In the original Greek text of the New Testament, the word translated here as “a place” is “kleros.” The King James Version translated it “inheritance,” which is one of its meanings. Kleros is a very important word in both the New Testament and in the Greek version of the Old Testament that the Apostles used in the early church (called the “Septuagint”).  This is the first in a series of lessons exploring the meaning of this term.

Reference books list the main definitions of kleros as “lot, portion, or share.”  It is the word used for casting lots to inquire of the Lord in Acts 1:26.  Peter told the money-loving Simon Magus that he had “no share in this ministry” in Acts 8:21 (“neither part nor lot in this matter”), using the same word “kleros” for “lot” or “share.”  In Colossians 1:12 Paul uses the word for the “inheritance” of the saints, and in 1 Peter 5:3 it uses the same word to call the faithful church the Lord’s “heritage” that has been entrusted to the pastors.  The common theme is our allotted portion or share, designated and revealed by God’s grace to us.

Here, kleros is a place among the true saints. When we experience salvation through Christ, we receive a place at His table, at the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb.  “He brought me to his banquet table, and his banner over me is love.”  (Song of Songs 2:4; see also Isaiah 25:6).  There is a place with your name, designated and reserved for you.

This is more than merely a geographic location that is available for you; rather, it is an invitation, an inclusion in the family of God (see Matthew 22:2-10).  You place at the table is your “kleros,” a share assigned to you by Jesus himself.  “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9).

Your place (kleros) among those who are sanctified also refers to your life here, right now, not just to our future in heaven.  God has a place for you in his own flock, his faithful church:

It is a place where you belong, where you can feel at home spiritually

It is a place where you can feel safe from both the world and from the abuses that plague religion.

It is a place where you can serve Christ and make a difference or an impact in God’s project.

It is a place where you can receive spiritual nourishment and can grow or progress spiritually.

It is a place of rest and peace (Hebrews 3: – 4:10).

“…that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.” (Psalm 106:5)

“Kleros” is our share in the joy of God’s people, joining his inheritance, enjoying the blessings He gives them.

“…so that…” Notice the conditional structure of this sentence.  How do we receive a place (kleros) among the sanctified?  Through the opening of our eyes (revelation), and by turning from darkness to light (“repentance” means “turning”), turning away from the authority of the Enemy to God in complete submission to our Heavenly Father.  These things – opening eyes, turning form darkness to light, and turning from the Enemy’s authority to God – enable us to take a place among God’s own flock.  This phrase “so that” also reveals God’s purpose in evangelism – he sends preachers like Paul to open people’s eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, SO THAT they may receive a place among God’s people.  Godly evangelism or outreach has this ultimate goal or purpose – to see people take their place among the servants of Christ.  The goal is not merely to have a well-attended evangelism event!  We must stay focused on God’s long-term goal, which is to have them receive their place, their kleros.  God intends everyone he saves to become an integrated part of a fellowship of true saints (the body), even if that is a small group meeting regularly in a home.  We should think of outreach in terms of kleros – bringing people into their kleros, their place in the family of God.

“…so that they may receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” – Acts 26:18

This passage provides guidelines for pastors and ministers.

…BE SHEPHERDS – This first injunction may seem confusing, because in modern Christianity many church leaders use the title of “pastor” (which originally meant “shepherd” or “sheep herder,” and still does in some languages, like Portuguese).  Some even have their members address them as “Pastor ___,” which is a little confusing in light of Jesus’ explicit warnings in Matthew 23:8-12.  In any case, people whose title is already “pastor” or “shepherd” might think they are automatically being a shepherd.  Titles, however, are not the same as behavior.  This passage enjoins us to act like shepherds taking care of flocks in the way we treat the members in our churches – with care, self-sacrificing love, and genuine concern for their well-being.  This is the opposite of thinking of members as sources of tithes, subordinates to order around, or the numerical measure of one’s greatness as a religious leader.  Rather than seeing ourselves as the commander of a legion or the executive of an organization, we should view ourselves as protectors, guardians, and nurturers.  Too many church leaders think the members are there to serve them, when it should be the other way around.

