Effie Darlene Barba

The book of Leviticus is not the one we find easy to read. It seems so far away. We may think it too antiquated. No interesting stories, no joyous songs, and on surface appears only to relate to the Jewish nation in that time. Typically, people avoid reading the details of the sacrificial system, believing it irrelevant today. What if I told you that you can look and see Jesus in Leviticus. Then you would know just how absolutely beautifully glorious this book really is. Every detail from the types of sacrifice to the robes worn by the priests point to Jesus. He is the final and true priest as well as the final true Sacrifice. In Him we have full atonement for our sins. He is the final sacrifice. 

So, let us take a moment to look and see Jesus in the pages of this ancient book. Chapters one through seventeen are about redemption. The way to God is through Sacrifice. The Walk with God through sanctification is then the major theme of Leviticus 18-27. To understand the cost paid by Christ at Calvary for our redemption, we need to understand Leviticus. Furthermore, the book of Hebrews cannot be fully appreciated without an understanding of Leviticus. The book opens with the description of five major sacrifices. Each of these five provide a typological portrait of Christ on Calvary. So, let us look and see Jesus in each of these 5 Sacrifices. 

Look and See Jesus in the Burnt Offering 

When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, you may bring as your offering an animal from the herd or the flock. If one’s offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 

And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Next, he is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 

The sons of Aaron the priest shall put a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. Then Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, atop the burning wood on the altar. The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Leviticus 1:1-6 (BSB)

The burnt offering could be a bull, sheep, goat, or birds. This offering required that everything be burned up, symbolic of total dedication. Jesus was the perfect spotless sacrifice to give His all to the will of the Father in absolute obedience. Nothing left behind as the aroma of the sacrifice was a “sweet savor” to the Father. Furthermore, the sin and guilt of the one who came in faith was symbolically transferred to the sacrificed one. Just as our sin and guilt was laid upon Jesus.  

In the Meal Offering we can also Look and See Jesus 

When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it, and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar. An offering made by fire. A pleasing aroma to the LORD. The remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons. It is a most holy part of the offerings made by fire to the LORD. 

The meal offering was an act of worship to the Lord. It emphasized the balance, fragrance, and purity of the life of Christ that was presented on our behalf. This offering was not mandatory, but symbolic of dedication and consecration to the Lord. Jesus Christ was totally devoted to the Father’s purposes, regardless of the cost. This also symbolized the faith and recognition that God is the provider of all we need.  

Where Can we Look and See Jesus in the Peace Offering 

“If one’s offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar. 

From the peace offering he is to bring an offering made by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD…This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”

Leviticus 3:1-5, 17 (BSB)

“The sacrifice of the peace offering had as its essential feature the concept of fellowship.  This concept is indicated as part of the offering was laid on the altar and burned as a fit to the Lord, part was given to the priests, and the remainder was eaten by the worshiper.  This seems to have been the supreme significance for it expressed not only joy, peace, and gratitude, but also sharing joint participation, fellowship, and friendship…¹ 

Christ is Our Peace Offering–Look and See Jesus

. Christ is our Peace, our Peace-offering; for through him alone it is that we can obtain an answer of peace to our prayers. Or the peace-offering was offered by way of thanksgiving for some mercy received. We must offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually, by Christ our Peace; and then this shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock.² 

Certainly, we can Look and See Jesus in the Sin offering 

Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so, Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood. Therefore, let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore. For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Hebrews 13:11-14 (BSB) 

The sin offering was not a voluntary sacrifice as it was with the first three spoken of.  This was compulsory for the priests, the congregation, the common individuals, and the rulers.  It made atonement for sins done through ignorance, negligence whether by omission or commission, unintentionally or inadvertently.  Those committed in blatant defiance did not have a means of atonement provided here.  

The sin offerings differed by degree and by the rank of the one committing the sin.  Priests and leaders were held to a higher standard because of the degree their sin would influence others to sin.  This sacrifice did have to be carried outside the camp to be burned.  Thus, it pointed to Jesus hung on the cross outside the city gate.  

The Trespass Offering (Guilt Offering) Points to Jesus Who Bore Our Guilt 

Then the LORD said to Moses, “If someone acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against any of the LORD’s holy things, he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram from the flock, of proper value in silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel;c it is a guilt offering. Regarding any holy thing he has harmed, he must make restitution by adding a fifth of its value to it and giving it to the priest, who will make atonement on his behalf with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven. 

If someone sins and violates any of the LORD’s commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. He is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the wrong he has committed in ignorance, and he will be forgiven. It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.”  Leviticus 5: 14-19 (BSB) 

Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ bore all our shame and guilt upon the cross because we had no hope otherwise. 

