Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "john-1"
Jacob’s Ladder and a Carpenter
Jesus answered and said to (Nathanael), “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” [John 1:50-51]
Jacob was the son of Isaac. He had an older twin brother named Esau—older, that is, by a matter of jinutes, and that’s quicker than a minute. Esau was a jovial sort of gregarious guy, like a modern-day jock whom everybody likes. Trouble was, Esau couldn’t care less about the things of God. He despised God’s covenant, demonstrating himself to be a godless man.
Esau was the natural firstborn, which entitled him to the birthright (i.e., headship of the family after Isaac died) and the blessing (i.e., the double portion, or twice amount of family wealth the other son(s) received as their inheritance. Here’s the thing: the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, which was handed down to Isaac by the Lord’s sovereign choice. Then the Lord decided to continue the Abrahamic Covenant through Jacob and his lineage, rather than through Esau.
So the Lord considered Jacob to hold the position of firstborn. This family, you see, was not the normal everyday run-of-the-mill family. In the natural world the son born first was entitled to the rights of the firstborn. In the world of covenant the Lord doesn’t follow the natural order. He changes things around to show that no one belongs to Him by natural birth. We must be born again.
Anyway, Esau decided to kill Jacob because he didn’t like Jacob receiving the rights of the firstborn. So Isaac dispatched Jacob far away to Uncle Laban’s house to stay awhile. On the first night of his trip to Uncle Laban’s, Jacob stopped at Bethel to sleep along the road. Here’s what happened when he went to sleep:
He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it [Genesis 28:12].
There we have the description of Jacob’s Ladder. Let’s fast forward now to circa 27 A.D. and pick up the story about Jacob’s Ladder in the hands of a Carpenter from Nazareth. Oh, by the way, the Carpenter’s name was Jesus. We began this study with a quote from Carpenter Jesus about Jacob’s Ladder. But there was one significant difference between the Genesis account and Jesus’ telling of the story. Did you catch it?
Jacob’s Ladder was an actual ladder which connected heaven and earth. On Jacob’s Ladder the angels went back and forth between heaven and earth. But that’s not what Jesus told us, is it? No, it’s not. According to Jesus the angels did not go back and forth between heaven and earth on a ladder. They did so on the Son of Man. Carpenter Jesus is the Son of Man. He is Jacob’s Ladder.
The eternal Son of God took upon human flesh, sinless to be sure but nonetheless real humanity. He did so approximately 3 B.C. as the God-man Jesus Christ. The purpose for Him doing so was to reunite sinful man with a thrice holy God. God created man without sin and in fellowship with Him, but man sinned and lost his relationship with the Lord. In order to bring man back to God, the penalty for man’s sins first had to be paid, and then man needed to have a new nature which wanted to be in relationship with the Lord, a nature which no longer wanted to sin.
The eternal Son of God became man in order to pay the penalty for man’s sins by dying on the cross. He rose again out of death the third day in order to provide man with a new resurrection nature, God’s own nature within man. This provision is available to any person who will take the Word of God at face value and ask Him for it (Biblical faith).
Yes, the God-man Jesus Christ, Carpenter Jesus, is the antitype of Jacob’s Ladder (the type). He reunites God and man in Himself. Isn’t that glorious? The Lord be praised! Let’s go to Him now and receive the blessings of His presence, shall we? We’ll have a grand old time.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Jacob was the son of Isaac. He had an older twin brother named Esau—older, that is, by a matter of jinutes, and that’s quicker than a minute. Esau was a jovial sort of gregarious guy, like a modern-day jock whom everybody likes. Trouble was, Esau couldn’t care less about the things of God. He despised God’s covenant, demonstrating himself to be a godless man.
Esau was the natural firstborn, which entitled him to the birthright (i.e., headship of the family after Isaac died) and the blessing (i.e., the double portion, or twice amount of family wealth the other son(s) received as their inheritance. Here’s the thing: the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, which was handed down to Isaac by the Lord’s sovereign choice. Then the Lord decided to continue the Abrahamic Covenant through Jacob and his lineage, rather than through Esau.
So the Lord considered Jacob to hold the position of firstborn. This family, you see, was not the normal everyday run-of-the-mill family. In the natural world the son born first was entitled to the rights of the firstborn. In the world of covenant the Lord doesn’t follow the natural order. He changes things around to show that no one belongs to Him by natural birth. We must be born again.
Anyway, Esau decided to kill Jacob because he didn’t like Jacob receiving the rights of the firstborn. So Isaac dispatched Jacob far away to Uncle Laban’s house to stay awhile. On the first night of his trip to Uncle Laban’s, Jacob stopped at Bethel to sleep along the road. Here’s what happened when he went to sleep:
He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it [Genesis 28:12].
There we have the description of Jacob’s Ladder. Let’s fast forward now to circa 27 A.D. and pick up the story about Jacob’s Ladder in the hands of a Carpenter from Nazareth. Oh, by the way, the Carpenter’s name was Jesus. We began this study with a quote from Carpenter Jesus about Jacob’s Ladder. But there was one significant difference between the Genesis account and Jesus’ telling of the story. Did you catch it?
