Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: God

How did He Know? His Presence is near – Psalm 139
For the chief musician: A Psalm of David

Psalm 139:
```
O LORD, 
You have searched me and known me. 

You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off. 
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways. 

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, 
You know it altogether. 

You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it. 
```
Psalm 139-1-6 NKJV

An AWE-Inspired introduction to THE LORD
```
Selah..
You with heart and mind and free will to consider the Lord your God..
```
Bow down looking into the depths of the nature of the LORD — how personal that an Almighty God of all things would look upon my fragile frame and existence with compassion and understanding.

You can practlcally pray these words penned to be sung upward to the heavens as praise to the glory of the LORD — the Almighty, Omniscient and Ever-present God .

An author’s note on PSALM 139

Psalm 139 begins with some of the best consideration of the nature of God and theology found in Scripture. I recommend all of it to your further study of many other topics and Divine guidance we cannot fathom.

Attributes of God

Of course our brief look at the attributes of God, like our glance at Psalm 139, must remain limited to a few most notable.

Our focus today in Psalm 139 is basic to our understanding of Who God IS in this Psalm and throuighout all the Bible.

References to various Psalms and other Scripture are just a sampling.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
Psalm 139:1

We plea to OR praise God (: יְהֹוָה ) as a person speaking to a Person.

Yet who can fully know the LORD?

What we can know about God are defined as COMMUNICABLE attributes.
- God’s communicable attributes include Holiness, Love, Justice, Mercy, Truthfulness and more.
```
These attributes, while distinct, are perfectly unified in the being of God. - BibleHub.com 
```
Our obvious observation — and that of the Psalmist David — is that the GOD who searches all knows (yāḏaʿ – יָדַע) me

(of course, since the Creator knows all things).

This atribute of God is referred to as God’s Omniscience, one of two attributes of God we will address today from Psalm 139.
```
The Bible provides a comprehensive picture of God's attributes, which can be categorized into communicable (listed above) and incommunicable attributes (listed below) - Source:BibleHub.com 
```
- Aseity: God’s self-existence and independence from His creation. (Psalm 90:)
- Immutability: “I the LORD do not change..
- Eternity: God’s existence beyond time. (Psalm 102)
- Omnipresence: God’s presence in all places at all times. He is not confined by spatial limitations.
  - Psalm 139:7
- Omniscience: God’s complete and perfect knowledge. He knows all things, past, present, and future, including the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
  - Psalm 139:1-6 ,
  - also Psalm 147
  - Souce BibleHub
```
Selah.. 
Yes, consider these inherent characteristics of God as you read Psalm 139. 
```
a God of Personal Character

You have sinned – crossed the line of what God wants you to do.

OR

You have done a good thing that you would hope God (or anyone) would take note.

AND when we read that GOD IS ONE, the LORD doesn’t seem very personable at all.

God is One in Being

But, in speaking of the TRINITY we know from Scripture that the Lord God IS personable — VERY personable in THREE PERSONS we can relate to — the Father, the Son our Lord Jesus Christ and the Person of the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost).

AND GOD communitates to us personally and relationally through EACH of these three.
```
Again, much more than we can cover today, but pray to the Lord for an opening of your eyes and heart and understanding as you reread this glorious Psalm. 
```
The Omniscience of an ALL-KNOWING GOD

David’s words acknowledge with humble awe,that the LORD knows everything about him.

You know when I sit

and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

Psalm 139:2 NIV

SCAREY?

It could be (if you consider that the LORD is also all-powerful).

How many times have you thought,

“If you knew what I was thinking..?”

YET God knows your mind – not only what YOU have done, but what you WILL do in every situation and relationship.

You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.

Psalm 139:3 ESV

I find this actually comforting (when we become ‘lost sheep’ caught in the many snares of a mere mortal in this world ).

For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

v.4

Oh the times I have not ‘held my tongue – times my mouth spewed forth evil before my brain engaged in judicious restraint.

