A Congregation of Tassels

09 Saturday May 2015

Posted by memoirandremains in Discipleship

Tags

congregation, Discipleship, Hebrews, Hebrews 10, Numbers, Numbers 15, Stir Up, Tassels

By Pastor Ed Wilde

In Numbers 15, we read of the Lord’s command concerning tassels:

“37 The LORD said to Moses,38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their gar- ments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the command- ments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

The principle remains in the NT, yet the tassels have been replaced:

“12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitful- ness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”

Hebrews 3:12-14. It is interesting to note that this command to exhort one-another comes in the context of warning against the hardness of heart of the people in the wilderness (quoting Psalm 95).

It is for this reason that failing to congre- gate is so dangerous and thus carries such a grave warning:

“23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us con- sider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacri- fice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.”

Hebrews 10:23-27. Here is a central aspect of discipleship: Jesus has defined discipleship as teaching others to ob- serve Jesus’ commands (Matthew 28:20, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”). The OT command is to wear tassels to constantly remind oneself of the commands of God. In the New Covenant, the work pictured by the tassels becomes the command for the entire congregation: all of you ex- hort, encourage, provoke one another:

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24. This work is a core work of discipleship—and it is given to the entire congregation. This is the mes- sage of the NT, not just of Hebrews:

“I, myself, am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another .” Romans 15:14

By way of application, we must consider being filled with the Scriptures so that we have something to say—discipleship is teaching what Jesus has commanded, not what we have invented (Matt. 28:20). Second, the power of transformation is in the Scripture:

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the en- couragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” Romans 15:4.

Third, we must realize that we each have this obligation to exhort one-another, it is not merely the duty of some pastor or overseer.

Fourth, we must pray for the wisdom and grace to perform this work.

Fifth, we must repent of failure to do so, whether for laziness or a fail- ure of love.

Sixth, we must do the work.

Let Us Draw Near

09 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by memoirandremains in Hebrews, Numbers

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Hebrews 10, Let Us Draw Near, Numbers, Spies, Worship

Edward Taylor, Raptures of Love.4

15 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in Ascension, Christology, Edward Taylor, Glory, Hebrews, Praise

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Christ as Priest, Edward Taylor, Hebrews, Hebrews 1, Hebrews 10, poem, Poetry, Puritan Poetry, Raptures of Love

The previous post for this poem may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/edward-taylor-raptures-of-love-3/

Out rampant Justice steps in sparking white
Him rends in twain, who on her altar lies
A lump of glory flaming in her bright
Devouring flames, to be my sacrifice
Until her fire goes out well satisfied:
And then he rose in glory to abide.

Jesus having obliged himself to pay the demands of justice for the elect,now finds himself the sacrifice demanded by justice. The imagery here is difficult: Christ is all the elements of the sacrificial system: priest, sacrifice, altar, temple, veil. The temple system set forth in the Old Testament and described in greatest length in the book of Leviticus. The New Testament book commonly known as [the book itself is an untitled first century sermon], “(To the) Hebrews” develops the theme that Jesus replaces the elements set forth in the Mosaic Covanent.

A/the basic theme of Hebrews is that Jesus gives himself as sacrifice and secures salvation for all who by faith receive his sacrificial work. Jesus having become the high priest for his people, continues as priest and king forever, the mediator between God and human beings.

Three aspects are particularly in view in this place: The previous stanza emphasized Jesus as priest by offering the sacrifice to satisfy the demands of Justice. In this stanza the sacrifice and acceptance, and the everlasting position of Jesus are made most plain.

One further point must be understood to understand Taylor’s theology: Justice is right to make its demand. It is fashionable to think the demands of justice are barbaric or primitive. Yet, we all have some sense of outrage which justice is scoffed. When we have been personally wronged, we know the wrong must be righted in some manner (and while we can all overlook some faults, there are others which require some response). Or, what if oppression and violence against the weak and vulernable: even criminals hate those who misuse children.

God could not be God were he to wink at injustice. The atheistic argument that God cannot exist because he has not prevented or has yet to avenge harm proves Taylor’s point: Justice must be met.

The following passage from the tenth chapter of Hebrews is one expression of the scene described by Taylor:

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law),
9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Line 1
Rampant justice: Justice rushes out; it cannot but make a demand. Justice by definition does not entail mercy.

Line 2
Him rends in twain: Justice rends Christ in two; that is, sacrifices Christ.
It is Christ who lies on the altar.

Line 3
A lump of glory: this line sounds strange because “lump” has a negative connotation; at the very least a “lump” sounds ugly. Taylor would have had no such association: this would have been a spectacle of beauty.
Her flames: the demands of justice.
Hebrews 9:
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Line 4
The sacrifice of Jesus fully satisfies the demands of justice.
James 2:13, “Mercy triumphs over justice.”

