Bread

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Va-yiggash, which means, "and he drew near." The title comes from the moment when Joseph, a governor or ruler in Egypt, revealed himself to his brothers who had come from Canaan to Egypt again for bread grain during a famine: "Then Joseph (yosep/yasap - "Jehovah has added"/more, exceed, add to, increase) said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph; does my father (Jacob/Israel) still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed (bahal - afraid, dismayed, rash, thrust him out, disturb, alarm, terrify, anxious, tremble inside) in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come/draw near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt." (Gen. 45:3-4).

     This Sabbath reading this year also occurs during the same week as the observance of Christ's birth, Christmas. There are similarities between the story of Joseph and Jesus that helps us to understand the depths and the heights from which our salvation comes.

     Joseph had been rejected in the most extreme manner by his brethren when he was a young lad, as they even considered killing him. Now, however, his greatest wish was to be reconciled with them, and with his father, Jacob, whom Joseph dearly loved and who had remained behind in Canaan. Jesus also experienced this kind of rejection: "He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." (Jn. 1:10-11). From the moment that Christ came into the world, the spirit of this world tried to thrust Him out (see bahal above).

     Joseph then said to his brothers: "Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph: 'God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen (gosen - "drawing near"), and you shall be near to me...There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine." (Gen. 45:9-11).

     Joseph told his brothers to get their father and to "draw near" to him in Egypt. Even the place in which they would settle in Egypt, the best of the land as even Pharaoh had agreed to give to them, was called by a name that means "drawing near." (v. 17-18).

     Joseph recognized that the LORD's purpose in his life was as a saver of life - to preserve life, especially the lives of Israel (Jacob), through an extreme and long-lasting famine. He had told his brothers earlier: "But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life...And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt." (v. 5-8).

     Joseph recognized that the betrayal of his brothers resulted in the elevated position of authority that he now held in Egypt. Joseph had the power to send his brothers away without the bread that they sought. He had the power and the reason to condemn his brothers and imprison them, as he himself had been imprisoned, but he did not do this because he understood the importance of the purpose of God in his life. Joseph had been sent to save life, especially the lives and household of Israel/Jacob. Jesus came with the same purpose. Jesus told Nicodemus, a teacher in Israel: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn (krino - to separate, put asunder, to judge, to pronounce judgment, to subject, to censure, to punish, damn, decree) the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (sozo - save, keep safe and sound, rescue from danger or destruction, to save a suffering one from perishing, to heal, make well, restore to health, be whole, to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic/Christ's judgment, to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic/Christ's deliverance). He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he also who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (Jn. 3:17-18). The Greek language used above indicates, the meaning of sozo, or salvation, is even deeper than we might have thought. It also includes healing, and to deliver us from those evil things that would hinder receiving the Messiah/Christ as Savior. The world is already condemned for its unbelief, so it is a waste of time and purpose for us to condemn the world. The idea is, to move those who will receive it from unbelief into belief in the Son of God. 

     Personal betrayal also played a role in the fulfilment of Jesus' purpose, as it did in Joseph's life. The infamous betrayal of Jesus by Judas was one factor necessary and prophesied that led to the cross and Christ's crucifixion. Knowing this ahead of time, Jesus even said to Judas at the Passover supper, or Last Supper: "What you do, do quickly." And Judas, being filled by Satan, left to betray Him. (see Jn. 13:21-27). Satan had filled Judas after he took the piece of bread that Jesus had handed him. The Bread that saves is also the same Bread that condemns when rejected.

     This same betrayal also played a part in Jesus' deliverance of the New Covenant to His disciples and to us. The apostle Paul received this connection through a revelation from the Lord: "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." Paul then wrote: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes."  (1Cor. 11:23-26). I have often wondered why the Lord specifically connected His betrayal by Judas to what we now refer to as "Communion" as He revealed it to Paul. The wisdom of God used the greatest betrayal ever recorded to create one of the great spiritual weapons of victory that has been delivered to the church of believers - the Eucharist (meaning "to give thanks") or Communion, the Table of the Lord. We will see another reference to artillery and weapons, as well as armor later. Do we think of Communion as also being an essential weapon that has been provided to us in our spiritual warfare?

     The first time that Jacob sent his sons to Egypt from Cannan, they took money with them to buy the grain: "When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, 'Why do you look at one another?' And he said, 'Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.' So Joseph's ten brothers (the eleventh and youngest, Benjamin, was kept in Canaan by Jacob) went down to buy grain in Egypt." (Gen. 42:1-3).

     It is important to look at the Hebrew meaning of the word translated as "grain" or "corn": it is the Hebrew word and roots seber/sebar/sabar, and means "all kinds of grain, corn, broken in a mill, a breaking, a breach, a fracture, wounds, destruction/hurt, breaking, bruise, affliction, crushing/break in pieces, rend violently, bring to the birth." Jesus identified the broken bread of the Last Supper with His body having been broken for us. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He was placed in a manger, a vessel that holds the grain (see above) that feeds the animals. The specific circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus were not accidents, but full of meaning.

     On the first trip to Egypt, the brothers were recognized by Joseph as they approached him to buy grain, but they did not recognize him. They paid money to purchase the grain, but when they returned home to Jacob, they found not only the grain in their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) sacks (keli/kala - vessel, bag, artillery, weapon, armorbearer, jewel, tool, yoke/end, finish, accomplish, done, fulfil, to be finished or complete) that they had purchased but also all of the money that they had given in payment for the grain, plus more provisions for their return journey, and they were afraid. (Gen. 42:25-28). They're money had not been accepted but returned to them.

     When the destruction of His body had been completed (see keli/kala above) on the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." (see Jn. 19:28-30).

     The prophet Isaiah brought the Word of the LORD calling people to come, buy and eat, without money and without price: "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy...come to Me. Hear and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you - the sure mercies of David...Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near." (Isa. 55:1-6, excerpt).

     Joseph's brothers received bread grain which cost them nothing, as Isaiah also wrote above.

     Jesus spoke about being the bread of life: "And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst....Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life...This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." (Jn. 6:35, 47-51). 

     Jesus could not have been clearer in identifying Himself as the spiritual bread of eternal life for anyone who will receive and eat of it. We cannot buy this kind of bread, as Isaiah wrote. It is a gift of Himself from Jesus to the world to bring life to the world from death. 

     In another portion from this week's Sabbath reading, the prophet Amos warned of another famine that is coming upon God's people because of their sins and their rejection of His Word: "Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD God, 'That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the word of the LORD, but shall not find it." (Amos 8:11-12).

     This is a time when we are to draw near to our Savior, Jesus. He is our living Bread, the Word (see Jn. 1:1-3, 14) who became flesh, born as a babe in Bethlehem (meaning "the house of bread"), and grew into a man, and dwelt with us. He gave His flesh for us to eat of the bread of eternal life.  Draw near to Him.

