Abraham was seventy five years old when the Lord called him to leave his Babylonian homeland and travel to the land of Canaan, where he promised to bless him and make him a great nation, Gen 12:1-2. Through the years, the Lord appeared to him again and again with more details concerning this promise. His seed would one day possess the land where he sojourned, Gen 12:7, it would be theirs forever and ever, his descendants would be as the dust of the earth in number, Gen 13:15-16. Indeed, Abraham was exceedingly blessed by the Lord, Gen 13:2, but he and his wife, Sarah, had been unable to conceive a child. In Gen 15:2, Abraham asked "...what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless...?" The Lord assured him that his descendants would one day be as numerous as the stars of heaven, Gen 15:5. "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness", Gen 15:6. Later the Lord expounded on the promise by revealing that Abraham would be the father of many nations, and he (he Lord) would establish his covenant with him, Gen 17:5-7.
Years passed by, and Sarah had not conceived according to the Lord's promise. Indeed, she was long past the childbearing years. She decided to take matters into her own hands and give her handmaid to Abraham, whereby she might conceive a child through her. Abraham was eighty six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. The Lord later appeared to Abraham and again told him that his wife, Sarah, would yet bear him a son the following year. She would be the mother of nations and kings would come forth through her, Gen 17:15-16, 19. He also gave Abraham the actual name of the child, Isaac, and confirmed that the covenant would be established through this child of promise and not through Ishmael. Gen 17:21.
Abraham was one hundred years old when his wife, Sarah, bore him their child of promise. She was ninety years old, long past the age of childbearing. They named him Isaac, Gen 21:1-3. Paul writes in Romans 4:19-21, "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform".
When Isaac was a young boy, the Lord gave Abraham the ultimate test of his faith. He spoke to Abraham and said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of". The account is recorded in Gen 22:1-13. There is no indication that Abraham argued or pleaded. Verse 3 says that Abraham rose up early in the morning and began his journey. This is one of the most moving stories in the bible. The symbolism regarding the crucifixion of Christ is unmistakable. Every step of the way we see the picture of our Lord's sacrifice for us. The Lord spoke of Isaac as Abraham's only son, although Ishmael was also born unto him. That's because Isaac was the child of promise, conceived by the hand of God. Jesus' birth was also a miraculous event, in that he was born unto a virgin and not by natural means. Abraham and Isaac took a three day journey into the mountains, accompanied by two of Abraham's servants. When they drew near, Abraham instructed the servants to abide in that place explaining that he and the lad would make the rest of the journey alone. The final night of Jesus' life, he spent his last hours alone with his father in prayer, while the disciples slept.
As Christ carried his own cross, Isaac carried the wood for the offering upon his back. Isaac knew that a lamb was the appropriate offering to God, so he asked his father, "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" His father replied that the Lord would provide. Indeed, he has! Jesus is the Lamb of God.
When they arrived at the place for the sacrifice, Abraham prepared the altar and bound his son, Isaac, upon the wood. There is no indication of a struggle. This, too, is symbolic of Christ, who was a willing sacrifice for our sins.
When Abraham raised the knife to slay his son, an angel of the Lord called out to him not to lay a hand on the lad. Abraham had passed the test. Verse 12 records, "For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me". God gave his only Son for mankind. Abraham's test was the picture of that sacrifice.
In the end, the Lord did provide the offering. Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw a ram caught by his horns in a thicket. Christ wore a crown of thorns at his crucifixion. Abraham offered the ram as a substitute for his son. Christ was the substitute for us, dying in our place, taking the penalty for sin upon his own body.
The apostle Paul wrote in Rom 11:17-19, "By faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall they seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Three days and nights following his crucifixion, Christ was resurrected from the dead.
Abraham was justified by faith, as are we if we remain faithful to God. Gal 3:6-9, "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham".
God chose Abraham to witness, in type, the sacrifice of our Lord and savior. In order to become the father of the faithful, his faith had to be proven pure and absolute no matter the cost. He, therefore, experienced the reality of God's ultimate love for mankind, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". John 3:16.
