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Date:         Tue, 7 May 1996 08:25:18 +-200
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, 82
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP 
Status: U

Contents
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1. Leviticus 26:1 - I am your God: have no idols!
2. Ezekiel 18:32  - Turn and live
3. Matthew 12:50  - Christ's family


1.  Leviticus 26:1 - I am your God: have no idols!
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Weekly reading: Leviticus 25 - 27


Leviticus 26:1

Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image,
neither rear you up a standing image,
neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land,
to bow down unto it:
for I am the LORD your God.

You  shall not make for yourself images, to bow down unto it. Why not?
For these images are no gods; the LORD is your God. It is forbidden to
makes  images of stone, or of gold, or of brass, or of silver,  or  of
any  other  material. Do not set up images to bow down for them,  like
some  churches  do. For example, in the roman catholic  church,  image
worship is allowed. By doing that they reject God. Serving those idols
is  the  same  as rejecting the living God, Who dwells in heaven.  Not
those images are your gods, people, but "I am the LORD your God".

"Ye  shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto
you  gods of gold." Exod 20:23. Some reject the setting up of  images,
but yet they have gods of silver or of gold. Their money is their god.
When  they  have enough silver and gold; when they have enough  money,
they  think themselves safe and secure. Nothing can happen to me, they
think. And if anything happens, I have enough silver, gold, and  money
to  pay it, and live in security. They have not put their trust in the
God  of  heaven  and earth, but they trust in their silver,  gold  and
money.  But  the  Word says us: "Ye shall not make  with  me  gods  of
silver,  neither  shall  you make unto you gods  of  gold".  Why  not?
Because not your money is your god - the LORD is your God. You  should
not trust your money, but you should believe and trust the LORD.

Who  puts  his  trust  in gold, silver, or in his money,  will  become
ashamed. God will take away all; or a thief comes and robs you; or the
bank  goes  bust; or God takes away your life. Whatever  happens,  you
will  become ashamed when you rely on your golden images. But who puts
his trust in God will never be ashamed.

Some indeed make no images, but yet they have another god. We read  of
people  "whose god is their belly", Philippians 3:19. They  love  nice
eating,  and  spend their money on desirous things,  to  please  their
taste. Their god is their belly, and they worship it by serving it and
fulfilling  all  its  lusts. Their belly, that is,  their  god,  grows
greater  and  greater. They carry their god always  before  them,  and
daily  feed it. More and more fat grows on them. This is an undeniable
sign  that they have made a god of their belly. Rejecting the  God  of
heaven,  and  forgetting  them, they go on in  their  own  ways.  This
continues  until  God  in  heaven  thinks  it  enough,  and   executes
judgement.

Therefore, make no gods. We have one God; the God in heaven. The  LORD
is our God, and their is none besides Him. He is our King, and we will
trust Him forever and ever. He will defend us against our enemies.  He
will  save us and deliver us from death, hell, and satan. No idol  can
do  this.  Nay, it is even so that every idol will bring us to  death,
hell and satan. But our Lord will save us from these. He is our God.

It is difficult, when all outward means escape us, and we have nothing
of  these  - it is difficult to trust then in God. Actually,  this  is
impossible  for the natural man. Trusting in God is a thing impossible
for  him. Only through grace, the gift of trust will be given us. Only
the  regenerate man can put his trust in God. Through faith, and  much
experience,  we learn that God is a Helper of the needy.  Often  being
helped in the past, we can remember this, and this can help us put our
trust in Him for the future. People, have no idols; "for I am the LORD
your God."




2.  Ezekiel 18:32 - Turn and live
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Ezekiel 18:32

For  I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord
GOD: wherefore turn [yourselves], and live ye.


According  to  the words of the prophet, God has no  pleasure  in  the
death  of him that dies; wherefore let them turn themselves, and  they
will live. "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says
the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live you".

The  first question we have is: Who is the Speaker? Is the prophet the
speaker?  No, thanks God, the prophet isn't the speaker  here.  If  it
were but words of the prophet, then they would not have been sure.  If
it  were  but words of men, who could put his trust in them? Words  of
men are vain, and there is nothing sure or fixed in them. The words of
our  text  are  not  of  men, but God is the Speaker.  Because  He  is
unchangeable and faithful and powerful, we know that all what He  says
is  true. It will not change. He once has said that He has no pleasure
in our death, and that we should turn ourselves. That being once said,
remains fixed until eternity. "I have no pleasure in your death", says
God; "therefore turn yourselves and live".

