Living Word Magazine Going Deeper into God’s Word Issue 48 July 2015
Lift up your eyes‌the fields are white for harvest John 4:35
www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk
In this issue: 4.
Praying Kingdom Builders
Edwin & Lillian Harvey (USA)
5.
Encouraged by Glory
Ken Legg (Australia)
7.
Faith and Fear
Reinhard Bonnke (CfaN)
9.
Faith-builders Bible Study Luke 3:10–20
Derek Williams (UK)
13.
In Depth Study – Zechariah 12
Mathew Bartlett (UK)
15.
Jesus is Coming Again
Mathew Bartlett (UK)
16.
The Spirit of the Lord
Ramon Hunston (UK)
18.
The Hands of God
Doreen Harrison (UK)
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the day with all of that sort you can get in. But just now I mean this: taking time when the mind is fresh and keen, and the spirit sensitive, to thoughtfully pray. We haven’t time. Life is so crowded. It must be taken from something else, something important, but still less important than this.
Praying Kingdom Builders An extract from ”Kneeling We Triumph” by Edwin & Lillian Harvey BUY ON KINDLE! £3.86 Reproduced by kind permission of Harvey Publishers. Image© Elultimodeseo
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women (Acts 1:14). And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine . . . and in prayers (Acts 2:42). We need time for prayer, unhurried time, daily time, time enough to forget about how much time it is. I do not mean now—rising in the morning at the very last moment, and dressing, it may be hurriedly, and then kneeling a few moments so as to feel easier in mind—not that. I do not mean last thing at night when you are jaded and fagged and almost between the sheets, and then remember and look up a verse and kneel a few moments—not that. That is good so far as it goes. I am not criticizing that. Better sweeten and sandwich
Sacrifice is the continual law of life. The important thing must be sacrificed to the more important. One needs to cultivate a mature judgment, or his strength will be frizzled away in the less important details, and the greater thing go undone, or be done poorly with the fagends of strength. If we would become skilled intercessors, and know how to pray simply enough, we must take quiet time daily to get off alone.—S. D. Gordon. Apostolic men knew well the worth of prayer and were jealous of the most sacred offices which infringed on their time and strength and hindered them from “giving themselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word.” They put prayer first. The Word depends on prayer that it “may have free course, and be glorified.” Praying apostles make preaching apostles. God’s Gospel has always waited more on prayer than on anything else for its successes. A praying Church is strong though poor in all besides. A prayerless Church is weak though rich in all besides. Praying hearts only will build God’s Kingdom. Praying hands only will place the crown on the Savior’s head. . . . 4
Adoniram Judson impressed an empire for Christ and laid the foundations of God’s kingdom with imperishable granite in the heart of Burma. He was successful, one of the few men who mightily impressed the world for Christ. Many men of greater gifts and genius and learning than he have made no such impression; their religious work is like footsteps in the sands, but he has engraven his work on the adamant. The secret of its profundity and endurance is found in the fact that he gave time to prayer. He kept the iron red-hot with prayer, and God’s skill fashioned it with enduring power. No man can do a great and enduring work for God who is not a man of prayer, and no man can be a man of prayer who does not give much time to praying.—E. M. Bounds.
O instruct us how to pray! Pour out the supplicating grace, And stir us up to seek Thy face. We cannot think a gracious thought, We cannot feel a good desire, Till Thou, Who calledst a world from nought, The power into our hearts inspire. The promised Intercessor give, And let us now Thyself receive. —Charles Wesley.
Encouraged by Glory – Ken Legg Image © Ioana Davies
Just as certain as the grace of God has appeared to us in the past, Christ Himself will appear to us at the climax of this age. ‘To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation’ (Heb.9:28). This is our hope. It encourages us. It impacts upon the way we live in this current age. Paul says, ‘If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable’ (1 Cor.15:19) But we have an amazing hope beyond this life which fills us with eager anticipation (see Rom.8:18-25). In several passages in the Bible we are encouraged to see the correlation between our present living and our
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future hope. For example, John said, ‘Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure’ (1 John 3:2-3).
