Haggai

Ezra 5:1 “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.”

Haggai was an old man, and Zechariah was a young man.

Both were told to talk to the leaders of the returned remnant (they had been seventy years in captivity in Babylon, for their sins, but had come back after the opportunity came to return.)

Zechariah spoke mostly in visions, telling the people that they had returned for a purpose: which they should continue in, and finish.

His was a message to encourage and build up.

But before they could be built up; they needed to Awaken! To God’s claims on their lives. This Haggai did.

Haggai was a man who got right to the point.

Haggai 1:3-5 “Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house (God’s temple they were to rebuild) lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”

You see, the people who had returned to Israel, had started building the temple with great enthusiasm.

As soon as God’s work was started: enemies came.

They said, Let us “help” you.

They wanted to stop God’s people from being separate from them and their ways. (The world always wants to interfere in God’s Will and work.)

But when the remnant refused, saying they alone would build God’s house. Then trouble began. (Ezra 4:4-6).

The enemies accused the remnant of rebellion to the king of Persia, (Ezra 4:12-16)……and he believed them, and commanded that they stop what they were doing!

What should the remnant do? (What they should have done was send their own letters to the king, reminding him of what the former king had promised and decreed for the house at Jerusalem! Ezra 6:1-7)

This was their purpose: To rebuild the temple, so that the first thing (and the Lord is always to be first in our lives), would be His people in a right relationship to Him, by sacrifice.

(We must remember that the sacrifices of the temple were looking forward to the Great, and Only True Sacrifice for sins: Jesus Christ, our Savior.)

When they had stopped building the temple; they started working on their own houses, and estates. They built very elaborate houses for themselves.

But God would not let them forget their purpose, so:

Haggai 1:7-9 “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? Saith the Lord of hosts.

Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”

This fierce and serious message was heard (thankfully), and obeyed.

Haggai 1:12 “Then Zerubbabel…,and Joshua…,the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.”

And the Lord encouraged them:

Haggai 1:13-14 “Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.

And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel….,governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua…., the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,”

When the Lord is “with us”, we are in a very secure place, for His power is at work for us.

For the Lord also made Darius the king find a decree, which had not been found before. By that decree, the Israelites were to be funded, and encouraged! (Ezra 6:2-3, 6-7)

And the Lord gave them a very great promise:

Haggai 2:7, 9 “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with (the)glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Part of the temple they were finishing, would be there when God sends His Son, Jesus Christ. (It was; for Herod built his temple around part of this original building. Jesus walked on the stones they laid.)

And, when they obeyed; The Lord blessed them in all the other things:

Haggai 2:19 “Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”

The Lord has said to us:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

We are to concentrate on His Purpose for us: to do His Will.

And He will be “with you” today, tomorrow, and so on.

God has shown us Who He is….and how He feels toward us…..

Jeremiah 10:10, 12 “But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting King: at His wrath the earth will tremble, and the mountains shall not be able to abide His indignation.

He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion.”

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old to me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

……let us grow bold in our trust of Him…..and get honest and show Him all we are, and all we need.

Are we showing how we feel about Him?

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Here is the good and honest heart….

…and it is the only one in the parable of the sower, that produces fruit….the other’s are given the Word…..but do not bear fruit….for they let “things” (cares, worry, and pleasures of this life) interfere with the Word’s influence.

But the honest heart….bears fruit. True it is not the same for everyone…..but it is fruit to God….from us.

If we will honestly face ourselves for what we are…..then grace will be applied to us:

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

It is not a matter of meriting His help….or earning forgiveness….

…but it is a matter of the heart before God.

Have you come and talked to God lately…..honestly laying out before Him yourself…..your attitudes,….your thoughts—good or bad,……your angry words,…..or gossip…or idols?

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

When it speaks of the heart in scripture….it speaks of our souls.

The issues of Life?

The “issues” are those things which come out of your heart….into your speech and actions.

Jesus said about the “issues” that come from a natural heart:

Matthew 15:18-19”But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies:

The “issues of life” deal with those things that have been placed within us by the Lord; those things that we are to maintain and show to others……

….to have and manifest Christ.

