In the Book of Malachi and out of the mouth of our LORD we read, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6) This concept of being eternal and changing not in character and nature is also true with the Son, In Hebrews we read, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8) The Father and the Son have an eternal perspective of past, present, and future and events (both for the good and bad in our understanding) where they do not change the will of man or circumvent man's free will, but change the way that God deals with man in ways to prevent man from being lost. Now when the scriptures says "the LORD changes not" or "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" it is NOT talking about their ability to affect the affairs of man or get involved with man's life, but is talking about their attributes of being omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, not to mention their character which is their: holiness, faithfulness, being merciful, forgiving, compassionate, dedicated to us. God's greatest character towards man is for man not to perish. We see this truth in 2 Peter, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) God loves man so much and in spite of His attributes and character every time man does not do that which God has purposed and planned for man God may (and has often) changed His mind to accommodate man's waywardness to fulfill God's desire to see no one perish. Now this is not excusing sin or even giving man a pass, but giving man another shot or another opportunity even coming from a different angle. Now I really like serving a God who loves us so much He will not just throw us on some trash heap if we sin or come short of His glory, buts work in our heart and lives through His dealings and judgments to bring us to a spiritual place, even if He has do something new in the world or in the means for our salvation. The way NEVER changes. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) Through the finished work and shed blood of Christ on the cross. But, the Scriptures are full of examples where God has changed His mind. Here are a few examples. From the very start of man God had to change His mind. In Genesis, God told man, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17) The word "die" here is Strong's H4191 which means, "must needs, slay, worthy of death, very suddenly." I believe God's intention for Adam was if he was disobedient and ate of the fruit then he would receive the reward of sudden death for his disobedience. You know God even gave Adam an option to eat of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (what a loving God we serve) God said, "Of every tree of the garden," BUT if you eat of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (then the consequence) "thou shall surely die.' God here put into place consequences for our actions. But Adam did not die, Adam (who God was talking with) lived over 970 years. Now do not misunderstand me here, sin brought death to man through Adam and Eve's disobedience, but God changed His mind in the life of Adam and Eve to give mankind (who He loves) another opportunity for correction and fellowship with Him. In Genesis 3 we read, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21) Yes God did cover Adam and Eve's body with the skins, but He was doing something far greater. Here God was establishing a type and shadow of the coming of Christ and the work He will do on the cross for us all, whereby, "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. " (Hebrews 9:22) Not that Adam and Eve's sin was ever forgiven (the Scriptures never says they repented of their disobedience, I hope so), but this (I believe) was not a part of God's original plan for man and looking in the rear view mirror we can see then how the spiritual principles of animal sacrifice under the law, all throughout the ages, (until Christ's death) became the means for restoration with God.
Just few Chapters to the right in Genesis we see where God was grieved in His heart with man due to man's wickedness, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them." (Genesis 6:5-7) Now this would be the first time God destroyed and all of creation except for a righteous remnant unless you believe in the "Gap Theory" (which is getting much traction in the Church today) where God created a pre-Adamic (before Adam) race of people whom God also destroyed due to maybe due to sin they are not really sure. But, as much as God loves man God said, " I will destroy man (that would be all of mankind) whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them." So God changes His mind, but this time He spared some folks who are walking in the ways of righteousness. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." (Genesis 6:8-12) Noah and his family (wife, three sons, and their wives) are saved from the flood. Wow eight were spared. Eight means new beginning in the Bible, an accident? I think not. There are rewards for walking in the ways of the LORD. You know God can do anything He works not by a formula or rules, but by His will and good pleasure. Here He saved Noah and his family and used them to repopulate the earth. "And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth." (Genesis 8:15-17) Please notice what the first thing Noah and his family did, "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (Genesis 8:20) Do you need more examples?
Just a few more chapters to the right in Genesis we read (Genesis 11:1-8) where man again rose up in arrogance shaking his fist in God's face as they built the Tower of Babel. We see the haughty and arrogant attitude of King Nimrod and his people, "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.: (Genesis 11:4) But the LORD had other plans, "And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city." (Genesis 11:6-8) So God changed His mind and instead of killing them He confounded there language and scattered them around the world. Have we not learned from our folly? Today our global economy only connects us together in global disease (see the Corona virus and the other viruses plaguing our world) and heartache. I believe God intended man to be separated unto themselves (maybe regionally) and their culture and lifestyle. Globalism and the intertwining of lives (marriage, child rearing, etc.) and culture only adds to the unwanted confusion and complexity of man's attempt to become as a god unto themselves and the lives they rule over, just like King Nimrod.
God changes His mind in individual lives too. In Isaiah 38:1-22 we see how God changed His mind about the death of King Hezekiah. In verse 5 of chapter 38, God says He has seen his tears and will add 15 more years to his life. Again God wishes none to perish. In Jonah we read, "Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD." (Jonah 1:1-3) You know God has His ways of getting our attention to fulfill His plan for our lives. God wanted no one to perish in Nineveh. After Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of the great fish, "And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying," (Jonah 3:1) Jonah made it to Nineveh and proclaimed the word of the LORD and the city repented, fasted, and put on sackcloth and ashes, but this displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. At the end of the story, well let us say I believe (even though the Scriptures does not say) it did not end well for Jonah. We read, "Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: 11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" (Jonah 4:10-11) God loved Jonah and gave him a second chance, but in the end well, it looks like Jonah missed the work God was doing. God is long suffering one of His characteristics. The examples of God changing His mind goes on and on. In the New Testament we find some critical examples.