NOT BECAUSE YOU MUST, BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE WILLING –   We must ask ourselves why we are doing this – why are we pastoring?  Even men in unpaid ministry positions, like those in Maranatha, can find themselves doing things merely to appease or impress their supervisors or the denominational leadership, or out of fear of the church hierarchy.  It is easy to find pastors who hold a flurry of special events (small seminars, special workers’ meetings, etc.) before a local visit from the directors of their organization.  This passage instead encourages ministry “because you really want to,” that is, compelled by a genuine love of Christ and love for the people (see 2 Corinthians 5:14).  Our motivations matter to the Lord, and are probably more obvious to the members than we think.

NOT GREEDY FOR MONEY – The worst reason for doing ministry, which is lamentably common, is that it provides an easier opportunity for income than alternative sources of secular employment – some people are in ministry as a career to avoid having to earn their living through manual labor.  Suppose for a moment that your country outlawed receiving any money or other compensation whatsoever from the ministry or from church members, but otherwise allowed churches to function freely – in other words, all ministry had to be on a strictly volunteer basis, with no salary, no sponsorship from foreign churches, no income or assistance related to the ministry at all.  How many pastors would there be in your country?  In the New Testament period, this would not have changed anything.  We fear that today, very few would be willing to be pastors if they had to support themselves completely with secular jobs, as the Apostle Paul did.  Worse, it is easy to find pastors who are egregious in their greed, begging for donations and then using the contributions to support a life of luxury.  Some will even lie to donors in order to solicit assistance.

NOT LORDING IT OVER THOSE ENTRUSTED TO YOU – The Bible simply forbids authoritarian styles of leadership for pastors, here and elsewhere (Matthew 20:25-26; Mark 10:41-43; Luke 22:25-26; 2 Corinthians 1:24).  Titus 2:15 does mention encouraging and rebuking “with all authority,” but this refers to confidence in the eternal truth of what we are saying, not to our relationship style with the church members.  Do we teach the members to obey us, or to obey the Lord?  Do we expect members to be submissive to the ministry no matter what, regardless of how awful his behavior becomes?  “Lording it over” means reminding the members of “who is in charge,” warning them against “touching the Lord’s anointed” (the person saying the warning), or treating it as a sin when people question things or ask for explanations – instilling fear to manipulate them into submissiveness.

BEING EXAMPLES – We should not expect or require more of the members than we ourselves do.  Pastors must exemplify the level of brotherly love, humility, prayer, study of the Word, and evangelism to which the members should aspire.

Rehoboam made an egotistical decision that ended the unity of the Israelite nation for hundreds of years.  As a result, God’s chosen nation splintered into a northern kingdom called “Samaria” or “Israel,” and a southern kingdom called “Judah,” which actually included the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Levi, and Simeon.  The Lord foretold this catastrophe, however, years before through a prophet.  It was a punishment for the disobedience of the leaders and the people during the later years of Solomon’s reign.

“Three days later” is a common occurrence in Scripture.  Prophetically, it points to God’s eternal time, moments in God’s Project of Salvation.

One explicit lesson of this passage is that our sins and mistakes are not only a cause of God’s judgment, but also are themselves often a judgment from the Lord for our previous disobedience.  This is a principle throughout the Bible.  (See Psalm 81:12; Ezekiel 20:25; Acts 7:42; Romans 1:24-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11).  In each of these cases, the person put themselves in the situation by their own free will, choosing to disobey the Lord; but part of the punishment for their sin was the fact that they made even more bad decisions (worse sins or mistakes) after that.

Christians tend to think of every sin as a stand-alone event with its own consequences, an independent choice between blessings and curses like the ones we see in Deuteronomy 30:19, Joshua 24:15, Isaiah 1:18-20, or Ezekiel 18:20-24.  Indeed, we do make choices and our sins have consequences.  There are other passages, however, where the Bible shows a cumulative effect of sin or righteousness in our lives, as sinners plunge into worse and worse trouble (as in the passages above where God “gives them over”), and the faithful believers build on their track record of obedience.  An example of this principle is Ecclesiastes 7:26 (“The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.”); see also Revelation 19:8.

Also explicit in this passage is the point that Rehoboam followed bad advice (from his youthful peers) and spurned the advice of the elders.  The elders encouraged humility and conciliation.  The young men thought it was better to seem aggressive, powerful, and authoritarian as a leader.  This appealed to Rehoboam’s fragile ego, but it alienated the people.  Rehoboam boasted that he was tougher than his father Solomon was and could govern more harshly.  He must have felt like an impressive person when he said this.  God had already prepared his replacement: Jeroboam.

