The longest Day

Joshua 10:12-13 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;  and thou,  moon,  in the valley of Avalon.

                               The sun stood still,  and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.    Is not this written in the book of Jasher?   So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hasten not to go down about a whole day.”

A little background is necessary:  

Israel was in the five year process of fighting the different sections of Canaan,  to inherit the land God had given them.

Five kings got together to come against Gibeon,  which Israel had made a league with.   Gibeon was a great city, and the men were mighty. (Joshua 10:2)

So these kings thought if they all came together to destroy Gibeon,  then the Israelites would be no match for them all.

But in this process,  they did not take into account,  Israel’s God.

Israel had made a league with Gibeon,  and God honored the league. 

(Actually, it was wrong to make this league.   Joshua and the rulers of the tribes “looked” to what the Gibeonites wanted them to see, when the Gibeonites lied to Joshua;  instead of asking counsel of God. Joshua 9:9-11, 14-15)

But their mistake did not annul the league.   And God said they had to honor it.

The Gibeonites had been made servants of God’s house,  and they believed in the Lord God of Israel.

So when Gibeon was attacked,  word was sent to Joshua and the Israelites, to come and help.

Joshua 10:6 “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp of Gilgal,  saying,   Slack not thy hand from thy servants;  come up to us quickly,  and save us,  and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

When they got the word,  Joshua and his army took a forced march of 20 some miles at night, to get there;  so they could fight five kings and their large armies!  (Whew!)

Thankfully they heard from God about the march and battle.

Joshua 10:8-9 “And the Lord said unto Joshua,   Fear them not:  for I have delivered them into thy hand;  there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 

                            Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly,  and went up from Gilgal all night.”

Now I want to add a word of our Great Shepherd here:

John 10:4 “And when He putteth forth His own sheep,  He goeth before them,  and the sheep follow Him:  for they know His voice.”

He goes before….   

God has a plan and a way;  even when we fail.   He is ever ready to lead us into the right way.

Joshua 10:10-11 “And the Lord discomforted them before Israel,  and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,  and chased them along the way…

                               And it came to pass,  as they fled before Israel,  and were in the going down to Beth-horon,  that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:  there were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with a sword.”

The Lord “discomforted”them.  If you look at other scriptures that this word is in, for battle,  it means:  the Lord sent thunder and lightening,  scaring the horses.   And then,  He sent hailstones!  (These, God had reserved for the day of battle. Job 38:22-23)

God had said, “Fear not,…I have delivered them into your hands”.   But the day was waning.   It would soon be sunset.

So Joshua asked for help.   He would need more time,  so he asked for it.  

He did it publicly,  in front of his men, to encourage them in their faith.   God was with them, now.  He did not guide from a distance;  but was in charge in the battle, now.

Joshua 10:12-14 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon,  in the valley of Ajalon.

                                And the sun stood still,  and the moon stayed,  until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies….So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hastened not to go down about a whole day.

                                And there was no day like that before it or after it,  that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man:  for the Lord fought for Israel.”

                     

The sun stayed up for an extra day,  so that the enemy could not escape.  It was to stand still over Gibeon,  where they were fighting.    

(Some believe that God’s might was shown so strongly here, because these city-kings were sun worshippers.)

God was showing them that He was greater than the sun above them.  That the sun was at His command.  And could do nothing but what He said.

The battle continued the extra day.   “For the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.”

The territory they took in this battle was about a 30 mile radius!   More than they had taken so far.    “For the Lord fought for Israel”

We often fail.  Can God get “good” from our failures?   

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,  to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

But it is for God’s good,  God’s glory.

But we can learn the lesson our failure teaches us;  to go on to trust and rely on God alone, for our good.

Notice that in this battle:  Israel fought,  but God really won the victory.  The “discomfort” of the thunder and lightening.   The hailstones.  And the sun standing still.

God did it,  and He did it for “failures”. 

(I very much dislike this word.   I hear it applied to people too many times.   In the truest sense:  we are all “failures”.   We are all sinners:  saved sinners or lost sinners.  Thank God for our Savior,  Jesus Christ,   Who loves us,  and enables us sinners,  to know what we should do,    and empowers us to do His Will.)

The longest day, was a day of power.   God’s power to guide, and deliver those who trust in Him.

