TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE SECTION 1GOD REVEALED IN HIS NAMES Introduction: Unity and PluralityFather, Son, and Holy

Spirit 1. Elohim 2. Jehovah, or ah!eh ". #he $ne %ho Provide& '. #he $ne %ho Heal& (. #he $ne %ho I& $ur )anner *. #he $ne %ho I& $ur Peace +. #he $ne %ho I& $ur Shepherd ,. #he $ne %ho I& $ur -i.hteou&ne&& /. #he $ne %ho I& #here SECTION 2GOD'S "DISGUISES" Introduction: %hy 0oe& 1od U&e 20i&.ui&e&23 14. #he 5arpenter6& Son 11. 5hildren 12. 1od6& 7e&&en.er& 1". 1od6& Per&ecuted People SECTION 3GOD'S ULTIMATE REVELATION: JESUS THE CHRIST Introduction: Je&u&6 8ature and Purpo&e& 1'. %onder9ul 5oun&elor 1(. Prince o9 Peace

1*. #he %ord o9 1od 1+. #he :am; o9 1od 1,. #he :ion o9 the #ri;e o9 Judah 1/. Savior 24. 5hri&t, or 7e&&iah 21. #he <lpha and the $me.a 22. #he )ri.ht 7ornin. Star 2". =in. o9 =in.& and :ord o9 :ord& ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE
<ll throu.h the )i;le, name& have .reat &i.ni9icance much .reater &i.ni9icance than they u&ually have in our contemporary culture. <lmo&t every name in the )i;le ha& a &peci9ic meanin. and a &peci9ic appropriatene&& to the per&on named> each i& indicative o9 the nature o9 that per&on. < clear e?ample o9 thi& 9act i& 9ound in the name& o9 the three patriarch&, <;raham, I&aac, and Jaco;. #!o o9 them had their name& chan.ed ;y 1od<;raham and Jaco;. <;raham6& name !a& ori.inally <;ram, meanin. 2e?alted 9ather,2 !hile <;raham mean& 29ather o9 a multitude.2 Jaco;6& name !a& chan.ed to I&rael> Jaco; i& u&ually interpreted a& 2&upplanter,2 !hile I&rael mean& either 2a prince !ith 1od2 or 2one !ho !re&tle& !ith 1od.2 In each ca&e, the chan.e o9 name !a& .iven durin. a cri&i& in the li9e o9 the patriarch, and it had a deci&ive e99ect on hi& on.oin. character development and the 9ul9illment o9 hi& de&tiny. In other !ord&, name& are connected !ith character and de&tiny. ou mi.ht a&@, 2%hy didn6t I&aac have hi& name chan.ed32 Intere&tin.ly, 1od cho&e I&aac6& name ;e9ore he !a& ;orn. Since it !a& cho&en ;y 1od, I&aac6& name did not need to ;e chan.ed. I9 the name& .iven to men in the )i;le are o9 &uch

&i.ni9icance, the name& attri;uted to 1od mu&t ;e that much more &i.ni9icant. In the chapter& that 9ollo!, !e !ill loo@ at ho! 1od i& revealed in Hi& name&, a& !ell a& ho! 1od 2di&.ui&e&2 Him&el9 and ho! Hi& ultimate revelation o9 Him&el9 may ;e 9ound in Je&u& 5hri&t and the title& ;y !hich Je&u& i& called.

INTRODUCTION TO SECTION 1 Unit An! P"#$%"it : F%t&'$( S)n( An! H)" S*i$it
$ne particular a&pect o9 1od that i& a;&olutely uniAue to the )i;le6& revelation o9 1odit i& not 9ound in any other ;oo@ or reli.ioni& the com;ination o9 unity and plurality !ithin 1od6& nature. #hi& uniAue a&pect i& revealed in Hi& name Elohim, a name !e !ill &tudy in more detail in chapter 1. Si.ni9icantly, thi& name occur& in the 9ir&t ver&e o9 the )i;le. In 1ene&i& 1:1, !e 9ind the&e !ord&: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In the ori.inal He;re!, there i& a @ind o9 cla&h o9 .rammar in thi& ver&e. #he noun 21odB Elohim, i& plural, yet the ver; that 9ollo!&, 2created2 i& &in.ular. So, !e have a plural noun 9ollo!ed ;y a &in.ular ver;. #hi& parado? contain& the &eed& o9 truth that are un9olded throu.hout the re&t o9 Scripture. #here i& a &ome!hat &imilar parado? in the 9amou& ver&e in 0euteronomy that the Je!i&h people call the Shema, !hich i& more or le&& a doctrinal &tatement o9 the 9aith o9 I&rael: Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" (Deuteronomy 6 !" Intere&tin.ly, it ta@e& only 9our !ord& to &ay 2#he :ord i&

our 1od, the :ord i& one1 in He;re!. Still more intere&tin., o9 tho&e 9our !ord&, three are plural in 9orm. #he only !ord that i& &in.ular i& the !ord 9or 2one3 So, a.ain, !e 9ind thi& parado? o9 unity and plurality com;ined in the revelation o9 1od. T+) ,)$!- F)$ "ONE" $ne !ay to under&tand unity and plurality i& to realiCe that there are t!o di99erent He;re! !ord& 9or 2one.2 $ne !ord i& yachid and the other i& echad. .%/&i!: A")n' An! Uni0#' #he !ord yachid mean& 2that !hich i& a;&olutely alone and uniAue.2 For in&tance, in 1ene&i& 22:2, the :ord &aid to <;raham, 2 #a@e no! your &on, your only &on, !hom you love....2 #hi& ver&e u&e& the !ord 2only2 yachid, ;ecau&e <;raham and Sarah had only one &on ;orn o9 their o!n ;odie&. <nother e?ample i& in P&alm 2(:1*, !here the p&almi&t !rote, 2I am lonely and a99licted2 #he !ord 2lonely2 i& yachid, meanin. 2entirely on my o!n.2 E/&%!: A Uni)n O1 A N#23'$ O1 E"'2'nt$n the other hand, the other !ord 9or 2one,2 echad, denote& a union o9 a num;er o9 element&. #hi& meanin. i& very clear in many pa&&a.e& o9 the $ld #e&tament. For in&tance, in 1ene&i& 2, Scripture outline& the nature o9 marria.e and the union o9 <dam and Eve:

#or this cause a man shall leave his $ather and his mother, and shall cleave to his %i$e& and they shall become one $lesh' (Genesis ( (!" #he !ord 2one2 echad, e?pre&&e& that the t!o are ;ein. united to ;ecome one. So, echad de&cri;e& or denote& the union o9 more than one to 9orm a unity. In 8um;er& 1", the Scripture &ay& thi& o9 the I&raelite &pie& !ho !ent in to &ee the Promi&ed :and: Then they came to the valley o$ )shcoland $rom there cut do%n a branch %ith a single cluster o$ gra*es' (+umbers ,- (-" #he !ord 2&in.le2 in He;re! i& echad. It !a& one clu&ter, ;ut it !a& made up o9 many .rape&. %e 9ind thi& !ord u&ed a.ain in a remar@a;le &tatement in the ;oo@ o9 Jud.e&, !hen there !a& civil !ar amon. the tri;e& o9 I&rael: Thus all the men o$ Israel %ere gathered against the city, united as one man' (.udges (/ ,," #he !ord 2one2 here i& echad. #here !ere many thou&and& o9 men> neverthele&&, they 9ormed a unity. In one o9 the prophet ECe@iel6& vi&ion&, the :ord told him to ta@e t!o &tic@& and to name them 9or the t!o leadin. tri;e& o9 I&rael.

0nd you, son o$ man, ta1e $or yoursel$ one stic1 and %rite on it, "#or .udah and $or the sons o$ Israel, his com*anions"& then ta1e another stic1 and %rite on it, "#or .ose*h, the stic1 o$ )*hraim and all the house o$ Israel, his com*anions'" Then 2oin them $or yoursel$ one to another into one stic1, that they may become one in your hand' ()3e1iel -4 ,65,4" <.ain, the !ord 2one2 i& echad, yet !e &ee &peci9ically that there !ere ori.inally t!o &tic@&. In ;ein. united, they 9ormed a unity, !hich i& de&cri;ed ;y the !ord 2one.2 Unit T&%t I- A Uni)n I ;elieve the&e e?ample& help u& to under&tand the @ind o9 unity that i& repre&ented ;y the !ord Elohim. It i& a unity that i& a union a per9ect union;ut contain& more than onene&&: plurality. :et u& revie! t!o pa&&a.e& in the )i;le !here thi& under&tandin. i& clear. In 1ene&i& ", a9ter <dam and Eve had &inned and 9or9eited their ri.ht to live in the .arden o9 Eden, !e read, Then the Lord God said, "6ehold, the man has become li1e one o$ 7s, 1no%ing good and evil'" (Genesis - ((" In readin. the !hole o9 1ene&i& ", it i& clear that havin. the @no!led.e o9 .ood and evil !a& a di&tinctive characteri&tic o9 1od. In the 8e! <merican Standard )i;le, the !ord 2U&2 in ver&e 22 i& capitaliCed. In other !ord&, it applie& to

1od. #here i& ;oth unity and plurality !ithin the very nature o9 1od. <nother intere&tin. e?ample i& in I&aiah6& de&cription o9 hi& vi&ion o9 the :ord: Then I heard the voice o$ the Lord, saying, "8hom shall I send, and %ho %ill go $or 7s9" Then I said, "Here am I' :end me!" (Isaiah 6 ;" 1od !a& &pea@in., and He u&ed ;oth the &in.ular D2I2E and the plural D2U&2E. He &aid, 2%hom &hall I &end, and !ho !ill .o 9or U&32 T&' T&$'' In On' <ll throu.h the )i;le, there i& thi& 9a&cinatin. parado?: 1od i& one> yet, !ithin the onene&& o9 1od, there i& more than one. #he 9ull truth o9 thi& parado? o9 the unity and the plurality o9 1od i& ;rou.ht to li.ht and into open revelation in the 8e! #e&tament. :et u& loo@ at the mo&t di&tinctive o9 many &uch pa&&a.e&, the 9inal commi&&ion o9 Je&u& to Hi& di&ciple& a& recorded at the end o9 7atthe!6& .o&pel: Go there$ore and ma1e disci*les o$ all the nations, ba*ti3ing them in the name o$ the #ather and the :on and the Holy :*irit' (<atthe% (; ,=" <ctually, the 1ree@ &ay&, 2)aptiCin. them into the name o9 the 9ather and the Son and the Holy Spirit.2 %e are to ;e

;aptiCed into the name o9 1od. #hat act &i.ni9ie& ta@in. up our place& in 1od, lo&in. our per&onal live& in 1od. #he 9ullne&& o9 1od con&i&t& o9 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. %hen !e &ee thi&, !e under&tand !hy, ri.ht 9rom the ;e.innin. o9 the )i;le, in the very 9ir&t ver&e o9 the $ld #e&tament, the !ord 9or 1od i& plural in 9orm. #he truth ;rou.ht out in the 8e! #e&tament i& not ne!it i& merely an un9oldin. and a 9ul9illment o9 !hat !a& already pre&ent, ;y implication, in i he $ld #e&tament. :et6& loo@ at t!o additional e?ample& 9rom the $ld #e&tament. In Prover;& "4:', the !riter &aid, 8ho has gone u* to heaven and come do%n9 8ho has gathered u* the %ind in the hollo% o$ his hands9 8ho has %ra**ed u* the %aters in his cloa19 8ho has established all the ends o$ the earth9 8hat is his name, and the name o$ his son9 Tell me i$ you 1no%>' (?roverbs -/ ! +I@" <nyone !ho i& 9amiliar !ith the revelation o9 Scripture !ill under&tand that the 2!ho2 ;ein. re9erred to here i& 1od Him&el9. 8o one ;ut 1od ha& done tho&e thin.&. et it &ay&, 2%hat i& hi& name, and the name o9 hi& &on32 #hi& ver&e i& part o9 the $ld #e&tament6& revelation o9 the plurality o9 1odin thi& in&tance, revealin. the truth o9, and the relation&hip ;et!een, 1od the Father and 1od the Son. #hen, in I&aiah ',:12F1", !e read, Listen to <e, / .acob, even Israel %hom I called& I

am He, I am the $irst, I am also the last' :urely <y hand $ounded the earth,and <y right hand s*read out the heavens& %hen I call to them, they stand together' <.ain, the !hole revelation o9 Scripture !ould a.ree that the per&on !ho &ay& the&e !ord& i& no le&& than 1od Him&el9the 9ir&t and the la&t, the 5reator and the &u&tainer o9 heaven and earth. #hen, He &ay&, Aome near to <e, listen to this $rom the $irst I have not s*o1en in secret, $rom the time it too1 *lace, I %as there' 0nd no% the Lord God has sent <e, and His :*irit' (Isaiah !; ,6" #he =in. Jame& Ger&ion &ay&, 2#he :ord 1od, and hi& Spirit, hath &ent me.2 Here, a divine Per&on i& &pea@in., and yet He &ay& that 1od, and Hi& Spirit, 2ha& &ent 7e.2 %hichever !ay you loo@ at it, the 9ul9illment i& 9ound in the 8e! #e&tament: 1od the Father &ent Je&u& and the Holy Spirit. )oth proceeded 9rom 1od. <nd all three are 1od: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So, !e &ee that in Elohim, there i& a per9ect unity that i& more than one. 1od i& e&&entially one, and e&&entially more than one. #hat i& the my&tery o9 the nature o9 1odthi& uniAue ;lendin. o9 unity and plurality.

CHAPTER 1 E")&i2
T&' Fi$-t G$'%t H'3$'+ N%2' O1 G)! #he primary name 9or 1od in $ld #e&tament He;re! i& Elohim, the name !e loo@ed at in the introduction in relation to the unity and plurality o9 1od. :et6& return to 1ene&i& 1:1, !here !e 9ind the&e !ord&: In the beginning God B)lohimC created the heavens and the earth' #herea9ter, the &ame name, Elohim, occur& a;out 2,(44 time& in die $ld #e&tament. #he )i;le i& a 1odFcentered ;oo@ 9or 1odFhun.ry humanity. Some!here deep in&ide every human ;ein., there i& a hun.er to @no! the truth a;out 1od. #he )i;le i& the only ;oo@ that can truly &ati&9y thi& hun.er. #hat i& the rea&on 9or it& continuin. appeal to the human race. It remain& the unchallen.ed ;e&t &eller amon. all ;oo@& ever !ritten. T&' T$#' G)! %e have &een that one very important 9act a;out the !ord Elohim i& that it i& plural in 9orm. #he endin. im i& the normal plural endin. in He;re!. Ju&t a& !e put an 2&2 at the end o9 many &in.ular noun& in En.li&h to ma@e them plural, &o in He;re! they put im on the end o9 ma&culine noun& to ma@e them plural.

Intere&tin.ly, there i& a &in.ular 9orm o9 that !ord, Eloah, !hich occur& more than 9i9ty time& in the )i;le, mainly in the ;oo@ o9 Jo;. #he ;oo@ o9 Jo; i& Auite po&&i;ly the olde&t ;oo@ in the )i;le, &o thi& indicate& that Eloah i& an older 9orm o9 the !ord that .radually !ent out o9 u&e. <nother 9a&cinatin. 9act a;out Elohim i& that even thou.h it i& plural in 9orm, it i& u&ually 9ollo!ed ;y a &in.ular ver;. In the He;re! lan.ua.e, a& in many other lan.ua.e&, ver;& have ;oth &in.ular and plural 9orm&. <& !e noted earlier, in 1ene&i& 1:1, 2In the ;e.innin. 1od created...,2 the noun 21od2 i& plural, !hile the ver; 2created2 i& in the &in.ular 9orm. #hou.h the ver; that 9ollo!& Elohim i& normally &in.ular in the )i;le, there are &ome very intere&tin. place& !here it i& 9ollo!ed ;y a plural ver;. $ne o9 the mo&t intere&tin. i& in 1ene&i& 24:1", !here <;raham &aid, 21od HElohimI cau&ed me to !anderF9rom my 9ather6& hou&e.2 #he ver; phra&e u&ed there, 2cau&ed me to !ander,2 i& plural. #here i& no Aue&tion that <;raham !a& tal@in. a;out the true 1od !ho appeared to him and prompted him to leave. Si.ni9icantly, !hen <;raham made thi& &tatement, he !a& tal@in. to a 1entile @in.. It occur& to me that perhap& he may have adapted hi& lan.ua.e a little ;it to corre&pond to the mindF&et o9 the @in.. <& !e have &een, there i& an intere&tin. ;alance ;et!een the &in.ular and the plural that &tart& ri.ht a!ay a& &oon a& the name o9 1od i& mentioned in the )i;le. Et'$n%" P)+'$ An! Di4in' N%t#$'

:et6& tal@ a little more a;out the 9orm Elohim. )oth Eloah and Elohim D&in.ular and plural 9orm&E are derived 9rom an earlier !ord, El, meanin. 2po!er.2 It i& u&ed, 9or in&tance, !ith that meanin. in 1ene&i& "1. Jaco; and hi& 9atherFinF la!, :a;an, have had a di&a.reement, and :a;an &ay& to Jaco;, 2It i& in my po!er to do you harm2 Dver&e 2/E. #hi& &tatement may ;e tran&lated more literally, 2It i& in the po!er o9 my hand to do you harm.2 #he !ord 2po!er2 i& el, the &ame !ord that i& u&ed 9or 1od. #he ;a&ic connotation or a&&ociation o9 tho&e three !ord& El, Eloah, Elohim &tem& 9rom the one root 9orm el. #heir ;a&ic meanin. i& 2the po!er9ul one.2 #he plural Elohim &u..e&t& the totality o9 all that i& 1od. #hi& concept !a& e?pre&&ed ;y the apo&tle Paul in the 8e! #e&tament: #or since the creation o$ the %orld God>s invisible DualitiesE his eternal *o%er and divine natureE have been clearly seen, being understood $rom %hat has been made, so that men are %ithout eFcuse' (Gomans , (/ +I@" Paul !a& &ayin. that there are certain a&pect& o9 1od that are mani9e&ted in creation. He called them Hi& 2invi&i;le Aualitie&2 #hen, he de9ined them a& 2hi& eternal po!er and divine nature.2 #hat i& really !hat Elohim &tand& 9or 1od6& eternal po!er and divine nature. It i& intere&tin. to note that the Jeru&alem )i;le u&e& the phra&e 2po!er and deity2 in tran&latin. the a;ove ver&e. Perhap&, in a !ay, the mo&t comprehen&ive !ay to tran&late Elohim i& 2deity,2 ;ecau&e !e have to ta@e into account it&

plural 9orm. It really &um& up all that i& 1od. Ot&'$ A**"i/%ti)n- O1 E")&i2 #he !ord elohim i& al&o applied in the )i;le to per&on& other than the one true 1od, ;ut it i& al!ay& 9or &ome &peci9ic rea&on. It i& u&ed 9or per&on& or created thin.& that, in &ome mea&ure, mani9e&t one or more attri;ute& a&&ociated !ith 1od a& Elohimparticularly, the attri;ute& o9 po!er, maJe&ty, and authority. For in&tance, the p&almi&t !rote, #or thou hast made him a little lo%er than the angels BelohimC, and hast cro%ned him %ith glory and honour' (?salm ; H I.@" #hi& ver&e i& u&ually interpreted a& a prophetic previe! o9 the incarnation o9 Je&u& a& a man. et it &ay&, 2#hou ha&t made him a little lo!er than the an.el&2 $ther tran&lation& u&e 2heavenly ;ein.&2 D8IGE and 21od2 D8<S)E, &o there i& a .ood deal o9 9le?i;ility. )ut it i& .enerally a.reed that the meanin. there i& an.el&, &o !e &ee the !ord elohim applied to an.el&. #he !ord i& al&o applied to human Jud.e&. In E?odu& 22:/, the la! o9 7o&e& &ay& thi&: #or every breach o$ trust, %hether it is $or oF, $or don1ey, $or shee*, $or clothing, or $or any lost thing about %hich one says, "This is it," the case o$ both *arties shall come be$ore the 2udges BelohimC& he %hom the 2udges BelohimC condemn shall *ay double to his neighbor'

#he name elohim i& con9erred on human Jud.e& ;ecau&e they repre&ent 1od6& Ju&tice. Elohim i& applied to ruler& in P&alm ,2:1: 1od ta@e& Hi& &tand in Hi& o!n con.re.ation> He Jud.e& in the mid&t o9 the ruler& HelohimI. Finally, in E?odu& 12:12, the !ord i& applied to &atanic principalitie& and po!er&. 1od &aid, For I !ill .o throu.h the land o9 E.ypt on that ni.ht, and !ill &tri@e do!n all the 9ir&tF;orn in the land o9 E.ypt, ;oth man and ;ea&t> and a.ain&t all the .od& HelohimI o9 E.ypt I !ill e?ecute Jud.ment&I am the :ord. In thi& ca&e, the&e 2.od&2 are the enemie& o9 the true 1od and Hi& people. #hey are undou;tedly Satan6& principalitie& and po!er&the ruler& in hi& &atanic @in.dom;ut they are called .od&. So, !e &ee that the !ord elohim i& applied to an.el&, human Jud.e&, human ruler&, and even demonic ;ein.&. #hat i& ;ecau&e they all, to a limited de.ree, mani9e&t one or more attri;ute& a&&ociated !ith 1od&uch a& po!er, maJe&ty, ri.hteou&ne&&, Ju&tice, eternity, heavenly ;ein.and 1od6& attri;ute& are &ummed up, I ;elieve, in one !ord: deity. T&' F#"" M'%nin5 O1 E")&i2 In the Introduction, !e &a! that the !ord Elohim contain&

!ithin it the &eed o9 a truth that i& un9olded throu.hout the re&t o9 the )i;le. #he e&&ence o9 thi& truth can ;e &tated in a parado?: Elohim repre&ent& the per9ect unity o9 that !hich i& more than one. 1od i& e&&entially one and e&&entially more than one. #he on.oin. development o9 thi& parado? throu.h the Scripture& eventually lead& to the 9ull revelation o9 1od .iven ;y Je&u&, !ho identi9ied the plurality !ithin the unity o9 1od a& Father, Son, and Spirit. < proper under&tandin. o9 Elohim ena;le& u& to &ee that the revelation o9 Je&u& i& not a departure 9rom the ori.inal revelation o9 the $ld #e&tament ;ut rather it& lo.ical 9ul9illment. #hen, in thi& chapter, !e have &een that the ;a&ic meanin. o9 1od6& name Elohim i& 2the po!er9ul one,2 and that it& plural 9orm &u..e&t& the totality o9 all that i& 1od in Hi& eternal po!er and divine nature.

CHAPTER 2 J'&)4%&( O$ .%&+'&

T&' S'/)n! G$'%t H'3$'+ N%2' O1 G)! %e !ill no! e?amine the &econd .reat He;re! name o9 1od, !hich ha& traditionally ;een repre&ented in En.li&h ;y the !ord Jehovah. Jehovah i& not the only !ord u&ed 9or thi& name in En.li&h, ho!ever. In the Jeru&alem )i;le, it i& !ritten ah!eh. #hi& pro;a;ly repre&ent& &omethin. clo&e to the ori.inal pronunciation in He;re!. In another ver&ion, the )er@eley )i;le, thi& name i& tran&lated 2#he Eternal.2 In other !ord&, it i& tran&lated ;y an adJective. %e &ee that there i& a certain my&tery that revolve& around thi& name. .6H6,6H In it& ori.inal He;re! 9orm, thi& name con&i&t& o9 9our con&onant&, FhF!Fh, and no vo!el&. %e need to under&tand that, normally, in the He;re! lan.ua.e, only the con&onant& are !ritten. #he vo!el& have to ;e &upplied ;y the reader. Sometime&, they are placed under the con&onant&. In any ca&e, here i& the ;a&ic principle: unle&& you already @no! a !ord, you u&ually cannot pronounce it ;ecau&e you do not @no! !here to place the vo!el& or !hat vo!el& to in&ert. #here are 9our con&onant& in thi& &acred, uniAue name o9 1od. Since the time o9 the &econd temple o9 I&rael, thi& name ha& not ;een pronounced ;y the Je!i&h people. It !a& con&idered too &acred 9or them to pronounce. So, !herever

thi& name occur& in the He;re! Scripture&, they &u;&tituted another name. U&ually, they &u;&tituted <donai, !hich mean& 2my :ord.2 <don mean& 2:ord.2 D#he intere&tin. 9act i& that the !ord <donai, li@e Elohim, i& plural in 9orm> the &in.ular 9orm i& <doniE <lternatively, in&tead o9 pronouncin. thi& name, Je!i&h people !ill &imply &ay, 2#he 8ame.2 Since thi& &econd name o9 1od i& revealed in Scripture a& Ju&t 9our con&onant&, i9 !e are .oin. to pronounce it, !e have to determine !hat vo!el& to put in. In mo&t En.li&h ver&ion& o9 the )i;le, thi& name i& repre&ented ;y the !ord& 2the :ord2 !here 2:ord2 i& &et in &mall capital letter&. 7any people read the )i;le !ithout realiCin. thi&. I9 the !ord 2:ord2 i& not in capital&, then it repre&ent& the u&e o9 <don in the ori.inal He;re! te?t. )ut i9 the !ord 2:ord2 i& in &mall capital letter&, it repre&ent& the &acred name o9 Jehovah: FhF!Fh. :et6& loo@ at the e?planation o9 thi& name that the :ord Him&el9 .ave. #he :ord had told 7o&e& he !a& to .o ;ac@ to E.ypt and deliver I&rael, and 7o&e& a&@ed, ":u**ose I go to the Israelites and say to them, >The God B)lohimC o$ your $athers has sent me to you,> and they as1 me, "8hat is his name9> Then %hat shall I tell them9" God said to <oses, "I 0m 8ho I 0m' This is %hat you are to say to the Israelites T 0m has sent me to you'"> God also said to <oses, ":ay to the Israelites, "The Lord Bthe sacred name, Jh%hC, the God B)lohimC o$ your $athersEthe God B)lohimC o$ 0braham, the God B)lohimC o$ Isaac

and the God B)lohimC o$ .acobE has sent me to you'> This is my name $orever, the name by %hich I am to be remembered $rom generation to generation'" ()Fodus - ,-5,H +I@" #he name h!h ha& a certain meanin. that i& related to the name 2I <m.2 #he ori.inal &tatement !a& 2I <m %ho I <mK6 In early He;re!, !hen thi& name !a& mentioned in the third per&on, it !a&, 2He i& !ho He i&.2 Ho!ever, !e have to ta@e another 9actor into account. In the He;re! lan.ua.e, the pre&ent ten&e o9ten ha& a 9uture meanin.. So, thi& name could mean either 2I am !ho I am2 or 2I !ill ;e !ho I !ill ;e.2 It could mean either 2He i& !ho He i&2 or 2He !ill ;e !ho He !ill ;e.2 In other !ord&, the name communicate& much more than !e can &ay in one or t!o &imple !ord&.

A-*'/t- O1 T&' N%2'

A P'$-)n%" G)! :et6& loo@ at it in thi& !ay: h!h e&&entially mean& 2He i& !ho He i&.2 1rammatically, ho!ever, it i& more li@e a per&onal namea proper noun rather than a common noun. In thi& !ay, it empha&iCe& 1od a& a Per&on. #hi& per&onal name ah!eh or Jehovah or the :$-0, !hichever !ay !e !ant to &ay it9ir&t occur& in 1ene&i& 2 in connection !ith the creation o9 man. The Lord God B.ehovah )lohim, or Jah%eh )lohim

Ethe t%o names combinedC $ormed the man $rom the dust o$ the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath o$ li$e, and the man became a living being' (Genesis ( 4 +I@" #he !ord 2man in He;re! i& adam. It al&o i& a proper name. So, !e &ee that the proper name Jehovah, or ah!eh D1odE created the proper name <dam Da manE. #hi& 9act ;rin.& out the per&onality o9 ;oth 1od and man. < per&onal 1od created a per&onal man. %hy3 For 9ello!&hip ;et!een the t!o. #he u&e o9 the name Jehovah, or ah!eh, in thi& ver&e ;rin.& out the 9act that 1od, a& a Per&on, created a man, a& a per&on. It ;rin.& out ri.ht 9rom the ;e.innin. 1od6& de&ire 9or a Per&onFtoFper&on relation&hip !ith man. %e may &um it up in thi& !ay: the name Elohim indicate& 1od a& the .eneral 5reator o9 the univer&e, !hile Jehovah, or ah!eh, indicate& Him a& the per&onal 5reator o9 man. #he 9ir&t a&pect, there9ore, o9 thi& &acred name i& that it i& a per&onal name. It 9ocu&e& on the 9act that 1od i& a real Per&on. He i& not an a;&traction, not an entity, not Ju&t a &upreme ;ein., ;ut a Per&on. An Et'$n%" An! Un/&%n5in5 G)! #he &econd a&pect empha&iCed ;y the name Jehovah, or ah!eh, i& that 1od i& eternal and unchan.in.. #hi& truth i& implied ;y the u&e o9 the ver; 2to ;e2 in E?odu& ":1': 2I <m %ho I <m.2 1od i& 2the one !ho i&.2 In a certain &en&e, the 2pa&t,2 2pre&ent,2 and 29uture2 o9 1od all come to.ether

in eternity. #hi& unchan.in., eternal nature o9 Jehovah, or ah!eh, i& not only implied, ;ut it i& al&o ;rou.ht out directly in connection !ith Hi& name. For e?ample, at the very end o9 the $ld #e&tament, the :ord Him&el9 ;rin.& thi& out in 7alachi6& me&&a.e to I&rael, &ayin., #or I the Lord B.ehovah, or Jah%ehC, do not change& there$ore you, / sons o$ .acob, are not consumed' (<alachi - 6" #he &urvival o9 I&rael depend& on the eternal, unchan.in. 9aith9ulne&& o9 the :ord. #here i& an alternative !ay to tran&late that ver&e, !hich I actually pre9er: 2I am the :ord, I do not chan.e2 D8=JGE. #hat i& the very e&&ence o9 Hi& name. He i& the eternal, unchan.in. $ne. #hi& truth i& ;rou.ht out in variou& !ay& in the 8e! #e&tament. #he ;oo@ o9 He;re!& &ay& o9 1od the Son, .esus Ahrist is the same yesterday and today and $orever' (Hebre%s ,- ; +I@" Pa&t, pre&ent, and 9uture are all rolled to.ether in 1od. %e read in the ;oo@ o9 -evelation, "I am the 0l*ha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "%ho is, and %ho %as, and %ho is to come, the 0lmighty'" (Gevelation , ; +I@"

#here i& a tran&cendin. o9 time here. He i& the 9ir&t and the la&t, the ;e.innin. and the end, &imultaneou&ly. He i& the $ne 2!ho i&, and !ho !a&, and !ho i& to come.2 #hat phra&e i& pro;a;ly the ;e&t !ay o9 repre&entin. the true meanin. o9 the !ord Jehovah, or ah!eh. 1od i& not Ju&t the one !ho i& in the pre&ent, ;ut He al&o contain& !ithin Him&el9 the pa&t and the 9uture. #o &um up, thi& &pecial, &acred, uniAue nameJehovah, or ah!ehha& t!o particular &i.ni9icance&. Fir&t, it empha&iCe& that 1od i& a Per&on. Second, it empha&iCe& that 1od i& the eternal, unchan.in. $ne.

