Crossing Our Jordan Rivers

 

Joshua 3:5-17

Israel Crosses the Jordan

After the death of Moses, Joshua took over to be the leader of the Israelites. And he wanted to lead the Israelites to cross over the River of Jordan and enter the Promised Land.

Joshua Chapter Three recorded a very wonderful act of the LORD when the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River. God parted the waters of Jordan and made the ground dried up so that the whole Israelites could walk on the dry ground, like how the Israelites crossed through the Red Sea.

After the crossing, 4:22-24 recorded the words of Joshua to the Israelites:

“Tell them, Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan like what He had done to the Red Sea when He dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples on the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

When the Bible said that the waters were parted, and the dry ground surfaced, it did carry a very important theological meaning. This indicates that the Almighty God overcame the power of darkness, symbolized by the parting of waters. We must return to the situation in Genesis Chapter 1, where it describes:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” （Genesis 1:1-2）

The whole universe was just the primordial waters, and it was waters of evil, chaos and confusion. The Spirit of the LORD hovering over the waters means God was confronting the evil forces—waters (v.2).

And God followed by saying, “Let there be a vault (expanse, canopy) between the waters to separate the water from water.”

So, God made the vault and separated the waters under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear. And it was so.” （Genesis 1:6,7,9）.

In the culture of Ancient Near East, the great waters represent the power and strength of darkness, and hence, when Genesis was written in such a way, it also intended to tell us that, God has subdued the power of wickedness and devils at the time of His creation.

However, He didn’t destroy the waters of wickedness. He just parted it and allowed the dry ground to appear! We wait until Christ return on the evil forces will vanish. In Revelation 21:1, “Then I saw A new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”

In the Exodus story, when the Israelites faced the Red Sea, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and throughout that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. And the waters were divided. The Israelites went through the Sea on dry ground, and they got rid of the pursuit of the Pharaoh’s army. (Exodus 14:21)

Exodus is God’s salvation for the Israelites out of slavery. God’s power superseded all powers of darkness, and He rescued and released His people from the power of darkness.

Therefore, after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites praised God and said, “The Lord is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is His name.” (Exodus 15:2-3)

The LORD – Jehovah is a warrior, and He overcomes the power of darkness, and delivers His people out of the darkness. His purpose was to bring them into the Land of Canaan, where he would dwell in their midst. For He rescues us not merely out of the power of darkness and corruption, but into a life of abundance and victory, in His presence in the Promised Land.

Under the leadership of Joshua, once again, God had parted the waters of Jordan, and the dry ground appeared. The Israelites no longer wandered in the wilderness, but they entered God’s abundance. From the creation of the heavens and the earth, to the time the Israelites crossed the Rea Sea and Jordan River, we saw the manifestation of God’s power.

God demonstrated His power not only in the ancient times, but He manifests His power in the Church and on us too this day. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world, walked with man and died on the cross. His death on the cross overcame the power of devil, Satan, so as to rescue us from the darkness, and enables us to receive new life and enter into glory with Him.

But where is the water in Christ’s salvation signifies?

Baptism. As we go through baptism which signifies new birth in Christ, we come out of water! Christ has delivered us out of the chaotic water!

We also note that during Jesus’ ministry on earth, he calmed the great storm. At that moment, Jesus’ disciples (some of them were fishermen) all thought that the storm would cost them lives. But Jesus got up and revealed God’s power. He rebuked the wind and the sea, and the water calmed down, and the disciples were saved (Luke 8:22-25).

Today, the Lord Jesus is with us in our lives and in the journey of our lives. He rescues us and leads us out from the darkness and into the light. He preserves us from the harm of pestilences and evil ones, and gives us health physically, mentally, and spiritually.

In our lives and ministry, and in all the things that we do, God wants to help us overcome all difficulties, just like how the Israelites were led through the Red Sea and the Jordan River. He helps us overcome all the hindrances and disruptions of the devil, i.e., Satan, and enables us to enter God’s abundance.

