10/27/22
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
Before I get into tonight's message, I want to share with you a word which I believe is very important to every born-from-above believer. It is a lesson that I learned in the past few days. One week ago, I had a rather major operation when a urologist removed a large tumor from my bladder. I am still recovering from that procedure. Therefore, if my voice sounds weak tonight, nevertheless my soul and spirit are strong. I am now 91. These bodies were never meant to last forever. Ever since my operation, I have been thanking and praising the Lord dozens of times every day. I have also been crying out to the Lord for His great grace and mercy during this difficult time. Without any doubt we all need His great grace and mercy every day. What I heard from the Lord is that even though our physical bodies may be in perfect health, we still should cry out to the Lord every day with thanksgiving and praise.
Psalm 100:4-5, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all generations."
When I heard that word, I had to repent because it is all too easy to forget those principles when we are physically whole.
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This is Part 4 of our messages on the he-goats before the flocks. In the first 3 parts of this message, we shared about the relationship of the he goats before the flocks in the greater context of Genesis 15:7-17, which speaks of the different animals and birds prepared by Abram for the covenant between a smoking furnace and a burning lamp. That is the eternal, unbreakable covenant between God the Father and God the Son. That is the new covenant into which all born-from-above believers enter into. The old covenant between God and man will always be broken, sooner or later, from man's side. We also shared some of the significance of those three animals and two birds. Further, because God and His Word are very orderly, we tried to shed a little light on the order of those creatures. To review ...
Note that the three animals were killed but no mention is made that the birds were killed. Under the Old Covenant, the heifer was the sin offering for the high priest and his family. Therefore, the heifer speaks prophetically of our great High Priest, Jesus, who gave His life for the sins of the people. Without the sacrifice of the Lamb of God at the cross of Calvary, none of the other animals or birds are of any value.
Jesus still intercedes for His chosen people.
The she-goat is next in order after the heifer. The she-goat likewise sacrifices her self-life in order to bring forth the he-goat. This represents the ministry of the wife to her husband, something that Eve never fulfilled. Ruth 4:11 says that Rachel and Leah built the house of Israel. How? by their behavior and their intercession for Jacob. What is God's plan for the she-goat if her husband dies or if she never marries? Let us consider ...
Anna had been married only seven years and then was 84 years old. 84 is 12 times 7, which indicates perfection or completion. It speaks of the fullness of time when God sent forth His only Son to earth and foretells the completion or perfection of God's chosen people in Christ.
The name Anna comes from the Hebrew word Hannah, meaning "grace" or "favor." The other well-known Hannah in the Bible presented her son Samuel in the temple as a boy before God. Now, Mary is presenting Jesus in the temple as a boy before God. Eli met Samuel in the temple and blessed Samuel. Simeon met Jesus in the temple and blessed Jesus. Just as Israel knew Samuel to be a prophet established over the whole land, so all of spiritual Israel knows Jesus to be The Prophet declaring the whole will of God. There is a replay of the events of Samuel in the life of Jesus. He is the new Samuel to judge all of spiritual Israel.
Verse 36 of Luke 2 tells us Anna's name, her tribe, and her father's name. The meaning of each name is important. Anna was the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, one of the ten "lost tribes" of Israel which were scattered in the Assyrian captivity. The name Phanuel brings to mind the place named Penuel where Jacob received his limp (Genesis 32). Phanuel and Penuel both mean "face of God" or "vision of God." Anna had seen the face of her earthly father, Phanuel, many times. On that day, however, something much better happened. Phanuel's daughter saw the face of Jesus Christ in the flesh, who is God over all, blessed forever. Jesus is Phanuel in the flesh. Jesus is "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15).
Imagine the impact which the actions and prophecies of Simeon must have had on Joseph and Mary. It was simply amazing when a man who was probably a total stranger walked up and proclaimed their child, who looked like any other six-week-old boy, to be the Messiah of God.
Although Verses 22-24 speak of the time when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to God and to offer a sacrifice according to the law of the Lord, the Bible gives us NO details about that presentation or sacrifice.
What set Simeon apart from many others, including the religious leaders at the temple, was that he was a man who trusted in God, who obeyed His Word, who looked for His kingdom, and who was indwelt and led by the Holy Spirit. Naturally speaking, Simeon and Anna had little to commend them. They were not people of position or power. They had no "official" part in the required ceremony of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. They were not part of the religious elite of the day. They were "nobodies" in the eyes of men. In fact, it is somewhat amazing that they were even allowed to say and do what they did in the temple. That was indeed the sovereignty of God.