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Joseph's Story
The story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37, 39-45 has always been my favorite. As I have gained more insight into God's word, it has even greater meaning to me. Many stories in the Old Testament contain, within their text, a deeper spiritual reality hidden within the events. Many people don't read the Old Testament because they have been told it is the "Old Covenant" and done away with in Christ. They would be quite surprised to see the many shadow pictures in these stories that actually mirror the life of Christ. Joseph's story is definitely one of these. There are so many parallels in his experiences that undeniably duplicate those of Jesus Christ. I believe that the Genesis account of Joseph is a shadow picture of Christ as the Bread of life.
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (whose name was changed by God to Israel). Most have heard the story of how Joseph's brothers sold him to a caravan of merchants on their way to Egypt. We get a glimpse of a future event in the life of Christ. The descendants of this family, the nation of Israel, in essence "sold" Christ or gave him up to be crucified. As Joseph's brothers hated him and wanted him dead, so the Jews wanted to be rid of Jesus. The story goes on to tell us that Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, where he became the servant of Potiphar, Pharoah's captain of the guard. He dwelt in Egypt many years, not only as a servant, but also as a prisoner. Throughout his trials, he proved himself an honest, humble man who had favor with God. He was obedient and faithful to God, who prospered him in all that he put his hand to. In due process of time he rose from a mere slave to the governor of Egypt, second in power only to Pharaoh himself. Gen 41:40 records Pharoah's words to Joseph, "Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou."
This is a direct parallel to Christ. Phil 2:5-8 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Following his sufferings, he was resurrected to become King of Kings and Lord of Lords, second in power only to God himself. I Cor 15:27 states, "For he (God) hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him." Phil 2:9-10 says of Christ, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things under the earth." Of Joseph, Gen 41:43 says, "And he (Pharoah) made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt."
In time, there was a great famine in the land and Joseph was in charge of Egypt’s food supply. Jacob sent his remaining sons to Egypt to buy food for their households, and through a remarkable chain of events, they were reunited with their brother. During their moving reunion, Joseph said, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance, Gen 45:5,7. Joseph was sent to Egypt to prepare a place for his brethren.
Joseph recognized the working of God in the events of his life. He realized that, although his brothers had meant harm to him in their actions, it was really God who orchestrated the path his life followed to save the lives of his brethren. In type, he represented Christ, the Bread of life. In Acts 3:17-18, Peter delivered a sermon in which he told the assembly that they had slain the Son of God through ignorance. Yet he reminded them that God had already ordained beforehand, and prophecied through his holy prophets, that man's salvation would come through the sacrifice of Christ.
During the famine, people from all over the known world had to come to Egypt to buy food. As time went on, they ran out of money and began selling their cattle, horses and flocks to Joseph. When they had nothing else left with which to purchase food, they sold their very land, as well as themselves to feed their families. By the time the famine ended, Joseph had purchased all the land of Egypt for Pharoah, Gen 47:17-21.
The bible tells us that it is God's purpose to bring the entire world under subjection to Christ. Eph 1:10 says, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him". As it was with Joseph, who delivered the wealth of Egypt to his master, Christ will then present all things to his Father, the God of heaven. I Cor 15:24 tells us, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power". Verse 28 continues, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all".
Because of his favorable relationship with Pharaoh, Joseph was eventually able to move his family to Egypt where they were given the choicest land of Goshen to reside. After enduring years of suffering, his willingness to humble himself in obedience to God resulted in him becoming the savior of his family, and symbolically the bread of life for the known world at that time. Jesus declared that he is the real Bread of Life in John 6: 35, 41, 48, and 51. Those who partake of that Bread will be gathered unto him at the end time and reside with him in the Father's kingdom forever and ever. Prior to his death, he told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them, John 14:3. When all has been made ready, he will return for us and take us home.
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (whose name was changed by God to Israel). Most have heard the story of how Joseph's brothers sold him to a caravan of merchants on their way to Egypt. We get a glimpse of a future event in the life of Christ. The descendants of this family, the nation of Israel, in essence "sold" Christ or gave him up to be crucified. As Joseph's brothers hated him and wanted him dead, so the Jews wanted to be rid of Jesus. The story goes on to tell us that Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, where he became the servant of Potiphar, Pharoah's captain of the guard. He dwelt in Egypt many years, not only as a servant, but also as a prisoner. Throughout his trials, he proved himself an honest, humble man who had favor with God. He was obedient and faithful to God, who prospered him in all that he put his hand to. In due process of time he rose from a mere slave to the governor of Egypt, second in power only to Pharaoh himself. Gen 41:40 records Pharoah's words to Joseph, "Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou."
