Tag: solomon

DWELL

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

In Exodus 25:8 God said, “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.”  Here one finds God’s heart — to dwell among His people!  A similar statement is found in Exodus 29:45-46.  Then in I Kings 6:13 … the Lord tells Solomon, David’s son, “I will dwell among the sons of Israel.”  Shall we forget the incredible statement found in II Corinthians 6:16, “we (a clear reference to believers) are the temple of the living God?” 

There the scripture continues:

I will dwell in them and walk among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

   Undeniably, this Old Testament quotation is drawn directly from Exodus 25:8 (above), but properly applied then and now to Christ’s New Testament Church and each of us as His individual disciples.

It’s a somewhat overwhelming thought to consider that God Himself fully desires and intentionally purposes to dwell with/among and in (within) His people.  Consider, our God walked in the garden, having direct contact and communication with Adam and Eve before human sin severed the cherished connection.  Therefore, from the very beginning, all the way to the very end of this world as we know it, His objective has been clear … “He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people and God Himself will be among them.” (Revelation 21:3-4) 

In John 1:1 we read, “the Word was God.”  In John 1:14, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.”   YES!   This is the incarnation (a person who embodies in the flesh a deity – the union of divinity and humanity) … An event which is not about humans becoming gods, or a god – absolutely impossible – but instead, God adapting to the form of humanity (with God all things are possible). This almost incomprehensible, mind-bending, worship-inciting truth is profoundly proclaimed when we sing:

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail, the incarnate Deity.  Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel! (from Hark The Herald Angels Sing)

The English word translated here as “dwelt” is the Greek word “eskenosen” which means “to encamp” – “to pitch a tent” – “to tabernacle.”  A quality literal translation of this text might read, “the Word became flesh and did tabernacle or tabernacled among us.”  From the Old Testament, we think of the Tabernacle as the somewhat portable, divinely designed, yet humanly constructed, tent that provided the primary point of contact between God and mankind.  

In the New Testament, and in our faith, Jesus Christ – the incarnate Son of God – who became flesh and “tabernacled” (dwelt) among us, is the one and only point of contact capable of bridging the great chasm between God and humanity. 

In the Old Testament scriptures, the Table of the Bread of the Presence, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, and the Ark of the Covenant furnished the Tabernacle.  These pieces of furniture all portrayed Christ and were a “type” or “shadow” of things to come.  However, we now know Jesus as “the Bread of Life” – “the Light of the world” – “the great High Priest who intercedes for God’s redeemed Church” and He who abides (dwells) with and in His people.

God’s glory is also associated with the Old Testament Tabernacle. Exodus 40:34 states, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”  The glory of God expresses His worthiness and the honor due Him.  Nonetheless, Jesus Christ offers the full expression of God’s glory for us to behold – “and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten from the Father.” II Corinthians 4:6 expresses:

For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 

Then, Hebrews 1:3 explains Jesus Christ as:

Being the radiance (brightness) of His (God the Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature (express image of God the Father as a person), and (the one who) upholds all things by the word of His power.

Continuing in John 1:14, we also learn that this “glory as of the only begotten from the Father,” is, “full of grace and truth.”

Consider this description of God’s glory from Exodus 34:6:

The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.

During His visit to earth, the incarnation, Christ demonstrates this grace and truth (from the Father) to the lost, the needy, and undeserving sinners.  He extends God’s grace to people through His actions and His words … He cares for the outcast, heals the broken, feeds the hungry, embraces the lonely, and lifts  the downtrodden from their pit.  Not only were these demonstrations and manifestations irrefutable evidence of His divinity, but fully revealed His divine character … the very nature of God Himself on public display for all to see!  

As He communicated God’s truth, lives were dynamically impacted and complete transformations occurred through the supremacy and potency of the very Word becoming flesh and tabernacling (pitching His tent and encamping) among/with us!  Our Lord, Jesus Christ continues to show us the fullness of God’s grace and truth today – chiefly through the incorruptible message of His Word and the transforming effects of God’s Holy Spirit. 

The Lord regenerates us into new individuals because

He’s living on the inside, roaring like a lion. (David Crowder – Like A Lion)  

Jesus Christ is the all-glorious, incarnate God, and this alone is reason enough to trust Him as our one and only Savior, worship Him as our one and only Lord, and follow/serve Him as our one and only Master/King. 

Are you living in this reality today?  Don’t just think about.  Don’t just talk about it. 

Let’s just do it!

– Pastor Frank

MIGHT & POWER VS. SPIRIT

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

When Solomon built the first Hebrew temple which the Babylonians destroyed (586 BC – See 2 Kings 25:8–10), he had almost unlimited resources at his disposal since his father, King David, had fought many battles and collected huge spoils of war to be used in building God’s original temple. (See 1 Chronicles 26:20, 27-28) King Solomon was a powerful monarch with a vast kingdom, even ruling over some Gentile populated regions, but the Jews in the days of Zerubbabel and the prophet Zechariah had no such power, authority, or wealth!

