Church in the home Wednesday evenings 24th Feb 2010
The book of Esther.
Form the tropical coast in Spain tucked between La Herradura and AlmuĊecar, the “Marina del Este”, is a quiet refuge for yachts and mariners and where the sun shines for almost 11 months of the year, the “Book of Esther” was studied over a period of 5 days.
Five Bourke’s from Almere spent 5 days of the crocus holidays in this sunny part of Europe.
Scholars have searched the scriptures of Esther and nowhere can the Divine names be found. This sets the Books of Esther is a unique position. In Hebrews 1: 1,2 it states that
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, (V 2) Hath in these last times spoken unto us by His Son”.
The divers manners, surely has to include a book of the bible, a part of the Word of God, which does not mention God by name explicitly.
The account in the Book of Esther traces the fortunes of Judeans in exile, and two in particular, Mordecai, and his cousin Esther, whom he took very good care of when her parents were not there to care for her. Esther eventually got chosen to take part in a pageant for the reigning monarch, King Ahasuerus, who ruled over a kingdom from India unto Ethiopia.
Esther ended up being chosen as the Queen to King Ahasuerus, and Mordecai remained on in his role being employed in the palace.
A plot to destroy Mordecai and the Judeans, by Haman, a descendent of Agag, the King of the Amalakites, was foiled when Mordecai and Esther intervened, and the Judeans of the realm were able by royal decree defend themselves and spare the Judeans as a nation even though in exile and dispersed abroad.
Though the words “Thus said the Lord” or “the Lord said unto me” or “then the word of the Lord came unto me a second time” as in the book of Jeremiah, do not occur in the book of Esther, the spiritually minded readers will quickly recognize the hand of God throughout this bible record though never explicitly stated.
The “divers manners” of Hebrews 1:1 is here to read.
http://www.biblicalunitarian.com (Biblical Unitarianism website)
http://www.truthortradition.com (Truth or Tradition web site)
http://www.stfonline.org/ (Spirit and Truth fellowship online website)
zondag 9 mei 2010
Church in the home Wed.evenings 17th Feb 2010,
Church in the home Wednesday evenings 17th Feb 2010
The bible is an eastern Book.
According to the inside back of the dust cover of the book Orientalisms of the bible Volume 1, by Bishop K.C. Pillai, it states that Dr. K.C. Pillai is a bishop at large of the Indian Orthodox Church. He toured the USA on a special mission to acquaint Christians with the orientalisms of the Bible. A Hindu convert to Christianity, Dr. is widely recognised as an authority on the Eastern culture of the bible.
I do know that there was a Volume 2 of the Orientalisms of the Bible by Bishop K.C. Pillai, as well which I had but I cannot find anymore in my library,
According to Wikipedia, his books are;
Light Through an Eastern Window, Robert Speller & Sons; Publishers (1963) ISBN 0-8315-0057-3
Orientalisms of the Bible - Volumes 1 & 2, Munkus Publishing Company, INC. (1969, 1974)
Further from the Courtright web site, (http://www.cortright.org/key6.htm) the following can be gleaned,
Old and New Testament Orientalisms - Teachings of Bishop K.C. Pillai - Compiled by Reverend Bo Reahard - October 1980.
In the 1980’s there were certain classes available via the Way International, on orientalisms, which were taped recordings of Bishop K.C. Pillai. The Indian accent took some getting used to but after a short while the words of the Bishop and not his accent absorbed you. His practical approach to the bible embellished with wonderful eastern insight to the bible was fascinating.
The Way international had somehow obtained copies of Bishop K.C. Pillai’s work and also the rights to publish and play them.
Two weeks ago (app 16th Feb 2010) a letter came in the post from “The Geers” in the USA. This special letter contained a complimentary copy of a 2 part DVD set upon which were recorded the many teachings or sharings of the Bishop.
The very next Wednesday evening (the 17th of Feb 2010) we played one section, the one covering the renewing of our strength like that of the eagle.
The bible is an eastern Book.
According to the inside back of the dust cover of the book Orientalisms of the bible Volume 1, by Bishop K.C. Pillai, it states that Dr. K.C. Pillai is a bishop at large of the Indian Orthodox Church. He toured the USA on a special mission to acquaint Christians with the orientalisms of the Bible. A Hindu convert to Christianity, Dr. is widely recognised as an authority on the Eastern culture of the bible.
I do know that there was a Volume 2 of the Orientalisms of the Bible by Bishop K.C. Pillai, as well which I had but I cannot find anymore in my library,
According to Wikipedia, his books are;
Light Through an Eastern Window, Robert Speller & Sons; Publishers (1963) ISBN 0-8315-0057-3
Orientalisms of the Bible - Volumes 1 & 2, Munkus Publishing Company, INC. (1969, 1974)
Further from the Courtright web site, (http://www.cortright.org/key6.htm) the following can be gleaned,
Old and New Testament Orientalisms - Teachings of Bishop K.C. Pillai - Compiled by Reverend Bo Reahard - October 1980.
In the 1980’s there were certain classes available via the Way International, on orientalisms, which were taped recordings of Bishop K.C. Pillai. The Indian accent took some getting used to but after a short while the words of the Bishop and not his accent absorbed you. His practical approach to the bible embellished with wonderful eastern insight to the bible was fascinating.
The Way international had somehow obtained copies of Bishop K.C. Pillai’s work and also the rights to publish and play them.
Two weeks ago (app 16th Feb 2010) a letter came in the post from “The Geers” in the USA. This special letter contained a complimentary copy of a 2 part DVD set upon which were recorded the many teachings or sharings of the Bishop.
The very next Wednesday evening (the 17th of Feb 2010) we played one section, the one covering the renewing of our strength like that of the eagle.
Church in the home Wed.evening the 3/Feb/2010, The Giver and the Gift: A Study of the Holy Spirit
Church in the home Wednesday evening the 3rd February 2010
John Schoenheit Nov. 2009 tape / CD of the month
The Giver and the Gift: A Study of the Holy Spirit
The doctrine of the trinity proposed that the 3rd person of the trinity is called the Holy Spirit. When this happened the real meaning of holy spirit was lost.
How do we get the truth? Some say there are 5000 denominations in the US today. (Nov. 2009) They differ on the interpretation of the scriptures. Jesus did not suffer fools gladly and told people when they were erring wrt the truth.
The question we should be asking ourselves is “What did God mean”? instead of “what do the scriptures mean to me”?
How do we get to the truth? All the verses on a specific subject must agree or concur. If one stands out then it is like a red flag to a bull. These must be evaluated carefully.
Matt 6: 34 says “take therefore no thought”…...some say this means, do not plan for the future. But what about Proverbs 6 – it says learn from the ant, and Proverbs 31 the wise woman planned for the winter with good warm clothes.
God is not the author of confusion… if all the verses in the bible contradict themselves then that’s not so scriptural..
Take the Trinitarian view of the “being” called the Holy Spirit. Luke 1: 35, Matthew 1: 18,
These seem to indicate that a being called the Holy Spirit caused Mary to be pregnant. All other verses say God, or the Father.. so is there another way of examining this?
If Holy Spirit is a separate person then you get problems reading the whole bible.
David prayed that the holy spirit be not taken from him
God says Acts 2: 17 that God will pour out of his spirit. Some translations do say
Anointed; Acts 10, sealed, Ephesians 1: 14, measured, it is described as a liquid, baptized in holy spirit, we drink holy spirit as in 1Corinthians 12:13,
Holy Spirit is referred to as the spirit of God.
I proposed that holy spirit (pneuma hagion) is used 3 ways
As a name for God
As a reference to Gods power in action
As the gift of God
Till 360 AD, (325 AD Council of Nicea, emperor Constantine declared that Jesus Christ was God) most debates centered on Jesus and God and their identity. Holy Spirit was not yet adopted as part of the trinity till 381 AD
The names of God.
There are many names for God, so if God is spirit and if God is holy then why can the term Holy Spirit not be simply God?
See Acts 5:3 and 4 referring to Ananias and Sapphira
a. In verse 4 is states that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit
b. In verse 5 it states that Ananias lied to God.
God has different names. Any use of the term Holy Spirit can fit into any one of these categories.
Genesis 1:2 states ….the spirit of God, where is God then? Is this another person other than God the creator? No, this is simply a reference to Gods power in action
Theologians freely admit the Trinity was not part of the old testament theology.
The Jewish tradition does never mentions the trinity.
There is a 3rd usage of holy spirit and it is as “the gift”.
Num 11: 17,24,25, show how the spirit that was upon Moses was taken and given to seventy others. To the teaching of Trinitarianism this is a problem, how do you take a part of a person and spread it out over 70 people?
The bible is given to bless us. How can it bless us if we do not understand it?
God is so good and gracious he gives some of the nature (it is holy and it is spirit) of what he is.
These people became spiritually powerful with the nature of God, not with the 3rd person of the trinity.
John 3:6 states that flesh gives birth to flesh and the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
We must be sensitive to the differences in the usage of Spirit (ruach in OT, and pneuma in the NT)
Pneu, is the root word, and refers to a dynamic motion or movement of air. The power of air. An invisible substance, that exercises a force. It is also used of wind, John 3:8.
An immaterial substance that exercises a force.
Names for Jesus Christ are many but “pneuma / spirit” is also used of Jesus but that does not make him God.
There is a gift of Gods nature given before, during and after Pentecost. Both are called holy spirit, but they are not the same thing. God said he magnified his Word above all his name. So we are going to have to exercise some effort to understand the scriptures.
Pneuma is used of angels.
Pneuma is used of demons (8)
Pneuma is also used of general spirits
Pneuma is used of the natural life (soul) of our bodies. The life in our bodies is an invisible force.
People talk about “school spirit” or “team spirit”.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. This is a common phrase used in today’s language. It means that though being physically present, we give in mentally too quickly. We show up emotionally but our bodies are not in to it.
2 Cor 7:13 talks about Titus, his spirit has been refreshed by you all. Does the nature of God need to be refreshed? No, but it is our emotions, attitudes, motivation etc that can be refreshed by inspired contacts.
There are so many different ways the word “spirit” is used in the New Testament.
All the usages of Holy Spirit of spirit falls into a number of easy categories (discussed on the tape), which are not the 3rd person of the “trinity”.
Lets look at the gift of god, the holy spirit in the Old Testament.
