Exodus 33
LORD wants to stop traveling with Israelverses 1-3
And the LORD said to Moses – Depart – go up hence
you and the people which you have brought up
out of the land of Egypt
to the land which I swore to
Abraham – Isaac – Jacob saying
To your seed will I give it
and I will send an Angel before you
and I will drive out the Canaanite
Amorite – Hittite – Perizzite
Hivite – Jebusite
to a land flowing with milk and honey
for I will not go up in the midst of you
for you are a STIFF-NECKED people
lest I consume you in the way
Children of Israel stopped wearing ornamentsverses 4-6
And when the people heard these EVIL tidings – they mourned
and no man did put on him his ORNAMENTS
FOR the LORD had said to Moses
Say to the children of Israel
You are a STIFFNECKED people
I will come up into the midst of you in a moment
and consume you
THEREFORE, now put off your ORNAMENTS from you
that I may KNOW what to do to you
And the children of Israel stripped themselves
of their ORNAMENTS by the mount Horeb
Tabernacle set up outside the campverse 7
And Moses took the tabernacle
and pitched it WITHOUT the camp – afar off from the camp
and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation
And it came to pass
that that every one which SOUGHT the LORD went out
to the tabernacle of the congregation
which was WITHOUT the camp
LORD and Moses talk in Tabernacleverses 8-11
And it came to pass – when Moses went to the tabernacle
that all the people rose up – and stood every man at his tent door
and LOOKED after Moses
til he was gone into the tabernacle
And it came to pass – as Moses entered into the tabernacle
the CLOUDY PILLAR descended
and stood at the door of the tabernacle
and the LORD TALKED with Moses
And all the people saw the CLOUDY PILLAR stand
at the tabernacle door
and all the people ROSE UP and WORSHIPED
every man in his tent door
And the LORD spoke to Moses FACE TO FACE
as a man speaks unto his FRIEND
And he turned again into the camp
BUT his servant JOSHUA – the son of Nun – a young man
departed not out of the tabernacle
Moses more intimacy with LORDverses 12-13
And Moses said to the LORD – See – YOU say to me
Bring up this people – and YOU have not let me KNOW
whom YOU will send with me
Yet YOU have said – I know you by name
and you havet also FOUND GRACE in MY sight
Now therefore – I pray you
if I have FOUND GRACE in YOUR sight
show me now YOUR way
that I may know YOU
that I may FIND GRACE in YOUR sight
and consider that this nation is YOUR people
LORD assures Moses of HIS presenceverses 14-17
And HE said – MY presence shall go with you
and I will give you rest
And he said unto HIM
If YOUR presence go not with me – carry us not up hence
For wherein shall it be known here that I
and YOUR people have FOUND GRACE
in YOUR sight?
Is it not in that YOU goes with us?
so shall we be SEPARATED
I and YOUR people from all the people that
are upon the face of the earth
And the LORD said unto Moses
I will do this thing also that you have spoken
for you have FOUND GRACE in MY sight
and I know you by name
Moses wants to see presence of LORDverses 18-23
And he said
I beseech YOU – SHOW me YOUR glory
And HE said
I will make all MY GOODNESS pass before you
and I will proclaim the name of the LORD
before you
and will be GRACIOUS to whom
I will be GRACIOUS
and will show MERCY on whom
I will show MERCY
And HE said – You cannot see MY face
FOR there shall no man see ME and live
And the LORD said – BEHOLD – there is a place by ME
and you shall stand on a rock – and it shall come to pass
while MY glory passes by
that I will put you in the cleft of the rock
and will cover you with MY hand
while I pass by
and I will take away MINE hand
and you shall see MY back parts
BUT MY face shall not be seen
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 To a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you; for you are a stiffnecked people: lest I consume you in the way. (3607 “consume” [kala] means to finish, shut up, to stop, come to an end, wasted away, to be destroyed, to perish, or be all gone)
DEVOTION: The God of the Bible is a HOLY God. HE condemns sin all the time. HE is not going to look the other way when HIS people sin. HE is going to have to judge them for their sin.
