Jacob’s Wrestling with the Lord 

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone;  and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

Jacob was coming home to Canaan.  He had been told of God:

Genesis 31:13 “I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointest the pillar, and where thou vowest a vow unto Me:  now, arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.”

So he was coming home, with his wives, sons and substance.   But also with a guilty conscience.   He had tricked his father into giving him,  the younger son, the blessing. 

God had wanted him to have it,  but Jacob and his mother schemed to get it;  instead of waiting for God’s way.

Now he was coming back into the land,  and Esau, his brother, would surely hear of it,  and seek to kill him, as he had often promised he would. (Genesis 27:41)

What could he do?   When he first set foot into the land again,  angels met him.

Most believe these “hosts of angels”, were positioned one in the back of his family, and one before.

Genesis 32:1-2 “And Jacob went on his way,  and the angels of God met him.

And when Jacob saw them,  he said,   This is God’s hosts:  and he called the name of the place Mahanaim.”

Jacob took this as a sign that God would protect him,  and so sent word to Esau that he was back in the land.

“…thy servant Jacob…I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.”  (Genesis 32:4-5)

Perhaps time had softened his hate.

But then he got word that Esau was coming to meet him—that wasn’t bad—but with four hundred men! (Genesis 32:6)

That sounded like an army;  and Jacob was fearful…very fearful.

(I use the term fearful,  because fear strikes at the heart of a person.  You may be scared in a moment…jump in panic;  but fear is often an attack against the Word of God,  as it was here.)

Jacob became so fearful, he began to rely upon his schemes again.

First, he divided the people into two bands.  If Esau would destroy the first,  maybe he will spare the next.

Then, he prayed.  (Genesis 32:9-12)

This should have been first…but Jacob schemes before he trusts,  yet God is merciful.   The Lord told him to come back to the land,  would He desert him?

Jacob prays to God on the basis of the covenant God made with Abraham, and his seed.

(So, too, we pray on the basis of the covenant God made with Christ, for us)

Jacob reminds God of what He said to do, of His own Word, which is what we should do.  Jacob tells Him he has obeyed.  

He tells God, he is not worthy of the least of His mercies and of the goodness God has already shown him.

Then he prays for deliverance, reminding the Lord of His promise where his children are concerned.

This was a wonderful prayer,  but it seems as though Jacob’s fears were not removed, for….

he started to think….hmmm….I can send a present to Esau.  Maybe that will appease him.

So off he goes, scheming.   He starts picking out this and that;  sending it on to Esau with shepherds, with the words:   “A present….Jacob is behind us,  but here is a present for my lord Esau”.   (Very flattering;  at least Jacob hopes so)

Then he sends his family over the brook;  so that there would be that between Esau and them.

He was alone then, on this side of the brook.

And then…..

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone;  and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

We are not shown how this “man” came,  or what they said to each other for most of the night.

Those are things between the Lord and Jacob;  for this “man” was a theophanic manifestation of the Son of God.

Genesis 32:25-26 “And when He saw that He prevailed not against him,  He touched the hollow of his thigh;  and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him.

                                 And He said,  Let me go,  for the day breaketh.      

And he said,   I will not let Thee go,  except Thou bless me.”

But why did the Lord wrestle with Jacob all night?  Why didn’t He just touch him right away?

Because He wanted to bring Jacob to a point of  recognized weakness.  To a place where Jacob’s strength and schemes were seen as the Lord sees them:  useless.

And this takes time.

And Jacob kept wrestling, and kept wrestling, to gain the victory.

(But, thankfully, he was not the one who gained the victory.)

When it was almost sunrise,  the Lord touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh;  and he fell!   But Jacob kept clinging to the Lord…he did not let Him go.

Yet he still did not say anything,  till the Lord said,  “Let me go…”.    

Here was the real test:

At the end of a battle,  we might be willing for it to be over;  but Jacob knew Who the “man” was.

By now Jacob knew if he was to get what he needed for himself and for the future,  he must get the Lord’s blessing.

(And do we know this for ourselves?  “It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” [Zechariah 4:6].   It is often not until we know our own powerlessness, that we seek to hang on to the Lord, for His blessing.)

Jacob, still clinging, says,  “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.”

Genesis 32:27-28 “And He said unto him,  What is thy name?  And he said,  Jacob.

