We are getting close to the Christmas season, so I thought we would look at items associated with the Christmas story. “Son of God” is one such term. I’m sure you’ve heard this term many times. What does it mean to you? Is that what it really means?

First, let’s look at some terms similar to this: sons of God, children of God, Son of Man.

Sons of God: this term refers to angels (Gn 6:2, 4).

Children of God: believe it or not, the Bible does not claim that we are all children of God. Even though we are all subject to God, he states that only those who accept him by faith are considered his children (Ro 8:14). This term is used 13 times in the NIV New Testament and not in the Old Testament. In each case, it refers to those who are Christians, or followers of Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.

Son of Man: this term is used in both the NIV Old Testament and NIV New Testament 178 times and can refer to men in general with 93 times referring to the prophet Ezekiel and 2 times to other men. Then, it refers to Christ 83 times in both the Old and New Testaments. Christ used this term many times to refer to himself. He likely did this because this term is referring to the miracle of his birth. He was both 100% God and 100% human. His humanity was the miracle. His body was pure human – no divine DNA. Otherwise, he would not be the sin of atonement needed. The other miracle was that while he was human, he was also sinless.

Some have suggested that Christ was like Adam since Adam was created with perfect human DNA without father or mother. It is likely the Holy Spirit did the same here, but as an embryo within Mary. This may also be why Paul compared Christ to the first Adam (1Co 15). While their human components were similar, their spirits were different. While Adam’s spirit gave him life, Christ’s spirit not only gave his human frame life, it has given eternal life to everyone who trusts in him (1Co 15:45). Christ is unique and has always been unique. He is equal with God since he is part of the Trinity, as the second part of the Godhead.

We know that the term Son of God means something different that the normal definition of son: a male descendant; a male offspring; a male heir. After all, Christ existed before his earthly birth (Jn 1:1; 8:58), and even before creation (Hb 1:2). He is therefore superior to all beings created (Hb 1:4).

We also know that before Christ was born as an infant, he existed as a spirit (Jn 4:24). However, all three parts of the Godhead can show themselves in visible forms. God the Father showed himself in smoke, fire, and lightning at Sinai (Ex 19:18), Christ revealed himself in human form to Adam and Eve (Gn 3:8), to Moses (Ex 24:9-10), Joshua (Js 5:13-14), Manoah (Jd 13:21-22), and others. The Holy Spirit revealed himself as a dove at Christ’s baptism (Mt 3:16).

Once born, Christ’s body was totally human in every way (Jn 1:14, Pp 2:7-8, Hb 2:17). Although human, he was also perfect: sinless and unblemished having perfect DNA. He was indeed the only human who could be the perfect sacrifice for all mankind to pay the justice which God required.

Christ’s body, though, was different after his resurrection. How do we know this? Christ is described as the firstfruit of the resurrection (1Co 15:20). How is he the firstfruit when others had been resurrected before he had been (Lk 7:11-15, Jn 11:43-44) and were resurrected when he was resurrected (Mt 27:51-53)? Of all of these, only Christ was the one resurrected in a glorified body. These others were resurrected human; Christ’s body was now different. It is likely his body and spirit were fused forever together. Every cell of his body was both physical and spiritual. Therefore, he was unique. One day we will also have glorified bodies similar to his (1Jn 3:2).

Our spirits are within us and is what makes us alive and eternal beings (Jn 6:63, 2Co 1:22). Without our spirit, our bodies would not be alive (Ja 2:26). Our physical bodies are the shells for our spirit.

It seems that our physical bodies and spiritual bodies are fused together as one. These scriptures seem to suggest that our physical bodies are necessary to achieve our glorified bodies (1Th 4:16, 1Co 15:50-51). Otherwise, why would our physical bodies be needed to rise from the dead? It seems our spirits need to fuse to our physical bodies to make them glorified.

Christ was still a man after his resurrection (1Tm 2:5). He did not go back to his original state to be spirit. While still a man, his body is now glorified and fused within his Spirit—something unique. Even scars given to his physical body are still present (Zc 12:10). Yet, this does not mean we will keep our scars and blemishes. When the curse is lifted, the Refreshing (Ac 3:19), all will be made perfect again—including us. Christ keeping his scars was his decision to forever remind us of his love for us and what he did for us.

In his glorified body, Christ could be seen, but act as a spirit (Lk 24:31, Jn 20:19, 26). He appeared and disappeared at will. While Christ was able to teleport himself and others before being glorified (Jn 6:21), it seems this was stressed more after receiving his glorified body to show us what we can expect once we become like him.

This likely also explains the ominous verse about Tartarus (2Pt 2:4). This is a very strange verse without much explanation. However, the verse implies these angels did something very heinous. They had already rebelled, so it is not referring to that. Not all demons are in Tartarus, but only a select group. Why?

Back in Genesis is a potential clue (Gn 6:1-4). These angels, devoted to Satan, intermarried with human women. Their children became men of renown, likely large in stature and similar to the Greek gods we read about in literature. People revered them and maybe even worshipped them. Sound like a myth? Yes, but myths have a start in truth even though they gets distorted over time.

Some theologians, like Renald Showers in his book, What on Earth is God Doing?, state this was an attempt by Satan to thwart God’s plan of redemption by introducing angel DNA into the human genome. But, did Satan go even further?

Could this have been Satan’s attempt to make humans glorified for his purpose? He was making mankind different by infusing angel DNA into every cell of their body. This is somewhat similar to what we were talking about with God having our spirit infused into every cell of our body. Again, Satan is trying to counterfeit being God.

