Old Testament Studies This 8 lesson series is a study of many of the major characters of key chapters in the Old Testament. It is designed to show the practical and relevant nature of the Old Law for Christians today.
The Value of the Old Testament
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
Nehemiah 8: Keys to Successful Restoration
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
In the days of Israel, God had made a promise to His people that if
they would not stop their idolatry; He was going to send them away into
Babylonian captivity. In accordance with His promises, God did just that.
He also promised to bring them out of that captivity into a wonderful
restoration, based on the word of God. It's that restoration in Nehemiah
chapter eight that we're going to be thinking about today that parallels
what's necessary for a Christian and his life to be restored to almighty God.
We want to encourage you to get your Bible, have it ready as we're
going and open it to Nehemiah chapter eight as we're going to study this
wonderful text, about the right heart that isn't necessary, for restoration with
Almighty God.
Let's turn our attention to the predicament that Israel finds itself in
under the Old Testament. In Jeremiah Chapter 25 and in Jeremiah 29, God
had made the promise to His people that if they did not amend their ways, if
they did not stop their idolatry; God was going to send them into 70 years
of harsh captivity under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon.
Israel didn't stop, and as a result they went into harsh captivity. Along with
the promise of captivity, God also made the promise and Isaiah 44:28 and
Isaiah 45:1 that once that 70 years was up, God would bring His people out
of that captivity. According to His promise, by the hand of Cyrus, in the year
536 God did just that. It is this process of coming back to God, began was
Cyrus working through Ezra and Nehemiah. They restored worship; they
restored the temple. They restore their hearts to a right place with God.
In Nehemiah chapter eight, where we're going to be studying today,
there are some ingredients or some steps that are necessary to getting our
heart right and to be restored with God like we ought to.
Think about your relationship, each of us to think about our
relationship with God and let's make sure that we're in the right place and
restored to where we need to be with Almighty God. If not, let's consider
what this text teaches us is necessary.
Look in your Bible in Nehemiah Chapter Eight. Nehemiah 8:1 says,
‘When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Now all the people gathered together as one man, in the open square that
was in front of the water gate and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Law
of Moses which the Lord had commanded Israel.’ Here you've got such an
important and necessary step. If we're going to have restoration, I've got to
be united with God and His people. To have a restored heart to God,
you've got to be one; you've got to be unified. You've got to want unity with
God and His people.
This is so practical and so fresh, on the mind of the Israelites
because for years they had been divided, over spiritual matters. The
kingdoms had been divided, the Northern Kingdom and its tribes and the
Southern Kingdom and its tribes, and then you have a remnant that’s
holding true to the scripture. You also have a whole bunch of adulterous
people. They've been splintered and divided for a long time and yet the
captivity helped them to realize, they needed to be one with each other and
one with God. If restoration is really going to take place, God's people must
have a heart for unity. We must want that oneness with others and that
oneness that God can give us that unity that we can have with God.
In the Bible God has always wanted His people to have unity. Listen
to Psalm 133:1. The Psalmist says, ‘behold how good and how pleasant it
is, for brethren to dwell together in unity.’ Does God want His people
divided? No, God wants His people united. Did you think about the two
words there that are used? Unity is both good and pleasant. There are
some things that are good but aren't pleasant and then there's some things
that are pleasant, but aren't good. Let me illustrate. There are some things
that are good, meaning that they're good for you. One the doctor is good,
getting the flu shot might be good but would you say that's pleasant? No,
not really. Then there are some things that are pleasant, enjoyable but not
necessarily beneficial. Candy for every meal, a chocolate pie for every
meal might be pretty pleasant but is it good for you? No, now think about
unity. Unity is good, beneficial, helpful, and pleasant. It's enjoyable. It's
something every person should strive for in this life.
We're told in Ephesians 4:3, to keep the unity of the spirit, spiritual
unity and the bond of peace. 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul came down hard on
the church in Corinth because there were divisions among them. Paul said,
‘Let there be no divisions among you.’ What's so powerful about unity? Do
we realize that there's great strength in unity? I want you to listen to a
passage, in the book of Ecclesiastes that helps us to understand this idea.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 the Bible says, ‘Two are better than one because they
have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall one will lift up his
companion but woe to him who is alone when he falls. He has no one to
help him up. Again if two lie down together, they will keep warm but how
can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two
can withstand him and a threefold cord, is not quickly broken.’ I can
understand the strength and unity based off these principles and these
ideas.
If you take just one pencil, it is pretty easy to break that one pencilbut if you take that pencil and you multiply it and let's say you had 10
pencils with a rubber band around it, it is very hard to break that. Why?
There's strength and there's power in unity. There's strength in numbers
and that unity creates strength. We can encourage, uplift, and help one
another.
Another powerful aspect of humanity is unity actually proves to the
world that Jesus is the son of God. Jesus prayed for it in John 17:20-21. ‘I
pray that they all may be one, as you Father are in Me and I you that they
also may be one in us.’ Now listen to the reason: ‘that the world may
believe that you sent me.’ What does unity express? Unity between
believers in Christ, Christians, is a powerful exclamation point to
Christianity itself, it proves to the world. We'll stand up and do what's right
no matter what because Christ is truly our all in all.
When we think about having biblical restoration and the idea there in
of being restored to God correctly, we've got to be diligent to strive to
possess spiritual unity. That comes from following the oneness that God
has set in the scripture. There is one Lord, one faith, one body, one
baptism, and one God and father above all. All the ones that are mentioned
in Ephesians 4:4-6, are necessary if we're going to have unity. God wants
us to in the scripture.
I want to direct your attention to another ingredient that is necessary
for biblical restoration found in Nehemiah 8:2-3.’ Ezra the priest brought the
Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with
understanding, on the first day of the 7th month. Then he read from it in the
open square that was in front of the Watergate, from morning until midday
before the men and the women and those who can understand,’ listen to
this, ‘and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.’
Friend what ingredient is necessary, for biblical restoration to take place?
There has to be a desire for unity-unity with God's creation and unity with
God.
There also has to be an attentive heart to the Law of God. They told
Ezra, ‘go get the Book of the Law.’ Ezra went and got a Book of the Law.
He stood and read from it nearly all day and the people stood there with an
attentive heart, attentive ear, and listened to the word of God. They didn’t
listen to what was public opinion, not what was popular, and not what
would make people feel good. They didn't poll the audience and ask them
what they wanted. They said, ‘Where's the Book of God? We want to hear
the book of God.’ When they found the Book of the Law, their ears perked
up and listened to what God had to say. They had an attentive heart to the
word of God.
The Israelites were so attentive to the word of God because they had
lacked that for so long. In that captivity, 70 years of harsh Babylonian
captivity, where were the Bibles then? Where was the scripture then?
Where was their freedom to open the scripture and study it and expound
upon it and read from it? Under captivity, that was a scarce thing because
of the lack of their ability to have God's word in their life for so long. The
only way today that we're going to have a real attitude of attentiveness to
the word of God, is when we realize the great value of God's word.
Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16, ‘your words were found and I did eat
them and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.’
Part of the problem that we face today in our, industrialized world with
printing presses and books everywhere is that there's mass availability to
the Bible and yet, we take for granted how powerful it is and how attentive
we need to be to it. It's readily available. I've got the freedom to read it
anytime I want and yet so many times we just don't. Do we take it for
granted? What a treasure and privilege it is. The word of God is so
important because it's what saves our souls. The Bible says in James 1:21
that we're to ‘receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to
save our soul.’ What's going to save, men and women from being lost for
eternity? The scripture is.
Let's think about how powerful, important, and attentive we need to
be to the word of God because of its great value. Do we realize and do we
remember that the Bible contains the words of life? Not just words of lifethe words of life that which can help us to be saved and live the best life.
Jesus had made some hard statements in John 6:63. Some decided they
didn't want to follow Jesus anymore. Jesus turned to Peter and the rest of
the disciples and he said, ‘Do you want to go away also here's your
chance? Do you want to go away also?’ Peter turned to the Lord and said
‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ John 6:68,
the Bible has everything, all things for life and godliness. The word of God
is able to completely equip us, for every good work, 2 Timothy 3:17. If you
want to live the best life, you want to make sure that you're living in such a
way, you can go to heaven. You want to live the full, complete, abundant
life? The Bible contains the words of life. The Bible has the ability to edify
us to build us up and help us to be closer to God. To the elders in Ephesus,
Paul on the beach of Miletus says, ‘So now brethren, I commend you to
God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and give you
an inheritance.’ Among all those who are sanctified, are you going to be
built up spiritually? You want to make sure that inheritance is yours and
that you can grab hold of it and maintain it. It's the Bible that has the power
to do that. We need an attentive heart to the word of God because it's
God's word that helps us be convicted.
We have sin in our life. None of us probably like to admit that or come
face to face with it, but it's true. From time to time we all sin and fall short.
You know what great value of the Bible is? It helps us to realize that and to
get that out of our live. Acts 2:36 the Bible says, Peter stood up and
proclaimed, ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, God's
made this same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ The Bible
says, ‘Those Jews who heard that and we're attentive to it, they were cut to
the heart.’ What's that mean? The Bible pricked their heart. They cried out:
‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?'
Saul of Tarsus, who had gotten hardened by his zealous Jewish
upbringing, is softened by the word of God. Acts 9 Saul is intent, on
dragging men and women to prison persecuting them. Some of them might
even die. He's presented with Jesus on the way to Damascus. When he
realizes it's truth, his ears perk up. ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’
God's word is able to help us overcome sin. ‘Your word,’ the Psalmist said,
‘I've hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you,’ Psalm 119:10-12.
If I've got a good working knowledge of the word of God and my heart is
attentive to that, when I find my ways aren't what they ought to be, it
encourages me. I want to get back right with all mighty God.
Then of course the Bible has the power to help us to help us realize
why we are here, where are we going, and where we'll end up. We realize
I'm here as a creation of God, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7. I'm not going to
be here real long. Life is but a vapor, James 4:14. We have 70 maybe 80
years, Psalm 90:10-12. One day I will stand before Almighty God. Every
knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and I'll give an account of how I
lived my life. ‘It's appointed to man once to die and then the judgment.’ If
I've listened to the word of God and I've lived my life by that, on that great
day, I'll hear those wonderful words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’
If I've turned a deaf ear to the word of God, then I'll hear the words: ‘Depart
from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.’ I want to have a
mindset that desires unity with God and others. I want to have an attentive
heart to God and His word.
A third ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is great
respect, in my life, for the word and the authority of Almighty God. Look in
Nehemiah 8:4-5. The Bible says, ‘So Ezra the scribe, stood on a platform of
wood which they had made for that purpose and beside him at his right
hand stood Mattithiah, Shema and Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, Maaseih and at
his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana,
Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the
people, for he was standing above all the people.’ Now watch this, ‘And
when he opened it all the people stood up.’ Why? After 70 years of harsh
captivity, it finally dawned upon the Israelites how powerful and how much,
they needed to respect the Bible. As that voice of God is opened before
them, they stand up out of honor and respect for the word of God. We need
today that same respect for God and His word.
Do we realize that this book is the very voice of God speaking to us
today? All scripture is breathed out by God, 2 Timothy 3:16. The pages in
this book are not just ink and paper. It is God's message for me. Holy men
of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and God tells me in
this book how He wants me to live. This is how we please God. Out of
respect for almighty God, I want to respect the scriptures. I want to realize
this is God's word, and I've got to live in harmony in such a way with it that
one day I can bring honor and glory to almighty God in every way and in
every occasion. As we think about God and we think about God's message
and how to please Him and give glory and honor to Him in each and every
way, that's what this is all about in every avenue and in every way.