Jacob’s Ladder was an actual ladder which connected heaven and earth. On Jacob’s Ladder the angels went back and forth between heaven and earth. But that’s not what Jesus told us, is it? No, it’s not. According to Jesus the angels did not go back and forth between heaven and earth on a ladder. They did so on the Son of Man. Carpenter Jesus is the Son of Man. He is Jacob’s Ladder.
The eternal Son of God took upon human flesh, sinless to be sure but nonetheless real humanity. He did so approximately 3 B.C. as the God-man Jesus Christ. The purpose for Him doing so was to reunite sinful man with a thrice holy God. God created man without sin and in fellowship with Him, but man sinned and lost his relationship with the Lord. In order to bring man back to God, the penalty for man’s sins first had to be paid, and then man needed to have a new nature which wanted to be in relationship with the Lord, a nature which no longer wanted to sin.
The eternal Son of God became man in order to pay the penalty for man’s sins by dying on the cross. He rose again out of death the third day in order to provide man with a new resurrection nature, God’s own nature within man. This provision is available to any person who will take the Word of God at face value and ask Him for it (Biblical faith).
Yes, the God-man Jesus Christ, Carpenter Jesus, is the antitype of Jacob’s Ladder (the type). He reunites God and man in Himself. Isn’t that glorious? The Lord be praised! Let’s go to Him now and receive the blessings of His presence, shall we? We’ll have a grand old time.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
My Hero – Part 1
“I myself (i.e., John the Baptist) have seen, and have testified that this (i.e., Jesus) is the Son of God.” [John 1:34]
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
Hero worship is about the most commonplace practice in the world today. Everyone is looking for a hero…including Bonnie Tyler. Yes, you and I are included in “everyone”. Don’t believe me? When you watch the football game, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to buy a product, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to go to a restaurant, you have your… Well, you get the point. We all have our heroes.
This extends to the church too. Some folks worship Luther, some Calvin, and some John Knox. Some prefer labels like Calvinism, others Arminianism, and still others Lutheranism. There are the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Episcopalians, and the Catholics. You name it, there’s an “ism” for it. We all have our heroes.
In the Corinthian Church of the Apostle Paul’s day, they had there heroes. Listen to Paul portray the quarrelsome bunch:
Each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 1:12]
You see, heroes occur in the church too. Paul was a good steward of Christ. Apollos was a good steward of Christ. Cephas was a good steward of Christ. And Christ…well, He is Christ! Nothing was wrong with admiring such godly men for their service to our Lord. But the Corinthians took it a step further and turned them into heroes, to the extent they were on a level above men.
In many high church denominations you can take a gander at statues of the Apostles. These godly men are put on a pedestal and worshiped. Oh, I know, folks in those denominations deny that is what they are doing, but in actual practice that is what is done. Some even go so far as to pray to these super-heroes, stealing God’s prerogatives and giving them to mere men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to bash specific denominations. I here to shine light on darkness and get to the truth of the Bible. In one way or another hero worship is a product of today’s world, whether it be in sports or TV or movies or music. The church should is to be salt and light in the world to lead unbelievers out of hero worship to God worship. Sadly, but we’re sometimes saltless and dark and participate in hero worship right along with them. Lord, forgive us.
Allow me to cite one example of how Christians have confronted me with hero worship. John the Baptist was one of the most godly men of his time, and of all time too. Still, he was a man, a sinner who needed a Savior to provide him with righteousness and eternal life. He wasn’t perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing. He had flaws and fell short of the glory of God, just as every other son of Adam has always done and will always do this side of eternity.
This being the case, we should not feel the need to justify John Baptist’s flaws or weaknesses when they appear in Scripture. But some Christians do just that, should John Baptist (or any other godly man in the Bible) have his warts exposed. Not that you or I are to expose anyone’s failings, mind you. The Bible does a good job of that all on its own! My job as a teacher is to teach the Bible, and I haven’t the luxury of leaving some of it out because some Christians need to have perfect heroes to worship.
Oh, it’s time to stop again. We will continue this topic in our next study. In the interim spend some time in prayer about this matter. Who are your heroes? How high are you exalting them? Do you look to them instead of to the Lord Jesus Christ?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book 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...
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
Hero worship is about the most commonplace practice in the world today. Everyone is looking for a hero…including Bonnie Tyler. Yes, you and I are included in “everyone”. Don’t believe me? When you watch the football game, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to buy a product, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to go to a restaurant, you have your… Well, you get the point. We all have our heroes.
This extends to the church too. Some folks worship Luther, some Calvin, and some John Knox. Some prefer labels like Calvinism, others Arminianism, and still others Lutheranism. There are the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Episcopalians, and the Catholics. You name it, there’s an “ism” for it. We all have our heroes.
In the Corinthian Church of the Apostle Paul’s day, they had there heroes. Listen to Paul portray the quarrelsome bunch:
Each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 1:12]
You see, heroes occur in the church too. Paul was a good steward of Christ. Apollos was a good steward of Christ. Cephas was a good steward of Christ. And Christ…well, He is Christ! Nothing was wrong with admiring such godly men for their service to our Lord. But the Corinthians took it a step further and turned them into heroes, to the extent they were on a level above men.
