..To Ancient SDA's ............ To "What's New?"
by
Ron Parsons
The aim of this series:
“Then He said to them, ‘O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:25-27.
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Internet: http://NonConformist.MyChurch.com
Have you thought of having the Son of God and two angels come to lunch? Hebrews 13:2. That’s not as preposterous as it sounds. In the Old Testament times it was reasonably normal for angels and Jesus to take on human form temporarily and visit the earth.
That’s why it’s not so odd that Enoch came back as Melchisedec – he just stayed a little longer than usual and became king of Salem. (In those days they elected kings.)
And it works the other way as well. At Mount Sinai Jesus invited a large group of 74 people to have lunch with Him just before Moses received the Ten Commandments.
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Exodus 24:
1 And He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship you afar off.
2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him” . . .
9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 and they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire
[blue] stone [in front of His throne], and as it were the body of heaven in His clearness [brightness was all around Him].11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
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We all know that verse which says, “No man has seen God at any time”, and it is true. John 1:18. No man HAS ever seen God the Father face to face, but many have seen God the Son that way many times. And this was one of those occasions.
For a better picture of what Jesus and the surrounding area looked like at that time you can investigate Ezekiel 1:22-28.
However, let’s get back to Abraham.
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Genesis 18:
1 And the LORD
[the Son of God] appeared to him [Abraham] in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 and said, “My Lords, if now I have found favour in your sight, pass not away, I pray you, from your servant: 4 let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5 and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort you your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are you come to your servant.”And they said, “So do, as you have said.”
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The scriptures give us a few marked examples of the exercise of true courtesy. Abraham was a man of God. We have seen that when he pitched his tent he at once erected his altar for sacrifice, and invited God to abide with him. Not just because He was God, but because Abraham like company. Abraham the Christian was a courteous man. His life is not marred with selfishness, so hateful in any character, and so offensive in the sight of God. So when the three travellers came near as he welcomed them and hastened to provide for their comfort. Whether they were saint or sinner made no difference to him.
Before reaching his tent, the strangers must have halted, as if consulting together as to their course. Without waiting for them to ask a favour, Abraham rose quickly (he is 99 years old, remember!), and as they were apparently turning in another direction, he ran after them, and with the utmost courtesy urged them to honour him by stopping for refreshment.
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Genesis 18:
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal
[none for himself, note], knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.”7 And Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hastened to dress it. 8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
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This act of courtesy God regarded of sufficient importance to record in His word; and a thousand years later it was referred to by an inspired apostle: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2. So Abraham was not aware of who they were until Jesus spoke to him of a blessing.
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Genesis 18:
9 And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Behold, in the tent.”
[This was normal behaviour in those days; the women did not mix with the men in public.]10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
[So Abraham now knew that it was the LORD God who sat there with him].And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind Him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age
[Abraham was 99 and Sarah 89]; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Wherefore
[why] did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?’ 14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”15 Then Sarah denied, saying, “I laughed not”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No; but you did laugh.”
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It was a nervous laugh rather than a laugh of disbelief, for Sarah was a believer as much as Abraham was (and as wavering at times). But it took faith in BOTH of them for Isaac to be conceived and this we are told.
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Hebrews 11:
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
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After the meal the men (the angels) continued with their mission.
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Genesis 18:
16 And the men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment
[and he will want help these sinners]; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him.”20 And the LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
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“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” Psalm 25:14. Abraham had honoured God, and the LORD now honoured him, taking him into His counsels, and revealing to him His purposes. The Son of God knew well the measure of Sodom's guilt; but He expressed Himself after the manner of men, that the justice of His dealings might be understood. Before having to remove His protection from the transgressors He would go Himself, to institute an examination of their course; if they had not passed the limits of divine mercy, He would still be able grant them space for repentance.
There is also another reason why (or how) God can keep His protection in an area. Let’s read about it.
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Genesis 18:
22 And the men [the two angels] turned their faces from there, and went [on] toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, “Will You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure [maybe] there be fifty righteous within the city: will You also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from You: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” [He knew the character of his God]. 26 And the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare ALL THE PLACE for their sakes.”
27 And Abraham answered and said, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28 peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: will You destroy all the city for lack of five?” And He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again, and said, “Peradventure there shall be forty found there.” And He said, “I will not do it for forty's sake.” 30 And he said to Him, “Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak
[for I must plead for sinners]: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.” And He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”31 And he said, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.” And He said, “I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.”
32 And he said, “Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there.” And He said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.”
[Abraham stopped there. Maybe He would have been able to protect the area if there had only been two righteous men there!].33 And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
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Bye,
Ron
Some of the comments in these readings are adapted from books in my library. No recognition is given because they are not intended as authorities, but are used because they express my understanding clearly. All the ideas expressed in these readings, right or wrong, are my own.
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1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Back
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4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself [swirling about], and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof [I saw] as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures . . .
22 And the likeness of the firmament [space] upon the heads of the living creatures was as the colour of the terrible [awesome] crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. 23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies [like birds].
24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of a host. When they stood, they let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings [Someone spoke].
26 And above [on] the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire [blue] stone. [They were carrying it.] And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a Man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber [a golden glow], as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of His loins even upward [His upper body], and from the appearance of His loins even downward [His legs], I saw as it were the appearance of fire [His whole body glowed].
And it [the throne] had brightness round about [above it]. 28 As the appearance of the [rain]bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about [it].
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD [the Son of God].
And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of One that spoke.
[Another prophet saw a similar throne at another time.]
Revelation 4:
1 After this I [John] looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first Voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, “Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.”
2 And immediately I was in the Spirit [in a vision]; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone [all John saw was a bright light of different colours]: and there was a rainbow round about [above] the throne, in sight like to an emerald [mainly green]. Back
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