Numbers 8 ~ shall be mine

Psalm 134  
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord!


Numbers 8

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” 3 And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. 4 And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. 7 Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. 8 Then let them take a bull from the herd and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin offering. 9 And you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel. 10 When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the Lord. 12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord to make atonement for the Levites. 13 And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the Lord.

14 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. 16 For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. 17 For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, 18 and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

20 Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the people of Israel to the Levites. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the people of Israel did to them. 21 And the Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.
Retirement of the Levites

23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. 26 They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

So the Lampstands, what do we know of them?

They stood in the Temple Solomon built. More were added.

2 Chronicles 4:7
And he made ten golden lampstands as prescribed, and set them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north.

Jeremiah 52
2 In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

17 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. 18 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service; 19 also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver.

The Lampstands and all the Mosaic Tools went to Babylon.


Winston Churchill wrote History is recorded by the victors. And Winston intended to be one of the victors.

In one of those unusual - Israel belongs to the Living God Almighty - twists - The Babylonian Chronicles absolutely mirror the Scriptures and we know 2 Ades March 16 597 B.C. was the day of 2 Chronicles 4. The Chronicles Nebuchadnezzar did indeed fulfill his promise to the King of Judah for leniency. And we see what food and supplies were given to...

Jeremiah 27:20
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem--

King Jehoiachin Ration Tablets from the massive Babylonian Chronicles

2 Kings 24:12; 25:27-30
King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his servants, his officials, and his eunuchs surrendered to the king of Babylon.


These facts, create some solid faith, leading to this story of prophecy requiring more faith - - -

Daniel 5:4-6
4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.

26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Belshazzar's Feast painted by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

The Lampstands continued to be considered by the Lord during the second Exile.

Zechariah 4:1-3
And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.





Rebirth! Although obliterated - Israel is Reborn! The Lampstands and Tools return as a gift from the Emperor of Babylon - setting Slaves free to rebuild!

James Tisson - The flight of the Prisoners

Ezra 1:11
In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:1
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town)

Psalm 85:1
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. You, LORD, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.





Did we stop there? No!

The Temple always was centered on the sunrise and the Son of God.

Hebrews 9:1-3
Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place.


Take a second and absorb it. This text, Hebrews 9, goes on to say the Temple is in operation. It is not written in 400 A.D. In faith, the Bible says the daily sacrifice will stop. The Sacrifice stopped at 70 A.D. - the year Jesus would have died of old age.

Why did the sacrifice stop for the last 2,000 years after the 2nd Temple was destroyed, but not for the 1st. The correct answer would be Jesus. Our Advocate.





Give us This Day.


Matthew 6:22
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light."

We see through life just as a veil - to what will be.


2 Corinthians 4:6 †

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.


 



Do we stop here? No, we go forth. Just as Daniel saw the man in the midst of the fire of the Babylonian Furnace.

Revelation 1:13
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

Proverbs 3:5:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:6:
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.



Lord, our Father God, from Zion, we lift our hearts to You and Bless You Father God. You made the Heavens and the earth we seek your blessings from here to Zion. In Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen

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Matthew 5:17-19 ~ great in the kingdom of heaven

Matthew 5:17-19

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
 I have not come to abolish them 
but 
to fulfill them.

18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but
whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called 
great in the kingdom of heaven.

There are many ways of looking at the Scriptures. We are so fortunate to have the Gospels with the effort Emperor Vespasian put in burning the copies he could find. The early Christian Church created the word "traitor" for the people who gave up copies of Scripture or other Christian followers under torture. Then the Church had to administer grace to the cries of heresy over forgiveness issues.

What pushes against the Word of God - The Law?

   Sir Edward John Poynter:The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon

What pushes against the Word - The World


Song of Songs 3

Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,
escorted by sixty warriors,
the noblest of Israel,
8 all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.
9 King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10 Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11 come out,
and look, you daughters of Zion.
Look on King Solomon wearing a crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
the day his heart rejoiced.



Matthew met the world as a thug. And the Love of Jesus had Matthew write a Gospel to bring in his friends - the Jews to meet the Messiah.

Mark met the Disciples, who found him to be an unreliable lightweight.  Barnabas, John Mark's cousin, believed John Mark (Colossians 4:10), or Mark, would deepen in his faith to become reliable. Mark's Gospel is to reach out to those pushed out. These are the miracle of Jesus that first generation considered to be the most important. Peter had Mark with him to the end. Persevering for Jesus Christ the Lord.

Luke (Colossians 4:14, Phil 1:24) is the wonderful physician called to be a worker of Jesus Christ with Paul.  Luke brought an accurate, thorough, historical documentation to his Savior's life. Luke lived to be very old and he upheld Paul to his death.

John, the beloved disciple, was constantly astonished at the glory of God and wrote of his experiences in awe at the Love and power of God. John had given his word to Jesus not to tell of the transfiguration, and never did write of the experience, yet even his first chapter of his Gospel declares the glory of God.

Not John, Luke, Mark or Matthew would be a fan of cheap grace - living the way we want to and depending on the mercy of God at convenient intervals. The men who knew Jesus and those who encountered the Holy Spirit in the early Church really believed the reaction to God's grace is deliberate and changed behavior.

We witness in the Scriptures that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, but all did extend themselves to please God.

God takes sand. Mere Sand. And Heats sand; to become glass. To become Art. Beauty. Light. The Plan of God is to be held  Upwards - to God's Path for our Lives.

Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David.

1 In the Lord I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
his eyes examine them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the Lord is righteous,
he loves justice;
the upright will see his face.

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
his eyes examine them.
5 The Lord examines the righteous

Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry

If  you were to build a Kingdom. Establish a place. Would you want the people you trust - the ones you love or would you open the gates to anyone just to have warm bodies?  If we understand God wants to save us and we Believe the Words Jesus gave us about righteousness - being purchased with a price - we understand the Children of God He calls us to be.  

Psalm 115

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;

13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the Lord's heavens,

but the earth he has given to the children of man.

17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.

But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

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Joshua 22 ~ So be very careful to love the Lord your God

Joshua 22

Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 2 and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. 3 For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you. 4 Now that the Lord your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. 7 (To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half of the tribe Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan along with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them, 8 saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth—with large herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze and iron, and a great quantity of clothing—and divide the plunder from your enemies with your fellow Israelites.”

9 So the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in Canaan to return to Gilead, their own land, which they had acquired in accordance with the command of the Lord through Moses.

10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. 11 And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12 the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 So the Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 14 With him they sent ten of the chief men, one from each of the tribes of Israel, each the head of a family division among the Israelite clans.

15 When they went to Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh—they said to them: 16 “The whole assembly of the Lord says: ‘How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the Lord and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now? 17 Was not the sin of Peor enough for us? Up to this very day we have not cleansed ourselves from that sin, even though a plague fell on the community of the Lord! 18 And are you now turning away from the Lord?

“‘If you rebel against the Lord today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole community of Israel. 19 If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the Lord’s land, where the Lord’s tabernacle stands, and share the land with us. But do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar for yourselves, other than the altar of the Lord our God. 20 When Achan son of Zerah was unfaithful in regard to the devoted things, did not wrath come on the whole community of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.’”

21 Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the Lord, do not spare us this day. 23 If we have built our own altar to turn away from the Lord and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the Lord himself call us to account.

24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord.

26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’

28 “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

29 “Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord and turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle.”

30 When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of the Israelites—heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. 31 And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is with us, because you have not been unfaithful to the Lord in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s hand.”

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. 33 They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

34 And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us—that the Lord is God.

God's Work still goes forth, His workmen go Home.

A human body weighs five pounds less within a minute of death, than the living person did. Without any physical change.

When we say someone has Heart, aren't we really saying Soul?
What Shape is a Soul?

God has not brought us this far - to drop us on our heads.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.


Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us


Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.

How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.

It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even 
life
forevermore.

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Matthew 7 ~ Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Rembrandt Van Rijn:The Return of the Prodigal Son

Matthew 7

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.


7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Ask, knock, seek find. Where, what, when. Jesus moved, in his adult life, to Capernaum. Jesus was most impressed with the Centurion who waited only upon God's Word.

I've observed and been interested, all my life, in people and what makes them tick. I think I always expected God to be stuck in the second picture. Always weeping. We always joke about Jewish Mothers - but when Adam was created - God was still holding on to Eve's rib. Meaning God is a Jewish Mother. He had no need for Jesus to be anything but cloned, and God chose a Jewish Mom named Mary for Jesus - who sometimes upset Jesus - even as He traveled to Cana and stayed with Mary for a few days.

God expected Mary to tell Jesus - there, there, there and GET BACK into the Game.

Would you doubt that the Prodigal's Father later gave him a list of Team Chores.

In the old vein of it's all dire:

I heard a Priest explain his baptism of a parishioner's baby daughter with Down Syndrome. He looked at the parents and her mother was copiously weeping. Her father was beginning to tear up from his wife's reaction. The Priest stopped the readings to say something about Expectations. Their daughter would not live up all their dreams for her. And God is in the same boat. We will not always please Him. Nor live up to expectations.

God is like the Old God of the Old Testament.

Not the reformed God.

Recently I met a man without forearms. These days I look closely at people without hands, my daughter was born without her left hand. This is something I guess I will always do. This trait runs in my grandmother Anita's side. And I looked at this man with his arm clamp on one arm and saw something I was so very glad to see. His eyes spoke of joy. And his wife came over and talked with us and their small daughter. They talked of buying a horse. His wife had no pity or sorrow. She Loved her husband and expected him to bounce.

Recently I met a man who is deaf and is a Disc Golfer. He was playing in the State Championship of Texas and we had met the month before. Last month, his game was fluid and what I saw was this - a very likable man determined to communicate when the game allows that. I saw some hurt at how easily others communicate. And I saw his shoulders straighten and he communicated until he was satisfied. I saw the ability he had to speak clearly. I heard him use great noises, he cannot hear, to entertain others.

The fruit from his tree - was what God sees in the World and says Life is Good. People saw his effort and bent over to make sure he was affirmed. This is a very likeable man.

So much so that, this weekend, when the Championship started and he was very less-than-pleased - you knew you could speak up to encourage him. He was not going to whine with you giving him confirmation. (Not much anyway!) And when you passed him a written note, some surprise, but more appreciation that it's not comfortable to reach out. Taking your advice that the hail and hearty man who just greeted you suffers - to a deeper understanding that life calls us to Shake things off. Strive again. Strive again? That man did Well in the Championship.

Mean God - He gives us imperfect lives and opportunities? That Wrathful God of the Old Testament.

Hebrews 11
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.


32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about...

That Wrathful God of the Old Testament -

Choosing Abraham to be the Father of Nations. Abraham who asked God for mercy. Went to bat against the Lord God. Then distrusted God enough to think God would want Isaac instead of boldly proclaiming 'NO.' Did that Wrathful God dessert Abraham the sinner? Nope.

The Horrid God who would let Jacob be labelled a Thief of only a Verbal Blessing...

Jacob is loved and held dear for fighting for Blessings - Blessings Jacob willingly bestowed on Sons who deserted Jacob. Jacob is Chosen. And Comforted.

How Dare that Wrathful GOD provide Opportunities for a Solution of Faith.

Imagine allowing Samuel to work for HIM for years. What is that? A violation of Child Labor Laws. And Samuel hears God's plan and says - "OH NO. Don't Send Me!" Yep. Samuel Prophet of God is a complainer. Goes God ZAP Samuel. No. God says, "Oh Samuel, please stop mourning Saul." God picks Samuel because... Samuel can Love.

Gad rushes in to tell King David - forgiver of many men who did not follow him and he welcomes them as he comes to his throne - Gad the Prophet rushes in to say "You Blew IT. Pick death or horror." David, who is picked for many things, says "God will be more merciful, He must pick."

God is merciful. He fires Gad!

Nathan sweeps in to make David weep over a lost lamb. God is going to keep Nathan around - even comforting and guiding a feeble David who knows David is going Home to his Father God.

The hand of blessing. The hand of adversity. From God?

40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Life rests in no particular angle for a long time. Victory is God's.

Psalm 119:28

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

1 Peter 5:10

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.…

In Jesus Christ Our Hero. The Lord!

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Psalm 47 ~ He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.

Psalm 47

1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!

3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.

4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.

The South has a saying - Living in High Cotton.

The early Old Testament has a tradition. Moses found God's name to be "I Am" from a trip to a  Mountain.

Acts 7
33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

The Children of Israel found Mount Gerizim to be a place of Blessings. Later the Samaritans would live here and Jesus would first announce Himself to be the Messiah among them.

Moses stayed on Mount Nebo overlooking the land of milk and honey. Jeremiah, in Maccabees, hid the Ark of the Covenant knowing the Temple days were numbered on this Mountain.

David conquered the city of Jerusalem for the Tribe of Judah and then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah.

Luke 22
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. To pray.

The Transfiguration occurred at the top of a Mountain.

Luke 9
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

Even when the Temple was proposed by David. Isaiah 66 tells us "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?"

How are we to incorporate the high places, the Temple, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

Jesus also spoke of the Beatitudes. Jesus, the Son of God, was so comfortable, HE sat to teach the people on the mountains leading from the Sea of Galilee.


Matthew 5
3 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world."

God tells us to be Salt and Light. Being the people we are basically created to be. With components of examining our souls, mourning and comfort, gentleness and great inheritance (God's Promises in our expectations), to hunger and thirst for righteousness, obtain mercy from God and give mercy, purity of heart (sincerity), peacemaking,

~ these qualities are those of Children of God.

These are the aspects Jesus has for the Work of Men. To believe God - He is so comfortable with this, Jesus sits to teach us today. To imbibe, exude, and manifest these into our words, work, and attitudes. God Planning each of us and equipping those qualities within us, to function as His unique Children.



All of them Saints of God, and I pray - God help me to be one, too.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

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