OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE
In this section of our course we see that our purpose is to know God as our Father who is the Holy One to whom we are to bring glory. But what is glory all about? We then look at Jesus and the glory of God, and His Spirit with us. This leads us to looking at the prophetic ministry spoken of in scripture, and see that it is not primarily about telling the future. From here we look at Jesus, The Prophet and then look at the wisdom of God before finishing with a brief look at the way Jewish families taught their children.
Awe
. Part of our purpose in life is to learn more about God so that we continue to be in awe of who He is, what He has done, is doing and will do.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10
. In Greek thought the purpose of knowledge was to gain an intellectual grasp of how one viewed the world and the forces that controlled it.
. In Hebrew thought the purpose of knowledge was to hold God in ever increasing awe. This speaks of relationship - we are to hold someone in awe: the God who has revealed Himself to us.
. This awe of God acknowledges God's good intentions (Ex 20:20) leads to life (Ps 19:23), and is the fountain of life (Ps 14:27). It is a awe that stems from knowing that the Holy One who has revealed Himself is in our presence. As Proverbs 9:10 reveals, this fear makes us receptive to wisdom and knowledge. It restrains people from sin (Gen 20:11) and gives confidence (Job 4:6).
"Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord."
Psalm 34:11
Forgiveness.
. The church is made up of those who are able to receive forgiveness.
. In order to receive forgiveness I need to acknowledge that God's verdict concerning my life is true: I am a sinner.
. I also need to recognise that God's provision for my life is also true: I am forgiven because of Christ and despite my failings. My sinful nature is covered. Part of the outworking of that relationship is to seek forgiveness on a day-to-day basis. "He who conceals his sin does not prosper. But whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." (Prov 28:13). For this to occur I need to acknowledge my failings and His grace ( 1 John 1:9).
Father.
. Part of my purpose in life as a believer is to know God as my Father.
. In God we see both authority and amazing grace in His relationship with His people. Through His dealings with man we find instruction offered and mercy given. In this we see the relationship of a Father towards His children.
. How do the following verses speak to you?
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families; he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land." Psalm 68:5-6
"But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless."
Psalm 10:14
. If you want to know what the Father is like, look to Jesus, because He said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father (John 14).
. Jesus also said that He would send another Counsellor to be with those who came to rest in His work. There are two Greek words that can be translated, 'another.' One means 'another' as in similar to, but not the same as. For example a Ford Focus and a Ford Fiesta are both cars, yet different.
. The other word used for 'another', (the one scripture uses) means "exactly the same as."
. When we fail to see God as a Father, or 'build' pictures of God based on life experience alone we begin to struggle, as did the disciples in not seeing who Jesus really was before His death and resurrection.
"What sort of Person is God? Christ's answer is quite unequivocal . He is 'the Father'.If, once we accept it as true that the whole Power behind this astonishing universe is of that kind of character that Christ could only describe as 'Father', then whole of life is transfigured."
J.B. Phillips in 'Your God is Too Small' p88-89
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son."
Hosea 11:1
. Jesus gave the parable of the prodigal son to those who could not see God as being like a Father. In the ANE you would not see a wealthy father running towards his son; neither would the best robe and a ring be given to a son who had effectively wished that his father were dead.
Nor would you see a father going out from a banquet to remonstrate with another son who believed that life was about what you earn.
. Jesus said to His disciples, "anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John14:9) this referring to nature and character. Note also John 10:30: "I and the Father are One"
. The knowledge of God as Father became the characteristic expression of the apostles. For example.
"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." Gal 4:6-7
See also 1 John 1:31 and Gal 4:6.
. We do not have to vie for our Father's attention. He sees us at all times and knows everything about our lives (Matt 10:30). He knows how we have damaged our own lives and how others have hurt us. He alone knows what we should really be like.
"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." Psalm 139:1-6
. Our Father has poured His Spirit into our hearts (Romans 5:5) so that we, despite our failings, can have all the qualities that are needed for life as His children. We are called to yield and receive all that is offered by His Spirit.
".being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." Col 1:11-12
. Strengthen - 'Dumanoumenai.' This word literally means to cause someone to have the ability to do something; to give him or her the capacity and ability to achieve something.
. We have been created to know God's love and live out that love as an expression of the new life that is ours through His Son. This is only possible by His Spirit. If it were not so there would be no need for the fruit of the Spirit, nor for the words of Jesus, "apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
"Whatever destroys perfect humanity likewise destroys divine sonship. The law of true human life consists of trustful fellowship with God and subordination of the physical needs of life."
