Rosh Hashanah
By Shirley Mitchell
“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.’ ’ ”
Leviticus 23:23-24
In Leviticus 23:1, God spoke to Moses, “…These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies .” The rest of the chapter describes the seven feasts. Tonight begins the fifth of the seven Jewish feasts - Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, the Jewish New Year! Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year.” It is the first day of the 10 Days of Awe, the days of repentance that conclude with the highest holy day of the year, Yom Kippur. It is celebrated on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishri.
In sessions 9 and 10 of the Bible study Jesus Lives, I teach in more detail about the seven feasts. God has told the story of Messiah and the story of the Jewish people through these feasts. For example, the Passover feast was a shadow of Jesus dying on the cross as the Passover Lamb, and the Feast of Weeks was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit came to indwell in man. Colossians 2:16-17 says, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets is a day of sounding the trumpets throughout the land of Israel. It is the only feast that occurs on the first day of the month at the New Moon when the moon is dark and only a thin crescent. All of the other Jewish holidays occur later in their months when the moon is bright. The trumpets were blown in Israel for specific purposes. The shofar, a ram’s horn, was sounded for the gathering of the Israelites. The shofar sounded a battle alarm. The shofar was also sounded to proclaim the inauguration of a king. At this feast, the shofar was blown to call the people to attention.
These trumpets begin the Days of Awe which last 10 days. Between the Feast of Trumpets and the sixth feast were 10 days. The books recording the deeds of people were reviewed by God. Each person stood accountable to Him. The Day of Judgment, Yom Kippur, was at the end of the 10 days.
It was a time of internal evaluation. The Jewish people examined their hearts and outward acts. These 10 days allowed the Jewish people time to evaluate their lives and to return to God. The Days of Awe gave them time to return to a merciful God who was ready to forgive. They had to complete these repentant acts and make amends before the next feast. It was a time to awaken the people from their slumber and to alert them to the coming judgment. Today when they celebrate this feast, they will cast lint from their pockets or pebbles into water as a symbol of cleansing themselves from any sin.
When you study these feasts, you see how they are prophetic of the end times. The trumpet will sound to gather God’s people. The trumpet will sound to warn the evil one that God has sounded His battle alarm. The trumpet will announce the coming of Messiah and the coronation of Jesus the King. God will regather the Jewish people and bring Israel into repentance. God will deliver the Jewish people.
While no man knows the day or the hour that Jesus will rapture the church, knowing that Messiah has fulfilled the first four feasts makes me wonder how the last three feasts will be fulfilled. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says the rapture will occur at the sound of the shofar, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” While we are aware that Jesus can return any day of the year, and the calendars could be very different, yes, my friends and I who know our Jewish roots start to pray more fervently for our Lord’s return every Feast of Trumpets.
For you, my friend, are you ready for the Lord’s return? Are you a believer who has accepted Jesus as her Savior? If you are a believer, it is a good time for introspection. Ask God to show you any sin or give you the power to break a lifestyle of sin that you need to eliminate in your life. Let’s celebrate this feast and 10 Days of Awe by repenting and drawing nearer to God.
Pray with me: Lord Jesus, come quickly! We long for Your return. On this Feast of Trumpets, we are reminded how we need to evaluate our lives. We are each accountable before You for every word and every deed. Pierce our hearts by Your Spirit, and may we be awakened from our slumber and sickened by our sin. In the Mighty Name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Friday, September 18, 2009
Shekinah Glory
Shekinah Glory
By Shirley Mitchell
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them… There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.”
Exodus 25:8, 22
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
On Mt. Sinai, God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. In Exodus 25:8-9, 21-22, God tells Moses to make the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. God wanted to meet with them and give His instructions to His chosen people. He would dwell with them, and they could fellowship with Him. He would meet with His people over the Ark of the Covenant.
The Hebrew word for “dwell” in verse 8 is shekan. It means “the idea of lodging, to reside or permanently stay. Abide, continue, dwell, have habitation, inhabit, remain, lay, place, rest, set.” It includes the idea of abiding in a neighborhood or a community. From the verb shekan is derived the word “shekinah,” the noun form. It means “the dwelling presence of God.” Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia says it is “the visible divine presence.” God is omnipresent, but this presence indicates the fullness and the richness of His presence.
The Hebrew word for “glory” is kavodh. It means “to be heavy or weighty.” During that time period, the worth of an object was measured by its weight. In the figurative sense, it means importance or worth. God’s glory is the way that He shows His importance, His worth, or His might. God’s glory is the way that He makes Himself known. God wants to reveal Himself to us!
God desired to have a place where He could dwell among His people. God desired to be able to speak with them in that place. Hebrews 8:5a says, “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.” This passage tells us that God showed Moses the holy pattern on the mountain. It was a shadow of the real thing in heaven. We saw in yesterday’s devotion that God desired to be with man in the garden. He still desired to be with man even though sin had come between The Holy God and His beloved, prized creation - mankind. God planned a way for the fellowship to begin again.
The Israelites built the tabernacle according to the pattern God showed Moses. In Exodus 40:34-38 after the tabernacle was built, “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Verse 35 says that “the cloud had settled (shekan) on it.” What a divine confirmation to Moses and the people who had followed His detailed instructions for setting up God’s dwelling place! The Shekinah glory signified God’s presence, protection, and guidance. The covenant people were fully conscious of their distinctiveness among all people on earth. God’s presence was what set the Israelites apart from other people. It marked them as His chosen people. The glory of God had protected them from the Egyptians when it stopped the Egyptian army in full pursuit. The Shekinah glory was their guide in the wilderness.
After wandering in the desert for 40 years, the nation of Israel entered the Promised Land. There, Solomon built a permanent tabernacle for the LORD. 2 Chronicles 5:14b tells us “the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.” However, the nation of Israel rebelled against God. The prophets of Israel and Judah preached messages of judgment or doom for the people’s rebellion against God and for turning to idols. The people did not listen to the prophets of God who warned of their destruction.
After hundreds of years of this cycle of rebellion, the prophet Ezekiel, while in captivity in Babylon, had a vision of God’s glory departing the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 10:1-19, 11:16-25). The glory moved from the Ark of the Covenant, to the temple threshold, to the East Gate, and to the mountain east of the city (the Mount of Olives) where it departed. When Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon in 586 B.C., Solomon’s temple was plundered of its wealth, and the building was burned to the ground. The Shekinah glory of God left as Ezekiel had prophesied.
