"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven- things which angels desire to look into." 1 Pet. 1:10-12
When I read the verses above the other day, I couldn't help but consider the prophets of God.
As I consider the prophets of scripture, I wonder what it was like to see and hear by the Spirit of Prophecy, which is the living Word, the person of Jesus. Though He was not yet born in the flesh, Jesus showed the prophets things concerning Himself that caused the prophets to search and search, trying to see more deeply into what they were being shown. They searched the words of the prophets who had come before them to find out more. They were shown such an awesome mystery, that even the angels didn't know the details, though they desired to know.
Among other things, they were shown a suffering savior, who through the sufferings of His own body and soul, provided salvation, atonement, healing, redemption, restoration and resurrection to all men who would accept Him. Death itself would be defeated by the Savior. Not all who read these prophecies, including kings and religious leaders, accepted them, and that sad fact continues today.
The prophets saw that the resulting glory of the Savior's victory would be so great, that even new heavens and a new earth would be generated from it. These prophets were told and saw incredible things by the Lord. With being shown all of these amazing things, according to the verse from 1 Peter above, they were also shown that they would not see the manifestation of these things in their own lifetime, but were to prophesy them for the sake of some generation to come, not knowing how long that might be. They saw the miracle of salvation, but it was not to be for them at that time. It could only be for them in hope and faith. Can we even imagine how the prophets felt about that? And yet the prophets prophesied it for our sakes. When we desire something, we want to know from the Lord, "When, God, when?" How would we feel if we knew that what we were praying for, what we deeply needed and desired, would surely manifest, but not for generations to come? Would that knowledge change the enthusiasm and hope in our prayers?
We who believe God want as many eyes and ears as possible to see and hear the message we bring. One person recently told me that they knew how it felt to prophesy, but no one would hear or believe. It could be that this person spoke from a place of frustration. It's true that human ears need to hear what the prophet is saying, but the prophets were at their greatest when it was just them and God.
The prophets of scripture not only prophesied to both hearing and unhearing human ears, but were called to prophesy when there were no ears at all to hear. They prophesied from caves (1 Sam. 24:10, 1 Ki. 18:4, 1 Ki. 19:9, 13, Ps. 142:1, Jn. 11:38), from a valley of dry bones (Ez. 37:1), from pits (Jer. 18:18, 20), from inside the belly of a great fish (Jonah 1:17, 2:1), from a den of lions (Dan. 16:16), from an island of exile (Rev. 1:9), from a prison cell (Gen. 39:20, Isa. 53:8, Acts 16:23-24, 1 Pet. 3:19), from a wilderness (Mt. 4:1, 11:7), from a sheepfold (Amos 1:1), from a battle (Judges 4:8-9). They were commanded to prophesy through horrible marriages (Hos. 1:2), through the children they conceived (Isa. 8:3-4, 1 Sam. 4:20-22), through the dung they cooked over (Ez. 4:12, 15), by what side of their body they lay upon (Ez. 4:3-8), by the clothes they wore, or didn't wear (Isa. 20:2-4, Mt. 3:4), by wearing animal yokes (Jer. 27:1-2), by the strange food they ate (Mk. 1:6). Yet they continued to prophesy for our sake. I received my salvation from the words of the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53) spoken 750 years before the birth of Christ. Isaiah saw Him, and described Him to me in the words of his book.
Has the Church ignored, neglected and misused this precious spiritual gift of the prophet who has been sent today to equip us, and edify us with the knowledge of Jesus Christ? What about the other gifts set among us for the Lord's purpose: apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:11-13)? Have we had a lack of understanding regarding their divine purpose to us, the Church? It's very possible that we have consumed them on our flesh, with our fleshly needs and demands, rather than to have understood that the purpose and goal of the Lord was for us to grow in the unity of faith, and into the perfect man, with the stature of the fullness of Christ. As a result, we have become a Church of stunted growth, and disunity.
As I read the verses in 1 Pet. 1:10-12, it gave me a lot of food for thought.
Our Father has sent us prophets.
