"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31, Jesus speaking).
Observations:
1) To sift in this instance is to try. Peter being the wheat and Satan shaking the sieve trying to cause that which is false to drop through the screen and become lost. Satan's hope (I speculate) is to show Peter as an apostate or to render him ineffective.
2) Note that, similar to Job's case, Satan must ask God to sift Peter.
3) God in this case allows Peter to be tried by Satan. By inference then there maybe times when God allows us to be sifted.
4) Note Jesus's intercession on Peter's behalf. He in the same way intercedes for us who believe (Heb 7:25, Isa 53:12).
5) Peter in his first letter speaks of the testing of a believers faith (after experiencing Satan's trial.) 1 Peter 1:6,7: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Testing our faith can result in praise, glory and honor and strengthening of those around us.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Isaiah 52:13-53:12.
The below was written by the prophet Isaiah around 700 B.C. about the coming messiah Jesus.
Chapter 52
13 See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—
15 so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Chapter 53
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous
servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Observations:
1) Jesus is revealed in the old testament.
2) Jesus is described as:
disfigured, marred, despised, rejected, suffering, a man of sorrows, stricken, smitten, afflicted, crushed, opressed, cut off, pierced, silent in suffering, exalted and satisfied. Not what we might expect.
3) The purpose of Jesus's coming to earth is revealed:
-sprinkle many nations
-take up our infirmities
-carry our sorrows
-heal our wounds
-bring us peace
-carry our iniquities
-be a guilt offering
-justify many
-bear the sin of many and make intercession for the transgressors.
Question:
What difference does this information make to you?
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 53:1-54:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Chapter 52
13 See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him—
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—
15 so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Chapter 53
1 Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous
servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Observations:
1) Jesus is revealed in the old testament.
2) Jesus is described as:
disfigured, marred, despised, rejected, suffering, a man of sorrows, stricken, smitten, afflicted, crushed, opressed, cut off, pierced, silent in suffering, exalted and satisfied. Not what we might expect.
3) The purpose of Jesus's coming to earth is revealed:
-sprinkle many nations
-take up our infirmities
-carry our sorrows
-heal our wounds
-bring us peace
-carry our iniquities
-be a guilt offering
-justify many
-bear the sin of many and make intercession for the transgressors.
Question:
What difference does this information make to you?
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 53:1-54:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)