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Post by Jerry on Jun 14, 2011 6:24:55 GMT 12.75
As a first step in a series on the life of Christ, I would like to open the study with this lesson entitled HISTORICAL PROOF OF JESUS.
Text – John 1:1-3: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
If I were the ask the question, is there proof that Jesus did exist what would one say? In other words is there historical and scientific proof of Jesus? It is interesting to note that when people seek historic and scientific proof of Jesus, they immediately discount the Bible as a reliable source. Yet, if we were to look at the Bible simply as a historic document, it should be among the most reliable on record compared with others. Historians routinely cite Herodotus as a key source of information. He wrote from 488 B.C. to 428 B.C. and the earliest copy of his work comes from 900 A.D. (1,300 years later). Yet, there are only eight known copies of his work. By contrast, the New Testament of the Bible (with all its information about Jesus) was written between 40 A.D. and 100 A.D. The earliest known copy is from 130 A.D. and there are 5,000 known copies in Greek, 10,000 in Latin and 9,300 in other languages. If ancient historians agree that Jesus lived and died on this earth, why do you suppose there are so many attacks against Jesus’ existence on this earth? Well, simply stated: the greatest argument against Christianity itself would be the fact that Jesus never lived. If those who are against Christianity can ever get people to believe that Christ never existed then Christianity dies. You see, if Christ never existed, then there is no payment for sin, no redemption of mankind, no resurrection from the deal and no promise of the afterlife. So, let’s consider for a moment the historical evidence of the existence of The Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, understand, many people believe that the only record of Jesus’ birth is the Bible. And, those who reject the existence of Jesus go so far as to argue that the Bible is just a book of myths and legends. And, because of that belief, they conclude that there is not authoritative proof the Jesus existed. In this lesson today we’re not going to prove the validity of the Bible. But we are going to show that there is historical, archaeological and logical proof that would more than prove that the Bible is more than a book of myths and legends. Just consider some of the subjects that the Bible speaks to. For example, astronomy – medicine – science – and biology are all spoken to in the bible. And, in every case, the Bible has been found absolutely accurate when it speaks on these subjects. Not only that, but did you know that there has not been one single archaeological discovery to date that has contradicted the biblical record? For years, some historians said King David could not have existed. Then, in 1993 and 1994 a series of archaeological discoveries in the Middle East proved beyond doubt the accuracy of the biblical record. The same has proven true of the ark of Noah, the tower of Babel, the walls of Jericho, and several other areas in the biblical record.
Astronomers have also proven the Bible to be accurate. In Amos 5:8 (in the King James Bible) that there are seven stars in the constellation Pleiads. For years, astronomers have used this passage as "proof" that the Bible was scientifically unreliable because, according to "science" Pleiads has only six stars. The "biblical scholars" of several new versions such as the NIV, the NASV, and the NKJV were so embarrassed by this that they took the phrase out of their versions in spite of the fact that it is in every known ancient manuscript. But guess what happened: Both the astronomers and editors of the new versions of the Bible had to back-track. Because, with new telescopes, science has found out that there actually IS a seventh star in the Pleiads constellation. The star has been there all along just waiting for mankind to invent technology that is able to see it.
Some amazing medical "discoveries" have come from the Bible. Perhaps the greatest was made in 1845 by a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelwies. He read Leviticus 15:13 which says, "he shall . . . bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean." After reading this, Dr. Semmelwies insisted that all of the doctors in his hospital wash their hands in running water between each patient they treated. As a result, the mortality rate in Hungarian hospitals dropped from 30% to 2%.
We only bring this out to show that if the Bible were the only proof of the existence of Jesus it would be enough. However, as we mentioned earlier, there is more proof of the existence of Jesus than the Bible. Let’s consider these for a moment.
Consider the Jewish Historian, Josephus. Josephus lived from AD 37 to AD 100. He wrote this: "About this time appeared Jesus, a wise man (if indeed it is right to call Him man; for He was a worker of astonishing deeds, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with joy), and He drew to Himself many Jews (many also of Greeks. This was the Christ.) And when Pilate, at the denunciation of those that are foremost among us, had condemned Him to the cross, those who had first loved Him did not abandon Him (for He appeared to them alive again on the third day, the holy prophets having foretold this and countless other marvels about Him.) The tribe of Christians named after Him did not cease to this day." (Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63 ). Most scholars agree that some of these statements are in italics and were added to the document later by others, most likely Christians. However, there has not been any dispute regarding the accuracy of this statement regarding the crucifixion of Jesus. And the simple truth is: If Jesus was crucified, then He had to have been to have been born. And, if He was born and was crucified, He did exist.
Also, consider the Gentile Historian named Tacitus. Tacitus was a Roman historian. In his Annals, written in AD 115, he describes the Roman Emperor Nero's actions after the great fire of Rome, which occurred in AD 64. Here is what he says: “Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Annals 15 –44.
You see, according to a gentile, non-believer, Jesus did exist. In fact, by using the term “ Mischievous Superstition” this historian was describing Christianity as evil. The Latin word for mischievous means destructive, fatal, or deadly. So it would seem that what Tacitus actually said was it was “a destructive or fatal or deadly superstition was checked or stopped for the moment”. This was not written by a Christian to prove the existence of Jesus but this was written by a non-believer to show that Christianity was checked or stopped for the moment when Christ was crucified. Not only that but the fact is: Tacitus was not referring to the death of Jesus as superstition but was referring to the practice of Christianity as superstition. So, this man, who was a famous historian and reputed in his own day as being extremely careful and factual would not have been prone to writing about a movement without first checking the Roman archives to see if he could not get the most accurate report possible. He wrote his history of Rome covering the death of Augustus to the death of Domitian, which was 14 AD to 96 AD. He used earlier works by historians, cross-checking them with each other to verify the accounts. In other words, he sought to verify his facts – something unusual in the writing of the time. So, a Gentile non-believer even verifies the existence of Jesus.
Now, in closing, let me mention two sources in our own time that concerns the existence of The Lord Jesus Christ. One is Dr. Simon Greenleaf former professor of law at Harvard University. Here is a quote from Professor Roger Kovaciny, member of the Ukranian Bible Translation Project about Dr. Greenleaf.
Quote Dr. Simon Greenleaf, former professor of law at Harvard University and once recognized by the Supreme Court to be perhaps the greatest authority on legal evidence who has ever lived, made a detailed examination of the evidence relating to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, quoted by L.A. Drummon and P.R. Baxter in the 1986 book How to Respond to a Skeptic. (Chicago: Moody Press, p 117.) He concluded that in any unbiased courtroom in the world, the evidence would establish the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. The documentary evidence has been examined independently by millions of people, each of whom had the opportunity to find mistakes if there were any. St. Luke, for example, turns out to be as meticulous a geographer and historian as anyone now living. Calling his Gospel "mythology" is like calling Caesar's Gallic Wars "legendary." Contempt prior to investigation is no way to determine the facts. Unlike some religious literature, the Bible is filled with specific names, dates, places. Fifty or sixty years ago it was commonplace to scorn these as legendary or inaccurate, but having such an attitude today requires one to ignore libraries full of research in history, archeology and linguistics. Which of course is your privilege; but the recently-published "Under the Influence" by Alvin Schmidt shows that virtually everything that makes the world today better than it was in Roman times stems directly from the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. End Quote
So, according to a well-known and respected expert on legal evidence, there is absolute historical proof that Jesus did exist. By the way, the Supreme Court of the United States is not a Christian organization that is defending the existence of Jesus. Yet, in 1968 (NOT ANCIENT HISTORY) the Supreme Court did consider Dr. Simon Greenleaf to be the foremost authority on legal evidence in the world. And, Dr. Greenleaf, by examining the evidence concludes that Jesus Christ did exist.
