Chosen in His Service

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

God of the Wilderness

Genesis 28:16
..."Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it”.

The Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16 and 1 Cor 10:11 says that all scripture, including ancient history, is recorded in the Bible for instruction and as examples for our benefit. Remember, Jacob?

Not content with persuading Esau, his elder brother, into selling his birthright, Jacob tricked his father, Isaac into blessing him instead of his brother. He was forced to flee his family because of his broken relationship with his brother, who now threatened to kill him.

Jacob was alone and while sleeping in the wilderness area at Bethel he encountered God. This was Jacob’s first personal encounter with the God of his ancestors. In his dream, he saw that Heaven was opened up to him. The Lord spoke to him there and gave him a promise to give him the very land on which he was lying.

This encounter with God in the wilderness made Jacob realize that God is in this place, even though he had not been aware of it. How often we too fail to recognize that God is in the very place where we are. God had to remove Jacob from all that was of comfort to him in order to reveal Himself to Jacob. What began as a crisis in Jacob’s life led to an encounter with the living God and a fresh vision of God's purposes for his life.

God brought Jacob to a place of separation from his old life and stripped him of all his worldly possessions. He was alone with God at Bethel; nothing could distract him from the encounter that would change his life forever.

In our life, we go through different wilderness experiences during different seasons of our lives. Look back to the time when you first personally encountered God. You were probably walking through the toughest wilderness experience in your life. God met you there and gave you a new vision for you life. You probably thought that the wilderness would never touch you again, but you realize you are now passing thru one. Jacob too had to pass through another wilderness.

If in Gen 28 Jacob was alone and bereft of all worldly possessions, then by Gen 32 he is extremely wealthy and has a large entourage. Yet Gen 32.24 tells us that Jacob was left alone and he wrestled with God till daybreak. It was during this encounter with God that Jacob became Israel. It was God’s intention to bless Jacob and the current crisis in Jacob’s life was essential; so nothing could distract Jacob from his encounter with God.

Like Jacob, God allows different wilderness experiences in our lives too. In fact, God often does radical things in our lives because He has radical plans for us. Things like separation from family, removal of physical and emotional resources are often the hallmarks of an eminent encounter with God. Time and again, God uses these encounters to build a vision into our lives.

Often wilderness is the best place to meet with God on a personal level. May we have the faith and humility to submit to God during our wilderness experiences so that we may come out of it with a new vision and greater blessings.

Is Yeshua the Meschiach of the OT?

How can we prove that Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah/Meschiach of the Old Testament?

Jesus himself used the OT Messiah prophesies to prove from the Scriptures that He is the Christ.

(Luke 24:27). “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] expounded
unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself” The Bible also says that Apollos showed “from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 18:28 NKJV).

Yes! Old Testament predictions of the coming Messiah are so specific and so clearly fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth that both Jesus and the apostles successfully used these prophecies to prove He was, indeed, the Messiah. The Old Testament holds more than 300 of these prophecies. Here are just 12 of them:


Prophecy About the Messiah

Old Testament Verse New Testament Fulfillment


1 Born In Bethlehem Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1
2 Born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:18–23
3 Of David’s lineage Jeremiah 23:5 Revelation 22:16
4 Attempted murder by Herod Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:16–18
5 Betrayal by a friend Psalm 41:9 John 13:18, 19, 26
6 Sold for 30 silver coins Zechariah 11:12 Matthew 26:14–16
7 Pierced Zechariah 12:10 John 19:16–18, 37
8 Lots cast for His clothes Psalm 22:18 Matthew 27:35
9 No bones broken Psalm 34:20; Exodus 12:46 John 19:31–36
10 Buried in a rich man’s tomb Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57–60
10 Time of His death Exodus 12:6 Matthew 27:45–50
12 Raised the third day Hosea 6:2 Acts 10:38–40

Why does God allow evil to exist?

I. Who is the devil?
Most people in the world believe satan, who is often called the devil, is just a symbolic figure of evil, but the Bible says he is real and represents the very essence of evil!

He is ever subverting families, churches, and even entire nations. And his plans for escalating immorality, sorrow, pain, destruction, and sin are succeeding to an incredible degree. His plan for your life is … death.