For the Christian, the Lord Jesus Christ must be our focal point of life, the governing principle and priority of life. The coming of the kingdom of God was the one great hope, the one great motivation, the one great occupation of these two saints, Simeon and Anna, and it should be ours as well.
Next in God's order in Genesis 15 are the turtledove and the young pigeon. Scripture never says that they were killed or divided. Again, I assume the turtledove was on one side and the young pigeon on the other side. Because they were still alive, they could have flown away, but they did not. Why? because the Lord told them not to fly away, just like the Lord closed the mouths of the lions when Daniel was thrown into the lions' den. In other words, they fully obeyed the Lord. A young pigeon has no feathers. Perhaps the turtledove speaks of all of the overcomers, the remnant who have gone before or are now on earth. Since they are in Christ and Christ in them, they join in praying for the young pigeon ... the overcomers still on earth and who are still being made by the Lord into His image.
Turtledoves or young pigeons were included for poor people who could not afford bigger animals in sacrifices. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Turtledoves are also called mourning doves. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Although there are many "conferences" of Christian believers at many levels, there will never be a physical gathering or conference of the turtledoves. The Lord will not allow it. That way, no man can take the glory. They are hidden away; but they will do that which is ordained for them. They will intercede for the young pigeons that the body of Christ may come into fullness ... that the Lord may be glorified. We are fast approaching the time when the turtledoves ... the sons of God ... will be caught up in the realm of the Spirit and will bring forth the young pigeons. That will be the real rapture. A great deception is that all Christians will be snatched away to heaven before the great tribulation arrives.
Now, what is the common thread that characterizes all of the animals and birds and their spiritual significance? intercession! I have believed for many years that the most important ministry in the church that the Lord is building is intercession. I have heard some good men say that they have not been called to a ministry of intercession. I must disagree. I believe that the following two verses apply to every born-from-above believer.
One problem is that there are very few real intercessors. The intercession that the Lord is looking for is seen in
Now let us expand a little from Isaiah 43:1-7 on the making of a he-goat or a Christian leader. We will be sharing a few thoughts about how the Lord goes about to make us into the vessel that He desires.
Note that the verbs in verse 1 are all past tense. Calling a person by his name indicates a high degree of familiarity. If the name is repeated twice, that indicates something very important. There are several examples of this principle ... Abraham, Abraham; Moses, Moses; Samuel, Samuel; Saul, Saul. The phrase might even hint at the fact that God gave them their names, an act to indicate superiority and even ownership. Certainly, we believers have been bought with a price ... the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary for our sins. We are not our own.
The "best" name for any believer may be summed up by Revelation 2:17 and Revelation 3:12.
In Revelation 2:17, the OVERCOMER (not just anyone who has accepted the saving grace of our Lord) is promised a new name. No one else except the overcomer himself knows that name.
In both verses, the word "new" is the Greek "kainos," which means new as to quality, not "neos," which means new as to time.
But even better than that is the name of Jesus ... name above ALL names! the name to which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
That verse brings to mind the time when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea and the Jordan River; and when the three Hebrew young men were thrown into a fiery furnace. That verse also applies to Israel, not Jacob. The Bible calls this process sanctification, which we will talk about more in Isaiah 43:7, shortly. God arranges all of our circumstances, our environment, etc., in order to bring us from Jacob to Israel. However, Isaiah 43 does not address the period of time between the man Jacob and the man Israel, which could be called "our wasted years without Christ." This verse describes what happens after we become part of spiritual Israel.
I believe that Peter was very familiar with chapter 43 of Isaiah. One reason is because Peter has very much to say about suffering in the life of a believer. So does Paul. Of course, the only Bible that Peter and Paul had was what we call the Old Testament. Abraham did not have even that available. He had to depend upon that which the Lord spoke to him. More importantly, note that when we walk through the fire ... when we submit ourselves to the dealings of the Holy Ghost, that the Lord promises to be with us. Jesus said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).
Back to Isaiah 43.
After the captivity of Judah by Babylon, the Mede and Persian empire conquered Babylon. The Persians not only conquered Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba, but more importantly, we read in
Who is the Lord speaking to now? Who among us has been honorable? Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no not one." Conclusion? God the Father is here speaking to God the Son, for the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY righteous, honorable One.
Back to Isaiah 43.
Verse 5 is the second time in these seven verses that the Lord says, "Fear not." Who constitute "thy seed" in Verse 5? This is NOT talking about natural descendants. Neither is this referring to the Lord bringing natural Jews back to their natural homeland. The verse speaks of the seed of Christ, or rather the seed which IS Christ. The seed represents all those whom the Father has given to His Son ... those who are in Christ. The verse speaks of "bringing" and "gathering" thy seed. Bring and gather them to where? unto the Lord Himself.