Dr. Lidgett in Fatherheart of God, p 40
The Holy One.
. I am called to be holy (1 Peter 1:16).
. The basic meaning of holiness is separateness (Lev 20:26). God is the Holy One (Lev 11:44; 1Peter 1:16)
. God is absolute perfection, and not just a projection of our own ideas about purity (such as in Islam). He is, and always has been, awesomely different from our concept of power and perfection. Through the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 40:25-26) our Father says, "To whom will you compare me?" Think about it.
. God is other-world perfection entering into space and time in such a way that we can apprehend what is but the smallest of glimpses of sheer perfection. If God were to appear in all His power and majesty, we would fall apart...
"God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might forever. Amen." 1 Tim 6:15-16
. Divine holiness seeks to reach out and draw us out of all that is corrupt and destructive (Exodus 31:13), and into His perfection.
"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy."
Exodus 31:12-13
. In one way we can view the Sabbath as a 'sanctuary' helping us to step away from the problems of the world in order to rest in and feed on all that God has done.
. The mind that is rooted in God does not ask for success; it asks that God would enable us to be continually in awe of Him - that we would be able to see God as He reveals Himself.
. When we interact with God we recognise that life is not just about having, but being. Life is not all about possessing but giving. Life is not about controlling everything around us, but reaching out and sharing. Life is not simply about subduing issues, but facing them.
. From scripture we see that, for us, holiness has to begin with an encounter with God (e.g. Gen 3:8-9). God has come in search of us. We need to belong to God first and foremost, before we can live the life that we have been called to. Note, for example, that it was when God met with Moses (Acts 7:30) that Moses was able to become the man God called him to be.
. My purpose in life is to know all this about my Father, and to understand what He expects from me.
"You sum up the whole of the New Testament teaching in a single phrase if you speak of it as a revelation of the fatherhood of the Holy Creator.If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child and having God as His Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and his prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means he does not understand Christianity very well at all.'Father' is the Christian name for God"
Dr J.I. Packer in, Knowing God p 182.
Glory.
. I am called to bring glory to God.
. The basic meaning of the word 'glory' (Kabowd) in the O.T. is 'weighty'. It refers to a heavy weight, or wealth and reputation, the fullness of something.
. As a flower reveals what a green plant is, so too glory speaks of God revealing Himself in space and time so that we can know Him
"A person of glory was a person of weightiness, influence, power, prestige."
Prof Brueggemann in Reverberations of Faith, p 87
. God wants to be known and revealed Himself to Adam and Eve after the fall. He also made Himself known to Cain and Abel, and those who were open to Him. At a later stage he called Abram whilst Abram was in the city of Haran (whose inhabitants worshipped the moon god)..
"The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran." Acts 7:2
. Even the magicians in Egypt knew about the presence of God (exodus 8:19), as did wayward kings (Nebuchadnezzar Da 4:37 and Belshazzer - Dan 5). God's desire to be known and understood is also seen in his dealings with Jonah and the response of the King of Ninevah (Jonah 3:6-7).
. Rahab the prostitute could understand something of who God was through His dealings with Israel and surrounding nations (note that she called God by his covenant name - 'Lord').
"Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, "I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you." Joshua 2:8-10
. As we have already noted, a flower is in one sense the glory of a plant, since it reveals what the green plant really is.
. Glory is about how God reveals Himself in space and time in a way which points to who He is. In light of this it is hardly surprising that He will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8).
"From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages."
Psalm 50:2-3
. God's power and glory is seen in a world where other gods supposedly have sovereignty. He reaches forth (as into Egypt) in ways whereby all can know who He is (eg: 1 Sam 5 - Dagon; Daniel 5 - writing on the wall of the palace in Babylon).
. The word for glory in the N.T. is 'doxa' and this word comes from the root word 'dokeo' meaning 'to think or suppose; thought or opinion. In light of this we see that the glory of God is that which is absolutely true and changeless. It speaks of a God who makes known the true way of life and values etc.
. This is in stark contrast to man's worldly 'glory' that is often based on error. For example, Jesus was persecuted for breaking the Jews concept of the Sabbath. For this they tried to kill him..
".but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" John 5:42-44
. Glory is about the revelation of God. For example Moses beheld something of the glory of God on the mountain at a time when God said.
"And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7
. We are called to givie glory to God by recognising and submitting to Him. In this we are able to begin to become the people we were created to be.
Jesus:
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14.
. Jesus continuously showed man that God was willing to be with people, and in doing so always pointed away from man to the greatness of His heavenly Father.