Another question we may have is this one: Who is the listener? To whom
are  these words addressed? They are addressed to the house of Israel.
We  read that in the verse preceding our text. "Cast away from you all
your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a  new
heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"  Ezek
18:31.  The words are directed to the house of Israel. That house  was
transgressing  heavily at that time. God commands them to  "cast  away
all   your   transgressions",  namely   those   whereby   they   "have
transgressed".  They were sinning heavily, and by their transgressions
made  themselves  liable  to the penalty of  death.  They  sinned  and
therefore  they deserved death. "Why will ye die, O house of  Israel?"
So,  the listeners are the people of Israel, being great sinners.  Who
are  the present listeners? Every that reads this text, and is a great
sinner,  is  addressed here. Who are the listeners? Every sinner  that
hears  or  reads  these words. He is the listener.  Reader,  have  you
sinned all your life long? Then you are addressed here. Cast away from
you  all  your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and  make
you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O reader? For I
have  no  pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the  Lord  GOD:
wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

A third question may be: Wherein is it, that God has no pleasure? "For
I  have  no  pleasure  in the death of him that  dieth".  God  has  no
pleasure  in  our death. He is a God of life, therefore  in  death  he
delights  not.  It  is  not my delight, says God,  that  you  sin  and
therefore die. My pleasure is not in your sinning, nor in your  death.
Maybe  that Satan delights in the destruction of humans, but God  does
not  have pleasure in that. There are people that die because of their
sins, but our God says: "I have no pleasure" therein.

Question  four:  Wherein has God pleasure? He has no pleasure  in  the
death  of him that dies. Therefore, He delights in the opposite: life.
God  has  pleasure  in  the life of him that  lives.  "Wherefore  turn
yourselves, and live you". God is a God delighting in life. Why should
you die, reader? Therefore, turn back to God, and you will live.

A  fifth question is: Wherein has man pleasure? Judging from the  sins
many  do,  while  knowing the result thereof, it seems  that  man  has
pleasure  in the death of himself. He sins on, and he heaps up  wrath,
until it be poured out over him, and he dies. Man has pleasure in  the
death  of  him  that dies. "Sin, when it is finished,  bringeth  forth
death." Jas 1:15.

The  sixth question: wherein has man no pleasure? Natural man  has  no
pleasure in a return to God, that he may live. He delights in sin, and
daily  satisfies  his  lusts  therein. Man  has  no  pleasure  in  the
knowledge of the LORD, neither do they love His ways. "Therefore  they
say  unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of  thy
ways." Job 21:14. They desire not to read the Word, and whenever  they
hear  a  sound sermon, they choose rather to close their ears than  to
accept good counsel.

A seventh question that arise may be: What should a man do to die? The
answer  is  simple: go on in your own chosen ways. Continue  with  the
sins  you are doing. Repent not, neither turn yourselves back to  your
God.  Despise His ways and knowledge. Doing all these will ensure  you
of eternal death.

But what should one do to live? To live, obey the voice of God. Repent
of  your evil ways, and turn yourselves to God. Believe in God and His
Son, and forsake your former evil ways. Be filled with the Spirit, and
show the fruits of His presence. How can one live? The regenerated man
will live.


The  LORD  speaks  (and let's all listen): I have no pleasure  in  the
death of him that dies. Wherefore turn yourselves, and live you.





3.  Matthew 12:50 - Christ's family
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For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven,
the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.


Who  is  the  brother of Christ? Whosoever shall do the  will  of  His
Father  which is in heaven, the same is His brother. And  who  is  His
sister?  He says, "for whosoever shall do the will of my Father  which
is in heaven, the same is My sister". And who is His mother? The woman
that  does  the  will  of God in heaven, the same  woman  is  Christ's
mother.  We  see  that doing God's will is more important  that  blood
relationship. Is Christ the Son of God? Those that do the will of  God
are  also children of God. They are the brothers, sisters and  mothers
of  Christ.  They do not their own will, but the will of their  Father
Which  is in heaven. They have learned to reject own desires  and  own
will,  and  they  have learned to esteem God's will  above  everything
else.  They do His will; and His will is expressed in the law, in  the
prophets, in the psalms, and in the gospels. "Not every one that saith
unto  me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;  but  he
that  doeth  the  will  of my Father which is in heaven."  Matt  7:21.
Saying  "Lord, Thou art my God" is not enough, but the  doing  of  His
will is important.





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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
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-082.txt
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