Accepted

One of the Sabbath readings for this week comes from the Book of Ruth. Most know the story of the young widowed woman, who was from the country of Moab. Ruth committed herself, her faith, and her future with that of an Israelite woman, Naomi, who was her mother-in-law. She joined herself (see previous blog entry titled "Joined") to her Israelite mother-in-law with these words: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." (Ruth 1:15-17). With these words, Ruth turned her heart over to Naomi's God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So the two women who had lost everything, left Moab and returned to Naomi's home town in Israel, which happened to be Bethlehem (v. 22). They arrived at the time of the barley harvest, which also comes just before the season of Passover. There in Bethlehem, Ruth will meet Boaz, whose name means "strength within him": "There was a relative of Naomi's husband, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech (Naomi's deceased husband). His name was Boaz." (Ruth 2:1). As we often find, the English translation does not do the Hebrew meaning justice. This is also true of the description of Boaz. "Mighty" is the Hebrew word gibor, which is also one of the LORD's names, El Gibor. Gibor meaning "champion, strong man, valiant, excel, chief, giant, brave, prevail, exceeded, confirm (covenant), be great". The word describing Boaz translated into English as "wealth" is the Hebrew word hayil. Wealth, riches and substance are part of the meaning, but even more so is "valor, strength, army, force, ability, power, train, worthy, warlike strength". The Hebrew root word, hul, shows us the basis of this strength, power and wealth, and also connects us to the image of Christ's sacrifice. This root word means "pain, bring forth, travail, writhe in pain, be in anguish, to be born, suffering torture, to wait longingly". This root meaning brings to mind verses from Isaiah regarding his prophecy of the Messiah: "He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied (saba - full, plenty, satiate, to have in excess, to enrich)...shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death..." (Isa. 53:11-12). Many seek wealth and power by the strategies of men, or the ways of the world, but God talked about power from Him that also includes wealth for those who keep Him in remembrance, and desire to do His will: "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." (Deut. 8:18). From these things, we can see that Boaz is a very special man in God's sight. We know in the story of Ruth, that upon seeing Ruth in his field, Boaz asked his men, "Whose young woman is this?" (Ruth 2:5). Boaz then directed his authority, and the workers of his fields towards the protection of Ruth (v. 8-9). Boaz then said to Ruth: "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge." (v. 11-12). Boaz will become Naomi's and Ruth's kinsman redeemer, not only to restore Naomi, but to cover Ruth in marriage. Ruth and Boaz will have a son, and that son will be the grandfather of David (Ruth 4:21-22), who will become king of Israel, and a forefather in the line of Jesus. The story of Boaz and Ruth also points out something else to us. Ruth was from Moab originally. Moab was established through incest. Lot's daughters planned to get him drunk, and then each had a child conceived with their father, one of which was named Moab. Lot was so drunk that he wasn't aware of what was happening at the time (Gen. 19:30-38). Farther along in the history of Moab, as the Israelites left Egypt, the king of Moab would not give them permission to cross his land, and again stood against a judge of Israel in his battle against the oppressors of the land (Numbers 20, Judges 11:13-18). Moab was also associated with depraved idol worship, and Moabite women especially, were considered to be immoral and a corrupting influence by Israelites. It is no coincidence that Naomi instructed her daughter-in-law, Ruth, to approach Boaz after he had been celebrating with food and drink, and to lay down at his feet as he slept. This story is a kind of parallel to the story of Lot and his daughters for a reason. However, Boaz wasn't like Lot. He had eaten and drank in celebration of threshing the harvest, but he had not drunk himself senseless as Lot did (Ruth 3:6-9). Boaz was awakened and became aware that someone was with him. Unlike Lot, Boaz was aware and behaved righteously regarding Ruth's presence. When Boaz found that it was the Moabitess Ruth who was at his feet, he viewed her not with prejudice as an Israelite might at that time, but as the virtuous woman he knew her to be: "Then he said, "Blessed are you my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning...And now my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman." (v. 10-11). Boaz agreed to become Ruth's husband, but unlike the sinful situation with Lot and his daughters, Boaz