Now, one other source and we’re done for today. This is our own Encyclopedia Britannica. Here’s what it says concerning the testimony of the many independent secular accounts of Jesus of Nazareth:
Quote: These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds by several authors at the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries. End Quote.
As a final note, it is interesting that Jesus is even recorded as a fact, as is His death, burial and missing body in the Reader's Digest Book of Facts, 1989. You see, the Bible is our source of truth and a book of faith and that’s true. And, we don’t need to spend a lot of time defending or trying to prove the Bible. We accept it by faith. However, don’t ever let anyone tell you that the Bible IS the only historical proof that Jesus did exist. Because there are numerous sources of history that emphatically state that Jesus did exist. I have actually only touched on a few in this lesson.
God bless, Jerry
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Post by Paws on Jun 15, 2011 5:35:27 GMT 12.75
So there is absolutely no doubt that Jesus of Nazareth did live. I've read something or the other that attributes his Father as Joseph, who was a carpenter and He was termed a "Tektron" or laborer/intern trainee. Interestingly as you will recall Mary and Joseph were returning to the city to participate in a census which would have resulted in a public record of His birth and accounted for him in a secular manner. So the question of His birth, human parentage, birth place, and early life are (at least were) documented.
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Post by Jerry on Jun 24, 2011 0:14:13 GMT 12.75
LIFE OF CHRIST INTRO Text – Acts 4:10-12
Acts 4:10-12 ( KJV) Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Now – in way of introduction – let me say – that there are three pressing reasons that we do a study on the life of Christ.
Let me mention these: #1. Christ is misunderstood by many multitudes of people, including many average, every-day folk. #2. Christ is misunderstood by many religions. #3. Christ is misunderstood by the Average man, including many Bible-believing people.
So – if for no other reason – we should study the life of Christ – because of the huge number of people who have misunderstandings about who and what He is.
Now – let me give you some of the misunderstandings surrounding The Lord Jesus Christ. First – Consider some historical skeptics and what they say about Jesus. Albert Sweitzer said this: “He was a deluded fanatic who futilely threw away his life in blind devotion to a made dream. There is nothing more negative than the critical study of the life of Christ.” George Bernard Shaw said this: “A man who was sane until Peter hailed him as the Christ and who then became a monomaniac…his delusion is a very common delusion among the insane…” Rudolf Buttmann (German politician and diplomat): “I do indeed think we can now know almost nothing concerning the life and personality of Jesus.” And - Hugh Schonfield (British Bible Scholar): He said this about the atoning death of Jesus. “A conspiracy had to be organized of which the victim himself was the principal instigator. It was night-marish conception and undertaking, the outcome of the frightening logic of a sick mind…”
Now, let me deal with the first skeptic quoted here, Albert Sweitzer. He was born in the 1800’s and went to a Seminary in Germany. In that seminary - they began to question the authenticity of facts in the book of Genesis. The conclusion, then is this: If Genesis is not true, then sin did not cause human malady. Therefore, if we still believe in God (which they did in that seminary), then God Himself is the author of human malady. This, in turn, makes God less than what the Bible says He is. Not only that, but it destroys the need for a Savior because sin ceases to be an issue. So, suffice it to say that many skeptics are out there, but we MUST always base our beliefs on the authority of the Word of God.
That’s what some Skeptics say about Jesus. But what about Religions. I am going to mention the name of some religions here. I am not doing this to attack them, but I feel we need to mention this, because of all of the false beliefs that are around about Jesus. So, consider some religions and what they teach about Jesus.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses. Charles Russell, The founder of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society says this: “The man Jesus is DEAD – forever DEAD”.
The Mormon Church. Brigham Young stated: “Jesus Christ was a polygamist; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, were his plural wives, and Mary Magdalene was another. Also, the bridal feast of Cana of Galilee, where Jesus turned the water into wine, was the occasion of one of his own marriages”. This group also teaches that Jesus was once a mere man who became a god, and that we can do the same. They further teach that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers.
The Christians Scientists. Mary Baker Eddy said: “God is indivisible. A portion of God, could not enter man; neither could God’s fullness be reflected by a single man.”
The New Age Movement. A book written Levi H. Downing, considered the founder of the New Age Movement, entitled, The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, says this: “…Christ is not a man. The Christ is universal love…” David Spangler, another founder of the New Age Movement, in a book entitled, Reflections on the Christ, says this: “The true birth of Christ was not the birth of Jesus. Jesus was an individual who…built upon the pattern Buddha had established. He himself had to become awakened…to…touch this Christ pattern.” And Benjamin Crème, another new age personality, was quoted as saying: “Christ is divine ‘in exactly the sense that we are divine.’ But the same Christ spirit dwelt in ‘Hercules, Hermes, Rama, Mithra…Krishna, Buddha, and the Christ…perfect men in their time, all sons of men who became Sons of God, for having revealed their innate Divinity.’” By the way, this last man, Benjamin Crème, on two occasions, first in 1982 and again in 1997 made the claim that Christ would appear on national TV and announce his existence. Crème even took out ads in newspapers around the world to announce these events. His explanation, after Christ failed to appear, was that Christ decided it wasn’t yet time to make his appearance. Crème also believes in UFOs and in 2006 said that crop circles are made by UFOs who have a lot to do with the security and ecological level of our planet. He goes on to say that crop circles are part of a new science that will give us energy directly from the sun. Oil will become a thing of the past. No one will be able to sell energy in the future. Since his first prediction in 1982 failed, not much attention is paid to him anymore. But, the false teachings about Jesus persist to this day among religions and many misunderstand Christianity simply because they misunderstand Christ.
Now – finally – Not only is Christ misunderstood by Skeptics and religions, but He is often misunderstood by the average man. You see, the average man often thinks of Jesus as some weak, effeminate, religious leader who may deserve our respect but not our obedience. The Lord is often thought of as a good man, a great prophet or a great teacher but not as Creator God, The Savior of the world and the Judge of all men. Many liberal Christian churches (so-called) consider Jesus to be the divine Son of God, but they focus totally on His love and presume that He would never condemn sin or send anyone to hell. By the way, The Lord sends no one to hell. They send themselves to hell by rejecting Christ Himself. There is even a problem among true believers about Jesus. You see, many times (and rightfully so) we emphasize the sacrificial death of Christ so much that we neglect His life. Yet, the Bible makes it plain that we should study both. The problem is, when so many churches emphasize the atoning death of Christ and neglect the life of Christ, often times they will not grow in grace like they should, and, therefore will not be conformed to the image of Christ.
OK – I want to close with some reasons we should study the life of Christ. I have Scripture references for these, but I’m not going to list any of them. I just want to give a list of reasons FOR or results OF studying the life of Christ. These should help motivate any of us to study His life.
#1. (This is probably the greatest reason of all.) But, we should study the life of Christ in order to assure us of our salvation. You see, we all know that salvation is in Christ and Christ alone. But, the question is: How did we arrive at that belief? Folks. I submit to you that we arrived at our faith by learning something about the person of Jesus Christ. In fact, we have to know a few things, not many things, but a few things about Christ in order to be saved in the first place. Also, to be reassured of our faith, we need to continue to learn about Him. And, one sure way of continuing to learn about Christ is to study His life.
