To Be or Not to Be

 

“Jesus said to them (Pharisees), ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:27, ESV)

When we study Mark 2:27, we must first understand what was happening at the time the Pharisees confronted Jesus. Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grain field. The disciples were hungry, so they grabbed a handful of grain seeds to eat as they followed Jesus. The Pharisees challenged Jesus and His disciples about breaking the Sabbath law of not working on the Sabbath. Jesus reminded them what their venerated King David did when he and his soldiers were hungry. They went into the house of God during Abiathar’s leadership as high priest. David and his men ate the bread of the Presence, which Sabbath laws allowed only priests to eat.

With Jesus’ reasoning, the Pharisees would feel challenged if they agreed with Him. so, their acceptance of Jesus’ teaching would mean they accused their venerated king of breaking Sabbath law. If so, then why could not other hungry men eat on the Sabbath? They would not be eating sacred food, just grain. With Jesus’ reminder to the Pharisees, they may have believed if they decided the disciples had not worked on the Sabbath, they would lose power and authority among the people. Yet, if they agreed with Jesus, then that would say their beloved King David broke the Sabbath law. Never back a caged lion into a corner. Let us now learn more about Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees.

The first thought that comes to mind in seeking to understand this verse is that God created the Sabbath day before He created the Sabbath law. God’s intent of the Sabbath laws was to help people remember and focus on God and to rest. The priests of God interpreted the thirty-nine Sabbath laws God gave. Upon writing the priestly interpretations of God’s Sabbath laws handed down through the oral tradition (the Mishnah), The Pharisees codified over six hundred Sabbath laws by which the Israelites were to live. The priests’ interpretations aimed to help people follow God’s Sabbath laws closer. Their Sabbath laws ended up becoming a litmus test by which to compare themselves to one another and to the rest of the Israelites.

Like the first thought, God commanded the Israelites to keep a Sabbath day as holy, just as Moses recorded in the Ten Commandments (the Mosaic covenant). Remember, God created humanity before He gave laws about the Sabbath. so, the relationship between God and people is more important than the Sabbath laws. Recall, the Sabbath laws occurred to help the Israelites remember and focus on God and to rest. Because God called the Sabbath a day of rest, He put people’s needs as more important than Sabbath laws, because people are more important than laws. If someone is hungry, drowning, ill, or anything else, caring for God’s people became more important to God than following laws. Caring for a neighbor is obeying God. God created people for relationship with Him and other people. Relationship means we care for each other. By caring, we show love to and for God, which He intended for the Sabbath laws. Again, God’s intention for His Sabbath laws was to cause humanity to remember and focus on Him and to have a close love relationship with Him.

As we continue to study this verse, we must understand what the word “Sabbath” means. It comes from the Hebrew word shabbat, meaning peace: to rest or cease. Our minds cannot rest and focus on God if we are concerned about a person for whom we cannot care because of the fear of breaking Sabbath laws. Again, a person cannot rest or focus on God because of urgent circumstances. This makes the laws counter to God’s purpose for the Sabbath day.

God created the Sabbath as a day of rest that He set apart and commanded for worship, reflection, and rest. The Pharisees cared more about the institution called the Sabbath. Their rituals were more important to them because they wanted people to see their own piety. The Pharisees cared more for themselves than for other people. They did not focus on God in their worship, but on what people saw them do. The Pharisees broke the first covenant (the Adamic covenant) the intent for which God set aside the Sabbath day on the seventh day of creation. Their intention for the Sabbath was not God’s original intention. The Pharisees' intention focused on themselves, their power, and their authority among the people.

The question Jesus answered, though the Pharisees did not recognize it, was: Who made the Sabbath? If the Pharisees instituted the Sabbath, then the Sabbath laws would be valid in overruling caring for other people on that day. Yet, the Pharisees did not create the Sabbath. God created the seventh day and rested from His work.

Genesis 2:3 states, “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it, God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.” God blessed the day. He invoked His divine favor, which creates a covenant relationship with humanity, by instituting a day of rest on the seventh day, which He called the Sabbath day. God blessed the Sabbath day as His creation for humanity. He did more than just establish a seventh day and establish it as a day of peace, shabbat. God blessed the day for humanity to rest. With God’s blessings comes rest because His people know God is faithful. This allows people to have peace in mind, heart, and soul, hence, shabbat.

Genesis 2:3 records God sanctified the day. God blessed the day and the people in the day by sanctifying it. Calling something sanctified (holy) means setting it apart as special for significant persons for a purpose. Here, the significant persons for whom God set apart the Sabbath day is humanity. (See the Adamic covenant.) Genesis 2:3 states God’s significant purposes for the Sabbath. God blessed the day and blessed humanity with it by making it a rest day. God set apart the day—He consecrated it—for a sacred purpose, too. He made it holy and dedicated to Himself.

God, by making the seventh day a consecrated day, made the day of peace (Sabbath-shabbat) into a day of worship and devotion. He separated the seventh day from the first six days of the week, so people would use it for His purpose. God gave to Adam, who represents all humanity, a consecrated Sabbath day of rest (from the blessing) and worship (from the sanctification). The seventh day became a day of peace in body, heart, mind, and spirit. God’s seventh created day is a day to rest the body from work and to rest in heart, mind, and spirit as humanity communes with God in worship and meditation, leading to complete peace.

Understanding this makes it easier to understand God made the Sabbath long before He gave the thirty-nine Sabbath laws. From God’s thirty-nine Sabbath laws, the Pharisees created almost six hundred other Sabbath laws. Neither the Pharisees nor any person in humanity created the Sabbath. God created the seventh day, blessed it, and consecrated it for His purpose to bless humanity. Humanity is to rest on the Sabbath and focus on God in worship, praise, meditation, and prayer.

If, while focusing on God, He causes someone to remember a good that person should do to help someone else, even on the Sabbath, then, in doing that good, shows love for God. A person’s action based on impulses/convictions from God, even on the Sabbath, is obedience to God. Obedience to God is an act of worship. In obeying God by doing good for someone, a person is fulfilling the first and second greatest commandments, as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:36-40. The greatest and second greatest commandments are the summation of the Ten Commandments. We love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength when we obey Him, that which God requires.

God created the thirty-nine Sabbath laws to help people abide by His overarching and original intent for the Sabbath: to be in relationship with Him. That overflows into caring for other people (being in a relationship with them). God’s original and primary intent for creating humanity was so He could be in a relationship with them, like the three persons of the Trinity relate to each other. His intent was to be in a loving and holy relationship with people. That is the overarching theme of the Bible and of all time.

Since the Adamic covenant is the primary covenant of God with humanity, every other covenant builds from it to lead people back to a good and holy relationship with God. The covenants appear circular. They each aid humanity by leading them to God—to becoming closer to God and letting Him make them more in His image.

God making people more into His image is a growth process. It involves becoming more perfected, which can only happen when people believe in Jesus and He saves them from sin and death. Merely existing on earth is stagnating and then dying when the body dies. God’s making people more in His image is His growing and perfecting them until death. At death, Jesus perfects the believer—makes him or her sinless and holy, like Himself.

