Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Potter and The Clay

by LaBreeska Hemphill

If we as Christians could view our suffering as being able to feel the potter's fingers around our clay, shaping our vessels into one of honor, bending our will and surrendering to His will, then we could better stand the test.

“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as the potter? Saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand...” (Jeremiah 18:6).

On the Damascus Road Paul received one of the greatest calls a man could receive. It was a call to glory. He was chosen to preach Christ to the Gentiles, to kings, and rulers, and even to Caesar's household.

This was a call to be one of the greatest apostles, and to write more of the New Testament than any other. His testimony at the end of his life was:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness...” (II Timothy 4:7-8).

What a testimony! What glory! But this marvelous call to glory was also a call to suffering. Jesus said of Paul:

“...he is a chosen vessel unto me...I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake” (Acts 9:15-16).

Paul’s suffering began immediately following his Damascus Road experience. God took a marred vessel, Saul of Tarsus, put him upon the potter's wheel and reshaped him into Paul the great apostle. After that, Paul’s message everywhere he went was, “...we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). This message of Paul’s is an unpopular one that you seldom hear today. But suffering serves a purpose and ministers that do not include this message to their people do them a disservice.

When we are called of God there is much reshaping that takes place. The potter's wheel isn’t a real comfortable place to be but it is necessary. That’s where we learn to become pliable in His hands. We learn endurance and patience as He molds us into soldiers of the cross. God is gathering His army. Paul understood that when he said to Timothy:

“...endure hardness as a good soldier” (II Timothy 2:3).

He is preparing us for a journey. Boot-camp is grueling but that’s where we learn enemy strategy so that we can win the battle and conquer the foe. The very thing that tries and tests us could be preparing us for our station in battle. It could be our boot-camp. Take courage! We must learn how to combat the enemy so that we can help lead God’s army to victory!

It’s a good thing that God doesn’t only see us as we are, but like Paul, God sees us the way we’ll be when He gets through with us. In the meantime we can take comfort in his Holy Spirit and His word.

There are certain Scriptures that I’ve drawn strength from through the years and have highlighted in my Bible. Sometime back I grouped a few of these verses together and typed them out for my own comfort. They are not in sequence. I just wrote them down at random but they are strong and very encouraging. I decided since they blessed me and have seen me through some difficult times they would do the same for you. I start this collage of Scriptures off with my very favorite, so please read and be blessed!

“Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though some strange thing has happened to you, but rejoice that you may be partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy” (I Peter 4:12-13).

“For if we suffer as Christians we have no need to be ashamed but we can glorify God and commit the keeping of our souls to him, our faithful Creator” (I Peter 4:16-19).

“It is better, if it be God’s will, that we suffer for well-doing than for evil doing. For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously” (I Peter 3:17-18; 2:23).

“For it became him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of our salvation perfect thru sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10).

“Though he were a Son yet leaned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

“For though he was crucified thru weakness, yet he lives by the power of God" (II Corinthians 13:4).

And he said to me, "my grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me". "Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (II Corinthians 12:9-10).

“For the God of all grace who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, make us perfect, establish, strengthen, settle us” (I Peter 5:10).

“Humble yourselves, therefore; under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting your care upon him for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:6, 7).

“Beloved, build up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into various trials, knowing this, that the testing of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

“For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24-25).

“Take, my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, that he is very pitiful and of tender mercy” (James 5:10, 11).

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:15-17).

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular, and whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Corinthians 12:26, 27).

“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (I John 4:7).

“Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envies not; love vauntheth not itself and is not puffed up” (I Corinthians 13:4).

“Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God” (I Peter 4:1, 2).

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us” (II Timothy 2:12).

“Finally brethren, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

“For a day in His courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will be withheld from them that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:10-11). For the Lord is our defense, and the Holy One of Israel is our King” (Psalm 89:18).

There is not a better way to end this writing than with the profound words of Isaac Watts and William Blake in this cherished old hymn.

Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb
And shall I fear to own his cause, or blush to speak his name

Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease
While others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas?

And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!

In the New Jerusalem.

Touching The Heart Of God


by LaBreeska Hemphill

A few years back, Joel and I were passing through another state and stopped by to visit a pastor friend and his family. They had a lovely daughter, Sue (not her real name) whose life was at a standstill and seemed to be going nowhere.

Sue had born a child out of wedlock who at the time was four years old and they were still living with her parents. When we arrived, Sue had just found out that her hopes and plans had been dashed again. The apartment that she thought she had rented would not allow children, and also her job was in question.

My heart went out to that sweet girl. We had known and loved her all of her life. It was plain to see that this last bit of news was too much. She was about to drown in despondency.

When we started to leave that evening I took Sue aside privately. I asked if she had prayed about her situation. Surprisingly she hadn’t. The look on her face told me that she had never thought about it.

I hugged her and said, “Sue, as soon as Joel and I leave, I want you to find a private place to pray. Turn you tears to the Lord and this is what I want you to say to Him: “Lord, I have made a mess of my life and I can’t fix it, but you can. I’ve done all I know to do and nothing is working. Father, please help me!"

I could have prayed for Sue right then but it was time for her to call upon the Lord and find Him to be that true and faithful friend that she had been taught about all of her life. About two months passed. One day Joel and I came in from a trip and found a message on our answering machine. It was Sue’s dad. He said “Brother Joel we are trying to plan a wedding, Sue is getting married and we want to know when you two can come to do the honors.” When we called him back he excitedly told us the story.

