In Touch Quarter 4 - 2016

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Feature James Whitman serves as president of The Centre for Judaic-Christian Studies (JC Studies) Reading the Bible for all it’s worth! PART 3 The Lamb Slain My job is to add depth to the way you read Scripture by tapping into our covenant roots – which are historically and uniquely Jewish. We began this series identifying strategies for keeping the Testaments connected, followed by ways to see the consistency of the Father’s words and deeds from Genesis to Revelation. In this third article we’ll explore how the person and work of the man Jesus (Yeshua from Nazareth) shed additional light on everything we read in God’s word, and everything we encounter in daily life. While editing a new video course on the Book of Revelation, the apostle John’s Spirit-vision of Jesus as a lamb captured my imagination. Keep in mind that this unveiling of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1) is written well after he died on a Roman cross, was raised to new life by the Lord’s Spirit, and ascended to the right hand of his Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Through a series of breathtaking images, John leads us to and focuses our attention on a shocking revelation in chapter five, verse six: “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain...” (Revelation 5:6) The Setting: In chapter four, John’s second use of “in the Spirit” transports us, along with him, into visions of heaven, a wondrous multitude, and a throne inhabited by one they call, Lord God Almighty. The content of their worship, “for you created all things, and by your will, they existed and were created,” (Revelation 4:11) ties us back to Genesis. The Problem: In the right hand of the enthroned one is a scroll (book) secured by seven seals. Unfortunately, a question from a powerful angelic figure results in a fruitless search for anyone, anywhere, worthy to look into (or interpret) the scroll. The first sound to break the silence is that of the prophet sobbing from a profound sense of grief and hopelessness. Not exactly what you’d expect to witness in heaven. The Solution: The next sound is that of an elder consoling the apostle John with good news. There is indeed someone worthy, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5). In our new course on Revelation* Dr Ron Herms suggests, based on compelling textual evidence, that the scroll in question tells the story of every man, woman and child. It is the book of human history, whose only interpreter has impeccable covenantal credentials (Mosaic and Davidic). The Dramatic Unveiling: Yet all that goes before does not prepare us for what comes next. The elder’s beckoning to behold in 5:5 causes us to lift our eyes with John in 5:6. What do we see? The Lion is a Lamb, ‘standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.’ (Revelation 5:6). John intentionally leads his readers to this point. And from here forward, he uses the Lamb – in reference to Jesus – as the controlling image throughout his apocalypse, or unveiling. Why? No doubt you have enough kingdom expertise to answer the question for yourself. Jesus overcame all of evil’s power and authority as a lamb. That part we grasp. But John is using his unveiling to testify that God has always operated this way – and that Jesus still conquers evil the same way. The image of the slain Lamb opens biblical understanding like a key opens a chest full of treasure. CREATION - THE GIFT OF BEING ALIVE John gives voice to what the Early Church believed when he declares that the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). If you compare versions of the Bible, you will see that the Greek in this verse is challenging to interpret. But this translation seems consistent when you connect John’s idea with other apostles like Peter (1 Peter 1:18-21) and Paul (Colossians 1:15-20). Crucifixion reveals the Holy God’s heart of radical love, willing to embrace suffering to save his creation from the very start (and to the discredit of humanity, every step of the way since then). Shame on any theology that dares insinuate he thought it up because nothing else was working. Rather, the death of Yeshua at the hand of rebellious men with murderous intent testifies to the glory of his Father, the present worth of the cosmos, and its ultimate destiny under the care of our Maker and rightful King. PASSOVER - THE GIFT OF ABUNDANT LIFE Revelation 15:2-3 presents a stunning picture of the overcomers singing a song of worship. Remarkably it is one song, which is at the same time both the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Exodus imagery provides a vocabulary for salvation. It tells a complete story of YHWH ransoming a people. And at its very core is a lamb, blood, and covenant faithfulness. The Exodus fuels the biblical imagination of New Testament writers. As is so often the case, we learn much about the apostle Paul’s way of thinking indirectly by watching how he applies it when dealing with behaviour in the household of faith. The issue in 1 Corinthians 5 is sexual sin. While exhorting them to get their act together he supplies us with an awe-inspiring glimpse of the early church, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (1 Corinthians 5:7) True this is a historical reference to Jesus’ death occurring during the season of Passover. But of equal importance, this speaks to a profound truth about the ongoing efficacy of his atoning death. ISRAEL AND THE TEMPLE - A PEOPLE, A PURPOSE The wealth of the Torah is inexhaustible. Central to all the radiant truth it conveys is YHWH’s intention to return to earth by dwelling with a redeemed people, offering them access to ongoing forgiveness and worship 8 IN TOUCH • 4 th Quarter 2016 www.cfi.org.uk
through the sanctuary sacrifices. To what end? “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6:7); “you shall be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). I heard a sermon describing Israel’s Temple in Jerusalem as a horrible place with sacrifices designed to frighten worshippers into compliance. This misrepresentation, based on prejudice against people and things Jewish, would have surprised and alarmed John the Revelator. Indeed, his reference points of Israel’s patriarchs and apostles (Revelation 4:4), Israel as a people (Revelation 12:1), and the Tabernacle in heaven (Revelation 15:5) are unintelligible to anti-Semitic thinking. Instead, John expects us to understand, appreciate and learn the lessons they teach. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10) John the Baptiser forever connects the Old and New Testament testimony of covenant and new covenant history. The one of whom Jesus said there is none born of woman greater than he, said himself of Jesus, “look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) We know that the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, and that to us who are being saved it is the power of God. We also know that no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. The apostle John, in his prophetic role as pastor to the seven churches in Asia, reminds us that the Lamb slain is foundational to healthy discernment, understanding and witness. In a world hostile to grace, can we do any better than to emulate our Master? Now back to the throne room (where what we shall be in due time is hidden with Messiah), “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11) “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12) “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”(Revelation 5:13) * If you’d like to watch samples of our new video study on Revelation, please send an email request to James at: thecenter@jcstudies.com. Haverim Studies – depth and variety As we read our Bibles we encounter many challenges. Some of them come in direct statements from God, such as when Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Others come in trying to understand exactly what particular sections of Scripture mean; such as when Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it” (Matthew 11:12). The Haverim studies are helpful with both types of challenge, largely by addressing the second type. They do this by explaining difficult passages of Scripture from the perspective of those who lived in Israel during the Second Temple Period, i.e. the time when Christ came among us. Many theologians have attempted to do this down the centuries, but it is those who have immersed themselves in the culture and literature of the times who are most effective. The messages vary in nature, some being single ones like the late Dr Dwight Pryor’s ‘Renewing the Christian Mind: Paul and the Righteousness of God’, whilst others come in the form of short series, such as the three latest messages by Dr Steven Notley on the Holy Spirit in both the Old and the New Testaments. For anyone who would like to explore the meaning of the Scriptures in more depth, these Haverim studies can be extremely useful. They can be purchased on a subscription basis, or individually. Centre for Judaic-Christian Studies Haverim subscription JC Studies is a Christian, educational organisation with a passion for acclimatising Christians to the life and times of Jesus and the early church. Are you interested in biblically based, Christ-centred instruction in the Jewish heritage of Christianity? Consider joining our Haverim * Study Community. Founded over thirty years ago by Dr. Dwight A. Pryor, Haverim is a subscription service that provides you with a monthly audio recording by leading Christian scholars. Through their expertise in the language, literature, culture and traditions of Israel during the Second Temple Period, you will receive a treasure trove of insights into the sacred Scriptures, both Old, and New. *Haverim is a transliteration of the plural Hebrew word for Friend. (khaverím) For more information: Tel: 01323 410810 Fax: 01323 410211 Email: info@cfi.org.uk Please request the Haverim subscription form Website: www.cfi.org.uk CFI UK is the designated distributor in the UK facebook.com/cfiuk twitter.com/cfi_uk 4 th Quarter 2016 • IN TOUCH 9
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