The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #197
Description
The Resurrection predicted
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
New Testament Fullfillment
1 Cor 15:54
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
After my series on the parables, I found I was drawn to look into the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have never studies the mighty works of Jesus as a focused effort before and am looking forward to finding nuggets of truth that we can be encouraged by.
I have provided a general introduction, with an opportunity to download two files for your reference in my initial post Signs and Mighty Works of Jesus – Introduction. I found that the format I used for the parable posts were useful to keep me on track, and will continue to use them for this series, with some minor tweaks. With that said, let’s take a look at
Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law
Matthew 8:14-15
And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him.
Mark 1:29-31
And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
Luke 4:38-39
And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
General Observations
Peter’s mother-in-law was sick, and I find it interesting that, as is commonly accepted, Mark is the gospel that Peter influenced. With that knowledge, although each of the passages above are of equal value and supplies much of the same information, I would like to dwell on Mark’s passage since it has a “personal” connection with Peter’s mother-in-law.
Questions to Consider
Who were the audience?
The audience was a restricted group for what I can tell. Simon of course, possibly his wife, his brother Andrew, along with James and John. Oh, and the mother-in-law of course!
The passage speaks of the disciples telling Jesus of the sickness. Luke does mention that the disciples appealed to the Lord for a healing, but it is interesting that “Peter’s” gospel doesn’t mention this. Mark states they simply told Him.
No matter the inflection of the statement, the Lord thought nothing of going to the sick lady, taking her of the hand, and lifting her up. No concern of an infectious disease. No concern for His own welfare. We will see this general attitude as we venture through the gospels, that He did not refrain from reaching out to the hurting, the diseased, the poor and destitute. This concept of “no fear” speaks of His power and authority, but I will not venture down that road yet.
Let us simply take away from this passage that He did not fear those we sometimes look away from.
What was the message for the original audience?
The passage does not directly speak of the reason for the healing, or of a message that the audience was to receive, so my imagination may run amuck here!
When a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? Jesus is God no matter who sees it, who the audience is or who is paying attention. Moments before, the Lord was in the synagogue, healing the demoniac, and the result was that His fame spread everywhere. Everywhere!
With this miracle, it was limited to the house of Peter. A very small number of witnesses. They had already begun to see miracles by now, and this one would be overshadowed by many others in the future. Lazarus, for instance!
Now I am not trying to say this miracle did not exhibit the glory of our Leader, or the might of the Sovereign One. No – not at all. But there is something about Jesus performing a miracle, in a small itty bitty house, with few people around. It is an exhibition of His humility in a sense, how He is One who does not seek fanfare for the sake of fanfare.
He is reaching for hearts, not seeking clapping hands!
What is the message for us today?
In the book of Matthew, the Lord spoke of a city on a hill, of a lamp not being put under a basket, and so often my mind wanders to the concept of many people seeing the city, of multitudes receiving the light from the lamp. This may be the intended effect the Lord tried to communicate, and yet this does not restrict the quiet deeds of a heart that seeks to please God.
The lamp sheds light no matter the recipients, whether few or many.
Many believers may feel inadequate to be a central figure, one who is on display. There may come a time for the shy and withdrawn to take a public stand, or to rise publicly to their convictions. This is a great challenge and may be a specific calling at some time in their lives.
Yet I would like to draw your attention to a passage in Matthew that may somewhat shed some light on my muddled thoughts I am pursuing.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:2-4
Jesus did this mighty work in relative obscurity. Very few people witnessed this healing. The passage in Matthew above speaks of alms, that I understand. Yet there is a place in the believers life, that he (or she) are to go about quietly doing good to others, without fanfare or acknowledgement. Not as a showy, attention grabbing televangelist, seeking honor and glory for his own ministry, but quietly doing good to others, because it is their nature to do good to others.
Jesus did (does) good all the time. In front of friends and enemies, many and few, rich and poor, healthy and sick. He is good, it is His very nature! Out of His nature, His holy and loving character, flows acts of mercy and kindness that we are recipients of.
Do you recognize this in our Savior? Is He One who turns up in quiet areas of your life, performing good deeds quietly, seeking to minister in ways that few may not see or notice?
Be like Him. He is good.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #196
Description
The One given all authority to govern
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 22:22
And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
New Testament Fullfillment
Rev 3:7
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
Let’s get to work and jump into this verse immediately. I am looking forward to a mental exercise, a good work out, trying to understand Paul’s command to the believers in Thessalonian 2,000 years ago and to us today.
