X-Sender: benschop@nic.cc.ruu.nl (Unverified) X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Version 1.4.4 Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 10:40:55 +0200 Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: The Scriptures opened, 36 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Numbers 14:1,2, Israel's unbelief Isaiah 40, part 5, God, the Only God, incomparable Luke 18:9-14, The Pharisee and the publican Numbers 14:1,2, Israel's unbelief ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly reading: Num 13:1-15:41 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! Here is the story of the coming of Israel at the borders of the promised land, of Canaan. They had sent out spies, to explore the land. Twelve spies went out. When they came back, ten of them were unbelievers. They brought an evil report of the land unto the people. Only two, namely Joshua and Caleb, believed in God's might and power. They said to the people that God surely would bring them in. But the ten brought an evil report. What was the result of that evil report? We read it in our text: "And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night." The people rather believed the bad report of ten unbelievers, than to believe the good report of two believers. The believers were a minority. That has always been so. Many people utter evil reports about God's promises, but only a few speak the truth, namely a right report. The people of Israel, of whom the majority was also unbeliever, rather believed the ten ungodly spies than the two godly: Joshua and Caleb. Here we see how a few people, only ten, can set afire a whole nation. The whole nation was polluted with unbelief, of which the ten bad spies were the causes. Let we learn of this not to listen to all, who bring forth an evil report of God's promises. The majority is doing so, but let we rather listen to the few righteous, to the people like Joshua and Caleb, to the true believers. After all the congregation had lifted up their voice, and after they had cried, and after they had wept that whole night, they went on. Now they began also to murmur against their leaders, as is written: "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron". What is that unreasonable! Just as if Moses and Aaron were the cause of their unbelief! The people had better done, when they had been silent, and when they had put their trust in God. But no, they murmured against their leaders. Because God had set their leaders over them, their murmuring against the leaders was also murmuring against God Himself. They rebelled against God! God, Who had redeemed them out of Egypt. God, Who had done so many wonders for them! God, Who had fed them by heavenly bread in the desert. God, Who went before them in a cloud by day, and in a fiery pillar by night. God, Who had led them to this place. How unthankful! What did they say in their murmur? "And the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness!" We see where unbelief brings the people. Through their unbelief, they expect the death, when they would enter Canaan. They chose rather to have died in Egypt, or in the desert, than to be killed by the inhabitants of Canaan. We see how the unbelief leads to despair. They saw themselves placed before a task, which was too heavy for them. A task, which was impossible for them to carry out. Yes, no wonder, because without God, we are utterly unable to do any task. Through their unbelief, they did not know that God would help them, and that God would exterminate all their enemies. When we look around us, we see a world full of unbelief. They who, through unbelief, become despaired, sometimes make an end of their lives. They say with unbelieving Israel: It is better to die in this wilderness of life, then to go forth in our despair. How unhappy is mankind without the one true God. Darkness all around. Fear jumps on them. They are without God, without hope, without salvation. They are like Israel of old, but in a new form. What is people without God? When we, however, look somewhat better around us, we will descry the few believers. The great heap doesn't see them, like Israel didn't listen to Joshua and Caleb. Yet, the few believers are still in the world. Their voice is often overshouted by the unbelievers, yet, when you listen well, you can hear them. They call you up to believe God. They call you up to trust Him, however many your enemies may be. The new Joshuas and the new Calebs. They still blow on the trumpet of the Word. The world doesn't listen to them. The world says that there is no God, because of all the wars, catastrophes, etc. Reader, listen not to them. Listen to Joshua and to Caleb: "Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not." (Numbers 14:9) Isaiah 40, part 5, God, the Only God, incomparable ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Isaiah is pointing out the majesty of God, using several pictures to describe that. 17 All nations before him [are] as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. The prophet continues the raising of God's greatness and the abasing of mankind. He has done so until now. He said that the high mountains would be brought low, in verse four. There, he used the picture of mountains, but here, he explains his message further. The high mountains, that are the nations. All pride will be subdued. The nations before Him are as nothing. They are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity. Maybe, the nations think that they are powerful. But in reality, they are less then nothing before the high Lord. They are vanity, that is, they are nothing, and passing. When whole nations are counted less then nothing, how much less are we then, an inhabitant of one vain nation! 