It was given conditionally and was not in people permanently
God could take it away
It was Gods choice who had it
It was given by measure
It gave spiritual power to the person who had it
Jesus got it when was baptized,
Matt 12:10, V.17 V 18, Jesus got spirit upon.
Today in this age the holy spirit when born within us cannot be removed.
1 Sam 16:14 the spirit of YHWH departed from him- Saul
David writes in Psalm 51:11 don’t take away your spirit from me.
2 Kings 2:9 where Elijah is talking to Elisah – Elisah says “give me a double of your spirit”.
E.W. Bullinger states in his writings that Elisah did exactly double the miracles of Elijah. This is somewhat disputed by J. Schoenheit.
John 3:34 says that God gave not the spirit by measure unto him….Jesus.
When the 70 received the holy spirit as recorded in Numbers, they were spiritually empowered, remember they prophesied immediately.
Every Christian can speak in tongues and prophesy 1Cor 14:5, etc…all have the holy spirit, and that means power.
Joseph interpreted dreams and Pharaoh said who can we find who can do this who has the spirit of God, John the Baptist – no greater was there.
In the Old Testament God said that he would send holy spirit
John 7:37-39 speaks loudly if we listen. “for the Holy Ghost” was not yet given ..Didn’t the OT prophets have it? We have to read carefully.
The NRV new revised version has a good translation… says “there was no spirit” … how can it say that? So it definitely cannot be the 3rd person of the trinity, and what about the Old Testament spirit on certain people….??? We have to read carefully, this is saying that the holy spirit Moses, Joshua, David had, is not the same we have today even though it sounds the same.
After Pentecost, he gave it differently than when God gave it in the Old Testament.
Ephesians 1:13 – calls it “the promised holy spirit”.
Romans 8: 23 the firstfruits.. …if it was the same as in the Old Testament it could not be the referred to as the firstfruits.
Even the old testament prophesied that the holy spirit then would be different in the future in the new testament times when Jesus Christ was glorified, and ascended.
In the Old Testament it was never stated that the spirit would influence that person to live a godly life, but in the New Testament it is in us, it is part of us, and part of our nature, we become holy as well, and it can influence us to godliness.
Ezekiel 36:26 states .. a new heart I will give you, ….a new spirit will I put in you…..
John 14:17 Jesus Christ says of the spirit of truth, .. “he dwelleth with you and shall be in you”.
In the Millenial kingdom it is stated that he who believes on me…, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh,
In the Old Testament God gave the spirit by measure. In Joel it says the spirit will be poured out, i.e. not measured out, refers to a limitless supply.
In the OT God gave the spirit conditionally.
Isaiah 59:21 (KJV) In the Old Testament God gave the spirit with conditions, but this verse speaks of the spirit to come….”and it shall not depart” is permanent.
Today and in the millennial kingdom, the spirit will influence men and women to live a godly life
Ezekiel 36:27- “I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes”….the effect of the spirit on the person is clear here.
(see book The Gift of holy spirit- the power to be like Christ, Greaser, Lynn, Schoenheit, has all the documentation)
John 16:13 … When the spirit of truth is come, it will guide you into the all truth..
Galatians 5:17 (see English standard version) ….. THE SPIRIT struggles against your flesh and drives us to holiness.
.
The gift of god is Gods very nature
Peter’s sermon recorded in Acts 2:38 repent and be baptised and you will receive the gift of holy spirit, Gods very nature, and it gives us spiritual power. We can walk with power.
Read the bible and keep in mind the Giver and the gift.
We are spiritually powerful.
When the bible talks about the manifestations get out and do them
The spirit we have is so much greater that that of Moses, so you are a power filled Christian.
Thanks God the giver for his wonderful gift.
John Schoenheit Nov. 2009 tape / CD of the month
The Giver and the Gift: A Study of the Holy Spirit
The doctrine of the trinity proposed that the 3rd person of the trinity is called the Holy Spirit. When this happened the real meaning of holy spirit was lost.
How do we get the truth? Some say there are 5000 denominations in the US today. (Nov. 2009) They differ on the interpretation of the scriptures. Jesus did not suffer fools gladly and told people when they were erring wrt the truth.
The question we should be asking ourselves is “What did God mean”? instead of “what do the scriptures mean to me”?
How do we get to the truth? All the verses on a specific subject must agree or concur. If one stands out then it is like a red flag to a bull. These must be evaluated carefully.
Matt 6: 34 says “take therefore no thought”…...some say this means, do not plan for the future. But what about Proverbs 6 – it says learn from the ant, and Proverbs 31 the wise woman planned for the winter with good warm clothes.
God is not the author of confusion… if all the verses in the bible contradict themselves then that’s not so scriptural..
Take the Trinitarian view of the “being” called the Holy Spirit. Luke 1: 35, Matthew 1: 18,
These seem to indicate that a being called the Holy Spirit caused Mary to be pregnant. All other verses say God, or the Father.. so is there another way of examining this?
If Holy Spirit is a separate person then you get problems reading the whole bible.
David prayed that the holy spirit be not taken from him
God says Acts 2: 17 that God will pour out of his spirit. Some translations do say
Anointed; Acts 10, sealed, Ephesians 1: 14, measured, it is described as a liquid, baptized in holy spirit, we drink holy spirit as in 1Corinthians 12:13,
Holy Spirit is referred to as the spirit of God.
I proposed that holy spirit (pneuma hagion) is used 3 ways
As a name for God
As a reference to Gods power in action
As the gift of God
Till 360 AD, (325 AD Council of Nicea, emperor Constantine declared that Jesus Christ was God) most debates centered on Jesus and God and their identity. Holy Spirit was not yet adopted as part of the trinity till 381 AD
The names of God.
There are many names for God, so if God is spirit and if God is holy then why can the term Holy Spirit not be simply God?
See Acts 5:3 and 4 referring to Ananias and Sapphira
a. In verse 4 is states that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit
b. In verse 5 it states that Ananias lied to God.
God has different names. Any use of the term Holy Spirit can fit into any one of these categories.
Genesis 1:2 states ….the spirit of God, where is God then? Is this another person other than God the creator? No, this is simply a reference to Gods power in action
Theologians freely admit the Trinity was not part of the old testament theology.
The Jewish tradition does never mentions the trinity.
There is a 3rd usage of holy spirit and it is as “the gift”.
Num 11: 17,24,25, show how the spirit that was upon Moses was taken and given to seventy others. To the teaching of Trinitarianism this is a problem, how do you take a part of a person and spread it out over 70 people?
The bible is given to bless us. How can it bless us if we do not understand it?
God is so good and gracious he gives some of the nature (it is holy and it is spirit) of what he is.
These people became spiritually powerful with the nature of God, not with the 3rd person of the trinity.
John 3:6 states that flesh gives birth to flesh and the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
We must be sensitive to the differences in the usage of Spirit (ruach in OT, and pneuma in the NT)
Pneu, is the root word, and refers to a dynamic motion or movement of air. The power of air. An invisible substance, that exercises a force. It is also used of wind, John 3:8.
An immaterial substance that exercises a force.
Names for Jesus Christ are many but “pneuma / spirit” is also used of Jesus but that does not make him God.
There is a gift of Gods nature given before, during and after Pentecost. Both are called holy spirit, but they are not the same thing. God said he magnified his Word above all his name. So we are going to have to exercise some effort to understand the scriptures.
Pneuma is used of angels.
Pneuma is used of demons (8)
Pneuma is also used of general spirits
Pneuma is used of the natural life (soul) of our bodies. The life in our bodies is an invisible force.
People talk about “school spirit” or “team spirit”.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. This is a common phrase used in today’s language. It means that though being physically present, we give in mentally too quickly. We show up emotionally but our bodies are not in to it.
2 Cor 7:13 talks about Titus, his spirit has been refreshed by you all. Does the nature of God need to be refreshed? No, but it is our emotions, attitudes, motivation etc that can be refreshed by inspired contacts.
There are so many different ways the word “spirit” is used in the New Testament.
All the usages of Holy Spirit of spirit falls into a number of easy categories (discussed on the tape), which are not the 3rd person of the “trinity”.
Lets look at the gift of god, the holy spirit in the Old Testament.
It was given conditionally and was not in people permanently
God could take it away
It was Gods choice who had it
It was given by measure
It gave spiritual power to the person who had it
Jesus got it when was baptized,
Matt 12:10, V.17 V 18, Jesus got spirit upon.
Today in this age the holy spirit when born within us cannot be removed.
1 Sam 16:14 the spirit of YHWH departed from him- Saul
David writes in Psalm 51:11 don’t take away your spirit from me.
2 Kings 2:9 where Elijah is talking to Elisah – Elisah says “give me a double of your spirit”.
E.W. Bullinger states in his writings that Elisah did exactly double the miracles of Elijah. This is somewhat disputed by J. Schoenheit.
John 3:34 says that God gave not the spirit by measure unto him….Jesus.
When the 70 received the holy spirit as recorded in Numbers, they were spiritually empowered, remember they prophesied immediately.
Every Christian can speak in tongues and prophesy 1Cor 14:5, etc…all have the holy spirit, and that means power.
Joseph interpreted dreams and Pharaoh said who can we find who can do this who has the spirit of God, John the Baptist – no greater was there.
In the Old Testament God said that he would send holy spirit
John 7:37-39 speaks loudly if we listen. “for the Holy Ghost” was not yet given ..Didn’t the OT prophets have it? We have to read carefully.
The NRV new revised version has a good translation… says “there was no spirit” … how can it say that? So it definitely cannot be the 3rd person of the trinity, and what about the Old Testament spirit on certain people….??? We have to read carefully, this is saying that the holy spirit Moses, Joshua, David had, is not the same we have today even though it sounds the same.
After Pentecost, he gave it differently than when God gave it in the Old Testament.
Ephesians 1:13 – calls it “the promised holy spirit”.
Romans 8: 23 the firstfruits.. …if it was the same as in the Old Testament it could not be the referred to as the firstfruits.
Even the old testament prophesied that the holy spirit then would be different in the future in the new testament times when Jesus Christ was glorified, and ascended.
In the Old Testament it was never stated that the spirit would influence that person to live a godly life, but in the New Testament it is in us, it is part of us, and part of our nature, we become holy as well, and it can influence us to godliness.
Ezekiel 36:26 states .. a new heart I will give you, ….a new spirit will I put in you…..
John 14:17 Jesus Christ says of the spirit of truth, .. “he dwelleth with you and shall be in you”.