God, who comes from eternity, made the Sabbath. He created the Sabbath and placed it in time, a finite part of eternity. The Sabbath did not always exist. Time did not exist in eternity until God created sun, moon, light, and darkness and called the light and darkness day and night. Because time is a subset of eternity, so the Sabbath day is a subset of time, which God created. so, God’s intent for the Sabbath day, which He stated in Genesis, is the overriding ruler of the Sabbath. Humanity’s intent and laws are not. Hence, God should be the focus of the Sabbath, not humanity or its created Sabbath laws.

Who was the direct object of God’s gift of the Sabbath, shabbat? Humanity. Humanity did not create the Sabbath and has no power to change the original intent of the day. Additionally, humanity is not more powerful than God; they cannot usurp God’s role and rule.

God did not first create the Sabbath, then create humanity and all living things. No, God created humanity before the seventh day, then He declared the seventh day as the Sabbath, a peaceful day blessed by God with rest and consecration. Man sits in time, but man does not sit in one day of time continually. Days rotate within time to come upon humanity, so they may do what God commanded: care for creation. On the blessed and consecrated Sabbath day, God gives rest and reminders so humanity can focus on and worship Him. Work and renewal, a created rhythm God knew that our bodies and our relationship with Him would need for balance and peace.

Adam did not need for God to tell him to walk with Him in the Garden of Eden. That relationship happened because God established it as part of the essence, the inner yearning, of people for connection, closeness, and union. Because God made humanity for His purpose (to be in a relationship with Him), God created His Sabbath laws to cause His initial and overarching purpose. God’s overarching purpose is to have a close love relationship with humanity and to provide rest for them after six days a week of caring for creation.

God created the days and nights for man to give Him a cycle of people, objects, and places to enjoy. He created them for humanity to sustain them while they walked with God daily. God’s love was so comprehensive, He took care of the needs of humanity to work, create, rest, and relate. Why did God create humanity with these innate needs? First, God created people in His image. Just as God enjoyed a close relationship with the three persons of the Trinity and just as God loved to work and create, He created humanity to desire a love relationship with Himself and with other people.

With these understandings, Jesus took the Pharisees in Mark 2:27-28 back to the overarching theme of the Bible. God created humanity to be in a close relationship with Him. Closely following this, He created one day of the seven, which He created, to be a Sabbath day of rest, worship, and meditation for humanity. God did not create humanity for the Sabbath’s enjoyment. Inanimate cannot feel. Hence, the Sabbath laws dictated by the Pharisees take a backseat to God’s original intention for humanity—to be in a loving relationship with God.

To make that possible, God created the Sabbath day for physical rest and to allow the mind of each person to focus solely on Him and his or her relationship with Him. God’s Sabbath laws were an aid to humans for that purpose. The Pharisees Sabbath laws did not always have the love for God as their intention. Plucking grain from the stalk while walking through a field was not work. It allowed the disciples to have nourishment as they followed Jesus. Jesus allowed it because of His love for them of their body, spirit, heart, and mind. His disciples hungered; Jesus loved and did not hinder their plucking grain.

God’s commands/laws give freedom and show His love. The Pharisees’ laws and other laws, which leaders created throughout history, sometimes hinder the wellbeing of people. They steal freedom and leave fear and failure in their place. Human leaders made these laws sometimes just to make the leader feel superior and to make others experience inferiority. Caring and loving other people were not what the impious Pharisees intended with their Sabbath laws. God’s laws give freedom to find and focus on the Father.

The Pharisees did not change or remove their Sabbath laws. Some came to believe in Jesus and He saved them. What personal laws have you created that keep you or others from feeling loved by God and you?

Choose as Jesus taught.

Choose freedom over fear and failure.

Choose a loving relationship with God.

“And Jesus said to them (Pharisees), ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, the Son of Man (Jesus) is Lord even of the Sabbath.’” (Mark 2:27-28, ESV)

Gift of Hope

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace on the throne of David and over David’s kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of armies will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:7)

Isaiah must have been excited when he reached the end of the prophecy. The Messiah, for whom all the Jews waited and anticipated, would come. Dispirited, the people of Israel may have felt after Assyria battered their country for many years. Yet Isaiah gave a fresh word from God about His promise to them of the Messiah, the anointed One.

Dispirited Israel reminds me of a child who hoped for a school break. Halloween came and went, while candy remained. Thanksgiving came and went with nothing too exciting happening. Will Christmas ever arrive, the child may have wondered? The wait was endless, it seemed. But, upon awaking early one morning, the child looks out his window and sees something new, something that bolstered his hope and anticipation once again. Snow! Surely Christmas is today!

With Isaiah’s words from God, he helped bolster the spirits of the people of Israel, who felt woefully battered. With hope renewed, they remembered God is faithful to them, to Himself, and to His promises. Isaiah’s prophecy led them to seek God anew. Once released from captivity, will the people of Israel hold on to this hope from God? History recounts this tale.

As a review, what hope did Isaiah’s prophecy in verses one to six give the people? Isaiah told them—Jews and Gentiles—they “will see a great light” though they live in darkness and captivity (vs. 2). Isaiah meant God would send the light that would shine on them. (Remember, this hope has both a now and not yet part to it.) God would also multiply their nation, increasing the joy. This would generate joyful praise and worship of God because of His blessings, mirroring their celebrations after harvests or wartime victories. The feasting festivals caused by God’s joy would include people around them, so joy would spread from person to another (vs. 3). Isaiah said God would free the people of Israel from captivity, so they would not live under a foreign government, slavedrivers, and masters (vs. 4). Their government would be what God intended for them. The peace God would give would come from no more wars (vs. 5). He would burn the armor, armaments, and clothing of war like kindling.

God's actions and provisions in verses one through five would have caused great rejoicing, knowing God did not leave them at the mercy of their adversaries. Isaiah built to a crescendo in this prophecy. He desired to lead the people to return to God, trusting only God could achieve this. God is the ultimate covenant maker and keeper. Verses six and seven emphasize what God would do because of who He is.

God’s covenant in verses one through five laid the foundation for verses six and seven. What Isaiah 9:1-5 alluded to in metaphor, Isaiah expanded upon with verse six. With verse six, Isaiah said how God would give them these things. God informed them about the birth of a Child and the giving of a Son. 6). God's promise was not merely a child; He offered a unique Personage, directly from Himself. Old Testament understanding of God was that He was among them in His tabernacle and by fire and cloud. God was around them. Through this Child and Son, God would provide for the people. He would be with them—Emmanuel. This Child and Son, fully human and fully divine, would be born from a woman and conceived by the Spirit. He would be from the Jewish lineage. He would be God with them (Isaiah 41:10).