God told Moses that HE was going to not travel with them because of the fact that they were a stubborn people. They were not following HIS instructions. HE was going to have to do something about their sin if HE traveled with them.
HE states that HE would have to cause them to perish if HE stayed in the camp. In fact, the Tabernacle was set up in the center of the camp until this point. HE had Moses move it outside the camp because of the stubbornness of the children of Israel.
The children of Israel watched Moses go into the Tabernacle from the tent doors because they were not allowed to get close to HIM. They had to deal with their stubbornness or HE would.
God had already offered Moses to start a new nation with him alone. Moses refused the offer. God was giving HIS point across to Moses and then to the leadership and finally to the people at their tent doors that HE was serious about HIS holiness.
We have to get serious about the HOLINESS of God. We have to watch our actions and attitudes to make sure they are pleasing in HIS sight. Remember the warnings in the second and third chapters of Revelation where HE warned that HE would come and take the candlestick from the six churches if they didn’t get their act together. Only one church didn’t receive a warning because they were doing their job being a missionary minded church that was reaching out to their world for the LORD.
Is the church you are presently attending reaching out to their world for the LORD? Is the actions and attitudes in your church pleasing to the LORD? Are your attitudes and actions pleasing to the LORD?
CHALLENGE: The LORD warned the children of Israel that if they didn’t obey HIM HE was moving on. The LORD warned the seven churches to make sure they were faithful or HE was going to remove their candlestick.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. (5716 “ornaments” [‘adiy] means trappings, finery, an outfit, or beautiful jewelry)
DEVOTION: Moses begins the chapter with the LORD telling him that HE would not be traveling with the children of Israel. HE was going to send an angel instead to lead them. The reason HE gives for not traveling with them is that they are a stiff- necked or obstinate or hardened people.
The people were not satisfied with this arrangement. They were sad that the LORD was displeased with them. In an act of remorse they removed their finery of gold jewelry and fancy clothes. They wanted the LORD to know that they were sorry for their actions. They didn’t want to be known as a stiff-necked people.
The LORD saw their actions and appreciated their willingness to humble themselves before HIM. The LORD commanded the people to put off their jewelry continually to show their humility in HIS presence. . Remember that the children of Israel had gotten jewelry from the people of Egypt. The LORD had commanded them to take it with them. Now the children of Israel were more concerned with their jewelry than with God. The jewelry could have been a center of worship. They had taken the earrings of gold to make the golden calf.
God knew that they would be a people who were quick to turn away from HIM. HE knew that they were a sinful people. HE moved the tabernacle from the center of the camp to a spot outside the camp.
The people began to understand the relationship that the LORD had with Moses. Each time Moses met with God the people stood up and worshiped at their tent door. Moses was the prophet of their day.
We can go into the presence of the LORD on a daily basis. We have found grace in the eyes of the LORD because of what Christ did on the cross for us.
We have to try not to fall into the same traps that the children of Israel fell into on a regular basis. There are times when we seem to worship our possessions more than God. We have to make sure that we put the LORD first. We need to use our possessions to help others as much as we can to live a humble life in this world.
If we have our possessions in the proper place then God knows what to do with us. HE will bless us and use us for HIS glory. If we don’t put HIM first and look at our possessions, our relationship with HIM will change and HIS blessings will leave.
Do we think that because we have a lot of possessions that the LORD is blessing us? Do we think that because a church is growing that the LORD is blessing the church? We need to look at our attitude toward our possessions to see if they really are a blessing from the LORD or a false god. Material possessions and large attendances don’t necessarily mean the LORD’S blessing!!!!
CHALLENGE: Would we rather have the LORD’S presence in our daily life or material wealth and fine clothes? Those with the right attitude could have both. Few can handle wealth and be humble.
: 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and YOUR people have found grace in YOUR sight? Is it not in that YOU go with us? So shall we be separated, I and YOUR people, from all the people that are on the face of the earth. (6395 “separated” [palah] means to be marked as different from something else, either physically or perceptually, distinct, be distinguished, admirable, or set apart.)
