Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis Excerpt
May I once again start by putting two pictures, or two stories rather,
into your minds? One is the story you have all read called Beauty and the
Beast. The girl, you remember, had to marry a monster for some reason. And
she did. She kissed it as if it were a man. And then, much to her relief, it
really turned into a man and all went well. The other story is about someone
who had to wear a mask; a mask which made him look much nicer than he really
was. He had to wear it for year. And when he took it off he found his own
face had grown to fit it. He was now really beautiful. What had begun as
disguise had become a reality. I think both these stories may (in a fanciful
way, of course) help to illustrate what I have to say in this chapter. Up
till now, I have been trying to describe facts-what God is and what He has
done. Now I want to talk about practice-what do we do next? What difference
does all this theology make? It can start making a difference tonight. If
you are interested enough to have read thus far you are probably interested
enough to make a shot at saying your prayers: and, whatever else you say,
you will probably say the Lord's Prayer.
Its very first words are Our Father. Do you now see what those words
mean? They mean quite frankly, that you are putting yourself in the place of
a son of God. To put it bluntly, you are dressing up as Christ. If you like,
you are pretending. Because, of course, the moment you realise what the
words mean, you realise that you are not a son of God. You are not being
like The Son of God, whose will and interests are at one with those of the
Father: you are a bundle of self-centred fears, hopes, greeds, jealousies,
and self-conceit, all doomed to death. So that, in a way, this dressing up
as Christ is a piece of outrageous cheek. But the odd thing is that He has
ordered us to do it.
Why? What is the good of pretending to be what you are not? Well, even
on the human level, you know, there are two kinds of pretending. There is a
bad kind, where the pretence is there instead of the real thing; as when a
man pretends he is going to help you instead of really helping you. But
there is also a good kind, where the pretence leads up to the real thing.
When you are not feeling particularly friendly but know you ought to be, the
best thing you can do, very often, is to put on a friendly manner and behave
as if you were a nicer person than you actually are. And in a few minutes,
as we have all noticed, you will be really feeling friendlier than you were.
Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as
if you had it already. That is why children's games are so important. They
are always pretending to be grown-ups-playing soldiers, playing shop. But
all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits, so
that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.
Now, the moment you realise "Here I am, dressing up as Christ," it is
extremely likely that you will see at once some way in which at that very
moment the pretence could be made less of a pretence and more of a reality.
You will find several things going on in your mind which would not be going
on there if you were really a son of God. Well, stop them. Or you may
realise that, instead of saying your prayers, you ought to be downstairs
writing a letter, or helping your wife to wash-up. Well, go and do it.
You see what is happening. The Christ Himself, the Son of God who is
man (just like you) and God (just like His Father) is actually at your side
and is already at that moment beginning to turn your pretence into a
reality. This is not merely a fancy way of saying that your conscience is
telling you what to do. If you simply ask your conscience, you get one
result: if you remember that you are dressing up as Christ, you get a
different one. There are lots of things which your conscience might not call
definitely wrong (specially things in your mind) but which you will see at
once you cannot go on doing if you are seriously trying to be like Christ.
For you are no longer thinking simply about right and wrong; you are trying
to catch the good infection from a Person. It is more like painting a
portrait than like obeying a set of rules. And the odd thing is that while
in one way it is much harder than keeping rules, in another way it is far
easier.
The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into
the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to "inject"
His kind of life and thought, His Zoe, into you; beginning to turn the tin
soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part
that is still tin.
*******
Ephesians-
{2:11} Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands
{2:12} That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
{2:13} But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
{2:14} For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us
{2:15} Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace
{2:16} And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby
{2:17} And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
{2:18} For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
{2:19} Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God
{2:20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone
{2:21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord
{2:22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
C.S. Lewis was describing something amazing. Do you remember the child games you used to play? A girl playing mommy-tending to her babe. A boy pretending to be a cowboy, a fireman, a policeman. And more nowadays girls pretending to be doctors, lawyers and such. We do pretend to be grown up as children and in school they'll often use pretend in games to stretch the imagination and to think of the future. The question of 'what do you want to be when you grow up' starts when you are very young. Growing up is the goal. Growing up to be something viable to society is the goal. Growing up to promote well being and bringing future children into the world is the goal. We tend as adults to lose sight of growing up because we consider ourselves grown. What adult doesn't like to say to others, especially those who are putting their adulthood in dispute- that they are grown up. 'I'm an adult, don't talk to me that way. I'm an adult, I can go out and do what I want.' You know what I'm talking about. Newly grown up children, young adults, don't like being treated like they are still children. They're proud of their grown up status. Yes, how many newly grown up are merely pretending to be grown up while the actually grow further into adulthood?