This prophesied Child and Son would carry the governing responsibilities and burden on His shoulders, so His people’s burden would be lighter. The Son’s burden upon His people as their God, Messiah, and King would be light. His government would not be tyrannical (vs. 6). God declared that this Child and Son would need no advisors as He would possess all knowledge. This Child and Son would be omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal, encompassing all timelines at once. In this Child and Son’s government and kingdom, peace would reign. Peace would occur because no war, fear, suffering, sickness, doubts, and selfishness would exist. God’s people would recognize and worship Yahweh God completely.

The people may not have grasped entirely what God intended when Isaiah prophesied. Isaiah explained and emphasized the prophecy further with verse seven. He emphasized two things: who caused the actions, and the magnitude of the actions.

With Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah built upon verse six and highlighted what he said in verses two through five. Isaiah showed, yet again, the Child and Son fulfilled prophecies. First, remember about whom God foretold; He foretold about the light He would send. This light would possess tangible qualities. It would be a person—fully divine and fully human. We understand that because of verse six—a Child and Son will be born. Isaiah confirmed the metaphor of light and dark as being related to the personage sent from God—the Messiah. Since this Personage came from God and is God, but resided in human form on earth, He kept divine power. This Child and Son would have the power to fulfill all God had prophesied, giving them hope, peace, joy, and freedom. The Light is not intangible and lacking power; but He is real and comes with ultimate and almighty power (omnipotent). Since the Child and Son are divine, the people could grasp that His government and peace would increase. Nothing can stop God or His Son, the Messiah.

God foretold more about this Light—Child and Son. He said His reign would follow David's, as a Judean descendant. Remember, God had promised David’s reign and kingdom would not end in 2 Samuel 7:8-16, especially verse sixteen. God told David, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” The Messiah—the Light, Child, and Son—would rule on David’s throne and establish it forever. This emphasizes God's unending rule, extending beyond the Assyrian captivity. God will never leave them, and nothing and no one could remove Him. God, the One who created all things and Whom nothing could defeat, founded David’s throne and kingdom. This kingdom has the Son—Messiah—as the chief cornerstone (Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Acts 4:10-12, Ephesians 2:20-22, 1 Peter 2:7). This statement shows God’s divine authority in His covenant with David, which He established and would fulfill. God continued giving His people hope even though they would go into captivity.

God told the people about His kingdom in verse seven(b). He said He would rule with justice and righteousness. This justice and righteousness are a reiteration of verse six, where God said, His name will “be called Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God.” Righteous is who God is. This means the Son is always good. He will rule with justice. His might is more than physical power, it includes morality. Because God is righteous, His actions for His people to battle against darkness come from moral courage. As the Son is a personage of the triune Godhead, He acts with righteousness; He has moral courage. Nothing could tempt the Son to act contrary to what is good for His wise and knowledgeable purposes. Jesus stood against Satan’s schemes while in the desert for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-11). He proved Himself willing and able to be moral and purposeful. The Messiah chose to follow through with triune God’s plan to save all people even though it would cause Him excruciating pain. This Child and Son would rule on David’s throne with righteousness and justice.

The Davidic covenant God made with David in 2 Samuel 7:8-13 states the prophesied One from David’s line would reign in his kingdom forever (vs. 13). The Israelite's promised Son of God, their Messiah, would not rule only during his 33 years on Earth. Because He is fully divine and fully human, His human form died, but Himself as a person of the triune Godhead did not. Isaiah's prophecy declared this Child and Son would reign eternally, starting with the Messiah's kingship at His second coming. God existed before creation and time and will last forever beyond time’s ending.

Though time passes between the Son’s earthly life and when God fulfills His prophecy, Isaiah said it would occur because of God’s zeal to keep and protect His people. God’s zeal is His fervor and devotion, His passion to protect His people. God’s armies will keep them protected by His might and wisdom. Nothing and no being will take His people from Him. God’s children are His forever. Jesus taught this in John 3:16 and 10:27-30. John taught it in 1 John 5:13. Time to God is immaterial. What He says, He will do. God promised light, joy, peace, and multiplication of the people of Israel—all Jews and Gentiles. He is greater than time, which He created, and any enemies or schemes against His people and/or Himself.

God’s majesty and magnitude, the ultimacy of who He is, would ensure the fulfillment of this prophecy. Captured people can rely upon God and that He will fulfill His prophecies, some of which Isaiah told the people of God. In Isaiah 9:1-6, Isaiah prophesied so the people whom Assyria battered and captured would realize God is not definable by their own circumstances. He exists forever and His promises and reign will last forever. He did not want them to lose hope. God wanted the people of Israel to understand He would not discipline them forever for their unfaithfulness to Him. He would bring them back to the land He promised to them.

God wanted the people of Israel to realize that despite their sins of self-centered living and neglecting to seek and worship Him as their sole God, He would remain faithful to them. This promise of the Child and Son—the Messiah—extends beyond Hebrews and includes everyone. Jesus said this in John 3:16. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish (be separated forever from Him) but have eternal life.” This promise was for the people in the past, present, and future, including us.

The prophecy's fulfillment is yet to come. It still plays out beyond our lives. Throughout our lives, we can hold on to hope, knowing that Jesus is on the throne. His reign never ends. The Messiah will return for His people and rescue them from sin and death. He will take them to His kingdom to live with Him forever.

Our circumstances, no matter how difficult and painful, do not define God and His power, wisdom, or fulfillment of His prophecies. Nothing defines God’s ability, purposes, or longevity; He is undefinable, uncontainable, and unshakable. He will defeat your circumstances and will be true to you, His promises, and Himself. God is good all the time and, all the time, God is good. We can have hope, joy, and peace despite of our circumstances.

Seek God and all these things—hope, joy, peace—He will give to you. It will ease your anxiety, and you will find rest (peace) in Jesus and His promises. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33. “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.” (Isaiah 9:2)

One this day after Christmas, people often feel disappointed because Christmas day has passed. The luster has left the hope of the holiday and the regular-ness of life returns. Isaiah 9:7 reminds us that God is with us every day. Yes, the day of celebrating Christmas is in the past. That does not mean the anticipation God gives should end. It does not mean less exists to celebrate and anticipate. While the thrill of opening presents has passed, the reason for Christmas, celebrating God’s giving of the Messiah, continues to be present.

Jesus the Messiah has not returned to earth for His second coming. We can still hold on to hope and peace, embracing freedom and the Light, and participate in multiplying His nation of believers, encompassing both Jews and Gentiles. We can still participate in that multiplication and becoming part of His nation. So much more is worthy of our anticipation, and the receiving of His hope, joy, peace, and freedom.

Be one of the children who runs to the window, sees snow, and says, "Today, it must be Christmas!" Keep anticipating Jesus’ return. Keep receiving His joy and peace. Keep growing closer to Jesus. Keep hope alive by sharing about this good news of the gospel of Jesus so others can hear, understand, and believe in Him, too. By that, you help multiply the nation and you obey Jesus’ command to go to the nations, disciple, baptize, and teach people to follow Him (Matthew 28:19-20).  Jesus will return. Are you anticipating His return?

Do you need hope?

Are you tired of being afraid, struggling, and having no peace?

