Old Testament Survey Week 2
Father thank You for the time we have together in Your Word.
Thank You Lord that You are going to open it up to us
in a way that is life giving,
a way that draws us into Your presence,
a way that makes us present with You Father.
I thank You for all the ways
You’ve shared Your heart with us,
and we are looking forward tonight
to just being in Your presence together in Your Word.
In Jesus name, A-Men
Query:
Why did God set a rainbow in the sky as a sign following the flood?
In the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation there is a constant theme
from the very beginning God creates Light
the last thing in Revelation 22 tells us
that there will be no need for sun or lamps
for God will illuminate the heavens with His light.
So I believe, this is my opinion, that the rainbow set in the sky as covenant sign is simply a refraction of light… a refraction of God, another type of Christ.
Query:
What is the significance of God’s changing of Abram’s name to Abraham?
“Ab” is father as in Abba Father … “ram” is exalted or lifted up
so Abram means exalted father
Abraham means father of nations… but there is another interesting thing about this…
Look at the difference between Abram and Abraham,
and Sarai and Sarah
What was added to their names …. “h”
The sound of Hhhhhhhh.
What is happening here is
that God is breathing His Spirit into their names.
God is taking that which is flesh
and He is breathing His Spirit into it.
In Genesis when it says that God creates man
Thank You Lord that You are going to open it up to us
in a way that is life giving,
a way that draws us into Your presence,
a way that makes us present with You Father.
I thank You for all the ways
You’ve shared Your heart with us,
and we are looking forward tonight
to just being in Your presence together in Your Word.
In Jesus name, A-Men
Query:
Why did God set a rainbow in the sky as a sign following the flood?
In the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation there is a constant theme
from the very beginning God creates Light
the last thing in Revelation 22 tells us
that there will be no need for sun or lamps
for God will illuminate the heavens with His light.
So I believe, this is my opinion, that the rainbow set in the sky as covenant sign is simply a refraction of light… a refraction of God, another type of Christ.
Query:
What is the significance of God’s changing of Abram’s name to Abraham?
“Ab” is father as in Abba Father … “ram” is exalted or lifted up
so Abram means exalted father
Abraham means father of nations… but there is another interesting thing about this…
Look at the difference between Abram and Abraham,
and Sarai and Sarah
What was added to their names …. “h”
The sound of Hhhhhhhh.
What is happening here is
that God is breathing His Spirit into their names.
God is taking that which is flesh
and He is breathing His Spirit into it.
In Genesis when it says that God creates man
in His own image and likeness… how does He do it?
He breathes… Here is actually what happens…
Man was not created out of dirt or clay…
he was created when God took dust from the ground
and breathed His breath of life into it.
Dust is like baby powder, if you blow on it, it will scatter…
Dust is anhydrous it has no moisture to hold it together.
It was the very condensation of God’s breath
He breathes… Here is actually what happens…
Man was not created out of dirt or clay…
he was created when God took dust from the ground
and breathed His breath of life into it.
Dust is like baby powder, if you blow on it, it will scatter…
Dust is anhydrous it has no moisture to hold it together.
It was the very condensation of God’s breath
that held it together and the breath of God’s life
that brought the creation to life.
Breath into your hands and make that sound…
Breath into your hands and make that sound…
what happens?
Spirit and breath are the same Hebrew word.
It is the mixture of the condensation of God’s breath
Spirit and breath are the same Hebrew word.
It is the mixture of the condensation of God’s breath
and dust that forms man.
Why would something like mercy come about…
because God remembers His breath!
If we want to know how precious we are to God…
Why would something like mercy come about…
because God remembers His breath!
If we want to know how precious we are to God…
we have His breath.
What could be more precious than His breath?
Think about when we praise Him…
what word is used universally to bring praise to God….
hallelujah …
say it slowly hhhhall elujahhhh…
The sound at the beginning and end of hallelujah is an ‘h’
representing the very breath of God.
Our worship is simply returning
the breath of God that was breathed into us
back to Him.
Worship is our exhalation
For His exaltation.
God breathes His Spirit into each and every human
at the point of conception.
Joke from a student:
These scientists say to God,
“Well we have come a long way
and we can make humans better than You”…
So they have this little competition.
The scientists get this pile of dirt and get ready…
and God says, “No, no, get your own dirt.”
Let’s just dig in to tonight’s lesson:
We are going to spent the next couple of weeks talking about covenant.
What is a covenant… what are some other words for a covenant?
promise agreement contracts
In a covenant, two or more people come together
and they agree about something.
A covenant is a solemn agreement
entered into by two or more willing parties
where promises are made
and conditions are agreed upon
in the presence of witnesses.
As the conditions are fulfilled
promised benefits are bestowed.
The thing that is really big there is the term willing parties…
You don’t enter into a covenant if you’re not willing.
That’s not a covenant, that’s a conquest.