Ephesians 3:17-19 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

These are the things which counts for time….and eternity….

And they are of the heart….which we are to “keep”…..hang on to….as valuable.

Many know that Jesus loves them….but are we “rooted and grounded” in this knowledge?…..so that it keeps us in the trials of life….in the dark days of trouble and in the bright days of prosperity?

Jeremiah 9:24 “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”

If we are to bring forth fruit to Christ….we need to “abide in Him”…..and from that intimate, personal relationship…..we are to grow in knowledge of what His love means to us…..what it does for us….

……and get honest with Him about everything which comes to us….and how we feel about it.

Above all that we guard….we are to guard our hearts….and keep them for Christ Jesus.

They are His dwelling place…for He will abide with them for ever.

They are His clay….for He will mold them to feel mercy for others, to feel love for others, and to be courageous in the face of our everyday days.

They are His throne on earth….for it is through us that He is shown as King.

He has shown us His love for us, by His Son…..will we get honest with Him and manifest Him to others?

He never Slumbers.

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

As Christians where should we look for help? There is only One who can really help us.

And our testimony should be: “my help comes from the Lord…”

He is the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.

He rules and overrules in the affairs of men, whether they acknowledge Him or not, for He is God, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22-23 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Isaiah 50:7 “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

And how does He help us? By a guidance in the Holy Spirit, which keeps us from “being taken” in the devil’s traps. And gives us courage to follow Him.

And if we are tripped up; He keeps us from being “utterly cast down”.

Psalm 121:3-5a “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper:…”

He, who numbers the hairs of our head, will watch the steps that we take.

The illustration here, is as children are watched by their parents; ever ready to intervene if needed.

And as sheep are watched by their Shepherd to protect, as well as guide into right paths.

He is called the Keeper of Israel…He guides and preserves those that are His.

(It also suggests that He fights for us: as David did against the lion and the bear. [1 Samuel 17:34-36])

Proverbs 3:23, 26 “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.”

God neither sleeps nor slumbers.

He neither sleeps at night….so we can.

Nor slumbers during the day….when it is time to work, He is right there to help us.

The Keeper of Israel is a covenant Name of God. When He looks at us, He sees us in Christ, covered by His blood and righteous, in Him.

His eye is ever toward the righteous.

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;”

Psalm 121:7-8 “The Lord shall preserve thee from evil: He shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Three times in these two verses, it says: preserve. Preserve means to hedge about with thorns, so nothing can come in, to harm.

He shall preserve from all evil. From sin, the world, and the devil. (“The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation…” 2 Peter 2:9)

He shall preserve thy soul. With all its emotions, thoughts, and actions; He shall keep us by His Spirit. (1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to revealed in the last time.”)

He shall preserve thy going out and coming in. Our every day life is here spoken of.

We go out of our prayer times to face the world and all that comes to us;…..

…..and we come in to seek Him for strengthening fellowship and love.

(John 10:9 “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”)

The Lord our Keeper shall preserve “thee”. It is always personal.

He shall preserve you. He shall preserve me.

Praise Him for all His wonderful works.

The Healing of Ten Leper’s

Luke 17:11-12 “And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:”

Jesus is in His last year of ministry, and He is going to Jerusalem, knowing full well what will happen there. (His betrayal, suffering, death, and resurrection)

But He did not just forget everything, or everyone along the way…no..He ministered till the end.

Luke 17:13 “And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

So here He comes across ten lepers, all standing “afar off”….but crying out for help.

(It says “there met Him”, as if they knew He was going to pass this way, and waited to see Him)

Luke 17:14 “And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

Simple directions for their healing, if they follow them. And they did….and they were indeed healed, by obeying Jesus.

(Interesting fact: Leviticus 14:2 “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing; he shall be brought unto the priest:”.

So their going to the priest was to fulfill the law, and by obeying Jesus, they were cleansed on the way.)

Luke 17:15-16 “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.”

Whether the other nine saw they were cleansed or not, right away, as this one did…..his “loud voice” would have told them…..but they did not turn around to give glory to God, or to thank the Lord Jesus.

No thanks is ever recorded from them. They obeyed and were healed from their leprosy…..without even a word of thanks.

