Perfect

Enough Day 10 Perfect Priest

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 23:13-49
Hebrews 9
Hebrews 4:14-16
2 Corinthians 12: 6-10

Enough, Day 10

Do you ever find yourself striving? For that promotion? For your marriage? For the approval of your family or friends? For the next best technology or piece of clothing? All of it can leave you feeling as though you are not enough to earn the love and respect that your heart so longs for.

I have some really bad news for you, on your own merit, you’re not. But you’re also not alone.

My entire life has been focused on how I can serve and do for other people in order to earn their love and respect. An exhausting made up a list in my head of what more I can possibly do for them and what they have done for me so that I can repay them in some way. Striving to balance an imaginary tit for tat that leaves me feeling weary, frustrated, and resentful.

This story is woven throughout history. Men and women desperately seeking approval and enoughness in the eyes of other broken human beings. And all of that striving has left us with nothing when we come to stand before the throne of God, completely exposed, showing all of our sins, faults, and brokenness despite all that we have done to be enough. The kind of righteousness we have the proclivity of seeking is meaningless in the presence of a completely holy and only good God.

God in his graciousness has continuously provided ways for us to be made righteous since the beginning.
Even though the wages of our sin is death, payment could be made through the ritual sacrifice of an animal without defect in place of a human life. This sacrifice could only be made by a priest, who himself needed to be cleansed before performing these sacrificial duties on behalf of the people. This Priest was the only one who could enter into the temple where God dwelled This is the only path that allowed God’s followers to be made righteous in the sight of God.

But It was never enough. This ritual would have to happen annually, cleansing the people from their sins from the past year. So God did not stop providing.

The rituals with the high priest were just a foretaste of the perfect plan God was laying out.
The perfect sacrifice.
The perfect priest.
Jesus.

Joining us here on earth in a most vulnerable way, Jesus came to live the life that we could not. To show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life through Him and him alone. No fault was found in Him and His blameless life was the perfect sacrifice. His giving up his life for us and committing it to God was the act of the ultimate, perfect priest.

Jesus has become the final mediator between us and God. No longer must we be separated from where God dwells. No longer must we go to human priests and present sacrifices to atone for our sins. No longer are we so separated from God that we cannot boldly approach His throne. All of that work was done by and through our High Priest, Jesus.

In one, single, loving act, Jesus tore back the curtain separating us from God. By His blood, he has made us holy, and now God sees us through Jesus: righteous and holy. Set apart from the world to do His work in it. We no longer need to strive for the enoughness that we so desperately seek. Jesus is enough for us – He has taken our brokenness and made it holy.

Will you follow this High Priest? Will you trust in His one, final sacrifice? Will you join Him in his mission to bring the world back to its Father? Will you believe that in Him, you are enough?

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Enough Day 2 Creation’s Groan: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Creation’s Groan!

The Questions

1) How did the serpent deceive Eve?

2) Who was the serpent?

3) Why did God curse the serpent?

4) How was the curse broken?

Genesis 3:1-4

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman.

Original Intent

1) How did the serpent deceive Eve?
Genesis 3 tells how a serpent enticed Eve and Adam to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It’s easy to look at the text and think, “I know this story”, but there is much more to uncover here! This passage contains a warning to all of us about Satan’s tactics and includes a seed of hope. When the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1) She replied by misquoting God, “But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.'” (Genesis 3:3) God never said not to touch it. (Genesis 2:17) Before Eve was created, God told Adam not to eat it, “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) Fostered by the slight manipulation of truth, which nurtured doubt in God’s goodness, Eve reached for the fruit and took a bite. Eve listened to Satan’s lies over believing God’s word. Death and evil were abstract ideas before her sin. Everything was new, alive, and holy. Just like a child can’t comprehend death if they haven’t lost a loved one, Eve and Adam didn’t understand separation from God or one another. She let her experiences determine her reality instead of trusting God. The serpent confidently told her a half-truth, “No! You will certainly not die.” (Genesis 3:4) He knew touching the fruit wouldn’t lead to death, but disobeying God’s word by eating the fruit would bring fatal consequences.

2) Who was the serpent?
The serpent was more than a snake in the grass; he was the tempter Satan who deceives the whole world. (Revelation 12:9) Though Satan once lived with God as an angel, he desired to be higher and more powerful than God. As punishment for his prideful arrogance, and his total disregard for the Lord God’s rule and authority, God cast him from Heaven. (Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:13-17) His existence is eternal enmity, or hatred, towards God and His creation. (Genesis 3:15)

3) Why did God curse the serpent?
When God asked Eve, “What have you done?” she replied, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13) Interestingly, God didn’t ask the serpent, “What have you done?” Instead, after Eve answered God’s question, God cursed the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock…” (Genesis 3:14) Bible theologian, Barnes explains how Satan’s sin was a moral sin because he deceived Adam and Eve. Therefore, he received a moral punishment in the form of a curse. The Hebrew word for curse in this passage (Arar) is more significant than using a curse word. God’s binding curse on Satan is an intentional response to devaluing God’s word and His character by deceiving Adam and Eve. Later, in Genesis 12:3, we see another connection between devaluing people, God’s creation, and God’s righteous curse, “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Satan also received a physical punishment for leading Adam and Eve into physical temptation. The serpent was devalued, forced to crawl on his belly. Deception transformed his relationship with people from congeniality to conflict and enmity. Sadly, people also received physical punishment for their transgressions. Adam’s work became difficult (verses 17-19), Eve’s labor would be painful (verse 16), and their relationship changed so that Eve’s desire was intent on Adam and Adam would rule over Eve. (verse 16)

4) How was the curse broken?
God cursed the serpent for his deception, but there was also a promise of judgment for the serpent through the offspring of the woman. (Genesis 3:14-15) The literal translation of Genesis 3:15 reads, “between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel.” In the original language, “her seed” is singular and does not refer to all her offspring; it is one person, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16) Though the prospect of having one’s heel attacked by a serpent isn’t pleasant, attacking the head of the serpent is a death blow preventing the serpent from ever hurting another person. Romans 16:30 encourages believers by pronouncing, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Jesus’ purpose was to destroy the works of the devil, breaking the curse between Satan and mankind once and for all. (1 John 3:8) Jesus crushed Satan’s head by dying for us and subsequently conquering Death forever by rising from the dead. All who trust in Him, recognizing He alone was able to pay the debt of death we owed because of our sin, will be freed from Satan’s curse. Those who believe, taking on Jesus’ offer of life for themselves, will live for eternity at peace with Him. No more death and no more curse! (Revelation 21:4)