These words of the Lord through the vessel of Isaiah are certainly most encouraging and positive. But to whom is the Lord speaking here? If we take the verse literally, the Lord is speaking to Jacob and/or Israel. But Jacob had died almost 1000 years earlier, so it is not likely that the Lord is speaking to the man named Jacob. Further, Isaiah's ministry never was to Israel, the Northern kingdom. Therefore, the Lord was not speaking to the natural Israel of that day. Could it be that this is a prophetic word that has no time or cultural limits? Could this be a word for believers today? YES! It is a prophetic word for all (former) Jews and Gentiles throughout all ages of time who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Of course, verse 7 states very specifically the recipients of those verses in Isaiah 43 ... every born-from-above believer.
"Jacob" in Scripture represents the natural man, perhaps even the morally good, religious man, who unfortunately has no personal relationship with the Lord. Israel speaks of the redeemed man, the spiritual man, the man (or woman, of course) who has been born again and baptized in the Holy Ghost, i.e., equipped with the necessary weapons for the journey and ministry on this earth. This is called justification in the Bible. Jacob is created but Israel is formed. The Lord "formeth the spirit of man within him" (Zechariah 12:1).
Please note that the Lord says that He has redeemed (spiritual) Israel. That is past tense, not future tense. It does not say, "I will redeem thee." Paul uses the same past tense when he says, in
How can these things be? We do not know. It is a mystery. But God lives in eternity. We live in time. Back to Isaiah 43.
Who is "even every one that is called by my name"? You and me ... believers throughout every age. So here the word switches back to His chosen people. Verses 1 and 7 of Isaiah 43 cannot refer to Jesus because Jesus was not created. He was with God in the beginning before the world was or before man ever existed.
In verse 7 we see three action verbs, compared to only two in Isaiah 43:1. The one that has been added is the word "made." The "making" part is as a result of verses 2-6. We can speak of the "making" as the "walking out process" called "sanctification." This is what Paul refers to when he says,
In what is called the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the younger son was still a son. He is symbolic of a carnal Christian ... one who refused (at first) to submit to the dealings of the Holy Spirit in his life ... one who did not like the process of "making." In verse 12 of Luke 15, this younger son says "GIVE ME," symbolic of the selfish, carnal attitude. But, the grace and mercy and love of God was at work in his life, and God arranged for hard times to come upon him, such that this son repented and returned unto his father. Then he said, in verse 19, "MAKE ME." He was ready to be made into the vessel that God intended for him to become. He was ready to walk through the rivers and through the fire. The younger son represents the Gentiles; the older son represents the Jews. As food for thought, I believe the real prodigal son was the older son who stayed at home.
With respect to the making process,
I can never recall hearing any mature minister quote verse 32 correctly. From my experience, most ministers say, "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." But that is not what the scripture says. It says, "make you free." This is the making process which is referenced in Isaiah 43:7. We were set free by the grace of God when we accepted the atoning work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. We are made free by a process. How do we know the truth? by the working of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Jesus said,
Notice that Jesus never said how long it would take for the Holy Ghost to teach us all things! We believe it will take an eternity to unfold all of who God is, because God is infinite. But we have still missed something related to John 8:32, because that promise is conditional. If we go back and read that verse again, we see the condition on our part, "if we continue in His word."
Genesis 15:9-10, "And He said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto Him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not."
Note that the three animals were killed but no mention is made that the birds were killed. Under the Old Covenant, the heifer was the sin offering for the high priest and his family. Therefore, the heifer speaks prophetically of our great High Priest, Jesus, who gave His life for the sins of the people. Without the sacrifice of the Lamb of God at the cross of Calvary, none of the other animals or birds are of any value.
Jesus still intercedes for His chosen people.
Hebrews 7:25, "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."
The she-goat is next in order after the heifer. The she-goat likewise sacrifices her self-life in order to bring forth the he-goat. This represents the ministry of the wife to her husband, something that Eve never fulfilled. Ruth 4:11 says that Rachel and Leah built the house of Israel. How? by their behavior and their intercession for Jacob. What is God's plan for the she-goat if her husband dies or if she never marries? Let us consider ...
Luke 2:36-38, "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
Anna had been married only seven years and then was 84 years old. 84 is 12 times 7, which indicates perfection or completion. It speaks of the fullness of time when God sent forth His only Son to earth and foretells the completion or perfection of God's chosen people in Christ.
