The previous blog posts have talked about the Mosaic Law requiring eight sacrifices and each dealing with a specific heart or relational issue. Only through Christ can we be transferred from Satan’s kingdom into which we are all born and be able to enter Christ’s kingdom. This is the fulfilled symbolism of the burnt offering. By partaking and learning from him we can grow in him which is called the process of sanctification. This is the fulfillment of the grain offering. Christ’s sacrifice has restored the fellowship with God which was severed due to Adam’s sin. And this is the fulfillment of the peace or fellowship offering. And because we now have fellowship with him, our communication with him has been resorted—representing the need for the sin offering. And not only between God and us, but with each other with the guilt we suffered removed as symbolized by the guilt offering. God is pleased with being able to do this for us, which is represented by the drink offering, and he can be joyful because he no longer remembers any of our sins any longer, as the scapegoat represents. Even though he has paid for all our sins, past, present, and future, we still become unclean by living in a sinful world and because of our human nature, so he provides us continual cleansing if we only confess to him thereby making us clean again as symbolized by the ashes of the red heifer.

While the sacrificial system under the Mosaic Law was quite cumbersome, we can see through this that each was necessary because sin entraps us in more ways than one. Yet, Jesus Christ was able to untangle us completely, declaring us righteous, and thereby fit to be with him forever with the approval of the Father and with the enablement of the Holy Spirit.

So, what does all this mean for us? Christ is now fulfilling his second role for coming. We find this in Hebrews: “Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ But in fact, the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises (Hb 8:1-7).”

What are these better promises? Let’s compare the promises from the Old and New Covenants. We could likely make a litany of promises to list, but here are a few key ones:

Old Covenant: Holy Spirit was not permanent; New Covenant: Holy Spirit is permanent. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come and go. This is one reason David prayed for the LORD to not take his Spirit from him. Today, once we accept Christ as our Savior, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us forever.

Old Covenant: justice was required by the Law because of one’s actions; New Covenant: mercy is applied instead. Because Christ paid for our sins, we can receive mercy rather than justice because Christ’s blood paid what justice required.

Old Covenant: there was no victory over death (all went to Sheol whether they were just or unjust, although there were different places within Sheol for each category); Yet neither were with Christ, their Messiah. Satan still controlled the keys to death and Sheol. New Covenant: we have received victory over death because, once we die, if we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we will be with Christ our Messiah at that moment and forever. Christ took the righteous to heaven and gained back the keys to death and Sheol.

Old Covenant: no power over sin; sacrifices were required and had to be repeated often; New Covenant: we have power over sin because Christ paid for our past, present, and future sins. We can have the mind of Christ and can operate within the same power that raised Christ from the dead because we have the Holy Spirit within us.

Old Covenant: people lived with a hope of their coming Messiah; New Covenant: we have an assurance of an eternity with Christ, our Messiah, forever.

What is Required? Romans 10:10 says, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and be saved.”

We must first realize something. What does that mean? It means to become aware of something as a fact. What is that fact? That we are wicked at heart. Jeremiah tells us the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jr 17:9).

We then need to believe. What does that really mean? It means we accept something as true. What do we need to accept? That Christ died on the cross for our sins and has freed us from the power of sin over us.

That leads us to confess. Meaning what? We must admit we are at fault in some way. We confess what we just realized: that we are a sinner and cannot change that fact on our own. Then we confess our belief in what Christ did for us knowing there is no other way or no other hope for us.

Next, we accept. And that means to take something offered to you. Christ paid the debt required for our sin and did so as a gift to us, but that does us no good unless we accept this gift. While it is free to us, it was quite costly for Christ. How can we not accept something so preciously obtained? By doing so, we receive the Holy Spirit which dwells within us, guides us, and helps us to be more like Christ as we walk with Him.

Then, we live with assurance. How is that done? One makes one’s home in a particular place with a particular person. By accepting this precious but free gift of salvation, we can know with certainty that our home will be with Christ forever. His presence dwells with us now and forever.

It has always been about the heart. The real question is: to whom does yours belong?

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Christ came with the purpose of fulfilling three roles that are laid out for him in the Old Testament: Prophet, Priest, and King. Each must be fulfilled in a successive manner because each subsequent role was built upon the fulfillment of the previous role.

Moses stated, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him” (Dt 18:15). Jesus Christ came as a prophet like Moses. How like Moses? He cared deeply for his people, he was patient with them and taught them, he was also harsh at times with the Jewish leaders because they distorted the true intent of Torah; some people adored him, and others ridiculed and despised him. This role of Christ was necessary for him to come and pay the price for the sin of rebellion that Adam placed upon the world and its inhabitants and to fulfill all requirements of the Mosaic Law. Christ could not fulfill the other duties until this one was complete. He came not just for the Jews, but for the entire world.

The writer of Hebrews said, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess” (Hb 4:14). Christ fulfilling his role as prophet set him up for this next role as our high priest to make intercession for us, cleanse us as we sin, and as we are sanctified and carry out his plan of building his Church, his bride, until his return. His Holy Spirit then provides the unity in his bride so she will be pure and without blemish at his return.

Once Christ’s role as our high priest and intercessor is fulfilled, he will come as King of kings and set up his earthly rule. The book of Revelation tells us, “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rv 19:16). This is what the Jewish leaders were expecting from Jesus when he first came because the Scriptures prescribed these actions to their coming Messiah. Yet, these duties had to be performed in a certain order to accomplish God’s plan for the entire world.

So, at Christ’s first coming, he fulfilled the eight sacrifices we have been discussing over the last several posts. Join me next time and I’ll summarize this, how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law, and how he set up the way for his New Covenant with us.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

There are three places where Christ’s crucifixion was possible. There are pros and cons to each of them. Some are quite adamant about one of these three. Yet I don’t think there is hard-fast evidence of either one. Each has merit. Let’s see where they are located.

One of the most-held beliefs of where Christ was crucified is at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Its location is outside the western city gate of Old Jerusalem and would have been on a main thoroughfare which led traffic to and from Damascus. This is probably the place most Catholics and many Protestants revere and celebrate as the place of Christ’s crucifixion. It receives thousands of visitors each year. It is located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City and close to both the Jaffa and Damascus Gates.