Just a week or so after our last visit a nice looking young man showed up at their church. He was a Christian and was visiting different churches hoping to find a Christian girl to date. He and Sue hit it off from the start, they fell in love and now wedding bells were about to ring. Sue’s miracle doesn’t end there. They had a big church wedding and his family gave them a six-week honeymoon in England as a wedding present.

I am glad to report that today, many years later, that darling couple is still happily married with a family of their own and still serving the Lord.

Sue found the heart of God when she cried out to Him in total helplessness. She was like so many women in the Bible, who came to the end of themselves.

There was Sarah who made a mess of things when she brought Hagar, the bondwomen, into the picture. As a result Ishmael was born to Abraham and there has been strife between their descendants until this day! But what warms my heart and brings a mist to my eyes is, after all of her mistakes, God took up for Sarah. His compassionate heart was touched by her pain when she found Ishmael mocking little Isaac at his birthday party. She implored Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael but the thought grieved him and I’m not sure that he would have gone along with Sarah’s wishes if God hadn’t come on the scene. God said unto Abraham:

“....In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, harken unto her voice...and Abraham rose up early in the morning...and sent her (Hagar and the child) away...” (Genesis 21:9-14).

During my Bible studies I came across a Scripture that shows the heart of God as much than any other. It shows that we have a Father who will take up for us when we think that we are alone.

“Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any way, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall burn.... (God speaking) (Exod. 22:22-24).

I found this Scripture at least four times in the Bible and there are possibly more. It shows how aware God is of us when we are in distress. Hanna is another prime example of a desperate woman crying to God in her sorrow.

“And she (Hannah) was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept bitterly...and said, O Lord of host, if thou wilt look upon the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me...” (I Sam. 1:10-12).

Then the 19th verse says:

“And the Lord remembered her.”

Jesus said, “...your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him” (Matt. 6:8). He knows, but he wants us to show faith enough to ask.

James, the half brother of Jesus said, “...ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2).

You might say, where was God when I was hurting? Let’s let the Bible tell us where he was and is.

“For thus saith the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”
(Isaiah 57:15).

When I was broken and contrite (repentant) and going through a severe trial the Lord spoke to me through this Scripture. He let me know that He was sharing in my pain; He was touched by my tears and that He would move His hand in my situation.

If we could get a glimpse of the great big, wonderful, heart of God, it would be easy for us to reach out to Him in our pain and believe Him for results. I have done that many times, and so can you!

How To Walk the Walk

Angela Moore

Angela Hays Moore has a passion for God, and His Son, Jesus, and in sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom message, one heart at a time. Angela, with her husband, Tony, and their five children, are active within their community in Knightstown, Indiana, planting a church - Knightstown Family Fellowship. Angela enjoys writing and speaking, and is the author of an illustrated children’s book, “Maggie Seeks the Kingdom of God.”

A Follower of Jesus Christ - How To Walk the Walk

by Angela Moore

“But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:8-11.

“They left everything and followed him.” Have you ever known such six powerful words that changed the course of history in such a miraculous way that these men would never have imagined? Yet, here we are, over two thousand years later, still marveling at this man, Jesus, who went on to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom, died for our sins on a cross, and whom God raised from the dead, to be the first resurrected man to live immortally. Acts 3:21 tells us that Jesus sits at the right Hand of God, “whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Do you believe this? Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who will one day return to the earth, to begin setting up His Father’s Kingdom from Jerusalem? If so, we too must follow him.

What does it mean to become a follower of Jesus Christ? I think Jesus answers this question, when one of the scribes asks Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” And Jesus answers him, found in Mark 12:29-31:

1) The foremost is: Hear O Israel! The LORD our God is one Lord; You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

2) You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

It starts with a foundation – knowing that YHWH, our God, is one Lord. Not two lords. Not three. There is only one God, whom we are to love with our entire being. This is key, because without it, there is no reason to obey Him, no reason to want to love others, no reason to listen to the words of His Son, no reason to submit our will to God’s, dying to our own selfish wants and desires. It begins with a trembling, humble heart, which will fear the one Adonai YHWH.

When we get #1 down, #2 naturally follows. I John 5:3-5 tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is victory that has overcome the world – our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” When we love God, we will obey all His other commandments, for we will have a heart that is desiring to please Him in all things. By our faith, believing that Jesus is the Son of God, it provides us God’s Spirit (His power, His presence) to indwell in us, giving us the supernatural ability to overcome sin, and thus inherit the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. In Revelation 2:10-11 Jesus tells us “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life…he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love God so much, that we will obey His commandments, and therefore be ‘overcomers’ who will inherit the Kingdom and eternal life in the age to come. It is our inheritance, our reward, for believing in the man, Jesus, whom God provided for us for salvation.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love others. Jesus commands us in John 15:17, “This ICOMMAND you, that you love one another.” Not an option. It’s a MUST. I John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” This is our outward fruit to show that we are true followers of Jesus Christ and God’s people: we will be active in loving other people, thus bearing fruit. Without this love, we really aren’t who we say we are. We really aren’t living a truly obedient life to our Father in Heaven. I John 2:4, John calls these people “liars” and says that “the truth is not in him.”