CHAPTER 3 T&' On' ,&) P$)4i!'In the previou& chapter&, !e have e?amined the t!o .reat He;re! name& 9or 1od 9ound in the $ld #e&tament: D1E Elohim, and D2E Jehovah, or ah!eh. Elohim &i.ni9ie& 1od a& the po!er9ul 5reator o9 the univer&e. Jehovah, or ah!eh, i& the per&onal name 9or 1od. A G)! )1 C)4'n%nt%hile the t!o main a&pect& o9 the name Jehovah, or ah!eh, are that 1od i& per&onal and eternal, thi& name i& al&o &tron.ly a&&ociated !ith the covenant& 1od ma@e& !ith men. #here are t!o rea&on& 9or thi& a&&ociation, and they are related to the a&pect& o9 the name noted a;ove. Fir&t, a covenant i& a per&onFtoFper&on relation&hip. For that rea&on, it i& appropriate that the per&onal name o9 1od &hould ;e u&ed in thi& connection. Second, a covenant i& unchan.in., or permanent. It i& there9ore appropriate a.ain that the name that empha&iCe& 1od6& eternal, unchan.in. nature &hould ;e connected !ith covenant&. :et6& loo@ at Ju&t t!o o9 1od6& &tatement& a;out covenant&, ;oth o9 !hich are 9ound in P&alm ,/: <y loving1indness I %ill 1ee* $or him BDavidC

$orever, and <y covenant shall he con$irmed to him' (verse (;" <y covenant I %ill not violate, nor %ill I alter the utterance o$ <y li*s' (verse -!" $nce 1od ha& committed Him&el9 to a covenant, He never ;rea@& it. So, a.ain, a covenant i& particularly appropriate to a&&ociate !ith the name Jehovah, or ah!eh, !hich &pea@& o9 the eternal, unchan.in. nature o9 1od. #he He;re! !ord 9or 2lovin.@indne&&2 !hich occur& in ver&e 2, o9 the a;ove p&alm, i& che&ed, and it i& al!ay& related to covenant. Per&onally, the tran&lation I !ould choo&e i& 21od6& covenantF@eepin. 9aith9ulne&&.2 It i& al&o tran&lated 2&tead9a&t love2 D-SGE and 2mercy2 D=JGE. )ut I ;elieve !e under&tand it properly only !hen !e relate 1od6& lovin.@indne&& to Hi& covenant> it i& that a&pect o9 1od6& nature that hold& Him to Hi& covenant. S'4'n C)4'n%nt%" N%2'- )1 G)! #he name Jehovah, or ah!eh, i& directly lin@ed !ith &even &peci9ic name&, or title&, repre&entin. &even a&pect& o9 1od6& covenantF@eepin. 9aith9ulne&& in Hi& dealin.& !ith man. In the order o9 their occurrence in the Scripture&, the&e name& reveal Jehovah in the 9ollo!in. a&pect&: 1. #he $ne %ho Provide& 2. #he $ne %ho Heal& ". #he $ne %ho I& $ur )anner '. #he $ne %ho I& $ur Peace

(. #he $ne %ho I& $ur Shepherd *. #he $ne %ho I& $ur -i.hteou&ne&& +. #he $ne %ho I& #here DPermanently Pre&entE T&' Fi$-t C)4'n%nt%" N%2' O1 G)!: T&' On' ,&) P$)4i!'%e !ill e?plore each o9 the&e covenantal name& o9 the :ord in &ucce&&ion, ;e.innin. !ith #he $ne %ho Provide&. #hi& name i& mentioned 9ir&t in 1ene&i& 22 in the &tory o9 <;raham ta@in. hi& &on I&aac to 7ount 7oriah, !here he !a& !illin. to o99er him a& a &acri9ice to the :ord. %hen they arrived at the 9oot o9 the mountain, <;raham told hi& &ervant& to remain there !ith the don@ey !hile he too@ I&aac and the 9ire 9or the ;urnt o99erin.. <;raham and hi& &on !ent up the mountain to.ether. #hi& i& !hat 9ollo!ed: 0nd 0braham too1 the %ood o$ the burnt o$$ering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he too1 in his hand the $ire and the 1ni$e' :o the t%o o$ them %al1ed on together' 0nd Isaac s*o1e to 0braham his $ather and said, "<y $ather!" 0nd he said, "Here I am, my son'" 0nd he said, "6ehold, the $ire and the %ood, but %here is the lamb $or the burnt o$$ering9" 0nd 0braham said, "God %ill *rovide $or Himsel$ the lamb $or the burnt o$$ering, my son'" :o the t%o o$ them %al1ed on together' (Genesis (( 65;" <9ter they had come to the top o9 the mountain and <;raham had prepared hi& &on a& the &acri9ice, at the la&t

moment, 1od intervened and told him that He did not reAuire the &acri9ice o9 I&aac. In&tead, <;raham &acri9iced a ram that he 9ound cau.ht ;y it& horn& in a thic@et. DSee ver&e& /F1".E #hen, !e read the part !here the name appear&: 0nd 0braham called the name o$ that *lace The Lord 8ill ?rovide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount o$ the Lord it %ill be *rovided'" (verse ,!" #hat i& !here the 9ir&t covenant name o9 Jehovah, or ah!eh, appear&Jehovah the provider, the $ne !ho !ill provide. DEn.li&hF&pea@in. people tend to &ay Jehovah Jireh. Ho!ever, that pronunciation i& very remote 9rom ho! it &ound& in He;re!.E In He;re!, the !ord that i& tran&lated 2Provide2 i& literally 2to &ee.2 From that meanin., !e .et thi& ;eauti9ul thou.ht that !hen 1od &ee&, He provide&. %e al&o .et the !onder9ul concept that 1od6& 9ir&t covenant commitment i& to provide. #hi& i& the root o9 all Hi& commitment: He provide& 9or Hi& people. T&' O#t+)$7in5 O1 G)!'- P$)4i-i)n :et6& loo@ at the out!or@in. o9 thi& covenant commitment o9 the :ord to provide 9or Hi& people. It i& a mo&t ;eauti9ul picture a& !e &ee it !or@ed out in the &u;&eAuent revelation o9 Scripture. It point& u& to one Per&on !ho i& the 9ul9illment o9 all 1od6& covenant commitment&: Je&u& the 7e&&iah.

8ote &ome particular point&. Fir&t, the primary provi&ion !a& a lam;. I&aac &aid, 2%here i& the lam;32 D1ene&i& 22:+E, and <;raham replied, 21od !ill provide 9or Him&el9 the lam;2 Dver&e ,E. %hen the 9ul9illment o9 the commitment came, it !a& a lam;the :am; o9 1od. #hi& i& ho! John the )apti&t &po@e o9 Je&u&: The neFt day he B.ohn the 6a*tistC sa% .esus coming to him, and said, "6ehold, the Lamb o$ God %ho ta1es a%ay the sin o$ the %orld!" (.ohn , (=" 1od 9ul9illed <;raham6& con9idence in Him. #!o thou&and year& later, He provided the :am;, the ultimate &acri9ice the $ne in !hom all o9 1od6& covenant commitment& !ere 9ul9illed. %hen you thin@ a;out the name 2#he :$-0 %ill Provide2 D1ene&i& 22:1'E, al!ay& let it carry your mind to that :am; throu.h !hom the provi&ion !a& made. 2#he :ord !ill provide a lam; 9or the &acri9ice.2 %hen Je&u& came, He !a& the provided lam;, 2the :am; o9 1od !ho ta@e& a!ay the &in o9 the !orld.2 Scripture &ay& in that incident !ith <;raham, 2In the mount o9 the :ord it !ill ;e provided2 D1ene&i& 22:1'E. <.ain, thi& i& 9a&cinatin. a& !e trace it& out!or@in.. 7oriah i& .enerally a.reed to ;e the &ame mountain that occur& in the 8e! #e&tament a& 1ol.otha or 5alvary. So, on the very mountain !here <;raham made that ori.inal con9e&&ion o9 hi& 9aith, 21od !ill provide 9or Him&el9 the lam;2 Dver&e ,E, and !here it !a& &aid later, 2In the mount o9 the :ord it !ill ;e provided2 Dver&e 1'E, t!o thou&and year& later, it !a& provided ;y the death o9 Je&u& on the cro&&.

#hat !a& the ultimate provi&ion o9 1od 9or the neednot only o9 <;raham and o9 the Je!i&h people, ;ut al&o o9 the !hole &eed o9 <;raham, o9 all tho&e !ho ;elieve in 1od. T *'- An! Pi/t#$'- O1 G)!'- P$)4i-i)n <;raham and I&aac and the &acri9ice on 7ount 7oriah are ;eauti9ul type& o9 !hat too@ place at 5alvary. <;raham typi9ie& 1od the Father, I&aac typi9ie& 1od the Son, the 9ire 9or the &acri9ice typi9ie& the Holy Spirit, and the !ood I&aac carried typi9ie& the cro&&. #here i& the !hole &cene o9 the cruci9i?ion in previe!: <;raham, the 9ather, o99erin. hi& only &on, I&aac> the 9ire o9 the Spirit needed to ma@e the &acri9ice po&&i;le> and the !ood on !hich the &acri9ice !a& to ta@e place. %e can &um all o9 thi& up in one ver&e o9 the 8e! #e&tament: He %ho did not s*are His o%n :on, but delivered Him u* $or us all, ho% %ill He not also %ith Him $reely give us all things9 (Gomans ; -(" #here i& the total commitment: 2#he :ord !ill provide2 D1ene&i& 22:1'Enot Ju&t in one &ituation or 9or one need, ;ut in every &ituation, 9or every need, 9or time and 9or eternity. #he :ord ha& made a covenant commitment a&&ociated !ith Hi& o!n divine, per&onal, unchan.in. name. He !ill al!ay& provide 9or Hi& people. #he ultimate proo9 and the ultimate

provi&ion i& in the Son o9 1od, the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t, !ho ;ecame the &in o99erin., 2the :am; o9 1od !ho ta@e& a!ay the &in o9 the !orld2 DJohn 1:2/E. %ould you ta@e a moment no! and meditate on thi& ver&e3 He !ho did not &pare Hi& o!n Son, ;ut delivered Him up 9or u& all, ho! !ill He not al&o !ith Him 9reely .ive u& all thin.&3 -emem;er, it i& 2!ith Him.2 ou cannot have the provi&ion !ithout the :am;. #he provi&ion i& in the :am; o9 1od Je&u&.

CHAPTER 8 T&' On' ,&) H'%"%e have &een that 1od6& name Jehovah, or ah!eh, i& directly lin@ed !ith &even &peci9ic name&, or title&, repre&entin. &even a&pect& o9 1od6& covenantF@eepin. 9aith9ulne&& in Hi& dealin.& !ith man. In the previou& chapter, !e loo@ed at the 9ir&t o9 the&e covenantal name&, #he $ne %ho Provide&. I pointed out that 1od6& 9ir&t commitment to Hi& people i& to provide. 8o!, !e are .oin. to deal !ith the &econd covenantal name, #he $ne %ho Heal&. "I( T&' L)$!( A2 .)#$ H'%"'$" #hi& name i& 9ir&t 9ound in E?odu& 1(, !hich relate& an e?perience o9 the I&raelite& in their deliverance 9rom E.ypt. #hey had Ju&t cro&&ed the -ed Sea and &et out on their Journey throu.h the !ilderne&&: Then <oses led Israel $rom the Ged :ea, and they %ent out into the %ilderness o$ :hur& and they %ent three days in the %ilderness and $ound no %ater' 0nd %hen they came to <arah, they could not drin1 the %aters o$ <arah, $or they %ere bitter& there$ore it %as named <arah BbitterC' :o the *eo*le grumbled at <oses, saying, "8hat shall %e drin19" Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sho%ed him a tree& and he thre% it into the %aters, and the %aters

became s%eet' There He made $or them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them' 0nd He said, "I$ you %ill give earnest heed to the voice o$ the Lord your God, and do %hat is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and 1ee* all His statutes, I %ill *ut none o$ the diseases on you %hich I have *ut on the )gy*tians& $or I, the Lord B.ehovahC, am your healer'" ()Fodus ,H ((5(6" #he &econd covenantal name o9 1od i& .iven at the very end o9 the pa&&a.e: 2the :ord. . .your healer.2 #he !ord that i& tran&lated 2healer2 i& the ;a&ic He;re! !ord 9or 2phy&ical healin..2 In modern He;re!, it i& the !ord u&ed 9or 2doctor.2 In 9act, it !ould ;e per9ectly correct to tran&late thi& a& 2I am Jehovah, your doctor.2 #hat i& e?actly !hat it !ould ;e in contemporary He;re!. 2#he :ord2 LJehovah, or ah!ehE i& directly connected to the !ord 9or one !ho heal&. <lternatively, !e could &ay, 2#he :ord !ho heal&.2 :et6& 9ocu& on &ome &i.ni9icant point& o9 the a;ove account.

Si5ni1i/%nt L'--)n- F$)2 T&' H'%"in5 At M%$%&

It I- ,i-'$ T) P$% T&%n G$#23"' Fir&t, it al!ay& &tri@e& me that in the cri&i& de&cri;ed in E?odu& 1(:22F2*, a;out three million people .rum;led

!hile one man prayed. <nd 7o&e& .ot the &olution. #hi& remind& u& that it i& al!ay& !i&er to pray than to .rum;le. #he Scripture &ay&, Do all things %ithout grumbling or dis*uting& that you may *rove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children o$ God above re*roach in the midst o$ a croo1ed and *erverse generation, among %hom you a**ear as lights in the %orld, holding $ast the %ord o$ li$e' (?hili**ians ( ,!5,6" G)! D'/i!'! t) B' Hi- P')*"'- H'%"'$ Second, the initiative in thi& revelation came 9rom 1od. #here i& &o much &@eptici&m today in the church a;out 1od6& po!er and !illin.ne&& to heal. %e need to &ee that 1od &et up a teachin. &ituation: He ;rou.ht Hi& people to the point o9 de&peration, and then, out o9 Hi& o!n !ill and coun&el, He &peci9ically revealed Him&el9 a& the healer o9 Hi& people. It !a& not &omethin. that the people a&@ed 9or. It !a& &omethin. that came 9rom 1od6& o!n deci&ion. 1od Him&el9 decided to ;e the healer o9 Hi& people. It T%7'- F%it& T) R'"'%-' G)!'- P)+'$ #hird, it i& important to reco.niCe that it too@ an act o9 9aith to relea&e 1od6& miracleF!or@in. po!era& it u&ually doe&. 1od &ho!ed 7o&e& a certain tree. 7o&e& had to pic@ up the tree and ca&t it into the !ater. #hat act o9 9aithca&tin. the tree into the !ater relea&ed 1od6& miracleF!or@in. po!er in that !ater.

7o&e& could have &tood on the ;rin@ o9 the !ater and Ju&t 2;elieved2 !ithout doin. anythin., and nothin. !ould ever have happened. #hi& ;rin.& out the principle that 29aith !ithout !or@& i& dead2 DJame& 2:2*E. I9 !e ;elieve, !e need to demon&trate our 9aith throu.h our !ord&, action&, or ;oth. T&' T$'' P)int- T) T&' C$)-Fourth, !e al&o need to &ee that the tree !a& the mean& o9 healin. tho&e ;itter !ater&. In He;re!, the !ord tree i& u&ed ;oth 9or a tree that i& .ro!in. and 9or a tree that ha& already ;een cut do!n. In the 8e! #e&tament, in a num;er o9 tran&lation&, the !ord tree i& u&ed 9or the cro&&. DSee, 9or e?ample, <ct& (:"4 8IG, =JG, 8=JG, -SGE $nce a.ain, the 7arah account point& u& 9or!ard to the cro&& o9 Je&u& a& the place !here thi& healin. covenant 9ound it& ultimate 9ul9illment. A-7 ",&%t9"R%t&'$ T&%n ",& 9" <nother a&pect that al!ay& impre&&e& me i& that !e are never told !hy the !ater& !ere ;itter. )ut 7o&e& !a& &ho!n ho! to ma@e them &!eet. Sometime&, !e !a&te our ener.y in li9e ;y a&@in. a lot o9 un9ruit9ul Aue&tion&, &uch a& 2%hy did thi& or that happen32 %e mu&t ;ypa&& tho&e Aue&tion&, .o to 1od, and &ay, 2:ord, &ho! me !hat to do.2 <nd 1od !ill do it. Under&tandin. !hy thin.& have happened !ould Ju&t ;urden our mind&. )ut 1od !ill al!ay& .ive u& the practical an&!er !hen !e !ant to @no! !hat to do.

R'0#i$'2'nt- F)$ H'%"in5 ,&)"'&'%$t'! F%it& In G)! #he ;a&ic reAuirement 9or healin. i& &tated clearly: 2I9 you !ill .ive earne&t heed to the voice o9 the :ord your 1od...2 DE?odu& 1(:2*E. In the ori.inal He;re!, it i& literally, 2I9 li&tenin. you !ill li&ten to the voice o9 the :ord.2 #he !ord li&ten i& repeated t!ice. $nce, a& I lay &ic@ in a ho&pital, de&perately needin. healin. and &ee@in. 1od 9or it in the Scripture&, thi& ver&e came to me. I &aid, 2%hat doe& it mean to 6li&ten, li&tenin.632 <nd it &eemed 1od .ave me thi& an&!er: 2I .ave you t!o ear&, a ri.ht ear and a le9t ear. #o 6li&ten, li&tenin.6 i& to li&ten to 7e !ith ;oth ear&. )ut i9 you li&ten to 7e !ith one ear and to &ome;ody el&e !ith the other ear, all you .et i& con9u&ion and not 9aith.2 So, I &topped up my ear to the &ini&ter !hi&per o9 the devil and li&tened to 1od !ith ;oth ear&. Sure enou.h, I received my healin.K T$#-t In J'-#-' F#"1i""2'nt O1 G)!'- C)4'n%nt In the la&t chapter, !e &a! that 1od6& commitment to provide 9ound it& 9ul9illment in Je&u&, the :am; o9 1od. #he &ame i& true o9 1od6& commitment to heal. It, too, 9ound it& 9inal 9ul9illment in Je&u&. #hi& i& the record o9 the 8e! #e&tament: 0nd %hen evening had come, they brought to Him B.esusC many %ho %ere demon5*ossessed& and He cast out the s*irits %ith a %ord, and healed all %ho

%ere ill in order that %hat %as s*o1en through Isaiah the *ro*het might be $ul$illed, saying, "He Himsel$ too1 our in$irmities, and carried a%ay our diseases'" (<atthe% ; ,65,4" Je&u& !a& the 9inal 9ul9illment o9 the healin. covenant o9 1od 9or Hi& people. $n the cro&&, Je&u& not only ;ore our &in, ;ut He al&o too@ our in9irmitie& and carried a!ay our di&ea&e&. He not only provided 9or.ivene&&, ;ut He al&o provided healin.. Hi& provi&ion !a& not only in the &piritual realm, ;ut al&o in the phy&ical realm. #hat !a& a covenant commitment 1od had made !ith I&rael. For thi& rea&on, !e do not read in the 8e! #e&tament that any I&raelite ever came to Je&u& 9or healin. and !a& re9u&ed. #here i& no record o9 any I&raelite ever ;ein. re9u&ed healin.. For in&tance, read thi& account: 0nd %hen the men o$ that *lace recogni3ed Him, they sent into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all %ho %ere sic1& and they began to entreat Him that they might 2ust touch the $ringe o$ His cloa1& and as many as touched it %ere cured' (<atthe% ,! -H5-6" #he people Ju&t had to touch Hi& cloa@ and they !ere healed. Ho!ever, Je&u&6 attitude to!ard 1entile&, tho&e !ho !ere not Je!i&h, !a& di99erent. In 7atthe! 1(, !e read a;out a 5anaanite !oman !ho !a& not Je!i&h ;ut !ho ;e.an to cry out 9or Him to have mercy on her dau.hter. She &aid,

"Lord, :on o$ David& my daughter is cruelly demon5 *ossessed'" 6ut He B.esusC did not ans%er her a %ord' 0nd His disci*les came to Him and 1e*t as1ing Him, saying, ":end her a%ay, $or she is shouting out a$ter us'" 6ut He ans%ered and said, "I %as sent only to the lost shee* o$ the house o$ Israel'" (<atthe% ,H ((5(!" In other !ord&, 27y covenant o;li.ation i& not to tho&e !ho are not o9 the hou&e o9 I&rael.2 6ut she came and began to bo% do%n be$ore Him, saying, "Lord, hel* me!" 0nd He ans%ered and said, "It is not good to ta1e the children>s bread and thro% it to the dogs'" (verses H5(6" Unle&& !e under&tand the nature o9 covenant commitment, it i& hard to under&tand Je&u&6 reply. Je&u& had a covenant !ith I&rael ;y !hich He !a& committed to ;e their healer. #here9ore, healin. !a& the children6& ;read. #hi& !oman had no covenant, no claim. $h, ;ut &he had 9aithK :he said, "Jes, Lord& but even the dogs $eed on the crumbs %hich $all $rom their masters> table'" (verse (4" #hin@ o9 the &i.ni9icance o9 her &tatement. She &aid, in e99ect, 2:ord, I don6t need a &lice. <ll I need i& a crum;. $ne little crum; !ill do all that6& needed 9or my dau.hter.2 Je&u&6 re&pon&e i& one o9 the mo&t ;eauti9ul in Scripture. Then .esus ans%ered and said to her, "O %oman,

your $aith is great& be it done $or you as you %ish'" 0nd her daughter %as healed at once' (verse (;" #he !oman6& 9aith called 9orth Je&u&6 compa&&ion, even thou.h He had no covenantal o;li.ation. -emem;er that 1od i& &till the healer o9 Hi& people. #he ;le&&in.& o9 the covenant are no! availa;le to ;oth Je!& and 1entile&to all tho&e !ho come in 9aith, throu.h Je&u&, to 1od the Father, on the ;a&i& o9 Hi& covenantal name: #he $ne %ho Heal&. #or I, the Lord, am your healer' ()Fodus ,H (6" Ahrist redeemed us $rom the curse o$ the La%, having become a curse $or usE5$or it is %ritten, "Aursed is everyone %ho hangs on a tree"Ein order that in Ahrist .esus the blessing o$ 0braham might come to the Gentiles, so that %e might receive the *romise o$ the :*irit through $aith' (Galatians - ,-5 ,!"

CHAPTER : T&' On' ,&) I- O#$ B%nn'$

#hi& covenantal name o9 Jehovah, or ah!eh, #he $ne %ho I& $ur )anner, i& 9ound in the ;oo@ o9 E?odu&. It i& mentioned in connection !ith an incident e?perienced ;y the I&raelite& on their !ay throu.h the de&ert to the Promi&ed :and a9ter comin. out o9 E.ypt. $ne o9 the 1entile nation&, the <male@ite&, came and &ou.ht to oppo&e the I&raelite&6 Journey to their inheritance. #hey had to 9i.ht to continue their Journey. Eventually, they &ucceeded in de9eatin. the <male@ite&, and they !ere a;le to continue their Journey. Here i& the record o9 thi& incident: Then 0male1 came and $ought against Israel at Ge*hidim'''':o .oshua over%helmed 0male1 and his *eo*le %ith the edge o$ the s%ord' Then the Lord said to <oses, "8rite this in a boo1 as a memorial, and recite it to .oshua, that I %ill utterly blot out the memory o$ 0male1 $rom under heaven'" 0nd <oses built an altar, and named it The Lord B.ehovahC is <y 6anner& and he said, "The Lord has s%orn& the Lord %ill have %ar against 0male1 $rom generation to generation'" ()Fodus ,4 ;, ,-E,6" O**)-iti)n I- In'4it%3"' #hi& particular epi&ode i& inve&ted !ith a permanent &i.ni9icance ;ecau&e the le&&on, a& I &ee it, i& thi&: in our Journey to, and in our attempt to enter into, the inheritance

1od ha& provided 9or u&, !e are al!ay& .oin. to 9ace oppo&ition. #hi& i& not Ju&t &omethin. that happened once> it i& .oin. to happen 9rom .eneration to .eneration. #he :ord i& .oin. to ta@e our &ide. He i& .oin. to &tand !ith u& in the oppo&ition, ;ut !e are .oin. to have to participate in the&e ;attle&. #he particular a&pect o9 the :ord6& help that i& ;rou.ht out in the a;ove pa&&a.e i& 9ound in the name o9 the altar that 7o&e& ;uilt: 2#he :ord i& 7y )anner2 DE?odu& 1+:1(E. %e &ee that the :ord ha& .iven u& a ;anner that !ill ;rin. u& victory in the !ar9are !e have to .o throu.h. #here i& much !ritten in the 8e! #e&tament a;out thi& !ar9are. For in&tance, Paul !rote, #or our struggle is not against $lesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the *o%ers, against the %orld $orces o$ this dar1ness, against the s*iritual $orces o$ %ic1edness in the heavenly *laces, ()*hesians 6 ,(" In other !ord&, !e, a& 5hri&tian&, are .oin. to encounter oppo&ition and !ar9are. $ur !ar !ill not ;e !ith phy&ical enemie& ;ut !ith &piritual, &atanic 9orce& that !ill oppo&e our &piritual Journey&. In 2 5orinthian&, Paul tal@ed a;out the type o9 !eapon& !e need in thi& !ar9are: #or though %e %al1 in the $lesh, %e do not %ar according to the $lesh, $or the %ea*ons o$ our

%ar$are are not o$ the $lesh, but divinely *o%er$ul $or the destruction o$ $ortresses' (( Aorinthians ,/ -5!" 28ot o9 the 9le&h2 mean& that our !eapon& are, in e99ect, the oppo&ite o9 the 9le&hthey are &piritual. So, 1od ha& provided u& !ith &piritual !eapon& 9or a &piritual !ar9are. O#$ B%nn'$ I- T&' N%2' O1 T&' L)$! In P&alm 24:(, in particular, !e hear a;out the ;anner the :ord ha& provided: 8e %ill sing $or 2oy over your victory, and in the name o$ our God %e %ill set u* our banners' $ur ;anner i& the name o9 the :ord our 1od, and Hi& victory ;ecome& our victory a& !e &et up our ;anner& in Hi& name. #here i& much to learn, o9 cour&e, a;out the name o9 the :ord in the 8e! #e&tament. For in&tance, Paul &aid thi& a;out Je&u&: There$ore also God highly eFalted Him, and besto%ed on Him the name %hich is above every name, that at the name o$ .esus every 1nee should bo%, o$ those %ho are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should con$ess that .esus Ahrist is Lord, to the glory o$ God the #ather' (?hili**ians ( =5,,"

In the name o9 the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t, then, !e have a ;anner ;e9ore !hich all the 9orce& o9 evil have to ;o! and yield. In thi& !ay, Paul &aid, 5hri&t6& victory ;ecome& our victory. 6ut than1s be to God, %ho al%ays leads us in His trium*h in Ahrist, and mani$ests through us the s%eet aroma o$ the 1no%ledge o$ Him in every *lace' (( Aorinthians ( ,!" #he victory that 5hri&t !on over Satan on the cro&& i& made availa;le to u& on the condition that !e u&e the ;anner that 1od ha& provided. #he ;anner i& the name o9 the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t. So, the name o9 the :ord i& our ;anner in thi& &piritual !ar. O#$ St%n!%$!6B'%$'$ <& !e continue to loo@ at our ;anner, the name o9 the :ord, I !ant to u&e $ld #e&tament Scripture& and hi&tory to hi.hli.ht the &i.ni9icance o9 the &tandardF;earerthe one !ho carried the ;anner, or &tandard, in an ancient army. 0e&cri;in. the de9eat o9 a lar.e 1entile 9orce, the <&&yrian army, the prophet I&aiah &aid, They shall be as %hen a standard5bearer $ainteth' (Isaiah ,/ ,; I.@" %hen a &tandardF;earer 9ainted, the !hole army !ould ;ecome di&or.aniCed. <ncient armie& !ere trained to re.roup around the &tandard. I9 they !ere hardFpre&&ed in ;attle, they !ere lia;le to ;e divided and &eparated 9rom one another. #he &tandardF;earer !ould 9ind &ome @ind o9

eminence, a hill or other hi.h .round, and li9t up the &tandard. )ut i9 the &tandardF;earer 9ainted, there !a& no place 9or the &oldier& to re.roup. #hat meant a very &eriou& pro;lem 9or the army. In our ca&e, a& 5hri&tian&, our StandardF)earer i& the Holy Spirit. I&aiah &aid, :o shall they $ear the name o$ the Lord $rom the %est, and his glory $rom the rising o$ the sun' 8hen the enemy shall come in li1e a $lood, the :*irit o$ the Lord shall li$t u* a standard against him' (Isaiah H= ,= I.@" #he Spirit o9 the :ord, the Holy Spirit, i& our StandardF )earer !hen !e are hardFpre&&ed in thi& 5hri&tian !ar9are ;y the 9orce& o9 Satan, and they are comin. li@e a 9lood a.ain&t u&. $ur StandardF)earer li9t& up the &tandardthe name o9 the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t. #hen, !e re.roup around that &tandard %hen !e &ee the name o9 the :ord Je&u& upli9ted, !e .ather there. #he name o9 Je&u& i& our rallyin. point. #oday, all acro&& the earth, the Holy Spirit i& li9tin. up a9re&h the &tandard o9 the name o9 the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t. 1od& people are rallyin. to that &tandard, irre&pective o9 church denomination and other 9actor& that have &eparated them.

T&' Vi/t)$i)#- C&#$/& Finally, loo@ at thi& picture in the Son. o9 Solomon o9 the victoriou& church, !hich came into ;ein. in the 8e! #e&tament throu.h the atonin. !or@ o9 5hri&t: Jou are as beauti$ul as Tir3ah, my darling, as lovely as .erusalem, as a%esome as an army %ith banners''''"8ho is this that gro%s li1e the da%n, as beauti$ul as the $ull moon, as *ure as the sun, as a%esome as an army %ith banners9" (:ong o$ :olomon 6 !, ,/" 0e&cri;ed here i& the church a& the ;ride o9 5hri&t. )ut it i& the army o9 5hri&t, a& !ell. It i& al&o very intere&tin. to note the t!o clo&in. picture& o9 5hri&tian& in the epi&tle o9 the Ephe&ian&: the ;ride D&ee Ephe&ian& (:2(F"2E and the army D&ee Ephe&ian& *:14F1+E. %e are ;oth the ;ride and the army, and !e are .oin. to come 9orth on the &ta.e o9 hi&tory a& prophe&ied in the Son. o9 Solomonli@e an army, a!e&ome !ith it& ;anner: the name o9 the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t.