Christ’s physical body was completely human. It was not divine. It has to be completely human for him to identify with us; yet, he had to be without sin in order to pay the penalty God’s justice demanded. Only he could fulfill this. His spirit was divine; his body was human, but perfect: 100% God, 100% human. His glorified body was a fusion of some sort with his physical body so he can continue to identify with us for eternity. We will have a physical body, but it will perform like a spiritual body—the best of both worlds.

Why is this important? This shows the uniqueness of God. No one else could have accomplish this. It shows the love of God. Christ was willing to change himself forever to identify with us forever. It shows the mercy of God. Only Christ offers us a chance to be like him and with him. It shows his jealousy for us and he being willing to do anything for us to one day dwell with him forever. He did it all for us at his own sacrifice and his own willingness to change his relationship within the Trinity forever. It demonstrates he was both Son of God and Son of man: totally God, totally man, totally awesome!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

For many of the past posts we have talked about how God instituted inclusion of everyone from the very beginning and used the Jewish festival Shavuot to indicate that. Today, we will see the act of ultimate inclusion is the primary fulfillment of the prophecy of Shavuot. Let’s explore further.

As we have talked about Shavuot, we have gone from the beginning of the Jewish nation at Mt. Sinai where God made a covenant with Israel so, as a nation, it would be his ambassador to the rest of the world. He then gave glimpses of how Shavuot represented that through the inclusion of Rahab from the destruction of Jericho, the inclusion of Ruth as she married Boaz and became part of the lineage of King David as well as that of Jesus Christ himself. Then, we saw how God set the stage of further inclusion with the birth of Christ through the conception of Christ through Mary and the Holy Spirit.

While Christ was here on earth with his disciples, he stated he had to leave, but another Comforter, or Advocate, would come who would teach them correctly about sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn 16:8). We know that the Holy Spirit descended upon the followers of Christ on the Shavuot after his ascension (Ac 2). God made it a significant event one could not deny as he sent a mighty wind and tongues of fire to rest over each believer. Then, the Holy Spirit entered each believer, giving them words to say to those in attendance at the festival. There were people from the entire known world present in Jerusalem that day. The message by the Holy Spirit spread to the entire known world in a single day!

What was the message? It could be paraphrased in many ways, but the bottom line is inclusion. The Holy Spirit had come to become accessible to all. Christ had paved the way for this feat to be possible. Before this time, the Holy Spirit was given to certain people for certain periods of time to accomplish something God needed to have accomplished. This is why King David prayed for the Holy Spirit not to be taken away from him (Ps 51:11). Yet, that is not the case for us today. Once we believe in Christ and what he did for us and trust in him only for our future, we have the Holy Spirit forever (Ac 2:38; Ep 1:13). And what we are given today is only a foretaste of the glory of our connection with Christ which is still to come (Ro 8:23).

So, here is the ultimate fulfillment of Shavuot—the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is inclusive—not exclusive—because it is freely given to all who believe. It is a gift, a foretaste, of things to come. Isn’t that what marketers do: give a teaser of what the real thing will be like? This is what God has done for us. He gives us a taste of what things will be like. The Holy Spirit binds our spirit to his, and we find that wonderful. Yet, it is only a small token of how great things will be for us in our future. Doesn’t that get you excited? I sure hope so. The God of the universe has allowed us to be connected to him. Could anything really be greater?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Christians celebrate Christmas; Jews Shavuot; Both celebrate one of the same paradigm shifts. In our last post, we stated that Christ’s birth was likely on Shavuot, 2 BC. While most Jews don’t celebrate Christ’s birth, they do celebrate Shavuot. So, if Christ was indeed born on Shavuot, which would be in June; how do we get Christmas in December? I thought we should at least address this conundrum since we were dealing with the paradigm shifts correlated with the Jewish feast Shavuot. June vs. December. That’s not a small difference to overcome regarding the timing of the birth of Christ. Why did we get it so wrong? Is it wrong? Can both be true?

As usual, this is not a simple answer, and yet, it really is. But to make it simple we must tease apart some of our traditional thinking. When we see a nativity scene, what do we see? Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, of course. But there are also shepherds, likely an angel or two, and let’s not forget the animals. Is something missing? Oh yes, the wise men, the Magi. Wise men? Surely, we need the wise men, don’t we? After all, they are mentioned in the Bible at the time of Christ’s birth. Let’s look at that more closely. There is a time gap we must take into account. How much time? About six months. Hey, isn’t that the gap we mentioned earlier: June vs December? That must be a significant point, right? Let’s explore.

So, if Christ was born in June, does that mean the wise men didn’t come on the scene until December? Is that really consistent with scripture? Well, scripture does state the wise men came after Jesus was born (Mt 2:1) to a house (Mt 2:11) where the child (Mt 2:11) lived with Mary his mother. It would seem Jesus was about six months old at this time. If true, that would explain the time gap and it does seem consistent with this passage in Matthew. It also seems consistent with Herod’s insane decree to kill all males in Bethlehem from two years and younger (Mt 2:16). If the wise men had come when Jesus was an infant, then he would not need such a decree. Yet, the wise men, when they met with Herod (Mt 2:1-2) knew of the sign of the star, but not if it represented his conception or birth. Since the wise men didn’t report back to Herod (Mt 2:12), Herod didn’t get an answer to this question.

We now know, based upon the work Rick Larson did, Christ’s conception occurred in September, 3 BC. The wise men told Herod when they first saw the star (Mt 2:2). If it has been representing his birth, this would mean the child was nearly one and a half years old. Therefore, to make sure, Herod used a cutoff of two years.