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.  James 2:10 

But Thanks Be to Christ:  

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8 

Look and See Jesus -Be clothed in His Righteousness

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ²¹ But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

For there is no difference; ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  Romans 3 

Priestly Garments Point to Christ 

Certainly! The priestly garments in the Old Testament hold deep spiritual significance and point to Christ. Let us explore how these garments symbolize different aspects of our relationship with Him: 

1. Tunic of Fine Woven Linen: 

• The tunic represents Christ as our perfect righteousness. It is made of fine woven linen, signifying the covering of Christ’s righteousness in a humanity that has been processed and dealt with. 
• In Revelation 19:8, we see that Christ’s humanity qualifies Him to be our perfect righteousness before God. 

2. Turban of Fine Linen: 

• The turban signifies Christ as the glory of perfect righteousness. When people meet us, they notice our head and what we are wearing on it. 
• The turban represents Christ as our boast (Philippians 3:3, Romans 5:2, 1 Corinthians 1:31). Our only boast is in Christ, our righteousness! 

3. Girding Sash: 

• The sash, embroidered by the Spirit, symbolizes strengthening through the Spirit’s constituting work (Ephesians 3:16). 
• We are being transformed by the Spirit’s fine needlework, constituting us with the Spirit’s strength to live Christ. 

4. High Priest’s Robe, Ephod, and Breastplate: 

• The high priest wore a robe, ephod, and breastplate. These represent Christ as our sanctification, transformation, and glorification. 
• The gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads signify different aspects of Christ’s work and attributes. 
• The stones on the breastplate shine with Christ’s glory, and they are built together in gold settings, signifying Christ as our building up. 

5. Application for Us Today: 

• As believers, we are priests to God. Just as the priests wore these garments, we must “wear Christ” by living Him and expressing Him. 
• Our daily experience involves putting on Christ as our clothing—His divinity (glory) and His humanity (beauty) ¹². 

In summary, the priestly garments foreshadowed Christ, and today, we magnify Him by wearing Christ as our spiritual attire. 

Bing COPILOT

How Absolutely Beautifully Glorious. Look and see Jesus Law of Atonement 

The law of atonement was established as a yearly event for the cleansing of the nation, beginning with the priest, his family, and the nation.  This is celebrated in the Jewish faith as Yom Kippur.  This was established as a National Day of Atonement as outlined in Leviticus 16. 

the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Placea behind the veil in front of the mercy seatb on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. 

This is how Aaron is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He is to wear the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments. He must tie a linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are holy garments, and he must bathe himself with water before he wears them. And he shall take from the congregation of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 

Aaron is to present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household. Then he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 

After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat, he shall present the goat chosen by lot for the LORD and sacrifice it as a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat. 

Leviticus 16:3-10

The cloak of Aaron’s was symbolic of our being covered with the righteousness of Christ that we may go before God without fear of death.  

The Sin Offering

Aaron shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and bring its blood behind the veil, and with its blood he must do as he did with the bull’s blood: He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it.  So, he shall make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the impurities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting which abides among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities. No one may be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he leaves, after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel. 

Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites. 

Look and See Jesus–our Scape Goat

When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat.  Then he is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their iniquities into a solitary place, and the man will release it into the wilderness. 

This symbolic of our sin being cast as far from us, for God to remember no more. 

A Yearly Atonement Becomes Eternal When We Look and See Jesus

Then Aaron is to enter the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen garments he put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there. He is to bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his own clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people. He is also to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. 

This was established to be a yearly ritual.  Although Jesus died on Passover to be our Passover lamb, he also made atonement for our sins so that  

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, 

when I will make a new covenant 

with the house of Israel 

and with the house of Judah. 

It will not be like the covenant 

I made with their fathers 

when I took them by the hand 

to lead them out of the land of Egypt, 

because they did not abide by My covenant, 

and I disregarded them, declares the Lord. 

For this is the covenant I will make 

with the house of Israel 

after those days, 

declares the Lord. 

I will put My laws in their minds 

and inscribe them on their hearts. 

I will be their God, 

and they will be My people. 

No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, 

saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ 

because they will all know Me, 

from the least of them to the greatest. 

For I will forgive their iniquities 

and will remember their sins no more.” 

By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete, and aging will soon disappear.  Hebrews 8:8-13 and Jeremiah 31:26-40 (BSB) 

So, all of this to say with Paul 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 NKJV 

¹ Falwell, Jerry; The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, Liberty University 1988, page 174 

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

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How In the Hazardous Wilderness of Life Is Jesus Joyfully Found? 

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

BSB (BEREAN STUDY BIBLE)

The Berean Bible and Majority Bible texts are officially dedicated to the public domain as of April 30, 2023.

