MIME-version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 08:41:56 -0200 Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel From: Teus Benschop Subject: ChrExp, The Scriptures opened, 84 To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Judges 17:13 - Micah's illusion 2. Luke 12:4,5 - Fear God 3. John 6:33 - The Bread of God 1. Judges 17:13 - Micah's illusion ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to [my] priest. Micah. Look what this man is doing, and what he has done. In verse two of this chapter you read that he had stolen money of his mother, but also that he has restored it again to her. His mother makes a graven image and a molten image of a part of that money, and these were in Micah's house. "And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest," verse 5. According to verse one, Micah was of the tribe of Ephraim. Priests should be of the tribe of Levi, but Micah had consecrated his own son - not of Levi but of Ephraim. He had not a priest according to the law, but he himself had made a priest, even of the wrong tribe. But what happens? There comes along a young Levite. Micah invites him, and consecrates this Levite to his priest. So, he no longer had a priest of the wrong tribe, but now his priest was of the right tribe, of Levi. When this is done, Micah speaks the words of our text: "Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest," and no longer an Ephraimite. Micah imagines to have his worship put right and according to the law, because he has a self-made priest of the tribe of Levi. We have seen how idolatrous Micah was. He had a graven image, and a molten one. Yet, in spite of his idolatry, he fooled himself with this Levite. He made himself believe that his idolatry was pleasing to the Lord, because his priest was of the right tribe. We see how ignorant this man was. This is a mirror of the ignorance and depravation of that time. "Now the Lord will do me good", said Micah. We see that this idolater persuades himself of God's favour, when indeed He detests him. Hadn't God forbidden to have graven and molten images? Why then is Micah flattering himself? If he knew that the priest should be of Levi's tribe, how then is it possible that he was ignorant of the commandment forbidding idolatry? It seems that this man, Micah, read the law with a biased eye, and selected only those passages that pleased him. By the way, many in our times do the same as this Micah. They read those passages they like. They contend for them. But the rest they twist, or give such a turn to it that it fits their own inventions. Micah imagined that he would enjoy God's favour, and that he would be a happy man, and prosper. But he greatly erred. It might be that he would prosper for a short time, but yet the judgement of God will come. It is a wise word of Solomon, and it can be applied to Micah and all the present people mixing the worship of the Lord with their own inventions. This wise word is: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov 14:12. Also the prophet Isaiah speaks words for this situation. He said "He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?" Isa 44:20. And elsewhere he says: "He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations," Isa 66:3. It might be that Micah's priest offered, but to God it is not acceptable. Killing an ox for the offering is like slaying a man. And sacrificing a lamb is the same for God as if you cut off a dog's neck. Reader, when you choose own ways, then you will be an abomination to God. Once Jesus said: "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matt 15:9. Only sound doctrine of the Scriptures should be taught; not hand-made commandments. And Paul writes of the Jews in his time, that they were very zealous of God, but not according to the truth. He wrote: "For I bear them (the Jews) record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." Rom 10:2. They are zealous enough, but it is fixed on the wrong target. They have a great zeal of God, but the problem is that their zeal is according to the commandments of men; not according to the divine knowledge of the Scriptures. When you read the Scriptures through the coloured glasses of deceiving explanations, as the Talmud and the like literature, would you ever think to come to a pure and sound knowledge? Truly, if God will do you a favour, then He will take away your traditions of men, so that you leave over the pure Scriptures. The Scriptures once were like a stream of pure water. But afterwards they were explained using traditions of men. These explanations are no longer like a fresh stream of pure water, but they are like muddy streams of brown or black water. This is what the prophet Ezekiel once wrote: "And [as for] my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet." Ezek 34: 19. The flock drinks the water that is fouled with the feet of the men teaching traditions. But of a truth, when Jesus comes, He purifies the waters, so that the flock may drink of the pure fountains of living waters. "He that believeth on Me (said Jesus Christ), as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John 7: 38. Micah erroneously imagined that, after he had a priest of the tribe of Levi, that God would be favourable towards him, despite all his idolatry. Likewise many erroneously imagine that, when they have but the Torah-scroll and read it, that God will favour them, and that they serve God. But they forget that their traditions defile that Torah, like Micah's idolatry made all his worship in vain. Therefore, drink of the pure waters, and ask God that He will teach you through His Word and Spirit. 2. Luke 12:4,5 - Fear God ---------------------------------------------------------------------- And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. The people that follow Christ, live in the midst of this world. They try to follow Christ, and live a godly life. The world, seeing that, feels itself condemned by their life and example. Also, when those that are of God, do their duty, they warn the people around them against sin, and admonish them to forsake their wicked mode of living. This also enrages the world against them. When this continues long enough, they begin to threaten. In the beginning, the threats are not so heavy, but in the course of time, they increase. Until the point is reached that they threaten with death. When the situation has come thus far, the words of Jesus our Lord and Saviour are suitable. He said to His disciples: "Be not afraid of them that kill the body". Because the disciples would be sent out to preach the gospel, it was sure that they would undergo and suffer many threats. But disciples, be not afraid of them that kill the body. Much less fear them that do nothing more then threatening with death. The reason that you not should fear them is, that they, after they have done that, can do no more. "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do". They cannot touch your soul. At least, they cannot kill the soul. Your soul is in God's hand. Instead of fearing those that kill the body, let me tell you Whom you should fear. Do not fear those that threaten you, but fear Another. They are able to kill the body, but that is not worth the fear. Fear Him that is able to kill your soul also. Or, in the words of Christ: "But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him". Let the fear of God fill your whole mind and soul. Let the fear of God be so strong, that the fear of men disappears because of that. When you are in doubt and in fear about what to do, let not the fear of men guide you, but only the fear of God. When there is a fire at your left hand, and another one at the right, and you don't know which direction to take, let then the fear of God direct you. When the enemies lie in wait to kill your body, don't fear them. They have not much power, and moreover, they are in God's hand. They cannot do anything without the will of your heavenly Father. I say you: fear God. "In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge." Prov 14:26. Once God said, through the mouth of Jeremiah: "Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence?" Jer 5:22. The same prophet says: "Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee." Jer 10:7. I wish there were more fear of the LORD instead of fear of men. People walk after other people, because they eat out their hand. But who is there, that really fears God, and walk after Him? "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgements are made manifest." Rev 15:4. 3. John 6:33 - The Bread of God ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Jesus, our Lord, says of Himself that He is the Bread which comes down from heaven. And moreover, it is that same Bread that gives life unto the world. Jesus gives life unto the world. That means that the world is dead in itself. We all, as we are born and as we are come in the world, are dead. That is why Jesus says: "I give life unto the world". We are dead in sins and trespasses. Anybody that thinks he has still some life in himself, or thinks that is it not such a bad one, is blind. We are dead in sins and trespasses. Jesus, however, gives life unto everyone that believes in Him. Being dead, we need to be born again. Being dead in ourselves, as we are children of Adam our first father, we need to be revived through the Spirit of God. Jesus came down from heaven to give life unto the world. He is the Bread of God. Is there any one hungry? Are you hungry to the righteousness? Then there is good news for you. Are you hungry? Then eat of the Bread that comes down from heaven. Jesus is the Bread, that will alleviate your hunger. "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." John 6:35. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl "A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel" Institute Practical Bible-education http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html Written by Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl ---------------------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-084.txt .