THE MEANING OF PERFECT IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

Hebrews is a mysterious book to many Christians because it deals with a topic that is obscure to them: the Old Testament sacrificial system. Hebrews sums up for us the spiritual essence of the Old Testament. It is a key to understanding the Pentateuch in particular and the Old Testament in general.

The key to understanding the book of Hebrews is found in the word "perfect" or "make perfect". Another word that is related to the word "perfect" in Hebrews is the word "holy" or "make holy" (often translated as "sanctify") in its various forms. In the scope of this article, we will only consider the word "perfect".

What does the word "perfect" mean in the book of Hebrews? We need to understand what the word "perfect" means in scriptural usage. We need to understand what the writer himself means by "perfect" and this can be established by how he himself uses the word "perfect". This is made easier as the word is used in its various forms about 14 times in the book of Hebrews.

The Old Testament sacrifices did not make anyone perfect

Hebrews is concerned with the Old Testament sacrificial system and the Priestly system associated with it. So, in Hebrews, "perfect" is used in the context of the law, the sacrifices, and the priesthood. Let's start with Hebrews chapter 10. In chapter 10 "perfect" occurs twice in the first 14 verses. Verse 1 says:

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves. For this reason, it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. (Hebrews 10:1, NIV)

The sacrificial system made no one perfect, not even those who sincerely tried to draw near to God. The sacrifices that a man offered, even if done regularly and frequently, could not make him perfect. The sacrifices had to do with atonement for sin. Since the sacrifices could not “make perfect those who draw near to worship,” those who drew near were unable to enter into communion with God. Only through the sacrifice of the Messiah do we have access to God, and as a result enter boldly into the Holiest Place to draw near to Him. The Old Testament sacrifices; though they were many and a very complex system could not perfect the worshippers, whereas “by a single offering Jesus the Messiah has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (v.14).

Perfect: Free from sin

The meaning of perfect emerges when we survey Hebrews 10. Verse 1 says:  Moses' Teachings with their yearly cycle of sacrifices are only a shadow of the good things in the future. They aren't an exact likeness of those things. They can never make those who worship perfect. Hebrews 10:1 (GWT). Note the strong word “never”. The sacrifices, which are central to the Law (Moses teachings) and the Old Testament way of life, were not able to perfect anyone no matter how often or faithfully they were offered. Nor were they designed for that purpose, being only a “shadow” pointing to the “good things” (10:1) that God has in store for those who have faith in Him.

In God’s plan of salvation, the Law (Moses teachings) served an important didactic purpose: It was “our tutor to lead us to the Messiah Jesus” (Galatians 3:24).

But once the Law had fulfilled that crucial role and achieved its God-given purpose of leading us to the Messiah, its task was completed. Because we have come to the Messiah and are justified - declared "not guilty" by faith in him, having learned from this “tutor” (the Law) the necessity of his death - sin offering sacrifice for our salvation, we remain deeply thankful for the tutor even if its services as “schoolmaster” are required no more (Galatians 3:25).

As a shadow of the good things, the sacrifices pointed forward to the true and effectual sin-offering sacrifice that was to be made for us in the Messiah Jesus. The sacrifices were therefore promissory in character so that those who offered them could be “saved in hope” just as we are (Romans 8:24). The fact that the sacrifices could never perfect anyone, even when repeated, should have made its promissory character evident to the spiritually discerning. Perfecting the sinner had never been God’s purpose for these sacrifices; hence they could never bring anyone to perfection.

If the sacrifices could perfect sinners, “If these sacrifices could have made the worshipers perfect, the sacrifices would have stopped long ago” (Hebrews 10:2a). Obviously, if the sacrifices could perfect you, you wouldn’t have to offer them again. In this hypothetical situation, “Those who worship would have been cleansed once and for all. Their consciences would have been free from sin..” (Hebrews 10:2b).

To be made “perfect” (10:1) means to be “cleansed” from sin (10:2); if we have been cleansed; perfected; we wouldn’t have to offer the sacrifices again. But because they could not cleanse, the people had to keep on offering the sacrifices under the Old Testament.

Hebrews 10: 3 says, “Instead, this yearly cycle of sacrifices reminded people of their sins.” Far from cleansing the people from sin, the sacrifices reminded them of sin. The continual consciousness of sin and guilt arises from the inability of the sacrifices to cleanse the sinner.