God is a covenant God
who brings us into covenant
through His own means
for the purpose of bringing us close to Himself
What was the main image we had last week in our class?
The Table
What could be more precious than His breath?
Think about when we praise Him…
what word is used universally to bring praise to God….
hallelujah …
say it slowly hhhhall elujahhhh…
The sound at the beginning and end of hallelujah is an ‘h’
representing the very breath of God.
Our worship is simply returning
the breath of God that was breathed into us
back to Him.
Worship is our exhalation
For His exaltation.
God breathes His Spirit into each and every human
at the point of conception.
Joke from a student:
These scientists say to God,
“Well we have come a long way
and we can make humans better than You”…
So they have this little competition.
The scientists get this pile of dirt and get ready…
and God says, “No, no, get your own dirt.”
Let’s just dig in to tonight’s lesson:
We are going to spent the next couple of weeks talking about covenant.
What is a covenant… what are some other words for a covenant?
promise agreement contracts
In a covenant, two or more people come together
and they agree about something.
A covenant is a solemn agreement
entered into by two or more willing parties
where promises are made
and conditions are agreed upon
in the presence of witnesses.
As the conditions are fulfilled
promised benefits are bestowed.
The thing that is really big there is the term willing parties…
You don’t enter into a covenant if you’re not willing.
That’s not a covenant, that’s a conquest.
God is a covenant God
who brings us into covenant
through His own means
for the purpose of bringing us close to Himself
What was the main image we had last week in our class?
The Table
When God establishes a covenant
He is bringing us to the Table
Covenants were often commemorated
through a covenant meal… at the table.
The Table is:
A place of oneness
A place of unity
A place of agreement
The Hebrew word for covenant is beriyth
which literally means to cut through
(cut through the covenant sacrifice)
The Greek word for covenant is diatheke
Which also means to cut through.
Covenant carries the images of both
cutting and connecting…
This is why we have the term
“Let’s cut a deal.”
“Let’s cut a deal.”
How about a deal where all the terms are not obvious…
That kind of deal that’s shady
or “under the table.”
A covenant is an agreement by two or more people by blood.
A book I would recommend that you get is called
The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread
By Richard Booker
If you want to understand what covenant is about
his is probably the best little book on covenant I’ve ever read.
He looks at covenant is a very systematic way.
The scarlet thread is the blood of Christ
that goes through all of scripture.
For instance, when the children come into the Promised Land
the first city they came to was Jericho…
Remember Rahab…
what was the sign established that it was safe to enter into the town?
A scarlet thread (literally in Hebrew) hung from her window.
That’s a type of the blood of Christ,
A covenant is an agreement by two or more people by blood.
A book I would recommend that you get is called
The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread
By Richard Booker
If you want to understand what covenant is about
his is probably the best little book on covenant I’ve ever read.
He looks at covenant is a very systematic way.
The scarlet thread is the blood of Christ
that goes through all of scripture.
For instance, when the children come into the Promised Land
the first city they came to was Jericho…
Remember Rahab…
what was the sign established that it was safe to enter into the town?
A scarlet thread (literally in Hebrew) hung from her window.
That’s a type of the blood of Christ,
that says only by the blood of Christ
will we enter into the Promised Land.
Elements of the Covenant
In Biblical covenants
you will see
some or all of these things fulfilled
Exchange of robes or clothing…
connected with honor and identity
Represents the giving of oneself
Example
In a public healing session an older woman came up
she happened to be a Messianic Jewish woman
she had suffered with terrible rejection issues as a child
her mother had tried to abort her and it failed…
she was now in her early seventies
so she had obviously survived a botched abortion
The Lord just met her and did a powerful healing in her.
Then another woman came up for ministry
who just happened also to be a Messianic Jewish woman,
a much younger woman in her mid-thirties.
She also had severe rejection issues..
She had gone from church to church to church
after coming our of Judaism, but she was basically not accepted… but the Lord came again and did a powerful healing in her life.
Then in one of the most powerful demonstrations
I have ever seen,
the older woman came up.
She was wearing a blue sweater…
and in front of all these people,
it was quite a touching thing;
she came up publicly to the younger woman and said,
“Before, you were wandering around –
and you didn’t belong,
but now I’m giving you this sweater,
and I’m going to put it on you
so that you know you belong to us.”
This was a symbolic move that gave her identity
In a covenant when people exchange clothing
the are symbolically exchanging
security, identity, acceptance…
what they are saying is “You belong to me.”
That’s what happens in the marriage covenant
In a public healing session an older woman came up
she happened to be a Messianic Jewish woman
she had suffered with terrible rejection issues as a child
her mother had tried to abort her and it failed…
she was now in her early seventies
so she had obviously survived a botched abortion
The Lord just met her and did a powerful healing in her.
Then another woman came up for ministry
who just happened also to be a Messianic Jewish woman,
a much younger woman in her mid-thirties.
