: Part 1 (verse 5): Jesus Christ, Faithful Witness, Firstborn from the dead, Ruler of the kings; Part 2 (verses 5-10): Lover, Free-er, Maker, Receiver, Coming on the clouds, Visible to all, Alpha and Omega, The Almighty, Voice like a trumpet; and Part 3 (verse 13-15): Among the lamp stands, Son of Man, Robe to feet, Golden sash on chest, Head like wool/Hair like snow, Eyes like blazing fire, Feet like burnished bronze, Voice like many waters. And now for the final verses 16 through 18.

Holds seven stars in His right hand

The right hand is the place of blessing and honor. The right hand wields power and strength. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (represented by the lamp stands in verse 13) of Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Each of the letters in Revelation 2 and 3 are written to these angels. An open question about which there is much debate is: Are these angels in the heavenly sense, like Gabriel and Michael? Or is this word used in the "messenger" sense, as in the leader (e.g. pastor, teacher, prophet) over the church in the human sense? In either case, it's Jesus who holds them. Not an angel. Not a mere man. But Jesus. The Shepherd. The one who corrects and disciplines and serves and protects. He is the one who provides leadership to the church. Genesis 48:14,18,19; 1st Kings 2:19; Psalm 45:9, 60:5, 63:8, 108:6, 118:15-16, 110:1; Matthew 20:21,23, 22:44, 25:32-34; Revelation 1:11,20; Ephesians 4:15, 5:23

Out of his mouth comes a sharp, double-edged sword

Jesus is the living, active Word of God, sharper than a double-edged sword, able to divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The Word of God is the sword the Spirit wields. It was by Jesus' word that everything came into being; He spoke and it was. That same power and authority will be released to kill all who would presume to war against Him. John 1:1-5; Ephesians 6:17; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 19:11-21

Face shining like the sun in its strength

This is the same description as used on the mount of transfiguration. Just as the sun comes up every day, so too will David's throne be established forever; David's kingdom endure. This is fulfilled in Jesus, the descendent of David, both in His everlasting kingdom and in His physical appearance. From the rising of the sun until its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. Here, it will never set, so praise will rise continually. Nothing can hide from the sun's heat. In perfect beauty and holiness, God's fire shines forth as a consuming fire. God's shining face brings salvation to His people and destruction to their enemies. Matthew 17:2; Psalm 19:6, 50:2-3, 80:3,7,19, 94:1, 97:1-12, 113:3; Daniel 7:10

First and Last

He is unique. There is no God before Him, nor will there be one after Him. This is our comfort; we don't have to be afraid of changes in rulership. Regardless of what we go through, He has been there and is there and will be there. He is all sufficient. He was the agent of creation, the originator of all things. In the end, al things will be subject to Him. Evil will be abolished and the righteousness of His kingdom will reign. As Savior, He is the one who starts our life of faith and He is the one wo brings it to completion. Isaiah 41:4, 43:10, 44:6, 46:4, 48:12; John 1:3; 1st Corinthians 15:24-26; Colossians 1:16, 2:9-12; 2nd Peter 3:7; Hebrews 1:2, 2:10, 12:2; Revelation 1:8, 1:17

Living One

This is the title of Jesus used by the angels at the tomb on the first resurrection Sunday. "The" Living One. Not "A" living One. The definite article is used. He is unique, specific. The "Living" One. He's alive by His own life force. Death could not keep Him down. He is the Life-giver. Life flows from His very being. The Living "One". In conjunction with the definite article, emphasizing the uniqueness of His singularity. There is only one source of Life. This echos Jesus' own statement about Himself: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. The fulfillment of the Feast of First Fruits. He's the source of all life. The one in whom we live and move and have our being. This title is in contrast to all else. All other idols and gods and things people worship are not living, but only exist because He created them whether spiritual beings or physical objects. And as created beings, they are not worthy of worship, even though they may claim and demand worship. Luke 24:5; John 14:6; Acts 2:24, 17:24-29; Romans 6:4,9; 2nd Corinthians 13:4; Revelation 13:2-8

