Bible Study - Sidekicks (2) - Deborah and Barak - Judges 4:4-8, 12-16; 5:1-5 - July 28, 2024

 

Bible Study – Sidekicks (2) – Deborah and Barak – July 28, 2024

This is lesson two (2) in our series “Sidekicks.” A former pastor encouraged our young people to pick a trusted fellow young person, who would agree to stand with each other, when either one or both faced tough decisions, regarding their walk with JESUS during their teenage years. This was wise counsel.

In our study, Deborah

Our focal scripture is Judges 4:4-8, 12-16; 5:1-5.

Sidekicks can be very valuable as we walk with JESUS.

Women in ministry are often frowned upon. Does GOD call women to ministry the same as men? YES!! It is hard for me to understand why there is such opposition for women being called to minister. The key is “Those who are called by GOD.” GOD calls all who have been Spirit-born to function according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. When we accept JESUS as our Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells our body and as such according to 1 Corinthians 6:19 - ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[a]

Our study is a case in point for a woman GOD called to minister for HIM as a Judge and leader. In our study we will see how a man, Barak, saw great value in being aligned with a GOD honoring female leader, Deborah.

Let’s explore!!!

Let’s read Judges 4:1-3: (Background)

Deborah and Barak

4 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. ² So the Lord sold them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.^[a] 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

Ehud was the second judge of Israel. Ehud killed King Eglon, King of the Moabites. (Ehud was left-handed, which is believed why those who cleared Ehud to approach King Eglon did not find Ehud’s weapon.)  The Moabites sent 10,000 warriors to defeat the Israelites after they discovered that Ehud killed King Eglon. The Israelites anticipated that the Moabites would come after them. The Israelites were prepared and defeated the Moabites which resulted in the Israelites enjoying 18 years of peace.

Let’s read Judges 4:4-8:

Sisera, King Jabin’s commander had 900 iron chariots. This is a formidable force to battle against in that period. As a result of this formable force, King Jabin ruled the Israelites for 20 years.

4 Deborah, a prophet, and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.

This would suggest Deborah was a wise person and, as stated, a judge. She had a special spot where the Israelites could go to consult her to settle disputes and give guidance.

Being a “prophetess,” GOD spoke to her directly. Deborah had a question for Barrak to complete what GOD had called him to do.

6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? 7 Then I (GOD) will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I (GOD) will hand him over to you.’”

This is very interesting since Commander Sisera had an army of iron chariots. When an army of warriors in iron chariots and on flat dry ground, would mean a bloodbath for an enemy of ground troops.

Israel only had ground troops but when GOD is on their side or our side, that is all that is needed.

GOD said, “I will hand him over to you.” That takes faith and trust in GOD to respond.

8. Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Was Barak testing Deborah or did he know the relationship she had with GOD and wanted her to be him? We do not know but on the surface, it appears that Barak was telling Deborah, “If you are so sure of victory, then you go with us.” The key is that GOD told Deborh to go, and Deborah had faith in GOD. Did Barak’s faith need to be built? All speculation but often reflects our journey with our LORD.

Being honest with JESUS is the first step toward building our faith walk with JESUS.

9 “I will gladly go with you,” she said, “but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman.” So, Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

Deborah agreed to go with Barak because she had faith in GOD. There are times when we, who have walked with our LORD JESUS and know HIM and trust HIM need to come along the side and stand with others, who may be still building their faith and trust in JESUS.

11. Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the sons of Hobab, Moses’s father-in-law, and pitched his tent beside the oak tree of Zaanannim, which was near Kedesh.

Let’s read Judges 4:12-16:

12 It was reported to Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera summoned all his nine hundred iron chariots and all the troops who were with him from Harosheth of the Nations to the Wadi Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn’t the Lord gone before you?” So, Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

15 The Lord threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into a panic before Barak’s assault. Sisera left his chariot and fled on foot. 16 Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth of the Nations, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left.

What did the LORD do to create such chaos? Barak was at a serious disadvantage fighting against an army of warriors in iron chariots on a flat surface. But GOD had HIS plan for the Israelites victory. We read in Judges 5:20-22:

20 The stars fought from the heavens;
the stars fought with Sisera from their paths.
²¹ The river Kishon swept them away,
the ancient river, the river Kishon.
March on, my soul, in strength!
²² The horses’ hooves then hammered—
the galloping, galloping of his^[l] stallions.

