a Voice out of heaven

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water;
and behold, the heavens were opened,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
and behold, a voice out of the heavens said,
"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;

My chosen one in whom My soul delights

I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the nations.

"He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.
"A bruised reed He will not break
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth justice.
"He will not be disheartened or crushed
Until He has established justice in the earth;
And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."

Thus says God YHWH,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and its offspring,
Who gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it,

"I am the YHWH, I have called You in righteousness,
I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the nations,
To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

"I am YHWH, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
Nor My praise to graven images.

"Behold, the former things have come to pass,
Now I declare new things;
Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."

Sing to YHWH a new song,
Sing His praise from the end of the earth!
You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it
You islands, and those who dwell on them.
Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices,
The settlements where Kedar inhabits
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud,
Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.
Let them give glory to YHWH
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
YHWH will go forth like a warrior,
He will arouse His zeal like a man of war
He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry
He will prevail against His enemies.

I have kept silent for a long time,
I have kept still
and restrained Myself.
now like a woman in labor
I will groan,
I will both gasp and pant.
"I will lay waste the mountains and hills
And wither all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers into coastlands
And dry up the ponds.
"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know,
In paths they do not know I will guide them
I will make darkness into light before them
And rugged places into plains

These are the things I will do,
And I will not leave them undone."

They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame,
Who trust in idols,
Who say to molten images,
"You are our gods."

Hear, you deaf!
And look, you blind, that you may see.
Who is blind but My servant,
Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of YHWH?
You have seen many things,
but you do not observe them;
Your ears are open,
but none hears.

YHWH was pleased for His righteousness' sake
To make the law great and glorious.
But this is a people plundered and despoiled;
All of them are trapped in caves,
Or are hidden away in prisons;
They have become a prey with none to deliver them,
And a spoil, with none to say, "Give them back!"

Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will give heed and listen hereafter?
Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers?

Was it not YHWH, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they were not willing to walk,
And whose law they did not obey?
So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he paid no attention.

But now, thus says YHWH, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
"For I am YHWH your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
"Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,
I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
"Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
And gather you from the west.
"I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
And to the south, 'Do not hold them back '
Bring My sons from afar
And My daughters from the ends of the earth,
Everyone who is called by My name,
And whom I have created for My glory,
Whom I have formed, even whom I have made."

Bring out the people who are blind,
even though they have eyes,
And the deaf,
even though they have ears.
All the nations have gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled
Who among them can declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, "It is true."
"You are My witnesses," declares YHWH,
"And My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that I am He
Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
"I, even I, am YHWH,
And there is no Savior besides Me.
"It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses," declares YHWH,
"And I am God.
"Even from eternity I am He,
And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;
I act and who can reverse it?"

Thus says YHWH your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
"For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
And will bring them all down as fugitives,
Even the Chaldeans, into the ships in which they rejoice.
"I am YHWH, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your King."

Thus says YHWH,
Who makes a way through the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
Who brings forth the chariot and the horse,
The army and the mighty man
(They will lie down together and not rise again;
They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick):
"Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
"Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
"The beasts of the field will glorify Me
the jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
"The people whom I formed for Myself
Will declare My praise.

"Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob;
But you have not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings,
Nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices
I have not burdened you with offerings,
Nor wearied you with incense.
"You have bought Me not sweet cane with money,
Nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices;
Rather you have burdened Me with your sins,
You have wearied Me with your iniquities.
"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,
And I will not remember your sins.
"Put Me in remembrance, let us argue our case together;
State your cause, that you may be proved right.
"Your first forefather sinned,
And your spokesmen have transgressed against Me.
"So I will pollute the princes of the sanctuary,
And I will consign Jacob to the ban and Israel to revilement.
"But now listen, O Jacob, My servant,
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
Thus says YHWH who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you,
'Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;
And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring
And My blessing on your descendants;
And they will spring up among the grass
Like poplars by streams of water.'
"This one will say, 'I am YHWH's;
And that one will call on the name of Jacob;
And another will write on his hand, 'Belonging to YHWH,'
And will name Israel's name with honor.

"Thus says YHWH, the King of Israel and His Redeemer, YHWH of hosts:
'I am the first and I am the last,
And there is no God besides Me.
Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it;
Yes, let him recount it to Me in order,
From the time that I established the ancient nation.
And let them declare to them the things that are coming
And the events that are going to take place.
'Do not tremble and do not be afraid;
Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it?
And you are My witnesses
Is there any God besides Me,
Or is there any other Rock?
I know of none.'"

I see everything else

"I believe in Christianity as I believe in the sun: not only because I see it, but because by its light I see everything else." CS Lewis

Jesus: "Let us go to Judea again."