New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

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PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com

God had taken the children of Israel out of bondage in a spectacular display of His power.  Each plague brought upon the Egyptians precisely performed to demoralize every one of their pagan gods.  God had shown Himself to be the one true God.  Just as the blood of Jesus redeems us from the bondage of sin, it was the sacrifice of the perfect lamb established during the Passover that both gave the people their life and their freedom from bondage.   God then led the people through the Hazardous Wilderness to the bottom of Mount Sinai that they might see Him, hear His Voice, and witness His Glory.  They found redemption.  All a picture of Jesus.  It was through the Hazardous Wilderness that they met God. How is Jesus Joyfully found in our lives?  Often it is through the hazardous wilderness of life that we find Jesus, Joy, and Life Eternal.    

He did not take them along the shortest route, nor the one well-trodden.  He took them through the wilderness, farther from their destination.  Why?  Because they needed to learn so much more before they would realize their need for Him and His Gracious love and provision for them. Isn’t that the case for us as well?  We believe we can do it on our own. We cry out to God only when everything falls apart.  Just like the Israelite, we say, “I can do everything you want.  Look how righteous, generous, and kind I am.  Aren’t you glad, God that you chose me to be your child?” That was me at age fifteen, right before I wandered into the hazardous wilderness where darkness, fear, and despair surrounded me.   

Jesus Joyfully Found Me 

In the wilderness, Jesus joyfully found me.  How could He have been so joyous?  Because He knew that only then could He truly transform my heart.  He comforted me, cradled me, and carried me out on Eagles wings.  Only in the hazardous wilderness could I learn to let go of pride and foolish desires.  There I learned to trust Him to swoop in and uphold me with His righteous right Hand.  Where is Jesus joyously found?  How many treacherous years filled with moments of fear, failure, and hopelessness woven intricately with brief moments of immense joy as I watched the mighty hand of God weave the threads of my life.  Jesus joyfully found me each time I strayed.  Because of His overwhelming love, I learned to find my joy in Him. 

 In my darkest nights, where loneliness overwhelmed me, He was there with me.  He was my strength when I faced the sudden loss of Pete.  After all, my life wrapped itself so much around him, his well-being, his needs.  I had to lean in hard to God for healing and for His healing of my sons.  So much they had faced, and I learned my love was not enough to heal anyone—only God could do that.    

In His Prescence

Again, this was true 4 years later as I battled chemotherapy and then the ulcerative colitis that awakened me with severe pain and bleeding every morning at 4 am.  I found myself searching for Him, seated in my recliner with my Bible in my lap.  My recliner I placed in my closet near the bathroom so as not to awaken my sons.  Those years I learned the importance of true worship and fellowship with God through Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.  I learned I could not start any day without Him first. 

Jesus Joyfully Found and Healed Me 

How precious that truth was when my ileostomy bag would break every morning around 3 am.  Crawling out of bed, putting the pads into the wash, I would then shower and sit on the bed shivering cold and alone trying with all my might to clean and place a new bag before the gushing would begin.  One to two hours I would do this until finally completed, by then I would get ready for work.  How joyful I was to know my children were away at college and did not have to know any of this then.  Also, in the worst of times, I knew Mom would come over to help.  I only had to call.  

By then, the hazardous wilderness had become a companion in a sense.  Like a blanket in the coldest night, Jesus joyously found me, covered me, and drew me closer to Him.  Could I trust Him as I do were it not for the hazardous wilderness?  Only He knew how desperately I needed His healing. Oh, not so much from the illnesses, but from the wickedness lurking deep within my own heart.     That is why I understand the children of Israel and their struggles of heart to get it right and to believe. 

God Led Them Through the Hazardous Wilderness to Meet Him 

¹⁶ So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷ And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 

¹⁸ Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain quaked violently. ¹⁹ When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. ²⁰ Then the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the Lord to stare, and many of them perish.  Exodus 19 (NASB) 

Although they had seen God’s wrath and judgement against the Egyptians and their gods, they were not truly prepared to meet God.  

Was Jesus Joyfully Found in the Hazardous Wilderness? 

Their most joyous moment appeared immediately after being saved.  Jesus is the deliverer and the Passover lamb, even if they did not fully comprehend yet.   They joyfully sang this song to their deliverer.  

I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; 
The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. 
² The Lord is my strength and song, 
And He has become my salvation; 
This is my God, and I will praise Him; 
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. 
³ The Lord is a warrior; 
The Lord is His name. 
⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea; 
And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 
⁵ The waters cover them; 
They went down into the depths like a stone. 
⁶ Your right hand, Lord, is majestic in power; 
Your right hand, Lord, destroys the enemy. 
⁷ And in the greatness of Your excellence  

You overthrow those who rise up against You; 
You send out Your burning anger, and it consumes them like chaff. 
⁸ At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, 
The flowing waters stood up like a heap; 
The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. 
⁹ The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; 
shall be satisfied against them; 
I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’ 
¹⁰ You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; 
They sank like lead in the mighty waters. 
¹¹ Who is like You among the gods, Lord? 
Who is like You, majestic in holiness, 
Awesome in praises, working wonders? 
¹² You reached out with Your right hand, 
The earth swallowed them. 
¹³ In Your faithfulness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; 
In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. 
¹⁴ The peoples have heard, they tremble; 
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. 
¹⁵ Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified; 
The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; 
All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired. 
¹⁶ Terror and dread fall upon them; 
By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone, 
Until Your people pass over, Lord, 
Until the people pass over whom You have purchased. 
¹⁷ You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, 
The place, Lord, which You have made as Your dwelling, 
The sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established. 
¹⁸ The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”  

Genesis 15 (NASB)

Yet, that joy quickly faded into the mundane life as always.  That is true of many of us as well.  We sometimes need a close encounter again to grow. Otherwise, we tend to forget how glorious His Salvation is.  

