Tag: Prophesied

46.u. “Wilderness” – 11. “Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets”

 

Num 11:26  Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.”  But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”

But there remained two of the men in the camp—They did not repair with the rest to the tabernacle, either from modesty in shrinking from the assumption of a public office, or being prevented by some ceremonial defilement. They, however, received the gifts of the Spirit as well as their brethren. And when Moses was urged to forbid their prophesying, his answer displayed a noble disinterestedness as well as zeal for the glory of God akin to that of our Lord. (Brown)

Joshua, the servant of Moses — Who ministered to him as his constant attendant, one of his chosen ones; which may be emphatically added to signify that even great and good men may mistake about the works of God. My lord Moses, forbid them — It would seem that he thought their prophesying or teaching in the camp tended to make those gifts common, and to disparage Moses in the eyes of the people; or, perhaps, he thought it tended to breed a schism, by calling the people away from the tabernacle, the appointed place of public worship, where the rest of the seventy elders were regularly assembled. (Benson)

Let the example of Moses be followed by those in power; let them not despise the advice and assistance of others, but desire it, and be thankful for it. If all the present number of the Lord’s people were rendered prophets, or ministers, by the Spirit of Christ, though not all agreed in outward matters, there is work enough for all, in calling sinners to repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus. (Henry)

When the Spirit of God moves in people there is a growing change in them. When this stops there is no longer a maturing change but rather a falling away from God. There is a hardening of the heart, deafening of the ears to hear, and an ever-increasing void in their soul when there is resistance to being led by the Holy Spirit and doing things ordained of God.

Act 7:51  “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

34.c. “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness?”

 

Matthew 24:1  Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

 Ezekiel 8:6   And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.”

 Jeremiah 6:8    Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”

 1 Kings 9:7-8    then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.  And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’

 Jeremiah 26:18    “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “‘Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

 Ezekiel 7:22     I will turn my face from them, and they shall profane my treasured place. Robbers shall enter and profane it.

 2 Peter 3:11     Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

Josephus says that “Cesar gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and temple, except the three towers Phaselus, Hippicus, and Mariamne, and a part of the western wall; but all the rest was laid so completely even with the ground, by those who dug it up from the foundation, that there was nothing left to make those who came thither believe that it had ever been inhabited.”

It is said that for eight whole years together he kept 10,000 men a-work about it; and that for magnificence and stateliness, it exceeded Solomon’s temple.” The Jewish historian Josephus said that the temple was covered with gold plates, and when the sun shone on them it was blinding to look at. Where there was no gold, there were blocks of marble of such a pure white that from a distance strangers thought there was snow on the temple.

Christ foretells the utter ruin and destruction coming upon the temple. A believing foresight of the defacing of all worldly glory, will help to keep us from admiring it, and overvaluing it. The most beautiful body soon will be food for worms, and the most magnificent building a ruinous heap. See ye not all these things? It will do us good so to see them as to see through them, and see to the end of them. Our Lord having gone with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, he set before them the order of the times concerning the Jews, till the destruction of Jerusalem; and as to men in general till the end of the world. (Henry)

Man will try hard to build beautiful righteous structures of themselves. They adorn the outside with nothing but the observed best so that when seen or heard of, the observer of such will be impressed by the appearance given. What is inside of such a structure? How secure is it? The temple was built with large base stones so large it is hard for use even today to know how they were laid, let alone how they could be destroyed. How could such a fortress of strength and beauty come to ruin as if it had never been there? Men will build observable righteousness but their inner being lacks the very thing (righteousness) they are trying to get others to see and admire. One stone after another they apply self-reliance on what they are building. They can build this observable structure with generosity, good works, and acts of kindness, but on the inside, this is lacking grace, mercy, and love for both God and others. It is solely being built to acquire self-worth before man and God. Though a person, as such, may have the observed appearance of righteousness by saying and doing things observed, it is within the heart and mind where God sees the thoughts and intents of each living soul. 

Let our righteous structure be built on nothing less and nothing more than the blood of Jesus Christ and His atonement for our sin. Let whatever is observed of our lives by others be for the glory and honor of Him alone.