handled the arrangements according to righteousness, respect, and the requirements of the Law. As the LORD moved people and events according to His will in the story of Ruth and Boaz, He also confronted and challenged the prejudice against a nationality of people. God saw the heart of the Moabitess, Ruth, who had joined herself to His people as well as to Himself, and gave Boaz the lovely and loyal wife that he deserved. God also placed Boaz and Ruth the Moabitess in the genealogy of His Son, Jesus. Many times Jesus dealt with people who were not considered "worthy" or acceptable by the society and religious people around Him. However, God looks upon the heart rather than the outward appearance or circumstances (1 Sam. 16:7). There are people, nationalities and groups whom some Christians might be tempted to view according to the flesh rather than the Spirit, and might hold prejudices regarding them as a result. If the LORD has proven time and again that He does not view people in this manner then we should not either. None of us are righteous when we come to God with our hearts, but He embraces us and cleanses us through Jesus. He teaches us in His ways, and guides our days as we walk with Him. Ruth chose God, and He accepted her. It is by God's grace, not any righteousness of our own, that we are accepted in the Beloved Son (Eph. 1:3-8). Once Ruth joined herself with God and His people, the LORD took hold of Ruth's life, and changed everything about it. Ruth had lost all, and had been at the lowest place, but with the LORD holding her life in His hands, she gained all. If your heart would like to choose God, but you think, or others have told you, that you are unacceptable to Him for any reason, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You made a way for me to come to You through Jesus, our Savior. I know that You do not show favoritism or prejudice. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die for all people, and all of those who believe in Him are embraced and adopted by You as a son or daughter. Your kingdom family is composed of people from every kindred, nation, tribe, and tongue. You have looked upon my heart, and You have accepted me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so I can live a life in Your righteousness from this point forward, filled with the fruit of Your Spirit, changed and conformed to the image of Your Son, Jesus. Take my life, Father, and show me how to walk in Your ways of life, truth, and miraculous hope. I had lost all, Lord, but in You, I have now found all. I ask and believe these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Joined

This week's readings begin with some important events in God's relationship with Abraham in Genesis chapters 18-22. Within these chapters we find an important visit of God to Abraham, the prophecy of Isaac's birth, and the casting out of Abraham's son, Ishmael, to name just a few of these events. However, I noticed something in these chapters, as well as the accompanying haftarah readings in 1 Samuel chapter 1, and 2 Kings 4, which I hadn't seen previously, and I would like to share it with you here. In Gen. 18, three men, whom Abraham immediately recognized as being of a divine nature, appeared to Abraham near his tent. Abraham hurried to make the men, whom he addressed as "My Lord", a place to rest and refresh themselves. It is during this visit in which Abraham's reverential and generous hospitality is shown, that the LORD promises that He will return to Abraham the following year when Abraham's wife Sarah, who was barren, would bear a son. As Sarah overheard the promise of God, she laughed to herself in disbelief. The LORD asked, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" (v. 14). In Gen. 21, we learn that God had indeed kept His promise to Abraham, and a son, Isaac, was born to his wife Sarah (v. 1-4). It was from this son that Abraham's seed would be called by God (v. 12). Abraham's older son, Ishmael, who was born from Sarah's Egyptian servant, Hagar, scoffed at the feast made to celebrate Isaac's maturing out of infancy (v. 9). After seeing Ishmael's scoffing behavior, Sarah demanded that Ishmael and his mother be expelled from the camp. Abraham was troubled and saddened by this, but the LORD made a promise to Abraham regarding Ishmael: "Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed." (v. 13). This promise is made regarding Ishmael because of the previous promise of God to bless Abraham's seed. We see that the LORD is joined, even bound, to His prophetic Word completely, and Ishmael is one who is joined to Abraham. After Ishmael and his mother are cast out, their water runs out, and they are facing death in the desert. Hagar separated a distance from her son so she wouldn't have to witness his death: "So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept, but God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is." (v. 