The second most-held belief of the place of Christ’s crucifixion is the Garden Tomb. It is located not far from the Damascus Gate on the north side of the city. Its location would have been near a main thoroughfare going into the city. It is quite peaceful and beautiful there. Probably more Protestants than Catholics revere this site as the place of Christ’s crucifixion and burial. The city’s bus depot is just on the other side of the garden wall and adjacent to it is a place that looks somewhat like a skull and the main reason it is thought to be the place of Calvary where Jesus was crucified.

Some people believe that neither of these places are correct. If Christ was to fulfill all eight of the sacrifices mentioned in the Mosaic Law, then he would need to be crucified near where the red heifer was sacrificed and that would be on the Mount of Olives near the Garden of Gethsemane. Near the base of the mount is the Church of Nations (Basilica of the Agony) and the Garden of Gethsemane is right next to it. This would also be near a main road to get to Jerusalem coming in from Jericho, through Bethany, and then through Bethphage at the top of the Mount of Olives (although that town is not there today). Jewish graves would be below the bridge and could be a potential place for Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Many Jews clamored to be buried here. Therefore, typically, only the wealthy could afford the price to be buried here. Most Jews believed their Messiah would enter Jerusalem from the east when he came to set up his kingdom and resurrect the faithful. Then they would be among the first resurrected so they would then be able to enter the Eastern Gate with him.

No matter which of these places you believe is the place of Christ’s crucifixion, it is important to know that this was an actual event of history and set the stage for his New Covenant. But was this the only role that Christ needed to fulfill when he came? Join me next time and we’ll discuss that subject.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

There is a unique offering of a red heifer that was made to prepare water for cleansing (Nu 19:1-22). The ashes from this sacrifice mixed with water was used to cleanse anyone who encountered death in some form or fashion. The priest who oversaw the sacrifice, the one who burned the animal, and the one who gathered up the ashes each had to wash after their duties were fulfilled before he could enter the city, and he remained unclean until the sun set. The Jewish rabbis taught that this sacrifice was a great mystery because those clean became unclean producing the ashes that made the unclean clean.

There were several specific requirements for this sacrifice and they all parallel the actions Christ did on the cross and what he accomplished doing that for us.

The animal had to be a heifer (female). This was the only sacrifice that required the animal to be female. Other sacrifices were male or could be either male or female. Yet this one was specifically required to be female. Christ’s body is the Church, his bride. The heifer was required to be female because life comes through females; also, all those in Christ become his bride.

The animal also had to be without defects or blemish, and had to be completely red, likely symbolizing blood. The animal could never have been under a yoke. We know that Christ never submitted himself to anyone but God, the Father. The entire body of the animal was sacrificed. According to the Jewish Midrash (something akin to a Jewish scripture commentary), the heifer was brought to the place of sacrifice on her own, that is, she went voluntarily to the Mount of Olives to her place of sacrifice. Christ offered himself willingly for us as well.

The heifer was sacrificed outside the camp, just as Christ was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem, and the heifer was forced to face west (toward the tabernacle). In the Midrash we read, “A causeway was made from the temple mount to the Mount of Olives, being constructed of arches above arches, each arch placed directly above each pier as a protection against a grave in the depths, whereby the priest who was to burn the cow, the cow itself, and all who aided in its preparation went forth to the Mount of Olives” (Misnah Parah 3:6). This allowed the priests to go across the Kidron Valley and over the cemetery at the foot of the Mount of Olives without becoming defiled or unclean.

This offering symbolized a one-time sacrifice. Although, technically, it had to be repeated when the ashes eventually ran out. We can see this symbolism as only nine sacrifices of this type were ever made from the time of Moses until the first century (about a 1500-year time span). Jesus himself was the tenth. The number ten represents completion of a divine order. Christ died once for the sins of mankind: past, present, and future. The heifer was a one-time thing (until the ashes ran out, of course), and symbolized a one-time sacrifice that was for the entire congregation and allowed perpetual cleansing going forward–just as Christ forgave all our sins as a one-time sacrifice.

The blood of the heifer was sprinkled seven times toward the tabernacle (or temple when it was erected in Jerusalem). The entire tabernacle/temple was a representation of Christ and his work of atonement. The number seven is a number representing perfection. Christ was the perfect fulfillment of all the symbolism of the tabernacle and its furniture.

The animal was burned with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool. In total, these items represent humility: the removal of pride (cedar), the need for cleansing (hyssop), and the removal of sin (scarlet wool). Christ was the only human devoid of sin. Only he was without sin and only he could save all of humanity.

Christ blood was the atonement for our sin and the drink offering for us. Priests became unclean when they performed the ceremony of sacrifice – the priests are representations of Christ who became unclean as he took on the sins of mankind. Christ was made clean (righteous and glorified) before he entered the city again.

We are continuously made clean by our confession of our sins and cleansed by the Holy Spirit. John tells us, “If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).

The ashes of the heifer when mixed with water would make one clean from having touched death–Adam plunged all mankind into death separating all who came after from God. Christ brings us back from spiritual death into his light where we can dwell with Him forever.

This sacrifice therefore represents our need for continual cleansing.

As you can see, Jesus Christ fulfilled all eight of the required sacrifices and, in essence, fulfilled the whole of the Law of Moses. The Old Covenant wasn’t cancelled; it was fulfilled. Christ created a New Covenant with his blood because the Old Covenant did not need to be followed any longer because he completed it.

Where exactly was Jesus Crucified? Join me next time for that discussion.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

God had not spoken prophetically to Israel for nearly 400 years! Then he showed up in a big way fulfilling many prophetic announcements of his arrival. Was Israel ready? No, not really. It’s hard to realize you are living through fulfilled prophecy. Doing so tests all your preconceived ideas of what it would be like if you were to do so. But now, it’s not a thought process. It’s real. It tests the mettle of your beliefs. We find this awesome time of God becoming human in Matthew Chapter 1 and Luke Chapter 2.

