Resurrection Power and Reconciliation

Today is March 1st.
We awoke shrouded in fog this morning.
Fog is so wonderful, somewhat mystical-- insulating and shielding from view that which we know to be there..but cannot see clearly.

This message is about seeing clearly.

Revelation. Redemption. Restoration.


The murmuring complaints of the Redeemed are voiced in the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. The rebellion of Korah and his 250 followers is recorded in chapter 16. Now these 250 were the choice leaders, men of renown. Important men. Their complaint? We are just as 'holy' as you are, Moses and Aaron. We will mediate our own sins. So Moses gave a test to show what God thought of this. The 250 and their leaders were to offer incense to the Lord, using bronze censers. Firepans. Korah was from the tribe of Levi, same as Moses and his brother, Aaron. However, the priesthood functioned only through the line of Aaron. The priest was the mediator between Holy God and sinful Man. Perhaps the Korahites thought they were 'good enough' to mediate between God and Man. Reading further, just minutes after Moses prophesied that the ground would swallow up those who were in agreement with these men, God did just this! Their households, including all of their possessions, went down alive to Sheol. What happened to the 250 men? They became the Lord's burnt offering, so to speak.. Fire came from God and burned them alive. The censers were recovered and kept as a reminder that no layman who was not of the priesthood of Aaron should ever come near to burn incense before the Lord. God was not fully done with His wrath against the sins of the people. The plague killed another 14,700. Only the quick and sacrificial action of Aaron and Moses kept the number this low.
So what should we learn from this story? What should the Jews have learned?
First, God is Holy. God is Sovereign and can decide how He will relate to Sinful Man. These men did not just make a mistake. They were in open rebellion against God.
Second, There must be a mediator to atone for the sins of man against God. This mediator is chosen by God. Not by man. So one religion is not as good as another. Our own good works fall short of what God demands. We can in no way make ourselves right in God's sight.
Third, God is not capricious. He does not change His mind or His overall plan from Eternity Past. Redemption is not an emergency plan thought out after Adam's sin.
Continuing the story: God knows the heart of sinful man. God knew that although the grave diggers would be quite busy for awhile, burying those almost 15,000 dead ones, the people would continue to grumble.
God told Moses to select a man from each of the 12 tribes bring a rod to Aaron. They were to write the name of the tribe on the rod. Now these rods were sticks. Dead wood from a tree that was once alive. But no hint of life in these sticks. In the Bible a rod represents authority.
The 12 rods were to be left near where God would meet with Moses to talk. God told Moses that the rod of the tribe God has chosen to be priestly intercessor would sprout. Of course the people had just learned that it was from the tribe of Levi, specifically Aaron and his sons who would mediate the Covenant God had made with Israel. How would God confirm the Aaronic priesthood?
On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony. Can you guess what he found? Aaron's rod had sprouted, blossomed and produced mature almonds! The other rods were still dead sticks.
WOW.
I puzzled over this message from the Holy Bible. Why the sprouting ? What does this mean? Then I read a commentator who explained that the rod that sprouted, blossomed, and bore fruit.. represented resurrected life. Dead, then alive. Spring time is almost here. The seeds which have lain dormant all winter will soon sprout and grow and produce again in accordance with God's laws of the harvest. But there is still a germ of life in those seeds. They do NOT resurrect from the dead.

This rod had no life.
But it came to life and even bore fruit.
Resurrection and fruitfulness confirmed Priesthood and Mediation.

Aaron's rod points us forward to Another Who would be of a different priesthood. He would be called The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. His priesthood would be of a new order. Not of the tribe of Levi, but of the Tribe of Judah, He would be called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. His priesthood would not be limited as was Aaron's who would one day die. This priesthood would be forever.

Resurrection life would identify this new priest.

Who is this? We know of course from the Scriptures that this is Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. The New Testament book called Hebrews describes Jesus, our Great High Priest, and how He is foretold throughout the Old Testament.
But when was this priesthood of Jesus established? After He died on the cross? No, remember God chose and appointed the priests of the Old Testament. They did nothing to earn or merit this. So when was Jesus chosen? Hebrews 5 quotes from Psalms 2 and 110 which Jesus also quoted in Matthew 22. Jesus is a priest forever... His authority came from God.
Jesus was chosen priest from the foundation of the world. Before the fall of man. Revelation 13:8 says this about Him:
...Lamb that was slain [in sacrifice] from the foundation of the world...Amp NT.

So Jesus is not only prophet-- He is priest, sacrificial offering, king and God.
His resurrection validates this truth..

How is Jesus King? The Kingdom of God is within. It is a spiritual kingdom that can only be entered by a new spiritual birth. There must be a mediator who represents us in the presence of God. This can only be Jesus, our Great High Priest. He took upon Himself the full wrath of God against our sins. God judged Jesus for our sins. Jesus became sin Who knew no sin. The great exchange. His righteousness for our rebellion.
All who repent [believe that they are indeed helpless sinners in need of someone to rescue them from the power of evil and death and to put them into right relationship with God] and who trust the One who by His substitutionary death secured not only pardon but reconciliation with God on their behalf.. all who are called by God into His kingdom.. they will be called sons of God and live to glorify and honor Him forever.
This new birth happens when we are alive on this earth. After our bodies die, it is too late. After death comes the judgment of God. No amount of good works can lessen the penalty for our sins. Our good deeds at best seem to God as dirty garments. Only those whose robes have been cleansed in the shed blood of Jesus will be allowed into God's holy heaven.

How about you? Are you in a spiritual 'fog'?

Pray and seek God for your salvation--your reconciliation to God. Cry out and do not stop until He hears and has mercy on you. You might cry out the words to this old hymn as a start.. Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus.. to reach out and touch Him..
All who 'touch' Him experience healing of their sin-sick souls. Touch Him by grace through faith. Both grace and faith are gifts of God.
The priesthood of God that leads to eternal life first had to come from above.. then return with the declaration: It is Finished! Christ Jesus triumphantly spoke these words as He laid down His life on the cross. There He conquered Death, which is what keeps us estranged from meaningful relationship with God.

His resurrection proved that indeed.. IT IS FINISHED..!!
Wouldn't you like to see the finish of your inner turmoil-- your sense that something is wrong or just plain missing in your life?

Come to Jesus.. as a sinner.. come and repent and believe the Good News of the One Who died so you can live. Jesus turn away NO ONE who comes by faith and repentance.

The winds of change are blowing.. respond now to the wind of the Holy Spirit of God.

Begin living Resurrection Life.

I love you all..
Auntie Ann