08 | October | 2006 | Green Baggins

God Spoke To Us

October 8, 2006 at 5:28 pm (Hebrews)

Here is my evening sermon for today. I didn’t have time to read for my Matthew series. So I wrote a sermon on a passage for which I had already done my reading (I had a funeral and two days of jury duty this week, so time was thin).

Hebrews 1:1-4

When the preacher’s car broke down on a country road, he walked to a nearby roadhouse to use the phone. After calling for a tow truck, he spotted his old friend, Frank, drunk and shabbily dressed at the bar. “What happened to you, Frank?” asked the good reverend. “You used to be rich.” Frank told a sad tale of bad investments that had led to his downfall. “Go home,” the preacher said. “Open your Bible at random, stick your finger on the page and there will be God’s answer.” Some time later, the preacher bumped into Frank, who was wearing a Gucci suit, sporting a Rolex watch and had just stepped our of a Mercedes. “Frank.” said the preacher, “I am glad to see things really turned around for you.” “Yes, preacher, and I owe it all to you,” said Frank. “I opened my Bible, put my finger down on the page and there was the answer — Chapter 11.”

The question for us is this: how has God spoken to us? Does He speak to us in some haphazard manner as the preacher told Frank to do? Does God speak to us in dreams or visions? Does God speak to us by prophets? Or does God speak to us in Jesus Christ? That is what our passage is about today.

The passage here means to set up a series of contrasts. The first contrast is one of timing. The text says “In the past,” and then in the beginning of verse 2 it says “in these last days.” The answer to how God has spoken to us depends greatly on what time it is. If you were living in OT times, then you would have had a great many different ways of receiving God’s revelation. There were dreams, and visions, prophets who acted out God’s message in drama, and other ways. But in the NT times, the “last days,” there is only way of revelation, and that is Jesus Christ.

Notice that the phrase “these last days” refers to the here and now. It is not the case that the last days refers mostly to the few days immediately before Christ comes back. Normally, we talk about those last days using the word “eschatology.” That comes from the Greek word “eschatos,” which means “last.” But that very word “eschatos” is used here to describe the days in which we now live. Here and now is what is called “these last days.” So the study of the last things, normally called “eschatology” should also include the study of the days in which we now live. We are living in the last days. Christ could come back at any time. We are always to regard the time in which we now live as the last days. That was true for the writer of Hebrews, writing two thousand years ago! So that is the first contrast: the contrast of time.

The second contrast is the recipients of God’s revelation. In the old days, God spoke to our forefathers. But in these last days, God has spoken to us. Isn’t it marvelous that we live in the time period of the New Testament? We have so much more than the people of the OT time period had. They had Moses and the prophets. That was sufficient for salvation in those days. But now we have so much more clarity. Not only do we have the NT, which explicitly tells us about Christ, but also the NT helps us understand our OT better. Now we can reread the OT and see that Christ was there all along. Isn’t it great to be part of the NT family of God? How often have you thanked God that you live on this side of the cross of Christ? How often have you thanked God for this now completed book? Thanking God for the Bible, of course, is not enough. One must read it, too. By reading, I mean more than just reading, I mean studying it. Ask questions of this Book. It will answer, I assure you. God may use a tool, such as a dictionary or a commentary in order to answer your question. But if you keep on asking God what He is saying, He will answer. It is not presumption to ask questions of Scripture. After all, many people ask God questions in the Bible. God does not shoo them away as if they were impious. No, He answers them. He may not answer them in the way that they expect. But it is not a sin to ask questions, even hard questions.

