To Enjoy Him And His Word
March 2014 – Grace & Truth Magazine
To Enjoy Him And His Word
When reading the Bible one of the things that I enjoy finding is the order in its lists. During a recent study with others in Sunday School, the historical sequence of the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 was again brought to our attention. That passage and many others in the Bible, though having an application at that time, were written years, oftentimes centuries, before their accurate, prophetic fulfillment. To see the prophecies of God come alive is thrilling!
The topic for this month’s Feature articles is one of those that I enjoy. Found in Leviticus 23, it is the Feasts of the LORD, or Jehovah. In this passage we find wonderful lessons regarding the nation of Israel to whom the instructions were given. A rich mine of valuable gems is presented for believers as well, for in the feasts we see the progress of the Christian life. By referencing other related passages, we begin by seeing in the Passover the perfections of the Lamb of God (the Lord Jesus) and His sacrificial death at Calvary (Lev. 23:4-5; Ex. 12). Then in orderly fashion we proceed through each portion of the believer’s life right into eternity with Him when we will be forever rejoicing before the Lord our God (Lev. 23:40). While we see truths about the believer, the subject is for His glory!
Truly the entire Bible is really about the Lord Jesus Christ and His glory. While the Bible speaks a lot about situations when He either blesses or curses people, God is using the record of these things to reveal aspects about Himself. If we are careful in our observations, we will be drawn nearer to Him.
God’s desire is to bless everyone all the time with His presence, but sin and man’s rejection of Him prevents His doing so. We are reminded that because of sin Adam and Eve were removed from the garden where God walked. Therefore we must ask the crucial question, “Are you experiencing joy with the Lord Jesus Christ or are you facing judgment and sorrow apart from Him?” He has revealed His desires to us and He has made the way (Jn. 14:6), but what is your choice?
By Paul Alberts
For those who are interested, good commentaries about the seven churches of Revelation
and other topics can be found on the Biblecentre.org and StemPublishing.com websites.