You have encircled me;

you have placed your hand on me.

Psalm 130:5 CSB

David cites the hand of blessing that the LORD places upon those whose own hearts would pursue Him – the ALL-KNOWING Creator of us all.

And in it David looks beyond the tree of knowledge to the God even Higher than the highest knowledge attainable by man.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Psalm 139:6 LSB

WHAT can any of us say about the knowledge (Omniscience) of the Almighty, all-powerful (Omnipotent) God?

The Omnipresence of an Omniscient God

Jesus reminded Nichodemus, a most-highly educated Biblical scholar:

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Gospel of John 4:24 ESV

The Son of God communicates directly that the Holy Spirit of God is an essential Person of God we should worship.

David, a man after God’s own heart, already has experienced this and speaks of God’s omnipresent omniscience here — not unlike the Spirit [wind, breath, mind, spirit – רוּחַ]hovering over the waters before Creation.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

Psalm 139:7

He pursues you in perfect justice. He captivates you in His perfect love.

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
```
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
```
How far removed from my daily existance, YET the guiding hand leads me and your hand of blessing embraces me.

David’s song praises God’s presence and omniscience and personal love.
```
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
```
Again, no more than God’s creation IN THE BEGINNING can hide.

And now this song praising the Creator echos the nature of Adam and every God-created being such as ourselves before we even received the spirit of life.

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Psalm 139:13-14a NKJV

You have heard it — or spoken it of the conceived life in the womb of it mother before this forming person breathes the spirit of life.

Yet this is just the beginning of David’s praise for all Creation.
```
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. 
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
```
Dust from dust, as it were. Even that of our father’s and mother’s DNA, so to speak.
```
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them. 
```
Even as King David before the LORD was more than these worshipers could see, so too is the LORD much more than any son or daughter of adam can perceive.

This now is David’s heart for the LORD.

Lord, I will do what I know You want.

Do you love what GOD loves?

Will you hate what GOD hates?

Shall we tolerate the sin that God hates, anymore than we must forgive what God will redeem through Christ?

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17 NKJV
```
If I should count them, 
they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, 
I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 
```
Do any of you recall the caution of the Son of Man to those who causually claimed to follow Him?

“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’

Gospel of Matthew 7:21-23 RSV

This admonition of the Son of God also appears in the Gospel of Luke along with the caution:

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Luke 6:46 RSV

David sought to obey God’s will.

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Psalm 139:19b-123 NKJV

David’s Prayer that God would test his heart

Do you pray personally to God before you impulsively act on His behalf?

(Here David does, but I frequently fail in this.)
- Does your own spirit of indecision fail to consult with the Spirit of perfect understanding?
- Do you (as the workers of iniquity Jesus rebuked) claim your own will as that of the Father of all mankind?
Hear David’s plea — not of a king, nor expected from a leader of worship — hear this appeal of a man after God’s own heart:

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

Does the Lord — the All-powerful, All-knowing, Always-present God know you?

Does your heart long for His AWESOME Holiness, Love, Justice, Mercy, Truthfulness and desire that YOU would walk with Him into eternal life?

Selah.

Consider your words of worship and obey the perfect will of the Lord.. even in your stumbling of these last days.

“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.

Psalm 139
July 5, 2025
The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God
The Glory of God – written in the Creation on the Heavens and on the earth.

What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36; Ps. 73:25-28.

In our previous PSALM we focused on how a man or woman might best start our day.

And our focus turned from SELF toward the LORD — to rejoice — to experience God’s gladness in His creation and in us.

You might say, by extension, a daily disposition toward JOY becomes our worship in serving the LORD.
```
Perhaps you know Beethoven's ODE TO JOY from the finale of the composer's Nineth Symphony. 

Did you know that text of Ode to Joy is taken from Psalms 104 and 145:10? 
```
Today’s theme: the GLORY of God

Perhaps you know our PSALM from a scripturally-focused hymnal (of old).