17.k. “Let no one deceive himself.”

John 11:45  Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

 Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

 Isaiah 5:20-23    Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!  Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,  who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!

 1 Corinthians 1:20   Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

 1 Corinthians 3:18-19    Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

The words and works of Jesus divide humanity between those who believe and those who reject. There were some who saw both the power and sympathy of Jesus yet responded by working against Him. Some that had seen even this miracle steeled their hearts against it, and not only so, but conspired the destruction of this glorious Savior!

The religious leaders privately admitted that Jesus performed signs that authenticated His claim to be Messiah and God. As Jesus claimed, His works did bear witness to Him. First, they opposed Jesus because they weren’t convinced He was the Messiah. Now they opposed Jesus because they were convinced that He was the Messiah. They denied and opposed Him.  They were afraid of His influence over people and their loss of influence. They knew the logical response to the witness of the signs, wonders, works, and words of Jesus was to believe in Him. “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him.” The high priest unknowingly prophesied. “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

The Word of God proclaims the wonders, signs, words, and works of Jesus Christ.  And just like during the life of Jesus, people believe and reject and deny the truth of it.  Some deny Him within their heart but do not speak of it.  They float along in life never giving thought to what they have rejected. They trust in their good works rather than the Savior.  At some point, they may have heard the Gospel presented in such a way that their heart was softened and their mind was given a full understanding of the offer of salvation and redemption.  Yet they chose to reject that offer.  Others deny Him openly and with great disregard of who it is they are rejecting.  They spit on the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ.  In the end, all who have inwardly and outwardly rejected Jesus Christ will suffer eternally in Hell for this rejection.  Now is the time of salvation.  If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to you, do not reject it.  Surrender to it and cling to it.  Your eternal life depends upon it.

2.p.  Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

2 Chronicles 20:35  After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly. He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish, and they built the ships in Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Proverbs 13:20     Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 9:6  Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Revelation 3:19     Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

We are bound to make mistakes during our life.  They seem to be right at our doorstep knocking and enticing us to open up that door.  These door-knocking guests are either our sinful natured self or some other friend, colleague, or new acquaintance.  We have the choice to make once we open the door.

Do we let them in? When it comes to self we are told to take every thought captive and recognize it for what it is against the word of God.  We can only do this if our heart, mind, and soul seek and desire to intentionally humbly serve, honor, follow, obey, and trust God.  We spend time in His word with a hunger to know Him more and more so that we can honor Him more and more in every part of our life.

When it comes to a friend, colleague, or new acquaintance knocking we also have a choice to make.  We open the door and their intention is made known to us.  This is where we compare what is being said with and against the word of God.  This is where we need leading from and through the Holy Spirit to discern what we are thinking about doing or what is being asked of us.  This is where we lean not unto our own understanding but seek Jesus Christ to make it know to our heart and mind.  Many of Christians have gone down paths apart from God because they were blind, neglectful, or complacent with the word of God.

There is no substitute for time in God’s word.  Time in His word feeds us, directs us, gives us hope, strength, peace, rest, love, and courage.

We were bought with a great price, the price of our sin, with the payment of whipping, beating, and nailing to a cross of God’s only beloved Son.  We read where “for the joy set before Him he gladly went to the cross”  This was the price that was paid for us while we were yet sinners.  He did this to call to Himself those who would believe in sacrifice for our sin as full payment.  Though we know this I wonder if somehow we have forgotten the great cost that was paid.  Are we living as though we have been purchased?  Are we living in constant remembrance of the cost?  Are we living in such a way that honors and glorifies the one who paid the price?  This is nothing to take lightly or half-heartedly.  Christ deserves all honor and glory from His redeemed.  Anything short of this does not reflect the price that was paid.

If we keep this in mind then we surely would spend more time in His word so that we grow in understanding and knowledge of Him and how to humbly live in service, honor, glory, to Him at all times.

2.f. That I may know what more the LORD will say to me.

2 Chronicles 18:5  Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. The Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

Numbers 22:18-20   But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God to do less or more.  So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.”  And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.”

Jeremiah 23:28    Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully.