#2. We should study the life of Christ in order to help us to persevere like He persevered. You see, at times life is not all that easy. In fact, at times life is a challenge at best. Yet, one sure way to help us to keep on keeping on is to know all we can about the Lord Himself. We can accomplish this by studying His life.
#3. We should study the life of Christ in order to help us to think like Him. Over in Philippians Chap. 2, it tells us to let the same mind that Christ has to be in us. This is just another way of saying that we would think like Christ thinks. Yet, it stands to reason that we cannot have the same mind that Christ has unless we know something about Him. And, one sure way to know something about Him is to study His life.
Finally - #4. We should study the life of Christ in order to help us to live like Him. Now, granted, here’s a tall order. None of us lives entirely like we should every moment of every day. Yet, here’s the great truth of this teaching: The more we know about Christ, the better chance we have of becoming like Him. And, the more we become like Him, the more we will be able to live like Him.
CONCLUSION: There is no one quite like Jesus. There is nothing to compare to Him. And the more we know about His life the better we’ll be for it. If you have questions, please post them.
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Post by Paws on Jun 24, 2011 1:41:07 GMT 12.75
;D Terrific report Jerry! Much appreciated. I can see how the hard determinations of the Mormon and JW leadership stand alone in discrediting the groups as other than cults. Scientology and New Age accuse the scriptures of being mythology yet transcend several steps beyond reality and rational sanity without an explanation of their assumptions. The whole thing smacks of purposeful dilusion. Now what purpose do you suppose such deception might have and who would stand to benefit?
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Post by Jerry on Jun 24, 2011 23:54:18 GMT 12.75
You are right. However, when dealing with "religion" we must keep in mind that even those who are mis-guided are often zealous and adamant in their beliefs. This is why understanding Christ is so important. Because, there is too much truth supporting His being the Son of God to explain it all away.
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Post by Two Tales on Jun 25, 2011 4:04:28 GMT 12.75
I'm sorry but you need to back up just a li'l bit on the Beliefs of the Mormons ie the Church of Later Day Saints..I have had many long discussions with bishops and elders and also lay persons of this religion...and have studied the Book of the Lamb and Book of Mormon quite abit (needed to, can't go to battle unarmed)...Son of God and Son of Man as He is described...they also believe in the Holy Trinity (The Father The Son and The Holy Ghost) it is not in their belief that he was first a man that became a God he was born the Son of God to Man...the belief that He was a polygamist is not out of the norm..it was and still is a common practice in the Middle East...but then again it doesn't't actually state any place in their religion that they say he was only that he might have been married and maybe to more than one woman...Granted that there are some odd critters drifting around in that group but show me one given religion that does not have it zealots and total wackos..that's like saying all the Baptist are the same as the Phelps types...or that all Catholics are pedophiles...oh and by the way, their first book of religion is not the two already mentioned..it is as is yours...The Bible
Not that this all matters much to me because most folks think me a pagan and or heathan....
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Post by Jerry on Jun 25, 2011 5:00:20 GMT 12.75
Thanks for the input Two Tales.
My source for most of the information in this series is contained in Wilmington's Guide to the Bible. He is considered a leading theologian on this type of information. These quotes are from his book, page 266.
I also use commentaries from a 3-year Bible Course I took, entitled Faith Bible Institute. This is offered by John T. Yates, Senior Pastor of Rowland Road Baptist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. Rev. Yates has taught this course since 1985. He quotes various sources throughout his course.
Personally, I trust the references given by both of these men.
Hopefully, most of the remainder of this study will not be very controversial and hopefully will invite some good discussion.
Jerry
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Post by Jerry on Jun 25, 2011 5:12:43 GMT 12.75
Two Tales,
So far as what people think of you, forget it. It really does not matter. I will never judge you - that is not my place.
However, when a religion states that their primary book is the Bible and then other books are added, I have a difficult problem. Why? Because I sincerely believe that the Bible and only the Bible is God's Word and that it is an inspired book which is the sole source of our faith and is complete and preserved as the sole authority right down to the current age.
Although, I might not be able to fully understand this passage, it is very relevant when looking at any source of information peripheral to the Bible. This is Rev. 22:18-19, and says:
Revelation 22:18-19 ( KJV ) For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Since I view the Bible as my sole authority in matters of faith and practice, then, I cannot use any other source.
The references I use in this series, are "verifiable" quotes from existing sources.
Hope this helps you see where my heart is.
Thanks again,
Jerry.
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Post by Two Tales on Jun 25, 2011 6:53:45 GMT 12.75
So be but which version are you using? the Bible has been re-translated nearly 100 times in the last 2000 years what about the books that the "Church" threw out because they did not meet what "they" want taught...so all the companion Bibles are just so much rubbish? and for that matter what of this thread...it's not adding anything to or taking away from the written works but are you not interpreting them as you deem fit in accordance with your own (and or borrowed) convictions? neither the Book of Mormon nor the Book of the Lamb are used as substitutes for the Bible
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Post by Paws on Jun 25, 2011 8:01:47 GMT 12.75
I'm going to poke my nose in here because I can not find it in my heart to credit the books of Mormon and Lamb to be the inspired word of God. The why is very simple. Where I discover fraud then everything used to support that fraud becomes suspect. The supposition that Jesus may have been married because the Arabic, Muslim, customs were/are to marry and to mary many wives is issued for what purpose? Is it to legitimize the Mormon practice of polygamy or to desensitize the Christian to the practice? Let's get back to basics. It is not legal in the United States to be married to more than one person at one time. (Case Closed) It is against the law period. There does not seem to be a record of Jesus of Nazareth having ever been married. I think that is sufficiently significant as a life event that had He been married there would probably be a record. Also I think that if it were significant that He had never been married there would/might also be mention of that fact, if it were significant. Become gods? Come on now that is the same crap that Satan sold Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden isn't it? Listening to and accepting that premise is the root of original sin. Satan and God are brothers? Where are Mom and Dad? Mormonism is no more Monotheistic than is ...., well you get the idea. John Smith found a pair of magic glasses. Credible?
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Post by Two Tales on Jun 25, 2011 12:12:19 GMT 12.75
OK after this I'm done with this thread..I will not debate the fact or fiction of one religion over another if one does not have an open mind..
Phil, the Mormons stoped polyagamy years ago, those few out there are not even recognized by the LDS..they are off shoot groups...and do not even have a doctrine...not mormons you can understand that can't you...No were in their teaching do they say Satan and God are brother's or that Christ is God or that Christ and Satan are brothers...
Now just why would Christ not be married...is it because ya'll think that being married would have been a sin? no?, Go forth and multiply... or words to that effect...no one said anything about muslims...what the heck do they have to do with this debate...It was a custom in the mid eastfor men to be married and "have other wives..." this was practiced by men of all faiths in the region up until the early 20th century...not just muslims...as far as written records...folks are finding new stuff every day...in the buried ruins in the mid east..but of course there is the Bible...but like I said it has been re written and re translated so many times no one not even the most strident experts can say what was or was not left in or out...what of the discovery of the Lost Books...you would think that religiuos folks would be clamoring to find out what is written in those...no they were left to the scholars and poo poo'ed by those very religions...so and I mean this unless someone pulls their head out and takes a breath of fresh air looks around and actually looks things up and studies..I'm through with this debate. and thread...