So, what does this have to do with Christmas? Well, what did the Magi (wise men) bring with them for the child Jesus? Presents: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mt 2:11). According to the work Larsson did, this visit of the Magi occurred on December 25th of 2 BC. Isn’t that apropos? Now, there are those who state that Christmas was made in December to take the place of the pagan festival Saturnalia. And that would be true. This festival was around the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year). Yet, isn’t it just like God to make something which looked serendipitous to actually be divine intervention on his part?

I find this so interesting, and very characteristic of God. Christ’s birth was definitely a paradigm shift and he used Shavuot, the paradigm shift festival, to bring it to fruition. Yet, he also knew Christians would one day in the future celebrate his birth in December and had the Magi to present their gifts to the Christ child at this time. Who else could have planned such a dual fulfillment? Then, his birth on Shavuot set the stage for the ultimate inclusion event. What is that event? We’ll discuss that next time.

I hope this helps you to see we serve a wonderful, awesome, God. He pays such attention to detail. Always remember, you’re part of the detail to which he pays attention. Trust him. You will never regret it.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

In previous posts we have talked about how the Jewish festival Shavuot marked major paradigm shifts and how God’s plan for inclusion expanded over time. We saw how the forming of the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai was a major paradigm shift which occurred on the very first Shavuot (Ex 24). God started working through a nation to reach out to the world rather than continuing to work through specific families or patriarchs. We then saw how inclusion occurred on a national and individual level (Js 2-6; Ru 1-4).

As we approach the New Testament, we see God making another major paradigm shift. God was on the verge of setting a new pattern of inclusion: going from inclusion occurring through a nation to it occurring through individuals. To understand this one, we must understand another Jewish Festival: Rosh Hashanah. Today, we know this as the Jewish New Year. Yet, it wasn’t always known as that. When first instituted, it was known as the Feast of Trumpets (Lv 23:23-25) and was the fifth of seven festivals. While all the feasts were memorial, as they pointed to how God worked in their past, how he was working in their present, and how he would work in their future, this particular feast was a special type of memorial. This was a festival to request God to remember his covenant with Israel. Why? Shortly after this festival was Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement (Lv 23:26-32). This was a day of reckoning. Israel knew they had no good on their own to stand before a holy God. Their only chance was for God to remember his covenant with them. Therefore, trumpet blasts were made to request God to remember. Does this imply God forgot? No, this was really for Israel to remember what God had done for them in making an everlasting covenant with them and to help them prepare for the upcoming Yom Kippur.

So, how is this tied to the New Testament. Well, how does the New Testament open? It opens with the announcement to Mary that she would bear a son, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and would call his name Jesus (Mt 1:18; Lk 1:26-31). This announcement occurred on Rosh Hashanah, Feast of Trumpets. Why? Because God was stating he was remembering his covenant. This marked the end of what had been termed the 400 years of God’s silence. Ever since Malachi, it seemed God was silent. It wasn’t that he was not working, but he sent no prophets after Malachi. His next voice came through the angel Gabriel to Mary(Lk 1:26). God remembered his covenant and Mary conceived a child through the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). Yes, this was to be a very special child. He was to save his people from their sins (Mt 1:21).

So, if Jesus Christ was conceived on Rosh Hashanah, when was he born? He was most likely born on Shavuot. Doesn’t it seem apropos that he would be born on the festival that marks paradigm changes? Can you say Christ’s birth was not a paradigm change? Yes, that makes sense, but something doesn’t seem quite right. For most years, the time between Rosh Hashanah and Shavuot isn’t long enough for a normal gestation period for an infant. Gestation is a very crucial period for a fetus, and every week is important for fetal development and especially for adequate lung formation in the third trimester. A normal gestation period is considered to be 40 weeks (a range of 37-42 weeks). Yet, normally, the time between Rosh Hashanah and Shavuot is just shy of 35 weeks. Not enough time for an adequate gestation period. Could we be mistaken?

As they say, timing is everything. And that is definitely true here. Rick Larson has done some astounding work on the timing of the birth of Christ and the events which occurred at this birth. According to his work, Christ’s conception occurred on Rosh Hashanah in 3 BC. Something very interesting occurs in that year. To keep Passover near the Spring Equinox, and because the Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar with only 29 or 30 days per month, an extra month is added every so often to make Passover and the Spring Equinox realign properly. And, lo and behold, this is the year this extra month is added to their calendar. Then, the period of time from Rosh Hashanah to Shavuot becomes a normal gestation period (39 weeks) and can support the fact that Christ was likely born on Shavuot in 2 BC.

Christ’s birth was definitely a paradigm change for Israel – and for the world. He brought the true meaning of Scripture back to life and his death was for all of mankind and not just for the Jews. Again, this is a message of inclusion. Jesus paved the way for inclusion to be very personal. Isn’t that just what we would expect from a God who values relationships?

Don’t you find it interesting that God keeps the meaning of these Jewish festivals and makes them happen at just the right time to keep all the full meaning he intended for each one. Why? Well, he is a God of order after all (1Co 14:33). Also, I think it is a way for him to get our attention. It shows he pays attention to detail. If he can do that, he can certain pay attention to us individually. You, and we all, are a detail that he definitely cares about. How will you respond?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

The idea that God has a principle of inclusion for everyone may be a surprise to some, but it only prevails if it is a taught principle. So far, we’ve seen how God started with the inclusion of a nation into his overarching plan for the world. Then we saw how Israel’s leaders extended this idea to Rahab and her family when they destroyed Jericho. Today, we’ll see how an Israelite did the same for a foreigner. This demonstrates the progression from nation to leaders to citizens. Yet, it is a two-way street. Inclusion has to not only be offered but be accepted.

