Christ in the Old Testament Part 2 With a Twist
I had two topics in mind for this week. I thought it was good to do a 2nd part to the Christ in the Old Testament study. Yet I also thought it would be good to have some fun and analyze one Bible related word, or a few Bible related words, for each letter of the alphabet. I then concluded that there is no good reason why we can’t do both of these topics in the same study! The first topic can fit in well with the second, except I will warn you that we’re going to have to spend a lot of time on the letter J. We did cover Jonah last week though, so that will make it a bit easier. Here we go then:
A: Assurance: People generally seek assurance of God’s grace and salvation without the wholehearted repentance and surrender which puts a person in a place where God will genuinely give them assurance that they are His child and heirs of salvation. Altar: Likewise, people generally want a spiritual experience at a place like an altar instead of focusing on glorifying God and giving Him the worship and praise which worship at an altar was intended to symbolize in the Bible.
B: Belief: If belief in the Bible and in Christ doesn’t cause one to obey the Bible, then it is surely a dead faith which cannot save. James 2:19-22: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” And that is actually closely related to Boaz as a type of Christ in the Book of Ruth. Christ became man to be near enough of kin to us (fully human) to be able to righteously redeem us to have an inheritance in God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:21, Hebrews 2:14, etc). Obviously to actualize His redemption and have a part with Him, we must be subject to Him and obey Him in all things as Ruth so submitted to Boaz in marrying him. Ephesians 5:22-27 (verses 22 to 24 describe the response required from us in order to profit from Christ’s love to us; and verses 25 to 27 describe His love and sacrifice on our behalf): “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
C: To properly recognize Christ’s centrality in all things and prepare to meet God, we must thus have a conscience void of offense towards God and towards men in accordance with the Word of God. Acts 24:14-16:: “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offense toward God, and toward men.” Colossians 1:16-23: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister…”
D: Don’t deny Christ with your words or with your works. Mark 8:38: “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Titus 1:16: “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” BTW: That word for reprobate most literally means undocumented (adokimos); unapproved. Interesting. David: A type of Christ in many ways (as we talked about in the last study). The concept that Christ would suffer first and then reign in glory afterwards is illustrated notably by David’s life. David lived an obscure youth, then came on the scene with power, yet was rejected ultimately by his own people. This caused him to suffer much and even to be cast out of Israel for a time. This culminated in his 30s when he was finally received and made King in Israel after Saul’s death. There are also a lot of parallels between David and Joseph (whom we’ll get to shortly), since their lives both illustrate how Christ would be rejected by His own people and suffer before He would be exalted and enter into His glory. Daniel: Also a type of Christ who suffered due to his utter faithfulness to God, even though his enemies slanderously charged him with being a criminal. Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den, and brought out without harm, is obviously a shadow of Christ’s death and resurrection. Daniel also notably made intercession for the transgressors of his people despite the fact that he was not a transgressor himself. He was in captivity due to the sins of others.
E: It is essential to follow God’s whole counsel and not be turned aside to the left nor right; to not add to nor take away from His Word. Proverbs 4:23-27: “ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” Deuteronomy 4:2: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Elihu: Is a type of Christ seen in Job chapters 32 to 37. A man who spoke God’s Word faithfully to Job, giving a passionate defense of God’s righteousness to another man, while also not being overwhelming nor overbearing. He displayed humility and meekness in his strong exhortation, something which Job’s other three friends notably failed in. Elijah: Another type of Christ as a man who stayed faithful to God in a corrupt time and faced much rejection, affliction, adversity, etc for doing so. He was a man who had great power with God and who did great works for God’s glory. He was also a man who was subject to human limitations when it came to meeting his own wants and needs, though God supernaturally provided even these for a time for him due to his faithfulness and fervent, effectual prayer.
