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The OT and the Elect
hillsbororiver:
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
Kat:
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.
--- End quote ---
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
orion77:
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
buddyjc:
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
Deborah-Leigh:
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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