CHAPTER ; T&' On' ,&) I- O#$ P'%/'

%e !ill no! addre&& a 9ourth covenantal name o9 Jehovah, or ah!eh: #he $ne %ho I& $ur Peace. #hi& name i& revealed in Jud.e& * throu.h an incident in the li9e o9 1ideon. "P'%/' T) .)#" In 1ideon6& time, the 7idianite&, !ho ;elon.ed to a 1entile nation 9rom the ea&t, had overrun the land o9 the I&raelite& and !ere .rievou&ly oppre&&in. them. #he I&raelite& !ere livin. almo&t li@e re9u.ee& in their o!n land. 1ideon, a youn. man, !a& &urreptitiou&ly thre&hin. !heat in a !inepre&& in order to hide it 9rom the 7idianite&, ;ecau&e they !ould have ta@en the !heat 9rom him i9 they had &een him. Suddenly, 2the an.el o9 the :ord2 DJud.e& *:11E appeared to 1ideon and told him that he !a& to ;ecome the :ord6& in&trument to de9eat the 7idianite& and to deliver the I&raelite&. 1ideon 9ound thi& very hard to ;elievehe thou.ht he !a& inadeAuate 9or the ta&@. )ut the an.el o9 the :ord told him that he !ould ;e a 2mi.hty man o9 valor2 Dver&e 12 8=JGE and .ave him the &trate.y ;y !hich he !a& to conAuer the 7idianite&. #o!ard the end o9 thi& encounter, 1ideon !anted to @no! more a;out the an.el !ho had appeared to him, and he

!anted to o99er a &acri9ice. #hi& i& !here !e6ll pic@ up the &tory: :o Gideon said to Him Bthe LordC, "I$ no% I have $ound $avor in Thy sight, then sho% me a sign that it is Thou %ho s*ea1est %ith me' ?lease do not de*art $rom here, until I come bac1 to Thee, and bring out my o$$ering and lay it be$ore Thee'" 0nd He said, "I %ill remain until you return'" Then Gideon %ent in and *re*ared a 1id and unleavened bread $rom an e*hah o$ $lour& he *ut the meat in a bas1et and the broth in a *ot, and brought them out to him under the oa1, and *resented them' 0nd the angel o$ God said to him, "Ta1e the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this roc1, and *our out the broth'" 0nd he BGideonC did so' Then the angel o$ the Lord *ut out the end o$ the sta$$ that %as in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread& and $ire s*rang u* $rom the roc1 and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread' Then the angel o$ the Lord vanished $rom his sight' 8hen Gideon sa% that he %as the angel o$ the Lord, he said, "0las, / Lord God'>' #or no% I have seen the angel o$ the Lord $ace to $ace' "0nd the Lord said to him, "?eace to you, do not $ear& you shall not die'" (.udges 6 ,45(-" It !a& .enerally ;elieved at that time that i9 you !ere to &ee an an.el o9 the :ord, you !ould pro;a;ly not &urvive the &i.ht. So, 1ideon 9elt that hi& la&t moment had come. )ut the :ord &aid to him, 20on6t 9ear. ou6re not .oin. to die.2 In .ratitude 9or thi&, and a& a re&pon&e to the revelation he

had received, 1ideon ;uilt an altar. Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord B.ehovahK is ?eace' To this day it is still in O*hrah o$ the 0bie3rites' (.udges 6 (!" 7o&t o9 u& are 9amiliar !ith the He;re! !ord 9or peaceit i& &halom. It i& the contemporary .reetin. in He;re!. #hat !a& the name o9 the altar: #he :ord i& &halom, peace. Here, there9ore, i& revealed to u& the 9ourth a&pect o9 the :ord6& covenantF@eepin. 9aith9ulne&& to Hi& peoplethat He i& Hi& people6& peace. Peace i& in a per&on, and that Per&on i& the :ord Him&el9. T&$'' ,% - In ,&i/& G)! P$)4i!'- P'%/' #here are three !ay& in !hich !e need peace. Fir&t, !e need peace !ith 1od, a per&onal relation&hip !ith the :ord that a&&ure& u& Hi& 9avor and Hi& ;le&&in.. In Scripture, peace !ith 1od i& al!ay& a&&ured only throu.h a &acri9ice. <part 9rom a &acri9icea li9e laid do!n and a &heddin. o9 ;loodthere can ;e no peace !ith 1od. DSee He;re!& /:22.E Second, !e need peace not Ju&t in our relation&hip& !ith 1od, ;ut al&o in the mid&t o9 all that !e 9ind comin. a.ain&t u&. Even in the mid&t o9 !ar and tumult, 1od o99er& Hi& people peace. Peace i& not Ju&t the a;&ence o9 !ar. <ctually, it i& po&&i;le to have peace in the mid&t o9 !ar, con9lict, pre&&ure, and turmoil ;ecau&e peace i& ;a&ed on a relation&hip !ith 1od, not on circum&tance&. I9 you loo@ at

your circum&tance&, many time& you 9ind that there i& no cau&e 9or peace. )ut i9 you have learned the truth contained in thi& covenant name o9 Jehovahthat He i& our peace then you can have that peace in the mid&t o9 any circum&tance& in !hich you 9ind your&el9. #hird, !e need peace in our relation&hip& !ith other people. )ein. reconciled to 1od throu.h Je&u& ;rin.& u& into relation&hip& o9 peace !ith other ;eliever&. :et6& loo@ at peace, then, 9rom the&e three point& o9 vie!: 9ir&t, in our relation&hip !ith the :ord> &econd, in the out!or@in. o9 that relation&hip in our live& in the mid&t o9 our circum&tance&> and third, in our relation&hip& !ith other&. P'%/' +it& G)! %e !ill ;e.in !ith !hat Scripture ha& to &ay a;out peace ;et!een 1od and man. #here i& much a;out that topic in the 8e! #e&tament, ;ut !e !ill loo@ at only t!o pa&&a.e&. There$ore having been 2usti$ied by $aith, %e have *eace %ith God through our Lord .esus Ahrist' (Gomans H ," 8otice that it &ay& 2peace !ith 1od throu.h our :ord Je&u& 5hri&t.2 Je&u& i& our peace. #or it %as the #ather>s good *leasure $or all the $ulness to d%ell in Him B.esusC, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himsel$, having made *eace

through the blood o$ His cross& through Him, I say, %hether things on earth or things in heaven' (Aolossians , ,=5(/" In thi& pa&&a.e, !e &ee the &econd a&pect o9 that truth: peace i& achieved only ;y &acri9ice. #he &acri9ice that 9inally achieved eternal peace ;et!een 1od and man !a& the &acri9ice o9 the :ord Je&u& on the cro&& and the ;lood that He &hed. #hrou.h Him, !e have peace !ith 1od. 5ontra&t peace throu.h 5hri&t !ith !hat I&aiah &aid: 6ut the %ic1ed are li1e the tossing sea, $or it cannot be Duiet, and its %aters toss u* re$use and mud' "There is no *eace," says my God, "$or the %ic1ed'" (Isaiah H4 (/5(," #here i& a very de9inite dividin. line ;et!een the ri.hteou& and the !ic@ed. #ho&e !ho are reconciled !ith 1od throu.h Je&u& 5hri&t receive Hi& ri.hteou&ne&& and @no! !hat it i& to have peace !ith 1od. )ut 9or the !ic@ed, 1od &ay&, 2#here i& no peace.2 Sin never leave& u& in peace. Even thou.h there may ;e nothin. trou;le&ome in our out!ard circum&tance&, there i& &omethin. in our heart& that can never re&t !hile &in rule& our heart&. P'%/' In Di11i/#"t Ci$/#2-t%n/'8o! !e !ill loo@ at the &econd out!or@in. o9 peace, the peace that !e can have in the mid&t o9 tumult and !ar. $h,

ho! important it i& to have thi& @ind o9 peace in today6& !orldK Je&u& &aid to Hi& di&ciple&, ?eace I leave %ith you& <y *eace I give to you& not as the %orld gives, do I give to you' Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be $ear$ul' (.ohn ,! (4" I have al!ay& ;een .lad 9or the !ord& 2not a& the !orld .ive&.2 #he !orld6& mo&t &trenuou& attempt& at peace are &o 9ra.ile, &o impermanent, and &o un&ati&9yin.. I9 !e depended on the !orld 9or our peace, !e !ould indeed have very little. )ut Je&u& &aid, 2I .ive you a peace that6& not the &ame a& the !orld .ive&, and you don6t need to ;e 9ear9ul or trou;led.2 He al&o &aid in John 1*:"", These things I have s*o1en to you, that in <e you may have *eace' In the %orld you have tribulation, but ta1e courage& I have overcome the %orld' Je&u& i& our peace. He ha& overcome the !orld. #here9ore, the !orld can never overcome u& ;ecau&e He i& in u& and !ith u&. P'%/' ,it& Ot&'$ B'"i'4'$#hird, ;ein. reconciled to 1od throu.h Je&u& ;rin.& u& into relation&hip& o9 peace !ith other ;eliever&. %e have peace !ith tho&e !ho have ;een reconciled to Je&u&, re.ardle&& o9

!ho they are, no matter !hat race and ;ac@.round they come 9rom. In !ritin. to ;eliever& !ho had a 1entile ;ac@.round, Paul &aid, 6ut no% in Ahrist .esus you %ho $ormerly %ere $ar o$$ have been brought near by the blood o$ Ahrist' #or He Himsel$ is our *eace, %ho made both grou*s into one, and bro1e do%n the barrier o$ the dividing %all, by abolishing in His $lesh the enmity, %hich is the La% o$ commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himsel$ He might ma1e the t%o into one ne% man, thus establishing *eace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having *ut to death the enmity' 0nd He came and *reached *eace to you %ho %ere $ar a%ay, and *eace to those %ho %ere near' ()*hesians ( ,-5,4" T&' A$7: A Pi/t#$' O1 P'%/' In C&$i-t #he me&&a.e o9 the cro&& i& peace: peace !ith 1od, peace in the mid&t o9 turmoil, and peace !ith our 9ello! ;eliever&. I am al!ay& reminded o9 the ar@, !hich ;ecame 1od6& mean& o9 &alvation to 8oah and hi& 9amily. #hin@ o9 8oah and hi& 9amily in thi& ar@. #here they !ere, in the mid&t o9 the ra.in. element&> everythin. around them had .one under the !ater. et, in the ar@, they had peace and &ecurity. #hen, thin@ a;out all tho&e animal& in the ar@. #hey !ere animal& o9 &uch di99erent type&, animal& that !ere, ;y nature, enemie& o9 one another. )ut in the ar@ there !a&

peace. #hat tell& me that !hen tho&e animal& entered into the ar@, they under!ent a chan.e o9 nature. #hu&, the ar@, to me, i& a ;eauti9ul picture o9 5hri&t. %hen !e enter into 5hri&t, !e enter into peace. In the church, there are tho&e o9 di99erent race& !hom, under natural condition&, !e mi.ht have hated. et, ;ecau&e !e are in that ar@, !e @no! peace !ith them. <nd in the mid&t o9 the ra.in. turmoil o9 thi& li9e, !e @no! peace in our heart& ;ecau&e !e have peace !ith 1od throu.h the :ord !ho i& our peace.

CHAPTER < T&' On' ,&) I- O#$ S&'*&'$!

%e !ill no! loo@ at the 9i9th o9 the&e covenantal name&: #he $ne %ho I& $ur Shepherd. For thi& name, I turn to one o9 the mo&t 9amiliar pa&&a.e& in the Scripture&, P&alm 2", o9ten called 2#he Shepherd6& P&alm.2 :et u& !or@ our !ay throu.h the ver&e& o9 thi& p&alm in order. T&' S&'*&'$! M''t- E4'$ N''! The Lord .ehovahC is my she*herd, I shall not %ant' (?salm (- ," %hen I loo@ at thi& ver&e, I am amaCed at ho! much Scripture can &ay in &o 9e! !ord&particularly in the ori.inal He;re!. It mi.ht intere&t you to @no! that in He;re!, the entire 9ir&t ver&e o9 P&alm 2" con&i&t& o9 only 9our !ord&: h!h raah2the lord i& my &hepherd3 and lo cha&er2I &hall not !ant3 #hin@ ho! much i& contained in tho&e 9our He;re! !ord&. 2I &hall not !ant2 i& the mo&t amaCin. &tatement, i&n6t it3 Every need that could ever ari&e in li9e !ill ;e met. 8ever !ill !e 9ind our&elve& in a &ituation !here &omethin. !e really need i& not availa;le to u&. #he :ord ha& .uaranteed to .ive u& all that !e need. $ut o9 Hi& relation&hip !ith u&, and our& !ith Him, 2#he :ord i& my &hepherd, I &hall not !ant3

#he :ivin. )i;le D#:)E &ay& it thi& !ay: 2)ecau&e the :ord i& my Shepherd, I have everythin. I needK2 #hin@ o9 all that i& contained in the ;eauti9ul !ord& 2the :ord i& my &hepherd2 It i& very important that !e under&tand !e have a per&onal relation&hip !ith 1od a& a Per&on. #hi& 9act i& the ;a&i& 9or everythin. el&e. It i& al&o an individual relation&hip. 0avid &aid, 2#he :ord i& my &hepherd2 It i& very direct and very per&onal. In P&alm ,4, another p&alm o9 0avid, he !rote, Oh, give ear, :he*herd o$ Israel, Thou %ho dost lead .ose*h li1e a $loc1& Thou %ho art enthroned above the cherubim, shine $orth! (?salm ;/ ," In P&alm 2", 0avid could have &aid, 2#he :ord i& our &hepherd,2 ;ecau&e the :ord i& the 2Shepherd o9 I&rael2 a& a people. et it !ouldn6t have meant nearly a& much a& &ayin., 2#he :ord i& my &hepherdK6 5an you &ay that3 0o you have that individual, direct, per&onal relation&hip !ith the :ord3 I !a& ;rou.ht up in the <n.lican 5hurch in )ritain, and I !a& al!ay& trained to &pea@ a;out Je&u& 5hri&t a& our :ord and our Savior. #hen, I met a little lady in a hum;le home, and &he &aid, 27y :ord.2 <nd a little !hile later, &he &aid, 27y Savior.2 I thou.ht to my&el9, I can6t &ay that. I don6t have that relation&hip. In a .eneral !ay, I can &ay, 2$ur :ord2 and2 $ur Savior.2 )ut I don6t under&tand ho! &he can &ay, 27y lord6 and 27y Savior.2 #han@ 1od, I came to under&tand> I

came to have that relation&hip It6& individual, it6& per&onal, and it6& direct. 2#he lord i& my &hepherd.2 :et6& loo@ in the re&t o9 the p&alm at !hat 9lo!& out o9 thi& per&onal relation&hip !ith the :ord. T&' S&'*&'$! Gi4'-=== N)#$i-&2'nt An! R'1$'-&2'nt He ma1es me lie do%n in green *astures& He leads me beside Duiet %aters' (?salm (- (" #he :ord provide& all the nouri&hment that I need. $9 cour&e, !e are thin@in. primarily in term& o9 &piritual nouri&hment. He .ive& me clear, pure !ater and 9re&h, clean .ra&&. Everythin. i& clean, 9re&h, and healthF.ivin.. R'-t)$%ti)n He restores my soul' (?salm (- -" I love the !ord re&tore. It mean& to put ;ac@ in the ri.ht condition, to re9re&h, to rene!. 0o you ever 9eel Jaded and tired, !orn and 9rayed3 0o you @no! that it i& po&&i;le to have your &oul re&tored3 0o you @no! that the :ord can put you ;ac@ to 9re&hne&&, con9idence, and &tren.th3

G#i!%n/' He guides me in the *aths o$ righteousness $or His name>s sa1e' (?salm (- -" #he :ord .uide& u& in the path& o9 ri.hteou&ne&&. He ma@e& &ure that !e 9ollo! the ri.ht !ay. #here are &o many !ay& in li9e, &o many choice&. 0o you ever 9eel con9u&ed and uncertain a& to !hich road to ta@e3 %hen you @no! the :ord a& your Shepherd, He lead& you and .uide& you in the path& o9 ri.hteou&ne&&. #hen, it &ay&, 2For Hi& name6& &a@e.2 #hat ;le&&e& me, too, ;ecau&e Hi& name doe& not chan.e. It doe& not depend on !hether I am !ea@ or &tron.> it depend& on Hi& name. Hi& honor i& at &ta@e. He ha& .uaranteed that He i& .oin. to do it. Hi& name i& attached to the very !ord &hepherdthe :ord my Shepherd. T&' S&'*&'$! I- ,it& U- In Li1''- V%""' )ven though I %al1 through the valley o$ the shado% o$ death, I $ear no evil& $or Thou art %ith me& Thy rod and Thy sta$$, they com$ort me' (?salm (- !" #here are period& in li9e !hen !e .o throu.h the valley o9 the &hado! o9 death. #hi& ver&e i& not nece&&arily re9errin. to time& !hen !e are literally at death6& door, ;ut there are time& !hen !e .o throu.h dar@ne&&. Everythin. &eem& to cave in, everythin. &eem& to .o !ron., and !e don6t @no! !here to turn or !hom to tru&t. %hen the pre&&ure& ;uild

up, you can &ay, li@e 0avid, 2Even in the mid&t o9 that valley, I 9ear no evil> 9or #hou art !ith me.26 1od6& pre&ence i& .uaranteed. 0avid continued, 2#hy rod and #hy &ta99, they com9ort me3 #!o a&pect& o9 1od6& pre&ence are repre&ented here. #he 2rod62 repre&ent& the :ord6& protection over u& 9rom out&ide attac@& and Hi& lovin. di&cipline o9 u& !hen !e .o a&tray. #he 2&ta992 repre&ent& the :ord6& .uidance and direction. )oth the rod and the &ta99 ;rin. u& com9ort ;ecau&e !e @no!, and have e?perienced, that 1od !ill protect, correct, and lead u&, even in the mid&t o9 the dar@, lonely valley&. For one entire year, I lay in a ho&pital !ith a di&ea&e that doctor& !ere not a;le to cure. )elieve me, it !a& a lon., dar@, lonely valley. )ut the :ord !a& !ith me throu.h it all, and He ;rou.ht me out at the other end &tron.er than I had ever ;een ;e9ore. #he :ord i& my Shepherd. T&' S&'*&'$! S#**"i'O4'$1")+in5 P$)4i-i)n Thou dost *re*are a table be$ore me in the *resence o$ my enemies& Thou hast anointed my head %ith oil& my cu* over$lo%s' (?salm (- H" %hat a ;le&&in. it i& to @no! that all thi& ta@e& place in the pre&ence o9 our enemie&. -i.ht there, !here everythin. i& a.ain&t u&, 1od provide& the ;e&t. He &pread& a ;anAuet> He prepare& a ta;le. Picture our enemie& li@e !olve& out in the dar@ne&&, &cared

a!ay ;y the li.ht o9 the camp9ire, pro!lin. around ;ut a9raid to come into the li.ht. It i& here that 1od provide& Hi& ;e&t. It i& .ood to have a ;anAuet provided ;y the :ord, no matter !here He provide& it. )ut it i& e&pecially .ood to have it in the pre&ence o9 your enemie&. )ecau&e the :ord i& there, and ;ecau&e He i& the Shepherd, !e @no! that they cannot touch u&> !e are &a9e even in the pre&ence o9 our enemie&. #hen, 0avid &aid, 2#hou ha&t anointed my head !ith oil> my cup over9lo!&3 %e do not merely have enou.h 9or our&elve&, ;ut !e al&o have enou.h to &hare !ith other&. T&' S&'*&'$! G$%ntG))!n'-- An! L)4in57in!n'-:urely goodness and loving1indness %ill $ollo% me all the days o$ my li$e' (?salm (- 6" 8o matter !hat &ituation& !e 9ind our&elve& in or !hat !e have to .o throu.h, there are t!o unchan.ea;le 9actor& in our live&: the .oodne&& o9 the :ord and the lovin.@indne&& o9 the :ord. <.ain, the !ord 2lovin.@indne&&2 in He;re! i& che&ed. It particularly mean& 2the 9aith9ulne&& o9 1od to Hi& covenant commitment.2 So, the :ord ha& committed to ;e my Shepherd. He !ill never ;rea@ Hi& covenant. Hi& .oodne&& and lovin.@indne&& are al!ay& !ith me.

T&' S&'*&'$! B$in5U- A"" T&' ,% H)2' 0nd I %ill d%ell in the house o$ the Lord $orever' (?salm (- 6" 5on&ider the meanin. o9 thi& la&t &entence, 2I !ill d!ell in the hou&e o9 the :ord 9orever.2 #hat ver&e &u..e&t& to me that !hatever I6m doin., and !herever I6m .oin., I6m on my !ay home. I am .oin. home to the place the :ord ha& provided 9or me. I u&ed to live in the middle o9 a city on a little i&land that had Ju&t one road in and out. <& you approached the ;rid.e .oin. onto that little i&land, there !a& a &i.n that read 0ead End ;ecau&e there !a& no e?it. I u&ed to loo@ at that &i.n and &ay to my&el9, It may !ell ;e a dead end 9or &ome people, ;ut 9or me, it i& the !ay home. #hat i& ho! it i& !hen you @no! the :ord. %hat other& call a dead end i&, 9or you, the !ay home. ou @no! that you are .oin. to ;e livin. in the hou&e o9 the :ord 9orever, no matter !hat you have to .o throu.h. He !ill ;e !ith you, and you !ill @no! your de&tination. 0ead end& are 9or the people !ho don6t @no! 1od. #here are no dead end& 9or you. ou are on your !ay home.

CHAPTER > T&' On' ,&) I- O#$ Ri5&t')#-n'-#he &i?th o9 the covenantal name& o9 1od i& #he $ne %ho I& $ur -i.hteou&ne&&. #hi& name i& 9ound in one o9 the many promi&e& o9 re&toration .iven to I&rael throu.h the prophet&all o9 !hich center on the 7e&&iah. :et u& loo@ at one o9 the&e promi&e& in Jeremiah: "6ehold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "%hen I shall raise u* $or David a righteous 6ranch Bone o$ the common titles o$ <essiah in the Old TestamentC& and He %ill reign as 1ing and act %isely and do 2ustice and righteousness in the land' In his days .udah %ill be saved, and Israel %ill d%ell securely& and this is His name by %hich He %ill be called, >The Lord B.ehovahC our righteousness'>" (.eremiah (- H56" -e&toration include& the ree&ta;li&hment o9 ri.hteou&ne&&. In 9act, !ithout ri.hteou&ne&&, other 9orm& o9 re&toration !ould ;e ultimately impo&&i;le or !orthle&&. 1od i& .oin. to re&tore ri.hteou&ne&& to Hi& people. )ut the ri.hteou&ne&& that He ha& promi&ed to re&tore i& in a Per&on. $ur ri.hteou&ne&& i& not in a &y&tem o9 la! or in a reli.ion> rather, it i& in a per&onand that Per&on i& the promi&ed 7e&&iah.

T+) ?in!- O1 Ri5&t')#-n'-S'"16Ri5&t')#-n'-It i& important to &ee that there are t!o @ind& o9 ri.hteou&ne&&. $ne i& our o!n ri.hteou&ne&&!hat !e !ould call &el9Fri.hteou&ne&&!hich i& not accepta;le to 1od. I&aiah &aid, #or all o$ us have become li1e one %ho is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are li1e a $ilthy garment' (Isaiah 6! 6" %e could ea&ily under&tand i9 I&aiah had &aid, 2<ll our &in& are li@e a 9ilthy .arment.2 )ut he &aid, 2<ll our ri.hteou& deed& are li@e a 9ilthy .armentK6 In other !ord&, even the ;e&t that !e can achieve in our o!n ri.hteou&ne&& i& totally unaccepta;le to 1od. It 9all& 9ar ;elo! the &tandard o9 ri.hteou&ne&& 1od reAuire&. %e are 9aced !ith t!o alternative&: havin. either the @ind o9 ri.hteou&ne&& !e achieve ;y our o!n e99ort& or the @ind o9 ri.hteou&ne&& !e receive in a Per&on, in the 7e&&iah Je&u&. #hey are mutually e?clu&ive> !e cannot o99er ;oth to 1od. Ri5&t')#-n'-- T&$)#5& F%it& In C&$i-t #hi& !a& Paul6& determination, a& recorded in Philippian& ":,F/: That I' ''may be $ound in Him B.esus Ahrist, the <essiahC, not having a righteousness o$ my o%n

derived $rom the La%, but that %hich is through $aith in Ahrist, the righteousness %hich comes $rom God on the basis o$ $aith' 8otice that Paul had to renounce the @ind o9 ri.hteou&ne&& he could achieve ;y hi& o!n e99ort in order to o;tain the ri.hteou&ne&& that come& throu.h 9aith in Je&u& 5hri&t. ou &ee, the .reat mi&ta@e the I&raelite& made in their hi&tory the one that had &uch a harm9ul e99ect on their de&tiny 9or t!o thou&and year&i& that they &ou.ht the !ron. @ind o9 ri.hteou&ne&&. Paul e?plained thi& in -oman&: #or not 1no%ing about God>s righteousness, and see1ing to establish their o%n BrighteousnessC, they did not sub2ect themselves to the righteousness o$ God' #or Ahrist is the end o$ the la% $or righteous5 ness to everyone %ho believes' (Gomans ,/ -5!" It i& important to &ee that the death o9 5hri&t on the cro&& e?piated the &in& and &hortcomin.& o9 all !ho had 9ailed to o;&erve the la!. It al&o provided another mean& o9 ri.htF eou&ne&&, !hich i& throu.h 9aith in 5hri&t. #ho&e !ho &ee@ to e&ta;li&h their o!n ri.hteou&ne&& do not &u;Ject themF &elve& to the ri.hteou&ne&& o9 1od throu.h 5hri&t and, there9ore, are not made ri.hteou&. T&' P$)/'-- An! T&' E@/&%n5' #he phra&e 2did not &u;Ject them&elve&6 D-oman& 14:"E indicate& that there i& a @ind o9 &el9Fhum;lin. that !e mu&t .o throu.h in order to o;tain 2the ri.hteou&ne&& o9 1od2 Dver&e "E. Fir&t, !e mu&t renounce our o!n ri.hteou&ne&&,

ac@no!led.in. that our o!n e99ort& have not achieved !hat 1od reAuire&. #hen, !e mu&t accept 1od6& o99er o9 mercy and ri.hteou&ne&& throu.h 9aith in the atonin. death o9 Je&u& 5hri&t. Paul &po@e a;out the ri.hteou&ne&& that i& made availa;le to u& throu.h 5hri&t: He BGodC made Him B.esusC %ho 1ne% no sin to be sin on our behal$, that %e might become the righteousness o$ God in Him' (( Aorinthians H (," <n e?chan.e !a& made at the cro&&: Je&u& !a& made &in !ith our &in9ulne&&. He ;ecame the &in o99erin., the .reat 2.uilt o99erin.2 that !a& promi&ed in I&aiah (":14. Hi& &oul ;ecame the &in o99erin.. He ;ecame &in 9or u& &o that !e mi.ht receive the other a&pect o9 the e?chan.e: ;ecomin. the ri.hteou&ne&& o9 1od in Him. Ho! 9ooli&h it i& to clin. to our o!n ri.hteou&ne&& !hen !e can have, ;y 9aith, the ri.hteou&ne&& o9 1od in 5hri&t. #hi& covenantal name, 2#he :ord our ri.hteou&ne&&2 DJeremiah 2":*E, li@e all the other covenantal name& in the $ld #e&tament, point& ultimately to Je&u& and to the cro&&. #hat i& !here the e?chan.e too@ place. #hat i& !here it ;ecame po&&i;le 9or Him to ;ecome our ri.hteou&ne&&. <9ter He had atoned 9or the &in& o9 tho&e !ho had 9ailed to o;&erve the la!, He !a& made availa;le to u& a& our ri.hteou&ne&&. < Per&on i& our ri.hteou&ne&&> it i& the :ord !ho i& our ri.hteou&ne&&.

A R'-t)$'! R'"%ti)n-&i* ,it& G)! I&rael6& re&toration to 1od6& 9avor i& al&o pictured a& the re&toration o9 a marria.e relation&hip. It i& a& thou.h I&rael, throu.h the covenant made at Sinai, had ;een married to Jehovah, or ah!eh. )ut then, I&rael6& un9aith9ulne&& and idolatry ;ro@e that marria.e relation&hip. #hat i& !hy re&toration i& pictured in term& o9 a re&tored marria.e relation&hip. %e 9ind thi& concept in many o9 the ;oo@& o9 the prophet&. %e !ill loo@ at a 9e! pa&&a.e& and then ;rin. out a ;eauti9ul truth a& a re&ult. #he :ord &aid to I&rael, I %ill betroth you to <e $orever& yes, I %ill betroth you to <e in righteousness and in 2ustice, in loving1indness and in com*assion, and I %ill betroth you to <e in $aith$ulness' Then you %ill 1no% the Lord' (Hosea ( ,=5(/" #he !ord 2;etroth2 indicate& the re&toration o9 the marria.e relation&hip ;et!een the :ord and Hi& people. 8e?t, let6& loo@ at thi& pa&&a.e in I&aiah: I %ill re2oice greatly in the Lord, my soul %ill eFult in my God& $or He has clothed me %ith garments o$ salvation, He has %ra**ed me %ith a robe o$ righteousness Ba robe o$ righteousness covets us com*letelyC, as a bridegroom dec1s himsel$ %ith a garland, and as a bride adorns hersel$ %ith her 2e%els' (Isaiah 6, ,/"

#hen, a little 9urther on in I&aiah, !e 9ind a promi&e to I&rael6& land and to I&rael a& a people. It %ill no longer be said to you, "#orsa1en," nor to your land %ill it any longer be said, "Desolate"& but you %ill be called, "<y delight is in her," and your land, "<arried"& $or the Lord delights in you, and to Him your land %ill be married' #or as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons %ill marry you& and as the bridegroom re2oices over the bride, so your God %ill re2oice over you' (Isaiah 6( !5H" %e &ee that the re&toration o9 ri.hteou&ne&& ;rin.& the re&toration o9 the marria.e relation&hip. #he :ord can ;e married once more to Hi& people ;ecau&e their &in& have ;een atoned 9or and they are clothed !ith the ro;e o9 Hi& ri.hteou&ne&&. T%7in5 Hi- N%2' #hi& re&toration !a& ;rou.ht out in a very ;eauti9ul !ay ;y the prophet Jeremiah. <t the ;e.innin. o9 thi& chapter, !e loo@ed at the pa&&a.e in Jeremiah 2" that &ay&, 2#hi& i& Hi& name ;y !hich He Hthe :ordI !ill ;e called, 6#he :ord our ri.hteou&ne&&2 Dver&e *E. 8o!, let6& loo@ at Jeremiah "" to &ee the corre&pondin. pa&&a.e: In those days and at that time I %ill cause a righteous 6ranch o$ David Bthe <essiahC to s*ring $orth& and He shall eFecute 2ustice and righteous5 ness on the earth' In those days C.udah shall be saved, and .erusalem shall d%ell in sa$ety& and this

is the name by %hich she shall be called the Lord is our righteousness' (.eremiah -- ,H5,6" #hat i& a ;eauti9ul pictureK 5an you &ee the meanin. o9 it3 Fir&t, 2thi& i& the name ;y !hich &he &hall ;e called: the :ord i& our ri.hteou&ne&&3 He i& out ri.hteou&ne&&. et !hen He ta@e& Hi& people ;ac@ to Him&el9 in ri.hteou&ne&&, and !hen Hi& people a.ain ;ecome Hi& ;ride, then, Ju&t a& in human marria.e cu&tom, the ;ride ta@e& the name o9 the ;ride.room. %hen !e are united to Him, then our name al&o ;ecome& 2#he :ord our ri.hteou&ne&&.2 %e are clothed !ith Hi& ri.hteou&ne&&. %e are identi9ied !ith Him. He Him&el9 ;ecome& our ri.hteou&ne&&. %e are no lon.er dependent on our o!n e99ort& or &tru..le&. %e are no lon.er held ;ac@ ;y our 9ailure& and our &in&. %e have moved into a ne! relation&hip !ith 1od, a per&onF toFper&on relation&hip in !hich the :ord Him&el9 i& our ri.hteou&ne&&. %e are &o identi9ied !ith Him that, a& a ;ride ;ear& the ;ride.room6& name, &o !e ;ear Hi& name2#he :ord our ri.hteou&ne&&.2

CHAPTER A T&' On' ,&) I- T&'$'

%e no! come to the &eventh and la&t o9 the covenantal name& o9 Jehovah, #he $ne %ho I& #here LPermanently Pre&ent or Ever Pre&entE. #hi& name i& 9ound in the la&t ver&e o9 the ;oo@ o9 ECe@iel: 0nd the name o$ the city $rom that day shall be, "The Lord B.ehovahC is there'" ()3e1iel !; -H" #he la&t nine chapter& o9 ECe@iel are connected !ith the re&toration o9 I&rael, and they de&cri;e ;oth the re;uildin. o9 a city and the ;uildin. o9 a temple. #remendou& detail& are .iven to u& a;out the con&truction o9 the temple, the material& that are u&ed, the dimen&ion&, and &o on. #hen, !hen the temple and the city are complete, 1od6& name i& .iven to it: 2#he :ord i& there3 #hi& name ;rin.& out, o9 cour&e, the real purpo&e 9or ;uildin. ;oth the city and the templethat they &hould ;e a d!ellin. place 9or the :ord. It i& a& thou.h the :ord !ait& until everythin. i& complete and e?actly the !ay He !ant& it. #hen, He &ay&, 28o!, thi& i& .oin. to ;e 7y d!ellin. place. I6m .oin. to ;e there.2 T&' S&'7in%& P$'-'n/' %e &hould loo@ 9or a moment at the ;ac@.round to thi& !hole &ituation. $ne maJor theme o9 ECe@iel i& the .lory o9

the :ord, and 1od6& .lory i& Hi& mani9e&t pre&ence amon. Hi& people. #hi& i& the pre&ence o9 the :ord revealed in a !ay that can ;e detected ;y human &en&e&the eye&, ear&, and &o 9orth. #he He;re! !ord 9or that pre&ence i& &he@inah, !hich come& 9rom a !ord that mean& 2to d!ell.2 It picture& 1od d!ellin. amon. Hi& people, Hi& pre&ence mani9e&ted to them. T&' ,it&!$%+%" O1 G)!'- P$'-'n/' <t the openin. o9 the prophecy o9 ECe@iel, 1od6& .lory !a& &till in the temple in Jeru&alem. )ut ;ecau&e o9 I&rael6& continuin. &in and re;elliou&ne&&, 1od had to !ithdra! Hi& per&onal pre&ence. Hi& .lory departed 9rom the temple and 9rom the city. #hi& i& de&cri;ed a& ECe@iel &a! it him&el9: Then the cherubim li$ted u* their %ings %ith the %heels beside them, and the glory o$ the God o$ Israel hovered over them' 0nd the glory o$ the Lord %ent u* $rom the midst o$ the city, and stood over the mountain Bthe <ount o$ OlivesC %hich is east o$ the city' ()3e1iel ,, ((5(-" <t thi& point, 1od !a& &o .rieved ;y the &in o9 Hi& people that He !ithdre! Hi& pre&ence 9rom the temple and 9rom the city. #ire .lory o9 the :ord !ent out 9rom the mid&t o9 the city, !ent a!ay ea&t!ard, and hovered 9or a !hile over the 7ount o9 $live&, to the ea&t o9 the city. <9ter the !ithdra!al o9 the :ord6& .lory, terri;le Jud.ment& are predicted in the prophecie& that 9ollo!. )ut, al!ay& inter&per&ed !ith the&e Jud.ment& are the promi&e& o9 re&toration.