F: Faithfulness: An essential aspect of Christianity. God’s utter faithfulness does not release man from needing to be faithful to God. God’s faithfulness is rather is a true concept intended to press man towards faithfulness to God. Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” Matthew 24:44-51: “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew chapter 25 then is a chapter all about describing the faithfulness which Christ requires of us in order for us to hear what he said to one in Matthew 25:23 “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” And we see that those who don’t hear this will be cast into hell’s everlasting fire as unfaithful and unprofitable to the Lord.
G: Gideon: There are surely several shadows of Christ in Gideon’s life. Most notably to me is that he attacked the idolatry prevalent among his people and tore down the idols which they had set up- and they sought to kill him for that (Judges 6:25-32). Jesus attacked the established idolatry among the Jews of His time as He cleansed the Temple (remember that covetousness is a form of idolatry- Ephesians 5:5). His people did indeed kill Him for this; or they at least killed Him for His overall testimony against their wickedness, which the Temple cleansing was a major part of.
H: Healing: Those who say that bodily healing is provided to faithful Christians by Christ’s atonement are greatly in error. They frequently claim that bodily healing is “the full gospel” which the rest of Christendom is neglecting and blind to. They twist the truths of the Biblical Gospel and apply them to their health (and often wealth) gospel. Though it is obvious that the Apostle Paul, his faithful co-worker Timothy, Epaphroditus, and Trophimus all suffered from bodily illness or ailments as faithful Christians, the healing people think they know better. As a result, they subvert real Biblical holiness, torment sick and injured people among them with false guilt, and (often) hypocritically excuse their own less than great health. They are ignorant of the fact that there are ZERO 2,000 year old Christians walking around today; and that everyone who has ever lived from before 1900 or so, including the faithful Christians, their body is currently rotting away in the ground, in a tomb, or some other burying place. What a weak gospel theirs would be if it were actually derived from the Bible! They often will cite 1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” The fact that they would cite this to try to prove that healing is promised in the atonement proves their wrong focus and poor principles of Scripture interpretation. The healing this is obviously speaking of is dealing with being reconciled to God in order to live unto righteousness. That is what the Apostles emphasized and that is what the Book of 1 Peter is directly dealing with. Peter doesn’t deal with bodily healing or wealth or any form of earthly prosperity in his writings; he rather emphasizes living righteously and holy before God, in the midst of suffering, in hope of a blessed resurrection. Those who do this and attain a blessed resurrection will experience a total healing of their body then. To say that this healing is available in this life is to basically teach the heresy that the resurrection is past already like the first century heretics Hymenaeus and Philetus taught. This doubtlessly overthrows the faith of many, as it gives them a wrong goal to aim at. That is deadly and dangerous. This is a profane, vain babbling which we need to be purged from (2 Timothy 2:15-21).
I: Isaac: A type and shadow of Christ who, as a full grown man or nearly full grown man ,obeyed his father and carried the wood which his father intended to slay him on up the mountain which God appointed. This mountain was the same mountain, or very close to the same mountain, where Jesus, according to the will of His Father, would be slain approximately 1,500 years later. His father Abraham brought the fire and the knife, pictures of judgment and death, to slay his only begotten son who was the heir of all that he had. Of course in Isaac’s case the Lord intervened at the last moment and spared him from death, leaving Abraham’s prophetic words which he had just spoken unfulfilled (since God brought a ram to be offered instead of Isaac at that time). Genesis 22:5-8: “And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” Even though Abraham did not know that God would intervene and tell him not to slay his son, it may be that Abraham still knew a greater sacrifice would happen that involved the Lord himself when he spoke these words which were ultimately about the Son of God..
