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Battle Bow Bible Teaching Series by Kraig Josiah Rice |
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The Names of Jehovah God
(doctrine of mainline Christianity)
(a Bible Study concerning Christology- the Study About Jesus Christ)
If God had a wallet |
| Jehovah Names | Descriptions of God | Scriptures |
| Jehovah Rophe | Our Lord who Heals | Exodus 15:26 |
| Jehovah Tsidkenu | The Lord our Righteousness | Jeremiah 23:6 |
| Jehovah Shalom | The Lord our Peace | Judges 6:24 |
| Jehovah Nissi | The Lord our Banner | Exodus 17:15 |
| Jehovah Shammah | The Lord is Present | Ezekiel 48:35 |
| Jehovah Sabaoth | The Lord of Armies | Isaiah 44:6 |
| Jehovah Jireh | The Lord will Provide | Genesis 22:14 |
| Jehovah Rohi | The Lord is my Shepherd | Psalms 23:1 |
| Jehovah Mekeddeshem | The Lord Who Sanctifies | Leviticus 20:7-8 |
The names of Jehovah God here are not to be confused with the
Christian cult of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
What is in a name? Have you discovered what your name really means?
My name, Kraig, means strong and enduring, like a rock.
Whatever your name means, I imagine that it is special like you are.
Since the middle ages in the western civilization most folks have at
least two names. Your first name is called your Christian name. Your
last name is called your sur name or family name. Therefore your
immediate identity is tied in with your family of origin.
God does not come from a family so He does not have a family name.
Also there is only one God so He does not need a name to separate Him from
other Gods because He is the only God in Heaven.
6 "This is what the LORD, Israel's King and Redeemer, the
LORD Almighty, says: I am the First and the Last; there is no other
God.
Because He is so
great and infinite He does not have a human name. A name is a human invention
and we don't need to drag God down to our mere earthly level to give
Him one. It is hard for a human being (like you and me) with a
finite mind to understand (God) the infinite.
7 Who else can tell you what is going to happen in the days
ahead? Let them tell you if they can and thus prove their power.
Let them do as I have done since ancient times.
8 Do not tremble;
do not be afraid. Have I not proclaimed from ages past what my
purposes are for you? You are my witnesses- is there any other
God? No! There is no other Rock- not one!"
(Isaiah 44:6-8)(NLT)
10 "Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You will lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."When God says that His name is the great I Am He is referring to His deity in the fact that He is eternally existent. That means that God does not have a beginning or an ending like mankind has. Each person on earth is born- he has a beginning. Each person on earth dies- he has an ending.11 "But who am I to appear before Pharaoh?" Moses asked God. "How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 Then God told him,
"I will be with you. And this will serve as proof that I have sent you: When you have brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you will return here to worship God at this very mountain."13 But Moses protested, "If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, `The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' they won't believe me. They will ask, `Which god are you talking about? What is his name?' Then what should I tell them?"
14 God replied,
"I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS". Just tell them, `I AM has sent me to you.' "15 God also said, "Tell them, `The LORD, the God of your ancestors- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob- has sent me to you.' This will be my name forever; it has always been my name, and it will be used throughout all generations.
(Exodus 3:10-15) (New Living Translation or NLT)
Most Christians understand the fact that this is God the Father from the Holy Trinity who is now talking with Moses. There is no doubt or confusion as to God's eternal existence or deity. God's name reflects His identity. Moses and the Israelites understood this perfectly clear.
58 Jesus answered,In this passage of scripture Jesus Christ uses the name, I AM, to let the folks know that He is God. It's a title of His deity. This is an important fact to note because the unsaved Jews knew exactly what Christ was claiming and wanted to kill Him because of it.
"Truly, truly, before Abraham was, I am." (or also meaning) "The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born!"
(John 8:58). (NLT)
There is another passage of scripture in
Matthew 14:23-31 where Christ walks on the water and states again
that He is the great "I Am".
Roger Hahn says in his commentary, "
Verses 25 and 26 describe Jesus as walking on the sea. Matthew�s
first readers would have recognized that in the Old Testament it was
God and God alone who could stride across the sea.
Job 9:8; 38:16; Psalm 77:19;
Isaiah 43:16; and Habakkuk 3:15 make this clear. The
point is clear. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water
the correct conclusion to draw is that Jesus was God himself. If
this was not clear in verses 25-26, verse 27 will make it clear.
Jesus responds to the disciples� cry of fear by saying, "Take
courage, it is I AM. Fear not." His words echo the divine name
I AM WHO I AM given to God in Exodus 3:14. The story of the
walking on the water is designed to teach us the deity of Christ."
http://www.cresourcei.org/biblestudy/bbmatt11.html
Now, don't read more into that than you should. In no way am I implying that God's holy word has errors in it or that there are apparent contradictions in it. God's word is inspired and it's holy and it's to be trusted as the one and only source on which to base one's faith.
This name appears 6,800 times in the Old Testament. In theology it is called the ineffible or unpronounceable name of God. The name of Adonai was eventually substituted for the tetragrammaton name by Jewish scribes.
So what is it that God told Moses in Exodus 3:14?
Well, let's take a closer look at it:
The main Hebrew word is "hazah" meaning "to become". God is the "Self Becoming One". This promotes the idea of revelation or self revelation. It also carries the idea of God being "the self existent one". Let's boil it all down.
My name of Kraig means strong and enduring. God's name means this:
1. God is eternal- He is the great "I am"
2. God is immutable or unchanging- He is and always will remain the great
"I am".
3. God is self sufficient and self existent. He does not need anything
or anybody else for the purpose of His existence.
4. God is incomprehensible- we cannot fully understand God or His ways
with our finite mind.
Bob Deffinbaugh from Precept Austin Ministries (in 2006) had this
to say:
"The Lord's name stands for His person, since it reflects His
attributes, character and qualities. Here the name of God is
Jehovah, His covenant Name by which He made Himself known to Israel."
Through this study I hope to show you that God is not just a far away, transcendent Person who started the universe, wound it up, let it go, and then walked away from it letting it run on it's own. Rather, He is an imminent Person who is always close and near to each of us to help guide, comfort, and teach us about Himself and His ways.
God revealed Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of all of the Jehovah names in the Old Testament. It's a part of our study here in Christology.
Jehovah-Rophe (Rophecha)
Our Lord who Heals
Jehovah-Rophe - "Our Lord Who Heals" (Exodus 15:26)
Setting the background for this Jehovah name:
Barbara Lardinais from Hannah's Cupboard in 2006 had this to say:Most of the Egyptian gods had two sides to their character. The god could be benevolent yet it could be vindictive from time to time. God shows the Israelites that He is not like any of the Egyptian gods- that He is kind. He shows this to them through a test. He proves this to them by healing them.
"The children of Israel had just come through some harrowing and glorious times. After 400 years they were free from the bondage of Egypt. The process had been turbulent. They watched plague after plague hit the Egyptians until the final one killing the firstborn male of every household and even striking the livestock. Then they were finally allowed to go by the Pharaoh.Even after that Pharaoh changed his mind and followed them out to the Red Sea to try to force them to return. But God instructed Moses to extend his hand over the waters and they parted so that the Israelites crossed over on dry land. From the other side of the sea they saw with their own eyes what happened when the Egyptians tried to cross behind them. When they got to the middle, God had Moses stretch out his hand again and release the waters. The Egyptians drowned and were utterly destroyed.
What a party ensued. They sang a great song of joy to the Lord. They danced with timbrels in triumph because they had been saved from their enemies. Now they were ready to move forward free from enslavement. Free at last. But three days later they still had not found water and they cried out and complained. God was testing them. When Moses prayed, God provided the water and he also revealed something new to the people about himself.
"If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.
