MIME-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 08:51:39 +-200 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, 80 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Leviticus 16 - General atonement 2. Ezekiel 12:1,2 - The rebellious house 3. Matthew 7:13,14 - The strait and the wide gate 1. Leviticus 16 - General atonement ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly reading: Leviticus 16 - 20 Are we able to deserve our salvation by works? No. For it is written that they offered: "when they offered before the LORD", Vs. 1. Is our salvation through our own works, or is it by grace? By grace. For it is written that there was a mercy-seat in the tabernacle, whereupon God appeared: "the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; (...) for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat." Vs. 2. Should there be given payment and made satisfaction for our sins, in our stead, to God? Yes, it should be given. Need we atonement made for us? Yes, we need that. Are we defiled in God's sight? Yes, we are as black as mud. There is written: 1. "A young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering." Vs. 3. 2. "Two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering." Vs. 5. 3. "Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house." Vs. 6. 4. Aaron shall "offer him (the goat of the LORD) for a sin offering." Vs. 9. 5. "...to make an atonement with him," Vs. 10. 6. "Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself", Vs. 11. 7. "Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat", Vs. 15. 8. "He shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness." Vs. 16. 9. "He goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place", Vs. 17. 10. "And have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel." Vs. 17. 11. "And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it", Vs. 18. 12. "Hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel." Vs. 19 13. "And when he hath made an end of reconciling...", Vs. 20. 14. "And confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat," Vs. 21. 15. "The goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited", Vs. 22. 16. "...and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people." Vs. 24. 17. "...the fat of the sin offering..." Vs. 25. 18. "And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place..." Vs. 27. 19. "...on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD." Vs. 30. So, are we wretched sinners, daily adding to our debts? Yes, we are; Scripture testifying, practice proving and our conscience witnessing. Need we offerings for our sins? Yes, we need; we need the Mediator Jesus Christ, Who died for our sins at the cross. He was shadowed forth in the O.T. in many of the offerings. After His coming on earth, and after He had perfected all former offerings, the reconciliation was made. Having the one perfect offering of Christ, we no longer need those old and imperfect ones. 2. Ezekiel 12:1,2 - The rebellious house ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:1,2 We have here the word of the LORD coming to Ezekiel. "Son of man", that is the title God uses to address him. When God addresses His ministers, He uses such titles that will make them humble. He says not "Father", as certain groups do to glory in the flesh. God glories not in our flesh. He addresses him with "Son of man" instead of "Dear Prophet". Ezekiel, it may be that you are a prophet, but yet you are no more then a "son of man". The office of prophet is honourable and much demanding, but, compared with Me, the infinite God, you are but a "son of man". "Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house". Ezekiel lived amidst of the Jews in Chaldea. They were carried captive to Babylon. We wonder why they were so rebellious. God calls those that were led captive a "rebellious house". They were driven in exile because of their sins. But it appears from this place that they had learned nothing from it. They were rebellious before they were driven in exile, and being there, they continued in their rebellious state. Ezekiel, you live in the midst of a rebellious house. God's strokes, which were meant to bring them back to Him, didn't bring about the desired effect. They remained rebellious. Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, namely the Jews in Babylon. By the way, already in the beginning of Ezekiel's service as prophet, when he was called to this office, God had told him that they were rebellious. "And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them." Ezek 2:5. Son of man, Ezekiel, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, namely in the midst of the Jews in Babylon, "which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house". They have eyes to see, and see not. With their very own eyes they saw that they were led captives because of their sins. Yet they see not; that is, they refuse to acknowledge their own sins as the cause of their exile. "They have ears to hear, and hear not". They have heard the prophets, warning them to return, lest God's wrath would burn against them. Yet, they refused to hear. Their punishments didn't bring them to repentance. They did not see, inwardly, what was the cause of all their trouble. So blind and deaf were they. They had ears and eyes, but yet they were spiritually deaf and blind. We see that, though a man has ears and eyes, yet God's Spirit only can open the spiritual eyes and ears of our understanding. Only by divine light we see and hear the truth. "Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not." Isa 6:9. All the warnings and the sermons of the prophets were in vain, because though they had ears, they yet understood not. Likewise may we listen to many sermons, but not understand them. Only when God teaches us inwardly we begin to understand the truth. Like those Jews in Babylon, we also have our present people that hear but understand not; that have eyes but see not. Tell them the truth - yet they refuse to listen because they are "a rebellious house". They have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: "for they are a rebellious house". We see that they were unable to hear and see because of their rebelliousness. We now understand that it is possible that one through his own stubbornness, shuts the door of his understanding. They saw and heard not. Why? Because they were rebellious. When fighting against God's providence, we are at the same moment unable to listen to Him and obey His voice. Rebellion