Happy New Year! L'shanah tovah tikatev(i) v'taihatem(i)

The Head of the Year, the Feast of Trumpets - maybe even, some time,some year, when Christ will call the Church to Himself.

Till then enjoy this video and look at these links from last year:


The IDF choir. Great voices,great soldiers, but fatigues? Get a grip. If you are singing for the King, dress like it!

http://thealmondrod.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/lshanah-tovah-tikatevi-vtaihatemi.html 

http://thealmondrod.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/rosh-hashanahyom-teruah-in-new.html

The power of Ten - and a bit of catching up.

The catching up bit.

To all my occasional readers and some regulars, my apologies. Life has been very busy as I have taken on new responsibilities in the Deanery as well as my responsibilities at Church. In addition, we have begun to seek a new home as our current house is not configured for hospitality.

In the middle of all this, I seek to maintain a Bible Study group, a prayer triplet, a preaching ministry of sorts and support, as well as chivvy the Vicar. ( Chivvy - Br. Eng. - for 'nag, be a pain in the neck, encourage, goad etc.')

The power of Ten.

I recently preached two sermons based on the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds. Essentially, the 'I believe in God' bit. I'll post the PowerPoints below.

Whilst preparing the second one, I was struck by a link across the Bible of ten pronouncements, by God, on one particular topic. Since then I have done work on Romans for my Bible Study Group and, as Paul builds much of his argument on Genesis and God's promise to Abraham, I was obliged to revisit the work I had done for the group on Genesis.

To summarise:

There are 10 commands to create the universe in Genesis 1. These are all introduced by the phrase, "And God said". Check this in a good translation of the Bible and not a paraphrase. The NIV does not qualify as it is designed for reading aloud and smooths out essential, but awkward grammatical structures.

There are 10 promises to Abraham to establish the covenant of Grace. I'll list them below.

There are 10 commands that form the basis of the Torah and create the nation of Israel and the covenant of Law.

There are 10 promises of the Holy Spirit, given by Jesus that form the Church.

Each of these Tens are part of the command structure of what has been brought into being. They are, to use computer jargon, the Built In Operating System or BIOS.

The commands can be, and were, broken. The promises are built on God and cannot be broken.

Spiritual Israel/The Church comprises all those who believe through faith in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, being both Jew and Gentile. They are saved by Grace and this cannot fail.

Physical Israel is based on the Torah and will be saved, by Grace, but the law kills. Which is not to say that the current  restoration is anything but a work of God. It is a sign of the times.

Unbelieving Gentiles are stuck with Adam's broken universe ( see PowerPoints below) and the modifications made for Noah.

Genesis 1 vss, 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, and 29.

All God's promises to Abraham

1. Genesis 12:1-3. The promise involves a blessing and a curse for "all the families of the earth".

2. Genesis 12:7.  The first promise of the Land of Canaan

3. Genesis 13:14-17. God's promise emphasises the physical reality of the land and the number of descendants Abram will have. Dust

4. Genesis 15:1. The Lord is Abram’s shield and reward.

5. Genesis 15:5-6.  Descendants.  Abram's belief was counted for righteousness (v6). Stars

6. Genesis 15:12-16. The "deep sleep" and "dread and great darkness" that overcame Abram were because of the Presence of God and to protect Abram.

7. Genesis 15:18-21.  Promises confirmed by sacrifices became a covenant relating to the Land.

  

8. Genesis 17:1-8. Abram’s name was changed (v5) to “Abraham” (father of many nations). His personal possession of the land will be everlasting (v8). Circumcision becomes a sign of the covenant with Abraham’s direct line.

9. Genesis 18:17 – 19 God’s conversation in Abraham’s presence before the Judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah.

10. Genesis 22:15-18. The promise was confirmed with an oath. The seed in v17 is singular.

The Ten commandments 

Really? 

The 10 Commandments List, Short Form

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.

The promises of the Holy Spirit. 

Christ’s Promises of the Holy Spirit’s coming

Luke 11:13. The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him

John 4:10-14 The promise of Living Water to the Samaritan Woman.

John 7:37 – 39 The promise of Living Water at the Temple

John 14:16-17 The Counsellor and Spirit of Truth

John 14:25-26 The Paraclete and Teacher

John 15:26-27 The Counsellor, Spirit of Truth and witness

John 16:7-11The Advocate who convinces

John16:13 – 15 Spirit of Truth and our Guide

John 20:22-23 Authority to forgive

Luke 24:49 Acts 1:8 Power from on high, power to witness.