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Date: Tue, 22 Aug 1995 10:50:54 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 45
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
Contents
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1. Deuteronomy 16:1 - The Passover
2. Zechariah 2:13 - Be silent before the LORD!
3. John 1:16 - A fulness of grace
1. Deuteronomy 16:1 - The Passover
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Reading: Deut.11:26-16:17
Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy
God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out
of Egypt by night.
The book of Deuteronomy consists of several sermons, pronounced by
Moses, directed to the people, while they stood before the borders of
the promised land. In this sermon, he speaks about many subjects. One
of them is in our text, where Moses exhorts the people to keep the
passover unto the LORD.
"Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD
thy God". Why must they observe this month? And why must they keep the
passover? And why must they do it unto the LORD their God? The answer
follows. Do so, "for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought
thee forth out of Egypt by night". God delivered the people out of
Egypt, that house of bondage, and therefore they must keep the
passover. God, in His grace, saved them from their utterly desperate
state of slavery, their in Egypt. He showed them His kindness, and
paternal care. Because God was the First, to do the people well, they
now will be thankful, and keep the passover unto the LORD, for a
remembrance of His mercy. Remember then always, people, how you were
delivered through the mighty hand of the LORD. You were not able to
deliver yourself. You cried unto the LORD. He heard your voice, came
down from heaven, and sent Moses to bring you out. Keep then always in
your memory, people, the paternal goodness of God. Observe therefore
Abib, the month wherein you were saved from your oppressors. In that
month, you were delivered through a mighty hand, and your journey
through the desert began. In the midst of the night, that last day in
Egypt, the LORD smote all the firstborn of Egypt, and led you out.
For us, it is long ago that these things happened. Very long ago.
It is impossible for us to understand what that has been for the
people of Israel, to be delivered from their oppressors, and to be set
in freedom after so many years of bondage. When we wish to understand
these things, it is necessary that we are delivered ourselves. Only
he, who is freed from his enemies, will understand a little of these
things. It can be, that we think that we live in a free land. However
it be, each of us has need of being delivered from the bondage of sin,
world, own depraved lusts, etc., which keep us under a heavy yoke. To
some of the people, God has showed His eternal pleasure, to deliver
them from the hand of Satan, who kept them in bondage during all their
life. To such people may be said, with a variant on our text: "Observe
the commandments, and keep them unto the LORD thy God; for in the time
of His pleasure the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of the house
of sin." To set His people in freedom, God sent His Son Jesus; to
deliver them, "who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:15) Like the children of Israel were
kept in bondage, also these people were kept in bondage of sin. As
long as Pharaoh did not oppress them, they lived in Egypt without much
problems. Likewise, as long as sin does not oppress us, we live in the
world without much problems. By the time, that God would save the
people out of Egypt, He made the bonds of slavery very hard for them
to bear, in order that they would cry to Him for deliverance.
Likewise, by the time that God will save some sinners, He begins to
make them feel the sins, and He makes the sin like a heavy burden on
their backs. When the sinner feels that burden, he begins to cry to
God for deliverance. When the time is there, God will save him through
Christ, and set him in freedom. "Serve Me then, saved sinner, for I am
your LORD". "Serve the Lord". (Romans 12:11) "Serve the LORD with
fear, and rejoice with trembling." (Psalms 2:11) Saved sinner, keep
always in memory, that God was the First. It was His pleasure to save
you, not because of something in you, but because of His eternal
decree.
2. Zechariah 2:13 - Be silent before the LORD!
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Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of
his holy habitation.
This verse is the last one of the first two chapters of this prophecy
of the prophet Zechariah. In these chapters, we read God's words,
given through the holy prophet, concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem
and the cities of Judah, after the destruction by the Babylonians.
After the seventy years, the LORD would again show His compassion. He
promises the restoration of the nation. Some texts of these chapters
will make that clear.
- The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers. (1:2)
- Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts,
how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities
of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these
threescore and ten years? (1:12)
- Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through
prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet
comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. (1:17)
- And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying,
Jerusalem shall be inhabited [as] towns without walls for the
multitude of men and cattle therein: (2:4)
- And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and
shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and
thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
(2:11)
The prophet begins with the cause of their captivity. Then he shows
the angel, praying for mercy on Jerusalem and Judah. The LORD promises
that He shall comfort Zion, and that there will dwell a multitude of
people therein. Moreover, many of the nation shall be joined to the
LORD on that day.