Everyday Application

1) How did the serpent deceive Eve?
When the serpent tempted Eve, she could have halted his lies by leaning on the full truth of God’s Word. She could have taken Satan’s statement about death straight to God as He came to walk in the Garden in the cool of the evening. (Genesis 3:8) As Christians, we can avoid deception by asking God to teach us and lead us through the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26) We can also read the Bible and learn God’s word for ourselves. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Satan will tempt us to doubt God’s word with possessions, power, success, and necessities like food. “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16) We need to stand guard against Satan’s scheming tactics (2 Corinthians 2:11); even when we are in a close relationship with God, we can be enticed by Satan and our own curiosity to disobey God when something forbidden looks delightful and desirable. (Genesis 3:6) No one is immune from Satan’s temptations. After fasting for 40 days in the wilderness, Satan tempted Jesus. (Matthew 4:1-11) Satan used God’s own words against Jesus by quoting Psalm 91:11-12, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Where Eve had failed, Jesus responded to Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.” Jesus modeled how we can stop Satan’s attacks by quoting Scripture. Staying in communion with God, knowing His word, seeking His heart, and bringing our questions to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding will help us resist temptation.

2) Who was the serpent?
We likely don’t give much thought to Satan or his schemes today, but his tactics are just as real for us as they were for Eve and Adam. Satan is the father of lies, his nature is to lie, and his primary strategy is deception and manipulation of truth. (John 8:44) He devalues God’s Word, enticing people to question Him and disobey Him. Satan desires every created being to doubt God’s goodness, His love, and His plan. In light of this reality, we should re-assess what we believe ensuring we are clinging to truth from Scripture and leaving no room for lies from the enemy.

3) Why did God curse the serpent?
We can all attest that deceit leads to damage and conflict in relationships. It often has direct, and indirect, ripple effects resulting in repercussions for generations. The serpent’s deception led to enmity, which is personal hostility, in his relationship with all humanity. Enmity refers to hatred and enemies. The Cambridge Bible explains that enmity means a blood feud. Genesis 3:15 reads, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring.” The serpent treated Adam and Eve with contempt by lying to them. He treated God with contempt by disparaging God’s command as a means to keeping Adam and Eve from something better. He enticed them to show contempt for God’s word through disobedience. His deception destroyed the relationship between the serpent and mankind and damaged their relationship with God and with each other. When we show contempt for God by disobeying his commands, or for people by lying, stealing, or being unfaithful, we have created a biblical curse in our relationships that will lead to damage and long-term conflict.

4) How was the curse broken?
Jesus came to restore humanity’s relationship with God and with other people. Eve and Adam still lived under the consequences resulting from disobeying God even though they were tricked by Satan’s deception. Each one of us is responsible for our own choices, there is no room for “the devil made me do it” mentality. (James 1:13-16) For Eve and Adam, communion with God was damaged as was their relationship with each other.  Through Christ’s sacrifice which paid the debt we owe because of sin, a pathway was created for our relationships to be renewed and restored. In Jesus, we have communion with God and each other. He is our peace. (Ephesian 2:14) In Christ, we can have healthy relationships between men and women and all people regardless of our differences. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Creation’s Groan!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Enough Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship VIII Day 14 My Victory: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out My Victory!

The Questions

1) What is meant by the words ‘treasure in clay jars’? (verse 7)

2) Why is it important for power to come from God and not us? (verse 7)

3) How can we remain positive, like Paul in verses 8-9, when everything around us seems to go wrong?

2 Corinthians 4:7-9

7  Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 8  We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9  we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

Original Intent

1) What is meant by the words ‘treasure in clay jars’? (verse 7)
“Treasure”; it’s such a beautiful word and found quite often in the Bible. In some instances it refers to riches (Ezra 6:1, King James Version), a storehouse (2 Chronicles 5:1, King James Version), or hidden treasures (Deuteronomy 33:19). In the New Testament, it is often found in relation to the Kingdom of Heaven. I specifically think of the parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44), where Jesus talks about the Kingdom of Heaven as being a treasure that was buried in a field. A man found it, sold everything he owned, and bought the field. In our verse for today, the treasure refers to the gospel. It’s the good news that, though we are sinners separated from God, Jesus as God the Son, became like us in human flesh to take our punishment of death and separation on Himself, sparring all who surrender in trust to Him. The truth of the gospel is a treasure so great, it’s difficult for us to understand its true value. The treasure Paul speaks about, is said to be carried around in “clay jars.” These earthen vessels were used in ancient culture to be filled up with items and carried about, but the clay is fragile. If it falls, it could easily break. This symbolism refers to our own weak bodies on the outside, but in our hearts, we carry the treasure of the gospel to share with others around us.

2) Why is it important for power to come from God and not us? (verse 7)
This question has two short answers, simple to understand, but more difficult to surrender to and live out. First, because we are sinful, finite human beings who truly have no power at all, and certainly no ability to save ourselves from our eternal punishment of sin and death, we are immediately disqualified from giving power to ourselves. The power we have comes from God as He is the only One who holds ultimate authority. It is He who declares us, sinful though we are, as righteous when we give ourselves fully to Him. It is He who has the power to forgive us, the power to free us from sin, the power to make us more like Himself, and the power to safeguard our souls for all eternity. There is none like Him! Paul states in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong”, meaning that God will make him strong through the platform of his own weakness. Power doesn’t come from us, but from our Father in Heaven. (2 Timothy 1:7) Secondly, the power comes from God because, even if we could use our own power, we would have reason to boast in our ability, stealing the rightful glory from God alone. (Ephesians 2:9) Instead, we should join Paul by saying, “If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses” (2 Corinthians 11:30), and “boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)

3) How can we remain positive, like Paul in verses 8-9, when everything around us seems to go wrong?
Paul makes it clear in his many letters that his strength came from the Lord alone. Daily, he gave himself to Jesus and died to himself and his self-focused desires. (1 Corinthians 15:31) He tells us to do the same as we commit to following Jesus, “So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11) Paul surrendered to Jesus with everything he had and he held onto the hope of eternal life offered only through Christ. He trusted Jesus with his whole life and lived out his surrender with his everyday decisions. He knew with confidence that, one day, he would be with the King of kings. Nothing else mattered in light of that reality. This truth motivated Paul to keep moving forward until the day he gave his physical life for Christ in death.