"Prophesy"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG7SVAWNyg0
"Song of Ezekiel"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi3R3Ork7VM
"Days of Elijah"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjxNhMV9yg8
In the previous entry, we talked about spiritual food. This time, I would like to think about spiritual cups. The imagery in the scriptures connected to spiritual cups is very deep, and heavy to contemplate. On one hand, the spiritual cups are connected to judgment for the sake of justice. On the other hand, there are also cups for the purpose of salvation and redemption. Whole nations, individuals, evil spiritual powers, and even the Savior drink from various spiritual cups in the scriptures. Let us look at some references.
"Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup." Ps. 11:6
In the context of this psalm noted above, the "wicked" are seeking every opportunity to harm and kill God's people. The wicked are defined as those who love to do violence (v.5). As we will see, these cups of judgment are given in the face of great spiritual wickedness.
God also gives cups of judgment to His own covenant people to drink (Isa. 51:17), then says in later verses (v. 22-23):
Thus says your Lord, the LORD and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people: "See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My fury; you shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to you, "Lie down, that we may walk over you." And you have laid your body like the ground, and as the street, for those who walk over."
When God is giving His cup of trembling to His own people to drink, it is not for other nations to take advantage of this by adding their abuse upon God's people. He has given the cup to His own people in order to bring correction and repentance to them, so that ultimately He can restore their relationship with Him. Those who see the people of God undergoing this correction, and use it as an opportunity to add to their sorrows, will also drink the cup.
The Prophet Jeremiah gives us a prophecy of whole nations and peoples that will have to drink judgment from the hands of the LORD:
"For thus says the LORD God of Israel to me: "Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them." Jer. 25:15-16
We may wonder why God judges whole nations. Because nations have ruled, and led the people in unrighteousness, many have suffered, many have died. Nations and rulers have responsibilities before God in governing the people. The first group that will drink this cup that the LORD has commanded to Jeremiah, are the kings and princes of His own people of Jerusalem and Judah. It is a tragedy for a nation when those who know God choose to lead in the same wickedness as those who have turned their backs on righteousness and justice. They will drink the same cup as those whose ways they follow.
Then the LORD names the other nations that will drink from this cup (v. 19-26). According to the translation of the names of these nations, they are not only natural peoples and nations, but evil spiritual powers. Their names translate as follows: "siege, distress, hostility, fire of infamy, fierce, greedy and harsh, exterminate, tear up by the roots, destroy, devastate, ruin, robbers, garments stained with blood, incestuous, inbred, knife, assault, bind, lie in wait for and hunt eagerly, covetous, lust after, contempt, despised, shamed, condemned, cut in pieces, to pluck or prune off fruit, sterile dry places, darkness as a result of turning away from the light, eternal hidden dissembler and deceiver, lurk, hide, hoard", and, an idol or goddess is named at the end (Sheshach) who represents the nation of Babylon, and is worshipped with licentious behavior.
We can see, from the names by which these nations are called, that evil in all of its destructive forms, has ruled over them. The LORD also says that "all the kingdoms of the world, which are on the face of the earth" will drink from this cup (v. 26).
God tells these nations and spiritual powers that if He makes His own people, the city of His own name, drink this cup, should the nations go unpunished? (v. 29).
Nations have bowed their heads to, and consorted with, these evil powers. God's own people have mixed with these powers. By embracing these evil principalities, nations have allowed, and participated in greed, death and destruction. One of God's twelve governmental names (Gen. 34:6-8) is "Just Judge". He cannot ignore injustice forever.
We have also been given a powerful picture of how these forces of evil and destruction have corrupted themselves, and seek to corrupt all of man. It also involves the drinking of a cup:
In Rev. 17 and 18, there is an example given of a cup from which a spiritual power gets drunk for enjoyment. This power has been given the name "Babylon" (confusion). It is so huge that it covers many waters. It is called the mother of all of the abominations of the earth. In its wine cup is the blood of saints, and martyrs that have been killed. The kings and inhabitants of the earth have committed fornication with this evil power, becoming rich on its wealth, and drunk on its wine. However, by the justice of God, that very cup with which this power becomes drunk with pleasure, becomes, instead, the cup of the fury of God (Rev. 18:3), and the fate of this evil power is to be destroyed in one day. The kings of the earth actually mourn her destruction, because they gained great wealth from her. A voice from heaven warns God's people, "Come out of her My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." (Rev. 18:4).
