Thank you for sharing, Brother Mike.
Blessings,
Soraya
Em qui., 18 de mar. de 2021 às 23:01, mike mcinnis <ratmotor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
escreveu:
GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XIX Issue 13
*Published occasionally for Zion’s mourners*
*Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And
make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out
of the way; but let it rather be
healed.
Hebrews 12::12-13*
TAKING AWAY THE STONE
* Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that
was dead, saith unto*
* him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four
days. John 11:39*
The phrase “*a certain man*” appears twenty-two times in the KJV New
Testament. Each time that it does we know that reference is being made
to a specific individual as set apart from the rest of the people gathered
in a particular place. The LORD deals with all humans as individuals. While
HIS judgment may fall on various groups of people at one time, HIS
condemnation of them is as individuals. We see this illustrated in the
destruction of the people of the world in Noah’s time and also in the
conflagration which befell Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham appealed to the
LORD based upon his understanding of this tenet, in the behalf of Lot. (see
Gen.18:22-33)
We read this principle clearly stated in the prophecy of Ezekiel. “*The
soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the
father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the
righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the
wicked shall be upon him.” (Eze 18:20*) Religious men take great comfort
in this verse as they think that it secures their escape from destruction.
They assume that they will be found among the “righteous” because they are
convinced that a partial obedience to the law is the same as obedience to
the law. Yet the scripture plainly declares otherwise. *“For whosoever
shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
all.” (Jas 2:10) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man
is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just
shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth
them shall live in them.” (Gal 3:10-12*)
So, while the law has a provision for acceptance before GOD, it
provides no power to enable anyone to keep it in its jot and tittle.
Therefore,
it becomes a minister of condemnation to all who fail to abide by its every
precept in every detail. We often hear men gladly declare that the “LORD
looks upon the heart” as if HE will see their partial obedience compared to
others who disregard the law, and thereby will judge their works to be
acceptable. Yet the truth of the fact that the LORD “does” look upon the
heart, should cause men to tremble before HIM for every man’s heart is
deceitful and desperately wicked. *“As it is written, There is none
righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none
that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together
become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Rom
3:10-12*)
All men shall stand before the LORD in judgment not as a group but as
individuals just as each one must face death alone. *“And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (Heb 9:27*) The
writer goes on to point out that upon this very principle, the LORD JESUS
tasted death in order to procure redemption for “certain men” as
individuals. *“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; *(i.e.;
a limited and specific number*) and unto them *(the same “many”)* that
look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
(Heb 9:28*)
Just as surely as all men shall individually face judgment for their
sins, so too did CHRIST make atonement for HIS people (i.e. many) as
individuals which were chosen in HIM before the foundation of the world. This
very fact overturns the notion that HIS atonement is general in nature as a
blanket covering for the sins of all men. HE died for “certain men”,
atoned for “certain sins”, and obtained a certain redemption for them.
*“Neither
by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Heb 9:12*
) This is the basis upon which the sons of GOD have the HOPE of ETERNAL
LIFE and expect to stand in the day of judgment, as those whose sin is
covered by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. The judgment unto condemnation which
rightly should have been theirs has fallen upon HIM who has delivered them
from the curse of the law and granted unto them the right to be called the
sons of GOD.
The curse of the law came upon a *“certain man*”; Lazarus of Bethany,
(see John 11:1) as he fell sick and ultimately died as all men will. Lazarus
death, while like all mortal men, was not unto “death” but unto “life” as
the LORD ordained both his sickness and death to demonstrate HIS power over
death itself in a most striking fashion. There is no doubt that the LORD
could have prevented HIS friend Lazarus’s death by healing him of his
disease, just as HE had many others, yet HE tarried on purpose upon being
told about the illness of Lazarus, so that Lazarus might die.
“Certain men” were present on that day when the most startling of all
of the miracles which the LORD JESUS performed was carried out. “Certain”
of those that gathered there were those who already believed the LORD’s
teachings and loved HIM. They would be strengthened by what they saw.
“Certain
men” had perhaps heard of this MAN JESUS, who after what they witnessed,
would be caused to believe in HIM. (see v.45) “Certain men” were there
as spies who would report to the Pharisees of what they perceived to be a
MAN of power who threatened the religious structure of the Jews. Not one
of these “certain men” was there by chance or happenstance. Every step
that each took was ordained by HIM who would demonstrate the power and
sovereign right of GOD to make one vessel unto honor and another to
dishonor as pleased HIM.
Martha, being of a very practical mind, expressed an objection when
the LORD told the men to take away the stone which covered the tomb’s
entrance. She was right to be concerned about the stench which would
surely come forth from the rotting corpse of Lazarus. Yet this stench
was itself ordained by HIM so that there might be no doubt that Lazarus was
dead, beyond any hope of reviving. The LORD would have those “certain
men”, which were present there to smell death itself and to understand that
it is impossible for a man to live again apart from a supernatural work of
GOD even as Job surmised, “*If a man die, shall he live again? (Job 14:14*
) A tree may be cut down and yet sprout from its root, but, when men die
they return to the dust from whence they came. “*But man dieth, and
wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters
fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down,
and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be
raised out of their sleep.” (Job 14:10-12*)
The LORD had the stone removed as an illustration of the fact that the
graves shall be opened and the dead in CHRIST shall be raised from that
dust to whence they go. With a shout, which was heard by the dead, the
LORD “*cried with a loud voice**, Lazarus, come forth.” (John 11:43*) This
was a call to a “certain man”, elsewise all of the dead would have come
forth. Even so is the call of the LORD to each one of HIS children,
(both in life and death) quite specifically addressed to them, rather than
some general invitation to all of mankind. “*The sheep hear his voice:
and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he
putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow
him: for they know his voice.” (John 10:3-4*)
HE removed the stone from the grave’s mouth so that Lazarus could
come out. The living have no place among the dead. “*And he that was
dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was
bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him
go.” (John 11:44) *This is an illustration of the preaching of the Gospel
to the sons of GOD who are made alive in CHRIST. *“For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.” (2Cor 4:6) * Until a man is awakened by the SPIRIT he cannot see
the LIGHT which is shed forth in the preaching of the Gospel. “*Who hath
saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of
our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a
preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” (2Tim 1:9-11*) Have
you seen this LIGHT shed forth abundantly by HIM who moves the stone.
mam