His coming was on the heels of the Hasmonean Dynasty. Around 168 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire of Persia suppressed the Jews greatly and went so far as to desecrate their temple in Jerusalem, and a priest by the name of Judas Maccabeus initiated a seven-year rebellion which gained momentum very quickly, known as the Maccabean Revolt. During this time, Jerusalem and the temple was regained with the temple being rededicated. This time became known as the celebration of Hanukkah where the amount of oil for the temple menorah was just enough to last a day, but it lasted for eight days giving time for more of the sacred oil to be prepared. After a seven-year battle, Judas was killed in battle and his brother, Jonathan, led the Jews to an eventual defeat of their enemies and was made not only High Priest, but king as well, initiating the Hasmonean Dynasty where the priesthood and kingship were merged for almost twenty-two years. Rivalry between sons for kingship brought Rome into their midst due to these siblings’ thirst for power, and Rome never left. Eventually, Rome took over the position of power and even controlled the power of the high priest by housing the ephod worn by the high priest within the Roman Tower of Antonia built adjacent to the temple.

Various religious sects emerged which diluted the truth of scripture even through the tradition of scripture became even stronger in their culture. While Scripture became a nationalistic symbol of the Jews, it became less about personal belief in God and more about the celebration of tradition surrounding those beliefs. Israel had lost their way both as a nation physically and spiritually. Now, God decided to step in and show the error of their interpretation of scripture as well as reveal to them how they had come to serve the Law rather than having the Law serve them and point them to God.

God revealed himself as El Hakavod, God of Glory. God revealed his glory to mankind through the birth of Jesus Christ just as the ancient prophets had foretold. He was Jehovah Ori, the Lord my Light. Jesus illuminated the way to the proper way to God. He was El Tamim, Perfect God. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for mankind. He was El Nasah, God who Forgives. His action on the cross gives us forgiveness. He was Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. We are declared righteous because of him taking our place. Christ, as our Messiah, restored what Satan took from Adam and gave us power to be the Children of God and joint heirs with Christ.

From this example presented today and all the examples presented in previous posts we have discussed, I think we can conclude that God is predictably unpredictable. He always showed up, and while he presented a side of himself that fit the occasion, he did not typically present himself as people expected or desired. Let’s do a quick recap:

Flood – God was decisive, appeared malicious at first glance, but we find him extremely gracious once we understand what was at stake and what Satan had actually done. We must see the why and not just the what.

Tower of Babel – Here God appears lenient—just the opposite of what we observed from him showing up at the Flood. Here, he let people continue but with new confinements. We see here that God wants the best for us.

Red Sea – God made the Israelites sweat it out to get them to realize their dependence on him. Our battle is not with those we can see but with those forces we can’t see.

Hezekiah – God even let others get destroyed to teach a valuable lesson to those who remained. God let Hezekiah help preserve his people but made him realize only through dependence on him would their victory be assured. Turning to God is not insurance but assurance. Through this example we see the powerful weapon prayer actually is for us.

Birth of Christ – Jesus did not come as the religious leaders had expected their Messiah to come and reveal himself. Jesus taught what they did not expect. He seemed practically anti-Scripture to them because they had applied their own desires to Scripture and not let Scripture formulate their ideas. We need to be on the same page as God and not vice versa.

Today – Do we have an expectation of how God will show up? Do we expect him to show up? Are we willing to be surprised and willing to change and adapt to how he decides to show up? We do not want to be like the Pharisees and miss the blessings that are in store for us.

Join me next time when we take these examples and apply them to our situation today. You may even be surprised at our findings. Please join me.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Birth, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension

Year of Prophecy: © 3760 BC (Genesis 3:15)

Year of Fulfillment:  3 BC (birth: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7)

Time until fulfillment: 3757 years

There are many prophecies in the Bible regarding the birth of Christ, but Genesis 3:15 is the first. There are too many prophecies with correct fulfillment to be mere coincidence. A few are the following: a descendant of King David and of King Solomon (2Sa 7:12-17, 1Ch 28:4-5; Mt 1:1, 6-7), would be preceded by a forerunner (Is 40:3, Ml 3:1; Mk 1:2-4, Mt 3:1-3), born of a virgin (Is 7:13-14; Mt 1:18-25, Lk 1:26-35), the time of His coming given (Da 9:24-27; Mk 11:1-11, Lk 19:29-38), the place of birth given (Mi 5:2-3; Lk 2:1-7, Mt 2:1-6), and a celestial announcement of His birth (Nu 24:17; Mt 2:1-2). With the birth of Eve’s first son, Cain, there was hope that God’s promise was being fulfilled since his name probably meant ‘acquired.’ However, Cain turned out to be the first murderer! Satan had lost no time. He was at work in the life of Cain (Jn 8:44) and has worked throughout history to try and prevent Christ’s birth and the effectiveness of those serving Christ.

Christ’s death was also foretold. Christ was betrayed by a friend (Ps 41:9; Jn 13:21) for 30 pieces of sliver (Zc 11:12; Mt 26:15, Lk 22:5) which was used to buy a potter’s field (Zc 11:13; Mt 27:9-10), forsaken by friends (Zc 13:7; Mt 26:56), accused by false witnesses (Ps 35:11; Mt 26:60), silent to accusations (Is 53:7; Mt 27:14), spat upon, smitten and scourged (Is 50:6, 53:5; Mt 27:26, 30), was crucified with criminals (Is 53:12; Mt 27:35), was pierced (Zc 12:10; Jn 19:34) but no bones were broken (Nu 9:12, Ps 34:20; Jn 19:33-36), and was buried with the rich (Is 53:9; Mt 27:57, 60). In addition, Christ’s resurrection was foretold (Ps 16:10-11, 49:15; Mk 16:6) as well as His ascension (Ps 68:18, 110:1; Lk 24:51, Acts 1:9).