As we think about this idea, Nehemiah 8:6, I want to give us then
another principle that will help us. Ezra blessed the Lord, the Great God.
‘Then all the people answered Amen, while lifting up their hands, they
bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.’
What's necessary for biblical restoration, from Nehemiah 8:6? There has to
be absolute worship for God with fear and reverence. Look at the people.
They bowed down. The act of bowing one's face to the ground was a sign
of reverence and fear and all of Almighty God. Exodus 3:5, as Moses is
there with that burning bush, he bows down with his face toward the
ground. Isaiah six, Isaiah feels humbled to be in the presence of God. Then
of course, you have John in the book of Revelation. All of these exhibit this
idea of one's face going down, representative of reverence or fear, for all
mighty God in worship.
If we're going to have biblical restoration, it's got to be based on
respect for who God is and how God wants me to worship Him. There's a
lot of seeming disrespect, for God in worship today. When you to look at
some of the things that are done today, you've got so much that it makes
light up what's going on. The people who are jumping around and hollering
and jumping over pews and all this supposedly miraculous stuff that's going
on that people are just trying to make a big show out of- it's almost like a
carnival or a circus as it were today. We need to realize God wants us to
worship Him in a way that brings glory and honor to His name and out of
respect for Him not me. Out of respect for God, I want to worship Him the
way He wants me to. God is a spirit. Here's what he says, “God is a spirit
and those who worship Him, must worship in spirit and in truth.” Our
attitude and the way we approach God, must give Him true honor and
glory.
Then a final ingredient that is necessary for biblical restoration is to
come to the scripture and try to understand what God wants us to, based
on His word, a proper understanding of God based on the Bible. Listen to
Nehemiah 8:7-8. The Bible says also, ‘Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanah
and Pelaiah and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law and
the people stood in their place. They read distinctly from the book in the
Law of God, and they gave the sense or the understanding and helped
them to understand the reading.’ Here you've got people who studied the
scripture a long time. Some of these people haven't for many years
studying the Bible. What did they do to really understand the script? Did
they get out and commentaries and give everybody's idea and taking an
opinion poll? No- they read distinctly to them from the Bible. If we really
want to have biblical restoration, let's turn people back to the word of God.
Let's turn people towards the scriptures. Let's read God's word. Paul said in
Ephesians 3:4, ‘you can understand the knowledge of Christ, when you've
read these things, give attention to reading.’ We want to point people to the
Bible to help understand it. If I want to understand the Bible, I want to let
the Bible be its own best commentary. Then of course, I want to apply
God's message to my life. ‘The things that you've heard and read and
seen,’ Paul said, ‘these do and the God of peace will be with you.’
Too many times people are turned toward entertainment and what
somebody somewhere who is a religious person says-let's turn people to
the Bible. ‘Is there any word from the Lord?’ Jeremiah 37:17. That's how
we're really going to be restored to all mighty God. Just like in the days of
Nehemiah, how wonderful it was that they had the opportunity to get back
right with God. Nehemiah 8 is such an encouraging scene because the
people, regardless of persecution or what it takes, they're going to put God
and His word above all else. We need that same attitude among the Lord's
people today.
May God help each of us to have the right heart for unity to look to
the word of God and be attentive and respectful for what God wants, so
that one day He'll call upon us as His children with words of
encouragement and hope: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’
May God help each of us to live in that way.
Questions for: Old Testament Studies: Lesson 2
1. According to Psalm 133:1, what is good and pleasant?
2. According to Ephesians 4:3, we are to keep unity of what?
3. According to 1 Corinthians 1:10, there are to be no what?
4. How does Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 describe unity?
5. What did Jesus pray for in John 17:20-21?
6. In Nehemiah 8:2-3, what did the people have a desire to hear?
7. How is the word of God described in Jeremiah 15:16?
8. According to James 1:21, what can save our soul?
9. According to Psalm 119:10-12, what can help prevent sin?
10. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, where does all scripture come from?
Esau: Prince of Bad Bargains
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
A philosophy that was popular in the days of Christ and is extremely popular today is: ‘Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ This has long been the motto and philosophy of the Epicureans, and so many people adopt this materialistic, worldly-minded idea. One of the men in the Bible who did that was named Esau.
Today we're going to talk about Esau and the bad bargain that he made. Esau will always be remembered for his bad bargain, his desire for immediate, instant gratification, and for embodying the motto: ‘let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’
I want you to read with me the story of Esau. Then we're going to notice some very powerful lessons that men and women can learn from that. Genesis 25:20 the scripture records these words: ‘Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.’ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb, and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called
his name Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. So the boys grew, and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the field and was weary. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with the same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I'm about to die. What is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and then he ate and drank, and arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.’
As we mentioned, nobody better exemplifies the instant gratification and the giving away of something important than Esau. The story of Jacob and Esau relates to us. The struggle of these two men, but some of it is a little maybe unique to us because of the idea of the birthright. The birthright, under the Old Testament, is something we're not as familiar with. It was a great blessing given to the firstborn to carry on the heritage of the father.
The Old Testament birthright, which was only given to the firstborn male of the father, was a double portion of the father's inheritance that was promised to that child. According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17, the firstborn got 2/3. If there were three children, he'd get 2/3 of that, and so, or if there were two children, he'd get 2/3 and the other would get 1/3. It wasn't split 50/50; he got the majority of everything that belonged to the father. So if there were $100,000, he might get 75,000 of that. If there were 100 acres, he might get 75 acres. It was the benefit given to the firstborn.
We also learn from the Old Testament scripture that it was the firstborn who had the privilege of serving as priest for the family. This is exemplified under the patriarchal law in the life of Abraham. Abraham served as one who went to God, one on behalf of his own family, and of course Job exemplifies this as well. He offered sacrifice for his children.
God spoke directly to Job. There was that great blessing that came along with being the firstborn, as well. Then, of course, there was a great deal of respect. Respect, recognition, and honor was given to the firstborn, regardless of who the father may have been, that was always along with that right. There was almost a sense of awe and reverence that was paid to the firstborn that might not have been given to the other children. Then the spiritual blessing as well of the father was placed upon the firstborn. Genesis 27:27, we can see that happening with both Jacob and Isaac and the children there. In fact, this may have been what was sought after the most, passing on that spiritual blessing given by God. Then, of course, anything the Bible says, anything that was the firstborn, the first fruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the flock, that was specially dedicated to the service of God, Exodus 22:29-31, and so to be the firstborn under the Old Testament was a great privilege and honor.
As you think about that New Testament law that we're under today, there's so many similarities that go along with that, and parallels that Christians have. All Christians today have the blessing and the benefit of being a child of God, and that wonderful birthright. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. My yoke is easy. My burden is light." Jesus said, “You'll find rest for your souls.” As children of God, we are God's firstborn. We are the first fruits of Christ, 1 Timothy 2:4-6. Just like under the Old Testament, there are some parallels to the wonderful blessings that Christians have today as part of their birthright. Christians are promised a full portion of what God has given' to His people. We, like Esau, have that full portion of heaven itself. Romans 8:16-17, the Bible clearly teaches that we are the beneficiaries of God's promises of heaven itself. We're living in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. This is the promise He's promised us, eternal life, 1 John 2:25. I'm not looking' for land. I'm not looking' for numbers or dollars in a bank account. As a child of God, part of the great blessing we have is one day we can be recipients of heaven and all the wonder and splendor of that.
As we think about this idea in relation to the Old Testament birthright, aren't Christians today priests in a spiritual sense? Revelation 1:6, we are a
kingdom of priests, or kings and priests, to God. 1 Peter 2:9, we offer up spiritual sacrifices to almighty God, and so when we think about this idea, the praise of our lips goes up as sacrifice, Hebrews 13:15. We have that honor today, along with our birthright, to give praise and honor to God and to serve in that capacity.
Then just as the Old Testament birthright meant that you wore the name and the honor and recognition of being the firstborn of someone, we today have the privilege and honor of wearing the name Christian, the firstborn of God's creation under the New Testament. What a blessing that is! Acts 11:26 says, they were called Christians first in Antioch. 1 Peter 4:16, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name.
Like under the Old Testament, part of the spiritual birthright today is, we are promised every spiritual blessing from almighty God. The Old Testament birthright meant that there were a host of blessings given down by the father, and it was even tied in a spiritual sense-but how much more today? Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ Jesus. I can be a child of God, 1 John 3:1. I can look up to heaven and pray, ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ Matthew 6:9. We have the family of God to encourage and lift us up, 1 Corinthians 12:27. We've got forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, and every blessing you can imagine, the Christian has so richly received. Like under the Old Testament, as part of my birthright I am, and you are, if you're a Christian, you are specially reserved and dedicated in service to God.
What's the greatest commandment of all? Jesus was asked that question. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ That's what God wants us to do, and that's how He wants us to live our life in dedication to Him.
In view of that, though, I want you to think about Esau and the great blessing of our birthright, today, as Christians. Think about what Esau sold out. Can you imagine, for a bowl of beans Esau sold his whole birthright? He sold 2/3 of the inheritance, the prestige, the honor, the spiritual
blessing, and all of that, he sold out for a bowl of beans. Why did he do that? He may have been hungry. I'm sure he was. He'd been out hunting. He didn't have any luck. Maybe he was discouraged. You know what we learn about Esau most of all? Esau was shallow; he was very materialistic. He was worldly-focused. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau was profane, that is, he was worldly, selfishly, immorally focused. He sold out his whole birthright for a bowl of soup, or a bowl of beans. What a terrible waste, and what a terrible bargain that he gave into his brother to do that.
This'd be like Bill Gates or Ross Perot giving everything he had for a Big Mac. Can you imagine selling out like that, just to satisfy instant gratification for your belly? Why did he do that? He wasn't thinking spiritually. He was thinking worldly.
Let's take it a step further. Why do so many Christians and so many people who have all those spiritual birthrights and blessings that we talk about, why do so many Christians today sell their birthright for immediate gratification and lust of the flesh, which one day isn't going to amount to anything? How many people have given up Christ and been lost for eternity over some fleshly desire, instant gratification, whether it be of a fleshly, a sexual or immoral? How many people have given up something far greater than what Esau gave up on just to feel better for a little while?
Are we really any different than Esau today? Why do sometimes people sell their soul to the devil for foolish things? I want you to think about some of the things that sometimes people make a bad bargain to the devil for their soul. Sometimes people sell out, and give up on all these spiritual blessings over worldliness, and materialism, and things of this life that one day aren't going to exist anyway. John said, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world.’ Why not? ‘For all that is in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, it's not of the Father, it's of the evil one, and the world and all that's in it is one day going to pass away.’ James 4:4, James said, ‘Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes themselves God's enemy.’ God says, ‘Come
out from among them and be ye separate,’ 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. How many people do we know that have sold out for things of this world?
Let me give you a couple that really come to mind in the scripture. Do you remember a man who came to Jesus in Mark 10? This man probably had one of the greatest questions you could ever ask. ‘Good teacher, what do I need to do to go to heaven? What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?’ Great question. Wish there were more people asking that question. Jesus said, ‘Keep the commandments. Do not murder, do not steal, and do not commit adultery.’ ‘All these I've done from my childhood.’ ‘One thing ye lack. Sell what you have, give to the poor, come follow Me.’ You know what happened in that context? The Bible says ‘that man went away sorrowful.’ Why? ‘He had great possessions.’ He let his stuff and the things of this world keep him from inheriting that spiritual birthright. How many people are doing' that today?
