Monday, November 22, 2010

Foundation Stones: Living for the Lord Jesus Christ:



Foundation Stones: Living for the Lord Jesus Christ:
Part 2 Faith:

I. Introduction:

1. In the days before sin entered the world,
Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of each day.
I kind of imagine them beginning their day with Him,
and ending their day with Him.
What ever the time frame might have been,
we were created to fellowship intimately with Him,
to trust and walk transparently before Him.
Our senior pastor (Dave Hess) is fond of saying:
“intimacy” means “into – me – see.”

2. God’s warning to them rings clear to us as well today,

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden
to cultivate it and keep it. The LORD God commanded the man, saying,
‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat,
for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’"

3. Why wouldn’t God want Adam and Ever to know for themselves
about the difference between Good and Evil?
It is because God wanted them, and us,
to trust and depend fully on Him for everything!

4. Adam’s choice was to trust in his own ability
to decide where his life would go –
what he should or shouldn’t do –
how he should rule over the earth.

5. We have the daily choice to cling to the Tree of Life (Jesus Christ)
or to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The failure of man to choose God’s perfect will for his life
over self-determination,
becomes the justification of a life lived in the flesh –
rather than in the Spirit.





6. The Spirit life breathes life, peace, while life in the flesh leads always to separation from God and eventually spiritual death.

“For the mind set on the flesh is death,
but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,”
Romans 8:6 NASB

“For to be carnally minded is death;
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6 NKJV

7. We must judge our call to ministry before we devote ourselves to it,
no matter how spiritual or Scriptural it may seem.
The true nature and assessment of any work must be judged by its fruit,
not its “spiritual appearance.”

8. We must ask ourselves, is this fruit from the Tree of Life
or from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil?

9. Jesus is to always be the sum of all spiritual truth.

“with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times,
that is, the summing up of all things in Christ,
things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him”
Ephesians 1:10 NASB

“that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times
He might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
Ephesians 1:10 NKJV

10. Thankfully we have been given the opportunity now
to have everything that Adam lost by his sin
restored to us by living a simple life of faith.

11. The further away we get from controlling our own lives,
and seeking to live lives led by the Holy Spirit
the closer we come to Eden restored.

12. Our daily inheritance as children of God
is to know the voice of our Father in Heaven
and know what his plans and directions for our daily lives are.


13. Jesus never did anything without seeking the Father’s will first.

“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself,
unless it is something He sees the Father doing;
for whatever the Father does,
these things the Son also does in like manner.”
John 5:19NASB
“Then Jesus answered and said to them,
‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself,
but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does,
the Son also does in like manner.’”
John 5:19NKJV

14. The Apostle Paul summed it up like this:
… “the just shall live by faith.”
Galatians 3:11

15. The Word of God calls us to:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God
as a workman who does not need to be ashamed,
accurately handling the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 NAS


16, The writer of Hebrews addressed this problem
in the early church writing:

“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ,
let us press on to maturity,
not laying again a foundation of
repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God,
of instruction about washings
and laying on of hands,
and the resurrection of the dead
and eternal judgment”
Hebrews 6:1-2 NAS






II. Let’s examine more closely
what it means to have ‘faith in God.’

1. Our whole life is about faith!
Everything we do is done out of a restored relationship with God.

2. We now “walk with Him”
which means we live our lives with a constant awareness of His presence around us and in us.

3. We actually now have something better
that what Adam and Eve had in the Garden.
A. They walked and talked with God in the “cool or the day.”
(Genesis 3:8)
B. As Christians we have God in us through the Holy Spirit.
C. Our “tuning in” to His internal voice
is what the daily “walk of faith” is all about.
D, It is how we are daily transformed into His likeness

“But I say, walk by the Spirit,
and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh;
for these are in opposition to one another,
so that you may not do the things that you please.”
Galatians 5:16-17 NASB

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit,
and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh;
and these are contrary to one another,
so that you do not do the things that you wish.”
Galatians 5:16-17 NKJV



4. Walking in the flesh does not just refer just to sinning –
it means living life like Adam chose to do,
saying “I will decide what is right and wrong for me.”



5. There are only two ways to live life:
A) Walk in the flesh (the old nature – a self directed life) or
B) Walk in the Spirit
( the new nature – directed by the Holy Spirit in us.

23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats,
because his eating is not from faith;
and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Romans 14:23 NASB

6. This is the simple truth – whatever is born of faith is righteousness
– whatever is not born of faith is sin

7. Faith - God’s High Standard:
Although simple the walk of faith is a high standard
It means that we must completely trust our lives to Him
Our trust however, is not in our ability
Even our faith is a gift of God

8For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB

8. How then do we build our faith?
A) Everyone who is a Christian
already has a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)
B) or we would not have been able to come to Jesus.
C) For us to continue to grow and mature
our faith must grow continually:

17So faith comes from hearing,
and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17 NASB
Hearing: G189 akoē {ak-o-ay'} hearing - audience, ear, fame, which you heard, hearing, preached, report, rumor. From G 191 to hear, be reported, understand.

9. Walking by faith simply means that we:
A. simply hear what God is saying
B. we obey what we hear Him saying



10. This means that we must learn to discern God’s voice:
For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture
and the sheep of His hand today, if you would hear His voice,
Psalm 95:7 NASB
"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice,
and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
John 10:3 NASB

11. Hearing comes to us by the Word of God:
A. The first way to hear God’s voice
is to make prayer a daily practice…
a) Daniel prayed three times a day (Dan. 6:10)
b) Jesus did nothing without the Father’s approval
(John 5:30)

12. Essentials for establishing/ maintaining a growing prayer life:
A. Make Time for Prayer
a) Prayer must be made a priority in our life
b) Establish set times for prayer
c) If we are walking in faith
we will set other things aside
so we can hear the voice of God.

B. Use the Lord’s Prayer / or Disciples Prayer as a guide:
Luke 11:2-4 as a model
a) Note the simplicity
b) Meditate on each element of the outline for prayer
“Our father”
“You are OUR father… the churches Father
Lord help me to walk in unity
with my brothers and sisters
Thank you for the Spirit of adoption “Abba Father”
Lead me by Your Spirit today that we might be one
A reflection of the Trinity - One with the Trinity
Walking in unity – within the church… etc.

C. Pray with a Mentor:
a) Ask someone you respect in the Lord
to be your spiritual mentor of parent.
b) Pray with them and note how they pray
c) Ask them to help you to better seek and know God’s voice
D. Get Involved in a Home Group Fellowship:
Home groups are a great way
to experience God’s presence
and come alongside other mature believers
who will encourage you in prayer
and with your walk with the Lord

13. Essentials for growing in God’s Word
Another way to discern God’s voice is by making it a practice to read His Word, the Bible every day. The scriptures were all written by the Spirit of God through godly men, so they are an excellent way to discern what God is saying to you today. They are also God’s standard; if you think you hear God saying something that is not confirmed by His Word, then you can be sure what you heard was not from God.
Here are a few suggestions for getting started:
A. Start with books that are simpler to understand:
a) The Bible has many different genres:
• Historical narrative: Genesis and the first half of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Jonah
• Law: the last half of Exodus; also Leviticus, Deuteronomy
• Wisdom: Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
• Psalms: Psalms, Song of Solomon, Lamentations
• Prophecy: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
• Apocalyptic: Daniel, Revelation
• Gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,
• Acts of the Apostles/ Church
• Epistle (letter): Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, Jude



b) The apocalyptic books of Revelation and Daniel
are fascinating, and filled with God’s truths,
but they are better understood,
when the rest of the Bible has been read.

c) The gospels are a great starting place
as well as, many of the New Testament letters
like Romans, Ephesians, James and 1 John

d) Psalms and Proverbs should be a part of every believer’s daily diet in the Word. They are practical and the believer is able to identify with many of the feeling, ideas and juxtapositions offered in them

14. The Walk of Faith:

17So faith comes from hearing,
and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17 NASB

A. Read this scripture verse several times
until you can repeat it with your eyes closed.

B. This passage tells us that our faith is increased
when we hear from God,
and our ability to hear from God
is increased by His Word…
His word comes to us:
a) through His written Word – the Bible
b) through the preaching of His word
c) through His Word spoken by the Spirit of God

C. Take some time to reflect
on how your faith has been increased by hearing God.
a) What has God spoken to you recently
through His Word
that has increased your ability to hear God?
b) How has this affected your level of faith?
c) Write down a testimony about a time
that you believed God said something to you,
and you saw it happen
because you did what He said to do.


