GOD’S PEOPLE – WHY AND FOR WHAT?
Do we really live up to expectations and do we deserve to be the chosen people?”
By Preacher M. R. Mahlaule Dip.Theol, (Bachelor of Divinity student).
I borrowed this tittle from an advertisement for a Jewish conference that was to be held in a Sinagorque somewhere in Johannesburg, South Africa. It appeared on “The Star” newspaper insert “Tonight.” That was many moons ago, in the 1980’s. I did this with a clear and strong conviction that I could do more justice to it as a Christian. Christians have a better dispensation to that of the Jews. This topic is very broad; to do justice to it, one needs to write a book about it. To which I wish to do before I am ‘called home.’ For a magazine article I beg to be pardoned for brevity.
Mosaic law pointed the whole creation to the coming Messiah, His life, death and resurrection. The lamb that was to rid the world of sin. “…God’s secret wisdom, which is hidden from mankind…before the world was made.” (1 Corinthians 2: 7 GNB). He hatched this plan because nothing escapes the knowledge of the omniscient God. He knew that one day man was going to disobey Him. He knew this long before creation was. Christ is the third ‘person of the ‘Holy Trinity.’ He was actively involved in creation. He was preexisting with the Father: “He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1: 2-3; see also John 17: 5; Colossians 1: 17). This treatise is about how this secret wisdom has gradually unfolded before man and it is continuing. It shall be so until the Son of man returns to claim His bride, the Church. Only major highlights or rather more conspicuous details of the plan shall be surveyed. Or else I would have to do a verse-to-verse commentary of the entire Bible. It took God its totality to reveal this grand plan, which is about Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter. Yes, He is central to both Old and New Testaments. As one Bible commentator puts it: There is a crimson vein that runs throughout all the books of the Bible. Wherever you page it will bleed (loosely paraphrased).
The unfolding begun in Eden after the fall of the original couple. Who chose to doubt God and believed the lies of Satan the fallen archangel (Ezekiel 28: 15; Isaiah 14: 12-14). Consequently, sin entered the world. Following the eating of the forbidden fruit they realised that they were naked, this was for the first time ever. They tried to hide from each other by covering their nakedness with quickly woven fig tree leaves. Unbeknown to them that man cannot save himself from sin, and that there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood. They also later tried to hide from the omniscient God. To enable Himself to look at them He provided them with sheep skins. He did this because His eyes cannot look at sin. Providing them with sheep skin pointed to what He was going to do in the future at Golgotha. The blood of His innocent Son would be shed. He loved man but He could not just turn on his word to save him, “He is no man that He should lie.” To save man, someone needed to die in his stead. The perfect substitute was none other than our Lord Jesus the Christ, because He is the only one without sin (1 Peter 2: 21-22). The Mosaic sacrificial law was just a sign of that future event. Animal blood was just a temporary measure “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it, you do not take pleasure in burned offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51: 16-17 see also Hebrews 10: 5-6). This was the reason behind its discontinuance after Christ’s crucifixion. To rest the matter Titus demolished the Temple in 70AD.
The ensuing dialogue between God and the sinful couple (the snake included) was followed by judgment: “…I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise (or crush) thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal” After the fall two streams of descendants emerged. The stream of God and that of evil. Unprecedented evil engulfed the world and necessitated God’s intervention. The flood came and wiped out the apostasy of the evil stream of descendants. Noah and his family were spared because he was after God’s own heart. Noah’s ark was also a symbol of Christ’s redemptive work. All those who entered it were saved. The deluge did not wash away sin because it was in the heart of man. This necessitated ‘circumcision’ of the heart to rid sin once and for all. Remember the instruction given to Abraham about circumcision? It pointed to this. The whole humankind is affected by the sin committed by Adam and Eve. Circumcision means getting rid of what we are born with, sin. The tower of Babel followed (Genesis 11: 1-9). This was another act of apostasy, man trying to reach God by his own means. This act was similar to that of the original couple when they covered themselves with woven fig tree leaves. “God’s work must be done in God’s way in order to have God’s blessing.” Again, there is no other way back to God other than through Christ, “Jesus answered ‘I am the way and the truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ “ (John 14: 6 NIV). This includes all religions of the world; it doesn’t matter how good and appealing they look. It is through Christ or nothing. God retaliated by confusing their language and scattering them throughout the earth.
God’s chosen people – why and for what?
God’s call to Abraham was accompanied with promises of many descendants (Genesis 12: 3; 17: 1-7). Through Abraham God created the Hebrew nation – God’s chosen people, through whom Jesus Christ was to come to earth. This nation also gave us the apostles on whose foundation (and that of the prophets) the church stands. Jews were meant to be teachers to the other nations (Exodus 19: 6) but they allowed themselves to be subverted by the old enemy. But God had first to cleanse this nation. He gave them laws to live by. They needed to be different to all other nations around them. Years later Isaac was born, the son of the promise. Abraham was requested to offer him as a sacrifice to God. Abraham’s ‘only son’ that he longed for many years. God averted the demise of Isaac by providing a ram for the sacrifice. This also was pointing mankind to Golgotha where God was going to offer His only Son. Abraham’s sacrifice was performed on Mount Moriah which is in Jerusalem. Christ also gave up His life outside that city. Isaac bore two sons, Jacob the young of the two, fathered twelve sons. One of the twelve was called Joseph, who is a type (viewed as prophecy) of Christ. Here follows a demonstration of resemblances to Christ as depicted in the book by Kevin Conner and Ken Malmin, “Interpreting The Scriptures:”
• A first-born son, Genesis 30: 22-24 compared to Matthew 1: 25.
• Miracle birth, Genesis 29: 31 compared to Isaiah 7: 14.
• Beloved son, Genesis 37: 2,3 compared to Matthew 3: 16.
• A shepherd, Genesis, 37: 2 compared to John 10: 12.
• Hated by half-brothers, Genesis 35: 22-26; Mark 3: 31, 32.