DEVOTION: Separation was needed between those who were not followers of the LORD and those who were followers of the LORD. There were differences in beliefs regarding who the true God was. There were differences in practices for those who were following the LORD and those who were not following the LORD.
The children of Israel had to know who God really was and believe in HIS power to help them and give them strength to face each trial that came their ways.
Moses made it plain that the presence of the LORD was necessary for the nation to win any battle they faced. The nation of Israel would show the world that they were different from them.
God promised Israel HIS presence and HIS rest if they were obedient to HIM. Moses had found grace in the eyes of the LORD. The LORD honored that grace with HIS presence with the people. The LORD answered Moses’ request with a YES!!
When we find grace in the eyes of the LORD HE will bless us with HIS presence because of proper attitude and actions. If we are not obedient HE will chasten and correct us, so that, we repent of our sins and restore our fellowship with HIM. This is not dealing with our salvation but our walk with the LORD.
If there is a rejection of obedience HE states in the New Testament that HE can send warnings our way to get us to understand that HE is serious about wanting to restore us to fellowship. If we refuse there can be a final warning of premature death.
These individuals will still be saved as the Bible describes “yet so as by fire.” If we are planning to disobey and face this judgment with unrepentant hearts then it might be that we have never made a genuine commitment to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Our hearts desire should be to always be in fellowship with the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 20 And HE said, YOU cannot see MY face: for there shall no man see ME, and live. (3942 “face” [liphnay] means the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear, front or former times)
DEVOTION: Most of us understand that the glory of the LORD was so bright that the light would kill anyone who saw it. Moses was only allowed to see the back side of the glory of the LORD with the LORD protecting him with HIS hand. So that he didn’t see the full glory of the LORD.
Remember when Moses came down from the mountain his face shown from just being with the LORD without seeing HIS glory. HE wore a vale to protect the people from seeing the brightness of his face. The problem was that he wore the vale when he hadn’t seen the LORD also.
When the LORD returns, we will see the Father face to face because at that time we will be able to see HIM in HIS full glory because we will have glorified bodies as well.
It will be great to see the Father face to face one day. Jesus gave the world a glimpse of what God was like but not with a glorified body. HE wanted HIS disciples to understand who God was and how much HE loved the world.
We need to get that message out to everyone we meet as well. They should be able to see a glow in our faces because we have been with Jesus.
CHALLENGE: The joy of the LORD should be our strength each day.
: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passes by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by. (5366 “cleft” [nâqarah] means hole or crevice. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship].)
DEVOTION: This is the first time that we encounter the cleft of the rock during the children of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. In this situation, Moses is protected by God by being put in that location because God does not want Moses to see His full glory. However, the LORD wants Moses to get a glimpse of His awesomeness, so He allows Moses to see Him passing Moses. Another person who had a similar experience to that of Moses was Elijah, and again God did not allow Elijah to see the fullness of His glory. Yet in a special way, both were given the privilege of seeing more of God’s glory that other mortal men.
This raises the question among unbelievers that elsewhere it is said that Moses sees the LORD face to face, and therefore this must be a contradiction. However, it is not said that Moses (or any other man) saw the fullness of God’s glory or His face (remember that the representation of God’s glory was the pillar of fire which guided Israel through the wilderness, and it was all that they could tolerate). So even as Moses saw a small manifestation of God’s glory, his face shone so much that the people could not look directly on Moses’ face and Moses was required to wear a veil in order to teach the people.
The other place where the cleft of the rock is mentioned in the exodus is at Massah and Meribah, where the people demanded that Moses give them water. Moses and Aaron were full of frustration at this point, and hit the rock in order for it to give water. Whereas the cleft of the rock was a place of protection for Moses in this chapter, he should have remembered God’s protection when it came to providing water from the rock at Massah, but he did not. He reminds us that we too are prone to forget the faithfulness of God and His protection for us. This thought is what inspired the hymn, “Rock of ages, cleft for me.”