Everyday Application

1) What is meant by the words ‘treasure in clay jars’? (verse 7)
We live in a world where we’re busy running here and there. Often, even Christians are too busy to open their Bible, read it, study it, and ask the Lord to show us how to apply its truth to our lives. Even if it’s just for 5 minutes a day! Yet, this single discipline is so important for us to dedicate time, attention, and priority. The Word of God holds an indescribable worth of treasure. We need to soak ourselves in His Word. We need to pray and grow closer to Jesus, no matter how busy we are. When we have a close relationship with our Saviour, we become increasingly aware of the wonderful treasure we carry inside our fragile human bodies, and we long to share this beautiful gift with the world! God gives us the mission to go out and spread the treasure of the gospel. (Matthew 28:20) He doesn’t give this important calling to His angels, but to us, mortal sinners who are utterly hopeless without Christ. Our only hope for eternal life and salvation is found through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:18-19) Together, let’s be a worthy vessel for God and share His “treasure in clay jars”. Let’s start today!

2) Why is it important for power to come from God and not us? (verse 7)
When we go out into the world, whether it’s in our neighbourhood or on mission across the globe, we should always remember the reality that, without the Spirit of God, we are incapable of doing anything that will last into eternity. Jesus described Himself as the vine where we are the branches. He is the Source of everything, and we are invited into Him to accomplish His work in the world through Him. As long as we abide in Him, and He in us, we will bring forth much fruit for His kingdom. (John 15:5) In other words, the gospel will go out in power because of Christ’s Spirit at work in and through us. Jesus continues, if we refuse to abide in Him, we will be rendered useless in His kingdom. (John 15:5) The power doesn’t come from us, but we must make the important decision of walking in surrender to Christ. If we want to share the treasure of the gospel with others, it’s vitally important we remain close to Jesus through prayer, studying Scripture, and living in biblical community as we daily surrender our will to His.

3) How can we remain positive, like Paul in verses 8-9, when everything around us seems to go wrong?
Jesus warned us we would have hardship and troubles in our lives. He told us to follow Him and carry our cross, putting to death our self-serving desires in order to live fully surrendered to Christ. (Matthew 16:24) He didn’t say these things to frighten us. No, the opposite is true. He wanted us to know that life would be challenging as we committed to following and surrendering to Jesus, more challenging than we could imagine. In light of this, He told us to not fear over and over again. (Matthew 8:26; Matthew 14:27; Mark 5:36; Luke 12:7) The list of passages where God commands those who trust Him to leave behind all fear fills the pages of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Even in the Old Testament, we hear the Lord say, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) Just like Paul, we are called to leave fear behind us, instead fixing our eyes of faith on Jesus and the promise that He will always be with us, even for the rest of eternity! (Matthew 28:20) Let’s keep in the forefront of our mind, that all troubles aren’t even worth comparing the greatness of that One Day when we will dwell with God in His fullness forever. He will wipe all tears from our eyes and keep us in His perfect, joyous peace. (Revelation 7:17)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with My Victory!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship VIII Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Worship VIII Day 6 Our Beautiful Jealous God

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 34:10-14
Exodus 20:1-6
Isaiah 42:5-8
Jeremiah 10:6-7

Worship VIII, Day 6

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” ― A.W. Tozer

Our Creator God is a jealous God?? In what human relationships is jealousy known to be a good thing? Have you ever experienced the benefits of jealousy?

Upon first consideration, this idea of God as holy AND jealous seems confusing or contradictory, right? Yet, it’s clearly communicated throughout Scripture. So let’s dig into this concept together, asking God to enlighten our spirits.

As you read my words, and more importantly, the words of Scripture, I pray you will recall Isaiah 55:8-9, which reminds us our thoughts are not God’s thoughts nor our ways, God’s ways.

While we are made in God’s image, some aspects of God are wholly “other,” with no human or creature reference at all. For example, His omniscience. Is there any reference point we, in our limited human understanding, have to grasp an ALL-knowing Being? No.

I would urge you to understand the Holy Jealousy of God in this light. It is a perfect jealousy; it is not tainted by insecurity, capriciousness, rage, or malice. 

It is rooted fully in the perfect and sacrificial love of God.

One has only to go to the foot of the cross to see undeniable and compelling evidence for how much God loves us; there, we understand God’s jealousy for our worship of Him alone in the light of His LOVE for us and His zealous desire for our highest good.

Let’s turn to God’s Word to wade into the deep waters of understanding God as other and God as jealous.

“No god was formed before Me, and there will be none after Me.  I—I am the Lord. Besides Me, there is no Savior. I alone declared, saved, and proclaimed—and not some foreign god among you.” (Isaiah 43:10-12)

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but Me.” (Isaiah 45:5)

“Look, I am the Lord, the God over every creature. Is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

“The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.” (Acts 17:24-25)

“He is the blessed and only  Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to Him be honor and eternal power. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:15b-16)

And finally, Isaiah 53:10 reveals the will of God the Father to crush His Son, Jesus, for our FREEDOM.

When we consider God’s jealousy for our worship is birthed out of His love and passion for us to experience only the highest good, we can rightly frame God’s jealousy as holy. Our worship of God alone brings wholeness and peace, rightly ordering our affections and pursuits.

I have seen this truth within my own life. By the time I reached college, I had an inward sense that I was born a worshiper. (I know now that we are ALL born to worship something.)

For most of my life, I worshipped my own image with greatest devotion. By college, I finally became aware of my self-absorption. I longed for others to think well of me.

I also longed for a boyfriend who would one day become my spouse and (in my Disney-inspired, imagined sense of reality) make all my dreams come true, fulfilling my longings for love and acceptance.

Long story, short, I did marry . . . but not the first man who caught my eye. My husband wasn’t even the second or third man who swept me off my feet and stole my heart. Three times over, I watched my idol of a life partner burn to the ground, its ashes left to demonstrate the hollow and fleeting nature of the object of my worship.

Now, after nearly 2 decades of marriage, I understand no earthly spouse can hold the weight of my needs and expectations to be loved and accepted.
Only God could do this.
Only the God who numbers the hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30) could also be my ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
Only God, who knows the words I will speak before they even come out of my mouth, could also demand my whole-hearted affection, devotion, and thanksgiving like no other.

He is jealous for our worship.
Not to satisfy His own need, but to satisfy our hearts in His sufficiency.

He is a worthy, jealous God. 

For further study:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-is-jealous-for-your-joy
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-jealousy-of-god/
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-god-a-jealous-god.html
https://gracequotes.org/topic/god-jealousy/

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Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship VIII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship VIII!