Jesus performed an unusual miracle at Bethsaida. A blind man was brought to Him, and He led him outside the town. Then, He spat on the man’s eyes and laid His hands on him. He asked the man if he could see, to which he replied, ‘I see men like trees, walking’ (Mk.8:24). So Jesus put His hands on him again; this time he could see everyone clearly. Of course, Jesus could have totally healed him when He touched him the first time. He had healed many people with just one touch or a word or sentence. So why wasn’t this man healed straightaway? This miracle is a picture of the two-fold touch of Jesus received by every believer. Firstly, there is the touch of grace which we received at salvation. When we believed the gospel the scales fell from our eyes. Once we were blind but now we can see. We are now alive to God and the things of the Spirit. But there are many things we do not yet comprehend. We only know in part. Also, even though we love Jesus more than we love anyone else, we have never seen Him! ‘Whom having not seen you love’ (1 Pet.1:7).
However, we live in hope of Christ’s glorious appearing when we will receive the touch of glory. Then we shall see Him face to face. If our love for Him now is so deep and our joy so full, what will it be when we see Him in that day? Describing this climactic event that awaits every believer, Paul says, ‘For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known’ (1 Cor.13:12). Sadly, for many Christians the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ is no more than a fascination for datefixing, speculative theories and fanciful ideas. They are so obsessed with all the events that will take place at that time that they fail to see the main event –
Jesus is coming back! We will see Him face to face and be with Him forever! 6
The book of Revelation is all about ‘the Revelation of Jesus Christ’ (Rev.1:1). Can there be anything greater than this to enrapture the heart and draw forth the devotion of the believer? This hope inspires us and affects the way we live in this age. This double appearing of His grace and His glory was at the heart of Paul’s teaching and was the basis for his expectation of change amongst the Cretans. This article is an extract rom Ken Legg’s bestselling book ‘Grace the Power to Reign’. Reproduced with kind permission.
Order ‘Grace: The Power to Reign’ PDF AUS $9 Print AUS $19
Faith and Fear by Reinhard Bonnke Image Š Grace21
Article reproduced with kind permission of Christ for all Nations 7
Part 1 - Introduction This Bible study has been taken from chapter 22 of FAITH THE LINK TO GOD'S POWER Fear is natural and good; so are eating and drinking. They are normal parts of our make-up. They are also essential to human life, including fear. But none of them is always good. Some people have a compulsion to eat, some have an addiction for drink, some are obsessed with sex, and some are possessed with fears. To be gluttons, drunks, or immoral people means we are guilty, and we are just as guilty when we allow fears to dominate our lives.
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10), “a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27), and “riches and honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4). Yet 1 John 4:18 says, “Fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” In Exodus 20:20, we find both aspects: “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” How can fear be both good and bad? The answer depends on what or whom we fear. To fear God is a wholesome attitude. When we fear the devil, it is a sign we do not fear God, which means we have no faith.
Analysis of Fear We can be hooked on fear. What then? Only fear can get us off the hook. It is the only known antidote to the cobra’s bite of obsessive alarm. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Luke 8:50). Why does He say “only?” Because that is all we can do— we can only believe when that curse threatens us. It is also all we need to do. It might be a case of great fear, and little faith leaves us in fearful danger. Fear and worry are killers. In the Bible we learn some fear is good and some is bad. The books of Psalms and Proverbs speak of “the fear of the Lord” as a virtue fourteen times. “The
The essence of fear is being faced with something greater than ourselves, some greater person or Being or intelligence or power. Our fear lies with whatever we see as the greatest thing. If we see God as the greatest, we will fear God more than the devil or men. If we fear the devil the most, we think of him as being greater than God.
upon our lives because it is a healthy fear, producing good. We will not put a foot wrong when we walk before the Lord. If we know He holds us in His hands, we will “hate evil,” as Proverbs 8:13 says. Fearing God makes us godly. We have a healthy respect for God because of His overwhelming power, but also because of His unmovable will. Nothing changes His purposes. He is great enough to crush us, but great enough also to show us mercy. The fear of the Lord is the only good fear. Other fears are bad—worry, anxiety, dread, and panic, as well as living in mortal dread. That is a terrible state of mind, but there is an answer—to fear God and to trust Him.