Maybe it was because the girl was beautiful, or maybe because Boaz was from a family whose mother had been extended this offer of inclusion and he understood his life was blessed because of it. Or, maybe it was a combination of both. Either way, Boaz extended this offer of inclusion to a foreigner. His deed not only benefited him and his family, but also his nation, as well as the entire world.

It’s not an unfamiliar story. Elimelek and his wife, Naomi, and his two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, left Judah and went to Moab because of a famine (Ru 1:1-2). Elimelek felt this move was best for his family as he tried to provide for them. Yet, they stayed far longer than they had originally expected. Likely, because his sons married and had jobs there. At any rate, they decided to stay. Family was more important than where they lived, or so they thought. But hardship came. Elimelek died, as did both Mahlon and Kilion a decade later (Ru 1:4-5). Not all at once, of course, but bit by bit, Naomi’s heart was torn, piece by piece. In the end, she found herself the foreigner living among people and customs that were not hers. It had been tolerable when she had family, but now . . . now all she had was sorrow. While she did have her daughters-in-law, survival of women alone living in a man’s world was difficult. When she heard the famine was lifted in Judah, she decided to return (Ru 1:6).

At first, her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, stated they would return with her. Evidently, the three of them got along well. Yet, these were young girls. Naomi knew they would be better able to find new husbands from their own people than from those who would now be foreigners to them. Naomi therefore begged them to stay and remarry (Ru 1:8-9). Orpah eventually relented and stayed, but Ruth begged Naomi to allow her to travel back with her. Ruth’s response has become probably the most noted feature of the book of Ruth and has become a quote often used in weddings to show devotion and commitment: Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely if even death separates you and me (Ru 1:8-9). That’s a great sentiment and a story in and of itself. Yet, it is a side story to the main story of this book.

The return was timed perfectly. It was the barley harvest (Ru 1:22) around Pesach (Passover). Shortly after that would be the wheat harvest (Ru 2:23) around Shavuot (Pentecost). Levitical law required farmers to not reap the edges of their field so the poor and widows could glean and thereby provide for themselves (Lv 19:9). And as fate would have it, and probably Naomi’s planning, and, of course, God’s divine providence, Ruth gleaned in Boaz’s field. Boaz was a relative of Naomi, and Boaz did not let this fact, or her beauty, escape him. Naomi helped Ruth to maintain Boaz’s interest and over a short time capture his heart. Boaz was determined to marry her (Ru 3:11). Yet, there was a closer relative to Naomi that would have first rights to become the kinsman redeemer, one would take over the care of the family and its inheritance (Ru 3:12). Law also required this person to provide an heir to the dead if the family was without children (Dt 25:5). Since Ruth’s husband, Mahlon, had died without an heir, it would be the responsibility of the kinsman redeemer to marry Ruth. This relative already had a family and did not want this responsibility, so he passed and allowed Boaz to be the kinsman redeemer for Naomi and Ruth (Ru 4:6-10). They were married and had a son, Obed, who became the grandfather to King David (Ru 13-16).

The wedding of Boaz and Ruth occurred on or very near Shavuot. I find this apropos as Ruth, the Moabitess, the foreigner, was incorporated into Israel, God’s chosen nation. This is a beautiful picture of inclusion. This time, it was on a personal level and demonstrated to everyone how such a concept should be incorporated into all families within Israel. Inclusion was a way to spread the news of who God is and his character of love for everyone. 

This example, of course, did not mean inclusion had to be only by marriage. Yet, it indicates how foreigners were not the enemy but the potential of revealing God to the world. By not showing animosity to foreigners, but sticking to their commitment to God and his Law, they would still be able to be the ambassadors God wanted them to be. With such an attitude, they could bring the knowledge of God to everyone. Sadly, that was not what happened. Yet, it is an example even for us today. Others are not our enemy, but the means and potential to share God and his character to them. Everyone needs God. First, they just need the attitude of inclusion.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

For the past several posts we have been discussing how God has always had a plan for inclusion, but did this really include everyone? In the last post, we had the story of Rahab and how she and her family were saved and incorporated into Israel. Yet, some of you may have asked why this wasn’t an inclusion of everyone rather than just Rahab. How is a policy of inclusion really inclusion if it doesn’t include everyone? Let’s try and explore that.

First of all, inclusion cannot be inclusion if the one being offered inclusion doesn’t want to be included. Sound like a cop out? Well, not really. To understand this, we need to go back several years—actually, several hundred years. The inhabitants of Jericho were a section of the Canaanite people who were descendants of the Amorites.

The Amorities. We have to go back at least five hundred years. This would be during the time of Abraham. Remember him? He is the one God promised all this land to in the first place (Gn 13:15-17). Yet, he told Abraham that he was going to have his descendants to be slaves in Egypt for about four hundred years (Gn 15:12). Why would he do that if Abraham was already in the land of Canaan? Kind of like going around your elbow to get to your thumb, huh? It would be if it wasn’t because of God’s plan for inclusion. Confused? Let’s look further.

God told Abraham he was going to do this because “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Gn 15:16). I know that sounds a little cryptic, but what it means is that God was dealing with the Amorites somehow. We don’t have details, but it shows God was trying to get their attention to elicit a decision from them. You see, God loved them and wanted the best for them. Yet, let’s not confuse love with permissiveness. God has standards. He is longsuffering, but ultimately there are consequences. Also, let’s not confuse longsuffering with inattentiveness. God is not pushy. He allows circumstances to give people opportunities to make the right decision. Some make the wrong decision, and because they don’t get zapped right away, they think God doesn’t care or isn’t even there. That is, until the consequences fall, and then, unfortunately, it is too late. God is loving, but he is also a God of justice. Longsuffering is due to his love, but that only lasts for a time. Justice eventually comes.

