Bible Study With Jairus

Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 9

Bible Study with Jairus – 1 Corinthians 9

 

One of the themes discussed in 1 Corinthians 9 is Christian love and care. Paul continues to emphasize these themes throughout the entire book of 1 Corinthians. Before we have the right to shepherd and discipline others, we must first demonstrate our love and care for them. A nursing mother who has tenderly nurtured her children will be respected when she disciplines and educates them. When we first demonstrate love to others, they will be more likely to accept our teaching and help.

 

This chapter describes how Paul seized the opportunity to shepherd the believers he did not know well. Some of the brothers and sisters in the Corinthian church had not been trained personally by Paul, so he had to make an investment of love before he could make a withdrawal of teaching and accountability.

 

Love is patient. Paul's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is not just a theory, but a principle he put into practice with the Corinthian church.

 

Paul builds a relationship with the Corinthians

 

When we read the Bible, it’s important to understand the feelings of the people involved and the relationship between the speaker and their hearers. Some of Paul’s letters were addressed to people he had personally trained. These people listened to him and opened up to him because they had experienced his personal love and care. Perhaps the members of Chloe’s household mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11 knew Paul personally. They informed Paul of the situation in the Corinthian church. But others in the Corinthian church may not have known him well.

 

A working mother who can’t be at home with her children when they are small allows others to raise them. In this case, the children often feel closer to the nanny than they do to their mother. In the same way, Paul was a traveling preacher who had not built a long-term relationship with the Corinthians. As a result, the Corinthians felt closer to Apollos and others than they did to Paul.

 

 

Some members of the Corinthian church may not have been saved through Paul’s ministry. They were likely not trained by him either. They criticized him as being “base among them in person " (2 Corinthians 10:1 NIV). The word "base” in the original text is translated as "humble" in some versions. But this translation does not reflect the meaning of the original text. The original word is ταπεινός (tapeinos), which means "humble" and "timid". The New International Version and the New Living Translation translate the word as "timid". The Chinese recovery version translates it as "base", in an attempt to express the derogatory meaning of the original word. According to the annotation in the Recovery Version, it says the word "base" connotes "the pagans’ disdain for the humble virtues of the Christians back then." The Recovery Version Bible doesn’t cite this quotation, so I don't know its origin. Although this word has different interpretations in translation, the controversy itself opens a window of understanding. This word may have different meanings that help us understand the passage.

 

Second Corinthians 10:10 makes it clear that these believers were critical of Paul. The Recovery Version reads like this: "Because while his letters, someone says, are weighty and strong, his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible." The Chinese Union Version says, “For some say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.’” Clearly, these believers were criticizing Paul. They refused to open their hearts to Paul. This was one of the main reasons for the strife and competition within the Corinthian church.

 

I once heard a story about a Chinese parent in the United States who sent her first child to live with her mother in China because she was busy with work and with her second child. After the child returned to the United States, the parents noticed a distance in their relationship. The child didn’t feel close to her parents. For years, her parents had been absent, and she had lived with a doting grandmother. Now, the child threw tantrums and gave her mother a lot of headaches.

 

This is a normal reaction. When children grow up with absent parents, they feel like they are abandoned. Their hidden anger eventually comes out. Since the parents are away for such a long time, the children no longer feel close to them.

 

The same principles apply to the Corinthian church. The Corinthian church was established by Paul through the preaching of the gospel, but not every believer in the Corinthian church was saved by Paul's evangelism. They were likely brought to salvation by Apollos and others.

 

More importantly, the people in the Corinthian church were spiritually immature, like babies. Paul, who compares himself to a nursing mother (1 Thessalonians 2:7), was often not around. Apollos and others took care of the Corinthians while he was gone. They were like foster mothers who nursed and nurtured the young church. The church began to feel distant from Paul and to feel close to Apollos and the others.

 

Paul opens his heart wide

 

Let’s return to our example of the child who was sent to China. It was understandable that she felt angry after returning to the United States. She didn’t understand why her parents had left her. So, what should her parents do? They should spend even more time caring for her. They should work towards developing a close relationship with her, built slowly over time.

 

Perhaps when the Corinthians criticized Paul, they were expressing their anger about his absence in their life. Paul loved the Corinthian believers, even though they criticized him. Since he wasn’t around much, he must have regretted the fact that he wasn’t able to be with them constantly to take care of them. When he heard their complaints, he didn't respond in anger. Instead, he encouraged them and showed his love for them. Paul responded like a loving parent who wants to reestablish a bond.

 

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul opens up and shares his testimony. He tells the Corinthians how he was called by the Lord to be an apostle (verses 1-3), how he gave up his right as an apostle (verses 4-15), how God entrusted him with a stewardship (verses 16-23), and how diligently he is running the Christian race (verses 24-27). In other words, Paul is demonstrating the great sacrifices he has made for God’s calling, including sacrifices he’s made for the believers in Corinth. Paul wants them to know that the reason he is running around like this is because of God’s calling on his life. But it doesn't mean he doesn't miss the Corinthians or care about them.

 

For example, Paul gave up his right to be financially reimbursed for his gospel ministry so he would not burden the Corinthians (verses 11-15). This was one of the sacrifices he made for the Corinthians. Perhaps the Corinthians felt that Paul was doing nothing to shepherd them. But in reality, he made frequent sacrifices for their sake. The Corinthians needed to recognize the sacrifices Paul was already making.

 

Paul spoke openly about his sacrifices so that the believers could see the depth of his genuine care and love. Those who doubted his care could see the sacrifices he had made on their behalf. I believe these words may have eventually touched the hearts of some of the believers who were against Paul.

 

Spiritual growth: the antidote to competition

 

There was a lot of competition and immaturity in the Corinthian church. Because the church lacked spiritual authority and Paul and Apollos were not permanent pastors, everyone in Corinth was competing. Any church that lacks spiritual authority will experience the same conflicts. A church with spiritual authority guides its members toward good behavior and submission. But in a church without authority, no one submits to anyone. The only solution to this competitive rivalry is love, spiritual growth and maturity.

 

Paul opened up about his experiences for two reasons. Not only did he want to demonstrate his love for the Corinthian church, but he also wanted to teach them how to achieve spiritual maturity. Paul’s spiritual maturity came not only through his election to apostleship but also through his willingness to grow spiritually through suffering. When we learn to obey God in the midst of suffering, God will work in our lives to bring about spiritual maturity.

 

Even the Lord Jesus himself learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Paul said that he had the right to eat and drink (1 Corinthians 9:4) and to marry (1 Corinthians 9:9:5), but he gave up these rights for the Corinthians’ sake. The Corinthians continued to live in "gluttony" (1 Corinthians 11:21-22) and sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 7:2), but Paul let go of these fleshly needs for the sake of the gospel. Paul said, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:27).

 

Paul's struggle and surrender

 

True authority comes from God's calling and our surrender to God. That's why Paul said he had no choice but to preach the gospel. Because of God's calling, he felt “obligated to preach.” (1 Corinthians 9:16 BSB) All who are called by God go through the process of struggle and surrender. Paul was no exception. While we don't know exactly how Paul struggled, we can see glimpses of the struggle in 1 Corinthians 9. Paul said, "For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.” (1 Corinthians 9:16-17).

 

To some, this verse is confusing. Is Paul still struggling with God's calling? Perhaps he is. He used to be an active persecutor of Christians among the Judaists, a religious leader with very high status. Accepting God’s calling was equivalent to betraying his social class. He would also face great persecution. That’s why Paul may have wavered and struggled with God’s call on his life.

 

But in the end, Paul surrendered to the Lord. In the same way, our surrender to God's calling is the source of our authority and power! Paul exhorts the Corinthian believers to surrender more completely to the Lord and to submit to one another. As we do this, we as believers will unlock the authority and power of the Lord!

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 34-Entering Our God-Given Destiny

Entering Our God-Given Destiny

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 34

 

Have you ever thought that God’s rules and boundaries were limiting you? We may think that God’s borders are hemming us in. But in reality, the boundary lines God gives us are far greater than the boundary lines we have already reached. May God give us the courage, faith, and hope to reach the full measure of what he has in store for us. May we pray like Jabez - “May God enlarge our borders.” God will grant what we ask.

 

Spiritual Stagnation

 

Numbers 34 contains two key stories. In the first story, the Lord told Moses about the boundaries of Israel. In the second story, the Lord told Moses the list of leaders of the nine and a half tribes participating in the division of the land.

 

When you compare the map of the land that God promised to the Israelites with the land they actually occupied, you will find a surprising contradiction. God promised the Israelites land in the northeast, rather than the land on the east side of the Jordon occupied by Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh occupied land in the southeast after the Israelites defeated the Amorites and Ammonites. After seeing the land’s beauty, they did not enter Canaan, the land promised by God. They wanted to stay on the other side of the Jordon and pasture their large herds and flocks.

 

How did God feel about this choice? In the Scripture, God neither praised nor blamed them. He just kept silent. Moses was initially angry about this choice, but later accepted it. God promised  the land of Canaan, not this land. Although Moses tacitly consented to this plan, it was not ultimately God's will.

 

I believe these two and a half tribes missed out on God’s blessings. When they chose to stay in the land on the east side of the Jordon, they showed they were satisfied with the victory God had already given. They chose to stagnate in the achievement they’d already made. In Numbers 32, they asked Moses to give them "the land that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel.” (ESV Numbers 32:4)[1]. They admitted that the Lord had helped them acquire the land and achieve victory in battles. But they were unwilling to continue to risk or to enter the Promised Land. They underestimated God's promise.

 

Aren’t many Christians today the same? They are satisfied with the measure of spiritual success they’ve already attained. They know that they believed in the Lord and will go to heaven. That’s good enough for them. With this mindset, you will miss out on so many beautiful things worth learning, exploring, and working hard on. You miss out on many spiritual battles God wants you to win. Don’t stagnate where you are! Move forward into the fullness of God’s plans for you!

 

Entering God’s Destiny

 

The Israelites never reached their full potential. They never occupied the full extent of the land that God had promised them. Even during the time of David and Solomon, Israel never expanded fully into the boundaries God had promised. These boundaries - borders – represent the measure of destiny and blessing given to us by God. Many people are concerned about not going beyond the boundaries God has set for them. True, God sets limits in our lives to keep us safe. But for most people, the problem is not that we go too far. For most of it, we fail to expand into the full measure of God’s expectations and promises for us.

 

God has given us each a measure of grace. Paul specifically said "Don't boast beyond your measure." (2 Corinthians 10:13). But many times, people use this verse as an excuse to think small. Rather than pursuing God's calling and gifts, they confine themselves to a small measure God never intended for them. Only after arriving in heaven will people discover just how big were the blessings God had in store for them in this life, and just how few of them they have achieved.  I often pray that when I stand before God, my Heavenly Father will praise me with the words: “YOU OUTDID YOURSELF.” I want to live out God’s destiny and calling for me, even "going beyond" my own measure. This is my prayer.

 

God had assigned boundaries to each of the twelve tribes through drawing lots. Drawing lots may seem like pure chance, but it represented God’s decision. He drew boundary lines according to the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the tribes. Nevertheless, God still gave the tribes a certain amount of freedom. For example, Caleb could choose to conquer the lands occupied by the toughest enemies.

 

God has given us grand and glorious promises! He wants us to understand the full extent of his blessings. Paul prayed that believers would have “the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18). We need God to open our hearts and eyes so we can truly grasp the greatness of the rich and glorious inheritance He has prepared for us! In the Old Testament, God gave the land of Canaan as an inheritance. In the New Testament, God has given believers the inheritance of riches in Christ and spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm! (Ephesians 1:3).

 

God Knows us Personally.

 

Did you get bogged down by reading all the geographical names and details of Israel, as well as the names of the tribal chiefs? These are not just useless facts. They show that God is intimately acquainted with each one of us. God is not distant, far away, and difficult to please. Instead, Jesus says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10). We have personal access to his throne room.

 

Even if you feel far from God, your Heavenly Father is conversing with your guardian angels, asking how you are doing today, where you are going, and what kind of comforting and encouraging words you may need today. Our Heavenly Father frequently discusses these things with our guardian angels. David said that God’s thoughts towards us are more numerous than the sand of the sea (Psalm 139:17-18).

 

Malachi 3:16 shows us that God thinks about us. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.” Not only are believers’ names written in the Book of Life, but our experiences and achievements are also recorded. For example, David wrote in Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" Our tears and our sufferings are all recorded in God’s book.

 

In addition, Revelation 20:12 records, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." God will judge each of us according to what we have done.

 

The Spiritual Significance of Your Name

 

God knows us. Paul said, “If anyone loves God, he is known by God.” (1 Corinthians 8:3). God also knew each tribal leader personally, by name, and each of their names has a meaning. "Caleb" of the Tribe of Judah means "loyal dog," which is often extended to mean, "servant of God."

 

As we discuss the names of the other tribal leaders, I will quote my translation of a passage from the "Comprehensive Interpretation of the Bible" website:

 

“The names are listed in order of the tribes, from south to north according to the land allocated to each tribe (Joshua 14-19). Except for "Caleb" (verse 19), the names of the other nine leaders are completely different from those of the leaders 38 years before (Numbers 1:5-15). Even their fathers are not the previous leaders. God recorded the names of these people and used their names to clearly demonstrate the faith of the new generation before Him: "Shemu-El" or “ Samuel” means "God's name"; "El-Idad" means "My God has loved"; "Bukki" is the abbreviation of "Bukki-Ah" (1 Chronicles 25:4), which means "The Lord has proven" or " "The Lord has emptied"; "Hanni-El" means "favored of God"; "Kemu-El" means "raised by God"; "El-Izaphan" means "My God has protected"; "Palti-El" means "God’s deliverance"; "Ahihud" means "Brother of Praise"; "Pedah-El" means "redeemed by God".

