The Anointed One has come to do the will of his God

In Hebrews chapter 10, the author explains that the coming of Iesus the Anointed One into this world has been prophesied in two parts. Quoting Psalm 39:7 - 9 from the Septuagint (Psalm 40:6 - 8 KJV), in the voice of the Anointed One, these two stages are:

1. God does not desire sacrifices and offerings. Instead, God has prepared a body for His Anointed
2. His Anointed One has come to do the will of his God.

Hebrews 10:5 - 7  WEB  World English Bible

5 Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, 'Sacrifice and offering you didn't desire, But a body did you prepare for me;

6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure.

7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of me) To do your will, God.''

The prophecies mentioned in the Hebrews chapter 10 above are quoted from the Septuagint, Psalm 39 (which corresponds to KJV Psalm 40). Both passages from Septuagint and KJV are shown below for comparison.

Psalm 39:7 - 9  LXX  Septuagint Brenton

7 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared me: whole-burnt-offering and sacrifice for sin thou didst not require.

8 Then I said, Behold, I *come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me,

9 I desired to do thy will, O my God, and thy law in the midst of mine heart.

Psalm 40:6 - 8  KJV  King James Version

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Hebrews 10:7 also reminds me of the words of our Lord Iesus in reply to his disciples in John chapter 4:

John 4:34  WEB  World English Bible

Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One. Let us ponder over this great sacrifice, the once-for-all giving of the body of our Lord Iesus who has come to do the will of his God — that the world may be saved.

Let us, as many as are perfect, think this way

In my reading of the Epistle to the Philippians today, I observed from the passage in chapter 3 which contains the well known verse, — Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before — that the Apostle also urges the Philippian brethren to think like him, particularly those who think they are already "perfect".

In verse 15, the apostle writes — Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way — meaning that we all should also forget the things which are behind us and stretch forward, pressing on towards the goal of the high calling of God in the Anointed Iesus (see verse 14).

Philippians 3:8 - 15  WEB  World English Bible

8 Yes most assuredly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ

9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;

11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

13 Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having laid hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,

14 I press on toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, this God will also reveal that to you.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, like the Apostle, let us who think we are already "made perfect" think this way: to count all our gains as loss and, forgetting what is behind us, stretch forward to the things that are before us. Let us press on.

The Name of YHWH shall be great among the Gentiles

Today, in my reading of Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament, I came across two reminders of the promised Kingdom of God.

The first reminder comes from Malachi chapter 1 where, in verse 11, the prophet records the word of the LORD telling the people of Edom that His Name shall be great among the Gentiles, "from the rising of the sun until its setting".

Malachi 1:11  NWB  Noah Webster Bible

For from the rising of the sun even to the setting of the same,

my name shall be great among the Gentiles;

and in every place incense shall be offered to my name,

and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen,

saith the LORD of hosts.

This prophecy about Gentiles giving glory to the Name of the LORD is also written in Psalm 113. In verses 3 and 4, the psalmist writes that "from the rising of the sun to its going down" the Name of the LORD is to be praised, and that the LORD is high above ALL nations.

Psalm 113:3 - 4  KJV  King James Version

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same

the LORD's name is to be praised.

The LORD is high above all nations,

and his glory above the heavens.

---

The second reminder from my reading of the Book of Malachi today comes from verse 1 of chapter 3 where Malachi prophesies that God will send a messenger to clear the way before Him, followed by another messenger called "the Lord whom ye seek", who is the "Messenger of the Covenant" whom the people have been longing for.

Malachi 3:1  NWB  Noah Webster Bible

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he will come, saith the LORD of hosts.

About twelve years ago, I wrote my thoughts in two blog posts about my observations from Malachi chapter 3, links below:

• A prophecy of two messengers (26Mar2010)
• The prophecy of two messengers fulfilled (27Mar2010)

Paradoxes of Apostolic living

In my New Testament reading this afternoon, I came across two passages from the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians where the Apostle describes their lives (Paul's and Timothy's) by a string of paradoxes.

