Welcome To The Arena Of Indubitable Truth! Topic: Elucidating The Testaments (J)

Welcome To The Arena Of Indubitable Truth!

Topic:  Elucidating The Testaments (J) 

Helping You To Increase Your Revelation Knowledge Of Christ!

Continued from the last episode…

Text Of Interest: 

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” 

Jn 16:12-13

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” 

1Cor 2:13

Case Study Text:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 

2Tim 3:16-17 (KJV)

The Old Testament actually began in Exodus (Jere 31:31-32), in this covenant which is also known as the Law sin a prominent feature. And it was so because the covenant revealed what sin is (Rom 7:7) and the purpose was to prove that man is such a weak vessel that cannot make himself perfect without God (Rom 3:19 – 20). However, is very important to note that the Law didn’t come because God hated man and as a matter of fact, desired that he should be kept under bondage. It was the acts of man that indicated their unbelief in the ability of God and in God that prompted the arrival of the Law (Exo 16:3, 17:2 -3). God saw a group of people who could not incline on Him but murmur and wail against Him even in the midst of great and unprecedented manifestation of signs and wonders.

It is interesting to know that the Law also didn’t come to them unaware, the LORD sought for their consent and they wholeheartedly agreed that whatever the LORD said they will do (Exo 19:3 – 8). In this process, God wanted a situation that He will be appearing to them and communicating to them directly in a way that His presence will become a common phenomenon to them but they willingly rejected this kind gesture from God. So they decided to choose Moses to be the mediator between them and God (Gal 3:19). What an opportunity they wasted! That was an extension of hand of grace from God to them, what a moment for them that they could be hearing God speaking to them often as He has intended. Their rejection of hearing from God directly and being in His presence makes them outsiders in God and as a result they couldn’t learn the ways of God but His acts (Ps 103:7).This perpetuated a big relationship gap between them and God and no wonder the weakness in their flesh could not be ameliorated.

On the contrary, they decided to settle for a conditional relationship between them and God. And this covenant which they reached with God in it is the revelation of sin, because the dos and dons in it became serious obligations for them to carry out, and it was obvious they couldn’t help themselves out of its clutches.But somehow in a way to softenthe pedal or to create a relief for them, the covenant has some kind of ‘antidotes’ if failure occurs.These antidotes are called sin offerings and is carried out by slaughtering animals for sacrifices (Lev 4:3, 20-21, 24) in order to prevent the consequences of their failures on them. These antidotes were not a permanent solution to their sins but it paves the way for the mercy of God to prevail over their life (Lam 3:22 Titus 3:5 - 7), if not, based on the requirement and the legal standing as stipulated in the covenant total annihilation should take place because the eye of God cannot behold sin (Hab 1:13).

Also it is important to note that for an animal to be accepted for any sin offering or sacrifice, it is mandatory that the animal must be whole and blameless. So the satisfactory status is not based on the sinner but on the sacrificial animal, therefore, the sinner is accepted based on the soundness of the animal he brought. However, remember the legal standing is that anyone that sins should or must die (Gen 2:17, 3:3, Ezek 18:4). As a matter of fact, for forgiveness of sin to rightly take place it requires a blood of a man and not animal, animal blood is not capable to remit the sin committed by man (Heb 10:4 - 10, 12, 14, 17 -18).

As a result of their incessant failure in carrying out their rightful obligations as required or stated in the covenant, they were unable to receive the right responses from God even in their dire situations. And here God is not to be blamed because the relationship is anchored on if you do I do, so God will only respond rightly if they have done rightly. This failure (sin) continues to separate them from God and it does as if God could not hear or answer them in the days of trouble (Isa 59:1-11).

Note, like I said in the earlier episodes, God created man and gave him a right to make choice (Gen 2:16-17, Deut 30:19), this right to make choice becomes man’s will and God cannot invade man’s will unless man gives him permission to do so. The situation playing out here is not God’s making but man’s making because of the choice(s) he has made and of course no decision is without consequence(s).

To be continued….

Till I come your way again, keep on basking in the Arena of Indubitable Truth!

Chukwuemeka C. Asiegbu