Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.
I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.
SEEING JESUS IN
ADAM
GENTILE BRIDE
Genesis 3 20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Ephesians 5 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
Both Adam and Eve were technically non-Jews, and therefore “of the nations” in the mind of the first century believer. With this point of view, Eve may be considered a gentile bride for Adam. The church is made up of Jews and Gentiles, and may be thought of as one entity, one person that has no ethnic distinction, much like Eve.
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #343
Description
A violent death
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 13:7b
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts.
New Testament Fulfillment
Mark 14:27
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
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
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
In our last post we began this challenging verse and discussed the first two descriptions of the believer when Paul used the concepts of blameless and innocence.
Lets continue with the apostle Paul’s teaching for the believer.
Without Blemish
Can anyone hear the book of Leviticus when this phrase is written. That particular English phrase is used 17 times in the book of Leviticus (and an additional 17 times in the book of Numbers), always speaking of the quality of a sacrifice for the Lord. A good example is in Number 6:14, where Moses is trying to make a point!
Numbers 6:14 and he shall bring his gift to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering,
Obviously, Paul is not speaking of lambs or rams without blemish in our passage today. The thought has morphed into a characteristic of the believer, an outgrowth of the thought life described in the passages previously. Some passages translate the greek word ἄμωμος (amōmos) as above reproach, as in Colossians 1:22.
Colossians 1:22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
To be without blemish (above reproach) speaks of a life lived that no one may find opportunity of criticism, no reason for someone to bring a just complaint against the believer. It is to be without fault, which begs the question of our being weak and frail in our lives. We sometimes fall, and we may find mercy from the Lord, yet in this description of the believer, we must admit that to be above reproach in this world requires humilty in front of those who may be against us, of our admission of sin in front of those who know not the Lord.
Is there no limit to the topic on humilty in Pauls message in this chapter? Yet we need to keep short accounts of our failings with Him, as we often speak, and of our failings with those who are watching us, those who are in the Lord and those who are not!
Shine as Lights in the World
Lights in the world.
Let’s consider the effect of light for a moment. Paul speaks to one effect of light in Ephesians 5:13
Ephesians 5:13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible
Light is that which reveals. But, at the risk of being picky, I want to remind my reader that Paul uses the term in the plural, not the individual. Of couse the individual is required to be a light in this world, but Paul is going “congregational” here. He is looking for the body of Christ to be as lights in this world, a unified humble presence that as we interact with our neighbors, our combined character and presence would be that which reveals the unrighteous and evil nature of the culture we walk in. A counter culture, fueled by the love of God, not motivated by some impending judgement from God, living to His glory, rejecting the self glorification that is so pernicious in this old world.
My friends, take note of Paul’s admonition in this verse to maintain a singular thought life, of keeping or repairing relationships with our neigbor, and of living together with our brothers and sisiters in unity, humbly considering others better than ourselves. (See Philippian Bits – 2:3). For this we desperately need the Lord’s Spirit to be active and obeyed as we seek His kingdom.
Be blessed my friend. May the Lord be working in our lives to produce that which is pleasing in His sight!
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. 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 51
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
David has just reviewed his sins, laid them all out to the Lord, begged for forgiveness, and asked God for an act of creation, no small request. He knew he needed a clean heart, and after referring to washing away of his iniquities and purging of his sins, he still understood that the heart was the matter, the dead weight holding him down, the unrighteous influence in his pursuit of God. His heart was not in need of a repair, or medicine, as if it had any redeeming value.
He begged for the creation of a clean heart!
As the new heart is created, the natural fruit of a clean heart is described in the next three verses.
A Teacher of Transgressors
The clean heart can’t help but to share the truth with those who have it not. Whether it is with a believer who may be sliding a bit, or a lost soul who has never understood the grace of God, a clean heart is motivated to declare God’s goodness.
A Tongue of Singing
Recently, I have been listening to the old hymns, and when I am alone, I sometimes sing them to myself. (I restrict my singing around others as an act of love towards them!) At the Cross – what a hymn. Of course I usually only sing the chorus,
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!