We've got to have the finer things in life, and we've got to keep up with the Jones's. We've got to have all this materialistic stuff, worldly stuff, that one day isn't going to matter at all. When the earth and all that's in it is one day burned up with a fervent heat, 2 Peter 3:9-12- then what will all that stuff have mattered? Don't do like Esau and sell out over materialism and worldliness.
Then there are also people who spiritually sell out their birthright for desires of the flesh, specifically sometimes people do that for sexual desires. I've known Christians and people in the body of Christ, and you probably have as well, who got caught up in some immoral practice with some woman or some man, or pornography, or whatever it may be, and they sold out over those things. The Bible clearly warns us to watch out for those things. 1 Peter 2:11, Peter said, ‘I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul.’ The Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 13:4, ‘marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.’ ‘Flee from youthful lust,’ Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:15, following. I've got to have that same armor up, that same guard up. Don't give in like Esau to some instant, immediate gratification of the flesh and lose your birthright over that.
Then sometimes people allow sins of the body, or sins against the body, to cause them to lose their birthright. Alcohol, and drugs, and drunkenness- how many people have given in to that and sold out spiritually? The Bible says, ‘do not be drunken with wine,’ Ephesians 5:18. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,’ Proverbs 20:1. The picture is so clear in scripture of how harmful that is to the body. Drugs, methamphetamines, marijuana, crack cocaine, or whatever it may be- when people get caught up in that stuff, they're selling out. They're selling over their birthright, just as Esau did, for something that isn't really going to last anyway.
We encourage folks today, as we think about these ideas and as we think about the spiritual nature of Esau, don't be like him. What if Esau had been different? What if he'd stood up to his brother? What if he had endured those temptations? The story would be a whole lot different.
Here's the encouragement for every one of us today. Friend, you can stay faithful, you can endure those challenges, and you can be faithful until death. Don't let things in this life tempt you in such a way that it causes you to turn from almighty God.
I've had some things in this life, some good things to eat. You think about what Esau was going through. He was hungry. He was facing a lot of challenges and difficulties, and probably things weren't going his way in life and that bowl of soup looked good in the moment. My grandmother on my dad's side probably made the best bowl of beans I've ever eaten. I'd sure like to have a bowl of beans and cornbread right now, and I imagine you'd probably think the same thing if you were really hungry. But the question you've got to ask yourself is: Is that worth what it'll really cost me in the end? I'm not talking about a bowl of beans. I'm talking about giving in to materialism, fleshly desires, giving in to drugs, or alcohol, or something like unto that and getting that immediate hit. Is that really worth what it's going to cost me in the end?
I want you to think about this question Jesus asked. Mark 8:36:37. Jesus asked two rhetorical questions. ‘What will it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’ If you bargain your soul over something like that, friend, you've made the worst bargain possible. On the Day of Judgment you're not going to trade something for your soul. If I've not lived right or done right, it won't matter how powerful, or wealthy, or how many pleasures I might have fulfilled. None of that matters.
You know what matters? Did I love God? Did I put Him first? Did I endure suffering, and did I overcome? Those are the things that really matter.
I want you to think about two men. One represents another bad bargain, and the other represents a man who suffered and did right. I want you to think about this first individual with me. We know him in the Bible as the rich fool. Luke 12:15-21. A lawyer comes to Jesus with a question. Jesus answers by giving an illustration of the foolishness of materialism. There was a man who had a great crop year, a man who, when he planted his seed, it just did so well and he excelled so much in his business that he didn't have anywhere to put the entire crop that produced. That's a pretty good problem, right? So he said, ‘Here's what I'll do. I've got so many crops, I'm going to have to tear down my old barns, build bigger barns so I can store it in.’ There is nothing wrong with business, having a good crop year, or preparing for the future. All that was good and well- until this happened: that night that man's soul was required of him. God said to him, ‘You fool. This night will your soul be required of you. Then whose things will those be whom you've acquired?’ And here's the point Jesus made: ‘So is he who is rich but not in godliness.’ What was the rich fool's problem? His problem was not that he was a good farmer. His problem was not that he was a good planner, a good manager, or a good business person. That man's problem was in all his planning and doing. In all his work, he forgot to take care of the most important thing- his soul.
Then think about another man. Luke 16:19-31. You've got the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Rich man had it all. Lazarus is eating crumbs, the dogs are licking his sores, he doesn't have anything, and he's a poor beggar. Lazarus suffered; he had difficulty. He went through a lot of
problems most likely in this life. He was hungry and hurting for a long time, maybe, even. What about on the other side? Lazarus turned out pretty good for him. He's in paradise; the rich man's in torment. He endured; he didn't let that cause him to sell out. He may have been poor physically, but he was rich spiritually. That's what we want to drive home. Don't be like Esau; don't sell out. Whatever we've got spiritually, what God has blessed us with- don't sell that out for some fleshly, immediate, instant gratification that could cost you your soul.
Nothing is more important than your soul. Make sure that we're taking care of it above all else.
If you're not a Christian, we especially want to encourage you to make sure to get right with God.
Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe He is the savior of the world? ‘Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by Him.’ Do you believe that? John 14:6. Do you believe it so much so that you'd be willing to repent and turn from sin and turn to God? Acts 3:19, Peter preached, ‘Repent, and turn, that your sins may be blotted out.’ Would you confess the beautiful name of Jesus before men? Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? Jesus said in Mark 16:16, ‘He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned.’
If you've never obeyed the gospel, then friend we want to encourage you to make the spiritual birthright of Christ yours.
As a Christian, if you're not living like you ought to, friend, don't sell out your soul.
Make sure and get it right, and let's each one of us live in such a way that our lives bring honor and glory to God.
Questions for: Old Testament Studies-Lesson 3
1. According to Genesis 25:20, what did Esau sell his birthright for?
2. According to Matthew 11:28-30, where can we find rest?
3. According to Romans 8:16-17, what are we beneficiaries to?
4. How are Christians described in Revelation 1:6?
5. What does 1 Peter 4:16 tell us about Christians and suffering?
6. What is the greatest command?
7. What does Hebrews 12:14-17 say of Esau?
8. What does James 4:4 say of being a friend of the world?
9. What does John 14:6 say of Jesus?
10. According to Mark 16:16, who will be saved?
Daniel 5: A Deadly Night Feast
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
David - A Man After God's Own Heart
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God was seeking a man ‘after His own heart.’ We learn in the Bible that, that was King David.
We're going to be thinking about one of the greatest men of the Old Testament. David is looked up to by many in the nation of Israel, still today, and by very many Bible students. What is it that made David such a great king? Why do we relate to him so well today?
These are questions that we'll consider in our study of the Old Testament lessons today.
As you think about King David, he is held up high in esteem by many because he was a man after God's own heart. I want you to listen to 1 Samuel 13:14.The scripture records, God's speaking to Saul, "But now your Kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
We read in 1 Samuel 16:7 and in Acts 13:22 that God was actually speaking about the one who had replaced King Saul ... King David. David was a man after God's own heart. David wanted to do what was right; prove all things; hold fast that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Although he made mistakes and was not perfect, David tried to pattern his life after the Holiness of God. Leviticus 11:44 and quoted in the New
Testament by Peter in 1 Peter 1:15 the Bible says "But as He who called you as Holy. Be Holy in all your conduct.” “Be perfect, for I am perfect or complete, for I am complete," Jesus said in Matthew 5:48.
So, when you think about the life of David. He's a man who tried to pattern himself after God and to live a life of Holiness. Which the Bible says, in Hebrew 12:14, "Without Holiness no one can see God." To live and to act and think like God and the Lord Jesus Christ thinks, is the motto for every Christian. We are to ‘walk in the footsteps of Jesus,’ 1 Peter 2:21. We should follow that great example: ‘who was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin,’ Hebrews 4:15.
David tried to make his ways like God's ways. Although, we're not like God, Isaiah 55:7-11, God says "My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." We try to obtain and to achieve that level of Holiness in our lives. David was man after God's own heart because he tried to live according to the Word and the Will of God. Christians must do the same thing today. ‘Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ I want God's commands and God's Word to guide and to guard my life in every way. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:13, "But it's not in words in which you in wisdom speaks, but which the Holy Spirit speaks. That's what ought to guide and what we ought to live our life by.’ Thus, like the noble Bereans in Acts 17:11, we want to ‘search God's scriptures daily. To see if what we're doing is true to the Will of Almighty God.’
So, when you think about David, as a great king, as a pattern to follow, he tried to have the heart of God and to think, act, and to live as God would want him to live in every day. Isn't that what we ought to do as well? We're not perfect. Like David, we make mistakes. We want God to be on the forefront of what we think and the way we act and how we live our life. We want to ask ourselves: ‘What would God have us to do in these situations?’
Then, as you think about David as a man after God's own heart, David had the courage to conquer the giants in his life. Very likely, if you studied much of the Old Testament, you've studied 1 Samuel 17 where David there battles Goliath. Remember the scene and the setting. His brothers are out at war. David really isn't old enough or strong enough
(they think) or big enough to go to battle. In this battle against the Gentiles, there is a giant by the name of Goliath. Everybody's afraid of him. Every morning and at night, he talks to people of God and makes fun of them, as it were. Everybody shakes in their boots when Goliath does that. David goes out to visit his brothers and hears this giant taunting Israel and taunting God. David says (basically) "I'm not going to put up with it." He takes some armor and the armor doesn't even fit. He goes out to battle this great giant with a sling-shot and five smooth stones. He takes that sling-shot and sends one of those rocks right into the head of the giant. He falls dead there. David takes the sword and cuts off his head.
How could someone who's not even in the military, do something like that? Of course, we realize David did that with the help of Almighty God. He had the courage, first of all, to go out there and to face the giant, Goliath.
As I think about my life and we think about our lives, let's realize if we're going to pattern our lives after David we've got to have the courage to face those spiritual or physical giants in our lives. Of course, the greatest giant, the enemy of all, and that every one of us has to face every day is Satan. We need the courage of David with God's help and by the blood of Christ to face the Devil every day. No doubt he's a fearsome enemy. Like Goliath, the Bible describes him in 1 Peter 5:8. It says "Be sober, be vigilant, and be watchful. Your advisary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." The Devil is a fearful advisary just as Goliath was. I need the courage with God's help to face him and to overcome him every day.
The good news is that you can overcome the Devil. The Bible says in 1 John 4:4, "He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world." Who's in the world? ‘The Devil is the prince of the world,’ John 8. He's described as the God of this world. He who is in Christ is greater than he who is in the world. The Bible tells us why in 1 John 5:4, "This is the victory we have, even our faith." So, yes, we can defeat the Devil.1 Corinthians 15:57 says "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." Right before that Paul says, "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." So, we think about what God does through us, about the power that we have, and how God works victoriously in His children- in view of that, we don't need to cower or terror in the face of
Satan and temptation. We need the boldness to approach every day with God's help, God's grace and God's mercy. We can cast all our cares upon God; He cares for us.
The Devil has already been defeated. Jesus through death overcame him by the power of death and released those who all their lifetime were subject to bondage. Jesus dealt that death blow, Romans 16:20 and Genesis 3:15 to Satan on the cross. If I'm living in Christ and trying to walk in the light, 1 John 1:7, then friend, like Goliath there is nothing that is impossible with God and his children. We want the courage of David in our lives as we face the giants. Whatever that giant may be. It may not physically be Satan. It may be temptation. It may be disease. It may be sickness. It may be struggles or collimates that we face I this life. But, let's realize the one who is in us is greater than anything else, 1 John 4:4.