However, how then shall we experience God’s mighty salvation?

First, we must believe in God firmly, and trust that He is the God who can do wonders.

Before the Israelites entered the Canaan Land, there were only two spies who came back and reported, and said, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (Joshua 2:24)

These two spies believed in God, and they trusted deeply that God had already handed their enemies into their hands. We must have strong faith in order to see the wonderful acts of God.

If we were to be like the other ten faithless spies (Numbers 13:25-33), and do not believe God to bring us into victory, we will never move forward, and we can only remain wherever we are in our lives (wandering in the wilderness), and will never see God’s deeds.

Let us allow God to do miracles in our lives for he is our warrior, parting the waters and letting the dry ground appear. Have faith in God. We will see him working miracles in our lives.

Second, we must have the same heart and same mind in our spirit, and we must have unity in our action.

Joshua told to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So, they took it up and went ahead of them. (Joshua 3:2-6）

The hearts of the Israelites were united as one man, and they acted in one heart. The whole assembly consecrated themselves, and the priests carried the ark of covenant and walked before the people. The whole assembly moved together, and they saw the wonderful act of God. Joshua said,

“See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. This is how you will know that the living God is among you.” (Joshua 3:10）

“The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth” represents God’s presence. The ark was in the tabernacle, and it represents God’s presence with us.

The Gospel of John recorded that, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14), with the word “dwell” in its original text as “tabernacle”. Therefore, there is an English translation that says that God “did tabernacle among us” （YLT）; When Jesus Christ was incarnated, and He “dwells” among us, and it indicates that the tabernacle and the ark are with us.

When the ark of the covenant was before the people, and when it stopped in the middle of the River, God’s presence was there, and miracle happened. The waters were parted. They trusted the Lord firmly with one heart, and they acted with the same mind and unity. Together, they witnessed God’s works.

Crossing over the River of Jordan was just a beginning. Subsequent to it would be their victory over their enemies.

Application

Today, River Jordan is before us now. Let’s not be frightened by Jordan’s water. But instead, let’s go out together and step into the river by faith. It is not about the faith of the pastor alone or the church leadership, but the whole congregation must move ahead in one heart, one mind and with one action.

As we continue to faithfully participate in the church worship, in various ministries of the church and bringing in offering to God’s house, we will surely witness the miraculous works of God, and experience his bountiful grace individually and collectively as a church.

Conclusion

Our Lord is a true and living God, his presence is with us today, in the season of pandemic. And as we live in His presence, we shall be blessed. He is the God who overcomes all evil forces, including the damaging forces of pandemic Covid-19. He will part the waters so that the dry ground could appear before us.

Our Lord had rescued us out from the darkness and into the light, and He shall continue to lead us on.  We not only have had crossed over the Red Sea, but the Lord will also help us pass through “our River Jordan” and enter the life of abundance.

God is with us. How He was with Moses and Joshua, He shall be with us today too. He shall enter with us into the new year 2021, and He shall lead us to overcome many imperfections and difficulties in our lives, so that our lives will please Him more, and we shall become more abundant, revealing His glory.

May all brothers and sisters have a blessed and prosperous Chinese New Year and may you progress into the abundance of the Promised land in the days ahead, as you walk with the Lord faithfully. God be with you all, and He shall make a way for you in the desert, before the Red Sea and before the river Jordan. Amen!

God’s Promise Comes True

Matthew 1:17-25

Jesus Is Born

The angel appeared in the dream of Joseph and told him of the fact behind the pregnancy of Mary, that she was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The angel then encouraged Joseph to take Mary as his wife and instructed him to give the son the name “Jesus” (Matthew 1:18-25）.

The Greek word for “Jesus” is Ἰησοῦς, and its Hebrew’s transliteration is “Joshua” (Joshua 1:1) or “Jeshua” (Ezra 2:2), which means “The LORD saves.”

