Revival service tonight referenced 1 Chron. 15:2:
Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.
Notice last phrase--to minister unto him for ever.
Other references on this: Ex. 40:15; Num. 25:13; Is. 66:21-24; Jer. 33:17-22.
The Jews will be around for ever. Satan will not be able to destroy them in this age or in the great tribulation (Rev. 12:13-17), and they will be preserved through the millenial kingdom right on into eternity! "But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end" (for ever; cf. Eph. 3:21).
Monday, October 29, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Remember the Past, or Forget It?
Paul tells us to do both, depending on the context (emphasis mine below).
Eph. 2:11-13. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Phil. 3:13-14. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [I think that the direct reference is to Phil. 3:7, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."]
So, in one sense we should forget our past life, and in another we should remember it. A good example is Joseph in Gen. 41:51, "And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house." Obviously he had't forgot these things entirely, else he wouldn't have mentioned them. The point was that he wasn't letting them hinder him in the present, with God's help. The same is true of Paul: he hadn't totally forgot his past (Phil. 3:4-6), but he was pressing forward in his knowledge of Christ and not clinging to his previous righteousness. In Eph. 2:11-12 we're emphatically told to remember some things from the past, which are actually negative, to accentuate something positive in the present (v. 13). So there is a place for remembeing the past, as long as it edifies and doesn't hinder us in the present.
Eph. 2:11-13. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Phil. 3:13-14. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [I think that the direct reference is to Phil. 3:7, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."]
So, in one sense we should forget our past life, and in another we should remember it. A good example is Joseph in Gen. 41:51, "And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house." Obviously he had't forgot these things entirely, else he wouldn't have mentioned them. The point was that he wasn't letting them hinder him in the present, with God's help. The same is true of Paul: he hadn't totally forgot his past (Phil. 3:4-6), but he was pressing forward in his knowledge of Christ and not clinging to his previous righteousness. In Eph. 2:11-12 we're emphatically told to remember some things from the past, which are actually negative, to accentuate something positive in the present (v. 13). So there is a place for remembeing the past, as long as it edifies and doesn't hinder us in the present.
Paul's Prayers (Continued)
If Psalms is the prayer book of Israel in the Old Testament (and probably the great tribulation and kingdom age), then I would assert that the Pauline epistles are the prayer books of the church age. As I mentioned in my previous post ("Paul's Prayers for the Lost"), we should follow Paul's example in prayer by praying for the things he prayed for (e.g. Rom. 15:5-6; 2 Cor. 12:7; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 3:14-21; Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9-11; 1 Thes. 5:23-24; 2 Thes. 2:16-17; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:7; Phile. 4-6, etc.). The foregoing references are specific prayers, but remember that any expression of the will of God for believers in Paul's epistles could be turned into prayer. For example, where Paul is beseeching the Corinthians for unity, you could beseech the Lord for unity in a church, churches, or the entire body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:25; Eph. 6:18). A popular bumper sticker says, "Think globally, act locally." This could apply to the body of Christ as well. Think globally--pray for all saints; support missions--and act locally...in your church, hometown, and sphere of influence.
Paul's Prayers for the Lost
The apostle Paul is the pattern for all believers in this age (1 Cor. 4:17, 11:1; Phil. 3:17, 4:9; 1 Thes. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 2:7, etc.). Therefore, we should pay close attention to each aspect of his life, e.g. his prayers. What Paul prays for is what we should be praying for, and, arguably, what Christ is praying for us above (Rom. 8:34), where the prayers are for believers.
Paul does pray for the lost as well (Rom. 10:1, 1 Tim. 2:1-4). He prays for lost Jews to be saved in Rom. 10:1 and for saved Jews ("the Israel of God") in Gal. 6:16 (mercy and peace on them). Note that both of these passages were written during the Acts period, when Israel had special gospel privileges under Paul's ministry (Rom. 1:16). So it may not be incumbent on us to pray for the Jews today in distinction from other men (1 Tim. 2:1-4), since their special privileges have passed, but these passages do show that Paul prayed for the lost, and so should we.
Paul does pray for the lost as well (Rom. 10:1, 1 Tim. 2:1-4). He prays for lost Jews to be saved in Rom. 10:1 and for saved Jews ("the Israel of God") in Gal. 6:16 (mercy and peace on them). Note that both of these passages were written during the Acts period, when Israel had special gospel privileges under Paul's ministry (Rom. 1:16). So it may not be incumbent on us to pray for the Jews today in distinction from other men (1 Tim. 2:1-4), since their special privileges have passed, but these passages do show that Paul prayed for the lost, and so should we.
Welcome to My Blog
Greetings, friends and enquirers. The posts on this blog will be from my personal Bible study (AV 1611), sermon notes, and anything else that I think will be edifying (Eph. 4:29). I welcome your comments and...corrections (2 Tim. 3:16). May the Lord richly bless you as you study his word.
D. M. Jared
Atlanta, Georgia
D. M. Jared
Atlanta, Georgia
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