In 536 B.C., God moved the heart of the King of Persia to command that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt (Ezra 1:1-2). The second temple lacked five items that had been in Solomon’s temple: The Ark of the Covenant, the Urim and Thummim, the sacred fire, the Holy Spirit, and the Shekinah glory. Ezra 3:12 tells us that the old men who were young boys before captivity remembered the Shekinah glory of Solomon’s temple, and they wailed because it was not present. In 19 B.C., Herod began to renovate the temple. It is Herod’s temple that existed in the time of Jesus. There was no Shekinah glory, though. There was still no evidence of the presence of God. But there was something else…
John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The Greek word for “dwelling,” skenoo, means “to tent, or encamp, to occupy or to reside, to tabernacle.” Let’s compare this Greek word to the Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for tabernacle, shekan. In ancient Hebrew there were no vowels, only consonants. The letters “e” and “a” were added later as pronunciation aids. Notice the Greek word’s consonants (S-K---N of skenoo) were included in the Hebrew term. What does all this language study mean? A Hebrew would immediately recognize the significance of John’s choice in words. He would realize John was making a play on words and was referring to the Exodus tabernacle.
Do you see in this verse what we have been talking about today? Is John saying what you think he is saying? Oh my, yes, he is! John is drawing from their Jewish history from Exodus. He used these two terms to say the glory of God seen in the tabernacle and the temple had come back to dwell in Israel. God sent the fullness of His glory once again. Only this time instead of being wrapped in a cloud or a pillar of fire, the glory was wrapped in flesh and bone. God’s glory was covered by humanity. Do you remember Moses who could not see God’s glory and live? They had SEEN HIS GLORY!
I must tell you that explaining this story makes the hairs on my arms stand up. I am amazed at the cohesiveness of the Bible. The stories in the Bible span a time period of 4,000 years of life on earth. I am astounded at God’s perfect plan to dwell with people until we could dwell with Him in heaven. The Holy, All-powerful God of the universe reaches down from His throne to mankind. For me, above all, it proclaims in a loud voice for those who are willing to hear it – God’s loving heart.
Pray with me: Oh LORD, our God, You did not send only a prophet to proclaim Your words. You did not send a book so we could read Your words. You did not send a miraculous, physical representation on a mountainside so we could see Your word. You sent Your Word clothed in flesh so Your Word could be demonstrated. Your Word could be the teacher and the exhibitor of Your glory. Then, the Word unveiled and explained You to us so we might know You. This Word lived among people because You wanted to fellowship with us. Oh, how You love us! In the Name of the Word, our Jesus, we pray, Amen!
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study,
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
By Shirley Mitchell
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them… There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.”
Exodus 25:8, 22
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14
On Mt. Sinai, God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. In Exodus 25:8-9, 21-22, God tells Moses to make the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. God wanted to meet with them and give His instructions to His chosen people. He would dwell with them, and they could fellowship with Him. He would meet with His people over the Ark of the Covenant.
The Hebrew word for “dwell” in verse 8 is shekan. It means “the idea of lodging, to reside or permanently stay. Abide, continue, dwell, have habitation, inhabit, remain, lay, place, rest, set.” It includes the idea of abiding in a neighborhood or a community. From the verb shekan is derived the word “shekinah,” the noun form. It means “the dwelling presence of God.” Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia says it is “the visible divine presence.” God is omnipresent, but this presence indicates the fullness and the richness of His presence.
The Hebrew word for “glory” is kavodh. It means “to be heavy or weighty.” During that time period, the worth of an object was measured by its weight. In the figurative sense, it means importance or worth. God’s glory is the way that He shows His importance, His worth, or His might. God’s glory is the way that He makes Himself known. God wants to reveal Himself to us!
God desired to have a place where He could dwell among His people. God desired to be able to speak with them in that place. Hebrews 8:5a says, “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.” This passage tells us that God showed Moses the holy pattern on the mountain. It was a shadow of the real thing in heaven. We saw in yesterday’s devotion that God desired to be with man in the garden. He still desired to be with man even though sin had come between The Holy God and His beloved, prized creation - mankind. God planned a way for the fellowship to begin again.
The Israelites built the tabernacle according to the pattern God showed Moses. In Exodus 40:34-38 after the tabernacle was built, “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Verse 35 says that “the cloud had settled (shekan) on it.” What a divine confirmation to Moses and the people who had followed His detailed instructions for setting up God’s dwelling place! The Shekinah glory signified God’s presence, protection, and guidance. The covenant people were fully conscious of their distinctiveness among all people on earth. God’s presence was what set the Israelites apart from other people. It marked them as His chosen people. The glory of God had protected them from the Egyptians when it stopped the Egyptian army in full pursuit. The Shekinah glory was their guide in the wilderness.
After wandering in the desert for 40 years, the nation of Israel entered the Promised Land. There, Solomon built a permanent tabernacle for the LORD. 2 Chronicles 5:14b tells us “the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.” However, the nation of Israel rebelled against God. The prophets of Israel and Judah preached messages of judgment or doom for the people’s rebellion against God and for turning to idols. The people did not listen to the prophets of God who warned of their destruction.
After hundreds of years of this cycle of rebellion, the prophet Ezekiel, while in captivity in Babylon, had a vision of God’s glory departing the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 10:1-19, 11:16-25). The glory moved from the Ark of the Covenant, to the temple threshold, to the East Gate, and to the mountain east of the city (the Mount of Olives) where it departed. When Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon in 586 B.C., Solomon’s temple was plundered of its wealth, and the building was burned to the ground. The Shekinah glory of God left as Ezekiel had prophesied.
In 536 B.C., God moved the heart of the King of Persia to command that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt (Ezra 1:1-2). The second temple lacked five items that had been in Solomon’s temple: The Ark of the Covenant, the Urim and Thummim, the sacred fire, the Holy Spirit, and the Shekinah glory. Ezra 3:12 tells us that the old men who were young boys before captivity remembered the Shekinah glory of Solomon’s temple, and they wailed because it was not present. In 19 B.C., Herod began to renovate the temple. It is Herod’s temple that existed in the time of Jesus. There was no Shekinah glory, though. There was still no evidence of the presence of God. But there was something else…
John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The Greek word for “dwelling,” skenoo, means “to tent, or encamp, to occupy or to reside, to tabernacle.” Let’s compare this Greek word to the Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for tabernacle, shekan. In ancient Hebrew there were no vowels, only consonants. The letters “e” and “a” were added later as pronunciation aids. Notice the Greek word’s consonants (S-K---N of skenoo) were included in the Hebrew term. What does all this language study mean? A Hebrew would immediately recognize the significance of John’s choice in words. He would realize John was making a play on words and was referring to the Exodus tabernacle.