We have read above of the cups of judgment that the LORD pours for wicked powers and those who choose to follow them, so that He may establish justice for those who have been victims. Because He is the Just Judge, however, the LORD is also abounding in mercy, goodness, and truth. He provides for those who will so choose, cups of life and salvation. He is able to give us those cups, because His Son provided them for us at great cost through His own life. The prophets spoke of these cups. There is a cup of consolation (Jer. 17:7), and a cup of salvation (Ps. 116:12-13). King David spoke of a cup that the LORD gave to him that runs over with goodness and abundance (Ps. 23:5).
The Passover Seder prophesies through four cups of wine: the Kiddush cup of sanctification, the cup of deliverance, the cup of redemption, and the hallel cup of praise/acceptance/restoration.
Jesus fulfilled these prophetic cups as He and His disciples partook of them during Passover, including the cup of the new covenant from Jesus' own blood (Mt. 26:27). These same cups are available to all of us. How was all of this made possible? Again, it involved a cup:
In order to provide us with these cups, Jesus chose to drink another cup on our behalf. Jesus spoke of this spiritual cup that was purposed for Him to drink (Mt. 20:22). After the Passover Seder was completed, and just before He was arrested and crucified, Jesus and His disciples went out to the place called Gethsemane (wine press). The spiritual cup that Jesus drank at that time filled Him with great distress and sorrow (Mt. 26:37-38). Twice He asked His Father if the cup could pass away from Him. However, He drank it because He desired even more to fulfill His Father's will (Mt, 26:39, 42). This cup was a cup of "agony" (severe conflict and contention, a struggle for victory). So great was the spiritual struggle on our behalf, that Jesus began to sweat great drops of blood. These blood drops were of such a size and quantity that they fell to the ground (Luke 22:44). He survived this spiritual struggle because an angel strengthened Him (v. 43). He faced this struggle with no earthly help. Throughout it, His disciples were unaware, and unable to remain awake. They were not meant to fight this battle with Him, or for Him, but He had asked them to keep watch and pray during the ordeal. They were unable to do even this. However, Jesus drank the cup, and fought the battle.
All of these cups above, are of great spiritual power. They include cups of judgment to bring justice for those who are powerless, and to bring correction, and repentance to God's people. The cups may bring a last opportunity for souls to make a spiritual choice.
Still other cups bring us comfort, forgiveness, salvation, new covenant, communion and restoration with God. Let us choose these cups of goodness and mercy that our Father has provided for us.
Our Father has prepared spiritual cups.
"Cup of Salvation"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te1OUKl1_SY
We all understand how important food is to our lives. In our culture, especially, food has become a focal point. Television networks have been created around food. Even children, who used to desire to become policemen, firemen, or doctors, now may answer that their dream is to become a chef. What has caused this huge interest and focus upon food in our generation? Perhaps the answer can be found in a spiritual need. As great a role as natural food plays in our lives, the role of spiritual food is even greater. The topic is very interesting.
Jesus often described Himself as our food:
"Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." Jn. 6:53-58
"I am the bread of life...I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." Jn. 6:48-51
At the Passover table, which He shared with His disciples, He again said, "Take (the bread), eat; this is My body....Drink from it (the cup of wine) all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Mt. 26:26-28 (1 Cor. 11:24-25).
Jesus emphasized the point of being the food that will yield eternal life to us. He was so emphatic and graphic about it, that, at the time, many of His disciples grumbled and complained about the nature of His "strange" declaration (Jn. 6:60-61). There is still debate in the Church over the meaning of His words spoken here-are they to be taken literally, or are they meant as spiritually symbolic? Perhaps we can all agree on one general thought. When the first Adam turned his back on God, and chose to believe instead the lying evil embodied by the serpent, God then said to the serpent, "..On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life." (Gen. 3:14). The dust the serpent would eat is the dust to which Adam would return upon his death (Gen. 3:19, Ps. 104:29). Adam literally became the serpent's food. In doing what he did, Adam also doomed all of us to the same fate. God did not create us to become food for evil powers. Jesus, the second Adam, offers Himself as the spiritual food of life on behalf of all of us. We can agree that Jesus is the Bread of Life that delivered us from the power of death. He is our primary spiritual food. Eat of Him, and we will not be eaten, so to speak.