• Revelation of exaltation, Genesis 37: 5-10 compared to Matthew 26: 64.
• Sent by father to brethren, Genesis 37: 12-14 compared to John 5: 24, 30, 43.
• Rejected by the brethren, Genesis 37: 18 compared to John 7: 3.
• Sold for silver, Genesis 37: 28 compared to Matthew 27: 3-10.
• Falsely accused, Genesis 39: 11-19 compared to Mark 14: 55-60.
• Suffered as criminal, Genesis 40: 1-4 compared to Luke 23: 32.
• Exalted in due time, Genesis 41: 40, 41 compared to Acts 5: 31.
• Given an exalted name, Genesis 41: 45 compared to Philippians 2: 9, 10.
• All bow the knee, Genesis 41: 43 compared to Philippians 2: 10, 11.
• Received a Gentile bride, Genesis 41: 45 compared to Ephesians 3: 6.
• Brethren reconciled, Genesis 45: 14, 15 compared to Zechariah 12: 10-14.
• Reunited with his father, Genesis 47: 1-7 compared to Mark 16: 19. (Paraphrased and used with permission).
The list is not exhaustive as there are still many instances where God used events and people to point us to Christ. Take the instance of prophet Hosea whom God instructed to go and buy back his wife who sold herself to strange men. This speaks to Christians who intentionally continues to sin. This shows that they have left their wedded husband Christ and sold themselves to Satan, read Hosea 2: 19; Jeremiah 31: 32. This is how serious and appalling sin looks to the holy God.
Jacob and his family settled in Egypt because of famine in Canaan. God had sent Joseph before them to prepare for their stay. After the death of Joseph, they were enslaved by the Egyptians. After they have cried out to God, He sent Moses to free them. From Egypt to Canaan, it is north Eastward. God led them to the east. Through where the Red Sea is deep and through the wilderness. I don’t wish to be tempted to speculate the reason behind this, lest I sin. In the north there was an area that was used to cross into Canaan. The water was said to be knee deep, it was the same route believed to have been used by Joseph and Mary (together with baby Jesus) centuries later. No miracle was needed to make the escape possible. The miraculous crossing by the Israelites and the journey has a significant meaning to Christian life. By day He went before them through by a pillar of cloud and at night in a pillar of fire. During this journey He gave them the Law. They drank water from the Rock which is a symbol of Christ.
They reached the bank of the Jordan in two years but couldn’t cross over because of disbelief. God punished them to wander in the dessert for thirty-eight years after Kadesh Barnea. During their wandering there was an instance where they were bitten by serpents. God told Moses to make a brazen Serpent and hung it on a cross. All who were bitten and looked at the brazen serpent lived. Another pointer to the finished work of Christ through the Cross. Finaly after forty years after the crossing they crossed into the promised land. They were now led by Joshua. Moses was no more.
After many battles which they miraculously won, they settled in Canaan, though they never tasted real peace until Jerusalem. The leadership baton fell on the judges after Joshua. Saul became their first king by public demand. Disobedience caused him his kingship and he fell. David replaced him, who was later followed to the throne by his son Solomon. After whose death the kingdom was divided into two, the northern and southern kingdoms. The northern kingdom was the first to fall. They were taken to Assyria. Assyria settled other people of other nationalities to replace those whom they took away. Later there were intermarriages between those that were left behind and the settlers. This was in contravention with Jewish law. Samaritans were a result of those forbidden marriages. Jews despised these people. Decades later the southern kingdom also fell and were carried to Babylon. After seventy years they were allowed to return. The Old Testament closes with the book of Malachi who prophesied before Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem.
THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE TWO TESTAMENTST
The Bible is silent about this period spanning 400 years. That is between Malachi and the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. The happenings took place on two fronts, the political and religious fronts. For clarity purposes I would briefly describe each separately. These events were a precursor to the coming Messiah. Building of cities and roads. Good governance made travel safe. All these contributed to the ease of spread of the Gospel. This short explanation connects the Bible story of the of the Old Testament to New Testament. To make it a single story as it is one.
On the political front, in 539BC Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon including the Jewish state; and turned it into a province of the Persian empire. Jews were afforded religious autonomy. Their new captors were too tolerant to religious freedom to the extend that they also sponsored some Jewish religious projects. In 331BC Persians too were also conquered, by Greece. This conquest included the Jewish state yet again. The Greek culture and language were adopted in all the areas they conquered. In the third century Palestine was controlled by the kings of Egypt (Ptolemy). They were followed by the Seleucid kings in the second century. During this time Greek had an influence into Jewish religion (Judaism). This culminated into the translation of the Old Testament into Greek. The Greek language came with its culture. This brought much contestation among the Jews, and it divided them. This division came to head in the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes who among other things defiled the temple. Judas Maccabeus led a revolt that finally dislodged supporters of Antiochus from the temple. From 63 BC Judea was ruled by the Hasmoneans. Pompey the Roman general took Jerusalem in that year, and it became a Roman province. Judea had a king again between 37-4 BC (Herod the Great). He ruled by proxy of the Romans.
On the religious front, after exile Jews were more determined to follow the scriptures to the letter. This was the outcome of prophet Ezekiel’s prophecies and the teaching of 1 & 2 Kings which attributed exile to punishment for disobedience. This period saw the formation of several religious formations. The Hasidim ‘the pious ones.’ Though not a formal group, these were just Jewish individuals who were annoyed by Greek culture assimilating into their religion. Pharisees (separated ones). These are ordinary Jews not priests. They kept closely to the Jewish Law. This group clashed many times with Jesus Christ. Christ always taking the side of the ordinary people. Sadducees were a minority when it came to numbers compared to Pharisees. The group was made up of priests or belonging to such families. They also often disagreed with the Pharisees over their excesses when interpreting scriptures. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The Essences, this was an exclusive sect that came about to combat the Greek influence on Jewish religion. Though few they were stricter than the Pharisees. They are also linked to the Qumran community. The Zealots, these are the nationalists. This group was behind Judas Maccabeus. Simon (not Simon Peter) one of the twelve belonged to this group (Luke 6: 15). Lastly the Scribes, these are the lawyers who interpreted scriptures. Ironically all these groups did not see eye to eye but came together in opposing Christ.
