Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 08:25:07 +-100 Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: ChrExp, The Scriptures opened, 75 [via LSMTP - see www.lsoft.com] To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Leviticus 1:3-9 - The burnt sacrifice 2. Jeremiah 23:16,17 - Own imaginations 3. Revelations 1:12-14 - The Son of man 1. Leviticus 1:3-9 - The burnt sacrifice ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly reading: Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26 (= 6:7, Eng.) 3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. Here we have the law for a burnt sacrifice. This law is not for the regular burnt sacrifices, but for the sacrifices that are brought of one's own voluntary will. Such a voluntary person wished to thank God, or to ask forgiveness for committed sins. That person voluntarily brought a sacrifice to the LORD. When he were to bring is unwillingly, then it wouldn't haven been acceptable for him. The LORD wishes to be served voluntarily, not grudgingly. The mean people might perhaps bring not the best of their flock, but here we have a person that brings a male of his herd, without blemish: an animal of a good value. Further, he also brings it voluntarily. These things are acceptable before the LORD. 4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. The person that brings the offer shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, that is, upon the head of that beast. Why? That is might be accepted for him. Accepted? For what? To make atonement for him. The person had sinned, and asked forgiveness. For that reason, he brings a burnt sacrifice, to make atonement for him. He lays his hand on the head of the animal, to testify by that, that he consecrated this offering to the LORD. The person gave this offer to the LORD, and put it before Him, to be an offering in his own stead. He was the sinner, and therefore had to die. But now, he gives this beast, that is might die in his stead. The person that offers hereby asks mercy of God, that his sins may be forgiven. The acceptance of this offering through the LORD will make atonement for him. This showed forth the Messiah, Who was then yet to come. By faith the person looked forward to the coming Messiah, Who was promised to Israel. The burnt offering showed forth, and sealed the future atonement, to be made by the Messiah. The person that offered was justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that would be in Jesus Christ. We know this, because we live now, and can look back on this great happening. Jesus Christ, the burnt sacrifice, Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. (Rom. 3:24,25). In Christ Jesus have we redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God's grace. (Eph. 1:7). We have in Jesus the "redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins", Col 1:14. 5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. The bullock was to be killed before the LORD. Since the bullock died in stead of the person, he could see what would have happened to him, if his sins were not forgiven. Then not the bullock should be killed, but the person himself. While the person was looking at this, he might feel the greatness of his sins. He was worthy of death, but through God's grace the bullock died in his stead, showing forth the death of the Messiah, Whose Name is Jesus Christ (as we now know). 6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. The bullock should not only be killed, but also be cut into pieces. Look how great the sin is. Sin causes the bullock to be cut into pieces, so that the sinner might be released. Look also how great God's mercy is, to forgive the great and many sins of all believers. 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. Further, the beast should be burnt wholly. This fire showed forth God's wrath against both sin and sinner. God is so angry with sin and with the sinner, that His anger burns like flames. These flames devour everything that is sinful. Only through remission of sins, there is a way of escape for us. The person that offered saw it before his eyes. The animal was burnt. That beast was burnt in his stead. We don't have offerings any longer, but we can look back, and read in the Word, that Jesus was God's sacrifice, the unblemished Lamb, that died for the sins of all those that are given Him. 2. Jeremiah 23:16,17 - Own imaginations ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. There are prophets enough in the world, but are they all true prophets? Also Israel had prophets enough, but were they all send by the LORD? Were they true prophets, sent by God, or were they false ones, sent by Satan? The true prophets speak truth, but the false prophets speak falsehood (though under the cover and pretext of truth). There are prophets, whereof God says: "They make you vain". That is, they deceive you with false promises. If you rely on them, then it will come out that you have deceived yourself. Of these prophets, God also says: "They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD". That is, these false prophets speak what they think up themselves, and not what they receive of God. They speak the dreams of their heart. They are the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. Ezek 13:3. These are the prophets, when they stand at the pulpit, vomit out all what has come up in their heart, and in their dreams. A few weeks ago, I heard a minister say: "When I must prepare my sermon, I don't know what to say or what to prepare. But when I begin, then I take a paper and a pen, and begin to write. While writing, there come up something in my mind, and I can thus finish my preparation. This is my sermon for the next day." This minister's very own words prove that he is a false prophet. Because he prophecies what