T&' R'-t)$%ti)n O1 G)!'- P$'-'n/' #hen, !e come to the clo&in. chapter& o9 ECe@iel, !hich are the de&cription o9 re&toration. #he 9ocu&the center, the mo&t important parto9 all the re&toration i& the re&toration o9 the .lory o9 the :ord, the &he@inah, to the temple. It i& de&cri;ed in ECe@iel '": Then he led me to the gate, the gate $acing to%ard the east Beast %as the %ay in %hich the glory o$ the Lord had de*artedC& and behold, the glory o$ the God o$ Israel %as coming $rom the %ay o$ the east BHe %as no% returning $rom the same direction in %hich He had de*artedC' 0nd His voice %as li1e the sound o$ many %aters& and the earth shone %ith His glory' 0nd it %as li1e the a**earance o$ the vision %hich I sa%, li1e the vision %hich I sa% %hen He came to destroy the city' 0nd the visions %ere li1e the vision %hich I sa% by the river Ahebar& and I $ell on my $ace' 0nd the glory o$ the Lord came into the house by the %ay o$ the gate $acing to%ard the east' 0nd the :*irit li$ted me u* and brought me into the inner court& and behold, the glory o$ the Lord $illed the house' ()3e1iel !- ,5H" #he :ord had come ri.ht ;ac@ into the inner court o9 the hou&e. Then I heard one s*ea1ing to me $rom the house, %hile a man %as standing beside me' 0nd He said to me, ":on o$ man, this is the *lace o$ <y throne and

the *lace o$ the soles o$ <y $eet, %here I %ill d%ell among the sons o$ Israel $orever'" (verses 654" #he e&&ence o9 the&e pa&&a.e& i& the return o9 the vi&i;le, mani9e&t pre&ence o9 the :ord to d!ell a.ain !ith Hi& people 9orever. #hey ;rin. out the ultimate purpo&e o9 1od in Hi& dealin.& !ith man. G)!'- U"ti2%t' P#$*)-': H'%4'n On E%$t& Gery o9ten, !e have the !ron. impre&&ion o9 1od6& purpo&e. %e thin@ Hi& ultimate purpo&e i& &omeho! to .et man to heaven. )ut that really i&n6t it. 1od6& purpo&e i& to ;rin. heaven do!n to man and, a;ove all, to ;rin. Hi& o!n per&onal pre&ence to man. #hi& !a& the purpo&e o9 every &tructure on earth the :ord cau&ed to ;e ;uilt 9or Him. It !a& the purpo&e o9 the ta;ernacle o9 7o&e&. It !a& the purpo&e o9 the temple o9 Solomon. <l!ay&, the&e &tructure& !ere to ;e d!ellin. place& !here 1od could re&ide in the mid&t o9 Hi& people and never have to leave them. )ut, ala&, in the cour&e o9 the hi&tory o9 1od6& people up until thi& time, they had ;ehaved in &uch a !ay that the :ord had to !ithdra! Hi& .lory. Ho!ever, the :ord per&i&t& in Hi& purpo&e. :et6& move 9or!ard to the end o9 the )i;le, !here !e &ee that thi& purpo&e remain& unchan.ed: 0nd I sa% a ne% heaven and a ne% earth& $or the $irst heaven and the $irst earth *assed a%ay, and there is no longer any sea' 0nd I sa% the holy city,

ne% .erusalem, coming do%n out o$ heaven $rom God, made ready as a bride adorned $or her husband' 0nd I heard a loud voice $rom the throne, saying, "6ehold, the tabernacle o$ God is among men, and He shall d%ell among them, and they shall be His *eo*le, and God Himsel$ shall be among them'" (Gevelation (, ,5-" #hat i& the clima?the out!or@in. o9 the divine purpo&e o9 1od in human hi&tory. 8ot that 1od !ould .et man up to heaven, ;ut that 1od !ould &o deal !ith man a& to ma@e him 9it to receive 1od6& pre&ence a& a d!ellin. place on earth. %e return no! to the clima? o9 1od6& purpo&e a& revealed at the clo&e o9 ECe@iel: The name o$ the city $rom that day shall be, "The Lord is there'" ()3e1iel !; -H" #hat i& the con&ummation o9 divine purpo&e. T&' S'4'n C)4'n%nt%" N%2'- O1 G)! :et6& no! revie! the &even covenantal name& o9 Jehovah, or ah!eh, in their completene&& and meditate on !hat each one mean&. I thin@ you !ill 9ind it a ;le&&in. to memoriCe the&e in order: 1. #he $ne %ho Provide& 2. #he $ne %ho Heal& ". #he $ne %ho I& $ur )anner

'. #he $ne %ho I& $ur Peace (. #he $ne %ho I& $ur Shepherd *. #he $ne %ho I& $ur -i.hteou&ne&& +. #he $ne %ho I& #here DPermanently Pre&entE <.ain, 1od6& ultimate purpo&e i& to d!ell 9orever !ith Hi& people, and Hi& purpo&e 9or each one o9 u& individually i& that !e &hould @no! Him a& a permanent, ind!ellin. :ord the :ord !ho i& al!ay& there, ri.ht in the mid&t o9 our heart& and live&. I !onder i9 you @no! the :ord in thi& !ay. Have you ever invited the :ord to ma@e Hi& d!ellin. in your heart and in your li9e3 1od !ant& you to do that. Je&u& &aid in -evelation ":24, 6ehold, I stand at the door and 1noc1& i$ anyone hears <y voice and o*ens the door, I %ill come in to him, and %ill dine %ith him, and he %ith <e' #he :ord6& de&ire, Hi& purpo&e, i& to come into youto ma@e your heart and li9e Hi& home, Hi& permanent d!ellin. place. In all Hi& covenantal 9ullne&&, in every one o9 tho&e a&pect& o9 Hi& covenantal nature, He !ant& to come in and d!ell in your heart and li9e. #he :ord i& a .entleman, ho!ever He !ill not pu&h Hi& !ay in. It i& up to you to open the door. ou have to invite Him in throu.h 9aith in the &acri9ice o9 1od the Son5hri&t Je&u&9or you. I9 you !ould li@e to do that ri.ht no!, here i& a ;rie9 prayer you can &ay:

Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You that You died on the cross for my sins and that You rose from the dead. I invite You now to come in and dwell in my heart and be my Savior and my Lord. Amen. 8o!, ;e.in to than@ Him. He !a& Ju&t !aitin. 9or the opportunity to come in. #he moment you opened the door, He came in, and your li9e i& .oin. to ;e di99erent 9rom no! on. #hi& .reat, !onder9ul, covenantF@eepin. 1od i& not &omeone you Ju&t hear a;out. He i& &omeone !ho i& 9orever there !ith you.

INTRODUCTION TO SECTION 2 ,& D)'- G)! U-' "Di-5#i-'-"9

%e have &een that, in the )i;le, name& are indicative o9 the nature o9 the per&on namedthey ma@e @no!n &omethin. a;out that per&on6& character and de&tiny. :i@e!i&e, 1od6& name&, title&, and mani9e&tation&, a& revealed to humanity in Scripture, indicate Hi& nature and purpo&e&. et, &ometime&, 1od u&e& 2di&.ui&e&2 !hen He interact& !ith human ;ein.&. %hy &hould 1od !ant to u&e 2di&.ui&e&23 Surely, !e thin@ He !ould ;e the la&t $ne to do &uch a thin.. et the principle that 1od &ometime& u&e& concealment i& &tated in variou& place& in Scripture. Particularly, there i& thi& thou.htFprovo@in. ver&e: It is the glory o$ God to conceal a matter, but the glory o$ 1ings is to search out a matter' (?roverbs (H (" %e &ee here that it re&t& !ith 1od to conceal and !ith @in.& to &earch out. In a certain !ay, the !ord @in.& repre&ent& the hi.he&t level o9 humanity. So, !e can conclude that one o9 the hi.he&t achievement& o9 humanity on it& hi.he&t level i& to &earch out !hat 1od ha& concealed. In thi& &ection o9 Po!er in the 8ame, there9ore, !e !ill ;e e?plorin. !hy and ho! 1od come& to u& in 9orm& that have to ;e &earched out. #o ;e.in !ith, there are three thin.& 1od doe& not !ant to do !hen He come& to you and me.

G)! D)'- N)t ,%nt T)=== O4'$%+' U- ,it& Hi- P)+'$ Fir&t, 1od doe& not !ant to overa!e u& !ith Hi& po!er. <lthou.h He !ill con9irm the truth o9 the .o&pel and dra! people to Him&el9 throu.h Hi& po!er D&ee, 9or e?ample, -oman& 1(:1,F1/> He;re!& 2:"F'E, He doe& not !ant u& to receive Him merely ;ecau&e He i& allFpo!er9ul. In other !ord&, !e need not ;e a9raid that i9 !e do not receive Him, He !ill cru&h u& in an in&tantta@e a!ay our ;reath and end our live&. #hat i& not a motive plea&in. to 1od 9or u& to receive Him. -ather, our motive &hould ;e love: In this is love, not that %e loved God, but that He loved us and sent His :on to be the *ro*itiation $or our sins''' '0nd %e have come to 1no% and have believed the love %hich God has $or us' God is love, and the one %ho abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him' 6y this, love is *er$ected %ith us, that %e may have con$idence in the day o$ 2udgment& because as He is, so also are %e in this %orld' There is no $ear in love& but *er$ect love casts out $ear, because $ear involves *unishment, and the one %ho $ears is not *er$ected in love' 8e love, because He $irst loved us' (, .ohn ! ,/, ,65,=" Enti/' U- t&$)#5& B"'--in5Second, 1od doe& not !ant to entice u& !ith Hi& ;le&&in.&. 1od i& a;le to ;le&& u& in every area o9 our live&. He i& a;le

to .ive u& all !e need and much more. He i& a;le to heal u&, provide u& !ith 9inancial a;undance, and &olve all our pro;lem&. )ut He doe& not !ant u& to receive Him merely on the ;a&i& o9 !hat !e .et 9rom Him. S%ti-1 M'$'" O#$ Int'""'/t#%" C#$i)-it #hird, 1od doe& not !ant to &ati&9y mere intellectual curio&ity. For &ome people, li9e i& li@e a Ji.&a! puCCle made up o9 many di99erent piece&, one o9 !hich i& la;eled 1od. Some people !ant to ;e a;le to in&ert 1od in Hi& 2ri.ht9ul2 place in the puCCle. )ut 1od i& not Ju&t a piece in a puCCle. <nd i9 !e have that attitude to!ard Him, He !ill not reveal Him&el9 to u&. I have heard people &ay, 2I9 I can put 1od in a te&t tu;e, I6ll ;elieve in Him.2 #hat i& ridiculou&K <ny .od that can ;e put into a te&t tu;e i& not a .od !orth ;elievin. in. :et me Ju&t re&tate !hat 1od doe& not !ant to do !hen He come& to u&: D1E He doe& not !ant to overa!e u& !ith Hi& po!er, D2E He doe& not !ant to entice u& !ith Hi& ;le&&in.&, and D"E He doe& not !ant to &ati&9y mere intellectual curio&ity. %hat, then, doe& 1od !ant3 I thin@ !e can put it thi& !ay: 1od !ant& u& to de&ire Him 9or Him&el9apart 9rom Hi& po!er, Hi& ;le&&in.&, and any other ;ene9it. G)! L))7- At T&' H'%$t %e need to realiCe that 1od doe& not loo@ at u& a& !e loo@

at one another. He loo@& ri.ht do!n into the innermo&t depth& o9 our heart&. < ver&e in 1 Samuel ma@e& thi& point clearly and vividly. #he prophet Samuel had ;een &ent to the hou&e o9 Je&&e to anoint one o9 Je&&e6& &on& to ;e the ne?t @in. o9 I&rael. Je&&e pre&ented the 9ir&t o9 hi& &on&, Elia;, and Samuel !a& impre&&ed. )ut 1od &aid, 20o not loo@ at hi& appearance or at the hei.ht o9 hi& &tature, ;ecau&e I have reJected him2 D1 Samuel 1*:+E. Je&&e produced &even o9 hi& 9ine, up&tandin., hand&ome &on& and pre&ented them to Samuel, &ayin., 2%hich i& to ;e the @in.32 Samuel !a& impre&&ed ;y each one o9 them. et every time he !a& impre&&ed ;y the out!ard appearance, 1od &aid, in e99ect, 2#hat i&n6t the one.2 <9ter Samuel had run throu.h all the &on& !hom Je&&e pre&ented and &till there !a& no @in., Samuel a&@ed, 2I&n6t there anyone el&e32 -ather reluctantly, Je&&e &aid, 2#here6& one more, the youn.e&t, ;ut he6& out in the pa&ture& loo@in. a9ter the &heep.2 <& it turned out, that ei.hth &onthe one they had di&re.arded!a& 0avid, the 9uture @in. o9 I&rael. <nd !hen he arrived, the :ord &aid, 2#hi& i& the one. <noint him.2 #hen, the :ord &po@e the&e !ord& to Samuel: #or God sees not as man sees, $or man loo1s at the out%ard a**earance, but the Lord loo1s at the heart' (, :amuel ,6 4" 1od doe& not loo@ at our out!ard appearance&> He loo@& at our heart&. <t the &ame time, the :ord doe& not !ant u& to

re.ard Him merely ;y out!ard appearance or e?ternal attri;ute&. 1od !ant& u& to receive Him 9or Him&el9, !ithout re.ard to Hi& tremendou& Aualitie& o9 po!er, riche&, or !i&dom. Someho!, in Hi& tremendou& humility, 1od doe& not !ant to ;e !anted 9or !hat !e can .et 9rom Him> rather, He !ant& to ;e !anted 9or Him&el9. He arran.e& &ituation& and circum&tance& in the live& o9 every one o9 u& that !ill &ooner or later put u& to thi& te&t: are !e &ee@in. 1od and ;elievin. in Him ;ecau&e o9 !hat !e .et or ;ecau&e o9 1od Him&el93 G)! I- L))7in5 F)$ P')*"' ,&) A$'=== %hat doe& 1od loo@ 9or in our heart&3 #o an&!er thi& Aue&tion, I am .oin. to .ive you a &erie& o9 reAuirement& 9rom three pa&&a.e& in the $ld #e&tament. #!o pa&&a.e& come 9rom the ;oo@ o9 P&alm& and one come& 9rom the ;oo@ o9 I&aiah. I ;elieve the&e pa&&a.e& &tate very clearly and con&i&tently !hat 1od really loo@& 9or in u&. "B$)7'n An! C$#-&'!" :et u& loo@ at the 9ir&t reAuirement: The Lord is near to the bro1enhearted, and saves those %ho are crushed in s*irit' (?salm -! ,;" <n alternative readin. 9or 2cru&hed in &pirit2 i& contrite. <ctually, ;y it& root 9rom the :atin, contrite mean& Ju&t that &ome;ody !ho ha& ;een cru&hed, &Aua&hed do!n,

;attered. %e u&e the !ord ;ro@en in modern &peech in Ju&t the &ame !ay. 1od i& loo@in. 9or tho&e !ho are ;ro@en and cru&hed. 0oe&n6t that &eem &tran.e3 H#23"' In H'%$t Here i& the &econd pa&&a.e, and the &econd reAuirement: Though the Lord is on high, he loo1s u*on the lo%ly, but the *roud he 1no%s $rom a$ar' (?salm ,-; 6 +I@" 1od loo@& 9or the lo!ly, ;ut He @no!& the proud 9rom a9ar. I9 you a&@ my opinion, that i& !here He @eep& them9ar o99. Proud people really do not have acce&& to 1od. C)nt$it' In S*i$it #hird, !e 9ind a mo&t ;eauti9ul pa&&a.e in I&aiah. It de&cri;e& 1od6& eternal .lory and maJe&tyand al&o !hat He loo@& 9or in u&: #or this is %hat the high and lo$ty One saysEhe %ho lives $orever B>%ho inhabits eternity" +I.@C, %hose name is holy "Hive in a high and holy *lace BIsn>t that a%esome and im*ressive9C, but also %ith him %ho is contrite and lo%ly in s*irit, to revive the s*irit o$ the lo%ly and to revive the heart o$ the contrite'" (Isaiah H4 ,H +I@"

Even thou.h 1od i& hi.h and maJe&tic, and even thou.h He inha;it& eternity DHi& d!ellin. placeE, He ha& one other d!ellin. place o9 choice. He live& al&o !ith him !ho i& contrite and lo!ly in &pirit. In thi& pa&&a.e, !e &ee clearly that 1od i& loo@in. 9or the contrite and the lo!lytho&e !ho are not proud, arro.ant, &el9Fcon9ident, or &el9Freliant. In&tead, the&e are people !ho, in many ca&e&, have pa&&ed throu.h &ome @ind o9 e?perience in li9e that ha& &tripped them o9 &el9Fcon9idence and arro.ance. #hi& e?perience ha& le9t themin the true meanin. o9 the !ord;ro@en. #hat i& !hat 1od i& loo@in. 9or: the lo!ly, the contrite, the ;ro@en. 5ontrite mean& ;ein. .enuinely &orry 9or !ron.doin.. ou &ee, lot& o9 people do !ron. and &u99er unplea&ant con&eAuence&. <lthou.h they !ant to .et out o9 the con&eAuence&, they are not truly &orry 9or the !ron.doin.. 1od doe& not really !ant to con&ider tho&e people. He !ant& to en.a.e !ith people !ho not only !ant to .et out o9 the con&eAuence&, ;ut al&o are &orry 9or the !ron.doin. that ;rou.ht them to tho&e con&eAuence&. R'/)5niB' G)!'- Inn'$2)-t N%t#$' In the ne?t &everal chapter&, !e !ill &ee more clearly ho! 1od come& to u& in di&.ui&e&. He come& to u& in &uch a !ay that i9 !e are not &en&itive enou.h to loo@ 9or !hat 1od i& in Hi& innermo&t nature, !e !ill not reco.niCe Him. I9 !e are concerned only !ith e?ternal& or !ith our o!n &el9i&h end&, purpo&e&, and de&ire&, !e !ill mi&& Him.

#hat i& !hy 1od come& to humanity in di&.ui&e&. <nd that i& !hy it i& &o important that !e learn to reco.niCe tho&e di&.ui&e&. $ther!i&e, 1od may come to u& and !e may mi&& Him.

CHAPTER 1C T&' C%$*'nt'$'- S)n

#he 9ir&t di&.ui&e !e !ill e?amine i& al&o the mo&t important and marvelou& di&.ui&e in !hich 1od ever came upon the &ta.e o9 human hi&tory. He came to u& in the di&.ui&e o9 the carpenter6& &on, @no!n in hi&tory a& Je&u& o9 8aCareth. #hrou.h prophecy, 1od !arned I&rael in advance that He !a& .oin. to come to them in a &tran.e !ay. #or a child %ill be born to us, a son %ill be given to us& and the government %ill rest on His shoulders& and His name %ill be called 8onder$ul Aounselor, <ighty God, )ternal #ather, ?rince o$ ?eace' (Isaiah = 6" I&n6t it remar@a;le that thi& 2child2 in Scripture i& actually called 27i.hty 1od23 %ho could that ;e ;ut Je&u&3 #he Scripture i& &o accurate. It &ay& t!o thin.& a;out thi& child. Fir&t, it &ay& He !ill ;e 2;orn2 a& a child ;ut 2.iven2 a& a &on. Je&u& did not ;ecome the Son o9 1od throu.h Hi& incarnation. Eternally, He i& the Son o9 1od. He !a& the Son !ho !a& .iven, ;ut throu.h the incarnation, He ;ecame the little child.

S'4'n M%$4'")#- F%/t- A3)#t G)!'- S)n Je&u&6 eternal nature i& de&cri;ed el&e!here in the )i;le. :et6& read, 9or in&tance, a pa&&a.e 9rom the ;oo@ o9 He;re!&: In the *ast God s*o1e to our $ore$athers through the *ro*hets at many times and in various %ays, but in these last days he has s*o1en to us by his :on, %hom he a**ointed heir o$ all things, and through %hom he made the universe' The :on is the radiance o$ God>s glory and the eFact re*resentation o$ his being, sustaining all things by his *o%er$ul %ord' 0$ter he had *rovided *uri$ication $or sins, he sat do%n at the right hand o$ the <a2esty in heaven' (Hebre%s , ,5- +I@" #hi& pa&&a.e tell& u& &even marvelou& 9act& a;out the Son o9 1od. Fir&t, He i& heir o9 all. #he entire creation, the entire univer&e, i& .oin. to 9ind it& con&ummation and 9ul9illment in Him. Second, throu.h Him, 1od the Father made the univer&e. He i& the creative &ource o9 all. #hird, He i& the radiance o9 1od the Father6& .lory. He i& the e?pre&&ion o9 !hat cannot ;e &een o9 the invi&i;le 1od. He i& the !ay 1od6& .lory come& into our live&. Fourth, He i& the e?act repre&entation o9 1od the Father6&

;ein.. He convey& to u&, in a 9orm !e can appreciate, the e?act nature o9 the eternal, invi&i;le 1od. Je&u& &aid, 2<nyone !ho ha& &een me ha& &een the Father2 DJohn 1':/ 8IGE. Fi9th, He &u&tain& all thin.& ;y Hi& po!er9ul !ord. He i& the upholdin. 9orce in the entire univer&e. DHe i& the one !ho uphold& all creation.E Si?th, He provided puri9ication 9or our &in& throu.h Hi& death on the cro&&. Seventh, havin. done Hi& !or@ on the cro&&, He &at do!n at 1od6& ri.ht hand, at the place o9 all authority, po!er, and .lory in the univer&e. #ho&e &even 9act& reveal !ho Je&u& really i&. )ut, in hi&tory, He came to u& in that &tran.e di&.ui&ethe little ;a;y !ho .re! up to ;e the carpenter6& &on. T&' D%n5'$ O1 Mi--in5 G)! 1od !arned I&rael that they !ere in dan.er o9 mi&&in. Him. For in&tance, there i& a !ellF@no!n pa&&a.e in I&aiah (" that de&cri;e& Je&u& a& the 2man o9 &orro!&.2 #hi& pa&&a.e ;e.in& !ith a !arnin. a;out un;elie9: 8ho has believed our message and to %hom has the arm o$ the Lord been revealed9 (verse , +I@" 2#he arm o9 the :ord2 i& none other than Je&u&. #he pa&&a.e de&cri;e& Him in Hi& human 9orm:

He gre% u* be$ore him li1e a tender shoot, and li1e a root out o$ dry ground' (verse ( +I@" I&rael !a& dry .round !hen Je&u& camethat i&, in &piritual dearth and need. He had no beauty or ma2esty to attract us to him, nothing in his a**earance that %e should desire him' (verse ( +I@" <.ain, 1od doe&n6t !ant to ;e de&ired 9or Hi& out!ard appearance. He %as des*ised and re2ected by men, a man o$ sorro%s, and $amiliar %ith su$$ering' Li1e one $rom %hom men hide their $aces he %as des*ised, and %e esteemed him not' :urely he too1 u* our in$irmities and carried our sorro%s, yet %e considered him stric1en by God, smitten by him, and a$$licted' 6ut he %as *ierced $or our transgressions, he %as crushed $or our iniDuities& the *unishment that brought us *eace %as u*on him, and by his %ounds %e are healed' (verses -5H +I@" Picture that mutilated, man.led, ;eaten 9orm on the cro&&. Picture Him dyin. there, .a&pin. out Hi& li9e in a.ony, pourin. out Hi& li9e;lood. %a&n6t that a &tran.e di&.ui&e 9or almi.hty 1od3 #he Scripture .oe& on to &ay,

8e all, li1e shee*, have gone astray, each o$ us has turned to his o%n %ay& and the Lord has laid on him the iniDuity o$ us all' (Isaiah H- 6 +I@" Hi& role a& the ;earer o9 the &in& o9 the !orld !a& the .reate&t and the &tran.e&t o9 all 1od6& di&.ui&e&. ,&%t T&' S)n O1 G)! ,%- N)t :et u& loo@ at 9our thin.& that the Son o9 1od !a& not a& He came to u& in human 9orm. He !a& not 9rom the rulin. prie&tly ca&te. He !a& not hi.hly educated. He !a& not a political leader. He !a& not a military commander. #he&e are all role& that the !orld !ould have loo@ed 9or in the 7e&&iah. #ho&e trait& !ould have cau&ed the !orld to admire, re&pect, and receive Him. )ut He had none o9 them. %hy3 )ecau&e 1od did not !ant to ;e received on that ;a&i&. He !anted to ;e received only ;y tho&e !ho&e heart& !ere lo!ly and contrite tho&e !ho !ere lon.in. 9or 1od 9or Him&el9 and not 9or !hat He had to o99er. #rue, Je&u& !a& 9rom the @in.ly tri;e, the only tri;e 9rom !hich a @in. could ever come to the Je!i&h people. He !a& o9 the tri;e o9 Judah. )ut it& .lory had lon. ;een eclip&ed. <nd !hen Je&u& came, He !a& Ju&t a 2root out o9 dry .round2 DI&aiah (":2 8IGE. #hat i& ho! 1od came to humanity more than t!o thou&and year& a.o. Ho! 9e! have penetrated the depth& o9 that di&.ui&e. O**)-it' R'%/ti)n- T) J'-#-

%hen 1od came to earth in the di&.ui&e o9 the 7an Je&u&, !ho&e li9e ended on a cro&&, people had oppo&ite reaction& to Him. $ne attitude di&mi&&ed Him !ith contempt a& the carpenter6& &on. #he other received Him !ith !or&hip a& the Son o9 1od. :et6& ta@e a clo&er loo@ at the&e diver.ent reaction&. #he 9ir&t reaction, one o9 reJection and contempt, i& de&cri;ed in 7atthe! 1". <ppropriately enou.h, in an unmi&ta@a;le !ay, it de&cri;e& the re&pon&e to Je&u& 9rom tho&e in Hi& o!n hometo!n o9 8aCareth. Aoming to his hometo%n, he began teaching the *eo*le in their synagogue, and they %ere ama3ed' "8here did this man get this %isdom and these miraculous *o%ers9" they as1ed' "Isn>t this the car*enter>s son9 Isn>t his mothers name <ary, and aren>t his brothers .ames, .ose*h, :imon and .udas9 0ren>t all his sisters %ith us9 8here then did this man get all these things9" 0nd they too1 o$$ense at him' 6ut .esus said to them, "Only in his hometo%n and in his o%n house is a *ro*het %ithout honor'" (<atthe% ,- H!5H4 +I@" #he&e people could not &ee throu.h the di&.ui&e. #hey had @no!n Je&u& too lon.. In a certain &en&e, they had ;een too 9amiliar !ith Him. #here i& a &ayin. that 29amiliarity ;reed& contempt,2 and I thin@, in lar.e part, that !a& true in thi& ca&e. #he people !ho, in a &en&e, had ;een clo&e&t to Him 9ailed to 9i.ure out the di&.ui&e. He had to .o el&e!here to ;e received.

:et u& loo@ no! at the oppo&ite reaction. #ho&e !ho received Him reco.niCed the di&.ui&e and realiCed !ho He really !a&. 8hen .esus came to the region o$ Aaesarea ?hili**i, he as1ed his disci*les, "8ho do *eo*le say the :on o$ <an is9" They re*lied, ":ome say .ohn the 6a*tist& others say )li2ah& and still others, .eremiah or one o$ the *ro*hets'" "6ut %hat about you9" he as1ed' "8ho do you say I am9" :imon ?eter ans%ered, "Jou are the Ahrist B<essiahC, the :on o$ the living God'" .esus re*lied, "6lessed are you, :imon son o$ .onah, $or this %as not revealed to you by man, but by my #ather in heaven'" (<atthe% ,6 ,-5,4 +I@" Here !a& a man !ho received the revelation o9 the Father concernin. Je&u&a man !ho loo@ed ;eyond the &uper9icialitie&, ;eyond !hat !a& not really important. )y the .race o9 1od and the Spirit o9 1od, Peter di&cerned the true, eternal Son o9 1od, the 7e&&iah, the $ne 9or !hom the I&raelite& had ;een !aitin., ;ut !hom they 9ailed a& a !hole to reco.niCe. H)+ ,i"" .)# R'-*)n! T) J'-#-9 %e &till have tho&e t!o alternative& today. %e can react in one !ay or the other, Ju&t a& the I&raelite& could. %e need to ;e mind9ul o9 the&e !ord& 9rom the 9ir&t chapter o9 John6& .o&pel: He came to His o%n, and those %ho %ere His o%n

did not receive Him' 6ut as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children o$ God, even to those %ho believe in His name, %ho %ere born not o$ blood, nor o$ the %ill o$ the $lesh, nor o$ the %ill o$ man, but o$ God' (.ohn , ,,5,-" %hat are you .oin. to do a;out Je&u&3 <re you .oin. to reJect Him3 $r are you .oin. to receive Him3 <re you .oin. to loo@ ;eneath the di&.ui&e and &ee the eternal Son o9 1od3 <re you .oin. to !or&hip Him and !elcome Him in your li9e3 I pray that you may do thi&.