One event in and of itself may not be convincing, but the sheer number of the events which were prophesied and fulfilled become overwhelmingly persuasive. As we see above, it was almost 4000 years before Christ came after God stated He would come, but the timing of His coming was as God desired (Gal 4:4). During the interval between the prophecy and its fulfillment, God allowed so many prophecies to be stated. This should have been overwhelmingly convincing to everyone when Christ did arrive on the scene. However, doubt is a very effective tool used by Satan (Gen 3:1). We should not allow time to be a factor in our thinking of prophetic fulfillment because the concept of time is a human phenomenon and not God’s (2 Pet 3:8). Our source of belief should be on what God said and not the time it takes for its fulfillment.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Last post, we found out that God’s fingerprint is found is the very essence of matter itself. All of matter is composed of atoms. So, let’s go deep and look at the essence of atoms like we did the essence of God.

An atom is further divided into its nucleus, composed of protons and neutrons, and electrons. If we go even deeper, we find that protons and neutrons are composed of even smaller particles called quarks. Now for all you science fiction fans out there, I am not talking about Quark the Ferengi on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I am talking about, as far as we know, the most basic building blocks of all matter.

There are six types of quarks, yet only two are the building blocks of protons and neutrons. Now you would think that if these were the most basic building blocks of atoms, they would have a profound name. I don’t know what was in the scientist’s brain at the time. Can you imagine going up to him and saying, “I hear you found the most basic building block of all matter, what did name did you give it?” And he simply replies, “Up” and “Down.” Sort of anticlimactic. That’s like going to Baskin Robins which has, or used to have 31 flavors, and asking for vanilla. Anyway, that’s what they named them.

What prevents the nucleus of an atom from exploding apart? After all, if protons are positively charged, wouldn’t they repel each other? Well, a proton is made up of two Up quarks and one Down quark, and a neutron is made up of two Down quarks and one Up quark. There is something else to ponder here. There are gluons which hold the quarks together. Let’s look more at these.

So, the gluons not only hold quarks together within a proton or neutron, but between them as well. This is what keeps the protons from flying apart. This effect of the gluons is called the Strong Force because it keeps the protons and neutrons within the nucleus and makes the nucleus stable. This Strong Force overcomes the repulsion force between the protons.

Now, here is where God’s fingerprint comes into play. These quarks are individual units, but you can never observe them as separate units even though they are. Doesn’t that remind you of the 1st and 2nd Persons of the Godhead? They are individual, but you cannot separate them. Christ stated, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30), and “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). The effect of the gluons, I think, is a corollary to the Holy Spirit. He is the Strong Force which allows the Justice and Love of God to co-exist without repelling each other. We, too, are like protons. We naturally repel God. Paul tells us in Romans 8:7 -8 that we are naturally hostile toward God and cannot please him. Yet, once we are drawn to God, the Holy Spirit is the force which binds us to him and never lets us go. Christ stated. “…no one will snatch them out of my hand” (Jn 10:29). We are held by the Strong Force.

So, there you have it. This is a picture of God’s fingerprint. It is in the very essence of all matter. If God created all matter, isn’t this where you would expect it to be?

Yet, there is another building block of an atom that reveals more about the Trinity of God. That is the electron. They are typically depicted as travelling around the nucleus as discrete particles. Yet, that is not a true representation of electrons. Science teaches us that electrons are not discrete particles and are not in any one place. One must use a probability function in order to describe an electron, even if an atom has only one electron. It can be anywhere and everywhere, yet the most likely place is a certain distance from the nucleus. You can detect it in any moment in time, but never predict where it will be. Doesn’t this also remind you of the omnipresence of God? He can be anywhere and everywhere yet be right beside you when you call on Him.

Okay, let’s summarize.

• God left his fingerprint upon creation.

• Science points to him – no matter how we try to explain it away.

• We believe in quantum physics and it’s “weird science” as fact, but can’t believe in a holy, unique God?

• God’s justice is revealed from God the Father; God’s love is revealed from God the Son; yet they cannot be viewed separately – just as quarks cannot be viewed separately from each other.

• The Holy Spirit binds the attributes of God the Father and God the Son together to be shared with us.

• Just as gluons create the strong force, the Holy Spirit creates a strong force between the members of the Trinity so they can never be separated.

• Once we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ep 1:13), this strong force binds us to God so we also cannot be separated from Him.

• If we can believe in how an atom is composed and operates, then we can believe in a Triune God and what He tells us of Himself.

We had stated that science points to the truth (it cannot be equivalent to truth) and that God is truth. God’s word [2nd person of Trinity] became flesh [Jesus Christ] (Jn 1:1). Jesus Christ stated, “I [2nd person of Trinity] and the Father [1st person of Trinity] are one” (Jn 10:30) and “Whoever has seen me [2nd person of Trinity] has seen the Father [1st person of Trinity]” (Jn 14:9).

We can change around the first sentence of the previous paragraph. God is equivalent to Truth and Truth is equivalent to Science. Although Science cannot be equivalent to Truth unless the Truth is known. Since God is Truth, then what ever God reveals will be true Science.

When science reveals truth, it reveals God just as God’s word reveals God. Therefore, true Science will always jive with God’s word. Because, as we have seen Science reveals the fingerprint of God.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

What does God’s fingerprint look like? The names of God help us to understand God’s character, but not God’s basic essence. So, what is God’s basic essence? Hashilush Hakadosh – Holy Trinity

Why is this important? It’s the foundation of who God is. It’s how he is unique. It’s how he is able to do what he does. It’s how he relates to us. This is why Lucifer became Satan, the Adversary, because he claimed to be as God. But God is holy – unique – no one can be like him.

So, there it is, his fingerprint, his uniqueness. Who else can claim to be Three-in-One? One part of holiness is being pure and righteous. Yet, the other meaning is that of uniqueness – being like none other. This certainly puts him into a category all by himself. God, the 1st part of the Trinity, became known as God the Father, the 2nd part of the Trinity became God the Son because he came to earth as a child to identify with mankind and pay the ransom for their sin, and the 3rd part of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. They each have a job to do yet cannot be fully separated from each other.

