Author: gat_robo

THE MYSTERY
In The Death Of Our Lord

By Alan H. Crosby

A mystery scripturally is something that was concealed but is now revealed. It was not at all clear to the Old Testament saints that the Messiah, the Christ, would be the Eternal Son of God become Man, and that He would be condemned to death, crucified and resurrected for our salvation. This truth was revealed to the Lord’s disciples when “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Lk. 24:27 ESV). What was a mystery before His resurrection is now clearly revealed to us in the New Testament Scriptures.

He Was The True Prophet
We must not disregard the fact that our Lord Jesus was indeed “a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (v.19). He prophesied that He had to go to Jerusalem … be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Mt. 16:21). According to Mark, the Lord taught that He, “the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests and of the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He spoke the thing openly” (8:31-32 JND, italics added).

Was the Lord a false prophet? Certainly not! But, He would have been if He were not killed, for that is what He prophesied. He also truthfully said, “I lay down My life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (Jn. 10:17-18 ESV).

Both of these seemingly contradictory statements are true – He was killed, and He let go of His life voluntarily. The physical and spiritual things He endured on the cross were enough to kill Him if He were only a human being, but they could not have killed Him if He, being God the Son, had not allowed them to do so.

He Had A Human Body And He Was God
He was a perfect human being, with all the consequence of having a human spirit, soul and body. He became hungry (Mt. 4:2). He became thirsty (Jn. 19:28). He became sleepy, and He slept (Mk. 4:38). These were the natural results of lack of food, drink and sleep. The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the Lord as a man, foretold in Isaiah 53 that His body would be wounded, bruised and cut up by stripes during the scourging and the crucifixion (Compare to Mt. 27:26-50).

However, the Lord was also the Creator (Col. 1:16), and thus He had the divine power to remedy any injuries to His body or to prevent them from ever occurring. We see this power being used to prevent the ordinary decomposing of His dead, human body. Regarding this, David prophesied, “For You will not … let Your Holy One see corruption (Ps. 16:10), and Peter said, “… nor [has] His flesh seen corruption” (Acts 2:31 JND).

He Lay Down His Life
Using all their ingenuity, men devised crucifixion to cause a certain, slow and painful death. However, our Lord had the power to nullify all that would ordinarily cause death until He chose to die. Thus His death was entirely voluntary – but it was not suicide.

God had justly decreed that the penalty for sin would be death. Therefore, everyone faces death, “for all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). But, because of His love for men, women and children, and by His grace, God willed that the Son “might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9 ESV). Then, as prophesied by Isaiah (lsa. 53:6 JND), “Jehovah … laid upon Him the iniquity of us all”!

Our Lord allowed what men did to His body and what God did to His soul-spirit, in bearing our iniquity, to cause His death. Matthew wrote that at the time of His death, He “yielded up His spirit” (27:50 ESV, italics added), and John said, “He gave up His spirit” (19:30). By not retaining His human spirit, He died, for “the body apart from the spirit is dead” (Jas. 2:26). He had the power to retain His spirit, but He chose not to use that power. In short, He laid down His life!

Why Did He Choose To Die?
He chose to die, Scripture says, “for the joy that was set before Him [when He] endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2). Strange as it may seem, somehow the result of the physical suffering of crucifixion and the spiritual suffering of being separated from God resulted in joy for Him. There is no joy in the God-head in justly condemning unrepentant sinners, but “there is joy in heaven … over one sinner who repents” (Lk. 15:10). Our Lord had chosen to be “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29) – and He takes away all the sin of all who will repent!

An explanation for this mystery may be found in the fact that He has a very special relationship with the believers of this dispensation, or period of time. Figuratively, we are like a wife to Him; we are His body, and He loves us. Scripture says, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her … so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing … because we are members of His body” (Eph. 5:25-30).

What Should Be Our Response?
Like Paul, we should tell Jews and Gentiles “that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance” (Acts 26:20). This includes partaking, properly and with understanding, of the bread and wine “in remembrance” of Him in the manner which He instituted for us (Lk. 22:19-20).

Meditations On The Son’s Prayer
 Part Two: INTRODUCTION

By David Anderson

We read in John 17:1-3 that the Lord Jesus Christ knew that the hour¹ had arrived for Him to leave this world and depart to the Father (see 13:1). Therefore He asked for His own glorification, with the objective that He could then glorify² the Father by giving eternal life to Christian believers.

Having concluded His talk with His disciples as to His departure, the Lord “lifted up His eyes to heaven” (17:1 ESV). Heaven, His Father’s house, was His destiny out of this world. It is also the promised dwelling place for His disciples, to which He will take them (14:2-3). The phrase “lifted up His eyes to heaven” gives an indication of His equality with the person He addressed in prayer. The very first word of His prayer was “Father” – that hallowed name of God revealed by the Son. As Son in the Godhead, the Lord Jesus can speak with the Father on equal terms. Therefore He appropriately said, “Father,” without an adjective being necessary.

The hour had come for Him, the Son (but now also as Man), to be glorified by the Father. Several times in this gospel John had already used the concept of “His hour” – the time for the Son to depart from this world to the Father. At the outset of His prayer, the hour had arrived for His and the Father’s glorification.

As always, the Son only seeks the glory of His Father in everything. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, God the Father was glorified, as was the Son – “so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (11:4). In John 12:23 the Lord said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified,” in anticipation of His death (vv.27-33). On that occasion He said, “Father, glorify Your name.” The immediate reply from heaven was, “I have glorified it [when Lazarus was raised from the dead], and I will glorify it again” (v.28).

“I will glorify it again” referred to when God raised His Son from among the dead and gave Him glory (1 Pet. 1:21). The Lord Jesus was raised by the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:4) and taken up, or received up, in glory (1 Tim. 3:16). There He is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven (Heb. 8:1), and there the glory of God shines in His face (2 Cor. 4:6). His glory as the Son of Man will be displayed throughout the millennium (see Ps. 8).

The Father answered His Son’s request to be glorified by placing Him at His own right hand (Ps. 110:1; Heb. 8:1). It is from that exalted position that the Son is able, by the Father’s authority, to give eternal life to believers. In doing this work for the Father, the Son glorifies Him in a new way (Jn. 17:2). The message Mary was given to carry to the disciples on the resurrection morning was, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God” (20:17). By the Spirit, they became fully aware of their true relationship with the Father from that time onwards, and they too would be able to bring glory to the Father. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples” (15:8).