She also had severe rejection issues..
She had gone from church to church to church
after coming our of Judaism, but she was basically not accepted… but the Lord came again and did a powerful healing in her life.
Then in one of the most powerful demonstrations
I have ever seen,
the older woman came up.
She was wearing a blue sweater…
and in front of all these people,
it was quite a touching thing;
she came up publicly to the younger woman and said,
“Before, you were wandering around –
and you didn’t belong,
but now I’m giving you this sweater,
and I’m going to put it on you
so that you know you belong to us.”
This was a symbolic move that gave her identity
In a covenant when people exchange clothing
the are symbolically exchanging
security, identity, acceptance…
what they are saying is “You belong to me.”
That’s what happens in the marriage covenant
when people get married they are saying
“You belong to me and I belong to you.”
Take off the belt
Security - the place where weapons were kept…
Take off the belt
Security - the place where weapons were kept…
they are laying down their arms,
they are pledging security for one another…
Sometimes they would exchange weapons.
That happened between David and Jonathan –
they exchanged weapons
Cutting the covenant Rights
That of course was done in the cutting of the sacrifice
but is was also sometimes done in their own flesh.
An exchange of blood –
symbolizing the surrendering of your self –
before you were two people and not you become one person
You used to have a separate identity
but now you are commingled
Mingling of blood
Life being exchanged…
In Leviticus it says the “life is in the blood.”
Exchanging names
Identity
This also means that
anybody that one party is in covenant to,
now the parties of this new covenant are also joined to them.
If I’m in covenant with ABC
and now you join covenant with me
then you are also now in covenant with ABC
Making a scar to remind
A sign of covenant
Often scars were made on the arms to show numerous covenants
When one raised their arms in greetings
it also showed their covenant relationships…
mess with me, you mess with them!
There are 613 precepts in the Torah
The fact is, all of those things
are going to lead us back in some form or another
to covenant and to the table.
Sometimes they would exchange weapons.
That happened between David and Jonathan –
they exchanged weapons
Cutting the covenant Rights
That of course was done in the cutting of the sacrifice
but is was also sometimes done in their own flesh.
An exchange of blood –
symbolizing the surrendering of your self –
before you were two people and not you become one person
You used to have a separate identity
but now you are commingled
Mingling of blood
Life being exchanged…
In Leviticus it says the “life is in the blood.”
Exchanging names
Identity
This also means that
anybody that one party is in covenant to,
now the parties of this new covenant are also joined to them.
If I’m in covenant with ABC
and now you join covenant with me
then you are also now in covenant with ABC
Making a scar to remind
A sign of covenant
Often scars were made on the arms to show numerous covenants
When one raised their arms in greetings
it also showed their covenant relationships…
mess with me, you mess with them!
There are 613 precepts in the Torah
The fact is, all of those things
are going to lead us back in some form or another
to covenant and to the table.
they are not just check lists,
there is always a reason
for why God does absolutely everything.
Solomon says there is a purpose for everything under the Sun…
there is also a reason for everything in the Torah
(even if we don’t fully comprehend the reason).
We don’t understand it all,
even after studying scripture for years
there are still mysteries…
things God has hidden for us to search out.
Covenant conditions
The exchange of names and signs
The exchange of covenant possessions
as a gift to mark the occasion
like a gold watch is given today at retirement
It also says that everything that is mine is yours
and what is yours is mine.
This is like the Book of Acts
when believers shared all things in common…
there was no need amongst them that wasn’t met
because they were in covenant together
Memorial meal
An act of unity, fellowship and oneness
Plant a memorial
A sign for future generations to remember the covenant.
Inheritance
The promises are insured by the blood (again which is life).
If either party violates the agreement
then their blood is shed.
That is the symbolism is…
if you violate this covenant then your blood will be shed.
Some Covenants in the Bible
Adam and Eve
Noah and his family
Abraham and his descendants
Moses and the Israelites
David and the Kingdom of Israel
Jesus and the Church
Remember that covenants have conditions and signs.
The Covenant with Adam
Adam was the covenant mediator
(the mediator is the person overseeing the covenant)
in his role as husband
God promises blessings
That their union would be fruitful
and their offspring would fill the earth
and rule over it.
God establishes a sign
The Sabbath, the seventh day of rest.
There are times in our relationship with God
that the greatest thing that is missing is God.
We can have right belief
and right practice, signs and wonders, healings….
everything but God.
This word for Sabbath or rest is shabath which means
that God stops, ceases to work, He takes a break,
but it is actually
and right practice, signs and wonders, healings….
everything but God.
This word for Sabbath or rest is shabath which means
that God stops, ceases to work, He takes a break,
but it is actually
God stepping back to see
what he has done. Selah
It says, He saw all that He had created and it was good…
That’s what we need to do,
to come to a place where
what he has done. Selah
It says, He saw all that He had created and it was good…
That’s what we need to do,
to come to a place where
we step back and say… “Yeah!, God is good!