Disciples: "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and You are going there again?"

Jesus: " Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

Salvation belongs to Jehovah God

"and that He was buried,

and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures"

"In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to GOD.
He answered me.
From the belly of the grave I cried, "Help!'
You heard my cry.

You threw me into ocean's depths,
into a watery grave,
With ocean waves, ocean breakers
crashing over me.

I said, "I've been thrown away,
thrown out, out of your sight.
I'll never again lay eyes
on your Holy Temple.'

Ocean gripped me by the throat.
The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight.
My head was all tangled in seaweed

at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root.
I was as far down as a body can go,
and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever--
Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive,
O GOD, my God!

When my life was slipping away,
I remembered GOD,
And my prayer got through to you,
made it all the way to your Holy Temple.

Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds,
walk away from their only true love.

But I'm worshiping you, GOD,
calling out in thanksgiving!
And I'll do what I promised I'd do!
Salvation belongs to GOD!"

the working sands and the rolling waves

4.) The burial of Christ is important in providing continuity between His physical dying and bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:3-5, 35-44)

"He was buried, and He was raised on the third day"

Buried/Sown

perishable
in dishonor
in weakness
natural body
earthly
bearing the image of the first man
sleep
mortal

Raised/Harvested

imperishable
in glory
in power
spiritual body
heavenly
bearing the image of the last Man
changed
immortal



Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Therefore beloved, be a pillar..firm in your heart and a support of truth. Be still, without motion or moved away from this hope. As you stand firm, always go beyond the shores that can be seen as you wage His war, knowing that this labor of affliction and "refining" is not in vain in the Lord.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

"So the pure, limpid stream, when foul with stains
Of rushing torrents and descending rains,
Works itself clear, and as it runs, refines,
Till by degrees the floating mirror shines. "--Addison.

the pencil of the Master is here

Leviticus 16

This chapter unfolds some of the weightiest principles of truth which can possibly engage the renewed mind. It presents the doctrine of atonement with uncommon fullness and power. In short, we must rank the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus amongst the most precious and important sections of Inspiration; if indeed it be allowable to make comparisons where all is divine.

CH Mackintosh

Here, then, we have the other grand idea attached to the death of Christ — namely, the full and final forgiveness of the people. If the death of Christ forms the foundation of the glory of God, it also forms the foundation of the perfect forgiveness of sins to all who put their trust in it. This latter, blessed be God, is but a secondary, an inferior application of the atonement, though our foolish hearts would fain regard it as the very highest possible view of the cross to see in it that which puts away all our sins. This is a mistake. God's glory is the first thing; our salvation is the second. To maintain Gods glory was the chief, the darling object of the heart of Christ. This object He pursued from first to last, with an undeviating purpose and unflinching fidelity. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." (John 10: 17) "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him." (John 13: 31, 32) "Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people from far: the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft: in his quiver hath He hid me; and said unto me, Thou art my servant, 0 Israel, in whom I will be glorified." (Isaiah 49. 1-3)

Thus, the glory of God was the paramount object of the Lord Jesus Christ, in life and in death. He lived and died to glorify His Father's name. Does the Church lose ought by this? Nay. Does Israel Nay. Do the Gentiles? Nay. In no way could their salvation and blessedness be so perfectly provided for as by being made subsidiary to the glory of God. Hearken to the divine response to Christ, the true Israel, in the sublime passage just quoted. "It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth."

And is it not a blessed thing to know that God is glorified in the putting away of our sins We may ask, Where are our sins? Put away. By what? By that act of Christ upon the cross in which God has been eternally glorified. Thus it is. The two goats, on the day of atonement, give the double aspect of the one act. In the one, we see God's glory maintained; in the other, sins put away. The one is as perfect as the other. We are as perfectly forgiven as God is perfectly glorified, by the death of Christ. Was there one single point in which God was not glorified in the cross? Not one. Neither is there one single point in which we are not perfectly forgiven. I say we;" for albeit the congregation of Israel is the primary object contemplated in the beautiful and impressive ordinance of the scape-goat; yet does it hold good, in the fullest way, with respect to every soul that believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, that he is as perfectly forgiven as God is perfectly glorified, by the atonement of the cross. How many of the sins of Israel did the scape-goat bear away? "All." Precious word! Not one left behind. and whither did he bear them? "Into a land not inhabited" — a land where they could never be found, because there was no one there to look for them. Could any type be more perfect? Could we possibly have a more graphic picture of Christ's accomplished sacrifice, in its primary and secondary aspects? Impossible. We can hang with intense admiration over such a picture, and, as we gaze, exclaim, "Of a truth, the pencil of the Master is here! "

a holy sound

I am a dreamer, a wishful thinker. Along with Anne of Green Gables, I "soar on the wings of anticipation". I imagine, I picture.