There it is; God reveals himself as Jehovah-Rophe for the first time to his covenant people. Do you wonder why he chose that particular time to reveal this part of his character? He didn't do it after a big healing service although he had just healed the bitter waters of Marah where they were camping. I think he did it in this timing to comfort his people and to give them hope for their future.
They must have been wondering; what kind of God are we serving? Notice how God says "I will put none of the disease on you which I have brought on the Egyptians." The Israelites must have been thinking in their hearts; look what Jehovah did to them, is he going to bring plagues on us too? They had seen the mighty power of God as he controlled the weather and the natural force of the sea. They saw that his judgments could be terrible; they believed in his awesome greatness, yes, but was there any other side to him?"
Barbara Lardinais continues:Bob Deffinbaugh from Precept Austin Ministries (in 2006) had this to say:
"God poured out his desire to be a healer through Jesus Christ. Listen to what the prophet Isaiah says would be the destiny of the Messiah:"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
(Isaiah 53:4-5)Please note the present tense, "we ARE healed." His work on the cross paid the total price for our healing once and for all. Do you need Jehovah-Rophe today? For your body? For you soul? For your mind? He is still in the healing business today and He is only a prayer away. Call upon Him!"
"Because their eyes were not on Jehovah (and they literally should have been since He was there in a pillar of fire by night & smoke by day), they grumbled and blamed God's appointed leader Moses for the bitter water.Jesus Christ is Jehovah-Rophe. Jesus Christ is our Lord who heals.Doesn�t that sound familiar?
When God surely and wisely leads us to a "Marah experience" our response is a telltale indication of where our eyes are.
When they are not on the Lord, we grumble loudly and blame our wife, our employer, our friend, or our government.
Who have you blamed this week?
Cry out to Jehovah Rapha & then cling to the Tree He made available at Calvary.
God tested Israel who responded by testing God and yet God still in His kindness led them to a "rest stop" of water and palm trees. God's "Elim's" are not far from the "Marah's"- there will times of trial, but there will also be seasons of restoration. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Warren Wiersbe adds "Life is not always battles and bitter waters. God brings us to the refreshing oases from time to time, and for this we should praise Him. However, we can never claim our inheritance if we linger at Elim. We are pilgrims, not residents. Life is a combination of the bitter and the sweet, triumphs and trials. If we are following God, however, we never need fear what comes our way. And after the trial there is often a spiritual "Elim" where God refreshes us. We must accept the bitter waters with the sweet, knowing that God knows what is best for us."
When we experience difficult circumstances and come to a place where disillusionment, despair, disappointment, or bitterness fill the "wells" of our life, we need to remember that God has the power to make the bitter into sweet. And remember that our bitter circumstances are there to test us and to teach us to trust the Almighty God to meet every need, but not every "want".
He healed people of their sins, He healed their diseases, He healed their emotions, He healed many relationships, He healed other situations. He raised the dead. There is nothing that He can't do. He heals today. Healing can be yours now if you ask Him for it in faith.
19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious
riches in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:19)
...Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor- sick
people do."
13 Then he added, "Now go and learn the meaning of
this Scripture:
I want you to be merciful..."
(Matthew 9:12-13)
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives (slaves) will be released,
that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from
their oppressors,
19 ...and that the time of the Lord's favor has come."
20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and
sat down. Everyone in the synagogue stared at him intently.
21 Then he said, "This Scripture has come true today before your
very eyes!"
(Luke 4:18)
16 "Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey
becomes your
master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose
to obey God and receive his approval.
17 Thank God! Once you were
slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new
teaching God has given you.
18 Now you are free from sin, your old
master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness."
Romans 6:16-18;
15 "This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it:
Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners- and I was the worst
of them all."
(1 Timothy 1:15).
The Lord our Righteousness
(Jeremiah 23:6)
5 "For the time is coming," says the LORD, "when I
will place
a righteous Branch on King David's throne. He will be a King
who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right
throughout the land.
There was a revivalist king in Israel in the days of old. His name
was Josiah. That just happens to be my middle name.
I like that king. Jeremiah the
prophet had a great ministry under his reign.
Jeremiah, in the above quoted scriptures, discusses a
time in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. The Second Coming
of Christ is in two parts:
Jeremiah means the time period of the Second Advent. This is a time
when Jesus Christ, God the Son, the Son of David, Messiah, will establish His throne in
Jerusalem over the entire world and rule there as King of Kings
and Lord of Lords for 1,000 years.
God is totally righteous. He demands righteousness in us. And He
tells us in this verse that what He requires of us, He becomes to
us.
In 1 Corinthians 1:30, we are told that Christ Jesus has become to us
righteousness. And in Him we are declared to be righteous.
In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Now this is so important. Satan wins many victories when we do not
realize that our God is Jehovah Tsidkenu.
When you have failed, when you have stumbled, when you have sinned
against God, Satan will try to tell you that you are so unworthy and
so weak and so guilty that you are inadequate and insufficient to do
anything worthwhile in God's service.
We must learn to repent and confess our sin to God, and then to
gladly accept that He is Jehovah Tsidkenu, God our Righteousness.
He has declared us to be righteous. It is His gift. And we can go
on boldly- not in our own righteousness, but in HIS."
"Righteousness isn't a terribly popular word anymore so
Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness may not seem all that
relevant in the 21st Century. We need to take a second glance, however. This name of the Lord is one of the most powerful and comforting ones he has given us and an understanding will create a heart bursting with gratitude.
Righteousness means morally right or justifiable but some of its
synonyms help us more: blameless, guiltless, holy, innocent, just,
sinless. When God revealed himself as "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS"
in the Old Testament the people were anything but
sinless and guiltless. In fact, they were in the process of being
hauled off into exile and captivity (slavery) for their constant and
longstanding sin, idolatry, and unfaithfulness to the Lord.
They had been warned over and over through the prophets God had
sent to them but their hearts were hard. Finally the judgment fell
though God did it with the greatest reluctance. In the midst of that
devastation, the Lord comforted them by revealing himself to them in
a new way that would carry them through the tough times ahead. God
never gloats over our sin; he always grieves. And if we are
suffering the consequences of our own sin, he always has a plan to
bring us back to where his blessings can again flow in our lives.
The promise of the Lord for the people of Israel was that he was
going to send a Messiah, one who would sit on the throne of David
again and provide a permanent sin solution. King David's reign and
the glory years of the Jews were now a distant memory; the Messiah's
rule and reign would be forever. Some 600 years later this prophecy
was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
How exactly is the Lord our righteousness? Since every one of us
except Jesus has sinned, we have no right to stand before God and
say; "Here I am Lord, right, just, sinless and blameless. I'm
innocent God." But Jesus can stand before the Father and say all
those things. So by carrying our sins on the cross, he is letting
us ride on his righteousness. He can say to the Father; "I've got
Barbara covered. Don't look at her sin because I paid for it and I
want you to see her as blameless." The Father accepts Jesus'
righteousness as if it were ours.
Do you start to see how exciting it is to be able to call the Lord,
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU? To some this concept is a stumbling block because
it seems too good to be true. Yes, I agree that it is simple -
simple enough for anyone to understand, but it is not too good to
be true. It is true. Well, you say, what's the catch? The catch is
that you have to accept it. It is not forced on anyone. We all
continue to have a free will and God desires that our relationship
with him is given freely from our heart with love.
If you have never called upon Jehovah - Tsidkenu and would like to
begin this relationship for the first time this may help you. How
to meet Jesus Christ. If you know him but you've never quite
grasped this truth or you feel dirty based on all your bad choices
and sin, take heart. Begin again. As I said before; he never gloats;
he's always on the lookout for you to return to him. Remember the
story of the Prodigal son?
Mike Riley in his work titled The Names Of God had this to say:
6 And this is his name: `The LORD Is Our Righteousness.'
In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety."
