November 10, 2010

2 Kings 23

Josiah was an amazing king. Born the grandson and son of the most pagan kings Judah had ever experienced, he led one of the most amazing revivals the world has ever seen. The Word says this of him

Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.

In order to accomplish this revival, Josiah literally destroyed the works of his father and grandfather. Can you imagine the moral courage it took for him to demand this not only of himself but also his people? Jesus calls us to the same level of moral commitment.

Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37,38)

For Josiah this meant turning his back on everything that his grandfather and father had built and encouraged in the people in a religious sense. This means that he was going against 53 combined years of cultural and religious pursuit of false gods led by his fathers.

God calls us to the same commitment. How can we pursue the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind? Certainly we will need to see His glory on a daily basis. We will always pursue what we set our eyes upon. That may mean that I need to tear down some of my false gods, my idols such as financial security, fancy houses, cars, clothing, food, entertainment, even family, anything that stands between God and me. If my eyes are always on those things and not upon the glory of the Lord, how could I ever desire to let those things go? But if my eyes are fixed upon His glory, how could I ever convulsively hang on to those things? He is worth letting all things go. Yes, He is worth letting even life itself go. Lord, I so frequently grab after those other things. But they are not worth anything compared to you. Enable me to let go of those things and gaze at and desire only your glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Hebrews 7

The power of an endless life--now that's the stuff movies and legends are made of. It is the dream of some, the nightmare of others. Subconsciously we often think we have it. Most of us live like this life will never end. But only One Person has it, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that is glory! What would you do different if you knew you had the power of an endless life? Would you take more risks? Would those risks be for your best end or for others?

Jesus uses His power of an endless life for our benefit. He uses it to become our High Priest. Now a really strict interpretation of the law would have said, "Wait! Jesus is from the wrong tribe. He is from the tribe of Judah. He cannot be a priest! Priests can only come from the tribe of Levi. Ahh but! There is this unknown character in Abraham's found in Genesis 14:18-20:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said:

“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

Possessor of heaven and earth;

And blessed be God Most High,

Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

And he gave him a tithe of all.

Melchizedek means king of righteousness. Salem, which means peace, is perhaps Jerusalem. So this Melchizedek is either the literal king of Salem, Jerusalem, or perhaps this is another appearance to Abraham of Jesus in a fleshly state before He became flesh. Abraham recognized that he was a priest of the Most High God. He also recognized that Melchizedek was of greater rank than he because he gave him a tenth of the spoils from his victory over the 4 kings of Mesopotamia. Now, no lineage is given for Melchizedek. In the Hebrew mindset lineage was very, very important to establish the right to serve as a priest. Yet Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, gave tithes to him without establishing that right through a lineage.

David in writing his Messianic Psalm 110 says in verse 4 that the Messiah is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. What is that order? At the very least, it is an order that is not established by having the proper physical lineage. So the Hebrews writer uses David's Messianic Psalm to claim the proper glory for the Lord Jesus Christ. He has the power of an endless life and He has eternal office and right to intercede for me.

Now comes the application of that glory--He always lives to make intercession. He has no need to offer a sacrifice for Himself before a holy God because He Himself is holy, innocent, undefiled separate from sinners and the highest authority of all of creation. He always lives for the purpose of interceding for us! When I bring my needs and concerns before our Holy God, He talks to the Father for me. When Satan brings His accusations against me before the Father, most of which are probably true, He says to the Father, "My blood was shed for that sin. I have washed John Chaffin clean. Your wrath has been satisfied in my death upon the cross. John has confessed that sin. Let's clothe John in my righteousness. Let's give him all that he needs for godliness and righteousness, peace and contentment." He teaches me to pray and He intercedes for me! What power of an endless life! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John