Pretending. C.S. Lewis give a good argument for us pretending to be Christ-like so that we may become Christ-like through Christ.
Ephesians talks about us being without Christ- having no hope. But in Christ Jesus we have hope by his blood. Christ took away the ordinances that threatened to separate us from Christ. That wall of separation that was twisted and warped into something ungodlike and no longer needed because Christ was there for all men.
We have access through the Spirit to the Father.
We are no longer strangers, foreigners- we are fellowcitizens with the saints the household of God.
The Holy Spirit will build us into a habitation of God. This isn't something we do ourselves, we are not the builders. We have to make ourselves available to be molded and shaped into a habitation of God- Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
We are also told this--
Ephesians
{4:20} But ye have not so learned Christ
{4:21} If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus
{4:22} That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts
{4:23} And be renewed in the spirit of your mind
{4:24} And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Put on the new man!
And we are told this--
Matthew
{18:1} At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
{18:2} And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them
{18:3} And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
{18:4} Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
{18:5} And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
{18:6} But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Be converted and become as little children- humble himself as this little child.
And this--
John
{3:3} Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {3:4} Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? {3:5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
{3:6} That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
{3:7}Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again
Don't you see? There is a change to be had when we accept Christ. When we claim Christ. When we seek Christ and accept His sacrifice in our behalf there is a change. The change won't save us, but the change is inevitable if we are Christ's. If we accept Christ then we accept the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will guide us and change us and we need to listen to that guiding Spirit.
As C.S.Lewis said - if we are pretending like children that is an innocent pretending, it's not a pretense that is harmful and full of deception. If we are hoping with a childlike hope to become Christ like- sons of God, adopted by Him, this is a good thing. If we go to a party feeling miserable and put on the pretense of happiness the chances are that we might end up really happy are good. Knowing what we should do, how we should behave and then doing so whether we feel like it or not is a good thing. We have to trust that God will supply all that is needed in us whether it's just the ability to give up and let Christ take over, that too will be supplied by God. We just have to recognize that God's will must be done in us, not that we have to enjoy all that is happening in our lives. Believing when everything shouts at us that we should no longer believe, that is faith in God. By His grace and mercy may we let the Holy Spirit work within us. May we offer up ourselves to God to work His will in.
Galatians {4:19} My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you
Paul said that and it is a travail, it is a new birth and Christ will be formed in us.
By His love, mercy, grace now and forever and ever!
Amen.
9/25/10
Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Over the ark were cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat.
Let's just look at a few verses about the cherubims so we can get a description of them.
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
God placed Cherubims at the east of the garden of Eden with flaming swords- these would protect the way to the tree of life.
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.
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 have Cherubims guarding the way to the tree of life so no one could get to the tree of life and eat and live forever in sin.
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
Two cherubims as in the pattern of the real shown to Moses in the mount, were made of gold. These cherubims overshadowed the mercy seat. Perhaps symbolically guarding the holy.
Here in Hebrews we are told this--
Heb 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
This particular aspect of the Most Holy Place would not be spoken of right then. I'm not going to dwell here on the cherubims or the mercy seat…not here. It's enough to have the picture in our minds that we are being asked to have there. A picture of the Sanctuary- of the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place and the objects therein. This is the Sanctuary created on earth after the one in heaven.
Heb 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
For many, many years from the time of Moses the common priests went ALWAYS into the first tabernacle (the HolyPlace) of the Sanctuary, the first apartment. The common priests had been ordained to perform many tasks in the sanctuary service, there were many ordinances enacted by them. It was a way of life for the priests- doing the work given them by God. There are many details of this priestly work- the services that were to be performed. You can read about them in Exodus, in Leviticus and throughout the Bible.