That era was brought to close by the voice of an angel: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1: 30-33). The seed of a woman (so called because Joseph was not involved in his conception) later entered the world, but this time as a baby. Not as co-creator with God the Father. He grew up like any Jewish boy. He was circumcised on the eighth day after birth. At twelve he memorised the five first books of the Bible (Bar Mitzvah). “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Preparethe way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’ “(John 3: 3), heralded the beginning of Christ’s ministry. One day while passing by where John the Baptist was baptising, John pointed him out as the lamb that takes away the sins of the world. After his own baptismal in the river Jordan by John, he assembled a band of men. They were of working class. Out of the twelve only Matthew could be said to have received some education. Christ went about with them teaching and healing the sick. He rose some from death. He taught that he did not come to abolish the Law but to complete it. He was hated by the Jewish leaders, and they later conspired to annihilate Him. Kill Him they did with the assistance of one of His disciples. He died and rose up again after three days. The snake’s head was crashed and scriptures were fulfilled. Man was now freed from the power of sin. He who continues to sin do so on his free will. Christ opened for us an escape, by faith we are saved. To His followers before His death: “… All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28: 18-19). Peter’s preaching led to the baptismal of 3000 converts. Church was birthed on that day, day of Pentecost. It was on a Sunday. This is one of the reasons the church fathers including the apostles changed our Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday. On that day Jewish and Gentile believers received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Word started to spread fuelled by persecution. As believers fled from their persecutors they did so with their new belief. In the forefront was the apostles in spreading the Word. It was not easy, at the beginning their enemies were Jewish leaders. Greeks and Romans later joined the fray. Among other things they were accused of cannibalism by the Romans. This stems out of partaking on the body of Christ in the Eucharist.
When the church started had no fancy buildings as we have today. They only had their faith and fellowship. Together they shared Christ and their relationship amongst themselves was characterised by love. They even shared their possessions. Unlike today, where it is everyone for himself but God for us all. Christianity is not an individual thing. They met at one of the members’ houses. Aquilla and Priscilla’s house was one of such (1 Corinthians 16: 19b). Church buildings came about in the third century. When we trace back the word church does not mean building. It meant people, the called-out people. Just like our spiritual patriarch Abraham who was called by God. The Church is made up of people who were chosen through Christ (Ephesians 1: 2-4 see also Psalm 3). Jews and Gentiles alike. The Church is the organism in which Christians are being prepared for the day when He returns_ the great ‘wedding-day of Jesus and His people. In the New Testament times the word church refers both to local group of Christians and all Christians throughout the world.
The Church did not replace the Jews as some believers claim. These utterances are unscriptural on the basis of the following: “I will bless those who bless you…And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12: 3 NIV). “for I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17: 5b NIV). Remember also the day of the out-pouring, both Jew Gentile received.
Do we really live up to expectations and do we deserve to be The chosen People?
On the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 1-7, 28-29 King Jesus publicise the constitution of His Kingdom. In the beatitudes, which forms the introduction into this sermon, He describes those who belongs to this Kingdom. Kingdom life is possible in this fallen world. Unfortunately, we are not living in the expected way. It is not all doom and gloom. Should we slip and fall we need to immediately repent and confess. Should we continue to sin in order to confess? A big No! Those of us who purposely sin will pay the price. On this road we are still going to slip and fall but the glory is to rise again after each fall. Works are just evidence that we have repented.
God’s hidden plan from the ages, was to create a new Heaven and new earth. Heaven as it is now also contaminated by sin because that is where it all began, that was the reason Lucifer was banished from Heaven. His plan included saving man the masterpiece of His creation. Our God is not in the business of fixing things, He creates new ones.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
SOLI DEO GLORIA
Amen
Do we really live up to expectations and do we deserve to be the chosen people?”
By Preacher M. R. Mahlaule Dip.Theol, (Bachelor of Divinity student).
I borrowed this tittle from an advertisement for a Jewish conference that was to be held in a Sinagorque somewhere in Johannesburg, South Africa. It appeared on “The Star” newspaper insert “Tonight.” That was many moons ago, in the 1980’s. I did this with a clear and strong conviction that I could do more justice to it as a Christian. Christians have a better dispensation to that of the Jews. This topic is very broad; to do justice to it, one needs to write a book about it. To which I wish to do before I am ‘called home.’ For a magazine article I beg to be pardoned for brevity.
Mosaic law pointed the whole creation to the coming Messiah, His life, death and resurrection. The lamb that was to rid the world of sin. “…God’s secret wisdom, which is hidden from mankind…before the world was made.” (1 Corinthians 2: 7 GNB). He hatched this plan because nothing escapes the knowledge of the omniscient God. He knew that one day man was going to disobey Him. He knew this long before creation was. Christ is the third ‘person of the ‘Holy Trinity.’ He was actively involved in creation. He was preexisting with the Father: “He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1: 2-3; see also John 17: 5; Colossians 1: 17). This treatise is about how this secret wisdom has gradually unfolded before man and it is continuing. It shall be so until the Son of man returns to claim His bride, the Church. Only major highlights or rather more conspicuous details of the plan shall be surveyed. Or else I would have to do a verse-to-verse commentary of the entire Bible. It took God its totality to reveal this grand plan, which is about Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter. Yes, He is central to both Old and New Testaments. As one Bible commentator puts it: There is a crimson vein that runs throughout all the books of the Bible. Wherever you page it will bleed (loosely paraphrased).
