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Chapter One: The Old Testament And The Wars Of The Jews,
Page 2
Isaac, Jacob, And Moses
Jesus the Well of Springing Water appeared to Isaac and personally reaffirmed His promises to Abraham. Even so, Isaac chose Esau though told through his wife that the blessing of being the progenitor of the Man would be through his younger son, Jacob, not Esau. But God uses even the evil of man to accomplish His good purpose, and it was Jacob who received the blessing, in spite of Isaac.
Jacob had to pass this blessing on to his son Judah, especially since Rueben, Simeon, and Levi had disqualified themselves.
Let’s note here the murders of Simeon and Levi. Yes, all of the brothers would have murdered their brother Joseph had not Rueben restrained them. But Simeon and Levi did murder the men of Shechem. Was this a just retribution for the rape of Dinah by just one of them? Did God appoint any man to shed their blood since they certainly shed the innocent blood of many men? Or were they personally appointed by God to wipe out and entire city of sinners?
The Bible and history is full of men who commit unjust murder and get away with it. They prosper and live out their years until Adam’s penalty takes them and God appoints no man to execute his sentence of blood for blood. Why is this, is God not keeping His promise to appoint a Revenger of Blood?
And speaking of Joseph, it was he to whom Jesus the Rescuer gave authority over not just the entire tribe of Israel, but under Pharaoh, the entire nation of Egypt. This Joseph certainly had the power to enact retribution and justice and revenge. But he was blessed for firmly keeping his bow by his side (Genesis 49:24), seeing how the evil he had to endure was used by God to save many lives.
Moses was not nearly so righteous. Did he not confess his murder when he said (in Exodus 2:12), “… he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” But when he realized that his crime was discovered he fled the country. Did God appoint a revenger of blood to rid the earth of such a man? By not punishing him immediately is God giving hope to every murderer that he too can get away with this sin? This is that same Moses who was a descendent of that murderer Levi; Moses who as a newborn baby Pharaoh sought to kill, but whom Pharaoh permitted his daughter to save.
For Pharaoh, the God delegated ruler of Egypt, had commanded regarding his slaves, the Israelites (Exodus 1:22), “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. Moses parents also disobeyed the God instituted authority (for no one rules except by God’s permission and delegation) since they hid the newborn Moses for three months until he could be hid no longer.
Not only did Jesus the All Consuming Fire not judge Moses, He appointed him to be a judge, prophet, priest, and deliverer of His nation Israel. Moses was to be a caretaker of a major part of the Vision, the plan to bring salvation and justice to all the people of the earth for all time. But what did Moses say? In Exodus 4:13, “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will.” In other words, send your message by anybody other than me!"
Israel, The Kings, And The Prophets
If it was possible to bring about a perfect people by having a perfect form of legislation, and a perfect judiciary, now was the time to show it. Jesus the Lawgiver personally gave us the most authoritative government that the World has ever known. After seeing the awesome judgments of Egypt, and the terrifying sight of the flaming Mount Horeb, and at the petrifying sound of the Voice of Jesus the Majestic booming from Heaven, the people of Israel decided to submit to His Law (Exodus 19 & 20, Deuteronomy 5, Hebrews 12:18-20). Jesus the Captain of Armies would now use Israel to judge the nations. First he dispossessed the Canaanite nations, and slew all who resisted Him and His rule. But He would only slay them if Israel obeyed Him. But to persuade Israel to judge themselves and the nations, He had to judge Israel time and time again. So, time and time again He demonstrated to every generation that even with the perfect system, a fallen people would rebel not only against their Creator, but also against His government, His kings, His priests, and His prophets. While the nations of the World were growing all around them, spreading all over the earth, while the earth was being filled with population and being prepared for the coming of the Man, the incarnate the Messiah of Israel, Jesus the Anointed was anointing prophets, priests, judges, and kings to shed the blood of the murderers and idolaters who rebelled against His rule and kingdom. But even they failed so miserably that, as Isaiah said in Isaiah 1:9, “… Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah.” Is there any hope for man on this earth?
The prophets thought so. In the Vision by Isaiah he says in 1:2-4: “In the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains. And will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, and will render decision for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not left up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.” And so Israel waits for the prophet like Moses, their King who brings in everlasting righteousness, and the Man who brings justice and revenge and vindication.
But what did we get? Jesus the Son of Man, the spotless Lamb of God, the Suffering Servant, the son of Abraham, the son of David, the son of Mary, who executes judgment on Himself, dies for our sins, rises from the dead, and ascends up to heaven leaving His promise to return. Are we right back where we were before?
Questions And Answers
1. Is the Old Testament relevant for today?
Answer: Paul said it this way to the Galatians (3:21-29): “… For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being shut up to the faith that was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law (Old Testament) has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, and there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
2. Should we apply the Old Testament to such modern issues as pacifism?
Answer: Of course. But pacifism isn’t an issue; it’s a method. Pacifism means different things to different people. Can a person be the kind of pacifist who would lay down his life if he didn’t believe in some kind of future reward in a resurrection or reincarnation? For Christians the issue isn’t pacifism. It is: just what is the will of Jesus the Ascended for us who are left down here on earth? And, how shall we carry out that will?
3. Did Jesus or the Apostles use the Old Testament to establish morality or doctrines?
Answer: Of course, but let’s not forget, Jesus the Alpha comes before the Old Testament, and the Old Testament itself is a book of the record of the gradual revelation through many generations of the will and ways of Jesus the Omega.
4. What implications can be drawn from this?
Answer: Now that we have the hindsight of many generations we should be open to the idea that Jesus the Original may be doing things in a new or different way than He did before, a way that He showed us in the beginning or prophesied of along the way. Jesus is our morality.
5. If something is morally right or wrong in one age, can we assume that it will be morally the same in other ages?
Answer: Yes and No. For example, murder versus killing for Jesus: Murder is always wrong since by Christian definition it is the taking of life without the permission and direction of God’s Authority, but if Jesus doesn’t want us to kill anybody for Him anymore (or at least until He comes again), that’s His business and we’d better obey. Especially since He said in Matthew 26:52: “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword …”, and in Revelation 13:10, “… if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed….” It seems that Jesus the Equalizer has determined death to any Christian who uses the sword. May He grant to us to warn and deliver any who are led in that direction.
6. What is the difference between the use of force and an act of violence?
Answer: A threat or a law passed with a penalty for disobedience may be considered the use of force. Certainly an act of violence is the use of force. But, again, the issue is what is God’s will and way. It doesn’t help to confuse the issue by redefining terms or making unnecessary distinctions. An act of violence can be good or bad depending on its source. And for a Christian, all things ultimately work for the good since God uses the deeds of both the good and the evil to accomplish His ultimate purpose.
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