     If you would like to partake of the Bread of life, you can pray this prayer with me: "Lord Jesus, You came to earth so that I could hold the Bread of life without price in my hand, which is Your body broken, crushed and wounded, so that I could eat it and live. You have saved me from destruction, and You have brought healing to me. Because of the Bread that You have given to me, I will never be hungry again. I draw near to You, Lord, and trust in You for all things concerning my life and salvation, and that of my whole household. I believe on Your name, Jesus, and pray in Your name. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

SpiritLight

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Mikketz, which means, "at the end of." The title comes from the first verse of the reading in Genesis 41: "Then it came to pass, at the end of (qes/qasas - end, after, end of time or space, an extremity, utmost border/cut off, cut in pieces, cut asunder, chop off, amputate, cut away) two (sana - second time, again, repeat, do again, alter, change, to transmute, to be other, those who change, change oneself) full years, that Pharaoh had a dream..." (v. 1). Since this verse says that it is the end of two years, it must be at the door of the third year.

     If we look at the Hebrew meanings above, something important is about to happen. A great change has occurred, not only a change in circumstance but also a change in the people involved, including Joseph. After two years in Pharaoh's dungeon, Joseph's reputation for interpreting dreams will cause his release. He will be brought before Pharaoh to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. After two years in the dungeon (bor/bur/ba'ar - pit, cistern, dungeon, prison, sepulcher, fountain, well/examine, make clear, prove, bore into, declare, search out/make plain, make clear, distinct, letters on a tablet, engrave, declare), Joseph was filthy and had to be cleaned, shaved, and given appropriate clothes to wear for an audience before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. (v. 14-15). Pharaoh was so troubled by his dreams that he was willing to bring a Hebrew slave up from his dungeon and into his presence to ask for his help.

     From the Hebrew meaning for "dungeon," above, we can see that the place of the pit or the grave became a place of change for Joseph. Joseph was spiritually examined and proven in that place. The tomb of the dungeon then became a spiritual well or fountain for Joseph. Out of the pit or grave where he had been forgotten, Joseph would become a tablet written with letters (see bor/bur/ba'ar above) that will declare and exalt the LORD.

     As Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, he answered: "It is not me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (v. 16). After hearing Pharaoh's dreams and giving Pharaoh the interpretation that God had shown him, Joseph was viewed by Pharaoh and his court as "a man in whom is the Spirit of God....there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my (Pharaoh's) house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word..." (v. 37-40).

     A change in circumstances, and a change in apparel occurs again as Pharaoh appointed Joseph into leadership over the nation of Egypt: "Then Pharaoh took his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) signet ring (taba'at/taba' - a seal, a seal-ring, signet ring/to sink, to press in, to impress a seal, to seal, to dip into, to immerse, plunged) off his hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen (ses/sayis - fine linen, bleached white, alabaster/to bleach, to whiten, alabaster, marble) and put a gold chain (collar) around his neck." (v. 42).

      The LORD not only used Joseph to prophesy through dream interpretations, but the pattern that I see here says to me that God also used Joseph to prophesy death and resurrection, not only the resurrection of His Son, Jesus from the pit of death, but also the resurrection of all of those who see and believe in Jesus: "And this is the will of Him who sent Me (Jesus), that everyone who sees (theoreo - look at and intensively acknowledge, behold, consider, perceive with the eyes, discern, ascertain) the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (Jn. 6:40). How can we "see" Jesus as mentioned in this verse? We "see" Him through the hearing of the Gospel, the revelation of Him through the Word of God, and our encounter with Him through the Holy Spirit. He is just as visible to us in this manner as if we could reach out and touch Him. We see Him with the eyes of our souls and our spirits.

     Joseph was changed or altered spiritually and in appearance (see sana above) after he was brought up from the pit early in the third year, and Jesus was altered physically and spiritually (see Phil. 2:5-11) after He rose from death early on the morning of the third day. He then appeared to His disciples in His changed body. We also will be changed or altered. (see Jn. 20:19-22, 1 Cor. 15:42-44 and 52-55).

     Pharaoh acknowledged the Spirit of God upon Joseph's life, and we also have the "sealing" by the signet ring, which includes the meaning (see taba'at/taba' above) of being immersed or dipped into, reminding us of baptism. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, a dove, which John identified as the Holy Spirit, descended from heaven and remained upon Jesus. John said, "This is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen (horao - see with the eyes, perceive, to know by experience, to look, pay heed to, discern clearly) ..." (see Jn. 1:32-34).

      As with Joseph, it is the Holy Spirit that not only raised Jesus from the dead, but raises us also. (see Rom. 8:11). It is the Holy Spirit that "seals" (see taba'at/taba' above) us in our resurrection inheritance: "In Him (Jesus) you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Rom. 1:13-14).

     Joseph was clothed by Pharaoh in fine linen, as Pharaoh perceived the Spirit of God in Joseph and elevated him in authority. Egyptian linen was and is still known as the finest, most luxurious linen in the world. The dressing of Joseph in fine linen is a prophetic shadow of how our King, the Lord, robes us His saints. The beautiful pure white linen with which He robes us represents the salvation covering of His righteousness upon us. These white linen garments are also associated with the marriage between the Bride and Bridegroom, which also reflects our relationship with Christ as His Bride. (see Isa. 61:10, Rev. 19:6-9).

     We see again the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit in another reading from this Sabbath's Mikketz, "at the end of" portion. The following is included in this Sabbath's reading because this Sabbath takes place while Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights (Dedication) is taking place. This feast remembers the miracle of God that extended the oil supply necessary to keep the Menorah Lamp in the temple burning for eight days instead of one day. The "eighth day" appears often in scripture and always carries the establishment of an important and powerful principle or event with God.

     This Sabbath reading portion is from Zech. 4:1-7. Zechariah received the vision from the LORD of a solid gold, seven-branched lampstand or menorah, with a continuous supply of olive oil flowing directly from two olive trees standing on each side of it. Zechariah is told that this vision, and the meaning of the vision is to be delivered to Zerubbabel, who was the governor and leader of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the Israelites were miraculously returned from captivity in Babylon, as was previously prophesied. The progress in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem had been torturously slow, with little progress made and opposition all around. This was the prophetic message to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace (hen - well-favored, grace, acceptance, good-will), grace to it!" 

     The Holy Spirit, represented by the gold lamp of the vision, would accomplish by His unlimited power what man had not been able to accomplish. The seven branches of the Lamp are the eyes of the LORD scanning the whole earth. (v. 10). The Holy Spirit is the voice of "grace" in the message to Zerubbabel. The Holy Spirit in the mouth of Zerubbabel would take the mountain of opposition and raise up the *Messiah/Christ capstone from it (see *note below). Transformation, change, alteration, transmutation (see sana above) - what once was, will be changed by the Holy Spirit into what is to be, according to the will of God. There is also the force of "grace" in this message to Zerubbabel.

     Have we limited our concept of "grace"? Our understanding of grace should also include the power to change what is an obstacle to God's will, the mountain, into what is approved and acceptable to God, in this case, the beloved Capstone that is His Son, Jesus. (see Ps. 118:22-24, Mt. 21:42, Acts 4:10-12, Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Pet. 2:4-10). Grace changed us from being unacceptable to accepted by God: "...that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace..." (see Eph. 1:3-8). Grace contains the glory and riches of God, as this verse reveals. If we truly believe that grace has the power to change the unacceptable into the accepted before God, then we should be believing, speaking and praying "Grace, grace" to all of creation, especially to that which stands in opposition to the will of God. Jesus came full of grace and truth. (Jn. 1:14). Speaking "Grace" is like speaking the name and essence of Jesus. 