Do you see in this verse what we have been talking about today? Is John saying what you think he is saying? Oh my, yes, he is! John is drawing from their Jewish history from Exodus. He used these two terms to say the glory of God seen in the tabernacle and the temple had come back to dwell in Israel. God sent the fullness of His glory once again. Only this time instead of being wrapped in a cloud or a pillar of fire, the glory was wrapped in flesh and bone. God’s glory was covered by humanity. Do you remember Moses who could not see God’s glory and live? They had SEEN HIS GLORY!
I must tell you that explaining this story makes the hairs on my arms stand up. I am amazed at the cohesiveness of the Bible. The stories in the Bible span a time period of 4,000 years of life on earth. I am astounded at God’s perfect plan to dwell with people until we could dwell with Him in heaven. The Holy, All-powerful God of the universe reaches down from His throne to mankind. For me, above all, it proclaims in a loud voice for those who are willing to hear it – God’s loving heart.
Pray with me: Oh LORD, our God, You did not send only a prophet to proclaim Your words. You did not send a book so we could read Your words. You did not send a miraculous, physical representation on a mountainside so we could see Your word. You sent Your Word clothed in flesh so Your Word could be demonstrated. Your Word could be the teacher and the exhibitor of Your glory. Then, the Word unveiled and explained You to us so we might know You. This Word lived among people because You wanted to fellowship with us. Oh, how You love us! In the Name of the Word, our Jesus, we pray, Amen!
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study,
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
In the Beginning
In the Beginning
By Shirley Mitchell
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”
By Shirley Mitchell
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”
John 1:1-5
When I first read John 1:1-5 as an adult, this passage was such a mystery to me. Now, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit and many godly teachers, this passage is now a treasure to me. When I read it now, I no longer stumble over the words and let their meaning fly by me. I have begun to understand the bountiful riches that they hold. God has written these Scriptures on my heart.
John knew that the beginning of the story started before Jesus’ Jewish lineage. So unlike the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew, he takes us back to the beginning, “In the beginning was the Word.” John 1:14a tells us this person, the “Word,” came and made His dwelling among us, thus revealing the identity of the Word as Jesus. Jesus is the Word. Jesus was in the beginning, Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. Then, Jesus left the glory of heaven and put on the cloak of flesh to dwell among us. He is the source of all life. This Life is the light of men. This Light shone into the darkness to destroy the darkness.
Before we go further, let’s understand what the name, the Word, means and why John used this name. The Greek word for the “Word” in these verses is Logos. A “word” means “a visible or audible expression of a thought. It embodies a conception or an idea.” The divine Word, Jesus, is the expression or the revelation of the thoughts in the mind of God. He is the bridge between God and us. Logos also had a special meaning for the Greeks. A man named Heraclitus of Ephesus decided there was an invisible force of reason that sustained everything. For the Greeks, the Logos was an impersonal force that steered the universe and kept its forces in balance. It gave meaning to all things. For the Jews, the Word was a way of referring to God. “The Word of God” occurs over 1,200 times in the Old Testament to refer to the message of God. John uses language understood by pagan, Jew, and Christian to say that by the incarnate life of Jesus a new revelation of God had been given to mankind. God made Himself fully known to us.
Jesus made it clear to His followers that He existed before He was born from His mother Mary’s womb. In John 8:58, He declared to the crowd, "Before Abraham was born, I am!" In John 10:30, He says, “I and the Father are one." John 6:46, He says, “No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.” The crowd reacted violently to His outlandish declarations. Twice they tried to stone Him. Twice He escaped their grasp. He had committed blasphemy in their eyes. Yet, in His Father’s eyes, He was telling the truth that would save them from their sins.
John begins his Gospel with the very same words that are in Genesis 1:1 which says, “In the beginning.” John is referring to Genesis concepts. The Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language. The Hebrew word for “God” in this verse is Elohim. El would have been a sufficient name for the creator God, but adding the ending “im” makes it plural. When I first learned this fact, I felt like a person on a treasure hunt who had struck gold. There is another clue in Genesis 1:26. God says, “Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness...” (Emphasis mine) God left a testimony in Scripture written by Moses to show that Jesus participated in creation. Genesis 1 occurred 4,000 years before Jesus came to earth. Later in the New Testament, Paul proclaims in Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”
Many writers of the New Testament – Paul, Peter, John, Matthew, and the writer of Hebrews – state Jesus is God and that He existed before the foundation of the world. They also tell us an important decision had been made before God created the world. Revelation 13:8b says that Jesus is the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” 1 Peter 1:18-20 says He redeemed us through His blood as the unblemished Lamb who was chosen before the creation of the world.
Before the creation of the world, it was decided that Jesus would die on the cross as payment for man’s sins. Payment can only be rendered by innocent blood. In Genesis 3, after sinning, the first thing Adam and Eve did was to use fig leaves to cover their bodies. Now, they had knowledge of good and evil. God took off the fig leaves and clothed them in garments made of animal skin. If an animal’s skin is taken to cover a human, the animal had to die. Man attempted to cover his own sin with the works of his hands, but God said it was not enough: our works are not sufficient payment for sins. Only the blood of innocent life pays for sins (Hebrews 9:22). It will never be enough to be the best Christians we can be. Only through Jesus’ bloodshed can we approach God.
Before Elohim, Creator God, created the world, the plan was already in place for Jesus to be the Lamb slain to redeem humans from their sins. Before God ever breathed life into man, it was decided that Jesus would die on the cross. Before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God had made the eternal blood covenant. God was not surprised that they sinned. He expected it because He holds and knows the future. Because God foresees, God plans. Because of His great love for you and me, we are redeemed from sin’s penalty, power, and presence. We have eternal life. Hallelujah! Worthy is the Lamb!