(How do we react to the many blessings God gives us?)

But the one, a Samaritan, saw…returned to Jesus, praising God and giving thanks to Him…..and received further blessing.

Luke 17:19 “And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”

But why does Jesus say “thy faith hath made thee whole?” Wasn’t he healed already?

Because….

This healing was of the whole man…he was saved by faith in the Lord right then.

He was healed in his body, from the leprosy….when he obeyed Jesus.

And healed in mind and heart, by joyful thanksgiving…to God.

And healed in spirit, by salvation….when Jesus declared him whole!

Then he was given direction to return to his old life, in faith! “Go thy way…”

Amazing blessings…and that for the life ahead, and for eternity,……because he came to Jesus in thanksgiving.

The ten knew God had healed them…..and their healing was enough for them, for that is all they wanted with Jesus.

(It was certainly a picture of the nation of Israel, and many; who wanted the things Jesus would do, but did not want Him)

(Are we crying out to Him for what He will do for us, and not who He is?)

But the Samaritan knew Jesus was the Son of God, and that He had healed him.

And he wanted….before anything else, to give Him thanks, for it.

We are told to:

1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit.” (Don’t put out the fire of joy of the Spirit within you)

“For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.”

Are we fulfilling this part, of the will of God, in our lives, by giving the praise that is due Christ?

Well, nine settled for the physical healing….when they could have had so much more….

….but one, came and in praise….received Jesus as Lord and Savior….and was blessed again!

O Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.”

When you taste things…you experience them…you know them….you have them.

You can know about the Lord….

But to really have the experience that the Lord is good….is to taste.

Our taste, is a very sensitive faculty (unless it has been compromised).

It lets us know things….salty, sweet, bitter, savory….

It brings to mind memories….my Grandma teaching me to slurp the vinegar in the pickles she made….”it’s good for you!”….and I have loved the sour vinegar taste ever since! And it reminds me of her, every time.

It lets us know whether things are “good” or “spoiled”.

Our taste was given to us so we can discriminate between one thing and another.

And we can only “taste”, for ourselves….not for another.

So David says…..”Taste and see that the Lord is good”.

“No,” David says….”I have tasted….but I can not even begin to explain or show you how good the Lord is.

I can tell you what He did for me…..but you must come and experience Him and His goodness, for yourself….so come and taste”

The Lord said to me once, that the people I was preaching to were getting a banquet….a feast of His Word…in the Bible study we were having (I certainly was!)…..

…..but though they were coming…and listening…..

…when it came to “tasting” the good…..they were settling for a sandwich….

….and going away.

There are some spiritual truths, that you can not truly know….without experiencing them for yourself.

Being born again is just such a doctrine….unless you come to Christ Jesus and receive Him into your heart….and know the forgiveness of your sins….you are not born again.

So is deliverance from our besetting sins (Hebrews 12:2), or self-sins…

The verses He showed me….might encourage you…..but not touch the soft spot of your heart’s rebellion….

….and so do nothing for you.

The Lord is “good”. The word here is “sweet”….like honey.

Yet the sweetness of the Lord is only for those who will come and experience it.

(The Song of Solomon is a book of experience: it tells of the believers desire to go further with the Lord. To know the sweetness of Him in personal fellowship and the walking together in our life.

Song of Solomon 1:2-4, all speak of this desire….

“Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth;”…

….and then compares that communion, with taste….

“for Thy love is better than wine.”)

We must make the blessings of His grace (the unmerited favor of power) our own.

We know His grace in salvation….”For by grace are ye saved….” (Ephesians 2:8)

But there are graces given us day by day….which we need to “taste and see”….and we will not “see” them in our lives, if we will not use them.

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”

“All grace”…..all the different graces we need….strength, peace, knowledge, joy, power to do…….all the enablement we should have….

….And these we need to use….day by day.

1 Peter 2:3 “If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

O taste….(for yourself)….and see…(with eyes that are really opened to Him)…..that the Lord is good.

He is….do you know Him so?

Every Man in his Place

Judges 7:21″ And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.”

Here was a great Victory over their enemies, which were many:

Judges 7:12 “And the Midianites and the Amalekites, and the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seaside for multitude.”

