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    The Four Faces of a Leader
    The Four Faces of a Leader
    The Four Faces of a Leader
    Ebook230 pages7 hours

    The Four Faces of a Leader

    By Dr. Martin G Tharp PhD

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    About this ebook

    Pastors are regarded by many as no more than pawns in a chess game and are considered to be second or third class citizens in a perceived ecclesiastical order. This book seeks to address the controversial subject of "Biblical" authority, and the power struggle that many in the twenty-first century church find themselves caught in. "Who is the proper authority in the church world?"

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDr. Martin G Tharp PhD
    Release dateMar 9, 2013
    ISBN9781301217809
    The Four Faces of a Leader
    Author

    Dr. Martin G Tharp PhD

    Dr. Martin Tharp has been an avid student of the Bible for many years and holds a Bachelor, Master and eight Doctorates, one honorary and seven earned, including a Doctor. of Literature and two PhDs. He has been in full time ministry for over fifty-seven years and has authored forty-nine books to date, many of which are being used as curriculum in Bible colleges around the United States and abroad. He has also penned a number of gospel songs and recorded thirty-three albums as well as being actively involved in a school ministry to Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom for the past thirty-eight years, and Dr. Tharp has been honored twice by members of parliament in Ireland for their work in the Protestant and Catholic schools. He and his wife, Sharon, along with Maranda Howells, travel extensively across the USA and the whole of the British Isles holding evangelistic crusades in the churches of both countries.

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      Book preview

      The Four Faces of a Leader - Dr. Martin G Tharp PhD

      The Four Faces of a Leader

      By Martin G. Tharp, Ph.D.

      Copyright 2013 Martin Tharp Ph.D.

      Smashwords edition

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes; This ebook is licensed for your own personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.. Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, King James Version. Copyright 1984, 1991 by AMG International, INC and the Living Bible Copyright 1971, 1986 by Tyndale House Publishers INC

      Dedication

      To all the Pastors with whom we have become acquainted with over the past forty years of our ministry, I dedicate this book. To the tenacious dedication of spirit which keeps you everlastingly at it, for your devotion to the work of God is truly inspiring.

      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      1. Banners in the Wilderness

      2. 4 Faces in the 4 Gospels; Matthew=Lion

      3. 4 Faces in the 4 Gospels; Mark=Ox

      4. 4 Faces in the 4 Gospels; Luke= Man

      5. 4 Faces in the 4 Gospels; John= Eagle

      6. A Man’s Hand

      7. The Apostle; The Face of a Lion?

      8. The Prophet; Old Testament or New?

      9. The Evangelist; The Value Of The Ox

      10. Pastor-Teacher; The Face Of A Man

      11. Four Faces

      12. Can Law Survive Without The Lawgiver?

      Bibliography

      About The Author

      Introduction

      One of the most enlightening Scriptures of the entire Bible is Hebrews 9:8-10;

      "The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, posed on them until the time of reformation."

      If you were a part of the priesthood, following the ordained pathway which was prescribed for each individual priest into the divine presence of a Holy God, it would not seem possible that all the rituals which were necessary to enter into His presence would fall into the category of types and shadows designed specifically for the benefit of future generations. Nevertheless, that is precisely what the writer of the book of Hebrews states. If every aspect of the Tabernacle, its boards, sockets, curtains, colors, and even its metallurgical values were all types and shadows, if the priestly garments all possessed prophetic undertones which were obscured from the view or knowledge of the wearer, then it should come as no surprise to the avid student of the Bible that there are innumerable other classic examples which are hidden in plain view awaiting our discovery.

      It is here that I find myself captivated by the imagery which is provided by Ezekiel, and the Apostle John (the book of Revelation). The four faces which are presented to us are unusual in their presentation, but are far more significant in their application. It is there, in the application of the characteristics of the four faces presented, that I find the possibility of discovering a rich vein of information which waits patiently for the investigatory probing of a spiritually inquisitive mind.

      It cannot be a coincidence that the imagery of the four faces in the illustrations used by Ezekiel and John also coincide with the use of banners carried by key tribes in the wilderness journey. As God formed them into a marching cross, He placed the priesthood, who was the undisputed forerunner, representative type and shadow of Jesus, in the center.

      Neither can it be an accidental choice when in fact the four Gospels are each individually characterized by the attributes ascribed to one of these four faces.