This is a direct parallel to Christ. Phil 2:5-8 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Following his sufferings, he was resurrected to become King of Kings and Lord of Lords, second in power only to God himself. I Cor 15:27 states, "For he (God) hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him." Phil 2:9-10 says of Christ, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things under the earth." Of Joseph, Gen 41:43 says, "And he (Pharoah) made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt."
In time, there was a great famine in the land and Joseph was in charge of Egypt’s food supply. Jacob sent his remaining sons to Egypt to buy food for their households, and through a remarkable chain of events, they were reunited with their brother. During their moving reunion, Joseph said, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance, Gen 45:5,7. Joseph was sent to Egypt to prepare a place for his brethren.
Joseph recognized the working of God in the events of his life. He realized that, although his brothers had meant harm to him in their actions, it was really God who orchestrated the path his life followed to save the lives of his brethren. In type, he represented Christ, the Bread of life. In Acts 3:17-18, Peter delivered a sermon in which he told the assembly that they had slain the Son of God through ignorance. Yet he reminded them that God had already ordained beforehand, and prophecied through his holy prophets, that man's salvation would come through the sacrifice of Christ.
During the famine, people from all over the known world had to come to Egypt to buy food. As time went on, they ran out of money and began selling their cattle, horses and flocks to Joseph. When they had nothing else left with which to purchase food, they sold their very land, as well as themselves to feed their families. By the time the famine ended, Joseph had purchased all the land of Egypt for Pharoah, Gen 47:17-21.
The bible tells us that it is God's purpose to bring the entire world under subjection to Christ. Eph 1:10 says, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him". As it was with Joseph, who delivered the wealth of Egypt to his master, Christ will then present all things to his Father, the God of heaven. I Cor 15:24 tells us, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power". Verse 28 continues, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all".
Because of his favorable relationship with Pharaoh, Joseph was eventually able to move his family to Egypt where they were given the choicest land of Goshen to reside. After enduring years of suffering, his willingness to humble himself in obedience to God resulted in him becoming the savior of his family, and symbolically the bread of life for the known world at that time. Jesus declared that he is the real Bread of Life in John 6: 35, 41, 48, and 51. Those who partake of that Bread will be gathered unto him at the end time and reside with him in the Father's kingdom forever and ever. Prior to his death, he told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them, John 14:3. When all has been made ready, he will return for us and take us home.
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
Good News
I watched the special, CNN Heroes, last night. Ten people were being honored for their extraordinary contributions to the world's less fortunate. There was the bartender who started the project, Wine Into Water, which provides wells and water purification systems to developing nations around the world. There was the man who works as a busdriver each day and then returns home each night to cook meals for the hungry in his city, the woman in Zimbabwe who provides a safe haven for the victims of the beatings and gang rapes that accompany the war and unrest in her country, the young man who, at fifteen, lost both legs in a boating accident and went on to form a foundation which provides prosthetics to other young amputees.
The winner was a young man from the Phillipines, who is working to provide an education for the young children of his village. A man-made cart is his mobile classroom. Outfitted with shelves full of books, games, puzzles, and the like, he pushes it down the road each Saturday, where it is swarmed by eager children desiring to learn the lessons he teaches them. I cried through the whole two-hour program, awed by the selfless acts of these true heroes who dared to believe that one person really can make a difference.
What really moved me the most throughout the telecast were the images of those little Phillipino children, many orphaned, who spent their days rummaging around in the village garbage dumps, scrounging around for food and who knows what else. These mounds of trash were their playground as they jumped on dirty, discarded mattresses and played with various objects they rescued from the smoldering ashes. How these little ones survive the bacteria and disease-infested filth that is their world is beyond my comprehension.
I witness the frustration of those who lift up their eyes to heaven and ask "Where is God"? and "If there is a God, why doesn't he do something?" I want to comfort them and tell them that God is going to do something, and very soon now. The bible clearly declares the plan of God and his purpose for mankind. Many people believe that the gospel is the story of Jesus' life on this earth; his death, burial and resurrection. The word gospel means good news, and it includes all of the above. However, it includes much more. Jesus himself came to preach the gospel to the world. What was the message he proclaimed? It was the same message proclaimed by all of the old testament prophets, as well as the apostles; the announcement of the coming kingdom of God to this earth. See Matt 4:23 and 9:35.