CHAPTER 11 C&i"!$'n
For 1od6& &econd di&.ui&e, !e !ill loo@ at one that He re.ularly u&e&. 7any time&, 1od come& to u& in the di&.ui&e o9 a child. :oo@ at !hat Je&u& &aid: 0t that time the disci*les came to .esus and as1ed, "8ho is the greatest in the 1ingdom o$ heaven9" He called a little child and had him stand among them' 0nd he said "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become li1e little children, you %ill never enter the 1ingdom o$ heaven' There$ore, %hoever humbles himsel$ li1e this child is the greatest in the 1ingdom o$ heaven' 0nd %hoever %elcomes a little child li1e this in my name %elcomes me' 6ut i$ anyone causes one o$ these little ones %ho believe in me to sin, it %ould be better $or him to have a large millstone hung around his nec1 and to be dro%ned in the de*ths o$ the sea'" (<atthe% ,; ,56 +I@" #hen, a little 9urther on, Je&u& &aid, :ee that you do not loo1 do%n on one o$ these little ones' #or I tell you that their angels in heaven al%ays see the $ace o$ my #ather in heaven' (verse ,/ +I@"

G)! I!'nti1i'- Hi2-'"1 ,it& C&i"!$'n 1od &et& .reat value upon children. In 9act, a& I under&tand the a;ove Scripture, an an.el i& appointed to .uard every child. #hi& an.el ha& direct acce&& to the pre&ence o9 almi.hty 1od and ha& to .ive 1od a report on !hat happen& to that child. <nd Je&u& &aid i9 1od ;rin.& u& into contact !ith a child, and !e receive that child, !e are receivin. Je&u&. )ut, i9 !e reJect that childi9 !e re9u&e to help that childin reality, !e are reJectin. Je&u&. #he Scripture al&o &ay& it i& !or&e yet 9or u& i9 !e do anythin. to cau&e &uch a little child to &in Dand remem;er, our contemporary &ociety i& 9ull o9 men and !omen !ho are doin. thi&E. <ccordin. to Je&u&, it !ould ;e ;etter 9or &uch a per&on to have a lar.e mill&tone hun. around hi& nec@ and to ;e dro!ned in the depth& o9 the &ea than to incur the .uilt o9 cau&in. a child to &in. %e &ee 9rom thi& Scripture that !hen Je&u& &et& a child ;e9ore u&, He identi9ie& Him&el9 !ith that child. $ur re&pon&e to the child parallel& our re&pon&e to Je&u&. 1od6& an.el in heaven i& !atchin. over that child and !atchin. ho! !e re&pond to the little one. %e come ;ac@ to the &ame principle: 1od o9ten di&.ui&e& Him&el9 in the !ea@, the unimpre&&ive, the impro;a;le, the unconventional. %e cannot ta@e it 9or .ranted that !e !ill @no! !hen 1od come& into our live&. He !ill come in di&.ui&e&, and unle&& our heart& are open, !e !ill mi&& Him. %e may ;e .uilty o9 reJectin. 1od !ithout even @no!in.

that He came to u&. A//'*t%3"' R'"i5i)n #he principle i& very clear throu.hout all o9 Scripturein ;oth the $ld #e&tament and the 8e!that 1od reAuire& u& to care 9or children in need. Jame& included thi& reAuirement !hen he li&ted a num;er o9 evidence& o9 true reli.ion. :et6& loo@ at the&e evidence&. Fir&t, tho&e !ith true reli.ion @eep ti.ht rein& on their ton.ue&. I$ anyone considers himsel$ religious and yet does not 1ee* a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himsel$ and his religion is %orthless' (.ames , (6 +I@" #hat one comment !rite& o99 much o9 contemporary reli.ion. I9 a per&on doe& not control hi& ton.ue, 1od !ill not accept hi& reli.ion. #ho&e !ith 2loo&e ton.ue&2 include .o&&ip&, &landerer&, and tale;earer&people !ho e?a..erate and people !ho criticiCe. 1od doe& not accept their reli.ion at all. %hat @ind o9 reli.ion i& 1od loo@in. 9or3 Geligion that God our #ather acce*ts as *ure and $aultless is this to loo1 a$ter or*hans and %ido%s in their distress and to 1ee* onesel$ $rom being *olluted by the %orld' (verse (4 +I@" #here are t!o a&pect& to that @ind o9 accepta;le reli.ion. $ne i& po&itive, the other i& ne.ative. #he po&itive i& &tated

9ir&t. It i& to loo@ a9ter orphan& and !ido!& in their di&tre&&. #he ne.ative i& ne?t. It i& to @eep our&elve& 9rom ;ein. polluted ;y the !orld. Un9ortunately, it &eem& that much o9 contemporary 5hri&tianity empha&iCe& only the ne.ativenot ;ein. involved !ith the !orld, not ;ein. polluted ;y the !orld. %e hear much a;out @eepin. our&elve& &eparate, not .oin. here or there, not doin. thi& or thatmuch o9 !hich i& o9ten Ju&t human re.ulation&. People !ho empha&iCe &uch thin.& o9ten totally mi&& the po&itive, the 9ir&t part, !hich i& to loo@ a9ter orphan& and !ido!& in their di&tre&&. #he !ay !e re&pond to children in need i& the !ay !e re&pond to 1od. ,&'n J'-#- C%2' T) M' I !ant to relate a per&onal e?perience in re.ard to thi& &u;Ject. 7y 9ir&t !i9e, :ydia, and I rai&ed a 9amily o9 nine adopted .irl&. Si? !ere Je!i&h, one !a& En.li&h, one !a& <ra;, and the youn.e&t !a& <9rican. %hen I married my &econd !i9e, -uth, &he ;rou.ht three adopted children into our 9amily. )et!een u&, !e !ere re&pon&i;le 9or t!elve adopted children. So, !hat I relate ne?t i& not Ju&t theoryit repre&ent& a .reat amount o9 e?perience. Here i& a ;rie9 account o9 ho! :ydia and I received the little ;lac@ <9rican .irl !ho ;ecame our ninth adopted dau.hter. :ydia and I !ere mi&&ionarie& in =enya, in ea&t <9rica, at the time, and !e !ere very ;u&y !ith educational !or@. $ne ni.ht, a !hite lady and a ;lac@ couple came to our

home !ith a little ;a;y !ho !a& a;out &i? month& old. #he child !a& very &ic@ly and !a& !rapped in nothin. ;ut a dirty to!el. #hey &aid to u&, 2%e6ve heard that you ta@e in children.2 7y !i9e and I replied, 2 e&, that !a& true o9 u& many year& a.o, ;ut !e6re too old to do that no!. <nd ;e&ide&, !e6re too ;u&y !ith other !or@.2 #o that, the&e people replied, 2%e6ve ;een .oin. around 9or three day& to every 9amily!hite, ;lac@, <&ian loo@in. 9or &ome;ody to ta@e thi& little child. %e6re &o tired. %ould you Ju&t let u& &it do!n and re&t 9or a;out hal9 an hour32 So !e &aid, 2)y all mean&, &it do!n.2 <nd !e &at there !ith them. <t the end o9 hal9 an hour, they .ot up to .o. <& they carried their ;a;y pa&t me, thi& little one Ju&t &tretched out her hand to!ard me, a& i9 to &ay, 2%hat are you .oin. to do a;out me32 I turned to my !i9e and &aid, 2I thin@ !e6ll chan.e our mind&.2 :ydia &aid to the couple, 21ive me a !ee@ to .et a ;a;y cri; and &ome ;a;y clothe&, and ;rin. her ;ac@.2 So, that6& ho! !e too@ that little <9rican .irl. I !ill tell you thi&: my li9e ha& ;een much richer 9or ta@in. that little .irl. #oday, &he i& .ro!n up> &he i& a ;eauti9ul 5hri&tian !oman !ho i& married and &ervin. the :ord. I &hudder to thin@ !hat I could have mi&&ed i9 I had let that opportunity .o ;y!hen Je&u& came to me in the per&on o9 that little &ic@ ;a;y. ,&%t ,i"" .)# D)9 $ur !orld today i& 9ull o9 children in need. <nd tho&e children are not Ju&t out&ide the United State&. #here are plenty in the U.S., a& !ell. It i& in our po!er, in many ca&e&,

to help themeither directly or indirectly. For many year&, I have &y&tematically provided &upport 9or t!o orphan& in India and one in =orea. I &ay thi& not to ;oa&t ;ut to ma@e a point. %hat i& the .ood o9 preachin. i9 !e don6t practice !hat !e preach3 It doe& not co&t much, and I am @eepin. three children alive and .ivin. them the opportunity to have a 5hri&tian education. #o clo&e thi& chapter, let6& e?amine tho&e 9amiliar !ord& o9 Jame& a.ain: 0nyone, then, %ho 1no%s the good he ought to do and doesn>t do it, sins' (.ames ! ,4 +I@" Sin doe& not include Ju&t &in& o9 commi&&ion!hat !e have done !ron.. 7any time&, the &in& !e commit are &in& o9 omi&&ion !hat !e have 9ailed to do. I9 1od come& to u& in the per&on o9 a little child, !hat are !e .oin. to do a;out it3

CHAPTER 12 G)!'- M'--'n5'$<nother di&.ui&e 1od ha& u&ed many time& in hi&tory and continue& to u&e today i& Hi& me&&en.er&. It i& a principle in Scriptureone that i& demon&trated many time& and empha&iCed in &criptural teachin.that 1od identi9ie& Him&el9 !ith tho&e !hom He &end& a& Hi& repre&entative&. #hi& mean& the !ay !e re&pond to 1od6& me&&en.er& i& counted ;y 1od a& our re&pon&e to 1od Him&el9. %e cannot reJect 1od6& me&&en.er& and claim to receive 1od. I am a9raid &ome people &imply have not .ra&ped thi& concept. T&' P$in/i*"' O1 I!'nti1i/%ti)n :et6& loo@ at !hat Je&u& &aid a;out thi& &u;Ject in &ome pa&&a.e& in the 8e! #e&tament. #he 9ir&t pa&&a.e i& 9rom the ;oo@ o9 John. Je&u& &aid to Hi& di&ciple&, I tell you the truth, %hoever acce*ts anyone I send acce*ts me& and %hoever acce*ts me acce*ts the one %ho sent me' (.ohn ,- (/ +I@" In thi& ver&e, !e &ee that the principle .oe& all the !ay do!n 9rom 1od the Father. 1od the Father &ent Je&u&, Hi& Son. #ho&e !ho received Je&u& received 1od the Father. 5onver&ely, tho&e !ho reJected Je&u& reJected 1od the Father. DSee John 12:',F(4.E )ut the principle doe& not end there. Je&u&, in turn, cho&e

certain menand rather unli@ely men. #hey !ere not theolo.ian&, they !ere not prie&t&, and they !ere not hi.hly educated. #hey !ere 9i&hermen and ta? collector& and &uch, people !hom the !orld !ould not have e&teemed very hi.hly. Je&u& made them Hi& di&ciple& and &ent them out a& Hi& repre&entative&. <nd He &aid, in e99ect, 2#he !ay people treat you i& the !ay people treat 7e. I9 they receive you, they receive 7e> ;ut i9 they reJect you, they are reJectin. 7e Hthou.h they may not reco.niCe itI. I9 they reJect 7e, they are al&o reJectin. 7y Father.2 #hat i& a very emphatic ver&e. A//'*t%n/' O$ R'D'/ti)n Je&u& &tated thi& principle o9 identi9icationand o9 acceptance or reJectionmore 9ully !hen He &ent Hi& 9ir&t di&ciple& out to preach the @in.dom o9 1od. 8hatever to%n or village you enter, search $or some %orthy *erson there and stay at his house until you leave' 0s you enter the home, give it your greeting' I$ the home is deserving, let your *eace rest on it& i$ it is not, let your *eace return to you' (<atthe% ,/ ,,5 ,- +I@" It i& a remar@a;le 9act that the me&&en.er& o9 Je&u& have the authority and the a;ility to tran&mit Hi& peace to tho&e !ho receive them. )ut they can al&o !ithhold Hi& peace 9rom tho&e !ho do not receive them in a !orthy !ay. Je&u& continued, I$ anyone %ill not %elcome you or listen to your

%ords, sha1e the dust o$$ your $eet %hen you leave that home or to%n' (verse ,! +I@" #o &ha@e the du&t o99 your 9eet !a& a &i.n o9 totally di&o!nin. &omethin.. #o do &o !a& to &ay, 2I accept no re&pon&i;ility 9or you.2 Je&u& continued Hi& in&truction to Hi& di&ciple& !ith thi& very remar@a;le &tatement a;out tho&e !ho reJect them: I tell you the truth, it %ill be more bearable $or :odom and Gomorrah on the day o$ 2udgment than $or that to%n' (<atthe% ,/ ,H +I@" Sodom and 1omorrah !ere citie& that !ere .uilty o9 a &in that 1od utterly condemned and Jud.ed. 1od Jud.ed them !ith a remar@a;le, dramatic overthro!, &ettin. them 9orth a& an e?ample to all !ho &hould indul.e in that &in in 9uture time&. %hat Sodom and 1omorrah e?perienced !a& terri;leK )ut Je&u& &aid it !ill ;e !or&e 9or people !ho reJect Hi& me&&en.er& than it !a& 9or Sodom and 1omorrahK I hope it i& ;ecomin. clear ho! &eriou& it i& that !e do not reJect the me&&en.er& !hom Je&u& &end&. Je&u& continued Hi& me&&a.e to Hi& di&ciple& on their acceptance or reJection: I am sending you out li1e shee* among %olves' There$ore he as shre%d as sna1es and as innocent as doves' (verse ,6 +I@" #here i& nothin. very impre&&ive a;out a &heep. Je&u& could have u&ed many other 9i.ure& o9 &peech. He could have &aid,

2I6m &endin. you out li@e lion&,2 or 2li@e leopard&,2 or 2li@e hor&e&.2 <ll the&e creature& have &ome @ind o9 impre&&ive 9eature. )ut a &heep ha& never impre&&ed any;ody. 8or ha& a &heep ever terri9ied any;odyK Je&u& &aid, 2#hat6& ho! I6m .oin. to &end you. ou6ll ;e in the mid&t o9 !olve&, ;ut you6ll ;e li@e &heep.2 <t the end o9 thi& chapter, Je&u& &aid, He %ho receives you receives me, and he %ho receives me receives the one %ho sent me' (verse !/ +I@" %e &ee the &ame principle a.ain: 2I9 they receive you, they6re receivin. 7e. I9 they receive 7e, they6re receivin. the Father !ho &ent 7e. )ut, i9 they reJect you, they6re reJectin. 7e. I9 they6re reJectin. 7e, they6re al&o reJectin. the Father.2 R'/'i4in5 G)!'- M'--'n5'$- B$in5- R'+%$! Je&u& !rapped up Hi& teachin. on acceptance or reJection !ith an added empha&i&, !hich i& al&o a @ind o9 principle: 0nyone %ho receives a *ro*het because he is a *ro*het %ill receive a *ro*het>s re%ard, and anyone %ho receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man %ill receive a righteous man>s re%ard' (<atthe% ,/ !, +I@" %e @no! 9rom the )i;le that many o9 1od6& prophet& !ere pretty &tran.e people. #hey !ore &tran.e clothe&, did

&tran.e thin.&, turned up at une?pected moment&, and made the mo&t un!elcome &tatement&. Sometime&, they Ju&t !al@ed o99 the &ta.e a9ter that. ou pro;a;ly could not 9ind a le&& conventional character than the prophet EliJah any!here in literatureK )ut Je&u& &aid it pay& to di&cern the prophet ;eneath that unconventional or even unaccepta;le e?terior. #he rea&on3 I9 you identi9y the prophet and receive him, you !ill receive the &ame re!ard a& the prophet. I9 you identi9y a ri.hteou& man and receive him, you !ill receive the &ame re!ard a& that ri.hteou& man. 1od come& to u& in the 9orm o9 Hi& me&&en.er&. He identi9ie& Him&el9 !ith the one& !hom He &end& to repre&ent Him. <nd the !ay !e receive them or reJect them i& counted a& the !ay !e receive or reJect 1od Him&el9. -emem;er that to reJect the me&&en.er& o9 Je&u& i& a !or&e &in than that o9 Sodom and 1omorrah. E@%2*"'- O1 G)!'- M'--'n5'$B%$%7 T&' J#!5' :et6& loo@ no! at t!o rather intere&tin. e?ample&. #he 9ir&t i& 9rom the $ld #e&tamentthe e?ample o9 )ara@, one o9 the Jud.e& o9 I&rael. In the time o9 )ara@, I&rael had ;een invaded and !a& ;ein. oppre&&ed ;y an alien army more numerou&, more po!er9ul, and much ;etter eAuipped and armed than I&rael. In that conte?t, 1od called on a youn. man named )ara@, !ho !a& apparently not a very !ellF @no!n 9i.ure, to lead I&rael to victory a.ain&t thi& invadin.

army. )ara@ !a& a rather retirin. youn. man, and he did not 9eel Auali9ied 9or the ta&@ at hand. So, he !ent to the prophete&& o9 that day, !ho&e name !a& 0e;orah, and a&@ed her to .o !ith him. It6& clear that )ara@ really !a& not a very impre&&ive 9i.ure. 8everthele&&, he !a& coura.eou& and o;edient. He led I&rael6& army to victory, and the alien army !a& de9eated and driven out. <9ter that, 0e;orah the prophete&& &an. a &on. a;out the victory, cele;ratin. it and &pea@in. a;out variou& tri;e& in I&rael. Some had come to help )ara@, !hile other& had re9u&ed. She &po@e in particular a;out one villa.e that i& not mentioned a.ain any!here in the Scripture&, the villa.e o9 7eroC. #hi& i& !hat &he &aid a;out 7eroC in her &on.: "Aurse <ero3," said the angel o$ the Lord' "Aurse its *eo*le bitterly, because they did not come to hel* the Lord, to hel* the Lord against the mighty'" (.udges H (- +I@" #he people o9 7eroC thou.ht they didn6t need to help )ara@, &o they di&mi&&ed him. Perhap& they ridiculed him. )ut 1od didn6t con&ider their indi99erent re&pon&e a& committed a.ain&t )ara@. He re.arded it a& committed a.ain&t Him&el9. < cur&e came upon that villa.e ;ecau&e it& people had not come to help )ara@. <nd ;y 9ailin. to help )ara@, they had 9ailed to help the :ord Him&el9.

J)&n T&' B%*ti-t #he &econd e?ample i& John the )apti&t. John !a& the 9orerunner, the repre&entative, &ent ;e9ore Je&u& to prepare Hi& !ay. )ut Herod the #etrarch did not li@e John ;ecau&e John Aue&tioned hi& morality, &o he had John impri&oned. #hen, one ni.ht, !hen a dancin. .irl came and plea&ed him Dpro;a;ly !ith &ome @ind o9 &en&ual danceE, Herod vo!ed that he !ould .ive her anythin. &he a&@ed 9or. She !a& the dau.hter o9 the !oman !hom Herod had unla!9ully married, and to .et reven.e on John the )apti&t, thi& .irl a&@ed 9or hi& head. In order to @eep hi& oath, Herod had John e?ecuted, and hi& head !a& ;rou.ht on a plate ri.ht then and there. DSee, 9or e?ample, 7ar@ *:1+F2,.E :ater on, Ju&t a9ter Je&u& !a& arre&ted, He !a& ;rou.ht ;e9ore Herod to ;e tried: 8hen Herod sa% .esus, he %as greatly *leased, because $or a long time he had been %anting to see him' #rom %hat he had heard about him, he ho*ed to see him *er$orm some miracle' He *lied him %ith many Duestions, but .esus gave him no ans%er' (Lu1e (- ;5= +I@" Herod had reJected John the )apti&t, and he couldn6t .et any an&!er 9rom Je&u&. #he principle i&, i9 you reJect 1od6& &ervant& and me&&en.er&, you cannot e?pect to hear 9rom 1od.

CHAPTER 13 G)!'- P'$-'/#t'! P')*"'

#he la&t di&.ui&e !e are .oin. to loo@ atone that 1od ha& o9ten u&ed and &till u&e& todayi& Hi& per&ecuted people. 1od &u99er& !ith Hi& per&ecuted people, and He identi9ie& Him&el9 !ith them. #he !ay !e treat them i& rec@oned a& the !ay !e treat 1od Him&el9. S%#" Un7n)+in5" P'$-'/#t'! C&$i-t #hi& principle i& ;rou.ht out &o clearly in the e?ample o9 Saul o9 #ar&u&. %hen Saul i& introduced in the 8e! #e&tament, he i& the num;er one per&ecutor o9 that &tran.e ne! &ect in Jeru&alem that came to ;e @no!n a& 2the 8aCarene&.2 He !a& 9ocu&in. hi& attac@ on the people !ho 9ollo!ed 2the %ay,2 tho&e !hom, today, !e !ould identi9y a& 5hri&tian&. 8ot content !ith per&ecutin. the 5hri&tian& in Jeru&alem, Saul decided that he !a& .oin. to &tamp out thi& &ect in every city. So, he o;tained authority 9rom the chie9 prie&t in Jeru&alem to .o to the city o9 0ama&cu& and there arre&t and deal !ith any 9ollo!er& o9 Je&u& he mi.ht 9ind there. Ho!ever, a& Saul !a& on the !ay 9rom Jeru&alem to 0ama&cu&, he had an une?pected encounter !ith Je&u& Him&el9. #hi& i& the de&cription o9 the encounter, and I !ant you to note particularly the !ay in !hich Je&u& &po@e to Saul o9 #ar&u&. D$9 cour&e, Saul later ;ecame the .reat

apo&tle Paul.E <ean%hile, :aul %as still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord>s disci*les' He %ent to the high *riest and as1ed him $or letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that i$ he $ound any there %ho belonged to the 8ay BAhristiansC, %hether men or %omen, he might ta1e them as *risoners to .erusalem' 0s he neared Damascus on his 2ourney, suddenly a light $rom heaven $lashed around him' He $ell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ":aul, :aul, %hy do you *ersecute me9" "8ho are you, Lord9" :aul as1ed' "I am .esus, %hom you are *ersecuting," he re*lied' "+o% get u* and go into the city, and you %ill be told %hat you must do'" (0cts = ,56 +I@" 8otice !hat Je&u& a&@ed Saul. Hi& Aue&tion !a& not, 2%hy are you per&ecutin. 7y people32 or 2...7y 9ollo!er&32 or 2.. .7y di&ciple&32 He a&@ed, 2%hy are you per&ecutin. 7e32 %hen Saul a&@ed !ho He !a&, the :ord replied, 2I am Je&u&, !hom you are per&ecutin.. 1od6& people do not &u99er alone. #hey may ;e per&ecuted terri;ly, ;ut 1od i& al!ay& !ith them in their &u99erin.&. He i& identi9ied !ith them i9 they are per&ecuted 9or Hi& name, 9or Hi& .lory, and in o;edience to Him. So, a.ain, the !ay !e treat 1od6& per&ecuted people i& re.arded ;y 1od a& the !ay !e treat Him. 7any ruler& and leader& o9 &ociety throu.hout the a.e& did not under&tand thi&. #hey per&ecuted the hum;le, poor people o9 1od and

didn6t realiCe that they !ere actually dealin. !ith 1od Him&el9 in Hi& people. %e need to under&tand that Je&u& identi9ie& Him&el9 !ith Hi& per&ecuted people. M%7' S#$' .)# A$' On G)!'- Si!' It i& particularly important to under&tand thi& truth a& thi& a.e dra!& to it& clo&e. #he rea&on3 Je&u& Him&el9 !arned Hi& 9ollo!er& that in the la&t day&, there !ill ;e !orld!ide per&ecution o9 5hri&tian&, the 9ollo!er& o9 Je&u&. #hi& i& !hat the :ord &aid in 7atthe! 2': .esus ans%ered "8atch out that no one deceives you' #or many %ill come in my name, claiming, >I am the Ahrist B<essiahC,> and %ill deceive many' Jou %ill hear o$ %ars and rumors o$ %ars, but see to it that you are not alarmed' :uch things must ha**en, but the end is still to come' +ation %ill rise against nation, and 1ingdom against 1ingdom' There %ill be $amines and earthDua1es in various *laces' 0ll these are the beginning o$ birth *ains'" (<atthe% (! !5; +I@" <ll around the !orld today, !e are &eein. !hat Je&u& de&cri;ed in the&e ver&e&. #ho&e occurrence& are the 2;irth pain&2 o9 a ne! a.e. #he :ord added, in re9erence to thi& period, Then you BHis disci*lesC %ill be handed over to be *ersecuted and *ut to death, and you %ill be hated by all nations because o$ me' (verse = +I@"

<.ain, there i& .oin. to ;e !orld!ide per&ecution o9 the 9ollo!er& o9 Je&u&. :et6& ;e on our .uard that !e never ta@e the !ron. &ide. :et6& ;e care9ul never to allo! our&elve& to ;ecome identi9ied in any !ay !ith the per&ecutor& o9 the people o9 Je&u&. I9 !e do, !e are .oin. to have to an&!er to 1od a& i9 !e had treated 1od Him&el9 that !ay. S&)+in5 M'$/ E#%"i1i'- U- F)$ M'$/ $n a more po&itive note, !e can ;e amon. tho&e !ho receive the people o9 1od and &ho! mercy to them. I9 !e do &o, !e !ill, in turn, Auali9y 9or 1od6& mercy. :et6& re9er to the pa&&a.e o9 Scripture in 7atthe! that !e noted earlier: 0nyone %ho receives a *ro*het because he is a *ro*het %ill receive a *ro*het>s re%ard, and anyone %ho receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man %ill receive a righteous man>s re%ard' (<atthe% ,/ !, +I@" #hi& pa&&a.e tal@& a;out our a;ility to penetrate the di&.ui&e to &ee !ho it i& !e are dealin. !ith and to accept him 9or !hat he i& in 1od and 9or ho! 1od &ee& him. %hen that happen&, !e Auali9y 9or the &ame re!ard a& that per&on. I9 the per&on i& a prophet, !e Auali9y 9or a prophet6& re!ard. I9 the per&on i& a ri.hteou& man, !e Auali9y 9or a ri.hteou& man6& re!ard. %hat Je&u& &aid ne?t come& do!n to &ome very ;a&ic re&pon&e&: I$ anyone gives even a cu* o$ cold %ater to one o$

these little ones because he is my disci*le, I tell you the truth, he %ill certainly not lose his re%ard' (verse !( +I@" In other !ord&, !e are .oin. to ;e Jud.ed ;y 1od 9or the !ay !e deal !ith 1od6& people, e&pecially !hen they are ;ein. per&ecuted. E&pecially !hen they are in need. E&pecially !hen it !ould ;e ea&y to turn our ;ac@& on them. %e could &ay, 2It6& their 9ault. #hey &houldn6t have ;een &o reli.iou&. #hey &hould have ;een more care9ul a;out ho! they &po@e.2 #here i& .oin. to ;e real pre&&ure to turn a.ain&t 1od6& per&ecuted people a& thi& a.e come& to it& clo&e. )ut remem;er, i9 !e turn a.ain&t them, !e are turnin. a.ain&t 1od Him&el9. H)n)$in5 O#$ J'+i-& B$)t&'$- An! Si-t'$%e have &een that Je&u& identi9ie& Him&el9 !ith Hi& people !ho are per&ecuted. I !ant to add an important empha&i&: thi& include& tho&e !ho are Hi& ;rother& ;y natural ;irth that i&, the Je!i&h people. In -evelation (:(, Je&u& i& called 2the :ion o9 the tri;e o9 Judah2 D8IGE. In other !ord&, He i& eternally identi9ied in a &pecial !ay !ith Judah. DJudah i& the name 9rom !hich !e .et the !ord& 9e! and Je!i&hE Je&u&, in a certain &en&e, i& eternally identi9ied !ith the Je!i&h people. <nd the !ay !e treat the Je!i&h people i& .oin. to ;e rec@oned to u& a& the !ay !e have treated their .reat Elder )rother, their =in., !hom mo&t o9 them have not yet reco.niCedJe&u& Him&el9.

Pre&ently, !e &ee I&rael ;ecomin. more and more the 9ocu& o9 !orld leader& and .overnment&. Every day, !e read &omethin. in the paper or &ee &omethin. on the ne!& a;out I&rael. #hat tiny nation o9 Ju&t under &i? million people i& the 9ocu& o9 !orld ne!& and .lo;al attention. #hi& i& not an accident. 1od ha& arran.ed it ;ecau&e He i& .oin. to Jud.e the nation& ;y the !ay they relate to I&rael. :et6& loo@ at a rather len.thy pa&&a.e 9rom 7atthe! 2( to &ee ho! Je&u& ;rou.ht thi& out &o clearly. 8hen the :on o$ <an comes in his glory, and all the angels %ith him, he %ill sit on his throne in heavenly glory' 0ll the nations %ill be gathered be$ore him, and he %ill se*arate the *eo*le one $rom another as a she*herd se*arates the shee* $rom the goats' He %ill *ut the shee* on his right and the goats on his le$t' Then the Iing %ill say to those on his right Bthe shee*C, "Aome, you %ho are blessed by my #ather& ta1e your inheritance, the 1ingdom *re*ared $or you since the creation o$ the %orld' #or I %as hungry and you gave me something to eat, I %as thirsty and you gave me something to drin1, I %as a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I %as sic1 and you loo1ed a$ter me, I %as in *rison and you came to visit me'" Then the righteous %ill ans%er him, "Lord, %hen did %e see you hungry and $eed you, or thirsty and give you something to drin19 8hen did %e see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you9 8hen did %e see you sic1 or in *rison and go

to visit you9" The Iing %ill re*ly, "I tell you the truth, %hatever you did $or one o$ the least o$ these brothers o$ mine, you did $or me'" Then he %ill say to those on his le$t, "De*art $rom me, you %ho are cursed, into the eternal $ire *re*ared $or the devil and his angels' #or I %as hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I %as thirsty and you gave me nothing to drin1, I %as a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I %as sic1 and in *rison and you did not loo1 a$ter me'" They also %ill ans%er, "Lord, %hen did %e see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sic1 or in *rison, and did not hel* you9" He %ill re*ly, "I tell you the truth, %hatever you did not do $or one o$ the least o$ these, you did not do $or me'" Then they %ill go a%ay to eternal *unishment, but the righteous to eternal li$e' (<atthe% (H -,5!6 +I@" %hat !e do 9or the ;rother& and &i&ter& o9 Je&u&, !e do 9or Him. %hat !e do not do 9or Hi& ;rother& and &i&ter&, !e do not do 9or Him. %hat !ere the .round& 9or puni&hment 9or tho&e in the a;ove pa&&a.e3 In e99ect, they had 9ailed to reco.niCe Je&u& in Hi& per&ecuted people. In per&ecutin. and &idin. a.ain&t tho&e people, or in ne.lectin. them, they had ta@en their &tand a.ain&t almi.hty 1od Him&el9. #hi& i& a &eriou& thou.ht, !hether !e apply it to the di&ciple& o9 Je&u& or to the people o9 Je&u& ;y natural ;irth the Je!i&h people. Spea@in. concernin. the Je!i&h

people, the prophet Mechariah &aid, in one conci&e &entence, 8hoever touches you touches the a**le o$ his BGod>sC eye' (Lechariah ( ; +I@" -emem;er that !arnin. !hen you &pea@ a;out the Je!i&h people, !hen you thin@ a;out them, !hen you e?pre&& your attitude concernin. them. %hen you touch them, you are touchin. the mo&t &en&itive part o9 1odthe very apple o9 Hi& eye. :et6& ;e on our .uard.

INTRODUCTION TO SECTION 3 JESUS' NATURE AND PURPOSES

< &pecial atmo&pheredi99erent 9rom all other &ea&on& o9 the yeari& .enerated in countrie& !here the 5hri&tma& &ea&on i& pu;licly honored and cele;rated. In my o!n li9e, I can remem;er ho!, !hen I !a& a youn. per&on Deven thou.h I !a& at that time an un;eliever and 9ar 9rom 1odE, the 5hri&tma& &ea&on touched my heart !ith &pecial emotion& each year. #hey !ere emotion& I could not e?plain one& that I partly de&ired and partly 9eared. Someho!, tho&e emotion& reminded me o9 a mi&&in. dimen&ion in my li9e that I needed to ma@e me a complete per&on. Sad to &ay, tho&e emotion& didn6t la&t lon. into the 8e! ear. 8everthele&&, I never totally 9or.ot them. #hey !ere al!ay& there &ome!here in the ;ac@.round. It i& e&&ential that !e @eep 5hri&t at the center o9 5hri&tma&. %ithout 5hri&t, 5hri&tma& lo&e& any real or permanent &i.ni9icance. Un9ortunately, 9or many people in contemporary %e&tern culture, thi& &ea&on i& o9ten a&&ociated !ith materiali&m, commerciali&m, and &el9F indul.ence. Scripture ha& a very clear !arnin. 9or u& a;out thi&: #or the one %ho so%s to his o%n $lesh shall $rom the $lesh rea* corru*tion, but the one %ho so%s to the :*irit shall $rom the :*irit rea* eternal li$e' (Galatians 6 ;"

In all our thou.ht&, !ord&, and action&, even the !ay !e &pend our time and money, !e are al!ay& &o!in. &omethin. !e !ill .et ;ac@, or 2reap.2 Scripture &ay& that !e can &o! to the 9le&hto the carnal, to the material, to &el9;ut !e !ill reap only corruption, di&appointment, and 9ru&tration. et i9 !e &o! to the Spirit o9 1od, !e !ill reap eternal li9e. %e !ill have richer, 9uller, and more a;undant live&, the @ind o9 live& Je&u& came to ;rin. u&. In order not to &u99er the 9ru&tration o9 reapin. 9rom the 9le&h, !e mu&t &o! to the Spirit. $ne &pecial !ay to do thi& i& to @eep our heart& and mind& 9ocu&ed on Je&u&. #he purpo&e o9 thi& &ection o9 the ;oo@, then, i& to help u& do thi& ;y deepenin. our under&tandin. o9 Je&u&6 nature and purpo&e& throu.h an e?amination o9 ten o9 Hi& title&.

CHAPTER 18 ,)n!'$1#" C)#n-'")$

<& I &tated earlier, !e need to under&tand that in the )i;le, name& and title& are &i.ni9icant. Every ;i;lical name ha& a &peci9ic meanin., and thi& applie&, a& !ell, to the name& and title& o9 1od. In addition, name& o9ten indicate &omethin. &pecial a;out the character or de&tiny o9 the per&on to !hom they are .iven. #hi& a&&ociation applie& particularly to the many title& .iven to Je&u&. Each tell& u& &omethin. &pecial and important a;out Him. $ut o9 the many title& .iven to Je&u&, I have cho&en certain one& that, I ;elieve, !ill e&pecially ;le&& you. #he 9ir&t t!o title& !e are .oin. to loo@ at come 9rom the ;oo@ o9 I&aiah: #or a child %ill be born to us, a son %ill be given to us& and the government %ill rest on His shoulders& and His name %ill be called 8onder$ul Aounselor'''''''' ?rince o$ ?eace' (Isaiah = 6" In thi& chapter, !e !ill 9ocu& on the title %onder9ul 5oun&elor. I !ould li@e to di&cu&& the meanin. o9 thi& title throu.h another prophecy a;out the comin. 7e&&iah, al&o 9rom the ;oo@ o9 I&aiah: #hen a &hoot !ill &prin. 9rom the &tem o9 Je&&e, and a ;ranch 9rom hi& root& !ill ;ear 9ruit. <nd the Spirit o9 the

:ord !ill re&t on Him, the &pirit o9 !i&dom and under&tandin., the &pirit o9 coun&el and &tren.th, the &pirit o9 @no!led.e and the 9ear o9 the :ord. DI&aiah 11:1F2E In chapter 24, 25hri&t, or 7e&&iah,2 I !ill e?plain 9urther !hat the title 7e&&iah mean&2the anointed one.2 )ut here, !e 9ind the prediction o9 the 7e&&iah, the $ne on !hom the Spirit o9 the :ord !ill re&t in Hi& 9ullne&&. In particular, tho&e a&pect& that ma@e Him the %onder9ul 5oun&elor are empha&iCed here. #he !ord& !e !ant to notice e&pecially are 2!i&dom2 2under&tandin.2 2coun&el2 and 2@no!led.e2 T&' On' ,&) H%- T&' An-+'$I once heard a pa&tor preach a &ermon in !hich he .ave a de&cription o9 Je&u& I had never heard ;e9oreand it ha& &tuc@ !ith me. He &aid, 2Je&u&, the 7an !ith the plan.2 I &ay amen to thatK Je&u& i& the 5oun&elor. He i& the $ne !ho ha& the an&!er. He i& the $ne !ho can &ho! you !hat to do !hen no;ody el&e can. -emem;er, !hen you have come to the end o9 your o!n !it& and re&ource&, there i& a %onder9ul 5oun&elor. :et me &ay a little a;out that !ord !onder9ul. It i& u&ed in variou& place& in the )i;le. %onder9ul al!ay& &u..e&t& &omethin. &upernatural or marvelou&. So, in thi& picture o9 Je&u& a& the %onder9ul 5oun&elor, !e &ee certain element&. Fir&t, Hi& coun&el i& on a &upernatural level. It i& a;ove mere p&ycholo.y and human coun&elin., ho!ever help9ul the&e thin.& mi.ht ;e. Second, Hi& coun&el include& di&cernment.