In the Millenial kingdom it is stated that he who believes on me…, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh,
In the Old Testament God gave the spirit by measure. In Joel it says the spirit will be poured out, i.e. not measured out, refers to a limitless supply.
In the OT God gave the spirit conditionally.
Isaiah 59:21 (KJV) In the Old Testament God gave the spirit with conditions, but this verse speaks of the spirit to come….”and it shall not depart” is permanent.
Today and in the millennial kingdom, the spirit will influence men and women to live a godly life
Ezekiel 36:27- “I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes”….the effect of the spirit on the person is clear here.
(see book The Gift of holy spirit- the power to be like Christ, Greaser, Lynn, Schoenheit, has all the documentation)
John 16:13 … When the spirit of truth is come, it will guide you into the all truth..
Galatians 5:17 (see English standard version) ….. THE SPIRIT struggles against your flesh and drives us to holiness.
.
The gift of god is Gods very nature
Peter’s sermon recorded in Acts 2:38 repent and be baptised and you will receive the gift of holy spirit, Gods very nature, and it gives us spiritual power. We can walk with power.
Read the bible and keep in mind the Giver and the gift.
We are spiritually powerful.
When the bible talks about the manifestations get out and do them
The spirit we have is so much greater that that of Moses, so you are a power filled Christian.
Thanks God the giver for his wonderful gift.
Church in the home Wed.evenings 27/ Jan/ 2010, Pentecost and the holy spirit
Church in the home Wednesday evenings 27 Jan 2010
Pentecost and the holy spirit
This study was partly gleaned from the web source mentioned below.
I enjoyed the approach to the study of Pentecost as shared by J. W. Rittenburg of Bible tools.
http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Audio.Details/ID/366/Pentecost-and-Holy-Spirit.htm
Pentecost and the holy spirit
Israel Lacked the Holy Spirit
Let's begin in Deuteronomy 29:2-4.
We will begin in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant. We're not focusing directly upon Pentecost here, but in an indirect way, it has to be a foundation for what happened a little bit later.
And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land: The great temptations which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD has not given you [Israelites, the people who had been alive through the wilderness journey, perhaps some of them the whole 40 years] a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Reflect forward to the New Covenant. It is God's leading and guiding by His Holy Spirit, enabling us to perceive, to see and to hear His Word. These people were 38 or 40 years in the wilderness in the presence of God, yet they didn't get it. It never sank in. The reason it never sank in is because God did not perform that which would have given them the ability to perceive what was going on in their lives.
In Deuteronomy 5:29, we will see this confirmed. This is near the end of the chapter that contains the second recording of the Ten Commandments. Moses writes:
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!
Except for a precious few of those Israelites, nobody received God's Holy Spirit under the Old Covenant. It's because of this that we see scriptures like this quoted—so that we will understand them in a New Testament context. Romans 11:8-11:
(According as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. [The "they," of course, is Israel.] And David said, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always. I say then, [Paul reaches a conclusion] Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
So, spiritually—from the time of the Exodus (sometime around the 1400s B.C.) all the way up until the time that Paul wrote these things—these people hadn't been offered the Holy Spirit at all. And so, spiritually they had a form of "blindness" or they were "sleeping," as Paul said. When you're like that, you don't know what's going on. You are oblivious to what is going on around you. So it ought to be very easy for us to read about Israel's constant bickering, warring, complaining, sexual sins, intrigues and murders, remembering that they were operating within a God-imposed spiritual handicap—so that an example could be set (and written) for us to learn from. That's quite a detriment, if we look at it from a human perspective. God, of course, knew what He was doing all along. He put these people through the paces in order that our understanding might be much deeper and broader.
Still Future in John's Day
In Luke 3:16, we read of John the Baptist:
John answered, saying unto them all [that is, to all of those who were there], I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
This occurs before the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ, before the giving of God's Holy Spirit. Even in Acts 1:4-5, the Holy Spirit was still not yet given:
And being assembled together with them [the disciples], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, you have heard of me. For, John truly baptized with water; but you shall [still future] be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
That's pretty clear. Even up till a few days before Pentecost, the receipt of the holy spirit by people in general was yet a future occurrence. So, when God's moment arrived, He introduced the Spirit to mankind with a mighty visible and audible display. I think part of it was because it ranks as one of the most important acts of God for the completion of His purpose, even to this very day.
Even today—2,000 years after the fact of the giving of God's Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost—the overwhelming bulk of mankind that has even some understanding of this day at the same time has no idea of its detailed significance. Thus, even if they do celebrate it, they do it with very little understanding. Many Protestant denominations call it "Whitsunday," which is derived from "white Sunday"—because it became a custom to baptize converts that day, while they were wearing white baptismal gowns. It sounds good. It might even sound logical and reasonable to some, but it doesn't have any (or very little) biblical significance. So the real meaning of the day is lost to them. Two thousand years after the fact, it is still lost to them.
Why Did God Give It to Us?
Let's go back to Acts 2:14-21. We'll start there rather than at the beginning of the chapter, and then we'll go back and pick up some points that are important to this sermon.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It's interesting to note that Peter did not say that this was "the fulfillment" of what Joel spoke. The reason he did not say it was "the fulfillment" is because much of the prophecy of Joel was not yet fulfilled. Peter understood that—and you can very easily see it. Peter knew that it was only the beginning of what Joel spoke, because God's Spirit was not being poured out on all flesh. That will be obvious in just a bit. The sun and moon didn't change their appearance, and not everybody that "called on the name of the Lord" was being saved. What we see here is something that was similar to what happened when Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in Luke 4, when He began His ministry in His home town. Parts of the prophecy Jesus left out. Peter recognized that this was only the beginning of what Joel prophesied.
A number of things that occurred on this occasion we should take note of before we go on to other things. So drop back to verse 2.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
The sound was understood or it was perceived to be coming from heaven. It says that it filled the whole house where they were sitting, which is interesting. Why would he mention sitting? Why weren't they just standing around and fellowshipping with one another? Well, because in all probability "the house" that is mentioned there was, in actuality, the Temple. They were sitting because it was a holy day, and they were having a service.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (verse 3)
In addition to the wind-like sound, flames of fire appeared either to fall upon or to rise from those who were given God's Spirit. There's no indication that these flames appeared on anybody else, except those who were in the house. This may have been done because fire had previously been associated with a form of baptism—another reason why I read to you Luke 3 where John the Baptist mentioned the "baptism of fire." So, it had previously been associated with a form of baptism by John the Baptist. God used the fire to identify those who were receiving His Spirit at that time—a form of visible "sanctification" (being set apart).
Speaking in Tongues
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (verse 4)
Those in the house were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke with other languages. These were not unknown languages—but languages familiar with people in the area, because we read in verse 6:
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Notice that in verse 4 the word "tongues" appears, but in verse 6 the word "language" appears. Now, why weren't they both translated the same way? The reason is because it's two different words. The one in verse 4 is the one that we are most familiar with. We have probably heard in the past that it's glossais, and that word means (in today's usage) "a language" or "tongue." But in verse 6 the Greek word is dialekto. That word has practically come into the English language untranslated; it means "dialect." So these people not only heard in their own language—they heard in their own dialect. These people, then, to whom God gave His Holy Spirit, were not speaking in an unintelligible gibberish, but each person hearing heard each person speaking in not only his own language, but even his own dialect!
You might recall that, as Jesus was on trial, Peter was identified as being Galilean because of the way he spoke. Let's say that the Jews in Judea spoke Aramaic, and that Peter spoke Aramaic. And yet, Peter spoke it in a dialect different from the Judeans in Jerusalem. And so, very quickly, that young lady identified Peter as being a Galilean. That's the kind of thing that we're talking about here in Acts 2—that God worked an awesome miracle. The miracle was not only in the speaking. The miracle in the hearing may have even been greater, because the miracle had to work in each person's mind so that they heard each person speaking in their own dialect. That's pretty precise.
Based upon what Paul writes in I Corinthians 14 about God's concern for order and organization at services, I am sure that not everyone of those people who were receiving God's Holy Spirit were all speaking at once. Rather, it was organized by God so that the distinct language and the dialect could be clearly and distinctly heard by those who were observant. This was an awesome miracle!
Who Were the Listeners?
There is serious doubt, though (with the exception of one group, which I'll mention later), whether the people listening were "pilgrims" who had just recently traveled to Jerusalem. Notice verse 8:
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
This begins to indicate that these people who were hearing were foreign-born inhabitants of Jerusalem—that these people were not merely visiting, but were living there. Now look at verse 5.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
In every place that I looked where the word "dwelling" is used, it is talking about inhabitants living permanently in the land.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem. . . . (verse 14)
Do you see whom he addressed? The inhabitants of Jerusalem. Now, they may have been foreign-born, but for whatever the reason, they were now living in Jerusalem. I take that to mean a lot of businessmen had been transferred there by their "companies," their "corporations" (I'm using modern metaphors here), and they were now living there, conducting business. They were largely Jews who may have, like the apostle Paul, been born in another area of the Roman Empire. But they traveled to Jerusalem, put down roots there, and were now living there. Their native tongue was not Aramaic, but it may have been something like Greek or Latin.
The exception is in verse 10:
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes.
If you have a modern Bible, it is very likely that that word "strangers" has been translated into the word "visitors." In fact, the King James margin reads "visitors." Those from Rome were "visitors." Something else buttresses this fact—that so many people were baptized:
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day [Pentecost] there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (verse 41)
This was not a modern Billy Graham evangelistic campaign, where he gives a sermon and three thousand people answer the altar call. What we're dealing with here are people who were foreign-born but were now living in Jerusalem. They evidently had lived there for quite a long time. These people were eye- and ear- witnesses to the ministry of Jesus Christ. They saw Him. They heard Him. They may have participated in His murder. Even if they did not participate, they may have given approval. Or, even if they didn't give approval, they were eyewitness to the things that had occurred. So, on this day of Pentecost, God—by His Spirit—opened their minds, and the impact of what they had witnessed in that previous three and one-half years all came together when they heard Peter's sermon. They were smitten in their hearts. And they repented because they were ready.
Modern Protestant evangelists would like to give you the impression that you can hear one sermon, and, boy, you're converted. I'm afraid, brethren, that it takes a lot more than that for God to lead us to repentance. So much preceded this occasion to set these people up. During the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, God was leading these people to repentance. Then, when they heard Peter's sermon, with the help of God's Holy Spirit giving the sermon and leading them, they repented and were baptized.