 

“Among these ten leaders, Caleb was already 80 years old (Joshua 14:10). There are seven people with "El" in their names, indicating that these leaders may have been born before the Exodus. They were about 40-60 years old at this time. Only “Bukki” is possibly derived from the name "Jehovah", indicating that he was probably born after God revealed his name "Jehovah" to Moses (Exodus 3:15). He was likely less than 40 years old.” [2]

 

This quote explanation specifically notes the names of the leaders mentioned by God. Except for Caleb, this is an entirely new generation of leaders. Even their fathers have never been mentioned before. These are not the same tribal leaders recorded in Numbers 1. They are leaders of a new generation, raised up by God.

 

What an encouragement! Can you imagine a tribal leader claiming these promises for himself?  “Our ancestors failed and were unable to defeat the enemy. Our ancestors’ failure to enter the Promised Land does not necessarily mean that we, the next generation, will be unable to do so. They lost the spiritual battle, but that does not mean that we will also lose! God has raised up new leaders to lead the Israelites into spiritual battle! As the younger generation, we must rise up for battle, defeat the enemy, enter the Promised Land, and fulfill the spiritual destiny He has given us!”

 

Can you see the parallel to modern-day America? We face many enemies all around us, like the Israelites of old. The previous generation left these enemies undefeated and unconquered. Now, they are coming to control us! But this does not mean that we will be unable to conquer the enemy. We may feel suppressed, but this is not necessarily God's will for us.

 

Many Old Testament Israelite kings chose to follow God, even though their fathers did not worship Him. And God helped them defeat their enemies. The younger generation in the United States must do the same. We must believe that God will help us, and that no one can stop us. We must rise up for battle and defeat the enemy. God will certainly help us. May the younger generation of the United States rise up as leaders and defeat the enemies that their parents’ generation was unable to defeat!

 

God is our Loving Father

 

God often treats us like a parent would treat a child. He has blessings in store for us and expectations for us to complete. But he will not force us to comply with them or take the steps he wants us to take. If we choose to ask for God’s help to defeat the enemy, trying our best to enter into God’s destiny for us through faith and hard work, God will help us. But if we give up, saying we don’t care, God will not rescue us from our own mistakes. The Bible tells us that God is good (Luke 18:19), while the enemy only wants to steal, destroy and kill (John 10:10). We must engage in spiritual warfare and not give up so easily. We must fight for our God-given blessings and ministries.

 

In the genealogy of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4, the author makes special mention of Jabez. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 says, "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.” The name Jabez in Hebrew means "sorrow.” His mother had a hard birth, so she named her son Jabez. There must have been many difficult experiences in Jabez's life. But he called on God, asking Him to enlarge his borders. He asked for God’s presence to be with him and keep him from harm. And God answered his prayer.

 

May God enlighten the eyes of our hearts, as Paul said in Ephesians, so that we can see just how great is the inheritance God has given us. May we enter into the full destiny that God intends for us. May we pray like Jabez, “Enlarge my borders!” God will surely answer our prayers!

 

 

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

[2] The Original is Chinese and the translation is mine.

https://cmcbiblereading.com/2015/05/11/%E6%B0%91%E6%95%B0%E8%AE%B0%E7%AC%AC34%E7%AB%A0%E9%80%90%E8%8A%82%E6%B3%A8%E8%A7%A3%E3%80%81%E7%A5%B7%E8%AF%BB/

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 33

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 33

 

At first glance, Numbers 33 seems like a confusing list of meaningless facts. “Pi-hahiroth, Baal-zephon, Alush, Rephidim…” Why would God include so many cities and place names that are difficult to pronounce? What is the point?

 

If we look more closely, we will understand the importance of these facts. If we were familiar with the geography of Israel, we would reflexively understand that the Israelites were going in circles. It was as if they were detouring from Florida to New York and back to Florida. Because of their disobedience, the Israelites were experiencing God’s discipline. To readers familiar with the geography of Israel, this detailed record of cities and place names would clearly demonstrate that the Israelites were wandering in mind-numbing circles.

 

Rather than being a pointless list of names, this passage serves as a warning to future generations. There is a high price to not believing in God and rebelling against Him. We must draw lessons from what happened to the Israelites. We must obey God and have faith in Him, so that we can avoid God’s discipline.

 

Wandering in the wilderness

 

Verse 1 says, “These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.”[1] In verses two through forty-five, forty-two different stations are recorded. Under normal circumstances, it takes only 11 days to travel from Egypt to the Promised Land. But it took the Israelites 40 years.

 

When the faithless spies gave a bad report to the Israelites, they became fearful and refused to go into the promised land. In response, God disciplined them. He told them they would wander in the wilderness for forty years. He said, “According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.” (Numbers 14:34).

 

There were two reasons that the Israelites were disciplined by God. First, they were unbelieving. Hebrews 3:19 says, "So we see that they were unable to enter [the Promised Land] because of unbelief." The second reason is rebellion. Ezekiel 20:13 says, "The house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules."

 

Discipline and Surrender

 

After the wilderness wanderings were over, the Israelites may have been tempted to boast in God’s miracles. They may have recounted the daily manna, water from the rock, and wonderful signs that God sent. They may have been tempted to paint a rosy picture of their time in the wilderness.

 

But in reality, the time in the wilderness was a time of judgment. There was much death, judgment, and discipline during the Wilderness Wanderings. God sent fire on Nadab and Abihu. The earth opened to swallow Korah. Fiery serpents bit the people. Plagues and fire destroyed them.

 

In the same way, many people try to focus on the blessings and protection of God during the coronavirus pandemic. We share stories of God’s protection and healing. But we should not forget that there has been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears during the pandemic. There has been death and discipline from God.

 

In American churches today, few people view the pandemic as God’s discipline. Since they have been hurt by legalism in the past, they reject all statements about discipline. Though the discipline of the Holy Spirit is a truth in the Bible, there are few people in U.S. churches that talk about this.

 

Some Christians say that God’s wrath has been poured out on the cross; therefore His wrath will not come to us again. This is correct. But it does not mean that God will not discipline or even judge us.

 

I am not saying that everyone who is infected with Covid is being punished for their personal sins. I acknowledge that many have been accidentally infected. Others have unfortunately passed away due to the infectious nature of the disease, not due to their sin. What I mean is Covid is a judgment for humanity as a whole.

 

1 Peter 4:17 says, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God." “Judgment” in Greek is κρίμα (krima). When we ignore the fact of the judgment of God, we don’t feel the need for introspection and repentance. Though some American Christians emphasize prayer and repentance, many others do not. The depth of repentance in American churches is far from ideal.

 

Many Christians and churches have not yet surrendered to God. God is dealing with the church as a whole because we have not yet reached the point of total surrender. What is surrender? What are the characteristics of surrendering to God? How can we surrender to God? It’s mainly through repentance and prayer.

 

 

The Wilderness Test

 

In our individual lives, we often face a wilderness period in our pursuit of the Lord. After tangibly experiencing the presence of God, we often feel like we have entered a pitch-black cave. We are wandering through a trackless wilderness. One day, it feels like God is with us. The next, we feel abandoned. We often pray to God to remove these problems, but to no avail. It seems like God has no response at all when we pray to Him.

 

Has God abandoned us? No. He is right there with us. He’s using this suffering and discipline to teach us to obey. It’s as if he’s hiding behind us, watching to see how we will react. If we surrender to God, we will meet Him. But if we don't, He will hide His face from us.

 

Let me tell you a story of my own spiritual wilderness period. I was facing a major problem in my life. All I could do was pray. I prayed every day for a month, asking God to help me solve it. I constantly repented, confessed my sins, and rededicated myself to Him, asking Him to help me solve this problem. Finally, God answered my prayer.

 

Immediately, I felt like I was beginning to come down from the spiritual clouds. In the Bible, clouds often represent God’s presence and the atmosphere of heaven. Before the problem was solved, I was constantly in God’s presence, begging for his help. It was as if I was in the clouds. When the problem was solved, I felt that the glorious clouds of God’s presence were gradually diminishing. I realized that the problem had been a blessing in disguise, because my difficulty had driven me into the presence of God.

 

Will we allow the difficult wilderness experience to push us towards God, or away from him? At present, the church and all of humanity are entering a wilderness period. We’re tempted to blame others instead of reflecting on ourselves and following God more closely. When the pandemic broke out, our first reaction was to blame other countries or certain political figures. I do not deny that certain countries and politicians do have certain responsibilities. But spiritually, the correct reaction is not to blame others, but to reflect on oneself before the Lord. Otherwise, the trial will drive us even farther away from God.

 

When we refuse to reflect and repent, God will allow us to stay in this spiritual wilderness for a long time. Rather than removing the difficulty you face, God may allow them to increase. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years! The more they rebelled against God, the more he disciplined them. If we refuse to repent, we should not be surprised if we hear another variant of coronavirus appearing again. Rather than blaming others, we need to allow suffering to bring us closer to God.

 

Light overcomes Darkness

 

When we experience discipline, we often feel that God has left us. This experience is not unique to us. Even the Lord Jesus felt this way. When God placed the sins of mankind on Jesus, he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). Although many people have different interpretations of this verse, it can remind us that Jesus understands our pain. We often feel that God has forsaken us, that He doesn’t answer our prayers, and that he doesn’t hear our cries. Jesus understands that sentiment.

 

Trials can bring us closer to God. When God temporarily hides Himself, we can remember that Jesus understands our pain. John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The darkness will come to an end. The wilderness wanderings will eventually give way to the Promised Land. On the other side of our trials, we will meet God.

 

Darkness before Dawn

 

Numbers 33:1-49 recounts the 42 stations that the Israelites passed through as they journeyed in the wilderness. The last paragraph of the chapter records God’s instructions about idols. God told Moses that when the Israelites entered Canaan, they must destroy all the figured stones, images, and high places in the land (51-52), and take possession of the land (53), according to their clans (54). He reminded the Israelites that if they did not drive the Canaanites out, they would face the Lord's punishment (54-55).

 

The two sections of Numbers 33 are closely related. The people of God must be cleansed and dealt with in the wilderness. Only then will God provide victory over the enemy. God’s modus operandi is still the same today. The church seems to be undergoing discipline and cleansing through political persecution and the pandemic outbreak. As a result, God will soon usher in an era in which our idols and high places will be demolished. God's chosen people are almost ready to enter the Promised Land. God wants to call the American church to higher ground. He wants to be with us so that He can lead us to our spiritual destiny.

 

Many people say that the church is experiencing labor pains, the painful period that precedes a great rebirth. A great revival is coming. No one can stop its arrival. Although the enemy is strongly opposing God’s work, the child will surely be born. The church has reached the edge of the promised land. Like Israel, we’ve wandered around the wilderness, full of sadness and tears, but we are about to enter the land of Canaan. Though it seems like the power of darkness has triumphed, God’s army will enter Canaan to discipline them. Idols, images, and high places will be destroyed! This is the darkness before dawn. Daylight is near. We must be hopeful for the future. We must see the light through the dark clouds above us!

 

Conclusion

 

Discipline and judgment are a means, not an end. The purpose of discipline is to bring repentance and salvation. But we must submit to God's discipline. When God is disciplining us, we must learn to cooperate with His cleansing work through prayer, repentance, and confession.

 

God is dealing with the church’s sin as a corporate body. We must repent, not just individually but corporately.

 

We need to grow in our faith. Although there is darkness covering the earth, the Lord will bring light (Isaiah 60). We will rise as an army of light. Faith is all we need in this dark age. When we stand firm in our faith in God, we will usher in a bright future. God’s intentions are still good. Let us not become disappointed and discouraged.

 

May God bless you.

 

 

 

 

[1] All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 29-Understanding the Repetition in Numbers

Understanding the Repetition in Numbers

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 29

 

Significance in Repetition

A woman in our Bible study had a question in regards to why there are so many repetitions, especially with the number of calves, rams, as well as the number of matching grain offerings and other sacrifices. Seeing as the Bible is very concise, such repetition must have spiritual significance. I believe that these repetitions have deeper significance. The repetition of these sacrifices in chapters 28 and 29 illustrates a progressive change, which is a process from quantitative change to qualitative change. When we continue to add up the number of sacrifices (which indicates our spiritual practice and dedication), it will eventually bring about a qualitative change and thus bring about the completion of God's will. In the spiritual sense, the different arrangements of these festivals and sacrifices are the timelines set by God for the body of Christ to continue to mature. Jewish festivals are the prophetic foreshadowing of God's will and time for the body of Christ to reach maturity.

In order for us to have a better understanding of the repetitive and cumbersome numbers in chapter 29, we must pay attention to a spiritual principle, which is to distinguish between what changes and what is constant.  The Bible has a spiritual principle that what remains unchanged is God's nature, and what changes is God's leading. When we read the Bible, it helps to receive insight from gifted teachers of the Word to better understand God's character. We also need to seek the help of the Holy Spirit and the prophets in order to discover the living guidance of God.

 

The Nature of God

God's nature is unchangeable regardless of the history of heaven and earth because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  Jesus Christ is the complete manifestation of God; hence God is also eternal and unchanging. However, when reading the Bible, it appears that God changes often. Some truths were revealed one way in the Old Testament, but they are interpreted differently when the Lord Jesus Christ comes. For example, the Jews insist that no work can be done on the Sabbath, but Jesus heals the sick on the Sabbath. Why is that so? God's character or nature did not change. It is God's mercy that allows Jesus Christ to heal people on the Sabbath. Being merciful is God’s nature or disposition. However, since Jesus came, God’s leading or guidance changed because the Sabbath belongs to the law, and the law was meant to teach the children of Israel. This was the type of discipline needed by the Israelites when they were only children (Galatians 3:24). The law was intended to introduce Christ because the fulfillment of the law is Christ (Romans 10:4). When Christ came, there was no longer a need to be strict about the Sabbath. God’s compassion did not change, but God’s guidance has changed in different ages. 