Sabbath is a place of rest and trust in the heart of God.
A primitive root; to repose, that is, desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causatively, figuratively or specifically): - (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.
God imposes one condition:
They must not eat from
the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
God attaches a curse to any disobedience to this requirement.
God made the Adamic covenant before Adam did anything.
He said if you keep this covenant great blessing will result.
But if you don’t keep the terms of the covenant,
there’s going to be some problems.
Genesis 1:26 – 2:3
The Covenant with Noah
An interesting thing about this is that
Noah’s name is the next word for covenant in the Bible
Noach the Hebrew word for Noah means rest, and covenant.
It says in Genesis that in him his people will find rest.
When you think of Noah
the first thing that comes to mind is the ark.
Noah rested in the ark.
The ark represents Christ…
The ark represents Christ…
the only place we can find true rest is in Christ.
Literally rest, noach, is in Christ!
The word covenant is used as God promises
never again to destroy the world by flood.
The covenant is made with all of mankind,
through the mediator Noah, in his role as head of his family.
If we look at Genesis Chapter ten,
called the table of nations
you will see the son’s of Noah; Shem Ham and Japheth…
they represent different races and tribes of peoples.
Shem is the father of Semites –
Jews, Arabs, nations of the Middle-East;
Ham is the father of most of the African people,
one of his descendants is Cush, and from those come the Africanic peoples.
Japheth is the European peoples.
The covenant includes blessings to Noah
and his family and conditions that must be obeyed:
Not to drink the blood of any animal
Not to shed human blood.
The sign of the covenant is the rainbow.
Genesis 9:8-17
The Covenant with Abraham
This covenant is unfolded several times in scripture
Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-14; 22:16-18
Literally rest, noach, is in Christ!
The word covenant is used as God promises
never again to destroy the world by flood.
The covenant is made with all of mankind,
through the mediator Noah, in his role as head of his family.
If we look at Genesis Chapter ten,
called the table of nations
you will see the son’s of Noah; Shem Ham and Japheth…
they represent different races and tribes of peoples.
Shem is the father of Semites –
Jews, Arabs, nations of the Middle-East;
Ham is the father of most of the African people,
one of his descendants is Cush, and from those come the Africanic peoples.
Japheth is the European peoples.
The covenant includes blessings to Noah
and his family and conditions that must be obeyed:
Not to drink the blood of any animal
Not to shed human blood.
The sign of the covenant is the rainbow.
Genesis 9:8-17
The Covenant with Abraham
This covenant is unfolded several times in scripture
Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-14; 22:16-18
This covenant which God says is unconditional
has conditions… a seeming oxymoron
God promises to give Abraham
1. a great land
2. and a great multitude of descendants
who will become a mighty nation.
God makes the covenant with the mediator Abraham
God promises to bless all the nations of the earth
through Abraham’s descendents (Christ).
The sign and condition of the covenant is circumcision.
1Now the LORD said to Abram,
"Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father's house,
To the land which I will show you;
2And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
Genesis 12:1-3 NAS
Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-14; 22:16-18
Here is what happens when we make covenant…
Imagine this..
We take the animal (the covenant sacrifice)
and the animal is killed and then cut in half… if I am entering into that covenant with you, we walk through those pieces of the slain animal in a figure eight pattern… as we walk through the pieces we are literally walking on the shed blood of the covenant sacrifice. This is symbolic of our lives being joined together (again the life is in the blood).
Later on in Genesis fifteen, beginning with verse nine…
9So He said to him,
"Bring Me a three year old heifer,
and a three year old female goat,
and a three year old ram,
and a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
10Then he brought all these to Him
and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other;
but he did not cut the birds.
There is a symbolism behind every kind of sacrifice:
Animal Sacrifices:
3 year old heifer
3 year old female goat
3 year old ram
a turtledove
a pigeon
Five animal sacrifices…
Now, think of the Book of Ephesians chapter 4…
11And He gave some as apostles,
and some as prophets, and some as evangelists,
and some as pastors and teachers,
has conditions… a seeming oxymoron
God promises to give Abraham
1. a great land
2. and a great multitude of descendants
who will become a mighty nation.
God makes the covenant with the mediator Abraham
God promises to bless all the nations of the earth
through Abraham’s descendents (Christ).
The sign and condition of the covenant is circumcision.
1Now the LORD said to Abram,
"Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father's house,
To the land which I will show you;
2And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
Genesis 12:1-3 NAS
Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-14; 22:16-18
Here is what happens when we make covenant…
Imagine this..
We take the animal (the covenant sacrifice)
and the animal is killed and then cut in half… if I am entering into that covenant with you, we walk through those pieces of the slain animal in a figure eight pattern… as we walk through the pieces we are literally walking on the shed blood of the covenant sacrifice. This is symbolic of our lives being joined together (again the life is in the blood).
