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Author Topic: The OT and the Elect  (Read 5398 times)

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hillsbororiver

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The OT and the Elect
« on: September 23, 2006, 10:16:05 AM »

Before becoming familiarized with the articles on Bible Truths my understanding of the Old Testament was very limited, I was taught that it was pretty much just a history of the Israelites with shadows and types of our Lord and some prophecies thrown in primarily in Daniel and Isaiah.

The more I read it the more I see this as the journey of the "elect of Christ" and the more I see the more I realize how little I know and how deep and profound His Word is, on so many levels.

Here is an example of what I am speaking of (Amplified Translation);


2 Chronicles 30


 1HEZEKIAH SENT to all Israel [as well as] Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the Lord's house at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.
    2For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem took counsel to keep the Passover in the second month.

    3For they could not keep it at the set time because not enough priests had sanctified themselves, neither had the people assembled in Jerusalem.

    4The new time pleased the king and all the assembly.

    5So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem. For they had not kept it collectively as prescribed for a long time.

    6So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, as the king commanded, saying, O Israelites, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those left of you who escaped out of the hands of the kings of Assyria.

    7Do not be like your fathers and brethren, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation [to be an astonishment], as you see.

    8Now be not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that His fierce anger may turn away from you.

    9For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and He will not turn away His face from you if you return to Him.

    10So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun, but the people laughed them to scorn and mocked them.

    11Yet, a few of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

    12Also the hand of God came upon Judah to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

    13And many people came to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

    14They rose up and took away the altars [to idols] that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars and utensils for incense [to the gods] they took away and threw into the Kidron Valley [dumping place for the ashes of such abominations].

    15Then they killed the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed and sanctified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Lord's house.

    16They stood in their accustomed places, as directed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw [against the altar] the blood they received from the hand of the Levites.

    17For many were in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves [become clean and free from all sin]. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all who were not clean, in order to make them holy to the Lord.

    18For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than Moses directed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, May the good Lord pardon everyone

    19Who sets his heart to seek and yearn for God--the Lord, the God of his fathers--even though not complying with the purification regulations of the sanctuary.

    20And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

    21And the Israelites who were in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with instruments of much volume to the Lord.

    22Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the Lord's work. So the people ate the seven-day appointed feast, offering peace offerings, making confession [and giving thanks] to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

    23And the whole assembly took counsel to prolong the feast another seven days; and they kept it another seven days with joy.

    24For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly 1,000 young bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes gave 1,000 young bulls and 10,000 sheep. And a great number of priests sanctified themselves [for service].

    25All the assembly of Judah, with the priests, the Levites, and all the assembly who with the sojourners came from the land of Israel to dwell in Judah, rejoiced.

    26So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of David king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.

    27Then the priests and Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to [God's] holy habitation in heaven.


I would love to hear any and all comments on what these verses represent or mean to you.

Joe
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Kat

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2006, 10:58:08 AM »

Hi Joe,

Well, I just read in the other post, Ecclesiaster 7, now this.

Quote
  2For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem took counsel to keep the Passover in the second month.

This King and His princes, seems to me that this must be a fore shadow of the kingdom.
It is good to have our eyes opened to these things,
because God would not have us ignorant to the things that pertain to us.

Thanks again, for bringing this scripture to my attention.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat


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orion77

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2006, 01:15:36 PM »

The OT, along with the stories are a shadow of our lives.  The people in that time, time and time again went astray, became rebellious and stiffnecked.  Yet, God always welcomed them back, forgave them, and showed compassion.  Sounds very familiar to my own life.

Through the stubborness of our own lives, and the ensamples given in the OT, it's clearly seen that man cannot keep the law of Moses.  Being under grace, through the faith in Christ, and the atonement of His sacrifice is the greatest gift we could ever receive from our Father.  Totally amazing to see how gracious and desiring the best for us, God actually is!

The prayer of Hezekiah accomplished much in this story. 