come up in his own heart, without consulting the Scriptures. "Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophecy unto you. They make you vain. They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD." They speak every dream that comes up in their heart, but the silent about the truth of God and His Word. These prophets try to please their listeners. To please them, they have so speak soft things. A thing these ministers always and ever will avoid, is speaking of the sins of the congregation. They might lose their listeners, and also their living! Speak therefore soft things, and suppress the truth, false prophets! According to our text, and also according to the present situation in too many churches, "They say still unto them that despise Me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace". So, every despiser of God is told that he will have peace. This is contrary to the truth, of course, but the false prophets either are blind for the truth, or they wilfully reject it lest they lose both their listeners, and their living. Many people despise God. They once a month, or even once a year go to the church, and when they are there, they listen to the flattering sermon of their false prophet. ("Glad to see you", instead of "those that reject God will be judged"). "They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD has said, You shall have peace". There are also people that "walk after the imagination of their own heart". They think that they are good religious people. According to the imagination of their own heart, they "have never hurt somebody", "have never stolen", "are always friendly, and help everybody", "never commit evil", and so on. According to their own hearts, they are good people, and will finally enter heaven. They never consult the Word, nor love God, but yet they think that they live good lives. They love themselves, and their own flesh, but they care not for God, nor for His Word, nor for His honour. They don't oppose falsehood in doctrine or life, because they don't love God, and therefore it hinders them not that the world is full of God's enemies. Their ministers tell them the same as what the false prophets in our text tell. "And they say unto every one that walks after the imagination of his own heart: No evil shall come upon you". Looking around us, we see and hear the truth of Jesus' words: "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many", Matt 24:11. Therefore this advice is suitable: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world", 1 John 4:1. 3. Revelations 1:12-14 - The Son of man ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; John saw the Son of men, standing in the midst of the seven candlesticks. These candlesticks represent the seven churches which are in Asia. These seven churches are precious to Christ, the Son of man. Therefore He stands in their midst. The churches on earth are as precious unto God, as gold is precious to us. No, the churches are more precious then anything on earth. God sends His Son to stand in their midst, to lead and guard them, and to protect them against every enemy. John saw the Son of man standing in the midst of the churches. This Son of man is Jesus Christ. It is said here, that John saw one "like unto the Son of man". Not "the Son", but "like unto the Son of man". This is because Christ here appears not in his real person, but in a vision. John saw one like unto the Son of man. Christ is "clothed with a garment down to the foot". Such garments were worn by the priests. Christ is the chief of priests. He is our High priest, serving His office in heaven, daily praying for His church. John saw in this vision that Christ was "girt about the paps with a golden girdle". This girdle show His readiness in executing His office. The head of Christ, and his hairs, were seen by John as white like wool, and as white as snow. Jesus' eyes are like flames of fire. Christ is God, and is knowing all. With His eyes, He pierces through everything. The thoughts of our inner parts are opened before Him. He knows, and sees all. His eyes are like flames of fire. He penetrates through all, even through the thickest darkness. Nothing is hid from His eyes. The sinner will fall as dead before Him, because there is no sinner that will stand His penetrating gaze, with eyes like flames of fire. Every person stands condemned before this Christ, because nothing is his from Him. Even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags before Him. When we have never met this God, then we think that we are righteous. Through our blindness and ignorance, we think that our deeds are acceptable before the Lord. But as soon as Christ's eyes pierce through us, through our hearts and through our minds, then we instantly see that we are cursed sinners. Everything that seemed to us, formerly, good and pleasant, shows itself now in its true filthiness. Even our best works become then abominable in our eyes. This is the result of having met Jesus' eyes, that are like flames of fire. "LORD Jesus, come down and draw Thine sword, that it may divide our inner parts, and cut through all our opposition against Thou". May God send His Spirit, that we may see the eyes of Jesus Christ, like flames of fire. Then we see ourselves as we are: valueless in ourselves; unable to do any spiritual good; cursed sinners; transgressors standing condemned before God's tribunal; sinners caught in the act. We then will see ourselves as we are, and our drowsy blindness will instantly disappear. Let's Christ eyes, like flames of fire, open also our eyes, that we may see the truth. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" Institute Practical Bible-education Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html Written by Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-075.txt .