In many high church denominations you can take a gander at statues of the Apostles. These godly men are put on a pedestal and worshiped. Oh, I know, folks in those denominations deny that is what they are doing, but in actual practice that is what is done. Some even go so far as to pray to these super-heroes, stealing God’s prerogatives and giving them to mere men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to bash specific denominations. I here to shine light on darkness and get to the truth of the Bible. In one way or another hero worship is a product of today’s world, whether it be in sports or TV or movies or music. The church should is to be salt and light in the world to lead unbelievers out of hero worship to God worship. Sadly, but we’re sometimes saltless and dark and participate in hero worship right along with them. Lord, forgive us.
Allow me to cite one example of how Christians have confronted me with hero worship. John the Baptist was one of the most godly men of his time, and of all time too. Still, he was a man, a sinner who needed a Savior to provide him with righteousness and eternal life. He wasn’t perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing. He had flaws and fell short of the glory of God, just as every other son of Adam has always done and will always do this side of eternity.
This being the case, we should not feel the need to justify John Baptist’s flaws or weaknesses when they appear in Scripture. But some Christians do just that, should John Baptist (or any other godly man in the Bible) have his warts exposed. Not that you or I are to expose anyone’s failings, mind you. The Bible does a good job of that all on its own! My job as a teacher is to teach the Bible, and I haven’t the luxury of leaving some of it out because some Christians need to have perfect heroes to worship.
Oh, it’s time to stop again. We will continue this topic in our next study. In the interim spend some time in prayer about this matter. Who are your heroes? How high are you exalting them? Do you look to them instead of to the Lord Jesus Christ?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book 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...
My Hero – Part 2
“I myself (i.e., John the Baptist) have seen, and have testified that this (i.e., Jesus) is the Son of God.” [John 1:34]
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
In our last study we expatiated on the hazards of hero worship in the church. Permit me now to interpret the Bible verses quoted at the initiation of this study. In them we encounter what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction. Every man of God is susceptible to doubts and fears at times. It is a part of life. It is a part of our sinful human nature. Our job as men and women of God is to grow from these failings by learning to trust the Lord better, not cover them up as if we are too perfect to fail.
Let’s get to the Bible verses with which we began this study. Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of age. He was baptized by John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Read John 1:29-36 and get the full extent of John Baptist’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity.
Some time later John Baptist was arrested by that no-account Herod for preaching the Law of Moses to him. So Herod tossed John Baptist into prison. After considerable time as John rotted in prison, he heard about the ministry Jesus was conducting. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He fed multitudes of people by multiplying scanty amounts of food. He freed the prisoners too…but not John the Baptist.
The prevailing belief amongst the Jews back in the day was that the Messiah was soon to appear. John Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also the prevailing belief that the Messiah would be a mighty warrior, a military conqueror who whupped the Gentiles and restored Israel as God’s ruling world power. It is no stretch to see John Baptist as holding to that belief. Jesus’ own disciples did!
So there was John Baptist rotting in prison, and awaiting Messiah Jesus to overthrow Herod, re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and free Prisoner John. But the reports he heard about Jesus’ ministry showed a humble and gentle Shepherd of the sheep, not a mighty warrior. Jesus didn’t raise an army. He didn’t even raise His voice much.
This didn’t jell with John Baptist. He was utterly taken aback by Jesus’ behavior. So John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “What gives? You’re supposed to be the Messiah. So stop doing this touchy-feely stuff and start messiah-ing already! Lead an army to conquer the Gentiles and overthrow Herod.”
Some Christians hold John the Baptist as a hero to worship. There were times when I taught this truth out of the Bible, and they charged at me with bayonets attached to cut me down to size. You see, they are hero worshipers, and heroes don’t make mistakes or fall short. I offended their sense of propriety when it comes to addressing heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Hero. Our heavenly Father is my Hero. The Holy Spirit is my Hero. Everyone else is somewhere far below them. Some of us are much better than others, but none of us deserves to be the Christian’s hero. When we fix our eyes on men like that, we wind up following men instead of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be in prayer about this and rectify hero worship in the Church.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book 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...
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
In our last study we expatiated on the hazards of hero worship in the church. Permit me now to interpret the Bible verses quoted at the initiation of this study. In them we encounter what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction. Every man of God is susceptible to doubts and fears at times. It is a part of life. It is a part of our sinful human nature. Our job as men and women of God is to grow from these failings by learning to trust the Lord better, not cover them up as if we are too perfect to fail.
Let’s get to the Bible verses with which we began this study. Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of age. He was baptized by John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Read John 1:29-36 and get the full extent of John Baptist’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity.
Some time later John Baptist was arrested by that no-account Herod for preaching the Law of Moses to him. So Herod tossed John Baptist into prison. After considerable time as John rotted in prison, he heard about the ministry Jesus was conducting. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He fed multitudes of people by multiplying scanty amounts of food. He freed the prisoners too…but not John the Baptist.
The prevailing belief amongst the Jews back in the day was that the Messiah was soon to appear. John Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also the prevailing belief that the Messiah would be a mighty warrior, a military conqueror who whupped the Gentiles and restored Israel as God’s ruling world power. It is no stretch to see John Baptist as holding to that belief. Jesus’ own disciples did!