The unfolding begun in Eden after the fall of the original couple. Who chose to doubt God and believed the lies of Satan the fallen archangel (Ezekiel 28: 15; Isaiah 14: 12-14). Consequently, sin entered the world. Following the eating of the forbidden fruit they realised that they were naked, this was for the first time ever. They tried to hide from each other by covering their nakedness with quickly woven fig tree leaves. Unbeknown to them that man cannot save himself from sin, and that there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood. They also later tried to hide from the omniscient God. To enable Himself to look at them He provided them with sheep skins. He did this because His eyes cannot look at sin. Providing them with sheep skin pointed to what He was going to do in the future at Golgotha. The blood of His innocent Son would be shed. He loved man but He could not just turn on his word to save him, “He is no man that He should lie.” To save man, someone needed to die in his stead. The perfect substitute was none other than our Lord Jesus the Christ, because He is the only one without sin (1 Peter 2: 21-22). The Mosaic sacrificial law was just a sign of that future event. Animal blood was just a temporary measure “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it, you do not take pleasure in burned offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51: 16-17 see also Hebrews 10: 5-6). This was the reason behind its discontinuance after Christ’s crucifixion. To rest the matter Titus demolished the Temple in 70AD.
The ensuing dialogue between God and the sinful couple (the snake included) was followed by judgment: “…I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise (or crush) thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal” After the fall two streams of descendants emerged. The stream of God and that of evil. Unprecedented evil engulfed the world and necessitated God’s intervention. The flood came and wiped out the apostasy of the evil stream of descendants. Noah and his family were spared because he was after God’s own heart. Noah’s ark was also a symbol of Christ’s redemptive work. All those who entered it were saved. The deluge did not wash away sin because it was in the heart of man. This necessitated ‘circumcision’ of the heart to rid sin once and for all. Remember the instruction given to Abraham about circumcision? It pointed to this. The whole humankind is affected by the sin committed by Adam and Eve. Circumcision means getting rid of what we are born with, sin. The tower of Babel followed (Genesis 11: 1-9). This was another act of apostasy, man trying to reach God by his own means. This act was similar to that of the original couple when they covered themselves with woven fig tree leaves. “God’s work must be done in God’s way in order to have God’s blessing.” Again, there is no other way back to God other than through Christ, “Jesus answered ‘I am the way and the truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ “ (John 14: 6 NIV). This includes all religions of the world; it doesn’t matter how good and appealing they look. It is through Christ or nothing. God retaliated by confusing their language and scattering them throughout the earth.
God’s chosen people – why and for what?
God’s call to Abraham was accompanied with promises of many descendants (Genesis 12: 3; 17: 1-7). Through Abraham God created the Hebrew nation – God’s chosen people, through whom Jesus Christ was to come to earth. This nation also gave us the apostles on whose foundation (and that of the prophets) the church stands. Jews were meant to be teachers to the other nations (Exodus 19: 6) but they allowed themselves to be subverted by the old enemy. But God had first to cleanse this nation. He gave them laws to live by. They needed to be different to all other nations around them. Years later Isaac was born, the son of the promise. Abraham was requested to offer him as a sacrifice to God. Abraham’s ‘only son’ that he longed for many years. God averted the demise of Isaac by providing a ram for the sacrifice. This also was pointing mankind to Golgotha where God was going to offer His only Son. Abraham’s sacrifice was performed on Mount Moriah which is in Jerusalem. Christ also gave up His life outside that city. Isaac bore two sons, Jacob the young of the two, fathered twelve sons. One of the twelve was called Joseph, who is a type (viewed as prophecy) of Christ. Here follows a demonstration of resemblances to Christ as depicted in the book by Kevin Conner and Ken Malmin, “Interpreting The Scriptures:”
• A first-born son, Genesis 30: 22-24 compared to Matthew 1: 25.
• Miracle birth, Genesis 29: 31 compared to Isaiah 7: 14.
• Beloved son, Genesis 37: 2,3 compared to Matthew 3: 16.
• A shepherd, Genesis, 37: 2 compared to John 10: 12.
• Hated by half-brothers, Genesis 35: 22-26; Mark 3: 31, 32.
• Revelation of exaltation, Genesis 37: 5-10 compared to Matthew 26: 64.
• Sent by father to brethren, Genesis 37: 12-14 compared to John 5: 24, 30, 43.
• Rejected by the brethren, Genesis 37: 18 compared to John 7: 3.
• Sold for silver, Genesis 37: 28 compared to Matthew 27: 3-10.
• Falsely accused, Genesis 39: 11-19 compared to Mark 14: 55-60.
• Suffered as criminal, Genesis 40: 1-4 compared to Luke 23: 32.
• Exalted in due time, Genesis 41: 40, 41 compared to Acts 5: 31.
• Given an exalted name, Genesis 41: 45 compared to Philippians 2: 9, 10.
• All bow the knee, Genesis 41: 43 compared to Philippians 2: 10, 11.
• Received a Gentile bride, Genesis 41: 45 compared to Ephesians 3: 6.
• Brethren reconciled, Genesis 45: 14, 15 compared to Zechariah 12: 10-14.
• Reunited with his father, Genesis 47: 1-7 compared to Mark 16: 19. (Paraphrased and used with permission).
The list is not exhaustive as there are still many instances where God used events and people to point us to Christ. Take the instance of prophet Hosea whom God instructed to go and buy back his wife who sold herself to strange men. This speaks to Christians who intentionally continues to sin. This shows that they have left their wedded husband Christ and sold themselves to Satan, read Hosea 2: 19; Jeremiah 31: 32. This is how serious and appalling sin looks to the holy God.
Jacob and his family settled in Egypt because of famine in Canaan. God had sent Joseph before them to prepare for their stay. After the death of Joseph, they were enslaved by the Egyptians. After they have cried out to God, He sent Moses to free them. From Egypt to Canaan, it is north Eastward. God led them to the east. Through where the Red Sea is deep and through the wilderness. I don’t wish to be tempted to speculate the reason behind this, lest I sin. In the north there was an area that was used to cross into Canaan. The water was said to be knee deep, it was the same route believed to have been used by Joseph and Mary (together with baby Jesus) centuries later. No miracle was needed to make the escape possible. The miraculous crossing by the Israelites and the journey has a significant meaning to Christian life. By day He went before them through by a pillar of cloud and at night in a pillar of fire. During this journey He gave them the Law. They drank water from the Rock which is a symbol of Christ.