Isa 2:2-4, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways; and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
Micah 4:1-3 confirms the same, adding in verses 4-5, "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever."
Isa 11:6-9, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
Isa 65:17,21, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them."
II Pet 3:13, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Rev 21:1-4, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Mankind, under the influence of Satan, has caused all of the problems in this world and is incapable of creating the world of peace described in the scriptures quoted above. Our bible reveals a day when God himself will take control of this world and remove all wickedness from our midst. The verses above give a glimspe of a future void of pain and suffering, of war and man's inhumanity to man. We are given a preview of a world of peace and safety for ourselves and our children, the blessings of land ownership, of abundant food, both physical and spiritual. Never again will we fear for our children's safety. No children will ever again have to live in deplorable conditions, feeding themselves out of garbage heaps. There will be no more sickness and disease, and no more death. Eternal life in our heavenly Father's presense awaits this war-torn, hate filled world, and that is GOOD NEWS!
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
The winner was a young man from the Phillipines, who is working to provide an education for the young children of his village. A man-made cart is his mobile classroom. Outfitted with shelves full of books, games, puzzles, and the like, he pushes it down the road each Saturday, where it is swarmed by eager children desiring to learn the lessons he teaches them. I cried through the whole two-hour program, awed by the selfless acts of these true heroes who dared to believe that one person really can make a difference.
What really moved me the most throughout the telecast were the images of those little Phillipino children, many orphaned, who spent their days rummaging around in the village garbage dumps, scrounging around for food and who knows what else. These mounds of trash were their playground as they jumped on dirty, discarded mattresses and played with various objects they rescued from the smoldering ashes. How these little ones survive the bacteria and disease-infested filth that is their world is beyond my comprehension.
I witness the frustration of those who lift up their eyes to heaven and ask "Where is God"? and "If there is a God, why doesn't he do something?" I want to comfort them and tell them that God is going to do something, and very soon now. The bible clearly declares the plan of God and his purpose for mankind. Many people believe that the gospel is the story of Jesus' life on this earth; his death, burial and resurrection. The word gospel means good news, and it includes all of the above. However, it includes much more. Jesus himself came to preach the gospel to the world. What was the message he proclaimed? It was the same message proclaimed by all of the old testament prophets, as well as the apostles; the announcement of the coming kingdom of God to this earth. See Matt 4:23 and 9:35.
Isa 2:2-4, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways; and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
Micah 4:1-3 confirms the same, adding in verses 4-5, "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever."
Isa 11:6-9, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."
Isa 65:17,21, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them."
II Pet 3:13, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Rev 21:1-4, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Mankind, under the influence of Satan, has caused all of the problems in this world and is incapable of creating the world of peace described in the scriptures quoted above. Our bible reveals a day when God himself will take control of this world and remove all wickedness from our midst. The verses above give a glimspe of a future void of pain and suffering, of war and man's inhumanity to man. We are given a preview of a world of peace and safety for ourselves and our children, the blessings of land ownership, of abundant food, both physical and spiritual. Never again will we fear for our children's safety. No children will ever again have to live in deplorable conditions, feeding themselves out of garbage heaps. There will be no more sickness and disease, and no more death. Eternal life in our heavenly Father's presense awaits this war-torn, hate filled world, and that is GOOD NEWS!
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Mirror Image
I love to study duality in the bible. I guess it's because my mind has been trained to see it everywhere. I rarely read a passage without being reminded of other scriptures that relate to the same subject. Each verse complements another, each is incomplete without the other.
An example is the story of man's very creation. Genesis 1:26-31 reveals that, on the sixth day of creation week, God created man in his own image. The Hebrew word for image is tselem, meaning resemblance. Mankind was made to resemble God, our Creator, although in earthen vessels. Why would He choose mankind, out of all His creation, to resemble Him? David, King of Israel, no doubt pondered these things. In Psa 8:4-6 he asks, "What is man, that thou are mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet." Let's go back to Gen 1:26-28 where we learn that it was God's intention and purpose, not only to create man in his own image, but give man dominion over the earth. However, we don't see man yet crowned with the life and glory that David spoke of. Can we glean more information from other scriptures? Look at Hebrews 2:6-18, where the writer quotes the very scripture that we read in Psa 8:4-6. After quoting David's words, he continues in verse 8 with the same comment I made; that we do not yet see all things put under man's feet. Continuing in verse 9, he goes on to say that we do see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour following his death on the cross.
