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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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
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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
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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
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| 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
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Matt
10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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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
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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JESUS REVEALED
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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
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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
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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
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