John 17:3 defines what eternal life is for believers of our day. With respect to our need, we are relieved to find that eternal life is the opposite of condemnation and of perishing (3:16-18). In John 17:3 it is to know the Father, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the Sent One of the Father. So from His side God wants us to share in His life, that is, in the family, or home, life of God in eternity. Life is not only conscious existence, it is also about living relationships, especially family relationships. Ephesians 3:15 states that the Father is the person from whom every family derives its meaning.³

We have been brought to know the preeminent Father – the true Father. In John’s gospel, the adjective “true” means the ultimate reality of a thing. For example, Jesus is the true Bread from heaven (Jn. 6) and the true Vine (Jn. 15). “The true God” conveys the thought of finality in the progressive process of the revelation of God to mankind over the ages. As the children of God (13:33), believers have a real, living relationship with the true God – the Father – through His Son. This conscious, eternal relationship with the Father and the Son is ultimate reality for us – “the eternal life” (v.3; 1 Jn. 1:2 JND). “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding so we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and [the] eternal life” (5:20 ESV). Believers therefore live in the love of God in the conscious knowledge of divine persons and with the ability to respond to divine love.

The Lord Jesus continued His prayer to the Father in John 17:4, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do.” ⁴ He was anticipating the next day when He triumphantly said, “It is finished” (19:30). The Lord had already said something like this in John 13:31-32, when He announced that God had been glorified in Himself as the Son of Man. That is, His subjection to the Father’s will, His love for His Father, His personal holiness and all of His perfections shone out at the cross. God was also glorified at the cross in that His holiness, justice and love were manifested in the one completed sacrifice made for sin. Yes, the Father was glorified in every aspect of Christ’s life on earth – and supremely in His death, resurrection and ascension.

In John 17:6, 8 and 14, the Lord Jesus outlined the ways in which He had glorified His Father:

• He had explained the meaning of the name Father to the disciples, and
• He had given the Father’s word(s) to them.

In verse 6, the Father’s word is the truth, for the Lord said, “Your word is truth” (v.17). The Father’s words are also “the divine communications” and “the word of God in testimony” (JND footnotes, vv.8,14).

The Lord expanded in verse 5 upon His initial request to be glorified as the Son of God: “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.” As God the Son, He rightly requested to be invested with the uncreated glory of Deity, which He had along with the Father in eternity past. At His incarnation, that glory had been veiled, but not divested (consider Phil. 2:5-8). He received this glory as He is now – the risen, ascended Man in the presence of the Father.

Notice that Jesus spoke in the first person – “Me” and “I” – as an equal. The phrases “in Your own presence” and “with You” mean “together with Yourself” or “alongside You [along with Thee, JND]” in a shared position of equal status and in that unoriginated relationship in which He ever exists, or lives, with the Father. The expression “before the world existed” confirms Jesus is the eternal Son from before the incarnation – even before the ages began! ⁵

ENDNOTES
1. His hour, or His time, is referred to several times in John’s gospel (2:4, 7:6,8,30, 8:20, 12:23,27, 13:1, 16:32, 17:1). Although each occurrence differs slightly in emphasis, the overall meaning is the time for the Lord’s glorification, specifically by means of His death, followed by His resurrection and departure from this world to return to His Father (His ascension). Consider John 16:28, which says, “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
2. As stated in Part 1, “to glorify” is to cause the excellences of a person to be displayed so they can be seen, understood and appreciated by others.
3. See the ESV footnote on all fatherhood. More accurately, every father reflects the meaning, in some measure, of the name “the Father.”
4. Note the repeated use – ten times – of the expression “I have” (NKJV). In verse 4, the Son referred to the fact that He had glorified the Father throughout His life on earth, and finally through His death, resurrection and ascension. In verses 6, 8, 12, 14, 18, 22 and 26, He referred to all that He had done for the Father with respect to the disciples.
5. “Before times eternal” is the literal translation of 2 Timothy 1:9.

The Offerings Of Numbers 28-29

By L. M. Grant (adapted)

Daily Offerings (Numbers 28:1-8)
As Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, there were matters of serious importance raised by the Lord. Their recognition of God’s rights was to come first. He spoke therefore of “My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me … at their appointed time” (v.2 NKJV). Jacob, in going out from Beersheba, expected God to give him food to eat (Gen. 28:20), but he forgot that he ought to give God food to eat. Likewise, we often think of our rights and forget God’s rights. May we think more deeply of giving God some true refreshment, for He is ignored by most people today. God has created us in such a way that we appreciate food. Therefore, is it not fully understandable to us that God should desire food from us?

The offerings that Israel was to consider as God’s food are detailed for us in Numbers 28-29. Every day two young lambs were to be offered, one in the morning and one in the evening (vv.3-4). These were burnt offerings, emphasizing the honor that is to be wholly given to God because of the value of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. With them, one tenth of an ephah¹ of fine flour was included as a grain offering, mixed with one fourth of a hin² of pressed oil (v.5). This grain offering speaks of the perfection of the humanity of the Lord Jesus expressed in all His life on earth, energized by the Spirit of God, as pictured in the oil. As we keep Him in affectionate memory before God, we are truly offering the grain offering. Verse 6 speaks of this in total as one offering of a sweet aroma, for there is perfect unity in the sacrifice of Christ.

Offerings On The Sabbath (Numbers 28:9-10)
On the Sabbath days there were two lambs added to the daily offering, with both grain offerings and drink offerings as in the daily offerings. The Sabbath speaks of the eternal rest of God, and in that day our appreciation of the sacrifice of Christ will not diminish, but increase.

Monthly Offerings (Numbers 28:11-15)
There would be no lack of work to keep the priests occupied. At each month’s beginning a special burnt offering was to be made “to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish” (v.11). With this was included three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for each bull, two tenths of the same for the ram and one tenth for each lamb. The total of this was called “a burnt offering of sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD” (v.13). Thus, special occasions called for special observance by Israel, and a drink offering of varying proportions for each animal was added.

But every month a kid of the goats was also to be sacrificed as a sin offering (v.15). This was not a trespass offering, for the trespass offering was for specific cases of trespass, while the sin offering applied to the root principle of sin as being hateful to God. Therefore, it was a reminder that the scourge of sin was present in every Israelite, as it is in us, and only by the sacrifice of Christ is it properly judged.

Offerings At The Feast Of The Passover (Numbers 28:16-25)
The Passover was to be kept yearly, on the 14th day of the first month. It was attended by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was kept from the 15th day for seven days. The two feasts are often viewed as one and called “the Feast of the Passover” (Ex. 34:25; Lk. 2:41; Jn. 13:1). Unleavened bread was to be eaten seven days, for the Passover speaks both of sins forgiven by the blood of the sacrifice and of sin condemned by the death of Christ. Leaven is a symbol of sin, and the seven days speak of its complete judgment by the death of the Lord Jesus.

There was to be a holy convocation, or calling together, on the first day. It was a gathering of the people to give honor to the LORD; no work was to be done for they were celebrating God’s work (Num. 28:17-18). A burnt offering was to be presented consisting of two young bulls, one ram and seven lambs in their first year. All being typical of Christ, they were to be carefully inspected to see that they had no blemish. The young bulls speak of the strength of the offering of Christ; the ram speaks of His devotion to God, and the lambs picture His lowly obedience in submission to the will of His Father.