15. Holding on to Faith During Tough Times:

A. You have probably discovered this truth –
It is easier to trust God
when everything is going well for you.
B. When we are…
a) prospering in our finances,
b) getting along with everyone around us
c) receiving all our prayerful requests
d) are healthy and happy…
…then the faith walk is easy
C. True faith, however, is demonstrated in the hard times…
a) when we are unemployed or financially strapped
b) when our relationships are strained
c) when the heavens seem to be made of brass
d) when we are confronted with sickness, depression
or are being attacked by the enemy
… in these times we discover whether we are walking in faith
or whether we have in some way
reverted to walking with God by our own control

6In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while,
if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold
which is perishable, even though tested by fire,
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 1:6-7 NASB (my emphasis bold)
D. When we are walking in true faith
we will not be moved or shaken or influenced
by the circumstances that surround us,
be they dining at the king’s table or unexplained affliction.

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content
in whatever circumstances I am.
12I know how to get along with humble means,
and I also know how to live in prosperity;
in any and every circumstance I have learned
the secret of being filled and going hungry,
both of having abundance and suffering need.”
Philippians 4:11-12 NASB

E. We do not deny the reality of the affliction or grace,
but we approach them with a Godly mindset

F. Faith is not the denial of the reality of troubles.
It is acknowledging that God
is greater than our troubles,
and trusting that He always loves us
and has our best interests in mind.

F. Faith sees life through a different set of eyes…
… eyes that have been opened to the supernatural (invisible)
yet superior realm of God’s kingdom being established here on earth

“for we walk by faith, not by sight”
2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB

G. Once, we all walked according to sight…
a) basing our beliefs about our lives…
our past
our present
our future
… on what we see day-by-day
… on what we could “control” by ourselves

H. Now, as believers, we live a life of faith in Christ Jesus;
trusting all our circumstances are safe in His hands.

"I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh
Hebrews 11:1I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21"I do not nullify the grace of God,
for if righteousness comes through the Law,
then Christ died needlessly."
Galatians 2:20-21 NASB (my emphasis bold)

I. True faith gives us a supernatural assurance
That it is going to be “alright”
even when the circumstances we are in
are contrary to our belief

“Now faith is the assurance (substance) of things hoped for,
the conviction (evidence) of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1 NASB

J. By assurance (substance) and conviction (evidence),
we mean that we are walking by faith in the spirit
a) our soul (mind, will and emotions)
are locked on to God’s promises…
b) we look forward to His provision
before we can see it in the natural.

J. Faith is:
a) the man who is unemployed relying on God to provide for his family while he is seeking new work
b) the woman who clings to God’s promise of healing,
while she experiences the
(often painful) realities of having cancer,
and the sometimes negative reports
of the medical community.
c) It is the one who carries the promises of God in their heart, and refuses to lose faith,
no matter how long it takes for the answer to come.

K. Welcome to your new life of faith in God.
a) Buckle up, and get ready for the ride of your life!
b) As you grow in your ability to trust God (walk in faith)
you will be able to do greater and greater works
to establish God’s kingdom here on earth,
and bring Him glory.


L. Every time you refuse to allow your circumstances
to dictate what you do, you are building up your faith,
and stretching your heart
to live a life as God intended – by faith.

III. Self Study Faith Scripture

1. Read Hebrews chapter eleven (11)

2. This chapter is commonly called the “Hall of Faith.”

3. In it are examples of people who greatly glorified God
and built His kingdom because of a willingness
to live a life of simple faith.
A. Below is a list of the individuals which Hebrews 11 speaks of
along with the scriptural passages you can look up
and read about their accounts.

B. There is probably no better way to examine ‘faith’ in the Bible that to read and meditate upon the lives of these people
whom the Holy Spirit has given us –
that we might be encouraged in our own walk of faith.

C. You are invited to take the “Faith Journey”
by exploring their lives.

D. Invite the Holy Spirit to show you
why these people were considered pillars of faith,
and how you can apply what you learn about the faith walk
to your own life’s experiences.





Hall of Faith:

Abel (Genesis 4)
Enoch (Genesis 5:21 – 24)
Noah (Genesis 6 – 9)
Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 12 – 25)
Isaac (Genesis 22; 25 – 26)
Jacob (Genesis 28 – 33; 35; 48 – 50)
Joseph (Genesis 37; 39 – 46; 50)
Moses (Exodus 1-20; 32 – 34)
Joshua at Jerico (Joshua 6)
Rahab (Joshua 2; 6)
Gideon (Judges 6 – 8)
Barak (Judges 4 – 5)
Samson (Judges 13 – 16)
Jephthah (Judges 11 – 12)
David ( 1 & 2 Samuel)
Samuel (1 Samuel)

Friday, November 5, 2010

Fifty (50) Kinds of Hearts

Bitter Eze 27:31; Hep 12:15; Js 3:14
Broken Ps34;18; 51:17; 69:20
Circumcised Rom 2:29; Phil 3:3
Clean Ps 51:10; 73:1; Pr 20:9
Compassionate Ps 55:4 Jer 4:19
Contrite Ps 51:17
Covetous Jer 22:17; 2 Pet 2:14
Deceitful Jer 14:14; 17:9; Mk 7:19-21
Double 1 Chr 12:33; Js 4:8
Double 1 Chr 12:33; Js 4:8
Despiteful Eze 25:15: Rom 1:30
Diabolical Jn 13:2 ; Acts 5:3
Discouraged Num 32:7-9 Dt1:28
Evil Jer 3:17; 7:24; 11:8; 16:12; Heb 3:12
Fixed Ps 57:7; 112:7
Flesh Eze 11:19 36:26
Foolish and darkened Rom 1:21
Fretting Pr 19:3 ; Ps 37:1-8
Grieved Gen 6:6; Ps 73:21
Hard Dt 15:7; Ps 95:8; Heb 3:8
Haughty Pr 18:12 Jer 48:29
Heavy Pr 25:20 31:6
Honest and good Lk 8:15
Impenitent Rom 1:21; 2:5
Meek and lowly Mt 11:29
Merry 2Chr 7:10; Pr 15:13-15; 17:22
Mischievous Pr 28:14; Pr 22:15; Rom 1:21
New Eze 18:31; 36:26; 2 Cor 5:17-18
Obstinate Dt 2:30
Overcharged Lk 21:34
Perfect 1Ki 8:61; 1Chr 29:9
Peverse (Froward) Pr 11:20; 12:8
Proud Dt 8:14; Ps 101:5; Eze 28:5,17
Pure Ps24:4; mt 5:8; 1 Pet 1:22
Single Acts 2:36; Eph 6:5
Soft 1 Sam 24:5; Job 23:16
Sorrowful Pr 14:13; 15:13
Stony Eze 11:19; 36:26
Subtil Pr7:10; Mk 7:19-21
Tender 2 Ki 22:19; 2 Chr 34:27; Eph 4:32
Trembling Dt 28:65 Isa 66:2
True Heb 10:22; Mt22:16
Troubled Jn 14:1-3, 27
Uncircumcised Ese 44:7; Jer 9:26; Acts 7:51
Unsearchable Pr 25:3 Ps 64:6
Upright Ps 32:11; 36:10; 64:10 ; 97:11
Whorish Eze 6:9 Hos 4:12; 9:1
Willing Ex25:2; 35:5,29
Wise Ex 28:3; 35:25; Pr10:8; 11:29

