Moses – MessageWeek

Looking Ahead

How do we adequately prepare for what’s ahead – either the immediate future or the long-term horizon view? It is without doubt that those who have a Biblically-based broad-brushstroke narrative and trajectory of “certain hope” focused on Jesus are in a good place to pioneer whatever lies ahead.

We believe that we’re created in God’s image and likeness. We believe that life, therefore, has meaning and purpose. In other words, that suffering also has some kind of larger, transcendent context. We identify as God’s offspring, His children. We cherish that we’re loved so much, and often marvel that such a great price has been paid in our redemption (in Jesus). We hold dear that Jesus is coming again, in glory, might and power. And, from those scriptures, we also become cognisant that His coming will be preceded by a time “that has never happened before nor will ever happen again”.

We can easily become immersed, for example, in the descriptive narrative throughout Matthew 24 and Luke 21, as well as ponder the rich imagery throughout Revelation, each contributing to a broad-brushstroke array of the events at the end of this age and the heralding of the new.

The Lord has revealed just enough for us to know and all that we need for today. Of course, none of us particularly relish facing what appear to be increasingly difficult times. Here we’re comforted by Jesus words:

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous.”

“In this world you will have tribulation,” says Jesus, “but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”

The notion of suffering for Christ begins with Jesus’ teachings and proceeds throughout the apostolic letters. The question, of course, is how are we ever going to adequately negotiate these times – given that the past 70 or so years in the West at least since World War 2 has been relatively peaceful, abundantly prosperous, full of opportunity, with generally good health services, a stable economy, and parliaments that still affirm the Bible before each session? Many have become complacent, beguiled by ungodly ideologies. Our society that grew from its Judaic-Christian roots is now in the throes of accelerated, declining change.

When Jesus said, “As in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man,” he referred to a previous age known by its extreme violence, sexual depravity and social malevolence. Thus, “the Days of Noah” are also synonymous with a great “reset”.

God thus simply flushed away all the wickedness, and through this baptism of water, started again. And, at the brightness of Jesus’ coming, begins another “GREAT RESET”: Return, Reset, Resurrection followed by an age of Righteousness. But all this is preceded by “birth pains”.

So, here’s the question: How are you and I (or our children and grandchildren) ever going to be adequately prepared to face all this yet “unwritten” but certain interim future?

The good news is, that as we abide in Christ and His words are intrinsic to our narrative, our future trajectory is not uncertain. We are victors in Christ!

How does this happen? God prepares and equips us over many years and through all kinds of circumstances, like He has done throughout history. For example, Joseph was prepared through unjust and arduous suffering before he attained the pinnacle of leadership in Egypt. Imagine languishing in prison for many years at the behest of a lying, promiscuous woman!

Likewise, Moses was prepared for his life’s calling, first in the courts of Pharaoh, then in the wilderness for decades, before his life’s mission and purpose became apparent.

David the unknown shepherd boy had his first fights with a lion and then a bear, before embracing a calling to leadership, replete with ensuing battles and many epic struggles.

Jesus equipped and mentored his closest followers for over three years to take on the biggest job of all – in the midst of Roman cruelty and oppression. It’s terrifying to contemplate how many crucifixions those disciples may have witnessed before they saw Jesus go that same fate?

God equips us all before he allows us to step into “future history”. Jesus so many times exhibited a stunningly accurate foretelling of the immediate as well as long-term future. He said to Peter with unwavering confidence: “Satan has asked for you. But I have prayed for you and when you have turned…” the corner in this.

When Jesus called his disciples, he said, “I will make you…” There were no shortcuts to what Jesus had in mind. God knows who we’re becoming, and we need to trust His handiwork. It is the Lord’s work and all is of His making. Gold and silver are refined by fire; Jesus is building His church, and he’s not using sticks and straw. Our part is to remain available and faithful – looking indeed to a future that is gloriously brighter than we may dimly envisage today.