What great lyrics to dwell on in the body of the song itself.
Alas, and did my Savior bleed? And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head For such a worm as I?
Was it for sins that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!
Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut His glories in, When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man, His creature’s sin.
Thus might I hide my blushing face While His dear cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe; Here, Lord, I give myself away, ’Tis all that I can do.
A clean heart will sing, the tongue will be loosed, and songs will erupt. But we also need to understand there are singers and there are singers. In my case, wisdom dictates my volume to be somewhat less than deafening! It is for the best!
A Mouth of Praise
A praising mouth. The joy of expressing praise to God. Of speaking of His glories, of His faithfulness, of His steadfast love, of His mercy.
Recently I have been meditating in the morning about what it mean for God to be the Highest of all. That there are no gods like Him, that none are as lofty, or above Him. The implications of this truth is growing in my mind and heart, and the blessings are such that I can not explain. Oh to try, but words fail me!
Let us pickup on verse 16 in our next post, and give yourself some time this day the Lord has given us, to consider the One who has provided all things to us, and to take a few moments to meditate on Who He is. It shall transform you!
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #342
Description
God’s will He die for mankind
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 13:7a
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 18:11
So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
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
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
In addressing this couplet of verses, in relation to conditional security, we need to address the New Testament understanding of what it means to believe in Jesus the Messiah. You see, the verse speaks of obeying Him, and some may consider this obedience the initial act of faith, and there is truth in that statement. The initial act of faith was an obedient act of the will of the sinner to a call of grace, to a call from the Crucified One.
Yet if we look at the tense of the verb, we find the following. If you notice on the right, BlueLetterBible.org provides a bubble which includes the parsing of the verb. (The link will take you directly to the page being referred to.)
On the left is a listing defining what these letters in the bubble refer to.
For example, the first letter, “V” teaches us that the word “obey” is a verb. The second letter speaks of the tense of the verb. In English, we think of past present and future tense. The Greek word translated as obey is in the present tense.
For the most part, as the clip on the right teaches, this is directly equivalent to our present tense, and is translated as such in this verse.
So in review, let’s consider what we have learned.
The verse does not say
…he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obeyed him. (As in referring to the initial obedience of faith)
Nor does it say
…he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believe him. (Though if we understand to believe is to obey, we could without conflict understand it as such.)
The issue is current obedience.
Where are you at in hearing the voice of God in your life. Is He speaking about something specific, that needs to obeyed? Is He allowing a period of quiet in you life, simply to provide you time to put into practice the teachings you know to be true and faithful.
The Christian life is a life of obedience, discipleship and death to self on a daily basis. Obedience is synonymous with faith, and is simply the path to life.
Do you believe?
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 #341
Description
The Messiah would be rejected
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 12:10c
they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 1:11
He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
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
Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.
I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.
SEEING JESUS IN
ADAM
BEGOTTEN OF GOD
Luke 3 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Acts 13 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’
To be considered the son of God was Adam’s distinct privilege, until Jesus arrived on the scene, and through His death and resurrection, confirmed for all of humanity that He is the Son!
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #340
Description
The Messiah would be both God and man
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 12:10b
they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 10:30
I and the Father are one.”
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
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
In our last post we reviewed a most difficult verse, that is for those who want to hear the Word for their lives and tend to be complainers, grumblers, and murmurers. We saw that Paul was addressing our thought life, and the general attitude the believer is to maintain.
He has recently deisplayed the humility of the Lord in previous verses and our need to mimic Him, and then speaks of our thought life as being positive, loving kind and “not grumbly”. Heart issues are the topic, not our actions, yet with a correct heart attitude comes the proper fruit. This packed passage speaks of the our internal ruminations, resulting in proper fruit, the natural fruit of the believer who do all things without grumbling and murmuring!
Let’s consider the passage, that we may check our lives against the wishes of the apostle.