16-17). Hagar was also saved though because the angel told Hagar, "Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation." (v, 18). As soon as Hagar joined herself to the boy, "God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water...So God was with the lad...". (v. 19-20). God's eyes and ears were upon Ishmael because of His promise to Abraham. Hagar also benefited as she joined herself with Ishmael. Let's look at two more examples from this week's haftarah readings about blessings, and even double portion blessings, because of a joining association. In 2 Kings 4, there is a woman from Shunam, which in Hebrew means "double resting place". She had a previous miraculous encounter with the prophet Elisha, a prophet who received a double portion of the prophetic anointing (see 2 Kings 2:9-10). Because she recognized the anointing upon Elisha's life, she wanted her household to be joined to the prophet in some way. The woman suggested to her husband that they make a special room in their house for the prophet to use when he passed through their area (v. 9-11). Because of her generous and reverential hospitality (see Abraham's example above) to the double portion prophet, Elisha prophesied a son to be born to her (v. 14-17). She was overcome with the idea that she might have a son. Her son was born as the prophet said, but as he grew, he suffered a head ailment that caused him to collapse and die (v. 18-20). The Shunammite woman laid her son on the bed in the prophet's room in her home, and sent for the double portion prophet. Elisha came and caused her son to recover, and he said to the woman, "Pick up your son." (v. 33-36). The Shunammite's close association with the double portion prophet, Elisha, changed every aspect of her life. In another example from this week's haftarah reading in 1 Samuel 1, we see the familiar account of Hannah, whose name in Hebrew means "favor, grace, mercy, pity". Hannah was a barren woman, who went to the house of the LORD in Shiloh to pray desperately for a son. We know that her prayers were answered, and she conceived Samuel, who would grow to be a great prophet and judge in Israel. However, there is an interesting detail in Hannah's story that may be overlooked: her husband. Her husband's name was Elkanah, meaning "whom God created or possessed". He is described as a certain man. The Hebrew word echad is used here, which has a very special spiritual meaning. It is a word which means "oneness" or "unity". Elkanah comes from a place called Ramathaim-Zophin, which means in Hebrew "double height of the watchers". This place is within the territory of the tribe of Ephraim in Israel. Ephraim means "double ash heap, I shall be doubly fruitful". I know we are seeing a pattern here regarding the outpouring of God in the use of the term "double". There is another use of "double" within Hannah's story. Her husband provided offerings every year for his other wife and children, but to Hannah, he provided a double portion for an offering because he felt compassion for her (v. 4-5). So Hannah's husband remembered her before God in double portion offerings. Hannah was joined to a husband who understood the principle of the double portion in every way. In our own lives as believers, we can see how being joined with Christ causes us to receive many benefits because of that association. However, did we realize that Christ's portion is a kind of double portion? The Law of Moses requires that the first born receive a double portion of inheritance (Deut. 21:17). The double portion is "the right of the first born", and as we have seen above with Abraham, God is bound by His Word. Scripture describes Jesus as the first born among many brethren. Scripture also says that in order to share in the double portion of the First Born of God, Jesus, we must be conformed to His image by God: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Rom. 8:29). If we look deeper into the Hebrew meaning of shenayim, used as the word "double", as in "double portion", there is also a glimpse of being changed, as we are changed in Christ. Part of the root meaning of the word is "change, alter, duplicate, transmute (change to a higher form), disguise". Scripture promises us also that we are joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:16-17), Who, as Firstborn, has received the double portion. Also included in the meaning of shenayim, or "double", is a reference to the number twelve. The number twelve is important in scripture. The Lord chose twelve disciples, and there were twelve apostles appointed to the church. Apostles are still appointed by God to benfit the Church. As we saw in the examples above of Abraham, Ishmael and Hagar, the Shunammite woman, and Hannah and Elkanah, the Church would be wise to join itself to those who have the apostolic calling, instead of disregarding them (see also Eph. 2:19-22, and