So how are we to be followers of Jesus Christ? I John 2:6 says, “the one who says he abides in Him (Jesus) ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.” John 15:5, 7 Jesus tells us “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” So, we can draw the conclusion, that to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, we are to walk as he walked, and the only way we can walk as he did, is to abide in him, and have him abide in us. How? By having Jesus’ words living in us.

We know that Jesus’ words are actually words which God told him to speak, as Jesus tells us in John 8:26, “He who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” This is another fulfillment of the spoken word of God through Moses, about Jesus in Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”

Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it.”When we study, delight, breathe in, renew our minds with the word God spoke, through Jesus, we are being filled with the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit will help us walk in the manner that Jesus did. Just as Jesus spoke of himself doing, walking in like manner of God in John 5:19 “The Son can do nothing of himself, unless it is something he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us to be “imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love.” The infamous phrase, “Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk” is so true! It’s a walk of love - living out our love for the one true God and loving others. To be followers of Jesus the Christ, we need to abide in his words, not only believing them, but living and walking them out, just as Jesus obediently believed and lived out the words that God spoke to Him. When we do this, we truly will be followers of Jesus Christ, living obedient lives to God, being overcomers of the world, recipients of eternal life in the age to come, and bearing fruit consistent with our love for God and for others. On our own, it would be a tall order - an impossible endeavor to embark upon. With God, the impossible becomes possible, thus empowering us so that we can turn from our old way of life, leave everything behind, to follow Jesus in a radical, God-glorifying, fruit-bearing way in Christ Jesus! You will no longer be the same when you do. You will be a new creation in Christ, an ambassador for Christ, an imitator of God, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ Jesus. Your purpose in life will become part of a bigger purpose - Jesus’ purpose, which is God’s plan or word of the Kingdom, spoken of long ago and the Gospel promised to Abraham. Becoming a follower of Christ is much bigger than it just being about ‘me.’ It is something that spreads and multiplies, when we begin to love others to ‘catch men’ for the sake of bringing them the good news of Jesus and the word or God’s plan of the Kingdom, so that they too, can enjoy salvation and their reward on that day of his return.

Jesus is calling you, too. “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And _______________ (fill the blank in with your name) left everything and followed him.”

How To Walk the Walk

Angela Moore

Angela Hays Moore has a passion for God, and His Son, Jesus, and in sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom message, one heart at a time. Angela, with her husband, Tony, and their five children, are active within their community in Knightstown, Indiana, planting a church - Knightstown Family Fellowship. Angela enjoys writing and speaking, and is the author of an illustrated children’s book, “Maggie Seeks the Kingdom of God.”

A Follower of Jesus Christ - How To Walk the Walk

by Angela Moore

“But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:8-11.

“They left everything and followed him.” Have you ever known such six powerful words that changed the course of history in such a miraculous way that these men would never have imagined? Yet, here we are, over two thousand years later, still marveling at this man, Jesus, who went on to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom, died for our sins on a cross, and whom God raised from the dead, to be the first resurrected man to live immortally. Acts 3:21 tells us that Jesus sits at the right Hand of God, “whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Do you believe this? Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who will one day return to the earth, to begin setting up His Father’s Kingdom from Jerusalem? If so, we too must follow him.

What does it mean to become a follower of Jesus Christ? I think Jesus answers this question, when one of the scribes asks Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” And Jesus answers him, found in Mark 12:29-31:

1) The foremost is: Hear O Israel! The LORD our God is one Lord; You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

2) You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

It starts with a foundation – knowing that YHWH, our God, is one Lord. Not two lords. Not three. There is only one God, whom we are to love with our entire being. This is key, because without it, there is no reason to obey Him, no reason to want to love others, no reason to listen to the words of His Son, no reason to submit our will to God’s, dying to our own selfish wants and desires. It begins with a trembling, humble heart, which will fear the one Adonai YHWH.

When we get #1 down, #2 naturally follows. I John 5:3-5 tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is victory that has overcome the world – our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” When we love God, we will obey all His other commandments, for we will have a heart that is desiring to please Him in all things. By our faith, believing that Jesus is the Son of God, it provides us God’s Spirit (His power, His presence) to indwell in us, giving us the supernatural ability to overcome sin, and thus inherit the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. In Revelation 2:10-11 Jesus tells us “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life…he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love God so much, that we will obey His commandments, and therefore be ‘overcomers’ who will inherit the Kingdom and eternal life in the age to come. It is our inheritance, our reward, for believing in the man, Jesus, whom God provided for us for salvation.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love others. Jesus commands us in John 15:17, “This ICOMMAND you, that you love one another.” Not an option. It’s a MUST. I John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” This is our outward fruit to show that we are true followers of Jesus Christ and God’s people: we will be active in loving other people, thus bearing fruit. Without this love, we really aren’t who we say we are. We really aren’t living a truly obedient life to our Father in Heaven. I John 2:4, John calls these people “liars” and says that “the truth is not in him.”

So how are we to be followers of Jesus Christ? I John 2:6 says, “the one who says he abides in Him (Jesus) ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.” John 15:5, 7 Jesus tells us “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” So, we can draw the conclusion, that to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, we are to walk as he walked, and the only way we can walk as he did, is to abide in him, and have him abide in us. How? By having Jesus’ words living in us.

