耶穌基督的信實
English
鼎为炼银，炉为炼金
想问个问题，箴27:21 鼎为炼银，炉为炼金，人的称赞也试炼人。
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives. （NIV）
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,and a man is tested by his praise.(ESV)
这两个英文版本是一个意思吗，his praise是指他对别人的赞扬还是他得到的别人对他的赞扬，因为我一直是按照NIV的意思理解的，是人面对别人的夸奖时是对自己的试炼，但是又看到ESV的his praise，所以有点疑惑，如果是他对别人的夸奖呢，但是想想自己夸奖别人的时候有的时候也算是对自己的试炼，是出于真心或者是假意。但是不能随我的意思强解，所以想问问，不好意思！
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Dear Sister,
Praise the Lord!
Very nice question. Let me try to literally translated from original text (BHS Hebrew):
Pro 27:21 Crucible to silver and furnace to gold, and man to mouth of his praise.
前半節” 鼎为炼银，炉为炼金”的理解是比較肯定的.後半節可理解成两种可能:
1. 人(man)是鼎是炉,他口中的称赞(mouth of his praise)是银是金; 或是：
2. 他口中的称赞(mouth of his praise) 是鼎是炉, 人(man) 是银是金
從原文的結構上看似乎神要用人(鼎炉)來炼人口說的話(银金),畢竟人是屬土的(鼎炉),話是屬靈的(银金),人是暫時的,話是永存的.
所以#1或許較接近耶穌的意思.
Amen.
Let me know if this answer your question.
In Him
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感谢主，
很感谢，也就是说用我们这个世界的躯体，去经历神，去除我们的罪，达到圣洁，然后可以反映在我们的口中，时时赞美，处处能造就人，话就是灵，是这个意思吗
再次感谢，神的话句句都是炼净的，但愿我们能天天查考，得着从神而来的智慧，阿门
这又带来一个问题，就是可能很多经文都是在随自己的意思强解，所以要多求神给我们智慧去解开他的话语，求神给我信心能够相信神在给我们话语的同时也会保守我们正确的理解，阿门！
还是要感谢，想想很多话语都是一句就读过去了，也没想，但是就那么一本圣经，却是一辈子读可能也不能完全领会，难怪以前带领我们的长者会说他有好多问题等着问神呢，真是阿门！
也求神帮助我在这个浮躁的社会中真的不受世界的诱惑和干扰，单单注目神，并紧紧抓住神，阿门！
How old was Shem when he begat Arphaxad?
"I have a question and don't know shall I stick to scuh details or not, or it might be a translation question: How old was Shem when he begat Arphaxad? in Gen 5:32, And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And in Gen 7:11 when flood came Noah was 600 year old. But in Gen 11:10, Shem [was] an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: Does this mean Shem only was 98 years old when flood came? But according to Gen 5:32 and 7:11, Shem should be 100 years old already. thank you."
Dear Sister:
Praise the Lord that you pay attention to details. You are right that most of translations including Chinese Union Version (和合本) and King James Version did not accurately translate Gen 11:10. So that’s why we need Faith Version (信實本):
(Faith Version) Gen 11:10 These [are] the generations of Shem: Shem begat a son at one hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:
In Gen 11:10: Shem begat a son at one hundred years old: the son was Elam (Gen 10:22). Arphaxad is the 3rd son of Shem. So when Arphaxad was born, Shem was 102 years old.
Make sense now? Praise the Lord that he is faithful and makes no mistake! Amen.
Believe: Passive or Active?
Dear Brother: Peace in the Lord. I have few questions and would like your help to answer:
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Believe (4100, verb): in New Testament, it appears 245 times. In Gospel of John alone, “believe” appears 99 times, which is about 40% out of 245 times. In Romans, “believe” appears 21 times. But Faith (4102, noun, which is the subject of the Faith Version: Holy Bible of His Faith) occurs 242 times in New Testament. In Romans, “faith” appears 40 times. However, in Gospel of John, “faith” was not used at all. Why so?