The name, “Jesus,” has the meaning of “the LORD saves”. The declaration of the angels explains specifically that the birth of Jesus comes with the mission of rescuing His people from their sins.

This phrase indicates not only the purpose of the birth of Jesus Christ, but at the same time, reveals the faithfulness and lovingkindness of God towards His people.

It shows that God kept His covenant firmly as He realized His promises to Abraham and David. God revealed His love for His people who sinned, and He showed His grace and forgave them, and He rescued them from their sins.

This message is the very core of the book of Matthew in part where the genealogy of Jesus Christ is recorded. The conclusion of this genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17) is that, from Abraham to David, it adds up to fourteen generations, and from David to the time of exile to Babylon also adds up to fourteen generation; And from exile to Babylon to Christ is another fourteen generations (Matthew 1:17).

We can see that the genealogy recorded by Matthew is an abstraction of the Israelite history, where it reflects the three main focuses in the history of Israel: Abraham, David and the captivity to Babylon. Ultimately it points towards a grand new season, where Christ Jesus was born, and He shall rescue His people from their sins.

From Abraham to David

The story of the Israelites started from Abraham. The Israelites are the descendants of Abraham (Matthew 3:9). They were chosen as God’s people, and it was based on the covenant that made between God and Abraham.

God covenanted with Abram and promised him that He would make his descendants a great nation, and they would possess the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:7-21).

When it came to the time of Moses, the Israelites were settled down in Egypt for four hundred years. They were slaves of Pharaoh. God remembered His promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; thus, He rescued the Israelites out of the slavery of the Egyptians (Exodus 2:24).

God covenanted with them on Mount Sinai, and made the Israelites His own people and He, their God (Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 11:4). God led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, and they possessed the land as their inheritance.

When it came to the times of David, all the enemies in the land of Canaan were destroyed, and the Israelites enjoyed peace from all sides in the Promised Land, and the land enjoyed the fulfillment of its promised Sabbath (2 Samuel 7:1). God gave more grace to David, and He promised that the house of David and his kingdom shall be established forever (2 Samuel 7:1-16).

“From Abraham to David,” we witness of God’s faithfulness towards His people. Since the day God made His covenant with Abraham, He led the Israelites step by step until they experienced peace from all sides. God is faithful and whatever He has promised, He will fulfill it.

From David to Exile in Babylon

“From Abraham to David” reminds us how blessed the Israelites were; But “from David to exile in Babylon,” we feel sorry for the unfaithfulness of the Israelites which lasted long. Their captivity was the result of not obeying God’s law. They violated the Sinai Covenant (Deuteronomy 28:36-37, 63-64).

Twice, Matthew mentioned in the genealogy about the event of exile in Babylon (Matthew 1:11,12), and he mentioned again in the conclusion (Matthew 1:17). It revealed that the history of Israel was gloomed over the sin of rebellion against God’s covenant.

The Israelites had deserted God for a long time, and they refused to keep His commandments. God’s people were rebellious and they had violated His Laws, and finally they were captured into the Babylon. They fell under the punishment of God.

However, God is faithful. He had covenanted with Abraham to bless his descendants. His lovingkindness toward the Israelites was unfailing. He was willing to pardon them. He had stipulated in the prophets’ message there will be a time of restoration after His punishment. Though God’s people were captured because of their sins, they could return to their Promised Land once they repented and turned back to God (Deuteronomy 30:1-6).

All the prophecies that were spoken through the prophets gave hope to God’s people who were in captivity, that in the end, God shall bring them back to their homeland. They shall become God’s people again, and God will be their God. The descendants of David will reign forever.

From the exile to Babylon to Christ

The Israelites returned to their Promised Land after seventy years of captivity in Babylon, and they rebuilt the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. However, their rulers were not descendants of David, but the King of Persians instead.

They prayed sorrowfully to God in face of such a situation, and said, “But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces.” (Nehemiah 9:36)

They still waited for God to raise a descendant of David as their king to rule over them.