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Post by Paws on Jun 25, 2011 14:06:12 GMT 12.75
From what I am seeing on the media Mormon/LDS etc do indeed practice plural marriage and do so quite successfully in closed neighborhoods as well as in absolute secret while living and working in society. These folk are simply and intentionally breaking our existing laws. Law breaking is not a good thing. Why would Jesus not be married? Hell if I know. Why would He be? I agree that every religeous sect I'm familiar with has some very strange doctrine, beliefs, practices, etc; however, I do not recall of any but one that are not based in some form of spiritism, that being the "discovery of magic glasses". Seems to me that this particular act is told more in the vain and intent to seem "more believable" than supernatural. It smacks of peyote, loco weed, lead in the moon shine, kerosene in the apple cider, etc. Now can we get back to apologetics and study Jesus life.
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Post by Jerry on Jun 30, 2011 1:36:47 GMT 12.75
LIFE OF CHRIST 1 Theophanies.
In this study, we want to continue our study on the life of Christ. Of course, in a study like this we must follow the Lord’s leadership because to exhaust all that is taught in the Bible and elsewhere about Christ would take a lifetime. However, as we stated last time, it is very important for Christians to know as much about as possible about The Lord. In fact, let me mention the 4 basic reasons FOR or results OF studying the life of Christ. #1. We should study the life of Christ – in order to assure us of our salvation. #2. We should study the life of Christ – in order to help us to persevere like He persevered. (KEEP ON KEEPING ON). #3. We should study the life of Christ – in order to help us to think like Him. #4. We should study the life of Christ – in order to help us to live like Him.
So, it is very important that we know as much about Christ as we can.
Now, in this study, let me deal with the Old Testament ministry of The Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament records a number of what are referred to as theophanies or Christophanies. These are defined as pre-Bethlehem appearances of Christ. Most Bible theologians hold that the recurring angel of the Lord appearances in the Old Testament is to be identified as Christ himself. This position is strongly suggested by two key passages.
The first is found in Genesis 48:16 where the dying patriarch Jacob is blessing his two grandchildren. In this passage, Jacob says: Genesis 48:16 ( KJV ) The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
Consider what it says here. It says the ANGEL WHO REDEEMED ME FROM ALL EVIL bless the lads. The word ANGEL here is the Hebrew word MALAWK and literally means ANGEL – PROPHET – PRIEST or TEACHER. It is translated as AMBASSADOR – ANGEL – KING or MESSENGER. So, the literal translation of the word is not necessarily an angel in the strictest sense of the word. And, since NO regular angel can redeem men, it is understood that the angel here is actually The Lord Jesus Christ.
Now – consider another comparison Scripture. This is found in Judges Chap. 13, where the parents of Samson who had been unable to have children up to this point, were told of the coming birth of Samson. Consider the account. This is Judges Chap. 13, Vs. 15 thru 23. Judges 13:15-23 ( KJV ) And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
Now, consider some things here. Consider the identification of this messenger from God. More than once, He is identified as an angel of the LORD. But, in Vs. 22, this changes because He is identified as GOD. Not only that but when Manoah asked for the messenger’s name, the messenger said: why do you ask my name – when it is SECRET? The word secret here literally means REMARKABLE. It comes from a word that means a MIRACLE and is translated as SECRET or WONDERFUL. By the way, this is same root word which is translated WONDERFUL in Isaiah Chap. 9, Vs. 6, which is one of the special names of the Messiah given in that prophecy.
Some of the instances in the Old Testament where The Lord appears as Angel of The Lord: 1. Genesis 16:6-7, where He appeared to Hagar (Sarah’s handmaiden). 2. Genesis 16:13, where He is referred to as “the Lord” (Jehovah) and God (El Roi). 3. Genesis 18, where He ate with Abraham and judged Sodom. 4. Genesis 22:11-13, He rescues Isaac. 5. Exodus 3, He spoke to Moses at the burning bush. 6. Exodus 33: He spoke to Moses face-to-face.
Some of the instances in the Old Testament where The Lord appeared as something other than the Angel of the Lord: 1. Genesis 32:24-30. Record of Jacob’s Ladder and Jacob wrestling with the Lord. 2. Genesis 48:16. The Lord is referred to as the One who redeemed Jacob from all evil. 3. Exodus 14:19. The Lord is referred to as the Angel of God. Here, as the cloud by day and pillar and fire by night, he protects the flight of Israel from Egypt as they cross the Red Sea and make their journey to the Promised Land. 4. Exodus 23:20-23. The Lord is referred to simply as Angel. Here, it says he would lead his people into the Promised Land. 5. Isaiah 63:9. The Lord is simply called The LORD as He protects them as they Inhabit the Promised Land. 6. Joshua 5:13-15. Here, the Lord appears as The Captain of The Lord’s Host. NOTE: The same thing The Lord said to Moses about removing his shoes, he also said to Joshua. 7. Daniel Chapter 3, Vs. 22-27. The Lord, as the Son of God, appears as the Fourth Man in the Fire with the 3 Hebrew Children.
So, what can we learn from this? We can conclude that Jesus is not only God, but He has always existed. Not only that, but Jesus as God The Son is one of the primary means that God reveals himself to mankind throughout the Bible. This occurs not only in the New Testament but also in Old Testament. You see, Jesus is everywhere we look in the Bible. And, without Him, there would be – NO BIBLE – NO SALVATION – NO ETERNITY – NO HOPE – and NONE OF THE BLESSINGS THAT COME FROM GOD ALONE. Folks, Jesus is everything to us. And, as the old saying goes, without Him we really are NOTHING.
Let me conclude by giving an overview of how the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted in each and every book of the Old Testament. And, as we ponder these, maybe it would help us to – in some way – understand just a little bit more about HIM.