The remainder of this passage goes on to answer our original question. Why have we been made in the image of God? We learn more in the following verses, which are quite astounding! We are told that Jesus intends to share his very glory with us. We were created in the image of God because we were created to be the children of God. The apostle Paul, in Romans 8:16-17,tells us, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ...". He goes on to explain that our destiny is to be glorified with Christ. Yet, at the present time we are subject to the bondage of the flesh. Our glory is for a future day when we shall be set free from these fleshly, decaying bodies.
I began by saying how much I love the duality of the bible. I Cor 15, often called the resurrection chapter in the bible, is a perfect example. Paul makes the comparison here betweeen being born of the flesh and being born of the Spirit.
Adam was the figure of him that was to come. As Adam was born of the flesh, so Christ was born of the Spirit. Adam’s sin brought death to many, but Christ’s death following many sins, brought life. The writer uses numerous comparisons to bring the message home to us. The offence of Adam brought condemnation whereas Christ, following many offences, offers justification. Death reigned the world through Adam's sin, but life reigns through Christ. As through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, by the obedience of one man many shall be made righteous.
This chapter in the bible really highlights what I term the mirror image of God’s plan of salvation. The entire chapter is concerning the resurrection of the dead, beginning with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Beginning with verse 22 we read that, as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. Verse 35 addresses the obvious question, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Notice the imagery in the following verses. Paul's audience lived in an agrarian society, so he used an example they would be familiar with. He used the analogy of a seed. When the bare seed is sown, it's body is not the same as that which breaks forth from the ground. God gives each seed the body that he has prepared for it. So will it be as pertaining to the resurrection. The body is sown in corruption and raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor and raised in glory. It is sown in weakness and raised in power. It is sown a natural body and raised a spiritual body. The first man, Adam, was made a living soul. The last Adam (Christ) was made a quickening spirit. The natural comes first, but afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is earthly. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. Corruption shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality.
In the beginning, God created Adam in his image, after his likeness. God breathed into his nostrils and he became a living soul, a mortal being. So is man’s lot in these physical bodies, these earthen vessels. We are mortal creatures subject to death and decay. In order to receive life, eternal life, we must be changed. Christ paved the way for our transformation. He was the first to be resurrected from the dead. I Cor 15:22-23, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” I close with I Cor. 15:50-52, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
An example is the story of man's very creation. Genesis 1:26-31 reveals that, on the sixth day of creation week, God created man in his own image. The Hebrew word for image is tselem, meaning resemblance. Mankind was made to resemble God, our Creator, although in earthen vessels. Why would He choose mankind, out of all His creation, to resemble Him? David, King of Israel, no doubt pondered these things. In Psa 8:4-6 he asks, "What is man, that thou are mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet." Let's go back to Gen 1:26-28 where we learn that it was God's intention and purpose, not only to create man in his own image, but give man dominion over the earth. However, we don't see man yet crowned with the life and glory that David spoke of. Can we glean more information from other scriptures? Look at Hebrews 2:6-18, where the writer quotes the very scripture that we read in Psa 8:4-6. After quoting David's words, he continues in verse 8 with the same comment I made; that we do not yet see all things put under man's feet. Continuing in verse 9, he goes on to say that we do see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour following his death on the cross.
The remainder of this passage goes on to answer our original question. Why have we been made in the image of God? We learn more in the following verses, which are quite astounding! We are told that Jesus intends to share his very glory with us. We were created in the image of God because we were created to be the children of God. The apostle Paul, in Romans 8:16-17,tells us, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ...". He goes on to explain that our destiny is to be glorified with Christ. Yet, at the present time we are subject to the bondage of the flesh. Our glory is for a future day when we shall be set free from these fleshly, decaying bodies.
I began by saying how much I love the duality of the bible. I Cor 15, often called the resurrection chapter in the bible, is a perfect example. Paul makes the comparison here betweeen being born of the flesh and being born of the Spirit.
Adam was the figure of him that was to come. As Adam was born of the flesh, so Christ was born of the Spirit. Adam’s sin brought death to many, but Christ’s death following many sins, brought life. The writer uses numerous comparisons to bring the message home to us. The offence of Adam brought condemnation whereas Christ, following many offences, offers justification. Death reigned the world through Adam's sin, but life reigns through Christ. As through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, by the obedience of one man many shall be made righteous.