. Jesus came to bring order into the chaos of our own existence, and through His gracious intervention He birthed hope into hopeless (from a worldly perspective) situations.
"The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." Matthew 11:5
. Ultimately God reaches out to fallen man through His Son.
"Had Jesus not veiled his preincarnate glory, mankind would not have been able to behold him. It would have been the same as when the apostle John, over fifty years after Christ's resurrection, beheld Christ in his glory and said: 'I fell at his feet as though dead' (Rev 1:17); or as when Isaiah beheld the glory of the Christ in his vision in the temple and said, "Woe to me! I am ruined"! (Isa 6:5; see John 12:41)."
Dr R. Rhodes in Christ Before The Manger, p 195
. Due to the work of Christ we are able to come home to God and develop our true potential as a son or daughter. This potential is not seen, first or foremost in our achievements or worldly success, but in the development of nature and character.
. In all things we are called to point to God.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Cor 4:7
. The gospel (treasure in jars of clay) speaks of the rich blessings of God to those who deserve nothing yet are open to His leading.
. Although we struggle, and often fail we recognise that ultimately all is ours because of Christ alone.
" For the love of God means that God accepts him who knows that he is unacceptable This is the meaning of Paul's closing words, "In Christ Jesus our Lord,".His image gives us the certainty that even our hearts, our self-accusation, our despair about ourselves cannot separate us from the love of God, the ultimate unity, the source and ground of the courage to accept life."
Dr P. Tillich, The New Being, p 59
Glory to God:
"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
John 15:8
. In speaking of the glory of God, we speak of the gracious way in which God works in space and time to draw others to Himself.
. In creation the glory of God speaks of His workmanship in the universe (Psalm 19:1-2), this ultimately pointing to a perfect designer. This designer is also the one who sees a glass of water given in His name (Mark 9:41).
. It is through His intervention that slaves were able to leave Egypt (Exo 20:8; Deut 5:15) and become a nation. Israel was constantly called to remember that all blessing comes from God and not human strength or ingenuity.
. At a later point in history, God's glory descended on the newly-built temple at the time of its dedication.
"When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And then priests could not perform their sacrifice because of the cloud for the glory of the LORD filled his temple." 1 Kings 8:10ff
. God brings glory to Himself (points us to our only hope) by showing us what He is like through His great acts of mercy. We are called to point to Him in actions and words by living as He calls us to live. This is our purpose in life.
. Despite our imperfections man can bring glory to God, because our heavenly Father is a God of grace and mercy who provides the wisdom, knowledge, understanding and power by which we can, in word and action, point to Him.
".yes, the Old Testament believes God is the Father of Israel as a people, but that God is my Father and your Father - that takes a lot of believing. It takes a lot of believing to believe that God, the maker of heaven and earth, God Almighty, immortal, invisible, that God is my Father. And when you say 'My Father' it means He is interested in me and everything about me."
D.T. Niles in 'What is The Church For?" quoted in Twenty Centuries of Great Preaching vol 12 p 209f
. We are able to bring glory to God through His work (Psalm 1:3ff) and grow (Eph 4:15) in and by the work of His Spirit (Prov 2; Rom 12:2).
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." Romans 8:18-21
God's Spirit With Us.
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21
. Peter uses the word 'hupogrammos' (example) that literally means, 'to write under, to trace under.'
. The picture this word paints is that of a child being taught to write. A wax tablet would have words traced in it and then the teacher would place his hand over the child's and trace the words with a stylus.
. In this picture God shows that He is the one who enables us to be the example we are called to be. His hand, so to speak, leads and guides us in all things.
"Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law of because you believe what you heard?" Galatians 3:5
. The word 'Epichoregomai' (give) is a word that speaks of abundant blessing - ti speaks of being completely supplied.
. The first part of the word is where our English word 'epic' comes from.
. The second part (choregomai) originated from an Athenian practice.
. Athens was known as a city that put on great plays. In the play a choir would often play the part of one person. It was the practice that a wealthy businessman who had benefited from the city would pay for the choir to be clothed, housed and fed. This is where the word 'choregomai' originated. So it speaks of abundant blessing from another.
But the fruit of the Sprit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23
. We have a Father who is awesomely holy and seeks to draw us from the negative and rebellious ways of the world. He does this by manifesting His gory is space and time so that we can know Him. Ultimately He is known through the work of His Son Jesus Christ. He has left His Spirit to enable us to become in experience what we already are in position - His children.
The ways of the world - the glory of man outside of Christ.
. Western society is often built around the assumption that achieving ones personal goals is what life is all about. Due to this many see those around them as a competitor in life and strive to show that they can achieve and are of value.