The fear of the Lord is good. The Lord is great—great in significance, great in wisdom, and great in power. Fear of God has a salutary effect
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BUY: Faith The Link With God's Power
The Faith-builders Bible study series The ‘Faith-builders Bible study series’ has been developed a useful resource for today’s students of God’s Word and their busy lifestyles. Pastors, home or study group leaders and indeed for anyone wishing to study the Bible for themselves will benefit from using Faith-builders studies. Each volume is the result of many years of group Bible study, and has been revised again and again to be relevant, challenging and faith building whilst remaining clear and easy to understand. Each chapter has thought provoking questions to aid study and sample answers are provided. Below is an extract from the study notes for Luke 1:57-80
Luke Chapter 3:1–20
By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK) Image © Rorem John’s Ministry Begins
been Roman Emperor for fifteen years, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea and Herod Antipas tetrarch of Galilee, historians believe the year toBartlett be Williams & Mathew either A.D. 28 /29 or A.D. 26/27 – the latter option is interesting since it is known to have been a Jewish Jubilee year. Annas and Caiaphas could not have been both High Priest at the same time; Annas had been removed from office by the Romans in favour of his son in law Caiaphas, but the Jews would have still referred to both as High Priest. It was in this setting that a revelation of the Word of God came to John the Baptist in the wilderness, as it had to the Old Testament prophets before him, disclosing to him God’s will and purpose for that time.
framework of these political leaders. It is perhaps also significant that this coincided with Jubilee, a year in which debts were cancelled and slaves (UK) Image © Rorem were released; for John’s message dealt with forgiveness for sin and liberation from corruption. Those who felt themselves oppressed by Rome may have expected a message to bring them liberation from Roman rule. Ironically, John’s preaching of the kingdom of God has long outlasted the rulers listed here. Rome may have ruled Palestine, the priesthood may have been profaned, yet God was on his eternal throne and was still working out his purposes for the world; purposes which continue to this day, long after the demise of Roman power.
Mark Chapter 2 (abstract)
3:1-2 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of By Derek Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. Luke is always specific in dating the times of the events he records, although as Green correctly observes, he is not merely interested in the chronology of the events he describes. He rather wishes to depict the socio-historical climate in which John was to operate, and his naming of characters such as Pilate and Caiaphas introduces the reader to important actors in the later drama. Since Tiberius Caesar had
It may be that Luke wants us to see how important John is, and how universal his message would eventually become by locating his ministry within the 9
3:3 He went into all the region around the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
salvation through what he had done for Israel.
John went into the entire region bordering the river Jordan preaching that people should repent and be baptised as a sign of their turning from their sins to God. Since the area was not densely inhabited, many commentators suppose that God’s sending John there was in order to make a ‘prophetic gesture’. It was here that God said he would bring Israel to speak comfortably to her (see Hosea 2:14-15, where Achor is symbolic of the place where sin was put away in Joshua 7:24-26). But in particular, as far as Luke is concerned, John’s ministry in the wilderness was in order to show the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy, detailed in the following verses.
Whilst that interpretation is entirely valid, there was to be an even greater fulfilment of this vision in the days of John. For rather than God’s people returning to Judea, John announced that the Lord himself was coming to visit his people (see Luke 1:68). So now it was not God making a way for the people, but the people preparing a smooth way for the Lord, in other words preparing themselves to encounter him.