This chapter in the bible really highlights what I term the mirror image of God’s plan of salvation. The entire chapter is concerning the resurrection of the dead, beginning with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Beginning with verse 22 we read that, as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. Verse 35 addresses the obvious question, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Notice the imagery in the following verses. Paul's audience lived in an agrarian society, so he used an example they would be familiar with. He used the analogy of a seed. When the bare seed is sown, it's body is not the same as that which breaks forth from the ground. God gives each seed the body that he has prepared for it. So will it be as pertaining to the resurrection. The body is sown in corruption and raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor and raised in glory. It is sown in weakness and raised in power. It is sown a natural body and raised a spiritual body. The first man, Adam, was made a living soul. The last Adam (Christ) was made a quickening spirit. The natural comes first, but afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is earthly. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. Corruption shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality.
In the beginning, God created Adam in his image, after his likeness. God breathed into his nostrils and he became a living soul, a mortal being. So is man’s lot in these physical bodies, these earthen vessels. We are mortal creatures subject to death and decay. In order to receive life, eternal life, we must be changed. Christ paved the way for our transformation. He was the first to be resurrected from the dead. I Cor 15:22-23, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” I close with I Cor. 15:50-52, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
A Biblical Overview
When I speak to people about God’s word, I often find them completely unfamiliar with the scriptures. Most admit that they don’t read the Bible to any great degree because they find it mysterious and hard to understand. Even Christians who attend church every Sunday don’t seem to have any real knowledge of the Bible or its teachings. So I want to share a brief overview, as a foundation on which greater truth can be built.
First and foremost, the Bible is the story of God’s purpose for mankind. It is His instruction book, if you will, so that we can learn who we are, why we were created, how we are to live and what our final destination will be. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” we are told in the very first verse, Gen 1:1. Then in verse 26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” We follow the story of the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and their offspring Cain and Abel. We see that, although created in the image of their Creator, they were not to be mindless robots. God clearly revealed His law to them, but they were given free moral agency or the mental capacity to make choices for good or evil.
Why was it necessary for them to be introduced to both good and evil? From the beginning God ordained that we must choose for ourselves whether or not we will be obedient to our Creator. See Deut. 30:19. Sadly the biblical account chronicles the early decline of mankind, with few exceptions. A single thread of humanity proved itself righteous before God, and became the family tree through which Christ was born. We begin with Seth, whom Eve says God appointed to her instead of Abel, whom Cain slew, Gen 4:25. The bloodline followed with Enosh, Kenan, Mahalelel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. The bible doesn’t give any great detail of these men, other than to record in Gen 5:22 that Enoch walked with God, and in Gen 6:8 that Noah found grace in the sight of God. Hebrews 11:7 tells us, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”
The bible records the story of Noah and the great flood and how all of mankind was destroyed due to wickedness, save Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives. The thread continued on after the flood as Noah’s family repopulated the earth. Eleven generations from Noah a man was born named Abram. He grew up in Ur of the Chaldees, in the land of Babylon. In time, God called him to leave his country and go unto a land that would be given him and his offspring as an everlasting inheritance.
The Old Testament chronicles the story of this man’s family and their destiny. Abraham (as he was later named by God) was given a son whom he named Isaac, who in turn begat Jacob. Jacob, whose name was also changed by God to Israel, was the father of twelve sons whom collectively became known as the twelve tribes of Israel.
As the biblical account continues, we follow the generations of this family as they escaped slavery in Egypt, wandered in the desert forty years receiving instruction by God through Moses, and entered the land of promise where they became a great kingdom. We read of their judges, their kings and their prophets, and we see the results of continued disobedience. We read of their triumphs and defeats. Most importantly, we see that in due process of time, a child was born from this family that was destined to be the Savior of the world.
This Savior was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The New Testament is a history of His earthly life and teachings, His death, burial and resurrection. His disciples continued the story with their testimony of all that they witnessed and their letters stand as immortal lights even today to show us the way to eternal life in Him.
A key to understanding the bible is the fact that God’s entire plan from beginning to end was established before the world even came into existence. Revelation 13:8 declares that Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The sacrifice of Christ for sin was not an afterthought, a reaction to Satan's deception. It was God's purpose from the very beginning. The plan of God is played out in the pages of our bibles in great detail, if we are given the understanding to see what is before our very eyes.
