HISTORY

Posted on by BETH

Since the advent of email, we get lots of articles and prefabricated forwards challenging us to take a stand against first one thing and another.  One blog which I subscribe to is called BiblePlaces.com, and today they sent a very unusual link about tourism: http://www.caspari.com/new/en/resources/media-review/854-january-27-2014-media-review  Note one article I have copied below.

History

The Jerusalem Post, January 21, 2014

Eli Kavon, an American Jew, reflects on the Christian nature of the American Revolution, in his attempt to come to terms with the foundations upon which his country was built. Kavon explains that the American Revolution was a religious war, one that the “New Israelites” [i.e. the Protestant immigrants to America] fought against the “demonic evil” represented by the British. Many sermons preached during the Revolution reveal this bent in American thinking at the time. These sermons leaned heavily on “the militant Christ of Luther” as is manifested in the book of Revelation. “In an attempt to convince Americans that Jesus never condoned pacifism,” writes Kavon, “ministers cited Revelation 19. This particular chapter features Jesus as the ‘militant victor.’ This was a Christ wielding ‘a sharp sword’ that would ‘smite the nations’ in judgment, laying down ‘the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.’ … Americans martyred themselves on the field of battle, inspired by the image of a Jesus who fought evil, not a meek, ‘turn the other cheek’ teacher.” All this, explains Kavon, ought to make American Jews feel rather uncomfortable, especially since “the Christ as ‘militant victor’ is the same force that persecuted Jews as the ‘sons of the Devil,’ in the extreme hatred of Jews evoked by Luther in his later writings.” However, Jews ought to recognize that these are facts of history, and “face this reality with honesty, grace and a sense of history not distorted by an out-of-date and insecure apologetic stance.”

Translated from the latest Caspari Center Media Review includes a brief summary from the Hebrew-language Yerushalayim Shelanu of tourism to Israel in 2012.

HOW DOES THE HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF PRE-1776 PHILOSOPHY COMPARE TO Matthew 5:27-48?

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
KJV

THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY

Posted on by BETH

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away (2 Cor 3:14-16).

The veil Moses wore over his face stopped the people from seeing him. “And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him” (Exod. 34:33-35).

The passage in 2 Corinthians which alludes to this reference tells how the Israelites could not see (understand) the Old Testament law because a veil was on their heart (singular). Keep in mind that the veil was not on the scriptures, but on their heart. The heart is the capacity to understand. When they tried to understand the scriptures, the veil stopped them from seeing (understanding) the scriptures. “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart” (2 Cor. 3:14-15).

God put the veil on their heart because they didn’t turn to Him. Anyone who seeks will find. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone” (Mat. 7:7-9)?

God searches for those who understand and seek Him. “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God (Psa. 14:2). The Lord will remove the veil from anyone who seeks Him, but he also sends a strong delusion on those who do not love His truth so that they will believe a lie. “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thes. 2:10-12).

When men do not love the truth about God, He gives them up to do evil. Their minds are blinded to what they really are. “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Rom. 1:25-28).

Questions for further study:

1. Why was there a veil on the face of Moses (Exod. 34)?

2. What did the veil represent (2 cor. 3:14-16)?

3. Why did they not understand the reading of the Old Law?

4. Why did God put the veil upon their hearts?

5. What was the effect of having a veil upon their hearts (2 Cor. 3:14-15)?

6. Why are men today blind to (cannot understand) the truth of God (2 Thes. 2:10-12)?

7. What kind of people is God searching for (Psa. 14:2)?

8. When God gives up on people, what does he give them up to (Rom. 1:25-28)?

9. Why does he give up on certain people (Rom. 1:18-23)?

10. What will happen if we truly seek God (Mat. 7:7-9)?

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Posted on by BETH

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die (2 Sam 12:7-14).

David sinned concerning Bathsheba and Uriah. He obviously thought to cover his adultery by having Uriah killed in battle, but he was only fooling himself to think the people (especially his army) did not know what was happening. He had shamed Israel and his own name before the world.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Pro 28:13).

Notice the Psalm that was written about nine months after David’s adultery.

“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps 51:16-17).

According to the Law of Moses, sin could be forgiven by animal sacrifice, but David did not seek to have his sins forgiven by any work of the Old Testament Law.

Pay particular attention to what David did after he committed adultery.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Psalms 51:1).

In the next few verses we can see David’s heart as he pours it out before God.

“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (Psalms 51:3-4).

One of the most beautiful passages in the Psalms is where David asked God to purge him and create a clean heart within him.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (51:7-10).

In the Psalms that is quoted in Romans, David acknowledged and confessed his sin.

“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psalms 32:5).

We see in the original passage quoted above, that God forgave David’s sin.

“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Samuel 12:13).

When David confessed his sin and asked God for forgiveness, God (through Nathan) told David that his sin was forgiven but He also told him there would be three curses which he would have to endure. Those were the consequences of his sin.

Some seem to think God indeed is blind that he did not see David’s sin.

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13).

We have learned that to confess and forsake sin is righteous before God.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

David knew that God forgives, but He also takes vengeance on man’s inventions. After David’s confession, God forgave his sin, but note what happened because of that sin. Forgiveness is not the end of the matter.

“Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them. Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions” (Psalms 99:6-8).

God promised to shame David openly and David accepted God’s judgment as well as his punishment. Let’s notice the events that lead to David’s punishment being fulfilled.

The third curse took place within seven days. The child died.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?” (2 Samuel 12:18).

The second curse pronounced upon David was that the Lord would raise up evil against him out of his own house. A man would lie with his wives in the sight of the sun. This took place several years later, but be assured that David had not forgotten the Lord’s words.

“Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun” (2 Samuel 12:11).

Absalom began his treachery against David and was successful in his attempts to supplant his father.

“And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:2-6).

Absalom had no sooner arrived in Hebron than he pronounced himself king.

“But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counseller, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom” (2 Sam 15:10-12).

The second curse was fulfilled by Absalom after David fled Jerusalem.

“Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel” (2 Samuel 16:20-22).The first curse that God gave to David lasted his entire lifetime. David fought with the sword the rest of his entire life. The sword did not depart from him.“Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife” (2 Sam 12:10).Consider these details in David’s life. These are things written for our learning.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom 15:4).

Let us not be weary with the Lord’s correction or the Lord’s vengeance, if we have sinned against Him.

Remember:The Lord sees.The Lord forgives when we confess and forsake.And He also takes “vengeance of their inventions.”