Line 5
A primary tenant of Hebrews is that Jesus having made his sacrifice, rose again and now continues as the everlasting priest.

His continuing priest rests upon the power of his indestructible life, “who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.”

Hebrews 1 describes the Jesus as follows:
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? [This is not a reference to birth. In the idiom of the ANE, it is a reference to being appointed King.] Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Edward Taylor, Raptures of Love.3

06 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by memoirandremains in Atonement, Edward Taylor, Meditation, Praise

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

2 Corinthians 5, Edward Taylor, Exodus 32, Hebrews 10, John 12, Meditation, penal substitutionary atonement, poem, Poetry, Praise, Puritan Poetry, Raptures of Love, Riddle of the Bible

The previous post in this series is found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/edward-taylor-raptures-of-love-2/

Yea, beauteous he in all his glory stands,
Tendering himself to God, and man where he
Doth Justice thus bespeake, hold out thy hands:
Come take my pensworth now for mine of me.
I’ll pay the fine that thou seest meet to set
Upon their heads: I’ll die to clear their debts.

Line 1:
The accent falls on the first syllable followed by another accented syllable “beaut-” which creates a rush over the third syllable “-e-” as one moves toward the “he”. By rushing the third syllable one scans the first half of the line ”-‘. One then ends with ten syllables for the line (the second half is perfectly regular -‘-‘-‘) but one too many accents. The introductory “Yea” (note the common use of the “yea” in the Psalms. See, e.g., Psalm 19:10: “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”) draws attention to the line: Yes it is true see this! The accent as well as the comma pause slow the movement of the poem slightly, which then leads to the rush toward “he”.

Line 2:
“Tendering himself to God”. Again the line begins with an accent which leaves accents on Ten-, him-, God. The scene described, Christ offering himself as the penal substitution for human sin (the doctrine is known as “penal substitutionary atonement”) comes from several passages in the Bible.

Isaiah 53:10:
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

John 11:50:
Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-21:
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:21-25:
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Yet, the passage most likely in mind for Taylor is Hebrews 10:
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law),
9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Line 3:
Christ is speaking to Justice, not Justice to Christ. The Justice of God is here personified.

It has been called (by Mark Dever, I believe) the riddle of the Bible. How can God both forgive and refuse to acquit sin?
5 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 32:5-7.

The offering of Jesus in sacrifice fulfills the demands of justice and thus makes a way for God to forgive sin. Without the death of Christ, God’s forgiveness would be unjust or impossible.

Line 4: I can’t determine what is meant by “pensworth”. The word seems to mean a small amount in that a “pen” may refer to a “pin”. The other meaning for the word at time of Taylor would be “pen” as in a quill. However, small amount does not make sense in this instance. The death of Christ is of infinite value.

“for mine of me”: The offering of Christ is on behalf of “mine” that is those Christ will save; and “of me”, that is, from Christ.

Lines 5-6: Jesus willingly pays the entire penalty and owed for sin on behalf of those saved by Christ. The cost of sin is death:
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11.

Discipleship: A Congregation of Tassels

14 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Exhortation, Hebrews, Numbers

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Biblical Counseling, Discipleship, Encouragement, Exhortation, great commission, Hebrews, Hebrews 10, Hebrews 3:12-14, Matthew 28:18-20, Numbers, Numbers 15, Romans 15:14, Tassels

In Numbers 15, we read of the Lord’s command concerning tassles:

37 The LORD said to Moses,38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

The principle remains in the NT, yet the tassels have been replaced:

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

Hebrews 3:12-14. It is interesting to note that this command to exhort one-another comes in the context of warning against the hardness of heart of the people in the wilderness (quoting Psalm 95).

It is for this reason that failing to congregation is so dangerous and thus carries such a grave warning:

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Hebrews 10:23-27. Here is a central aspect of discipleship: Jesus has defined discipleship as teaching others to observe Jesus’ commands (Matthew 28:20, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”). The OT command is to wear tassels to constantly remind oneself of the commands of God. In the New Covenant, the work pictured by the tassels becomes the command for the entire congregation: all of you exhort, encourage, provoke one another:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Hebrews 10:24. This work is a core work of discipleship — and it is given to the entire congregation. This is the message of the NT, not just of Hebrews:

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

Romans 15:14.

By way of application, we must consider be filled with the Scriptures so that we have something to say — discipleship is teaching what Jesus has commanded, not what we have invented (Matt. 28:20). Second, the power of transformation is in the Scripture:

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15:4. Third, we must realize that we each have this obligation to exhort one-another, it is not merely the duty of some pastor or overseer. Fourth, we must pray for the wisdom and grace to perform this work. Fifth, we must repent of failure to do so, whether for laziness or a failure of love. Sixth, we must do the work.