- In Genesis – He’s CREATOR GOD who stood on nothing and spoke the world into existence. - In Exodus – He’s the great I AM – who spoke to Moses out of a burning bush. - In Leviticus – He’s the great LAWGIVER – who governs without error and without prejudice. - In Numbers – He’s the CLOUD BY DAY and PILLAR OF FIRE by night – who leads his people through the wilderness. - In Deuteronomy – He’s those CITIES OF REFUGE – who saved God’s people from deserved justice. - In Joshua – He’s the CAPTAIN OF THE HOST – who leads His people to victory. - In Judges – He’s the GREAT DELIVERER – who delivers his people from their enemies. - In Ruth – He’s the GREAT REDEEMER – who is able to redeem his people and make them his bride. - In Samuel – He’s that STILL SMALL VOICE – who speaks to his servant in the night. - In Kings – He’s the SHIKANAH GLORY OF GOD – who fills the temple with his presence. - In Chronicles – He’s that PASSOVER LAMB – who shed his blood for the sins of His people. - In Ezra – He’s that GREAT SCRIBE – who gives the Word of God. - In Nehemiah – He’s the GREAT REBUILDER of the walls of our lives. - In Esther – He’s that UNNAMED POWER – who is supreme among men. - In Job – He’s the ONE who has the answers to all of our questions. - In Psalms – He’s the GREAT SHEPHERD – who cares for his people – like no one else. - In Proverbs – He’s wiser – than the wisest man who ever lived. - In Ecclesiastes – He’s ALMIGHTY GOD – to whom every soul will return one day. - In The Song of Solomon – He’s THE BRIDEGROOM – who loves UNCONDITIONALLY. - In Isaiah – He’s IMMANUEL – God With Us. - In Jeremiah – He’s the One who knows the thoughts and intents of the heart of man. - In Lamentations – He’s the one with the broken heart – because he has to chastise His people. - In Ezekiel – He’s the compassionate one – who sat where they sat. Meaning, He puts Himself into our shoes. - In Daniel – He’s that 4th man in the fire – who can deliver anyone from the fiery furnace. - In Hosea – He’s the wife of Israel – who forgives and heals their backsliding. - In Joel – He’s the one who says – WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME and call upon the name of the Lord. - In Amos – He’s the GREAT JUDGE – to whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. - In Jonah – He’s the one who prepares the great fish – who swallows all excuses for service. - In Micah – He’s the GREAT RULER – whose goings forth have been from everlasting to everlasting. - In Nahum – He’s the GREAT REVENGER – who will destroy all of his enemies. - In Habakkuk – He’s that HOLY ONE – whose glory covered the heavens and whose praise is throughout the earth. And, even though He is HOLY, He still chooses to personally deal with His people. - In Zephaniah – He’s the FIERCE ONE – who executes his wrath on all those who reject Him. - In Haggai – He’s THE LORD OF HOSTS – who rules over His people. - In Zechariah – He’s that great BRANCH – who is the source of all life. - And – in Malachi – He’s the Coming Messiah – with healing in his wings.
Folks, The Lord is everywhere we look in the Bible. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and there is NO ONE LIKE HIM.
I welcome your comments.
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Post by Jerry on Jul 7, 2011 2:36:02 GMT 12.75
LIFE OF CHRIST 2
In our last study on the life of Christ we covered some of the Pre-Bethlehem appearances of Christ in the Old Testament. We won’t review those, but suffice it to say that Christ is everywhere we look in the Bible. As a point of focus I want to give some of the things that were prevalent at the time Christ was on this earth.
What about politics? There were three (3) local political groups at the time of Christ. #1. There were the Galileans. This group got their name from where they originated which was the region of Galilee. This was a group of extreme fanatics who rebelled against all foreign elements. Christ’s enemies tried to identify Him and His disciples with this group because they were from the same region. #2. There were the Herodians. This group supported the rule of the Herods and Romans and joined in the opposition against Christ. #3. There were the Zealots. This group advocated open war and rebellion to kick out their Roman oppressors.
What about Religion? There were five (5) local religious groups at the time of Christ. #1. There were the LEVITES. This was the priests who had charge of the Temple. #2. There was the Sanhedrin body. This was the 70 to 72 member Jewish religious and legal Supreme Court in Israel. This is the body who condemned Christ with an illegal meeting. By the way, this particular body went out of existence for centuries until it was restored in 2005. #3. There were the Scribes or Lawyers. They were the scholars, students, interpreters and teachers of the Old Testament Scriptures. They opposed Christ. #4. There were the Pharisees. They were extreme conservatives who accepted both the written and oral law of the Jews. They held to traditions and believed in the resurrection of the dead, in miracles and angels. And finally - #5. There were the Sadducees. These were extreme liberals who accepted only the books of Moses and rejected the resurrection of the dead, miracles and angels.
These were the groups prevalent at the time of Christ and basically all of them rejected Christ as the Messiah.
What about Ethnic groups? There were three (3) basic ethnic groups at the time of Christ. #1. There were the Jews. These, as we all know, are the sons of Abraham and Issac and Jacob (or Israel) and the 12 sons of Jacob which make up the 12 tribes of Israel. This nation was set-up by Almighty God for one major purpose: To bring the Messiah into the world. #2. There were the Gentiles. Generally speaking, these were all non-Jews. The Jews hated the Gentiles and considered them horribly unclean. Jews would take a complete bath after even casual contact with a Gentile. #3. There were the Samaritans. This was a mixed blood Jewish/Gentile group that worshipped God at Mount Gerizim in a mixed religion. More than any other group, this one was intensely hated by the Jews. The Jews would even remove dust from their feet if they had to travel through Samaria. The Samaritans were the descendants of the remnant left in the land of Israel from the Northern Kingdom during the Assyrian captivity. They mixed with other races and religions.
Remember that sitting in the midst of all of this we have the oppressive Roman Empire who had military, governmental and economic control over the entire region.
Now, let me mention the 4 Mary’s that were recorded in the Bible during the life of Christ. #1. We have Mary, the mother of Jesus. What a godly wife and mother to be chosen as the mother of The Lord Jesus Christ. #2. We have Mary of Bethany – the sister of Martha and Lazarus. This is the one who anointed the feet of Jesus. #3. We have Mary – the mother of James and Joses. By the way, Mary, the mother of Jesus also had sons by these names but they are not to be confused with this Mary. This Mary was at the cross, the burial and at the empty tomb following the resurrection of Christ. #4. We have Mary Magdalene. She was possessed of 7 demons, which Christ cast out of her. She was the first to see the Christ after His resurrection.
These are some of the people and groups of people who existed during the life of Christ. The Lord dealt with all of these people and groups of people while He was on this earth. And, when one studies the life of Christ, they will see all of these people and groups involved with the Lord in some way.
In this lesson, let me contrast the two (2) main genealogies or ancestries of the Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the New Testament. The first one is found in Matthew Chapter 1, Vs. 1-17: Matthew 1:1-17 ( KJV) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; and Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Consider some things about this genealogy. This introduces Jesus to the Jews as their Christ or their Messiah. This also introduces Jesus to the Jews as the son of David, the father of the kingly seed of Israel, and as the son of Abraham, the father of the physical seed of Israel. God’s eternal and unconditional covenants or agreements to the Jews were given to these two men. These covenants or agreements promise Israel a land, a seed who would bless all nations and an eternal throne and King. Jesus Himself is the seed and the King who will rule on the eternal throne promised to Israel.
Consider something else here. Consider that this genealogy traces the line forward from Abraham to David, from David to the time of the Captivity, and, then from the time of the Captivity to Jesus. Notice this also records the line of Joseph who was the legal (step) father of Jesus while He was on this earth.
Notice this also includes the names of four (4) women. This is remarkable because women were not usually included in genealogies in the ancient world. Not only that but all four of these women had problems in their background. In fact, Tamar and Rahab were ex-harlots, Rahab and Ruth were ex-pagans, and Bathsheba was an ex-adulteress. We only mention this to show that the grace of God is seen even in the ancestry of the Lord Jesus Christ. At any rate, this is the genealogy of Christ as recorded by Matthew.
Now, the other genealogy is the one in Luke. We won’t include all of those names. Let me give a small portion of it. This is Luke Chap. 3, Vs. 23: Luke 3:23-24 ( KJV ) And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, Now, down to Vs. 37. Luke 3:37-38 ( KJV ) Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
In Matthew’s genealogy, Jesus is depicted as the Chosen One of God, the Jewish Messiah. In Luke’s genealogy, Jesus is depicted as the Son of Man, tracing His ancestry all the way back to Adam. In the first 2 verses, we see the name Heli. Heli was Mary’s father, and, his inclusion here shows the actual bloodline of Christ. Why? Because, as the opening verses say, Jesus (as was supposed) was the son of Joseph. We all understand that Joseph was the legal, stepfather of Christ, but was not his actual blood father. However, Mary was his actual mother. We point this out, merely to show how God explains in His Word, in plain language, that Jesus was and is His Only Begotten Son. So, the line of Joseph preserves the legal line of Christ whereas the line of Mary provides the bloodline of Christ.