II. Where did the devil come from?
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isaiah 14:12).
“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
Both these OT and NT quotes makes it clear that satan’s first home was heaven, and he was originally called Lucifer.

III. Why did God make the devil?
“ Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee" (Ezekiel 28:15).

“ Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth” (Ezekiel 28:14).

“ Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty ... every precious stone was thy covering ... the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee“ (Ezekiel 28: 12, 13).

God did not make a devil—He created a perfect angel! Lucifer was a “covering” cherub that stood covering God’s throne (Psalm 99:1). He was a highly exalted, respected, and cherished angel. His beauty was flawless and his brightness was awe-inspiring, a breathtaking being. The Scripture also indicates his wisdom and ability were unmatched, and he may have been especially gifted with musical skill (Ezekiel 28:13). Some scholars believe he led the angelic choir.

IV. Why did Lucifer sin?
“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness” (Ezekiel 28:17).

“For thou hast said in thine heart ... I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: ... I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13, 14).

Pride, discontent, and self-exaltation arose in his heart. Lucifer became jealous of God’s supreme power. He actually hoped to somehow unseat God and then demand that all worship him.

Centuries later, he even tempted Jesus, with rulership/lordship over all the earth if Jesus would fall down and worship him (Matthew 4:8–11). [God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26). When they sinned, they lost it to Satan (Romans 6:16; John 12:31). So world dominion was satan’s to give away, if he so desired. Dominion is different from ownership. God owns everything in the visible and invisible realm.]

In the last days, God calls all people to worship Him (Revelation 14:6,7), but this so infuriates Satan that he will try to force people to worship him or else be killed (Revelation 13:15). God says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus
20:3). Satan wants you to disobey this commandment, because he knows if you don’t worship God, it will be as if you’re following satan!

V. What happened in heaven when Lucifer rebelled?
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels. ... And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”(Revelation 12:7–9).

Amazingly, Lucifer won the support of one-third of the angels and caused an insurrection in heaven (Revelation 12:3, 4). He probably deceived them too by slandering God the way he deceived Eve. The war in heaven was one of the greatest cosmic battles ever fought. God had no choice but to evict Lucifer and his followers to ensure peace in His kingdom. After his expulsion from heaven, Lucifer was called Satan (adversary) and devil (slanderer), and the angels who followed him were called demons.

VI. Who initiated evil?
…(devil) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8.44)

The devil sinneth from the beginning” (1 John 3:8).

“ That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan” (Revelation 12:9).

Satan is the originator of all sin; he was the first created being ever to go against God. Only the Bible explains the true origin of evil!

VII. Why did the devil deceive Eve?
Satan bitterly hates humans, who were created in God’s image. (Genesis 1.26, 27) He can’t touch God, so he directs his venom against God’s children. He’s a hateful, vicious liar whose aim is to destroy you and thus hurt God.

“Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:1, 4, 5).

The first humans were told by God not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that the penalty for eating from that tree would be death. But Satan used a serpent—one of the most clever of God’s creatures—to deceive Eve. Lies that include some truth are the most effective of all, and this is how the devil deceived Eve. Satan made the knowledge of evil appear attractive, as he still does today. He told lies to misrepresent God’s character, because he knew no one would turn away God’s love unless he or she misunderstood His character.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary puts it like this, “Satan ruined himself by desiring to be like the Most High, therefore he sought to infect our first parents with the same desire, that he might ruin them too. The devil continues to draw people into his interest, by suggesting to them hard thoughts of God, and false hopes of advantage by sin. Let us, therefore, always think well of God as the best good, and think ill of sin as the worst evil: thus let us resist the devil, and he will flee from us.”

VIII. Why was eating the fruit such a big problem?
“Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4).

“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever? So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22, 24).

Eating the fruit was a sin because it was a direct rejection of God’s command. It was open rebellion against God’s law and authority. By rejecting God’s command, Adam and Eve allied themselves with God’s enemy, and thus brought separation between themselves and God (Isaiah 59:2). Satan hoped the couple would sin and then eat of the tree of life, and thus become immortal sinners like himself. But God removed them from the garden to prevent such a tragedy and make way for his plan of redemption of mankind.