“From the exile of Babylon to Christ”, the captivity history finally came to its end with Christ’s advent. The Greek word for Christ” is “χριστός” which means “Messiah –the Anointed”.

The book of Matthew starts with a reference that Jesus Christ is the descendant of David (Matthew 1:1), and it indicates that Jesus is the descendant of David, the One who reigns forever, and who will rule over God’s people.

The coming of Jesus Christ signified the end of the captivity, and the dawn of a new era. Jesus would rescue His people from their sins. The captivity ended, and the sin of God’s people was forgiven, and God’s promise was fulfilled.

 I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.……” (Jeremiah 33:7-8)

The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfil the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. (Jeremiah 33:14-15)

Jesus Christ is the descendant of David who reigns forever, and He shall execute justice over the whole earth. He is the descendant of Abraham who shall be a blessing to all nations, and He came to the world to be the atonement for all mankind (Matthew 20:28). He shed His blood that the sins of men may be forgiven (Matthew 26:28).

The birth of Jesus Christ indicates again God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness. He fulfilled His promise and gave grace with the forgiveness of sin. God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness are not merely revealed to the Israelites, but to us today also.

May we receive the grace of salvation which follows the birth of Jesus Christ, and may we experience God’s faithfulness and lovingkindness throughout our lifetime. And may we be the earnest disciples of Christ who will spread the gospel to the entire the world.

Jesus Christ is Immanuel, God with US

Jesus Christ is Immanuel, God with US

Christmas Eve is such a grand festival in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. Let’s look at this Hebrew word “Immanuel” in the Bible, relates to the good news—Gospel, for all mankind.

The word “Immanuel” first appeared in the Old Testament (Isaiah 7:14; 8:8), and then it appeared in the New Testament (Matthew 1:23). We will place the two scriptures in parallel, and look at them as follow:

Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Matthew 1:20-23: “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’”

The imminent birth of Jesus Christ was announced by the angels as Immanuel—God with us. So, the “Immanuel” mentioned in the Old Testament is pointing to Jesus Christ. Or, Jesus’ birth fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about 600 years ago.

You see, God created all things and fills all things. He wants to be with us that we can see Him with our own eyes, touch Him with our own hands, and know His presence with us. In order to do so, the most direct way was for Him to become like man, to dwell with the human beings, and to live among them.

The book of John starts with a very powerful tone by combining Jesus and the “Word” and make the two become one. John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:4) The Word became flesh (incarnated) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John1:14）

As a witness, John saw Jesus Christ and His glory, and heard His instructions, and followed His footsteps. John understood very well that Jesus Christ is the Word and Only Son of God, and He became flesh through the Holy Spirit who overshadowed Mary the virgin. He took the form of man and appeared in one of the historical periods of mankind. That’s why Jesus is called Immanuel-God with us.

2000 years ago, Jesus lived among man with a mission, that is to fulfill a great salvation plan to rescue mankind from their sins. Therefore, Jesus Christ was born, and He preached the Gospel, suffered death to bear penalty of sin for us, and most importantly, He was resurrected from the dead!

During the time of Jesus Christ, people experienced His physical presence with them, and they enjoyed His grace and truth personally. Not only that, “God is with us” is a truth still happens this day, and every Christian can experience it.

After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is present with the believers in ways where they are able to sense Him, and this was equally a historical reality.

May every guest, friend and relative who are here tonight receive Jesus as your Savior and your God. You will surely enjoy the blessing and promises of Jesus, who will be with you, for he is Immanuel, God with us.

Jesus’ Seven “I am” Statements

 

Exodus 3:11-17; John 8:52-59

Jesus says, I am….

Jesus Christ once used “I am” as a way for self-introduction, and it is similar to how the LORD—Jehovah, introduced Himself to Moses in the Old Testament, where He says, “I am who I am.” Hence, the LORD in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New Testament are One, though the Father and the Son both have their own personality and work.

