Sheep - hook onto the power of life

Oh, I almost forgot!

Remember in my post on The Highest reveals Grace רעה Shepherd I promised to say something about the sheep (flock)?

Surely, if the revelation regarding the Good Shepherd is so powerful and awesome there must be something about the sheep as well?

Well, here goes ...

Some will know the Mystery ... others not ...

There is a Mystery.

When Jesus spoke to the multitudes He always spoke in parables. 

Even today when reading what Jesus said to the multitudes, we are reading a parable.

Matthew 13:34 says: All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them

We need to search, read and comprehend with a holy understanding that is freely available from the Holy Spirit, the One Jesus sent to teach us all things.

Again ... there is a  Mystery and It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Pro 25:2 Remember this post?

Better translated this proverb says that Father God hides (conceal or sathar) carefully a matter (dabar -His Word) [also to hide one self] in order that kings (us) may seek out (chaqar - to examine intimately) that matter (dabar - his Word, Jesus) - in the new testament we are kings, prophets and priests. We can seek it (Him) out.

So what's with the Mystery?

Jesus tells the parable of the sower in Mark 4 and how the Gospel would fall away amongst some who hear it, except where it falls in good (worthy or admirable) ground (occupants of land). 

He then explains to the disciples afterwards in Mark 4:11 that ... Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables, AND QUOTING ISAIAH 6:9 HE GOES ON FURTHER: so that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn (epistrephō - turn to God), and their sins be forgiven them (aphiēmi - actually means, in the intensive form, to accept that their sins had been totally annihilated or sent away). That's the Gospel!

Jesus then explains that the parable of the sower is a key-parable to understand other parables.

So, again what is all this about the Mystery?

Jesus is the Mystery!

The Word Mystery or mustērion (from the Greek root word muo, conveys the idea that those who experience a situation (True Grace - Jesus) will be left completely speechless,  dumbstruck and to be utterly astonished (over His goodness and kindness and love and mercy). The word mustērion occurs 27 times in the New Testament, the bulk of which refers to Jesus Himself.

Let's have a look at some mustērion:

Eph 3:3 - How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery ...

1Co 2:7 - But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory

Rom 16:25 - ... Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began

Eph 1:9 - Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself

Eph 5:32 - This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church

Col 1:26 - Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints

Col 4:3 - ... praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ

He is the Mystery Lover ready to be discovered by the beloved ...

He is the Mystery Pursuer of those who wander in lost condemnation ...

He is the Mystery Contact to those of double-minded confusion ...

He is the Mystery, very present Comfort in the time of need ...

... our Healer ...

... our Redeemer ...

... our Restorer ...

... our Perfect Gift ...

... our every Need ...

... our Friend and Lover ...

Indeed, it is the honour of kings to search out the King of kings, the Great Mystery, Who reveals Himself openly in His Word By His Spirit!

HalleluYAH!

... being stalked by the law ...

What happens to Paul when the Truth is revealed to the people of Lystra and someone cripple from the mother's womb is instantly healed?

What happens when everyone, as a result, is awestruck and amazed?

The Highest reveals Grace רעה Shepherd

Jesus makes a lot of effort when He explains Himself as being both the shepherd and the door.

What is this all about?

Why the analogy?

The whole of the old covenant is full of prophets an prophecies showing Israel as a nation (sheep) scattered upon the hills having no Shepherd (Numbers 27:17, 1 Kings 22:17, 2 Chronicles 18:16, etc.) 

... until David reveals:

 "יהוה is my shepherd; I do not lack." Psa 23:1

There are two key words here we should take note of. It is going to totally blow us away:

Job's quest ... God the same for all? DIY God?

I am amazed in my interaction with people in hospital and their explanation telling of how that (their) God brought them there to teach them something or to make them slow down or to teach their families something by using sickness, accidents, physical discomfort, pain, etc. 

What? 

... these are Christian people ... and I ask myself:

Are we worshiping the same God?

This is not the God I know!

My Abba is a loving Father, full of compassion, merciful, gracious, patient and overflowing with goodness and truth ... just like He declared Himself to be in Exodus 34:6 and numerous other times, and by the actions and works of Jesus!

So, the Holy Spirit teaches me again out of the book of Job ...