So, we don’t know what or how God was dealing with the Amorites, but there are some clues. Granted, what I am about to say is hard to substantiate fully, but there is circumstantial evidence. Before the flood, there were giants called Nephilim who apparently came from angels intermarrying with human women (Gn 6:2). Their offspring became men of renown who were all but worshipped (Gn 6:4). This was part of the reason for the flood. Mankind’s genetics were getting infused with fallen angel DNA. This was one of Satan’s plans to destroy God’s plan. He failed. Yet, Satan is relentless. Somehow, Satan became influential with the Amorites. They were known to have abandoned themselves to his worship, such as child sacrifice and sexual religious rites. It is likely they allowed him to lead then into genetic manipulation to produce giants again so he could again obtain something similar to what he had accomplished prior to the flood.

The angels who Satan had used to create the Nephilim were punished by being abandoned to Tartarus, a special place built for these angels in Sheol (2Pt 2:4). I find it interesting that Satan kept himself just distanced enough to not get caught in the consequences. Here, he goes to the line without crossing it. The Amorites, although influenced, followed willingly. The Amorites likely were influenced to intermarry in a way that giants were again produced in the land. Why? To prevent the Israelites from gaining the land of Canaan God had promised to Abraham. How do we know this? Just look at a map where these giants were located. The sons of Anak were giants and the ones who intimidated the Israelites the first time they tried to enter (Nu 13:31-14:10). Ten of these twelve spies influenced all of Israel they could not take the land. These giants lived in the southern and southwest region of Canaan. Then there were giants in the southeastern region of Canaan (Sihon was the king of these Amorites; Nu 21:21-25), and giants in the land of Bashan (Og was their king; Nu 21:31-35), the northeast region of Canaan. Therefore, these giants were almost like sentries around the land.

So, it seems the Amorites refused God’s promptings. God was longsuffering for almost five centuries. Justice was now due. God was now going to fulfill his promise to Abraham through the Israelites and use them to deliver his justice to the Amorites and their descendants who followed their practices. Through Moses and Joshua, God had the Israelites break through the giant barricade and they were now in the land he had promised them. Although justice was delivered starting at Jericho, we also see God’s mercy for individuals who responded to God even if their nation did not. God was always about inclusion. The nation did not agree, but Rahab and her family did.

This helps us see that God has plans within plans to achieve his master plan. We don’t always know what he is doing or how he is doing it, but we can trust him that he wants the best for us and is always looking for ways to include others and offering opportunities for people to make the right decisions. Therefore, that makes it easier for us to respond to him with faith and trust. We don’t have to understand him to trust him, we just have to trust him and allow understanding to slowly reveal itself.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

When you have something good, you want to pass it on, right? That’s how God feels. As we saw in the previous post, God wanted Israel to be separate from the world but not exclude the world: i.e., he wanted Israel to pass it on. Israel was to be the example for all to follow. To demonstrate this to them, he gave them an example immediately after they entered the Promised Land.

Before they entered the land of Canaan, Joshua had two spies go into Jericho and check things out (Js 2:1). A woman by the name of Rahab hid them at one point to help ensure they were not found out (Js 2:4). These spies reported back to Joshua that the people of Jericho feared the Israelites and now was the appropriate time to take the land as their own (Js 2:24).

The people of Israel first had to cross the Jordan River. Joshua used this as a faith-building exercise. If God could get them safely across the river which was swollen due to the Spring rains, then surely he could deliver Jericho into their hands (Js 3:10). As soon as the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant touched the water of the river, it parted, and everyone entered Canaan on dry land (Js 3:13-17). After crossing the river, they all encamped at Gilgal (Js 3:19), approximately ten miles from Jericho. When the people of Canaan heard how God parted the Jordan River for them to cross, they all feared the Israelites (Js 5:1). This gave Joshua the opportunity to stop and renew their covenant with God by having all the males circumcised (Js 5:2-9). This was around the tenth day of the first month.

On the fourteenth day of the first month, they held Pesach (Passover; Js 5:10). The next day (Matzah or feast of Unleavened Bread), they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from their new land (Js 5:11). The next day, the manna which God had fed them for forty years ceased and they ate the produced from their new land (Js 5:12). This would have represented their first Bikkurim (or feast of Firstfruit). Joshua then had to let the men completely heal, get them battle ready, and have all the people travel the ten miles to Jericho. It is likely it would have taken the men approximately two weeks to recover from the pain and soreness of their circumcision. Then it is likely it would have taken about a month to group and train the men to prepare for battle and go over battle strategy.

While it is true they expected God to fight their battle for them as he had said (Js 6:2), I’m sure Joshua wanted to have a regimen of fighting men that would be under his strict authority—just in case. Then, it is likely it would have taken a few days to get all the people—close to two million of them—to travel the ten miles, get camped and ready for what God was going to do for them. They then marched around the city once a day for seven days and then seven times on the seventh day(Js 6:4, 12-15). Adding up all this time of preparation, it is not hard to imagine it took them approximately 50 days after their first Bikkurim until the walls of Jericho fell. That would place this time of the conquering of Jericho around Shavuot (Pentecost). As we stated previously, this is the feast of inclusion and that is what happened here.