We say that the Bible is clear. That means that what is necessary to know about salvation is clear. You don’t have to have a degree in theology in order to understand what Scripture says about salvation. That much is clear. You just need to read it for yourself to find out that fact. However, not everything in Scripture is clear. There are many things that are difficult to understand. No one has ever understood everything that there is to know about Scripture. Scripture has infinite depths of riches for us to mine. One could spend a thousand lifetimes in pursuit of knowledge of Scripture, and never come to the end of it. But that should encourage us to study it more, not less. There are many people out there who think that since they have read it once, they don’t have to read it again. Those are very foolish people. The Bible is never done with us as Christians. It is God who speaks to us. We will never know all there is to know, but we are encouraged to try. We should be students, and we should revel in it! That is the greatest benefit of living in the NT era: we have the entire Word of God, all in one place, and in our own language. There are still many people out there who do not have this book in their language. That number of people is becoming less and less. The Bible exists in many more than a thousand languages today. That is well past the half-way point. However, there are still many people who cannot read it. We who are thankful for having the Bible in our language should make sure that we are helping people to get it in their language. To restate the second contrast here then, the forefathers, as opposed to us.

The third contrast is the means of revelation. In the old days, God revealed Himself through various means. There were dreams, prophecies, visions, acts, dramas, interpretation of dreams, and others. But in these last days, there is only one way of knowing about God: that is through Jesus Christ. In the old days, there were prophets. Now there is one Prophet. Deuteronomy 18 says this: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers- it is to him you shall listen- ¹⁶ just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ ¹⁷ And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. ¹⁸ I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. ¹⁹ And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. ²⁰ But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ ²¹ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’- ²² when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” Whatever comes true. Everything in the Bible has either come true, or will come true. You can know then that this is the Word of God. The OT tells us about Jesus Christ, and then came Jesus Christ! Psalm 22 even tells us how Jesus was to die, and that is exactly how He died. In Matthew, there have been already many times that we have seen how Matthew points to the OT Scriptures to say, “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the Scriptures.” The Word comes true, and therefore we should believe it. It comes true especially since Jesus, the great Prophet, told us about it. He is the Prophet to Whom we should listen. That is the third contrast: the contrast between the means used in the old days, and Jesus, the One to Whom they all pointed.

So, in sum, we have seen that there are three contrasts: between the old days and these last days; between the forefathers and us; and between the various means used in the old days and Jesus Christ.

What ultimate difference does this make? Well, some of the practical implications have been spelled out already in terms of Bible study and Bible translation. But the most important thing is still to be said: we must believe in what Jesus tells us. That is simple, but it is far-reaching. If God were to take human shape and appear on your doorstep, what would be your reaction? Would you leave Him on your doorstep, or would you invite Him into your house? Let’s put it another way. Suppose the President of the United States wanted to come to your house. What would be your reaction? Would you leave the house in a mess? Would you cook TV dinners? No, you wouldn’t. Instead, you would carefully clean your house, and everything else you possess. You would put on your very best behavior, and you would cook a feast of your very best dishes. But how do we treat God’s Word? We leave it out of our lives! It has very little influence on how we make our decisions every day. It has very little influence on our big decisions either. Instead, we see it as a sort of insurance policy to guard us in case of death or bereavement. Of course, it is a wonderful help in such times. But the meat of what the Word is telling us has to do with our everyday lives. It has to do with how we treat God and how we treat our neighbor. It has to do with our inward life and our outward life. It has to do with our checkbook and with our spiritual life. It has everything to say about marriage and child-rearing. It tells us about wisdom with words and wisdom in our thoughts. There is no area of life about which this Book is silent. Are you listening?

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Complete Change

October 8, 2006 at 2:24 pm (OT-Genesis)

Genesis 44

Last week we looked at real change in the brothers of Joseph. We saw that the change was genuine. This week, we will see just how deep the change went. It was complete change. It was a change from darkness into light, from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of Jesus Christ. It is a little bit like this: When the railroads were first introduced to the U.S., some folks feared that they’d be the downfall of the nation! Here’s an excerpt from a letter to then President Jackson dated January 31, 1829: As you may know, Mr. President, ‘railroad’ carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by ‘engines’ which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed. Martin Van Buren Governor of New York. Change from then until now is fairly complete, I would say, wouldn’t you? Here in Genesis we have a story of brothers who sold their brother Joseph for silver. They looked to their own interests. They did not love their father, since Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob. They were always out for what they could get. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, the first four sons, were terrible sinners. We can only imagine what sins the other brothers might have committed, but none of them were righteous, no, not one. However, after Joseph tests them, they change. God changed them. It was a real change, and it was a complete change. Such a change needs to happen in our lives too, if we are to see God.