However ONCE every year the High Priest alone went into the Most Holy Place, the second apartment of the tabernacle behind the veil. The High Priest went into the Most Holy Place once a year for a special purpose- to cleanse the Sanctuary.
Heb 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people
We have to delve into this once a year service because it is all representative a the future- after Christ's great Sacrifice, when Christ becomes our High Priest.
Let's read about it--
Lev 16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
Lev 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
Lev 16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
Lev 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
Lev 16:5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Lev 16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
Lev 16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
Lev 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
Lev 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
Lev 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
Lev 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Lev 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Lev 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
Lev 16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
Lev 16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
Lev 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
Lev 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
Lev 16:22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Lev 16:23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:
Lev 16:24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
Lev 16:25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
Lev 16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
Lev 16:27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
Lev 16:28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
Lev 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
Lev 16:32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
Lev 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
Lev 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
This all signified that the way into the Holiest was not yet manifest…. Only going into the Most Holy Place once a year to cleanse all the people, to cleanse the corporate whole of the congregation, to cleanse the Sanctuary of all the sin. All the sin throughout the year was covered by the blood of the sacrifices, then once every year the High Priest would remove ALL that blood covered sin collected.
Blood covered sin collected.
Blood covered sin.
How filthy, how disgusting, how vile. When we think of something covered in blood it's not in a good way, it's usually accompanied by a sense of horror, a sense of wrongness, blood is not supposed to be shed. Blood is supposed to remain within us, within animals, within all that have blood in them. When blood is let… it's not a natural process outside that which became a woman's lot. The bloodied, the wounded, the dying, the dead. The injured, the murdered- blood covered has it's own sense of being wrong, doesn't it?
Sacrifices were made for sin. The blood would flow and the sin would be covered by the sacrifice. This was an imperfect service, this was a type pointing to the true. For years this service was enacted- daily and then once a year a special service. This special service showed plainly that the daily service wasn't enough by itself to bring about the way to full atonement. The daily service revealed the necessity of the daily need to be forgiven, to seek forgiveness. The yearly service revealed that the daily seeking of forgiveness didn't purify from sin. The yearly service symbolically revealed that there was a greater service needed to cleanse fully. As long as the daily sacrificing and the yearly sacrificing and cleansing were being performed the way into the Holiest…
Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing
The first tabernacle- the place of the daily sacrifice- the place before the Holiest Place.
As long as the daily service in the first tabernacle remained, as long as the daily sacrifices were made, it showed that daily access into the Most Holy place wasn't possible.
The end to the daily sacrifices had to come and the only way that end could come was if another, a better, a true Sacrifice, the ultimate Sacrifice that ALL the other inferior sacrifices pointed to was Sacrificed.
When that Sacrifice was made then all the ordinances of the daily sacrifices were no longer needed, the way into the Holiest was made. The way into the Most Holy Place was opened. Our HIGH PRIEST would enter the Most Holy Place.
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Heb 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
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.
There is so much here we can discuss and will discuss. More tomorrow if God wills. We will go back and really study these verses, really delving into the meat given to us to eat. There is a reason the heavenly sanctuary is here us to understand more fully. The earthly sanctuary services are over- the way into the Most Holy Place was opened and the Most Holy Place is where God dwells.
May God continue to bless us as we study His word, His truth, His love.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior now and forever, for always!
Amen.
9/25/11
Rev
11:1 And there was given me a reed
like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of
God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the
temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the
holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
The temple of
God.
The altar.
Them that worship
therein.
We understand the
measuring of a building, right? We can even understand the measuring of an
altar, because it's an object. How do we measure the people that are
worshipping inside that temple? You can take the measure of a man certainly, we
measure each other all the time, don't we? We size each other up to what end?
There are various reasons for sizing a person up. A boss may size a potential
employee up to note their worthiness of the position being offered. A potential
friend might be taking the measure of a person to see if they would make a good
friend. We might even take the measure of a stranger trying to understand
whether or not we should even make a gesture of a smile at them.
Here, John is
told to measure the temple there is an importance to the temple but it's NOT the
earthly temple. The heavenly temple is where our Savior went when he rose from
earth and He is still there. We through Him are there with Him when we accept
Him as our Savior. The measure of our worth is found in Him, in Christ our Lord
and Savior.