So there was John Baptist rotting in prison, and awaiting Messiah Jesus to overthrow Herod, re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and free Prisoner John. But the reports he heard about Jesus’ ministry showed a humble and gentle Shepherd of the sheep, not a mighty warrior. Jesus didn’t raise an army. He didn’t even raise His voice much.
This didn’t jell with John Baptist. He was utterly taken aback by Jesus’ behavior. So John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “What gives? You’re supposed to be the Messiah. So stop doing this touchy-feely stuff and start messiah-ing already! Lead an army to conquer the Gentiles and overthrow Herod.”
Some Christians hold John the Baptist as a hero to worship. There were times when I taught this truth out of the Bible, and they charged at me with bayonets attached to cut me down to size. You see, they are hero worshipers, and heroes don’t make mistakes or fall short. I offended their sense of propriety when it comes to addressing heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Hero. Our heavenly Father is my Hero. The Holy Spirit is my Hero. Everyone else is somewhere far below them. Some of us are much better than others, but none of us deserves to be the Christian’s hero. When we fix our eyes on men like that, we wind up following men instead of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be in prayer about this and rectify hero worship in the Church.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book 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...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 2
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:
1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)
The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.
If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?
God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.
God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).
When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]
This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!
Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We concluded our last study with a look into the concept of the Trinity. We will continue with that point now. If we use the analogy of H2O, there are three forms it can take:
1. water (a liquid)
2. ice (a solid)
3. steam (a gas)
The trouble with this analogy is that H2O can only be one of those forms at a time. Because this is true in time, the Pentecostals insist it applies to God in eternity. Ergo, God is only one Person at a time, not three, not a Trinity. At one time He is the Father, at another the Son, and still another the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to rewrite Scripture, methinks they would be wise to agree with the Word of God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is God while simultaneously being with God. Sorry, my Pentecostal brothers and sisters, but we must stick with the Word of God. He alone knows Who He is and can explain Himself. You and I are not qualified to perform such a feat.
If I wanted a cockroach to understand who and what I am, how could I go about it, hypothetically speaking, of course? I couldn’t write the roach a letter explaining the facts concerning my existence because it can’t read! I couldn’t just sit on the park bench and talk to it. I couldn’t hang out with it in the gym and rub shoulders to get acquainted. It’s a toughie. How to explain myself to a cockroach?
God faced the same dilemma in trying to reveal Himself to man. He is not one of us. He is incalculably superior to man. He created man so He understands us, but we are not up to the task of comprehending Him. Time cannot measure eternity, nor can time define eternity. Vice versa is the reality, dear friends.
God being God, He wasn’t stumped. He knew how to explain His Person and behaviors to man. He became a man like us, so that we could experience God within the context of time, space, and matter. God really took on our true humanity, sin excepted, and became one of us (cf., John 1:14).
When we study Jesus in the New Testament, we are seeing Father God, the Person, in action.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” [John 14:9]
This is how God revealed His Person and explained His character and purposes to man. I am getting all giddy! This is exciting stuff! I can’t get enough! More! More! More!
Oh, shucks. I’ll have to wait for my third heaping helping. Time’s a gone again. See you tomorrow.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
Today we will start with Genesis 1:1-3. In the beginning God: there is the Father. And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters: there is the Holy Spirit. And God said: there is the Word, the Son of God.
We can now understand John 1:1-3 with better insight about how almighty God reveals Himself to puny man.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:16].
Note in those words that God gave His Son. This means God in this verse is God the Father, else how can He have a Son? So we have God the Father and God the Son together simultaneously.
The Father sent the Son into the world to take upon true humanity, sin excepted. He did this in order to reveal His true Person and character to man. He had to reveal Himself to man again because, back in the garden in the beginning, man sinned and marred his ability to know God. In consequence man made up his own versions of God, which we now know as idolatry and man-made religions.
God is One, not two or twenty or ten thousand. This one God gave His Son, so now we know that there are two Persons as the one God. In other Scriptures, including Genesis 1:2, God teaches us that there is also the Person of the Holy Spirit.
In the creation account of Genesis God speaks. Since we cannot comprehend eternity, God uses man’s speech as an illustration of His Son, the Word. For the same reason He employs an earthly illustration to denote the Holy Spirit hovering like a helicopter over the waters covering the earth, generating transforming energy to create the present heavens and earth.
Look at it like this. A man wants to do something, so he thinks to himself, “I’m going to do such and so, in order to accomplish this goal.” After figuring out what he wants and how he will go about accomplishing it, he then puts his shoulder to the work and gets it done.
The man represents the Father, his thoughts and words represent the Son, and his actions represent the Holy Spirit. An earthly analogy, to be sure, making it very limited and demanding that we understand it relatively. But it is how God reveals Himself to us in Genesis 1 and John 1. That is all we can comprehend, but it is not all there is to know about the Person and Ministry of God.
If you don’t yet have enough to spend hours alone with Jesus, then you must be God! Let’s spend some quality time with Him now.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Today we will start with Genesis 1:1-3. In the beginning God: there is the Father. And the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters: there is the Holy Spirit. And God said: there is the Word, the Son of God.