Once the walls fell on the seventh day of their marching, the Israelites took the city and killed everyone in the city, except for Rahab and her household (Js 6:17, 21-22). Rahab and her family were spared just as the spies had stated. Therefore, Rahab who was a Canaanite, a Gentile, was allowed to live as an Israelite. She married Salmon who was of the tribe of Judah. She and Salmon had a son named Boaz (Mt 1:5) who also became an instrument of inclusion which God used to show this pattern of inclusion again. We’ll discuss that next time.

Don’t you find it interesting that this story in the Bible, which became a most notorious story of all the Biblical stories, fell on Shavuot which God had instituted as a feast to represent inclusion and a feast where paradigm shifts occurred? God doesn’t shove it in their faces and say, “Look, I’m showing you what this feast is about.” No, he lets the realization of what he is doing seep in subtly. Not everyone would get it, but those who paid attention would. While others were screaming, we are God’s chosen people, keep others at bay, God was saying, no, see, I’m giving you examples for you to follow. Follow my lead and be the example, the banner, the ambassador I want you to be for the world. God is still the God of Inclusion. Are you acting that way or are you also trying to keep others at bay. Your future is sure and that is all that matters. But is it supposed to be that way? What if others before you did that? Would you have a relationship with God now if they had that same attitude? God was saying to the Israelites to pass on what he had taught them. He’s still saying the same thing today.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Everyone wants to feel included, don’t they? Don’t you? Remember those elementary school games where sides were chosen. One by one the teams were formed. Always the best athletic ones were chosen first. The rest of us were chosen last. Even worse was when there was an odd number and the captains had to decide who would take the last one. That one had to hear the reasons why he shouldn’t be on each team and then one reluctantly allows this, now deflated and ego-broken soul, on their team. Those were the good ole days, right?

Did things really get better as you got older? Sometimes. But, often, the ways of exclusion get subtler and more sophisticated, but the exclusion was still there and still hurt just as much. Why is this? And why does it bleed into every area of one’s life, including religion?

Yet, this was not God’s plan. Believe it or not, God had a plan of inclusion from the very beginning. Does that surprise you? Maybe your thinking about Israel being God’s chosen people. That sounds exclusionary, doesn’t it? Yet, it isn’t. Or, rather, wasn’t supposed to be that way. Let’s discuss these steps of inclusion that God wanted from the beginning.

As you’ve noticed, if you have read many of my posts, a lot of them center around the Jewish feasts. Why is that? Because they are the secret to God’s word and gives us an insight into God’s heart. This time, we’re focusing on Shavuot. This occurred fifty days after Bikkurim, or the feast of Firstfruit. In the land of Israel, this was around the time of the wheat harvest. Yet, the very first Shavuot occurred out in the desert, around Mt. Sinai. Why? Because it set the whole stage of not only what God wanted to do for Israel, but with Israel as well.

How do we know this was the first Shavuot? Recall that the first Pesach (Passover) occurred as the children of Israel made a mass exodus from Egypt. Here is the order of events over the next fifty days:

• —  Left Egypt: 15th day of 1st month (Nu 33:3 – 1st day of Unleavened Bread)

• —  Day 1: 16th day of 1st month (First Fruit)

• —  Day 46: Arrived at Sinai 1st day of 3rd month (Ex 19:1)

• —  Days 46-47: 2 days of consecration of people (Ex 19:10-11)

• —  Day 48: God appeared as thunder, lightning, smoke and fire on the mountain, the mountain shook, and God spoke in thunder (Ex 19:16-20). God called Moses up to the mountain, gave him the 10 commandments and other laws; Aaron, his sons and 70 elders of Israel also on mountain worshipped at a distance (Ex 19:20 – 24:3)

• —  Day 49: Moses wrote down all the words God had given him (Ex 24:4)

• —  Day 50: Moses read the Book of the Covenant to them, they agreed to it and Moses offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, consecrated the people with “the blood of the covenant.” Moses, Aaron, his sons, and 70 elders of Israel ate with God (likely the Pre-Incarnate Christ) (Ex 24: 4-11)
  

What’s that you say? Starting to sound exclusionary? Before any agency can help everyone, it must be set up by a select few. This is sort of what was happening here. Yes, God did call them his “chosen people” (Ex 19:5). But, we need to understand why he said that. This was not a statement of exclusion, but a statement of responsibility. They were chosen to be priests to the world (Ex 19:6). That is, they were to be the standard for all other nations to follow. They had been created as a nation here at Mt. Sinai to be the model for other to follow. Starting to sound more inclusionary? Let’s not forget that inclusion does not come without requirements, consequences, and change, but it also comes with many blessings and rewards.

So, this is why Israel was created. Israel was the standard, the banner of God to the world. This was the first step of God’s inclusion for everyone. Did it work? Well, it could have. It could have been glorious. But, no, it failed. Why? Pride. Pride is always exclusionary and never inclusionary. The words “chosen people” became a battle cry rather than an invitation. Consequences occurred.

Yet, God did not give up. He continued to use Shavuot as an example of inclusion. We’ll look at one of those examples next time. Let’s remember that just because God expects change, he is not being exclusionary, but is offering a way of inclusion into something he has for us that will be even more glorious. And that requires faith. Faith is the key. Faith is the pride destroyer.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Have you ever made plans to go somewhere, and even though you heard about it, everything you had heard paled in comparison to what you actually observed once you arrived? This was Ezekiel’s plight—and will be our future plight. When something is beyond words, you don’t want to miss out on it.