So, does the Bible really support such a uniqueness to God? It is not explicitly stated. Why? I think because it is his essence, his fingerprint. You don’t have to state a certain fingerprint is yours, do you? It identifies you as you. You don’t have to claim it, it claims you.

In Genesis 1:1-2, it states that God (i.e., Elohim, a plural noun and a unique form in Hebrew) created (i.e., bara, a singular verb, utilizing the qal stem of Hebrew grammar and this form of the word is used exclusively for the activity of God in which he fashions something new and pristine). Then, in verse 2, the Spirit of God is mentioned. In addition, we find the words “us” and “our” in verse 26. These verses support the idea of God being Trinity.

If this was the only place in scripture which supported this, then we could debate, but there are others. In Exodus, we also find the Trinity of God revealed to Israel. “And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death’” (Ex 19:10-12). Here we see the justice of God being revealed.

“On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him (Ex 19:16-19). Here, we see the 1st Person of the Trinity being revealed to Israel.

We then find something very unusual. “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something, like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank” (Ex 24:9-11). Here, we see the love of God being revealed, and we meet the 2nd Person of the Trinity.

In an account in Numbers, we find more. “The LORD said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone’” (Nu 11:16-17). Here, we see the omnipresence of God is revealed by the 3rd Person of the Trinity.

Then, in the New Testament, we see a culmination of all the components of the Trinity. “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’” (Mk 1:9-11). This is 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Person of the Trinity working in concert.

Therefore, God can have pure justice and pure love co-exist together. They could exist no other way. Yet, that doesn’t mean God the Father is all justice and God the Son is all love. They are the same, yet different. The Bible tells us that one day God the Son, who has bestowed upon us the love of God, will one day bestow God’s justice to everyone who has not accepted him as their Savior. For those who have accepted him as their Savior, their ransom has been paid so God’s justice will not impact them.

How do we grasp the concept of Trinity? Why do we try to ignore the concept of Trinity? Why do we try to make it out as something impossible? Is there anything in nature that supports such a concept? The Answer is YES. God’s fingerprint is found is the very essence of matter itself. Isn’t that where you would expect it to be?

We’ll further explore this aspect next time, but don’t wait. God is unique so you can rely upon him. It’s hard to believe someone ordinary can so the impossible, but someone unique, like no other . . . now, that’s a different story. He’s waiting. Just talk to him.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

You may have heard the story many times about the three wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. We’ve had previous discussions about was it really three, when they came, and how much of an uproar did they really cause when they met Herod. Yet, I want to focus on the gifts they gave. We read the following in Scripture: “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Mt 2:11).

I’m sure those are not really the gifts you’re hoping for on Christmas morning. Although, gold wouldn’t be so bad, right? But what would you do with frankincense and myrrh? Maybe you’ve heard, “gifts for a king” as the explanation. But why? True, they are all expensive and that is what one would expect someone to give to a king – expensive gifts. Yet, there is more to it than just that. Gold, of course, can, and does, represent his kingly stature. For indeed, he was to become the King of kings (Rv 17:14; 19:16). Frankincense was a spice used in incense and was used in the preparation of the incense used by the priests for worshipping God in the temple (Ex 30:34). Myrrh was a spice used for many things, but also commonly used on the dead for burial (Jn 19:39).

These gifts represented the three stations Christ would fulfill: prophet, priest, and king. Well, this is the order that we normally think, and it is the order in which Christ fulfilled these stations. Yet, this is the reverse order the Magi gave the gifts. Is that significant? I think so. Christ was a prophet at his first coming (Dt 18:15; Mt 13:57, 14:5, 21:11; Lk 1:76, 4:24; Jn 4:19, 6:14, 7:40), and like most prophets, he was killed. Myrrh was used to anoint his dead body for burial. Today, he is our high priest (Hb 4:14-15; 8:1 – 9:28). Therefore, frankincense was a very suitable gift. He is coming back as a king and will reign (Rv 17:14; 19:16). Gold was a very suitable gift to represent this.

Yet, as we stated, the gifts were given in the reverse order of how Christ fulfilled, and will fulfill, them. That is because the gift of king was given first. That is what the angel Gabriel proclaimed to Mary (Lk 1:31-33), that is what John the Baptist proclaimed and offered to the people (Mt 3:1-2), and that is what Christ first offered at the beginning of his ministry (Mt 4:17). Gold – his kingship – was offered first. It was rejected by many people and the leaders of Israel. Therefore, what was offered first became what will be given last. But that did not alter God’s perfect plan because we still benefited as he offered himself as the sacrifice for our sins and now intercedes for us. Yet, this first offer is still offered to us. Yet now, we must first accept the myrrh and frankincense in order to have the gold. Are you willing? Will you accept the myrrh – his sacrifice for your sins? Will you accept the frankincense – have him be your high priest to intercede for you before God the Father? It is only then you can accept the gold – have him as your king and watch him become the King of kings. Christmas is touted to be about peace. That can only happen when you accept the gold, but you must first accept the myrrh. The order of the gifts was important, but the fulfillment of those gifts are even more important. Will you accept them?

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

This is the monologue that I wrote and then gave tonight at our Christmas Eve service at our church. I thought I would share it with you. I hope you are blessed by it.

Can you believe that? Almost being fired for delivering news we have all waited for for centuries. I mean, who else should be more excited than me about this, but them? I thought that was why my great grandfather, by grandfather, my father, and I have worked as shepherds for the temple.

My father taught me it was an honor to watch over the sheep that produce lambs for temple sacrifice. We have always taken great pride in ensuring the animals are without any blemish because we want only the best to be offered to Yahweh. The Torah commands it. We obey. That’s what the priests teach us and repeat to us almost every time we bring them the lambs.

“We can’t afford to offer anything with any hint of sickness, deformity, or blemish,” they say. “It’s your job to ensure that,” they drill into us.

And we do! I can’t remember a single time I had to be reprimanded for bringing in a bad lamb or goat.