This week of studying the goat for Azazel has deeply impacted me. My soul has been still and my soul has soared. I have been reminded yet again that Leviticus paints the sky and weaves the golden, scarlet and purple threads. But is is not the book of Leviticus is it? What is Leviticus? It is the voice of Jehovah. If you took your red pen and underlined every word that is Jehovah speaking..you would find pages and pages of red in front of you.

He, by His own words and voice, patiently and with great love (and I believe delight and merriment) explains all that He wants us to know. What an incredible picture he draws for us...it is truly a picture of thousands of words.

I imagine the Day of Atonement in the day of the Israelites...before we reach Isaiah and God's disgust of what the day has become to them.

All are gathered....all is prepared...He, Jehovah God is there in the cloud of incense above the mercy seat. The sacrifices are ready and waiting. All who have a role in this great day are prepared, cleansed and purified. It is a HOLY day.

Jehovah has said many things about the day and the two that touch me today are that it is to be a Holy Convocation and they are to humble their souls.

A convocation is a calling out, a voice, there is sound in this picture. There is the ram's horn blowing, there is the sound of the animals, the babies, the small children. There is crackle of fire and hiss of fat. The splashing of water. There is the confession and calling out of iniquities and transgressions by the High Priest.

The role of the people is one thing only: to humble their souls, afflict their souls. Do we have any concept in 21st century America what this means? to humble our souls? O Beloved the sound that is made from this humbling, this affliction.

Their is crying out, wailing, weeping, singing, howling. There is sound, there is noise , there is voice and togetherness. There is no work, there is only rest...and what a vocal rest it is! What a journey from mourning into dancing.

As I think about this Day of Atonement, I read Psalm 116 in a whole new understanding.

Psalm 116

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

I love the LORD, because He hears
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.
The cords of death encompassed me
And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;
I found distress and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!"
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have rescued my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
My feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
I believed when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted."
I said in my alarm,
"All men are liars."
What shall I render to the LORD
For all His benefits toward me?
I shall lift up the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of the LORD.
I shall pay my vows to the LORD,
Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His godly ones.
O LORD, surely I am Your servant,
I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,
You have loosed my bonds.
To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And call upon the name of the LORD.
I shall pay my vows to the LORD,
Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the LORD'S house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!

Thank You, Thank You o Father, Son and Holy Spirit....that You have delivered us from death into life.

for such a time as this

Lev. 16:21 -

"Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness.

The One who led the goat for Azazel into the wilderness continues to intrigue me. After studying the scriptures I see the Father placing His hands upon this goat/upon Jesus Christ and transferring all of our sins . This goat/this chosen Son carried the burden of all iniquity into the wilderness/sheol.

Tradition states that the goat was taken to a cliff and thrown down. I do not see this in scripture yet, if at all. And to be honest, if we go with tradition then the analogy breaks down. God has provided this analogy for us...would he allow it to be incomplete?
Is there anything in scripture that tells us the fate of the goat for Azazel?

22 "The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

A solitary land: G@zerah, a separated place , a cut off land. A separation of death from life.

"Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other ."

By the hand of the One chosen for just this time the goat for Azazel shall be sent into the wilderness and released into the wilderness. Life shall be divided from death, death from life.

send and release : Shalach: to cast out, to drive out, divorce, to let go

The One who was ready for such a time as this walked the path with the goat for Azazel and then had to let it go.....the One could go no farther and then had to begin the long walk back to the camp.

O what anguish of soul as the Beloved was separated from the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Can I ever fully comprehend the depths?

the anguish of His soul

All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation,
who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people,
to whom the stroke was due?
His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
But the LORD was pleased To crush Him,
putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors


What do I learn about the Father through what His Son went through?

My Father took my sins into His hands and placed them upon HIS Son.

The Light Bringer placed his hands upon the goat for Azazel and placed the iniquities of Israel upon the goat for Azazel.

This is no abstract concept, no distant scene. This is my Father who loves me desperately, taking my transgressions and iniquities into His own hands and placing them upon the head of His Son. This is His Son, my Saviour, willingly carrying that burden upon His soul and delivering it to where they belong....the pit, the grave, the abode of the Prince of this world.

This is my Father and His Son and the Holy Spirit with their soul laboring under the burden of iniquity and grieving.
This is my Father satisfied.
This is my Father beholding me as cleansed and righteous.
This is my Father's full knowledge and of what His Son, the Righteous One, has done.
This is my Father never abandoning my soul to darkness.