Firstly, in chapter 4 of his epistle, the Apostle likens life to "treasure in clay vessels", where the great power of God delivers them from much hardship and suffering, where despite being hard pressed, perplexed, pursued, struck down, and at risk of being put to death, the apostles are not crushed, desperate, forsaken, nor destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:7 - 12  WEB  World English Bible
But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.
We are

• pressed on every side, yet not crushed;
• perplexed, yet not to despair;
• pursued, yet not forsaken;
• struck down, yet not destroyed;
• always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus,
• that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
• For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake,
• that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.
• So then death works in us, but life in you.

Further on, in chapter 6, the Apostle juxtaposes a list of ten forms of sufferings against eight forms of godliness in his description of their lives as servants of God. Sufferings such as endurance, afflictions, hardships, beatings, imprisonments are contrasted against godly characteristics such as purity, knowledge, perseverance, the Holy Spirit, sincere love, and the word of truth.

The apostle ends his list with ten paradoxes, from "glory and dishonour", to "unknown and yet well known", "sorrowful yet always rejoicing" and ending with "having nothing yet possessing all things".

2 Corinthians 6:3 - 10  WEB  World English Bible
We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God:

• in great endurance,
• in afflictions,
• in hardships,
• in distresses,
• in beatings,
• in imprisonments,
• in riots,
• in labours,
• in watchings,
• in fastings,

---

• in pureness,
• in knowledge,
• in perseverance,
• in kindness,
• in the Holy Spirit,
• in sincere love,
• in the word of truth,
• in the power of God,

---

• by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
• by glory and dishonour,
• by evil report and good report,
• as deceivers and yet true,
• as unknown and yet well known,
• as dying and behold—we live,
• as punished and not killed,
• as sorrowful yet always rejoicing,
• as poor yet making many rich,
• as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus Anointed One, like the Apostle, we are also called to live a paradoxical life. When hardship and distress come our way, let us harness the power of God through purity, knowledge, perseverance, kindness, and sincere love by the presence of the Holy Spirit, in the power of God.

Thou art merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love

Today I am reminded from Jonah chapter 4 of the steadfast love of the LORD our God who is merciful, gracious, and slow to anger.

I first came across such a description of our Heavenly Father one morning many years ago in 1978, when I was studying in my Upper Form Six, from Psalm 103 verses 8 to 14.

Jonah 4:2  NRSV  New Revised Standard Version

He prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing.

Psalm 103:8 - 14  RSV  Revised Standard Version

8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear him.

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us always abide in the steadfast love of God our Father in Heaven.

Let us return, Let us pursue

A noteworthy passage that I came across in my reading of the book of Hosea today is found in chapter six:

Hosea 6:1 - 3  NKJV  New King James Version
1 Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will [a]bind us up.
2 After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
3 Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus Anointed, have we stumbled along the way like Ephraim and Judah did in the Book of Hosea? Have we departed from the presence and the knowledge of the LORD? Let us heed the call by the prophet Hosea ben Beeri in this passage.

Let us return to the LORD and He will heal us and raise us up. Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD, and He will come to us like refreshing rain.

I will be their God, and they shall be My people

Towards the end of Ezekiel chapter 37, the prophet Ezekiel ben Buzi prophesied that the LORD will restore the children of Israel to their promised land and where they will be ruled by "one shepherd", a descendant of King David. The LORD will make an everlasting covenant of peace with His people, and His servant, the seed of David, will be their prince forever.

Ezekiel 37:24 - 28  NWB  Noah Webster Bible

24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell in it, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for ever.

In this prophecy, Ezekiel ben Buzi wrote the well-known promise of God in verse 27, "My tabernacle also shall be with them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people", a promise which is quoted in the New Testament in 2 Corinthians 6:16 and Revelation 21:3.

2 Corinthians 6:16  KJV  King James Version

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Revelation 21:3  KJV  King James Version

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us walk with our God. Let us live as the people of God.

Thy Holy Servant Iesus

Today in my New Testament reading, I came across a passage in Acts chapter 4 that has caught my attention several times in the past.

This passage, from verses 24 to 31, records the account of the disciples' prayer for boldness and for the power of the Holy Spirit, after Peter and John returned from their interrogation by the Sanhedrin for healing the crippled man at Beautiful Gate.

