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| Stained-Glass Window in Memorial Chapel at Lake Junaluska Christian Retreat - 1 1/2 hours from Mt. Celo Church |
My Meditations on Today's Readings
(Ellipses are mine and are used for contemplation.)
Key Words/Phrases: Reformation: Until the time of reformation (Note: This meditation refers to the Reformation
spoken of in Hebrews 9 – of the Old Covenant to the New Covenant – in lieu of
the Protestant Reformation, though there may be parallels.)
Our Help:
If it had not been the LORD who was on our side X2, our help is in the name of
the LORD
Before Reformation
– Copies and Shadows – Ezekiel 17 and 18 (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) Parable of Symbolism – The word of the LORD
to Ezekiel – “Pose a riddle, speak a parable to the house of Israel. The Parable:
Two eagles – 1st eagle "plucks from a cedar in Lebanon the top most
branch - a twig, carries it off, plants it in a city of merchants, it grows,
becomes a vine of low stature turned toward him, with roots under it, bringing forth
branches and shoots." 2nd
eagle – (a) the vine stretches its roots and branches toward him that it might
be watered. The Symbolism – 1st
eagle – Babylon carrying away Judah in captivity. Mighty of the land were taken away…”that the kingdom might be brought low and
not lift itself up (from a mighty cedar to a vine of low stature.” (Temple in Jerusalem was called Lebanon.) 2nd
eagle – Immediate Symbolism - Egypt - Israel leans toward Egypt for help (instead of
God)….”that they might give him horses
and many people.” Evil Zedekiah has
been set up as king in Judah by the Babylonians rather than Jehoaikim. Zedekiah breaks the covenant; God will
destroy him. (b) Ultimate Symbolism - God now
crops the most tender and young off highest
branch of the cedar and plants it “on a high and prominent mountain in Israel,
where it brings forth boughs, bears
fruit and is a majestic cedar. Under it
will dwell birds of every sort, in the shadow of its branches they will
dwell. All the trees of the field will
know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low
tree." The Call
of God: God calls the people to "repent…turn away from…their wickedness
and…to do…righteousness." They are called
to “get yourselves and new heart and a new spirit.” The call is to obedience to
God’s commands. Principle: The people continue to rebel against the
covenant God has set up. Even in their
captivity – their punishment for continued and persistent sin - they rebel
against God’s commands and covenant.
This will usher in “the time of
reformation” (Hebrews 9:10) when Messiah comes – who is also from this Jewish
lineage – to form a New Covenant, as a new King, a new High Priest, for a new
creation (believers transformed by the Holy Spirit indwelling them…creating in
them…a new heart and a new spirit – in Christ.)
“Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. “2 Cor. 5:17
Mercy and Grace Until
the Reformation – Psalm 124: 1-8 (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) The Promised Remnant Always Saved – “Let
Israel now say…If it had not been the LORD who was on our side… Who has not
given us as prey to their teeth…when men rose up against us…when their wrath
was kindled against us…then…we would have been swallowed alive…overwhelmed…the
waters would have gone over our souls…yet…our help is in the name of the LORD
who made heaven and earth…our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the
fowlers…the snare is broken…we have escaped.” Principle:
Though the Jewish nation broke the Mosaic conditional covenant, God remained
faithful to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants…to always spare a remnant, to
bring Messiah forth from that line for those who believe – "from every tongue,
tribe and nation" on the earth. After these things I looked, and behold, a
great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and
tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a
loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs
to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Revelation 7:9-10)
The Time of Reformation – Hebrews 9:1-28 Facts: What It Says – Summarized –
Copies and
Shadows – Symbolism: The First Covenant – “ordinances of divine service…an earthly sanctuary…a tabernacle in which
were the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the
sanctuary. Behind the second veil – the
Holiest of All with th golden censer and the ark of the covenant in which were
the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory. The priests always went into the first part
of the tabernacle performing services.
But into the second part, only the high priest went alone once a
year…with blood…which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins.
It was…symbolic…for the present time in which both fits and
sacrifices are offered which…cannot…make him who performed the service perfect
in regard to conscience…concerned only with…foods and drinks, various washings,
fleshly ordinances…imposed…until…the
time of reformation.” The New Covenant: BUT CHRIST…came as…High Priest…of the good things to come…with
the greater and more perfect tabernacle…not made with hands…that is…not of this
creation. Not with the blood of goats
and calves…but with His own blood…He
entered the Most Holy Place…once…for all…having obtained…eternal redemption. For if…the blood of bulls and goats and the
ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean…sanctifies for the purifying of the
flesh…how much more….shall the blood
of Christ…who through the eternal Spirit…offered Himself…without spot…to
God…cleanse your conscience…from dead works…to serve the living God? And…for this reason…He is the
Mediator…of the new covenant…by means of death…for the
redemption of the transgressions…under the…first…covenant...that…those who are called…may receive the
promise…of the eternal inheritance. According
to the law…almost all things…are purified with blood…and without shedding of
blood…there is no redemption.
THEREFORE…it was necessary…that the…copies….of
the things in the heavens…should be purified…with these…but the heavenly things themselves…with
better sacrifices…than these. For
Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands…which
are…copies…of the true…but into…heaven
itself…now to appear in the presence of God…for us. Now…once…he has appeared…to
put away sin…by the sacrifice of Himself.
And…as it is appointed for men to die once…but after this…the judgment…so
Christ…was offered once…to bear the sins of man. To those…who eagerly wait for Him…He will appear
a second time…apart from sin…for salvation.” Principle: All for us…Christ, the Son of God,
sacrificed Himself…purifying us with His blood…that we may fellowship in His
Presence with holy God for eternity – His own, holy, blood-bought people –
brought to God for His honor and glory.
My Lessons and Applications:
His Word to guide me, with the help of His Holy Spirit indwelling me; His
righteousness imputed to me; my privilege of prayer before the very throne of
God in the Heavenly places; Jesus Christ in me, and I in Him…How can I honor
and glorify Him more with my life?
Dear soul, sit down and
behold the justice of God that must punish sin and see that punishment being
carried out on your Lord Jesus. Then
fall before Him in humility and joy and kiss the dear feet of Him whose blood
has atoned for your sins. It is a vain
exercise to find comfort in feeling sorry for your sin when your conscience has
been pricked, for this is simply a habit we learned when we were in bondage in
“Egypt.: The only cure for a guilty
conscience is to catch sight of Jesus suffering on the cross. The Levitical law teaches, “The life of every
creature is its blood.” (Lev. 17:14).
May we rest assured it is also the blood of Christ that is the life of
faith, joy, and every other gift of God’s holy grace. Remember…His blood…cleanses
our consciences…from dead works…to serve…the living God. (Hebrews 9:14)
Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening
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