This is what has been accomplished for us as we believe in Him.

Our Father allowed our sins to be placed on His Son but He did not allow His Son's soul to stay in the pit with our sins and He will never allow my soul to go to the pit of hell. What an active role the Father had....how could I have not seen that before?

the Light Bringer shall

Studying the goat for Azazel led me to outline Leviticus 16....and oh what precious truths He shows us in His scriptures.

Over and over in this chapter we see "Aaron shall" . Aaron "Light Bringer". Jesus Christ, the One who brought us Light.....look at what He and He alone has done. He has done and continues to do the work.



The LORD spoke to Moses
• After the death of Nadab and Abihu
o Sons of Aaron
o Approached the presence of the LORD and died
The LORD said
• Tell your brother Aaron
Aaron
• Shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil
• Before the mercy seat which is on the ark
• Lest he die
• For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat
Aaron
• Shall enter the holy place with this
o A bull for a sin offering
o A ram for a burnt offering
Aaron
• These are holy garments
o Shall put on the holy linen tunic
o shall be next to his body The linen undergarments
o shall be girded with the linen sash
o attired with the linen turban
Aaron
• Shall bathe his body in water and put them on

Aaron
• Shall take from the congregation
o 2 male goats for a sin offering
o one ram for a burnt offering
Aaron
• Shall offer the bull for the sin offering that he may make atonement
o for himself
o for his household
Aaron
• Shall take 2 goats
o Present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting
Aaron
• Shall cast lots for the 2 goats
o One lot for the LORD
o One for Azazel
Aaron
• Shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell
o Make it a sin offering
• Shall be presented alive before the LORD the goat on which the lot for Azazel fell
o To make atonement upon it
o To send it into the wilderness as AZAZEL
Aaron
• Shall offer the bull of the sin offering
o Make atonement
• For himself
• For his household
• Shall slaughter the bull of the sin offering
o Which is for himself
Aaron
• Shall take
o a firepan of coals of fire from upon the altar before the LORD
o 2 handfuls of finely ground sweet incense
• bring it inside the veil
Aaron
• Shall put the incense on the fired before the LORD
• That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony
• Lest he die
Aaron
• Shall take some of the blood of the bull
o Sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side
o Sprinkle some of the blood with his finger 7 times in front of the mercy seat
Aaron
• Shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering
o Which id for the people
o Bring its blood inside the veil
• Sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side
• Sprinkle some of the blood with his finger 7 times in front of the mercy seat
Aaron
• Shall make atonement for the holy place
o Because of the impurities of the sons of Israel
o Because of their transgressions, in regard to all their sins
Aaron
• Shall thus do for the tent of the meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities
• When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place
o No one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out
o That he may make atonement
• For himself
• His household
• All the assembly of Israel
Aaron
• Shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD
• Make atonement for it
• Shall take some of the blood
o Of the bull
o Of the goat
• Put it on the horns of the altar on all sides
Aaron
• Shall with his finger sprinkle some of the blood on it 7 times
o Cleanse it
o Consecrate it from the impurities of the sons of Israel
Aaron
• Shall offer the live goat
o When he finishes atoning
• For the holy place
• The tent of meeting
Aaron
• Shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat for Azazel
o Confess over the goat for Azazel all the iniquities of the sons of Israel
o Confess all the transgressions in regard to all their sins
Aaron
• Shall lay them on the head of the goat for Azazel
• Shall Send the goat for Azazel away into the wilderness
o By the hand of a man who stands in readiness
The goat for Azazel
• Shall bear on itself
o All their iniquities
o To a solitary land
The man who stands in readiness
• Shall release the goat for Azazel into the wilderness
Aaron
• Shall come into the tent of meeting
o Take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place
o Shall leave the garments there
Aaron
• Shall bathe his body
o With water in a holy place
o Put on his clothes
• Come forth
o Offer his burnt offering
o Offer the burnt offering of the people
o Make atonement
• ‘for himself
• for the people
Aaron
• Shall offer up in smoke the fat of the sin offering on the altar
The man who released the goat for Azazel
• Shall wash his clothes
• Shall bathe his body with water
• Afterward he shall come into the camp

they who burn
• shall take outside the camp
o the bull of the sin offering
o the goat of the sin offering
• whose blood was brought into to make atonement in the holy place
• shall burn in the fire
o their hides
o their flesh
o their refuse
• shall wash his clothes
• shall bathe his body
• afterward he shall come into the camp
THIS
• Shall be a permanent statute for you
o In the seventh month
o On the 10th day
You- whether the native, or the alien who sojourns
• Shall
o Humble your souls
o Not do any work
ATONEMENT
• Shall be made for you to cleanse you
YOU
• Shall be clean from all your sins before the LORD
• It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you
• That you may humble your souls
• It is a permanent statute
The priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as a priest in his father’s place
• Shall make atonement
• Shall thus put on the linen garments, the holy garments
• Shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary
• Shall make atonement
o For the tent of meeting
o For the altar
• Shall make atonement
o For the priests
o For all the people of the assembly
YOU
• Shall have this as a permanent statute
• To make atonement
o For the sons of Israel
o For all their sins once every year
And just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so he did.

