When [Jacob] reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the
sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head
and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its
top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and
descending on it.
There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread
out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All
peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring
you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I
have promised you.
-- Genesis 28:11-15
Commentary:
When first reading, possibly the second or third, I see an historical
account and also a spiritual connection between Jacob and GOD, as GOD
makes two promises to Jacob. He gives him land and He promises to never
forsake him and his descendants. Usually, I would be satisfied with the
aforementioned revelations; but after meditating on this passage for a
couple of weeks, I see three of the most important words in this
passage: "I will give ...". (Read it again.) "I will give ...". GOD owns the land. The planet is GOD's planet. The universe is GOD's universe. And GOD, in all his sovereignty gives a portion of land to Jacob and his descendants.
Whatever I think I may own, it was GOD's
in the first place. He gives me what I need: land, a house, clothing,
food, clean water, cars, jobs, ... and the list continues. May I thank
Him everyday for giving me these things. And that's just the stuff. More glorious are the spiritual gifts and the Kingdom-related blessings He gives!
Do Not Fret, Do Not Worry (About the Darkness of the World)
In mainstream Christian
circles there seems to be a preoccupation with how the world has strayed away
from its Creator – the LORD God Almighty
who is the Light for those who follow him. But the world continues to fall
further into darkness. And those in darkness don’t even know they are in the
wrong. Proverbs 4:19 says, “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like
deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” (NIV, New
International Version). Many of those in the light seem overly concerned about
how the world is deceived into a path that is contrary to God’s plan. The
wrongful ways of the world are seen on various news sources, in social media,
universities and public schools. It is seen in the political arena and in the
film and television industry, and even in many churches.
But as followers of the LORD God, of Jesus the Christ, we are not to
fret or worry. The Psalmist wrote, “Be still before the LORD and
wait patiently for him; fret not yourself of the one who prospers in his way,
over the [one] who carries out evil devices.” (NLT, New Living Translation uses
the word “worry.”) The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be
anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)
There are those living a life in opposition of God who accuse the
Christ-follower of being a hater just for disagreeing with their opinion or
lifestyle. Jesus warned his followers this would happen. “If the world hate
you, keep in my mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it
would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have
chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:18-19
(NIV)
Waiting on the LORD God and presenting our requests to him is
good – it is how we abide with him and his love. But some Christians may
believe that’s all we are to do – wait and pray. There are many injustices in
the world. Jesus was a champion for those who suffered injustice. He healed
those who were sick – both physically and spiritually (Matthew 8). He stood up
for the woman who was accused of adultery (John 8) [Keep in mind, he did not
condone adultery; he stood against those who were also in the wrong, the
woman’s accusers.] There are ways in today’s world the Christ-follower can
stand up against injustice. As Jesus demonstrated one-on-one, we too can
interact with one person at a time or even as a group – a homeless person or
persons, in the courts, with the pen, or with corporate prayer (to name a few).
The latter was seen quite effective during the waning years of the Cold War in late
1980s when Pastor Christian Fuhrer led the Peace Prayers in Leipzig Germany1.
They prayed for a unified Germany, and for peace. After the prayer meetings,
crowds filled the streets in peaceful demonstration – not one bottle or rock
was thrown, the demonstrators did not instigate violence. How many times do
people, including the Christian, feel the need to act against injustice by the
use of violence? Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), those who
were trapped in a dark place. And he did it in a manner of peace – for he is
the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
In the heart of the Christ-follower – in my own heart – may we not be
preoccupied with the darkness of the world, especially to the point of feeling
hopeless or violent. May we seek the LORD God, Jesus the Savior of the world, in
prayer and patiently wait for his justice. May we seek out ways to be a light
to a world of injustice in a manner of peace.
Footnote
1.
“A Time to Speak
Out – The Leipzig Citizen Protest and the Fall of East Germany” Wayne C.
Bartee, Praeger Publishers, 2000
The Temple
The Genesis account relays
that God was in the Garden with his creation, with the first two humans – Adam
and Eve. The Garden was God’s first temple because the temple is where God
dwells. Genesis 3 tells us that mankind rebelled against God when Adam and Eve
disobeyed God’s one command. As a result, mankind was expelled from the Garden,
from the temple. Since then, God has done everything to restore the temple in
order to be with his creation.
As described in the Book of
Exodus, God instructed the nation of Israel to build a tabernacle while they
were wandering in the wilderness. Centuries later, God provided detailed plans
for a temple – which King David’s son, Solomon had the privilege to complete.
Each time, the temple was meant to be a place for God to dwell, to be with his
people. For God desires to be with his creation. Unfortunately, mankind’s
continued rebellion prohibited (and prohibits) God from being in the presence
of sin. However, God made a temporary provision by the use of the temple which
involved lengthy instructions of sacrifice of animals and a cleansing ritual in
order to be in God’s presence. But the nation of Israel rebelled against God
which resulted in punishment by the use of the armies of other nations and the
destruction of the temple.
