v***@gmail.com
2015-05-17 13:38:30 UTC
JUDGEMENT 41
Ex 23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
My comments:
A stranger (someone from a different country) was to be treated kindly, no-one was to take advantage of him because he was at the disadvantage of not being in his own country - the way the Egyptians treated the Israelites.
A stranger was not to keep the Passover though, unless he was circumcised. Or, in New Testament terms, unless he kept God`s commandments. Once he was circumcised "in heart", he came under exactly the same laws as the Jewish Christians:
Ex 12:43 ΒΆ And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
Ex 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
Once a stranger was "circumcised in heart" i.e. keeping the commandments of God, he was to be treated exactly like an Israelite and could keep the Passover:
1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Ex 12:49 The law is the same for him who is an Israelite by birth and for the man from a strange country who is living with you. (BBE)
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
Being righteous according to God`s law, keeping God`s commandments, is what circumcision was a picture of - a private and personal commitment to obeying God.
Now when an uncircumcised Gentile knew God`s law and determined to keep it - he could be treated as an Israelite. The Jews didn`t eat with Gentiles, but when Gentiles came into the church in Antioch, Peter and Paul ate with them just as they did with other Jews.
The righteousness of these Gentiles came from their keeping the commandments of God through belief in Jesus Christ, not from sin offerings and burnt offerings offered according to the law of Moses for forgiveness of sin.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Abraham already obeyed God`s commandments and statutes - he had faith and understanding of the true God - before he was circumcised. His circumcision was a seal of his commandment-keeping he already had. A righteous Gentile can have this obedient faith while being uncircumcised in flesh:
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
A righteous commandment and statute-keeping life is what matters to God, not a physical mark in the flesh - keeping the commandments of God is the same as faith which works by love, since love (true charity) is the fulfilling of the commandments.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
This obedience to God`s laws, which is righteous living, is the same as faith which works by love, and it means the Christian is a new creature, whether from Jew or Gentile - they are the Israel of God:
Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
This righteous way of life which a stranger can be called of God to participate in is also called "circumcision made without hands" - it just means living a sin-free life (with intercession by Christ on our behalf when we do sin, as we all do).
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Circumcision was a reminder that you needed to be forgiven for breaking God`s commandments by offering sin offerings until the Messiah would come.
Strangers could always join Israel and be grafted into their root stock - they could offer burnt offerings:
Lev 17:8 And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,
Leviticus 19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
In matters of judgement, the stranger was treated exactly the same as the Israelite:
Lev 24:22 You are to have the same law for a man of another nation living among you as for an Israelite; for I am the Lord your God.
Numbers 15:15 There is to be one law for you and for the man of another country living with you, one law for ever from generation to generation; as you are, so is he to be before the Lord.
We are all strangers and travelers with God - all land is his.
After a certain period of time a stranger could receive an inheritance as an Israelite:
Ezekiel 47:22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. Ezekiel 47:23 And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.
Christ said that as much as those who will inherit the kingdom helped the hungry, thirsty and the stranger - they were ministering to him:
Matt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ... 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
CHRIST'S ASCENSION TO HEAVEN AFTER 40 DAYS
The end of this day (DAY 41 in the count to Pentecost) is when Christ ASCENDED to heaven. He was resurrected on "the third day" after his murder and was seen first just at sunset on this day by Mary Magdalene. The sun was "showing above the horizon" (it was a Saturday - Sabbath - evening in the year Christ was crucified) when Christ told Mary not to touch him because the Sabbath was just ending and it would be 40 days before he ascended to heaven which Mary understood paralleled the time a woman was not allowed to enter the holy sanctuary after the birth of a baby boy. (Leviticus 12).
Christ, now born again as a resurrected immortal being, observed these restrictions in Leviticus 12, and never joined the apostles on a sabbath or holy day during this 40 day period. Neither did he ascend to heaven until the 40 days were over.
Christ now ate the 2 leavened loaves in heaven on the Day of Pentecost while his disciples were eating them on earth. (These loaves were made from the seeds which were lifted up high on the wave-sheaf day after the sheaf was "cut off" (died) just as Christ had been lifted up on high and died).
He continued the count to Pentecost (from 42 to 50) in heaven and on the 50th day (the Day of Pentecost) He sent the disciples their holy spirit gift from heaven.