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“Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Rom 3:22) The “believe” in this verse is active present tense. In Romans, it is frequently indicating that a man believes in active voice, for example, “Abraham believed God” (Rom 4:3) (however, in LXX Septuagint translation, “believe” is a passive voice.) From my understanding, according to the original text, the verb “believe” supposes to be in passive voice to convince the “subject” it associated. Thus Romans 10:10, kardiva/ gaVr pisteuvetai eij" dikaiosuvnh (for heart is believed unto righteousness) the verb “believe” here is passive present tense. So my question is: should a man “believe” in Christ in passive voice or in active voice? I believe that God's Holy Spirit moves a man to believe thus a passive voice. Would a active voice “believe” mean that a man was moved (passively) by Holy Spirit to believe first, then he believes “actively” afterward.
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In Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”, the “justified” is a passive voice past tense verb (justify, 1344, verb), similarly in Romans 3:28. However, in Romans 10:10, the verb “believe” is in passive voice present tense, the “justification” becomes a noun (dikaiosuvnhn, 1343, noun). Some commentary indicated that here the “believe” is a general statement thus recommended to translate into “it is believed” (A.T.Robertson). Similar to above questions, does the “justification” also has two stages of process as “believe”: to be moved by Holy Spirit to believe (passive) to be justified (passive) then actively believe and actively justify. If so, why the “believe” in Romans 10:10 is till in passive voice?
In summary, the questions above are asking: our “believe” is a “passive” or “active” voice? our “justification” is an “action” or a “status”? From a sinner point of view, I don't think that a man can “actively” believe. Therefore I still cannot understand how can a man stay in the righteousness (if he cannot “actively” believe).
Last, when the Gospel of John mentioned that our salvation is because we believe, as I mentioned in the question 1, in Gospel of John, the verb “believe” appears only in active voice and present tense, but in Romans, the verb “believe” appears many times in passive voice. Would this indicate that the justification is through passive believe, but the salvation is through active believe? If so, then it contradicts with my 2nd question: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3) it is active “believe” and justified.
Dear Brother,
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ that he raised us from death!
We were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1).
Would a spiritual dead person believe in Jesus?
Would a spiritual dead person praise the God?
Actually the answer shall be very simple: No.
In Romans 10:10, the solution for the “passive” believe is in Genesis 15:6.
In English or Greek, there are only three voices for a verb: active, passive and reflexive.
But in Hebrew, a verb may have seven major voices (stems). In Gen 15:6, “he believed in the LORD”, the verb “he believes” (in Hebrew pronounced as Ha_Amen) is neither “active”, nor “passive”. It is “hiphil” stem. What is “hiphil” stem? Hiphil stem (voice) means: the hidden subject causes the subject to do the same. So in Hebrew, “he believed in the LORD” it means “(Jesus believes in the LORD causes) he believed in the LORD”. Jesus is the hidden subject and Juses is the only life that believes the LORD unto death! And Jesus gave his life (faith) to “he” (the subject) to do the same which is “believes in the LORD”. Therefore, when I say “I believe in Jesus”, in Hebrew (hiphil voice) that means “(Jesus/God/Holy Spirit) causes me to believe in Jesus!”
Paul is a Jew and when he was writing kardiva/ gaVr pisteuvetai eij" dikaiosuvnh (for the heart is believed unto righteousness) in Romans 10:10, he cannot find a “hiphil” voice in Greek. Therefore, Paul used the “passive” voice of believe to indicate “hiphil” voice that “the heart is caused (by Jesus/God/Holy Spirit/His Faith) to believe unto righteousness.
A patient was dying of kidney failure. A gentleman with loving kindness was willing to give this patient his own healthy kidney. After one week of a successful operation, a doctor congratulated the patient and said: congratulations! YOUR kidney function is normal now!
I would like to ask you a question: WHOSE kidney is this?
Jesus loves us. He saw we were dead (kidney was not functioning! faith is not working! not able to believe! already dead!) in trespasses and sins. He decided to die for us on the cross and paid for our sins. He then was raised on the third day and now he gave us his own life of faith. The Faith of Jesus Christ is actually the operation of God who has raised him from the dead. His Faith thus operates in us and causes us to believe in God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. Today He tells us: YOUR faith has saved you! (Mat 9:22, Mak 10:52, Luk 8:48)
I would like to ask you the same question: WHOSE faith is this? (Whose actively “believe” in the Gospel of John?)
In the Bible, the verb “believe” is neither active nor passive, it is “hiphil” the action of the ONE who is actively saving us even up to today! He is alive! Amen.