Seek the Light Who shines forever.

He gives eternal hope, joy, and peace now and forever.

“Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NASB)

 

Gift of Freedom

 

                                                                    (photo by Otto Gonzalez)

“For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, and the rod of their oppressor, You have broken as on the day of Midian.” (Isaiah 9:4, ESV)

In Isaiah 9:1-7, Isaiah prophesied to Israel, the northern kingdom, about their captivity. God sought to bolster their hope, give them joy, and remind them of His promises to them as His children. Though God allowed the Assyrians to capture the people of Israel, He meant for it to last only for a time, not for an eternity. As His mode of disciplining the people of Israel, God allowed Assyria to capture Israel. Like most captives, the government (kings, governors, and ministers) and captors, would subjugate them according to their whims and by their laws. God would allow this captivity by Assyria, but He would not allow Assyria to oppress the people of Israel permanently. He promised Abraham His heirs would own their own land and be a nation.

With Isaiah 9:1, God spoke to every person within Israel, not just the Jews. Abraham trusted God’s promises long before the Mosaic covenant, and God credited his faith as righteousness. That means God credit a person as righteous if he or she believed in God before the Messiah’s arrival on earth. That person in a right relationship with God became an heir to the promise He gave Abraham. With the disciplining by God of the people of Israel, which God allowed by Assyria, each captive would experience oppressive servitude. Isaiah 9:2-3 reveals what God would do for the people of Israel — both Jews and Gentiles—and how they would respond. God said, through Isaiah, that He would give them light, joy, and an increase in their nation. For people living in captivity, this hope of God leading them from the shadow of death by His light, giving them joy, and enlarging their nation, would cause them to rejoice in their hearts, minds, and spirits. With their internal rejoicing, their bodies would join with singing, dancing, praising, praying, and celebrating God. God would give them His joy, His light, and His redemption.

In Isaiah 9:4, God continued telling the people of Israel what He would do for them. He did this so they would not lose heart and completely turn away from Him. God did not want their captivity to be permanent, but a temporary disciplining. God remains true to His people, Himself, and His promises. Isaiah told the people they would become but would not stay slaves. That sentence tells the intent of verse four. The next sections of this study will expand on God’s message in verse four.

God said He would break “the yoke of his (the people’s) burden.” For the people of Israel, this meant the slavery and subjection the people would endure in Assyria would not last forever. God gave the people hope by telling them this. Assyria would treat Israel harshly. History bore witness to this terrifying and formidable army. The Assyrian army laid siege to Samaria for three years before they overthrew it. They waged war within the northern kingdom from 740 BC. The Assyrians overthrew Samaria, the capital of Israel, in 722 BC. The Assyrian army possessed tenacity, manpower, and extensive military training. When captured, Assyria put rings in the noses of each person they overtook. This government subjugated its captives. God told the people of Israel He would break the yoke of the burden Assyria put on them. He would free them from their oppressors. The people of Israel would go home, live as they wanted, and worship God alone, not the Assyrian gods.

Compare what Jesus said about God’s yoke with the yoke of the Assyrian oppressors. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said,

Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (ESV).

Jesus described the yoke God’s people would have with Him. He said His yoke would be gentle and easy. Contrast that with Assyria, whose army and government people feared most at that time. The people of Israel, by force, would become slaves to Assyria. They would not choose to enslave themselves. Note the difference between slavery and servants. Slavery is a coerced servitude, an oppression. People chose to serve someone. Throughout the Bible, the people of God have called themselves—Jew and Gentile—servants of God. Nehemiah, in Nehemiah 1:10, wrote about the Jews being God’s servants and His people whom God redeemed. Paul wrote about being God’s servants in 2 Corinthians 6:4. He said, “In everything we commend ourselves as servants of God,” even in affliction, hardships, and distress. Ezra called the Israelites servants of God in Ezra 5:11. The psalmist in Psalm 105:6 referred to Abraham as being God’s servant. In each of these Bible passages and many others, the people choose to be servants of God because of who God is and what He did for them. Just as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 100:2, the people of Israel reacted to God and His love, promises, and care for them by gladly serving Him. Because God promised to break Israel’s yoke of oppression, they would endure and rejoice. The people of Israel would have hope. They would see God’s light in the deep darkness of Assyrian slavery.

God continued to bolster the minds, hearts, and spirits of the people of Israel in Isaiah 9:4. He said He would break “the staff from his shoulder.” In the Hebrew vocabulary, a staff, bar, and or scepter come from the original Hebrew word. It represented the government’s authority over the people. The staff of the Assyrian King, Shalmaneser V, sought to oppress the people and acquire their lands for his empire. He sought dominance over the nations surrounding him. That King’s heart and mind cared not with helping the people he overthrew, but with his power and dominance. Contrast this with what David wrote in Psalm 23:4. He said God’s rod comforted him. David feared his enemy, king Saul, but he showed no fear of God. He trusted God loved him and would protect him. God promised David would be king. He told Samuel to anoint him as king (1 Samuel 16:1-13). God vowed that, through David’s line, a king would reign forever (2 Samuel 7:16). His staff would be light, unlike Assyria’s staff. God would lead and guide David, not push and oppress him. David chose to be God’s servant (2 Samuel 7:18-29). The people of Israel faced a lack of options; Shalmaneser cast them into slavery after his army overthrew them. They did not choose willing to be servants. The people of Israel became slaves.

Isaiah continued prophesying in verse four by saying God would break the rod of the oppressor of the people of Israel. This rod is like what shepherds fight with against bears and lions to keep their flocks safe. David, a shepherd, told King Saul about fighting lions and bears to “deliver” the sheep from their predators’ mouths (1 Samuel 17:34-36, ESV). The rod in Isaiah 9:4 was a weapon God would use to free His people. Assyria used this rod to subjugate the people of Israel. They would use it to beat the captives into submission. The captives from Israel would not willingly and joyfully assent to being slaves. The Assyrians created submissiveness by the force wielded through the rod. God’s rod, according to David is Psalm 23:4, would bring comfort, not fear. It would bring peace.

God promised the people of Israel He would break the rod of fear the Assyrians oppressively wielded over them like “on the day of Midian.” This promise recalled the day Israel prepared to battle the Midianites. Isaiah used this battle to help the people of God’s promise recall how God’s might, wielded for them, showed His light, and gave them joy, hope, peace, and comfort. The story of God’s defeat of the Midianites is in Judges 7:15-25.

First, though, why did God tell the Israelites to battle the Midianites? In Judges 6, the people of Israel sinned against Him and His commands (2 Kings 17:6-23). God allowed the Midianites to win a battle against Israel. The Midianites punished Israel more than God wanted by capturing their crops and continuing to pester them. When Israel saw they had sinned against God, and His disciplining of them included sending Midian against them, they cried out to the Lord.