 

Changes in Repetitions

Let’s take a look at the cumbersome numbers and repetitions in Numbers 29 with this principle in mind and see which ones are unchanged and which ones are changed.

 

What remains constant is that no matter how many bulls, rams, or male lambs were offered, the number of grain offerings associated with each sacrifice remains the same. For example, if you offer a bull calf, the amount of fine flour mixed with oil you have to offer as a grain offering is three-tenths of an ephah (Numbers 29:3). If you offer a ram, the fine flour mixed with oil you have to offer is two-tenths of an ephah, and a one-year-old male lamb is one-tenth of an ephah. In other words, the amount of fine flour required decreased with the size of the sacrifice (from largest to smallest, bull calves, and rams, one-year-old Lambs). This did not change. It is also recorded in Numbers 28.14, “Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb.” It can be seen that the amount of wine that is required for different sacrifices remains consistent.  Numbers 28:5 also mentions that for a one-year-old male lamb, a quarter of a hin of oil mixed with fine flour is also used as a grain offering. However, the amount of oil used in the relatively large sacrifices such as rams and calves is not mentioned. We can assume that some of them also increase correspondingly and are proportional to the size of the sacrifice. Another constant is that if another male goat is to be offered as a sin offering, this is another thing that doesn't change. This is the same in the spring festivals such as the Passover, Festival of Unleavened Bread, Fesitval of Firstfruits, and Pentecost. It is also the same in the fall festivals such as the Festival of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Festival of Tabernacles.

 

So what changes? The number of bull calves, rams, and one-year-old male lambs changed with different festivals. The quantities changed. Although the fine flour and wine offered by each sacrifice remained the same, the total quantity of fine flour and wine for grain sacrifice increased. In addition, the sacrifice of a male goat as a sin offering per worship remains unchanged. However, if the number of days of worship increases, the total number of male goats also increases. For example, suppose the Festival of Tabernacles is held for seven consecutive days (Numbers 29:12), and one male goat is offered as a sin offering every day. In that case, the total number of male goats becomes seven.

 

Increasing Sacrifices

The number of sacrifices steadily increased since chapter 28. This increase symbolizes that if we spend extra time in communion and prayer with God, we offer more spiritual sacrifices (represented by the sacrifices of cattle and sheep), which will create a more intimate relationship with God.

Numbers 28 begins with the daily sacrifice of a burnt offering of a one-year-old male lamb in the morning and evening. Every Sabbath has to have a sacrifice in addition to the daily burnt sacrifice. This principle applies to all subsequent festivals where sacrifices are offered in addition to the daily sacrifices in the morning and evening. Two extra male lambs are offered every Sabbath. At the beginning of every new month, on the seventh day of the Passover, on the seventh day of the month, on the Festival of Trumpets, and on the Day of Atonement, two bull calves, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs are offered. Moreover, in all of the following festivals beginning at the start of each new month, a male goat is added as a sin offering. This includes the Festival of Tabernacles. However, on the previous days and for every Sabbath sacrifice, no male goat is presented as a sin offering.

We could say that, in principle, the number of sacrifices increased according to the order of the festivals. However, this does not mean that there are no twists and turns.  For example, on Passover, a total of fourteen bull calves, seven rams, and forty-nine male lambs were offered for seven consecutive days. And in the latter days of the seventh festival, the Festival of Trumpets, and the Day of Atonement, the sacrifice returned to a bull calf, a ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs. However, at the Festival of Tabernacles, the number of sacrifices increased dramatically. The Festival of Tabernacles was also a seven-day festival. On the first day, there were 13 bull calves, two rams, and 14 one-year-old male lambs. The number of rams and the number of one-year-old male lambs were the same every day during these seven days. However, the bull calves decreased every day. Starting from the first day to the seventh day, there were 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, and 1, respectively. Hence, the total number of bull calves in seven days was 71, the number of rams was 14, and the number of one-year-old male lambs was 98. So many sacrifices were offered during this festival!

 

Symbolic sacrifices

In the New Testament, it says that our sacrifices are our praise and prayer (Hebrews 13:15), which is symbolized by the sacrifices of cattle and sheep in the Old Testament. The more spiritual sacrifices we offer to God, the greater our intimacy with Him will be. This festival was set up for the Israelites by God, and the number of sacrifices offered was prophetic indicators. The more sacrifices we offer, the more mature we become spiritually. When the Israelites of the Old Testament continued to offer more sacrifices along with the changes of the festivals throughout the year, their actions pleased God.

In the New Testament, this is a spiritual representation. It is a picture of the spiritual maturity of the body of Christ. It can also symbolize the spiritual growth of individual believers. For example, at the beginning of a believer’s spiritual journey, they may offer very few sacrifices. They may not attend church much, give little tithes, do only a little ministry work for the Lord and pray infrequently. However, as they grow spiritually, they may attend church more, give more tithes, pray more and become more involved in ministry. As their spiritual life matures, they offer more spiritual sacrifices to God. These sacrifices may be offered through praying, serving, evangelizing, bearing fruit, or shepherding the church as well as many other areas. The body of Christ is made up of a group of believers, and as it grows spiritually, the more sacrifices they offer to God as a whole. One day, when the body of Christ is fully mature, she will present herself to God as a flawless bride. This is the greatest dedication and spiritual sacrifice.

 

Decreasing Sacrifices

During our study, we noticed that there was a small decline in the number of sacrifices on the Festival of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement and a large increase during the Festival of Tabernacles at the beginning of Numbers chapter 29. Why was there a temporary decline and then an increase afterward? My guess is that it is a sign that the church will also experience a decrease, weakness, and then revival. Our experience as Christians can be similar in comparison. When we first believed in God, we may have been very fervent for Him. However, our passion for God may slowly fade when we face the temptations of the world and cause us to leave our first love. Hence we need to continue to repent and deepen our dedication to the Lord so that we can always live in the fellowship and love of God. In other words, the growth of a believer’s spiritual life is often not a straight line but a process of arduous repetition and fluctuation.

A man in our Bible study asked why the sacrifices for the last eight days of the Festival of Tabernacles decreased every day. I replied that sacrifices are means, and worshiping God is an end, so that is the result. Over the years, many people have focused on the means or the process but ignored the results or the end. For example, fasting and prayer are means. The Pharisees fasted and prayed but were criticized by the Lord because they exalted these means and did not get actual results. David also said at the beginning of Psalm 51 that God would not delight in sacrifice; otherwise, he would offer it. Later on, David also said that God does not despise a broken spirit and a contrite heart. This was the spiritual sacrifice. In the end, David said that he would offer sacrifices in Jerusalem. When we have a contrite heart in addition to sacrifices, it is the unity of our outward form and inward content.

 

Freedom in Christ

Israel had already offered more than seventy bulls at this time for the Festival of Tabernacles and could not offer them endlessly. At the same time, the purpose of sacrifice is to form a habit, just like our various spiritual practices in the New Testament. The goal is for us to establish a spiritual habit. After we have established strong spiritual discipline, we can experience freedom in the Holy Spirit.

There is a quote by Confucious that creates a good picture to explain our Christian experience of spiritual freedom. Confucius said, “ At fifteen, I had made up my mind to give myself up to serious studies. At thirty, I had formed my opinions and judgments. At forty, I had no more doubts. At fifty, I understood the truth in religion. At sixty, I could understand whatever I heard without exertion. At seventy, I could follow whatever my heart desired without transgressing the law.”[1]

This means that by the time he reached 70 years old, he would be free from the outward rules. Even though in Chinese culture, we did not have the law of the Old Testament like the Jews, a lot of Biblical wisdom can be found in the writings of Confucius. To mature in living in the Spirit, as Romans 8 talks about, we must build up healthy spiritual habits and continue to exercise these habits as Confucius did. If we keep exercising our spiritual muscles, we will eventually be set free from the law be able to overcome in Christ. This is what Paul talked about in Romans 8.

 

When I first became a believer, I read three chapters of the Old Testament and one chapter of the New Testament every day according to the teachings of the Local Church Movement so that I could finish reading the Bible once a year. In addition, I read Witness Lee's Life Study every day so that I could complete all of the 1,984 lessons in five years. I persevered and continued to read according to this schedule. My wife saw me reading like this every day, and yet after reading, my spiritual life did not change much. Seeing that I didn't have any revelation when I read the Bible, she joked, saying, "An apprentice monk reciting scriptures/saying what one does not mean.” This is a famous saying among Buddhists to make fun of monks who are not very gifted and devoted to the study. What she meant was that I was simply reading for the sake of reading. Her comments didn’t bother me, and I continued to persevere and read the New Testament and the Old Testament once a year and insisted on finishing all of the Life Study messages within five years. I also read other spiritual articles on a regular basis.

One day when I was leading our Bible study, my wife was surprised to find that the Holy Spirit often spoke revelation from the Bible through me. She asked me why the Holy Spirit spoke through me so often. I told her it was because I persevered and continued reading the Bible and other spiritual articles and offered my sacrifices every day. Hence day by day, I accumulated quantitative changes, and after some time, a qualitative change occurred. This is a spiritual principle. Anyone who perseveres as I did will experience qualitative change because God takes delight in those who persevere. God will reward us in His timing. The result of my perseverance was that when the time came, the Holy Spirit started to give me revelation through my accumulation of reading.

 

Spiritual Exercises

A woman in our Bible study said that her daughter was anxious about her exams, so we talked about how to help her handle her anxiety. I told her that everyone experiences anxiety, but the key is to learn spiritual exercises such as calling on the name of the Lord and exercise finding peace by living in the Spirit. Anxiety is a sign that we are not communing with God. Communion with God brings peace, and we need to try our best to enter that rest. Isaiah 30:15 says, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

When I was in the Local Church Movement, I was taught to call on the name of the Lord. This teaching encouraged us to call or meditate on the Lord’s name every morning for at least half an hour.  In addition to the morning, we should call on the name of the Lord loudly in any environment because the Bible tells us that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). I often practice this. For over ten years, I tried my best to persevere and call on the name of the Lord every morning and pray for more than half an hour. I even practiced calling on the name of the Lord frequently throughout the day. I used to worry about things quite often. However, when I would feel anxiety coming over me, I would stop everything and call on the Lord’s name for ten minutes or more. I found that this was an excellent way to live in the Spirit and be free from all the worries. The Bible tells us, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". (Philippians 4:6:7).

Calling on the Lord’s name is the easiest way to pray because the name of the Lord is Amen (Revelation 3:14), which is also the Word of God. In the beginning, the Lord was the Word of God. (John 1:1). When I kept practicing like this every day, I kept accumulating quantitative changes. Slowly, a qualitative change occurred within me, and I now live in joy and peace instead of anxiety and fear. The woman’s daughter I mentioned previously was still worried. Aside from the pressure of the external environment, she lacked spiritual training. When we offer sacrifices every day, such as calling on the name of the Lord and Praying, it pleases God. On the other hand, by strengthening our spiritual muscles, we can overcome anxiety by resisting the enemy’s attacks. Our spiritual life can be symbolized like the male lamb, growing into a ram and finally growing into a bull calf, just like those 71 bull calves on the Festival of Tabernacles.

 

Growing in Maturity

Whether it's praying, reading scriptures, waiting on the Lord, or other spiritual exercises, it takes time for them to accumulate.  Our maturity will grow as we continue practicing these things.

A prophetess named Donna Rigney shared that she often played worship music in the morning and waited on God. After she had entered into the Spirit, God would give her all kinds of experiences where she encountered Him. The Lord Jesus often appeared to her, took her to visit different places in heaven, and told her many things about the future. When a host interviewed her, he asked her how long would it take before someone could have this type of experience. She said that when she first started, she would have to wait for a long time. However, after she had practiced for quite some time, sometimes she would enter into a spiritual experience of encountering God as soon as she sat down. From this, we can see that even the experience of entering the Spirit takes a long time of practicing, and quantitative changes will bring about qualitative changes. In my experience, this was true in the matter of calling on the name of the Lord. When I first practiced this, it took me more than half an hour to enter into the peace of God. But since I have practiced for so long, now I can instantly enter into the peace of God if I call on the name of the Lord when I have trouble.

I started actively pursuing the gift of prophesy in 2015 and began to have prophetic dreams. Whenever I dreamt in the night, no matter how late it was, I would immediately record them at the expense of my sleep. Every night before I went to bed, I prayed that God would speak to me through dreams.  I practiced this for several years and recorded many dreams and visions. I wrote them down and sent them to some publications that spread prophets’ words through media publications. They did not publish the articles at first. However, I persisted in writing and submitting articles, and finally, they published some of my testimonies and dreams. Over the past few years, I have been actively trying to serve the Lord in various ways, especially in mainstream Christian churches in the United States, but the door has never been opened. However, I persevered in writing and translating my Bible studies as well as my dreams and visions. Slowly God opened a door for me. A man who attends our Bible Study commented that from his observation, it was a qualitative breakthrough that I was able to publish articles in these publications.

 

I have cited a few personal examples above in an attempt to illustrate that any spiritual exercise requires time and repetition to build a habit and sufficient strength. Just like when we are working out, when we continue to train our muscles, they will become stronger and even have muscle memory. Strong muscles help us have a strong body. Similarly, Christians also need to see the spiritual reality behind the representation of Jewish festivals and various sacrifices. That is, we must build good spiritual habits, exercise our spiritual muscles, and build up our spiritual muscle memory through repeated practice. Whenever we face worries and fears, we can exercise our spiritual muscles and faith to resist all the attacks of the enemy. When we keep practicing, our spiritual lives will gradually mature. As the body of Christ practices in this way, her stature will grow and mature into Christ, who is the Head. (Ephesians 4:15).