Four characteristics of the believer are described in this verse
Blameless
Paul has spoke of the blamelessness of the believer earlier in this wonderful book, back in verse 10 of the first chapter (See Philippian Bits – 1:10). To be blameless is not to be perfect in all of our actions, though that should be our goal. No, Paul is addressing our desires that if we do fall into an imperfection (some may want to insert the word “sin” here) with another soul, we need to request forgiveness, to take away the blameworthiness of that imperfection, to reestablish relationship with those who may have something against us.
We are to live in peace with all men, as much as possible. Our neighbor may love to hang on to unforgiveness though we seek it humbly. Their response is out of our hands but we need to be are honest and humble with ourselves and with our neighbor, seeking to maintain/repair relationships.
We can’t do that if we are grumbly!
Innocent
Paul continues with the description of the believers thoughts. He is not describing a verdict being handed down by some human judge in a court hearing, but of the single minded life of the believer. Let me try to explain.
The term innocent is from the greek word ἀκέραιος (akeraios). Notice the leading letter “a”, which in the greek is the same as our “not”. The root word is κεράννυμι (kerannymi), which simple speaks of mixing or mingling, even pouring in some instances. Paul is looking for disciples of Jesus to be “unmixed” in our thoughts, to be of “one mind.”
The term is only used three times in the New Testament, our verse today and the following two.
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Note that Jesus speaks of the wisdom of a serpent, and links it with the innocence of doves. This innocence isn’t speaking of a verdict in a court case, (as I so often associate with this word), but of a source of thinking for our actions.
Romans 16:19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
Paul, as the Lord above in the previous verse, links wisdom with innocence. Wisdom is sourced from the Lord and is a mental / internal condition for the believer to request of the Lord and to live in. Such also is the innocence the believer is to live in. Let’s remind our selves of the original meaning of this term, in that it refers to being not mixed. Paul is speaking of our minds to being single minded, unmixed of that which is evil.
These two desciptions of the believers thought life, which produce fruit in our day to day life, is extemely challenging. With the culture we live in, we are bombarded with evil, and we find it easy to slip into a callousness, not concerned about either our relationships with our neighbor or our unmixed thought life. Paul is calling us to a greater calling, a higher life, and that is to follow the Master in the minute by minute challenges we find as we swim through this evil culture.
Let’s continue this wonderful, challenging verse in our next post, for I fear this one is becoming less “succinct” than I originally planned.
Be blessed this day as you seek to honor His word by maintianing(or repairing a relationship) and by having a single unmixed thoughtlife.
God is good, all the time!
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. 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 51
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Super famous verses, some of the first verses out of the Old Testament that I memorized. Songs have been written based on David’s confession and request for restoration after his rebellion. Very famous passage!
Yet, as I reflect on the passage, I sense in the King a continuing admission of his helpless state. He begs God to do what only God can do. He begins this section in verse 7 where he refers to his need of cleansing. We have discussed the cleansing David requested in previous posts, (See Psalms for Psome – Ps 51.02) and he recalls the request again in front of the only One who can cleanse.
David then continues with a request for God, to allow, no – to provide the ability to experience joy and gladness, to hear with right ears and to find joy in the very discipline (broken bones) he experienced in his rebellion.
He pleads God to hide His face from his sins, and to blot out his iniquities. How much greater experience we have to know that His sacrifice for our sins allows us to experience forgiveness based on His mercy and love in dying for us. We no longer have to request the Father to “hide His face” from our sins, for He has dealt with our sins on the cross. We are most blessed, for we as believers have the gospel shining into our hearts, giving us light, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
David then breaches the famous words!
Create in me a clean heart. No longer is he asking to wash his sins away! He “cuts to the core” and speaks of his heart condition, realizing he is in desperate need of a new heart, for the old heart will only drag him back into the rebellion he is desperately clawing away from. No – a new heart is what he needs, and he knows it. The depth of David’s understanding of self is astounding.
One other time in the Old Testament, the term “clean heart”:” occurs, and that is also in the Psalms, in chapter 73, verse 12. Asaph speaks of maintaining a clean heart, but some translations refer to it as a pure heart. Ezekiel is the prophets that speaks of a new heart, that of those who in the New Covenant will be granted, as they look to the Messiah.