They reached the bank of the Jordan in two years but couldn’t cross over because of disbelief. God punished them to wander in the dessert for thirty-eight years after Kadesh Barnea. During their wandering there was an instance where they were bitten by serpents. God told Moses to make a brazen Serpent and hung it on a cross. All who were bitten and looked at the brazen serpent lived. Another pointer to the finished work of Christ through the Cross. Finaly after forty years after the crossing they crossed into the promised land. They were now led by Joshua. Moses was no more.
After many battles which they miraculously won, they settled in Canaan, though they never tasted real peace until Jerusalem. The leadership baton fell on the judges after Joshua. Saul became their first king by public demand. Disobedience caused him his kingship and he fell. David replaced him, who was later followed to the throne by his son Solomon. After whose death the kingdom was divided into two, the northern and southern kingdoms. The northern kingdom was the first to fall. They were taken to Assyria. Assyria settled other people of other nationalities to replace those whom they took away. Later there were intermarriages between those that were left behind and the settlers. This was in contravention with Jewish law. Samaritans were a result of those forbidden marriages. Jews despised these people. Decades later the southern kingdom also fell and were carried to Babylon. After seventy years they were allowed to return. The Old Testament closes with the book of Malachi who prophesied before Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem.
THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE TWO TESTAMENTST
The Bible is silent about this period spanning 400 years. That is between Malachi and the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. The happenings took place on two fronts, the political and religious fronts. For clarity purposes I would briefly describe each separately. These events were a precursor to the coming Messiah. Building of cities and roads. Good governance made travel safe. All these contributed to the ease of spread of the Gospel. This short explanation connects the Bible story of the of the Old Testament to New Testament. To make it a single story as it is one.
On the political front, in 539BC Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon including the Jewish state; and turned it into a province of the Persian empire. Jews were afforded religious autonomy. Their new captors were too tolerant to religious freedom to the extend that they also sponsored some Jewish religious projects. In 331BC Persians too were also conquered, by Greece. This conquest included the Jewish state yet again. The Greek culture and language were adopted in all the areas they conquered. In the third century Palestine was controlled by the kings of Egypt (Ptolemy). They were followed by the Seleucid kings in the second century. During this time Greek had an influence into Jewish religion (Judaism). This culminated into the translation of the Old Testament into Greek. The Greek language came with its culture. This brought much contestation among the Jews, and it divided them. This division came to head in the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes who among other things defiled the temple. Judas Maccabeus led a revolt that finally dislodged supporters of Antiochus from the temple. From 63 BC Judea was ruled by the Hasmoneans. Pompey the Roman general took Jerusalem in that year, and it became a Roman province. Judea had a king again between 37-4 BC (Herod the Great). He ruled by proxy of the Romans.
On the religious front, after exile Jews were more determined to follow the scriptures to the letter. This was the outcome of prophet Ezekiel’s prophecies and the teaching of 1 & 2 Kings which attributed exile to punishment for disobedience. This period saw the formation of several religious formations. The Hasidim ‘the pious ones.’ Though not a formal group, these were just Jewish individuals who were annoyed by Greek culture assimilating into their religion. Pharisees (separated ones). These are ordinary Jews not priests. They kept closely to the Jewish Law. This group clashed many times with Jesus Christ. Christ always taking the side of the ordinary people. Sadducees were a minority when it came to numbers compared to Pharisees. The group was made up of priests or belonging to such families. They also often disagreed with the Pharisees over their excesses when interpreting scriptures. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The Essences, this was an exclusive sect that came about to combat the Greek influence on Jewish religion. Though few they were stricter than the Pharisees. They are also linked to the Qumran community. The Zealots, these are the nationalists. This group was behind Judas Maccabeus. Simon (not Simon Peter) one of the twelve belonged to this group (Luke 6: 15). Lastly the Scribes, these are the lawyers who interpreted scriptures. Ironically all these groups did not see eye to eye but came together in opposing Christ.
That era was brought to close by the voice of an angel: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1: 30-33). The seed of a woman (so called because Joseph was not involved in his conception) later entered the world, but this time as a baby. Not as co-creator with God the Father. He grew up like any Jewish boy. He was circumcised on the eighth day after birth. At twelve he memorised the five first books of the Bible (Bar Mitzvah). “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Preparethe way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’ “(John 3: 3), heralded the beginning of Christ’s ministry. One day while passing by where John the Baptist was baptising, John pointed him out as the lamb that takes away the sins of the world. After his own baptismal in the river Jordan by John, he assembled a band of men. They were of working class. Out of the twelve only Matthew could be said to have received some education. Christ went about with them teaching and healing the sick. He rose some from death. He taught that he did not come to abolish the Law but to complete it. He was hated by the Jewish leaders, and they later conspired to annihilate Him. Kill Him they did with the assistance of one of His disciples. He died and rose up again after three days. The snake’s head was crashed and scriptures were fulfilled. Man was now freed from the power of sin. He who continues to sin do so on his free will. Christ opened for us an escape, by faith we are saved. To His followers before His death: “… All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28: 18-19). Peter’s preaching led to the baptismal of 3000 converts. Church was birthed on that day, day of Pentecost. It was on a Sunday. This is one of the reasons the church fathers including the apostles changed our Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday. On that day Jewish and Gentile believers received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Word started to spread fuelled by persecution. As believers fled from their persecutors they did so with their new belief. In the forefront was the apostles in spreading the Word. It was not easy, at the beginning their enemies were Jewish leaders. Greeks and Romans later joined the fray. Among other things they were accused of cannibalism by the Romans. This stems out of partaking on the body of Christ in the Eucharist.