Worship VIII Day 1 The Why

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:2-6
Psalm 73
John 1:1-18
Psalm 91
John 17:20-24

Worship VIII, Day 1

I get up in the wee hours of the morning, or stay up well into the night, to spend time with them. I connect with them every chance I’m given. More of my money has been invested in them than I even realized. Sometimes I plan my schedule around activities related to them.

Who is “them”?

I wish I could say these statements were about God or my church. But they aren’t. They are about my three favorite Korean Pop (K-Pop) groups. Clearly, there is a reason their music industry and culture call their pop stars idols. There is a plethora of access to them, a lot of content, and merchandise galore. Before fans know what’s happening, our time and money are more invested there than in important things, like God.

I don’t think people intend to have idols, but if we don’t pay attention, it happens. Like when we center our lives around working out. Or our jobs are all we think and talk about. Partying and hanging out with friends can become the single driving force in our lives. Or playing video games takes up most of our time and money.  What about needing to be “in control” of everything, all the time? These are just a few examples.

So the question is, how and why does this happen?
Simple. We were made for worship.

The Westminster Catechism states the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We were made to worship God. To verify this, we only need to read Exodus 20:3-5, where God says, “Do not have other gods besides Me” and “Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”
Clearly, God made us for worship. But worship should only belong to Him.

And we should want to worship Him. Did you notice God mentioned He is jealous? He is jealous for several reasons. Let’s start with this fact: He created us. (John 1:3, Genesis 1:26-27)
I remember when my daughters were frequently hanging out with two friends, sisters their same age. Their friends’ mom was more lenient than I, and my girls frequently raved about how great this other mom was. Needless to say, I became jealous.
What about our relationships, ones I’d been cultivating since before they were born?
What about my concern for their safety, development, care, and keeping?
I think this is similar to God’s jealousy. He made us; that alone should be enough to warrant our worship.

But let’s go farther and deeper, shall we?

God initiated a relationship with us by revealing Himself to us in many different ways. He is the One who perfectly loves and protects us. I love how Psalm 73 gives us a glimpse of all God offers us:

  •     He holds our hand
  •     He guides us with His wisdom
  •     He will take us to heaven with Him
  •     He is our strength
  •     His presence is our good in this life
  •     He is our refuge

Then, John 1:5 tells us He is the light shining in the darkness, and He cannot be overcome. Additionally, John 1:17 reveals Jesus brought us grace and truth.

Oh and let’s not forget, He loves us. In fact, God’s love for us is a central message of the Bible. That familiar verse, John 3:16, explains, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Still not convinced? Listen to Jesus’ own words in prayer to God the Father: “I am in them and You are in Me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as you have loved Me.” (John 17:23)

The time I invest in video games, cooking shows, or even K-pop might bring temporary happiness and a bit of fleeting satisfaction. The same is true for anything we worship besides God. But this God, this Jesus, who loves us, is the only source of true and lasting satisfaction. We are at our best, and receive the best, when our worship is directed to the One for whom we were created.

I’d like to close by sharing two passages I think can settle this in our hearts better than my words ever could. Let’s pray over them, and then worship the only One who’s worthy of our praise.

“The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry.” (Isaiah 58:11)

“Because he has his heart set on Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My name. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91:14-16)

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Questions 2 Day 11 Rescue Mission

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Exodus 20:1-17
John 3:1-21
Romans 3:21-26
Romans 3:9-20

Questions 2, Day 11

How could a loving God send anyone to Hell?

The question is a reasonable one. The juxtaposition of a God who loves mankind so much He would send His very Son to die for them appears to be utterly at odds with a God who would send good people to a fiery destination for all of eternity.

However, the very question itself is hinged on a dangerous and erroneous assumption: people are inherently good. It’s tempting to lean toward the thought. After all, as humans, we tend to categorize wrongdoing at varying “levels.” We wouldn’t categorize a murderer with, say, a person who told a lie to spare someone’s feelings. Our natural instinct is to determine who is good, and how good they are, by their actions and our own perception of morality. But this view is absolutely inaccurate. 

From the moment mankind fell from a perfect relationship with God and chose knowledge and self over trust in Him, every human being has been marked by the consequences of that choice. We are born with sin’s DNA woven into ours by our own failings, but the truth is humans have never been “good” on our own. Even Adam and Eve, who had every opportunity to continue in a right relationship with God, and who enjoyed perfect communion with Him in the Garden of Eden, lost everything the moment they chose the allure of sin’s temptation for self. Sin excluded them from fellowship with Him. Because God is completely righteous, holy, and just, He can not be in the presence of sin. Adam and Eve could not remain in the place of intimacy with God while sin existed in their hearts.

The same is true for us. 

Loves, not one of us is good. Romans 3:23 reminds us all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God. As we studied in Ten, God says if we have broken even one part of the Law, we are guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10) Furthermore, Jesus said if we so much as think sinful thoughts, we have actually committed that sin in our hearts. (Matthew 5:21-22) This is why Jesus came to earth as a man. He was the only One Who could live a perfect, sinless life and serve as the spotless sacrifice for all our sins, past, present and future.

Only One who was righteous, both fully God and fully man, would ever be able to do it. 

Because of His selfless sacrifice, our ability to be in communion with God was restored. The sin we have all chained to ourselves has no power against the blood of Jesus Christ when we surrender to Him. God’s master plan for a relationship with His beloved creation is perfectly fulfilled in the salvation He purchased for us. We, who are born sinners, can access communion with God through the shed blood of Jesus when we give our lives to Him and trust Him over ourselves. We were born dead in our sin, but we are made alive in Christ. (Ephesians 2:5) When God looks at those who have trusted Him for salvation, He no longer sees our sinful nature. Instead, we are completely, totally wrapped in Christ. When He looks at us, He sees His Son in us. He sees righteousness.

Do you know what the enemy’s master deception is, Beloved? He’s been singing the same tired tune for literally ages.

It’s to sell all of us on the lie that we are basically good, on our own. That we, ourselves, are righteous, apart from Christ’s blood. That we are capable of saving ourselves. In fact, he would love for us to be so completely infatuated with who we are, what we’re like, and how we feel, that we have no room in our thoughts for God. After all, if we’re basically good, and we can be trusted to do the righteous thing, why do we need Jesus, anyway?

This is why the Law is such a vital part of God’s ultimate rescue mission: without the knowledge of God’s law, we are absolutely incapable of recognizing we are sinners. Romans 3:20 says, “For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.”

