Bible Study Seattle

There’s a curious comment in John 20:17.  “But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb.  She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.”  Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus.

“Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”

Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said, “Mary.”

Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”—which means “Teacher.”

“Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.”  John 20:11-17

Why does Jesus appear to Mary, then tell her not to cling to him because he has not yet ascended to the Father?  Probably because he had to sprinkle his blood in holy of holies in the heavenly temple!  Only then would atonement be fulfilled.  But why does Jesus make a pitstop to show the disciples that he had risen before he has completed the atonement?  Does this have any application for the church? 

Does this show that the church has a work on earth to do after their resurrection but before their perfection?  This author is still unsure. 

The story of Joseph takes up a full 14 chapters of Genesis.  Joseph typifies Jesus (and the church) and shows us what will happen all the way from the first coming to the second.  When he was 17, his brothers were jealous of him because he was his Father’s favorite (as is Jesus).  He had an elaborate robe made by his father Jacob (Israel) typifying the garments of the high priest.  His brothers tried to kill him by lowering him into a well, typifying the crucifixion and Jesus’ descent into the pit of death (Hades or Sheol).  They then decided against killing him so they could sell him as a slave (typifying Jesus going to heaven as God’s slave).  Unbeknownst to his brothers, he is exalted to Pharoah’s right hand.  “…and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.”  Hebrews 12:2  “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.”  Phillipians 2:9  God made Joseph second to Pharaoh for the purpose of saving lives.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16  “And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.”  Genesis 45:5

God shows Joseph by dream that there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of want.  This fourteen year period is also described in the 370 days of Noah’s flood.  The 370 days represent 370 years, and are divided into 185 years of plenty followed by 185 years of want.  (This is the author’s contention – time will tell).  The first 185 years are plentiful as God is finishing the selection of Jesus’ bride (the church).  After the church is gone, the world loses the blessing and descends into spiritual famine.  It is during this famine that Israel draws near to Joseph (Jesus) without realising who he is.  Partway (2/7ths) through the famine, after Benjamin (the Bride’s companions) is brought back, he reveals himself to them.  This is when, “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for Him as one weeps for a firstborn.”  Zechariah 12:10

This revealing happens only to his brothers.  This typifies that Jesus will first only reveal himself to the Jews.  His full revealing to all waits to the Day of Atonement when all have been brought back to life.  The Jews that have been resurrected during this time of trouble will survive the battle of Armegeddon and live on into the rest of the Millennium.  This is shown by the miraculous multiplying of the Hebrews for 215 years leading up to the Exodus (typifying the little season of Satan being loosed for the last test prior to the Promised Land, or eternal life in the Eighth Day.)

Most people have the wrong idea of judgment.  They think God or Jesus will condemn them.  Actually, the only one that can condemn us is overselves! 

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.”  Deuteronomy 30:19

Obviously, the Israelites couldn’t really choose life (eternal) at that time, but this is a prophecy that will be possible in the Millennium.  Only they can choose life (eternal), or death (eternal), the second death.  This wrong sense of judgment is why many don’t like the church – how hypocritical it is to hold people accountable without full knowledge.  Many assume that everything must be wrapped up in this first life.  They are denying the resurrection yet don’t realize it. 

We must choose life or death eternal, but the choice of heaven is not so easy.  What is easy in the second life is not easy in the first.  “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  Matthew 7:13-14

Contrast this difficulty with that in second life:  “And a highway shall be there,
    and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not pass over it,
    and fools shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there,
    nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
    but the redeemed shall walk there.”  Isaiah 35:8-9

Jeremiah 51 details the destruction of Babylon.  As usual in the bible, Babylon is a double.  There was literal Babylon of the 700 BC era, and mystic Babylon of our era.  Both will be destroyed:

“They shall roar together like lions;
    they shall growl like lions’ whelps.
While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast
    and make them drunk, till they swoon away
and sleep a perpetual sleep
    and not wake, says the Lord.”   Jeremiah 51:38-39

“I will make drunk her princes and her wise men,
    her governors, her commanders, and her warriors;
they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake,
    says the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.”   Jeremiah 51:57

Twice perpetual sleep is mentioned.  That is second death.  Notice the connection to Revelation 18:

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul and hateful bird; For all nations have drunk the wine of her impure passion, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of her wantonness.”

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

Acts 5:1-11 details an interesting story in the early church. 

“But a man named Anani′as with his wife Sapphi′ra sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Anani′as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” When Anani′as heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things.”

This happened shortly after Pentecost and made everyone take Christianity serious.  A similar episode happened with two of Israel’s priests in the time of Moses:

“Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.  And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting; and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. And fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.  Now Nadab and Abi′hu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered unholy fire before the Lord, such as he had not commanded them.  And fire came forth from the presence of the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I will show myself holy among those who are near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.”   Leviticus 9:22-10:3

Are these two stories linked?  The Israelite priests required seven full days to be annointed.  On the eighth day they began their actual service, culminating in the Lord appearing to all the people.  This is precisley when two priests knowlingly profaned the offering in front of all the people.  Similarly, after Pentecost, representing the Jubilee (50th day), Ananias & Sapphira try to knowlingly cheat and subvert the early church.  God dealt swiftly and severely in both instances.  These cases are pictures of second death.  When the great Eighth day or Jubilee (50,000th year) comes, there will probably be some who knowingly and publicly try to subvert God’s ways in front of all the people, and they will be dealt with most severely!