The name Anna comes from the Hebrew word Hannah, meaning "grace" or "favor." The other well-known Hannah in the Bible presented her son Samuel in the temple as a boy before God. Now, Mary is presenting Jesus in the temple as a boy before God. Eli met Samuel in the temple and blessed Samuel. Simeon met Jesus in the temple and blessed Jesus. Just as Israel knew Samuel to be a prophet established over the whole land, so all of spiritual Israel knows Jesus to be The Prophet declaring the whole will of God. There is a replay of the events of Samuel in the life of Jesus. He is the new Samuel to judge all of spiritual Israel.
Verse 36 of Luke 2 tells us Anna's name, her tribe, and her father's name. The meaning of each name is important. Anna was the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, one of the ten "lost tribes" of Israel which were scattered in the Assyrian captivity. The name Phanuel brings to mind the place named Penuel where Jacob received his limp (Genesis 32). Phanuel and Penuel both mean "face of God" or "vision of God." Anna had seen the face of her earthly father, Phanuel, many times. On that day, however, something much better happened. Phanuel's daughter saw the face of Jesus Christ in the flesh, who is God over all, blessed forever. Jesus is Phanuel in the flesh. Jesus is "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15).
John 1:18 says, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him."
To see God, we look at Jesus, who is Phanuel, the face of God.
Asher was Leah's son. In Genesis 30:13 Leah says, "Blessed am I! For women have called me blessed." Therefore, she named the child Asher, which means "blessed." Mary became a new Leah and Jesus is her Asher.
Anna is called a prophetess. Without going into great detail, what I received from the Lord many years ago is that the wife of a prophet is called a prophetess because they are one. For example, Isaiah's wife, in Isaiah 8:3, is called a prophetess, but Scripture never records one word that she said.
Anna was a faithful Israelite, waiting and longing for the redemption of Israel. Usually when a woman was married, she was known by her husband's name, but Anna was identified by her father's name, Phanuel. A widow could either re-marry or go back to her father's house. As a young widow, the natural thing for Anna to have done would be to remarry. She probably had a few such opportunities. Her greatest womanly contribution, as well as her natural womanly fulfillment, would have been marriage and child-bearing. Nevertheless, she remained single and lived out her life, occupied with prayer and fasting.
Under the Old Covenant, tribal associations were important. The Gospels record the genealogies of both Joseph and Mary, and they both go back to Abraham. From His birth, Jesus replaced the genealogies. What matters is no longer what tribe we are from, but if we are born from above. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. These events signal the completion and fulfillment of the Old Covenant in Christ. Now, Jesus brings in a New Covenant. He will destroy the old temple and build a new one.
Anna was a remarkable woman. She worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day. Anna was a faithful and godly woman who received Jesus. She was a humble widow, and in her humility, she was able to see Jesus. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Jewish leaders in her day could not recognize Jesus as the Son of God, but Anna saw Him and spread the good news to the faithful Jews waiting for their Messiah. God exalts the humble but resists the proud.
We are told little about what she actually said. Scripture says only that she spoke of Jesus to other Israelites. She was not a teacher or pastor. Without doubt, her message was simply that Jesus was the Messiah. Anna was very aware of Israel's sins, but she was looking for the coming of Messiah. Anna's fasting and prayers made a statement against the sinful activities hindering the activity of God among His people and proclaimed the need for a redeemer. Her spirituality was probably viewed by the religious leaders as condemning their leadership practices. Therefore, the religious officials looked with contempt on people like Anna. She was always there, like a thorn in the flesh of the Pharisees. Anna was a widow. Jesus condemned the religious leaders for taking advantage of widows (e.g., Matthew 23:14, "you devour widows' houses.") Anna was faithful to meet God at the temple and pray for redemption. She witnessed injustice, but her faithful prayers, night and day, were heard. The Redeemer of Israel had arrived.
Anna is living testimony to the great contribution women can make who devote their life to God. No wonder Paul instructs the churches to financially support such widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16). What ultimately mattered in Anna's life was not marriage or family, but faithfulness to God. The hidden activities of prayer and fasting was, and still is, most important. The apostles made prayer and the preaching of God's Word the priority of their ministry (Acts 6:4).
The he-goats or rams come next in God's order. They likewise crucify their own flesh and self-life such that the turtledoves may come forth. The he-goats are true leaders of the flock and have spiritual authority. Paul, who certainly was a he-goat, in Galatians 2:20, said,
Asher was Leah's son. In Genesis 30:13 Leah says, "Blessed am I! For women have called me blessed." Therefore, she named the child Asher, which means "blessed." Mary became a new Leah and Jesus is her Asher.