 

 

[1] http://www.myreading.cn/index.php/post/665.html

Numbers 18

Drawing Near to God

Bible Study with Jairus- Numbers 18

Numbers 18:1-5

“So the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die. They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you. And you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel. “

Responsibilities of Leadership

Aaron and his sons were given the job of carrying the iniquity of the sanctuary and the priesthood. Let’s look more closely at this phrase. What does it mean to bear the sins of the sanctuary and the priesthood? Why should Aaron and his sons and the people of his tribe (the Levites) bear the iniquity of the sanctuary? And why should they also carry the sins of their own priesthood?

Ordinary Israelites were not allowed to come near the sanctuary or the Holy Place. Simply approaching these holy places would incur sin and guilt. Ordinary Israelites were allowed to move around in the outer courtyard, but they could not enter the sanctuary. Ordinary Levites, who were not priests, could serve in the sanctuary. For example, the Kohathites could carry the items of the sanctuary; the Gershonites could carry the things in the tabernacle; but neither were allowed to touch the items of the sanctuary. Nor could they serve as priests in the sanctuary (Numbers 4). Aaron, his sons and the Levites needed to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary because they were in charge of ensuring that ordinary Israelites did not touch holy things.

Following the incident with Korah and his followers, God set out strict rules for Aaron and his sons to follow. Though God didn’t directly punish Aaron for what happened with Korah, he had a serious warning for the priests and Levites. Perhaps Aaron and his sons had not been vigilant in guarding the gate to the house of God. Korah received severe discipline because he was envious of the privileges of the priesthood. If these things happened again, Aaron and his sons would need to bear the iniquity of their priesthood.

Perhaps Aaron and his son had been apathetic in enforcing sanctuary rules. Aaron’s lax control may have led his sons Nadab and Abihu to offer unauthorized fire, causing them to be burned to death by the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2). Had they entered the Holy of Holies? Probably not. The golden altar of incense, from which they took fire to add to their own censer, was in the sanctuary just outside the Holy of Holies. A veil separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. They were very close to the Holy of Holies and may have had the intention of entering the Holy of Holies. They took their own censer, added incense, and offered strange fire. God’s severe discipline to these two men was a warning to Aaron. In this passage, the Lord warned Aaron again that if ordinary Israelites entered the sanctuary without permission, Aaron, his sons, and all the Levites would be held responsible. They needed to bear the iniquity. If a Levite became a priest without authorization, not only did this Levite sin, but Aaron and his sons also sinned.

Using a modern example, if you are the leader of a business or organization and others are disobedient to you, of course they need to be held accountable. But on the other hand, you may also have some problems that you need to deal with regarding your leadership skills. After the Lord disciplined the people who rebelled against Aaron, he also dealt specifically with Aaron and his sons in this passage.

 

Drawing Near to God

When the Lord Jesus was crucified, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh." (ESV) These verses tell us that since Jesus Christ took away our sins on the cross, we can now enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). In the Old Testament, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. But in the New Testament, through the blood of Jesus, we can enter into the Holy of Holies with confidence. In the Old Testament, only specially chosen people could become priests. But in the New Testament, we all are the Lord’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10).

In the New Testament, God wants us first to break free from our flesh and sin, going from the outer courtyard to the Holy Place. To enter the Holy Place is to experience the transformation and renewal of the soul. In the Holy Place, we serve and draw near to God to find grace and mercy.

The strict regulations of the Old Testament law code seem to be inconsistent with the experience of the New Testament. However, when we think in the spirit, we can find some important principles that apply to our spiritual experience today.

We can compare the outer courtyard to a fleshly Christian. Although he is saved and a Christian, he still has a lot of sins and filth in the world. His life and spiritual situation are far from God. Hebrews 10:19-22 mentions Christians who are still in the outer court, not taking advantage of the opportunity to enter the Holy of Holies: “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (BSB)

Although the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins, we still need to repent and confess those sins so we can enter into a closer relationship with God. In this way, we will have a powerful, close relationship with God and experience answered prayer. It’s not that God never hears the prayer of immature believers; in fact, he does. But sometimes, years after becoming a believer, we discover that our prayers are being hindered because of sin in our lives. It’s not that God doesn’t hear your prayers, or that he doesn’t want to answer. Instead, he wants you to confess your sins and repent, to take away these sins of the flesh so that you can get closer to Him. In other words, although you can come before God through the blood of Jesus Christ, your sin and uncleanness cannot be brought near to Him. Because of your sin and uncleanness, you can only stay in the outer courtyard.

Worshiping God in the sanctuary can be compared to a Christian who has dealt with sin and filth and is actively serving God. Although you are enthusiastic, God will not always let things go your way. For example, you want to be the leader of a certain group in the church, but another brother or sister also wants the same position. In the end, the pastor or elder chooses another person instead of you and you feel really upset. This is the modern equivalent of being a priest. Yes, the New Testament says that we are all priests. But when you really want to serve in a position of ministry, there are many requirements you must meet. Many times, you want to serve in a certain way, but God does not bless your ministry. Maybe this means that although you want to be a priest, God allows other people to get in your way, like Aaron and his sons in the Old Testament. It is not that God wants to hinder you from serving Him. Instead, He wants you to become holier before serving Him.

Serving God in the Holy of Holies can be compared to a Christian who removes the sins of the flesh and the rebellion in the soul, experiences how the cross deals with the flesh, and has an intimate fellowship with God. Although the veil was removed by Jesus on the cross, we often still need to go through a spiritual breakthrough, especially the breaking of the flesh, before we can enter the veil and have an extremely intimate fellowship with God through the Spirit.

Aaron represents the spirit and the Holy of Holies; the Levites represent the soul and the sanctuary; the Israelites represent the world and the outer courtyard.

Aaron's two sons were killed because they entered the Holy of Holies without being redeemed and made holy. God called Aaron and the Levites to be responsible for keeping guard. They must not allow ordinary Israelites go near the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons acted as the guards of the Levites, who were not allowed to come into the Holy of Holies. After we are saved, we still have sins of the flesh in our souls. All of these need to be dealt with and redeemed before we can come nearer to God.

Verses 4-6 state that the Levites are God’s gift to Aaron and his son, to perform the service of the tent of meeting. Metaphorically, our spirit or inner man are like priests to Jesus, the High Priest, who lives in our heart. Our spirit or spiritual inner man should follow Jesus and help Jesus to serve God. Meanwhile our soul should help our spirit to serve God. The soul was given to our spiritual new man as a gift by God.

But very often, our soul does not serve the spirit. It does not focus on spiritual things of life and peace. Instead, it focuses on the flesh, which is death (Romans 8:6). In other words, our soul sometimes helps the flesh to sin. Our soul needs to make the right choice, and our spirit needs to guide and direct our soul in its choices.

 

Pure Gifts to God

Numbers 18:8 tells us that all the contributions offered by the Israelites were given to Aaron. Even though the Israelites offered their gifts in the outer courtyard, their offerings were still acceptable to God. After we receive salvation, sin still lives in our lives. But we also have a part of us that is consecrated. We may commit sins during the week, but we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. On Sunday, we serve in the children’s ministry. Our offering pleases God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, even though we still sin from time to time. These offerings are still consecrated, and God will remember them.

The holy offerings of the Israelites were given to Aaron for his daily food. In the same way, when you actively give your offering and serve on Sunday, you are helping the pastor to minister. Your service will become the pastor’s (or fellow member’s) spiritual and practical food. The Lord Jesus also said that His food is to do the will of Him who sent Him (John 4:34). Although your spiritual life is still in the outer courtyard, your service will become the spiritual food the pastor needs, and it will also become an aroma that will please God.

 

Redemption and Surrender

Numbers 18: 15-17 says, “Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.  And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.  But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.” ESV

Why must the firstborn of man be redeemed? Why should the firstborn of an unclean animal be redeemed as well?

It is easy to understand that the firstborn of man should be redeemed. After all, human beings cannot be offered up as burnt offerings like animals can. But why do unclean animals need to be redeemed?

Any animal that God does not desire as a sacrifice will need to be redeemed. In the story of Noah's Ark, he brought clean and unclean animals onto the Ark. But when he offered sacrifices to God after coming out of the ark, he only offered clean animals and birds on the altar as burnt offerings. God does not desire unclean animals as sacrifice.

When God smelled the pleasing aroma from Noah’s offering, he accepted his sacrifice. Why does God allow unclean animals to enter the ark? This is God’s grace. Why doesn’t God accept unclean animals and birds as sacrifices? This is God's righteousness.

In the same way, Numbers 18:17 says that the firstborn of a cow, sheep, or goat do not need to be redeemed. They are holy and must be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord. The fat of this sacrifice is to be burned as a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The meat belongs to Aaron. But unclean animals must be redeemed with silver. Silver is a representation of redemption.

In the New Testament, Christ provides our salvation and redemption. Although Christians are saved, our souls are not entirely sanctified. A part of our heart may be filled with Christ and the Holy Spirit, but many parts of our heart are still not filled with Christ. Therefore, what we do outside of Christ in our soul or in our flesh will not be accepted by God. Only those parts that have been redeemed by Jesus Christ can be accepted by God.

My personal spiritual experience can serve as an illustration. When God was dealing with an area of my flesh (disobedience) through the environment and other people, I was prevented from having intimate fellowship with him. In a part of my soul, I refused to obey God and submit to the circumstances he had allowed in my life. This part of me needed to be redeemed through the work of the cross, so that I could have a more intimate fellowship with God and have a breakthrough in my spiritual life.

Watchman Nee said, “The soul or the outer man must be broken for the spirit man to be released.” There are some unclean things in my soul that don’t please God. God wants to break me by redeeming this part. In other words, we must experience the work of the cross in every part of our soul. I must clean or redeem this part of me with the life of Christ before I can offer it to God.

When God convicts us of sin, we often blame others and our circumstances instead of looking at what God is trying to reveal to us. When we humble ourselves before God and see clearly what God is dealing with, he will provide cleansing for us. The part that has been redeemed by God can now be offered to Him. After struggling hard, I finally surrendered this part of the soul to God. I accepted the circumstances he had allowed in my life. Later, I became obedient to God’s will in this area.

 

God’s Discipline

Unclean animals cannot be offered to God, nor can they be given to priests. In other words, the sinful things that are of the flesh can neither please God nor supply our spirit with good things. After I surrendered to God in this area, I saw God’s hand of blessing. I had a spiritual breakthrough through His redemption. Because of this, I can enter into a more intimate fellowship with Him. I found that not only is God pleased with my prayers and offerings, but I also have become more spiritually mature than I was in the past. My spiritual man was encouraged through my offering of obedience.

In our world today, God is disciplining us on a global scale. Our circumstances may be permitted by God to deal with our corporate sins and the uncleanness in our souls so that we can grow spiritually. As I mentioned earlier, we often blame others when we experience God’s discipline. The same goes for countries. If you read the Old Testament, you will find that God often uses one nation to deal with another. He used several nations to deal with Israel. When these nations went too far in dealing with Israel, God disciplined them.

God is currently using some countries to deal with other countries. It is easy for us to blame other countries instead of reflecting on God's will to discipline us through these countries. The purpose of discipline is not punishment, but sanctification. God wants us to be sanctified unto Him.

Our society’s circumstances remind me of the book of Judges. Whenever they were oppressed by the enemy, they would pray to God. God then raised up a judge who would lead the Israelites to conquer the enemy. When the leader would sin, the Israelites would fall into sin and again be oppressed by the enemy. Every time they repented, God would raise up a judge to save them.

The world today is full of sin, and the church is full of unholiness. Perhaps the only thing God can do is hand us over to the enemy’s oppression so that we will repent. If we want to break the cycle, every Christian needs to repent. The unholy parts inside us need to be dealt with and consecrated to God. Change in the church will provide a powerful testimony to the world around us, drawing them to salvation.

Christians are the light of the world. The book of Proverbs tells us that the human spirit is the lamp of the Lord (Proverbs 20:27). Churches shine God’s truth brightly to the world, just like Aaron lit the lamp in the sanctuary. If the world sins, doesn’t the church bear a responsibility for this, like Aaron had a responsibility for the sin of the sanctuary and the priesthood? The darkness of the world is not caused by government or politics. It is mainly caused by the failure of the church to shine the authority and light of God to the world. If the church in a city is strong, naturally the politics and society of that city will improve. But if the church in a city is dark, the city will live in darkness.

Numbers 17 records the way God disciplined Korah for his rebellion and the plague that cleansed Israel. This reminds us of dealing with rebellion in the soul and sin in the flesh. Numbers 18 explains how Israelites can become holy. For this reason, Aaron and his sons must remain holy (Numbers 18:32). The Israelites should give the tithe to Aaron and the Levites, and the Levites should offer them to the Lord (Numbers 17:26-28). The tithe is a holy offering to God. As believers, we are in a process of constant sanctification.

Numbers 19 continues to explain the process of purification and cleansing. We will explore this more fully next time.

Encounters of Heaven Heal Wounded Hearts

Encounters of Heaven Heal Wounded Hearts

by Sean Song

July 5, 2021

 

How many times have we been wounded and hurt because we did not have the right information or proper perspective about a situation? Our understanding was limited to what our natural mind could perceive. What if it were possible to revisit memories with God and see differently what we once lamented? I propose that once we receive a glimpse of heaven or have an encounter with something heavenly, it has the power to radically transform our viewpoint and heal our broken hearts and memories.

 

In recent years, I completed a certification program on inner healing. I learned that the Holy Spirit can heal our past wounds by helping us reorganize our memory around a certain event to see it from heaven’s viewpoint. That is, the Lord can show us prior events from a totally different perspective and thus break off former lies or misunderstandings. This can bring healing to our hearts. Here I share a few experiences of my encounters with heaven and how they brought healing to me and a few people I know. As Christians have sought to have more spiritual encounters, God has responded. It seems, more than any other time in history, experiencing heaven is becoming a more plausible and palpable reality for many. I believe that if you pray in faith for an encounter with heaven, God will surely answer you.