Hebrews 10:4 says: (The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.). The sacrifices were made repeatedly precisely because it was “impossible” for them to remove sins. So far we have seen three parallel concepts: perfect means cleansed, which in turn means the removal of sin. Hence perfection has to do with the removal of sin. But sanctified - set apart- made holy; also means to be cleansed from sin.

“Jesus suffered outside the gates of Jerusalem. He suffered to make the people holy with his own blood. ” (Hebrews 13:12). “We have been sanctified - set apart - made holy because Jesus the Messiah did what God wanted him to do by sacrificing his body once and for all” (Hebrews10:10). “For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified - set apart - made holy” (Hebrews 10:14). Here we see the intrinsic link between “perfected” and “sanctified - set apart - made holy.

When we are sanctified - set apart - made holy, we can draw near to God and commune with Him. Having been sanctified - set apart - made holy, every Christian is a saint (Romans 1:7; 1Corinthians 1:2; etc.). The Greek words for saint and sanctify (hagios, ἅγιος, and hagiazō, ἁγιάζω) share a common root. A saint is simply one who has been sanctified - set apart - made holy, cleansed from sin; perfected. When sin has been removed, one is no longer oppressively conscious of sin or burdened with a sense of guilt.

It is now clear that in the book of Hebrews, perfection means freedom from sin.

Jesus was made perfect through suffering

Interestingly, the definition of perfection given in Hebrews, namely, freedom from sin, applies in a specific sense even to the lord Jesus himself. How is this possible in view of the fact that Jesus has never sinned? The answer is found in Hebrews chapter 2.

In this chapter, it is said that Jesus was made “perfect … through suffering” Hebrews 2:10: "God is the one from whom and through whom everything exists. Therefore, while God was bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was the right time to bring Jesus, the source of their salvation, to the end of his work through suffering." This included the suffering of temptation: “He himself was tempted in that which he has suffered” (v.18). Because he shared our nature of “flesh and blood” (v.14), he was subjected to the same temptations and pressures of sin as we are, yet he triumphed consistently over sin and remained free from sin. He established his freedom from sin through his costly yet decisive victory over it.

A comparison with Adam can help us understand this point more clearly. Adam began life in the Garden without sin, but when faced with the temptation to disobey God, rather than being willing to endure whatever suffering was needed to remain faithful to God and not succumb to the temptation, he yielded to temptation, disobeyed God, and lost his freedom from sin.

If he had obeyed God in the face of temptation, he would have been “made perfect” through obedience and would have remained free from sin. He was initially perfect in the general sense of being free from sin by virtue of not having sinned yet, but he would have been “made perfect” in the deeper sense (the true meaning of Biblical perfection) if he had triumphed over sin. Jesus was victorious where Adam failed.

Having won that victory, Jesus can set us free from sin. A slave of sin cannot overcome sin because a slave has no authority over his master. But when Jesus sets us free from the bondage to sin, we can triumph over sin as he did. He was tempted in every way, yet he never sinned (Hebrews Hebrews 4:15: "We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn't sin." He triumphed against the fiercest assaults which sin and the powers of darkness could launch against him.

Freedom from sin

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be absolutely free” (John 8:36). This refers specifically to freedom from sin because just two verses earlier Jesus said, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin”. There is no true freedom apart from the freedom from sin.

Only “if the Son sets you free, then you will be absolutely free.” Freedom from sin is the only true freedom. Jesus goes on to say, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The truth in the Messiah Jesus sets us free. When Scripture speaks of freedom, it does not refer to political or financial freedom but to spiritual freedom; freedom from sin: without which no other freedom has any substantive meaning.

If God didn’t take a serious view of sin, would it have been necessary for the Messiah Jesus to die for our sins? "God didn't spare His own Son but handed him over [to death] for all of us. So he will also give us everything along with him.” (Romans8:32). Paul teaches the serious view of sin: “If God didn't spare the natural branches [the unbelieving Jews who persisted in disobeying God], neither will He spare you” (Rom.11:21). God is gracious and kind, but also holy and just. “Continue in His kindness otherwise you also will be cut off” (Romans 11:22).

Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you'll harvest. I

f you plant in [the soil of] your corrupt nature, you will harvest destruction. But if you plant in [the soil of] your spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life. 