Our Place in the World

Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.   For there is no power but of God:  the powers that be  are ordained of God.”

This was written in a day when Rome and the Caesar’s ruled.  Their reign was often terrible.  The soldiers could be cruel, or kind.  Their judges could imprison or set free, at a word.

Yet,  as Christians,  we are to respect authorities, because of their office.  And be subject to them. (God always has His due order.  Think of the chaos without the police, fire department, and government.)

1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I exhort therefore,  that, first of all,  supplications, prayers,  intercession, and giving of thanks,  be made for all men;  

                             For kings,  and for all that are in authority,  that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. 

                             For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;                                who will have all men to be saved,  and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

This is the secret for a quiet life:   Prayer for all.    

We should pray for our family, our city, the church on the earth,  for our nation, and it’s leaders.

It is not because we believe, necessarily, in what they do;  but rather it is what the Lord wants.   (And we should always pray that God will direct their actions)

And when we pray,  God hears.

Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,  as the rivers of water:  He turneth it whithersoever He will.”

The Lord can turn the heart of any ruler, politician, judge, etc. as He turns the rivers in there course;  to do what ever He wants. 

(There are times He allows rulers to go on in there wicked way;  simply to increase their punishment,  or to make the deliverance of His people from their hand even more amazing!)

Our place in the world is to be lights for Jesus Christ.   

To shine God’s life in us.

To do this we are to pray for those we know,  who are Christians;  and those who have not yet come to Christ Jesus.

To seek the good of our family, neighbors, and city by prayer. 

And to pray for our country.  That revival might come to our churches, schools, institutions that are suppose to do good;  and to all.

To seek the good of all, in prayer;  is a down payment on a peaceful life.

Paul’s Practical Preaching

Paul had begun this last bit of Romans,  not with more doctrine, but with the practical.   How we are to live in the world, as Christians;  belonging to Christ.

In Romans 12:1-2. He shows that presenting your bodies to God, and refusing to be conformed to the world, will strengthen you to find and do the will of God in your life.

Romans 12:3 “For I say,  through the grace given unto me,  to every man that is among you,  not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;  but to think soberly,  according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Paul was saying that God has given every man,  by His Holy Spirit, faith and grace.   They are gifts;  so we should not be proud that we know something,  but instead,  we should use that measure of faith to:

Romans 12:6-18:  “…according to the grace that is given…” we are to do the work God has given us to do.  

Let love be true, and not phony;  turn away from evil,  love the good.

Be kind to one another,  preferring the fellowship of believers.

Working hard to do your job, because in it, you serve the Lord.

Yield to the joy of the Spirit, and be steadfast in the trials of the day.

Pray always. (An attitude of prayer is what is meant:  being ready to interrupt what you are doi

See to the needs of others as you are told.

Bless those who seek your hurt.   Do not seek revenge.

Be honest.   And try and live at peace with all men.

And how can we do these things? They seem(at least to my temperament) impossible.     We must go back to:

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,  that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,  wholly, acceptable unto God,  which is your reasonable service.

                            And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,  that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,  and perfect will of God.”

You see, it all starts with giving ourselves to God.   It says “bodies”, here;  to illustrate how we need to yield to the Holy Spirit within.

Our hands need to be His;  not doing things which they should not.

Our feet need to be His;  not going places we should stay out of.

Our mouths need to be His;  not saying unkind things or lying.

We could go on,  but you get the reason Paul said this.   We need to give ourselves,  inside and out,  to God.

But thankfully when we do:  we are “transformed” (changed) in motive, and power to do His will.

(That motive is “good”, because my motives are often selfish)

(That power is “acceptable, and perfect”,  because I have none)

But He does.   And He wants us to get “our measure” of all we need,  to live the life He has for us.   A life of goodness and power.  

Will we present our bodies to Him?

His Pleasure

Revelation 4:10 “The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne,  and worship Him that liveth forever and ever,  and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,”

The glory of having a crown in that day,  will be able to cast it at the feet of Jesus.

He deserves all the honor:  for He created us,  saved us,  sustained us, and brought us to the place of all joy;  heaven and His Presence forever.

This crown is truly our own;  we have “earned” it as a reward for our devotion to the Lord Jesus.   We could walk around heaven with it on, if we wanted to.

