|
"But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Col–hozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David."
(Nehemiah 3:15 KJV) Jerusalem had twelve gates, each with a Spiritual as well as a Physical Significance, each with an important part to play in the life and the historical experience of Jerusalem, and each with a possible way of reminding us of Our Awesome God. Yesterday, we mentioned the Sheep Gate, Fish Gate, Old Gate and the Dung Gate. While there are hints, not everyone agrees as to where most gates were located, nor does the Bible give exact locations, so precise gate positions are not all known. The Fountain Gate was located close to Gihon Spring, which was Jerusalem's primary water supply and is the Physical Significance of the gate. While the Spiritual Significance can be the reminder that water is necessary for life, as is Our Awesome God, the actual Fountain Gate represents our access to the Spiritual Water that God gives. Just 500 yards from the Dung Gate, the Valley Gate exits into the two main valleys that create Jerusalem both geographically and historically. The Physical Significance is that these valleys were made ceremonially unclean, both having a history of idol worship with human sacrifice. The Spiritual Significance is the reminder that as Christians we have been snatched from hell (represented by Gehenna) by the grace of Our Awesome God and we now can enter the valley of suffering and cleansing by our own choice to make us more Christ-like. There are six more gates to make the twelve gates but you need to know more about Our Awesome God and His provisions for you. There is only one way He has made a "way out" for you and that is through Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross. Attend Our Awesome God's church that preaches and teaches that Jesus Christ died for you, taking your sins upon Himself and arose the third day to sit by God, interceding for you when you sin. God loves you! He wants you to know more about Him! Join us as we work in Our Awesome God's vineyard, telling others and reminding ourselves about His story, Jesus Christ's Salvation, and our eternal home with Him, trying to help them to understand Our Creator better. Our church starts with small groups on Sunday at 9:30 AM and a Worship Service at 10:30 AM. On Sunday evening at 6:00 PM, a Bible Study meets for an hour and there is another Bible Study along with a children's program called AWANA which goes until 7:30 PM. Wednesday evening (7:00 PM) we meet for Prayer Meeting and Bible Study. We love to have visitors!
0 Comments
"For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
(Hebrews 11:10 KJV) "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9 KJV) Most ancient cities were more like fortresses than cities. Their perimeters consisted of massive stone walls (sometimes more than one) with gates to allow or to stop the entry of people, things and animals. When war came, enemy forces would focus their attacks on these gates, which were usually the weakest part of the cities' walls. To strengthen them, gates were built as part of the watch-towers for the guards. Jerusalem had twelve gates in the time of Israel's occupation, each with a spiritual as well as a physical significance, each with an important part to play in the life and the historical experience of Jerusalem. Every gate has a spiritual part because they are a "shadow" of the reality that is or will come when God creates a new heaven, a new earth and a new Jerusalem at the end of the age (Hebrews 8:5; 10:1; Revelations 21:10-13). The gates in the New Jerusalem will each be made of a single pearl as found in Revelations 21:21. Our Christ is the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46) and Christ is the only way to get into that majestic city (John 10:9; 14:6). So each gate shows parts of the completed work of the Cross, just as Our Awesome God foretold in His Holy Bible. Jerusalem has had many different gates with many different names over the thousands of years of Biblical history. Many of the different names have been found in Our Awesome God's Bible, in manuscripts and in archeological finds. There are hints, but the Bible does not specify the location of any of the gates at any point in time. Today, you can still walk through some gates while others have been sealed or renamed, but the physical and spiritual significance of the named gates remains for the people of God. It is awe inspiring to see the detail Our Awesome God has gone to so as to remind us that without His son, Jesus Christ, we would not one day be in the New Jerusalem. Since people forget, He has given us a structure to help us remember what we owe to Jesus Christ and His love for us that saves us. Join us tomorrow at this website, 10/11/15, for #2 Significance, a continuation of the #1 Twelve Gates. Learn more about Our Awesome God by reading His Holy Bible, praying to Him and worshipping in a church that preaches and teaches the Holy Bible. Join us at Living Word Baptist Church as we pray and worship Him this Sunday at 10:30 AM and at then at 6:00 PM there is another Bible Study along with a children's program called AWANA which goes until 7:30 PM. On Wednesdays, we meet at 7:00 PM for Prayer Requests, and a Bible Study follows until 8:00 PM. First, it is time that you should know and love Our Awesome God as your creator and Savior. We can show you how from the Word of God and we love visitors. "And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing."