Was dead

How can the Living One become dead? It truly is a mystery. The Infinite becoming a finite human is easier to understand than the Living One dying. But scriptures says it happened. What it means or how it was accomplished I don't know. But here Jesus declares it about Himself, so it must be. Paul also mentions it. I suspect it's related somehow to Jesus becoming master over death. Perhaps it is related to Jesus being baptized. It wasn't because He was in need of repentance, but rather so that we, as part of the bundle of the living wrapped up in Him, might experience baptism with Him. In a similar way to His baptism, He had to die so we, bundled with Him, might die with Him so we could be raised with Him. In His humanity, as a prototype for all human-kind, He died. It's bending. My brain explodes. It's mush trying to wrap itself around this mystery. Romans 6:8-10

Now alive forevermore

The Living One, who was dead, is now alive forever and ever and ever. The Living One could not be held by death; it was impossible. Like darkness has no choice but to flee before light, death had no choice but to flee before the Living One. He did not have to die over and over again but rather His sacrifice is sufficient, once for all people for all time. It is appointed for all to die once and after that face judgement. Since He has now died once, He's now alive forever to bring salvation to those who place their trust in His atoning death. Acts 2:24; Romans 5:6-19, 6:10; Colossians 1:21-23; 1st Peter 3:18; Hebrews 9:21-28, 10:10-12

Hold keys of death and Hades

The one holding the keys is free to enter and leave at will. He has authority over that place. This is what He did. He entered and spent three days in Hell. Then He left of His own accord. He has authority over even death. The last enemy. He is the one who has freed us and we no longer have to live in fear. Death has no substance anymore. It is merely a powerless shadow. Hell and the place of destruction are naked before Him. The gates of death are revealed to Him and He sees the gates of darkness. He will abolish death. There will no longer be any death. Matthew 12:4; Psalm 23:4; Job 26:6, 38:17; 1st Corinthians 15:26; 2nd Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:15; Revelation 21:4

And that's it for this series. I hope you were blessed by it. If you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (3 of 4)

This is the third installment in my series on the Attributes of Jesus taken from Revelation 1. (Here are part 1 and part 2.) Today's items are found in verses 13 through 15.

Among the lamp stands

The lamp stands represent the church. He walks among His people. He is in our midst. He doesn't leave us. By the Holy Spirit, we burn in love and joy and praise before God with faith and character that have been refined through trials as if by fire. There were lamps in the tabernacle and temple the priests were responsible to tend. They trimmed the wicks and filled the oil to provide a constant, pure light. Jesus too is the final High Priest giving us the oil of His Spirit to burn for Him. Revelation 1:20; Matthew 18:20, 28:20; Hebrews 13:5; Job 23:10; Zechariah 13:9; 1st Peter 1:6-9; Matthew 3:11

Son of Man

In Jesus, God became man so He knows what we are going through and can come to our aid. We don't have a priest who cannot relate to us, but one who knows what we go through. He has, once for all, obtained redemption for us and, because of His sacrifice, as a man, He will rule and reign forever. Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:15, 9:11-12; Revelation 5:9; Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 24:30, 26:64; Mark 13:26, 14:62; Luke 21:27

Robe to feet

The robe, in conjunction with the sash, are priestly garments, again showing His role as one who mediates between God and mankind. The robe represents the salvation and righteousness by which He rules and which He confers upon His people. Exodus 28:4; Leviticus 8:7; Hebrews 7:25-28; 2nd Chronicles 6:31; Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 132:9,16; Romans 3:21-26, 5:14-21; 1st Corinthians 1:30-31; Philippians 1:9-11

Golden sash on His chest

Like the robe above, the sash indicates His position as priest. This evokes the image Paul gives regarding the armor of God: the robe of truth and breastplate of righteousness. Jesus is the Truth. He is our righteousness. Exodus 28:4; Leviticus 8:7; Isaiah 22:21; Ephesians 6:14; John 14:6; 1st Corinthians 1:30