John is also told
this… 'But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not;
for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under
foot forty and two months'
42 months Rev. 13:5
1260
days Revelation 12: 6.
3
1/2 times in Daniel 7: 25 and 12: 7, and Revelation 12: 14.
This time period
is amazingly special and a marked period that God has given to us to realize how
amazing prophecy is and how the plan He has is real and NOT to be denied, not
to be ignored, not to be taken lightly.
We've studied this time period a few times now and we know that it ends
in 1798- we know that the little book was opened about the same time and the
understanding of people towards these prophecies was begun.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two
witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days,
clothed in sackcloth.
During these 42
months, during the 1260 days there were TWO witnesses that would prophesize
only they would be covered in sackcloth.
What does it mean
to be covered in sackcloth?
sackcloth
[ˈsækˌklɒθ]
n
1. (Clothing, Personal Arts& Crafts /
Textiles) coarse cloth such as sacking
2. (Clothing & Fashion) garments made of
such cloth, worn formerly to indicate mourning or penitence
sackcloth and ashes a public display of
extreme grief, remorse, or repentance
Pasted
from <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sackcloth>
Worn to indicate
mourning or penitence- display extreme grief, remorse, repentance.
For 1260 years
the witnesses of God would be down trodden, they would be mourning, and when
someone is in mourning, when there is a period of mourning people generally are
NOT themselves, they are not alive as they should be in a manner of speaking.
They don't shine as they normally would. We can think of mourning people and
maybe today a lot of people don't mourn like they used to but mourning people
used to be given a lot more respect than they are given today- at least in our
country. We've all had a reason
to grieve, to mourn in our lives and we know what it means. The depression, the
darkness, the feeling of being out of touch with the rest of the world which
goes on and on not feeling the pain at all. We want others to understand our
pain to know why things aren't alright in our world, why we feel like crying,
why we feel as if things will never be good again.
When the mourning is over and time is a great healer of emotions, we do
begin to look up again and start to live again. This is something that happens over and
over in our lives on various levels.
These two
witnesses of God would mourn for 1260 years, but then they would live again.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the
two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Two olive
trees.
Two
candlesticks.
All standing
before God, the Creator.
The
witnesses- trees that produce
oil.
The witnesses-
candles that produce light.
Oil and
light. Representatives of God. How
do oil and light associated with the temple represent God?
Exo 25:6 Oil for the light…
Exo 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of
Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the
lamp to burn always.
Exo 35:14 The candlestick also for the light, and
his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light
The thing these
two items have in common are they both can be used to produce light.
Light in the
Bible represents what?
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the
law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are
made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
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
Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD
my God will enlighten my darkness.
Psa 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light;
it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Can we honestly
believe that God's word could be representative by oil and light, by
candlesticks? Jesus had this to say--
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.
Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the
light of the world.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put
it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are
in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.
Jesus is the
LIGHT of the world! The light of life! Jesus told us we are the light of the
world! And what does that mean really? That our light would shine before men and
they would see our good works and they would GLORIFY the Father in heaven! We would be witnesses of our faith.
God's word is His
witness.
We have God's
word, His written word. We have the scriptures- scriptures JESUS referred to and
read from and expounded on and we have the words of Jesus. We have TWO sections-
an old and a new testament- TWO witnesses to God. Two amazing witnesses! And we
KNOW that the word of God was great oppressed for many, many, many years. Even
when the printing press was invented and the Bible could go to the mainstream
it was still oppressed. The Catholic Church wanted full control over the word
of God, they wanted only learned men of their church to have the Bible and give
their interpretation to the people. You can study all this on the web, the
history of the Bible being oppressed, the interference of the Catholic church
it's all proven history. Now WHEN
did the Bible begin to be given to people without interference?
'The British
and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as
Bible Society, is a non-denominational
Christian Bible
society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bibleavailable throughout the world.[1]
The Society was
formed on 7 March 1804.[2]'
Pasted
from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_and_Foreign_Bible_Society>
The witnesses
were in sackcloth! The witnesses were oppressed! The witnesses were covered in
darkness for so long. And now… God's word was brought out of mourning and into
the light of new life gone out to the world and soon Biblical prophecy was
opened to the understanding of the world just as GOD PREDICTED!