These had come into the land to plunder the goods that the Israelites had harvested.

They were a vast number of them which had banded together to go through Israel and take all they wanted.

But God was ready to intervene, and spoke to a man, Gideon, about the saving of Israel from them.

In case you think Gideon was godly; he wasn’t. He, and much of Israel had taken up with the gods of the people they dwelt among.

This was the reason that God permitted the bands of these nations to come and take their harvests, year after year.

But finally, God appeared to Gideon and called him to the work of saving Israel.

Judges 6:14-16 “And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

And he said unto him, O my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

There was an exchange between the Lord and Gideon; a lot of doubt and unbelief to overcome.

And it started by the Lord sending him to tear down the altar of Baal, which his family and the men of the city worshipped. He was then to build an altar to the Lord, and offer a bullock on it.

When he had done it, the city came against him; but his father stepped up and said:

Judges 6:31 “And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? Will ye save him?….if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.”

This was the beginning of a call of God, and away from idols, to these men, through Gideon.

Next, Gideon blew a trumpet to call men to battle against the Midianites. They came by the thousands.

You would think, “Wow, this is just how the Lord will save us! We will have a great army against these intruders!”

But the Lord ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The Lord wanted Israel to know Him: He can save with few or many.

Judges 7:2 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the MIdianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand has saved me.”

He knew the pride of man’s heart, and knew if many fought against many, and won; they would say it was numbers, not the Lord that saved them.

So the Lord told Gideon to tell all who were fearful to go home. Twenty two thousand left.

But there were still ten thousand.

The Lord said, there were still too many. So He made all the men come down to the water.

Those that picked up the water into his hand and lapped like a dog, was to be set aside.

Those that bowed down and drank from the water, were to be let go.

There were three hundred men that lapped the water.

Judges 7:7 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand: and let all the other people go, every man into his place.”

Now, all along, the Lord has encouraged Gideon to do what He has told him to do.

Now after sending all but three hundred men away, the Lord encourages him again.

(Notice how God is in control over every one; the Midianite and his dream, as well as the Israelites)

Judges 7:9, 11, 13-14

“And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down into the host for I have delivered it into thy hand.

And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shalt thine hands be strengthened to go down into the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

And when Gideon was come, Behold, there was a man who told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.”

Wow! God spoke directly through the enemy!

After hearing this, Gideon worshipped. Worship is counting God worthy of our all: praise, and obedience.

Judges 7:15 “And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.”

He divides his men into three companies; giving each man a trumpet, and empty pitchers with lamps in the pitchers.

He told them: Look on me and do what I do. When we come to the outside of the camp, when I blow the trumpet, so should you blow your trumpets; and say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.

So they came around the camp:

Judges 7:19-22a “So Gideon, and the three hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in there hands.

And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held their lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

And they stood every man in their place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow:”

Coming in the middle of the night, when the watches were just changed. New men were coming and going in the camp. Men entering into their tents for sleep; when suddenly, trumpets were blowing, lights were flashing, and men were shouting about the sword of the Lord and of Gideon!

What a scene of sudden chaos! Who would know whether the man entering the tent was friend or foe. Best not to take any chances, and strike him down!

Fear came upon the Midianites, and they ran; running into, and fighting their own men, not sure what was happening.

This was a great Victory for the Lord.

And it was accomplished by one man, standing with God in the calling he was given; and leading the rest to stand “every man in their place.”

What of us? Has God called us to a work? A prayer time? To witness for Him?

Then surely He will encourage us, in the work; however the encouragement comes.

And we should stand in our place, looking to Him for guidance, and doing as He directs us.

He has given a voice, and the light of the Holy Spirit within us; let us use them under His guidance.

An Offering of a Willing Heart.

Exodus 35:4-5 “And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing that the Lord commanded, saying,

Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass,”

The Tabernacle of the Lord was to be made. The very intricate pieces were to be done by those selected by God, and given the ability. (Exodus 35:30-35)

But before they could do the work, materials had to be gathered. And God did not require any to give; but it was to be an offering of a “willing heart”.