GOD sent a deluge of rain that resulted in the iron chariots and their horses getting stuck in water-soaked soil or mud. GOD leveled the battlefield which resulted in the defeat of Sisera. Victory for the Israelites!!! Deborah got the credit.

Sisera takes off on foot to seek refuge.

17 Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again. 20 Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife, Jael, took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died.

WOW!!! That took courage.

22 When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So, he went in with her, and there was Sisera lying dead with a tent peg through his temple!

23 That day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 The power of the Israelites continued to increase against King Jabin of Canaan until they destroyed him.

WOW!!! Jael had taken care of business!

Let’s read Judges 5:1-5:

Deborah’s Song

5 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang:

² When the leaders lead^[a] in Israel,
when the people volunteer,
blessed be the Lord.
³ Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes!
I will sing to the Lord;
I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
⁴ Lord, when you came from Seir,
when you marched from the fields of Edom,
the earth trembled,
the skies poured rain,
and the clouds poured water.
⁵ The mountains melted before the Lord,
even Sinai,^[b] before the Lord, the God of Israel.

 

This is a message to all who have placed our faith in JESUS. We live in uncertain times, but the Good News is that GOD is still in control and will be until HE establishes HIS Kingdom upon earth. To whom does GOD depend upon?

 

² When the leaders lead^[a] in Israel,
when the people volunteer,
blessed be the Lord.

 

GOD still depends upon leaders leading and people who know the truth stepping up when HE calls them to action. The call could be a small as a “cup of water.”

 

When GOD calls, we who know the truth are to respond and GOD will equip and go before those HE calls.

To GOD be the Glory!

 

When we who have been Spirit born by the Holy Spirit and trust in GOD through faith in JESUS see GOD at work, it is our invitation join HIM. This is true today as we journey through life trusting in JESUS and the ONE TRUE GOD, YAWEH – I AM.

 

JESUS said it best in Luke 17:6 -
“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

 

Blessings!!!

 

⁴ Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.

⁶ She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? ⁷ Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’”

⁸ Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

 

Bible Study - Sidekicks (1) - Aaron and Hur - Exodus - July 21, 2024

Bible Study - Sidekicks (1) – Aaron and Hur – Exodus – July 21, 2024

This begins a new series of study entitled sidekicks – serving alongside others.

Leaders don’t lead without the help of others.

Let’s read Exodus 17:1-13:

The journey of the children of Israel to the Promised Land was a journey of building their faith in their One True GOD. However, their connection to GOD was through the leadership of Moses.

When we accept JESUS as our Savior, that is just the beginning of our faith walk with GOD, as HE leads us by HIS indwelling Holy Spirit.

Water from the Rock is a beautiful song of faith in GOD for HIS provision of Spiritual refreshment as Spirit-born Christians journey through life. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the living water that quinches our Spiritual thirst.

The Israelites saw the hand of GOD at work while they were in Egypt and HIS protection when they followed the command of Moses by placing the blood of the lamb over the doorpost of their homes. When Pharoah finally let them go, GOD was visibly with them with the cloud by day and the pillow of fire at night.

They witnessed the parting of the Red Sea. Again, through the leadership of Moses.

Where do we turn when we need to quinch our physical/Spiritual thirst? Let’s explore? A rock is an unlikely source of water but with GOD all things are possible.

Let’s read Exodus 17:1 - The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. ² So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.”

“Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing the Lord?”

³ But the people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

How soon do we forget. They saw Moses as their deliverer, not GOD.

Moses represented GOD to the Israelites. The Israelites witnessed the handiwork of GOD, through Moses. Yet, when they were faced with a crisis, they blamed Moses, not GOD. When we walk with GOD through faith in JESUS, our first go to authority is GOD. HE may direct us to the solution or to whom we can turn to for a solution.

To Whom do we go when we encounter trouble?

Moses knew where to go to resolve the issue. The Israelites were yet to be taught to seek GOD to resolve their issues. Learning to trust GOD is Spiritual growth.

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!”

Moses went straight to GOD for help.

⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with, in your hand and go. ⁶ I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ He named the place Massah^[a] and Meribah^[b] because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Good News is that GOD, as Spirit born Christians, will never leave us or forsake us as HIS chosen Children through faith in JESUS. Often life in the wilderness builds our faith in GOD.

Dr. Vance Havener often quoted, “We must practice in the dark what we learn in the light.”

Now to our focus scripture - The Amalekites Attack

⁸ At Rephidim, Amalek^[c] came and fought against Israel. ⁹ Moses said to Joshua, “Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.”

¹⁰ Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹ While Moses held up his hand,^[d] Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand^[e] down, Amalek prevailed. ¹² When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. ¹³ So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army^[f] with the sword.

This is such a graphic event. As long as Moses arms were stretched out and his hands up, the Israelites prevailed. When Moses dropped his hands, the Israelites lost ground. This went on until the sun went down.

Aaron, Moses’ brother, and Hur, the son of Caleb, not Caleb who was one of the spies that went into the promised land. (According to tradition, Moses’ older sister, Miriam, married Caleb, son of Yefuneh. Miriam and Caleb had a son, whose name was Hur.)

¹⁴ The Lord then said to Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven.”

¹⁵ And Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord Is My Banner.”^[g] 16 He said, “Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward^[h] the Lord’s throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Victory is always worth honoring GOD. GOD’S banner over us is love, through a person’s faith in JESUS.

GOD won the victory over Satan and sin when JESUS arose from the grave, after the third day.

Exodus Chapters 19, 20, 21 and 22 are very interesting reads. Rule of Law.

The focus verses are Exodus 24:13-15, but to me these other chapters are so interesting and informative.

The Covenant Ceremony

24 Then he (GOD) said to Moses, “Go up to the Lord, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, and bow in worship at a distance. ² Moses alone is to approach the Lord, but the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.”

³ Moses came and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. Then all the people responded with a single voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has commanded.” ⁴ And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early the next morning and set up an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel at the base of the mountain. ⁵ Then he sent out young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. ⁶ Moses took half the blood and set it in basins; the other half of the blood he splattered on the altar. ⁷ He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people. They responded, “We will do and obey all that the Lord has commanded.”

⁸ Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.”

⁹ Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. ¹¹ God did not harm^[a] the Israelite nobles; they saw him, and they ate and drank.

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

Focus verses 13-15:

¹³ So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua and went up the mountain of God. ¹⁴ He told the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them.” ¹⁵ When Moses went up the mountain, the cloud covered it. 

The remaining scripture in this chapter is 16-18:

¹⁶ The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called to Moses from the cloud. ¹⁷ The appearance of the Lord’s glory to the Israelites was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop. ¹⁸ Moses entered the cloud as he went up the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

JESUS was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for forty-days at the beginning of HIS ministry upon earth.

 

As a side note: I have noticed much on the Internet regarding what happens to a person when they are going through the dying process.

I had an experience a number of years ago while fully awake and driving from Charlotte, NC to Spartanburg, SC on I-85 in broad open daylight before 4 PM. If you care to read it, it is published on actsclass.blogspot.com, look at the left-hand top corner and you will see search. Type in - Mrs. Green.

There are other milestones in my life published in this blog, such as when our son, Ted died and my discussion with GOD. In the search box, type in - I hate death.

Blessings!!!

  

Bible Study - Count On (6) - GOD'S Promise of a New Covenant - Jeremiah and Luke - July 14, 2024

Bible Study – Count On (6) – GOD’S Promise of a New Covenant – July 14, 2024

Our focus scripture is Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Luke 22:14-20.

In our last week’s Bible Study, we considered the various covenants GOD made with the Israelites. These covenants were external steppingstones for all who place their faith in The One True GOD. They were designed to lead people to HIS redemptive plan, which was and is faith in HIS only SON, JESUS.

Obeying the law and honoring covenants were place holders until GOD’S promised ONE, The Messiah, would come into the world at GOD’S appointed time as revealed in scripture.

GOD’S grace would come through faith in GOD’S only SON, JESUS, being the perfect, willing acceptable sacrifice to GOD to pay, in full, for all sin. So, how did the road/path to redemption begin?

GOD led Abram/Abraham and Abram’s then family to a land that GOD would show him. Abram trusted GOD and responded in faith. According to Biblical timeline this was about 2166 BC. According to this same timeline Moses was born 1526 BC.