The CREATION

Psalm 19

The heavens, O God, Thy glory tell
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Published in 14 hymnals

The Heavens are telling – Beethoven

Many of you will know another glorious large composition of praise from an oratorio of Haydn near the end of the 18th century

The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God,
(from “The Creation”)

— The Heavens Are Telling.

Hayden: Chorus:

The heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonders of his work displays the firmament;

Today that is coming speaks it the day,
The night that is gone to following night.

In every land [In all the land] resounds the word,
never unperceived, ever understood.

Music by Josef Haydn
Lyrics translated by Robert Shaw, based on Psalm 19.

What is the GLORY of God?

“You said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness,

and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire;

we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives.

Deuteronomy 5:25 NASB

By contrast we might ask, ‘What is the glory of man?’

By the weight of your wrath against man’s sin, the glory of his form is wasted away; truly every man is but a breath. (Selah.)

Psalm 39:11 BBE

The glory of the heavens?

The LORD is high above all nations,

and his glory above the heavens.

Psalm 113:4

OR of the firmament?

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters... And God called the firmament Heaven.

Genesis 1:6,8a KJV

OR

What is the glory of the earth, you might ask?
```
But in fact, you cannot find any glory in 'the earth' separate from the glory of the LORD its Creator. 
```
- Psalms sing of GLORY in one form or another over 400 times!
– kāḇôḏ כָּבוֹד

Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.

Selah.

Psalm 24:10
```
(You likely know some contemporary Christian songs expressing these words.)
```
Just what does it mean to GLORIFY God?

You who fear Yahweh, praise Him;

All you seed of Jacob, glorify Him,

And stand in awe of Him, all you seed of Israel.

Psalm 22:23 LSB

“The beasts of the field will glorify Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the wasteland,

To give drink to My chosen people.

Isaiah 43:20

Psalm 19:

Let’s take a closer look at this Psalm of David.

The heavens are sounding the glory of God;

the arch of the sky makes clear the work of his hands.

Day after day it sends out its word,

and night after night it gives knowledge.

Psalm 19:1-2 BBE (Bible in Basic English)

Do you see God’s glory?

Look up! o man of dust! you creature beneath the night sky — with eyes to see above,

but not so near to the Lord’s glory.

You cannot deny His glory— ALMIGHTY Hands that formed — HIS fire which will refine your flesh into burned away dross scorched in the daytime sun.

There are no words or language;

their voice makes no sound.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them has he put a tent for the sun,

Who is like a newly married man coming from his bride-tent,

and is glad like a strong runner starting on his way.

His going out is from the end of the heaven,

and his circle to the ends of it;

there is nothing which is not open to his heat.

Psalm 19:3-6 BBE

David — the king and Psalmist — proclaims a GLORY of the LORD words cannot convey with pictures that only hint of God’s evident greatness.

Now David proceeds to

the benefits of GOD’s law:

The law of the LORD is perfect,
```
We do NOT like the LAW — we resist it— we rebel against it — for the laws and precepts of every mortal man are imperfect. 

AND, by contrast, 

the Law of the Lord— like Almighty GOD — is perfect and good and breathes life into fallen flesh and our impure soul. 
```
The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring for ever;

the ordinances of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

Psalm 19:7-9 RSV

FEAR in the Face of HIS GLORY

the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring for ever;

the ordinances of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

Psalm 19:9 RSV

fear (of Yᵊhōvâ) -yir’â -יִרְאָה
- fear, terror
- awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear)
- fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety
- revered
Psalm 2 connects this fear of the LORD not only with trembling, but with rejoicing or reiterating our joy.

Serve the LORD with reverential awe

and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 2:11 CSB
```
David's Psalm becomes practically proverbial in teaching why WE must not only FEAR the LORD, 
but also OBEY his LAW 
and instructions (or ordinances). 
```
They [God’s ordinances] are more desirable than gold —

than an abundance of pure gold;

and sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.