Anna is called a prophetess. Without going into great detail, what I received from the Lord many years ago is that the wife of a prophet is called a prophetess because they are one. For example, Isaiah's wife, in Isaiah 8:3, is called a prophetess, but Scripture never records one word that she said.
Anna was a faithful Israelite, waiting and longing for the redemption of Israel. Usually when a woman was married, she was known by her husband's name, but Anna was identified by her father's name, Phanuel. A widow could either re-marry or go back to her father's house. As a young widow, the natural thing for Anna to have done would be to remarry. She probably had a few such opportunities. Her greatest womanly contribution, as well as her natural womanly fulfillment, would have been marriage and child-bearing. Nevertheless, she remained single and lived out her life, occupied with prayer and fasting.
Under the Old Covenant, tribal associations were important. The Gospels record the genealogies of both Joseph and Mary, and they both go back to Abraham. From His birth, Jesus replaced the genealogies. What matters is no longer what tribe we are from, but if we are born from above. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek. These events signal the completion and fulfillment of the Old Covenant in Christ. Now, Jesus brings in a New Covenant. He will destroy the old temple and build a new one.
Anna was a remarkable woman. She worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day. Anna was a faithful and godly woman who received Jesus. She was a humble widow, and in her humility, she was able to see Jesus. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Jewish leaders in her day could not recognize Jesus as the Son of God, but Anna saw Him and spread the good news to the faithful Jews waiting for their Messiah. God exalts the humble but resists the proud.
We are told little about what she actually said. Scripture says only that she spoke of Jesus to other Israelites. She was not a teacher or pastor. Without doubt, her message was simply that Jesus was the Messiah. Anna was very aware of Israel's sins, but she was looking for the coming of Messiah. Anna's fasting and prayers made a statement against the sinful activities hindering the activity of God among His people and proclaimed the need for a redeemer. Her spirituality was probably viewed by the religious leaders as condemning their leadership practices. Therefore, the religious officials looked with contempt on people like Anna. She was always there, like a thorn in the flesh of the Pharisees. Anna was a widow. Jesus condemned the religious leaders for taking advantage of widows (e.g., Matthew 23:14, "you devour widows' houses.") Anna was faithful to meet God at the temple and pray for redemption. She witnessed injustice, but her faithful prayers, night and day, were heard. The Redeemer of Israel had arrived.
Anna is living testimony to the great contribution women can make who devote their life to God. No wonder Paul instructs the churches to financially support such widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16). What ultimately mattered in Anna's life was not marriage or family, but faithfulness to God. The hidden activities of prayer and fasting was, and still is, most important. The apostles made prayer and the preaching of God's Word the priority of their ministry (Acts 6:4).
The he-goats or rams come next in God's order. They likewise crucify their own flesh and self-life such that the turtledoves may come forth. The he-goats are true leaders of the flock and have spiritual authority. Paul, who certainly was a he-goat, in Galatians 2:20, said,
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."
Paul was also a great intercessor. He said, in
Acts 20:31, "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."
And in Ephesians 1:15-16, "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;"
Now, consider Simeon.
Luke 2:22-35, "And when the days of her [Mary's] purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
Imagine the impact which the actions and prophecies of Simeon must have had on Joseph and Mary. It was simply amazing when a man who was probably a total stranger walked up and proclaimed their child, who looked like any other six-week-old boy, to be the Messiah of God.
Although Verses 22-24 speak of the time when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to God and to offer a sacrifice according to the law of the Lord, the Bible gives us NO details about that presentation or sacrifice.
2 Corinthians 13:1, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
Two people ... Simeon and Anna, bear witness to Jesus in the temple. Both are devout and patiently waiting for Israel's redemption. They represent the whole human race, male and female. The man comes first, but it is not good for him to be alone, so the woman then comes and joins in the work of the man. After they complete their purpose on earth, we never again hear about them. However, the Lord never left or forsook them.
Eleven verses are devoted to Simeon, and primarily what he spoke, whereas only three verses are devoted to Anna, but primarily not what she spoke but her "hidden" intercession. Both aspects of the functioning of the body of Christ are important and divinely ordained.
Simeon, which means "one who hears and obeys," was a prophet. Simeon confessed Jesus as the Lord's Christ, and Anna confessed Jesus as the Redeemer of Israel. They both declared in truth that He was the Messiah who was to redeem Israel. Their combined evidence is greater than if only one confessed this truth.