Ten Emblems of the Holy Spirit


Ten Emblems of the Holy Spirit:
1. Fire: zeal and refining power (fire)-
Luke 3:16; Isaiah 4:3-4; Psalm 104:4; Malachi 3:1-4;
John 2:17; Acts 3:2; Matthew 3;11
2. Dove: harmless, gentleness and comfort-
Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33
3. Water: life giving and infinite power -
John 7:37-39
4. Wind: resurrection power-
John 3:8
5. Oil: Consecration and anointing-
Isaiah 61:1-3; Hebrews 1:9; James 5:14-16; Luke 4:16-21; Psalm 45:7
6. Seal: Redemption and keeping power-
Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 1 Peter 1:5
7. Earnest Pledge: ownership and guarantee –
2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14
8. Rain: life giving and quickening –
Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 1:3; Zechariah 10:1; James 5:7; Hosea 6:3; 10:12
9. Dew: refreshing and invigorating –
Psalm 72:6; Hosea 14:5
10. Gifts: joyful, gracious, and liberating power-
Acts 2:38-39; 4:31-33; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Hebrews 1:9

Faith Foundations : Repentance From Dead Works


Foundation Stones of Living for Jesus Christ:
Part 1 Repentance From Dead Works:










No builder takes lightly the foundation of their project.
A baker of cakes, doesn’t begin the project with rancid flour,
but seeks the best quality flour that is suited for the type of cake
that they desire to bake.
The construction foreperson on a building project,
takes seriously the laying of the foundation of the building,
knowing that it greatly influences every step that follows,
and the overall safety and quality of the finished product.
So too, we as Christians should take seriously
the founding principles of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are cautioned in Scripture to be diligent
in out pursuit of understanding the Word
and the principles that the Spirit has given us.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God
as a workman who does not need to be ashamed,
accurately handling the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 NAS

The writer of Hebrews addresses this problem in the early church writing:

“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ,
let us press on to maturity,
not laying again a foundation of
repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God,
of instruction about washings
and laying on of hands,
and the resurrection of the dead
and eternal judgment”
Hebrews 6:1-2 NAS


Here are six (6) foundation stones that each of us should thoroughly understand that we might be effective for the building up of the kingdom of God
here upon the earth:
“Your kingdom come
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 NAS

The challenge is as relevant today
as it was in the first century when it was first penned.

The Kingdom must be established in Christ,
not in the opinions and philosophies of men…
but through living experience of the Word of God – Christ in us.
For we only believe those parts of the Scripture that we live out day by day.

The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
According to the grace of God which was given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it.
But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man builds on the foundation
with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
each man's work will become evident;
for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire,
and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work.
If any man's work which he has built on it remains,
he will receive a reward.
If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss;
but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
1 Corinthians 3:9-15 NAS (my emphasis bold)

In actuality, everything we do is building a foundation in life –
the only question will be: what kind of building materials will we use?
Our spiritual foundation is built in our lives
through the faith we live out in obedience
to the living Word of God
and the living Word inside of us, Jesus Christ.

As we learn better to listen to the voice of Christ,
we will be better established upon the Rock who is our foundation.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish;
and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”
John 10:27-28 NAS



This foundation will provide us with a solid launching pad
for the work of the Kingdom,
and will serve to adjust our life’s course –
a ‘spiritual GPS’ (God Positioning System).
A life built upon this foundation will enhance the new life that God desires for us, that will bring God glory, and allow us to fulfill our divine destiny in Christ Jesus.
Jesus desires to do an extreme makeover in each of our lives,
so that the character of Christ in us
can be displayed to everyone in our sphere of influence.

Let’s take a closer look at six (6) of these foundation stones
that are outlined in Hebrews 6.

“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ,
let us press on to maturity,
not laying again a foundation of
1. repentance from dead works
2. and of faith toward God,
3. of instruction about washings (baptisms)
4. and laying on of hands,
5. and the resurrection of the dead
6. and eternal judgment”
Hebrews 6:1-2 NAS (numbers and bold my addition)

Elementary teaching (principles NKJ):
G746 archē {ar-khay'}
a commencement, first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.
A starting point – like the starting line in a race

Maturity (perfection NKJ):
G5047 teleiotēs {tel-i-ot'-ace}
(the state) completeness (mentally or morally): - perfection (-ness).
Completion – like a house that is completely finished

Foundation:
G2310 themelios {them-el'-ee-os}
something put down, a substruction (literally or figuratively) foundation.
Everything is based upon and built upon these truths.




Doctrine:
G1322 didachē {did-akh-ay'}
instruction (the act or the matter): - doctrine, has been taught.
doctrine is always based upon
what the teacher lives… it is the truth lived out

Instruction/ doctrine (KJV)
G1322 didachē {did-akh-ay'}
instruction (the act or the matter): - doctrine, has been taught.
A structure to put things into.
We are instructed by the Word of God…
Within this structure we live and understand life
through spiritual eyes.



1. Repentance from Dead Works:
• Turning away from sin, with a commitment not to go back
• Turning away from any attempt to “pay” for our own salvation.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God”
Ephesians 2:8 NAS (my emphasis bold)

Repentance:
G3341 metanoia {met-an'-oy-ah}
compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal, repentance.

To turn and change one’s mind or course of action.
• Repentance means a change of direction –
• a spiritual 180o change,
from the wrong direction, to the right direction
• It is deeper than an apology:
Apology: “I am sorry.”
I feel bad about the effects or consequences of my action.”
Repentance: “Please forgive me.
I never intend to do, or think that way again.”






• Godly repentance/sorrow vs. worldly repentance/sorrow

“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God
produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation,
but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
2 Corinthians 7:10 NAS (my emphasis bold)

• Repentance was Jesus’ first call to His disciples:

“From that time Jesus began to preach and say,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Matthew 4:17 NAS (my emphasis bold)

• Without repentance from sin,
there is no beginning our walk or experiencing intimacy with God

• Repentance is Liberating
“I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Psalm 32:5 NAS
• Silent hidden sin hurts us on the inside

“When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
Psalm 32:3-4 NAS
• Hiding sin: what Adam and Eve tried to do in the Garden of Eden
Genesis 3:6-13
• They hid from one another, then from God and blamed everyone but themselves.
• Becoming free in Christ means that we can
“remove the fig leaves.”







• Walking in the Light of Christ:

“…but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves
and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:7-9 NAS

• Walking in the light means that we are not hiding anything
• God’s love toward is frees us to live without fear of punishment

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves punishment,
and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
1 John 4:18 NAS
• The family of God is a safe place to bring sin into the light
• Every one of us knows that we are apart of the family,
only because of God’s grace and mercy. (James 3:2)

• The best thing we can offer to God is a humble heart,
and a teachable spirit that is willing to be transformed
by His love and grace.

• The most important thing to God
is a “broken and contrite heart.”

“For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
Psalm 51:16-17 NAS (my emphasis bold)

• There is no penance in the family of God…
penance means you are trying to pay the price for your sin

• God’s desire is truth on the innermost parts… (Proverbs 20:27)
• True repentance means you are changed from the inside out.



• This is what the New Covenant life is all about
Transformation into the image of God

“…but speaking the truth in love,
we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ”
Ephesians 4:15 NAS – [see in context 4:11-16]

• When we are born again,
our lives will bear the “fruits of repentance.”

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good,
or make the tree bad and its fruit bad;
for the tree is known by its fruit.
Matthew 12:33 NAS

• We don’t work to produce fruit…
but our lives bear His fruit because of His presence in us.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh
with its passions and desires.”
Galatians 5:22-24 NAS

• When we love God
and spend quality time with Him in the Secret Place,
these fruits will supernaturally become natural in us.

• Walking in the Spirit is the antidote against continuing in sin

• Holy Spirit Baptism is not an option:

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation,
but be filled with the Spirit”

Ephesians 5:18 NAS (my emphasis bold and underlined)





“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
Acts 1:8 NAS (my emphasis bold)

• Power to be witnesses for Christ
• Power over the enemy Psalm 149:6-9

• This means we don’t put ourselves back under the law.

• We learn to live by the Spirit of God in us
Demonstrated by our faith in God
and our obedience to the Word
and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

• NOT BY WORKS least any man should boast

“But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the ages to come
He might show the surpassing riches of His grace
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:1-9 NAS (my emphasis bold)

• Trying to earn our own salvation is dead religion
• Religiosity is worthless:

• It can harden our hearts toward God
and cause us to miss out on living the Kingdom life
of righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit. (Romans 14:17)





• The Parable of the Prodigal Sons:

• Younger Son – dead works of sin
• Wasted living in sin, but repented
• He returns to the father’s house
• Notice his initial desire:
“I will work as a slave for my father to repay what I owe.”