I learned from my father and grandfather what to do. And I was determined to do it even better. I was going to be known for the quality of my work. I would watch each ewe carefully for when they showed signs of being ready to deliver. I would bring them to Migdal Eder, our watchtower for the flock just outside Bethlehem, when they got near their time for delivery so I could watch them closely. As soon as the lamb was born, I would grab it, wrap, and swaddle it so neither the mother could accidently kick or step on it nor the lamb somehow injure itself. The swaddling cloths would cause the lamb to calm. After it calmed down, I would place it in the stone manger and examine every square inch of its body to ensure it was a lamb worthy of temple sacrifice: free from any blemish or malady. I had to watch all the lambs born for an entire year to ensure they fed properly, didn’t become too rambunctious, or do anything that could potentially harm or mar them in any way. Even if I do say so myself, that’s a lot of hard work. And I take great pride in it. Doing otherwise yielded harsh consequences.

Oh, I saw how these “benevolent” priests could get so riled when things didn’t go their way. I was determined not to go through their scolding. They can be brutal. After all, wasn’t it only a couple months ago they were commending me on the quality of sheep they got from me for Passover? Now, today, they tell me I must be drunk because I saw hallucinations, and if I don’t stop spreading these false rumors, they will not only fire me but excommunicate me. And maybe even my entire family from the temple! I can’t bring such a disgrace to my family.

But I can’t deny what happened and what I saw either.

There we all were, sitting around the campfire as the sheep had finally settled down. All of a sudden, the dark, night sky burst into glorious light. It was a light almost like that of the sun, but different somehow. I was able to look at it. The light began to move, and I realized it wasn’t light after all, but an angel! I didn’t know what was happening and wanted to run, but my feet wouldn’t move. I was terrified, I tell you. But the angel spoke. Such a calming tone yet commanding somehow.

“Don’t be afraid,” the angel said. “I bring you good news of great joy which is for all people. Born to you, even today, in the City of David is a Savior, the Christ, the Messiah you have been waiting for. Here is a sign for you: you will find him as a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in the manger.”

Then, suddenly, the night sky exploded with light. Many, many angels seemed to be everywhere around us! Each shining like a glorious star—and singing. I can still hear them:

“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”

We all were stunned, standing there looking into the sky with mouths partially open. I don’t know how long it lasted. It seemed like an eternity and like a split second at the same time. Then, just as suddenly as they appeared, they vanished.

The darkness enveloped us once again.

We all just stared at each other for several seconds.

Benjamin broke the silence and said, “What just happened?”

“A miracle,” Elimelech added.

I then chimed in, “Let’s go see.”

“See what?” Benjamin asked. Benjamin has always been a little slow on the uptake, granted, but I just couldn’t believe him.

“See what? The baby, the Messiah, of course.”

“Let’s do it,” Eldad replied, “but where?”

Maybe they were still too stunned, but I know they heard the same words as I did.

“Why, Midgal Eder, of course. Where else has a manger we know about?”

So, we left Simon and Jesse with the sheep as the rest of us headed to the watchtower.

As we approached Migdal Eder, we saw a small fire going, so we knew someone was using the watchtower. The timing for birthing of the lambs was practically over so we only had some supplies and a few animals there at the time. When we poked our heads in, a woman and man looked at us, at first startled, but the mother then smiled at us—almost like she knew we would be coming. She was somewhat rocking the baby as it lay in the stone manger; she waved for us to come closer.

The man spoke first. “I am Joseph. This is my wife, Mary. And this . . .”

Mary picked up the infant so I could see his face, “is our son.”

I think I gasped. It was such a special moment.

Now any baby is cute, but this one—well, he was different. His eyes were so mesmerizing. Looking into his eyes was like looking into eternity. I can’t really explain it, but I just knew he was special—he was the One Israel had been waiting for. With eyes like that, yes, he was the One.

“What is his name?” I asked.

The mother smiled and said, “Jesus.”

I grinned. “The Lord Saves.”

Mary nodded. “He will save his people from their sins.”

My eyes began to water. “My name is Joshua,” I said.

Mary smiled again. “Then you both have something in common already. Your names are similar to each other,” she said as she placed her son back in the manger.

I nodded again—overcome with emotion.

I looked down at the infant in the stone manger, and I gasped again. He looked just like a newborn lamb I would wrap in swaddling cloths inspecting it for blemishes to ensure it would be suitable for sacrifice. It hit me like a ton of bricks. This is the One who would save his people from their sins. Sin requires sacrifice. This meant he would, somehow, become the sacrifice for Israel. How he would do that I had no idea but knew he would. This One had come to be born to die.

My eyes watered again, and I looked at Mary who seemed to know what I was thinking. She gave a slight nod as her eyes watered as well.

It then struck me what Joseph had said. “If you are married, how can you be the virgin to give birth to our promised Messiah as prophesied by the great prophet Isaiah?”

Mary touched my shoulder and looked into my eyes. “I assure you; the Holy Spirit has conceived this child. Joseph and I have not yet been together.”

When I looked at Joseph, he nodded. “I took her as my wife to protect her.”

I nodded as I knew immediately what he meant. Knowing the wrath the priests could bring upon someone, I knew he had likely saved her from being stoned to death. But I just knew the high priest would welcome this one with open arms. After all, this baby was fulfilling prophecy, several in fact, and the Sanhedrin certainly believed in prophecy, or so I thought.

I told Joseph and Mary all that had happened: about the angel and what he said, about the angels singing, and the bright star I had noticed.

“Oh,” she said, “I don’t think many even look up to notice the star. How did you notice it?”

I laughed. “A shepherd has two things to do,” I said. “Tend sheep during the day and look at the stars at night. And I’m certainly not going to count sheep at night to go to sleep. I spend all day counting sheep. I’d rather just look at the stars until I fall asleep.”

Both Mary and Joseph thought that a little funny.

We stayed a little longer and then left the couple there with their infant so they could have privacy and get some sleep themselves.

I had a hard time sleeping that night, though. What would the priests say? Would we still have a job if the true sacrifice was already with us?

But I learned something. Greed trumps prophecy. I overhead some of the priests say that if the people heard what I had just told them, then they may stop buying sheep for sacrifice. They definitely didn’t want that to happen. Then, as I said earlier, they threatened me to remain silent. I eventually told them what they wanted to hear: I would not spread false rumors.

