Bible Study With Jairus

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 14

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 14

What Matters Most: Doctrine or Love?

 

In Romans 14, Paul issues a powerful challenge to the Roman church. Amid controversies about eating food sacrificed to idols, Paul calls the believers to shift their gaze. He wants them to go a step further. He says that the reality of life with Christ transcends the realm of the physical. Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Love and peace are what matter most. Knowledge and doctrine should never limit our ability to love and accept other believers, even those whose views differ from ours. 

 

Clean or unclean

Romans 14 discusses several topics that were disputed in the Roman church. Paul discusses the morality of observing Jewish feasts, eating meat sacrificed to idols, and idolatry in the Roman church. Idolatry permeated society at that time. Much of the meat sold in the marketplace had been offered to idols. As a result, believers debated whether it was permissible to eat this meat. Some believed that everything was clean, and others believed that the meat was defiled by its past.

 

Throughout the Bible, God had demonstrated that all food was now clean. For example, God told Peter in a vision that He had made unclean animals clean. What God had made clean should not be considered unclean. In 1 Corinthians, Paul asserted that in principle, all foods may be eaten.

In 1 Corinthians 8:4-8, Paul said that idols are nothing at all; there is one God and one Lord Jesus Christ. He is the creator and the one for whom and through whom all things exist. In this sense, idols are just worthless, inanimate items. They don’t matter at all; they’re not real.

But some people don't know this, so their consciences are defiled when they eat food sacrificed to idols. Paul explains, “Actually, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do.” (1 Corinthians 8:8 ESV). He goes on to say that we should not cause our brothers to stumble because of food (1 Corinthians 8:9-13). In Romans 14, Paul’s attitude is the same. Eating food sacrificed to idols doesn’t matter in the eyes of God. But if it causes a weaker believer to stumble, it’s best not to eat meat.

 

Good or evil

Romans 14:16 says, “So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.” This verse troubled me when I first read it. What was the “good” Paul was talking about? What was the “evil”? To answer this question, we need to examine the previous two verses. Verses 14-15 say, “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.”

 

Unwisely misapply the good thing

 

The word “good” in verse 14 most likely refers to the fact that everything is clean in the Lord Jesus, since God cleanses everything in Christ. It may also refer to correct doctrines about God. Perhaps it refers to the knowledge mentioned in 1 Corinthians 8. This verse says, “Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up.” The knowledge about God and the fact that everything is clean in Christ constitute the “good” Paul is referring to.

“Evil” may refer to causing weaker believers to stumble. Or “evil” may refer to the mistreatment of those who have different views. If we misapply the good thing in an unwise way, it will be spoken of as evil. Why? Verse 17 gives the answer. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The word “for” in the beginning of the verse reveals the answer. In other words, if I can paraphrase the verse, “For it is more important to keep your brother from stumbling than to prove you are right in your dogma or doctrine.”

Can you imagine the believers arguing in the Roman and Corinthian churches? Some insisted they could eat anything because all foods were clean in Christ. Others said that it was wrong to eat meat. The stronger brothers wished that the weaker brothers would grow in faith and stop worrying so much. The strong believers certainly didn’t want to give up their right to eat meat to make the weaker brothers happy!

Yet Paul makes it clear that our perfect doctrine doesn’t matter if we fail to love others with the fruit of the Spirit. The knowledge we possess is less important than the love we demonstrate. Romans 14:17 reveals the crux of the matter. The reality of the kingdom of God lies in the love and peace of the Holy Spirit, not in technical obedience.

Bearing with one another in love

Each Christian is at a different level of spiritual maturity. When another believer’s faith is weak, we must always accommodate them to keep them from stumbling. We may not have the same doctrines, but we need to learn to accept each other. But too often, we care more about right or wrong than about bearing with another in love. When others are different from us, we often point fingers and make hasty judgments. In other words, we care about our doctrines more than we care about people.

God wants us to pursue unity. True unity depends on our love and acceptance toward each other, despite our differences. We can compare this to the process of learning love and acceptance in marriage. When I first got married, an older Christian couple told us that marriage is God’s best tool to teach us about love.

Before I got married, I lived alone for many years. I was self-centered. Most of the time, I didn’t need to consider others’ feelings. My wife and I grew up in very different families, so we had different everyday habits. We each had our shortcomings. We had to learn to accept one another and learn patience and tolerance in all things. Believers in the church need to learn the same lesson. We have many differences, but we are family.

 

Righteousness, peace, and joy

If we only care about being right and sticking to doctrine, we may neglect to care for others. God not only cares about what we eat but how we eat it and whether the way we eat will cause others to stumble. If we stick to correct doctrines but neglect the effect we are having on others, we are not pleasing God.  We must ask ourselves how the things we eat will affect others. When we combine these two aspects, our lives will be filled with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Verse 20 says, “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.” We should never use our doctrine about food (based on the word of God) to destroy God’s love for his children (who are the work of God).

Bible Study With Jairus - Numbers 36

Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 36

 

Stepping Into Your Spiritual Destiny

 

In Numbers 36, we learn that the daughters of Zelophehad cherished God’s promised land and stepped into their spiritual destiny. When Zelophehad’s daughters asked to inherit land alongside the other Israelites, their clan members feared that if the young women later married men from other clans, their ancestral inheritance would be transferred to another tribe. The clan begged Moses to handle this issue.

 

God told Moses that what the daughters were asking for was right. He commanded that the girls should only marry within their own tribe. Why does the last chapter of Numbers end with this story? I believe God was drawing a stark contrast between the daughters of Zelophehad, who longed to enter the Promised Land, and the people who threw away their chance to receive God’s blessing. Because of the faith and perseverance of the daughters of Zelophehad, they eventually entered the Promised Land (Joshua 17). This greatly pleased God. There is no better ending to a story than this.

 

Entering the Promised Land by Faith

 

The Bible first mentions Zelophehad’s daughters in Numbers 26:33: “Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters. And the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah."[1] This chapter records the census of the second generation of fighting men of Israel. Usually, only men were counted among the ranks of soldiers. They were also mentioned in a genealogy in 1 Chronicles 7:15. The fact that God includes these women in the record shows how much he valued their faith.

 

The daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned again in Numbers 27. Here, they asked to inherit their father’s land. In allowing them to inherit land, God seems to have made a special exception just for them. In the past, the law had never allowed daughters to inherit land. However, God granted their request because these ladies took the initiative to ask for it. The Lord is very pleased with those who actively seek him.

 

In Joshua 17, the daughters of Zelophehad appeared before Joshua again and asked him to follow through on his promise to give them the land. As a result, Joshua allowed them to take possession of their inheritance. Verses 4-5 record, "Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the people of Manasseh." The daughters of Zelophehad did not acquire land east of the Jordan. Instead, they inherited land in the Promised Land of Canaan, west of the Jordan. We don't know if Zelophehad’s daughters and their spouses were the only ones who entered the Promised Land itself, or if there were others from the half-tribe of Manasseh who entered as well. We do know that these daughters were an important part of the half-tribe that inherited west of the Jordan.

 

The daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned at least five times in the Bible. This shows that God cares deeply about them. Their faith eventually led them to enter the Promised Land and receive their father's inheritance. God praised their faith.

 

There is an important reason that the Holy Spirit placed this story in the last chapter of Numbers. The book of Numbers is a story about Israel going to war and entering the Promised Land. In this story, some Israelites, like the ten evil spies and the entire first generation of Israelites, died in the wilderness because of their unbelief. But others, like Caleb and Joshua and the second generation of Israelites, were able to enter the Promised Land. Gad and Reuben chose the land east of the Jordan River instead of entering the Promised Land. The half-tribe of Manasseh, influenced by the tribes of Gad and Reuben, also chose the land east of the Jordan River. However, some descendants of the tribe of Manasseh, such as the daughters of Zelophehad, were not influenced by the dissenters. They placed their faith in the Lord’s promise to give them the land, and they eventually entered the Promised Land.

 

What a wonderful way to wrap up the book of Numbers! The story of these women concludes the book with a story of faith and victory. When the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write the book of Numbers, he thoughtfully arranged for the book to end on this high note of hope.

 

Achieving Victory in Spiritual Warfare and Entering into God's Destiny

 

God promised that the Israelites would enter the Promised Land, but many fell in the wilderness because of unbelief and disobedience. To experience the fulfillment of God’s promises, his prophecies, and the destiny he has for us, we must unite ourselves by faith with God’s promises (Hebrews 4:2). Only then can we truly step into our spiritual destiny.

 

Whenever God's promises are involved, Satan fights back. The bigger the promise, the greater the spiritual opposition. An entire family can lose out on God’s promises due to disobedience. One faithful person who demonstrates their faith can become the recipient of God’s promise.

 

For example, God promised that Abraham's descendants would be a blessing to all nations (Galatians 3:14). God promised that Christ would be born from Abraham's descendants. But Abraham’s family was full of sin and dissension.

 

Abraham gave birth to Ishmael and Isaac. God clearly said that the Messianic line would be passed down through Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob, and God chose Jacob. Many of Jacob’s twelve sons were disqualified from the Messianic line. Reuben, the firstborn, defiled his father's bed, so Christ could not be born from his lineage. Both Simeon and Levi killed innocent people and were cursed by Jacob, so they could not carry on the Messianic line, either.

 

Judah, another son of Jacob, was chosen as the forefather of the Messiah. Yet he married the daughter of a Canaanite man. Both his first two sons were put to death because of their sins. Judah did not follow through with his promise to Tamar, his eldest daughter-in-law. He had promised her that after her husband died, she could marry Judah’s youngest son, thus carrying on the Messianic line.

 

Tamar may have heard Judah recounting the story of Abraham, and how God promised Abraham and even Adam that "her offspring shall bruise your head" (Genesis 3:15). She may have received a direct revelation from God that Christ would be born into the tribe of Judah. Tamar devised a plan for Judah to sleep with her, and gave birth to Perez and Zerah, the ancestors of Christ. What Tamar did might seem immoral, but she actually treasured God's promises very much.

 

The enemy vigorously attacked the house of Judah because he was the ancestor of the Messiah. Satan succeeded in causing the two sons of Judah to sin and die. But Tamar didn't give up. She was like a volleyball player who made a "dig,” eventually rescuing the ball from falling. Her actions made Judah feel ashamed. He called Tamar more righteous than himself (Genesis 38:26).

 

The same thing happened in the story of Ruth. Ruth is also the ancestor of Christ. But Ruth's father-in-law, husband, and brother-in-law all sinned and died. Ruth was like Tamar. Perhaps she learned of God's promises to the tribe of Judah from Naomi. She was determined not to leave Naomi and eventually followed Naomi to the land of Judah. There, she married Boaz, the ancestor of David and Christ.

 

We see the same pattern in Ruth's story – the greater the destiny and calling of God, the greater the spiritual warfare. Sinful people and those who have no faith will be used by the enemy to block God's promise, but the righteous and faithful will seize God's promise and eventually win the spiritual battle. They will enter into the spiritual destiny promised by God.

 

I wonder why the tribe of Manasseh did not give Zelophehad’s daughters their father's land from the very start? Why did they leave them with no other option but to take their case to Moses and the whole congregation? In the end, God had to intervene before the land would be given to them. And Numbers 36 mentions again that the heads of the tribe of Manasseh were worried that they would lose their tribal inheritance if the girls married people from other tribes.

 

Why were they so worried? Perhaps the land that was allotted to Zelophehad was very large. Because Zelophehad had a large portion of the land, the tribe of Manasseh refused to give it to his daughters at first. They were worried that they would lose their tribal inheritance if the daughters married men from other tribes. Maybe they wouldn't have cared if Zelophehad had been allotted a very small portion of the land.

 

 

There must have been a great spiritual battle going on over Zelophehad’s land, just like there was in the families of Judah and Naomi. Zelophehad had died in his own sin, probably the same sin as the sons of Judah and the sons of Naomi had committed. The enemy attacked them and made them fall into sin to prevent them from entering their spiritual destiny. But Zelophehad’s daughters saved their family's destiny and entered the Promised Land.

 

The enemy sends obstacles and tempts us to sin, trying to keep us from fulfilling our destiny. But as we persevere in faith, we will be able to fulfill God's destiny for our lives. The fact that Zelophehad’s daughters eventually entered the Promised Land is proof of this. Many Christians have a great spiritual destiny, but if they cannot win their spiritual battle and defeat the enemy, they will not be able to enter into the spiritual destiny that God has promised. As Christians, we must understand that the more difficulties and enemy attacks we face, the greater the spiritual destiny God has promised us. Instead of feeling dispirited, we should be encouraged to keep our faith and our holiness in order to win our spiritual battles.

 

Why should tribal inheritances not be transferred?

 

At the beginning of this chapter, Gilead brought the chief of the tribe of Manasseh to discuss this matter with Moses. Gilead was the grandfather of Zelophehad (Joshua 17:3) and the great-grandfather of the daughters of Zelophehad. He was also the head of the tribe of Manasseh. Zelophehad’s daughters must have been at least ten years old, so Gilead was perhaps 80 or 90 years old. Let's look at the situation described in this chapter. Gilead, the great-grandfather, brought all the other heads of Manasseh to Moses to discuss what would happen if Zelophehad’s daughters married men from other tribes and lost their inheritance. This is the problem that bothers me.

