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Date:         Tue, 14 May 1996 08:32:27 +-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, 83
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP 
Status: U

Contents
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1. Judges 5:8    - Other gods lead to war
2. Acts 1:6-9    - Christ's ascension
3. 2 Timothy 2:3 - The good soldier of Jesus Christ


1.  Judges 5:8 - Other gods lead to war
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Judges 5:8
He chose new gods; then was war in the gates.


Deborah  sings  the song, whereof our text is a part.  She  says:  "He
chose new gods; then was war in the gates." First attend unto the word
"he".  He, that is Israel; Israel chose new gods. Not only a few chose
other gods, but nearly the whole country. By mutual consent, and  with
the  agreement of great parts of the people, they decided to chose new
gods.  When  a whole nation is rejecting God, but a few, the  remnant,
remains  faithful.  The  greater part of that  nation  agrees  on  the
rejection  of  their  own God, and chooses new  ones.  When  then  the
greater  part of our nation acts wickedly, let we go on in the worship
of  the true God. When multitudes fall away, let we stand fast in  the
power of God. When our whole family chooses new gods, let us, with the
help  of  God,  remain faithful. "He", that is the  entire  nation  of
Israel, "chose new gods; then was war in the gates."

"He  chose new gods". Striking is the word used. He "chose" new  gods.
As  if  they  had to choose! They acted as if they were at liberty  to
choose  new gods. Was the choice theirs? Were they at liberty, on  own
authority,  to reject the LORD, and choose new gods? Hadn't  the  LORD
saved  them? Did not God lead them out of Egypt? Hasn't He given  them
the  land of Canaan? They thought that they were at liberty to choose,
but  actually, the choice was already made. God had chosen  them,  and
their  father has promised that they would continue serving  Him.  The
choice  was not theirs, but the choice was already made. The LORD  was
their  God,  and  none else. They CHOSE new gods!  How  ungrateful  to
reject  the living God, and chose dead ones. How proud to arrogate  to
themselves the free choice of other gods. Let's learn from this to not
do  the  same. We have one God, and let we therefore not choose  other
ones. But some pretend to serve God, and yet they do nothing for  Him.
With  their mouth they confess the LORD, but with their works they  do
as  if they know Him not. This, of course, is the same as if they  had
rejected Him and chosen new ones.

"He chose new gods; then was war in the gates". Why did they chose NEW
gods?  Was their old God no longer in use? Hadn't the LORD given  them
all  what  they needed? Did He not send down the rain from  heaven  to
make  the land fruitful? Did He not send down the Spirit from  heaven,
to make their hearts and their hands fruitful? Why then did they chose
new gods? Whence was this change? Were they tired of the God of heaven
and  earth? The cause is that they no longer believed in the LORD,  or
that  they no longer did love Him. Their hearts were gone after  other
gods,  and  were alienated from the one and true God.  They  were  led
astray by the many idols surrounding them. That is the danger when you
forsake the true God. Then your hearts and your eyes are beginning  to
be  opened for strange and new gods. At the same moment, your eyes and
your hearts begin to be closed for the LORD of heaven. Thus the choice
is made.

"He chose new gods; then was war in the gates." What was the result of
choosing  new gods? War! For, he chose new gods, then was WAR  in  the
gates. They had already proclaimed war with the LORD, and therefore He
sent  their  enemies,  who  might war with Israel.  Warring  with  God
resulted  in  warring with the nations. When we serve  God,  and  walk
humbly  after Him, He subdues our enemies, that they not begin to  war
with  us. When we love God, and obey His voice, we will live in peace.
Even  during wars, we will be safe. It may be that some will kill  the
body,  but yet, our souls are in God's hand, and are always preserved.
But  when we chose new gods, then the LORD will send enemies to  fight
against us.

"He  chose new gods; then was war in the gates." Note the place of the
war God has sent. It is "in the gates". Note how far the enemy already
has  come.  He  nearly is in the city. He is fighting already  in  the
gates,  so they have already destroyed the doors of the gates.  Yet  a
little time, and the city will be burnt down. The inhabitants will  be
killed  and persecuted, and sold as slaves. And why? Because they  had
chosen new gods, and had forsaken the God of their fathers.

We  see  what is the result of choosing strange and new gods.  Let  us
learn  from this. In the time of the Judges, the Israelites repeatedly
chose  new  gods,  and  God repeatedly sent war  in  their  gates.  It
repeatedly  happened, and it seems me they never learnt from  it.  But
let  us  learn  from their example. Are you choosing or serving  other
gods? Be assured that the war will be terrible. Let's then serve  God,
and have peace. Let's pray Him that He may send, instead of war in our
gates, His Spirit in our hearts. The war in our gates destroys all and
everything,  but the Spirit in our hearts will renew us, and  make  us
obedient,  lovers of God, deniers of self. That Spirit will  adorn  us
with all spiritual decorations, which will make us acceptable in God's
sight.

Choose then:
1)  New gods? Then you get wars.
2)  The God of heaven and earth? Then you get His Spirit.
But as for me and my house, we shall serve the LORD.