18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? Nothing can be compared unto God. The prophet has showed that until now, but he continues therewith. He now begins to speak, in the following verses, about graven images. The Israelites made images, to "serve" God through them. How dull! How erroneous! God is incomparable, so each image is a severe dishonouring of God. 19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. The prophet portrays how an image is made. In the previous verse, he has asked wherewith God could be compared. In this verse, he speaks about the comparison, which many make. They compare God with a graven image. God is not made, for He is eternal. But an image must be made through a workman. A workman, of whom just is said, that he is less then nothing, vanity. To compare the unmade God with a man-made image is therefore a very bad comparison. God had an infinite amount of glory, but the glory of that image is nothing more than a thin layer of gold. So, a very bad comparison. The workman also casts silver chains to decorate the image. God however, needs no decoration, but He decorates all with His glory. Many decorate the Torah-scroll, but the Torah is holy enough in itself. All decoration, consisting of cloth or crowns, darken the real glory of the Torah, and of God. They peoples' eyes get stuck in the outward appearance, and they do not penetrate into the Torah itself. In this way, many have their graven image, which they lug through the synagogue sometimes. The workman makes the outward parts of the scroll and the holder, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains. In this way, they darken God's Word. They spread a veil over the Word, in order that nobody can read it. (to be continued) Luke 18:9-14, The Pharisee and the publican ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, Jesus shows us the difference between the self-righteous, and the humbled people. 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Jesus spoke this parable to some people, who trusted in themselves. They thought that they were righteous. They not only committed that sin, but added thereunto, that they despised others. Despising others is already a sin in itself, so I cannot understand why they thought to be righteous. Perhaps they were blind for their own sins. That is, by the way, the case with all people who think to be righteous in themselves. Being spiritual blind, they overlook their sins, and therefore become haughty, and begin to despise the others. Jesus, as a good Teacher, instructed them by a parable. He was also a good Physician, in applying this medicine of the parable. Maybe, they understood, and would be healed from their sickness. 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. In the parable, there were two men. A Pharisee, and a publican. Pharisees were honoured by the common people. The people thought them to be very righteous, and unfortunately, the Pharisees themselves thought the same. A publican, however, was despised by the people, and justly. Publicans worked together with the Romans, the occupiers of the land. Both went up into the temple to pray. But what a very different motives did they have. The Pharisee went to pray, that is, to boast in his supposed righteousness. The publican went to pray in humility, to ask forgiveness. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. The Pharisee thanked God that he was not as the other men. He was much better. Yes, he was even so good, that he despised the other men. "Lord, I am very good, and I thank Thee for that". He counted up all his external works, as abstaining from great sins, and paying tithes, etc. He counted up his works, but he left out the pride of his heart. How blind can self-love, and contempt of others make a man! This Pharisee still lives in our days. Not only one Pharisee, or a few, but great crowds. Nearly everybody thinks of himself, that he is not too bad. He helps the other people, he prays now and then to God, goes to church, goes to synagogue; so, what does God want more? I fast twice in the week. I go twice a Sunday to church. I go three times on Sabbath to the synagogue. I give tithes of all that I posses. I give not a little to the collections. I am not a public sinner; so God, I'm rather good. The present Pharisees thank God; yes, there is prayer and thank enough; but, they overlook the pride of their inward parts. They say: I am not an adulterer, like many others; but they forget that already the unclean look at a women is like adultery. They aren't extortioners, but yet, they severely claim their money. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. There was a world of difference between the self-righteous Pharisee, and the humbled publican. The Pharisee went close to the altars of the temple, but the publican stood afar off. He did not count himself worthy to enter so far into the temple. He knew that he was a great sinner, as he indeed was. The proud Pharisee lifted up his eyes unto heaven, but the publican dared not. He would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but looked to the ground in shame. He did not thank God for his righteousness, as the Pharisee did, but he smote upon his breast as a sign of self-contempt, and indignity before the Lord. He also prayed, like the Pharisee, but his prayer was very different. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner". He counted himself worthy of punishment, because of his great and many sins. Yet, he asked for mercy. Also in our days, when you listen here and there, you discover churches full of Pharisees. They always thank God. But the prayer of the publican, where do you hear it? But on a few places, they know and pray the publican's prayer: O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. The religious world is thanking God for their supposed righteousness, but the people of God are asking for mercy. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. It is sure that the publican went down to his house justified, in opposition to the Pharisee, who, according to his own words, did not need any justification. He was already righteous, so why did he need God's righteousness? The Pharisee was left under God's coming wrath, but the publican was redeemed. He, though a sinner, was justified by God. That is, his sins were forgiven him. The Pharisee was proud. He exalted himself. But according to Scripture, he who exalts himself shall be abased. "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit." (Proverbs 29:23) The publican was humbling himself, and he was therefore exalted. The publican declared himself to be a great sinner, and was acquitted by God. The proud and self-righteous in our days also will be abased, but the humble, who confess their sins, will receive forgiveness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Teus Benschop | t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl | editor of the list Chr-Exp "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" More info? Send mail containing: review chr-exp Subscribe? Send mail containing: subscribe chr-exp Send that mail to: listserv@nic.surfnet.nl ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-036.txt .