January 21, 2007
Scripture:
Scripture:
Ministry:
This morning we contemplated the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was the everlasting Word. I’d like to draw our attention to a few words the Lord uttered while on the cross. First, Matthew 27:45 & 46: “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” This is the eternal Word, who was with God all through eternity and life on earth. Now, while hanging on the cross dealing with the sin question, God had to turn away. Imagine! No, we can’t imagine what it was like for the Lord to have God turn His back and to cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” We can’t imagine what it was for God to turn His back. But seeing this can make us realize what He went through to redeem us; it makes us love Him more. Another utterance is in Luke 23:34: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Jesus said, “Father,” not “God.” When His work was completed, and sin was dealt with, he could again say, “Father.” It causes us to wonder what it was like for the Lord to be on that cross, when separated from God—He had never been before and will never again. If we looked at Psalm 22, we would find the same question He asked in Matthew. But then it says, “But thou art holy.” This is why God had to turn away. And in v. 46 it says, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” How wondrous to let these touch our hearts and help us see what he went through for you and me.
EG Hymn 363 – Long ago a flood was coming, Prayer • Today we are going to continue with the sin offering. First I want to look at its transference; read Leviticus 4:4. This also happens in the burnt offering, but there is a difference. In the burnt offering, when the offerer puts his hand on the animal, the blessing of the animal gets transferred to him. In the sin offering, the sin of the offerer gets put on the animal. Now read v. 18. Here they pour all the blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offerings. Why? All of the offerings (except the meal offering) took place at Calvary, all happening together. Each of them gives us a different perspective of the Lord’s death. In Matthew 26:28, the word “shed” could better be translated “poured forth,” which shows how well connected the scriptures are. Now each time an Israelite sinned, he would need to bring a sin offering. Some Christians might think that every time they sin, they need to ask God to cleanse them. Hebrews 10:14 says “by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” But does this mean we should continue sinning? No, we must do right. We also see that death had to take place in this offering (end of v. 4). After the sin was transferred to the animal, it had to die. That’s what happened at Calvary: our sins were put on Him and He died in our place. They had to kill the sin offering in the same place they killed the burnt offering, showing again how it is all connected. It was at Calvary that the Lord, the perfect burnt offering, was killed for us. Finally, we can see the forgiveness, v. 20. The Israelites could know that they would be forgiven because it said so in the law. We, too, know that the sin question has been dealt with because it says so in the Bible. We should be happy people because of this; let us rejoice in what the work of the Lord has done. This completes our look at the offerings in Leviticus; I didn’t say much about the trespass offering because it is much like the sin offering. But I do want to look at one more offering that is in Numbers: the red heifer.
Hebrews13:1–6 • We have been looking at the exhortation regarding brotherly love. No doubt this speaks about our love to one another in the divine family, but it reaches out to entertain some that we might not know. This isn’t suggesting that we should entertain strangers with hopes that they might be angels; that is not likely, but it is encouraging. Then, in v. 3, we see love to those who are in bonds. The apostle Paul (who is probably the writer of Hebrews) was in bonds quite often and knew what it was like. Yet this also includes those suffering physically. In v. 4 we see the aspect of love in marriage; v. 5 isn’t really an aspect of love, but shows us what happens to those who love possessions. Now, what we get in v. 4 is very short; the Darby translation says, “Let marriage be held in every way in honour.” That “let” is imperative; it is an urgent command. Today, marriage statistics are quite sad; 50% of marriages break up. But what is marriage? Even that is questioned. Malachi 2:14 talks about this; it makes us realize that marriage is a covenant. It is between two people: one is a wife, the other is a husband. The marriage vows are a covenant. Marriage in scripture and before God is serious for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is used as a type of God and Israel (the Old Testament) and Christ and the church (in the New Testament). The precious thing is that in all human relationships, not one is closer than that of a husband and a wife. This is remarkable. How many of us have seen a mother-to-be? Is that not a close relationship? Even after it is born, the child is dependant on his mother for everything. But the child will grow, and eventually he will get married and the process will start over again. Yet which is the closest relationship in this all? The one that goes on for a lifetime. “Can a woman forget her sucking child?” (Isaiah 49:15). It isn’t likely, but still, that relationship isn’t forever. Even at the beginning, God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18).That’s why he is supposed to leave and cleave. It is important to God because it is a picture of Christ and the church. Yet in this world, it is thought nothing of; if it doesn’t work the first time, you can try it again. God says marriage is for life; see I Corinthians 7:10 & 11 and Matthew 19:6. We believe there are two allowances, but otherwise it is better, much better, to let marriage be honourable. The latter part of the verse speaks about what God thinks of those who do not keep it honourable: “God will judge.” For Christians, it will be governmental judgement; for the unsaved, eternal. How much better it is to do it right the first time. EG Hymn 267 – The perfect righteousness of God, Prayer