      The book you now hold in your hand was not written with aspirations to produce a literary classic, but if in its pages you discover a thirst which can only be quenched by the acquisition of knowledge and a quickening of your spiritual appetite, then my efforts will have been a resounding success. You may find you have the capacity to demonstrate one, or all of the characteristics of;

      The Four Faces of a Leader.

      What we require is no new Revelation, but simply an adequate conception of the essence of Christianity. As time goes on, the work of the Holy Spirit will be demonstrated by the activation of the insight which the human race will attain into the true essence of the Christian religion. I am therefore of the opinion that a standing miracle exists, and that it has always existed, exerting a direct and continuing influence by the supernatural on the natural.

      Chapter One

      Banners

      In The Wilderness

      And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the *ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch" (Numbers 2:1-2). (*ensign; deh’-gel; a flag, a banner or an ensign).

      The forty year journey through the wilderness is a direct result of the anger expressed by God whose tender care of the Israelites had failed to spark a single ray of hope that faith had arisen within them. The spirit of unbelief which had captivated the minds of these skeptical travelers, found themselves siding with ten of the twelve spies who returned from Canaan with conflicting reports. Joshua and Caleb assured them that they were well able to take the land, while ten of the twelve saw themselves as grasshoppers in comparison and an easy prey for the inhabitants of the land who were giants. The forty day excursion into the land of Canaan became forty years of wandering while those whose hearts fainted in fear died in the wilderness, never being allowed to set one foot onto the hallowed ground of promise!

      The first record of the use of images listed in the Bible to convey an obvious message concerning the characteristics or attributes of individuals outside of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, was the banners or flags which were carried by four of the twelve tribes of the Israelites who surrounded the Tabernacle and the Levitical priesthood from the House of Levi.

      Nothing in the Holy record should be overlooked when attempting to understand the lessons which are encapsulated in every minute detail of the wilderness journey. Our finite minds are often spellbound by the indisputable types and shadows which are easily identified as treasure troves of information, while missing the peripheral lessons which become obvious upon closer examination.

      We must remember that God is not like a chef who allows us to smell the succulent feast of a king causing the salivation of our taste buds, then denying us the privilege of attending the banquet! Neither is it His intention to sit us at an empty table with nothing but a ravenous appetite and no sustenance available to fill the void which He has created! Oh no! He may make us dig for the potatoes, hunt for the elusive game of the forest, forage for the mushrooms which adds the flavor, cut the wood for the fire, then try our patience as we wait for the first taste of the master chef’s creation! The first taste of the fruit of our labors is enough to make the expenditure of our every effort worthwhile!

      Nothing of any value can be attained without putting forth the required amount of energy and dedication which will ultimately result in allowing us to achieve the satisfaction of ownership. Our destiny, God’s preference for our lives, cannot be discovered by the acquisition of knowledge outside the spiritual realm. We may be able to glean information from a book, but the impartation of the power of that information can only come from a relationship with our heavenly Father. Lest we forget, it is not the order of birth or the names alone of the four men appointed to lead the tribes of the marching cross through the wilderness, but it is the confirmation of their individual characteristics designated by the images emblazoned on their tribal standard which identifies the essential qualities of the attributes represented by the four faces of;

      The Lion; Judah

      The Man; Reuben

      The Ox; Ephraim

      The Eagle Dan

      If the wilderness journey offered us the only example where these four images were used in the Bible, there would be little point in attempting to look beyond the time frame in which these men lived. However, we are only at the threshold of one of the most intriguing studies to be found in the Holy Record, as we shall discover in the following chapters as we endeavor to ascertain God’s ultimate purpose for the use of these images.

      East=Judah The Lion;

      The Tabernacle in the wilderness is situated with the entry into the outer court, as well as the tent of meeting, positioned toward the east. Judah has been given the supreme responsibility, of leading the entire nation of Israel as they followed the cloud which led them by day and the pillar of fire by night.

      A dear friend of mine once preached a message entitled; Failure need not be fatal.

      Judah serves as a clarion example of that noble statement, for Judah, whose name means celebrated; or praise, was as guilty of jealousy, hate and animosity toward his younger brother as any of them, suggesting the sale of Joseph to a band of Ishmaelites. Along with his brothers they conceived a plan fraught with callous disregard, breaking his father’s heart as they delivered Joseph’s coat of many colors drenched in blood intimating that some wild beast had slain him.

      In spite of that moral failure, Judah has acquired the birthright position of the firstborn, partially by default, namely, Reuben’s sin, and Simeon and Levi’s cruelty referred to by Jacob in Gen. 49:5-7. Added to that fact is the obvious change in the character of Judah which has been carefully chronicled in Genesis 44 as he eloquently pleads for Zaphnath-paaneah to allow him to serve the sentence which had been pronounced on his younger brother Benjamin.