Preaching True Repentance
The description is not meant to be taken literally; rather every obstacle which hindered the people’s fellowship with God was to be removed by repentance so that everybody might see the salvation sent from God (John 14:6). The Isaiah text itself provides a useful homiletic for preaching about repentance. Straight paths of righteous behaviour must replace the crookedness of dishonesty. Valleys representing defeats in the attempt to pursue a life of godliness can be filled by God’s enabling grace; whereas mountains speak of human pride is assuming independence from God. The rough ways of malice and violence must be smoothed
3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight." This quotation comes from the opening of Deutero-Isaiah (Isa. 40:3-5), which is largely believed to have been written during the period of exile. In that context the prophet may have been seen as announcing the return of the Jews from exile to Judea; and that God would make a highway there for his people to return to the land, and in this sense all the nations would witness God’s
3:5-6 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low, and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth, and all humanity will see the salvation of God.' "
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by the ways of peace and good will. Only by such repentance would the people be ready to welcome their Messiah when he came (Malachi 3:1-3). John’s Engaging Message
Prophetic
3:7 So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? There were many Scribes and Pharisees that were among the crowd that came to hear John. Matthew 3:7 tells us that it was these whom John referred to as ‘a brood of vipers’ – the offspring of poisonous snakes (Psalm 140:3). His words are ironic--‘who warned you to flee’-for they were not, as others, coming in repentance, and seemingly had no fear of God’s wrath. John was revealing his knowledge of their hypocrisy, for he knew that they had not come to receive his message but to spy on him; perhaps jealousy occasioned their prejudice against John because of the great crowds flocking to hear John preach (Matt. 3:5-6). By alluding to ‘the coming wrath’ he was also announcing the imminence of ‘the Day of the Lord’ a time when God would come near to his people for judgment (Zeph. 1:14-15). 3:8 Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don't begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our
father.' For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! John’s message for the religious leaders was the same as it was for the common people. He calls them all, in view of God’s coming judgment, to repent and show by their changed lives that they had turned from their evil ways. True, they were the descendants of Abraham to whom God had given numerous promises, yet they were not to depend on this fact alone without exhibiting the kind of righteous life of faith which Abraham had. It would be a simple matter for God to create children for Abraham out of the stones that lay on the ground around them if need so required; after all, Abraham and Sarah were both as ‘good as dead’ like stones of the barren wilderness when Isaac was born (see Gen. 17:17). The people too were spiritually as dead as the desert in which John preached– and only a revivified spiritual life could produce in them the fruit God required. It is an overarching theme in Luke that Jewish natural descent and ritual observance, whilst not a being hindrance to someone becoming part of God’s renewed people, is nevertheless not a requirement either. In view of the fact that Jews at this time are thought to have practised baptism for Gentile converts, as a symbol of washing away their uncleanness, John’s calling Jews
to undergo such a ritual was a requirement for them to acknowledge that because of their sin they had become no better than Gentiles. Placing this text (together with the earlier reference to a light to the nations in 2:32) at the start of his gospel serves the programme which Luke progresses in both volumes (Luke & Acts) that both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) who repent and believe in Messiah will be included in the renewed people of God. 3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." John’s warning is clear – the Pharisees might well be descendants of Israel, but if they fail to repent and heed the words of the coming ‘prophet like unto Moses’ they will be cut off from among their people – no longer part of God’s people (Deut. 18:18-19). The axe was taken as a symbol of God’s judgment in Isaiah 10:33-34 and Amos 2:9. Green points out that the ideas of cutting down and burning are combined in Malachi 4:1, a passage which itself has Messianic connotations. So it is not out of place to mention the coming of Messiah at this point; for that the imminence of judgment is linked to the imminence of Christ is made clear in 3:16, which is part of the same discourse. It was because Christ was at hand that the time 11
