richardwbelcher

The Staff of the Lord

    Ezekiel utters a lamentation about Israel losing her autonomy and being overcome by Babylon.   Eze 19:14 states that the fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which has devoured her fruit, so that she has no strong rod to be a scepter to rule.     That fire was sparked by disobedience, self-justification, and presumption.  No branch left on Israel’s tree was strong enough to rule.  As the prophesied time for Messiah approached, Israel expected HIM to pick up the scepter and wield it; returning the nation to power.

    However, Jesus came with a shepherd’s staff and not with a flaming rod of power.  He spoke with authority as Messiah, but HIS earthly mission was to reveal the heart of the Father and to die for sin.  He launched a new covenant build on better promises than that which Israel thought God would re-establish through Messiah.

     Christ embraced sin to become the substitutionary sacrifice.  Jesus went into hell with our transgressions and there HE paid the penalty for our iniquities.  Hebrews 1:6-9 states: When the Father brings in the first-begotten into the world, he says, ‘Let all the angels of God worship him.’ About the angels He says, ‘God makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire’, but unto the Son the Father says, ‘Thy throne is forever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.  Because you have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.’

     Jesus was given a scepter of righteousness. The Greek/Hebrew roots imply leveled fairness and evenly administered justice. Angels may be flames of fire ministering the Father’s power, yet Jesus’ kingdom contains an oil of gladness that is above that realm.

     Christians should pursue righteousness not power.  God is our rearward, and His authority limits our enemies.  Many release weapons at flesh and blood to show their power when our enemies are unseen principalities.  We believers demonstrate God’s kingdom by being obedient to His living Word and by actively communing with HIM. Therefore our scepter is LIKE Christ’s present scepter. We don’t need to demonstrate authority but agape.

     Christians shouldn’t let evil run over them.  However, we carry out our commissions because of our right-standing with the Father (without fear of judgment) not because we have sufficient power on our own.  The kingdom we serve is greater than the kingdom of this world.  We do not determine where we are deployed, but we go where God sends us, and we say what He speaks to us.  As we seek first God’s kingdom and HIS righteousness, the worldly needs will be supplied.

     Jesus’ kingdom is not yet fully manifested on the earth, but it is already activated in our hearts.  I want to let Christ be the head ruler.  As my elder-brother, HE will rule me justly, and HE guarantees that I will inherit all the promises that HE has acquired with his resurrection.  As I die to self-rule and come alive to being God-directed, my kingdom decreases, and His kingdom increases.  That Branch is the one that will reign.  AMEN

The Begotten Lord

But while Joseph thought [about the pregnancy and about putting Mary away privately] the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary as your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost (Matt 1:20).

At Christmas we consider the miracalous conception of Jesus and his birth in the stable.  That is an intergal part of the story regarding the coming of Christ to the earth.  However, when Hebrews 1:5 states "Unto which of the angels did God say, 'You are my Son, this day have I begotten thee' ?" it is not talking about Christmas but about the Easter.

Psalm 2:6-7 contains the context.  I set my king upon my holy hill. I will declare the degree: You are my son; this day I have begotten thee. The Father spoke these words when Christ was set upon the throne.  They were not talking about the manger but about Jesus' resurrection.

Hebrews 5:5-6 states the Christ did not glorify himself (when He became high priest) but He who said to him "You are my son, today I have begotten thee" said in another scripture, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."  Jesus' victory over sin and death was accomplished when the Father sent glory/power into hell to raise Christ for the torment He was suffering.  On that day Jesus transformed into righteousness as the sin he had embraced was driven away.  With his resurrection, Christ took up the positions of Intercessor and High Priest as He awaits the enemy being made a footstool.

Had Christ never come into flesh, he could never become the substitute.  Had we never acknowledged our need for his sacrifice, we would still be destined to sever the penalty ourselves.  Had the Father not begotten Jesus in Mary, in sheol, and in our hearts, we would have no hope for the future.

But seeing as God did  "begotten"  the Son.  We follow into His spiritual resurrection, and we await the changing of our bodies into His glorious form.   Even so,  come quickly Lord!   AMEN

Countdown to the Coming

Genesis 3:15 promises that Eve's seed shall bruise the serpent's head.  She apparently thought that her next son would be the One to do the job so that they could retake the possessions lost with the Garden fall.   However, that was not God's plan. 

While awaiting the promise, the people of the Lord frequently lost their freedom culminated by their deportation into Babylon .  There the angel of the Lord told Daniel that from the going forth of the commandment to restore Jerusalem unto the Messiah shall be seven sevens and threescore and two sevens: ... And after threescore and two sevens shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself ... (Daniel 9:25-26). This is a prophetic picture of Christ's sacrifice for our sins.

That decree heralded the end of the Babylonian captivity and began the countdown for Messiah.  A 483 year span (69x7) historically connects the rebuilding commandment to the crucifixion of Christ Jesus. This prophetic fulfillment was one of the truths that convinced Paul of Jesus' diety.

Therefore as the time approaches for the coming of Messiah, some female must give birth to this Promised One. Isaiah 7:14 states that a virgin would concieve and bring forth a son whose name would be called Immanuel.  God was with man and was in flesh: the two  meanings of the word Immanuel.

Jesus' conception, birth, and crucifixion all coinside with scripture.  Even when few understood, God made certain that some were told that what was taking place was the fulfillment of scriptural promises. Wise men came because they saw the signs.  If we see the coming of the babe, do we also understand that He said He would return again?  Or are we as blind regarding the countdown of our days as many were of their countdown to Christ's coming?  

Seasonal Musings #1

I have been thinking about the gospels and their commentary on Christmas.  The evidence shows an anticipation for the coming of a certain promised One.  Simeon was going to the temple to await the infant who would be the Consolation/Comforter of Israel (Luke 2:25-28). Apparently he took Isaiah 9:6 literally. When it foretold "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," Simeon knew that the child would have to be dedicated according to Jewish custom.

We now know from scripture the the child who would be called Wonderful, Prince of Peace, and Mighty God WAS IN FACT  God in humanflesh.  If we Hear ... that the Lord our God is ONE (Deut 6:4) then the Child (Son), the Father (unseen in Heaven), and the Spirit (Communicator on Earth) are ONE.  

Like water that is around and in us (both seen and unseen), God has made His presence known in several forms.  At Christmas we celebrate the FACT that God came in the flesh to show us a better way to live both in this age and in the age to come.  The babe of the manger is the Lord laying down His glory to live as a man.  He came to reverse the curse loosed upon the earth.   Simeon knew He was coming, even if he was not aware of all that it entailed.   AMEN