Pray with me: Oh, Elohim! We praise You! Thank You, Jesus, that before the creation of the world that You chose to be the Lamb who shed Your blood to redeem us on the cross. All things were created by You and for You – things in heaven, on earth, visible and invisible. You are worthy, You perfect spotless Lamb of God! We long for the day when we see the fullness of this and behold You face-to-face, the Lamb exalted and seated high on Your throne! It’s in the Name of the Lamb we pray, in Your Name, Jesus, Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study,
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Born Again
Born Again
By Shirley Mitchell
“In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’
‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!’
Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.’ ”
John 3:3-5
When Jesus met with Nicodemus late one night, He told him that he must be “born again” in order to see the kingdom of God. Being “born again” made no sense to Nicodemus. Nicodemus thought his first birth as a Jew would be sufficient to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus did not say position, power, religious acts, knowledge of the Law, or adherence to traditions would save Nicodemus. If works could grant you access to heaven, this man had the credentials to be escorted in. Religion will not get you to heaven. Reforming our behavior does not save us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith, not from ourselves, but it is a gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. His Word tells us doing good works does not save us. It is by God’s grace through faith. The Holy Spirit reveals this grace and Jesus as Savior.
Jesus used the wind to explain spiritual rebirth. We know the wind exists even though we can’t see it. We see its effects like leaves of the trees shaking. We hear the wind hissing. We feel the wind on our faces. Wind can’t be tamed nor controlled by man; neither can the Spirit of God. We see the results of the Spirit of God. No one can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws her to the cross, and she is born again.
Jesus showed Nicodemus the road to freedom… No longer bound in chains of the religious rules...No more emptiness...Only the compulsion to serve and obey the one you love for your safety and benefit…Born again people are transformed people. They are new creations. Their actions are changed from the moment they first believed. Don’t make the mistake of believing every sinful desire is removed. God will leave some of that old nature for Him to refine later and for us to learn to depend on Him.
To illustrate how to be born again, Jesus referred to a familiar story for any Jewish teacher. This event happened while the children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years and is recorded in Numbers 21:4-9. Venomous snakes were biting and killing the people and many Israelites died. God told Moses to place a snake on a pole. So Moses put a bronze snake on a pole. Anyone who was bitten by a snake looked at the bronze snake and lived.
God gave the Israelites a physical picture of a spiritual concept. He showed the salvation His Son would bring to the Jewish people and all mankind. All of mankind, including you and me, has been bitten by sin. Sometimes it is hard to see ourselves as sinful because we can seem like pretty good people. However, James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
Just one lie...Just one prideful desire to exalt oneself...It takes a perfect score. It is impossible for us. Every person has contracted the deadly disease and desperately needs the cure. The righteous and holy God, who judges sin, knew we could not be perfect. He sent His Son to be lifted up on the cross like the serpent on the pole as our symbol of sin. He bore all of our sins. Through the cross, Jesus cleansed away the sins of every person who believes in Him. God offers to us the choice to look to His Son who hung on a cross, a pole. If we accept Jesus and believe in Him, then we will not perish but have eternal life. You and I will be born again. He is the cure for death.
A few years ago, my very good friend Jennifer shocked me by calling me on the phone to tell me that she had been saved. “WHAT?” We had prayed earnestly together every week and conducted Bible studies for teen girls together. She appeared to do all of the right things, but inside she was missing something. She said she had head knowledge but not the heart knowledge. Her salvation shocked everyone who knew her. I learned not to assume someone is saved - even if I’m praying with her or serving Him with her. Only God knows the heart. I ask everyone so I must ask you. Are you saved? Do you have any doubt?
If you have doubts and you feel the tug drawing you to the cross, then today is the day. That tug is the Holy Spirit. Do not stop reading this now, and say you will come back to it later. Deal with it now. Ask God to give you the words to say, or pray the prayer below. Repeating these words without meaning them does not save you. These words are only expressing outwardly what is happening in your heart. If you have no doubts at all, then pray this prayer in remembrance of the time that you accepted Jesus as Savior. Remember your salvation and praise Him for your certainty of a life in heaven.
Pray with me: LORD, God of heaven and earth, I know Jesus was Your Son sent to earth. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross as payment for my sins. Then He rose again and ascended into heaven. I am so sorry for the things I have done. I do not want to live in sin anymore. I repent of my sins and ask You for forgiveness. I believe the Truth stated in Romans 10:9 – that if I “Confess with my mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe You, God, raised Him from the dead, I will be saved.” I do not ask merely to be a resident in heaven. I ask because I desire to be in Your presence and to be with You forever. In the Name of my Savior, my Redeemer and King, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
By Shirley Mitchell
“In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’
‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!’
Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.’ ”
John 3:3-5
When Jesus met with Nicodemus late one night, He told him that he must be “born again” in order to see the kingdom of God. Being “born again” made no sense to Nicodemus. Nicodemus thought his first birth as a Jew would be sufficient to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus did not say position, power, religious acts, knowledge of the Law, or adherence to traditions would save Nicodemus. If works could grant you access to heaven, this man had the credentials to be escorted in. Religion will not get you to heaven. Reforming our behavior does not save us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith, not from ourselves, but it is a gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast. His Word tells us doing good works does not save us. It is by God’s grace through faith. The Holy Spirit reveals this grace and Jesus as Savior.
Jesus used the wind to explain spiritual rebirth. We know the wind exists even though we can’t see it. We see its effects like leaves of the trees shaking. We hear the wind hissing. We feel the wind on our faces. Wind can’t be tamed nor controlled by man; neither can the Spirit of God. We see the results of the Spirit of God. No one can come to Christ unless the Holy Spirit draws her to the cross, and she is born again.
Jesus showed Nicodemus the road to freedom… No longer bound in chains of the religious rules...No more emptiness...Only the compulsion to serve and obey the one you love for your safety and benefit…Born again people are transformed people. They are new creations. Their actions are changed from the moment they first believed. Don’t make the mistake of believing every sinful desire is removed. God will leave some of that old nature for Him to refine later and for us to learn to depend on Him.
To illustrate how to be born again, Jesus referred to a familiar story for any Jewish teacher. This event happened while the children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years and is recorded in Numbers 21:4-9. Venomous snakes were biting and killing the people and many Israelites died. God told Moses to place a snake on a pole. So Moses put a bronze snake on a pole. Anyone who was bitten by a snake looked at the bronze snake and lived.