Later on in Genesis fifteen, beginning with verse nine…
9So He said to him,
"Bring Me a three year old heifer,
and a three year old female goat,
and a three year old ram,
and a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
10Then he brought all these to Him
and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other;
but he did not cut the birds.
There is a symbolism behind every kind of sacrifice:
Animal Sacrifices:
3 year old heifer
3 year old female goat
3 year old ram
a turtledove
a pigeon
Five animal sacrifices…
Now, think of the Book of Ephesians chapter 4…
11And He gave some as apostles,
and some as prophets, and some as evangelists,
and some as pastors and teachers,
apostles
prophets
evangelists
pastors
teachers
prophets
evangelists
pastors
teachers
This is an illusion to this the animal sacrifices…
There is a five-fold sacrifice
Just as there were five types of animals sacrificed
there are five offices called to lay down their lives
for the church in ministry
These animals were sacrificed and cut in half…
then God caused Abraham to fall into a deep sleep…
then a smoking pot and flaming torch passed between the pieces…
that flaming light was Christ
Abraham was in a deep sleep…
he had absolutely nothing to do with that…
in this sense the covenant of God is unconditional…
it is His work the keeping of the covenant is all on Him…
He is the Creator…
The Provider…
The Mediator…
Read the Book of Hebrews…
He is the Creator…
The Provider…
The Mediator…
Read the Book of Hebrews…
it talks over and over and over again about
Christ being the fulfillment of the covenant.
The smoking pot and flaming torch
The smoking pot and flaming torch
represents the presence of God…
just as His presence was leading them through the wilderness
by a cloud by day and a fire by night.
In ancient times the cloud
In ancient times the cloud
represented something that was not known… a mystery.
God is often this kind of cloud…
a mystery, but one you can count on.
Christians often think they have to have everything figured out.
Christians often think they have to have everything figured out.
We will never have it all figured out.
8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9 NAS
8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9 NAS
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing:
but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
Proverbs 25:2NAS
It’s not about mastering the data…
God has a message, He’s bringing us to the Table…
but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
Proverbs 25:2NAS
It’s not about mastering the data…
God has a message, He’s bringing us to the Table…
He’s the one who has provided the sacrifice…
He’s the one who has walked through the pieces of the sacrifice…
He’s the Guarantor
He’s the Mediator
He’s the Instigator…
He’s all of it!
This is how something can be conditional yet unconditional.
He’s the one who has walked through the pieces of the sacrifice…
He’s the Guarantor
He’s the Mediator
He’s the Instigator…
He’s all of it!
This is how something can be conditional yet unconditional.
Although some may have not kept their end of the covenant
and didn’t walk fully in the blessings of it…
the covenant is ultimately guaranteed
through the fulfillment of it in Christ Jesus…
and didn’t walk fully in the blessings of it…
the covenant is ultimately guaranteed
through the fulfillment of it in Christ Jesus…
UNCONDITIONALLY
The fact is that we are fallen people…
The fact is that we are fallen people…
Notice, in the Adamic covenant
there was no necessity of blood before the fall.
There was no need because they had not fallen away,
so there was no necessity for blood sacrifice.
so there was no necessity for blood sacrifice.
After the fall
God clothed “their nakedness” in animal skins
which required Him killing an animal sacrifice…
the shedding of blood.
Again we see this with Cain and Abel…
God clothed “their nakedness” in animal skins
which required Him killing an animal sacrifice…
the shedding of blood.
Again we see this with Cain and Abel…
Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable
because it involved the shedding of blood…
Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it did not involve blood sacrifice.
because it involved the shedding of blood…
Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it did not involve blood sacrifice.
All of these were prototypes of the blood sacrifice of Christ.
The blood is needed because we are fallen…
It says in the Psalms that we were “born in sin.”
There has to be a Mediator,
there has to be a Redeemer,
someone who rescues us from sin.
Because we are fallen there is still the necessity of blood to be shed…
The blood is needed because we are fallen…
It says in the Psalms that we were “born in sin.”
There has to be a Mediator,
there has to be a Redeemer,
someone who rescues us from sin.
Because we are fallen there is still the necessity of blood to be shed…
that’s the conditional part of our covenant…
the unconditional part is that Christ did it all.
Jews do not shed blood today because there is no Temple
Jews today believe that they present the sacrifice
by devoting themselves to the study of the Torah.
This took place in history in 72 AD
And the final destruction of the Temple in 132 AD
Under a false Messiah by the name of Bar kokhva
Destroyed by Emperor Titus of Rome,
Jerusalem had become a wasteland,
the Second Temple no more than a heap of stones.
Out of this post-apocalyptic landscape
rose the charismatic war leader Bar Kokhva,
a towering figure that many regarded as the messiah.
Enraged by the destruction of the Second Temple
and the religious oppression of Emperor Hadrian,
Bar Kokhva pitted his guerilla armies
against the might of Rome—with disastrous results.