What we have in the beginning of our chapter is Joseph’s final test of the brothers. Joseph instructs his servant to put the silver back into each man’s sack, just like last time. Only this time, the servant was to add one more thing to Benjamin’s sack. That thing was the silver cup, Joseph’s own cup. The servant was then to allow them to go out of the city a short ways, but then to catch up with them and bring them back. The reason why Joseph has his servant do this is that he wants to know how complete the change is. He believes that some change has occurred. However, he does not yet know how complete the change is. He knows that they are honest now. He knows that they came back for Simeon, and that they came back with Benjamin. But he does not yet know whether they have reconciled themselves to Jacob’s favoritism. Joseph also does not yet know whether they have changed enough so that, if they were put in a very similar situation as that which happened to Joseph, whether they would do the same thing they did then, or whether they would love their brother Benjamin. These were the things which Joseph needed to find out before complete reconciliation could take place. What we will find out is that the change is so complete that Judah becomes a Christ-figure. He voluntarily sacrifices himself for the benefit of his brother Benjamin. Benjamin has guilt, the cup was found in his sack. And yet, Judah is willing to take that guilt on himself, and put himself in Benjamin’s place, just as Jesus would do for us.

The servant must know what Joseph is doing. There is no possible way that he could not know. He also probably knows the reason for Joseph doing what he does. So he is the perfect instrument for Joseph’s plan. Now, there is a problem for us in verse 5. Did Joseph in fact practice divination with this cup? There were several types of divination using a cup. There was “hydromancy,” which was pouring water into a cup and looking at the ripple patterns and trying to see the future with that. There was something similar using oil instead of water. That was called “oleomancy.” If you used wine, it was “oinomancy.” If you used more than one liquid, then it was “lecanomancy.” Probably, however, Joseph did not engage in any of these methods of divination. This was a continuation of the ruse, such that the brothers would still not suspect that he was anyone other than a pure Egyptian ruler.

The servant does his master’s command, overtakes the brothers, and starts searching each one’s sack to try to find the cup. The servant already knows which sack contains the cup. Therefore, he saves that sack for last, since he needs to prove to the brothers that this was not be design, and that he didn’t suspect Benjamin automatically. This was great acting on the part of the servant.

The brothers’ reaction was righteous indignation. They were absolutely certain of their innocence. They were so certain that they called down the death sentence on the guilty party, and permanent servitude for the remainder of the brothers. That is common with people who are certain of their innocence. They call down upon themselves a much greater penalty than needed. However, it was essential for the servant of Joseph that only Benjamin be the guilty one. That is why the servant of Joseph lessens the punishment for the guilty party. He wants the situation to be that Benjamin alone is guilty, and the rest of the brothers must do something about it.

You can possibly imagine the brother’s righteous indignation get more and more as the servant searched each bag, only to find nothing. However, at the end, the servant looks in Benjamin’s sack, and there it is! Notice the brothers’ reaction here. They do not abandon Benjamin. They know that if they return to Jacob without Benjamin, their father will die. They love their father, and they love Benjamin. And so they rip their clothes, a sure sign of sorrow and lamentation. They all return to the city. Notice that they did not need to return as a group. Some of them only might have returned, leaving the others to go back to Jacob. But they did not want to bring any news to Jacob that would leave him in suspense about the fate of Benjamin. So they all go back.