CONCLUSION: We cannot over-emphasize the importance of Jesus Christ to our faith. He is the center of everything in Christianity. And, it is appropriate that his genealogy or ancestry is included in God’s Word. However, it is also interesting to see the grace of God included in those same genealogies. You know, when reading these genealogies, because this is speaking of God’s Son, one would think that only the very best people would be included in these lists. Yet, that is not the case at all. You see, there are all kinds of people listed in these genealogies including the four women we mentioned earlier. Think about the people God used in the human line to His Only Begotten Son. There are harlots – liars – murderers – adulterers – poor people – rich people – kings – wise men – servants – and even destitute women. You see, just like every other place in Scripture this shows the AMAZING GRACE of ALMIGHTY GOD. And, folks, without GOD’S GRACE Jesus would never have come to this earth – He would not have a human ancestry – and there would be NO opportunity for anyone to be born again. Aren’t you glad that God had a plan? And, aren’t you even more glad that we are all included in that plan? Praise God for His Amazing Grace because, without it, we are truly nothing.
I welcome your comments.
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Post by Paws on Jul 7, 2011 10:56:12 GMT 12.75
I did not see Noah in the lineage. Did I miss it? Also I seem to remember Something or the other referring to Jesus as "the Son of David". Important I thought as I believe He was prophesied to be of that lineage.
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Post by Jerry on Jul 7, 2011 12:08:40 GMT 12.75
Jesus as the "Son of David" is in the first genealogy in Matthew. Look at Matthew Chapter 1, Vs. 1: Matthew 1:1-17 ( KJV) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Noah is not included in Matthew's genealogy - because it begins with Abraham who was born to Terah after Noah's time. (Ref: Genesis 11:26-32, Genesis Chapter 12).
However, Noah (translated NOE) is included in Luke's genealogy. Luke begins with Jesus and goes in reverse order to Adam. Noah (Noe) is in Luke Chapter 3, Vs. 36-38: 36Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 37Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 38Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
So, Jesus is listed as the son of David and Noah is in the genealogy listed in Luke.
Hope that clarifies this.
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Post by Paws on Jul 7, 2011 22:41:24 GMT 12.75
Thanks Jerry.
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Post by Jerry on Jul 15, 2011 1:41:28 GMT 12.75
LIFE OF CHRIST 3
In this study we want to deal with the first ANNUNCIATION or ANNOUNCEMENT that the time for the Messiah had arrived. This is where the angel Gabriel visited Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist, who was the one who would announce the arrival of the Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ.
Our text is Luke Chapter 1, Vs. 5 thru 25: Luke 1:5-25 ( KJV ) There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
Now, notice some things from this passage. First, notice the names of the parents of John the Baptist. They are Zecharias which means THE LORD REMEMBERS and Elizabeth which means THE COVENANT OF GOD. So, putting the two names together, we have a very appropriate announcement for The Lord Jesus Christ. Because, taken together, their names mean THE LORD REMEMBERS HIS COVENANT or AGREEMENT. Both of the parents here were descendants of the priestly tribe of Levi a tribe that often intermarried with the royal line of Judah. Elizabeth, who was Mary’s cousin, belonged to the tribe of Judah. Zecharias belonged to the line of Abia or Abijah. In the temple in those days there was a huge number of priests involved in the temple worship. It is estimated that there were 20,000 plus priests serving in the temple worship. These were divided into 24 groups who rotated every week. Because of the number involved Zecharias himself would have gone to the temple only twice per year. Now, Zecharias and Elizabeth were very unique and special people, because, according to our text, there would have been no one with more character than these two. However, they were not without concerns, because they were getting old and they had no child because Elizabeth was barren.
Now, let me discuss daily temple worship a little bit in that day. Preparation would begin before sunrise each day. There would be ceremonial washings to prepare the priests. There would be torchlight inspections of all the temple courts. Then, the priests would assemble in what was known as the HALL OF HEWN POLISHED STONES for prayer. There, they would confess their faith and quote what is called the SHEMA. This is recorded in Deut. 6:4-9 – Deut. 11:13-21 and Num. 15:37-41. It goes like this: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ( KJV ) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Quite a passage of Scripture, I might add.
After the reading of the SHEMA the duty of each priest was determined by the casting of the white-stone lot in a ceremony that was performed 4 times each day. Then, one of the priests would wait on the pinnacle of the temple to watch for the first light of dawn at which time he would signal for the services to begin. The fire upon the brazen altar would be stirred to fresh flames and the altar would be prepared. On this particular day the aged Zecharias was finally chosen for the once in a lifetime experience of offering the incense in the Holy Place. At 9:00 AM three long trumpet blasts would sound across the city and the great gates of the temple would be opened to allow the worshippers to enter. In a great ceremony, the lamb for the morning sacrifice would be examined, sprinkled with water from a golden vessel, laid upon the altar and the sacrifice would be made. After the sacrifice was complete the ceremony was not yet over because God had not yet accepted the sacrifice. Not until the offering of incense in the Holy Place was performed would the ceremony be complete and signify that God had accepted the sacrifice. Actually, four priests would take part in this, each one performing a specific duty and being careful to never turn their back on the Holy of Holies, and then would exit after completing their duty. Earlier, the first priest would enter the Holy Place, trim the 7 lights of the Golden Candlestick and exit. Then, the second priest would enter, remove the coals from the previous day, clean the Altar of Incense and exit. Then, the third priest would enter, place fresh coals from the Brazen Altar on the Altar of Incense and exit. Then, it was Zecharias’ part of the ceremony. It began when a crescendo of music would ring throughout the temple. The people would all bow in prayer and in absolute silence as Zecharias would enter the Holy Place for the most solemn part of the ceremony. He would enter the Holy Place with Censor in Hand, would kindle the incense on the Altar of incense, and would bow in worship and reverently withdraw. However, before Zecharias could finish his part of the ceremony something remarkable took place. When Zecharias raised his head and opened his eyes he saw the Archangel Gabriel. Now, it’s interesting to note that Gabriel was standing on the right side of the altar. You see, the right side of the altar, according to Jewish tradition, was reserved for God Himself. The traditional place for Gabriel was on the left side. In this case, God made it clear that He does not accept human or religious traditions when it comes to The Lord Jesus Christ. By the way, this appearance marked the end of 400 years of silence from Heaven. It had been 400 years since the book of Malachi was written, and, so far as we know, for that 400 years God had not spoken one single word to any human being. At any rate, Zecharias is told by Gabriel that his prayers were heard and that his aged wife would bear a very unique and special son. His name would be John, which means THE GRACE OF GOD. He would bring JOY and GLADNESS. He would be GREAT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD. He would abstain from all wine and would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. (By the way, this does not mean that he was saved before he could put his faith in God. It simply means that God placed his hand on him from conception to his death). Because of God’s spirit on him, John would preach in the spirit and power of Elijah and was the one chosen to prepare the way of the Lord. This is who John the Baptist would be, and Zecharias is the one who was given this prophecy about his only son. The only problem with this entire event is that Zecharias had doubts and asked for a sign. Gabriel rebukes Zecharias and tells him he would be unable to speak until John’s birth. Now, Zecharias next duty would have been to appear to the people and pronounce God’s acceptance of the offering and blessings on the people by quoting the Levitical blessing from Numbers chapter 6, Vs. 22 thru 27. This would be followed by a meat offering, the chant of the Psalm of Praise, the music of celebration, and the drink offering. Instead, when Zecharias finally exits the Holy Place and appears to the people he can’t utter a word. However, by using sign language as best he could, the people perceived that he had seen some vision. By the way, just like Gabriel said Zecharias remained mute until John was born. And, one would think that after the birth of John, that the first thing Zecharias would have done would be to express his pride in having a son in his old age. But, do you know what he did? When his voice came back and He was able to speak, the very first thing Zecharias did was to praise God for his greatness. This within itself is remarkable. Because, I rather think that most men would have done something other than praise God at this point in their life.
