Heb. 11:8-19, Communion of God with His Friend Abraham

In this post I would like to review God’s recorded conversations with Abraham, His friend (James 2:23).  We are in Genesis, of course.

·       12:1-3: God had this conversation while Abram was in Ur.  The essence is: “get out and I will.”  Pilgrimage always requires leaving where I am now and moving in the direction of a greater knowledge of God.

·       12:7: The covenant re-stated at Shechem, after Abram had reach Canaan: “I will give this land.”

·       15:14-17: After the time in Egypt, and the separation from Lot, God speaks to Abram at Bethel, giving him good N E W S (look north, east, west and south; all that you see I will give to you and your descendants.

·       15:1-21: This is the point at which the covenant is confirmed by the LORD.  a) “I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.” b) You will have an heir from your own body, at which point Abram believed and was justified.  c) “I am the LORD who brought you out to give you this lant to inherit.”  d) Bring Me the animals for the covenant.  e) You will be 400 years in a strange land and then will return.  f) These are the boundaries of the land I am giving you.

·       17: After the situation with Hagar and 14 years since the last conversation God comes to Abram again.  “I am Almighty God (El Shaddai); walk before Me and be blameless.”  The covenant was restated (not reinstated; it was never cancelled).  Abram became Abraham (father of many nations); Sarai became Sarah (princess).  Sign of the covenant is “circumcision.”  Sarah will give birth to the son of promise.  Abraham pleads for Ishmael, but God maintains His word.  Abraham responds by circumcising all the males in his household (he is 99 and Ishmael 13).

·       18:1-33: Abraham shows hospitality to the LORD and two angels.  a) v10-15, promise reiterated to Sarah.  b) v16-21: The LORD speaks to Himself about Abraham, and then tells him what He is about to do to Sodom.  c) v22-33: Abraham intercedes for the righteous in those condemned cities.

·       22:1-18: These conversations involve Mt. Moriah. a) v1-2: God tests Abraham’s faith, telling him to take Isaac to the land of Moriah and to be given to God as a sacrifice. b) v11-12: The Angel of the LORD is speaking: “don’t harm Isaac.  Now I know that you fear Me.” c) v15-18: The Angel of the LORD says, “Blessing I will bless you!”  The covenant is repeated.

There are many things we might note with respect to Abraham’s journey of faith.  The one I will mention is that the covenant is repeated several times.  Faith thrives on the Word of the LORD.  We need to be regularly reminded of the gospel, even long after we have put our faith in Christ, that we might walk faithfully! 

Read 1 Cor. 4:1-5, Under-rowers for Christ!

I was reading the above passage today and wondered about the word “servants” in v1 of the NKJV.  Is it “bondslave?” Or “deacon”?  These are the major terms for servant in the NT.  It was neither.  It was the Greek “huperetas.”  The meaning is literally “under-rower.”  Imagine a NT era warship out on the Mediterranean Sea.  They were often equipped with various levels of benches for rowers.  Overseeing the rowers was the captain of the ship who could give orders so that the ship could be maneuvered as needed in the course of a battle.

We can easily see why Paul used this term here.  He is in the midst of speaking of various servants of the Lord: himself, Apollos, Peter are named.  Further he has spoken of all believers as being part of the building up of the Body of Christ.  One Captain is Lord over all the rowers so that their work is effective. 

In 4:1 Paul says all those involved should “consider” themselves to be like these under-rowers.  It’s the same term as in Rom. 6:11: “reckon” yourselves dead to sin and alive unto God.  What we are involved in, building the Church, Jesus’ Church, which was His task (Mt. 16:18), is a group effort.  We all have a gift, a place in the boat, but we must all work together or we will frustrate the purpose and plan of the Captain.  That is why we all must “reckon” ourselves to be “huperetas.”

The first use of this term gives us a picture.  Jesus used it in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:25): Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  The officer imprisons the criminal.  How long and what conditions are permitted in the prison are up to the judge.  The officer makes no decisions; he only does as he is instructed.

Luke referred to the “apostles” by this term in Luke 1:2: they were the “eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.”  What Luke wrote was totally the word of God; the people God used to convey that word were under-rowers.

When Jesus spoke with Pilate He used the term: My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here (Jn. 18:36).  We are not fighting a physical war in the service of Christ but a spiritual war!

In Ac. 13:5 John Mark was the servant of Paul and Barnabas.  He didn’t have the right to leave the team, now was he responsible for the work of the team..  No wonder Paul did not want to include him on the second journey.

