Daily Bread - DEC/27/07
Acts 13:34 - "And that He raised Him from the dead never again to return to corruption therefore He has said, I will give you the holy things of faithful David."
This quote is found in Isaiah 55:3, "I will cut an everlasting covenant for you of faithful David's mercies (covenant love)." The last five Greek words used here in Acts 13:34 are identical to those found in the Septuagint, "ta hosia David ta pista" (the holy things of David's faithfulness). In the Hebrew Bible this same passage reads, "mercies (covenant love) of David's faithfulness" ("chasdey david hanneemaneem"). Those who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek understood the Hebrew word that many translate 'mercy' (chesed) to mean holy or sacred things.
What we can understand from looking at all of this text is that the holy things of David were the covenant love that he had with God: a covenant love that was established by the mercies of God. The covenant love that God cut with David He also cut with Jesus His only begotten Son. This same loving kindness and tender mercies has been extended to us today through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Daily Bread - DEC/26/07
1 John 5:11 - "And this is the witness that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son."
The Holy Spirit himself has come to give testimony to us and on our behalf that we have received eternal life. The most important dimension of eternal life is the quality of life that we have received. The life that we have been given in Christ Jesus is abundant life.
God's life is joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace that passes understanding and love that never fails. Confidence and faith in His work of Grace is vital to our salvation. It is essential that we trust with absolute certainty that the blood of Jesus has removed every offence and has brought forth the life of God in us.
We must believe that we have been begotten of the Spirit and that He is leading and guiding us into all truth. We must resign ourselves only to believe what the Word of God says. The lies that would attempt to cast doubt on the eternal life that has been given to us must be cast down as the enemies of God.
God who so desires that we would be convinced of this unspeakable gift has given us the greatest witnesses that He could provide: the witness of the Blood, the Spirit and the Water. He wants us to be certain of the eternal life that has come to us through the testimony of the Blood of Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the water of His Word. The certainty that eternal life has come to us through the blood is witnessed to us by the Spirit and the Word (Heb. 9:12, John 6:54, Matthew 26:27). That we have been begotten of the Spirit has been forever settled by the testimony that God has given to us of His Son (John 3:5-8, Gal. 4:29; 1 Peter 1:23, James 1:20, Hebrews 4:12). All of the witnesses of God, the blood, the Spirit and the water are one and they proclaim the message of God to everyone who will hear and believe. This message is that God has given to us eternal life.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org
1 John 5:11 - "And this is the witness that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son."
The Holy Spirit himself has come to give testimony to us and on our behalf that we have received eternal life. The most important dimension of eternal life is the quality of life that we have received. The life that we have been given in Christ Jesus is abundant life.
God's life is joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace that passes understanding and love that never fails. Confidence and faith in His work of Grace is vital to our salvation. It is essential that we trust with absolute certainty that the blood of Jesus has removed every offence and has brought forth the life of God in us.
We must believe that we have been begotten of the Spirit and that He is leading and guiding us into all truth. We must resign ourselves only to believe what the Word of God says. The lies that would attempt to cast doubt on the eternal life that has been given to us must be cast down as the enemies of God.
God who so desires that we would be convinced of this unspeakable gift has given us the greatest witnesses that He could provide: the witness of the Blood, the Spirit and the Water. He wants us to be certain of the eternal life that has come to us through the testimony of the Blood of Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the water of His Word. The certainty that eternal life has come to us through the blood is witnessed to us by the Spirit and the Word (Heb. 9:12, John 6:54, Matthew 26:27). That we have been begotten of the Spirit has been forever settled by the testimony that God has given to us of His Son (John 3:5-8, Gal. 4:29; 1 Peter 1:23, James 1:20, Hebrews 4:12). All of the witnesses of God, the blood, the Spirit and the water are one and they proclaim the message of God to everyone who will hear and believe. This message is that God has given to us eternal life.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - DEC/25/07
John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and he said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
Jesus was identified as the Lamb, the Lamb of Passover, rather than the goat of Yom Kippur. Jesus would be a passover lamb of a different kind. Jesus would be the Passover Lamb for the whole world and not just for Israel (John 19:14,33; Exodus 12:46; Isaiah 53:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7). He would pour out His blood on a different kind of post, and all mankind would be delivered from a different kind of Pharaoh. The post would be a cross, and the Pharaoh-like tyrant would be the Devil. The blood of the Lamb would become available to each person: anyone who would be willing to take His blood and apply it to their own lives.