Je&u& &ee& ri.ht to the heart o9 every pro;lem and every per&on. #hird, Hi& coun&el include& direction. He ha& the an&!er. 8ot only doe& He &ee the pro;lem, ;ut He al&o o99er& the &olution. T+) In-t%n/'- O1 J'-#- A- C)#n-'")$ :et u& loo@ at t!o illu&tration& in the 1o&pel& o9 Je&u& a& the %onder9ul 5oun&elor. %e !ill ;e.in !ith one that involve& the callin. o9 Hi& 9ir&t di&ciple&. 0s .esus %as %al1ing beside the :ea o$ Galilee, he sa% t%o brothers, :imon called ?eter and his brother 0ndre%' They %ere casting a net into the la1e, $or they %ere $ishermen' "Aome, $ollo% me," .esus said, "and I %ill ma1e you $ishers o$ men'" 0t once they le$t their nets and $ollo%ed him' (<atthe% ! ,;5(/ +I@" From all the potential di&ciple&, Je&u& pic@ed t!o men !ho !ere &imple, plain 9i&hermen. #hey had no .reat education, no a&&ociation !ith prie&tly o99ice or !ith teacher& o9 the la!. #hey !ere Ju&t 9i&hermen. )ut Je&u&, the %onder9ul 5oun&elor, &a! &omethin. in tho&e men. He @ne! !hat He could ma@e out o9 them. So, He &aid, in e&&ence, 2I9 you6ll commit your&elve& to 7e, i9 you6ll 9ollo! 7e, I6ll ma@e you 9i&her& o9 men.2 ou need to under&tand that !hat i& important in your relation&hip !ith Je&u& i& not !hat you are !hen you &tart ;ut !hat He i& .oin. to ma@e o9 you. Hi& !onder9ul coun&el

&ee& in all tho&e !ho come to Him !hat they can ;e i9 they yield to Him. #he &econd e?ample i& Je&u&6 encounter !ith the rich youn. ruler: 0s .esus started on his %ay, a man ran u* to him and $ell on his 1nees be$ore him' "Good teacher,"he as1ed, "%hat must I do to inherit eternal li$e9" "8hy do you call me good9" .esus ans%ered' "+o one is goodEeFce*t God alone' Jou 1no% the command5 ments >Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give $alse testimony, do not de$raud, honor your $ather and mother'>" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have 1e*t since I %as a boy'".esus loo1ed at him and loved him' "One thing you lac1," he said' "Go, sell everything you have and give to the *oor, and you %ill have treasure in heaven' Then come, $ollo% me'"0t this the man>s $ace $ell' He %ent a%ay sad, because he had great %ealth' (<ar1 ,/ ,45(( +I@" Je&u& loo@ed ri.ht into the heart o9 that youn. man. He loved him. He !anted the ;e&t 9or him. )ut He had to tell him the truth. #he youn. ruler &aid, 2I6ve @ept all the commandment&.2 Intere&tin.ly enou.h, the commandment not to covet i& not mentioned there. Je&u& &a! that there !a& Ju&t one ;arrier to !hat 1od had 9or that youn. man, and that !a& hi& po&&e&&ion&. He !a& ;ound ;y the material. Je&u& loo@ed ri.ht do!n into hi& heart and &aid, 2#here6& Ju&t one thin.

you have to do. Sell all you have and 9ollo! 7e.2 Je&u& didn6t &ay that to every;ody, ;ecau&e He @ne! the particular hindrance in each li9e. )ut to thi& youn. man, He &aid, in e99ect, 27oney and po&&e&&ion& are your hindrance. I9 you !ant !hat I have to o99er, you6ll have to let them .o.2 So, i9 you have a pro;lem or a need, remem;er that there i& a %onder9ul 5oun&elor, Je&u&. Hi& o99ice i& open t!entyF 9our hour& a day. 0on6t ;e a9raid to .o to Him.

CHAPTER 1: P$in/' O1 P'%/'

<& !e have e&ta;li&hed, each o9 Je&u&6 title& tell& u& &omethin. &pecial and important a;out Je&u& Him&el9. :et u& return to I&aiah /:*, !here !e 9ind a &econd title: #or a child %ill be born to us, a son %ill be given to us& and the government %ill rest on His shoulders& and His name %ill be called'''''' ?rince o$ ?eace' #here i& a certain empha&i& on .overnment in the a;ove prophecy. It &ay&, 2< child !ill he ;orn..., a &on !ill ;e .iven...> and the .overnment !ill re&t on Hi& &houlder&.2 #he title in thi& ver&e that particularly empha&iCe& Hi& character a& a ruler i& Prince o9 Peace. %e have to under&tand that the !ord prince in the Scripture& al!ay& de&i.nate& a ruler. Prince i& not Ju&t a title .ained throu.h 9amily inheritance. It repre&ent& &omeone !ho i& an active ruler, re&pon&i;le 9or .overnment. #hi& i& one 9eature ;rou.ht out here in re.ard to the !onder9ul 5hild !ho !a& to come. P'%/' A//)2*%ni'- Ri5&t')#- G)4'$n2'nt #!o thin.& in our e?perience and in human hi&tory can never ;e &eparated 9rom one another: the 9ir&t i& ri.hteou& .overnment and the &econd i& peace. #hi& corollary i& true o9 individual&, o9 nation&, and even o9 !hole civiliCation&.

$nly in&o9ar a& there i& ri.hteou& .overnment can there ;e peace. %e have a very limited and incomplete picture o9 peace in our contemporary &ociety. %e thin@ there i& peace a& lon. a& there i&n6t open !ar. <& lon. a& nation& are not actually 9i.htin. one another !ith military !eapon&, !e &ay there i& peace, ;ut that i& utterly ridiculou&. %henever there i& ;itterne&&, hatred, &lander, accu&ation, or &y&tematic attempt& to undermine other nation&, outdo them, and ;rin. them do!n, there i& no peace. #he He;re! !ord 9or peace, &halom, implie& much more than that. It& root meanin. i& 2completene&&,2 and it al&o contain& the idea o9 order. #rue N peace i& order and completene&&. G)!'- G)4'$n2'nt On E%$t& #he .ood ne!& o9 the .o&pel i& the e&ta;li&hment o9 1od6& ri.hteou& .overnment, !hich i& called 2Hi& @in.dom2 in the Scripture&. DSee, 9or e?ample, 7atthe! *:"".E 7any o9 u& have mi&&ed thi& truth. Here i& the .ood ne!&: 1od i& .oin. to e&ta;li&h Hi& ri.hteou& .overnment throu.h Je&u&. -emem;er that the !ord .o&pel mean& 2.ood ne!&.2 :et6& loo@ at the proclamation o9 the .o&pel a& it i& .iven in variou& pa&&a.e& in 7atthe!. In those days .ohn the 6a*tist came, *reaching in the Desert o$ .udea and saying, "Ge*ent, $or the 1ingdom o$ heaven is near'" (<atthe% - ,5( +I@"

John the )apti&t !a& the 9ir&t one to proclaim the .o&pel me&&a.e. He &aid 1od6& @in.domHi& .overnment!a& comin.. < little 9urther on, !e read the 9ir&t recorded !ord& Je&u& preached pu;licly: #rom that time on .esus began to *reach, "Ge*ent, $or the 1ingdom o$ heaven is near'" (<atthe% ! ,4 +I@" .esus %ent throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, *reaching the good ne%s o$ the 1ingdom, and healing every disease and sic1ness among the *eo*le' (verse (- +I@" 8otice a.ain that the .ood ne!& i& the @in.dom1od6& .overnment comin. to earth. <nd !e are .oin. to ;e a;le to enJoy the ;ene9it& o9 that .overnment. :ater, in de&cri;in. Hi& pro.ram to ;rin. thi& a.e to a clo&e, Je&u& &aid, 0nd this gos*el Bgood ne%sC o$ the 1ingdom %ill be *reached in the %hole %orld as a testimony to all nations, and then the end %ill come' (<atthe% (! ,! +I@" <ll nation& have a ri.ht to hearat lea&t oncethat 1od i& .oin. to &et up Hi& @in.dom in the Per&on o9 Je&u&, the Prince o9 Peace. #hat i& the only hope 9or peace 9or humanity.

N) P'%/' ,it&)#t T&' P$in/' O1 P'%/' In I&aiah (+, !e have 1od6& promi&e o9 peace to all, ;ut !e al&o have a !arnin. that peace i& not 9or the !ic@ed. Peace i& not 9or tho&e !ho re9u&e 1od6& ri.hteou& .overnment in the Per&on o9 Je&u&. %e cannot have peace apart 9rom the Prince o9 Peace. #hi& i& !hat I&aiah &ay&: "?eace, *eace to him %ho is $ar and to him %ho is near, "says the Lord, "and I %ill heal him'" (Isaiah H4 ,=" #hat i& 1od6& o99er o9 peace. 8ote, al&o, that peace and healin. .o to.ether very clo&ely. #he pa&&a.e continue&, 6ut the %ic1ed are li1e the tossing sea, $or it cannot be Duiet, and its %aters toss u* re$use and mud' "There is no *eace," says my God, >$or the %ic1ed'" (Isaiah H4 (/5(," #ho&e !ho re9u&e 1od6& .overnment are li@e the &ea that cannot re&t. #he &ea i& al!ay& to&&in.. It i& never 9ully Auiet> it cannot ;e totally calm. #he element& o9 unre&t and di&tur;ance are al!ay& there, and the&e element& come throu.h the reJection o9 1od6& ri.hteou& .overnment in the Per&on o9 Je&u&. Je&u& i& the Prince o9 Peace, the only ruler !ho&e .overnment can ;rin. peace to humanity.

J'-#- I- T&' An-+'$ F)$ N%ti)n:et6& con&ider ho! thi& truth applie& to our contemporary &ituation. $ne o9 the mo&t con&picuou& 9eature& o9 the !orld condition today i& the dearth o9 true leader&hipmainly in the political realm, ;ut in other area&, al&o. #here &eem to ;e Ju&t t!o alternative& o99ered to humanity. #he 9ir&t i& dictatorial oppre&&ion, or totalitariani&m. #he &econd i& !ea@, ine99ectual leader&hip that doe&n6t really lead ;ut merely 9ollo!& !here the multitude !ant& to .o. It& deci&ion& are o9ten .overned ;y the Harri& or 1allup poll&. #hat i& not leader&hip. People are 9aced, there9ore, !ith t!o un!elcome choice&. #hey are a9raid o9 oppre&&ion, ;ut they are tired o9 the con9u&ion that re&ult& 9rom ine99ectual leader&hip. %hat i& the &olution3 <ctually, Je&u& i& the only &olution. <nd humanity i& ;ein. prepared to accept that &olution. Humanity i& ;ein. 9aced !ith the 9act that there mu&t ;e .ood .overnment i9 there i& to ;e peace. Humanity i& al&o ;ein. con9ronted !ith the 9act that man, in hi& o!n unre.enerate, re;elliou& nature, cannot o99er truly .ood .overnment. So, 1od6& an&!er i& Je&u&, the Prince o9 Peace. J'-#- I- T&' An-+'$ F)$ .)# )ut, than@ 1od, you don6t have to !ait until the 9uture to e?perience the peace that Je&u& ;rin.&. I9 you !ill !illin.ly yield to the lord&hip o9 Je&u& in your li9e, you can have that peace ri.ht no!. Paul &aid, "The %ord Bthe gos*elC is near you& it is in your

mouth and in your heart," that is, the %ord o$ $aith %e are *roclaiming That i$ you con$ess %ith your mouth, ".esus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him $rom the dead, you %ill be saved' (Gomans ,/ ;5= +I@" 1od ha& an an&!er 9or your pro;lem. He o99er& you &alvation, deliverance, healin., and peace. #here are Ju&t t!o condition&. Fir&t, you have to ;elieve in your heart the record o9 the .o&pel that 1od rai&ed Je&u& 9rom the dead. et ;elievin. in your heart, ;y it&el9, i& not enou.h. #he .o&pel demand& a re&pon&e o9 9aith. #here9ore, you al&o have to con9e&& !ith your mouth, 2Je&u& i& :ord.2 %hat doe& it mean to con9e&& Je&u& a& :ord3 2%hat it really mean& i&, "Lord Jesus, I acce t Your !overnment in my life. I have made a mess of it by myself, and I am not ca able of fully !overnin! my life. I don"t have the eace You romised. #i!ht now, I make this decision to make You Lord of my life, without reservation. Come into my life and take full control. $overn me and !ive me Your eace. Amen."

CHAPTER 1; T&' ,)$! O1 G)!

#he title o9 Je&u& !e !ill loo@ at in thi& chapter i& 9ound mainly in the !ritin.& o9 John: #he %ord o9 1od. #o ;e.in, let6& loo@ at the openin. ver&e o9 John6& .o&pel: In the beginning %as the 8ord, and the 8ord %as %ith God, the 8ord %as God' (.ohn , , +I@" T&' T)t%" Min! An! C)#n-'" O1 G)! 8otice that in the a;ove ver&e, the term 2the %ord2 i& u&ed three time&. #he $ne &o de&i.nated i& Je&u& in Hi& eternal nature not Je&u& the &on o9 7ary, ;ut Je&u& the Son o9 1od, the $ne !ho !a& eternally, ;e9ore creation, !ith 1od. #he $ne !ho i& Him&el9 1od, the &econd Per&on o9 the 1odhead. The 8ord became $lesh and made his d%elling among us' 8e have seen his glory, the glory o$ the One and Only, %ho came $rom the #ather, $ull o$ grace and truth' (.ohn , ,! +I@" <.ain, 2the %ord2 i& a title o9 Je&u&. He i& the one and only Son, the eternal, ;e.otten Son. He i& not created ;ut ;e.otten. He i& eternal, o9 one nature and ;ein. !ith the Father Him&el9. <& &uch, He, the %ord, ;ecame 9le&hthe incarnationand lived 9or a !hile amon. u&. It !a& the eternal %ord that came into human hi&tory a& the little ;a;y

!ho !a& ;orn in the man.er at )ethlehem and !ho .re! up to ;e the carpenter6& &on. Je&u& not only came once a& a ;a;y, ;ut Scripture ma@e& it cleat He al&o i& comin. ;ac@ a.ain in po!er and in .lory to Jud.e and to rei.n. #here i& a vivid picture o9 Hi& 9uture comin. in the ;oo@ o9 -evelation. $nce a.ain, in thi& conte?t, He i& called 2the %ord o9 1od.2 John the -evelator &ay& thi&: I sa% heaven standing o*en and there be$ore me %as a %hite horse, %hose rider is called #aith$ul and True Bthe rider is .esusC' 8ith 2ustice he 2udges and ma1es %ar' His eyes are li1e bla3ing $ire, and on his head are many cro%ns' He has a name %ritten on him that no one 1no%s but he himsel$' He is dressed in a robe di**ed in blood, and his name is the 8ord o$ God' (Gevelation ,= ,,5,- +I@" So, there a.ain i& 2the %ord2 in Hi& .loriou& maJe&ty, comin. to Jud.e and to rei.n, !earin. many @in.ly cro!n&, dre&&ed in a ro;e dipped in ;lood D!hich &pea@& o9 Hi& &acri9ice o9 Him&el9 on the cro&&E, and Hi& name i& the %ord o9 1od. #he 1ree@ !ord tran&lated 2%ord2 i& lo.o&. It i& a !ord that i& u&ed Auite 9reAuently today in variou& conte?t&. %e need to under&tand a little a;out thi& term. < 9riend o9 mine i& a 1ree@ $rthodo? prie&t !ho&e native lan.ua.e i& 1ree@. DI al&o &tudied 1ree@ my&el9 9rom the time I !a& ten year& old.E #hi& 9riend .ave me a lecture on the meanin. o9 the !ord lo.o& that I never 9or.ot. He &aid, 2:o.o& i&n6t Ju&t a &po@en !ord. :o.o& mean& 6mind,6 it

mean& 6coun&el,6 it mean& a !hole under&tandin..2 #hat i& !hat Je&u& i&. He i& not Ju&t a &po@en !ord, ;ut He i& the total mind and coun&el o9 1od. Everythin. 1od @no!&, everythin. 1od !ant& to &ay, everythin. 1od !ant& to do i& all !rapped up in Je&u&, the %ord o9 1od. T&' F#"" An! Fin%" R'4'"%ti)n O1 G)! %e need to reco.niCe the uniAue 9unction o9 !ord&. %ord& are the &upreme medium o9 communication. %ithout !ord&, !e can u&e &i.n& and .e&ture&, e?pre&& certain ;a&ic 9eelin.&, and communicate certain ;a&ic need&. )ut !ithout !ord&, !e al&o can never communicate to one another the true content& o9 our heart&. %e cannot really &ay !hat !e !ant to &ay. %e cannot e?pre&& deep and intimate 9eelin.& and lon.in.&, nor tal@ a;out !hat i& intere&tin., &timulatin., enrichin., and really !orth tal@in. a;out. Je&u& i& the %ord o9 1od. 1od reveal& Him&el9 in many !ay&: in creation, in hi&tory, and &o 9orth. )ut !hen 1od really !ant& to &ay !hat i& in Hi& heart, He ha& only one !ay to &ay it: He &ay& it in Je&u&. Je&u& i& the 9ull and ultimate revelation o9 1od. $nly He @no!& 1od totally. :et6& loo@ at the de&cription in He;re!& o9 !ho Je&u& i& in Hi& eternal nature. In the *ast God s*o1e to our $ore$athers through the *ro*hets at many times and in various %ays, but in these last days he has s*o1en to us by his :on'''' (Hebre%s , ,5( +I@"

#he !ord 2la&t2 i& &i.ni9icant. Je&u& i& the la&t !ord o9 1od. #he prophet& had much to &ay, ;ut !hen 1od !anted to &ay everythin., to &um it all up, He &ent Hi& Son. #hi& i& ho! the Son i& de&cri;ed: '''%hom he a**ointed heir o$ all things, and through %hom he made the universe' The :on is the radiance o$ God>s glory and the eFact re*resentation o$ his being, sustaining all things by his *o%er$ul %ord' 0$ter he had *rovided *uri$ication $or sins, he sat do%n at the right hand o$ the <a2esty in heaven' (verses (5- +I@" Je&u& i& the %ord o9 1odthe 9ull, complete revelation and un9oldin. o9 all that 1od i&, o9 all that 1od !ant& to &ay. :et me empha&iCe that !ithout revelation, man cannot @no! 1od. <t one time, I !a& a pro9e&&ional philo&opher, a teacher o9 philo&ophy. I &tudied many philo&ophical &y&tem& in !hich philo&opher& tried ;y mere natural rea&onin. to arrive at an under&tandin. o9 !hether there i& a 1od and, i9 &o, !hat 1od i& li@e. I di&covered that each one o9 them came to a di99erent conclu&ion. %hat that &ho!ed me i& that mere rea&onin. and human intelli.ence cannot .ive u& a true or accurate picture o9 1od. %e are dependent on 1od6& o!n &overei.n revelation o9 Him&el9 i9 !e are to @no! !ho 1od i& and !hat He i& li@e. It plea&ed 1od to .ive u& thi& total revelation o9 Him&el9 in the Per&on o9 Hi& Son, the %ord made 9le&h, the $ne in !hom 1od ha& &aid all He ha& to &ay. Je&u& i& that revelation

o9 1od, the %ord o9 1od. He i& the $ne !ho &ho!& u& !hat 1od i& really li@e. #he $ne !ho open& up the very heart, nature, and ;ein. o9 1od. #he $ne !ho reveal& to u& the mercy o9 1od, the 9aith9ulne&& o9 1od, and the !i&dom o9 1od. #he $ne !ho .ive& u& a true picture o9 1od. J'-#- R'4'%"- ,&%t G)! T&' F%t&'$ I- Li7' It i& &o pathetic to &ee people !ith 9al&e picture& o9 1od. %hen I !a& in E.ypt, I &a! the remain& and the relic& o9 a pharaoh6& empire. <nd I !a& Ju&t &hoc@ed ;y the di99erent picture& they had o9 1od, &ome e?tremely de;a&ed and horri;le. #!o o9 their main .od& !ere repre&ented ;y the co;ra and the vulture. <nother .od !a& the Jac@al. 5an you ima.ine picturin. 1od li@e that3 It i& Je&u& !ho tell& u& and &ho!& u& !hat 1od the Father i& really li@e. #he mo&t important conclu&ion o9 Je&u& a& 1od6& la&t !ord i& that He i& the 9ull and 9inal revelation. I9 !e reJect that revelation, !e cannot e?pect to hear 9rom 1od in any other !ay, 9or there i& no other !ay. Je&u& &aid, 2I am the !ay...> no one come& to the Father, ;ut throu.h 7e2 DJohn 1':*, empha&i& addedE. ou cannot reJect Je&u& and come to the Father. )elieve in Him and receive Him ;y a&@in. Him to come into your li9e. $pen your heart and mind to Him today. He !ill &ho! you the real nature o9 1od the Father. ou !on6t ;e .ropin. or !onderin.. ou !ill have a clear under&tandin., an ever increa&in. and ;ri.hter revelation o9

the true nature and Per&on o9 1od. 7ay 1od help you to receive Him today i9 you have never done &o ;e9ore. I9 you have received Him, I pray that you !ill continue to ;e receptive to Him and remain open to Hi& revelation o9 the Father.

CHAPTER 1< T&' L%23 O1 G)!

John the )apti&t !a& &ent ;e9ore Je&u& a& Hi& 9orerunner to prepare the !ay ;e9ore Him. #hen, the time came 9or John to introduce Je&u& pu;licly to I&rael. :et6& loo@ at thi& account in the .o&pel o9 John: The neFt day .ohn sa% .esus coming to%ard him and said, "Loo1, the Lamb o$ God, %ho ta1es a%ay the sin o$ the %orld! This is the one I meant %hen I said, 0 man %ho comes a$ter me has sur*assed me because he %as be$ore me'> I mysel$ did not 1no% him, but the reason I came ba*ti3ing %ith %ater %as that he might be revealed to Israel'" (.ohn , (=5-, +I@" John the )apti&t came to prepare the I&raelite& 9or the @in.dom o9 1od and to reveal the 7e&&iah to them. %hen he .ave them thi& revelation, the &tatement he u&ed !a&, 2:oo@, the :am; o9 1od, !ho ta@e& a!ay the &in o9 the !orldK2 T&$'' S/$i*t#$%" A--)/i%ti)n- In T&' L%23 %hat doe& thi& particular title, #he :am; o9 1od, tell u& a;out Je&u&3 I &u..e&t to you that there are three main a&&ociation& in Scripture in re.ard to a lam;. -emem;er that all I&rael !a& very 9amiliar !ith thi& animal. It ha& played a uniAue part in their hi&tory 9rom the time o9 their e?odu&

9rom E.ypt on!ard. So, there !a& not a &in.le I&raelite li&tenin. to John 9or !hom the !ord lam; did not have a very &pecial meanin.. Here are the three a&&ociation& I &ee in the lam;: Fir&t, the lam; i& a picture o9 mee@ne&&. #hi& i& not an animal that 9i.ht&. It doe& not have talon&, cla!&, or 9an.&. It i& a mee@ animal. Second, a lam; i& a picture o9 purity. I9 you .o out in the 9ield& in the &prin.time and loo@ at the ne!;orn lam;&, they loo@ &o clean and !hite and 9lu99y. #here i& &omethin. a;out them that ma@e& you !ant to Ju&t pic@ them up and cuddle them. #hirdand thi& i& the mo&t important o9 allin the hi&tory o9 I&rael, the lam; !a& 1od6& appointed &acri9ice to provide redemption and protection. For the Je!&, the lam; !a& particularly a&&ociated !ith one o9 their mo&t &olemn and important reli.iou& commemoration&, one that i& &till cele;rated all over the !orld today ;y Je!i&h people: the Pa&&over. T&' P%--)4'$ L%23 #he ori.inal account o9 ho! 1od intended I&rael to cele;rate the Pa&&over, a& .iven to the I&raelite& throu.h 7o&e&, i& recorded in E?odu& 12. ou !ill &ee that the !hole Pa&&over, a& ordained ;y 1od, centered around a lam;> !ithout a lam;, there could ;e no Pa&&over:

Then <oses summoned all the elders o$ Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals $or your $amilies and slaughter the ?assover lamb' Ta1e a bunch o$ hysso*, di* it into the blood in the basin and *ut some o$ the blood on the to* and on both sides o$ the door $rame' +ot one o$ you shall go out the door o$ his house until morning' 8hen the Lord goes through the land to stri1e do%n the )gy*tians, he %ill see the blood on the to* and sides o$ the door $rame and %ill *ass over that door%ay, and he %ill not *ermit the destroyer to enter your houses and stri1e you do%n'" ()Fodus ,( (,5(- +I@" #he entire deliverance o9 I&rael 9rom Jud.ment and !rath depended on the lam; and it& ;lood. #hey had to apply the ;lood upon the out&ide& o9 the hou&e& in !hich they lived. #hat !ord 2Pa&&over2 i& intere&tin.. In He;re!, it i& Pe&ach. 7any year& a.o, I !a& &tudyin. He;re! at the He;re! Univer&ity in Jeru&alem. %hile my !i9e, -uth, and I !ere there, !e read the account o9 a hurricane that !a& approachin. our home in &outhea&t Florida. $9 cour&e, !e !ere prayin. earne&tly, and 1od did a marvelou& thin.. Ju&t at the la&t moment, !hen the hurricane !a& a;out one hour a!ay, !ithout any o;viou& rea&on, it chan.ed cour&e and pa&&ed ;y our home city !ithout doin. any dama.e. Intere&tin.ly enou.h, in our cla&&, !e !ere &tudyin. a He;re! ne!&paper that reported thi& incident, and !hen it &po@e a;out the hurricane 2pa&&in. ;y,2 it u&ed the !ord 9rumpe&ach, !ho&e root !ord i& the &ame a& the !ord 9or Pa&&over. #he other &tudent& in the cla&& a&@ed, 2%hat doe&

that mean32 <nd I &aid, 2 ou ou.ht to @no! !hat that mean&. #hat i& the !ord 9or Pa&&over.2 #hi& !a& &uch a vivid illu&tration to me o9 !hat the Pa&&over mean&: it mean& that the hurricane o9 1od6& !rath and Jud.ment !a& de9lected. It pa&&ed ;y ;ecau&e o9 the ;lood o9 the Pa&&over lam;. A T *' F#"1i""'! In J'-##he Pa&&over lam; !a& a type that !a& 9ul9illed in Je&u&, the :am; o9 1od. Fir&t, !e have thi& prophetic picture in I&aiah: He %as o**ressed and a$$licted, yet he did not o*en his mouth& he %as led li1e a lamb to the slaughter Ba *icture o$ mee1nessC, and as a shee* be$ore her shearers is silent, so he did not o*en his mouth' (Isaiah H- 4 +I@" < .ood many year& a.o, I !or@ed on a 9arm !ith &heep, and I noticed ho! amaCin.ly accurate that Scripture i&. %hen you ta@e a &heep to ;e &horn, it !ill ;leat loudly all the !ay until you actually pic@ up the &hear& and &tart clippin. o99 the !ool. <t that moment, the &heep ;ecome& a;&olutely &ilent. Ho! accurate the Scripture i& !hen it &ay&, 2<& a &heep ;e9ore her &hearer& i& &ilent, &o he HJe&u&I did not open hi& mouthK6 #he 9ul9illment o9 thi& ver&e i& recorded in the 1o&pel&. :et u& loo@ in 7ar@6& .o&pel at the account o9 Je&u& ;e9ore the Sanhedrin:

The chie$ *riests and the %hole :anhedrin %ere loo1ing $or evidence against .esus so that they could *ut him to death, but they did not $ind any' <any testi$ied $alsely against him, but their statements did not agree''''Then the high *riest stood u* be$ore them and as1ed .esus, "0re you not going to ans%er9 8hat is this testimony that these men are bringing against you9" 6ut .esus remained silent and gave no ans%er' (<ar1 ,! HH5H6, 6/56, +I@" #here Je&u& !a&, the &heep ;e9ore the &hearer&, a;&olutely &ilent. #he &ame thin. happened ;e9ore Pilate, the -oman .overnor: The chie$ *riests accused him o$ many things' :o again ?ilate as1ed him, "0ren>t you going to ans%er9 :ee ho% many things they are accusing you o$'" 6ut .esus still made no re*ly, and ?ilate %as ama3ed' (<ar1 ,H -5H +I@" T&' B"))! O1 T&' L%23 #he ;lood o9 the Pa&&over lam; &aved DredeemedE the I&raelite& 9rom ;ein. de&troyed D&ee E?odu& 12:21F2"E, &o they could ;e ;rou.ht out o9 E.ypt and ;e led to the Promi&ed :and. )ut the ;lood o9 Je&u&, the :am; o9 1od, provide& eternal &alvation 9or all !ho ;elieve in Hi& atonin. death and !ho receive Him a& their Savior and :ord. #hi& i& &tated clearly many time& in the 8e! #e&tament. For in&tance, it &ay& in He;re!&, 8hen Ahrist came as high *riest o$ the good things

that are already here, he %ent through the greater and more *er$ect tabernacle that is not man5made, that is to say, not a *art o$ this creation' He did not enter by means o$ the blood o$ goats and calves& but he entered the <ost Holy ?lace once $or all by his o%n blood, having obtained eternal redem*tion' (Hebre%s = ,,5,( +I@" #he ;lood o9 Je&u& o;tained eternal redemption 9or every ;eliever. #or you 1no% that it %as not %ith *erishable things such as silver or gold that you %ere redeemed $rom the em*ty %ay o$ li$e handed do%n to you $rom your $ore$athers, but %ith the *recious blood o$ Ahrist, a lamb %ithout blemish or de$ect' (, ?eter , ,;5,= +I@" It too@ the ;lood o9 Je&u&, the :am; o9 1od1od6& &inle&&, eternal Sonto provide eternal redemption. #he ;lood o9 the Pa&&over lam; !a& a type, a 9i.ure. It provided temporary redemption. It had to ;e rene!ed every year. )ut !hen Je&u& &hed Hi& ;lood and entered into the holie&t, that !a& once and 9or all. It never had to ;e repeated. He had o;tained eternal redemption. A P%tt'$n F)$ UFinally, !e &ee that the nature o9 Je&u& a& the :am; o9 1od provide& an e?ample and a pattern that !e need to learn to 9ollo! in our live&.

#o thi& you !ere called, ;ecau&e 5hri&t &u99ered 9or you, leavin. you an e?ample, that you &hould 9ollo! in hi& &tep&. "He committed no sin, and no deceit %as $ound in his mouth'" 8hen they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate& %hen he su$$ered, he made no threats' (, ?eter ( (,5(- +I@" #here Je&u& !a&the &potle&&, mee@ :am; o9 1od &tandin. ;e9ore Hi& accu&er&, o99erin. no de9en&e, no retaliation. #hat i& the lam; nature in the Son o9 1od. 1od ma@e& it very clear that !e !ho are ;eliever& and 9ollo!er& o9 Je&u& have to reproduce that lam; nature. He &et u& an e?ample to 9ollo!: 26He committed no &in, and no deceit !a& 9ound in hi& mouth.6 %hen they hurled their in&ult& at him, he did not retaliate> !hen he &u99ered, he made no threat&3 #hat i& part o9 the nature o9 Je&u& that 1od !ant& to !or@ in each one o9 u&.