• Older Son – dead works of religion
• Lived in the father’s house,
but rejected him – had no intimate relationship.
• Thought he has earned the right to be there.
• Outwardly the older son seems faultless.
But when confronted by the father’s joy
at the return of his younger brother,
a dark power erupts in him and boils to the surface
• Suddenly, there becomes glaring visible a resentment that is filled with selfish pride that results in his judgment, condemnation, prejudice and anger toward his own brother.
• Such an attitude holds him prisoner and he finds it increasingly difficult to feel comfortable at his father’s table

• We are left to examine which does more damage.
• the in-your-face lustful explosion of the younger son
• or the hidden resentment of the outwardly obedient son.
• The repentant sinner is accepted back into the father’s embrace
“Father I have sinned against you and heaven.”
• The elder son who stayed at home is filled with complaint, from a heart that feels it never receives what it is due. “Look how hard I worked to gain your acceptance.”

• We must recall
that Jesus addressed the Pharisees with this picture
• They finally had to face their own complaint and self-righteousness and choose how they would respond to God’s compassionate heart toward sinners…
…so must we

The Heart of God - Genesis to Revelation















In Exodus 29:46 we read:
“I will be their God
they will be My people… and I will dwell in their midst.”

The following list of scripture contain all or part of this beating of the heart of God - found at least 247 times from Genesis to Revelation… He calls us to restoration, intimacy and partnership in establishing His Kingdom here on earth.


Genesis 6:18
Genesis 9:1
Genesis 9:9
Genesis 9:11
Genesis 9:12
Genesis 9:13
Genesis 9:15
Genesis 15:18
Genesis 17:2
Genesis 17:7
Genesis 17:8
Genesis 17:9
Genesis 17:10
Genesis 17:19
Genesis 35:1
Genesis 49:24-25
Exodus 2:24
Exodus 3:7
Exodus 3:10
Exodus 5:1
Exodus 6:5
Exodus 6:7
Exodus 7:4
Exodus 7:16
Exodus 8:1
Exodus 8:8
Exodus 8:20
Exodus 8:21
Exodus 8:22
Exodus 8:23
Exodus 9:1
Exodus 9:13
Exodus 9:17
Exodus 9:27
Exodus 10:3
Exodus 10:4
Exodus 19:5
Exodus 12:31
Exodus 22:25
Exodus 24:8
Exodus 25:8
Exodus 29:45
Exodus 29:46
Exodus 31:16
Exodus 34:10
Exodus 34:27
Leviticus 11:44
Leviticus 18:2
Leviticus 19:3
Leviticus 19:34
Leviticus 20:7
Leviticus 20:24
Leviticus 23:43
Leviticus 24:8
Leviticus 25:38
Leviticus 26:9
Leviticus 26:12
Leviticus 26:42
Leviticus 26:45
Numbers 10:10
Numbers 10:33
Numbers 18:19
Numbers 25:12-13
Numbers 27:17
Deuteronomy 4:13
Deuteronomy 4:31
Deuteronomy 5:2
Deuteronomy 7:9
Deuteronomy 7:12
Deuteronomy 8:18
Deuteronomy 9:9
Deuteronomy 9:11
Deuteronomy 9:15
Deuteronomy 10:8
Deuteronomy 29:1
Deuteronomy 29:13-15
Joshua 3:3
Joshua 3:6
Joshua 3:17
Joshua 4:9
Joshua 6:5-8
Judges 2:1
Judges 20:27
1 Samuel 2:29
1 Samuel 4:5
1 Samuel 9:16
1 Samuel 9:17
1 Samuel 12:8
2 Samuel 3:18
2 Samuel 5:2
2 Samuel 7:7
2 Samuel 7:10
2 Samuel 7:11
2 Samuel 23:5
1 Kings 6:13
1 Kings 8:16
1 Kings 8:23
2Kings 11:17
2 Kings 13:23
2 Kings 17:38
2 Kings 23:1-3
1 Chronicles 15:28
1 Chronicles 16:16-17
1 Chronicles 17:9
1 Chronicles 23:25
2 Chronicles 6:6
2 Chronicles 6:11
2 Chronicles 6:14
2 Chronicles 7:14
2 Chronicles 21:7
Nehemiah 1:5
Nehemiah 9:32
Psalm 15:1-3
Psalm 23:1
Psalm 23:6
Psalm 24:1
Psalm 25:10
Psalm 25:12-14
Psalm 27:4
Psalm 37:3
Psalm 37:29
Psalm 50:5
Psalm 50:7
Psalm 65:4
Psalm69:35-36
Psalm 80:1
Psalm 81:10
Psalm 81:13
Psalm 84:4
Psalm 84:10
Psalm 89:28
Psalm 101:6
Psalm 105:8-10
Psalm 106:45
Psalm 107:35-37
Psalm 111:5
Psalm 111:9
Psalm 132:12-15
Psalm 140:13
Isaiah 10:24
Isaiah 23:18
Isaiah 30:19
Isaiah 32:18
Isaiah 40:11
Isaiah 42:6
Isaiah 48:17
Isaiah 49:8
Isaiah 51:16
Isaiah 52:6
Isaiah 54:10
Isaiah 55:3
Isaiah 56:6
Isaiah 59:21
Isaiah 57:15
Isaiah 63:8
Isaiah 65:19
Jeremiah 7:23
Jeremiah 11:4
Jeremiah 11:6
Jeremiah 31:10
Jeremiah 13:11
Jeremiah 24:7
Jeremiah 30:3
Jeremiah 30:22
Jeremiah 31:1
Jeremiah 31:14
Jeremiah 31:27
Jeremiah 31:31
Jeremiah 31:33
Jeremiah 32:38
Jeremiah 32:40
Jeremiah 50:5
Ezekiel 11:20
Ezekiel 13:9
Ezekiel 14:11
Ezekiel 16:8
Ezekiel 16:60
Ezekiel 16:62
Ezekiel 17:22-24
Ezekiel 20:5
Ezekiel 20:20
Ezekiel 20:36-38
Ezekiel 28:26
Ezekiel 34:10
Ezekiel 34:11
Ezekiel 34:12
Ezekiel 34:23
Ezekiel 34:30
Ezekiel 34:31
Ezekiel 36:28
Ezekiel 37:23
Ezekiel 37:26
Ezekiel 37:27
Ezekiel 43:7
Daniel 9:4
Hosea 1:10
Hosea 2:18
Hosea 13:4
Hosea 2:23
Hosea 14:7
Joel 2:26
Joel 2:27
Joel 3:17
Micah 5:4
Micah 7:13-15
Zechariah 2:10
Zechariah 2:11
Zechariah 8:3
Zechariah 8:8
Zechariah 9:11
Malachi 2:4
Malachi 2:5
Malachi 3:1
Matthew 2:6
Matthew 26:28
Mark 6:34
Mark 14:24
Luke 15:6
Luke 22:20
John 10:11
John 10:14
John 10:16
John 10:27
John 21:16
John 21:17
Acts 3:25
Acts 7:8
Acts 20:28
Romans 9:25
Romans 9:26
Romans 11:27
1 Corinthians 11:25
2 Corinthians 3:6
2 Corinthians 6:16
Galatians 3:17
Hebrews 7:22
Hebrews 8:6
Hebrews 8:10
Hebrews 9:15
Hebrews 12:24
Hebrews 13:20
Ephesians 3:17
Colossians 3:16
1 Peter 2:25
1 Peter 5:4
Revelation 7:17
Revelation 21:3

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Christ's Geneoalogy - name meanings





As you read through the first chapter of Matthew note the significance of the meanings of the names for each person in the genealogy of Christ Jesus. Each points to a character trait of Jesus, or singnicant aspect of His ministry of reconciliation.