"You Shall Receive Power"
Now, in Acts 11:15, where Peter is recounting what occurred at the house of Cornelius, he says:
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
So, what Peter confirmed here is that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is, indeed, also the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The receiving and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are synonymous. Now, when we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, what is it that we are receiving? I think that if there is any one English word that might catch the essence of this, it is "power." In Acts 1:8, Jesus is speaking.
But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
"You shall receive power." Now, let's go to II Timothy 1:7 where we will see a confirmation of this. This is another familiar scripture, but we'll read it again on this day.
For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
That should ring a bell in our minds. We've heard it very, very often. We'll turn to another one in the book of Romans that we don't hear very often, but it is part and parcel of the same kind of thinking.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
We're empowered to hope by God's Holy Spirit. Notice verse 19:
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Ilyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Paul conducted his ministry by means of the power of God. Signs, wonders, miracles, healings, and things of that nature were done through the power of the Holy Spirit.
http://www.biblicalunitarian.com (Biblical Unitarianism website)
http://www.truthortradition.com (Truth or Tradition web site)
http://www.stfonline.org/ (Spirit and Truth fellowship online website)
Pentecost and the holy spirit
This study was partly gleaned from the web source mentioned below.
I enjoyed the approach to the study of Pentecost as shared by J. W. Rittenburg of Bible tools.
http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Audio.Details/ID/366/Pentecost-and-Holy-Spirit.htm
Pentecost and the holy spirit
Israel Lacked the Holy Spirit
Let's begin in Deuteronomy 29:2-4.
We will begin in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant. We're not focusing directly upon Pentecost here, but in an indirect way, it has to be a foundation for what happened a little bit later.
And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land: The great temptations which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD has not given you [Israelites, the people who had been alive through the wilderness journey, perhaps some of them the whole 40 years] a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Reflect forward to the New Covenant. It is God's leading and guiding by His Holy Spirit, enabling us to perceive, to see and to hear His Word. These people were 38 or 40 years in the wilderness in the presence of God, yet they didn't get it. It never sank in. The reason it never sank in is because God did not perform that which would have given them the ability to perceive what was going on in their lives.
In Deuteronomy 5:29, we will see this confirmed. This is near the end of the chapter that contains the second recording of the Ten Commandments. Moses writes:
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!
Except for a precious few of those Israelites, nobody received God's Holy Spirit under the Old Covenant. It's because of this that we see scriptures like this quoted—so that we will understand them in a New Testament context. Romans 11:8-11:
(According as it is written, God has given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. [The "they," of course, is Israel.] And David said, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always. I say then, [Paul reaches a conclusion] Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
So, spiritually—from the time of the Exodus (sometime around the 1400s B.C.) all the way up until the time that Paul wrote these things—these people hadn't been offered the Holy Spirit at all. And so, spiritually they had a form of "blindness" or they were "sleeping," as Paul said. When you're like that, you don't know what's going on. You are oblivious to what is going on around you. So it ought to be very easy for us to read about Israel's constant bickering, warring, complaining, sexual sins, intrigues and murders, remembering that they were operating within a God-imposed spiritual handicap—so that an example could be set (and written) for us to learn from. That's quite a detriment, if we look at it from a human perspective. God, of course, knew what He was doing all along. He put these people through the paces in order that our understanding might be much deeper and broader.
Still Future in John's Day
In Luke 3:16, we read of John the Baptist:
John answered, saying unto them all [that is, to all of those who were there], I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
This occurs before the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ, before the giving of God's Holy Spirit. Even in Acts 1:4-5, the Holy Spirit was still not yet given:
And being assembled together with them [the disciples], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, you have heard of me. For, John truly baptized with water; but you shall [still future] be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
That's pretty clear. Even up till a few days before Pentecost, the receipt of the holy spirit by people in general was yet a future occurrence. So, when God's moment arrived, He introduced the Spirit to mankind with a mighty visible and audible display. I think part of it was because it ranks as one of the most important acts of God for the completion of His purpose, even to this very day.
Even today—2,000 years after the fact of the giving of God's Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost—the overwhelming bulk of mankind that has even some understanding of this day at the same time has no idea of its detailed significance. Thus, even if they do celebrate it, they do it with very little understanding. Many Protestant denominations call it "Whitsunday," which is derived from "white Sunday"—because it became a custom to baptize converts that day, while they were wearing white baptismal gowns. It sounds good. It might even sound logical and reasonable to some, but it doesn't have any (or very little) biblical significance. So the real meaning of the day is lost to them. Two thousand years after the fact, it is still lost to them.
Why Did God Give It to Us?
Let's go back to Acts 2:14-21. We'll start there rather than at the beginning of the chapter, and then we'll go back and pick up some points that are important to this sermon.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
It's interesting to note that Peter did not say that this was "the fulfillment" of what Joel spoke. The reason he did not say it was "the fulfillment" is because much of the prophecy of Joel was not yet fulfilled. Peter understood that—and you can very easily see it. Peter knew that it was only the beginning of what Joel spoke, because God's Spirit was not being poured out on all flesh. That will be obvious in just a bit. The sun and moon didn't change their appearance, and not everybody that "called on the name of the Lord" was being saved. What we see here is something that was similar to what happened when Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in Luke 4, when He began His ministry in His home town. Parts of the prophecy Jesus left out. Peter recognized that this was only the beginning of what Joel prophesied.
A number of things that occurred on this occasion we should take note of before we go on to other things. So drop back to verse 2.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
The sound was understood or it was perceived to be coming from heaven. It says that it filled the whole house where they were sitting, which is interesting. Why would he mention sitting? Why weren't they just standing around and fellowshipping with one another? Well, because in all probability "the house" that is mentioned there was, in actuality, the Temple. They were sitting because it was a holy day, and they were having a service.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (verse 3)
In addition to the wind-like sound, flames of fire appeared either to fall upon or to rise from those who were given God's Spirit. There's no indication that these flames appeared on anybody else, except those who were in the house. This may have been done because fire had previously been associated with a form of baptism—another reason why I read to you Luke 3 where John the Baptist mentioned the "baptism of fire." So, it had previously been associated with a form of baptism by John the Baptist. God used the fire to identify those who were receiving His Spirit at that time—a form of visible "sanctification" (being set apart).
Speaking in Tongues
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (verse 4)
Those in the house were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke with other languages. These were not unknown languages—but languages familiar with people in the area, because we read in verse 6:
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Notice that in verse 4 the word "tongues" appears, but in verse 6 the word "language" appears. Now, why weren't they both translated the same way? The reason is because it's two different words. The one in verse 4 is the one that we are most familiar with. We have probably heard in the past that it's glossais, and that word means (in today's usage) "a language" or "tongue." But in verse 6 the Greek word is dialekto. That word has practically come into the English language untranslated; it means "dialect." So these people not only heard in their own language—they heard in their own dialect. These people, then, to whom God gave His Holy Spirit, were not speaking in an unintelligible gibberish, but each person hearing heard each person speaking in not only his own language, but even his own dialect!
You might recall that, as Jesus was on trial, Peter was identified as being Galilean because of the way he spoke. Let's say that the Jews in Judea spoke Aramaic, and that Peter spoke Aramaic. And yet, Peter spoke it in a dialect different from the Judeans in Jerusalem. And so, very quickly, that young lady identified Peter as being a Galilean. That's the kind of thing that we're talking about here in Acts 2—that God worked an awesome miracle. The miracle was not only in the speaking. The miracle in the hearing may have even been greater, because the miracle had to work in each person's mind so that they heard each person speaking in their own dialect. That's pretty precise.
Based upon what Paul writes in I Corinthians 14 about God's concern for order and organization at services, I am sure that not everyone of those people who were receiving God's Holy Spirit were all speaking at once. Rather, it was organized by God so that the distinct language and the dialect could be clearly and distinctly heard by those who were observant. This was an awesome miracle!
Who Were the Listeners?
There is serious doubt, though (with the exception of one group, which I'll mention later), whether the people listening were "pilgrims" who had just recently traveled to Jerusalem. Notice verse 8:
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
This begins to indicate that these people who were hearing were foreign-born inhabitants of Jerusalem—that these people were not merely visiting, but were living there. Now look at verse 5.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
In every place that I looked where the word "dwelling" is used, it is talking about inhabitants living permanently in the land.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem. . . . (verse 14)
Do you see whom he addressed? The inhabitants of Jerusalem. Now, they may have been foreign-born, but for whatever the reason, they were now living in Jerusalem. I take that to mean a lot of businessmen had been transferred there by their "companies," their "corporations" (I'm using modern metaphors here), and they were now living there, conducting business. They were largely Jews who may have, like the apostle Paul, been born in another area of the Roman Empire. But they traveled to Jerusalem, put down roots there, and were now living there. Their native tongue was not Aramaic, but it may have been something like Greek or Latin.
The exception is in verse 10:
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes.
If you have a modern Bible, it is very likely that that word "strangers" has been translated into the word "visitors." In fact, the King James margin reads "visitors." Those from Rome were "visitors." Something else buttresses this fact—that so many people were baptized:
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day [Pentecost] there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (verse 41)
This was not a modern Billy Graham evangelistic campaign, where he gives a sermon and three thousand people answer the altar call. What we're dealing with here are people who were foreign-born but were now living in Jerusalem. They evidently had lived there for quite a long time. These people were eye- and ear- witnesses to the ministry of Jesus Christ. They saw Him. They heard Him. They may have participated in His murder. Even if they did not participate, they may have given approval. Or, even if they didn't give approval, they were eyewitness to the things that had occurred. So, on this day of Pentecost, God—by His Spirit—opened their minds, and the impact of what they had witnessed in that previous three and one-half years all came together when they heard Peter's sermon. They were smitten in their hearts. And they repented because they were ready.
Modern Protestant evangelists would like to give you the impression that you can hear one sermon, and, boy, you're converted. I'm afraid, brethren, that it takes a lot more than that for God to lead us to repentance. So much preceded this occasion to set these people up. During the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, God was leading these people to repentance. Then, when they heard Peter's sermon, with the help of God's Holy Spirit giving the sermon and leading them, they repented and were baptized.
"You Shall Receive Power"
Now, in Acts 11:15, where Peter is recounting what occurred at the house of Cornelius, he says:
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
So, what Peter confirmed here is that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is, indeed, also the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The receiving and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are synonymous. Now, when we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, what is it that we are receiving? I think that if there is any one English word that might catch the essence of this, it is "power." In Acts 1:8, Jesus is speaking.