                                  And He said,  Thy name shall be called no more Jacob,  but Isra-el:  for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men,  and hast prevailed.”

Jacob (supplanter, contender) who had schemed and planned;  was to become Isra-el (God commands or prevails).

Jacob was to be a prince or a delegated authority of God’s Name,  but only in his recognized weakness.

(Paul wrote of the same thing:  2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Isra-el was to be his new name. (When the first part of a name is combined with “El” or God, then the doer in the name is always God.  [Daniel…God judgeth;  Gabriel…God is my strength,  etc.])

So now Jacob was to stop scheming; and let God command or prevail in him and for him.

This did not always happen:  read Jacob/Israel’s life and you will see from now on, the two names still apply.  

But God had brought him into a new way of life, and God would prevail.

It is natural for us to work out, for ourselves, the plans of our lives. We often feel very capable to do so:  God gave us a brain…right?

But God, in patience and longsuffering, deals with us (wrestles?) to bring us to the place where we are clinging to Him, alone.

Esau came (with the four hundred men) but when he saw Jacob, he ran and hugged and kissed him!  (Genesis 33:4)

When God prevails in us;  He will prevail for us.  His Word is ever true…we need to claim it.

His power is never limited.

His blessings are only waiting for us to cling to Him.

Glory to God in the Highest

Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God, and saying,

                        Glory to God in the highest,  and on earth peace,  goodwill toward men.”

When it speaks of God’s glory in scriptures it means to manifest God’s Light and character to others.  That is His glory;  that others may know Him and His character.

Psalm 145:11-12 “They shall speak of the glory of the kingdom,  and talk of Thy power; 

                                To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,  and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.”

It means to show God in His true beauty.

1 Chronicles 16:27, 29 “Glory and honor are in His presence;  strength and gladness are in His place.

                                         Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name:  bring an offering, and come before Him:  worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

Christ did this in preeminence, for angels heralded God’s glory when Christ was born.

Simeon, a godly man, praised God for Christ:

Luke 2:30-32 “For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,    Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

                           A Light to lighten the Gentiles,  and the glory of Thy people Israel.”

And Paul shows that Christ Jesus came to do just that.  He was to manifest God’s Light and character in the world:  His glory.

Hebrews 1:2-3 “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son,  which He hath appointed heir of all things,  by Whom also He made the worlds;

                            Who being the brightness of His glory,  and the express image of His person,  and upholding all things by the Word of His power,    when He had by Himself purged our sins,  sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high;”

Jesus, at the end of His work here, said He had shown God’s glory on the earth:

John 17:4-5 “I have glorified Thee on the earth:  I have finished the work that Thou gavest Me to do.

                        And now,  O Father,  glorify Thou Me with thine own self  with the glory that I had with Thee before the world was.”

And we, who are born again by His grace are to manifest His glory:

John 17:20-22 “Neither pray I for these alone,  but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word;  (Jesus prayed for us here)

                            That they may be one;  as Thou, Father, art in Me,  and I in Thee,  that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.

                              And the glory that Thou gavest Me  I have given them,  that they may be one,  even as we are one:”

Ephesians 1:5-6, 12 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself,  according to the good pleasure of His will,

                                     To the praise of the glory of His grace,  wherein He hath made us excepted in the Beloved:

                                      That we should be to the praise of His glory,  who first trusted in Christ.”

And we are to use the riches of His glory (the riches of His Light and character) by yielding to His life within us.  

He will manifest His glory through us by His might:

Ephesians 3:16 “That He would grant you,  according to the riches of His glory,  to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;”

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Scripture says we are to do all to the glory of God.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the Lord,  let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,  neither let the mighty man glory in his might,  let not the rich man glory in his riches:

                                   But let him that glorieth  glory in this,  that he understandeth and knoweth Me,  that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness,  judgement,  and righteousness,  in the earth:  for in these things I delight,  saith the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whither therefore ye eat,  or drink,  or whatsoever ye do,  do all to the glory of God.”

The angels heralded,  “Glory to God in the highest”;

And we, too,  are to herald His glory by word and deed, here in our earthly lives.

Yield to the Holy Spirit within you,  and you, too, will glorify Christ.

Are Your Eyes Opened?