In addition, your servant is warned by them,

and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.

Psalm 19:10-11 CSB
```
Note that the king (David) humbly proclaims himself — though sovereign over men — as a SERVANT of the LORD. 

MORE fatherly advice: 
```
But who can discern their own errors?

Forgive [lit. ‘acquit me – a legal determination] my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,

innocent [lit. acquitted] of great transgression.

Psalm 19:12-13 NIV

Redeemed for our transgressions

How can a mere man stand before the glory of the Lord our God?

David intercedes in his Psalm on behalf of his loyal subjects. (For his mercy endures forever. – Psalm 136)

transgression (84x), trespass (5x), sin (3x), rebellion (1x). – pešaʿ -פֶּשַׁע

AND you have heard it before — from the later prophesy of Isaiah long after the fall of King David’s chosen nation.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our peace fell upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 LSB – of the suffering servant

Even Christ JESUS — Son of David; Son of Man — the very Son of the Father — born in the flesh and crucified for the redemption of those chosen to eternal life — will return in his GLORY!!!

David’s familiar benediction:
```
a plea of my own heart frequently heard from the pulpit by the flock of Christ as an invitation to receive Scripture into your own heart: 
```
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 ESV

Secure Links to sources
June 21, 2025
Lifted up + Earthly things you do not believe
“.. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Gospel of John 3:14 ESV

Looking back to when Jesus was lifted up
```
The following is a fictional first-hand account of John and his Gospel witness of three A.D. first century men so familiar to Christians that we may have missed the impact of the events of Holy Week on the New Testimony of their saved lives. 
```
~ A.D. 85 – the Gospel of APOSTLE JOHN

You’ve just read from the beginning of my Gospel just published. By now everyone I mentioned in this introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ is long gone along with many more followers of the Way and Apostles.

As you know I was the youngest of the twelve. It’s been fifty years now since His resurrection. And those who were not murdered for our faith after Jerusalem’s destruction [in A.D. 70] just fifteen years ago have been buried in Christ. Yet we know that these live with Him in eternal life.

These include my brother James — and Jesus’ brothers. And in Rome, Simon Peter, my early mentor and close friend, — and our beloved Apostle Paul.

But today I want to tell you about two men — important men, in fact even more important than Paul at that time — older men of great honor and faithful leaders of the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin. Trouble was that if they would have followed Jesus openly back when they tried to speak up in their official capacities,

Caiaphas (who controlled all of the political outcomes and income in Jerusalem at that time) would have had them banned from the Temple for life. And even though their age dictated that these Elders should prepare their graves for the near future, Caiaphas probably would have had them stoned to death.

A.D. 30 – Joseph of Arimathea

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.

So he came and took away his body.

John 19:38 ESV

Nicodemus

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

John 19:39 ESV
```
Although you know this Gospel well from the day of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, from an earlier time we will witness what these secretive disciples of Jesus from the Sanhedrin encountered when they came to Him privately. 
```
Recall that Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the grave and called him out while the Jews were weeping for him. The witness of Lazarus had been the buzz of all Jerusalem when their Christ rode into town just five days earlier.

Throughout these previous three years of Jesus’ teaching and miracles many of the Jews of every class had believed in Him — and even some Samarians, Romans and Syrians.

Nicodemus (a few months earlier)

Gospel of John 7 excerpts

Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand..

,, But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.,

,, Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.,

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching.
```
Do you suppose that Joseph or Nicodemus would have missed this important feast? Of course not! These members of the Sanhedrin would have been expected to be in the Temple courts. 
```
Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him!

Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?