Ac. 26:16 brings us back to Paul.  Jesus told him, I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.  Reckon yourself, with the gift of grace given to you, in the ministry where you have been placed by your Lord, to be an under-rower.  Follow the Captain lest you work against what He is seeking to do.

1 Cor. 6:12-20, Romans 6-8 Illustrated

Rom. 6-8 is the primary teaching in the NT on the matter of “sanctification,” how we are being saved day by day, growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ.  In that passage “obedience” is never commanded but is seen as the result of other commands: reckon yourselves indeed to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord and present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God (6:11,13).  Further, it tells me I am “not under law” (6:14).  I am “dead to the law” (7:4).  In fact, the law brings death; it kills me (7:10-11).  It then tells me that my relationship with Christ, and specifically my faith in Christ, is how I will grow and mature as a believer.

I Cor. 6:12-20 gives us a situation where Paul applies the great truths of Rom. 6-8 to a specific issue of Christian living. 

·       6:12: “All things are lawful for me … All things are lawful for me.”  This word “lawful” is 30+ times in the NT, almost all of them in the Gospels speaking of what was lawful in Judaism (no work on Sabbath, carrying your bed on Sabbath, etc.)  But Paul is not under law, so in terms of “lawfulness” he can do anything.  This is a big-time issue in Romans, esp. 8:1-4.  The law is weak through the flesh.  If I return to trying to be righteous by the flesh, doing my best, I will fail as did the Jews (3:19-20; 9:30-31).  Paul does not reject sexual immorality on the basis of the Ten Commandments.  If he did he would stumble over Christ like the Jews did (9:32-33).

·       6:12: BUT “all things are not helpful … I will not be brought under the power of any.”  The issue is not what does the law say.  It is, “who reigns in your life?” (Rom. 5:20-21).  You are not under law.  You are also not “under” the power/authority of sex, or harlots.  You are under grace.  What does that mean?

·       6:13: Your body is “for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”  Thus, Rom. 6:12-13, you present your body to the Lord for righteousness (12:1 says the same).

·       6:14: What happens when you present your body to Him?  He raises you from the dead, so to speak.  He gives life to your mortal body (Rom. 8:10-11).  As 6:14 puts it, God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

·       6:15: You are members of the body of Christ.  You have yielded it to Him to do with it as He pleases.  To give it to a harlot contradicts this truth (Rom. 6:13).

·       6:16-17: Compare this to Rom. 8:9-11.  We are one spirit with Him because He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

·       6:18-20 complete the application of Rom. 6-8 to the issue of sexual immorality.  This process leads me to the place where God is glorifies in my body (Phil. 1:20-21).  The “process” involves the life of Christ working in me by His Spirit.

Psalm 106

People often wonder if there is a logic in the order of the Psalms, if they are collected in any sequence.  You can certainly see an order in this current section.  We are in the midst of some historical Psalms (they review Old Testament history).  

Further, Psalm 105 and 106 are quite connected.  In 105 we see God’s covenant faithfulness declared to the great men, the Fathers of Israel.  In 106 we see that same covenant faithfulness in the context of the rebellious nation.  I am often reminded of the two parables in Matthew 13:31-33. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed that begins small and grows into something great. The Kingdom of Heaven is also like leaven, which in Scripture is always a picture of sin.

Marvel at God’s mercy and grace to Israel and give Him praise for the same in your own life as you consider this great Hymn of Faith.

·         106:1-5: The opening call to praise focuses on God’s enduring mercy (this is a song about God’s faithfulness in spite of Israel’s constant rebellion) and includes a prayer to see God’s salvation.  It is written at a time when Israel is in exile (106:47).  Consider now the situations in which God maintained His faithfulness to Israel.

·         106:6-12: God was faithful when Israel rebelled by the Red Sea (Ex. 14).

·         106:13-33: God was faithful when Israel rebelled frequently in the wilderness.

o   106:13-15: when they demanded meat to eat (Num. 11:4-9,31-35).

o   106:16-18: in the rebellion of Korah (Num. 16).

o   106:19-23: at the time of the golden calf (Ex. 32).

o   106:24-27: when they refused to enter the land (Num. 14).

o   106:28-31: when they worshiped Baal in the land of Peor (Num. 25).

o   106:32-33: when Moses became angry with them (Num. 20:1-13).