But before he fell, Bar Kokhva was to stage a final stand in Jerusalem,
a city that had been shorn of its defensive walls.
And by the end, he had forced
grudging respect from the battle-hardened legions of Rome.
The Romans came in and were destroying all that was sacred.
The Romans came in and were destroying all that was sacred.
What they did was they had a Rabbi pretend to be dead.
The Romans were very superstitious about the dead.
The smuggled many of the sacred scriptures
and some artifacts, out with that Rabbi in a coffin.
Talmudic Period – after the Temple Falls –
Talmudic Period – after the Temple Falls –
the Diaspora = the scattered nation of Israel
The term diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά – "a scattering [of seeds]")
The term diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά – "a scattering [of seeds]")
refers to the movement of any population sharing common ethnic identity.
While refugees may or may not ultimately settle in a new geographic location,
the term diaspora refers to a permanently displaced and relocated collective.
The Temple (Church) is not the house of God
but the household of God.
It is not about buildings
but about relationship and intimacy.
We are now the temple of God Christ in us.
The only thing missing in the Church of Jesus Christ
is Jesus Christ
and His Lordship.
God sets the table for Abram when he meets Melchizedek, at the very least, a type of Christ at the table for communion. (I actually think it was Christ.
18And Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine;
now he was a priest of God Most High.
19He blessed him and said,
"Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."
He gave him a tenth of all.
Ed fkj:
I have heard it suggested that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah.
The Temple (Church) is not the house of God
but the household of God.
It is not about buildings
but about relationship and intimacy.
We are now the temple of God Christ in us.
The only thing missing in the Church of Jesus Christ
is Jesus Christ
and His Lordship.
God sets the table for Abram when he meets Melchizedek, at the very least, a type of Christ at the table for communion. (I actually think it was Christ.
18And Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine;
now he was a priest of God Most High.
19He blessed him and said,
"Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."
He gave him a tenth of all.
Ed fkj:
I have heard it suggested that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah.
If we allow scripture to interpret scripture,
this is clearly not a realistic choice.
In these verses alone, Melchizedek is identified as:
1. The king of Salem (complete and perfect peace)
Salem was the early name for Jerusalem
2. priest of God Most High
3. one who blesses…
4. Melchizedek means “king of justice”
Melchizedek is further described in Hebrews chapter 7,
1 This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem
and also a priest of God Most High.
When Abraham was returning home
after winning a great battle against the kings,
Melchizedek met him and blessed him.
2 Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle
and gave it to Melchizedek.
The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,”
1. The king of Salem (complete and perfect peace)
Salem was the early name for Jerusalem
2. priest of God Most High
3. one who blesses…
4. Melchizedek means “king of justice”
Melchizedek is further described in Hebrews chapter 7,
1 This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem
and also a priest of God Most High.
When Abraham was returning home
after winning a great battle against the kings,
Melchizedek met him and blessed him.
2 Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle
and gave it to Melchizedek.
The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,”
(justice – dikaiosune – [dik ah yos oo nay] = equity, justice, righteousness)
and king of Salem means “king of peace.”
(eirene – [I rah nay] = peace and prosperity)
(eirene – [I rah nay] = peace and prosperity)
3 There is no record of his father or mother
or any of his ancestors—
no beginning or end to his life.
He remains a priest forever,
resembling the Son of God.
Here we find that Melchizedek:
5. had no record of a mother or father
6. no record of ancestors
7. had no beginning or end to his life
8. remains a priest forever
9. resembles the Son of God
I don’t believe there is any doubt that Melchizedek
was indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
That concluded, we find in these verses the heart of God
demonstrated in Melchizedek’s nature.
Note that:
1. He brought bread and wine to Abram (communion)
2. He blessed Abram
3. He blessed God Most High
4. He gave God the glory for Abram’s victory
5. He received the tithe of ten percent of all that was captured during the battle.
The bread and wine symbolic of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus
The blessings show the hearts attitude of our God.
The victory symbolic of our victory in Christ Jesus.
Ed fkj
melek in Hebrew means King
zedek in Hebrew means righteousness
Bread and wine symbolic of covenant meal or communion.
The covenant with Abraham
is the basis for all future dealing with the family of Abraham
which will become the nation of Israel
and will include all people
who enter the covenant by faith alone.
God Insured the Covenant Himself
12Now when the sun was going down,
a deep sleep fell upon Abram;
and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.
13God said to Abram,
"Know for certain that your descendants
will be strangers in a land that is not theirs,
where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.
14"But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve,
and afterward they will come out with many possessions.
15"As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace;
you will be buried at a good old age.
16"Then in the fourth generation they will return here,
for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete."
17It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark,
and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch
which passed between these pieces.
