JESUS REVEALED

10 Living Words on Stone Tablets

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 25 May 2013

Hi all,

A few days ago, we were talking about the possibility of God actually writing down things for His people. The first we know of was in Exodus when God wrote the 10 Commandments – the 10 Living Words, on tablets of stone. 

10 Commandments
Positioned for Learning

Those of us who have seen the movie, “The 10 Commandments”, will probably recall the way the film writer illustrated the actual writing on the stone tablets. It was his imagination. It showed a bright “laser light” which somehow burned the writing on the tablets. It looked most impressive but may not be accurate.

Laser Light

The second occasion is related to us in Daniel 5. King Belshazzar had thrown a lavish party for his court. He had sent for the treasures of the Hebrew Temple and was using the goblets for feasting and drinking. Suddenly they saw a hand – the finger of God – writing on the wall. 

Belshazzar's Feast and
The Writing on the Wall

²⁵ "This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. ²⁶ This is what these words mean: Mene means 'numbered'—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. ²⁷ Tekel means 'weighed'—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. ²⁸ Parsin means 'divided'—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Dan 5:25-28 NLT

The third occasion is recorded for us in John 5 associated with the woman caught in adultery. ⁶ They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" ⁸ Then He stooped down again and wrote in the dust. John 8:6-8 NLT

Jesus Writing on the Ground

We are not told what it was, Jesus’ finger wrote in the dust. If it was in any way related to the first two incidents, we could perhaps say it was something like the occasion in Daniel and Exodus combined. In other words, similar to MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN addressed at each accuser of the woman. It’s pure speculation but it might have been written such that each accuser was looking at his own sins written in the sand. Along with it was the accusation, his days had also been numbered and he had in some way not measured up to what was required. If this is what they had seen, no doubt they would have scurried away one by one until the accusers were all gone.

Jesus and the Woman

It is not stated in the Bible, but I suspect that before He stood again, Jesus “rubbed out” His writing. He wanted no accusation levelled at the woman! He surely didn’t want her to see what the finger of God had written in the sand, concerning what she had been accused of. Jesus didn’t do that sort of thing to others.

The Glorified Jesus

There are two other occasions when God wrote or dictated what He wanted saying. The first is in Genesis 1 & 2. No man was present with Him when this took place. The second is His letters to His seven churches in the book of Revelation. In a unique way this combines everything God is known to have written. It shows the good and dark deeds of His people. It shows how their actions compare with the 10 commandments. Finally, it contrasts loving approval with stern judgement. It seems to be similar to the John 8 account of Jesus accusing some and forgiving others. Jesus can be both stern and lenient. Stern to those who accuse others of sins, for which they too are guilty; forgiving of those who come to Him in repentance. To this latter group Jesus still says: ¹⁰ Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" ¹¹ "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more." John 8:10-11 NLT

Jesus - The Lion and the Lamb

Today we choose between “Mene, Mene, Tekel & Parsin” or “Go and sin no more!” Take your pick; it’s your choice!

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 25 May 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	JESUS REVEALED
The first chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, deals with the appearance of Jesus to John, on the Isle of Patmos. At first, it was a frightening experience. This was not the Jesus he remembered. Not the one he had leaned back on, as they gathered to have a meal together. This was Jesus as He had never been seen before. The description of Jesus in Chapter one is awesome! The next two chapters are Jesus’s seven letters to each of seven churches. It seems John knew each of them fairly well. Only God knows what our reaction would be if Jesus manifested Himself to us in this manner. I suspect it would be one of abject terror. Perhaps a bit like the allied soldiers who landed on the Normandy beaches in 1944. I’m told that as the landing craft drew close to the beach, all the men experienced fear of some sort. I suspect I would have been no different. We are told that Jesus appeared to John on the Lord’s day. We have assumed that this was on a Sunday. Any Sunday in the year. It wasn’t. It was a special day which took place once a year. It was the day on which every man, woman and child was required to appear before the local official. There they were required to say, “Caesar is Lord”. Those who refused would be killed by order of the Caesar. It was called “the Lordly day”. John would never do this. So, instead of killing this old man, they banished him to the Isle of Patmos. There, living under impossible conditions, John was kept a prisoner. Then the Lord’s day – the Lordly Day, came round again. Again John would have refused to say the required words. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to him. Not as the man he knew and loved so well. He appeared with all the splendour and glory of the Son of God. John was overwhelmed. I’m sure that His appearance would have a similar effect on me and most of the readers. It seems to be fairly conclusive that everything recorded in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, came directly or indirectly from Jesus Himself. There are two portions of Scripture which must have come directly from God. One is the first two chapters of Genesis. The other is the content of the book of Revelation. I suppose in this context we can say that Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of the Bible. He’s most certainly the Alpha and Omega. He is the starter and finisher of our faith. John saw this in vivid detail in a way no other man has ever seen. Thank You Lord! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			18 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. Revelation 2:18 TNIV 9 "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT 8 You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books. Psalms 90:8 MSG 61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord's words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me." 62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. Luke 22:61-62 NLT 24 But Jesus did not fully trust them. He knew what people are like. 25 He didn't need others to tell him what people are like. He already knew what was in the human heart. John 2:24-25 NIrV 14 He knows what we are made of. He remembers that we are dust. Psalms 103:14 NIrV 3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. Isaiah 42:3 NLT 19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." 2 Timothy 2:19 TNIV 14 "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep as the Father knows me. My sheep know me as I know the Father. John 10:14 GW 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28 ESV	Jesus Christ wrote letters and put them in the book, We know as “Revelation”. He said He’d had a look, At seven of His Churches. It now was time to state, Exactly what He thought of them and what would be their fate! He told John the apostle that he must write them down. The details of His comments and send them to each town. To all those seven churches, He wanted to make clear, If they had been “successful” or was their judgement near? John tells us just what happened and how the Master looked. No longer like the victim whose goose the priests had cooked! This wasn’t baby Jesus wrapped up in swaddling clothes. This was the Lord Almighty from head down to His toes! They had been “buddy-buddy” and Jesus was His friend. But this was someone different to Whom his knees must bend. This was the God of Abraham who knew what’s in men’s hearts; Who knows how “good” or “bad” we are in detail, not just parts. The sort of cardiologist who looks inside to tell, The motives that are driving us - to Heaven or to Hell! When Jesus looked at Peter, the look made Peter cry. And as the Lord looked at him, John felt that He would die. He knew the Lord remembers and knows that we are dust. He wouldn’t crush the weakest reed; provided He could trust. That person to be diligent and write down what he’d seen. And John would surely write down exactly what had been. Then, seeing the Lord Jesus as he’d never seen before, He fell down at His feet like a dead man to the floor. Then the Master touched him and told him not to fear. This sounded like the Shepherd he’d wanted to be near. The One he still remembered as the One who loved His sheep. The One who knew His Father and said that He would keep, His followers forever. He’d keep them “in His hand” No one would be “snatched away” or perish in the land. They would closely listen and go the way He led. That is what He promised; exactly what He said. When he had recovered, Jesus told him to write down Everything He showed him about those seven towns. John was very fussy and noted every word, That on the Isle of Patmos he knew that he had heard. Now we know what happened precisely on that day. The day when all the ;people were instructed they must say, “Caesar is the Master and Caesar is the Lord.” John would never say it. It’s Jesus he adored. No matter what they did to Him The only words He’d say Were, “Jesus is the Lord of all forever and a day”! Jim Strickland Written 25th May 2012