Gospel of John 7:25-26 ESV

Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”

The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
```
A rhetorical question, no doubt, attempting to show consensus of the learned Rabbis of the Sanhedrin. But, an unexpected internal dissention: 
```
“Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”

John 7:51 – Question of Nicodemus to the ruling council
```
Their mocking response is not unexpected. 
```
“Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Gospel of John 3:
```
Please focus on the real men present and not present in this all-too-familiar Gospel. These are: 
```
- Νικόδημος – Nicodemus
- Jesus
- θεός – theos – God
- πνεῦμα – pneuma – the Spirit
- υἱός ἄνθρωπος – huios anthrōpos – Son of Man
- Moses
- πᾶς – pas – whoever, everyone or all
- ἄνθρωπος – anthrōpos – men
  - [a human being, whether male or female]
  - likely, Joseph of Arimathea and other officials to whom Nicodemus returns with his secret report of the Gospel.
- The Apostle John possibly or other Disciples present with Jesus.
Let’s recall that John records this in his Gospel more than 50 years after Jesus’ crucifixion.

Jesus’ witness to Nicodemus and others would have been months or even a year or two prior to Christ’s crucifixion also in Jerusalem..

~ in the year of our Lord 28 or A.D. 29

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Gospel of John 3: 2b ESV
```
Nicodemus, an esteemed Pharisee, is the man who calls Jesus, 'Rabbi' or 'teacher.' 

Pharisee is Of Hebrew origin cf פָּרַשׁ (H6567), A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. 
```
Rabbi, also of Hebrew origin, is a proper way to address certain Masters:
1. my great one, my honourable sir
2. Rabbi, a title used by the Jews to address their teachers (and also honour them when not addressing them)
“Truly, truly [amēn, amēn ], I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Gospel of John 3 ESV
```
Jesus response clearly addresses the Kingdom of God (since this leading Pharisee has confessed that He is from God), for Jesus had in the past referred to these as 'blind guides.' 

But Nicodemus becomes clearly confused by Jesus' illustration.  So his response is literal (with no clear picture of God's Kingdom).
```
“How can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

John 3:4 – Nicodemus (who is old) asking Jesus how to be ‘born again.’

“Truly, truly [amēn, amēn ], I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 3:5-8 ESV

Born again – lifted up from the womb

Did Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea now see what Jesus had meant, connecting the Resurrection with a man born again?

Let’s look at Jesus’ 3-part response in more detail:
- ‘unless one is born of water [hydōr] and the Spirit pneuma {implying the Holy Spirit of God}]’
  - (two pre-requisites to enter God’s Kingdom)
- Born of: flesh [sarx] is [eimi] flesh and born of Spirit is spirit [pneuma eimi pneuma]
  - The Master teaching what is born of what [v.6]
  - Now, seeing his reaction, Jesus will expound on this teaching for understanding of His esteemed student.
7 “Do not be amazed that I told you [singular in Gk.] that you [plural in Gk.] must be born again. – CSV

Other translations of v.8 may also help your understanding.

the Spirit [pneuma also translated as ‘wind’] where he willeth doth blow – YLT (Note the person and his will, not simply a chance of a natural wind. )

his voice [phone Gk.] thou dost hear – YLT

you do not know where it comes from and where it is going.

SO [οὕτω(ς) eimi] is

[pas ho gennaō] everyone who is born

[ek ho pneuma] of the Spirit]

How can a man be born in the Spirit?

How can these things be?

“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
```
Our Lord and Master once more responds with compassion and an example from Scripture. 
```
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen,

but you[plural in the Gk, of the ruling Jews and not specifically Nicodemus] do not receive [accept, in some translations] our testimony.

Do you accept our witness [martyria]?

So this becomes the closing question of Jesus to Nicodemus.

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

Gospel of John 3:12 and 13 ESV

Who IS Jesus? The Son of Man, the Christ?

Nicodemus had met the Son of Man face to Face back then. And now the next thing Jesus said of Himself made more sense to Joseph, him and other believers familiar with the Books of Moses.

And the people spoke against God and against Moses, – Numbers 21

Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, [repentance] for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people.