Eph. 4:10-16). In another demonstration of the importance of "twelve", or shenayim/double, the city of New Jerusalem, which will descend from heaven, is built on a squared measure of twelve thousand furlongs, each wall measuring twelve-squared cubits, with twelve foundations of the apostles' names, and with twelve gates of pearls (Rev. 21:10-17). Therefore, we can see that the New Jerusalem is a city joined to the double, shenayim, portion. In ending this entry, I would like to include a prophecy from Isaiah. Jesus connected the prophecy of Isaiah 61, which He read in the synagogue, to Himself, the Messiah. Part of that chapter says: "But you shall be named priests of the LORD, they shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs." (Isa. 61:6-7). Many look for the manifestation of this inheritance in Christ in material increases and blessings, and there are material manifestations that result as we can see from our examples above. However, the joining with Christ begins in the spiritual realm, and must continues there as we are required to be "conformed" to His image (see also Rom. 12:1-2). I hope I have been able to express here the principle of being "joined" to the promise of God, and the path of the double portion that I found in these Sabbath scriptures for this week. The inheritance is rich and deep and high and wide, but it begins by being joined with Christ. If you would like to be joined with Christ in the double portion, as well as continuing in being conformed to Him, please join me in prayer: "Dear Father, I thank You for the promises that You have given in Your Word. I thank you that You keep Your word at all costs, as You did with Abraham. I thank You for the thread of the double portion inheritance and blessing that You have made part of Your Word, and have made available to all who will receive it through Your First Born, Jesus. Jesus came to earth and died for my sins, and rose from the dead, so I can be a joint heir with Him in all that You have given Him, including everlasting life. Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit who transforms me and conforms me to the image of Your Son by the Word of God. I ask and receive all of these things from You in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

Altars

Last week we studied about those who "walk with God" as Enoch and Noah did. This week, we will look at one of the great men of scripture, Abraham, a servant and friend of God. We can see Abraham's relationship with God beginning in Genesis 12. For the first time, we hear God's communication with Abram: "Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen. 12:1-3). Based upon those commands and promises of God, Abram obediently left his father's house, which had been in Haran, to begin his walk with God into this new unknown. The LORD brought Abram to the land of Canaan, and promised to give the land to Abram's descendants (v. 7). At the place that the LORD appeared to Abram with this covenant promise, Shechem, scripture says: "And there he built an altar to the LORD who appeared to him." (Gen. 12:7). Shechem, the place in Canaan where Abram built an altar, has an interesting meaning in Hebrew for those who know Christ. Shechem refers to the upper part of the back and shoulder blade area. It can also mean "consent" (see Jn. 10:18) or "portion" (see Isa. 53:12). It is the same word used in the following verses: "...and the government will be upon his shoulder..." (Isa. 9:5, 1 Cor. 15:24-25). and "The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder..." (Isa. 22:22, Rev. 3:7). Shechem also means "the member on which blows are inflicted" (see Isa. 50:6: "I gave my back to those who struck me"), and Shechem also means "those that bear either a burden or a yoke" (see Mt. 11:28-30). The Hebrew root word for Shechem is sakam meaning "to rise up early" (see Jn. 21:1). Therefore, this first place of arrival of Abram in Canaan, having followed God's directions, is also a place of meaning regarding our Messiah, Jesus. To us, therefore, Shechem is the perfect place for Abram to build an altar, a place of sacrifice to God. The Hebrew word and root word for altar, mizbeah/zabah, means just that: sacrifice, slay, offer, to slaughter in divine judgment, to immolate. Abram built other altars to God as God instructed him to: "Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." (Gen. 13:17). Abram built an altar between Bethel (meaning "the house/family of God") and Ai (meaning "a heap of ruins"): "...there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD." (Gen. 12:8). Now, the altar is also used by Abram as a place to call upon the name of the LORD. It is a place of intercession. At one point, as Abram walked the land, he returned to the first altar that he had built at Shechem. An altar is also a place to which we can return in order to re-visit or renew our relationship with God. After