Jesus Christ has declared Himself seven times as “I am” with explanations in the Gospel of John. Let’s come and examine each of them, hence we can expound the identity and work of Jesus.

First, “I am the Bread of Life”

The first “I am” used by Jesus is the bread of life. The crowd in the Sea of Galilee was so enthralled with Jesus’ preaching that they forgot to dismiss, and Jesus showed them mercy by feeding them 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Therefore, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

You eat when you are hungry, and you drink when you are thirsty. How about your life, the life that you walk with God? Do you eat the spiritual food that is given by Jesus?

We can only quench our spiritual thirst and maintain our spiritual life by keeping a right relationship with Christ. If we walk with Christ daily, we will be able to experience Christ Jesus as the bread and living water of our lives. Then our lives will be full of joy, love, hope and power.

Second, “I am the light of the world”

The second of “I am” for Jesus is that He is the light of the world, and He is also the light of life.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk-in darkness, but will have the light of life.” （John 8:12）

When Jesus was arrested, He said, “when the darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53). Darkness is in stark contrast with light, and it will be impossible for someone who follows Jesus to walk in the darkness. For when light comes, darkness will flee.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” Light means God’s presence shining on us, and protecting us, leading us and reflecting His light through us, so that the world of darkness can be brightened.

Is Jesus your light this day? Are you shining for Jesus? Follow Jesus and walk with Him, and submit to His teachings, and you shall surely walk in the light. Darkness shall not overcome you, but you are to disperse the darkness, and shine forth your light in all things, to witness the saving power of the Lord.

Third, “I am the Gate”

The third “I am” of Jesus is that He is the gate of the sheep pen, which allows His sheep to go in and come out, and serves as a means to protect them.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

This gate can be reckoned as the gate of salvation. We need to pass through this gate in order to receive God’s salvation. Jesus shall give us a safe protection.

The first meaning of Jesus being the gate is that we shall receive salvation as well as life through Him. The second meaning is that we will “find pasture”.

“Find pasture” means our living is secured. You receive life and you need to receive security for your daily living too. In Jesus, we receive abundant life and security, why then do we look for other ways and means to receive that? Come and trust in Jesus and bring all our needs before Him and ask of Him.

Fourth, “I am the good shepherd”

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:10-11)

The fourth “I am” of Jesus is that He is the good shepherd. If one is not a good shepherd then one will be a hired man, who will abandon his sheep when the tiger, wolf and lion come. A good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep, so that the sheep can receive abundant life.

In contrast with thieves, Jesus came to give us life, and life of abundance. A hired man looks after the sheep only for the sake of money, but a shepherd does so out of his love for the sheep. Because of the forgiveness, love and providence of Jesus, our eternal lives that have started in Christ have become more abundant.

Life on earth is unpredictable, especially in these chaotic days, and we should follow Jesus all the way, for He is the good shepherd. He will be able to give us life and protect us from various disasters.

Fifth, “I am the resurrection, and I am the life”

The fifth “I am” of Jesus is that He is the resurrection. He is the Lord of the resurrection.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; （John 11:25）

Lazarus, the good friend of Jesus was sick. By the time Jesus reached his town, Lazarus was already dead for four days. Jesus declared and said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”

Jesus was talking to Martha. Martha was Lazarus’ sister. Jesus wanted Martha to believe that He was able to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus raised Lazarus from death in front of the crowd. One day, Jesus will do the same upon His return. All the dead shall be resurrected and receive judgment from God.

Jesus said He is the Lord of the resurrection, for He already overcame death, and He made death redundant, and death has lost its position before the Son of the resurrection.

In the end times, He is the first person who has had tasted resurrection, and who has the glorious resurrected body. When the Lord comes, believers in Christ shall rise from death, or they will be raptured and shall enter the New Heaven and New Earth.