IX. The devil’s character
Here are some other traits of satan and his demons that the Bible tells us:
1. Deceives/persecutes (Revelation 12:9, 13).
2. Quotes/misquotes the Bible (Matthew 4:5, 6).
3. Falsely accuses/murders (Revelation 12:10; John 8:44).
4. Traps/ensnares (2 Timothy 2:26; 1 Peter 5:8).
5. Wars against God's people (Revelation 12:17).
6. Binds/prompts betrayal (Luke 13:16; John 13:2, 21).
7. Imprisons (Revelation 2:10).
8. Possesses/hinders (Luke 22:3–5; 1 Thessalonians 2:18).
9. Works miracles/lies (Revelation 16:13, 14; John 8:44).
10. Brings disease/afflicts (Job 2:7).
11. Inspires false teachers (Matthew 24:5).
12. Calls fire from heaven (Revelation 13:13).

X. What is the devil’s punishment?
“ And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” (Rev 20:10).
“ Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41)
“ Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. ...And never shalt thou be any more” (Ezekiel 28:18,19).

The devil will be cast into the lake of fire on this earth at the end of the world.

XI. Why didn’t God destroy the devil and put an end to sin?

“We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men” (1 Corinthians 4:9).

Sin was something completely new in God’s universe, and its inhabitants might not have understood it. For every being under heaven, Lucifer was a brilliant, highly respected angelic leader. Most likely, his deceptive approach showed great concern for heaven and the angels. Perhaps he said, “Heaven is a wonderful place, but it would be improved if God listened to the wisdom of His wisest angels. God knows my suggestions are correct and sincere, but unfortunately, He is feeling threatened. Yet we must not permit our noble leaders, out of touch with their subjects, to jeopardize the very existence of heaven. They will listen, but only if we move in unison. Let us act; let us not be weak. Do you want our home to be ruined by a government that doesn’t even trust us?” According to the book of Revelation, Lucifer’s arguments convinced many angels—one-third joined him in his rebellion. Lucifer’s seeds of doubt may have caused confusion in the minds of angels, even those who stayed loyal to God, but if God had destroyed Lucifer immediately, at least some angelic beings who did not fully understand might have begun worshiping God in fear. They might have believed, “Lucifer may have been correct. Be careful. If you differ with God, He may kill you.” So nothing would have been settled; Satan’s crafty suggestions and questions would have remained and the problem would have been heightened. God demands loyalty out of love not out of fear.

So God is giving Satan time to demonstrate his methods. Satan claimed to have had a better plan for God’s universe, and God is allowing the universe to behold this claim. The Lord will abolish sin only after every soul in the universe is convinced that Satan’s government is unfair, hateful, ruthless, lying, and destructive. The entire universe is watching as we each play a part in the controversy between Christ and satan. As the controversy ends, every soul will fully understand the principles of both kingdoms and will have chosen to follow either Christ or satan. Those who have chosen to ally with sin and satan will be destroyed with him, and God’s people will be taken to the eternal safety of their heavenly home.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Lord's Table - Tree of Life

To those who have been sealed by God the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption.

We recognize the elements in the Lord’s Table represent the broken body of Christ and the sinless blood that was shed for us. We are aware that we ought to examine ourselves before we partake of it. We know who aught to and who aught not to partake in it. We know the covenantal blessings that we inherit by partaking in it. We remember our Lord’s sacrificial death and declare our belief in His second coming. But there is more.

The purpose of this article is to illustrate further the significance of the Lord’s Table for every believer. It is my prayer that you understand the blessed hope we have when we partake of the Lord’s Table.

I Cor 11.23-26 says, ………. The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Tree of LIFE

Tree Of LIFE -> Passover -> Manna -> Lamb Of God (Jesus) -> Lord’s Table (bread & wine) -> Tree Of LIFE

In Genesis 3 we see that soon after creating man, God places man before the garden full of fruit bearing trees and asked him to eat. The first thing God required of man before multiplying or ruling the earth was to eat. God gave man food and asked him to eat. Man needed physical food as well as spiritual food. God placed man in the garden, drew his attention to the special two trees in the middle of the garden, and told him to eat from all, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

God’s original plan was that man may partake of the Tree Of LIFE. The Tree Of LIFE is the Triune God himself. God made man in His image and likeness but man did not yet have fullness of Life or Eternal Life in him. Therefore, God presented himself as food that man may choose Him and Live. It was necessary that man make that choice out of free will. (this is dealt with in another article)

God’s purposes never changed. John 1.4 says, ‘in Him was life’, speaking of the Word of God or Jesus. Jesus represents the full abundant life of God. When we have Jesus dwelling in us we have Life within us. God desires man to have LIFE in him that he may live to the full potential as Sons of God.