Many people in the world think it is a sign of good leadership to be strongly authoritarian, to act superior to one’s subordinates, and to demand unquestioning submission all the time, even to arbitrary decisions by those in authority.  Jesus himself acknowledged that this was the way ancient cultures viewed authority, but He forbid us to bring this approach into the church or to act this way as ministers. (See Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42; Luke 22:25).  The Apostle Paul avoided pride or ministering in a heavy-handed manner (see 2 Corinthians 1:24).  The early church considered it a problem when a pastor liked to “be first” or elevate himself over others (3 John 1:9).  Pride and selfishness contradict Christian love (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).   Authoritarianism is spiritual failure.

Abusive, self-promoting Christian leaders always talk about the dangers of “touching the Lord’s anointed,” (meaning them, of course), referring to David’s refusal to kill King Saul when he had the opportunity to do so on two occasions.  Every sect, cult, or hierarchical denomination relies on these David stories to foster blind submission to the leadership.  The Bible, however, affirms those who search the Scriptures to test teachings (Acts 17:11), and warns us to avoid certain types of preachers. Remember that David fled from Saul and refused to submit to him once he felt endangered.  Jeroboam’s revolt against Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12 was exactly what God had told him to do.  God sent a prophet to warn Rehoboam not to attack the separatists (1 Kings 12:22-24).  Jeroboam’s sin came later (1 Kings 12:26-31).  God had given him an opportunity to be the new David, to establish a new kingdom that would obey the Lord.

1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

…Come all – These verses speak of an opportunity for all those who do not yet belong to Him to come and have a relationship with the living God.  God has a solution for all our problems, and can supply our souls every need.  God desires to save us, strengthen us, and prepare us to be with Him one day.

COME BUY AND EAT, YOU WITH NO MONEY – Just as a parent pays for their child’s food, so too those who become children of God have the price of salvation already paid by God the Father.  He sent His Son Jesus Christ, through His Son Jesus Christ, by whose Blood (the Holy Spirit) we can receive salvation.  He offers us free water, wine, milk, and bread.  What soul would turn down such a wonderful offer?

WHY DO YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY FOR WHAT IS NOT BREAD? – The things of this world, including man-made religion, cannot satisfy the soul of man.  These things can lead us astray, make our souls sick.  So many people spend their time and effort in pursuit of vain things that they do not need.  Yes, the Lord God can bless us in this life, but we need to make Him our primary focus.  He is the best qualified to know what we need.  He is ready and able to supply our every need, even here and now.

BREAD – This speaks of the BODY of Christ, as Jesus taught His disciples during the last supper.  This is where we receive the blessing.  When we in fellowship with the Body of Christ, the Lord is taking care of us.  There we also receive three items of Spiritual drink for our soul.  In these items we also find the operation of the Trinity.

1) MILK – This is the basic food that we all begin with when we are born.  Spiritually speaking it represents the basic teachings of Christ.  These things came from God the FATHER, and must first nourish us before we can move on to more solid food.  New converts need this, as do even mature servants, who must never lose sight of these foundational teachings.

2) WATER – Only Jesus the SON of God can quench the thirst of our soul.  He is the living water.  In John Chapter 4, we see Him personally offering this water to the Samaritan woman.  The water he offers is a Spiritual water, not the physical kind (that only helps the body, but not the soul of man).  Those who receive Jesus “..streams of living water will flow from within him..” (John 7:38).  Everyone without exception “…thirsts for the living God”   (Psalm 42:2) because God created us to live eternally.  Every soul, without exception, thirsts for eternal life!

3) WINE – This speaks of the joy of the HOLY SPIRIT.  Jesus paid the price for us to receive this wine.  This wine does not slur our speech.  Instead, it produces edifying words.  This wine does not sway our walk, but rather, straightens our feet to remain on the path to eternity.

LISTEN CAREFULLY AND EAT WHAT IS GOOD -   God wants to give us all these things in abundance.  We must be careful, and have only what comes from God.  With everything else we risk consuming something that is contaminated.  Certain books, websites, etc – all these things may have some good things in them.  The danger lies in what else comes mixed in.  Truth plus the smallest lie possible still equals a lie, and is thus a danger for our souls.