Let’s hope we can provide something of benefit to those dear readers who spend a few moments with me.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. – 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Traditions, we learn from this short passage are taught. Taught by communication, that is through talking or reading/writing. Traditions are not instinctual, or merely a result of some internal thought process. Traditions are handed down, and this is actually one of the defining actions that produces a tradition.
Paul doesn’t directly speak of specific traditions he had handed down to this church in this passage. He does bring up the topic in 3:6. A definite link with 2:5! Ok Paul, thanks for the clarification, but this creates a bit of a confusion. When was the last time you thought of a tradition within the Christian church as a “willingness to work”.
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.
Idleness is against the tradition Paul provided to this church, and a good work ethic, if I am reading this passage correctly, is a Christian tradition/practice. This tradition is seemingly so sensitive to wrong influence, that Paul commands those with a work ethic to keep away from idle brothers. This is truly shocking to my mind, since I don’t usually consider idleness as a reason to avoid a brother.
But let us think on this for a moment. Does not the Word teach us to “not covet”? Idleness produces a spirit of covetousness, for an idle man is usually in need. Now I need to be careful to note that the command does not refer to those who cannot work, but to those who will not work. To those who are incapacitated, truly without the ability to perform some type of task to add to the community, the believer is to come along side and provide encouragement, financial assistance and support. To the one who refuses to work though able, Paul commands – STAY AWAY!
This is not, for the believer, a requirement to determine another persons motivations, intentions or desires, but his or her abilities. A man or woman who wants to produce, though incapacitated in some form, may find many hurdles to be productive, but may produce and find purpose. A man or woman who is able and makes excuses – Paul commands – STAY AWAY.
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10
But Paul – that is so unloving, so uncompassionate, that is, to let a brother or sister to go hungry. How heartless! Are you actually commanding believers to allow others to go hungry? Are believers to refuse to feed an idle brother?
In my opinion (careful dear reader – this is opinion!) to provide funds or gifts for those who will not work is foolish, since the limited funds we have in order to help truly needful souls is being misdirected. The idle able person receiving the funds could be a positive influence in the community, but is allowed to remain useless. No one wants to be useless, unless they are content with simply being a leach.
My wife and I speak of this compassion as “enabling” a sinful life. We have become somewhat “heartless”, in some peoples thinking, but have found folks that were idle (relatively) to become solid workers, building a work ethic that is positive financially, emotionally and physically.
What brings a person to a level of idleness? For the Thessalonians, it was a misunderstanding of the coming of the Lord. Some thought that since He may appear in a few weeks or months, working at a “9 to 5” was foolish. Why work when you can literally just wait? Bad theology creates wrong living!
What can bring a person out of this condition? Man shall not live by bread alone, but dag nab it, he certainly needs bread to live! Without bread, the motivation to work overcomes the desire to be idle, and the brother may become a positive influence for the community.
My friends, if you see a brother being idle, consider Paul’s command. Others may provide for the idle man or woman, enabling their life of ease and causing unnecessary suffering for those who truly have a need. To the extent you have in exercising your decisions, do not encourage a life of idleness.
It is not traditional!
Thanks for joining me in this short series on traditions. Much more may be spoken of on this topic but hopefully the few thoughts shared have produced some trigger to further read the Word and figger it out. A little work in the word would not cause any complaint from the Father, for He loves one who digs and seeks the truth. But it will require some work, and we know now that work is NOT a dirty word when it comes to the will of God!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart. This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
Psalm 40
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
As believers, we have come to live in the sacrifice our Lord has provided, and understand the concept (at least intellectually) of self sacrificing love. Try to remember a time when, as a Christian, you did not consider love greater than law, self sacrifice stronger than sanctified image.
Our psalm above starts off with a statement of God not desiring sacrifice and offering. How can David say this, when entire books of the Old Testament, such as Leviticus, spend a majority of time detailing the requirements of sacrifices to and for God?
How is it David is speaking of God not wanting sacrifice?
David, in my opinion, is speaking on two levels.
Level One
The first level, as a prophet, “scratches the surface” of understanding the nature and character of our God, of the core element of the goodness and mercy of God. He is not speaking of a relationship based on animal sacrifices and burnt offering, but reflecting on the nature of God.