J: Jesus: John 8:56-58 (continuing with the thoughts about Isaac above): He told the Jews of His day “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” We know for sure that the lamb which God would provide Himself for a burnt offering was on the Jews’ radar when John the Baptist saw Jesus and spoke of Him. John 1:29-34: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”
Also for J: Joseph: A type of Christ who was most treasured by his father and hated by his brethren due to that; and due also to his honest report of their evil deeds to his father (see Genesis 37:2-4). They turned on him, betrayed him, sold him into slavery, dealt deceitfully with their father yet more, and Joseph suffered greatly while considered dead in the eyes of Israel’s household. Joseph was raised out of his affliction and became a Ruler with the ability to save the world from the deadly famine it was under. The parallels to Christ are obvious in many ways. Job: A man who suffered for God’s glory precisely because he was a perfect and a just man that feared God and eschewed evil (Job 1:1). His response in his suffering would basically settle a cosmic battle between God and Satan, between good and evil. He was afflicted, tempted, and greatly misunderstood. Yet he held up, not without any fault at all, yet he kept the faith and was ultimately delivered from his affliction and recompensed abundantly by God. And we read of Jesus in Isaiah 53:9-12: “9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Joshua: The name Jesus is a Greek version of Joshua, which is the source of the confusion in Hebrews 4:8 and Acts 7:45, where the person the KJV calls Jesus is actually a reference to the Joshua we are speaking of, the human leader who brought Israel into Canaan. The similarity of the name is no coincidence as Joshua is in many ways a type of Christ, especially now in His exalted state with all power given Him in heaven and in earth; and especially at His 2nd coming when He will take that power absolutely and execute it fully. The pre-incarnate Christ’s appearance to Joshua is an amazing instance which proves that no one, not Jew nor Christian nor anyone, has unconditional acceptance and security with God. It also is a proof that God did not give the Land of Canaan to the Israelites unconditionally, irregardless of their alignment and faithfulness to His Word. Joshua 5:13-15: “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” Jeremiah: A man who preached against the sins of his own people and warned of the coming judgment. He was rejected, mistreated, and was even forbidden by God from marrying (from all we see in the Scriptures). He suffered for the nation, even when it was doing well, as he anticipated and warned about the horror that was coming due to their sins. And he suffered with the sinful nation when the judgment came. In his righteousness he was identified with guilty Jerusalem (see especially the Book of Lamentations). He was even rejected by the remnant afterwards- to their own shame and irreparable harm. The parallels are obvious; and they are also common in the men who are types of Christ in the Old Testament.
K: Kingdom: There is a present aspect to the kingdom. Acts 5:31-32: “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” Romans 14:17-18: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” Yet there is a future aspect to the kingdom too which is not here yet. 2 Thessalonians chapter 1: “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; 4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We see the present aspect of the kingdom, along with the need to patiently wait for it in its fullness, in Revelation 1:9. “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” We can’t discount either aspect of the kingdom without great spiritual harm.
L: Lukewarm: There is no place for the lukewarm in heaven. Revelation 3:16: “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Leaven: So we need to make sure that we get rid of all the leaven. Revelation 21:26-27: “And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Love: Is properly defined by the Holy God, not by sinful man. Look at God’s character in the Bible, His commandments, His verdicts, His judgments, etc to define love. Otherwise this curse will apply to you. Isaiah 5:20-21: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” The wicked like to hide behind love to justify themselves and to curse those who righteously rebuke them. It has to be one of the greatest spiritual follies of our time.