Then, as you think about the life of David, as a man after God's own heart, not only did David have the courage to conquer the giants in his life; David also knew how to deal with his enemies. They were enemies in the life of King David. One of the greatest of those was Saul- who should've been doing God's Will but he went astray. Saul began to do things his own way. He began to walk by his own pattern of life. God eventually will remove him as king. Saul is jealous of David. Saul is jealous of his battles and his fame, the fact that God is now working through him. On various occasions Saul tries to kill David, tries to quiet him, and tries to (again) get the people to follow after him. Yet, David never really acted out in his own vengeance. David would always put his trust in God. He would even go as far as honoring the position that King Saul held. He would always let God be the one to take vengeance.
As you think about your life as I think about mine, we’ve got to realize, if we're going to people after God's own heart, then we need to know how to deal with our enemies as well. There are enemies probably in everybody's life. We don't want them. We don't ask for them, but sometimes that happens. How do you deal with situations where somebody is opposed to good?
The Bible gives us advice on that. I want to share with you two passages that really offer support for the Christian in times like these. The first is found in Romans 12:20. Listen to what the Bible says on this subject. God says, "Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty,
give him drink. For in so doing, you'll heap coals of fire on his head." How should the Christian respond to an enemy? We don't act out in vengeance. We're not going to start taking up arms and try to defeat them. We're not going to get ugly or mean with them. We do good. We try to help. We try to show the love of God in Christ in every way. Listen to what the Lord said in Matthew 5:44-45 as it relates to one's enemies. Jesus said it this way, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the just, and sends rain on the just and the unjust."
David didn't act out in vengeance; he put his trust in God. He let God take care of the situation. We want to bless and not curse. We want to pray for and help. We're not trying to make the situation more difficult. We're letting God work through us. Hopefully, by those actions, we soften people's hearts. We help them to see that we're really not their enemy. More than anything, the love, compassion and mercy of God can be shown through our lives.
As you think about principles in David's life that we can follow. Let's also realize that a man after God's own heart learned how to respect the authority of God's Word. In 2 Samuel 6, there's a very interesting scene. The people of God have now returned to take the Ark of God back. The enemies didn't want it because it kept cursing them. They're going to give it to them to bring the Ark of God back to the people of God. They do things a little odd there. "They take a new cart", the Bible says. They place that Ark on that cart and as they're entering a section of the land, a road called Nekon, threshing floor. The cart, as it were, hits a pothole (we might think of). Two men are on each side of it. Uzzah and Ahio are their names. As the Ark looks like it's going to fall Uzzah reaches out to touch and to stabilize the Ark of God. He drops dead right there on the spot. David doesn't know what to do. The text tells us he gets a little angry about it. David has to go home and think about this and figure out: what did we do wrong? What was the problem here?
Friend, it was a basic problem of not respecting the authority of God's Word. What do we mean by that? Direct your attention to 1 Chronicles 15, and let's get the rest of the story as it related to this event. 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, commenting on this exact event on bringing the Ark of God back David later said, "There because you did not do it the first time,
the Lord our God broke out against us because we did not consult Him about the proper order. So, the priest and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel and the children of Levites bore the Ark of God on their shoulders by its poles as Moses had commanded according to the Word of the Lord." You read the book of numbers and you read God's intricate details about transporting the Ark, and there was one approved way to do that. Nobody ever touched the Ark. They put two poles in its rings and in its side and the poles touched the Ark so four men as they carried that Ark. When you think about this transportation of the Ark. They did it all wrong. In 2 Samuel 6, no one was to ever touch it. They didn't have permission to put it on a new cart. When Uzzah touched that Ark and died that was because nobody respected the authority of God's Word. David said, "It happened because we didn't consult God about the proper order." David learned a hard lesson about respecting the authority about God and His Word.
We need to respect the voice and authority of God when God tells us how He wants things to be done. We learned from David that that's exactly what God wants us to do. Colossians 3:17 says, "Whatever you do in word or indeed do all in the name of or by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ." The scripture says in Revelation 22:18-19 we're not to add to nor take away from the things written in the Book. We're only to do what God tells us. Proverbs 30:6, "Do not add to His words, less He rebuke you and you be found a liar." We need to listen to the encouragement. 1 Corinthians 4:6, ‘we're not to go beyond what is written.’ When God tells us how to live our life that's exactly how God wants us to live it. When God tells us how we're to honor Him and worship Him today, that's exactly how God wants us to do that. There's no sense in trying to bring things in on the proverbial cart, as it were when God's already dictated in the Bible, how to live, how to worship, how to pray, and how a person needs to be saved. We need to learn that from David, if we want to please God, we need to ask God how he wants to be pleased, and the answer is found in his divine will.
Then friend, as we think about David as a man after God's own heart, let's also realize that David was big enough to confess and repent of sin when he found it in his life.
You're probably familiar with the story 2 Samuel 11:12. David at a time when kings ought to have been out at war is on the rooftop, and he sees beautiful Bathsheba bathing. Sin takes over his heart. He lust after
her. He desires to have her. He takes her, and has sexual relations with her. Eventually, she becomes pregnant. Her husband is also in David's army. They don't know what to do about that situation. So, they try to send him home from the battle to have relations with his wife so he'll think it's his kid. When that doesn't work, they send him to the forefront in the battle. They draw back from him and he's, ultimately, killed in battle. So, you have adultery, lying, cheating, and murder. All those things occurred because David let sin reign in his heart.
As you remember, Nathan the prophet comes to David with that sad story about that one little ewe lamb and how some traveler came to town and wouldn't take of his own but he took from the man's one lamb. That broke David's heart and he said, "Whoever the man is, bring him here, he's going to pay for that." Nathan looked at him and said, "You're the man, you're the one who had plenty of others; you're the one who had wives you could've taken from and you took this one man's wife that he loved. We're talking about you, you're the man." What'd David do? As king of Israel, the most powerful man in the world. What did David do? He said, "You're right. I've sinned." David was big enough to confess and to repent of his sin. There's a man after God's own heart. Someone who when they see sin in their life, is willing to change. We need that same attitude today. The Bible says this in 1 John 1:7-10, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, that's good, we got fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin we make god a liar and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all inequity.”
Simon in Acts 8 serves as an example of this. Simon sinned after obeying the Gospel. Peter approached him and said, "Your heart's not right in the sight of God, you have neither part nor portion in this matter. I see that you're in the bond of inequity the Gaul of bitterness." Simon said, "Pray for me. That none of the things you've said will come upon me."
Our Lord said in Luke 13:3, "Unless you repent, you'll likewise perish." Peter preached in Acts 3:19 ‘repent and turn that your sins maybe blotted out. That seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.’
Sometimes today when someone confesses and acknowledges and repents of sins, we look and say, "Well, boy they really messed up. They
were really a bad person. Shame on them." That's not God's heart. The heart of God is one who is big enough to confess and repent of that sin and get his life back right with Almighty God.
Then friend, we learn a powerful lesson from the life of David, as well, on how to deal with death. David was not immune to heartache and heartbreak that came into his life. Much of it was due to the sin and the results of what happened with Bathsheba and God promised that would happen. The son who was born to that adulteress relationship doesn't last. The Bible records that that son actually dies. David makes a pretty powerful statement about death and life and things related to that. I want you to listen to it in 2 Samuel 12. I want you to hear what David says. It teaches us a great lesson about how to deal with life and death and matters that are extremely important. The Bible says this in 2 Samuel 12:22, "The servants come today but they question him about his demeanor." He said in verse 22, "While the child was alive I fasted and wept, for I said, who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live but now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back?" Listen to this statement, "I shall go to him, he shall not return to me."
When you think about death and you think about how to look at that, David did have the proper attitude here. David realized, he's not coming back to me, and I can't revive him. I can't bring him back. One day, I'll go to him. As we think about life and as we think about, maybe, the death of loved ones who are close to us. Let's realize the hope we live with in view of our loss, of their loss, in view of their death. The hope that we live with is this, one day we can go to them. One day we will be reunited in Christ all in the graves will one day come forth, John 5:28-29. The dead in Christ will meet him in the air with our loved ones, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. So, although we can't change the fact that every person's life ends in death, the good news is that's not really the end. Jesus said in John 11:24-25. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, he'll never really die. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Revelation 14:13 - Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalms 116:15, as Paul said, "Pray to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
We ask you to think soberly and to think seriously about life and about whether we're following the heart of God. Are you like David? What a great king he was. Although, he wasn't perfect, he tried to pattern his life after the heart and the mind of God. Are we doing that today?
If you've never obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that's how you get your heart in line with the heart of God. Have you heard the message about Christ? Romans 10:17. Do you believe that Jesus really is the savior of the world? John 8:24. Would you be willing to repent of things in your life that are not right? Luke 13:3. Confessing the beautiful name of Jesus, Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned, Mark 16:16.
May every one of us be encouraged every day to try to be people after the heart of God who seek His Will, who try to live Holy lives, and try to encourage others to follow in the pattern of Christ.
May God help each of us as we strive to follow the heart of God each and every day.
Study Questions for: “Old Testament Studies Lesson 5: David”
1. What did God say about David in Acts 13:22?
2. According to 1 Samuel 13:14, why did Saul’s kingdom end and David’s begin?
3. According to Jeremiah 29:13, how should we seek and find God?
4. According to Leviticus 11:44 & 1 Peter 1:15 how are we to be? Why?
5. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, what should we do to show ourselves approved unto God?
6. According to 1 Corinthians 2:13, how is God revealed to us?
7. According to Hebrews 2:18, why is Jesus able to help when we are tempted?
8. How does 1 Peter 5:8 describe the devil?
9. How are we to deal with our enemies according to Matthew 5:44-45?
10. According to 2 Samuel 6 & 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, why did Uzzah die?
Samson's Bad Choices
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
“Those days there was no king over Israel. Every man did what was right in his own eyes,” Judges 21:25.
In the dark days of Judges, there is a man by the name of Samson who teaches us some lessons about life and how a person ought to approach God with the proper attitude. Welcome you today to our study of the Old Testament lessons.
In today's lesson we're thinking about one of the heroes, some people think of the heroes of the Old Testament, although Samson did end up being a hero, Samson made a lot of blunders along the way that we can learn from.
Samson is a man that in a lot of ways we can learn what not to do from his life. The Book of Judges is a dark time in Israel's history. There is this cycle in the Book of Judges where the people are right with God, everything is prospering and going well, and then they begin to want to be like the nations around them. They begin to go into idolatry. As a result, the heathen nations conquer them. They will finally come to their senses and call out to God. God will send them a deliverer or judge. He will defeat the enemies, and they will get back right with God. Multiple times throughout the Book that cycle occurs in the life of the people. It's mainly because as the statement says in Judges 21:25, "In those days, there was no king in Israel." Yes, God was still king, but they weren't letting Him be king in their life. "In those days, there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes."
Judges is the typical example of anarchy. Everybody is living the way they want to live, no law of God, no thought of God in their heart many times, and they're just living the way they want to live. As a result, dark days and trouble comes for the people of Israel.
Today we study about one judge by the name of Samson. Samson was a Nazarite from birth according to Judges 13. God specially selected and chose him to be a unique class of people known as a Nazarite. A Nazarite by its very nature was someone who was separated from normal life for the special purpose of God. Numbers 6:1, a Nazarite was to keep any type of juice, grape juice or strong drink, wasn't able to eat grapes; he was to keep that away from him. Numbers Chapter 6:1-4 teaches he was not to cut his hair. This was a sign of his separation and holiness to God according to Numbers 6:5. He was not to make himself unclean by touching a dead body or anything like onto that, not even if it was his own family, Numbers 6:6-7 says. And, of course, a Nazarite was to represent and be the epitome of holiness. That's the whole calling of the Nazarite according to Numbers 6:8.