But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
"You shall receive power." Now, let's go to II Timothy 1:7 where we will see a confirmation of this. This is another familiar scripture, but we'll read it again on this day.
For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
That should ring a bell in our minds. We've heard it very, very often. We'll turn to another one in the book of Romans that we don't hear very often, but it is part and parcel of the same kind of thinking.
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
We're empowered to hope by God's Holy Spirit. Notice verse 19:
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Ilyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Paul conducted his ministry by means of the power of God. Signs, wonders, miracles, healings, and things of that nature were done through the power of the Holy Spirit.
http://www.biblicalunitarian.com (Biblical Unitarianism website)
http://www.truthortradition.com (Truth or Tradition web site)
http://www.stfonline.org/ (Spirit and Truth fellowship online website)
Church in the home Wed.evening’s 20/Jan/2010, Speaking in tongues:
Church in the home Wednesday evening’s 20/Jan/2010
Speaking in tongues:
For this evenings encouragement we read from 3 different sources, sources written by men who actually believed in speaking in tongues as described in the bible. There are many who do not believe the words written in both the old and the new testament about speaking or praying in the spirit, so to find a few who do and when those few write enthusiastically about it is a treasure indeed.
The three sources used are given below;
1. Gifts of the Spirit, by B.G. Leonard, CTC press Marysville, Washington, USA (first published 1949, Unabridged edition Oct. 1970 second edition Sept. 1971, paperback edition 1978) pages 17-24.
Leonard has a “What is it” section in his writings, and for tongues (or the gift of tongues as he calls it in his writings)
Quote
What is it
The gift of tongues is the God-given ability to speak in other tongues at will. End of quote
This is a simple short but effective definition of tongues or speaking in tongues.
He goes on to say, “When we say that you speak with other tongues, we mean that you speak with tongues (languages) that you do not comprehend.”
Six times the term “unknown tongue” is used in 1 Corinthians 14 referring to speaking in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is also praying and singing in tongues. It is also referred to as praying in the spirit.
2. Why I speak in tongues (booklet) by Peter J Wade, published by American Christian Press, New Knoxville Ohio, USA (date of publishing unknown, but most probably early 1970’s)
Pages 1-18 (all)
esp. P.2 P.4, P. 7, P. 9, P. 14,
P. 14 lists some of the attributes of speaking in tongues,
I speak to God
I speak divine mysteries
I speak praise and prayer
I give thanks well
I edify my spirit
I strengthen the inner man
I pray perfectly
I truly worship the Father
I make Jesus Christ Lord of my life
I witness that I am saved
I edify the church when I interpret my message.
3. Receiving the holy spirit today by V.P. Wierwille, published by the American Christian Press, New Knoxville, Ohio, USA.
Pages 41-53
On page 44 of the abovementioned book Wierwille states “When you speak in tongues it is the spirit in you which is in direct communication with your heavenly Father, and as such your spirit is edified. This is the spirit from God in as a gift, which is now your spirit because you have been born again. Could you think of anything more wonderful than a direct communication with God?”
Speaking in tongues breathes spiritual life into you, and helps you in your walk with God.
Speaking in tongues:
For this evenings encouragement we read from 3 different sources, sources written by men who actually believed in speaking in tongues as described in the bible. There are many who do not believe the words written in both the old and the new testament about speaking or praying in the spirit, so to find a few who do and when those few write enthusiastically about it is a treasure indeed.
The three sources used are given below;
1. Gifts of the Spirit, by B.G. Leonard, CTC press Marysville, Washington, USA (first published 1949, Unabridged edition Oct. 1970 second edition Sept. 1971, paperback edition 1978) pages 17-24.
Leonard has a “What is it” section in his writings, and for tongues (or the gift of tongues as he calls it in his writings)
Quote
What is it
The gift of tongues is the God-given ability to speak in other tongues at will. End of quote
This is a simple short but effective definition of tongues or speaking in tongues.
He goes on to say, “When we say that you speak with other tongues, we mean that you speak with tongues (languages) that you do not comprehend.”
Six times the term “unknown tongue” is used in 1 Corinthians 14 referring to speaking in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is also praying and singing in tongues. It is also referred to as praying in the spirit.
2. Why I speak in tongues (booklet) by Peter J Wade, published by American Christian Press, New Knoxville Ohio, USA (date of publishing unknown, but most probably early 1970’s)
Pages 1-18 (all)
esp. P.2 P.4, P. 7, P. 9, P. 14,
P. 14 lists some of the attributes of speaking in tongues,
I speak to God
I speak divine mysteries
I speak praise and prayer
I give thanks well
I edify my spirit
I strengthen the inner man
I pray perfectly
I truly worship the Father
I make Jesus Christ Lord of my life
I witness that I am saved
I edify the church when I interpret my message.
3. Receiving the holy spirit today by V.P. Wierwille, published by the American Christian Press, New Knoxville, Ohio, USA.
Pages 41-53
On page 44 of the abovementioned book Wierwille states “When you speak in tongues it is the spirit in you which is in direct communication with your heavenly Father, and as such your spirit is edified. This is the spirit from God in as a gift, which is now your spirit because you have been born again. Could you think of anything more wonderful than a direct communication with God?”
Speaking in tongues breathes spiritual life into you, and helps you in your walk with God.
Church in the home Wed. evening the 13/Jan/2010, Details of our sacrifice
Church in the home Wednesday evening the 13th of January 2010
Details of our sacrifice
Following on from the “sacrifice of Jesus Christ” last week, we delved into Hebrews 13 to enjoy some of the details of our sacrifice. Truly our sacrifice is light and easy compared to that of our saviour Jesus Christ.
We are children of light and love, and the First verse of Hebrews exhorts us to be loving, brotherly loving, (like in Romans 12:10).
Subsequent verses guide us into the “ways and means”of our sacrifice namely…
Entertaining strangers, - V2
Mindful of those in bonds (prisoners, lawful or otherwise) - V3
Honourable in marriage, - V4
Having Godly contentment, -V5
Respectful of Godly leadership knowing that our reward will be great, - V 7
Established in the Word, - V9
Mindful of our new home; paradise restored, -V14
and offering the sacrifice of praise to God; the fruit of our lips, - V15
Doing good and fellowshipping, -V16
Obedient to Godly leadership, -V17
Praying for others, -V18
Love never fails.
Neil J Bourke
13/01/2010
Details of our sacrifice
Following on from the “sacrifice of Jesus Christ” last week, we delved into Hebrews 13 to enjoy some of the details of our sacrifice. Truly our sacrifice is light and easy compared to that of our saviour Jesus Christ.
We are children of light and love, and the First verse of Hebrews exhorts us to be loving, brotherly loving, (like in Romans 12:10).
Subsequent verses guide us into the “ways and means”of our sacrifice namely…
Entertaining strangers, - V2
Mindful of those in bonds (prisoners, lawful or otherwise) - V3
Honourable in marriage, - V4
Having Godly contentment, -V5
Respectful of Godly leadership knowing that our reward will be great, - V 7
Established in the Word, - V9
Mindful of our new home; paradise restored, -V14
and offering the sacrifice of praise to God; the fruit of our lips, - V15
Doing good and fellowshipping, -V16
Obedient to Godly leadership, -V17
Praying for others, -V18
Love never fails.
Neil J Bourke
13/01/2010
Church in the home Wed.evenings 6/Jan/ 2010, The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Church in the home Wednesday evenings 6/Jan/ 2010
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
In this article, I want to focus on the definition of a “sacrifice.” We will examine what it was that Jesus sacrificed, what were the benefits to him (and thereby to us) for his doing so, and what it will look like for us to follow in his steps. I think it will become clear that we too should be making sacrifices in our own lives for the good of others.
1 Corinthians 5:7 and 8 (NKJV) [1]
(7) Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
(8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
There is much figurative language in the above verses, but the point I want us to notice here is that the truth in verse 7—that Jesus gave his life for our sins—is the basis for the action that verse 8 encourages us to take—to live our lives with sincerity and truth. As Scripture says, Jesus Christ is the example for each of us, and we are therefore to walk in his steps (1 Pet. 2:21, for hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps).
What was Jesus called to sacrifice? His very life. Psalm 22 prophetically depicts the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of the Messiah, with the first 18 verses pointing to his torture and death, and the last 10 verses pointing to his resurrection and his reign in the Millennial Kingdom. In between are the following pivotal verses, which poignantly foreshadow his crying out to God for deliverance from the grave.
Jesus, on the other hand, agonized alone in the Garden of Gethsemane to such an extent that the Greek text says he was “crushed with anguish” (Luke 22:44-NKJV “being in agony”).
Jesus Christ, however, knew the truth that death, as accurately defined in the Word of God, is “the end, or the absence of, life.” [2] By definition, one cannot be both dead and alive. Jesus knew that if he chose to step into the theretofore unbridged abyss of death, the only way back to life would be via his heavenly Father keeping His promise to raise him from the dead (Gen. 22:1-13 – Abraham and his son Isaac; Ps. 16:10 thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol) nor wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption).
What were the promised benefits that motivated Jesus Christ to lay down his precious life, which was most definitely “something prized or desirable” to him. What was the stupendous “something [that he] considered as having a higher or more pressing claim” compared to the preservation of his own life? The following verses answer that question:
Hebrews 12:1 and 2
(1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The “joy set before” Jesus was the great truth woven throughout the Old Testament that if he would go the distance as the only man who could live a sinless life and die a torturous death as the true Passover Lamb, he would be raised to newness of life, and so would all those who ever believed on him. He would reign over the world for a thousand years and later rule as second-in-command to God on a new earth, enjoying everlasting life with all the redeemed throughout the ages.
Because Jesus knew who he was, and that there was no one else who could do what he was called to do, he chose to walk the path set before him, which called for him to sacrifice his life. Now you and I are members in particular of the Body of Christ, representing him in this fallen world. So who are you? What are you called to sacrifice? And how will that look, behaviorally speaking? What will the benefits be to you for so doing?
Only in the Church Epistles do we find who we are in Christ, and, in the context of this article, that is our basis for understanding that we can “lay down our lives” (behaviorally speaking, in our relationships with others) with the assurance that what we are laying down (sacrificing, giving up, putting to death) are the selfish aspects of the old nature that dwells within us (Rom. 7:18, for I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing). This “death” of our old self—our false self, if you will—is the only way to real life, that is, living according to our new and true nature, which is designed by God to revel in putting others before ourselves. Each of us can “get our kicks” only from walking according to the new nature within us. You can see that in Romans 7:22-NKJV (“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man”) where the root Greek word translated “delight” is hedomai, from which we get the English word “hedonism,” meaning “pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”
The Word of God is clear that in His sight you are dead to sin and alive in Christ.