I was taught once that the nature of a person (and God is a person), that a persons nature will exude from their inner person to their actions and appearance. Given this, David reflected (I suppose), on the nature of sacrifice described by the God of all creation, and understood that the very nature of the God of the universe was of sacrifice, of giving to others, of supplying needs, of loving those who are unlovely, and of being “otherwise”, when compared with us mere mortals.
To say God has not required burnt offerings and sin offerings, – well that seems to fly in the face of many of the commands of Scripture. And yet, David continues with a seeming “alternative” message.
But let us consider a thought. It may be important to consider that David isn’t providing an “alternative” message, but a deeper message, a fuller message, a message that is as a blooming flower compared to the seedling it once was. Same plant, far different appearance. The standard Old Testament saint, the “ordinary, average” believer in the ancient days may have understood that the physical sacrifices of bulls and goats were what God wanted, and with that understanding, he would be in obedient and in good standing. But David dove deeper!
How about us? Do we understand the shoulders we are standing on? The insight of David, as a prophet of God is light-years ahead of my thoughts and musings. He saw the sacrifices and considered the nature of God. This is instructive to me, as when I read a command or declaration of God in the word, I automatically think of me, how I can do something, how a Scripture statement reflects on mememe.
David was beyond this. As I have been taught previously, David is sometimes described as a New Testament believer in this psalm, one who had grasped the difficult concept of moving from a life depending on the sacrifice of a bull or goat, to a life that understood God’s true nature, and finally to the life of self-sacrifice.
Level Two
The second level is as the Lord Jesus Himself, the Messiah, and of His full understanding of the nature of God, and of a true relationship with His Father.
This second level is clear when we consider the book of Hebrews, and the apostle’s interpretation of the Old Testament passage David provided us. Let’s notice the commentary the apostle has inserted into our text, fleshing out the psalm to provide a full understanding of it – that is the full revelation of David’s text, about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 40:6-8
In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Hebrews 10:5-10
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'”
Notice Hebrews 10, where the apostle adds “a body have you prepared for me”, speaking of the humanity of the God-man Jesus Christ, and check out the “minor edit” the apostle provides in the next verse. He not simply delights to do God’s will, as David expressed in the psalm, but that our Lord Jesus Christ did the will of God!
When we slow down enough to consider who our Great High Priest is, He truly is beyond our wildest imagination. When we speak of Him, although He is still mocked and spit on to this present day, let us remember that He is the Risen King.
Let us keep our eyes on Him for God is good, all the time.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #195
Description
Called Jesus-Yeshua
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 12:2
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God[a] is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
New Testament Fullfillment
Matt 1:21
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments,
15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,
16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you.
18 And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins,
19 and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.
20 And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.
21 “Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins.
22 And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.
23 “And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me,
24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins.
25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And if you gather within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
26 When I break your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven and shall dole out your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.
27 “But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me,
28 then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins.
29 You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters.
30 And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and my soul will abhor you.
31 And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas.
32 And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it.
33 And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.
34 “Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths.
35 As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest that it did not have on your Sabbaths when you were dwelling in it.
36 And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none pursues.
37 They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though none pursues. And you shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
38 And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
39 And those of you who are left shall rot away in your enemies’ lands because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them.
40 “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,
41 so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies–if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity,
42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.
43 But the land shall be abandoned by them and enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them, and they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they spurned my rules and their soul abhorred my statutes.
44 Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the LORD their God.
45 But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.”
I was on my way to see my grandson play some flag football, and listening to the book of Leviticus. You know, when I am listening to Leviticus, I honestly don’t expect to hear something that arrests my thoughts and get me to thinking.
The following passage did just that.
It seems the Lord is warning His people of their conditional security throughout this passage.
Throughout the passage, the mercy of God seems to scream out at me. When I was strongly encased in the eternal security camp, this passage usually brought a confusion to my thinking that I either did not want to discuss, or simply considered the passage to not be applicable to me.
After all, it was a completely different covenant! What could this passage teach me as a Christian?
Conditional Security
As we consider this passage, I would like to preface it with a few comments
I realize this passage is speaking to Old Covenant believers, but I would like to consider the security God offered His people at that time.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
We have this passage in the Word for our edification – that is, we can learn from it as Paul expected us to.
Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
I also see a progression of rebellion and apostasy, leading from the loss of security to entering into war with the covenant God.
It occurred to me as I was listening to the passage that this may typify the progression of a backsliding Christian. If so, it may be highly instructive to heed the passage as a warning for ourselves.
Lets read the passage.