and obedience are opposite. We should therefore first lay off our natural rebellious nature, before we are able to listen to God and see the truth. Sometimes God punishes us to bring us back on the right paths. At least that is His intention. But it happens too often that we remain hardened under His chastisements, so that His goal is not reached. He wished to turn us back from sins, and return to Him, but through the hardness of our heard we continued in our own ways. When we have outward ears to hear, but hear not, then all the work the ministers spend on us is in vain. When we have our eyes to see, and see not, then they preach in vain. They may justly say: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" Isa 53:1. The brought forth a good report of God, but who has believed it? They preached the gospel, but who has ever believed their report? Only those to whom "the arm of the LORD" is revealed, are able to believe and obey. Then God's Spirit opens our blind eyes, as Jesus did during his time on earth. Then God's Spirit opens our deaf ears, whereof we have examples in Jesus' opening the ears of the deaf people. What Jesus did visibly, He also does inwardly, through His Spirit. Then they have eyes to see, and indeed see the truth. Then they have ears to hear, and indeed hear and obey the voice of God. It might be that they were rebellious in former times, but by God's influence their rebellious heart is dashed in pieces and made docile. Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house. Unless I pour out My Spirit on them, they will continue in their rebellion till their death, and their children, being thus taught, will walk in their footsteps. Unless I pour out My Spirit, they will be like stones. But as soon as they receive the Spirit, "they shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Jer 31:9. We hope (and we know it once will happen) that God will pull down every proud and rebellious heart. He may do so pouring out His Spirit, so that they willingly subject themselves to Him. He also may do so with violence, so that they are forced to subject themselves to Him. "Say unto God, How terrible [art thou in] thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee." Ps. 66:3. One thing we know, and that is that God once will show Himself King of the whole earth. He is the only King, treading under foot all what rebels against Him. 3. Matthew 7:13,14 - The strait and the wide gate ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Do you not as the multitudes do. They walk on the broad way, which leads to destruction, though they know it not, or will not know it. But instead of walking with the majority of the people, enter you in at the strait gate. Many go in at the broad gate, which is a gate that gives access to destruction. But you, enter in at the strait gate. The strait gate gave gives access to the narrow way, and this way, in its turn leads to the life; eternal life. The other way, whereon the majority is walking, leads to death; eternal death; where their worm dies not. If you wish to preserve your live, enter you then in at the strait gate. It may be that the way after that gate is narrow, but the end is life. The end of the broad and wide way is destruction. They have had their pleasures in this life, but the portion of those on the narrow way, is laid up for them in heaven. The travellers on the narrow way have much affliction in their live. The apostles were "exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. The way to heaven is narrow. Those that walk thereon have much affliction during their life on earth. The gate whereat they enter is very strait. It costs much pains to enter in through that strait gate. Christ tells us this, that we may know it beforehand. We can then first decide whether we wish to endure affliction with Christ in this life, or whether we wish to have the pleasures of this life, and death afterwards. Strait is the way to life, but broad the one to destruction. Will you choose the pleasures of this life? Have you rather an easy life on this earth? Then you belong to the multitude; those that foolishly choose the wrong part. They have ease, and they possess all what their heart desires. And their reward is death at the end; the eternal fire. The foolish and ignorant people enter in, with the multitude, at the wide gate. But you, reader, be wise. Listen to Christ's words, and enter in at the strait gate. Life will be your reward, in grace. Many think that they believe in Jesus Christ. They think they are saved by faith only. Many think this. But let them consider that the same many are said to walk on the broad way, which leads to destruction. "For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." Those many that think they believe in Christ, therefore, deceive themselves. They belong to the many, that have entered at the wide gate, and now walk on the broad way. They have all pleasures, which they think are allowed in a christian life. This is the broad way. But a few walk on the narrow way. They have to suffer many affliction, not in the least part of them that walk in the broad way. They have entered in at the strait gate. That gate was so small, that they had to leave behind all what was of themselves. Nothing could they take with them, because every thing of themselves was too big for that gate. They could not get those big things through that gate, so they had to abandon it. Own honour should be abandoned. It is too big for the strait gate. Own works deserve nothing, and nobody will get them through that gate with its narrow passage. Pride must be abandoned: it is too broad for the gate. Self-love should be thrown away, lest you seize up in the narrow gate. Self should be denied. Fat people haven't passage. Love to the creatures should be shortened, so as to subject it to the love of God and Christ. "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matt 10:37. Few be there that find that way unto life. "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." 2 Tim 2:19. Though there be few that walk on the way to life, yet there are some. A few are their, that have find the strait gate, after much seeking and praying. Those few are the elect of God, because they have this seal: "The Lord knows them that are His". ---------------------------------------------------------------------- chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" Institute Practical Bible-education 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-080.txt .