Ezekiel 2:7    And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Galatians 1:10    For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:4    but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

Micaiah spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind.  Balaam spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind. Ezekiel spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind.  Paul spoke what the Holy Spirit spoke into his heart and mind.  Jeremiah spoke what he heard God speak into his heart and mind.

We must want to be in the presence of God and have a deep desire to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit.  “Seek Me and I will be found,” “Desire Me and I will give you the desires of your heart,” “Come to Me and I will give you rest,” “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.”

All of these words from God invite us to come to Him, seek Him, run to Him, desire Him, love Him, and believe, trust, rely upon and cling to Him.  They are words inviting us to surrender ourselves into His arms.  They are words inviting us to want Him more that things of this world.  They are words inviting us to open wide our heart and let Him flood us with knowledge and understanding of grace, mercy, and love for those who are called by His name and thereby love, seek, and desire Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

We only get to this place of surrender by intentionally choosing to surrender our self-centered, self-satisfying, self-honoring, self-pleasing, self-reliant, self-trusting, self-honoring lives.  It is almost impossible to fathom how this change could happen because we have lived so long with this way of living.  How is it we could change from listening to self to that of actively listening to the Holy Spirit?  The good thing is it is not up to our strength and power.  It is only by when we surrender our heart, mind, and soul to the full control, full purpose, and full authority to Jesus Christ will we be able to.  In this humble servant attitude, we find our ears hearing clearly and our mind understanding and our soul rejoicing in and how the Holy Spirit of God is indwelling and leading every moment of our lives. His word takes on a new refreshing place in our heart.  Every day we seem to see something more profound, more clear, and more applicable from Him.  We grow and mature in our walk with Him.  We learn to hear His whispers of leading.  We rely on Him more. We cling to Him more. We trust in Him more.  And though it sounds backward, the weaker we are to self the stronger we become in and through this yielding to the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Our goal is to live every moment in humble service, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, obeying, and trusting Him and saying “As the Lord speaks so shall I do and speak”

Judge with equity

Psalms 96:10  Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 46:10     “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Malachi 1:11     For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations,

Isaiah 49:8     Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,

Hebrews 1:3    He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Acts 17:31     because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Romans 2:16     on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Jude 1:14-15     It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

2 Peter 3:7     But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Matthew 25:31-46     “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Being recognized and separated can be a good thing or bad thing.  A line up as it were. Scripture speaks of those who are separated and will be with Jesus Christ and those who will be judged and found convicted of rejecting redemption.  For those of us who are saved it is a glorious day when sin is fully put to rest at the final judgement and we are forevermore with Christ in His kingdom.  If you were the person able to give this gift of eternal life and someone accepted the gift, how would you expect that person to live out their time this side of eternity?  Give thought to this.  Give thought to this in light of scripture.  Give thought to this in light of the willing sacrifice Jesus gave on the Cross for our redemption.  Live humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying the author and finisher of life.

Spirit of God – Lead

“You, therefore, have no excuse”

Judges 6:34
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

Numbers 11:25
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it

Haggai 1:14
And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people

Acts 1:6
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them:“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 2:15
These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below

I doubt we can imagine what it was like to only have moments of having the Holy Spirit dwell within us.  In the gospel of John, Jesus told the disciples that He had to go away and that He would then send the Holy Spirit to fill not only them but all who believe.  This indwelling was recorded in Acts.  This indwelling is permanent and is givin so that we have constant leading, joy, love, peace, understanding, wisdom, strength, patience….. However it is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit and hinder any outward manifestation in our lives.  This is what I think happens (more from personal experience than observation of others), 1. being complacent to staying in God’s word, 2. which in turn leads to turning our mind and ears away from what God would have us do and how to live, 3. which in turn leads us to accept what the culture deems appropriate, 4. which leads to leading our families with a severe dilution of what christian lives should be, 5. which leads to a generation further away from God.  Nothing good comes from being complacent to God’s word.  Do you want to experience a spirit filled life – stay in His word, learn to hear His voice, obey God’s leading, be a humble servant with a deep desire and purpose to honor and glorify God above all else.