Ex 23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
My comments:
A stranger (someone from a different country) was to be treated kindly, no-one was to take advantage of him because he was at the disadvantage of not being in his own country - the way the Egyptians treated the Israelites.
A stranger was not to keep the Passover though, unless he was circumcised. Or, in New Testament terms, unless he kept God`s commandments. Once he was circumcised "in heart", he came under exactly the same laws as the Jewish Christians:
Ex 12:43 ΒΆ And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
Ex 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
Once a stranger was "circumcised in heart" i.e. keeping the commandments of God, he was to be treated exactly like an Israelite and could keep the Passover:
1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Ex 12:49 The law is the same for him who is an Israelite by birth and for the man from a strange country who is living with you. (BBE)
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
Being righteous according to God`s law, keeping God`s commandments, is what circumcision was a picture of - a private and personal commitment to obeying God.
Now when an uncircumcised Gentile knew God`s law and determined to keep it - he could be treated as an Israelite. The Jews didn`t eat with Gentiles, but when Gentiles came into the church in Antioch, Peter and Paul ate with them just as they did with other Jews.
The righteousness of these Gentiles came from their keeping the commandments of God through belief in Jesus Christ, not from sin offerings and burnt offerings offered according to the law of Moses for forgiveness of sin.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Abraham already obeyed God`s commandments and statutes - he had faith and understanding of the true God - before he was circumcised. His circumcision was a seal of his commandment-keeping he already had. A righteous Gentile can have this obedient faith while being uncircumcised in flesh:
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
A righteous commandment and statute-keeping life is what matters to God, not a physical mark in the flesh - keeping the commandments of God is the same as faith which works by love, since love (true charity) is the fulfilling of the commandments.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
This obedience to God`s laws, which is righteous living, is the same as faith which works by love, and it means the Christian is a new creature, whether from Jew or Gentile - they are the Israel of God:
Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
This righteous way of life which a stranger can be called of God to participate in is also called "circumcision made without hands" - it just means living a sin-free life (with intercession by Christ on our behalf when we do sin, as we all do).
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Circumcision was a reminder that you needed to be forgiven for breaking God`s commandments by offering sin offerings until the Messiah would come.
Strangers could always join Israel and be grafted into their root stock - they could offer burnt offerings:
Lev 17:8 And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,
Leviticus 19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. Leviticus 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
In matters of judgement, the stranger was treated exactly the same as the Israelite:
Lev 24:22 You are to have the same law for a man of another nation living among you as for an Israelite; for I am the Lord your God.
Numbers 15:15 There is to be one law for you and for the man of another country living with you, one law for ever from generation to generation; as you are, so is he to be before the Lord.
We are all strangers and travelers with God - all land is his.
After a certain period of time a stranger could receive an inheritance as an Israelite:
Ezekiel 47:22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. Ezekiel 47:23 And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.
Christ said that as much as those who will inherit the kingdom helped the hungry, thirsty and the stranger - they were ministering to him:
Matt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ... 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
CHRIST'S ASCENSION TO HEAVEN AFTER 40 DAYS
The end of this day (DAY 41 in the count to Pentecost) is when Christ ASCENDED to heaven. He was resurrected on "the third day" after his murder and was seen first just at sunset on this day by Mary Magdalene. The sun was "showing above the horizon" (it was a Saturday - Sabbath - evening in the year Christ was crucified) when Christ told Mary not to touch him because the Sabbath was just ending and it would be 40 days before he ascended to heaven which Mary understood paralleled the time a woman was not allowed to enter the holy sanctuary after the birth of a baby boy. (Leviticus 12).
Christ, now born again as a resurrected immortal being, observed these restrictions in Leviticus 12, and never joined the apostles on a sabbath or holy day during this 40 day period. Neither did he ascend to heaven until the 40 days were over.
Christ now ate the 2 leavened loaves in heaven on the Day of Pentecost while his disciples were eating them on earth. (These loaves were made from the seeds which were lifted up high on the wave-sheaf day after the sheaf was "cut off" (died) just as Christ had been lifted up on high and died).
He continued the count to Pentecost (from 42 to 50) in heaven and on the 50th day (the Day of Pentecost) He sent the disciples their holy spirit gift from heaven.