(Jeremiah 23:5-6) (NLT)
1. the rapture of the Church (before the Great Tribulation period)
and
2. the Second Advent (when Christ literally rules)
Steve Hall in his work titled The Names Of God had this to say:
"In the Hebrew, The Lord Our Righteousness is
Jehovah-Tsidkenu.
Barbara Lardinais from Hannah's Cupboard had this to say:
(Luke 15:10-24) Call upon the Lord your
righteousness today for the first time or for the 100th time. His
arms are open wide to you."
"The word "tsidkenu" is derived from
"tsedek" - righteousness. It meant originally to
be "stiff" or "straight". It signifies God's
dealings with men under the ideas
of righteousness, justification, and acquittal. In these three
areas, Jesus is our "Jehovah-Tsidkenu"
The Lord our Peace
(Judges 6:24)
24 "And Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and
named it "The LORD Is Peace."
Setting the background:
Gideon was full of anxiety and fear because of the
Midianites. The peace of the Israelites was gone.
Christ spoke peace to him in verse 23. And in verse 24 Gideon
built an altar to the Lord and named it after this name of God,
"Jehovah Shalom" meaning "God is Peace!"
The application of this name is in three parts:
Bob Deffinbaugh from Precept Austin Ministries had this to say:
Before His birth Zacharias announced Him as the
Dayspring ("Sunrise" NASB) from on high who had visited His
people "to guide our feet into the way of peace"
Jesus also preached and
promised peace. To a woman He had healed He said "Your faith
has saved you; go in peace."
How He wept over Jerusalem which would reject Him,
saying: "If you had known in this day, even you, the things
which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes."
The burden of Peter's first message to the Gentiles was "the
preaching (of) peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)"
Paul adds that Jesus "came and preached peace to
you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh"
He accomplished that peace for us. "Therefore,
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ,"
"...While we were enemies we were reconciled to
God through the death of His Son
Continues Paul, "through Him (Jesus) to reconcile all things to
Himself, having
made PEACE through the blood of His Cross; through Him, I say,
whether things on earth or things in heaven."
By His own precious blood He broke down the barrier
of sin that stood between us and God and opened for us that new
and living way into the holiest of all
And we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ may
enter there with boldness in the full assurance of a perfect
reconciliation and peace. But the measure or degree of our
sanctification to Him and our continued trust in Him (manifest
by our obedience) is the measure of our peace in Him-
In Colossians 3:15 Paul tells us we are to "Let the
peace of Christ rule (act like an umpire calling "peace" or
"no peace") in your hearts".
For to be spiritually minded or have one's "mind set on the
Spirit is life and peace"
The Spirit Who sanctifies us
Through Jesus our Jehovah Shalom, we have peace WITH
God. He is also to us the peace OF God. There is no hope of peace
apart from Him either for individuals or nations. First comes
righteousness (including a walk of obedience or holiness) then
comes peace. To this eternal maxim both Old and New Testaments
give clear witness. For example, "the work of righteousness
(doing what is right, obeying, living a holy life) will be peace,
and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever"
That mysterious type of Christ, Melchizedek, is
first "king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is
king of peace"
It is "Glory to God in the highest, and (then) on earth
peace among men with whom He is pleased."
For He Himself (Christ) is our PEACE, who made both
groups (Jew & Gentile) into one and broke down the barrier of
the dividing wall by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is
the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in
Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing
PEACE and might reconcile them both in one body to God through
the cross, by it having put to death the enmity
AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY,
(Gentiles) and PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; (Jews)
How is His peace characterized?
Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is
rather the confidence that He is there with you always:
Peace is not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God
What is key to God's inner peace according to
Obedience is the key to His blessing, His peace and His presence.
Leviticus was the Old Covenant but now the law is written on our
hearts and we have the Holy Spirit Who enables us to walk in His
statutes under grace not under law.
Compare the blessing in
Who will disclose Himself to the one who is obedient? Jesus,
our Jehovah Shalom & in His presence we will experience His peace
which surpasses understanding."
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus"
(Judges 6:24) (NLT)
Here is the context. Israel was being oppressed by the Midianites.
The Angel of God, the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, came from Heaven
to Gideon to call him to service doing His work. He planned to use
Gideon to deliver Israel. At first, Gideon did not recognize the
Angel of the Lord.
1. The peace that comes into a sinner's heart at conversion (the same time that
Christ comes in). This is salvation peace. Read my salvation testimony
if you so desire to understand how wonderful this experience was for
me and how I wrongly thought it to be unattainable.
(Revelation 3:20).
2. The Peace of God that surpasses all understanding. When a child of
God goes through trials and oppressive circumstances Christ proves
Himself to be real to that individual by help and comfort and by giving
peace to that individual that should not be there in the normal. This
peace is a gift from God and it is a wonderful help when needed the
most
(Galatians 5:22).
3. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. This is mainly a Messianic
title for Him when He rules the world from Jerusalem for 1,000 years
during His Messianic Reign (in the future from now) during His Second
Coming. However, this title can also be applied to the truths in
numbers 1 and 2 above.
(Isaiah 9:6).
"JEHOVAH SHALOM IS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST"
"He is the Prince of Peace promised in the Old Testament
(Isaiah 9:6).
(Luke 1:78, 79), while at His birth a multitude of the heavenly
host sang "peace on earth"
(Luke 2:14).
(Luke 7:50) and to another "Daughter, your faith has made you well;
go in peace."
(Luke 8:48)
(Luke 19:42). His first words to His fearful disciples after
rising from the dead are, "Peace be with you."
(John 20:19,21)
(Acts 10:36).
(Ephesians 2:17).
(Romans 5:1).
(Romans 5:10), for "God was in Christ reconciling the world to
Himself,"
(2 Corinthians 5:19)
(Colossians 1:20).
(Hebrews 10:19-23).
(Read that
sentence again for it is the key to the unbroken peace OF God).
"The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." says the apostle
(Phillipians 4:7), but he suggests in verse 6 that it depends on
the measure of our trust, and in verse 9 on the measure of our
obedience ("Practice [continuously] these things").
(Romans 8:6), and many believers are often
more or less focused on fleshly desires, which is to lack that
peace. Peace is one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22).
(2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). Paul prays that "the God of
peace Himself
sanctify you entirely & may your spirit & soul & body be preserved
complete, (in His peace) without blame at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ"
(1 Thessalonians 5:23).
(Isaiah 32: 17). The the only righteousness acceptable to God is the
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and those upon whom He
bestows it through their faith (manifest by obedience) in Him.
Those who are not thus righteous do not know the "PATH OF PEACE"
(Romans 3:11, 17).
(Hebrews 7:2).
(Luke 2:14). First righteousness, then peace.
For it was the Father's good pleasure for all
the fullness to dwell in Him (Christ),
20 and through Him to
reconcile all things to Himself, having made PEACE through the
blood of His Cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth
or things in heaven.
21 And although you were formerly alienated
and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now
reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to
present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach
(Colossians 1:19)
(Ephesians 2:14)
PEACE I leave with you; My PEACE I give to you; not as
the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be
troubled, nor let it be fearful.
(John 14:27)
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you
may have PEACE. In the world you have tribulation, but take
courage; I have overcome the world."
(John 16:33)
Leviticus 26:1-6? "IF you walk in My statutes & keep My
commandments so as to carry them out..."
John 14:21. "He who has My commandments & keeps them is the one who
loves Me and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father and I will
love him and will disclose (manifest, come into view, appear) Myself
to him."
(Philippians 4:6-7)
The Lord our Banner
(Exodus 17:15)
24 "15 Moses built an altar there and called it
"The LORD Is My Banner."
Jehovah Nissi means the Lord Our Banner.
This is the story of a banner- a banner of blood. It's the
story of the old rugged cross. It's the story of the victory of a
saviour who is so mighty that He can even conquor death.
And because He is so mighty- because He did battle against Satan and
was victorious- He can be our general to lead us to victory over our
enemies.