CHAPTER 1> T&' Li)n O1 T&' T$i3' O1 J#!%&

For thi& chapter, I have deli;erately cho&en a title that i& in the &tron.e&t po&&i;le contra&t to that o9 the previou& chapter. %hat t!o animal& could ;e in .reater contra&t to each other than a lam; and a lion3 et Je&u& com;ine& the Aualitie& o9 ;oth !ithin Him&el9. #hi& 9act illu&trate& a principle that I have already &tated: each title o9 Je&u& reveal& &ome important a&pect o9 Hi& !onder9ul, manyF &ided nature. "T&' Li)n H%- T$i#2*&'!" #he title #he :ion o9 the #ri;e o9 Judah i& 9ound in the ;oo@ o9 -evelation. In chapter (, John the -evelator de&cri;ed a vi&ion he !a& permitted to !itne&& in heaven. It i& a &cene o9 maJe&ty and .randeur, and it portray& the very throne o9 1od. #hi& i& !hat John &a! in the place !here 1od6& throne &tand&: Then I sa% in the right hand o$ him %ho sat on the throne a scroll %ith %riting on both sides and sealed %ith seven seals' 0nd I sa% a mighty angel *roclaiming in a loud voice, "8ho is %orthy to brea1 the seals and o*en the scroll9" 6ut no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could o*en the scroll or even loo1 inside it' (Gevelation H ,5+I@"

#hi& &croll !a& the revelation o9 !hat lay ahead in human hi&tory and de&tiny up to the clo&e o9 the pre&ent a.e. $9 cour&e, John lon.ed to @no! !hat 1od !a& &ee@in. to reveal. )ut the le&&on here i& that &tren.th did not prevail to open the &croll. #hou.h it !a& a mi.hty an.el !ho proclaimed in a loud voice, no one re&ponded, no one !a& !orthy. So John !a& deeply .rieved, and he !rote, I %e*t and %e*t because no one %as $ound %ho %as %orthy to o*en the scroll or loo1 inside' Then one o$ the elders said to me, "Do not %ee*! :ee, the Lion o$ the tribe o$ .udah, the Goot o$ David, has trium*hed' He is able to o*en the scroll and its seven seals'" (Gevelation H !5H +I@" 2#he :ion o9 the tri;e o9 Judah2 i& Je&u&. He i& al&o 2the -oot o9 0avid2 the one out o9 !hom 0avid received hi& @in.ly authority. <t thi& point, John loo@ed to!ard the throne e?pectin. to &ee thi& lion, ;ut he &a! &omethin. very di99erent. Then I sa% a Lamb, loo1ing as i$ it had been slain, standing in the center o$ the throne, encircled by the $our living creatures and the elders' He had seven horns and seven eyes, %hich are the seven s*irits o$ God sent out into all the earth' (verse 6 +I@" A G$'%t P%$%!)@ 5an you &ee the deli;erate parado?3 Je&u& !a& proclaimed a& the :ion, ;ut !hen John loo@ed, he &a! a &lain :am;.

John continued, He Bthe LambC came and too1 the scroll $rom the right hand o$ him %ho sat on the throne' 0nd %hen he had ta1en it, the $our living creatures and the t%enty5$our elders $ell do%n be$ore the Lamb' )ach one had a har* and they %ere holding golden bo%ls $ull o$ incense, %hich are the *rayers o$ the saints' 0nd they sang a ne% song "Jou are %orthy to ta1e the scroll and to o*en its seals, because you %ere slain, and %ith your blood you *urchased men $or God $rom every tribe and language and *eo*le and nation'" (Gevelation H 45= +I@" -emem;er in the la&t chapter a;out the :am; o9 1od, I pointed out that it !a& throu.h one :am;6& ;lood that redemption !a& provided. #he Pa&&over lam; provided temporary redemption. )ut Je&u&, the eternal Son o9 1od, the :am; o9 1od, provide& eternal redemption throu.h Hi& ;lood. So you &ee a.ain the deli;erate parado?: the :am; ha& ;ecome the :ion. <l&o, in connection !ith the title 2the :ion o9 the tri;e o9 Judah2 Dver&e (E, notice that thi& i& an eternal picture and an eternal title o9 Je&u&. It i& Je&u& e?alted 9orever at 1od6& ri.ht hand. He i& &till called the :ion o9 the tri;e o9 Judah. #hat de&i.nation i& very &i.ni9icant. Je&u& did not identi9y Him&el9 only temporarily !ith humanity throu.h the incarnation. He ;ecame man 9orever !ithout lo&in. Hi& identity a& 1od. Furthermore, Hi&

identity !ith the Je!i&h people !a& not temporary. He i& 9orever the :ion o9 the tri;e o9 Judah. He ha& a &pecial connection !ith the Je!i&h people. C&%$%/t'$i-ti/- O1 T&' Li)n :et6& loo@ no! at &ome characteri&tic& a&&ociated !ith the lion, a& depicted in the ;oo@ o9 Prover;&. Fir&t, the lion in&pire& 9ear: 2< @in.& ra.e i& li@e the roar o9 a lion, ;ut hi& 9avor i& li@e de! on the .ra&&2 DProver;& 1/:12 8IGE. Je&u& i& the :ion !ho&e roar in&pire& 9ear. )ut, than@ 1od, Hi& 9avor 2i& li@e de! on the .ra&&3 Second, the :ion i& pictured a& 9earle&&: 2#he !ic@ed man 9lee& thou.h no one pur&ue&, ;ut the ri.hteou& are a& ;old a& a lion2 DProver;& 2,:1 8IGE. )oldne&& i& a part o9 the nature o9 a lion. #hird, the lion i& pictured a& irre&i&ti;le. In Prover;& "4, 9our impre&&ive creature& are particularly &tated and de&cri;ed. #he 9ir&t and mo&t impre&&ive i& the lion. There are three things that are stately in their stride, $our that move %ith stately bearing a lion, mighty among beasts, %ho retreats be$ore nothing& a strutting rooster, a he5goat, and a 1ing %ith his army around him' (?roverbs -/ (=5-, +I@" 8otice that the 2lion, mi.hty amon. ;ea&t&,... retreat& ;e9ore nothin.B. Je&u& i& the irre&i&ti;le, allFconAuerin. :ion o9 the tri;e o9 Judah. #he :ion po&&e&&e& .reat &tren.th. He i&

9ear9ul. He i& a!eFin&pirin.. %e could ;e 9ri.htened o9 Him. )ut !e mu&t under&tand thi& ;eauti9ul truth: i9 !e receive the :am;, !e don6t need to 9ear the :ion. An Et'$n%" P$in/i*"' <n eternal principle i& repre&ented in the compo&ite picture o9 Je&u& a& the :am; and the :ion: in 1od6& economy, mee@ne&& i& the appointed !ay to true &tren.th. #hat principle i& very di99erent 9rom the human vie!point. 1od &ay&, in e99ect, 2I9 you !ant to ;ecome &tron., you have to ;ecome !ea@. I9 you !ant to ;e e?alted, you have to ;ecome lo!ly.2 Paul !rote in 1 5orinthian& a;out the @ind o9 people !hom 1od receive& a& Hi& o!n: 8here is the %ise man9 8here is the scholar9 8here is the *hiloso*her o$ this age9 Has not God made $oolish the %isdom o$ the %orld9 #or since in the %isdom o$ God the %orld through its %isdom did not 1no% him, God %as *leased through the $oolishness o$ %hat %as *reached to save those %ho believe, .e%s demand miraculous signs and Gree1s loo1 $or %isdom, but %e *reach Ahrist cruci$ied a stumbling bloc1 to .e%s and $oolishness to Gentiles, but to those %hom God has called, both .e%s and Gree1s, Ahrist the *o%er o$ God and the %isdom o$ God' (, Aorinthians , (/5(! +I@" Here i& the application:

#or the $oolishness o$ God is %iser than man>s %isdom, and the %ea1ness o$ God is stronger than mans strength' (verse (H +I@" <ll o9 thi& i& repre&ented in the :am;. It &eem& 9ooli&h to the natural mind, ;ut the ultimate revelation o9 1od6& !i&dom and o9 1od6& &tren.th i& contained in the :am;. 8ote !hat Paul &aid a;out hi& o!n e?perience&: To 1ee* me $rom becoming conceited because o$ these sur*assingly great revelations, there %as given me a thorn in my $lesh, a messenger o$ :atan, to torment me' Three times I *leaded %ith the Lord to ta1e it a%ay $rom me' 6ut he said to me, "<y grace is su$$icient $or you, $or my *o%er is made *er$ect in %ea1ness'" There$ore I %ill boast all the more gladly about my %ea1nesses, so that Ahrist>s *o%er may rest on me' That is %hy, $or Ahrist>s sa1e, I delight in %ea1nesses, in insults, in hardshi*s, in *ersecutions, in di$$iculties' #or %hen I am %ea1, then I am strong' (( Aorinthians ,( 45,/ +I@" #hat i& the le&&on o9 the :am; and the :ion. I9 you !ant to ;e &tron. !ith 1od6& &tren.th, you have to ;e !ea@ in your o!n &tren.th. I9 you !ant to ;e e?alted, you have to ;e hum;led. #he !ay to ;ecome a lion i& to &tart a& a lam;. #hat i& the !i&dom o9 1od, ;ut it i& 9ooli&hne&& to men. It i& the &tren.th o9 1od, ;ut it i& con&idered !ea@ne&& in man6& eye&. #han@ 1od, Je&u& proved, once and 9or all, that the

9ooli&hne&& o9 1od i& !i&er than man6& !i&dom and the !ea@ne&& o9 1od i& &tron.er than man6& &tren.th. It i& all &ummed up in the :am; !ho ;ecame the :ion.

CHAPTER 1A S%4i)$
#he title I am pre&entin. in thi& chapter i& perhap& the &imple&t and yet the mo&t !onder9ul o9 all the title& o9 Je&u&. It i& Savior. S%"4%ti)n I- In A P'$-)n T&' R'4'"%ti)n Gi4'n B T&' An5'" #he title Savior !a& .iven ;y revelation throu.h an an.el to Jo&eph !hen 7ary !a& e&pou&ed to him ;ut they !ere not yet married. #he an.el &aid, .ose*h son o$ David, do not be a$raid to ta1e <ary home as your %i$e, because %hat is conceived in her is $rom the Holy :*irit' :he %ill give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name .esus, because he %ill save his *eo*le $rom their sins' (<atthe% , (/'5 (, +I@" #he an.el6& &tatement, 2 ou are to .ive him the name Je&u&, ;ecau&e he !ill &ave hi& people 9rom their &in&3 indicate& that the name Je&u& mean& 2Savior,2 yet !e al&o @no! thi& 9rom the ori.in o9 the !ord. In He;re!, the name Je&u& i& e&hua, !hich i& another 9orm o9 a 9amiliar name 9rom the $ld #e&tament, eho&hua, or Jo&hua. #he name e&hua, or eho&hua, mean& 2&alvation o9 the :ord.2

It i& important to &ee that thi& name !a& .iven ;y 1od Him&el9 directly throu.h the an.el, and that it !a& .iven ;e9ore Je&u&6 ;irth. It !a& the revelation o9 !hy 1od &ent Je&u&. He &ent Him to &ave Hi& people 9rom their &in&. :et u& con&ider 9or a moment the role o9 Jo&hua in the $ld #e&tament. 1od ;rou.ht the I&raelite& out o9 E.ypt under their .reat leader, 7o&e&. )ut 7o&e& !a& not a;le to ;rin. I&rael into the Promi&ed :and. It reAuired the ri&in. up o9 a ne! leader, Jo&hua, !ho&e name mean& 2&alvation.2 #hat, I thin@, i& a picture o9 !hat Je&u& doe& 9or u& in the ne! covenant. He i& the leader !ho alone can ;rin. u& into the land o9 1od6& promi&e&the 2land o9 &alvation.2 -e.ardin. the .ivin. o9 thi& name and it& application, it i& very important to &ee that &alvation i& in a per&on, not merely in reli.ion, commandment&, or ritual&. <ll tho&e may ;e .ood, ;ut, in them&elve&, they are in&u99icient to provide &alvation. Salvation ta@e& a Per&on. T&' T'-ti2)n O1 G)!'- S'$4%nt Si2')n #hi& truth i& ;rou.ht out a.ain in the latter part o9 the &tory o9 the ;a;y Je&u&. %hen Hi& parent& too@ Him to the temple to o99er the appropriate &acri9ice& reAuired ;y the :a!, they encountered an old man, Simeon. 0irected ;y the Holy Spirit, Simeon too@ up the in9ant Je&u& in hi& arm& and prayed a ;eauti9ul prayer in !hich he &aid the&e !ord& to 1od: 2For my eye& have &een your &alvation2 D:u@e 2:"4 8IGE. %hat !a& 2your &alvation23 It !a& that little in9ant in hi&

arm&. )ut in that little in9ant, Je&u&in that Per&on!a& 1od6& &alvation. J'-#- St%t'2'nt T) F%//&%'#:ater, in the pu;lic mini&try o9 Je&u&, there came a time !hen He invited Him&el9 to the hou&e o9 a ta? collector named Macchaeu&. Every;ody thou.ht that Macchaeu& !a& not .ood enou.h to have Je&u& come to hi& hou&e, and they ;e.an to murmur. )ut a9ter Je&u& had entered the hou&e, He &aid to Macchaeu&, #oday &alvation ha& come to thi& hou&e, ;ecau&e thi& man, too, i& a &on o9 <;raham. For the Son o9 7an came to &ee@ and to &ave !hat !a& lo&t. D:u@e 1/:/F14 8IGE Ho! did &alvation come to the hou&e o9 Macchaeu&3 Salvation came in the Per&on o9 Je&u&. %hen Je&u& came into that hou&e, !elcomed and received ;y Macchaeu&, then &alvation entered the hou&e. 1od6& &alvation i& not Ju&t in la! or reli.ion> it i& in a Per&on. %e have to @no! the Per&on to @no! &alvation. T&' T'-ti2)n O1 O"! T'-t%2'nt P$)*&'/ #he &ame principle i& indicated prophetically in the $ld #e&tament. For in&tance, in the P&alm&, !e 9ind a prayer o9 0avid that i& Auite remar@a;le. 0avid !a& under much oppre&&ion> he had many enemie&, and hi& li9e !a& in dan.er, &o he prayed the&e !ord&:

Aontend, O Lord, %ith those %ho contend %ith me& $ight against those %ho $ight against me' (?salm -H , +I@" #hen, he continued, :ay to my soul, "I am your salvation'" (verse - +I@" #hat i& an e?traordinary prayer. 0avid did not Ju&t &ay, 2Save me.2 He &aid, 2Pre&ent our&el9 to me a& my &alvation.2 1od recorded that prayer o9 0avid, and a thou&and year& later, He an&!ered it !hen He &ent Je&u&. <nythin. le&& than 1od i& not enou.h 9or &alvation. <.ain, the &alvation o9 Je&u& !a& prophetically 9ore&ho!n ;y I&aiah: Then you %ill say on that day, "I %ill give than1s to Thee, O Lord& $or although Thou %ast angry %ith me, Thine anger is turned a%ay, and Thou dost com$ort me' 6ehold, God is my salvation, I %ill trust and not be a$raid& $or the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation'" (Isaiah ,( ,5(" %e &ee here the &ame principle. #hi& pa&&a.e repre&ent& 1od6& per&on, 1od6& child, or the people o9 1od a& under the an.er o9 1od. #hen, 1od6& an.er i& turned a!ay, and He com9ort&. <t that revelation, the e?planation i&, 21od ha& ;ecome my &alvation.2 )ear in mind that anythin. le&& than 1od Him&el9 i& not

&u99icient 9or &alvation. )ut 1od ha& provided &alvation in the Per&on o9 Je&u&. S%"4%ti)n In A ,)$! #o under&tand the 9ull &cope o9 the &alvation 1od ha& provided 9or u& in Je&u&, !e need to loo@ at the meanin. o9 a particular ver; that i& u&ed many time& in the 8e! #e&tament. In the 1ree@ lan.ua.e, the ver; i& &oCo. It i& normally tran&lated, 2to &ave,2 ;ut it i& al&o tran&lated in many other !ay&. For tho&e !ho do not have acce&& to the ori.inal 1ree@, I !ant to point out that there are many place& !here the !ord &oCo, 2to &ave,2 i& u&ed. )ut you !ould not reco.niCe tho&e time&, ;ecau&e the !ord i& tran&lated in En.li&h a& 2to heal,2 2to cure,2 and in other !ay&. Every time thi& !ord, &oCo, i& u&ed, it mean& that thi& i& part o9 !hat 1od ha& provided in Je&u& the Savior. Such i& the .reat, allFinclu&ive &alvation Je&u& ;rin.&. For in&tance, thi& !ord i& u&ed in re.ard to the healin. o9 an incura;le di&ea&e. < !oman !ho had a hemorrha.e, or an i&&ue o9 ;lood, !hich could not ;e cured medically, came up ;ehind Je&u& in a cro!d. In 9aith, &he touched the ;order o9 Hi& ro;e and !a& miraculou&ly healed. Je&u& identi9ied her a& the one !ho touched Him. .esus turned and sa% her' "Ta1e heart, daughter," he said, "your $aith has healed you' "0nd the %oman %as healed $rom that moment' (<atthe% = (( +I@"

#he 1ree@ !ord tran&lated 2healed2 i& &oCo, or 2&aved22 our 9aith ha& H&avedI you3 It !a& not Ju&t the &alvation o9 her &oul. It !a& the healin. o9 her ;ody. #he &ame !ord i& u&ed 9or deliverance 9rom mental illne&& and demonic oppre&&ion. In :u@e ,, !e read a;out a demoniac !ho had a le.ion o9 demon&. %hen he came to Je&u&, the :ord drove out the demon& and healed him. :et6& read the end o9 the account: The *eo*le %ent out to see %hat had ha**ened' 8hen they came to .esus, they $ound the man $rom %hom the demons had gone out, sitting at .esus> $eet, dressed and in his right mind& and they %ere a$raid' Those %ho had seen it told the *eo*le ho% the demon5*ossessed man had been cured' (Lu1e ; -H5-6 +I@" #he 1ree@ !ord tran&lated 2cured2 i& &oCo, or 2&aved.2 So !e &ee that deliverance 9rom mental &ic@ne&& and demonic oppre&&ion i& part o9 the &alvation that i& in Je&u&. #he &ame !ord i& al&o u&ed a;out &omeone ;ein. ;rou.ht ;ac@ 9rom death. Je&u& !ent to the hou&e o9 Jairu&, a ruler o9 the &yna.o.ue !ho&e dau.hter had Ju&t died. )ut Je&u& &aid, 20on6t ;e a9raid> Ju&t ;elieve, and &he !ill ;e healed2 D:u@e ,:(4 8IGE. <.ain, the 1ree@ !ord 9or 2healed2 i& &oCo, or 2&aved.2 Paul al&o u&ed the !ord in &pea@in. o9 hi& con9idence in 1od6& po!er to @eep him to the end o9 hi& li9e. He &aid in 2 #imothy ':1,, 2#he :ord !ill re&cue me 9rom every evil

attac@ and !ill ;rin. me &a9ely to hi& heavenly @in.dom6 D8IGE. In 1ree@, the !ord tran&lated 2;rin. me &a9ely2 i& &oCo: 2 #he :ord... !ill H&ave meI to hi& heavenly @in.dom2 So, &alvation mean& 1od6& on.oin. pre&ervation o9 Hi& people, a& !ell. Salvation i& 1od6& total provi&ion 9or every need o9 humanity, in time and 9or eternity.

CHAPTER 2C C&$i-t )$ M'--i%&

<& !e put the&e title& to.ether and meditate on the &i.ni9icance o9 each, !e &ee Je&u& Him&el9 in a much clearer and 9uller !ay. I !ill no! introduce another title that i& &imple and meanin.9ul: 5hri&t. C&$i-t An! M'--i%& H%4' I!'nti/%" M'%nin5Some people do not realiCe that 5hri&t i& a title. :et me Ju&t ta@e a moment to e?plain to you the ;ac@.round o9 the !ord. It i& ta@en 9rom the 8e! #e&tament 1ree@ !ord chri&to&, meanin., very &imply and de9initely, 2anointed.2 It actually implie& ;ein. anointed !ith oil. 5hri&to&, in turn, i& a repre&entation o9 a !ord already 9amiliar in the $ld #e&tament in He;re!. #he He;re! !ord i& ma&hiach, !hich mean& e?actly the &ame thin.: 2anointed.2 In En.li&h, !e have chan.ed it into 7e&&iah. So, the title& 5hri&t in the 8e! #e&tament and 7e&&iah in the $ld #e&tament mean one and the &ame thin.: 2<nointed $ne.2 Furthermore, they re9er to one and the &ame Per&on, Je&u&. It i& remar@a;le that many 5hri&tian& do not realiCe that 5hri&t i& the &ame a& 7e&&iah. It i& eAually remar@a;le ho! many Je!i&h people do not realiCe that 7e&&iah i& the &ame a& 5hri&t. )ut !hichever title !e u&e, !e mean the <nointed $ne.

:et6& loo@ at the me&&a.e .iven ;y the an.el to the &hepherd& at the time o9 Je&u&6 ;irth. #he an.el &aid, Today in the to%n o$ David a :avior has been born to you& he is Ahrist the Lord' (Lu1e ( ,, +I@" So, the Savior i& the 5hri&tthe <nointed $ne. #hi& !a& the 9ul9illment o9 1od6& lon.F&tandin. promi&e to I&rael that He !ould one day &end them an <nointed $ne !ho !ould ;e t!o thin.&: a deliverer and a @in.. #hi& !a& a 9amiliar concept to them, a& !e !ill &ee in the 9ollo!in. e?ample&. An)int'! T) D'"i4'$ An! R#"' In the ;oo@ o9 Jud.e&, 1od &ent men o9 Hi& choo&in. !ho ;ecame deliverer& and ruled I&rael 9or a !hile. Each one o9 tho&e Jud.e& o!ed hi& a;ility to deliver I&rael to the anointin. o9 the Holy Spirit upon him. <9ter that, !hen 1od .ave I&rael @in.&, the @in.& !ere &et apart ;y the ceremony o9 anointin. !ith oil. #hi& !a& true o9 I&rael6& 9ir&t @in., Saul. Then :amuel too1 a $las1 o$ oil and *oured it on :aul>s head and 1issed him, saying, "Has not the Lord anointed you leader over his inheritance9" (, :amuel ,/ , +I@" #o ;e leader over 1od6& inheritance, a man had to ;e anointed !ith oil. #he oil, o9 cour&e, i& a picture, or type, o9 the Holy Spirit. #hi& 9act i& ;rou.ht out even more clearly in the ca&e o9

I&rael6& &econd @in., 0avid. 1od &ent Samuel to the hou&e o9 Je&&e to anoint the @in., and the appointed @in. !a& the youn.e&t &on, 0avid. In 1 Samuel 1*:1", !e read, :o :amuel too1 the horn o$ oil and anointed him BDavidC in the *resence o$ his brothers, and $rom that day on the :*irit o$ the Lord came u*on David in *o%er' (+I@" Here !e &ee 0avid ;ein. &et apart ;y the anointin. !ith oil to ;e the deliverer and @in. 9or I&rael. #he inner meanin. o9 the anointin. i& ;rou.ht out in the &econd part o9 the ver&e: 29rom that day on the Spirit o9 the :ord came upon 0avid in po!er66 In @eepin. !ith thi&, the 5hri&t, or the 7e&&iah, i& the $ne anointed !ith the po!er o9 the Holy Spirit to ;e a 0eliverer and a -uler. T&' G$'%t'-t D'"i4'$'$ An! ?in5 #hat there !a& to ;e a .reater 0eliverer and -uler to come, even .reater than 0avid, i& &tated in variou& place& in the $ld #e&tament, includin. the eleventh chapter o9 I&aiah: Then a shoot %ill s*ring $rom the stem o$ .esse, and a branch $rom his roots %ill bear $ruit' BIt *romises that this Deliverer and Iing %ill come $rom the line o$ David'C 0nd the :*irit o$ the Lord %ill rest on Him, the s*irit o$ %isdom and understanding, the s*irit o$ counsel and strength, the s*irit o$ 1no%ledge and the $ear o$ the Lord' 0nd He %ill delight in the $ear o$ the Lord, and He %ill not 2udge by %hat His eyes see, nor ma1e a decision by %hat

His ears hear& but %ith righteousness He %ill 2udge the *oor, and decide %ith $airness $or the a$$licted o$ the earth& and He !ill &tri@e the earth !ith the rod o9 His mouth, and %ith the breath o$ His li*s He %ill slay the %ic1ed' (Isaiah ,, ,5!" Here i& 1od6& ri.hteou& =in. !ho i& a;&olutely 9air, impartial, and di&cernin. in all Hi& Jud.ment& and in the admini&tration o9 Hi& @in.dom. #he &ame promi&e i& .iven a.ain later in I&aiah, !here the 7e&&iah i& portrayed. Spea@in. in the 9ir&t per&on, He &ay&, The :*irit o$ the Lord God is u*on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good ne%s to the a$$licted& He has sent me to bind u* the bro1enhearted, to *roclaim liberty to ca*tives, and $reedom to *risoners' (Isaiah 6, ," Here, a.ain, it all depend& on the anointin. o9 the Holy Spirit. #he $ne !ho i& thu& anointed ;y the Holy Spirit i& the $ne !ho i& &ent ;y 1od !ith a me&&a.e o9 mercy, love, .race, and healin. po!er, to ;ind up the ;ro@enhearted and to proclaim li;erty to captive& and 9reedom to pri&oner&. #hat !a& the promi&e o9 the 7e&&iah, the 5hri&t, the <nointed $ne. <ll 1od6& promi&e& a;out the <nointed 7e&&iah, the 5hri&t, the 0eliverer, and the =in. 9ound their 9ul9illment in Je&u& o9 8aCareth. J'-#- I- An)int'! B T&' H)" S*i$it :et6& loo@ at three pa&&a.e& 9rom the 9ourth chapter o9

:u@e6& .o&pel that ;rin. out thi& 9act. %hen the Holy Spirit came upon Je&u& at the river Jordan, Je&u& ;ecame the <nointed, the 7e&&iah. From eternity, He !a& de&tined to ;e the <nointed, ;ut at a certain point in hi&tory, !hen the Holy Spirit came upon Him, He ;ecame the <nointed in actual e99ect. #hi& i& the de&cription o9 !hat happened to Je&u& a9ter Hi& ;apti&m in the Jordan ;y John the )apti&t. .esus, $ull o$ the Holy :*irit, returned $rom the .ordan and %as led about by the :*irit in the %ilderness' (Lu1e ! ," 8ote that He !a& 9illed !ith the Holy Spirit and He !a& led ;y the Holy Spirit. #he anointin. !a& upon Him. #hen, a9ter Hi& temptation in the !ilderne&&, the Scripture &ay&, .esus returned to Galilee in the *o%er o$ the :*irit& and ne%s about Him s*read through all the surrounding district' (Lu1e ! ,!" %e &ee that, in ver&e 1, He !a& 9illed !ith the Holy Spirit and led ;y the Spirit, and that, ;y ver&e 1', He !a& empo!ered ;y the Spirit. He !a& truly the ma&hiach, the 7e&&iah> the chri&to&, the <nointed. 8e?t, !e read ho! Je&u& declared that He !a& the 9ul9illment o9 1od6& promi&e. He entered the &yna.o.ue in 8aCareth and read I&aiah *1:1, !hich !e already loo@ed at, and applied it to Him&el9: 0nd the boo1 o$ the *ro*het Isaiah %as handed to

Him B.esusC' 0nd He o*ened the boo1, and $ound the *lace %here it %as %ritten, "The :*irit o$ the lord is u*on <e, because He anointed <e to *reach the gos*el to the *oor' He has sent <e to *roclaim release to the ca*tives, and recovery o$ sight to the blind, to set $ree those %ho are do%ntrodden, to *roclaim the $avorable year o$ the Lord'" (Lu1e ! ,45,;" #hen, Je&u& clo&ed the ;oo@, and in !ord& o9 tremendou& hi&torical &i.ni9icance, He &aid to them, 2#oday thi& Scripture ha& ;een 9ul9illed in your hearin.2 Dver&e 21E. In other !ord&, Je&u& !a& &ayin., 2I am the $ne> I am the <nointed. #he Spirit o9 the :ord i& upon 7e.2 <nd He !ent 9orth 9rom that moment a& the 0eliverer, ;rin.in. relea&e to the captive& and recovery o9 &i.ht to the ;lind, &ettin. 9ree tho&e !ho !ere do!ntrodden, and proclaimin. the .o&pel to the poor. T&' An)int'! On' #hi& marvelou& mini&try o9 Je&u&, the <nointed, the 5hri&t, the 7e&&iah, i& &ummed up ;y Peter in one ver&e. <& he !a& &pea@in. to the hou&ehold o9 5orneliu&, Peter de&cri;ed !hat he had !itne&&ed in the mini&try o9 Je&u&: Jou 1no% o$ .esus o$ +a3areth, ho% God anointed Him %ith the Holy :*irit and %ith *o%er, and ho% He %ent about doing good, and healing all %ho %ere o**ressed by the devil& $or God %as %ith Him' (0cts ,/ -;"

#hat i& a &ummation o9 the mini&try o9 Je&u& a& the 7e&&iah, the <nointed, the 5hri&t. 1od anointed Him !ith the Holy Spirit. 1od !a& !ith Him. <nd in the po!er o9 that anointin., He !ent a;out doin. .ood and healin. all !ho !ere oppre&&ed ;y the devil. It al!ay& ;le&&e& me to &ee that healin. i& attri;uted to 1od and &ic@ne&& to the devil. <l&o, in that ver&e !e have all three Per&on& o9 the 1odhead. 1od the Father anointed Je&u& the Son !ith the Spirit, and the re&ult !a& healin. and deliverance 9or all humanity. %hat a ;le&&ed me&&a.ethe me&&a.e o9 the 5hri&t.

CHAPTER 21 T&' A"*&% An! T&' O2'5%

Je&u&6 title #he <lpha and the $me.a empha&iCe& that He proceed& out o9 eternity and &pan& all time. John the -evelator !rote a;out the vi&i;le return o9 Je&u& in .lory: Loo1, he is coming %ith the clouds, and every eye %ill see him, even those %ho *ierced him& and all the *eo*les o$ the earth %ill mourn because o$ him' :o shall it be! 0men' "I am the 0l*ha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "%ho is, and %ho %as, and %ho is to come, the 0lmighty'" (Gevelation , 45 ; +I@" #o under&tand the 9ull meanin. o9 the title #he <lpha and the $me.a, !e need to 9amiliariCe our&elve& a little !ith the 1ree@ alpha;et. %hile in the En.li&h alpha;et, a i& the 9ir&t letter and C i& the la&t, the 1ree@ alpha;et ;e.in& !ith the letter alpha and end& !ith the letter ome.a. %e have already &een that Je&u& i& the %ord o9 1od. %hen Je&u& &ay&, 2I am the <lpha and the $me.a2 He mean& that He i& the complete %ord o9 1od. Everythin. that 1od ha& to &ay i& &ummed up in Him. It al&o mean& that everythin. 1od doe& ;e.in& and end& !ith Je&u&. He i& the ;e.innin. and the endin.. %here it &ay&, 2the :ord 1od, 6!ho i&, and !ho !a&, and !ho i& to come,26 it i& the &ame picture. 1od i& no!, He !a&

in the pa&t, and He !ill ;eall at once. He i& the <lpha and the $me.a. T&' B'5innin5 An! T&' C#"2in%ti)n #hi& truth ha& a particular application to the clo&e o9 the pre&ent a.e, ;ecau&e the a.e i& .oin. to clo&e in Je&u&. He i& .oin. to ;e the $ne !ho !ill ;rin. thi& a.e to it& clo&e. <& He !a& <lpha at the ;e.innin., &o He !ill ;e $me.a at the end. #hi& truth i& ;rou.ht out in the ;oo@ o9 He;re!&, !here the !riter &aid, In the *ast God s*o1e to our $ore$athers through the *ro*hets at many times and in various %ays, but in these last days he has s*o1en to us by his :on, %hom he BGodC a**ointed heir o$ all things, and through %hom he made the universe' (Hebre%s , ,5( +I@" %e &ee 9rom thi& pa&&a.e that Je&u& !a& at the ;e.innin. o9 creation. #hrou.h Him, 1od made the univer&e. He !a& <lpha. He i& al&o the appointed heir o9 all thin.&. Everythin. i& .oin. to ;e &ummed up and come to it& culmination in Je&u&. <& the 5reator, He i& <lpha. <& the heir o9 all thin.&, He i& $me.a. He &pan& all time. He proceed& out o9 eternity, on throu.h time, and into eternity. He i& the Eternal, the Uncreated, the $nly )e.otten o9 the Father, the )e.innin. and the End. %e need to under&tand that 1od ha& a dual relation&hip !ith time: He tran&cend& time, ;ut He al&o operate& !ithin time.