HEAR AND YOUR SOUL SHALL LIVE – When we are hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, we are safe, and know what things are not good to eat.  Some things make us feel sick, even before we taste it – because the Holy Spirit gives us discernment, and warns us.

I WILL MAKE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH YOU – God desires a personal relationship with each one of us.  He wants to take care of our souls.  He wants to lead us to everlasting life with Him in eternity.  He will take us there, but we must remain faithful to Him.  God will feed our souls.

“When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”  (vv. 16-17)

“Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.  But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”  (Psalm 73:27-28)

In this Psalm, God talks about the “pure in heart,” as well as the “arrogant” and the “wicked.”  To man, the wicked may seem to have no troubles.  Those who are faithful feel that they have many struggles.  Sometimes this seems unfair, even to believers.

The Psalmist, who lived during the time of David, even felt that he had kept his heart clean “in vain.”  Yet when he went into the “the sanctuary of God” then everything became clear.  He “understood their final destiny,” and realized the unfaithful were not going to the same place as the faithful.  It is only a matter of time before the present injustice ends.  In shame, the Psalmist realizes how “senseless and ignorant” he was for doubting to be faithful was in the first place (Psalm 73:22).  In the end, he choose to remain on the right path, and remain always with the Lord.  God’s mercy, blessing, and guidance will surely continue to come to us so long as we remain faithful.

We often see people in the world who seem to have it all.  Maybe we have lost our job, and have been struggling to stay afloat financially, while others who ignore God may have been able to remain in a stable job.  If we focused on material things, we might feel envious.  Yet with those who are not Christians, it is easy for us to grasp their end is one we will not share in.  It is good for us to meditate sometimes on the eternal destiny that awaits all of us.  This helps us put things into perspective regarding material wealth and prosperity.

When it comes to people in the church, however, it can be a little more confusing.  Perhaps there is a brother or sister who attained a certain role in the church, or whom God uses in a special way that we never experience.  This may even occur when there are things in their lives that seem immature, flaws or weaknesses that we have already outgrown.  Many believers struggle with frustration when others, who seem less consecrated, achieve greater fame as preachers or have a position of greater influence.

We should not look to others, but only to Jesus.  Only the Lord can guide us.  The Lord is calling us out of darkness into His light.  Each day He is transforming us, and helping us to abandon the things that do not please Him.  He is helping us to be more faithful.  When we see a brother or sister doing something that is not edifying, we should not follow their example.  Nor should we judge them.  It is a matter between them and the Lord.  We should continue praying for them, and never lose sight of where the path of unfaithfulness leads.

Psalm 73 is one of the “songs of Asaph” (see the heading).  This is actually the first in the collection of Asaph’s psalms, although one of his psalms occurs earlier – Psalm 50 – as a companion song to Psalm 51.  Who was Asaph? Asaph was a Levite, one of David’s main worship musicians who ministered before the Ark of the Covenant (see 1 Chronicles 16:23; 1 Chronicles 25:1-6; 2 Chronicles 5:12).  He was also a prophet or “seer.”  (1 Chronicles 25:2; 2 Chronicles 29:30).  His sons and descendants continued to have responsibility in the temple as musicians, and they are listed in Ezra and Nehemiah among those who returned from the Babylonian Exile (Ezra 2:42; Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 7:44; Nehemiah 11:17-24; Nehemiah 12:46).

Asaph’s psalms (Psalm 50, and Psalms 73-85) are distinctive for containing words of prophecy, where God addresses His people instead of vice versa.  They also focus on the themes of spiritual frustration or disappointment, along with the shame of disobedience and judgment.  Asaph wrote about longing to see God act – coping with periods where God did not seem to be answering prayers or helping his people, or where God’s people were suffering in mistakes they had made and needed forgiveness and help.  We all feel these things at times and can find comfort in these words.