M: Moses: He served and followed Jesus. He was not a Pacifist, though he was the meekest man on earth at his time. Jesus is not a Pacifist and He is the meekest man ever. God ordained the Passover Lamb for Moses, which was a type of Christ, whose blood saved the Israelites who applied it as God instructed, from having their firstborn killed. The Passover had to be eaten according to God’s instructions or the blood would not profit. We’ve talked in other studies about how the Israelites needed to eat it roast with fire, with the bitter herbs, ready to flee Egypt with their loins girded, their shoes on, and their staff in their hands (prepared for the imminent flight out of Egypt). Leaven had to be removed from their homes totally during the Passover or they would still die (Exodus 12:15). The Passover lamb had to be a male of the first year without blemish, that was to be in the household which was going to eat it for five days, before the night in which it was slain. It is no wonder that Christ was teaching in the Temple, undergoing His greatest scrutiny before Israel as a nation in the days leading up to the Passover, where He was on display proving Himself to be blameless and perfect in His character and His doctrine. Moses also smote the Rock which poured out water for the millions of Israelites in the wilderness, an evident picture of Christ being smitten to provide the water of life for needy mankind. Moses’ disobedience in smiting the rock again after he had smitten it before (rather than speaking to it on the second occasion like God told him to) kept him from entering the Promised Land. He also lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to save the (already repentant and desperate for a cure from their plague) diseased Israelites plagued by God for their murmuring and complaining regarding His Government of them. Moses also pictured Christ himself in that he was a man who lived in glory, yet regarded the Israelites in their low estate; and in doing so became a low man of low estate himself. He spoke to the pre-incarnate Christ at the Burning Bush and was sent to deliver Israel after 40 years of a life of drudgery in the desert. He was then rejected by the people he came to deliver, yet he pressed forward in faith and led Israel out of Egypt, even though they yet repeatedly turned against him, even afterwards. It’s interesting to note that Joseph spent his first 30 years suffering in obscurity and then spent the last 80 years of his life in a palace in Egypt. Moses spent the first forty years of his life in a palace in Egypt; and then spent the last 80 in the desert! And this happened with both in the will of God. It’s a good lesson and reminder not to compare our lot in life with others. Moses demonstrated God’s anger at idolatry when he found Israel had made the Golden Calf, yet he made intercession for Israel and stood in the gap so that God did not destroy them as a nation. Think of Jesus cleansing the Temple, yet praying for His enemies while on the cross. Moses, in serving him, understood the difference between judicial and personal vengeance. That is also how and why he prayed for Miriam and Aaron when they spoke against his person in Numbers chapter 12. Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 18 spoke of the Ultimate Prophet who would come in human form that all would have to heed in all things in order to be in God’s grace. Deuteronomy 18:15-19: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” See also Acts 7:20-44 on Moses and his parallels to Christ.
N: Nehemiah: Another type of Christ who stood up to purify God’s worship and save it from heathen corruption by building the walls around Jerusalem. Another meek man who was not a Pacifist. A picture of Christ who was zealous for God’s name and worship, he did not compromise nor cut corners in enforcing righteousness in Jerusalem. He had come from the Persian palace to visit Jerusalem in its impoverished, apparently hopeless state; and thus he is a type of Christ in His regard for mankind in that way too. Nehemiah also was not generally received, he was continually betrayed, and Israel repeatedly turned away from him despite his demonstrating much evidence that God was really with him. Nehemiah also faced much opposition also from compromised Jewish rulers aligned with openly heathen idolaters not sympathetic to God’s faithful worship, which Christ also faced, especially in Herod and Pilate being made friends on the day He was crucified.
O: Obadiah: A book in the Bible rebuking heathen who rejoice at the destruction of hypocrites involved in the true God’s worship. When God gives a judgment that touches people or things related to His worship, it is a mournful thing even if it is appropriate and even if it would be worse if He didn’t do the judgment. Many hate hypocrites within Christianity, not out of zeal for truth, but as an excuse to mock the truth itself. The Edomites had been involved in the judgment of the Jews and the destruction of the Temple in ways they should not have. They also mocked them out of their own pride. There are a lot of great lessons related to these things in the book of Obadiah. And maybe my description of it isn’t great, but it’s the shortest book in the Old Testament, so it’s no great request to say “just read it for yourself!”