We can now understand John 1:1-3 with better insight about how almighty God reveals Himself to puny man.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life [John 3:16].
Note in those words that God gave His Son. This means God in this verse is God the Father, else how can He have a Son? So we have God the Father and God the Son together simultaneously.
The Father sent the Son into the world to take upon true humanity, sin excepted. He did this in order to reveal His true Person and character to man. He had to reveal Himself to man again because, back in the garden in the beginning, man sinned and marred his ability to know God. In consequence man made up his own versions of God, which we now know as idolatry and man-made religions.
God is One, not two or twenty or ten thousand. This one God gave His Son, so now we know that there are two Persons as the one God. In other Scriptures, including Genesis 1:2, God teaches us that there is also the Person of the Holy Spirit.
In the creation account of Genesis God speaks. Since we cannot comprehend eternity, God uses man’s speech as an illustration of His Son, the Word. For the same reason He employs an earthly illustration to denote the Holy Spirit hovering like a helicopter over the waters covering the earth, generating transforming energy to create the present heavens and earth.
Look at it like this. A man wants to do something, so he thinks to himself, “I’m going to do such and so, in order to accomplish this goal.” After figuring out what he wants and how he will go about accomplishing it, he then puts his shoulder to the work and gets it done.
The man represents the Father, his thoughts and words represent the Son, and his actions represent the Holy Spirit. An earthly analogy, to be sure, making it very limited and demanding that we understand it relatively. But it is how God reveals Himself to us in Genesis 1 and John 1. That is all we can comprehend, but it is not all there is to know about the Person and Ministry of God.
If you don’t yet have enough to spend hours alone with Jesus, then you must be God! Let’s spend some quality time with Him now.
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/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Jacob’s Ladder and a Carpenter
Jesus answered and said to (Nathanael), “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” [John 1:50-51]
Jacob was the son of Isaac. He had an older twin brother named Esau—older, that is, by a matter of jinutes, and that’s quicker than a minute. Esau was a jovial sort of gregarious guy, like a modern-day jock whom everybody likes. Trouble was, Esau couldn’t care less about the things of God. He despised God’s covenant, demonstrating himself to be a godless man.
Esau was the natural firstborn, which entitled him to the birthright (i.e., headship of the family after Isaac died) and the blessing (i.e., the double portion, or twice amount of family wealth the other son(s) received as their inheritance. Here’s the thing: the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, which was handed down to Isaac by the Lord’s sovereign choice. Then the Lord decided to continue the Abrahamic Covenant through Jacob and his lineage, rather than through Esau.
So the Lord considered Jacob to hold the position of firstborn. This family, you see, was not the normal everyday run-of-the-mill family. In the natural world the son born first was entitled to the rights of the firstborn. In the world of covenant the Lord doesn’t follow the natural order. He changes things around to show that no one belongs to Him by natural birth. We must be born again.
Anyway, Esau decided to kill Jacob because he didn’t like Jacob receiving the rights of the firstborn. So Isaac dispatched Jacob far away to Uncle Laban’s house to stay awhile. On the first night of his trip to Uncle Laban’s, Jacob stopped at Bethel to sleep along the road. Here’s what happened when he went to sleep:
He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it [Genesis 28:12].
There we have the description of Jacob’s Ladder. Let’s fast forward now to circa 27 A.D. and pick up the story about Jacob’s Ladder in the hands of a Carpenter from Nazareth. Oh, by the way, the Carpenter’s name was Jesus. We began this study with a quote from Carpenter Jesus about Jacob’s Ladder. But there was one significant difference between the Genesis account and Jesus’ telling of the story. Did you catch it?
Jacob’s Ladder was an actual ladder which connected heaven and earth. On Jacob’s Ladder the angels went back and forth between heaven and earth. But that’s not what Jesus told us, is it? No, it’s not. According to Jesus the angels did not go back and forth between heaven and earth on a ladder. They did so on the Son of Man. Carpenter Jesus is the Son of Man. He is Jacob’s Ladder.
The eternal Son of God took upon human flesh, sinless to be sure but nonetheless real humanity. He did so approximately 3 B.C. as the God-man Jesus Christ. The purpose for Him doing so was to reunite sinful man with a thrice holy God. God created man without sin and in fellowship with Him, but man sinned and lost his relationship with the Lord. In order to bring man back to God, the penalty for man’s sins first had to be paid, and then man needed to have a new nature which wanted to be in relationship with the Lord, a nature which no longer wanted to sin.
The eternal Son of God became man in order to pay the penalty for man’s sins by dying on the cross. He rose again out of death the third day in order to provide man with a new resurrection nature, God’s own nature within man. This provision is available to any person who will take the Word of God at face value and ask Him for it (Biblical faith).
Yes, the God-man Jesus Christ, Carpenter Jesus, is the antitype of Jacob’s Ladder (the type). He reunites God and man in Himself. Isn’t that glorious? The Lord be praised! Let’s go to Him now and receive the blessings of His presence, shall we? We’ll have a grand old time.
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...