 

The Bible doesn’t say that this grandfather and tribal heads helped Zelophehad’s daughters fight for their land. Yet after Zelophehad’s daughters got the land, the leaders suddenly started to worry that their tribe would lose their inheritance. What are their motives? Why the sudden concern?

 

I can't say that they had bad intentions. God had never stipulated that land could be given to daughters, so they were not wrong. The Lord stipulates that tribal land could not be transferred between tribes. He also said that what the tribal leaders said was right. So I can't judge them for having motives and bad intentions.

 

I believe that God does not want the tribes to have internal conflicts over inheritances and land. Rather, He wants them to focus on defeating the enemy. This is their goal in spiritual warfare.

 

Using an example from the modern church, churches should not compete internally, trying to attract Christians from other churches to their own church. A huge congregation seems to prove the success of your church, but it seems to have little effect on the expansion of God’s kingdom or the defeat of the kingdom of darkness. Instead, we should focus on witnessing to unbelievers and drawing them towards Christ. Instead of competing with each other, churches should unite to defeat the kingdom of darkness.

 

I suppose Gilead hadn’t entered the Promised Land. Many heads of the tribe of Manasseh also did not enter the Promised Land. Perhaps Zelophehad’s daughters had privately expressed their desire to enter the Promised Land. Many people in the tribe of Manasseh seem to have chosen the land east of the Jordan. Perhaps the stipulation that Zelophehad’s daughters should marry within the tribe affected others from the half tribe of Manasseh. Perhaps some of the sons of their father’s brothers wished to marry the daughters and eventually entered the Promised Land with them.

 

I hope we can all be inspired and encouraged by the story of Zelophehad’s daughters. Their example of faith is extraordinary. We should actively fight for our inheritance in the Lord, bravely win our spiritual battles, and enter into our God-given destiny.

 

Never underestimate yourself! Remember, the more difficulties you have in your life and the more enemies attack you, the greater the spiritual destiny and calling God may have for you. Don't feel discouraged. Rather, be encouraged!

 

As a conclusion, let’s look at this brief summary of the book of Numbers.

 

The book of Numbers began with the numbering of the Israelite soldiers. The purpose was to show how great God is. He transformed a small group of 70 Israelites into a great army.  God promises that they would enter the good land. However, he asked them to trust him. Because they did not mingle their faith with the promises of God, the first generation of Israelites were not allowed to enter into the good land. In disobedience and disbelief, they wandered in the wildness for 40 years.

When the first generation died out in the wilderness, God numbered them again. Among those whom God numbered were Zelophehad’s daughters. God usually only counted male soldiers. But the five daughters of Zelophehad were numbered among them, as God considered them soldiers. Why? It is because they are fighting for their father's portion.

Zelophehad died in his sins, just like Naomi's husband and two sons and Judah's two sons. Why did Naomi and Judah lose their sons? Their divine calling and destiny was to be part in the genealogy of Christ. So they must have been the prime target for the enemy. The spiritual battle was severe. Why did Zelophehad die? Perhaps he had a big portion in the good land. He lost the spiritual battle; he sinned and died.

The first generation of Israelites failed to defeat the enemy and conquer the good land. Would the second generation repeat the same failure, or would they rise up to defeat the enemy their fathers could not? Yes, they would rise up to defeat the enemies that tricked their fathers!

Zelophehad’s daughters rose up and said no to the enemy. They rejected the established religious status quo and asked God for their portion. They were not only granted their request, but they eventually entered the good land. They did not follow the example of the half tribe of Manasseh who stayed on the East side of Jordan (Joshua 17).

In America today, evil spirits have tricked many believers, even in the older generation. Will the younger generation rise up like Zelophehad’s daughters to defeat the influences that defeated their fathers? Yes! They are rising up right now. The enemies who defeated their fathers will not stop them! The spiritual battle is so severe in America. Yet we must hold onto our faith, just like Zelophehad’s daughters did.

This story of victory is a fitting finale for the book of Numbers. Zelophehad’s daughters represent all believers who will rise up in faith after past failure. Like the daughters, we must grasp God's promises and defeat the enemy who taunted our fathers! With God’s help, we can succeed!

 

 

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

Bible Study With Jairus - Numbers 34

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 35

Bible Study with Jairus - Numbers 35

Cities of Refuge

 

 

 

Levitical Cities: An Enlarged Replica of the Tabernacle

 

The first few verses of Numbers 35 present an interesting paradox. Numbers 35:4 says, "The pasturelands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around."[1] However, verse five says, "You shall measure, outside the city, on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall belong to them as pastureland for their cities."

Which is it? One thousand or two thousand? These verses have puzzled rabbis and interpreters through the ages. The complicated explanations are too complex to include here.

 

The Holy Spirit showed me that the size, design, and layout of the cities of the Levites were probably proportional to the dimensions of the Tabernacle's Holy of Holies and sanctuary. The tabernacle's Holy of Holies and sanctuary was 10 X 30, and I surmise that the city pasturelands may have been 3000 X 1000.

 

During the wilderness wanderings, the tabernacle was always on the move. The tabernacle represented the presence of God. Upon entering the Promised land, the tabernacle stood still and resided in Shiloh. But this did not mean that the presence of God, represented by the tabernacle, was no longer with the Israelites during the expansion of the land. The size of their towns may have reminded them of the tabernacle, reminding them that God was with them.

 

As the Israelites were scattered through the land, living and fighting in various places, it would have been easy to forget that God’s presence was still with them. But God wanted to dwell among the Israelites. What should He do? The 42 cities inhabited by the Levites plus the 6 cities of refuge formed a giant replica of the tabernacle to remind them of his presence.

 

The different tribes of Levites had different responsibilities. The Kohathites carried items from the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, while the Gershonites and Merarites carried the items from the outer courtyard (Numbers 3). Although they were all Levites, their service varied in scope. Similarly, all believers today are priests. With Jesus Christ, our High Priest, we serve our Heavenly Father. But level of maturity of each Christian varies greatly. Some serve in the outer courtyard, while others serve in the sanctuary. Among those who serve in the sanctuary, some are near the outer courtyard while some are near the Holy of Holies.

 

Archaeologists discovered that 1,000 square cubits is 202,500 square meters. Counting the size of the pasturelands around the cities, the cities would be even bigger. This was a very spacious city at the time; most cities at the time were not this big. However, this was God's ideal design for the Levites. Just like the Israelites failed to expand into the full territory God gave them, the Levites may have failed to build their cities this big. However, God’s original plan was to give them large cities.

 

God longed to be with the Israelites. After talking about Levitical cities and cities of refuge, God says, "You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel" (vs. 34). Clearly, the Lord dwelt among the Israelites.

 

How did the Lord dwell among the Israelites? In addition to dwelling in the tabernacle at Shiloh, He also dwelt in every Levitical city. The high priest was a Levite who could enter the Holy of Holies and get close to God. If a high priest lived in a city, it could be compared to the Holy of Holies. That’s why I likened the cities of the Levites to the dimensions of the tabernacle. The pasturelands were measured in four directions (east, west, north and south). It’s as if there were four replicas of the Holy of Holies and the sanctuary. When fleeing to a city of refuge, the individual Israelite would see a picture of the Holy of Holies and the sanctuary facing them.

 

Levitical Cities: reminder of God’s presence

The time and place here are clearly indicated in the first verse of this chapter. Verse 1 says, "The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho..." Before Israel even crossed the Jordan River, God spoke to them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River. Shiloh was on the west of the Jordan River. Probably after the Israelites crossed the Jordan River from the plains of Moab, the tabernacle remained at Shiloh until the ark was brought to Jerusalem.

 

The tabernacle was a picture of God's presence. The Israelites carried the tabernacle through the wilderness and finally came to Canaan. In other words, the tabernacle was God’s presence among the Israelites. This presence was always with the Israelites on their journey. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10, Christ was the spiritual rock that accompanied the Israelites (1 Corinthians 10:4).

 

After the people arrived in the promised land, the tabernacle remained at Shiloh. It no longer moved along with the Israelites on their travels. The Israelites needed God’s presence, and God longed to be with the Israelites (Numbers 35:34). Now that the tabernacle did not move, God would show his continued presence through the establishment and expansion of the Levitical cities.

 

The Lord commanded Moses to give 42 cities and 6 cities of refuge to the Levites, three on the west side of the Jordan River and three on the east side of it. Please note that at this time, the tribes of Israel had not yet cast lots for their land assignments (Joshua 13-19). Even after the casting of lots, they didn't get the lands right away. At the beginning of the book of Judges, Judah and the other tribes were still taking the land of the Canaanites after Joshua's death. The Israelites were unsuccessful in driving out many Canaanites, and God was displeased (Judges 2:1-5). The Israelites were commanded to expand gradually to eventually occupy 42 Levitical cities. Not until Joshua chapter 20 did the Lord instruct Joshua to establish cities of refuge. Not until Joshua 21 do the Levites receive a total of 48 cities (42 cities plus 6 cities of refuge).

 

Perhaps every Levite city was a reminder of the tabernacle as the Israelite borders continued to expand. Although the Israelites could still come to the tabernacle of Shiloh and draw near to God, it was far from convenient. In the wilderness, the Levites, like the other twelve tribes of Israel, were camped near tent of meeting (Numbers 2:2). It was easy and convenient to draw near to God in the tent of meeting. But in the Promised Land, it was not as convenient to approach God through the Levites in the tent of meeting.

 

Let’s think about an example. After Caleb entered the Promised land, he had to fight during the day to occupy the land. At night, when he wanted to offer sacrifices to God through the Levites, he lived too far away from Shiloh to do so.

 

How could the Israelites continue to offer sacrifices to God and approach God through the Levites? The 42 Levite cities and 6 cities of refuge were established among the tribes of Israel to make it easier for these Israelites to continue to come near to God through the Levites. Just like a modern-day military chaplain accompanies the troops on the battlefield, the Levites could continue serving the Israelites’ spiritual needs.

 

Although we know that sacrifices were restricted to the tabernacle and later the temple, that doesn't mean that the Levites living among the people couldn't minister to the other spiritual needs of the Israelites. For example, Moses prayed for Joshua while he was in battle, and Aaron and Hur helped Moses by holding up his hands. Though Hur is from the tribe of Judah and Joshua is from the tribe of Ephraim, Moses and Aaron are both from the tribe of Levi. In addition to handling the sacrifices, the Levites could also pray for the Israelites’ battles.

 

The cities of the Levites were not a replacement for the tabernacle (later, temple). They could not administer sacrifices or other services of the tabernacle. Rather, the Levitical cities, in a spiritual sense, could provide prayer and encouragement to the Israelites. In this way, the dwellings of the Levites represented the presence of God, which was necessary to assure victory to the Israelites.

 

A Spiritual Picture

The tabernacle is the most important spiritual picture in the Old Testament. Almost all spiritual truths and experiences can be explained by the metaphor of the tabernacle. For example, the tabernacle had three parts: the outer courtyard, the sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies. These three areas represent the human body, soul, and spirit, respectively. If we apply this metaphor to the cities and pasturelands of the Levites, then the Israelites who lived outside the cities of the Levites lived in the outer courtyard. In the Old Testament tabernacle/temple, ordinary Jews could only enter the outer courtyard to worship God. There, the Levites helped them offer sacrifices. Only the Levites could enter the sanctuary, and only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies.

 

The Israelites in each region were just ordinary Israelites living in the outer courtyard. But in the center of each region was a city of the Levites, representing the Holy of Holies. God was physically present with the Israelites by means of the Levites. On the surface, it would appear that the tribes of Israel showed mercy to the Levites by giving them land. But in reality, the Levites were a blessing to the Israelites. God chose the Levites to serve Him. Through them, God showed His presence to the Israelites.

 

Transition from Tabernacle to Temple

Even after the tabernacle came to rest at Shiloh, it would be many decades before the temple was built. God was waiting for the right time and for the right person to build the temple. Although David wanted to build the temple, God told him that he would not be able to do it because he was a man of war. However, David prepared countless materials, made plans, and hired human talent for Solomon’s future construction of the temple. During this transitional period, God’s presence may inhabit the cities of the Levites besides the tabernacle.

 

Christ is our city of refuge, and Levitical cities are a picture of God's dwelling place in Christ. So, our guess that Levitical cities were proportional to the tabernacle is not entirely a guess.

 

Later, the Levites were not cared for by the Israelites. Some were homeless and had no food to eat. The book of Judges tells the story of a Levite who was taken care of by Micah of the hill country of Ephraim but later robbed by the tribe of Dan (Judges 17-18).

 

The Israelites were supposed to give a tenth of their goods to the Levites so that the Levites could draw near to God and bring God’s presence and blessing to the Israelites. This is a positive cycle. However, the history of the Israelites portrays a negative cycle. The Israelites did not take care of the Levites. The Levites did not draw close to God. And in the end, the Israelites collectively turned away from God and were disciplined by Him.

 

This negative cycle continued until 1 Samuel. Here, God specifically mentions that Eli’s two sons were priests (1 Samuel 1:3) that did not know the Lord (1 Samuel 2). Eli’s eyesight had begun to grow dim. The Bible says that "the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision." (1 Samuel 3:1).