The burnt offering was to be accompanied by a grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil: three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for the ram and one tenth for each of the seven lambs (vv.20-21). The grain offering again speaks of the person of the Lord Jesus in lowly humanity, and being mixed with oil implies that the Spirit of God permeated His every action from birth.

Added to these there was to be offered one goat as a sin offering (v.22). The goat was regarded as a substitute for the people, with its reminder again of the sin that dwelt within the people that must be judged by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, our Substitute.

Verse 24 indicates that the food of the offering was to be offered each day for the seven days, as a sweet aroma to the LORD. It does not seem that the sin offering was included for the six days following the first, for the sin offering is not “a sweet aroma” as was the burnt offering. The seventh day called also for a holy convocation (v.25), with no work being done.

Offerings Of The Feast Of Weeks (Numbers 28:26-31)
The Feast of Weeks was 50 days – seven weeks – after the Passover, when a new grain offering was to be brought as the firstfruits of Israel’s harvest. On this day was another holy convocation when no work was to be done. This pictures the birth of the Church at Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Spirit of God came to begin the forming of one body composed of both Jewish and, a little later, Gentile believers. “A new grain offering” implies that the Lord Jesus is seen as identified with His saints in the new dispensation of God, the Church period.

The burnt offering was to be identical to that offered on Passover: two young bulls, one ram and seven lambs in the first year. The grain offering was also the same: three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for each bull, two tenths for the ram and one tenth for each lamb (vv.27-28). These were for a sweet aroma to the LORD, while a kid of the goats was again offered “to make atonement” as a sin offering (v.30).

The offerings here were only offered once on the day of firstfruits (v.26), for it was not a week-long feast as was the Passover and Unleavened Bread. It is to be noted that “the Feast of Firstfruits” (Lev. 23:9-14) is distinct from “the day of the firstfruits” in Numbers 28:26. Maybe a little chart would be helpful.

In what the day of firstfruits typifies, the Church is identified with Him as “a kind of firstfruits” (Jas. 1:18). Does this not remind us that the birth of the Church is the result of the sacrifice of Christ? The Spirit who came at Pentecost will always keep in our memory the reality of which the Passover speaks – the one great sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

Again it is insisted the offerings must be without blemish (v.31). The perfection of purity in the Lord Jesus must never be compromised.

Offerings At The Feast Of Trumpets (Numbers 29:1-6)
About four months passed before the Feast of Trumpets took place. This illustrates the long time elapsing following Pentecost, which introduced the extended dispensation of the grace of God while Israel has remained in a state of unbelief.

The Feast of Trumpets itself symbolizes the regathering of Israel to their land, as noted in Matthew 24:31: “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” “His elect” in this verse are those elect for earthly blessing. There have already been signs of Israel’s return to their land with at least a relatively small number restored there. However, when the Church is raptured to heaven, then this call by angelic power will have great public effect, for the trumpets speak of a clearly declared testimony.

“The last trumpet” in connection with the rapture (1 Cor. 15:52) will be sounded much before the trumpet to regather Israel; but it is called “the last trumpet” because it will be the last public testimony on earth as to the Church of God. Her being suddenly taken away will be a most striking testimony. But as regards Israel, there are other trumpets following this great event.

On the day of blowing of trumpets, there was to be a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven lambs in their first year, all unblemished. At Pentecost two young bulls were offered, otherwise the offerings were the same, and the grain offering was the same for each animal. A kid of the goats was again included as a sin offering, “to make atonement” rather than “as a sweet aroma.” These were all added to the regular monthly offerings, as Numbers 29:6 indicates.

Offerings On The Day Of Atonement (Numbers 29:7-11)
The Day of Atonement closely followed the Feast of Trumpets. Only ten days later, it symbolizes the great work of God in Israel when, at the end of the tribulation, “they look upon Him whom they pierced” (Zech. 12:10), and they will be broken down in profound repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus. This is why Israel is told, “You shall afflict your souls,” when they gathered in holy convocation, ceasing from any work (Num. 29:7).

A burnt offering was to be presented: one young bull, one ram and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish. One kid of the goats was offered as a sin offering as well as the grain offering (v.11). These were in addition to the main offerings of the Day of Atonement.

The offerings made on the Day of Atonement as presented in Numbers 29:7-11 are described in more detail in Leviticus 16. There, Aaron was to take the blood of the sin offering into the holiest of all, and the bodies of the animals were burned without the camp. There is much benefit in prayerful comparison of the two passages.

But on that day, though the main focus was on the once yearly sin offering, the burnt offering was not to be forgotten, for in every connection God is to be glorified. This is just as true in His great work of judging sin as in the blessing of sinners.

Offerings At The Feast Of Tabernacles (Numbers 29:12-40)
The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the great blessing of God in the millennial age. Hence, there is much more in the way of offerings prescribed for this feast, which was kept up for eight days.

The feast began only five days after the Day of Atonement, for after Israel has been broken down in true repentance before God, God cannot delay to fill their hearts with overflowing adoration of His beloved Son. The first day was to be a holy convocation. On this day the number of rams and lambs was doubled above the other feast days and the number of bulls was to be thirteen. The number thirteen falls short of 2×7 – the witness (2) of perfection (7). The reason for falling short is that the millennium is not eternity; the people of God will still have their sinful natures as well as the new nature. The tendency of this is toward decline, just as Ephesus left her first love (Rev. 2:4) and the decline of the Church has continued through her history on earth.

On the eighth day there was to be a solemn assembly with all work ceasing (Num. 29:35), a good reminder that the great blessing of the millennium is not dependent on Israel’s work, but it is altogether on the grace of God. The number 8 in Scripture speaks of a new beginning, and the millennium will indeed be a new beginning for Israel, for their joy will be overflowing in contrast to the centuries of sorrow and trouble they have seen. The offerings made every day for the eight days indicate that Israel will not cease to give honor and praise to God during that period of 1,000 years. The offerings on the eighth day (vv.36-39) were the same as on the day of the Feast of Trumpets and on the Day of Atonement.

Throughout these offerings we repeatedly see points presented as to our Lord Jesus Christ and His work. Let us be careful to give Him the first place in our lives, honoring Him in all we do and say. To Him be the glory!

ENDNOTES
1. As a dry measure, it was short of 6.5 gallons (Concise Bible Dictionary).
2. A liquid measure of just over one gallon (Concise Bible Dictionary).

The Blood, The Death And The Cross Of Christ

By Jacob Redekop

The pivotal points around which all Scripture revolves are the sufferings of Christ and the glories that will follow. There is nothing else that so lifts the heart above the trials and circumstances that we face on our pathway of faith. May the following thoughts about His blood, His death and His cross warm our hearts and cause them to burn for Him.

The Blood Of Christ
“You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold … but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” —1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV

The apostle Peter emphasized the great cost of our redemption. He compared the blood of Christ with things that the world esteems most valuable, such as silver and gold, and called them “corruptible.” Psalm 49 confirms that “those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother” (vv.6-7). The redemption of our souls is far too costly. Only God could provide the ransom, and He has done so by giving His only Son, His well beloved One.