In Eden, man was deceived/tempted by satan into partaking from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In his infinite love God stepped in to undo the consequences – that is what we see throughout OT and NT.

The OT as we know is the shadow or foretaste of the NT fulfillment. OT Passover, sacrifices, atonement, tabernacle etc represented Jesus’ crucifixion, death, resurrection and the resulting redemption of mankind.

In NT we see Jesus commanding all believers to partake of his body and blood in the form of bread and wine, until He returns.

We know our life on earth is not the ultimate end. We look forward to the blessed hope of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ. Revelation 22 gives us a glimpse of the fulfillment of this Eternal Life. Here it speaks of the Throne of God, the River of Life that flows from it and the Tree of Life on its banks. The Tree of Life bears 12 crops for every month and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

In Eternity, we no longer shall feed on bread and wine but on the original Tree of Life. The same tree our ancestors were meant to eat from but were prevented by sin.

On that blessed day, we shall truly abide in Yahweh God and He shall abide in us. He shall make us His dwelling place and we will dwell in Him. (Rev 21.3, John 15.4) Then we shall have ‘Life and life in abundance’. (John 10.10) It will be the fulfillment of God’s original plan.

Passover & Manna

During the wilderness journey, Israel were led supernaturally in everyway by God. These 40 years, God dealt with them in an extremely personal and intimate manner. Almost reminiscent of God’s walk with Adam in Eden.

God’s original and perfect plan was for man to live a perfect life. For this man needed ‘God in Him’. For this purpose, God presented himself as man’s food in the form of the Tree of Life.
In the wilderness, manna or the bread that came from heaven was their daily food. Exo 16.35 Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell during these forty years. Deut 8.4 They had LIFE inside of them, nourishing them. They fed off God himself. Jesus says that He is the bread that came from heaven.
[John 6.31-33 “Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat." Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."]

However, before they could eat ‘manna’, they had to eat the Passover. (Exodus 12) The blood of the lamb was a covering for their sins protecting them from the destroyer, and the meat of the lamb was nourishment for their body and soul. At the end of the first month their provisions ran out, and God began to provide them with ‘manna’- the heavenly food, daily. (Exodus 16) The following year on the first month, God asked them to keep the Passover every year. (Numbers 9.1, 2)

NT & Passover

Jesus asked his followers to partake of his body and blood, until his return so, when he returns we may partake of the original Tree of Life.

Just as Israel had to keep the Passover even after the manna stopped, followers of Jesus are to partake of the Lord’s Table until we partake of the Tree of Life.

[John 6. 44-58 " No one can come to me (Jesus) unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

John 6. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Vs 66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Vs 67-68 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Read John 6.25 - 69 with a new heart. ]

When we partake of the Lord’s Table, we eat his flesh and drink his blood which imparts to us eternal life (vs 54). We are to remember that the Lamb of God, Jesus Himself was slain for us and the consummation of this is the eating of the tree of Life in eternity.

We are now partakers of the tree of Life through the flesh and blood of Christ. The importance of water baptism and partaking of the bread and wine becomes now magnified. We partake of God as originally planned by God. Just as the nation of Israel ate manna for forty years, we are to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ until we eat from the Tree of Life.

Choose right

In Genesis, God says, do not choose to eat from the tree of Knowledge. In Deutronomy 30.19 God says, ‘I have set before you life and death, …….. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live’.

Our first parents choose the wrong tree to eat from. We choose right when we eat from the Lord’s Table.

The choice was and is between God and satan. They choose death when they choose the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We choose life when we partake of Lord’s Table.

Before the fall of man, God provided the tree of Life to provide man with Eternal Life.
Under the new covenant Jesus offers his body and blood for those who want Eternal Life,
In New Jerusalem the tree of Life and the river of life give the redeemed ones Eternal Life.