God gave the Israelites a physical picture of a spiritual concept. He showed the salvation His Son would bring to the Jewish people and all mankind. All of mankind, including you and me, has been bitten by sin. Sometimes it is hard to see ourselves as sinful because we can seem like pretty good people. However, James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
Just one lie...Just one prideful desire to exalt oneself...It takes a perfect score. It is impossible for us. Every person has contracted the deadly disease and desperately needs the cure. The righteous and holy God, who judges sin, knew we could not be perfect. He sent His Son to be lifted up on the cross like the serpent on the pole as our symbol of sin. He bore all of our sins. Through the cross, Jesus cleansed away the sins of every person who believes in Him. God offers to us the choice to look to His Son who hung on a cross, a pole. If we accept Jesus and believe in Him, then we will not perish but have eternal life. You and I will be born again. He is the cure for death.
A few years ago, my very good friend Jennifer shocked me by calling me on the phone to tell me that she had been saved. “WHAT?” We had prayed earnestly together every week and conducted Bible studies for teen girls together. She appeared to do all of the right things, but inside she was missing something. She said she had head knowledge but not the heart knowledge. Her salvation shocked everyone who knew her. I learned not to assume someone is saved - even if I’m praying with her or serving Him with her. Only God knows the heart. I ask everyone so I must ask you. Are you saved? Do you have any doubt?
If you have doubts and you feel the tug drawing you to the cross, then today is the day. That tug is the Holy Spirit. Do not stop reading this now, and say you will come back to it later. Deal with it now. Ask God to give you the words to say, or pray the prayer below. Repeating these words without meaning them does not save you. These words are only expressing outwardly what is happening in your heart. If you have no doubts at all, then pray this prayer in remembrance of the time that you accepted Jesus as Savior. Remember your salvation and praise Him for your certainty of a life in heaven.
Pray with me: LORD, God of heaven and earth, I know Jesus was Your Son sent to earth. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross as payment for my sins. Then He rose again and ascended into heaven. I am so sorry for the things I have done. I do not want to live in sin anymore. I repent of my sins and ask You for forgiveness. I believe the Truth stated in Romans 10:9 – that if I “Confess with my mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe You, God, raised Him from the dead, I will be saved.” I do not ask merely to be a resident in heaven. I ask because I desire to be in Your presence and to be with You forever. In the Name of my Savior, my Redeemer and King, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Abiding Brings Resemblance
Abiding Brings Resemblance
By Shirley Mitchell
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."
John 15:4 (NKJV)
After my precious adopted daughter Victoria had lived with us for several months, my friend Catherine made the most interesting comment to me. She said, "Shirley, there is no question that Victoria is a Mitchell girl. She has taken on your family's mannerisms, speech, facial expressions, tone of voice, and actions. She acts just like you all." I had not realized it since the change was gradual, but Catherine was right. Victoria looked just like us. She pranced around prissy like Sophia, copied Mikayla's funny faces, and said her words with the same inflections in her tone of voice that I would.
This same thing happens to you and me. By abiding in Jesus, you and I become more and more like Him. We take on the Family characteristics. When you and I choose to live with Him on a continuous and regular basis, we change from our old carnal self to a new creation that is spirit-led and possesses great beauty.
"Abide" is the Greek word meno which means "to remain, abide, dwell, live.to remain in or with someone, to remain united with him, one with him in heart, mind and will.remaining steadfast, persevering in it." I love what dictionary.com said of the word "remain." It means to stay in the same condition or the same place. Now, isn't that interesting? You see, we are to go from glory to glory. We are to increase our faith. We are to grow from eating spiritual milk to being able to chew the tough parts of the Word of God. Yet, there is one place where we are to remain in the same state and to never leave that location. We are to remain united with our Savior. We are the branches that are to remain in the Vine.
Our heart should match His heart. God's Word tells us that the hearts are the wellspring of life, which means that our hearts are the source for everything that we do in life. Imagine a river flowing from your heart. This river will take you on down the rapids of the river of life. Your heart has the power to change the directions of the rapids. This is why you and I have to know what we really want. What are our motivations? What are our feelings? What makes us passionate?
Additionally, our minds should resemble His mind. The only one way to have the mind of Christ is to know God's Word. Through faithful study of the Bible and Scripture memorization, we will see an amazing transformation happen in us as we conform to the image of Christ.
Lastly, our will should be aligned with His will. We begin to want the things that He wants. We desire for harvest workers to be sent to the harvest. We long for unity in the bride of Christ. We cringe at sin and are convicted instantly if we sin. We cry out for the return of our King and justice on the earth.
By abiding in Him, you and I can do things that we couldn't otherwise do. We can feel things that we wouldn't ordinarily feel. We can understand things that we couldn't normally understand. We are not limited by our natural abilities. We are not restrained by any personality "quirk." We can overcome our past. We can have strength for today. We can have the mind of Christ to know how to handle things that are beyond us. We begin to act like Jesus!
My heart's desire is to have an intimate relationship with my Savior. The natural by-product will be that I resemble my Savior. Is that your heart's desire, precious one? The definition of abiding told us how to keep on abiding. We are to be steadfast and persevere through it. We are to be fixed in one direction and fixed in one purpose. We are not to binge on God's Word for a season and then starve from spiritual food while we wither away. Through daily consistency, we build intimacy and exude Christ-likeness. I'm willing to do what it takes to abide in Him, are you?
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, praise You, Father! You are the Vine, and we are the branches. Apart from You, we can do absolutely nothing. We can't bear fruit without You. Give us a passion to abide in You. Also give us the steadfastness to have the consistency that is required to have the intimate relationship with You so abiding brings the intimacy and resemblance that we desire. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, I pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
By Shirley Mitchell
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."
John 15:4 (NKJV)
After my precious adopted daughter Victoria had lived with us for several months, my friend Catherine made the most interesting comment to me. She said, "Shirley, there is no question that Victoria is a Mitchell girl. She has taken on your family's mannerisms, speech, facial expressions, tone of voice, and actions. She acts just like you all." I had not realized it since the change was gradual, but Catherine was right. Victoria looked just like us. She pranced around prissy like Sophia, copied Mikayla's funny faces, and said her words with the same inflections in her tone of voice that I would.
This same thing happens to you and me. By abiding in Jesus, you and I become more and more like Him. We take on the Family characteristics. When you and I choose to live with Him on a continuous and regular basis, we change from our old carnal self to a new creation that is spirit-led and possesses great beauty.