When Jesus came forth to do His Father’s Will;  He proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)

He spoke to the people of the Father in heaven which wanted their good; and had given laws and commandments which reflected His holiness and their duty;  which if they followed, would bring about their blessing.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. “(Matthew 5:3-4)

Simply, if you know that you are “poor” (without strength and power to do the law and commandments, because of your sin); and mourn over them….

Then….because you see and know your sin,  you can be saved from them and enter the kingdom of heaven,  now.   

(“..theirs is”,  not will be.  Eternal life is a condition of life, here and now;  and a life in heaven, hereafter.)

I am going to use a blind man, who gained his sight by Jesus;  and seeing men, who refused to acknowledge Jesus and were blind;  for an example:

John 9:1-3,5 “And Jesus passed by,  He saw a man which was blind from his birth.  

                         And His disciples asked Him, saying,  Master, who did sin   this man,  or his parents,  that he was born blind?

                          Jesus answered,  Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:  but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

                           As long as I am in this world,  I am the light of the world.”

Here was a blind man, from birth;  and Jesus said that he was blind that the glory of God should be shown by him.

John 9:6-7 “When He had thus spoken,  He spat on the ground,  and made clay of the spittle,  and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 

                      and said unto him,  Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.). He went his way therefore,  and washed,  and came seeing.”

Making clay, Jesus puts it on the eyes of the blind man,  and tells him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. (Notice, even mud is called “anointed” by the Holy Spirit,  when Jesus does it.)

When the man does,  he sees.

Now you would think, that it would be finished.   But, not so.

This set in motion what Jesus had said:  the works of God should be made manifest in him.

And it all started with the neighbors: it was a back and forth about whether he was really the blind man.   

Yes, he was.

Then how did you get your sight?

A man called Jesus.   And he told them how Jesus healed him. (John 9:8-11)

This lead to the neighbors to  bring the blind man to the Pharisees.

(Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus spit upon the ground, made clay and put that on the eyes of the blind man.)

The Pharisees asked him how he got healed.   And when he shared his testimony with them….some argued that Jesus had not kept the Sabbath because of the healing, and so was a sinner.   

And some said that he could not be a sinner,  and do such miracles.

Then they asked the blind/seeing man what he thought of Jesus:  and he said,  “He is a prophet.”

(See how Jesus separates people?  Some see Him as He is;  from God.  Others will not see)

Then the Pharisees called this man’s parents:  who did not want anything to do with the whole thing.   They were afraid of being put out of the synagogue.

So they reinterviewed the blind/seeing man.  They wanted him to say that he knew that Jesus was a sinner.

But he didn’t.  Instead he took his faith in Jesus,  a step further. 

(Seeing always leads to more light)

John 9:25, 30-33 “he answered and said,  Whither He be a sinner or no,  I know not:  one thing I know,  that,  whereas I was blind,  now I see.

                                 The man answered and said unto them,  Why herein is a marvelous thing,  that ye know not from whence He is,  and yet He hath opened mine eyes.

                                  Now we know that God heareth not sinners:  but if any man be a worshipper of God,  and doeth His will,  him will He heareth.

                                  Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

                                  If this man was not of God  He could do nothing.”

So the Pharisees excommunicated him. 

But Jesus “found him”.  (Has He not said that He came to seek and to save that which was lost?)

John 9:35-38 “Jesus heard that they had cast him out;  and when He had found him,  He said unto him,   Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

                           He answered and said,  Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?

                           And Jesus said unto him,  Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee.

                            And he said,  Lord, I believe.  And he worshipped Him.”

“I believe.”  True sight begins with believing obedience to Jesus Word…and leads to believing on Christ Jesus, Himself.

John 9:39-41 “And Jesus said,  For judgement am I come into this world,  that they which see not  might see;  and that they which see   might be made blind.

                          And some of the Pharisees which were with Him heard these words,  and said unto Him,   Are we blind also?

                           Jesus said unto them,  If you were blind,  ye should have no sin:  but now ye say,  We see;   Therefore your sin remaineth.”

If we truly “see” our sin,  and mourn for it; we will obey Jesus Word and “wash”.

If we truly believe His Word,  we will come to believe on Jesus Christ, Himself;  and enter the kingdom.

We will be His people and servants;  and manifest the works of God in our lives.