Judges 7:15-25, God’s response to His people calling to Him included sending Gideon, the prophet, to deliver them. He commanded Gideon to cleanse Israel of the pagan influences. One act God commanded included destroying the altars of Baal in Israel. The people were unhappy about him destroying the altars, but God’s hand kept them from harming Gideon. Gideon wanted confirmation from God about His promise to save Israel. He laid a fleece on the ground twice. Because the Israelites doubted God’s promise to save them, He reduced the number of men for Gideon’s army to three hundred. Gideon spied on the Midianite encampment and heard a Midianite soldier’s dream about Israel defeating Midian. Emboldened, Gideon and his army obeyed God’s command because of that dream. The Midianites ran in fear when the three hundred Israelites trumpeted their horns and shattered their clay pots.

The Israelites retold this victory story through the generations. People of Israel readily recalled this story. Because the battle with Midian was well known, when Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 9:4 that God would break the rod of the Assyrians like He broke the rod of the Midianites, they had hope. The Israelites knew God would defeat the Assyrians. The Babylonians defeated the Assyrians. The Persians defeated the Babylonians in 539 BC. Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, freed the Israelites to return to Judah. Those Jews began rebuilding the Temple. God broke the rod of oppression. The people of Israel would remember God and His promises to them from Isaiah. Because they recalled the defeat of Midian at God’s hand, they would have hoped, would have rejoiced, and been at peace, acknowledging and praising Him as the source of all good things.

Because of God’s promises, the people of Israel would have hope for the end of captivity. These people would have hope that God would free them from their oppressors. Hearing, knowing, and trusting God’s promises would shed God’s light on their hearts, minds, and spirits. Like His promises to Abraham and Moses caused joy and peace, the people of Israel would receive God’s joy and peace, then recall and know God loves them.

God promised light, joy, and an enlargement of the numbers of the people of Israel. These people include all people today. We each can be part of those promises because of God’s promises to Abraham, through Isaiah, from Jesus in John 3:16-17, and from others throughout the Bible. God did not promise a light and intend to keep the interpretation vague. He did not intend it to be just a metaphor. His promise became real. The Light, Jesus, became flesh and dwelled among us (John 1:14). Jesus taught and proved He is the Light of all humanity in John 8:12. He said, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Yes, God gave the people of Israel light in their hearts, minds, and spirits to bolster their hope. He also alluded to His Son, Jesus, who would come into this world and be the actual Light for all people. Approximately 740 years after the captivity of these people of Israel, this Light, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem. Jesus came to proclaim good news to the poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed (Luke 4:18). Isaiah prophesied this in Isaiah 61:1-2. Like the captives in Assyria, God gave hope, joy, peace, and light. It stilled their anxious hearts and helped them turn to God.

Today, for people everywhere, Jesus’ words proclaim the same thing. The hope, joy, peace, and light God alluded to in Isaiah 9 came true for the Israelites, is true now, and Jesus will fulfill it entirely upon His second coming to Earth. Isaiah said, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:7d, ESV). He told the truth; it happened.

Jesus is the Light of the world. David celebrated God’s yoke, rod, and staff in Psalm 23. Jesus tells us His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. God continues to offer His promise that will give hope, peace, and joy. He makes our yokes light. God gave the Light, Jesus, for eternal freedom from our oppressor, Satan. Jesus calls out even now for us to receive release from captivity, sight from blindness and darkness, the bounty of provision, and the redemption from our sin-captive souls.

Isaiah proclaimed this Light of God, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6b, ESV). David ended Psalm 23 by saying, “Surely (God’s) goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6, ESV).

Who is God to you? Who is the Redeemer of your captivity? Who or what do you rely upon to give you perfect peace, full joy, and eternal freedom from captivity? Join saints of the past, including Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, David, Micah, the angels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, and millions of others who believed in Jesus, and whom God declared righteous. Believe in Jesus.

We celebrate Jesus, whom Isaiah and other prophets foretold. God includes all people in His promise of Light. Will you rejoice with other believers, praise God, and celebrate His goodness? Join all believers and the angels in proclaiming what Luke recorded in Luke 2:14.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased! (ESV).

Gift of Joy

You will multiply the nation, You will increase their joy:

They will rejoice in Your presence as with the joy of harvest,

As people rejoice when they divide the spoils. --Isaiah 9:3, NASB

Remember, in the first lesson of this series, Isaiah spoke to the northern kingdom of Israel about their soon upcoming captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. This captivity included both Jew and Gentile residents of Israel. This meant the prophecy for the near and distant futures was for Jews and Gentiles, not merely the Jews. In chapter eight, Isaiah used the analogy of dark and light. He used it again in Isaiah 9:2. The light referred to the release of the captives—Jew and Gentile—from Assyria in the future. This prophecy referred to the Messiah, who would come to rescue and redeem everyone held in captivity in the distant future. More, yet, comes from the Isaiah 9:1-7 prophecy.

 Through his words in Isaiah 9:3, Isaiah tells the people of the northern kingdom of Israel and people in the future, God would do more than give them joy by His light shining in the darkness (vs. 2). God does not just offer joy to weary hearts, minds, spirits, and might. He gives everything a person needs for their whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. God recognizes the whole being of each human, His creation. He recognized it when He commanded the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:5 to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and might. Jesus reiterated this command and called it the greatest commandment when He taught it in Mark 12:29-30. He said in reply to the scribe, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and will all your mind, and with all your strength.”

For God to expect a person to love Him with the totality of his or her being, He provides what is necessary for each of those parts of a person. God’s light would shine in the darkness; so, keep hoping and trusting in Him. God’s light is not there to tease people; it gives hope for the near future to escape whatever persecution, torment, calamity, or difficulty a person encounters. His light also gives hope for the distant future, the future hope of which Isaiah would tell. With the rest of Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 9:1-7, God revealed what—Who—that future hope of hopes is. That hope was, is, and will always be the Messiah, of whom God told and revealed, and whom believers now eagerly await His second coming.

Consider, in this week and the next four weeks, with verses three through seven, how God’s light was joy and more. Remember, in Isaiah 9:1, Isaiah said the prophecy from God came for both Jews and Gentiles who lived there. In the second verse, Isaiah declared this prophecy is meant for “the people who walk in darkness.” Notice, he did not say the prophecy is only for the Jews who walk in darkness. God intended the prophecy for Jews and Gentiles—each person.

Isaiah said the prophecies of God were for Jews and Gentiles in verse one, then the occurrences of verses two and three would happen. Since we studied verse two last time, this study is on verse three. God said He would “multiply the nation.” This multiplication would occur through population and geography. Population is the numerical counting of heads. The population of Israel’s northern kingdom would increase by the returning of the captives to their homes. That would be the near future hope about which verse three prophesied. The distant future hope included a population increase of people who believe in the Messiah. The number of God’s children would increase because more people receive salvation through belief in the Messiah. Jesus’ righteousness given to believers increased the population of the heirs of God’s promise to Abraham’s (Genesis 15:2-6 and Hebrews 11:8-10). The Messiah came for all people, not just the Jews.