. Schools often teach evolution as fact, leaving the youth of today thinking they are nothing special unless they are involved in some sport, have an academic flair, or display the latest fashion.
. In our fragmented society many are uncared for, don't have anyone to talk to, and struggle with just getting through the day, let alone the week.
. In light of this how do we think most people in our community view life? For example, what do young adolescents see as their purpose in life? What do people think, 'making it' is all about?
" Men and women nonetheless strive to exhibit a special meaning in their individual lives, to establish themselves as personally unconventional and unique, and therefore irreducible to the mass in which all selves become but statistical averages. The artist seeks to set reality to a new symphony of colour and melody; the scientist to unveil the still hidden secrets of cosmic behaviour.Men will sacrifice everything for a career or profession that dignifies life with prominence and meaning, and subordinate all else to it, pitifully unaware how much this idolatry ultimately mirrors their deepest self-interest."
Prof C. Henry in, God, Revelation and Authority, Vol 1,p 142.
. Many people would see their purpose in life as getting a good job and being financially stable, whilst others look for recognition and a good position among peers.
. Whilst there is nothing wrong with a good job etc, we run into trouble if it is the only driving force behind all we do.
. This is because success at work, financial gain and fame will not bring the lasting happiness or security we assume. It also leaves us with self on our own hands and the need to control our environment in order to feel good about self.
. Many in our society are disillusioned and are fed up with putting up a front as if everything is OK.
. Even when they do achieve what they assume is their purpose in life, they still end up wondering what life is all about.
. We were not created to live on our own with our own blueprints concerning how to live.
. We were created to bring glory to our heavenly Father in word and deed - to point to whom we belonged to in thought and action. Yet how could this ministry develop after Adam and Eve fell into sin?
. Through the grace and mercy of God.
The Prophetic Ministry
. What is a prophet? A prophet is a person who speaks and hears what he or she understands from another.
"A prophet is somebody who is close to God. He or she is expected to be able to discern what God thinks about a given situation, what his attitude is toward their behaviour in the past, what he requires of them in the present and how he will act in their future. A prophet is a living example of insight, dedication, holiness and commitment (Deut 18:5-22; 2 Kings 4:9). A prophet is a person with a particular calling to see or hear what God is saying, living it out in their lives and proclaiming it to the people round about."
The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, page 671.
. Prophetic ministry is about receiving and giving out. The prophet receives wisdom, knowledge and understanding concerning who God is, our world, and what God says about this world and all who are in it.
. He or she recognises that they are only able to know God because of His grace and mercy.
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11
"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." 1 Peter 1:23
. Throughout scripture we see that a prophet was one who saw the world within the framework of God's revelation, and brought God's word to bear on the life of a community that had often begun to accept other worldviews.
"For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from
God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
2 Peter 1:21.
. For our personalities to develop and function properly we need to look away from self to God. He alone holds the real blueprint to life. He alone knows how things should be, how they really are, and how they are going to be. The prophet sought to help man turn away from self to God.
"Traditionally, Christian theology has.sought to lead men to the only "Authority" that can create "authentic individuality", the God who revealed Himself in the living Word - Jesus Christ - through the written Word, Holy Scripture."
Prof J.W. Montgomery in The Suicide of Christian Theology, p 22.
. The main emphasis of a prophet's message was about righteousness, social justice, mercy, grace, humility, and truth.
. A prophet was a revealer of God's grace, (even when the message was one of judgement) as prophets sought to challenge and turn people from their rebellious and destructive ways to enter into the 'rest' of the Lord.
"Prophecy is essentially a ministry of disclosure, a stripping bare. Israel's great prophets do not merely lift the veil of the future in order to destroy false expectations; at the same time, they expose the conduct of their contemporaries.Prophets tear the masks away and show the true face of the people behind them."
Prof H.W. Wolff in Confrontations With Prophets, p35.
. The prophet voiced our heavenly Fathers call to His people, challenging them to reorientate the minds and embrace all that had been done to enable them to find and enjoy fullness of life. This did not mean that it would always be easy; but it was a call to life in the Father.
. Even amidst judgement we often find the amazing grace of God being spoken through the words of the prophet about a Messiah whom would one day come to earth to help those who were by nature His enemies.
"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty with accomplish this."
Isaiah 9:6-7
. This is a reminder that even in judgment we can see God's concern for people. This concern can be seen in many unexpected areas. For example: The flood did not come upon the earth until 120 years after it was first alluded to (Gen 6:14). God waited for the sin of the Amorites to reach fullness (Gen 16:15). God always told His people why He was bringing judgement upon them (e.g. Jeremiah 21:14 - because of Jerusalem's pride).