What is a banner? It's another name for a battle symbol. In
Moses
time it was a staff (a long stick). During the crusades in Europe
during the middle ages it was a coat-of-arms painted on a crusader's
battle shield. In recent times past it was a flag carried into battle. In
more modern times it is an emblem painted on a war weapon such as a
star painted on the side of an airplane to let everyone know that it
belongs to and fights for the United States. In the Bible the banner
is
the blood of Jesus Christ. How can the Lord's blood be a battle
symbol? And what is this all about? And how can it be relevant to
you and to me? Well, bear with me and we will try to mine all of
these nuggets of truth out of the Word of God together.
This is a story of warfare. It's a story of Jesus Christ going to
battle for you and me. There is a description in the Bible of God
putting
on his armor before He goes out into the fight:
The LORD looked and was displeased to find that there was no
justice.
16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help
the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his
mighty power and justice.
17 He put on righteousness as his body
armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed
himself with the robes of vengeance and godly fury.
18 He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds.
The story has it setting in the Old Testament days when Moses was
in command of 2-3 million Israelites in the desert right after they
left Egypt. Remember, that Moses at one time in Egypt had been a
military general so he knew warfare and battle techniques.
But he had to set aside most of his self sufficiency and let God
help him in this battle. Remember, that the Lord is
Jehovah Sabaoth meaning the Lord of Armies (hosts). He is the greatest
general of all. If we attempt to do all of the fighting in our self
sufficiency we will only fail because our flesh is so weak, however,
if we allow God to work through us then the battle will be assured.
We must fight the battle but rely on God to help us.
And why did the Lord have to help them in all of this fighting?
It was an object lesson for you and me to let us know that
when we face our battles He is going to come to us and take command
and help us do the fighting.
8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors
of Amalek came to fight against them.
The Israelites were going on along just fine. However, they were in
enemy territory. We may be going along in life just fine preaching
His word and sharing
His gospel with others (the Great Commission). But we must remember
that Satan is the god of this world- we are in his (enemy) territory.
18 They attacked you when you were exhausted and weary, and they
struck down those who were lagging behind. They had no fear of God.
The Israelites were at Rephidim. The name means "Rests".
The Amalekites symbolize the major enemies of the Christian today-
the world, the flesh, and the devil.
All of a sudden the Amalekites attacked the helpless rear of the
long line of Israelites. They killed many. It was a cowardly and
needless attack. Don't be surprised when all of a sudden
you are attacked by your enemies- the world, the flesh, or the devil.
It may happen
when you least expect it. When you are at rest. It may happen when
you are at your weakest.
When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord
shall lift up a standard against him.
When Satan, our enemy, comes
against our life like a flood the Lord will lift up a blood stained
banner against him to give us the victory.
That standard (banner) is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan cannot
stand against the blood that defeated him on Calvary. So when he
comes against you with all he's got then rebuke him in the name of
Jesus Christ and plead the blood of Jesus over you and your own.
You will be the victor not because of what you have done but because
of the One who is victorious through you.
The battle was raging. As long as Moses held up his hands the battle
was sure. Holding up our hands has several meanings.
(Exodus 17:15)
(Isaiah 59:15-18) (NLT)
9 Moses commanded Joshua, "Call the Israelites to arms, and fight
the army of Amalek. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand."
10 So Joshua did what Moses had commanded. He led his men out to
fight the army of Amalek. Meanwhile Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to
the top of a nearby hill.
11 As long as Moses held up the staff with his hands, the
Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he lowered his hands,
the Amalekites gained the upper hand.
12 Moses' arms finally became too tired to hold up the staff any
longer. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then
they stood on each side, holding up his hands until sunset.
13 As a result, Joshua and his troops were able to crush the army
of Amalek.
14 Then the LORD instructed Moses, "Write this down as a permanent
record, and announce it to Joshua: I will blot out every trace of
Amalek from under heaven."
15 Moses built an altar there and called it "The LORD Is
My Banner."
16 He said, "They have dared to raise their fist against the
LORD's throne, so now the LORD will be at war with Amalek
generation after generation."
(Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19) NLT
(Deuteronomy 25:18) (NLT)
(Isaiah 59:19) (KJV)
We hold up our
hands as a sign of surrender. If an enemy soldier points his gun at
us and we hold up our hands it means that we surrender to him. It is
always good for each of us to surrender to God. We surrender our self
sufficiency, our self will, our doubts and fears.
Holding up our hands
is also the position of praise. Many times the victory is gained by
our praise to God. In spite of the worst of our conditions if we
praise
Him we may entirely gain the victory. Praise not only shows love to
our
Saviour but it's a sign to Him from each of us that we are entirely
approving and trusting Him to work out our circumstance(s) according
to His will and in His timing.
The Lord is Present
(Ezekiel 48:35)
35 "The distance around the entire city will be six miles. And from
that day the name of the city will be `The LORD Is Present.'"
Setting the background:
20 "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have
given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to
the end of the age."
Jesus Christ is not just a far
away, transcendent Person who started the universe, wound it up, let
it go, and then walked away from it letting it run on it's own.
Rather, He is an imminent Person who is always close and near to each
of us to help guide, comfort, and teach us about Himself and His ways.
Barbara Lardinais from Hannah's Cupboard had this to say:
But it is Jerusalem the Lord is talking about when he reveals
himself as Jehovah-Shammah, The Lord is There. Ezekiel is
prophesying about a time that is yet to come.
God himself has a great love for the city of Jerusalem; he called
Jerusalem to be the place where he was worshipped by the Jews and
where he dwelt in the Temple that Solomon built for him. In fact,
when the temple of the Lord was dedicated and the Ark of the
Covenant was placed in the inmost holy place, "a cloud filled
the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue
ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord
filled the house of the Lord."
Why is Jerusalem so special to God?
Why are his eyes and heart on Jerusalem perpetually? We don't
know specifically; it's a mystery. There are those who speculate
that it is the location of the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve
lived in complete fellowship with God. It may be the place where
Abraham took his son up on the mountain to sacrifice him but God
held back his hand and provided a ram in a thicket instead. We
know that it was prophesied that Jesus must die outside the gates
of the city and that is what happened as they took him to a place
for crucifixion outside the city called Golgotha.
What we do know is that the temple that Solomon built did not last
and God's presence did not continue in that place. Through rebellion
and sin, the Jews did not maintain their kingdom and were taken
away into captivity in Babylon (modern day Iraq). It is at this
point that Ezekiel speaks about a kingdom coming to Jerusalem
that will be without end. That has not happened yet. What are we
waiting for? We are waiting for the Second Coming of Christ.
Many of the names of God provide hope and comfort because they
reveal God's character in something he has done such as
Jehovah-Jireh or a way in which he relates to us such as
Jehovah-Rohi. But Jehovah-Shammah is different. In
Jehovah-Shammah we have a revelation about God for our
future that is exciting indeed. The first time Jesus came
to the earth he came as a humble servant, he suffered crucifixion
to pay for our sins, was buried and rose on the third day. He
ascended back into heaven and promised to return again.
In contrast, the Second Coming of Christ will be in triumph and
glory. He will come as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
When God originally revealed himself to his people as
Jehovah-Shammah there was little hope in evidence that
God was there. But he cared enough to tell them that a time
would come when he would be there always. His promise is
faithful and still awaits. All those who serve him wait for
this coming time with joy. Even so, come Lord Jesus!"
Mike Riley in his work titled The Names Of God had this to say:
In the New Testament, God's "presence" is now in believers as
living temples
Christ promised His
abiding "presence" to His Church
(Ezekiel 48:35)
Ezekiel saw a vision of the New Jerusalem and Jesus Christ was there.
Jesus Christ is- Jehovah-Shammah. He is "The Eternal God who is Present there."
(Matthew 28:20)
"Now where is God today? He is HERE! He is the God who is with us.