     Do we only view the Holy Spirit as the Giver of spiritual gifts? Jesus said that the Holy Spirit glorifies Him, Jesus, and takes what is His and declares it to us. (see Jn. 16:13-14). We can believe for the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus Christ in the whole earth, and to declare the things of Christ to us, and to those being saved. Paul wrote that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our inner spirit that we are children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. (see Rom. 8:16).  Paul again wrote that the Holy Spirit testifies to our inner spirit and hearts from which He cries out, "Abba, Father!" on our behalf, making us sons and heirs of God through Christ. (see Gal. 4:6). The Holy Spirit is part of the Three in heaven, Father, Son and Spirit, that bear witness of truth in heaven, and the Holy Spirit and the water and blood of Christ as one bear witness of the truth of Christ here on earth. (see 1 Jn. 5:6-12). All of the gifts, witnessing and testifying of the Holy Spirit in and through the believer in Jesus Christ (the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit of fire), serve the purpose, glory, and truth of Jesus Christ to all the earth. In the form of the Golden Lampstand of God as seen in the vision above, the Holy Spirit identified in the message to Zerubbabel, is the flame of the Light of the world, the unending oil that supplies the flame of the Light of the world, and the Lampstand which lifts up, elevates and exalts the Light of the world, which is Christ and Christ in us. That Light of the world is the Light that overcomes the darkness of a long, cold winter night. It is the Light of creation and life. It is the Light of hope that all things are possible with God, to be held up high for all to be able to see. (Ps. 18:27-28, Isa. 42:6-7, Mt. 4:16, Mt. 5:14-16, Rev. 21:23-24).

Joseph's gift, as a man with the Spirit of God, testified to Pharaoh and all Egypt that the LORD is the only God, and that he, Joseph, knew God, and the spiritual gift in Joseph, the filthy Hebrew slave brought up out of the pit by the grace/favor and Spirit of God, was used to testify of God, and not of any man. (Gen. 41:16). How much more can a called-out assembly of millions of believers in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles, full of the Holy Spirit and as witnesses to the grace of God through Christ, be used by God for His purpose? The mind boggles! As we think of the miracles, especially the birth of our Savior, Jesus, of this time of year, let us bring new wonder and worship to the Lord for all that He has done.

     If you would like to learn more about the Spirit and grace of God, and the Light that shines through every darkness, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father and glorious King, especially in this season, help me to understand, speak, pray, and walk in a deeper understanding of Your Holy Spirit and Your grace, given to us through the sacrifice of Your own Son, Jesus. Help me to understand by Your Word and Spirit as a light to my eyes, how the Spirit's testimony that I am a child of God and a joint-heir with Christ is not meant to be consumed on myself, but is to be used to glorify You, Your Son, and Your Spirit. You assigned Hanukkah and Christmas to occur during a season of darkened days for a reason. Help me to walk in the gift of Your grace in a manner that shines Your Light into the darkness. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Message

       The Sabbath reading portion for this week is titled Va-y'chi, meaning, "and he lived". This reading portion covers Genesis chapters 47 through 49. The Sabbath reading gave me much food for thought, especially considering the fact that we have just finished celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and we are looking at the end of one calendar year, and the beginning of a new one. In this week's reading, some great old patriarchs of our faith were passing away and leaving a message of instructions for their sons. 

     Our first father in this lesson is Jacob, who, at the age of 130, came to Egypt during a severe famine to be reunited with his son, Joseph. As Jacob was introduced to the Pharaoh that Joseph served, Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?" Jacob answered: "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few (me'at/ma'at - littleness, little worth, small matter/diminished, nothing, bring to nothing, gather least) and evil (ra/ra'a - wickedness, trouble, affliction, grievous, malignant, misery, sorrow, unhappy/bad, evil, harm, evil doer, broken in pieces) have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers (which included Abraham and Isaac) in the days of their pilgrimage." (Gen. 47:7-10). This sad testimony was Jacob's message before the king. If we consider the time of "Jacob's Trouble" that comes during the end times, it is prophesied as a time of darkness with an increase of wickedness and sorrows. However, Jacob was a man who had seen a ladder between heaven and earth with God enthroned at the top of it, and angels ascending and descending upon it. Jacob had also been renamed "Israel" (meaning "God prevails, he will rule as God, contender, soldier of God; have power as a prince, persist, to be leader, commander, to be noble") by God (see Gen. 32:28). This is a man to whom God spoke several times. His son, whom he thought was dead, was joyously revealed to be alive and ruling in Egypt, saving multitudes from the famine.  All of these events and more showed the miraculous hand of God in Jacob's life, yet his testimony to Pharaoh was that the days of his years had been small and evil compared to his fathers. Perhaps Jacob's message to Pharaoh regarding his life reflected the prophetic times of great tribulation ahead. Both Jacob, and later, his beloved son Joseph, gave instructions regarding their burials to their sons before dying, and those requests were obediently carried out by their descendants. Jacob also delivered a prophetic message over each of his sons, and the sons of Joseph as well, before he died. His prophetic message over his son, Judah, would call forth the Messiah many generations later.

   In another reading portion from this Sabbath, King David, as he aged, passed a message to his son, Solomon, who would rule Israel after him. He assembled all of the elders and rulers of Israel to bear witness to this message. David told them that it had been his heart's desire "to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it." (1 Chron. 28:1-2).  However, the LORD had told David that he could not build this house because, as a man of war, he had shed blood (v. 3). The LORD said instead: "It is your son Solomon (selomo/salom - peace, peaceable/completeness, welfare, soundness, prosperity, contentment, perfect such as be at peace) who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father." (v. 6). David then provided to Solomon all of his building plans for the house of God, instructions for the service of the priests and Levites, and all of the gold and silver necessary to construct the furnishings of worship for the house: "All this', said David, 'the LORD made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans." (v. 19). He then said to Solomon: "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service for the house of the LORD..." (v. 20, see also Deut. 31:6-8, Josh. 1:9, Mt. 28:20, Heb. 13:5-6). And David prayed to the LORD for his son, Solomon, and for God's people (v. 18-20). When Solomon later completed the house of God after his father's death, he prayed that all could come to it to pray for God's relief, forgiveness and healing (2 Chron. 6). This is the message that David passed to his son, which his son obediently carried out.

     We who believe in Christ are also each being built into the spiritual house of God, and this house is also being built upon a message: "...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5). Peter passed this additional message to those who are obedient: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (v. 9-10, see also 1 Cor. 6:19-20: Glorify God). Here is another part of the message given to us: "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of the darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 4:6). Jesus also prayed to His Father about the message to be contained in us: "And the glory which you gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (Jn. 17:22-23). This message given to us is so that "the world may know". Pharaoh represented the world before Jacob, but Jacob's message to him was a very different one, a message of smallness, diminishing glory and evil. We are to bring a different message. Solomon wrote a Psalm about the rule and reign of the Messiah (Christ). In part it proclaims: "...And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed...And blessed be His glorious name for ever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." (Ps. 72:17-19). As this Psalm of Solomon concludes, scripture makes the notation in v. 20: "The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended (kala - finished, accomplished, determined, be completed, be fulfilled)." The Psalm of Solomon completed the prayers and message of his father, David.  