But what I saw and heard was not false. No! It was truth!

Truth is something to be shared. And that is what I will do! I will share the truth because it is the truth that will set one free. So, I will go and spread truth. After what you’ve heard from me, I hope you will do the same. Until we meet again. Shalom.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In our last post, we mentioned that the Rapture was an initiation point for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rv 19:7-9) and had no connection to the Jewish timeline throughout Scripture (Ro 11:25). I thought we would spend a little more time on that.

The picture of today’s post represents the gap we are talking about. Each of the Jewish Feasts (or festivals) had a prophetic significance. We have discussed some of this in previous posts, but I will summarize them here. The first four have been fulfilled and we know that because Scripture tells us so.

Pesach (Passover): This was on the 14th day of the first month (Lv 23:5). We know that Christ was crucified on Passover (Lk 23:54) and that he was the Passover sacrifice (1Co 5:7) to which this festival points.

Matzah (Unleavened Bread): This was a feast that started the day after Passover and lasted a week (Lv 23:6). Leaven (yeast) was purged from each and every home (Ex 12:15). Leaven is symbolic of sin (1Co 5:6-8). This represents that the death of the Passover sacrifice (representative of Christ) removes sin from our lives.

Bikkurim (Firstfruits): This was on the 2nd day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, or the third day after Passover. The first gleaning of the barley harvest was brought as a sacrifice (an unleavened barley loaf). This is representative of Christ being the firstfruit of the resurrection (1Co 15:23) and was raised on Firstfruits (Ac 10:40).

Shavuot (Pentecost): This was the 50th day after Firstfruits (Lv 23:15-16) where the first gleaning of the wheat harvest was brought as a sacrifice (two loaves of leavened wheat; Lv 23:17). This is representative of the giving of the Holy Spirit (Ac 2:1-4) which then joined both Jew and Gentile (Cl 3:11) – whomever accepted Christ as their Savior. It came to represent the Age of Gentiles (i.e., the Church Age; Ro 11:25).

These four are fulfilled and are now part of our past. The other three cannot be fulfilled until the Age of Gentiles (the Church Age) is completed. The Rapture (Receiving of the Bride) is the perfect event for this to be accomplished. The Church is removed from the Earth and God can then focus his attention back on Israel as a nation.

Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets): Although known as the Jewish New Year, it was on the 1st day of the seventh month in Scripture (Lv 23:23-24). It was known as a feast of memorial or remembrance (Lv 23:24; Nu 10:10). In other words, to sound the trumpets to request God to remember his covenant with Israel. There are at least three examples of this (2Ch 5; Er 3; Ne 8). Why? The Day of Atonement where judgment was to be imputed was coming. Individuals could not trust in their own merit, they needed to rely on the covenant God made with Israel in order to stand before a Holy God. This feast will be fulfilled when the Tribulation Period begins as God will deal with Israel as a nation once again and bring both Jew and Israelite back to Israel as a nation (Jr 33:7).

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): This was on the 10th day of the seventh month (Lv 23:27): the day the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies to atone for the sins of Israel (Lv 16). The sacrifice again points to Christ as our atoning sacrifice (1Jn 2:2). This will be fulfilled upon Christ’s 2nd coming as all of Israel will then be saved (Zc 13:1; Ro 11:26).

Sukkot (Tabernacles): This was on the 15th day of the seventh month and lasted for a week (Lv 23:34). The people lived in booths (Lv 23:42) and were to rejoice (Lv 23:40; Dt 16:14-15) which demonstrated God’s provision and strength (Ne 8:10) to them during the nation’s journey to their Promised Land (Ps 27:5, 31:20; Is 4:6) and pointed to the time when their coming Messiah would dwell with them (Is 35; Zc 12:10-13:1, 14:16). This will be fulfilled as Christ dwells with his people and rules over the earth for 1,000 years (Rv 20:4).

The gap between these feasts (festivals) of those which have already been fulfilled and those not yet fulfilled has been called the Age of Gentiles or the Church Age (Ro 11:25). From an Israel perspective, the clock stopped when the Church was initiated and the nation of Israel was set aside, for a time, until the Church is removed. The timeline then starts up again because Israel is once again God’s focus.

From this you can see why the Rapture is not part of Jewish prophecy but a key part of Scripture prophecy as it is the turning point of God’s focus being on the Church to being back on the nation of Israel.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

The Church, or those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as the payment for their sins and their eternal future, is known as the Bride of Christ (Ep 5:24-27; 2Co 11:2). Now, to picture how we fit into this analogy, we need to understand the Jewish concept of a wedding. After all, as we have stated many times, the Bible is written from a Jewish perspective. There are three main components to a Jewish wedding. Let’s explore those:

First Part: Betrothal Period. A marriage contract was signed by the parent of the bride and the bridegroom. The parents of the bridegroom, or the bridegroom himself, would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents. This first part of the marriage between Christ and the Church is completed when each believer places his or her faith in Christ as their Savior. The dowry (the blood of Christ) was paid by the bridegroom (Christ) to the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) on behalf of the bride. As the Church is composed of individuals, the bride is still being formed as believers put their faith in their bridegroom. Yet, at some point in the future, the bride will be considered complete (Ro 11:25). The second part of the wedding will then commence.

Second Part: Receiving the Bride. The groom went to get the bride after a period of time – usually occurring a year or so later. One reason for this was to be sure the bride was pure and a virgin. If the woman was not a virgin, it would become evident within the year. At some undisclosed time, the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, would go to the house of the bride (typically somewhere around midnight) and take her and her bridesmaids to the bridegroom’s home via a parade through the city. This will be completed at the Rapture (a sudden catching up; 1Co 15:51-52; 1Th 4:13-18) when the bridegroom (Jesus Christ) returns for his bride (the Church).

Third Part: Wedding Supper. A wedding supper was held, which could go on for days. This is fulfilled as described in Revelation (Rv 19:7-9), most likely in heaven after the Rapture and before Christ returns to Earth.