 

Later, while fighting the Philistines, the Israelites placed a superstitious trust in the Ark of the Covenant, thinking that with the presence of the Ark, they would surely win the battle. Unfortunately, not only did they lose the battle, but they also allowed the ark of God to be captured. The Israelites did not realize that God had already been with them through the cities of the Levites, and that they needed to practice taking care of the Levites to take care of their relationship with God. Their neglect of the Levites plus the fall of the Levites ultimately led to their defeat. Blind faith in the Ark is useless. Similarly, a Christian who never prays, never reads the Bible, and doesn’t pay attention to his spiritual life shouldn’t expect God to answer superstitious, last-minute crisis prayers.

 

Today, Christ is our City of Refuge and Immanuel

The pastureland surrounding the cities of refuge or outside of the Levite’s own pastureland may have been a little bigger. The larger pasture may represent the outer courtyard, where the bronze altar is set up and where sins can be covered. Imagine that a person who has accidentally killed someone is fleeing to the city of refuge. At the same time, a family member of the victim is chasing him down. It’s a very urgent situation. How far away from the city (2,000 cubits, 5,000 cubits, or 10,000 cubits) should the person who is fleeing be considered as entering it? There has to be a border, right? Perhaps the cities of refuge in ancient Israel had a larger pastureland. As long as you had entered this area, you were safe. But this is just my guess.

 

Today, every Christian and every home is a tabernacle and a city of Levites. We can all be a city of refuge. Our friends and relatives can flee to Christ (city of refuge) through us. The Levites were the leaders of the cities of refuge, and God dwelled among the cities through His invisible presence. Those who accidentally killed someone and fled to the city of the Levites were fleeing under the protection of God.

 

Similarly, today’s church represents the Levites. Sinners who flee to the safety of believers are fleeing to Christ, the city of refuge. We are the Levites today, and God is with us. The church is like a modern city of refuge. Back then, the Israelites fell away from God because they neglected the presence of God as mediated through the Levites. In the same way, believers today can fall away as they neglect God’s presence. May we all cherish the presence of Christ, Immanuel. Although we cannot see Him with our eyes, we know that He has promised to be with us every day until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

 

 

 

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

Bible Study With Jairus - Numbers 32

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 32

 

Faith and obedience to God are the best ways to receive His blessings. In Numbers 32, the people of Gad and the people of Reuben were told to enter the Promised Land with the rest of the Israelites so they could inherit their choice of land on the east side of the Jordan River. If they refused to do this, they would inherit land in the land of Canaan like everyone else (Numbers 32:29-30). They had to trust God’s words and show it through their obedience.

 

Let’s look at the following verses:

 

Numbers 32:29-30 “And Moses said to them, “If the people of Gad and the people of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the Lord, will pass with you over the Jordan and the Land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. However, if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

 

If the Gadites and Reubenites refused to send soldiers to fight with their brothers, they would not be able to possess their preferred land on the East of Jordan river. God commanded them to cross the river and fight with the rest of Israel.

 

Why did Moses tell the people of Gad and Reuben that if they crossed the Jordan to fight with the rest of Israel, they could get Gilead on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance, but if they refused to obey, they would receive an inheritance among the Israelites in the land of Canaan? I also wondered about the meaning of verse 30, “If they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” Did this mean that they could cross the Jordan unarmed and receive the land of Canaan?

 

When I asked this question during Bible study, one of the men had an inspirational idea. He said, “Crossing the Jordan River unarmed would require more faith. Faith surpasses physical weapons. This is why they would obtain the promised land of Canaan as an inheritance. If they chose to fight with material weapons, they would receive a certain blessing from God—the land east of the Jordan which they had prayed for. But they wouldn’t be able to enter the Promised Land.”

 

This insight helped me understand Moses’ words. It gave me even more insight into Christian obedience and faith.

 

Do We Cherish God’s Promises?

 

When the Gadites and Reubenites saw that the land of Jazer and Gilead east of the Jordon would provide perfect grazing land for their livestock, they asked if they could stay there rather than crossing the Jordon and inheriting land in Canaan. Moses’ first reaction to this request was to scold them for being like their unbelieving ancestors.

 

Moses longed to enter the Promised Land, but he’d recently found out that God would not allow him to enter. He would only be able to watch from a distance. This may be one reason he was so frustrated with the Gadites and Reubenites. How could they be so close to God’s promises and throw away this opportunity to enter the Promised Land? How could they settle for living on the east of the Jordan River?

 

Eager to enter the good land but unable to do so himself, Moses was displeased with the people. These tribes had reached the entrance to the Promised Land and were settling for less. Rather than entering in and receiving the inheritance promised by God, they were content with their own inheritance.

 

Moses rebuked them for not participating in the conquest of the Promised Land. Moses was afraid their apathy would discourage the rest of the Israelites. However, the people of these two tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh promised Moses that they would bring weapons to fight with the Israelites across the Jordan River. Only their women, children and livestock would stay east of Jordan River. After that, Moses changed his attitude. Surprisingly, he granted their request.

 

Moses mentioned the word "before the Lord" many times in this chapter. For example, “You will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war (verse 20), “Every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord” (verse 21), and “The land is subdued before the Lord” (Verse 22). Clearly, Moses knew that these choices were made in the presence of God and that the tribes would be accountable to Him.

 

However, the text never explicitly mentions the words, "The Lord said to Moses.” This phrase is very common throughout Exodus and Numbers. Because these words are omitted, we wonder if this permission was actually given by God, or if it was only granted by Moses. Because of the Israelites’ hardness of heart, they were allowed to stay across the Jordon. Similarly, when explaining why the Israelites were allowed to divorce their wives, Jesus said that God did not allow this at first, but Moses temporarily allowed the Israelites to divorce their wives because of the hardness of their hearts. (Matthew 19:8, Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

 

I think this is a reasonable way to interpret Numbers 32 as well. In God's perfect will, He wanted all Israelites to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites’ ancestors died in the wilderness because of their unbelief and rebellion. The Gadites and Reubenites also reached the border of the Promised Land, but did not want to enter. Like their ancestors, they despised the promise of God. Although the degree of contempt was different, they still despised God's promise. I believe that Moses gave permission to stay east of the Jordon as an expression of God’s permissive will. Though it wasn’t God’s perfect will for them to stay outside of Canaan, it was God’s permissive will for them to do so.

 

Moses told the other Israelites that if Gad and Reuben took their weapons across the Jordan River to fight alongside their brothers, they could inherit Gilead, east of the Jordan River. If they did not carry weapons and accompany the rest of the Israelites, perhaps it meant they had abandoned their desire for the land of Gilead and had decided to cherish God's promise. They would receive an inheritance in the land of Canaan instead. I hoped these tribes would not send soldiers to fight with their brothers, but that they would all go into the Promised Land together with the other tribes. But this was not the case.

 

How many Christians today are fighting desperately for their worldly desires, when God just wants them to rest in him? They would get much farther faster by resting in the Lord with faith. The Bible says, “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ But you were unwilling” (Isaiah 30:15). We should not fight desperately for what we already can see, but look in faith beyond what we can see with our eyes. Trusting has better results than struggling and striving.

 

The lesson of obedience and faith for individual Christians

 

In the wilderness, God was training the Israelites in faith and obedience. Hebrews 3:7-12 tells us that the Israelites tested God in the wilderness and were disciplined by God. Hebrews reminds us not to harden our hearts and forsake God in disbelief. Numbers 14:22-23 tells us that the Israelites could not enter the Promised land because of disobedience and rebellion.

 

What is obedience? Obedience is knowing and doing the will of God. When God’s will and our own free will come into conflict, we face a choice. Will we obey or disobey? God's ways are higher than our ways and God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). Mentally, we can recognize that we should always obey God’s wise commands. It should be very easy for us to obey, but it often is not. Ignoring the fact that God’s ways are higher, we continue to do things in our own way. God sometimes must use circumstances and suffering to discipline us and help us submit to his will.

 

What is faith? Faith is knowing God Himself. Faith is seeing the sun through the dark clouds. The sun is always there, always shining behind the clouds. God sometimes allows difficult circumstances to cover the “sun” of his love, but we must remember he is always there. His goodness is always shining like the sun. Satan, like a dark cloud, tries to obscure and distort our understanding of God’s goodness. He tries to convince us that the sun is dark or nonexistent. When a person lives under dark clouds or darkness for too long, he will believe such lies. We must not allow the dark clouds of suffering to twist our basic understanding that “God is light.” Trials are a test of our faith. Will we pass the test?

 

During my season of infertility, I experienced ten years of difficulty and trial. This suffering helped me learn lessons of obedience and faith. At first, I didn’t submit to the people and circumstances arranged by God. Later, I discovered that God’s hand was disciplining me so I could learn lessons of obedience. After I surrendered to God, these sufferings became my blessings.

 

As I continued learning these lessons, I began to pray and look to God. Not only did I get the miracle baby I had prayed for, but my faith in God also increased dramatically. I learned to see the hand of God working in my circumstances, even when they looked bleak. God is good, he will always take care of us. Those who believe in Him will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11).

 

Jesus also learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8). If Jesus needed suffering to learn obedience, then this is especially true for us too. We must follow his example and learn obedience through suffering. Today, many Christians are unwilling to talk about suffering. They only want to talk about blessings. This is unbiblical.

 

God also highly values ​​our faith. If we want to enter the spiritual Promised Land, we also need to learn faith. No matter what kind of suffering comes our way, we will not be separated from God's love. God promises that all things work together for the benefit of those who love God (Romans 8). Suffering helps us learn to obey. It also helps increase our faith.

 

The lessons of obedience and faith for humanity and the church as a whole

 

In my opinion, the Covid-19 pandemic is God’s way of disciplining the human race as a whole. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, God often sends plagues as a part of his judgment. The majority of the human race does not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and are under his judgment. But some object that Christians have also become infected and died of the virus. How can COVID-19 be a judgment from God? Some Christians say that since the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, this plague comes from the enemy, not from God (John 10:10). Others say that all circumstances are under the sovereignty of God. Not even one sparrow falls apart from the Father’s will (Matthew 10:29). They say that since God allowed this to happen, it must be God’s judgment.

 

I understand that all the bad things come from the enemy, but I also believe that God can achieve His purposes though this attack from the enemy. He allowed it to happen. We need to allow this crisis to teach lessons of obedience and faith. Again, obedience is knowing God’s will and faith is knowing God himself.

 

You may ask, “How can we obey God and have faith in God in such a difficult situation?”

 

First, we must repent and obey God. No matter how we look at this issue, we can be sure of one thing. Trouble should motivate us to turn to God, pray, and examine our lives. It’s important to ask ourselves whether there are any areas in us that are disobedient or displeasing to God. Many Christians testify that illness or trouble was the catalyst to their spiritual renewal and repentance.

 

Similarly, the purpose of this collective human suffering is to motivate us to turn to God. If the human race refuses to recognize that this is God’s discipline, we won’t be able to achieve God’s purpose. If we use human methods (science and medicine) to solve the problem, we won’t get to the spiritual root of the problem. I am not against science, but I am saying that we should not overlook the spiritual root causes of this pandemic.

 

Some Christians say that God would never send disease to test and discipline people, but this opinion does not align with God’s word. God clearly told the Israelites that if they disobeyed, “Every other malady and affliction, even though not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will inflict on you until you are destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 28:61)

 

You may say, “That was in the Old Testament, and this is the New Testament.” Then how can you explain the plagues recorded in Revelation? It is never God’s perfect will to have His people sick or experiencing plagues, but sometimes He allows bad things to happen to motivate us to repent and turn back to him. He disciplines us so we won’t lose our eternal reward.

 

We must change our mindset and begin to reflect on our lives before God. If we attribute this trial to demons or human agency, we may end up losing our opportunity to repent. We must balance the grace of God with the righteousness of God. In God’s righteousness, He does judge and discipline His people, along with the world He created.

 

Second, we must have faith in God. It may seem like God is not listening to our prayers for healing from the pandemic. Many people are dying, powerless to save themselves. Controversies about vaccines, political parties, and elections are raging in the United States. Darkness is rampant. It seems that God doesn’t care about it. How can we have faith in God?

 

Such tests of faith are common throughout the Bible. Peter told us, “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). Paul also mentioned the judgment and discipline of God: “Our earthly fathers disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but the Father of Spirits disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.” (Hebrews 12:10-12). When tests of faith come, believers often begin to doubt the existence of God or the goodness of God. Instead, we can strengthen our weak and drooping hands and move forward towards the great future God has for us.

 

A great revival is coming. The coming of this great revival has incited all-out opposition from the enemy. The darkness you see comes from the anger of the enemy. However, the enemy’s wrath cannot stop the coming of this great revival.

 

At the same time, in order to prepare for the coming of this great revival, God must cleanse the church and prepare us as clean vessels that are capable of receiving the coming outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Just like Jesus overturned the tables of money changers in the temple, God is cleansing his “temple” now.

 

Our current suffering should not make us lose faith in God. Instead, it should strengthen our faith. The process of labor and delivery is painful. But once the child is born, the previous pain will be forgotten because of the joy that the child brings. (John 16:21). In the same way, we can endure the “childbirth” that the church is experiencing. During this painful time, our church should be full of hope. As the saying goes, "Small child, small push; big child, big push.” This great revival is a “big child,” so we have to use great force to give birth. We must endure temporary pain in anticipation of the great revival that is coming soon.