We’ve already talked a lot about what Ezekiel saw. Yet, the wonders seem to go on and on. We discussed the temple complex and how large it is (about three football fields square). Yet, that is set in a complex that is roughly 8 miles square! This is called the Holy Portion which is further divided into three rectangles. The top rectangle, a little more than 3 miles by 8 miles, is for the Levites. These are those individuals who help in all aspects of temple worship, except for offering sacrifices. The same size rectangle below this one, and in which the temple is located, is for the priests. These are those individuals who are allowed to offer sacrifices at the temple. Although these sections of land are devoted to the priests and Levites, this doesn’t mean it will be devoid of others, and businesses and restaurants. These will be very busy places as people from around the world will come here to offer sacrifices and see their King.

The rectangle below these two, a little over 1.5 miles by 8 miles, completing the larger square, is where the city of Jerusalem will be located. It will be a square in the center of this rectangle with farming to support the city population occurring on both sides. This is likely where king David and the Prince will reside.

As already stated, a stream will flow out from the Holy of Holies of the temple and flow east. This stream becomes deeper and deeper every one-third mile and turns into a river. Some have denoted this as “the Ezekiel River” since this was part of the vision God gave to Ezekiel. Along both sides of this river is a grove of trees. At some point, the river flows over the escarpment which has plunged the city to be high above the surrounding land. Once the river goes over the escarpment, it flows between the two Mounts of Olive (which split in two at the Messiah’s return), and then flows into the Jordan River in the distance and into what is today called the Dead Sea. Yet, this sea will now team with live fish and fresh water.

On both sides of this larger square where the priests, Levites, city of Jerusalem, and temple reside is more farm land which will be owned by the Prince. From the Prince’s fields will come the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offering for festivals, new moon celebrations, and Sabbaths. In addition, those who live within the land of Israel will, in essence, tithe to the Prince of their abundance. They will donate approximately 15% of their wheat and barley, approximately 1% of their olive oil, and 0.5 percent of their sheep. The Prince will use these for fellowship offerings and grain offerings for the people.

This Holy Portion is the inheritance for the Prince and his children. Above and below this Holy Portion is the inheritance given to each of the tribes of Israel. This Holy Portion will lie between the inheritance given to Judah and Benjamin.

So, as you can see, God gave Ezekiel an overwhelming vision—something both he, and even we today, can look forward to. Ezekiel was concerned about his people and their beloved temple and if both would be lost to them forever. God gave Ezekiel an emphatic ‘no’! Not only would it return but be so much grander than anyone could ever imagine. I’m sure Ezekiel was blown away. I’m sure he was overcome with joy in how exceedingly generous God is with us despite our selfishness. We may lose heart and faith, but God is always faithful and never forgets his promises. So, come on and join in his promises. Our future is a grand one: a future beyond our imagination. Don’t you want to experience that? Of course, you do. It only takes a little faith and for you to admit your future cannot be on your on merit, but only through the merit of the one who will give us all we want and more—beyond our imagination!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Of all the remarkable things in the book of Ezekiel, probably the term “Prince” has to be one of the more interesting and controversial. Let’s take a look at this.

Who is this Prince? Some have stated it is referring to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, himself. Others say it is the Old Testament King David now serving as the Messiah’s, the King of kings’, viceroy. Others have proposed someone else entirely. So, why the confusion? For one, these passages of scripture are not very specific. Secondly, we expect certain things based upon what other scriptures tell us, and we try to make it all fit. But, should we? I think if we take a step back, we can put some of the clues given in Ezekiel with these other passages of scripture about God’s promises to David and formulate a scenario which makes it all fit seamlessly without having to put a round peg in a square hole, so to speak.

I think it is fairly easy to eliminate the first assertion above, that this Prince could be Jesus Christ. After all, if Jesus is the King of kings and has his throne in the Holy of Holies, and is the object of everyone’s worship, then this could not be Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the King of kings. After all, this Prince is the one leading everyone in worship of the King of kings (Ek 45:17, 22). Therefore, it would make sense it would be someone different from him. 

What about this Prince being King David? I think the confusion for this comes in because of the passage in Ezekiel which states, “I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken” (Ek 34:24). I think the term “prince” in this passage is showing the hierarchy in David’s relationship with God, the ultimate ruler. He will be of authority, but not ultimate authority. In addition, although subtle, there is no definite article with the use of this term “prince.” Therefore, I think this gives additional credence that this is a term of hierarchy than position. In addition, the Prince will be mortal and have children (Ek 46:16-17). David will be part of the first resurrection, have a glorified body, and will not marry and have children (Mt 22:30).

David, will, however, also be a king and rule over Israel (Ek 27:24). If Jesus Christ is to be the King of kings during this time, this would imply there will be many kings and Jesus will be the King over all other kings (Rv 19:16). There will be many nations during Christ’s kingdom (Is 62:2; Zc 14:16; Rv 20:3). So, just as there will be other kings over other territories, David will be the king over Israel during this time (Ek 37:24).

So, if Christ is the King of kings, and David is one of the many kings who will reign under the direction of Christ in his Kingdom, who is this Prince? From passages in Ezekiel, it suggests that this Prince will lead the people of the world in the worship of the Messiah, the King of kings, Jesus Christ. He will offer sacrifice for himself and for the people (Ek 45:22), he will be able to have children (Ek 46:17-18), and he will receive an inheritance of land like the tribes of Israel (Ek 45:7.18). From these passages, we gather this Prince is an Israelite and is mortal, as he will not have a glorified body. That would mean he had to come out of the Tribulation as a believer. This would give him a unique perspective for the people as he would understand the horrors of the world prior to Christ establishing his Kingdom, understand the importance of the people’s need to accept their King as the hope for their future, and will understand the importance of the sacrifices and what they mean for the people, and be able to teach them these things.