These comparisons help us understand and appreciate the infinite value of what Christ has accomplished by shedding His blood on the cross. In Hebrews we read, “Without shedding of blood there is no remission” (9:22). There is nothing else that could pay the debt we owed except the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Adapting what Ellis Crum wrote in his chorus, “We owed a debt we could not pay; He paid the debt He did not owe.”

We may wonder what moved the Lord forward, going steadfastly to Jerusalem while knowing all that was before Him there? Jesus gave the answer: “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (10:9). It was His delight to do the Father’s will and to finish the work. By that “one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (v.14). He endured the cross because of His love to the Father and to all who put their trust in Him. “Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph. 5:2).

God has exalted this lowly Man of Nazareth and made Him both Lord and Christ. Now He is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and all who have been redeemed by His precious blood are accepted in the Beloved One according to God’s eternal purpose (see Eph. 1:3-6).

The Death Of Christ
“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross”. —Philippians 2:8

We are living in a scene where death reigns as the king of terrors. The newspapers regularly list the obituaries, and no matter where you travel you will always find cemeteries. None can escape. Disobedience has brought on us the sentence of death and judgment, and that sentence remains because unbelief wilfully refuses God’s remedy. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9: 27).

What is the remedy? It is the grace of God that has brought salvation and has appeared to all men (see Ti. 2:11). The law given by Moses required that something be brought to God in order to be accepted, but we are helpless, without strength, and have nothing good to bring to a holy God. God’s remedy is found in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death.”

These words require our careful attention. “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19). Death came upon all of us by the disobedience of one man – Adam. But the Lord from heaven, the sinless Man, stooped down in obedience to do God’s will, even though it required His going into death – the death of the cross. There, He bore in His own body the penalty of sin, which we deserved. Christ’s obedience brought Him down to where sin and disobedience had taken us.

This is grace! It is the sovereign grace that came by Jesus Christ – the One who ever dwelled in the bosom of the Father. He came to earth to die, that through His death we might enter into the joys of heaven. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

The Cross Of Christ
“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I unto the world.” —Galatians 6:14

In the beginning of Galatians, the apostle Paul established that the gospel he preached was not after man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil age. It is by this gospel that we have been called and separated, setting us apart from the principles and practices of this world.

Death by crucifixion is an excruciatingly painful and cruel method of capital punishment. It was used by the Romans, not for a citizen but only for those considered outcasts or unwanted criminals. The rulers of this world crucified the Lord of Glory, nailing Him to the cross. Pilate inscribed on the cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” while Herod and his men of war treated Him with utmost contempt and cruelty. It is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). To this treatment our Lord Jesus willingly submitted – the One who is the Creator and Redeemer.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) captured the sentiments of Calvary when he wrote these words:

Nothing can be compared to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It has revealed the depths of His love and exposed the true character of this world in its hatred of Christ and His followers. Paul identified with Him as crucified with Christ. The world found nothing attractive in Christ, nor in Paul, and Paul found no attraction in this world. What about us?

The Nature Of Christ’s Sacrifice: Reconciliation

By David Anderson

What is reconciliation? The Oxford Dictionary definition is “the restoration of friendly relations” – the act of making peace again after estrangement or disagreements; or to make someone accept a disagreeable thing or situation. In industrial, national or political disputes, reconciliation usually involves both sides accepting a degree of compromise to pacify the situation and restore working relationships on the basis of some jointly ratified agreement or peace treaty.

The idea of reconciliation in Scripture goes much further than this, and it certainly does not involve any compromise by God. It means that God righteously accepts back to Himself those who have wronged Him. God, in His great love for the world, has never been indifferent about man’s fallen condition. From the very moment Adam and Eve sinned, God has been working out His plan of salvation. Their sin took mankind far away from God. Therefore, they needed to be reconciled, not God! To remove the mighty gulf between Himself and lost people, God made His Son a sin offering on the cross. God’s grace provides for people to be reconciled to Himself on the righteous basis of Christ’s propitiatory/expiatory* sacrifice. Paul wrote: “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him” (Col. 1:21-22 ESV). God is unchanging in His holiness and therefore He will only accept people who repent – change their hearts/attitudes about their sin – and believe in the Savior.

Everyone who believes is immediately reconciled. Spiritually they have been brought from being far away from Him into a close relationship with Him. They are holy, without blame and irreproachable – without even a single fault remaining! They stand in a righteous relationship with the holy God. They are at peace with Him, when formerly they “were enemies” (Rom. 5:10).

Reconciliation Is All About What God Has Done (2 Corinthians 5:18-6:2).
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” —2 Corinthians 5:18

Paul’s motivation to serve God arose out of his knowledge of the terror of the Lord (5:11) and his love for Christ (v.14). The Lord Jesus showed the grace of God in His life and service, as He was sent “in order that the world might be saved through Him” (Jn. 3:17). “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing [reckoning, or counting] their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19 NKJV). But those to whom the grace of God was manifested crucified His Sent One. It was then that God’s reconciling mercy triumphed, because in Christ’s sacrifice God “made [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (v.21). Christ was our Substitute. He bore the judgment of God in place of us. The distance that our sins brought in has been completely and permanently removed, and we are accepted in the Beloved! Although God’s stance against sin is unchanging, yet in His grace He has come to us “in Christ.” Even more wonderful, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (v.17).

God has committed to Christ’s disciples the task of spreading this message, “the word of reconciliation” (v.19). Paul calls believers “ambassadors” and “workers together with Him” (v.20, 6:1) – a great privilege and a solemn responsibility – in an alien world that is hostile to Christ and to God.

Reconciliation Is Rooted In The Love Of God (Romans 5:1-11).
“Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” —Romans 5:11 ESV

Romans 1:16 to 5:11 is like a court in session, with the last 11 verses being the outcome of the case. With respect to reconciliation, the predominant thought in Romans 5 is that believers have received every blessing from God “through,” or “by,” the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 1 begins, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith.” “Therefore” is used at various points throughout the book of Romans to state a conclusion. In Romans 5:1-11, the past, present and future results of the gospel for Christian believers are reviewed.

The past is outlined in verses 6 to 10. Consider three points presented there:

• We were “weak” and “ungodly” (v.6) without any strength to help ourselves, or any desire either to live for God or to ask for His help.
• We were “sinners” (v.8) without any relationship with a holy God.
• We were “enemies” of God (v.10) in active rebellion against Him and His declared will.

It is in this context that we discover for the first time in Romans the real secret of reconciliation. The gospel proclaims that God is light and God is love. Amazingly, He offers His own love to us in our lost condition, holding it out, having manifested it in the death of His only Son. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v.8 NKJV).