Read that again. Twice, if you must.

Every one of us are born sinners. There’s nothing we can do about it. No amount of denying will change it. No amount of good works will offset it.

Our adversary is against us from day one. He endeavors to convince us that we’re good, and if we’re honest, most of us are inclined to agree.

But God. 

Long before we were born, long before Jesus was born, He handed His Law to Moses. It is the very knowledge of this Law that brings us to the realization that we are filled with sin. But the knowledge of this sin isn’t designed to condemn us! It’s to draw us to repentance and confession that we need salvation through Jesus Christ, so we can enter into relationship and communion with God! 

Lord, thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your very Son to die for my sins. There’s no One else like You. Help me to understand how deep and how wide Your great love is for all mankind. Show me every place where I haven’t invited You to rule and reign. All I have belongs to You alone. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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Follow Day 12 Question, Follow, Faith: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Question, Follow, Faith!

The Questions

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?

Isaiah 55:8-11

8  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so my word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Original Intent

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)
We all have a sinful nature (Romans 3:9), meaning we can never please God on our own, but God is divine and perfect. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10); God intimately knows everything. We, on the other hand, have gone astray like sheep and turned to our own sinful ways. Our continual choice to serve ourselves over God by choosing sin is why Jesus came to earth to bare our iniquities on the cross by His death. (Isaiah 53:6) Therefore, His thoughts and ways are much higher and better than our own. Just like the heavens are higher than the earth (Isaiah 55:9). Only He has ultimate understanding, authority, and complete righteousness!

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?
In Moses’ time, the Lord had commanded the Israelites to “love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, keep his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Joshua 22:5) They were familiar with His laws and ways, yet the people often wandered off His path of wisdom. When Moses stayed too long on Mount Sinai, the people resorted to creating and worshipping a golden calf, a thing strictly forbidden for only God is worthy of worship! (Exodus 32:1) They were released from bondage in Egypt, yet they grumbled they didn’t have water or nice food like in the city. (Exodus 17:3; Exodus 16:2-3) Even His chosen people struggled to come to terms with God’s ways and plans. Wise followers of Jesus know that God’s way alone is perfect. (Psalm 18:30). They understand that His plans are for their well-being, to provide a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Whenever it feels like God is pushing them into a direction opposite where they want to go, the righteous person remembers God’s ways are higher. They remember that, although a way may seem right to a person, its end might lead to death. (Proverbs 14:12)

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?
An excellent biblical account of someone whose plans were different than God’s plans must be Joseph from the Old Testament. (Genesis 37:1 – 47:12) Jacob had 12 sons, of whom Joseph was his favourite. His favoritism was lavished on Joseph in the form of a beautiful coat of many colors, and he even received dreams from God. Then one day, he was sold as a slave by his own jealous brothers! He was taken to Egypt away from his beloved father, not knowing what would happen to him. Perhaps he even felt as if God had abandoned him. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, for God had amazing plans for Joseph that went far beyond anything he could imagine on his own. Joseph eventually became governor, acting as second in command to none but Pharaoh. Eventually, God brought redemption through Joseph to the brothers who had disowned him and used Joseph’s place of influence to provide for his family during a time of immense drought. Not only did God use one man’s story to rescue his immediate family, but through these divinely ordained plans, God planted “His Family” the Hebrews, from Joseph’s family. You might know them from a different name, as Jews. An entire nation was birthed because God’s plans overtook man’s plans!

Everyday Application

1) Why does God say His ways and thoughts are not ours? (verse 8)
Although we’d like to think our ways and thoughts are just as perfect as God’s, they’re simply not. The Bible tells us we’re all sinners, not one of us is righteous. (Romans 3:9) None of us will attain to God’s level of holiness on our own without Jesus. We don’t even know what we should pray for and need the Spirit’s help to pray correctly! (Romans 8:26) In contrast, God is perfect! His Son, who is God’s exact image (Hebrews 1:3), never sinned in His time on earth although He was tempted in every way as we are. (Hebrews 4:15) His divinity was able to withstand the devil. We are not able to do so alone. Our human nature is more willing to surrender to evil than to good (Romans 7:18-19), and it’s only through Christ we have the hope of eternal life with God. In other words, our ways and thoughts are wicked on their own. Only God’s ways and thoughts are perfect, and therefore, they’re not ours.

2) How can we follow God’s ways when they do not align with our own ideas and wishes?
Jesus is very straightforward to us in saying, “If anyone loves me, he will keep My word.” (John 14:23) We already read in Isaiah 55:11 where God said, “So My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do”. In other words, if we love Him, we will be able to keep His Word through the power of His Spirit living within us. His ways and His thoughts are active in us when we submit to following Him. If we trust Him, we will obey and follow the Lord even though we cannot see where He’s leading us. God knows all things and knows exactly how everything will work out. We need to have faith in Him for He is faithful (Hebrews 10:23) and His ways are perfect. And they always accomplish what they were supposed to do. His plans are never in vain. Remembering this can help us abandon our own thoughts and surrender to God.

3) What biblical events can encourage us to have faith in God’s ways?
When we look in the New Testament, we can be inspired and encouraged by all the disciples of Jesus (and obviously Jesus Himself). Each life was flipped upside down from the moment they met Jesus, and even more so after His crucifixion and resurrection. They were imprisoned (Acts 12:3), beaten (2 Corinthians 11:25), and eventually killed (Acts 12:2) for following Christ. Saul was on his way to Damascus to bring an end of the spread of Christianity. Instead, the Lord stopped him on his tracks and blinded him (Acts 9:1-9). Saul, then became Paul, left his old life of persecution behind and influenced the early church, (and our own modern lives!), by his preaching and writing. In fact, the majority of the New Testament consists of Paul’s letters to encourage and strengthen the church! I’m sure his life didn’t really play out the way he had initially planned. Yet, he trusted God every step of the way, whether free or imprisoned, he sang praises to the Lord (Acts 16:25) and continued to follow Christ until death. Reading their stories and experiences as often as we can will encourage us to remain faithful as we pursue Christ in everyday life. Even if God rearranges our plans in different ways than we had hoped or dreamed, surrender to his hand, acknowledging His plans are necessary for our growth in faith and the work for His glory.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Reveal Day 12 Dancing In The Dark: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Dancing In The Dark!

The Questions

1) What was the historical background during Ezekiel’s time?