Exodus 35:21-22 “And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the Tabernacle of the congregation, and for all His service, and for the holy garments.

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and earring, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered, offered an earring of gold unto the Lord.”

Exodus 35:29 “The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.”

This was wonderful. But the example I want to speak about is:

Exodus 38:8 “And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.”

These woman had given before: bracelets, and earrings, gold and silver. Yet they continued coming to the door of the Tabernacle to see what else was needed.

Back in those days, looking glasses (mirrors) were not made of glass, but of brass. Highly polished brass. It was an art to make them and they were very valuable.

(Actually it was flattering to the faces, for it gave them a shine, and did not show up every flaw.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, it says, “For now we see through a glass (looking glass) darkly, but then face to face: for I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

The apostle is saying, “Now you see yourself a little better than you are. You are not seeing clearly. You are also not seeing clearly the love God has for you, as you. But then, when you put away “childish things”, you will see yourself clearer, and God’s Amazing love for you, as you; a lot clearer, too.)

These women had gotten these looking glasses from the Egyptians [who were scrupulous about their looks], and had them stored in their treasures.

To be able to pull them out after journeying through the desert, and brush the sand out of your hair. To see how your face looks after a few years: this would have been a real treasure!

But, they saw the need for brass for the laver.

(the large basin with feet, which was filled with water. It was outside the Holy Place, in the court.

This is what the priests washed at after working at the altar with the sacrifices. They were to wash before going into the Holy Place, and eating the bread, or lighting the Lamp, or offering incense to God.)

These women saw the need, and brought something very personal, and very valuable to them. Their brazen looking glasses. Of all their treasures, these would have been something they would want to hold on to.

They came willingly and gave something which would have made them feel beautiful. So it was a matter of the heart, choosing God’s work, over their vanity.

Not such an easy choice at times.

Yet it was an offering of a willing heart from all of them; and God gave witness of their offering in His Word, as a testimony to their love.

The Lord has before Him books of all the deeds down through the centuries, of those that do something willingly, out of love to Him.

And here, He has written of these willing hearts.

(Malachi 3:16 “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.”)

Is our service to the Lord, of a willing heart?

Blessed

Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.”

Blessed means twice your happiest moment!

And we are blessed the nearer we come to Christ Jesus our Lord.

But this “nearer” is of the heart and will, not just of word.

Mark 5:24-28 “And Jesus went with him, and much people followed him, and thronged him.

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

For she said, If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be made whole.”

Here was a woman in need. She had done all she could, and gone to others who did all they could; but she was none better, but worse.

Hearing of Jesus (all the great miracles He had done,and the many He had healed), she came after Him.

Seeing the crowd (for they all were pushing to be around Him), she thought she would come up behind him and just touch His clothes.

She came, not just to see, or hear Him, but to be near enough to touch His clothes, to be healed.

She thought that if she could just touched the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:21), she would be made whole.

So she came, pushed forward, and leaned down and touched the hem of His garment. (Some say, that she was crawling through the crowd to get to Him)

Mark 5:29 “And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

(Luke 8:44 “immediately her issue of blood stanched.”)

Finally, wellness!

She touched His garment, and she felt the fountain of blood dry up, and that she was made whole. She was halted with joy and wonder!

But then she heard Jesus say:

Mark 5:30 “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”

I want to take a moment here, and point out exactly what the disciples are going to say:

There are many who are “touching” Him. There is a large crowd, pushing to be around Him.

(It is an interesting point that none of them were healed.)

But the Lord knows those who really come to Him in faith…….and they will always be blessed.

Mark 5:31-32 “And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, who touched me?

And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.”

Jesus was not looking for those who follow for position, or for curiosity, or to see the next greatest thing.

He was looking for her, who had come to Him, believing that He could meet her desperate need.

That is faith. And faith in Jesus always brings us near in heart, and will.

And again, faith in Jesus will always be blessed.

Although right now she is afraid, she does not run away, or try and hide in the crowd: but came, again, in honesty, and told Him all.

Mark 5:33 ” But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.”

She did not know what He would do. He might revoke His healing. He might be angry at the way she had been healed.

She does not know; she fears and trembles: but she comes to Him, and tells Him all the truth.