A clean heart. A pure heart. A new heart. Out of a sinful existence this is a very real possibility for those who wish it. The freedom that comes from a clean heart, the boldness, the restfulness and openness a clean heart provides. Oh to have a clean heart continually!
He speaks to God concerning his fear of being cast away, of having the Spirit of God taken from him. This is a topic I would like to reserve for a separate post in the Conditional Security series I am venturing though. Watch for it.
He finally requests God for restoration. He has confessed, he has requested, now he looks to God for his restoration, and not only restoration, but that God would uphold him in this restoration. For you see, David claimed the very same thing Jude spoke of in his book where it is written..
Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
In the midst of trials and troubles, self inflicted pain and worries, as we look to Him for help, He may be found. As you may be going through confession and contrition over sin, realize that it is a sign of life. Do not refuse it, do not ignore it, for He looks to those who are brokenhearted, and delights to see truth in the inward man, in the heart!
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #339
Description
The Messiah’s body would be pierced
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 12:10a
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced,
New Testament Fulfillment
John 19:34-37
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
He who saw it has borne witness–his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth–that you also may believe.
For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”
And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
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
As we have been venturing through the Psalms, getting lost in the volume of the book, and the many nuggets of truth laid out for believers, I have come to realize (again and again) the beauty of the book, the depth of the book, the expanse of the human experience the book describes and allows us to join into.
We started with a quick dip into one of the most amazing chapters in the Word, one that has impacted my life in various stages of my Christian faith. It is a psalm that spoke to my wife and I as we were reading that night, but it began a journey through the psalms that has continued for over a year, and I suspect may continue to hold me.
With that said, I would like to offer those who read my bumbling efforts to understand one of the great books of the greatest book ever delivered to the human race, an ongoing summary of the findings and blessings I have enjoyed discovering.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #338
Description
The Messiah would be God
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 11:12-13d
13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 12:45
And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.
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
Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.
I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.
SEEING JESUS IN
ADAM
ENTERED WORLD IN SINLESS STATE
Genesis 1 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
2 Corinthians 5 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
For Adam, He came into existence in a state of innocence, brought into a life ignorant to evil, sin and wrong doing. For the Lord, He entered the world in a sinless state, and maintained this state throughout His life of sacrifice and offering.
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #337
Description
Thirty pieces of silver cast in the house of the Lord
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 11:12-13c
13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.
New Testament Fulfillment
Matt 27:3-5
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,
saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”
And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
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
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
Ok – who wants to be a hypocrite? An actor, a thespian. One who puts on a face and presents themselves as something they are not. Does anyone see my hand up?
As believers, one of the “simple” commands we are to obey is our subject text, and that is to do all things without grumbling or disputing.
Both of these terms relate to our inner thoughts. Of course when I hear the term grumbling, I always picture an old man, stooped over and following his wife, complaining under his breathe about all the mistreatment he has endured through life. Grumble grumble grumble. This grumbling is often an overflow of the negative complaining thoughts that erupt out of us, in that quiet, sometime passive aggressive monologue some of us like to live in.
But what surprised me was the Greek term for disputing. It is the Greek word διαλογισμός dialogismós, and is translated as
thought (9x)
reasoning (1x)
imagination (1x)
doubtful (1x)
disputing (1x)
doubting (1x)
Taking a quick look at the above list helps me understand that Paul is speaking of what goes on in our heads with no one watching. It is that inward reasoning, or deliberation that we all experience. It is that thought process we roll around in our head, not allowing any external argument to enter, for we know that we have no defensible argument!
My goodness, how I have to admit to being an actor in the Christian life, even in my quiet thoughts, in my internal reasonings, in my thought life.
I will admit it, but I will also, from this point on see this verse as a much greater challenge to my Christian faith, a challenge that I fear will get the better of me if I don’t trust His provision and exercise a grateful heart.
Join me this day in thanking God for the many ways He has provided His grace and mercy to you. Thank Him not only in the words that come out of your mouth, but per the verse of the day, also in your thought life!