(Galatians 6:7-8)

Sin is a problem that has its center in man’s heart (Matthew.5:28: "But I can guarantee that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart"). The eye looks at what the heart desires, and the hand follows what the heart dictates.

 

The main word for sin in the Hebrew Old Testament is חטא, chata, which has the basic meaning “to miss the goal” or “to miss the way”. For example, if we fail to live a victorious Christian life to which our God and Father call us, we have sinned either by commission or by omission. Either way, we have missed the goal, the mark, the calling.

We need to allow God to search our hearts and reveal to us whether the sacrifice of Jesus and the power of his blood have freed us from the power of sin.

Let us examine our commitment before God. Paul’s exhortation, “Let a man examine himself,” is something that benefits us when we do it regularly, especially before partaking of the bread and the cup at the Lord’s table (1 Corinthians11:28). May the Psalmist’s prayer be ours too:

Who can notice every mistake? Forgive my hidden faults. 

Keep me from sinning. Do not let anyone gain control over me. Then I will be blameless, and I will be free from any great offense.

. (Psalm 19:12,13)

Notice:

In Paul’s letters, “sanctified” and “sanctification” is used in essentially the same way as in Hebrews. 1 Corinthians 6:11 says, “But you were washed, you were sanctified - set apart - made holy, you were justified in the name of the lord Jesus the Messiah and by the Spirit of our God”. Here “sanctified” stands after “washed” but before “justified,” indicating its link to the cleansing from sin through Jesus’ blood. In 1 Corinthians 1:30, “sanctification - set apart - made holy” is mentioned before “redemption”. It is through this sanctification - being set apart - being made holy that salvation is attained (2Th.2:13). We are sanctified - set apar - made holy “by the blood of the Messiah Jesus, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God” to “cleanse” us, that we may “serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:13,14: "

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of cows sprinkled on unclean people made their bodies holy and clean. 

The blood of the Messiah, who had no defect, does even more. Through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself to God and cleansed our consciences from the sinful things we had done. Now we can serve the living God.

" Sanctification  - set apart - made holy is essential to salvation because “without holiness, no one will see the Lord -  Yehovah” (Hebrew 12:14).

What I have written has been taken from "Becoming a New Person" Volume 1, written by Eric Chang. I am responsible for any editing that has been done. In reading Eric Chang's books I have come to see him as a gifted man of God. He was true to his understanding of what the word of God revealed to him. His understanding is of great depth and spirituality rarely experienced these days. Hopefully, I have been true in my editing to be faithful to what he wanted to say.

I would highly recommend if you read what I have written that it will inspire you to go out and get both volumes of Eric Chang's book, "Becoming a New Person". You will be greatly spiritually rewarded if you do! Bruce Lyon 

THE KEY TO FLOURISHING

I was led to read and study Revelation 9:1-12, the chapter on the locusts. As I read verse 4 about God’s command to the locusts not to destroy anything green, a thought leaped out at me.

I realized that the key to remaining safe in any time of terror was to “stay green.” David wrote, “I am like a green olive tree in the house of Yehovah; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever” (Psalm 52:8, NKJV). The “green” that David refers to here signifies spiritual health. It means to flourish, grow, be fruitful. David is telling us, “My health comes from trusting God. I flourish because I turn to him. My trust in him produces spiritual life in me.”

Here is a glorious truth about the power of staying green. “Thus says Yehovah; Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from Yehovah. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited” (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

Yehovah is warning us, “Don’t trust in man. If you put your faith in human power rather than in me, you’ll be cursed.”

The passage goes on, though, to describe what our faith will produce if we put our trust in Yehovah. “Blessed is the man who trusts in Yehovah, and whose hope is Yehovah. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

As we trust wholly in the Father, we put down roots in his river, and His divine strength; luscious, green, spiritual health: flows in us and through us. While everything around us is decaying, we’ll flourish as green trees, healthy and strong. When the hour of trial comes, we won’t languish or wilt. Instead, our faith will be growing.

Written by David Wilkerson and edited by Bruce Lyon

DO THE SCRIPITRES GIVE ANY INDIVIDUAL SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY OVER ANOTHER IN THE CALLED-OUT ASSEMBLY?

The only one who has spiritual authority over me is the lord Messiah Jesus who is the head of the ekklesia - the called-out Assembly.

Those who he gifts to be over-seers, pastor-teachers, etc., are authorized to bring those in the ekklesia up to spiritual maturity in the anointed one Jesus. However, they do not have spiritual authority over anyone in the ekklesia - the called-out Assembly of God.