“But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.” (Psalm 73:28, KJV)

]]> http://www.cyfairbiblestudy.com/wordpress/latest/313/feed 0 http://www.cyfairbiblestudy.com/wordpress/latest/311 http://www.cyfairbiblestudy.com/wordpress/latest/311#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:58:03 +0000 drustevenson http://www.cyfairbiblestudy.com/?p=311 “Love . . . keeps no record of wrongs.” – 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

“Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil…” (KJV)

The Greek phrase Paul employed here can mean “to think about evil” or “to keep an accounting of evils or wrongs.”  That is why the KJV translates it a little differently than most modern versions.  The original text encompasses both ideas, because the main point is dwelling on the other person’s faults. A person living in love will not keep a mental record of another church member’s wrongdoings, nor will they constantly focus on evil things, contemplating how to get revenge or how they would like to lecture the other person.

Unlike the attributes of love that speak of our behaviors toward others, this attribute of love is internal – it is a problem in the mind of the believer.  Of course, it is especially hurtful when another person actually states the “record of our wrongs” that they have in their minds, because we realize that they have been thinking a lot about our faults if they could compile such a list.  Overall, though, the battle here is in our own minds and hearts.

The focus here is mostly on relationships with other believers in our local church, because that is the primary context where spiritual gifts are supposed to function, according to 1 Corinthians 12-14.  Lack of love between participants in a local body will cause spiritual stagnation in that church, regardless of the pastor’s anointing, the impressive buildings or sound system, or their advertising budget.  Without love, the church becomes just a religious organization; the “body life” dies, and the Spirit stops operating in reality.  The pastor or worship leader might be enough of a “show man” to keep the services exciting and sensational even without the Holy Spirit, but the members will not grow closer to God – they will just leave the church excited.  We must nurture and cultivate love in our midst in order to have the operation of the Holy Spirit through revelation and other gifts.  The principles of love may be applicable in other situations we face, but the primary focus of 1 Corinthians is the life of the local church body.

The “record of wrongs” is visible in local churches in every country in the world.  Members harbor bitterness and resentment toward another person in the church for years at a time.  We see churches where the members are still talking about trivial offenses and incidents from years before – someone failed to attend the person’s wedding or birthday party, or criticized their new clothes, or something like that.  Members hold little grievances against the pastor for failing to greet them one time, or not having time to visit them when they were sick.  They keep the list in mind and recite it often to their friends, and the Spirit stops operating in power in the church.

Earlier in 1 Corinthians, Paul told the church members to separate from phony Christians or those living in sin while calling themselves servants.  “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler.  With such a man do not even eat.”  (1 Corinthians 5:11).  We must take the passage on love together with this command.  The “record of wrongs” Paul refers to here are the trivial interpersonal affronts and rivalries that we need to put aside.  Even serious sins, like those listed in 1 Corinthians 5:11, we should forget about after the person repents and stops behaving that way.

People like to say, “I can forgive but I do not forget.”  They say this slogan with pride.  It sounds as if they are getting revenge on the person who hurt them by always remembering what  happened.  What kind of forgiveness is that?  When we have truly forgiven a person, the memory of the harm gradually fades from our minds.  Of course, if the person has not changed or repented, but is still living in serious sin, there is nothing to forget.  It is a present state of affairs.  If, however, the person who hurt us has repented and changed, we have no right to “keep a file” on that person about their past sins.

Love is one of God’s highest priorities for us as individuals and for our churches.  It is more important for a church than any type of spiritual gifts, miracles, or revelations.  Of course, God wants every church to have those things as well.  Even so, love is even greater than faith (1 Corinthians 13:13).

This verse describes what they had to do with the blood when they brought a burnt offering – before the burning it, they would drain the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of God’s altar.  In the same way, we need the blood of Jesus to touch EVERY AREA of our lives – all sides.  Everything must be consecrated, every area of sin forgiven, every facet of our lives under its protection.  This is the opening passage of Leviticus, a book entirely about priestly sacrifices and other priestly duties – all of which foreshadow the work of Jesus, our Great High Priest.

The sacrifices of the Old Testament foreshadow the various aspects of Jesus’ atoning work on the cross.  His atonement was multi-faceted, and we see different facets in different Old Testament passages.  For example, Abraham’s attempt to offer his son Isaac in obedience to God’s command (Genesis 22) illustrated the concept of substitution - God provided a ram at the last minute, in the same way that Jesus took our place when he died.  On the other hand, the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) illustrated Jesus’ blood as spiritual protection.  The scapegoat in Leviticus 16 vividly illustrates removing sin from our lives – the goat would take the sin out of the camp into the wilderness.  The “life in the blood” in Leviticus 17 illustrates the life from the Holy Spirit that we receive through Christ’s sacrifice.