(Genesis 29:35 KJV) Jacob’s fourth son, Judah, whose mother was Leah, was a natural leader. It is important to note that Judah’s decisions were often shaped more by the pressures of the moment than by a conscious desire to cooperate with Our Awesome God’s plan. But once he did recognize his mistakes, he was willing to admit them and do something about them. There is a situation in Genesis 37:26-28, where Judah recommended that his brothers sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites instead of taking his life and his brothers listened. Then they actually sold him and took his torn and bloodied coat of many colors to Jacob, their father. Judah's experience with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, (Genesis 38:1-11) and the final confrontation over Joseph (Genesis 37:26-27) are both examples of Judah’s willingness to bear the blame when confronted. Most people have problems seeing that the sin was theirs, then admitting it, and then doing something about it. But he didn't. In these instances, he tried to make restitution for what he had done. Our Awesome God uses sinners who know they have sinned and repent of that sin. The experience with Tamar, when she became pregnant by Judah, produced the only set of twins recorded by the twelve sons. (Jacob was a twin.) And through one of those twins, Perez, Judah is in the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God wants us to get involved in His (and our) ministry to the world. Our Awesome God used kings David and Solomon of the tribe of Judah to demonstrate leadership with His direction to make our efforts work the best (2 Chronicles 6) and later with Kings, Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:1,3,5) and Josiah (2 Kings 22:1-2). Jesus Christ now reigns as the King from the Tribe of Judah for eternity. Praise the Lord! Our Awesome God can use an unsaved sinner as well as a saved sinner but prefers to use someone who can and does admit to his or her sins. God used the Tribe of Judah for leadership for His people in the Southern Kingdom or Judah after the Kingdom of Israel divided. Our church is a loving church that wants to help others to a better understanding of Our Awesome God and His love, mercy and grace for all of mankind. Join us at Living Word Baptist Church as we love others while preaching and teaching from our Holy Bible about God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Our church has a Bible Study at 9:30 AM on Sunday and Worship Service at 10:30 AM and then at 6:00 PM there is another Bible Study along with a children's program called AWANA which goes until 7:30 PM. We love visitors! Are you a Judah? "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:)"
(1 Chronicles 5:1-2 KJV) To be an Israelite (Our Awesome God's chosen people) by blood, a person must be a descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Reuben was an Israelite. He was also the first born son of Jacob. The 12 sons of Jacob are the patriarchs of the 12 Tribes of Israel. There was a "contest?" between Jacob's two wives; Leah (the unloved wife) and her sister, Rachel (the loved wife). So Leah was the mother of the first born, Reuben. "And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, "Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me" (Genesis 29:32 KJV). As the first born son, Reuben was in line to receive the birthright. However, in Our Awesome God's Holy Bible is written, "And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: (Genesis 35:22 KJV). This sin, disrespected God and Jacob, his father, cost him his birthright and, near the time of his death in Egypt, Jacob described each of his sons. His words for Reuben were: "Reuben, thou are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Unstable as water, thou shall not excel; because you went up to thy father's bed; then you defiledst it: He went up to my couch." (Genesis 49:3-4 KJV). Here was a man who came from Our Awesome God's chosen people and he wasted it in the sins he committed until he lost his birthright. Then he caused his family to sin with his inability to control his anger and to control his sons. But God used him to build up and protect His people from their enemies by giving him strength (1 Chronicles 5:18). Our Awesome God can and does use us to further His purpose. But if we could learn His Will a little faster than Reuben did, it might help the entire human race to arrive at God's purpose sooner. LWBC is a loving church who tries to live by Biblical principles while encouraging all its members. Join us for church this coming Sunday at 9:30 AM for Bible Study. We have Worship Service in the Sanctuary at 10:30 AM and Sunday evening Bible Study at 6:00 PM along with AWANA for children until 7:30 PM. Our programs are varied but we teach and preach from Our Awesome God's Holy Bible that Jesus Christ died for you, taking your sins upon Himself and arose the third day to sit by God, interceding for you when you sin. We love visitors! "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them."
(Genesis 49:28 KJV) Here are a few facts about Isaac's son, Jacob (Israel). Jacob was one of the great patriarchs of the Old Testament, but at times he was also a schemer, liar, and manipulator. Our Awesome God gave him twelve sons. At one time, Jacob even wrestled with an angel because the angel wouldn't give him what he wanted and he walked with a limp after (Genesis 32:24-32). After wrestling all night, God renamed him Israel, which means, "he struggles with God." In fact, Jacob struggled with God his entire life, as many of us do. As he matured in faith, Jacob depended on God more and more. Jacob or Israel needed Our Awesome God frequently as Jacob's sons matured and increased in number. These twelve men were slowly becoming the men God would work through to produce the Twelve Tribes of Israel. They were always doing something they shouldn't have done (1 Chronicles 5:1-2; Genesis 34:25). They were jealous of each other and often hated each other, especially Joseph (Genesis 37:5-8). Reuben lost his birthright because he slept with his father's concubine. Judah slept with his daughter-in-law but kings came from his tribe (Genesis 38:25-26). Levi was the son that produced the priests for God and they sinned. All the sons, like their father, sinned many times and were a heart ache to Jacob and God. These were the men Our Awesome God chose to become founders of the twelve tribes of Israel that made up His chosen people. Just like we sin, they sinned (remember, God views all sins as equal). But God can and will use sinners for His purposes. He prefers to use His obedient people (who are forgiven sinners), but He does not hesitate to use pagans and atheists. We need to fully understand: His purpose will be done. Are we going to help Him or are we going to slow up our maturity in Christ as sinning always does? We (as a church) want all people in church, worshipping Our Awesome God with faith and obedience every Sunday. If you are not yet a Christian, it is time that you should know and love Our Awesome God as your Creator and Savior. Join us at Living Word Baptist Church as we pray and worship Him this Sunday at 10:30 AM and at 6:00 PM for Bible Study along with AWANA for children 7:30 PM. On Wednesdays, we meet at 7:00 PM for Prayer Requests and a Bible Study follows until 8:00 PM. We love visitors! |
Flo & BillArchives
December 2016
|
RSS Feed