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Tag: Bible

ONLY Scripture – Sola Scriptura

The HOLY BIBLE IS: The written word of God from scripture.

In these last days…
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. – Hebrews 1 ESV

An astounding claim! The Person of God spoke through the Prophets. (The books of the Prophets speak to this.) The Prophets speak what God wants to tell man.

HOWEVER; in these last days (as opposed to the thousands of years of creation and of man, even since Abraham and the books of Moses) GOD, THE LORD, has spoken to man by HIS SON, CHRIST JESUS.

Jesus Christ is the Very Glory of God! GOD speaks though the WORD directly. This is the Living Gospel;the Good News of our salvation!

Continuing in our theme of God speaking through the Prophets, let’s again examine the question from a New Testament perspective.
- What does a Prophet see?
- Who does God make a Prophet?
- What is the message of the Seer?
- Is it the message from God Almighty?
A Prophet will see the things of God that no other man can see.

John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”

John 7 14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”

16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

“… but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

John 1:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

God the Father IS the Very Word of God Existing in the Person of the Son, Christ Jesus!

Jesus Christ IS the Very Word of God spoken in His Holy, crucified and risen flesh!

What is the message of the seer – the Prophet of God?

Matthew 11:

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

Is it the message from God Almighty?

Mark 1:

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying,

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Luke 24:

And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,

20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

It would be yet another lesson to study all that Jesus had spoken of how He IS the fulfillment of many of the prophesies of Scripture, spoken by the Prophets.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ? He IS the Person and Word and Prophet of GOD! Jesus Christ IS and will be greater than any prophet. Christ Jesus IS fulfillment of scripture and prophesy. He IS the beginning and the end. God has not and will not use ANY other sinful man (and we are all sinful men and sinful women) to speak or interpret any word of prophesy that opposes Jesus: He IS God the Son.

Can God yet appear to other men (after the resurrection of the Son to the Throne of Heaven?

Yes. Scripture also speaks more of these prophesies, of true prophets and of false prophets. Yet Christ Jesus IS the Word of God. He has sent us the Holy Spirit, the third Person of God. Again, this would be another study for another day.

Jesus is Lord.

NO man and NO Prophet stands above Him.

Jesus IS God!

Jesus said, to His Disciple Phillip:

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
May 27, 2014
What did they see?
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the valley. – Ezekiel 8:4

But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has shown to me: – Jeremiah 38:21

The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD… – Obadiah 1:1

The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. – Nahum 1:1

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz… – Isaiah 1:1

Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. – Daniel 2:19

Habakkuk 2

English Standard Version (ESV)

I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith

2 And the Lord answered me:

“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.

What does a Prophet see?

Who does God make a Prophet? (And what false prophet does declare himself?)

What is the message of the Seer? Is it the message from God Almighty?

You may have asked yourself these questions of the varying circumstances and applications which differ in the Old Testament, the New Testament and certainly in the post-Biblical claims of prophets from the time of Christ Jesus up to and beyond this very day.

The questions of TRUTH as related to God are not unimportant. Many have been and are misled by the messages of false prophets and we dare not be included with those believers of false prophets led in the direction of destruction.

Without taking on in detail the questions of truth as posed to us of the Bible and by the Bible, I would like to address prophesy as the Bible presents: first in the Old Testament and in a post to follow prophesy in the New Testament.
- What does a Prophet see?
- Who does God make a Prophet?
- What is the message of the Seer?
- Is it the message from God Almighty?
What does a Prophet see?

1 Samuel 3:1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Samuel did not ‘see’ the LORD, Samuel heard the voice of the Lord. (No one else had; not even God’s High Priest.)

Other Prophets also heard the voice of the Lord. Some Prophets also had visions; visions not of the Face of the Lord or the Presence of the Lord or the glory of the Lord, but visions of things to come given to the Prophet (or seer) by the Lord.

Some Prophets saw the Lord! Some prophets saw events. Some seers saw souls departed and angels and creatures unknown in the experience of man. Some seers saw what was NOT to be seen or revealed. (This is another topic which I also will not take on now.)

Who does God make a Prophet?

God occasionally gives prophesy to those who are not godly. Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar would be examples of these. The dreams were of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, yet the interpretations were by the knowledge of God through the godly men: Joseph and Daniel.

Think of God as a Person. God wants to tell someone a particular word.

Here is the dilemma of God the Person, the Holy Person Who IS Creator of the universe:

Who is worthy to come into the Very Holy Presence of the LORD, Ruler of all creation?

The Person of God speaks His Holy Word through those faithful to bow down in humility to anything the LORD will say… regardless of their own personal dilemmas of this mortal life.