Ultimate Reality

I believe our souls are the most precious thing in all of God’s Creation.   Having lost it through the fall of Adam (Romans 6:18-19);   He bought it back again, at such a high price:  the sacrifice of His beloved Son.

I believe that our souls are our personalities.  They are what makes us unique.  No two are exactly alike.

They are what the Bible calls “the heart”.

Our souls are the seat of our personalities….all that makes us, us!

When Christ Jesus was here, He set forth a way of following Him: 

Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me.   Lose your self-life,  that you might find your Christ filled life. (Matthew 16:24-25)

Then He added a verse which often confuses us,  but it shouldn’t.   

Jesus spoke in terms of profit and loss.  Showing the value that Jesus placed on our souls.  One soul is worth more than a whole world of things.

The question is:  how much do we value our own souls?

Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited,  if he shall gain the whole world,  and lose his own soul?    Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

What, of all creation could possibly be of more value than our eternal soul?

What will we give in exchange for our souls, in this world?  

For that is what Jesus is asking.

Will it be temptations, cares, riches, or pleasures of this life? (Luke 8:13-14)

In Luke, Jesus says:

Luke 9:25 “What is a man advantaged,  if he gain the whole world,  or lose himself,  or be cast away?”

Or “lose himself”;  for our soul is our personality,  our mind, heart and will.

(He will only be cast away, when he “loses himself” to the world.)

Man is an eternal being.  He will exist for eternity in one of two places:  we will save our soul, and live for eternity with God in bliss.

Or we will lose our soul,  and spend eternity with Satan in torment.

There is no other ultimate reality than this.   People have tried to say that God is too merciful to condemn people to hell.

God is merciful:  that is why He saves anybody….because He is merciful.

That is why He sent His Son to save us, by the sacrifice of Himself.   He came and lived a perfect life…becoming the perfect sacrifice.  

Not in His Divinity,  for He always was and is holy.

But in His humanity.   And because there was found no sin in Him (Hebrews 4:15);  He could give His life a ransom for all,  who will come unto Him.

Here then is what Jesus says we are faced with:  our souls must choose.

Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior?

Or attractions of the world? 

In this age for each Christian;  to answer the call of Christ,  is to come with a life open to and receptive to Him.

This is a continual open door to Christ.  

Christ Jesus is still asking all who will follow Him:

Will you bring yourselves to Me?  Will you fully surrender your wills that they may be Mine?

Hear My word to you;  for My Word is a living Word,  it will not return unto Me void.  But it will accomplish My purpose in you,  if you will yield to it.

I will empower you to do My Will;  only get it settled that you will do it. 

(And If there is someone faced with that challenge especially at this time;  remember time has a way of dimming the value of all things in this world.   What we consider “essential”,  can become sawdust in our mouths,  though it may not seem like it now.

You can turn your life over to Jesus Christ,  and ask Him to make it whole in Him.)

Know the liberty of the Spirit of Christ in your union with Me. 

Hear and your soul shall live.

Only Christ knows the true value of your soul,  for He paid the ultimate price to save it,  for He knows you,  and loves you.

Amazing love for such as I.

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

This was their purpose:  that is what the Lord brought them back for.   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.  

Direction for our Christian Lives:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;  and lean not unto thine own understanding.  

In all thy ways acknowledge him,  and he shall direct thy paths.”

This trust of the heart, not the head.  Trust is the hanging onto Jesus Christ.

If we will acknowledge Him in all our ways…He will direct our paths.  

And acknowledge here, means that we are to seek Him  in everything concerning our lives.

Good things, bad things,  we are to “see” that Christ knows about it and about us being in this situation.

Then,  we are to tell Him about everything in it:  our side, and wants concerning it;  and the other side as well.

You can tell this is of the heart:  for those who love the Lord, and really want the Lord’s direction. 

To have this direction aright, we must do this in everything, not just the big important things,  but the little everyday things, as well.

Because this is the fellowship that is offered us, as we go along with Jesus.

It is constant fellowship:  we always know His presence with us.

We need to lean on Him:

We can “lean on our own understanding” pretty easily.  We have intelligence, and we are here in the situation;  who better to figure this out?  

We all know how this turns out!

But to “lean” on Jesus is to trust Him.

Real direction comes to us by the Holy Spirit within us.  That is a matter of the heart, again,  not the head.