We know that Jesus’ words are actually words which God told him to speak, as Jesus tells us in John 8:26, “He who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” This is another fulfillment of the spoken word of God through Moses, about Jesus in Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”

Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it.”When we study, delight, breathe in, renew our minds with the word God spoke, through Jesus, we are being filled with the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit will help us walk in the manner that Jesus did. Just as Jesus spoke of himself doing, walking in like manner of God in John 5:19 “The Son can do nothing of himself, unless it is something he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us to be “imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love.” The infamous phrase, “Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk” is so true! It’s a walk of love - living out our love for the one true God and loving others. To be followers of Jesus the Christ, we need to abide in his words, not only believing them, but living and walking them out, just as Jesus obediently believed and lived out the words that God spoke to Him. When we do this, we truly will be followers of Jesus Christ, living obedient lives to God, being overcomers of the world, recipients of eternal life in the age to come, and bearing fruit consistent with our love for God and for others. On our own, it would be a tall order - an impossible endeavor to embark upon. With God, the impossible becomes possible, thus empowering us so that we can turn from our old way of life, leave everything behind, to follow Jesus in a radical, God-glorifying, fruit-bearing way in Christ Jesus! You will no longer be the same when you do. You will be a new creation in Christ, an ambassador for Christ, an imitator of God, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ Jesus. Your purpose in life will become part of a bigger purpose - Jesus’ purpose, which is God’s plan or word of the Kingdom, spoken of long ago and the Gospel promised to Abraham. Becoming a follower of Christ is much bigger than it just being about ‘me.’ It is something that spreads and multiplies, when we begin to love others to ‘catch men’ for the sake of bringing them the good news of Jesus and the word or God’s plan of the Kingdom, so that they too, can enjoy salvation and their reward on that day of his return.

Jesus is calling you, too. “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And _______________ (fill the blank in with your name) left everything and followed him.”

The Second Adam

Our Savior Jesus Is A Man

The Second Adam

Joel HemphillTaken from Chapter four of Joel Hemphill's book:

"To God be the Glory"

The Chapter is titled, "The Man Christ Jesus."

Jesus Christ is the supernaturally conceived, virgin born, sinless Son of God. He is the perfect man, unique man, the mirror image of God, "the express image of His person, " but man nevertheless: "One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (I Tim. 2:5).

Jesus himself said so -

"But now ye seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God " (John 8:40).
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends..." (John 15:13-14).
"If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin" (John 15:24). Please note: Jesus never once in Scripture said he is God, but these three times he clearly referred to himself as a man.

The Old Testament Prophets said so -

" A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isa. 53:3).
"David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel" (Jer. 33:17).
"Awake, O sword against the man that is my fellow" (Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31).
"And this man shall be the peace" (Micah 5:5).

John the Baptist said so -

"After me cometh a man who is preferred before me" (John 1:30).
"All things that John spoke of this man were true" (John 10:41).

The Apostle Paul said so -

"Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins" (Acts 13:38).
• "(God) will judge the world...by that man whom he hath ordained" (Acts 17:31).
"The gift of grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:15).
" Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits" (in resurrection) (I Cor. 15:23).
"And being found in fashion as a man" (Phil. 2:8).
"Put on the new man" (Christ) (Col. 3:10).
"For there is one God , and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus " (I Tim. 2:5).

The writer of Hebrews said so -

"For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses" (Heb. 3:3).
"But this man ...hath an unchangeable priesthood" (Heb. 7:24).
"It is of necessity that this man have somewhat to offer" (Heb. 8:3).
"But this man ...sat down on the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12).

Jesus is the second Adam, not the first God-man. Listen to the Apostle Paul:

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:21-22).
"The first man Adam was made a living soul: the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (I Cor. 15:45). "The first man ...the second man" (v. 47).

Jesus as "the last Adam" was genetically equal to the " first man Adam." Adam was created by God from the dust in Genesis one. Jesus was created by God (the Holy Ghost) in the womb of the virgin Mary in Matthew one and Luke one (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:32; Rev. 3:14; Col. 1:15 & 3:10). Study carefully Galatians 4:4:

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, madeunder the law." The word " made " is "ginomai" in Greek and means "to generate - cause to come into being." This was a creative act of the Holy Spirit and not an incarnation.

Jesus is a glorified man at the right hand of God -

"Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God" (Peter speaking of the ascended Jesus, at Pentecost) (Acts 2:22).
"Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Stephen) (Acts 7:56).

Note: Jesus is called "Son of man" 84 times in the Gospels and it means "a human being." The phrase comes from Psalms 8:6 according to Hebrews 2:6. God called Ezekiel "son of man" 90 times in the book of Ezekiel. Whatever Ezekiel was as to manhood, Jesus was. Jesus came as a human being. He had a human body, mind, spirit, soul, will and personality. The "first Adam" was made with a sinless nature, but as an act of his will he sinned anyway. The "last Adam" was made sinless, with blood untainted by the sin of the first Adam, and as an act of his will he "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth" (I Peter 2:22). He did it, not as a God-man, but as a man. Jesus "condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3)." Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him" (Phil. 2:9).

What held Jesus and kept him from sinning, though "he himself suffered being tempted" (Heb. 2:18)?

1. His awesome God awareness. "I must be about my Father's business" (Luke 2:49).
2. His Love for God his Father. "I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do" (John 14:31). "I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:10).
3. His fear of God. "The spirit of the Lord (God) shall rest upon him (Messiah), the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord" (Isa. 11:2-3). Christ prayed "with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared" (Heb. 5:7). "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered" (Heb. 5:8). "Immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12).