The fire that left the temple in Ezekiel's day returned on the day
of Pentecost and rested on the heads of men and women who had
just become temples of God Almighty.
And now, God is here. He has promised never to leave us. So the
next time you feel all alone, remember who He is and praise Him
as Jehovah-Shammah- The Eternal God who is here."
"It must be puzzling to people all over the world that there is such
a huge struggle over Israel in the Middle East and particularly
over the city of Jerusalem. You look at the battleground in the
streets on the nightly news and wonder; what's worth fighting
over? Surely there are more beautiful spots on earth; surely
there are places more worthy of such a big fight.
(1 Kings 8:10) Therefore God
himself came down to dwell there. The Lord tells Solomon concerning
this temple in Jerusalem, "My eyes and my heart will be there
perpetually."
(1 Kings 9:3)
(Revelation 19:16) He will return to his beloved city of Jerusalem
and rule the nations. The scripture tells us he will rule for
a thousand years on the earth and after that there will be a
new heaven and a new earth. There will even be a New Jerusalem.
Listen to the words of John the apostle in the book of
Revelation, the last book in the Bible:
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out
of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and
they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be
their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall
be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then he
who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."
(Revelation 21:2-5)
"Jehovah had promised His presence among His people
from the beginning
(Exodus 23:20; Exodus 33:14-16). Moses reminds the children
of Israel of God's "presence" as they are about to enter the
Promised Land
(Deuteronomy 4:37) (ASV).
(1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16).
(Matthew 28:20), being present even where two or three are
gathered in His name
(Matthew 18:20). John, the Revelation writer, tells us that there
will be no further need of any "outward symbol" of Jehovah's
presence, "for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb are the
temple thereof"
(Revelation 21:22). The eternal character and nature of God's
presence with man is beautifully expressed in
Revelation 21:3, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he
shall dwell [or tabernacle] with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."
The Lord of Armies
(Isaiah 44:6)
6 "This is what the LORD, Israel's King and Redeemer, the
LORD of Armies, says: I am the First and the Last; there is
no other God."
Don't confuse meekness with weakness. Jesus Christ was meek but He
wasn't weak. I think that many times we look at the helpless Jesus
hanging on the cross and we draw an unbalanced conclusion. Remember,
that Jesus Christ is the Lord of Armies. Where do I get that idea?
Let's look at His own words,
He could have come off of that cross if He had wanted to and kicked
some royal behinds. He is the General of Generals. The Commander of
God's Armies. He is the Man. He is the One in Charge. The royal buck
stops at Him. You don't get no higher than Him. That's right- the
only thing hanging Him to that cross was not the Roman army. It was
not the nails in His hands and feet. The only thing holding Him to
that cross was LOVE. His great love for you and me. And He hasn't
changed since that time. He still loves you and me today with the same
intensity and dedication that He had on the cross.
Remember what the Lord of Armies did in Old Testament days:
(Isaiah 44:6)
"
53 Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of
angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly?"
(Matthew 26:53).
13 But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where
you are and watch the LORD rescue you. The Egyptians that you
see today will never be seen again.
14 The LORD himself will
fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"
(Exodus 14:13-14).
Satan tempts us |
It's really important for you to ask the Lord to go to battle for you against your spiritual foes (the devil and his imps).
Here is what Rev. Merlin Carothers says in his book:
PRAISING GOD by Rev. Merlin R. Carothers
"Any form of sincere prayers opens the door for God's power to move into our lives. But the prayer of praise releases more of God's power than any other form of petition. The Bible gives examples which demonstrate this fact again and again."But thou art holy, 0 thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel," we read in
Psalms 22:3 (KJV). No wonder God's power and presence is near when we praise Him. He actually dwells, inhabits, resides, in our praises!A remarkable example of how God works while we praise Him is found in
II Chronicles chapter 20.Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, and one day he discovered that his little kingdom was surrounded by the powerful armies of his enemies- the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Meunites. Jehoshaphat knew that little Judah didn t have a chance in its own might, and he cried out to God:
"We have no might to stand against this great company that is coming against us. We do not know what to do but our eyes are upon You"
(II Chronicles 20:12 Amplified Bible).An important step in the act of praising God is to take our eyes off the threatening circumstances and look to God instead. Notice that Jehoshaphat wasn't just closing his eyes to the threat against his kingdom or pretending the enemies weren't there. He took careful stock of the situation, recognized his own helplessness, and turned to God for help.
We are not to be blind to the very real threats of evil in our lives. Seeing them for what they are only gives us greater cause to praise and thank God for working in them with perfect control and authority. But we are not to be preoccupied with the appearance of evil around us. See it, admit our helplessness to cope with it in our own strength, then turn to God.
God said to Jehoshaphat, "Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's"
(II Chronicles 20:15 Amplified Bible).Now that is a tremendous statement, I think. We don't have the power to deal with the circumstances of our lives, so obviously, the battle isn't ours, but God's!
"You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your position, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord . . ."
What a promise! Now what kind of position did God want Jehoshaphat to hold while he was to stand still and watch God at work?
The next morning Jehoshaphat gave the orders to his army. "He appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments, as they went out before the army, saying. Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever!"
(II Chronicles 20:21 Amplified Bible).This scene took place right in front of the massed ranks of the enemy- armies ready to slaughter the men of Judah. Can you imagine the reaction of their captains as they saw the small band of singers coming out on the battlefield against them?
I've been a chaplain in the army for many years, and I've seen men prepare for many battles. But I've never seen a commanding general order his troups to stand still right in front of the enemy lines while a special band of singers went out ahead singing praises to God.
It sounds like a pretty farfetched idea, doesn't it? It is in this kind of situation that our understanding is most likely to balk.
"It's all well and good to praise the Lord when we're in a tough spot," we may say, "but let's not be ridiculous. God helps those who help themselves. The least we can do is go out there and fight as valiantly as we know how. Then we'll leave the rest to Him."
But what happened to Jehoshaphat and his men?
"And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men . . . who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered"
(II Chronicles 20:22-23 Amplified Bible).I think it is permissible to assume that if Jehoshaphat had decided that "he better play it safe" and had ordered his men to fight, the outcome would have been very different.
Many of us are constantly defeated by the circumstances around us because we aren't ready to accept that the battle is God's, not ours. Even when we realize our own powerlessness to cope with the enemy, we are afraid to let go and trust ourselves to God's power. This is where we've allowed our own understanding to assume the wrong position in our lives. We say, "I don't understand; therefore I don't dare believe."
God''s Word makes it clear that the only way out of that dilemma is the step of faith on our part. Believing that God's promises are valid, accepting them, and daring to trust in them leads to understanding. The principle in the Bible is very clear here: Acceptance comes before understanding.
The reason for this is simple. Our human understanding is so limited that we can't possibly grasp the magnitude of God's plan and purpose for His creation. If our understanding had to come before our acceptance, we'd never be able to accept very much.
Jehoshaphat would never have dared follow God's plan for the battle if he had insisted on understanding it. God's proposal and promise undoubtedly staggered and went beyond Jehoshaphat's understanding. But Jehoshaphat, we read in the account, was a man who believed and trusted God. With his understanding, he relied on and trusted God." Quoted from
Merlin R. Carothers, Power In Praise, Logos International
Plainfield, N.J., 1972, pages 12-14. Note: Rev. Carothers has written several books on praise, his first being Prison To Praise. I highly recommend that you read all of his books.
Bob Deffinbaugh from Precept Austin Ministries had this to say:
Who is the LORD of hosts according to Zechariah?
"Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations
that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship
the King, the LORD of hosts and to celebrate the Feast of Booths"
In sum, Jehovah Sabaoth is God�s Name for man�s extremity, those
times when we have reached our end, finding ourselves impotent,
in turmoil, embroiled in real spiritual warfare and with no other
source of help. So meditate deeply on the truth revealed in the
magnificent, sufficient Name of Jehovah Sabaoth and you will find
that you will be enabled to "Stand firm therefore, having girded
your loins with truth" about the LORD of Hosts
"The LORD is my light & my salvation. Whom shall I fear?