But as to the present, verse 10 also states we have been reconciled to God, That is, we have been brought back from the distance of enmity and death. This is illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, when he returned from the far country to his father’s house. Reconciliation places us before God with no distance between Him and us. It is a present position of grace, His unmerited favor, in which we possess the wonderful spiritual blessings listed in Romans 5:1-11. Among these blessings are things which everyone in the world would like to possess:

• “Peace with God” (v.1) – no outstanding issues remain!
• “Access by faith” (v.2) – the continuous ability to avail ourselves of God’s favor. There are no barriers now!
• The gift of His Holy Spirit (v.5) – through whom we know God’s love. It is not just a taste, but it is a deluge flooding our hearts so we can appreciate all He has done, all that He is doing, and all that He will do for us!
• The priestly intercession of Christ at God’s right hand in heaven – we are being saved by His endless life (v.10)!
• Best of all, being reconciled we can worship God in a living and true way – we joy, or boast, in God (v.11)!

Reconciliation also has a future meaning concerning the end times, when God will display His pleasure in and through Christ. The gospel is not just a great escape, although verse 9 verifies that “we shall be saved from [God’s] wrath through Him.” It, the gospel, is about a bright future: “the hope of the glory of God” (v.2). These truths are additional causes of rejoicing.

Reconciliation Is Far-reaching In Its Effects (Colossians 1:18-23).
“Through [Christ, God reconciles] to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.” —Colossians 1:20

Colossians 1:21 describes the depths of sinful man’s condition and position before God as being “alienated and enemies in … mind by wicked works” (NKJV). Note well that the world is at enmity with God in their minds as well as by their wicked works. Romans 1 states that this is a direct consequence of their willful decisions not to acknowledge Him as Creator. Today, their philosophies and scientific hypotheses continue to exclude Him from their minds, as they persist in defiantly practicing ungodliness and immorality. It is no wonder that God has given them over to vile lusts, vulgar passions and debased minds.

By contrast, believers have been reconciled, brought from the depths of depravity to be “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in [God’s] sight” (v.22). These changes were effected for us by Christ’s sacrifice – “in the body of [Christ’s] flesh through death” (v.22) and “through the blood of His cross” (v.20). The Lord Jesus in His grace identified Himself with us by becoming Man so that He could lay down His life and take it up again in resurrection. Of His own will He offered His body as a sacrifice for sin. At the cross, God acted to condemn sin, and Christ triumphed over every enemy. Through His Son’s death on the cross, where the extreme violence of men was seen, God is now able to reconcile any who believe. This reconciliation is from their repugnant, sinful condition and position; it is through Jesus’ resurrection, and it places them “in Christ.” What they were is completely done away. Some of these far reaching effects of the reconciliation of believers are described in Colossians 2:11-14.

But God, through Christ, will do more in the future – in the world to come and throughout the eternal state. He has already started anew with the One who is the beginning of His new creation (1:18). Christ’s sacrifice, the value of His precious blood, provides a righteous foundation for God “to reconcile all things to Himself … whether things on earth or things in heaven” (v.20). However, there is no reconciliation of “things under the earth.” In Philippians 2:10, “those under the earth” are all of the unbelievers and fallen spiritual beings who follow Satan. They will be forced to confess and bow the knee to Jesus the Lord by God the Father’s command.

Colossians 1:20 means that whatever sin has spoiled, and everywhere sin has entered, will be purged. When God decrees, all who are evil will be consigned to the place of eternal judgment to suffer God’s wrath. Then, when all things in heaven and earth have been reconciled to Him, God’s pleasure and glory will fill the new heavens and the new earth through Christ, His pre-eminent One. The far-reaching effects of reconciliation will bring believers into new creation blessings, where God is all in all (1 Cor. 15:28)!

ENDNOTE
* Propitiation represents in Scripture that aspect of the death of Christ by which the holy and righteous character of God has been vindicated, and in virtue of which He is enabled to be propitious, or merciful, to the whole world. Expiation is more the satisfaction which is made. One takes the wrath, is devoted, made the curse, and is substituted for the offender so he goes free. (Concise Bible Dictionary, adapted.)

The Nature of Christ’s Sacrifice

By Alfred Bouter

The sacrifices described in the Old Testament provide us with many types, lessons and applications. Besides their historical context and meaning for those days, they pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah and His sacrifice. The Lord Jesus summarized this in His words to Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16 NKJV). Christ’s coming into this world and His finished work on the cross – including His resurrection, exaltation and present session at God’s right hand – provide the foundation of our salvation.

The New Testament elaborates on these important matters with instructions on how to be saved and then live as believers, serving Him and waiting for His return. Paul, for example, wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica: “You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Th. 1:9-10). This testament contains the doctrines concerning Christ’s coming and teaches the meaning of His work, as the following passages clearly show:

• “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory” (1 Tim. 3:16).
• “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Scripture is a complete unit. Each part is related to all the other parts, mutually casting light on one another. We cannot isolate any passage from its context, nor should we put one portion above others, for all Scripture – Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 – is interdependent and needed for our understanding of God’s thoughts. This is also true when we consider the nature of Christ’s sacrifice. That doctrine is found especially in the New Testament Epistles, yet we should not separate those passages from the rest of Scripture. Furthermore, the passages we have already quoted show how God’s written Word closely associates the person of Jesus Christ with His work and its results. In the following pages we do not speak of His work as Creator, but as Redeemer – even though both topics lead us to worship Him, now and throughout eternity (Rev. 4:10-5:14).

This brings us to some of the terms that are at times used to summarize the meaning of Christ’s redeeming work: atonement, redemption, forgiveness and justification.

Atonement
When we use terms that are not found in the Bible we are in danger of introducing wrong concepts, but even using biblical terms does not guarantee us to be correct. The term atonement indicates an important aspect of Christ’s redeeming work, namely that He became our Substitute to endure the wrath of God we deserved. Remember, His blood cleansed us from our sins. The Old Testament often uses the terms “atone,” “atonement” or “ransom” to translate the Hebrew kaphar, which essentially means “to cover.” In a physical sense, Noah used a tar-like substance called “pitch” to cover the gopher wood of the ark inside and outside (Gen. 6:14). Later, the blood of the Passover sacrifice covered the first-born son and saved him from God’s wrath (Ex. 12:1-13). Sometimes, a cover was provided by silver (Ex. 30:12-16) or gold (Num. 31:50). However, these means could only cover sin; they were never able to erase it or take it away.

Christ’s perfect sacrifice settled the matter of our sinful condition once and for all (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 10:10-12). God forgave our sins, but He could not forgive “sin,” that is, our sin nature. The Lord Jesus became our Substitute by taking our place under God’s judgment. No one else could do so, but He was able and willing to shed His blood and give His life (Lev. 17:11). He did so at the proper time, in the right manner and as the supreme sacrifice, having glorified God in all the details of His life.