2) What hope did Ezekiel offer to the nations of Israel? (verses 19-22)

3) What is the covenant of peace? (verses 25-28)

Ezekiel 37:15-28

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take a single stick and write on it: Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the house of Israel associated with him. Then join them together into a single stick so that they become one in your hand. When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these things?’— tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick so that they become one in my hand.’

“When the sticks you have written on are in your hand and in full view of the people, tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. They will no longer be two nations and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, their abhorrent things, and all their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my ordinances and keep my statutes and obey them.

“‘They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your ancestors lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and my servant David will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a permanent covenant with them. I will establish and multiply them and will set my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. When my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’”

Original Intent

1) What was the historical background during Ezekiel’s time?
Ezekiel lived during the 70-year captivity of Judah in Babylon. The prophets Jeremiah and Daniel were his contemporaries. The nation of Israel had forgotten God and become idolatrous by worshiping other gods. Through prophets, God repeatedly warned them about their sin and the coming destruction as a result. Even after they were captured, they took on the pagan gods and beliefs rather than standing up for the One True God. They had a “form of godliness but denied the power within.” (2 Timothy 3:5, Titus 1:16) They ignored the prophets, so God “left them to their own devices”. (Psalm 81:12) They wandered so far from God they no longer had unity within the nation. In just a few short generations after King David’s reign, the nation split into two nations. The Northern Kingdom (10 tribes led by the half tribe of Ephraim) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (The tribes of Judah and Benjamin). The Northern Kingdom had already been overtaken by Assyria during Ezekiel’s ministry and finally, God allowed Babylon to overtake the Southern Kingdom as well. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, and the people were taken captive where they remained for 70 years. Ezekiel’s ministry was during these 70 years. In the first half of chapter 37, Ezekiel has a vision in the Valley of the Dry Bones. Ezekiel was amid piles of dry bones depicting the futility of the people’s lives without the Lord God. The people did not care about God. Even if they were still worshiping Him, it was in ritual only as they followed the cultural influences around them. They were dead in their sins and, for Ezekiel, it seemed there was no hope. But God showed Ezekiel He would raise His nation up and make them alive again.

2) What hope did Ezekiel offer to the nations of Israel? (verses 19-22)
God instructed Ezekiel to take two sticks, mark them with the names Judah and Ephraim and hold them together as one. As Ezekiel obeyed, the sticks fused into one by God’s power. This visual demonstration was a foreshadowing of what was to come. The prophecy was partially fulfilled after Israel’s 70 years of captivity when the two tribes of Judah and many of the tribes of Israel returned home to Jerusalem. Secondly, “it had a further accomplishment in the union of converted Jews and Gentiles in one body” after Jesus came to earth to live, die, and raise up again. However, the ultimate promise is yet to come when Christ returns to set up His Kingdom and all “shall join together in seeking the Lord, and David, their King, the Messiah, who shall be the one King over them…” (Gills Exposition of the Bible) Up to the birth of Christ, people lived in the Age of Truth under the Covenant of the Law. The people were in darkness because they had not seen the Light of God with their eyes in the person of Jesus. Only at certain times in the Old Testament did God come down to fellowship with His people. The Ark of the Covenant was the place of the Presence of God. (R.C. Sproul) No wonder, David danced when they brought the Ark of the Covenant back into Jerusalem. For indeed, God was again “with them.” After 400 years of silence, God began to move again among His people and so, the dance began again. John the Baptist was conceived as a forerunner to Christ. He leapt in his mother’s womb just being near the mother of the Messiah. Doesn’t your heart leap at the joy of this news? Who could forget the angelic announcement of the birth of Christ? Think of it! If I were a shepherd, I would not be able to keep still with excitement at the prospect of this joyous time. Hope was being fulfilled as Emmanuel (Jesus) came to humanity; God with us! A different age was about to begin, the Age of Grace under the Covenant of Redemption. Now not only is God with us, but His Holy Spirit can live within us if we trust in Christ as our Savior! The light of the world had come to chase away the darkness and the people began to dance in the light!

3) What is the covenant of peace? (verses 25-28)
First, let us consider, “What is peace?”. According to GotQuestions.com, “the primary Greek word for peace is ‘eirene’, and it refers to rest and tranquility. A key focus of peace in the New Testament is the advent of Jesus Christ, as announced by the angels in Luke 2:14 when they declare, “Peace on earth…”. Isaiah had predicted the Messiah would be the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He is called the Lord of Peace in 2 Thessalonians 3:16. It is through Christ’s work of justification we can have peace with God (Romans 5:1), and His peace will keep our hearts and minds secure (Philippians 4:7).” A covenant is a binding agreement serving as a legal document of guarantee. Therefore, the Covenant of Peace is like an unbreakable contract describing the terms and conditions of God’s ‘peace plan’ for mankind. Just like the Covenant of Redemption details the terms and conditions of God’s redemption for mankind, the Covenant of Peace will define what is needed to partake in the coming Age of Peace.” Ezekiel describes how this covenant of peace will be established. Note as you read Ezekiel 34:20 and following, four things: 1) The Lord will rebuke the leaders who have led the people astray and set forth a judgment on them. 2) God will restore not only people, but land and animals. 3) The earth is restored to its original state (Compare the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2 and the New Earth in Revelation 21) and 4) God will be with His people. “I will establish One shepherd over them, … And I the Lord will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them.” (verses 23-24) (Paul Jablonowski, Sons to Glory)

Everyday Application

1) What was the historical background during Ezekiel’s time?
Israel is coming alive today in many ways. The valley of the dry bones describes how the land of Israel was not productive but was like a desolate desert. Today the land of Israel is stronger than ever. In every way, they are flourishing. They are strong militarily, agriculturally, and have even discovered large deposits of natural gas within their land. (learn more at Behold Israel) The State of Israel in Ezekiel’s day sounds a lot like today’s newspaper, doesn’t it? Ezekiel’s counterpart, Habakkuk described it like this… “Why do you force me to look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates. This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.” Today, unity is difficult to find, even among believers. We fight over doctrine and petty details like the color of the carpet. We get downright nasty when politics are mentioned. Too often, we stir up division instead of encouraging one another to model Christ-likeness. If we step back, it’s easy to spot similarities between our modern church and ancient Israel as the pull towards cultural norms and worship for ritualistic or even entertainment motives is strong. God told Israel He was not forsaking them and would bring about flourishing. By humble repentance and a focus on unity, we can encourage the global church to move together in unity through the power of the Holy Spirit. How can you begin fostering unity within your local body?