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. 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 51
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
David is rehearsing his sins before the Lord, recounting his knowledge of them, informing the Lord of the constant reminders of his rebellion. He can not avoid the knowledge of his sins, and his witness is not to inform the Lord of His sins, for the Lord knows! David is giving us the result of the sin, that is the ever present remembrance of the sin against his God running through his thoughts. The sleepless nights, the constant looking over his shoulder, the fear and suspicion he is experiencing because of his sin.
Yet I would suggest it isn’t the sin that is the problem. Wait wait wait – don’t hang up on me right yet. For when you compare David with another King, say Manasseh, or one of the rebellious northern kings later on, would you not agree their sins were as offensive as David’s? But I suspect the killing and raping performed by the other kings were not haunting them as they were David.
So why such a heavy burden David? Why are you in such a struggle over your sin? Can anyone guess?
You see, David was a man in love with the Lord and his sins were a personal affront to the One He worshipped. He hurt his Master, and this betrayal to his first love is what struck his heart.
This is so instructive, for there is a lesson for us in this history of the King of Israel. Upon an act of sin, the true believer is struck with a sense of condemnation, a guilt of conscience and a foreboding fear that is the result of being a believer. If you can freely sin in front of the Lord, take note, for this may be telling you more than you want to admit to. Note that some may claim “freedom in Christ” as a cloak of covering for their habitual sins. My friend – if you know you are in opposition to God’s will for your life, claiming “freedom in Christ” must be seen as a ludicrous claim.
Of course, after the rebellion, confession of sin is available for the believer, but once sin gets ahold, confession can become a difficult exercise to perform. Who wants to go before the Lord out of a period of rebellion? True confession is not a flippant repetition of words, but a coming clean, an admission of wrongdoing. For some acts of sin, confession may not be enough, for restitution towards those we sin against is often described in the Word as necessary.
But even as we must come before Him in our shame at times, we know He is a loving God, a forgiving God and a merciful God. Our God is One who delights in truth, even the truth of admitting to our sin.
Story time
Years ago, as we had a young family, my chillun would sometimes seek to do it their way as opposed to obeying their parents. Of course at times things would blow up for them and then they had a decision to make. Fess up, come to Mom and Dad and accept the resultant consequences, or hide it and damage relationship with Mom and Dad.
When they chose to come to us and fess up, my heart was literally warmed that they wanted to be right with us. The critical issue wasn’t that they admit we were right, but that they wanted to maintain communication between us. I delighted in seeing them come to me even though their previous actions may have caused pain.
How much more for the Lord, who delights in truth within the inner being, of the believer admitting to an offense in order to repair a relationship, and not simply a recitation of some rote repetition of words to follow a religious requirement.
If you have something nagging you in your conscience – rejoice! It is good to be in a state of conviction. No conviction of sin before the Lord may mean a hardened conscience which is definitely bad news, very bad news! Note that I did not say it is good to remain in a state of conviction – Get to the cross and admit your sin. Ask Him for forgiveness, for His is a merciful God, who delights in seeing His children come to Him in contrition.
Praise Him for His many mercies to us in our weakness and frailty. He 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 #336
Description
Rejected
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 11:12-13b
13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.
New Testament Fulfillment
Matt 26:14-15
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
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
What is a paradox and why would we find paradox in the Word? Let’s answer the first question first. I found a great explanation of the history of the word “paradox” on the Merriam Webster website.
The ancient Greeks were well aware that a paradox can take us outside our usual way of thinking. They combined the prefix para- (“beyond” or “outside of”) with the verb dokein (“to think”), forming paradoxos, an adjective meaning “contrary to expectation.” Latin speakers used that word as the basis for a noun paradoxum, which English speakers borrowed during the 1500s to create paradox.
So, based on this description of a paradox, when we venture into understanding the Word, we sometimes come up against concepts or ideas the Biblical authors challenge us with that are “contrary to expectation”. They may seem to be contradictory, or even include an incongruity, yet if we are careful in our reading, I believe the Word provides resolutions, or at the very least dimensions of reality that is beyond our natural understanding.