having revisited this altar, Abram allowed his nephew Lot to take the seemingly best land for himself in order to end the strife that had arisen because of the two herds sharing the same location (Gen 13:9-11). This must have been a sad day for Abram, as he separated from his nephew, and sacrificially gave him the best of the land, but that isn't the end of the story. Immediately after this (v. 14), the LORD not only repeated His promise to give all of the land to Abram, but also revealed to Abram that his descendants would be so many that they would not be able to be numbered (v. 14-16). This promise of God to Abram was made to an elderly man whose wife was barren. What a remarkable promise this was for Abram to receive! What did Abram do? "Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt...in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD." (Gen. 13:18). Hebron has a powerful meaning in both the Hebrew and Arabic languages. The Hebrew meaning and root is "association, conjunction, to unite, to join together, to couple together". In Arabic, Hebron is referred to as "the city of the friend of the merciful God". Abram found a deeper, more intimate relationship with God at this altar, even as his relationship with his nephew, Lot, changed. As New Testament believers, we may think that the altars built by the patriarchs like Abram have no application to our lives and walk with Christ. However, I think that they have even a deeper meaning for us, not as to building a physical place necessarily, but as establishing spiritual places in our lives that act as altars. We generally overlook the preciousness of the altar in the sight of God, and the impact of the altar in a believer's "walk". As believers in Christ, we also need to keep in mind the kind of altars that we establish throughout our spiritual walk. Are we building altars to the gods of this world? What a terrible shame that would be! Along my spiritual walk, I want to build the kinds of altars like Abram built - altars that memorialize the Lord's sacrifice and promises to me, and places and occasions where I have called upon His name, and He has heard me. Some think that the only altars that are important are the ones that are officially consecrated, and contained within a church building, but the altars established in our personal and intimate walk with Christ are important also, perhaps even more so. These personal spiritual altars are the ones spoken of in the New Testament, as we will see. The locations of the altars that Abram built would have a great importance to Israel in future generations. What of the spiritual altars that we build, and the impact that they will have for future generations? Let's also look at the Hebrew letters in the word for altar, which also have individual meanings, and will give us a deeper look into the meaning involved here. The Hebrew word for "altar" is mizbeah, מִזְבֵּחַ, and the letters that comprise the word are mem, zayin, beth, heh. One of the meanings of these individual letters when placed together is: "The mighty water and blood that comes from within the pierced body is revealed or seen". This is so beautiful to me in the amazing Word of God! Even each individual letter testifies of Christ, just as Jesus told us. The purpose of the altar in our lives, as in the Old Testament, is to reveal the sacrifice of Christ, and the place where we spiritually sacrifice ourselves as we take up our cross and follow Him (Mt. 16:24/Lk. 9:23, Mk. 10:21). Here is the altar in the New Testament: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable (meaning speech, the sayings of God, the living voice, of the mind, soul, spirit) service (worship of God, perform sacred services). And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). We build altars in our lives. They need to be the kind of altars that exhibit Christ's sacrifice and victory for us and in us, and the place where the will of God is proven in us. If you would like to be an altar-builder in your walk with Jesus, you can join in this prayer as I pray for myself: "Lord Jesus, You sacrificed Yourself for me, not on an immaculate, beautifully arrayed altar in a grand edifice, but on an altar outside the holy city, at a place meant for shame where common criminals were executed, at a place called "The Skull". It was at that altar that You called on the Name of the LORD, and took the sin burden of men on Your shoulders. You have called us also to this kind of altar where we take up our cross and follow You. Because of You, it is no longer an altar of shame and condemnation, but an altar for the glory of God, impacting us, and our future generations as well. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit who shows me how I may become a spiritual altar-builder for the glory of God, and for the establishing of His good, acceptable, and perfect will. I ask this in Your name, AMEN."