We are currently study Romans in our weekly Bible study, welcome to join us!
Today
Psalm 2:7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters, when the LORD said to our Lord Jesus Christ “You are my Son; Today I have begotten you.” in this verse which date is “Today”? Monday? Tuesday?…. Saturday? Sunday? a day in the past? Or a day in the future?
Hebrews 4:6-7 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."
In the old testament, God made a covenant with Israel through the observance of Sabbath day (Exo 20:8) in order to save them from their own labor and burden to enter His rest to be saved. But Israel did not obey His word (gospel), therefore they cannot enter His rest (salvation). The law of seventh day Sabbath failed. There is no not even one entering His rest (salvation) through observing the law of Sabbath. Therefore God again for his mercy set a certain day for His beloved children to enter His rest to be saved. Which date is that “certain day”? God calls it “Today”, he said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (Psm 95:7-8) Dear Brothers and Sisters, if Today we hear his voice, and are cut to the heart (Act 2:37), then we shall not harden our hearts, let's rest our own work, obediently enter His rest. Today we shall be born again from Holy Spirit and become His son.
Our God is God of Today. He said “I am who I am”(Exo 3:14). “I am” in the original text is not only the present tense but also the present progressive tense. In the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no past tense: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone. The new is here! (2Co 5:17) In the Lord Jesus Christ, there is no future tense: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Mat 6:34) In the Lord Jesus Christ, there is only Today Now: Jesus answered him, “Truely I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luk 23:43)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, today let us call upon the name of our saviour Jesus Christ who loves us to the end and died for us unto the cross, now let us pray to Him to give us the life of resurrection. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. (2Co 6:2) Oh, Lord, if you are willing, then Today I am able to rest my own work, and Now I am able to enter your rest. May you hear my voice, Oh, Lord, may you speak to me according to your promise: "You are my Son; Today I have begotten you.” Amen! Hallelujah! Thank you, Abba, Father.
True God
Whether a person believes in God or not, deep in his/her heart, he/she might from time to time reason something releated to God.
No matter you know there is a God or not, but in this world there is indeed a true God and false gods.
Here is an interesting description of a false god:
Psm 115:4-8 “Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.”
Then you might ask, how about the true God? How to tell the true God from a false god? Actually it is easy to tell the true God from a false one: the true God only gives and does not ask for return: the true God gives us life, the true God gives us air, the true God gives us sun, the true God gives us water…, He will not ask us to pay for the air we breathe, He will not ask us to pay for the sunshine we enjoy, …., the true God only gives, because everything is His, if He indeed needs something He does not need to tell us, but there is one thing He would delight to have: that's our thanksgiving:
Psm 50:7-15: Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I [am] God, [even] thy God. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, [to have been] continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, [nor] he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest [is] mine, [and] the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field [are] mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world [is] mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Dear brothers and sisters, when we did not kown our Lord Jesus Christ, we did no thank Him, nor called upon His name. But now we know Him, the only true God, we should thank Him for all He does: He not only gave all his creation but also even He Himself to us: He died for our sins on the cross, and for our life He resurrects on the third day! Amen, Hallelujah! Now we not only glorify in your praise, O Lord, but we aslo need to call upon your name all the time, because you promised us that “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” Amen! Hallelujah!
Propitiation
Romans 3:25-26 Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood as an evidence of his righteousness for the passover of sin-offerings that was done previously in the suffering of God, for the purpose of [revealing] the evidence of his righteousness in this time, to declare he himself is just and whoever [born] from the faith of Jesus is justified.
(original text in Greek) Rom 3:25 o}n proevqeto oJ qeoV" iJlasthvrion diaV (th'") pivstew" ejn tw'/ aujtou' ai{mati eij" e[ndeixin th'" dikaiosuvnh" aujtou' diaV thVn pavresin tw'n progegonovtwn aJmarthmavtwn 26 ejn th'/ ajnoch'/ tou' qeou', proV" thVn e[ndeixin th'" dikaiosuvnh" aujtou' ejn tw'/ nu'n kairw'/, eij" toV ei\nai aujtoVn divkaion kaiV dikaiou'nta toVn ejk pivstew" jIhsou'.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God in Eden, they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Gen 3:21) Who sacrificed his own life and gave his own skin to cover Adam and Eve from God's wrath?