In 538 BC, Zerubbabel, a leader from the tribe of Judah, was allowed to return to Jerusalem with other Jewish captives. (See Ezra 1:1-4) The Persian king appointed Zerubbabel as governor of Judah (See Haggai 1:1), and he began rebuilding the temple with the help of Jeshua, the high priest. (See Ezra 3:2-3, 8)

It took Zerubbabel two years to rebuild the Temple’s foundation. Construction was then delayed due to hostile opposition (See Ezra 4:1–5) and as a result, Persia withdrew its support.  For seventeen years the temple construction remained unfinished. (See Ezra 4:21) 

Nonetheless, while undoubtedly many had given up on the project, our Lord had a different / superior plan for His temple.  God then spoke to the remnant of His people in Jerusalem through His prophet in Zechariah 4:6-7:

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”

Here in this text, the word “might” is referring to military strength, what people can do together as an army … but the remnant had no soldiers. “Power” refers to the strength of a commanding individual, but Zerubbabel’s abilities were no doubt limited, nothing like that of King Solomon! The idea of not being discouraged and trusting the Lord was at the heart of the prophet’s message.  Is it possible that the Spirit of God would enable them to accomplish something even in their apparent weakness?

There are three ways we can attempt to do the work of God:

1) We can trust our own strength and wisdom.

2) We can borrow the resources of the world.

3) We can depend on the power of God, the Almighty (omnipotent).

The first two approaches may usually appear to succeed, but the true work of the Lord is not accomplished in that manner! Only work done through the power of God’s Holy Spirit will glorify Him and endure the fires of His judgment. (See 1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

With limited resources, completing the temple looked to those Jews as impossible as moving a mountain! However, God told Zerubbabel that he would, by the power of God’s Spirit, level the mountain and make it a plain! In a similar manner, Jesus told His disciples that simple faith like a mustard seed (small but alive) could move mountains. (See Matthew 17:20; 21:21).

How often do we say that we are depending on God’s Holy Spirit? Revivalist Vance Havner (1901-1986), in commenting in that context on the methods of the modern-day church, stated:

But actually we are so wired up with our own devices that if the fire does not fall from heaven, we can turn on a switch and produce false fire of our own. If there is no sound of a rushing mighty wind, we have the furnace all set to blow hot air instead. God save us from a synthetic Pentecost!

God finishes His work! (See Zechariah 4:7b-10) God assured Zerubbabel that he would complete the rebuilding of the temple and the people would rejoice. The Lord gave a clear promise that Zerubbabel would complete the temple! (See Zechariah 4:9)

Shouldn’t this remind us of God’s promise and the true working of His Holy Spirit in us?

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (See Philippians 1:6)     

Are you serving and living in the strength our Lord supplies through the presence of His Holy Spirit? (See I Peter 4:11)  

Think about it, pray about it!                                                    

His & Yours, PF

MONEY

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY – some say you can’t live without it, and yet so many can’t live with it! Often, it’s so vital to an individual that it directly competes with one’s ability to even know and/or faithfully serve the Lord. Even though “money” itself is not inherently evil, wicked, or sinful, the undeniable truth is that any amount of money can be accompanied by many temptations and much danger.

King Solomon, who in today’s economy would have had a net worth of around two trillion (2,000,000,000,000 – two thousand billion) in US dollars (source – lovemoney.com), stated in Ecclesiastes 5:10,

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income.”

Here’s an individual who may have earned as much as 2,000,000,000 (yes, billion) a year through trade/commerce, tributes, and taxation (enough to spend a million dollars a day for 2000 years, or $5,479,452,054.70 a day for one full year) and what’s he really saying?

  1. The love of money is never satisfied, kind of like what’s found in Proverbs 30:15-16!

“There are three things that will not be satisfied, four that will not say, “Enough”: Sheol, and the barren womb, earth that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough.”

2.    Abundance (Hebrew root, hamon; in this text, meaning a great number of things, wealth, and / or funds) will never satisfy! Isn’t there always something else, something more, something better? 

Augustine of Hippo (early church father, aka St. Augustine) declared, “Until we find our rest in Him, no amount of wealth can ever satisfy.”

While undoubtedly greed is an instigator, a motivational chauffeur that drives individuals to dissatisfaction … who will actually come before the Lord with the heavy load of their unquenchable desire for more and place it on the altar?  Is there genuine peace … a full release of the restlessness in one’s heart with the sacrifice of “wants” and all its embellishments? Remember, those trappings are “never satisfied!”

Scripturally speaking, money / wealth / the accumulation of things is one of the greatest areas for a believer to demonstrate one’s trust in the Lord.  Isn’t that why our scriptures are overflowing with references to money and possessions?  

While certainly many have been blessed materially all their lives, Brenda and I included, that doesn’t mean there weren’t tough or difficult times. In fact, everyone who has, perhaps what some would call an abundance, directly dealt with, or is currently dealing with, the spiritual issue of money, wealth and possessions. Specifically, the devastating sin of greed, which according to Proverbs 28:22, a person with a evil eye (stingy, covetous, greedy) hastens and searches for wealth not knowing or understanding that “want,” in essence, poverty, is the ultimate result.  That’s why believers are reminded:    

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

Hebrews 13:5-6

For this to happen (become realty in one’s life), one must adopt a clear biblical view of money and wealth, recognizing that we are actually called to wealth creation and sound economics by God’s mandate to humanity in Genesis 1:28 concerning the earth (the word subdue in the Hebrew text means to conquer, subjugate and bring into subjection). Our Lord provides all the resources of this world for us to properly manage as good and faithful stewards. When this actually occurs, within the redeemed framework of human responsibility, it inevitably prompts and directs us towards sound, principle / value-based ethical and moral financial action along with decisions that are sensible, knowledgeable, not hasty, and God-honoring. 