 

My Father-in-law is Not in Hell!

In March 2006, I flew to Baltimore, Maryland to meet my future wife, Ruth. We sat down on the hills of Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore. We were first introduced to each other by people in our church and since then, for a few months, we had been talking on the phone. During our time together that day, she told me the heart–breaking story of her father’s sudden death due to a cerebral hemorrhage. He died during her college years. This deeply impacted her, emotionally and physically, especially since she had been at odds with her father and never reconciled before his sudden death. Although she only became a believer in Christ a couple years earlier when she came to the USA, she worried about whether her father would go to hell. She and I have both been taught that a person will go to hell if he or she, upon hearing the Gospel message on earth, refuses to believe in Christ; for those who have never heard the Gospel, they will be judged according to their conscience (Romans 2:15). In the end, there will be a final judgement before the White Throne and all deceased people will be judged. Whosoever’s name is not written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelations 20:11-15).

 

Unfortunately, my wife has no way of knowing how her father will be judged, and if he will end up in hell. She worried that she would never have the chance to make amends with him and apologize. She also blames other relatives whom she believes misled her to have an argument with him. Until the dream I had, this had been a painful situation for her, so much that she had never even mentioned to others that her father died. She cried when she initially told me this story and after years of marriage, I could still see the lingering pain in her heart from this event. I have witnessed her pain and for 10 years, I have tried to comfort her without much avail.

 

Yet, in 2016, I had an encounter with heaven regarding my father–in–law. This dream was a complete game changer for my wife. After I told her about it, her heart was able to heal. It was only a year after I got baptized with the Holy Spirit that I started having dreams and encounters with heaven.

 

I never met my father–in–law on earth because he died before my wife and I got married. In this particular prophetic dream, my wife and I were brought to a place where my father–in–law and other people were gathered. My wife was brought inside a building to see her father. In the meantime, I had the opportunity to chat with an old Chinese lady sitting at the door. She showed me a large print edition of the Chinese version of the Bible that she was studying. Here are the details of this dream.

 

My wife asked me to go with her to a place where she could pick up letters about her father. I questioned her about how people were allowed to put these letters there. She explained that there is a temple where people can drop off letters and they will keep them safe until someone else picks them up. So, we went to this strange place. Initially, it looked like a Chinese temple to me, but there was a man speaking/preaching there. While this man was preaching, my wife approached a counter and picked up the letters she came for. When she got the letters, the man finished preaching. She then asked permission to say a few words about her father. There was a crowd of Chinese people around and they were very excited to see us. I could sense the atmosphere was full of joy and surprise. I even heard people say, “You are the daughter of Tan Ze, right?” It seemed they all knew this man. Although Tan Ze was not my father–in–law’s name on earth, I sensed he was known by this name in that place. It seemed everybody knew him there and people were excited to have visitors.

 

While my wife spoke about her father, I started to film her with my phone in a vertical position. A Chinese man suddenly approached me and offered to film it for me. I handed the phone to him, and he started to film it horizontally. Since he was helping me, I was freed to walk around the place to check it out. I was very curious about where we were. I walked back to the entrance to the door. Once again I saw the old Chinese lady sitting there, so I asked her, “Is this place a church or a Chinese temple?” I was very cautious since it had the appearance of a Chinese-style temple. I was trying to judge if this place was for worshiping idols or God. Then, she showed me the book she was reading. Perhaps this was her way of telling me what kind of place it was. She was studying from a large–print edition of the Chinese Bible. She explained to me that this large–print edition was for the elderly people to use there. Since it was large–print though, it could not hold all the books of the Bible because of its letter size. There were, therefore, only portions of the Gospels in this edition. After talking with her, I turned back to the building to retrieve my phone from the man filming my wife.

 

Before I knew it, I entered a much bigger place which resembled a gated community. I talked with a few people there, but they were not the ones with my phone. As I entered further into this community, I saw my wife walking out toward me. I proceeded to ask her about the man with my phone and we eventually went back to the building. We found him in a corner and I got my phone back. The dream ended there.

 

Now, to my knowledge, my father–in–law did not believe in the Lord before he died. However, in my dream, he and the people with him had the opportunity to study the Bible. I am not sure if the place where they were living is considered the Paradise part of Hades, but this is my impression. At the same time I had this dream, my wife also had a dream about meeting her father. However, she has no recollection of either meeting him in her dream or meeting him in mine. When I relayed the details of this dream to her, she received a lot of healing from it. She can now openly talk about her father’s death and I do not see her carrying the former pain regarding this matter.

 

I understand that dreams like this can be challenging to our existing theology. I don’t know how a person can end up in a place after death where they can study the Bible and grow to know God. I can only say with certainty that God is good and I resolve to conclude that many spiritual things are beyond my ability to understand.

 

One Chinese prophetess, Xiulan Laiwang, testifies to a similar experience. In one of her testimonies about heaven, she also describes how she saw her father and mother–in–law reading the Bible in Paradise. She said that when the Lord took her to visit them, they told her that there’s an angel in every household in Paradise that teaches them the Bible.[1]

 

My Aunt Gives Me A Treat

An encounter with my aunt is another example of a heavenly encounter beyond my understanding. My fourth aunt died of breast cancer. I don’t know if she knew the Lord either. In a prophetic dream, I was taken to a small house where she lives. She received me with fruit grown from her yard. This piece of fruit looked like a mulberry, but it was as big as a kiwi. Although her house was very small, I saw many kinds of fruits growing in her backyard. These fruits mostly consisted of fruits that I have never seen on earth before. The fruit was so ripe when I got there, so I picked some and ate it. Beside her house were many other people’s houses. They were very similar to the small townhouses one would see in downtown Baltimore, but not as tall.

 

I’ve had several experiences of meeting my fourth aunt. These encounters remind me of a testimony I heard from an Australian prophet named Neville Johnson. He once mentioned that he was brought by an angel to a place with small houses. It felt strange that these were different from the big houses in heaven, so he asked the angel, “What are these houses?” The angel told him that when some people who hadn't heard the gospel passed away, Jesus would appear to them, giving them the opportunity to choose him. If they chose Jesus, they would live in these small houses.[2]

 

Kat Kerr also publicly shared a similar vision. She saw Jesus appearing to those who rejected him during their lifetime, and he asked them if they wanted to know Him now. Almost everyone cried and said, “yes.” Jesus told them that He would not be righteous if he did not appear to them to give them a choice since their relatives had faithfully prayed for them and decreed that they would be saved in Jesus’ name. Kerr encourages people to pray and intercede for their family members even though they may not seem open to the Gospel. She believes that a lot of family members will be surprised to see that many relatives made it to heaven although they thought they did not make it.[3]

 

I recall praying for some of my family members to receive salvation, and I especially prayed for my fourth aunt after I found out she was sick. I never knew if she received the Lord before her death. It may be that my fourth aunt is already in the peripheral of Paradise as Neville Johnson mentions.

 

This dream of my aunt brought healing and comfort to my heart. My fourth aunt was a very important person in my family. I was born into a poor Chinese farmer’s household. My father worked in a brick factory but injured his back while working there. His salary was little, so my mom raised pigs to support the family. My fourth aunt married a guy in my village whose father was a leader in the local county government. Because of her help, my father later got a job with the government. This turned around the hardship in our family and made a way for all three of us siblings to go to college. This incident was a rare occurrence to happen for those growing up in the 1970’s in China.

 

I later discovered that I had a calling on my life and that God used my aunt to help me get a higher education. This was God’s plan. Yet, I had been at odds with my aunt when I was a kid because of my low self-esteem. I avoided her, and I never apologized to her even when I became a believer (I was still young in the Lord). Thanks be to God that I was able to see her in Paradise even though she only has a very tiny house. By the way, I really enjoyed the fruit from her yard. It was incredibly tasty. I wish to visit her again soon when I reach heaven!

 

Music Box on the Wall

In another prophetic dream, the Holy Spirit drove me and a Christian couple who attended our Bible study, to heaven. He showed us the house of his wife in heaven. The house was huge. The vines and wall had grown together as one. There was a music box on the wall beside the front door. You could open the music box and music would play automatically.

 

The lady had a great passion for music. After listening to my testimony, she was very encouraged that God had installed a music box on the wall of her house in heaven so that she could play music at any time. The wife of my friend who was with me in the dream said she also had a dream of herself at the same time as me, and she saw the Lord. Since she thought she might have been dying (from having the dream), she cried out to the Lord and woke up. Perhaps this was not just a dream and we had traveled there together.

 

Afterward, the husband told me that this was one of the most difficult times of their lives because of the challenges they faced, principally with their son’s schooling. They were frustrated that their child was being bullied in school, so they fervently prayed to God every day for help. They eventually passed through that difficult time and their son is now doing well in school. Yet, at that time, this dream comforted their hearts. The wife was reassured that God cares so much for her that in heaven in the future, he would give her the desire of her heart. In her estimate, God would then surely carry her through her tribulations on earth.

 

 

Have Faith in God

God is near to us, and more of heaven is being revealed to us. When I studied to complete my certification program on prophecy, I often heard people quoting Psalm 139:17–18 (NRSV) as evidence for how one can have faith in God to receive a prophetic word for others. These verses state, “How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them—they are more than the sand.” They say God’s thoughts for a person are so vast like the sand on seashores. In this way, being prophetic is like picking up a few morsels of sand, or thoughts of God, regarding a person and sharing it with them. If God is love and includes himself in our personal lives, we can trust that He has millions of thoughts about each of us every single day. Surely, God is willing to share a piece of information with you and I as a word of prophecy or revelation to encourage the next person. Whether you are learning to be prophetic or need healing in your own heart, you can approach God in prayer by faith (Hebrews 4:16). Be assured that He will give you encounters of heaven, transform your life, and heal your heart! Let us approach and trust God together.

 

[1] Lai Wang Xiulan, Jehovah-jireh, 45.

[2] From Neville Johnson’s sermon on Youtube. No link available.

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Het_gU1nYCI

Revival is coming to China (version 2)

Revival is Coming to China

A Message for the Body of Christ

Sean Song, March 11, 2021

 

A Miracle Baby

By 2015, I had been in the United States for 13 years and a Christian for the same amount of time. In 2006, I married my wife, and like many other Chinese couples, we had every intention of building a family. However, by 2015 we approached 10 years of barrenness. We wanted a child, but we simply could not have one. In search of healing for my wife’s infertility, I traveled to many cities within the US to join healing and prophetic conferences.

 

A final visit to an Elijah List conference in Oregon in January 2016 sealed the deal for me. There, a well-known prophet named Dutch Sheets spoke to the crowd and said, “Today, you come here not by coincidence. It is God who leads you here and from today on, you will hear God speaking to you like you never have before.” I believed these words. During our lunch break, I wandered to a nearby store and entreated of the Lord to speak to me. When I sat down in a chair outside of a Christian bookstore, my eye caught a Peanuts calendar sitting on display. The cover said, “Peanuts 2016 Family Planner.” Suddenly, God spoke clearly to me: “2016, plan your family; you will have a child this year.” I was astonished! I had never heard God speaking to me so clearly, and He just said I was going to have a child that year! I immediately called my wife and she encouraged me to buy the calendar as a memorial.

 

Meanwhile, I went back to China to visit my family in February 2016. My mother, who still worshiped Buddha, had been desperately praying to all kinds of idols to help us have a baby. I had been trying to preach the Gospel to her since 2003 but with trivial effect. Months later back in the USA, we continued waiting for our miracle. One day in desperation, I prayed, “Dear Holy Spirit, those people in Pentecostal churches always teach that we should have an intimate relationship with you. Now, I have prayed to both the Father and Jesus many times and I do not know when this [pregnancy] is going to happen. Can you ask the Father and Jesus for me when this will happen?”

 

That night I had a dream. A woman (representative of the Holy Spirit) pointed to the back of a male figure (Jesus). She said to me, “Did He not tell you that you will have a child next month?” I woke up the next morning and told my wife about this dream. A misunderstanding occurred between us and we ended up in quarrel that left us on non-speaking terms for two weeks until I received a text from her one day that read, “You have won the lottery!” We reconciled when she found out she was miraculously pregnant on May 28, 2016. Our miracle baby girl, Elim, was born healthy and beautiful in early 2017. My parents were astonished with this miracle and they both accepted Jesus as their Savior.

 

 

A Revival Among the Chinese

 

Before attending the Elijah List conference in 2016, I read a book by one of the speakers, Chuck Pierce. In his book, “God’s Unfolding Battle Plan,” Pierce recalls a visitation he had with the Lord in the 1980s. God told him what China would be like in 2006 and that there would be a great revival coming to China in the future. It would also spread to the world. I was just going to the conference to receive healing for my wife, but God had much more in store! That day I received three things: (1) a prophetic promise directly from God that I would have a baby (which came true); (2) an anointing to clearly hear God henceforth (which started that day and has continued); and (3) the beginnings of my commission to be part of this soon-coming revival to China.

 

When I came home from the conference, the Lord began to speak with me more about this revival. One day I was walking the streets of Washington D.C. thinking about this great revival. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit asked me, “What is a great revival?” I was surprised that I again heard him speak so clearly! I immediately replied in my spirit, “I heard that one out of 10 Chinese people have converted to Christianity. Isn’t this already a great revival?” Immediately, the Holy Spirit asked another question, “How about two out of ten?” I was shocked again by the clarity with which the Holy Spirit spoke. In a very short time, I had a calculation. That would be the equivalent of another 100 million Chinese people.