Consider now the geographical part of this prophecy. To increase the geography of a nation, the borders must expand. God’s multiplying the nation of Israel gave the Jews the near future hope of expanding their national borders, like when King Solomon reigned. The Jews regarded Solomon as the greatest king of all Israel. During Solomon’s reign, the kingdom encompassed more land than at any other time. The geography of the nation would increase in the distant future when people worldwide believed in the Messiah. The multiplying boundary spoke not of a literal physical national border expansion only, but of a growth in the number of people around the world who worshipped God because of belief in the Messiah. These two aspects—population and geography—with their near and distant future hopes, encompassed the multiplication God would bring to the nation.

God multiplied the nation, and He increased the people’s joy in this prophecy through Isaiah. By God’s shining His pure light on the people of the nations, He would “increase their joy” (vs. 3b). Verse two relayed the change agent. Though verse three sounds like the result/reaction of the change agent (God’s actions), only parts “c” through “e” are the results/reaction. Parts 3a and 3b continue to show God’s work, His gifts. His actions are the change agents. The increase of the nation and of joy of verse three are change agents. Why? The answer is because God is the One who gives the light in the darkness (vs. 2) and Who increases the nation and the joy of the people (vs. 3a & b). These gifts from God of pure joy, light, and the multiplication of the nation (God’s actions) would cause the people to respond/react with an outbreak of rejoicing. How would people show their reaction to the light, multiplication, and joy God gave them? Today, people explode with joy by dancing, singing, testifying about what God gave to them, praising God, and thanking God. In the Bible, King David did the same in 2 Samuel 6:14 while the priests carried the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple. Rejoicing leads to a festive celebration of worship and praise for God among people. These gifts from God and the resultant rejoicing would cause people to love God with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, just as God commanded in Deuteronomy 6 and Jesus taught in Mark 12.

God does not give a message merely to increase hope. His hope is based on Himself—His faithfulness to humanity, the people He created. God does not give hope, then take it away. He does not tease people. The basis of the hope God gives comes from Himself, which He fully fills into each person with His hope. With this prophecy of near and distant future hope, God fulfilled the prophecy with the life of Jesus, the Messiah.

Some people believed in God before Jesus came to earth. God credited their faith as righteousness before the Messiah’s arrival: Abraham, David, Noah, and others listed in Hebrews 11. They received the distant future hope by faith because of God declaring them right. When they died or God took them to His heavens without an earthly death, like Enoch and Elijah, they experienced the distant future hope. Their joy in God stemmed from His nature, not from having seen the Messiah. Likewise, Isaiah’s prophecy caused many of the captive people in Assyria to rejoice in God with the pure joy God gave to them. They rejoiced because of the hope of Him fulfilling His promises. God promised multiplication and pure joy (vs. 3). He promised light in the darkness (vs. 2). God gives these to any person today who believes in the Messiah.

Believers in Jesus can rejoice at their salvation given by Jesus, the Messiah. This evidences the “now” part of salvation. The “not yet” part of salvation, for which people rejoice with hope, is the future return of the Messiah to earth, His second coming. Jesus’ future return and taking believers to His kingdom for eternity is about what they can rejoice about now and about what they can continue to rejoice throughout eternity.

At that time, in God’s kingdom, every person who believed in God before the Messiah’s advent on earth and those who believed in the Messiah, since His advent, will rejoice eternally in His presence. In Isaiah 9:3d & e, Isaiah gave two human examples of great joy to which the hearers and readers could relate. In 3d, Isaiah said their rejoicing would be like when they finished bringing in the harvest. They rejoiced at their bounty with celebration, often as a party among the tribe members and as a thank offering to God. Having harvested, they had enough in storage for them to rest and to provide for their needs. They thanked God and each other. At those times, the people would wholeheartedly love the Lord God with all they were and owned. They quickly rose to help and love others when they were in high spirits and received a bounty. Like this reaction to an exceptional harvest, the people would rejoice now and forever to God’s promise of Light in the darkness, and His gifts of multiplication and joy.

Isaiah 9:3e, Isaiah said the people would rejoice like when they celebrate the defeat of their enemy and counted and divided the spoils of the war. Because their victory resulted in wealth, the people would rejoice. They would celebrate and give thanks to God for helping them defeat their enemy. The celebrants would give a tithe to God and help other people, resulting from their bounty. They would often love God and people more readily when they received something unexpected, a windfall of wealth. As with a surprise bounty from the spoils of war caused rejoicing and praise to God, the people would celebrate God’s promises Light in the darkness, and His gifts of joy and multiplication from that time throughout eternity.

 Isaiah spoke, in Isaiah 9:3, to the people of the northern kingdom. He prophesied God would multiply the nation and increase their joy. Because God caused these, when people realized these things came from God, they would rejoice by acting out the joy God put into them. That rejoicing would cause them to celebrate and worship. Celebrating and worshiping God would show their love to Him and to people. Like with the harvest, God provided food for their bodies and joy for their spirit. Additionally, God provided for all physical needs with the unexpected wealth from the spoils of war. In acknowledging God with celebration and worship, God cared for their hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies. With their hearts, minds, and spirits attuned to God, loving God with their whole being became possible. Love for God often leads to love for others. Loving other people is the second greatest commandment Jesus taught in Matthew 22:39 when He said, “The second (commandment) is like it (the Greatest Commandment), ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The whole of the Bible shows the scarlet thread of God. From when God created the world and humanity sinned, God sought a renewed relationship with the people He created. He planned for it when He gave humans the ability to reason and make their own decisions. God knew they would disobey Him, so He created the perfect plan to cleanse them of their sins. With the cleansing Jesus provided by dying on the cross, His sacrifice makes it possible for whoever trusts in Him to be declared righteous by God. When God makes a person righteous by his or her belief in Jesus, that person can be in a right relationship with God and live forever with Him now and in His kingdom.

From creation through Jesus’ triumphant second coming, God seeks a relationship with each person. Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter nine highlights God’s plan. God’s plan is for every person. He is the Light and will shine on them. He will multiply their nation and give them joy. Those who believe in the Messiah will have an unfettered relationship with God, which results in love for other people.

Isaiah said more in this prophecy. He began by including all people—Jews and Gentiles. Isaiah spoke of the Light and hope they could have in the darkness. He explained God would take them home and fill them with joy because of who He is, His faithfulness to Himself, and His faithfulness to them. Because of God’s love, promises, hope, and joy, people would love Him with their whole beings, resulting in rejoicing. These would result in God’s children loving others like they love themselves, too.

How would God break into the darkness? How would He release the people from captivity to the Assyrians and whatever would have kept them from Him? What would He do and what price would He pay for an eternal relationship with His created people? Isaiah has more to teach us, just as He instructed the people of Israel.

Anticipate.

Be filled with joy.

Celebrate with rejoicing as the coming days to Christmas roll closer.