 

Conclusion and blessings

 

God spoke to me in a dream on May 12, 2016 that my wife would be pregnant with a child within a month. After this dream, Satan began to attack me violently.

 

Satan’s attack caused discord between my wife and me. We did not speak for two weeks. However, on May 28th, my wife discovered that she was pregnant, after ten years of infertility. We were able to reconcile. I have learned from my personal experience that each time God releases a heavenly blessing in our lives, Satan launches a counterattack. We must endure these battles before we can receive these blessings.

 

Personal spiritual experience confirms this principle, which we are currently seeing played out in the church and in humanity as a whole. God is preparing a great blessing, a great revival. On many occasions, God has told me about this great revival through prophetic dreams. However, Satan has mobilized all hell in an attempt to prevent the coming of this great revival. But we know that Satan is doomed to fail. If we persevere to the end, we will win.

 

In time, we will see these promises come true. Meanwhile, let us learn the lessons of obedience and faith that God wants to teach us. Remember, obedience is knowing God’s will and faith is knowing God himself. We must align our will with God’s will and place our faith in God’s goodness.

 

Bible Study With Jairus - Numbers 10

Bible Study with Jairus – Numbers 10- Moses’ Extended Family, God’s Presence in Battle, and Preparing for War

Numbers 10 covers many topics: how to blow the trumpets (vs. 1-10); how to set out (vs. 11-13); marching order as they set out (vs 14-28); Moses pleading with Hobab (vs. 29-32); and the leading of the ark (vs. 33-36). What is the relationship of these to each other?

I believe that the pieces are closely linked. The theme of this connection is the relationship between God's presence and doing battle for God. Let’s look at some of the background before connecting all the pieces.

Hobab...Father-in Law or Brother-in-Law?

When first reading Numbers 10, many people are confused about the name of Moses’ father-in-law. Numbers 10:29 says, "Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law..." This section is very confusing. The meaning in the ESV is "Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, is the son of Reuel the Midianite," because Judges 4:11 mentions "Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses." But when I first read it, I  read it that Moses' father-in-law was Reuel, and he had a son named Hobab. Someone else pointed out that this understanding was not consistent with Judges 4:11. It seemed to her that the father of Hobab, Moses' father-in-law, was called Reuel. But I said that when Exodus 2:18 was talking about Moses helping to water the flock of the daughters of a Midianite priest in the wilderness, it was mentioned that their father's name was "Reuel." This proves that Reuel is not Moses’ grandfather, but rather Moses’ father-in-law himself. When Exodus 3:1 mentions Moses' father-in-law, the name used is "Jethro.”

 

So what is the name of Moses' father-in-law? There is an explanation that "Jethro" is just a title, like the title of the Midianite priest, and "Reuel" is the name of his father-in-law. In Judges 4:11, the word "father-in-law" in "Moses' father-in-law Hobab" is the same as "brother-in-law" in the original Hebrew text. Therefore, some Bible translation scholars also advocate that the father-in-law in Judges 4:11 be translated as "brother-in-law."

Because there are different translations in the different English Bible versions, we often find certain words translated differently. For example, NRSV, Darby Bible Translation, King James, ESV, and others have translated Judges 4:11 into "Moses' father-in-law Hobab.” But there are also many versions, including the New Living Translation, NIV, Good News Translation, New Heart English Bible, American Standard Version, English Revised Version, World English Bible, and more which have translated it as "Moses' brother-in-law.” It can be seen that theologians have different understandings or ideas on how to translate this verse.

My inspiration is that Hobab is Moses' brother-in-law. Why? I will give an example to prove my guess. First, let us look at Exodus 18. Exodus 18 tells how Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, heard of the great things God had done for Moses and for the Israelites, so he  brought Moses' wife and two children with him to the mountain of God. Moses then testified to his father-in-law again of how God saved the Israelites. Jethro’s reaction to Moses’ news is recorded in Exodus 18:9-12 (ESV):

 “And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.” And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.”

Looking at these verses, we can see that Jethro praised Jehovah and offered sacrifices to God. To use a common phrase among Christians, Jethro seems to have received salvation and accepted God's salvation when he heard Moses' testimony. Exodus 18:13-26 then records that Jethro gave Moses advice. He told him to appoint chiefs of thousands and hundreds, etc. to help him judge the people. Please note that verse 18:27 (ESV) says, "Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country."

What we should focus on here is the place and time when Jethro came. He might have come to Mount Sinai, the place where Moses set up the tabernacle, sometime in the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. Exodus 16:1 (ESV) recorded that the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. After Moses let his father-in-law depart (Exodus 18:27), Exodus 19:1 records that the Israelites came to the wilderness of Sinai "on the third new moon" in the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. The NIV says “on the first day of the third month” instead. And Numbers 10:11-13 (ESV) mentions, "In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses."

The book of Numbers records that they had been traveling from the wilderness of Sinai on February 20 of the second year. Perhaps they made stops along the way. Perhaps they were still in Sinai in March, when Jehovah descended on Mount Sinai. Exodus 19 records Moses going up the mountain to meet with God, where the Lord spoke to Moses for a long time and promulgated the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Moses stayed with God on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Then, in Exodus 31, the Lord commanded Moses to build the tabernacle. After Moses went down the mountain, he found that the Israelites broke the law by worshipping the golden calf. Later, he went again to Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28). Chapter 35 begins to record the details of the construction of the tabernacle. In Exodus 40:2 (ESV), the Lord says to Moses: "On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting." It can be seen that Moses was setting up the tabernacle on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. The record of leaving Egypt ends here. It was mentioned that the clouds covering the tabernacle guided the Israelites' movement. When the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out. The book of Numbers is a continuation of the records here. It continues to record the journey of the Israelites.

I guess that Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, left during the period around February 20, the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. Plus this was also recorded in chapter 16 before Jethro came in Exodus 18. The Israelites were in the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, around February 15. If this was recorded in chronological order, Moses’ father-in-law may have come to see Moses after February 15th. On February 20th, the Israelites began to “set out for the first time”. Perhaps the wilderness of Sinai was large and they had walked for quite a long time.

Although we don’t know exactly when Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came, we can guess from the above verses that he may come around February 15-20. How does this prove that the Hobab recorded in Numbers 10:29 might be Moses' brother-in-law, rather than his father-in-law? If he was his father-in-law, there would be no need for Exodus 18:27: "Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country." In Numbers 10, if Moses had begged for his father-in-law to not leave him, why didn't he prevent his father-in-law from leaving in Exodus 18? He encouraged it! We should also consider the distance Jethro would have had to travel to reach Moses’ camp. At that time, transportation was inconvenient. It is unlikely that Jethro would leave and come back that soon. This makes no sense!

 

Furthermore, we read that Moses' father-in-law was old and he had praised and offered sacrifices to Jehovah. So Moses was also comfortable with his leaving, knowing he would have a proper burial in his own country. It is very difficult for people to leave their hometowns when they are old, so Jethro likely would not have wanted to travel further with Moses. So Moses did not think it necessary to stop his father-in-law from leaving. However, when Moses' father-in-law came, he might have brought Moses' brother-in-law Hobab with him and stayed with Moses for a few more days. When Moses was encamping, Hobab might have said that he hoped to go back to his own country like his father, Jethro. That’s why Moses begged him to stay. Why? My guess is that, although Hobab wanted to return to his hometown, he was still young. The Bible does not record if he knew Jehovah, so if he went back, he might not be able to enter the kingdom of God peacefully like his father. Thus Moses hoped that Hobab could embark on a difficult but promising journey with him so that Hobab's family could be saved. Moses may have thought that he could still convince him to spend part of his time travelling with the Israelites.

Moses’ Heart for Others

Numbers 10:31-32 tells us, “Thus Moses begged Hobab and 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.’” Some people think that Moses does not trust God enough here but I disagree. Wherever Moses went, he had the presence and leading of the cloud. He did not necessarily need the help of Hobab. But if Hobab left Moses, he would not necessarily be able to enjoy the presence of God. The issue was not that Moses needed Hobab.. Rather, he was worried that Hobab would wander away from God.

 

The Line of Hobab

Of course, the Bible does not record in Numbers 10 whether Hobab agreed to Moses’ request, but other verses suggest that Hobab did walk with Moses. Judges 1 tells the story of Judah going up first to fight. It is especially recorded in verse 16: "The descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.” From this verse, we can see that Hobab may have agreed to Moses’ request, and thus received God’s blessing while dwelling with the tribe of Judah. Judges 4:11 says, "Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses (or brother-in-law), and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh." The descendant of Hobab, which is Jael, killed Sisera, Israel’s enemy. Part of Hobab’s line became warriors to fight for God. Since Hobab followed Moses and took this arduous journey, he had also received great blessings.

 

I heard Chuck Pierce, a prophet in the United States, say that the word for “peg” in the passage where Jael hits Sisera's head is the same word in the Hebrew text as the word “and” in Genesis 1:1 (“God created the heavens and the earth”). This tent peg is made of wood. It represents that when Christ was crucified on the cross, the heavens and the earth were linked together, and the power of God's enemy Satan (represented by Sisera) was removed. God used the descendant of Hobab to show his power.

Directions for War: Then and Now

When I was reading Numbers 10:1-10, the Holy Spirit highlighted verse 8 to me:

"The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations."

The two trumpets that Jehovah had Moses make had specific instructions for blowing the trumpets, and only the sons of Aaron, the priests, could blow them. What does this mean? This is signifying the presence of God. A priest is a person who serves God and gets to enter into His presence. Christians today must first be priests to draw near to God and minister to God Himself, and then enter into His presence before we can hear and release His words. The words of God are represented by the trumpets here, and these trumpets will lead us into battle.

When two trumpets were sounded, all the Israelites would come. When only one trumpet was sounded, only the leader would come. When a trumpet blast was sounded, the tribes camping on the east were to set out. At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south were to set out. Numbers 10:9 says, "When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.” It can be seen that blowing the trumpets was indeed for war purposes.

 

I have made several observations about some people’s pursuit of spiritual warfare in the Pentecostal Movement. Some people I personally met have limited life and spiritual experience, but they often claimed that they engaged in spiritual warfare against enemies all day. I personally encountered these kinds of people. They would see demons in every place and under every situation. I also saw that they were deceived by the enemy in the end. I felt that they had a good heart, but their focus was misplaced. Our focus should not be centered on spiritual enemies. Rather, we need to focus on the Lord.

 

The secret of spiritual warfare is not to fight, but to rest and enter into God’s presence. Only by entering the presence of God and the richness and fullness of God's life can you overcome the enemy. However, this does not mean that spiritual warfare is not real. Many evangelical brothers and sisters ignore the reality of spiritual warfare and do not dare to be in contact with the spiritual realm or pursue spiritual gifts. The purpose of our pursuit of God is not just to have His presence for the sake of having it. After we enter into God's presence, we will naturally enter a spiritual battle.

 

This is also true in the second section of the chapter (vs. 11-13). The leading of the cloud is also the presence of God. In the third section (vs. 14-28), the order of the seven camps of the twelve tribes shows preparations for war. The tribes in the east set out first. After the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, carried them away. The tabernacle represented God’s presence. When there was war in the Old Testament, the people had to walk with the ark and exalt it to win. This is proved by the later experiences of Moses and the experiences of the Israelites in the book of Judges. Then the camps on the south side set out before the Kohathites, who carried the objects of the sanctuary. After they arrived, the Gershonites and Merarites would set up the tabernacle and would directly put the objects of the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies into the tabernacle. This was to bring in or maintain God's constant presence.

Do you see the cycle? God’s presence brings in spiritual warfare. But it is with God’s presence that we see victory in war. The purpose of war is to bring in more of the presence of God. It is a circle. On the one hand, there is God’s presence. On the other hand, there is victory in wars with the help of God.

 

Here is where we begin to see connections between the pieces of the chapter. This is all recorded before Moses begged Hobab. My inspiration in this is also to signify the theme of God's presence and war. The process of the Israelites leaving Egypt is a process of manifesting the power of God. Along the way, it is like testifying to the Gentiles. They let the prostitute Rahab (Joshua 6) and Gibeon (Joshua 9) etc. be able to join the army of God. This is a natural result of God's presence. Hobab may have been heard-headed, but he was still subdued and attracted by God's presence. Thus, in the end, he may have followed Moses embarking on a journey and a battle of leaving his home.

How can the presence of God not attract people? If we really have the presence of God, our relatives will follow us. I found this true in my own life. It was not me, but the presence of God in my family that drew my realtives to Him. Like Hobab, they joined us in the army of God. Therefore, from this perspective, Hobab could not have left Moses in this place. If he left, I believe it would have been an insult to the presence of God.

The Importance of Like-minded Friends

Of course, I do not deny that Moses had his weaknesses. We can imagine Moses' moods. Suppose that Hobab was Moses' brother-in-law, and may have lived with Moses for nearly 40 years. Moses might have said to Hobab, "Look, God put the burden of leading the Israelites on my shoulders. I already told God to kill me. I can't bear it, but God still won’t listen. Although God commanded me to lead the Israelites in leaving Egypt and performing miracles for them, they complain constantly (Numbers 11 records that the Israelites were complaining about God, and God burned some of them to death). Look at my brother Aaron and sister Miriam. They are also helping me, but they are jealous of me in their hearts (Chapter 12 records this story). I have only a few like-minded people. We have lived together for 40 years. You are someone I may be able to rely on. Please help me out."