(2Ch 30:18 LITV)  For many of the people, many from Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not been cleansed, but ate the passover not as was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, O good Jehovah, atone for

(2Ch 30:19 LITV)  everyone who has prepared his heart to seek Jehovah God, the God of his fathers, yet not according to the cleansing of the sanctuary.

(2Ch 30:20 LITV)  And Jehovah listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.


God has always looked for a people who pray with humbleness, and desire to seek God with a true heart. 


God bless,

Gary
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buddyjc

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2006, 01:28:25 PM »

Wow, Gary, God does come to those who seek Him with a humble heart.  I noticed the same thing from these passages.  When reading about Israel, you realize just how stubborn those folks were.  But when they cried to God and sought Him He was there for them.  The book of Judges shows us this.  They were always falling time and time again, but when they cried to God, He sent them judges.

Brian
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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2006, 02:36:32 PM »

What comes up for me is vs 12...The hand of God came upon Judah to give them one heart...(a God arrangement in the first instance :))...then vs19,20...even though not complying with the purification regulations of the sanctuary...the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people...(so, for me this means that even though not complying to THE LAW, through Hezekiah the OT intercessor for the people and Ambasador is in the NT  Christ our High Priest and Mediator...who heals the broken hearted and delivers us from evil)
Thank you...this reminds me that
Our Creator and our Lord Jesus Christ is so wonderful in that His power, goodness and His nature shines through for me in these verses...to show He is the same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow... and upon Him, our Lord saviour and deliverer, we can hope and rest!

Arcturus
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MG

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2006, 03:40:19 PM »

I see that God calls us and then he gives us the heart to be obedient to his call. Then he takes down all our idols and sanctifies us through Christs death on the cross. God pardons everyone who sets his heart to seek and yearn for God even though they don't purify themselves through the works of the law. God receives everyone who returns to him. If we return to him he will also have compassion on our brethren and our children so thier captors let them go and they will also return to the Lord.
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JCAliveInMe

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2006, 04:18:53 PM »

Joe, thank you very much for writing this post.  It is definitely an obscure passage of Scripture, one that I've never heard anybody preach from.  What really strikes me as amazing is first 10. First, in verse 6-9 we see an offer to the captives of God's grace.  These people were first taken captive, and now were dispersed and had no orderly kingdom.  Had fallen away from the purpose of God, and lost the very reality of the function of their lives in the earth.  And so God, in his mercy and grace, stirs the heart of the King and sends forth messengers in a call of repentance.

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they  Laughed them to scorn, and mocked them(2 Chr. 30:10).
How sad, these people were given an opportunity to return into the purpose of God and outright rejected it.  They laughed and mocked at the messengers.  How deceitful the things of this world are.  Sometimes people can become so comfortable in their bondage that they see no benefit or possible reality of  returning to the purpose of God.  This reminds me of a few scriptures in the New Testament. 
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Heb.3:12-14).
Sin, is a very deceitful thing.  Anything that keeps us from fulfilling the purpose of God in manifesting the life of his Son is sin.  Even walking in our religious knowledge without manifesting the life of the Son can harden us, because sin is very deceitful. These people laughed and mocked the messengers, because they were deceived by their sin.  They probably still had some form of religiosity in their life.  And so once the messengers were sent to call them to repentance, and to return to the purpose of God,their conscience had already been seared.  How sad is when people do not receive the gracious offer of the Living God to heal them and restore them from their captivity.

 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 JN. 2:15-17).
Again, thank you for writing this post, it has encouraged me and brought forth the word of God in my heart.

                                                                                            Love in Jesus Christ, Christopher

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orion77

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2006, 04:40:13 PM »

Here are some interesting verses in Hebrews that might shed some light:


(Heb 9:22 LITV)  And almost all things are purified by blood according to the Law; and apart from shedding of blood no remission occurs.

(Heb 9:23 LITV)  Then it was needful for the figures of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices than these.

(Heb 9:24 LITV)  For Christ did not enter into the Holy of Holies made by hands, types of the true things, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf,

(Heb 9:25 LITV)  not that He should often offer Himself even as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies year by year with blood of others;

(Heb 9:26 LITV)  since He must often have suffered from the foundation of the world. But now once for all, at the completion of the ages, He has been manifested for putting away of sin through the sacrifice of Himself.