All these things seemed nearly unbelievable. For, when there was
but a rest in Babylon, how could they become such a great multitude?
There promises were so great, and the enemies were so many, that it
was difficult to believe it. The fathers had sinned so grievously, and
would the LORD now show mercy?
To assure his hearers of the truth of these good words, the
prophet says, in our text: "Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD:
for he is raised up out of his holy habitation." In saying, "be
silent, O all flesh", he means: Submit yourself, people, to the LORD;
be silent before Him. God's people, does it seem unbelievable? Be
silent, for God is true, and He will surely accomplish all, even above
your expectations. Unbelievers, be silent before the LORD; stop
ridiculing God's words, as if they are unfeasible. Be silent, O all
flesh, before the LORD: "for He is raised up out of His holy
habitation". The LORD seemed to do nothing during these seventy years
of devastation, but now, He again will show that He is God, and nobody
else. He is raised up out of His holy habitation. He sat down there,
doing nothing special for Jerusalem and Judah, but now, He is raised
up to their help. "Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, like a
mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. And he smote his enemies
in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach." (Psalms
78:65,66)
It is then sure, despite the sabotaging enemies, despite the weak
power of the builders, despite all adversity and unbelief, that the
LORD will rebuild Jerusalem, and will give then a safe dwelling place
there. Be silent then, both unbelievers and believers, for the LORD
has spoken it; and that is why it is true. He is raised up out of His
holy habitation, to fulfil His words.
This holy habitation is heaven, as appears from other places.
"Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people
Israel". (Deuteronomy 26:15) "Look down from heaven, and behold from
the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory." (Isaiah 63:15)
If then there is one, who has heard the word of God, the good
word, the merciful word, and if these things seem too great for him,
let him then pay attention to our text. If the unbelieving reasonings
inside of him raise their wicked voices, let him say: "Be silent, O
all reasonings, for God is faithful". If all external enemies laugh at
you, because you have put your trust in God, say then: "Be silent, O
all flesh, for the LORD is at my side". If things seem too great for
you, say to yourself: Be silent, O weak unbeliever, before the LORD:
for He is raised up out of His holy habitation", to do all what He
said.
3. John 1:16 - A fulness of grace
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And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
(John 1:16)
John, the apostle, the author of the book John, is here speaking about
His beloved Master, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. John is
speaking about the grace he received. And not only he, but also the
other people, to whom he belonged. "We all", says he, "have received
grace for grace, of Jesus' fulness". Grace for grace, that means, that
we all received the one grace after the other. There was and is no end
of God's graces, exhibited in Christ His Son. The one grace follows
the other, and they all come from His fulness. Jesus is so full of
grace, that there is never an end of it.
It is a great grace, that we are called by God according to His
purpose. The first grace was, that God foreknew us. Then the next
grace followed, when He predestinated us to be conformed to the image
of Jesus, His Son, that we might be His brethren. After the grace of
predestination, the grace of our calling followed. The next grace was
our justification in God's sight. The next grace follows, when we will
be glorified. All these graces flowed from Jesus' fulness, of which
there was no end. His fulness can be compared with the vine. All
branches which are in the vine, receive from its fluid. That is why
Jesus said: "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in
me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me
ye can do nothing." (John 15:5) There is never an end of Jesus
fulness, "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
(Colossians 2:9) Therefore, there will also never be an end of His
graces, which He bestows on us.
Does anyone lack something? Are you trying to please God, but you
experience that all your attempts fail? If this is the case, you have
need of God's grace, yea, graces for graces. Only with these graces,
you are able to please God. Have you lack of righteousness? Go to
Jesus, who is full of righteousness, and is ready to give it to all
who call upon His Name. Are you wearied of all your attempts? "Come
unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest." (Matthew 11:28)
On the other hand, are there perhaps people who are abusing God's
grace. Are you thinking, "once saved is always saved; so it matters
not what I am doing, for I am saved"? If you think thus, then you are
abusing God's grace, and it will be taken from you. What you fancied
to have, (but not had in reality) will be taken from you. For, when
you really had received God's graces, you also had received the grace
of holiness. But since you are unholy, you proved that you are not,
and never have been, a partaker of God's graces.
Come to Me, says Jesus, all you that labour and are heavy laden
(not those who lay at an idle rest); come to Me, all you that labour,
and bear an unbearable yoke, and I will give you rest.
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Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
Listowner of chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
Institute Practical Bible-education
Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
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