In the day of flood, GOD1 saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination2 of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. (Gen 6:5), who became the pitch (Heb.: cover, atonement, pacify, purge T*r+p^k*w+ see also Gen 32:20, Exo 29:33, Lev 1:4, Dan 9:24) that prevented flood (God's wrath) entering the ark (Gen 6:14) and saved Noah and his whole family?
In the day of famine, who suffered the sins of Joseph's brothers, sold Joseph (sold himself) and came down to Egypt to fulfill God's good will to save the whole family of Jacob?
In the night of Egypt, who became the lamb of passover, and his blood was shed to mark the door posts of his children as a propritiation to appease God's wrath such that the house of Israel might be passed over from God's judgement (destroyer) and be saved? (Exo 12:13)
On the cross, who bare with our transgression and sins against God, before he died on the cross and he still prayed for us to pacify God's anger saying “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luk 23:34)?
It's Him, Jesus, who come to cover us and became our propritiation: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same (Heb 2:14); thus He Himself uses His flesh and blood to shield us from the consumption of God's judgement which is a flaming sword which turned every way (Gen 3:24), that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb 2:14), and return us to the way of the tree of life (Gen 3:24). And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Heb 2:15)
My dear brethren and sisters, there is no sin that Jesus cannot bear, neither there is tribulation that Jesus cannot overcome, His love never forsakes us from even before the beginning of the world (Eph 1:4)! Dear brethren and sisters, since we are born from the faith in His blood, and we have Jesus as our merciful and faithful high priest in front of God, to make reconciliation for our sins (Heb 2:17), we shall be strong and courageous to anchor our hope of salvation through the forerunner Jesus Christ who entered into the veil for us (Heb 6:19-20). Such that His merciful grace of salvation and His everlasting power of resurrection can cover us forever, Hallelujah, Amen!
1 Gen 6:5 GOD Heb.: JEHOVAH hw`hy+
2 Gen 6:5 every imagination Heb.: the whole purpose and desire rx#y}-lk*w+
One Third
Zechariah 13:8-9: And it shall come to pass, [that] in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off [and] die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The LORD [is] my God.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we may see verses in the Bible that mentioned “the third part” (or one third). From the above verses, it may not difficult to see that God use “the third” to symbolize the portion He planned to save in His salvation plan. Let's examine few other verses to validate our understanding:
2Kings 1:9-15: Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. …. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. …. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
There were 153 soldiers went up to see Elijah, only “the third part” 51 soldiers were not consumed by fire (were not judged): “one third” are saved!
Mathew 7:13-14: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Amen, “for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (two third), “ narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (one third). Bible declared that “many” go in to destruction, only “few” find life. The “one third” and “two third” plan declared in Zechariah 13:8-9 is consistent with this Mat 7:13-14 “few” versus “many” preaching.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, with His wisdom, now we may understand why the “number of the beast” is “666”. (If 1,000 symbolized the whole part in all the land, what would be the number of two third then?)
This is why even when our Lord Jesus Christ preached the Kingdom of Heaven in parables in front of multitudes (representing the whole part of all the land) and when his disciples came and asked why, this is what Jesus said: “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Mathew 13:11)
John 17:5-12: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received [them,] and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are.] While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Call upon the name of the Lord
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Since Seth (Gen 4:26), God's children call upon His name in distress: For example, A [Psalm] of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day [that] the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said, … In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, [even] into his ears. (Psm 18:6) And the LORD answered and saved him from death.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Do we know? When we believed in Jesus Christ, He entered into us. Whenever we call upon His name and cry out for help, He comes to us, saves us and heals us.
After experiencing the LORD's almighty power, Moses witnessed: For what nation [is there so] great, who [hath] God [so] nigh* unto them, as the LORD our God [is] in all [things that] we call upon him [for?] (Deu 4:7) (*nigh: near, at hand, kin, kinsmen)
We could call upon His name at any time any place in any situation, He will be our “very present help in trouble” (Psm 46:1). In the Bible, the shortest crying out the LORD for help was documented in the 1 Kings 22:32: when Jehoshaphat was pursuied by Syria captains of the chariots, “Jehoshaphat cried out.” the LORD immediately caused the captains of the chariots “perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.” No ritual, no formality, all we need is to ask Him boldly (Luk 11:8), and He will answer.