The Book of Matthew: Chapter 1
(New American Standard Bible)

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1The record of the genealogy of Jesus
[G2424 - Iēsous {ee-ay-sooce'} Jesus, savior; deliverer
(that is, Jehoshua), the name of our Lord ]
the Messiah (Christ),
(A)the son of David,
[H1732 - dâvid {daw-veed'} beloved, well loved the youngest son of Jesse]
Matthew 1:1; 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 89:3; 132:11; Isaiah 9:6; 11:1; Matthew 9:27;
Luke 1:32; 1:69; John 7:42; Acts 13:23; Romans 1:3; Revelation 22:16

(B)the son of Abraham:
[ H85 - 'abrâhâm {ab-raw-hawm'} father of a great multitude]
Matt 1:1-6: Luke 3:32-34; Gen 22:18; Gal 3:16
2Abraham
[ H85 - 'abrâhâm {ab-raw-hawm'} father of a great multitude
was the father of Isaac,
[H3327 - yitschâq (yits-khawk') laughter (that is, mockery) son of Abraham]
Isaac the father of Jacob,
[H3290 - ya‛ăqôb {yah-ak-obe' } that supplants, undermines; heel catcher
and Jacob the father of
[a]Judah and his brothers.
[H3063 - yehûdâh {yeh-hoo-daw'} the praise or celebration of the Lord; confession
3Judah was the father of Perez
G5329 Phares {far-es'} divided
and Zerah by Tamar,
G2196 Zara {dzar-ah'} east; brightness G2283 Thamar {tham'-ar} palm; palm-tree
(C)Perez was the father of Hezron,
(C)Matthew 1:3 : Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Chronicles 2:1-15; Matthew 1:3-6
G2074 Esrōm {es-rome'} the dart of joy; the division of the song
and Hezron the father of Ram.
G689 Aram {ar-am'} high
4Ram was the father of Amminadab,
G284 Aminadab {am-ee-nad-ab'} people of liberality
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
G3476 Naassōn {nah-as-sone'} that foretells; that conjectures
and Nahshon {nah-as-sone'} the father of Salmon.
G4533 Salmōn {sal-mone'} peaceable; perfect; he that rewards
5Salmon was the father of Boaz
G1003 Booz {bo-oz'} in strength
by Rahab,
G4477 rahab {rah'-hab} bluster (blusterer): - proud, strength
Boaz was the father of Obed
G5601 Ōbēd {o-bade'} worship, a servant; workman
by Ruth,
G4503 Rhouth {hrooth} beauty, satisfied
and Obed the father of Jesse.
G2421 Iessai {es-es-sah'ee} gift; oblation; one who is
6Jesse was the father of David the king.
H1732 - dâvid {daw-veed'} beloved, well loved
David (D)was the father of Solomon
G4672 Solomōn Solomōn {sol-om-one'} peaceable; perfect; one who recompenses
(D)Matthew 1:6 : 2 Sam 11:27; 12:24
by [b]Bathsheba H1339 bath-sheba‛ {bath-sheh'-bah} daughter of an oath
who had been the wife of Uriah.
H223 'ûrı̂yâh 'ûrı̂yâhû {oo-ree-yaw} the Lord is my light or fire
7Solomon {sol-om-one'} (E)was the father of Rehoboam,
G4497 Rhoboam {hrob-o-am'} who sets the people at liberty
(E)Matthew 1:10 : 1 Chronicles 3:14
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
G7 Abia {ab-ee-ah'} the Lord is my father
and Abijah the father of Asa.
G760 Asa {as-ah'} physician; cure
8Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,
G2498 Iōsaphat {ee-o-saf-at'} the Lord is judge
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
G2496 Iōram {ee-o-ram'} exaltation of the Lord
and Joram the father of Uzziah.
G3604 Ŏzias {od-zee'-as} Uzzel the strength, or kid, of the Lord
9Uzziah was the father of Jotham,
G2488 Iōatham {ee-o-ath'-am} the perfection of the Lord
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
G881 Achaz {akh-adz'} one that takes or possesses
and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
G1478 Ezekias {ed-zek-ee'-as} strength of the Lord (Jah)
10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,
G3128 Manassēs {man-as-sace'} causing to forget
Manasseh the father of Amon,
H526 - 'âmôn {aw-mone '} faithful; true
and Amon the (F)father of Josiah.
[H2977 - yô'shı̂yâh {yo-she-yaw'} founded of Jah; the Lord burns; the fire of the Lord]
(F)Matthew 1:10 : 1 Chronicles 3:14
11Josiah became the father of Jeconiah
G2423 Iechonias {ee-ekh-on-ee'-as} preparation, or stability, of the Lord
and his brothers, at the time of the (G)deportation to Babylon.
(G)Matthew 1:11 : 2 Kings 24:14; Jeremiah 27:20; Matthew 1:17
12After the (H)deportation to Babylon: H894 - bâbel {baw-bel'} confusion; mixture
(H)Matthew 1:12 : 2 Kings 24:14; Jeremiah 27:20; Matthew 1:17
Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel,
G4528 Salathiēl {sal-ath-ee-ale'} I have asked God
and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.
G2216 Zorobabel {dzor-ob-ab'-el} descended of Babylon; dispersion of confusion
13Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud,
G10 Abioud {ab-ee-ood'} father
Abihud the father of Eliakim,
H471 - 'elyâqı̂ym {el-yaw-keem'} God of raising; resurrection of God
and Eliakim the father of Azor.
G107 Azōr {ad-zore' } a helper; a court
14Azor was the father of Zadok,
G4524 Sadōk {sad-oke'} just, justified
Zadok the father of Achim,
G885 Acheim {akh-ime'} preparing; revenging; confirming
and Achim the father of Eliud.
G1664 Elioud {el-ee-ood'} God is my praise
15Eliud was the father of Eleazar,
G1648 Eleazar {el-eh-ad'-zar} help of God, court of God
Eleazar the father of Matthan,
G3157 Matthan {mat-than'} gifts; rains
and Matthan the father of Jacob.
H3290 - ya‛ăqôb {yah-ak-obe' } that supplants, undermines; heel catcher
16Jacob was the father of Joseph
G2501 Iōsēph {ee-o-safe'} let him add; increase; addition
the husband of Mary,
G3137 Maria Mariam {mar-ee'-ah, mar-ee-am'} Miriam rebelliously
by whom Jesus was born, (I)who is called the Messiah.
G2424 - Iēsous {ee-ay-sooce'} Jesus, savior; deliverer
17So all the generations from Abraham {ab-raw-hawm'}
to David {daw-veed'} are fourteen generations;

from David {daw-veed'} to the (J)deportation to Babylon,
H894 - bâbel {baw-bel'} confusion; mixture fourteen generations;

and from the (K)deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Matthew 1:17 : 2 Kings 24:14; Jeremiah 27:20; Matthew 1:11, 12

Conception and Birth of Jesus

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
G2424 - Iēsous {ee-ay-sooce'} Jesus, savior; deliverer
G5547 - Christos {khris-tos'} anointed, the Messiah
when His (L)mother Mary
G3137 Maria Mariam {mar-ee'-ah, mar-ee-am'} Miriam rebelliously
(L)Matthew 1:18 : Matthew 12:46; Luke 1:27
had been betrothed to Joseph,
G2501 Iōsēph {ee-o-safe'} let him add; increase; addition
before they came together she was (M)found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
(M)Matthew 1:18 : Luke 1:35
Holy (H6918 qâdôsh {kaw-doshe'}, “to be consecrated,” “to be set apart,”
“ removed from the common into the sphere of sacred.”)
G40 hagios {hag'-ee-os} sacred physically pure, morally blameless or spiritually pure, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.

Spirit [H7307: rûach {roo'-akh} wind; breath, that is, exhalation; life]
G4151 pneuma {pnyoo'-mah}
a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit: - ghost, life, spirit



19And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man
and not wanting to disgrace her, planned [c] (N)to send her away secretly.
Matthew 1:19 : Deuteronomy 22:20-24; 24:1-4; John 8:4, 5
20But when he had considered this, behold,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
"(O)Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife;
for the Child who has been [d]conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
(O)Matthew 1:20 : Luke 2:4q a1I

21"She will bear a Son; and (P)you shall call His name Jesus,
(P)Matthew 1:21 : Luke 1:31; 2:21




for He (Q)will save His people from their sins."
(Q)Matthew 1:21 : Luke 2:11; John 1:29; Acts 4:12; 5:31; 13:23, 38, 39; Colossians 1:20-23

22Now all this took place to fulfill
what was (R)spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
(R)Matthew 1:22 : Luke 24:44; Romans 1:2-4
23"(S)BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH (T)CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "(U)GOD WITH US."
(S)Matthew 1:23 : Isaiah 7:14
(T)Matthew 1:23 : Isaiah 9:6, 7
(U)Matthew 1:23 : Isaiah 8:10
24And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,
25[e]but kept her a virgin until she (V)gave birth to a Son; and (W)he called His name Jesus.
Matthew 1:25 : Luke 2:7
Matthew 1:25 : Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:21

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Isaiah Chapter 1















Page 1
Isaiah Chapter 1

Rebellion of God's People

vision= Heb. chazown :
to see, mentally dream see a vision,
have a revelation, receive an oracle.