     We have just been through the observance of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ/Messiah. As I read the very familiar account of the birth of Jesus in the Gospels, where the angels were delivering a message to all mankind, I thought that it is a message that I, as a believer, should be carrying and living, not just at Christmas, but eternally. The message is very similar to the scriptures we read above: "And behold, an angel of the LORD stood before them (the shepherds), and the glory of the LORD shone around them. Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and goodwill toward men!" (Lk. 2:9-14).

     I don't want to live as if this message is meant for only one day out of the year. I think this is THE message for all eternity. This message tells all people that though they may be surrounded by the darkness of the night, as the shepherds were, a Savior has come in shining glory. Though we may be in sin, a Savior has come to bring us back to His Father's heart if we will receive Him. Though our hearts may be filled with unrighteousness and unrest, we can come and find the Babe who was sent to die on a cross and rise again by the will of the Father for His glory and for our righteousness. For all of us who will receive THE message, come to the house of God's glory and presence, and be reconciled with your Father through THE message hand-delivered to us all by His Son, Jesus. As Solomon wrote THE message in the Psalm:

                                              "Let the whole earth be filled with His glory!"

     If you would like to walk in the message of praise and glory to God, you can pray with me: "Dear Father in heaven, how You have put a message in my heart and spirit! I want to walk in it, live in it, and show it before all. Like the good fathers of faith in scripture, who handed down their message and instructions to their sons, You also have handed down Your message and instruction to Your sons and daughters, born of Your Spirit. As Your spiritual house, I open my doors to any who seek to be reconciled with You through belief in Your Son, Jesus, to any who desire to be brought out of darkness and into Your light, to any who are not a people, but desire to obtain Your mercy and become the people of God who proclaim Your praises. As David drew up plans for the house of God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, fill me also with Your Spirit so that my life may conform to the plans for Your living house. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

AppointedTimes

The title of this sabbath's reading is Mikketz, meaning "At the end of", from Genesis Chapters 41-43. Genesis is the Book of Beginning, or B'reshiet in Hebrew. We have read about many beginning principles of God so far in this first Book of the Bible, and we have another beginning principle in this sabbath's readings also. TThis week's readings are timed to take place during the Feast of Dedication, the Festival of Lights, or Hanukkah. This year, the sabbath also falls on Christmas Eve. Our reading begins with Joseph who was forgotten in Pharaoh's prison: "Then it came to pass, at the end (qes/qasas - extremity, border, end/cut off, hew off, chop off, cut in two) of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river." (Gen. 41:1). We read here that two full years had passed since Joseph was forgotten by the man whose dream Joseph had interpreted while the man was imprisoned with Joseph. Suddenly, Pharaoh had a strange set of dreams. In the first dream, seven fat, healthy cattle arise from the river. Then seven thin, ill-favored cattle rose up after them and "ate up" (akal - eat, devour, consume, burn up) the healthy cattle. In the second dream of Pharaoh, seven plump and good heads of grain appear on one stalk. However, seven thin heads, blighted (sadap - scorch, burn up) by the east wind sprang up afterwards. The blighted heads then "devoured" (bala - swallow up, engulf) the good heads of grain. We should keep in mind that at the end of a two year time period, the time is "cut off" or "chopped off", according to the Hebrew meaning. Joseph's life is about to change dramatically. Pharaoh was troubled by his two dreams, and called in both his magicians, and the wise men of his realm to interpret these dreams, but no one knew the meanings. Both man's natural knowledge and wisdom, and the dark "knowledge" of the occult, were insufficient. Then Pharaoh was told about a Hebrew in his dungeon named Joseph, who had the proven ability to interpret dreams. Joseph was brought up out of the dungeon, shaved and given clean clothing in order to appear before Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Joseph that he had heard about his ability to interpret dreams, and that his magicians and wise men had not been able to help him (Gen. 41:15). Pharaoh had the power to throw Joseph right back into the dungeon, or set him free, yet Joseph answered him: "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (V. 116). Pharaoh told Joseph the dreams he had had, and Joseph began to bring the interpretation saying: "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do." (v. 25). Joseph told Pharaoh that the seven fat cattle and the seven full heads of grain signified seven years of abundance. However, a seven year severe famine, represented by the ill-favored cattle and blighted heads of grain, would follow the seven years of plenty. (v. 29-31). He concluded by saying to Pharaoh: "And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." (v. 32). Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint a wise man to set aside part of the abundance Egypt would experience, and store it away for the time of the famine to come (v. 33-36). "So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said..."Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?' Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.' And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.' Then Pharaoh took (sur - depart from, come to an end, put aside, be removed, withdraw from) his signet ring (taba'at/taba - signet ring of authority used for sealing/sink down, pierce, to impress a seal, dip into, immerse, plunge) off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen (ses/sayis - linen, marble, bleach, white/alabaster, bleach, white, marble) and put a gold chain (rabid zahab - golden, shimmer, brilliance, splendor of the sun and heavens/ bind a neck collar) around his neck." (v. 37-42). Instead of wearing the yoke of slavery on his neck, Joseph now wore a golden neck piece instead. The signet ring mentioned is the seal of authority, and by the Hebrew meaning of the word, it is also associated with a plunging, or immersion, such as baptism. Paul wrote this concerning the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the believer: "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed (sphragizo/sphragis - to set a seal upon, mark by the impression of a seal or a stamp in order to prove, attest, confirm, authenticate, place beyond doubt regarding a thing/a signet ring) us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Cor. 1:21-22, see Eph. 1:13-14, Rev. 7:2, Rev. 9:4). The fine linen given to Joseph to wear by Pharaoh (meaning "great house") is like the fine, white linen given to the saints, representing the righteousness of God (Rev. 19:5-9). In this Book of Genesis, we are seeing a beginning teaching of the changing role that the Holy Spirit played in Joseph's life, not just to bring Joseph glory, although He does, but to bring God glory out of Pharaoh's own mouth. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is not to exalt a believer for his own sake, but to bring God glory. The appointed time had come to make a shift in Joseph's life, s well as Egypt's future, and for the survival of Israel, which was able to be buy food in Egypt from Joseph in the middle of the terrible famine when it arrived (see Gen. 42-43). This was about so much more than Joseph's personal destiny. It also set the precedent of beginning in our lives as believers. The appointed time arrived in which the Holy Spirit came into our lives, sealed us, and changed our garments, neck-yokes, lives and destinies, and the destinies of those with whom our paths cross. Again we will see the connection of the Holy Spirit with the abrupt changing of time. In Zechariah 4, the prophet is awakened by the return of an angel "as a man who is wakened out of his sleep". (Zech. 4:1). The Hebrew meanings of the key words in this phrase can also mean "like a man raised from the dead", or "like a man stirred up after a long, old, dry period of time". The angel is about to show Zechariah something that will affect a work in the prophet's present time, but also the eternal meaning of the work. As with Joseph, the appointed time had come. During the prophet's time, Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah, after the people of God returned to Israel from their captivity in Babylon. Zerubbabel was overseeing the rebuilding of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the work was not progressing well. It had taken many years just to complete the foundation of the temple. The appointed time to break through the spiritual darkness that was impeding the work had come. The angel gave Zechariah a vision of the eternal golden Lampstand, from which the lampstand of the earthly temple had been copied. This golden Lampstand had a perpetual supply of oil attached to it in the form of two olive trees directly feeding their oil into the bowls of the Lamp. This Lamp of the angelic vision represented a message for Zerubbabel, the governor: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone/headstone (eben rosa - top most, highest stone of the corner), with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" (v. 6-7). Zerubbabel was concerned with building a work - the Temple of God. However, God was building an eternal connection in this moment of time between the Kingdom of heaven and a living temple on earth through His Salvation, according to the Hebrew meanings found in verses 8-14 of this same chapter. We know that Jesus is described as "the chief cornerstone" (see Ps. 118:22, Mt. 21:42-44). Paul explained: "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Eph. 1:19-22). These sabbath reading portions were about Joseph and Zerubbabel, but they were also about the stirring force of the Holy Spirit Who begins, continues, and completes the eternal work of God in us and through us. We cannot force it to fruition ourselves. We cannot force a beginning ourselves, nor change the times ourselves. It is by His Spirit. How can we apply these things to Christmas? The eternal work accomplished through the birth of Jesus Christ only happened by the Spirit, at an appointed time. Mary conceived the holy Seed of Christ, not by the will of man, but by the Spirit of God: "And the angel answered and said to her (Mary), 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Lk. 1:34-35). Knowing this, Paul also wrote: "Even so we...were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'" (Gal. 4:3-6). Zerubbabel was to bring out the capstone shouting "Grace, grace" to it by the Spirit of God. We, by the Spirit, cry out "Abba, Father!". The birth of Christ was determined by "the fullness of time", according to Paul. Not only His birth, but His death was determined by the Holy Spirit: "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time/at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:5-8). Jesus did not die according to the timing of a hateful mob. He died, as He was born, at the appointed time, by the eternal work of the love of God through the Holy Spirit. Even Christ's resurrection, and ours, was accomplished by the Holy Spirit! (see Rom. 8:11-14). Paul wrote again regarding our appointed time: "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:1-2). When will your appointed time, like Joseph's, come to accomplish God's work? God has the answer: "...humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time (kairos - a fixed and definite time, opportune and seasonable time, the right time), casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7). Have a blessed Hanukkah and Christmas, for they come at the appointed time of God. If you would like to learn more about the Lord's appointed times, and the work of His Holy Spirit in our lives, you can pray with me as I pray for myself: "Heavenly Father, I see in Your Word that events are not by the power or might of man, nor by the will and knowledge of man, but by Your Spirit. All of the events in the life of Jesus were quickened and accomplished by Your Holy Spirit. Baptize and fill me with Your Spirit, and arrange the days of my life according to Your appointed times. I thank You for the birth of Your precious Son and our Savior, Jesus, who is the Light, the Menorah, of the world, and has called me to be the light of the world in Him. I ask for these things in His name. AMEN."