Jacob was the son of Isaac. He had an older twin brother named Esau—older, that is, by a matter of jinutes, and that’s quicker than a minute. Esau was a jovial sort of gregarious guy, like a modern-day jock whom everybody likes. Trouble was, Esau couldn’t care less about the things of God. He despised God’s covenant, demonstrating himself to be a godless man.
Esau was the natural firstborn, which entitled him to the birthright (i.e., headship of the family after Isaac died) and the blessing (i.e., the double portion, or twice amount of family wealth the other son(s) received as their inheritance. Here’s the thing: the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, which was handed down to Isaac by the Lord’s sovereign choice. Then the Lord decided to continue the Abrahamic Covenant through Jacob and his lineage, rather than through Esau.
So the Lord considered Jacob to hold the position of firstborn. This family, you see, was not the normal everyday run-of-the-mill family. In the natural world the son born first was entitled to the rights of the firstborn. In the world of covenant the Lord doesn’t follow the natural order. He changes things around to show that no one belongs to Him by natural birth. We must be born again.
Anyway, Esau decided to kill Jacob because he didn’t like Jacob receiving the rights of the firstborn. So Isaac dispatched Jacob far away to Uncle Laban’s house to stay awhile. On the first night of his trip to Uncle Laban’s, Jacob stopped at Bethel to sleep along the road. Here’s what happened when he went to sleep:
He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it [Genesis 28:12].
There we have the description of Jacob’s Ladder. Let’s fast forward now to circa 27 A.D. and pick up the story about Jacob’s Ladder in the hands of a Carpenter from Nazareth. Oh, by the way, the Carpenter’s name was Jesus. We began this study with a quote from Carpenter Jesus about Jacob’s Ladder. But there was one significant difference between the Genesis account and Jesus’ telling of the story. Did you catch it?
Jacob’s Ladder was an actual ladder which connected heaven and earth. On Jacob’s Ladder the angels went back and forth between heaven and earth. But that’s not what Jesus told us, is it? No, it’s not. According to Jesus the angels did not go back and forth between heaven and earth on a ladder. They did so on the Son of Man. Carpenter Jesus is the Son of Man. He is Jacob’s Ladder.
The eternal Son of God took upon human flesh, sinless to be sure but nonetheless real humanity. He did so approximately 3 B.C. as the God-man Jesus Christ. The purpose for Him doing so was to reunite sinful man with a thrice holy God. God created man without sin and in fellowship with Him, but man sinned and lost his relationship with the Lord. In order to bring man back to God, the penalty for man’s sins first had to be paid, and then man needed to have a new nature which wanted to be in relationship with the Lord, a nature which no longer wanted to sin.
The eternal Son of God became man in order to pay the penalty for man’s sins by dying on the cross. He rose again out of death the third day in order to provide man with a new resurrection nature, God’s own nature within man. This provision is available to any person who will take the Word of God at face value and ask Him for it (Biblical faith).
Yes, the God-man Jesus Christ, Carpenter Jesus, is the antitype of Jacob’s Ladder (the type). He reunites God and man in Himself. Isn’t that glorious? The Lord be praised! Let’s go to Him now and receive the blessings of His presence, shall we? We’ll have a grand old time.
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...
My Hero – Part 1
“I myself (i.e., John the Baptist) have seen, and have testified that this (i.e., Jesus) is the Son of God.” [John 1:34]
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
Hero worship is about the most commonplace practice in the world today. Everyone is looking for a hero…including Bonnie Tyler. Yes, you and I are included in “everyone”. Don’t believe me? When you watch the football game, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to buy a product, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to go to a restaurant, you have your… Well, you get the point. We all have our heroes.
This extends to the church too. Some folks worship Luther, some Calvin, and some John Knox. Some prefer labels like Calvinism, others Arminianism, and still others Lutheranism. There are the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Episcopalians, and the Catholics. You name it, there’s an “ism” for it. We all have our heroes.
In the Corinthian Church of the Apostle Paul’s day, they had their heroes. Listen to Paul portray the quarrelsome bunch:
Each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 1:12]
You see, heroes occur in the church too. Paul was a good steward of Christ. Apollos was a good steward of Christ. Cephas was a good steward of Christ. And Christ…well, He is Christ! Nothing was wrong with admiring such godly men for their service to our Lord. But the Corinthians took it a step further and turned them into heroes, to the extent they were on a level above men.
In many high church denominations you can take a gander at statues of the Apostles. These godly men are put on a pedestal and worshiped. Oh, I know, folks in those denominations deny that is what they are doing, but in actual practice that is what is done. Some even go so far as to pray to these super-heroes, stealing God’s prerogatives and giving them to mere men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to bash specific denominations. I here to shine light on darkness and get to the truth of the Bible. In one way or another hero worship is a product of today’s world, whether it be in sports or TV or movies or music. The church should is to be salt and light in the world to lead unbelievers out of hero worship to God worship. Sadly, but we’re sometimes saltless and dark and participate in hero worship right along with them. Lord, forgive us.
Allow me to cite one example of how Christians have confronted me with hero worship. John the Baptist was one of the most godly men of his time, and of all time too. Still, he was a man, a sinner who needed a Savior to provide him with righteousness and eternal life. He wasn’t perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing. He had flaws and fell short of the glory of God, just as every other son of Adam has always done and will always do this side of eternity.