You ask for direction,  then you hear His Voice.   Light comes.    You see what to do.    In your heart,  you quickly remove anything that would hinder your fellowship with Him, for fellowship is mutual sharing.

That Light brings the knowledge of what pleases Him in this situation;  and you do it.  And you also know what displeases Him,  and turn away from it.  The gift of wisdom is a great gift from the Lord.

He directs and helps us in our “path”.

Isaiah 43:19 “Behold,  I will do a new thing;  now it shall spring forth;  shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the the desert.”

There is no place or time He does not know, and does not make preparation for.

Isaiah 42:16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not;  I will lead them in paths that they have not known:  I will make darkness  light before them,  and crooked things straight.  These things will I do unto them,  and not forsake them.”

God sees to us, and to our path, as we let Him into all the “ways” we go,  and seek His direction for our lives.

And He will not forsake us,  ever.

Make Room For Christ, by Repentance  

Luke 3:2-6 “…the word of God came unto John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

                     And he came into all the country about Jordon,  preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

                     As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying,   The voice of one crying in the wilderness,  Prepare ye the way of the Lord,  make his paths straight.

                     Every valley shall be filled,  and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;  and the crooked shall be made straight,  and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 

                     And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Baptism was done to proselytes (Gentiles who wanted to be admitted into the worship of God).   Then they could go into the Temple. (There was a court of the Gentiles)

But here, John the Baptist comes to Israel, God’s chosen people;  and preaches repentance from their sins, as he was told to do.

Prepare yourselves:  for the Lord is coming.  

If you want to be in the kingdom of God, prepare your hearts by repentance, and bring forth fruit in your life that shows that you have repented.

Luke 3:8-9 “Bring forth therefore fruits of repentance,  and begin not to say within yourselves,   We have Abraham to our father:  for I say unto you,  That  God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

                      And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree:  every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn (cut) down,  and cast into the fire.”

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”     But how?

Luke 3:10-11 “And the people asked him,  saying,  What shall we do then?

                         He answereth and saith unto them,   He that hath two coats,  let him impart to him that hath none;  and he that hath meat,  let him do likewise.”

These were simple things which were written in the Law.  But the poor state of most of the people,  had caused them to think only of themselves.  

Luke 3:12-13 “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him,   Master,  what shall we do?

                        And he said unto them,  Exact no more then that which is appointed you.”

Publicans were tax collectors, and were most often cheats.  They demanded extra taxes to be paid, and kept the extra.   The people could not say anything about it, for they were usually accompanied by Roman soldiers.

Luke 3:14 “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him,  saying,  And what shall we do?     And he said unto them,   Do violence to no man,  neither accuse any falsely;  and be content with your wages.”

Again, these would have been things which were written in the Law.  Things which they should have already been doing.

But everyone had stopped paying any attention to God’s Word:  going, instead, after their own way, or the way of the times (everyone else is doing it, so I can too.).

The valleys to be filled, were those who had given up: depressed, despondent; they were to be given joy in the Lord.

The mountains and hills to be “brought low”,  were the proud and rich, with the attitude of piling up riches, to gain power or influence.   Not caring about their responsibility in caring for their brethren.   They were to come to a new understanding about mercy. (Matthew 9:11-13)

The crooked were the flagrant sinners;  those who everyone knew to be sinners.

They were to be saved and “sin no more”. (John 8:11)

The rough ways were the practices of the scribes and Pharisees, which instructed the people in the traditions;  yet did not practice them, themselves.

All needed repentance.  To change their hearts and lives.  To live according to the Word they had already received.   To make room for Christ.

Isaiah said, “…make straight in the desert a highway for our God….And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh see it together ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

A highway is a road built up;  set up above the ground around.  It is a road that all can see, for it is higher then the fields and streams.

John the Baptist came building up a way that all could see and follow.

It would be straight;  and all who would repent and come,  could walk in it.

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there,  and a way,  and it shall be called the way of holiness;   the unclean shall not pass over it;    but it shall be for those:  the wayfaring men, though fools,  shall not err therein.”

“Wayfaring men” are those whose whole lives are moving from one thing to another.   Yet even though they are just passing by,  they will know God’s Will for them.

John the Baptist came preaching and baptizing all who wanted to have the reality of true worship of the Lord.