Unexpected

This is the season when we celebrate God's salvation and deliverance provided for all mankind! He sent His Son, Jesus, to come to us in the flesh, born as a baby, in order to save us, as He promised. Although it was prophesied in scripture, most people of that time missed the birth of Christ and His purpose as our salvation, because they expected God to deliver them in a different way. They expected a different kind of a Savior. They had read and studied scripture, interpreted it throughout many generations, and thought that they had an understanding of the way in which God worked. How sad it would be to miss Christ and His deliverance in our lives because we have certain expectations about why, how, when, and to whom His deliverance comes. This week's Sabbath readings bring up this same issue for me. What seems right to men concerning how God must work, does not always take into account the unexpected ways of the LORD. In previous weeks, we read that God instructed Jacob to take his whole household, and go dwell in Egypt. God assured Jacob that He would be with him: "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up (ala - "come up, offer, ascend, light, raised, arose, exalted, to be taken up") again." (Gen. 46:2-4). This promise from God also confirmed the message that Joseph had sent to his father from Egypt. As a result, Jacob took his whole household into Egypt to dwell. Abraham had other descendants in the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. They might have looked upon Jacob's leaving to go to Egypt as a fatal mistake. God's promise to Abraham and his seed was the land of Canaan, not Egypt. How could Jacob make this terrible mistake? However, Jacob had been directed by God, not men. As this Sabbath's reading, which is titled Sh'mot, or "Names", begins, all of those who went down to Egypt with Jacob are named (Ex. 1:1-5). I wonder if Jacob's sons might have thought at the time, "Our father is getting it all wrong! He is moving us all to Egypt only because he loves Joseph, and wants to be with him." Jacob died in Egypt, and Joseph and his brothers also died in Egypt. The people back in the Promised Land might, when they had heard this, said, "I told you so!". However, we know that Jacob had been directed by God. Could men have anticipated what God had in mind concerning Jacob and his descendants? While Jacob and his sons had lived in Egypt, God kept His promise and multiplied them greatly: "But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them." (v. 7). Then a new king ruled in Egypt who had no knowledge of Joseph, and all that he had done for Egypt. This king looked upon all of the Israelites in his land, and he detested and feared them. Their numbers filled him with dread and he said: "...the children of Israel are more and mightier than we." (v. 9). The king put hard bondage upon the Hebrews, under strict taskmasters (mas - a burden as causing to faint, discomfited, melt away, discouraged"), making them build cities like Raamses, meaning "child of the sun", and Pithom, meaning "city of justice". Considering these terrible circumstances which developed, why would God have commanded Jacob in such a way? We find out that the Israelites were in Egypt for more than four hundred years (Ex. 12:40), as was prophesied to Abraham generations earlier (Gen. 15:13), and a good portion of those years were spent in slavery. Yet God directed Jacob to bring his whole household to a land that would eventually enslave the remnant, Jacob's precious descendants. When the Israelites grew even more in number, regardless of their terrible bondage, Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew midwives, Shiph'rah (meaning "fair, brightness, beautiful, glisten, pleasing") and Pu'ah (meaning "splendid, to glitter, brilliancy"), to kill the Hebrew boy babies as soon as they were born (v. 16). Those babies were not born in "the land of dire straits", Egypt, because they did something to deserve it, or because they made a wrong choice, but because God ordained their birth in that land. The midwives lied to Pharaoh, and saved the Hebrew male children because they feared God (v. 17-19). Because of this, God dealt with the Hebrew midwives and blessed them. One male baby who would be miraculously saved from death was Moses, who would become the deliverer of God's people. The heavier the burden placed on God's people in Egypt, the more fruitful they were. Ultimately the Israelites were delivered miraculously out of their bondage by God with great wonders and judgments so that Israel, Egypt and the nations would know and glorify Him (Ex. 14:18, Ex. 15). God used the cruel, and lengthy enslavement of His chosen remnant for His purpose: to multiply them exceedingly, to accomplish their miraculous deliverance by His hand, and to bring the knowledge of His glory to all people. Who would have expected this? If it happened today, people might be making all sorts of assumptions about why the remnant of God was going through this, but it was for the glory of God, and the acomplishing of His plan. These descendants of Jacob were not perfect, and they would try God's patience in the wilderness. They would also experience great losses as God dealt with their (mis)understandings and expectations regarding Him. However, I thank them for the difficult role they played enduring through pain and hardship, and recording for us their triumphs and mistakes with God. The LORD revealed, however, that their deliverance from Egypt would wait until He had allowed the Canaanites, who inhabited the Promised Land, to come to the fullness of their wickedness: "But in the fourth generation they shall return here (Canaan), for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Gen. 15:16). Do we allow for the sovereign and omniscient timing of the LORD in our expectations? Even the timing of the birth of Christ was determined by God to occur "when the fullness of the time had come..." (Gal. 4:3-5). In another part of this Sabbath's reading from Isaiah, the LORD says, "...let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me...Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." (Isa. 27:5-6). We take hold of the LORD's strength. In another Sabbath reading portion, God deals directly with Job, as Job's expectations regarding his deliverance by God have not been met. Because Job's expectations were dashed, his faith in deliverance crumbled, and he bitterly wished that he had never been born. In Chapter 39, God revealed His plan of salvation to Job, and the spiritual warfare that ensues. This 39th chapter describes animals in the English translation, but in Hebrew, each keyword joins together to reveal the Gospel. (If you are interested in reading more about this, you can read a previous blog post titled "Revealed". You can find it in the right hand column of this page under the heading "Blog Archive": click on "2017", then "April", and then "Revealed".) In the next chapter, Chapter 40, Job was left speechless, and ashamed before God by this revelation, and God could then begin Job's deliverance. First God dealt with Job's incorrect expectations: "Would you indeed annul (parar -"break (to bits), make void, defeat, frustrate, divide, make ineffectual, violate") My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty...Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you." (Job 40:8-14, excerpt). It seems that our expectations of "who, why, what, how, where, and when" can actually limit God, and work against His perfect plan for us. The unexpected also relates to the Christmas story, and the birth of our Savior and Deliverer, Jesus. Religious experts at the time, thinking that they had an understanding of how God operated, would have stoned Mary, or at the very least shamed her and cast her out of their midst, because of her unexpected pregnancy, if God hadn't intervened with Joseph, Mary's betrothed (Mt. 1:18-21). Later, when the child was born, only a few recognized the signs of the birth, and came to see and honor the newly born King. Our expectations might question why God would put His Son in a stable, and in a manger used for animals? (Though He created the world (John 1:1-5, 14), the world had no room for Him.) Yet this is indeed what God did, and we sing about it now. Joseph, Mary's husband, was also told in a dream to take the child and mother to Egypt until God brought him word (Mt. 2:13-15). Although prophesied (Hos. 11:1), people might have asked, "Why would the child, if He was the Savior, the Messiah of Israel, go down to Egypt? That couldn't be right!" In the meantime, under the order of King Herod, the streets of Bethlehem and the surrounding area ran with the blood of young male children, as the king tried to prevent the prophesied Christ from appearing (Mt. 2:16). Of course, God knew beforehand the evil intentions of the king. Later in the life of Jesus, although it had been prophesied (Isa. 52-53-54, Psalm 22), most religious experts of the time would never have expected the Messiah to sacrifice Himself on a cross to fulfill His heavenly Father's plan. They concluded that this Man must be an evil-doer, rather than the Son of God. They felt confident that they were correct when Jesus did not "deliver Himself" from the cross as they taunted Him to do (Mt. 27:39-44). This was less than a week after throngs had welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem waving palm branches and crying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!" Who would have expected such a turn of events? Expectations can be tricky when it comes to God, and how we think He should work. Even His resurrection, though spoken of often by Jesus beforehand, was a shock to His disciples. They didn't expect to find an empty tomb. The miraculous Christmas birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ were full of the unexpected to man! Perhaps this Christmas, in the middle of these trying, but prophesied times (see Mt. 24, Luke 21) full of unexpected and shocking events daily, God is looking for our surrender to Him, and to His strength, in a way that surpasses our own understanding and expectations. God's Word says that the humbling and repentance of His people will bring healing (2 Chron. 7:13-14). Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost (panteles - "completely, perfectly, utterly, full-ended"), which must certainly be beyond the limitations of our expectations. I am praying for an "uttermost" Christmas. If you would like to know more about the unexpected ways of God, you can join me in prayer: "Heavenly Father, You know everything concerning my life, and concerning all of creation. You call the stars out each night by name. You have called each one of us by name also. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to us in a remarkable and unexpected way, for our salvation from sin, and for our deliverance from death. I place my trust in Your miraculous knowledge of me, and Your plan for me. I trust You to lead and guide me by Your Holy Spirit in all things, because You know all things. I give everything having to do with me and my household into the strength of the One who saves me to the uttermost, Jesus. Forgive me, Lord, when my understanding has limited You, or Your sovereignty over my life. This Christmas and always, I want to remember that the King of Kings was miraculously born into the world in order to be born into my heart. I pray these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Reconciliation