1The vision of Isaiah [yesha‛yâhû {yesh-ah-yaw'} the salvation of the Lord]
the son of Amoz ['âmôts {aw-mohts'} strong]
concerning Judah [the praise of the Lord; confession]
and Jerusalem, [vision of peace]


The message is primarily one
concerning Judah and Jerusalem…
not the church…
while there are spiritual lessons and principles
to be gleaned for us today…
we must keep in mind the time and setting
of the prophecy to avoid confusion.

which he saw during the reigns
of Uzziah,
[Uzzel the strength, or kid, of the Lord]
Jotham, [the perfection of the Lord]
Ahaz [one that takes or possesses]
and Hezekiah, [strength of the Lord]
kings of Judah. [the praise of the Lord; confession]

Judah at this time was not involved
in the same kind of gross immorality of Israel,
but they were in grave spiritual danger
because they were living by the externals of the law
with no real heart’s commitment toward God


Page 2
The chronology here indicates that Isaiah served
from about the time king Uzziah died (about 739 B.C.)
through the time of Hezekiah.
This was at least through the time that Jerusalem
was under the siege of Sennacherib in 701 B.C.

Isaiah begins in a strikingly similar way
as the Song of Moses (See Deuteronomy 32:1)

2Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD
[yehôvâh – intimate and personal God] speaks,

Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.

All heaven and earth are commanded to hear
the divine proclamation and plea of God –
announcing sanctions and justice
for Judah and Jerusalem.
God is issuing a formal indictment against Israel,
and the non-deified cosmos is called as a witness.
This was a typical action in Near Eastern traditions and literature.
In the covenant that God made with Israel

the heavens and the earth had been called as witnesses…

“ 26I call heaven and earth to witness against you today,
that you will surely perish quickly from the land
where you are going over the Jordan to possess it.
You shall not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed.”
Deuteronomy 4:26 NAS

…so it is equally appropriate that God calls them as witness
to hear the indictment against them for breaking the covenant.

Page 3
Sons I have reared and brought up:
Notice that God has:
1- reared (nourished) them
2- brought (trained) them up

But they have revolted against Me
revolted = Heb. pasha –
revolt, rebellion, sin against lawful authority

Here we see how they have
turned their backs on God
they are in rebellion


3"An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger,
But Israel does not know, My people do not understand."


Here God implies that humans are
in comparison, worse than dumb animals.
Although animals have very little intelligence
they use what they have correctly.
Men who were given free will and superior intelligence,
do not walk with the same degree of righteousness.
Their ignorance was born from
their willful desire to have their own way,
rather than follow God’s commands.

Understand:
literally: to "stand under" a truth

Page 4

4 Alas, sinful nation,

sinful nation : 7 fold sins of Judah and Israel

1- sinful: degenerate, depraved by nature,
bent in the wrong direction morally (Ephesians 2:1-3)
“ 1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

Ephesians 2:1-3 NAS

2- Laden with Iniquity: Heb. ‘avon’ – perversiveness, crooked, out of course. (Matthew 23:4) “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.”
Matthew 23:4 NAS

3- Seed of Evildoers: born from sinful parents (Psalm 51:5)
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.”

Psalm 51:5 NAS

4- Corruptors: going into deep depravity and corruption:
(Deuteronomy 32:5)

“They have acted corruptly toward Him,
They are not His children, because of their defect;
But are a perverse and crooked generation.”
Deuteronomy 32:5 NAS

Page 5
5- Forsake God: backslide, pull back like a backsliding heifer
(Hosea 4:16)
“16Since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer,
Can the LORD now pasture them like a lamb in a large field?”

Hosea 4:16 NAS

Heifers are immature female cows
who have not yet given birth to a calf;
so they are unfruitful, not yet in milk.
They also are usually extremely cantankerous
when they are being handled – as they are untrained.

6- Provoke God to Anger: by their scorn and blasphemy.
(Mark 7:21-23)

21"For from within, out of the heart of men,
proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
22deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander (blasphemy), pride and foolishness.
23"All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Mark 7:21-23 NAS

7- Gone away backward: becoming apostates, turning their backs on God (Romans 1:28-29)
“ 28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
29being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,”
Romans 1:28-29 NAS

Page 6
(verse 4 continued)

People weighed down with iniquity,
Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the LORD,
[yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
They have despised the Holy One of Israel, [who prevails with God]
They have turned away from Him.

The Myth of Erra and Ishum: (eighth century Babylon)
Speaks of the destruction of cities being justified
because the people had abandoned justice and righteousness,
committed atrocities and plotted wicked schemes.


5Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.
6From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,
Not pressed out or bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.

The whole head and heart of Judah has become morally corrupted.

7Your land is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire,
Your fields--strangers are devouring them in your presence;
It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.

Page 7

land is desolate: (vs.7 above)
The devastation of the land was a natural consequence
of the invading forces.
Such armies often lacked an adequate supply line
to support their troops,
so they relied on living off the land they were invading.
What ever they didn’t use for their own purposes was destroyed.
Often the indigenous people of the land
would actually burn their own crops
so that they would not become
a source of sustenance for the enemy.

8The daughter of Zion [monument; raised up; sepulcher]
is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman's hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.


daughter of Zion:

Zion is the name of the mountain
on which Jerusalem is situated
and represents spiritually the place from which
the Lord conquers and reigns.
In this respect it is connected to
the Davidic covenant and kingship that was ordained by God.
The daughter of Zion generally refers to the city itself.


a watchman's hut in a cucumber field:
Small huts were built in the fields so that watchmen could stand guard over the fruits or vegetables that were almost ready to harvest.
At the end of the harvest these huts were abandoned and let desolate.
Here Jerusalem is being compared to these desolate huts –
i.e. vacant and deserted with no form of protection

Page 8
9Unless the LORD [yehôvâh – intimate and personal God] of hosts
Had left us a few survivors,
We would be like Sodom,
[sedôm {sed-ome'} to scorch; burnt]
We would be like Gomorrah. [‛ămôrâh {am-o-raw'} a (ruined) heap;]

Of course Sodom and Gomorrah
were destroyed by the Hand of God, not invading forces…
…the intent here is not to demonstrate the method of destruction,
but to show the comparative magnitude of destruction
of God’s judgment due to their rebellion and failure to repent.


10Hear the word of the LORD, [yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
You rulers of Sodom; [sedôm {sed-ome'} to scorch; burnt]
Give ear to the instruction of our God,
You people of Gomorrah.
[‛ămôrâh {am-o-raw'} a (ruined) heap;]
11"What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?"
Says the LORD.
[yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
"I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.

burnt offerings:
Burnt offering usually were accompanied by petitions.
Many cultures in the ancient world believed petitions
had to be accompanied with food for the gods.
The ‘meal for the gods’ concept, had been theoretically discarded
in the Jewish law and traditions,
but the practice found its way back into many believers.
The problem with the ‘feeding of the gods’,
is that it presupposes that God had needs
that worshippers could meet,
and therefore presumably procure his favor.

Page 9

12"When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?

trampling of My courts:
Temples in the ancient world were considered sacred places
and were generally protected by Temple guards
who closely guarded and restricted access.
Admission to the general public was only allowed
when a sacrifice was to be offered,
and then the worshipper was only allowed in the outer court.
Entrance to the sacred inner courts or the holy of holies
was only accessible by the priests or high priest at appointed times.

