MIME-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 7 May 1996 08:25:18 +-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, 82 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Status: U Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Leviticus 26:1 - I am your God: have no idols! 2. Ezekiel 18:32 - Turn and live 3. Matthew 12:50 - Christ's family 1. Leviticus 26:1 - I am your God: have no idols! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly reading: Leviticus 25 - 27 Leviticus 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. You shall not make for yourself images, to bow down unto it. Why not? For these images are no gods; the LORD is your God. It is forbidden to makes images of stone, or of gold, or of brass, or of silver, or of any other material. Do not set up images to bow down for them, like some churches do. For example, in the roman catholic church, image worship is allowed. By doing that they reject God. Serving those idols is the same as rejecting the living God, Who dwells in heaven. Not those images are your gods, people, but "I am the LORD your God". "Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." Exod 20:23. Some reject the setting up of images, but yet they have gods of silver or of gold. Their money is their god. When they have enough silver and gold; when they have enough money, they think themselves safe and secure. Nothing can happen to me, they think. And if anything happens, I have enough silver, gold, and money to pay it, and live in security. They have not put their trust in the God of heaven and earth, but they trust in their silver, gold and money. But the Word says us: "Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall you make unto you gods of gold". Why not? Because not your money is your god - the LORD is your God. You should not trust your money, but you should believe and trust the LORD. Who puts his trust in gold, silver, or in his money, will become ashamed. God will take away all; or a thief comes and robs you; or the bank goes bust; or God takes away your life. Whatever happens, you will become ashamed when you rely on your golden images. But who puts his trust in God will never be ashamed. Some indeed make no images, but yet they have another god. We read of people "whose god is their belly", Philippians 3:19. They love nice eating, and spend their money on desirous things, to please their taste. Their god is their belly, and they worship it by serving it and fulfilling all its lusts. Their belly, that is, their god, grows greater and greater. They carry their god always before them, and daily feed it. More and more fat grows on them. This is an undeniable sign that they have made a god of their belly. Rejecting the God of heaven, and forgetting them, they go on in their own ways. This continues until God in heaven thinks it enough, and executes judgement. Therefore, make no gods. We have one God; the God in heaven. The LORD is our God, and their is none besides Him. He is our King, and we will trust Him forever and ever. He will defend us against our enemies. He will save us and deliver us from death, hell, and satan. No idol can do this. Nay, it is even so that every idol will bring us to death, hell and satan. But our Lord will save us from these. He is our God. It is difficult, when all outward means escape us, and we have nothing of these - it is difficult to trust then in God. Actually, this is impossible for the natural man. Trusting in God is a thing impossible for him. Only through grace, the gift of trust will be given us. Only the regenerate man can put his trust in God. Through faith, and much experience, we learn that God is a Helper of the needy. Often being helped in the past, we can remember this, and this can help us put our trust in Him for the future. People, have no idols; "for I am the LORD your God." 2. Ezekiel 18:32 - Turn and live ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ezekiel 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn [yourselves], and live ye. According to the words of the prophet, God has no pleasure in the death of him that dies; wherefore let them turn themselves, and they will live. "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live you". The first question we have is: Who is the Speaker? Is the prophet the speaker? No, thanks God, the prophet isn't the speaker here. If it were but words of the prophet, then they would not have been sure. If it were but words of men, who could put his trust in them? Words of men are vain, and there is nothing sure or fixed in them. The words of our text are not of men, but God is the Speaker. Because He is unchangeable and faithful and powerful, we know that all what He says is true. It will not change. He once has said that He has no pleasure in our death, and that we should turn ourselves. That being once said, remains fixed until eternity. "I have no pleasure in your death", says God; "therefore turn yourselves and live". Another question we may have is this one: Who is the listener? To whom are these words addressed? They are addressed to the house of Israel. We read that in the verse preceding our text. "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Ezek 18:31. The words are directed to the house of Israel. That house was transgressing heavily at that time. God commands them to "cast away all your transgressions", namely those whereby they "have transgressed". They were sinning heavily, and by their transgressions made themselves liable to the penalty of death. They sinned and therefore they deserved death. "Why will ye die, O house of Israel?" So, the listeners are the people of Israel, being great sinners. Who are the present listeners? Every that reads this text, and is a great sinner, is addressed here. Who are the listeners? Every sinner that hears or reads these words. He is the listener. Reader, have you sinned all your life long? Then you are addressed here. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O reader? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. A third question may be: Wherein is it, that God has no pleasure? "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth". God has no pleasure in our death. He is a God of life, therefore in death he delights not. It is not my delight, says God, that you sin and therefore die. My pleasure is not in your sinning, nor in your death. Maybe that Satan delights in the destruction of humans, but God does not have pleasure in that. There are people that die because of their sins, but our God says: "I have no pleasure" therein. Question four: Wherein has God pleasure? He has no pleasure in the death of him that dies. Therefore, He delights in the opposite: life. God has pleasure in the life of him that lives. "Wherefore turn yourselves, and live you". God is a God delighting in life. Why should you die, reader? Therefore, turn back to God, and you will live. A fifth question is: Wherein has man pleasure? Judging from the sins many do, while knowing the result thereof, it seems that man has pleasure in the death of himself. He sins on, and he heaps up wrath, until it be poured out over him, and he dies. Man has pleasure in the death of him that dies. "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Jas 1:15. The sixth question: wherein has man no pleasure? Natural man has no pleasure in a return to God, that he may live. He delights in sin, and daily satisfies his lusts therein. Man has no pleasure in the knowledge of the LORD, neither do they love His ways. "Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." Job 21:14. They desire not to read the Word, and whenever they hear a sound sermon, they choose rather to close their ears than to accept good counsel. A seventh question that arise may be: What should a man do to die? The answer is simple: go on in your own chosen ways. Continue with the sins you are doing. Repent not, neither turn yourselves back to your God. Despise His ways and knowledge. Doing all these will ensure you of eternal death. But what should one do to live? To live, obey the voice of God. Repent of your evil ways, and turn yourselves to God. Believe in God and His Son, and forsake your former evil ways. Be filled with the Spirit, and show the fruits of His presence. How can one live? The regenerated man will live. The LORD speaks (and let's all listen): I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies. Wherefore turn yourselves, and live you. 3. Matthew 12:50 - Christ's family ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Who is the brother of Christ? Whosoever shall do the will of His Father which is in heaven, the same is His brother. And who is His sister? He says, "for whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is My sister". And who is His mother? The woman that does the will of God in heaven, the same woman is Christ's mother. We see that doing God's will is more important that blood relationship. Is Christ the Son of God? Those that do the will of God are also children of God. They are the brothers, sisters and mothers of Christ. They do not their own will, but the will of their Father Which is in heaven. They have learned to reject own desires and own will, and they have learned to esteem God's will above everything else. They do His will; and His will is expressed in the law, in the prophets, in the psalms, and in the gospels. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matt 7:21. Saying "Lord, Thou art my God" is not enough, but the doing of His will is important. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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-082.txt .