This makes
sense! Perfect sense!
Do we want to
believe this makes sense? Seriously, do we? Or are we looking for fantastical
happenings?
The Bible tells
us this--
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the
flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the
day that Noe entered into the ark
Eating.
Drinking.
Marrying.
Giving in
marriage.
This is a normal
every day happenstance around the world.
We eat, we drink, we marry, we give in marriage. This is such normalcy
and it tells us that when our Savior comes A LOT of people will be going about
their every day lives as if nothing is different.
So many people
want to believe that they will have some amazing warning, some television movie
-like event , some epic special effects that will allow them to prepare, but
they will be totally lost just as they were in the days of Noah.
There isn't going to be any OBVIOUS sign that will alert people, there
will be signs for those who are watching and are looking for Christ's return and
are truly His, known by Him. For all those who are waiting for two witnesses-
two men of God- as portrayed in the fictional movies they could very well be
waiting in vain. How sad it would be, how horribly sad for those who watch for
signs that aren't going to come to pass. May God keep our hearts and minds open
to His truth and ONLY His truth. May we NOT be deceived as so many will be.
Please God help us! Please Lord, please! We want to be ready, we want to be
Yours, wholly Yours! All through the grace and mercy of Your Son, our Savior,
our Lord Jesus Christ and HIS righteousness.
Amen.
Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
Over the ark were cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat.
Let's just look at a few verses about the cherubims so we can get a description of them.
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
God placed Cherubims at the east of the garden of Eden with flaming swords- these would protect the way to the tree of life.
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.
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 have Cherubims guarding the way to the tree of life so no one could get to the tree of life and eat and live forever in sin.
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
Two cherubims as in the pattern of the real shown to Moses in the mount, were made of gold. These cherubims overshadowed the mercy seat. Perhaps symbolically guarding the holy.
Here in Hebrews we are told this--
Heb 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
This particular aspect of the Most Holy Place would not be spoken of right then. I'm not going to dwell here on the cherubims or the mercy seat…not here. It's enough to have the picture in our minds that we are being asked to have there. A picture of the Sanctuary- of the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place and the objects therein. This is the Sanctuary created on earth after the one in heaven.
Heb 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
For many, many years from the time of Moses the common priests went ALWAYS into the first tabernacle (the HolyPlace) of the Sanctuary, the first apartment. The common priests had been ordained to perform many tasks in the sanctuary service, there were many ordinances enacted by them. It was a way of life for the priests- doing the work given them by God. There are many details of this priestly work- the services that were to be performed. You can read about them in Exodus, in Leviticus and throughout the Bible.
However ONCE every year the High Priest alone went into the Most Holy Place, the second apartment of the tabernacle behind the veil. The High Priest went into the Most Holy Place once a year for a special purpose- to cleanse the Sanctuary.
Heb 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people
We have to delve into this once a year service because it is all representative a the future- after Christ's great Sacrifice, when Christ becomes our High Priest.
Let's read about it--
Lev 16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
Lev 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
Lev 16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
Lev 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
Lev 16:5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Lev 16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
Lev 16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
Lev 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
Lev 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
Lev 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
Lev 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Lev 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
Lev 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
Lev 16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
Lev 16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
Lev 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
Lev 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
Lev 16:22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Lev 16:23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there:
Lev 16:24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
Lev 16:25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
Lev 16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
Lev 16:27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
Lev 16:28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
Lev 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
Lev 16:32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
Lev 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
Lev 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
This all signified that the way into the Holiest was not yet manifest…. Only going into the Most Holy Place once a year to cleanse all the people, to cleanse the corporate whole of the congregation, to cleanse the Sanctuary of all the sin. All the sin throughout the year was covered by the blood of the sacrifices, then once every year the High Priest would remove ALL that blood covered sin collected.
Blood covered sin collected.
Blood covered sin.
How filthy, how disgusting, how vile. When we think of something covered in blood it's not in a good way, it's usually accompanied by a sense of horror, a sense of wrongness, blood is not supposed to be shed. Blood is supposed to remain within us, within animals, within all that have blood in them. When blood is let… it's not a natural process outside that which became a woman's lot. The bloodied, the wounded, the dying, the dead. The injured, the murdered- blood covered has it's own sense of being wrong, doesn't it?