(Goliath?) The LORD is the defense of my life. Whom shall
I dread ?" (Quoted from Spurgeon).
Whatever or whoever your "Goliath" is today recall to your
mind the truth about the LORD of the Armies (hosts) remembering
that "If God is for us, who is against us?"
For further study please read Romans 9:29
"Who is the LORD of Hosts (Armies)?
Comparing Scripture with Scripture we find that in
Revelation 22:13 Jesus identifies Himself as "I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and
the End." which clearly parallels the Isaiah passage. So Jesus is
our Jehovah Sabaoth (similar affirmations by Jesus are found in
Revelation 1:17, 2:18)
(Zechariah 14:16). In this passage which in context
(Zechariah 14) appears to occur during what is known as the
"millennium"
(Revelation 20:4-7), we see that the King of kings
(Revelation 17:14), Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, is also referred
to as the LORD of Hosts.
(Ephesians 6:14).
(Romans 8:31), that "greater is He who is in you than he
who is in the world"
(1John 4:4), that "though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
according to
the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh,
but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses"...that
"we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up
against the knowledge of God...taking every thought captive to
the obedience of Christ"
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5) and that "in all these things we
overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us."
(Romans 8:37; Joshua 6:2-5)
[quoting Isaiah 1:9] and James 5:4."
The Lord will Provide
(Genesis 22:14)
14 Abraham named the place "The LORD Will Provide." This name
has now become a proverb: "On the mountain of the LORD it
will be provided."
There were five of us living in my family in the fall of 1988. We
were living on faith with no visible source of income. My ministry
had very little money coming in- not enough to live on. I was
suffering from a damaged right ankle and could not work. We had bills
coming due. We liked to eat on a regular basis. We were between a rock
and a hard place. In the normal our circumstances looked hopeless and
had us checkmated.
My wife and I
had read a book on George Muller, an Englishman in the nineteenth
century who had founded an orphanage on faith. Those were also the days of
the faith missionaries when missionaries went on the foreign field with
no visible means of support and God sustained them. George Muller had
a philosophy. He would never ask a human being for money. Rather, he
would only ask God for money while praying in his prayer closet. What
were the results? The bills at the orphanage were paid and all of
the orphans- hundreds of them- never missed a meal. I encourage you to
read a book on George Muller sometime if you want to increase your faith.
Like George Muller, I agonized before the Lord in prayer. In response
to our prayers, because my wife and children were praying too, God
gave me a dream one night, but it was more like a vision. In the dream
I saw the throne of God with God sitting on it. In his hand He had a
white envelope full of money. He summoned an angel to approach Him.
Then God gave the envelope to the angel with instructions to deliver
it to me.
When I awoke the next morning I told my wife about my dream. We were
sure it was a communication from God to us. We were sure that the
answer to our prayers was on the way. On the earth God has no hands
except human hands. I knew the Lord was going to use a human to work
through but I just didn't know who or when. So we waited about 3 days.
Delay does not mean denial. No one knew about our needs because we had
told no one except God.
Then I got a phone call from my friend, Cal Midgley, who lived about
120 miles away from me. I hadn't seen him in awhile. He told me that
he wanted to see me and wanted me to drive over. I had enough gasoline
in the car to make the trip so I drove over to his house. We had
fellowship in the Lord and then he handed me a white envelope full of
cash money. The envelope looked identical to the one I had seen in God's
hand. Cal told me that he felt "impressed of the Lord" to donate the
money to me. I was sure glad that he was obedient. I never told him
about my need after I got the money but I did tell him "thank you". The
divine blessing in a transaction like that is always on the giver
and not on the receiver. And it was the good Lord who I thanked in my
prayer closet as well. He never let George Muller down. He has never
changed. He didn't let me and my family down. And He won't let you
down either if you will only trust Him completely with pure motives.
The amount of money was just enough to supply all of our needs for
about a month or so. Wow, was I relieved. That money had come just at
the right time. We praised God for being our Jehovah Jireh.
(Genesis 22:14)
Life is tragic for the person who has plenty to live on, |
In setting the background Barbara Lardinais from Hannah's Cupboard had this to say:
"Jehovah-Jireh means "The Lord will provide". God revealed Himself as the Lord who would provide way back in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Abraham was about ready to sacrifice his son Isaac on an alter at the top of a desolate mountain in the land of Moriah. We know it was desolate because when they reached the base of the mountain, Abraham took with him the wood, fire, and knife that would be needed to complete the sacrifice. He must have known none of those things would be found at the top. He also took Isaac who was to BE the sacrifice and left two servants behind.When they were near the top, Isaac said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering my son.'" Just as Abraham was about to kill his son, the Lord stopped him and showed him a ram caught in a thicket and told him to use that instead. God had placed that ram nearby in advance, knowing He was going to need a substitute for Isaac.
After the sacrifice was complete, Abraham named the place "The Lord Will Provide" which in Hebrew is YHWH-jireh."
God's infinite provision |
Bob Deffinbaugh from Precept Austin Ministries had this to say:
"The Temple Mount today is in the approximate site of Mount Moriah where Abraham offered to sacrifice Isaac his "only son" whom he loved. Centuries later Mount Moriah was the site of the threshing floor of Ornan which David purchased for Solomon's temple
(1 Chronicles 21:18; 2 Samuel 24:24, 25; 2 Chronicles 3:1) And nearby is another "mount" of sacrifice known as Golgotha
(John 19:17) also called Calvary (in the same mountain range as Moriah but slightly North West) on which God the Father offered up His only Son, the Son Whom He loved (John 3:16, 3:35).What parallel do you see in the following passage between father Abraham's actions and God the Father's actions many years later?
"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"
(Romans 8:32).Jesus Christ is Jehovah Jireh
The ram was God�s provision in place of Isaac, and Jesus Christ is God�s substitutionary provision for the whole world. In this experience, Abraham saw Christ by faith (or because of his faith and obedience).
John records Jesus' words to the disbelieving Jews in which He declared "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."
(John 8:56).
God did not want Isaac's life
He wanted Abraham's heart
John Flavel very wisely observed that,
"The greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart to God; and the greatest difficulty after conversion is to keep the heart with God."
Christianity is a religion of the heart. It is not a system of moral conduct. It is the life of Christ in a man's soul. Salvation is the work of God in a man's heart. The conviction of sin, repentance, faith, and worship are all works of the heart. The kingdom of God is not in meat and drink, things of the body; but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These are things of the heart.
As he climbed Mount Moriah with his son, Abraham was confident that God would meet every need.
On what could Abraham depend?
He certainly could not depend on his feelings, for there must
have been terrible pain within as he contemplated slaying his
son on the altar. He loved his only son, but he also loved his
God and wanted to obey Him.
Nor could Abraham depend on other people. Sarah was at home, and the two servants who accompanied him were back at the camp. We thank God for friends and family members who can help us carry our burdens, but there are some trials in life that we must face alone. It is only then that we can see what our Father really can do for us!
Abraham could depend on the promise and provision of the Lord. He had already experienced the resurrection power of God in his own body (Romans 4:19-21), so he knew that God could raise Isaac from the dead if that was His plan. Apparently no resurrections had taken place before that time, so Abraham was exercising great faith in God.
According to Ephesians 1:19-20 and Ephesians 3:20-21, believers
today have Christ�s resurrection power available in their own
bodies as they yield to the Spirit of God. We can know "the power
of His resurrection"
(Philippians 3:10) as we face the daily
demands and trials of life. When the situation appears to be
hopeless, ask yourself, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
(Genesis 18:14) and remind yourself, "I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me"
(Philippians 4:13, NKJV).