A recent occurrence began my thinking of this series of posts on paradoxes.
I was enjoying a Bible study with a new group of friends when I challenged a sweet Christian lady to study a difficult topic in the Word, and claimed that the results of the study may “twist her mind” a bit. (Granted the phraseology of “twisting her mind” may have been a poor choice!) She questioned me why she should study something that would cause her problems in her thinking. I replied with silence and the study continued, but I would challenge my readers to accept difficult passages, for my readers to wrestle with the Scripture.
If, as believers claim that the Word is true, we ought to seek to come into conformance with the Authors intent and message and not to conform the Word into our doctrinal corner of theology. Granted this is difficult to enter into and it shall upset the proverbial applecart in many believers minds and faith, yet is this not what we are called into, a life of repentance (changing of the mind) in order to grow into a mature believer?
As I read the gospels, I see twelve men that were constantly challenged in their worldview. If we could chat with Peter or James, I am sure they would admit to much confusion as they were listening to the Lord. Through their desire to “get it”, they continued with Him, in the midst of many misunderstandings and questions.
As I am reading through the word, or as the Lord brings passages to mind, I will offer some paradoxes for your consideration. Hope this series is of interest, and that out of this series, believers would be dig deeper into the Word He has provided us.
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #335
Description
Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 11:12-13a
Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.
New Testament Fulfillment
Matt 26:14-15
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.
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
Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.
I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.
SEEING JESUS IN
ADAM
MIRACULOUS BIRTH
Genesis 2 7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Luke 1 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Both Adam and Jesus were “born” miraculously.
Granted, Adam was created out of the dust of the ground, but even Eve was not created in such a mysterious way. Likewise Jesus, in His humanity was created in the womb of a virgin, miraculously as no other man has been created
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 know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #334
Description
The Messiah would be God
Old Testament Prophecy
Zechariah 11:10-11b
And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 14:7
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
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
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The believer works (vs 12) and God works.
We work with fear and trembling, and God works in us, both to want and work for His good pleasure. A lot of work is being discussed here!
A few posts back, I mentioned the Divine Human Cooperative. Of course this concept is not original with me, for I was introduced to it decades ago, and though I have lost some memory as I am aging, this phrase stuck with me. The idea that Jesus works with me, or maybe better said, that I am to work with Jesus in appealing for others to receive the grace of God, this concept or teaching simply amazes me.
The typical believer, (for I consider myself almost typical) looks to the Lord as the Master, the Lord, the Supreme Authority, and this is correct. This is the gospel, to know and understand that He is God and the Lord, and to bring our lives into conformance with His character and will.
But understand that the Word speaks of us as participating in the relationship with God, that we have a part to play in His drama, that we are not alone in this struggle, and not simply passive participants in the life He has for us.
As many who follow this blog know I am an engineer, and as a lead engineer on a project, I am responsible to get plan packages out to my clients on time and under budget. Today was a deadline and as I loaded up my designers with final edits, I was informed of a set of standards that had not been updated. With previous tasks already handed out, it was impossible for my folks to get the additional task done. So for a couple hours, I reverted back to a draftsman (albeit on the computer) and worked the standards to the present need.
Could I have derided my team, forced them to stay, caused them unnecessary stress? I could have and been strictly within my position within the firm. Instead I worked with my team to get a product out. And had a few laughs!
God has a plan that He will deliver and we are His “team”, albeit with inabilities, inhibitions, and insecurities, we work to please Him, and yet we fall behind, fail Him and fumble the ball on the one yard line. Brothers and sisters, do not think it all depends on you, for He is a loving God, that works in you and with you in getting us across the finish line.
He works with us by not only working in us, giving us the desire and will to work with Him, but also outside of us, in orchestrating our circumstances, bringing people into our lives, providing safety from evils, and granting us the strength to bless others, and not simply ourselves.
He is a big God, and worthy to follow, and as we follow, we are never alone, never abandoned, never forsaken.
Praise Him name for 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. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
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