All believers in the lord Jesus are priests, all have that same status before God in the anointed one Jesus, from the weakest brother/sister to those who are mature spiritually.

That being said I should respect and support those whom the head of the ekklesia - the Assembly of God has given to guide and direct those in the Assembly to become spiritually mature.

Spiritual leaders in the called-out Assembly are to reflect the humble character the lord Jesus had, who when on this earth always was the greatest servant of all. He still is, as our advocate and High Priest!

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN FACED WITH FAILURE?

Let us not be afraid. Do not despair in the face of failures, trials, handicaps, delays, or deserts that we are going through. They are powerful tools in the hands of Yehovah to speak to the hearts of His children and to shape us, to transform us.

Your family today needs to hear the voice of God who says, “I will not leave you or forsake you” (Joshua 1:5), “I am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 22:13), and “I am still working! My mercies never come to an end; they are renewed every morning” (see Lamentations 3.23). “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I Yehovah will answer them; I the Elohim - God of Israel will not forsake them” (Isaiah 41:17).

Let's not limit our God and our Father Yehovah. Instead, let's look at how many men and women in the Bible; Abraham, Moses, David, Gideon, Joseph, Peter, Paul, Mary, Sarah, Esther; were shaped, comforted, transformed, and used by Yehovah despite lives strewn with trials and failures from which they, enabled by Yehovah's power, recovered.

“My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Proverbs 24:13-16).

This week, remember that regardless of how many times your knee bends, our God and Father Yehovah will lift you up. In suffering lies great good for us and our children, both now and in the future.

ARE YOU WORTHY TO BECOME THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF YEHOVAH?

Who tells you are not worthy, no good, useless, unusable to Yehovah Elohim - God? What is it that reminds you that you’re weak, helpless, a total failure? Who tells you that you’ll never measure up to Yehovah’s standard? The god of this world, Satan, the prince of the power of the air who deceives the whole world. [Revelations 12:9] That is where this voice comes from. It is from Satan the great deceiver himself, and all those who serve him.

How are you made worthy?

You have been made worthy by the Messiah’s sin-offering sacrifice on the stake. That sacrifice reconciled you to Yehovah and gives you every right to worship - reverence His holy name.

“That you may walk worthy of the Lord - Yehovah, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God - Yehovah; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints - holy ones in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:10-14, NKJV, my italics).

The Greek rendering of verse 12 here is “The Father has made us fit, worthy, qualified in character, good enough to be partakers in the inheritance of the saints – holy ones of light.”

What Jesus did on the stake leads the way for you to co-rule and co-inherit as new creations in him, in the coming Kingdom of God. So, if Yehovah has opened the door for you to enter into His Kingdom as an immortal man/woman having eternal life, then He will make you become fit in righteous character by His indwelling presence. By His indwelling presence in you, you have become a Temple of God – Yehovah! [1 Corinthians 3:16]

You can’t obtain the righteousness of the Messiah by working for it. No, no, it is all by Yehovah's grace. The only way to obtain it is by believing in his righteousness and trusting in Yehovah for it to become a part of you. It comes to you by faith. Understand, you are not only saved by faith but also sanctified – set apart by faith, justified – declared not guilty by faith, healed emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically by faith, kept by faith. It all happens by being totally committed to Yehovah and obeying the words that He gave to the lord Messiah Jesus to give to us.

Because of the stake, you can say, “In my flesh, I still resist the Spirit, but as a new creation in the Messiah, I am redeemed by the sin-offering sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus. I have by the indwelling of the Spirit of the Messiah Jesus and of Yehovah been given the power to overcome my sinful nature and live a victorious life in the Messiah Jesus. I’m going to sing and shout praises to Yehovah for His amazing grace that has saved a wretch like me!”

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

The word for redemption suggests being set free. We have been set free by Jesus’ sin-offering sacrifice. We are bought and paid for by his shed blood and have become his bond-servants, in bondage now to righteousness

Notice what Yehovah has done for all those who are His through His uniquely begotten son Jesus: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His [Yehovah’s] sight” (Colossians 1:21-22).