John gave witness to Jesus before Satan was allowed to tempt Him in the wilderness and then again after the temptation. Jesus was the spotless Lamb who was without sin before He went up into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Jesus also remained the spotless Lamb after the temptation to which John once again gave testimony. This examination by John was similar to the examination that the priest had to give to ensure that the offerings were without blemish. Jesus was not just any kind of lamb; He was the Passover Lamb. The Passover was used by Jesus to declare the New Covenant and, in fact, was changed by Him to be the occasion of celebrating the birth of the New Covenant. It is the Passover supper which is the model for New Testament communion (1 Corinthians 11:20-30). The fact that Jesus is represented by the Passover lamb of the Old Testament is further emphasized in that He was killed at the time of the slaying of the Passover lamb (John 19:14, 31; 18:28; also Jub. 49:10,19; m Pesach 5:1; Philo, Laws 2.145; R. Natan in Mek. Bo 5). Jesus was shown to be a Lamb without spot or blemish and His body was to be taken and eaten, and not a bone was to be broken - a treatment specifically required of the Passover lamb (John 19:31-37; Exodus 12:26; Numbers 9:12; John 6:51-56).
Paul taught that Jesus was the Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7. "for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." Peter also taught that Jesus was a "lamb without blemish and without spot." Finally, Isaiah the prophet called him a lamb (Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:32). The blood of the Passover lamb represents the power that broke the yoke of the 10th plague and of the domination and trickery that Pharaoh exercised over Israel (Exodus 11:1). The Passover night was the time that God laid the sins of the people upon the firstborn. Only the blood of Passover lamb - which represented the blood of the firstborn - could expiate for a family that night (Exodus 13:2; 11-16). The blood of the Passover lamb represents redemption; for it was on that night that God redeemed all of Israel through their firstborn (Exodus 13:15; 6:6). It represents deliverance because God delivered Israel form bondage (Exodus 12:27). It represents the beginning of God's Covenant with Israel; for it is "the beginning of months" and it is the event that set the covenant into motion that was promised to Abraham (Exodus 12:1; 13:9; 6:4, 7, 8; Hebrews 8:9). The Passover represents the very day that Israel was born as a nation, and, as such, the covenant people of God. Finally, it is the time that Israel was released from slavery to serve God and be His people (Exodus 13:3).
The particular Greek word used for lamb in Exodus 12:5 is 'arnos.' This Greek word first occurs in Exodus 12:5 and then is used 33 times in the Septuagint afterward. The Hebrew word that 'arnos' translates is 'seh', (lamb), which first occurs in Genesis 22:7 and 8 when Isaac ask Abraham his father "where is the lamb" Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself a Lamb," a statement that can be easily understood as a prophecy of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The offering of Isaac as a whole burnt offering unto God is the perfect typology for the offering of Jesus Christ by God the Father. Jesus said that Abraham saw His day, and it makes perfect sense that at the moment that Abraham was offering the ultimate sacrifice of His only begotten son on what would become the temple mount that he would have looked up and not only seen a lamb caught in the thicket but also the Lamb of God which John the Baptist announced in this verse.
There are three other offerings similar to the Passover offering in the Old Testament: the whole burnt offering, the Peace offering, and the Thanksgiving offering. The whole burnt offering is the oldest of all offerings being the one described in Genesis 22. It is the whole burnt offering that came to be sacrificed every evening and morning using a lamb of the first year from the sheep (Exodus 29:38-42). However, it is the Peace offering and the Thanksgiving offerings that are eaten just as the Passover offering is eaten. These offerings are, in fact, the Old Testament equivalent of communion. The Greek word used here in John is 'amnos' and first appears in the Hebrew text in Genesis 30:49 where it translates the Hebrew word for sheep, 'kesev' (13 occurrences) , and also like 'arnos' it translates 'seh' one time in Leviticus 12:8. It is the Greek word 'amnos' that is used to translate 'keves', (122 occurrences) which is an identical but more common word for sheep. It is this word that describes the sheep-lamb used in the evening and the morning whole burnt offerings in Exodus 29:38. Primarily, when a whole burnt offering was made it was a sheep. It is the sheep that is seen in the daily sacrifice, the Sabbath sacrifice, and the festival sacrifice (Leviticus 9:3; 23:12,18; Exodus 29:38-41; Numbers 28-29; Ezekiel 46:13). In fact, goats or goat-lambs are not used for the public offering but are only brought as voluntary sacrifices made by individuals. To help clarify the usage of these Hebrew and Greek words we may understand the more common usage of the Hebrew 'seh' and the Greek 'arnos' as describing any lamb whether it was a young ram, sheep or goat (Exodus 12:5). Finally, it is the Passover offering that represents the salvation and redemption in Christ Jesus because it is the only offering whose blood is manipulated upon each house instead of on the altar of God. In other words, it is the blood that was placed upon the people and resulted in an immediate release form their bondage, whereas, Yom Kippur the blood is placed upon the altar to cleanse the altar and the temple. Also, the blood manipulation upon every house of Israel only occurred one time even as Jesus Christ has only shed His blood once for all. The final important typology is observed in the crossing over of Israel into their inheritance at the time of Passover (Joshua 4:19; 5:10-15).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and he said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
Jesus was identified as the Lamb, the Lamb of Passover, rather than the goat of Yom Kippur. Jesus would be a passover lamb of a different kind. Jesus would be the Passover Lamb for the whole world and not just for Israel (John 19:14,33; Exodus 12:46; Isaiah 53:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7). He would pour out His blood on a different kind of post, and all mankind would be delivered from a different kind of Pharaoh. The post would be a cross, and the Pharaoh-like tyrant would be the Devil. The blood of the Lamb would become available to each person: anyone who would be willing to take His blood and apply it to their own lives.