Head and hair like wool and snow

This passage directly links Jesus of John's vision to the Ancient of Days of Daniel's vision. White hair symbolizes the wisdom of age. There is no one who has more wisdom than Him. This direct link also confirms Jesus' devine nature. He is God just as the Father is God. Daniel 7:9; Job 12:12-13

Eyes like blazing fire

Fire symbolizes judgement. Judgement can bring one of two results. It can condemn or it can reward. It can destroy and purify. Like light destroys darkness, God's presence destroys those who are against Him. But for those who join themselves to Him, it purifies and protects. It provides light and guidance and brings glory to God. Jesus is the light of heaven. Genesis 19:24; Exodus 13:21; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 43:2, 64:1-2, 66:15; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-6; Matthew 5:14-16, 6:22; Luke 3:9, 8:16-17, 11:36; Acts 2:3; 1st Corinthians 3:12-15; Revelation 19:11-12, 21:23, 22:5

Feet like burnished bronze, glowing from a furnace

Feet are the place of subjection. Enemies are trampled underfoot. Bowing at the feet shows respect and submission. Bronze represents judgement. The altar in the tabernacle and temple was of bronze as were all the utensils accompanying it. The altar is where sin was judged and atoned for by sacrifice. Moses lifted up the bronze serpent to bring healing to the people being judged for their sins. In the same way, Jesus was lifted up on the cross to provide healing to all who would look to Him for their salvation. Glowing from a furnace represents purity. Combining these concepts, all judgement is subject to Jesus, or in other words, He is the supreme judge because He was the perfect Lamb of God, sacrificed for the sins of the world. His judgement is correct. There is no impurity in it. Feet: 2nd Samuel 22:38-39; Esther 8:3; Mark 7:25, 22:5; 1st Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 2:8; Bronze: Exodus 27:1-8; Numbers 21:5-9; John 3:14-15; Furnace: Proverbs 17:3; Isaiah 48:10; Zechariah 13:9; 1st Corinthians 3:11-13; 1st Peter 1:6-8

Voice like many waters

These are the same words that were used to describes the Father's voice. He speaks and things come into existence. It has to be obeyed. Like a tsunami, His voice is irresistible, loud, cleansing, powerful and majestic. It judges and sweeps away impurity. Like rain, it is life giving. Without it nothing would exist. Genesis 1; Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 13:4,18; Ezekiel 43:2; Psalm 29:3-9; John 1:1-5; Revelation 16:1-12, 21:1-8

That's it for today. We'll finish the rest next time. As always, if you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (2 of 4)

The last article covered five attributes of Jesus as presented in Revelation 1:5. This article will continue with the rest found in verse five and continue through verse ten.

Lover

He loves us and demonstrated this by His giving Himself over to death on our behalf. We didn't love Him first. Rather, He loved us before we even thought of Him. Nothing can separate us from His love. Because of His love, He has given us eternal comfort. His love for us should transform us into lovers of others. John 3:16, 13:1, 13:34; 1st John 4:10, 4:16, 4:19; Romans 5:8-10, 8:37, 8:39; Galatians 1:4, 2:20; Ephesians 5:2; 2nd Thessalonians 2:16f

Freer

We are free from bondage to sin and death. We were slaves to unrighteousness. We had no choice. He has freed us from this slavery and we can now live in righteousness. John 8:31-32, 8:34-36; Romans 6:4-18, 6:20, 6:22, 8:1-5

Maker

Jesus is the agent of all creation. He made everything, whether spiritual or physical. Nothing exists that He didn't make. And now, He has made us alive, forgiving our sins and nailing our debt to the cross. He has made us a kingdom and priests to God, a fulfillment of an Old Testament promise. John 1:3, 1:10; Colossians 1:16-17, 2:13-14; 1st Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:2; Revelation 1:6; Exodus 19:5-6

Receiver

He is the one who receives all glory and dominion. He alone is worth. There is only one in both heaven and earth who has been found to be worthy. He received glory and honor from God when He was on the earth; God is well pleased with His Son. Every being in heaven and earth will bend the knee and confess that Jesus is Lord. Some will willingly do it. Some will be compelled to do it. Revelation 5:2-10; 1st Peter 1:16-18; Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; Philippians 2:9-11