Walk

We certainly live in extreme times, don't we? I have never seen such times as these. Dangerous illnesses are sweeping through every nation. Extreme weather is occurring in unexpected places and creating havoc. Rage and violence have intruded into every activity: road rage, airplane rage, school rage, workplace rage, subway rage, pedestrian rage, political, economic, racial and social rage. There is an on-going shortage of food and goods. Justice is difficult to obtain. It even seems that a type of tyranny is emerging where the lives of the many are dictated by the interests and strange ideas of the few. The world seems to have been turned upside down, and so many people just want to see everything to go back to the way things were two years ago. They look forward to the future when they can eat and drink freely at restaurants, go to concerts and stadiums again, go back to school as in the past and have graduations, proms, and parties, or attend church as it used to be. People want to be able to marry and have the kind of weddings that we remember, and gather with family and friends like we used to. So many hearts are saddened and perplexed, even fearful. How are we as believers in Christ to go through these trying times? Jesus said that the days leading up to His return would be like the ones that we are now experiencing (see Mt. 24, Lk. 21). He pointed to a similarity to the time of Noah. Noah's time was a time when men's hearts were evil, and violence ruled (Gen. 6:5, 11-12). The human race had been corrupted by rebellious angels, and the offspring produced were physical giants, called Nephilim. Many write that these giants were also tyrants in the earth (see Gen. 6:1-4). In comparing the days of Noah to His return, Jesus said: "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Mt. 24:37-39). However, scripture tells us that Noah was different from the others on the earth: "...Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God." (Gen. 6:9). God began discussing His impending judgment of the earth with Noah long before the event occurred, instructing Noah to build a means of escape and safety for himself and others according to God's specific instructions (Gen. 9:13-14). The term "walked with God" as it was used to describe Noah, was also used to describe another man - Enoch: "After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." (Gen. 5:21-24). I think it would be important to know more about the phrase, "walked with God", since it was uniquely applied to these two very important men connected to very unusual circumstances in scripture. The word "walk" in Hebrew used in these verses is halak, written as הָלַךְ, which means "to go, depart, manner of life, proceed, move, live, to lead, follow". I would especially like to look at the Hebrew letters that compose the word halak, meaning to walk. The letters in this word are he, lamed, and kaph. Each letter in the Hebrew language has a meaning, and we get a deeper look at what it means to "walk with God" as we look at these individual letter meanings. He means "to look, behold, to reveal, to show". Lamed means "a shepherd's staff, to teach, yoke together, to control, to prod, to guide, to urge forward". The letter Kaph used in this word means, "palm of the hand, the power to lift up or suppress, to bend, open, allow, cover". As these two men walked with God, we can see that God revealed or showed things to them: the Shepherd's hook (Jesus is the Good Shepherd) guided them, taught them and urged them forward. As they walked with God, they were also covered by His hand, and understood and walked in God's power to lift up or suppress, to open or close concerning all things that pertained to them, and creation. God wants us to walk with Him in the same manner as Enoch and Noah, and He will get us through the days ahead. Jesus said regarding those who walk with Him, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." He also said, "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." (Jn. 12:26). This Sabbath's reading portion deals with the timely story of Noah in Genesis 6, and also the reading of Isaiah 54. The portion from Isaiah also reflects a "walk with God" and with our Shepherd Jesus, if we will walk with Him as Noah and Enoch did: "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me (says the LORD)...For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed...In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you...No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me", says the LORD." Our walk with God, in the revelation of His Son, is reflected in how we walk. According to scripture, this is what our walk should look like if we are indeed walking with God: we should be walking in newness of life (Rom. 6:4), walking after the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:1, Gal. 5:16, 25), walking by faith (2 Cor. 5:7), walking worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1), walking not as other Gentiles (Eph. 4:17), walking in love (Eph. 5:2), walking as children of light (Eph. 5:8, Jn. 8:12), walking in Jesus (Col. 2:6), walking in wisdom (Col. 4:5), walking as Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2:6), walking in His commandments (2 Jn. v. 6), walking in truth (3 Jn. 1:4, see also Jn. 17:17, Jn. 14:6). It means something important to walk with God, and we need to know about it during these difficult times especially. God has provided this privilege for us in order to keep us, protect us, and to bring us through any and every circumstance. There are those who desire to walk with God, and those who don't. I want to be one of the ones who does want to walk with Him, and I want my family to be doing so also. If you would like to begin walking with God, or to renew your walk with Him, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, like Enoch and Noah, I desire to walk with You. You have provided in that walk the revelation of our Good Shepherd, Jesus. I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and rose again from the dead. I want to be one who hears His voice, and follows Him. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can walk in the way that reflects walking with You. I thank You, Father, that in my walk with You, You establish me in righteousness, and You keep me far from oppression and fear. I praise and thank You for calling me, and allowing me, to walk with You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."