At that moment, I believe the Holy Spirit intended to challenge me with his questions to open my perspective. Please note that I do not think He only meant that two out of ten Chinese people will be saved. Bob Jones once prophesied that one billion souls would be harvested in the soon-coming world revival. For me, it is not hard to imagine that at least 100 million Chinese would be included in this number.

Sometime later, I met a Korean prophet who confirmed what the Holy Spirit spoke to me on that day. He said, “God will have you go back to China to teach the Word of God all over and be part of this revival.” He also said that the 21st century is a century that God will use to evangelize China.

 

 

Prophetic Dreams of China’s Future Revival

 

On January 11, 2016, shortly after coming back from the Elijah List conference, I had the following dream. There are four scenes. In the first scene, I found myself at a construction site in China. A keeper (a guard-like man) was there with a roll/register in his hand. I got the impression that he was an angel who managed the Book of Life. I asked this man if a relative who had gone missing in China was on this list of names. After looking, he replied, “No.” I felt so sorry for this relative. In the second scene, I experienced great chaos and upheaval. I was tossed upside down and I discerned pending destruction as I watched a steel stick from the construction site fall from a building. By the end of this scene, I saw a building only partly constructed.

 

In the third scene, my wife and I were in a high glass tower with windows like the ones you see in big cities. It seemed we were a having a Christian meeting there when suddenly we received a report that we were surrounded by persecutors. Arguments arose among the people in the building. Some insisted to go down and some said to go up. I insisted on heading upward, so up we went.

In the fourth scene, my wife and I miraculously escaped into a residential building. I told my wife that no one would see us since we appeared just like the residents. As we walked downstairs, I felt peace and a lion-like animal the size of a cat appeared among us. I carried the animal and it seemed calm and meek until we hit a great wall that we could not pass through. Suddenly, the small lion-type animal arose with great strength to help us roll the wall over. Immediately, I saw several horses gallop speedily and powerfully, and a great pasture lay before my eyes. It was powerful! It reminded me of something resembling a great breakthrough or an extreme revival.

My interpretation coupled with the interpretation of a fellow believer is detailed below. This dream represents several stages of the coming revival. First, the construction site represents a work in progress. An incomplete or half-erected building symbolizes that a work has begun but is not complete. The angelic being keeping track of lives demonstrates God’s involvement and desire. It shows their salvation is important to God. My attempt to find a dead person can represent the spiritual state of many people in China, and my sadness shows God’s feelings regarding this matter. The sudden and great chaos in the beginning and throughout is representative of the shaking that will take place. Authorities and systems that have been allowed to stand for a time will fall, and only what is in line with God’s Kingdom will remain (a building left partly standing). The church will also go through immense suffering and during this test, some may fall.

 

The third scene is symbolic of a few things. God will give favor to those who are spreading the Gospel and discipling people in China. This is representative of the high tower my wife and I were hosting a Bible study in. Although persecution will arise and has even already, God has given his people the wisdom to see it coming (the glass windows). Wisdom for escape and a battle plan will be granted to those led by the Spirit and commissioned by him. In the dream, wisdom is represented by my ability to discern among those panicking and unsure, that our escape from the building will be by climbing upward instead of down. Climbing upward is also significant of looking heavenward to maintain our eyes fixed on the Lord and tuned into His plans. Persecution and shaking naturally entices us to look at our surrounding and environment; we are tempted to descend instead of ascending. To deal with the situation, faith must move Christians rather than fear. The only way to guarantee supernatural delivery is to continue upwards and the Lord will surely rescue such people.

 

God will also grant cover when necessary. This is demonstrated by us blending in and appearing like the other residents. Finally, the lion-like animal represents the presence of the Spirit of Christ which will accompany those he calls His own. He will grant them peace amidst the turmoil, and they shall not be afraid. Carrying the lion-like animal is also symbolic of being equipped with the Spirit of Christ. This scene represents both the life of Christ in us and the help he offers. Christ is both meek and mighty. If a wall stands in our way, Christ will arise with power and strength to make a path for our feet by rolling the wall away.

 

With Christ, Christians commissioned by him will demolish forces in our path to make it possible for breakthrough to be released (represented by the horses and pasture). As speedily and powerfully as the horses were, so will the awakening be. It will also be pleasant (green pasture).

 

Finally, in March 2020, I was taken into another vision. This was the most vivid 3D type of vision I have had thus far. In it, I saw a great revival happening in China. It was bursting out all over! People were dancing, celebrating, and worshiping God all over the streets of China. In the next scene, I was brought into a heavenly meeting where many saints in glory, including Chinese and Westerners, were meeting. There was a Chinese lady who gave me a tour of the place and she specifically told me that this revival is something she had never seen when she was on earth. In the end, angels had bound an evil political spirit and I saw that a great political change will come to China after this great revival. China will become a democratic nation and they will worship God.

 

Just as the Lord once appeared to me in great power and light and laid his hand on me, I sense His hand is on China right now. He is about to release a great awakening to China and a mass exodus of Chinese people will come out of darkness into the light.

God’s Love For Japan

God’s Love For Japan

Sean Song

June 24, 2021

 

I had never thought about going to Japan to preach the Gospel nor had I felt such a strong burden to pray for Japan as I do now. Several prophetic dreams have left me with a longing for this. In these dreams, I was taken to Japan and Jesus appeared to me. As you read, you will see it is the Lord’s desire to reach the nation of Japan with the love he carries. I am also now convinced that revival will come to Japan. That is, many Japanese people will be captured by the love of God and turn into devoted lovers of Jesus. While it may seem to the carnal mind that Japan is one of hardest places on earth to preach the Gospel, it is not so with God’s intervention. God’s love will melt their hard hearts. A massive delivery and exodus will occur and many Japanese people will be freed from idolatry, generational curses, and the grips of evil spirits. All the nations are close to God’s heart and Japan is no exception. He cannot forget them.

 

A Series of Dreams

Chinese and Japanese Revivals Will Affect Each Other

This first dream happened on September 23, 2016. Before I arose that morning, I saw a plane arriving from Japan to my hometown in China. In fact, I saw it pass through a cloud and come directly to my childhood house. My hometown is close to the capital, just 400 kilometers south of Beijing. The door of my home faces east. In the dream, I came out of my door to give the airplane a signal. I also opened the door to allow the light to shine through so the airplane could see where I was standing. Then the lamp in front of my house started to blink like a car blinker signaling to turn. I sensed it was about dawn outside, so I anticipated the darkness would soon disappear. The airplane, similar to a passenger aircraft used for international flights, was about to emerge from the clouds.

God often uses my house in my hometown in China to represent the entire country of China in my dreams. The same is true of this dream. My childhood home is on the westernmost side of my village. The door of my house faces a main road in the village. In this dream, I stood at the door as the airplane grew closer. I believe the direction of the plane’s path affirms China’s great influence on Japan in the matter of the Gospel. In ancient days, Japan sent many people to China to learn from China about its language and culture. In modern days like today and into the future, Japan may again come to China to learn from them, but this time about Jesus and the Gospel.

In the United States, lights are installed on garages or on the front of the main entrance door to the house to give light to those arriving. In real life, there is no light on the east door of our house. However, in my dream, there was a light that flashed as a signal light. I was certain that these lights were not ordinary lights. These signal lights flickered, so I stood at the door to motion and guide the plane on its landing.

I understand that future revival among the nations of China and Japan are interconnected. In other words, revival may start in China and then spread to Japan. Perhaps after a great revival comes to China, it will lead to Japan’s revival. An airplane from Japan may prophetically represent large and influential ministries that will be raised up in Japan by the Lord. The fact that I stood at the door giving the airplane guidance may again attest to the fact that China will likely play an important role in helping to direct the path of Japan’s revival. This is also confirmed by a dream I had on April 17, 2017. Note: I had two dreams about Japan on April 17. This second of the two is detailed below and involved preaching.

I woke up at about 6:30am that morning, fed my baby, and then went back to sleep. I began dreaming of a screen which showed information related to preaching the Gospel in Japan. In this dream, Chinese people were sent to Japan to preach the Gospel village by village. The movie on the screen said, “One American went to Japan and had a good start.” It was an American missionary. Then I saw Chinese people walking to different Japanese villages to preach the Gospel to them. I saw one Chinese family with a young boy and they went to the entrance of a Japanese village. Japanese people in their traditional clothing came out of the village to talk with them. They asked the Japanese people if they were open to receive something non-Japanese, like Chinese people and the Gospel. Some refused their offer and even blocked their entrance to the village. As the family went to the next village, however, some were willing and open. Later in the dream, it appeared that the Chinese family set up a station and had reached some goals in preaching the Gospel.

These two prophetic dreams embrace the prophetic mission of Chinese people going to Japan to preach the Gospel in the future. Chinese people have always gone to Japan with this intention, and they have aided in Japan’s evangelization process. In the future, God may choose China and more of their willing vessels to go and preach the Gospel there again. There are even prophecies that mention that after China’s great revival, Chinese missionaries will be raised up to preach the Gospel around the world.

The American missionary whom I first saw in the dream was a modern American missionary. Initially, I didn’t understand that when God lets us see a person, it does not necessarily refer to that specific person. It could be representative of a type of person or group. I conjecture that the American missionary here represents the people in God’s move who evangelized Japan in earlier days. They laid a foundation for God’s preaching in Japan.

The Chinese family I saw afterward likely represents the Chinese people that God desires to raise up. The family preached the Gospel from village to village which is self explanatory, but the roadblocks indicate the hardness in the Japanese people’s hearts. There was a question asked by the Chinese child which seemed very strange at first. He said, “Do you accept things other than the Japanese people, such as the Chinese and the Gospel?” This is a good question. It helps illustrate the closed hearts and the difficulty of evangelism there. People in this village rejected the Gospel. Thankfully, these Chinese people did not give up. They went to the next village, and eventually succeeded in reaching the hearts of the Japanese people. We still may wonder though how else this evangelism may happen…

 

A Supernatural Door to Japan

One evening on April 10, 2017, I was returning to sleep after feeding my baby and I suddenly saw fire in the heavens. It seemed very far away and was comprised of many different colors. It grew closer and began to take the formation of a tunnel. I realized this could be from God and I remembered that some prophets talked about tunnels that can transfer people to different places. Immediately, I was lifted up like in a rocket into this tunnel, and as I was traveling up, I heard a broadcast. I realized I was not in a dream but instead something more like a vision.

During this encounter, I skated on wheels through a Japanese mall. I was very tall as if I had been using stilts. Underneath my stilts was a wheel. I was traveling very fast when a Japanese lady suddenly yelled to me, “You cannot skate in the mall!” Despite her chastisement, I continued on towards a door. I remember thinking I needed to lower my body so I could pass through the door without stopping.

The details in this dream left a deep impression on me. Large shopping malls like the one I was in may represent Japan’s secular society, which is symbolic of a lack of a gospel atmosphere. This kind of culture generally does not exist in Japanese society. I seemed to be walking on stilts with skates underneath. This kind of transportation strategy represents the miraculous power of our preaching of Christ. We are given the means to meet the circumstances with a supernatural delivery.

When the woman shouted, “You can’t skate at the lobby,” she was a symbolic picture of the difficulties and opposition we will face in preaching the gospel in Japan. We must keep in mind, however, that I walked through a door on stilts with wheels. This is a picture that not only demonstrates that God will give grace and means to accomplish the task of evangelism, but it also shows we need not stop. What God is doing and will do in Japan is in motion. God will open a miraculous door for us to preach the Gospel in Japan. And if God opens the door for us, no one can stop us.

 

The Love of God Equips Me To Preach the Gospel

The next dream occurred on April 17, 2017 and this is the first of the two dreams I had that night. Although in Japan again, I was now in a different place. I was again listening to something being broadcasted on the radio. I felt it was something about God and I had a vague impression that it was in a foreign language. This broadcast drew me to the next scene.

I was now fishing, but I didn’t have a fishing rod in my hand. Rather, I was picking up something from the sea with a pair of tongs like the ones used in a kitchen. From what I could tell, I was on a small island because I was surrounded by water—just as Japan is.

I met some people that looked Japanese, so I asked them to teach me how to catch the fish and other sea creatures. They were very willing to help me, but they were also strangely using tongs. After a bit, I realized my hand was hurt, so I asked one of the guys to help me. He seemed strong and tall; he was the leader of the rest of the people. I sensed he was the Lord. Suddenly, he opened a hole in his lower leg and began to pour out something from that hole that would heal my hand. It resembled sea salt. I rubbed the sea salt on the wound in my hand as this man explained that it would take a while to sterilize and be healed.

In that moment, I suddenly realized that I could not find my bag. I needed to find it though because it contained something very important. One of the guys in the group then shot out a thread-like rope and I was pushed by this rope to other places. I met more Japanese people on the road and I saw people playing basketball. As I was running and joining the game, I strongly felt a burden to preach the gospel to these Japanese people. God’s love for them seemed to have been deposited in me, which was not normal for me.

Here is my interpretation of this dream. The radio broadcasting represents God’s voice. After I heard the broadcast, I was gradually drawn to fish in the seas of Japan. Fishing on Japanese islands is obviously a metaphor for preaching the Gospel in Japan. This is symbolic of God’s call to fish for men just as he invited the disciples to do in the New Testament. I believe this speaks on behalf of us who are being asked by the Lord to embrace a calling to preach the Gospel to the Japanese.

This burden and calling for Japan comes with difficulties. It’s quite tough to preach the Gospel to Japanese people and obstacles exist. This is represented both by the injury I sustained while fishing and the obscurity of the tool I and others were using to fish, which was not ideal for fishing. Yet, we can be rest assured that God will be with those who go forth to preach, even sustaining us in our time of need as we labor. The tongs also represent God giving us supernatural and seemingly foolish means for accomplishing this task. And the mysterious man applying a salve to my wound from his wound demonstrates Christ’s all sufficiency for us. The Christ always takes from himself to meet our needs. Even the hole in this man’s leg is symbolic of Jesus’ nail marks. Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished healing for all of us. 