[And Jesus has interceded for all who repent and ask Him to intercede before God the Father. — Washed of sin — baptized – changed permanently by the Spirit]

And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

Numbers 21:8 ESV

The Son of Man lifted up!

“even so must the Son of man be lifted up..

What must Nicodemus have thought?

And what must those faithful Jews have wondered — even those so bold as Joseph of Arimathea after Christ’s crucifixion – to see the Son of Man LIFTED UP on a ROMAN CROSS?

“.And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Gospel of John 3:14-15 ESV

Yet can the grave hold the Son of Man?

The Road to Calvary

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Gospel of John 19:39-42 ESV

Picking up in John’s fictional re-telling of Jesus’ burial and also in his Gospel:

~ A.D. 85. John’s reflection on Jesus’ resurrection

On the third day of Jesus’ burial Mary of Magdala returned to the tomb just before dawn.

The stone had been rolled away, its seal broken and no Roman guards present anywhere!

She ran back to get Simon. I ran with them back to the garden tomb where I stooped to look in the cave and saw the linen cloths lying there. Then I turned to Peter as he went inside.

When I followed him I also saw the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head by itself, folded up in a place away from the stacked linen cloths,

Then I was certain that the Lord was no longer there.

fictional paraphrase from John 20

Mary remained behind as Simon and I ran back into town.

Then in the tomb she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain.

(Neither Simon nor I had seen them, but Mary shared this angelic conversation with us later.)

She then turned around and saw a man standing outside the tomb. He asked the same question of her as the two angels,

“Woman, why are you weeping?” Then the man inquired, ’tis zēteō,’ that is, “Whom are you seeking?”

Then she addressed him, kyrios (which generally means, Lord) — “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

But then, she reported the man’s reply she heard in a familiar voice:

“Μαρία” (Maria or Mary)

“Rabbouni (Rabbi) , she answered Jesus in Hebrew.

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” and sent her to us with some additional instructions.

fictional paraphrase of John 20:15-18

Peter and I somehow missed Him too, but our Lord was there in the flesh — alive and breathing!

Later that evening

We were still afraid that the Jews would come after us too, especially Peter. We had locked the doors of our upper room in Jerusalem.

שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לְךָ

“Peace, Peace to you.”

It was the Lord Jesus greeting us as He stood suddenly with us in this locked room!

Then He showed them his hands and his side — a gash through each hand, open yet without blood — and a long upward rip into His right ribs, again without blood. Our risen Lord, who the Romans and Jews had lifted up nailed to a Cross — our friend and Master whom we had laid in a tomb — RAISED UP and in our very presence — in Person!

And then Jesus said again,

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Then the Lord breathed on the ten of us and said,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

(I cannot explain the sudden warm breath which lit on my head and infused my flesh.) Then He continued,

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Monday, a week later

Jesus appeared to us again, except this time Thomas had returned. Once again the doors were locked.

שָׁלוֹם לְךָ

“Peace be with you.”

““Put your finger here, and see my hands,” He said to Thomas. And after Thomas obeyed our Master Jesus also said, “Put out your hand, and place it in my side.

Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

(We were all amazed — still — and meek before Him as if God the Father was in our midst in the Son of Man who had suffered this injustice — for us — and for those of you who now believe.)

Later we would return to Galilee as the Lord commanded, home once –l but now just one more place where our risen Rabbi Jesus, the Christ of God would again teach us why He had been lifted up for our sake from the words of Scripture we had heard for years and yet did not fully understand because He had not yet anointed us with the Holy Spirit.

Christ IS Risen!

He taught us for fifty days more that we may proclaim the Gospel to those who believe.

Do you believe?

Jesus was lifted up on a cross in order that your sins may be forgiven

AND

that you might be born again — in water and in Spirit.

Celebrate His Resurrection +++ Have a blessed Easter.
April 20, 2025