Coming on the clouds

Forty days after His resurrection, He ascended into the sky and disappeared in the clouds. In the same way He will return. Jesus Himself told us He would return in the clouds. When He appears, it will be to establish an everlasting kingdom. Being in the clouds, high and exalted, He is presented with all power and authority over all other powers and authorities on the planet. Returning in this way demonstrates His power and ability to rule. Acts 1:1-11; Matthew 24:29-31, 26:64; Mark 13:24-26, 14:62; Luke 21:27; Daniel 7:13-14

Visible to all

Everyone will see Him. His return will not be hidden or disguised or in secret. As lightning is seen across the whole sky, so too will His return be. There will be no mistaking it. Matthew 24:27, 28:3; Luke 17:24

Alpha and Omega

He is the Beginning and the End; the First and the Last. There was no God before Him and there will not be any after Him. All things are by Him and through Him and for Him. Isaiah 43:10, 44:6; Romans 11:36; 1st Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 2:10

The Almighty

He is preeminent. There is no one greater than Him. He is not one among equals; rather He is supreme. While we are called to be like Him in character, no one can become like Him in nature. He is a strong protector. He is the righteous judge and king and since there is no one mightier than Him, His ruling will ultimately reign supreme. Psalm 91; Revelation 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 19:6, 19:15

Voice like a trumpet

Trumpets are clear and loud. Their frequency cuts through and is heard above all the other instruments in the orchestra. Their notes pierce through the clash and din of battle. They cannot be ignored or drowned out. In a similar way, Jesus speaks to His people. He speaks to those who are His in a way they cannot ignore over the din of day to day life. Trumpets are used in the Old Testament to call to war, remind of sin and the provision for atonement. He told us to take heaven by force. In saying this, He calls us to war against sin and our natural, sinful man who is at odds with our spiritual, regenerated man. Exodus 20:1-18; Numbers 10:9-10; Judges 3:27, 6:34, 7:15-22; Matthew 11:12

That's it for this installment. The next post will look at Jesus' attributes as described in verses 13 through 15. If you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Attributes of Jesus from Revelation 1 (1 of 4)

The last book of the Bible starts with the words "The revelation of Jesus Christ." This can be read two ways. The first meaning is the revelation is a possession of Jesus. In other words, "Jesus Christ's revelation." It is a revelation He gave to us. I believe this is the first, clear and intended meaning of this phrase. However, I think this phrase can also be understood a different way. Revelation, in addition to being a foretelling of history that Jesus possesses, also reveals more of who Jesus is in His nature and character. In much the same way the gospels tell us both the facts of what happened and the character and heart of Jesus, Revelation shows us both what will happen in the future and more of Jesus heart and character.

Over the last couple months, I have meditated on many of the attributes of Jesus as enumerated in the first chapter of Revelation. Starting with this post, and continuing for three more, I will list them and write a few thoughts on each along with a list of supporting scriptures. In total, I identified 31 different names and descriptions. Depending on how you read the text, one could argue a couple more or less. I don't think the exact count is as relevant as the fact that there are many dimensions to Jesus revealed in this chapter and they are worth meditating on and gazing on the many-faceted beauty of this Man.

All the attributes of Jesus in today's posting are from verse 5 of Revelation 1.

Jesus

First, is His name. It is what would have shown up on a birth certificate had they had them in first century Bethlehem. It is the English version of the common Hebrew name Joshua. There were in fact other Joshuas in Israel's history: Joshua, son of Nun, the leader of Israel after Moses, and Joshua the high priest in the days of the restoration when Israel returned from exile in Babylon. His name, while common, carried a promise, for it means God Saves. It was the name God Himself proscribed for Him through Gabriel's announcement to Mary when she was told she was the one chosen by God to bring forth his Son. He wanted to remind us that every one of us have sinned and need to be saved. And He wanted to tell us that the salvation of humans was the first reason Jesus became a man. It was by the shedding of His blood for us and our acceptance of what He's done on our behalf by which each one of us is reconciled to the Father. No one can have a relationship with God without the salvation Jesus provides. Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31, 2:11, 2:21, 2:30-32; John 1:29, 1:36; Acts 2:38, 4:12, 5:31, 13:23,38,39; Romans 10:9-10; Colossians 1:20-23