Jesus is coming to reign on earth for 1000 years as a glorified man -

"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26; Matt. 24:30; Luke 21:27).
"Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth" (Luke 18:8).
And we shall be like him, not Gods but glorified men, who have attained immortality through Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:2).

Listen to Jesus' own words about who God is -

"The honor that cometh from the one and only God ...the Father" (John 5:44-45 NASB).
"(Father) this is life eternal that they may know thee the only true God" (John 17:3).
" One is your Father, which is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9).
"I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17).
"These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God" (Rev. 3:14).


Love in Christ Jesus,
Joel Hemphill

Websites:

www.thehemphills.com


www.trumpetcallbooks.com

Is Jesus Both God and Man?

One God

by Sean Finnegan


"…How in the world could Jesus be omnipresent if he couldn't be in two places at once?" I asked. "How could he be omniscient when he says, 'Not even the Son of Man knows the hour of his return?' How could he be omnipotent when the gospels plainly tell us that he was unable to do many miracles in his hometown?" —Lee Strobel, Case for Christ, p. 158.

In the foyer of our church is a tract that says on its cover "Did Jesus Think He Was God?" Below, I have reproduced the chart found in it, enumerating 11 points as to why Jesus could not be God.

If Jesus is God then…

1. How could he have a beginning (Matthew 1:18; Romans 1:3), since God has always existed (Isaiah 43:13)?
2. How could he keep "increasing in wisdom" (Luke 2:52), since God’s "understanding is infinite" (Psalm 147:5)?
3. Why did he say, "I can do nothing on my own initiative" (John 5:30), whereas God "can do all things" (Job 42:2)?
4. Why did he spend "the whole night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12), as there is never a time when God prays, but only receives prayer from others?
5. How could he learn obedience and become perfect (Hebrews 5:8 and 9), since God invented obedience and is already perfect (Matthew 5:48)?
6. Why doesn’t he know the day and hour when he will return, and yet his Father, God, does know (Matthew 24:36)?
7. Why didn’t he know who touched him (Mark 5:30), whereas God knows everything (Isaiah 46:10)?
8. How could he be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1), yet "God cannot be tempted by evil" (James 1:13)?
9. How could he die (Philippians 2:8), if God "alone possesses immortality" (I Timothy 6:16)?
10. How could he be in subjection to the Father [if he were the Father] for all eternity, (I Corinthians 15:28)?
11. Why was he asleep on the cushion (Mark 4:38), yet God never sleeps or slumbers (Psalms 12:14)?

Though these reasons may appear very conclusive to most unitarians, they are not by most mainstream Christians. When I speak to orthodox Christians along these lines, the person often responds "You misunderstand the dual nature of Christ." Their reasoning continues, "In his divinity, he is God; but in his humanity, he is man. When he performs miracles, that is a manifestation of his deity. When he suffers or is limited in any way, that is a manifestation of his humanity." Thus, a dual nature proposition is given as the explanation as to why Jesus did not exactly match the attributes recorded of God.

But why is this doctrine necessary? Why do people believe that Jesus is God? The main reason given for why Jesus would be God is that he did things that only God can do – he raised the dead, walked on water, exorcised demons, forgave sins, and lived perfectly. Each of these will be taken in its turn.

Jesus raised the dead. Jesus raised Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, and the widow’s son. If raising the dead makes Jesus God, then Elijah, Elisha, and Peter are also God, because they also raised the dead.

Jesus walked on water. Jesus confessed the source of his miracles when he said, "the Father abiding in me does His works" (John 10:25, 32, 37; 14:10) and, "the son can do nothing of himself" (John 5:19). Jesus walked on the water because God empowered him to do so. (And Peter walked on the water also.)

Jesus exorcised demons. Often, Jesus came face to face with the spiritual forces of wickedness. He never struggled but cast them out with a few words. However, he is not unique here either, the 12 also cast out demons, as well as the 70. Besides, Jesus clearly stated, "I cast out demons by the spirit of God" (Matthew 12:28). God empowered His Messiah to do these things.

Jesus forgave sins. When the paralyzed man was brought to Jesus, he said, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven" (Matthew 9:2). It is alleged that since all sins are ultimately an affront to God (Psalms 51:4), that only God can forgive sins. This reasoning is logical, but what if God conferred His right to forgive sins onto His earthly agent–the Messiah. "But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God who had given such authority to men" (Matthew 9:8). Similarly, the disciples of Christ are authorized to forgive or retain sins (cf. John 20:23).

Jesus lived perfectly. Adam was made in God’s image–perfect. God’s plan was for him to stay sinless, live forever, cultivate the garden of Eden, rule over the earth, and produce many children. Jesus also was made in the image of God (Colossians 3:10). He was divinely created [begotten] (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:20) in the womb of his mother, Mary; Adam was also divinely made (Genesis 2:7). Thus, Jesus falls in the category of one who began as perfect and who needed to maintain his perfection (i.e. the second Adam), rather than one who had inherited the fallen sin nature. Because of what Christ has done, we can now mortify the deeds of our old man and live as he lived (Romans 8:10, 13).

One other argument that often surfaces is that if Jesus was not God, then his sacrifice would not have been sufficient to redeem all of humanity. This assertion seems logical on its surface, but there are four problems with it.

    • Nowhere in the Bible is this stated.

    • God cannot die (I Timothy 1:17 says He is immortal).