1od !or@& in time, ;ut He Him&el9 i& out&ide o9 time and ;e9ore time. It i& hard 9or the human mind to comprehend thi& concept, ;ut there are ;eauti9ul picture& in Scripture that pre&ent it to u&. For in&tance, the p&almi&t addre&&ed 1od !ith the&e !ord&: 6e$ore the mountains %ere horn or you brought $orth the earth and the %orld, $rom everlasting to everlasting you are God' (?salm =/ ( +I@" In a &en&e, there i& al!ay& a pre&ent ten&e !ith 1od, ;ut He i& 9rom everla&tin. to everla&tin.. He i& 9rom eternity to eternity. He comprehend& all time. He i& the ;e.innin. and the endin., the <lpha and the $me.a. C&$i-t'- Ti2'"'--n'-Prophetically, thi& truth !a& &peci9ically applied to the comin. 7e&&iah, the comin. =in., 9ul9illed in Je&u&. For in&tance, 7icah the prophet &aid o9 the 7e&&iah !ho !a& to come, 6ut you, 6ethlehem )*hrathah, though you are small among the clans o$ .udah, out o$ you %ill come $or me one %ho %ill be ruler over Israel, %hose origins are $rom o$ old, $rom ancient times, (<icah H ( +I@" %hat a clear prediction o9 the ;irth o9 Je&u&K It !a& 9oretold that the 7e&&iah !a& to come out o9 )ethlehem, the city o9 0avid, and that He !a& to ;e the $ne !ho !a& to rule 9or 1od Hi& people I&rael. #hen, it &ay& at the end, 2%ho&e

ori.in& are 9rom o9 old, 9rom ancient time&.2 <lthou.h He !a& ;orn a& the ;a;e in the &ta;le in )ethlehem, Hi& ori.in i& 9rom eternity. He i& <lpha and $me.a. He came into time, ;ut He !a& not o9 time. He !a& 9rom eternity> He i& to eternity. Je&u& &aid the &ame a;out Him&el9. He !a& &pea@in. to the Je!i&h people a;out their relation&hipand Hi& relation&hip to <;raham. #hey !ere claimin. that they !ere de&cendent& o9 <;raham, in e&&ence &ayin. that !a& all that really mattered. )ut Je&u& &aid &omethin. to them that a;&olutely &tartled and &hoo@ them: "Jour $ather 0braham re2oiced at the thought o$ seeing my day& he sa% it and %as glad'" "Jou are not yet $i$ty years old," the .e%s said to him, "and you have seen 0braham!" "I tell you the truth," .esus ans%ered, "be$ore 0braham %as born, I am!" (.ohn ; H65H; +I@" #hat i& Hi& eternity. #hat i& Hi& timele&&ne&&. Je&u& !a& ;orn into time, into human hi&tory, ;ut He i& 9rom ;e9ore time. He i& the <lpha and the $me.a, the ;e.innin. and the endin., the 9ir&t and the la&t. A"*&% An! O2'5% In O#$ Li4'#he title #he <lpha and the $me.a al&o depict& the place o9 Je&u& in our individual live&. It i& not &olely in relation&hip to creation and the univer&e that He i& <lpha and $me.a, ;ut it i& al&o the po&ition that He occupie& in the li9e o9 each

one o9 u& !ho ;elieve& in Him. Here i& !hat the !riter o9 He;re!& &aid: There$ore, since %e are surrounded by such a great cloud o$ %itnesses, let us thro% o$$ everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run %ith *erseverance the race mar1ed out $or us' Let us $iF our eyes on .esus, the author and *er$ecter o$ our $aith' (Hebre%s ,( ,5( +I@" Je&u& i& the author, or the ;e.inner Dthe <lphaE, and the per9ecter, or the completer Dthe $me.aE. <& lon. a& !e @eep our eye& on Je&u&, !e 9ind in Him and throu.h Him everythin. !e need. #here i& nothin. out&ide o9 Je&u& that !e need. He &pan& our !hole need, 9rom <lpha to $me.a. #he important reminder i& that !e mu&t not ta@e our eye& o99 Je&u&. %e mu&t not thin@ that &omeho! Je&u& i&n6t a;le to provide all that !e need and &tart loo@in. in &ome other direction. He can. He i&. He i& 1od6& !hole alpha;et, 9rom <lpha to $me.a. G)!'- Et'$n%" P#$*)-' <.ain, in Ephe&ian&, !e &ee a ;eauti9ul picture o9 1od6& dealin.& !ith u& in 5hri&t: #or he BGodC chose us in him BAhristC be$ore the creation o$ the %orld to be holy and blameless in his sight' In love he *redestined us to be ado*ted as his sons through .esus Ahrist, in accordance %ith his *leasure and %illEto the *raise o$ his glorious

grace, %hich he has $reely given us in the One he loves' In him %e have redem*tion through his blood, the $orgiveness o$ sins, in accordance %ith the riches o$ God>s grace that he lavished on us %ith all %isdom and understanding' 0nd he made 1no%n to us the mystery o$ his %ill according to his good *leasure, %hich he *ur*osed in Ahrist, to be *ut into e$$ect %hen the times %ill have reached their $ul$illmentEto bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Ahrist' ()*hesians , !5,/ +I@" )e9ore creation;e9ore time ever ;e.an1od cho&e u& in 5hri&t to ;e Hi&. #hat !a& Hi& eternal purpo&e. #hen, in time, He called u&. He revealed Je&u& to u&. He tran&9ormed u&. He made u& into Hi& children. <nd then, a;ove all that, He made @no!n to u& the my&tery o9 Hi& ultimate purpo&e: 2He made @no!n to u& the my&tery o9 hi& !ill accordin. to hi& .ood plea&ure, !hich he purpo&ed in 5hri&t, to ;e put into e99ect !hen the time& !ill have reached their 9ul9illment36 %hen time !ill have run it& cour&e, 1od6& purpo&e i& thi&: 2to ;rin. all thin.& in heaven and on earth to.ether under one head, even 5hri&t2 It all &tarted in 5hri&t, ;e9ore time ever ;e.an. It !ill all end and 9ind 9ul9illment and completion in 5hri&t, a9ter time ha& ended. 5hri&t i& the <lpha and the $me.a, the ;e.innin. and the endin., the 9ir&t and the la&t. He i& all that !e need. He i& the entire alpha;et, 9rom <lpha to $me.a.

CHAPTER 22 T&' B$i5&t M)$nin5 St%$

:i@e #he <lpha and the $me.a, the title !e are .oin. to &tudy in thi& chapter i& ta@en 9rom the ;oo@ o9 -evelation. <t the end o9 the ;oo@, Je&u& &po@e to John the -evelator, &ayin., I, .esus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony $or the churches' I am the Goot and the O$$s*ring o$ David, and the bright <orning :tar' (Gevelation (( ,6 +I@" <ctually, there are t!o title& in thi& ver&e: 2the -oot and the $99&prin. o9 0avid2 and 2the ;ri.ht 7ornin. StarK6 I9 !e loo@ 9or a moment at #he -oot and the $99&prin. o9 0avid, !e &ee that it corre&pond&, in a certain &en&e, !ith the title !e loo@ed at in the previou& chapter, #he <lpha and the $me.a. )ut it ha& &pecial application to 0avid and hi& hou&e. <& -oot, Je&u& !a& <lpha to 0avid6& hou&e. <& $99&prin., He i& $me.a. He i& the $ne 9rom !hom they !ere initiated, ;ut al&o the $ne in !hom they !ill 9ind 9ul9illment. #he title !e !ant to 9ocu& on 9rom thi& ver&e, ho!ever, i& #he )ri.ht 7ornin. Star. #he term mornin. &tar i& u&ed ;y &ome to re9er to the &un.

J'-#-( T&' R%!i%n/' O1 T&' "S#n" Je&u& i& called the mornin. &tar, or the &un, ;ecau&e o9 certain &peci9ic and uniAue 9eature& o9 the &un in our !orld. I !ill empha&iCe t!o o9 the&e 9eature&. Fir&t, the &un i& the &ole, univer&al &ource o9 li.ht and heat 9or the earth> there9ore, it i& the &ource o9 li9e it&el9. %ithout the &un, there can ;e no li9e in our !orld. It &upplie& every!here ;oth li.ht and heat. Second, the &un, ;ecau&e o9 the 9act that it ri&e& and &et& appear& and di&appear&al!ay& carrie& !ith it the promi&e o9 &unri&e a9ter dar@ne&&. Uni4'$-%" S)#$/' O1 Li5&t An! H'%t For &ome Scripture& corre&pondin. to the 9ir&t application the &un a& the earth6& univer&al &ource o9 li.ht and heatlet u& ;e.in !ith P&alm 1/. #hi& p&alm provide& a vivid and ;eauti9ul picture o9 the heavenly ;odie&the &un, in particular. #he p&almi&t !rote, In the heavens he BGodC has *itched a tent $or the sun, %hich is li1e a bridegroom coming $orth $rom his *avilion, li1e a cham*ion re2oicing to run his course' It rises at one end o$ the heavens and ma1es its circuit to the other, nothing is hidden $rom its heat' (?salm ,= !56 +I@" I&n6t that de&cription ;eauti9ul3 #he heaven& are li@e the tent 9or the &un. #he&e ver&e& &pea@ o9 ;oth the ;eauty and the

&tren.th o9 the &un. It i& li@e a ;ride.room adorned in hi& .loriou& attire, and it i& li@e a champion !ho run& a race in 9ull &tren.th. #hat everythin. in our !orld derive& li.ht and heat 9rom one uniAue &ource the &uni& a pro9ound &cienti9ic truth that !e reco.niCe today. #hat i& ho! Je&u& i& to thi& !orld. He i& the &ole Source o9 li.ht and heat, and, there9ore, o9 li9e it&el9. He i& li@e the ;ride.room and li@e the &tron. man. He i& ;oth ;eauti9ul and .loriou&. :et6& loo@ a.ain in He;re!& 1 9or 9urther application o9 thi& truth: In the *ast God s*o1e to our $ore$athers through the *ro*hets at many times and in various %ays, but in these last days he has s*o1en to us by his :on, %hom he a**ointed heir o$ all things, and through %hom he made the universe' The :on is the radiance o$ God>s glory and the eFact re*resentation o$ his being, sustaining all things by his *o%er$ul %ord' (Hebre%s , ,5- +I@" $9 cour&e, the !ord 2Son2 in that la&t phra&e i& &pelled &FoF n, ;ut the phra&e 2the radiance o9 1od6& .lory2 immediately remind& u& o9 the &un, &FuFn. Je&u& i& the radiance o9 the .lory o9 the 2&un,2 !hich i& 1od the Father. #here i& a para;le in the reality o9 the &un and it& li.ht. :et me Ju&t ta@e a moment to un9old thi& to you ;ecau&e it i& &o ;eauti9ul. It i& a picture o9 the total nature o9 1od Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It i& repre&ented to u& ;y the &un, ;y it& li.ht, and ;y our e?perience.

#he &u;&tance o9 the &un repre&ent& 1od the Father. 8o;ody ha& ever &een the &u;&tance o9 the &un> no;ody ha& ever &een 1od the Father. #he mani9e&t ;ri.htne&&the radiance o9 the &unrepre&ent& 1od the Son. #he ray& that convey that ;ri.htne&& to u&, that ma@e it po&&i;le 9or u& to actually &ee that ;ri.htne&&, repre&ent 1od the Holy Spirit. Intere&tin.ly enou.h, the&e ray& are re9racted in the rain;o! into &even color&, the di&tinctive num;er o9 the Holy Spirit. #hat i& Ju&t a little para;le 9rom nature. )y analo.y, there9ore, the &u;&tance o9 the &un i& 1od the Father, the radiance o9 the .lory o9 the &un i& Je&u& 5hri&t the Son, and the ray& that convey that radiance to you and me are the Holy Spirit. P$)2i-' O1 S#n$i-' A1t'$ D%$7n'-#he &econd characteri&tic I cited a;out the &un, a& it repre&ent& Je&u&, i& that it al!ay& carrie& !ith it the promi&e o9 &unri&e a9ter dar@ne&&. #hi& &piritual reality i& clearly predicted in 7alachi: "#or behold, the day is coming, burning li1e an oven, and all the *roud, yes, all %ho do %ic1edly %ill be stubble' 0nd the day %hich is coming shall burn them u*," says the Lord o$ hosts, "that %ill leave them neither root nor branch' 6ut to you %ho $ear B>revere" +I@C <y name the :un o$ Gighteousness shall arise %ith healing in His %ings& and you shall go out and gro% $at li1e stall5$ed calves' (<alachi ! ,5( +I.@"

Scripture !arn& u& there i& comin. a time o9 1od6& !rath and indi.nation on the !ic@ed and the re;elliou&. )ut at the &ame time, in the mid&t o9 the !arnin., 1od .ive& u& a promi&e o9 deliverance and help that come& in the Per&on o9 the 2Sun o9 -i.hteou&ne&&2Fthe :ord Je&u&. $ut o9 the mid&t o9 all the an.ui&h, the tri;ulation, and the dar@ne&&, there i& .oin. to ari&e that )ri.ht 7ornin. Star, the Sun o9 -i.hteou&ne&&, !ith healin. in it& !in.&. It i& .oin. to ;rin. deliverance and healin., re&t and peace to tho&e !ho revere, or 9ear, 1od6& name. Peter, &pea@in. a;out the promi&e o9 the comin. o9 the :ord Je&u& in .lory, &aid it reAuire& preparation on our part. #here ha& to ;e an inner preparation ;e9ore the Sun o9 -i.hteou&ne&& !ill ari&e 9or u& !ith healin. and deliverance. #hat mean& &omethin. ha& to happen in&ide each one o9 u& per&onally. It i& important 9or u& to under&tand thi&. Peter !rote, 8e did not $ollo% cleverly invented stories %hen %e told you about the *o%er and coming o$ our Lord .esus Ahrist, but %e %ere eye%itnesses o$ his ma2esty' #or he received honor and glory $rom God the #ather %hen the voice came to him $rom the <a2estic Glory, saying, "This is my :on, %hom Hove& %ith him I am %ell *leased'" 8e ourselves heard this voice that came $rom heaven %hen %e %ere %ith him on the sacred mountain' (( ?eter , ,65,; +I@"

Peter !a& loo@in. ;ac@ in hi& memory to that &cene on the 7ount o9 #ran&9i.uration !hen Je&u& !a& tran&9i.ured ;e9ore their eye& and they &a! Him in Hi& .lory, in Hi& maJe&ty, and in Hi& ;ri.htne&&. #hen, Peter !ent on to &ay, 0nd %e have the %ord o$ the *ro*hets made more certain, and you %ill do %ell to *ay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dar1 *lace, until the day da%ns and the morning star rises in your hearts' (( ?eter , ,= +I@" #he 7ornin. Star ri&in. in our heart& doe& not re9er to Je&u&6 comin. in po!er and .lory to Jud.e the univer&e. In&tead, it re9er& to an inner, per&onal e?perience. It i& !hen !e have come to @no! Him per&onally and throu.h the revelation o9 1od6& %ord and the prophecie& o9 Scripture. It i& !hen !e have come to a Auiet, un&ha@a;le, inner con9idence that Je&u& i& comin. ;ac@ to rei.n. #hat i& !hen Je&u&, the Sun o9 -i.hteou&ne&&, i& .oin. to ri&e 9or tho&e !ho 9ear 1od6& name. H%- T&' M)$nin5 St%$ Ri-'n In .)#9 I !onder today i9 you have that inner a&&urance, i9 the return o9 Je&u& in .lory i& a reality 9or you. Ha& that 7ornin. Star ri&en in your heart3 Scripture &ay& !e do !ell to pay attention to the prophecie& o9 the )i;le. I9 !e !ill 9a&ten our mind& on the %ord o9 1od, meditate on it, and let the Holy Spirit &pea@ to u& throu.h it, He !ill ma@e the 9uture return o9 Je&u& &omethin. very real to u&, &omethin. a;out !hich !e are

a;&olutely con9ident. It !ill ;e li@e a &tar ri&in. in our heart&. It !ill ;e there 2until the day da!n&2 until the actual .reat event ta@e& place, until the Sun o9 -i.hteou&ne&& ari&e& out o9 the dar@ne&& o9 an.ui&h and tri;ulation to .ive 9re&h li.ht and hope to the people o9 thi& earth. So, cultivate the a!arene&& that Je&u& i& comin.. :et it ;e a &tar that ri&e& in your heart.

CHAPTER 23 ?in5 O1 ?in5- An! L)$! O1 L)$!#he la&t title that I have cho&en i& =in. o9 @in.& and :ord o9 lord&. #hi& title i& al&o ta@en 9rom the ;oo@ o9 -evelation. In -evelation 1+, !e have a picture o9 the .reat, .lo;al, endF time con9lict in !hich Satan and the ruler& a&&ociated !ith him !ill actually ;e ali.ned in open !ar a.ain&t 1od and Hi& appointed ruler, Je&u&. #hi& i& part o9 the de&cription: The ten horns you sa% are ten 1ings %ho have not yet received a 1ingdom, but %ho $or one hour %ill receive authority as 1ings along %ith the beast B0ntichristC' They have one *ur*ose and %ill give their *o%er and authority to the beast' They %ill ma1e %ar against the Lamb B.esusC, but the Lamb %ill overcome them because he is Lord o$ lords and Iing o$ 1ingsE and %ith him %ill be his called, chosen and $aith$ul $ollo%ers' (Gevelation ,4 ,(5,! +I@" It al!ay& ;le&&e& me that Je&u& doe& not !ant to !in the victory on Hi& o!n. He !ant& to &hare it !ith Hi& 9ollo!er&. #hat i& Ju&t li@e HimHe !ant& to ;rin. u& in on everythin., even Hi& victory. T&' U"ti2%t' R#"'$ In an earlier chapter, !e &a! that the :am; i& al&o the :ion. In the a;ove pa&&a.e, the :am; i& called 2:ord o9 lord& and

=in. o9 @in.&6 D-evelation 1+:1' 8IGE. <.ain, there i& a deli;erate parado? in a :am; that i& the :ord o9 lord& and =in. o9 @in.&. #hi& &ame title i& u&ed a little 9urther on in the ;oo@ o9 -evelation, !here !e have the revelation o9 Je&u& ready to return 9rom heaven in po!er and .lory to Jud.e the earth and to ta@e over it& @in.dom&. John !rote, I sa% heaven standing o*en and there be$ore me %as a %hite horse, %hose rider B.esusC is called #aith$ul and True' 8ith 2ustice he 2udges and ma1es %ar' His eyes are li1e bla3ing $ire, and on his head are many cro%ns' BThe many cro%ns re*resent all the 1ingdoms that are His by right'C He has a name %ritten on him that no one 1no%s but he himsel$' He is dressed in a robe di**ed in blood, and his name, is the 8ord o$ God' The armies o$ heaven %ere $ollo%ing him, riding on %hite horses and dressed in $ine linen, %hite and clean' Out o$ his mouth comes a shar* s%ord %ith %hich to stri1e do%n the nations' "He %ill rule them %ith an iron sce*ter'" He treads the %ine*ress o$ the $ury o$ the %rath o$ God 0lmighty' On his robe and on his thigh he has this name %ritten Iing o$ 1ings and Lord o$ lords' (Gevelation ,= ,,5,6 +I@" Je&u& i& here pre&ented very clearly and emphatically a& the ultimate ruler o9 the univer&e. #hi& pa&&a.e depict& the e&ta;li&hment o9 Hi& authority a.ain&t all oppo&ition.

J'-#-' P%t&: F%it&1#"n'--( R'-#$$'/ti)n( R#"'$-&i* :et6& remind our&elve& o9 the path ;y !hich Je&u& came to thi& po&ition. #hi&, too, i& revealed in the ;oo@ o9 -evelation: Grace and *eace to you $rom him %ho is, and %ho %as, and %ho is to come BGod the #atherC, and $rom the seven s*irits be$ore his throne Bthe Holy :*iritC, and $rom .esus Ahrist, %ho is the $aith$ul %itness, the $irstborn $rom the dead, and the ruler o$ the 1ings o$ the earth' (Gevelation , !5H +I@" #here i& a certain &eAuence that !e need to o;&erve. Fir&t, Je&u& !a&, in Hi& humanity, 2the 9aith9ul !itne&&3 the $ne !ho never turned 9rom the truth, the $ne !ho &po@e the truth even a;out Him&el9, thou.h it co&t Him Hi& li9e. He !a& the 9aith9ul !itne&&. #hen, ;ecau&e Je&u& !a& the 9aith9ul !itne&&, 1od vindicated Hi& 9aith9ulne&& and Hi& ri.hteou&ne&& and rai&ed Him 9rom the dead. So, He ;ecame 2the 9ir&t;orn 9rom the dead3 the 9ir&t per&on ever to ri&e in re&urrection out o9 death, never to die a.ainthe 29ir&t;orn2 meanin. that other&, Hi& ;elievin. people, !ere to 9ollo! Him in re&urrection. #hird, a& the 9ir&t;orn 9rom the dead, the head o9 a ne! creation, He i& al&o the ruler o9 the ne! order. He i& 2the ruler o9 the @in.& o9 the earth3

J'-#- R'/'i4'- A#t&)$it F$)2 T&' F%t&'$ :et6& loo@ at tho&e !ord& once more. He i& 2the 9aith9ul !itne&&, the 9ir&t;orn 9rom the dead3 and, there9ore, 2the ruler o9 the @in.& o9 the earth2 D-evelation 1:( 8IGE. It i& important to &ee, al&o, that Je&u& receive& Hi& authority 9rom the Father. He doe& not !re&t it 9or Him&el9. It i& con9erred upon Him ;ecau&e He ha& de&erved it. He ha& merited it. He ha& 9ul9illed the condition& 9or it. Paul &tated thi& truth in &ome !onder9ul and ;eauti9ul !ord& !ritten to #imothy: In the sight o$ God, %ho gives li$e to everything, and o$ Ahrist .esus Bthe <essiah .esusC, %ho %hile testi$ying be$ore ?ontius ?ilate made the good con$ession B%as the $aith$ul %itnessC, I charge you to 1ee* this command BTimothy>s ministryC %ithout s*ot or blame until the a**earing o$ our Lord .esus Ahrist, %hich God %ill bring about in his o%n time EGod, the blessed and only Guler, the Iing o$ 1ings and Lord o$ lords, %ho alone is immortal and %ho lives in una**roachable light, %hom no one has seen or can see' To him be honor and might $orever' 0men' (, Timothy 6 ,-5,6 +I@" It i& 1od the Father !ho !ill ;rin. a;out the appearin. the return in .loryo9 the :ord Je&u& 5hri&t. <nd o9 1od the Father, it &ay&, He i& 2the ;le&&ed and only -uler.2 #he =in. Jame& Ger&ion u&e& 2Potentate,2 a tremendou&ly po!er9ul !ord. He i& 2the =in. o9 @in.& and :ord o9 lord&3

It i& intere&tin. to @no! the real meanin. o9 that phra&e in the ori.inal 1ree@: 2the =in. o9 all !ho are @in.in. it and the :ord o9 all !ho are lordin. it.2 8o matter !hat men may claim to ;e, no matter !hat po!er they may appropriate 9or them&elve&, 1od the Father i& the =in. o9 all and the :ord o9 all. He imparted thi& authority to Hi& cho&en, !ellF ;eloved, and 9aith9ul Son, the :ord Je&u&. <nd, out o9 the impartation o9 that authority, Je&u& i& =in. o9 @in.& and :ord o9 lord&. R#"'$ O1 T&' Uni4'$-' #hat ;eauti9ul title applied to Je&u& ha& a very &peci9ic meanin.. =in.& and lord& are ruler&. It mean& that Je&u& i& the -uler o9 all ruler&, 1overnor over all .overnment&. Particularly under Hi& authority are all earthly ruler& and .overnment&. He i& directly over them, and all mu&t ;o! to Him. Hence, Je&u& !ear& on Hi& head tho&e 2many cro!n&2 D-evelation 1/:12 8IGE. #he 1ree@ !ord 9or 2cro!n&2 i& diadema, 9rom !hich !e .et the En.li&h !ord diadem. #he&e are not cro!n& that repre&ent victory in an athletic conte&t> that type o9 cro!n i& identi9ied ;y another !ord. In&tead, it i& the royal !ord, diadem. He ha& many cro!n& ;ecau&e all @in.& 9ind their authority and their ri.ht to rule 9rom Him. 1od ha& a &pecial me&&a.e to ruler& concernin. Je&u&. Sometime&, !e do not realiCe that 1od &ay& &ome thin.& e&pecially to ruler& and leader&. :et6& loo@ at the !hole o9

P&alm 2: 8hy do the nations cons*ire and the *eo*les *lot in vain9 The 1ings o$ the earth ta1e their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his 0nointed One BAhrist, or <essiahC' "Let us brea1 their chains," they say, "and thro% o$$ their $etters'" BThey %ant to re2ect the Lordshi* o$ .esus'C The One enthroned in heaven BGod the #atherC laughs& the Lord sco$$s at them' Then he rebu1es them in his anger and terri$ies them in his %rath, saying, "I have installed my Iing on Lion, my holy hill'" I %ill *roclaim the decree o$ the Lord Bthe #atherC He said to me, "Jou are my :on& today , have become your #ather' 0s1 o$ me, and L %ill ma1e the nations your inheritance, the ends o$ the earth your *ossession' Jou %ill rule them %ith an iron sce*ter& you %ill dash them to *ieces li1e *ottery'" There$ore, you 1ings, be %ise& be %arned, you rulers o$ the earth' :erve the Lord %ith $ear and re2oice %ith trembling' Iiss the :on, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your %ay, $or his %rath can $lare u* in a moment' 6lessed are all %ho ta1e re$uge in him' (?salm ( +I@," $9 cour&e, 2my =in. i& Je&u&. 8o matter !hat earth6& ruler& may decide, &ay, or attempt to do, Je&u&, the appointed =in., i& already in&talled on the heavenly Mion. -emem;er, ;ecau&e He i& the 9ir&t;orn 9rom the dead, He i& the -uler o9 the @in.& o9 the earth.

#hi& p&alm ;rin.& a &pecial me&&a.e, and a timely one 9or todaya me&&a.e to the ruler& o9 earth: ;e reconciled !ith 1od throu.h Je&u&. 2=i&& the Son,2 ;ecau&e i9 Hi& an.er 9lare& up, He !ill ;rin. Jud.ment on you that you cannot re&i&t. #he e&ta;li&hment o9 the @in.dom o9 Je&u& i& the only &olution to earth6& pro;lem& and the only hope 9or earth6& people&. #han@ 1od, He i& the =in. o9 @in.& and :ord o9 lord&. 5ome Auic@ly, :ord Je&u&K

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

0ere@ Prince D1/1(F244"E !a& ;orn in India o9 )riti&h parent&. He !a& educated a& a &cholar o9 1ree@ and :atin at Eton 5olle.e and =in.6& 5olle.e, 5am;rid.e in En.land. Upon .raduation he held a 9ello!&hip DeAuivalent to a pro9e&&or&hipE in <ncient and 7odern Philo&ophy at =in.6& 5olle.e. Prince al&o &tudied He;re!, <ramaic, and modern lan.ua.e& at 5am;rid.e and the He;re! Univer&ity in Jeru&alem. <& a &tudent, he !a& a philo&opher and &el9F proclaimed a.no&tic. %hile in the )riti&h 7edical 5orp& durin. %orld %ar II, Prince ;e.an to &tudy the )i;le a& a philo&ophical !or@. 5onverted throu.h a po!er9ul encounter !ith Je&u& 5hri&t, he !a& ;aptiCed in the Holy Spirit a 9e! day& later. $ut o9 thi& encounter, he 9ormed t!o conclu&ion&: 9ir&t, that Je&u& 5hri&t i& alive> &econd, that the )i;le i& a true, relevant, upF toFdate ;oo@. #he&e conclu&ion& altered the !hole cour&e o9 hi& li9e, !hich he then devoted to &tudyin. and teachin. the )i;le a& the %ord o9 1od. 0i&char.ed 9rom the army in Jeru&alem in 1/'(, he married :ydia 5hri&ten&en, 9ounder o9 a children6& home there. Upon their marria.e, he immediately ;ecame 9ather to :ydia6& ei.ht adopted dau.hter&&i? Je!i&h, one Pale&tinian <ra;, and one En.li&h. #o.ether, the 9amily &a! the re;irth o9 the &tate o9 I&rael in 1/',. In the late 1/(4&, they adopted another dau.hter !hile Prince !a& &ervin. a& principal o9 a teacher trainin. colle.e in =enya.

In 1/*", the Prince& immi.rated to the United State& and pa&tored a church in Seattle. In 1/+", Prince ;ecame one o9 the 9ounder& o9 Interce&&or& 9or <merica. Hi& ;oo@ Shapin. Hi&tory throu.h Prayer and Fa&tin. ha& a!a@ened 5hri&tian& around the !orld to their re&pon&i;ility to pray 9or their .overnment&. 7any con&ider under.round tran&lation& o9 the ;oo@ a& in&trumental in the 9all o9 communi&t re.ime& in the USS-, Ea&t 1ermany, and 5Cecho&lova@ia. :ydia Prince died in 1/+(, and Prince married -uth )a@er Da &in.le mother to three adopted childrenE in 1/+,. He met hi& &econd !i9e, li@e hi& 9ir&t !i9e, !hile &he !a& &ervin. the :ord in Jeru&alem. -uth died in 0ecem;er 1//, in Jeru&alem, !here they had lived &ince 1/,1. Until a 9e! year& ;e9ore hi& o!n death in 244" at the a.e o9 ei.htyFei.ht, Prince per&i&ted in the mini&try 1od had called him to a& he traveled the !orld, impartin. 1od6& revealed truth, prayin. 9or the &ic@ and a99licted, and &harin. hi& prophetic in&i.ht& into !orld event& in the li.ht o9 Scripture. Internationally reco.niCed a& a )i;le &cholar and &piritual patriarch, 0ere@ Prince e&ta;li&hed a teachin. mini&try that &panned &i? continent& and more than &i?ty year&. He i& the author o9 more than 9i9ty ;oo@&, &i? hundred audio teachin.&, and one hundred video teachin.&, many o9 !hich have ;een tran&lated and pu;li&hed in more than one hundred lan.ua.e&. He pioneered teachin. on &uch .round;rea@in. theme& a& .enerational cur&e&, the ;i;lical &i.ni9icance o9 I&rael, and demonolo.yO&piritual !ar9are.

Prince6& radio pro.ram, !hich ;e.an in 1/+/, ha& ;een tran&lated into more than a doCen lan.ua.e& and continue& to touch live&. 0ere@6& main .i9t o9 e?plainin. the )i;le and it& teachin. in a clear and &imple !ay ha& helped ;uild a 9oundation o9 9aith in million& o9 live&. Hi& nondenominational, non&ectarian approach ha& made hi& teachin. eAually relevant and help9ul to people 9rom all racial and reli.iou& ;ac@.round&, and hi& teachin. i& e&timated to have reached more than hal9 the .lo;e. In 2442, he &aid, 2It i& my de&ireand I ;elieve the :ord6& de&irethat thi& mini&try continue the !or@, !hich 1od ;e.an throu.h me over &i?ty year& a.o, until Je&u& return&.2 0ere@ Prince 7ini&trie& per&i&t& in reachin. out to ;eliever& in over 1'4 countrie& !ith 0ere@6& teachin., 9ul9illin. the mandate to @eep on 2until Je&u& return&.2 #hi& i& e99ected throu.h the outreache& o9 more than thirty 0ere@ Prince o99ice& around the !orld, includin. primary !or@ in <u&tralia, 5anada, 5hina, France, 1ermany, the 8etherland&, 8e! Mealand, 8or!ay, -u&&ia, South <9rica, S!itCerland, the United =in.dom, and the United State&. For current in9ormation a;out the&e and other !orld!ide location&, vi&it !!!.dere@prince.com