A Time Despised: Rejecting The Saviour's Cries

This post has been moved to http://goodnewspoems.blogspot.com/2011/07/time-despised-rejecting-saviours-cries.html

The Righteous Witness Lifted Up

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” - John 18:37

“A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.” - Proverbs 14:25

Christ is a true witness because he delivereth souls.

“An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.” - Proverbs 19:28

Christ is a godly witness because he warns of judgment.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” - Revelation 1:5

Jesus Christ is a godly witness, a true witness, and a faithful witness. But he is not only godly, he is God. He is not only true, he is the Truth. He is not only faithful, he is the one we have Faith in. (John 14:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 3:17, Philippians 3:9, Colossians 2:5, 2 Timothy 3:15, John 5:31-40, John 8:18, John 10:25, John 15:26-27)

What was Christ a witness for? What did he bear witness of?

He bore witness of the truth. As Pilate said in John 18:38 “What is truth?

Truth could be defined in many ways, but truth is what Christ taught. If we continue in His word, that is, in his teachings, we will be his disciples, knowing the truth and being made free.

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:28-32

Jesus said unto Nicodemus “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” - John 3:4-7

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? - John 3:11-12

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” - John 3:14-21

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” - John 3:36

What does it mean that the Son of man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness? Moses lifted up the serpent of brass and all who looked on it were saved from death, the death that was to come upon them because of their sin in speaking against God and his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31, Joshua 11:15)

“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” -Numbers 21:5-9

Just as the rebellious Israelites repented and looked to the brass serpent for life, so all men today repent and look to Jesus Christ for life. But many do not turn from their rebellion to look for life, but remain in condemnation by loving sin and darkness. And those who do not turn from wickedness to seek Christ? Look! They are tormented by that fiery serpent Satan!

See how the Israelites repented? They said to Moses “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.

See how men today repent? They pray unto God “We are lost, for we believed not on your Son Jesus Christ, whom you sent to justify us by his death on the cross, when he took the punishment for our sins.” And Christ interceded for the repentant sinner. (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25-27, Isaiah 53:12)

But the men repenting today do not end their prayers there. They continue to pray telling God that they believe, taking hold on the promises in his word. They look to Christ Jesus and his teachings; they look to follow him with all that they are.

The Son of Man, Jesus Christ was lifted up in many ways. Primarily he was lifted up on the Cross when he died for us that we might have life, and have life abundantly. (John 10:10, John 8:28)

Even today the Cross is often regarded as a symbol of salvation; much like the serpent of brass was regarded as a symbol of salvation. The difference being that the serpent was looked to for salvation of the flesh, whereas the cross is looked to as a symbol of eternal salvation.

Now later the Israelites made an idol out of the brass serpent as we see in 2 Kings 18:4. When Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign he destroyed the brass serpent because it had become an idol unto the Israelites (2 Kings 18:1-7). Why did Hezekiah destroy that idol of brass? Because “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.” - 2 Kings 18:5-6

“He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4)

Also today many make an idol out of the cross, displaying it predominately, and worshipping it rather than God and the salvation it represents. You know this is true because of the ungodly who wear it on a chain about their neck. There really can be no Christian symbol, only to some it may seem that way.

How else was Christ lifted up?

He was raised from the dead. Our faith is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:17). Christ spoke the truth when he said he would rise again (Luke 18:33. Mark 10:34, Acts 2:32), when he said he lays down his life that he may take it up again (John 10:17).

He was also lifted up as he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:2-11).

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” - Acts 1:9-11

Christ the righteous witness and true, was lifted up that we may look to him for life, for life everlasting.



“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” - Psalm 119:160

“I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” - Psalm 119:162

See the Hymn "How Great Thou Art"

Gospel, Repentance, They Should Have Known

The following is written in a effort to make known some lies/misunderstandings taught by certain dispensationalists, and to make the truth plain by bringing the scriptures into our knowledge.

It has been claimed that “God does not today preach repentance as part of the gospel as he did to Israel, today repentance is not part of the Gospel of Grace.”

In Acts 17:18-30 Paul is preaching to the philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks. He is not preaching to the Jews, but he says to these philosophers in verse 17:30 …“But now God commands everyone, everywhere to Repent.” How can you say repentance is not taught today? Clearly it is, there are also many more examples, if you would read your Bible.

In Acts 17:1-17 Paul preached to the Jews. “Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.: (verse 17:3) Paul reasoned with them out of the scriptures and, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” - Acts 17:11

What scriptures was it that they searched to see if Paul was telling them the truth? Not the New Testament scriptures.

In Acts 8:30-35 the Ethiopian eunuch did not know the gospel until Philip explained it to him. And notice the scripture which Phillip explained - Isaiah 53:7-8.

It has been claimed that “repentance is not taught today because the flesh cannot please God, so we have to become a Christian and be converted, Before we can repent. All we need to do is believe”

The flesh has never pleased God. If we understand what Christ did we cannot do anything but repent of our sins. How can we believe if we do not understand what we believe?

What is it that you think Christ has done for us? He has bore our iniquities. God bruised Christ and accepted him as a offering for our sin. We are justified before God by Christ because He bore our iniquities (Also see 2 Corinthians 5:18-24). How could one accept this and not repent? They cannot. Somebody had to pay for our sins with their life! Only Christ, the very Son of God was pure enough to be an offering. Only through His shed Blood could our sins be forgiven, because He who was without sin bore our sins.

With the old testament the Jews should have understood this. The fact that they crucified Christ was a testimony that they did not know their own scripture (As said Jesus in John 5:46). Because if they had know it they would have recognized Christ, they would have known that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. They would have know that God would be sending a messiah to take away the sins of His people. How would they have known? Because the Prophets and the other old testament scriptures declared it!

They learned from the Prophets (or should have learned) that God desires obedience rather than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) and desires mercy rather than sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). They should have known about Christ’s coming and that he would save the people from their sins, by bearing their iniquities. (Isaiah 53, Isaiah 9:6–7, Zechariah 9:9, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14)

“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” - Psalm 51:16-17

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” - Isaiah 1:11-17

Also see Amos 5:12-24, Isaiah 66:3, and Jeremiah chapter 7.

See a related Post "Works? Faith? Repentance? Old Testament Salvation?"

See a related post "The Prophecy of the Crucifixion of Christ"

http://www.chick.com/information/general/repentance.asp

click here to see some thoughts of Desiderius Erasmus related to this subject, especially see page 80 (Note: since this post was originally posted page 80 has become unavailable, as of 4/14/2011)