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Lk. 2:13-14). Today is Christmas day. Christmas is full of miracle messages. One of the miracles associated with Christmas is the above declaration of the angels in heaven: the outreach of reconciliation from God to man by the child who had been born, Jesus. This miracle of reconciliation is so great, that a multitude of angels cried out aloud from heaven in praises because of it. We are separated from our God in the first place because of our sin. The word of the LORD to the prophet Isaiah said, "Behold the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lipe have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity." (Isa. 59:1-3). The same sin also separates and divides us from one another. Our nations are divided with hostility, our communities are divided, our families are divided. However, the child born on Christmas is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29, 34), and reconciles the world to God. The blood of the Lamb also reconciles us with each other, if we will allow it to do so. This is the ministry that was given to Christ, and to us - the reconciliation of man to God: "Now all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:18-20). As we know, the world is in desperate need of being reconciled to God. Everywhere we look, there are divisions and estrangements, even within the household of faith. We have this powerful ministry of reconciliation, created for us by the Father through Christ Himself. This is the perfect time of year to revive ourselves in the meaning and timely importance of this ministry of reconciliation. The Sabbath readings this week also carry the same message. They are from Gen. 45 and Ezek. 37. This group of readings is called Va'yigash, meaning "And he drew near". That title has a wealth of meaning to us, especially at this time of year. In Gen. 45, Joseph is miraculously reunited with his brothers, and afterwards, with his father, Jacob. These same brothers plotted to kill Joseph because they resented him and the prophetic dreams he had. They ended up selling him into slavery instead. They lied to their father, Jacob, and told him that Joseph had been killed. Joseph ends up as a slave in Egypt, but by the favor of God (the meaning of reconciliation includes "restoration to favor"), he was elevated into the second highest position in Egypt. Only Pharaoh was of higher rank. Rather than being offended, angry and bitter during the unexpected reconciliation with his brothers, Joseph was overcome with emotion at the reunion. In order to comfort them, Joseph told his brothers that all had worked out for him according to God's purpose. The reconciliation work of God causes us to be able to see His purpose, even through painful trials and rejection. Because of this reconciliation of Joseph with his family, the seed of Jacob would have provision and safety throughout the famine. The second miraculous reconciliation is found in this Sabbath's haftarah reading found in Ezek. 37. It is the reconciliation prophesied to the divided nation of Israel. The reconciliation taking place in this chapter takes place on several different levels. Israel had been divided into two separate kingdoms. God prophesies through Ezekiel that they would be joined together again. On another level of reconciliation, God promises that Israel would be one nation with one King, one Shepherd, even David, for ever. Here in this level of reconciliation, God is promising Israel the Kingdom of Messiah. On the third level of reconciliation, the Jews and the half-Gentile tribes, represented by Ephraim (Joseph's son by his Egyptian wife), would be joined together like two sticks or branches becoming one in God's hand. This same promise is given to the Church in the new covenant through Christ's ministry of reconciliation: "For if their (Israel) being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?...blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." (Rom. 11:11-21, excerpt). From Ephesians we read, "...that at that time you (once Gentiles in the flesh) were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and wiithout God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation..." (Eph. 2:12-14). The miraculous work of reconciliation, announced on that long ago night in Bethlehem at the birth of Christ, is still working miracle reconciliations as promised by our Father. May we walk faithfully in that ministry in the image of Christ, Who reconciled the world to His Father, because our Father has given us the ministry and word of reconciliation. If you would like to draw nearer to Jesus as He reaches out to draw near to you, you can begin with this prayer: "Lord Jesus, You have reconciled me to the Father in heaven by cleansing me of my sins. I believe you died for me, and that You rose again from the dead. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I may minister this same reconciliation to others in Your name. Amen."