Perhaps you might ask: why have we to cry out with voice? Could we pray silently in our heart? There is the truth in reality we need to understand:
10:6 But the righteousness which is [born] from faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above:])
10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
10:8 But what saith it? The word is near thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
In Romans 10:8, “The word” is the Spirit and Life (Jhn 6:63), and it is Jesus Christ himself (Jhn 1:14), “The word is near you”,”Say not in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven” to bring the word that is Christ down to us? (10:6) “Or, Who shall descent into the deep” to bring up the word that is Christ to us? (10:7) Where is the word? Where is Jesus? How can I contact Him in my distress? The Bible says: “The word is near you, [He is] in your mouth, and [He is] in your heart”! (10:8) Therefore the Bible insists that we not only need to “believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead” but also “confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord”, that confessing with your mouth is calling upon His name. Therefore in Romans 10:13 said “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” When we call upon Him, He comes to us immediately and is rich unto all that call upon him. (Rom 10:12)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, would you like to experience Him in reality? Let's call upon His name, cry out for His help. Because He loves us unto the end. (Jhn 13:1) He died for us on the cross and raised on the third day. And He said unto us: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (Jhn 14:18-20)
Thou shalt abide for me many days
Hosea 3:1-5 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of [her] friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. So I bought her to me for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and [for] an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for [another] man: so [will] I also [be] for thee. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and [without] teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
Hosea 3 is a very short chapter, but it displayed God's entire salvation plan: children of Israel represent God's elects. Although they are like adulteress (Israel was the LORD's wife, but “who look for other gods”, and became other gods' wife), according to the Law (Deu 22:23-24), “ ye shall stone them with stones that they die”, the LORD still loves them: therefore the LORD paid by himself (fifteen [pieces] of silver, and [for] an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: total cost of thirty pieces of silver (Mat 26:15 Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver)) and “I (the LORD) bought (redeemed) her to me (himself)”. Therefore that Jesus was sold, crucified and raised on the third day was a payment to buy/redeem/engage us for Himself, before He went up to heaven, He promised to come again to marry us as a bride (Rev 21:2). Thus before He comes again, we the fiancee shall abide for Him many days and “ shalt not play the harlot, and shalt not be for [another] man (shalt not worship other god)”! Wonderfully He Himself also promised us that “so [will] I also [be] for thee.”: the LORD will abide for us as well? What does this mean? “Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.” (Heb 9:1) But in the new convenant, this divine service was fulfilled once Jesus raised on the third day (fully paid for). (Heb 9:10 [Which stood] only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation.), from then on the LORD Jesus He Himself will not receive gift (divine service/worship) from men until He comes again. (Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.) So during these “many days” while we are waiting for Him as His fiancee, we shall keep His words: “without a king”: lest we might worship a king, “and without a prince”: lest we might listen to a prince, “and without a sacrifice”: lest we might perform worship service again, “and without an image”: lest we might worship idols, “and without an ephod”: no priest lest we might follow to perform woship service again, “and [without] teraphim”: lest we might worship our own god(s). He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Afterward (when Jesus returns) shall the children of Israel (we) return, and seek the LORD their God, and David (Jesus) their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days (marry Him). Amen.
Lord, that I might receive my sight
2 Kings 6:14-17 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, did we see more tribulation than spiritual blessings in this world? Why so?
Let's read another section of Bible from John chapter nine:
John 9:1-3 And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
John 9:6-7 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
John 9:35-39 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
In Spirit, we all are born blind like this man. We cannot see God's blessings, neither know the Son of God. One day, Jesus found us that we were blind and cannot see God's blessings, only saw the tribulation of this world. Thus He has mercy on us, opened our eyes and let us see: once our Spiritual eyes were opened, then we can see the love of our Father, we can see the faith of His Son, we can see the hope of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Saviour. From then on, we are asured by the one who said: I will not leave you comfortless*:(*orphans) I will come to you. (John 14:18) —- that he will be with us all the way to the end of world.
Now Jesus said unto you, “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?” (Mark 10:51) —- Lord, that I might receive my sight. Amen.
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