"Abide" is the Greek word meno which means "to remain, abide, dwell, live.to remain in or with someone, to remain united with him, one with him in heart, mind and will.remaining steadfast, persevering in it." I love what dictionary.com said of the word "remain." It means to stay in the same condition or the same place. Now, isn't that interesting? You see, we are to go from glory to glory. We are to increase our faith. We are to grow from eating spiritual milk to being able to chew the tough parts of the Word of God. Yet, there is one place where we are to remain in the same state and to never leave that location. We are to remain united with our Savior. We are the branches that are to remain in the Vine.
Our heart should match His heart. God's Word tells us that the hearts are the wellspring of life, which means that our hearts are the source for everything that we do in life. Imagine a river flowing from your heart. This river will take you on down the rapids of the river of life. Your heart has the power to change the directions of the rapids. This is why you and I have to know what we really want. What are our motivations? What are our feelings? What makes us passionate?
Additionally, our minds should resemble His mind. The only one way to have the mind of Christ is to know God's Word. Through faithful study of the Bible and Scripture memorization, we will see an amazing transformation happen in us as we conform to the image of Christ.
Lastly, our will should be aligned with His will. We begin to want the things that He wants. We desire for harvest workers to be sent to the harvest. We long for unity in the bride of Christ. We cringe at sin and are convicted instantly if we sin. We cry out for the return of our King and justice on the earth.
By abiding in Him, you and I can do things that we couldn't otherwise do. We can feel things that we wouldn't ordinarily feel. We can understand things that we couldn't normally understand. We are not limited by our natural abilities. We are not restrained by any personality "quirk." We can overcome our past. We can have strength for today. We can have the mind of Christ to know how to handle things that are beyond us. We begin to act like Jesus!
My heart's desire is to have an intimate relationship with my Savior. The natural by-product will be that I resemble my Savior. Is that your heart's desire, precious one? The definition of abiding told us how to keep on abiding. We are to be steadfast and persevere through it. We are to be fixed in one direction and fixed in one purpose. We are not to binge on God's Word for a season and then starve from spiritual food while we wither away. Through daily consistency, we build intimacy and exude Christ-likeness. I'm willing to do what it takes to abide in Him, are you?
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, praise You, Father! You are the Vine, and we are the branches. Apart from You, we can do absolutely nothing. We can't bear fruit without You. Give us a passion to abide in You. Also give us the steadfastness to have the consistency that is required to have the intimate relationship with You so abiding brings the intimacy and resemblance that we desire. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, I pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Restored Dignity
Restored Dignity
By Shirley Mitchell
"When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?".Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
John 4:7,10,17
When Jesus met the women at the well, He offered her the gift of God first. Then, He confronted her sin which He knew His gift could heal. While the woman spoke a true statement that she had no husband, Jesus would not let her sidestep the issue. He also did not lecture her about her sin. He did not pull out His tract of the 10 commandments and point His finger at the Law. He only spoke the truth about the facts of her life. He told her He knew her life was a mess. He knew that she knew her life was a failure.
Does anyone set out to become a failure? Does any little girl say enthusiastically, "My dream is to be the town's floozy when I grow up?" Of course not! I see her as a little girl dreaming of the wonderful life she would have some day...Perhaps married to the perfect husband who would treat her right and love her dearly. Regardless of the specific dream to have a husband or remain single, she dreamed of a life of beauty and happiness. She never dreamed her life would become so hopeless, sad, and messed up.
Yet the road to failure began long before she moved in with the sixth man and even long before she married the second man. Somewhere from little girl to young married girl, she lost sight of her dream. Was it because she could not have close relationships and she was trying to kill the desire she had within her to have intimate relationships so she would be safe and in control? Or was it because she started to believe the negative words of her unloving parents or her teasing peers? Or was it because she never learned discipline, and she could not take everything she wanted?
God left out many details of how the Samaritan woman had come to have five husbands and to be living with a man who was not her husband. She was willing to forsake the morals of her society in order to have what she thought she needed most. We do not know if she lost her innocence at an early age by another's force. We do not know if she lost it because of her own decisions. I think God purposefully left out the details so women with all types of experiences can relate to her because the idea is the same for both stolen dignity and squandered dignity. She had lost the knowledge she was worth something. She was precious. In her case, with its loss, she began a life of sin. Her sin was a manifestation of her attempts to satisfy her deep need which was a crater size hole inside of her only the Living Water could touch and heal.
I see her like many women today. Deep inside, if we can admit it or not, we all want someone of importance to love us. Why? Then we will be proven as valuable and a treasure. I see her as a girl who wanted to be someone's pursuit, someone's top priority. She had no idea how to get it. She was unwilling to wait until she knew the right way to get it so she looked for love in all the wrong places.
She was the town scandal. "Good" and "proper" women would not associate with her. She knew loneliness. Then, Jesus, the Living Water, filled the dark recesses of her soul. When she was filled with His love and acceptance, she reached out to the other people in the village because a person full of love is led to give love. You can't give what you have not received. She immediately made the decision to tell the women who scorned her about Jesus. It also demonstrates the human desire to want to belong. They could no longer hurt her because she was satisfied and healed. There was no weighing of the costs to share/not share her news of the Messiah.
These are the actions and words of a woman who has been rescued. She was freed from the chains of bondage. She was no longer hiding. Her shame no longer haunted her. No longer did she think "I am not good enough", "I have too many issues", or "I am too needy". She felt beautiful again. She felt like she was someone of importance and a priority to someone of great importance - the long awaited Messiah. She felt alive again. She was no longer under the oppression of her sins. Jesus restored the deep, but lost, feeling in her heart that told her life was supposed to be more than what she was living. Jesus restored her worth. He lifted the burden. He removed the condemnation. He took away her shame. She now understood she was valuable.
Do you know what Jesus did for her that day at the well is exactly what He wants to give every woman? For you, beloved, do you ever think you are unimportant? Unnoticed? No, no, no, sweetheart. He knows right where you are. He knows right where you are going. Your God anticipates the time He will be revealed to you just as much as a secret admirer anticipates his revealing. He is arranging encounters between Him and you along the way. I pray you will someday be at a point where He will lead, and you will follow, and the paths will never need to cross again for the two paths have become one.
