I Kings 12-13
So the kingdom is split. Sad, sad, sad. To think that just a generation ago Israel was the greatest nation of all time so that people would come from afar to see the wealth and wisdom. Now look at it.
Solomon’s sin causes God’s favor to wane and Jeroboam rises up to take most of the nation to himself.
Now we have two nations. Judah and Israel. Judah remains with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, and Israel is ruled by Jeroboam.
If the division isn’t enough, Jeroboam wants his people to have a place to worship, so he has two golden calves installed in his territory. The inhabitants are encouraged to worship the calves instead of Jehovah God.
The fires of revival have to be tended. That is true today as well as in these Biblical times. When one generation gets lukewarm, the next generation could be totally cold. That’s what seems to be happening in Israel and that is what is threatening to happen in our world today.
I pray that the bellows of the Holy Spirit will blow on the coals of awakening in our land. We need a fresh fire from God – to wake us up to the truths of His Word.
Blow, Holy Spirit, blow!
Luke 22: 1-20
Jesus and His disciples partake of the “covenant meal” before His crucifixion.
He is introducing a new concept to them; He is introducing a new covenant. These Jews have known for many centuries that they were in covenant with God through their father, Abraham. God and Abraham made a covenant, and all of Abraham’s descendants would be blessed if they would keep their part of the covenant. (The laws and principles laid down by God through the Law of Moses).
This is different. I wonder what’s going on in the minds of these disciples as they drink the wine and take the bread with Jesus. This is a new covenant.
Jesus is saying that when we eat the bread and drink of the wine (or grape juice), we are ceremoniously agreeing to the covenant He is making.
See, the covenant Jesus is making is not like the one that Abraham made. Abraham made a covenant that required bulls and goats to be sacrificed every year for remission of sins. Once was not enough. During those years, our Father was pointing to the day when He would make His own sacrifice for our sins.
That day is here, as Jesus lifts His cup and drinks with His disciples. I’m sure that it’s difficult for the disciples to understand this new concept.
Jesus is going to the cross to make a final sacrifice for all time. The final sacrifice for our sins. He is God’s lamb, and all of the animals which were slain over the centuries were pointing to this one moment – the final sacrifice.
The revelation of what is happening cannot come through someone’s mind. You can hear about it and talk about it, but only someone who has received the new birth can actually begin to understand. It’s understood only by the Spirit of God.
I pray that my spiritual eyes, and yours, will be opened more and more so that we can come to know Him better. The tremendous gift given to us through Jesus is more than a human mind can comprehend. Only God can show us glimpses of what He has for us.
I pray that you and I will be some of those who truly walk with Him and comprehend all that He wants to share with us. It’s amazing.