The fact that I found something missing may represent the sense of loss God feels toward those unsaved in this nation. Many Japanese people are lost in sin and death. They are valuable to God because they too were created in the image of God, and Jesus equally died for them on the cross. When I left that scene a mysterious thread/rope was thrown behind me. Although it was thin, it had great strength. It was able to bear my weight and even propel me forward. The rope was so powerful in propelling me that it made me run like Elijah when the hand of God was upon him. This can be symbolic of the energizing and capacitating power that results from the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God baptizes us with His love and power through His Spirit. Not coincidentally, in the scene that followed this incident, I was filled with God’s love for every Japanese person that I passed by.

Interestingly, God also often speaks to me in my dreams through the game of basketball. I believe it indicates the battle between the Gospel and darkness, between Christians and Satan. The Church is on one team and the enemy is on the other. We fight against the enemy under the leadership of our coach, Jesus Christ. When I dream about Japanese people playing basketball, I see it representing the spread of the Gospel in Japan and the opposition the enemy will attempt. Since I was filled with miraculous power and God’s love, I joined the game.

While I was having this prophetic dream, one of my teachers in the Christian Healing Certification Program at my seminary saw a vision. She saw me riding a horse while holding a cowboy’s lariat in my hand. I twirled the lasso and prepared to catch the horse. She received an impression from the Spirit that God would fill me with His love and use His love as a lasso to “catch” those whom He wants to save. What she shared and the rope in my dream expressed the same symbolism.

This does not apply to me alone, however. It’s also for the many in the Body of Christ who are willing to go. God will baptize us with His love and use it as the lasso to return the sinner back to Himself.

 

Stilts, A Wheel and A Crazy Love for Jesus

In another dream on October 7, 2017, I saw a Japanese man with tattoos on his body. The tattoos read something like, “LOVE JESUS WITH A CRAZY LOVE.” This was a very simple dream, but it conveys a very deep meaning. The words and pictures in Japanese tattoos often carry negative or dark meanings. The tattoo in this prophetic dream clearly did not. In contrast, it shows that redemption is possible for Japanese people once living in sin or out of relationship with God. The words, “crazy love for Jesus” leaves us hopeful that God’s deep love can even transform the tattoo industry!

In several other prophetic encounters regarding Japan, I was taken there to participate in spiritual warfare. It shows that God is working in Japan in the spiritual realm and the spiritual battle will eventually manifest in the physical realm. Let us pray to join hands with the saints in glory and angels to fight this spiritual warfare and usher in breakthrough.

I strongly believe the Japanese people will have encounters with Jesus and their hard hearts will melt. The love they will feel upon seeing visions of his nailed-scarred body will convince them of how He loves them deeply. I pray that the Japanese will be conquered by this love and indeed become CRAZY LOVERS OF JESUS.

My last thoughts are for the many saints in the body of Christ who have been praying for Japan. This also includes the missionaries from many parts of the world who have already gone to preach the Gospel there. As many have testified, they encounter varying difficulties. The hardened hearts of the Japanese is one of the most difficult challenges. Amidst the opposition, God will open the doors necessary to preach the Gospel there. Like the stilts and the wheel, God will give us supernatural power to prevail in sharing the excellence and extravagance of the Gospel. Let us continue empowered and encouraged!

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 31

The Salvation and Justice of God

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 31

 

One of the most disturbing stories in the entire Bible is the story of Moses’ extermination of the Midianites. Why did Moses want the Israelites to kill not only the males, but also all the boys and married women? How can we make sense of this tragic slaughter?

 

Although it is difficult to understand this passage, I believe that it points to a consistent pattern in God’s nature. When a nation remains unrepentant, God’s judgment will fall upon that nation. However, he always gives plenty of opportunities for salvation and repentance.

 

Plenty of Time to Repent

 

When God appeared to Abraham in Genesis 15:16, he told Abraham an important message about the Canaanites. God said that before he allowed Abraham’s family to inherit the land of Canaan, the people of Israel would first live in Egypt for 400 years. Why? Because the sins of the Amorites (a group of Canaanites) were not yet complete. In other words, their sins did not yet deserve complete annihilation.

 

Abraham’s descendants would live in Egypt, growing stronger and more numerous. They would eventually be used to destroy the Canaanites. But first, God would give these wicked people four centuries to repent.

 

Let’s look at a practical way that the Canaanites could have repented and entrusted their destiny to God’s plan. In the time of Joseph, there was a severe famine that affected not only all of Egypt, but also all of Canaan. Joseph’s brothers, who still lived in Canaan, went to Egypt to buy food. (See Genesis 41:56, 42:5, 29, 43:1)

 

The famine represented the discipline of God. It not only forced Jacob and his family to eventually move to Egypt, but it also forced Joseph’s brothers to come face to face with their sin of selling Joseph into Egypt many years ago. They repented of their sins because of this famine. The famine could have provided the same opportunity for the other Canaanites, but we have no record that they turned to God or repented during this time.

 

After his brothers repented, Joseph asked them to bring his father Jacob down to Egypt. Jacob and his sons arrived in Egypt two years after the famine began. Then were still five years of famine left for the entire land of Canaan.

 

The famine continued to worsen. Genesis 47:13 says, “There was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine.” Joseph sold food to the people of Canaan and Egypt. But when the money ran out, an interesting dynamic occurred.

 

Please pay attention to the following verses. “And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, ‘Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.’” (Genesis 47:15). Notice that although all the money in Egypt and Canaan was spent, only the Egyptians came to Joseph to continue to beg for mercy. Joseph allowed them to sell livestock, land, and themselves as slaves in exchange for seed to plant.

 

The gospel demands that we surrender ourselves as slaves to God. We trust our entire being to his care. Often, believers and nonbelievers alike will ask me, “Why do you entrust your destiny to a God you cannot see? Wouldn’t it be better for you to hold your destiny in your own hands?” Many people refuse to place their destiny in the hands of God by believing in Jesus Christ. It seems too risky to give up their very lives and wills to God.

 

In the same way, the Canaanites were unwilling to sell themselves to Joseph in exchange for food. They refused to acknowledge the judgment of God or repent of their sins because of this trial. They would not surrender themselves to Joseph, who was a picture of Christ.

 

• Joseph was the only one who had food, just like Jesus is the only one who can provide the food of eternal life.
• The Canaanites’ starvation and hunger represents the emptiness of people without Jesus. This emptiness should spur us on to seek the meaning of life and find a solution that truly satisfies: Jesus.
• The food signifies the Gospel. To receive this food, we commit our very lives to Jesus.
• Furthermore, we pay the price over a lifetime. Following Christ is not cheap, but he rewards us richly by supplying us with the daily food of his own presence.

 

The Egyptians came to Joseph and sold their livestock, their land, and their own bodies to get more food. This indicated that they accepted the salvation brought by Joseph. But there is no mention of the Canaanites taking any further action to get more food. The Bible doesn’t tell us what took place in Canaan during the next five years of famine. It is not difficult for us to imagine that chaos must have ensued. Cannibalism may have occurred among the Canaanite tribes. The Canaanites survived and became an even more evil race, the strongest fortress of evil spirits on the earth.

 

Salvation is the Goal

 

The purpose of the famine was not ultimately judgment, but the redemption of the people. God’s judgment is only a means to an end. God’s objective and ultimate purpose was to redeem the people. God allowed a famine in Egypt and Canaan so that the citizens of that land would repent and accept the salvation brought by joseph.

 

Trials in today’s world are also a means to an end. For example, the Covid-19 pandemic is a wake-up call that reminds people of their need for God. God’s desire is that all people would repent of their sins so they can accept the salvation provided by God through Christ.

 

However, things are not always that simple. Life’s trials can have different effects on different people, depending on their responses. When faced with a trial or difficulty, some people repent of their sins and are saved. Others not only refuse to repent, but also harden their hearts. Perhaps you’ve seen examples of this phenomenon in the believers and unbelievers you meet every day. When great suffering, disease and difficulty come upon people, some will surrender to God more and more. Their hearts will become very soft and humble. However, others will harden their hearts and become more and more rigid.

 

We can also see examples of this phenomenon in the Bible. When faced with trials, Joseph and his brothers softened their hearts, repented of sins, and received forgiveness as they trusted in God. But Pharoah and the Canaanites only hardened their hearts more and more in response to difficulty.

 

God prepared hell for Satan and his subordinates; yet many people go to hell. Why? Because they are hard-hearted. They would rather go to hell with Satan than repent of their sins. In other words, it is not God who sends people to hell. Instead, when people choose not to accept God’s salvation, they are choosing to go to hell.

 

In the same way, God did not destroy the Canaanites and Midianites. They had opportunities to repent and accept salvation, but they stubbornly rejected God’s salvation. Ultimately, they chose to perish.

 

God’s Salvation Offered to the Midianites

God is love, and he is also righteous. In His love, he keeps trying to save us. But in his righteousness, he will not excuse the guilty (Exodus 34:7). After giving them many opportunities to repent, God will ultimately judge those who are guilty of their sins.

 

When we fail to notice God’s loving efforts to provide a way of salvation, we may feel that God’s judgment on the Midianites may be too severe. Let’s look at the opportunities God gave them to surrender their lives to him.

 

The Bible gives us clues about how this may have happened. When Moses killed an Egyptian and fled into the wilderness, he sought refuge among the Midianites. In fact, he married into a Midianite family. The Midianites provided protection and shelter for Moses, and he gave them a chance to learn to know God.

 

When Moses met God in the burning bush in the wilderness of Midian, imagine the conversations he had that evening with his wife and in-laws. Perhaps he told them about his encounter with God. Imagine how shocked his Midianite family must have been. Should they believe Moses’ accounts? After all, Moses’ father-in-law was a priest of Midian, and he served other gods (Exodus 2:18).

 

Moses’ father-in-law was a priest, showing that he was open to spiritual things. At first, he served other gods, but he came to know the True God through Moses’ testimony. Years later, he began to worship the True God, saying, “The Lord is greater than all the gods” (Exodus 18:11).

 

The Bible doesn’t specifically record Moses’ verbal testimony to his family early on. Exodus 4:18 says that Moses kept his mission vague when he talked to his father-in-law: “Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” (Exodus 4:18). In this account, Moses doesn’t tell his father-in-law a lot about his experience of meeting the Lord, or about God’s calling to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

 

However, Moses’ later actions and words were a powerful testimony to Jethro. After a series of confrontations with Pharaoh and a series of miracles, Moses finally led the Israelites out of Egypt. Exodus 18:1 tells us that Moses’ father-in-law was impressed by the testimony of Moses’ life. “Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.” He then brought Moses’ wife and two sons to find Moses.

 

When Moses recounted the stories of what God had done for him, Jethro was deeply moved. He acknowledged that Jehovah was the greatest of all gods, and he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. Jethro accepted that Jehovah was the One True God. He received eternal life. After that, Jethro left Moses and returned to his own land.

 

What did Jethro do after returning to his country? As a priest of Midian, did he testify to the rest of Midianites that Jehovah is the One True God? We can assume that he did. A natural result of knowing God is sharing him with others. When someone is truly saved, it’s hard to suppress the urge to preach the gospel. Jethro likely shared his faith with his people.

 

However, even when we preach the gospel, it doesn’t ensure the salvation of those who hear. Paul said that we who preach the gospel are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To one we are a fragrance of death, and to the other a fragrance of life. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). When the gospel is preached, those who refuse to accept it will be judged. Those who accept the gospel will have eternal life.

 

It’s not God’s desire to send people to hell. He loves the world and desires that everyone believe in Jesus Christ so that they can have eternal life. However, a person who refuses to accept the Gospel rejects eternal life by his own choice.

 

Similarly, when Jethro testified to the Midianites that Jehovah is greater than all gods, the Midianites had a choice. They could either accept Jethro’s testimony and trust in the One True God, or they could reject Jethro’s testimony and continue to worship their idols.

 

Believing Midianites

The Midianites’ response to Jethro’s testimony divided them into two groups. Their response to the True God had a life-changing impact on their future trajectory.

 

Numbers 10:29 says, ”And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” Was Moses talking to his father-in-law or his brother-in-law? The word can be translated both ways in Hebrew. Judges 4:11 also mentions “Hobab the father-in-law of Moses”. Again, the word can be translated as “father-in-law” or “brother-in-law.” I personally believe Hobab was Moses’ brother-in-law. His father-in-law had returned to his country in his old age, and Moses did not stop him (Exodus 18:27).

 

Numbers 10:30-32 records Hobab’s response. “’But he said to him, I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.’ And he said, ‘Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.’”

 

Moses was begging Hobab to go with him here. However, the Bible clearly says that Moses did not prevent his father-in-law from leaving (Exodus 18:27). This seems to imply that these are two different people.

 

After realizing that the Lord was the true God, Jethro felt like he was too old to continue such a hard journey with Moses. Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law, also wanted to go back to his land. However, Moses promised that if he stayed with the Israelites, he would be a fellow recipient of God’s blessings. The Bible doesn’t tell us how Hobab replied. Perhaps he led some Midianites to follow Moses into the wilderness.

 

This story creates a beautiful spiritual picture. When Jethro went home to the Midianites and testified that the LORD was the true God, some people had accepted the Lord and decided to join the Israelites on their journey. These people received the benefits promised by Moses.

 

Judges supports this conjecture. Judges 1:16 tells about the first time the Israelites went to war: “And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah,… and they went and settled with the people.” From this verse, we see that Hobab might have agreed to Moses’ request, thereby receiving God’s blessing and acquiring land alongside the tribe of Judah. Judges 4:11 says, ”Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law (or brother-in-law) of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.” Jael, the wife of Heber, the descendant of Hobab, killed Sisera, Israel’s enemy. These verses imply that Midianites descended from Moses’ father-in-law were an active part of the Israelite community.