Acts 4:24 - 31  ASV  American Standard Version And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said,

O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is:
who by the Holy Spirit, [by] the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say,

Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples imagine vain things?
The kings of the earth set themselves in array,
And the rulers were gathered together,
Against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.

And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,
while thy stretchest forth thy hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

In the above prayer, the disciples refer to God (v24) as "Lord" (from the Hebrew tetragrammaton YHWH) in verses 24, 26, and 29.

Also, note that they refer to the Lord Iesus as "Anointed" in verses 6 (a quotation from Psalm 2:1 - 2), and "thy holy Servant" in verses 27 and 30.

God brought back His Servant Iesus from the dead

My reading of the New Testament today brought me through the first three chapters of the Acts of the Apostles.

Three verses in Acts chapter 2 reminds me that the resurrection of our Lord Iesus from the dead is a powerful act carried out by the hand of God our Father. Verse 24 tells us that it was God who brought Iesus back to life. This statement is reiterated in verse 32. And in verse 36, we read that God has made Iesus "Lord and Christ".

Acts 2:24, 32, 36  BBE  Bible in Basic English

2:24

But God gave him back to life, having made him free from the pains of death because it was not possible for him to be overcome by it.

2:32

This Jesus God has given back to life, of which we all are witnesses.

2:36

For this reason, let all Israel be certain that this Jesus, whom you put to death on the cross, God has made Lord and Christ.

See also the following passage from Acts chapter 3, which tells us that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has glorified his servant Iesus, who is called the Lord of Life in verse 15, whom God brought back from the dead.:

Acts 3:13 - 15  BBE  Bible in Basic English

13 The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has given glory to his servant Jesus; whom you gave up, turning your backs on him, when Pilate had made the decision to let him go free.

14 But you would have nothing to do with the Holy and Upright One, and made request for a man of blood to be given to you,

15 And put to death the Lord of life; whom God gave back from the dead; of which fact we are witnesses.

My first conviction by the Word of God, of the fact that God raised his servant Iesus from the dead, took place on Easter Sunday 12Apr2009. Standing among the congregation in the midst of Easter Sunrise Service, I came across the words of the Apostle Peter in his message to the household of Cornelius the Centurion in Caesarea in Acts chapter 10.

I was so strongly convicted by Peter's words that I wrote my first blog post on this "epiphany" - that God anointed Iesus, God was with Iesus, and God raised Iesus from the dead. Please see link below:

• An Act of God (12Apr2009)

The God and Father of our Lord Iesus

This afternoon, I finished reading the last four chapters of the Gospel according to St John.

The account of the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus in John chapter 20 presents to us one of the most powerful statements about the God and Father of our Lord Iesus.

In John 20:17, the Lord Iesus spoke to Mary of Magdala at His empty tomb, on the first day of the week, the day of His Resurrection:

John 20:17  JND  J.N.Darby's Translation

Jesus says to her, Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and [to] my God and your God.

Yes. Our heavenly Father and our God is also the Father and the God of our Lord Iesus the Anointed.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us say together with the Apostle Peter:

1 Peter 1:3  NKJV  New King James Version

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Our Lord Iesus and his God

From chapter 13 of the Gospel of John today, I reminded that our Lord Iesus had come from God and was going back to God.

John 13:3  NKJV  New King James Version

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God

John 13:3  NET  New English Translation

Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,

John 13:3 also reminds me of the words of our Lord in His prayer in John 17:3, telling us that His God is the Only True God.

John 17:3  NKJV  New King James Version

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, do you believe that our Lord Iesus the Anointed One has come from God and has gone back to God? Do you also believer that the God of our Lord Iesus is the Only True God?

Let us say together with the Apostle,

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1:3 KJV)

Over the years, I have written about various accounts in the New Testament that clearly tells us that our Lord Iesus the Anointed One has a God: His God and Father in Heaven, the Only True God. Two of my articles are linked below:

• Iesus - Our Mediator (26Apr2010)
• Does God have a God? (28Dec2012)