[There are three crowns spoken of in scripture:  the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) to them that love His appearing;   the crown of life (James 1:12) to them that love Him;  and the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4) by feeding the flock of God, by being examples to the flock.]

But the real glory of having a crown;  is to cast it down at His feet.  

(I had a dream once.  That I had died,  and went to heaven.   I was in, what could be called a waiting room, for my turn to go in and stand before the Lord Jesus.  

At first I was overjoyed just to be there.  After all my failures,  I was glad I had made it.

But then,  I thought,  what do I have to give to Him,  Who gave so much for me?

And I felt a consuming sadness that I was empty-handed.        Nothing to give Jesus:  it was a terrible feeling.

When I woke up,  I could still feel it.)

He has shown me this verse, I read it everyday:

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy,  O Lord,  to receive glory and honor and power:  for Thou hast created all things,  and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”

He created all things: By His Almighty Power He made something out of nothing.

And for Thy pleasure they are , and were created.  “Pleasure” here means determination.

If, indeed, we exist for His Pleasure/Determination,  what is His Pleasure where we are concerned?

It is to be reconciled to Him in all things. 

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 “To wit,  that God was in Christ,  reconciling the world unto Himself,  not imputing their trespasses unto them,  and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

                                         Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,  as though God did beseech you by us:  we pray you in Christ’s stead,  be ye reconciled to God.”

This is to put first things first.   And it is in today’s situation that this must be done.  We can not wait for “better” opportunities,  or a “more convenient season”.

“Lord, I am here now, by Your pleasure;   In this set of circumstances.      May I adjust to them,  seek Your will in them,  and see Your will brought to pass in me, by them.”

I had a friend who worked with a person who was over her.   That person “disliked” her.   And my friend did not really like this person either.   

The work almost became intolerable.

But praying about it (she gave a testimony in church about this),  my friend knew that she was working with this person for a reason.

“It is your attitude.”  The Lord told her plainly.  “And when it changes,  then I will make the circumstances change.”

This person was really bossy to everyone;  almost nasty.  

But praying for help, my friend worked at letting this person deal with people their way.  

And when my friend’s attitude changed,  she saw this person in a new light:  God’s light.     And came to respect the person.

We are created for a purpose.   Saved for a purpose.   Guided into that purpose,  which is His Pleasure/Determination.

Will we be reconciled to Him, and our purpose?

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.

For the sacrifice spoke of God’s sacrifice to save us in Jesus Christ;  and the Holy Place speaks of fellowship with Jesus:  having His light,  feeding on Him as our Bread of Life, and praying [the incense going up to God].   

So the priests had to wash before going in.)

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

(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?

The Water of Life 

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say,  Come.   Let him that heareth say,  Come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will,  let him take the water of life freely.”

Whosoever will:

Drink deep of this life giving flow!   That it might be in you, rivers of Living Water.

Have you ever noticed the force of flowing water?   It follows the path of least resistance.   It flows over fields, or roads.  It comes up to dams and stops;  unless the force of that flow is strong enough.

Water in scripture always speaks of the life giving influence of the Word of God, applied to my circumstances, by the Holy Spirit.

John 7:37-39 “In the last day,  that great day of the feast,  Jesus stood and cried,  saying,   If any man thirst,  let him come unto Me,  and drink.

                          He that believeth on Me,  as the scripture hath said,  Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

                          (But this spake He of the Spirit,  which they that believe on Him shall receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;  because Jesus was not yet glorified.)

This feast was the Feast of the Tabernacles.   It was a feast of remembrance.  All the males of Israel were to come to Jerusalem for it,  so there would have been a large crowd gathered. 

The priests in the Temple, were to go out in procession to the wells outside the city,  and fill their vessels (jars), and bring them up the hill to the Temple.

They were singing as they went:  Isaiah 12.

Isaiah 12:2-3, 6 “Behold,  God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song;  He also is become my salvation.

                              Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the well of salvation.

                               Cry out and shout,  thou inhabitant of Zion:  for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”

Then they would come into the court, right before the steps going up to the Altar where they sacrificed,  and they would pour out this water,  singing this.

This they would do for six days.   The seventh day,  the great day of the feast,  they would gather in the court;  and stand there:  no water.  

They would again sing this song:  and wait in silence for a set time.