New Covenant Celebration

I recently heard a comment stating that the Feast of Tabernacles can hardly be associated or have any relevance to Christ, because it was originally given to the ancient Israelites under the old covenant. How can such festivals, associated as they are with the ancient’s seasonal agricultural harvests, be of any value to Christians?

It’s a good question. I hope this brief explanation is helpful.

The tabernacle, (and later the temple) were built on a heavenly blueprint. God specified every detail to Moses; details which although were made out of physical elements such as gold, wood and cloth, were based on and portrayed a transcendent divine, heavenly blueprint or reality.

Thus, the ensuing worship centring on the Tabernacle life, while in Israel’s experience was limited to their sojourn from Egypt and their annual agricultural seasons, their ceremonies, also dictated by God, equally originated from and pictured a transcendent heavenly connection.

How might we draw such a conclusion? What might that connection be?

That connection/blueprint or template can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Thus today, we do not and can not celebrate the old covenant feasts as given to ancient Israel. The old covenant and its associated liturgical practices are long gone, superceded by the new covenant written in Jesus’ blood.

So, is there any merit in divinely-given annual Sabbath celebrations? The question we might explore is, if their blueprint also originates from the heavenly, even as the design and details of the tabernacle was, then might we might have greater reason to enquire and explore what might be their heavenly significance?

What do those biblical festivals originally given to the ancient Israelites actually mean? Do they contain an inherit divine blueprint beyond the agricultural harvest seasons as experienced annually?

Jesus often used agricultural parables to tell of divine reality. “A farmer went to sow seed.” Jesus then explained the story in terms of spiritual harvest.

Curiously, Paul also used an interesting agricultural term when he referred to Jesus as “Christ the firstfruits”. It’s a phrase that clearly links ancient understanding of seasonal harvests with a higher, heavenly significance that centres on Jesus Christ.

A quick history lesson. During the annual Passover/Unleavened Bread season, the High Priest would cut the first of the barley harvest just after sunset, and that first wave sheaf was then presented in the tabernacle the next morning. We might ask: what might this ancient “firstfruits” ceremony actually mean?

Briefly, with Jesus crucified on a Wednesday, and then entombed for three days and three nights, the fulfilment of which would have occurred at or just after sunset on the Saturday night. It was then we suggest that Jesus was resurrected at the exactly the same time when the High Priest would have cut the first wave sheaf. At that moment Jesus would have opened his eyes and bodily resurrected. Recall, the tomb was already empty when the women visited early on that Sunday morning.

That first wave sheaf, cut from the early barley harvest, pictures Jesus’ resurrection. In the ceremony that followed the next day, the wave sheaf was presented in the temple, and the typology points to Jesus ascending to heaven to be presented before our Heavenly Father. Recall Jesus’ words to Mary when she saw the resurrected Jesus:

“Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17 ESV)

Between seeing Mary early that morning, and later when he encountered the disciples, Jesus ascended to heaven and was presented to His Heavenly Father as the “firstfruits”, symbolised by that ancient wave sheaf offering!

Thus, accordingly, would it not be meritorious that our celebrations (that find their origins within the biblical narrative) be based entirely on the heavenly reality under the terms of the new covenant for whom our “blueprint” is our Lord, Advocate, Redeemer, King and Judge, Jesus Christ?

Perhaps, if we revisited those ancient harvest festivals as a blueprint narrative for the greater harvest of humanity, then those same celebrations under the lens of the new covenant, such as the Feast of Tabernacles, may provide amazing insight into a salvation narrative that is powerfully relevant and significant to the follower of Jesus!

In fact, Jesus purveys the notion that more of what Moses wrote pointed to Jesus than we might understand at face value. (John 5:46)

On the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles, as recorded in John chapter seven:

…Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37-38 ESV)

So, in the spirit and freedom of the new covenant, may we confidently celebrate Jesus as Saviour, Lord, King and Judge!

Remember, that we too are sojourners in this temporal world, just like Jesus was some 2000 years ago.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 ESV)

Finally, we would like to suggest that as these festivals are nothing less than Christ-centred in origin and purpose, they are therefore highly recommended for all Christians!