The people who knew they were not right, and wanted to be.  Maybe they were called the “down-and-out”.  

Maybe they were so far from God, they thought they would never be able to come back.

But John preached to all:  and whosoever will, may come.

Then Jesus came.   

“And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John 1:29 “The next day John seeing Jesus coming unto him,  and saith,  Behold the Lamb of God,  which taketh away the sin of the world!”

Matthew 3:16-17 “And Jesus,  when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:  and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him,  and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove,  and lightening upon Him:

                                And lo a voice from heaven,  saying,  This is My beloved Son,  in whom I am well pleased.”

He was the Son of God, having come to take away the sins of the world.

And the message to all His disciples was:

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

                                   Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you alway,  even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

May I ask you:  what will we do with His Word?

Christ’s Birth

God’s Preparation:

Hebrews 13:20. “Now the God of Peace,  that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,  that great shepherd of the sheep,  through the blood of the everlasting covenant,”

God knows everything.   He knew before He created the world, that the man he would create, would rebel and sin.  So……

God in eternity past, made a covenant with His Son for the Salvation of a people for His glory.

That covenant stated that God the Father, would draw out a people to be saved;  if  God the Son would come to earth,  be born as a man, live a sinless life, and die;   shedding His blood as a sacrifice for the sins of the people.

Paying their penalty for their sin.

The Son agreed;  and the very first act of creation was the setting aside of a body for His Son.

Hebrews 10:5 “Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith,  Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.”

(No animal sacrifice could take away sin; but they could point forward to the only effectual sacrifice of Jesus’  body and blood),  

God was preparing everything for the our salvation.

.

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time was come,  God sent forth his Son,  made of a woman,  made under the law, 

                              To redeem them that were under the law,  that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Under the Roman Empire with it’s government and roads, which was access to send out the gospel news to the world;   God saw that it was time,  and He sent Jesus Christ His Son,  to redeem the world.

But how did he come?

As a baby born of a virgin:

Luke 1:26-27 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee,  named Nazareth.

                         To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph,  of the house of David;  and the virgin’s name was Mary.”

When there, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she was favored of God.  That she would conceive in her womb, a son;  which was to be the Son of God. (Luke 1:28-33)

But she was concerned:   How could she?  She was a virgin,  and had not know a man.

So she asked the angel.

Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered and said unto her,  The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,  and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:  therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

The angel Gabriel told her that the Holy Ghost would come upon her and deposit within her womb a child,  which shall grow within her and be born:  the Son of God.

That is how.  Would she agree?

She was engaged to Joseph.  What would people think?  What would he think?

Would she agree?

Luke 1:38. “And Mary said,  Behold the handmaid of the Lord;  be it unto me according to thy word.   And the angel departed from her.”

And so it happened:  But God would see to His Purpose, in every way.

Matthew 1:18-20 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:   When his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph,  before they came together;  she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

                              Then Joseph her husband,  being a just man,  and not willing to make her a public example,  was minded to put her away privily.

                              But while he thought on these things,  Behold,  the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,  saying,     Joseph, thou son of David,  fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife:  for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

So Joseph agreed.  He arose,  made her legally his wife;  but knew her not intimately until her firstborn son was born;  Jesus.

All Israel was called to go to the birthplace of their house.  So Joseph and Mary, went to Bethlehem, the birthplace of David.

When getting there, the city was so packed with people;  that there was no place for them to stay. 

The owner of the inn told them they could go into the stable with the animals,  only because Mary was going to give birth.

There in the stable, Jesus was born. He was placed in a manger;  the feeding trough of the animals, along side the hay, to keep him warm.

But God also saw that people knew that His Son was here on earth:

Shepherds, first were told, and that by angels.

Luke 2:8-12 “…there were in the same country shepherds…And, lo, the angel of the Lord came…and the glory of the Lord shone round about them;

And they were sore afraid.

And the angel of the Lord said….Fear not:  for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy,…….for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,  which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you;   Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Wise men were sent to find this new King.  They had seen His star, and followed it to Judah.  They went to Jerusalem,  the capital;  thinking He would be found there.

But Herod was king,  and tried to trick the wise men. (For he wanted to kill anyone, even a child, which should have legitimate claim to the throne.)

Herod told them to find the king, and then come and tell him, so he could worship too.