This is only my imagination. However, the Israelites had just left Egypt and had not had much time to build trust with Moses. Moses and his brother and sister had not lived together for a long time, so they were not familiar with each other. I don't believe that Moses needed Hobab to lead them into camping in the wilderness. For one, the cloud of God led them. Also, Moses had lived in the wilderness for forty years, so he himself may have been familiar with the wilderness. What Moses needed was a like-minded person. Picture the situation of the church today. What many pastors lack is not the presence and leading of God, but like-mindedness from fellow church members. Thus, many times God's call cannot be fulfilled. I think Paul also had the same feeling; he repeatedly reminded brothers and sisters to be like-minded (Philippians 2:2).

In order to win the battle, we need the presence of God and support from like-minded members of the body of Christ.

Final Thoughts

In the last section (vs. 33-36), it is recorded that Moses was praying to exalt the ark. This shows even more clearly that our inspiration may be right. Wherever there is the exaltation of the ark, there is the presence of God, there will be victory in battles, and enemies will also be scattered. The result of the victory in battles will naturally bring more of the presence of God, and will also bring more people of God into His kingdom.

I will repeat the last two verses here to serve as inspiration for us all.

And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

I pray that in your spiritual journey, you will be filled with the presence of God and surrounded by like-minded people so that you can win the battles you face. Let the name of Jehovah be exalted! May His glory fill the whole world in order to bring more people into the kingdom that He has prepared for us.

 

Bible Study With Jairus - Acts 19

Bible Study with Jairus – Acts 19

 

Acts 19 begins with a story about how Paul supplied the needs of Apollos' ministry.  Those who were ministered to by Apollos only knew John's baptism and weren't aware of the Holy Spirit.  Is there a deeper spiritual meaning here?  If so, what spiritual insight can we glean for our walk with the Lord?

 

The spiritual insight is that John's ministry introduces Jesus Christ, and Jesus' ministry baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire.  In other words, John introduced Christ, and Christ introduced the Holy Spirit.  This is the full gospel.  If we only talk about one aspect and not the other, it will cause Christians to have a one-sided understanding of the truth, leading to division in the church.

 

Why did Apollos only know John’s baptism? Acts 18:24 mentions that Apollos was a native of Alexandria.  Alexandria is a port city located on the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt.  If Apollos lived in Alexandria, then it would be very interesting.  Imagine how influential John's ministry was in Israel.  Many Jews had repented and been baptized.  Even the unbelieving Pharisees came to join in the fun, and John criticized them, telling them to produce fruit in keeping with repentance (NIV, Matthew 3:8).  Even Apollos, who was in Alexandria, Egypt, was influenced by John's ministry, so it is evident that John's ministry had significant influence.

 

John had two crucial messages.  The first was that you have to repent because the kingdom of heaven has come near (NIV, Matthew 3:2).  The second is that he was not Christ.  He just baptized people withwater for repentance.  But after him would come one who is more powerful than him – Jesus Christ.  He would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire. (NIV, Matthew 3: 11).

 

His two messages are very clear and definitive.  But it is like a stone thrown into the lake, creating a ripple.  This expanding ripple eventually becomes weaker and weaker.  By the time John's ministry reached Apollos, only one of his two messages seemed to be passed along.   When Paul arrived at Ephesus, he found that the disciples who were saved under Apollos' ministry weren't baptized in the Holy Spirit, nor had they even heard of the Holy Spirit.

 

Of course, Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (NIV, Acts 19:6).

 

Please pay attention here.  The Bible did not record that Aquila and Priscilla helped Apollos to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.  Nor did it mention that Paul helped Apollos to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.  It only noted that Paul placed his hands on people who had been ministered to in Apollos' ministry, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  Did all of Apollos’ disciples receive the Holy Spirit?  Obviously not.  If yes, then Paul wouldn't talk about the church's divisions at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 1:12, saying that some people followed Paul, and others claim to follow Apollos.  

 

I suspect that one reason for the divisions in the church at Corinth was because of the second aspect of the truth - the question of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Among which, speaking in tongues is definitely an important point of disagreement.  Paul is teaching and putting the fullness of the Holy Spirit into practice.  He said that he speaks in tongues more than everyone else (NIV, 1 Corinthians 14:18).  Although he repeatedly urged the church not to speak excessively in tongues, he was not totally opposed to speaking in tongues.  But amongst the people saved under Apollos' ministry, was there someone who didn't speak in tongues?  Did they have a different understanding of this truth?  I feel that in addition to those who experienced Paul laying his hands on them and accepted his teachings, there may have been some of Apollos' disciples who did not advocate speaking in tongues. Plus, those who supported speaking in tongues had various fleshly behaviors. They also had reasons to oppose them in the matter of speaking in tongues.

 

So we have a clue here that there is a very close relationship between what kind of spiritual life a Christian will live in the future as to when he/she is first saved and what kind of spiritual teaching he/she accepts in the beginning.  On the other hand, the ultimate cause of the division of the body of Christ lies in the difference in teaching or the understanding of God's truth.  If the body of Christ wants to be united but can't come to an agreement regarding truth, it would be tough to find unity. 

 

I was saved in the Local Church movement associated with Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. When Witness Lee started his ministry in Los Angeles, he tried to meet with a Pentecostal group in hopes of unity.  But ultimately, there was a dispute over the issue of whether or not to speak in tongues. The two sides refused to give in to the other, and unity wasn't realized. Overall, as far as Protestantism is concerned, one of the most significant factors that led to their division is how to treat the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, etc. There are some estimates that Charismatic Christians probably equal the number of evangelical Christians, which is about 600 million people. There are about 1 billion Catholics, amongst which more than 100 million of them have accepted the charismatic experience.

 

In general, people classify the American Charismatic Movement into two categories. The first category is the traditional Pentecostal Movement, which advocates that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The traditional church doesn't accept this, thus producing Classical Pentecostal denominations like the Assembly of God and others.  The second category is often referred to as the Charismatic Renewal. This kind of renewal does not encourage people to be separated from their original denomination.  They believe that speaking in tongues is just one evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, this is widely accepted by the mainstream American churches, affecting many groups, including the Anglican Church, the Methodist Church, and even the Catholic Church. They accepted the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, without leaving their current denomination.

 

The United Theological Seminary in the United States, where I am studying now, belongs to the Methodist Church.  Because I am participating in the new semester's Intensive learning of the Ph.D. program in Dayton, Ohio, I have come into contact with some Methodist believers. Some accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit, though not the majority.  But they are meeting with other men and women who haven't experienced this in church.

 

Let's look at Apollos' experience. He accepted John's baptism but did not accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The disciples in his ministry didn't accept the Holy Spirit either.  They had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit.  Acts 18 did mention that Aquila and Priscilla helped Apollos to understand the way of God more accurately.  But it did not explicitly mention helping Apollos to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  And at the beginning of Acts 19, Paul returned to Ephesus to meet the disciples who had received help from Apollos' ministry, and they hadn't heard that there was a Holy Spirit.  There are good reasons for us to speculate that Apollos did not accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

An important part of John's ministry was to reveal that Christ wants to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire.  But why is it that this part is ignored and distorted?  This reminds me of Jackie Chan's movie "Around the World in 80 Days."  When British officials discussed that a Chinese man had robbed the bank, the message was passed on. In the end, the original message that was passed turned into a totally different message saying that someone else robbed the bank.  One of the reasons is that the character (Jackie Chan) deliberately passed the wrong message in the middle, causing the following information to be all wrong.  This was a movie, but it also happens in actual spiritual experience.

 

These are the enemy's tactics.  He would keep people from accepting John's baptism by thwarting the message of repentance.  Unfortunately for him, the people believed that John was sent by God and kept coming to him to be baptized.  Tactic number two was to bring the Pharisees and Sadducees who tried to pass themselves off as repentant people ready to be baptized, but John saw right through them and harshly criticized them.  The enemy's last tactic was to hold John's ministry in high regard while downplaying Jesus' ministry. John's disciples could establish a new religion and stir his disciples to challenge the Lord by asking Him: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast? (Matt. 9:14).  In the end, John was martyred. The Israelites believed he was a prophet sent by God, and John's ministry of repentance was raised up, downplaying or ignoring the message that Jesus was greater and would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Why?  Because Satan wants the most important message to be obstructed.

 

Satan's tactics are the same in today's church as it was in ancient times.  He still strives to downplay the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the teaching that Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire.  It is often said that speaking in tongues is the least among the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  This seems to make sense, but when you analyze it carefully, it's not entirely true. For example, why is it that the "least important" gift causes the body of Christ to experience the "biggest" division?  Why is almost half of the body of Christ divided into two factions by this teaching?

 

I often say that no doubt, speaking in tongues is the least gift.  Speaking in tongues can be likened to two sides of a mountain ridge with a tiny spot at the top representing speaking in tongues.  You can only see the side of the mountain you are on if you haven't climbed to the top of the mountain.   Those who don't accept speaking in tongues are stuck on this side of the mountain with a limited view.  They accept the truth of God on this side of the mountain.  But since they haven't climbed to the top of the mountain, they can't see what's up there or what's on the other side, so they don't get the full view.

 

Those who accept speaking in tongues have climbed the mountain, seen the view from the top and gone over to the other side.  Though the top, which represents speaking in tongues, looks small from the bottom side of the mountain, those who have climbed to the top get the whole view, not just half.  It's a more well-rounded view.  Those who don't climb to the top have a limited perspective and don't see the whole picture. This analogy is not limited to speaking in tongues.  It includes all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

Apollos only knew John's baptism, although Aquila and Priscilla helped him understand more about God's way.  Paul also helped some of Apollo's disciples accept the Holy Spirit's fullness, but it did not completely solve this problem.  Apollo's lack of understanding of the truth laid the seeds for the future division of the church at Corinth.  In addition to the flesh, the most significant cause of the church's division is the difference in teaching and understanding the truth.  Therefore, I have always believed that the body of Christ cannot be united in the understanding of the truth of God, making it difficult to have true unity.

 

This problem still exists in today's church.  There are still some members of the body of Christ who are like Apollos.  They only know John's baptism.  They may be full of eloquence, very knowledgeable in the Bible, had been instructed in the way of the Lord, spoke with great fervor, and refuted their opponents in public debate (these are all descriptions of Apollos in Acts 18-19).  Still, because of their lack of understanding of the truth, it foreshadowed the later Corinthian church's difficulties.   Of course, we can't attribute all of the responsibility to Apollos. The disciples at Corinth who sinned and the fleshy believers who pursued speaking in tongues and other gifts also caused the Corinthian church's difficulties.

 

John's ministry was not like this at first.  In addition to teaching the baptism of repentance, he said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. Similarly, the Bible's teachings are not only about the baptism of repentance; they also include the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although it's necessary to repent to receive the life of God, it is equally important to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, to get the power and the reinforcement of the Holy Spirit.

 

For quite some time, I've heard people talk about convergence, meaning that God not only wants us to be holy, but He also wants the church to be powerful.  If the church isn't holy, it cannot be the salt and light, therefore losing its testimony.  If the church is not powerful, the world will fall into the hands of the power of evil forces.  Holiness and power need to converge together. The church needs to be a witness of God in these two aspects.  One night, the Lord appeared to me in a prophetic dream. He said to me that the two rivers would converge together.  But He did not tell me what the two rivers were. I'm always trying to understand the meaning of the Lord's words. One thought I had is that holiness and power will converge together.  The teachings I received at the Local Church Movement were mainly about growing in holiness.  Later, the Lord led me to learn and pursue the gifts and power in the Pentecostal Movement.  My understanding is that the Lord will lead me to learn how to combine holiness and power.

 

Paul said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (NIV, 1 Corinthians 3:6).  Although Apollos has an insufficient understanding of the truth, he made significant contributions. Acts 19 has primarily recorded how God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.  When his handkerchiefs or aprons were laid on the sick, their illnesses were cured, and the evil spirits left them (NIV, Acts 19:11-12). There are a growing number of churches where people are weak, sick, and overcome by evil spirits.  We need to grow in the power of the Spirit like Paul so that sickness is healed and evil spirits are driven away.

 

Because of Paul's mighty power, many who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly.  The total came to fifty thousand drachmas. (NIV, Acts 19:19).  A drachma is worth a day's wage.  This is huge!  Later in Ephesus, Paul caused a riot by coming against the businesses that made statues and idols.  If we were to visit Taiwan or mainland China today, where idols are prevalent, there's a good chance we wouldn't cause a riot.  Why? We don't pose the same threat to the enemy as Paul did. The greater the threat, the greater the opposition from the enemy.

 

Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, said that half of the people in the body of Christ do not believe in healing, and the other half believe in healing, but they can't demonstrate it.  This is the state of the church today. We must admit that God's power is real and that we have the same power as Paul did. Our unbelief, misunderstanding, or ignorance towards the baptism of the Holy Spirit will hinder us from knowing and gaining the power of God.  Why is it then that many charismatic people believe and boast that they have this power, but in reality, they don't?  The answer is self-evident. Because these people who are pursuing power lack holiness.  It's dangerous to give a gun to a child who is still not mature enough. The gun is powerful, but without proper handling, it can be very dangerous. It's not that God doesn't have power, but that those who pursue holiness don't pursue power, and those who pursue power are not pursuing holiness.  Therefore, God won't be able to trust and give His power to them.