When the church started had no fancy buildings as we have today. They only had their faith and fellowship. Together they shared Christ and their relationship amongst themselves was characterised by love. They even shared their possessions. Unlike today, where it is everyone for himself but God for us all. Christianity is not an individual thing. They met at one of the members’ houses. Aquilla and Priscilla’s house was one of such (1 Corinthians 16: 19b). Church buildings came about in the third century. When we trace back the word church does not mean building. It meant people, the called-out people. Just like our spiritual patriarch Abraham who was called by God. The Church is made up of people who were chosen through Christ (Ephesians 1: 2-4 see also Psalm 3). Jews and Gentiles alike. The Church is the organism in which Christians are being prepared for the day when He returns_ the great ‘wedding-day of Jesus and His people. In the New Testament times the word church refers both to local group of Christians and all Christians throughout the world.
The Church did not replace the Jews as some believers claim. These utterances are unscriptural on the basis of the following: “I will bless those who bless you…And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12: 3 NIV). “for I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17: 5b NIV). Remember also the day of the out-pouring, both Jew Gentile received.
Do we really live up to expectations and do we deserve to be The chosen People?
On the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 1-7, 28-29 King Jesus publicise the constitution of His Kingdom. In the beatitudes, which forms the introduction into this sermon, He describes those who belongs to this Kingdom. Kingdom life is possible in this fallen world. Unfortunately, we are not living in the expected way. It is not all doom and gloom. Should we slip and fall we need to immediately repent and confess. Should we continue to sin in order to confess? A big No! Those of us who purposely sin will pay the price. On this road we are still going to slip and fall but the glory is to rise again after each fall. Works are just evidence that we have repented.
God’s hidden plan from the ages, was to create a new Heaven and new earth. Heaven as it is now also contaminated by sin because that is where it all began, that was the reason Lucifer was banished from Heaven. His plan included saving man the masterpiece of His creation. Our God is not in the business of fixing things, He creates new ones.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
SOLI DEO GLORIA
Amen
GOD’S PEOPLE – WHY AND FOR WHAT?
Do we really live up to expectations and do we deserve to be the chosen people?”
By Preacher M. R. Mahlaule Dip.Theol, (Bachelor of Divinity student).
I borrowed this tittle from an advertisement for a Jewish conference that was to be held in a Sinagorque somewhere in Johannesburg, South Africa. It appeared on “The Star” newspaper insert “Tonight.” That was many moons ago, in the 1980’s. I did this with a clear and strong conviction that I could do more justice to it as a Christian. Christians have a better dispensation to that of the Jews. This topic is very broad; to do justice to it, one needs to write a book about it. To which I wish to do before I am ‘called home.’ For a magazine article I beg to be pardoned for brevity.
Mosaic law pointed the whole creation to the coming Messiah, His life, death and resurrection. The lamb that was to rid the world of sin. “…God’s secret wisdom, which is hidden from mankind…before the world was made.” (1 Corinthians 2: 7 GNB). He hatched this plan because nothing escapes the knowledge of the omniscient God. He knew that one day man was going to disobey Him. He knew this long before creation was. Christ is the third ‘person of the ‘Holy Trinity.’ He was actively involved in creation. He was preexisting with the Father: “He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1: 2-3; see also John 17: 5; Colossians 1: 17). This treatise is about how this secret wisdom has gradually unfolded before man and it is continuing. It shall be so until the Son of man returns to claim His bride, the Church. Only major highlights or rather more conspicuous details of the plan shall be surveyed. Or else I would have to do a verse-to-verse commentary of the entire Bible. It took God its totality to reveal this grand plan, which is about Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter. Yes, He is central to both Old and New Testaments. As one Bible commentator puts it: There is a crimson vein that runs throughout all the books of the Bible. Wherever you page it will bleed (loosely paraphrased).
The unfolding begun in Eden after the fall of the original couple. Who chose to doubt God and believed the lies of Satan the fallen archangel (Ezekiel 28: 15; Isaiah 14: 12-14). Consequently, sin entered the world. Following the eating of the forbidden fruit they realised that they were naked, this was for the first time ever. They tried to hide from each other by covering their nakedness with quickly woven fig tree leaves. Unbeknown to them that man cannot save himself from sin, and that there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood. They also later tried to hide from the omniscient God. To enable Himself to look at them He provided them with sheep skins. He did this because His eyes cannot look at sin. Providing them with sheep skin pointed to what He was going to do in the future at Golgotha. The blood of His innocent Son would be shed. He loved man but He could not just turn on his word to save him, “He is no man that He should lie.” To save man, someone needed to die in his stead. The perfect substitute was none other than our Lord Jesus the Christ, because He is the only one without sin (1 Peter 2: 21-22). The Mosaic sacrificial law was just a sign of that future event. Animal blood was just a temporary measure “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it, you do not take pleasure in burned offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51: 16-17 see also Hebrews 10: 5-6). This was the reason behind its discontinuance after Christ’s crucifixion. To rest the matter Titus demolished the Temple in 70AD.
The ensuing dialogue between God and the sinful couple (the snake included) was followed by judgment: “…I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise (or crush) thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal” After the fall two streams of descendants emerged. The stream of God and that of evil. Unprecedented evil engulfed the world and necessitated God’s intervention. The flood came and wiped out the apostasy of the evil stream of descendants. Noah and his family were spared because he was after God’s own heart. Noah’s ark was also a symbol of Christ’s redemptive work. All those who entered it were saved. The deluge did not wash away sin because it was in the heart of man. This necessitated ‘circumcision’ of the heart to rid sin once and for all. Remember the instruction given to Abraham about circumcision? It pointed to this. The whole humankind is affected by the sin committed by Adam and Eve. Circumcision means getting rid of what we are born with, sin. The tower of Babel followed (Genesis 11: 1-9). This was another act of apostasy, man trying to reach God by his own means. This act was similar to that of the original couple when they covered themselves with woven fig tree leaves. “God’s work must be done in God’s way in order to have God’s blessing.” Again, there is no other way back to God other than through Christ, “Jesus answered ‘I am the way and the truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ “ (John 14: 6 NIV). This includes all religions of the world; it doesn’t matter how good and appealing they look. It is through Christ or nothing. God retaliated by confusing their language and scattering them throughout the earth.
