December 4, 2011
Scripture:
Scripture:
Let’s remind ourselves of that precious verse, in the first chapter of Revelation. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us [or, loveth us], and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen“ (vv. 5 & 6).
Hymn 328 - I love my Saviour, My precious Saviour
Prayer
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Last time, we talked about the words trust and obey. Before we get into today’s chapter let’s look at the word instructions. What are instructions? Instructions are information on how to do something. You might have instructions included with a model, or at the beginning of an exam. If you do not follow the instructions, you might do something wrong. A number of years ago, when we had five children, I was offered the company van to go to the Bible conference in Montreal. All I had to do was put the benches into the van. Unfortunately, I didn’t read the instructions on how to do that, and one of the benches got stuck when I was putting it in. We couldn’t move it, and we were not able to take the van to the conference. If I had read the instructions, I would have been able to put the bench in correctly.
In the early part of 1 Samuel, the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant. After some time, the Philistines sent the ark back to Israel on a cart pulled by two oxen. The ark got back to Israel, but it wasn’t put into the tabernacle. Now that David was king, he wanted to bring the ark up to Jerusalem. Unfortunately, they didn’t follow the instructions on how the ark was to be moved. In Numbers 4:15, God gave instructions on how the Israelites were to move the ark: it was to be carried on the shoulders of four men; if a person touched the ark itself, he would die.
So the cart was on its way to Jerusalem. The people were all really happy, until the cart passed over some uneven ground and the ark swayed back and forth. Uzzah put his hand up and touched the ark to steady it. This was against the Lord’s instructions, and the Lord struck him down, dead. Uzzah died because he disobeyed the Lord in touching the ark.
When the Lord gives us instructions we need to follow them. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we learn that the Lord teaches us through Bible; then, we are able to live a life of righteousness before the Lord. Also read Proverbs 1:8. The Lord has given children their parents to teach them what the Bible says.
Out of fear, David stopped moving the ark to Jerusalem. The ark was stored in the house of Obededom for three months. In those three months, the house of Obededom was blessed, because the ark was with them.
David didn’t want anyone else to die, so when he organised the moving of the ark again, it was done the right way. He had four men carry it on their shoulders. Finally, the ark got to Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, there was the death of Uzzah. The Philistines sent the Ark back to Israel on a cart. However, the Philistines are a picture of the world and the Israelites just copied the way that the world had done it. You can’t do God’s work the world’s way; that’s the lesson here.
Luke 8:41-56
In both of the two “cases” that we’ve already talked about, we’ve seen the work of Satan. With the storm on the lake, we see the external activity of Satan; in the demon-possessed man, the internal activity. Before the late nineteen-sixties, you would have been hard-pressed to find a book on the topic of demonology or the occult. But in the late nineteen-sixties, something happened, and bookstores started to have sections dedicated to these topics. Nietzsche declared that God was dead, and people had to find something to fill the supposed gap.
Now, there are some churches that claim that they cast demons out of Christians. Can a Christian be possessed by a demon? If you look on STEM Publishing or Bible Truth Publishers, you won’t find any information on the Biblical position for this. However, there are differing opinions about this in other places on the Internet. Some claim that there is no New Testament text that says Christians can’t be possessed by demons. Another says that there is no New Testament text that says Christians can be possessed by demons. Both are correct. It doesn’t seem right, though, that both the Holy Spirit and demons can indwell in a person at the same time and be controlling his actions.
This being the case, Satan’s main weapon against believers is external. We need the armour that Paul speaks about in Ephesians 6 to stand firm against his attacks. James tells us to “Resist the devil” (James 4:7). Satan is a roaring lion, and we are all fair game. He knows how to tempt each one of us, so we need to be on our guard.
Now, in the passage we just read, the fourth “case” in this chapter is interrupted by the third case. Jairus had begged Jesus to come and heal his daughter; and although she was dying, Jesus wasn’t in any hurry to get there. As they are on their way to Jairus’ house, with a great multitude, they are interrupted by a woman with the issue of blood. Jairus - as the ruler of the synagogue - is a picture of Israel. Jesus had come to reign over Israel, but that was interrupted (as it were) when they crucified Him. We were the interruption. God’s dealings with Israel have been suspended for the day of grace so that Jesus can heal (save) the Gentiles. Later, Jesus will come back, and raise up Israel, to reign over them.
The story of the demon-possessed man is a picture of this as well. Jesus came to the Gadarenes, but they cast Him out. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” (John 1:11). However, Legion didn’t leave with Jesus. Jesus sent him back to his house as a testimony. This is a picture of the remnant; so the story speaks dispensationally.
This woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus on purpose. She wanted to be healed. There were many people touching Jesus, but it wasn’t on purpose. She only touched the hem of His garment, but she was completely healed. It’s not the amount of faith that matters, so much as who the faith is in. This poor woman had spent all her living on doctors, and was no better, but “rather grew worse” (Mark 5:26). We can’t earn or work for our salvation. Many try to, but it can only be accepted as a free gift.
We can see that this woman was very timid, because she just came and touched the hem of our Lord’s garment. She didn’t come and ask to be healed. She had faith, though, that she would be healed. After twelve years of sickness, she was healed immediately. Salvation isn’t a long process. Jesus said, “I am the door.” (John 10:9). It only takes a step to go through a door. Jesus didn’t say, “I am the tunnel, with light at the end. It’s a long journey to come to me.” No, we’re saved immediately, and grow in Him for the rest of our lives. With the brazen serpent in the wilderness, it only took one look to be healed.
Now this woman might have been satisfied with the fact that she was healed, but Jesus wasn’t. He stopped and asked, “Who touched me?” Now, of course, He knew who had touched Him; but He wanted her to confess what she had done. Peter said, “There are lots of people here. How can you ask who touched you?” Jesus answered, “I know somebody has touched me, because I perceive that virtue has gone out of me.” (Paraphrased). It’s through the Lord’s virtue that we’re saved; nothing else.
The woman came forward and told the Lord why she had touched Him, and how she had been healed. Jesus said to her, “Woman…” No; He said, “Daughter…” There was now a relationship. She was one of the family. “…Be of good comfort…” We can be of good comfort, because Jesus has given us another Comforter; the Holy Spirit. “…Thy faith hath made thee whole…” Jesus didn’t want her to think that it was the touch that saved her; it was her faith. “…Go in peace..” Jesus also didn’t want this woman to worry that her disease would come back. She had had many disappointments, but this was real. Faith healed her; confession gave her assurance. It’s a beautiful picture of salvation.
Hymn 113 - Only a step to Jesus
Prayer