God did provide the sacrifice that was needed, and a ram took
Isaac�s place on the altar
(Genesis 22:13). Abraham discovered
a new name for God�"Jehovah-jireh"�which can be translated "The
Lord will see to it" or "The Lord will be seen." The statement
"In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen" helps us understand
some truths about the provision of the Lord.
Where does the Lord provide our needs?
In the place of His assignment. Abraham was at the right place,
so God could meet his needs. We have no right to expect the
provision of God if we are not in the will of God.
When does God meet our needs?
Just when we have the need and not a minute before. When you
bring your requests to the throne of grace, God answers with
mercy and grace "in time of need"
(Hebrews 4:16). Sometimes it
looks like God waits until the last minute to send help, but
that is only from our human point of view. God is never late.
How does God provide for us?
In ways that are usually quite natural. God did not send an angel
with a sacrifice; He simply allowed a ram to get caught in a bush
at a time when Abraham needed it and in a place where Abraham
could get his hands on it. All Abraham needed was one animal,
so God did not send a whole flock of sheep.
To whom does God give His provision?
To those who trust Him and obey His instructions. When we are
doing the will of God, we have the right to expect the provision
of God. A deacon in the first church I pastored used to remind
us, "When God�s work is done in God�s way, it will not lack
God�s support." God is not obligated to bless my ideas or
projects, but He is obligated to support His work if it is
done in His way.
Why does God provide our every need?
For the great glory of His name! "Hallowed be Thy name" is the
first petition in the Lord�s Prayer
(Matthew 6:9-13), and it governs
all the other requests. God was glorified on Mount Moriah because
Abraham and Isaac did the will of the Lord and glorified Jesus
Christ. We must pause to consider this important truth."
(Wiersbe, W. W: Be obedient, Wheaton, Ill., Victor Books)
(Bolding added)
"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is
common to man & God is faithful, who will not allow you to
be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will provide the way of escape also that you may be able to
endure it."
(1 Corinthians 10:13).
"And my God shall supply all your needs according to
His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:19)
The founder of the China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary
Fellowship), J. Hudson Taylor, used to hang in his home a plaque
with two Hebrew words on it:
"Ebenezer" and "Jehovah-jireh"
Ebenezer means..."Hitherto hath the Lord helped us"
(1 Samuel 7:12 )
and
Jehovah Jireh means..."The Lord will see to it."
And so whether he looked back or ahead, Hudson Taylor knew the
Lord was at work, and he had nothing to fear."
Steve Hall in his work titled The Names Of God had this to say:
"My God provides for me! And we must remember that we will never have a need that the Eternal God does not know about. And He has called Himself, Jehovah Jireh, The Eternal God our Provider!So when you have a need, why not call out to Him by His name, "Jehovah Jireh!" God, my Provider, I have a need!" We used to sing a little song that said, "Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, His grace is sufficient for me. My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory. He gives His angels charge over me, Jehovah Jireh cares for me.
JEHOVAH-JIREH MEANS "THE LORD WILL PROVIDE." If God sees our need, his provision is sure. This is what Abraham tells us by the name, Jehovah-jireh, the Lord will provide. Jehovah-jireh was Abraham�s testimony to the goodness and grace of God in providing a ram to take the place of his son, Isaac, upon the altar of sacrifice. And it is the testimony of every sinner who sees Christ, as his Substitute, sacrificed upon the altar of divine justice at Mt. Calvary. God�s provision upon the mount was made spontaneously. It was altogether voluntary and free. And the provision God displayed in the fullness of time at Calvary, when he gave his Son to die in the place of sinners, was also voluntary, free, and spontaneous. Christ died for us freely, unsought, undesired, and unwanted. God sent his Son to redeem us, and Christ came to redeem us by his death, simply because he loved us
(John 10:15-18; I John 3:16; 4:9-10). The provision God makes is always the very thing needed - "a ram!" Here is a substitute to take Isaac�s place. This is just what was needed, a bloody sacrifice to die in the place of Isaac upon the altar. God knew what we needed; and only he could provide the needed Sacrifice. We needed a Substitute; and Christ our passover was sacrificed for us
(I Corinthians 5:7; II Corinthians 5:21). And this provision for our need was made by God himself. Where shall a redemption be found by which it shall be possible for the vast multitude of God�s elect to be effectually redeemed from death and hell? Such a ransom could only be found by God himself. And he could find it only in himself. Since no one else could provide a ransom for our souls, God provided it and said, "Deliver them from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom"
(Job 33:24). One other thing that must be noted is this: God�s provision is gloriously effective. Isaac did not die! Like the ram that was slain for Isaac, our Lord Jesus Christ is a burnt offering, acceptable and well-pleasing to God on our behalf
(Ephesians 5:2). By his one sacrifice, Christ put our sins away. Therefore God�s elect, for whom he was slain, cannot die
(Romans 8:1).JEHOVAH-JIREH MEANS "THE LORD WILL BE SEEN." He will be seen in the mount of sacrifice. He will be seen in the gospel of Christ, our crucified Savior. Go often to Calvary, for there the Lord will be seen. He will be seen in the mount of trial. Your trials may seem severe; but do not despair. In your greatest extremity, the Lord will be seen. He will be seen in Mount Zion. Look up to heaven, there the Lord will be seen in the person of Jesus Christ our Substitute. Would you know God? Then study Christ. Learn of him. Know him. Soon all who are born of God, all who believe, all for whom the Son of God died upon the cursed tree, will see him as he is, and shall be seen with Him
(Heb. 9:28). Jehovah-jireh shall see us with satisfaction; and we shall see him with satisfaction. Jehovah-jireh shall provide us with glory; and we shall provide him with pleasure. Jehovah-jireh shall be seen with us; and we shall be seen with him. The gift of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Substitute is a provision that secures all other provisions. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?" He will give us all things in providence. He will give us all things promised in the covenant. He will give us all things in heaven."
The Lord is my Shepherd
(Psalms 23:1)
1 "The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need"
John 10:14-15
Mike Riley in his work titled The Names Of God had this to say:
Divine Guidance
From these passages, we are comforted by the thought of divine
guidance. What expectations are awakened by such a magnificent
passage! Many of us have grown weary of finding our own way. For
too long we have blundered through the darkness and stumbled over
every obstacle. We have learned the hard way.
Barbara Lardinais from Hannah's Cupboard had this to say:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
It was David who wrote Psalm 23. He knew all the ins and outs of
the life of both the shepherd and the sheep because it was his
profession. Before his encounter with Goliath, King Saul counseled
David that he was too young to go out against this giant Philistine
but David said to Saul:
"Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a
bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and
struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose
against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it."
As the shepherd was out with his flocks he was completely responsible
for their EVERYTHING - good pasture, still water (sheep are afraid of
running noisy streams), care, discipline, and protection from every
type of danger and wild animal attack. When David speaks of the Lord
as his shepherd he is saying that he fully understands and calls
upon the Lord to be his EVERYTHING.
If the shepherd is a good one, the sheep are totally safe. Free
from worry, they can graze from one tasty nibble to the next. They
can rest and sleep without thought of being picked off. If they
wander a bit too far from the flock, they can count on the
shepherd's staff to reign them back in. He is keeping watch
continuously and he knows each of them by name.
Jesus said of himself: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
gives his life for the sheep" (John 10:11) and "I am the good
shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known by my own."
Why is Psalm 23 and Jesus' words from the gospel of John so
comforting, so reassuring?
Because we each have a deep need in our heart to feel safe. Most
of us can remember a feeling of safety as small children but as we
grew we lost that sense of innocence. Things happened and we
gradually realized the precariousness of life. A more cynical or
some would say realistic view of life took the place of our
naivet�. Is there any way to go back to that place?
The Lord knows what we long for because he created us and
understands our nature better than we understand ourselves.
Recognizing our deep need, he calls us to see him as the
Good Shepherd, Jehovah-Rohi.
