Job 33:24
“Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’. . .”
Jesus explained to the religious leaders, that while they searched the Scriptures thinking they would find life, in reality, the Scriptures testify of Jesus. In other words, we should be able to see Jesus throughout the Bible. Sometimes, He is subtly behind the scenes, other times, He is front and center, and cannot be missed. Here, in the testimony of Elihu, we see a wonderful prediction of the work of Christ. Elihu points out, the real problem with mankind is that we are sinners and as such, are under a curse, and headed for what he calls the pit. The solution presented by this young man is that God Himself will provide a ransom for fallen men.
As the pages of Scripture continue to unfold, it will be very clear that the ransom of which he spoke, is nothing short of God sending His own Son. Jesus declared that his reason for coming was to seek and save lost men by becoming a ransom for them. It was on the cross where Jesus paid the debt we owed God, with His own life. He paid a debt that He did not owe, so that we could have a future we did not deserve.
This ransom is sufficient enough to provide atonement for all mankind. There is no person who will come to Christ and be rejected. The New Testament records the testimonies of religious men and common men, as well as murders, prostitutes and idol worshippers, all coming to Christ, being received, forgiven, transformed and sent forth as messengers to the world, telling of the wonderful work of Christ. What a joy to know that God has paid our ransom. The debt of sin has been settled, and all mankind can now come to trust in Christ and be forgiven.
This is the message given to the church to declare in the world. Take a few minutes to pray for an opportunity today to tell someone about the grace and love of God, who has paid their debt so they can be forgiven.
Pastor Jim
Most of us understand there is certain speech that is ungodly, and therefore unacceptable. We realize gossip, backbiting, coarse jesting and profanity should never proceed from the mouth of a follower of Christ. Yet, we also realize that at times we are all guilty of this, in one way or another. When we do fail, we usually have an excuse for it. We used profanity because the situation called for it, or our emotions got the best of us. We talk about a person behind their back because we feel the need to “get it off our chest”, or vent our frustrations. I think we might be able to learn a little something from Job.
When the chance arose for Esther to make her request known to the king, she pleaded on the behalf of others. This is called intercession, and is a critical part of the prayer life of every believer.
Nehemiah serves as an example of godly leadership. He mobilized the people to finish a seemingly impossible task, and did it in record time. He was a man of the Word, as well as a man of prayer, but those things did not mean he wasn’t also a man of careful thought. This is perhaps one of the most neglected weapons in the arsenal of the Christian. It is wise for us not to forget, Jesus told us to love Him with all our minds.
The walls around the city of Jerusalem lay in rubble, and the people who returned to rebuild the Temple had become discouraged by the enormous task, and the constant attack of their enemies.
Nehemiah received word concerning conditions in Jerusalem. No doubt, he hoped to hear the work of God was being accomplished, and the people were living righteous and holy lives. Instead, he heard of how the people had let the sin of discouragement keep them from serving the Lord, and the city walls remained a pile of rubble.
I find it interesting, and somewhat disturbing, that after reading of the faithfulness of Hezekiah, we find him facing what will prove to be the fight of his life. The Assyrian army, with its seemingly innumerable forces, marched against Jerusalem, surrounded the city, and began to threaten the people. These were not idle threats. The Assyrian army had not only defeated all of Judah’s neighbors, but had also conquered other cities within Judah itself. No force had been strong enough to withstand Assyria, and it would seem ludicrous to think the tiny city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants would have even the remotest of chances. Nonetheless, we read of Assyria’s defeat and Hezekiah’s exaltation. Two things grab my attention.
I have often found myself in circumstances similar to that of Jehoshaphat. I am not saying the Moabites have ever tried to attack my house, but I often feel as though I do not know what to do, and my only recourse is to keep my eyes on the Lord. While it is obvious Jehoshaphat did not know how to defeat the swelling armies of his enemies, he was not without direction while he awaited the Lord’s instruction. We see three key ingredients that should be part of our lives when we do not know what to do.
Without giving the details of the particular trial he is facing, David writes a recipe for success when overcome with opposition. The recipe includes three key ingredients.
The primary purpose of the Temple was to serve as a place where God and man could meet, however, it also serves as an illustration of the our salvation. Each of the furnishing depicts an aspect of our relationship with God. We can walk through the courts of the Temple and be reminded of the main elements of our salvation.
Jim Gallagher 