John gave witness to Jesus before Satan was allowed to tempt Him in the wilderness and then again after the temptation. Jesus was the spotless Lamb who was without sin before He went up into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Jesus also remained the spotless Lamb after the temptation to which John once again gave testimony. This examination by John was similar to the examination that the priest had to give to ensure that the offerings were without blemish. Jesus was not just any kind of lamb; He was the Passover Lamb. The Passover was used by Jesus to declare the New Covenant and, in fact, was changed by Him to be the occasion of celebrating the birth of the New Covenant. It is the Passover supper which is the model for New Testament communion (1 Corinthians 11:20-30). The fact that Jesus is represented by the Passover lamb of the Old Testament is further emphasized in that He was killed at the time of the slaying of the Passover lamb (John 19:14, 31; 18:28; also Jub. 49:10,19; m Pesach 5:1; Philo, Laws 2.145; R. Natan in Mek. Bo 5). Jesus was shown to be a Lamb without spot or blemish and His body was to be taken and eaten, and not a bone was to be broken - a treatment specifically required of the Passover lamb (John 19:31-37; Exodus 12:26; Numbers 9:12; John 6:51-56).
Paul taught that Jesus was the Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7. "for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." Peter also taught that Jesus was a "lamb without blemish and without spot." Finally, Isaiah the prophet called him a lamb (Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:32). The blood of the Passover lamb represents the power that broke the yoke of the 10th plague and of the domination and trickery that Pharaoh exercised over Israel (Exodus 11:1). The Passover night was the time that God laid the sins of the people upon the firstborn. Only the blood of Passover lamb - which represented the blood of the firstborn - could expiate for a family that night (Exodus 13:2; 11-16). The blood of the Passover lamb represents redemption; for it was on that night that God redeemed all of Israel through their firstborn (Exodus 13:15; 6:6). It represents deliverance because God delivered Israel form bondage (Exodus 12:27). It represents the beginning of God's Covenant with Israel; for it is "the beginning of months" and it is the event that set the covenant into motion that was promised to Abraham (Exodus 12:1; 13:9; 6:4, 7, 8; Hebrews 8:9). The Passover represents the very day that Israel was born as a nation, and, as such, the covenant people of God. Finally, it is the time that Israel was released from slavery to serve God and be His people (Exodus 13:3).
The particular Greek word used for lamb in Exodus 12:5 is 'arnos.' This Greek word first occurs in Exodus 12:5 and then is used 33 times in the Septuagint afterward. The Hebrew word that 'arnos' translates is 'seh', (lamb), which first occurs in Genesis 22:7 and 8 when Isaac ask Abraham his father "where is the lamb" Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself a Lamb," a statement that can be easily understood as a prophecy of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. The offering of Isaac as a whole burnt offering unto God is the perfect typology for the offering of Jesus Christ by God the Father. Jesus said that Abraham saw His day, and it makes perfect sense that at the moment that Abraham was offering the ultimate sacrifice of His only begotten son on what would become the temple mount that he would have looked up and not only seen a lamb caught in the thicket but also the Lamb of God which John the Baptist announced in this verse.