 

However, times are changing. The prophetic words of God have said many times that the age of convergence will come.  God longs for our lives to develop in balance, for us not to just pursue holiness but also power.  When we grow into balanced truth and in the spiritual stature of Christ, God will release His power through us.

 

 

If we are arbitrarily trying to drive out evil spirits without God's authority and power, we may end up being subdued by the evil spirits like the seven sons of Sceva.   God's power and authority is real, but we must appropriate it by faith in Jesus.

 

The church that I was saved in paid more attention to growing spiritually and devalued pursuing the gifts of the Spirit.  Their reason was that pursuing gifts would lead people to neglect spiritual growth and holiness.  There are preachers who say that the pursuit of healing will hinder spiritual growth in a Christian's life.  I understand what they are saying and have observed people in the Charismatic movement paying more attention to the outward healing of the body while lacking inward spiritual growth.   In my experience, we need a balance of both so that our spiritual lives will be complete and fulfilling.

 

Here is a metaphor I often use to explain what we talked about above.   Our inner spiritual life in the Lord is like water.  Our gifting in the Lord is like a water pipe.  In our initial walk with the Lord pursuing gifts overemphasizes our water pipe, almost like putting the cart before the horse.  New believers need to focus more on the inner spiritual life and growth so that living water can flow through the pipe.   However, if the living water reaches a powerful level and the pipe has not been enlarged to handle it, the flow will be limited.  In China this was a problem.  They designed a drainage system that didn't take flooding into account.  As time passed, the pipes got clogged with leaves and debris, and when the flood came, the pipes couldn't manage it.  We also experience debris and blockage in our spiritual lives and must continuously expand the gifts to allow the living water to flow correctly.

 

This is a dialectical relationship.  The Bible specifically mentions the relationship between the measure of grace and the gift.  We can compare grace to the pursuit of life and the gift to the pursuit of power.  Romans 12:3 (NIV) says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you."  Here is a measure of faith.  We can see it as a measure of life.  We will do things according to how much faith God gives us and how deep our spiritual life will be. Don't stretch yourself too much.  For example, perhaps the measure of your faith can only accommodate inviting one person to live in your house as a guest.  But you invited ten people all at once.  You might get overwhelmed, and instead, not be willing to serve in the future. Ephesians 4:7 says, "But grace gives us personal measure according to the gift of Christ."  In other words, God gives you more grace when the measure of the gifts He gave you is large.  If God gives you a gift of lifting 200 pounds, He'll also give you a physical makeup that can withstand 200 pounds.

 

On the one hand, our measure of life and faith limits our gifts.  For example, take a child. His vital capacity is limited, his cardiopulmonary function is limited, and the distance he can swim is limited, just as his gift is limited.  To this extent, the measure of life limits the measure of gifts. But we have heard many testimonies from parents that when a child has asthma symptoms, his cardiopulmonary function is not strong enough, so they insisted on teaching him to swim.  This is like a constant practice of our gifts.  Slowly, the measure of his gift expanded; that is, his swimming ability increased.  And gradually, his cardiopulmonary function improved, and his asthma disappeared.  So at this level, the expansion of the measure of gifts gradually expands the measure of life.  This is a process of dialectical development.  Evangelical pastors who are opposed to learning about gifts are sometimes like the parent with the child who has asthma. They are always worried about what to do if the child has an asthma attack while he is swimming.  What if he drinks the water?  What should I do if he drowns?  It's like what many people, who oppose the pursuit of the filling of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, often say.  If we open ourselves to the spiritual world, what should we do if evil spirits come in?  Their confidence in Satan's destruction is far greater than their faith in God's protection.  These thoughts come from unbelief and not wisdom.  I want to call on evangelical pastors and teachers to re-examine their understanding of speaking in tongues and gifts of the Holy Spirit in prayer, to see if there is a lack of understanding in the truth as well as a lack of faith.  We should do this instead of blindly blaming the Charismatics for letting the evil spirits come in.

 

In other words, the pursuit of spiritual life is like pursuing a new wine, and the pursuit of spiritual gifts is like pursuing a new wineskin.  We are pursuing new wine and a new life, but our new wine can't be stored properly if we don't have a new wineskin.

 

Dear pastors and fellow believers, we have reached the moment where we need to grow further and pursue more gifts.  Let's expand the measure and measurement of our gifts.  Expand the measure of our water pipes.  When the measure of your gifts has expanded, and your gifts and power have grown, you will see exponential growth in your life, and the abundant life in you can be imparted to others.  

 

If a child says to his father, "I will build a house for you.  I want to develop the gift of being a designer."  The father will say, "Son, you are still young.  You should give yourself time to grow up.  Do well in school first.  Then after you grow up, you can study architecture so that you can build a house for me."  But if the child grows up and is ready to build the house, if the father still opposes it, it is no longer normal.

 

In conclusion, those who don't know the baptism of the Holy Spirit and oppose speaking in tongues have not fully grown up in their spiritual lives.  Though they may seem more mature than some Charismatic Christians who blindly pursue gifts and lack depth in their spiritual lives, they are operating in fear.  They are afraid of hurting themselves or others in this pursuit.  Has God given us a spirit of fear?  No!  It is a strong, powerful, and sober-minded Spirit.  Anything that comes from fear is from Satan because fear incorporates unbelief and disobedience.  The key to receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and other gifts is faith and obedience. There is no other method or secret.  I experienced breakthroughs within the framework of evangelical teaching.  It took a long pursuit for me to have breakthroughs in faith and obedience and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  I hope this information is a blessing to you.

 

Bible Study With Jairus - Deuteronomy 14

Bible Study with Jairus – Deuteronomy 14

A Picture of Growing Sanctification

 

Have you ever wished you had a greater capacity to take in God’s love and pour out God’s grace? Have you prayed with the psalmist that God would enlarge your heart? (Psalm 119:32) The more we dedicate ourselves to God, the more he can expand our capacity. The greater our capacity to display God’s glory, the more God’s glory will be revealed to the world until the earth is filled with his glory (Habakkuk 2:14).

In Deuteronomy 14, God’s holy people were instructed to eat clean food and live holy lives. In the same way, we as New Testament believers must walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1). We must walk with God according to the measure of our faith, not beyond our own measure. However, our capacity for faith can continue to expand through our continuous dedication to God.

 

Holy people live holy lives and eat holy food.

The first topic addressed in this chapter is the topic of cutting. Deuteronomy 14:1 says, “You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead.”[1] Cutting oneself or shaving one’s forehead was practiced by idolaters in Canaan. God did not want his people to participate in this idolatrous practice. Instead, he wanted them to remember they are chosen by God: "a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy 14:2). But what practical spiritual meaning does this have for Christians today?

When we as Christians do sinful, unclean things, it’s as if we are cutting our souls. We harm ourselves and hinder our spiritual growth. Sometimes, our sins even cause physical pain.

In my job translating subtitles, I have watched many movies and TV dramas. When I was a young Christian, I wasn’t bothered by foul language or the sensual images that I saw while translating these movies. But as I grew spiritually and God’s calling on my life became more clear, I began to feel conviction. God was raising the bar for my sanctification. I started to feel uncomfortable when I heard foul language on the movies. But because this was my job and it provided good income, I didn’t know what to do. I asked God for wisdom and guidance.

One day, I had a prophetic dream. I saw myself scrubbing green feces off my clothes, scraping them into the toilet. But the stains were very difficult to remove. I also saw a filthy pool up ahead. In the pool, a man was swimming while looking at his iPad or his phone. The pool was very dirty and disgusting.

In my dream, I heard the Holy Spirit speaking. Foul language contaminates our souls and is difficult to remove, just like the green feces on my clothes. Many people are completely immersed in the filth but can’t feel anything. This powerful image shocked me. I decided not to work on these tasks anymore. Although I suffered financial losses, I treasured a clean soul even more than my income.

We can try our best to pursue the gift of prophecy, but if our souls are contaminated by filthy pictures or words, we are harming ourselves, just like Deuteronomy 14 discusses. We are slicing and cutting our hearts and souls. Just like repetitive cutting causes scars and callouses, repetitively seeing filthy pictures and words can scar our imagination. We can become calloused to the point that we no longer clearly hear the words of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we want to pursue the gift of prophecy and hear the voice of God more clearly, we must keep our souls holy and undefiled.

How does the concept of "not shaving your forehead" relate to the Christian experience? Paul says that a woman’s hair is her glory (1 Corinthians 11:15). When a person shaved his or her forehead, they were unable to manifest the glory of God. Today, we can learn that we should manifest God’s glory everywhere we go. We must not fall short of the glory of God.

How can we do this? 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” What we ingest can bring glory to God. Deuteronomy 14:3-20 distinguishes clean animals that can be eaten and unclean animals that cannot be eaten. As Christians, we’re aware that we not only ingest physical food, but we also ingest a steady diet of media and information. What we eat will eventually be integrated into our bodies or our souls. What are we feeding our souls? Are we binge-watching Netflix, or binge-reading the word of the Lord? Are we living by the word of the Lord, rather than by bread alone? (Matthew 4:4). Are we meditating on the Lord’s word and prayer, like chewing the cud? Are we chewing on the Lord's words in order to grow in sanctification? When we eat clean foods, we will naturally manifest God’s glory more.

The Israelites were not allowed to eat anything that had died naturally, but sojourners or foreigners could do so (Deuteronomy 14:21). How do we understand this? This is not difficult to understand. The more sanctified we are, the less comfortable we feel with eating unclean foods and doing unclean things. According to the New Testament, we must walk worthy of our calling.

Growing in our capacity

The second half of verse 21 says, "You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.” This verse is very puzzling. I’ll share my thoughts on this passage. The mother’s milk is used to feed the young goat. Using the milk to boil the goat violates a very basic and nurturing principle of life.

If you break the eggshell that protects the growing chick, you will kill it. When a chick hatches, it will peck through the eggshell by itself. In the same way, it’s cruel to use mother’s milk to boil a baby goat. You would be killing a young life with the food that should have been used to feed it.

In addition, boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk may have been practiced by the seven Canaanite nations while they were worshipping idols. Furthermore, this passage may be teaching a principle about spiritual immaturity. If an immature person stops drinking spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2) and uses it incorrectly, they may die.

As Christians we must be true to ourselves and not pretend that we have reached a level of spiritual maturity that isn’t true. God permits us to serve God according to the measure of faith we have (Romans 12:3). Don’t be too eager to accomplish something that lies outside the capacity that you currently have (Philippians 3:16). Don’t pretend or lie. If we go beyond our capacity, we may burn ourselves out.

Ananias and his wife in Acts 5 pretended to be more dedicated to God than they actually were. God severely disciplined them. This is an extreme case, but it demonstrates that pretending does not please God. Peter told them that they didn’t have to give all the money from the property,  but they should not pretend they did.

In the same way, many Christians don’t want to tithe. If this is the case, they should pray and ask God for his help in this area. However, some Christians who have no desire to tithe still want to pretend that they love the Lord. This is wrong. It is hard to say that you love the Lord when you don’t tithe. The Lord Jesus clearly said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21). God does not want our tithe or money; he wants our hearts.

Many Christians say, “I don’t want to donate money. But I can provide free goods or services for the church, or actively preach the gospel.”

Is this considered a tithe or offering? God commands us to actively preach the gospel and serve the church, so this is still not a replacement for tithing. God wants you to tithe to help you overcome your love of money.

If you’re struggling with tithing, tell God honestly, “I really can't overcome the love of money. I can't do it now. God, please expand my capacity slowly.”  This pleases God. God will help expand your measure gradually. As God expands your capacity to give, you will begin to tithe willingly, from the heart.

In Choo Nam’s book, Heaven is So Real, Choo Nam shares her thoughts on tithing. She says God told her that if Christians don’t tithe, they will be disciplined for their disobedience.[2] I believe that this testimony is true. But even if it is not, we should still tithe according to the principles given in the Bible.

I know how hard it is to do this! Many Christians may not be capable of tithing. But if we really love God, our values will change and this practice will become easier. We will overcome the love of money until we love God even more than we love money.

Tithing is just the beginning.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 also teaches additional principles about giving to support the Levites including tithes. Tithing is only one step towards sanctification. God wants us to give above and beyond tithing.

How much should a New Testament Christian give? Watchman Nee said that in the New Testament we should give 100%, not 10%. Because Jesus bought us with His blood, we all belong to Him. We belong to God 100%. After we give everything to God, we then appropriate some of His abundance to use in our daily lives. He also said we should “…follow the word in 2 Corinthians 9:7, which says that each person should give according to the order of God. He may donate a half, a third, a tenth, or a twentieth of his income.” [3]

If you understand this spiritual principle, you can understand the mistakes made by the Israelites, especially the Pharisees. They believed that once they tithed, their money was theirs to use as they wished. Since they had already tithed, they saw no need to financially support their parents. The Lord Jesus said, "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others." (Luke 11:42). The Pharisees thought that tithing was enough. They completely misunderstood God’s purposes in the area of tithing.

God’s work is constantly expanding in capacity. In the Old Testament, the Levites were set apart for the priesthood. In the New Testament, every Christian is a priest. Unbelievers are not set apart to God as priests. In the Old Testament, there was a difference between clean animals and unclean animals. But in the New Testament, God revealed to Peter that all foods were clean. The Gentiles were not accepted in the past, but they are accepted today.