The amazing thing is that we are told that we witnessed the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14). His full glory was manifested only during the Transfiguration, and even then, the three disciples were not able to fully see what was going on (Matthew 13). Yet we are able to appreciate the fullness of the glory of God through looking at the life and ministry of Jesus.
CHALLENGE: It is God’s protection that He holds us in the cleft of the rock, when it seems like life’s storms are all around us. (MW)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
People who sought the LORDverse 7
LORD talked with Mosesverses 9, 11
Moses talks with LORDverses 11-13, 15-16, 18
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Children of Israel worshipedverse 10
Worshiped at their tent doorverse 10
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 17, 19, 21
I consumeverses 3, 5
LORD descended on Tabernacleverse 9
LORD talked with Mosesverse 9
LORD gave grace to Mosesverse 12
Promises to give Moses restverse 14
Knows Moses by nameverse 17
Glory of the LORD shownverses 18, 22
Let HIS goodness pass before Mosesverse 19
HE will be gracious to whom I will be graciousverse 19
HE will show mercy on whom HE will have mercyverse 19
Name of the LORDverse 19
No man can see God’s faceverses 20, 23
Hand of the LORDverse 22
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Angelverse 2
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Land of Egyptverse 1
Abrahamverse 1
Isaacverse 1
Canaaniteverse 2
Amoriteverse 2
Hittiteverse 2
Perizziteverse 2
Hiviteverse 2
Jebusiteverse 2
Land flowing with milk and honeyverse 3
Mount Horebverse 6
All the people on the face of the earthverse 16
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Stiff-neckedverses 3, 5
Evil tidingsverse 4
Wearing of ornamentsverses 4-6
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Warning of judgment: consumeverses 3, 5
Mournedverse 4
Sought the LORDverse 7
Graceverses 12, 13, 16, 17, 19
Presence of the LORDverse 14
Restverse 14
Separatedverse 16
Mercyverse 19
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mosesverses 1, 5-23
When Moses went to Tabernacle
People rose up
Stood every man in tent door
Looked after Moses
Worshiped at their tent door
When Moses entered the Tabernacle
the cloudy pillar descended
and stood at door
LORD talked with Moses face to face
like speaking to a friend
Found grace in LORD’s sight
Asked LORD to show him HIS way
Asks to see LORD’S glory
Told him he could not see HIS face
Told him HIS glory would pass by
Jacob (Israel)verse 1
Given a land flowing with milk and honeyverse 3
People mournedverse 4
Children of Israelverses 5, 6
Stripped off ornaments
Tabernacle of the LORD outside the campverses 7-11
Joshua in the Tabernacleverse 11
Didn’t depart from it
Nation God’s peopleverses 13, 16
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
12–14 As the time approached for Moses to take up the lead of the Israelites, he became concerned as to the identity of the companion God had promised him (32:34; 33:2). He believed that a mere angel was no substitute for the presence of God. “I know you by name” (v.12) is tantamount to saying, “I have singled you out” or “I have chosen/selected you.” There are six uses of the verb yāḏaʿ (“to know”; “teach” in v.13) in five verses (vv.12–17). Moses asked the Lord for a demonstration of his love so that he might know and serve him better (v.13). The Lord responded by promising, “My Presence [lit., ‘my face’] will go with you” (v.14). With this new word, the Lord reinstated the angel of his presence in whom he invested his “Name” (23:20–21) as the leader of Israel’s way to Canaan. (Kaiser, W. C., Jr. (1990). Exodus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 483). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Moses also evidenced an intimate fellowship with God through His spiritual concerns. These verses may be divided into three sections each introduced by the words Moses said (vv. 12, 15, 18). Moses first wanted to know the Lord’s intentions for His people. God had told Moses to lead the people, but without God’s presence Moses was concerned. God knew Moses by name, that is, Moses belonged to God. So Moses wanted to continue to learn God’s ways and enjoy God’s grace (favor). Moses interceded on behalf of the nation by reminding God that they were His people (cf. vv. 13, 16; 32:11). In response the Lord reversed His threat not to go with them (cf. 33:3, 5) and to give them rest (v. 14). (Hannah, J. D. (1985). Exodus. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 157). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
God’s presence with the nation (33:12–17). Moses reminded the Lord of His promise to accompany the people on their journey. In fact, when the nation sang God’s praises at the Red Sea, they rejoiced in the promise of God’s victorious presence (15:13–18). Was God now going to go back on His word?