azazel

I continue to think about what Christ said " I have come that you may know Him". In looking at the burial of Christ, how do the scriptures related to that bring me into a deeper relationship of knowing Him.

#2 of JP's list

2.) The burial of Christ is important in fulfilling Old Testament types:

First, I need a better understanding of types. How do we know if a passage in the OT is a "type" of NT truths? I look at the list below and I am intrigued as to how they apply to Christ's burial. Some seem more obvious than others: Noah in the ark, Joseph in the pit, Jonah in the fish. Others quicken my senses......ahhhhh: the scapegoat, the rod. Father, what is here for us to learn, to see, to hear? Father, thank you for giving us Your Son so that we may know You.

• The scapegoat into the wilderness (Lev. 16:5-10, 26; cf. Jn. 1:29)

"and he (High Priest) shall lay them (iniquities and transgressions) on the head of the goat for Azazel and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. And the goat for Azazel shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat for Azazel in the wilderness"

Who is the man who stands in readiness? Who is this one who walked with the goat for Azazel into the wilderness?

Thank you Father for so much to meditate upon.

nathan

The first time I heard that Jesus Christ had gone to hell I was flabbergasted. What? No way! What in the world are you talking about?

Even now I am uncertain on it (11/1...I am no longer uncertain. He took my sins for me and he took them to hell).... after he died on the cross, while He was buried for 3 days, he descended so that He might ascend. During that three days he descended into sheol and led the captives free. Does anyone else have this same understanding? Is an understanding of His burial and these 3 days important to us as believers? (11/1 YES!)

I think so....very important to understand the truth of what He did and does for us in our sanctifying walk. JP has listed many passages of scripture that set me to thinking.

Deut. 21:22-23

"committed a sin worthy of death....you shall surely bury him on the same day ....so that you do not defile your land which the Jehovah your God gives you as an inheritance."

Ps. 16:9-11

"Thou will not abandon my soul to sheol
neither wilt Thou give Thy Holy One to undergo decay"


22:15

"Thou dost lay me to the dust of death"


Isa. 53:9

"his grave was assigned with wicked men"


Acts 2:22-32

"He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh suffer decay"

13:26-41 (to the men of Israel)

"dead, no more to return to decay"
"Thou wilt not allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay"
"did not undergo decay.
Therefore let it be known to you brethren that through this One forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you"

Rom. 1:1-2

"gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures"

What is the significance of the fact that our physical bodies undergo decay when we physically die and that Jesus the Holy One was "not allowed" (by God) to undergo decay.

Look at this....He did not just NOT decay.....God, His Father did not allow Him to undergo decay...His Father did not permit decay.

Decay
Shachath: pit , destruction, grave

from
Shuwach: bowed down, sunk down, depression of the mind

Ok now I am confused. NASB translates Shachath as "undergo decay", but everywhere else it just means pit or grave. So does this actually mean "did not allow him to stay in the pit/grave?"

Jesus Christ came that we might know the Father...so what in these passages allows me to know Him more? For me it is the aspect the He kept His Son from the pit.

My Father is my Keeper.

My Father is my Bestower, Granter, Permitter, Ascriber, Employer, Devoter, Consecrator, Dedicator, Payor, Entrustor, Deliverer , Assigner, Designator.

He is our Nathan. He did not allow the pit/ the grave/ the decay. Therefore, through this ONE,
forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to us!

Ge 9:13 -

I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.

sweetie nice

I am not fond of sarcasm, but Isaiah 41 caught me so off guard that I laughed out loud. What is this? God......God speaking....God? being sarcastic?

Produce your cause, saith the LORD;
bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

Let them bring them forth, and shew Us what shall happen:
let them shew the former things, what they be,
that We may consider them, and know the latter end of them;
or declare Us things for to come.

Shew the things that are to come hereafter,
that We may know that ye are gods:
yea, do good, or do evil, that We may be dismayed, and behold it together.

Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

POW. Yikes!. Wow.