The process of sanctification or consecration through the Blood is apparent throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Consecration always starts with the sacrifice, with shed blood.  The use of the blood in Leviticus 8 to ordain Aaron the priest illustrated consecration of a minister through Jesus’ blood.

What is consecration?  Consecration means “set apart for God’s purposes” or “separated from sin and spiritual uncleanness.” It is interchangeable with the word “sanctification” or “holiness.”  The definition of consecration has two components – separation from sin and dedication for God’s purposes (that is, the will of God).  The blood of Jesus not only brings forgiveness, but it also marks us as God’s possession, set apart for Him.  Jesus completed the necessary work to consecrate us when he shed his blood on Calvary, and when He poured out the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.  This effect of the blood of Jesus begins to apply in our own lives as soon as we receive His salvation.  That is when the blood of Jesus sets our lives apart for God’s Eternal Project, and the Holy Spirit indwelt us, producing a transformation in our character.

Consecration is both an act and a process.  The process of consecration is what we experience day by day as we grow in spiritual maturity, becoming ever more steadfast in our obedience to Christ.

Consecration implies ownership.  We become God’s possession or property (sometimes the Bible even refers to us as his “inheritance”).  “For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.”  (Psalm 135:4).  Believers in Christ are “those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”  (Ephesians 1:14).  Through Jesus’ blood, God has “set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”  (2 Corinthians 1:22).  In rural societies, people sometimes mark or brand their livestock so that everyone will know that a particular animal belongs to that owner as the herds graze freely in the fields.  Similarly, God marks us as his own possession through the Blood.

As this verse (Leviticus 1:5) suggests, every side or area of our lives should belong to God.  This means we must not split our lives into compartments, serving God sometimes and serving ourselves (or the world) other times.  That is like stealing from Him, because He sprinkled the blood of his Son on every side.  We consecrate our professional lives to him, doing our secular labor for the glory of God.  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”  (Colossians 3:23).  We consecrate our family lives to Him.  We consecrate our free time to him.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  (Colossians 3:17).

“I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44)

“...sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar...”  (Leviticus 1:5, KJV)

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”    The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king should not say that,” Jehoshaphat replied.

This is a lesson about hearing from God and knowing God’s will for our lives.  This story occurs during a period when the Israelites were divided into two kingdoms – a northern kingdom, usually called “Israel” or “Samaria” (Samaria was the capital), and a southern kingdom, called “Judah,” headquartered in Jerusalem.  Sometimes the northern and southern kingdoms were at war, and sometimes they were allies, as in this chapter.  The kings of Judah, the southern kingdom, were physical descendants of David, and a few of them (not the majority) were righteous, godly men.  Jehoshaphat was one of their most godly kings.  The kings of Samaria, the northern kingdom, were all bad, except for a mixed character named Jehu.  Ahab was one of their worst kings.  Jehoshaphat apparently felt intimidated by Ahab, and was willing to do almost anything to forge a deeper alliance between their kingdoms.  During a summit between the two leaders, Ahab proposes that they launch a war against  Aram (a people group from modern-day Syria and Iraq), to retake part of Israel’s territory (Ramoth-Gilead in modern-day Jordan) that the army of Aram had occupied.

1. Ahab’s First Mistake – Ahab had surrounded himself with prophets who would always tell him what he wanted to hear.  They had a financial incentive to do so because Ahab provided their food, lodging, and livelihood.  This was their full-time ministry.  They could not risk offending their patron and the relationship tainted their prophecies.  Sadly, this is the state of a lot of “prophecy” and “prophets” today.  They constantly prophesy prosperity, health, and victory for their hearers.  This is what everyone wants to hear, and these self-proclaimed prophets make their living making these hopeful pronouncements over people’s lives.  They are not really hearing from God most of the time, but they keep making prophetic pronouncements and people love it.  The people might be headed for disaster, like Ahab in this story, but these full time ministers do their job and give false hope and inspiration. Christians are like Ahab when they tolerate only prophecies that they like.  (See also Lamentations 2:14; 2 Timothy 4:3).  We must be willing to accept whatever God says.

Even Maranatha churches are not immune to this.  We should feel concerned if nearly all the spiritual gifts are affirmations of the status quo or promises of glorious breakthroughs about to occur – despite ongoing serious problems there that remain unaddressed.  Those in leadership positions must be especially vigilant to resist the temptation to promote or surround themselves with “yes men” who constantly have “revelations” that conveniently support whatever the leader thinks or plans to do.  Our flesh naturally enjoys such endorsements, but the fear of the Lord should make us afraid of such self-delusion (Galatians 6:4).

2. Jehoshaphat’s Plea – a godly person feels nervous about phony prophecies and false inspiration.  They seek a person who will tell them what God is actually saying, whether it is positive or negative.

3. Ahab’s Second Mistake – Ahab hated Micaiah, the one true prophet there, because he did not like hearing words of correction or warning or rebuke.  He was very immature.  This is a sure path to self-destruction, when we listen only to optimism and inspiration and reject genuine warnings.  Even the court attendant tried to pressure Micaiah to go along with all the other revelations that had been favorable (1 Kings 22:13).  Micaiah must have sounded sarcastic with his favorable answer, because Ahab demands that he speak the truth (1 Kings 22:17-18).  We must not despise the truth.

4. Ahab’s Third Mistake – Ahab decided to disregard Micaiah’s prediction of his death and go into battle anyway (due to ego issues).  Then he did something bizarre – he wore a disguise and coerced Jehoshaphat into dressing like him, trying to “beat the curse” or prevent God from fulfilling the prophecy (2 Kings 22:30-33).  This was futile, of course.  Yet people think like this – they refuse to repent or obey God, and instead try to work around the warnings.  This is the madness of religion – believing enough to be afraid, but not believing enough to obey.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him; the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord –

– and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”

Isaiah 11 is a prophecy about Jesus Christ, written about 700 years before he was born.  Jesus is the Shoot or the Branch who comes from the nation of Israel (the “stump of Jesse”).  Many other prophecies call Jesus “the Branch,” the “Shoot,” and the “Root” (see Psalm 80:15; Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 53:2; Zechariah 3:8; Zechariah 6:12; Romans 11:16-18; Romans 15:12; Revelation 5:5; Revelation 22:6).  This prophecy also tells us something about the Holy Spirit, which inhabited Jesus and is inseparable from him.  God’s Spirit is sevenfold.  Of course, our mortal minds cannot fully understand or grasp this, as it transcends our mortal experience or comprehension.

The sevenfold nature of the Holy Spirit comes up elsewhere in Scripture, but here we focus on attributes that Isaiah describes.

Spirit of the Lord - The word here in the Hebrew for “Lord” is Yahweh, which means, “I am who I am.”  The Holy Spirit that anoints Jesus is the Spirit of Yahweh from the Old Testament – there is no difference.  The name Yahweh refers to God’s eternal existence – He has always existed, will always exist.  Everything else in the universe  could cease to exist if God willed it.  God is different – He has to exist, cannot stop existing.  The Spirit that holds the universe together is the same Spirit that anointed Jesus when He was on the earth.

Spirit of Wisdom – Biblical wisdom is very practical.  It makes decisions that avoid waste, avoid losses, avoid harming others, and most of all, avoid offending God’s sense of righteousness and justice.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10).  People, in their flesh, constantly make foolish mistakes, doing things that prompt others to say, “I told you so.”  Wisdom looks ahead and channels our behavior to avoid problems.  The greatest trouble or problem of all is offending the Lord, so that is the foremost thing wisdom looks to avoid.

Spirit of Understanding – This refers to seeing the true significance or meaning of events.  We often misinterpret things in our flesh.  Sometimes man thinks something is unimportant, but God thinks it is very important, like the widow’s pennies (Luke 21:1-3).  Negative examples would be little suggestive jokes and profanity (see Ephesians 5:3-6), or little lies (see Ephesians 4:25; 1 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15).  On the other hand, man views certain things as impressive and significant that God considers trivial (Isaiah 40:6-17; Isaiah 41:24; Daniel 4:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25).  The Holy Spirit sees things as they really are, according to the true value and merit.

Spirit of Counsel – Counsel is advice about what to do.  It is similar to wisdom, but wisdom looks ahead and focuses more on general policies of avoiding bad things.  Counsel is the revelation about the next step we should take.  When we face a difficult decision, the Holy Spirit can tell us the best thing to do.