Samson was very special, very unique, and a very great privilege and honor to be a Nazarite on behalf of God and God's people that we find in the scripture.
Now as you think about practical lessons, even that we can learn from the history of Samson as a Nazarite, there are several things that relate to the Christian. Should Christians be separated for God's purposes today? The word Nazire literally means separated. Christians are to be separated to the purposes of God. God says in 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Come out from among them and be ye separate," says the Lord. Yes, we are separated to be special and unique today. Paul said, "I beg you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed, changed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Christians are to seek first God's kingdom, Matthew 6:33 and we are not to be in love with the world, James 4:4. Like a Nazarite, Christians have to realize that some of the things that people put in their body in this life are not good for them. The Nazarite in the Old Testament was not to drink strong drink or things like that in his separation to God and Christians must realize that some of the things that people put in their body, that's not what
a Christian ought to be doing. Drugs, alcohol, and things like that are not going to help us to live a holy life. That's going to inebriate and cause us to weaken our morals. In 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible says this: "Be sober, be vigilant or watchful, and be alert for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." That word for sober in 1 Peter 5:8, W. E. Vine's Greek scholar says this: "It means to be free from the influence of any intoxicant." If I'm to be sober spiritually, friend, to do that, I can't be an inebriated spirit physically. I can't have something in my body that's going to weaken my morals and alertness.
Then, of course, as our lives today, as a Christina, there ought to be a sign of separation to God should there not? Just like the Nazarite represented when someone saw a Nazarite they represented someone who their life was separation to God. Our lives, the way we live, should indicate that we are separated to living for God. Matthew 5:16, Jesus said it this way: "Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." People ought to be able to look at Christians and see that we are God's own special people. Titus 2, verse 14 that we're trying to have the mind of Christ, Philippians 2:5 and that in everything we do, we're trying to bring glory and honor to almighty God. We also must realize as Christians today that just as if the Nazarite when he touched something that would be unclean, he could become unclean, friend, we need to realize today that there's something that makes Christian's unclean and that's sin.
Sin separates a man from God, Isaiah 59:1-2 and 2 Timothy 1:17. Thus, as God's people we need to be the epitome of trying to live a holy life. Be holy as He who called you is holy, 1 Peter 1:15. "Imitate me as I also imitate Christ," Paul would say in 1 Corinthians 1:11."Walk up in the footsteps of Jesus for without holiness no one can see God," Hebrews 12:14.
Now as you think about Samson let's realize some things in Samson's life that were his sins, and some things that got in the way of him really living that life that represented holiness. One of the things about Samson that stands out, as contrary to God's will is that Samson was very prideful, very self-willed and rebellious. Listen to Judges 14. This text clearly shows he was self-willed and he was out to get what he wanted. Judges 14:1: "Now Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. So he went up and told his
father and mother saying, 'I've seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines, now therefore get her for me as wife.' Then his father and mother said to him, 'Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren or among all my people that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines'? And Samson said to this father, 'Get her for me for she pleases me well.'"
When you think about a man who was rebellious and self-willed, that's Samson. God had already commanded His people, already warned His people on multiple occasions don't intermarry, and don't marry the heathens. They're going to pull you away from God; they're not going to help you to be more spiritual. Yet Samson sees this woman. His lust overtakes him; he says to his father and mother, ‘go get her for me.’ His dad says, ‘wait a minute, now, aren't there women among God's people you can? ... I don't care about any of them in that sense, she pleases me, go get her.’ What type of attitude is that that Samson had? Didn't matter what God wanted. Didn't matter what his parents wanted. Didn't really matter what was right. Samson wanted it; therefore, Samson thought he needed to have it. Too many people in this life are so headstrong that they don't stop and think about what's right. Someone once said strong heads are never really that strong. We need to have our will in line with the will of God. In the Bible, the scriptures teach us that we shouldn't be out to get what we want. We ought to be out to do what God wants us to do. In fact, the Bible says in Titus 1:7 that elders in the Lord's church are not to be self-willed. That is, it's not what we think; it's not our way. It's not what we want; elders ought to be in line with God's will. They want to do what God wants for the church, for His plan and for his mission.
If you get somebody in who's self-willed and has to have it his way, friend, that's not going to work in the Lord's church. Christians ought not to be self-centered but Christ-centered. Mark 12:30, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." God needs to come first in our decisions. Not what I want, not what I think, not what's best for me or how I can live this pleasure out in this life. What does God want me to do? That's the real question that we need to be asking. We need to remember that according to Saul, rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. God does not look lightly on rebellion, and Samson epitomizes that here in this context.
When you think about Samson also, let's realize as we look at Samson's life and we think about the things he did, friend, realize this: Samson instead of listening to his parents, Samson gave into his lust instead of what his parents tried to teach and instruct him to do. Many people today, if we're not careful, especially young people, can do the same thing. He saw a beautiful woman, like David, who saw beautiful Bathsheba bathing, his lust overtook him, he got caught up in relations he shouldn't have and his whole family was affected by it.
Young people, realize today that your lust and your passions must not control what you do in this life. Christians are taught to flee, 2 Timothy 2:22, "Flee youthful lust and rather pursue the things of God. Rightenous, holiness, good living, things liken onto that."
Samson ultimately goes on to violate God's law as it relates to things he does in his life. Judges Chapter 14 he is in clear violation of the will of God. Judges 14:5: "So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise a young lion came roaring against him and the spirit of the Lord came idly upon him, he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat though he had nothing in his hand. He did not tell his father and mother what he had done. Then he went down and talked with the woman and she pleased Samson well. After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion. He took some of it in his hands and went along eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they also ate, but he did not tell them he had taken the honey in the carcass of the lion."
Here again you see Samson bent on doing whatever he wants to do. Going to get that woman of the Philistines, who he shouldn’t, had. Then along the way God's still trying to work through him. This lion comes and he rips the lion apart. A little while later he sees the dead lion's carcass, honey in it, and, again, his passion and his desire overtakes him. Although he shouldn't have touched the dead carcass, although that would make him unclean according to the old law and would be a violation of God's will- he went and did it anyway. Saw that honey, knew it would taste good. His passion, his desire is overtaking him again and he goes and takes it. Even gives some to his parents. Friend, by the taking the honey out of the lion's carcass, Samson made himself unclean. Leviticus 11:27, they were not to
touch a dead carcass. We've got to realize today, while we live under a law of God today, those who break God's law, they also become unclean when we don't follow its teachings.
Samson didn't listen to God. He went against the teaching of God and as a result he became unclean when he should have epitomized holiness. Like Samson, we're under God's law today. That law is the law of price. Galatians 6:2, James 1:25, it is the perfect law of liberty. When we go against God's law, we also stop living holy lives and we separate ourselves from almighty God. Isaiah 59:1-2, the Lord's ears is not heavy that he cannot hear his arms are not short that he cannot save, but our sins and our iniquities separate us from God. Roman 6:23 says the wages of sin, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, but the wages of sin is death. Samson became unclean and when men and women today don't follow God's law, they also become unclean.
Another powerful lesson that we learn from the life of Samson is that too many times in Samson's life he gave into peer pressure. Judges 14:10-20, we find an example of him giving into the peer pressure there. "So his father went down to the woman and Samson gave a feast there for young men used to do so. It happened when they saw him that they brought 30 companions to be with him. Then Samson said to them, 'Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing. But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothing.’ “So they said to him, 'Pose your riddle so that we may hear it.' So he said to them, 'Out of the eater came something to eat, out of the strong came something sweet.'" Now for three days they could not explain the riddle. But it came to pass on the seventh day that they said to Samson's wife, 'Entice your husband that he may explain the riddle to us or else we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so’?” Then Samson's wife wept on him and said, 'You only hate me, you do not love me, you posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not even explained it to me.' He said to her, 'Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother, so should I explain it to you?'" “Now she wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. It happened on the seventh day that he told her because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of the people.”
When you think about Samson here and his wife, who God didn't want him to take in the first place; peer pressure began to work on him. She wasn't a godly person and she began to work against Samson in so many ways. Today, if we're not careful, like Samson, peer pressure can cause people to do things they really shouldn't do. Many young people with good morals, good family bringing, raised to know the Lord and follow his teaching, have given in to peer pressure over time to do things that are not right. Whether that be to smoke or to drink or do drugs or be involved in sexual relations before that's right. Things that you know are not right. Sometimes if you get around the wrong people, that's going to influence you for evil.1 Corinthians 15:30-33. The Bible says this: "Evil companions corrupt good morals." We need to realize we've got to let God's word guide us and not let people of the world lead us down a path we ought not to go. How many people have maybe been in a party or been around other people and they wouldn't even think about drinking alcohol and yet when you get around other people and they're doing it and it looks cool and you're not one of the cool ones. You think, well, I've got to do this. Maybe we shouldn't have been around those people to begin with. Those people aren't going to help us to get more God-like in every way. Samson is a man who eventually will give in to worldly concepts rather than Biblical teaching.
Today we must not be like Samson, but rather we want to be like Christ. It's not what the world wants and the mold the world wants to shape us into that matters. Its how does Christ want me to live? Hebrews 4:15, Jesus was tempted at all points as we are, yet without sin. The Bible teaches us, according to 1 Peter 2:21-22, that we've got to follow the teaching of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Now as you will study the life of Samson, Samson goes on to do some things that are pretty good. He'll fight some battles, God will work through him, but he also will eventually give into his wife again. She'll ask him, "Where's your strength? How is it you can do these things? How is it you can defeat the enemies?" Of course, he didn't want anybody to know his strength. His strength was given by God and it was in his long hair, but as you remember, she'll eventually entice him. She'll eventually tell his enemies his strength is in his hair. Now you listen to this, Samson, who was strong and powerful, who at one time the spirit of God wonderfully worked in, when she tells his secret, and they cut his hair. Think of this image of Samson. This is what you need to remember from going to being a Nazarite and a powerful man, Samson gets his hair cut, his eyes are
poked out, gouged out, and he's in the dungeon, working as it were, on a grist mill maybe you might think of and he is basically at the bottom of the barrel of these things.
Why did Samson allow those things to happen in his life and what caused that for God? Here's what happened, Samson began to listen to other voices besides God and as a result he ends up in the dungeon, blind without his hair. Now God's going to allow his hair to grow back, that hair begins to grow back and you remember Samson's strength comes back. Samson is going to do one last valiant thing for God of which he is probably most well known for. As you remember in the Book of Judges, toward the end of Samson's life, as his hair begins to grow back and as he begins to receive that strength from God again, he's blind; so he really can't see what he's doing. During this time the heathen nations are having a feast or a celebration and all the rulers are there. It's a two story building you might think of and up above is where everybody is partying at. So they're honoring them and their gods and living in luxury and Samson in one final act of revenge and desire to please God, he has somebody take his hands, put those hands against the main pillars in that building and with all of his might and strength he pushes. That whole building, with all those ungodly adulteress people, comes crashing down on Samson. In one last act of self-sacrifice, his life brings honor and glory to God as he was called to do. But think about this: Look at what it cost Samson. Think about if he had just learned his lesson earlier. He had to sacrifice himself in the end to bring glory to God and die doing so?
What if he had chosen a woman from God's people? What if he had not touched those things that were unclean? What if the peer pressure hadn't affected Samson like it did? What if he hadn't have been so prideful and self-willed and had such a great desire to please himself over God?