·         106:34-46: God was faithful when Israel rebelled frequently in the land.

o   106:34-39: when they didn’t destroy the nations but intermingled with them (Judges 1:27-2:6).

o   106:40-43: thus God gave them into the hands of the Gentiles (Judges 2:11-15).

o   106:44-46: nevertheless He remembered His covenant (Judges 2:16-18).  This cycle of apostasy (Israel sins, God judges, Israel cries out, God sends a deliverer) happened repeatedly (Judges 2:19-23).

·         106:47-48: The Psalm ends as it began, with a prayer for salvation (this time for the nation, not just the Psalmist) and a call to praise the Lord.

This Psalm is amazing in that it recalls Israel’s frequent sin.  But we must take heart and see ourselves in this as well.  We are by nature people who are desperately wicked, who are given to the same grumbling and rebellion as Israel.  It is critical that we see Christ here.  God did and does punish His people, but not as their sins deserve (Ps. 103:10).  Ultimately God provided atonement for Israel, and for all who will receive it, through Christ.  He judged our sin in Christ.  Jesus has born our sins on the cross.  God kept His promise to Adam and Eve to send a Savior who would be of the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15).  Let us not despair of our depravity; rather let us turn to Christ in saving faith!

Rom. 11:33-36; Isa. 40:27-31, Background for Romans 9-11

Paul’s Letter to the Romans was written to Romans!  I just thought I would begin today with a profound statement.  Specifically, of course, it is written to the “beloved of God, called saints” in Rome.  The breadth of this letter, covering the entire process of God’s intended work in the lives of all men, is fitting to be sent to the capital of the empire.  Paul is the “Apostle to the Gentiles” so the believers in the leading city of the Gentiles should receive this letter.  But having said that, the “Apostle to the Gentiles” has a lot to say about Israel, the one and only people-group not called “gentiles.” “For the Jew first” (1:16).  The guilt of the Jews (2:17-29) in spite of their advantage (3:1-8).  The lesson of faith from Israel’s greatest: Abraham and David (Ch. 4).  The inadequacy of the Law of Moses, God’s word given to Israel (Ch. 7). 

And then, of course, there is Rom. 9-11.  Leading up to this section Paul has been fairly negative about Israel in that he has pointed out their sin and their failed attempt at righteousness by the law.  Furthermore, Paul and the rest of the early Christians knew of the prophecies of Jesus that Israel’s failure was going to bring about a terrible judgment from God (Luke 23:26-31).  I would say with great confidence that these ominous words of Jesus were behind Paul’s “great sorrow and continual grief” at the beginning of the section (9:1-5).

Yet, the end of the section says that “all Israel will be saved” (11:26), “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” (11:29) and “how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out” (11:33)!  I think it’s obvious, but some students of Romans seem to miss it, that Paul is giving a clear message of assurance that God will, as always, be faithful to His words.  This faithfulness includes keeping the promises made to Israel.  This was always part of the prophetic message in the OT.  The prophets announced judgment on Israel but then reassured them that Israel still had a future in God’s great wisdom.  Here are 3 of the many illustrations of this.

·       Isa. 40-66 is all about this.  Comfort for Israel who has received double for her sins (40:1-2).  Isaiah has prophesied judgment, a terrible judgment from Babylon.  Israel thinks “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my just claim is passed over by my God,” a thought expressed in 40:27; 49:14 and 59:1.  But 40-66 ends with the arrival of Messiah with the bloody robe (63:1-6) and a new heavens and earth (66:22-24).

·       Lamentations was written by Jeremiah as he experienced the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem by the Babylonians.  His great sorrow and continual grief if emphatic.  And remember, in the book that bears his name, he had prophesied this coming judgment.  Yet, what do we know of Lamentations?  The words in the middle: “Great is Your faithfulness” (3:22-24)!  Again, Jeremiah wrote to tell the remnant to wait on the LORD.  He would keep His word, His covenant with Israel.

·       The Psalms of Asaph (Book III of Psalms, Ps. 73-89) collectively have this message.  Look at Ps. 79.  The nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps.  The dead bodies of Your servants they have given as food for the birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth (v1-4).  The question is: How long, LORD? Will You be angry forever?” (v5).  The prayer is, Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, for Your name’s sake (v9). 

Thus, we conclude, Paul is obligated to do the same thing.  It might seem to some that God is finished with Israel, especially since they crucified the Lord of glory!  But Paul says, don’t think like that!  Trust in the wisdom of God.  He has a plan that confounds the wisest of men, a plan whereby He keep His word. ALL HIS WORDS!