had come for the axe of God's judgement to cut off all those who did not repent and produce the fruits of repentance in their lives; they would be cast into the fire, which is probably a reference to hell (see also Luke 3:17; 10:15; 12:5; 16:23), where those who rebelled against God would remain (Isaiah 66:24). 3:10 So the crowds were asking him, "What then should we do?" Those in the crowd whose hearts God had touched asked John for details of what they had to do to get right with God. Not all the crowd, the Scribes and Pharisees among them, would have responded in this way because they had hardened their hearts. 3:11 John answered them, "The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise." The first thing John teaches them is that they should have a loving care and concern for one another. If they had enough for themselves then it was right for them to help others with the basic necessities of clothing or food. This was entirely in accordance with the teachings of the earlier prophets (see for example Proverbs 22:9; Isaiah 58:7; Ezekiel 18:7 and Daniel 4:27); and it is noteworthy that even in the Old Testament thinking, such righteous acts were not the means of entrance into a right relationship with
God, but the means of expressing the reality of such a relationship. 3:12-13 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He told them, "Collect no more than you are required to." Green points out that Δε χαί is intensive, thus ‘even tax collectors’ sought repentance and baptism; and they asked John what they should do in their situation. Private contractors were engaged by the Romans to collect ‘indirect’ taxes such as tolls and levies across Palestine. They were to charge the people what the law required plus a percentage for their own lawful commission. The tax collectors referred to here were paid by these contractors; but it seems that they were taking extra commission for themselves. It is this John calls them to stop, and instead collect only the correct amount of tax demanded by their employers. 3:14 Then some soldiers also asked him, "And as for us — what should we do?" He told them, "Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay." The soldiers (we cannot be sure if they were Herod’s men or Roman soldiers) asked him a similar question; to which his response was that they should refrain from enforcing their own
will on people by violence, stop making false accusations and no longer extort protection money. Instead they should be satisfied with the wages they were paid for doing their job.
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire."
Foretells Christ
The winnowing fan or fork was used to separate the chaff from the grain; that which was of no use from that which was good. So John refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who would separate the hypocrites from the real, those who sincerely sought God from those who made pretence of doing so. Again John warns of punishment in the form of fire which would never be put out, whilst the true worshippers would be gathered to the Christ. And in this way, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed good news to the people, but did not refrain from serving them with dire warnings for rejecting that good news.
the
Imminence
of
3:15–16 While the people were filled with anticipation and they all wondered whether perhaps John could be the Christ. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming — I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. As discussed in chapter two, the Jewish people were at this time living in expectation of the coming Messiah, and many wondered whether John’s ministry was that of the Christ. John told them that he was not the Christ but that he had been sent ahead of him to prepare his way. Although he baptised the people in water to show their repentance and readiness for his coming, the Messiah himself would soon appear, and would be so much more powerful and more worthy than John that he felt himself beneath the role of being his slave (a role implied by the untying of his sandals). This great one will baptise the people with the Holy Spirit and fire; a motif which Luke explains in greater detail as his two volume account develops (see Acts 1:5 and Acts 11:16). 12
3:19-20 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the evil deeds that he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked up John in prison. John rebuked Herod the tetrarch for taking his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, for his own wife and for many other (unspecified here) evils which he had done. Herod, like the common people, was here given opportunity to repent, but did not take it, preferring to silence the voice of God to his conscience by putting John in prison.
Our In Depth Study Zechariah Chapter 12 By Mathew Bartlett Photo © Jacob Gregory
Scripture taken from the NET
Bible®. This article is an extract from The Prophet of Messiah – a Zechariah Bible Commentary
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God’s End-Time Dealings with all Nations 12:1 The revelation of the word of the LORD concerning Israel: The LORD — he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person — says, It is always essential to pay attention to a God given revelation, for once God makes his word known it will surely come to pass; and this particular revelation concerned his dealings with the nation of Israel and its relation to all nations. God introduces himself as the creator of the vast universe who has given to every human being a living soul, inferring that we are therefore accountable to him. 12:2 "I am about to make Jerusalem a cup that brings dizziness to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged.