There are three other offerings similar to the Passover offering in the Old Testament: the whole burnt offering, the Peace offering, and the Thanksgiving offering. The whole burnt offering is the oldest of all offerings being the one described in Genesis 22. It is the whole burnt offering that came to be sacrificed every evening and morning using a lamb of the first year from the sheep (Exodus 29:38-42). However, it is the Peace offering and the Thanksgiving offerings that are eaten just as the Passover offering is eaten. These offerings are, in fact, the Old Testament equivalent of communion. The Greek word used here in John is 'amnos' and first appears in the Hebrew text in Genesis 30:49 where it translates the Hebrew word for sheep, 'kesev' (13 occurrences) , and also like 'arnos' it translates 'seh' one time in Leviticus 12:8. It is the Greek word 'amnos' that is used to translate 'keves', (122 occurrences) which is an identical but more common word for sheep. It is this word that describes the sheep-lamb used in the evening and the morning whole burnt offerings in Exodus 29:38. Primarily, when a whole burnt offering was made it was a sheep. It is the sheep that is seen in the daily sacrifice, the Sabbath sacrifice, and the festival sacrifice (Leviticus 9:3; 23:12,18; Exodus 29:38-41; Numbers 28-29; Ezekiel 46:13). In fact, goats or goat-lambs are not used for the public offering but are only brought as voluntary sacrifices made by individuals. To help clarify the usage of these Hebrew and Greek words we may understand the more common usage of the Hebrew 'seh' and the Greek 'arnos' as describing any lamb whether it was a young ram, sheep or goat (Exodus 12:5). Finally, it is the Passover offering that represents the salvation and redemption in Christ Jesus because it is the only offering whose blood is manipulated upon each house instead of on the altar of God. In other words, it is the blood that was placed upon the people and resulted in an immediate release form their bondage, whereas, Yom Kippur the blood is placed upon the altar to cleanse the altar and the temple. Also, the blood manipulation upon every house of Israel only occurred one time even as Jesus Christ has only shed His blood once for all. The final important typology is observed in the crossing over of Israel into their inheritance at the time of Passover (Joshua 4:19; 5:10-15).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread - DEC/24/07
Luke 2:14 - Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth good will towards men.
There have been many modern scholars who argue that the text should read, "Glory to God in the highest Peace on earth to men of good will (Douay); "among men with whom he is pleased (RSV)." However I would argue that since the choice comes down to the genitive or the nominative case then I am in favor of the Koine text tradition as DOXAN/ EIRENE/ENDOKIA, (Glory/Peace/Good Will) are all in the nominative case. Some may argue that it only makes sense to go with the GNT text that have the genitive case because after all those who will benefit form God's grace are those who are favorably disposed towards God. However, the Peace that was brought to us by the Lord Jesus Christ extends, according to Paul, to those who are near and to those who are far off (Ephesians 2:17; Colossians 1:20). Especially in light of the fact that His blood was shed not only for our sins but for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2; Titus 2:11; John 12:32). Jesus provided a kipper for all of mankind when He went into the Holies of Holies with His own blood (Leviticus 16:16; Hebrews 9:24, 26). Thus He extended Peace to all mankind not to just those who were favorably disposed toward Him but even those who were His enemies (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21).
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Luke 2:14 - Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth good will towards men.
There have been many modern scholars who argue that the text should read, "Glory to God in the highest Peace on earth to men of good will (Douay); "among men with whom he is pleased (RSV)." However I would argue that since the choice comes down to the genitive or the nominative case then I am in favor of the Koine text tradition as DOXAN/ EIRENE/ENDOKIA, (Glory/Peace/Good Will) are all in the nominative case. Some may argue that it only makes sense to go with the GNT text that have the genitive case because after all those who will benefit form God's grace are those who are favorably disposed towards God. However, the Peace that was brought to us by the Lord Jesus Christ extends, according to Paul, to those who are near and to those who are far off (Ephesians 2:17; Colossians 1:20). Especially in light of the fact that His blood was shed not only for our sins but for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2; Titus 2:11; John 12:32). Jesus provided a kipper for all of mankind when He went into the Holies of Holies with His own blood (Leviticus 16:16; Hebrews 9:24, 26). Thus He extended Peace to all mankind not to just those who were favorably disposed toward Him but even those who were His enemies (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21).