Numbers 35:9-34 commands the Levites to set aside 6 cities of refuge for those who have accidentally killed a person.

“Then the Lord said to Moses:  “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.  They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.  These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.  Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge.  These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

“‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.  Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.  Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.  If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally so that they die or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death; that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

“‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations.  The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

“‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.

“‘This is to have the force of law for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.

“‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of two or three witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

“‘Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.

“‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

“‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”

Is there any lesson in this for today’s Christian?  Sure!  Notice that these six towns were all levitical towns.  Levites represent Christians.  Christians will be the judges!  Remember Paul said, “Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life!”  1 Corinthians 6:3  Now Christians are not to judge now, but must wait for their change to the spiritual nature during the Millennial reign of Christ to judge.  And their judgments must be according to their head Jesus.

These Israelites were protected from the avenger of blood and set free upon the death of the high priest.  This symbolizes the Day of Atonement in the Millennium when the great Jubilee will free all the repentant from all debts (sins).  The death that is symbolized here is second death, the ultimate penalty.  When people think of hell, they are really thinking of second death.

Notice that justice was carried out by the avenger of blood who was a close relative of the killed.  Justice was also satisfied by the death of the high priest, which is when Jesus our high priest delivers up the kingdom to our Father after all enemies have been made his footstool.

Fortunately the bible provides examples.  Proverbs 31 describes the ideal wife;  it also describes the bride of Christ.

A good wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant,
she brings her food from afar.                       Trading with merchants outside home.
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her maidens.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;                              Buys land outside the home.
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.   She does manual labor outside.
¹⁷ She girds her loins with strength
and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers girdles to the merchant.                   She sells her work to merchants.
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

Another example is Ruth.  Ruth is another picture of the bride of Christ.  She wasn’t even an Israelite, she was a Moabitess, yet she is honored with an entire book of the Hebrews!  The word ruthless comes from her.  In Ruth 2:7 we read:

“She said, ‘Pray, let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, without resting even for a moment.”

Here she is doing manual labor in the fields all day with no rests, and she doesn’t even complain!  Granted, she isn’t yet married to Boaz, but do you think she wouldn’t continue to do any work Boaz required?  Would the bride of Christ refuse to work outside the home if Jesus so desired?  The key here is submission.  The reason Proverbs 31 says ‘A good wife who can find?’ is because most wives don’t want to submit to their husbands.  They want their husbands to submit to them!

A couple is about to get married.  Everything is looking great.  Then Satan steps in.

He says to the wife, “God said your husband is head of the household, but don’t you think you should be in charge of dinner?”

Eve says, “That sounds reasonable.”

Satan adds, “And don’t you think you should be in charge of the kids?”

Eve: “Sure.”

Satan continues, “And you should probably coordinate holidays and the social calendar.”

Eve: “Yes.”

Satan: “And you should decorate the house.”

Eve: “Yes.”

What does this leave for the man?  Only his job (and the lawn)!  It sounds like the woman is 70% head of household in actual practice.

Is it any wonder so many marriages aren’t thriving?  How many women complain their husband doesn’t help enough?  I thought Eve was designed to be the helper?  If a wife is too tired to make dinner, what should she do?

a)  Tell the husband to make dinner.

b)  Nag the husband about how ‘unhelpful’ he is.

c)  Tell the husband she’s too tired (with the implication that if he doesn’t, she’s going to get all huffy on him, or withhold sex.)

d)  Tell the husband she’s tired and is going to read a book (with no implied threat.)

Wouldn’t most husbands prefer d)?  As long as there are no control actions or threats, most godly men would be happy to make dinner for their wife (assuming she doesn’t try to tell him how to make it or be critical and controlling.)

Most things in this life are shadows of heaven.  For example, among trees, evergreens foreshadow eternal life as they never lose their leaves.  Deciduous trees represent mortality as they lose their leaves every year.  Stars represent those in heaven, while the moon represents the bride of Christ.  The Sun represents the Son.  And on and on…

On the positive side of life, we can expect everything in heaven to be better.  Happiness in heaven will be better, food will be better, the weather will be better, etc.  And also sex. What?? That sounds scandalous, given that most (all?) people have some association of sex as ‘dirty’.  All people have some measure of Adam & Eve’s sexual shame (stemming from the fall) passed on to them.

But did not Mary conceive by the Holy Spirit?  Granted, she was not aware of it, but here you have the mating of God and man, no?  The church is called the bride of Christ many places.  When Jesus marries the church, are they not to have children?  Would this not be a mountaintop experience for him & her?  Could this be part of the “Joy set before him”?

“…looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:2

No doubt this joy encompasses many things, but why not sex?  Jesus is a pure virgin who has saved himself for his bride.  This is great news for Christians with a disappointing or nonexistent sex life.