You can say, “Even when I was alienated in my mind by awful, evil works, even when I was in the pits of lust, even when I was one of Yehovah’s worst enemies, the scriptures say He loved me. He sought me out and led me by His spirit and reconciled me to Himself. Now, He has translated me from the kingdom of darkness into His kingdom of light. He has made me be at peace with Him and given me to have great peace of mind. So, how much more does He love me now that I’m reconciled, even when I struggle? I know my Redeemer loves me.” [Psalm 19:14]

Notice: The law can’t condemn you because the Messiah fulfilled the law. Past sin cannot condemn you because of his sin-offering sacrifice you have been pronounced “not guilty”, it is under his shed blood. Your conscience can’t condemn you because the Messiah is greater than your conscience. So, you have been forgiven completely, leaving nothing to condemn you.

When we become discouraged, it proves two things: our forgetfulness of Yehovah’s mercy and grace, and a lack of understanding of how much He loves us.

If you become discouraged over your sins, perhaps it is because you do not trust fully in God’s love for you during your times of failure. If that is so you are living with a lack of understanding of your God and Father’s full acceptance of you because of the sin-offering sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus. You must turn from this attitude of mind and repent, asking for Yehovah’s awesome forgiveness and grace.

If you understand how great your God and Father’s mercy is toward you, you would know He loves you even when you fail, mise the mark. Then you can say, “Oh, God, forgive me. I’ve been so discouraged because of my sin. I haven’t fully believed in your mercy and forgiveness. Restore my belief, increase my faith.” Let me never forget “I am made worthy by the blood of the Lamb!” The Lamb you provide for my deliverance, Amen.

 

GROWING INTO GRACE GIVERS

Yehovah Elohim - God can and does use angels to minister to people, but He most often uses His own caring children to dispense His grace. This is one reason we are made partakers of His grace, to become channels of it. We are meant to dispense it to others. I call this “people grace.”

“To each one of us, grace was given according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7, NKJV). Because of the comfort, we’re given through Yehovah's grace, it is impossible for any of us to continue grieving. At some point, we are healed by our God and our Father, Yehovah, and we begin to build up a reservoir of His grace.

I believe this is what Paul meant when he wrote, “I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of the Messiah” (Ephesians 3:7-8) and then “…you all are partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1:7).

The apostle is making a profound statement here, one that the apostle Peter takes even further. Peter writes, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). What does it mean to be a good steward, or dispenser, of God’s manifold grace? Am I such a person? Or do I spend my time praying only for my own pain, grief, and struggles?

Yehovah’s grace made Paul and Peter compassionate shepherds, able to weep with those who grieved. They were saying, “When I go to God’s throne to obtain grace, it is for your sake. I want to be a merciful shepherd to you, not a judgmental one. I want to be able to dispense grace to you in your time of need, and you should do the same for others.”

Beloved, our present sufferings are producing something precious in our lives. They are forming in us a cry for the gift of mercy and grace to offer to others who are hurting. Our sufferings make us want to be grace givers.

Writen by David Wilkerson and edited by Bruce Lyon

IF THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS IS ETERNAL TORMENT IN AN EVER-BURNING HELL, HOW DID JESUS PAY OUR PENALTY, IF HE DID NOT SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL?

There is no place in scripture that says anything about sinners being cast into an ever-burning hell and being tormented for the coming ages upon ages. Absolutely nothing of a sort. That belief has come to us from the pagan origin and not from God's revelation to us. We are told that at the White Throne Judgment all those who were not a part of the first resurrection will be resurrected and those whose names are not found written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed and the memory of them will be forgotten.

Think about the following for a moment. How could any believer who has been resurrected at the first resurrection and have become glorified immortal men/woman have any peace knowing that their relatives are suffering everlasting torment in an ever-burning hell? To believe such a thing is to blaspheme the name and character of our God and our Father.

As One whose character is determined by love, would He not do as the scripture says and destroy all those whose names are not found in the book of life. Does scripture not say our God is a consuming fire, and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Believers have no such fear of their God and their Father because they know they have been delivered from the wrath of God which unbelievers and those whose names are not written in the book of life have not so been delivered.

God will destroy all those whose names are not written in the book of life and do so as an act of love, knowing that such people would be totally miserable if they lived in the ages to come with their anti-God attitude.

STRENGTH IN THE RAGING RIVERS OF TROUBLE

Many believers don’t want to believe that they will suffer hardship or know pain, but scripture has a very different word for us.