Christ

Next is His best known title. It is what would have been beneath His name had he had a business card. It means Anointed. To be anointed is to be set apart, or consecrated, for a particular purpose. It was typically formalized in a ceremony where oil was poured on the initiate. This is seen at Jesus' baptism. The Spirit, commonly symbolized by oil, came and rested on Him and soon afterward He proclaimed God's anointing to be upon Him to preach the gospel, release the captives, recover the blind's sight, set free the oppressed and proclaim the year of God's favor. Priests in the Old Testament were anointed with oil to show their consecration as priests before God. This title shows us how Jesus is the final high priest between God and mankind. This title goes hand in hand with his role as savior. First He saves us, then He brings us into relationship with the Father. Matthew 11:5, 12:18; Luke 4:18; Acts 10:28; Hebrews 3:1-2, 4:14-16

Faithful witness

Jesus was a witness to us of God's character and heart. He revealed God to us. He said "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Jesus did and said the things the Father told Him. One way "faithful" can be applied: He was faithful in this task. He did not waver from what was before Him. He was faithful in the face of opposition, even to His own detriment, death on the cross. Another way to understand His faithfulness: it's the nature of Jesus. He was the image we could see showing us the invisible Father who we could not see. Jesus is the exact representation of God's nature. The witness He bore was a true revelation of God's character. John 1:14, 12:44-50, 14:8-10; Philippians 2:8; Colossians 1:15; 1st John 5:20; Hebrews 1:3

Firstborn from the dead

Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the fulfillment of the Feast of First Fruits. He is the first of many more to come. Since He was resurrected, we can have confidence that we too will be raised from the dead. Our salvation is not just from our sins to have relationship with God now in this life, but also from the everlasting effects of sin, physical death. 1st Corinthians 15:20-26

Ruler of the kings

He is the King of all kings. Everyone will be subject to Him. He will rule over everything. All authority starts with Him and no authority exists apart from Him. He will rule over everything forever. Every knee, whether demonic, angelic or human will bow before Him and confess that He is Lord. All enemies will be subject to Him, including the last enemy, death. Deuteronomy 10:17; Revelation 17:14, 19:16; Matthew 11:27, 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:16-18, 2:10; Daniel 7:13-14; Philippians 2:9-11; 1st Corinthians 15:25-26

That's the first five attributes, all from a single verse. There are more to come from this verse as well as many more from the rest of the chapter. If you have any thoughts, please leave them in the comments below.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Interleaved Gospels: The Early Years

As I've read through the gospel accounts of the Christmas story, I found I wanted to have the events all in one narrative. So, I took all the gospel texts of Jesus' life from the announcement through His temptation in the wilderness and tried to put them in chronological order. I present it below in case someone else is interested in this also.

All text is strictly the gospel text from the NASB version.[1] Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are all intertwined. Some parts of the gospels before Jesus was mentioned are not included such as the early history of John the Baptizer and Jesus' genealogy from the start of Matthew. However, once I started selecting text from a given gospel, I selected all the text until the end of the temptation story. Because of duplication between the gospels, there is a bit of back and forth on the timeline, particularly towards the end around the baptism and temptation sections.

The bulk of the text is from Matthew and Luke. Mark only contributed 4 verses. It was a bit tough deciding what to include from John since the first chapter is kind of a philosophical preamble rather than obvious history, like Matthew and Luke. In the end I decided to put it in, partly because I really like the first chapter of John but mostly because it is Christological in nature. If this is well received, I may do the same thing in two other sections: The Ministry Years and The Passion Week.

Since this is pretty long, it's also available as a PDF download.

The following text was used:
Matthew 1:18 - 4:11
Mark 1:9-13
Luke 1:26 - 4:13
John 1:1-34

The Early Years


In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said:
"My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever."

And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant--
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old--
Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,
And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;
To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;
To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS
AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
To guide our feet into the way of peace."