A Close Encounter with God’s Glory 

Although they realized God was Holy and Fiercely powerful, they did not expect to see His power to be displayed on the mountain so gloriously.  They were His chosen people and so different from their Egyptian masters, or were they?  Sounds a lot like society today when they speak of Jesus.  They want a baby meek and mild willing to sacrifice everything; but never display His wrath against the sin that destroys each of us from within and surrounds us.   

Those who accept Jesus are freed by His blood. Essentially, Mount Sinai is a symbol of our sin and a reminder of our need for a Savior. The people could not even touch the ground of the mountain because of the holiness of God and their unholiness in their sin. We are reminded at Mount Sinai of the seriousness of our sins and the division that they cause between us and our Heavenly Father. We are also given newfound gratitude that we no longer live under the law of sin, but the law of liberty through Christ Jesus. 

Mount Sinai is still applicable to the believer today because when we love God, we delight in obeying Him. We know that His ways are ultimately what are best for us and will bless us in the end. James 1:25 says, “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”¹ 

Jesus Joyously Found in the Song of Moses 

And Moses Sang: 

“Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; 
And let the earth hear the words of my mouth! 
² May my teaching drip as the rain, 
My speech trickle as the dew, 
As droplets on the fresh grass, 
And as the showers on the vegetation. 
³ For I proclaim the name of the Lord; 
Ascribe greatness to our God! 
⁴ The Rock! His work is perfect, 
For all His ways are just; 
A God of faithfulness and without injustice, 
Righteous and just is He.  Deuteronomy 32 (NASB) 

Therefore, How Is Jesus Joyously Found in the Hazardous Wilderness? 

In the wilderness we come face to face with our own unrighteousness. That truth then magnifies the magnificence of His Grace.  Only then can we truly embrace and abide in His steadfast Love for us.  There only is Jesus Joyously found

¹⁸ For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹ and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words, which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.

²⁰ For they could not cope with the command, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” ²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, ²³ to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12: (NASB)

The Unshaken Kingdom 

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns us from heaven. ²⁶ And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” ²⁷ This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12 (NASB)   

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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God Almighty Chose Judah as the Patriarch for Jesus Bloodline. Really? Why? 

Disclosures

¹ Emma Danzay; What is Mount Sinai in the Bible; March 24, 2023; viewed 2/10/24; What Is Mount Sinai in the Bible – Location and Importance (biblestudytools.com) 

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved

New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com

God Almighty Chose Judah as the Patriarch for Jesus bloodline, but why?  After all he was the fourth son. He also some of his most grievous sins written down in history. Reading Genesis 38, we again question really, why Judah? .  

God called out Abraham to establish a covenant nation through whom the Messiah would be born.  That nation was established through Isaac’s son Jacob, later renamed by God as Israel.  He had twelve sons.  His oldest son Reuben lost his birthright because he slept with his father’s concubine.  Joseph’s two sons were grafted in to establish the twelve tribes of Israel with no tribe being named for Reuben. 

There was not a tribe named Joseph either. However, his line lived on with Ephraim and Manasseh being named as tribes.  Their mother was Egyptian. God always did reach out to the Gentiles who would believe. Thus, Joseph received a double portion.  Judah was Leah’s fourth son.  Remember she was the wife living always in her sister’s shadow, feeling unloved by Jacob. 

After all, it was Judah who saw the caravan in the distance and recommended they sell Joseph into slavery.  It was also Judah who then left the family to live with those who practiced pagan worship in Canaan.  He took to wife a Canaanite woman and had three sons.  So, let us pick up the story in Genesis 38 NABRE

Judah’s Fall into Pagan Worship

About that time Judah went down, away from his brothers, and pitched his tent near a certain Adullamite named Hirah. ² There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he married her… 

6 Judah got a wife named Tamar for his firstborn, Er. ⁷ But Er, Judah’s firstborn, greatly offended the Lord; so, the Lord took his life. ⁸ Then Judah said to Onan, “Have intercourse with your brother’s wife, in fulfillment of your duty as brother-in-law, and thus preserve your brother’s line.” ⁹ Onan, however, knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid giving offspring to his brother.  