God’s chosen people – why and for what?
God’s call to Abraham was accompanied with promises of many descendants (Genesis 12: 3; 17: 1-7). Through Abraham God created the Hebrew nation – God’s chosen people, through whom Jesus Christ was to come to earth. This nation also gave us the apostles on whose foundation (and that of the prophets) the church stands. Jews were meant to be teachers to the other nations (Exodus 19: 6) but they allowed themselves to be subverted by the old enemy. But God had first to cleanse this nation. He gave them laws to live by. They needed to be different to all other nations around them. Years later Isaac was born, the son of the promise. Abraham was requested to offer him as a sacrifice to God. Abraham’s ‘only son’ that he longed for many years. God averted the demise of Isaac by providing a ram for the sacrifice. This also was pointing mankind to Golgotha where God was going to offer His only Son. Abraham’s sacrifice was performed on Mount Moriah which is in Jerusalem. Christ also gave up His life outside that city. Isaac bore two sons, Jacob the young of the two, fathered twelve sons. One of the twelve was called Joseph, who is a type (viewed as prophecy) of Christ. Here follows a demonstration of resemblances to Christ as depicted in the book by Kevin Conner and Ken Malmin, “Interpreting The Scriptures:”
• A first-born son, Genesis 30: 22-24 compared to Matthew 1: 25.
• Miracle birth, Genesis 29: 31 compared to Isaiah 7: 14.
• Beloved son, Genesis 37: 2,3 compared to Matthew 3: 16.
• A shepherd, Genesis, 37: 2 compared to John 10: 12.
• Hated by half-brothers, Genesis 35: 22-26; Mark 3: 31, 32.
• Revelation of exaltation, Genesis 37: 5-10 compared to Matthew 26: 64.
• Sent by father to brethren, Genesis 37: 12-14 compared to John 5: 24, 30, 43.
• Rejected by the brethren, Genesis 37: 18 compared to John 7: 3.
• Sold for silver, Genesis 37: 28 compared to Matthew 27: 3-10.
• Falsely accused, Genesis 39: 11-19 compared to Mark 14: 55-60.
• Suffered as criminal, Genesis 40: 1-4 compared to Luke 23: 32.
• Exalted in due time, Genesis 41: 40, 41 compared to Acts 5: 31.
• Given an exalted name, Genesis 41: 45 compared to Philippians 2: 9, 10.
• All bow the knee, Genesis 41: 43 compared to Philippians 2: 10, 11.
• Received a Gentile bride, Genesis 41: 45 compared to Ephesians 3: 6.
• Brethren reconciled, Genesis 45: 14, 15 compared to Zechariah 12: 10-14.
• Reunited with his father, Genesis 47: 1-7 compared to Mark 16: 19. (Paraphrased and used with permission).
The list is not exhaustive as there are still many instances where God used events and people to point us to Christ. Take the instance of prophet Hosea whom God instructed to go and buy back his wife who sold herself to strange men. This speaks to Christians who intentionally continues to sin. This shows that they have left their wedded husband Christ and sold themselves to Satan, read Hosea 2: 19; Jeremiah 31: 32. This is how serious and appalling sin looks to the holy God.
Jacob and his family settled in Egypt because of famine in Canaan. God had sent Joseph before them to prepare for their stay. After the death of Joseph, they were enslaved by the Egyptians. After they have cried out to God, He sent Moses to free them. From Egypt to Canaan, it is north Eastward. God led them to the east. Through where the Red Sea is deep and through the wilderness. I don’t wish to be tempted to speculate the reason behind this, lest I sin. In the north there was an area that was used to cross into Canaan. The water was said to be knee deep, it was the same route believed to have been used by Joseph and Mary (together with baby Jesus) centuries later. No miracle was needed to make the escape possible. The miraculous crossing by the Israelites and the journey has a significant meaning to Christian life. By day He went before them through by a pillar of cloud and at night in a pillar of fire. During this journey He gave them the Law. They drank water from the Rock which is a symbol of Christ.
They reached the bank of the Jordan in two years but couldn’t cross over because of disbelief. God punished them to wander in the dessert for thirty-eight years after Kadesh Barnea. During their wandering there was an instance where they were bitten by serpents. God told Moses to make a brazen Serpent and hung it on a cross. All who were bitten and looked at the brazen serpent lived. Another pointer to the finished work of Christ through the Cross. Finaly after forty years after the crossing they crossed into the promised land. They were now led by Joshua. Moses was no more.
After many battles which they miraculously won, they settled in Canaan, though they never tasted real peace until Jerusalem. The leadership baton fell on the judges after Joshua. Saul became their first king by public demand. Disobedience caused him his kingship and he fell. David replaced him, who was later followed to the throne by his son Solomon. After whose death the kingdom was divided into two, the northern and southern kingdoms. The northern kingdom was the first to fall. They were taken to Assyria. Assyria settled other people of other nationalities to replace those whom they took away. Later there were intermarriages between those that were left behind and the settlers. This was in contravention with Jewish law. Samaritans were a result of those forbidden marriages. Jews despised these people. Decades later the southern kingdom also fell and were carried to Babylon. After seventy years they were allowed to return. The Old Testament closes with the book of Malachi who prophesied before Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem.
THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE TWO TESTAMENTST
The Bible is silent about this period spanning 400 years. That is between Malachi and the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. The happenings took place on two fronts, the political and religious fronts. For clarity purposes I would briefly describe each separately. These events were a precursor to the coming Messiah. Building of cities and roads. Good governance made travel safe. All these contributed to the ease of spread of the Gospel. This short explanation connects the Bible story of the of the Old Testament to New Testament. To make it a single story as it is one.