She should not have feared; the One who heals, saves.

The One who saves, receives us again and again, despite our weakness.

And so He does here.

Mark 5:34 “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace (always a sign from God that she is saved), and be whole of thy plague.”

The Lord always rewards faith. His first thought is, for her peace with Him (salvation); then He doubles the healing by speaking, “be whole of thy plague.”

He heals body, soul and spirit. He heals mind, heart and will.

Blessed is twice happy; and she was. Both saved and healed, because she came to Him; first in secret faith, and then in honesty.

Her faith was given the healing that she sought.

Her honesty was given blessing; To be brought near to Jesus in Salvation, and to be made whole.

(The God of peace will sanctify us wholly: body, soul and spirit:

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, and who makes their hope in the Lord.

It is in our coming to Jesus Christ, that we are blessed. We shall be satisfied as we abide with Him.

The Offerings of Sweet Savor

There were three “Sweet savor” offerings….and two offerings for sin and trespass….five offerings in all.

The sweet savor offerings are called a savor of rest. These were all burnt on the altar….showing that the sweetness would not be shown without the fire of trial, or suffering.

They are all “to God”, but one is also shared with the priests (and we are a holy priesthood, 1 Peter 2:5); and one is shared in fellowship with God and the priests and the people who sacrifice, Hebrews 10:24-25)

The offerings under the Law….all looked forward to the completeness of Christ’s offering….both to God, and for us.

They were like a shadow….Showing a form of the real…..but Christ’s sacrifice was real….for it was effectual for us….forever.

Hebrews 10:1 “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.”

Hebrews 10:12, 14 “But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, set down on the right hand of God;

For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.”

Let us look at the “sweet savor” offerings:

The whole burnt offering:

Leviticus 1:3, 9 “If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will….

….and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord.”

Christ was the whole burnt offering….for He kept back nothing of the full price of redemption, for His own.

He paid every suffering for our sins.

But there is more to this sacrifice,…..

…….This sacrifice, speaks of the Lord Jesus fully giving to God, that glory and subjection, that He deserves.

He did it voluntarily….for the whole burnt offering was….

……”If any man of you….”. It was not a “must”, but a “If you will”.

Hebrews 10:7 “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God.”

Christ’s was in complete subjection to God,…..

…..and by HIs sacrifice, He made us a way, that we might submit ourselves to God as well.

There was the Meat (Meal) offering….

……which was another “offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord:”(Leviticus 2:2)

It was to be brought with frankincense (the spice of kings)…..and oil.

Leviticus 6:14-16 “And this is the law of the meat (meal) offering…

And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord.

And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat:….”

This sacrifice was first to be sacrificed to God….a handful, taken and placed upon the altar, with the frankincense and oil….

…..the rest to be given to the priests.

It was to be fine flour…..not the corse grind of regular bread, but finely ground….extra effort was to be made for this sacrifice.

This fine flour represented the beauty of the Lord Jesus to His Father……Jesus was God’s beloved Son.

Matthew 3:17 “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased.”

All the character and actions of Christ….pleased God, the Father.

He is well beloved in the eyes of His believers (“priests” 1 Peter 2:9) and we are to “feed” on Him, as our bread of life. (John 6:35)

The frankincense and the oil were given in this sacrifice……in recognition of Christ’s Kingship, and the fullness of the Holy Spirit (oil) on Him.

This was the only bloodless sacrifice, for it spoke of Christ’s Person—not His Work.

The peace offering…..

Leviticus 3:3-5 “And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering….the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them,…

And Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice….”

This is an amazing offering…..for it includes God, the priests, and the people bringing it.

The offering they were to bring,….they were to identify with it……placing their hand on the head of it. (Leviticus 3:2)

Then they were to burn part to God,…..

….give part of the sacrifice to the priest that was administering,……

…..and have a party with family and friends for vows, thanksgiving for birth’s, weddings, etc.