CONCLUSION: Every single one of the signs surrounding this event foreshadows the coming of The Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ. Sign #1. A priest sees a vision in the Holy Place in the Temple during a public service breaking with every tradition they had. Sign #2. This vision came after 400 years of silence from Heaven. Sign #3. The priest becomes mute and remains mute until the birth of a special and unique son. Sign #4. The priest involved here and his wife are barren and beyond the age of childbearing making John’s birth a truly supernatural event. And – Sign #5. Upon coming of age, this son preaches that the Messiah has come.
You know, one would think that Israel, being a nation of signs, would have gathered the right message from all this. Yet, sadly, Israel misses the signs and, by so doing, miss the Messiah. This should tell us something: If we miss the signs. In other words, if miss the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ, we will have missed it all. Because, there is only one messiah, Hs name is Jesus and there will NEVER be another. And, as we often say: If we miss Him, we will have missed it all.
I welcome your comments.
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Post by Jerry on Jul 20, 2011 22:59:05 GMT 12.75
LIFE OF CHRIST 4
In this lesson we want to examine some things about the Second Annunciation or announcement that Jesus would come and would be the one and only Messiah. You might remember last time that we discussed the parents of John the Baptist who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. In other words, John would announce that the Messiah had arrived. You might also remember that John’s parents were beyond the years of bearing children, so the birth of John the Baptist was supernatural, just like the birth of Jesus Christ was supernatural. However, the birth of Christ was unique because He is the only entity to ever be born of a virgin. Not before and not since has there been a birth like Jesus’ birth. This stands to reason when we understand the Christ was and is the Only Begotten Son of the Only True and Living God. There never has been and will never be another.
Our text follows: Luke Chap. 1, Vs. 26 thru 38. Luke 1:26-38 ( KJV ) And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
There are, of course, volumes of teachings included in this passage. Let’s examine just a few of these. During the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist the angel Gabriel appears in Nazareth to a young virgin named Mary who is espoused or engaged to Joseph. Gabriel comes to announce one thing: God has chosen Mary to be the mother of His Son Jesus. Now notice something here. Notice the text says that Mary is blessed AMONG women NOT above women. You see, this refutes the teachings of those who elevate Mary above other humans and actually try to make her the intercessor between Jesus and Humans. Mary was a very special person who possessed high moral character. However, just like all humans, she was a sinner who needed a savior. It’s interesting to note that Mary was the first person recorded in the New Testament to refer to Jesus as her savior. This is recorded in Luke 1:46 and 47 and it says this: Luke 1:46-47 ( KJV ) And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
The setting for this text is when Mary visited Elizabeth before the birth of John the Baptist and soon after Mary was told that she would bear Jesus. On that visit, when Mary greeted Elizabeth, John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb just to be in the presence of the Lord. Then, Mary explains what is going to take place and she calls Jesus both Lord and Savior.
Also, consider that in Second Timothy Chapter 2, Vs. 5 and 6, it says this: 1 Timothy 2:5-6 ( KJV ) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
So, contrary to what a lot of people teach, Mary was not born without sin and, in fact, was a sinner in need of a savior. By the way, Mary was also not a perpetual virgin as some contend. Because in Matthew, Mark and Acts, it specifically states that Jesus had brothers and sisters. In fact, in Matthew and Mark several of the names are given. So, Mary was a sinner in need of a savior and was not a perpetual virgin and is not an intercessor between Jesus and other human beings.
Now, notice something else here. Notice the major Old Testament prophecies that are contained in this text that were fulfilled in Jesus and Jesus alone. (These are just a few of the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus and Jesus alone).
#1. Gabriel says that Jesus would be born of a virgin. This is a direct fulfillment of Isa. Chapter 7, Vs. 14 – where it says this: Isaiah 7:14 ( KJV ) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. So, the first Old Testament prophecy that was fulfilled in Jesus was His virgin birth. #2. Gabriel says that Jesus would be given the throne of His Father, King David. This is, again, a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. In fact, let me share some of those prophecies that speak to Jesus being given the throne of David. Psalms 132:11 ( KJV ) The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. Isaiah 9:6-7 ( KJV ) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 16:5 ( KJV ) And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. Jeremiah 23:5 ( KJV ) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. You see, we bring this out only to show how God Himself views the nation of Israel. The throne of the Lord, on this earth, will be located in the land of Israel and specifically in the city of Jerusalem. It will be in the exact place where King David ruled. Folks, this has to occur because God said it. You know, I’m sure that Hebrew theologians throughout the Old Testament saw this prophecy and probably wondered how on earth this was going to take place. And, since the nation of Israel was scattered all over the world, and since God had been silent for some 400 years up to this point, I’m sure many began to wonder if this prophecy would EVER be fulfilled. Yet, by God’s grace and power, Gabriel makes the announcement that Jesus would come, He would be the Messiah and he would be given the throne of David, just like God had intended all along. And, I might add that this event is rapidly approaching just as sure as we’re reading this post. So, the Lord is definitely going to be given the throne of His Father David. #3. Gabriel says that the Lord’s throne would last forever. This is another one of those prophecies that is mentioned repeatedly throughout the Old Testament. Let me share some of those. Daniel Chap. 2, Vs. 44: And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Daniel Chap. 7, Vs. 14 and 27: And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. And Micah Chap. 4, Vs 7: And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. Again, these, and all other prophecies of Scripture concerning the Messiah, either already have been fulfilled by Jesus Christ or will be fulfilled by Jesus Christ. And, one of the great trues of the event we are looking at, is that God used ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Folks, if he can use them, He can use us.
CONCLUSION. THE SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE CONCERNING JESUS CHRIST BEING THE MESSIAH IS OVERWHELMING. There are over 40 major Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah not counting the numerous minor prophecies. As we have already stated, Jesus has either already fulfilled or is in the process of fulfilling every single one of them. So, the Scriptural evidence is overwhelming. And, one would think that Israel would have seen these things come to pass and would have embraced the Messiah. That, of course, did not happen. Yet, in a sense, for mankind this was an even greater blessing. Why? Because the rejection of Christ by Israel helped lead to The Lord’s death on the Cross. And, the Lord’s death on the Cross was absolutely necessary or no one could be saved. In fact, if Christ had not died on the Cross, we would all still be waiting on a Savior to die for the sins of the world. You see, one of the great trues about Christ’s coming is that He came primarily to seek and to save that which was lost. And, the method, although barbaric, was the exact method God used to pay for the sins of the world. Thank God that He had a plan. And, thank god that Jesus was willing to carry out that plan.