 

 

The Dawn of the Light

 

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2, BSB)

At the beginning of Isaiah 9, Isaiah prophesied about the northwestern tribes of Israel—Zebulun and Naphtali. These tribes were two of Israel's three northwestern tribes. Isaiah’s prophecy was not exclusively for the Israelites. For whom was and is this prophecy intended? What was the prophecy? What did it mean? As we gradually go through Isaiah’s prophecy in verses one through seven, we will learn what the prophecy meant and means for Israelites and Gentiles then and now.

In Isaiah 9:1, Isaiah specifically mentioned Zebulun and Naphtali. Isaiah 8 was prophesied to the northern kingdom, too. By mentioning Zebulun and Naphtali specifically, Isaiah meant the prophecy was for every person living in the northern kingdom of Israel then. Why include all the people? Since the Zebulun and Naphtali tribal lands were the borderlands of Israel, people from other nations traveled through and/or made their homes there. The foreigners who came into these lands became intermixed with the Jews in marriage, thought, religion, and culture. Recognizing this, when Isaiah prophesied to Zebulun and Naphtali, he prophesied to the Jews and Gentiles in Israel. When Assyria overthrew the northern kingdom, the Assyrian king captured people, regardless of their nationality. The apostle Matthew used this prophecy in Matthew 4:13-17 to tell the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those verses reiterated that the prophecy of Isaiah was and is for Jews and Gentiles.

Because Isaiah 9:2 speaks of people, we had to understand to whom Isaiah spoke and wrote to consider what Isaiah’s prophecy meant in Isaiah 9:2. Likewise, to understand well the whole prophecy, we must understand its parts. Verse two introduces the metaphor of dark and light God gave to Isaiah to prophesy. Verse two says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” What did Isaiah mean by the metaphor of light and dark? What message did God want the people from Israel to know?

God’s metaphor of light and dark runs throughout the Bible. Generally, light refers to God and darkness refers to evil. Just as darkness keeps people from seeing reality (its good and evil parts), so spiritual darkness in this passage kept the people in Israel from seeing, hearing, and worshipping God. Darkness continued to confuse the people of Israel, so they did wrong instead of right.

Light represents Yahweh God. He reveals all things (good and evil). Darkness does not. Darkness enshrouded the people of Israel and tricked them into believing lies. Those lies led to the Assyrian enemies capturing the people of Israel. The people for decades had not sought the light and wandered wearily through the darkness of warring empires, raiding bandits, and enemies from their families and tribes. Decades and centuries of guiding themselves into the dark mists led God to discipline them by using their feared enemies.

The people living within Israel did not walk only in darkness. They lived in “the land of the shadow of death.” Assyria, in their battles against Israel for three years, caused thousands of people to die and captured thousands. To ensure obedience to the Assyrian king, the king ordered the blinding or killing of some of their leaders and the castrating of others. This king enslaved the people of Israel. He put rings in their noses by which to lead them. The educated and/or talented, the king used for his benefit. He had them learn the Assyrian language and acquire their knowledge. The Assyrian king did not allow the captives to worship Yahweh God during the first years of their captivity.

These happenings more fully encompassed the “shadow of death” about which Isaiah prophesied. The people of Israel forcefully died in their will because they had no choices. The Assyrians broke the wills and spirits of the people they captured. Israel’s people lived in Assyria, the “land of the shadow of death.” They lacked hope. God, through Isaiah, wanted the people to experience the depths of darkness that would enshroud them as His disciplining them. Yet, He wanted to give them hope. The light, about which Isaiah prophesied, would shatter the darkness. God shatters the darkness. His light would shatter the darkness Assyria put over the people of Israel as Isaiah prophesied.

God would not leave them in Assyria. He did not disinherit the people of Israel. God is faithful to Himself (His promises) and to His people. Their captors would not overpower and enslave them forever; God would not allow it. He does not call people His own and then leave them as captives. God promised, then gave them the Promised Land—a place to call home and to have freedom. The land was theirs forever. Understanding that God is faithful, even when He must discipline, helped hearers then and readers since have hope and keep their faith in God. They would/will not dwell in “the shadow of death” forever.

The people of Israel would know personally what David meant when he sang, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Living in Israel and worshipping God in His temple gives freedom from “the shadow of death.” It comes because of the person’s seeking, finding, revering, and obeying God. God would raise His light upon the people. He would give them freedom in areas of their lives that the Assyrian king overpowered and removed. On the day the Israelites received freedom from captivity, the light of God would have dawned anew in their hearts, minds, and spirits. Living in the land of Israel would bring them refreshment in their beings. Israel's refreshment would be living in the land of God and dwelling in His house forever. Still, they would yearn for a deeper relationship with God because they would not be as close to Him as they desired. Sin created a chasm between God and them.

Understanding that Isaiah spoke this prophecy of chapter nine to all people in Israel—Jew and Gentile—the Bible student can surmise why Matthew used this prophecy to share the gospel. Matthew taught about Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection—the gospel of Jesus Christ. For the Israelites taken into captivity, the dawned light was their release from Assyrian captivity. Jesus is the Light that banishes darkness. Living in Israel and worshipping God did not provide pardon for sins and a personal relationship with God. Their freedom from captivity just gave them again a seeking, finding, and revering Him. What more did the Israelites need to be closer to God? God alluded to it in the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-7.

A nation had been groping for any light and hope onto which to hold. God sent Isaiah to give them hope with His prophecy to all the people from Israel. These people received a hint of hope. This hope was not merely about return the people to the Promised Land.

God intended more, an ultimate Hope—the Light—whose kingdom and power never end. He intended to fulfill His promises completely. Jesus, Light of the world (John 8:12), became human to live among them. He lived sinlessly, taught powerfully, healed mightily, showed great wisdom, and died at the hands of scared people.

Yet, Jesus did not remain dead. No manmade vault or conceived idea can box the Light of the world. Jesus conquered death when He rose from it three days after His death. His light never ends. Jesus is the Son of God, the true Light of all lights and the true Hope of all people. He ushered forth from the northern tribes’ lands, and, from there, God fulfilled His prophecies. Jesus’ Light is unquenchable. No darkness changes or contains Him. Instead, Jesus commands and contains the darkness.

Like the prophecy of Isaiah occurred, and the people returned to the Promised Land, Jesus came to earth as Victor. The restoration of the relationship of God to human that began in Genesis 1 had its penultimate ending with Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus provided the sacrifice for people to be restored to a right relationship with God. The ultimate ending will occur upon Jesus’ return to earth to bind Satan and take the God’s children to be with Him in glory. The dawn of the Light came to earth at Jesus’ birth and forever eclipses darkness and evil. Jesus’ provision of salvation—a restoring of people to a right relationship with God—is the “what more” the Israelites and Gentiles needed for the close relationship with God they desired.

God includes people around the world as those to whom He calls to receive light—permanent freedom from the darkness. He alluded to it in Isaiah 9. Matthew told about it in Matthew 4. Instead of striving hard and never escaping the darkness that imprisons each person, seek the Light of lights and the King of kings. This light is the Savior whose power is greater than any person, life, death, angel of demon (Romans 8:38-39). Satan, the father of darkness, did not trick Jesus or ensnare and enshroud Him. Jesus’ power is greater than all other powers. His Light is eternal and never dims. Why seek the darkness in the mist? Seek the Light that dawned about two millennia ago, which darkness never can dim.