2) What hope did Ezekiel offer to the nations of Israel? (verses 19-22)
God’s promise of hope to make Israel one nation has further been fulfilled in our generation. For over 2500 years, Israel had not been an official nation, but in 1948 the State of Israel was established. (Britt Gillette, End Times Bible Prophecy) In recent years, Jews are returning to the nation for Israel in droves from all over the earth. (Israel365 News) Not only this but, there are also reports that Orthodox Jews are coming to Christ in marked numbers. This brings up another fusing into one. The lines of Abraham (Isaac and Ishmael) are both coming to faith in Jesus. The lineage of Isaac is the Nation of Israel. The lineage of Ishmael being the Arab nations. According to Open Doors, Muslims are turning to Christ in unprecedented numbers. This is another amazing way that both lines of Abraham are coming together as one. Hope is abounding as more people find redemption in Christ and look forward to His return. Once He returns, our greatest hope will be revealed as John prophesied, “Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” (Revelation 21:3-5) We will live in perfect unity. Death – gone. Pain – gone. Crying – None! The very best part is this, “God’s dwelling is with humanity” just as Ezekiel prophesied. (verse 27) One day soon, we will dance in the joy of His Presence as God is with Us.

3) What is the covenant of peace? (verses 25-28)
God’s promise of restoration was depicted in the two visions to Ezekiel. First, the vision of the dry bones and then the two sticks coming together as one. Once they are joined, we will enter the Covenant of Peace. (Ezekiel 37:26) This will happen when Christ returns to earth and sets up His Kingdom. When God initiated the Covenant of the Law with Moses, he created the physical nation of Israel. When Jesus instituted the New Covenant of Redemption, God created the spiritual nation we call “the Church.” Soon it will be time for God to bring these two together. Both the spiritual and the natural must be in perfect balance, so God can create for Himself “one new man” from the two that will bring true peace in an Age of Peace. (Ephesians 1:9-13, Ephesians 2:14-17). In the Age of His Kingdom, Jesus will be the Prince of Peace. All things will balance out with His government. His judgment will root out the evil. Once evil is removed, His Truth and Grace will be in balance with His Government of Peace. Jesus will reign, and we will be in the Presence of God forever. God’s Peace will be revealed, and we will experience the “peace that passes all understanding” to the full! (Philippians 4:7) We have His peace within our hearts, but on that day, complete peace will be established. Finally, the prophecy of God’s Presence among us will be fulfilled and we can say as Isaiah prophesied, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time.” (Isaiah 9:2-3) It will be the greatest Dance of Joy ever!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Dancing In The Dark

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Reveal Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Blessed Day 9 Intimacy: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Intimacy!

The Questions

1) Who are the lovers featured in Song of Solomon 7:1-13?

2) Why does the Bible include these passages about sex and intimacy?

3) What does it mean that the woman has treasured up every delicacy, old and new, for her love? (verse 13)

Song of Solomon 7:1-13

How beautiful are your sandaled feet, princess!
The curves of your thighs are like jewelry,
the handiwork of a master.
3 Your breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
4 Your neck is like a tower of ivory,
your eyes like pools in Heshbon
by Bath-rabbim’s gate.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon
looking toward Damascus.
5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel,
the hair of your head like purple cloth—
a king could be held captive in your tresses.
6 How beautiful you are and how pleasant,
my love, with such delights!
7 Your stature is like a palm tree;
your breasts are clusters of fruit.
8 I said, “I will climb the palm tree
and take hold of its fruit.”
May your breasts be like clusters of grapes,
and the fragrance of your breath like apricots.
9 Your mouth is like fine wine—

Woman
flowing smoothly for my love,
gliding past my lips and teeth!
10 I am my love’s,
and his desire is for me.

11 Come, my love,
let’s go to the field;
let’s spend the night among the henna blossoms.
12 Let’s go early to the vineyards;
let’s see if the vine has budded,
if the blossom has opened,
if the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give you my caresses.
13 The mandrakes give off a fragrance,
and at our doors is every delicacy,
both new and old.
I have treasured them up for you, my love.

Original Intent

1) Who are the lovers featured in Song of Solomon 7:1-13?
The biblical book Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs, as it is sometimes called, was written by Solomon sometime between 971 and 931 BC. Most scholars believe the lovers are Solomon and his wife, though which wife is not as clear. Author Tom Gledhill asserts in his book The Message of the Song of Songs that instead of being Solomon and his lover, “The couple are representative types of Everyman and Everywoman” (94) Whether we view Song of Solomon as a true love story between two specific people or simply as an example of a good marriage, there is much to be learned about love (both human and Divine) and intimate sex in the chapters given to us. Author Sharon Jaynes writes, “God made sure the explicit picture of romance and sexual intimacy is in the Bible for a reason (. . .) It’s as if He’s saying, this is how it’s done.” God gives us a road map for intimacy in marriage in Song of Solomon, but many theologians agree He is also giving us a picture of Jesus’ love for His Bride, the Church. Author Natalia Kohn suggests, “Solomon, the bridegroom, is meant to symbolize the powerful love of our eternal bridegroom, Jesus Christ. The Shulamite woman, our protagonist, models passion and love for her lover, a fascination with who He is, and a hunger for more of His love.” God wants us to love Him deeply and passionately, the way He loves us. (Ephesians 3:18) In giving us a guide for how to love our spouses well, God is also showing us how to love Him with fervent hearts and deepest devotion.

2) Why does the Bible include these passages about sex and intimacy?
If you read the Bible cover to cover, you won’t find another book like Song of Solomon full of romance, eroticism, poetry, and spiritual significance. While other Bible books mention love, sex, and romance, none enter into as much depth of description and creativity found in the Song of Solomon. Why would God include this evocative book about love and sex in His Scripture? God’s primary intention for including this evocative book on love and sex was likely to teach us how to view His amazing gift of sexual intimacy for married couples. Pastor Chuck Swindoll notes, “The fullness of the union that takes place at marriage is described in some of the most splendid poetic language in the entire Bible. In a world where so many speak of God’s special gifts with coldly clinical or apathetic statistical language, the passion of Solomon’s poetry refreshes a world thirsty for the truth about marriage.”  Many believe that beyond the literal description of human love and intimacy, Song of Solomon provides a sense of how deeply Christ loves His bride, the church. Author David Guzik writes, “We find that this great song of songs illustrates the love, the intensity, and the beauty of relationship that should exist between God and the believer.” The bride responds to her Lover in Song of Solomon 7:10 by proclaiming, “I am my Love’s, and his desire is for me.” This phrase alone exemplifies how God loves us and created us for a holy union with Him, and how He longs for us to recognize and accept His great love. The Song of Solomon is God’s two-fold gift to His people, for it teaches us how to nurture sexual intimacy and how to relate to a God who loves us extravagantly.