Evidently the sacredness of the Temple, was now,
no longer the priority it had once been –
and common people were desecrating the holiness of the Temple by violating these laws, i.e. “trampling” the courts of God.

13"Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
incense is an abomination to Me.


Incense:
In the ancient world incense was valued
as an accompaniment to sacrifice.
Its sweet scent effectively masked
any unpleasant odors resulting
from the performance of the rituals.


New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies--
I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.
14"I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am weary of bearing them.


Page 10

New moon and Sabbath:
Ancient Israel utilized the lunar calendar,
in which they recognized the first day of the month
by the ‘new moon’ phase, as a festival day
(every twenty-nine or thirty days).
As on the Sabbath, all work was to cease.

"When will the new moon be over,
So that we may sell grain,
And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market,
To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger,
And to cheat with dishonest scales,

Amos 8:5 NAS

15"So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
I will not listen
Your hands are covered with blood.
16"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight
Cease to do evil,

17Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.


At this point in their history
Judah could still have repented
and returned to God


Page 11

8"Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the LORD,
[yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
" Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.

The dyes needed to make scarlet or red cloths
during ancient times were the most durable and striking,
creating the most noticeable and permanent stains.
This speaks to the awesome power
of God’s forgiveness of our sins.
There is nowhere in the Old Testament
or in ancient Near Eastern literature
where the color red is symbolic of sin
and white is symbolic of purity.


19"If you consent and obey,
You will eat the best of the land;
20"But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be devoured by the sword "
Truly, the mouth of the LORD
[yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
has spoken.

Zion Corrupted, to Be Redeemed

21How the faithful city has become a harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.

Page 12

22Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.


silver has become dross:
In the ancient world silver was extracted and assayed
through the process called cupellation.
In the initial smelting process silver was extracted
from galena (lead ore) which contained
less than one percent silver in a given sample.
The lead was melted to attempt to separate
the silver from lead and other impurities.
The temperature for the cupellation process was critical to its success. If the temperature was not maintained just right,
the conglomerate of materials would fuse together
and the resultant material was called dross.
The formation of dross made the silver content virtually useless,
and the process would have to begin all over.

23Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after rewards
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow's plea come before them.


Defending orphans and widows:
A major aspect of the Israelite legal tradition
involved making provision for groups
classified as weak of poor:
widows, orphans, and the resident alien
(see Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 10:18-19; 24: 17-21)
This reflects a concern throughout the ancient Near East
that the vulnerable classes be provided for.


Page 13

God’s warning to Judah of impending judgment
if they do not repent and turn back to God.


24Therefore the Lord ['âdôni {aw-done'} sovereign, that is, controller]
GOD [yehôvâh – intimate and personal God] of hosts,
The Mighty One ['âbıyr {aw-beer'} mighty (spoken of God): - mighty (one).]
of Israel, declares,
"Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries
And avenge Myself on My foes.
25"I will also turn My hand against you,
And will smelt away your dross as with lye
And will remove all your alloy.


The major emphasis of Isaiah is set down,
that of God’s coming glory upon His people.

26"Then I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city."


restore your judges and counselors:
Since this section has to do with justice in society
and the court system, the judges mentioned here
are most likely judicial ones
rather than the deliverers of the Judges period.
The counselors were responsible
for helping kings formulate and enforce the laws and policies.

Page 14

27Zion [monument; raised up; sepulcher] will be redeemed with justice
And her repentant ones with righteousness.
28But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together,
And those who forsake the LORD
[yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
will come to an end.
29Surely you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen.


the oaks and the gardens:
Gardens in the Near East were often arboretums
filled with fruit trees and shade trees,
serving as outdoor shrines or sacred enclosures.
Sacred trees played a significant role
in popular religions of the day.
Clusters of trees called Asherim groves
were places where the light was blotted out and truth obscured.
('ăshêyrâh was a Phoenician goddess)
They were often places where sexual sin
was combined with religious customs.
They were places of secret sinning in the Canaanite religions
(See Deuteronomy 7).

30For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away
Or as a garden that has no water.
31The strong man will become tinder,
His work also a spark.
Thus they shall both burn together
And there will be none to quench them.


Although the messianic age will be marvelous,
it will come only to a people
who are willing to walk with the Lord
and forsake their sins.

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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Introduction to the Book of Isaiah






Isaiah Introduction:

Isaiah’s name = “the Lord saves” or “Salvation of the Lord”

Isaiah is the fullest revelation of Christ in the Old Testament
so much so, that it is often called "the gospel according to Isaiah."

The prophetic nature of the book of Isaiah
is one of the great proofs that the Bible is the word of God,
for Isaiah lived some 724 years before Christ.
The many passages looking forward to the Messiah
point so clearly to Christ and are fulfilled in him,
and thereby constitute an unanswerable argument
for the divine inspiration of the book.

The book of Isaiah has long been recognized as a miniature Bible.
The Bible is comprised of sixty-six books. Isaiah has sixty-six chapters.
There are thirty-nine books in the Old Testament,
and twenty-seven in the New Testament.

The book of Isaiah divides exactly in that way.
The first half of the book comprises thirty-nine chapters.
There is a distinct division at chapter 40,
so that the remaining twenty-seven chapters
constitute the second half of this book.

The New Testament begins with the history of John the Baptist,
the forerunner of Christ,
as he came to announce the coming of the Messiah,
and it ends in the book of Revelation
with the new heaven and the new earth.

Chapter 40 of Isaiah, which begins the second half,
contains the prophetic passage that predicts the coming of John the Baptist:
A voice cries:
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Isaiah. 40:3)

As we read on to the end of the book
you will find that chapter 66 speaks of
the new heavens and the new earth that God is creating.
So you find here in the book of Isaiah
a remarkably close analogy that parallels the entire Bible.

Throughout the book of Isaiah we sense
the greatness and the power of God
juxtaposed to the insignificance of man.

The prophet Isaiah lived and prophesied in Jerusalem and Judah

His ministry began some 740 years before Christ
when the ten tribes that formed the northern kingdom of Israel
were being carried away into captivity by Sennacherib, the Assyrian invader.

The tribes of Judah and Benjamin,
the southern kingdom, were plunged into idolatry
toward the end of Isaiah's ministry in 687 B.C.
and were therefore to be carried into captivity in Babylon.

Background for The Tribes of Israel
To understand the times of Isaiah
it is helpful to know some of the ancient history
concerning the tribes of Israel.
Abraham's grandson, Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons,
born in the years around 1750 BC.
Listed in order of age, they are
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad,
Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin (Genesis 29:32 - 30:24 and Genesis 35:18).
But their father, Israel, gave Joseph a double portion,
so that each of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh,
became a tribe rather than just one tribe of Joseph (Genesis 48:5).
So that made the total thirteen tribes,
but the tribe of Levi (the Levitical Priests)
received no contiguous region of land like the other tribes.
Instead, the Levites were given certain cities,
including the cities' suburbs,
scattered about the lands of the other tribes (Numbers 35:1-8).

Levi was the tribe of the priesthood that received tithes
of the other twelve tribes who each had land.
So the other twelve sons of Jacob, became the twelve tribes

that had contiguous regions of land,

if you are counting Ephraim and Manasseh separately.

After the reign of King Solomon, around 980 BC,
the kingdom of Israel split.

The ten northern tribes rebelled against King Rehoboam,

the son of Solomon, the son of David, of the tribe of Judah.
It should be noted that one of the ten tribes that rebelled,

Simeon, was actually south of Judah and Benjamin,
but more distant from Jerusalem.

Judah, along with Benjamin, were the two southern tribes

that remained loyal to Rehoboam,
who reigned from the capital city of Jerusalem.
Like Judah, the lands of Benjamin were near Jerusalem.


The ten northern tribes (including Simeon) made Jeroboam,

a son of one of Solomon's servants, their king instead of Rehoboam.

The split of the kingdom of Israel occurred when

the new King Rehoboam told Israel that he would make their burdens heavier,
rather that lighter, than his father Solomon had done.