When a Prophet speaks: “Thus says the LORD,” this mortal man does so at the peril of his eternal soul!

Do NOT prophesy, o man, unless it is from the LORD.

You may read about any of the men God chooses as Prophet and see the character of their humility before the Lord God. Here is just one example of why God chose Daniel. [see Daniel 2:17-24]

What is the message of the Seer?

As with the message of ANY person given to any other person, the Message of God is personal and call for a response.

Usually the response sought after by the Lord God Almighty, our loving heavenly Father, is one of repentance.

Repent of your sins: personally, corporately, as worshipers, as a nation, as a leader… you name it: something is wrong enough in the Holy eyes of God. LISTEN and obey: do something to return to the LORD your God.

What is your prayer?

YOU want GOD to listen to you; now, therefore, listen to HIM.

The LORD IS God your Father and Maker.

The LORD IS God! It is the LORD who numbers your mortal days and will judge your eternal soul!

God uses His Prophet to speak to those who have NOT been listening. Whatever HIS message, the godly MUST LISTEN.

Is it the message from God Almighty?

NOT all prophets are from God. Some seers and prophets (through powers and principalities unfamiliar to our human witness) speak of what will come, yet not for the purpose of the glory of God. Beware.

One such testimony of the Bible is even of a failing King of Israel seeking to speak with the spirit of a Prophet after his death!

1 Samuel 28: 6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

Supernatural? Yes. Of God? No. Even the eternal soul of Samuel, which answered Saul, spoke to the evil he had done.

In another encounter, a battle staged between the evil leaders of the country represented by their false prophets of the cults and the Prophet of God, Elijah: the Lord God demonstrated His Almighty Power. Read about it in 1 Kings 40:20-40.

Is the message of the man (or woman) who says: “Thus says the LORD,” from the Lord?

It is a question we must ask (and will explore in more detail next as we look at some examples from the New Testament). For now, we would do well to reread the warnings of the much-neglected books of the Prophets from our too-little read Bibles.

Let you with ears to hear, hear what the Lord is saying through the Prophets.

To be continued…
May 26, 2014
The Gospel: Witnessed by the Romans

Acts 10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

Don’t miss this: Caesarea is the administrative capital and military outpost of the Roman Empire by which Rome ruled, taxed and maintained civil order in Judea and Idumea.

Cornelius is a centurion – a Roman soldier, part of the Italian Cohort sent across the Great Sea (Mediterranean) to maintain the claim of Rome in these foreign colonies; much as the Spanish, English and other empires have done in more recent centuries.

We recognize that Jesus was Messiah to the Jews and preached to Jewish converts from other nations. We recognize that Jesus also taught in other areas – gentile towns – clearly with little or no connection to Judea or long-ago destroyed Israel.

We may have missed (until the missionary journeys of Paul) that Romans, as occupying residents of the Land of Promise, were witness to the Gospel.

Acts 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?”

And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, 8 and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

How does it happen that a Roman is witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Again, it’s just like you or me at work: we probably didn’t see that ‘Roman’ right there beside us (doing their own job) as we were witness to all of the truth of our faith.

Let’s focus on some Romans (other than Pontius Pilate) at the spectacle of the Crucifixion of Christ Jesus on the Cross in Jerusalem some months earlier than this scene with Cornelius.

Luke 23: Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

Were there Roman Centurions present in this scene with the potential for an uprising against Roman authority? Or course; many Roman soldiers.

20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Were Roman Centurions present? Yes, and the crowd is growing even more unruly. They continue to do as ordered (even though the Roman ruler of the occupied territory has declared this man ‘innocent.’) How can he do that? Yet orders are orders.

27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

A military escort for the condemned criminals through the crowds of Jerusalem? SOP – (Standard Operating Procedure).

33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

The soldiers cast lots to see who would win his clothes. (A rather macabre occupation of time for executioners to be distracted from the cries of dying men.)

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed.

A foreboding storm covers the scene of the skull of death (as it was known). Are the Roman Legions fearful?

Would you be fearful? … Probably.

46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

And having said this he breathed his last.

47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”

48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.

What who you (as the Centurion) think of the witness of this spectacle?

Just one more additional thought (which I mentioned in an earlier writing about the Sermon on the Mount):

Do you think that Jesus (or anyone) could gather 5000 people or 4000 people or multitudes together to witness His teaching and witness His miracles and witness the truth of His daily life without Roman Centurians also being present?

Not likely.

We witness the gospel to any the Lord also sends to the places we live, work, play, travel and worship.

What is your witness of the Gospel to the Romans guarding over you (who you rarely notice)?

May 24, 2014