Sacrifices were made for sin. The blood would flow and the sin would be covered by the sacrifice. This was an imperfect service, this was a type pointing to the true. For years this service was enacted- daily and then once a year a special service. This special service showed plainly that the daily service wasn't enough by itself to bring about the way to full atonement. The daily service revealed the necessity of the daily need to be forgiven, to seek forgiveness. The yearly service revealed that the daily seeking of forgiveness didn't purify from sin. The yearly service symbolically revealed that there was a greater service needed to cleanse fully. As long as the daily sacrificing and the yearly sacrificing and cleansing were being performed the way into the Holiest…
Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing
The first tabernacle- the place of the daily sacrifice- the place before the Holiest Place.
As long as the daily service in the first tabernacle remained, as long as the daily sacrifices were made, it showed that daily access into the Most Holy place wasn't possible.
The end to the daily sacrifices had to come and the only way that end could come was if another, a better, a true Sacrifice, the ultimate Sacrifice that ALL the other inferior sacrifices pointed to was Sacrificed.
When that Sacrifice was made then all the ordinances of the daily sacrifices were no longer needed, the way into the Holiest was made. The way into the Most Holy Place was opened. Our HIGH PRIEST would enter the Most Holy Place.
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Heb 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
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.
There is so much here we can discuss and will discuss. More tomorrow if God wills. We will go back and really study these verses, really delving into the meat given to us to eat. There is a reason the heavenly sanctuary is here us to understand more fully. The earthly sanctuary services are over- the way into the Most Holy Place was opened and the Most Holy Place is where God dwells.
May God continue to bless us as we study His word, His truth, His love.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior now and forever, for always!
Amen.
9/25/11
Rev
11:1 And there was given me a reed
like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of
God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the
temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the
holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
The temple of
God.
The altar.
Them that worship
therein.
We understand the
measuring of a building, right? We can even understand the measuring of an
altar, because it's an object. How do we measure the people that are
worshipping inside that temple? You can take the measure of a man certainly, we
measure each other all the time, don't we? We size each other up to what end?
There are various reasons for sizing a person up. A boss may size a potential
employee up to note their worthiness of the position being offered. A potential
friend might be taking the measure of a person to see if they would make a good
friend. We might even take the measure of a stranger trying to understand
whether or not we should even make a gesture of a smile at them.
Here, John is
told to measure the temple there is an importance to the temple but it's NOT the
earthly temple. The heavenly temple is where our Savior went when he rose from
earth and He is still there. We through Him are there with Him when we accept
Him as our Savior. The measure of our worth is found in Him, in Christ our Lord
and Savior.
John is also told
this… 'But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not;
for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under
foot forty and two months'
42 months Rev. 13:5
1260
days Revelation 12: 6.
3
1/2 times in Daniel 7: 25 and 12: 7, and Revelation 12: 14.
This time period
is amazingly special and a marked period that God has given to us to realize how
amazing prophecy is and how the plan He has is real and NOT to be denied, not
to be ignored, not to be taken lightly.
We've studied this time period a few times now and we know that it ends
in 1798- we know that the little book was opened about the same time and the
understanding of people towards these prophecies was begun.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two
witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days,
clothed in sackcloth.
During these 42
months, during the 1260 days there were TWO witnesses that would prophesize
only they would be covered in sackcloth.
What does it mean
to be covered in sackcloth?
sackcloth
[ˈsækˌklɒθ]
n
1. (Clothing, Personal Arts& Crafts /
Textiles) coarse cloth such as sacking
2. (Clothing & Fashion) garments made of
such cloth, worn formerly to indicate mourning or penitence
sackcloth and ashes a public display of
extreme grief, remorse, or repentance
Pasted
from <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sackcloth>
Worn to indicate
mourning or penitence- display extreme grief, remorse, repentance.
For 1260 years
the witnesses of God would be down trodden, they would be mourning, and when
someone is in mourning, when there is a period of mourning people generally are
NOT themselves, they are not alive as they should be in a manner of speaking.