Redemption
This term refers to the sacrifice that was needed to pay the penalty and provide for the blessed results, setting the sinner free and keeping him from harm and danger. The Lord Jesus is “God blessed forever” (Rom. 9:5), and He became Man – the Word became flesh (Jn. 1:14) – to become our Redeemer. All humans entirely failed, but the Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross, satisfied God’s holy and just claims, and laid the necessary foundation for all to be saved (2 Cor. 5:15). This salvation is available to all, but it must be accepted by faith (Jn. 3:16). Doing so, we enter the realm of redemption, where we are outside the claims of the enemy even though the world in which we live is filled with darkness and sin, under the enemy’s sway.

The moment we believe we are identified with our great Redeemer, who rescued us from this world’s control but then sent us into this world to represent Him where He was crucified. We now wait for Him, as Redeemer, to take us physically away from here at the rapture (1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Th. 4:16-17). These two passages show that all God’s resources are in Christ, who:

• Has become to us wisdom from God,
• Made us right with God (righteousness),
• Set us apart for God (sanctification), and
• Will come again to complete the work of redemption, even as to our bodies.

Our redemption was settled on the cross and in Christ’s resurrection, for He paid the full price that the holy and righteous God demanded. Yet, as far as we are concerned, our redemption will only be completed when Jesus takes us to Himself in heaven. That is why we wait for Him as Savior – or Redeemer – who with amazing power will conform our bodies to His glorious body, a true metamorphosis (Phil. 3:21). In the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15:52) He will take us to Himself, that where He is, we may also be (Jn. 14:3). Amazing, but true!

When Israel was in bondage in Egypt under Pharaoh’s control, God’s people were not able to serve Him on His terms. Then God sent Moses as their redeemer. The Israelites were delivered, enabling them to serve God in the wilderness and later in the Promised Land. Even though we are living in this world, we no longer belong to it because for us this world has become desolate, or barren. Here we can serve God as Israel did in the wilderness, but we also may already enter “the Promised Land” – “the heavenlies” ¹ – to be occupied with our heavenly treasures.

What was true for Israel in stages that followed one after another is true for us simultaneously. For all are true at the same time:

• As to our bodies, we are in this world;
• As to faith, this world is a wilderness; and
• In our spirits, in tune with the Holy Spirit, we are in the heavenlies in Christ.

Soon the Lord Jesus will come and usher us into that heavenly land, but in the meantime we may take possession of all our heavenly blessings (Eph. 1:3). Praise God! Truly the theme of redemption is very rich.

Forgiveness
As guilty sinners, we not only needed redemption but also forgiveness. Thus, we enjoy an unhindered relationship with our Lord, with God and with other believers. In this connection, the judgment seat of God and of Christ will manifest all the details of our individual lives (Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10) so we may appreciate the greatness of God’s grace,² in forgiving us and in enjoying true communion continuously. This communion is not only for special occasions, such as the meeting to remember Him (1 Cor. 11:20-31), but always. That is why Paul was looking forward to appearing at the judgment seat, for he desired to be fully “in tune” with God and with His people already here and now.

We should not fear God’s condemnation, because Christ was condemned on the cross in our stead (2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13). Nor should we think that we must still undergo a process of further purification, for we have been purified already (Col. 1:20-22). Just as the visual symbol of the cross displays a vertical and a horizontal connection, so forgiveness is in view of our relationship with God – which comes first – and then with our fellow human beings and believers. Consider Colossians 3:13: “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Throughout eternity we will enjoy what forgiveness has brought to us.

Justification
As a Man, our Lord Jesus, in His life and death, glorified God in the place where He had been dishonored by all of humanity. The Lord Jesus accomplished a work so great that God became, as it were, a Debtor towards the whole human race. That is why it is such a serious matter to reject Christ’s coming into this world and His work on the cross.

At the final judgment session, the great white throne, all unbelievers will stand before the Man to whom God has given authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man (Jn. 5:27). The Man Christ Jesus, who is God and has given Himself to save us (1 Tim. 2:5-6), will be the Judge! Before Him, “the earth and the heaven” will flee away, and all who refused to believe and be saved will be judged and condemned to eternal damnation (Rev. 20:11-15). In contrast to this, all who accept His work of redemption and believe are declared right³ with God already now. That is what justification means, and it opens the floodgates of heaven. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32).

I encourage the readers to use a concordance to find and look up the passages that refer to the above themes. Also, study portions of Scripture about the blood of the Lamb, the love of God, God’s grace revealed and His rights maintained, and many other related topics. Such endeavors will bring great blessing to your life as you come to know the true nature of Christ’s sacrifice.

ENDNOTES
1. See Ephesians 1:3,20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12.
2. The Greek New Testament uses two different words. The one is linked with grace and emphasizes that forgiveness is undeserved, the other that God has “let go” all charges against us.
3. Romans deals with the matter of God’s righteousness and how He declares the repentant sinner to be “just.” This epistle contains various words that are related to the same basic Greek root word. Counted together, we find 77 such references in Romans.

By Curt Darling

“Behold The Lamb Of God
who takes away the sin of the world!” —John 1:29 NKJV

John the Baptist announced this God-given revelation, but the thought of the Lord Jesus Christ being presented as a lamb “was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Pet. 1:18-20). Revelation 13:8 says that He, as the Lamb, was viewed as “slain from the foundation of the world.” These precious truths display the foreknowledge of God, who laid out history from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22.

The Lamb Presented By Abel
Man was not yet created when the plan of the Lamb sacrifice’s was made, but we see God foreknew that Adam and Eve would sin. Therefore, a sacrifice would be needed – that of the Lamb of God. He is the One pictured by the offering presented to the LORD by Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve. Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts.” It was “excellent” because the sacrifice was a lamb (Gen. 4:2,4). The verse in Hebrews concludes by saying, “… And through it he being dead still speaks.” This is because his offering spoke of the Lord Jesus and “the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel” (12:24). By contrast, Cain, Abel’s older brother, offered what was of his will and work. God had no respect for that offering (Gen. 4:4). This, the “way of Cain” (Jude 11), is a total disregard for God’s true way: the Lamb of God and His shed blood.

The Lamb For The Passover
In Exodus 12:3-11 we read of the Passover lamb and how it was to be offered. It was sufficient for a household, without blemish and a male of the first year. Killed at twilight, some of its blood was to be put on the lintel and the two doorposts of the house, providing safety to the firstborn of Israel. Throughout these instructions we never read of the bones of the lamb being broken – nor were those of the Lord Jesus, as Psalm 34:20 testifies (see Ps. 22:17, Jn. 19:33). Paul, writing to believers during our day of grace, wrote: “Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7).

The Lamb As Prophesied By Isaiah
Isaiah wrote about the Lord Jesus, foretelling His last hours before He was crucified: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (53:7). This prophecy was the means of salvation for a man from Ethiopia (Acts 8:27-39).

Later in Isaiah 53 we see that the Lord had done nothing wrong, nor was there even “deceit in His mouth” (v.9). He was made “an offering for sin,” and would “justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities [sins]” (vv.10-11). These points are found in the New Testament as well. Peter said that Christ was sinless: “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:19). Paul wrote: “[God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Only by being without sin could He bear “our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24). If He were not sinless, He could not have done anything for us.