God’s purpose to bring judgment against all nations would centre upon Jerusalem and seems to involve God’s gathering of all nations to the area of Judah around Jerusalem to make war. Such an event has never historically happened, but in the book of Revelation a day is predicted when God will gather the standing armies of all nations to the plains of Megiddo in the valley of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). They will show their final rejection of God’s rule by uniting there to fight against the returning Lord Jesus Christ as he descends to earth. It is quite possible that the visions in Revelation and Zechariah may offer different perspectives of the same period in time. The enmity of the human heart against God is here fully manifested, for whether they are attacking the place where his name dwells (Jerusalem and the temple) or attacking his son, the people’s rebellion against God’s reign is inflexible and so will lead to 13
their final judgment; for God’s victory assured (Psa. 2:1-5). 12:3 Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it. When all the nations gather against Jerusalem to destroy it, they shall be unable to do so. God says he will make Jerusalem like a heavy stone. If you have ever tried to move a huge bolder single-handed, you will appreciate the picture here: it will be just as futile for the nations to attempt to remove Jerusalem. I once remember moving a wooden shed from one side of my mother’s garden to the other. It took four men, and we stumbled and fell several times risking injury. In this way those who attack Jerusalem will only succeed in harming themselves. This may actually be true throughout the time of the end
as well as during the final battle predicted in Revelation. 12:4 In that day," says the LORD, "I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses of the nations with blindness. The picture of blinded horses indicates that the attempts of the nations to frustrate God’s purposes will be futile. Can you imagine the effectiveness of a horseman charging in to battle on a blind horse? Yet despite the futility of the attempt, God has hardened the hearts of his wicked opponents so that they will persist in fighting against him until they are all destroyed. They have refused the love of the truth and so God will bring on them a strong delusion that will believe the lie –believing that man might conquer his creator (2 Thess. 2:11-12)! 12:5 Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a means of strength to us through their God, the LORD who rules over all.' All those who dwell in Jerusalem at that time shall, together with their leaders, realise and acknowledge that the almighty God is their strength and protection (Psa. 46:1), and that he reigns over all (Isa. 52:7). 12:6 On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem.
The means of Gods enemies’ destruction is here depicted as being the leaders of Judah, the royal tribe. The true leader of Judah will likewise come at the end of time to punish God’s enemies with eternal fire (Rev. 19:19-20), and settle Jerusalem again with his faithful people.
12:9 So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem."
12:7 The LORD also will deliver the homes of Judah first, so that the splendour of the kingship of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah.
God’s Israel
In this picture, Judah will share in the victory with her king. In God’s victory, special place will be given to the royal tribe; and no wonder, for Jesus Christ himself comes from this tribe, and will be their glory. He will be our glory too, for we will gladly see him reign over all the earth. Yet it is God’s purpose that Christ (forever exalted yet forever meek of heart) will share his glory with us – and we too shall reign with him upon earth (2 Tim 2:12; Rev. 5:10; Matt. 5:5). 12:8 On that day the LORD himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them. Not only at the time of the end, but at all times, are God’s people invincible. The fire could not overcome them, nor lions, and nor will the armies of the nation overwhelm them. If God be for us, who can be against us? The weakest saint will be terrible like a mighty warrior in that day; for they will accompany the king of kings riding white horses behind him in his victory train (Rev. 19:14). 14
The result of God’s overwhelming victory against his enemies will be their destruction in battle (Rev. 19:21) and their everlasting punishment (Rev. 20:15). End-Time
Dealings
with
12:10-14 "I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. On that day the lamentation in Jerusalem will be as great as the lamentation at Hadad-Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, clan by clan — the clan of the royal household of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the family of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the descendants of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; and the clan of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves — all the clans that remain, each separately with their wives." If at the time of the end, God will deal with the God-rejecting nations in wrath and judgment, yet he has a different purpose for dealing with Israel. Clearly it will be during a time of danger and distress –why else would all the families be split up, with wives and children separated
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from their husbands? Yet during this time of sorrow, God will pour out a spirit of ‘grace and supplication’ connected with the death in the city – at the hands of the people of Israel – of a certain person whom God clearly recognises as being closely connected with himself. In fact, God says that it was ‘me’ whom they pierced. Either just before Christ’s return , or at the very point of his return, Israel will mourn over the wasted years she spent without God by rejecting his only son Jesus Christ who was pierced for her iniquities in order to provide a fountain for cleansing from sin. At this time there will be a national acknowledgment of this error combined with national repentance; each survivor of Israel giving his or her own allegiance to Christ. And so, in the midst of suffering and dreadful circumstances, in an apocalyptic vision concerning the end of time, Zechariah sees what Paul later saw, that God’s ultimate purpose would be the restoration of Israel, just as she had longed and hoped for (Rom. 11:26).