As we trust him more and more, Psalm 23 becomes the realistic view
of life and our pasture lands are rich and safe indeed."
Steve Hall had this to say:
He is our guide. He leads us. He feeds us. He comforts us. No other
name of God carries the tenderness and intimacy of Jehovah-Rohi.
When we need to be reminded that the Lord is taking care of us, we
can come to the 23rd Psalm and praise Him as Jehovah-Rohi."
Bob Deffinbaugh from Precept Austin Ministries had this to say:
Phillip Keller in his book "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23"
emphasizes that "nothing so quieted & reassured the sheep as
to see me in the field. The presence of their master and owner and
protector put them at ease as nothing else could do...in the
Christian's life, there is no substitute for the keen awareness
that my Shepherd is nearby.... There is nothing like Christ's
presence to dispel the fear, the panic, the terror of the
unknown.... it is the knowledge that my Master, my Friend, my
Owner has things under control even when they may appear
calamitous. This gives me great consolation, repose, and rest."
Phillip Keller, once a shepherd himself, in his book A Shepherd
Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976), relates that
the strange thing about sheep is that because of their very
makeup, it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down
unless four requirements are met:
Spurgeon comments on Psalms 23:4:
Warren Wiersbe writes in "Prayer, Praise & Promises":
When the Lord is your Shepherd, what will happen in your life?
First, you will live a day at a time. "Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life" (v6). Psalm 23 talks
about all the days of our lives, and they are lived one day at
a time when the Lord is our Shepherd. Someone has said that the
average person is being crucified between two thieves- the
regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. Consequently,
he can't enjoy today.
Second, when the Lord is your Shepherd, you listen for His
voice. In John 10:27 the Lord Jesus said, "My sheep hear My
voice." The Shepherd does not drive his sheep from behind.
Rather, He calls them from ahead. How do we listen to the Lord's
voice? Through the Word of God.
Third, when the Lord is your Shepherd, you must expect changes.
You may have green pastures and still waters. Then you go through
the valley of the shadow of death. You have a table in the
presence of your enemies. Then you live in the house of the
Lord (heaven) forever. You will experience changes in life.
Expect them; don't be afraid of them. When you follow the
Shepherd, the future is your friend, because the Lord is going
before you. Live one day at a time, following the Shepherd, and
you won't have to be afraid. Some people fail to adapt to life's
inevitable changes. As a believer, you need never fear the future.
Trust the Shepherd, who goes before you, and listen to His Word.
Commit this day to the Lord and thank Him for His guidance."
Dr. Wiersbe goes on to add:
"Psalm 23 depicts Jesus Christ as the Great Shepherd living for
His sheep. It also gives us two assurances.
First, Jesus shepherds us throughout each day. Dr. Harry Ironside
used to say that goodness and mercy are the two sheep dogs that
help keep the sheep where they belong. We live our lives one day
at a time, because God built the universe to run one day at a
time. There must be a time for labor and a time for rest. When
we try to live two or three days at a time, we cannot enjoy
today. Eventually, this catches up with us physically,
emotionally and spiritually. We need to remember that "as
thy days, so shall thy strength be"
Our second assurance is that Jesus shepherds us all the days of
our lives. This psalm is a summary of the Christian life. Verses
1 and 2 speak of childhood. Children need protection and
provision. God loves and watches over them. Verse 3 speaks
of youth. Teenagers need direction and discipline. The Great
Shepherd finds these wandering youth and brings them back.
Verses 4 and 5 talk about the middle years. These are not easy
years, when the children are growing up and there are bills to
pay. Verse 6 speaks of the mature years.
We don't understand why some things happen. But one day we'll
realize that everything is under God's goodness and mercy. Then
we'll look ahead and see His house. What are your needs today?
Stay close to the Shepherd by reading the Word. Resolve to follow
His leading."
Don't let worries kill you
(Psalms 23:1).
14 I am the good
shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father
knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the
sheep.
"
The name "Jehovah-Rohi" means "Jehovah my
Shepherd". It is that most precious designation of Jehovah which begins the twenty-third
Psalm, where it is translated, "The Lord is my shepherd."
The primary meaning of the word "Ro'eh" is "to feed"
or "lead to pasture," as a shepherd does his flock. The story of Joseph in
Egypt opens with Joseph "feeding the flock with his brethren"
Jesus Christ is The Lord My Shepherd
(Genesis 37:2). We read in Psalms 80:1, "Give ear, O Shepherd
of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock ..." In the
great chapter of comfort
(Isaiah 40:1), the prophet says,
"Behold Jehovah Elohim will come with a strong hand... He
shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the
lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall
gently lead those that are with young"
(Isaiah 40:10-11).
Ezekiel also gives us a beautiful picture of this relationship
in
Ezekiel 34:11-16, where after the indignation at the false
shepherds
(Ezekiel 34:1-10), Jehovah is presented as the
Shepherd who will search his sheep and seek them out. He
will feed them in a good pasture and make them to lie in a
good fold. He "will seek that which was lost, and bring again
that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was
broken, and will strengthen that which was sick"
(Ezekiel 34:16).
(Hebrews 13:20). Some of the most beautiful and
appealing of His parables and sayings have to do with this
relationship to His redeemed. In Christ was fulfilled the word
of Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 34:11-16). Peter reminds us that we were
going astray like sheep "but are now returned unto the Shepherd
and Bishop of your souls"
(1 Peter 2:25).
In Psalm 23:1-2, the Psalmist states, "The LORD is my shepherd; I
shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he
leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he
leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
(Jeremiah 10:23). Maybe that
is why we love to sing: "He leadeth me: O blessed thought! O
words with heav'nly comfort fraught! What-e'er I do. Where-e'er
I be. Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me."
"
Psalm 23 is one of the most well beloved and well known scriptures
in the whole Bible. It is in this Psalm that we meet Jehovah-Rohi,
the Lord my shepherd.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake;
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(I Samuel 17:34-35)
(John 10:14)
"The 23rd Psalm is an amazing Psalm. It is the favorite of many many
people. And it begins with the words, "The Lord is my Shepherd." In
the Hebrew it is "Jehovah-Rohi." The Eternal God is my shepherd.
The "Shepherd's" Name is Jehovah- "I Am"
("I Am your all in all. I Am all you will ever need")
(Isaiah 40:28-29)
(1) due to their timidity, they must be free from all fear.
(2) because of their sociability, they must be free from friction
with others of their kind.
(3) they must be free from flies or parasites if they are to relax.
(4) they will not lie down unless free from hunger. It is only
the shepherd who can provide release from all these anxieties.
As our Good Shepherd, the Lord meets all these needs for us, so
that we can "lie down in green pastures," with our souls
restored by his care.
"He leads me":
"We wish for many things that we do not really
need, and there is no promise that we will have all we wish for.
God has not promised anything more than what we need. But He
will give us that. Lift up your head. Do not be afraid. God is
with you. He will turn darkness into light and bitter into sweet.
All the way, He has led you. And all the way, He will lead you.
Let this be your constant joy. He is your Shepherd. You will not
lack what is absolutely necessary. Whatever you really require,
you will be given it by your tender Father�s lavish hand."
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (v1). That must be
one of the most familiar quotations from the Old Testament.
Everybody has some kind of shepherd. Jeremiah said, "It is not
in man who walks to direct his own steps"
(Jeremiah 10:23). We are like lost sheep, not able to guide our own lives. We need a
shepherd. Who is your shepherd?
(Deuteronomy.33:25). As His sheep,
we can begin each day with confidence. John Chapter 10 tells us that
Jesus goes before His sheep. We cannot walk into any experience
where Jesus has not first been. Though we may not know or
understand what is taking place around us, we will fear no
evil because we are close to the Shepherd. His rod takes care
of the enemies; His staff takes care of the sheep (discipline
and guidance). We can stay close to the Shepherd through His Word.
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