(Heb 9:27 LITV)  And as it is reserved to men once to die, and after this, Judgment;

(Heb 9:28 LITV)  so Christ having been once offered "to bear the sins of many," Christ shall appear a second time without sin to those expecting Him for salvation. Isa. 53:12


(Isa 53:12 LITV)  Because of this I will divide to Him with the great, and with the strong He shall divide the spoil; because He poured out His soul to death; and He was counted with those transgressing; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for those transgressing.


(Luk 24:44 LITV)  And He said to them, These are the Words which I spoke to you yet being with you, that all the things must be fulfilled having been written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, concerning Me.

(Luk 24:45 LITV)  Then He opened up their mind to understand the Scriptures,

(Luk 24:46 LITV)  and said to them, So it is written, and so the Christ must suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day. No OT passage

(Hos 6:1 LITV)  Come and let us return to Jehovah. For He has torn, and He will heal us. He has stricken, and He will bind us up.

(Hos 6:2 LITV)  After two days He will bring us to life. In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him.

(Hos 6:3 LITV)  Then we shall know, we who follow on to know Jehovah. His going forth is established as the dawn. And He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.


God bless,

Gary
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joyful1

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2006, 07:48:55 PM »

What do you think it means, Joe?
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ned

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2006, 01:14:30 PM »

2Ch30:21(LITV)  And the sons of Israel, those found in Jerusalem, kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy. And the Levites praised Jehovah day to day, and the priests, with instruments of praise before Jehovah.

Seven, not literally seven days, but always; (to be complete).
H7650 shaw-bah'
A primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from H7651; to seven oneself, that is, swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times): - adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full [by mistake for H7646], take an oath, X straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.


The message for us:
1Co 5:7-8(LITV)  Then purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For also Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. So let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with leaven of malice and of evil, but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
If we indeed are unleavened, we are uncorrupted- this definitely not of ourselves, but only because Jesus chose us to be.
Let us always pray for and keep sincerity and truth about us, every day! Will this not give us great joy?!
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YellowStone

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Re: The OT and the Elect
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2006, 01:54:20 PM »

Joe, you certainly woke some sleepy brain cells this morning :)

Hezekiah wanted a massive observance of the Passover just as those of former times  Deuteronomy 16:1-8. In a bold move, he sent a letter throughout Israel and not just Judah, inviting all Jews to return to Jerusalem for a massive Passover celebration on the second month of the Jewish calendar.

All did not go according to plan as the men who carried his invitation to the northern kingdom of Israel did not receive a respectful reception and were mocked. However, some people from Asher, Manasseh, Zebulun, Ephraim, and Issachar did come. This in itself caused problems as many from these "outside" places were not appropriately prepared to partake in the Passover.

King Hezekiah realizing this then prayed for their pardon; asking God to accept those who prepared their hearts to seek Him but were unprepared "according to the purification rules of the sanctuary" 2 Chronicles 30:18, 19

2 Chronicles 30:20 states "And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people."

I believe that the otherwise hidden message in this Scripture is that even those people who were in violation of the purification rules (Exodus 12:43-51 Passovers were to be kept on the tenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar all Israel was to select its offering and keep it in readiness until the fourteenth day) But because of Hezekia's prayer and intersession of God, the "unclean" people were  allowed to participate in the Passover meal that was conducted on the second month (one month late).

Without question, the intents and motives of the person is a factor God considers when a person seeks to honor God, even in the days of "yore" when failure to follow the "Law" could often result in being cut from the nation.

I therefore believe that this Scripture closely parrels with the people and the churches (the Law) today; where, it is the intent, and motive that God seeks of the person first, instead of their participation and adherence to church laws.

How did I do? :)

Comments always welcome.

God is Love!

Darren
« Last Edit: September 24, 2006, 02:11:33 PM by YellowStone »
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