Moses based his appeal on the grace (favor) of God, for he knew that the Lord was merciful and gracious and that the people were guilty. If God gave them what they deserved, they would have been destroyed! The Jews were God’s people and Moses was God’s servant. They didn’t want an angel to accompany them, for there was nothing special about that. The thing that distinguished Israel from the other nations was that their God was present with them, and that’s what Moses requested. His heart must have leaped for joy when he heard God promise to accompany the people and lead them to the place of rest that He had promised.
Do God’s children have the right to “negotiate” with God as Moses did? It all depends on our relationship with God. Moses knew the ways of God (Ps. 103:7) and was the intimate friend of God, and therefore he was able to present his case with faith and skill. The godly Scottish minister Samuel Rutherford, who knew what it was to suffer for Christ, wrote, “It is faith’s work to claim and challenge loving-kindness out of all the roughest strokes of God.” That’s what Moses was doing for the people. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1998). Be delivered (p. 170). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
13. if, &c.] A common Heb. phrase: Gen. 18:3, 30:27 al.
shew] lit. make me to know. ‘Shew’ in Old English meant not only to let see, but also to let know, or tell: see on Dan. 2:2, 4:2 in the Camb. Bible, or the writer’s Parallel Psalter, p. 481. Cf. Ps. 103:7.
ways] His ways of dealing with men, Dt. 32:4: see 34:6 f.
that I may know thee, &c.] understand what Thy nature and character is, and shape my petitions accordingly, that so I may find grace in thy sight, and my future prayers may be answered. (Driver, S. R. (1911). The book of Exodus in the revised version with introduction and notes (p. 361). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)
Ver. 13. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, &c.] Which he said, not as doubting whether he had or no, but as taking it for granted he had, and so argues from it, and improves his interest in it, in his pleading with God: shew me now thy way; either the way which he himself would take, the way of his providence in bringing the children of Israel into the land of Canaan; or the way he would have him take, the way of his duty, how he would have him behave in conducting them thither; unless he means the Messiah, Christ, the way to the heavenly Canaan, to whom he seems greatly to have respect in the following part of this chapter: that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight; by which he might have a further evidence of his being acceptable to God, and having a share in his good will; as well as he would better know in what way grace is communicated, Christ being the way both of access into the grace of God, and of acceptance with him, and of the communication of grace from him: and consider that this nation is thy people; though they had sinned against him in the manner they had done, they were a people he had chosen above all people to be his; he had made a covenant with them, and was their covenant-God; he had redeemed them out of Egypt, and had called them from thence, and had wrought a great salvation for them, and had bestowed many peculiar favours upon them; and though for this their gross idolatry and sad apostacy from him they were unworthy of the relation, and he had thought fit not to call them his people, but the people, or the people of Moses, yet they still were his people, and he entreats he would consider the relation they stood in to him, and shew mercy to them. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 519). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The close divine presence at Sinai under this scenario would be moderated after the Israelites left Sinai. God would be more indirectly present with them in the future for their own benefit, lest his intolerance of sin should require him to “destroy them on the way,” that is, before they reached the promised land. To keep his plan of redemption on course, God had to limit his contact with Israel (see comments on v. 5). (Stuart, D. K. (2006). Exodus (Vol. 2, pp. 690–691). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
GOD IS WITH YOU
by Anne R. C. Neale
God is with you when you wake up in the morning,
God is with you when you eat breakfast too,
God is with you when you do your chores,
God is with you where ever you go and with what you do.
God is with you when you have lunch, and dinner,
God is with you when you pray,
God is with you if something goes wrong,
God is with you no matter what comes your way.