18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying,
"To your descendants I have given this land,
From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
Genesis 15:12-18 NAS
Abraham is called in the New Testament the “friend of God”
Jesus said the same thing about His disciples:
“I no longer call you servants, but friends.”
Servants don’t know what their master is up to
but friends know all the intimate details of each others lives.
hey share everything.
The root of the root of the root of friend is “love”.
It seems like Abraham has everything all straightened out
They have handled the Ishmael problem and now they have a son Isaac
It seems like everything is right, going along just as God had promised.
Then chapter 22 starts with a big word,
“Now… which is not then, but now!
1Now it came about after these things,
that God tested Abraham, and said to him,
"Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2He said, "Take now your son, your only son,
whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son;
and he split wood for the burnt offering,
and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes
and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men,
"Stay here with the donkey,
and I and the lad will go over there;
and we will worship and return to you."
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
and laid it on Isaac his son,
and he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So the two of them walked on together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said,
"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son."
And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8Abraham said,
"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son." So the two of them walked on together.
9Then they came to the place of which God had told him;
and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood,
and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10Abraham stretched out his hand
and took the knife to slay his son.
11But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven
and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
12He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad,
and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God,
since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns;
and Abraham went and took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering
in the place of his son.
14Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide,
as it is said to this day,
"In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."
Genesis 22:1-14 (my emphasis bold)
Just as everything seems to be working out right
The root of the root of the root of friend is “love”.
It seems like Abraham has everything all straightened out
They have handled the Ishmael problem and now they have a son Isaac
It seems like everything is right, going along just as God had promised.
Then chapter 22 starts with a big word,
“Now… which is not then, but now!
1Now it came about after these things,
that God tested Abraham, and said to him,
"Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2He said, "Take now your son, your only son,
whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son;
and he split wood for the burnt offering,
and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes
and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men,
"Stay here with the donkey,
and I and the lad will go over there;
and we will worship and return to you."
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
and laid it on Isaac his son,
and he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So the two of them walked on together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said,
"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son."
And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8Abraham said,
"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son." So the two of them walked on together.
9Then they came to the place of which God had told him;
and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood,
and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10Abraham stretched out his hand
and took the knife to slay his son.
11But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven
and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
12He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad,
and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God,
since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns;
and Abraham went and took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering
in the place of his son.
14Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide,
as it is said to this day,
"In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."
Genesis 22:1-14 (my emphasis bold)
Just as everything seems to be working out right
God decides to test Abraham.
He calls out to him and Abraham answers
“Here I am”
“Here I am”
here I am = Hebrew :hinnêh hin-nay'
Prolonged for H2005; lo!: - behold, lo, see, behold, here I am
Abraham is saying:
‘here is the place where he is now,
in the promises of God,
his understanding of God,
his faith in God;
this is where I am right now.’
2He said, "Take now your son, your only son,
whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
This is a big powerful word…
this was just a little unsettling for Abraham.
Just as Abraham thinks he has God all figured out,
God stretches his understanding and faith…
God comes along and says,
O.K., all the stuff that you think is important,
and all the stuff you think you understand,
I want you to take all that
and I want you to offer it back to Me as a burnt offering.
And then we see one of the most important words in the Bible…
Verse 3… So
3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son;
and he split wood for the burnt offering,
and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
So is a big word…
Abraham rose up and did it…
So, means I trust God!
I hear God…
here’s where I am right now,
in my understanding and my revelation of God…
but when God speaks to me
(even when it is beyond my understanding…
so, I begin to act on it.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes
and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men,
"Stay here with the donkey,
and I and the lad will go over there;
(literally I and my son, my prodigy
must go a little farther)
and we will worship and return to you."
Remember at the very beginning Abraham says “Here I am”
But when the voice of God comes to him he says
I and my son must go a little farther…
I must go a little further now
(beyond my understanding)
to the mountain of Moriah
This is the same mountain where Golgotha was…
the same place where another only begotten son
Christ Jesus was going to be crucified…
Here’s what happens…
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
burnt offering = the place where God is seen or revealed
and laid it on Isaac his son,
and he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So the two of them walked on together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said,
"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son."
Here I am now…
I started over here…
Then the word of the Lord came to me…
And He said I had to go farther…
now here’s a place I’ve come to…
here I am right now in a new place…
to the mountain of Moriah
This is the same mountain where Golgotha was…
the same place where another only begotten son
Christ Jesus was going to be crucified…
Here’s what happens…
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
burnt offering = the place where God is seen or revealed
and laid it on Isaac his son,
and he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So the two of them walked on together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said,
"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son."
Here I am now…
I started over here…
Then the word of the Lord came to me…
And He said I had to go farther…
now here’s a place I’ve come to…
here I am right now in a new place…
now am I really willing to do this!?
And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8Abraham said,
"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son." So the two of them walked on together.
God will provide Himself…
all things are God’s provision to us…
but here God is providing for Himself the lamb…
And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8Abraham said,
"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son." So the two of them walked on together.