They don't shine as they normally would. We can think of mourning people and
maybe today a lot of people don't mourn like they used to but mourning people
used to be given a lot more respect than they are given today- at least in our
country. We've all had a reason
to grieve, to mourn in our lives and we know what it means. The depression, the
darkness, the feeling of being out of touch with the rest of the world which
goes on and on not feeling the pain at all. We want others to understand our
pain to know why things aren't alright in our world, why we feel like crying,
why we feel as if things will never be good again.
When the mourning is over and time is a great healer of emotions, we do
begin to look up again and start to live again. This is something that happens over and
over in our lives on various levels.
These two
witnesses of God would mourn for 1260 years, but then they would live again.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the
two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Two olive
trees.
Two
candlesticks.
All standing
before God, the Creator.
The
witnesses- trees that produce
oil.
The witnesses-
candles that produce light.
Oil and
light. Representatives of God. How
do oil and light associated with the temple represent God?
Exo 25:6 Oil for the light…
Exo 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of
Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the
lamp to burn always.
Exo 35:14 The candlestick also for the light, and
his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light
The thing these
two items have in common are they both can be used to produce light.
Light in the
Bible represents what?
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the
law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are
made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
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
Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD
my God will enlighten my darkness.
Psa 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light;
it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Can we honestly
believe that God's word could be representative by oil and light, by
candlesticks? Jesus had this to say--
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.
Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the
light of the world.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city
that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put
it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are
in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.
Jesus is the
LIGHT of the world! The light of life! Jesus told us we are the light of the
world! And what does that mean really? That our light would shine before men and
they would see our good works and they would GLORIFY the Father in heaven! We would be witnesses of our faith.
God's word is His
witness.
We have God's
word, His written word. We have the scriptures- scriptures JESUS referred to and
read from and expounded on and we have the words of Jesus. We have TWO sections-
an old and a new testament- TWO witnesses to God. Two amazing witnesses! And we
KNOW that the word of God was great oppressed for many, many, many years. Even
when the printing press was invented and the Bible could go to the mainstream
it was still oppressed. The Catholic Church wanted full control over the word
of God, they wanted only learned men of their church to have the Bible and give
their interpretation to the people. You can study all this on the web, the
history of the Bible being oppressed, the interference of the Catholic church
it's all proven history. Now WHEN
did the Bible begin to be given to people without interference?
'The British
and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as
Bible Society, is a non-denominational
Christian Bible
society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bibleavailable throughout the world.[1]
The Society was
formed on 7 March 1804.[2]'
Pasted
from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_and_Foreign_Bible_Society>
The witnesses
were in sackcloth! The witnesses were oppressed! The witnesses were covered in
darkness for so long. And now… God's word was brought out of mourning and into
the light of new life gone out to the world and soon Biblical prophecy was
opened to the understanding of the world just as GOD PREDICTED!
This makes
sense! Perfect sense!
Do we want to
believe this makes sense? Seriously, do we? Or are we looking for fantastical
happenings?
The Bible tells
us this--
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the
flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the
day that Noe entered into the ark
Eating.
Drinking.
Marrying.
Giving in
marriage.
This is a normal
every day happenstance around the world.
We eat, we drink, we marry, we give in marriage. This is such normalcy
and it tells us that when our Savior comes A LOT of people will be going about
their every day lives as if nothing is different.
So many people
want to believe that they will have some amazing warning, some television movie
-like event , some epic special effects that will allow them to prepare, but
they will be totally lost just as they were in the days of Noah.
There isn't going to be any OBVIOUS sign that will alert people, there
will be signs for those who are watching and are looking for Christ's return and
are truly His, known by Him. For all those who are waiting for two witnesses-
two men of God- as portrayed in the fictional movies they could very well be
waiting in vain. How sad it would be, how horribly sad for those who watch for
signs that aren't going to come to pass. May God keep our hearts and minds open
to His truth and ONLY His truth. May we NOT be deceived as so many will be.
Please God help us! Please Lord, please! We want to be ready, we want to be
Yours, wholly Yours! All through the grace and mercy of Your Son, our Savior,
our Lord Jesus Christ and HIS righteousness.
Amen.