Rev. 14:13-17, The Future Salvation of Israel (2)

We started a list of passages that speak of aspects of Israel’s future salvation.  You may have noticed most of them spoke of a “wilderness” setting.  As we come more to the NT today, let me just remind you of today’s passage.  This desert setting is consistent.  But now consider these additional passages.

·       Rev. 14:13-17: The salvation of the nation involves both a physical deliverance as well as spiritual deliverance and establishment of the New Covenant.  The time of this salvation is as the end of God’s use of the nations to chasten and cleanse Israel.

·       Rev. 11:3-10: Throughout the tribulation period there are two great witnesses who preach in Jerusalem.  These “olive trees” (perhaps referring to the civil and religious leaders of Zech. 4), even in their death, will preach the gospel to the nation, and likely the world. 

·       Rev. 14:1-5: These 144,000 are quite likely witnesses sent out into the world with the everlasting gospel (14:6) during the tribulation.  That explains how, even in the absence of the raptured Church, there are still gospel-preachers.

·       Rev. 11:13: A great earthquake in Jerusalem also is part of the process of Israel’s salvation.  The result of this event is that the nation finally recognizes that it is the LORD who is working in their midst.

·       Matt. 24:4-41: This is just a reminder that the Olivet Discourse is in the context of Israel.  Jesus gave this to His disciples, before the cross.  It addresses the concern about the future of Israel since their Messiah is about to die.

·       Luke 17:33-37: The context of this prophecy is “the day of the Son of Man” (17:24.)  He will suffer and be rejected (v25).  This is followed by extreme evil (v26-30).  Then “His day.”  This need to flee takes place in the end times.  Those who obey it and flee to the desert will be saved; those who hesitate will be lost.  This passage emphasizes that while the end result is a “saved nation” the citizens of that nation have each come by personal faith in the Messiah.

There are undoubtedly additional clues as to how all this happens.  What we know is that the LORD has made it clear that “all Israel will be saved.”  It will be a genuine Biblical experience, once involving the personal faith of each person.  Yet, God, who knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment will get it right (2 Peter 2:9).  Shall not the Judge of the earth do right (Gen. 18:23)? 

Hosea 2:14-15, The Future Salvation of Israel (1)

The conversation with a brother I mentioned in the previous post continued with a question about Israel’s salvation.  He said that it sounded like the salvation of all the nation was all at once, unlike what we see today when people come one at a time.  I understand the question.  Rom. 11:26-7 says “all Israel shall be saved.”  That might sound like “all at once.” 

To be sure, that is not the case, by which I mean that OT and NT alike, salvation is by faith in the Messiah (the One to come in OT, the One who has come in NT).  Abraham was justified the day he put his faith in God’s promised Seed (Gen. 15:6).  Ezek. 18 clarifies this: a son is not saved nor lost based on the faith of the father. 

But having said that, it does appear that at some point the entire nation will be saved.  It might be helpful to remind ourselves of various events in Israel’s future speak to the issue of people coming to faith in Christ.  Following is a list, not necessarily in chronological order, of passages that reveal this end time salvation.

·       Zech. 9:14-15: In the context of the coming King (Messiah) whirlwinds from the south will be used of the Lord to defend Israel.

·       Zech. 12:10-14: At the outpouring of the Spirit the nation will see Christ to be the One they pierced, bringing a deep repentance on the nation.

·       Zech. 14:3-5: A valley will be created in the Mt. of Olives for the saved nation to escape to the wilderness.

·       Hos. 2:14-15: God will allure the nation to the wilderness and give them the “Valley of Achor” as a door of hope.

·       Ezek. 20:33-44: A time of fury used by God for the regathering of the people of Israel (v33-34) will eventually bring them to the wilderness of the peoples (v35; i.e. not the desert of Israel but more like the desert of Edom, a Gentile area) where God will plead His case (v36).  After chastening God will bring them into the bond of the covenant (v37).  Rebels will be separated out and will not enter the land (v38).  There will be no more idolatry but all Israel will serve the LORD (v39-40).  The LORD will be hallowed in Israel, before the nations (v41).  The nation will know the LORD (v38,42,44).  This “hallowing” is fleshed out in v45-48.

·       Jer. 31:2: Those who survived the sword of the nations will find grace in the wilderness.

·       Isa. 26:20: There will be an invitation to a place “until the indignation is past,” referring to the coming world judgment of Isa. 24:1-26:19.

·       Isa. 63:1-6: The Messiah, with blood on His robe, Who is “mighty to save,” is seen coming from Edom where He has finished Israel’s salvation.

There is more to share in the next post.