Friend, Samson's life could have turned out a lot better than did. Can you imagine as he's blind, with both of his hands on those columns, the things that must be flashing through his mind? Knowing that it's all about to come to an end. What if I'd only put God first? What if I hadn't been so prideful? What if everything I looked at I didn't have a desire and a lust for?
What if Samson had made those choices sooner in life? There are a lot of things in life that are going to tempt you- just as they tempted Samson. Those things are not going to help you. A lot of those things, the lust of
flesh, lust the eyes, the pride of life, 1 John 2:15-17, those things, although they may appeal to you, and although there may be a momentary impulse pleasure to them, realize, just like in Samson's life, those things are not going to help you to be a godly person. Oh, there's going to be attraction of the opposite sex. There's going to be desire for things of this world, pleasure and passion and things that will make you feel good in life. Friend, the thing we need to ask ourselves above all else is, ‘will this help me to honor God with my life?’
In Acts 4:13, it is said of the fishermen who followed Jesus, when they realized they were untrained and uneducated men, and then they realized they had been with Jesus. Friend, that's what matters in our life. Are we living our life according to the Bible? Remember the Bible says in Romans 12:2, "Do not be transformed to this world, but be renewed by the changing of your mind that you may prove what is a good and acceptable of will of the Lord." Don't let the world squeeze you in its mold. Rather you follow the mold of Christ. You follow the pattern of Christ in everything that He said and did. Friend, are you a child of God? Have you obeyed the teaching of the Lord initially?
The Lord tells us what we've got to do to be saved. In Romans 10:17, the Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." I know I've got to have faith to be saved for in Hebrews 11:6 the Bible says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God." How do you get faith? By hearing the word of God. Have you heard the message of the Bible? That Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. That no man comes to the Father except by him, John 14:6.
If you've heard that message, then, friend, are you willing to commit your life to it? The Bible says in Acts 2:38-47, they heard that word and they responded by being pricked in their heart. They cried out, ‘men and brethren, what shall we do?’ They believed Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God, Acts 2:36. Having believed that, are you willing to repent? Again, Acts 2:38 says ‘repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.’ Having repented, turn from sin and turn to God- would you be willing to be baptized to get into God's kingdom? Jesus said, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water in the spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." John 3:5. Then to live a life of holiness and separation of God would you walk in
newness of life every day being faithful onto death? Roman 6:4 and Revelation 2:10.
Our hope today in studying the life of Samson is that we can look at his life and we can learn not to do that. And in so doing, we'll be prepared to live our lives in such a way that they will truly magnify God in everything that we say that do.
May God help us to have that faith and to follow him every day.
Study Questions for:
“Old Testament Studies Lesson 6: Samson”
1. According to Judges 21:25, what were the times like during Samson’s life?
2. According to Judges 13:1-14, from birth, how was Samson raised to be?
3. According to Numbers 6, what were some of the things expected from a Nazirite?
4. According to 2 Corinthians 6:17, how are we to live?
5. According to Mathew 6:33, what are we to put first?
6. According to 1 Peter 5:8, why should we be sober and alert?
7. According to Matthew 5:16, how should we live?
8. According to Isaiah 59:12, what separates us from God?
9. What is the first and greatest commandment according to Mark 12:30?
10. According to 2 Timothy 2:22, what are we to flee from?
King Saul
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
In Josiah 13:11 God reminded Israel “I gave you a king in my anger and I took him away in my wrath.” That comment is about one of the worst kings and worst decisions that Israel had ever made- to ask for a king.
Welcome to our study of King Saul and the practical lessons that we can learn from this Old Testament study.
Let's direct our attention to a very dark and dismal time in Israel's history, almost as bad as the time of the judges. This is when Israel asked for a king. We need to realize from the outset of this study that God was never happy with His people's desire to be like the other nations and ask for a king. In first Samuel 8:3-8, the people are now going to approach Eli. They're going to say to him, "Give us a king. We want to be like the rest of the nations. We want a king to reign over us," and he's broken hearted. Samuel is broken hearted about that, because he doesn't know what to say. He approaches God, and God says to Samuel, not Eli but Samuel, God says to him, ‘Don't take it personally. They're not rejecting you. They're rejecting me.’
From the outset, realize Israel already had a king. God was on the throne. He was the greatest king you could ever have. He had not been removed, and He was ruling and reigning in Israel. As long as they followed Him, they prospered. They began to as God, "Give us a king. We want to be like everybody else." Peer pressure had taken in. In fact, when the people asked for this, God warned them that they would rue the day that they had asked for a king to be like everybody else. In fact, to their credit, in 1 Samuel 12:19, the people are going to eventually realize they’ve sinned
by asking for a king. Nevertheless, the people asked for a king and God allowed them to have what they thought they really needed.
There's even a practical lesson to be learned in that. You need to be very careful what you ask for, because you just might get it. The people of Israel did not need Saul as a king. He was not a good king. He did not help them spiritually. He, in fact, further separated them from God and His will. Sometimes in our life we ask for things that we think we need, maybe without even thinking it through. Sometimes when we ask for something and God doesn't maybe give that to us, sometimes we even get a little angry about it. Let's realize God can see and knows what's best for us, and we need to put our trust and hope in Him. Be very careful what we ask for, because you might get it, and it might not be that good for you.
Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a son of Kish, according to 1 Samuel 9:1. He was from the town of Gibeah, which was a city about five miles North of Jerusalem. He was appointed king of Israel around 1090 and he reigned for about 40 years until the year 1050. Saul's death in battle was due to him being severely wounded by the enemy's archers, and of course, a botched suicide attempt an account of Saul's life can be found in 1 Samuel chapters nine through 31, and in 1 Chronicles chapter 10. Now, let's think about Saul. There's some good that Saul did. There are some really bad things that he did, and then there are some really ugly things that we're going to think about, as well.
Let's talk about, first of all, the good in Saul's life. Not everything about Saul was bad; in fact before he was appointed King, Saul had a great sense of humility in his life. 1 Samuel 10:20-21 ‘when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. When he calls the tribe of Benjamin to come near, by their families, the family of Matri was chosen, and Saul, the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him they couldn't find him.’ He's a very humble person. He's trying to live his life according to the will of God and not looking, as it were, for the spotlight. Saul also excelled in physical qualities, in physical stature, in good looks. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 9:2 that he is head and shoulders above everybody else. Maybe he was a really tall, handsome, or a good looking man. Although not an inherent quality of good, there is something that the people saw in Saul in this way. We notice also as the good that he did. The spirit of God initially came upon Saul, and had even worked in him through accomplishing his will. We find that in 1 Samuel
10:6. Saul did much good even in some of the battles he fought for God against the heathen nations. You read about these in 1 Samuel 11 and 1 Samuel 13 through 15. There were glimpses, albeit very short-lived, that Saul had some good things in his life. But friend, the bad and the ugly that he did is what Saul is really remembered for.
What made Saul a bad king? Here's the bad that he did. Saul's first transgression that really stood out in God's mind and that was very visible to the people is that Saul participated in unauthorized worship to God. He officiated in and he offered sacrifices to God contrary to the Lord's word, and he is eventually punished for doing that. As a result, the dynasty of Saul is going to die that day. Listen to 1 Samuel 13:9 to what happened. The Bible says, "So Saul said bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me. And he offered the burnt offering. Now, it happened as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering that Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him that he might greet him. And Samuel said, ‘what have you done?’ Saul said, when I saw that the people were scattered from me and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘the Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal. I have not made supplication to the lord. Therefore, I felt compelled and offered a burnt offering,’ and Samuel said to Saul, ‘you have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God which he commanded you. For now, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over his people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’"
Saul really messed up here in the sight of God. He wasn't authorized to offer that sacrifice. Samuel, the Levites, and the others were authorized to do that. He began to listen to what he wanted. You hear the word ‘I’ over and over again. He begins to think about how the people are going to view him. He begins to think about how his enemies will view him. He gets impatient and he offers unauthorized sacrifice and worship to God. Only Samuel was commanded to do that by God, and as a result Saul is going to lose his dynasty when God had a plan to leave him in there.
As you think about this principle and this truth here, let's realize that God means what He says when he sets laws in place. When God tells us how to worship him just as he told Saul how to worship, to wait on Samuel,
to let him offer that sacrifice- when God tells us what he wants, friend, God means what he says. When God tells us that we're to worship Him in a certain way, on the first day of the week we’re to be take the Lord's Supper, Acts 20:7. We're to sing and make melody in our heart, Colossians 3:16-17 and Ephesians 5:19. We're to pray to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, John 14 and Matthew 6. When God tells us how we're to do those things, God doesn't want us to alter, or change, or listen to what might be popular in the world today. God just wants us to do what he says. Saul's first and major blunder was that he did not respect the authority of God on worship.
Then there is the second transgression of Saul, and this was a big blunder, as well. Saul's second sin is that he was disobedient and rebellious to the will of God concerning the Amalekites. 1 Samuel 15 God told Saul to completely go in and annihilate all the inhabitants and all the belongings of Amalek. Now, Saul did about 95% of everything God commanded him, yet God still considered his disobedience rebellion. You'll see, Saul wanted to leave the best of the flocks, the best of the gifts, the best of the offerings, and his intent was we're going to save the best and we're going to give it to God. He had even the right heart and maybe the right motive, but he didn't do all that God commanded him.
How did God feel about that? Listen to 1 Samuel chapter 15. Saul's disobedience and rebellion, although his motive may have been good, God considered that something that should not have been done. Listen to 1 Samuel 15:22-23. So Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great the light in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to he or listen than the fat of rams, where rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry, because you have rejected the word of the Lord he also has rejected you from being king.” This was a very serious matter. God told him exactly what to do. Don't leave anything. Wipe it all out from the people down. Don't save anything. Saul's heart is, well, we'll give the best to God. We're going to do this in honor and worship and to give God the glory. God said, that's like you disobeying me even with the right motive was like witchcraft and idolatry. It was disobedience, it was iniquity, and it was transgression.
Let's listen very carefully to the point here. God doesn't need my help. Even if my motives are right, God doesn't need my help. He doesn't want me to change things. He doesn't want me to spruce it up even if I'm doing that to honor and glorify Him. Saul learned the hard way. When God tells
you to do something, do all of it. 95, 97, 99% of what God asks for is not what God wants. God wants us to give our whole heart and our whole life to him. He wants us to obey Him in everything that He said, and He does. Saul lost the kingdom because of this.
We also know about Saul as part of the bad that he did that he was a very jealous person over David. You read 1 Samuel 18 and 19, and a spirit of jealousy begins to overtake Saul. On multiple occasions he even tries to kill or destroy David's reputation and who he is. Jealousy ruled his heart was one of the bad things that you find in Saul's life. It was a big part of his psychological downfall. Don't let jealousy, anger, or revenge rule your life. God wants us to put our trust and hope in Him although things might not may not be perfect in every situation with every person. If my life and my heart is right with God, then God will take care of the rest on that final day.
Now, as we think about King Saul, let's also think about the ugly that he did in his life. One of the ugliest acts in the life of Saul was his murder of the priest of God by the hand of Doeg the Edomite. 1 Samuel 22:6-23. Here we have Doeg, this Edomite who doesn't care anything about God or his people, and you've got the priest who's already told Saul he's not right with God. He doesn't need to be doing these things. Won't permit him to do what Saul wants to do, and so Saul sends in this Edomite to kill the priest of God. This act was done out of envy and jealousy, and it clearly expressed the depth Saul was willing to sink into to keep his power. God's already told him David's going to be next. Your dynasty's out. You're not following me. That's the way it's going to be, because the messenger of God wouldn't let him have power and be the king he wanted to be he thought he would take out the messenger. How evil that was of Saul to try to rule against God and to do things contrary to the will of almighty God.