Compassion

Last week's entry marked the end of the one year Sabbath reading cycle as practiced in synagogues around the world. I learned so much about my faith in Christ reading along with them. Many of the Sabbath readings carry a prophetic importance as well. Israel and Jerusalem have a great and unique importance in the prophetic and salvation plan of God, especially in the days to come. God has made important promises to Israel that will impact the whole earth, and He will keep those promises. He is not done with either Israel or Jerusalem, and He will never be done with them! My intention, as a Christian, in following the Sabbath readings this past year was not to replace the Jewish people on their path of study, but to walk beside them, and learn with them. I have a feeling that as I begin the new yearly cycle of readings, it will be in a different way than I had done in this past year. This week, I opened the first chapter of Genesis, and the corresponding reading from Isaiah 42. As I started reading, I was surprised to find out about the role that compassion played in the creation of the heavens and the earth. The power God exhibited in the Creation seemed to have been focussed through the presence first of compassion in the form of the Holy Spirit, as I hope we will see. After stating that God created the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1:2 goes on to say: "The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering/moving over the face of the waters." There is great power in the Spirit of God, but the Spirit is also called "The Comforter" by Jesus (Jn. 14:26, 15:26). In this verse from Genesis, the Spirit was hovering over a terrible sight. The Hebrew word for "hovering" is rehap meaning "shake, move, flutter, to grow soft, to brood, with the feeling of tender love hence to cherish, to brood over/cherish young as an eagle, of parents who cherish their children, to soothe a child". (The Hebrew meaning, rehap can also include "to cause to tremble with fear, like the bones of a person terrified". Even as the Holy Spirit can move with comfort and compassion, we can also say then that it can move in a way to create fear.) The conditions over which the Spirit of God hovered in Gen. 1:2 above, are written as "without form, void, darkness, and deep". These words have the Hebrew meaning "the dark, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness, desolation, confusion, lie waste, abyss". Before the Word of God was spoken into this desolation, the Spirit hovered over it, "brooding" over it, cherishing it as a parent cherishes a child. In speaking "Light" over this void, and dividing the light from the darkness (v. 3-5), God (Elohim) was, at the same time, taking authority over the darkness on the First Day. John Ch. 1 tells us that the words of Creation spoken was Jesus, who was with God, and was God, and became flesh to dwell with us (v. 14). Again this first moment is described in John 1:5 as: "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (seize, overtake, overcome) it." (Jn. 1:5). We see again that the darkness cannot overcome the Word of God. As Jesus worked in the power of His anointing, it was often said in scripture that He was moved by compassion for the people, whether they had gotten into their calamities through their own fault or not (Mt. 14:14, 15:32, 20:30-34). Jesus taught in a heavy warning of the consequences of failing to show to others that same compassion which we have received from "the king", or the Lord (Mt. 18:21-35). He taught parables about incorporating compassion as a lifestyle, and as a fulfillment of the Law (Lk. 10:26-37), and a parable, know to us as The Prodigal Son, of the role of compassion in the restoration of one who was lost (Lk. 15:18-24). The apostles' teaching also reminds us to exercise compassion (1 Peter 3:8, Heb. 10:34). The Greek word and root word for compassion used in these parables means "from the deepest part of a person, having compassion from the seat of sympathy, love, and pity; a great passion that includes love, tenderer affections, kindness, benevolence, mercies, compassion". The only people that Jesus seemed to lack compassion for were those who lacked compassion for others, most of these being the religious authorities of His time. What can sometimes be surprising however, is how angry and stirred up some may become because of what they consider to be an inconvenient or inappropriate show of compassion (Lk. 15:25-32, Lk. 7:36-48, Jn. 12:1-7). Coming back to the Creation of Gen. 1, we see that it begins with the presence and work of Christ as the Word (Jn. 1:1-3), Who is also revealed in the first phrase of Genesis 1 for those who wish to search it out, but it also involved a work of compassion by the Spirit of God. Looking at Isaiah 42 of this week's reading, the words of the LORD remind the reader again of Gen. 1 as the LORD declares that He created the heavens, the