Money, wealth, possessions, etc. are all intertwined with one’s spiritual maturity, daily walk, and development. Way too many Christians stagnate right here … ultimately hindering or even draining their spiritual vitality.  Sadly, this huge issue is either unrecognized or ignored, often crippling the effectiveness of one’s peace, service and testimony.  Now is the time for change and decisive action – may God’s people fully, unrelentingly, uncompromisingly, and willfully align themselves properly with our Lord and His Word /  Truth on MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.  The world wants to gobble you up … kill, steal, and destroy you on this issue.  However, Christ came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly!  While the primary focus of this statement from John 10:10 is spiritual, MONEY, for a believer, is spiritual!

His & Yours, PF      

EYE

Posted on by West Oaks Fellowship

In our Old Testament scriptures, the word “eye” is translated from the Hebrew word ‘ayin, generally speaking, literally, of the physical organ of sight, which is one of the chief channels of information for human beings. David is described as having beautiful eyes (1 Samuel 16:12), and in Canticles (Song of Songs or Song of Solomons), the lovers describe each other as having eyes like doves (1:15; 4:1; 5:12) and comparable to the pools in Heshbon (7:4). You may also recall from Genesis 29:17, that Leah (Jacob’s first wife) had “weak” eyes, although the meaning of the Hebrew word in this passage could mean faint as well as soft, delicate, or tender hearted.

A very cruel, fully-sanctioned custom among heathen nations was gouging out the eyes of one’s enemies or rivals because this significantly and effectively shattered their power (Judges 16:21; 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:7). The judgmental blinding or putting out of the “right eye” was also considered a deep form of societal humiliation, robbing the victim of beauty, and making one unfit or ineligible for military service (1 Samuel 11:2; Zechariah 11:17).

In Deuteronomy 7:16, the Israelites were instructed by Moses, in the execution of Yahweh’s judgment upon nations and wrongdoers (Deuteronomy 19:13,21; 25:12), that their “eye shall not pity,” … therefore not deflected from the dictates of God’s laws by feelings of sympathy. In a similar way, God, in Ezekiel 5:11 warned, “My eye will have no pity and I will not spare” the execution of judgment upon those who, “defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominations!” Even the Hebrew laws, “lex talionis” (law of retribution or retaliation), at times demanded … “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). By the way, genuine believers are enlisted by a different calling and standard in Matthew 5:38-48 … check it out!

The New Testament generally uses the Greek root word, ophthalmos for “eye” which is akin to opis, commonly translated as “sight” in English Bibles. When Christ restores the sight of two blind men alongside the road while leaving Jericho, this Greek root word is referring to the eye as the physical organ, which clearly demonstrated His power over eyesight, proving His Messiahship according to the Luke 4:18-19!

Our Bibles also use the word “eye” figuratively to beautifully illustrate the intimate relationship (in Hebrew thought) between spiritual and physical realities. The brightness of eyes is a sign of well-being (Psalm 19:8 compared to Psalm 38:10). In addition, eyes provide a path of expression for a variety of emotions and/or mental attitudes – grief (Psalm 6:7); tears (Psalm 119:136); expressions of mockery and or hatred (Psalm 35:19; Proverbs 10:10, 30:17), haughtiness (Psalm 18:27; Proverbs 6:18), evil sexual desires/lusts (2 Peter 2:14; Matthew 5:29).

Next, to “lift up the eyes” is an important phrase found in the scriptures. Largely, it means looking around for information, direction, and sometimes for help. To “close the eyes” or “hide the eyes” indicates carelessness or lacking sympathy as in Matthew 13:15. Proverbs 28:27 declares, “He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.” Setting or fixing one’s “eyes upon,” means focusing attention to something or toward a particular individual(s). In Psalm 119:6 the focus is turned to all the Lord’s commandments, and in Luke 4:20 all the eyes of those in the synagogue are fixed upon Christ as He reads about Himself from Isaiah 61 and declares, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Biblically speaking, often the eye(s) represents the total process of perception and understanding … the organs of spiritual cognizance that may be enlightened, awakened, or opened as is the request found in Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.” This action is accomplished by the Word (Psalm 19:8) and/or by the works of God’s Holy Spirit within believers (Ephesians 1:18-19). Sadly, a person’s eyes may also be “darkened” and/or “blinded” as found in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

Undoubtedly, in this very moment/hour, it’s essential that we, as believers carefully consider the admonition of our Lord, Jesus Christ from Matthew 6:22-23, “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Also see/study Luke 11:34-36)

Please take time to study these many verses, and as Hebrew 12:2 states, fix your eyes upon Jesus, “the author and perfector of faith!”

His & Yours,

PF