Notice the words “whenever he had intercourse.”  So, he was more than willing to be with her sexually, just not have a child to carry his brother’s inheritance.  He wanted all the inheritance but was willing to fulfill his own sexual desires with her.  

¹⁰ What he did greatly offended the Lord, and the Lord took his life too.  ¹¹ Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”—for he feared that Shelah also might die like his brothers. So, Tamar went to live in her father’s house.  Genesis 38 (NASB)

Notice that Judah begins to believe as was the pagan beliefs that his son’s deaths are due to Tamar.  Never considering that his sons failed to worship God.  Judah also becomes more en-cultured with the society where he lived. Instead of clinging to God, he became more pagan each day. The customary practice was to seek temple prostitutes to prosper in business. 

God Almighty Chose Judah, Inspite of All This? 

Time passed, and the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died. After Judah completed the period of mourning, he went up to Timnah, to those who were shearing his sheep, in company with his friend Hirah the Adullamite. ¹³ Then Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” ¹⁴ So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a shawl, and having wrapped herself sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she was aware that, although Shelah was now grown up, she had not been given to him in marriage.  

Notice, very properly Tamar had remained in her mourning garments until now.  Also, to consider Tamar’s position, it was a practice in Hittite inheritance practices that the father-in law was to fulfill the duty of fathering the child in the absence of sons to do so.  

¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, since she had covered her face. ¹⁶ So he went over to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me have intercourse with you,” for he did not realize that she was his daughter-in-law. She replied, “What will you pay me for letting you have intercourse with me?” ¹⁷ He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” “Very well,” she said, “provided you leave me a pledge until you send it.”

¹⁸ Judah asked, “What pledge should I leave you?” She answered, “Your seal and cord, and the staff in your hand.” So, he gave them to her and had intercourse with her, and she conceived by him. ¹⁹ After she got up and went away, she took off her shawl and put on her widow’s garments again. 

Well, as the story goes on 

Judah tries to send the goat as promised, but no prostitute could be found at that location to give the goat to.   

²⁴ About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has acted like a harlot and now she is pregnant from her harlotry.” Judah said, “Bring her out; let her be burned.”  

Sounds a lot like Judah’s descendant King David when Nathan came to tell him the story of a rich man who took another’s only pet lamb and David wanted him to be killed until Nathan said, “that man is you.” 

²⁵ But as she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “It is by the man to whom these things belong that I am pregnant.” Then she said, “See whose seal and cord and staff these are.” ²⁶ Judah recognized them and said, “She is in the right rather than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” He had no further sexual relations with her. 

She gave birth to twins and the younger pushed his hand out first, was tagged as first and then his brother was born before him.  The second son was named Zerah. 

So, God Almighty Chose Judah, why? 

Well, it was then that Judah repented and by God’s Grace he was transformed.  We are not told about his return to live with his brothers, but we know he was there when the famine came as he went with them to Egypt.   

¹ When Jacob learned that grain rations were for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons: “Why do you keep looking at one another?” ² He went on, “I hear that grain is for sale in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, that we may stay alive and not die.” ³ So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought some disaster might befall him. ⁵ And so the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since there was famine in the land of Canaan.  Genesis 42 

We also know that in Genesis 46:12, Tamar and her sons were in those who went to Egypt as part of the family.   

Still was there something else demonstrating Judah’s change of heart.  Could that be why God Almighty chose Judah as the bloodline to Jesus? 

Judah’s Willing Sacrifice of Himself 

When they had gone down to Egypt to buy grain the second time and took Benjamin with them, Benjamin was accused of stealing from Joseph and stood condemned.  However, because of his love for his father, he offered to take the place of Benjamin and pay the price. 

³⁰ “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, whose very life is bound up with his, he will die as soon as he sees that the boy is missing; ³¹ and your servants will thus send the white head of your servant our father down to Sheol in grief.

³² Besides, I, your servant, have guaranteed the boy’s safety for my father by saying, ‘If I fail to bring him back to you, father, I will bear the blame before you forever.’ ³³ So now let me, your servant, remain in place of the boy as the slave of my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. ³⁴ How could I go back to my father if the boy were not with me? I could not bear to see the anguish that would overcome my father.”  Genesis 44  

God Almighty Chose Judah as a Foreshadowing of Jesus 

In this, with a transformed heart of compassion and love, Judah is a picture foreshadowing Jesus who would be willing to lay down his life in both paying our penalty of sin and pleasing the Father. 

¹¹ I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. ¹³ This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep^[g] that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

¹⁷ This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”  John 10 

Furthermore

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, ²⁰ and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. ²¹ And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled ²² in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.  Colossians 1 

Another Reason God Almighty Chose Judah for the Blood line of Jesus 

Grace and grace alone is our offer of salvation.  Nothing I can do would justify me before a righteous and holy God.  Were it not for grace I could never stand before His holy throne.  And yet, His grace has saved me.  Jesus came to save sinners and all we like sheep have gone astray.   