This being the case, we should not feel the need to justify John Baptist’s flaws or weaknesses when they appear in Scripture. But some Christians do just that, should John Baptist (or any other godly man in the Bible) have his warts exposed. Not that you or I are to expose anyone’s failings, mind you. The Bible does a good job of that all on its own! My job as a teacher is to teach the Bible, and I haven’t the luxury of leaving some of it out because some Christians need to have perfect heroes to worship.
Oh, it’s time to stop again. We will continue this topic in our next study. In the interim spend some time in prayer about this matter. Who are your heroes? How high are you exalting them? Do you look to them instead of to the Lord Jesus Christ?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
Hero worship is about the most commonplace practice in the world today. Everyone is looking for a hero…including Bonnie Tyler. Yes, you and I are included in “everyone”. Don’t believe me? When you watch the football game, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to buy a product, you have your heroes and your goats. When you want to go to a restaurant, you have your… Well, you get the point. We all have our heroes.
This extends to the church too. Some folks worship Luther, some Calvin, and some John Knox. Some prefer labels like Calvinism, others Arminianism, and still others Lutheranism. There are the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Episcopalians, and the Catholics. You name it, there’s an “ism” for it. We all have our heroes.
In the Corinthian Church of the Apostle Paul’s day, they had their heroes. Listen to Paul portray the quarrelsome bunch:
Each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” [1 Corinthians 1:12]
You see, heroes occur in the church too. Paul was a good steward of Christ. Apollos was a good steward of Christ. Cephas was a good steward of Christ. And Christ…well, He is Christ! Nothing was wrong with admiring such godly men for their service to our Lord. But the Corinthians took it a step further and turned them into heroes, to the extent they were on a level above men.
In many high church denominations you can take a gander at statues of the Apostles. These godly men are put on a pedestal and worshiped. Oh, I know, folks in those denominations deny that is what they are doing, but in actual practice that is what is done. Some even go so far as to pray to these super-heroes, stealing God’s prerogatives and giving them to mere men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to bash specific denominations. I here to shine light on darkness and get to the truth of the Bible. In one way or another hero worship is a product of today’s world, whether it be in sports or TV or movies or music. The church should is to be salt and light in the world to lead unbelievers out of hero worship to God worship. Sadly, but we’re sometimes saltless and dark and participate in hero worship right along with them. Lord, forgive us.
Allow me to cite one example of how Christians have confronted me with hero worship. John the Baptist was one of the most godly men of his time, and of all time too. Still, he was a man, a sinner who needed a Savior to provide him with righteousness and eternal life. He wasn’t perfect, or all-powerful, or all-knowing. He had flaws and fell short of the glory of God, just as every other son of Adam has always done and will always do this side of eternity.
This being the case, we should not feel the need to justify John Baptist’s flaws or weaknesses when they appear in Scripture. But some Christians do just that, should John Baptist (or any other godly man in the Bible) have his warts exposed. Not that you or I are to expose anyone’s failings, mind you. The Bible does a good job of that all on its own! My job as a teacher is to teach the Bible, and I haven’t the luxury of leaving some of it out because some Christians need to have perfect heroes to worship.
Oh, it’s time to stop again. We will continue this topic in our next study. In the interim spend some time in prayer about this matter. Who are your heroes? How high are you exalting them? Do you look to them instead of to the Lord Jesus Christ?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
My Hero – Part 2
“I myself (i.e., John the Baptist) have seen, and have testified that this (i.e., Jesus) is the Son of God.” [John 1:34]
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
In our last study we expatiated on the hazards of hero worship in the church. Permit me now to interpret the Bible verses quoted at the initiation of this study. In them we encounter what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction. Every man of God is susceptible to doubts and fears at times. It is a part of life. It is a part of our sinful human nature. Our job as men and women of God is to grow from these failings by learning to trust the Lord better, not cover them up as if we are too perfect to fail.
Let’s get to the Bible verses with which we began this study. Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of age. He was baptized by John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Read John 1:29-36 and get the full extent of John Baptist’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity.
Sometime later John Baptist was arrested by that no-account Herod for preaching the Law of Moses to him. So Herod tossed John Baptist into prison. After considerable time as John rotted in prison, he heard about the ministry Jesus was conducting. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He fed multitudes of people by multiplying scanty amounts of food. He freed the prisoners too…but not John the Baptist.
The prevailing belief amongst the Jews back in the day was that the Messiah was soon to appear. John Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also the prevailing belief that the Messiah would be a mighty warrior, a military conqueror who whupped the Gentiles and restored Israel as God’s ruling world power. It is no stretch to see John Baptist as holding to that belief. Jesus’ own disciples did!
So there was John Baptist rotting in prison, and awaiting Messiah Jesus to overthrow Herod, re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and free Prisoner John. But the reports he heard about Jesus’ ministry showed a humble and gentle Shepherd of the sheep, not a mighty warrior. Jesus didn’t raise an army. He didn’t even raise His voice much.