Reputation

Christmas is drawing near. I was thinking about the first Christmas, and felt that I needed to remind myself of the circumstances surrounding it. Those who are recorded to have been present at the birth of Christ were of no reputation, several are not even known by name. No religious leaders were there, nor important officials. Animals probably outnumbered the people present. However, the glory of God was there as the heavens opened and the angels declared it. Lowly shepherds were allowed to be a part of the birth and the glory. Unnamed wise men from the East did not consider themselves too important to travel a long distance, following a star in order to bring gifts to an unknown King, though they were men of great enough esteem to be accepted into the presence of earthly kings (Mt. 2:7-12). Mary, a young woman of no importance to man, humbled herself further to receive the perplexing and challenging prophetic Word of the LORD that was brought to her by an angel. Joseph, a common carpenter, humbled himself to accept a seemingly impossible and what would be perceived as a scandalous situation because of what was shown to him in a dream. From these details of the birth of Jesus, we might be able to conclude that God is not necessarily looking for someone with a reputation, who is acknowledged, recognized, and approved of by man. In the world's view, it is a desired thing to be recognized. We live in an age of Instagram flooded with "selfies", and "social influencers" compete for subscribers by showing us how to live the most exciting and beautiful lifestyle. To them, recognition and reputation translates into money. The kingdom of God, especially if we use the birth of Christ as an example, does not share the world's viewpoint, and teaches the complete opposite. It is to our benefit to understand that the world's ways are not God's ways. Scripture tells us that Jesus came as one having made Himself of no reputation (meaning to empty, cause a thing to be seen as empty, of no reputation, abase, make of none effect; vessels which contain nothing, empty handed, destitute of spiritual wealth): "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Phil 2:5-8). Though we are the sons of God through Christ, we follow the example of Jesus as we make of ourselves a people of no reputation. We will see what God does with such a people later. I think these verses above are some of the most important in scripture, and the Christmas story is filled with this same truth. If this is the model set before us by the most important figure the world has ever known, Jesus, we are to follow His example, surely. No one has accomplished more for the kingdom of God than Jesus, yet He deliberately sought to have no reputation. He even told those who recognized Him as Christ to tell no one. A person's acceptance of Jesus was not to be based upon His reputation, but based instead upon the revelation of God, a work of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 16:13-20). And too many to count have experienced this revelation. God can do great things through a person of no reputation. Again, in the continuation of the verses from Philippians, we are given the model of Jesus: "Therefore, God has also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:9-11). To one who accepted Christ, not based upon reputation, but revelation, Jesus said, "...on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Mt. 16:18-19). To the Corinthian church, who had great pride in their spiritual gifts, the apostle Paul pointed out that he came to them in weakness, knowing nothing but Christ and Him crucified. He deliberately preached not with words of human wisdom and polish, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. He told them that their faith should be of the same nature (1 Cor. 2:2:1-5). To the Philippian church, he spoke of his most excellent and highly regarded credentials which would make him a Jew of high standing if that was what mattered. However, he no longer considered those things of importance in preaching the Gospel. He said, "But what things are gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ...for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him...the righteousness which is from God by faith." (Phil. 3:3-9). Paul would rather lose himself and be part of Christ than to be and have what the world and religion consider impressive and influential. He would fit in well as one who came to that first Christmas in Bethlehem. The Sabbath readings assigned for this week, Gen. 41-44, carry the same timely message. The readings tell of people who were miraculously elevated, but they recognized that it was not because of who they were, but because of the Spirit of God. Joseph was brought out of prison to be a ruling person in Egypt because he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams that no one else could interpret. When Pharaoh said that he had heard of Joseph's reputation for interpreting dreams, Joseph answered, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (Gen. 41:16). The dream interpretation would result in revealing the heavenly knowledge and wisdom that would be needed to guide the nation of Egypt through years of famine, and also to have enough food on hand to provide for Joseph's father Jacob, Joseph's brothers, and all of their children and flocks when they joined Joseph in Egypt. Choosing Joseph to elevate to the position of second in the land, Pharaoh said to his servants and Joseph, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?...Inasmuch as God has shown you (Joseph) all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall rule over my house and all my people shall be ruled according to your word...See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." (Gen. 41:38-41). In this elevation, Joseph, born a Hebrew, hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, betrayed by those with whom he had been entrusted, learned that it was not who he was that elevated him, but Who the Spirit of God is Who revealed these things to him. In the haftarah reading for this Sabbath, 1 Kings 3:15-4:1, when Solomon became king after his father David died, he didn't come to the throne relying on David's great reputation, or the people's recognition and honor of his royal position. Solomon requested of the LORD in a dream, "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father, David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore, give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" (1 Kings 3:7-9). The next verse says, "The speech pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked this thing." Because the LORD was so pleased with Solomon's humble spirit as reflected in his request, the LORD gave Solomon not only what he asked for, but much more besides, "...so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you...there shall not be any one like you among the kings all your days." (v. 12-13). These readings for this Sabbath are titled, "Miketz", which is translated, "at the end of". In light of the contents of the readings, I believe what God is saying to us through them is that when we are willing to be at the end of ourselves, then God can begin. This Christmas, as we remember the birth of Christ, making a pilgrimage in the Spirit to the stable where He was born, let's leave our "reputations" behind, and come as ones having made ourselves of no reputation. This year, may we experience the same Christmas glory in the birth of Christ as those who were present so long ago. Our Father wants us to come to the manger and experience His glory. If you would like to receive the King of Glory, Jesus, this Christmas as your Lord and Savior, believe in your heart that He died for your sins, and confess by faith that He rose from the dead. We can pray together: "Lord Jesus, I come to You in faith, seeking You as Lord and Savior, believing that You died for me. I believe that You rose from the dead. I believe that God has given You a name, and highly exalted You. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that You are Lord of all. You lowered Yourself and became like men, and made Yourself of no reputation, in order to save me according to Your Father's plan. Fill me with the Holy Spirit that I might be the glory of God in Your image. In Your name, which has been exalted by God, I pray. Amen.