But He was wounded for our transgressions, 
He was bruised for our iniquities; 
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, 
And by His stripes we are healed. 
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; 
We have turned, every one, to his own way; 
And the Lord ^[d]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted, 
Yet He opened not His mouth; 
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, 
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, 
So He opened not His mouth.  Isaiah 53 (NKJV) 

And though He has cast my sin as far as the east is from the west never for Him to remember it anymore, let me never forget the depths of my own transgressions, lest I forget the depths of His Gracious love that saved me.  Only then can my heart be filled with love and mercy for those who are around me.   

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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Hidden Prophecy: Joseph’s Life and the Coming of Jesus Revealed 

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved

New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com

Why were they persecuting Jesus? Because he had healed a paralyzed man on the Sabbath. But note this, He responded by telling them that the scriptures all testify of Him. Throughout scripture we have been given the writings of the prophets foretelling of Jesus; but beyond that we have the hidden prophecy of Jesus, through history itself. God is Sovereign in the affairs of men and women. As such He, despite the wickedness of humanity, intervened to perform the good pleasures of His Will. There was a thread—a scarlet thread of blood and sacrifice with every story pointing toward God’s Gracious Plan of Salvation for all who would believe. His plan of salvation for all who by grace have been chosen to be His children.  

Like a beautiful tapestry, God has woven every detail of the portrait of Christ throughout the Old Testament and throughout history. What an incredible proof of both God’s Sovereignty and the Truth of the Bible.  How could all the prophecies come true otherwise? Furthermore, even more incredible is how the historical truth of the Bible presents this hidden prophecy of Jesus as well.   

Types are a form of prophecy. They are not the kind of direct prophecy that makes it clear what will happen beforehand. Types are a divine foreshadowing of future events, people, or relationships through the historical recording of different ancient events, people, or relationships.¹ 

Typology or Foreshadowing are Hidden Prophecy 

Why is that a prophecy? Because the inspiration of such passages happens centuries before the fulfillment. 

How do we know what is a true type? A type is unknown while it happens, and when it is recorded. The only way we know a true prophetic type is if later scripture explicitly identifies it as a shadow of something to come. 

*** WARNING *** 

Be careful of identifying types unless the scripture explicitly identifies them, else it can lead to the complete allegorization of scripture. 

The passages in the Bible that identify types use the word “figure,” “shadow,” or the form “as _____ so______”.² 

 Justin Johnson; 100 types found in Genesis, 100 Types Found in Genesis (graceambassadors.com) 

The Hidden Prophecy of Jesus Found in Joseph 

Just before the Stoning of Stephen, he preached one of the most exacting apologetic sermons. (Apologetic sermons are those that defend the gospel truth through systematic argumentation and discourse.  Like a well-presented debate or court case, it presents the truth with evidence proving it beyond any shadow of doubt.) In this sermon found in Acts chapter 7, Stephen introduces that Joseph was a foreshadowing hidden prophecy of Jesus.  

“Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, ³ and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ ⁴ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.

⁵ And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. ⁶ But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. ⁷ ‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ ⁸ Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. 

The Patriarchs in Egypt 

⁹ “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰ and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. ¹¹ Now a famine and great ^[a]trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.

¹² But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. ¹³ And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. ¹⁴ Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, ^[b]seventy-five people. ¹⁵ So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶ And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. 

God Delivers Israel by Moses 

¹⁷ “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt ¹⁸ till another king arose who did not know Joseph. ¹⁹ This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live. ²⁰ At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. ²¹ But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. ²² And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. 

What Promise was he referring to?  A prophecy given to Abraham concerning the descendents going to Egypt for 400 years fulfilled then through Joseph who was a type or Hidden Prophecy of Jesus.  How fascinating is that?  

God in His covenant with Abraham said 

“Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. ¹⁴ And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. ¹⁵ Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Genesis 15 (NKJV) 

What?  “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete?  It would be 400 years that the Amorites would hold the land until Joshua comes in and God destroys them in many miraculous battles against them because of their horrific sin.  

Back to Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7 

²³ “Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. ²⁴ And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. ²⁵ For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.

²⁶ And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?’ ²⁷ But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? ²⁸ Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. 

³⁰ “And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, ³² saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. ³³ ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.” ’ 

³⁵ “This Moses whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 

Acts 7 (NKJV)

Israel Rebels Against God 

³⁷ “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’ 

³⁸ “This is he who was in the ^[e]congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles^[f] to give to us, ³⁹ whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ⁴¹ And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. ⁴² Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: 

‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, 
O house of Israel? 
⁴³ You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, 
And the star of your god Remphan, 
Images which you made to worship; 
And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’ 

God’s True Tabernacle 

⁴⁴ “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen, ⁴⁵ which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, ⁴⁶ who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷ But Solomon built Him a house. 

⁴⁸ “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: 

⁴⁹ ‘Heaven is My throne, 
And earth is My footstool. 
What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, 
Or what is the place of My rest? 
⁵⁰ Has My hand not made all these things?’ 

Israel Resists the Holy Spirit 

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, ⁵³ who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” 

Hidden Prophecies of History Foreshadowing Jesus Christ 

I painstakingly presented this entire sermon of Stephen to help you see how the Sovereignty of God works in all of history.  His sermon brought to life the truth of the Hidden Prophecies of History Foreshadowing Jesus Christ.  For presenting that exacting truth, he was stoned to death.  

So, back to Joseph and I want to quote from a wonderful sermon by Adrian Rogers which I urge you to go and watch in its entirety. 

The Bible is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. Through His Word, God gives us many prophetic portraits of His Son, one being Joseph in the Book of Genesis. There are four episodes in the life of Joseph that foreshadow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. See Jesus as the Beloved Son through the life of Joseph. Joseph had his father’s favor, from whom he received a special coat of many colors—a mark of distinction. No fault or sin is ever mentioned about Joseph. This doesn’t mean he was perfect; rather, he served as an illustration of the sinless Son of God. See Jesus as the Suffering Servant through Joseph. Joseph was sent to minister to his brothers by his father. His brothers resented him because of their father’s devotion to him. As a result, Joseph suffered at the hands of his brothers, being sold as a slave to the head of the Egyptian guard, Potiphar. His father believed he had been slain. And in the eyes of his brothers, he was dead, also. In the Gospels, Jesus was scorned and suffered at the hands of the ones He was sent to minister to. He dealt with conspiracies against him, abuse and betrayal. He was crucified, dead and buried for three days. See Jesus as the Exalted Sovereign through Joseph. Joseph became the Prime Minister of Egypt. This man, once despised and rejected, was enthroned as the ruler over the most powerful nation at the time. He was given a new name, new robe and a new bride. He saved his people from death. Every knee in Egypt had to bow to Joseph. One day, every knee worldwide will bow to Jesus. See Jesus as the Seeking Savior through Joseph. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. He received them back, forgave and restored them. He then commissioned them to tell their father that he was alive. In the same way, Jesus reveals Himself to us on the day of our salvation. He receives us, forgives, restores and commissions us tell the world that He is alive. Adrian Rogers says, “Our faith is summed up in this: Come to Me; go to all the world.

Adrian Rogers, Joseph a Portrait of Jesus, 2251-Joseph-a-Portrait-of-Jesus-PTR.pdf (lwf.org) 

The sermon can be heard at https://youtu.be/5pPEnxRmm8g?si=UdyV9WS0Q5MBhFtU 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! 
Call upon His name; 
Make known His deeds among the peoples! 
² Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; 
Talk of all His wondrous works! 
³ Glory in His holy name; 
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! 
⁴ Seek the Lord and His strength; 
Seek His face evermore! 
⁵ Remember His marvelous works which He has done, 
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,   Psalm 105

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

PREVIOUS

How to See Isaac, Trust Jesus, and Know God Always Provides  ⋆ Effie Darlene Barba (myglorytoglory.com)

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com

It was a mid-summer day, when suddenly I stood accused.  For ten years I devoted myself to working diligently for the company.  As was my customary style, I sacrificed and labored for the good of my patients.  Always protecting the name of my employer with unrelenting devotion.  Then, that day everything changed.  Suddenly, I stood accused of what they declared a criminal offense.  My world crashed in around me.  Financially, I had too many responsibilities at the time with little resources for all the hours of work.  For some time, I had felt God nudging me to return to Missouri.  I had placed a few applications to no avail.  But here I stood on the ledge.  Could I trust Jesus and know God always provides?  After hours of restlessness, I knew what I had to do.  I turned in my resignation letter that day, giving the required three months’ notice.   

That same day, their eyes were opened. My boss knew I was innocent.

God had called Abraham out of his homeland filled with idolatrous worship.  Yet, Abraham obeyed and went to a land he had not seen, believing that God would do as He promised.  Years passed by and no son was born.  All the years awaiting the fulfillment of the promise.  There were moments of doubt and moments of failures; yet, overall, Abraham believed God always provides.  On that promise, finally the son of promise was born miraculously.  Isaac was born, just as God said he would be. 

God Always Provides What He Has Promised. 

 ¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” ¹⁹ But God said, “No, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. ²⁰ As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹ But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” ²² When He finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.  Genesis 17(NASB) 

Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. ² So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. ³ Abraham named his son who was born to him, the son whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.  Genesis 21 (NASB) 

God sees and God Always Provides 

There came a time when Abraham had to send Ishmael away because of the contentions that were within the household. Those had been due to Abraham’s sin during a moment of faithlessness.  Still, God always kept His promise concerning Ishmael as well. There in the wilderness, Hagar believed the child would die of thirst and hunger.  She left him under the bushes where he was crying.  But God sees us in our darkest moments where He reaches out to remind us that “God sees, and God always provides” a way if only we would believe.   