3) What does it mean that the woman has treasured up every delicacy, old and new, for her love? (verse 13)
In Song of Solomon 7:13, the woman invites her lover to come away with her to the vineyards, telling him “The mandrakes give off a fragrance, and at our doors is every delicacy, both new and old. I have treasured them up for you, my love.” According to commentator David Guzik, “This difficult to translate phrase may have the sense that she is inviting him to enjoy intimacy in ways that are both familiar and new to the couple. The idea would be they would enjoy their lovemaking in creative ways that were planned in advance by the maiden.” Indeed, the mention of mandrakes would indicate a literal meaning of sexual intimacy, for, as commentator David M. Carr points out, “The mandrake or ‘love apple’ is a pungently fragrant plant long considered an aphrodisiac.” There are also arguments that the “old and new delicacies” of Song of Solomon 7:13 hold a spiritual significance. Author Tim Keller suggests, “Sex is for fully committed marriage relationships because it is to be a foretaste of the joy that comes from being in complete union with God. The most rapturous love between a man and woman is only a hint of God’s love for us.”  The Bible provides this surprising guide to sex and marriage in the Song of Solomon to help us build intimacy in marriage, but it also instructs us that God gave the gift of sex within marriage to remind us of God’s intense love and deep longing for a covenant relationship with His people.

Everyday Application

1) Who are the lovers featured in Song of Solomon 7:1-13?
In Song of Solomon 7:1-9, Solomon is describing the beauty of his wife. He starts at her feet and moves all the way up to the crown of her head, appreciating every last detail he beholds. Some of the metaphors describing her beauty are easily understood, while others are lost on a modern reader. However, the love, romance, sensuality, and passion in the text are evident to readers of all eras. The couple knows one another so intimately that she takes up the steamy description in Song of Solomon 7:9, finishing his sentence for him. She knows she has his heart, and her words of love and desire are equally as symbolic and erotic as his are. King Solomon seems to be utterly in love with his bride, and she with him. It is confounding to me, then, that Solomon could love so deeply and so well and yet have a harem of wives and concubines, as seen in Song of Solomon 6:8 and I Kings 11:3. Why would God choose King Solomon, this woefully imperfect man, to pen this beautiful book about intimacy in marriage? Author David Guzik suggests, “Perhaps the Song of Solomon does not reflect Solomon’s actual experience – certainly not in an enduring sense – but his wise analysis and skillful presentation of the glory of romantic and sensual love.” It is difficult for me to accept admonitions from someone who made as many mistakes as Solomon did, but I must remember that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” God inspired the words of King Solomon, so I know I can trust its message is perfect and true, even though the human author was far from perfect.

2) Why does the Bible include these passages about sex and intimacy?
The Bible contains instruction on how to be a better parent, how to manage finances, and how to treat other people, but looking to the Bible for instruction on sex and intimacy seems…uncomfortable. In fact, when a pastor says to open our Bibles to the Song of Solomon, people tend to squirm. Nobody wants to hear the preacher read, “Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle” (Song of Solomon 7:3)! If, however, we move past our discomfort of discussing sex in the Bible, we discover much about marital intimacy from God’s perspective. When describing the lovers in Song of Solomon, author Duane Garrett suggests “They relish their pleasure in each other not only with physical action, but with carefully composed words. Love is, above all, a matter of the mind and heart and should be declared.” Song of Solomon teaches us that thoughtful communication is part of a successful intimate relationship. We also learn from this book that God created sex to be a joyous celebration of love. Author C.J. Mahaney suggests, “Solomon’s Song teaches us that lovemaking is intended by God to be an elaborate and pleasurable feast of the senses — a holy immersion in erotic joy.”  C.J. Mahaney also concludes that the lovers do not have sex just to fulfill physical desire. “They want to be together because they are in love, and the sex they enjoy with one another is an expression of that love.” God has given us the Song of Solomon to show us how to have a fulfilling marriage, but it can also point us to having a fulfilling relationship with Jesus. As author Iain Duguid notes, “A depiction of the best of all loves and the most wonderful of marriages will inevitably turn our hearts toward Christ, who has truly loved us and is the answer for our deep brokenness.” No human relationship, regardless of how intimate or rewarding, can bring healing and restoration to our hearts like knowing Christ can. (Psalm 147:3)  Those of us who have trusted Jesus as our personal Savior make up His church, which He calls His Bride. (2 Corinthians 11:2) He loves us with the devotion of the husband in the Song of Solomon, and he wants us to be His faithful and loving bride.

3) What does it mean that the woman has treasured up every delicacy, old and new, for her love? (verse 13)
A recent societal buzzword has been purposeful or intentional. It is interesting to note how the Shulamite woman in the Song of Solomon does exactly this. She invites her husband to steal away with her, “Come, my love, let’s go to the field; let’s spend the night among the henna blossoms.   Let’s go early to the vineyards; let’s see if the vine has budded, if the blossom has opened, if the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my caresses. The mandrakes give off a fragrance, and at our doors is every delicacy, both new and old. I have treasured them up for you, my love.” (Song of Solomon 7:11-13) She plans and initiates an intimate time with her husband on purpose. She chooses a romantic place and assures him she has treasured up delicacies, both old and new, for them to share. He has been pursuing her, saying, “Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel, the hair of your head like purple cloth—a king could be held captive in your tresses. How beautiful you are and how pleasant, my love, with such delights!” (Song of Solomon 7:5-6) The couple intentionally nurtures their unity and passion. Author Sharon Jaynes argues, “The Shulamite was a wise woman who took deliberate action to make her marriage sing with intimacy that was purposeful and playful. I envision her sauntering up to her husband as he’s overseeing the fields. She whispers in his ear, and her warm breath teases his neck. Tempting him. Flirting with him still. . . And God whispers to us through her words, this is one of the secrets to lifelong love. Pull away. Be intentional. Leave nothing to chance.” Many marriages start off with both partners making time for each other, but stressors and responsibilities dim the passion and purposefulness that once nourished intimacy. We would do well to heed the deliberate acts of the Shulamite woman. Their intimacy was worthy of their sacrifice in other areas. We all have responsibilities that need our attention, but none as important as our marriage relationship. Strong marriages can point others to the love of Christ! Let’s purpose to put our marriages ahead of other priorities.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Intimacy!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Beloved Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.