    • A sacrifice is sufficient because God accepts it, not because its value equals the offense.

    • According to their view, only the body (the humanity) of Jesus died; his spirit (the deity)
      continued to live. Thus, the God portion of Jesus did not die.

Besides, is it fair to split Jesus in any way? If Jesus were fully God and fully man, then everything Jesus experienced, both his divine and human natures also experienced. For example, if I could ask them, "How can Jesus be God if he doesn’t know everything?" They would respond, "In his humanity he didn’t know, but in his divinity he is omniscient." However, this is impossible. One cannot both know everything and not know everything at the same time! If Jesus had claimed ignorance about his second coming when he was really omniscient, would this not be deceptive? To illustrate this, consider the analogy below.

Fred asked Laura for $5, and she responded, "I don’t have $5." But then 10 minutes later, Fred noticed that she was holding $5 in her hand and questioned her why she had lied. Laura replied, "When I said I didn’t have $5, I meant in my right hand I did not have it; although it is true that in my left hand I do have $5." Would this not be immediately exposed as deception? Either the person has the $5 or not. One cannot both have and not have $5 at the same time.

Jesus always spoke the truth. If he said he did not know something, then all of Jesus did not know it. If he died, then he was not immortal. If he slept on the boat, then he cannot claim to be the God Who never sleeps, etc. All of this confusion can be avoided if we understand Jesus as a human–a sinless man who, like Adam, was directly made by God but, unlike Adam, did not grasp at equality with God. There is nothing complicated about that. Jesus is a real human who really died for our sins. Our entire faith depends on this truth. It is a simple fact: if the whole Jesus did not really die, then the whole of our sins are not really paid for. Thanks be to God who would not leave us in such a predicament.


Sean Finnigan's Websites:


www.christianmonotheism.com and

www.truthmattersradio.wordpress.com

Isaiah 9:6

by Chuck Jones

Pastor of Church of the Open Bible, Pomona, CA
Editor of Wisdom and Power

openbiblepomona.net

Authors note: I was asked a question about Isaiah 9:6 by a faithful church member. He wanted to know what these names tell us about who Jesus is. My first intention was to give a sermon on the whole verse and move on to another topic. That plan was changed as I began to study the text. It became apparent that more than one study was needed. These four articles are the fruit of my study.

Let me lay a little background for Isaiah 9:1-7. The first five verses paint a picture of distress and oppression. The people are described as walking in darkness and having a great light shine on them (vs. 2). As a result of that light, the nation’s joy has increased and they rejoice before God (vs. 3). The burden they once lived under is broken (vs. 4), and the implements of war have been burned (vs. 5).

These verses imply the time of the end. They point to the final deliverance of Israel, not principally to the birth of Christ. Verse six carries the good news that a child would be born who would receive the government and be given a name by the people. The names in verse six are the people’s assessment of him.

Verse 7 is definitely pointing to the future as it says, “from that time forward, even forever.”With this background in place, let’s go to the name that this child will be called. The title “wonderful counselor” can be understood as two separate names or combined as one. It depends on a small mark in the Hebrew language. I’ll take them separately and combined.

Wonderful

The Hebrew word here translated wonderful is an adjective, a description of a person or thing. “In the Old Testament it refers to things that are unusual, beyond human capabilities, and as such awakens astonishment” (TWOT, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament). We use the word “wonderful” in the same way. We say that things, people, panoramic views, or sunsets are wonderful.

In scripture we see that it is used in much the same way. “Your testimonies are wonderful[beyond human understanding] therefore my soul keeps them” (Psalm 119:129). Here the adjective, “wonderful,” is describing the testimonies of God. Those wonderful testimonies, when kept, have a “wonderful” outcome. “I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts” (Psalm 119:100).

This takes us to the son who would be the king. Jesus did many things that caused people to be filled with wonder and amazement. Here are a couple of examples:

Luke 8:25 “But He said to them, Where is your faith? And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”

Matthew 7:28, 29 “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

In all that Jesus did he was (and remains) wonderful. It’s more than just in counsel. When you see Jesus, if you are able to speak, you may hear yourself say, “You are Wonderful.”

Counselor

This is a term which is applied to one who gives counsel. The word in itself does not distinguish between good and bad advice, just that advice is given. You have probably received both types and after the fact found out which type it was. How can you know before? Where does good counsel come from?

The short answer is that it comes from God’s mind and heart. We are told, “By pride comes nothing but strife. But with the well advised is wisdom” (Proverbs 13:16). What a powerful verse! It speaks of both good and bad counsel.

Jesus is the chief counselor because God’s spirit was with him. Notice:

“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:1-3).

Absolutely, the best counsel originates with God, because, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11). Yahweh's word or counsel, which is His purpose and design, stands forever. It may go out of fashion for us, but it is always the best. Wise counsel comes from the word of God.

John’s gospel opens with; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1, 2). John is simply rephrasing Psalm 33:11. Some have inserted “Jesus” in John's first two verses, but that doesn’t fit with “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth(Psalm 33:6).

The “word” is the counsel of Yahweh that stands forever. Jesus comes into the text of John 1 in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The word, purpose, counsel, decrees, plans and design of God inhabited a man. Notice the results: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him(vs. 18). Just as Moses received the law (and passed it on), Jesus showed us grace and truth (vs. 17).