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Merrill notes that the clan of Nathan was by now acknowledged as the royal line. Eugene H. Merrill , Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Exegetical Commentary (Richardson: Biblical Studies Press, 2013), p. 285
said that five of the bridesmaids were wise and five were foolish. The wise took extra oil to top up their lamps, but the foolish only had the oil that was in their lamps.
The signs in our world today all point to the same fact - we are nearing the end of time. The things which Jesus Christ predicted would happen immediately before the end of the world (e.g. wars, famines, terrorism, earthquakes, plagues, tsunamis) are happening right now before our eyes. Everyone needs to be ready for what is about to happen – Jesus Christ is coming again. Jesus told his followers that at the end of time he would return to earth, coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory to judge the living and the dead. He then told this very simple story to illustrate that we must all be ready for his coming. Ten bridesmaids were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive for a wedding. In those days, the bridesmaids were supposed to meet the bridegroom outside the town and walk with him to the wedding. If it was dark, light was provided by oil lamps. Jesus 15
It was very late at night when the bridegroom came, and the foolish bridesmaids had run out of oil. They could not go with the bridegroom and so they missed the wedding. Only those who were ready could go. Jesus warns us to be ready for his coming at all times for we do not know when he will come again. He said, "As for that day and hour no one knows it — not even the angels in heaven — except the Father alone.” (Mat 24:36) How can you be ready? Jesus said that to be ready for his coming “you must be born again” (John 3:7). You must be sure that your sins are forgiven and that your heart is clean and pure before God. Turn from what you know is wrong and put your faith in Jesus Christ, asking him to forgive you. Only those people who turn from their sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be ready to enter heaven. ARE YOU READY? Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Mat 24:44)
Eternity: He is described as “The eternal Spirit."
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD
A Sermon Outline by Rev. Ramon Hunston Image © Photoquest
INTRODUCTION These are special days - days of evangelism. We are at the far edge of human destiny, and can expect a great outpouring of the Spirit. It is essential that we have a full orbed view of the Spirit's work in us and of what He is saying to us now. The work of the Holy Spirit is personal, experiential, doctrinal, demonstrative and prophetic. The presence of the Spirit is the culmination of God's presence with men. In the days of Moses, God said, "Build Me a sanctuary....where I may dwell…among the people," and the Tabernacle was filled with his glory. When Solomon built the Temple, “The glory of God filled the Temple”, and when Christ came, his apostles said, "we beheld His Glory" in the transfiguration.
Now, in these last days, the Church of Jesus Christ is "The habitation of God through the Spirit.”
THE IDENTITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Consider His deity. There are 23 titles of the Spirit in Scripture. He is, amongst other things, the Divine Executive in Creation, Redemption, and in our ongoing relationship with God. Consider His personality. He possesses Divine characteristics. Omnipotence: 'the power of the highest..." (Luke 1:35). Omniscience: '"The Spirit searches all things." (1 Corinthians 2:10) Omnipresence: 'Wither shall I go from Thy Spirit" (Psalm 139:7) 16
He possesses the personal characteristics of intellect, will and emotions. The personal being of the Holy Spirit makes possible our living companionship of the Almighty God. Consider His work, which is to bring all things to completion, especially in regard to the Church. We are being, "changed from into the same image from glory into glory even as by the spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 2:18) Man originally in God's image. "We shall be like Him" The work of the Holy Spirit leads to this image being restored.