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread - DEC/22/07
1 John 4:10 - In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the means of forgiveness for our sins.
The Greek word 'hilasmos' is roughly equivalent to the Hebrew word 'kipper' translated atonement in most English translations of the Bible. The Greek word hilasmos is translated propitiation or expiation by many of the English translations but this is not entirely accurate. The Greeks used the word 'hilasmos' to refer to the means by which men would appease the gods and thus the word 'propitiation' is derived. However, this verse of scripture in which we find this word reveals that God was already favorably disposed towards us before He gave His Son for our sins, for He loved us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4- 5). Therefore, the whole Greek notion of propitiation or expiation simply does not work. The redemption that is in Christ Jesus has nothing to do with the offerings or actions of men much less their attempts to gain Gods favor. Redemption does not have anything to do with the offerings of men rather it is all about God offering up the sacrifice of Jesus for us. The secular world does not know of such a concept for the message of salvation reaches far beyond the imagination and ideologies of man. We must use great caution in attempting to narrowly confine these Greek words to the meanings given in the secular and profane world.
Once again, although 'hilasmos' is common to Greek literature it is important to be on guard with respect to the meanings that may be derived from a purely secular application. Equally, we must also recognize that a perfect equivalent of the Hebrew word may not have been available in the Greek vocabulary. For this reason we must always look deeper into the context. Keeping in mind that even in the secular usage of 'hilasmos' it could also mean cleansing or forgiveness. Thus when we choose to translate a word we must make sure that the vocabulary is consistent with the meaning that is implied by the context. What we can be certain that John meant by saying Jesus was our hilasmos is that through Him:
1- Our sins would be destroyed, 1 John 3:5.
2- The works of the devil in our lives would be destroyed, 1 John 3:8.
3- We would receive cleansing from all of our sins, 1 John 1:7,9.
4- Christ Jesus would dwell in us even as God dwelt in the Holies of Holies after it was purified, 1 John 3:24; 4:4, 12, 15.
5- We would be born of God, 1 John 3:9, 4:7.
6- It would result in eternal life that we now possess thus referring to the quality of life that we received by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 1 John 5:11,13,20; 1:2; 2:25; 3:15.
7- Because of this we have boldness before the judgment seat of God, 1 John 2:28; 4:17.
8- If Christians do sin they must look again to Jesus who is the intercessor that provides the hilasmos (the forgiveness, cleansing, purifying) work of grace because God so deeply loves us.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
1 John 4:10 - In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the means of forgiveness for our sins.
The Greek word 'hilasmos' is roughly equivalent to the Hebrew word 'kipper' translated atonement in most English translations of the Bible. The Greek word hilasmos is translated propitiation or expiation by many of the English translations but this is not entirely accurate. The Greeks used the word 'hilasmos' to refer to the means by which men would appease the gods and thus the word 'propitiation' is derived. However, this verse of scripture in which we find this word reveals that God was already favorably disposed towards us before He gave His Son for our sins, for He loved us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4- 5). Therefore, the whole Greek notion of propitiation or expiation simply does not work. The redemption that is in Christ Jesus has nothing to do with the offerings or actions of men much less their attempts to gain Gods favor. Redemption does not have anything to do with the offerings of men rather it is all about God offering up the sacrifice of Jesus for us. The secular world does not know of such a concept for the message of salvation reaches far beyond the imagination and ideologies of man. We must use great caution in attempting to narrowly confine these Greek words to the meanings given in the secular and profane world.
Once again, although 'hilasmos' is common to Greek literature it is important to be on guard with respect to the meanings that may be derived from a purely secular application. Equally, we must also recognize that a perfect equivalent of the Hebrew word may not have been available in the Greek vocabulary. For this reason we must always look deeper into the context. Keeping in mind that even in the secular usage of 'hilasmos' it could also mean cleansing or forgiveness. Thus when we choose to translate a word we must make sure that the vocabulary is consistent with the meaning that is implied by the context. What we can be certain that John meant by saying Jesus was our hilasmos is that through Him:
1- Our sins would be destroyed, 1 John 3:5.
2- The works of the devil in our lives would be destroyed, 1 John 3:8.
3- We would receive cleansing from all of our sins, 1 John 1:7,9.
4- Christ Jesus would dwell in us even as God dwelt in the Holies of Holies after it was purified, 1 John 3:24; 4:4, 12, 15.
5- We would be born of God, 1 John 3:9, 4:7.
6- It would result in eternal life that we now possess thus referring to the quality of life that we received by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 1 John 5:11,13,20; 1:2; 2:25; 3:15.
7- Because of this we have boldness before the judgment seat of God, 1 John 2:28; 4:17.
8- If Christians do sin they must look again to Jesus who is the intercessor that provides the hilasmos (the forgiveness, cleansing, purifying) work of grace because God so deeply loves us.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
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