GOD (I AM, YAWEH), revealed Himself to Moses by speaking to him through a burning bush that was not consumed. GOD first got Moses’ attention and then revealed Himself through HIS mighty works, not only to Moses, but also to the Israelites and the Egyptians.

GOD chose the Israelites, through whom, HE would reveal Himself and through Whom, GOD’S complete redemptive plan would become a reality. GOD’S redemptive plan would come through faith in HIS Only SON, JESUS. The criteria were that JESUS would come to earth 100% human, yet GOD, and be tempted in all ways as humans are tempted to sin, yet remain sinless. JESUS would be the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD for all people who would place their faith in JESUS. GOD revealed HIS plan, over time, through scripture. GOD chose the timeline when HIS redemptive plan would be revealed and executed because it required specific physical and governmental involvement to be in place.

At the appointed time, JESUS willingly came to earth; born physically 100% human. I HE cut HIS finger he bled and said, ouch. He had to remain sinless.

HE came to redeem all who were under the death penalty for being offsprings of Adam and Eve. Redemption would be voluntary but would be inspired by GOD and The Holy Spirit. JESUS fulfilled the law. HIS blood was shed and as such HE became the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD, HIS FATHER, to redeem all from eternal death who will place their faith in HIM.

When a person places his/her faith in JESUS, his/her sins are forgiven and that person is Spiritually born into GOD’S eternal family, never to be Spiritually unborn. GOD gives to each person the gift of the Holy Spirit as HIS guarantee of full, complete, and eternal salvation through faith in JESUS.

Sin blocks the path to GOD but the shed blood of JESUS, GOD’S perfect acceptable sacrifice removed the sin barrier. This opened the door to GOD, through faith in JESUS. All people have the freedom to choose and either accept or reject JESUS as their Savior. Choose wisely!

GOD’S desire is for all to accept JESUS as their Savior and to be Spirit born and receive eternal life. But every person has the freedom to choose. Does GOD know us? If so, when did GOD know you?

Let’s consider Ephesians 1 and focus on verse 4. (Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul, before his conversion, was a Pharisee and sought to eliminate all who believed in JESUS. Paul studied under Gamaliel, a highly respected Pharisee and prominent member of the Sanhedrin and known for his wisdom. After Paul’s encounter with JESUS and his conversion, Paul spent time pondering and praying about his conversion experience. Paul contends that JESUS taught him.)

Let’s consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3-14: ³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.^[d] 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for the right time^[e]—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹ In him we have also received an inheritance,^[f] because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, ¹² so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

¹³ In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. ¹⁴ The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

GOD had a redemptive plan for the redemption of humankind from the original sin committed by Adam in the Garden of Eden which came through the first Adam. Adam’s sin condemned all humankind to be eternally separated from the ONE TRUE GOD, I AM/YAWEH.

Keep in mind GOD desired a people who had the freedom to choose HIM based upon their freewill to choose.

GOD made various covenants with the Israelites to draw them closer to HIM and prepared them for the final and eternal covenant, which was fulfilled and eternally secured by JESUS, the second Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:47: The first man [Adam] is from the earth, earthy [made of dust]; the second Man [Christ, the Lord] is from heaven.)

Why did GOD make humankind? GOD could have made humans like robots and programed them to love HIM. Instead, HE wanted humans to be free to choose. HE chose all HE foreknew but those HE foreknew would have the freedom to choose or reject HIM. GOD places obstacles in the path of those HE foreknew to guide them to freely choose HIM, by placing his/her faith in JESUS.

GOD used covenants to build right relationships with HIM and the Israelites and those who embraced Judaism. The ultimate covenant is eternal and fulfilled through the life, death by the shedding of blood, bodily resurrection, bodily ascension of JESUS, as confirmed and guaranteed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Let’s read Jeremiah 31:31-32:

The New Covenant

³¹ “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration— “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. ³² This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”^[i]—the Lord’s declaration. 