God will provide Himself…
all things are God’s provision to us…
but here God is providing for Himself the lamb…
as He would some two thousand years later
provide the Lamb of God
So they go to the place where God called them…
He builds an alter there
He binds his son Isaac… and places him on the alter.
10Abraham stretched out his hand
and took the knife to slay his son.
Then in verse eleven,
we have to understand
the way in which this is worded in the Hebrew…
it’s like the knife is coming down…
he is literally about to slay Isaac…
Abraham has gone from the place
of his first understanding of God…
to the place where he heard the word of God
and knew he had to go a little farther…
he is literally about to slay Isaac…
Abraham has gone from the place
of his first understanding of God…
to the place where he heard the word of God
and knew he had to go a little farther…
where he has to explain to his son…
this is where I am now “here I am now”…
this is where I am now “here I am now”…
and the knife is poised to kill him… it is coming down!
He is about to kill his son… his only son…
who was God’s promise as an heir to build a great nation…
11But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven
and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
But…
I get to the place of the end of my own understanding…
my own effort… and a big but comes in there…
But God intervenes…
an angel of the Lord…
the presence of the Lord
calls to him from heaven and says Abraham… Abraham!
And he said, "Here I am."
Abraham says again… “Here I am”…
I’ve now come to the place
where I am ready to withhold nothing from God…
including my only son and heir
came from You…
I will withhold nothing, it all belongs to You!
Here I am…
Here I am – I’m going a little farther…
Here I am – On the alter, I’m ready to give my all for You.
The angel of the Lord says,
12He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad,
and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God,
since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
He’s saying that Abraham has withheld nothing from God!
13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns;
and Abraham went and took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering
in the place of his son.
Then Abraham calls the place Jehovah-jireh –
the place of God’s provision…
but it also means God is seen.
yehôvâh yir'eh (yeh-ho-vaw' yir-eh')
From H3068 and H7200; Jehovah will see (to it); Jehovah-Jireh, a symbolical name for Mt. Moriah: - Jehovah-jireh.
3068
yehôvâh (yeh-ho-vaw')
From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.
H7200
râ'âh (raw-aw')
A primitive root; to see,
Thus God is seen in this place…
The whole point of this chapter is…
God is not going to be seen
unless we are willing to go a little farther…
It is anti- complacency…
It is saying everything I have:
Belongs to the Lord…
Came from the Lord…
Will go back to the Lord…
This place where Mt. Moriah is
Is also the place
where later on David (who is a type of Jesus)
is going to purchase a threshing floor…
and later Solomon will build the Temple there…
This is the specific place
were the sacrifices would later be made
in the Temple of God
Today, we are the temple of God
and sacrifices must be made
to come into God’s presence…
David said that he will not purchase something
to present to God
that doesn’t cost him something…
24However, the king said to Araunah,
"No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price,
for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God
which cost me nothing "
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen
for fifty shekels of silver.
25David built there an altar to the LORD
and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land,
and the plague was held back from Israel.
2 Samuel 24:24-25 NAS
God is not going to be seen in our lives…
unless we are willing to go farther with Him…
to purchase gold and silver with our obedience to His Word.
God told them… “On this mountain shall you worship Me.”
True worship is reflected in obedience to God’s Word
and sacrifice of our own wants and desires
that we might do His will.
yehôvâh yir'eh (yeh-ho-vaw' yir-eh')
From H3068 and H7200; Jehovah will see (to it); Jehovah-Jireh, a symbolical name for Mt. Moriah: - Jehovah-jireh.
3068
yehôvâh (yeh-ho-vaw')
From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: - Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.
H7200
râ'âh (raw-aw')
A primitive root; to see,
Thus God is seen in this place…
The whole point of this chapter is…
God is not going to be seen
unless we are willing to go a little farther…
It is anti- complacency…
It is saying everything I have:
Belongs to the Lord…
Came from the Lord…
Will go back to the Lord…
This place where Mt. Moriah is
Is also the place
where later on David (who is a type of Jesus)
is going to purchase a threshing floor…
and later Solomon will build the Temple there…
This is the specific place
were the sacrifices would later be made
in the Temple of God
Today, we are the temple of God
and sacrifices must be made
to come into God’s presence…
David said that he will not purchase something
to present to God
that doesn’t cost him something…
24However, the king said to Araunah,
"No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price,
for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God
which cost me nothing "
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen
for fifty shekels of silver.
25David built there an altar to the LORD
and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land,
and the plague was held back from Israel.
2 Samuel 24:24-25 NAS
God is not going to be seen in our lives…
unless we are willing to go farther with Him…
to purchase gold and silver with our obedience to His Word.
God told them… “On this mountain shall you worship Me.”
True worship is reflected in obedience to God’s Word
and sacrifice of our own wants and desires
that we might do His will.
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