The Unlikely King: YHWH does not see as man sees.

1 Samuel 16:7
(Samuel thought Eliab must be the one chosen to succeed King Saul)
But YHWH said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For YHWH does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but YHWH looks at the heart.

Eventually it was not any of the strong, able-bodied sons of Jesses that was chosen by YHWH, but instead the son who was "ruddy, bright-eyed and good-looking". It was the youngest and perhaps greenest looking of all the sons of Jesse. He was hardly military material, yet it was him, David, who was chosen by God.

1 Samuel 16:13 records for us that Samuel proceeded to anoint this young man David with oil.

And the Spirit of YHWH came upon David.

This choosing of a most unlikely candidate to be God's Anointed King over Israel is typological of how God would choose his Messiah (Christos) to rule over the world in the days to come. We find later in the prophecy of Zechariah, written as follows:

Zechariah 9:9,10 NKJV
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
- -  Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
- - He is just and having salvation.
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
- - A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
- -  And the horse from Jerusalem.
The battle bow shall be cut off
- - He shall speak peace to the nations.
His dominion shall be "from sea to sea"
- - And from the River to the ends of the earth.

Yes, like David, God's future Anointed King would be a most unlikely candidate. He would not be a mighty, nor powerful military leader. Instead he would be lowly and riding on a donkey. He would not bring war but would instead bring announcements of peace, when battle bows shall be cut off and He speaks peace to the nations (Gentiles).

Yet this unlikely King, Yeshua our Master, shall rule "from sea to sea", from the River to the ends of the earth.

Lift Jesus higher?

Last week, the song leader in church led the congregation to sing exuberantly, clapping, tapping and swaying along:

"Lift Jesus higher!
Lift Jesus higher!
Lift him up for the world to see!"

What did the Lord Jesus mean when he said "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John12:32,33)? Is it appropriate to sing such a song?

I couldn't join in the lusty and vibrant singing but instead stood quietly with sadness, with regret and with some disgust. I was disheartened.

This is because the expression "to be lifted up" as used in the NT times was a common way to refer to being crucified, i.e. to be lifted and hung high up on a stake / cross.

This expression is used at least three times in the Gospel according to John,

John 3:14, 15 NKJV
(Jesus speaking to Nicodemus, referring to Numbers 21:9)
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 8:28 NKJV
(Jesus replying the Pharisees)
When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as My Father taught me, I speak these things.

John 12:32,33 NKJV
(Jesus speaking in public)
". . . And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself." This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

If only the song-leader and the congregation realised this morning the meaning of "lifted up", if only they knew the solemn situation conveyed by and signified by this expression, yes, if only they knew. Then they wouldn't be tapping their feet, swaying their bodies and clapping hands to the catchy tune and lyrics of this song.

For in doing so, the members of the congregation were calling on one another to crucify the Anointed One all over again on an even higher stake or cross - higher and higher!

What the congregation thought was a powerful proclamation of Jesus the Christ turned out actually to be a call for painful punishment of Jesus all over again.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One. Let us not call one another to crucify our Master all over again. Instead, let us call one another to a life of obedience to the teachings of our Master.

Galatians 3:27 NASB
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

A Warning to Judah: on keeping the Sabbath.

Sunday 9-3-14 Devotion at Tanjung Tualang, (continued)

Reading from Jeremiah 17:20-27

A warning to Judah about the Sabbath.

(1) It was a warning to ALL Judah.
Just as the gates of Jerusalem was used by both King and commoner alike, this warning from God was given to both the Kings of Judah as well as to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter by these gates (v.20)

(2) Take heed, hear and receive (v.21-23)
Take heed:

• bear no burden out of the house on Sabbath Day.
• do no work
• hallow (sanctify) the day, as YHWH commanded their fathers

But their fathers did not obey YHWH. They did not hear. And they did not receive instruction (v.23)

(3) The warning comes with a promise (v.24-26)
Kings and princes will pass through the gates of Jerusalem.
They shall sit on the throne of David:

• on horses
• in chariots
• accompanied by the people of Jerusalem.

Their city will remain forever.

(4) The Warning of Punishment.
If the people do not heed YHWH

• to hallow the Sabbath Day
• to refrain from carrying burdens through the gates of Jerusalem

Then YHWH will burn the gates and will devour the palaces with unquenchable fire.

Written in the heart: a warning to Judah

Sunday, 9-3-14, these are notes taken during my personal devotion at my in-laws home in Tanjung Tualang.

Reading from Jeremiah 17:1 - 10

(1) Written in the heart
Just like the expression used in Jeremiah 31:31ff where YHWH promised to put his Torah into our hearts, here Jeremiah 17:1,2 tells us that Judah's sin is written in their hearts:

• with an iron pen
• with a diamond point
• engraved on the tablet of their heart and on the horn of their altars.

(2) The Curse before the Blessing
YHWH tells Judah of the Cursed Man (v.5,6) first, before He tells of the Blessed Man (v.7,8). This appears to be a solemn warning to Judah

(3) The Cursed Man (v 5,6)
He trusts in man and makes flesh his arm.
His heart departs from YHWH
He is like a shrub in the desert:

• he does not see good coming
• he inhabits parched places

(4) The Blessed Man (v 7,8)
He trusts in YHWH.
He puts his hope in YHWH.
He is like a tree planted by the waters, with its roots spread out:

• he does not fear heat coming
• he has green leaf
• he will not be anxious in times of drought
• he will not cease to yield fruit

(5) The Deceitful Heart (v 9,10)
It is deceitful above all things.

• desperately wicked.

None can understand it.
Only YHWH searches the heart (see Psalm 139:23,24, where David asks God to search his heart)
and tests the mind.
YHWH rewards every man

• according to his ways
• according to his doings (fruits)

Only God can see our hearts and minds while we order and amend our ways and deeds.