On the political front, in 539BC Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon including the Jewish state; and turned it into a province of the Persian empire. Jews were afforded religious autonomy. Their new captors were too tolerant to religious freedom to the extend that they also sponsored some Jewish religious projects. In 331BC Persians too were also conquered, by Greece. This conquest included the Jewish state yet again. The Greek culture and language were adopted in all the areas they conquered. In the third century Palestine was controlled by the kings of Egypt (Ptolemy). They were followed by the Seleucid kings in the second century. During this time Greek had an influence into Jewish religion (Judaism). This culminated into the translation of the Old Testament into Greek. The Greek language came with its culture. This brought much contestation among the Jews, and it divided them. This division came to head in the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes who among other things defiled the temple. Judas Maccabeus led a revolt that finally dislodged supporters of Antiochus from the temple. From 63 BC Judea was ruled by the Hasmoneans. Pompey the Roman general took Jerusalem in that year, and it became a Roman province. Judea had a king again between 37-4 BC (Herod the Great). He ruled by proxy of the Romans.
On the religious front, after exile Jews were more determined to follow the scriptures to the letter. This was the outcome of prophet Ezekiel’s prophecies and the teaching of 1 & 2 Kings which attributed exile to punishment for disobedience. This period saw the formation of several religious formations. The Hasidim ‘the pious ones.’ Though not a formal group, these were just Jewish individuals who were annoyed by Greek culture assimilating into their religion. Pharisees (separated ones). These are ordinary Jews not priests. They kept closely to the Jewish Law. This group clashed many times with Jesus Christ. Christ always taking the side of the ordinary people. Sadducees were a minority when it came to numbers compared to Pharisees. The group was made up of priests or belonging to such families. They also often disagreed with the Pharisees over their excesses when interpreting scriptures. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The Essences, this was an exclusive sect that came about to combat the Greek influence on Jewish religion. Though few they were stricter than the Pharisees. They are also linked to the Qumran community. The Zealots, these are the nationalists. This group was behind Judas Maccabeus. Simon (not Simon Peter) one of the twelve belonged to this group (Luke 6: 15). Lastly the Scribes, these are the lawyers who interpreted scriptures. Ironically all these groups did not see eye to eye but came together in opposing Christ.
That era was brought to close by the voice of an angel: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1: 30-33). The seed of a woman (so called because Joseph was not involved in his conception) later entered the world, but this time as a baby. Not as co-creator with God the Father. He grew up like any Jewish boy. He was circumcised on the eighth day after birth. At twelve he memorised the five first books of the Bible (Bar Mitzvah). “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Preparethe way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’ “(John 3: 3), heralded the beginning of Christ’s ministry. One day while passing by where John the Baptist was baptising, John pointed him out as the lamb that takes away the sins of the world. After his own baptismal in the river Jordan by John, he assembled a band of men. They were of working class. Out of the twelve only Matthew could be said to have received some education. Christ went about with them teaching and healing the sick. He rose some from death. He taught that he did not come to abolish the Law but to complete it. He was hated by the Jewish leaders, and they later conspired to annihilate Him. Kill Him they did with the assistance of one of His disciples. He died and rose up again after three days. The snake’s head was crashed and scriptures were fulfilled. Man was now freed from the power of sin. He who continues to sin do so on his free will. Christ opened for us an escape, by faith we are saved. To His followers before His death: “… All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28: 18-19). Peter’s preaching led to the baptismal of 3000 converts. Church was birthed on that day, day of Pentecost. It was on a Sunday. This is one of the reasons the church fathers including the apostles changed our Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday. On that day Jewish and Gentile believers received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Word started to spread fuelled by persecution. As believers fled from their persecutors they did so with their new belief. In the forefront was the apostles in spreading the Word. It was not easy, at the beginning their enemies were Jewish leaders. Greeks and Romans later joined the fray. Among other things they were accused of cannibalism by the Romans. This stems out of partaking on the body of Christ in the Eucharist.
When the church started had no fancy buildings as we have today. They only had their faith and fellowship. Together they shared Christ and their relationship amongst themselves was characterised by love. They even shared their possessions. Unlike today, where it is everyone for himself but God for us all. Christianity is not an individual thing. They met at one of the members’ houses. Aquilla and Priscilla’s house was one of such (1 Corinthians 16: 19b). Church buildings came about in the third century. When we trace back the word church does not mean building. It meant people, the called-out people. Just like our spiritual patriarch Abraham who was called by God. The Church is made up of people who were chosen through Christ (Ephesians 1: 2-4 see also Psalm 3). Jews and Gentiles alike. The Church is the organism in which Christians are being prepared for the day when He returns_ the great ‘wedding-day of Jesus and His people. In the New Testament times the word church refers both to local group of Christians and all Christians throughout the world.
The Church did not replace the Jews as some believers claim. These utterances are unscriptural on the basis of the following: “I will bless those who bless you…And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12: 3 NIV). “for I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17: 5b NIV). Remember also the day of the out-pouring, both Jew Gentile received.
Do we really live up to expectations and do we deserve to be The chosen People?
On the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 1-7, 28-29 King Jesus publicise the constitution of His Kingdom. In the beatitudes, which forms the introduction into this sermon, He describes those who belongs to this Kingdom. Kingdom life is possible in this fallen world. Unfortunately, we are not living in the expected way. It is not all doom and gloom. Should we slip and fall we need to immediately repent and confess. Should we continue to sin in order to confess? A big No! Those of us who purposely sin will pay the price. On this road we are still going to slip and fall but the glory is to rise again after each fall. Works are just evidence that we have repented.
God’s hidden plan from the ages, was to create a new Heaven and new earth. Heaven as it is now also contaminated by sin because that is where it all began, that was the reason Lucifer was banished from Heaven. His plan included saving man the masterpiece of His creation. Our God is not in the business of fixing things, He creates new ones.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
SOLI DEO GLORIA
Amen
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