 

On the other hand, the Midianites who refused to accept Jethro’s testimony were unwilling to embark on a journey of faith with the Israelites. Their community became a stronghold of evil spirits. Later, the evil spirits used the Midianites to tempt the Israelites into sexual sin. The evil spirits wanted to corrupt the Israelite family tree in order to prevent Jesus Christ from being born through the Israelite family line.

These Midianites had a chance to join the Israelites, but they chose to follow evil spirits instead. There may have been other opportunities to repent that the Bible does not record.

 

 

Human Flesh and Evil Spirits

 

There is a difference between the way God treats our flesh and the way he treats evil spirits. The tribe of Moab is sometimes used symbolically to represent the flesh. The ancestor of the people of Moab was born as the result of incest between Lot and his daughter. For this reason, Moab was often used to represent the flesh. God is patient with the flesh, allowing it to slowly experience the dealings of the cross. God didn’t require the Israelites to wipe out the Moabites. Instead, he asked them to take a detour around their land (Deuteronomy 2:9).

 

However, God treated the Midianites differently. The Midianites represent the evil strongholds of demons inside us. God’s method of dealing with them was to kill them all. The reason Moses asked the Israelites to kill all Midian’s men, boys, and married women was partly because the Midianites rejected God’s testimony and cooperated with evil spirits to incur their own harsh judgment.

 

Hope for the Midianite children.

 

From an eternal perspective, we can see that there may be hope for the Midianite boys who died. Not everyone who dies physically goes to hell. Those who die await the verdict of God’s Great White Throne Judgment. All who have died will be resurrected and judged. Those whose names are not in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). Even though these boys died physically, they may not have died spiritually.

 

In a prophetic dream, I was taken to heaven. There, I saw some children who had died prematurely. They were living happily in heaven. This scene shocked me. Perhaps the Midianite children are in heaven. By dying physically, they may have been spared the eternal destruction that their adult actions may have merited. Even Paul said that some sinners should be handed over to Satan to destroy the body so that their souls can be saved in the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 5:5). Perhaps there is mercy hidden inside God’s judgment.

 

God is Love. When we look at this tragedy from an eternal perspective, we see God’s mercy, justice, and love on display.

 

Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 30

 

Dedication to God

Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 30

 

When we read Numbers 30, a question comes to mind. Why is a passage regarding vows placed right between the instructions concerning sacrifices (Chapters 28 – 29) and the story of the defeat of the Midianites (Chapter 31)? It seems very abrupt and out of place, but the Holy Spirit illuminated our minds to see that these are all interconnected. Numbers 30 leads worshipers into a deeper experience of dedication. After the Israelites learned how to offer cattle and lambs to God (Numbers 28-29), God showed them how to offer themselves to the Lord as sacrifices (Numbers 30). Dedicating ourselves to the Lord will help us to defeat our spiritual enemies, just like the Israelites defeated Midian in Numbers 31.

Review of Numbers 22-31

In Numbers 22 – 25, we learn that Balaam tried to curse the Israelites. He instigated the seduction of the Israelites into sin, which led to a plague. After the plague, the Israelites took a census of the new generation (Chapter 26). God’s justice and mercy were further revealed in Chapter 27. Chapters 28 and 29 explain the offerings Israelites should bring to God. These offerings represented communion with God, which brings joy to God and strength to man.

In Chapter 30, we learn that the natural outcome of close communion between God and humans is the offering of oneself to God. We not only offer external sacrifices, but we offer ourselves as sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1). Self-sacrifice is the highest form of sacrifice. When we present ourselves as offerings to God, God can help us achieve success over our enemies, as shown in Chapter 31.

Earlier in Numbers, we see that Balaam was unable to curse the Israelites, but he was able to convince the Midianites to seduce the Israelites to commit promiscuity, leading to God’s anger and the judgment of the plague. Why did his deceptive plan work? Who was to blame? Was it Balaam, the Midianites, the Moabites, or the evil spirits motivating the Midianites?

As Christians, we sin because evil spirits and enemies tempt us in our natural areas of weakness. Yet it is ultimately our own weakness that causes us to sin. How does God deal with our mistakes to help us overcome our weaknesses? God works in two areas. Firstly, he works to defeat the external evil forces. Second, he works to strengthen our inner man to overcome these weaknesses.

God had inflicted severe judgement on the Israelites who had sinned, in the form of a plague that killed 24,000 people. Phinehas had killed the Midianite woman and the Israelite who brought her (Chapter 25). The census in chapter 26 was a form of inspection, like a military review, where God was inspecting those who were still standing after the judgment of the plague.

In chapter 27, Zelophehad’s daughters requested possession of their father’s land. This story is a continuation of the grand narrative.  Exodus 34:7 says that God keeps ‘steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Due to God’s just judgement, men who sinned (like Zelophehad) died. But because of God’s compassion, God asked Moses to give Zelophehad’s land to his daughters. This story reminds us of God’s words to Moses in Exodus 34.

As we’ve seen in our study of Numbers 28-29, the animal offerings discussed in these chapters represent communion with God. These offerings were fragrant and refreshing offerings to God. At the same time, a part of these sacrifices was also used as food for the priests. Symbolically, this passage reminds us that our communion with God brings joy to God, but also provides spiritual food for us, strengthening our spirits. This spiritual strength allows us to overcome our internal weaknesses and external enemies, which is the common theme that runs through Numbers’ Chapters 22 to 31.

Initially, we wondered why Numbers 30 was placed in between the passages on sacrifices (Chapters 28-29) and on the defeat of the Midianites (Chapter 31). I see a connection between these passages. I believe that when the Holy Spirit inspires a person to write, there must be a common thread of thought and logic that connects the passages. Understanding how these passages connect helps us feel excited and encouraged to read on.

Offering ourselves to God. Vows of self-sacrifice comprise the highest form of sacrifice, much more important than offerings of sheep and cattle. In Psalm 51, David says that the sacrifice of one’s heart is the best form of sacrifice. David said that God does not delight in sacrifices, but in a broken and contrite heart. This is the best form of sacrifice, an offering which he does not despise.

God loves it when we sacrifice ourselves to him. Other than presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), the best form of sacrifice is presenting our hearts to God. External offerings pale in comparison.

When Jesus was on earth, he watched temple worshipers present their offerings at the temple. The rich donated huge sums of money out of their excess. But Jesus praised the poor widow who gave two small copper coins. Jesus praised her because she gave all she had, her entire livelihood. In other words, the widow not only gave her two small coins, but also her heart. This story demonstrates that God values our hearts more than our external sacrifices.

When Mary broke the expensive alabaster jar of perfume and poured it over the head of Jesus, Jesus saw Mary’s love towards God. He instructed that “wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” (Mark 14:9). The Gospel of Christ states that, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). The story of Mary talks about man’s love for Christ. The love of God toward man and the love of man toward God are two sides of the same coin. That is why Jesus asked his followers to preach these two stories together. 

Numbers 28-29 describe the different types of animal sacrifices (external sacrifices), while Chapter 30 describes vows--the offering of one’s heart and self to God. This is a higher level of sacrifice. This insight provides an important link between chapters 29 and chapter 30.

The Seriousness of Vows

Since this form of sacrifice is the highest form of sacrifice, we ought to pay close attention to it. Numbers 30:2 says, “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Once a person vows to offer oneself as a sacrifice, one is obligated to fulfill that vow and not break his word.

God gives man free choice. We can choose not to sacrifice ourselves. But once the choice has been made to sacrifice ourselves to God, he takes our promise very seriously. We cannot go back on our word.

However, if your vow was made carelessly out of immaturity, God will not hold it against you. He honors you for your willingness to sacrifice and delights in one who gives out of a willing heart (2 Cor 9:7). However, if your father (vs 3 – 8) or your husband (vs 10 – 15) negate your vow, you are not required to fulfill it.

For example, if an unmarried daughter or married woman decides to give the entire family’s savings to God, but her husband or father objects, God would not hold the woman to her promise.  However, if the father (verse 4) or husband (verse 14) says nothing to the woman, her vow will stand. If the husband says nothing at the beginning, but later goes back on his word (verse 15), the husband would have to bear the iniquity of sin. However, widows and divorced women had the freedom of choice. The vows made by these people could not be negated.

Vows and oaths are very serious matters. In the historical records of the ancient Middle East, we learn that many contemporary people groups treated vows and oaths very seriously. To emphasize the importance and severity of His words, God also swore an oath to Abraham. In the same way, God requires us to strictly fulfill our vows.

The Purifying Effect of Trials

In addition, once we have offered ourselves as living sacrifices, it is as if we have been placed on an altar. At this point, it is nearly impossible to retract the vow. When you offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God for His use and purposes, you begin to realize that God will use trials and difficulties to refine your character.

Of course, God allow trials to help us mature. Bob Jones, a leader in the Charismatic movement, has a powerful prophetic gift that is desired by many. However, he shares that nobody would wish to go through the trials that he has been through to get what he has today.

In the same way, Witness Lee, the founder of the Local Church Movement where I was saved, says that many people desire his ministry; but if they were to experience the difficulties that he has gone through, they would no longer covet his ministry.

God called me to present myself as a living sacrifice to God, to allow Him to work through me. After that, various trials and difficulties appeared in my life, including 10 years of infertility. Through these difficulties, God was molding me.

After I had a miracle baby, I met with a Korean prophet, who shared that God planned to use me greatly. However, he also mentioned that I had a strong personality, which needed to be refined before I could fully surrender myself to serve God. My wife and I both recognized that the difficulties and trials were a part of God's plan for me to surrender my strong will fully to Christ. These difficulties were a form of spiritual discipline.

In many American Churches, the discipline of the Holy Spirit through trials and sufferings is not a popular topic to be preached about. However, once we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, God will work through the Holy Spirit to discipline us and make us better people. Many times, external trials and sufferings cause us to feel sorrowful instead of joyful. But for those who have gone through trials and emerged stronger, their lives will yield the ‘peaceful fruit of righteousness’ (Hebrews 12:11).

The Korean prophet shared with me that God not only wanted to use me for His Work to preach the gospel, but He also wanted to sanctify and purify me, so that I could be a better testimony for Christ. However, there are many weaknesses in the flesh that I have yet to overcome.

Let me share a personal example. I have an area of weakness that is difficult to overcome. I have often failed in this area. Certainly, this is due in part to the external attacks and temptations from the evil one. But more importantly, it is due to the weakness of my inner self. Because of these weaknesses, I fall to ‘the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life (1 John 2:16). 

This passage reminds me that I need to renew myself as an offering to God, to allow God to continue to purify me, helping me overcome my weaknesses, temptations, and desire for worldly things. Offering myself to God strengthens my inner man for the glory of God and to benefit those around me, and prevents enemies from attacking me. There are still worldly temptations that seek to consume me, but God has called me to let go of these desires.

This area of weakness has been a struggle for a long time. One night, I had a prophetic dream, in which I found myself stepping on earth’s surface, which was covered with dirt. In the dream, I was continuously stepping on the dirt surface to compact it, shouting, “Through Christ’s strength, I will overcome the temptations of this earth.” This prophetic dream was the Holy Spirit’s promise to me that as I rely on Christ, I will have victory.

Our victory comes through dedicating ourselves to God. On our own, we are powerless to change. By ourselves, we are unable to overcome worldly temptations. However, if we offer ourselves as sacrifices to God, God can do that for us.

After hearing my testimony, a woman shared that God has prompted her to work on an area of weakness that is difficult to overcome. Together, we prayed for God’s help in overcoming this weakness. Through our communion and prayer with God, we renewed our offering of ourselves to God and asked for God to work in us to overcome our weaknesses. We begged God to help us overcome any fleshly barriers to spiritual advancement.

Total Surrender

The most important aspect of our sacrifice to God is that we need to surrender ourselves entirely to God, allowing him to be sovereign in our lives and work in our hearts.  If we do not choose to offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices, God will respect our free choice and not interfere.

When we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, we display our love for Him. In Revelation 2, Jesus rebuked the Church of Ephesus for abandoning the love they had at first. He asked them to remember from where they had fallen, repent and do the works they did at first, or God would come to them and remove their lampstand from its place, unless they repented (Revelations 2:4-5).

The weakening of the American Church and the corruption of American society are caused by a lack of love. Christians have abandoned their first love of Christ. Churches are faced with internal issues, which provide an opportunity for evil spiritual forces to tempt us. To solve the issues faced by the American Church, we need to return to our first love. Though American Churches are faced with many external attacks from the enemy, these are not the root problem. The root of the problem lies in the weakness within the hearts of American believers, due to lack of dedication to God and communion with him. 

We need to offer the sacrifices of prayer and communion with God, continuously drawing close to him so he can empower us spiritually. These are the sacrifices depicted in Numbers 28-29.

We also need to go deeper in our relationship with God, to present ourselves as a joyful, living sacrifice. We need to undergo spiritual transformation in our thoughts and mind. As Romans 12:1-2 writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This is what Numbers 30 portrays.

In Numbers 31, God commands Moses to kill the Midianites. While the Midianites (and evil spirits) tempted the Israelites and led them into sin, the core issue was that the Israelites had not offered themselves freely to God. As the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they continued to lust after Egypt’s leeks and onions. They had left Egypt, but Egypt was still inside of them. Today, many Christians find themselves in the same situation. We have been taken out of the “world”, but the “world” still lives in us. Our fleshly desires, coupled with worldly temptations, need to be continuously dealt with by the cross. As God disciplines us on the inside through communion and dedication to God, we grow closer to Him. Our relationship with God will strengthen us to defeat the external forces of evil.