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. ¹⁸ Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” ¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.²⁰ And God was with the boy, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer. ²¹ He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.  Genesis 21 (NASB). 

The Test of Faith for Abraham 

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Genesis 22. (NASB) 

At this point, Abraham did not know where Ishmael was.  He only had the promise that God would also make a nation of him with 12 princes.  Now only Isaac was with him.  He was the son of promise, so how could God ask him to sacrifice Isaac?  Yet, Abraham did not hesitate at all.   

³ So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering and set out and went to the place of which God had told him. Genesis 22 (NASB) 

No Hesitation, knowing God Always Provides 

⁴ On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. ⁵ Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” ⁶ And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So, the two of them walked on together. Genesis 22 (NASB)  

Notice that Abraham said, we will worship, and we will return to you.  All the years of trials and waiting had taught him to know God always provides.  He knew what God had promised concerning Isaac; therefore, without question he would now obey.  The same God that brought Isaac miraculously to him would preserve him.  Even raise him from the dead? Maybe.  Regardless, he marched on with Isaac.   

⁷ Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” ⁸ Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. Genesis 22 NASB 

Isaac Trusted that God Always Provides 

It was one thing for Abraham to believe, but also Isaac had to willing lay down his life believing and trusting that God always provides.  He was a young man and if he fought back could not have been laid upon the altar.  There is no protest by him either. 

⁹ Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to ^[b]slaughter his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”  Genesis 22 (NASB) 

What joy Abraham must have felt as he proclaimed, “Here I am,” awaiting and anticipating God’s next command.  

God Always Provides a Way of Salvation

 ¹² He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” ¹³ Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. ¹⁴ And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Genesis 22 (NASB)  

It does not say exactly that this was at the Mount of Olives; however, it was a mountain of God’s choosing in the land of Moriah.  That is precisely where the Mount of Olives is located.  Jesus was crucified at Golgotha which is believed to be the northern summit of the Mount of Olives.  

Evidence From Hebrews Ezekiel 43:71 refers to an altar located east of the Temple ”without the sanctuary.” Here the important sacrifice. of the Red Heifer was performed. Where is this altar in relationship to the Temple? Jeremiah records that it was located near the southern summit of the Mount of Olives directly “east of the Temple,” ‘outside the camp’ of Israel some 2000 cubits (about 1000 yards) east of the central part of the Temple. In the time of Jesus this was slightly down slope from the southern summit of the Mount of Olives in full view of the Temple from the west Confirmation that Jesus was crucified near the summit of the Mount of Olives, about a half-mile east of the Temple Mount is found in the New Testament itself, in the Book of Hebrews. It states that the crucifixion occurred “without the camp” and “without the gate” of Israel (Heb. 13:11-13). These geographical references may mean little to us today, but to first century Jewish people in the Jerusalem area they could only mean one thing – Jesus was crucified on the Mount of Olives “without THE gate” and without THE camp.” This refers to a special gate – the gate to the eastern region outside the city limits of Jerusalem. Golgotha was located at the southern summit of the Mount of Olives.¹ 

Paul and Naul O’Higgins

Isaac as a picture of Jesus, God Always Provides 

In the fullness of time, Jesus was miraculously born after years of expectantly waiting.  He willingly laid down to be sacrificed.  The difference was that now it was God the Father who gave His only begotten son to be sacrificed for the sin of all.  There was not another ram in the thicket.  Not this time.  He would pay the price for all.  Then only by faith, you might be saved.  

Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a  proof of things not seen. ² For by it the people of old gained approval.³ By faith we understand that the ^[world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible….6 the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.   Hebrews 11 

Faith is Knowing that God IS and that God Always Provides for those who diligently seek Him.  Do You know that? 

Back to My Story 

I went to Missouri.  God had a plan. Even if I did not fully understand, I had to obey.  At first, the job was only part time.  I was tempted to doubt and did look for other opportunities. However, I knew I was where God wanted me so I waited.  I even turned down another job while waiting.

Six months later, the job I had with the Veteran’s Administration became full time.  Since then, by trusting God, I have been blessed beyond measure in my job.  Also, I have no worries about my financial future after retirement. All because, God had a better plan for me than I could have ever worked out on my own. God once said to test Him, by bringing in to the storehouse His part. Therefore, I had learned along this journey to test Him and see what He would do.  Tithing is a very important part to that. I had learned to tithe even when money was tight. You can do that if you really know the truth that God always provides.  

Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking only at Jesus, the ^[a]originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

³ For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^[b]and lose heart. Hebrews 12   (NASB) 

¹ O’Higgins, Paul and Nula, The Mount of Olives—Place of Jesus’s Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, Introduction.pdf (reconciliationoutreach.net) 

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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How to Remarkably See King Jesus in the Book of Job  ⋆ Effie Darlene Barba (myglorytoglory.com)

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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024

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