Notice in verse 14 the little note that says “Judah and his brothers.” That plainly tells us that Judah will be the leader when they face Joseph. And it is Judah who answers Joseph’s first accusation. Judah is now the leader, as we saw when he gives that proposal to Jacob in the previous chapter about being responsible for Benjamin permanently. Judah’s first response has one very interesting feature about it. Judah says, “God has found out the guilt of your servants.” This is not the guilt of stealing the cup. Judah knows that he is innocent. He also knows that Benjamin is innocent. What he is saying here is that God has revealed the guilt of their sin against Joseph. That is what has brought this upon them, as indeed they said in chapter 42.

Joseph responds with the same answer that the servant had given: only Benjamin was guilty. This leads us to the magnificent speech that Judah gives here. It is the longest speech in all of Genesis. It is eloquent, and it is the turning point in the great drama. All along we have seen the tension build up, and build up. From verse 18 to the end of the chapter, Judah summarizes the entire Joseph story, and appeals to Joseph that to enslave Benjamin would kill their father. Judah tells Joseph several things that Joseph did not already know. For instance, Judah recounts the effect of Joseph’s disappearance on Jacob, the father. Judah also recounts the recent past, with Jacob’s reluctance to send Benjamin, since that was the only son left, in his opinion.

Verses 33-34 are the climax of the entire Joseph story, all the way back from chapter 37 through the end of Genesis. Judah tells Joseph to take him as a substitute for Benjamin. This is the most noble act in all of Genesis by any of the patriarchs, except perhaps Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers. But Judah’s act makes him a type of Jesus Christ. We can see clearly here how Judah gives himself (who was not guilty of any crime in this instance) for someone who was guilty (at least in the eyes of the law). Jesus gave Himself for our transgressions. Our transgressions were not imaginary, like Benjamin’s was. Rather, our sins were real and deep. Our sin nature is real and deep. Only Jesus’ sacrifice can change that. Only Jesus’ sacrifice can result in that deep and complete change that is absolutely necessary in order to inherit eternal life. Do you have that deep, complete change? We are not talking about being sinless. We are talking about a complete change of allegiance. Where does your allegiance lie? Is it with Satan, sin, and your sin nature? Or is it with Jesus Christ, our substitute, the one who was completely righteous? If Christ is in you, and you are in Christ, then there must be evidence of that. Such a complete change will leave very obvious marks. You are not the same person that you were.

Now, it becomes necessary to discuss how this change works out in our lives. That it must happen is quite clear from out text. But how it works out is not so clear. It works like this: God works in our hearts to bring about change. He is then the one who gives us the power to resist temptation, and choose the good. This is a vitally important thing to remember. All too often, when temptation faces us, we think to ourselves that we must resist. Well, this is true. Scripture says that. However, it would probably be more accurate to say that God, who lives in us, resists sin. The Holy Spirit resists sin in us. This is something that came home to me only fairly recently. I was wondering why some sins have such an easy entrance into my life. The reason is that I was still depending on my own strength to resist those sins. I thought I was a mature Christian who could resist. I would almost always fall when I thought that way. The only way to resist sin is for God who lives in us to resist that sin. This is what Scripture tells us in Philippians 2: “work out your salvation in fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do.” You cannot do God’s pleasure unless it is God working in you to do it. I am by no means advocating a “let go and let God” kind of thinking. We are not passive in this whole process. However, it is essential that we remember that it is God who works in you. So, the next time that you face a temptation, what should go through your mind is something like this, “God please resist this temptation in me. Please make your Holy Spirit more powerful than this sin. I know that if I rely on myself, I will fall.” That is quite helpful to know and to think when you face temptation. God does the resisting in you, so that you resist. An analogy here would be something like a rider on a horse. The horse has a will, but it is subject to the rider (in most cases). God is the one who must ride us and direct us and lead us out of danger of sin. The horse is not passive, since he must walk wherever the rider tells him. But it is not the horse’s will that determines the best direction in which to go. Rather, it is the rider’s will that determines that. When you come to this place of acknowledging God’s power at work in your life, then your change will be complete. No longer will your allegiance be toward your sin nature. Rather it will be to God. That is complete change.