We can look further into John’s gospel to see how he explains this to us:

John 5:19, “Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

John 5:30, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

John 14:10, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”

Because Jesus spoke the counsel of God, he is the Wonderful Counselor. Indeed he was wonderful in everything he did.

The Apostle Paul followed that example, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel ofGod”(Acts 20:26-27). Dispensing the whole counsel of God is not an easy task. All of theApostles, and countless believers after them, suffered for doing just that.


You too, can be a wonderful counselor. You can speak the whole counsel of God. First, you have to let God’s counsel invade your life and let it take over, as Jesus did. We are told, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”(Colossians 3:16).

When the word of Christ takes effect you will then be, as the Apostle Paul says, “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another” (Romans 15:14).

Follow the example of Jesus, as Paul and others have done. Let the word of God become flesh in you!

Most of us, when we read the Bible, are at the mercy of the translators, those fluent in the Hebrew and Greek languages that our scriptures were originally written in. It isn’t beyond reason to think that they may have chosen words that highlight their theological leaning. They, like many, want to put a positive theological spin on scripture to prove points.

To point at a verse and say, “See here? That proves it” is not a good model of Bible teaching to follow. Many Bible students (and, by extension, teachers) like to line up questionable verses with other scripture texts to gain a broader foundation from which to teach.

A good case in point is the two word title found in Isaiah 9:6, “Mighty God.” I don’t want to be understood as saying this is a mistranslation, but I do think it is a theologically spun translation. It is used therefore as a proof text by some to drive home their point. Let’s compare this text with other scriptures to see what we can learn.

Mighty God

This name comes from Isaiah 9:6. The expression, “and he shall be called” indicates that the title is given to this son by the people as they rejoice in or celebrate him. The Hebrew words are “el gibbor.” My preferred translation is “mighty champion.” I’ll explain why I think this works best.

Beginning with the first of this two-part title, let’s explore how it is used in scripture. “El” is translated several ways, such as God, gods, mighty one, strength and power. “El” is not always used in reference to Yahweh. Note the following examples:

Proverbs 3:27 “Don`t withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power [el] of your hand to do it.” “El” is descriptive of your hand when it has the power (el) to dogood for others.

Psalm 89:6 “For who in the skies can be compared unto Yahweh? Who among the sons of themighty [el] is like unto Yahweh?” Here “el” is a reference to the sons of the influential andpowerful of society.

Psalm 29:1 “Ascribe unto Yahweh, O ye sons of the mighty [el], ascribe unto Yahweh glory and strength.” Those who are influential and wield power are directed to acknowledge theAlmighty Yahweh.

Daniel 11:3 “And a mighty [el] king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.” Here the term “el” is used to describe an ungodly king because of thepower he exercises.

So the term “el,” although it is used to describe our Heavenly Father, also shows God’s presence or confirmation. However, it is also used to describe the ability, power, or prominence of someone or something.

Names with El

Here are some other names that contain the description “el.” The name Immanuel is literally “with us is God” or “on our side is God.” This descriptive name implies that because Jesus was born, God is showing kindness toward us. Yahweh has acted on our behalf. It does not state that the individual bearing the name is actually God Himself.

Another name found in scripture with “el” is Joel. This name means, “Yahweh is mighty.” This, too, is descriptive of the nature of the prophecies Joel proclaimed. Samuel means “Hear from God,” and Ezekiel means “Judgment of God.” We certainly wouldn’t mistake Joel, or the other prophets as actually being God Himself.

As mentioned before, we are left at the mercy of the translators in giving us what the ancient manuscripts said. In this article the point of interest is, I think, properly translated. Here we will find it isn’t what the text says, but our understanding of what we are presented with that makes the difference.

From Isaiah 9:6, I will be writing about one of the names that the son who would be king will be called: “Everlasting Father.” Although this may be a proper translation from the Hebrew, I don’t think we can make an immediate jump to connect this name to the Creator of all things. To do that would be to ignore some of the basic usages of the words that make up this name. It would also cause us to miss some aspects of the work the Son has done. Let’s investigate “Everlasting Father” and see if you don’t agree with me.

Everlasting

Our English word, everlasting, carries a meaning which may be quite different than the Hebrew word it is translated from. This is also true of the Greek word in the New Testament as well. The Hebrew word “olam” or “alom” and the Greek word “aeon” all refer to long periods of time. We use the word “age” often to reference this, such as “the age of dinosaurs” or the “bronze age”, this "present age," or the "age to come."

“Olam” indicates distant time whether past, present, or future. It is a term of perpetuity or a perpetual time. We can find this sort of usage throughout the Old Testament. Some examples are:

“The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God`s sons came to men`s daughters. They bore children to them: the same were the mighty men who wereof old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4). Here “olam” makes reference to the distant past. Thesemighty men were from a remote time long gone.

“I will establish my covenant with you; neither will all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither will there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth” (Genesis 9:11-13). We still can see the rainbow in the skybecause this covenant was made for “olam” generations. From that time and long into the future.

“I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God” ( Genesis 17:6-8). These twopromises given to Abraham were from old, and will last on into the future.

“Olam” is used in a wide variety of ways and a connection can be made to Jesus of Nazareth. In 2 Samuel 7 we have the record of God speaking through Nathan the prophet to King David about his son Solomon, and beyond:

“When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you: your throne shall be established forever.(Verses 12-16).