This didn’t jell with John Baptist. He was utterly taken aback by Jesus’ behavior. So John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “What gives? You’re supposed to be the Messiah. So stop doing this touchy-feely stuff and start messiah-ing already! Lead an army to conquer the Gentiles and overthrow Herod.”
Some Christians hold John the Baptist as a hero to worship. There were times when I taught this truth out of the Bible, and they charged at me with bayonets attached to cut me down to size. You see, they are hero worshipers, and heroes don’t make mistakes or fall short. I offended their sense of propriety when it comes to addressing heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Hero. Our heavenly Father is my Hero. The Holy Spirit is my Hero. Everyone else is somewhere far below them. Some of us are much better than others, but none of us deserves to be the Christian’s hero. When we fix our eyes on men like that, we wind up following men instead of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be in prayer about this and rectify hero worship in the Church.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Now when John (i.e., the Baptist), while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” [Matthew 11:2-3]
In our last study we expatiated on the hazards of hero worship in the church. Permit me now to interpret the Bible verses quoted at the initiation of this study. In them we encounter what appears to be a contradiction, but there is no contradiction. Every man of God is susceptible to doubts and fears at times. It is a part of life. It is a part of our sinful human nature. Our job as men and women of God is to grow from these failings by learning to trust the Lord better, not cover them up as if we are too perfect to fail.
Let’s get to the Bible verses with which we began this study. Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of age. He was baptized by John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Read John 1:29-36 and get the full extent of John Baptist’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity.
Sometime later John Baptist was arrested by that no-account Herod for preaching the Law of Moses to him. So Herod tossed John Baptist into prison. After considerable time as John rotted in prison, he heard about the ministry Jesus was conducting. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He fed multitudes of people by multiplying scanty amounts of food. He freed the prisoners too…but not John the Baptist.
The prevailing belief amongst the Jews back in the day was that the Messiah was soon to appear. John Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was also the prevailing belief that the Messiah would be a mighty warrior, a military conqueror who whupped the Gentiles and restored Israel as God’s ruling world power. It is no stretch to see John Baptist as holding to that belief. Jesus’ own disciples did!
So there was John Baptist rotting in prison, and awaiting Messiah Jesus to overthrow Herod, re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and free Prisoner John. But the reports he heard about Jesus’ ministry showed a humble and gentle Shepherd of the sheep, not a mighty warrior. Jesus didn’t raise an army. He didn’t even raise His voice much.
This didn’t jell with John Baptist. He was utterly taken aback by Jesus’ behavior. So John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “What gives? You’re supposed to be the Messiah. So stop doing this touchy-feely stuff and start messiah-ing already! Lead an army to conquer the Gentiles and overthrow Herod.”
Some Christians hold John the Baptist as a hero to worship. There were times when I taught this truth out of the Bible, and they charged at me with bayonets attached to cut me down to size. You see, they are hero worshipers, and heroes don’t make mistakes or fall short. I offended their sense of propriety when it comes to addressing heroes.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Hero. Our heavenly Father is my Hero. The Holy Spirit is my Hero. Everyone else is somewhere far below them. Some of us are much better than others, but none of us deserves to be the Christian’s hero. When we fix our eyes on men like that, we wind up following men instead of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be in prayer about this and rectify hero worship in the Church.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Wow! I Can See God! – Part 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being [John 1:1-3].
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
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...
It is eye-opening to discover in the original Greek that the writings of John are the simplest grammar in the New Testament. John’s Gospel account and his three letters to the churches wax eloquent in content. They are the most philosophical of all the four Gospel accounts, and they teach recondite concepts. In fine, they are not simple narrative.
The reason why it surprises those who learn to read the Greek New Testament is because the content soars above the heavens, while the grammar is that of a child. Only the Holy Spirit could accomplish such a feat! Anyone who is adroit enough to present such deep content has a vocabulary arsenal well beyond John’s.
The first three verses of John’s Gospel account are quoted at the start of this study. Folks, it doesn’t get more arcane than that! The Holy Spirit just last week shared an insight with me about these verses, a nuance which I trust you will enjoy.
First read the three verses of John again. We’ll pause a moment to give you time. Okay, now read this:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light [Genesis 1:1-3].
In Genesis the word “beginning” refers to the beginning of time, space, and matter. It references the beginning of creation as we know it. In John’s account the word refers to eternity. Long before the Genesis “beginning” God existed…because God always is. At the same time “the Word” always is too: He always is with God.
Both God and the Word are eternal, and that is a characteristic which only God has. Hence John tells us, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Those two clauses form a paradox, don’t you think? How can God be with God? Makes no sense to me! I mean, I can’t be with me. Duh! How can something identified as “the Word” be with God, while simultaneously being God? Go figure, why don’cha.
The only logical solution is to realize that God is a Trinity. He is three Persons in one God. O! but that makes even less sense, huh? Are you confused enough yet? Well, we’re just getting started, so get ready to implode!
Truthfully, the reason we cannot understand the Trinity is because nothing in time can be compared to this concept. If we view the Trinity as multiple personalities in one person, well, the Trinity is not one Person. The word Trinity comes from “tri” + “unity”. Tri means “three” and unity means “one”: three Persons in one God.
I do apologize, but time has escaped us. We will have to continue this study tomorrow.
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...