Cleansing and sanctification is a process. Something that used to be unclean becomes clean. Someone who used to be rejected becomes accepted. God’s work is constantly expanding. We should never settle for the capacity, measure, or level of giving we currently have. We should always be open to more.

It is wrong to think that tithing is enough, or that the Levites are the only priests of God. The Levites were priests at first. Then all Israelites were priests to the Gentiles. Now, all Christians are priests. Non-believers who are currently not priests may be saved tomorrow and become priests of God as well.

God wants us to continually grow in sanctification so that more people, Jew and Gentile alike, will join God’s holy priesthood through Jesus Christ. It is never acceptable to say, “I already gave yesterday, so I don't need to give today.” You can’t say, “My spirit is saved and I am delivered from hell. I don’t need God’s continued sanctification, renewal, and change. I don’t need to offer my body as a living sacrifice.” It’s also wrong to say, “Since I’ve already given 10% to God, I can use the remaining 90% on myself.”

Instead, we must allow the life and glory of God to continue to expand our hearts. Giving 10% is only a foretaste. We need to dedicate ourselves 100% to God. Whether material tithing or spiritual dedication, there is a process of gradual and continual expansion.

If you say, “I can’t overcome the love of money today. I still can’t tithe,” look for light and inspiration in God’s word. Don’t simply read the text of the Bible. Instead, look for light and inspiration in its pages. God’s truth can illuminate the dark places in your heart and fill you with God’s light. The light of God’s word can impact you and shock you, leading to a breakthrough. If you say, “I still can't overcome the love of money,” pray and ask God to expand your capacity. God will certainly help you.

Growing in sanctification

How many Chinese are Christians? Is it one-tenth? This 10% who are believers represent the Levites. We are the first to be sanctified. We want to reflect God’s glory so that more people can see His light and come to know Him. We must experience renewal and change in order to manifest God’s glory more and more. We must experience more sanctification so that more Chinese people can be sanctified.

Tithing is just one example of sanctification. If we are unable to surrender to God in these practical ways, God will not occupy a very big space in our hearts. It will be difficult for God to manifest Himself through us. We will hinder God's work of sanctification, both in our own hearts and in the hearts of others around us.

It is important for us to obey God externally, but it is even more important for us to obey God on the inside. If we are willing to surrender to God in tithing, this proves that our love for God surpasses our love for money. Our giving not only supplies funds for the work of God, but it also shows that we are free from the love of money. This allows God’s presence and glory to shine through us.

Expectations for Chinese Christians

If we want to change China today, we must start with ourselves as Chinese Christians. We can start by obeying God, allowing God to change us, tithing, dedicating ourselves to God, and growing in sanctification. You and I cannot do this on our own, but we can pray to God and ask for His help. Only when we ingest God’s word can real change happen. We must take in God’s word, chew on it, and allow it to change us and others around us.

When we live in the Holy of Holies, we can bring others into the very presence of God. If we live in the outer courtyard, we can only bring others into the outer courtyard. The degree to which we experience sanctification and closeness to God determines the degree to which we can bring others close to God. We must increase our dedication, expand our capacity, become more holy, and manifest God’s glory.

I shared this message in a Chinese Bible meeting, but the same principles apply to every Christian. If Christians in the United States continue to sanctify themselves and dedicate themselves to the Lord more and more, it will bring about social changes.

 

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

[2] Choo Thomas, Heaven is So Real! (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2003), 213.

[3] Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony (Anaheim, CA, 1991), 29.

Spiritual Encounters with Chinese Jews

Spiritual Encounters with Chinese Jews

By Sean Song

 

Since the beginning of my prophetic dreams in 2015, I frequently have been taken in the Spirit to China to meet various people. In these encounters, I observed services and meetings of Chinese believers. I also traveled to different cities to meet all kinds of people. Many of these encounters were accompanied by a mysterious person. I believe it was either the Holy Spirit or angels that took me on these trips. During several of these trips, I encountered descendants of Chinese Jews, and this stunned me. I was even told in several dreams that I personally am a descendant of a Chinese Jew. After praying about these encounters, I believe God is prophetically calling the remnants of the Jews in the East to be part of the great revival that is to come in China, and the future revival to the Middle East and Israel.

 

Encounters with Chinese Jews

I have never personally met any Chinese Jews nor am I aware of any possible connections with my own Jewish heritage, so these encounters shocked me at first. However, I will let these dreams speak for themselves. They are recorded below in chronical order.

 

On May 19^th, 2016, I dreamt of visiting a few different places, one of which was my hometown village. In this dream, the mysterious person who accompanied me told me that the two daughters from my uncle’s family are Jewish descendants. Their father is my father’s cousin. Their grandfather is the older brother of my grandfather. I grew up with these two ladies in the same village. Naturally, I was surprised after being told about their Jewish heritage. I wondered if I was also a Jewish descendant. Just then my grandmother (my father’s mother) appeared and told me that one of our ancestors is a Jewish woman. My grandmother also mentioned that one of our male ancestors was a sinful man who committed sinful acts with this Jewish woman. My grandmother did not mention the identity of this man, but I made note that she specifically said we were born of a Jewish woman and are therefore Jewish descendants according to Jewish tradition.

 

Right then, the two small Jewish girls appeared in my dream, but I conversed with them as if I did not know where they came from. I left them my US phone number and asked them to visit me if they ever came to America. Then my third aunt (my father’s younger sister) appeared in the dream, and we started to discuss the heritage of these two Jewish girls. I said to my aunt, “These two Jewish girls do not look Jewish at all, do they?” I meant that they looked more Chinese in appearance. I continued speaking to my aunt, “You look more like a Jewish person or foreigner than them!” Upon saying this, her face suddenly impressed me. I noticed that her face did have foreign or non-Chinese features to it. When I woke up from the dream, I was reminded that in real life, my aunt’s appearance is indeed different than the normal Chinese people I grew up with.

 

On October 22, 2016, I was taken in a dream to another place in China to participate in a service with a lot of people. When the service was about to close, I noticed two Jewish rabbis. One was young and the other old. The younger rabbi started in a closing prayer. Although I don’t understand Hebrew, I knew in the Spirit that he was praying in Hebrew. His prayer seemed so cumbersome though. When he was halfway finished, he asked to restart his prayer and the older rabbi agreed to let him pray again. I did not know what he was praying about, but I felt he was learning to pray or minister under the older rabbi. It was clear, however, that he was not very good at it.

 

On April 26^th, 2017, I was taken to Beijing. Most of my encounters with people there were with Chinese Christians. One man interestingly told me he was a descendant of the Jewish people. I boldly commented back to him in the dream, “Me too. I have always thought that I was one of the descendants of the ten lost tribes of Israel. I am also a Chinese Jew.”

 

On September 4, 2017, I dreamt I was taken to my childhood village. There I encountered another villager who claimed to be a Chinese Jew. I have never met this person in real life. To my surprise, he told me in English that he was Jewish. Of course, his identity stood out to me because of the several dreams I had prior about my Jewish lineage. Before I knew it, I was interviewing him in Chinese. He said he became a Red Revolutionist in his lifetime, and he loved China. Nonetheless, he was happy to tell me about his Jewish identity and eventually his life story. He wanted his story to be passed on to next generation. This was why I was asked to interview him.

 

The Amazing Stories of the Kaifeng Jews

At first, these dreams puzzled me because I was not aware that any Jews lived in China before the twentieth century, nor did I think I had any personal connection with them. I knew that many Jewish people fled from Europe to China during World War II to escape Nazi rule, but I was not aware of any Jewish communities in China before that. Therefore, I started to search the internet for Chinese Jewish communities. I found stories about a group of descendants named the Kaifeng Jews who were immigrants who lived in China. A small group of them eventually moved back to Israel in 2016. However, due to Israel’s immigrant policy and the fact the Kaifeng Jews were almost assimilated into Chinese culture, they had to formally convert to become Jewish.

 

I went on to read more stories of the Kaifeng Jews, and what I found was astonishing to me. When the Italian Jesuit priest, Matteo Ricci went to China in 1582, he found favor with a Chinese emperor. At the time, one of the Kaifeng Jews, Ai Tian, had gone to Beijing to take the imperial examination. While there, he heard that someone from the West believed in the same monist God that he did, so he went to visit Matteo Ricci. Upon seeing a picture of Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist, he misinterpreted it as Rebecca and her two sons. He thought Matteo Ricci was a Jew, and Matteo Ricci thought Ai Tian was a follower of Nestorianism, which came to China in the sixth century.

 

Later, Matteo Ricci found out Ai Tian was a Jew, and this is when the West discovered the Chinese Jewish community that had been in China for over 1000 years. The Kaifeng Jews started to live in the city of Kaifeng since at least the Song dynasty (AD 960-1279). Ricci and Ai Tian started having more interactions, and Matteo Ricci wanted to convert them to Christianity. Ricci even tried to find their Torah to prove that European Jews tampered with the manuscript regarding the coming of Jesus. To his dismay, the Kaifeng community did not convert to Christianity and the Torah they found among Kaifeng Jews was the same as the European manuscripts used at that time. Ricci’s people did take advantage of the opportunity to record a drawing of their temple along with many other stories. Several stones in Kaifeng describe how the Chinese Jews came to China. One of the stones suggests that some Jews received divine instruction to come to China even though many scholars suspected they came either by the Silk Road or Sea Route for doing business. Through historical records, we know the Kaifeng city was flooded and invaded many times during and after the Song dynasty, and many Jews fled North. Their community started to dwindle, and all their manuscripts were sold to western missionaries. One reason for this was also because the old rabbi there died, and his son was unlearned in Hebrew and other traditions.

 

An Unexpected Journey of Emotional Healing

The dream I had earlier about the two rabbis makes more sense in light of the history of the Kaifeng Jewish community. I was not aware of the historical reality of the older rabbi who died and his younger son who was inept to carry on Hebrew tradition. Although I still don’t know about any personal familial connection to the Kaifeng Jews, my hometown was only 196 kilometers north of Kaifeng. My village is one village away from the boarder of the Henan province where Kaifeng is. My grandmother was born in the village that bordered the Henan province. Though it’s now part of another province, our hometown was part of the Henan province (before the 1900s) that now governs Kaifeng.

 

Interestingly, one famous Chinese celebrity, Song Dandan, openly claims that she may be a descendant of the Kaifeng Jews. Her mom is from the Henan province where Kaifeng resides. She explained that she was bullied as a child because her skin was white, and her nose was pointy. She hated the fact that her skin was so white. She was even given the nicknames “Romania girl” and “golden monkey.” Her experience is not unique. As I grew up, I realized that my skin was whiter and more different than some of my villagers and classmates. One student always picked on me for this. He gave me the nickname “little white face” which in Chinese represents a man who sells himself to women to survive.

 

I really hated that name and I asked him to stop, but he wouldn’t. I had fights with other students who beat me up. This emotional trauma caused me to hate my skin color. I wanted to be black or darker. I tried to tan myself, but that did not work. I later read news that one can have lighter or white skin color due to premature birth. This worsened my perspective and caused me to believe I was born prematurely. I even asked my mother if this was true. Although she denied it, I still believed the lie that I was born weak. I likened “blackness” or “darker skin” to “strong” and “powerful,” while “white” meant “pale” and “weak.” I even recall discussing with a female high school classmate our desire to swap skin color because she was not happy with her dark skin, and I was not happy with my lighter skin. This was a large emotional burden I carried growing up. Years later I told this story to my African American fitness coach in Washington DC, and he laughed at me for being discriminated against for my "whiteness" in China. We soon became friends.

 

I don’t have evidence that I am also a descendent of any Chinese Jews besides what has been revealed to me in these dreams. I even did a DNA test once and it only shows I am Chinese. However, if my dreams are true, this could be emotionally healing to me. I felt so awful about myself and my skin color when I was a child. It would be comforting if I did have some Jewish lineage and to know I was not born prematurely.

 

A Prophetic Remnant

I don’t think these prophetic dreams are solely personal. They are also meant to sound a prophetic bell for the end age. Isaiah 43:5 says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.” (NRSV) God is calling His remnants from all over the world to come back to Israel. Even though only a small number of Chinese Jews embarked on a journey to become a Jew by conversion, I feel there are more descendants of Jews spread among the Chinese that may not be aware of it at all. Take me for example. As a Chinese person, I never thought of the remnants of Jews in China until I had these prophetic dreams. Whether man knows it or not and whether the world acknowledges it or not, the Lord knows His people and is calling His people back to Israel and Himself. I recall other encounters with Jesus like when I received my calling to be part of the coming Chinese revival, and I felt then as I do now that God is calling His remnant of people in China to be converted to Christians.

 

One of the Chinese men I encountered in these dreams was a brother who served in a church. He also told me he is a Chinese Jew. Many Jewish people from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union converted to Christianity because they did not have a strong religious mindset. Yet, they became a very important part of the churches in modern Israel when they immigrated to Israel. Likewise, I feel some of these Chinese Jews will become Christians too. Lest I forget that I was also shown in another prophetic dream that the great revival coming to China will eventually spread to the Middle East. I also believe many Chinese Christians will be sent out as missionaries to Muslim countries and Israel. Among them, it’s possible that Jewish descendants may come back to Israel in a different way. Maybe they will be part of the end of age revival in Israel and help usher in the return of Jesus Christ.