So what do the Church Epistles have to say about sacrifice? As we consider that question, we should expect whatever we find to flow in line with the principles of Christ’s sacrifice, because we are to follow in his steps.
Romans 12:1 and 2 (NASB) [3]
(1) I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
(2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
……..sacrificing the selfish aspects of our sin nature is the only way to really live life and love people as God desires us to.
Ephesians 5:1 and 2
(1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
(2) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Colossians 3:1-4
(1) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
(2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(3) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(4) When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Now onto Psalm 22 where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is clearly sketched.
Psalm 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Lots of Psalms start this way with very human feelings (emotions). There are a lot of times that we talk this way when we know we are not really forsaken. Something really bad has happened, and we might say, “God where are you, you are just not in my life anymore, you never show up for me anymore?” What you are doing is just emoting – expressing feelings and frustration.
The Psalms are like that. Why have the Psalms brought so much comfort to so many people through the centuries? Because they express in such human terms, and with such great accuracy how we actually feel, and how we actually think when things are rough around us. I can see this coming out of David during the circumstances he was going through in his life – “my God, my God why has thou forsaken me.”
There are a lot of Psalms that start this way:
Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 13:1
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
This is a beautiful capturing of human emotion, and how we actually feel even when we know in our head it is not really true.
Psalm 22 is a Psalm of David and would have been written more than 900 years before the crucifixion.
Psalm 22:1-6
(1) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
(2) O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
(3) Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
(4) In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
(5) They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
(6) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
Verse 6 says “I am a worm and not a man....”
There is something buried here in the Hebrew that we are not seeing in the English, and to see it we have to look closer at this word worm.
The Psalmist wrote by revelation:
Psalm 22:6-8
(6) But I am a worm [I’m scarlet] and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
(7) All who see me mock me, they hurl insults shaking their heads:
(8) “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
Psalm 22:9
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast.
God was working in the Messiah ever since the Messiah was little, working in the people around him to make him know what he was doing and who he was.
Psalm 22:10 and 11
(10) From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
(11) Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
You do not talk to God and say, “do not be far from me” if you think He has already forsaken you.
Jesus never thought God forsook him.
No one is near him - the Apostles where scattered, the shepherd was smitten, and the sheep were scattered.
Verse 11 says there is no one to help, and there was not, Jesus was on his own with God.
Psalm 22:12
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Why does it say Bashan? If you go to Israel, the largest, the best, the nicest looking, strongest, most fit cattle come from an area called Bashan. These are powerful animals, and that is exactly what the Romans where – powerful soldiers. They were the power in the world at that time.
Psalm 22:14
I am poured out like water….
Jesus had so many cuts and was bleeding everywhere.
Psalm 22:14
…all my bones are out of joint….
What a phenomenal prophecy to fulfill being the Passover lamb. Back in Exodus chapter 12 it said “not a bone was broken.” None of the Messiah’s bones were broken. They were out of joint but they were not broken.
Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
By the time it was 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus did not have a lot of physical strength left. He was literally living on faith alone.
“My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth” - Jesus was so dehydrated. He had been up all day Monday. He was arrested Monday night and beaten. Tuesday he went back and forth between Herod and Pilate. Then he had been up Tuesday night being beaten up by the soldiers. By Wednesday morning he is crucified and here in the afternoon he is still hanging on the cross. So he has probably been up all day Monday, all day Tuesday, he has been up for 48-50 hours, he has been bleeding for hours and hours and hours. He is completely dehydrated, and so his tongue is swollen. That is why he could not enunciate clearly to say “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” and they said, “oh, he is calling for Elijah.”
Psalm 22:16
Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
A dog was the name for a Gentile and that is exactly what the Jews called the Gentiles – dogs.
They pierced my hands and feet. This is a phenomenal statement because they did not crucify people at the time of David. The crucifixion was not invented until the Romans. The Assyrians had a form of crucifixion but what they did was stick you on a stake. They did not nail you to it or tie you to it.
Crucifixion as we know it in the Four Gospels did not exist until the Roman Empire. Yet more than 900 years before the Messiah was crucified, David writes by revelation “they pierced my hands and feet.”
What accuracy we have in God’s revelation. How things that are spoken in the Bible so accurately come to pass. It is phenomenal!
Think about the people that could see this taking place right in front of them at the foot of the cross. As they start to think about and quote Psalm 22: “Let me see – he is scarlet, he has always loved God, he is surrounded by bulls, his strength is dried up, his tongue is sticking to the roof of his mouth, they pierced his hands and his feet...”
Psalm 22:17 and 18
(17) I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
(18) They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Psalm 22:19-22
(19) But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
(20) Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
(21) Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
(22) I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
Psalm 22:23 and 24
(23) You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
(24) For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
Did God forsake Jesus? Not at all!
God heard Jesus' cry through the crowd, he heard every word, he monitored every thought and he listened to every sigh. God was right there with His son, the Messiah, every step of the way. God had to let this play out because it was the only way to legally redeem mankind. Jesus Christ had to give his life for you and for me. God’s heart was broken, but He had to let Jesus die for you and for me – that’s the love of the Father.
Psalm 22:25-31
(25) From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
(26) The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!
(27) All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
(28) for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
(29) All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.
(30) Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
(31) They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.
“He has done it” in the Aramaic is “It is finished.”Church in the home Wednesday evenings 6/Jan/ 2010
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
In this article, I want to focus on the definition of a “sacrifice.” We will examine what it was that Jesus sacrificed, what were the benefits to him (and thereby to us) for his doing so, and what it will look like for us to follow in his steps. I think it will become clear that we too should be making sacrifices in our own lives for the good of others.
1 Corinthians 5:7 and 8 (NKJV) [1]
(7) Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
(8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
There is much figurative language in the above verses, but the point I want us to notice here is that the truth in verse 7—that Jesus gave his life for our sins—is the basis for the action that verse 8 encourages us to take—to live our lives with sincerity and truth. As Scripture says, Jesus Christ is the example for each of us, and we are therefore to walk in his steps (1 Pet. 2:21, for hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps).
What was Jesus called to sacrifice? His very life. Psalm 22 prophetically depicts the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of the Messiah, with the first 18 verses pointing to his torture and death, and the last 10 verses pointing to his resurrection and his reign in the Millennial Kingdom. In between are the following pivotal verses, which poignantly foreshadow his crying out to God for deliverance from the grave.
Jesus, on the other hand, agonized alone in the Garden of Gethsemane to such an extent that the Greek text says he was “crushed with anguish” (Luke 22:44-NKJV “being in agony”).
Jesus Christ, however, knew the truth that death, as accurately defined in the Word of God, is “the end, or the absence of, life.” [2] By definition, one cannot be both dead and alive. Jesus knew that if he chose to step into the theretofore unbridged abyss of death, the only way back to life would be via his heavenly Father keeping His promise to raise him from the dead (Gen. 22:1-13 – Abraham and his son Isaac; Ps. 16:10 thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol) nor wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption).
What were the promised benefits that motivated Jesus Christ to lay down his precious life, which was most definitely “something prized or desirable” to him. What was the stupendous “something [that he] considered as having a higher or more pressing claim” compared to the preservation of his own life? The following verses answer that question:
Hebrews 12:1 and 2
(1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The “joy set before” Jesus was the great truth woven throughout the Old Testament that if he would go the distance as the only man who could live a sinless life and die a torturous death as the true Passover Lamb, he would be raised to newness of life, and so would all those who ever believed on him. He would reign over the world for a thousand years and later rule as second-in-command to God on a new earth, enjoying everlasting life with all the redeemed throughout the ages.
Because Jesus knew who he was, and that there was no one else who could do what he was called to do, he chose to walk the path set before him, which called for him to sacrifice his life. Now you and I are members in particular of the Body of Christ, representing him in this fallen world. So who are you? What are you called to sacrifice? And how will that look, behaviorally speaking? What will the benefits be to you for so doing?
Only in the Church Epistles do we find who we are in Christ, and, in the context of this article, that is our basis for understanding that we can “lay down our lives” (behaviorally speaking, in our relationships with others) with the assurance that what we are laying down (sacrificing, giving up, putting to death) are the selfish aspects of the old nature that dwells within us (Rom. 7:18, for I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing). This “death” of our old self—our false self, if you will—is the only way to real life, that is, living according to our new and true nature, which is designed by God to revel in putting others before ourselves. Each of us can “get our kicks” only from walking according to the new nature within us. You can see that in Romans 7:22-NKJV (“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man”) where the root Greek word translated “delight” is hedomai, from which we get the English word “hedonism,” meaning “pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”
The Word of God is clear that in His sight you are dead to sin and alive in Christ.
So what do the Church Epistles have to say about sacrifice? As we consider that question, we should expect whatever we find to flow in line with the principles of Christ’s sacrifice, because we are to follow in his steps.
Romans 12:1 and 2 (NASB) [3]
(1) I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
(2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
……..sacrificing the selfish aspects of our sin nature is the only way to really live life and love people as God desires us to.
Ephesians 5:1 and 2
(1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
(2) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Colossians 3:1-4
(1) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
(2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(3) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(4) When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Now onto Psalm 22 where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is clearly sketched.
Psalm 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Lots of Psalms start this way with very human feelings (emotions). There are a lot of times that we talk this way when we know we are not really forsaken. Something really bad has happened, and we might say, “God where are you, you are just not in my life anymore, you never show up for me anymore?” What you are doing is just emoting – expressing feelings and frustration.
The Psalms are like that. Why have the Psalms brought so much comfort to so many people through the centuries? Because they express in such human terms, and with such great accuracy how we actually feel, and how we actually think when things are rough around us. I can see this coming out of David during the circumstances he was going through in his life – “my God, my God why has thou forsaken me.”
There are a lot of Psalms that start this way:
Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 13:1
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
This is a beautiful capturing of human emotion, and how we actually feel even when we know in our head it is not really true.
Psalm 22 is a Psalm of David and would have been written more than 900 years before the crucifixion.
Psalm 22:1-6
(1) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
(2) O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
(3) Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
(4) In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
(5) They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
(6) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
Verse 6 says “I am a worm and not a man....”
There is something buried here in the Hebrew that we are not seeing in the English, and to see it we have to look closer at this word worm.