Pray with me: Oh, Holy God, fill me up with Your Living Water. Fill the dark empty places of my soul with You! Restore dignity to me. Restore dignity to my sisters in Christ- including those who squandered their dignity or had it stolen. May we realize that You are our Un-secret Admirer and Shame Remover. We have found the Well that supplies everything that we have ever needed and everything that we have ever wanted. We freely give You all that we have of us, entrust You with our lives, and commit to make Your path, our path. It's in the Name above of names and the Name that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, I pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
By Shirley Mitchell
"When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?".Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
John 4:7,10,17
When Jesus met the women at the well, He offered her the gift of God first. Then, He confronted her sin which He knew His gift could heal. While the woman spoke a true statement that she had no husband, Jesus would not let her sidestep the issue. He also did not lecture her about her sin. He did not pull out His tract of the 10 commandments and point His finger at the Law. He only spoke the truth about the facts of her life. He told her He knew her life was a mess. He knew that she knew her life was a failure.
Does anyone set out to become a failure? Does any little girl say enthusiastically, "My dream is to be the town's floozy when I grow up?" Of course not! I see her as a little girl dreaming of the wonderful life she would have some day...Perhaps married to the perfect husband who would treat her right and love her dearly. Regardless of the specific dream to have a husband or remain single, she dreamed of a life of beauty and happiness. She never dreamed her life would become so hopeless, sad, and messed up.
Yet the road to failure began long before she moved in with the sixth man and even long before she married the second man. Somewhere from little girl to young married girl, she lost sight of her dream. Was it because she could not have close relationships and she was trying to kill the desire she had within her to have intimate relationships so she would be safe and in control? Or was it because she started to believe the negative words of her unloving parents or her teasing peers? Or was it because she never learned discipline, and she could not take everything she wanted?
God left out many details of how the Samaritan woman had come to have five husbands and to be living with a man who was not her husband. She was willing to forsake the morals of her society in order to have what she thought she needed most. We do not know if she lost her innocence at an early age by another's force. We do not know if she lost it because of her own decisions. I think God purposefully left out the details so women with all types of experiences can relate to her because the idea is the same for both stolen dignity and squandered dignity. She had lost the knowledge she was worth something. She was precious. In her case, with its loss, she began a life of sin. Her sin was a manifestation of her attempts to satisfy her deep need which was a crater size hole inside of her only the Living Water could touch and heal.
I see her like many women today. Deep inside, if we can admit it or not, we all want someone of importance to love us. Why? Then we will be proven as valuable and a treasure. I see her as a girl who wanted to be someone's pursuit, someone's top priority. She had no idea how to get it. She was unwilling to wait until she knew the right way to get it so she looked for love in all the wrong places.
She was the town scandal. "Good" and "proper" women would not associate with her. She knew loneliness. Then, Jesus, the Living Water, filled the dark recesses of her soul. When she was filled with His love and acceptance, she reached out to the other people in the village because a person full of love is led to give love. You can't give what you have not received. She immediately made the decision to tell the women who scorned her about Jesus. It also demonstrates the human desire to want to belong. They could no longer hurt her because she was satisfied and healed. There was no weighing of the costs to share/not share her news of the Messiah.
These are the actions and words of a woman who has been rescued. She was freed from the chains of bondage. She was no longer hiding. Her shame no longer haunted her. No longer did she think "I am not good enough", "I have too many issues", or "I am too needy". She felt beautiful again. She felt like she was someone of importance and a priority to someone of great importance - the long awaited Messiah. She felt alive again. She was no longer under the oppression of her sins. Jesus restored the deep, but lost, feeling in her heart that told her life was supposed to be more than what she was living. Jesus restored her worth. He lifted the burden. He removed the condemnation. He took away her shame. She now understood she was valuable.
Do you know what Jesus did for her that day at the well is exactly what He wants to give every woman? For you, beloved, do you ever think you are unimportant? Unnoticed? No, no, no, sweetheart. He knows right where you are. He knows right where you are going. Your God anticipates the time He will be revealed to you just as much as a secret admirer anticipates his revealing. He is arranging encounters between Him and you along the way. I pray you will someday be at a point where He will lead, and you will follow, and the paths will never need to cross again for the two paths have become one.
Pray with me: Oh, Holy God, fill me up with Your Living Water. Fill the dark empty places of my soul with You! Restore dignity to me. Restore dignity to my sisters in Christ- including those who squandered their dignity or had it stolen. May we realize that You are our Un-secret Admirer and Shame Remover. We have found the Well that supplies everything that we have ever needed and everything that we have ever wanted. We freely give You all that we have of us, entrust You with our lives, and commit to make Your path, our path. It's in the Name above of names and the Name that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, I pray. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy, Holy
By Shirley Mitchell
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.' "
Isaiah 6:1-5
Have you stopped to think lately as you hustle to and fro through this life that you and I as believers in Christ will spend eternity in heaven? The sights and sounds of this world will disappear and be replaced with a perfect place of no pollution, no defilement, no aging, no decay, no wilted flowers, and no imperfection. Nothing will need to ever be repaired or replaced. We will enter into a world of unparalled beauty. Most importantly, we will behold the Lord God Almighty. There are only a few places in the Bible where a man actually has a vision of this eternal glory.
Isaiah was a prophet when the Kingdom of David was divided into the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Isaiah served God during the reign of the Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Mannasseh. Isaiah 6:1 says that Isaiah's vision occurred during the year that King Uzziah died. For the most part, King Uzziah was a faithful king although he offered incense in the temple and was struck down with leprosy. He ruled for 52 years until 739 B.C. His death was a turning point for the Kingdom of Judah which plummeted into idol worship and immorality until the exile to Babylon in 586 B.C. His death was also a turning point for Isaiah who saw the Lord like no else ever has seen Him.
After the king whom he had served died, Isaiah was somehow transported to the throne room of Almighty God. We don't know whether he dreamed it in his sleep or saw it in a vision while he was awake. We only know that Isaiah saw the Lord. He beheld the majestic sight of the throne room of God. Since John 1:18 says that "no one has ever seen God" and John 12:41 says that Isaiah, "saw Jesus' glory and spoke about Him," the person on the throne is interpreted to be the pre-incarnate Jesus. He is seated high and exalted on the throne.
The train of His robe fills the temple. On earth, a king's or queen's garments symbolized his or her power and majesty. So to say that the entire temple was filled by the garments trailing behind Him showed that His majesty surpassed every king or emperor in the history of the world.