God is with you when you are sick
God is with you all day and all night,
God is with you when you fall asleep,
God is with you always, that is right.
Remember to thank God for being with you,
Be sure to pray to Him too you see,
God is always with your mind, Spirit and Soul,
And God will be with you too for an eternity.
Acts 1
After the Ascension, the apostles meet in an upper room to choose a replacement for Judas.
INSIGHT
God is moving. For thousands of years He has worked in the world through the nation of Israel and the Law of Moses. Now He will work through the church and the gospel of Christ. God instructs the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they receive power from on high. Then when they are baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit, they are to be the Lord’s witnesses in their city, the surrounding country, and the entire world.
(Quiet Walk)
In 2013, seventy-year-old James McConnell, a British Royal Marine veteran, died. McConnell had no family, and staff from his nursing home feared no one would attend his funeral. A man tapped to officiate McConnell’s memorial service posted a Facebook message: “In this day and age it is tragic enough that anyone has to leave this world with no one to mourn their passing, but this man was family. . . . If you can make it to the graveside . . . to pay your respects to a former brother in arms, then please try to be there.” Two hundred Royal Marines packed the pews!
These British compatriots exhibited a biblical truth: we’re tied to one another. “The body is not made up of one part, but of many,” Paul says (1 Corinthians 12:14). We’re not isolated. Just the opposite: we’re bound in Jesus. Scripture reveals organic interconnection: “If one member suffers, all the members suffer” (v. 26 nasb). As believers in Jesus, members of God’s new family, we move toward one another into the pain, into the sorrow, into those murky places where we would fear to go alone. But thankfully we do not go alone.
Perhaps the worst part of suffering is when we feel we’re drowning in the dark all by ourselves. God, however, creates a new community that suffers together. A new community where no one should be left in the dark.
By Winn Collier – Our Daily Bread
DOUBTFUL CHRISTIANS
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8
Christianity, as has often been pointed out, is Christ Himself. He is not only central, He is absolutely vital, and therefore we have to see that we are concerned primarily and always with Him. What reveals at once that so many people who call themselves Christian are not Christian is that Christ as a person is not at all essential to them.
I am referring here to people who think that a Christian is just a good man or woman. Obviously you can be a “good” man without even mentioning the Lord Jesus Christ; but in Christianity He is vital, and if the truth concerning Him is not the truth, the whole position vanishes. Now that is something that one cannot overemphasize.The Christian faith is entirely concerned about Him “who He is, and what He has done, and what He has made available and possible for us. And therefore you see the vital importance of our being quite clear in our minds and absolutely right about all of these things.
So I make no apology for putting it as dogmatically and as bluntly as that. To me, those who apologize for saying such a thing are very doubtful Christians, if indeed they are Christians at all. There is an intolerance about the Christian faith, expressed like this by the apostle Paul: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). And we must say the same thing. The truth is clear, it is well defined, it is perfectly definite; and we must be certain, therefore, with regard to what we believe about Christ. It is not enough to say, “I believe in Christ.
A Thought to Ponder: Christianity, as has often been pointed out, is Christ Himself.
(From God the Father, God the Son, p. 246, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Great and Precious Promises
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:4)
Scripture is full of promises, more than 2,800 in the Old Testament and more than 1,000 in the New. The first of these exceeding great and precious promises was the Protevangel (“first gospel”) of Genesis 3:15. Immediately after the fall of Adam and Eve through the temptation of Satan, God promised the coming Seed of the woman, the Savior: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; [He] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
The first New Testament promise, significantly, is this same primeval promise, now made far more specific: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The last promise of the Old Testament speaks of a second coming of “Elijah the prophet,” who will “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:5-6). Then, the final promise of the Bible is the wonderful assurance of Christ concerning His glorious second coming: “Surely I come quickly” (Revelation 22:20).
Sandwiched between these great and precious promises are over 3,800 other promises. Some of these are in the form of promised warnings to the sinner, but promises nonetheless. Most promises, however, are to the obedient follower of God, and we know that “he is faithful that promised” (Hebrews 10:23). “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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