By the way…

There’s a strange but interesting story in the Bible.

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” (Matthew 14:1-2)

Herod had killed John the Baptist. Read the rest of Matthew 14 to recount the gruesome story. The question that remains for us is why did Herod proffer that Jesus was John resurrected from the dead? Was Herod simply trying to appease his guilt-ridden conscience? Was he making a shrewd political move? Or did he actually believe in the resurrection? After all, John was highly regarded as a prophet by the multitudes, and now Jesus had inherited a similar spotlight. The news of Jesus’ mighty works and the power of his teachings had spread like wildfire throughout the region.

Jesus and John were first cousins; their mothers Mary and Elizabeth were close. We don’t know much about the growing years of the boys. They were about 30 years of age when it was John who introduced Jesus to the multitudes. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29)

Later, when speaking of John, Jesus attributed to him the legendary status of being in the spirit and power of Elijah.

Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.” (Matthew 17:9)

Jesus had taken his closest disciples, Peter, John and James with him high up on a mountain, and while they were secluded, the disciples had witnessed a vision of Jesus, shining bright as the sun, talking with Moses and Elijah.

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13)

In fact, John’s entire life from conception, as conveyed by the angel to Zacharias his father, was destined to be “in the spirit and power of Elijah”. (Luke 1:13-17)

Notice that Jesus says two things about Elijah. First Jesus indicates that “Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.” And then, “that Elijah has come already…”

Jesus here seems to speak of a future reiteration of “Elijah”, as well as that of one just past being in the person of John the Baptist. Biblical prophecy is often characterised by dual echos; things that happen in the past have yet a still future reverberation.

Elijah was a man characterised by the wearing of a leather belt. He was a quite an untamed man of a few words, and is remembered for bringing down fire on the prophets of Baal as well as commanding that it not rain for three years. (John the Baptist also wore a leather belt, but may have been more “talkative” than Elijah was).

As for a yet future “Elijah” type, we need to only turn to the last book of the Bible. The Book of Revelation states its purpose in the opening verse:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. (Revelation 1:1)

Looking far into the future at the end of this age, two prophets (or witnesses) appear on the world scene:

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. (Revelation 11:3-12)

The two end-time witnesses are attributed with initiating events that are not unique to history. Not only are Elijah-like events foretold in Revelation, like no rain for three and a half years as well as fire from heaven, we also read of Moses-like events of turning water into blood and to strike the earth with all kinds of plagues.

Revelation tells us that after their witness is completed, they are killed and left lying in the streets of Jerusalem – characterised here as Sodom and Egypt, symbols for wickedness and slavery. The whole world celebrates. But not for long. Three days later “the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet…”

The spontaneous celebration of the death of these two witnesses (or prophets) apparently quickly turns into one of great fear. They are resurrected! Live television footage is broadcast instantly around the world. The evidence is shocking and unexpected. No conspiracy theories or expedient explanations can deny what has just happened. Two dead Christian prophets, widely regarded as “terrorists”, have come back to life!

Returning for a moment to Herod’s comments regarding “the risen John”: was he aware that an end-time “Elijah” character was going to be resurrected? We don’t know apart from what he did postulate.

We probably have more questions, I suppose, when it comes to what lies directly ahead. Who are those two witnesses? How are they commissioned? Are they literal flesh-and-blood men, or do they represent a figurative metaphor we have yet to understand? Is it an event we’ll see in our lifetime, or is it yet still “over the horizon”? Will nominal Christianity at large (as opposed to followers of Christ) recognise and affirm the work of the two witnesses? We can be sure, however, that those who live through those days will make the connections that God intends to impress on humanity.

The resurrection themes, events and discussions recurring throughout the pages of the Bible illustrate in many different ways a powerful testament to our ultimate destiny – to ultimately become glorified sons of God. Everything in “history” it seems centres on the resurrection of the righteous.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now. (Romans 8:19,22)

How we get there, and what it’s like when we experience it, will probably be more surprising and more amazing than we could ever imagine.

John T Klassek