At that moment,  these verses tell what Jesus did before all these people gathered.  He moved out of the crowd, and onto the steps leading up to the Altar,  and…

“…Jesus stood and cried,  If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.”

He had offered Himself as the Bread of Life before,  and been rejected because they did not understand that “eating” this bread, was believing in Him as the Son of God.

And now Jesus offers Himself as the the Way for life giving water.

“He that believeth on Me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

He was speaking here, of the Holy Spirit which would be given to all who would receive His Words and believe in Him as Lord and Savior. 

He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, because He knew they would reject Him,  and He would be crucified, and raised the third day.

He was saying,   “I am offering you a way to have life;  through believing in Me,  the Holy Spirit will be given you.   When He comes to you,  it will be as refreshing, and forceful as a river of living water!”

Of course, they did crucify Him,  and He arose the third day;  going up to heaven and sending the Holy Spirit to us to comfort us.   

The Holy Spirit uses the Word, and becomes a force within us to help us, guide us, correct us,  and encourage us.   How much we need Him.

But are we “drinking” deeply of this life-giving flow?  Or have we blocked the flow in our lives somehow?

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say,  Come.  Let him that heareth say,  Come.  And let him that is athirst come.   And whosoever will,  let him take the water of life freely.”

You see it says,  “To drink,…you must come.”

Come, as Jesus said, standing on the step.  Come to Him,  and receive.   Stop blocking it,  by unbelief,  or fear,  or grief,  or even just hesitation.   Yield to the Holy Spirit.

Just Come,  hear His Word,  and Drink the Water of Life,  freely.

An Expected End  

Jeremiah. 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,  saith the Lord,  thoughts of peace and not of evil,  to give you an expected end.”

This expected end here, is “the thing that I long for”.

This expected end is to hear when we get to heaven:  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”. (Matthew 25:21)

God expects us to follow Him, and to this end He works within us and on us;  so that He can bless.

When something, or someone has come between our heart’s affection and the Lord;  our sight becomes affected.  We no longer see Christ, as our all.   

First it is “Christ and….”

Then it is “….and Christ”

He has already slipped into a second place. 

Jeremiah 29:13 “And ye shall seek me,  and find me,  when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah is telling God’s people that God will be found of those who seek for Him.

For you see,  “seek” and “search” are words used only when something is lost.     They had lost true fellowship with God.

But the Lord says:  “seek” Me:

The word is used as though we must go out of our comfort zone and look around us.

When we do, we can really see all the abundance of things He has done for us and said to us.        To think on these things,  and on Who He is.

And as we do,  we will “find Me.”

We are to “search” with all our hearts:

That is to take everything apart if necessary, to find the most valuable Object:   Christ Jesus,  Himself.

It is to throw away the other things we trust in,  or have looked to.

We must tear away the pretenses we have wrapped ourselves in. (I’m OK,  sure I’m not as close to the Lord as before, it seems as though something has come between us;  but I’m sure it will work itself out? Right?)

When we do get these things out of the way:

“And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:…” (Jeremiah 29:14)

I have been as the Prodigal son,  in a “far country” from God.   But when I, too, “came to myself”, and saw things as they really were;  I came home to the Father.  (Luke 15:17-24)

The Father does not berate him,  but loves him.  So He does with all who will “seek” and “search”;  and come home to Him.

There is an expected end for each believer.  The thing He longs for.

That He may say to all of us:  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

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 discover a decree, which had not been found before.  By that decree, made under Cyrus the king,   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 us” today,  tomorrow, and so on.  

Are We Like the Morning Cloud? 

Hosea 6:4-6 “O Ephraim,  what shall I do unto thee?  O Judah,  what shall I do unto thee?  For your goodness is as a morning cloud,  as early dew it goeth away.

                          Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets;  I have slain by the words of My mouth:  for thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth.

                          For I desired mercy,  and not sacrifice;  and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

The morning cloud promises much.  Maybe there will be the rain we need.  But the day gets hot and the morning clouds go away.        The early dew drys as soon as there is a little sun.

Both look good, but give no lasting benefit.

So were the “revivals” and changes of Ephraim and Judah. (These were the two kingdoms of Israel.)

God would send a prophet to preach repentance to them;  to restore them to His fellowship and blessing.  

But though they often would “repent” when God was chastening them;  yet as soon as that was removed,  they would resume their idol worship.