It is important to remember that they were in the temple. Jesus' first appearance at the temple, which occurred at the time of His presentation, was a very significant event. The Old Testament prophets had spoken of the appearance of God's Messiah at the temple. For example, in ...
Eleven verses are devoted to Simeon, and primarily what he spoke, whereas only three verses are devoted to Anna, but primarily not what she spoke but her "hidden" intercession. Both aspects of the functioning of the body of Christ are important and divinely ordained.
Simeon, which means "one who hears and obeys," was a prophet. Simeon confessed Jesus as the Lord's Christ, and Anna confessed Jesus as the Redeemer of Israel. They both declared in truth that He was the Messiah who was to redeem Israel. Their combined evidence is greater than if only one confessed this truth.
It is important to remember that they were in the temple. Jesus' first appearance at the temple, which occurred at the time of His presentation, was a very significant event. The Old Testament prophets had spoken of the appearance of God's Messiah at the temple. For example, in ...
Malachi 3:1, "Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts."
Of course, Malachi 3:1 applies to the soon second coming as well as when He came 2000 years ago. Simeon's confession of faith is that this Child in his arms was the Savior, salvation Himself. It is remarkable that Simeon sees Jesus' salvation as extending to all people ... Gentiles and Jews alike (verse 32). This is the same message the angel spoke to the shepherds on a winter night: "I bring you good news of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:10).
Simeon was a man who was somewhat like the Old Testament characters, Elijah and Melchizedek, in that he suddenly appears out of nowhere. We are told very little about Simeon. We do not know what tribe he came from. We know nothing about his family, whether he was married or had any children. We are told nothing about his occupation, but he was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple. In reality, Simeon was a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The only things we are told about Simeon are those things which matter most to God ... things which pertain to his faith and his character, things which tell about his relationship with God.
We are told that Simeon was righteous and devout (Verse 25), which speaks of his personal Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had directed Simeon to the temple on the same day that Jesus' parents brought Him to be presented to the Lord. Finally, the Spirit of God revealed to Simeon that this child was indeed the Messiah.
We are not given the age of Simeon, but because he was ready to die, he must have been elderly, like Anna. The fact that he was in Jerusalem, that he was familiar with the Old Testament, that he was "righteous and devout," and that he was "looking for the consolation of Israel," all point to his being an Israelite. His highest priority was loving and serving God, and so at the Spirit's leading, he was at the temple, where he was enabled to recognize and proclaim God's Messiah.
Simeon's prophecy views the coming of Christ as revealing the hearts of men and of dividing men, so that because of Him some will rise and some will fall. Moreover, Simeon's words prepare Mary for the grief she must suffer, as the rejection of her Son by men will cause her to witness His death on the cross. This will be a sword that will pierce her soul.
Now that Simeon had seen God's Messiah, he was ready to leave his earthly dwelling behind; we should always be ready to face death for in so doing we will see Him. As Paul wrote, death no longer has any sting (1 Corinthians 5:55). Paul also said,
Simeon was a man who was somewhat like the Old Testament characters, Elijah and Melchizedek, in that he suddenly appears out of nowhere. We are told very little about Simeon. We do not know what tribe he came from. We know nothing about his family, whether he was married or had any children. We are told nothing about his occupation, but he was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple. In reality, Simeon was a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The only things we are told about Simeon are those things which matter most to God ... things which pertain to his faith and his character, things which tell about his relationship with God.
We are told that Simeon was righteous and devout (Verse 25), which speaks of his personal Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had directed Simeon to the temple on the same day that Jesus' parents brought Him to be presented to the Lord. Finally, the Spirit of God revealed to Simeon that this child was indeed the Messiah.
We are not given the age of Simeon, but because he was ready to die, he must have been elderly, like Anna. The fact that he was in Jerusalem, that he was familiar with the Old Testament, that he was "righteous and devout," and that he was "looking for the consolation of Israel," all point to his being an Israelite. His highest priority was loving and serving God, and so at the Spirit's leading, he was at the temple, where he was enabled to recognize and proclaim God's Messiah.
Simeon's prophecy views the coming of Christ as revealing the hearts of men and of dividing men, so that because of Him some will rise and some will fall. Moreover, Simeon's words prepare Mary for the grief she must suffer, as the rejection of her Son by men will cause her to witness His death on the cross. This will be a sword that will pierce her soul.
Now that Simeon had seen God's Messiah, he was ready to leave his earthly dwelling behind; we should always be ready to face death for in so doing we will see Him. As Paul wrote, death no longer has any sting (1 Corinthians 5:55). Paul also said,
Philippians 1:21-24, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you."