The Psalmist wrote by revelation:
Psalm 22:6-8
(6) But I am a worm [I’m scarlet] and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
(7) All who see me mock me, they hurl insults shaking their heads:
(8) “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
Psalm 22:9
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast.
God was working in the Messiah ever since the Messiah was little, working in the people around him to make him know what he was doing and who he was.
Psalm 22:10 and 11
(10) From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
(11) Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
You do not talk to God and say, “do not be far from me” if you think He has already forsaken you.
Jesus never thought God forsook him.
No one is near him - the Apostles where scattered, the shepherd was smitten, and the sheep were scattered.
Verse 11 says there is no one to help, and there was not, Jesus was on his own with God.
Psalm 22:12
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Why does it say Bashan? If you go to Israel, the largest, the best, the nicest looking, strongest, most fit cattle come from an area called Bashan. These are powerful animals, and that is exactly what the Romans where – powerful soldiers. They were the power in the world at that time.
Psalm 22:14
I am poured out like water….
Jesus had so many cuts and was bleeding everywhere.
Psalm 22:14
…all my bones are out of joint….
What a phenomenal prophecy to fulfill being the Passover lamb. Back in Exodus chapter 12 it said “not a bone was broken.” None of the Messiah’s bones were broken. They were out of joint but they were not broken.
Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
By the time it was 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus did not have a lot of physical strength left. He was literally living on faith alone.
“My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth” - Jesus was so dehydrated. He had been up all day Monday. He was arrested Monday night and beaten. Tuesday he went back and forth between Herod and Pilate. Then he had been up Tuesday night being beaten up by the soldiers. By Wednesday morning he is crucified and here in the afternoon he is still hanging on the cross. So he has probably been up all day Monday, all day Tuesday, he has been up for 48-50 hours, he has been bleeding for hours and hours and hours. He is completely dehydrated, and so his tongue is swollen. That is why he could not enunciate clearly to say “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” and they said, “oh, he is calling for Elijah.”
Psalm 22:16
Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
A dog was the name for a Gentile and that is exactly what the Jews called the Gentiles – dogs.
They pierced my hands and feet. This is a phenomenal statement because they did not crucify people at the time of David. The crucifixion was not invented until the Romans. The Assyrians had a form of crucifixion but what they did was stick you on a stake. They did not nail you to it or tie you to it.
Crucifixion as we know it in the Four Gospels did not exist until the Roman Empire. Yet more than 900 years before the Messiah was crucified, David writes by revelation “they pierced my hands and feet.”
What accuracy we have in God’s revelation. How things that are spoken in the Bible so accurately come to pass. It is phenomenal!
Think about the people that could see this taking place right in front of them at the foot of the cross. As they start to think about and quote Psalm 22: “Let me see – he is scarlet, he has always loved God, he is surrounded by bulls, his strength is dried up, his tongue is sticking to the roof of his mouth, they pierced his hands and his feet...”
Psalm 22:17 and 18
(17) I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
(18) They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Psalm 22:19-22
(19) But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
(20) Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
(21) Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
(22) I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
Psalm 22:23 and 24
(23) You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
(24) For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
Did God forsake Jesus? Not at all!
God heard Jesus' cry through the crowd, he heard every word, he monitored every thought and he listened to every sigh. God was right there with His son, the Messiah, every step of the way. God had to let this play out because it was the only way to legally redeem mankind. Jesus Christ had to give his life for you and for me. God’s heart was broken, but He had to let Jesus die for you and for me – that’s the love of the Father.
Psalm 22:25-31
(25) From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
(26) The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!
(27) All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
(28) for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
(29) All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.
(30) Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
(31) They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.
“He has done it” in the Aramaic is “It is finished.”
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
In this article, I want to focus on the definition of a “sacrifice.” We will examine what it was that Jesus sacrificed, what were the benefits to him (and thereby to us) for his doing so, and what it will look like for us to follow in his steps. I think it will become clear that we too should be making sacrifices in our own lives for the good of others.
1 Corinthians 5:7 and 8 (NKJV) [1]
(7) Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
(8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
There is much figurative language in the above verses, but the point I want us to notice here is that the truth in verse 7—that Jesus gave his life for our sins—is the basis for the action that verse 8 encourages us to take—to live our lives with sincerity and truth. As Scripture says, Jesus Christ is the example for each of us, and we are therefore to walk in his steps (1 Pet. 2:21, for hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps).
What was Jesus called to sacrifice? His very life. Psalm 22 prophetically depicts the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of the Messiah, with the first 18 verses pointing to his torture and death, and the last 10 verses pointing to his resurrection and his reign in the Millennial Kingdom. In between are the following pivotal verses, which poignantly foreshadow his crying out to God for deliverance from the grave.
Jesus, on the other hand, agonized alone in the Garden of Gethsemane to such an extent that the Greek text says he was “crushed with anguish” (Luke 22:44-NKJV “being in agony”).
Jesus Christ, however, knew the truth that death, as accurately defined in the Word of God, is “the end, or the absence of, life.” [2] By definition, one cannot be both dead and alive. Jesus knew that if he chose to step into the theretofore unbridged abyss of death, the only way back to life would be via his heavenly Father keeping His promise to raise him from the dead (Gen. 22:1-13 – Abraham and his son Isaac; Ps. 16:10 thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol) nor wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption).
What were the promised benefits that motivated Jesus Christ to lay down his precious life, which was most definitely “something prized or desirable” to him. What was the stupendous “something [that he] considered as having a higher or more pressing claim” compared to the preservation of his own life? The following verses answer that question:
Hebrews 12:1 and 2
(1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The “joy set before” Jesus was the great truth woven throughout the Old Testament that if he would go the distance as the only man who could live a sinless life and die a torturous death as the true Passover Lamb, he would be raised to newness of life, and so would all those who ever believed on him. He would reign over the world for a thousand years and later rule as second-in-command to God on a new earth, enjoying everlasting life with all the redeemed throughout the ages.
Because Jesus knew who he was, and that there was no one else who could do what he was called to do, he chose to walk the path set before him, which called for him to sacrifice his life. Now you and I are members in particular of the Body of Christ, representing him in this fallen world. So who are you? What are you called to sacrifice? And how will that look, behaviorally speaking? What will the benefits be to you for so doing?
Only in the Church Epistles do we find who we are in Christ, and, in the context of this article, that is our basis for understanding that we can “lay down our lives” (behaviorally speaking, in our relationships with others) with the assurance that what we are laying down (sacrificing, giving up, putting to death) are the selfish aspects of the old nature that dwells within us (Rom. 7:18, for I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing). This “death” of our old self—our false self, if you will—is the only way to real life, that is, living according to our new and true nature, which is designed by God to revel in putting others before ourselves. Each of us can “get our kicks” only from walking according to the new nature within us. You can see that in Romans 7:22-NKJV (“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man”) where the root Greek word translated “delight” is hedomai, from which we get the English word “hedonism,” meaning “pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”
The Word of God is clear that in His sight you are dead to sin and alive in Christ.
So what do the Church Epistles have to say about sacrifice? As we consider that question, we should expect whatever we find to flow in line with the principles of Christ’s sacrifice, because we are to follow in his steps.
Romans 12:1 and 2 (NASB) [3]
(1) I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
(2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
……..sacrificing the selfish aspects of our sin nature is the only way to really live life and love people as God desires us to.
Ephesians 5:1 and 2
(1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
(2) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Colossians 3:1-4
(1) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
(2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(3) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(4) When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Now onto Psalm 22 where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is clearly sketched.
Psalm 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Lots of Psalms start this way with very human feelings (emotions). There are a lot of times that we talk this way when we know we are not really forsaken. Something really bad has happened, and we might say, “God where are you, you are just not in my life anymore, you never show up for me anymore?” What you are doing is just emoting – expressing feelings and frustration.
The Psalms are like that. Why have the Psalms brought so much comfort to so many people through the centuries? Because they express in such human terms, and with such great accuracy how we actually feel, and how we actually think when things are rough around us. I can see this coming out of David during the circumstances he was going through in his life – “my God, my God why has thou forsaken me.”
There are a lot of Psalms that start this way:
Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 13:1
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
This is a beautiful capturing of human emotion, and how we actually feel even when we know in our head it is not really true.
Psalm 22 is a Psalm of David and would have been written more than 900 years before the crucifixion.
Psalm 22:1-6
(1) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
(2) O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
(3) Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
(4) In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
(5) They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
(6) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
Verse 6 says “I am a worm and not a man....”
There is something buried here in the Hebrew that we are not seeing in the English, and to see it we have to look closer at this word worm.
The Psalmist wrote by revelation:
Psalm 22:6-8
(6) But I am a worm [I’m scarlet] and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
(7) All who see me mock me, they hurl insults shaking their heads:
(8) “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
Psalm 22:9
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast.
God was working in the Messiah ever since the Messiah was little, working in the people around him to make him know what he was doing and who he was.
Psalm 22:10 and 11
(10) From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
(11) Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
You do not talk to God and say, “do not be far from me” if you think He has already forsaken you.
Jesus never thought God forsook him.
No one is near him - the Apostles where scattered, the shepherd was smitten, and the sheep were scattered.
Verse 11 says there is no one to help, and there was not, Jesus was on his own with God.
Psalm 22:12
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Why does it say Bashan? If you go to Israel, the largest, the best, the nicest looking, strongest, most fit cattle come from an area called Bashan. These are powerful animals, and that is exactly what the Romans where – powerful soldiers. They were the power in the world at that time.
Psalm 22:14
I am poured out like water….
Jesus had so many cuts and was bleeding everywhere.
Psalm 22:14
…all my bones are out of joint….
What a phenomenal prophecy to fulfill being the Passover lamb. Back in Exodus chapter 12 it said “not a bone was broken.” None of the Messiah’s bones were broken. They were out of joint but they were not broken.
Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
By the time it was 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus did not have a lot of physical strength left. He was literally living on faith alone.
“My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth” - Jesus was so dehydrated. He had been up all day Monday. He was arrested Monday night and beaten. Tuesday he went back and forth between Herod and Pilate. Then he had been up Tuesday night being beaten up by the soldiers. By Wednesday morning he is crucified and here in the afternoon he is still hanging on the cross. So he has probably been up all day Monday, all day Tuesday, he has been up for 48-50 hours, he has been bleeding for hours and hours and hours. He is completely dehydrated, and so his tongue is swollen. That is why he could not enunciate clearly to say “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” and they said, “oh, he is calling for Elijah.”