But it was only after leaving Jerusalem, and the court of Herod,  that the wise men saw the star again.  It led them to where Jesus was.

Matthew 2:10-12 “When they saw the star,  they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house,  they saw the young child with Mary his mother,  and fell down and worshipped him:  and when they had opened their treasures,  they presented unto him gifts;  gold,  and  frankincense, and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod,  they departed into their own country another way.”

With this wealth,  Jesus, Joseph, and Mary was provided for in Egypt.

God told Joseph to get up and go to Egypt for the safety of Jesus.  For Herod would seek to kill him.

Jesus would come back into Israel after that Herod died.

Jesus Christ was born to be the Lord and Savior of all who would come and receive Him.

HIs birth was prepared for, and seen to in every way.

Why wasn’t He born in a hotel room?  Or with every luxury? 

Because He came to save every person;  not just the rich,  or powerful,  or poor,  or trodden down.

He came to save to the uttermost all who will come to Him.

His Salvation is personal,  and complete.

He asks you simply to,  “Come”,  and then “Follow”;   For He, Himself leads us through our lives with peace with God,  and guidance.

He never leaves us,  nor forsakes us.

He has prepared for you,  for me.

Will we agree?

Let us Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then we have a great high priest,  that is passed into the heavens,  Jesus the Son of God,  let us hold fast our profession.   

For we have not a high priest which can not be touched with the feelings of our infirmities;  but was in all points tempted like as we are,  yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,  that we may obtain mercy,  and find grace to help in time of need.”

This is written to Christians:

As a child of the our Heavenly Father,  we are to come boldly to His Throne, that we may obtain (get into our experience) mercy,  and find the grace we need to help.

Mercy shows the inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen men and women.

His Sovereign mercy is to His elect (the born again ones).  It is reserved for the heirs of Salvation, which is passed on to them through Christ Jesus, their Mediator.  He appears before God the Father for us.

These Sovereign mercies, are more than the temporal mercies He gives to all men.

Matthew 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:  for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good,  and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” 

God’s temporal mercies include, as the verse says:  sun, rain, ground which produces food, and companions.   These are for everyone, no matter whether they are good or evil.

But for His own children;  God gives mercy which transforms the heart of the individual, and enriches their lives in spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God,  who is rich in mercy,  for his great love wherewith he loved us, 

Even when we were dead in sins,  hath quickened us together with Christ,  (by grace are ye saved);”

It is mercy that quickened them to life in Christ when they were dead in sins.

Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done,  but according to his mercy he saved us,  by the washing of regeneration,  and the renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

It is mercy that saved them.

1 Peter 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  which according to his abundant mercy  hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an inheritance incorruptible,  and undefiled,  and that fadeth not away,  reserved in heaven for you,”

His abundant mercy gives us an inheritance, which is reserved, just for us, in heaven.

2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be God,  even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  the Father of mercies,  and the God of all comfort;”

Unto His own children,  God is the Father of Mercies.

Time would fail us, if each Christian would tell of His preserving, supplying, pardoning, and sustaining mercy to them, for we are called the “vessels of mercy”.(Romans 9:23)

God would fill us up with His great mercy.  Full and overflowing.

This is the mercy God gives from His throne of grace.

And “grace to help in time of need.”

This grace is enabling grace.

Grace to do what needs to be done.    And we are to come boldly to God’s throne to receive it.

We are invited to come,  on the merits of our Mediator, Christ Jesus.  And invited to bring our requests for mercy,  and our needs, to be supplied by grace.

When you think of the Almighty and His Power:  He can do anything.

He is Creator.  He created the worlds, and heaven of heavens.  As David prays: “Create in me a clean heart, O God:”.    So God creates within us, by the Holy Spirit, new desires, new hopes, new goals.

He is the Sustainer.  Which means He will keep us from trouble by guidance;  and if we fall into trouble He will lead us out, and uphold us through it.   He sustains us in His Word,  and by His Holy Spirit.  

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee:  be not dismayed;  for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee;  yea,  I will help thee;  yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

He is the Rock on which we should build our lives.   

Our circumstances change often.  But His love, mercy and grace never does.

We fall, or fail often.  But He never fails us, as we seek to keep coming to Him.

Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace to obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in this time of need.