I was brought up sweetie nice. We say nice things to each other because we are nice people and especially because we are nice Christians. Words that are not nice are not good.

What else have I missed in His Word simply from the fact that I thought everything has to be nice and what I was reading could not possibly mean what it seemed to be saying?

Nippon

This morning took me back to a tender place, Japan.

The pictures on this blog were a delight for me...a walk down memory lane. One post about thinking outside the box initiated an interesting conversation between Anonimo and myself. As I explained to him the Japanese way of thinking that appears to Americans as "inside the box", he commented on how worship affects culture and not vice versa.

Shinto and Buddhist worship is vastly different from the religious heritage of America. If we compare the two cultures with their backgrounds in worship, there seems a correlation there. Definitely a new viewpoint for me to take a look at.

God has created us to be worshippers. What you worship or who you worship determines everything else.

Food for thought.

apologetics is radically sanctifying

Tim Nichols wrote

Apologetics is devotional, worshipful, and radically sanctifying…

…if it’s done properly.


I would agree and so Anonimo and myself will be joining Tim for 4 sessions of worship, apologetics style.

See the link above for more information if you are interested.

regeneration

The wind bites my skin as I sit at the skate park. A crowd of boys glide up and down the ramps on their boards. It is obvious that this is their culture.

There is a sameness about them. As I watch them and listen to them,unbidden, the word unregenerate comes to mind.

And this one thought takes me to a question: Can the unregenerate mind believe , trust or comprehend the death, burial, resurrection and appearance of Christ?

If I were to have the chance to start a conversation with one of these boys about salvation...would that unregenerated mind be able to grasp these spiritual truths?

He that is not spiritual does not understand the things of the Spirit. Do you see my logical conclusion and sincere question?

If I were to have the chance....

***********

Hi.

Hey.

Why aren't you skating?

...I am sick of all this...I come here everyday and hang out with these guys. We do the same thing over and over and that's it. What are you doing here?

Watching my boys. If you are sick of it, why do you keep coming?

What else is there?

As corny as you might think this sounds, there is Jesus.

Oh man, are you one of those Jesus freaks?

Yeah, I am, I believe in Jesus. He took me from the sickness of it all and gave me a life worth living.

I can't believe it. A Jesus freak. You guys are just a bunch of hypocrites. Besides what you say I have to do is way too hard. No way.

Did I say you have to do anything?

Well, not you, but you know ....all you freaks say the same thing. Stop doing this and stop doing that. God is like this big angry dude that just wants to smash me with His fist. Why would I even wanna go there?

I am sorry you have been told all that.

It's true isn't it?

No, not really. Do you mind if I tell you something from the bible?

Go ahead, but I am sure I won't understand it...the bible is just some old huge book. Who could ever read all that? Who would want to? Except some freak.

Yep, it is a pretty big book all right. Lots of words. It is actually a whole bunch of books put together...that is why it looks so big. A lot of the books are pretty short, like letters to someone.

Really?

Yes. One of the books is called John, that is the one I wanted to tell you about.

All right go ahead. I probably couldn't stop you anyway

Say the word and I shut up.

Whatever. What did you want to say?

Before I do, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to listen to me. I appreciate that.

........yeah well, you don't seem to be that freaky.

Thanks. John was a really good friend of Jesus and after Jesus died he wrote down a book about Jesus' life. One of the things he wrote about was being saved. Do you know what that means?

Yeah, I think it means not going to hell. But I don't believe in hell.

Actually being saved is all about eternal life....it is a gift that God wants to give you, eternal life.

You know that sounds whacko right? Eternal life, you mean like the fountain of youth or something?

Nope, I mean eternal life, life after our physical body dies, a life that means everything instead of nothing....and a life here on earth that means something instead of nothing.

So what your saying is there is this gift that God has and he wants to give it to me and then this stupid life will actually mean something?

Yes, that is what Jesus' friend John wrote about..life....eternal life...salvation.

I am not saying that I believe anything you are saying....but are you telling me that there is a way to have eternal life?

Yes.

OK, what is that way?

Jesus.

Come on, what does that mean. Jesus? I hear the word Jesus all the time....heck I say it all the time. It means nothing.

Not the word Jesus, the name Jesus. That is what means something. You have any friends named Josh?

OK now you are really freaking me out. How did you know my name is Josh?

I didn't ...really...but it is nice to meet you Josh, my name is Aletheia. Jesus' name means Joshua.

You're kidding me right? He had the same name as me?

Yep. Joshua...it is a Hebrew name....do you know what it means?

No, I think my mom named me after some movie star or something.

It means God is Salvation.

You're kidding me?