 

How exciting it is to imagine and see Israelite families saved. Though there are different ideas about how the whole household of Israel will be saved, I believe there will be a great revival in Israel in the end age. I hope the descendants of Chinese Jews play their parts in it. If it is true that God divinely instructed some Jews to go to China, there must be a great plan of God for them in the end of this age.

 

Bible Study with Jairus -1 Corinthians 10

Bible Study with Jairus -1 Corinthians 10

 

In 1 Corinthians 10, we read a beautiful description of Jesus’ presence with the Israelites in the wilderness. The verse says that the Israelites “all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."[1] (1 Corinthians 10:4, ESV)

 

This verse is beautiful, but it puzzles me. Why couldn’t the Israelites sense the presence of Christ, their spiritual Rock? Even now, looking back on the wilderness wandering accounts, we as believers don’t recognize the presence of Jesus with the Israelites. How could Paul be so confident that He was really with them?

 

Perhaps the Israelites were unable to see Jesus walking with them, just like the disciples did not recognize the resurrected Christ the first time they saw him. Whether walking to Emmaus or fishing on the seashore, the disciples had a hard time recognizing the resurrected Christ. Perhaps in the same ways, the Israelites were unable to recognize Christ, the spiritual Rock who accompanied them.

 

Eyes to See

We don’t directly read in the Old Testament that the spiritual Rock that followed the Israelites was Christ. The Israelites themselves couldn’t feel His presence. They did not believe. They rebelled, worshiped idols, were sexually immoral, tested Christ, and complained. They didn’t trust his presence with them. Just like the disciplines were unable to see the resurrected Christ when He was walking with them to Emmaus, the Israelites were also blinded. For various reasons, they were unable to recognize Christ as he walked with them to the Promised Land.

 

When the Lord Jesus explained the prophecies about himself to the disciples on to the road to Emmaus, their hearts burned within them. When He broke the bread during their meal with him, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. The story of the Lord walking with the disciples to Emmaus and opening their hearts and eyes is a beautiful picture of the spiritual Rock described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10.

 

The Israelites in the wilderness needed their eyes to be opened to the presence of Jesus, who had been there all along. The Israelites could not have deep fellowship with God or recognize his presence, because they were communing with demons and living in greed, immorality, and idolatry.

 

Paul warned the believers in Corinth to learn from the Israelites’ mistakes. The Corinthians in Paul’s day were falling into the same trap. They needed to let go of their fellowship with demons and idols and embrace constant fellowship with the body and blood of the Lord. Only then would their minds and spiritual eyes be gradually opened so they could recognize the Lord's presence among them.

 

 

The same is true for Christians today. The resurrected Christ has been among us this whole time, but we often don’t recognize his presence. We must sever our attachment to our idols and increase our connection with Jesus’ body and blood. As we do, Christ’s presence will fill our lives. Our minds and spiritual eyes will be gradually open, and we will see the resurrected Christ.

 

Seeing Spiritual Reality

In verses 1-4, Paul draws back the curtain and shows us what was going on behind the scenes during the wilderness wanderings. The Old Testament record tells us the daily events that happened in the physical realm. But in 1 Corinthians, Paul reveals what was happening in the spiritual realm—things that the Israelites could not see and that we can’t read about in the Old Testament text.

 

Why could Paul see this spiritual Rock, but the Israelites couldn’t? Paul says, “The natural person is not able to understand all things because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things.” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15). Paul is a spiritual person, so he can perceive these spiritual realities.

 

What Paul described in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 is a spiritual reality. He is not just inventing a parable or metaphor. Instead, he’s revealing the behind-the-scenes reality. When the Israelites were traveling through the sea and following the cloud, they were being baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. That is the spiritual reality. When the Israelites ate manna and drank water from the rock, they were eating spiritual food and water. This spiritual water came from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock is Christ (verse 4).

 

Let’s focus on the word, “followed,” a word that the Holy Spirit highlights when we read this passage. How exactly did Christ follow the Israelites? Did the Israelites carry a rock, just like they carried the ark of the covenant?

 

No, I don’t believe they did. Paul says that Christ was the spiritual Rock that followed them. Paul never says that he was visible. Most likely, he was an invisible spiritual Rock. When Moses struck the rock as the Lord commanded, perhaps this spiritual Rock joined with the physical rock to produce water.

 

In the material realm, the Israelites saw Moses striking a physical rock. They saw water gushing out of a physical stone. But in the spiritual realm, the water was spiritual water gushing out of Christ, the spiritual rock.

 

An example may help you understand. When we lay hands on people and pray in church, the action means much more than simply placing hands on someone’s head. Instead, it means that Jesus Christ is spiritually placing his hands and his power on someone’s life. Many people who have prophetic gifts and gifts of healing testify that the Lord can lay hands through our hands to heal the sick. These gifted people sometimes can see into the spiritual realms. But since we don't have our spiritual eyes open, we often can’t see these spiritual realities. It’s important to open our spiritual eyes and our minds.

 

A Veiled Heart

In verses 5-11, Paul described a veil that covered the Israelites’ hearts. The people were full of greed, idolatry, immorality, and grumbling. They tempted Christ and distrusted his promises. They were disciplined, and their hearts were covered with a veil of darkness and confusion. The veil over their hearts kept them from seeing Christ, the spiritual Rock that was following them. Paul says that “to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” (2 Corinthians 3:15-16).

 

If we still can’t understand that Christ was the spiritual Rock who was following the Israelites, then there’s a possibility that we have a veil over our hearts, just like the Israelites in the Old Testament. Sins like idolatry and greed blind our hearts to God’s presence. Like the disciples walking to Emmaus, our minds need to be opened by Christ so we can see Christ in the Old Testament. The breaking of bread, which is fellowship with Christ’s blood and body, opens our spiritual eyes so we can see the spiritual rock in the Old Testament.

 

When Christ opens our eyes, we can also see that the resurrected Christ is with us in our lives today. Christ was not only with the Israelites in the Old Testament, but he is with us every day (Matthew 28:20). How many Christians can truly see the resurrected Christ? Often, our hearts and minds are blinded and veiled by idols and sins. We need to sever our relationship with idols and strengthen our fellowship with Christ's blood and body. Then, our eyes will be opened to see the presence of the resurrected Christ.

 

The Way of Escape

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 says, "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

 

Here, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to learn from the history of the Israelites. God allowed trials that would test the Israelites and see if they would remain true to him. When prophets performed signs and tried to convince them to worship false gods, the Israelites were being tested (Deuteronomy 13:1-4). Would they remain true to God?

 

In the same way, the wilderness wanderings were a test for the Israelites. A test is not an end, but a means. The purpose of the test is to make our faith more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7).

 

Rather than passing the test through faith, the Israelites stumbled and rebelled. Paul challenged the Corinthians to respond differently to their trials. The culture of Corinth provided a test for the Corinthians. Their city was full of immorality and idolatry. Would they stay true to God?

 

Paul promised that their tests would not be more than they could bear. The trials would not overtake them. God would provide a way of escape, according to their ability. He will do the same for us.

 

What is this way of escape? Paul explains this concept in verses 14-22. We can escape sin when we cut off our fellowship with idols. First Corinthians 10:21 says, “You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” The essence of the table is fellowship. Paul asked the Corinthians to cut off their fellowship with idols. When someone is joined to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her. In the same way, when we are joined to the Lord, we become one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:15-17). We should not be unified with idols, but with Jesus.

 

Having fellowship with idols will put a veil in our hearts, making us unable to see the resurrected Christ. At the same time, our union with sin can increase our ability to perceive sins. As we fellowship with Christ through His blood and body (represented by the bread), we cleanse ourselves of sin, get rid of our filth, and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). In this way, we cultivate an atmosphere of God's presence. This is the secret to opening our minds and spiritual eyes so we can see the spiritual Rock. He followed the Israelites in the Old Testament, he appeared as the resurrected Christ in the New Testament, and he is still with us today.

 

Seeing Christ in others

In verses 23-33, Paul discusses food sacrificed to idols. Paul says that in the Lord, all foods are clean. In one way, it makes no difference whether or not you eat a particular food. But Paul also explains that different believers have different weaknesses, temptations, and convictions.

 

One believer may have completely overcome the temptation to eat food sacrificed to idols, so they see no problem with eating meat. However, other believers came from an idolatrous family environment. They believe that once they are saved, they should never again eat food sacrificed to idols. Their consciences are weaker. Because of this, Paul recommends that stronger believers should not touch food sacrificed to idols. He asks the mature believers not to eat these foods so as not to hurt people with weak consciences.

 

A person who has recently been set free from idolatry is still operating in the “sin consciousness” thinking mode. Many new believers have the same experience. They feel like they’re walking on thin ice. They are very fearful of falling back into sin or stumbling back into the worship of idols.

 

When I first learned to drive, I was so nervous that I held the steering wheel with both hands. I wanted to avoid any and all potential danger. I was so afraid of losing control of the vehicle that I was hypervigilant. But once I got good at driving, I relaxed. I became so comfortable with driving that I sometimes use only one hand. Other people use no hands, and only nudge the steering wheel with their knees when they need to! In the same way, people with a weak conscience are very vigilant about avoiding sin, while people who are more mature feel more relaxed.

 

Mature believers know that God has cleansed every food and drink. They are not so worried about what they eat and drink. They are free from idolatry—so free that they don’t even let their thoughts be enslaved with worry about idols. Idols are nothing. Because God has made everything clean, these mature believers don't care about idols at all. These believers are operating in "God Consciousness" instead of “sin consciousness.” They neither worship idols, nor do they fear eating food sacrificed to idols.

 

Paul asks the believers to enter a third stage of Christian maturity, the "Brother Consciousness" thinking mode. Although they are no longer afraid of eating foods sacrificed to idols, they must consider the feelings of their weak brothers. They must love their neighbors as themselves.  They should avoid eating food sacrificed to idols so as not to become a stumbling block to their Christian brothers and sisters.

 

Let’s consider the driving parable again. I may be very good at driving, but I should still be vigilant and considerate around a student driver. I can drive very fast with one hand on the steering wheel, but I should be mindful and courteous of other drivers. If I see a student driver running a red light, I must stop at my own green light to avoid hitting him or her. Even though I am not required by law to stop at the green light, I do it out of respect to the student driver.

 

When we love our neighbors as ourselves, not only can we see the resurrected Christ, but we can also see Christ in others. The Lord Jesus said that we often focus on the speck in another person’s eye but ignore the log in our own eyes (Matthew 7:3). We often despise our weaker brothers, even though in heaven their angels always see the face of His Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10). Jesus said that it is better to hang a millstone around our neck and be cast into the sea than to cause our brothers to sin (Luke 17:2). Like the Corinthians, we are not only blind to Jesus’ presence with us, but we are often blind to his presence in others.

 

There is still racism in the church, which shows that we as believers are still living in our flesh, just like the Israelites in the Old Testament. It also shows that we may still have idols in our hearts. Our minds have not been opened, and we cannot see the resurrected Christ.

 

When our minds and spiritual eyes are opened, we will not only see the resurrected Christ, but we will also see Christ in our African American, White, Asian and Hispanic brothers. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." We must not regard anyone according to the flesh. Instead, we should see Christ in them. The first thing we should notice about a brother or sister in Christ is that Jesus is in them—not the color of their skin.

 

Paul's words are based on his experience. When he thought that persecuting Christians was the same as serving God, he was regarding Christ according to the flesh. But the Lord Jesus told him that persecuting Christians is the same as persecuting Him. We are all members of Christ’s body, and He is our head. Paul not only learned to see Christ differently, but he also learned to see His children differently. Paul deeply realized that in Christ, all believers are new creations! If we still see people based on their color of skin, we are persecuting Christ just like Paul once did!

 

To solve the problem of racism in American society, the church needs to be a role model.  When the church becomes spiritually mature, she will be able to see the resurrected Christ. She will be able to see Christ in other believers. Christians will be able to live in love.

 

All external efforts to solve racism are useless until we open our minds and spiritual eyes to see the resurrected Christ and the "resurrected Christ" in others. Only this can bring revolutionary change. That’s why Paul especially prayed for us believers "to have the eyes of our hearts enlightened" (Ephesians 1:18).

 

Unity and Love

In verse 32, Paul said, "Never be a stumbling block to the Jews, Greeks, or the church of God." This sentence reminds us of the theme of the whole book of 1 Corinthians: love and unity. Paul is not opposed to eating meat and speaking in tongues. But if he knows his action will make his brother stumble, he will not do it. This is the "brother consciousness" thinking mode I mentioned earlier. We must continuously grow spiritually, moving past the "sin consciousness" mode and even the "God consciousness” mode to reach the "brother consciousness" thinking mode.

 

No wonder some people say that if we love God, we will love others. The Lord Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40). The apostle John also said, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:20-21).

 

This is Paul's burden in 1 Corinthians 10. He encourages the Corinthians who are at odds with one another to choose love. When we free ourselves from idols and fellowship with the blood and body of Christ, God will open our spiritual eyes and minds. We will be able to see the resurrected Christ. Instead of looking at outward characteristics, we’ll see Christ in our brothers and sisters. As we regard people according to the spirit rather than according to the flesh, we will see each other differently. Only then will we be able to truly love each other.

 

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