You see, the bible gives us all the instruction we require to know God and his purpose for mankind, yet it is written in such a way that we must seek it out like buried treasure. Isaiah 28:9-10 declares, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept: line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." This tells us that a cursory glance at the scriptures or an occasional reading will not yield much understanding. I liken the bible to a jigsaw puzzle. Until we fit all the pieces together, we cannot see the whole picture. God wants to know that we are serious about his word, so he doesn't put everything out there in plain sight. He rewards those who hunger and thirst for knowledge, those who search out every last morsel they can get. Proverbs 25:2 tells us, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." II Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. I have been studying for many years and I find new insights all the time. I will never understand all truth in this life but it is always exciting when I am given another piece of the puzzle.
Email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
First and foremost, the Bible is the story of God’s purpose for mankind. It is His instruction book, if you will, so that we can learn who we are, why we were created, how we are to live and what our final destination will be. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” we are told in the very first verse, Gen 1:1. Then in verse 26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” We follow the story of the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and their offspring Cain and Abel. We see that, although created in the image of their Creator, they were not to be mindless robots. God clearly revealed His law to them, but they were given free moral agency or the mental capacity to make choices for good or evil.
Why was it necessary for them to be introduced to both good and evil? From the beginning God ordained that we must choose for ourselves whether or not we will be obedient to our Creator. See Deut. 30:19. Sadly the biblical account chronicles the early decline of mankind, with few exceptions. A single thread of humanity proved itself righteous before God, and became the family tree through which Christ was born. We begin with Seth, whom Eve says God appointed to her instead of Abel, whom Cain slew, Gen 4:25. The bloodline followed with Enosh, Kenan, Mahalelel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. The bible doesn’t give any great detail of these men, other than to record in Gen 5:22 that Enoch walked with God, and in Gen 6:8 that Noah found grace in the sight of God. Hebrews 11:7 tells us, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”
The bible records the story of Noah and the great flood and how all of mankind was destroyed due to wickedness, save Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives. The thread continued on after the flood as Noah’s family repopulated the earth. Eleven generations from Noah a man was born named Abram. He grew up in Ur of the Chaldees, in the land of Babylon. In time, God called him to leave his country and go unto a land that would be given him and his offspring as an everlasting inheritance.
The Old Testament chronicles the story of this man’s family and their destiny. Abraham (as he was later named by God) was given a son whom he named Isaac, who in turn begat Jacob. Jacob, whose name was also changed by God to Israel, was the father of twelve sons whom collectively became known as the twelve tribes of Israel.
As the biblical account continues, we follow the generations of this family as they escaped slavery in Egypt, wandered in the desert forty years receiving instruction by God through Moses, and entered the land of promise where they became a great kingdom. We read of their judges, their kings and their prophets, and we see the results of continued disobedience. We read of their triumphs and defeats. Most importantly, we see that in due process of time, a child was born from this family that was destined to be the Savior of the world.
This Savior was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The New Testament is a history of His earthly life and teachings, His death, burial and resurrection. His disciples continued the story with their testimony of all that they witnessed and their letters stand as immortal lights even today to show us the way to eternal life in Him.
A key to understanding the bible is the fact that God’s entire plan from beginning to end was established before the world even came into existence. Revelation 13:8 declares that Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The sacrifice of Christ for sin was not an afterthought, a reaction to Satan's deception. It was God's purpose from the very beginning. The plan of God is played out in the pages of our bibles in great detail, if we are given the understanding to see what is before our very eyes.
You see, the bible gives us all the instruction we require to know God and his purpose for mankind, yet it is written in such a way that we must seek it out like buried treasure. Isaiah 28:9-10 declares, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept: line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." This tells us that a cursory glance at the scriptures or an occasional reading will not yield much understanding. I liken the bible to a jigsaw puzzle. Until we fit all the pieces together, we cannot see the whole picture. God wants to know that we are serious about his word, so he doesn't put everything out there in plain sight. He rewards those who hunger and thirst for knowledge, those who search out every last morsel they can get. Proverbs 25:2 tells us, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." II Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. I have been studying for many years and I find new insights all the time. I will never understand all truth in this life but it is always exciting when I am given another piece of the puzzle.
Email comments or questions to thehiddenmanna@gmail.com
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