These seraphs in this vision are only mentioned in Isaiah 6. They are attendants to God who continuously give Him praise. I did not expect when I looked up the Hebrew word that it also meant "fiery serpent." What a picture this paints of a burning creature in the presence of God! Two of the six wings covered the seraphs' faces signifying that they could not look at God's immeasurable holiness and brilliance. They are sinless, but they do not want the holy eyes of God looking at them. They serve God and do as He says. Although they have always been in His presence, they are in so much awe that they proclaim, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!" By the sound of their voices of praise, the doorposts and thresholds shook.
The Hebrew term for "holy" is qodesh. It means, "sacred, to be set apart." God is set apart that there is no one like Him. We cannot compare Him to anyone else. There is nothing common about our God.
The Hebrew language may lack punctuation used in our English language, but it had many other literary techniques. One technique was repetition which was used to show emphasis. For example, when Jacob's sons bring Joseph's bloody coat to him to prove to him that Joseph is dead, Jacob says in Genesis 37:33 (KJV), "It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces." In the Hebrew, he is saying "Joseph taraph taraph" or "Joseph cutting to pieces cut to pieces." Jacob was saying that his son was ferociously and violently torn apart. When the seraphs declared, "Holy, holy, holy," they were saying God is not just holy. He is not only holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. It is the only attribute of God that is tripled. Isaiah's entire vision supported this three-fold reiteration of God's holiness. It has an intensifying effect like the crescendo in a grand symphony.
Some of us need to be humbled and reminded that our God is transcendent. He is not merely our buddy, but His holiness brings us to our knees. Some of us are so ashamed of the things that we have done that we have no problem admitting that we are unclean. Maybe you look around at the people at church and think they have pretty lives with a clean past. We have to remember there is not one person reading this who can stand before God without the grace of Jesus. It is grace that allows us to approach this Holy God in this majestic and brilliant throne room. Let's praise this Holy God who is so far above us but still is the One who comforts us and holds us in His arms. Let's ask God to help us grasp this vision of Him.
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, You are illustrious, radiant, and will forevermore be dazzling in majesty. You are high and exalted. Your train fills the temple demonstrating Your majesty. The seraphs cover their faces and their feet in humbleness and declare Your holiness. The whole earth reflects the glory of its Creator. Help us to grasp this vision of You and use it to transform our daily lives as we live to serve You. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
!
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
By Shirley Mitchell
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 'Woe to me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.' "
Isaiah 6:1-5
Have you stopped to think lately as you hustle to and fro through this life that you and I as believers in Christ will spend eternity in heaven? The sights and sounds of this world will disappear and be replaced with a perfect place of no pollution, no defilement, no aging, no decay, no wilted flowers, and no imperfection. Nothing will need to ever be repaired or replaced. We will enter into a world of unparalled beauty. Most importantly, we will behold the Lord God Almighty. There are only a few places in the Bible where a man actually has a vision of this eternal glory.
Isaiah was a prophet when the Kingdom of David was divided into the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Isaiah served God during the reign of the Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Mannasseh. Isaiah 6:1 says that Isaiah's vision occurred during the year that King Uzziah died. For the most part, King Uzziah was a faithful king although he offered incense in the temple and was struck down with leprosy. He ruled for 52 years until 739 B.C. His death was a turning point for the Kingdom of Judah which plummeted into idol worship and immorality until the exile to Babylon in 586 B.C. His death was also a turning point for Isaiah who saw the Lord like no else ever has seen Him.
After the king whom he had served died, Isaiah was somehow transported to the throne room of Almighty God. We don't know whether he dreamed it in his sleep or saw it in a vision while he was awake. We only know that Isaiah saw the Lord. He beheld the majestic sight of the throne room of God. Since John 1:18 says that "no one has ever seen God" and John 12:41 says that Isaiah, "saw Jesus' glory and spoke about Him," the person on the throne is interpreted to be the pre-incarnate Jesus. He is seated high and exalted on the throne.
The train of His robe fills the temple. On earth, a king's or queen's garments symbolized his or her power and majesty. So to say that the entire temple was filled by the garments trailing behind Him showed that His majesty surpassed every king or emperor in the history of the world.
These seraphs in this vision are only mentioned in Isaiah 6. They are attendants to God who continuously give Him praise. I did not expect when I looked up the Hebrew word that it also meant "fiery serpent." What a picture this paints of a burning creature in the presence of God! Two of the six wings covered the seraphs' faces signifying that they could not look at God's immeasurable holiness and brilliance. They are sinless, but they do not want the holy eyes of God looking at them. They serve God and do as He says. Although they have always been in His presence, they are in so much awe that they proclaim, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!" By the sound of their voices of praise, the doorposts and thresholds shook.
The Hebrew term for "holy" is qodesh. It means, "sacred, to be set apart." God is set apart that there is no one like Him. We cannot compare Him to anyone else. There is nothing common about our God.
The Hebrew language may lack punctuation used in our English language, but it had many other literary techniques. One technique was repetition which was used to show emphasis. For example, when Jacob's sons bring Joseph's bloody coat to him to prove to him that Joseph is dead, Jacob says in Genesis 37:33 (KJV), "It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces." In the Hebrew, he is saying "Joseph taraph taraph" or "Joseph cutting to pieces cut to pieces." Jacob was saying that his son was ferociously and violently torn apart. When the seraphs declared, "Holy, holy, holy," they were saying God is not just holy. He is not only holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. It is the only attribute of God that is tripled. Isaiah's entire vision supported this three-fold reiteration of God's holiness. It has an intensifying effect like the crescendo in a grand symphony.
Some of us need to be humbled and reminded that our God is transcendent. He is not merely our buddy, but His holiness brings us to our knees. Some of us are so ashamed of the things that we have done that we have no problem admitting that we are unclean. Maybe you look around at the people at church and think they have pretty lives with a clean past. We have to remember there is not one person reading this who can stand before God without the grace of Jesus. It is grace that allows us to approach this Holy God in this majestic and brilliant throne room. Let's praise this Holy God who is so far above us but still is the One who comforts us and holds us in His arms. Let's ask God to help us grasp this vision of Him.
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, You are illustrious, radiant, and will forevermore be dazzling in majesty. You are high and exalted. Your train fills the temple demonstrating Your majesty. The seraphs cover their faces and their feet in humbleness and declare Your holiness. The whole earth reflects the glory of its Creator. Help us to grasp this vision of You and use it to transform our daily lives as we live to serve You. It's in the Name above all names, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name, we pray. Amen.
!
Copyright 2009 © Christ Compels
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)