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Tag: Bible

ONLY Scripture – Sola Scriptura

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

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
The House You Build

Isaiah 66:1-2

Thus says the LORD:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?

All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the LORD.

But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.

5 Hear the word of the Lord,
you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who hate you
and cast you out for my name’s sake
have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,
that we may see your joy’;
but it is they who shall be put to shame.

15 “For behold, the Lord will come in fire,
and his chariots like the whirlwind,
to render his anger in fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire will the Lord enter into judgment,
and by his sword, with all flesh;
and those slain by the Lord shall be many.

Our Lord is a consuming fire.

He will burn away into flames of fire the chaff of our sins.

He will send away into the darkness of Hades the souls who refuse His refining Word.

What does the Lord require?

Matthew 13
English Standard Version (ESV)

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables…

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart…

… one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

… one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Is your heart the good soil of your soul? What is the fruit of your receiving the Gospel of Christ Jesus?

The Parable of the Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also…

Satan has been sowing seeds of wickedness among the good seed of the Gospel for two millennia beyond the Cross and Resurrection.

Is the time of harvest not certainly near?

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

“… what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?

But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple…

1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

… do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

May 23, 2014