We all know what an idol is:  it is a fabricated god.   We worship it.  

Worship is worthyship:  counting God, or whatever, worthy of ourselves. (Our time, our awe, our confidence.)

Worship comes from the Hebrew “to fall down before”.

Sadly, though Israel saw miracle after miracle in deliverances, and blessing;  yet they kept choosing to put their confidence in stones, and wood;  rather than the Living God. (Jeremiah 10:10).

(If you really want to see God’s joke about the idols,  read: Isaiah 44:15-17.  One part of the tree, warms the man,   another he bakes bread with,   and the rest he fashions a god!  Wow,  how silly can we be!)

Many even came and brought sacrifices to the Lord; and then went out and offered sacrifices to idols.

God said,  “If your heart was not in the sacrifice you offer Me.  It is nothing.       I desired mercy and not sacrifice.”

Simply put,  The Lord told them from the first that He wanted them to obey Him.

Mercy is covenantal affection and loyalty.

It is love for both God and your bothers in the faith.   This is what He wanted for them:        For Israel to know Him;   to get their hearts right with Him, and their brothers.

This is what He has always wanted:  for His people to know Him.  To “see” Him as He is: the Almighty God, who rules the heavens and the earth;  and yet loves us.  And with this love,  He seeks fellowship with us.

I have been like the morning cloud.   The Lord has spoken, and I heard;  but put off making the change, and put it off…till:  there was the correction.  

It was not easy, seeing how I had done this to Him.  But He was right;  He had warned me many times.        Now, was the time to do something about it.

One time the Lord showed me how sad I was making Him, doing this.  

First:  He wants my love,  for He loves me.

Second:  He does not like to correct;  He would rather I agree with Him (Amos 3:3),  and walk (not be pushed) with Him.

Do we really know the Lord as we should?   He wants us to,  if we will.     He will help us make lasting change.

Ye are the Salt of the Earth

Salt, in scripture, is the preserving power of active righteousness, and grace.
Salt preserves whatever it is in. It keeps it from becoming putrid and rancid. It kills the germs which would destroy it.
So salt, as Jesus talks about it here, is the grace which enables us to seek the right way of acting and doing. It preserves us from the corrupt policies of the world, and the angry attitudes and opinions from within ourselves.     It keeps us set aside to God, and His will for us.
In the narrow way, we are helped and maintained by the preserving power of salt.(The empowering of grace, which supports our obedience, each day)

Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt hath lost it’s savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and be trodden under foot of men.”
(Salt works its way into things. If you salt meat on the outside, and let it set; that salt will work its way into the meat, and season all of it.)
Like salt on meat, so the “salt” of active obedience, and grace works its way into our hearts, cleansing and purifying us; so that we can have that strengthening fellowship with our Lord Jesus, that we need.

Every sacrifice in the Tabernacle, was to be offered with salt. The nature of man is sinful,  and so it must be “salted”.  Then the sacrifice unto God would be acceptable.
(Romans 12:1-2).

For the salting showed the Covenant of God, who set aside a people to be His, in righteousness, and holiness. The salt symbolized this. The salt for the sacrifice was provided by money which all the people gave. It showed that fellowship with their God, was to be enjoyed, and preserved by the obedience of all the people.

Leviticus 2:13 “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thy offerings thou shalt offer salt.”

The salt of grace tests everyone.
Mark 9:49-50 “For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness, wherewith shall ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. ”

Either it will preserve us from the uncleanliness of the world, the flesh, and the devil.   Or it will be a fire within us. For the pleasures we secretly desire, and won’t put away; will burn us up.

Salt is good. For all who use it. Grace is the unmerited favor of the power of God in a Christian’s life.
Are we putting to use, the “salty” nature of grace for ourselves?

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
We are to “season” our conversations with the knowledge of Christ, and grace. We are to use wisdom and grace to answer every man that asks us of the hope that is within us, with meekness and fear.(1 Peter 3:15)

Ephesians 3:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Salt is good. It preserves our hearts, and tongues.   Let us use the salt of grace, and have fellowship with Christ Jesus in all we do.
Let us be the salt of the earth,  helping to preserve in righteousness, those we come into contact with.

It is our priveledge to be salt.  To be used to honor the Lord.