Nope, Joshua is Jesus' name and it means God is salvation. His whole name is Jesus Christ.. Christ means Messiah, Redeemer. So His whole name means God is salvation Redeemer.

Weird.

Yeah. Remember we were talking about eternal life? John's book tells us all about it.

No way anyone is gonna give me eternal life.

Why?

Come on, I am a jerk. I do stupid things. No way God, Jesus, Joshua, whoever... cares about me and would actually give me something like eternal life.

Josh, God does care about you. A lot. So much that he sent His only son Jesus Christ...remember...salvation? redeemer?....He sent His only son to die for you so that you could have eternal life. All those jerky, stupid things you have ever done and will do again...Jesus died for that...so that you could have eternal life.

That is weird, all that dying stuff. So that is it? He died and now I have eternal life?

Not exactly, he asks just one thing.

Here it is, I knew it. Ok, lay it on me, what do I have to do?

John tells us in his book...believe.

Believe?

Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

So believe in this Jesus Joshua guy? Believe that God is salvation and this guy redeems, whatever that means?

Yes, believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But how can I believe if I don't even understand it all?

It is simple, just believe. You can't understand it all yet...but that moment that you believe...you are given eternal life and understanding will begin to follow.

This is crazy, but I gotta tell you I am sick of what I have now and who I am now.

Believe Josh. Believe in the One who redeemed you from all of this.

I gotta think about this.

No problem...I would need to think about it too. Thanks for listening...maybe I will see you next time we are here.

K. Hey that John guys book. How could I get that? Sounds easier to read than that bible thing.

Do you have the internet?

Of course! everybody does.

Just type in online bible. There are a lot of different sites. There are also a lot of different versions of the bible. Just choose one and click on John and then you can read that book. If it is too hard to understand, try a different version.

Thanks. I always thought Jesus people were freaky. How come you are normal?

Sometimes we just have to take a little time to talk so that we can realize I am not a freak and you are not a freak. See you around Josh.

*****************


Why do we ask the unregenerate mind to believe the spiritual truths of the death, burial and resurrection?

And if we are not asking them to believe the spiritual truths, then what are we asking them to believe?

Just the facts, mam?

Something is off kilter here.

many apologies

As I waited for Sardius in the dentist office I read through the latest Newsweek. One article caught my eye: Arguing Against the Atheists.

Recently several books have been released in response to a book entitled "God is not Great".

These books all hope to make the case for the author's belief in God.

"What God Can Do for You Now"
"Why Faith Matters"
"A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists"
"Is God a Delusion?"
"How to Believe in God"

Wow.

The author of the article made a great point....everyone seems to view God differently. So here we have all these books, polls, opinions, debates on God...and no one is speaking about the same God. Everyone has their own view of God and so the books, polls, opinions and debates go nowhere. There is no starting point of Truth.

Thus...I must ask myself...how do I share the Truth of who He is with someone whose idea of Him is so skewed that they can barely hear what I say?

I already know part of the answer because I have experienced it: I allow Him to live through me. My co-workers who interact with me daily and "know" me will be far more willing to listen and consider belief...than the guy I have never met that I stop as he walks by me on the street. Paul talks about this "sphere" in 2nd Corinthians. We all have our own "Sphere of Influence".

Scenario #1

Hey A, I have this assignment for my world lit class. I have to read the Old Testament (said with a squirm) Um, uh....well ...(and it comes out in a rush)....I know you like, read the bible and stuff and I was wondering if you could maybe help me.

sure.

Well you see I have all these stories I have to read and compare and I read for like 2 hours last night and I can't understand any of it...I mean none of it! I only have the King James. Do you know of another bible that might be easier for me to understand.

sure. I will bring it in tomorrow.

Thank you! (and their relief is palatable)

*******

This is a version called the Message, modern everyday language. I think you will have a much easier time understanding the Old Testament with this. What do you have to read?

Oh, the genesis story and umm, the flood and some other stuff.

Well, it should go a bit faster for you with this version.

Will you proofread my papers after I have written them?

You bet.

********

Here are my papers and thank you for letting me borrow your book. That was way easier. I feel like I could really understand what I was reading. Thanks for proofreading, let me know what you think.

Good stuff here, I liked reading it. Especially what you had to say about Job's friends. My favorite part was your conclusion: Mercy. That God is merciful. You are exactly right. Not many people seem to see or understand that mercy. Job's three friend's are quite a crack up aren't they? They really represent some different philosophies of thinking. Hey I gotta get back to work. See you later.

*******

Hey, A. I was thinking last night and I need to ask you something. What you said about Job's friends..did you think my conclusions were wrong or that I didn't understand something?