The biggest example of course is when God sent His son Jesus Christ (to bring the Kingdom of God) to earth to be the one and only sacrifice for the sin of mankind. For over 4,000 years it was animal sacrifice that covered man's sin before God (which was never good enough), but when Jesus died for man's sin it was once and for all totally atoned. God changed His mind from the animal ritual and religious system of the law to the blood of Jesus. God sent His Son to the Jewish people based on the covenant He established with Abraham and as confirmed through the years. I find it funny how many Christians today think God has made a covenant with the Gentile people. Nowhere in the Bible is it recorded where God made a covenant with Gentiles like He did with Abraham. The Jewish hope and spiritual future (things that unfold in the Book of Revelations) is still tied to this covenant. And make no mistake my friend God is a covenant keeper. The writer to the Hebrews shares, "But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure." (Hebrews 10:3-6) It was to be the Jewish people that were to carry the good news of the Kingdom of God to the world, but the Jewish people rejected Jesus Christ so God again had to change His mind to make a way for people to be saved. Oddly enough God (for now) has moved away from the Jewish people (even though they can be saved just like a Gentile) and it was the Gentiles through the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-9) who was called to carry salvation in the form of the Gospel message to the world. From Genesis 12:1 to Romans 1:1 has been written to the Jewish people, even the Gospels. Jesus was sent to the lost sheep/house (Matthew 15:24) of Israel not the Gentiles, but beginning in Romans 1:1 Paul was sent to the Gentiles. Did you know Paul only writes to the Body of Christ (even from prison) and never to the lost world? I believe one reason why the "Church" is so screwed up today is because Pastors like preaching from the Gospels which were written to the Jewish people and they shun the Pauline Epistles where Church doctrine, reproof, and correction is taught. If you look at the words and spiritual principles between the Gospels and Paul's letters you will find the spiritual concepts and application are totally different. Even in the Book of Acts (written mainly about Paul) which is not a history book, but a book of transition between the Gospels and the spiritual growth and development of the Body of Christ. For example in Acts the concept for salvation was, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38) So it was "repent" and "be baptized," but that was not what Paul said, "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2:7-8) So it moved from animal sacrifice, to works (repent and be baptized) which was not enough, so God changed His mind again and introduced "grace" and "faith." The mystery Paul all throughout his epistles talked about. Has God changed His mind in your life? Will God change His mind in the future? Well, He may He can do anything, but one thing for sure if He does it is because He wished none to perish, whosoever will come. I like that.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
WTFMT 74 9FROM HGM 17 MAR 20)
WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN
TIMES-74
TEXT: "And my people are bent to backsliding
from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt
him." (Hosea 11:7)
I.
BACKSLIDING
A. Historically
Israel was withdrawing: she was sliding
back and she was leaving her inheritance.
She was leaving the LORD who was her inheritance and she was sliding
back from Him.
"The LORD is the portion of
mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot." (Psalm 16:5)
B.
This is whom Israel was leaving.
Hopefully Israel was to be example and a lesson to Judah. As God moved upon Israel to chastise her for
backsliding Judah was able to take note, to take a lesson from her sister. If Judah was willing to learn she would have
been able to correct her ways.
C. In
the recorded history it is seen that Judah did not learn and repent. She moved into Bethaven, she joined Israel to
leave God, and backslid into wickedness and unbelief. Finally she went into bondage.Backsliding from God always
leads to bondage, which leads to sin, which leads to death.
"Then when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death." (James 1:15)
E.
Every day people decide to move backward into a dedication to idols and
self. They come to live in the
"House of Vanity." a place of wickedness and idolatry in varying
forms. It is not for the faithful.
II.
LOSS OF REVELATION
A.
With a change of scenery, we will take a look at something else moving
in connection with this word "Bethaven." This second scene is not so much different
from the first. More or less it is the same story in 1 Samuel with different
characters, activities, and props. It is
the story of Jonathan and the victory which he won and the exceeding victory
which followed. But we will focus on his
father and see what King Saul does in this victory.
B.
The scene is set in I Samuel 14:1,
"Now it came to pass upon a
day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his
armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the
other side. But he told not his father."
(I Samuel 14:1)
C. "He
told not his father." In
regards to this escapade, remember that his father at this time was moving, not
in revelation, but in ignorance. Do not
focus overly much upon the occasion, but rather upon Saul himself.
" And as they were
going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on
before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew
thee the word of God." (I Samuel 9:27) Thus, in the life of Saul, the
revelation of God began to move. But as
Saul failed in his responses to God and became disobedient, he gradually moved
into the Wilderness of Bethaven so to speak.
" . . . which he commanded
thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for
ever." (I Samuel 13:13)
F.
But he moved back and withdrew his soul from that possibility. He did not continue to move in the revelation
which he had. Thus, forward progression
was lacking in the latter life of Saul.
He did not move into further revelation and light. He moved backwards into ignorance,
backsliding away for God, away from things he knew.
III. PARTING THOUGHTS
"And Jonathan smote the garrison of the
Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew
the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. And all
Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that
Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were
called together after Saul to Gilgal."
(I Samuel 13:3-4)
B.
Saul attributed Jonathan's victory to himself because of his
selfishness. He was jealous of Jonathan. There was no correction in Saul of this form
of idolatry (self-worship); it grew.
Self-worship is the core and fullness of Satan. Sometime later in the life of Saul, it is
seen in a much greater magnitude (I Samuel 18:8). Where his self-worship and selfishness lead
to rebellion, disobedience, sin, and unto death by his own hands.
C.
Backsliding does not happen overnight.
We do not wake up one morning and we have moved backward from God. Backsliding is a gradual process of slowly
moving away from God and His word in our lives.
Backsliding happens in our heart, but is openly manifested for all to
see and hear. Backsliding is something a
sinner cannot do. Paul warns us,
"Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God." (Hebrews 3:12)
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