I welcome your comments.
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Post by Jerry on Jul 28, 2011 0:08:09 GMT 12.75
THE LIFE OF CHRIST 5
In our previous studies we dealt with a couple of the original announcements that the Messiah was going to come and He would be Jesus. In this study we want to deal with the earthly father (Stepfather) of the Lord, a man named Joseph. Our text for tonight is found in Matthew Chapter 1, Vs. 24-25:
Matthew 1:18-25 ( KJV ) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
We’re not going to examine this passage in detail but we do want to deal with some of the specific things that take place in this text. Notice, first that the ANGEL OF THE LORD informs Joseph about what is going to take place. This is the angel Gabriel who has been involved in each of the announcements that the Messiah would come and He would be named Jesus. In this case, Gabriel appears to Joseph in a dream to inform him what is going to take place. Now, notice the actions on the part of Joseph. You see, as our text shows Joseph acts as one who is just. In other words, Joseph acts as one who HAD BEEN MADE RIGHTEOUS. It’s interesting to note that in The Bible apart from the Lord Jesus Christ there are only 7 specific men referred to as being JUST. There is frequently found in Scripture some principles that apply in a general sense to humans being just and we can find these in numerous places in the Bible especially in the Proverbs. But, when the Bible is speaking of a specific human being, only 7 times does it refer to a human being as being just. Let me just mention the names of these. They are NOAH - JOHN THE BAPTIST - SIMEON (who waited in the Temple for the appearance of the Christ child) - JOSEPH OF ARIMATHAEA (who buried the body of Jesus in his own tomb) - CORNELIUS (The Roman Centurion) - LOT and JOSEPH (The husband of Mary). By the way, if one would read all about each of these referred to it would become quite obvious that it refers to all types of people in all types of situations and that being just is something that comes from God and is not inherent in man. In other words, God is JUST by nature while man is MADE just by God. Joseph was one of these who the Bible says was a JUST man. This simply means that regardless of what else Joseph was, He responded to God in a very personal way and that made Him a just or righteous man. However, unlike many others who were called just, such as Noah and Lot, this man called Joseph was not only just in his heart, but from all accounts in Scripture He was also just in his outward actions. We say this, because everything that’s recorded about Joseph in the Bible indicates that he did things as right as He could. His handling of a fiancée who was pregnant out of wedlock - The response that He made to the revelations of God - in dreams - And the fact that He was chosen to be the legal father of The Lord Jesus Christ - ALL speak to this man’s impeccable reputation. So, whatever else Joseph was, he was not only one who was made JUST in his heart but He lived it out in his life. So Joseph was a just man. Now, notice how the actions of Joseph proved that he was indeed a just man.
First, notice that Joseph has a sense of true righteousness. This comes out in the way he handled Mary’s perceived sin. You see, God may forgive sin and God may even forget sin. But, the fact is: God never ignores sin. Neither did Joseph. So, even though he had other traits that caused him to stand out among men, Joseph certainly had a sense of true righteousness.
Secondly, Joseph not only had a sense of true righteousness but He also had heart-felt compassion. Consider Vs. 19 again. It says: (Matt 1:19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her (Mary) a public example, was minded to put her away privily. In order to understand the magnitude of Joseph’s heart here it might do us good to be reminded of the customs of that day concerning this situation that these two people found themselves in. At this time in history, engagement and marriage were regarded a great deal differently than they are today. Most marriages were arranged by parents. And, when the two became engaged there was a ceremony and agreement made that was almost as binding as the marriage itself. Violation of either of these would normally result in the public humiliation of the guilty party. In fact, in the Old Testament violation of either the engagement or marriage agreement, if it was for infidelity, was punishable by death.
Some contend (as do I) that by the time of this event in the New Testament stoning to death had been done away with except as allowed by Roman law. In fact, by this time in Israel’s history the only authority that could put anyone to death was the Roman Government of the day. This is exactly why the Jewish leaders, when they held their mock trial of The Lord Jesus Christ and imposed the death penalty on Him, they had to go to the Roman Government to have the sentence carried out. Now, granted, stoning to death occasionally took place but Roman law did not condone it and only Roman law could legally carry out the death penalty. Now, consider another fact about this concept of stoning to death. Notice the term PUT HER AWAY in this text. This term and this holds true throughout The Bible, but the term PUT HER AWAY refers to divorce and not death. If Mary was found to be unfaithful and stoning to death was still in force for infidelity then the punishment would be death not divorce. In that case Joseph would have NO choice in the matter, because the dictates of the law would prevail. Regardless of which view we hold to (whether stoning was or was NOT allowed) is not the issue. The issue is how Joseph reacted when he found out that Mary was with child. You see, Joseph, even though he may have had the right, He DID NOT demand the full dictates of the law. Because in order for either an engagement or marriage to be broken a public announcement and fixing of blame had to be made in order to avoid the accusation and guilt of the innocent party. Whether it would be public stoning or public divorce Joseph demanded neither but his first instinct was to avoid any public display that would humiliate Mary. Joseph’s great compassion is seen here because He did not demand the full dictates of the law, even though it would have been his right to do so. So, Joseph was indeed a compassionate man.
Thirdly, Joseph was not only righteous and had compassion but He showed forgiveness. This comes out in the way he handled the situation. When it seemed that Mary had betrayed him He refused to seek revenge. In my opinion, most people if faced with the same situation would delight in the prospect of getting even. Yet, Joseph instantly forgave Mary for her perceived betrayal, a most unusual attitude in any age.
Fourthly, Joseph was not only righteous, had compassion and showed forgiveness but He acted with faith and obedience to the Lord. You see, this is beyond doubt simply because Joseph believed God and took Mary as his wife. In other words, Joseph not only heard the will of God and understood the will of God but he was determined to carry it out to completion regardless of the consequences. Now, understand what this is speaking of: Joseph surely understood that once it was known as to how all of this came about that there would be much skepticism in those who would hear of it.
Come on Joseph, you mean to tell me that Almighty God is going to be the Father of that child that Mary is carrying? You mean to tell me that you expect us to believe that a virgin is actually going to give birth to a son? And do you mean to tell me that God has already named Him Immanuel which is interpreted God with us? Aw, come on Joseph, the next thing you’ll want us to believe is that that little baby will be able to heal the sick and raise the dead and walk on water.
I suggest that Joseph understood all of the skepticism that would come about and went ahead and did what God told him to do anyway. In fact, it always costs us to do what God says. It always costs us to carry out God’s will in our lives. Yet, it takes a special person to do that when all the odds are against them. God give us more men like Joseph, who carried out the will of God regardless of the circumstances involved.
CONCLUSION: This man called Joseph so far as this world was concerned didn’t have much to offer. He was a simple carpenter who made his living with his hands. He lived in a small, insignificant village called Narazeth that was largely discounted by the society of his day. He had no great wealth and no great position. He was not looked to for his wisdom or guidance by anyone in authority on this earth. And, He was one who was probably misunderstood and accused of wrong-doing all the days of his life. But, the fact is: Joseph was the one single man who was chosen by Almighty God, to be the legal, earthly father of The Lord Jesus Christ. And, the further fact is: whatever a human does on this earth, in God’s eyes is always related to how we respond to and treat The Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph stands as one of those special men in the Bible who was just, balanced, compassionate and obedient to Almighty God. May each of us be the same!!!
I welcome your comments.
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