And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US." And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD"), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel." And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed--and a sword will pierce even your own soul--to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."

After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON."

Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE."

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, "Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead." So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: "He shall be called a Nazarene."

Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him.

Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT. EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.'"

So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

And the crowds were questioning him, saying, "Then what shall we do?" And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise."

And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."

Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."

Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.

But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'"

Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not " "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,' as Isaiah the prophet said."

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" John answered them saying, "I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. "It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'" For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him.

Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God."

When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Hesli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.

And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'" (And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'")

And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" (Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'")

And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,' and, 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" (Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU'; and 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'")

When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

1. While NASB version of the Bible is a copyrighted work, I believe this falls under the Fair Use Doctrine as both a small extract of the whole and for educational purposes. More information can be found at the U.S. Copyright Office's web site.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Current reality

In this final article in the series on the Bridal Paradigm, I'm going to transition from Old Testament foreshadowings to New Testament realities.

In Jewish custom there were several stages leading up to a marriage.

The first was the betrothal. This was where a young man and his father prepared a covenant and presented it to the intended girl and her family. Involved in this was the payment of a bride price where the young man paid the family for the cost of raising a daughter. It also indicated the importance she held to him and his commitment to her. In addition to the bride price, which went to the family, the young man brought gifts for his intended.

The betrothal was formalized by the Banquet of Wine. As discussed in a previous article, this is a celebration of the coming marriage where the groom-to-be pours out a glass of wine for his intended. This symbolizes the terms of the covenant wherein he commits himself and all he has to her. She then drinks this, symbolizing her acceptance of his provision on her behalf.

At the end of the betrothal ceremony, the young man announces that he's going to prepare their wedding chamber but as soon as it's prepared, he'll return to get her. They will not see each other again until he finishes this work. It might take a year or more to complete this bridal chamber, and since the young man's in a hurry, he might be tempted to cut corners. Hence, his father has the responsibility to decide when it's ready, not the young man.

While the young man is preparing the wedding chamber, the bride-to-be prepares herself. This involves a ceremonial cleansing. She prepares herself physically and emotionally to leave her father's house and join her betrothed in his. She uses the gifts he's given her to make herself ready. She's not sure when he will return, it could be at any time of the day or night; she just needs to be ready. It was customary for the bride to keep an oil lamp beside her bed, along with her veil and other belongings.

On one of the father's inspections of the bridal chamber, he announces to his son that it's finished and he may fetch his bride. The son gathers his close friends and sets out for her house. When the wedding party gets close, they give a shout and blow the shofar to let the bride know her groom is on his way. He comes in and carries her away to the wedding chamber where they celebrate for seven days.

Each of these stages can be seen in the New Testament.

Matthew writes, starting in chapter 26, verse 26: 'While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.' This is the bride price he was willing to pay: his own blood. Peter says in chapter 1, verses 18 and 19: 'knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold ... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.'

In addition, he gave gifts. First while he was here in the form of healing, wine, food and teaching. And second, after he left, he gave the gift of the Holy Spirit and His empowerment.

When we partake of the Lord's Supper, we are accepting his offer of marriage. We are drinking the cup of wine from the betrothal feast.

After the Lord's Supper, Jesus proclaimed in John 14:3: 'If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.' He's announcing his intent to build a wedding chamber and he's promising to return for us. When asked when he'd be returning, he replied that 'of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.' (Matthew 24:36)

In this time of separation, we are to prepare ourselves. Just as the bride partook in a ceremonial washing, we partake in baptism. We use the gifts he's given us to His glory and preparation of the bride. John writes 'His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in ... the righteous acts of the saints.' (Revelation 19:7) We are not to love the world or the things in the world. (1 John 2:15) We are to be holy as He is holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16) We are to keep ourselves for Him for He is jealous over us. (James 4:5) Having been washed with the water of the word, we are to be holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:27)

And finally, there will be a day when the wedding chamber will be finished, the Father will say it's time and 'the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.' (1 Thessalonians 4:16) 'Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. ... Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' (Revelation 19:7-9)