Shalom, Boker tov,

When we were in Jerusalem, we were so blessed to be able to actually witness the ending ceremonies for a Bar Mitzvah ceremony. A lone trumpeter accompanied the Jewish boy and his family across the courtyard of the Western Wall right up to the wall just in front of us. Wow, how exciting to be able to witness a real Bar Mitzvah ceremony ( my first time ).

Now hang on a minute. What is a Bar Mitzvah ceremony? All Jewish boys at the age of around 13 years must go before a panel of priests in the synagogue and recite portions of the Torah
( the first 5 books of the Bible ), the Book of Psalms and the Book of Proverbs. During the session, he will also be expected to answer questions on those books. At the end, if he passes, he will be escorted out of the synagogue with the joyful notes of the trumpet. So that day, we witnessed another boy passed into adulthood. He is now come of age and no longer to be treated as a child.

The Romans had a similar ceremony appropriately called "adoption". In the epic movie "Ben Hur" there is a beautiful scene where Judah Ben Hur was adopted by a Roman Senator and as a sign of the adoption, the senator gave Judah Ben Hur his ring. Anyone who saw that ring would know immediately that the person wearing it has the authority of his father. No wonder the Roman Tribune in Jerusalem could not touch Judah Ben Hur even though previously he was a fugitive in Israel.

There is a beautiful story of two boys in the family arguing over who their father loves more. One boy was a son born into the family while the older boy was adopted. The argument went ugly and names were called by each boy on the other. Finally, the younger boy, realizing that he was on the losing end, shouted at his older brother, "Obviously dad loves me the most as I am his flesh and blood and you are not!"

Now that hurts! The older brother did not respond immediately. There was a moment of silence. A few seconds later, very confidently, the older brother declared, "Indeed, you were born into the family. Dad and mum did not choose you but they chose me and loved me and now I am their son. I am loved twice over." And with that, the younger brother walked away dejected. He was ashamed of himself for having started the name-calling.

The apostle Paul in Galatians 3: 23 - 25 wrote; -
23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

The law was a fore-runner to our Lord Jesus Christ and after He had come to fulfill all its requirements we who believe in our Lord Jesus are now no longer subject to the law. That is what Paul meant when he said we are no longer under the tutor, the law.

When we received Jesus into our hearts as Lord and Saviour, God performed an adoption ceremony for us in Heaven among all the witnesses present. And as a sign of the adoption, He poured out His Holy Spirit on us as a surety of our inheritance.

In Ephesians 1: 3 - 14, we read: -

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him.

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who is the gaurantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

With the Holy Spirit in our hearts, the Devil knows that he has no power over our lives. Nevertheless, he does not cease to look for opportunities to tempt and test us. When we are faced with trials and difficult situations, take hold of ourselves. Stop and remember that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God - El Elyon - and that the devil had been defeated on the cross when our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins. We declare that we are the children of our Lord Jesus Christ and we overcome the devil in this manner.

Shavou tof - may you have a good week ahead.

The Lord blesses you and keeps you,
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and all your loved ones,
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you His shalom peace. Numbers 6: 24 - 26

Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee

dated : 02 Mar 2002