After the nation of Israel
were exiled (see 2 Chronicles 36, the Book of Daniel and the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah), God instructed the prophet Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem and the temple (see Ezra 3 and Nehemiah 2). When Nehemiah and the
Israelites were halfway done with the walls, they were taunted and threatened
by neighboring kings and armies. But Nehemiah stood his ground. He did not come
down from the wall (Nehemiah 3:4). Eventually, the city and the temple was
rebuilt.
But mankind’s rebellion
continued, and an everlasting temple was required for God to be with his
people. God hates sin, but “For God so loved the world [mankind] that he gave
his only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting
life.” (John 3:16). God came to the earth in the form of a man – Jesus the Messiah,
Emmanuel which means “God with us.” Jesus said to “destroy this temple” and he
will rebuild it in three days. The religious leaders of the time ridiculed him
for this statement. But Jesus was talking about his own body. While on the
cross, as his temple was being destroyed, the “people, priests and the elders
mocked Jesus, and shouted at him … ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he
is the Messiah, the chosen of God.’” They mocked and taunted Jesus, but Jesus
did not come down from the cross. Jesus stood firm and completed the will of
God. For Jesus was going to rebuild his temple in three days while in the
grave.
Jesus is the rock of salvation.
He told his disciple Peter, “And I tell you … on this rock [speaking of
himself] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail
against it.” God built a new temple – his church, his people – who are the
community of believers in Jesus the Messiah. God built his new temple in each
believer as the Apostle Paul wrote, “.. do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” Therefore, each
believer can be in the presence of God without the need of “lengthy
instructions,” because the ultimate sacrifice Jesus said, “It is finished,”
when he was on the cross. Now, it is the privilege of every believer to seek
God in prayer, “… your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven.” The believer must “stand firm” (1 Corinthians 16:13), on the rock,
Jesus who is the cornerstone of his temple, and not be moved by those who would
taunt and ridicule the believer for his or her faith in the one who desires to
be with his people in perfect unity for all eternity, until one day when his
people will dwell with him in his perfect and restored temple on the New Earth (Revelation
21).
Substitute for Sin
Why is this significant? Why a
sacrifice? Why a substitution? Because GOD
is perfect, and mankind failed to remain perfect (Genesis 3). Habakkuk 1:13
states, referring to GOD,
“Your eyes are too pure to look at evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.” In
essence, imperfect mankind could not and cannot be in the presence of
perfection – the Almighty GOD. The only
remedy, the only punishment for sin is death. GOD
told the first two humans the same thing – that is spiritual death. The Apostle
Paul stated when writing from a Roman prison, “For all have sinned and fallen
short of the glory of GOD.” (Romans 3:23)
Prior to the time of Jesus the
Messiah, sin was only covered by imperfect animals as all creation was affected
by sin. Leviticus is riddled with various types of sacrifice – a list too
lengthy for this article – which temporality covered various types of sin. From
the blood of cows, sheep to doves, these animals were used in this process. The
blood which the Israelites used to cover the “top and sides of the doorframe”
while in Egypt represented their saving moment of destruction, but again it was
only temporary relative to the millennia of history. Centuries prior, Abraham
was commanded by GOD to take his only son, Isaac, to Mount Moriah
and sacrifice him (Genesis 22). Fortunately, GOD stopped him and
provided a ram as a sacrifice. Since GOD cannot be in the presence of sin, sin must
perish, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6, “the wages of sin is death,” mankind’s
spiritual death. Fortunately, GOD stopped this from happening for anyone who
believes in the one who provided the ultimate sacrifice, the supreme
substitution – Jesus the Messiah.
Even before the Levitical commands of temporary sacrifice, GOD
intervened with sacrifice – with a substitution for sin (Genesis 8:20-21). He
provided for Noah. After the waters of the Great Flood receded, “… Noah built
an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals
and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the
pleasing aroma …” and made a covenant with mankind not to destroy the earth as
he had done – with water. (This water was a precursor to the baptism all
followers of Jesus the Messiah are blessed to experience.)
Before Noah, GOD covered the sin of Adam and Eve. Genesis 3
tells us, “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his
wife and clothed them.” In order for the provision of the “skin” to cover Adam
and Eve’s nakedness and sin, GOD sacrificed an animal. This was the first
sacrifice, the first substitution which covered the sin of mankind. Unfortunately,
this process was temporary as it only covered the sin and did not take away the
sin. Fortunately, this process was temporary as Jesus the Messiah took
away the sins of the world once and for all, the perfect propitiation. According
to many scholars, the place where Jesus the Messiah was crucified, Golgotha, is
the same location of, or near, Mount Moriah as previously mentioned – which
indicates that Abraham’s son Isaac and the ram were inadequate sacrifices.
Jesus the Messiah, GOD’s only Son, was the last sacrifice
and is the ultimate sacrifice for all of mankind’s sin, for all eternity for
those who believe in him (John 3:16).