This covenant was made with both the House of Israel and House of Judah. When the Israelites were led out of Egypt, they were united. GOD, through Moses, led them out of Egypt to Mount Sinai and ultimately to the promised land. GOD’S desire was for HIM to speak directly to the Israelites, but they were afraid and asked Moses to be their emissary. The passion of JESUS gives all people direct access to GOD, to be Spirit Born through faith in JESUS and to call GOD, DADDY. We who know the truth through the miracle of Spiritual birth have been born-again by GOD’S Spirit, the Divine Sperm, have eternal life. We are to share this Good News with others as led by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s read Jeremiah 31:33-34:

³³ “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ³⁴ No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.

There will be a united Israel for the coming of the promised Messiah and HIS passion.

A new day is coming for all people of the earth through a united Israel.

We fast forward to JESUS celebrating the first “LORD’S Supper” with HIS disciples. JESUS would be betrayed by Judas and crucified. JESUS was dead and buried by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. They knew JESUS was physically dead.

But that was not the end. GOD’S redemptive plan was in place and hidden from Satan. Satan did not comprehend. CHRIST in us through faith is the key. This truth is powerful and eternal for all who know this truth, to those who are to receive the GOOD NEWS of eternal salvation.

We fast forward to the night before the crucifixion of JESUS. JESUS was with HIS disciples. All were in place for GOD’S redemptive plan to be completed and kept secure. Why?

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 2:6-9:⁶ We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ But as it is written,

What no eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no human heart has conceived—
God has prepared these things for those who love him.^[c]

The best is yet to come for all who place their faith in JESUS.

Let’s read Luke 22:14-20:

The First Lord’s Supper

¹⁴ When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again^[b] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. ¹⁸ For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁰ In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.^[c]

JESUS knew what was ahead for HIM and HE left us the example of The LORD’S Supper to celebrate HIS love for every person, who will accept HIS eternal gift of salvation.

An eternal conception takes place the instant a person asks JESUS to forgive him/her of his/her sins and for JESUS to come into that person’s heart. GOD’S Spirit, the divine sperm, unites with that person’s human spirit and a divine conception takes place quicker than the twinkle of the eye. That person instantly becomes GOD’S eternal Son or Daughter, never to be Spiritually unborn. That person becomes the temple to house the Holy Spirit and to serve GOD on earth and in Heaven.

Now Folks that is Good News!!! It is worth sharing with others as led by the Holy Spirit.

Have you asked JESUS to forgive you of your sins and for JESUS to come into your heart? If not, why not now? Pray a prayer something like this:

Dear JESUS, I know that I am a sinner. Please forgive me for my sins and I ask YOU to come into my heart. Thank YOU for giving YOUR sinless life by the shedding of YOUR blood to redeem me from Hell and for giving me eternal life through my faith in YOU. Thank you for coming into my heart and confirming that YOU have redeemed me to live for YOU as YOU lead and guide me each moment of each day. Open my eyes to YOUR truth as I read and study YOUR Word and put it into practice.

The Gospel of John is a good starting point. Pray as you read and study.

If you are not already in a church or fellowship that preaches/teaches truth, ask GOD to lead you to where HE wants you to go where you can grow Spiritually and serve HIM.

Faith in JESUS is the final eternal covenant! Blessings!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the beginning GOD ----

HIS Word as GOD led the Israelites to Mount Sinai. It was at Mount Sinai that GOD revealed Himself to the Israelites. GOD desired to speak to the people directly GOD came to earth and revealed Himself to Moses by speaking to him through a burning bush that was not consumed. GOD proved Himself to Moses by demonstrating HIS power and keeping but they were afraid and wanted GOD to speak to them through MOSES.

Only GOD can give eternal life to a person THROUGH THE MIRACLE OF SPIRITUAL BIRTH, which JESUS revealed in 1 Corinthians 3. Sin is a barrier that separates GOD and humankind. We as humans’ sense that there is more to this earthly life and explore the eternal realm which is replete truth and lures. GOD’S Word is truth.

We use lures to catch fish or some wildlife. Satan uses lures to confuse and defeat those who search. Ask GOD to reveal truth to you as you seek truth by reading and studying GOD’S Word, The Bible.

 

Until the coming of the promised Messiah, GOD established covenants with the Israelites to build their relationship with HIM through tangible forms of worship which were faith builders. This would lead people seeking the One True GOD to find eternal salvation through faith in the passion of JESUS.

Those under the Law were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah and those of us after the passion of CHRIST are looking backward to the cross and forward to JESUS’ second coming.