Christ has brought peace, by HIs sacrifice…..to those who believe on Him:

Ephesians 2:13, 17 “But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”

We can now come, by that peace with God, having fellowship with Him…..and with our fellow believers. We are to rejoice in His Presence….”coming boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help” (Hebrews 4:16)

By the peace His sacrifice wins…..you may come before God in praise to Him, and the joyfulness of your heart…..for His wonderful gifts, to you.

These were all the “offerings of sweet savor unto the Lord”.

All of them showing that glory, that the trials and suffering of Christ, brought to God.

God is Holy….and without the sacrifices of Christ; He would have nothing to do with us….except judgement.

But Christ’s perfect sacrifice changed that….in several ways:

His coming to earth as Son of Man/Son of God, for us…….for we could do nothing to bring us near to God.

His life in subjection as a servant;….for we were rebels, fighting against God and His authority.

His prayers, and example of character and service;…..for we had only laws before….no living example of the beauty of those laws, lived out in life.

His sacrificial death….for by it, He gave us the privilege of becoming the children of God,….

….and. gave us the Holy Spirit whereby we are empowered to live for God,…

….and it gave us peace.

How full was Christ’s sacrifice….to God,…..and for us…

…no wonder they are called the “sweet savor” sacrifices!

Let us praise His beauty of Plan, Purpose, and Perseverance….till all was perfected….both for God, the Father….and us.

The Almighty

Job 5:17-18 “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and His hands make whole.”

Some of the times when I have know the most reality in my Christian experience, have been when I was corrected by the Lord.

It is amazing how He can get our attention about things….and how He speaks to us, to correct what is wrong….there is so much love there.

That He should bend down and bother with me at all…..is an amazing thing!

Happy indeed that He should end my rebellion against His Will!

To turn my:

…..”I do not want to”…

…..into…..

……”I want all You have for me. But there is within me that which will not let me respond. What You offer, is all I have ever hoped for…

….and yet…

…..I am unbending,….unless You bend me, Lord Jesus.

All my reasons against….all my plans of what should be….all my fears…all my thoughts that I can win an argument with God!…..all, are here within me….yet…

…yet, Your Word, and love can melt all of this, Lord….for what can stand before it?”

Job 5:18 “For He maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and His hands make whole.”

The name for God, most found in Job, is Almighty!

I find that interesting….because of all the calamities which came to him….yet he did not stop calling God, Almighty….just because bad things happened.

(Thirty-one times…..more than in any other book….the Almighty is used here!)

Almighty means sufficient for anything…..all powerful….able to complete.

And certainly, our God is that!

There is a lot of back and forth in Job….everyone’s opinion and knowledge….and Job’s complaint….yet in the end….the Lord spoke…

….and Job humbled himself in awe, and love of the Almighty.

God certainly did correct Job….to make him more than he was….”wounded, and made whole”….(Job 42:6 “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”)

Job 42:10, 12 “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:…”

But the Almighty works in our life, as well…….to complete the work of sanctification within us.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

He corrects us to make us wholly His…..in practical living:

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”

“Blameless” has to do with the fact of knowledge. To know to do well,….and not do it….makes you blameworthy.

To know to do well….and do it, even unperfectly, makes you blameless.

God is saying, “I will help you to know what to do…..and help you to do it……as you set yourself aside to Me.”

For this is what Job did…..he argued with God about “things”….but in the end….Job was God’s servant….and would always be so.

At the beginning of Job,…even after tragedy and loss, pain and suffering….Job blessed the Lord….

….”the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:23)

….(Job 2:10) “…shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”

Through the trial….the argument about things that were happening to him,….was never about God’s right to do,…

….but about Job’s desire to know what God knows….

…And at the end, Job bowed again….in newer understanding and subjection, and humbled himself to God….and God’s Will….in faith…

…whether he understood it or not.

As Christians, we are called to go through many trials of our faith….to bring us through them, to the other side…

James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers (different kinds) temptations (trials);

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Someone has said, that we are not really learning anything from the trial….if we can not find joy from God, in it.

(Joy comes from the Holy Spirit within….it is the Presence of God in my life….and has nothing to do with circumstances, or people, or anything but God and me. Joy lifts us up out of ourselves, that we might view God, more.)

James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.”

The Almighty did for Job….and He will for us as well,….if we will yield to, and listen to Him.