Psalm 22:16
Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
A dog was the name for a Gentile and that is exactly what the Jews called the Gentiles – dogs.
They pierced my hands and feet. This is a phenomenal statement because they did not crucify people at the time of David. The crucifixion was not invented until the Romans. The Assyrians had a form of crucifixion but what they did was stick you on a stake. They did not nail you to it or tie you to it.
Crucifixion as we know it in the Four Gospels did not exist until the Roman Empire. Yet more than 900 years before the Messiah was crucified, David writes by revelation “they pierced my hands and feet.”
What accuracy we have in God’s revelation. How things that are spoken in the Bible so accurately come to pass. It is phenomenal!
Think about the people that could see this taking place right in front of them at the foot of the cross. As they start to think about and quote Psalm 22: “Let me see – he is scarlet, he has always loved God, he is surrounded by bulls, his strength is dried up, his tongue is sticking to the roof of his mouth, they pierced his hands and his feet...”
Psalm 22:17 and 18
(17) I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
(18) They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Psalm 22:19-22
(19) But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
(20) Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
(21) Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
(22) I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
Psalm 22:23 and 24
(23) You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
(24) For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
Did God forsake Jesus? Not at all!
God heard Jesus' cry through the crowd, he heard every word, he monitored every thought and he listened to every sigh. God was right there with His son, the Messiah, every step of the way. God had to let this play out because it was the only way to legally redeem mankind. Jesus Christ had to give his life for you and for me. God’s heart was broken, but He had to let Jesus die for you and for me – that’s the love of the Father.
Psalm 22:25-31
(25) From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
(26) The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!
(27) All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
(28) for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
(29) All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.
(30) Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
(31) They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.
“He has done it” in the Aramaic is “It is finished.”Church in the home Wednesday evenings 6/Jan/ 2010
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
In this article, I want to focus on the definition of a “sacrifice.” We will examine what it was that Jesus sacrificed, what were the benefits to him (and thereby to us) for his doing so, and what it will look like for us to follow in his steps. I think it will become clear that we too should be making sacrifices in our own lives for the good of others.
1 Corinthians 5:7 and 8 (NKJV) [1]
(7) Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
(8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
There is much figurative language in the above verses, but the point I want us to notice here is that the truth in verse 7—that Jesus gave his life for our sins—is the basis for the action that verse 8 encourages us to take—to live our lives with sincerity and truth. As Scripture says, Jesus Christ is the example for each of us, and we are therefore to walk in his steps (1 Pet. 2:21, for hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps).
What was Jesus called to sacrifice? His very life. Psalm 22 prophetically depicts the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of the Messiah, with the first 18 verses pointing to his torture and death, and the last 10 verses pointing to his resurrection and his reign in the Millennial Kingdom. In between are the following pivotal verses, which poignantly foreshadow his crying out to God for deliverance from the grave.
Jesus, on the other hand, agonized alone in the Garden of Gethsemane to such an extent that the Greek text says he was “crushed with anguish” (Luke 22:44-NKJV “being in agony”).
Jesus Christ, however, knew the truth that death, as accurately defined in the Word of God, is “the end, or the absence of, life.” [2] By definition, one cannot be both dead and alive. Jesus knew that if he chose to step into the theretofore unbridged abyss of death, the only way back to life would be via his heavenly Father keeping His promise to raise him from the dead (Gen. 22:1-13 – Abraham and his son Isaac; Ps. 16:10 thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol) nor wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption).
What were the promised benefits that motivated Jesus Christ to lay down his precious life, which was most definitely “something prized or desirable” to him. What was the stupendous “something [that he] considered as having a higher or more pressing claim” compared to the preservation of his own life? The following verses answer that question:
Hebrews 12:1 and 2
(1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The “joy set before” Jesus was the great truth woven throughout the Old Testament that if he would go the distance as the only man who could live a sinless life and die a torturous death as the true Passover Lamb, he would be raised to newness of life, and so would all those who ever believed on him. He would reign over the world for a thousand years and later rule as second-in-command to God on a new earth, enjoying everlasting life with all the redeemed throughout the ages.
Because Jesus knew who he was, and that there was no one else who could do what he was called to do, he chose to walk the path set before him, which called for him to sacrifice his life. Now you and I are members in particular of the Body of Christ, representing him in this fallen world. So who are you? What are you called to sacrifice? And how will that look, behaviorally speaking? What will the benefits be to you for so doing?
Only in the Church Epistles do we find who we are in Christ, and, in the context of this article, that is our basis for understanding that we can “lay down our lives” (behaviorally speaking, in our relationships with others) with the assurance that what we are laying down (sacrificing, giving up, putting to death) are the selfish aspects of the old nature that dwells within us (Rom. 7:18, for I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing). This “death” of our old self—our false self, if you will—is the only way to real life, that is, living according to our new and true nature, which is designed by God to revel in putting others before ourselves. Each of us can “get our kicks” only from walking according to the new nature within us. You can see that in Romans 7:22-NKJV (“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man”) where the root Greek word translated “delight” is hedomai, from which we get the English word “hedonism,” meaning “pleasure for pleasure’s sake.”
The Word of God is clear that in His sight you are dead to sin and alive in Christ.
So what do the Church Epistles have to say about sacrifice? As we consider that question, we should expect whatever we find to flow in line with the principles of Christ’s sacrifice, because we are to follow in his steps.
Romans 12:1 and 2 (NASB) [3]
(1) I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
(2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
……..sacrificing the selfish aspects of our sin nature is the only way to really live life and love people as God desires us to.
Ephesians 5:1 and 2
(1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
(2) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Colossians 3:1-4
(1) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
(2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(3) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(4) When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Now onto Psalm 22 where the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is clearly sketched.
Psalm 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Lots of Psalms start this way with very human feelings (emotions). There are a lot of times that we talk this way when we know we are not really forsaken. Something really bad has happened, and we might say, “God where are you, you are just not in my life anymore, you never show up for me anymore?” What you are doing is just emoting – expressing feelings and frustration.
The Psalms are like that. Why have the Psalms brought so much comfort to so many people through the centuries? Because they express in such human terms, and with such great accuracy how we actually feel, and how we actually think when things are rough around us. I can see this coming out of David during the circumstances he was going through in his life – “my God, my God why has thou forsaken me.”
There are a lot of Psalms that start this way:
Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Psalm 13:1
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
This is a beautiful capturing of human emotion, and how we actually feel even when we know in our head it is not really true.
Psalm 22 is a Psalm of David and would have been written more than 900 years before the crucifixion.
Psalm 22:1-6
(1) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
(2) O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
(3) Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
(4) In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
(5) They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
(6) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
Verse 6 says “I am a worm and not a man....”
There is something buried here in the Hebrew that we are not seeing in the English, and to see it we have to look closer at this word worm.
The Psalmist wrote by revelation:
Psalm 22:6-8
(6) But I am a worm [I’m scarlet] and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
(7) All who see me mock me, they hurl insults shaking their heads:
(8) “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
Psalm 22:9
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother's breast.
God was working in the Messiah ever since the Messiah was little, working in the people around him to make him know what he was doing and who he was.
Psalm 22:10 and 11
(10) From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
(11) Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
You do not talk to God and say, “do not be far from me” if you think He has already forsaken you.
Jesus never thought God forsook him.
No one is near him - the Apostles where scattered, the shepherd was smitten, and the sheep were scattered.
Verse 11 says there is no one to help, and there was not, Jesus was on his own with God.
Psalm 22:12
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Why does it say Bashan? If you go to Israel, the largest, the best, the nicest looking, strongest, most fit cattle come from an area called Bashan. These are powerful animals, and that is exactly what the Romans where – powerful soldiers. They were the power in the world at that time.
Psalm 22:14
I am poured out like water….
Jesus had so many cuts and was bleeding everywhere.
Psalm 22:14
…all my bones are out of joint….
What a phenomenal prophecy to fulfill being the Passover lamb. Back in Exodus chapter 12 it said “not a bone was broken.” None of the Messiah’s bones were broken. They were out of joint but they were not broken.
Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
By the time it was 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus did not have a lot of physical strength left. He was literally living on faith alone.
“My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth” - Jesus was so dehydrated. He had been up all day Monday. He was arrested Monday night and beaten. Tuesday he went back and forth between Herod and Pilate. Then he had been up Tuesday night being beaten up by the soldiers. By Wednesday morning he is crucified and here in the afternoon he is still hanging on the cross. So he has probably been up all day Monday, all day Tuesday, he has been up for 48-50 hours, he has been bleeding for hours and hours and hours. He is completely dehydrated, and so his tongue is swollen. That is why he could not enunciate clearly to say “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” and they said, “oh, he is calling for Elijah.”
Psalm 22:16
Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
A dog was the name for a Gentile and that is exactly what the Jews called the Gentiles – dogs.
They pierced my hands and feet. This is a phenomenal statement because they did not crucify people at the time of David. The crucifixion was not invented until the Romans. The Assyrians had a form of crucifixion but what they did was stick you on a stake. They did not nail you to it or tie you to it.
Crucifixion as we know it in the Four Gospels did not exist until the Roman Empire. Yet more than 900 years before the Messiah was crucified, David writes by revelation “they pierced my hands and feet.”
What accuracy we have in God’s revelation. How things that are spoken in the Bible so accurately come to pass. It is phenomenal!
Think about the people that could see this taking place right in front of them at the foot of the cross. As they start to think about and quote Psalm 22: “Let me see – he is scarlet, he has always loved God, he is surrounded by bulls, his strength is dried up, his tongue is sticking to the roof of his mouth, they pierced his hands and his feet...”
Psalm 22:17 and 18
(17) I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
(18) They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Psalm 22:19-22
(19) But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
(20) Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
(21) Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
(22) I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
Psalm 22:23 and 24
(23) You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
(24) For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
Did God forsake Jesus? Not at all!
God heard Jesus' cry through the crowd, he heard every word, he monitored every thought and he listened to every sigh. God was right there with His son, the Messiah, every step of the way. God had to let this play out because it was the only way to legally redeem mankind. Jesus Christ had to give his life for you and for me. God’s heart was broken, but He had to let Jesus die for you and for me – that’s the love of the Father.
Psalm 22:25-31
(25) From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
(26) The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!
(27) All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
(28) for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
(29) All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.
(30) Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
(31) They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.
“He has done it” in the Aramaic is “It is finished.”
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