".But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, 'This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt, or when the committed awful blasphemies. Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take."
Nehemiah 9:17-19
. When we speak of our purpose in life as being to exercise a prophetic ministry, we are simply saying that we are called to bring the whole counsel of God to bear on life.
. It is God who helps us make sense of this world. He has the real blueprint - all others are counterfeits. He helps us to understand life through the way He speaks and moves in history.
. To capture something of the impact that words can have upon our heart and mind let's look at the words of Helen Keller, who was born blind, deaf and dumb. The following story speaks of how she learnt about words.
"Someone was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over my hand she spelled into the other the word 'water', first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motion of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as if something forgotten - a thrill of returning though; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me. I knew then that w-a-t-e-r meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand. The living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, and set it free. There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that in time could be swept away. I left the well-house eager to learn. Everything had a name and each name gave birth to a new thought. As we returned to the house, every objected which I touched seemed to quiver with life, and that was because I saw everything with the strange new sight that had come to me."
Quoted by Prof A. Custance in, "Who Taught Adam To Speak', pages 9-10.
. Ann Sullivan, Helen's teacher, also recorded the above-mentioned incident from her perspective.
" I must write you a line this morning, because something very important has happened. Helen has taken the second great step in her education. She has learned that everything has a name and that the manual alphabet is the key to everything she wants to know.
This morning, while she was washing, she wanted to know the name for 'water'. When she wants to know the name of anything, she points to it, and pats my hand. I spelled w-a-t-e-r and thought no more about it until after breakfast.(later on) we went to the pump house, and I made Helen hold her mug under the spout while I pumped. As the cold water gushed forth, filling the mug, I spelled w-a-t-e-r in Helen's free hand. The word coming so close under the sensation of cold water rushing over her hand seemed to startle her. She dropped the mug and stood as one transfixed. A new light came into her face. She spelled 'water' several times. Then she dropped on the ground and asked for its name, and pointed to the pump and trellis and suddenly turning round she asked for my name. I spelled 'teacher.' All the way back to the house she was highly excited, and learned the name of every object she touched, so that in a few hours she had added thirty new words to her vocabulary.And we notice that her face grows more expressive every day."
. Ann Sullivan, (Keller's teacher) had spent many of her own childhood years in a mental asylum having been written off as a severely unstable and hopeless case.
. It was the love of Jesus shown through a Salvation Army woman that drew her out of herself and helped her make sense of the world.
. This Salvation Army woman had a prophetic ministry (as we all do!), and because of this she did not 'read' Ann Sullivan as many did. She did not see her as a hopeless case, and saw her as someone made in the image of God; someone to care for and someone to help.
. Because of God's gracious intervention through this Salvation Army lady, Ann was eventually able to break free from the 'prison' of her own thinking.
. Our minds were made to function by looking away from ourselves to God. I am to define all life with reference to God. It is God's word that defines what life is all about and how it is to be lived.
. We are called to bring God's word to bear upon all areas of life: to show others what God is like in both word and deed.
. If the impact of God's word cannot be see in our lives (primarily righteousness of character before all else), it probably cannot be seen in our actions either!! We need to be looking away from self and yielding to the Lord. It is in doing this that we begin to really understand our purpose in life - our prophetic ministry.
. We are able to look away from self to God because God has drawn close enough for us to see Him. He communicates so perfectly that everyone has the chance to know Him, if they approach with the right attitude of heart.
. The question we need to be asking ourselves is, "do we have the right attitude"?
Adam's Prophetic Ministry.
. In Genesis 1:27b we read that God created Adam to rule over creation. Shortly after this we read of God bringing all the animals to Adam and allowing him to name them:
"And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and the all the beats of the field." Genesis 2:19-20
. In Hebrew thought the naming of a person or object often had to do with understanding something of the character and nature of that which was named.
. A modern day example: In Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dopey is called Dopey because he is Dopey. His name tells us something of his nature and character.
. In naming the animals we see that Adam had perception and understanding concerning God's world.
. Adam understood God's world from God's perspective. He saw and understood what God said and did. This was possible because of the relationship that God was forging with man.
. God wants us to know Him as our heavenly Father and experience the love that He has for us.
Abel's Prophetic Ministry.
".Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the
blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah" Luke 11:50-51
Enoch's prophetic ministry.
. In Jude 14 we read that Enoch prophesied against the evil of his day. He had a prophetic ministry.
"Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
Lamech's (of Seth) prophetic Ministry.
"He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed." Genesis 5:29
. Noah's name sounds like the Hebrew word for comfort and means 'rest'.
. Lamech's own father's name was Methuselah's (named by Enoch, Lamech's Grandfather). Methuselah's name means "When he dies then it comes; He has sent His death." This refers to the flood. Note that Methuselah was the longest living man in the Bible (969). So what do we see in all of this?
. We see men who, in real a sense, 'reading' the world through God's revelation concerning life. Think about it.
. In scripture the number 7 speaks of perfection, of completion. In
Looking at the 7th from Adam through Cain (Lamech) and the 7th from Adam through Seth (Enoch) we see the fruit of both lineages. Lamech was a law unto self, and shut in with his own worldview. Enoch walked with God and knew what God was doing.
"By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Heb 11:5-6
. In the lineage of Cain and Seth we see, on the one hand, the effect of sin, and on the other the fruit of serving the Lord.
. The people around us will have influenced our lives to a greater or lesser degree.
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
Exodus 20:4-6.
"Honour your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
Deuteronomy 5:16
. Following the teachings of the Lord as handed down by parents, enabled Israel to benefit from all of God's provisions for them.
. In Jeremiah 2 we read one of the charges against Israel in a 'lawsuit' speech where Israel were challenged for not seeking the Lord.
"They did not say, "Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and darkness, in a land that no one passes through, where no one lives?" I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat its fruit and its good things. But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, "Where is the Lord?"
Jeremiah 2:6-8
. Back in Genesis we see that Abraham was called a prophet in a situation where, in a worldly, sense, we would have expected God to judge him harshly.
"Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die." Genesis 20:7
. In Exodus (Exodus 15:20) Miriam (Moses sister) is called a prophetess. As a small child it would have been Miriam who watched over Moses' basket (Exodus 2:4-8), and in Micah 6:4 she is spoken of as one of Israel's leaders.
. Miriam recognised that everything that had come about for the good of Israel was due to God alone. She could understand who God was and relate who God was to all areas of her life because God is a communicator who reveals His nature and character in word and deed to a fallen world.
"By revelation is meant, then, not some vague, inarticulate awareness of God projected out of the human consciousness, but an intelligible, articulate revealing of God by God whom we are enabled to apprehend through the creative power His Word addressed to us, yet a revealing of God by God who is actualised within the conditions of our creaturely existence and therefore within the medium of our human thought and speech."
Prof T.F. Torrance in Reality and Evangelical Theology, p 85.
. In the O.T. we see that prophets were sensitive to the word of God and communicated the nature and character of God to their hearers through the message that had been given to them.
. They understood God as a covenant-making God (Hosea 2:16-10; Mal 1:1-3), and the supreme ruler of all things.
. The prophets recognised the universality of God's domain (Jonah 1:1; Malachi 1:11), and clearly saw Him as a God of justice (Mal 3:5), as well as a God of loving mercy (Jonah 4:11, Mal 1:2).
. Prophets were sensitive to sin and aware of the sometimes subtle difference between true religion and religion gone astray.
. They were never interested in outward forms of religiosity, but looked for the true religion of the heart (Isaiah 1:10-14).
. Bullies, power-grabbers, those who perverted truth, and those who abused the down-trodden were all seen for what they really were in the light of God's spoken word. Take the incident between Nathan and David for example!.
. People were warned of God's coming judgment (e.g. Ezek 22:17-22), yet were also made aware of God's promise of mercy to those who approached Him the right way (Isaiah 1:16-18; Jer 31:33).
. God always wants to be known, whether by a slave girl called Hagar (Genesis 16:13), or through prophets sent to challenge a people who should have known better.
. Throughout scripture the main prophetic utterances occurred abound times of public crisis in Israel and came through Amos, Isaiah, Hosea and Micah in the 8th century; Jeremiah Zephaniah. Nahum and Habakkuk in the 7th, with more from Jeremiah and Ezekiel in the 6th.
Jesus - The Prophet.
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe." Hebrews 1:1-2
. In Jesus we see in a unique way what God is like. We see the speech of eternity translated into the actions of time, dare we even say it: God made simple. In Jesus God stoops low.
"He was one with us because divine power was channelled into his human life through the mediation of the Spirit (c.f. Luke 4:13; Eph 3:20). He was unlike us because the true source of this power was in his own divine being, while for us, the power of God is a gift of his grace, his favour which we do not deserve (2 Cor 2:12). Incarnation (God becoming man) is the key to the first, indwelling (God living in man) the key to the second. This makes him truly human and yet truly divine."
Dr G. Grogan in What The Bible Teaches About Jesus, p 123.