As we think about Saul's life and as we think about practical lessons, I need to realize that jealousy, anger, and revenge are not things that God wants me to do in this life. I want you to think about a passage in Romans chapter 12 which teaches us that you can't let anger and vengeance and these type of things rule your life. Listen to Romans 12:17 following. The Bible says ‘Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Be loved. Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath for it is written. Vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him a drink. In so doing
you'll heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ Saul let jealousy and vengeance and a desire for power rule his life to the point that he even has a priest of God murdered by a heathen man. He's in cohorts with the heathen now. This is the depths Saul sank to keep power.
We need to realize that all power ultimately belongs to God. Each of us needs to realize that we're just servants in God's house. We're servants in the kingdom of God. Mark 10:45. Jesus taught us clearly that the son of man did not come to be served but to be a servant and to give his life a ransom for many. When you think about Christ, He's the ultimate servant, and he gives us the example of how we ought to live. Let's let God use us. There are so many people in this world who are hungry for power, and anything that gets in the way, they just seem to knock them down, as it were. That's the mentality of Saul, and friend, it didn't work out good for Saul at all, and it won't work out for people today. Rather than to make it my life's aim to grab hold of power and never let it go, I want to hold on to God. I want to let God be in control, let him have the power, and let God use me as he will.
Another very ugly incident in the life of Saul concerns the Witch of Endor. Saul is now upset again because he's going to be removed as king, and so what he does is he goes to a witch or a necromancer, the Witch of Endor, to seek Samuel's advice. This act is extremely deplorable because it was a clear violation of scripture and what Saul himself had previously stood for. The Old Testament prohibited someone consulting the dead. In Deuteronomy 18:10-11. They weren't to consult the dead. They weren't to use witches or necromancers to do that. In fact, Saul had banished all the mediums and all the soothsayers from the land. We learned that in 1 Samuel 28:3, and yet as an act of desperation Saul communicates with the Lord and with Samuel by the Witch of Endor. We can know that the witch was just simply a hokester because her response when she actually sees Samuel. 1 Samuel 28:12. She allows Saul to do this. Now, God's going to allow it to happen, but when she actually sees Samuel, she's shocked that it happened, as it were. Saul uses a medium, something he himself had been opposed to all his life. The extent he went, the methods he used, and how low he stooped to keep his power is another part of his problems.
Again, we learn that let's use the medium in the way that God has told us today in the Bible, and the Bible is God's word. The Bible is God's
revelation. Prayer is how we communicate with God. God communicates with us through the Bible. Astrologers, soothsayers, mediums, fortune tellers, and spiritists are not something that God has authorized today. Those are people who are looking to take advantage of others. God is the true source of all knowledge, all wisdom, and God holds the future in His hand, and if we put our trust and our hope in God, in His word, that's where real communication from the almighty comes from. Too many people are looking to find some revelation from some other source, or find some message that will bring them hope, and joy, and happiness. Friend, that message is found in the Bible. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, John 14:6. Hope is found in Christ. Grace is found in Christ. We find God's love and mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ, and so rather than looking for another avenue to communicate with God or receive blessing from Him, let's put our hope and trust in God's word, His revelation to man today.
And finally, as we look at Saul's life the last disgraceful and ugly act that he committed was Saul's own attempt to take his life or to be euthanized by another man in 1 Samuel 31 and in 2 Samuel 1. He's still trying to hold on to that power, and yet he goes into battle against the will of God. He is terminally injured by an archer there. He tries to take his own life. He eventually has somebody take his life for him, but again, look at the depths he's going to try to keep that power, to try to do what he thinks God wants him to do, although God's already told him. That's not right.
Friend, the only way to have real happiness and joy, and the only really way to access the power of God today is found in Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Philippians 4:13, Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."
As you think about the practical import of today's lesson and what we can learn from the life of Saul, we go back to the beginning where we noted that we need to be very careful what we do ask for. Israel asked for a king, and God said later, "I gave you a king in my wrath. I've taken away my anger." Saul did not help the people of God. They already had a king. God was on the throne, but they kept insisting we need this so we can be like everybody else. We learn from this that we need to be content with God as king. We need to be content letting God rule over our lives. As you think about Saul, friend, realize that God wants us, just as he wanted Saul, to obey Him. When God tells us how to worship that's exactly what God wants
us to do. When God tells us that he wants us to obey him, let's realize God wants what he says.
Listen to these verses. In Luke 6:46, Jesus questioned the Jewish leaders there when he said, "Why do you call me ‘Lord Lord’ and do not do the things which I say?" Jesus said, "If you're going to call me Lord, the natural conclusion is if I'm your Lord you'll do what I tell you, and yet you're not." Matthew 7:21. Jesus said, "It's not everybody that looks up into heaven and says ‘Lord Lord’ that's going there. Who is? He that does the will of the Father in heaven." Hebrews 5:8-9, Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
Saul didn't obey God. He reaped bad, bad consequences, and so did Israel because of that. Friend, let's learn from Saul that we need to obey God.
We ask you to consider are we really obeying the will of God? Initially have you obeyed the gospel of Christ by becoming a Christian? Friend, the good news is Jesus came to save men from sin, Matthew 1:19-21. There is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved, Acts 4:11-12. That gift of salvation can be yours today if you obey the gospel. Do you believe Jesus is the savior of the world? In John 8:21, Jesus said, "Unless you believe that I'm he you will surely die in your sins." Do you believe it enough to change your life and repent? The Lord said in Luke 13:3 ‘unless you repent you'll all likewise perish.’ Would you turn from sin and a life of sin and turn to God? Would you make the great confession? Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus said that only those who confess sin would be saved. Jesus said, "If you won't confess me before men neither will I confess you before the Father who is in heaven, but if you will confess me before men I'll also confess you before the Father who is in heaven.” And friend, would you be immersed in water to have every sin washed away? In Acts chapter 9:6, Saul was told, "You go into the city and we told you what you must do." Saul Tarsus, you go in the city and we told you what you must do. In Acts 22:16. As he approaches Saul of Tarsus he says, "Saul, Saul, why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the lord." Would you be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins? Acts 2:38.
As a Christian what we learn from the life of Saul is we need to stay true to God. We need to continue to let his power rule in our own life. Don't
try to grab power for yourself. Don't be power-hungry. Don't try to make a name for yourself or be prideful and have others look at what you do. Rather, stay humble. Let God work through you, with you, and stay true to the teaching of almighty God, and then we can have the hope and joy that every Christian ought to have.
Saul's life started out good. It got really bad, and then it got really ugly. All of it was because Saul quit keeping his life humble, quit trusting God, and lived in rebellion to Him.
May God help each of us to live our lives in such a way that we bring glory and honor to God and that the gospel of Christ rules our lives. May God help us to do just that.
Study Questions for:
“Old Testament Studies Lesson 7- King Saul”
1. In 1 Samuel 8:7, who had the people rejected?
2. According to Hosea 13:11, did God want them to have a king?
3. According to 1 Samuel 12:19, what did the people regret?
4. According to Luke 14:11, who will be exalted?
5. What does 1 Samuel 10:6 say of the spirit of the Lord and Saul?
6. What does 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 tell us about miracles today?
7. What does 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 say of the battle we are in today?
8. According to Ephesians 6:12, what is our war and struggle today?
9. What did Saul do wrong in 1 Samuel 13?
10. In 1 Samuel 15:22-23, what can we learn about obeying vs. sacrificing?
The 'New' Passover Lamb
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
In 1 Corinthians 5:7 the Bible says, "For Christ, our Passover was sacrificed for us." As you think about the Old Testament Passover and the events of that day, and then as we look forward to Christ, there are so many powerful lessons that we can learn from Christ, the new Passover lamb.
Welcome to our study of Old Testament lessons that we're going to look at today especially revolving around the Passover of the Old Testament and how that looks forward to Christ. The events leading up to the Passover in Exodus chapter 12 are very pertinent to the context. In Exodus 1 through 11, we now have that a new Pharaoh arises. A new dynasty of Pharaoh arises that does not know Joseph or the people of God. As a result the Egyptians, the Egyptian people, are growing powerful. God's people are starting to grow in number, though. The Egyptians realize this won't work. They begin to put to death some of God's people. God raises up a deliverer by the name of Moses. Moses is now going to release God's people from Egyptian bondage and tyranny. God uses nine of the 10 plagues to help them see His power. The 10th plague, though, the final plague, is what will ultimately convince Pharaoh to let God's people go. The death of the first-born causes Pharaoh's son to die, and as a result, he finally lets God's people go.
How did Israel escape that plague? They escaped it through the Passover, the lamb of the Passover's blood being put on the doorpost. Then they would ultimately, once they depart, separate that Passover where God allowed them to come out of Egypt by the blood of the lamb being posted in each one of their houses.
As we think about the Old Testament, there are so many things in the Old Testament that were a type or a shadow of things in the New Testament. For example, you've got the congregation of Israel that followed Moses and then you've got the church, God's people today that follow Christ. You've got baptism into Moses, in the Red Sea, and then you've got baptism today. Then you have that original Passover lamb in Exodus 11 and 12, and you've got Christ, His death, who is our Passover lamb today.
Today we want to think about the similarities between the Passover lamb of Israel, and Jesus Christ, the true Passover Lamb of God. When we think about these things, let's realize this about Jesus our Passover lamb. Exodus 12:3-4 says this: Speaking to all the congregation of Israel, say, "On the 10th of this month, every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons according to each man's need, you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without spot and blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats." God's people, to remember what happened in Exodus 11, that final plague in Exodus 10 and 11, where they posted the blood of the lamb to their doorpost and the death angel passed over, as it were, they're reminded when they take the Passover Lamb of God passing over his people and passing over every family that did that.
The lamb played a significant part in the Passover. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is our Passover lamb today. Jesus, in fact, is identified as the true Lamb of God. 1 Corinthians 5:7 "For Christ, our Passover," the word 'paschal' there, "Our Passover lamb was sacrificed for us." 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, "Knowing that you were redeemed, not by corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct, handed down by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without spot and blemish." John 1:29 John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching and he says this: "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." You see that great scene in Revelation 5:8-12, where there is a lamb that was slain from the foundations of the world. That lamb represents Jesus Christ.
Friend, it's also very interesting to notice that Jesus was taken by lawless men during the Passover to become the true Passover of God. It
was during the Old Testament Passover time that lawless men took Jesus, John 19:14 and He was made to be the true Passover Lamb of God.
Now, when you think about Jesus as the Passover lamb, let's also realize this: Just like the Old Testament Passover lamb had some conditions it had to meet; Christ is the perfect Lamb of God today. Listen again to Exodus 12:5. The Bible says, "Your lamb shall be without blemish. A male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.” Now, there were certain characteristics of the Passover lamb that it had to meet so that it would be proper to give during that time. It couldn't have spot or blemish-Had to be perfect and to be whole in that sense. A male of the first year, and it could be of the sheep or of the goats.
Now, Jesus perfectly fits the qualities and characteristics that were given for the Passover lamb. Jesus was of the right stock. That is, He was of the stock of Israel. Genesis 12:1-3, and Genesis 22:18 said that the one who would bless all nations would ultimately be of the seed of Abraham. Jesus is of the seed of Abraham. John 8, Jesus clearly identified, "Before Abraham was, I am." Not only that though, Jesus is of the lineage of David. 2 Samuel 7:12-14, "There would be one from the seed of David who would reign over the house of Israel forever." Jesus, according to Luke 1:32-33, is that one of the house of David, reigning forever. More importantly, Jesus is God in the flesh. ‘In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,’ John 1:14. He is of the right lineage and stock of Israel to be the proper Passover lamb.