THE INSPIRATION OF TTIE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit is the breath of resurrection life. Pentecost is the fullness of that life. The Life
of God initially God seemed to be remote from men. But Christ was offered though the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Spirit Christ was resurrected. (Romans 1:4) So now through the Spirit the life of God flows from his Throne to all Christians. This leads me to recall that He is the Holy Spirit. The Holiness of God Holiness is not something negative; it is about positively doing the Will of God in our lives. Holiness is the nature of God by the Spirit in human conduct and character. Our claim to be Pentecostal must be judged not only by the supernatural manifestations we express but also on the moral quality of our lives. The Power of God It is through divine power that humans might accomplish superhuman tasks. This is none other than the manifestation of the power of the Resurrection as shown in Christ. In the physical realm this power leads to the miraculous. In the moral realm it leads to integrity. In the intellectual realm it leads to wisdom and revelation. In the spiritual realm it leads to worship and inspired utterance. The power which was expressed in "all that Jesus began to do...." (Acts 1:1) is now operative in us.
OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT To be truly ‘Pentecostal’ we must: Recognise the essential of personal experience and expression of the Spirit. We must have a realisation of our Spiritual dependence. This is the power concept of Pentecost, for the anointing is the vital necessity for powerful witness. In Acts 10:38 we read that Jesus went around "Doing good" – this speaks of the Spirit filled life. He healed al who were “oppressed by the Devil" – this speaks of spiritual power. And at all times "God was with Him” – this speaks of spiritual presence.
afraid of the enemy army approaching Dothan, until Elisha prayed that his eyes might be opened, and he came to see clearly that “more are the number with us than the number with them.” Finally, in order for us to be truly ‘Pentecostal’ we must: Re-evaluate our own spiritual life in terms of the personal concept of Pentecost. We must examine commitment to Christ; involvement in His work.
our our
The reality of our own spiritual life and experience will be seen when we are not just mechanically worshipping, but worshipping God in Spirit as a result of our own personal experience of Him.
In addition, in order to be truly ‘Pentecostal’ we must:
Conclusion
Recognise the prophetic significance and concept of Pentecost.
When God spoke to Moses he said, "l will take of the same Spirit that is on thee and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people."
The modern outpouring is a revelation of God’s voice for our times. The Second Advent is nearly upon us—it will not be long until the Lord Jesus comes again, and we have a great tsk to evangelise every living person on this earth before that day arrives. With such a challenge in view we must see the resources available to us. An illustration may be given of the time when the young servant of Elisha was 17
Joshua was upset by this, but Moses reply to criticism of God’s action was, 'Would to God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that he would put his Spirit on them all!”
care professionals reach out to us in protective gloves. Many years ago, I recollect a lecturer at teacher training college reminding us to wash our hands in soap and water frequently, for “you never know where the children’s hands have been before they reached yours!” Yet at the same time we were encouraged to express our concern and interest with the friendly touch of a human hand.
Image © James Steidl
The Hands of God The waiting room table usually held a variety of up to date magazines, but today it was empty. Instead of the welcome reading material was a single notice. Because of the possibility of contracting swine flu, the doctor’s surgery had been advised to remove all magazines as a health and safety precaution. Well, I was in this particular waiting room for reasons of my health and so I should perhaps be pleased about the attempts to keep me healthy! But I think today’s society has become overwhelmingly concerned with health and safety. I recently read an article about a school crossing patrol man who had wielded his
lollipop for several years, but who was facing suspension for giving “high fives” to the children who had become his friends. How sad, I thought, that friendliness at work has become so unacceptable. Some time ago my husband and I visited a cathedral where each pew contained a notice concerning ‘sharing the peace’. Worshippers were advised not to shake hands in case they shared germs in the process. It appears that even hand to hand contact has become dangerous! In some situations it is no longer considered advisable for adults to say to a child, “hold my hand” in case such might be misinterpreted as being sinister. The helping hands of our health 18
I have always treasured the words written by Minnie Haskins, quoted by King George VI in his broadcast to the Commonwealth in 1939: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be better to you than light and safer than a known way.” If today’s society presents us with a multitude of doubts and fears, it is good to remember that God never changes and we are safe with him. Rabbi Ben Ezra once wrote: “Our times are in his hand. Trust God, nor be afraid.” Consider this verse from Psalm 37: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” An Extract from ‘A Bouquet of Blessings’ by Doreen Harrison
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life lessons this book contains. 19
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