Leviticus 26:14-45
Initial Disobedience of a Covenant People
14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; 15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
Response of the Covenant God – Security is Slipping Away!
16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
A Refusal to Repent
18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, Continued Action of the Covenant God – Further Loss of Security then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
Before we continue, it may be important to bring up the phrase that struck me on my ride to the football game. You see, when the term “contrary” came up, it struck me as odd, and in my study afterwards, I found out that it is synonymous with hostility.
A few things are worth noting. * The hostility originates with the covenant people. * The hostility is a response from God towards those already at war with Him. * The hostility in verse 28 becomes extreme
Hostility from the Covenant People – Open Oppression
21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; Continued Action of the Covenant God – Increasing Danger I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. 22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
Continued Hostility from the Covenant People – Increasing Rebellion
23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; Introduction of Hostility from a Covenant God 24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. It is difficult to place where all security has vanished for the covenant people, but from this point on, it seems this is it. When the covenant God speaks of hostility towards His people, it seems evident that security has evaporated! 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
Hostility of the Covenant People
27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
Extreme Hostility of the Covenant God
28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. 30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you. 31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. 32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. 34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. 35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. 36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. 37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. 38 And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
Prior to the offer of restoration, the Lord describes the end of the covenant people, that is of those left.
….they shall pine away.
What does that mean? The word is a verb meaning to waste away, to rot away. It means to dissipate, to decompose, to putrefy; used of Israel as a people in exile (Lev_26:39; Eze_4:17; Eze_24:23; Eze_33:10)… Prior to any restoration conditions offered, all security and safety has evaporated, with no hope.
Conditions of Restoration – An Opportunity to Regain Security?
40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; 41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. 43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. 44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
At this point in the progression of apostasy and restoration, it may be necessary to remind those of the eternal security camp that the refusal to cast away His people comes after the condition of restoration has been performed.
What are the conditions to regain security?
1. If they shall confess their iniquity 2. If they shall confess the iniquity of their fathers with their trespass which they trespassed against me 3. If they shall confess that also they have walked contrary unto me 4. If they shall confess that I also have walked contrary unto them 5. If they shall confess that God brought them into the land of their enemies 6. if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled 7. if they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity
Lets continue
45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
Security is a blessing, and this security is available to those who satisfy the conditions.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #194
Description
The Gentiles seek Him
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 11:10
In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
New Testament Fullfillment
John 12:18-21
The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.
So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
My wife and I got up at 3:30 a.m. (in the morning!) to head to Billings Montana for a long awaited vacation. We were quite excited to see our son and his family during our camping trip. It was going to be great.
But alas, life interrupted our plans! Arriving at the airport at 5 am, we hit a giant, colossal, insurmountable hurdle. For some reason, the flight was booked and no seats were available for us. We used a third party provider to set up the flight, and the night before, received verification that the flight would be departing as scheduled.
The flight was fully booked! What a catastrophe! A complete meltdown of all that was important in life!
We were told the flight had no seats available, even though the documents said they had been reserved! I couldn’t help thinking of the Seinfeld bit about reservations!
Of course, I didn’t have the foresight to use some of those classic lines he used at the car rental desk, since I was more disappointed in not seeing my son, daughter in law and my widdle grandbabies that afternoon. But alas, my wife and I resolved the problem and flew out the following day
My point isn’t to compare my experience with Seinfeld, although I find some of it to be similar with the clip. No, the issue that came to mind was that this was more of a “first world” problem, and that it shouldn’t shake me, irritate me, or cause me to fall into a frustrated ball of nerves.
I suppose as we walk this life, it is easy to accept minor inconveniences as major disruptions in our lives. Kinda like calling a paper cut a life threating open wound. Call it what you want, but in all honesty, it is only a paper cut. And complaining about a paper cut (or even a life threatening open wound), seems to be at odds with Paul’s admonition to think on positive things. Let’s take a minute to consider that passage.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
Notice there is nothing in the verse speaking of thinking on disappointments such as cancelled airplanes, reservation losses or ticketing issues. Although it is true that these things occurred, they do not fall under the “lovely” or “commendable” descriptors. Considering that, I’m thinking Paul is defining an attitude that includes all the descriptors for us to settle our minds upon.
Maybe a much bigger challenge than what I first considered.
What think ye?
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #193
Description
Character: Righteous & Faithful
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
New Testament Fullfillment
Rev 19:11
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
Considering the Bible 