P: Psalms: They contain multiple prophecies about Christ and righteous prayers that reflect what Christ must have prayed in similar situations that the particular Psalmist was in when he wrote the prayer. Every description of a righteous man in the Psalms applies to Christ ultimately. Examples: Psalm 1:1-3: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalm 26 (this one really proves that if Jesus were on earth now He wouldn’t be socializing with sinners in bars, like many actually believe He would): “Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. 4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord: 7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. 8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth.9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. 12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.” Christ’s death and resurrection are clearly seen in Psalm 16:8-11. This passage was quoted by Peter and applied to Christ in Acts chapter 2. “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Also with P: Protestantism: There is a lot of debate about Protestantism versus Roman Catholicism. The truth though is that Protestant churches are modified versions of Roman Catholicism. Some more so than others, but all to a high degree. We need to still strive to be part of a faithful New Testament Church, but that will not be found among the Roman Catholics nor the Protestants, as all these are corrupted by heathen idolatry and other unbiblical concepts of men not derived from the Bible.
Q: Quicken: A term referring to the giving of life. We must be quickened spiritually and walk in new life, alive to God and dead to sin through Jesus Christ- or we will face the second death in the eternal lake of fire (John chapter 3, Romans chapter 6, Revelation 21-22, etc).
R: Repentance: All controversies with God’s rule and reign must end for us to be quickened spiritually and walk in new life. Right Hand of God: Where Christ now sits, waiting to return in glory to be the Judge of everyone who has ever lived (Hebrews 10:12-13). Righteous Judgment: Something which we must exercise consistently and persistently in order to have a favorable Judgment Day (John 7:24).
S: Samuel: A type of Christ as a Righteous Judge who is no respecter of persons, can’t be convinced by sacrifice to overlook sin, and definitely not a Pacifist. He proved he could (according to his judicial authority) hack a wicked person to death with a sword without any remorse. Just like Jesus. Revelation 19:11-21: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”
T: Tabernacle: The structure which Moses built at God’s command with precise wisdom to reflect the pattern of things in the heavens related to being justified before Him, serving Him acceptably, and entering into His presence (i.e. to teach man about how to properly worship God in spirit and in truth).
U: Umpire: An arbiter or a referee; also called a “daysman” in Job 9:32-33: “For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. 33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.” In God’s great wisdom and knowledge, Job had to suffer what he suffered; he couldn’t righteously get out of it. We can’t win in contending with God’s Government of the Universe and of our lives. Even Jesus as a man had a race He had to run which He could not adjust according to His human will. The truth that there is no umpire between God and man in God’s dealings with man should cause us to fear God exceedingly, not depend on any person’s justification of us, nor of society’s approval in general. “Many seek the ruler’s favor; but every man’s judgment cometh from the Lord.” (Proverbs 29:26) “How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?” (John 5:44)
V: Victory: It belongs to God ultimately. We can be victorious with Him, walking as He has prescribed with a true heart before Him. If we don’t, He will still be victorious in our condemnation. Revelation 21:1-8: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful (i.e. cowardly), and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
W: What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world but lose his own soul? And it could also be asked: What do you have to lose in following Christ that you will not lose eventually anyways?
X: Excellence: We need excellence in righteousness. The lukewarm surely do not have it; and they will not have it as long as they remain lukewarm. Philippians 1:9-11: “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 2:9-16: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”
Y: Yesterday: Since Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, as well as now and forever, we can be sure that His moral judgments and overall righteous ways, demonstrated by the types and shadows of Him in the Old Testament, have never changed. Hebrews 13:8: “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” This ESPECIALLY applies to the writers of Scripture; and all those recorded in Scripture who acted in ways that God was pleased with and endorsed.
Z: Zeal: This is interchangeable with jealousy. God is righteously jealous/zealous for His own name. We need to choose the right things to be jealous/zealous for then in order to worship Him properly. We should count other priorities as dung, counterproductive to the things which will matter on Judgment Day and in eternity. Otherwise we cannot walk in a living faith in Christ. He will be rather a stumbling-block to us. Acts 24:24-27: “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. 26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him. 27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.”
If only Felix had been zealous for the right things. His zeal for the wrong things caused him to neglect his best opportunity to obtain the most necessary, and very best things, which he could not afford to face God on Judgment Day without.
For any questions or clarification on this study, contact bro Aaron at [email protected].