What set Simeon apart from many others, including the religious leaders at the temple, was that he was a man who trusted in God, who obeyed His Word, who looked for His kingdom, and who was indwelt and led by the Holy Spirit. Naturally speaking, Simeon and Anna had little to commend them. They were not people of position or power. They had no "official" part in the required ceremony of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. They were not part of the religious elite of the day. They were "nobodies" in the eyes of men. In fact, it is somewhat amazing that they were even allowed to say and do what they did in the temple. That was indeed the sovereignty of God.
For the Christian, the Lord Jesus Christ must be our focal point of life, the governing principle and priority of life. The coming of the kingdom of God was the one great hope, the one great motivation, the one great occupation of these two saints, Simeon and Anna, and it should be ours as well.
Next in God's order in Genesis 15 are the turtledove and the young pigeon. Scripture never says that they were killed or divided. Again, I assume the turtledove was on one side and the young pigeon on the other side. Because they were still alive, they could have flown away, but they did not. Why? because the Lord told them not to fly away, just like the Lord closed the mouths of the lions when Daniel was thrown into the lions' den. In other words, they fully obeyed the Lord. A young pigeon has no feathers. Perhaps the turtledove speaks of all of the overcomers, the remnant who have gone before or are now on earth. Since they are in Christ and Christ in them, they join in praying for the young pigeon ... the overcomers still on earth and who are still being made by the Lord into His image.
Turtledoves or young pigeons were included for poor people who could not afford bigger animals in sacrifices. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Turtledoves are also called mourning doves. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Although there are many "conferences" of Christian believers at many levels, there will never be a physical gathering or conference of the turtledoves. The Lord will not allow it. That way, no man can take the glory. They are hidden away; but they will do that which is ordained for them. They will intercede for the young pigeons that the body of Christ may come into fullness ... that the Lord may be glorified. We are fast approaching the time when the turtledoves ... the sons of God ... will be caught up in the realm of the Spirit and will bring forth the young pigeons. That will be the real rapture. A great deception is that all Christians will be snatched away to heaven before the great tribulation arrives.
Now, what is the common thread that characterizes all of the animals and birds and their spiritual significance? intercession! I have believed for many years that the most important ministry in the church that the Lord is building is intercession. I have heard some good men say that they have not been called to a ministry of intercession. I must disagree. I believe that the following two verses apply to every born-from-above believer.
1 Timothy 2:1-2, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
One problem is that there are very few real intercessors. The intercession that the Lord is looking for is seen in
James 5:16-18, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."
Now let us expand a little from Isaiah 43:1-7 on the making of a he-goat or a Christian leader. We will be sharing a few thoughts about how the Lord goes about to make us into the vessel that He desires.
1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Note that the verbs in verse 1 are all past tense. Calling a person by his name indicates a high degree of familiarity. If the name is repeated twice, that indicates something very important. There are several examples of this principle ... Abraham, Abraham; Moses, Moses; Samuel, Samuel; Saul, Saul. The phrase might even hint at the fact that God gave them their names, an act to indicate superiority and even ownership. Certainly, we believers have been bought with a price ... the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary for our sins. We are not our own.
The "best" name for any believer may be summed up by Revelation 2:17 and Revelation 3:12.
Revelation 2:17, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
In Revelation 2:17, the OVERCOMER (not just anyone who has accepted the saving grace of our Lord) is promised a new name. No one else except the overcomer himself knows that name.
Revelation 3:12, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."
In both verses, the word "new" is the Greek "kainos," which means new as to quality, not "neos," which means new as to time.
But even better than that is the name of Jesus ... name above ALL names! the name to which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Philippians 2:6-11, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Back to Isaiah 43 and verse 2. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."
That verse brings to mind the time when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea and the Jordan River; and when the three Hebrew young men were thrown into a fiery furnace. That verse also applies to Israel, not Jacob. The Bible calls this process sanctification, which we will talk about more in Isaiah 43:7, shortly. God arranges all of our circumstances, our environment, etc., in order to bring us from Jacob to Israel. However, Isaiah 43 does not address the period of time between the man Jacob and the man Israel, which could be called "our wasted years without Christ." This verse describes what happens after we become part of spiritual Israel.
I believe that Peter was very familiar with chapter 43 of Isaiah. One reason is because Peter has very much to say about suffering in the life of a believer. So does Paul. Of course, the only Bible that Peter and Paul had was what we call the Old Testament. Abraham did not have even that available. He had to depend upon that which the Lord spoke to him. More importantly, note that when we walk through the fire ... when we submit ourselves to the dealings of the Holy Ghost, that the Lord promises to be with us. Jesus said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).