In this blog post you can join me in my journey through the age old story of Job as we pick up on the meanings of words and names within the context of the precious truth revealed there in.

And may I add? It is not what you were taught by the religious propagandist ...

Does Job have any relevance today?

The book of Job is essentially the story of the modern day self-righteous church and it's doctrinal deception (check out this post to understand my take on church). It is the story of the brain-washed Christian in despair.

It is the age-old story of the false teaching of who God is.

It is the legacy of doctrine and tradition of man-made-religion ... and it is very relevant TODAY!

Who was Job?

God describes Job as "... a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" Job 1:8

This is exactly how God sees Job ... how He sees man.

Yet, the works of self-righteousness of Job get the better of him in his own circumstances. In his mind Job did everything right. Just as is expected of him by God and those around him. Justified by self-doing - DIY!

... but, when tested by the devil ... is he?

And does he escheweth (turn aside) evil?

Let's check out the meanings some names first

The man is named Job (or Hated) (what women names her child like this anyway?) and he is from a place called Uz (wooden) ... By analogy in the Bible, he is like in the wood, hay and stubble mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3:12 - this wrong belief (self-righteousness), it is tested (by the devil) and burned to ashes.

What is Job's position?

Job knows there is a God. He knows that He is a good God. He even knows His Name -YHVH.

However, he mostly refers to his God as El or Elohim, a generic term for ... God, any God ... a God of any nation or any origin, a true or false God ...

But Job seeks advice ...

During his quest to find out who his God really is, Job is advised by his three doctrinal friends. They are:

Eliphaz the Teminite - whose name means "my God is fine gold", that is a molten image of who He thinks his God is. Eliphaz is from a place in the south, Teminite meaning "He comes from elsewhere";

Bildad the Shuhite - whose name means "confusing love" from a place meaning "sunken in wealth"; and

Zophar the Naamathite - whose name means "early departure" from "vanity" or "loveliness".

Can they be trusted?

These friends of dubious character all advise Job in accordance with their own twisted understanding of who (their) God is. I mean, just look at their names! They all speak elaborately. And Job listens to them attentively most of the time.

They philosophy and advise and come up with all sorts of clever explanations of who (their) God is. But these Gods ...

None can satisfy Job.

None can help Job out of the ditch.

None can heal him.

None can restore him ...

Enters the One Who says He sticks closer than a brother ...

... God Himself intervenes in chapter 32. 

Elihu (meaning "God of him" or "Who God is") the son of Barachel (God blessed) from Buzite (being despised. The Free Gift being despised. Didn't Jesus say this?) of the family of Ram (risen one) [doesn't this just describe the Gospel of Jesus?] then speaks up against Job who, in all his quest justified himself instead of God. Go on. Read the beginning of chapter 32 for yourself.

Amazingly, Elihu (the Revealer of Who God is) initially starts by referring to Himself in the third person (verse 6), but as the truth is revealed He gets ever the more intimate and refers to Himself in the first person. This is the author of the book Himself speaking now!

Elihu sets things straight.

He declares the goodness of God, the very character of God, the core being of the one and only Almighty God.

In the altercation the very name of God, YHVH is used for the first time. Now it is not just some generic reference to (a) "God"!

Elihu is the only friend who condemns self-righteousness and declares the majesty of the One True God, YHVH ... the one Jesus fully revealed as Abba, our Good Father! HalleluYAH!

What is the outcome?

Now, only when the Spirit of Truth reveals the Truth, can Job finally repent and admit:

"... therefore have I uttered that (that) I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee." Job 42:3-5

This is the very core message of the book of Job. If you plan to read the book of Job, DO NOT stop until you have read this verse. The whole of the book works towards Job's revelation.

Paul says it well: "let God be true, but every man a liar; ..." Rom 3:4

God is not who we think He is ... God is who He says He is!

HalleluYAH!

Understanding - to put it all togegher!

Being brainwashed reduces man to a helpless, limited and restricted being ... pitiful and powerless in this world. 

Jesus said it so many times. The problem is our unbelief.

Our unbelief is the direct result of our so-called doctrinal heritage - the stuff we hang onto. 

The law incapable of justification

A rookie Paul preaches in a synagogue in Antioch. 

After the law was read he says: 

If you are dead you are dead. 

But if you are raised to live, you are wonderfully alive!