For those who believe in the Lord, Jesus said, “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” （14:19）What a blessed assurance we have received this promise of the Lord!

When we come to recognize the power of the Lord Jesus and the grace given to us, we cannot but offer our entire life to be used by Him.

Sixth, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”

Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” （John 14:6）

The sixth “I am” of Jesus is that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus enlarges the idea of “I am” in three aspects:

First is the Way. Jesus is the Way, and it is the only Way that leads to life. Therefore, Jesus says, “I am the Way….no one goes to the Father except through me.”

Someone says this Way is too narrow, but in reality, it is broad enough to contain the whole world. Even if the whole world were to accept the salvation of Jesus, this Way would be able to lead them to the Father.

Instead of worrying over whether it is the only way, why not say to God, “Oh, Lord! Thank you for giving us this Way that leads to where You are. I am now walking in Jesus, the Way!”

Second, the Truth. Jesus said to the Jews then, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Pilate also asked Jesus, “What is the truth?” (1 John 8:39) Pilate did not know the truth, but Jesus said, “I am the truth.”

Jesus is the Truth, and He reveals God to us, and He fulfills all of God’s promises. Jesus, who is the Truth from above, embodies the following characteristics:

Truth is unchanging, it is like Jesus Christ who is also unchanged forever. In Hebrews 13:8, it says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” It is the unchanging Jesus who says that, “I am the truth”, and it is unchangeable. No matter how the world might change, Jesus is unchangeable. He has saved us, and He shall keep us until the very end.

Truth is unique. It is unparalleled, and it is the One and Only God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior.

Truth is complete, or else it can’t be truth. It is flawless and without blemish. Jesus Christ is perfect, for He is perfect in humanity and in His divine nature.

Truth is absolute, it surpasses all things that are visible and invisible.

Again, Jesus says, “I am the life.” By knowing Jesus is the Truth and by following Him and walking with Him, His followers are indeed walking on the way of Life.

We don’t know about tomorrow, and we feel uncertain towards life. Yet Jesus does not behave in this way, for He says, “I am the life.” Our lives are in Jesus. It is in Jesus that we have life. We would fall into the path of destruction if we were to leave Him.

Let’s connect our lives with Christ, and by doing so, we will be able to receive freedom, joy and abundant life our faith brings!

Seven, “I am the True Vine”

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2）

What does the seventh “I Am,” the True Vine represent for?

The vine is a kind of plant that can bear much fruit, and just one plant can bear a lot of grapes. In the Old Testament, vine symbolizes the fruit of Israel bore for the work they did for God.

However, the Israelites rebelled against God most of the times and they were fake vine. Therefore, God sent Jesus as His servant, and had Him accomplished the salvation of God. Jesus is the true Israel, the true vine, for He submits to God and has accomplished the work assigned to Him by God.

Christ is the Vine and God is the Gardener who shall prune the branches and make the vine bear fruits. Branches refer to all Christians. Branches that bear fruits are true believers, and their lives are connected with Christ. Hence, they are fruitful.

Branches that do not bear fruits are those Christians who make promises superficially to Christ, but they forsake Him inwardly, and they are good for nothing and without life. They shall be cut down by God and be thrown away.

It means we must keep our faith all the time, and we must remain in Christ and maintain an unbroken living relationship with Christ. Jesus is the true Vine, and whatever works that He has accomplished for God and fruits He has borne become the work and the fruits of those who belong to Him, for they remain connected with the Lord.

Our relationship with the Lord must be continual, for we cannot do anything if we were to leave the Lord. Are you willing to connect with the Lord Jesus today? Are you bearing abundant fruits?

The LORD Sits Enthroned Over the Flood

Psalm 29:10-11; Revelation 3:19-22

The LORD Sits Enthroned Over the Flood

The Old Testament often uses the word “flood” to describe a time when evil was rampant, society in chaos, and God’s people greatly afflicted. The psalmist reminds us that, even in these trouble times—flood, that the LORD is seated high above, enthroned as King.