Back to Isaiah 43.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
After the captivity of Judah by Babylon, the Mede and Persian empire conquered Babylon. The Persians not only conquered Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba, but more importantly, we read in
Ezra 1:1-2, "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah."
Isaiah 43:4 - Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou has been honourable, and I have loved thee: Therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Who is the Lord speaking to now? Who among us has been honorable? Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, no not one." Conclusion? God the Father is here speaking to God the Son, for the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY righteous, honorable One.
Back to Isaiah 43.
5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Verse 5 is the second time in these seven verses that the Lord says, "Fear not." Who constitute "thy seed" in Verse 5? This is NOT talking about natural descendants. Neither is this referring to the Lord bringing natural Jews back to their natural homeland. The verse speaks of the seed of Christ, or rather the seed which IS Christ. The seed represents all those whom the Father has given to His Son ... those who are in Christ. The verse speaks of "bringing" and "gathering" thy seed. Bring and gather them to where? unto the Lord Himself.
These words of the Lord through the vessel of Isaiah are certainly most encouraging and positive. But to whom is the Lord speaking here? If we take the verse literally, the Lord is speaking to Jacob and/or Israel. But Jacob had died almost 1000 years earlier, so it is not likely that the Lord is speaking to the man named Jacob. Further, Isaiah's ministry never was to Israel, the Northern kingdom. Therefore, the Lord was not speaking to the natural Israel of that day. Could it be that this is a prophetic word that has no time or cultural limits? Could this be a word for believers today? YES! It is a prophetic word for all (former) Jews and Gentiles throughout all ages of time who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Of course, verse 7 states very specifically the recipients of those verses in Isaiah 43 ... every born-from-above believer.
"Jacob" in Scripture represents the natural man, perhaps even the morally good, religious man, who unfortunately has no personal relationship with the Lord. Israel speaks of the redeemed man, the spiritual man, the man (or woman, of course) who has been born again and baptized in the Holy Ghost, i.e., equipped with the necessary weapons for the journey and ministry on this earth. This is called justification in the Bible. Jacob is created but Israel is formed. The Lord "formeth the spirit of man within him" (Zechariah 12:1).
Please note that the Lord says that He has redeemed (spiritual) Israel. That is past tense, not future tense. It does not say, "I will redeem thee." Paul uses the same past tense when he says, in
Ephesians 1:4, "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love."
How can these things be? We do not know. It is a mystery. But God lives in eternity. We live in time. Back to Isaiah 43.
7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Who is "even every one that is called by my name"? You and me ... believers throughout every age. So here the word switches back to His chosen people. Verses 1 and 7 of Isaiah 43 cannot refer to Jesus because Jesus was not created. He was with God in the beginning before the world was or before man ever existed.
In verse 7 we see three action verbs, compared to only two in Isaiah 43:1. The one that has been added is the word "made." The "making" part is as a result of verses 2-6. We can speak of the "making" as the "walking out process" called "sanctification." This is what Paul refers to when he says,
Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
In what is called the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the younger son was still a son. He is symbolic of a carnal Christian ... one who refused (at first) to submit to the dealings of the Holy Spirit in his life ... one who did not like the process of "making." In verse 12 of Luke 15, this younger son says "GIVE ME," symbolic of the selfish, carnal attitude. But, the grace and mercy and love of God was at work in his life, and God arranged for hard times to come upon him, such that this son repented and returned unto his father. Then he said, in verse 19, "MAKE ME." He was ready to be made into the vessel that God intended for him to become. He was ready to walk through the rivers and through the fire. The younger son represents the Gentiles; the older son represents the Jews. As food for thought, I believe the real prodigal son was the older son who stayed at home.
With respect to the making process,
John 8:31-32, "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."
I can never recall hearing any mature minister quote verse 32 correctly. From my experience, most ministers say, "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." But that is not what the scripture says. It says, "make you free." This is the making process which is referenced in Isaiah 43:7. We were set free by the grace of God when we accepted the atoning work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. We are made free by a process. How do we know the truth? by the working of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Jesus said,
John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
Notice that Jesus never said how long it would take for the Holy Ghost to teach us all things! We believe it will take an eternity to unfold all of who God is, because God is infinite. But we have still missed something related to John 8:32, because that promise is conditional. If we go back and read that verse again, we see the condition on our part, "if we continue in His word."
Now if all we receive from this message is a little more understanding of scripture, then we have missed the mark. The word must become flesh within us. Lord, we ask that you increase our hunger to be made into your image ... that we might know You! Amen and amen.
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