The Lamb In Revelation
Jesus as Lamb is mentioned 22 times in Revelation. The first reference is Revelation 5:6, where we find the Lamb in the position of power, rather than meek and suffering for our sins. The preceding verse says He is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah the Root of David.” He “prevailed to open the scroll” detailing the judgments to come upon the earth. Why? Because He purchased this world with His own blood – apart from the fact that He is the Creator (Heb. 1:2; Col 1:16). That is why He is pictured in Revelation 5:6 as the Lamb. Then the apostle John recorded in verses 11-12 that he, in the Spirit, “looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’”

In Revelation 6 we observe the Lamb opening the seals and the judgments beginning, continuing to chapter 19. In Revelation 7 we are told about the salvation of an uncountable multitude from many nations. These saved ones, in verse 10, cry out “with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” By contrast, those who suffer the judgment from God will beg the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them “from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb” (6:15). The Lord Jesus spoke about this prophetically in Luke 23:30, as He was led to the cross.

In Revelation 14:1 the Lamb is seen “standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.” Later, in chapters 19 and 20, we see the same person as King of Kings and Lord of Lords reigning for 1,000 years, which closes out the period called “time.”

Revelation 21 describes “the holy Jerusalem” (v.10) descending from heaven. This city is called the Lamb’s wife. Here we have “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb” as the temple (v.22) and the wall of the city being built on “twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the apostles of the Lamb” (v.14). There will be “no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in [the city], for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light” (v.23). Then, in Revelation 22 we find the Lamb having part of the throne of God (vv.1,3).

Although there are many other passages that could be considered, may we simply look at Revelation 21:27, which tells us that the only people to enjoy eternity with the Lord are “those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” – believers. These are the people who are saved by His death on the cross. All others, whose names are “not found written in the Book of Life [will be] cast into the lake of fire” (20:15). May we “behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Service Of Lasting Value

By Klaas Rot

“And Jesus went forth and went away from the temple, and His disciples came to Him to point out to Him the buildings of the temple. And He answering said to them, Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say to you, not a stone shall be left here upon a stone which shall not be thrown down.” —Matthew 24:1-2 JND

The disciples, with their hearts occupied with the outward appearance of their service, pointed out to the Lord the grandeur of the temple and the complex of buildings surrounding it. Yet, the Spirit of God was working in their hearts. At this time they could not reconcile the prospect that their Master would leave this earth without setting up His kingdom. These beautiful temple buildings would certainly have a place in His administration here on earth, they thought.

The Lord had already told them that He would be rejected by the Pharisees and elders, and be crucified. They did not understand what He had revealed, yet they were aware that something was going to happen. The Lord utterly destroyed all their hope by answering, “Not one stone shall be left here upon a stone.” The temple they were admiring was to be destroyed.

Have we ever heard the voice of the Lord concerning our outward service for Him? If our service is not an exhibition of His person, as fruit of His work in us, His verdict is: It will not last; it is yours and not Mine. The Lord had left the temple. His place was now outside, where He spoke to His disciples of the future. It is so important that the light of the future shines on our daily walk and service for Him. Paul understood this truth, writing to the believers in Corinth about “momentary … light affliction” (2 Cor. 4:17). These things that caused pain were light, not weighty, for Paul because the blessings of the future were already enjoyed in anticipation. What a lesson for us to learn!

The Lord directs us to what is to come. In that light, or revelation, we may evaluate our present condition. The Lord is near now. Soon He will come Himself to take us into the Father’s house – a place where there will be no night!

Answered by Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.

QUESTION: Exodus 12:14,24 says that the Passover will be kept “for ever” (KJV). Does that really mean that believing Israel will keep the feast of the Passover for eternity or in the eternal state? Two other references for “forever” come to my mind: “To put my Name there for ever” (1 Ki. 9:3), and “Establish the throne of Thy kingdom upon Israel for ever” (v.5).

ANSWER: Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture. Therefore, it is important that we read Scripture carefully and compare passages one with another to see what God is telling us. God speaks plainly in His Word, but it is well to keep in mind that there are words in our older translations that have changed their meaning in the course of the centuries. Words and expressions in the languages in which Scripture was written must be understood in the context in which they were written rather than how we ordinarily use them today.

When we look at Exodus 12:14,24 carefully we see that God instructed Israel to keep the Passover feast forever. Three times in Deuteronomy 16 God commands His earthly people to sacrifice the Passover in the place where the Lord shall choose to place His name (vv. 2,6-7). In verse 5 He explicitly forbade His people to sacrifice the Passover in any of their gates. When Jewish people today keep the Passover they are keeping it in a manner contrary to God’s commandment. God does not appreciate disobedience.

The reference in 1 Kings 9:3 reveals God’s promise to Solomon, while the following verses show conditions that His people were to fulfill if God was to keep His promise. Solomon did not keep God’s commandments, so God brought in Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the temple and to make an end of the royal line of Solomon on the throne of Israel.

God will, however, take up dealings with Israel again in a day soon to come. The faithful remnant of the nation is viewed as all Israel in that day. The Lord will then indeed sit upon His royal throne and there will be a reconstructed temple. Sacrifices will again be offered, but they will be memorial sacrifices as the work of Christ upon the cross is sufficient to take care of every problem about sin and its forgiveness. We read of these things in the last nine chapters of Ezekiel and the final chapters of Zechariah, among other passages. Ezekiel 45:21-25 mentions how God will have His earthly people keep the Passover in that day.

But after 1,000 years, when He shall have put all enemies under His feet, He will deliver up the kingdom to God, having put down all rule, authority and power. Revelation 20 and the beginning of chapter 21 go into a bit more detail on this. They indicate that at the end of the millennium Satan will be released for a short time from his prison and will again go out and deceive the nations worldwide, gathering them together to battle. This revolt against the Lord’s authority will be put down by fire coming down from God out of heaven. The judgment of Satan and that of the unsaved dead at the great white throne follow immediately, the wicked being raised for their final judgment.

Afterwards, the new heaven and the new earth come into focus. There is no more sea on the new earth – the sea is a type of the nations throughout Scripture. Israel is no longer a separate people, distinguished from the nations. We simply find that “the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God” (21:3). All the consequences of sin that have plagued mankind since the fall – tears, death, sorrow and pain – will be taken away. “The former things are passed away” (v.4), we are told. And the One who sits on the throne says, “Behold, I make all things new” (v.5)

From all this we can see that the “forever” of the Passover takes us to the end of this present creation. As long as God views Israel as a nation it is to remember how God delivered it from the bondage of Egypt. In the new heavens and the new earth the former things will have passed away. Isaiah 65:17 already tells us: “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” With no nation of Israel, there will no longer be a reason to celebrate the Passover. The full sufficiency of the work of Christ will be the portion that every believer will rejoice in with a full heart in the world to come!

