Saturday 16 May 2015

Heavy burden prophesied


   When Jesus says: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Mat 11:28-30 He specifically talks about the deception of the prince of this world that says you have to work in order to be, perform to become, do to get. We lay it on ourselves to become ...

... a burden you need not carry!

 This is a central theme throughout the Word of God. And God soooo wants us out of it!

God leads His people out of slavery. He protects them in the wilderness. He goes before them and defeats their enemy the Amorites, the sooth-Sayers in the original Hebrew, the ones who twist His goodness into a performance based, works-orientated salvation – the original lie that says you have to do to become.

God supernaturally brought His people to the promised-land, overflowing with milk and honey (representing each and every good and perfect gift) … and yet, they defied Him and thought nothing of it. They did not desire to have intimacy with Him …

He sent them messengers to openly profess His goodness and who He is. But they killed them.

They drank the wine of the harlot nations they encountered and conformed to the pagan world around them instead.

This sounds very much like a prophecy for today.

Yet, in the days of the prophet Amos (whose name incidentally means burden) it was not much different.

When God speaks through the prophet, Amos, He pours out His heart to his people. He says (allow me to paraphrase based on the Hebrew text):

Amo 2:12 But ye gave the Nazarites [those dedicated to preach the Gospel] wine to drink [intoxicating them with deception and lies]; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not [those bringing the true Gospel of His Salvation – His Grace].
Amo 2:13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves [the root word talks about manipulation – the perversion of the truth].
Amo 2:14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift [even those who justify themselves by own works are the same as the ones who are of little account – who despises God. Both perish.], and the strong shall not strengthen his force [those justifying themselves with self-righteous acts], neither shall the mighty deliver himself [even the one who regards himself to be mighty such as the Pharisee in the law]:
Amo 2:15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow [the one who delivers the self-justification]; and he that is swift of foot [the cunning and shrewd in] shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse [esteems himself] deliver himself.
Amo 2:16  And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith the LORD.

Another prophet describes what happens in the "day of the Lord" when he says: "And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughterOba 1:9

"Mount of Esau" talks about the works of self-righteousness. The root word for Esau (asah) talks about labour and own works. Mount talks about power. Thus, it says power in own works. No wonder God says He hated Esau Rom 9:13 & Mal 1:3.

that day” refers to the Day of the Lord. It is in that day that the self-righteous would not be able to stand. That day was appointed to Jesus. It was the day that the enemy was defeated. It was the day when the burden was taken on and by Him. It was the day when He declared: “It is Finished!”

Today, we have a choice. We can keep bearing the burden. We can take up the burden in various forms. We can pile it up and carry it on and on ...

or …

We can abide and rest in the fact that He has already taken it upon Himself.

Grace says: “There is nothing you can do to earn me!”
 
Grace says: “I am your free Gift!”

Grace says: “I am all for you!”

Grace says: “I am undeserved, unmerited favour and I am yours!”

Grace says: “I have a Name … Jesus!”

You cannot earn Grace. You cannot buy Grace. You cannot deserve Grace.

The only thing that Grace requires is to be received.

If you add to Grace, it is no longer Grace. It becomes something else. Even the name changes because it becomes something you can attain for yourself.

How do we receive?

We rest in the fact that He had done it all. We open our hands and our hearts and receive abundantly from His abundant heart.
All that remains … is to say

Thank You Jesus!

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