In this concluding article from Isaiah 9:6 I want to write about the “Prince of Peace.” It would be easy to simply take this name at face value and agree that Jesus is that prince. However, I don’t want to do that. I want to give this name the same consideration as the others. I think that it will help our understanding and appreciation of Jesus grow. It will also have an effect on how we conduct ourselves in life.

Prince

In Isaiah 9:6, the Hebrew word “sar” is translated for us as "prince." It is a masculine form of the word. It is used in reference to men. The feminine form is “sara.” Abraham’s wife’s name was changed from Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:15) which means princess. But it is the masculine form of the name that we are interested in here.

“Sar” as found in the Old Testament is translated in various ways. To be sure , the majority of occurrences is translated prince, but it is also translated in other ways. In each case it carries the idea of authority conferred because of competence, or a position inherited, as in the case of a prince. Here are some of the various ways “sar” is used in the Hebrew text. (Those words are in bold):

Exodus 1:11, “Therefore they set taskmasters [sar] over them to afflict them with theirburdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.”

Exodus 18:21, “Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fearGod: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulersof thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”

1 Samuel 8:11,12 “He said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.”

1 Kings 5:16, “besides Solomon`s chief officers who were over the work, three thousand
and three hundred, who bore rule over the people who labored in the work.”

1 Chronicles 15:27, “David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song [with] the singers: and David had on him an ephod of linen.”

1 Chronicles 24:5, “Thus they were divided by lot, one group as another, for there were
officials of the sanctuary and officials of the house of God, from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar.”

In all these uses we can make application to Jesus of Nazareth. Basically, “sar” is a title given, in its various forms, to a person who has either been appointed or has inherited the position. Both of these certainly apply to Jesus. Here is more scriptural evidence:

“Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne” (Acts 2:30).

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus,
whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” (Philippians 2:9-10).

From this testimony we can see that Jesus has received his throne by way of inheritance, and by appointment from God. He has manifested competence to rule as prince.

Peace

The second part of this name tells us about the reign of this prince. The English word "peace" is translated from the Hebrew word “Shalem” or “Shalom.” This word is found in the name of the great city, Jerusalem. It means, “founded on peace” or “flowing in peace.” When we are urged to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we can pray that its name would be fulfilled! "Shalom” is a state of being where there is an absence of strife of any kind. Whether that strife comes from those we live and work with (or drive on the freeway with), or strife of a personal nature. (That could be not having enough money in the check book or the turmoil over the presence of sin in our lives.)

Shalom, can be used as a greeting. It would be like asking, “How is it going?” Notice this in 2 Kings 4:26, “Please run now to meet her, and say to her, 'Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?' And she answered, 'It is well.'” The “Is it well?” is the word “shalom.” The prophet Elisha wanted to know if all was well with the women. So the greeting “Shalom?” could be responded to in the affirmative, “Shalom!” if there were no problems.

Shalom carries the idea of safety, harmony, wellness, prosperity, health, and completeness. At the pinnacle, shalom describes the state of fulfillment as a result of God’s presence. The God of peace. The condition of shalom is something I think all people hunger for. In our war torn, violently ravaged world, peace is longed for. It is however, in our present time, illusive. Man cannot broker this kind of peace. God has, on behalf of men, appointed one to be “Sar-Shalom”, Prince of Peace. This man is the one who will bring fulfillment, completeness, harmony, and safety to the whole earth. At that time he will be called the “Prince of Peace.”

Now, even in this present world with so many prideful and wicked people, we can still have peace. Here is how the Apostle Paul describes it in Ephesians Chapter 2:

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Verses 13-15).

Because of what Jesus has done, we can be at peace with God and each other. Whatever that “middle wall of separation” may have been between you and others, it has been broken down. This is especially true of believers. Race is no barrier, family feuds are no barrier, disagreements, or grudges cannot keep us from being in harmony with those who confess the Lordship of Jesus. He is our Prince of Peace.

Looking further in Ephesians Chapter 2, Paul says:

and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near” (Verses 16-17).

Reconciliation and peace go together. How can we say we are reconciled to God when we are not reconciled with our brothers and sisters? Indeed we are called to make peace, as much as it is within our power to do so. “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

The establishment of peace between God and men was made by our “Sar-shalom.” This peace and reconciliation we can enjoy now is because of God’s presence among us. Whatever it is that’s keeping you from being reconciled with another can be overcome. Go, with God being present, and confess that wall of separation as having no more influence in your life. The peace we have now between us is a reflection of what is to come.

Worldwide peace is not yet realized. Because of this Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). There is a great conflict between the kingdom of God and this present world. It is a conflict of ideologies and until our Prince of Peace returns there will continue to be conflict.

Now, however, those who belong to Jesus have his promise,

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

When Jesus returns all his enemies will be eradicated. Peace will reign! Until then we can be reconciled to each other and God by faith in what our “Sar-shalom” has done. If you are not at peace with someone, seek it now whether with God or people. That will show where your loyalty is.

Conclusion

We can rightly call Jesus of Nazareth "Wonderful Counselor" because he is wonderful and the word of God was in him. He is our "Mighty Champion" by winning a great victory for us and calling us to follow. The “tribe” he has founded is perpetual, rightly giving him the title "Everlasting Father." We know Jesus as the "Prince of Peace" as we live in peace with God and each other.

Let’s all look forward to the day when we can praise him in this many faceted title. Let’s show our anticipation by living in what he’s given us now, as a preview of that glorious day. Amen.