The LORD our God sits enthroned as King forever and ever. He will surely give strength and peace to His people. This means that we can stay unshaken in troubled times because our God is in control for, he reigns, and we can trust God and overcome the troubles and thus, lead a peaceful life.

When it comes to Revelation, the apostle John upon seeing the vision of God sitting on his heavenly throne, wrote to the seven churches in Asian Minor. It was approximately 90AD, when the churches were at their sprouting stage and acted very differently from the pagan society at large. Thus, local societies joint-hand with the Roman government to persecute the churches, aiming to destroy this emerging Christian faith.

During this dark hour of the Church when believers were risking their lives for upholding their faith, the heaven was open and the apostle John saw the vision of God and the Lamb that was slain, both sitting highly on their thrones. We must take note that, the Bible emphasizes that what happens in the heavenly court takes precedent over the earthly happenings, and not vice versa.

“Throne” signifies the power, authority, and kingship. God the Father who sits on the throne represents his sovereign rule. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain, and He is sitting on His throne too.

Jesus was faithful unto the end in fulfilling the mission which was entrusted to Him by the Father. He was persecuted and crucified on the cross. His death on the cross overcame the devil. Therefore, Jesus was entitled to sit on the throne of the Father.

Jesus also promised His followers who suffer on earth, that they too ought to be faithful unto death as the master did, for he promised “to the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21）

“The LORD sits enthroned as King.” He is the Lord of the heaven and earth, and He is our God. He is the great “I am”. The name of the LORD—Yahweh means “who is, who was, and who is to come.” (Exodus 3:14-15); and also means “He shall make things happened.” All things that happen are under God’s control. He has control over the history of the world.

Let’s examine this theme: The LORD and the Lamb sit enthroned as King by asking a few pertinent questions:

When does The Lord Sit enthroned as King?

The flood represents the evil forces that are flooding and rocking the world, destroying her God appointed order and value. We can see the world today experiencing plagues, catastrophes, human conflict and anxiety. And there is a strong smell of gunpowder between nations and peoples. There are also wars of information, power struggles among ambitious people who embrace conflicting ideologies; the lawlessness of men, robbery and killings.

The world is turbulent, and the hearts of the people are unsettled. Where is the true land of peace that we can go to?

“The LORD sits enthroned over the flood”, so in this chaotic and helpless moments, we really need the Lord to be our King, who will rule the world so that the evil shall not prevail over the righteous! Let’s take heart and work with God to subdue the evil forces and heal the ruins so that God’s appointed order and values will be restored.

How does the Lord sits enthroned as King?

The Lord is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and He is omnipotent. He speaks all things into existence, and He commands with His decree that things shall stand firm. He is omniscient, as He knows our situations and sympathizes with us. He is omnipresent and He shall be with us and help us wherever we are. This is the LORD who sits enthroned as King.

“Sit” indicates about stability, non-anxiousness, calmness, and authority. Since He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the flood shall not move His throne. He sits firmly. Though He is sitting, He is doing something. He does not sit passively, but actively.

He is the King who rules and reigns. He can calm the storm, and He will surely be able to command the flood to recede. He also can allow the flood to go on for a season without harming His own people.

Let’s persevere through the trials and adversities for God’s deliverance will surely come.

How long shall the Lord Sits Enthroned as King?

The Bible tells us that the Lord sits enthroned as King forever. How long then is “forever”? “Forever” is an endless time without beginning and end. It is a state of continuality and endlessness. Forever and ever God exists and exercises his control.

The Lord shall sit enthroned as King forever. Though the flood might be frightening, it will not overcome the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and it will never triumph over the Lord our God.

What are the advantages for us when the Lord sits enthroned as King?

The Bible says, “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”

Who gives strength to His people? Who promises of a blessed peace to His people? It is Yahweh, the LORD of the heavens and the earth, He is our God. The word “surely” shows that it is certain and unchanging.

The Lord is faithful, and He never lie. He shall fulfill His promises faithfully. The LORD is omnipotent and He shall keep His words. He is omniscient and He will surely keep His words. He is omnipresent, and he shall live forever and keep all of His promises.

“The LORD Gives” indicates that blessed strength and peace are of the Lord. He is the source of strength and peace. He has the strength and the blessed peace. Therefore, He just “gives”.

Hence, the Chinese Bible use a specific word to denote God bestows and not just blesses. This highlights the transcendence of God. He keeps watch over us as the Creator and Sustainer of this world. We can rest in His presence.

The strength the Lord gives shall preserve us so that we will not be hurt by the flood. The Bible says, “our strength equals our days.” This strength is sufficient for us even as we sail through times of pandemic. We can live under all circumstances.

The Lord sits enthroned as King. What shall we do then?

In a positive sense, the Lord gives us strength so that we are empowered to overcome the flood, and we will surely overcome the flood. Therefore, in times of flood, God not only protects us, he uses us to wrestle with evil, and to restore  order in this troubled world.

As heavenly and earthly citizens, we have a responsibility to resist evil and do righteous and display our compassion with the strength of God. We have to exercise our role as salt and light, and do our part in this troubled world, to bring in order, stability and hope. In this way, people will not be hurt physically and they will be not be fearful spiritually. This is the blessed peace that the Lord wants to bless us.

The devil will surely give us his backslashes and he will hurt us with various means when we follow the footsteps of our Lord faithfully, and when we shine forth the light of God on earth to disperse the darkness.

The “flood” is the trial or test of God, it is a discipline for us too. We are not to shrink back or be fearful, and we are not to lose our faith. We ought to know that the righteous shall prevail over the wicked, and the disaster shall be over, and  chaos shall be turned into order, for the Lord reigns and He is in control.

Just like what happened in the churches in the times of Revelation, many believers were killed because of their faith. However, like the Lamb that was slain, God promises that those who are faithful and who endure until the very end shall definitely sit with the Lamb of God on His throne, and they shall receive their eternal life and glorious crowns.

O God, open our eyes and enable us to see what contribution we can make to overcome the flood! Ask that the Holy Spirit fill us with His strength to face the hardships, and we will not be fearful to extend our help to those that have suffered miserably around us.

The LORD Sits Enthroned as King, how then Can I Receive the Blessings of the LORD’s Strength and Peace?

First, we must become God’s people. Why is it so crucial? People of God have the life of God in them, and they belong to God. How can one have the life of God? How can one belong to God? We ought to receive the life of God by believing in Jesus. Only through Jesus, we belong to God.

Just as the Bible says, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” “Whoever has the Son has life with strength and peace. Whoever does not have the Son does not have life with strength and peace.”

May those who have yet to believe in Jesus be able to receive the Lord’s blessings by believing in Jesus. May all the Christians trust in the strength and peace of the Lord to live a victorious and peaceful life in this era that is full of floods and uncertainties.

May those who have not believed in Jesus, now accept Him as the King in their lives and follow His footsteps to do His works. Believers ought to connect with God and with the body of Christ daily, and walk with the Lord so that we receive the blessings of strength and peace.

Conclusion

The biblical history informed us that in Queen Esther’s time, God’s people was in a “flood” crisis when their lives were threatened. However, since they belonged to God, and the result was that God was enthroned as king and the people saved the day and were able to enjoy peace. Job, the leading character in the book of Job, was a godly man. He received God’s blessing of strength and peace because the Lord sat enthroned in his situation.

Apostle Paul in the era of New Testament was constantly hit by the flood throughout his lifetime. Yet he received great strength and peace by trusting in the Lord Jesus who sat enthroned in his life. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 encouraged us that, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

We have experienced that the Word in the Bible is trustworthy and reliable with the testimony in our own lives and in history. “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”