There are other interesting references to spiritual food which God has provided to us to eat:
"For God is my King from of old (before, ancient, eternal, beforetime), working (ordaining) salvation ("yeshua" salvation) in the midst (enter into, bring near, approach, draw near) of the earth. You divided (break asunder, make void, come to naught, break to bits) the sea (to roar) by your strength; You broke the heads (captains, rulers, chiefs, company) of the sea serpents (snake, hissing, whispering, dragon, enchanter, divination, fortune telling) in the waters (waters and water springs for washing, watering, and refreshing, instead become waters of danger, violence and things that pass away, rather than the eternal). You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness." Psalm 74:12-14
Some consider the creature "Leviathan" referred to above to be a natural creature, such as a crocodile, or a whale, or even a dinosaur, and it may be. Job 41 describes it as a fierce-some creature, whether spiritual or natural, certainly too great a creature for man to force to his will, or overcome by his own strength. Isaiah gives us a picture of Leviathan as a spiritual creature:
"In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing (fugitive, escaped, departed from its place, piercing, cutting through, breaking in) serpent (same as above-snake, hissing, whispering, enchanter, divination, fortune telling), Leviathan that twisted (tortuous, bent, twisted, perverted, wrong) serpent; and He will slay the reptile (serpent) that is in the sea," Isa. 27:1
As the verses in Psalm 74 tell us, these evil spiritual creatures are meant to become our food. We are not meant to become their food.
David describes a table that his Shepherd, the LORD, has prepared for him:
"You prepare (furnish, ordain, direct, array, arrange, set and lay in order) a table (king's table, stretch out, let loose, cast out, send away) before me in the presence of my enemies (enemy, distress, bind up, afflict, adversary, pangs, trouble, shut up, straits, press hard upon) ; You anoint (fatten, prosperity, become fat) my head with oil (fat, fatness, a feast of fat things), my cup runs over (wealth, abundance, satiated, satisfied, saturated)." Ps. 23:5
David ate a spiritual banquet in the face of his spiritual enemies.
The bread of the tabernacle (Ex. 25:30) that David ate (1 Sam. 21:6, Mt. 12:4, Mk. 2:26, Lk. 6:4) and the food that the Prov. 31 woman, who is a very interesting person to study in depth, provides to her household (Prov. 31:14), is not just a natural bread. It is "lechem", which is also the tabernacle shewbread. It comes from the root word, lacham, which means "to fight, make war, eat, overcome, devour, prevail). This could very well be the same Bread of Life that Jesus defined as being Himself. The Prov. 31 woman "brings" (includes the meaning "besiege") the shewbread to her table from afar (distant place, be removed, thrust away, repel). How does she obtain this spiritual food for her family? Verse 15 tells us that she rises, meaning "proven, fulfilled, persist, be fixed, stand, perform, confirm, continue", while it is yet night, providing (devote, consecrate, dedicate, yield produce, report, utter, stretch out) food (meat: prey, something torn in pieces, spoil) for her household (family, including descendants, to build, establish, make permanent), and even a portion (decree, statute, ordinance, law, bounds, commandment, prescribed limit, lawgiver, engrave, inscribe, mark out) for her servants (root: youth, overthrow, shake to and from, up and down, shake oneself, tumble).
This description from Proverbs 31, gives us a clearer idea of how we attain, are given, our spiritual food. In these verses, we can see that as we confirm and continue, as we stand fast, remain fixed, persist in our faith, and in the truth of God, spiritual food is provided for us, as God defeats His enemies. Even in darkness, we are to remain under the protective covering and shadow of the Most High. We devote and consecrate ourselves, and are not moved, nor compromised. The spiritual food that we eat, builds an eternal household, continuing to future generations. As we rely upon, and eat, this spiritual food provided by God, we become lawgivers who engrave, set and decree the commandments, limits and statutes of God to all creation, including evil spiritual adversaries. This benefits not only our own households, but also those who are depending upon us because they are vulnerable, those who are likely to be shaken, tossed, to stumble and fall.
Especially because of the times in which we live, it could very well be that the reason for our unusual interest in natural food can be found in the importance and depth of meaning in our seldom considered spiritual food.
Our Father has provided us with spiritual food.
"Bread of Heaven"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjVgm9-XTqQ
"The Body and the Blood"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXzMrfzAaUk