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16
Modern Day Prophetic Ministry.
"When parents give a straightforward biological answer to sexual questions, they do not answer the children's question at all. He wants to know why he has a body, where it came from, and what it means for a self-conscious creature to be limited by it. He is asking about the ultimate mystery of life, not about the mechanics of sex. Sex is a disappointing answer to life's riddle, and if we pretend that it is an adequate one we are lying both to ourselves and to our children.'sex education' is a kind of wishful thinking, a rationalisation, and a pretence: we try to make believe that if we give instruction in the mechanics of sex we are explaining the mystery of life. We might say that modern man tries to replace vital awe and wonder with a "how to do it" manual.
Prof P.C. Vitz in Psychology as Religion, p147
. Our purpose in life is not to live by our own reasoning alone, but to seek to understand God's word so that we can discern what is good and right and just in all situations and circumstances.
. If we are not prepared to allow God to define life, then we fail to see our purpose in life and will suffer through ignorance, rebellion and the building of systems of belief that we invariably become enslaved to (Rom 6:6ff).
. As Christians we have a prophetic calling and are not to be like those who see the world as a place in which to exploit or manipulate others in for personal gain. Neither is it a place where we ignore others whilst we build our own castles. Instead, we know that this world belongs to another.
. We are to see our fellow human beings as those made in the image of God and reach out to them accordingly.
. We know that we have been placed in this world (an expression of God's goodness), in order to benefit and receive from Him.
. The believer who exercises a prophetic ministry realises that God alone is loving and just, holy and righteous a God who looks after the alien, poor and oppressed.
"What sort of Person is God? Christ's answer is quite unequivocal . He is 'the Father'.If, once we accept it as true that the whole Power behind this astonishing universe is of that kind of character that Christ could only describe as 'Father', then whole of life is transfigured."
J.B. Phillips in 'Your God is Too Small' p88-89
The Wisdom of God.
. The main Hebrew word for wisdom is 'Chockmah', and the primary meaning is, 'to fasten', 'to hold on to.' God is the possessor of all wisdom and we, as believers are called to hold to the ways of the Lord.
. In clear distinction from the wisdom of other cultures, we see in the Bible that OT wisdom is the teaching of a personal God who is perfect in all His ways. Therefore, wisdom speaks of a way of thinking and an attitude towards life that comes from the Lord.
. The one who is wise is one who has the ability to use knowledge the right way and at the right time. This gives us a picture of dexterity and discernment of heart and mind.
. The main N.T. word for wisdom is 'sophia,' meaning on the one hand capability and skill/experience and on the other a deep insight into the significance of the task of life.
. Therefore it implies skill in the affairs of life along with the idea of sound judgement and good sense.
"Wisdom resides with God alone. It permeates all of his creative work. In mankind it finds expression in his amazing technical genius. But human ingenuity cannot find wisdom. Neither can all the wealth that man can wrestle from the earth purchase it. Wisdom for mankind can only be discovered in a devout relationship with God." Prof J. Hartley, Job p384.
. Wisdom ties in with our purpose in life. We are called to a prophetic ministry; to live out in word and deed what we find to be true concerning God.
. If we are living the way God intends man to live in relationship with Him then we are conscientious people (Prov 6:6-8) who exercise self-control (Prov 15:32) and are open to the Lord's leading (Prov 9:8-9). In stark contrast to this those who are not following the way of wisdom do little more than damage themselves.
"The wisdom of God is clearly seen in Jesus who is the outworking of God's purposes, and the Incarnate Son of God. In the weakness and frailty of flesh Jesus showed the universe that God's way of living had always been the right and only way of living (wisdom is proved right by her actions Mat 11:9b). Jesus exercised true discernment in all areas of life, this flowing out of the deep intimacy of agape love given and received in His relationship with His heavenly Father. From His life we see that wisdom speaks of a greater depth of penetration and insight than is signified by mere knowledge or understanding."
Prof J. Warwick Montgomery, The Suicide of Christian Theology, p 387.
. Our purpose in life is to live as intelligent, upright, and well-informed children of the living God. We are to receive, experience and impart His love to others as we move into maturity of being and wholeness of life in Him.
"See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people"
Deuteronomy 4:5-6
Being taught from a very young age.
. In early Jewish society children were regarded as the most important people in the community. There was a great emphasis on teaching them wisdom, knowledge and understanding concerning the ways of God and how they were to live their lives (Deut 4:9-10).
. As a child in Israel your parents would teach you that the God who had brought your family into a covenant relationship was the creator of the heavens and the earth. He was no local deity.
. You would watch your parents and learn how they worked with the land, gaining insight into the rhythm of life as season followed season.
. As a child you would learn what it meant to rest on the 7th day as you saw your parents clearly acknowledging that all good things came from the hand of the Lord.
. At a very young age you would also begin to see that this God who upheld the Universe is morally upright in all His ways.
. You would see that God was devastatingly holy, yet that you could approach Him through His provision, and never by your own good works.
. You would know from God's dealings with your people that God is gracious and compassionate.
. As a child you would hear how Israel had come into the land and you would learn about and see the outworking of the three great national feasts and festivals: Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.
. In the celebration of Passover you would be taught about your forefathers deliverance from Egypt as if it were your own (Exodus 13:8).
. At the Passover the priest would take a sheaf of barley from the ground, perhaps from the area your parents farmed, and wave it before the Lord in recognition of His goodness.
. Then, at Pentecost, (50 days later at the beginning of June) two loaves of barley would be baked and brought before the Lord. God seeks to bless abundantly. His Spirit was given to the church on the 50th day.
. Later in the year there would be the feast of Tabernacles., a reminder of desert wanderings and God's provision.
"Before there was ever a school to teach him, a son would learn from his father the history of his country, the holy righteousness of God, and the bounty of God in the world of nature."
Dr W. Barclay in Educational Ideas in the Ancient World p 22-23.
. Think of the worldview that a child brought up according to God's word has.
. Think of the security he or she would find in all they saw and learnt.
. For example, in all their teaching and growth in wisdom, knowledge and understanding they would clearly see that God is a liberator of oppressed people, and a provider of blessing to those who deserve nothing.
. They would see that God accepted them through His work alone; the work of a loving Father.
"The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130
. Prophecy is not just about writing history before it all happens. It is about receiving revelation and passing it on to others.
. Prophecy assures us that God is both the Master and interpreter of all history: past, present and future, and He holds your life in His hands.
. Who are we? We are people who have a prophetic ministry. We are those called to bring glory to our heavenly Father, the only hope for humanity.
The Challenge.
. Prophetic speech challenges a world that seeks safety and security in its own plans and actions. It reveals that history does not begin, nor continue with human initiative or cleverness. It begins with God who holds all things in His hands.
. The history of God's people begins with miracles that are discerned, construed, celebrated and confessed. Hence we are 'His workmanship' (Eph 2:10). Nothing is too hard for God.
. When speaking to Abraham's wife, (who had laughed when Abraham was told he would have a son), the angel of the Lord said, "Is anything too hard for God?" (Genesis 18:1-15).
. The Hebrew word for 'hard' is 'pala,' meaning, 'to do something wonderful, to do something extraordinary or difficult.'
. The means whereby Abraham and Sarah receive an inexplicable future is through a 'pala,' something that their world had defined as impossible.
. Human history continues because the God who visited Abraham and Sarah and who worked a 'pala' continues to keep open historical, human possibilities beyond human expectation.
. One of the primal pala's ('to do something wonderful) in the ancient world is the event of the Exodus. The tight birth control of the Egyptian empire is broken (Ex 1:15-22), the oppressive shackles of Egypt are broken and people are led out of captivity by a man who'd been sentenced to death as a baby, and then brought up in the very household from which that sentence had issued.
. God works in wondrous and often unexpected ways to help his people see Him and understand what life is all about.
. In Jesus we see the full embodiment of the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament. In Him we see wonders worked and impossibilities enacted.
. In Him is all power for newness and an authority that could not be nullified.
. In Jesus we see that the love of God is not destroyed by man's wickedness, and continues to reach out to those who deserve nothing.
. Through His presence the lame walked, the deaf heard, the lepers were cleansed, the dead were raised, and good news is preached to the poor - they were important to God, and there was a way in which they could find forgiveness and reconciliation (Luke 7:22-23). Even death could not hold Jesus. (Acts 2:24).
. Jesus speaks and enacts the holy word of God in ways that pluck up and tear down, that plant and build. In Him we see the word, will, purpose and intent of God (John 1:3), our loving heavenly Father.
. We are called to speak God's word into every area of life. His word is that which unsettles every status quo that offends holiness and mocks justice.
. Prophetic ministry speaks of interpersonal relationships, as we live out the ways of God in community. We are continuously called to say no to the ways of sin, and reach out to all people as those made in the image of God.
. Prophetic ministry involves the grace, love, mercy, and compassion of the Lord as He works with us and through us in all areas of life. Even when we have to challenge others, our purpose should always be reconciliation above all else, for without God there is no hope for man.