Jesus also has the perfect qualities and characteristics to be the Passover lamb. Remember, that Old Testament lamb couldn't be a culled lamb. It couldn't be a hurt lamb. It couldn't' be a sick lamb. It was to be without spot and blemish. Spiritually speaking, that represents the Lord Jesus Christ, who committed no sin, nor was guile or deceit found in his mouth, 1 Peter 1:19-21. The Bible says in Hebrews 4:15: "He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin." 2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might be the righteousness of God in Him." "He's done all things well," Mark 7:37, "He was about the father's business," Luke, 2:49-52. As you think about the comparisons Jesus represents in such clear fashion, that perfect, sinless, harmless son of God, the Passover lamb for us today. As we think about comparisons with the Passover lamb, realize this also: The Passover lamb,
under the Old Testament, was slain by Israel, by the people, by the congregation. Look at Exodus 12:6. The Bible says this: "Now, you shall keep it," that is the Passover lamb, "Until the 14th day of the same month. Then, the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight." This Passover lamb, it was to be slain in front of, and at the hands of the whole congregation of Israel.
Friend, do we realize that Jesus typifies this? In that our Lord was put to death at the hands of the Jews? 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15. The Jews are clearly identified. The nation of Israel is clearly identified as playing a part in that. Acts 2:23 Peter said, ‘your lawless hands have taken him.’ Acts 5:30, He was taken by the hands of the Israelites. Then of course, John 19:6 we clearly see he was put up before all Israel, taken by the hands of the Jews who cried out as they were asked, "Do you want me to release Barabbas or Jesus?" They told him, "Release Barabbas." They wanted Jesus crucified. And so the Jewish nation, Jesus' blood is on their hands, but not only was Jesus crucified by the Jews, let's realize this as well, let's make it personal. It was my sins and it was your sins that put Jesus on the cross.
The Passover lamb, it was for the people of Israel. But as we think about how Jesus typifies that, how he was slain by Israel, friend I'm going to make it personal. Jesus was slain by my hands and by yours as well. It was done for the sins of the whole world. I am a part of that world and so are you. Isaiah 59:1-2 "Our sins separate us from God." Hebrews 10:26 and Hebrews 9:22, "Without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness of sins." In 2 Timothy 1:9-10 tells us Jesus, according to the plan of God, died for my sins and for yours. Yes, Israel, their hands are the ones who literally took him, but friend, my sin and your sin, put Jesus on the cross, the Passover lamb, just as much as the Israelites did.
Now as we think about typifying and the example of Jesus as the true Passover lamb, let's realize what that Passover lamb represented. The Passover lamb, its blood. It allowed them to escape the punishment that was coming upon Egypt. Listen to Exodus 12:12-13, God says, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord." Now listen to this: "The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt." So this final plague, God is convincing Pharaoh,
He's destroying the heathen nations and their gods, and if there is no blood on the post of the door of that house, then they're going to lose the first born in that house. And yet God says to His people, listen these beautiful words, "When I see the blood, I will pass over your houses." When God saw the blood on the doorpost of the House of Israel, that house wouldn't suffer that final plague of the death of the firstborn that was coming.
Let's think about the practical application of that today. Today, people can escape the wrath of God, the plague that's coming spiritually by applying the blood of Christ to their spirits. Notice how powerful the blood of Jesus is for people today. Matthew 26:28, Jesus blood has the power to remit or remove all sin. As Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper with His disciples, He takes that fruit of the vine and He says this, "This is my blood of the new covenant shed for many for the remission of sins." The blood of Jesus remits or removes every sin a person's ever committed. The blood of Jesus is what bought the church or the saved in the first century and today. Acts 20:28 as Paul speaks to the elders in Ephesus, he encourages them to be shepherds. He says this in Acts 20:28, "To shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood." What does the blood of Jesus do? It remits all sin. It's that payment, that price that bought the saved and collects them into that place. That blood of Jesus is what justifies sinners. Romans 5:9, having been justified freely by his blood. The word justified is unique in that it means to ‘just as if I'd never sinned.’ What does it mean when you're justified by the blood of Jesus? Friend, you're going to second start, do over. ‘If anyone's in Christ, he's a new creation.’ There it is- the do over. ‘All things have passed away, behold all has become new.’ It's the blood of Christ that buys us back or redeems us to God. Ephesians 1:7, and Revelation 5:9, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." By selling ourselves to Satan, Satan now has me captive. What is it that's going to ransom us or buy us back from Satan? The blood of Jesus is what redeems or buys us back. It's that price that was paid for our sin.
The blood of Christ is what allows us to enter the most holy place. Hebrews 9:12, they couldn't enter the holy place except without blood. That blood that was sacrificed today, the Bible says in Hebrews 4:16, "Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we might find mercy and grace to help in time of need." We can enter the holy place of God today because of the great sacrifice that Jesus made. It is that blood that allows us to draw near to God. According to Ephesians 2:13, "By the blood of
Jesus Christ. It is that blood of Christ as we walk in the light that continually cleanses us. If we walk in the light, that means trying to live the Christian life every day. If we walk in the light, as he, Jesus is in the light. We have fellowship one with another and the blood of his son Jesus Christ cleanses, that's durative, ongoing idea, continually cleanses us of all sin.” Can you see the power? The power in that paschal Passover lamb? In the book of Exodus, you could clearly see that when that last plague passed over the house, you are thankful to God that the blood had been applied and you realized how powerful that blood was. Your first born didn't have to die. How much more so today when we think about the powerful benefits of our Lord and Savior's blood that is applied to every person's spirit?
As we think about the Passover lamb in the book of exodus, let's not miss the fact that then as are today, there was some things they had to do to escape the judgment of God and obey him. Listen to Exodus Chapter 12:21 following. In exodus chapter 12, here's what God commanded them. Verse number 21: "Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, pick out and take lambs for yourself according to your families and kill the Passover lamb, and you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin and shall strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house into morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you." Were there any acts of obedience? Were there commands they had to follow for the blood to work, for the blood to be applied to their houses? Well, sure there was. The Israelites could not escape the judgment of God unless they obeyed God and did certain things. First of all, they had to kill a lamb. You couldn't do it some other way. There was no other way. As bad as it may have hurt it, as much as you may not have wanted to, you had to kill a lamb. You had to gather some hyssop, something that would be sponge like as it were, a rag or something you might think of. A hyssop. You had to gather hyssop, you had to take that and actually dip it in blood. Then you had to take that with blood on it and put it on the lintel, the top part, and both of the posts. Then you could not go out of your house all night until the morning. Now would you say those are things they absolutely had to do to be saved from that last plague? Sure. Did these acts earn the Israelites their salvation? No. It was the blood being applied. It was God's grace, God's worry, and God's favor that passed over them.
If they didn't do what God say it, they don't obey him, they wouldn't have been saved. You see, you've got both grace and faith combined there. Listen to Ephesians 2:8-9. The Bible says, "By grace are you saved through faith. And that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast." They were saved by the grace of God, but does that mean they didn't have to do anything? God's grace and their faith both were essential in them being saved from the judgment that was coming. Friend, how appropriate that is and how true that is for the blood of Christ being applied to people's spirits today. There are certain things God says one must do to obey Him and to be saved and to have the blood of Christ applied to our lives spiritually.
The Bible teaches that you've got to hear the word of God. In Romans 10:17 the Bible says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." I know I've got to have faith, for without faith it's impossible to please God, Hebrews 11:6. How do I get faith? If faith is essential, whatever way I get faith is essential also, right? Faith comes by hearing, in hearing the word of God. Friend, if I'm going to be saved, I've got to study the word, 2 Timothy 2:15. I've got to read it. I've got to seek it; I've got to search it, Acts 17:11. I've got to prove all things to be true, 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
In Acts 8 as they're traveling down the road, Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in the distance, he sees it. "Here's water. There's water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Here's the condition. "If you believe with all your heart, you may." Is belief a condition you have to meet to contact the blood of Jesus? Absolutely. Now friend, it's not the only one and it doesn't end there, but I've got to hear the message of Christ and I've got to believe in Jesus. To contact the blood of Jesus. Jesus says I must repent. Luke 13:3 Jesus said, "Unless you repent, you'll all likewise perish.” There's no other way around it. I've got to turn from sin and turn to God." Acts 3:19 Peter preached, "Repent, and turn again or be converted that your sins may be blotted out." Repentance is a change way of thinking that leads to a change way of acting. I'm no longer going to give myself to sin; I'm going to turn to God. Doesn't mean you're 100% perfect- none of us are. We're going to try every day to walk in the light. Then a person must be willing to confess Jesus as Lord in their life. Romans 10:10 says, "With the heart, one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." I've got to do what Jesus said. "If you won't confess me before men, neither will I confess you before the father who is in heaven.
But if you will confess me before men, I'll also confess you before the father who is in heaven." To contact the blood of Jesus that saves the death and the blood of Jesus, one must be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins. Revelation 1:5 says, "We're washed in his blood." Acts 22:16, Saul was told, "Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins." Jesus said in Mark 16:16, "He that believes and is baptized will be saved."
Probably the clearest passage to help us see that I cannot contact the death and the blood of Jesus without being baptized is found in Romans 6:1. Paul says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that Grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" And I noticed this, "Or do you not know that is many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk in newness of life." Without the death of Jesus, is there any salvation? Of course not. The Bible says in Hebrews 9:22, without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ death is absolutely essential to salvation.
When do I contact the death of Jesus? “As many of us as were baptized into His death had been buried with Him in baptism.” Friend, you cannot contact the death of Jesus without being baptized. The blood was essential under the Old Testament Passover. They didn't put it to the lentil, they didn't put it on the door post, someone in the house was going to die. The firstborn was going to die. If you don't apply the blood of Christ to yourself spiritually by obeying the Gospel and ultimately being baptized, you cannot be saved.
God wants you to be saved. He doesn't want men and women to be lost. The Bible says God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, 1 Timothy 2:4. Christians everywhere want men and women to be saved, but you can't be saved without the blood of the Passover lamb being applied to you spiritually. To do that, you've got to hear the message. "You've got to believe in Jesus. You must repent of sin, confess His name before men." As Peter so clearly said in 1 Peter 3:21, “Baptism does now also save us.” It's where we contact the blood of Jesus in salvation.
Has the blood of the New Testament Passover lamb been applied to your spirit? If not, then on the Day of Judgment, you do have something to fear. But if you've obeyed the gospel, you're a Christian, you've been baptized for the omission of your sins, on that great and final day instead of hearing the words, "Depart from me, you workers of iniquity", and you can hear these wonderful words: "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of your Lord."
May God help each of us to live in view of that hope each and every day of our lives.
Study Questions for:
“Old Testament Studies Lesson 8- The Lamb”
1. According to 1 Corinthians 5:7, who is our Passover?
2. According to Romans 15:4, how does the Old Testament help us today?
3. According to Hebrews 8:13, what is now obsolete?
4. According to 1 Peter 1:18-19, what was Christ for us?
5. What does John call Jesus in John1:29?
6. What does Hebrews 4:15 say of Jesus and His temptation?
7. According to Isaiah 59:1-2, what separates us from God?
8. According to Hebrews 10:26, how does Christ feel when we sin?
9. According to Hebrews 9:22, what must there be for the forgiveness of sins?
10. According to Matthew 26:28, why was Jesus’ blood shed?