Spirit of Power – (“Spirit of Might”) Most believers understand this – the miracle-working power of God, the ability to defy the laws of science and probability, to accomplish anything.  The problem is that many preachers today focus exclusively on the Holy Spirit’s power and ignore his other attributes.  They treat Him more like an Energy Source, which they want to harness, than a Powerful Master.

Spirit of Knowledge – This refers to the Spirit’s ability to see all things present, even things hidden from human eyes.  He knows what is in your heart and mind.  He knows what everyone is doing at this moment, what everyone is planning, and what everyone is hiding.  He can reveal to us things we would otherwise not know.  Jesus could see people’s hearts and thoughts, could know a man’s name before meeting him.

Spirit of the Fear of the Lord – Why would the Spirit of God fear the Lord?  “The fear of the Lord” does not refer only to dread of punishment; nor is it “fright.”  This Hebrew phrase uses an extra preposition besides the normal wording for “fright.”  It connotes reverence that we voluntarily give to the Lord, our concern about the possibility of grieving Him, and respect for His absolute right to punish sin.

This sevenfold Spirit rested on Jesus – each of these attributes manifested itself through Him.  As we live in the Spirit, we experience these same eternal virtues of the Spirit of God.

¹⁰ In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea.”

This chapter in Isaiah is a prophecy about the coming of Jesus Christ.  Isaiah lived about 700 years before Jesus came into the world.  He wrote more than any other Old Testament prophet about the coming of the Messiah.  Chapter 11 begins with a description of the sevenfold Spirit of God that would anoint the Messiah (that is, the “Christ”).  It then talks about the peace and harmony that will come when Jesus reigns on earth for 1000 years after His second coming.  When Jesus returns, there will be no more killing, disease, or death.

Notice how the chapter compressing prophecies about Jesus that would be fulfilled in different times.  Old Testament prophecy often works this way.  The first five verses speak about Jesus’ ministry during his first coming, and verses 6—9 speak of His reign after his second coming.  Then verses 10-11 speak of the period in between, when Jesus would work through the faithful church to spread the gospel throughout the whole world.

Isaiah 11:10 speaks of the Root of Jesse (this is Jesus, who was a direct descendant of Jesse) standing as a banner for the peoples, with nations rallying to him.  This particular part of the prophecy has its fulfillment in our days.  Jesus is a banner, like the standard or flag on a battlefield that to which everyone can run.

In every country on earth, people are turning to Christ for salvation.  Even in Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu countries, churches are being planting and are growing as never before in history.  The Lord is doing something powerful in this hour.  We do not expect the entire world to convert, of course.  The Bible teaches that most people in the Last Days will follow the Antichrist, who will come as a universally attractive political or religious leader.  Even so, the gospel has reached every country on earth in the last two generations.  Jesus is calling and drawing people to himself.  We should do everything we can to bring people to Him in our own country, and pray and support the efforts of our brethren in other countries, especially whose encumbered by extreme poverty and persecution.  Yet even in countries where churches must gather under a tree to worship for lack of buildings, or where they must meet secretly to avoid persecution from the anti-Christian mobs, people are coming to Christ one by one, family by family.  It is an exciting time to be participating in God’s project.

“…his place of rest will be glorious” – This refers today to the faithful church.  After His second coming, Jesus will dwell in the city of Jerusalem and have His throne there.  Today, his “place of rest” is within the faithful church, the true servants who are obeying Him and following Him (see Isaiah 66:1-3; Ezekiel 37:27; see also Isaiah 28:11-13).  The faithful church is glorious because Jesus dwells there, even though these scattered groups often lack resources, buildings, sound systems, or any material assets.

“…reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant…” The “first time” was when God brought the Israelites back from the Babylonian exile, to resettle their homeland, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.  The “second time” refers to the gathering of people from every nation to know salvation through Jesus Christ.  This is the process in which we play a part today.

Assyria, Hamath, and Babylonia – modern Iraq, Syria, and surrounding areas

Cush – Africa

Elam – Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and neighboring countries

These are not all the countries from which God promises to call people to Himself, but these were on the frontiers of the world the ancient Jews knew about.  They represent the gospel reaching the farthest reaches, the whole world.