earth, and gave breath to the living (v. 5). His unchanging purpose is to bring forth justice for the truth (v. 3-4). Will we see again compassion having a role in this work of justice? Towards this purpose, the LORD prophesies that He is sending Someone, whom He describes as "My Servant", "My Elect One". He says, "I have put My Spirit upon Him." (v. 1). To this special Servant, whom we know as the Messiah, Jesus, God says: "I the LORD have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people..." (v. 6). We will know this Servant by certain works to which the LORD has appointed Him in Isa. 42. They are works of compassion: "...as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house." The LORD continues: "I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them." (v. 16). In this chapter from Isaiah, judgment has also been sent mong God's people in order to bring forth "justice for truth". The LORD describes the judgment of His people who would not listen to Him: "But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says "Restore!". (v. 22). The LORD said that He is the one who put them in this condition (v. 24). Even so, the LORD turns and shows His compassion: "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine." (Isa. 43:1). Sometimes we may think that by showing compassion, we are ignoring sin. However, it may be that it is the constant, ever-available compassion of God that is one thing that draws men to repentance of sin. Why would a man seek repentance in the first place, unless he feels that he is dealing with the LORD who will turn and have compassion on him, and forgive him? First John 1:9 guarantees us that if we confess our sins before God, not only is He faithful to forgive, but His justice requires that He forgives. However, the compassion of God goes even beyond this. The prophet Joel wrote of God's people assembling for the purpose of repentance before the LORD. The LORD gave the promise of compassion to His people if they repented before Him: "Now, therefore, says the LORD, 'Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart...Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm." (Joel 2:12-13). Joel promised that the LORD would have pity, and answer His people (v. 18). Not only did the LORD promise to restore His people, but He went beyond restoration to even more abundance (v. 19, 23-27). On top of the greater abundance, He promised to pour out His Spirit upon all, regardless of gender, social position, or age in a miraculous way never before seen (Joel 3:28-29). In the same manner, for those who accepted His compassionate gift of forgiveness and reconciliation through His Messiah and Son, Jesus Christ, the LORD again did even greater than a restoring work: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10:10). We are given even more than restoration as a result of salvation, beyond what Adam and Eve had before their fall into sin. They were given dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26), but, to serve as an example of the compassion (love, kindness) of God, those in Christ are given greater. They are seated in the heavenly places with Him (Eph. 2:4-7), and have become joint-heirs with Christ Himself, which is the work of the Spirit, the Comforter, in us (Rom. 8:16-18). While Adam and Eve experienced a visitation of God in the Garden (Gen 3:8-9), those who have accepted God's gift of compassion through Jesus Christ, don't have to wait for a visitation, but now have both Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God dwelling within them, and communing with them (Rom. 8:10-11). The law of compassion, it seems from the evidence, does not just restore to the previous condition, but it supersedes the previous condition with even greater than before. Compassion is not the only quality of God that impacts man, and by which we impact each other, but perhaps it deserves a deeper look. The power of God is focused through compassion in the examples that we have read. Compassion does not give unrepented sin a "pass", but I think it is one way that God uses to defeat Satan at his own game of destroying human souls. Because of this, compassion should play an important role in our lives as believers. If you would like to receive and live in the compassion of God through Jesus Christ, you can pray: "Dear Father, You sent Your Son into my life out of Your compassion and love for me. Through Jesus, You not only cleansed me from sin, and reconciled me back to Yourself, but You gave me a greater, more abundant life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can minister compassion to others as You ministered to me. Lead me in discernment so I may see when compassion shown can break the stronghold of the enemy over another person's life. Let me not forget to show others the same compassion that You showed me, as You drew me back to Yourself. I ask and thank You for this in the name of Jesus. Amen."