2.  Acts 1:6-9 - Christ's ascension
----------------------------------------------------------------------


6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,
    Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7  And he said unto them,
    It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,
    which the Father hath put in his own power.
8   But ye shall receive power,
    after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
    and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,
    and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,
    and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken
up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.


"Lord", asked the disciples, "wilt Thou at this time restore again the
kingdom  to  Israel?" They still were in the wrong opinion that  Jesus
had  come to restore the earthly kingdom of David again to Israel. But
they greatly erred. Jesus not long ago had said: "My kingdom is not of
this  world",  Joh 18:36. Therefore it was a carnal  question  of  the
disciples.  They still thought of honour, and worldly brilliance,  and
of  a  kingdom, and of they being the first in the kingdom. But  Jesus
said:  "My  kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were  of  this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to
the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." Joh 18:36. Lord, will
Thou restore the kingdom again? "And He said unto them, It is not  for
you  to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His
Own power". We cannot look in the book of future. These things are  in
the Father's power, and are hidden for us.

Instead  of trying to search in the hidden counsel of God, let  us  be
content  with the present things. So it is with us, and so it was  for
the  disciples.  Instead of giving the disciples  explanation  of  the
future,  the Lord Jesus did something totally different. He gave  them
an order. What order did He give them? He commanded them to preach the
gospel  in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto  the
uttermost parts of the earth. "But ye shall receive power, after  that
the  Holy  Ghost is come upon you". So, they should receive power,  to
preach  the  Gospel.  In  the  power of the  Spirit,  they  should  be
witnesses unto Jesus. Not in own power should they witness, but in the
power of the Spirit, after He is come upon them. "But ye shall receive
power,  after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and  ye  shall  be
witnesses  unto  me  both in Jerusalem, and  in  all  Judaea,  and  in
Samaria,  and  unto  the uttermost part of the  earth."  We  see  that
without  God's help, none can preach. It is true what Paul  writes  to
the  Romans:  "And how shall they preach, except they  be  sent?"  Rom
10:15.  How shall they preach, except they be send by God?  How  shall
they preach, except they have received the power of the Spirit, and go
in God's strength?

And  when Jesus had given orders, He was taken up to heaven. "And when
he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and  a
cloud  received  him  out of their sight." Our Lord  is  taken  up  in
heaven. There He is now, and rules His church on earth. The church  of
God  is  persecuted and fights its war on earth. But our  Lord  is  in
heaven, and preserves those that are of Him.

So then, after the Lord had spoken unto His disciples, He was received
up  into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. While He blessed His
disciples,  He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.  When
Stephen  was  stoned, He saw Jesus standing at the right hand  of  the
Father,  in  heaven. From there our Lord will come back to  judge  the
quick  and  the dead. Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered
up the kingdom to God the Father; when He shall have put down all rule
and  all  authority and power. For He must reign, till He has put  all
enemies under His feet.




3.  2 Timothy 2:3 - The good soldier of Jesus Christ
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Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The  soldiers of Christ, at least the good ones, are not at rest. They
have  a  great  struggle. They fight with evil. They endure  hardness.
They  are  not  greater or more then their Master, Jesus Christ.  Like
Christ endured all kinds of affliction, also His soldiers do the same.
Christ suffered much; so His soldiers will endure the same.

To preach the gospel to all nations, the soldiers of Christ endure all
things.  For the elect's sakes, they endure all. To bring God's  elect
to  the  light of the truth, the soldiers of Christ go out, and  bring
the  Word of truth to every place where Christ sends them. Paul  wrote
"I  endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain
the  salvation  which is in Christ Jesus with eternal  glory."  2  Tim
2:10.  Also,  every false shame should be put off by the  soldiers  of
Christ. Do not shame yourselves for the truth of the testimony of  the
Lord. Instead of being ashamed, be you partaker of the afflictions  of
the  gospel. Go out in the power of God. Endure hardness,  as  a  good
soldier  of  Christ. When Paul was on mission, he endured persecutions
and afflictions. But out of them all the Lord delivered Him. It may be
that  the ministers of God come in great dangers, but out of them  all
God  will deliver them. In the case the preaching of the gospel  costs
them their lives, them a better part is laid up for them in heaven.

The good soldiers of Christ will endure all kinds of hardness. But let
they  look  to  Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith.  He  is
their  Example. Do they endure some affliction? Christ did  the  same.
Are  they  in  troubles? Christ also. Are they persecuted unto  death?
Christ experienced the same. Let we then look to Jesus, and learn from
what He did. For the joy that was set before Him, He even endured  the
cross,  and presently is set down at the right hand of the  throne  of
God.  When  you, as a good soldier of Christ, will do the  same,  then
also  you  will  be  set in heaven, in the presence  of  your  Master.
Consider then Jesus, while you are in difficulties, and while you  are
persecuted  for  the sake of your faith. Consider your Master,  Jesus,
who  endured  much  more.  Having Him as an example,  and  seeing  the
outcome,  you may gather strength. Consider Him, lest you  be  wearied
and faint in your minds.




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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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