Because he came out of the Tribulation as a mortal, it would mean God had this plan for this one before Christ’s Kingdom was ever set up. That would at least suggest this one may have been one of the 144,000 prophets (Rv 7:4) who evangelize the world during the Tribulation as their lives would be protected (Rv 7:2-4) and would be assured to survive into the Promised Kingdom. This is not a guarantee of this, but, I think, is suggestive. Therefore, it would be plausible this one who becomes the Prince is from the tribe of Judah, where Jerusalem is located, and is one of these prophets the Lords raises up to evangelize the world before his return.

So, here is the hierarchy: Christ sets up his Promised Kingdom and reigns as the King of kings in Jerusalem. David reigns in his glorified state as the king of Israel during this time, just as other glorified ones will reign as king of other nations at this time. The Prince, non-glorified, will also live in Jerusalem, as he is an Israelite who will lead the people of the world in the worship of the King of kings and help the people of the world realize that Christ is not only their King, but also their Savior and their future hope for eternal life. While one-thousand years is a long time, it is still finite. Those born during this time must still chose Christ as their Savior and their hope, just as we do today, and this Prince will be instrumental in helping them see this need for their eternal future.

It’s interesting that God always seems to manifest and work in a triune manner. He is Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the city of Jerusalem becomes three sections during his Kingdom (Rv 16:19), and the spiritual authority is also triune: Christ, the King of kings is the object of worship, David is the king of Israel, the nation leading the other nations in the worship of Christ, and the Prince is the one who can identify with the mortals of this time and lead them in the specific worship of Christ, their King, and their Messiah.

What about you? Are you going to be around to be part of all of this and witness it first-hand? Do you want to? Then take a note from Ezekiel and yield to this One who is now and forever the King of kings, the Messiah, and the Hope of your eternal future.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

It seems it always helps when you experience something new to also have something familiar with which to reference. This is what Ezekiel experienced. In previous posts we discovered that his thoughts were on the temple since he was in captivity in Babylon. God gave him a vision of a new temple that would be established in the future. While many things were new and different, it had a feeling of familiarity at the same time.

The size of the temple complex is something to consider. If you take a football field and put three end-to-end both in width and length, that would be about the size of it. That’s quite the size, isn’t it? However, the size of the temple itself didn’t change much from that of previous temples. The size of the entire tabernacle could almost fit inside the temple structure of Solomon’s temple, although the entire complex was much larger. Yet, the size of Solomon’s temple was basically equivalent to that of Herod’s temple and of the temple in Ezekiel’s vision. The size of the entire complex of each temple did increase with each successive temple.

The tabernacle, Solomon’s temple, and Herod’s temple had a bronze altar, a laver, a menorah, a table of shewbread, and an altar of incense. Herod’s temple did not have the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat as those were lost in Ezekiel’s day when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple. The temple in Ezekiel’s vision had only the bronze altar and the altar of incense. We discussed this briefly previously. All the other elements had been fulfilled by Christ: the laver represents the word of God which cleanses from sin (Ep 5:26). Christ is the living word of God (Jn 1:1) and is physically present. The menorah represents Christ as the light of the world (Jn 9:5), the table of shewbread represents Christ as the bread of life (Jn 6:35), the ark of the covenant represents Christ’s glory dwelling in the Holy of Holies (Ek 43:7), and the mercy seat represents Christ as the propitiation for sin and is already completed (1Jn 2:2). The bronze altar represents that atonement is still needed for those born, and the altar of incense represents the prayers of thanksgiving by those who have accepted Christ’s atonement for one’s sins and who is the hope of their future.

The bronze altar is arranged in a tier fashion and has steps leading up its eastern side. It is interesting that in Solomon’s temple this was a ramp instead of steps and was located on the southern side of the altar. This altar is quite large, being 10.5 feet high with its top being 21 ft sq. It would seem the priests will have to be quite strong to carry these sacrifices up these steps and get them close to the center of the altar.

It seems that the same sacrifices as previously made will now continue: burnt offerings, peace (fellowship) offerings, sin offerings, trespass (guilt) offerings, grain (meat) offerings. Why is this? Sacrifices are now needed for three basic reasons: (1) because a theocracy is re-established where sin must be dealt with when part of the sinless Trinity is physically present, (2) it seems death no longer occurs as there is no additional resurrection of the righteous dead mentioned in scripture, (3) sacrifices were always symbolic for they never took away sin and faith has always been required. All of these reasons help those born during this time to see their need for accepting Christ their King as their Savior and the Hope for their future.

It also seems that four of the seven feasts typically celebrated each year (Lv 23) will still be celebrated during this time: Pesach (Passover), Matzah (Unleavened Bread), Bikkurim (Firstfruit), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). While these have been fulfilled, these are still needed because these feasts represent the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, as well as his literal dwelling with his people. The other three are already fulfilled and are not needed: Shavuot (Pentecost) – the giving of the Holy Spirit; Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets) – God remembering his covenant with Israel (Tribulation Period), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) – God forgiving Israel of their sins (at Christ’s return).

As you can see, there will be many similar things that have been reshaped and slightly different. What is familiar has been reshaped for the needs of the new age. These things will help those who are already bound to their Messiah, their King, a new way to celebrate and worship him. These things will help those who need to make a decision about their King a way to understand their need to accept him. What is new will also be familiar.

This is going to be an amazing time. I hope you are making plans to not miss it. Something so wonderful should not be missed.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens