Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "humanity-of-jesus"
Who’s your daddy now? – Part 2
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God” [Luke 1:35].
The angel appeared to Miriam and announced that she was about to become pregnant. Before marital bliss could occur in Israel back in the day, a wedding ceremony had to transpire. And before a wedding ceremony could come to pass, an engagement period was required which lasted for a year give or take. But Miriam wasn’t even engaged yet, let alone married. So how could she legally under the Law of Moses become pregnant? Inquiring minds want to know.
So she asked the angel for an answer. The angel responded with the words which we quoted at the start of this post. Take a gander over yonder and reread them now, please. I’ll wait while you do so. We will spend our time on them today.
Making legitimate babies requires four things:
• a husband
• a wife
• a miracle from the Lord
• a baby
Guess what? We find all four identified in Luke 1:35, with a legitimate baby being the result. First the husband: The Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High. Next the wife: will come upon you, and… will overshadow you (“you” being Miriam). Third the miracle from the Lord: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Last the baby: the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Voilà! the four needed ingredients mixed together in one single verse.
Now let us assay the ramifications of this particular baby. On the one hand was a 100% human mother, on the other 100% pure God. The combination of the two parents resulted in a most unique baby. This young’un was both God and man simultaneously…and permanently thenceforth.
Oh, but there’s more. Whereas Miriam was a virgin pure and simple, this was a most unusual case of childbirth. We know it as the virgin birth of Jesus. This is one of the most astounding doctrines of the Christian faith, and for a very good reason: it was absolutely essential in God’s plan for mankind! Back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, man sinned and God sentenced him for his sin. But God also promised him deliverance from his sin, viz., the seed of the woman.
These are some yummy morsels to chew on awhile. Let’s pause now and return to our topic in the next post.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The angel appeared to Miriam and announced that she was about to become pregnant. Before marital bliss could occur in Israel back in the day, a wedding ceremony had to transpire. And before a wedding ceremony could come to pass, an engagement period was required which lasted for a year give or take. But Miriam wasn’t even engaged yet, let alone married. So how could she legally under the Law of Moses become pregnant? Inquiring minds want to know.
So she asked the angel for an answer. The angel responded with the words which we quoted at the start of this post. Take a gander over yonder and reread them now, please. I’ll wait while you do so. We will spend our time on them today.
Making legitimate babies requires four things:
• a husband
• a wife
• a miracle from the Lord
• a baby
Guess what? We find all four identified in Luke 1:35, with a legitimate baby being the result. First the husband: The Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High. Next the wife: will come upon you, and… will overshadow you (“you” being Miriam). Third the miracle from the Lord: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Last the baby: the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Voilà! the four needed ingredients mixed together in one single verse.
Now let us assay the ramifications of this particular baby. On the one hand was a 100% human mother, on the other 100% pure God. The combination of the two parents resulted in a most unique baby. This young’un was both God and man simultaneously…and permanently thenceforth.
Oh, but there’s more. Whereas Miriam was a virgin pure and simple, this was a most unusual case of childbirth. We know it as the virgin birth of Jesus. This is one of the most astounding doctrines of the Christian faith, and for a very good reason: it was absolutely essential in God’s plan for mankind! Back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, man sinned and God sentenced him for his sin. But God also promised him deliverance from his sin, viz., the seed of the woman.
These are some yummy morsels to chew on awhile. Let’s pause now and return to our topic in the next post.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 1
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
The last time I purchased a new automobile, it was a most peculiar affair. I found myself inside the dealer’s showroom. The salesman was courteous as all get-out, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. And when it came to service on my new automobile, the salesman had a knack for disappearing like the Cheshire Cat!
But that is not the subject of the story. I signed the papers—I couldn’t resist the ear-to-ear smile—and drove my brand spanking new car home to my driveway. I phoned all my friends to report my good fortune. I have a brand spanking new car!
So everyone came over, elated at my good fortune. They marveled at the beauty of the car, the slimline features, the shine in the finish, a grill which was the envy of the neighborhood. Well, you get the point. They were impressed!
Nary a friend present declined a ride in my brand spanking new car. Truth be told, each one insisted on it. So the first batch of folks piled in, cramming themselves until they were jam-packed to the brim. The car was bursting at the seams, but no one seemed to mind at all. They were too ebullient in anticipation of the fantastic, super-duper ride they expected.
So there I was, sitting in the driveway in the driver’s seat of my brand spanking new car, the car bursting at the seams with passengers-to-be, my good friends at that. They were urging me on. It seems that, in their estimation, I wasn’t moving fast enough at starting the trip.
Let’s go, dude! Get a move on already! I can’t wait to feel how this beautiful piece of machinery glides along the road, like a flat stone skating across the surface of a calm lake. O! the suspense is unbearable. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Well, it went something like that anyway. And that was the best part, because no sooner did I insert the key into the ignition and turn it, than we all experienced a letdown of gigantic proportions. The engine sputtered and stuttered and in general coughed up its last gasping breath.
There was my brand spanking new car filled with a good many of my friends, and many more were in the front yard observing this embarrassment. I was suddenly suffused with a flushed face, the butt of all the jokes that day. O! the shame of it all!
I wasn’t going to tolerate such shenanigans. I hied off to the car salesman and vented my perturbation.
This is totally unacceptable! Your lousy excuse for a car just cost me the respect of all my friends. And you can bet your booties, Granny, they won’t come here to buy a car anytime soon. How dare you sell me a piece of junk like that!
You won’t believe what the dealer had to say about this. So be sure to return tomorrow and hear it for yourself. For now let’s go to Jesus and find out what He has to say.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The last time I purchased a new automobile, it was a most peculiar affair. I found myself inside the dealer’s showroom. The salesman was courteous as all get-out, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. And when it came to service on my new automobile, the salesman had a knack for disappearing like the Cheshire Cat!
But that is not the subject of the story. I signed the papers—I couldn’t resist the ear-to-ear smile—and drove my brand spanking new car home to my driveway. I phoned all my friends to report my good fortune. I have a brand spanking new car!
So everyone came over, elated at my good fortune. They marveled at the beauty of the car, the slimline features, the shine in the finish, a grill which was the envy of the neighborhood. Well, you get the point. They were impressed!
Nary a friend present declined a ride in my brand spanking new car. Truth be told, each one insisted on it. So the first batch of folks piled in, cramming themselves until they were jam-packed to the brim. The car was bursting at the seams, but no one seemed to mind at all. They were too ebullient in anticipation of the fantastic, super-duper ride they expected.
So there I was, sitting in the driveway in the driver’s seat of my brand spanking new car, the car bursting at the seams with passengers-to-be, my good friends at that. They were urging me on. It seems that, in their estimation, I wasn’t moving fast enough at starting the trip.
Let’s go, dude! Get a move on already! I can’t wait to feel how this beautiful piece of machinery glides along the road, like a flat stone skating across the surface of a calm lake. O! the suspense is unbearable. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Well, it went something like that anyway. And that was the best part, because no sooner did I insert the key into the ignition and turn it, than we all experienced a letdown of gigantic proportions. The engine sputtered and stuttered and in general coughed up its last gasping breath.
There was my brand spanking new car filled with a good many of my friends, and many more were in the front yard observing this embarrassment. I was suddenly suffused with a flushed face, the butt of all the jokes that day. O! the shame of it all!
I wasn’t going to tolerate such shenanigans. I hied off to the car salesman and vented my perturbation.
This is totally unacceptable! Your lousy excuse for a car just cost me the respect of all my friends. And you can bet your booties, Granny, they won’t come here to buy a car anytime soon. How dare you sell me a piece of junk like that!
You won’t believe what the dealer had to say about this. So be sure to return tomorrow and hear it for yourself. For now let’s go to Jesus and find out what He has to say.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 2
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
My brand spanking new car wouldn’t even start. It was all of three hours old, and all the engine could do was groan and moan and kick the bucket. So I hied off to the car dealer to give him a piece of my mind…a big piece!
The dealer asked for clarification. He wanted to know what the problem was. So I painted him a picture of that entire afternoon. He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head, then retorted,
I still don’t see the problem, son. The air conditioner works fine, doesn’t it? And the radio plays sweet tunes. The tires are inflated properly, and the gas tank is full. You can run the automobile for hours and listen to the radio in air conditioned comfort, all to your little ol’ heart’s content. And all your friends will be impressed. So what more could you ask for? You are a strange one, sir.
Huh? Are we missing something here? Did we just pass into the Twilight Zone? The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” made more sense than the car salesman! One would think his name was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and he lived on Boulevard Strawberry Fields Forever.
You see, no one pays big bucks for an automobile, just so he can sit in air conditioned comfort and hear a fantastic stereo system. For that we buy a home stereo setup. We buy a car so we can drive to different places. The engine is primary. The stereo and A/C are extras. (By the way, I made this up. No car salesman would be so inept.)
In Biblical terminology we would say that the imagined automobile I purchased was not “perfected”. It didn’t serve the purpose for which an automobile is manufactured. That is the real meaning in Scripture for being “perfect” or “complete”. It doesn’t have to do with moral issues, with sinlessness and holiness. It refers to something attaining to the purpose for which it was made.
Allow me to cite a Biblical example to illustrate. The Lord prophesied through Isaiah that He would raise up Cyrus king of Persia to put the hurting to Babylon. Cyrus was a heathen king who ruled a heathen empire. Yet the Lord arranged history so that Cyrus accomplished God’s work. When Cyrus did what the Lord foretold he would do, Cyrus was “perfected”. No, this heathen king wasn’t sinless or holy; but he was “perfected”.
In the same vein we read in our Bible verses today of another Person being “perfected”. As Cyrus king of Persia was “perfected”, so too in the case of the Person in our Bible verses: He wasn’t less than “perfect” and somehow became “perfect”, not in the sense of being imperfect or sinful and becoming sinless. He was “made perfect” though.
This concept is absolutely essential to get solidified in our noggins, if we are to rightly understand the Scriptures. And we will attempt a right understanding of them in our next study. For now let’s visit with our Lord Jesus and learn from Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
My brand spanking new car wouldn’t even start. It was all of three hours old, and all the engine could do was groan and moan and kick the bucket. So I hied off to the car dealer to give him a piece of my mind…a big piece!
The dealer asked for clarification. He wanted to know what the problem was. So I painted him a picture of that entire afternoon. He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head, then retorted,
I still don’t see the problem, son. The air conditioner works fine, doesn’t it? And the radio plays sweet tunes. The tires are inflated properly, and the gas tank is full. You can run the automobile for hours and listen to the radio in air conditioned comfort, all to your little ol’ heart’s content. And all your friends will be impressed. So what more could you ask for? You are a strange one, sir.
Huh? Are we missing something here? Did we just pass into the Twilight Zone? The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” made more sense than the car salesman! One would think his name was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and he lived on Boulevard Strawberry Fields Forever.
You see, no one pays big bucks for an automobile, just so he can sit in air conditioned comfort and hear a fantastic stereo system. For that we buy a home stereo setup. We buy a car so we can drive to different places. The engine is primary. The stereo and A/C are extras. (By the way, I made this up. No car salesman would be so inept.)
In Biblical terminology we would say that the imagined automobile I purchased was not “perfected”. It didn’t serve the purpose for which an automobile is manufactured. That is the real meaning in Scripture for being “perfect” or “complete”. It doesn’t have to do with moral issues, with sinlessness and holiness. It refers to something attaining to the purpose for which it was made.
Allow me to cite a Biblical example to illustrate. The Lord prophesied through Isaiah that He would raise up Cyrus king of Persia to put the hurting to Babylon. Cyrus was a heathen king who ruled a heathen empire. Yet the Lord arranged history so that Cyrus accomplished God’s work. When Cyrus did what the Lord foretold he would do, Cyrus was “perfected”. No, this heathen king wasn’t sinless or holy; but he was “perfected”.
In the same vein we read in our Bible verses today of another Person being “perfected”. As Cyrus king of Persia was “perfected”, so too in the case of the Person in our Bible verses: He wasn’t less than “perfect” and somehow became “perfect”, not in the sense of being imperfect or sinful and becoming sinless. He was “made perfect” though.
This concept is absolutely essential to get solidified in our noggins, if we are to rightly understand the Scriptures. And we will attempt a right understanding of them in our next study. For now let’s visit with our Lord Jesus and learn from Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 3
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
We ended our last study by defining the Biblical usage of the term “perfect” or “perfected”. When someone matures or reaches the stage where he accomplishes the purpose for which he was made, then he is said to be “perfect” or “perfected”.
Our Bible verses quoted above are about Jesus. Let us understand that the name “Jesus” was given to the eternal Son of God at a point in time when He took upon real humanity and became a man. Now Jesus is the God-man. Before He took upon humanity, however, Jesus didn’t exist. The eternal Son of God always exists, but the God-man Jesus began circa 3 B.C.
In taking upon humanity Jesus “was made for a little while lower than the angels”, as Hebrews 2:9 phrases it. This is an allusion to the eternal Son of God becoming a man.
The purpose for Jesus doing this is worded “so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone”. We cannot fail to recognize the reference to the cross of Christ in those words. The purpose for the eternal Son of God becoming a man—all the while remaining the eternal Son of God—was to enable Him to die on the cross.
Even more, His death on the cross was to “taste death for everyone”. Jesus’ crucifixion was the payment for the penalty of sins for all mankind. That should be palpable from those words. The wages of sin is death, and all have sinned. Ergo, everyone must die. Jesus’ died everyone’s death so that everyone might live His life.
Now let’s observe the words “Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor”. God the Father crowned Jesus the Son with glory and honor because Jesus the Son suffered death on behalf of everyone. That is the teaching to be culled from those words.
We read the same teaching by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5-11. You would do well to turn in your Bible to that passage and prayerfully read the teaching there.
The reason God the Father crowned Jesus with glory and honor was because Jesus died everyone’s death as payment for the penalty of everyone’s sins. In other words the eternal Son of God had a purpose for taking upon humanity, and it was to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind.
When Jesus did so, He achieved the purpose for which He was made, viz., to pay the penalty for sins. This is another way of saying that Jesus was “made perfect” or was “perfected”. The eternal Son of God wasn’t “made perfect” or “perfected”. Jesus the God-man was.
This is deep theological truth, dear friends. We are standing on holy ground, when we discuss this topic. We need to stop and sit before the Lord Jesus now. Allow Him to prepare us to continue this journey in our next study.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We ended our last study by defining the Biblical usage of the term “perfect” or “perfected”. When someone matures or reaches the stage where he accomplishes the purpose for which he was made, then he is said to be “perfect” or “perfected”.
Our Bible verses quoted above are about Jesus. Let us understand that the name “Jesus” was given to the eternal Son of God at a point in time when He took upon real humanity and became a man. Now Jesus is the God-man. Before He took upon humanity, however, Jesus didn’t exist. The eternal Son of God always exists, but the God-man Jesus began circa 3 B.C.
In taking upon humanity Jesus “was made for a little while lower than the angels”, as Hebrews 2:9 phrases it. This is an allusion to the eternal Son of God becoming a man.
The purpose for Jesus doing this is worded “so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone”. We cannot fail to recognize the reference to the cross of Christ in those words. The purpose for the eternal Son of God becoming a man—all the while remaining the eternal Son of God—was to enable Him to die on the cross.
Even more, His death on the cross was to “taste death for everyone”. Jesus’ crucifixion was the payment for the penalty of sins for all mankind. That should be palpable from those words. The wages of sin is death, and all have sinned. Ergo, everyone must die. Jesus’ died everyone’s death so that everyone might live His life.
Now let’s observe the words “Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor”. God the Father crowned Jesus the Son with glory and honor because Jesus the Son suffered death on behalf of everyone. That is the teaching to be culled from those words.
We read the same teaching by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5-11. You would do well to turn in your Bible to that passage and prayerfully read the teaching there.
The reason God the Father crowned Jesus with glory and honor was because Jesus died everyone’s death as payment for the penalty of everyone’s sins. In other words the eternal Son of God had a purpose for taking upon humanity, and it was to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind.
When Jesus did so, He achieved the purpose for which He was made, viz., to pay the penalty for sins. This is another way of saying that Jesus was “made perfect” or was “perfected”. The eternal Son of God wasn’t “made perfect” or “perfected”. Jesus the God-man was.
This is deep theological truth, dear friends. We are standing on holy ground, when we discuss this topic. We need to stop and sit before the Lord Jesus now. Allow Him to prepare us to continue this journey in our next study.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 4
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
We ended our last study on a most holy topic, the two natures of Jesus the God-man. Let’s continue this discussion now.
The eternal Son of God was never created or made. He created all things, but He Himself always is. He is the plumb line by which everyone and everything else is measured. Jesus, on the other hand, is not the eternal Son of God: He is both God and man. Jesus is the name of the God-man, not the name of the eternal Son of God.
The eternal Son of God cannot die: He is God! In order to die for mankind’s sins, the eternal Son of God had to become a man. As a man He could die: as the eternal Son of God He can not die. This is a profound mystery of eternity—even more, a mystery of the very nature of God and, more specifically, of the two natures of the God-man.
It would be dangerous for us to try to explain too much about the issue. We can only know what the Lord reveals about it to us in His Word. Even then we are limited in our understanding by our finite nature. Our Bible verses intimate the truths we are discoursing about, but the verses don’t set before us a complete unfolding of all the details.
The purpose of our study is to mine the ore of the topic about being “made perfect”, or being “perfected”. This is a much more limited attempt at understanding than is the topic of the two natures of Jesus the God-man. The Bible is written to teach us everything we need to know for a life of godliness, not to satisfy our every curiosity about eternity and the things of God.
Our two Bible verses are quite admirably divided into two sentences. Verse 9 is about Jesus, but verse 10 is about God the Father. Read the verses again, slowly please…no, more slowly than that. Ah, that’s better. Jesus is specifically identified as the subject in the first sentence, as you can see.
The second sentence distinguishes between Jesus and the One who “perfected” Jesus. This other One is identified in the first sentence as “God”. God is the One “for whom are all things, and through whom are all things”. This means He is the Creator. We know that much from Genesis 1.
Well, God is the One “bringing many sons to glory”. How did God do this? John 3:16 answers the question:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…
Jesus did the dying, but God the Father did the giving, you see. And in bringing salvation to mankind (“bringing many sons to glory”), God the Father made “perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings”. This author of man’s salvation is none of than Jesus the God-man.
We already explained what it means for Jesus to be “made perfect” or “perfected”. The eternal Son of God took upon humanity to die for the sins of mankind. This was done “through sufferings” on the cross. When Jesus achieved the purpose for which He was made a man, He was “made perfect” or “perfected”.
Let’s savor this delectable morsel of spiritual truth. I hear there is a fine dining table in the prayer closet. Let’s make use of it now. Thank you, Jesus, for Your Word. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We ended our last study on a most holy topic, the two natures of Jesus the God-man. Let’s continue this discussion now.
The eternal Son of God was never created or made. He created all things, but He Himself always is. He is the plumb line by which everyone and everything else is measured. Jesus, on the other hand, is not the eternal Son of God: He is both God and man. Jesus is the name of the God-man, not the name of the eternal Son of God.
The eternal Son of God cannot die: He is God! In order to die for mankind’s sins, the eternal Son of God had to become a man. As a man He could die: as the eternal Son of God He can not die. This is a profound mystery of eternity—even more, a mystery of the very nature of God and, more specifically, of the two natures of the God-man.
It would be dangerous for us to try to explain too much about the issue. We can only know what the Lord reveals about it to us in His Word. Even then we are limited in our understanding by our finite nature. Our Bible verses intimate the truths we are discoursing about, but the verses don’t set before us a complete unfolding of all the details.
The purpose of our study is to mine the ore of the topic about being “made perfect”, or being “perfected”. This is a much more limited attempt at understanding than is the topic of the two natures of Jesus the God-man. The Bible is written to teach us everything we need to know for a life of godliness, not to satisfy our every curiosity about eternity and the things of God.
Our two Bible verses are quite admirably divided into two sentences. Verse 9 is about Jesus, but verse 10 is about God the Father. Read the verses again, slowly please…no, more slowly than that. Ah, that’s better. Jesus is specifically identified as the subject in the first sentence, as you can see.
The second sentence distinguishes between Jesus and the One who “perfected” Jesus. This other One is identified in the first sentence as “God”. God is the One “for whom are all things, and through whom are all things”. This means He is the Creator. We know that much from Genesis 1.
Well, God is the One “bringing many sons to glory”. How did God do this? John 3:16 answers the question:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…
Jesus did the dying, but God the Father did the giving, you see. And in bringing salvation to mankind (“bringing many sons to glory”), God the Father made “perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings”. This author of man’s salvation is none of than Jesus the God-man.
We already explained what it means for Jesus to be “made perfect” or “perfected”. The eternal Son of God took upon humanity to die for the sins of mankind. This was done “through sufferings” on the cross. When Jesus achieved the purpose for which He was made a man, He was “made perfect” or “perfected”.
Let’s savor this delectable morsel of spiritual truth. I hear there is a fine dining table in the prayer closet. Let’s make use of it now. Thank you, Jesus, for Your Word. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who’s Your Daddy Now? – Part 1
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” [Luke 1:35]
Once upon a time there was this young Jewish maiden of lowly estate. Her name was Miriam of the tribe of Judah. Well, a strange thing happened to her on the way to bed one night. Would you believe an honest to goodness angel from heaven appeared to her? Yes, he did! What do you mean, “No, he did not!” Did so.
Anyway, Miriam was taken aback. Don’t ask me why. Just because she was a young lass of probably 14 years old or thereabouts and all alone in the dark, that was no reason for her to get all scaredy cat on us. Well, maybe it was. Nowadays we are so numbed at the unusual by TV and movie syfy, that we no longer have the good sense to get scared out of our gourd should a strange man appear to us glowing in the dark.
But Miriam had no TV set. She was broke and couldn’t afford one. Besides, no one bothered to invent a TV set yet, so the malls and internet wholesalers didn’t carry them. Come to think of it, there weren’t any malls or internet back then either. Those guys didn’t bother to invent anything, it would seem! But enough of this. Let’s exit Digression Boulevard and return to Miriam, shall we?
She saw this glowing alien and her knees began knocking rather loudly. So the alien attempted to comfort her with gentle words. He said, “Fear not, Miriam!” Unfortunately, but the alien was not accustomed to life on earth and mere mortals with sensitive ears. When he spoke those words, the walls of Miriam’s lowly abode rattled and shook fiercely. She well-nigh leaped out of her nightie!
So the alien, er, I mean angel, started over. He whispered in very small, soft words, “Don’t be afraid, little lass. You’re going to have a baby boy soon.”
Miriam was no longer afraid. Now she was offended! After all, she wasn’t a trollop. She wasn’t easy. She was a deeply godly young lady. She was saving herself for her future husband, she wanted that alien to know. How dare this alien, er, I mean angel, accuse her of being promiscuous! Why the nerve of this, this, this…whatever he is! Miriam retorted, “You lunatic! I’m a virgin, and virgins don’t have babies! Didn’t your mama ever teach you about the birds and the bees?”
In reply the angel uttered the remarkable words we quoted at the beginning of this post. In our next post we will continue this fantastically wonderful saga.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Once upon a time there was this young Jewish maiden of lowly estate. Her name was Miriam of the tribe of Judah. Well, a strange thing happened to her on the way to bed one night. Would you believe an honest to goodness angel from heaven appeared to her? Yes, he did! What do you mean, “No, he did not!” Did so.
Anyway, Miriam was taken aback. Don’t ask me why. Just because she was a young lass of probably 14 years old or thereabouts and all alone in the dark, that was no reason for her to get all scaredy cat on us. Well, maybe it was. Nowadays we are so numbed at the unusual by TV and movie syfy, that we no longer have the good sense to get scared out of our gourd should a strange man appear to us glowing in the dark.
But Miriam had no TV set. She was broke and couldn’t afford one. Besides, no one bothered to invent a TV set yet, so the malls and internet wholesalers didn’t carry them. Come to think of it, there weren’t any malls or internet back then either. Those guys didn’t bother to invent anything, it would seem! But enough of this. Let’s exit Digression Boulevard and return to Miriam, shall we?
She saw this glowing alien and her knees began knocking rather loudly. So the alien attempted to comfort her with gentle words. He said, “Fear not, Miriam!” Unfortunately, but the alien was not accustomed to life on earth and mere mortals with sensitive ears. When he spoke those words, the walls of Miriam’s lowly abode rattled and shook fiercely. She well-nigh leaped out of her nightie!
So the alien, er, I mean angel, started over. He whispered in very small, soft words, “Don’t be afraid, little lass. You’re going to have a baby boy soon.”
Miriam was no longer afraid. Now she was offended! After all, she wasn’t a trollop. She wasn’t easy. She was a deeply godly young lady. She was saving herself for her future husband, she wanted that alien to know. How dare this alien, er, I mean angel, accuse her of being promiscuous! Why the nerve of this, this, this…whatever he is! Miriam retorted, “You lunatic! I’m a virgin, and virgins don’t have babies! Didn’t your mama ever teach you about the birds and the bees?”
In reply the angel uttered the remarkable words we quoted at the beginning of this post. In our next post we will continue this fantastically wonderful saga.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who’s Your Daddy Now? – Part 2
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” [Luke 1:35]
The angel appeared to Miriam and announced that she was about to become pregnant. Before marital bliss could occur in Israel back in the day, a wedding ceremony had to transpire. And before a wedding ceremony could come to pass, an engagement period was required which lasted for a year give or take. But Miriam wasn’t even engaged yet, let alone married. So how could she legally under the Law of Moses become pregnant? Inquiring minds want to know.
So she asked the angel for an answer. The angel responded with the words which we quoted at the start of this post. Take a gander over yonder and reread them now, please. I’ll wait while you do so. We will spend our time on them today.
Making legitimate babies requires four things:
• a husband
• a wife
• a miracle from the Lord
• a baby
Guess what? We find all four identified in Luke 1:35, with a legitimate baby being the result. First the husband: The Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High. Next the wife: will come upon you, and… will overshadow you (“you” being Miriam). Third the miracle from the Lord: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Last the baby: the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Voilà! the four needed ingredients mixed together in one single verse.
Now let us assay the ramifications of this particular baby. On the one hand was a 100% human mother, on the other 100% pure God. The combination of the two parents resulted in a most unique baby. This young’un was both God and man simultaneously…and permanently thenceforth.
Oh, but there’s more. Whereas Miriam was a virgin pure and simple, this was a most unusual case of childbirth. We know it as the virgin birth of Jesus. This is one of the most astounding doctrines of the Christian faith, and for a very good reason: it was absolutely essential in God’s plan for mankind! Back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, man sinned and God sentenced him for his sin. But God also promised him deliverance from his sin, viz., the seed of the woman.
These are some yummy morsels to chew on awhile. Let’s pause now and return to our topic in the next post.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
The angel appeared to Miriam and announced that she was about to become pregnant. Before marital bliss could occur in Israel back in the day, a wedding ceremony had to transpire. And before a wedding ceremony could come to pass, an engagement period was required which lasted for a year give or take. But Miriam wasn’t even engaged yet, let alone married. So how could she legally under the Law of Moses become pregnant? Inquiring minds want to know.
So she asked the angel for an answer. The angel responded with the words which we quoted at the start of this post. Take a gander over yonder and reread them now, please. I’ll wait while you do so. We will spend our time on them today.
Making legitimate babies requires four things:
• a husband
• a wife
• a miracle from the Lord
• a baby
Guess what? We find all four identified in Luke 1:35, with a legitimate baby being the result. First the husband: The Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High. Next the wife: will come upon you, and… will overshadow you (“you” being Miriam). Third the miracle from the Lord: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Last the baby: the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Voilà! the four needed ingredients mixed together in one single verse.
Now let us assay the ramifications of this particular baby. On the one hand was a 100% human mother, on the other 100% pure God. The combination of the two parents resulted in a most unique baby. This young’un was both God and man simultaneously…and permanently thenceforth.
Oh, but there’s more. Whereas Miriam was a virgin pure and simple, this was a most unusual case of childbirth. We know it as the virgin birth of Jesus. This is one of the most astounding doctrines of the Christian faith, and for a very good reason: it was absolutely essential in God’s plan for mankind! Back in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, man sinned and God sentenced him for his sin. But God also promised him deliverance from his sin, viz., the seed of the woman.
These are some yummy morsels to chew on awhile. Let’s pause now and return to our topic in the next post.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who’s Your Daddy Now? – Part 3
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” [Luke 1:35]
Ah, now we’ve finished sipping on the milk and gone to eating solid meat. Ever since Genesis 2 God has ordained that the man is the head and the woman the helpmate. In God’s economy the inheritance goes through the male, not the female. Hence the children are reckoned according to the genealogy of the father. This means that the normal order of things was to refer to the kids as the “seed of the man”.
By bypassing a human father via the virgin birth, the Lord bypassed the propagation of a sin nature in this unique baby. Ergo, the baby boy was without a sin nature because He was God and because His Father was God and not man. But His mother Miriam was 100% human female, thus providing Him with the true human nature of mankind. Jesus is the God-man.
This fitted Jesus to be the Savior from sin for all mankind. On the one hand He needn’t die because He had no sin of His own for which to die—the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Apart from sin there would be no penalty for which to die. However, Jesus willing went to the cross and did die. Seeing how this was not for His own sin, it allowed His death as the God-man to be reckoned as payment for the sins of each human being.
And there we have it! The absolute need for, and importance of, the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. There is only one thing missing. Since Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, does this mean all mankind will go to heaven?
Sorry, Charlie, but it ain’t gonna happen (pardon my French). Everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved [Acts 2:21]. To receive Jesus’ finished work on my behalf, I have to call upon Him and ask for it. To do that I have to hear the Gospel message, believe it in my head, and open my mouth to proclaim it (cf., Romans 10:9). This is known as Biblical faith. Faith is the key which opens the door to salvation.
At this wonderful time of year, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone called upon the name of the Lord? I did back in 1978 and have been thrilled I did so ever since. We cannot call upon the name of the Lord for anyone but ourselves…but we can do so for ourselves. Have you done so yet? Don’t waste time. Now is the day of salvation!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Ah, now we’ve finished sipping on the milk and gone to eating solid meat. Ever since Genesis 2 God has ordained that the man is the head and the woman the helpmate. In God’s economy the inheritance goes through the male, not the female. Hence the children are reckoned according to the genealogy of the father. This means that the normal order of things was to refer to the kids as the “seed of the man”.
By bypassing a human father via the virgin birth, the Lord bypassed the propagation of a sin nature in this unique baby. Ergo, the baby boy was without a sin nature because He was God and because His Father was God and not man. But His mother Miriam was 100% human female, thus providing Him with the true human nature of mankind. Jesus is the God-man.
This fitted Jesus to be the Savior from sin for all mankind. On the one hand He needn’t die because He had no sin of His own for which to die—the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Apart from sin there would be no penalty for which to die. However, Jesus willing went to the cross and did die. Seeing how this was not for His own sin, it allowed His death as the God-man to be reckoned as payment for the sins of each human being.
And there we have it! The absolute need for, and importance of, the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. There is only one thing missing. Since Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, does this mean all mankind will go to heaven?
Sorry, Charlie, but it ain’t gonna happen (pardon my French). Everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved [Acts 2:21]. To receive Jesus’ finished work on my behalf, I have to call upon Him and ask for it. To do that I have to hear the Gospel message, believe it in my head, and open my mouth to proclaim it (cf., Romans 10:9). This is known as Biblical faith. Faith is the key which opens the door to salvation.
At this wonderful time of year, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone called upon the name of the Lord? I did back in 1978 and have been thrilled I did so ever since. We cannot call upon the name of the Lord for anyone but ourselves…but we can do so for ourselves. Have you done so yet? Don’t waste time. Now is the day of salvation!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my books Genesis: Volume 1 and Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 1
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
The last time I purchased a new automobile, it was a most peculiar affair. I found myself inside the dealer’s showroom. The salesman was courteous as all get-out, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. And when it came to service on my new automobile, the salesman had a knack for disappearing like the Cheshire Cat!
But that is not the subject of the story. I signed the papers—I couldn’t resist the ear-to-ear smile—and drove my brand spanking new car home to my driveway. I phoned all my friends to report my good fortune. I have a brand spanking new car!
So everyone came over, elated at my good fortune. They marveled at the beauty of the car, the slimline features, the shine in the finish, a grill which was the envy of the neighborhood. Well, you get the point. They were impressed!
Nary a friend present declined a ride in my brand spanking new car. Truth be told, each one insisted on it. So the first batch of folks piled in, cramming themselves until they were jam-packed to the brim. The car was bursting at the seams, but no one seemed to mind at all. They were too ebullient in anticipation of the fantastic, super-duper ride they expected.
So there I was, sitting in the driveway in the driver’s seat of my brand spanking new car, the car bursting at the seams with passengers-to-be, my good friends at that. They were urging me on. It seems that, in their estimation, I wasn’t moving fast enough at starting the trip.
Let’s go, dude! Get a move on already! I can’t wait to feel how this beautiful piece of machinery glides along the road, like a flat stone skating across the surface of a calm lake. O! the suspense is unbearable. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Well, it went something like that anyway. And that was the best part, because no sooner did I insert the key into the ignition and turn it, than we all experienced a letdown of gigantic proportions. The engine sputtered and stuttered and in general coughed up its last gasping breath.
There was my brand spanking new car filled with a good many of my friends, and many more were in the front yard observing this embarrassment. I was suddenly suffused with a flushed face, the butt of all the jokes that day. O! the shame of it all!
I wasn’t going to tolerate such shenanigans. I hied off to the car salesman and vented my perturbation.
This is totally unacceptable! Your lousy excuse for a car just cost me the respect of all my friends. And you can bet your booties, Granny, they won’t come here to buy a car anytime soon. How dare you sell me a piece of junk like that!
You won’t believe what the dealer had to say about this. So be sure to return tomorrow and hear it for yourself. For now let’s go to Jesus and find out what He has to say.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The last time I purchased a new automobile, it was a most peculiar affair. I found myself inside the dealer’s showroom. The salesman was courteous as all get-out, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. And when it came to service on my new automobile, the salesman had a knack for disappearing like the Cheshire Cat!
But that is not the subject of the story. I signed the papers—I couldn’t resist the ear-to-ear smile—and drove my brand spanking new car home to my driveway. I phoned all my friends to report my good fortune. I have a brand spanking new car!
So everyone came over, elated at my good fortune. They marveled at the beauty of the car, the slimline features, the shine in the finish, a grill which was the envy of the neighborhood. Well, you get the point. They were impressed!
Nary a friend present declined a ride in my brand spanking new car. Truth be told, each one insisted on it. So the first batch of folks piled in, cramming themselves until they were jam-packed to the brim. The car was bursting at the seams, but no one seemed to mind at all. They were too ebullient in anticipation of the fantastic, super-duper ride they expected.
So there I was, sitting in the driveway in the driver’s seat of my brand spanking new car, the car bursting at the seams with passengers-to-be, my good friends at that. They were urging me on. It seems that, in their estimation, I wasn’t moving fast enough at starting the trip.
Let’s go, dude! Get a move on already! I can’t wait to feel how this beautiful piece of machinery glides along the road, like a flat stone skating across the surface of a calm lake. O! the suspense is unbearable. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Well, it went something like that anyway. And that was the best part, because no sooner did I insert the key into the ignition and turn it, than we all experienced a letdown of gigantic proportions. The engine sputtered and stuttered and in general coughed up its last gasping breath.
There was my brand spanking new car filled with a good many of my friends, and many more were in the front yard observing this embarrassment. I was suddenly suffused with a flushed face, the butt of all the jokes that day. O! the shame of it all!
I wasn’t going to tolerate such shenanigans. I hied off to the car salesman and vented my perturbation.
This is totally unacceptable! Your lousy excuse for a car just cost me the respect of all my friends. And you can bet your booties, Granny, they won’t come here to buy a car anytime soon. How dare you sell me a piece of junk like that!
You won’t believe what the dealer had to say about this. So be sure to return tomorrow and hear it for yourself. For now let’s go to Jesus and find out what He has to say.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 2
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
My brand spanking new car wouldn’t even start. It was all of three hours old, and all the engine could do was groan and moan and kick the bucket. So I hied off to the car dealer to give him a piece of my mind…a big piece!
The dealer asked for clarification. He wanted to know what the problem was. So I painted him a picture of that entire afternoon. He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head, then retorted,
I still don’t see the problem, son. The air conditioner works fine, doesn’t it? And the radio plays sweet tunes. The tires are inflated properly, and the gas tank is full. You can run the automobile for hours and listen to the radio in air conditioned comfort, all to your little ol’ heart’s content. And all your friends will be impressed. So what more could you ask for? You are a strange one, sir.
Huh? Are we missing something here? Did we just pass into the Twilight Zone? The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” made more sense than the car salesman! One would think his name was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and he lived on Boulevard Strawberry Fields Forever.
You see, no one pays big bucks for an automobile, just so he can sit in air conditioned comfort and hear a fantastic stereo system. For that we buy a home stereo setup. We buy a car so we can drive to different places. The engine is primary. The stereo and A/C are extras. (By the way, I made this up. No car salesman would be so inept.)
In Biblical terminology we would say that the imagined automobile I purchased was not “perfected”. It didn’t serve the purpose for which an automobile is manufactured. That is the real meaning in Scripture for being “perfect” or “complete”. It doesn’t have to do with moral issues, with sinlessness and holiness. It refers to something attaining to the purpose for which it was made.
Allow me to cite a Biblical example to illustrate. The Lord prophesied through Isaiah that He would raise up Cyrus king of Persia to put the hurting to Babylon. Cyrus was a heathen king who ruled a heathen empire. Yet the Lord arranged history so that Cyrus accomplished God’s work. When Cyrus did what the Lord foretold he would do, Cyrus was “perfected”. No, this heathen king wasn’t sinless or holy; but he was “perfected”.
In the same vein we read in our Bible verses today of another Person being “perfected”. As Cyrus king of Persia was “perfected”, so too in the case of the Person in our Bible verses: He wasn’t less than “perfect” and somehow became “perfect”, not in the sense of being imperfect or sinful and then becoming sinless. He was “made perfect” though.
This concept is absolutely essential for us to get solidified in our noggins, if we are to rightly understand the Scriptures. We will attempt a right understanding of them in our next study. For now let’s visit with our Lord Jesus and learn from Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
My brand spanking new car wouldn’t even start. It was all of three hours old, and all the engine could do was groan and moan and kick the bucket. So I hied off to the car dealer to give him a piece of my mind…a big piece!
The dealer asked for clarification. He wanted to know what the problem was. So I painted him a picture of that entire afternoon. He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head, then retorted,
I still don’t see the problem, son. The air conditioner works fine, doesn’t it? And the radio plays sweet tunes. The tires are inflated properly, and the gas tank is full. You can run the automobile for hours and listen to the radio in air conditioned comfort, all to your little ol’ heart’s content. And all your friends will be impressed. So what more could you ask for? You are a strange one, sir.
Huh? Are we missing something here? Did we just pass into the Twilight Zone? The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” made more sense than the car salesman! One would think his name was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and he lived on Boulevard Strawberry Fields Forever.
You see, no one pays big bucks for an automobile, just so he can sit in air conditioned comfort and hear a fantastic stereo system. For that we buy a home stereo setup. We buy a car so we can drive to different places. The engine is primary. The stereo and A/C are extras. (By the way, I made this up. No car salesman would be so inept.)
In Biblical terminology we would say that the imagined automobile I purchased was not “perfected”. It didn’t serve the purpose for which an automobile is manufactured. That is the real meaning in Scripture for being “perfect” or “complete”. It doesn’t have to do with moral issues, with sinlessness and holiness. It refers to something attaining to the purpose for which it was made.
Allow me to cite a Biblical example to illustrate. The Lord prophesied through Isaiah that He would raise up Cyrus king of Persia to put the hurting to Babylon. Cyrus was a heathen king who ruled a heathen empire. Yet the Lord arranged history so that Cyrus accomplished God’s work. When Cyrus did what the Lord foretold he would do, Cyrus was “perfected”. No, this heathen king wasn’t sinless or holy; but he was “perfected”.
In the same vein we read in our Bible verses today of another Person being “perfected”. As Cyrus king of Persia was “perfected”, so too in the case of the Person in our Bible verses: He wasn’t less than “perfect” and somehow became “perfect”, not in the sense of being imperfect or sinful and then becoming sinless. He was “made perfect” though.
This concept is absolutely essential for us to get solidified in our noggins, if we are to rightly understand the Scriptures. We will attempt a right understanding of them in our next study. For now let’s visit with our Lord Jesus and learn from Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