Magnificat

 



"Visitation",Ghirlandaio,1491

There are many religious groups that have opinions about Jesus. Some say that they recognize Him as a prophet only. Like the religious leaders of Jesus' day, some religions suggest that it is blasphemous to suggest that God might have a Son, like an ordinary man. This is why those first century religious leaders threatened to stone Jesus and pulled out His beard, accusing Him of blasphemy.
Some groups say that they indeed recognize Jesus as the Son of God, who was sacrificed to atone for our sins, and because of this, they consider Him Savior, but they do not believe that He is God, or part of what is referred to as the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe that there is only Jehovah Who is God alone.
Is it necessary to believe in the deity of Jesus Christ to be saved? I am no theologian, but to me personally, YES, it is profoundly necessary for my salvation to believe that Christ is part of the Trinity, part of the God-head, and scripture very much affirms my belief, which we will see. To me, if I deny the deity of Christ, I am also denying a most deep and vital understanding of the character and purpose of God, the part of God that would give anything and everything to save man, to save me, whom He created and whom He loves with an abounding love. In Jesus, I see the sacrificial nature of the Father. God is an invisible spirit Whom we can "see" only through His wondrous works. However, He has made another way by which we can see Him: by and in a love greater than our human understanding can perceive, He gave and sent the most precious Person of Himself to become flesh and visible to us (Col. 1:15-17), to die in our place, in order to save us. Jesus said that when we see Him, we see the Father, and Jesus is disappointed in us when we don't know that (Jn. 14:9). Paul explained the connection of the deity of Christ and His sacrifice in this manner also:
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."   Phil. 2:5-11
It is to the glory of God, not His diminishment, when we recognize the deity of His Son as stated in the verse above. God sent the Person of Himself who manifests the invisible into substance: His Word. His Word, Who was with Him and in Him from the beginning even before the foundation of the world, created all things. Nothing was made that wasn't made by His Word. His Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn. 1:1-3, 14, Col. 1:15-17). It is written in the Psalms, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." (Ps. 107:20). The word in Hebrew translated "sent" in the above verse is shalach שָׁלַח. The pictographic letters that make up that word are:
shin- teeth, destroy, devour, the name of God: El Shaddai
lamed- a staff, a rod (of a shepherd)
cheth- to separate, cut off from, to protect, an inner room or chamber
Even God's verbs embody and testify of His Son! (Jn. 5:39). We can see the Person of the Son, His purpose and His deity, in the meaning of these composing letters, and the protection found in Him, our God and Shepherd, Who "destroys destruction".  He, as God, chews it up and swallows it (1 Cor. 15:54).
For those who accept Jesus as the Son of God, but deny His identity as God, are contradicted by the language and traditions of the Hebrews, as I understand this. In Hebrew tradition and language, a son is the continuation of his father, and his name also contains the name of his father, using the connecting word "Bar" or "Ben", which means "son of", tying the son's identity directly to the father before him. Example: Simon Bar Jonah (Mt. 16:17, see also Jn. 5:43). In scripture, a son always existed in the loins of his father's father's (etc....) father (Heb. 7:9-10). There is no separation between them in fact.  Experts may disagree with my simplistic understanding, but this is another reason why I cannot separate Jesus from His Father and the Holy Spirit in character, name, power, glory, honor, love. 
The prophet Isaiah wrote that belief in the deity of Christ, and His "Oneship" with God's identity and Person is a truth proclaimed and prophesied by God, Himself, approximately 750 years before the birth of Christ, when this was written:
"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government (misrah- to exert oneself, to contend with, to persevere, rule, dominion)
will be upon His shoulder (shekem- laid on him as a load to bear, the member upon which blows are inflicted, the place of burdens).
And His name will be called
Wonderful (pele-a miracle, root: extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action,
to separate (as an offering),
Counselor (ya'ats-devise, plan, command, deliberate),
Mighty God (El Gibbor-powerful, champion, a mighty king, giant, to prevail, a name of God),
Everlasting Father (Ad-Ab: eternal, continuous, old, world without end- Patriarch, producer/generator of benevolence and protection),
Prince of Peace (Sar-Shalom: ruler, general, commander, governor, have dominion and rule over -peace, welfare, safety, prosperity, completeness, covenant of peace, to be finished, restoration, compensation).
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Isa. 9:6-7 (listen from Handel's "Messiah")

Isaiah was not writing above about an ordinary child, born from an ordinary father. He was describing a male child born, Who is God. Tradition says that the wonderful prophet Isaiah was killed by people who did not like the prophecies that he brought. If that is the case, then the above verses regarding a child to be born who is God might have been one of the nails in his coffin, so to speak. However, Isaiah wrote without compromise, as he saw it and heard it from the LORD, and we are blessed and saved because of it.
By incorporating the belief of the deity of Jesus, I am not disrespecting or diminishing God, but magnifying Him even more greatly in my heart. There is no greater magnification that can be given by man than the acknowledgement, praise, love, and thanks for God's planned sacrifice of His Son, who is a part of Himself, for us, even when we didn't know Him, or love Him (1 Jn. 4:10, 19).
Mary was told by an angel that the child she would conceive by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit was holy. The child would be called the Son of the Highest. He would be a king of the throne of David, and His kingdom would be without end, forever (Lk. 1:30-35). The fact that the child that she carried in her womb was extraordinary was confirmed to Mary later during the salutation of her kinswoman, Elizabeth ("Oath of God", "My God has Sworn"). In this moment of revelation, Mary's soul magnified the LORD:
"My soul magnifies (deem or declare great, celebrate, to make conspicuous, to make great, to increase, to esteem highly) the LORD, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."
                                                                                          Lk. 1:46-55 (excerpt)
Several denominations of the Church believe that Mary did not just declare these words, but under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, she sang them. Therefore some churches also sing her words in a song called "The Magnificat" (listen to one example).This is what I feel when I think about the deity of Christ and His sacrifice and resurrection: my soul begins to magnify God.
Many things that Jesus said points to this magnification of the Father through the deity of the Son. Jesus also spoke of the glory He had with His Father from the beginning. That same glory, He has given to us. If He didn't share with or eternally possess the glory of the Father, He couldn't give it to us, and we would still be naked and ashamed. Jesus said that He and the Father are one ("echad": a unity in plurality). Through this divine identity of Christ, we have also been reconciled and included in that oneness with our Father. If Jesus didn't possess that oneness of identity in God, then we are still separated and apart from our Creator (see Jn. 17:20-26, Col. 1:19-21). Paul wrote of Christ:
"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (in bodily form): and you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power."  Col. 2:9-10
The deity of Christ directly affects me, according to the verse above. The fullness of the Godhead in Him, completes me as I accept Him as my Savior. If I rob Jesus of His divine identity, I am really robbing myself. This is one reason why my acceptance of Him as God is both precious and necessary to my salvation in my heart. To me, in order to believe Christ as Savior, while at the same time questioning or denying His deity, would require that I disregard both the Old and New Testaments, because this is the truth that our scriptures emphatically state.
We have designated a day, Christmas, to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This Christmas, take a moment to contemplate what you believe about Jesus. To you, was He a fable, a philosopher, a teacher, a founder of a religion, a troublemaker, a blasphemer, a good man, a prophet, a man who became a sacrifice, a sad victim, maybe a miracle worker?
This Christmas, consider this: God, the Creator, sent His most beloved part of Himself - His Son, to walk with you, to talk with you, to die for you, to save you from the destructions that were waiting for you, even death itself. God, the Creator and Father, even gave up His authority of judgment over you that was rightfully in His hands, and gave that authority to His Son (Jn. 5:21-30), because His Son is the embodiment of all grace and truth (Jn. 1:14, Jn. 14:6).
My salvation did not come through the death of a man, even a good man, but through the death, burial and resurrection of God. This is my song, my magnificat to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit of unending love, and of my salvation.

Our Father has glorified His Son.