Two Covenants At Beersheba
AND THEIR MEANING FOR THE END TIME

By Hugo Bouter

“Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water … And he said, ‘You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.’ Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.” —Genesis 21:25,30-31 NKJV
“We have certainly seen that the LORD is with you … Let us make a covenant with you … You are now the blessed of the LORD.” —Genesis 26:28-29

Before beginning, it would be helpful to read Genesis 21:22-34, 22:19 and 26:23-33.

Beersheba, The Place Of The Covenant
Beersheba occupied an important place in the lives of both Abraham and Isaac, as is clear from Genesis 21, 22 and 26. However, Hagar is the first person we see near a well of water in “the Wilderness of Beersheba” (21:14). It is certainly no accident that the name is mentioned in connection with her story, while the end of that chapter enlarges upon the significance of the place. Beersheba means “the well of the oath.” The name is related to the Hebrew word for “to swear” and the word for “seven.” The latter meaning is because of the seven lambs that Abraham gave to Abimelech as a witness that he had dug the well (vv.28-30). Therefore it is not far-fetched to assume this well of water meant much to these three Bible characters: Hagar, Abraham and Isaac.

Beersheba speaks of God’s faithfulness to His promises, His oaths. God kept His word with regard to the heirs of the promise, Abraham and Isaac, but also in connection with the bondwoman and her son, Hagar and Ishmael. Beersheba is always the place of the covenant. It is also symbolic of the faithfulness connected with the relationship of God to men – a faithfulness people should display to each other. This is apparent from what follows in Genesis 21 and 26, where we read about the treaties between Abraham and Abimelech, and Isaac and Abimelech respectively. Just as God is true to His oaths, it is expected that we will be faithful in our relationships with others.

As the Son of the Father, Christ is heir of all the promises. We, New Testament believers, have the encouragement that the promises of God “in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory to God through us” (2 Cor. 1:18-22). In that sense we may again and again draw from the well of the oath until all that God has said and promised – with regard to Israel, the Church and the nations – is fulfilled in a wonderful way.

Abraham At Beersheba
In the last verses of Genesis 21 we read how two people made a covenant together at Beersheba, near the well of the oath. It was a treaty between Abraham, the shepherd-king, and Abimelech, the king of the Philistines (26:1). We can describe them as representatives of the people of Israel and of the Philistines, or the Palestinians of today. The present-day Palestinians are not the true descendants of the Philistines, but etymologically the name “Palestine” is derived from “Philistia.”

The story in Genesis 21:22-34 is a development of the history found in chapter 20, where an earlier conflict between the two men is described, when Sarah was at stake. That ended in a kind of reparation payment on the part of Abimelech, who hinted at it during this second conflict by speaking about his friendship – the faithfulness or loyalty he had shown Abraham (Gen. 21:23). The relationship between the two was subsequently recorded in a formal way in this covenant. Abimelech had demonstrated his faithfulness, and Abraham was expected to do the same. That happened by the swearing of an oath at the well of water Abraham claimed to own (vv.23,30-31).

Later, a similar act took place between Isaac and Abimelech, and Phichol, the commander of Abimelech’s army, when Isaac’s servants had re-dug the well of the oath (26:31-33). Abimelech means “my father is king,” and Phichol means “mouth of all,” which is related to “spokesman.” It is likely that these names were titles passed down from father to son and that the Abimelech here was a different person from the one who met with Abraham.

The covenant with these pagan kings prophetically points to the end time when Israel will be restored and rule over the Philistines (consider Isa. 11:14; Obad. 19). Then a really enduring peace will be made between the two. The splendid testimony given of Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do” (Gen. 21:22), will have fully come true in that day.

After the making of the covenant, Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba. This is a stately tree resembling a cedar. Genesis 21:33 says, “[Abraham] there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.” This again is a hint of the coming kingdom of peace when God will be worshiped as El-Olaam, the Everlasting God. The government of the Prince of Peace will have no end. So Abraham knelt down as a worshiper near the well of the oath and gave the Eternal God the thanks that He alone is entitled to receive.

Beersheba As A Watch Post
Beersheba is mentioned again in Genesis 22 as being a residence of Abraham and Isaac. Just as they had gone together to Mount Moriah, so they also returned together to Beersheba, to the well of the oath. This is remarkable indeed, because in this very chapter we hear God swear by Himself that He would bless Abraham richly, and that in his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed (vv.16-18). No doubt the patriarch returned to Beersheba with this delightful promise in his ears and often thought about it.

This promise of blessing for all the earth reaches to the end time, to the coming kingdom of peace. Abraham looked forward to the day of Christ, the day of His appearing, and rejoiced in it (Jn. 8:56). In Christ all God’s promises are certain and secure. They will be fulfilled in God’s time for, as we have seen already, “all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Cor. 1:20).

Isaac At Beersheba
The oath God had sworn to Abraham and his offspring also applied to Isaac, the son of the promise, whom Abraham had received from the dead in a figurative sense (Heb. 11:18-19). The epistle to the Hebrews confirms this by speaking about “the heirs … of the same promise” (v.9) in the plural. The oath is the end of every argument, and by it God wanted to show emphatically the unchangeableness of His purpose (Heb. 6:13-18).

Later, Isaac also lived in Beersheba. There the LORD appeared to him and confirmed the legality of the promise He had made to Abraham. This divine revelation also turned Isaac into a worshiper. He built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD (Gen. 26:23-25). Isaac is a type of Christ as the risen and glorified Man in heaven, God’s Beloved One, the Son of the promise and Heir of everything. In truth He is the Blessed of the LORD (see v.29). As Christians, we are His by faith and share the blessings that have been promised to Him. Ours is a heavenly home and we can enjoy it now even though we are still pilgrims on earth. Just like Isaac, we possess a “tent,” a “well” and an “altar” (v.25).

The covenant between Isaac and Abimelech at the well of the oath speaks prophetically of the peace that will be made between Israel and the Palestinians in the coming kingdom. The point is not that the Palestinians will acknowledge Israel’s superiority, but that they will recognize the nation has been blessed by God Himself: “You are now the blessed of the LORD” (Gen. v.29). That will lay the basis for a permanent and enduring peace.

A Promise For The End Time
Christ has now entered into heaven for us as our Forerunner and High Priest. He has become a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. This appointment did not take place without a solemn oath. God has sworn and will not relent: “You are a priest forever” (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7:20-21).

But at His coming He will exercise this eternal priesthood for the blessing of His earthly people, as had been indicated before in a prophetic way in the story of Abraham’s victory over the kings of the east (Gen. 14:18-20). Just as Abraham was blessed by Melchizedek, the king and priest of Salem, the remnant of Israel will be blessed after all the conflicts of the end time by Christ, the true King and Priest of the Most High God, at His return from heaven. Then the nations will be blessed together with Israel. There will be peace forever. Even former enemies will come and make a covenant with God’s people, as Abimelech did with Isaac (26:26-31). What a time of previously unknown blessing and prosperity that will be!