Attendees to the Wedding Feast: not everyone was invited. There were three main groups: the bridegroom, the bride, and the attendants. So, from this analogy, who will those be? The Bridegroom is none other than Jesus Christ; the Bride is the Church (these will now have their glorified bodies); the attendants are the Old Testament saints (these will not yet have glorified bodies but be whatever bodies souls have as we discussed in our previous post).

I know there is a lot of controversy around the Rapture event. Yet, as we see above, it does fit into the wedding scenario and would help to fulfill Rv 19 in heaven at the same time as the Tribulation Period is happening on Earth. It also allows it to last for an extended period of time similar to a normal Jewish wedding feast. There are also some other characteristics about the Rapture we should consider. It is an imminent event. There is nothing that must happen before this event can happen. All other events are tied to a Jewish timeline. This event is not tied to a Jewish timeline (nothing has to occur prior to this event occurring). This event is for the Church and does not involve the nation of Israel. Actually, this event happens so God can once again deal with the nation of Israel (more on that later). You can see how this really ties into the idea of the bride not knowing when her bridegroom would come for her.

The Rapture occurs at the end of the “Age of Gentiles”: “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Ro 11:25). The Feast of Pentecost represents this time period; two trumpet blasts occurred on this feast day (one to initiate it and one to complete it). Three types of sacrifices were made at Pentecost (Nu 10:10): the burnt offering with a trumpet blast, followed by a sin offering, followed by a fellowship offering with a trumpet blast. Isn’t that what we do currently? We accept Christ as our Savior (offering ourselves to him as a whole burnt offering), we continuously confess our sins (1Jn 1:9), and we will be with him and fellowship with him forever after the Rapture. What is the Rapture but the beginning of our eternal fellowship with Christ.

So, what will our new bodies at the Rapture be like? The intermediate bodies of those who died and are already in heaven are upgraded, or the souls receive a glorified body that will be like that of Christ (Pp 3:20-21; 1Jn 3:2). It would seem that our future glorified body will need a physical body to be transformed (1Co 15:52). Perhaps that is why righteous souls are said to be raised as they are already with Christ in a non-glorified state. Otherwise, why would a glorified body not be given at time of death? Why do the righteous souls have to come back for a body? This is a mystery that the scriptures do not explain. Yet, in the light of a Jewish wedding, it may be to fulfill the presentation of the bride to the bridegroom. The why is perhaps not that important as the sureness of the event is what matters. We do get some clues to the characteristics of our future glorified state. Our glorified bodies will be solid (Thomas was able to feel the scars of Jesus’ body; Jn 20:27), they will be similar to our natural body (Jesus was recognized and bore scars; Jn 20:20) yet these bodies can also look dissimilar (disciples on road to Emmaus did not recognize him; Lk 24:13-16), they can materialize and rematerialize (Jesus appeared in a closed room; Jn 20:19, and he disappeared from the disciples sight; Lk 24:31), and the physical realm has no power over these types of bodies (Jesus defied gravity in his ascension; Ac 1:9). I’m sure that is just the beginning! Great things await us. Are you excited!

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In a previous post, we discovered that the righteous in Sheol were relocated to Heaven after Christ’s resurrection. What does that mean for those who die today?

According to Scripture, the righteous go straight to heaven. The apostle Paul stated, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven…was caught up to paradise…” (2Co 12:2-4). This was important for Paul to experience this because it put him as an eyewitness to the fact the righteous today (i.e., those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ for their eternal future) go straight to heaven confirming the fact that the righteous were transferred from Sheol to Heaven. As we stated before, Paul called it paradise because Jesus Christ now resides there. Just as Enoch, Moses, and Elijah served as a tangible hope for the Old Testament saints that their future with their Messiah was secure, Paul’s experience serves as our hope we will also one day be with Christ. This is why Paul also stated, “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2Co 5:8).

We are talking about the righteous here, but what about the unrighteous? They still go to Sheol (Hades). There is nothing in Scripture to suggest they have changed their location. Actually, Scripture states they will remain there until their final judgment: “…death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done” (Rv 20:13).

What are people like in heaven? Scripture seems to suggest souls have similarities with a type of body. In Revelation, when the souls of those martyred for the cause of Christ were described, Scripture states they were able to speak, wore white robes (which would indicate some type of solid body), were told to wait and, therefore, were able to understand, reason, and comprehend time (Rv 6:9-11). This description is not the same as the resurrected body they will receive later. This description in Revelation is either talking of an intermediate, temporary body, or this is the normal characteristic of souls. It could even be that souls in our world appear as spirits but may not appear so in the spiritual world.

Of course, Christ is in Heaven today. Christ has three roles:

•Prophet – His role on earth during his first coming: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among your own brothers. You must listen to him” (Dt 18:15).

•Priest – His current role as our high priest and mediator: “Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (Hb 3:1). The author of Hebrews also states, “…because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hb 7:24-25).

•King – His future role after his second coming: “…He will rule them [the nations] with an iron scepter…on his robe and on his thigh he as the name written: King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rv 19:15-16).

We also need to understand that Christ coming to earth changed him forever. Prior to his coming to earth the first time, Christ was a spirit: “God is a spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:24). John also stated, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (Jn 1:1-2).

Christ’s birth made him human. Yet, he was unique: 100% human, 100% God: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

Christ’s resurrected body is still that of a man (100% man; 100% God): “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Lk 24:39).

Christ is forever man (100% man; 100% God) to identify with us: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Tm 2:5).

Christ agreed to change his relationship with God the Father forever – for us! How amazing it that! That really shows how much he loves us. Would you do that for someone? That would be a really hard decision, to be willing to give up so much for someone else. Yet, that is what Christ did for us. Can you now see why Sheol for the righteous was relocated? He loved us so much and wants to be with us, but the only way he could do that was to pay the sin debt and, by doing so, stopped being a spirit so he could save us and identify with us forever. We can never say he is cold and indifferent and doesn’t care. No one cares more than He does for us.

Next time we’ll look at heaven between now and our Savior’s second return. Stay tuned.

____________

Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens