Sermon Bites 07/05/09

Spirit Bearing Witness

I.  THE WITNESS OF CONSCIENCE AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD (v. 1).

II.  THE GRIEF, AND SORROW OF HEART FOR THE PEOPLE (vv. 2-3).

III.  THE BLESSINGS OF A CONDEMNED PEOPLE (v. 4).

IV.  THE ONE’S THROUGH WHOM CHRIST HAS COME INTO THE WORLD (v. 5).

-Tim A. Blankenship
If you would like to read my study notes.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 07/01/09

The LORD Separates – Exodus 9:1-12

There is much futility in fighting against the will of God.  God has promised Moses to deliver Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians, and their slavery; but Pharoah is being obstinate against the direction of the LORD.
The LORD is showing Himself to be God to the Egyptians; and above the deities of Egypt; and also show Himself strong to Israel that He can and will deliver them.

OUTLINE -
I.  THE PLAGUE UPON THE ANIMALS OF AND IN THE FIELD IS CALLED FOR (vv. 1-3).
II.  THE LORD PROMISES TO SEPARATE THE ANIMALS OF EGYPT FROM THE ANIMALS OF ISRAEL (v. 4).
III.  TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG GOD DESIGNATES A CERTAIN TIME (v. 5).
V.  THE LORD FULFILLS HIS WORD, AND PHAROAH’S HEART IS HARDENED (vv. 6-7).
VI.  NO WARNING GIVEN TO PHAROAH FOR THE SIXTH PLAGUE (vv. 9-10).
VII.  NO POWER IN THE MAGICIANS, AND GOD HARDENS PHAROAH’S HEART (vv. 11-12).

STUDY QUESTIONS -
1.  Moses was instructed by God to go to Pharoah and command him to let the people go or there would be a plague on their __________ “in the _____________”. (v. 1)

2.  God’s command through Moses was to “let the people go that they may serve Me”.(v. 1)  True           False

3.  The LORD, in ______________ Egypt from Israel was showing that the judgment was only for Egypt; and showing Himself ______________. (vv. 2-4)

4.  The LORD gives double assurance that the animals of the Israelites will not perish…  (vv. 4, 6)
A.  …making clear His miraculous power.    B.  …To assure Israel of His protection for them.
C.  …and that Egypt will not be plagued anymore.    D.  Both A and B.

5.  When the LORD says He is going to act, and perform, He never carries through with it. (vv. 5-6)  True    False

6.  The Pharoah sent someone to _____________ on the cattle of Israel in the land of Goshen. (v. 7)

7.  There is no warning to Pharoah concerning the sixth plague. (v. 8)  True      False

8.  Ashes from a _______________ becomes the plague of boils and brings misery to the Egyptians, and the __________________.  (vv. 9-11)

9.  After this sixth plague, and Pharoah’s unbelief we are told…  (v. 12)
A.  …Pharoah hardened his heart.    B.  …Pharoah’s heart was hardened.
C.  …the LORD hardened the heart of Pharoah.    D.  None of the above.

ANSWERS:

1. animals, field;  2. True;  3. separating, strong;  4. D;  5. False;  6. check;  7. True;  8. furnace, magicians;  9. C

Sermon Bites 06/28/09

Jesus – The Eternal

John 1:1-5

I.  JESUS IS THE IMAGE AND REPRESENTATION OF GOD (v. 1;  Hebrews 1:3).

II.  JESUS IS THE FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD (v. 2;  Colossians 2:9).

III.  JESUS IS THE LIFE AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD (v. 3-4,  3:19; Colossians 1:16;  Genesis 1:1-3).

IV.  JESUS IS THAT LIGHT WHICH DISPELLS THE DARKNESS (v. 5; 8:12; 12:46; Ephesians 5:8)

-Tim A. Blankenship
See study notes at Jesus-The Eternal .

Sermon Bites 06/21/09

Jesus And The Scriptures

Luke 24:44-48

I.  JESUS’S LOVE FOR SCRIPTURE; FULFILLING THEM (v. 44).

II.  JESUS THE ONLY MEANS OF UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE (v. 45).

III.  JESUS GIVES THREE ACTS FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD (v. 46).

1. Knowing the written Word;
2. Obeying/Fulfilling the Word;
3. The Living Word.

IV.  THE FRUIT OF THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE (vv. 47-48).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 06/17/09

When Kings Refuse To Bow – Exodus 8:16-32

In this study, and since the first demonstration of the power of God, to Pharoah; this man has hardened his heart to God and His messengers.  It is recorded that Charles H. Spurgeon said, “God shows Himself to each individual according to his character.”  It cannot be seen any different, or clearer than that in the Pharoah of Egypt.
Hardening one’s heart against God is serious sin.  Serious sin requires serious action, and it comes from God.  What does it mean to harden one’s heart toward God?  Warren Wiersbe has written,

“It means to see clear evidence of the hand of God at work and still refuse to accept His Word and submit to His will.  It means to resist Him by showing ingratitude and disobedience and not having any fear of the Lord or His judgments.” From “BE DELIVERED” by W. W. Wiersbe

The deities of Egypt being thrown down are “Nut” (Nu-it), or “Set” (Seth), and “Shu”

1.  The plague of _________ begins without any warning.  (v. 16).

2.  The intensity of the plagues seem to grow from bad to worse.  True   False  (vv. 16-19).

3.  The worship of  __________, or false deities is in truth the worship of demons, thus _________ shows Himself strong against the idolatry of men. (vv. 16-19;  1 Corinthians 10:14-21).

4.  With the plague of the lice the magicians finally realize… (vv. 18-19)
A.  That they are powerless agains the God of Israel.    B.  That this is the “finger of God”.
C.  This is the wrath of God on Egypt.            D.  All the above.

5.  The health and welfare of the Egyptians was at stake with the plague of the flies.    True       False  (vv. 20-32)

6.  Pharoah tries to ________________ with the Word and will of God. (vv. 25-28).

7.  Moses; most likely sees the unlikelihood of ______________ release of the ____________, and prays for the departure of the flies anyway. (vv. 29-31)

8.  To have a ____________  ______________ is to “…see clear evidence of the hand of God at work and still refuse to accept the Word and submit to…” the will of God.

9.  Does God want us to see sin as serious in our lives?

10.  Name some ways we can keep our hearts from growing hard.

ANSWERS:

1.  Lice;  2.  True;  3.  idols, God;  4.  All the above;  5.  True;  6.  Compromise;  7.  Pharoah’s, people;  8.  Hardened heart;  9.  YES!  10.  You list some.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Sermon Bites 06/14/09

Who Is LikeThe LORD???

…In Mercy

Micah 6:1 – 7:20

I.  EVEN WHEN HIS PEOPLE REFUSE TO HEAR… HE IS MERCIFUL (6:1-5).

II.  EVEN WHEN HIS PEOPLE TEND TO TRUST THEIR OWN WORKS… HE IS MERCIFUL (6:6-9).

III.  EVEN WHEN THEY CONDUCT UNFAITHFUL  BUSINESS PRACTICES… HE IS MERCIFUL (6:10-15).

IV.  EVEN WHEY THEY ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE EVIL OF AHAB… HE IS MERCIFUL (6:16 – 7:4).

V.  EVEN THROUGH ALL THE EVIL; GOD CALLS, ‘TRUST IN ME’ (7:5-20).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Sermon Bites Evening 06/07/09

The following “Sermon Bites” as you can tell from the above title is from the evening service of Carr Lane Baptist, and from the second message of Micah chapters 3 through 5.

Who Is Like The LORD???

…In Leadership

I.  THE LORD CONFRONTS AND DEALS WITH THE EVIL NOBILITY – THE PRINCES, THE PROPHETS, AND THE PRIESTS (3:1-4).

II.  THE LORD CONFRONTS THE ERRING, DECEIVING PROPHETS AND GIVES THEM NO WORD; NO VISION (3:5-7).

III.  THE LORD CONFRONTS BRIBERY IN THE LAW, ECONOMY, AND THE COURTS (3:8-12).

IV.  THE LORD REVEALS HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF HIS PEOPLE (4:1-13).

V.  THE LORD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE BY THE JUDGMENT OF THEIR ENEMIES (5:1-15).

The Lord willing the final message bites will be posted before Sunday 06/14/09.

-T.A.

Sermon Bites 06/07/09

Who Is Like The LORD???

…In Judgment
Micah 1:1 – 2-13

I.  HIS JUDGMENT IS IMPARTIAL AND COMING (1:1-2).

II.  HIS JUDGMENT IS CLEAR (1:3-7).

III.  HIS JUDGMENT IS SORROWFUL (1:8-16).

IV.  HIS JUDGMENT EXPOSES THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN (2:1-5).

V.  HIS JUDGMENT EXPOSES LIES AND GIVES HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS (2:6-13).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 06/03/09

Frogs In The Plus

Exodus 8:1-15

OUTLINE -

I.  PHAROAH REFUSES GOD’S INVITATION ONCE AGAIN (vv. 1-4).

II.  WHEN THE WORD OF THE LORD IS NOT HEEDED THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY (vv. 5 – 7).

III.  THE  “ENCHANTMENTS” OF EGYPT AND THE WORLD ONLY AGGRAVATE OUR SITUATION (v. 7).

IV.  EVIL LEADERS WILL SOMETIMES CALL ON THE SPIRITUALLY FAITHFUL FOR HELP (v. 8; 2 Chronicles 18 ).

V.  GOD PROVES HIS POWER BY THE TIMING OF PHAROAH (vv. 9-14).

VI.  THE WILL OF GOD CONTINUES TO BE DONE IN THE HARDENED HEART OF MEN (v. 15).

Frogs In The Plus – Exodus 8:1-15

The  plague of Frogs -  “Heqet -  To the Egyptians, the frog was a symbol of life and fertility, since millions of them were born after the annual inundation of the Nile, which brought fertility to the otherwise barren lands. Consequently, in Egyptian mythology, there began to be a frog-goddess, who represented fertility, named Heqet (also Heqat, Hekit, Heket etc, more rarely Hegit, Heget etc.[1]), written with the determinative frog.  Heqet was usually depicted as a frog, or a woman with a frog’s head, or more rarely as a frog on the end of a phallus to explicitly indicate her association with fertility. She was often referred to as the wife of Khnum.[3]“
–WIKIPEDIA ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA

The above quotation gives us details of the Egyptian goddess related to fertility, which Moses and Aaron faced in their battle for the deliverance of the captives.  We are told in chapter 7 that the fish of the waters would die due to the bloody waters (7:18).  Frogs are not fish, and can live on the land.
It seems quite understandable why the frogs would come out of the water; turned to blood; onto the land.  This amphibian which had been a source of Egyptian worship is now a pest, and an aggravation.

Study Questions -

1.  According to ancient Egyptian mythology the frog-goddess Heqet represented fertility.  True   False  (vv. 1-2)

2.  Verses 1 – 15 of chapter eight tells us of the _______________ plague upon Egypt (vv. 1-2).

3.  God gives Pharoah another opportunity to “let the people go”, and warns him of what will happen if he doesn’t:  (vv. 3-4)
A.  Frogs would come up on the land.    B.  Frogs would come into their bedrooms.
C.  Frogs would come into their kitchens.    D.  All of these.

4.  Though the frogs may have naturally came up out of the bloody River their coming forth was at the “__________  ______  ___________” of Aaron over the waters.  (vv. 5-7)

5.  The Egyptian magicians “enchantments” only aggravated the situation.  True  False  (vv. 5-7)

6.  Pharoah did not call for the magicians and their enchanments to remove the frogs; he did however call for… (v. 8 )
A.  Moses and Aaron.        B.  Jannes and Jambres.
C.  The United States Government    D.  None of the above.

7.  After Pharoah’s seeming submission Moses allows him to determine the time of the departure/death of the frogs.  True   False  (vv. 8-15).

8.  By __________ setting the time of their death it should have clearly been seen as the ___________  __________ of GOD.  (vv. 9-15)

9.  Why would the Pharoah have called on Moses and Aaron, and not the magicians?  (vv. 8-15).

10.  In God’s plan all things are going as He has directed, and as He is directing.  True   False

-Tim A. Blankenship

Sermon Bites 05/31/09

Consider Your Ways
Haggai 1: 5, 7;  2:15, 18

OUTLINE -
I.  CONSIDER YOUR WAYS – OUR TIMES (1:5).

II.  CONSIDER YOUR WAYS – OUR ECONOMY (1:7).

III.  CONSIDER YOUR WAYS – OUR FELLOWSHIP/RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD (2:15).

IV.  CONSIDER YOUR WAYS – OUR WORSHIP (2:18).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Classic Friday 05/22/09

Classic Friday today is an excerpt from the book by Andrew Murray titled “Absolute Surrender”.  Read and be blessed.

ABSOLUTE SURRENDER

“And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it. And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine and all that I have” (1 Ki. 20:1-4).

What Ben Hadad asked was absolute surrender; and what Ahab gave was what was asked of him—absolute surrender. I want to use these words: “My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have,” as the words of absolute surrender with which every child of God ought to yield himself to his Father. We have heard it before, but we need to hear it very definitely—the condition of God’s blessing is absolute surrender of all into His hands. Praise God! If our hearts are willing for that, there is no end to what God will do for us, and to the blessing God will bestow.

Absolute surrender—let me tell you where I got those words. I used them myself often, and you have heard them numberless times. But in Scotland once I was in a company where we were talking about the condition of Christ’s Church, and what the great need of the Church and of believers is; and there was in our company a godly worker who has much to do in training workers, and I asked him what he would say was the great need of the Church, and the message that ought to be preached. He answered very quietly and simply and determinedly:

“Absolute surrender to God is the one thing.”

The words struck me as never before. And that man began to tell how, in the workers with whom he had to deal, he finds that if they are sound on that point, even though they be backward, they are willing to be taught and helped, and they always improve; whereas others who are not sound there very often go back and leave the work. The condition for obtaining God’s full blessing is absolute surrender to Him.

And now, I desire by God’s grace to give to you this message—that your God in Heaven answers the prayers which you have offered for blessing on yourselves and for blessing on those around you by this one demand: Are you willing to surrender yourselves absolutely into His hands? What is our answer to be? God knows there are hundreds of hearts who have said it, and there are hundreds more who long to say it but hardly dare to do so. And there are hearts who have said it, but who have yet miserably failed, and who feel themselves condemned because they did not find the secret of the power to live that life. May God have a word for all!

Let me say, first of all, that God claims it from us.

God Expects Your Surrender

Yes, it has its foundation in the very nature of God. God cannot do otherwise. Who is God? He is the Fountain of life, the only Source of existence and power and goodness, and throughout the universe there is nothing good but what God works. God has created the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the flowers, and the trees, and the grass; and are they not all absolutely surrendered to God? Do they not allow God to work in them just what He pleases? When God clothes the lily with its beauty, is it not yielded up, surrendered, given over to God as He works in it its beauty? And God’s redeemed children, oh, can you think that God can work His work if there is only half or a part of them surrendered? God cannot do it. God is life, and love, and blessing, and power, and infinite beauty, and God delights to communicate Himself to every child who is prepared to receive Him; but ah! this one lack of absolute surrender is just the thing that hinders God. And now He comes, and as God, He claims it.

You know in daily life what absolute surrender is. You know that everything has to be given up to its special, definite object and service. I have a pen in my pocket, and that pen is absolutely surrendered to the one work of writing, and that pen must be absolutely surrendered to my hand if I am to write properly with it. If another holds it partly, I cannot write properly. This coat is absolutely given up to me to, cover my body. This building is entirely given up to religious services. And now, do you expect that in your immortal being, in the divine nature that you have received by regeneration, God can work His work, every day and every hour, unless you are entirely given up to Him? God cannot. The Temple of Solomon was absolutely surrendered to God when it was dedicated to Him. And every one of us is a temple of God, in which God will dwell and work mightily on one condition—absolute surrender to Him. God claims it, God is worthy of it, and without it God cannot work His blessed work in us.

You may find this at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

Go to church on Sunday and magnify the name of Jesus Christ. Have a great holiday weekend.
-Tim A. Blankenship

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 05/20/09

Exodus 7:8-25 –  God’s Supremacy In Egypt

In their first appearanc to Pharoah Moses and Aaron do not have the commandment from the LORD to show His power (5:1-21).  Here we have them displaying the first sign of  the power of God to the Egyptian Pharoah.

OUTLINE -
I.  CONFRONTING THE POWER OF PHAROAH WITH THE POWER OF GOD (vv. 8-13).
II.  THE POWER OF THE EGYPTIAN DEITY “HAPI” IS CONFRONTED WITH THE POWER OF GOD(vv. 14-25).
III.  THE POWER OF GOD IS PUT ON DISPLAY THAT THE EGYPTIANS MIGHT KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD (vv. 14-18).
IV.  THE WATER OF EGYPT BECOMES BLOOD (vv. 19-21).
V.  COUNTERFEIT MAGICIANS, HARDENED HEART OF PHAROAH, AND UNDRINKABLE WATER (vv. 22-25).

Study Questions -

1.  The rod, and the miracle of the rod became a source of authority before the Pharoah.  True        False  (vv. 8-10)

2.  It is believed by some that there are ___serpents__ in the Egyptian deserts that can be stiffened at the neck to appear as a rod. (v. 11)

3.  The superiority of the Rod of God is shown over the Egyptian magicians rods by…       (v. 12)
A.  …hardened heart of Pharoah.    B.  …the foolish display of the magicians.
C.  …Aaron’s rod swallowing the other serpents.    D.  Neither A, B, or C.

4.  By the power displayed through the Rod of God we can know that God’s power is immeasurable, awesome, and trustworthy.  True   False

5.  Because of the hardened ___heart    of Pharoah, he    refused    to let the children of Israel    go   .  (vv. 13-14)

6.  God through His servants gives warning to “Let My people go”, or the water will be turned to     blood    .  (vv. 15-18)

7.  With the     River     turning to blood there would be other repercussions:  (vv. 15-19)
A.  A  pleasant odor across the land.    B.  A fowl and offensive odor.
C.  Dead fish.                D.  Both B & C.

8.  The name of the Egyptian god of the Nile River is     Hapi      – and according to Wikipedia, “was a      deification     of the annual flooding (inundation) of the Nile River, in Egyptian mythology, which deposited rich silt on its banks, allowing the Egyptians to grow crops.” From Wikipedia Online Encylopedia (vv. 15-18)

9.  The turning of the Nile River to blood would make the water more apetizing, and thirst quenching.  True   False  (vv. 15-18)

10.  The      Egyptian           magicians     only made the matter worse for Egypt.  (vv. 19-25)

-Tim A. Blankenship

Sermon Bites 05/17/09

Vision Of Revival

Ezekiel 37:1-14

I.  VISION OF AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION (vv. 1-3).

II.  THE VISION TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD TO THAT IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION (vv. 4-6).

III.  VISION OF FAITHFULNESS IN AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION (v. 7a).

IV.  VISION OF POSSIBILITIES WHEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD BEGINS TO MOVE (vv. 7-10).

V.  THE VISION OF EVEN GREATER THINGS AND PROMISES FULFILLED (vv. 11-14).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Classic Friday 05/15/09

The following Classic is from the Old Testament Psalms.  It is a Psalm of Moses, and is needful for the people of our day.

“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.  Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.  Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.  For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.  Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.  And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”  Psalm 90:1-17 (KJV)

Hear the Word of the LORD. All our days are numbered and few compared to eternity. Be sure you know the LORD through His Son Jesus, who died on the cross to save us from our sins.

Go to your local church,  worship the LORD on Sunday, and of course every day.

-T.A.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 05/13/09

Exodus 7:1-7 — GOD – Who Is Worthy Of Obedience

OUTLINE -

I.  ENCOURAGEMENT COMES FROM GOD TO MOSES – HE WILL BE AS A GOD BEFORE PHAROAH  AND AARON AS HIS PROPHET (vv. 1-2).

II.  THE HARDENING OF PHAROAH’S HEART; AND THE WORK OF GOD TO FREE ISRAEL FROM EGYPT (vv. 3-4).

III.  IN THE STRETCHED OUT HAND OF GOD SHALL EGYPT KNOW THAT GOD IS LORD (v. 5).

IV.  THE OBEDIENCE OF MOSES AND AARON IN THEIR OCTOGENERIAN YEARS (vv. 6-7)

Study Questions -

1.  God’s objective for Israel and Egypt is clear.  True   False  (vv. 4-5)

2.  In what way was Moses to “be god” to Pharoah?  (vv. 1-2)
A.  He would actually be deity.        B.  He would be the authoritative voice of God to Pharoah.
C.  He became one of the gods of Egypt.    D.  None of the above.

3.  God speaks of “hardening the heart of Pharoah”; when does the hardening of one’s heart begin? (vv. 3-4)
A.  When one hears the voice of God and believes.    B.  When one turns their will against God.
C.  When the will of God is hard to be known.        D.  All the above.

4.  This “hardening” basically shows the conflict between the will of wicked man; and the will of God.  True   False (vv. 3-4)

5.  Even in the ________________ of men God is still _________________ over the affairs of mankind (vv. 3-4).

6.  God’s will for Egypt and ______________ is that they might “Know that I AM the LORD” (v. 5).

7.  The “hand” of God is seen as comforting His people in their sorrow; and afflicting His people, and the nations when there is unrighteousness before His eyes.  True    False  (v. 5;  Isaiah 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4; 59:1).

8.  How important is the issue of obedience for the Christian of today?  How important is it for you? (v. 6)

9.  Aaron and Moses were both over the age of eighty years.  True    False  (v. 7)

10.  What conclusions can we draw from the ages of Aaron and Moses?

-Tim A. Blankenship

Classic Friday 05/08/09

Today’s classic is by the late Dr. W. A. Criswell when pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.  This is an excerpt from a sermon titled “Ancient Of Days” from Daniel 7:9-14.

“But who is this Ancient of days?  “I beheld till the Ancient of days descended.”  Then He is described.  And a second thing, He comes for judgment.  “The judgment was set and the books were opened.”  As you read the passage, your first natural response is that the Ancient of days is none other but God himself.  God, the Father.  But, in the vision He is described, personally described, what He looked like.  And in the vision, He is come for judgment.  “And the books were opened.”  Both of those things are statedly and categorically denied in the Bible.  There is no description of God in the Bible.

I Timothy 6, Verse 16 says that God dwells in light that no man can approach unto.  “. . . whom no man hath seen, or can see. . . .”  Colossians 1:15 says that God is invisible.  He is named there, “the invisible God.”  In the 1st Chapter of John, Verse 18, in the 6th Chapter of John, and in the 1st John, Chapter 4, these words are thrice repeated: “No man hath seen God at any time.”  It is not possible for the human eye to look upon the essence of deity.  Therefore, there is no picture, there is no portrait, there is no description of God in the Bible.

Just as there is no description of the Holy Spirit.  How would you describe in language the Holy Spirit?  The subject, the person, the essence is indescribable.  It cannot be placed in speech.  There is no man who has seen God, never, ever.

In the 24th Chapter of the book of Exodus, Moses said to God, “Let me see thy glory.”  And the Lord replied, “No man can see me and live.  But I will place you in a cleft in the rock and cover you there with my hand, and I will let all my glory pass by.”  And God placed Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered him there with His hand.  And when the glory of the Lord passed by, the Lord took away His hand and Moses saw the afterglow, the twilight of the presence of God.  But no man can see the face of God and live.

A second thing that is interdicted by the Word in the scripture.  This Ancient of days is not only described personally, what he looked like, but it says that he has come for judgment and the books are opened.  In the 5th Chapter of the gospel of John it is again statedly said that “the Father judgeth no man, but has committed judgment to the Son.”  Who is this Ancient of days?  He is described and God is never described.  He comes for judgment.  But judgment belongs to Christ alone.  As the 5th Chapter of II Corinthians states, “We shall all stand before the bema of Christ.”  And some of you who have been in Corinth have stood in that place where Paul said, “I stood before the bema.  We shall all stand before the bema, the judgment seat of Christ.  Who is this Ancient of days then?  Who is described here and who has come for judgment?  The answer according to the Word of the Lord is very plain.  This vision of the Ancient of days is a theophany, it is an epiphany, it is a manifestation of the preincarnate Christ.

This is revelation that is repeated in the Old Testament many times.  In the 6th Chapter of the book of Isaiah, the prophet says that in the year that King Uzziah died, he also saw the Lord, Jehovah, high and lifted up.  His train filled the temple and his glory filled the earth.  And above him, stood the seraphim crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The 12th Chapter of the gospel of John says that Isaiah saw Jehovah Jesus when he saw the Lord high and lifted up.  By express language, he identifies that Jehovah as being a pre-incarnate vision of Jesus the Christ.

In the 1st Chapter of the book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel describes God.  There again, he is describing a pre-manifestation, a theophany of Christ.  In the 3rd Chapter of this book of Daniel, while Nebuchadnezzar the king looks into the burning, fiery, furnace where the three Hebrew children have been cast, he sees a fourth one.  And he says the countenance, the form of the fourth is like the Son of God, a theophany, a pre-manifestation of the incarnate Christ.

In the 24th Chapter of the book of Exodus, it says that the elders saw God.  He was seated on a pavement like a sapphire stone.  And describes Him and expressly said, “And the elders saw God and did eat and drink.”  They banqueted in His presence, and they feasted in the glory of that vision.  But the 4th Chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses said that there was no similitude of God seen in the fiery mount of glory.  “Therefore,” he said, “you cannot make any likeness of God in heaven above or in earth beneath.”  Well, what is that then, that the elders saw when they say they saw God?  They saw an epiphany, a theophany.  They looked upon the pre-manifestation of the preincarnate, preexistent Christ.

And this is a description that we find in the 7th Chapter of the Revelation, in the 7th Chapter of Daniel, and repeated more precisely in the 1st Chapter of the Revelation, the vision is of Him who is God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, believed on in the world, preached unto the Gentiles, and received up into glory.  The Ancient of days, whose garments was white as snow, the hair of his head like wool, and from His presence, the streams of the fiery burning furious flame.  It is a like description in the 1st Chapter of Revelation.  Hearing a great voice back of him, John turns to see who speaks.  And he sees in the midst of the seven lampstands, in the midst of the churches, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and gird about by the breast with a golden girdle.  His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.  His eyes were as a flame  of fire.  His feet as if they burned in the furnace.  Out of his, his voice is the sound of many waters.  Out of his mouth a sharp, two-edged sword.  And his countenance was as the sun shineth in  His strength.  This is the incarnate, glorified Christ.  In the 1st Chapter of the Revelation, out of which I’ve just read, and this is the pre-theophanic incarnate Christ in the 7th Chapter of the book of Daniel.  It is the Lord Himself, the Ancient of days, the Lord Christ in His essential preincarnate deity.

And in the second vision, the Lord Christ, as the Son of man, incarnate, glorified, coming in the clouds of heaven.  Is Christ then Deity?  And we to worship Him as such?  Is Christ God manifest in the flesh?  To that the scriptures add a categorical affirmative.  Yes, Christ is presented in the Word of God as Deity Himself, clothed in human flesh and in human life.”

You may read the  full sermon  at Ancient Of Days.

Worship the Lord Jesus in your local church on Sunday.

-T.A.

Sermon Bites 05/03/09

Desiring God

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

I.  WE OUGHT ALWAYS BE DESIRING GOD (vv. 1-3).

II.  WE OUGHT ALWAYS BE DESIRING GOD FOR OTHERS (vv. 4-5).

III.  OUR DESIRING GOD SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO OTHERS GODS WAY (vv. 6-8).

IV.  WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OUR DESIRING GOD BECOMES FATAL (vv. 9- 14).

-Tim A. Blankenship

Classic Friday 05/01/09

Welcome once again to Classic Friday.  Today we feature Arthur W. Pink once again.  The following is an excerpt from “Gleanings in Joshua” by Bro. Pink.  The message is pertinent for all who are in full time ministry for our King, and all who are serving the Lord faithfully in life and labor and worship .

“‘And after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord” (Josh. 1:1). The removal of Moses from their head was a heavy loss unto Israel. For many years he had been their leader and legislator. It was under him they had been delivered from the cruel bondage of Egypt. It was in answer to his prayers that a way was opened for them through the Red Sea. He was the one who acted as their representative before the Lord and as His mouthpiece unto them. It is true there were times when they distrusted him and murmured against him, yet on the whole they respected and confided in him. A stage had now been reached when it seemed that Israel needed him more than ever, for with practically no fighting experience and possessing scarcely any weapons, they were about to pit themselves against the “seven nations in the land of Canaan” (Acts 13:19). Yet he was no longer to be their commander: death took him from them. That was a deep mystery to carnal reason, a most painful providence, a sore trying of their faith. That they felt it keenly is clear:

“the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days” (Deut. 34:10). “And after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, “Moses My servant is dead: now therefore arise, go over this Jordan” (vv. 1, 2). The work of God is in nowise hindered by the decease of His servants, no matter how eminent they be in office nor how much used in blessing to His people. Though the workmen be removed, His work goes forward to its ordained completion. “God will change hands to show that whatever instruments He uses, He is not tied to any” (Matthew Henry). That does not mean that God will necessarily supply another pastor for a church when one has died, for His work in that particular place may be finished; or that when His time arrives for the work of this magazine to end, that He will provide another; but it does mean that He will continue to maintain His Cause upon earth and supply every need of His people. That is certain, and it should both comfort and inspire us with courage in these dark days in which our lot is cast.”

Everyone have a great Sunday in the worship of our Lord, Savior and King; Jesus the Christ.
-Tim A. Blankenship

Classic Friday 04/24/09

Today’s Classic reading is by Charles H. Spurgeon and from his Morning and Evening devotional readings.  This is the morning reading for August 18.

“Strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the Lord’s house.” Jeremiah 51:51

In this account the faces of the Lord’s people were covered with shame, for it was a terrible thing that men should intrude into the Holy Place reserved for the priests alone. Everywhere about us we see like cause for sorrow. How many ungodly men are now educating with the view of entering into the ministry! What a crying sin is that solemn lie by which our whole population is nominally comprehended in a National Church! How fearful it is that ordinances should be pressed upon the unconverted, and that among the more enlightened churches of our land there should be such laxity of discipline. If the thousands who will read this portion shall all take this matter before the Lord Jesus this day, he will interfere and avert the evil which else will come upon his Church. To adulterate the Church is to pollute a well, to pour water upon fire, to sow a fertile field with stones. May we all have grace to maintain in our own proper way the purity of the Church, as being an assembly of believers, and not a nation, an unsaved community of unconverted men.

Our zeal must, however, begin at home. Let us examine ourselves as to our right to eat at the Lord’s table. Let us see to it that we have on our wedding garment, lest we ourselves be intruders in the Lord’s sanctuaries. Many are called, but few are chosen; the way is narrow, and the gate is strait. O for grace to come to Jesus aright, with the faith of God’s elect. He who smote Uzzah for touching the ark is very jealous of his two ordinances; as a true believer I may approach them freely, as an alien I must not touch them lest I die. Heart searching is the duty of all who are baptized or come to the Lord’s table. “Search me, O God, and know my way, try me and know my heart.”

From Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon, August 18, Morning.

 The following is the entire verse from the prophet;

“We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD’S house.” Jeremiah 51:51 (KJV)

Glorify the Lord Jesus Christ this Sunday and attend your local church for the soul purpose of Him.

-T.A.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 04/22/09

If you want to scroll down to the next post you will find last weeks study of chapter five.

Exodus 6 – The Name Of The LORD

OUTLINE -

I. WAITING FOR THE LORD’S “NOW” (v. 1).

II. AS WE GROW IN THE LORD WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF YAHWEH (vv. 2-9).

III. HINDRANCES FROM GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HINDER OUR OBEDIENCE (vv. 10-13).

IV. FROM TRIBES WHO NEEDED GRACE (vv. 14-27).

V. GO WHEN GOD SENDS, AND TRUST HIS POWER AND WORD (vv. 28-30).

Worksheet Questions -

The Pharoah has rejected the word of the Lord and that of Moses. The people are frustrated, angry with Moses; for their extra labor due to having to get straw themselves. The LORD appears to Moses again for assurance, and to tell him that it is time to begin.

1. God tells Moses that ” _________ you shall see what I will do to Pharoah.” (v. 1)

2. The Pharoah will come to a place where he will gladly send the Israelites on their way, even drive them out. True False (v. 1)

3. Several times in this chapter God uses the phrase ___ ______ _______ ___________.

4. The name “LORD” is used in the following places in Genesis (v. 2)

(A.) Genesis 4:26 (B.) Genesis 9:26 (C.) Genesis 12:8 (D.) All these and more.

5. Abraham knew God by the name of LORD (Jehovah, YaHWeH). True False (v. 3)

6. Possibly, the best understanding of “but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them” is (v. 3)

(A.) a contradiction of Scripture (B.) it cannot be understood

(C.) God likes to confuse things (D.) they had not witnessed His work as was about to happen.

7. There is an established ______________ for the people of Israel in the land of ____________ . (vv. 4-5)

8. God tells Moses to share with the people of Israel, ” I am ____ ________ _______ _______ ” (vv. 6-9)

9. Moses is relunctant to return to Pharoah’s presence due to the unbelief of his people [Israel]. True False (vv. 10-13).

10. Moses and Aaron are the sons of ______________ and ________________. (vv. 14-27).

11. The LORD reminds Moses again of who He is and that He is able to use him to ___________ to Pharoah. (vv. 28-30)

-Tim A. Blankenship