Rehoboam (after receiving counsel from his ungodly friends)
told Israel in 1 Kings 12:14,

"... My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

These words provoked rebellion by the northern tribes,
but 1 Kings 12:15 tells us that

"... the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying,

which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam ...."
This was as prophesied near the end of Solomon's reign, in 1 Kings 11:31,

when the prophet Ahijah said to Jeroboam,

"... thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee (Jeroboam) ...."

In 1 Kings 11:33 the prophet gives God's reason,

"Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his (Solomon's) father."

Then in 1 Kings 11:34-35 we see that the split would actually occur

during Rehoboam's reign, not during Solomon's lifetime.

"Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand:

but I will make him (Solomon) prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake,

whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand (Rehoboam's hand),

and will give it unto thee (Jeroboam), even ten tribes."

So the ten tribes were not removed from the royal line of David

and Solomon until after Solomon had died.

Once the split occurred, it was maintained and deepened

by the wicked actions of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12:26-31,

who set up false gods to be worshipped by the northern tribes.

"... Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem,

then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord,

even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me,

and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold,

and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem:

behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

And this thing became a sin:

for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

And he made an house of high places,

and made priests of the lowest of the people,

which were not of the sons of Levi."

The term "Israel" usually refers to the entire nation,

all of the tribes, but sometimes in the old testament,

it refers just to the northern kingdom of ten tribes,

as is the case in the passage above.

The ten are Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad,

Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, and Manasseh.

Span of Isaiah’s Ministry:
So the ministry of this prophet spans the time between the captivity of the northern kingdom and the captivity of the southern kingdom---about 50 years.

Began when King Uzziah died (740 B.C.)
To King Manasseh (696 – 642 B.C.)

Contemporary of
Micah in the south
Hosea in the north

He was a great help and godly support to King Hezekiah

In his second letter, Peter says of the Old Testament prophets,
"First of all you must understand this,

that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation because,

no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man,

but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (2 Peter 1:20,21)
This explains how Isaiah could speak and write with such power and eloquence.

The Times of Isaiah:
Isaiah lived in a time of national stress,

when man's true nature was visible and was exposing itself for what it was, just as in our day.
Isaiah’s heart reflected the heart of God toward mankind,

he was distraught by the overt rebelliousness he saw,

as he cries out in the opening chapter.

The nation has deliberately forsaken the ways of God

and their stupid obstinacy is simply beyond his understanding.
"Why," he cries, "even the ox knows its owner, and the ass its master's crib..." (Isaiah 1:3)

Outline of Isaiah:

1- Prophecies of Punishments Chapters 1:1-35:10
a. Contains statements of judgment
b. Important truths of coming Messiah and His kingdom
One of Isaiah’s great contributions lies in his revealing the truth as it relates to the coming Messiah and His kingdom. The great days of the establishment of His kingdom upon the earth.
c. 1:1- 12:6 Focuses on Southern kingdom of Judah
sins of the people
breaking of His covenant
rebellion, thanklessness
religious formalism, and hypocrisy
external conformity without heart for God
d. Invitation to repent
e. The warning of coming judgment if they don’t repent
2- Parenthesis for History Chapters 36-39
3- Prophecies of Peace Chapters 40-66

Key Word: Servant of the Lord

Key Theme Verses:
1:2
2Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD [yehôvâh – intimate and personal God] speaks,
"Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
1:4-6
They have abandoned the LORD, [yehôvâh – intimate and personal God]
They have despised the Holy One of Israel, [who prevails with God]
They have turned away from Him.
5Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.
6From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing sound in it,
1:16,17
16"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight
Cease to do evil,
17Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.

Main Characters:
Isaiah and Hezekiah

Isaiah is quoted 58 times in the New Testament
by both Christ and the Apostles.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven


Never think that God's delays are God's denials.
Hold on! Hold fast! Hold out! Patience is genius. –
Georges L.L. de Buffon

The Kingdom of God
and the Kingdom of Heaven:

Recently I was teaching a lesson to our Life Group on how Jesus taught about the kingdom of heaven, and I said that I pretty much thought you could use the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” interchangeably. I went on with the teaching, but I immediately had an unsettled feeling in my spirit. So I spent some time this week trying to distinguish the similarities and differences of the two. Here are the results of my survey.

The term Kingdom of God is used 72 times in the Scriptures
The term Kingdom of Heaven is used 33 times in the Scriptures.

The term Kingdom of Heaven literally means “Kingdom from the heavens”
and refers specifically
to that which is headed by Jesus Christ
and is establishing the restoration of God’s kingdom
over the rebellious part of God’s realm.

The parables of the kingdom of heaven apply to this age.
At the end of the age,
Christ will come and set up a literal earthly kingdom forever.

During the first 1000 years of His eternal reign
He will put down all rebellion and rid the earth of all rebels.

Anything that can be said of the kingdom of heaven can also be said of the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of heaven is the earthly dimension of the kingdom of God.

The sovereignty of God extends over all the universe, and includes the kingdom of heaven.

Some things they hold in concert, yet there are some difference worth noting:

In The Kingdom of Heaven
1. The Messiah as King
John 18:37
Revelation 20:6
In The Kingdom of God
1. God as King
1 Corinthians 15:28

In The Kingdom of Heaven
2. From heaven
John 18:36
Daniel 7:13
In The Kingdom of God
2. In heaven and earth
Psalm 103:19

In The Kingdom of Heaven
3. Upon earth only
John 18:37
Revelation 5:10
In The Kingdom of God
3. In heaven and earth
1 Corinthians 15:28

In The Kingdom of Heaven
4. Scope is limited
Zechariah 14:9
In The Kingdom of God
4. Scope is unlimited Revelation 4:11
Revelation 6:11

In The Kingdom of Heaven
5. Political
Isaiah 9:7
Daniel 7:14
In The Kingdom of God
5. Moral and Spiritual
Romans 14:17

In The Kingdom of Heaven
6. Future
Matthew 6:10
2 Timothy 4:1
In The Kingdom of God
6. Past, Present & Future
Psalm 90:2

In The Kingdom of Heaven
7. Under Christ
Psalm 2:6
Luke 1:32-33
In The Kingdom of God
7. God over all
Psalm 103:19

In The Kingdom of Heaven
8. Given to Christ
Daniel 7:13
Luke 1:32
In The Kingdom of God
8. Not given
Psalm 10:16

In The Kingdom of Heaven
9. Begins at 2nd Advent
Zechariah 14:2
2 Timothy 4:1
In The Kingdom of God
9. Is Now
Psalm 90:2

In The Kingdom of Heaven
10. Under heaven only
Daniel 7:27
Revelation 11:15
In The Kingdom of God
10. Overall
Psalm 103:19

In The Kingdom of Heaven
11. Jewish-earthly
Isaiah 9:7
Luke 1:33
In The Kingdom of God
11. Angelic-heavenly
Revelation 5:11

In The Kingdom of Heaven
12. Local-planetary
Revelation 11:15
In The Kingdom of God
12. Universal-interplanetary
Revelation 5:13

In The Kingdom of Heaven
13. Earthly capital
Isaiah 2:3
Zechariah 14
In The Kingdom of God
13. Heavenly capital
Hebrews 12:22

In The Kingdom of Heaven
14. Dispensational in purpose
1 Corinthians 15:24-28
In The Kingdom of God
14. Eternal in purpose
Ephesians 3:11

In The Kingdom of Heaven
15. Has a beginning
2 Timothy 4:1
Matthew 6:10
In The Kingdom of God
15. Timeless – endless
Psalm 90:2

In The Kingdom of Heaven
16. Tares in it now
Matthew 13:38-50
In The Kingdom of God
16. Only born-again ones in it
John 3:5

In The Kingdom of Heaven
17. Comes with outward show
Matthew 24:29-31
Matthew 25:31-46
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
Jude 14
Zechariah 14:1-5
Daniel 7:13-14
Revelation 19:11-21
In The Kingdom of God
17. Without show
Luke 17:20
Romans 14:17
1 Corinthians 4:20

In The Kingdom of Heaven
18. “Flesh and blood” inherit it
for earthly natural people
Psalm 37:11
Matthew 5:5
Matthew 25:34
Daniel 7:18, 28
Ezekiel 43:7
In The Kingdom of God
18. Resurrected, glorified saints
inherit all things in Christ
Romans 8:17
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Revelation 21:7


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