(Note: Jesus’ ministry time of proclaiming Himself as the fulfillment of the prophecies began when Herod imprisoned John. Because the time had come for God’s Light, Jesus went to Capernaum in Naphtali. From Naphtali, Jesus began teaching and preaching in Galilee of the Gentiles. Mary and Joseph raised Him in Nazareth of Zebulun. These two tribes are the ones Isaiah spoke of in his prophecy when he meant every person living in Israel.)

Bread, Fish, and Egg

Bread, Fish, and Egg

 

“So, if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

— Luke 11:13

 

We’ve all heard and read of Jesus teaching that a good father would give bread, not a stone, fish, not a snake, and an egg, not a scorpion. A good father will give good things to his child—life, food/longevity (descendants), and freedom/solace/joy. 

 

Jesus had this in mind as He taught His disciples about prayer. When the disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, He taught the Lord’s Prayer. He said,

 

“OUR FATHER” (God is the summa of goodness and love, the example of summa parenting. When we say this, we acknowledge our recognition of Him as Creator of all, our Abba of our heart, soul, mind, and body.)

 

“IN HEAVEN” (The supreme God, Creator of heaven and earth reigns eternally on His throne. He is not limited to earth but rules over all that is from His throne in His highest heaven.)

 

“HOLY IS YOUR NAME” (YHWH’s name is so magnificent that it tells of the only Almighty One, YHWH. It thrills our soul. Our spirit sings when He is near.)

 

“YOUR KINGDOM COME” (As You reign in heaven, bring Your good, pleasant, and magnificent kingdom to dwell among us. This part of the prayer addresses our spiritual need of God to reign around and in us, to give us renewed spiritual life through and in Him, 

which means…)

 

“YOUR WILL BE DONE” (only You, YHWH, are supremely good and cause only good to occur. LORD, may Your will alone be done)

 

“HERE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (as recorded in Matthew 6:10) (We recognize Your goodness, greatness, and omnipotence. I AM. Have Your throne among us, Lord.)

 

“GIVE US EACH DAY OUR DAILY BREAD” (This prayer now addresses our physical earthly needs and recognizes our need to remain in God’s family. We fool ourselves thinking we can go off on our own and live life for ourselves. We are dependent on God for His good gifts of life-sustenance.)

 

“AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS” (Recognize only God is able to absolutely forgive, pardon, and remove the stain and guilt our sins place on and in us. This is our recognition God is Savior and Redeemer. We confess we are aware God made our spirits and we need His nurture and cleansing spiritually. We are dependent on God spiritually whether we recognize it or not. Jesus led the disciples to recognize that through this prayer. This statement comes from our heart, soul, mind, and body.)

 

“FOR WE OURSELVES ALSO FORGIVE ANYONE WHO IS INDEBTED TO US” (We are only able to do this because God has shown us how to do it through His forgiveness of us and has put this goodness in us when He did. He began making us like Him and drawing us into a right relationship when He did. We also need to be in right relationships with other people. This affects our hearts, too.)

 

“AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION” (Remind us that You, YHWH, give us hope, daily bodily sustenance, forgiveness, and daily right relationships with YOU and other people. What more do we need. You provide for our bodies, spirits, minds, and hearts. Make us content with these summum donum—supreme gifts. Nothing a temptation offers is better than what You, YHWH, give us though we don’t deserve anything from You.)

 

God gives better than bread, fish, and egg. He gives Life, Eternality/Food (life and family forever), and Solace and Freedom (forgiveness of our sins and power over temptations). Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the Way to eternal Life. Jesus is the Redeemer who gives freedom from the death of eternal mourning because of our separation from God forever. 

 

God gives even better than the best earthly father. He gives supremely good gifts—summam donum. His gifts give us life and freedom for our bodies, minds, souls, and hearts. The Lord’s Prayer expresses that. It expresses God’s supreme greatness and our absolute need of Him in our whole being. So much more will the Father in heaven give those who ask of Him. 

 

Seek. Knock. Ask. (Luke 12:10)

Ask YHWH for faith in Jesus. 

Ask Him for forgiveness and freedom. 

Ask Him for the Living Bread. 

Ask YHWH for the Holy Spirit. 

Ask and keep on asking. Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. 

 

Our ABBA in heaven, holy is YOUR name!

Freedom

 

“My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don't use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.”

— Galatians 5:13 (CEV)

 

This Bible translation seems closest to the meaning of the most often used word, “opportunity”. Other Bible translations say don’t use your freedom as an opportunity, occasion, or incentive to indulge in/satisfy your flesh.

 

After looking at the Greek word Paul used in this verse, it seems the verse should read like this. “Don’t use your freedom from slavery to sin, which is gained through believing in and being saved by Christ, as a reason or excuse to indulge your sinful human desires. Instead use your sacrificially bought freedom as the opportunity to serve each other.” 

 

The freedom about which Paul wrote is freedom from our past sins that held us powerless against future temptation and condemned us to eternal separation from God. This freedom, bought through Jesus’ sinless sacrifice on the cross, gives anyone who believes in Him the power of His Holy Spirit, who dwells in each believer, to overcome the temptation and not to sin. This freedom comes from the power of God, who lives in us through the Holy Spirit. 

 

We have the power, if we accept it from the Spirit, not to sin (indulge our human desires) and  only care for our wants. Instead, we can care for other people. When we indulge our human desires and sin, we turn our back on God, and that often means we’ve harmed at least one person overtly and/or covertly. Sinning hurts God, other people, and, often, oneself.

 

Instead of relying on our own power and then sinning, rely on the Spirit’s power, avoid sin and love other people. By doing this, you love God, too.

Freedom and Humility

 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

— Galatians 5:13

 

Paul wrote, “You, who have become my brothers and sisters because of your believing faith in Jesus, were called to be free” (paraphrase). God called you to Himself and removed the shackles of your old, sinful nature so you were not bound to be powerless against temptation and evil forces. He made you free by His power through Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross to pay the judgment price for your sins. You are free! You have God’s power available to you now to defeat temptation and evil by walking in step with the Holy Spirit who lives in you. 

 

Since God called you to freedom and has freed you, don’t entangle yourself with your old desires and sins. Your freedom gives you the right and ability to have and live the best life—the perfect life God created you for. (God only gives good gifts)

 

What does that best life include? It includes the penultimate example of what Jesus showed you. Just as Jesus loves you and loved people while on earth (all who were/are not biologically His family), you, too, serve and humbly love others. For Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39 and Galatians 5:14)” By doing this, you obey God and His commandments and show your love for Him with your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37). Your serving is a willing submission (humility) of your right to yourself because of your love for God by obeying Him eternally. 

 

Today, will you use the freedom you received from Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to entangle yourself with your old desires? Or, will you use your freedom to humbly and gratefully love God by humbly serving your brothers and sisters in Christ?