“Let not the floodwater overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up…Hear me, O Yehovah, for Your lovingkindness is good…and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble” (Psalm 69:15-17, NKJV). Clearly waters of affliction flood the lives of the godly.

“For You, O Yehovah, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs.… We went through fire and through water” (Psalm 66:10-12). Who brings us into a net of afflictions? Yehovah Himself does.

“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now I keep Your word…. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67, 71). These verses make it perfectly clear. It’s good for us; it even blesses us; to be afflicted.

Consider the Psalmist’s testimony: “I love Yehovah because He has heard my voice and my supplications…. The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of Yehovah: O Yehovah, I implore You, deliver my soul!” (Psalm 116:1-4). Here was a faithful servant who loved Yehovah and had great faith; yet he faced the sorrows of pain, trouble, and death.

We find this theme throughout the Bible. Yehovah’s Word loudly declares that the path of the faithful is through the floods and fires: “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth…. I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (Isaiah 43:2). “For I, Yehovah your Elohim - God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isaiah 41:13).

This last verse holds an important key: In every wilderness we face, our Father is holding our hand, yet only those who go through the wilderness will get this hand of comfort. He outstretches it to those who are caught in raging rivers of trouble.

Written by David Wilkerson and edited by Bruce Lyon

WHY DID JUDAS BETRAY JESUS?

Judas had a character flaw, he loved money and was pilfering from the collection plate. He had seen Jesus go through danger time after time and thought why would this threat be any different. Jesus would somehow overcome whatever came his way, he always had done so and Judas had seen it happen many times. He thought Jesus was the Teflon man, that no one could touch him. So if he took 30 pieces of silver from the religious authorities that would be money in his pocket and that since nothing would happen to Jesus he thought why not!

Turns out it didn't go down as he thought it would. Jesus was taken into custody and it was obvious he would not escape whatever the authorities had planned for him. Judas knew what he had done and thinking that there was no forgiveness for what he had done out of guilt hung himself.

Tragic end that fulfilled prophecy, but for Judas it was his choice to unwittingly fulfill prophecy.

We need to beware and remember the words of Jesus; that our heart is where our treasure is.

Let our treasure be in giving to the poor and afflicted and our reward in the coming kingdom will be great!

Let us look on our possessions as given to us to have stewardship over a blessing and not be attached to them, willing to walk away from them if Yehovah requires us to do so!

Jesus has promised us that if we seek first the kingdom of God he will provide for us all our daily needs! [Matthew 6:33]

Covetousness is idolatry, let us flee from making money an idol.

FORGED THROUGH FIERY TRIAL

Everyone wants a promise to be fulfilled quickly, especially if it’s from God, then we know it will be very good.

When we are tempted to become impatient with Yehovah, when He seems like He is moving slowly, we must understand that He often cannot fulfill the promise He has given us until His character and nature are more fully formed in us.

There can be a great danger when any measure of truth and revelation about Yehovah Elohim - God that we have been given is not yet fully formed in us. For example, Moses asked to know Yehovah, and he was given an incredible revelation. “Yehovah passed before him and proclaimed:

‘Yehovah, Yehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” (Exodus 34:6-7, ESV).

It was not long afterward, however, that Moses struck a rock out of frustration and called the people he was leading a bunch of rebels. He misrepresented God, and because of it, he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

God knows that there is a deep work he must do in us in order that we might truly represent him, so he allows us to experience the fires of trial and the heat of suffering.

In such times of intense testing, the prayers we find ourselves making are often not the sort we’d like to share with other believers later. Could it be because we still have our own vision of how the kingdom of Yehovah Elohim - God should operate and so little awareness of Yehovah’s procedure for leading the man or woman he is going to use?

Unfortunately, many people who rise to prominence in Christian circles have never been through God’s training and testing. They stand before others, with good intentions, but they misrepresent God because the human spirit is still very much in control in their lives. In reality, they are still angry, fault-finding, intolerant, and full of other things that originate from the human heart and have nothing at all to do with God. They are not complete in their understanding of the Messiah Jesus because they constantly do everything in their power to circumvent God’s dealings with them, and if we are not careful and do not hold fast to what we have been freely given, we will do the same.

The pain of waiting on Yehovah is vital to our spiritual health. Let’s not allow fear to cause us to miss a revelation about our Savior and Father Yehovah!

He reminds us that PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR!

Written by Carter Conlon and edited by Bruce Lyon