A Way to Escape

                                                         

Daniel Purposed in His Heart

Daniel was taken into captivity from Israel into Babylon when he was a young man. Daniel was strong, healthy, and well favored. He understood all wisdom, was gifted in knowledge, and understood how to express his thoughts. He had the strength it would take to stand in the king's palace.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had designs on Daniel’s life to mold him into the heathen ways of the Babylonians.

Daniel was given a new name, Belteshazzar, which honored a pagan Babylonian god. The king’s plan was to teach Daniel the learning and the language of the Chaldeans. He would be given food and wine from the king's table. As a Jew, to eat this non-kosher food would be breaking God’s commandment.

Daniel determined that he would obey God. Although he was in a foreign land with a foreign king ruling over him, Daniel was not going to disobey God’s commandments.

"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." - Daniel 1:8 

With the temptation to ‘go with the program’ and not resist, God made a way to escape for Daniel.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 

God gave Daniel favor with the prince of the eunuchs so he could get a substitute diet.

"Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs [And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs]." - Daniel 1:9  

Even in a strange and pagan country and circumstances, Daniel served God. Even though we live in a world that most of the time is not serving God, He can give us favor, and will not allow us to be tempted above what we can handle. With the temptation, God will make a way to escape so we can bear it.

If ye had known me

                                       

Jesus told His disciples,

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us [we will be satisfied].

“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

“Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. [Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.]" - John 14:7-11 KJV 

Jesus was all man, and all God.

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." - Colossians 2:9 KJV

As man, Jesus was tired, hungry, thirsty, tempted (but remained without sin), prayed, and died.

As God, Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, calmed the sea, opened blind eyes and deaf ears, knew all things, walked on water, created the universe, forgave sins, answered prayers, and raised His body from the dead.

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God…" - Colossians 1:14-15 KJV

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself..." - 2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV

The Presence of God

                                                         

God said to Moses,

"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." - Exodus 33:14

Moses would not settle for less than God’s very presence.

"And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." - Exodus 33:15-16

“Presence” is another word for the “Shechina” (the Holy Ghost).

When God was made flesh and dwelt among His creation, Jesus spoke again of His rest. In His new covenant, His presence would not just be with us, but in us. (John 1:14, John 14:17, 1Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:9, Colossians 1:27).

"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." - Matthew 11:28-30

We find this rest unto our souls to be the Holy Ghost.

"For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing..." - Isaiah 28:11-12 (Acts 2:4, Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12, Acts 3:19).

Jesus promises to fill us with His presence, the Holy Ghost, when we yoke ourselves together with Him. His yoke is His covenant of baptism in the name of Jesus.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

 By His presence, we become separated unto God. (1Peter 2:9).

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." - 2Corinthians 6:17-18 

Ye shall be witnesses unto me

                                                          

After the great commission, Luke records that for forty days Jesus showed Himself alive to His apostles and spoke to them about the kingdom of God.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion [crucifixion] by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" - Acts 1:3

Jesus did His part: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day rose again. Then for forty days He witnessed of His resurrection and talked about the kingdom of God to many. (1Corinthians 15:3-7).

Now we do our part: we repented of our sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and received the gift of His Spirit. (Acts 2:38). This is our testimony. Now we witness of our new life in Jesus and we talk about the kingdom of God. (John 3:5).

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:19

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." - 2 Corinthians 5:20

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." - John 20:21

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." - Acts 1:8

We are witnesses to the world of what Jesus has done. By the word of our testimony, and then finally at the end, this is how we defeat the devil.

We overcome the accuser of our brethren (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb – His death, burial, and resurrection – and by the word of our testimony – our repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus, and our infilling of the Holy Ghost.

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." - Revelation 12:11

 

He is Risen! Resurrection Sunday

                                                             

 

This Resurrection Sunday we celebrate the most glorious day for all humanity: Jesus rose from the dead, the firstborn of every creature.

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: " - Colossians 1:15 

He victoriously took the keys of hell and death and now is alive forevermore!

"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." - Revelation 1:18

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15

When the women went to the tomb, they heard the most exciting words they could imagine!

"In the end of the sabbath [Saturday], as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week [Sunday], came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre...And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

“And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you." - Matthew 28:1,5-7

By Christ’s gospel – His death, burial, and resurrection, we not only have abundant life on this earth, but we too have eternal life through His name Jesus and by His Spirit. (1Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 6:1-4, John 10:10).

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit [Holy Ghost] that dwelleth in you." - Romans 8:11

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost [Spirit].

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

 

There came also Nicodemus

                                       

They had stood at the cross, watching the Lord suffer the painful death of crucifixion. This was after Jesus suffered the merciless half-way death of Roman scourging, the cruel mocking and torment.

Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and a disciple of Jesus, pleaded Pilate for the body of Jesus so that he could lay it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of a rock.

"And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus." - John 19:38

Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, brought myrrh and aloes for His burial. This is whom Jesus told we must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5). Jesus also told Nicodemus of His death.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." - John 3:14-15

When Jesus said that the Son of man would be “lifted up,” Jesus was speaking of his death on the cross.

When Jesus was yet a young child, wise men came to worship “He that is born King of the Jews.” One of the gifts that the wise men presented to Jesus was myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-2, 11).

Myrrh was one of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil, used to anoint the tabernacle and all that was in it. This same holy anointing oil containing Myrrh was used to anoint and consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests. (Exodus 30:23-31).

Myrrh was also used for embalming the dead.

"And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." - John 19:39-40

An observation was made about the hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes that Nicodemus brought to embalm Jesus’ body: "The quantity of the balm is extraordinary and exceeds all normal proportions. This is a royal burial."

Communion

                                              

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." - 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." - 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

We remember how the Lord gave His flesh on the cross so that we could have life. We remember His mercy on us to take our place of punishment for our sins. We remember His forgiveness. (John 6:51, Matthew 26:39).

"After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." - 1 Corinthians 11:25

Whenever we take communion, it is a reminder not only of Christ’s death, but also of our own commitment to keep our sinful nature crucified, walking in His Spirit, keeping our covenant with Jesus.

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 11:26-27

We are worthy because we have repented of our sins and have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus by water baptism in the name of Jesus. We are worthy by His Holy Spirit within us, the Holy Ghost. We are worthy because, by the infilling of His Spirit, we are living a holy and overcoming life. (Acts 2:38, Acts 2:4, Romans 6, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [have died]." - 1 Corinthians 11:28-30