      South=Reuben The face of a man

      Logically, Reuben should have been at the forefront of the predestinated purpose of God as the firstborn to Jacob whose position as the continuing recipient of the Abrahamic covenant has been ratified and assured by way of two miraculous confrontations with God; The ladder and the limp.

      Reuben is a prime example and proof positive that predestination can be abrogated by our actions, for he has invalidated the position which was his by birth! A moment of passion with Bilhah (one of his father’s wives), negated forever his inheritance rights.

      "And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it" (Gen 35:22).

      At that moment, it would appear that no one was concerned about Reuben’s impropriety, even though Israel, was aware of it. Yet at least forty years later, while Jacob is in the midst of a prophetic flow concerning the future of all his sons, does not hesitate to address that long forgotten moment of indiscretion.

      "Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch" (Gen 49:3-4).

      The sin of Reuben has been fully exposed, yet by divine directive God placed him at a strategic position. God chose Reuben as one of the leaders, but he must take second place to Judah, to the east, who was followed by Issachar and Zebulun, the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid. Reuben, to the south, was followed by Gad, Zilpahs son, and Simeon Leah’s son, keeping the lineage of Leah together.

      "On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty. All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank" (Numbers 2:10-16).

      West=Ephraim; The face of an Ox

      "The first-born of his (I. e. Joseph’s) bullock is his glory":

      The reference being to Ephraim who was raised by Jacob to the honors of the firstborn (Gen. 48:20), and is here likened to the firstling of Joseph’s oxen, I. e., of Joseph’s offspring. The ox is a common emblem of power and strength.

      "And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh" (Deut. 33:16-17).

      Following Ephraim to the west was Manasseh, both from the tribe of Joseph and Benjamin the first born of Rachel, keeping the lineage of Rachel together.

      North=Dan; The face of an Eagle

      Finally, we have Dan to the north, who was the first son born to Bilhah, Rachel’s hand maiden, followed by Asher also born to Bilhah and Naphtali the second son born to Zilpah, Leah’s maid.

      The calling of God upon our lives is not determined by random choice, neither is the will of God hidden from our view. The Father has a preference for the direction that our earthly journey is to take, regardless of whether we have the ministry of an ordinary lay person in a local church, or serve as a team member in the ministry of another. We must be cognizant that whether we are to be the chief shepherd of a local body or the head of a world-reaching oriented church of gargantuan proportions is actually not our choice. Although it is true that many have by their actions, or on occasion, lack of actions, abrogated the will of God for their lives! There are a vast number of people who simply do not understand that God has a preference for their future! If you truly know someone, you will know their preferences.

      Authentic God ordained leadership is not an elective to be embraced as an educational or

      vocational alternative! Nor is it to be studied for as an option in our chosen field of endeavor or lifestyle. Leadership in the house of God in any vibrant, faith based entity, is now, and has always been a calling. A precept which has been accepted as a tried and proven method, creating a pool of human resources from which the church has historically selected it’s champions of the faith.

      The premise of this book does not concern itself so much with the actual calling of leaders, but rather attempts to address the attributes and/or characteristics which set them apart from the rank and file once their calling has been an accepted or established fact.

      The criteria for Godly leadership, defies description in a secular or a religious society. The calling of God is not based on education, physical attributes or personality. In fact, God has apparently chosen a method which has defied our most diligent efforts to comprehend!

      Throughout the Bible, God has sovereignly chosen men whose particular qualifications, endowments and /or achievements are known and understood only by the Master Himself! Although in retrospect, the wisdom of God does not require an explanation. The historical record provided by the Bible supplies us with more than sufficient substantiation for the wisdom of His choices!

      Perhaps it would be good to remind ourselves that the human race came from a single pair, and that after the flood, the world was populated a second time from a single family unit, namely Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives. Then from the lineage of one of those three sons, the sovereignty of God is displayed once again in the choice of Shem, who provided the ancestral pool from which Abram was sovereignly chosen to be the carrier of the Royal seed from which The Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world would come. The Apostle Peter verifies the predestinated, everlasting lineage of Jesus in his address to those who were considered strangers, because they were Gentiles who had been grafted into the Branch.

      "To the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied" (1Peter 1:1-2).

      Peter does not hesitate to assure these strangers, that their salvation was not nor could ever be purchased by corruptible things!

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