Nope, I thought your paper was very good. And I really liked that you saw the mercy of God. You didn't mention Job's 4th friend though. I was wondering what you thought of him.

A 4th friend! What? My assignment said to evaluate the 3 friends.

Yep, there is a 4th friend. He just sits and listens to it all and then he says his piece. He is younger than the others...but he sure seems to get it. And then comes the best part. God speaks. That's my favorite.

Hmmm, another friend. But you thought my paper was ok?

Yes. You always do a good job with your writing. I look forward to reading the rest of them.

*************

Scenario #2

(It is opening night at The Haunted Ship. A hundred or so teenagers are standing around and waiting in line. I wear a big placard "Jesus Saves" on one side "You are going to hell" on the other. I walk back and forth and shout out about the devil and demons and how this haunted ship is wrong.)

Do not go in there! Save yourselves! Jesus saves! Listen to me, I have some good news to tell you. Hey , Hey can I talk to you?

Leave me alone you idiot.

Really I just want to talk to you about God.

God!? whatever, there is no God or if there is a God who even cares. I don't! He doesn't care about me or anybody except those who can be "very, very good". Whatever. You are creeping me out. Yuck. Let's go guys.

God loves you!

Whatever....man that guy is weird. if that is God than forget it.

***********

I do not write this to mock....I only hope to be honest in what I have seen.

Thus...I must ask myself...how do I share the Truth of who He is with someone whose idea of Him is so skewed that they can barely hear what I say?

Which scenario leads to a place to start with the Truth? #1 or #2? You know my answer.

Is there another part to the answer?

contemplating falseness

Dearly Beloved and I recently watched a fictionalized account of Joseph Smith and the beginning of the mormon religion. It was very eye opening for us. For Anonimo, the comparisons to experience were staggering. For me, I felt a deep sadness at what we do when we do not take God at His Word.

Men throughout time have sought to serve God and in this seeking have only found their own preeminence. Somewhere along the journey they lost sight. They could no longer hear. Their hearts beat slowly, and time became their own and not His.

These men have always been what is often called charismatic. Charis: Grace. What they are is false grace. What irony. They are blind to the charis of Him and take a false charis upon themselves and project it onto and at others.

Again what irony that it is this false grace that draws people to them...people who truly desire true grace. But these men stand in the way of true vision, true understanding. They put themselves in the place of God. Oh grief.

When we stand and speak forth "stop!", they will not listen, they no longer hear. They are so in tune with their own truth that Truth sounds like lie to them. In love we speak the truth and it is returned with spit and gnashing.

I hold out my hand , palm upward, and offer the very smallest mustard seed. They brush it aside and over run me with their words. My tiny seed is not lost in the dust of their activity and so I gently pick it up and offer it once more. The exhalation of their disgust and exasperation blows my seed into the wind.

I say "You yourself have said 'faith alone'. Why do you not honor my tiny seed?" And I am dwarfed in the presence of their anger and astonishment. "How dare you....how dare you! question me!" And their interpretation is held up as a golden serpent when all I can see is a wooden staff.

My tiny seed has blown into the wind and I spread my arms wide and shout "behold!behold! that which was but a tiny speck is now towering strength. Can you tell me? Please tell me...how did something so small become so big?"

And they look in bewilderment at the sturdy tree which overshadows us both and they cannot answer...so they banish "away with you, you bitter wormwood. If you will not listen and obey MY voice....AWAY."

And they turn to those who are silent watchers and standing as tall as they can in there false charis...they begin to admonish" Take heed my brothers and sisters, take heed of this one who dared to question. See what falseness she speaks. See what bitter poison runs from her mouth. Take heed and see her no more. Her words you will not hear. Turn away from this reviler...she is that which I have warned you of." And his spit flies from his lips as his eyes glaze. I see it, they do not as they sway under his words and false charis.

My tree shades me. I sleep. I am exhausted. My dreams take me far away and at the same time terrorize me with images of the men who preached falsely.

When I awake I see others sitting nearby....their clothing covered with scars of shouted words "bitter! striving! carnal!!" Spit drips where it has fallen on their faces.

Some clench a tiny seed, others nurture a seedling. Still others lean against the protection of mature, beautiful trees.

Far off we see the false men marching. Many are following. We gaze into the sky and shade our eyes from the sun. We look back down and yet are so blinded we can no longer see the crowd that is marching away. Perhaps they do not exist? Maybe they never existed.

But then the blindness subsides and they are clearly seen again. Marching, marching and we see their destination and we cry out in a loud voice "WAIT!, Wait...listen." But they will not hear, they cannot hear.

Should we follow? Do they need us? What should we do?